Short and sweet. Says it all.
If you think of prayer as something formal, this makes little sense. If you think of prayer as communication with God, it makes a lot of sense.
Pray continually. 1 Thessalonians 5:17
Great advice from the letter of Paul to the Thessalonians. After all, who passes up the opportunity to converse with God all day, every day?
PRAY! One of the Real Secrets to Life.
These are the 7 Secrets to Life I have found. Pretty simple. No, make that really simple.
LISTEN to/for God because He is always there calling you. Yes, you. God has a unique, special purpose for you.
READ the Bible because it is our God-given handbook on life. It’s not some old book. It’s a timely book containing answers—if you want them.
LOVE because God commands us to love, and lead a life of love. That’s pretty simply.
FIGHT the devil because it is around every corner whispering doubt about everything—starting with God—in our ears.
BELIEVE that God is in you because He made you. You can do anything if you just believe and don’t doubt. Reread the last Secret to Life if you doubt any of this.
LIVE this life like it’s only a tune-up for your life of eternity. Where you spend that eternity depends on how you live this life. Back to that love thing!
PRAY because it’s simply conversation with God. It works—if you give it a chance.
These 7 Secrets to Life work for me. They are simple and clear. You may find others but these work for me. I hope they work for you.
Have a GREAT week!
Good question to ask yourself! What am I talking about?
He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, “Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.” Mark 9:35
That was Jesus asking. Your answer?
Jesus put Himself last because He is first. He gave up His life for you, me, and every other person who has and will live. Jesus is first because He is the Son of God.
If you truly want to get closer to God you need to move to the back of the line. You need to be last to be first.
OK. What does this practically mean today and tomorrow. You need to think more about others than yourself. It’s that simple. But the thinking part has to play out in actual actions. Jesus healed, put Himself in harms way, and eventually gave up HIs life. We don’t have to go to those extremes. We can walk before we run.
Help someone. Anyhow. A lot of people out there need a lot of help. Give. Anything. Just do something for someone before you do for yourself.
Enjoy the rest of this weekend!
Jesus did not teach us civility to one another. He taught us to love one another. A love that goes way beyond civility. A love that puts the other person first and us second. And Jesus wasn’t just a good pontificator as many so-called “Christians” are today—He walked the talk of love. After all, Jesus sacrificed His life for you and me.
Look around you today. Not much civility. And certainly no, if any, love. That’s where you and I come in. We need to spread some love and hope that it’s catching. Because the world desperately needs some love.
Do your part today and I’ll do mine. Smile, help someone in need, pay something forward, lend a helping hand. Spreading love isn’t hard if you just take yourself out of the equation. Jesus taught us how to do it. We just have to listen—and do it.
Walk the talk today. LOVE!!!
There are dark people and light people in this world. Light people try to shine the light of Jesus in their lives for all to see. Dark people either keep that light from shining or simply do not have the light of Jesus in their lives.
Shining the light of Jesus, who is all light, is not difficult. It starts with a smile, goes on to reaching out to others in needs, and burns the brightest when “love” becomes the way you live your life. Living in darkness is pretty simple and easy—it’s living your life for yourself and not others.
Living in light or darkness—your choice. All I can say is that living in light is illuminating. Living in darkness is simply that—dark.
Have a great day in the light!
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!
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!
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?”
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!!!
No—not more “religious” mumbo-jumbo. Very simply, in a very real way, Jesus was humbly born, lived even more humbly, and in the ultimate act humbly died a terrible death. Why? Simply so your sins—yes, you!—would be forgiven. No matter what you do wrong, acknowledge your faults, give in to Jesus, and you are forgiven. A new day!
Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. He suffered physical death, but he was raised to life in the Spirit. 1 Peter 3:18
Get rid of yesterday and start a new day in Christ. And have a GREAT one!
The Real Secrets to Life™ 