“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” Timothy 3:16-17

“OOOOOO THAT’S A MESS!” The owner’s lawnmower had been smoking and wouldn’t start, so I bent down to take a look. Grabbing a spark plug wrench, I pulled out the plug to find it had been fouled with oil and was a complete mess! I found the air filter in even WORSE shape! Oil was plugging it up too. YUCK!

How could someone let a machine get into such bad shape? With no one else around, I was convicted because… it was MY lawnmower. I’ve had it for years after buying it brand new. Always reliable, it usually started on the first pull. When the self-propelled cable broke, I ordered a new one and discoveries were made!

I never liked mowing the lawn, but I’ve always liked the looks of the lawn mowed! Katie does too! So the less effort I put out in lawn work, the better it is for me… seemingly! But a lawnmower without proper maintenance, like any machine, will only become gunked up junk! I took the time to clean it all up and it runs great!

I am a living breathing human machine that is owned by Jesus Christ. Unlike a lawnmower, this machine has to be involved in every maintenance operation. My biggest responsibility is CO-operation! Jesus expects me to be involved with, and follow the owner’s manual, to keep my life sharp, fit and useful for His Kingdom.

My mission from Jesus is to become a well-oiled machine for Him and to follow whatever maintenance is called for in the underlined verbs above. Sometimes I don’t work well, and God has to reprove or rebuke me. He ALWAYS sends me to His Word to fine tune my life to meet HIS needs. Not my own. Are YOU in tune? 

“When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me.” 1 Corinthians 13:11

Putting things away is not a strong suit for me. Just ask my wife. Being a ‘Git-R-Dun” kinda guy, I tend to list out goals ahead of time, and once that project is done, move onto the next one. If there is something along the way to be done to put a dent into another project, I’ll do that too. Being a ‘doer’ is a good thing. USUALLY!

Jesus Commanded that I be a ‘DOER’ of the Word and not just a hearer only. Often my goals don’t take into account the duty of ‘putting childish things away.‘ I guess I could call it ‘getting UNPREPARED! After going through 2 hurricanes in less than 3 weeks, it’s time to put all the ‘preparedness stuff’ away! UGH!

The wood covering the windows, the generator, the lawn and patio furniture and plants. They all need to go back to the places where they were BEFORE danger came calling. And that goes along with CLEANUP from the mess the hurricanes left behind. Which also brings my life’s messes back into proper perspective.

Worry, anger, fear, concern, duty, care, and even love, are emotions that arise when life comes rudely crashing in. I have found the several of those traits have negative tines on their tools. Urgency can give anger or impatience a pass. But not for long. After the storm, it’s necessary to put everything BACK in it’s place.

Patience, time, love, care and duty STILL have a place. And that place is in the hands of Jesus. ‘HURRY UP AND GIT-R-Dun’ no longer holds the banner over my brain and body. I must put the childish forms of those emotions away and get back to focusing on my walk with Jesus… not my run from Debby and Milton. 

“Lord, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations. Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.” Psalm 90:1-2

UGH! It is a word I have texted many times to many people these last few weeks. Not because I am in despair. More like I am feeling my age. Yesterday, as we drove by the church, we saw Jason and family over there, working away, cleaning up the Church property. Naturally… we joined in. Before we were done. I was!

Jason has a very cool forklift machine that picks up whole piles of tree debris and can carry it out to the front road. But first, the piles need to be formed! That’s where we came in. Picking up and throwing huge tree limbs into piles he could scoop up. We all felt older than we were. But together, it got done.

Psalm 90 came to mind when I awoke and just lay in bed at 4am… unable to fall to sleep. I’d been told before that when that happens, it’s a good time to read my Bible. Pslam 90 just kind of laid itself in a pile before… me to pick up and read. I’d just got started and found myself smiling inside and out, praising God for… God!

Most folks thing of David when reading a Psalm. But this one is attributed to Moses at some time AFTER Israel was exiled from Egypt. It takes a full view of life, including human frailty, divine wrath and a plea for His grace. It was summarized in a song in 1708 by Isaac Watts called, “O God, Our Help in Ages Past.” Heard it?

God has a GREAT BIG COOL Machine called The Church. It’s a Global Corporation. And with it He can and does move BIG things around the world. But He also uses it to move little things too. Like me. I smiled, and deep down praised God for Himself, Moses, Isaac and everything about this life… and the one to come. Then went back to bed and slept in. I pray that YOU will have a Jesus filled day!

