“The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge, for the ears of the wise seek it out.” Proverbs 18:15

“ICK!” was my personal response as I looked out the window into a cloudy, cold dreary morning. The weather threatened more rain, on top of the already soaked everything that had already been drenched. But it was decision time. And I’m the guy that needed to make one. I recalled one of my slogans, “when you don’t know what to do, get more information.”

It was Wednesday. Which means different things to different people. For me and our church, it was the day we go out to share the Gospel by holding signs on a busy corner. At least a half dozen others were looking out at the same clouds and temperature… wondering. For them, they wondered what “I” would decide. Do we go… or not? I didn’t want to!

It was cold! Icky! Nasty! But those are NOT adequate reasons to avoid the mission God had laid on our hearts. Pleasing God is Priority one! At least it’s SUPPOSED to be. Secretly I was looking for more information to make a sound and logical decision that would be OK with HIM. Looking up the weather forecast, I saw there was a 91% chance of rain. I canceled!

Rain and painted cardboard signs do not go well together. Cold, rainy weather… and my going out INTO it… don’t either. But I had to BE WILLING to do what GOD wanted me to do. And I was. As were the faithful folks awaiting the decision that had to be made. I had to admit I was relieved when I saw the rain chance. I had done my duty, and called it off!

‘Ahhhhh’… was the relief I felt. I quickly messaged everyone and got zero responses. Which meant no one was going to argue the decision. Which was a good thing! All was well, for about 20 minutes, when the sun seemed to mess with me and just pop out after all! Do you wrestle with doing the right thing at the right time? How do YOU determine what God’s will is? 

“For Christ also suffered for sins once for all time, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit;” 1 Peter 3:18 NASB

“That’s just not right!” the gal said. I was in a classroom with a group of kids and asked the question, “How many of you here absolutely, 100%, KNOW FOR CERTAIN that YOU are going to Heaven when you die?” About a third of the class had raised their hands. The last time I’d asked, 100% responded in the affirmative! Confusion entered with the word “confession!”

For a middle-schooler, she was sharp! Sharper than most adults I’ve run into. When asked what it takes to be saved from sin, she had quoted 1 John 1:9 perfectly, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins.” When I asked, “how often are we required to do that?” She said, “every time we sin.” Then I told the red-light, truck story!

“Suppose you’re driving, and a rude person cuts you off. You get angry and shake your fist at the driver. What sin have you just committed?” I reminded her, “Jesus clarified THAT sin as ‘murder!’ Now suppose you’re so angry you don’t see the light change, go through on red, and a semi-truck runs you over. Where are you going… since you haven’t had the chance to confess your sin and ask forgiveness?”

I LOVE watching the face of someone when they finally get it! Hers was classic astonishment and joy! When she repeated that she had been told, over and over again, that she’d HAVE to ASK for forgiveness before she got it, she finally responded with “that’s just not right!” Jesus was her Savior… ONE AND FOR ALL! No hooks, lines or sinkers! “THAT’S GREAT NEWS,” she said!

And THAT… is exactly the point! If YOU understand the Good News that way, you have EVERY reason to share it with anyone you meet! Do you? Is satan still trying to get you to accept the charges for sins Jesus has already paid for?

“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” Luke 19:10

What once was a walk across the hall, now takes a 400 mile round trip! It USED to be easy to see my daughter or son because they USED to live in the same house… under the same roof. When I wanted to see them I could quickly walk around the house and find them. Now that they are adults and have homes and families of their own… it’s not so easy!

The trip took time and planning… but we pulled it off. All it took was to rearrange our schedules, plan the trip, pack our bags and enter the address into our phone. 3.5 hours later, when we arrived at their house, they were at home waiting for us! When we got settled, we passed around Christmas presents we had gotten each other.

While there, I received a gift that I REALLY needed. A Key Finder! I am constantly misplacing my keys and have to hunt around to find them. This little gizmo, when attached to my key chain, will beep when I push a remote, helping me to find the keys I had misplaced. I attached one to my phone as well. Now, finding lost things should be easier than before.

