Category: Thought for the Day

He Is. I Am.

When Moses asked God His name, God replied, “I AM WHO I AM.” Fast forward to Paul’s letter to the Corinthians where he wrote (1 Corinthians 15:10), “But by the grace of God I am what I am.”

God is. We are—by His grace. God is everything. We are a part of that everything. Not a preordained, predestined part, but a part with many possibilities. How far we go, what part we play in God’s everything is up to us.

Make this new year of 2017 a time to realize your potential, tapping into God, the I AM of life.

Wishes for a joyful, healthy, peaceful, and blessed New Year!!!

Never Too Late to Come Home!

The truly amazing thing about God is that in His house it’s never too late to come home. No matter where you have been or what you have done, God is the prodigal father waiting for you with open arms of forgiveness. That’s the true meaning of hope in this world of ours.

New Year’s resolutions are great because a new year makes you feel like you have a clean slate. Well, with God every day is a clean slate—it’s simply never too late to come home.

Make your resolutions. Look inward and outward to make yourself a better person. But don’t ever hesitate to go home. Because God is waiting with an open, warm, and forgiving embrace.

Come home!!!

Merry Christmas!!!

I don’t just wish you a “Merry Christmas” today. I wish all of you, regardless of whether you celebrate Christmas or not, the true meaning of Christmas—joy, love, and peace in your life today, in 2017, and beyond.
 
It’s bad enough we live in a divided world, but our country is more divided than ever before in modern history. So, not just for one day, but for all days, let’s each try to spread some joy, love, and peace. If we are going to heal, we need to heal ourselves and help others heal.
 
Merry Christmas!!!

Great Time to Start Living in Love

If there ever is a time of year to start living in love it is now. What does “living in love” mean? Let’s start with what John tells us:

Love means living the way God commanded us to live. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is this: Live a life of love. 2 John‬ ‭1:6‬

Did you get that? It bears repeating: “Love means living the way God commanded us to live.” That means that the definition of “love” is living “the way God commanded us to live.” That means forgiving as God forgives us, giving others the shirt off our backs, not judging, etc, etc. If there are any questions about how to live start reading at Luke 6:27-34.

This season celebrating the birth of Jesus—hopefully in our hearts—is a great time to look at your life and ask, “Am I truly living in love?”

It’s never too late to start living in love!

Advent Starts in the Heart

The Advent season of preparing for Jesus’ birth is a time for reflection on our lives and our own rebirth in Christ. Use each day leading up to Christmas day as time to look back only with a mind of looking ahead, growing, and positively moving forward. It’s a time to recommit to Jesus and focus your life in starting the New Year off on the right foot. It’s a time to strengthen your connection with God and reconnect with Him if you strayed. It’s simply a time to renew, starting in your heart.

There are a lot of distractions this time of year—eating too much at Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and the list goes on. The important thing is to work through the distractions in remembering what this time is about. There’s a reason why there is a “Christ” in CHRISTmas. It should be a season of remembering, giving, and rebirth.

I’m not suggesting detaching from the world. Quite the opposite. I’m talking about being a shining example of what this time of year should really be about.

Use this Advent season wisely. Start today. And have a GREAT one!  

Victim or Victor?

Which one are you? There are people who go through life constantly playing the “victim” card. Someone else is always to blame for their plight in life. There are others who see themselves as the “victor” over someone else. And I think there are a large group who can’t answer the “victim” or “victor” question. What’s wrong with this picture is that everyone—and I mean EVERYONE!!!—should confidently answer “victor” but just not in the way you may be thinking. Continue reading “Victim or Victor?”

Perfect or Sinner?

In my case this is an easy answer. Sinner. I’m pretty good at being a sinner and pretty bad at being perfect. But that’s life. We are imperfect children of a perfect God.

I think one of the keys to life is acknowledging that you are imperfect—a sinner—but constantly trying to strive for perfection. To repent and not try to sin again. Unfortunately, there are too many people out there who believe that they are perfect in every way.

Perfect or Sinner? Pharisee or Tax Collector? What/who are you? Did I lose you? Read Luke 18:9-14 to answer the question. It’s one of the absolute best Bible verses on living life.

And remember: “All who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted.” (Luke 18:14)

Have a wonderful day!!!

Don’t Let Anyone Steal Your Joy! Not Anyone!!!

You may not realize it but you are hard-wired with joy. God created you and God is total joy. So, you are joy at your very core. You may not feel that joy but that is your fault.

The problem is we let others steal our joy. We live in a world where we hang on what others think about us, talk about us, and do to us. And in the process we let others steal our joy. But it is all our fault because no one can steal your joy unless you let them.

Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ. Galatians 1:10

Are you trying to please people—or God? Trying to please people is a losing battle. You will never do it and your joy will be lost in the process. Living to please God taps into that joy hard-wired into you.

Enjoy the weekend!

Falling Back to God

There’s that game of trust where you stand in front of someone with your back to them and fall backwards—trusting they will catch you. It takes a lot of trust to just fall back. Will the person catch you or will you fall flat on you back with your head bouncing off the floor. Trust—it’s tough to have in a situation like that.

I’m here to tell you that God always has your back. Fall backwards to Him and He will always catch you. You simply have to trust in God. Sound too easy? Well, it is too easy. Simply say, “God, please catch me.” And He will. Every time. Simple.

When we feel like we are falling in life it’s best to fall into God’s infinite arms. Simply let yourself go. Let go; let God!

I know, I know. This sounds too easy. That is exactly the point.

I trust in you, O Lord; I say, “You are my God.” My times are in your hand. Psalm 31:14-15 

Fall back. Trust. New possibilities will open up to you. Trust me. No, trust God!

And have a GREAT day!

Forgiveness As You Forgive

Forgive us our sins as we forgive those you trespass against us…

Want forgiveness from God? Start by forgiving others. You can’t ask for forgiveness if you don’t first forgive. And it’s measure for measure. Forgive a little or selectively and don’t expect forgiveness a lot and completely. This is simply another simplicity of life.

Jesus came so that our sins—past, present, and future—are forgiven. Forgiveness is always there—completely—for the taking. But you will never feel that forgiveness if you don’t first forgive. Simple.

Have a GREAT day forgiving!!!