Tampa Bay Rays & "Pride" Night.

 Not sure if you are aware or not. June is designated pride month for the LGBTQ community. All kinds of businesses are participating in this. Including major league baseball. Most of the MLB teams host a pride night to celebrate LGBTQ. This includes putting rainbow colored pins or patches on the teams hats or uniforms and a host of other things that they do to promote pride night.

Some controversy arose when five players from the Tampa Bay Rays refused to wear the rainbow patches on their uniforms and hats. They peeled them off so that just the regular logo appeared. They stated that as Christians, it went against Christ to wear these emblems on their uniforms. They didn't feel comfortable promoting a lifestyle that goes against their beliefs. So of course instantly, they are labeled as homophobic. Just because they didn't want to have the rainbow emblems on their uniforms.

This reminds me of the story in the book of Daniel. In Daniel chapter 3, there are three men, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego who refuse to bow down to the kings gold statue. Anyone who refused was to be thrown into a fiery furnace. The king gave them a second chance to bow to the statue and again they refused. Saying that they will only bow to their God, not a gold statue. So the king had the furnace turned up seven time hotter and threw them in. Spoiler alert, they did not die. You can read the whole account in Daniel 3.

So my point is that these players are not bowing down to wearing something that they don't believe in and now they are being roasted by the press, other players, etc. etc. The court of public opinion can certainly be a fiery furnace.

So my question is this. Suppose MLB teams hosted a Christian themed night and the team had to have crosses on their uniforms or hats, or teams hosted a police night and they had to have some kind of police emblem placed on their gear somewhere, how many would refuse to do so? I wonder if these players would be facing the same kind of scrutiny that the Rays players are?

Matthew 10:32 English Standard Version

32 So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven,

So I applaud these players for sticking with their faith and convictions and not bowing down to appease the public.

God bless each and everyone of you!

Who Jesus Is To Me!

 Having a conversation the other day with a volunteer about my faith. They told me that they hear me thanking God for doing everything He does for me. Loading a car safely. Helping get the food bin down safely. Not tripping over a pallet. Not slamming my finger in the door or trunk. I thank Him for everything He does for me while volunteering. 

So this volunteer wanted to know what Jesus is to me. He said He knows that He is God and all that stuff, but what else is He to you.

Well, let me tell you my friend who Jesus is to me.

He is my Savior. When I first accepted Him into my life, I was living a life of sin. He pulled me out of the muck and mire which I was stuck in and placed me on the solid rock, Himself. (Romans 10:9-10)

He is my Healer. I have had some pain in my body, pulled muscles, strains, etc. While praying to Him, He has healed me of those issues. There are still some things that I am waiting for Him to do in my body, but in His timing, not mine! (Jeremiah 30:17)

He is my Provider. He has taken care of me and my family, time and time again. I had been laid off from work for almost two years a few years ago. We never missed a payment. Never late with a payment of any kind. We really had to cut back and make some changes to the way we lived, but God provided for us the whole time! (Philippians 4:6-7)

He is my Strength. When I feel like I am at the end of my being and I can not continue, God strengthens me. He lifts me up, dusts me off and renews my strength. (Isaiah 41:10)

He is my Protector. I have been involved in some serious car accidents in the past. God has protected me from being seriously injured or even death. He has His arms wrapped around me and my family. Protecting us at work, while we travel long distances or just across town. Protection at home or even while taking a walk through our neighborhood. (Psalm 5:11)

He gives me Peace. When both my mom and dad passed away, I could feel this undeniable peace around me. I knew that it was Jesus wrapping His arms around me and reassuring me that everything would be alright. I have peace at work, even when I want to go out and scream at a truck driver. Jesus is telling me again. It's alright Keven. Give it over to me. (Philippians 4:7) (2 Thessalonians 3:16)

So it's safe to say what Jesus is to me. He is..............EVERYTHING!! My life. My joy. My all. 

Can You Comprehend!

 Can you even comprehend the kind of day that Jesus was facing when He was crucified? I hardly doubt it. To have your father give you up to be beaten beyond recognition, nailed to a cross, have your side pierced to make sure that you were dead. Jesus knew all of this before it happened. He knew what He was going to face on the dreadful day that we now call Good Friday.

