​2020. A year of uncertainty.
 
Uncertainty is a watchword for this hour in which you and I live. Every where we turn, people are talking about uncertainty. Families, individuals, businesses, governments, churches, non-profit organizations are uncertain about the near and far future.
 
Covid-19 virus, illness, loss of loved ones, a divided nation, anarchy, riots and looting in our cities, open assault on Constitutional liberties, hateful attacks on Christianity, unrestrained, degrading immorality, economic decline, financial hardship and terrorist threats…all spell uncertainty and insecurity for many people.
 
To be certain means to be settled, fixed, sure, assured, proven to be true, incapable of failing. Uncertainty is just the opposite. Uncertainty can be unnerving at best, frightening at worst. Uncertainty breeds fear. Fear feeds uncertainty. Certainty breeds faith. Faith feeds certainty.
 
The Apostle Paul in the Bible lived and ministered the Good News of Jesus Christ in times much like ours. Uncertainty abounded. But he was certain about one thing. In
II Timothy 1:12, Paul personally declared “For this reason I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day.”                                             
 
During seasons of suffering, Paul was not ashamed. Why? Because he was certain about his relationship with Jesus Christ. Paul was convinced that God would guard everything that he had entrusted to the Lord when he became a Christian.
 
Paul walked by faith as a convinced, confident, conquering Christian in a culture that opposed the gospel because he was certain the Lord would watch over him. His certainty kept him secure in his faith, causing him to rise triumphantly over uncertainty.
 
Ten Things Christians Can Be Certain Of In Uncertain Times.  

• God’s LOVE Is Certain

                   His love is unconditional, unchanging and never ending.    Micah 7:18-20

• God’s GRACE Is Certain

                  His grace is sufficient for every situation.                 II Corinthians 12:9-10
 
 

• God’s MERCY Is Certain

                  His lovingkindness/mercy is new every morning.      Lamentations 3:22-23

• God’s PRESENCE Is Certain

                  He is with us in every life circumstance and will never leave us.
  Matthew 28:20, Hebrews 13:5-6

• God’s GUIDANCE Is Certain

                  He will give us direction in every season of life.                      Isaiah 58:11

• God’s WISDOM Is Certain

                  His wisdom from above answers every human dilemma. 
           James 1:5, 3:17-18

• God’s PROTECTION Is Certain

                  He watches over His own.                                                       Psalm 18:1-6

• God’s CONTROL Is Certain

                  His will will be done from beginning to end.              Revelation 22:12-13

• God’s POWER Is Certain.

                  His power is our power through the Holy Spirit.       Psalm 62:11, Acts 1:8

• God’s PROMISES Are Certain

                  His magnificent promises will all be fulfilled in Christ.          II Peter 2:1-4
 
Considering the above, I encourage you to trust in the One you know can be trusted.
Focus on what you know, not what you do not know. Be certain about what you are certain about. Reject the world’s bad news. Receive the Word’s Good News. Spend time with people who love the Lord and build up your faith.
           
God always has and always will take care of His business. As a believer in Christ you are His business. You can be certain, as a son or daughter of God, that your Heavenly Father will take care of you in these uncertain times.
 
You can be certain in uncertain times when you trust God to meet your every need through faith in His Son Jesus Christ.
 
How certain is your faith in Christ in the waning months of 2020? Are you unashamed of Jesus Christ and trusting Him for every area of your life?
 
“My soul waits in silence for God only; from Him is my salvation. He only is my rock and my salvation. My stronghold, I shall not be greatly shaken.”                         Psalm 62:1-
 
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth should change, and though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea; though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains quake at its swelling pride.”                                                                                                                            Psalm 46:1-3
 
 A Word For Your Week: Certainty is found in Jesus Christ.

