Thoughts ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZONPRTOFF dateof comment Look Inside Data Conditions:Order: 1|2|3|4| Dateof Comment 02/01/2026 How many of you have a fascination with fire? God was a master with it. These are some large scale events that God used fire in: Exodus 14:19-20 NLT 19 Then the angel of God, who had been leading the people of Israel, moved to the rear of the camp. The pillar of cloud also moved from the front and stood behind them. 20 The cloud settled between the Egyptian and Israelite camps. As darkness fell, the cloud turned to fire, lighting up the night. But the Egyptians and Israelites did not approach each other all night. 2 Chronicles 7:1-3 NLT The Dedication of the Temple 7 When Solomon finished praying, fire flashed down from heaven and burned up the burnt offerings and sacrifices, and the glorious presence of the Lord filled the Temple. 2 The priests could not enter the Temple of the Lord because the glorious presence of the Lord filled it. 3 When all the people of Israel saw the fire coming down and the glorious presence of the Lord filling the Temple, they fell face down on the ground and worshiped and praised the Lord, saying, “He is good! His faithful love endures forever!” 1 Kings 18:36-39 NLT 36 At the usual time for offering the evening sacrifice, Elijah the prophet walked up to the altar and prayed, “O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, prove today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant. Prove that I have done all this at your command. 37 O Lord, answer me! Answer me so these people will know that you, O Lord, are God and that you have brought them back to yourself.” 38 Immediately the fire of the Lord flashed down from heaven and burned up the young bull, the wood, the stones, and the dust. It even licked up all the water in the trench! 39 And when all the people saw it, they fell face down on the ground and cried out, “The Lord—he is God! Yes, the Lord is God!” The first fire event God told Moses to "get the lead out" because of what he was about to do: Exodus 14:15-18 Escape through the Red Sea 15 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the people to get moving! 16 Pick up your staff and raise your hand over the sea. Divide the water so the Israelites can walk through the middle of the sea on dry ground. 17 And I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they will charge in after the Israelites. My great glory will be displayed through Pharaoh and his troops, his chariots, and his charioteers. 18 When my glory is displayed through them, all Egypt will see my glory and know that I am the Lord!” People have reports in this area of this fire storm, the fire was so hot that it physically melted the ground. I firmly believe that I would have deserted Pharaoh's army before going against a God who could do this. The last two fire events were different. God was quite until prayers were lifted up to him that glorified and honored his name. They were in a public setting and spoken in a manner that people could hear what was being asked. When they finished praying, that sacrifice didn't have a chance. I liked it when Elijah soaked the wood to make it more challenging for our God. It was even cooler when God consumed the water and everything around. I firmly believe because of God trying to get us to do things by faith that he would show off more like this. Even Jesus would have done more miracles if it wasn't for people's lack of faith. The motto is that God is quiet in our lives many times because we do not ask. It took the vocal prayers of Elijah & Solomon to get fire to come down from heaven. Even Jesus said, Matthew 7:7-8 NLT Effective Prayer 7 “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. It really is true that even though God can read our thoughts that he would rather hear our voices. So speak up when you pray to God. Let other people hear what you are saying if your words honor God. Expect an answer and allow God to perform miracles in your life. 01/29/2026 How many of us get the case of anxiety attacks with all the deception around us. This is what Paul said about anxiety: Philippians 4:6 NKJV Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; Is this the cure all for anxiety? Probably not! Jesus himself had one of those moments: Matthew 26:36-38 NLT Jesus Prays in Gethsemane 36 Then Jesus went with them to the olive grove called Gethsemane, and he said, “Sit here while I go over there to pray.” 37 He took Peter and Zebedee’s two sons, James and John, and he became anguished and distressed. 