A Boastful Nation

"Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth." Proverbs 27:1 

The United States is a pretty boastful nation. We drive our monstrous vehicles, wear the best brand name clothes and shoes, text, talk and play on our cell phones, and live in mansions. Okay, I guess I could have left of the last one.


We are a "thing" society. We want more "things" and when we don't get them, we gripe about it. 


Have you ever thought about the little child in Africa who is sitting in a mud hole right now with nothing to eat but maybe a small bowl of watered down soup. Do you know that many of those same children walk mile after mile, carrying a gasoline jug, everyday to get water for their families. They usually share that same water with disease infested oxen.


And here we are fa la la la la'in around. We've got it all. Or so we think we do.


Why don't you take a minute today and think about the majority of the world who is suffering while we live in a fantasy land. It will change your day. In fact, it will even change your world.

One Last Breath

"Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD." - Psalms 150:6
 
First off, I have to say that I am by no means a Dodger fan (I just liked the visual), but I do love going to baseball games with fans who are just outrageously notorious for screaming and yelling. I always wonder if they realize that the rest of the crowd is probably starring at them wondering what kind of midlife crisis caused them to turn out that way.

I will give them credit for one thing. They are good at using their mouths to speak out about what they believe in and they aren't shy about it.

So why are we?

If we say we love the Lord with all of our heart, why are we fearful to pray in front of our friends? Believe me, I've been guilty of that! Why are we afraid to tell others about the one who saved us and created in us a new spirit?

You can say fear is human nature. But is it really? Isn't it just our own selfish mind getting in the way?

If today was your last day, would you be ashamed to speak the name of Jesus? We never know when God will give us one last breath. It will come. One day you will leave your house and say goodbye to your loved ones for the final time.

Let it be said of you that you used your last breath for the glory of the Lord.

You Can't Hide From Tribulation

"These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." - John 16:33

My words are few and far between today for I am troubled as I know many of my readers are. For some reason the words are hard to come by. But the verse above speaks what is on my heavy heart today, in a light that only the Lord can show.

None of us enjoy tribulation. None of us enjoy sorrow. Yet, we cannot travel through this world without these things entering our lives. None of us are exempt from tribulation.

John 16:33 says "ye SHALL have tribulation." It doesn't say you MIGHT have tribulation or there's a POSSIBILITY of tribulation. It will happen at some point and you can't hide from it.

If we stopped reading there, we would have no hope. But my hope; your hope, is in the next line, "be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."

He has overcome the world and he can help you overcome any tribulation in your life. He is knocking at your door today. Will you let him in? His peace is on the other side.

When You Don't Understand, Pray (In Loving Memory of Laken Young)

For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. - Matthew 18:20

If you are from Dennis, MS, or the surrounding areas, I'm sure you have all heard about the loss of 16-year-old Laken Young this past weekend.

I personally did not know Laken but I feel as if I did and I have battled with deep sorrow all weekend long because I know of the pain her family and friends are feeling.


I'm sure you've also asked these similar questions. "God why?" " Why did you have to take someone so young and beautiful with their whole life ahead of her?"


Not a one of us understands God's ways no matter how young or old. Therefore this is when we need to get on our knees and pray. Prayer moves mountains and prayer changes things.

Laken was definitely prayed for (by many who knew her and many who did not), and God still chose to take her home. She is no longer suffering. She is no longer having to live in a world of sin, and I can bet you she is rejoicing right now and wishing she could tell all of us down here not to be sad; for she is in the presence of the Lord. 


Yet, that does not mean that those of us on earth are not still hurting. But when we are hurting we need to cry out to Jesus. Ask Him to wrap his loving arms around the Young and Woods' families. Ask Him to move mountains in their lives.


This is the time to give them complete support in prayer and in respect even if you don't know them. God loves a cheerful giver. So give in prayer.

Peace Like a River

And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. - Philippians 4:7

I love the song "I've got peace like a river. I've got peace like a river. I've got peace like a river in my soul!"

Imagine the eclectic ways of a river. It can be so strong, yet can also be so peaceful and calm.I'm choosing to focus on the calm, gentleness of a flowing river on a Saturday afternoon. I can picture kids running along the rocky shoreline, chasing their newly purchased puppy, as mom and dad prepare for a cookout.

There's just nothing like the peace of a river. It can put every bone in our body at ease when we really sit back and take it in.

There is a peace that is greater than a river and which "passeth all understanding." That peace comes when we put our faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ.

I've had people ask me how I can possibly go through situations in my life that bare so much weight. Sometimes I think they are crazy for asking, because the answer is very simple yet very difficult for so many to understand.

My truthful reply, "The Lord did it." His peace that "passeth all understanding" carried me through rough waters. I know He will do it again and again.

Will you decide today to let the Lord fill you with peace like a river? It's an easy question but we must have childlike faith to go the distance with God.

The Word is Our Gift

"Thy word [is] a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." - Psalms 119:105

I can't wait until Christmas. It's one of my favorite holidays. I love buying gifts for friends and family and watching them open presents. Of course, I'll have to be a bit honest here. I love receiving gifts too.

About a week after Christmas, when all the new has worn off, we often just go back to our old routine and forget about those AMAZING presents.

Did you ever stop to think that we do the same thing with the Bible. We pick it up one day, really enjoy the amazing words, and then put it away and forget about it.

The Bible says God's word "is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." If we read it everyday, God will show us the way. It won't be foggy, or dark, but bright and light.