​Election day is finally here.
I heard a collective sigh of relief from my readers!
The 24/7, incessant, annoying, unnerving, frenzied build-up to this pivotal day has evoked emotions running the gamut from excitement, anticipation and hopefulness, to anxiety, stress, worry and even fear in some. A therapist labeled this time as one of Election Stress Disorder (ESD). Most of us would way amen to that!
Today dutiful voters are exercising their freedom and privilege to cast their vote for the candidate of their choice.   
After all the votes are cast and counted, then what?
The election will be over, or will it? That remains to be seen. One thing is for sure: Life will go on in America.
The truth is elections come and go. Presidents enter and leave the Oval office. Political parties rise and fall. Stock Markets are bullish and bearish. Viruses come and go. Social movements fade after their day in the sun. The world will be the world. People of every conceivable persuasion and agenda will continue to be people. The truth is people bring us the most joy as well as sorrow in life. I am a people too that you have to deal with!
So, is everything going to be okay? I believe it will.
Why am I optimistic about the future? My optimism is not about personalities, power people, what’s trending in social media, government, politics, economics, social issues, military might or anything man and this world can do.
I believe It’s gonna be alright because of WHO GOD IS.
God is the sovereign Creator of the universe. He sits on the throne of His Kingdom in heaven. He is all-knowing, all-powerful and everywhere present. He is a good, benevolent, heavenly Father who extends lovingkindness, mercy and grace to the people He created in His image.
From beginning to end, God knows what He is doing. His plan for man is being carried out.   
I believe it’s gonna be alright because of WHAT GOD HAS DONE.
God so loved you, me, and the world that He sent His only Son Jesus Christ to save us from sin. Jesus, not any man, is the Savior. His life blood was shed on the Cross. Redemption is finished. The tomb is empty! Jesus is risen from the dead, has returned to heaven, is praying for us as He joyfully awaits the Father’s word to go get my kids.
Believers in Jesus will leave this lost, sad, sin-sick world to spend eternity rejoicing in the presence of the Lord because he is King of Kings and Lord of Lords!   
I believe it’s gonna be alright because of WHAT GOD IS GOING TO DO.
His will, written in the Bible, is going to be fulfilled. He will righteously judge all of us. He will justly deal with evil, wicked people who reject Him. He will vindicate the vulnerable, innocent, righteous people who have loved Him and obeyed His Word.
At the right time, He will send His only Son Jesus back to earth to retrieve His blood-bought children. Followers of Christ will go to heaven to enjoy the presence of the Father in their eternal home. All who reject Christ, along with Satan, will be cast into the lake of fire forever.
It is gonna be alright because God is in control and taking care of business for you and me!
Isaiah 41:10 is a personally reassuring, faith building, confidence boosting scripture for times like this. “Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely, I will help you. Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”
Note two “do nots”. Do not fear, do not be anxious. Why? Because six times, count them, God refers to Himself and what He will do for us. Surely, means certainty, it will happen. God will be with us, be for us, will help us, will strengthen us, and uphold us with His righteous, right hand.
Last time I checked Almighty God has a mighty big hand! He has you and me covered. No man or institution can do for you and me what only God can do.
It helps me to know that God helps me. It strengthens to know God strengthens me. It encourages me and boosts my confidence to know that God has me covered. I do not need to be fearful or worried because God is with me, for me, and always working on my behalf. He knows what I do not know, sees what I do not see, and does for me what I or anyone else cannot do for me.
In addition to the above, the Word of God declares that the Lord is my rock, fortress, shelter, stronghold, security, deliverer, rescuer, provider, protector, source, healer, comforter, guide, truth, wisdom and friend
I just want to shout GLORY!    
 Long, long ago, probably in a galaxy far, far away, there was an election in heaven. God voted for me. Satan voted against me. I cast my vote with God, and we won! Glory to God for eternal salvation through personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
On this national election day, have you cast your spiritual vote for the Lord? If not, this is the acceptable day of salvation. Humble your heart. Acknowledge Jesus as Lord. Repent of your sins. Ask for forgiveness. Sincerely receive Jesus into your heart as your Lord and Savior. Commit yourself to live for Him the rest of your life. Thank God for saving you!
When you know Jesus, you will know without a doubt that everything will be alright!
“If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” Romans 10:9
A Word For Your Week: Because of Jesus Christ, It’s gonna be alright!

​As you head to the polls to fulfill your duty and privilege as a citizen of the United States to vote on November 3rd, what will be your main criterion for marking the box of candidates running for public office?
Personally, I believe it should be morality. Moral issues are the most important, significant issues our nation faces.
America’s moral compass no longer points to true north. Without question, morality is at an all-time low while immorality is at an all- time high in our nation.
It is difficult to understand, but some people do not know what being moral is. Look up moral, morality in Webster’s Dictionary. Morality matters because it is about ethical, moral principles and conduct. Morality has to do with what is righteous, virtuous, and decent. 
Morality pertains to our belief and convictions regarding sanctity of life, sexuality, speech, conduct, marriage and family relationships, business dealings, treatment of others, law and order and our view of a culture that should be glorifying God and edifying its citizens. 
What is moral or immoral has been pre-determined, defined and decreed by God in the Bible.
Our sovereign Creator created a moral universe. His eternal Kingdom is based on truth and moral principles. Sorry folks. You and I do not get to pontificate, legislate, or pen an executive order as to what morality should or should not be. Bottom line: we are not God. He, and He alone, is. You and I are accountable to Him (Romans 14:12) for our moral life.
As one example of personal responsibility and accountability, you and I must answer whether or not we believe God created humans male and female (Genesis 1:27). The God of the Bible is a two-gender guy! There is no transgender. Boys are born boys; girls are born girls. Period. Surely God knows which bathroom males and females should use.
Our gender has been chosen by a loving, benevolent, gracious Creator who has an awesome plan for each of us who are unique and significant (Read Psalm 139). To think or act to change gender is perversion of what God calls pure. 
Take marriage as another moral principle. Marriage is between one male and one female. The first husband and wife, Adam and Eve, established the sacred bond of two becoming one flesh in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 2:24-25). Fornication, adultery, homosexuality, having sex with a member of the same gender, as well as same sex marriage is immoral, not moral. God’s word calls those man-instituted unions abominable. (Leviticus 18:22, 20:13, Romans 1:18-32).
The Supreme Court of the universe, made up of the God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit residing on the bench of justice, has ruled so. No exceptions. Not now. Not ever.  
Reasons Why Morality Matters

• Morality, established by God, is non-negotiable. Unchangeable.
• Moral boundaries are a blessing, not a curse.
• Morality provides holy, sacred guidelines for a wholesome, healthy, respectful lifestyle.
• Immorality erodes purity, decency, and cleanliness in a culture.
• Moral conduct provides a protective, safe cover over individuals, families, and a nation.
• Moral behavior sets people free. Immoral conduct enslaves people.
• Immoral societies implode, collapsing from the inside.  
• Immorality reaps a grim harvest of insecurity, instability, unrest, and chaos in society.
• Moral misconduct breaks the bond of trust between God and people.
• Biblical morality is the most important legacy parents can pass on to their children.
• Morality matters because God will judge our moral behavior.  May we not be deceived.

