Saturday, December 31, 2011

Goals for the new year start with prayer seasoned with believing! Matthew 21:21-23

Good morning everyone,
When you open up the paper, especially on Sundays, it is filled with various ads of clothing, jewelry, and sporting goods.  This time of year is crucial for retail because they are trying to get rid of the old merchandise before releasing their new inventory.  Another year over and done with; the new year just hours away.  Just like retail, we as individuals should look at our year sometime before December 31 to make necessary adjustments to be more effective in the new year.  Goals are only achievable if they have several key elements included in them.  In searching out steps to easily achieving your goals, I found lots of ideas.  Personally, any goal worthy of its accomplishment is not easy!  I would like to share a list with each of you and modify it to place Jesus Christ in the center of the list and I think your important list will be vastly altered.
    (1) Be specific about what you want to achieve.
         Instead of having a goal to read through the entire bible, when you seldom open it, start by studying one book (something short like James) and then you have 65 additional treasures to explore next.
    (2) Draw up a plan of action.
         Be open to allowing God to alter that plan.
    (3) Make a list of steps.
         List the steps that you need to take in order to study through the book you have chosen:  exact time that you are going to study each day!  Personally, early in the morning is best for me.  
    (4) Act, do not be passive.  
         Most goals never happen, because we procrastinate.  We have good intentions, but those intentions are never carried out.
    (5) Read and listen to advice.
         Study the scriptures and meditate on them so God can direct your thoughts.
    (6) Alternative plans.
         If your specific time is interrupted, don't allow that to throw you off track.  Be consistent in giving Him time and your time will become His time.
    (7) Examine your goals periodically.
         Don't wait until December 31st to see if you are on track to complete your goal.
    (8) Repeat affirmations.
         At first make your tasks small so that you can rejoice with your Savior so that it will propel you on to accomplish bigger tasks!
    (9) Visualize your goal.
         Seeing small steps completed will give you a sense of completion and that will motivate you to stay the course.
   (10) Take action.
          Be consistent in taking the required steps in order for your goal to come to fruition.  If it means you need to get up earlier, ask God to help you with the sleep you need so that you will be sharper when awake to accomplish more. 
Brothers and sisters, let's bring in the new year totally connected to God's direction and ready to do what He ask!  Matthew 21:21-23 says Jesus replied, 'Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, 'Go throw yourself into the sea,' and it will be done.  If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.'  Everything done according to His will will result in accomplishments that reflect all of the  'light' back on the Savior!   
Your brother in Christ,
p

Friday, December 30, 2011

Why does seeing others hurt effect you? James 5:19-20

Good morning everyone,
Unless you just put your head in the sand, it doesn't take long to look around to find someone who is having difficulties!  Those could be physical ailments, struggling financially, broken marriages, spiritually broke or a combination of things.  Folks, there are people right next to you that are struggling just to put one foot in front of another.  For them, life doesn't make much sense anymore.  For me, there are several examples that some of my dear friends are going through right now and it makes my heart ache!  I don't really have any answers for them except I can offer my time to them and pray with them.  Good people, but life altering things happening to them.  Sometimes, life becomes a bunch of things happening that we as individuals have a hard time putting a hold on to get it to slow  down.  I've often explained the analogy of the spin cycle on your washing machine and you are in it and the machine will not stop!  Has your life become a viscous cycle that you can't slow down?  If it has, then we need a prayer meeting and I offer my service up to you!  If you are hurting and you can't make sense of the chaos that you find yourself in, we need to take time to go see Jesus!  All along, we try and handle problems on our own because we feel as though Jesus is too busy doing other things.  I want to tell you right now; Jesus wants to know any and ever concern you have whether it be something really little or something monstrous.  See, Jesus is in the business of changing the way we deal with things because when we include Him, He takes over the problem!  Pray right now and don't put it off!  James 5:19-20 says, 'My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back, remember this:  Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.' 
Your brother in Christ,
p

