Devotionals from Dad

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There is a faith based marketing campaign titled, “He Gets Us.” They use advertising to encourage people to explore their questions about Jesus. Essentially, "Got Questions" is a creative marketing tool by the "He Gets Us" campaign to spark dialogue and invite people to ask questions about Jesus and their personal faith journey. I have no idea who is behind this campaign or what their core theology is and I don't want to start a debate about the content of the television ads they run. I do know this, they have spent millions of dollars to get what appears on the surface as a faith based message into a Superbowl ad and for that I applaud their fortitude and tenacity in witnessing and evangelism. The bible tells us however that cautious skepticism is always important.

1 John 4:1 ESV Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. 

When you have questions where or to whom to you turn? For the majority of my life, my “Go to” person to ask both difficult questions and to get reassurance that I am making the right decision is my father. He has always made time to listen to me and to give me simple straight forward advice, without being critical of me. I know you may say that I should be going to God in prayer for the answers I am searching but I have been blessed by God with an earthly father that I know has a personal relationship with God himself and I am confident that the answers he gives me are based on his relationship with God. It is an amazing blessing!!!... to be able to both see in his life actions and hear in his words the way a Christian man should live.

Deuteronomy 6: 6-7 ESV And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.

I don't feel like I have any personal abundance of knowledge, or to put it simply, I am not the sharpest knife in the drawer, but I have found that my children on occasion now come to me with their difficult questions. I am not as nice or as patient with my children as my father was with me. Occasionally when they say, “Dad what should I do with my misbehaving teenage child?” I reply with, well I remember a teenage child that once lived in my home that did the same things, do you remember what happened to you?... I know that is not a very nice response, but even in my criticism I want them to pause, cool down and take a deep breath and not fly off the handle with the discipline of their teenage child realizing they once did the same thing. I am thankful that when I have to most difficult questions in life that I am either to shy or to embarrassed to ask my earthly father, I can go to my heavenly father without fear!

James 1:5 ESV If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. 

You need wisdom every day. You need wisdom in dating, communication, marriage, parenting, finances, and conflict. You make decisions every day. How you react to your family, what you say to others, or what you don’t say, how you spend your money, how you handle an offense, and how you handle a crisis. Your lifestyle may be the only bible many ever read and for that you need wisdom every day. Got Questions? Ask God!

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I was listening to Christian radio the other day and the host of the program asked this question. Why do so many people have dusty bibles and shiny new electronic devices? This really made me take a deeper look at my habits. I opened up the settings on my phone. In the section called, digital well being, a very appropriate title I must say, I looked up the amount of time I spent on my cell phone. In one week, my total screen time was 12 hours and 31 minutes. Wow! I must admit I was a bit ashamed that I had wasted so much time. It is my personal belief that the Devils greatest tool is distraction. If Satan was to look me in the eye and say, I want you to steal from your employer, or I want you to cheat on your wife or even worse yet I want you to kill that person that most irritates you, I would without hesitation reply absolutely not! However, Satan is so much more subtle and sly. I don't think twice about the amount of time I spend on social media. I even believe that some of the time I use social media and the internet can be a tool to spread God's message and while it is true that some of time I spend using my electronic device is for evangelism, it is only a very small portion of the over 12 hours a week I spent staring at the screen of my cell phone! Everyone, no matter who they are, has 168 hours a week, and we’re supposed to spend about a third of it sleeping, and then another large amount of that likely goes to work. But in terms of what we call discretionary time, how much do we actually have? And how are we spending it? Scripture tells us to redeem the time and make the most of the time we’ve been given. 

Ephesians 5: 15-17 ESV Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 

I must admit that modern technology has really changed me. It hasn't made me into an evil person, a thief, a mass murderer, but it certainly has transformed me into a person that not the best version of myself. Before it became so easy to pick up my cell phone and just google anything I wanted a quick answer to I spent more time talking to my parents and other more mature Christian friends. If you take the cover off my bible the binder is held together with duct tape. Inside the front page I have hand written the verses that are the “Romans Road” and I even have the page numbers written down so that I can quickly find them. I have many hand written notes and highlighted verses in my bible. Now I rely on artificial intelligence and the posts of people that I don't know. I have no idea if the information aligns with the word of God or not unless I stop and take time to get out my good old fashion bible and look it up in God's word. This doesn’t mean that there’s no time for fun, hanging out with friends and family, barbecues, or watching a good movie. Our leisure time can be used in ways that please God.