The Apostle Paul proclaimed the good news of Jesus Christ to a pagan, sex-obsessed, immoral culture. The city of Corinth was notoriously known for its perversion and impurity. Paul boldly and compassionately preached God’s standards for moral conduct to the Corinthians and to us.  In I Corinthians 6:18-20, inspired by the Holy Spirit, Paul wrote:
“Flee immorality. Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price; therefore, glorify God in your body.”
Flee immorality. Flee means run! If you are being immoral, you are sinning against God, others, and   against yourself. Your body is not yours. It belongs to Christ if you choose to follow Him. Your body houses the Holy Spirit. Jesus bought your body with the price of His precious blood. So how can you be immoral? Why would you choose immoral behavior?  
Paul’s exhortation needs to be heard and heeded today in America and our world. 
Worth thinking about: How can a holy God bless an unholy nation that mockingly flaunts immorality in the face of the One who called us to be holy?
I do not believe He can or will until we as a people turn from immortality to morality.
God’s prophet called out to the Jewish nation “Woe to you, O Jerusalem! How long will you remain unclean? (impure). (Jeremiah 13:27). I wonder what Jeremiah would say to America today. 
This very day, Almighty God is looking for a few good moral men and women who will turn our immoral nation back to righteousness, purity, and holiness by standing up for and living a biblically moral life.
I am praying daily for a revival of righteousness and morality to sweep through the hearts of Americans. Will you pray for me as I pray for you and our fellow Americans?  
On November 3rd, moral decisions must carry the day if our nation is to be blessed by God.
“Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He has chosen for His own inheritance.” Psalm 33:12
Moral or immoral, which do you choose today?
A Word For Your Week: Be a biblically moral person because morality matters.

​America is under attack. The enemy: stress.
Granted, life is stressful. Stress can be positive or negative.  Currently, negative stress has intensified to a dangerously unhealthy, and in many ways, destructive level.
Multiple stressors  are stressing you and me out: Covid-19. Economic uncertainty. Financial insecurity. Pivotal national elections. Political corruption. Hateful rhetoric. Character assassination. Violence in the streets. Safety concerns. Church and school closures. Natural disasters. Threats from foreign enemies.  I am feeling some stress just writing this down!
The world’s negative noise is stressful.
Speaking for myself, I have noticed I am extra edgy, uptight, frustrated, impatient (more than usual!), prone to outbursts of anger at times, questioning, wondering, saddened and sorrowful over the state of affairs in the country I honor, respect, take pride in and love.  .  
Sounds like depression doesn’t it?  I am not depressed in the classical, clinical sense, but I am stressed out.
America society is extremely volatile, in grave danger of spiritual, moral, and civil implosion.  Disregard for the sanctity of life from the womb to the tomb, disrespect for lawful authority, disdainful prejudice toward people different than us, disgraceful, shameful, degrading perverse  immoral conduct, and rejection of and rebellion toward the God of the Bible fuels the fires of division and disunity that is manifesting itself in skyrocketing divorces, domestic violence, anxiety, fear, depression, addictions and suicide.
So, what can we do to reduce massive stress that has a stranglehold on our personal lives and nation?  I am glad you asked.
Jesus Christ knows how to help us with stress. God’s only Son personally dealt with stress while on earth. The moment He pronounced Himself as the Messiah, He was rejected by the very people He came to save. Jesus was mocked, blasphemed, ridiculed, denied, betrayed, abandoned, physically. tortured, and the Lord’s heart was broken over sheep without a shepherd.  His human stress levels were unimaginable.
How did Jesus manage stress and pressure?  He regularly stole away from everyone and everything to meet alone with the Father. He prayed. He sought the Father’s will. The Lord came away from those times when He cast His stress on the Father with peace in His heart for the next round of life.
Stress surrounded the Lord, yet He walked in rest in midst of the stress.
In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus invites you and me to find rest from stress in Him.
“Come to me, all who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you shall find rest for your soul. For My yoke is easy and My load is light.”
Please note three positive action steps Jesus invites us to take to receive rest for our weary (stressed out) souls.
COME. Simply come to Jesus. Why? Because He promises “rest” for all who are weary, worn out and burdened. “Come” is for everyone who seeks relief from life weariness that stress produces.   
TAKE. Receive from Jesus. Yoke, hook up with Him.  Stop trying to handle your stress by yourself. Christ’s yoke is easy, His load is light. Easy and light sounds good to me!  
LEARN. Jesus possesses a gentle and humble heart that cares sincerely and deeply about our stress and weariness. Being stressed out provides an opportunity to learn how to manage stress successfully from the Lord.
The result when we come to Jesus when stressed out:  less stress.
The Lord’s way of dealing with life is far less stressful than mine or yours. His way of managing stress is all about rest. Rest, peace, calm and joy for our stressed souls (mind, will and emotions) is ours when we come to Jesus to rest in Him.    
 Manage stress or it will mismanage you.
How To Manage Stress

• Cast your stress on the Lord. Give it up to Him and leave it there. I Peter 5:7
• Guard your personal peace. Erect a restful barrier between you and the world’s unrest.
• Avoid stressed out people when possible. Do not borrow someone else’s stress.
• Shut out, shut off things that stress you out. Begin with social media, negative news services and negative Ned’s and Nellies.  
• Saturate your spirit, mind and heart with God’s Word. Study scriptures that assure you of God’s peace and rest for you.
• If you need to release pent up stress, find a field, or go in your backyard and scream! It will do you a lot of good!
• Thank God that He knows how to help us handle stress in a positive, healthy way.