Thursday, December 29, 2011

The birth of Jesus changed everything! John 3:16-17

Good morning everyone,
Is your life back to more of the same mundane stuff that you had before or is your life different because of the birth of Jesus?  See, Jesus is the reason that we should get excited about the season, but it shouldn't end there!  His birth should be the springboard for us to have hope and to go out and encourage those that we encounter on a daily basis.  Fears, struggles, failures, death and diseases are just to name a few of the conditions that we will encounter while we are on this earth.  Without Jesus, you will never know the Prince of Peace!  Without Jesus, all of the above conditions are a recipe for a miserable life with no destination!  But with Jesus, He will show you how you can be an integral part of His ultimate plan.  Think of each of us as being a pawn in a chess match!  Even the lowliest pawn can be used to take down the king in disguise!  I know many of you do not feel worthy of your importance but I would like you to consider that Jesus Christ wants everyone to come to know Him and it just might be you that He chooses to use to accomplish that!  Pray that you allow Jesus to move you (a lowly pawn) wherever He wants to in order to accomplish 'mighty works!'  John 3:16-17 tells us, 'For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.  For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.'
Your brother in Christ,
p   

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Recanting your faith! 2 Corinthians 12:7

Good morning everyone,
Just a few days left until 2011 is over and the new year of 2012 will be upon us.  Several emails I read today remind me of the strength of our faith being the key ingredient that determines our makeup!  My buddy Scott got great news yesterday and for the time being, he doesn't need to have surgery again.  Even at his bleakest moments, his faith has remained rock solid and that is a testimony about knowing your Savior intimately!  Another email that caught my eye is about a pastor in Iran that is on death row because of his belief in Jesus Christ!  For over a year, he has been imprisoned and probably being tortured because of those beliefs.  Due to the media getting hold of this information, Iran is being watched very carefully to see if they are going to follow through on the verdict or if they are going to release this man of God.  In the mean time, they are trying to test him every way possible to see if they can get him to recant his faith!  How far would you be willing to go to show how strong your faith is or would you shake a fist at God and tell Him you deserve better?  It doesn't matter that you are attacked physically, emotionally, spiritually, or a combination of these; Jesus is willing to carry you through the situation.  In fact, the more serious the situation, the more he can use you to reflect a light back on Him so that others will see that a miracle is revealed!  Get to know the Savior intimately and the next time you are tested, He will give you a 'light' to help you see the 'way!'  2 Corinthians 12:7 tells us that Paul had some type of problem, obstacle, or hinderance that caused him great anguish yet it kept him from becoming conceited.  That humility allowed God to use Paul and show folks that any and all obstacles can be overcome if we put our complete faith in the Father!
Your brother in Christ,
p

Saturday, December 24, 2011

Why was He sent? Luke 4:43

Good morning everyone,
As we approach the time to celebrate the anniversary of the birth of Jesus Christ, do we really stop and think about the magnitude of why He was sent?  Luke 4:43 tells us, But He said, 'I must proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent.'  He was born into this world some 2000 plus years ago to begin a mission to save the world.  In a little over 30 short years, He completed His physical life and people are still talking about the impact that He made while He was here.  There have been many famous people that have come and gone over the last 2000 years but none come close to the importance of our Lord and Savior.  Once He was born, He took very little time to learn everything He could so that He could begin His ministry about sharing love with everyone.  He didn't rest very often, He passed up eating when others reclined and dined, and He prayed when others couldn't stay awake.  'A Man on a Mission' is the title that could have been placed on His tombstone because He took those short years of life and made the most out of them!  He didn't waste time with trivial stuff.  He made the wisest people seem trite and He showed worth to even the simple minded!  Anybody who thought they were much; He brought low and anybody who thought they were insignificant; He showed them compassion.  I want to ask each of you a question.  What is your mission while you have time left?  Let me encourage each of you to put a sense of urgency on showing God's love like Jesus did so that 2012 can be looked back on as a year of celebration!  Merry Christmas and may the love of Christ fill each of your homes as you celebrate together!
Your brother in Christ,

