How frustrating is it to try to call someone and they will not answer? I’m bad about not answering a call that I do not know. I receive so many telemarketing and robo calls on my cell phone that I just about will not answer unless I recognize the number. There are calls that I […]

One of my mother’s favorite saying was, “An idle mind is the devil’s playhouse.” She wanted us to have something to do so our minds didn’t wander onto things we didn’t need to be doing. I’ve learned through my walk with God that I have the ability to take control of what I think and […]

I was taught that if something is worthwhile to do, you will always have someone oppose what you do. Think about it, even the simplest things that we do in life have opposition. When you exercise to make our bodies better we face soreness and fatigue that challenges our dedication. When we shop for groceries […]

Buildings are easily identified by their shape, looks, and what they are designed for. It’s easy to identify a school, church, fire department, court house, and even a Walmart by the shape and look of the building. A house is different. A house is identified by who lives there. I’ve been able to travel to […]

I’ve always attempted to keep my thoughts for the day positive and uplifting. I feel people battle so many things in life and need encouragement. I hope you can find the encouragement in this thought this morning. Commitment is a dying attribute in our modern day society. People just don’t stick with what they say […]

When I was a young married man, my coworker and I ran out of gas two times in a Ford Pinto that got 35 miles to a gallon. We drove right by service stations with money in our pocket to buy gas and drove until we were out of gas. I remember when my children […]

I read how an eagle prepares her young to fly and I thought how often God does his children the same way. The first 3 months of a young eagles life is spent in the nest, being cared for, protected, and fed. Then at about 12 weeks the mother eagle begins to remove all the […]

Our world would be so much better if we spent half the time patting people on the back for their efforts that we spend beating them over the head for things we don’t like. Why is it so much easier for us to criticize than it is for us to encourage others? You would think […]

We are quick with our little phrases concerning some of the tasks we have to do. How often have you said, “I hate this politician,” “I hate driving in this traffic,” or “I hate cleaning this place up,” or “I hate having to go to Walmart,”or “I hate this team.” Probably a lot more often […]

We have been led to believe that we can do anything as long as we set our minds on it. Have you ever attempted to quit a bad habit in your life? It’s not as easy as setting your mind to it. Self willpower sounds like a great thing. You just tell yourself what to […]

We watch a powerful hurricane destroy part of one the coastal areas and we listen to interviews with people who have lost everything they have worked to build. Even with the advanced warning there was nothing they could do to prevent the storm from destroying their possessions. In a recent hurricane in Florida, there was […]

The value the world places on their possessions is based on the price tag that it carries. What is the most expensive, or the most valuable thing you possess? Your home? Your automobile? Land or property? Each one of us may give a different answer to the question. Did you work to achieve what you […]

There are no instant relationships. It takes time and effort to develop more than just a surface relationship. There are people in your life who you love to be around, do things with, and spend your time with. The more time that you have spent doing things with them, the better you two have gotten […]

One of the hardest things for us to do is ask for help from others. We spend too many frustrating hours trying to accomplish things on our own when asking for help would help us be more efficient. How many times have you tried to do a two man job by yourself? It doesn’t work […]

As parents and grandparents, we make sure that we give all our children and grandchildren the same amount for birthdays and Christmas. We want them to know they are all loved the same. Do you have a favorite child? grandchild? Do you have one that has excelled higher than others? Do you have one who […]

I remember one of the songs that was popular when I first started to church was “I just steal away and pray” The song spoke of getting alone and talking to God about what was happening in your life. If you had done something wrong, you could steal away and pray. If you were counting […]

This morning I want to do a follow up to yesterday’s devotion on showing grace to others. The statement that many people make is, “You don’t know what they have done to me!” Another statement is, “You don’t know how much they hurt me!” Or, “Why should I show grace to someone who thinks nothing […]

We all love to share stories of God’s Grace being extended to us, but it can be difficult for us to extend that same Grace to those who have done us wrong. It’s not easy to remember your story at the same time you are trying to forgive someone for what they have done against […]

Everyone has a story to share about how their life experiences. No two stories are alike and hearing your story can be very encouraging to others who are struggling with life today. In a recent service at another church I was ministering in, I met a retired minister and his wife who had moved to […]

Getting past our past is one of the most difficult tasks we face in life. Unlike God, we struggle to forgive ourselves for our past issues. My Bible reading this morning was on a very familiar scripture in Matthew. Jesus is passing by the ship of the disciples in the middle of the night walking […]

I have never been a very fast runner. In fact, I have always been a little overweight and slow of foot. I wanted so badly to be chosen to play on the team of some of the better players, but I was always one of the last ones chosen if speed was needed to compete. […]

The failure of many good intentions is procrastination. If we put things off until they are convenient to do, they most often never get done. How often have you looked at something that needs doing around your house and said, “I’ll get to that later.” One of the saying that I grew up hearing was, […]

It’s amazing how easily people believe things just because someone said it on television or posted it on the internet. Most of what you hear on the news is not accurate, it’s stated the way someone wants you to believe. Why is it so easy to believe man and so difficult to believe God? If […]

I can’t remember a time when Christians are more lackadaisical and unconcerned as they seem to be today. Church has become an option instead of a priority to so many people. From Adam and Eve until today, the one common thing people have done is make excuses for their actions. And like Adam and Eve, […]

I read that the turning radius of a large ship is a minimum of 5 times its length. It is not something that is done easily. It takes space to turn around. Turning is not an easy venture. It also involves the speed you are traveling. You have to slow down to turn. The larger […]