Even though you may think you're all alone, you never are!! Romans 5:8

Good morning everyone,
This time of year for most of us is a very special time because it signifies really what life is all about.  It is to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior.  In Romans 5:8, we are reminded that God showed His great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.  Even before you knew Him, while we were yet sinners, God sent His only Son to come and save us from being lost forever.  Not because we were good enough, but just because he 'Loved' us!  Whenever you feel uncertain about God's love for you, remember that He loved you even before you turned to Him.  For some folks, they continue to want to hold on to the 'baggage' that has become their security blanket.  Their heart strings have been plucked and they know that they can not handle their burdens alone, yet they continue to refuse the 'Gift' that God has already given!!  Think about it this way brothers and sisters; any debt you owe has already been paid in full.  All you need to do is accept it!  But Paul, I'm in over my head and there is no answer in sight!  Good thing you mention that.  All the more reason to say, 'Lord, even in my brokenness, I give you my all.'  That is exactly what He wants.  If you can't fix yourself (which none of us can!), don't you think it is about time to let the Doctor fix you!  By you releasing your baggage, amazing things will happen!  Instead of you carrying around that massive amount of guilt, those financial issues (that most of us have), selfishness, greed, stubbornness, bad decisions and the list goes on and on; maybe it is time to get out of the constant insanity (doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results) that you find yourself in!!  But Paul, that is easier said than done!  Yes, I agree unless you realize who is in control.  Most if not all of the issues that you are faced with will continue because in the big scope of things, we have very little control of the exterior elements we live in and that is life as we know it.  But God is the 'Creator of change' within us!  He can change our attitude to be that of gratitude.  He can help you see through the fog when your sight is completely impaired.  For some, this time of year is bitter sweet.  You may have lost a loved one recently and Christmas only brings up loneliness to you.  My prayer for you is that others reach out to you and remind you about the Love of Christ.  Instead of focusing on the issues and problems that you are faced with this Christmas season, ask Christ to fill your heart with so much love so that you can go out and love folks right where they are at!!  It literally may be the difference between life and death!  Until we know Him personally, we are all dead!  Once you know Him, don't you want to introduce Him to those that You love?
Your brother in Christ,
p

Do you wake up with a heart that wants to serve or do you want to go back to sleep? Matthew 20:28

Hello everyone,
Jesus reminds us in Matthew 20:28 that He came into the world to serve and not be served! The Lord of all came to serve and we have difficulty getting out of bed.  But Lord, I'm tired!  I don't have time to serve!  I'm already involved in more than I can handle!  Work has me strapped down and so busy, I can't add any more on my plate!  Jesus never complained when people needed Him.  He didn't question their motives.  He simply responded with a servants attitude.  If our minds and our hearts are loaded down with clutter, it simply is impossible to see the opportunities that He gives us.  My prayer for all of you is that you will humbly ask the Lord to show you how to free up time so that you can serve.  Just like the widow that gave all she had, if you will seek His face, Matthew 25:21 will come to fruition in your life.  The master was full of praise.  'Well done good and faithful servant.  You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities.  Let's celebrate together.  The widow didn't have much and maybe you feel as though your little will not be worth much to the Lord.  I beg to differ!  The widow was faithful with the little she had (Mark 12:43) and the Lord said that because of her sincere heart, she truly gave more than anybody else.  The Lord knows better than you how much time you have available.  Ask Him to show you!  He delights when we stop what we are doing and give Him praise.  If we give him just a little bit more of our time, our hearts will be changed right before our eyes!  Before long, you may look at getting out of bed in a whole different prospective!  If we free up a little of our clutter, do you not think that He cannot free up space in your garage so you can park inside! 
Your brother in Christ,
p

Gift of Christmas-Romans 6:23

Good Monday morning to all,
When we think about Christmas, much of the time it has become common for families to spend more on presents to give to their love ones then what some families make in a single year!  Commercialization has tried to completely destroy the true meaning of Christmas!  Yesterday at church, Brother Charles Gibbs tried to remind us just what the Gift of Christmas is all about:  Romans 6:23 tells us, 'For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.'  There is quite a contrast between what we deserve and what God gives!  He made 3 main points in his sermon about the 'Gift':  (1) Free but not cheap; (2) Mysterious but not complicated; and (3) Lofty but not distant!  Eternal life is a gift from God.  If it is a gift, then it is not something that we earn, nor something that must be paid back.  Consider the foolishness of someone who receives a gift given out of love and then offers to pay for it.  A gift cannot be purchased by the recipient.  A more appropriate response to a loved one who offers a gift is graceful acceptance with gratitude.  Our salvation is a gift of God, not something of our own doing (Ephesians 2:8,9).  He saved us because of His mercy, not because of any good things that we have done (Titus 3:5).  How much more we should accept with thanksgiving the gift that God has freely given to us!  
Your brother in Christ,
p  

