God Is There To Help

God Is There To Help

“Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life; you stretch our your hand against the anger of my foes, with your right hand you save me.”
Psalm 138:7

During these past several years I have received hundreds of e-mails where people are walking in the midst of troubles. It could be either financial troubles, marital troubles, health issues, job issues or a multitude of other troubles that are weighing them down. I believe that many times God sends troubles to people to get their attention. We do not seek God when things are going well in our lives, when everything that we do is being successful, or when we feel safe and secure. It is when we have troubles that come upon us, and we begin to have fear, doubt and feel insecure about ourselves and don’t know where to turn; this is the time that many people begin to look to God for help and an answer to their problems. Many times it takes trouble that comes into our lives for us to realize that we can no longer depend upon ourselves for the answers. When we realize that we need help, and begin to go to God for our answers, this is the time that real change can take place in our lives. God can bring relief to us from the uncertainty, the fear, the insecurity, and can provide peace and the security that we need to withstand our storms. It is during these times that we can open our hearts to God, and begin to draw closer to Him as our protector and our provider. I would encourage any of you who are walking through a time of trouble at this time, to think about turning this over to God. He will walk with you through any trouble that you are facing, and when you depend upon Him for your solution, He can provide you with comfort and the peace to withstand any storm.

Do Not Be Deceived

Do Not Be Deceived

“Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.”
1st John 4:1

In our world today we are seeing this scripture above come to pass, as there are many false prophets that have gone out into the world. We see many cults and many so called religious prophets all over our country, many with large followings that are leading people away from the Biblical teaching of God. As Christians, we have a responsibility to study and discern the wisdom that our Bibles tell us as to what is right and wrong, and know that these false prophets are not from God, but have been sent by Satan to deceive us. “This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God; Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God.” 1st John 4:2-3. After just a short time listening to these so called prophets, we can tell if their message is about Jesus, or whether it is a feel good religion. If their words do not convey that Jesus is the only way to salvation, and their message is not all about Jesus, we need to switch our television channels and our radio dials to something else. If their discourse is all about raising money, even though it may be for a worthwhile reason, and Jesus is not their primary theme, there is something wrong with their mission. We need to remember that Satan is out in the world working on the mission of the antichrist, and has great power to get our minds and our focus away from doing the will of God. We need to be alert and depend on God’s wisdom and knowledge to prevent us from being deceived.

Humble Yourself

Humble Yourself

“God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
1st Peter 1:5

Throughout the Bible we find a theme that I believe God wants each of us to grasp, and make it part of our everyday lives. This theme is being humble. God sent His son Jesus to earth to be born in a manger, a humble beginning. When God picked someone to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt, He picked Moses who was a humble man, who had a speech defect, and who had no previous experience as a leader. When God asked Samuel to choose a king of Israel, He sent him to the house of Jessee to select the king. Jessee had 7 sons who were strong big men, and anyone would have thought that God would have chosen one of the older and stronger sons to be king, rather he chose the youngest son, David, who was the weakest, and who watched over the sheep as the king, another humble man. God took these humble men and through them He gave them the power to do great things. God does not require greatness to accomplish great things, but He can create greatness from humble beginnings. There are many people who are reading this devotional today, who may feel that God does not care about you, that you are too low on the totem pole to amount to much in life, and feel like you are doomed to a life of mediocrity. This is not the case, as God has a plan for your life, and just as He did with Moses and David, He can do the same for you. He only asks that you devote your heart and life to serving Him. If you make God number one in your life, He has great things in store for you, things that you cannot imagine. Therefore humble yourself and submit your life to doing the will of God.

Speak Gently And Softly

Speak Gently And Softly

“A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”
Proverbs 15:1

Having been in Hospital Administration for over 45 years, I have seen the consequences of what harsh words can do. There have been countless times that I have witnessed professional people, doctors, nurses, hospital administrators and board members lose their composure and resort to saying things that have created severe problems between parties that were almost insurmountable to overcome. The words in this Proverb are so true, that harsh words do stir up anger, and can have extreme consequences. Throughout the Bible we see scriptures that tell us to control our tongues, as the words we speak often come from our hearts and reflect our true feelings. We need to control what we say and how we say it, as our words can hurt, provoke and cause anger in others. We need to think before we speak, and then speak gently and softly. We can defend our position on any subject by staying calm, cool and collected and speaking in a gentle voice. In fact, by staying calm and arguing our case gently, we most likely will keep the other person from becoming defensive, agitated and saying things they may not mean. However, if we begin to speak harshly, we most likely will stir up anger in others, and that is where real conflict begins. So many arguments in families begin with harsh words being spoken by either the husband or wife, and results in anger that many times can destroy the marriage. This is why the Bible teaches us that if we can control our tongue, we can control many aspects of our life. “The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life, but a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.” (Proverbs 15:4)

All Things Are Possible

All Things Are Possible

“Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.”
Luke 12;32

Each person who reads these words today is battling something in their life. Some are battling finances, others health problems, others marital problems, others need employment, and others with issues too numerous to mention here. My message for you today is that no matter what your battle is today, God is with you. He will not forsake you, and He will walk you out of your valley to the mountaintop of victory. Too often in our life we focus on the battle and not the victory. To often we look only at the circumstances, and not the One who promised us victory over our circumstances. Several of the disciples of Jesus were in a boat one day when a great storm came upon them. As the winds began to blow, the rain began to fall, the sky darkened, and all they could see was the storm. They became so consumed with their circumstances that they woke up Jesus who was sleeping in the boat, and in their fear, they asked Him to help them. Seeing their fear, Jesus in an act of compassion simply made the storm go away. My friends, the same Jesus who made the storm go away for His disciples is the same Jesus who can make the storm in your life go away. Jesus is saying to you today, exactly what He said to His disciples those many years ago. Why do you fear? You see, when you are with Jesus, you don’t have to fear, no matter how bad the storm may look. I pray that despite the circumstances you face; that despite the obstacles in your way, that your hope and faith today is in Jesus. He can change your circumstances and wipe out the obstacles in your way and lead you to victory.