Here’s the song

“There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money… ungrateful… unforgiving… not lovers of the good… lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God… Having a form of godliness…” 2 Timothy 3 1-5

A major hurricane has a way of intensely bringing out what is most important to people. Two hurricanes in 2 weeks… even more so. Everything was pretty, beautiful and normal… when suddenly, it felt like I was living on the inside of a snow globe that had just been shaken by a monster! Then NORMAL disappeared.

I was blessed beyond words. Other than some pool screens and a few trees, we came away with everything intact. Many people were not so fortunate. Within hours, normal life with electricity, which brought AC internet and TV, was replaced by the sounds of generators, lack of communication and darkness. No fun!

According to many governmental sources, I’m not supposed to be here writing this today. I should be dead! At least that was the forecast…“If you stay you will die!” I’m alive and OK. But according to today’s verse (which I truncated) I am shocked at how many people are very truly… NOT! And I’m not talking physically.

Yesterday was the first Sunday after Hurricane Milton. It took a few days to prepare for its arrival. As soon as it was gone, it seemed everyone got in a big hurry to clean up and put everything back to ‘normal.’ But yesterday’s sunny Sunday showed a very low turnout in our Church. A sad surprise to me.

I am supposed to be dead! I am SUPREMELY GRATEFUL that I am not… tho the other side will be much more awesome. But I have things to do here. And one of them is to point out to people that, Rule #1… if God isn’t first in your life, you are stuffed with the wrong thing! Are you GRATEFUL to God for His Life in you? Do you SHOW IT? Because… other storms are headed our way. And not just weather!

“Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him. You come to the help of those who gladly do right, who remember your ways.” Isaiah 64:4-5

No Lie! It’s Comin’! I can hear the rumbling as I write. I made the mistake yesterday of turning on the weather. The Mayor of Tampa literally said in a press conference… “If you choose to stay in one of those evacuation areas, you are going to die!” The operative word there is… “if!” But Jesus said the same thing!

Jesus’ Word is VERY clear. The ONLY way to the Father (The ONLY God in the Universe) is through HIM! We have proclaimed that at our Church since it’s inception in 1977. We’ve proclaimed it on U.S. Highway 41 bi-weekly for 4+ years. The world doesn’t SEEM to notice. But we haven’t been given the word to stop!

Psalm 45:1-3 says, God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. I am witness of the truth of His words.

Psalm 46:10-11 says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth. The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.” So I fight a battle within to “be still and know.”

Isaiah 64:4-5 says, “Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him. You come to the help of those who gladly do right, who remember your ways. Our little Church does just that! With power and might!

I am His ‘witness.’ I am waiting and willing. I WILL tell… PROUDLY! LORD God… your witnesses in these dark days need your protection. For YOUR sake… and the sake of your Word… Please protect us in every way. We will shout out your testimony. We will not lie! Thank you Lord.

“But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19

Life is filled with them… building blocks of time and resources just waiting to be spent on priorities I hold most necessary or important. Those priorities fall under the 2 headings above… ‘wants’ versus ‘needs.’ It IS possible to have a particular item fit both criteria. For example oxygen. But I NEED it more than I WANT it!

Admittedly, I don’t go about my day dreaming or wishing for air! It is auto-supplied by God. But if asked to list my top 10 most important desires, I’m sure I’d miss oxygen. In the last 24 hours, I find myself honing in on a list of important priorities. Things I need to have and do NOW… because a clock is ticking!

I WANT a nice 74 degree sunny day with low humidity. And I DON’T want to HAVE to WORK. Hanging out with family and friends is at the top of that list, along with some good food and fun. I do NOT WANT a hurricane. Nor do I wish for any of the ‘crazy’ that comes along with preparing for one. But what I want and need…

I’ve known this Bible verse most of my life. I wasn’t searching for it, when suddenly, the Holy Spirit dropped it into my heart. I didn’t smile or jump up and down with glee. But I did lock it into my highest priority mode, and a peace settled over the stage of my anxious thoughts. Cuz it’s a promise from my Savior.

We’ve all prayed, and continue to, that we will see no real damage from a hurricane headed our way. I’ve seen miracles before… and I’m expecting to see more over the next few days. But for now, I’m going to place my focus on Jesus. After all… HE’S the one who can use ANY storm to prioritize and bless my life.

Are YOU resting in the arms of the Savior? He WILL supply ALL of your needs… but HE is the one who has to have the power to sort them. Why not give Him your list?

