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Much Needed Rest

We went to Lowes yesterday to pick up additional supplies for my do-it-yourself project that has lasted for days.

I was tired when I got up and I was tired on the drive there and back and I was tired when we got back!

I decided that I had just better go over my sermon for today and get some much-needed rest!

Sometimes we just need rest for the cares of the world. Even Jesus got away from the crowds to get some rest once in a while.

Mark 6:31 GNB reads: There were so many people coming and going that Jesus and his disciples didn't even have time to eat. So he said to them, "Let us go off by ourselves to some place where we will be alone and you can rest a while."

Some of us can learn something from that right there! I know so many people that have literally burnt themselves out becasue they never took a break.

Yesterday, my body was sore all over (still is) and that scripture sounds so good! Amen?

I know that I needed that physical rest but I also realized that we will all have that spiritual rest as well, amen?

While I was resting yesterday, I remembered Jesus telling us in Matthew 11:28 GNB "Come to me, all of you who are tired from carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest.

Now that sounds awesome, huh?

I pray you get some physical rest today as you allow the Lord to minister to you on this Sunday.

Have a blessed day!

Surprise!

Have you ever been working on something and just about the time you think you have got the task completed, you get a surprise?

This brings on an array of emotions, doesn’t it?

This seems to happen a bunch in my life.

On our return trip from our vacation, we were only 70 miles from home when the motorhome just died! 

We had traveled for a couple weeks and had over two thousand miles on the motorhome and then suddenly without any warning, the engine shuts off and won’t start again.

Yesterday I was finishing up a do-it-yourself project that had been going for three days. 

I was eliminating the overhead electrical lines that went to the two-car garage and the shop behind our house.

Ever since we had moved in, the two-car garage had wires going from our house to the garage with two trees acting as electrical poles for the heavy wire. 

The shop has had two Romex cables running from the house, providing it the power it needed. 

That line had reached the point where it was sagging lower and lower until I could reach up and touch part of it!

So anyway, yesterday all the new wiring had been routed underground and I was hooking the ends up inside the shop and garage.

I opened the electrical box in the garage and found out that the lugs were seized up as well as all the circuit breakers were corroded.

Those same array of emotions was trying to overwhelm me! 

I was hot, sweaty, and very tired. That added to those emotions, but I quickly recovered.

I have been doing do-it-yourself projects for decades and surprises are just part of that

I have helped others with their do-it-yourself projects because they reach that "surprise" moment and are not sure what to do next.

I guess the more you endure the easier it gets. Amen?

That reminded me that our faith is tested daily as well and the more we endure the closer we become to being the Christian we should be. Amen?

James 1:2-4 CEV (2) My friends, be glad, even if you have a lot of trouble. (3) You know that you learn to endure by having your faith tested. (4) But you must learn to endure everything, so that you will be completely mature and not lacking in anything.

May you be surprised today and endure,

God bless ya’ll

TGIF!

I know everyone reading this understands TGIF, right?

Today is Friday!

It is the end of the work week for most people, amen?

TGIF is a well-known acronym that stands for Thank God It’s Friday!

But then, as with many acronyms and abbreviations, there are more than one meaning.

In the Christian community the acronym TGIF also stands for Thank God I’m Forgiven!

I thought I would share that this morning in this short blog post, simply affirming how I feel.

TGIF! 

THANK GOD I’M FORGIVEN! Amen?

Feel free to ponder a bit today on just how much you are forgiven for.

It sure makes a better start to the day. Amen.

Have a blessed TGIF day!

Go Deeper!

Yesterday I decided to start digging a trench and burrowing underneath my sidewalk and driveway.

I had been contemplating running the electrical lines that go to our two-car garage and the also the shop behind our house underground for years.

Well, due to other maintenance that is needed, the time has come. No more procrastinating, right? 

There is another subject for a future blog post, huh?

Anyway, I was able to dig and burrow under the sidewalk in a couple hours, but the driveway was a different story!

I kept hitting something after the first three or four feet and had to keep adjusting my angle to go deeper. I must have pulled out the PVC pipe half a dozen times and adjusted the angle because I would come to another hidden obstruction.

The last time was the most frustrating as I was within four inches or less of the other side! I had dug and dug up under the driveway trying to find this last hidden obstruction but to no avail!

Then I adjusted the angle again and started the borrowing process all over again.

The PVC pipe had made it! I was finally far enough but I still couldn’t see the pipe.

I knew that pipe was far enough so all I could figure was that it was deeper than I thought it was.

I dug and dug. The further down I went the more I started doubting myself. 

Then I found the end of the PVC pipe nearly three feet down!

After about six hours I had made it to the other side of the driveway. Praise the Lord!

As I took another break, which seems to be much more often than a few years ago, I thought about how deep I had gone before revealing the pipe.

This made me think about our relationship with the Lord.

I once thought I had a true and deep relationship with Jesus back when I was drinking, cussing like a “sailor”, smoking a carton of cigs a week and looking at pornography daily. 

