“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” Colossians 3:23-24

The last I looked I had $234.92 just waiting for me! I’ve worked hard for, and look forward to receiving it. As of yesterday, I just hope I GET TO! While relaxing and watching TV, I overheard a commercial where a lady shouted… “Get your hands off my rewards!” I looked up and heard that the rewards program for credit cards was in jeopardy! Congress is trying to outlaw them! So I listened!

Years ago my son-in-law suggested I start taking advantage of something I usually do anyway… pay bills! He told me that if I put them all on a Credit Card, I could pay the 1 bill off at the end of the month and, depending on the credit card, receive rewards! I was skeptical, but trusted him and gave it a try. It turns out, he knew what he was talking about!. Now I can pay bills AND have some fun!

The rewards program we have allows us to choose what we do with the money. We can take it, or cash it in for retail shopping cards. Now, almost every time we go out to dinner, we save about $25! That means I can take my bride out more often… a good thing. Apparently, there is a bill pending that would make rewards programs illegal. Nah-AAH! So I voiced my opinion to my congressman!

I LOVE Jesus! I REALLY DO! I don’t love Him for His STUFF! But loving Him GETS me stuff! That’s the way He works! It’s just like in a marriage! Today’s Bible verse is a perfect example… the hinge word in the verse being ‘SINCE!’ ‘GO Love ME!’ he says. He wants ME to love and work for Him with ALL my heart and soul! He’s NOT a dictator. He promises to bless and reward me for the work of my heart!

When He walked the earth Jesus said it like this, “store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.” Implying that, ‘even if you can’t find it in your heart to do it FOR ME, do it for YOURSELF! But JUST DO IT!’ God has placed all His love and mission into the hands of His Followers. He wants us to WORK for, and receive, rewards!

Rewards are NOT SELFISH! They come because of faithful service! In essence, when I get to Heaven, everyone will be able to tell how much, and how well I loved Jesus Christ on Earth, by the size of the reward I receive! Therefore… I WANT A LOT! Trying to take away my reward is like taking away my heart and proof of loyalty! So… ‘What;s in YOUR wallet?’

How much reward will YOU receive? Are you working to add more? Because Jesus LOVES, wants and expects to give bonuses to His loving, faithful workers, do YOU want and expect to get a big reward? Does your life show it?

“While you were doing all these things, declares the LORD, I spoke to you again and again, but you did not listen; I called you, but you did not answer.” Jeremiah 7:13

The call came, I heard it, I didn’t answer! Way back when I was a kid, we didn’t get scam calls. Today it seems you can’t go a day without getting at least 1 call from someone with the job of trying to either sell you something, or sway your opinion to join them. But back then, there was no way of knowing who was calling until you answered. THIS call… THIS call was kind of like that.

I didn’t know who it was, so I did not answer. The abbreviations that popped up meant nothing to me, so I declined the call. The next day… they called again! I noted by area code that they were local and reasoned the initials on the screen might be medical. So I answered. A computer voice came on a few seconds later saying, “Please press 1 when you are ready to talk.” I hung up!

A recent study * showed the number of available workers in America is now worse than during the Great Depression. Sadly, it’s mostly men who have dropped out of the workforce… VOLUNTARILY! This has led to businesses EVERYWHERE scrambling to find employees. Now with ‘AI’ Technology, many companies are turning to computers for help. I don’t like to wait on a computer!

God’s NOT a computer and doesn’t use ‘AI’ cuz He is ‘UI’… Ultimate Intelligence! And even He makes calls! The third time the phone rang I decided to answer. Pressing 1, my curiosity allowed me to hold for a minute. I wanted to tell them I was offended! Then a human came on the line to schedule me for a test my Doctor prescribed. I actually was grateful I had answered the phone after all!

Being His, and for a very long time, I have learned that God calls OFTEN! It is His Love for me that keeps Him dialing. He wants love and communication from me in return, telling me to ‘pray without ceasing.’ I’ve learned that NOT answering His calls leads Him to either call more… or worse… LESS! Having learned it is in my best interest to answer God’s calls, and try to never miss. How about YOU?

“The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom; and before honor is humility.” Proverbs 15:33

“What are YOU scared of?” the man asked me. I was talking to a guy I did not know. Being a Jesus guy who knows EXACTLY where I’m going when I die, I replied accordingly, “absolutely nothing!” He looked at my left hand then said, “liar!” All I could think was, this guy is rather forward. THen he said, “you’re married.” I said, “Yes.” He said, “Then you’re scared of your wife!”

