Category: LIVE

Negative Breeds Negative

It’s pretty simple. If you think negative thoughts you’ll get a negative outcome. That’s because negative breeds negative. Think negative and you get negative.

The devil LOVES negative thinking. He seeds it and helps it flourish. His whispers in your ear grow louder with every negative thought.

I use to think about the worst of any situation. In fact, I would play out the worst outcome before it was an outcome. In essence, I willed the negative outcome with my negative thinging.

I know it’s tough to think positive thoughts all the time. Especially in the very negative world we live in. The news is negative, not just because a lot of bad things are happening but because the media loves negative reporting. The media thrives on negativity.

God is the model of everything positive. There is nothing negative in God. Only positive unconditional love. That’s why I turn to God—Creator, Savior, and Empowerer—any time negative thinking creeps into my head. It’s not always easy but willing positive thinking, and praying for it, can swamp the negative thoughts.

Positive thinking breeds positive outcomes. So, if you want positive outcomes in your life, plant those seeds of positive thinking. Like all things in life, God means this to be so simple. But we complicate and make it difficult.

Have a POSITIVE weekend!!!

You Are AMAZINGLY Special and Unique!

Yes, you are. And so am I and every other person on this planet. No matter what we do or who we are we are all special and unique. We are children of God, created in his image. Not only do each one of us have different physical finger prints but we are special and unique in soul. And God created each of us with a special and unique purpose in life.

We judge people by what they look like, how much money they have, how famous they are, and other outward manifestations. But God sees inside of us, knowing that no matter who we are or what we have we are special and unique. We each have an individual purpose in life, no matter how little or large.

One of the Secrets to Life is understanding our God-given purpose in life. Jesus came to save us. What is your purpose? Knowing that purpose is the fulfillment of lfe.

I hope this week you reflect on how special and unique you are. And start finding your purpose in life if you haven’t already.

Have an AMAZING week ahead because you are amazing! Feel it!!!

Pressing Forward

Let’s face it—we’re all imperfect. Imperfect children of a perfect God. Like everyone else, I screw up more times than I like or should. The flesh takes over the spirit and we simply give in to the flesh. That’s life. But when I do screw up I try not to beat myself up but press forward.

I have found that the worst thing you can do is beat yourself up after you screw up. The devil loves to pile on and make you look back at what you did rather than forward to what you should be doing. Devil back. God ahead.

Let me give you a news break if you don’t already know it. God knows everything you have done and everything you will do. He sees everything. He wants you to keep pressing forward not backward in a pool of self incrimination.

There’s a reason why God the Father sent His only Son Jesus to die for our sins. So, when you admit you did something wrong and ask for forgiveness, you are forgiven. Jesus already has wiped those sins off the board. Now press forward!

Don’t look back only to not make the same wrong again. Learn from your mistakes but don’t wallow in them. Press forward!

Have a GREAT rest of the week and remember to press forward!!!

Paradise Is Where Your Heart Is!

Our daughter—only child—was married several weeks back. When your daughter tells you this was the best day of her life, you are in paradise. Everything about the day was perfect! It was paradise! But then paradise fades because the day is over. Yes, the pictures and videos keep the memories flowing. But there is a sense of loss. Paradise lost.

This experience has just reaffirmed to me that paradise is in your heart. It’s not predicated on people, outside events, and experiences. It’s in your heart and is there day-in and day-out. That’s because a Secret to Life is that God hard-wired paradise into each one of us. The problem is most of us don’t know where paradise really is. It’s in your heart!

People disappoint and things happen in life. If your definition of paradise is a wedding day, vacation, or even a love all that will come and go. But God has given you the ability to live in paradise day-in and day-out if you reach into Him in your heart. He sent His Only Son to die to sin for us and the Spirit is always there empowering us and lifting us up if we fall or even fail. What more can you ask for? It’s paradise.

If we make the right choices in this life eternity will be paradise forever. It is our Promised Land. But while on this earth we can find paradise within us if we just look. LISTEN for and to God and you will find paradise. He is reaching out to you. Reach into Him. He is never more than less than a heart beat away.

Enjoy paradise this week!

Your Word is Your Bond

We live in a time where words and living by them are meaningless. Someone can say one thing one day and turn face the other. We see this all over the place, most recently in the honored world of golf. Leaders in the PGA, including players, said they would never take money from the Saudis and merge with the LIV “tour.” Well, we have seen how that has been thrown out the window.

Your word is your bond. What you say you need to stick to and live by. Yes, we all say things that we realize later are mistakes. That’s different. But the basic premise is you say what you mean and live by it.

I find a lot of professed Christians who say a lot of pretty sounding words. But they then don’t live by those words. We are just so fortunate that God lives by every word He speaks to us. Truly, His word is His bond. We need to follow that model.

I try to live by my words. Obviously, sometimes I fail. But I pick myself back up and give it another go. If we don’t live by our words what are we?

Have an AMAZING week ahead! And live by your words this week!

Perfection

You’ll never be perfect. But should you stop trying? No. Because striving for perfection is about striving for God. Because God is perfect. He’s our model. We’ll never get there but by striving we get closer to God.