We had GREAT time visiting our daughter and family over the weekend. We left earlier yesterday, taking the time to go visit our son in Tampa to celebrate his Birthday! 150 miles later we gathered together to eat, sing and celebrate, then left to come home from our 400 mile round trip. It was fun and enjoyable. But something’s still missing that the remote can’t fix!

Keys and cell phones don’t have desires. They remain where we left them! And they don’t even feel bad about it! God created us for Himself, placed us in a paradise, then after turning around, ended up with the problem of our being lost to Him forever! A situation NOT easily fixed by the pressing of a button. Because before I can be found.. I have to WANT to be!

Jesus has a very easy, or very hard task. The determining factor rests upon YOUR desire to be found by Him. Do YOU want to be found and rescued by The Savior? Or are you content to be lost and on your own? You CAN make it easier to be found. Just call Him. He’s closer than you think! What are you waiting for?

“Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful.” 2 Timothy 2:23-24

“Whadayamean you’re not doing that!?” I was confused… then flustered… then angry! I was supposed to get an ‘entire roof replacement.’ Now that half the roof was off, I was told about a quarter of the roof, the flat part, wasn’t included in ‘The Contract!’ Having been in sales most of my life, I realized I either had a problem… or an opportunity! “Oh Dear Lord!”

There were 8 men working hard, banging out and destroying my old roof to replace it with a new one. Somewhere between my first conversation with the salesman and the banging of hammers, I realized I wasn’t getting what I’d signed for. Sensing God’s ‘opportunity mode,’ I made a phone call… which netted a couple more. It was clear we weren’t on the same page!

Now in my flesh I’m as good as anybody, and better than most, at arguing and getting ugly. When the sales-guy lobbed some insults at me to justify HIS position, I sensed the demonic world smile. Experience told me ‘do not follow!’ The men were here, and the roof needed done NOW. I could fight… or I could work on a fix. Asking God for Grace… He provided.

Like rain through the leaky roof, there were a couple times when ugly tried to re-enter and damage the process. Then I remembered, ‘I represent Christ.’ They knew I was a pastor, & I knew Jesus had more to lose than me. So I remained cordial and dedicated to resolving the issue. A misunderstanding had taken place. And misunderstandings come… with expenses.

It cost me more than I’d originally thought. But it’s Jesus’ roof anyway! He owns everything I have. I had the opportunity to lay down what I thought were MY rights.. and give Jesus HIS right to claim and manage what was His… which is EVERYTHING! As a kindness, I took the workers some coffee and ice cream bars… wearing a Jesus hat of course! Winner Winner!

What are YOU fighting for… and what are you giving up for your Savior?

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.” Matthew 5:6

It’s dry again! The Bird Bath. Lately I’ve noticed it goes dry every day. I’ll go out and fill it with water. But before the end of the day, it’s dry again. I don’t really have to look at the water level to determine its status. Because there are simply no birds! When the water is there, so are the birds. Fact! Thirsty birds go where there is water… to satisfy their thirst!

We’ve had that bird bath for a long time. It was a plain old thing when we got it. But Katie didn’t want plain. So taking parts of broken cups and bowls she had been collecting, she decorated it to look pretty. When done, my job became maintenance. Over time, mold, algae and the sealer deteriorate to make it impossible to hold water. Now… it’s fix time!

I don’t HAVE to do ANYTHING. We live in Florida… a tropical forest. Birds are everywhere! I don’t NEED them to come visit the side of my house, and there is no law that says it’s my job to provide them water. They don’t really need me to provide water, since God does that in many ways. But birds bring joy to my wife when they come. And she… brings joy to me!

Righteousness, like birdy visits, are not a requirement for living on this planet. But The One who created us all, created us FOR His righteousness. We were made for Him and His pleasure. This is HIS Garden and I am here for His purposes. I can come and take advantage of all the goodness He has to offer, and be completely satisfied. Or I can do my own thing!

But doing my own thing is highly overrated! What little temporary ‘happy fix’ I might receive is NOTHING compared to what HE has to offer. And even if fully received HERE and NOW, His Glory is only a GLIMPSE of what He has to offer into eternity. So this ‘bird bath life’ I live is more like a little ‘show up’ test. Do I WANT what He has to offer? Or will I flit on by?

