Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s a new day of a new week and it’s always time for a New Beginning when it comes to the Living God. I spent my time on the front porch and watched as everything around this old farm began Celebrating the new day…especially me. I don’t know what He has in mind for me today but I’ll be doing His Will no matter what, and if He tells me to do something that doesn’t make sense to another living soul I’ll do it anyway…because I Love Him. I can’t begin to comprehend how He paints the beauty of a sunrise, and I don’t always understand His Ways in my Life…but it isn’t up to me to understand…it’s up to me to Trust and Obey. Isn’t that the way you look at Life too?

It is fascinating to watch people exhaust themselves trying to understand God and His Ways even though God says, ““For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,”

declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth,

so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts”. It doesn’t come down to whether or not God’s Plan makes sense – it comes down to whether or not we’ll Trust and Obey even when it doesn’t. God gave us intellect above all living creatures and sometimes that intellect gets in the way of surrendering to Trust and Obey. We analyze, evaluate, moderate, and rationalize when He prompts us to go in a Direction that makes no sense to the human mind as if we need to help the Living God make sense of His Plans. But stretching the intellect has no place in Trust and Obey because it always comes down to Faith. Humans can diffuse a Miracle faster than they can say “amen” all because they went looking for logic in His Will. His Plans won’t be changed just because we need to “prove” to ourselves that God wants them completed – He’ll just find another Vessel that knows how to Trust and Obey – and THAT Vessel will have the Honor of being part of a God-size Plan that makes little sense to the intellectual mind.

Countless people have gone before me as Examples of what it looks like to Trust and Obey when it doesn’t make sense to the human mind, and I choose to follow their Lead. Joshua was told to march around the walls of Jericho seven times to crumble the walls around the city of his enemy, and that warrior did what He was told because of Trust and Obey. Noah was told to build an ark to prepare for a flood when he’d never seen a drop of rain, and that old man did what he was told because of Trust and Obey. Peter was told to go fishing and to pull a gold coin out of the mouth of the first fish he caught so that it could be used to pay their taxes. Peter did what he was told to do because of Trust and Obey. A penniless widow was told to gather up jars, fill them with oil that flowed out of “nowhere”, and then sell the oil to sustain her family financially, and she did what she was told to do because of Trust and Obey. I like being a Vessel that can be used by the Living God and it all comes down to Trust and Obey…ESPECIALLY when it doesn’t “make sense” to the human mind.

I’m kicking off a new day of a new week in the Journey called Life with a willingness to Trust and Obey whatever He tells me to do. I won’t waste any of my God-given intellect trying to figure out if His Plans make sense to me. Instead, I’ll go where He tells me to go and I’ll do what He tells me to do whenever He tells me to do it! I LOVE Him and I choose to Trust and Obey all the days of my life because of it. Now THAT makes perfect sense!

How about you?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. The day is just beginning but my time with the Master this morning has been so full and so rich that it’s hard to imagine the good that is yet to come from the rest of this new day. It excites me to have another day – another chance to glorify my God! The sky over the farm is marked with the stripes of the military planes guarding the land and I’ve already prayed for these warriors this morning. Although I’m not flying high in the sky with U.S. troops today, I’m a Warrior in the Lord’s Army. I’m armored up and a force to be reckoned with in the spiritual realms. Isn’t that the way it’s supposed to be?

I have everything I need to be a Warrior and my enemy knows it. I know that just by mentioning the name of my Commander in Chief, the enemy shakes in his boots so I’m never afraid of him. When I put my Weapons to good use, the darts fired by my enemy will bounce off my Armor like toys. I know the nature of my enemy, and I know that he prowls around just looking for someone or something to devour, but he doesn’t stand a chance with me or my family as long as I’m doing battle. There is “no weapon formed against me will prosper” or find its way to victory as long as I’m Armed and Ready 24/7. This enemy is pathetic and although he does his best to scare and torment the weaker ones, I’m strong enough for an entire army and equipped to overcome him. It doesn’t really matter what kind of weaponry he uses, I’ve got the most powerful Commander in Chief the Universe has ever known and His stripes are the only stripes that matter. Together we can send the enemy back to where he belongs like a scared little girl. I NEVER have anything to fear because I’m always equipped to do battle and I trust the Commander in Chief to always have my back. This is the Key to Strength.

