“A psalm of David. Oh LORD, hear my prayer, listen to my cry for mercy; in your faithfulness and righteousness come to my relief.” Psalm 143:1

It was a tough week. I was experiencing it myself, but was not alone. It seemed the entire Church was under some kind of dark spell. Many more folks than usual were sick. Many others who were not, were going through some pretty difficult circumstances. As I prayed for myself, I found the list of those in similar situations, and in need of prayer, growing!

I have found a great remedy for care or need is to run across someone who is in worse need than me! I knew Dee was going into the hospital for surgery. I knew it was going to be more than a normal procedure. I had no idea HOW much more until I talked with Ed over the phone… he cracked. This was VERY serious. Like life and death serious! That changed things.

I don’t run to hospitals for just any reason. This hospital was WAY up in Bradenton’s east side in total ‘trafficville!’ I prayed David’s prayer and got there in decent time. Ed and I spent hours talking as Dee was in the surgeon’s hands. The situational need didn’t change, but the fellowship and focus on Jesus made it much more endurable. She came through well.

Those roads I took to get up, then back, used to be my way to go to work 50 years ago… back during the days of the OLD Skyway Bridge and NO I-75! As I drove I saw businesses that’d been newly built, thrived, and were now dead, empty hulks. New ones were taking their places. But Ed and I were blessed to hold on to Old Reliable Jesus who’s ALWAYS there!

Today, David’s prayer is available to you… or to someone in need with whom you can share. This world is filled with difficulties and pain, but the Church is a TEAM. When God’s People get together to pray and share, it only makes us stronger. Thank you for your continued prayer and care for Dee, Ed and the rest of God’s family. If YOU are a Special member of Jesus’ Team… THANK YOU!

“He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” Ecclesiastes 3:11

O.K…. I was in a hurry. But I was so sure I could pull it off that I didn’t even consider what could happen. Thinning down some drywall compound with a drill and a mixing tool, I was inside the house. Something in the back of my head told me to do that outside. But I didn’t listen. With the drill on full power, I forgot that the variable speed button was broken!

Everything was nearing the end and I began to pull it out of the mix SLOWLY. But the drill HAD no slow. It was running fast! Lifting it up out of the top of the bucket, my jeans, and the walls, got a bath of splatter. Now, added to a simple task, was the additional job of cleaning up the mess! Being in a hurry had come with a price… again.

‘I want patience… and I want it right now!’ That is a theme of my life. When things are going wrong or I find myself in a valley, I want to hurry and get out as fast as possible. I keep forgetting that God uses the failures and trials of my life to build my character and dependence on HIM. Time too often feels more of an obstacle than a tool.

God and Jesus are at work. And the one thing I have learned the hard way is that they are rarely in a rush. It is HIS goal and will for my life that I must yield to. Hurrying and stirring things up only makes life a mess. When I yield and slow down, I can see His beauty and purpose in my life. Are YOU going through something too fast too? You can rest in His care!

“Then He said to them, “’Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.’” Matthew 4:19

My son booked a fishing trip, inviting his brother and me. His brother couldn’t make it, so he invited his nephew, my grandson. And we went fishing! By most accounts, it was a successful trip. We went to catch fish. My grandson reminded me that I caught 1… “and he was little!” But we didn’t really catch any ’keepers.’ Now the question… were we successful?

We had a fabulous time! The time spent together was priceless and made a memory that will never go away. I WILL hear, “remember the time we went fishing and you only got…?” Yea! Priceless! But a memory was made by fellowship. Spending time together. Watching and copying techniques and trying to duplicate success by mimicking the successful ones.

Jesus invited 12 guys to follow Him. To watch Him. To yield to and copy Him. All for the purpose of going out into the sea of God’s created ones to ‘FISH’… for PEOPLE! It was His idea, both in creation and within the Church, to try to get people to fall for Him… hook, line and sinker! He invited us to join Him… and even paid the price for the trip! It is His calling!

When I was a kid I LOVED to fish. I’d go out to a place and sit for hours in hopes of catching ANYTHING. These days, I’m a little more picky. My enthusiasm wanes when the catch, or the quality of the fish, is low. Lots of people who don’t like to fish… I get it. But fishing is bigger than just ‘reeling in a big one!’ It is a time to spend with Jesus Himself. And His folks.

So I’m going to move this last trip up to a 10 for quality time with my family. I look forward to Sunday when I will spend quality time in worshiping Jesus with His people. To learn more about Jesus and His fellow called ones. To learn how to show love and to duplicate what ‘The Master’ is trying to teach us all. Do you?

“having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.” 2 Timothy 3:5

Going through a place of business, I had shaken some hands and said some hellos. Upon leaving I saw a very fancy, automatic hand sanitizing unit on the wall… the color of its contents adding to its appeal. It called to me! Placing my hand under the dispenser, nothing came out. I did it again… nothin’! Looking, I found no button. One more time… nada!

