Fantastic Friday #242-Conspiracy

Conspiracy

9 Then the LORD said to me, “There is a conspiracy among the people of Judah and those who live in Jerusalem. 10 They have returned to the sins of their ancestors, who refused to listen to my words. They have followed other gods to serve them. Both Israel and Judah have broken the covenant I made with their ancestors. 11 Therefore this is what the LORD says: ‘I will bring on them a disaster they cannot escape. Although they cry out to me, I will not listen to them. Jeremiah 11:9-11

Looking around this week made me realize that there is a conspiracy out there, both one that my Pastor is speaking of and one that is among the people that are "of this world." During a season when we should be pursuing Him and all that He has done for us, people tend to pursue that brand new thing that is shiny and pretty and is supposedly making their life easier. Maybe that shiny thing is not something "of this world" but something that is bigger than this world that we should be pursuing. Let us cry out to the Lord with a heart that is clean and pursue what He has for us. Let us pursue what God has laid out in His conspiracy, which is to give us a gift that we cannot return. The gift of eternal life is what we should focus our mind on during this time of year. Thank you God for who you are and what you have done.

Fantastic Friday #241-Deliverer

Deliverer

¹ I love you, LORD, my strength.

² The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,
my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

³ I called to the LORD, who is worthy of praise,
and I have been saved from my enemies. Psalm 18:1-3

This time of year when you order something online you wait anxiously for the deliverer of that item, whether it be the post office or another delivery service. The problem with delivery in today's world is that most of it is either junk, bills, or the occasional thank you or Christmas card. The world has gotten away from the fine art of writing letters with a pen and paper. I can remember how we used to wait patiently to run to the mailbox for that letter delivery. How many of us look to the Lord for delivery of something that we think we need, but only really want. Maybe we aren't seeing the Lord deliver that thing we think we need, because He is not the post office or another delivery service. He is the Deliverer and has already delivered what we need, and that was His Son over 2000 years ago. Look at this Christmas season with an eye out for our True Deliverer of the only package we ever needed.

Fantastic Frida #240- Hands

Hands

¹⁶ May your deeds be shown to your servants,
your splendor to their children.

¹⁷ May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us;
establish the work of our hands for us—
yes, establish the work of our hands. Psalm 90:16-17

This time of year brings a multitude of emotions to the forefront. Sometimes I wonder how we keep all the balls in the air juggling with just two hands. Why is this time of the year which is supposed to be a joyous time, such a drain on the physical body? It is amazing to think how we think that our hands are the ones that are doing all the juggling. It is another thing to think that all the work we do is a result of our own effort. It is also amazing to think that the blessings that God has provided us with can be controlled by our own will. In this season of giving, let Him into your heart to guide your hands into the direction He wants them to go. Let Him lead the blessing that you will provide to someone else. Let Him finish the work that He has established for our hands, and have Faith. Don't let your pride get in the way of His Hand on you.

Fantastic Friday #239- Attitude

Attitude

⁴ For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.

⁵ May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, ⁶ so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 15:4-6

How many of you dealt with someone that was rude this week? How many of you were able to let that rude attitude flow off your shoulders and you came out as the better person? Well, if any of you are like me, depending on how rude the person was determined your own attitude towards them and how you reacted. Boy this attitude thing is hard sometimes, and I sometimes wonder why there are so many of these people that are out there to attempt to make our lives miserable. Or maybe I am looking at it all wrong, yep I am. God puts these people in our lives to show us and them a few things. Number one, they are there to test our attitude and how we react to them. Number two, they are there because God wants us to show them an attitude of Christ's love. And number three, they are there to allow God to be glorified. Maybe we need to focus on our own attitude before we get to that rude person who needs to see our love of Christ. Show some love this week.

