Sometimes the whole process of witnessing and explaining Salvation gets complicated by long sermons, books, and discussions, but Peter makes it clear in Acts 2 speaking to a crowd who gathered after the disciples received the Holy Spirit on Pentecost.

The crowd asks, what are we to do? In Acts 2:38-39 Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. This promise is to you, to your children, and to those far away—all who have been called by the Lord our God.”

We often use the expression “blocking and tackling” to describe the basics of an activity. What Peter is describing is the “blocking and tackling” of Christianity, that we all need to practice; repent of our sins, turn to God, and trust in Jesus Christ for our forgiveness.

Dear Lord, your plan is an amazing mystery in many ways that we cannot understand, but at the same time it is simple when we focus on the basics. Help us follow the basics, and send us your Spirit so that we may become closer to you. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

We have all seen examples of the tragic early deaths of celebrities and other successful people who seemed to have everything. Solomon writes about this in Ecclesiastes 6:2, “God gives some people great wealth and honor and everything they could ever want, but then he doesn’t give them the chance to enjoy these things.”

It is not that being successful or wealthy is wrong, but as we have seen on many occasions, those things do not provide happiness.

He says in Ecclesiastes 5:19, “And it is a good thing to receive wealth from God and the good health to enjoy it. To enjoy your work and accept your lot in life—this is indeed a gift from God. God keeps such people so busy enjoying life that they take no time to brood over the past.”

God has each of us where we are for a reason. Sure it would be great to have lots of money and success, but we need to trust that God has a plan for us, and enjoy what we have, while waiting, with faith, for what we would like.

Dear Lord, it is in our nature to want more, but help us enjoy our lives and trust that you love us, and have us where we are for your reasons. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

It is so easy for us to get into a mindset feeling we have the “weight of the world” on our shoulders. We may have financial problems, or health problems, challenges with our relationships, or relatives that are “off course.”

When I start to feel this way, I like to think about the promises God makes to us in Psalm 37:4,5, “Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires. Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you.”

It seems overly simple to say “don’t worry,” but when we put our trust and hope in God to help us, he will find a way, even when we cannot see one.

Dear Lord, Thank you for the assurance of your presence. Help us remember you are just a prayer away. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

The writer, poet, philosopher, Henry Thoreau wrote, “If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.” This idea is taught in many fields to describe how committing to a goal or objective then moving forward with perseverance will eventually to success. Many teach and believe that when you follow this process, people and events seam to materialize to help you succeed.

Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 6:2 and references the prophet Isaiah, “For God says, ‘At just the right time, I heard you. On the day of salvation, I helped you.'[ref. Isaiah 49:8] Indeed, the right time is now. Today is the day of salvation”

Similar to the earthly success concept, that forces in nature try to help us when we commit to achieve, We know for sure that God will hear us and be there for us at just the right time to support us in our faith journey.

Dear Lord, help us remember to commit to our faith journey with you, knowing that at just the right time, you will be there for us to support, guide and lead us. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

I am a pilot, and one of the things pilots learn in training, and practice routinely, is handling emergencies. For instance, what do you do if the engine fails, what if there is a fire, what if the landing gear do not extend or retract, and so on. In training, we all learn that the first thing to do in an emergency is, “Fly the Airplane.” You might think, that no pilot has to be taught this because it is so obvious. What happens, however, is pilots can get so wrapped up in solving the problem that they forget the most important thing, flying the airplane. When they put too much attention on problem solving, and not enough on flying the plane they can create an even bigger problem while trying to solve what might be a simple problem.

Our Christian life can be somewhat similar. How so? The first thing we must remember is to love God above all else. When we love God, we strive to do his will, which results in us making good decisions in our lives, and prevents us from making a small issue a much bigger problem.

When asked “What is the greatest commandment?” Jesus says in Matthew 22:37, “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.”

Dear Lord, you are the solution we need in our day to day activities, or in our emergencies. Help us remember the first and most important thing to love you. When we do you will help us through all our challenges. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.