It took me a moment, and I scrunched up my face, seeing my beautiful wife in my head… all 5’2” of her. In a physical fight, which we’d NEVER do, I could take her out in about a second! So I responded, “no way bro!” His reply made me pause… “think about it!” So I did! And after a few seconds I had to admit… he was absolutely right!  My fear came home to roost yesterday.

Katie is picky about laundry and hates her nice clothes dried in the dryer. Me? I don’t care. I throw everything that will not fade into the washer and hit go! I did that yesterday with my white socks, shirts and underwear. When I pulled the load out of the dryer, I found 2 of her work shirts tangled among my undies! And I FREAKED! I shook them out, then tried to smooth them. But no luck!

This morning, after she took one of the shirts off its hanger and put it on, I had to verify the ‘all clear.’ I said, “That shirt looks good on you… I washed it for you yesterday.” “You did a good job,” she said, “I don’t usually like wearing white since it makes me look pasty.” I said, “Awww honey, you could fall into a VAT of paste and NEVER look pasty!” She had no idea I had meticulously ironed both shirts! WHEW!

I don’t iron well. If she sees me wearing a wrinkled shirt or pants, she’ll say, “here… let me iron that for you.” I can do a ‘quick press’ on the major parts that matter if needed. But I took my time on her shirts….  because… I’m scared of her! Like ‘Fear of the LORD’ scared! And I hope by now you get the point. ‘Fear of the LORD’ to a Believer is NOT life threatening. It’s more like disappointment.

Reverential Awe is the word my dad used when referring to ‘The Fear of the LORD.’ When I do what God commands and Love Him and my Wife, I am showing respect and honor. When doing so, I get SO much back in return because of THEIR love for ME. Both can make my life miserably sad when we are not well connected. When I do the work on MY part, I reap the reward that comes from them doing THEIR part.

Are you so lovingly in awe of God, and your spouse, that you make it your daily business to please them and make them proud enough to honor you in return? Marriage is simply the relationship God invented to prepare us an example of how we will relate to Him here… AND in Heaven. Do you regularly think of ways to love and honor God and those you love? If so… I know what YOU’RE skeerda!

“Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” Philippians 2:4 ESV

I saw it before I stepped in it… but then was called to step in anyway. Grateful to find a spot in the already full parking lot, I got out of my truck and headed to the store, weaving the path between cars. Looking ahead, I was lucky to see it before I stepped in it. Gum! Right there! Lying on the ground for someone to step in! So I stepped over it! THAT’S when I felt God’s nudge of interruption.

Turning around, I walked back and crouched down to look at the mess. What I saw was NOT gum, but a small smashed cap to a plastic water bottle. My judgment of whoever it was that spit gum out on an open parking lot had dissipated. So I stood up and headed to the store. Two steps into my walk, I KNEW it would come before it actually did. Another nudge from God said, “go pick it up!”

Now EVERYONE KNOWS that spitting ABC (already been chewed) gum onto a sidewalk where someone might step on it, is BAD FORM! It is messy, inconsiderate and mean! To have no guilt or nudge of correction means that God’s voice has been tuned out… possibly forever. And if there is one thing I have learned the hard way… it’s that keeping tuned in to hear God’s voice is for my own good!

God loves EVERYBODY! And while we are NOT ALL God’s Children, God is ALWAYS in the business of trying to MAKE MORE people His children. He does it by using MY words and actions. I am His. And because of that, He counts on me… to count on Him. The first nudge was to see if I really cared and was paying attention. The second was to see if I would actually OBEY what He was telling me to do.

Caring, and then DOING something about it go hand in hand. And yes, I know that sometimes there are even BIGGER tests than just noticing and picking up a small piece of litter. Sometimes He asks BIG things from me. But if I am not paying attention to the little things, I will never notice Him directing me to the big ones. Recognizing and doing something about it only comes with time and obedience.

Are you cultivating and knack for listening to God’s Spirit? Do you pay just as close attention to what He tells you He wants you to DO WITH those nudges? Are you faithful in doing them? Because in a messy world full of the unconcerned, He calls His kids to be VERY much concerned. And sticky situations are His specialty!

“Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles strive after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you.” Matthew 6:31-33

The conversation caught me by surprise… but the surprise was a welcome one! I was with a large group of fellow Believers in Christ celebrating a meal with the family of 2 children who had been Baptized. Their zeal and joy were contagious. As I was preparing to leave, I ran into a man who seemed to want to challenge the whole event. Yes, he’d been invited, but I couldn’t figure out why!

HE was the one who threw the first volley, questioning faith in God. I always love opportunities because of my vocation! When He stated that, “anyone who thinks their ‘religion’ is the only one, is arrogant!” “Well then,” I replied, “I’m arrogant!” His response was, “well if I do end up standing before God, I hope He’l show me mercy and let me in!” Sadly, I thought, ‘not a chance, pal!’