Fantastic Friday #238-Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving

¹² Wealth and honor come from you;
you are the ruler of all things.
In your hands are strength and power
to exalt and give strength to all.
¹³ Now, our God, we give you thanks,
and praise your glorious name. 1 Chronicles 29:12-13

So many things to be thankful for as we enter this holiday season and you wonder if you take the time to really count your blessings. The Lord places us in the families we are in and with the friends we have to help us grow in Him. The question is,do we really pay enough attention to why He has us in the place He does to give us strength? Through the black Friday specials, the fighting crowds, and all the distractions this world throws in front of us, take a moment to reflect during this weekend of Thanksgiving and give thanks and worship our Lord.

Have a great weekend.

Fantastic Friday #237-Overcome

Overcome

³³ “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

I look back on the last several years of my life and reflect on where I have been. Does anyone else do this? But on this day I do it a little more intentionally than I have in the past. When you view the past, do you see the horrible things first, or do you automatically think of the wonderful things of this life. It is a challenge to look back sometimes because of the pain that you might have experienced at one time or another. I feel it is also a challenge to look back at the good things that might have happened throughout your life. You are probably asking, why it is challenging to think back to both the good and the bad. That thought is most likely due to the unknown future we have before us. I think a lot of times we hold our breath hoping for the best and sometimes experience trouble. So I take this moment to look back at being born into this world of sin and know in my heart that Jesus has already overcome this world for me. Praise God for the blessings he has bestowed on me and my family. Praise God for the peace that He gives me. So, for all of you, take heart because He has Overcome.

Fantastic Friday #236-Battle/Skopeo

Battle/Skopeo

¹ What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? ² You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. ³ When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. ⁴ You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. ⁵ Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us? ⁶ But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”James 4:1-6

The battles we fight are not always against your neighbor, friend, or family, a lot of battles you fight are from within. What battle are you fighting now? Is it a battle to be the best at what you are in this world? It is a battle with a particular sin? Maybe it is a battle with the world that is fighting against you and your family unit. I think that we can get swallowed up in what the world tells us to seek out for our own pleasures,and that can make us proud as we chase after that thing that can cause that battle within. Maybe we should take a moment and "skopeo" which is the Greek word for See, Look, Consider and Examine. If we take a moment to "see" what we are pursuing, "look" to what battle it is causing, "Consider" where God wants us to be, and "Examine" our heart to fight the battle within, I think we can become that humble individual and receive what God wants us to have. Remember to avoid the friendship with the world that leads to being an enemy of God, but battle against that friendship to a closer relationship with Him. Skopeo.

Have a great weekend.

Fantastic Friday #235- Cares

Cares

⁶ Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. ⁷ Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

⁸ Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 1st Peter 5:6-8

Do you ever tell yourself that no one seems to care about anyone these days? Maybe you had a run-in with a friend or a spouse that you feel like you weren't really cared for or they didn't care how you felt. Maybe you feel that distance from God as He is testing your faith in Him, and you ask yourself does He really care about me and my life? How can God care about me when there are so many people in the world that are suffering? The doubt of whether or not God or other people care about you is due to one thing, and that is the enemy lying in wait to slip in and try and separate us from God, our family or friends. So how do we combat the enemy that doesn't care about us but only himself, we begin to care for others and know in our hearts that God cares for us, loves us, and can lift us out of our most desperate times of need.CARE=Compassion Always Rebuffs the Enemy.

Have a great weekend.

Fantastic Friday #234-Distress

Distress

¹ May the LORD answer you when you are in distress;
may the name of the God of Jacob protect you.

² May he send you help from the sanctuary
and grant you support from Zion.

³ May he remember all your sacrifices
and accept your burnt offerings.
Selah

⁴ May he give you the desire of your heart
and make all your plans succeed.

⁵ We will shout for joy when you are victorious
and will lift up our banners in the name of our God.
May the LORD grant all your requests.

⁶ Now I know that the LORD saves his anointed;
he answers him from his holy heaven
with the saving power of his right hand.

⁷ Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.

⁸ They are brought to their knees and fall,
but we rise up and stand firm.