A Work In Progress

A Work In Progress

“Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress.”
1st Timothy 4:15

This morning me and my little dog Teddy were going to get our daily Cappuccino at our local Tim Horton’s restaurant, there was a "Work in Progress" sign warning drivers of road construction. This past week I had written two devotionals about the seasons that each one of us goes through in our lives, and this sign reminded me that each one of us a work in progress, as we go through these seasons in life, following the plan that God has in store for us. We do not jump from the beginning of God’s plan immediately to the final result, but we progress step by step along the way until we reach our final destination. We are a work in progress as we learn little by little, and grow in our walk with God, until He has molded and shaped us to be the person He wants us to be. I know in my own life I have been a work in progress, as during the earlier part of my life, I did not have the wisdom, knowledge and understanding as to what God’s plan was for me. But during this time I was growing little by little, and step by step, in my walk with God. The difficulties and problems that I overcame during my travel with God made me realize that I could not do all things on my own, but that I needed more than my own abilities to achieve what I thought were my goals. My goals in life have been changed tremendously over the years, as I have obtained more wisdom and understanding about God’s plan for me. I would encourage each of you to be aware that God has a plan for your life. You must be willing to follow Him wherever He leads you, as He will lead and guide you to the joyful and abundant life that He has in store for you.

Have You Lost Your Joy

Have You Lost Your Joy

“What has happened to all your joy.”
Galatians 4:15

The above scripture is a question that the Apostle Paul was asking the Galatians, "What has happened to all your joy? We have a right to live a joyful life. This is a promise from God. This does not mean that we are not going to have problems and difficulties during our life, but our problems and difficulties should not take away our joy. The Bible tells us we will have difficulties, but these are times where God is testing us. People are naturally happy on some occasions, but the Christian’s joy is not dependent on circumstances. It comes from what Christ has done, and it is constant. The apostle Paul tells us to “be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” As true Christian’s, when we trust God and have faith in Him, even when we have our trials we will still have joy in our hearts, as we know that even when we are in our valleys, God is right there with us. Even in the words of the Lord’s Prayer, he says “thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.” We are all going to have seasons of difficulties, but we can take comfort in knowing that in Christ we are overcomers as God tells us to “be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world.” He also tells us “my peace I give to you.” God tells us He will provide all our needs, and not to worry as He even takes care of the birds of the air. We need to wake up each morning with a song in our hearts, and being joyful. Worry or fear should not weight us down, as we know that God is there to watch over and care for us. Our days should be joyful ones, and our goal should be to live and walk like Christ, so that we can live a joyful and abundant life.

God Is Always Watching

God Is Always Watching

“The eyes of the Lord are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good.”
Proverbs 15:3

Did you know that in most of our larger cities that almost anywhere you go you are being watched by video cameras? These cameras are there to be a deterrent for crimes, and allow the authorities to keep watch on neighborhoods. Although these cameras may be of some benefit in certain situations and in some areas, they are definitely not the answer to record all the crimes that are committed across our country. Cameras and surveillance devices cannot monitor behind closed doors and cover all the places we travel. They cannot monitor our thoughts and our actions and behaviors that are out of their line of sight. I have never forgotten the advice my grandmother once told me that God sees everything that I do, and that I should live my life knowing that God is beside me watching me at all times. I believe this is the best advice that you can give someone, as there is never anything that we think about or do all during our lives that God does not see. We need to always remember that someday we are all going to stand before the judgment throne of God, and be held accountable for all our thoughts, our actions and behavior for every minute of our lives. There will be nothing that will be hidden from His sight as our book of life will record everything about us. I would encourage each of you to memorize the scripture above as it is one of the most important scriptures you will find in God’s word. If you keep this scripture in mind as you go about your daily life, you will find that it will help direct your thoughts, your actions and behavior to what God would want in your life and away from things that are evil.

Controlling Your Anger

Controlling Your Anger

“Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.”
Ephesians 4:31

In today’s devotional I would like to talk to you about controlling anger. I believe that Satan uses anger as much as any other device to keep us distracted from following the word of God, as Satan can use our sins—especially those, like anger, that are against others—to bring about greater evil. The result of anger is bad, as it often brings hurt and destruction. The inability to control anger has been the ruin of many marriages. Anger can bring rebellious teens to turn away from God because of their parent’s anger. The news is full of cruelty and even murder that comes from the inability of people to control their anger. God wants each of us to get rid of all our anger, and has given us many scriptures such as the one above. So often anger appears in our lives when we have been hurt or injured by someone, and our immediate response is that we want the offender to hurt too; we want our revenge. Anger is the weak person’s imitation of strength. When you have been hurt, wounded and feel weak, anger is what people turn to as it makes them feel strong, however that strength is an imitation, as it doesn’t deliver what they really want, and usually they always regret what happens through that artificial strength. “Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2nd Corinthians 12:10. It is only through our trust in God, that He shows Himself strong through us. We won’t need imitation strength if we learn to appreciate our weakness, and trust in God to deliver us from our anger.

Be An Encourager

Be An Encourager

“But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.”
Hebrews 3:13

The scripture above reminds me that most people generally do a poor job in uplifting and encouraging the people they come into contact with. I would like for you to take a few moments right now and think about what has happened to you today, and the encouragement that you have received from others, but most of all think about the encouragement that you have given to others. Also think about that when you attempted to give encouragement to others, did they really know what you meant and accepted it as encouragement. I can recall being asked at one of my hospitals to teach a course to the new nursing students, as their teacher had gotten sick and I was substituting for them. I began by explaining the meaning of a substitute and used the example that if you break a window, and then place a piece of plywood over the hole—that’s a substitute. After the class, a well-intentioned student wished to compliment me for the job I had done and said “you were no substitute, you were a real pane.” Have you ever gotten a compliment like that, where you went away scratching your head wondering how to take it? It’s easy to assume the worst and most of the time we do just that, if there is any doubt as to what people meant to say. We live in a world where people are more often inclined to put you down, rather than to lift you up, where they would rather ridicule you than encourage you. I would like to encourage you today to make it a point to say something encouraging to someone, and do it in such a way that there will be no doubt as to your intention.

