Always do the right thing, even when no one is looking

Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.

—Psalm 34:14

I know that I have mentioned this before, but it bears repeating.

The grade school that my kids went to had the motto “Always do the right thing, even when no one is looking.”

It is not enough to turn from evil – we have to actively pursue what is good, every day!

If we do not, then a worse evil will start to encroach on our lives.

We have to be eager to do good and with have a passion to for peace.

Do something good today.

Have a blessed day! 

my fortress

The wicked band together against the righteous and condemn the innocent to death. But the Lord has become my fortress, and my God the rock in whom I take refuge. He will repay them for their sins and destroy them for their wickedness; the Lord our God will destroy them.

– Psalm 94:21-23

Sin is so prevalent in our world, the recent massacre in Las Vegas is a violent reminder of that.

The storms of life swirl around us, and sometimes we feel overwhelmed.

God never promised that we as followers would lead trouble free lives, but He did promise that no matter what comes our way He would be there.

This should give us great hope because He is a solid rock and He is always there 24/7 to comfort and calm the waves of life.

We have been promised that a day is coming when wickedness will be destroyed in the renewal of all things, and there is deliverance from the fear for those who make God their rock and fortress in Christ.

Today look to the rock that never changes for that calm and peace, and then share it with someone else.

We all are facing something, and we all need encouragement!

Have a blessed day!

why is there so much hate?

If My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

2 Chronicles 7:14

I heard this song on the way to work this morning.

Quite often before playing a song, a DJ will quote the artist or play a clip from an interview.

This morning’s clip made me really listen to the lyrics of the song:

We all bleed the same
We're more beautiful when we come together
We all bleed the same
So tell me why, tell me why
We're divided

Woke up today
Another headline
Another innocent life is taken
In the name of hatred
So hard to take (hey!)
And if we think that it's all good
Then we're mistaken
'Cause my heart is breaking (tell it, 'Dis)

Are you left?
Are you right?
Pointing fingers, taking sides
When are we gonna realize?

We all bleed the same
We're more beautiful when we come together
We all bleed the same
So tell me why, tell me why
We're divided

If we're gonna fight
Let's fight for each other
If we're gonna shout
Let love be the cry

We all bleed the same
So tell me why, tell me why
We're divided

Tell me, who are we
To judge someone
By the kind of clothes they're wearing
Or the color of their skin?

Are you black? (black)
Are you white? (white)
Aren't we all the same inside? (the same inside)
Father, open our eyes to see!

We all bleed the same (we all bleed the same)
We're more beautiful when we come together
We all bleed the same (we all bleed the same)
So tell me why, tell me why
We're divided

If we're gonna fight
Let's fight for each other (fight for each other!)
If we're gonna shout
Let love be the cry (be the cry!)

We all bleed the same (we all bleed the same)
So tell me why, tell me why
We're divided

Only love can drive out all the darkness
What are we fighting for?
We were made to carry one another
We were made for more, said
Only love can drive out all the darkness
What are we fighting for? yeah
We were made to carry one another
We were made for more!

We all bleed the same (we all bleed the same)
We're more beautiful when we come together (let's stand united!)
We all bleed the same (we all bleed the same)
So tell me why, tell me why
We're divided
If we're gonna fight
Let's fight for each other (fight for each other!)
If we're gonna shout
Let love be the cry (be the cry!)

We all bleed the same(we all bleed the same) (bleed the same)
Let's stand united (let's stand united)
Let's stand united!

So Father God, I pray
That our families will come together right now
And seek Your face
You will forgive our sins
And You will heal our incredible land
In the name of the only Savior, Jesus Christ
Amen

In the interview, the artist Mandisa asks the question “why is there so much hate?”

That is the million dollar question I think.

If you are part of that hate, I beg you to change.

We all bleed the same.

Have a blessed day. 

anticipation

The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed.

—Romans 8:19

There used to be a commercial set for Heinz Ketchup, with a song “anticipation” (yes, I am dating myself, it was aired 1977-79, google it!)

Do you remember the anticipation that you had as a child, waiting for Christmas? 

Our parents always told us “good things come to those who wait”.

Think of a groom waiting for his bride to come down the aisle.

Imagine parents of a child that is due to be born.

Eagerly waiting!

That's what creation, so caught up with decay, disaster, and death, is doing. . . eagerly waiting.

And what is creation waiting for so eagerly?

Our transformation and revelation as God's triumphant and glorious children.

Sounds pretty wonderful for a time and world like ours.

Have a blessed day!

a history lesson

For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.

– Romans 15:4 

 Remember sitting through history class (or sleeping through it)?

How would we learn about our past if we didn’t have the stories that we know as “history”?

Well guess what?

God has not left us without a witness of His work on the earth.

He has given us 66 books written by 44 authors over a span of 1500 years from 3 continents.

We have the opportunity to get inside the human experience with God and it given to put courage in our souls as we wrestle with our own opportunities and failures.

In other words, the Bible is God’s gift from the past to give us the endurance that we need for today and the hope we need for tomorrow. 

Hey, read any good books lately?

Have a blessed day!

this is not my home

We wait for the blessed hope — the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.

—Titus 2:13-14

Song reference!!!

Sometimes it feels like I'm watching from the outside
Sometimes it feels like I'm breathing but am I alive
I will keep searching for answers that aren't here to find

All I know is I'm not home yet
This is not where I belong
Take this world and give me Jesus
This is not where I belong

So when the walls come falling down on me
And when I'm lost in the current of a raging sea
I have this blessed assurance holding me.

All I know is I'm not home yet
This is not where I belong
Take this world and give me Jesus
This is not where I belong

When the earth shakes I wanna be found in You
When the lights fade I wanna be found in You

We haven't arrived at our destination.

We are in waiting!

Jesus, gave His life for our redemption, and He will gloriously return to take us home.

During our time of waiting, let's be eager to do what is right, good, and holy. 

Have a blessed day!

I want to be rich

How much better to get wisdom than gold, to choose understanding rather than silver!

—Proverbs 16:16

What are the greatest riches in life?

I’m telling you, they are not silver and gold.

If you have wisdom, you soon understand what is valuable, what is true, what is worthy of our heart, and what is not. 

Have a blessed day!