Category Archives: Self-Help

Glory, Glory, Alleluia!

Photo by @claybanks on @unsplash.

God is Great! God is Awesome! God is Mighty! God is Amazing! “With God, all things are possible!” (Matthew 19:26) Praise be to our God, who will never let us drown! He will always reach out to us in times of trouble. He pulls us out of the stormy sea. He allows us to endure difficult circumstances so He can teach us things He wants us to know.

For months, I have been given one message: Persevere. Now, finally, I have been told to let loose and share my joy in Christ at a more personal level than ever before. Here is a taste of what’s been going on in the physical world for me.

I’ve been playing chicken with Satan! So far, I haven’t blinked (flinched a couple times, though). It is now a matter of hours before “my things” are gone and I am evicted. Praise be to the Almighty Father!

Photo by Delaney Dawson @delaneykate_ on @unsplash

God put this ministry in my heart. I wrote a book on the Ten Commandments, available on Amazon, and am working on a second book (on the Beatitudes). I blog and post inspirational messages. I am also writing various materials for workshops, study groups, retreats, and conferences. I donate to worthy causes, tithe, do for others what is asked. Jesus told me to persevere. I have tried very hard to be as faithful to the Lord as He is to me.

Photo by Alex Alvarez @a2_foto on @unsplash

As I approach the countdown to this physical meltdown, I have finally been given the go-ahead to share what I have endured. I believe I was green-flagged so I will have witnesses to my miracle when it arrives.

I took care of my dad around the clock, so I have no job. My bank account is currently overdrawn. I’m behind on rent and expenses. I’m even out of dog food and toilet paper! Roughly $5000 all told so far.

Photo by Joe Caione @joeyc on @unsplash

My dad’s estate, out-of-state, has to be probated, and will probably cost around $2000-3000. There are also several outstanding medical bills I haven’t yet sorted out. His mortgage keeps threatening to go into foreclosure, but his credit card has been put on hold, thankfully, until the property has settled.

This ministry requires money, in order to be taken seriously. I need up front money plus an advisory board willing to help me take this ministry to the next level and beyond. I need to draft a vision statement and a business plan. That’s at least another $2000.

I constantly keep in mind that on the other side of great obstacles are great works. I believe great things will happen as a result of this ministry as long as I persevere! Therefore, I rebuke Satan and I refuse to blink.

Glory to God! Praise Him! Shout His goodness and mercy to all corners of the land! I will sing my love for Him with my last breath on this earth! God is Great and Good! Best of all, He loves me and He loves you! Please pray for me and my miracle. THANK YOU! I will post an update when it comes.

MY REQUEST: I need witnesses for my miracle, in whatever form it takes. Please hit the LIKE button if you have read this post and are willing to pray and be a witness. It would be awesome if you’d SHARE with others, too. The more witnesses to a miracle, the greater God’s glory will be revealed when it arrives!

Help Wanted Near You

Photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash

Bible Passages

Carry each other’s burdens and so you will fulfill the law of Christ.

Galatians 6:2 (CEB)

Those who are gracious to the poor lend to the Lord, and the Lord will fully repay them.

Proverbs 19:17 (CEB)

Don’t forget to do good and to share what you have because God is pleased with these kinds of sacrifices.

Hebrews 13:16 (CEB)

Devotion

This ministry needs your help. I need your help. At this point, I am a one-person army. As much fun as it is, I can’t reach everyone who needs help. This is a worldwide ministry, after all. But, there are even needs in my own neighborhood I am having trouble fulfilling. Here are some of the people I visit in my small 55+ community. Of course, these are not their real names.

Mable lives alone. She is very frail. She has a lung condition that requires she give herself oxygen treatments every few hours. Like all of us, she has things she needs done around her house, including yardwork and mowing. I watched her walk from her kitchen to her living room, not very far at all, the other day. It took her more than a couple of minutes. There is no way she can do much for herself. Her son helps some, but he is not young and lives too far away to run over every time she needs help.