Heh! I went to church and even attended Bible studies. I was convinced that Jesus loved me just the way I was.

You could say that I believed and truly was enjoying a comfortable relationship with Jesus.

But as I dug deeper and deeper in the word of God, he started revealing the truth and I realized I really had a very shallow relationship with him.

In fact, I learned that I did not have a relationship with him at all. I just knew about him but I didn’t really KNOW him!

I lived in darkness but claimed to be in the light with Jesus.

When we GO DEEPER into the word of God, HE will reveal to us the truth about our relationship with HIM!

Ever since the scales were removed from my eyes, I have always done my best to let others know that they must GO DEEPER.

So many people think they have a relationship with the Lord but don’t.

Listen! I am still GOING DEEPER every day I want to encourage ya’ll to do the same!

Please read the following scripture, asking God to reveal what HE wants to as you read it.

1 John 1:1-2:5 GNB (1) We write to you about the Word of life, which has existed from the very beginning. We have heard it, and we have seen it with our eyes; yes, we have seen it, and our hands have touched it. (2) When this life became visible, we saw it; so we speak of it and tell you about the eternal life which was with the Father and was made known to us. (3) What we have seen and heard we announce to you also, so that you will join with us in the fellowship that we have with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. (4) We write this in order that our joy may be complete. (5) Now the message that we have heard from his Son and announce is this: God is light, and there is no darkness at all in him. (6) If, then, we say that we have fellowship with him, yet at the same time live in the darkness, we are lying both in our words and in our actions. (7) But if we live in the light—just as he is in the light—then we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from every sin. (8) If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and there is no truth in us. (9) But if we confess our sins to God, he will keep his promise and do what is right: he will forgive us our sins and purify us from all our wrongdoing. (10) If we say that we have not sinned, we make a liar out of God, and his word is not in us.
(1) I am writing this to you, my children, so that you will not sin; but if anyone does sin, we have someone who pleads with the Father on our behalf—Jesus Christ, the righteous one. (2) And Christ himself is the means by which our sins are forgiven, and not our sins only, but also the sins of everyone. (3) If we obey God's commands, then we are sure that we know him. (4) If we say that we know him, but do not obey his commands, we are liars and there is no truth in us. (5) But if we obey his word, we are the ones whose love for God has really been made perfect. This is how we can be sure that we are in union with God:

Years ago, I read that and the last part of verse five jumped off the page at me! I KNEW that I WAS NOT in Union with HIM! 

It was describing my life!

I lived in darkness but claimed to be in the light.

Anyway, I have to dig deeper and deeper today for the remainder of the trench to my two car garage so I can be one step closer to burying my electrical lines.

I pray that you also GO DEEPER today.

Have a blessed day.

Are You a Hater?

Have you noticed that whenever a Christian boldly speaks out against anything that is not of God, they get called Haters?

Have you had someone call you a hater or bigot or something else derogatory because you spoke out against the homosexual agenda, pro-choice, or the political party that supports such things?

Have you been unfriended on social media because you were outspoken against anything going on in today’s agenda that you just disagree with?

I am sure that nearly everyone that knows me, I mean really knows me, has no question about how I feel about the political party platforms. 

I don’t sugar coat anything when asked about policies that go against God’s morals. Amen?

I have lost about thirty “friends” on fakebook in the past ten to twelve months. Most of them right after I leave a barrage of posts against the anti-Christ political party promoting same sex marriage, killing babies plus other issues that are turning our country towards socialism.

Are you outspoken for God’s morals?

If so, then you have experienced the ridicule from those that see you as a hater! Right?

I pray for all, and I don’t want anyone to go to hell.

I am still claiming a revival in the white house on down so that our country will focus on God first.

God hates the sin not the sinner and I always try to be the same.

I hate the democratic platform, not democrats. I have family that are democrats and I pray for them daily. I had one democrat friend unfriend me after I stated, “How can a blood bought saint of God vote for anyone that supports killing babies and same sex marriage.”

I still pray for him. I have cousins that have argued their point telling me that they are Christian and a democrat. I tell them, don’t try to convince me, tell God that.

I know, that was a bit abrasive huh?

I don’t hate immigrants. I have served with immigrants. I am against illegals being allowed into our country by, oh yeah, the democrats.

I don’t hate people who believe in getting the vaccine (which is still not a vaccine yet). I believe in having a choice just like I have had with the flu vaccine.

I don’t hate people who want to regulate firearms, I believe in the 2nd amendment and what type of weapon I own is my business.

Anyway, I had another “friend” unfriend me right after leaving the following private message.

<snip>
How can you be a minister and preach hatred? You hate democrats. You hate people who believe in the vaccine. You hate immigrants. You hate people who want to regulate firearms. Didn’t Jesus preach forgiveness? I just see so much intolerance and lack of compassion from you and lack of love for your fellow man. I see only compassion and understanding for those who think the same way you do. What is godly about this?
<snip>

Just like I have been preaching for years, our society has changed the meaning of tolerate to be the same as accept.