⁹ O LORD, save the king!
Answer us when we call! Psalm 20

What feelings and emotions have you had this week? Did your feelings run the flagpole from being firmly grounded, to flapping in the wind with no way to understand your direction? When reviewing an old email from my friend Kevin today, he reminded me that Lord is the true One to provide inspiration and relief. I often wonder why we forget that God knows the desires of our heart. Whatever distress that is in your heart, you must know that God will send help for you. So all of those emotions and feelings we tend to suppress, we should probably release those to the Lord who always answers when we call. We just have to be careful not to wait for an answer we are expecting but wait in expectation for the answer which He will provide.

Have great weekend.

Fantastic Friday #233-Sound

Sound

1 But as for you, communicate the behavior that goes with sound teaching. 2 Older men are to be temperate, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in endurance. 3 Older women likewise are to exhibit behavior fitting for those who are holy, not slandering, not slaves to excessive drinking, but teaching what is good. Titus 2:1-3

Do you ever find yourself listening to the sounds around you? I heard this week something that I had before mentioning that smell is the most powerful of the senses that we have. They also said hearing would not be so high on the list, which for me makes perfect sense. This explains why I am so easily distracted by something that smells good or is visually appealing. Maybe that is why the evil one uses things visually that can easily distract you from one of our lesser senses. That makes me think that I need, and maybe we all need to work on improving our sense of hearing. The best way to do that is probably to sit down and listen to Him and His Word and see what He is saying. Another way to do it is to sit in silence and listen to the sounds around us, and I bet you will probably hear something you haven't heard before. Listen to Him in order to become more dignified and sound in your faith.

Have a great weekend.

Fantastic Friday #232-Gives

Gives

³⁴ Proclaim the power of God,
whose majesty is over Israel,
whose power is in the skies.

³⁵ You are awesome, O God, in your sanctuary;
the God of Israel gives power and strength to his people.
Praise be to God! Psalm 68:34-35

Have you heard the statement the Lord gives us only what we can handle . How many times do some of us sit there and think that is so true; but then something happens and we say to ourselves, "I can't deal with this." If you notice, I had that statement in quotes, and maybe that is because that was an exact quote from me this week. Why is it we forget so quickly what God has for us and that we aren't supposed to handle it or deal with it by ourselves. Maybe we need to focus less on the "I" statements and focus more on the "He" statements. He has given this to teach me. He has been there to support me. He has given me power and strength to deal with this. He is the reason I am who I am. Just remember that when you are telling yourself you can't deal with something it is probably very true, because we truly aren't handling it, He is through His Power and Strength He has given us.

Fantastic Friday #231- Backup

Backup

¹⁴Alexander the metalworker did me a great deal of harm. The Lord will repay him for what he has done. ¹⁵You too should be on your guard against him, because he strongly opposed our message.

¹⁶At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them. ¹⁷But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion's mouth. ¹⁸The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen. 2 Timothy 4:14-18

When you are working on something, do you have a backup if things don't go according to the way you had planned. Do you remember in school working on a presentation with a group, and having a backup in case the preparation wasn't going quite the way you thought it was going because someone wasn't doing their part? I saw a perfect example of a backup play at my one of my son's baseball games this week, when he backed up the third baseman and actually got a runner out at third. Who do you turn to for your backup when things just aren't going right? Do you turn to a co-worker you might not be able to trust, or someone that says they are your friend but actually is just an acquaintance? Or, do you just try to rely on your own way to get out of the trouble you are in? Why not let the Lord be your backup/support and let Him guide you in the direction you need to go. He is always there, and is backing you up every single moment of every day. Have faith in how He can lead you.

Fantastic Friday #230-Shameless

Shameful

¹ Gather together, gather together,
O shameful nation,

² before the appointed time arrives
and that day sweeps on like chaff,
before the fierce anger of the LORD comes upon you,
before the day of the LORD's wrath comes upon you.