Do Not Judge

Do Not Judge

“There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you—who are you to judge your neighbor?”
James 4:12

This afternoon as I was running an errand, a lady in a car in front of me cut me off in traffic, and nearly caused me to run off the road. My first reaction was to become upset and blame her for her irrational behavior, but the more I thought about what had just happened, was that God would not have been pleased by my immediate response. This may have been a tired mother, who had just finished a long day at work. She may have been rushing home to cook dinner, help her children with homework, do the laundry and spend a few precious moments with her children. I did not know the circumstances that were going on in her life, and I should not be judging her in any way. So many times we become upset when people do things that annoy us, and we rush to judgment without knowing their circumstances, and what is going on in their lives. We need to keep reminding ourselves of God’s greatest commandment “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:30-31 It is not enough to share God’s love with only those we hold dear, but we must open our hearts to all people. We must be slow to judge and quick to forgive. We must show patience, empathy and love. Today I would encourage each of you that when things happen that upset you to not rush to judgment, but be patient, forgiving and compassionate and think about what God would do in your situation.

Don't Waste Today

Don’t Waste Today

“As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. Follow me he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.”
Matthew 9:9

In the previous devotional I discussed God’s calling, and the different seasons that God places you in during your lives, and that God has you now in the season and place He wants you to be. You need to always remember that you do not have the promise of tomorrow, only the reality of today, and that it is important that each of you do not waste today, and this precious gift that God has given you. He has allowed you to wake up this morning for a reason, so that you can serve and glorify Him with your lives. You can’t allow Satan to lull you into the belief that you will always be able to serve the Lord in the future, as our future is not promised to us. God has called all of you, no matter what age you are, to serve Him today, not tomorrow. You must remember that Satan wants you to believe his lie that you need to worry about yourself today, and that you will still have time to serve God later. God tells us that He will provide all our needs, and that we need to step out in faith and put our trust in Him. So if you are struggling with God’s calling on your life, remember that God has you right where He wants you to be for this season. Keep being the salt of the earth, the light to this world in your school, in your workplace, and be the living testimony that God wants you to be. This is why today I would encourage and challenge you to not waste even one day that God can use your life in His service, as tomorrow is not promised to you and you must not take it for granted.

Be God's Witness

Be God’s Witness

“Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.”
John 17: 3

Do you know what God is calling you to do? This is one of the questions I routinely get from many of my readers, as they do not know specifically what God is calling them to do in their lives. I recently heard from one of my readers that felt God had called them to serve as a missionary, which is a very worthwhile calling, and I encouraged them to follow this call. However God calls most people to serve Him right where they are. Don’t think for a second that it is an accident or coincidence you go to school or work where you do. It is God who has opened those doors, and has placed you for this season of your life right where He wants you to be. You must never forget that your greatest witness for the Lord will always be how you live your life before others each day. People notice how you conduct your life, how you treat others, how you react in all situations in your everyday life. Where ever you are, you are a living testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ, and especially today when most people don’t go to church, you are the only Bible they will ever read, and the only contact with Christ they will ever have. Nobody is in your life by accident, and the greatest thing you can share with someone is to tell them about Jesus, and what He has done in your life. Our lives are made up of different seasons, and in each season God gives us opportunities to serve Him. I pray that you will not waste the season you are in today, and that you will serve and glorify Him with your life, and be a true witness for God wherever you are.

A Season For Everything

A Season For Everything

“He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither.”
Psalm 1:3

As I am entering the winter of my life I have realized that God has a season for each of us. In each of our lives I believe that God has things that He has planned for us to do and accomplish in our lives, and a time when these plans are to be fulfilled. During our lives we learn and grow and experience many things, some happy and joyful things, while others may be disappointments and hurts, but all of these experiences are part of God’s plan for us. God knows all things, and knew us before we were born, and what our path in life would be. As we go through all these stages, or seasons in our life, He is preparing us to fulfill His plan for each one of us. During our hurts and disappointments, He is walking with us, and allowing us to withstand the buffeting of the winds of the storms, and during our times of joy and happiness, He is allowing us to flourish and blessing us. But each of these experiences is part of His plan to let us grow and become what He wants us to be. I believe that in God’s plan, as we grow older, that He expects each of us to use the wisdom and knowledge that we have learned during our lives, to reach out and touch others around us. All of our life’s experiences were there for a reason, and that is to mold and make us the people we are today. As we grow older we enter our harvesting season, a time where all the seeds that God has sown in our lives begin to mature and bear fruit. God has planted us by His streams of water, and has tilled us and worked us, and our good works now need to bear its fruit in season.

Face In The Mirror

Face In The Mirror

“Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.”
James 1:23-24

Each morning most of us have a ritual of checking our appearance in the mirror before we venture out into the big world. Throughout our day we are continually looking in every mirror we find to make sure our hair is in place, or there is nothing on our face, and to make sure we look presentable. If we see something that we are not pleased with we make any change necessary to correct it. If we find our hair is in disarray, or we have mustard on our face we make the change necessary to make things right. We are concerned about our outward appearance, but God is not concerned about how we look on the outside, but is concerned about how we look on the inside. What if we began a ritual of looking in the mirror each morning and seeing our inward flaws, such as lying, selfishness, pride, unforgiveness and the other flaws that God is not pleased with in our lives, and begin to make the changes needed to correct these flaws. These would be the kind of changes that God would be pleased with us making in our lives. Making changes in our outward appearance only pleases ourselves, but making the changes in our hearts, and in our attitudes and behaviors toward others would be the changes that would please God. So with this in mind, the next time you look in the mirror to correct your outward appearance, think about an inward flaw that you have inside you, and make the change to correct it and get your mind off yourself.