When I told Katie about the conversation, it only took a moment for her to brighten up and smile. Then she said, “I believe in Diamonds. In fact, I like them a LOT. I can’t tell the difference between a fake or a real one with my own eyes, but I do believe I like them. I’d love to have one! I know they have them in the Jewelry stores! Maybe If I’m passing by and drop in, they might just give me one!”

Katie said all that while wearing a fairly nice diamond ring on her own hand. The story about HER diamond ring goes WAY back, taking me YEARS of hard work and upgrading to get it for her. Yes… ‘I’ gave it to her. But it was FAR from FREE! The point of her story was obvious. Thinking back to the conversation, I then realized WHY my friend, and fellow Believer, had invited that man to his party.

Love knows no limits and is the greatest motivator of all mankind. Greed and selfishness may make many a millionaire. But only LOVE wins hearts. My Christian Brother had invited his friend to his kid’s Baptism celebration because… he loves him. He told me later that he’s been working on that friend for a long time. He was hoping the joy and love of the celebration might show Jesus’ love to his friend.  And that he would believe as well. 

I know there is a Heaven. I know I love and want to go there. But Jesus isn’t going to GIVE me His eternal life, just because I show up there. The cost was the most extreme payment for ANYTHING in the History of the World. And Jesus paid it ALL. But if YOU want it… YOU must seek Him, and ask Him for it! Do YOU have it? Are YOU showing that fact off to your friends? Do YOU love that much?  Now is the time to SPARKLE!

“Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 18:3

“In the Name of The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit.” I’ve Baptized plenty of people in my day, and even had the privilege of doing so in the River Jordan, at the very spot they say Jesus was Baptized. But this week was absolutely the best experience I have ever had. The Church was blessed with their extended family, as two children shouted out, “WE BELONG TO JESUS!”

It started when their parents told me their kids had specifically asked if THEY could be Baptized, saying “we’re ready and want to be.” Katie and I met with the whole family to ask and answer questions. We wanted to make sure they both knew ‘exactly’ what they were really asking for. There was NO hesitation! They knew EXACTLY what Baptism meant and were MORE than eager.

After the service, we were asked to join the family at a local restaurant. Walking in, the table that was prepared stretched the entire length of the restaurant! Grandparents, Uncles, friends and Church families gathered around with their kids, as we had a celebration Sunday Dinner. Someone counted 27 people! It truly was a picture of what we can expect, and WILL experience, in Heaven!

Looking down the table at each participant, I knew that every person there had made a decision for Jesus Christ. That made Jesus the CENTER point of the extended table. I thought, “it just can’t get better than this!” Then it did! Waiting for the bills, none came! Dad had paid the full price! When I asked, “why,” he said, “Because the money’s not mine anyway!” I saw where the kids got their Faith.

Are YOU going to be joining Jesus’ Heavenly Banquet? Do YOU have the heart of a little child? Have YOU placed your Faith in the one who paid for your entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven? It isn’t hard. Even little kids can do it and YOU are invited!!

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5–6

Not having thought, I had a thought, but didn’t take the time to think about it! Later, it finally caught up to me. We did something last night we hadn’t done in quite a long time. We were invited to go out for Karaoke. I can’t even REMEMBER the last time we did that, but it’s been over a year at least. It was fun to go back and enjoy the company. Unfortunately I did NOT leave a good impression.

We met our friends, and then I went up to get something for us to drink. There were no waitresses there, so self-serve was the way it worked. We watched, talked, laughed, sang and commented. After a while, we got up to leave, saying our goodbyes to everyone. Almost! It wasn’t until we got home that a couple thoughts shot across my brain. Things I SHOULD have remembered… but didn’t!

There are rules of etiquette for almost every situation. Things everyone learns over time, then either follow… or don’t. NOT following or doing what is expected, gets judged by the rules of the room and the people who are there. It’s only right and fair. Later last night, I remembered that I had left our glasses on the table, walked out in the middle of a singer, and didn’t say goodbye to one of our party!

Currently, I am in a state of feeling bad because, even though it’s been a while since I was there, I’m SUPPOSED to remember and DO what is right. That is the ‘job’ that God expects from me. This morning Katie sent a devotional that nailed that principle down when the writer said, “God is on The Throne. YOU are on ASSIGNMENT!” Part of my job is to leave a good and godly witness for my boss!