³ Seek the LORD, all you humble of the land,
you who do what he commands.
Seek righteousness, seek humility;
perhaps you will be sheltered
on the day of the LORD's anger. Zephaniah 2:1-3

A friend of mine asked me about the book of Zephaniah this week and that was timely. Looking around this week I saw some things that were pretty shameful in how people were acting. It was like they didn't care about the people they were around and how those people were impacted by what they said or did. While I wasn't finding myself falling into trap of shamefulness, I was skirting that border of some anger towards those people, which in its form could be shameful. Shameful has a true meaning of being atrocious. Now that's a word we can all relate a picture to or have experienced. How I don't want to be atrocious in the sight of the Lord and be one of those people that the His anger comes upon. I would rather be that humble individual seeking righteousness and be sheltered by the Lord on the day of His anger. Avoid being shameful and focus on being humble, maybe you can have an impact on those around you.

Fantastic Friday #229-Together

Together

¹ I will extol the LORD at all times;
his praise will always be on my lips.
² My soul will boast in the LORD;
let the afflicted hear and rejoice.
³ Glorify the LORD with me;
let us exalt his name together.
⁴ I sought the LORD, and he answered me;
he delivered me from all my fears. Psalm 34:1-4

Did you spend time this week alone? Or did you spend this week together with someone else? My guess is that you thought when you were spending time alone, you were actually together with Him. Now whether you acknowledged Him or not might be a different story. I spent a lot of time together with my family this week, with what time I had available, and it was really some good quality time. The time I did have alone I have to admit I rarely was able to focus on the One thing I needed to. I was easily distracted by the radio and sports which made me think about other things in the future yet to come. I also had a few dates at work weighing heavily on my mind, and since I didn't spend much time together with Him, I didn't rely on Him to lift me with His strength. I learned a good lesson this week, with over 6 months of planning for this event I had, I still didn't allow Him to deliver me from my fears until it was here. Maybe if I would spend more time together with Him, my faith would be stronger and those six months of planning would have been easier on my mind.

Fantastic Friday #228- Escape

Escape

¹² The wicked desire the plunder of evil men,
but the root of the righteous flourishes.

¹³ An evil man is trapped by his sinful talk,
but a righteous man escapes trouble.

¹⁴ From the fruit of his lips a man is filled with good things
as surely as the work of his hands rewards him. Proverbs 12:12-14

What do you think of when you see the word Escape? I find it interesting when the Israelites escaped from Egypt, interesting when many of God's people escaped the hands of the enemy over and over again, and interesting how Job escaped his suffering. What do you do to escape? Typically people dive into a book, watch a TV show or movie, listen to a concert or music, enjoy a sporting event, or just sit in silence away from the world. Why do we escape from this world? Does this world not offer us everything we need? Some of it is good and some of it can be bad, but if we are careful to live in our reality with God and escape the trouble, our life might be more fulfilling. Those things I first mentioned had God's people escaping from difficult situations, only with God's help and reliance on Him. How about looking to God and escaping the bad things of this world and escape into the reality of living life with our family. Enjoy and love those around you and remember to love God, it could be a better place to escape.

Have a great weekend.

Fantastic Friday #227-Complain

Complain

¹ I cry aloud to the LORD;
I lift up my voice to the LORD for mercy.

² I pour out my complaint before him;
before him I tell my trouble.

³ When my spirit grows faint within me,
it is you who know my way.
In the path where I walk
men have hidden a snare for me.

⁴ Look to my right and see;
no one is concerned for me.
I have no refuge;
no one cares for my life.

⁵ I cry to you, O LORD;
I say, "You are my refuge,
my portion in the land of the living." Psalm 142:1-5

Wow did I hear some people complain this week. I heard it all and if you are like me, you just wanted to run and hide. One thing that happens when people complain is that it can kind of rub off on you, and sometimes you can slip into the complaining attitude that some people have. Yes, I know you are probably thinking the first scripture to come to mind is Phillipians 2:14 and why didn't I choose that simple scripture for this week, something easy to remember and take with us. Well, that is because the above Psalm has something in it that the other doesn't, it has a true picture of what we experience daily. Where do you take your complaint, to someone you know, or Someone you know. Do you let yourself slip into the snare, or do you take refuge in the Lord. Do you turn to someone for a portion, or do you turn to Him for your fill. Just remember, when you have someone who complains to you, don't slip into the snare but give the Lord a chance to provide you that refuge.

