My God My Everything

Over the last couple of days I have communicated with a couple of different friends who are experiencing quite a bit of adversity in their lives or the lives of their loved ones. I was reading a paragraph in the Life Principles Bible and feel that it is just what God would want to tell them. It’s a message that we all can personalize and take to heart because God’s promises are for each one of us. Insert your name in the blanks and receive the comfort and encouragement that His word gives. “Through adversity, God is molding _______________ into a mature and effective servant. When _____________ knows Christ as…

Have you seen the commercials on Television that feature a man called Captain Obvious? His job is to point out the things that should be a no brainier in making a decision; things that are easily seen, recognized or understood. You’ve probably had your own moments of seeing and knowing the obvious choice or next step. The bible tells of just a situation with David in 2 Samuel chapter two. There were several obvious moments that pointed David to the next steps in his future. King Saul had died He was living outside of Israel and it was time to return He had been anointed to be the next King…

Over our lifetimes we will give and receive many invitations. Some to things like birthday parties and events, dances and weddings. We will attend some and decline others. There may even be activities that we are expected to attend that don’t feel at all like an invitation, but rather a command. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were invited to or rather commanded to attend a national event, the dedication of an enormous statue that the king had set up. Several times the bible gives a full list of all the instruments, that when sounded, would signal the call to bow down and worship the statue. The details were very clear and…

Over the weekend I was reading a book by Mesu Andrews called Of Fire and Lions. It’s the story of Daniel and has the author’s fictional account of what his life might have been like while living in Babylon. In the book, the story of Daniel’s three friends, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and the fiery furnace is told. I’ve always been in awe of their faith and trust in God. As they refused to bow down and worship the idol, then as they boldly confronted an angry king and finally as they were thrown into a blazing furnace. With each new challenge their determination to serve and honor God grew…

I truly love those moments when God orchestrates a time out that becomes a private retreat with Him. Moments that we couldn’t have planned if we tried and they turn out to be just what we needed. Last weekend we had a few days of golf planned and I was raring to go. As our tee time approached Tracy mentioned that his ankle was sore and a bit swollen and that he should stay off of it for a few days. When I had packed for the weekend I threw in a book just in case I had some down time. With the cancellation of our golf plans I now…

The other day I had a power shopping lunch break, meaning I needed to get several things accomplished in a short amount of time. I had my detailed list for each store and my route planned, I was on a mission. Unfortunately the traffic on the road and at the check out counters were not aware of my limited amount of time and I was blessed with many opportunities to show grace in the midst of my quest. David and his men were on their own quest of rescuing their families from enemy raiders. The clock was ticking and each minute was precious to them and brought them closer to…

Awhile back I was watching an episode of American Ninja Warrior. The obstacles and challenges that these athletes conquer is quite impressive. They always give a short introduction about each competitor and share a bit of their life story and how they train. One lady had a simple tattoo on her leg that referenced a bible verse. It caught my attention and I wondered what the passage must say that meant so much to her that she would have it permanently written on her body. The verse was Psalm 121 and it reads: “I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from?My help comes from the Lord,…

It seems like there are always times of waiting whether it’s a check out line, a time clock or bigger things like waiting for a promise to be fulfilled. What do you do while waiting? In the checkout lines the stores hope you will be tempted to buy last minute items that are conveniently located all around you. At work your employer is expecting you to be working until your shift is over. What do you think God would have you do while waiting for His promises to be fulfilled? There were several years between the time that David was anointed to be the next king of Israel and the…

Happy Independence Day! Today we celebrate the privilege of living in a free country. As our nation lights up the skies with colorful displays of fireworks we can remember the words of our national anthem; “And the rockets red glare, the bombs bursting in air gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.” Imagine those brave soldiers who fought throughout the night seeing the flag, which represented what they were fighting for, still waving in the air. The sight of the flag gave them hope and courage to press on. Because they trusted in that hope and carried on, we get to live in freedom. We have…

Years ago I was on a diet program that encouraged seeking God’s help to overcome the desire to overeat. The author said that God will help when asked and that He will provide a way out of temptation. Then its up to us to take that way of escape. It might be as simple as your food falling on the floor or a restaurant being closed that prevents you from indulging in more than you should. God will do that in other areas of our lives as well. One time I had the opportunity to go into business with a co-worker. Everything seemed to be falling into place and we…