have faith

What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well” — but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do? So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.

- James 2:14-17 (NLT)

I’ve known many people who profess to be Christians, who claim to be good and know Jesus, but in reality, they are far from having true faith.

I know of people that go to church every week and put a significant amount of money in the offering plate but do nothing else to show their faith.

You can’t buy your way into Heaven.

I have seen the “God won’t ask” poem a million times, and I think it is worth repeating:

God won't ask what kind of car you drove, but will ask how many people you drove who didn't have transportation.

God won't ask the square footage of your house, but will ask how many people you welcomed into your home

God won't ask about the fancy clothes you had in your closet, but will ask how many of those clothes helped the needy.

God won't ask about your social status, but will ask what kind of class you displayed.

God won't ask how many material possessions you had, but will ask if they dictated your life.

God won't ask what your highest salary was, but will ask if you compromised your character to obtain that salary.

God won't ask how much overtime you worked, but will ask if you worked overtime for your family and loved ones.

God won't ask how many promotions you received, but will ask how you promoted others.

God won't ask what your job title was, but will ask if you performed your job to the best of your ability.

God won't ask what you did to help yourself, but will ask what you did to help others.

God won't ask how many friends you had, but will ask how many people to whom you were a true friend.

God won't ask what you did to protect your rights, but will ask what you did to protect the rights of others.

God won't ask in what neighborhood you lived, but will ask how you treated your neighbors.

God won't ask about the color of your skin, but will ask about the content of your character.

God won't ask how many times your deeds matched your words, but will ask how many times it didn't.

Again, you can’t buy your way into Heaven.

What good is it then, to claim that you have faith, if you really do nothing with it?

 

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we must go on

May the Lord fill your hearts with God’s love. May Christ give you the strength to go on.

- 2 Thessalonians 3:5 (NIRV)

 

Sometimes life is hard, we get lost and just want to throw in the towel and give up. 
We must go on. 
These days we have all sorts of devices to get us where we are going.

We have maps that give use verbal directions right in the palms of our hands.

We have cars, trucks and motorcycles with built in navigation systems that can take us from point A to point B using the best possible route.

But if we deviate from that path even a little (Siri never accounts for fuel stops or bathroom breaks) out handy assistant immediately begins recalculating to get us back on the right path. 

It’s too bad that we don’t had GPS for our hearts and a Biblical Siri that could tell us to make a U-turn as soon as possible.

Yet we do.

We have prayer and Bible studies, we have spiritual leaders and pastors, and we have our Bibles.

We can ask the Lord to guide us.

If we give our hearts to God, we get His love in return.

Stay strong my friends, may the Lord be your GPS!

 

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invisible

For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see His invisible qualities—His eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.

- Romans 1:20 (NLT)

 

I have often said that if something keeps coming to your mind that it is important. 
Recently the idea of being able to see the unseen has come to mind a lot. 
There are several verses in the Bible about believing in what we do not see, including this one. 
I have many friends that don’t believe in God, I don’t love them less, in fact, I may love them more.

I look around me and I see miracles, from a blade of grass to the brightest star in the sky, to me this is clearly God, but to others it is not.

In my opinion, God is not invisible. 
From my point of view, God is loving and forgiving, not judgmental and cold. 
Humans by nature go through life making mistakes, but God forgives, there is no mistake that is too big for God. 
God may be invisible to some, but to me He is very real, and very visible.  

 

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shameful

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.

- Romans 1:16 (NKJV)

 

I just finished a class “History of World Christianity”, it was a very interesting class. 
Dating back to the days that Jesus walked the earth, the class covered the challenges and persecution that Christians endured. 
You would think that humanity would have made progress in the two thousand plus years since the death of Christ, but we haven’t. 
Persecution still exists, there are still countries where talking about Jesus can result in your execution. 
There are still places in the good old U.S.A. where discussing religion is a scandal. 
It's sad that we have to hide who we are for fear of retaliation. 
I send my “daily bread” out via email and posts of various social media platforms. 
This very email could cost me my job if it fell into the hands of someone that doesn’t believe and that someone was vindictive enough to raise enough fuss to get me fired. 
I am still not ashamed, the God I believe in loves everyone, even those who do not love Him.