38 He told them, “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” Jesus spent his life staying pure and away from sin. He was about to take our sins on himself which defiles everything. Not a pleasant picture in our Kings mind. He also knew about the pain and suffering he was going to endure. The second unpleasant thought in our Kings mind. These thoughts turned into "agony" that caused him to sweat blood. No one ever has this on their bucket list to do what Jesus was about to do. Jesus was about to let his Father know that he really did not want this to happen to himself. He followed what Paul told us. He started by praying and being honest about what he was thinking Matthew 26:36-38 NLT 39 He went on a little farther and bowed with his face to the ground, praying, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” {After Jesus made his petition to his Father, he emphasized that "Your will be done, not mine". Our Father appears to be silent. } 40 Then he returned to the disciples and found them asleep. He said to Peter, “Couldn’t you watch with me even one hour? 41 Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak!” 42 Then Jesus left them a second time and prayed, “My Father! If this cup cannot be taken away unless I drink it, your will be done.” 43 When he returned to them again, he found them sleeping, for they couldn’t keep their eyes open. {Jesus rephrased his prayer emphasizing that he was focused on doing the will of the Father. Again, our Father appears to be silent. } 44 So he went to pray a third time, saying the same things again. Jesus prayed three times to see if our Father would take this terrible cup away from him. It appears our Father was silent each time. Jesus knew what he had to do and did not expect to have have our Father explain it to him again. Jesus got up and proceeded to do the will of our Father. David did this same type thing in 2 Samuel 12:13-23. Our King did not deserve what he went through but David did. Both hoped our Father would change the outcomes but both accepted what happened and what Jesus was yet to face. Just like Jesus and David, God did not take away their anxiety but brought them through it. We need to watch, the problem with anxiety is that it usually happens when our faith in God diminishes. Go to our King in prayer and tell him what you are thinking, reverently, and let him carry you through your anxiety. Who knows, he may even remove it. Nothing is impossible for our King! 01/13/2026 Have you ever thought about when Jesus calls us to do something, the power that goes with that calling. We have the same promises Paul had: Acts 18:9-11 NLT 9 One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision and told him, “Don’t be afraid! Speak out! Don’t be silent! 10 For I am with you, and no one will attack and harm you, for many people in this city belong to me.” 11 So Paul stayed there for the next year and a half, teaching the word of God. Even when we prove ourselves with one calling, many times Jesus will have something else for us to do next. Acts 23:11 NLT That night the Lord appeared to Paul and said, “Be encouraged, Paul. Just as you have been a witness to me here in Jerusalem, you must preach the Good News in Rome as well.” Notice how the Lord started out with overcoming fear to encouraging Paul to finish what the Lord called him to do next. You and I are both special to the Lord. What he said to Paul, his words are for us too. Even a poisonous snake will not keep us from our calling. God requires us to finish any calling and he will protect us until we finish what he asks of us. If you want to live a long and prosperous life other than by honoring your mother and father, let Jesus give you things to do that honor his name. As long as we do not put God to a foolish test, Jesus will want you finish your calling. Paul and the rest of Jesus's disciple did eventually give their lives up just because they served Jesus. John was the only who did not, because Jesus commanded him to take care of his mother. There can be danger involved serving our Lord. Paul let no one change what God called him to do: Acts 21:10-14 NLT 10 Several days later a man named Agabus, who also had the gift of prophecy, arrived from Judea. 11 He came over, took Paul’s belt, and bound his own feet and hands with it. Then he said, “The Holy Spirit declares, ‘So shall the owner of this belt be bound by the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem and turned over to the Gentiles.’” 12 When we heard this, we and the local believers all begged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem. 13 But he said, “Why all this weeping? You are breaking my heart! I am ready not only to be jailed at Jerusalem but even to die for the sake of the Lord Jesus.” 14 When it was clear that we couldn’t persuade him, we gave up and said, “The Lord’s will be done.” I have never faced what Paul and the disciples faced but that does not mean I never will. I want to be ready and to be able to say these words, "I will do what my Kings asks of me even if it means going to jail or even dying. Whatever happens to me that my actions will glorify the Lord's name." If anyone is watching, I want them to know my Lord was real to me. 12/19/2025 Have ever imagined what life would be like if God did not put challenges in our lives. Wouldn't that be cool. I have witnessed that isn't the case. In agriculture God has given this nation and countries around the world fabulous crops because of the weather. This bounty has destroyed the value of commodities to the point many farmers are filing for bankruptcy. Farmers were better off when they faced weather challenges and prices were double. The cattle guys are facing challenges and beef