1 Corinthians 10:31 ESV So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 

So the answer isn’t believing that spending time doing the things we enjoy is automatically wrong. Hobbies and God-honoring entertainment can be an enriching part of an abundant, satisfying, and happy life. If your approach to free time is staring at your cell phone and wasting countless hours on social media, then we’re likely neglecting other important things God has called us to do. Are we building relationships with our neighbors and the people God has brought into our lives? Who are we serving or reaching out to? So put down your shiny electronic device and dust off your bible!

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Many people have suffered the loss of a spouse or a child and in a moment of despair have cried out to God and said, “If you really loved me then why did you let my loved one die?” If God is all powerful, and if prayer really works, then why I am here at this tombstone morning the death of my loved one? This is such a difficult question and to be honest with you I don't have a good answer. However, I can tell you this; it is important that we confess to God how we really feel. He already knows it, of course, but we need to be honest with Him and ourselves and face our own need of healing. The real proof of God's love is the fact that he allowed His only begotten son to die on the cross so that we can be forgiven.

John 3:16 ESV For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 

For those of us who have placed our faith in Jesus death is only the beginning, not the end. At the moment we close our eyes in this world and our heart beats it's last beat we will enter the kingdom of heaven and be in the presence of God. 

Luke 23:43 ESV And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.

So how are we as Christians supposed to react when our spouse or child is terminally ill? Second Samuel chapter 12 says that King David prayed fervently for God to heal his son. David would not eat, he fasted and prayed day and night. The elders tried to get David up, they tried to get him to eat something but he refused, his life, all his thoughts and prayers were focused on his prayers for God to heal his son. He prayed non stop for seven days, but on the seventh day the child died. Because God did not answer David's prayers for his son to be healed, did that mean He didn't love David? No not at all! In a way the child was healed because at the moment his life ended, he entered into the kingdom of Heaven where is there is no more sickness.

Revelation 21:4 ESV He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.

The Bible tells us to be thankful to God for all things in first Thessalonians 5:18. It is not that we thank God that loved ones have been taken from us, but that our loved ones are in Heaven where pain and death will never touch them again. Be thankful that God is with us in our own grief. God is still in control, even when we do not understand all that happens in this life. I personally had two sons die. The first had genetic disorder, that at the time could not be cured. The second got his umbilical cord around his neck and was still born. My grief was nearly unbearable. If it had not been for the love and support of my wonderful Christian parents and siblings I am not sure I could have managed the grief. When you are in the midst of the deepest, darkest, despair you have ever felt because your spouse, your child or other loved one has died, remember the pain that Jesus endured for us on the cross. He suffered unlike anyone in all of history. I will never know in this life my my boys had to die but one day when I rejoin them in heaven, I will finally understand!

1 Corinthians 13:12 ESV For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. 

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Forty-four percent of Americans say they are very satisfied with the way things are going in their personal life. This is according to information gathered by surveys conducted by the Gallup corporation, a firm know for its public opinion polls. According to Gallup there has been a continued decline in personal satisfaction since January 2020, when the measure peaked at 65%, just before Covid. Gallup also reported that those who attend church on a regular basis and those who are wealthy are more likely to report that are satisfied with their lives. What would it take for you to be satisfied with your life? In Philippians Paul describes has he has had both abundance and need and was still satisfied.

Philippians 4: 11-12 ESV Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned, in whatever situation I am, to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. 

Like Paul, James had learned to be joyful and optimistic through trials and testing because he understood them to be privileged occasions for growth.

James 1: 2-4 ESV Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. 