One neighbor, Sarah, moved in with another neighbor, Beverly, to take care of her as best she can. Beverly is also on oxygen, and I have never seen her without hoses in her nose. Sarah can’t drive anymore, so Beverly does the driving when they go shopping, run errands, or go to doctor appointments. Both ladies know this is not a very safe situation. Their primary need is for a driver, and help with grocery shopping and errands.

Violet is a shut-in, and needs someone to talk to, and to check in on her. She doesn’t leave her house. The only other person she sees is her caregiver, who came in on a Monday and found Violet had fallen on Saturday and badly injured herself. Worse, she was still where and how she fell, with nothing to eat or drink all weekend.

Theresa has scoliosis. Her house has some basic handyman needs. There is a soft spot in her floor at the entryway. She has a wiring problem she seems to think is minor, but needs to be fixed. There is an inside door that sticks, and when it does she has to walk all through the house to go the twenty feet from her kitchen to her living room.

I’m sure your neighborhood has a Beverly, a Mable, a Violet, a Sarah, or a Theresa. Look around. Do you have neighbors you have never seen, who are perhaps shut-ins? Would it hurt to just knock on the door occasionally to see if they are okay? Is there something you can do to help make their isolation a little less depressing and solitary? Even if they greet you gruffly and with suspicion, keep going by. One day, they will realize you are trying to be a friend. After all, it took time for them to build those barriers between them and their neighbors. It will take time to break them down.

Keep trying and keep praying. The rewards are well worth the effort! Join me, and we will conquer the world with love, one neighbor at at time.

Prayer Focus

Neighbors in need

Prayer

Lord, lead me to someone who needs my help. Show me how to reach out to them and connect with them. Let me be a blessing to them. Amen.

Final Thought

Join us!

Acting On a Dream

Photo by Mike Horton.

Bible Passages

13 Why do you complain against Him that He does not give an account of all His doings? 14 Indeed God speaks once, or twice, yet no one notices it. 15 In a dream, a vision of the night, when sound sleep falls on men, while they slumber in their beds, 16 Then He opens the ears of men, and seals their instruction, 17 That He may turn man aside from his conduct, and keep man from pride; 18 He keeps back his soul from the pit, and his life from passing over into Sheol.

Job 33:13-18 (NASB1995)

“I have told you this so that you might have peace in me. In the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world.”

John 16:33 (NABRE)

Devotion

I have a friend who is a struggling Vietnam veteran. He hasn’t had a good night’s sleep since he arrived in Vietnam. He was wounded, and pain flares up at times. He has also been a widower for only a few years. He misses his wife every day. He suffers inwardly much more than he lets on outwardly. He has told me several times that he lives in hell.

An ordained minister, he left the church after an incident in Vietnam. Fortunately, he never left his relationship with God. He is still very religious, and prays often. This has saved his life many times as he faces life’s difficulties.

Now retired, he makes and sells birdhouses, just to have something to occupy his mind and body. He does other woodworking projects from time to time, too. He makes beautiful furniture and decorative pieces. He is very creative and talented.

One day, he acquired a burled piece of wood he really liked, but had trouble figuring out what to make out of it. After it sat on a shelf several weeks, staring at him and begging him to make something with it, he asked God for help. That very night, he actually had a dream about it. God showed him exactly what he needed to do with that piece of wood.

With the help of an artist friend who painted the backdrop, he created the crucifixion scene pictured here. He added the crosses, but had trouble figuring out how to do the blood on Jesus’ cross. God whispered in his ear. Obedient, he grabbed a nail and pierced his own finger. He used his own blood as paint, letting it drip on the four places it was needed. He added the landscaping features and sealant. It looked just like the one in his dream.

Crucifixion scene in natural room lighting. Photo by Mike Horton.
Photo by Mike Horton.