prices are soaring for them. These guys are facing disease threats, Government wolves released on their herds, and the high price of buying replacement cattle. Challenges are making these guys some money. I bet many of you have worked hard with God's help to get where you are. Just think, if you had no challenges neither would the next guy. You would have a lot of competition for your job. This would mean smaller pay checks. The next time you want it easy, this undesired outcome may happen to you too. Paul said this: Romans 5:3 NLT We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. Peter has a lot to say about the trials we face 1 Peter 1:6 NLT So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. | | 1 Peter 1:7 NLT These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world. | | 1 Peter 4:12NLT Suffering for Being a Christian Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. | | 1 Peter 4:13 NLT Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world. | | 2 Peter 2:9 NLT So you see, the Lord knows how to rescue godly people from their trials, even while keeping the wicked under punishment until the day of final judgment. Our challenges don't destroy us but make us into something God desires. 11/15/2025 How many of us when we are hopefully serving the Lord the way he wants us to, feel like the Lord is not paying attention when we serve. If you are like me, it is nice to have some affirmation of a job well done. God is paying attention but our attitude of serving needs to be like this: Luke 17:7-10 NLT 7 “When a servant comes in from plowing or taking care of sheep, does his master say, ‘Come in and eat with me’? 8 No, he says, ‘Prepare my meal, put on your apron, and serve me while I eat. Then you can eat later.’ 9 And does the master thank the servant for doing what he was told to do? Of course not. 10 In the same way, when you obey me you should say, ‘We are unworthy servants who have simply done our duty.’” OUCH!! Lord, I would like a piece of that humble pie! John the Baptist, who Jesus declared as one of the greatest men ever, understood this principle very well: John 1:27 NLT Though his ministry follows mine, I’m not even worthy to be his slave and untie the straps of his sandal. 11/11/2025 Have you ever thought about Jesus coming to the world to set it on fire. I had to read this in many translations about Jesus setting the world on fire. They all say the same thing: Luke 12:49-51 NLT Jesus Causes Division 49 “I have come to set the world on fire, and I wish it were already burning! 50 I have a terrible baptism of suffering ahead of me, and I am under a heavy burden until it is accomplished. 51 Do you think I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I have come to divide people against each other! When I light fires, it is to burn the weeds to kill the seeds and remove the trash. Nothing but ash is left which is ugly. But wait until spring when green life begins to appear. Soon you have a pasture of lush grass. Is Jesus talking about the purification of mankind? Another thing about fire it is not discriminatory. It will burn down any fence that is in its path. This means that the people sitting on the fence are going to have to jump on one side or then other. One side is with Christ, the other is the world. This allows for only one master. Or does the fire represent the outpouring of the Holy Spirit: Acts 2:1-4 NLT The Holy Spirit Comes 2 On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place. 2 Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. 3 Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. 4 And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability. Because Jesus knew of the prophet Joel: Joel 2:28-29 NLT The Lord’s Promise of His Spirit 28 “Then, after doing all those things, I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your old men will dream dreams, and your young men will see visions. 29 In those days I will pour out my Spirit even on servants—men and women alike Jesus after talking about the fire said, "I have a terrible baptism of suffering ahead of me, and I am under a heavy burden until it is accomplished." I have experienced things that totally have taken my peace away. It doesn't even register compared with what he was about to go through. This "baptism of suffering" is probably what made him mention the fire. Again, this is my opinion. I have no scriptures I remember to back me up. I would love to hear your comments. No one other than Jesus has changed the destiny of mankind more than he has. What he did was necessary as far back as Adam and as far into future where men are present. Now who else would do what he did and not sin. JESUS IS LORD!!!!!!! 11/05/2025 Have you ever tried doing something that just never seems to work. You keep trying but eventually you just give up in frustration. God has had those moments too. It even broke God's heart: 1 Samuel 8:5-9 NLT 5 “Look,” they told him, “you are now old, and your sons are not like you. Give us a king to judge us like all the other nations have.” 6 Samuel was displeased with their request and went to the Lord for guidance. 