Don’t beat yourself up when you’re less than perfect. That’s not an excuse for not striving to be perfect. Do your best. That’s all that God expects.

I screw up all the time. I focus on what I have done wrong. But God reminds me that to be human is to screw up. Realizing our mistakes and learning by them is all that God expects. And we need to minimize the mistakes. Move on from them.

A lot of people think they are perfect. Don’t let those people get to you. You know that only God is perfect. And, in case you are wondering, his perfection is love. Because God is love. That’s what defines God.

So, give it your best today. Strive for perfection. But learn from the mistakes. You’ll will make them. Move on. And move closer to God.

Have a PERFECT week ahead! At least strive for one!

History Repeating Itself (Again!)

There’s a reason there is a Bible. It’s God’s handbook on life to us. How many times has God saved us only to have us turn our backs on Him? A LOT!!! We (humankind, His children) constantly give in into ourselves (sin) rather than God. Our bodies and this limited time on earth are more important than our souls and an eternity of bliss.

Look at the Israelites. God practically placed them in the Promised Land, a place flowing with milk and honey. But they were too afraid to enter so God said, fine, roam the desert for 40 years on a journey to the Promised Land that should have taken 11 days. And only two of the original Israelites made it to the Promised Land. Even Moses didn’t make it!

Idols of gold are simply money today. We forget about worshiping God but instead worship wealth and everything material. No wonder we are wandering this earth of disease, war, starvation, and everything else wrong today.

Sorry to be Debbie downer but we are lost in our own desert. It’s time to wake up to God and follow His lead. He sent His Son to show us the way. This isn’t rocket science.

There’s a fork in the road for us. One way is a dead-in way that leads to death and worse. The other way is to God, fulfillment while on this earth and eternal bill after. You pick!

Have a OUTSTANDING day focused on what’s truly important!

People Disappoint. God Never Does!

I have learned the hard way that you simply can’t count on people. I’m learning that lesson the hard way all over again. This may seem pretty negative and dark but it isn’t. People come and go, are with you then against you. People change and tend to look inward. But God never changes. He always is what He always was. He always looks outward. And no matter what you do God is always there. Less than a heartbeat away. God never, ever disappoints!!!

God’s love for us is unconditional. Human love is conditional. It’s the rare person who loves without any conditions. But God doesn’t need any conditions. We beat, spit on, and hung His only Son from a cross and God is the same. Imagine how any human would react to that!

This doesn’t mean that you don’t count on family and friends to come through. I count on my wife and daughter like nobody else. But we’re all human. We are we. God is God. He simply is always there, no matter what we do, and is always less than a heartbeat away. He treats us all the same, without any conditions. God is simply God!

When you need a friend reach out to God.

Have a great day and rest of the week. And remember that God NEVER disappoints!

Takers and Givers

I heard a sermon this weekend about contrasting King Herod as a “taker” versus the Three Kings (Magi) as “givers.” Like all good sermons it made me really think about “takers” and “givers.” And pushed me to ask myself where I fall.

Unfortunately, I think the world today has a lot more “takers,” especially in high places. “Takers” only think of themselves and what they can “take” from the world around them. “Givers” are the exact opposite. They put themselves last and look to “give” back around them. I’m not talking about just giving money but about giving of oneself. Obviously, Jesus was the ultimate “giver” going as far to “give” His life for us. He is the model of “giving.”

The world is far from this or that in terms of “takers” and “givers.” I know times when I have been a “taker” and I like to think times when I have been a “giver.” But I think we tend generally to fall into one of those buckets.

I’m taking this to the bank in terms of looking at my life each day and find opportunities to “give.” It can start simply as smiling, lending a helping hand, or much more. There is no prescription on how to be a “giver.” You simply “give” of yourself. Think the other person before you think of yourself. It starts there.

Enjoy the week ahead! And GIVE!

I Cleaned My Garage

Boy does it feel good! The garage in our new house was the victim of massive clutter. Any box we didn’t know where to put landed in the garage. My tools were all over the place. It was beyond a mess. So, I took the time to clean it, get rid of the clutter, and organize everything. So, what does this have to do with anything other than having a clean garage?

Life is like my garage. We accumulate feelings and emotions over time that just become cluttered with thoughts all over the place. It’s tough to navigate a garage with stuff all over the place. And it’s equally tough to navigate life with emotions, thoughts, and lack of focus. So, just like cleaning the garage is satisfying, cleaning out the clutter in your life can be beyond satisfying.

If there is ever a good time to start tossing out the life clutter, getting organized, and prioritizing in life what’s really important, it’s the start of a New Year. It’s a great time to take stock, look at your life in a different light, and get rid of the clutter. And, boy, will it feel good.

Just like with my garage, it can be daunting as to where to start. But you just have to pick a corner, or aspect, of your life and start there. What’s really important? What’s not? What are the hurt feelings that you can discard? Just start cleaning and don’t stop.

Just like my garage, you can’t let the clutter come back. You need to organize, and keep organized. And every once in a while you need to clean. You can’t let the garage be the place for things you don’t really use. And the same is true of your life.

Start cleaning today and have a BLESSED New Year!!!