Tag: faith

One Christian Requirement

LOVE. That’s it. If you walk in LOVE you follow the walk of Jesus Christ. You are a Christian. Pretty simple, right? Conversely, if you don’t walk in LOVE you are not a Christian. You are simply something else.

Jesus commanded us to do one simple thing. LOVE. So, if we walk in LOVE, as Jesus did, we are a follower. A “Christ”ian. If we don’t, we aren’t. Again, pretty simple.

There are a lot of self-professed “Christians” in this world that clearly don’t walk in LOVE. So, they may think they are “Christian” but are anything but true Christian. Again, Jesus commanded us to do one simple thing. LOVE. If we LOVE we are followers. If we don’t, we are not.

“This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you.” john 15:12 

There is no mistaking that. LOVE. And just to be clear, Jesus is talking about loving all as He loves each one of us. LOVE if you are a true Christian.

Have an EXCEPTIONAL day walking in LOVE!

You Can’t Fear With Faith

Fear and faith are exact opposites. Faith is the belief that God will take care of anything and everything. But faith isn’t like rubbing a magic lamp. God may not take care things as you or I want, but He will take care of them. That’s faith. Fear is the opposite. There is no belief that God will do anything.

The devil, or whatever you call the evil presence in this world, lives on spreading fear. Because fear blocks out faith. No faith, no God. The devil loves to whisper fear into our ears so that faith is blocked out.

When you have faith you can’t have fear. Because faith doesn’t allow for fear. You may start fearing but when you fall back on faith there is no fear.

I know this sounds overly simple. But as I write over and over again, God means life to be simple. We are the ones who complicate it. It’s that simple that with faith there can be no fear.

If you fear anything you have to tune into God and have faith. Ask Him to bolster your faith. Fall back and into His almighty arms. It works. Trust me. Been there, done that.

Don’t let fear drag you down and hold you back in life. Step boldly forward in faith. God is less than a heartbeat away.

Have a faith-filled weekend ahead!!!

One Little Simple Thing!

LOVE. That’s the one little simple thing God commanded us to do before Jesus’ coming. Then, Jesus before His death commanded us to do the same thing. LOVE. It’s so very simple but as with everything in life we complicate it. In fact, we downright ignore it!!!

Why is the world spinning out of control? Because we ignore God’s command to LOVE. Hatred has taken over so many that LOVE is blotted out. God is shaking His head and the devil is eating up all the hatred. And fueling it!

The only way we will turn this twisted, out-of-control world around is by loving. And that starts with each one of us. It starts with a smile and extends to putting the other person before yourself. It involves me focusing on “you” and not on “me.”

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE. It’s a key Secret to Life that we increasingly ignore.

Start by spreading some LOVE today. It’s not hard. And the world needs a whole lot of LOVE to stop it spinning out of control.

LOVE!!!

How Little Has Changed in the Middle East!

War has been a thing in the Middle East since the dawn of time, or at least since the time of Abraham. Read the Bible and it’s one conflict after another. The Holy Land has always been a war zone, is today, and I think will be tomorrow. That’s because God’s call for LOVE goes unheard.

Right now God is looking down at current events and yet another war killing thousands of His innocent children. He is just shaking His head. God has given us a message to LOVE, and even let His Son be sacrificed for LOVE. Jesus commanded us to do one thing and that is LOVE. But we ignore every word. We hate.

What can you and I do with war now going on (again) in the Middle East, not to mention the war in Ukraine? We can love. LISTEN for and to God who is practically screaming, if not really screaming, for us to LOVE. It’s not hard. Just start with a smile, forgive as you want God to forgive you, and think about the other person before yourself. Think God. Think Jesus. Think Spirit. Call for help. They are there.

The world is a powder keg because we can’t LOVE. It’s easier to hate and be mad. But the path to eternal life is LOVE but as a collective people we are taking another path, and the end won’t be pretty.

Change starts with each one of us, person by person. So, you and I can start a chain if we can just LOVE. Like life itself, God meant this to be be very simple. We are the ones who complicate it.

Spread a little LOVE this week. The world certainly needs it!

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!!!

I Am What I Am by the Grace of God

Paul said it best in 1 Corinthians 15:10 that by the grace of God he is what he is. And by the grace of God we are all what we are. Regardless of our situation, God threw away the mold when He made you, me, and every other person to have lived. We are all special and unique children of God.

I do the wrong thing all the time. I mess up. But I stop getting down on myself, pick myself up, and don’t make the same mistake again. At least I try not to make the same mistake again. I tell myself that God made me, and I am what I am by His grace.

I know I am nothing without God. Anything I do right I attribute to His grace. God made me and hardwired me with Him. He sent His Son to save me and His Spirit to empower me. How can I go wrong with all that help?

Don’t get down on yourself. And don’t ever let yourself feel inferior to anyone. God created you, saved you, and is empowering you. By His grace you are who you are. Special. Unique. One of a kind.

Have an amazing week being who God created you to be!

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!

What is God?

Love. Pure and simple, God is love. John said it best so suggest you read 1 John 4:7-12. God is love and everything that comes from God is love.

If God were anything but pure and unconditional love then we would be in big trouble. At the very least, He would not have sacrificed His Only Son to clear out all sins past, present, and future.

It’s hard to think about a God that is pure refined love. The ultimate expression of love. But that is what God is. It’s hard to believe because we live in a world so filled with strife and downright hatred.

There is only one way to get closer to God and that’s to love. Not just love people close to you but love everyone, regardless of who they are. Love, love, and love. There is only one path to God.

So, the next time you want to say something bad, do something bad, lash out, or do anything but love, think again if you want to really feel love in your life. Love is just like an electric current. It’s not static but flows. Love can’t exist as a static feeling. It has to flow.

Let your love flow this week. LOVE is truly a Secret to Life. So have a great week and let it flow!