He then brought it to his shop and put it on a display shelf. A couple of people asked him about it, but he could not part with it. A few days later, he decided to bring it home. He put it on a table in his living room, next to a scented lamp. He’d enjoy it when he passed by, but he didn’t really think much more about it than that.

Last night, he decided to light the lamp sitting next to it. Later, he left the room and turned the light off, forgetting to turn off the lamp. When he came back in the room, the cross grabbed his heart. Out loud, he exclaimed, “Whoa!” He got so excited, he took these pictures and sent them to me. Then he called. He just had to share the profound effect this had on him!

He actually got over 8 hours of sleep last night! A peaceful night’s sleep.

I believe God is using this to help him heal. By giving him a vision and a direction, God instilled in him an immediate love for that piece. Working on it gave him a new sense of purpose. His heart would not let him part with it. Now, having fully realized what he created, he is filled with a new sense of awe and wonder at God’s plan for his healing.

Side-by-side comparison of both photos.

I believe he’s going to be okay. It will take time, but he’s on the road to recovery. Obedience to God is vital to healing. Because he listened, he was rewarded with a new peace, which is beginning to settle in his soul.

Prayer Focus

War veterans

Prayer

Gracious God our Father, thank you for being there during our darkest moments, holding us tight and seeing us through to the dawn of a new day. Amen.

Final Thought

You will be amazed at what God can do when you obey.

I Am a Fraud

Photo by Sander Sammy on Unsplash

Bible Passages

Read Matthew 6:1-14.

A dishonest man spreads strife, and a whisperer separates close friends.

Proverbs 16:28 (ESV)

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.

Ephesians 4:29 (ESV)

Devotion

I am a fraud. I pretend to be holy and righteous. I’m not. I’m a sinner. I think terrible thoughts at times, some of which escape my filters and pop out of my mouth. I am also moody at times, especially when I don’t get enough sleep. That, too, comes out occasionally, and I lash out. My tongue can be vicious. My loved ones are most often the ones who suffer my foul mood. Because I know them best, I know exactly where to aim the verbal sword. As much as I try to avoid it, I have hurt my favorite people with my words. No amount of apologies can take back the horrible things I have said.

I used to criticize the Jewish people being led out of Egypt. I used to marvel at how forgetful they were. Moses would leave them for a couple of days, and come back to find them falling into their old habits. I was busy looking at the specks in their eyes, not realizing I was doing the same thing. I was quick to judge them, and harsh. I realize now that after I repented something I said, I would turn around and do the same thing again. I, too, fell into my old, comfortable, familiar routines of poisonous behaviors, thoughts, and words. My quick “wit” could cut through anyone’s heart, and got me into all kinds of trouble.

Every morning I pray that I will be a blessing to someone. When I do or say something to lift someone up, I negate that good work when I do or say something that displeases God. I have now added the prayer my father recited in the pulpit at the beginning of every service,

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Your sight,
O Lord, my rock and my Redeemer.

Psalm 19:14 (NASB1995)

Repeating this verse helps me remember to keep my focus on God, no matter my mood or how rested I am. It helps me remember to keep an even keel at all times. It reminds me to be respectful and humble. It reminds me to filter my actions and my speech using God’s standards.

I have since added a new filter. It still leaks a little. Things still slip out that would be better left unsaid. After all, I’m a work in progress. Every night I pray for forgiveness for the times I slipped that day, and for the strength and wisdom to learn from my mistakes and to do and be better tomorrow.

Prayer Focus

Filtered speech

Prayer

Dearest Lord and Savior, help me be a better person today. Grant me the wisdom to hold my tongue when needed, and to speak up only when it adds to Your glory. Amen.

Final Thought

I am not always what I seem.

I Am Rich and Famous

Photo by Michael Heuser on Unsplash.

Bible Passages

Read Psalms 145.