I have friends and loved ones who remind me of my assignment, and I SO appreciate them. Today, there are people I can apologize to. But there are people I don’t know, who will remember me as a rude preacher who broke the rules. Thankfully, today is another day. And I have a COUPLE assignments. 1. Remember and do what’s right. And 2. Go make new impressions for Jesus!

Now the question is, what do you need to do today to fulfill the assignment God’s given you? Because God is STILL on the Throne, and YOU, like me, are STILL on assignment!

“…but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me.” Romans 7:23

“Pssst! Hey! Who’s THAT guy?” Turning around in my booth at restaurant where I was having lunch with my friend, an Orthodox Priest, a man kept peppering me with questions. “Where’s his Church? What kind is it?” ‘Father,’ as everyone calls him, had just gotten up to use the Men’s Room. The man’s interest piqued, I asked HIM, “where do YOU go to Church? “I DON’T!” was his reply.

My friend looks like a Jesus superhero, standing out in a crowd, with his black frock and big, shiny, gold cross swinging through the crowd. When I told the man I might be able to help, since I was a pastor as well, he looked at me like I was a 7 year old dressed in a Batman costume at Halloween! But I pressed on. “Then what do YOU believe I asked?” He barked, “I am an INTELLECTUAL!”

It started to get really good. When he told me he was a former college professor with a Masters degree, I asked him what he thought would happen when he died. “Nothin’,” he replied. “So you think you’ll just become worm food?” He began explaining his faith in science, stating that it was impossible to know, since “no one had ever died and come back to life!” “What about Jesus,” I asked?

Right then, his Lordship, the Father, returned from the restroom and, though he had no idea of the impression he was making, stood at the edge of the table looking down at the questioner. When I filled him in on the conversation, Father joined us from his lofty position! The man sputtered non-intellectual gibberish. But with a moral compass broken long ago, he couldn’t understand. Father invited him to Church.

We are ALL born with today’s Bible Verse SCREAMING at us from within. WE KNOW what is right and wrong intuitively, because God has branded that onto our very souls. It takes willful force to un-believe it. As Father and I played good preacher – bad preacher, the ‘intellectual’s science’ was crumbling all around him. Saying “this is no use, I’m leaving,” I waited outside. In 2 minutes Father came out with a grin, “Ya know, that guy just might show up in my church!” I refuse to buy a frock!

YOU KNOW, deep inside, what is good and evil. And YOU KNOW, deep inside, if what you are doing and thinking is deserving of a smile or a frown from Jesus. Are YOU grateful to be His?

“Let no one deceive you by any means.” 2 Thessalonians 2:3

I’d been scammed! But the lady on the phone had been SO very nice! We had airline tickets and a plan to take a trip in October. Things happen, and we decided to adjust the timing. Looking up the airline I saw the 800 # and the caption, ‘answer within 5 minutes!’ The LAST time I had to deal with them, I was on the phone for over 45! So I hit dial.. and ‘nice lady’ introduced herself!

I didn’t have my glasses on. The large letters were readable. The lady had access to the airline’s information and even sent me changes in the schedule from the airline’s website. When she told me the cost to change the flights, I almost fainted! Same trip… 3 less days… $900 MORE! Having been a salesman most of my career, I should have known when she asked, “How much you wanna spend?”

It all went well, or so it seemed, until I went to dinner and the machine declined my card! But my trust in ‘nice lady,’ especially after 35 minutes on the phone with her, never wavered. After a text message, I looked up my credit card account and saw charges made by a company I didn’t know. I called… and yes… I was in the process of being scammed!! My evening was spent on the phone!

I feel stupid and embarrassed. My wife hadn’t done a thing, but because it’s her account too, she’s involved. So I am still working on trying to fix this situation with as little loss as possible. But there WILL be loss. And all because I really wasn’t paying CLOSE attention to what I was doing. I KNEW better, I just didn’t ACT like I did! A common problem among humans who happen to be sinners.

Pain is a pain. Regret is the same. But I am a child of God by faith in Christ Jesus. That does NOT guarantee me ANY kind of special treatment on this earth. All kinds of bad stuff happens to me just the same. Sometimes, even MORE. But as I shared with a fellow believer yesterday, EVERYTHING we go through can be, and IS used by God to teach and benefit us down the road. Even pain and regret.

So I’m in ‘Scam Class 101’ today. And I’m paying attention to make sure I pay attention the NEXT time something like this comes up. God tells us to learn, act, be careful and to follow Him. He gives us His Word, Spirit and fellow Believers to learn from. But He does NOT guarantee I will not be scarred. In fact… scars always come along with being His Warrior!

Have YOU been scarred or scammed? Are you learning and leaning on The Master? Because there’s another scar or scam coming… right around the corner! You’ve just been warned!