When we as blood bought saints of God speak out against immoral agendas, policies or activities we are called intolerant haters.

But we are to hate the sin, amen?

Proverbs 8:13 NIV To fear the LORD is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech.

So, I guess by all rights, I am a hater.

Are you a hater?

We are to hate the sin, but we are to love the sinner and pray for their deliverance. Amen?

Listen I have family members that support the pro-choice agenda! 

I have family that supports the same sex marriage!

I don’t hate them. I hate the sin they are supporting, amen?

We must love the sinner and pray for them always!

So as a true hater of that sin, I must be bold and speak out! At the same time also pray for them to turn from their evil ways, amen?

Ezekiel 33:11 NIV Say to them, 'As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, people of Israel?'

Are you a hater?

Keep praying my brothers and sister. Keep praying.

Helping Others

Sunday evening, while Ethan and I were in the hot tub, he asked me to wake him up Monday morning at 6AM.

I asked him why and he explained that he wanted to help Tramp and Barry at the Blessings.

He further explained that both men needed the help because they were older, and all the lifting made them hurt.

He figured if he got up at 6AM he would have enough time to get his Math and Science done before going to help them.

Ethan loves his sleep so I figured that when I went to wake him up, he would change his mind. He usually sleeps until 7:30 or 8AM! We usually start school at 9AM.

I woke him up at 6AM and he was downstairs eating cereal before I had the coffee started!

When I came back in the house from the hot tub, Ethan was sitting at the kitchen table with the Math materials out and ready!

Normally, I have to motivate him to just get moving after he eats!

Ethan finished his schoolwork as planned and was ready to go by 9:30AM

I was proud of him and told him so as Tammy started the car to take him to the store.

This is one of those times that we adults could learn from our children, amen?

Do we help others? I mean, do we actually make a sacrifice to help others?

Maybe it is a loss of sleep, or we adjust our schedule to help someone when we would rather be doing something else.

Or do we just help when it is convenient?

The word of God says in Galatians 6:2 KJV Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

Pray about that today.

Maybe God is trying to tell you that you need to help bear the burden for someone.

Just saying…

Have a blessed day

The Salt from Other’s Tears

The other day I asked if you are happy with the happy. 

We were getting ready to go to the Bell County Comic Con and I explained how Tammy and I were happy just because the boys were happy about going.

When we arrived, I was shocked at the crowd! 

We arrived within minutes of them opening the doors and the FAST line, for us that pre-registered and picked up our passes early, was over a thousand people!

Once we got inside, it was wall to wall people! We just went with the flow of the crowd. There was no other choice. I was not having any fun for sure. 

We finally made it to the arena and slowly flowed down the steps to all the vendors there.

Ethan and Rylan were excited at all the things that were for sale and all the other Cosplay people there.

I whispered to Tammy, “Does any of this remotely interest you at all?”

She shook her head, “Not at all.”

I got Ethan’s attention. He was only two people from me, and we still struggled to get next to each other. I told him that Tammy and I were headed back up the stairs and would be sitting in the seats watching. 

I also told them both to take their time and enjoy themselves.

We went all the way to the top row of seats in the stands and took a seat next to section 224. That way we would be able to give Ethan a reference point to go to when he wanted to find us.

We watched the boys going from vendor booth to vendor booth. We would lose them for a while and then they would reappear somewhere else.

I had sent a text to Ethan telling him our location and knew we would probably be sitting there for a couple hours. 

I was still in disbelief at the number of people still flowing in and out of the arena! Thousands and thousands of people. Some were dressed up in very expensive costumes while others weren’t.

After about an hour my phone rang, and it was Ethan. He told me that he was in line to get Lou Ferrigno’s autograph.  He explained that he was going to get Lou’s autograph first and then he wanted to get two others. I said that it was fine. He wanted to be sure we didn’t care because all the lines were so long. I assured him that we were enjoying ourselves just watching him and Rylan.

Ethan had bought a book for autographs while we were at Indiana Beach. It was perfect. It cost him $15 but he said he liked it and it was just perfect for collecting autographs.

After an additional thirty minutes Ethan finally was next!

I watched as he spoke with the staff member. My heart was pumping faster as I tried to guess what the conversation was. I noticed his shoulders slacken as if disappointed but then I watched Ethan open his bag and get something out. It look like he had put his book inside the bag too.

I told Tammy, “It must cost something because he is getting something out of his bag.”

The staff member turned to get something, and I was pretty sure he was swiping Ethan’s card. 

I told Tammy, “Yep, they are actually charging for autographs!”

Tammy just shook her head and we watched as the staff member said something to Ethan.

I was excited as I had been watching this process with others that had been in front of Ethan and knew that the next step was for Lou to stand up and come over to the person that wanted the autograph.

I can not put into words my emotions as I watched Ethan walking away rejected! 

I did yell, “NO!”

Tammy looked at me a bit startled when I yelled.

I felt my stomach knot up in pain as I watched my little buddy walking away. He had waited for over thirty minutes only to be rejected.

He went straight to Rylan who was also waiting in another line and let him know that it cost more money than they had to get an autograph.

Both of them headed towards us and I was hoping that this didn’t ruin the rest of the day for them. 

As I waited for them to slowly fight the thousands of people crammed into the arena, I could see the disappointment on them.

When they finally met us on the steps, Ethan explained that they wanted $45 for the autograph! I was outraged!

Then Ethan explained that his card was declined. I was surprised that Ethan would have spent that much just for an autograph of someone that wasn’t really one of his “heroes” anyway.

When I asked why he was willing to spend that much he said, “I thought you and mom wanted his autograph. I was getting it for ya’ll.”

WOW! We are truly spoilt. (He had heard us talking about Lou Ferrigno being one person that we would like to have an autograph of)

I could tell that they were ready to leave, and I am sure the rejection contributed to that emotion.

I asked if they wanted to at least check out the other buildings and they both became excited again.

We spent a couple more hours checking out the other two buildings full of other vendors.

The subject of getting an autograph came up quite a few times the rest of the day and it seemed each time the disappointment became a little less each time.

During our return trip home Ethan was looking at all the Star Wars Lego figures that he had bought after that rejection and said, “You know I am glad that I didn’t have enough money for Lou Ferrigno’s autograph.”

I asked him why and he said, “I wouldn’t have had any money left for all of this good stuff!”

Then I started feeling better too.

I guess I just wanted to share that same scripture from a couple days ago.

Romans 12:15 (KJV) Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.

The last time I shared it, I talked about feeling happy with the happy, but the second part of that scripture is weeping with those weeping, amen?

One common saying for that is, “I can taste the salt from your tears.”

This is easy with family members and those that we love, but it also applies to all or brothers and sisters, amen?

I have weeped this week for a brother who has lost a loved one. I have weeped for another that has been incarcerated.

Do you taste the salt of other's tears? 

Have a blessed day

What About The Grapes?

Please read Numbers 13:17-33 for the entire story

In verse 27 it reads: They told Moses, "We explored the land and found it to be rich and fertile; and here is some of its fruit.

So, we see that God has kept his word as he always does, amen?

BUT! That one little word sure can stop us in our tracks.

In verse 28 we read: BUT the people who live there are powerful, and their cities are very large and well fortified. Even worse, we saw the descendants of the giants there.

Oh man. As soon as I see that BUT, I know trouble is brewing that one little word has robbed people of their faith. 

Stolen their health, robbed them of their dreams, kept them from their miracle and slammed the door shut to the promises of God.

I know God can heal, but.

I know God can deliver, but.

I know God can save, but.

How many times have we stood on the border of our promised land, and failed to take possession.  Just because we couldn’t believe God was able?

Every time you add a BUT to the promises of God.  You limit God and disqualify yourself from his promise and from his provision.

We need to start focusing on the grapes and NOT on the giants! Amen?

There are those that spend their lives measuring giants and talking about how tall and how mean and how powerful the giants are.

Then there are those who are weighing the Grapes, and the Grapes outweigh the giants. Amen?

I can’t speak for you: but as for me and my house, we are in the grape weighing business; we’re weighing the promises of God that are heavier and more Powerful than any giant. Are you?

Some of you have some giants that have been lying to you and stealing from you, they’ve been manipulating and intimidating you (but that was yesterday)

You need to tell someone today, “I am grabbing me some grapes!”

Say this three times: I’m a giant killing, grape gabbing child of God!

Alright then!

Feel better?

Amen!

Have a giant killing, grape grabbing day today!

Are You Happy with the Happy?

As I was sipping my coffee while sitting in the hot tub with God this morning, I thought about the past few days leading up to today.

Ethan is excited about today! 

My youngest grandson, Rylan, is also excited about this event.

Jewel came over last night and dyed their hair. 

She is coming back this morning to spike their hair. 

They are trying to look like a certain character. Rylan is going as Baukago and Ethan is going as Dabi. 

They are both into this Cosplay thing.

Cosplay is the act of dressing up as a character. People who do it regularly are called 'cosplayers'. Many people really get into this and imitate the character that they are dressed up as.

Some even spend thousands of dollars on their wardrobe and props to look as authentic as they can.

I had no clue that this was such a big thing, but Ethan has talked about Cosplay, Anime and Comic Con for some time.

We went Wednesday the 4th and picked up our weekend passes so we wouldn’t have to wait in line today. There were quite a few people that were dressed weird just for picking up their passes.

I say weird but Ethan knew who their characters were. (LOL) I guess I will be totally lost today as I follow the two boys around.

What I do know is that both the boys are really excited about getting to go. The smiles on their faces last night while getting their hair dyed is worth what I spent for the weekend passes.

The two boys were talking in a different language. I didn’t have a clue what they were so excited about or why their smiles were from ear to ear, but I also smiled and was excited with them.

Jewel was happy and excited as she dyed their hair. 

Tammy was excited and happy as she found a white shirt that would work for Rylan’s “costume.”

As I pondered all this excitement and happiness, I realized that we all should always be happy with the happy and sad with the sad. Amen?

Romans 12:15 (KJV) Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.

You see, we can break that happiness if we are not happy with the other person.

For example, I could complain about spending over a hundred dollars already and that we will have to spend money on fuel and food for this all-day long event! 

Tammy could have complained that she had to go searching for a white shirt and Jewel could have been upset and complained that she had to come over to dye hair as well as having to get up early today to spike their hair!

Haven’t you ever had someone destroy your happiness with their negativity?

Look back and think hard. Have you ever destroyed someone else’s happiness with your negativity?

I encourage you today to be happy with the happy and weep with the those that are weeping. Amen?

Have a blessed day.

Good morning! 

I wanted to drop a line to say, I am back!!! 

I just wanted to thank all of you that sent me emails, texts and took the time to call during my sabbatical. 

Your encouraging words made it clear to me that I had to eventually get back to doing the daily blog. If not for any other reason, then for the few that it means so much to. 

I do feel refreshed and ready! 

I love every one of you and am looking forward to sending out tomorrow's daily blog post.

Have a blessed day! 

Perception Versus Reality

Tammy, Ethan and I have become interested in the HO scale train sets and are looking to build our first four by eight foot scenery set in the near future.

We have started ordering HO scale people and other items.

One of this we order was a pond with some ducks on it. It was a decent size pond and we thought it would be great to add to our set.

We ordered a family with a flat bottom boat and courtesy dog along with fishing tackle and even the family dog.

We then though it would look cool with a couple canoes on the opposite side of the pond, so we purchased them as well.

We have since learned that the pond is more like a puddle. The ducks must have been really wore out to stop at a puddle huh?

Yeah, we learned that the reason the pond was so cheap was that is was a puddle! LOL

You see, the picture of the pond had a ruler sitting with it and the big 12 I assumed meant that it was 12 inches wide. That makes it 87 feet wide so we could live with that.

But we have since learned that the ruler was metric and the 12 is in centimeters.

We are disappointed and the seller will get a bad review, but we still plan on using it, just not for our fishing family and canoes. LOL

You see we perceived one thing but in reality, it was much different. Once I zoomed in on the picture I could make out that it was a metric ruler but only because I knew it was.

Maybe this wasn’t done on purpose. Maybe it was. But the point is that we perceived one thing when it was another.

We have to be careful in our spiritual daily walk as well.

Sometimes we see something that we perceive is a bad thing but in reality, it isn’t what we think it is. Amen?

Sometimes we may do something that is perceived as a bad thing and in reality, it isn’t what it seems either. Amen?

Of course, when we do something that is improperly perceived, we usually here about it later and people are thinking we did something that we didn’t, right?

I used to drink nonalcoholic beer on my front porch. LOL

Man! Talk about the rumors around town.

Anyway, we should be concerned about what can be perceived as bad.

1 Thessalonians 5:22 KJV Abstain from all appearance of evil.

You see, I used to not care what others thought I was doing but have since learned that I need to take each act into consideration to 1 Thessalonians 5:22. Amen?

But God doesn’t want us to be in slavery to what everyone thinks either!

Let’s face it, everything that we do, can be misconstrued by someone! If we worried all the time about what everyone will think about everything we do, that is bondage as well!

I have had people talk bad about us praying in public! I have been chastised by other Christians telling us that we should pray in our closets and not make a public spectacle of our praying. LOL

You see, if I worried about everything that everyone might think, I couldn’t do anything. LOL

So, we have to find a balance. Besides the word tells us that as well.

Proverbs 29:25 GNB It is dangerous to be concerned with what others think of you, but if you trust the LORD, you are safe.

So today, I pray that each one of you take caution in your perceptions as well as your actions. I pray you find that balance.

Have a blessed day.

I Don’t Know What to Believe Anymore!

It seems like just about everyday either I or someone I am talking with will say those words.

“I just don’t know what to believe anymore!”

Have you said or heard that lately?

Was the last election won or stolen?

It depends on who you believe. You can spend hours watching videos of people complaining all over the United States about the votes not being counted properly. You can find hours of video saying it was a secure and honest election process.

Who are you going to believe? 

I believe it was stolen, period.

But with that said, I know that God was and is in control and he knew it was going to happen.

Romans 13:1 GNB Everyone must obey state authorities, because no authority exists without God's permission, and the existing authorities have been put there by God.

If you believe it was stolen then you are probably wondering if we can ever trust another election, right?

Guess what, God's got the next one too, so just do your part regardless of whether you believe it was a legitimate election or not.

During the panic-demic all the news ever did was scare the world with their daily statistics and show families being torn apart by this “horrible plague.” They are still keeping us updated!

Over a year later families are still torn apart due to the aftermath of this world wide mainstream media indoctrination.

I learned of a family that loaded up in their car and drove to visit another family member but when they arrived, they were not allowed to go in the house because they had not been vaccinated! 

They needed to use the restroom and were told to go to the local convenience store up the road. 

