Crystal clear! Revelation 22:1; Romans 7:18

Good morning everyone,
When you look through a dirty window, everything looks dingy and less attractive!  When you look through a freshly clean window, the objects that you see have beautiful clarity!  That is the same way sin is that is not dealt with in you life.  Sin has a way of making you a slave to the law of sin unless you allow Jesus Christ to deliver you from it!  It will always rule unless you ask Christ to rid the oxidation dinginess of your heart!  Revelation 22:1 says, 'Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb.'  Paul tells us in Romans 7:18 that he knows that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature.  For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.  As long as you live this life brothers and sisters, the things that are tempting and sweet will be your demise unless you allow Jesus Christ to rule in your life.  Even when you fall, don't let that be the end.  Cry out for mercy and ask God to change you from the inside all the way out!  We are going to be tempted at times and feel as though we are no good, but it is at those times that He can make miracles out of your messes!  Grace is unmerited favor (undeserved) but that is exactly what the reward is for those that seek His face and serve Him with their whole heart.  David is a good example of a man who did many things wrong but showed how change could occur because His heart was bigger for God than his desires for serving satan!  Ask God to show you how He can make things more crystal clear for you to see what He wants you to accomplish this day! 
Your brother in Christ,
p

His affection is greater than our affliction! Psalm 31:7

Good morning everyone,
You might think that you are battling your afflictions on your own!  Think again!  Psalm 31:7 says, 'I will rejoice and be glad in Your loving kindness, because You have seen my affliction; You have known the troubles of my soul.'  Even before your afflictions begin, He knows they are coming and He is willing to carry you through them.  Some 2000 years ago, He nailed every possible affliction to the cross.  His intent in allowing afflictions is for you and I to realize the only solution is tied to our relationship to Him!  David Crowder sings 'How He Loves' and in that song, words to one of the verses describes the incredible affection that He has for each of us:                            
And He is jealous for me, loves like a hurricane, I am a tree
Bending beneath the weight of His wind and mercy
When all of a sudden I am unaware of these afflictions
Eclipsed by glory and I realize just how beautiful You are
And how great Your affections are for me
The closer we get to the Father, the more we realize just how much He cares for us.  Every turn you make in life can be a surprise that will trip you up unless you allow Him to be there to help you maneuver in and around those surprises.  May God richly Bless each of you as you seek His face!
Your brother in Christ,
p
             

What it means to be steadfast! Isaiah 26:3-4

Good morning everyone,
Isaiah 26:3-4 tells us that the steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace, because he trusts in You.  Trust in the Lord forever, for in God the Lord, we have an everlasting Rock.  Trusting when everything seems to fall apart is the hard part.  One of the definitions for steadfast is to be unwavering.  When we stand by His Word, we cannot be moved even in the midst of everything crashing down around us.  The more we place our faith in the Rock, the more we hold firm when it makes sense to give up!  It is not a matter of escaping problems or diverting around issues, but it is really about where you put your trust going through the midst of those issues.  When we trust Him completely, we will not be moved.  If you are up against obstacles that seem insurmountable, it is time for you to let Jesus turn those obstacles into opportunities for the Kingdom.  We look at problems and determine success by solving those problems.  He looks at success by how much we trust Him going through those problems reflecting His glory!  The more we trust Him, the more we reflect what it means to be steadfast. 
Your brother in Christ,
p

His promise is He will catch you! Psalm 94:18-19; Psalm 100:5

Good morning everyone,
Do you ever remember hearing someone say that there would be days like these?  For some of us, you probably feel like the phrase should say weeks, months, or even years!  When you get trapped in the mess that you face, it may very well feel as though you want to give up.  Psalm 94:18-19 describes to us His amazing love so we will continue to seek Him even more during those times.  'When I said, "My foot is slipping," Your unfailing love, Lord, supported me.  When anxiety was great within me, Your consolation brought me joy.'  The more we tune in to His promises, the more they sustain us when we can't go on!  Life is going to throw you curve balls eventually.  Will you be ready to catch them?  Unfailing is defined as inexhaustible; endless; completely dependable.  What better promises can you be afforded?  Consolation is defined as the act of consoling; comfort; solace.  Psalm 100:5 says, 'For the Lord is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations.'
When you are up against your next challenge, remember these characteristics about his love: unfailing; endless; dependable; comforting.  Only the Lord Almighty can assure those promises and that kind of love!
Your brother in Christ,
p     

Faith that holds; hope that endures; love that never fails! Psalm 42:8; 1 Corinthians 13:13; Colossians 1:23