Have a great weekend.

Fantastic Friday #226- Concern

Concern

⁴ Look to my right and see;
no one is concerned for me.
I have no refuge;
no one cares for my life. Psalm 142:4

²³ But the LORD was gracious to them and had compassion and showed concern for them because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. To this day he has been unwilling to destroy them or banish them from his presence. 2 Kings 13:23


²⁵so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other.1 Corinthians 12:25

A friend told me this week that they were concerned about me, so it kind of got me thinking. What were they concerned about? My welfare, my sanity, my health, or were they just being a tad sarcastic with me on one of my opinions. Well then it got me thinking about how concerned I was about other people, and am I as concerned with other people as God is about me? If you look at the above scriptures, they kind of paint a picture that we all go through in life. All of us at one time or another have asked God if He is concerned about us, and I think we can all say that the Lord has been gracious to us on more than one occasion in our life. What about your concern for others who are believers, and better yet, those who are not believers. If you show the same concern for those people who are a part of our lives that God shows to us regularly, think what kind of difference you can make. Show concern this week to someone and see what happens.

Have a great weekend.

Fantastic Friday #225- Separate

Separate

³⁸For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, ³⁹neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39

There is a rule that is commonly known in the world of laundry that you don't combine dark colors and light colors when washing your clothes. You definitely don't wash a red shirt with a white dress shirt or you will turn that white shirt into a lovely shade of pink. To prevent this from happening, you separate your clothes and keep them in the Right pile when washing. When you are done washing those clothes, then you have your lights and darks that are put in their appropriate place. You are probably wondering to yourself, where are you headed with this analogy. Well, if you take a moment, death is dark, life is light. Angels can also be seen as light, and demons are dark. If you are living in Christ, you are living in the light. Christ is the light of the world and we live in Him. This doesn't mean that as Christians living in the light, that we separate ourselves from that light and live in the dark. However as Christians, we can sometimes be stained with sin, but with Christ we know we are forgiven. Although I might be wearing a pink shirt because I have slipped and sinned, I know that there is absolutely nothing that can separate me from the love of our God which to me is a good feeling. Focus on living in the light, and not treading close to the dark colors.

Have a great weekend.

#224-Target

Target

¹² He drew his bow
and made me the target for his arrows.

¹³ He pierced my heart
with arrows from his quiver.Lamentations 3:12-13

²¹ Yet this I call to mind
and therefore I have hope:

²² Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.

²³ They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.

²⁴ I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion;
therefore I will wait for him."

²⁵ The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him,
to the one who seeks him;

²⁶ it is good to wait quietly
for the salvation of the LORD. Lamentations 3:21-26

What kind of target have you been this week? Has it been a target of negativity, evil, and anger? Or were you a target of love, kindness or compassion? Sometimes being a target of the negative is easier for us to see, when being a target of the positive is sometimes overlooked. Why is it that we focus so much on being a negative target? I believe it is because oftentimes our hope can slip away from the Lord and we can forget what He does for us each and every moment. If we look at the Faithful Father, when we are that negative target, we can very easily turn that negative into a positive target of Hope and have an impact on those around us. Love each other and target the positive.

Have a great weekend.