Like a good warrior, I can’t afford to let my guard down and I can NEVER stop Preparing for battle even during times of peace. With an enemy known to “prowl around looking to devour” I know that he likes surprise attacks so I won’t necessarily see signs of him coming in advance. It’s when my confidence in my own ability is too high and my guard too low that I am the most vulnerable to the enemy. So I stay Focused on my Commander in Chief and I’ll follow His Instructions to a tee. I’m part of the most Powerful Army the world has ever known and I have nothing to fear as long as I’m doing my part to Win. I’m strong, I’m courageous, I’m prepared and I’ll always be Victorious. I’m a Warrior in the most Powerful Army of all and there is no war I can’t win. This is the Key to facing the future fearlessly.

I’m a warrior facing this day with Courage and Boldness. I’m Armed and Ready for battle no matter what it looks like today. I know that “Greater is He who is in ME, than he who is in the world” and if I just Remember that, I’ll never see him as a threat again. I am a force to be reckoned with and Confident that “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”.

How about you?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. As I attempted to settle in to meet with the Creator of the Universe this morning, I kept going back and forth between the front porch and my desk and my spirit was unsettled. I read my devotional and I read the assigned chapters on my read through the Bible schedule, but I had to keep forcing myself to remain focused because my mind was going back and forth too. I didn’t realize that my unsettled and unfocused state this morning was a Master Plan of the One I Serve who eventually led me to where He wanted me today…to the Scripture intended for my soul AND to the Spiritual Woodshed to set me Straight. Today I read the same Words I’ve read countless times before, but today, I cried and I hung my head in shame when I read them. How blessed I am that the Living God would love me enough to illuminate a Personalized Message just for me today…a Message to Set me Straight and to help me Grow. Isn’t that the way He Grows you too?

One of the things about the Journey of Faith that is so incredible to me is that we can be coasting along feeling as if all is well with our Soul and then BOOM – He takes us to the Woodshed and we realize we weren’t as “focused” as we thought we were after all. One minute we can feel joyful and be filled with gratitude, and the next minute we can feel shame over our thoughts or behaviors in need of a Spiritual Adjustment. We are ALL inclined to be “double-minded” if we aren’t careful and sometimes God will “show up” like He did for me this morning to set us Straight by way of Conviction. I am still a diamond in the rough, and I still have a long way to go, but the one area that I struggle with the most is double-mindedness when it comes to how I Love. The Bible says “They will know you are mine by the way you love one another” because Love is the Truest Definition of Jesus and the way we spread it is our Witness to the world. If I can’t love 100% of the time – no matter the circumstances – who am I to expect Love from Him if I refuse to Love another? Conviction over such things is the KEY to humility and growth.

The Bible says, “With the tongue, we bless our Lord and Father, and with it, we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come blessing and cursing”. If that’s not a perfect picture of double-mindedness I don’t know what is! The “cursing” here is not defined by a bunch of four-letter words…the “cursing” here is every word, thought, or action that goes against the nature of Christ. Ouch. It’s just a process of breaking bad habits to remove curse words from our vocabulary, BUT it’s an entirely different story to not speak, think, or act upon our “feelings” when we’re convinced that we’ve been wronged…and that’s the hard part. It’s not about what “they” deserve. It’s not even about what we think we deserve. It’s about what He deserves! Remembering that He made each one in His “likeness” should

make us choke each time we curse out the same mouth we Bless Him with. Striving for such things is what it takes to please the God who says, “Be holy as I am holy”.

I’m a little bruised after my time in the Spiritual Woodshed but I’m glad He loves me enough to take me there sometimes. I want to please Him MORE than I want to be right about something, and I want to strive to “Be holy” as He is holy. Perseverance and Humility are the backbone of the Journey of Faith. I’m Teachable…I’m Humble…I’m Committed…I’m Unstoppable…and sometimes I’m guilty of being double-minded by blessing and cursing with the same tongue. But I serve the God of forgiveness who Knows my Heart and He sees that I want to please Him more than I want to be right. As long as I remain Humble, I know that I can learn and grow all the days of my Life. That’s the Goal.