“…fight the battle well, holding on to faith and a good conscience.” 1 Timothy 1:18-19

After a busy day working doing manual labor, we took the night to relax and watch a little football. The Tampa Bay Bucs were winning when we went to bed. When we awoke, they had lost! Tonight, Venice High School plays IMG… a school that specializes in professional sports candidates. Venice is undefeated this year!

When I asked some folks connected with the Venice Indians team what were the odds and expectations, I was told, “We’re gonna get killed!” It was a shock to hear, and I wondered if that attitude might have any kind of connection with reality. Since I’m going to the game, I’ll be a cheerleader for the team to WIN!

Paul was talking to Timothy about what it takes to ‘go fight and win’ in the battle of the Spirit. Paul had JUST given his own BIO 3 verses earlier, where he admitted that HE was actually the WORST of sinners… and therefore CHOSEN by Christ to display Christ’s ‘unlimited patience.’ WOW! The loser wins after all!

I struggle at times with me and my inner ‘worst of sinners’ attitude. I’ve often said that I could EASILY beat Paul out of that title… if Jesus would let me. But He doesn’t! It is hard to believe that God chooses the WORST to display His BEST! But the Bible, and my life and others declares that it is true! Sin attracts Jesus Grace.

So as I go out today, my attitude needs to be checked at the door. What am I going to believe about myself? How I feel… or what God SAYS? It is the first act in the fight of Faith that I need to take. The right CHOICE will determine my walk. Fellow sinner… what are YOU believing and how are YOU walking? 

“Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.” Psalm 42:5

It was a call that I dreaded… but had to make. The internet server had flooded and there was no internet. Now that the house is no longer a VRBO rental, I don’t need the internet. I needed to call and cancel service and stop auto-pay. I called and got some bubbly lady from a place like Taiwan. “I HELP YOU… NO WORRIES!”

The conversation was filled with her dialog as she babbled on, at high speed, beginning with my ‘options.’ Even though I told her I didn’t need options and only wanted to cancel service, she kept telling me how I could stay their customer for free for 6 more months! I was both conflicted and convicted… ‘conflictigated!’

I wanted to be kind… TRIED to be kind. But her goal to keep me giving money to their company was in conflict with my need to stop being billed for something I no longer needed. My other priority was to maintain a Christian attitude and not get mean or ugly. She was really pushing my patience and boundaries.

To ‘act like a Christian’ is the hardest thing I deal with on a daily basis. I think… because everybody has a different opinion on what that really means and looks like. How tolerant do I need to be? How giving and yielding to someone else’s desires? God has standards that conflict with reality sometimes. What to do?

There are times I feel like this with God too. I think He wants one thing… but it could be another. Often ‘silence’ from Him goes on until I finally see the big picture. I’m not alone. Today’s verse is repeated 3 times in Psalm 42 and 43. Jesus Himself had a version of it in Psalm 22. Conviction in Conflict is tough!

In the end, I managed to get what I needed done… done. And she didn’t hate me. But it took 20 minutes, and a lot of patience during the conflict, to maintain my convictions as a believer. As the world becomes more difficult, I see that I am going to face more of these situations. How do YOU handle them?

“Praise the LORD. How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him!” Psalm 147:1

I was making something that called for ¼ cup of Heavy Whipping Cream. The only size available at the store was in a quart. I bought it anyway. I don’t use heavy whipping cream often. So it sat for a few days in the fridge, until I needed some half n Half for my bride’s coffee. Sitting beside that cream was a ½ gallon of milk!

Having just finished off the last of the Half n Half, I got to thinking… Half n Half WHAT? Then a flash from above hit my brain and, it seemed to me, that God appeared and conveyed… ”Don’t be a dummy!“ So I mixed up my own Half n Half… and it worked! It tasted just like real Half n Half! I was astonished!

It hit me that I can be a real master at mixing up, and using, half n half in a LOT of areas in my life. Surfing the Psalms I was guided through several that talked about Praising the Lord. Today’s verse was my favorite. I noted that it didn’t say WHAT to say when I’m doing it. But the Psalms explicitly tell me TO DO IT!

Mixing the world with God does not make half n half of ANYTHING! In fact, as I’ve been going through some enemy territory, I have found absolutely ZERO strength and joy in trying to navigate between God and the devil. This morning, God is telling me to stop mixing my emotions, praise, trust and enjoy ONLY HIM!

So if God doesn’t mind a little off key humor, I’m going to work on making up some new ‘Thank You’ songs from my valley point of view. After all, HE says, it is not only fitting… but it will be PLEASANT! And pleasant is what I am looking for anyway. Care to join me?