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PRIORITIZE PRAYER IN EVERY SEASON

 A few days back, I became engaged in a controversy on Face Book. A good person posted that it was acceptable to talk about someone who had hurt her. Is it acceptable to tell others how someone hurt you? The person she was talking about did not like her sharing. I posted my view. I did not agree with the sweet, good lady as I saw silence and forgiveness as the best choice. This is a lesson I had learned the hard way in my younger days. I instantly realized that many would not agree with me. I realized I should have listened to myself and stayed silent. What should I have done? Pray. I forgot that I had already promised myself to prioritize prayer over responding on social media. I failed. With the current political environment, we need to be praying for our nation. However, it is hard with all the political chatter. I don't agree with many, and I am easily drawn into conversations. Then, I realized that what I posted was not making any difference to anyone. I thought about the hate...
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WHY ARE YOU STANDING THERE?

 How often do we shy away from sharing the gospel? An opportunity arises and we simply overlook the door of opportunity to share the gospel. Why? Are we not prepared? Is it fear of rejection? I have been there. I will never forget that day because of the guilt I felt afterwards. God placed a lady in my path for me to help. I froze. She drove away. I went home and prayed for forgiveness. Yet, it was one who needed kind words from someone who cared. I cared, but didn't act on the opportunity.  Now, as I am reading the book of Acts, I wish we all could have the boldness of those disciples. They boldly obeyed the call to share the gospel to all nations. Many were beaten, bond in chains, and thrown into prison. Then, as soon as they were released, they boldly proclaimed the gospel. Can we have that same boldness? In Acts 1, the disciples watch Jesus go up into the clouds. Their Savoir was gone. Two men in white apparel came to the disciples and said, "You men of Galilee, why stand ...
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Christians: What Are You Sharing

Today, on most social media, there are posts about end times. It seems many are consumed with the expectation of the end times. Those expectations differ over denominations and the many books written about end times. There are movies about being "Left Behind." Yet, are we more consumed about being knowledgeable about end times than obeying God? What good is it if we are sharing what we imagine will happen instead of sharing salvation? Before Jesus' resurrection, he gave the following command to his followers in Matthew 28:19: Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. In order to make disciples, we have to understand what makes a disciple. God loves all his creation and desires for all to choose him. It is not forced. It is our choice. Some come to God at a very young age while others come later in life. It doesn't matter. We simply have to believe.  If you go to a Bible app and searc...
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Seek Him - He Is Waiting

  Reading 2 Chronicles where King Asa is preparing to go into battle. A prophet comes with a message: "Listen to me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin: the LORD is with you when you are with Him. And if you seek Him, He will let you find Him; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you." (15:2) If you want God, seek Him. Pray. Call out for God to come to you. In faith, believe.  We have trials and hardships. We have those decisions to make and fear what if we make the wrong decision. We look back on all our bad decisions and failures and wonder what else could we have done. Yet, the scripture tells us to seek Him.  King Asa and his men saw the huge army coming to crush them. The enemy was coming in full force. They feared. King Asa prayed, "LORD, there is no one besides You to help in the battle between the powerful and those who have no strength; so help us, O LORD our God, for we trust in You, and in Your name have come against this multitude. O LORD, You are our God; le...
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Hold On, Don't Let the Gospel Slip Away

Therefore, we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. Hebrews 2:1 As I studied the apostles' letters to the churches, I was challenged by the repeated reminder that Jesus obediently yielded to the cross for our sins. All the writers repeated the message of salvation which came through the cross where Christ's blood was shed for our sins.  Jesus died on the cross, buried in a tomb, and on the third day the tomb was empty. Jesus Christ arose from the dead and lives. He lives! 'After the Lord had spoken to them, he was received up into heaven and sat on the right hand of God.' Mark 16:19 The apostles departed and obeyed Jesus' command, 'Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.' (Mark 16:14) They spread the gospel teaching salvation, the power of the Holy Spirit, and how to live out their faith.  Now, here we are thousands of years later. We have their message. We ...
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The Message: Salvation

  Salvation. Born again. What is it? As a child, I heard the story about Jesus telling the young Pharisee what he must do to enter into heaven. He must believe. He must be born again. As Moses had lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so the Son of God must be lifted up. In other words, the Son of God is the sacrificial lamb for all our sins, and all who believe will have eternal life. We have our physical birth. To be born again is our spiritual birth receiving God in us. Are you born again? If not, do not linger too long. Here is what Peter and Jesus had to say about salvation and being born again. From the prophets in the Old Testament to the messengers in the New Testament, the message is about the Messiah, the sacrificial Lamb, who will bring salvation to all who will believe. “Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of C...
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James: A Letter to the Scattered Church

 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greetings. My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into divers temptations; knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. James 1:1,2 James' letter was not just written to the Church, but to the Jews who believed in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Due to persecution, many believers left Jerusalem. Yet, it appears that persecution followed many of them. In this letter, James encourages and instructs these persecuted churches. They had drifted from faith and God giving in to temptations.  James goes on point in the first words of the letter addressing temptation. Why are we tempted? Where does temptation come? How do we face temptation? As I read James' letter, I see that today's church is no different. Each Christian faces temptations and trials. Each church is filled with many different sets of opinions and challenges. Yet do we react to those trials...
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