How about you?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. The temperature dropped 30 degrees overnight so my time with the Living God was spent inside today – AFTER I stepped outside to see how nature was celebrating this clear and crisp new day. I could hear the sound of music coming from all different kinds of birds, and I watched as the squirrels scurried around for their breakfast. I’ve never seen squirrels fight per se, but I have watched them relentlessly pursue each other when one squirrel discovers a buried walnut and the other squirrel wants it for itself. As I sat there taking all the Beauty in, my heart began to overflow with Gratitude as I thought about how beautiful Heaven will be. Even though what I imagine brings me to tears, my imagination can’t hold a candle to what’s in store for me. God says “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived the things God has prepared for those who love him” and THAT’S what makes me want everybody to have what I have and to Know what I Know. I have something Good and, unlike the scurrying squirrels, I hunger to Share it with the world. Isn’t that what you want to do with your Saving Faith too?

I’m not sure why some people have a Passion to Share Good things with the rest of the world while some want to hoard the Good for themselves just like the squirrels do. It’s a mystery to me. The same “hoarders” who don’t hesitate to show off a new house, or a new car, or to brag about an exotic vacation, don’t ever consider showing off the Greatest Gift of all. The Treasures of Heaven will make the treasures on earth look like Romper Room one day – but still, SO MANY of the “ones who love Him” never utter a word to the lost about the Greatest Gift of all. It’s sad that “the ones who love Him” are so busy storing up their own treasures on earth just like the squirrels do that they’re blinded to the lost ones who are destined to lose out on “what no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived the things God has prepared for those who love him.” Could it be that arrogance leads them to believe that the lost ones need to “sink or swim” all on their own? If so, they’re no different than a common squirrel.

Perhaps it takes an added measure of Gratitude for the Promise of Heaven one day, or maybe it takes Genuine Excitement for what is in store “for those who love Him”…or maybe it takes understanding what Hell will be like for the lost. I can do my best to describe Heaven from just a few things I know based on the Description in His Word- and my Passion is usually enough to make a lost person at least a little curious about what I have. But if there is anything I wish I could SHOW a lost person, it would be a video tour of Hell. For as much as we can’t begin to imagine Heaven, we can’t begin to imagine Hell either. Hell is a place of torment and “gnashing of teeth” like none of us can imagine – and the torment will go on for eternity. There isn’t a “bad” person that I’d ever wish Hell upon and there isn’t a “bad” person that I want to leave behind if I can help it. That’s what the Compassion of Christ looks like and it’s what separates man from a common squirrel.

It was heavenly at sunrise and I basked in the beauty all around this old farm, but more than anything I did my best to imagine what Heaven will be like one day…and what I imagined made me shed tears of Joy. I don’t deserve the Greatest Gift…none of us do… there wasn’t anything I did to earn it. You won’t find me hoarding up the Greatest gift of all like a common. Instead, you’ll find me singing His Praises like the birds of the air for all the world to hear. The Greatest Gift is Free, it’s PRICELESS, it’s ETERNAL, and I want EVERY lost person to know what I know so that they can look forward to Heaven like I do – “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived the things God has prepared for those who love him.”

How about you?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s a new day of a new week and it would be impossible NOT to rejoice and be glad in it from where I sit. The foliage changes significantly overnight this time of year and nothing blooms or buds at the same pace – not even like kinds. How deep (and healthy) the root system is, how rich the soil is, and how much exposure to the sun each one gets is a reflection of how and when each will bud and bloom. This oak tree is on its way to magnificence, while some trees haven’t even begun to bud. As I considered the foliage in the Spring in Virginia, I thought about how it is the same with God’s people. Some are on the way to Magnificence, while others haven’t even begun to bud or bloom because the Conditions aren’t right. Isn’t it just like God to use the Spring foliage to thread a message into my Heart?

Reaching Magnificence should be the Goal of every Believer but unfortunately, very few bother to try. It’s as if they received their One Way ticket to Heaven and after that, they see no need to make any effort whatsoever to reach Magnificence. Way too many professed Christians have convinced themselves that complacency is the place to be as they rest in their Salvation without a care in the world. They have no root system, and they don’t seem to care and they Live as if their “responsibility” ended at their desire for Salvation…but that’s just the Beginning of Spring! The foliage has nothing to say about its condition, and it has no option to move from one spot to the other where budding and blooming come easier…but people do. We have Free Will to decide to reach for Magnificence so that we can be found pleasing to the King OR to sit back and do nothing in His Name. We can easily move to a place with more Suitable Conditions for someone desiring to grow in His Name. We make the choice to spend time in the “book” of Nourishment or to leave it on the shelf to gather dust. We decide to let the remote control usher us into a church instead of making it a Priority to find one that feeds the Soul and nurtures Relationships. We decide if the Journey is worth our time and whether or not the King paid a price worthy of OUR sacrifice. Ouch.