Rest in the Lord is the key to beating the stress of the world
Maybe you are stressed out like me. What if you and I committed ourselves to pray for one another to take our stress to Jesus and receive His rest? I certainly would like you to pray for me. I would be honored to pray for you.
“Rest in the lord and wait patiently for Him; do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who carries out wicked schemes.” Psalm 37:7  
A Word For Your Week: Rest in the Lord and stress will take a hike.

​Alerts.
You and I are well familiar with alerts.
Breaking News alerts. Weather alerts. Silver alerts. Medical alerts. Computer alerts.  Consumer alerts. Product alerts. Law enforcement alerts. Alerts, alerts, and more alerts! Some of us might need an alert to remind us of the rest of our alerts!
According to Webster, the word alert means to watch, look out for, pay attention to, be aware of, warn, a call to a state of readiness.
Back in 1973, when I was doing my best to survive boot camp at the United States Naval Station in San Diego, California, naive, raw recruits like me were put on watch, guard duty. What were we guarding? San Diego, of course.
 I remember vividly being diligent at my guard post, on alert, watching over San Diego in the middle of the night, carrying a fake rifle. Our drill sergeants put the fear of God and Satan in us so that some recruits (not this guy!) thought they were really watching out for the Russians,  Chinese or North Vietnamese to attack San Diego! Anchors away my boys!
Seriously, green-horn, wet behind the ears, wanna-be sailors were trained in boot camp to be on alert, on guard, at our post, watchful, looking out for the enemy in the event we would be engaged in combat in a war zone.
Christians are good soldiers of Christ (II Timothy 2:1-4) in a spiritual war zone (Ephesians 6:10-12) battling Satan and the powers of hell. (I Peter5:8-9). You and I must be on constant alert if we are to push back the gates of hell in Jesus’ name (Matthew 16:18-19).    
Jesus taught something significant about being watchful, on alert.
In Matthew 24, the Lord describes the signs of His glorious return. Read them to be refreshed, blessed, and encouraged. In verses 42-44 Jesus teaches about being on alert.
 “Therefore, (in light of His return) be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming. But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on alert, and would not have allowed his house to be broken into.  For this reason, you be ready too; for the Son of Man is coming in an hour when you do not think He will.”
Three times Jesus exhorts His followers to be on alert, ready, watchful. For what? His return! He will come when it is time to return, and therefore, we should be looking for Him at any time. That means we must be watchful, ready, alert for His second coming.
Jesus also issues a word of warning to watch out for the thief. The devil is a thief who comes to steal, kill and destroy. ( John 10:10a). The homeowner is watchful so the thief cannot break into his home and steal his stuff.
 Christians must be watchful, on the alert for two things: our enemy Satan’s attacks and Jesus glorious return resulting in our homegoing to heaven!
Paul writes in I Thessalonians 5:5-6 “For you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night or darkness; so then let us not sleep as others do; but let us be on alert and sober.”
 Jesus made it clear: As you wait for My return, be on alert, watchful, looking for Me to split the eastern sky, coming triumphantly on a cloud in the air with the heavenly host! What a glorious day that will be for all who believe in Him!
How You Can Be On Alert

• Know your enemies and what they are after in your life. Do your do diligence. 
• Be discerning concerning the deception, distortion and twisting of truth that bombards our minds daily. Be alert regarding worldly news alerts!
• Do not sleep at the wheel as a follower of Jesus Christ. Wake up and stay awake.  
• Pray for the Holy Spirit to keep you spiritually alert and on guard.
• Fortify your faith with God’s Word from the Bible. Know and confess the Word.
• Put on every piece of your spiritual armor every single day. (Ephesians 6:10-20)
• Stay away from, do not associate or fellowship with careless folks who are not watchful in their Christian lives. You can “unfriend” hypocrites and pretenders.
• Praise the Lord that He helps you stay alert, on guard, watchful, looking expectantly for God to work on your behalf in mighty ways!  

Listen my friend, if you and I do not stay alert, who will be alert for us? Our anti-Christian, worldly system labors relentlessly to lull you and me to sleep spiritually. How can we resist the enemy of our souls and his evil minions if we are snoozing at our post?
Be aware. Look out for your faith. Pay careful attention to your spiritual life. Stay close to Jesus. Be filled with the Holy Spirit every day. With every step you take, walk courageously and confidently in the power of God.
If our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ exhorted His followers, including you and me, to be on alert, maybe, just maybe we should heed and obey His words.
Beloved believer in Christ, please, please be on alert, Watchful.  Looking out for anyone or anything that would try to discourage or derail your Christian faith.
People who you love and care about, as well as a spiritually lost world, are counting on you to be on alert.
Keep watching. Jesus is coming back! Hallelujah!  
“Be on the alert. Stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.” I Corinthians 16:13
“Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But resist him, firm in your faith, know ng that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world.” I Peter 5:8-9
A Word For Your Week: Stay alert as you walk by faith in Jesus Christ awaiting His return.  

