Why Not Today?

Me, like most of us are gearing up for the beginning of a new year. New possibilities, new hope, new start, new everything. Most of us use the start of a new year to start a new diet. Start a new workout regime, a new reading program, new anything. 

We usually do this during the year as well. I'll start exercising on Monday. I'll start my new diet on Monday. I'm going to start reading this book Monday. It seems like we always put everything off until the start of a new week, month or year. I don't know what the first of the year, month or week have to do with anything. It's almost like it's a magical date for us to get started. 

That's not how it is when we accept Jesus. He wants us to follow Him right away. Don't put it off until tomorrow. Like the lyric's from a popular song go, *"Tomorrow May Not Be There For You."* You are not guaranteed another day. So why wait to accept Jesus as your personal savior? If you are ready to do it, do it today. Tomorrow might be to late, and then what?

Romans 10:10 Amplified Bible

10 For with the heart a person believes [in Christ as Savior] resulting in his justification [that is, being made righteous—being freed of the guilt of sin and made acceptable to God]; and with the mouth he acknowledges and confesses [his faith openly], resulting in and confirming [his] salvation.

If you don't accept Him right away, today, and pass away without repenting and turning from our sins, you will not inherit the Kingdom of God!

I pray today that if you are seeking God and His salvation that He freely gives. Do it today. Ask him to come into your life and be your Lord and Savior. Don't wait another day. Like I mentioned above. Tomorrow might be to late.

God Bless you in 2022.

 Rev. Keven

* Song lyric taken from the song "That Smell" by Lynyrd Skynyrd, 1977.*

Know Where To Turn.

 The picture above is a flag that I have hanging in my office at work. It is kind of hard to see, but it is a Christian flag. It is all white except for the blue square with a red cross in it. I put it up a few months ago just to let people know where I stand. 

Anyway.

I went on vacation the week of Thanksgiving. My co-worker who filled in for me, told me the following story after I asked him how everything went while I was gone.

He said that one day he was having difficulties with the computer and printer. He grew so frustrated with the whole situation that he had to stand up and get away from the desk. He told me that he ended up by the flag. In fact even the side with the cross on it. He said after a few moments he felt calmed down enough to try the computer and printer again. This time everything worked perfectly. I told him that was God.

You see, even in his frustration he knew where to turn. Even though he is not a believer per se, he still knew to turn to the cross for help. He knew that even a few moments spent in front of the cross, God would give him peace and everything would work out. And it did! I know it's a cross on a flag. It still represents Jesus. Jesus tells us to come to Him when we need.

Nahum 1:7 Living Bible

7 The Lord is good. When trouble comes, he is the place to go! And he knows everyone who trusts in him!

As he told this story to me, I was thinking about the flag and why I insisted I had to have it in my office. Well, here is one reason. I am sure that there will be plenty more to come!

So I encourage you today. If you need help of any kind. Comfort or anything else. Turn to God. He and He alone can help you.

Matthew 11:28 New Living Translation

28 Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.

As we near the end of 2021, (and what a ride these last two years have been) let's all take the time to rest in Jesus! Refresh ourselves and get ready for the new year that is just around the corner!

God Bless!

What's Your Power Source??

 Our pastors wife preached a sermon last week on this subject. Where do you get your power? And what is the source of that power? She was talking about being exhausted and just couldn't keep up with the hectic life that had been transpiring with her and her family. How many of us can claim the same thing? We are worn out, exhausted and just plain done. We have come to the end our physical energy. We have nothing left in the tank to give! With the pandemic still wearing on us. Mask on, mask off. School. Go in person or attend online. Shopping with shelves empty. Prices on everything rising. Determining if we really need that, or can it wait. Trying to navigate this new "normal" for our families and lives. It is exhausting!

Like she pointed out, most of us are worn out because we are trying to do it ourselves. We know God and trust Him, but we leave Him in behind. As if to say "it's alright Lord, I got this." God's like "oh really??" "Do you now!"

Proverbs 3:5 Amplified Bible

5 Trust in and rely confidently on the Lord with all your heart And do not rely on your own insight or understanding.

We are still human and sometimes we still put our trust in people. How many times has someone let you down? To many times to count I am sure. Yet we still rely on people all the time. We rely on family, friends, co-workers and in some instances the government. And they have all let us down at sometime or another. 

Micah 7:5 New International Version

5 Do not trust a neighbor; put no confidence in a friend.

We need to stop saying to ourselves that we can do it on our own. It has been proven time and time again that we can't. We need to get back to the source of our energy, JESUS! Plug into Him and let Him power us.

Ephesians 6:10 Amplified Bible

10 In conclusion, be strong in the Lord [draw your strength from Him and be empowered through your union with Him] and in the power of His [boundless] might.

So I encourage you. No matter how tired, worn out and exhausted you are. Give it to Jesus. Our eternal power source.

Matthew 11:28 Living Bible

28 Come to me and I will give you rest—all of you who work so hard beneath a heavy yoke. 

Go to Jesus and rest in His ever loving arms! Have Him renew your strength.