Thursday, December 22, 2011

Are you ready to celebrate His birth? Luke 2:1-20

Good morning everyone,
Yesterday I heard a conversation on the radio and the discussion was about how most of us approach people with greeting them on the street this time of year.  Do you greet them by saying Happy holidays or do you say Merry Christmas?  The poll of the people taken showed that approximately 60%-70% greeted people by saying Merry Christmas.  Thank God!  Interesting enough, the holiday that was started to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior has become a marketing bonanza for retail around the world.  The focus has become less and less about Luke 2:1-20 and has become more about the almighty dollar!  Let me encourage you to make Jesus Christ the focal point of the remaining time through Christmas day and into the new year!  Even if you spend more on Christmas than some low income families make in a year, make sure you share the love of Christ with everyone.  Let them know that Jesus is the real reason for the season and even incorporate that Truth into your gift giving.  As you participate in opening gifts, may I suggest that you take a little extra time in having discussions about what He means to you and how He wants all of us to share His love all year long!  Maybe, before each gift is opened, have the recipient share one thing about what they are thankful.  I think that you will find Christmas having a whole new set of traditions for years to come!
Your brother in Christ,

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Is your way all about you or does it represent 'The Way?' John 14:6

Good morning everyone,
Jesus Christ tells us in John 14:6 that He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life!  He goes on to tell us that no one comes to be with the Father except through Him!  If your way is any other way than the one that He describes for us, then you are totally trying the wrong way.  You will frustrate yourself until you realize that He is the One that will set you free.  The beautiful thing is that it's not too late.  You still have an opportunity as long as He allows you to still draw a breath!  Many will go to their grave never giving God the chance to show them the Way!  Many of us make it difficult when Jesus Christ has made it so very simple.  My good friend Scott Arnold is struggling for his physical life but he knows that his eternity has already been guaranteed for him.  See, once you have tasted all that Jesus has prepared for you, death becomes only a stepping stone to get to the Father!  Doesn't that give you a sense of anticipated excitement?  I know that it does for me.  So please pray for his family as they struggle with seeing Scott go through a rather rapid decline with his health!  Is God through with him yet?  I don't think so but it does put life in prospective as far as how short this life is and it also puts a sense of urgency in us, making sure that we have the same guarantee as Scott!  Don't delay!  If you haven't done so, give your life over to the One who is called 'The Way!'
Your brother in Christ,
p

Saturday, December 17, 2011

Conversation with God! Psalm 46:10; Colossians 4:6

Good morning everyone,
Tap, tap, tap!  Startled, I awake to a darkened room.  On the night stand I can see the red glowing numbers of a clock that hasn't quite come into focus.  I'm not sure where I'm at; just confused what woke me up.  As I gain my composure, I realize that light is trickling through from around the curtain on the far left side from where I'm laying.  By now, I can read the clock and it appears to be 5:30 but I'm not sure if it is a.m. or p.m.!  First, I think I'd overslept because I was supposed to be at work at 4:00 a.m.  Then I realize that I'd only been asleep a few minutes and the time is actually 5:30 p.m.  From alarm to fear and back to relaxation in a matter of a few seconds makes me wonder again what woke me up!  I again hear a tap, tap, tap!  My eyes pop back open and I almost hear myself say, 'who is it?'  That tapping sound wasn't an actual noise picked up by my ears but rather an internal plucking on my heart strings.  Then it happened!  As clear as a normal verbal conversation, I hear the Lord speak to me.  No, not in a verbal sense.  I reason that maybe I'm dreaming but then I realize I'm wide awake.  The word 'yes' falls from my lips.  Then I wonder who I'm speaking with or have I been up so much that I'm losing my mind!  For years, I've had similar experiences but I've shrugged them off to being exhausted.  God has literally taken me by the hand and has escorted me from bed.  I've tried numerous times staying there so I can return to my long winters nap.  More times than not I've laid there with a sense of uneasiness.  This time I heard Him tell me that there is work to be done.  You can sleep later!  The few minutes of rest I just gave you is sufficient.  What I've learned, ladies and gentlemen, a power nap from the Lord is truly all you need.  When you experience His presence and you do not respond to His prodding, you will not rest like you should.  Listen to His still small voice or as Scott Arnold would say, 'His loud clear voice', and do what He tells you to doThere is no peace until you know Peace!  Whether it be prayer for your brother or sister, prayer for a specific need, or a message He wants you to write down; do not delay.  Know Him and know what He is trying to get you to do!  When you do that, you will have your own conversation with the Father!  Psalm 46:10 tells us to be still so we can know that He is God.  Colossians 4:6 reminds us that if we have conversations with the Father then our conversations with others will be full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that we may know how to answer everyone.
Your brother in Christ,
p