They were not allowed to pet the dog while standing in the driveway visiting.

Every time you post ANYTHING with the word covid in it on fakebook they add their propaganda on how safe the vaccine is and that “We can do this together” sales pitch.

The thing is that once we make up our minds about something, we don’t want to hear anything contradicting what we believe.

That is how we are made. I am the same way.

But the censorship of mainstream media and the social media networks have stopped any unbiased posts from being there anymore. 

The “fact checkers” are not really about facts.

My wife and I quit watching the mainstream media because of the censorship and indoctrination. It would be different if the mainstream media announced the vaccine related death toll daily, but they don’t! 

The latest report is currently at over 5,700 deaths but you must read and read to find it on the CDC website.

They don’t daily report on those people with some pretty bad side effects. They don't spend ten minutes with crying familes begging others to not get the vaccine because they almost lost their loved one!

Why? 

Because the are selling the vaccine. 

Why do you think that over 70 percent got the first shot but less than 50% are getting the second? There would be even less getting either shot if they knew the FACTS and the decision was left up to them without the biased propaganda being streamed into the homes daily.

They don’t report that women are having issues with menstrual cycles after the vaccine, and I have one elderly lady in my church that had never had any issues that suddenly had those symptoms and required a hysterectomy! Coincidence?

I have family members that don’t want me around because I have not been vaccinated. 

I have had family members that would not come to my house because they were afraid, they might contract the “plague.”

Listen, I show the love and respect to those that get the vaccine and leave it at that. 

Do I think they should have gotten it? Of course not. But that is what I believe.

I have had family members tell me they cannot believe that I don’t care about others and should get the vaccine to protect them.

This all comes down to who we are going to believe.

I am going to die one of these days and I will be with Jesus. The manner in which I die is up to Jesus. That is what I believe. Period.

In the meantime I know who I can believe and rely on!

Psalms 62:5-6 GNB (5) I depend on God alone; I put my hope in him. (6) He alone protects and saves me; he is my defender, and I shall never be defeated.

Have a blessed day.

Zombie Sins (Title link to sermon)

Romans 6:2 (KJV) God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

That scripture simply states that once the sin is dead its dead! Amen?

The Incas worshiped the sun, which they called “Inti.” The king was considered to be the son of the sun and was called Sapa Inca, or “Child of the Sun.” As a god, the king lived in a spacious palace and was cared for by a staff of servants. Just like the Egyptian Pharaoh, the Inca Kings were living children of the sun god dwelling among the people.  

Because they were living deities, these kings were already presumed to exist in a sort of supernatural state all the time. More to the point, when they died they did not really ‘die,’ but rather they simply changed form. They still lived among human beings and gods, just as they always did, but now their body couldn’t move. They were thought to be fully aware of their surroundings and ‘live’ among the people, but they did so in a different form.

The World has given a name to this. They call them Zombies. Zombies are people who were once dead but have risen to a state where they are not dead, but not alive. The zombies are said to walk the earth seeking out the living to destroy them. The pop culture has even come up with complicated rules about the zombies and how they can be killed.

In fact, this idea of a coming zombie apocalypse is so prevalent that you can go to the sporting goods store and buy shooting targets with pictures of zombies on them. 

One bullet manufacturer even sells special zombie ammunition.

Just like these ancient ones, we have a tendency to resurrect the dead (sins in our lives) and worship them again. 

Our sins are like the zombies that the world talks about. 

Except instead of our sins rising from the dead on their own, we go out and intentionally pick back up those sins.

Like a zombies, you live in fear of those old dead sins coming back to life and chasing you down.

You were delivered from sins, but you keep resurrecting the dead sins!

Sins from which God has delivered us, but we (not God, not the Devil) keep bring back up.

Kill that sin today!

Bury that sin at the altar today and leave it there at Jesus feet. 

What is dead is dead!

Praise the King for his Grace and Mercy

Truth Shall Make You Free

On this day all across America people are celebrating their liberty and freedom. Amen?

Many will not go to church this morning because they have made plans for the holiday.

They have the freedom to choose, amen?

On this 4th of July many will think back to what this day really means and the sacrifice that was made for us to live in this United States, in freedom.

And then there will be others who will just treat it as one more day to get together with family and friends to have a good time in the freedom of America.

Is that really what freedom is?

Choosing to do what we want no matter what it is?

Acting in any manner we choose because we have the freedom to do so?

In this dark and perverse world we live in today, we can choose whether or not to identify as the biological being God made us as, or as the opposite.

Is that what freedom is?

Yes, as far as this world is concerned that is indeed what freedom is.

But the word of God tells us what freedom really is. Amen?

John 8:31-32 NKJV (31) Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. (32) And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."

There is freedom for the souls of mankind and liberty can be ours if we will just Let Go and Let God. Amen?

Jesus has come so that we could be made free from the Bondage of Sin and death?

The truth that makes us free is Jesus Christ and his word that guides us daily to walk in the spirit and not in the flesh. Amen?

Share with someone today on Independence Day that they can be free too!

