December 31, 2015
Out with the old...
Isaiah 43:16-19
I am the Lord, who opened a way through the waters, making a dry path through the sea. But forget all that— it is nothing compared to what I am going to do. For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.

Well, this is it – the last day of the year. Again. Time is flying by. Even my kids think so. All the news stations are looking back at what happened this year here and around the world. Some of it is good, but I think most people watch these programs and hope for better things in the coming year.

God’s plans for the coming year are the same every year; in fact, it’s the same plan he has every day for those of us who love and trust him...
The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease.
Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning.
I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!” (Lamentations 3:22-24)

I know that today, tomorrow and for all of the coming year God intends to love me, show me mercy, and give me an unlimited number of fresh starts. This is who he is; he is giving me himself and all the goodness that comes with him, so I will put my hope in him rather than wish real hard that good things happen economically, politically, and socially this year. I will hope in him!

But forget all that – it’s nothing compared to what I’m going to do... God has already done great things for his people, and he doesn’t have plans of stopping but increasing! That is God’s plan for the new year.

What’s my plan for the new year?  Focusing on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead,  I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.
(Philippians 3:13-14)

Interesting... my plan is to get closer to God through his Son, Jesus, and God’s plan is to bring me closer to him through his Son too. So what does Jesus say? 

So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ Who will be president? How much will be in my bank account? What’s the best way to lose weight? These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

And the only way to live righteously is to believe in Jesus according to John 6:29. This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent.
(Also see Romans 3:21-26)

Dear God,
Thank you that your plans for me is more of you – more than I even already have! Help my plans to be more of you as well. You are great and greatly to be praised! Help me to continue to trust you and thank you regardless of what the world has planned in the coming year. I love you and thank you and pray in Jesus’ name according to your wonderful will. Amen. 

December 23, 2015
Peace on Earth
Luke 2:13-14
Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying, “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”

This time of year Peace on Earth is big. Many people wish for peace, pray for peace, even the oddball combination of David Bowie and Bing Crosby sang about it together once. But true “peace on earth” isn’t what people think, and it certainly will not be the result of unexpected combinations of humans finally banding together once and for all. No, peace only comes from God.

The angels visiting the shepherds explain very easily why there isn’t peace on earth even though there are tons of people wishing & praying for it and singing about it. This verse says, “peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.” So, there must be a lot going on these days in the world that doesn’t please God. Obviously. Jesus even said, Don’t imagine that I came to bring peace to the earth! I came not to bring peace, but a sword.( Matthew 10:34)

Corporate peace blanketing the world is not God’s intention for mankind. Peace this side of Heaven is only for those who please God.  And It is impossible to please God with out faith... and that faith must be in Jesus Christ... (See Hebrews 11:6 & Romans 3:22.)  So, technically, there really could be peace on the whole earth right now - only if everyone would believe in Jesus!

Dear God,
Thank you for sending your Son so that I could have peace in my heart. Thank you for not holding my sins against me simply because I believe in Jesus. Thank you for making it so easy anyone could do it! And I pray that during this Christmas weekend my unsaved family and friends would use these days as a reminder that they too can have your peace because they certainly aren’t going to get it any other way. I love you and thank you so much for your Son, and I pray in his name, amen.

​December 21, 2015
JOY to the World!
John 15:9-11
“I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love.  When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.  I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!”

This passage clearly states how to fill the world with joy. Here's what we need to know:

I have loved you even as the Father has loved me... Jesus loves me.

Remain in my love... He wants me to love him too.

When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love... I show my love for him when I obey him.

I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy... Yesterday at church, Rob was teaching from this passage, and he said that Jesus isn’t telling us what to do because he died on the cross for our sins and wants to demand our appreciation for it. Rob said that would be like a dad giving his daughter a twenty dollar bill for a trip to the mall and saying, “Remember how hard I worked for this money when you shop with your friends today.” No, daddies say, “Here’s a twenty, have a good time!” Jesus wants to fill me with joy not guilt. And he knows that the way to have joy is to love him and obey him because he has joy and those are the things he did for our Heavenly Father.

Yes, your joy will overflow... And he doesn’t want me to have a little bit of joy ($20 dollars worth). He wants me to have A LOT of joy!!!

Dear Lord Jesus,
Thank you for your words. You give insight and wisdom and LIFE! Thank you for being concerned about my joy! Thank you for your willing sacrifice that makes me part of your family. Thank you that you do not want me to wallow in guilt and shame, but you want me to be full of joy. And I love the joy you give. Thank you so much and I pray in your name, amen.