What about YOU? Do YOU really THIRST of Jesus and his Righteousness? Do you sing His praises when He fills you? What is it you want to quench your thirst?

“Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.” 1 John 3:18

“THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!” was all I could say! I can’t tell you to whom I said it. And I can’t tell you why. To do so might cause complications for their act of kindness. And that could be a problem. I have learned the statement is true, ‘No good deed goes unpunished!’ But I was blown away by the kindness of someone who didn’t HAVE to do what she did!

Her kindness, plus an added fluke along the way, caused the professional blessing she was giving me to expand into even more time and effort. And I knew it. Embarrassed, I thanked her again, as we talked about Jesus. I smiled because MOST things done with and through Jesus, cost more than originally expected. That’s just like a rule with Him. But that’s OK.

‘The extra effort’ isn’t in any clause of Jesus’ verbal contract with me. It just IS. In thinking about it, I really can’t see any other way to determine if my action to love, help or serve… is truly out of selflessness and love for ‘The Master.’ Helping someone load a TV into a car takes me away from my own, causing me to show compassion, and have a conversation first!

But Jesus is watching. More so than Santa! Jesus REALLY DOES have a list, and He checks it, not just twice… but REGULARLY! I gladly received His sacrifice of death and New Life, and committed my nasty life to Him in return. It was the LEAST I could do. Now, He expects ME to lay down MY life… for HIM. I’m how HE reaches others! So either I serve Him… or I don’t!

Each day finds me with options that can be divided into only 2 categories. Do I live for myself, doing what ‘I’ want?’ Or do I do what ‘HE’ wants me to do. I must be sincere! Because He lives in my heart, He can see my motivations VERY clearly and cannot be fooled. What about YOU? Are YOU, right now… doing what Jesus is wanting and expecting from you? Honestly?

Dear Child of God… you MAY want to read today’s verse again… a few times!

“Therefore (you) put on the full armor of God, so that when (not if) the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.” Ephesians 6:13

“It’s OK! It’s OK!” Those were the words my granddaughter hollered out onto the basketball court to her sister (also my granddaughter), after she just missed a file shot in a brutal game that looked more like a wrestling match than basketball! I asked Bailey, “What do you mean it’s OK… SHE MISSED the goal!?” She responded, “I’m just trying to encourage her!”

Last night, on Monday night football, the LA Rams wore shirts and hats that read “LAFD.” the talk was all about the first responders and their heroism in fighting the apocalyptic fires in LA County. The backstory praised their effort to control the fire to limit the horrific loss. It was the NFL screaming out… “It’s OK! It’s OK!” My gut reaction was… ‘No, it’s not!’

We’ve all now heard the truth of the politics, waste, mismanagement and inaction that led to this catastrophic disaster. It’s far from over, but the spin of deflecting blame and responsibility is just getting started! I don’t know about you, but I’m sick and tired of hearing spin. But what am ‘I’ supposed to do? Well, The Bible, today’s verse… is completely clear!

Please note the underline marks in the verse above. I put them there for me. If they help YOU… so much the better. They point out to me that Jesus is NOT going to tolerate my excuses, or swallow my spins on failure. Especially after He’d pointed out, and deliberately TOLD me what His expectations were from my life. Jesus doesn’t give out ‘nice try’ medals!

God is constantly trying to tell me something. Whether I listen and obey, or not, is MY choice. I’ve been around long enough to know that when God tells me what He wants, and I agree to do something about what He says, I WILL be held accountable for the results. Where do You stand on spin?

What is God trying to tell YOU… and are YOU doing what He says? When you see evil, failure, greed, spin and lies, should you keep quiet or point it out? What kind of difference might YOU make by standing up for Jesus to ‘The Spin?’

“Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law.” Romans 13:8

I had finally gotten around to cleaning off my desk. Now, as I sat there, I could at least SEE the desktop, which honestly made me a little proud! Suddenly, my eyes were drawn to some stuff I had stacked upright at the BACK of the desk. If the stuff on the top had been my ‘GET TO’ pile, THIS area had become my ‘DON’T EVER FORGET’ collection. As I gazed at one particular envelope, something in the back of my mind sent an alarm to the front… and I freaked!!!