Good morning everyone,
There are certain things that God expects from us, but in return He covers us with His amazing grace.  Psalm 42:8 says, 'By day the Lord directs His love, at night His song is with me--a prayer to the God of my life.'  Matthew Henry comments that faith holds up the heart, notwithstanding, with hope that the day will dawn.  Sometimes I sleep so sound that I barely remember anything once I close my eyes.  Before I know it, I wake up to a new day.  Other times I seem as though I can't find a way to turn things off so that I get that peaceful rest.  When we allow our minds to race and focus on our issues, we are not allowing the Creator the opportunity to intercede.  Too many thoughts for me before bedtime will usually result in a restless night.  Faith and hope are extremely important elements of our makeup, but love is essential.  1 Corinthians 13:13 says, 'And now these three remain:  faith, hope and love.  But the greatest of these is love.'  Paul tells you in Colossians 1:23 for you to continue in your faith, be established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel.  This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.  When we serve Him with our whole heart, those times of our minds racing will cease because He is now in control of everything we think.  Let me encourage you to start your day with His thoughts and give Him you thoughts throughout the day and see if it doesn't end with His thoughts. 
Your brother in Christ,
p

A Southern Experience! Isaiah 49:10; Revelation 7:16

Good morning everyone,
You know hot is hot when you step outside from the cool indoors and immediately your breath is taken away.  Literally it feels as though you've stepped into an oven.  Humidity is a term very few understand until you visit the deep south on a very hot afternoon.  Then you have a different appreciation altogether for hot weather in Southern California.  Not that I want to go there, but I would anticipate from Scripture that hell is the kind of hot that would make me appreciate the hot humid days of Southern Florida.  Everything is relative when it comes down to appreciating something much much more when it is no longer available.  Scripture also refers to continually wanting your thirst quenched for those that are in hell.  Isaiah 49:10 says, 'They will neither hunger nor thirst, nor will the desert heat or the sun beat down on them.  He who has compassion on them will guide them and lead them beside springs of water.'  Anything that is a discomfort in this world will quickly pass away.  Life is a temporary roller coaster with lots of ups and downs for the believer.  God is ready to help you with those ups and downs if you will let Him.  Every challenge you face is another way for you to grow closer to Him.  Everyday, you choose whom you will serve.  Start serving Him this day, the one that He has allowed you to live, and see how it can serve as the prequel for the life to come.  If you ever get discouraged to the point of wanting to give up, remember that it is a temporary discomfort.  It is also a place that most people have visited, or for the rest of us, a place we will eventually visit.  More importantly, remember that there is no point that He can't pull you back to Him!  He is ready to quench any and all discomforts and restore your soul!  Revelation 7:16 says, 'Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst.  The sun will not beat down on them, nor any scorching heat.'
Your brother in Christ,
p

Time well spent! Ecclesiastes 3:1-3

Good morning everyone,
Ecclesiastes 3:1-3 tells us that there is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:  a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build.  What season of life do you find yourself in?  Whatever season it is, He invites you to share it with Him!  See, He made you so that you would be dependant on Him.  The context of Ecclesiastes really goes on to say that it is all for nothing unless it is done for the Lord.  Everything that you are associated with in the physical sense has a very limited life expectancy, including yourself.  Over and over again I hear people say toward the end of their lives they wish that they had done things differently.  Life is humbling and as we near the end of our physical existence, we begin to see life in a whole different context.  Sports use to be my life and to go to a sporting event seem to be so exhilarating.  Those moments of exhilaration were so short lived and followed by bouts of let down.  As I age, relationships seem to have so much deeper meaning and my lack of relationships seems as though I've lost out!  If you gain the whole world and you lose your soul, what have you really gained?  When you spend time with your loved ones, are you really giving them your attention?  Let me encourage you to ask God to show you what is really important.  Time, while you are here, is the only asset that you can control how you spend it.  He wants first dibs so that He can change your heart so that you will see how He wants you to spend your days. 
Your brother in Christ,
p    

Something much higher than our desires! 2 Corinthians 7:1; Titus 2:14

Good morning everyone,
2 Corinthians 7:1 says, "Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God."  You've probably heard the phrase, 'if it feels good, do it!'  The problem with that statement is it doesn't take into consideration any reverence for God.  It stems from a very selfish viewpoint.  By you standing on His promises, you begin to see that your selfishness is something that needs to be controlled and the only way to do that is to let Him purify you!  See, the closer we get to God, the more we become eager to do what is good.  Titus 2:14 tells us that Jesus Christ gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for Himself a people that are His very own, eager to do what is good.  One of the definitions for contaminate is to make impure or unsuitable by contact.  That holds true whether you refer to the body or the spirit.  Transformation begins when you allow Jesus Christ to become your purifier!  Anytime you cut away the things that have hindered you in the past, there is going to be a resistance that you will need to give over to the One who can remove it for good!  Your thinking will become clearer.  Your heart will start to feel things like He feels.  Your ways will become His ways!  A lifetime of hindrances will become your past contaminates and His victories!  Let Him begin the process by you giving Him glory and honor in everything you do!
Your brother in Christ,
p  