Share the truth with someone so they can experience the true liberty and freedom that God wants us all to have.

Happy Independence Day and God Bless America.

Storms Coming!

This morning I opened the hot tub, and it was at 107 degrees!

For those that don’t know, 104 is the hottest that you should ever get in.

I opened the tub completely hoping that the temperature would come down in time for me to get in for my morning ritual.

I went back in the house with my cup of coffee and looked at the radar to check on the storm cells.

It looked like I would have time!

I sat back sipping on my coffee thinking about what I had just done.

I prepared the hot tub for a visit, hopefully within an hour or so.

There in itself is a whole message amen?

Making preparations for the future. Hello?

Then I thought about the radar and thanked God for that technology that we didn’t have many years ago and only gets better and better each year I grow older.

I mean who would have ever thought that they would look at a device in the palm of their hands and look at the current weather conditions?

Then I chuckled as I thought about how many times I have been caught in the rain on my motorcycle and did not know it was going to rain!

The technology was available, but I was in my own world and jumped on the bike and took off without consulting the “powers to be” on current weather conditions.

Yes, and then miles away from home realized a Storms Coming!

If only I had consulted the “powers to be.” Right?

Listen, we must daily consult the word of God for his guidance. Amen?

If we do not stay in his word daily and commune with him daily and meditate on that word daily we will find ourselves miles from home in a storm!

Just saying.

Today was supposed to be our annual church pool party but because the folks hosting the party was able to consult the “powers to be” on projected weather conditions they decided to cancel.

This morning as we look at the radar with a 81% chance of rain, we all receive confirmation that the powers to be have helped out. Amen?

Avoid the spiritual storms and consult the true powers to be daily.

Have a blessed day.

Holiday Weekend

We have been putting off going to the grocery store since we got back from vacation. Mostly because Tammy was not feeling up to it with her toothache she had. 

Praise God it is much better since the dentist removed a little bit off each tooth that was grinding against each other.

When we walked into the grocery store, we were a bit surprised that the store was so busy!

Once we got our $300 worth of groceries, we got in a long line to check out while Tammy went after the last few items.

The folks in line were discussing their plans for the holiday weekend and you could tell what they were having for the 4th of July party by a quick glance in their shopping carts.

If you try to find a open campsite today you are out of luck!

Campgrounds across America will be full by the end of today. They started filling up last night due to the four-day weekends that so many take vacation days for every year.

This is a major celebration event every year and the amount of money spent on fireworks alone is unbelievable!

It just saddens me as I realize that so many do not even know what they are celebrating!

All weekend, across America people are celebrating their liberty and freedom. Amen?

Freedom from physical, political, and spiritual oppression. Right?

During this weekend many will think back to what this day really means and the sacrifice that was made for us to live in this God Blessed United States

And then there will be others who will just treat it as one more day to get together with family and friends to have a good time in the freedom of America.

The same goes for our spiritual freedom too.

There are so many that are “celebrating” their daily lives in oppression because they have not been set free.

Jesus came to us in the flesh, died on the cross a horrible death and proved he was God by resurrecting himself all so we could be free! Amen?

So, on this holiday weekend remember that not only are we celebrating our physical freedom bought with the price of many, but our spiritual freedom that was also bought with the blood of Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Have a blessed day indeed.

Much Love and Respect

Sitting in the hot tub this morning, sipping on some coffee, I remembered an incident in Morocco Indiana that made me smile and appreciate my youngest son, Ethan.

We were visiting with family members at “Mel’s Downtown” a local restaurant. We were sharing stories and genealogy information.

Ethan had finished his entire glass of coke and was making that sucking and slurping noise at the remnants in the bottom with his straw.

I looked at him and he was in his own world watching a video on his phone.

He realized I was staring at him and looked over his empty cup at me and stopped sucking on the straw.

I firmly said, “Turn off the phone and quit sucking on that straw.”

I could tell he was a bit confused at why I looked so upset but I did not say anything else.

He has been told in the past to not make that irritable noise when his drink in finished.

The rest of us continued to visit before and during the meal.

Later on, before we had finished eating, Ethan tapped my arm and leaned towards me.

I leaned over so he could whisper to me his question.

He said, “I am sorry, I did not mean no disrespect.”

I nodded with approval and patted him on the shoulder while stating, “No worries son, I love you.”

I am so proud of my teenager that takes the time to think things through and realize that his actions were not appropriate.

Today’s generation have no respect for anyone let alone themselves!

I am so blessed to have a son that has not conformed to this world and its attitudes. Amen?

The word of God tells us to respect everyone.

1 Peter 2:17 NIV Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor.

Take time this morning to reflect on your actions and ask God to show you if you may have shown some disrespect with your words or actions lately.

May you have a day full of respect and love.

Once a Day Keeps the Doctors Away

The title most likely made you think about eating an apple, right?

Although eating an apple a day is good for you, I was suggesting something else this morning.

Nearly every morning, before anyone else gets up, I am soaking in our hot tub with a cup of coffee.