There is a tale of a king who suffered from a painful ailment. His counselors advised him, the only cure was to find a contented man, get his shirt, and wear it night and day. So, the king sent messengers to find such a man, with orders to bring back his shirt. After months of searching the kingdom, they returned empty-handed. The king asked his servants, did you find a contented man in all my kingdom? Yes, O king, we found only one they replied. Then why did you not bring back his shirt, the king demanded? The servants replied, my king the man had no shirt. I am a lot like the king in this story. In this imperfect world I am searching for a cure, for satisfaction... and there never seems to be enough for me to be satisfied. I would like to say that I am satisfied with all that I have, but unlike Paul and James I have not yet perfected my faith and I fear that I won't be truly satisfied ever. I know I sin and fall short of God's glory daily, and I feel I will not be satisfied until that day when I awake in Glory. There is an old hymn that describes well where you can find true satisfaction and the lyrics go like this: I am satisfied with Jesus, He has done so much for me: He has suffered to redeem me, He has died to set me free. I am satisfied, I am satisfied, I am satisfied with Jesus, But the question comes to me, As I think of Calvary, Is my Savior satisfied with me? For those who are believers, the question of God's satisfaction is answered through faith in Jesus Christ. If you have placed your trust in Jesus, God sees you as holy and righteous, not based on your own actions, but because of what Jesus has done at Calvary! 

1 Peter 2:24 ESV He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. 

We can carry around our Bibles every day and remain unchanged. However, if we study Scripture and persist in prayer, by faith, we encounter the One who is worthy of our worship. He provides us with true satisfaction, no mater if you currently are living in prosperity or total emptiness. No matter the challenges you face today my friend, come to Jesus. He will satisfy your deepest needs!

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I am confident at some point in time you have heard the saying, “A job worth doing is a job worth doing right!” This means that if a job is started, it should be completed with care, and to the best of my ability. You should take pride in what you do and emphasize quality over quantity, rather than just going through the motions or doing a half-hearted job. Essentially, if something is worth doing at all, it's worth doing well. I spend a lot of time in my garden. I call it my dirt therapy! I take pride in my garden and when things don't go as I had hoped, I am is very disappointed! It also gives me a great sense of accomplishment to share the things I grow in my garden with those I love! Have you ever wondered what you will be doing in heaven? I bet work and having a job is probably the last thing you think of when you imagine Heaven. After all, doesn’t the Bible describe Heaven, as a place of rest? How could there possibly be work in a place of rest?

Isaiah 65: 21-23 NIV They will build houses and dwell in them; they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit. No longer will they build houses and others live in them, or plant and others eat. For as the days of a tree, so will be the days of my people; my chosen ones will long enjoy the work of their hands. They will not labor in vain, nor will they bear children doomed to misfortune; for they will be a people blessed by the Lord, they and their descendants with them. 

If you were to ask the average Christian to describe what Heaven is like, you are more likely to hear descriptions of floating on a cloud than you will building houses or planting and tending to vineyards and gardens. The thought of working in heaven may be distasteful to some, especially to those who have spent their lives at a job that was physically or mentally demanding. But work in heaven will be quite unlike our jobs that we work at in this world. Our job in eternity will simply be to serve God. Heavenly work is often described as service to God and others, a continuation of the good works that believers are called to on Earth, but without the weariness and limitations of this life. I am not sure where the idea of heaven being a place where we lounge around on clouds, strumming a harp comes from, but it does not come from the Bible. From the beginning, God intended work to be part of the human experience. Work was His design; even before the fall, Adam had a job, as God placed him in the garden to work it and take care of it, and Eve was to assist with the work, as God created Eve to be Adam’s helper.

Genesis 2:15 NIV The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. 

Genesis 2:20 NIV So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds in the sky and all the wild animals. But for Adam no suitable helper was found.

Before the fall, the work God gave Adam and Eve was fulfilling, invigorating, and provided a sense of purpose. Only after the introduction of sin into the world did man’s job become difficult. Even in our sinful world, work can still be good and can provide purpose and fulfillment. The problem is many things get in the way of enjoying a job, personal problems, unrealistic demands and physical or mental fatigue. In contrast, work in heaven will be pleasant and satisfying. There will be no conflicts, impractical expectations, or fatigue, and we’ll have the perfect Boss. So until that day when we reach our final destination and get our heavenly jobs. Do everything as if you were already working for God.