I held in my hand a bill that was SUPPOSED to have been paid a MONTH ago! In the 30 years I have lived in this house it only happened 2 other times. Once, we came home to no electricity. Another time… no water! BOTH times I felt like a fool trying to EXPLAIN myself to the people in charge of collections. Even as I tried to excuse my failure over the phone, I could sense them rolling their eyes and thinking, “yea, yea Mr. Loser… I’ve heard that one before!” Regardless of the excuse, I had become an ‘infractor!’

I clearly remembered paying this month’s bills WEEKS ago. But for some reason I had ‘held off’ on this one. OOPS! And SILLY! Because with online banking, paying bills in 2025 is rather simple. When the bill comes, I can easily ‘log on’ to my account, enter the amount and hit ‘Pay!’ I can do it from my phone, and for MOST accounts, I can even set up ‘Auto-pay’ so I don’t have to SEE a bill to worry about forgetting. Then my thoughts turned to goats!

In the Old Testament, payment for sin came like my utility bills… varying and often! One sin may require the blood of a dove… another a goat… or even a bull! One thing was for certain, no matter how much blood you paid, you were guaranteed MORE would be required… and SOON! My silly mind tried to figure out how the Israelites might have worked out ‘Auto-pay’ for goat sacrifices… which became too gruesome… even for me! Then I thought of Jesus!

When Jesus Christ died on the cross over 2000 years ago He “Paid In Full” ALL of my debts! Past, present and future! Which takes ‘Auto-pay’ to a whole new level! Did you get that? Jesus paid ‘ALL of my debts,’ except ONE! As I wrote that, my head dropped in sorrow because, ‘loving YOU’ is an outstanding debt that I too often forget to pay! But as quickly as sorrow came… it went! Because my loving Lord assured me that there will be NO ‘Past Due’ notice with this debt. 

His love to me, and THROUGH me will NEVER be shut off! It’s as if He hands me His credit Card and says… “Let me help you with this!” And friends… that is one card you NEVER want to ‘leave home without!’  So… what do YOU owe?

“…but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” Isaiah 40:31

My smile could NOT have gotten bigger, nor could the love and appreciation I felt toward God! After not feeling very well, I was headed out to a doctor appointment. Running a little behind, I had spent some quiet time doing research for Sunday’s service. A link opened to a full concert… then to 1 song. Listening to the song, I was drawn back in time… remembering.

Heading out onto US 41, I noticed a turkey buzzard flying in the air. A usual sight. Buzzards have a tendency to flock together like family, just for a sense of community. When they do, it’s called a ‘harem.’ Shortly after seeing that buzzard, another flew directly toward me.  When the sun caught its wings I noticed it was a Bald Eagle. It then flew directly above me, then circled!

My immediate reaction was to not only smile.. but to SHOUT OUT thanks and praise to God for His glorious gift! This is NOT Biblical! But it Is… personal. Over the seasons of my life, God has used Eagles and Rainbows as personal hugs to me. Sometimes when I have followed through on tough assignments, or after being down… and sometimes for no other reason than His Love.

In the words of a song, “this is my God, this is who He is… He LOVES us (me). Many years ago, back when all there was to sing were hymns out of a hymnbook at church, God took the time to reveal Himself and call ME. I have NEVER regretted saying ‘yes!’ Over time, He has taken me though many mountain tops… and valleys… sometimes with eagles and rainbows along the way!

I’ve learned that God doesn’t call GROUPS to Himself. He births each and every Believer, personally and individually. Each one of us has OUR story. Where I may see an Eagle, you may see a sunset.. or whatever! But God is PERSONAL. Our relationships to Him are like fingerprints… still a finger.. but uniquely personal. Like an appreciated hug from a father.

I don’t know what God does for you at special times. But He does it. Those touches may come often, or they can be rare. But He stamps His name on my heart when He chooses. So… what does He do for YOU? How are you searching for and growing closer to know? Are you pursuing Him as much as He pursues you? Why not spend some special time with Him today and start to discover?

Here’s a good song we just sang Sunday. May it bless you as much as it did me…  i’m feeling better today! 🙂