​December 12, 2015
Regular Baby in a Blankie
Luke 2:10-12
But the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!  And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”

The shepherds are told the Messiah has just been born. But he’s not going to look any different than any other baby. They were told they would  find the baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth because that is how everyone would find any newborn baby – swaddled in a blankie. Jesus, God’s Son, came into the world like everyone does. He wasn’t covered in jewels or beams of light. Just a regular baby in his momma’s arms. 

If Jesus were born in modern times, he would have been found swaddled in a white receiving blanket with blue and pink stripes on it and a baby cap on his head. He was born like a regular baby and lived as a regular man.

In fact, he would live his whole life as a regular guy for this reason:
So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe.  This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin.  So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most. (Hebrews 4:14-15)

In reality, he could at any time have done this:
Don’t you realize that I could ask my Father for thousands of angels to protect us, and he would send them instantly?  But if I did, how would the Scriptures be fulfilled that describe what must happen now?” (Matthew 26:53-54)

Believers are regular people who want to be like Jesus, who was not a regular person but lived like one. And Jesus did not demand his legitimate entitlements. Conversely, I am not entitled to anything, but I sure to think I am when life doesn’t go my way. That’s why I need the same attitude as Jesus – he gave up privileges he actually had for ME! I need to give up the entitlements I don’t actually have in order to be like HIM. (Philippians 2:5-8)

Dear God,
Thank you for your Son, born as a regular person and stayed that way for me even though he didn’t have to. Help me to deny myself, to prefer others, to give up what I think I deserve because he actually did for me so that I could have a relationship with you forever. Thank you so much. My heart is filled with so much joy when I think of what Jesus has done for me, and it is in his name I pray, amen.

​December 11, 2015
I Love Dolly Parton
1 Corinthians 7:14
For the believing wife brings holiness to her marriage, and the believing husband brings holiness to his marriage. Otherwise, your children would not be holy, but now they are holy. 

Unbelievers are always looking for reasons to believe in Jesus. Aside from being saved from sin and death, family is a really good reason!

1 Corinthians 7:12-16...
If a fellow believer has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to continue living with him, he must not leave her.  And if a believing woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to continue living with her, she must not leave him.  For the believing wife brings holiness to her marriage, and the believing husband brings holiness to his marriage. Otherwise, your children would not be holy, but now they are holy.  (But if the husband or wife who isn’t a believer insists on leaving, let them go. In such cases the believing husband or wife is no longer bound to the other, for God has called you to live in peace.)  Don’t you wives realize that your husbands might be saved because of you? And don’t you husbands realize that your wives might be saved because of you?

I love Dolly Parton. I always have. I remember watching her concert in the UK on HBO in the 80's and she sang gospel songs as well as her popular hits and told the audience boldly not to bother writing her letters if they didn't like her songs of faith because they make up who she is.

Dolly gave the best example of this scripture on a made for tv movie on NBC last night of all things! Her Coat of Many Colors song was made into a movie about the time in her life when she was 9 years old and her mom miscarried a baby and also made a coat out of rags for Dolly. The mother, Jennifer Nettles from Sugarland, was grieving the loss of the baby and the dad, handsome Ricky Schroder, didn’t know how to comfort her, so they grew apart. The Jennifer Nettles character was a Believer and the Ricky Schroder character was not. He felt like his wife didn’t love him anymore, but what was really going on was that she loved him a whole bunch and wasn’t comforted by his love because if something happened to him, she would never see him again. Since she had just lost a baby, death was on her mind and it was like she was grieving for her baby and for the future loss of her husband whom she would never see again because he didn’t want to believe in Jesus.

On top of that, her daddy, Gerald McRaney, is the town preacher. He never got along with Ricky, but comes to visit his son-in-law to try and help save the marriage when Ricky began living in the barn. Ricky admits that God must be cruel to let his baby son die. Gerald says that life is hard, but it’s even harder without God... The story concludes with Ricky taking his family to church on Sunday but waiting outside like he always does. This time he listens from outside nervously chain smoking all the while. He eventually comes inside and declares his love for his estranged wife in front of the whole congregation. Jennifer is crying but tells him that’s not enough. She wants to love him forever AND she want to be with him so they can see their baby in heaven one day together. Ricky’s crying and says, “Ok, I submit my life so I can see him too and be with you.” 

THAT’S A GREAT REASON to give your life to Jesus... Our families get to love each other now and for forever!

Dear God,
Thank you for making a way for our family to be together forever. Thank you that we do not mourn like those who have no hope in you. Thank you for Dolly telling her story and giving an opportunity for tons of people to know the benefits and blessings of trusting in you. I love you and pray in Jesus’ name, amen.