Who do you live for? Romans 14:7-9

Good morning everyone,
How important are each of His children?  According to scripture, you are important enough that Christ died for you but He also was raised from the dead for you!  Romans 14:7-9 tells us, 'For none of us lives for ourselves alone, and none of us dies for ourselves alone.  If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord.  So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.  For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that He might be Lord of both the living and the dead.'  If He thinks that every hair on your head is important, how much more important is your very soul?  He created you to be so much more than you can imagine and He will never stop trying to get you to see that until He either comes back or until He takes you home!  His mission is accomplished when you give Him complete access to the very core of your soul.  That is very difficult unless you realize that access is connected to humility.  We resist because we feel as though we are weak if we are not in charge.  Pray that you will allow Him into those areas that you have previously blocked entrance and watch Him do amazing things!  The more you reveal to Him the areas that are weak, the more He will reveal to you His strengths!  He can take you right where you are at and start that process right now.  Don't think about it, just do it (Nike finally got something right)!  Thinking about serving Him is wasted time and too much thinking serves no one!
Your brother in Christ,
p

How handy is He? Ephesians 2:10; Psalm 139:14

Good morning everyone,
According to Ephesians 2:10, we (you and I) are the result of His handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.  If you are struggling with your purpose, let me suggest that you write that Scripture down and input your name in place of we and us; example-Paul Allen Hicks is the result of God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God created in advance for Paul Allen Hicks to do.  Before He created you and I, He had already determined that we could be used to carry out His work!  Do you still not think you are that important in the scope of the big picture? Psalm 139:14 tells us we were knit together in our mother's womb.  When He knit us inside our mother's womb, the definition reveals that He formed or created, joined closely and firmly, and He wonderfully made us!  Your game plan was already decided before you were even born so that there would be no confusion.  Being connected to the Source is the most important key to determining whether that can be carried out.  Plug in today to the Power so that you can find out how He wants you to carry out the game plan that He has for you.  The Holy Spirit is waiting to guide and direct your actions and make them His own! 
Your brother in Christ,
p  

How important are you? Luke 12:6-7; Psalm 139:13-16

Good morning everyone,
Have you forgotten how important you are?  Luke 12:6-7 reminds us by saying, 'Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies?  Yet not one of them is forgotten by God.  Indeed the very hairs of your head are all numbered.  Don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.'  The intricacy of how God created the hairs on each head is amazing.  For instance, the average adult blonde has approximately 140,000 strands of hair, brunettes average 108,000 and redheads average 90,000 (more brainpowet though-hee hee).  The scripture reminds us that God numbered every hair on your head.  Yet, we seem to forget the exact detail that He put into our makeup!  God didn't make junk so be very careful when you compare yourself to your neighbor and wish that you looked like them.  Even if you don't consider yourself the next 'top model,' He does!  See, your worth is so much more than your appearance.  How you take care of that appearance is a different battle.  Many of you may struggle with self-esteem.  Psalm 139:13-16 reminds us and tells us how we were made:  'For You created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother's womb.  I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well.  My frame was not hidden from You when I was made in the secret place.  When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body.  All the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be.'  Folks, if you read that scripture and still wish that you were somebody else, we need to talk!  Ask God to inject in you the definition of beauty and ask Him to give you a real sense of how He looks at you.  I think you will begin to see yourself in a whole new light!
Your brother in Christ,
p

Is humility really necessary? Psalm 149:4; Proverbs 11:2

Good morning everyone,
As I sit in the stillness this morning listening for signs of life, I'm reminded that God gives us the quiet times to really hear Him!  Before you get busy and as you try and clear the fogginess out of your brain, make sure that you take the time and give God the 10% percent that He deserves.  See, He doesn't just want you to donate 10% of your earnings; He wants 10% of you and that includes every facet of your life!  Is it easy making those changes when the demands of life are so high?  I don't think so unless it becomes your number 1 priority.  The first thing that is required is sometimes one of the hardest but it unveils the highest payoff!  I'm referring to the act of humility.  Psalm 149:4 says that the Lord takes delight in His people; He crowns the humble with victory.  If we are to ever expect to build our relationship with the Father, we have to be willing to make the investment.  Proverbs 11:2 tells us that when pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.  The opposite of pride is humility and being humble shows that you are strong and not weak!  May God richly Bless each of you as you seek His face.   As you begin the transformation, you will see that there are many things that He will start to unveil to you.  Let us enjoy the journey together! 
Your brother in Christ,
p