Colossians 3:23 NIV Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.

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Have you had one of those days when nothing seems to go right? I know I have my share of days when I look back at what I have accomplished for the day and I feel like I have been working my tail off... all day... and I still don't have anything to show for it. Days like this just make you want to through your hands in the air and say, I give up! There is a song by Brandon Lake titled, Hard Fought Hallelujah. The lyrics to the first verse and chorus go like this: I don't always feel it, but that's when I need God the most. So I'll keep on singing, Til my soul catches up with my song. There are times when my hands go up freely and times that it costs me dearly. There's days when the praise comes out easy and days when it takes all the strength I've got. So I'll bring my hard-fought, heartfelt, been-through-hell hallelujah. I'll bring my storm-tossed, torn-sail, story-to-tell hallelujah, Cause God, You've been patient, God You've been gracious and faithful whatever I'm feeling or facing. So I'll bring my hard-fought, heartfelt, it-is-well hallelujah!

John 16:33 ESV I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.

While we will face persecution and hardships as Christians, God will comfort and reward those who remain steadfast in faith! Jesus told the disciples to be of good cheer just as they were about to face the darkest, most troubling time of their lives. He would soon be leaving them, and Jesus knew that severe persecution, suffering, and even death awaited each of His disciples. The disciples were grieved and confused as Jesus said, “In a little while you won’t see me anymore. But a little while after that, you will see me again.” They would all scatter, and most would abandon Him at the cross. But soon after, their doubt and fear would be transformed into faith and peace. Jesus told them, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” In the original language, the words translated as be of good cheer and take heart can also be understood as be bold, be confident, or be courageous. Jesus taught the disciples that they could have inner peace and courage. amid tribulation only by placing their faith in Him.

1 John 2: 28 ESV So now, little children, remain in Him so that when He appears we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at his coming.

In this world, you will encounter persecution and suffering, just as Jesus did!... Even if you face the threat of death, you can say, thanks be to God! Persecution to the point of death, now that is what I call a “Hard Fought Hallelujah!” However, be of good cheer, be joyous, be lighthearted, exuberant even, because Jesus has conquered the world. While the world offers only trouble, threat, and danger, we do not have to be anxious or afraid. We can be of good cheer because we belong to the One who has overcame the world! Nothing in this world can harm us because we belong to the One who is the most powerful and sits at the right hand of God. If you believe in Jesus and belong to Him, you too have overcome the world because the One living in you is greater than the one in the world.

1 John 4:4 ESV Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. 

So the next time your wrestling with the darkness of this world, the next time your struggling just to get through the day, bring your hard-fought, heartfelt, been-through-hell hallelujah to the one to whom one day every knee will bow! 

