​Americans are trying desperately to figure out what matters in life.  
Depending on who you talk to, you will discover a myriad of differing, divergent, often divisive opinions concerning what matters. As the obvious order of the day, “what matters” is an emotionally loaded, volatile watchword turning our society inside out and upside down.  
People in our diverse society tend to think that what they think matters surely matters to everyone else. Maybe, maybe not.
As people draw what matters battle lines through talking points, debate, dialogue, conversation, protest, marching or posting emotionally charged opinions openly on social media, one thing is clear: very little is clear!
The vast majority of folks consumed with what matters, no matter how it is defined, are missing the mark about WHAT MATTERS MOST.
To maintain my serenity and sanity while surveying the what matters landscape, I have concluded and committed myself to not be confused about what matters most. Honestly, I am deeply troubled and disheartened in my spirit because many have been misled and are misleading others about what matters.
As I have personally struggled with my emotional responses to what is happening across America, the land that I love, the Lord has graciously and lovingly reminded  me to focus my faith, thinking,, emotions, priorities, behavior and relationships on what I know what matters most.
The Bible is crystal clear concerning what matters most.
What matters most for time and eternity is salvation.
My, your and every human’s problem is sin. Jesus, God’s only Son, came to earth to save us from sin. Salvation means wholeness, being saved from sin, to a holy, healthy relationship with God.
The following scriptures, all spoken by Jesus, make it clear why He came and what He taught matters most in life.

• “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him, will not perish, but have eternal life.” John 3:16
• “The Son of Man has come to seek and save that which was lost.” Luke 19:10“
• Enter the narrow gate; for the gate is wide, and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter by it. For the gate is small, and the way is narrow that leads to life; and few are those who find it.”  Matthew 7:13-14
• “For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? For what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? Mark 8:36-37.
•  “I am the way, the truth and the life; no man comes to the Father except through Me.” John 14:6.

Does salvation and eternity matter? You bet it does. According to the Bible, which is God’s holy Word, man’s eternal destiny is either heaven or hell. The wide path that many walk on leads to eternal destruction. The narrow way through faith in Jesus Christ, which few travel on, leads to eternal life.
In Matthew 7:13-14 Jesus is saying we can have all the world offers yet lose what God’s Kingdom offers. God’s Son came to earth to save our souls, not our pocketbooks, racial heritage, political affiliation, our business enterprises, religious rituals, our personal opinions, preferences and pleasures, or even our relationships with others.   
Salvation matters most.
The Cross Jesus died on at Calvary matters most. The empty tomb that Jesus rose from the dead from matters most. Forgiveness of our sins and the free gift of eternal life matters most.
What matters most is that when men and women are saved, their hearts change. Sin is our problem. The Savior who became sin for us and paid the price for our salvation is the solution for all our human problems.   
When you and I receive Jesus into our hearts, we become new persons in Christ (II Corinthians 5:17) . Changed hearts make a difference in how we live our life and conduct our relationships.  
When individuals are saved, society changes.  Love for one another with the love of Jesus Christ replaces the arrogance, prejudice and hatred that plagues an unsaved, evil soul.  
 Bottom line: Man’s causes, movements, and revolutions are temporal. They simply don’t last. The cause of Christ matters most because it is eternal. The Kingdom of God lasts forever.
Seriously think about this for a moment.  In the light of eternity, how much does what you and I think is so important that we might miss heaven because we rejected God’s Son Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior? Eternal loss is loss indeed!
My friend, how about you? Do you know what matters most? Are you personally experiencing what matters for time and eternity? Do you have a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ?
Paul, saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:8-9) wrote in Romans 10: 9-10  “That if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation”  
Have you confessed with your mouth and believed in your heart that Jesus Christ is Lord and  God raised Him from the dead so you can be saved from sin, death and the grave?
If not, settle for once and all what matters most. You can receive Christ right now, right where you are at.
 Simply, sincerely humble your heart. Bow your head. Ask God to forgive your sin. Receive Jesus into your heart by faith. Choose today to live your life for Christ. Then, thank Jesus for saving your soul, because that is what matters most!
“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to  those who believe in His name.” John 1:12
A Word For Your Week: Live your life according to what matters most.

​Who likes to be deceived? No one that I know……but sadly, many today are deceived.
According to Webster, deceive means to ensnare, to be false, to cheat, to cause to accept as true and valid that which is false and invalid. Synonyms: mislead, delude, beguile, misguide, misinform, defraud, trick, hoodwink and underhandness for the purpose of leading astray.
Wow! Sound familiar? Webster hits the nail on the proverbial head. Deception is all of the above.    
Deception has been around as long as the Garden of Eden. Our first parents, Adam and Eve, were duped by the serpent (devil) and bought into his deception. Result: unceremoniously booted out of Paradise.  Adam and Eve lost it all because they listened to a deceiver!
In II Timothy 4:3-4, Paul, who is facing imminent death (verse 5), instructs his ministry protégé Timothy to be faithful to fulfill his ministry like Paul has (verses 1-2, 5-8). He warns about false teachers, deceivers, who will not teach sound doctrine. “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.”
The elder tells the younger that you will preach the Word of truth, but there are those who will deceive people to believe falsehood and lies instead.
Note he said people with “itching ears” (KJV) will ditch sound doctrine, abandoning truth for myths.  Why? Because they want teachers (deceivers) to tickle their itching ears, to tell them what they want to hear. Sound familiar? Guess what? There is no shortage of deceivers (dupers) who will sign up for that job, then and now.
 Deceivers and deceived people will always be with us. Misguided, non-thinking, gullible people flock to the deceiver’s den.
The “time” Paul is speaking of is here and now. 2020. The spirit of deception is well entrenched in our nation. Throughout religion, politics, education, business, media and relationships there is a deceiver standing on every corner of society, positioned and poised to dupe the next vulnerable victim.  
Deceived people deceive people.
Deceivers are manipulators. They want you and me to believe what they want you to believe, and behave the way they want you to behave. Deception is not about you. It is about the deceiver. In our nation, deceivers abound, whose purpose is keep or draw people from truth.
You, me and our families must be on guard against deceivers. We must be vigilant to not be duped by whatever form of political/cultural correctness is out there.
Discerning And Dealing With Deception

• Recognize that deception is real. Unfortunately, deceivers are alive and well, peddling deception to anyone who can be deceived.
• Ask God for discernment and wisdom.  All of us can be deceived if we are not careful. The Holy Spirit will show you what is true or false if you ask Him.
• Question everything that does not line up with the Word of God found in the Bible. Test it with scripture. Even deceivers can quote the Word, use the Word to justify their deception. Be wary of context violators. Be leery of those who proof text and twist truth to their advantage.
• Check the credibility of the source. Certify. Verify. Just because a person is popular, a You-Tube sensation, or their comments have gone viral, doesn’t necessarily mean they are credible. