“And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” 2 Corinthians 9:8

“AAAAhhh… my feet!” I was looking down at my metatarsals while 2 bright red splotches were staring back at me. Katie and I had gone kayaking the day before and I was prepared. Spraying sunscreen all over my exposed flesh, we rowed out onto the water, where I kicked off my Crocs! Evidence of my NOT thinking things through thoroughly, could NOT be hidden. I was burned!

Living in Florida for a decades, when it comes to springtime activity in the sun, I’ve witnessed the price of both ignorance AND stupidity. Cool breezes may give a false sense of safety, but they cannot impede the burning UV rays of Mr. Sun! Neither ‘innocent ignorance’ nor ‘arrogant stupidity’ get a pass. Sadly, the effects of both don’t begin to show until after sundown!

Oh how wonderful it would be if both ‘innocent ignorance’ and ‘arrogant stupidity’ only showed themselves at the beach! They’d produce nothing that a little calamine lotion and time couldn’t heal. But alas… they seem to pervade EVERYTHING. And nothing more catastrophic than God’s reason for humanity! We humans have quite the habit of making it all about us… while hell rages.

Being a Jesus Guy… I ponder! A LOT! I’m convinced that there are only 2 reasons why I was put here in the first place. And in reality, the 2^nd one doesn’t even count! Man (I) was placed here to destroy the devil’s work in his rebellion against God! Fashioned dirt, infused by God, is the tool God chose to do so. Number 2, making me into His image and then His bride, comes AFTER #1!

The moment my feet hit the floor in the morning, every moment thereafter is infused with choice. I can choose to glorify Him and do things HIS way… or my own. With only 2 choices, the results are purchased by my own decisions. Wrong choices produced sin. And sin, like the Sun, BURNS! Deep down EVERYONE knows they need coverage! It is evident, EVERYONE has missed more than a spot!

When He didn’t have to, God sent His Son to be MORE than just an atoning ‘sonscreen’ sacrifice for my sin. He went farther and REMOVED my rebellion, offering me His abundant grace! NOW He tells me, in today’s verse, that I have EVERYTHING I NEED to Glorify HIM in EVERYTHING I do! I think I’m going to put my Sonscreen on! How about you?

“If you love me, keep my commands.” Jesus John 14:15

“Just found out I passed,” was what the mass email to family members said. The text was from Clint, my Tampa Bay Deputy Harbor Pilot son who, for the last year and a half, has been working to gain Full Florida State Pilot Status through testing and training. He’s been doing that since 2017! This week, his final test was on what they call, “The Rules of the Road!” And yes… they’re SHIPS!

There were hundreds of questions on the test and he had to get a 90 to pass! Interestingly enough, Clint is the smartest of my 4 kids… and everyone knows it! But he is also the most rebellious! So I find it rather ironic that He selected a job that would require his EXPERTISE on knowing and, ha-ha, obeying RULES! Though I try, I’ll never get over God’s amazing and oxymoron-like sense of humor!

“What degree of angle should be the adjustment to the bow when winds gust 16 knots in the aft section of the starboard side while approaching The Skyway?” It’s an impressive question that leaves anyone with the thought, “WOW… that guy HAS to be, and MUST be SMART to have to know all that stuff!” Knowing the Rules of the Road are CRITICAL to not crashing into a bridge!

Clint’s been driving ships in and out of Tampa Bay by himself almost since he started training. This one was 1100’, or over 3 ½ football fields long. Time and money being the 2 most precious commodities among people, he had to prove he was capable of piloting it before they gave him the rights to drive that expensive cargo. His permission was limited when it came to driving PEOPLE!

Wrapping up his training, Clint must prove he can move people without incident or danger. Now, when he pilots a cruise ship, he has to have a fully authorized Harbor Pilot beside him watching his every move. He’s already proven he KNOWS the rules, so after he’s proven he can follow them perfectly, he’ll be given the right to pilot the masses of people on a cruise ship… unattended.

Jesus is my Harbor Master. When it comes to His sheep and His Bride ‘The Church,’ He calls me to DO AS HE COMMANDS. That means every one of His rules are important AND are required knowledge for His followers. Reading God’s Word, along with practice, helps me become an expert. Sadly, LOTS of people like to make up their own rules and THINK they know God’s stuff.

Oh.. that question about ‘degree of angle’ is NOT a real question. I made it up to sound impressive for a purpose. Some people may SOUND smart, but beware! Usually Jesus doesn’t ask us to do hard things we aren’t capable of doing with Him as our Captain. Are you reading, practicing and following Him into the world of people? And are you getting better at driving people to Jesus?

“How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!” Psalm 133:1

“AAAAAAHH!” Was the first word I heard, followed by my name. By the time the name was mentioned, I already knew what was going on and was on the way. My lovely wife was getting ready for work in the bedroom and it was obvious a palmetto bug had interrupted her routine. Living in Florida, its happened before, so I already have this routine – get up… go… kill… dispose!

Flipping a bug into a room full of trans athletes could immediately help determine birth gender! Being the man, I am “The Eradicator!” Usually, palmetto bugs move slowly because I ‘spray’ on a regular basis. This one was VERY lively, crawling on her clothes laid out on the bed! Righteous indignation rose within me, so I didn’t take the time to get a weapon and snatched it barehanded!

Disposal of palmetto bugs may vary, but I like to flush them. There is a certain gratification that comes from watching them swirl away into oblivion. Gone from view forever, it gives me the sense of a ‘win!’ Katie told me they’ve been reading the storybook of ‘Maybelle’ the cockroach in school. Then said, “But there’s a difference between reading a cute story and experiencing the real thing!”

She went on to suggest how funny it is that inward knowledge doesn’t change outward experience. Just yesterday, she was speaking to the kids about how ‘cute’ Maybelle was! The ‘feeling’ from the story did not transform reality. We ended up talking about how satan works… trying to make the idea of sin and abandonment of God OK. Only to ‘freak out’ when the reality of repercussions hit!

I’ve learned over the years that satan is a bug guy. He loves to throw little ones into my life and watch me freak. But his favorite, most successful place he likes to show up is among groups, like families and Churches! A little ‘conflict crawl,’ the wiggling antennae of attention, outrageous opinion and the frightfulness of fighting can quickly cause discomfort, disunity and dissension.

God doesn’t WANT me to get used to satan’s creepy schemes. He wants me to ‘spray’ in advance by asking me to ‘PRAY’ for His eradication of bad ‘bugs.’ Bugs that would love to cause me to scream and run from Him. Are YOU PRAYed up and hanging with others who are as well?

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart.” Jeremiah 1:5

Happy Birthday! In my thinking, it is the only thing absolutely guaranteed that EVERY ONE of the 8 Billion people on earth share… and are guaranteed to share! Since I am a believer in Jesus Christ, I read that He will come back someday and rapture, or snatch away, all the Believers from the face of the earth. Which means NOT EVERYONE is guaranteed a Death-day! Which is a good thing!

Yesterday was my Daughter’s birthday, which Cori shared with about 15 million other people around the planet. Katie and I usually call our kids early in the morning and sing a goofy version of the ‘Happy Birthday’ song. Cori, not being a morning person, we decided to forgo that experience… as a gift. I called and sang it as a solo later on. She laughed and we enjoyed our conversation together.

One sign we use in our Church’s Highway Ministry says, “Born once, die twice! Born twice, die once.” It is a testament to the command of God that if ANY individual wants to see Heaven, and not the Lake of Fire, as their eternal address, one “Must be born again (John 3:3)!” It is interesting that if one HAS been born again, they KNOW it. If they haven’t, they usually don’t. Cori has been & does!

Yesterday we celebrated with Austin and Elizabeth on the birth of their son Abel. Abel now shares a day with Cori! And while Cori has had 2 birthdays, all the work and effort of Abel’s family is to see to it that HE enjoys 2 Birthdays as well. IT’S the purpose of God’s creating us in the first place, that we humans would be born to Glorify God and stick it to the devil! It’s fun stuff with parties to come!

Cori was created by God for a REASON. Unique and different, she MAY share qualities and characteristics (like eyes, nose, mouth and being kind) but is unique in the combination in one package. Like fingerprints, NO one is like her and she has no twin. God designed us all that way. But how many of us appreciate that fact, and look for the 1 special purpose for which God made us?

Are YOU being like a Birthday Candle and letting your Light Shine to the world for Jesus? I can promise there is someone out there in your world who is looking for a heavenly light and the gift of Eternal Life! And you’re the one to share it! So go Shine and light up their world with Jesus!!

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28

’Beep-beep… he’s here… see?” Signals, sent through an eternal sky, hit my little cell phone. It responded by receiving and interpreting that signal, then beeped to reveal a special message to me… which is what cell phones were created to do! The photo of Baby Able Casey, and the news of his birth, were evidence of something I KNEW was going to happen. Now I had the proof… kind of?!

Elizabeth and Austin have been down this road before. This being their 4^th son, they have their hands full. As she got bigger than a house, the main question everyone asked was, “when are you due?” Science predicted a date that she repeated. But science was off by a few days and Able came late! But he’s here and both are well and healthy… presumably! Because personally, I’ve yet to SEE them!

I find it fascinating that news, pictures, stories, and even eye witness accounts, can be so subjective! When witnessing an event, what I see and believe can be 180 degrees opposite of someone else’s conclusion. It’s a problem that plagues our Nation! Worse, it deliberately clouds God’s purpose for His people and, if I’m not careful, news can take me off the course of my life entirely. ‘Beep-beep!’

News of the ‘Casey’ family’s addition is good. But it isn’t ‘The Best’ news! As life happens, satan’s challenge to unseat God continues, right under my nose. Everyday I receive snippets of information that can cause me to affirm, deny or question just what the heck God is actually doing! It is easy to praise God when good news comes. I have to remind myself I was actually created for bad news!

My being created out of dirt to be the ‘stand-in’ to defeat the devil is not good news. The devil is big, mean and smart. Plus he cheats! Me? I can’t see past the slow driver in front of me before I paint myself ugly! But God is bigger and smarter. He CREATED me to bring Him glory in ways the angels cannot even fathom. Bad news can blindside me. Romans 8:28 is an encouraging beep from above.

I’ve seen some pretty bad stuff in my life, and know people who are there now. Their trials can actually cause me PTSD at night. All I can do is encourage by sending Good News and pointing to a picture. Having seen the white iceberg in my way, I had to trust in the mighty power of God’s plan hidden in the depths, then remind myself that ‘this is war…’ and God is in deep water too!

Are you looking toward a magnificent picture of a bright future with God? Do you carry that image on your heart as closely as you do the picture in your wallet? I’ve learned God is NOT in the business of proving His love and power by what I see. His purpose is long term. Who knows, He may just be using a situation to jab satan in the chest… just to prove a point! ‘Beep beep…’ He’s here! See?

“You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.” Luke 12:40

4 jars of unopened peanut butter lay in the trash! I know because I threw them there! They were the first of what will probably be a series of food items I will need to get rid of. Preparing for a surprise, I was surprised when I opened up one of the jars and tasted it… ICK!! Looking at the expiration date, it was 8 months past the ‘good til’ day! The thought hit, “if only I’d known!”

About a year and a half ago I started proclaiming the “get prepared” speech. The President had predicted ‘food shortages’ and, me being me, I started buying and storing. Knowing Peanut Butter as a good source of protein, I bought lots of it. Time passed uneventfully and now I feel bad. Being more diligent and noting the expiration date, I could have given it away earlier to a food bank or someone who could have used it. 

When advising folks to stock up for a possible cataclysmic event, many thought I was nuts. Some thought it a good idea, but didn’t do it. Now, looking at shelves of food with an imminent expiration date, I can’t but feel a little embarrassed myself. Gathering and stocking cost time and money, and the temptation to NOT waste both again lies ahead. Then I remembered this Jesus Parable.

Next to His own Glory, the most important thing to God in the Universe… ME… comes with an expiration date. If you are a person… you have one too! The Lord of the Universe told me that there is a piece of ground that has my name on it, and unless He returns before I expire, I will be dumped under it and wait until He does. His command to me now is to “BE READY!” So I’m working on that!

There are as many opinions dealing with ‘if and when’ Jesus Christ will return… as many opinions as there are people on the planet. But the way I see it, Jesus isn’t talking to the masses. He is talking to ME! Oh.. and to YOU too, of course. But He’s talking in the first person. ‘YOU,’ He says, ‘MUST BE READY!’ ‘Or else,’ is implied. My dad died, but had always lived like he wouldn’t… ready and eager!

The way I see it, and my advice to those I see, the Lord of the Universe gave me a warning and WILL return. I can believe and prepare, or disbelieve and not. Believing and preparing didn’t hurt my dad, mom or brother even 1 little bit and, so far, has only benefited me. So I’m living ready! Even though I may look foolish to the world!

How about you? Are YOU ready? Because, if what He said is true (and I know it is), the rest of forever will be SPECTACULAR to those of us who were! SO pass on the Word!  Maranatha!

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus…” Hebrews 12:1-2

“WHAAAAA?” was the surprise shock I registered to the number on the scale. I had been weighing myself regularly for sometime and the daily number averaged 166.3 pounds. I don’t know why I stopped, except that seeing the same number over a length of time made me believe that ‘THAT ‘ was my number. But one morning last week, the number on the scale was 172.2! “WHAAAAA?”

The very first question that came to mind is the normal one for anybody experiencing this kind of shock… “WHAT HAPPENED… WHAT DID I DO?” I didn’t remember pigging out on anything different. Surely I wasn’t eating ‘mass quantities’ of any food that could possibly do that to me. Disappointed, I went to get cream for my coffee and, at the bottom of the fridge lay the culprit!

The bright red color of the cut watermelon contrasted nicely with the green bowl in which it lay. I didn’t even think about it as I bent down, grabbed a pre-cut slice, then reached for the salt shaker! I was standing over the sink with juice running down my face and saying “MMMMMM,” when it hit me! I remembered it was the second watermelon I had eaten in a week. Belly Busted!

It just so happened that another indicator showed up when I received the results of my annual blood test. In the row marked sugar, the results read “HIGH.” BIG CAPITAL LETTERS! Thank you!!!! I got the picture. My childhood love for watermelon had come back to haunt me! Facts being facts, the choices were to ‘accept and change’ OR ‘ignore and continue’ as usual. I phoned a friend.

Recognizing that a confrontation with an ill-advised, wrong, bad, evil or self-indulgent thing is a daily experience on this earth. The issue lies not with the issue, but with the critically important point is the decision. “What will I DO about this?” is a daily reminder of man’s position when aligned with God’s. Born as sinful firewood, God points out the way out and calls. ‘I’ must decide to change.

Today’s Bible verse shows there are LOTS of ‘things and sins’ that hinder me. And while “ya gotta die a somethin’,” might allow some time to continue the indulgence, there WILL come a payday. I realize God isn’t NEAR as critical about how much ‘I’ weigh as He is about that ‘lil’ sinny thing I do, but He IS interested and invested in my ‘total package.’ The third watermelon in the garage? I gave it away!

What is hindering your walk, slowing you down, holding you back or getting in the way between you and God or other people? What is God trying to tell you to do? Are you at least thinking about it and asking for His help to make the Godly decisions?

“…you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.” Colossians 3:9-10

Upon seeing the text, my mood became immediate consternation! I was filled with alarm and dismay because the text, from my wife, had been sent over and hour earlier. She had forgotten her glasses and politely asked if I would mind bringing them to her adding… “I don’t have to have them if you are busy” along with a heart emoji. I dropped what I was doing, grabbed her glasses and took off!