Keep God Your Priority

Keep God Your Priority

“In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”
Matthew 5:16

Last night we attended a small group meeting where there were several young Christian couples who were very enthusiastic, and talked about what they were going to do to reach others and tell them about Jesus. This was very encouraging to me to listen to them relate their experiences as to how they were letting their lights shine for others to see. So many times during my life I have seen this same kind of enthusiasm from young people, who have found Christ, and want to take the gospel out to others. Unfortunately, I have also witnessed that many of them lose this enthusiasm after a period of time. When we first accept Jesus into our hearts, we are pumped up and enthusiastic about Him, and are filled with His Holy Spirit, and our thoughts are about serving Him and following His commandments. When we first accept Jesus into our hearts He is number one in our lives. However as time passes, our families, our jobs, our hobbies and a multitude of other things begin to take priority, and God becomes a second choice behind our other commitments. Jesus tells us to always keep Him first in our lives. “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.” Matthew 23:37-39 My friends, do not let anything come between you and God, always keep Him first in your life; make Him your priority, and He will give you the wisdom to handle all of life’s problems.

Do Not Worry

Do Not Worry

“Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly father feeds them.”
Matthew 6:26

This morning as I was sitting in our sun room drinking my morning cup of coffee, there was a flock of wild geese that flew by our house. It was a rather windy morning, and the geese were having to work extra hard to fly into the wind. I was reminded of the eagle, which with its large wing span, is able to fly above the wind into calmer air. I believe the eagle can teach us a good lesson, in that when troubles beset us we need to rise above them, as the eagle does, by reaching out to God, who can take us above our problems and into calmer circumstances. We don’t have to continue to struggle with situations that can rob us of our peace and contentment by ourselves, but we can turn these over to God who will help us deal with our problems. Whether we are having problems with our finances, a relationship issue, a family issue or some other circumstance that is taking away our peace and joy, God can take the burdens from our shoulders and restore our peace. There are so many problems in today’s world that we struggle with, which seem like mountains to us, and bog us down, and keep us from having peace in our lives. We need to remind ourselves that God is still in control, and even though these problems seem insurmountable in our eyes, they are insignificant in God’s eyes as Jesus tells us not to worry about such things. “So do not worry, saying, What shall we eat? Or what shall we wear? But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well.” Matthew 7:31-33

Don't Forget God Today

Don’t Forget God Today

“No one lights a lamp and puts it in a place where it will be hidden, or under a bowl. Instead he puts it on its stand, so that those who come in may see the light.”
Luke 11;33

One of the hardest things in the world is to deal with all that life throws at you each day, and in the midst of all that, try to be productive for the Lord. You have work, school, family, health issues, financial issues and many other distractions that you have to fight, hobbies and things you enjoy doing, on top of the day to day trials and tribulations we all have to face in this dark, sin-filled world. As each day unfolds, and those unexpected situations arise, it is so easy to get bogged down and expend so much energy fighting problems, that we simply want to get home and shut the world out. If you are in this situation, this is exactly the position that Satan wants you to be in. I want to encourage you today to not let Satan keep you from serving God. God has a plan and a purpose for your life. He has work for you to do, and serving Him is not an option, it is a commandment. No matter how challenged you may be in your daily life, make the time and effort each day to find ways to serve the Lord. There are endless ways you can serve Him at your local church. There are many ministries that need people to help them. Most people can serve God just in the course of their daily life, by sharing Christ with the people who cross their path each day. God will open the right doors, and guide you. It is your responsibility to make serving Him each day a priority in your life. My word for you today, is that at the end of your journey through life, the only thing that will matter is your relationship with Jesus, and how you have served Him.

Keep Pressing Forward

Keep Pressing Forward

“For he says, in the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you. I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.”
2nd Corinthians 6:2

Today, I would like to tell you that no matter what you may be facing, keep pressing forward. Don’t let the challenges of daily life detour you, keep pressing forward. In the midst of the battles you are fighting in your life today, keep pressing forward. One of the big ways Satan neutralizes many Christians is by throwing so much at them each day, and by the end of the day you are just happy you made it, and looking forward to getting some sleep. Satan has you so conditioned to just making it through the day that you start to make that your goal each morning. You wake up and your prayer is, “O Lord, just help me make it through the day.” My friends, we aren’t here to just make it through the day, we are here to make a difference through the day. Each day is a special gift from God. It isn’t promised to us, and if our goal is simply to make it to the end of the day, we are not being good stewards of that wonderful gift. We usually think of stewardship in regard to how we handle our money. I want you to understand that good stewardship also entails how we handle the time God blesses us with. God doesn’t give us a new day to simply make it through another 24 hours. He blesses us with that day, so that we can serve and glorify Him, and make an impact with our life for the Kingdom. God will hold you accountable for how faithful you have been with each minute. He gives everyone resources, He gives everyone talent, and He gives everyone time. Be a good steward of your time today, and make God number one in your day and you will be in God’s favor.

Control Your Speech

Control Your Speech

“But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”
Matthew 12:36-37

In our society today so many people utter careless words without thinking about the consequences of what they are saying, but in the scripture above God tells us what the consequences of our speech really means. We are confronted everywhere we look with words that would make our forefathers blush, as our television, our radios, our newspapers and magazines are filled with filth, and we have gradually accepted this kind of behavior over the years, and are even becoming more and more acceptable of this behavior even today. The Bible tells us to speak with a gentle voice, and use words that encourages and builds up our fellow man, instead of words of anger, and words that are meant to hurt and discourage someone. I believe that our speech is important to God, as it is the way that we can communicate our faith of God to others. God commands each of us to be evangelists to others around us, and our speech, and the words we use are an important way to communicate our faith. It is easy to let others know about God, and what He means to us, and many times communicating this to others can make a difference in someone else’s life. When we speak words of love and encouragement to someone, and then follow this up with our actions, we are fulfilling what God wants from each of us. As we go out into the world each day we need to be aware of our speech, so that when we stand one day before God at our judgment, we will be acquitted and God will be pleased.