I know what the farm will look like when everything buds and blooms because I’ve seen it with my own eyes, but I can only dream about what Life would look like if all the ones professing to be Believers in the Lord Jesus Christ actually reached for Magnificence too. Reaching for Magnificence is where peace, joy, and love are found. Reaching for Magnificence is where the foundation is Strengthened and Knowledge is grown. Reaching for Magnificence is where Forgiveness is found. I’ll be Reaching for Magnificence all the days of my Life not because I’m “special” but because I LOVE HIM. As long as there is breath in my body, I’ll be doing my part to Encourage others (who profess to Know Jesus) to reach for Magnificence too. After all, He DIED for us…the least we can do is LIVE for Him!

How about you?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I had a long meeting with the Living God this morning and He spent some time Refining my Heart for the Journey. The One who Created me is Kind and Gentle but when He is doing Business on the Heart He doesn’t soften the blow. He used His Heavenly highlighter over weak spots that I haven’t conquered yet, and He reminded me of His Strength. The Bible says “It’s a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the Living God” and that we are to “Work out (your) salvation with fear and trembling” so it is no small thing to have unsettled business with the Living God. Part of my Lesson this morning made me weep with shame, and some of the Message made me overflow with joy – but none of the Message would have been possible, nor would it have any impact on my Life whatsoever, had I refused to be willing to be Molded by my Maker again this morning. When it comes to things like Heart and Character, there’s no such thing as being “complete”…at least not on this side of Heaven. There’s always room for improvement and I’m driven to be all that I can be for Him. Isn’t that the way you look at your Lessons too?

There are lots of reasons why most people don’t continue to Grow for as long as they live, but I think the biggest reason is pride. It’s often said, “Pride comes before the fall” but that’s a condensed version of what it says in Proverbs which drives the message home a little deeper…”Pride goes before destruction, a haughty (arrogant) spirit before a fall”. Pride is what prevents us from being willing to be transparent, and pride is what keeps us from sharing our Trials and Victories aka our Witness. Pride is when we convince ourselves that we’re something we’re not and that we’re bigger and better than we really are. Pride is what makes us run from the Spirit of God when it’s Lesson Time, and pride is what stands in the way of revealing our weaknesses. Pride is what prompts us to judge someone else, and pride is what makes us lie to ourselves about who and what we really are. Pride drives greed, and pride drives lies. It’s pride that will stop us from helping the helpless, and it’s pride that leads us to lose our identity in our checkbook. A prideful heart refuses to admit when it’s wrong, and pride stands in the way of forgiveness. There’s no end to the destruction that pride brings with it, and eventually, pride will build a shell around the Heart that is so hard that we’re no longer Recognizable as God’s People…and we become useless to the King. There’s no room for pride if we want to grow, and unless we get a handle on pride, we can’t find Humility.

I’ve been slapped around by people of Faith more often than I can count when they hear me confess my weaknesses or when I share my trials or temptations. Their pride drives them to believe that a person of Faith should leave those things “in the past where they belong” and they frown upon sharing flaws and failures with the world. But I have no pride when it comes to being a Vessel for the Living God, and I know that the more I share about my own Life, the more inclined God will be to use me to help someone else. My Journey has had peaks and valleys but it wasn’t just a mountain of mess even though it felt that way sometimes. Every minute has been ordained that led me to such a time as this! Today my Life is a Powerful, Living, Breathing Testimony, and I’m not too proud to share it. Every single piece has Grown me, and every pain has made me Stronger. But most of all, I know that ” All things work together for good for those who love Him and are called according to HIS purpose” and the Hand of God can be seen before, during, and after my Trials and Tribulations…and I wouldn’t change a thing. My Life has Purpose, and I’m Humbled to be used by the King. So, whenever pride tries to sneak in…and I’m inclined to take credit for things in my life that I have no business owning at all…it’s time for a Lesson on Humility straight from the Throne of the Living God. I may not like it much when it’s Lesson Time, but I’m Ready and Willing to be Molded by my Maker so that I can be ALL that He intends for me to be for as long as there is breath in my body.