7 “Do everything they say to you,” the Lord replied, “for they are rejecting me, not you. They don’t want me to be their king any longer. 8 Ever since I brought them from Egypt they have continually abandoned me and followed other gods. And now they are giving you the same treatment. 9 Do as they ask, but solemnly warn them about the way a king will reign over them.” In verse 7 you can tell God is frustrated and is tired of reasoning with his people. God did not abandon his people and had Samuel tell them what a human king will do to them. The scare tactics did not work. 1 Samuel 8:18-20 NLT 18 When that day comes, you will beg for relief from this king you are demanding, but then the Lord will not help you.” 19 But the people refused to listen to Samuel’s warning. “Even so, we still want a king,” they said. 20 “We want to be like the nations around us. Our king will judge us and lead us into battle.” If you get a king who loves the Lord like Ronald Reagan and Donald Trump, this is good. Those who do not love the Lord will not be good at judging anything. They could be your next king. We should not want men to judge us in place of God. Psalm 7:11 NLT 11 God is an honest judge. He is angry with the wicked every day. When God is leading you into battle, you will never lose. Men cannot make this claim because they will always lose in the end. Wow, they turned God down in favor of a finite man. God's final word was that, "I will not help you when your so called king turns on you." Think about this: Just because your neighbor is doing it does not make it right or the best solution. This trap can be devastating when it goes against the ideals of God. 10/29/2025 Have you ever compared the gospel of Jesus walking on the water? John almost said nothing about it like it was not that big of a deal: John 6:18-21 NLT 18 Soon a gale swept down upon them, and the sea grew very rough. 19 They had rowed three or four miles when suddenly they saw Jesus walking on the water toward the boat. They were terrified, 20 but he called out to them, “Don’t be afraid. I am here!” 21 Then they were eager to let him in the boat, and immediately they arrived at their destination! Mathew was the only gospel that mentioned Peter: Matthew 14:27-32 NLT 27 But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here!” 28 Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.” 29 “Yes, come,” Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted. 31 Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?” 32 When they climbed back into the boat, the wind stopped. Try to envision that night. It was dark and they never mention there is a moon. It was windy so everything on the water was like a bouncing cork. We also know that water is a very slippery substance. So Jesus faces 5 obstacles that faith overcame. 1. You could not see much. I avoid this low levels of light with a passion. 2. Jesus did not want to be a cork so he leveled things out and moderated the wind in his path so he could start his journey. 3. If faith can move a mountain, the water supporting his weight is easy. 4. Since water is slippery he had faith he would not slip as he walked. 5. He was confident while standing on the water that it would continue to hold his weight when he pulled Peter out of the water. Your footing has to be secure to get Peter out of the water. He was well balanced even in the wind. Jesus had to have faith in many things to make this walk happen. Mark had some interesting details that the other gospels do not mention. Mark 6:47-52 NLT 47 Late that night, the disciples were in their boat in the middle of the lake, and Jesus was alone on land. 48 He saw that they were in serious trouble, rowing hard and struggling against the wind and waves. About three o’clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. He intended to go past them, 49 but when they saw him walking on the water, they cried out in terror, thinking he was a ghost. 50 They were all terrified when they saw him. {Why did Jesus go past them. If Jesus wasn't going to pull a prank on the disciples, I think he was having fun. Jesus never made it a habit of walking on water. I really think it felt good on his body because it was a new experience. Just my opinion} But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage! I am here!” 51 Then he climbed into the boat, and the wind stopped. They were totally amazed, 52 for they still didn’t understand the significance of the miracle of the loaves. Their hearts were too hard to take it in. This quote of Jesus "significance of the miracle of the loaves" sure makes you think. Again this is my opinion: Feeding the 5,000 with what was available was impossible without the power of our Father. This shows that nothing is too big for him. Their reaction showed how they do not understand the concept of an all powerful God. I made the decision based on the fact when they feed the 4,000 later, they were worried about paying for all the food forgetting how Jesus fed the 5,000 earlier. Then there was the "yeast of the Pharisees" question that made them think about not packing bread as if Jesus would be worried about that. It would be cool to hear the opinions what everyone else thinks this verse means! 10/21/2025 How can a man who had the opportunity to walk with the Messiah do what he did? Matthew 26:14-16 NLT Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus 14 Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve disciples, went to the leading priests 15 and asked, “How much will you pay me to betray Jesus to you?” And they gave him thirty pieces of silver. 16 From that time on, Judas began looking for an opportunity to betray Jesus. He did this because his love of money was greater than his love for Jesus. Judas is not alone. Many large churches today are being run to make money and not follow the truth of Christ. They become filthy rich on the backs of people who tithe based on a prosperity gospel and don't have much money themselves. We should never give for the purpose of getting rich. I do believe in Malachi 3:10 but it may take several years for it to complete. Many of those pastors have found out a watered down gospel brings in larger congregations and more money. Heaven forbid, if we tell someone they need to repent to be saved. Why, that may hurt their feelings. How many use the excuse "Love your neighbor" to allow people to continue sinning? Jesus had something to say about this: Matthew 15:8-9 NLT 8 ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. 9 Their worship is a farce, for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God. When you enjoy taking advantage of people to get rich this will also happen: Matthew 25:41-46 NLT 41 “Then the King will turn to those on the left and say, ‘Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons. 42 For I was hungry, and you didn’t feed me. I was thirsty, and you didn’t give me a drink. 43 I was a stranger, and you didn’t invite me into your home. I was naked, and you didn’t give me clothing. I was sick and in prison, and you didn’t visit me.’ 44 “Then they will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not help you?’ 45 “And he will answer, ‘I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.’ 46 “And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous will go into eternal life.” Do not allow the love of money take you down the path Judas went. Pastors in it for the money or numbers this verse fits you: Matthew 5:20 “But I warn you—unless your righteousness is better than the righteousness of the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven!" There are pastors that are not afraid to speak the truth. They have a hard job because you are watched by many people. I commend them for standing firm. I bet they even read the word so they know what the truth is. Those who do not know the word may have to deal with this: Matthew 18:6 NLT 6 But if you cause one of these little ones who trusts in me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to have a large millstone tied around your neck and be drowned in the depths of the sea. Jesus will not tolerate anyone who leads others astray. This verse is true for all of us. Remember this, being silent about Christ to others can also cause a loss of salvation in their lives. Loving people, relationship with Jesus, knowing God's word, and sharing the truth of Christ with people will keep us from all of the above. Now that we are were God wants us, watch the blessings flow. 10/08/2025 How many people who are doing religious things but do not realize they may hear these words. Matthew 7:21-23 New Living Translation True Disciples 21 “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. 22 On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ 23 But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’ Here is a testimony of one young man who discovered this could happen to him: "I went to Catholic school until I switched to public school in 8th grade. I went to church basically twice a week for 10 years. I was pretty religious throughout high school. However, I was still living for myself and doing what I wanted to do. I didn't realize any of what I was doing was wrong or the separation it was creating between God and me. It wasn't until I went to the Bible studies with an evangelist from Foundations Church that I realized I had not given my life to God yet. The more I read the Bible, the more I understood what I was doing was wrong. I knew that to fully give my life to Him I needed to change, but I could tell my heart was getting harder. At church, I asked that they pray for God to soften my heart. That night before I went to sleep, I felt a switch; it was like a flame inside me had been ignited. I decided then that I finally wanted to repent. On August 8th, I prayed to give my life to Jesus. Ever since that day I have felt more alive than ever. I have been shown time and time again that God is there for me. I was struggling hard with school at the end of the semester, and I was afraid I wouldn't get the grades I needed to maintain my scholarship. I prayed that I could get a 3.5 GPA so I could keep my scholarship, and I ended up getting exactly what I needed. I have never been happier in my life since I gave my life to God." -Jake It is work to live to know and serve Jesus but like Jake "I have