He knew that He would be scourged, whipped, beaten so badly that He was hardly recognized by others. Then He was made to carry His own cross to the place of crucifixion. It has been said that the cross that He carried weighed around 165#. Can you imagine carrying that kind of weight after what He had just endured? He was bloody, gouges in His back, His arms and legs whipped so badly that He could hardly stand. Then made to carry a 165# cross about a 1/3 of a mile. Sometimes I have a hard time walking that far myself and I didn't have anything like that happen to me.

Once at the final destination, the soldiers took Jesus and nailed His body to the cross. Took His arms and stretched them out as far as they would go and put a nail through each wrist. Took His feet and placed them together and put a nail through both of them. Then stood the cross upright with Jesus hanging between two other criminals.

He hung there for a while and then finally cried out " It is Finished!" and breathed His last. The soldiers couldn't believe that He was dead so they took a spear and pierced His side to make sure.

Now I ask you again. Can you comprehend having a day like that. I know that most of us get upset when meaningless things don't go our way. But nothing compares to this. 

Even Jesus prayed to His Father to take away this cup of bitterness that He was about swallow. But He didn't want His will to go forth, He wanted the will of His Father to be done.

So why am I writing this you may be asking yourself. I want to let you know that Jesus went through all of this, for you and me. He took on all the sins of the world upon Himself. He paid the price for us. He suffered for us.

2 Corinthians 5:21 New Living Translation

21 For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.

The best news about this is. Jesus rose from the dead three days later. He is alive and sitting at the right hand of His Father. Hallelujah!

Hebrews 10:12 Amplified Bible

12 whereas Christ, having offered the one sacrifice [the all-sufficient sacrifice of Himself] for sins for all time, sat down [signifying the completion of atonement for sin] at the right hand of God [the position of honor],

So I urge you today to live for Christ. Live like His death meant something, because it did. 

What Are You Really Afraid Of?

 I had a conversation with some friends the other day. We were asking each other what we were afraid of. The answers varied to say the least. There were the typical answers like snakes, flying, spiders, etc. etc.

My answer to the their fears are this. They are really afraid of death or dying! Afraid of snakes you say. I say that you are afraid of being bitten by a snake and dying. Afraid of flying. I think what you're really afraid of is the plane crashing and you dying. Same thing with spiders. You'll get bitten by one of the poisonous ones, and once again you're afraid you'll die!

My question is, why are we so afraid of death? 

Philippians 1:21 Amplified Bible

 21 For to me, to live is Christ [He is my source of joy, my reason to live] and to die is gain [for I will be with Him in eternity].

When we die, we gain Jesus for eternity. What is there to be afraid of? Heaven is a much better place than the world that we are living in. Streets of gold. No more tears, sickness, disease, hurt. Nothing!

Revelation 21:4 Living Bible

4 He will wipe away all tears from their eyes, and there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying, nor pain. All of that has gone forever.”

Now I don't want to die today. But if I were to die, I'm not afraid of death. I know where I am going. Going be with Jesus! He is preparing a place for me. For all of us who believe in Him!

John 14:2 Amplified Bible

2 In My Father’s house are many dwelling places. If it were not so, I would have told you, because I am going there to prepare a place for you.

Like I said earlier. I am not afraid of dying. What I am really afraid of is my family & friends dying without knowing Jesus. That they don't have a personal relationship with Him. I pray that my life, words and actions, point people toward Jesus. I can't save anyone, only Jesus can do that. What I can do is point people in His direction. Again, I hope that I am doing that.

I pray that when I stand before God, I hear the words "Well done my good & faithful servant." 

Matthew 25:21 New Living Translation

21 “The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!

Again I ask. What are you really afraid of? Is it dying? Or dying without knowing Christ?

Accept Him today. It will be the best decision of your life!

I've Seen Too Much..............

 I am a big music person. I usually just listen to the music and not so much the lyrics. Eventually I'll catch on to the lyrics, which makes the song that much better. I've been humming along to a worship song lately that I've heard on the radio. Then one day, a line in the song really caught my attention. It went something like "I've seen too much to not believe."