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When I was a teenage boy I questioned all authority, especially that of my parents. If my parents asked me to do something well then that was enough motivation for me to do the opposite. It didn't matter if they asked me nicely, tried to bribe me or simply demanded that I do something, I did everything in my power to do the opposite of what they asked, even if I knew it would be good for me. They were the ultimate authority in my life I wanted to be my own ultimate authority. Many years down the road I began to raise my own family and I soon developed a bit a respect for what my parents were trying to do for this very strong willed child. I think I have since apologized to them for all the trials and tribulations I caused them, but if I have not, I will now, sorry Dad and Mom for all the trouble and grief that I caused you. It doesn't matter who you are in this world we all have some authority we must answer to from the homeless person living on the street to the President of the United States living in the white house. We will all answer to someone, and one day we will all bow and confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.
Philippians 2:8-11 ESV And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Who or what is the ultimate authority in your life? Is your employer your authority, is it law enforcement or is it still your parents? How much authority does the holy word of God have in your life? How has God and the scriptures influenced your life? When I was still living at home my parents drugged me, they drug me to church every time the doors were open. I am sure I acted up in church doodled on the bulletin and did everything I could think of to distract myself and those around me, but this was most certainly one of the best things my parents forced me to do. Even though I thought that I was totally ignoring the preacher and all the Sunday school teachers, some of what they were saying sunk into my hard head.
Proverbs 22:6 ESV Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.
My parents were committed to teaching and raising their children to know Jesus Christ as their own personal savior, and I thank God they were! You must be committed to everything the bible says. Every single word in the bible is the truth and not one single dot or tiddle, even the smallest letter, or one single pen stroke will pass away before all things written in the bible are accomplished. If you claim to be a Christian you must be committed to every single word, every command in God's law. Look at the 10 commandment for example. Some of the commandments are much easier to keep. It is not hard for me to obey, thou shall not kill, thou shall not steal, honor your father and mother is easier for me now than it once was, but some of the others are not so easy to keep, such as you shall not covet your neighbors stuff and you shall not have any other God's before me. Wow! Did that last one surprise you a little bit! I know it did, admit it! The person telling you that you must be committed to every word of the bible is saying that he struggles with having other God's. Oh my gosh how can this be! You hypocrite, yes I am a hypocrite and I bet you are as well. Yes from time to time I tend to give other things in my life a higher priority, more importance than I do God's word. Sometimes my camper or my garden is more important to me than studying God's word. Look at your check book ledger, or if your younger your bank app on your phone and see where your spending your money and you will quickly see that there other things that you place more importance on than God!

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When my kids were still living at home and going to school upon occasion they would attempt to fake an illness to skip school. Maybe they had a test or report due at school that they thought they were going to do badly on or they may have been afraid someone was going to pick on them. No matter what the reason they had for not attending school, dear old Dad had a stead fast rule, if you were not puking to pooping uncontrollably, you were going to school. Most of the time this worked for me, however there were a few times it backfired on me and the school nurse would call me and tell me I had to come pick up my sick kid. Forty percent of all Americans say they attended worship on the previous weekend. However, Sociologists of religion have questioned that figure, saying Americans tend to exaggerate how often they attend. By actually counting the number of people who showed up at a representative sample of churches, it was found that only 20% of the population attended church each weekend. Recent research using cell phone data has indicated that significantly fewer people are likely attending every week. The estimate could be only 10% of Americans attend church weekly. In 2000, the median worship attendance was 137. In 2010 it was 105. In 2020 it was 65. Today 55 is the Median worship attendance that is a decline of 60% in two decades. 

 Hebrews 10: 24-25 ESV And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. 

My children came up with some very creative ways of faking illness in an attempt to skip school and Americans today have as many or more different reasons for skipping church as my children had for skipping school. According to Pew Researchers 4 in 10 Americans who do not attend church say they practice their faith in other ways. Now that is about as ambiguous answer as I have every heard! According to this same study 37% do not attend because they have a dislike for religious services. 23% said they said they have not found a church they like yet, 18% said they didn't like the sermons, 14% said they did not feel welcome, 12% said they simply didn't have the time. However, in my personal opinion here is the scariest data of all, 28% of those surveyed said there were not a believer in God at all! Yes, I know these figures may not add up to a total of 100% but that is because many of those surveyed gave multiple reasons why they did not attend church! Outwardly people may seem religious. They may make a profession of Christianity, but their actions speak louder than their words. By their ungodly behavior, they show that they are living a lie. There is no evidence of the power of God in their lives.

2 Timothy 3: 1-5 ESV But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.

Many have given up on the church because they have experienced hurt, betrayal, and abuse. However, Christ said the gates of Hell will not prevail against the church. Christ loved the church and gave his life for her. We must love the church as well and be faithful to her. We must persevere in, love, we must minister to the church. Do you still love your church? Are you faithfully tithing, attending and ministering in your church? Or are you just faking it and pretending to be a Christian?

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Unless you have been living under a rock you have been to Walmart and seen some really weird outfits. I know there have been times I have noticed someones outfit and thought to myself I wouldn't have left the house in that, let alone worn it in public. There is even a website that is devoted to the strange outfits and antics of Walmart customers. The site, “The People of Walmart,” is a humorous site that depicts the many customers of Walmart stores across the United States and Canada, through funny photos. My difficult question for you is this: what are you looking at? What are you focusing on? If you spend to much time looking at the world you will soon become distressed, If you spend to much time looking at yourself you will become depressed but if you focus on and look to God you will find rest! As Christians we are called to be in the world but not of the world.