never been happier in my life since I gave my life to God." Jesus is a GOOD King. Shouldn't he be treated like one? Deuteronomy 13:4 NLT Serve only the Lord your God and fear him alone. Obey his commands, listen to his voice, and cling to him. 10/05/2025 Here is a verse that made me take a double take: Isaiah 55:6 NLT Seek the Lord while you can find him. Call on him now while he is near. I said to myself "God is always near." But then I read something in Jeremiah: Jeremiah 18:17 I will scatter my people before their enemies as the east wind scatters dust. And in all their trouble I will turn my back on them and refuse to notice their distress.” You can only push God so far with sin before he will be forced by anger to abandon us to a fate. Sometimes we push him so far that even when we say we are sorry that fate still occurs because he is so angry. Look at what happened with Israel and the Babylonians. That was a long 70 year period to allow God's anger to subside. Let's have reverent fear for our King now and not force his hand on our lives because we refuse to live like Jesus. God can be pushed too far! Isaiah 26:4 (New Living Translation) Trust in the Lord always, for the Lord God is the eternal Rock. 09/19/2025 Here is a verse that most of you probably have memorized: Matthew 6:33 NLT 33 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. Have you thought about this part, "he will give you everything you need."? It is explained here: Deuteronomy 28:1-14 NLT Blessings for Obedience 28 “If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully keep all his commands that I am giving you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the world. 2 You will experience all these blessings if you obey the Lord your God: 3 Your towns and your fields will be blessed. 4 Your children and your crops will be blessed. The offspring of your herds and flocks will be blessed. 5 Your fruit baskets and breadboards will be blessed. 6 Wherever you go and whatever you do, you will be blessed. 7 “The Lord will conquer your enemies when they attack you. They will attack you from one direction, but they will scatter from you in seven! 8 “The Lord will guarantee a blessing on everything you do and will fill your storehouses with grain. The Lord your God will bless you in the land he is giving you. 9 “If you obey the commands of the Lord your God and walk in his ways, the Lord will establish you as his holy people as he swore he would do. 10 Then all the nations of the world will see that you are a people claimed by the Lord, and they will stand in awe of you. 11 “The Lord will give you prosperity in the land he swore to your ancestors to give you, blessing you with many children, numerous livestock, and abundant crops. 12 The Lord will send rain at the proper time from his rich treasury in the heavens and will bless all the work you do. You will lend to many nations, but you will never need to borrow from them. 13 If you listen to these commands of the Lord your God that I am giving you today, and if you carefully obey them, the Lord will make you the head and not the tail, and you will always be on top and never at the bottom. 14 You must not turn away from any of the commands I am giving you today, nor follow after other gods and worship them. Look at all the things God will do if we truly seek his Kingdom 1st. We may experience some trials along the way getting there. But remember, if we do not obey him and seek his Kingdom 1st, a curse will replace each blessing. That is not good! 08/27/2025 Have you ever prayed to our heavenly father and thought about him stopping what he is doing to listen to your words. David sure did envision God doing this: Psalm 116:1-2 NLT I love the Lord because he hears my voice and my prayer for mercy. Because he bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath! Just like David, if we believe God stoops to our level to listen to our words, we would have a stronger prayer life. If our words honor his name, he bends over even quicker. Selfish ambition is not a good way to get God's attention. After all "Jesus is Lord" and he is a master at it. I cannot hold a candle to the awesomeness of Jesus. It is amazing how many people believe and/or live like he is "not Lord" and wonder why their prayer life is in shambles. 08/21/2025 Here are five things you should say to God every morning to feel the change in your life. Number 1: Psalm 118:24 NLT 24 This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it. AND Psalm 118:1 1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. Start your day with a heart full of gratitude for the gift of life and the new opportunities ahead. Number 2: Proverbs 3:6 NLT 6 Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. Submit to him and he will make your path straight. Ask God to lead your steps according to his will. Trust in his guidance. Number 3: Strengthen me Lord for today's challenges- Philippians 4:13 NLT 13 For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. Seek Gods strength to overcome any obstacles you may face. With him you can conquer anything that honors his name. Number 4: Fill me with your peace and