I'm not going to go over every good thing that God has done for me but, I have seen too much to not believe in Him.

I have a daughter because of Him. I am clean and sober because of Him. I have a wonderful wife and marriage because of Him. I have a roof over my head, food to eat and a car to drive. All because of Him!

There have been plenty of other things that have taken place in my life that I look back on and "yep, that was You God!" There can't be any other explanation for it. When things look like they are not going to work out, He makes it happen.

Isaiah 43:16 Living Bible

16 I am the Lord, who opened a way through the waters, making a path right through the sea.

All the things that I listed above are gifts from God. The gift of life, family, home, auto and job! What a good Father He is to us. He lavishes His love on us. He gives us abundantly more than we ask.

James 1:17 Amplified Bible

17 Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above; it comes down from the Father of lights [the Creator and Sustainer of the heavens], in whom there is no variation [no rising or setting] or shadow cast by His turning [for He is perfect and never changes].

Like I said in the opening. I've seen too much to not believe. God is real. He is alive and well and looking after His children. He wants to bless us so we can be a blessing to others.

I encourage you tonight to open your eyes and see the goodness of God in your life. Trust me, it's all around you.

God bless!

Does God "Really" See Me??

 I get asked this question a lot. People who are going through things. They are having some troubles and they wonder if God ever "really" sees them. That He has left them high and dry. To fend for themselves. I assure them that He has not forgotten about them. No matter what you are going through, God loves you and sees you right where you're at.

Psalm 139:14-16 Living Bible

14 Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! It is amazing to think about. Your workmanship is marvelous—and how well I know it. 15 You were there while I was being formed in utter seclusion! 16 You saw me before I was born and scheduled each day of my life before I began to breathe. Every day was recorded in your book.

Even before you were born, God saw you. He planned out your days ahead of time. The struggles that you are facing now are not a surprise to Him. He has a plan for us. He wants us to prosper. He wants the best for us.

Jeremiah 29:11 Living Bible

11 For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. They are plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

So friends, if you are going through a tough time right now, trust that God sees you and what is happening to you. He cares about you. He'll pull you through, if you let Him! Put your trust and hope in Jesus. Our Savior, Deliverer, Redeemer, Prince of Peace, and so many other names that He is called.

John 16:33Amplified Bible

33 I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace. In the world you have tribulation and distress and suffering, but be courageous [be confident, be undaunted, be filled with joy]; I have overcome the world.” [My conquest is accomplished, My victory abiding.]

We have VICTORY in Jesus!

God bless!

The World Today!

 In case you haven't been listening or paying attention lately, it seems like the world is worse off than ever. Russia, Ukraine, gas prices, food prices, energy costs, inflation. covid 19. Is it coming to an end? Masks, vaccines, blah, blah, blah!

It seems like every time you turn on the TV or log onto your computer, there is something else vying for your attention or focus.

Colossians 3:1-2 The Message

3 1-2 So if you’re serious about living this new resurrection life with Christ, act like it. Pursue the things over which Christ presides. Don’t shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ—that’s where the action is. See things from his perspective.

It seems like people everywhere are losing their focus. They are gripped by the events that are happening all around them. Especially some Christians. We are losing our main focus which should be Jesus, and focusing on the problems going around all over the world. We need to refocus our attention on The One who gives us hope.

All this means that we shouldn't turn a blind eye to what is going on. We are not to make this our main focus! We should educate ourselves and pay attention to the events of the day, but not to make this our main focus.

Things change around us very quickly. Prices rise it seems almost hourly. News stories change about everyday about covid, the invasion of Ukraine, inflation and a multitude of other things. 

You know who never changes? Jesus!

Hebrews 13:8 New Living Translation

8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

So I urge you today to not focus on what is earthly, but to focus on the unseen, our Savior, Jesus!

John 16:33 The Message

33 I’ve told you all this so that trusting me, you will be unshakable and assured, deeply at peace. In this godless world you will continue to experience difficulties. But take heart! I’ve conquered the world.”