11 Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, indeed everything that is in the heavens and the earth; Yours is the dominion, O Lord, and You exalt Yourself as head over all. 12 Both riches and honor come from You, and You rule over all, and in Your hand is power and might; and it lies in Your hand to make great and to strengthen everyone. 1 Chronicles 29:11-12

Devotion

I heard a pastor ask the congregation if they’d prefer to be rich or famous. My gut reaction was to say I am rich. You might not be able to tell if you measure wealth by earthly standards. Money comes and goes. Possessions do, too. My spirit is full. I have never gone hungry. I have been blessed with a roof over my head. I have sufficient clothing for all seasons. For 40 years, I loved a husband who loved me deeply, and honored me often. Despite my parenting, my child grew up to be a responsible, contributing citizen. He married well. His children are finding their way. My life is blessed. My heart is full. I am rich.

As I thought about it, I realized I am famous, as well. Whenever I do God’s will, I imagine an angel is blowing a horn. Another angel is posting a video of my good deed. Another is tweeting about it. When I glorify God in some small way, it is celebrated by the heavenly hosts. When I sow a seed of grace and mercy, everyone in heaven jumps for joy. When I give my last denarius (penny) to help someone, saints and angels sing in joy. When I bring a new soul to Christ, heaven throws a party. All of heaven knows my name. More importantly, God knows my name. He loves me. He wraps me in His loving, protective arms, and keeps me safe. I am famous.

I immerse myself in the ways of God. I study the Bible daily. Nevertheless, sometimes, it takes days or weeks for His guiding voice to penetrate my veil of opinion and bias and worldly training. In the end, I know in my heart what is true and right. I don’t always listen to that still, quiet voice. I keep listening to the voices shouting objections and traditions. That’s why God whispers. When someone whispers, you have to strain your ears to hear them. You have to filter out other noises. You have to focus on the whisperer.

Despite all my human mistakes and faults and weaknesses, I keep coming back to God. Each day, I am more full of God’s love and mercy and grace than the day before. Yes, I am truly rich and famous where and when it counts. Praise God!

Prayer Focus

Rich and famous people of this world.

Prayer

Almighty Giver, thank you for all the blessings you have given me. Thank you for the opportunities to glorify Your kingdom. Help me spread Your love to all the corners of the earth, so everyone can bask in Your grace and love. Let me be a light to those who have many worldly goods, but have not stored up any treasure in heaven. Amen

Final Thought

Wealth and fame are earned.

Hard Times

Man sitting on bench waiting. Image by mykyta-martynenko on Unsplash.
Image by mykyta-martynenko on Unsplash.

Bible Passages

Read Matthew 18:10-14.

Read Luke 15.

If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

2 Chronicles 7:14 (ESV)

Devotion

Before you were born, God set a special path, designed just for you and only you. He created you to be the perfect person for that path. Only you can travel your special path. If you stay on that path, it will be easy and fun (mostly). Along the way, He will hold your hand. He will carry you through the difficult parts, the challenges, the tests.

The Bible is full of examples of people who went through hard times and came out with more blessings than they imagined. Joseph, Moses, Jonah, Abraham, Hannah, Noah, Ruth, Isaiah, Job, and most notably Jesus, to name but a few, showed us how to follow Him. They showed us how to be godly, happy, and blessed. Even when they fell into darkness, God was with them. We remember them because they held tightly to God’s hand through the bad times and the good times. We remember them because we love to hear their stories over and over. Their stories put our own troubles into perspective, and give us hope when we’re going through dark times. They remind us that God loves to take us out of our lowest moments, and bring us to our highest moments. Just like the dark nights makes us appreciate the sunrise, our dark moments make us appreciate God’s blessings with praise and gratitude.

Joseph was on top of the world as a child. His family was prosperous. He lacked for nothing. His father favored him above all his other children, but his siblings were jealous. They started a series of events that should have made him crumble. Joseph endured all the many hardships set before him, praising God all the while. Joseph’s faithfulness to God paid off and God’s plan for him was fulfilled.