Fantastic Friday #223- Visible

Visible

⁸For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light ⁹(for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) ¹⁰and find out what pleases the Lord. ¹¹Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. ¹²For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. ¹³But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, ¹⁴for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said:
"Wake up, O sleeper,
rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you." Ephesians 5:8-14

When you take a look around you what do you see? A world that has good and a world that has bad. A world that has light and a world that has dark. A world that has sinful people. Where is it that you live in this world, in the visible or hidden in the invisible? Do you live sometimes in the good and sometimes in the dark thinking that no one can see in the dark? Each one of us struggles with living a righteous life because the world tells us it is exciting to be a little bad or live in the dark, because the sun always comes up in the morning. But, how many of us are guaranteed to see the sun come up in the morning. Let us live as individuals who live for the light and want people to see how Christ resides in us. Shake a little salt in your life and give it a flavor that all will enjoy.

Have a great weekend.

Fantastic Friday #222- Two(2)

Two (2)

⁶And he was amazed at their lack of faith. Then Jesus went around teaching from village to village. ⁷Calling the Twelve to him, he sent them out two by two and gave them authority over evil spirits.

⁸These were his instructions: "Take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in your belts. ⁹Wear sandals but not an extra tunic. ¹⁰Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town. ¹¹And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave, as a testimony against them."

¹²They went out and preached that people should repent. ¹³They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them. Mark 6:6-13

How many of us go through our day on our own? I am a single person who handles exactly what I am meant to handle and complete without the help others. I also don't need anyone else, because at least when I do it myself, I know it gets done right. So a question comes to mind, how is that working for you? When Jesus sent out his disciples, he didn't send them out on their own, he sent them out two by two. Interesting that Christ knew that they could not do it on their own but needed to work in pairs. So, when you think of how much you can do on your own, think of how much you can do with someone else helping you. And when you think of telling someone about Christ and His impact on your life, think about how much more impact it can have when you do this with someone else. Also, remember, you are not always on your own. Two is always better than one, why do you think God gave man a companion.

Have a great weekend.

Fantastic Friday #221- Sting

Sting


⁵⁵"Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?" ⁵⁶The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. ⁵⁷But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:55-57

This last week the family and I took a trip down to the beach and went swimming in the Gulf of Mexico. It was a beautiful time to enjoy God and His creation, and we even avoided the tar balls, none to be seen. What we were unable to avoid was the stinging sensation of a few jellyfish that everyone felt at some point while we were there. Seeing the kids and their reaction to the painful sting reminded me of how vulnerable we all are to sin, and what sin can do to us. One moment we are enjoying life, and the next moment we are slipping into sin and feeling the pain it causes. Eventually the sting of the jellyfish goes away, but you are reminded of the sting by an itching sensation that just doesn't seem to go away. We don't have to feel that stinging sensation, because with Christ He is our healer. Just like Paul says in Romans 6, ...Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? ²By no means! ... Don't slip into sin that can sting as bad as a jellyfish and sometimes worse, but live in Christ that you may enjoy a sting-free life with Christ showing the way to avoid the jellyfish.

Have a great weekend.

Fantastic Friday #220 Delay

Delay

¹⁶ But may all who seek you
rejoice and be glad in you;
may those who love your salvation always say,
"The LORD be exalted!"

¹⁷ Yet I am poor and needy;
may the Lord think of me.
You are my help and my deliverer;
O my God, do not delay. Psalm 40:16-17

So, the day has begun with a little delay, but Friday is not over to make it Fantastic. Sometimes our life is full of delays. The delays on the way to see your family, the delays we might experience in a store, and the delays we might experience when attending an event with 40,000 of your closest friends. What you usually find I imagine at the end of those delays is mostly gratifyingand even more wonderful than you anticipated. I think the same kind of anticipation you can experience in the search for God in your life. Do you sit on the edge of your seat waiting for God to reveal Himself to you, or do you get frustrated with the delays you experience in waiting for God's answer. Just remember that God is our deliverer and He will delay our answers until He feels we are ready to handle all that He will provide. Just remember, our reward is not here but is delayed until God's time.