​Enemies.
What should you and I do when enemies are trying to take us out?
Pandemic enemies. Political enemies. Spiritual enemies. Health enemies. Financial enemies. Natural/weather enemies. Emotional enemies. Relational enemies. Foreign enemies. Domestic enemies. Have I left any enemies out of the 2020 landscape?
Let us be honest:  It can be very perplexing, extremely discouraging, and even frightening when an “enemy” appears to be gaining ground in its attempt to alter or even end our life as we know it.
GOOD NEWS! Almighty God knows how to deal with the enemies of His people.
The book of Exodus records the miraculous “going out” of God’s people Israel from bondage as slaves in Egypt. The Lord delivered Israel with His strong powerful hand from the wicked, evil hands of Pharaoh. Read the Song of Moses in Exodus 15 describing the great victory at the Red Sea.
Back up the deliverance train. Israel is seemingly trapped between Pharaoh’s bloodthirsty army and the impassable Red Sea. Enter God. As the people were wondering what was going to happen, the word of the Lord came through Moses.
“Moses said to the people “Do not fear! Stand by and see the salvation of the Lord which He will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you will never see them again forever; The Lord will fight for you while you remain silent. Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to Me? Tell the sons of Israel to go forward.” Exodus 14:13-15
Imagine you are one of the Israelis. Ticked off, vindictive Pharaoh and his bloodthirsty army is in hot pursuit of you, your family, friends, and nation. In the natural, looks like game over for Israel.
Moses tells you and your loved ones the following.

1. Do not fear! Stop being afraid. Fear paralyzes. Faith energizes. God has something really awesome in mind that you do not know about.
2. Stand by. Stand fast at your post. Be expectant. Something utterly amazing is on the way.
3. See the salvation of the Lord. You do not have to save yourself. Moses cannot save you either. God will and you will see your enemies disappear t0day!  
4. Keep silent. Resist the temptation to grumble, express anxiety, speck negatively and believe the worst.  
5. The Lord will fight for you. The battle is the Lord’s and victory belongs to Him. Almighty God is with you, for you and will work on your behalf.
6. Go forward. How? Trust God to open a way where there seems to be no way.
7. Set ready to praise the Lord for His conquest of your enemies.  

 I do not know about you, but for me, sometimes It is really, really hard to stand by, say nothing, do nothing when the enemy is getting closer and closer. Talk about rattling my cage! Everything within me wants to do something!
Sometimes Steve Roll and stand by do not see eye to eye!
Seven Simple Steps For Standing By And Watching God Work

• Do not panic over your enemy. Eject fear. Select faith. Trust in the Lord with courageous. confident, unshakable, immovable faith.   
• Keep your mouth from complaining, grumbling, whining and doubting.
• Remember and confess that God is bigger than any enemy you will ever face.
• Choose to refuse the negative comments of fearful Christians and unbelievers who think the enemy is bigger than God. Enemies want you and me to think our God is too small to defeat them.  
• Band together with like-minded believers who choose to stand by and see what God will do. Stand boldly together against the attacks of the enemy.
• When the Lord decisively whips your enemy, praise Him! Celebrate! Give Him glory for what He has done!  
• Joyfully share with others who are under duress from enemies what God did for you.

Enemies of everything that is holy, righteous, pure, moral, decent, uplifting, and positive seem to be everywhere these days. The enemy of our soul. Satan, is their father. The devil is relentless in attacking Christians in particular. Never forget my brother or sister in Christ “Greater is He (Christ) who is in you than he (Satan) who is in the world.” I John 4:4.
GOOD NEWS AGAIN! Christians are the greater ones because Jesus has defeated the devil. The Holy Spirit empowers Christ’s followers with supernatural courage, strength, and spiritual weapons to be more than conquerors through Him who loves us. (See Romans 8:31-39).  
My friend, if you are a believer in Jesus Christ, and an enemy is harassing you, stand by, stand back, keep silent, go forward by faith…….then watch the King of Kings and Lord of Lords work on your behalf.
“Ah Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too difficult for You.” Jeremiah 32:17
“For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that overcomes the world, our faith.” I John 5:4
A Word For Your Week.  Stand by and see the salvation of the Lord.

​Gigantic problems.
 
2020. A year so far riddled with one serious problem after another after another. Stacked up problems are putting immense emotional pressure on all of us. Emotional giants of anxiety, fear, depression, tension, uncertainty, division and unrest are stalking the emotional landscape, screaming at us, mocking us and taunting us to negatively react to our situation.
 
If you are facing a huge problem that is discouraging and disheartening you right now, turn to I Samuel 17. This true biblical story of the colossal confrontation between David and Goliath will get your spiritual motor running!  A young, rudy-faced shepherd boy takes out a nine-foot tall, seven-hundred pound, belligerent, boisterous, battle-tested enemy of Israel. Have I captured your interest?   
 
Goliath, a Philistine warrior and champion, was a physical giant. An intimidating, taunting, trash-talking mountain of a man. For forty days and nights, his God-mocking, blasphemous-spewing mouth kept King Saul and God’s army at bay, fearful, shaking in their sandals on the sideline.
 
Shepherd boy David showed up. Sized up the situation. He decided to do something about this uncircumcised Philistine who was mocking the living God. Full of faith in the Lord he served, David boldly countered Goliath’s mockery and taunts about him and his God. He told the giant he would be bird food before the sunset. Go David!
 
David didn’t use swords and spears to take Goliath down. David took a rock to a sword fight. Knowing the battle was the Lord’s, David, with faith in heart, took him out with a slingshot and a stone.
 
The giant being dead, David relieved Goliath of his head. “Then David ran and stood over the Philistine and took his sword and drew it out of its sheath and killed him and cut off his head with it. When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled. “
 I Samuel 17:51
 
No more trash talking from his mouth. Hard to talk without your head! David held up Goliath’s head in triumph, showing it to king Saul. As the now deceased giant’s blood dripped from his severed head, the Israeli army rallied and routed the stunned, fleeing Philistines. Without their menacing champion Goliath, the Philistines were soundly defeated.   
 
