The Old Testament book of Jeremiah, records the prophecies that Jeremiah the prophet was told to give to the people of Judah. The people had turned from their belief in God to idolatrous practices. God was using Jeremiah to try to bring them back.

In Jeremiah 6:16, he tells the people, “This is what the Lord says: “Stop at the crossroads and look around. Ask for the old, godly way, and walk in it. Travel its path, and you will find rest for your souls. But you reply, ‘No, that’s not the road we want!’

As a result of the people of Judah’s rejection, as prophesied by Jeremiah, their cities were destroyed and their people captured and taken away in exile in Babylon.

It seems to me that the people of our time have come to crossroads, known what the godly way is, and many have said like the people of Judah, “No, that’s not the road we want.”

I imagine during Jeremiah’s time there were still a few who followed the godly way, but the decisions of the majority of individuals to follow their own way rather than God’s moved the whole nation to their demise.

Dear Lord, you show us the right path in your word, the Bible, and in our hearts through our consciences. Help us remember that it is the combined action of each of us, individually, that shapes the path of the nation. Each of us, therefore, has a responsibility to contribute to the godliness of the whole nation. Help us listen and follow your guidance. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

There is a popular author whose thesis is that in order to achieve things in life, we need to make ourselves vulnerable. We have to put our ideas out in public and risk being criticized. For most people, this is a frightening idea.

In a similar way, to grow and be everything God wants us to be as Christians, we need to do the same thing; to live our lives openly as Christians without excuse or apology. The difference is that we know God is there supporting us when we make ourselves vulnerable for him.

Psalm 25:3 says, “No one who trusts in you will ever be disgraced, but disgrace comes to those who try to deceive others.”

Dear Lord, Thank you for the assurance that you, the most powerful force in existence, are there to support us when we honor you. Help us trust in you and live our lives as Christian examples, glorifying you. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Today is my Dad’s Birthday, so I am using one of his favorite texts in this message.

Paul writes to the Galatians in Galatians 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me; and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

Paul was telling the folks there that the rules and “law” that the Jews relied on as their path to God was replaced by Jesus’ sacrifice and resurrection. As a result, we don’t follow rules to be saved, we have Christ in us. We live by faith, and as written in Hebrews 12:2, “Jesus is the author and perfecter of our faith.”

What a blessing to know that “God saved us, through Jesus.”

Happy Birthday Dad for leading our family to Jesus and His salvation.

Dear Lord, thank you for my father and bless him. We are grateful for all you have done for him, and all he has done for us. What a blessing it is to know that we don’t have to follow the rules well enough to be saved, Jesus Christ in us is our Salvation. In His name we pray. Amen.

How often do you face difficult situations where you cannot imagine a solution that will make things work out favorably for you? For example, you have a large bill due and no idea how to pay it, a big school project due and not enough time to get it done, or a big project at work at the same time as an important family activity.

Why don’t we ask for God to solve it for us? Often we think we have to know how the problem can be solved so we can explain to God how to solve it. Actually we don’t. In Matthew 17:27 Jesus and Peter were in a situation where they were required to pay a tax. Jesus said to Peter, “….go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours.”

Do you think Peter had any idea that Jesus would resolve the problem this way?

God can always find a way, even when we don’t see a way. We need to remember to just ask, and then have peace that he loves us and will not leave us.

Dear Lord, help us remember to go to You when we are in need, and trust You to show us a solution. In your name we pray. Amen.

..and Happy Birthday to my big brother Jeff, God’s Blessings to you!

Is there someone and someplace that just makes you happy even thinking about. For example, walking on the beach with your spouse, playing games around the table with your children, playing with your grandchildren, spending time with your friends, or even playing with your dog or cat. Just being around them brings you a feeling of joy.

In a similar way, Psalm 16:11 says about God, “… in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” When we can truly experience God’s presence in our lives, we can feel the peace and joy that He promises. In order to get closer to God’s presence, we do like James writes in 4:8 “Draw closer to God and he will draw closer to you.”

Dear Lord help us do those things that draw us closer to you, reading your word and putting it into practice, that we may experience the fullness of joy you promise. In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen.