"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you." Philippians 4:8-9

A friend sent me the following story. One evening, an old Cherokee man shared a story with his grandson about a battle that takes place in every person. He said, "My child, there are two wolves inside us. One is filled with all things bad—anger, jealousy, regret, greed, pride, lies, and so much more. The other is full of good—joy, love, peace, kindness, humility, and faith." The grandson thought for a moment and then asked, "Which wolf wins, Grandpa?" The old man simply replied, "The one you feed." It’s simple, isn’t it? What we focus on, what we allow into our hearts, shapes us. If we fill ourselves with negativity, that’s what will grow. But if we choose to feed on joy, peace, and love, that’s what will lead us forward. Brothers & Sisters, let’s make a conscious effort today to feed our minds and spirits with what honors God—things that will help us grow and do His work. When we do, the God of peace will be with us, now and always. AOOOOOOOOO!

"According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it." 1 Corinthians 3:10

An elderly carpenter was looking towards retirement. His boss, who had come to depend on him for quality work, asked for one last favor—a final house to build before he hung up his hammer. The carpenter said yes, but his heart wasn’t really in it. He cut corners, used second-rate materials, and just didn’t put his usual effort into the construction. When the house was finished, the boss came by and handed the carpenter the keys, saying, “This is your house, my gift to you for years of hard work.” The carpenter was floored. If he’d known he was building his own home, he would've definitely made sure everything was top-notch. Now, he was stuck with a home that wasn’t built to last. We should think of ourselves as carpenters, and our lives here on earth, as our house. Each day we hammer a nail, place a board, or erect a wall, we must build with care! It is the only life we will ever build. And what we do here will count for eternity! Brothers & Sisters, remember, our lives today are shaped by how we thought and what we chose before. And what our lives will look like tomorrow? That depends on how we think and choose today. So, let’s be wise and build something that’ll last, not just for now, but for eternity! BUILD WISELY!

"Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it." Matthew 16:24-25

Everywhere we look today, there’s some kind of “self-help” advice—books, podcasts, videos, websites, even world-famous speakers—all telling us how to feel better about ourselves. And yet, so many of us still wrestle with self-doubt, even as believers! But let’s think about this for a second. Did Jesus ever say, “Just feel good about yourself”? No, He actually told us to crucify ourselves! If we go around hating ourselves and even feeling condemnation over our faults and sins, what we are really doing is focusing on our self! My wife said something really wise the other day: Self-consciousness is not God-consciousness. And that’s the truth. God doesn’t want us fixated on ourselves -- He wants our eyes on Him! When we lay down our flesh and surrender fully, it’s no longer us trying to live this life -- it’s about Him living through us! And if our old self is crucified, there’s no self left to hate, no self left to condemn. That’s real freedom! We’re free to serve the Lord and let Him do amazing things through us. Brothers & Sisters, so let’s stop looking in the mirror and start looking up—because the more we focus on Him, the more He shines through us! SELF CONSCIOUS?

"Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water." Hebrews 10:19-22

For 2000 years now, humans all over the world can do what was possible for only one single man, (Israel's high priest) before the death and resurrection of Jesus. We can enter the Holy of Holies, the very Presence of the almighty God, without dying. When we pray, we have direct access to God, our Father, not on our own merit, since our own righteousness is but filthy rags [Isaiah 64:6], but on the merit and perfection of His only Son. We have a High Priest “who knew no sin, and yet became sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him!” [2 Cor 5:21] Through His blood … in His righteousness … we are able to approach God boldly, with all confidence that He desires to answer our prayers! Brothers & Sisters, enter boldly into His presence by what Jesus has done, is doing, and will do for you. It is the Father’s will to glorify His Son. Our prayers do that when they conform to His will. So be bold in your prayer life… participate in the very will of God as a new creation. by entering His Holy Presence with the confidence, His own righteousness has provided for you. BE BOLD IN HIM!

"Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:5-7

“Don’t be anxious”…even though it's a perfectly natural response to mounting threats; sickness, finances, employment, uncertainty, emotional stress, family crises...Nevertheless, it says, "Don't be anxious about anything". Instead, pray! But does that really work? How many can affirm, even testify, that praying relieves anxiety about real and present threats and dangers? Anxiety is a powerful emotional condition, even expressing in physical symptoms; stomach upsets, cramps, heart palpitations, headaches, ruminations, muscle contractions, indigestion, cold extremities, dilated pupils, numbness, emotional outbursts, fits of anger, etc. etc. And there are all kinds of prescribed and/or self medications, including everything from beer to valium, or simply the internet... But is prayer really and truly an effective solution for anxiety? If you can honestly answer "Yes", you are not a novice at praying. Psalm 62:8 ... "Trust in Him at all times, people, pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us. (which kind of means 'pause for an easy breath')." When you pour out your heart to someone, is time a factor? When you know she's really listening and caring about your situation, and has something to offer, do you expect to feel better after you have emptied your soul? It sounds simple, even perfunctory, but praying out your anxiety implies really trusting the Person you're talking to, and taking the time to empty your heart and soul before Him. That's what God wants you to do. If and when you do that, and thoroughly, you may find yourself in a peace (a "shalom") which passes comprehension, because you hardly expected it when you started out. What’s amazing about this passage is the hidden mystery of that Shalom, a Hebrew word with such wonderful compound meaning it requires a basketful of English words to be inadequately translated: peace, completeness, prosperity, safety, contentment, health, blessing, and rest, among others. Brothers & Sisters, see if you can manage to experience this when anxiety strikes. Test it and see for yourself if praying can really alleviate your fears. God’s peace is there for you and it will pass all understanding; and most especially in these times … wouldn’t it be great to constantly walk in that shalom, His shalom? FIND YOUR (HIS) PEACE!

"And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity." 2 Peter 1:5-7

Patience is one of those attributes that you cannot learn by reading about it. It's a quality that can only be acquired by persistent, enduring, practice– and for me, it's a drill that I go over, and over, and over again! The original Webster's dictionary offers this definition of patience: "the suffering of afflictions, pain, toil, calamity, provocation or other evil, with a calm, unruffled temper; endurance without murmuring or fretfulness, from a kind of heroic pride, or from a Christian submission to the divine will." Reading this definition two things really struck me – first, "endurance without murmuring". I, for instance, get so frustrated sitting in a traffic jam... counting the wasted minutes when I could have been doing something useful! Yet, what an opportunity for me to choose to quench the inner fumes – and use the delay to work on my patience! The second thing that really hit me was, "a Christian submission to the divine will." How many times are we placed in a difficult position, or forced to deal with an "impossible" situation? Or perhaps, an "impossible" person? These circumstances are always opportunities to grow in patience – or to learn to submit to God's providential will, and often, to minister in some special or unique way. Brothers & Sisters, is your patience being tested today? Great! Remember, love is (first of all) patient. [1 Cor. 13:4] The Lord is training you toward godliness –- and godliness is moving toward perfect love. With so much work to be done, He is really wanting to work this quality into your character now -– to perfect your love, and with it to transform the world around you for His glory! PATIENCE - - - OH WHAT A LESSON!

"for the righteous falls seven times and rises again, but the wicked stumble in times of calamity." Proverbs 24:16

Counselors, encouragers, and people who offer care to others often encounter those whose past failures threaten to define them and hinder their development, healing, and sanctification. Our enemy capitalizes on our failures and regrets, pressing home the current influence of what we could have, would have, or should have done, if only we were wiser, more courageous, honest, or godly. There is, however, an internal posture that is invincible against the pile of regrets and accusations the devil's crew levels at us. Its basis is the new foundation on which we stand and live: the righteousness of Another, a perfectly righteous and holy Savior, whose righteousness is imparted to us by repentance and faith. Although the above passage is from the Old Testament, its reference to the "righteous" carries exponential significance in light of the New Covenant. The LORD God clearly defines those who identify with Him as individuals who "keep getting up, keep trying, keep pressing through, seven times over; (7, the perfect number)." It seems that true righteousness inspires perseverance. You may have seen it in your own life... Imperfection has been infused into our world since the Fall. Our mortal bodies will not in this life cease to be prone to failure, stumbling, and missing the mark, giving plenty of opportunity for regret, dejection, or self-pity. And while genuine mourning, godly sorrow, deep contrition, and pouring out our hearts to Him are blessed and appreciated by our compassionate Lord, He does not leave us to abide in depression or defeat. In fact, He assures us that "All things work together for the good of those who love Him..." Brothers & Sisters, take note again of the source of your staying power. You are a new creature whose past or present failures cannot define your identity. God is faithful and will inspire and reward your persistence in pressing through even the most difficult challenges and circumstances, past or present. Only believe and press on...He "is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory, with exceeding great joy..." [Jude 1:24] YOU HAVE STAYING POWER!

"For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." Ephesians 2:10

Millions of dollars are spent worldwide on priceless works of art. I'm always amazed at how much people will pay for one painting—some are considered virtually priceless. But what makes a masterpiece? It's not a what—it's a "who." A master makes a masterpiece! There's a Master at work on you. Your life is a priceless work of art in the Lord’s hand. God's masterful artistry, His perfect "touch," is painting, sculpting your life day by day to create the masterpiece He envisions you to be. Every stroke of the brush, every strike of the chisel, places color, renders shape to your individual identity in Him. You can trust His craftsmanship and rely on His artistry because not only is He the consummate Master Artist, but He loves His works. "We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works." So it seems the Master Artist has created you to be an artist, too, to walk in good works that reflect His work in you. You are a beautiful masterpiece in the making, designed to portray a beautiful Master in all you do. Brothers & Sisters, the Lord's work is beautiful, it's the best, highest quality available, three dimensional, living and breathing...and it's truly "priceless" in terms of this world's reckoning– but wait until you see just how He values you and your good works where it really counts -- in the World to Come. So realize that you are a work of God -- created for good works to be valued, highly valued, in Eternity. YOU'RE HIS MASTERPIECE!

"A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity." Proverbs 17:17

A careful reading through the life of the Apostle Paul will yield insight concerning those who surrounded him. In this brief devotion, I want to focus on two of Paul's friends -- Luke and Demas. Luke was a true and faithful friend to Paul, staying with and supporting him to the very end of his life, even through the worst adversities (2 Timothy 4:11). Then, there was another friend, whose name was Demas, about whom Paul wrote positively at first, (Col. 4:14; Philemon 1:24) but who did not remain faithful to the end. Paul records that Demas forsook him because he "loved this present world." (2 Timothy 4:10) As the end of the age approaches, we also will be tested as to where our love lies; with the Father, or with the world. The apostle John writes, "Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him." (1 John 2:15) I do not believe that Demas lost his salvation, but he did lose his capacity to sense and express the love of the Father, which damaged his testimony, his spiritual relationships, and undoubtedly cost him heavenly rewards. What kind of friend will we be to God? Will we be faithful, or will we allow the love of this world to quench our fire, and compromise our relationships? Brothers & Sisters, my encouragement to you is to be faithful until the end. Don't forget that Jesus gave a warning to end-time saints, saying, "because iniquity abounds, the love of many shall grow cold." Become a friend like Luke, and learn from the life of Demas -- do not allow love for the world to quench your love for God. Don't forget, a true friend loves...at all times! BE FAITHFUL TO THE END!

"And from the sons of Issachar, men who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do, the heads of them were two hundred. And all their brothers were at their command." 1 Chronicles 12:32 ; "And this gospel of the kingdom shall be proclaimed in all the world as a witness to all nations. And then the end shall come." Matthew 24:14

It’s REVOLUTIONARY, the rise of Artificial Intelligence and the ability to produce the Bible in untranslated languages more quickly because of it. I guess God can use anything to further His Kingdom! According to the president of Wycliffe, they are aiming to have the Bible translated to EVERY LANGUAGE ON EARTH by 2025. In other words, there are now less than only 900 translations to go for the Gospel to be proclaimed to every nation! This is exciting news! This is prophecy being fulfilled right before our eyes, as the Bible says that when this Gospel of the Kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and THEN the end will come. The speed at which biblical events are taking place now is unprecedented. This is not the time to sit back and relax — on the contrary, it’s a time for all of us to push FORWARD! I want to be a part of this, don’t you? I really believe that we are about to witness more souls coming into the Kingdom in our generation than in all previous generations COMBINED! Brothers & Sisters, let’s aim to be like the sons of Issachar, who understood the times and knew exactly what to do! We have marching orders from the Lord: to spread this gospel to the far corners of the earth and make disciples, teaching them to observe all that He taught us. We are essential instruments in the Lord's hand, proclaiming the good news—that Jesus came, sacrificed His life for our redemption, and is soon returning to establish His Kingdom! UNDERSTAND THE TIMES AND KNOW WHAT YOU OUGHT TO DO!