Keep God With You

Keep God With You

“If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit, apart from me you can do nothing.”
Matthew 15:5

As you read this devotional, you may be facing various problems in your life. You may be dealing with a serious health issue, a crisis in your marriage, a major financial issue, a problem in your job or some other problem that is challenging you. Every day, just in the course of living through another 24 hours, there are so many things in our lives that happen. Many of these things are totally out of our control and simply problems that we never expected but are suddenly confronted with. This is one of the reasons that we must always have a real committed, 24/7 relationship with the Lord. To withstand these kind of problems, I always counsel people to start their day in prayer and in the Word of God. It is not only the best way to start each day, but it will give you the focus and strength to deal with whatever problems life may throw at you. Paul tells us to “pray without ceasing”, and I take that literally as we can pray all during our day. We need to keep the line open to God at all times, as God has given us a direct line to Him. You need to understand that God cares about you and He loves you. There is nothing too small or too large that He cannot handle. When we don’t pray we are depending upon ourselves, and as the scripture above states that “apart from me you can do nothing.” I will be praying for you today, that no matter what problems in life you may be having, that you will find your strength, your hope, and your answers in the Lord. You will be amazed how much easier each day is when you are operating in His strength and not depending upon yourself.

Heaven Or Hell

Heaven Or Hell

"Then he will say to those on his left, Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels."
Matthew 25:41

Every morning I usually look at the obituaries in the newspaper from my home town and also from our local newspaper. Each day the people who are listed in the obituaries are either in heaven or in hell. Where they are now depended upon how well they had prepared themselves during their life. If they had accepted Jesus into their hearts and asked Him for forgiveness of their sins, they are in heaven, but for those who had rejected His plan of salvation they find themselves in hell today. The Bible gives us a clear picture of what hell will be like, as Jesus had a desire that no one should go there and to avoid it at all cost. He describes it as a place where, "their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched." Mark 9:48. He also describes it as a burning lake of fire. There would be agonizing wailing and gnashing of teeth and the endless sizzling of burning flesh. It is not a place where anyone should want to spend all eternity in. God does not want anyone to spend eternity in hell, as it was prepared for the devil and his demons. How have you prepared yourself if your name was listed on the obituary page tomorrow? Would you be in heaven or in hell? You still have an option today, however, and one that you need to take seriously, as you are not promised your tomorrow, and today may be the last chance you will have to determine where you will be. Your only option to escape the fiery lake of fire called hell is to accept Jesus Christ as your savior. Do it Today.

Obey God's Call

Obey God’s Call

“The wall of Jerusalem is also broken down, and its gates are burned with fire”
Nehemiah 1:3

Those that have read my devotionals for some time have seen my compassion to obey God’s Great Commission, which tells all Christians to get outside the church walls and spread the gospel of Jesus Christ to all people. The people who need God the most do not come to our church services on Sunday or our Bible Study groups, and the churches across our nation are not reaching out like they should to minister to these lost souls. Nehemiah was a man in a position of great influence and power as he served under the king. He was not a preacher or priest or scribe. He was what we might call a layman today. But Nehemiah loved God and when he heard about the plight of the Jews, and how the city of Jerusalem was now laying in ruins, he began to weep and pray and say, “Lord, what can I do about this problem.” The devastation of Jerusalem touched him, and he wanted to do something about it. So he prayed and devised a plan to rebuild the wall. Nehemiah reached out, which is what we all must do to obey God’s call to us. He began to pray and then began to obey. That is when his plan began to unfold. There are two essential ingredients for effectively sharing our faith. It must start with a God-given burden to obey God and reach out to offer salvation to our world. This will lead to prayer, which will lead us to our own plan to reach out to others and share our faith. I believe that it is important for all Christians to reach out as Nehemiah did and obey God’s call. We have the opportunity each and every day of our life to touch the lives of people around us, and when we do we will be obeying God’s call.

Christians In The Workplace

Christians In The Workplace

"Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ."
Philippians 2:27

One of the greatest hindrances to effectively communicate the Gospel of Christ to others is the way Christians act in their workplaces. Having worked for over 45 years in the health care profession, it was difficult many times to distinguish the Christians from the non Christians. In most situations the way they talked, the way they acted, the way they conducted themselves was the same as the non Christians. They did not stand out and most did not talk about their faith in any way during the time they were on the job. I feel that a Christian should be recognized where ever they go by their actions, by their speech, by their thoughtfulness and respect for others. They should not have to have a sign on their backs stating they are a Christian, but their words and their actions should reflect this. I am afraid that so many people are only Sunday morning Christians, and only take God with them to Church on Sunday, and leave Him at home when they go to work, to school, to the grocery store, or shopping at the mall with their friends. God should accompany a Christian where ever they go and in whatever they do. You cannot have Him only in your heart on Sunday during church, but He demands that you keep Him with you all during your day. This is not something that He wants you to do sometimes, but He commands you to do at all times. God must be part of your life every day, and not even for just a few minutes in the morning, but with you all during the day. If you are a Christian others need to see God in you at all times.

God Is Our Rock

God Is Our Rock

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.”
Matthew 7:24

The above scripture is about the parable of the wise and foolish builders, and it reminds me of my black lab Anna. Although Anna is only 11 months old and weighs almost 60 pounds, she gets frightened at loud noises, and was terrified recently during the Fourth of July, when neighbors were setting off fireworks to celebrate the holiday. She retreated to a place of security, under our bed, where she felt safe and secure. I am reminded of how we can be like Anna. We look for security in many different ways when we are frightened, and our security is threatened. This life can threaten us in many different ways. Our finances, our jobs, our relationships, our health, fear of death and many other things, can cause us to become insecure and threatened, and we try to find comfort and security wherever we can. I believe this parable of the wise and foolish builder can give us comfort in our troubling times, as if we have built our life on the rock, and on God, we can sustain any troubles and hardships that we will face. God promises us that he will always protect us during our storms. This does not mean that we will not be faced with troubling times in our life, but if we have put our faith and trust in Him, we can withstand these times, and not be washed away. God can be our rock and our shelter during any storm, and a place where we can find security. We don’t have to try to hide from our problem and troubles when we have built our life around God, as He will always be there to watch over us and provide us security to withstand any storm.