Friday, December 16, 2011

Content but available for growth! 1 Timothy 6:6

Good morning everyone,
Do you find yourself in a place that you feel there should be so much more?  I think it is really easy to look at your neighbor and wish that you had what they have!  Some years ago I heard a sermon on contentment and it has stuck with me ever since and it changed my attitude toward my own situation.  At the time I didn't have a job and Deborah was the only income in the family.  Things were tight and my self esteem was lost in the closet.  The message was about being content where I was but allowing God to use me so that He could mold me into something so much more.  At the time, I thought how could He use nothing because that is what I thought I had to give.  I've learned that God is the Master of creating something out of nothing.  Let me explain!  When everything is against you and after you've tried all the things humanly possible (you feel as though you are at your lowest), that is when a true miracle can actually happen.  In the last 15 years, I've tried to contribute anyway I could to help support our family.  I've worked a number of jobs and most of them have not been that glamorous but I have never stopped trying to provide!  Through all of the early stages of my marriage, Deborah saw a man that was struggling but one that had great potential.  Let me encourage you to never stop seeking the Lord and you will find that He can show you what plan He has for you!  The situation you find yourself in may be rather grim, but the result of how He can use you can be life changing.  I look back now and I'm in awe of the adventure that Deborah and I have been on and He isn't through with us yet!  Give God the glory and you will be amazed at the contentment He gives while He creates an opportunity for expansion and for the focus to be on Him!  1 Timothy 6:6 says, 'But Godliness with contentment is great gain.'
Your brother in Christ,
p

Thursday, December 15, 2011

Peace that surpasses all understanding! Philippians 4:7; Isaiah 26:3

Good morning everyone,
Philippians 4:7 says, 'And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your minds in Christ Jesus.'  Isaiah 26:3 says, 'You will guard him and keep him in perfect and constant peace whose mind (both its inclination and its character) is stayed on You, because he commits himself to You, leans on You, and hopes confidently in You.'   Peace seems to avoid many of us because we fail to be able to cut out the distractions of life.  Have you ever ask God to stop the spin cycle so you can hop out of the machine to regain your bearings?
Much of the time, we try and juggle too many activities and thus we can't focus on one particular area where we need to serve Him!  Peace comes to those who trust in His guidance and direction.  If the Father doesn't think it is important, why should we feel as though it is super important to get all 53 projects done before we can spend time with Him.  It is funny how we justify that work requires us to do such and such in order to be considered a success!  The people that I admire are the ones that use their profession as a platform to shine a light on Jesus.  True peace comes to those that prioritize the things that are important and they don't let work become their God.  Even if you are successful at getting all 53 projects done, do you think your work will require anything less in the weeks to follow?  If you are so tired and out of gas on the weekends that you go into your closet instead of spending time in church and taking time to fellowship with other believers, you are confusing what God deems to be important.  Please consider consulting with the Coach so you will know what game plan He has for you to carry out!  Then peace will surpass anything that can you can understand!  
Your brother in Christ,
p