God bless!

With This Ring!

 

Today during a slow moment at work, I caught myself staring at my wedding ring. The ring is silver and has crosses around the whole band. I was staring at the band, but more so staring at the crosses and what they mean to me. When I picked this ring out, my fiancee (now wife) and I were in the jewelry store looking at rings. When I saw this one it was like all of the lights in the store went out and God had His light shining on this one. So of course, I chose it.

So while staring at the crosses on the ring today, God brought back many memories that have happened since I put this ring on my finger. Good, bad or indifferent. Things that He has done for me, with me and through me. It's like He had me choose this ring with crosses on it to remind myself daily of  Jesus and the love that He has for me. Just like the ring itself is an outward expression to the world of my love and commitment to my wife, the crosses are an outward expression of Jesus' love for me. Just like our wedding ring is a circle and means that our love for each other will go on forever, that's how it is with God's love towards us. God's love never ends.

Lamentations 3:22 New Living Translation

22 The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease.

God reminded of many other things whilst staring at my ring. 

God has a plan for me - Jeremiah 29:11

He will never leave me nor forsake me - Hebrews 13:5

I am a child of God -  Galatians 3:26

He loves my unconditionally - Jeremiah 31:3

He gives me eternal life - John 10:28

He is my Savior - Acts 4:12

I got all of this just from staring at my wedding ring for a few moments. God has been so good to me. Faithful & loving. Protecting and providing. Lifting me up, encouraging me, even when things don't go as I planned. 

His ways are not my ways. His thoughts are not my thoughts. I thank Him for that. Because if they were, we would be in a lot of trouble!

God bless you all!

Preparing A Table??

 The inspiration for this post comes from a Casting Crowns concert I attended last week. The singer was talking about Psalm 23 and how he thought that it was weird that the Lord would set a table for us in the presence of our enemies. 

Psalm 23:5 The Voice

5 You spread out a table before me, provisions in the midst of attack from my enemies; You care for all my needs, anointing my head with soothing, fragrant oil, filling my cup again and again with Your grace.

I have many friends and family members going through, or have gone through some difficult times. Cancer, diabetes, heart problems, COVID, almost anything that you can think of, people I know have battled it or fought against it.

As I find out about family or friends battling diseases or sickness or whatever they are facing, I always pray that God would come with His mighty sword and with one swing take it all away. One swing of His sword would take away cancer. Diabetes, and all other health issues. Especially this virus that keeps coming around. I know so many people that have been sick with COVID and have died from it. I pray that The Lord would put an end to it. Let Your sword swing freely. I trust and know that He can surely do it.

Never during my prayer time about bringing a sword, have I ever thought that He would answer with  a table. A table Lord? Really?

It's like God saying to me "come, sit and rest a while." "I will provide for you what you are in need of." He set it up in front of my enemies in spite of them. They could not stop it or prevent it. They had to look on and witness God in action on my behalf. The more that I pray for friends and family, the more God pours out His soothing oil on me. He continues to fill my cup with His grace so that I may continue on. He is The Lord of abundance!

So I encourage you today. If you are praying that God would bring His sword and remove stuff from your life but He delivers a table instead. Sit at that table and enjoy being in the presence of God. Bask in His goodness.

Sometimes we need a table, not a sword!

Amen!

Why Not Us?

People ask me often why God allows things to happen. "Why has God allowed me to get sick?" "Why is He allowing hurt, pain and grief?" When I hear that I usually think to myself, "why not us?" God allowed His own Son to be bruised, so why wouldn't he allow us to get bruised?

Isaiah 53:10 Living Bible 10 

But it was the Lord’s good plan to bruise him and fill him with grief.

Do we think that we are better than Jesus? That we shouldn't have to suffer any sickness or pain? If God allowed His only son to suffer, we are no better than He was.

Acts 5:41 The Passion Translation

41 The apostles left there rejoicing, thrilled that God had considered them worthy to suffer disgrace for the name of Jesus.

The apostles left rejoicing that they suffered for following Jesus. That is how we should respond to what is happening. We should be rejoicing in our suffering. To be on the same path as Jesus. He suffered and died for us. Took the sin of the whole world upon Him. So what is it to us to suffer for following Jesus?

We often pray for healing of our sicknesses and diseases. Some are healed physically, others are healed, just not in the way that we thought that they would be. God calls them home to Him, then they are perfectly healed.

When my mom was sick a couple of years ago. In and out of the hospital for four months. Me and my family prayed for her total and complete healing and for her to leave the hospital. All she wanted to do was go home. Well she did go home, just not to her home here on earth, but her home in Heaven. God healed her and got her out of the hospital, just not the way that we thought that He would.

So whatever you are going through, sickness, loss, grief, pain, etc... Count it all joy that God thinks that you are worthy enough to suffer for Him.

Remember. If we are not healed here in this life, we are healed for eternity with Jesus.

2 Corinthians 5:8 New Living Translation

8 Yes, we are fully confident, and we would rather be away from these earthly bodies, for then we will be at home with the Lord.

Amen!