That is the start of my morning time with God.

Spending time in the word and with God is good for the heart, amen?

Spending time in the hot tub is also good for the natural heart inside our bodies.

You see, once you begin using your hot tub regularly, you’ll miss the rewards if you have to skip a day or two.

I know because I went a long time without the hot tub and now that we have it working again I can’t believe the physical benefits of using it daily!

We were gone for three weeks and Just using it for the last three days has made a huge difference in my joints.

But research has been done on using a hot tub daily, for those of us that can.

When you soak in a hot tub once in a while, you’ll experience physical and mental relaxation on the spot. I think everyone that has ever used one can give testimony to that, amen?

It feels great and you feel relaxed as well after that random dip in the hot tub!

But when you soak daily as part of a normal routine, you’ll likely experience a widespread and lasting stress and tension relief and relief from pain.

You will even have a better-quality of sleep.

Daily hot tub therapy results in a reduction in joint inflammation and enhanced mobility.

A daily hot tub soak is just one positive habit you can incorporate into your healthy lifestyle.

As a daily soak in the hot tub is good for the heart, so is a daily dose of God’s word. Amen?

When you soak in the WORD once in a while, you’ll experience physical and mental relaxation on the spot. 

But that daily dose of God's WORD has the same spiritual long term effects that the hot tub has physically, amen?

In fact, if we get a daily dose of WORD Therapy and hide it in our heart, we will life a much better life, amen?

Psalms 119:11 NIV I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.

May you get your daily WORD therapy always, amen?

Have a blessed day.

One Step Away

Yesterday we went to pick up Maggie, our fur baby.

She must have heard us enter the “doggie hotel” that she had been staying at for the past three weeks!

She came running with what seemed to be the expectation of leaving with us.

It was as if she knew she was “saved” from the world she had known for the last three weeks.

That world was a temporary one and she showed her affection as she greeted us with sloppy licks.

Our world is also temporary, but we often focus on it more than the great day when we will be “saved” from this world!

That is why Paul tells us to focus on the eternal not the temporary. Amen?

2 Corinthians 4:18 NIV (18) So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

I don’t know for sure if Maggie lays there at her “doggie hotel” and wonders about reuniting with us. 

I will leave all that discussion for those that think they know. LOL

What I do know is that whether we leave her for a couple hours or three weeks, she greets us with the same amount of excitement and kisses!

Whether we are a few blocks or over a thousand miles from her, she greets us as if we have been in the next room behind a locked door.

To her we were always just a step away, yet she didn’t have access to us.

Listen, no Matter how far we walk away from the Lord, we are only one step away from being back in his presence!
Amen?

The lyrics of a song called “One Step Away” from Casting Crowns sums it up well…

It doesn’t matter how far you’ve gone
Mercy says you don’t have to keep running down the road you’re on
Love’s never met a lost cause
Your shame, lay it down
Leave your ghosts in the past ‘cause you know that you can’t go back
But you can turn around
You’ve never been more than
One step away from surrender
One step away from coming home, coming home
One step from arms wide open
His love has never let you go

Powerful words in that song indeed.

We are always just one step away from eternity and should live our lives as such. Amen?

1 Samuel 20:3 NIV But David took an oath and said, "Your father knows very well that I have found favor in your eyes, and he has said to himself, 'Jonathan must not know this or he will be grieved.' Yet as surely as the LORD lives and as you live, there is only a step between me and death."

We are all just one step away from eternity, amen?

May you find yourself in HIS presence today and be moved to share that with others.

Have a blessed day

Small Things Becoming Bigger Things

Isn’t it scary how somethings that are so small can become an enormous problem?

Most mechanics will agree that they would rather get a normal scrape causing a gash in their hand then a papercut!

That does not make sense, but it is true, isn’t it?

We would rather have a huge cut that requires some first aid than a paper cut!

Tammy has been dealing with a tooth ache for four days now and it has only gotten worse.

I have had three women tell me that they would rather have another baby then a toothache!

Again, that does not compute as good logic, but it is true!

As I was sitting here drinking coffee and praying for a cancelation at the dentist so she can be seen today, I thought about how small things become bigger things!

The enormous storms that we endure started somewhere as a small insignificant cloud.

1 Kings 18:44 GNB (44) The seventh time he returned and said, "I saw a little cloud no bigger than a man's hand, coming up from the sea." Elijah ordered his servant, "Go to King Ahab and tell him to get in his chariot and go back home before the rain stops him."

A cloud no bigger than a man’s hand and the warning is to leave now or be stuck!

A small thing becoming something much bigger, right?

This also includes the good things in life!

Jesus taught about good things that start small becoming bigger.

Matthew 13:31-32 GNB (31) Jesus told them another parable: "The Kingdom of heaven is like this. A man takes a mustard seed and sows it in his field. (32) It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it grows up, it is the biggest of all plants. It becomes a tree, so that birds come and make their nests in its branches."

Thanks for your continued prayers for Tammy and may you have a day of something good growing bigger and bigger!