Katie was surprised when I walked into her classroom, although ‘I’ was surprised ‘she’ was surprised! I apologized that I hadn’t seen her text earlier and handed her a glasses case. When she opened it her face showed immediate disappointment! “Awww… these are the wrong ones.” The pair I had taken to her had the round frames she only wears at home, since they make her ‘look like an owl.’

Standing in a room with about 18 kindergartners, I apologized for the misunderstanding, then asked in a funny way, “Ms. Katie… are you saying you would rather portray an image than not be able to see?” That netted ‘The Look’ so I left with, “I’ll bring the other ones back.” She was sweet and said again, “That’s not necessary… after all, it was my fault. Kissing her goodbye the kids said… EWWW!”

When I ended up back in her classroom about 20 minutes later, WITH the glasses she had wanted in the first place, she was surprised! BUT… she was wearing the round glasses! That made me smile! Later, while talking to a friend on the phone, the subject of differences between men and women came up. When I relayed the story about going back with the right glasses, he said… “AWWWW!”

The “AWWWW!” I received was VERY telling because it confirmed that HE KNEW what love should, could and would do. When Katie registered surprise and my reappearance, I asked, “You mean you didn’t KNOW I’d be back! You’re my wife, my love, my babe! How could I NOT come back?” And while this could be an example for Christ’s return, it’s more about DOING what we instinctively know!

“Love Does,” is the name of a book I’d scanned a few years ago. The title is self explanatory, hence the scan. I am a child of God with His image stamped on my heart and spirit. I have found that the closer I get to Him, the more I KNOW Him and therefore, KNOW what He expects from me. I know Jesus would have gone back to give her the correct glasses. So I did! Life with Him is that simple!

“Follow Me” is a statement similar to “Walk THIS way.” Often the hardest thing I have to do is die to myself and give up my own selfish, sinful desires. But when I DO what He expects, the joy and peace He hand delivers to me, is ALWAYS worth more than the cost of my human sacrifice. How do YOU see it?

“We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive (zip tie) every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:5

“Oh… there’s another one!” was the thought I had in my head as I was walking along a back alleyway to my truck. The sun was bright so my head was down. Looking at the road in front of me, I saw a zip tie. Instantly, as I am prone to do, the thought in my brain was “treasure” and I started to bend to pick it up… until I saw another not far from it. Then came a question.

“Why do you want that zip tie?” was the question that came to mind. Honestly, I had no idea where the thought came from, though I presumed it was from the Holy Spirit because that is how He typically works with me. A thought, an object, a conversation… just about anything can be a God prompt. So I rolled the question around in my head and had a little ‘court session’ of my own.

‘To pick up or not to pick up the zip tie…’ THAT was the question. The arguments for both pro and con are too long and boring to go into… but the conclusion came with, you ALWAYS pick up zip ties… You have LOTS of them at home yet… you rarely EVER use them. So I left it lying for someone else’s tool box, picking up an appreciation for its lesson to me. Some seeming treasures are just junk!

Lots of ideas and emotions go through me on a regular basis. Being agathokakological (consisting of both good and evil… see Romans 7) I live with a war raging within me 24/7… as does every Christian. Which is the purpose for today’s verse. When something comes to mind or heart, The Word tells me to grab it, ‘zip tie’ it to His Will and then to store or dispose of it accordingly.

When the zip tie incident happened, I had actually been at a mental crossroads over something that was bugging me. Trying to make a decision as to what to do was tough, because there was no immediately clear moral right or wrong. After the zip tie event, I was able to use The zip tie lesson to see that the decision I made WOULD have long term effects that were VERY important.

So thanks for the head’s down lesson God! I appreciate your walking with me and looking out for YOUR and my best interests… even in the alleyways of life! Do YOU walk with Him too? DO you filter every thought and emotion through His will and Word?