Hunger and Thirst After Righteousness

"Blessed [are] they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled." - Mathew 5:6

If the wells ran dry I'd be in deep trouble (not intended as a pun). I can't live without water, coke, orange juice, etc. (No I don't do coffee). I'm literally a camel when it comes to liquids and I thrive off of them. Sometimes I think I like them more than food, but then again I would die if I didn't have that too!

How often do we REALLY think about food and water as a necessity? Most of the time they are handed to us. We don't think about the cow that "mooed" it's last moo while we are eating our 16 oz steak, or the poor orange being squeezed to death.

Yet in reality, someone or something paid the price for our necessities. It's as simple as that.

Jesus Christ also paid the price for us in a far greater sense. He died on the cross and rose again so that we might have life and have it more abundantly.

Now it is our turn to show the Lord what we are made of. It's time to step out in faith, and hunger and thirst after Him. Only then can we be truly blessed.

Be Still

"Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah. Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the LORD." - Psalms 4:4-5

There are just some times in life when all you want to do is pull your hair out and crawl in a hole. Been there; wanted to do that, dare I say plenty of times.

Yet there are some times when God just wants us to "be still and know that he is God." 

Have you ever watched a little child in the grocery store or in the mall. They literally can not sit still. They fidget back and forth and while they think their mom or dad isn't looking, they grab a bag of cookies off the shelf and toss it into the cart. Or maybe they see someone in the store who looks a little funny and scream at the top of their lungs, "Mommy, did you see that funny looking man!"

Of course this is kid stuff but don't we do the same thing? We fidget and can't sit still. We try to help God and when He doesn't answer we may get upset and say hateful words.

Yet all God wants us to do is sit still, be quiet, pray and listen for his still small voice. How will we be able to hear it if we are running at the speed of light?

Ask the Lord to give you a calming spirit today. Trust in Him. He is always there.

Extreme Pain

"For we are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of men." - 2 Corinthians 8:1

There are a few times in my life when I can remember having agonizing "physical" pain; the kind that puts you on the floor screaming for relief.

"Physical" pain is rough of course but have you ever stopped to think about "spiritual" pain?

There are many Bible characters that took "spiritual" pains to levels we can only imagine. Ruth left her homeland, Abraham nearly killed Isaac, Paul was in prison (more than once), Daniel was thrown in a lion's den, just to name a few.

What kind of "spiritual" pain are we taking for the Lord? I'm pretty sure you can't name a time when you were thrown in a lion's den or were on the brink of killing your son.

These may be extreme cases but we need to start getting extreme for the Lord. We need to step out of our shells and take some hits for Him. Forget about "poor lil' me" and really, really become a soldier in the Lord's army.

No pain is greater than that which our Lord suffered on the cross. He was mocked, beaten, bruised and murdered, all to save us from sin.

So what will a little pain hurt? Think today what you can do to stir up a little pain for the Lord and go to the extreme, because He did it for you.

When Trouble Finds You

"You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance."
- Psalm 32:7-8

Stress is probably most of our middle names and if we were telling the truth it may even be our first!

I'm sure we've all had those days when waking up is hard to do (no not breaking up), and once we do the day just seems to unravel in tiny peaces all around us.


We roll over and smash the alarm clock 50 times and realize on that last smash that we are entirely too late for work. As we run out the door, we trip over the dog and then over the cat, who as always, is meowing at the top of her lungs for just one more bite of food.


We get in the car (and if we live in Mississippi we are lucky because there is no traffic), and enjoy an hour long drive (or even longer if you are headed to L.A.).


But once that drive is over it's time to face the chaos of emails, phone calls, notes and items on your desk that just seem to show up out of nowhere.


After work we might rush to the gym for some much needed exercise (that is usually calming), and then we are off to the house to cook, play with the animals, or the kids (for those who are there already), and then finally sit down on the couch. Of course at that very same moment the dog starts scratching on the screen and by the time you get up and sit back down, it's time to go to bed.

And then you do it all over again.

Stress is an everyday thing no matter where you live, how old you are or what kind of car you drive. It will inevitably happen to you. 

But there is an answer for your troubles and His name is Jesus Christ. He wants to walk with you and talk with you all day, even when you feel overwhelmed and don't know what to do.


The next time you feel discouraged or stressed, lift your eyes toward heaven and call out to the Lord. He will surround you with "songs of deliverance."

No Such Thing as the Gray Zone

"He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather 
with me, scatters." Luke 11:23

Gray may be one of your favorite colors, but to the Lord, 

there is no such thing as the gray zone. There is black and 

there is white. There is no in between.

It's easy to live on the edge, party a little here and do a 

little of that there. You know, ride the fence for awhile. 

I'm sure if we were all honest with ourselves,we'd say we've 

been in that situation before.

But the Lord tells us we can either be for Him or against Him. 

We are either black or we are white; living in darkness or 

living in light.

We can get as close to the edge as we want and think we are 

still okay. But in God's eyes, we are turned against Him. 

He cannot look upon our sin!

But praise God there is an answer and it is Him! Turn your 

eyes upon Jesus. The black of this world will fade away and 

you can be made white as snow! 

Paid in Full

"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. " - Galatians 2:20

Daily life can often crowd our minds. We become so worried about where we want to eat lunch. Hmmm....maybe Taco Bell, Quizno's...no, how about Subway! 

The little things become the dominant force in our lives and decisions are based on feelings. Why is it then that we can not trust, accept and have faith in someone and something that is so simple to understand? Instead we choose to crush Him, step on Him and mock him daily.

Jesus Christ paid in full for all for us. He gave His life so that we might live. He went up on the cross, and came back down, died and rose again, for me! For you!

Chose Him today. The little things fade away.