Sunday mornings devotional-Genuine Faith-Hebrews 2

Good morning everyone,
As you start your day, ask yourself this question?  Do you consider yourself to have genuine faith?  Talk is cheap, and too often we soon realize that the boasts were hollow, quite far from the truth.  Faith has several definitions:  reliance, loyalty, or complete trust in God; a system of religious beliefs.  I like the verse that refers to faith as being the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen.  It is the evidence of things we cannot yet see.  James 2 speaks of genuine faith!  'My dear brothers and sisters, how can you claim that you have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ if you favor some people more than others?'  If we really search high and low, we probably would all have to agree that we are prejudice in some way or another.  James warns against favoritism and for the necessity of good deeds.  Even though we serve a God that saved us not because of good works, but because of Grace, He expects us to not be lazy!  There are 3 principles that James says are necessary for faith to be genuine!  (1) Commitment is an essential part of faith.  You cannot be a Christian simply by affirming the right doctrines or agreeing with biblical facts (2:19).  (2) Right actions are the natural by-products of true faith.  A genuine Christian will have a changed life (2:18).  (3) Faith without good deeds doesn't do anybody any good-it is useless (2:14-17).  James's teachings are consistent with Paul's teaching that we receive salvation by faith alone.  Paul emphasizes the purpose of faith: to bring salvation.  James emphasizes the results of faith: a changed life.  Ask God to radically change you for you to carry out the full mission of faith and not leave a stone uncovered!!!!
Your brother in Christ,
p

Inconveniences throw us for a loop! Luke 14:15-24

Good Saturday morning to all,
The scripture reading in the devotional this morning is really a self check for each of us!  Ask yourself this question:  Is being a Christian a convenience in my life or is it a way of life for me?  The illustration in the scripture shows that a big feast was given and many were invited!  But very few showed up because they had excuses why they couldn't be there!  Do we make excuses for giving time to the Lord?  We have been invited to the 'Great Feast' but are we too busy to show up?  The conclusion to the story was not a good ending for those who were invited and didn't come!  Today as you start your day, ask the Holy Spirit to free up time so that you can spend it in prayer and reading the Word.  It all starts by what choices we make.  If I start my day asking God for directions, I don't seem to get as lost.  And for those of you who know me, you know that I am directionally challenged!  Ha!  I need all the help I can get!  For those times I try and do it on my own, I really get frustrated.  I love each of you and I care about you and I want this Christmas Season to be a Blessing in each of your lives!  Let me encourage each of you to reach out to someone in need and take a little time with them so that maybe you can give them something that they have been missing!!  
Your brother in Christ,
Paul       

How to pray for other Christians? Colossians 1

Good morning everyone,
How many people in your life could be touched if you prayed in this way? 
     (1).   Be thankful for their faith and changed lives (1:3).
        (2).  Ask God to help them know what He wants them to do (1:9).
        (3).  Ask God to give them deep Spiritual understanding (1:9).
        (4).  Ask God to help them live for Him (1:10).
        (5).  Ask God to give them more knowledge of Himself (1:10).
        (6).  Ask God to give them strength for endurance (1:11).
        (7).  Ask God to fill them with joy, strength, and thankfulness (1:11).
#7 really stands out to me because it is only because of Jesus Christ that I live with a thankful heart!  #1 caused #7 to happen in my life.  Your story may be different and I would like to know.  As I read through Colossians 1, I'm reminded of all the people that have prayed for me and continue to pray for me!  In Colossians 1:9-10, Paul writes, 'So we continue praying for you ever since we first heard about you.  We ask God to give you a complete understanding of what He wants to do in your lives, and we ask Him to make you wise with Spiritual wisdom.  Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and you will continually do good, kind things for others.  All the while, you will learn to know God better and better.'  These scripture verses are the core of what Jesus Christ modeled for all of us!  As you read this devotional, may you realize just how incredibly 'special' you are!  You were beautifully made to live out these verses while you have breath to breathe!!!!  Pastor Bro preached on this scripture sometime back and one of the quotes he made was this:  'You never know Jesus is all you need, until Jesus is all you have!'  Why don't we get that point much earlier in life?  We try to find the answers to life going down so many different bumpy roads before we eventually realize that those answers are given to us in the Son himself!  Changed hearts start one prayer at a time!  As you start your day, know that you have been prayed for and you are loved beyond measure! 
Your brother in Christ,
p            

This is the day that the Lord has made! Let us rejoice and be glad in it! Psalm 118:24

Good morning everyone,
Psalm 118 starts and ends with the same verse:  'Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!  His faithful love endures forever.'  That promise says that He is the same today that He will be tomorrow that He was yesterday.  Never changing, always caring and has promised to love you forever!  All He asks from us is to give Him thanks!!  When your heart is a humble heart and you praise Him for every situation in your life, He will love you in return.  That is a covenant that nothing else can be compared to!  In verse 24 we are asked to rejoice and be glad in the very day that we are now living because it is made by the Lord.  When situations in life bring more than we can handle, remember the 'Rock' is still there for us to stand upon and proclaim to the world how we stood!  We may get banged up along the way but think about those battle scars as being evidence of Who brought you through it all!  For anyone in the middle of one of those storms, let me commend you and let me pray for you that you will remain faithful!  God will honor your faithfulness!!!  In 2 Thessalonians 1:11, Paul writes, 'And so we keep on praying for you, that our God will make you worthy of the life to which He called you.  And we pray that God, by His power, will fulfill all your good intentions and faithful deeds.'  Anything and everything becomes a load we are incapable of carrying, but showing God even the littlest concern is His, nothing is impossible for Him to carry!  Remember to 'plow'-pray, love, overcome, worship! 
Your brother in Christ,
p