How about you?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It was a little too chilly to be sitting outside on the front porch this morning but the beauty made up for the chill. I watched the Living God illuminate my world and I gave thanks for the new life that wasn’t visible yesterday and my senses came alive faster than you can say “Amen”. It was as if I was seeing with my eyes what my Heart was feeling and the sounds of the birds were like a Heavenly choir. Anything I might be inclined to fret over today was washed away, and just by being in His Presence, and I felt warm from my head to my toes. Isn’t that what being in His Presence is like for you too?

Nothing can knock me into a Spirit of Praise and Gratitude like tuning into everything around me, and nothing could bring more Peace to my Life than His Words: “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” I don’t need to be outside to feel His Majesty, and I don’t need to be entertained by nature, to set my Time with Him in motion. I meet with Him when He wants to meet, where He wants to meet, and for as long as He wants to meet. I walk with Him and talk to Him all day long, and He hears my every Word – the ones that cross my lips and all the others that are silent within my Heart. I’m not just a Prayer Warrior…I’m ready for Action too, and that’s a key component to what sets some people of Faith apart from all the others.

It can be so easy to fall into organized prayer time, and then forget to invite the Spirit of God into the process. A few memorized prayers, or adding prayer time to a calendar as if it’s an obligation, falls short of what prayer time can (and should) look like. I’m pretty sure the Living God wants to hear the words to our unique (and heartfelt) prayers and not just words written and recommended by man. You can tell a lot about a person’s Convictions just by hearing them pray. Some people pray with Authority and it’s as if they Believe the prayers they utter have already been answered even though they can’t see it yet. Some people pray with meekness, and it sounds as if they don’t actually believe that God will do what they’re asking for at all. Usually, these people wrap it up with “if it’s your will” and it sounds like they think they’ve been a burden to the Living God by making a request at all. Some people THINK they need the name, rank, and serial number as if God won’t Know who they’re praying for unless He’s given all the Information first. And some people think they need every dirty little detail so that they “know how to pray”, but God already knows every finite detail, and He doesn’t need to be filled in on the cast of characters or their actions. There’s not a right way or a wrong way to pray HOWEVER the only way we REALLY make a difference is when we pray AND BELIEVE that He Hears us and that He knows what’s best in every situation. When we learn to pray like that, it’s a Spiritual Game Changer.

I don’t presume to know the Mind of God, but I do know His Nature, and I know that if someone or something is on your Heart and you’re prompted to pray…He put it there. Every Encounter and every Circumstance has already filtered through His Hands, and He has a Master Plan for everyone and everything. But how often do we appeal to the Living God on behalf of someone else when we ALREADY have the ability to take care of the need on our own? Maybe WE need to gather around them to bring them comfort. Maybe WE need to be sure there is food on their table. Maybe WE need to pay for the car repair. Maybe WE need to be willing to watch the kids. Maybe WE need to facilitate the action of others when we aren’t otherwise in a position to help. Sadly for some people, it’s a whole lot easier to whisper a prayer or two and hope that God will do something about the circumstances so that we can avoid getting our hands dirty. God is the Way Maker and He can do anything anytime He wants to. He can absolutely meet every need and fill every Request! BUT I believe that if He places a person and their need on our Heart, He’s looking for Action…and not just prayer. This is the KEY to serving the King of all kings.

Every prayer we utter is “like incense” in Heaven…a sweet aroma to the Living God…and every Life has Purpose. It’s when we combine those two things – when we pray with Purpose and ask Him to show us how WE can help whoever (or whatever it is), that we become part of the Solution in ways we can’t begin to imagine. I’ve whispered a whole lot of prayers for people and their circumstances this morning and I prayed with Conviction and Belief. But during those prayers, I also asked the Living God to show me what my Part is. I’m ready to kick into Action anytime with every Resource I have and with all that I am whenever He comes Calling. After all, He died for me….the least I can do is Live for Him. If I’m going to Proclaim that I’m a follower of Jesus Christ, then I need to be living a Life that resembles His ministry. Jesus got His hands dirty. Jesus Believed what He prayed. Jesus Loved unconditionally.