God Loves You

God Loves You

"No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him."
1st Corinthians 2:9

This week as I was voting in the recent election, the clerk asked for my identification, which I gave her. Even though my name and picture was on my driver's license they had used a number to identify me. When I got back home I had to call my bank to transfer some money from one account to another, and again was asked for a number. Before we can even get a job our employer must have our Social Security Number, as this is how we are identified in the world today. These series of events made me think that we are only a number when it comes to being recognized in society today. No one cares who we really are, what we do, what our wants and needs are. They only see us as a number. I am so thankful that God does not use a number to identify me. The Bible tells me that He knows all about me, He even knows the number of hairs on my head. He knew me before I was born, and in my mother's womb. He knows my inner most thoughts and my words before I think or say them. He knows what my future holds, and what I will be doing next week, and even next year. God has a plan just for me, one that no one else has or will ever have. He has not classified me as only a number, but knows everything about me, as I am one of a kind and am unique and special in His eyes. You are also special in God's eyes as he knows you just as He knows me. You are so special to God that He sent His son Jesus to die on the cross for your sins, that you might be saved. God loves you.

Our Own Judgment

Our Own Judgment

“If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”
Revelation 20:15

In the previous devotional I discussed the Great Judgment, and the importance of being ready for this great day. With this in mind, we need to live each day with the reality that we will never be required to stand before anyone other than God, and give an account of our life at the end of the age. As the Bible tells us, we know not the minute or the hour that we will be called and our life here on earth will end, but the important thing is that we be ready to be judged by God. Throughout the years I have observed that our nation has slowly compromised its values, and things that were condemned by my grandparents are now being condoned and accepted by the current generation. The television, movies, radio, music, internet and media have bombarded our current generation with so much propaganda and temptation that our young people have not been able to resist, and have compromised their values. Many are so concerned that as a Christian our stance on certain topics may offend some people, that we do not take a stand and uphold what is right. I realize that it can be hard to be viewed as being too rigid, or feel as though we are offending others because of what we believe. but we need to remember that we are living for eternity, and cannot let that deter us from standing up for what the Word of God says is good and true. I want to remind you that you are living this life with an eternal perspective. Each of us will be held accountable at the Judgment Throne of God for every word spoken, every action done and every thought we entertain, and need to live each day with this in mind.

React With Love

React With Love

"When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats."
1st Peter 2:23

In almost any newspaper there are front page stories where people have become enraged and committed violent acts against someone, because they think they have been harmed. Our society has become one where people do not allow anyone to say or do anything against them without some kind of retaliation. In the Bible God instructs us to turn the other cheek when someone does something to hurt us, and not to return violence for violence. Jesus and all His apostles set the example for us, as they had insults and threats made against them throughout their ministries, but they did not retaliate or return violence in any way against their accusers. However, if someone even cuts us off in traffic today, we are blowing our horns and wanting to get even for even these simple things. We even see fights at little league baseball games where a player might be called out at home plate over a disputed call. Many of these are the same people that are at church on Sunday morning singing Amazing Grace, that let their anger get the best of them. They are ready to do violence against the person who cut them off in traffic, or against the referee who made the call on their son at the ballgame. This is not the kind of Christian God wants you to be. The Bible tells us to love one another, and God even gave us His number one commandment to remind us of this. So if today someone cuts you off in traffic, don't react with anger, and want to retaliate, but rather say a simple prayer for the person. God does not want you to react with anger but with love.

The Great Judgment

The Great Judgment

“And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books.”
Revelation 20:12

As I was growing up the subject of the Great Judgment of God was preached in my church almost every Sunday, as this is the essential ingredient that will someday be the deciding factor for our entrance into heaven. To see our name recorded in the Book of Life will be the most important thing that will ever define our success in life. We should all be living for eternity, as one day soon all of us will stand before a holy and just God and be judged for the way we have lived. However during these past several decades I have observed a disturbing trend in our churches, and that is that this message of a Judgment Day is slowly disappearing from Church pulpits throughout our nation. I realize that things have changed since I was a child, and that our culture has become more materialistic, and that our religion has moved to a more “feel good” type of religion, one that is geared to appeal and more pleasantly popular to the masses. This kind of new age religion is usually what we see on television, and in the majority of the churches today. The “Old Time Religion”, that our forefathers taught, and we heard each Sunday, is something that much of the Christian world seems to have lost touch with today. I strongly feel that each of us needs to have the Great Judgment preached to us again each Sunday, as without this we will lose sight of our destiny in Christ Jesus, and will miss the extreme joy God has for those who follow Him.

You Are God's Chosen

You Are God's Chosen

"He said, Surely they are my people, sons who will not be false to me; and so he became their Savior."
Isaiah 63:8

Even though we know that the people of Israel were God's chosen people, we do not have to read very far into the first books of the Bible to see that they did not live up to His expectations. Although God watched over them, and led them to their promised land, they were never satisfied and kept rebelling and rejecting Him on many different occasions. Although they saw God's miracles, such as manna coming down from heaven to feed them while they were in the desert, and the waters of the Red Sea parting to allow them to escape from their captivity, they still rebelled, grumbled, and disobeyed His commands over and over. God knew that the people of Israel were not going to be perfect, and that they would turn away from His commands, as He punished them when they strayed. We see also that His punishment was severe when they turned from Him, as He allowed their enemies to defeat, humiliate and almost destroy them. However, we see that God kept forgiving them over and over, even after they sinned and turned their backs on Him. This is just how forgiving our God is, as He is willing to take us back and forgive us, even after we have rejected Him. God loved His people enough that He sent His son Jesus, to die on the cross, as a sacrifice for our sins. Even though you are not perfect, and may have strayed away and turned your back on God, Jesus is still willing to forgive you. All you need to do is ask Him to come into your heart and forgive you of your sins. God will welcome you back into His fold, as you are His people.

How To Defeat Your Giants

How To Defeat Your Giants

“David said to the Philistine, ‘You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.”
1st Samuel 17:45

There are so many stories in the Bible that should inspire us to face our “giants” and bring them down in the name of Jesus Christ. For most of us, “giants” can be things that suddenly rise up against us in life like disease, relationship conflict, financial struggles, career and employment problems or some other tragedy. “Giants” can also come upon us from our inward struggles of unforgiveness, bitterness, anger, lust, pride, sexual impurity, lying, cheating and other things. If these “giants” are not conquered, we will remain defeated and without influence in our world. Defeating these “giants”, or others like them, may not be easy, but it is possible. You must remember that, as in the case with the small shepherd boy David, and the giant, Goliath, that Goliath was no match for the power of God. David had a heart that sought God throughout his life and wanted to know and find out more about Him. If you feel like there are some “giants’ that have suddenly appeared in your life, and you are faced with a spiritual battle of biblical proportions, if you have God on your side your “giant” will be no match for Him. In His name you will defeat and conquer your “giant”. Just as David did you also need to have your heart seeking for God and finding out all about Him, by reading and studying His word, and praying to Him throughout your day. If you seek God and ask Him to be with you there are no “giants” too large for you to defeat, and you too can enjoy the spoils of victory.