"and pray for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak." Ephesians 6:19-20

Christian Persecution, and whenever I come across an amazing story of how a saint endured such hardships, it encourages me. I remember reading about Watchman Nee and his imprisonment. The Chinese government would change the guards at his cell daily for fear that Nee would lead them to the Lord. Their fears were justified -- many of those guards did come to faith! Apparently Watchman Nee had learned a powerful lesson from the Apostle Paul. In Paul's letter to the Church in Ephesus, observe how he describes himself -- an ambassador in chains. Locked away in a prison, Paul adamantly refuses to allow his circumstances to dictate or alter his identity. He may be in chains, but he remains the Lord's ambassador. Can you imagine Paul chained up in that dungeon, throwing up his hands saying, "That's it; it's over; I'm finished!? Not on your life! Instead, the apostle grows bolder as an ambassador; not intimidated or ashamed, because Paul isn't chained in his Spirit, he's only bound in the flesh. Remember how he concludes his letter to the Philippian Church declaring, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Brothers & Sisters, don't allow yourself to be defined by your past, or "chained" by your current circumstances. God has also called you to be an ambassador for Him. With so much work to be done, we ought to be growing even bolder, right in the midst of our trials and tribulations! DON'T LET YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES DICTATE YOU!

"Jesus said to her, "Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?" John 11:40

One night a house caught fire and a young boy was forced to flee flames by jumping to the ground from the roof. His father stood on the ground below with outstretched arms, calling to his son, "Jump! I'll catch you." But the boy was afraid -- he couldn't see his father -- all he could see was flame, smoke, and blackness. He was afraid. Still, his father kept yelling: "Jump son! I will catch you!" But the boy refused, crying, "Daddy, I can't see you!" His father replied, "It's ok son -- I can see you -- and that's all that matters!" Sometimes we find ourselves in the midst of the fiery trials of life and all we can see is the smoke and the flames. But faith is knowing who will catch us when taking that leap. In Hebrew, the word 'truth' in this verse, is em-oo-nah, which is also translated as faith. God delights in responding to our faith. He wants us to jump into His arms --- especially when we can't see Him. George Mueller said, "Faith does not operate in the realm of the possible. There is no glory for God in that which is humanly possible. Faith begins where man's power ends." Brothers & Sisters, let's practice some faith today. Our Father's arms are the biggest and strongest they come! TAKE THE LAEAP!

"So also as it was in the days of Lot: they ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; but the day Lot went out of Sodom, it rained fire and brimstone from the heaven and destroyed them all. Even so it shall be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed." Luke 17:28-30

Jesus gave us some signs and indications of what society would look like just before His return. One sign was the sign of Lot. In Genesis, we read that Lot decided to reside in Sodom, where society had become so detestable before God that He destroyed that city and the cities of the plain with fire and brimstone. While Lot was ‘vexed daily’ [2 Peter 2:7-8] because of the evil that surrounded him, there is another aspect of this passage that I’d like to expound upon. When God revealed to Abraham his intention to destroy the cities [Genesis 18:22-33], Abraham interceded with the Lord such that if merely ten righteous souls were found there, God would relent from his terrible judgment. Just ten souls … and the cities would have been spared. Did Lot allow his community to silence him? This is the question I’d like to explore. While the Scriptures do not allude to it, I can only wonder that if Lot had preached the righteousness which burned in him, he might have preempted the wrath which Sodom's sins were piling up. Is one of the signs of this age that we who walk in the righteousness of Jesus will be silenced by a society growing in evil and iniquity day by day? Apparently, it doesn’t take much these days to be "silenced", at least not in the vast world of social networking. We are called to be a light on a hill … not to hide our light under a bushel. It is not a time to be silent, but rather to be ever more resolved to share the good news of the gospel, even as never before, in the spirit of grace and truth! Brothers & Sisters, don't be discouraged with the rapid decay of society around you, but realize this is merely a sign of the times. May the Lord continue to speak through you to reach this world around us … for we are not called to be silent! DON'T BE SILENT!

"In that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full." John 16:23-24

As we ask in His name, and we see our prayers being answered, we realize how real and faithful our God is. But I want to focus on the life that is overflowing with JOY! Have you ever met someone who just seemed radiant with joy? Joyful people always seem to be overflowing with life. No matter the obstacles the enemy throws their way, they always seem to live in victory. You’ll also find that they are spending time in the prayer closet...because the outflow of prayer is JOY! When we commune with God at that intimate level, dwelling in His presence, as the Psalmist says, “In your presence is fullness of joy!" [Psalm 16:11] Brothers & Sisters, prayer is intimately connected to the joy in your life. If you’re struggling with anxiety about the future, or the present, or a deep concern that is robbing your joy … it's time to enter your prayer closet, set the time apart, and determine to enter His presence. The Lord's joy will strengthen you from that place. Try it and see. OBTAIN THE FULLNESS OF JOY!