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Unspeakable Joy! Psalm 28:7

Good morning everyone,
Psalm 28:7 is a great verse to get your day started off with an incredible thankful heart!  It says, 'The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and He helps me.  My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I will praise Him.'  Who is the One that will protect you and keep you safe?  The Creator, Lord and Savior says it all.  He created you; He should be Lord over your entire life and He is the One that will save you from your enemies!  No one else will do!  By placing your trust in Him and praising Him for all you go through, your heart will begin to see life in a whole new prospective.  You have very little to do with the circumstances you are placed in or that you are faced with but you have much to do with having a thankful heart!  It is my sincere hope that each of you stop what you are doing to just simply praise God and thank Him for allowing you to be in the place you are!  Many times we spin our wheels wishing and hoping to be somewhere else when God really wants to use us right where we stand!  Instead of being disappointed at your circumstances, spend time thanking Him and see if that doesn't give you a different outlook.  I think you will see your heart being molded into a more usable heart.  A heart that sees more like the Father sees!  He gave us eyes to see but I believe He gave us our heart to be multi dimensionsal.  Not only do things sharpen from a visual standpoint but we start to love and feel like the Father!  Our heart will experience 'Unspeakable Joy!' The littlest of the little things will speak out volumes about His Creation!  The more you thank Him, the more you will find yourself right where He wants you!
Your brother in Christ,

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Who are we as believers? John 12:24

Good morning everyone,
I just finished reading a book I would consider a 'must read' for all of you!  The title of the book is 'same kind of different as me.'  It is about a modern-day slave, an international art dealer, and the unlikely women who bound them together.  Even though we all are made up somewhat differently in a physical sense, there may be miles apart difference in the way we are raised up!  We were created by One God who determined who our physical parents would be.  Denver Moore (modern-day slave) is to be introduced by Ron Hall (international art dealer) at a small church before Denver is to deliver a sermon.  Ron is supposed to give an introduction that outlines the life about Denver's tough upbringing!  Instead Denver ask Ron to say, 'Just tell em I'm a nobody that's tryin to tell everybody bout Somebody that can save anybody!'  That line, ladies and gentlemen, is really what being a Christian should be about.  We are all created to share the love of Christ with those that don't know Him personally.  Even though there is a ton of difference financially between the rich and the poor, there is really no difference in the message that Jesus Christ wants both groups to know about!  You may never know how much your witness means because the fruit of your labor may not show up until many years after you have left this earth!  John 12:24 says, 'Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed.  But if it dies, it produces many seeds.'  Our life should be devoted to sharing the love of Christ with others.  Who knows; maybe you will be connected to someone that only God could have brought together!  Go out today and share with someone what the Lord has done for you.  It may just be what draws them in to want to know more about their Father!
Your brother in Christ,
p       

Saturday, December 10, 2011

Do you ever fear you will be left behind? 1 Thessalonians 4:17

Good morning everyone,
I come to you this morning with a sense of hope!  All of you have choices that you will make everyday.  Some good and some not so good.  1 Thessalonians 4:17 says 'After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.  And so we will be with the Lord forever.'  To me that gives me a hope that helps me to endure.  It should do the same for you.  For believers, it doesn't matter when your eternity starts because the guarantee is that you will be with the Lord.  In essence your eternity has already started.  Whenever the Lord decides to call you home, all you will be doing is changing addresses!  Woo Hoo! The little bit of suffering that you and I experience is only a speck in the scope of what our Lord and Savior suffered for us.  Staying in touch with the Father is the key to the endurance that we need to maintain and effectively finish the race.  Some of our loved ones will leave this physical earth before we do and it is our job to receive the directions He wants us to carry own.  As I age, I see my own life evaporating right before my eyes.  Some days I look in the mirror and I start to see an aging process that pictures only a few years ago didn't reveal.  With every wrinkle, may it remind me of the scars that Jesus bore for each of us on the cross.  To me the people that are most beautiful are those that shine a light for Jesus no matter how old they are physically.  Because then the wrinkles start to tell a story of what Jesus means to them.  My prayer for each of you is to know that it doesn't matter when He decides to take you home to be with Him.  It does matter that you be ready when that happens.  Live for Jesus as if He were coming today!
Your brother in Christ,
p    