Mysteries Revealed

Mysteries Revealed

"But there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries."
Daniel 2:28

George Washington Carver was a chemist of international fame concerning agriculture. Much of his fame was due to research and promotion of alternative crops, such as the peanut. His hopes were that poor farmers would grow peanuts as both a source of their own food as well as a source of other products to improve their quality of life. In 1921, Carver spoke in front of the Ways and Means Committee of the United States House of Representatives. He detailed the uses of the peanut and other new crops to improve the economy of the South. At the end of his address, the chairman of the committee asked: "Dr. Carver, how did you learn all of these things?" Carver answered: "From an old book." "What book"? Carver replied: "The Bible." The Senator inquired, "Does the Bible tell about peanuts?" "No Sir," Dr. Carver replied, " but it tells about the God who made the peanut. I asked Him to show me what to do with the peanut, and He did!" This is so true in life as all the inventions, the medical breakthroughs, and the enhancements that make life better for all of us, is the wisdom that God has given people who have used this wisdom to benefit all mankind. Throughout the years we have questioned why God allows people to suffer from various diseases, but over the years God continues to reveal mysteries that cure these diseases. Even during the times of the Old Testament God was revealing mysteries, and He is still revealing mysteries to people in our society, as these mysteries let us know that He is still in control.

God Uses The Evil

God Uses The Evil

“You shall be in charge of my palace, and all my people are to submit to your orders. Only with respect to the throne will I be greater than you.”
Genesis 41:40

There are not many people who have not been impacted by others who are evil, and who have tried to do us harm. Although we may not be able to understand the reasons for this, many times God has destined these events to happen because they are part of God’s plan for us. In order to see how the plans of the wicked actually can be used to further the Lord’s purpose, we can look at the life of Joseph. Joseph’s brothers had sold him into slavery, but God used this seemingly impossible situation for good, as he was sold to Potiphar, who was one of Pharaoh’s officials. Joseph did a good job serving Potiphar and found favor with him and was promoted. But again, Joseph suffered when Potiphar’s wife had him imprisoned on false charges of adultery. The Lord also worked this circumstance for good, as in time Joseph’s actions in jail resulted in him being called to interpret the Pharaoh’s dream. The Pharaoh released him and promoted him to a high position in his kingdom as evidenced in the above scripture. He was then able to spare Egypt and his own family from the devastation of a severe famine. We all live in an evil and fallen world, and will at some time be affected by evil people, but by understanding and knowing God’s Word, and having faith and trust in Jesus and His promise of salvation, we will have the hope and endurance to persevere during these times. We must always remember that God’s ways are higher than ours, and that He promises to work all things for the believers good.

Things To Come

Things To Come

"Pour out your wrath on the nations that do not acknowledge you, on the peoples who do not call on your name."
Jeremiah 10:25

When I read the book of Jeremiah, I think that he must have had a tough time as he was forever having to tell the people of all the bad things to come. His message was certainly not a feel good type of message, as God told him what to say and most of the people hated him for saying it. Many people simply discounted him, as they had no interest in hearing about the destruction and devastation that awaits all mankind. Besides, there were plenty of false prophets who were telling them a completely opposite message, one of hope and prosperity. If we look at our society today, we still have the Bible that tells us of all the things to come. We can read the Book of Revelations, and see what is ahead of us. We can also see false prophets still at work throughout our society, who are still leading people on the wrong paths and teaching them false doctrines, and telling them that there are other ways to Heaven than through Jesus Christ. Most of the things that Jeremiah prophesied about have already come to pass, and the rest are in their final phases before they become realities. Jeremiah did his best to give people a chance to repent and return to God. Today, people are still being given this same chance to repent and ask Jesus into their hearts. As the end times rapidly approach, you still have time to make the most important decision you will ever make, and ask Jesus into your heart. It will not be long before God will pour out His wrath on the nations that do not acknowledge Him, and call on His name

God's Call To Us

God’s Call To Us

“Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me. When I say to the wicked, ‘O wicked man, you will surely die, and you do not speak out to dissuade him from his ways, that wicked man will die for his sin, and I will hold you accountable for his blood. But if you do warn the wicked man to turn from his ways and he does not do so, he will die for his sin, but you will have saved yourself.”
Ezekiel 33:7-9

In many of my devotionals over the past four years I have discussed my thoughts on a church without walls and God’s great commission. There are millions of people who are lost, hurting and searching for some hope and answers to their problems and difficulties. They are struggling to get through life, and are paralyzed by their weaknesses. These people are not going to church on Sunday; they aren’t coming to the big Christian “crusades”; they aren’t watching Christian television, or listening to Christian radio or music, and they are not reading their Bibles or any Christian books or magazines. They are not hearing about God in any way during their daily lives. These people are simply dealing with the problems and difficulties of life totally void of God and the Truth of His Word. They go to sporting events, plays and concerts, fairs and carnivals, and watch secular television and listen to secular radio and music. They read secular books and magazines. They are bombarded with all the views and opinions that the secular world can throw at them, but they never darken the door of the church to hear the word of God. The majority of churches throughout our nation patiently wait for these hurting people to come to them in their comfortable churches, but these people never come, and the church does very little to go out and invade the world to tell them about God. When the church does not reach out, the cults like Scientology, the Jehovah Witnesses, and false religions like Hinduism, Buddhism and Islam are taking advantage and bombarding our society with their false doctrine. These cults and false religions are growing exponentially, because they understand that the majority of people do not go to church, and have no foundation of faith in their life, and therefore are giving them a false reason and purpose for their life. The “New Age” movement is growing at an alarming rate, when influential people like Oprah, Tony Robbins and Wayne Dyer are getting the message out and reaching millions of people every day. The message of a “feel good religion” and “a happy life”, that is preached by these false prophets is leading many away from God and His Truth, and is leading them to hell. It is time that our churches, and each one of us, begin to take the responsibility to get out into the market place and begin to compete with the cults, the false religions and start reaching the lost and tell them about God. There are too many Christians who are selfish, and see themselves saved and assured of a Heavenly home, but see these people who are lost and are going to die and go to hell…and do nothing. This is very much like holding a life preserver in your hand, seeing a drowning man and not throwing him the life preserver and walking away while he drowns. The scripture above tells us that if we throw him the life preserver, and he refuses to use it, it is his problem. We did all we could. But if we do not throw him the life preserver and warn them, their blood is on our hands. I would encourage all of you to begin to go outside the church walls, and reach out to everyone you can and tell them about Jesus Christ who is the only one that can save.