David was recognized as a hero and a worthy man to take Saul’s place as King of Israel.
 
I don’t know about you, but I would have loved to see David hoisting high in the air slain Goliath’s lifeless head for all to see!
 
What a day when David killed giant Goliath for the glory of God!  
 
So, what does David chopping off Goliath’s head have to do with you and me?
 
You and I are taunted and trash-talked by spiritual/emotional Goliath’s.
 
Fear. Worry. Doubt. Unbelief. Lack. Depression. Low self-esteem. Lack of confidence and many other emotional giants raise their big, bad, ugly heads and scream at us. Mock us and our faith. They try to intimidate us into retreating from our walk with God. Emotional giants shout us down. You and I have heard their voices before. Unfortunately we have often cowered and caved in to their hollow threats.
 
I minister to people all the time who are standing in fear on life’s sideline, shaking in their shoes, because an emotional Goliath is stalking and talking to them. Their giant is pushing them around, paralyzing their faith, and laughing at them for not fighting back.
 
David had the right perspective and attitude. Like David, God’s people, you and me who know Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Savior, are to prevail over Goliath.
 
Israel believed Goliath was too big to hit, David believed Goliath was too big to miss!
 
How about you? Is your emotional Goliath too big to hit or TOO BIG TO MISS?
 
How To Slay Your Goliath And Cut Of His Head
 

• Identify your emotional giant. Fear…Worry...Doubt…Lack…what? Call it out for what it is.
• Face your Goliath. Run toward it, not from it. Boldly charge your giant with faith in Jesus Christ.
• Use the weapons of warfare (spiritual sling shots) that God has provided. You have every weapon you need according to Ephesians 6:10-20.
• Knock Goliath down. Then cut your giant’s head off with its own sword.
• Rejoice that your emotional giant is headed for the graveyard. Praise the Lord for the victory He has given you!  
• Share with others that you have slain your Goliath. Others will be inspired by your personal story of victory over a giant.
• Encourage others to slay their emotional giants in Jesus’ mighty name! They will be motivated to kill their giants because, with God’s help, you killed yours.

 
Please hear me. If you are being emotionally harassed, it is time to shut the mouth of emotional giants. Do not tolerate Goliath speaking into your life. Rebuke and reject his lies, false accusations fabrications about you. Cut his head off. I am not talking about cutting off the heads of people who taunt and trash talk you. If you do that, you will go to jail!
 
What I am saying is face the voices you hear that attack you spiritually and emotionally. Fight back. Shout them down in the name of the Lord. Leave no room for anything but a decisive, complete victory. Take their head off. Silence negative giants. Put them in their place (the cemetery).  Defeat them in the name of Jesus and with the Word of God.
 
Maybe a Goliath has kept you shaking in your shoes for days, weeks, months or even years. Isn’t it about time to take him out in the name of the Lord? Why let Goliath keep troubling you when he is the one who should be troubled?
 
So, what are you going to do about your Goliath this week? Why not go head-hunting!
 
“The horse is prepared for the day of battle, but victory belongs to the Lord.”
                                                                                                                  Proverbs 21:31
 
A Word For Your Week: Take your trash-talking Goliath out by taking his head off.  

​Millions of citizens in our nation are fussing, fuming, feuding, and fighting over politics.
 
No matter who is pushing agenda buttons, little, if any, progress is being made to restore our nation to the principles our founding fathers instituted in The Constitution and Bill of Rights.
 
The foundation of their deliberations and decisions were grounded in Christian truth and principles revealed in the Bible. Almighty God set America apart as a Christian nation to be a bright, shining witness to a world lost in spiritual darkness.  
 
I am emotionally frazzled, worn out if you will.  Maybe you are too. Why? Because men and women in authority and their Kool Aid drinking followers are missing the mark regarding what America should look and act like. Its like a person shooting a bow and arrow who strikes the target, but never hits the bullseye.
 
My friend, America’s greatest, deepest, and most pressing need is not political, social, racial, or economic. It is spiritual and moral.
 
So, what is the solution for our moral drift and spiritual waywardness?
 
I am glad I asked. Concerned Christians across America are faithfully and fervently praying for revival, and rightly so. But a revival of what?
 
A revival of righteousness is what our nation needs.  
 
To revive means to live again, to quicken. Righteous simply means acting in accordance with divine or moral law, justified. To be righteous is to be made right. Right what?  Right in the sight of the Lord.
 
God is serious about righteousness. The words righteous, righteousness and unrighteous are used no less than five hundred and ten times in the Bible. The word right is also used many, many times. God cares immensely about what is right or wrong.
  
A revival of righteousness is all about living again in right relationship with the Living God of the Bible and doing what is right in His sight.   
 
The wisdom writer Solomon makes it clear about what makes a nation great in God’s eyes. “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people.” Proverbs 14:34. Sin, choosing to disobey God’s Word and will is disgraceful, a curse that robs a nation of God’s favor and blessing. On the other hand, righteousness exalts, promotes, prospers, and blesses a nation. I like the blessing hand, how about you?
 
Christians are the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ. Righteousness is secured through God’s only Son who died on the Cross.  His blood, shed for the forgiveness of sins, makes the unrighteous righteous.
 
Getting our life right with Jesus makes our life right with God.
 
The Bible, God’s holy Word, is the blueprint for a righteous life and a country’s conduct.
 