No one else will do! Isaiah 33:22; Galatians 3:22

Good morning everyone,
When others judge you, size you up, tear you down, or mess with you, relish on what Isaiah 33:22 says:  "For the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king; it is He who will save us."  No one can take away what He has promised us.  Many people intimidate because they don't understand what grace is all about.  They intimidate because they are scared and they want to be in control.  If they are not in control, they feel as though they have lost the battle.  He tells us to give control over to Him so that He can use us according to His plan.  Galatians 3:22 reminds us that scripture has locked up everything under the control of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe.  Once folks realize that they were made for so much more than their current situation, then they can release the things that control them.  If you have trouble letting go, it is time to dive in with your whole self.  It is impossible to let go of something that is going at warp speed and try and grab it back.  Yet, much of the time, that is what people try and do.  Their whole world is wrapped up in intimidation and manipulation.  Bitterness becomes their god and before they know it, it becomes their life.  Something that festers needs to be dealt with before it becomes the fabric of who you are.  If you have a problem with someone who you love, please don't let that problem become a tragedy.  Many times, relationships are ruined by too many issues that become major because they are never worked out.  As you start this day, ask God to replace those areas that have become hardened with His love and mercy!
Your brother in Christ,
p

When you are empty, He fills you up! Philippians 1:6

Good morning everyone,
This past weekend I felt as though I only had time to take care of the immediate need; no time to really just relax and enjoy the moment.  Even in the midst of chaos, there is joy if we allow Him to fill those chaotic moments!  Sometimes life goes so fast that you don't know how you are going to take your next step.  Somehow, you just pull yourself up by your bootstraps and trust that God will provide the ability.  After all, He tells us to trust Him through it all.  If it were all a cakewalk, why would we need Him?  As I flew back to Arkansas on Sunday, I sat on the plane contemplating the events that had just taken place.  I got home late on Friday night, had a Christian men's conference on Saturday morning, a date Saturday night with my wife, church on Sunday morning, lunch with Deborah and Ariel, and then back to the airport for a flight back to Arkansas.  Through all of I that, I had developed a head cold and I felt as though my tank was completely empty.  When we have exhausted all of the resources that He has provided us with, He will carry us across the finish line and smile because He knows that we did all we could.  Philippians 1:6 tells us that He who began a good work in you will carry it out to completion.  Folks, that completion for all intensive purposes may and probably will not be the way that you envisioned.  It doesn't matter!  Just remember, when you are faithful with the little you have, He is ready and able to make it count for so much more! 
Your brother in Christ,
p

Don't just listen to it! Do it! James 1:22; Psalm 78:7-8

Good morning everyone,
We all like to hear good things.  Our minds and hearts have a way of hearing what they want to hear and discarding things that most likely are good for us.  In James 1:22, we are told to not merely listen to the Word, and so deceive ourselves.  We are to do what it says.  God gives us instructions and yet much of the time we don't carry those instructions out to fruition.  Why?  We are a stubborn people because we hear good things but we do what we want to do.  Many hours of anguish are the result of doing things our own way!  He is the great Perfecter and if He said it, then it is a good thing that we carry it out.  He tried to keep things simple; we make things difficult.  Psalm 78:7-8 gives us a great comparison of obedience vs being stubborn:  'Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget His deeds but would keep His commands.  They would not be like their ancestors--a stubborn and rebellious generation, whose hearts were not loyal to God, whose spirits were not faithful to Him.'  The 'Blueprint' of all blueprints should be our instruction manual, yet most people use them as a paper weight to collect dust.  A worn out bible is usually owned by someone who is not!  Are you using your Bible (the inspired Word of God) for what it was intended?  Do you read Scripture and write down your thoughts of what you read?  The more we read Scripture, the more we can recall those promises to share with folks when battles and situations arise!  Instead of turning on something or someone when you first wake up, turn open the pages of His Word and ask Him to show you His promises so that you can have hope to share with others!
Your brother in Christ,
p

Bigger than what you see! Psalm 119:114

Good morning everyone,
When you do something, do you have a habit of looking at your own needs?  Do you see the bigger picture or do you see the 12" screen of your own life?  When I prepare to travel on a weekly basis, I usually try and leave on Monday morning (not too early) and return on Friday evening (not too late) so that I can have a nice weekend with my family.  In most situations, that formula doesn't hold up.  So traveling gets to be tiring and it feels as if it is constant.  Sometimes, it makes more sense staying at a location rather than traveling home on the weekend.  That leads to frustration and bouts of loneliness.  Solving the problems on my end don't necessarily solve the problems for the people counting on me to be home.  I'm learning to trust Him more and more because the bigger picture He can see whereas I see the very little picture.  Instead of clinging to my frustration and loneliness, I've traded them in for His love and compassion!  When you take your eyes off your immediate dilemma, you can see much clearer what He wants you to see!  Psalm 119:114 says, 'You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in Your word.'  When we place our heart in His hand, we make choices that go beyond what we can see!  When someone needs you to be their for them next time, rethink your needs for their needs.  God can reveal a much bigger picture for you to see than the little picture you have been seeing!  
Your brother in Christ,
p