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Read Psalms 11

“The wise man built his house upon a rock…” is a song I learned (with hand motions of course) when I was a kid. Admittedly, I never fully appreciated the real truth of the song until I got a lot older.

“If the foundations are destroyed what can the righteous do? For the Lord is righteous; He loves righteous deeds; the upright shall behold His face” (vs 3, 7)

The foolish man built his house on sand, and when the rain and the winds came it destroyed the house. The difficult times in your life will always reveal your foundation. For some reading this it serves as a reminder and a warning, but for some, it serves as an explanation as to why your life fell apart. Build your life on Jesus and your life will weather any storm.

The world makes fun of God. They picture Him as though He is the “old man upstairs.” He sits on a rocking chair. He is absent-minded. He isn’t very in tune with what is going on down here on earth.

“Mightier than the thunders of many waters, mightier than the waves of the sea, the LORD on high is mighty!” ( vs 4)

One day the world will stand before this Great God to give an account of every word and action. They will kneel before Him and declare that “Jesus Christ is LORD to the glory of God the Father.” (Phil 2:10). Today God offers mercy and grace, reject this gift, and one day He will become your Judge.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, the church has been a burden on my heart. There are those who are struggling to keep the doors open for lack of attendance and finances. On the other hand, there are many local governments who are trying to keep churches from being able to worship.

With all of the different problems the church is facing, I thought we may be able to learn from churches in the past. “7 Letters to 7 Churches” is a closer look at the 7 Churches mentioned in Revelation 2-3. If you read closely, you might even discover a church that looks like the one you are attending now. See what Jesus has to say and may the light of your church burn bright.

Here is a link on Amazon to purchase this book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08JKZDNZR

Like the rest of the world, I was shocked to hear about the death of Kobe Bryant. As a Michael Jordan fan growing up, I loved to dislike Kobe, but sure did appreciate the skill he brought to the basketball floor.

With his death everyone has brought up his accomplishments, on and off the court. Evidently, he worked with many children’s organizations like the Make-A-Wish organization to name one. It seems obvious to me he cared much about his family and his community.

Unfortunately, I don’t have any idea concerning the spiritual journey Kobe chose in his life. I pray he was a follower of Jesus. If he was, I know he is in heaven today. Which brings me to my point, when I die, please, do me a favor. Make sure the world knows that I made the decision to make Jesus Lord of my life. Regardless of any “accomplishments” I may have had, I want people to know that I would throw them all away to know the One who loved and died for me.

“Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” Philippians 3:8

I pray in all of the “accomplishments” and awards you receive, the greatest decision you ever make, is the one to choose Christ as Lord over your life as well. That is a decision we can all celebrate!

Success can be measured in so many ways. A football team that doesn’t have high expectations might consider it a success just to make the playoffs while another team might consider it a failure if they don’t win the Super Bowl. They couldn’t both be right, could they?

I was once asked what if I go on the missions field and i don’t see any converts. What if I go and I see no growth, won’t I be considered a failure? I guess it would be a failure, if you judge your success by those outcomes, however, God measures success differently. 

“Be careful to observe all that is written in the Law. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” Joshua 1:8b

You don’t determine success by budgets, buildings, attendance or numbers as the world does, on the contrary, it is based on our obedience to Him. Conversely, we don’t get to disobey Him because we don’t see the “fruit” of success. We obey Him because He is the King and we are His servants. We love Him because He first loved us.

Don’t settle for success based on the world’s definition. Instead, be successful based on God’s definition. When the world goes against you, be Obedient. When you are called to sacrifice, be Obedient. When it is not popular, be Obedient. He is Worthy!

One of the greatest words in the English language is Hope. Within hope, there is power to move forward. Hope frees us from the past. Hope empowers us to pursue new relationships. Without hope, we make decisions we never thought were even possible. The good news is there is always hope in Jesus. His resurrection from the dead provides not only hope in this life, but also an eternal hope for the future. If you are living a hopeless life you should know you don’t have to stay that way. Find the hope that God offers you today.

Dear Jonathan is a book inspired by the book of Proverbs where a father takes wisdom gleaned from experience and passes it on to his son. In this book, I have written over 130 different letters to my son with the overall intention of drawing him closer to the best life he could ever have, the one closest to God.

To purchase the book you can click the picture above which takes you to Amazon.com or you you can follow this link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1088919979

This book takes a chapter by chapter look through Psalms to reveal the heart of God. The book tackles many different topics, but ultimately, we want His heart to be reflected in our lives.

If you would like this book, can you order it from Amazon.

A few years ago, when Natalie was much younger, she had an opportunity to either play basketball or to be a cheerleader. She told me she was having a hard time deciding which one she wanted to go for. Finally, I asked her something that I hoped would solve the dilemma, “Natalie, do you want to be on the sidelines cheering, or do you want to be playing and be the one they are cheering for?” She told me she wanted to be the one they were cheering for, to which I said, Get out there and play hard.

I feel the same way when it comes to being a part of God’s plan of reaching the world with the gospel. I want to get in the game and give it everything I have. As some have said, “I want to leave it all out on the court!” Today, we are fighting for so much more than a trophy, but the eternal lives of people. Our obedience, or lack thereof, can make the difference in their future.

When it comes to the Great Commission where are you? Are you sitting on the sidelines or are you out there giving it everything you’ve got! As you follow God in obedience you will find there will be no greater cheerleader than God Himself, who will be with you every step of the way.

Joy is a common theme of the Christmas season. Our joy can come from many different places. I have spent much of my life seeking pleasure, peace, contentment, happiness, satisfaction – joy. I have grasped joy often times, but it seems to slip so easily right out of my hands. I have found joy in hard work and success, in financial stability, in alcohol, in serving others, in paying off a home, and in a beautiful family. I have found joy in vacations, friends, sex, good health, laughter, and love. Though I have had heartache and seen some things that I wish I could blot out of my mind, I have successfully experienced joy in my life – yet it always seems to slip away. I find that joy and I rest in it – but in a moment it is gone. 
How easily I am pleased. How foolish and ignorant I am. I am way to easily satisfied with the fleeting joys of this world when there is infinite joy offered. It will never make sense to the unsaved mind, that all of the joys of this world will never add up to the joy of a relationship with Jesus Christ. He somehow takes brokenness and creates a lasting joy, like the prayer in Psalm 51:8 says, “Make me to hear joy and gladness, let the bones which You have broken rejoice.” Verse 12 goes on to say, “Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and sustain me with a willing spirit.” 
Friends, don’t be content or satisfied with the temporary joys of this world. They are just that – temporary. You see, the very One that creates joy – sustains joy. Seek His joy and prayerfully ask Him to sustain that joy for you this Christmas. We have willingly accepted all of the short-term blessings of this life in exchange for the infinite joy of uninterrupted, unadulterated, pure worship of the King. Rejoice in Him!