Job did everything right and was doing quite well, but lost everything anyway. Through no fault of his own, he lost his wife, his children, his livestock, and his crops. Through all his losses, Job kept praising God. Job knew God still loved him, even though it didn’t always seem that way. Try as he might, the devil couldn’t get any traction on Job. Job was loyal to God. He never cursed God. The devil finally gave up trying to tempt Job away from God. That’s when Job’s rewards kicked in. He got back more than double what he had before. Job got a new wife, twice as many children, and his crops and livestock were more than doubled.

We aren’t always as faithful to God and Joseph and Job. Sometimes we lose our way. Think of the parable of the lost sheep, in which Jesus reminds us that no matter how far from God we stray, He hasn’t forgotten or abandoned us. He sends messengers (human and angel) to remind us of His love. Like Joseph and Job, we need to grab onto God. He is waiting for that. When we do, He will carry us through the brambles and rocks and other rough patches to bring us back to the flock. Just by reaching out to Him again, He will rescue us from our troubles and bring us home.

When we return to Him, just like the father of the prodigal son, He will joyously run to greet us and welcome us home. He will throw a party in heaven in our honor, complete with a live band and a spiritual buffet. We will feast until we overflow with His love and grace. He will bless us in heaven and on Earth. We don’t all get the same rewards, but they will be the rewards we need in that moment. We will be delivered and free, forgiven and comforted, rich in spirit and happy in our hearts, safe under His protective wings.

Follow where He leads you. He will provide almost everything you need to succeed. The only thing missing is you. God gave us free will, the ability to choose for ourselves what we do with our lives. He wants you to give yourself, fully and completely, to Him. When you do this, the results will amaze you!

Prayer Focus

Those in danger of turning away from God.

Prayer

Heavenly Shepherd of the lost, thank you for keeping me in Your loving arms. Help me stay focused on You. When I stray, help me find You again. Gladden my heart with Your love and grace. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Final Thought

God is waiting for you.

God Even Loves Exasperating People

Pouting baby.
Photo by Ryan Franco on Unsplash.

Bible Passages

Read Luke 6:27-36.

23 But refuse foolish and ignorant speculations, knowing that they produce quarrels. 24 The Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, 25 with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, 26 and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.

2 Timothy 2:23-26 (NASB1995)

Devotion

People can be exasperating at times! That is when we, as Christians, are called to show how strong our faith is. We are called to show we are different. We are called to show those same people, in the moment we find them most intolerable or shocking or even horrifying, that God loves them – even when they don’t seem, to us, to deserve it. That is when we can be the catalyst for a most unbelievable and glorious victory for Christ!

If it’s the person behind you in line, step aside and let them go ahead of you. Tell them you are sharing the love of Jesus. If it’s your boss or a coworker, bring them a gift. A cup of coffee, a bouquet of flowers, a box of cookies, or perhaps a fruit basket, would completely take them off guard. You might be surprised at the change in them (and in you) over such a small gesture. Someone talking during a movie might talk less with a mouthful of popcorn. Use your imagination! Let the offender know the gesture or gift is from Jesus, who loves them.

We Christians are called to respond differently to challenging situations. We are expected to show the Light of Jesus in every aspect of our lives. Now, this is easy for us most of the time. We don’t have a problem showing our faith when we have enough money to pay our bills. We can easily shine when we attend a friend’s birthday party. It is much more difficult to be Christian when someone cuts you off in traffic.

Although it sounds trite and insincere, truly as yourself, “What would Jesus do?” There is a reason why this has become popular among the faith community. When you make it part of your automatic response to every situation in life, you will find the response God wants you to have. The more you practice this, the more readily the answer will come to you. This is because you are learning to listen to the voice of God. He is there with you, providing you with an answer, every time. By asking this question, you are opening your heart to His guidance.

Prayer Focus

People we find annoying, hurtful, or mean.

Prayer

Lord God, help me get past the walls other people have put up around themselves. Give me a way to reach out to them and show them Your love and mercy and grace. Help me lead them to You. Amen.

Final Note

We are called to be different.