joy. Romans 15:13 NLT 13 I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust to him. Ask for his peace and joy to fill your heart and bring calmness of happiness throughout the day. Number 5: Help me to love others as you love me. John 13:34 NLT 34 So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Pray for a heart that loves others unconditionally, reflecting God's love on all you do. When one talks about love always remember this: 1 John 4:19 NLT 19 We love each other because he loved us first. "Jesus is Lord" and his love surpasses all! 08/11/2025 How many of us get wrapped up in the gift of salvation and forget about the God who sent his Son to give this gift? I feel that too many of us including myself have lost that "reverent fear" of God. I looked up the definition: Reverent fear - refers to a deep respect, awe, and veneration for God, rather than a feeling of terror or dread. It involves recognizing God's holiness, power, and authority, and responding with obedience, worship, and a desire to live in accordance with His will. This fear is the foundation of wisdom and a key element in developing a meaningful relationship with God. Not Terror, but Awe: . Reverent fear is not about being afraid of God in a way that inspires terror. Instead, it's about recognizing His greatness and majesty with profound respect and awe. Respect for Authority: . It involves acknowledging God's absolute authority and sovereignty, and understanding that His ways are higher than our own. Foundation for Wisdom: . The Bible often speaks of the fear of the Lord as the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10). This suggests that a reverent fear of God is essential for understanding truth and living a righteous life. Motivation for Obedience: . Reverent fear can be a powerful motivator for obedience to God's commands and living in accordance with His will. Expression of Love: . Ultimately, reverent fear is an expression of love and devotion to God, as it reflects a deep appreciation for His character and His love for humanity. In essence, reverent fear is a positive and transformative force in the life of a believer, leading to a deeper relationship with God and a more fulfilling life. Even though I believe AI is going to become more evil than good, this definition was generated by AI. I was surprised how it honored God. Who knows, maybe God was messing with AI to make sure it did not screw up the definition. Many of us may exhibit most of these traits but God wants us to live the definition in full. It is not impossible and there are people today who have "reverent fear" of God. When we lose our reverent fear we begin to not care or worse challenge the ideals of God by believing in things like abortion, homosexuality, transgender, and worshiping many Gods. It becomes totally cool to our deceived minds. Once your reverent fear comes back you will want to fight against anything that is evil. Your attitude becomes amazing: 1 Peter 1:17 NLT And remember that the heavenly Father to whom you pray has no favorites. He will judge or reward you according to what you do. So you must live in reverent fear of him during your time here as “temporary residents.” Colossians 3:22 NLT Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything you do. Try to please them all the time, not just when they are watching you. Serve them sincerely because of your reverent fear of the Lord. This last verse also shows how we should deal with our bosses. Jesus is Lord so we need to show some "reverent fear" to the man who gave his life for us. 08/04/2025 How many of us would like to know what the future holds. God wants to share these things with us: Jeremiah 33:2-3 NLT “This is what the Lord says—the Lord who made the earth, who formed and established it, whose name is the Lord: Ask me and I will tell you remarkable secrets you do not know about things to come. If you want God to give you direct information on which tech stock or which crypto to buy, you are probably out of luck in this promise. God wants to give intel on the truth and to prepare us for what may be coming. What ever he shares will always honor his name. 08/02/2025 Have you ever wondered what questions that Jesus will ask each one of us on judgement day? He will definitely ask a question on this topic for many of us: James 1:22 NLT But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. By not doing what God asks us to do could mean someone could miss out on an opportunity to get saved. Jonah is a good example of this. Ninevah only repented because of the message Jonah gave them from God. The city would have been destroyed quickly. Doing what God asks could be the difference between life and death. Jesus did the will of the Father and he was rejected by the people many times. The results of our efforts may not be what we expect but we did what God asked us to do. It was never mentioned in scripture, but Ninevah eventually went back to doing evil and was permanently destroyed. Did Ninevah get another warning before they were destroyed? Only God knows the answer to this question. If we truly respect and love Jesus, we will want to do what he asks. Just like he did for us when his Father sent him to be the last sacrifice. The things he asks us to do are minor compared to what he did for us. As always, Jesus is Lord! 07/21/2025 How many of us have felt like this as we live out our lives: O Lord, how long will you forget me? Forever? How long will you look the other way? How long must I struggle with anguish in my soul, with sorrow in my heart every day? How long will my enemy have the upper hand? Turn and answer me, O Lord my God! Restore the sparkle to my eyes, or I will die. Don’t let my enemies gloat, saying, “We have defeated him!” Don’t let them rejoice at my downfall. I heard that it took 15 years for David to become king after Samuel anointed him for the position. These are the words of David in Psalm 13:1-4. But he never forgot who Our God is: Psalm 13:5-6 5 But I trust in your unfailing love. I will rejoice because you have rescued me. 6 I will sing to the Lord because he is good to me. So just hang in there. Many of us are going through things too that are a challenge to us. God lets life to be overcoming because it shows that we need him. There are things that only he can fix. Sometimes we have to grow before we can be used by the King of kings. That is why "Jesus is Lord". He will never abandon us. Just like David had to, we need to wait upon the timing of the Lord. Romans 15:4 NLT Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled. 07/11/2025 Have you every heard of the curse of the generations where bad things of each generation are passed down to the next generation? Could this be the result of having to much religious freedom in America of the wrong kind? God has something to say about this: Deuteronomy 5:8-10 NLT 8 “You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind, or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. 9 You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me. 10 But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands. We need to remove all forms of worship from this country other than the worship of Yahweh and Yeshua. It greatly angers God in what we allow to happen in this country. If we attack these other religions in hate we are no better then they are. We can do legal things to stand against the spreading of this evil. We need to live like Christ so we can witness to these people that there is something better. There are two promises here. Option A: "I lay the sins of the parents upon their children;" The other is option B: "I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands." The latter happens only if when we get rid of all the fake religions in our land. God's word never changes and it means exactly the same thing today as when it was written. He is a jealous God and he deserves our respect and love. God gives us so much yet we want to worship dead things. Do people do this because they are dumb or is it because dead things don't ask things of us or show us our sins? All I know for sure is that God is real and Jesus is Lord! 06/22/2025 Have you ever wondered why God puts us in the place that we are at and not someplace else. For example, we have a ministry in the ghetto on east Colfax in Denver. God's desire for us is that we work with his people there. There is another ghetto in Denver called 5 points, but God does not want us to minister there. God has a reason for everything he does. Never forget that God loves those people in 5 points just as much as those in the other ghetto. There is one thing that is different. God had to show the prophet Samuel what that was: 1 Samuel 16:7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” When those individuals in our ghetto began to give up their time to worship and glorify the name of "Jesus", God saw that they truly loved him and wanted to demonstrate it. Jesus talked about those with hearts to worship the King of kings: Matthew 5:8 God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God. I was chosen by God as a vessel to demonstrate the part, "for they will see God". When I mention "chosen by God" it was because I had no interest in the ghetto. God physically had to show me how amazing these people are and how they are increasing their love for their King. This all started because of what God saw in their hearts. If you want God to be active in your life let your heart reflect more of God each day. They also know what this means by living it each day: Matthew 22:37 Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ You cannot fool the King: Matthew 15:8 ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. OR Matthew 23:28 Outwardly you look like righteous people, but inwardly your hearts are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness. In the near future there will be a group of people in 5 points who all have hearts for God. They will come together and honor Jesus's great name in worship. When that day happens, "God blesses those whose hearts are pure". This is a promise quoted by Jesus himself! Watch out amazing things only God can do will also happen in 5 points. I know why I am here at east Colfax because of the hearts of the people who live here. I do not regret it one bit!