How about you?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s a new day of a new week and so far I’ve spent my morning more Focused on Him than anything else…as it should be. There is a lot of excitement over this new day and millions of people will have their eyes focused on the heavens all at the same time as the moon covers the sun in a rare solar eclipse. Schools are closing and businesses pausing to make sure that nobody misses out on the moment. Some people are as prepared as they’ll ever be and they’ll be on watch all day long because they want to be found ready for this rare event. It’s interesting to see so many people – of all walks of life and every size and shape – all focused on the same thing….just a glimpse of the wonder in the sky. As I considered all the excitement over this solar rarity, I couldn’t help but wonder how many people have even a fraction of the excitement over the Future Happenings in the sky when the King comes back for His people and how many of them will be as Ready for Him as they are ready for the eclipse today.

It’s fascinating to watch how quickly people will dive into the deep end with their own version of truth at the first sign of something unusual happening when all they have to do is read their Bible. If a solar eclipse is this exciting to them, just imagine how much more excited they’ll be when they turn to the Truth for answers! Everything you ever wanted to know about the sun, moon, and stars can be found within the pages of the Word of God, written by the Creator of all. Some people believe that this will be the last day of the world. Some people believe that Jesus will be arriving on the tail end of the eclipse as if He needs a special solar Introduction. It’s obvious that people have a built-in need to understand what goes on around them and they’ll easily grab onto nonsense sometimes to make sense out of something that doesn’t. The only sense worth Focusing on is God Almighty who “scattered the stars in the sky and knows them each by name”. Now THAT is something to be excited about!

I’m excited to have the chance to witness a rare solar eclipse today, but not nearly as excited as I am about the One who will be Orchestrating it all. I don’t presume to know the mind of God and I don’t try to “guess” what He’s up to on any given day. His Word is my Instruction Manual for such a time as this and His Spirit is my Guide. I look to the heavens OFTEN, and I’m not searching for a rare solar happening when I do…I’m on watch for Jesus Christ because He’s coming for me One Day soon. I’m not sure I’m ready for the solar eclipse and if not for a very dark sky, I might be inclined to miss it if I get busy around the farm. One thing I am sure of is that the solar eclipse will happen one way or the other with or without me and because I know exactly when it’s coming to a sky near me, I won’t be caught off guard. But that’s not the case when the King comes calling for me. That Day will be the Biggest Surprise in the history of the world and nobody knows the day or the hour so I’ll be Watching AND I’ll be READY whenever the day comes. It makes me sad to think about people so focused on the solar eclipse who don’t give the King of all kings a second thought because He’s coming…ready or not!

The same God who created the heavens and the earth is my God. The same God who scattered the stars in the sky is my God. The same God that caused the sun to stand still in the sky for hours is my God. The same God who opens the floodgates of Heaven to bring forth the rain and the snow is my God. The same God who gives the sea its boundaries is my God. The same God who will shield the sun with the moon today is my God. I marvel at the Work of His Hands every single day, and I look to the heavens in hopes that TODAY is the day I’ll see Him. The solar eclipse will be fun to see and I’ll be wearing glasses to shield my eyes but when the King returns I’ll have my eyes and my arms wide open!

How about you?

“And when you look up to the sky and see the sun, the moon and the stars—all the heavenly array—do not be enticed into bowing down to them and worshiping things the LORD your God has apportioned to all the nations under heaven” Deuteronomy 4:19

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s windy and cold this morning and although it LOOKS a lot like Spring, it’s far from feeling like it today. But what it “feels” like doesn’t make it so, and what I see with my eyes doesn’t make it “truth”. It will begin to look and feel like Spring when God says it’s time and not a minute too soon or too late. He has always been, and will always be, a just-on-time God. It IS wise to know a little bit about what’s going on in this dark world, however, these days far too many people are focused on “the real meaning” behind the recent earthquakes and the upcoming solar eclipse of the sun as if there is one giant conspiracy theory behind it all. It’s the One “behind it all” that shakes the earth thousands of times each year and it’s the One “behind it all” Who “scattered the stars in the sky and knows them each by name” that will cause the sun to be hidden for an eclipse. The One behind it all tells us about the things that will take place before He comes Calling BUT IT’S HIM we’re supposed to be looking for whether the sun shines tomorrow or not. Isn’t that the way YOU look at this Journey of Faith too?