Give Praise To God

Give Praise To God

"My mouth is filled with your praise, declaring your splendor all day long."
Psalm 71:8

Picture yourself sitting down to dinner with a delightful, tasty mouthful of your favorite food. One of our favorite foods is grilled salmon, and we usually have it at least once a week. We always serve it with a baked sweet potato, topped with butter, along with a vegetable and some good bread. In the scripture above the psalmist is describing a different kind of mouthful, which is no less delightful than your favorite food. I believe this is what God expects from us each day, as we should be praising and glorifying Him through what we say and do each day. Do you sing God's praises where ever you go, or do people even know that you know Jesus? So often in our places of work, at our schools, in our neighborhoods or where ever we are we hear complaining, cursing, negative and cruel words that are not representing a Christ like behavior. I want you to think today about what your mouth is filled with. Is it filled with praise for God, and letting others know that Jesus is in your heart and that you are happy. Your words should be ones that are an encouragement and ones that lift others up, not tear them down and discourage them. Your words should be ones that show that God is first in all that you do, and that He is the center of your life. If the people that you meet and interact with each day do not know that God is first and foremost in your life, you are not being the representative for God that you need to be. When you leave your house each morning take God with you, and let your mouth sing His praise and declare His splendor all day long.

Anything Is Possible

Anything Is Possible

“Abraham fell facedown; he laughed and said to himself, “Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?”
Genesis 17:17

The story of Abraham and Sarah is one of the most intriguing stories in the Bible. God had shown favor on Abraham, who obeyed God in everything He asked him to do. He had earlier followed God’s command to leave his country, his family and his people and go to a new place. Abraham had obeyed and was loyal to God, but when God told him at age 100, and Sarah at age 90, that they were going to have a son, they both thought this was impossible. But a year later they did have a son whom God had requested that they name Isaac, and whom God established a covenant with. To have God keep telling you these things, that I am sure seemed strange to Abraham, must have required an amazing amount of faith and trust. But this is how God worked in the life of so many of the great Biblical leaders, who had the faith and trust to follow God no matter what He asked them to do. I wonder what people today would think if God told them to build an ark in the desert, or to go to a distant land without any instructions, or that they would have a son at 90 years old. Would we have the faith and trust to follow these instructions? However God also tells us that if we have as little faith as a mustard seed that we could move mountains, and that all things are possible with God. There are dozens of accounts all through the Bible about amazing things that God has done. These accounts should give each of us hope in any kind of circumstance, that we will ever face that anything is possible, when we believe and have faith in God.

Lock Evil Out Of Your Life

Lock Evil Out Of Your Life

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."
John 10:10

The other day while I was grilling a steak on our grill, I was constantly going in and out the door to our patio, and most times would leave the door open as it was a warm and sunny day. Sometime during all of this there was a large wasp that flew into our kitchen, and as my son is very allergic to the sting of a wasp or any kind of bee, we were very concerned about killing it, or getting it out of our house, before it could have stung him. All of this could have been prevented by simply keeping the door shut. However, this made me think is there other areas of our lives that we leave the door open where the enemy can get in. I can think of several areas that we leave open where Satan can attack. What about what we watch on television that is questionable, or reading books that do not honor and respect God? Are we a party to begin or further the spreading of gossip about others? Have we not been able to forgive someone for something they did to harm or injure us, and are still holding bitterness in our hearts? There are dozens of other doors that maybe we keep open where Satan can enter and influence or tempt us to do things that are not Godly. So often we think that someone else will look out for our children and family and protect them, such as the church or other members of the family. The more I think about this, the more I realize that we are the ones that need to be aware of leaving the doors open where Satan can come in and attack. It is up to us to keep evil out of our life

Don't Linger In Sin

Don’t Linger In Sin

“Hurry and get out of this place, because the Lord is about to destroy the city. But his sons-in-law thought he was joking.”
Genesis 19:14

We know the story of Lot and his wife and his family, who were spared from being destroyed along with all the other inhabitants of Sodom. But even after being visited by two angels, and being told of the imminent doom that would soon come upon the city, Lot and his family lingered. The Lord had to literally have them taken by the arm and physically removed from the city. Lot and his family had grown accustomed to the lifestyle, the comforts and yes, even the sin that surrounded them. By “lingering” he and his entire family were almost destroyed by God’s righteous punishment upon an unrighteous city. When God tells us by His Holy Word to leave behind a certain sin, habit or something in our lives that is holding us back from Him, we must do so immediately and not linger. If we linger and stay where we are, and continue this sin, we may be putting ourselves and others whom we love directly in the path of God’s righteous judgment. But when we turn from our sin, and become obedient to God, He is able to guide us down the path of righteousness, which will keep us in His protection, provision, mercy, grace and love. I would encourage each of you to not be like Lot and his family and linger in your sin, as God is pleading with you to separate yourself from your sin, and to follow Him. Just as He had to drag Lot and his family, He wants to remove you from the sinful lifestyle, and maybe even some comforts you may have become accustomed to, but He wants to replace these with a new lifestyle, one that will lead you to His kingdom.