One of the employees saw what I was doing, so I asked if I was doing something wrong. Their reply was, “Oh that thing doesn’t work. It goes back to the COVID pandemic years ago. The stuff in there probably doesn’t work anymore!” “Hmmmm,” was all I could say. Glancing once more before leaving, I noted that it surely did look fancy on that wall… and then left.

In preparation for our upcoming Bible Study, I’ve been reading Leviticus Chapter 1 with guilty interest. Trying to get past chapter 1 without understanding my uselessness at cleansing myself from sin leaves me with no other option than to accept my dirty condition. I have NO way of cleaning myself! I am lost. No matter HOW clean I may look outside!

Paul warned Timothy to be aware that, people then, and especially these days, will come along and try to sell a bill of goods that may SOUND good for ‘religion’s sake… but their ways will be as useless as that hand sanitizer. Paul is very clear… know your Bible and your Savior… and stay away from people who may sound good… but aren’t!    Do you?

“For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.” 2 Corinthians 4:6

“Eh!” is now my response to any palmetto bug skittering from the light in my garage… or bathroom… or anywhere else. It doesn’t cause me alarm, surprise or anxiousness like it did upon my first encounter 50 years ago. Now it’s just “Eh!” An unwelcome irritation that needs to be taken care of. So I took care of it. Because that is what I’m supposed to do!

The age of Feminism blossomed a few decades ago. I was there and saw it… AFTER the decline of the age of Manliness. But Feminism cannot work. Proof is in the reaction to a roach! Some things remain the man’s job! I didn’t cry out “Oh Katie HELP!” I surreptitiously slipped on over… and destroyed the unwelcome visitor. Then sprayed to prevent more!

Having been convicted by the slinking out of darkness into the light, a lil bug of sin crept from the ‘dark side’ of my heart. I don’t let anyone fool me into the false sense of security of “once saved – always saved” where I can do anything I want without remorse, penalty or eradication. Jesus saves completely… but we’ve still work to do on the bugs of my life.

God’s light shines into the darkness of my heart to reveal the things that do not bring Him glory. He doesn’t share! His command to “Be Holy” still stands and requires action upon my part. My reaction to the glorious display of His Son in my life is to destroy the bugs of sin, and take measures to rid them from my life. It is ‘On Me’ to be ‘all in’ on His offer of Glory!

Fellow Exterminator…. are YOU ‘all in’ with, and for… Jesus?

“Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.” Romans 12:10

“WOW! This place has been CRAZY!” We were standing in a long checkout line… and since we weren’t going anywhere fast, I struck up the conversation. “Yea,” he replied, “it’s that time of year!” I knew what he was hinting at so I asked him, “Resident or snowbird?” And the conversation was moving along. Things got real when I asked, “Go to church anywhere?”

My new friend’s response was instant… “daily living in grace and mercy.” His answer assured me we were brothers… and would spend eternity together. Then he told me his wife was recently diagnosed with cancer and that his father was failing with Alzheimers. An instant desire to pray for him came, and I told him so. We were both blessed by our meeting.

Love and Honor can come naturally between people who share common History. Family, friends, co-workers and associates can share good, or bad blood, depending on the circumstances. God tells me to make sure that whatever the circumstances, I am to love and honor them anyway. A tough sell when one has been burned or mistreated. God says ‘do it!’

God calls me to make conversations and relationships with people in this world for HIS Glory and purposes… not my own! So when I find myself standing in a line with someone, I make it a habit to start a conversation to see if we have any commonality between us… and to share Jesus when a door opens. It’s a blessing both given AND received. 

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 7:21

“Thump, Thump, Thump,” came the noise from my roof. It was LOUD… and sounded like an army was engaging an enemy right above me. In reality, it was 2 men loading roofing tiles on my roof for installation. They were moving FAST! Considering the terrible weather, I was in awe at their work ethic. I USED to be a hard and fast worker like that! But not anymore!

I had gone outside earlier to do a quick project, but immediately regretted opening the door! It was just plain cold and wet out there. In my opinion, any weather that starts with ‘forty’ something is not weather conducive to getting things done. The guys on the roof were not working according to MY standards. They had a job and a boss they answered to!

Looking back on life can be insightful. Looking forward… even more so. Looking at the issues and direction the world is moving forces me to pause and look at what I am doing through the lens of MY Father’s priorities. As the THUMP, THUMP, THUMP was going on above me, today’s verse jumped out and made me ask, am I doing everything The Father expects!

I remember way back when I was at school, then work, when I woke up and didn’t FEEL like doing either. Earlier in life, I admit to lying there trying to conjure up legitimate excuses that could pass for NOT doing what my parent’s, teachers, or bosses expected from me. As responsibilities of marriage, home ownership and parenting came, I quit the excuse search!

I live with God NOW… everyday! And while I don’t punch a clock anymore, I DO have expectations from my Heavenly Father that come with a warning. Some day my work ethic and Job completion rate WILL be evaluated. I will either have DONE God’s will for my life. Or not! And I don’t have to wait until I die to know if He is actually pleased with my efforts!

In the cold damp climate of the world, what kind of sound do YOUR feet make during the day? Are you obeying the Father and doing His will? Or making excuses? 

“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?