Fantastic Friday #219 - Roads

Roads

⁴As is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet:
"A voice of one calling in the desert,
'Prepare the way for the Lord,
make straight paths for him.
⁵Every valley shall be filled in,
every mountain and hill made low.
The crooked roads shall become straight,
the rough ways smooth.
⁶And all mankind will see God's salvation.' " Luke 3:4-6

Every day we travel on some kind of road. Whether it be that path from the bed to the kitchen, the door to the car, the car to our job, or the path back to our bed at night. Along those roads we might stub our toe, trip on a hose across a sidewalk, hit a bump in the road, or slip on the wet kitchen floor. All of these little things can bring about a moment of being startled, and as soon as we are done with the pain or surprise we continue on the path we were traveling on. Now, you begin to ask yourself why you weren't paying close enough attention to the road in front of you, and if you had you wouldn't be in pain. As you look back at the day and the many roads you traveled and the many people you came in contact with, how many of them did you really pay close attention to, and how many can you see yourself paving the way for Christ's return by showing the straight path you travel. We might have stubs, trips, bumps, or slips in our life as we travel on the road, but we need to remember to pay more attention to our path on that road and how we might be able to show others that road to Christ.

Have a great weekend.

#218 All In

All In

6Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. ¹⁷And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Colossians 3:16-18

At times we have heard the phrase, "are you in or are you out?" When in your life have you had to decide whether to be all in or out completely? That decision is usually based on how you feel at the time, or can be easily influenced by someone else. The world tells us to compete at a high level, be successful at all we do, just do it, and be #1. How many of us look at God when we are making decisions that impact our lives and others, or do we rely on ourselves and what the world tells us to be. Maybe as we look at our life and decisions we make daily we should view them as being "All In" the name of the Lord and not leaving Him out of our life. Be "All In" with the Lord, it will make you feel victorious in your life.

Have a great weekend.

Fantastic Friday #217 If Only

If Only

¹⁴ If I sinned, you would be watching me
and would not let my offense go unpunished.

¹⁵ If I am guilty—woe to me!
Even if I am innocent, I cannot lift my head,
for I am full of shame
and drowned in my affliction.

¹⁶ If I hold my head high, you stalk me like a lion
and again display your awesome power against me.

¹⁷ You bring new witnesses against me
and increase your anger toward me;
your forces come against me wave upon wave.

¹⁸ "Why then did you bring me out of the womb?
I wish I had died before any eye saw me.

¹⁹ If only I had never come into being,
or had been carried straight from the womb to the grave!

²⁰ Are not my few days almost over?
Turn away from me so I can have a moment's joy

²¹ before I go to the place of no return,
to the land of gloom and deep shadow,

²² to the land of deepest night,
of deep shadow and disorder,
where even the light is like darkness." Job 10:14-22

Do you ever look back and say "if only" I had made a different decision, or "if only" I had performed better, or "if only" I would have listened, then maybe it would be different? Do you cause yourself great affliction or pain based on your decisions if they are the wrong ones? I find it very interesting in our lives that we can look at sin differently before and after. Before, satan makes it look inviting and after it looks dark and awful because we know where we should be living. The idea of our life should not be lived with the statement "if only", it should be lived with the statement "only". Instead of "if only" I would have made a difference in someone's life, make the statement I will "only" make a difference in someone's life. Instead of saying "if only" I would have followed God, make the statement I "only" will follow God. Only God can make that difference in your life. Don't live in the past of "if only's", live in the presence with Only God.

Have a great weekend.

#216 Consistency

Consistency

¹⁰⁵ Your word is a lamp to my feet
and a light for my path.

¹⁰⁶ I have taken an oath and confirmed it,
that I will follow your righteous laws.

¹⁰⁷ I have suffered much;
preserve my life, O LORD, according to your word.

¹⁰⁸ Accept, O LORD, the willing praise of my mouth,
and teach me your laws.

¹⁰⁹ Though I constantly take my life in my hands,
I will not forget your law.

¹¹⁰ The wicked have set a snare for me,
but I have not strayed from your precepts.

¹¹¹ Your statutes are my heritage forever;
they are the joy of my heart.

¹¹² My heart is set on keeping your decrees
to the very end.