Any good thief knows that if you can create a distraction, you can easily rob another. Any good military leader knows that if you can create a distraction, you can easily overcome the enemy. Any person intent on causing harm to a child knows that if you can just create a distraction, you can easily steal them away. The Devil knows that if he can just create a distraction big enough the world will be focused much more on current events than the Return of the King, and many people will be left behind because of it. I wonder if we have access to too much information by the way it is sent and received through cyberspace and then spun into theories meant to be shared with the world. After all, it was the Internet that people used to create a toilet paper panic, and it was the Internet where photos circulated of tens of thousands of people who had (allegedly) dropped dead in the streets from COVID-19. It’s bad enough that the Devil is B U S Y, but what makes it worse is that so many “Christians” are buying into His lies and distractions. We are told to be aware of the signs BUT TO LOOK FOR THE KING….and it looks like lots of people have that a little mixed up. As for me, I’ll stick with One Version of Truth and I’ll remain Focused on the King and not all the nonsense from what people say is leading up to it.

War might come today, but I’m not worried. The earth could shake underneath this old farm today, but I’m not worried. The earth could open up completely and swallow it all up, but I’m not worried. The sun could disappear in a solar eclipse and never be seen again, but I’m not worried. The President of the United States can be re-elected and propped on a pillow throughout the next term, but I’m not worried. These things make for interesting conversation for some, but they are just noise in the universe to the God of all Creation. He’ll be coming for us when He’s ready and until He does, my Focus will be on the heavens and I anxiously await my King. In my Life there is One Truth…One Authority…One Way…and One worth Sharing with the world. He’s a just-on-Time God and I’m ready for Him whenever He’s ready for me.

How about you?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s not raining this morning…at least not for now…and the sky looked like it was celebrating the chance to shine after so many rainy days. I stepped out onto the front porch to fill my lungs with morning air and I thanked the Living God for good health. I looked up toward the heavens to fill my eyes with the sunrise and I thanked the Living God for eyes to see. I listened to the sound of the birds filling their space with song and I thanked the Living God for ears to hear. I considered a world in turmoil, and I thanked the Living God for what He is about to do and how I fit in. I thought about how I’m missing my family and I thanked the Living God that they are all well. From where I sit there is always room for Gratitude and since I Know that “there is no good thing apart from Him”, there is no room for pride or arrogance in my Life. Everything I am…everything I have is only made possible because of Him. Isn’t that the way you see things too?

It’s amazing how arrogant some of God’s people can be and it’s perplexing that most of the time they don’t even see it. Some are quick to tell the world what they do and don’t deserve as if they deserve more from the world because of who they are…but that’s not true. Some whine and cry about their circumstances as if God has forgotten to provide the rose garden they think they deserve as a Child of God…but He doesn’t promise Easy Street to His people. Some folks are quick to point out the wrongs they see in the lives of other people while overlooking their own as if they’ve been appointed the Judge and Jury just because they Believe. Some could talk for weeks on end about the corrupt political system as if God is a liar and He doesn’t ordain our leaders like He says He does, while others speak like they have some sort of secret source of information that (apparently) God doesn’t even know about. God hates pride, arrogance, and an ungrateful heart. Just look at what happened to King Nebuchadnezzar when he puffed up and took credit for his kingdom. Even though he was warned about what would happen “if” he still strutted around and flaunted “his accomplishments” to show the world how great he was building a shiny kingdom. God ripped the king of everything he had just like He said he would and He sent him off to live like an animal in the wilderness for seven years UNTIL Nebuchadnezzar finally confessed that there IS no good thing apart from God and that God is the source of all blessings. That’s what Humility looks like.

These days lots of people of Faith find comfort in 2 Chronicles 7:14 which says “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land” and for some reason, they’re focused more on the praying part than anything else. YES, we are supposed to pray and BELIEVE what we’re praying…but what about the HUMBLE part and the turn from your wicked ways part? What about the part that acknowledges that THERE IS NO GOOD THING apart from Him? What about that part that continues to give thanks no matter what’s happening in this dark world? What about the part where we Celebrate being born for such a time as this because we Know God has a Plan for us through it all? What about the part where we put our TRUST in the Creator of the Universe instead of hoping someone in office will bail us out of the troubles we’ve created? It takes Humility to take responsibility.

Without humility, prayers are just noise in the heavens. Without humility, we never truly seek His face. Without humility, we don’t turn from our wicked ways. How can we EXPECT Him to “heal our land” if we can’t even Humble ourselves to the One who died for all or Trust Him with the Outcome?

It begins with humility and it ends with arrogance.

Which one are you?