These days we are not supposed to talk about God or our faith.

People want us to be ashamed they view us as stupid, insensitive, judgmental, and hypocritical.

Do not be ashamed; be joyous and generous with this incredible gift that we have received.

According to the Bible, we are obligated to share His word with “both the wise and the foolish”.

That means, if you already know His word, I am sharing it to remind you and if you don’t know His word, I am sharing to introduce you.

 

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I’m hiding

No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us.

- 1 John 4:12 (NKJV)

 

Peek-a-boo, I see you!! 
Little kids and cats, they both have an innocent belief that if they can’t see you, you can’t see them.

No one that is living on Earth today has seen God.

Because of this fact, there is a story of a college professor trying to prove that there is no God.

The professor begins by asking the students if they could see the trees, the grass, the sky, of course the students could see these things.

The professor asked if they could see God, which the students replied no, the could not.

The professor summarized then, that if no one could see God, he simply was not real.

A student proceeded to give the professor a series of “can you see” type questions, to which the answers were always simply “yes”, until the student asked if the professor could see his own brain.

The professor, a bit taken aback, replied with no, I cannot see my brain, to which the student replied that if no one could see his brain, the professor must not have one.

While this is a cute story, many people truly cannot believe in a God they cannot see.

All they need to do is open their eyes.  

When we follow God, He can be seen in our homes and in our words, His love is recognizable in our lives.

When we love those around us, when they love us back, when we choose to be loving instead of petty, unforgiving, critical, and harsh, God's presence, power, and perfection are revealed in us!

Be loving so we can all see God.

 

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let’s eat

So then, my brothers and sisters, when you gather to eat, you should all eat together.

- 1 Corinthians 11:33 (NIV)

 

Who doesn’t love to eat?  
Food is always better with friends and family though. 
Most of the time my meals are on a TV tray either in front of the TV or beside my computer, sometimes though instead of eating in the living room with the TV on, my husband and I set the table and have a sit-down dinner.. 
I do cherish the times that my family is gathered together and we are at the table. 
It doesn’t have to be blood relation, some of my “family” is the family I have chosen, like my CMA chapter, or other amazing friends.
Sitting around the table, sharing a meal and some of the best conversations. 
Make memories.

Eat together.

 

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distress

Lord, be gracious to us; we long for you. Be our strength every morning, our salvation in time of distress.

- Isaiah 33:2 (NIV)

 

There is some secular music that I really like. 
Simon and Garfunkel released “Bridge over Troubled Water” in 1970, here are a few of the lyrics: 
When you're weary

Feeling small

When tears are in your eyes

I'll dry them all

I'm on your side

Oh, when times get rough

And friends just can't be found

… Like a bridge over troubled water

I will lay me down

Like a bridge over troubled water

I will lay me down

… When you're down and out

When you're on the street

When evening falls so hard

I will comfort you

I'll take your part

Oh, when darkness comes

And pain is all around

…

… Sail on silver girl

Sail on by

Your time has come to shine

All your dreams are on their way

See how they shine

Oh, if you need a friend

I'm sailing right behind

… Like a bridge over troubled water

I will ease your mind

Like a bridge over troubled water

I will ease your mind
An article in American Songwriter about a year ago talked about the meaning behind this song, it was actually inspired by and old southern gospel song (1959 “Oh Mary Don’t You Weep” by Swan Silvertones).

The line “Like a bridge over troubled water” is a metaphor for someone living through a trying time in their life, and “I will lay me down” references the sacrifices and perseverance as they find a way through difficulty.

God is our salvation in times of distress, our bridge over troubled water.

We are so lucky.

 

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