Friday, December 9, 2011

What does Christmas mean to you? Luke 1:35

Good morning everyone,
What are your memories of Christmas and are they good or bad?  For me, Christmas has evolved into a time of year that I reflect on how my relationship is doing with my Lord and Savior.  It is a time that I have to spend with those friends that truly enjoy the celebration of His birth!  It use to be a time that I sort of dreaded because the focus was more about giving and receiving gifts and after the fanfare, there was a lot missing.  Luke 1:35 reminds us who we should celebrate about.  'The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.  So the Holy One to be born will be called the Son of God.'  It is good to know that if the focus is in the right place, it leaves you with a sense of why we were made the way we are!  Giving and receiving is good as long as you keep Christ in the center of the event.  To truly give a loved one a gift from your heart is a beautiful thing.  Just remember, it is not about how much you spend; it is about giving something to someone because you care about them.  Whether it be a friend or family that you buy something for this year, listen to their needs.  It could simply be spending time with that person and showing that you care.  Do something out of the ordinary this year and be available to have a conversation that will last all year long!  Christmas is really about giving your heart and loving folks right where they are.  To love as Christ is by far the most awesome gift you can give and by far the best gift anyone will ever receive!
Your brother in Christ,
p

Thursday, December 8, 2011

Tis the Season for giving or is it receiving? Colossians 3:17

Good morning everyone,
I'm back at home for a few days and boy does it feel good!  I pray that each of you made it through the Thanksgiving holiday by not adding too many additional pounds.  One thing that always seems to occur this time of year;  all the routines of denying that second piece of pie seem to go by the wayside.  I seem to justify that one more piece is okay because my will power seems to have taken a vacation.  Do you find yourself doing the same?  Today I would like to speak on what the season of Christmas should be for each of us.  Most of society has turned it into a free for all on how much can be spent on our loved ones.  Let me remind you that no matter what you spend, that isn't really what most of our loved ones need.  Have you ever noticed that once all the presents are opened, there seems to be a big let down in the period that follows.  We spend many hours decorating, stuffing wrapped presents under the tree and then the clean up!  Is that really what Jesus is all about?  What most people need is not a new shiny truck but they do need the love of Jesus!  The shiny truck dulls after a period of time but the love of Jesus shines all year long!  Jesus expects you to give your heart and the gift of love instead of expecting the newest technology that will be outdated before you unwrap the gift that you just have to have!  My prayer for each of you this year is to turn your eyes on those in need!  Take some of that money you would have spent on the gift that has already been forgotten and spend it on someone who has been forgotten by society.  This year consider giving the gift of Jesus as a re gift because Jesus has already been given to you!  Colossians 3:17 says, 'And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.'
Your brother in Christ,
p

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Should we forgive everyone? Matthew 6:14-15

Good morning everyone,
As I start my day here in New York, I find myself tired and out of gas!  By the time I get back home, I will have been gone for a month.  There seems to  be cracks in my makeup.  Life here in New York seems to make the busy traffic in California seem like a cake walk in Central Park.  People don't have time to stop and respond to you saying hello because for the most part, they think you are wanting something in return.  They also have so much on their plate, they are driven to the point of the fast spin cycle in your Maytag!  Warp speed is what I call the mayhem in trying to drive and maneuver around the borough's of the city.  That brings me to the point of what this devotional is about today.  Everybody needs forgiveness!  Is it your job to determine what is going on with the people you encounter for you to determine if they should be forgiven?  In the situations I've described above, we have no earthly idea what they encountered before they come across our path.  Maybe they just got fired from their job, maybe they are going through a divorce, maybe they just committed murder, or maybe they are contemplating suicide!  The thief on the cross that ask for forgiveness is in Paradise with the Savior!  Should we not also forgive those that have committed the most heinous crimes and let God be the judge?  Matthew 6:14-15 addresses that issue!  "For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.  But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins."  That is not a suggestion; that my brothers and sisters is a command!
Your brother in Christ,
p