What A Righteous Nation Would Look Like
  

• The God of the Bible would be reverenced, respected, worshiped and obeyed.,
• The Bible would be sacred, taught and obeyed for what it is, God’s Word.
• Freedom of worship would be firmly established as a sacred, God-given right.
• From the womb to the tomb, Human life would be protected, promoted, and celebrated.
• Marriage between one man and one woman for life would be honored and held in high esteem.  
• Sexual immorality, moral perversion, and promiscuous sexual behavior would not be tolerated. Sexual purity according to the Bible would be the standard of the day.
• Racial prejudice would be non-existent because God’s love for one another, regardless of skin color, would triumph over hate.  
• Law, order, and justice would be upheld with no respect to persons in any way.
• Corruption would be exposed and disposed by God-fearing authorities.
• Any form of abuse of other human beings would be swiftly dealt with to the fullest extent of the law.
• Our nation would be grateful to God for His abundant blessings in our lives.

 
My spirit yearns for and groans within for a Holy Spirit empowered revival of righteousness that would sweep across our country, purifying our hearts and cleansing us morally.  I would love to spend the rest of my days, raising up and handing off to my children and grandchildren a righteous nation. How about you?
 
Bottom line America: Being in right relationship with God and doing what is right in His sight blesses individuals and a nation.   
 
My fellow Christians and all who do not know Christ as your personal Lord and Savior:   Get right with God. Stay right with God. Live right for God. Live right for people in God’s holy name.  
 
Please join me in praying every single day for a revival of righteousness to spread like a spiritual wildfire from coast to coast across this nation we love and thank the Lord for.   
 
“How blessed are those who keep justice, who practice righteousness at all times.” Psalm 106:3
 
“For there they are in great dread, for God is with the righteous generation.” Psalm 14:5
 
“Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He has formed for His own inheritance.” Psalms 33:12
 
‘If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves and pray, seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin and heal their land.” II Chronicles 7:14
 
A Word For Your Week: America’s only hope is in returning to righteousness.

​As I get older (note I did not admit to being old!) my personal physician encourages me to make an appointment with him for an annual physical exam.
 
My doctor wants me to check in with him for a check-up so he can check out my health.
 
Quite frankly, I do not look forward to medical examinations. You know the drill. The wait and the weight! Annoying and often convicting lifestyle questions. The poking and probing in a cold room, on a steel table with a backless gown! Then the battery of tests. Needles, specimen cups, X-rays and CAT scans. While enduring the endless examinations, my mind is wondering what kind of a bill I am wracking up in the process.
 
Exam over, my doctor sits down with me to discuss the state of my physical body.  He lets me know the good things happening inside me. I like that part. And of course, he points out what needs to be addressed for me to remain healthy. He recommends a plan for what I need to do. After grudgingly paying the bill, it is my responsibility to carry out what he has suggested as a result of his examination.  
 
Physical health is important. An annual medical exam is necessary because life and our bodies change. The trained professional can find things in my body that I cannot. A doctor’s expertise will pinpoint issues that need addressed and advise me how to adjust my lifestyle for optimum health and productivity in life. No exam and I will not know what is going on inside of me.
 
Spiritual health is even more important than bodily health.
 
Man’s spirit is eternal. Our earthly body is a temporary tent. With age it is collapsing. One day we will receive an immortal, glorified body when we are with Jesus in heaven. I look forward to my new body that will never age and never ache again!   
 
I love the Psalmist David because of his heart for God and his honesty. Writing in Psalm 26:2, David asks the Lord to examine, test his mind and heart. “Examine me, O Lord, and try me; test my mind and my heart.” 
 
Not afraid to seek God, David humbly, courageously, and faithfully presents Himself to the Great Physician for a spiritual examination. Test me God.  Examine me. Check out my mind and heart.  Poke and prod. X-ray me with the Holy Spirit. Take a good look at my spiritual life.  
 
Similarly, David asks God to search his life. Psalm 139:24 reads “Search me, O God, and know my heat; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; and see if there be any hurtful way in me and lead me in the everlasting way.”
 
SEARCH ME O GOD. Try me and point out what is going in my heart. Show me what is good. I will continue to do the good things and work to excel in these areas. And of course, most importantly, reveal to me anything that hinders my walk with You and my witness to this lost world. Pinpoint what is hurtful. Search me and show me how I can be more like You and walk with you in the everlasting way.  
 
In 2020, are you seeking to be a better Christian? Do you desire to experience more of God’s love and be used by Him to help hurting, lost people receive His love and forgiveness of sins through faith through Jesus Christ? Do you desire to make a difference for God’s Kingdom on earth in 2020?
 
If this is the desire of your heart, ask God to search your heart.
 
Go to your place of prayer. Take your Bible. Remove distractions. Humble yourself. Then sincerely utter David’s words “Search me, O God”. Tell your Heavenly Father you are reporting for a spiritual examination. You want to know the state of your spiritual life. You want the Lord to do the exam. You trust Him to examine you carefully, thoroughly, gently, and lovingly.  
 
It takes intestinal fortitude (guts!) to leave the ruts in our lives. The unexpected, life-altering challenges ed of 2020 and uncertain days ahead, call you and me to wait on the Lord, asking Him to search our hearts.  
 
Let me ask you some probing questions.
 

• Are you humble enough to acknowledge that you need some work in your spiritual life? Will you submit yourself to the Lord to show you what that work is?

 

• Do you have the courage to open up every area of your heart and life to the Lord for examination? A no holds barred checkup. Will you take your hands off and allow every aspect of your life to come under the scrutiny of God’s search light?  