John 15:19 ESV If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 

Jesus understood the tension we would experience as Christians living in a hostile world. So what does it really mean to be in the world, but not of the world? How do we decide which shows we should watch, which environments we should avoid or which activities are out of bounds? Look to the word of God, focus on bible study. The sad fact is that the only way to completely avoid all sinful experiences or influences is to leave this world altogether. You will always experience temptation until that day you enter into eternity in heaven. The fact that you might be in a location where your Christian view is challenged is not necessarily a bad thing. In fact, God may have placed you there so you can have a positive impact on those who don’t yet know Jesus. As Christians we are to be a light in a dark and sin filled world.

Matthew 5:14-16 ESV You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. 

So the question we must ask ourselves is how bright is our light. When you see that person dressed in some crazy outfit at Walmart that you just can't un-see it burns a memory in your head. What exactly are people seeing in your day to day actions? What influence is your life having on those around you? Living the Christian lifestyle is so difficult! Sometimes our light stops shining because we have started to crave the world more than we want to change it. This can happen to anyone, even those of us who are active in our church. We begin to pursue pleasure, attention, and money more than we strive after spiritual things like faith, love, and a close relationship with God. Worldly things promise us a lot, but ultimately leave us empty. God’s path leads to an inspiring, fulfilling, and purposeful life.

 1 John 2:15-17 ESV Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever. 

Worldly distractions can pull your focus away from your faith. So who are you looking at, the things of the world or the things of God? 

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I am pretty confident that most of us have had one of those, “What If” moments where you wondered just how things may have turned out differently if you had made a different choice. My biggest, “What If” moment has just recently came across my mind. When I turned 18, I signed up for the draft because I was required to. I thought myself I will serve if drafted, but I am not going to volunteer. I had several of my classmates signed up to serve in the armed forces right out of high school and now they are comfortably retired and only working at things they enjoy doing. It has made me think to myself, how would my life had been different if I had joined the military and made a career of it? First I would have gotten married at a very young age and had 3 girls and 2 boys, that passed away as infants. I also wouldn't have had a failed marriage after 8 years and been a single father for 4 years. I also wouldn't have met the love of my life Joyce Ellis who helped me raise my 3 girls. Finally, I wouldn't have 6 grandchildren ranging in age from 18 years old to 12 years old. There is no way to know what my life would have looked like. The choices you make in life are similar to throwing a rock into a body of water. It makes waves which ripple out for a long way. Here is my difficult question for you, what if you had enough faith in this life to do all that God would have you to do?

 Matthew 17: 19-20 ESV Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you. 

If I had the faith to follow God without fail the impacts of my actions wouldn't be like the ripples caused by throwing a rock into a body of water, it would be more like the wave cased by a tsunami. Everyone and everything around you would be effected by your actions. However the truth of life is that we all live in a broken and sin filled world. We have all been betrayed in one way or another and this causes us to lose our trust in others and ultimately find it difficult to completely trust God. True Faithfulness comes from a place of trust and loyalty. 

Hebrews 11:1 ESV Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 

As a Christian, it is important to be faithful to God. It is one thing to simply believe in Him, but another to be faithful to Him. When we are truly faithful to God, this shapes the way we live. Faithfulness requires us to submit our ways to God. It comes from a place of realizing that we are in need of a Savior and that He is in control of our lives. 

Proverbs 19:21 ESV Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand. 

So, how do we grow in our faithfulness? We can grow in our faithfulness by having a personal relationship with Christ. If we are truly faithful to Him and obey His commands, this will be evident in our lives. My challenge to you is this: Think about the ways you show your faithfulness to God. Are there things that are getting in the way of your faithfulness? What areas of your life have you not given over to God? Through spending time in prayer, ask God to make these things clear to you, so that you can grow in your faithfulness. “What If” you were completely faithful in all you do? What If?

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