Where To Start

Open Bible closeup.

Bible Passages

Constantly remind the people about these laws, and you yourself must think about them every day and every night so that you will be sure to obey all of them. For only then will you succeed.

Joshua 1:8 (TLB)

Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

Psalms 119:105 (NLV)

The man who reads this Book and listens to it being read and obeys what it says will be happy. For all these things will happen soon.

Revelation 1:3 (NLV)

Devotion

Lots of people are hesitant to start reading the Bible, for a variety of reasons. Some just don’t know where to start. Others are put off by the fancy, Shakespeare-like wording or all the begats and references to people and places that don’t seem relevant today. If you want to read the Bible, there are a lot of options you may not know about, designed for regular people like you and me who just need a little help.

There are many translations which use more modern language than the traditional King James Version. You might try the Living Bible (TLB), the New Life Version (NLV) or the Modern English Version (MEV). These are easier to read, and don’t contain ‘thou’ or ‘knowest’ or ‘doeth’ words. They still contain a lot of people and places. You can skip over those for now, when it gets too dry. One day those people and places will become more important. Until then, just skim them and move on. Pick the version you think will work best for you.

If you like, you could start at the beginning with the book of Genesis and work your way to the last book, Revelation. Another approach is to pick an easier book such as Psalms or Proverbs or one of the Gospels. Ask your pastor for advice. Nobody, not even God, expects you to understand everything you read, especially if it’s your first time through.

God knows that some passages are hard to read. He built in many layers of depth and richness of meaning. The more you study and discuss a passage, the better you will be able to grasp what God is saying. You will begin to see the deeper meanings. It sometimes brings up more questions than answers. That’s okay. It’s how the Bible is designed, so that it never gets boring or repetitive to read the same passage over and over. You’re supposed to ask questions. You’re supposed to dig deeper.

When you run into something you don’t understand, your pastor or priest is a great person to ask about it. After all, pastors are very knowledgeable on the subject. If you don’t belong to a church, call or visit one nearby. A good pastor will be happy to help you, even if you’re not a member of their flock. Your pastor might not know all the answers to your questions. Discussing the Bible with someone allows you to ask follow-on questions in real time, as they occur to you.

Another great source is the library or bookstore. Whatever the passage, someone has written something about it to help others wrap their heads around it. Many people have written explanations of specific parts of the Bible. Some books dive deep into one particular book or chapter. Some are written specifically to help us read the whole Bible.

Go online. There are lots of sites devoted to Biblical topics, some more formal than others. Some sites are set up in classic printed Bible format, which provide footnotes to the passages as you get to them. Others are less formal, and provide the passage couched in a paragraph or two of the writer’s perspective.

Watch movies about the Bible. I find myself inspired to read for myself about what was shown in a movie. Some movies are more biblically accurate than others. It’s fun (for me, at least) to fact-check those movies.

As you get more involved, you might want to look for resources that explain the origins of the passage. The term ‘lost in translation’ refers to the difficulty of picking words in the new language that carry the same meaning. For instance, it would be hard to translate an iceberg into a language used by people that only know about deserts. Some books even go into the cultural settings, giving you the perspective of the average person of that time and place.

Follow journeys on a map. Some Bibles include maps, and make it easy to find the places of that era. It gives you an idea of distance, direction, and terrain.

There are so many way to approach reading the Bible, and so many fellow travellers eager to help you find your own approach. Tell God, out loud, that you need help with it. He will put the right people and resources for you into your life.

Prayer Focus

Someone struggling to read the Bible.

Prayer

All-knowing Father, who created the heavens and the Earth, who breathed life into me, and who provided a guidebook for me, give me the tools and people I need so I can study Your words. Lead me to follow the path You want me to take. Help me use the Bible, so I will be prepared for whatever You have in store for me, and know how You want me to act in any situation. You are my God, and I want to do what pleases You. Amen.

Final Thought

Knowledge is power. Righteous knowledge is righteous power.