 

• Are you ready to receive whatever the Holy Spirit reveals to you? Whatever God points out to you that needs correction, will you accept it graciously, go out and make the adjustments you need to make?

 
To continue to grow in grace and the knowledge of Jesus Christ, we must go, check in with God and ask Him to check us out. When is the last time you made an appointment with the Lord for a spiritual examination? If you are overdue, the thing to do is to schedule an exam right away. Get alone with the Lord and let Him examine your life.
 
 Do not be anxious or afraid for God to look you over. Check in with Him for a check-up. It is for your good!
 
“Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves. Of do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you, unless you indeed fail the test?”        II Corinthians 13:5
 
“Thou hast tried my heart; Thou hast visited me by night; Thou hast tested me and have found nothing; I have purposed that my mouth will not transgress.”    Psalm 17:3
 
A Word For Your Week: Revival and renewal starts when we ask God to search our heart.

​Ever feel like a Zombie? Alive but dead?  Or is it dead but alive? Either way, you are alive but not really living. You know, Zombie like.
The popular, long running, science fiction television thriller “The Walking Dead” is about Zombies…. living, dead beings who feast on human flesh. I have not watched the show because the creepy commercials are enough to totally freak me out! I have asked myself what kind of a warped mind envisioned a program like this? Maybe a Zombie!
My topic today is about being a Zombie spiritually. There are two categories of “The Walking Dead” in real life

1. Non-believers in Christ. Lost souls. Men and women, boys and girls, alive in the flesh but dead in their spirit.  Peer into empty eyes of the walking dead. Study their blank, sad, hopeless countenances. Observe their bounce-less strides. Listen carefully to their depressing, cynical, despairing words. Soul-dead men and women, spiritual Zombies, surround you and me every single day.
   
2. Believers in Christ. Sadly, the walking dead includes some Christians. They dutifully sit in church services, often forcing fake smiles, hoping others will think that they are spiritual giants, holy saints, mature Christians who have their act together. But unfortunately, even though they profess Christ, their actual lifestyle suggests their residence is a lifeless tomb in the cemetery. Daily faith is dead. Numb. Indifferent, Calloused. Unmoved. Disinterested. Dispassionate for the things of God.  Spiritual Zombies.

You Might Be A Spiritual Zombie If…….

• You have not been born-again into the Kingdom of God by receiving Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. You are physically alive, but your soul is dead. You are lost spiritually.  
• As a believer in Christ, your passion and zeal for the Lord and being His witness is lukewarm to cold. You claim to be alive in Christ, but you speak and act like the world that has lost its way. Your professed faith has little or no significant impact on the people in your life.
• You neglect personal Bible study, prayer, regular worship, and fellowship with positive, victorious believers who encourage you in the faith. You isolate yourself from the body of Christ. You are a spiritual loner, hiding out under cover of your shallow commitment to Christ. As a believer in name only, you are not active in the faith game.

• You are joyless. Peace of mind and heart eludes you. You walk around like a sour puss, looking like you were baptized in lemon juice. No wonder people avoid you.
• You have thrown in the towel on the vision and dreams the Lord has given you. You have settled for nightmares instead of dreaming new dreams for God.  
• You are in grave danger of becoming a spiritual Zombie if you have left your first love. (Revelation 2:1-7). If Jesus is not the most important person in your daily life, you are losing your way and heading for the spiritual boneyard

So how can you and I as Christians stay out of spiritual Zombie land? Paul has a specific word for us in Ephesians 5:14-16.
“For this reason it says, “Awake sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” Therefore, be careful how you walk, not as unwise men, but as wise, redeeming, making the most of your time, because the days are evil.”
Here is what Paul is saying to you and me.
 Wake up spiritually. Stop sleep-walking  through life. Arise from the dead. Get up from the grave. Come alive in Christ.  Get going. Let His light shine on you to  scatter the spiritual darkness you have dwelt in
Pay attention to life around you. The days are evil. Times are dark. Spiritual Zombies need God’s people to show them His love. Watch how you walk. Be wise, not unwise. Make the most of every day. Our time is limited. Time has a way of slipping away if we are not vigilant.  Redeem, buy back, purchase back the days when you walked as a spiritual Zombie.
Walk in God’s wisdom. Be His victorious, life-filled witness. Share your faith in the power of the Holy Spirit during these last days. Stop sleeping at the witnessing wheel. Dump the doldrums. Defeat depression. Beat back burnout. Sack the thumb sucking. Burn your pity-poor-me blankie. Bury your bitterness. Reject resentment. Cease coddling cynicism. Die to dead dreams. Come alive to new ones!
You and I cannot redeem the time if we are dead like a Zombie. Rekindle your spiritual fire. Be inspired. Seek a fresh anointing. Dream again. Witness again. Influence people for the Kingdom of God again.
I love what Oswald Chambers said in My Utmost For His Highest. “When the inspiration of God comes, and He says, “Arise from the dead” we have to get up. God does not lift us up. Our Lord said to the man with the withered hand “Stretch forth thy hand” and as soon as the man did so, his hand was healed, but he had to take the initiative. If we will do the overcoming, we shall find we are inspired of God because He gives life immediately.”
Jesus did not die on the cross, rise from the dead, ascend to heaven, and promise to return take spiritual Zombies to heaven!
Is the Holy Spirit calling to you to arise from the dead today?
“And this do; knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed.” Romans 13:11
A Word For Your Week:  Being a spiritual Zombie is not scriptural.