Psalm 119:105-112

Win streaks, hitting streaks, and 11 hour tennis matches, all have some form of consistency embedded within them. People work hard every day to create this consistency in performance. I wondered this week about consistency in my own life, and how I can improve this. We consistently wake up each morning on a path that will take us past the good and the bad, but how consistent are we in praising God for our good life? How consistently are we focusing on the good, instead of focusing on the bad and negative. So consistently reminding ourselves of what path we need to be on, who we need to thank, what we need to read, what we need to see is something that can change our lives. Don't stray from the Lord, but consistently seek after Him and what He has for your life.

Have a great weekend.

Fantastic Friday #215 "Slip"

Slip

17 Unless the LORD had given me help.
I would soon have dwelt in the silence of death.

18 When I said, "My foot is slipping,"
your love, O LORD, supported me.

19 When anxiety was great within me,
your consolation brought joy to my soul. Psalm 94:17-19

I think all of us know what it feels like to have shoes on our feet and what it feels like to walk on a wet surface or a rocky shoreline
without those shoes. The shoes give us traction on that slippery surface and provide that extra sense of comfort as well. Do you find
yourself slipping away from things in your life? Your friends, your family, the Word, or life in general? God can be that shoe to keep
you from slipping away from those things important to you. He is a very comfortable fit for us and has very good traction. Make sure
you remember to allow your shoes to help you daily so you don't slip and fall.

#214 Regulations and Commands

Regulations and Commands

¹³When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature,God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, ¹⁴having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. Colossians 2:13-14

Do you have regulations you follow? Rules keep order in our world in many things and have a purpose, they keep people safe and can make us think how not following a rule can impact our lives. Are there rules that you don't follow? Going over the speed limit, not fastening the seatbelt, changing lanes or turning without signaling, not reporting all your income on tax returns, these are all rules that if not followed could have serious or dire consequences. Rules are really a prescribed guide for conduct or action, which is interesting to think about. No one is forcing you to do this but it is prescribed.

Now onto the next word, Commands is to direct authoritatively. Do any of us get direction from authorities on a regular basis? So you are asking yourself what is the difference between these two, they sound kind of the same. Rules are man-made and can keep you out of trouble and our commands are God-made and can bring great reward. God has two simple commands for us, not rules, commands.

²⁷He answered: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' Luke 10:27

Now, reading that passage, how hard is it to follow the first command? The second? I imagine the second one can be hard to follow, but remember this, if we Love the Lord our God, that is the first step to loving others, and we can say that this is not a rule, but a command that is easy to follow. Think about following this simple command and I bet a lot more man-made rules will be easier for you to follow and you might find a simple reward.

Have a great weekend.

#213 Attention

Attention

¹⁸We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain.

¹⁹And we have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. ²⁰Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation. ²¹For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. 2 Peter 1:18-21

Were you able to pay attention this week to all the details being thrown at you? Did you give the attention those around you who make a difference in your life? Paying attention is very important, and a lesson that I learned first-hand this week and the last several. While umpiring an important game for my son's baseball team, I had several close calls and made almost all of them right. I did miss a call, and looking back, it was probably because I wasn't paying close enough attention. Now when you read scripture, are you paying attention or letting the world drown out the Word of God? Know that when God speaks through His Word, you aren't alone. The thing we should all think about is how well do we pay attention to what is being spoken to us through the Lord. I encourage you to stop and pay attention, or you might miss something important.

Have a great weekend.

I always look forward to Fridays, but not for the reason you might think. Fridays are a day that helps me lead into a weekend after a hard week at work, the challenges of life, and it gives me a chance to slow down and reflect on where I have been during that week with God. Has He been the center of my life? Have I allowed Him to be close to me?



For the past 214 weeks, I have been on a journey thanks to the encouragement of my friend Kevin Walker. This journey included me writing a Friday devotional for a group of men, called Fantastic Friday. Where God wants me to go next with this I don't know, I just know I have to trust Him.