PS.  I couldn’t believe I was watching this on NBC; it had a bolder Gospel Message than Linus on the Charlie Brown Christmas Special. Check this out! http://www.nbc.com/coat-of-many-colors/video/dolly-partons-coat-of-many-colors/2948111
(Watch starting at the 1:13:20 mark to the end for the best part!)

​December 4, 2015
Need a Light
John 8:12
Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”

Everyone follows something. Some people are looking for a mentor and some people insist on making their own choices, but those choices are still based on something from someone else from a book or a course. And where we end up is a direct result of what we follow. 

If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness... Jesus is making it clear that there are only two options in life even though the popular opinion is that there are many. But only God knows EVERYTHING from beginning to end, and only his Son can lead us around in life in such a way that would confidently bring us to Him. Everyone who rejects this truth is living life in such a way that is exactly like walking in darkness and having no idea where they are or where they’re going - even though they may feel like they know where they’re going.

The Light that leads to life... In scary cave spelunking movies someone always dives down into the dark water and swims towards light because light means a way out. They go back and get everyone else and show them the way out. Only the ones who follow that light (and don’t get eaten by the monster) get out.

Jesus is the Light. He shows us the Way. And his Light that leads us in the correct Way brings us to Life, not just Eternal Life someday in the future but real life now. We can have real confidence and real security knowing exactly where the Light will lead.

Verses that prove it:
John 14:6
Jesus told him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.
1 Corinthians 1:21-22
It is God who enables us, along with you, to stand firm for Christ. He has commissioned us, and he has identified us as his own by placing the Holy Spirit in our hearts as the first installment that guarantees everything he has promised us.
Psalm 119:105
Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.
Ephesians 5:8
For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light!
John 8:12
Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”

Dear God,
Thank you giving us the Light that leads us out of darkness and right to where you are not just for now but for forever! I love you so much and I thank you and praise you in Jesus’ name, amen.

​December 3, 2015
News for Bread Haters and Bread Lovers
John 6:35
Jesus replied, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”

Bread is delicious. There isn’t anything about bread that isn’t wonderful. It smells good when it’s cooking, it compliments ANY meal and it can sustain life (with a glass of water) all by itself. It used to be universally recognized as the symbol of life - bread and water being the two things our bodies need in order not to die. What are medieval prisoners in dungeons always given? We know from personal experience that bread is filling, satisfying, and delicious no matter what the “experts” say.

Immediately my mind goes to 1 Corinthians 3:19:  For the wisdom of this world is foolishness to God because currently the great thinkers of first world countries teach that bread is bad for us. Furthermore, still other “great thinkers” have changed our seeds and others have changed some farming practices to include chemicals during harvesting rendering some mass produced foods harmful including bread. So, how do we get good bread? Even if I grind my own wheat to make my own bread, have those seeds been compromised because the bees don’t know the difference and cross pollinate everything? Can we eat bread without thinking it will kill us?

I don’t know. I do know that God wouldn’t use an analogy in Scripture using something harmful to describe something that is good. So, for me personally, when I cart past the bread isle in the grocery store, I think of Jesus. I believe that even if it’s not the same kind or quality of bread from Bible times that the bread that God knows is available to me in my day and age is not going to kill me. 

Letting our “great thinkers” give bread a negative stigma is totally the Enemy’s plan. Tons of people these days in our first world, modern societies are living without bread in their diets, and tons of people these days are living without Jesus too. This is no coincidence.

Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away from the true faith; they will follow deceptive spirits and teachings that come from demons.  These people are hypocrites and liars, and their consciences are dead. They will say it is wrong to be married and wrong to eat certain foods. But God created those foods to be eaten with thanks by faithful people who know the truth.  Since everything God created is good, we should not reject any of it but receive it with thanks.  For we know it is made acceptable by the word of God and prayer. (1 Timothy 4:1-5)

I’ve got news for the bread haters and bread lovers alike.  Jesus said that people do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. We are all going to die, no matter what we eat. The ones who LIVE and live forever have a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. And by the way, guess who Jesus was talking to when he said these words? Our Enemy!

Dear God,
Help me not to fall into the trap of the Enemy. Thank you that eating food with a thankful heart is all that you require. Thank you that you didn’t save me from my sins and death only for me to panic and worry about modern farming practices. Thank you for protecting me from the wisdom of man, and thank you, thank you, thank you, that Jesus is all I need. Just like my body could physically be sustained by bread (any kind of bread), I am sustained by Jesus now and forever. All I need is your Son, Jesus! And I pray in his name, amen.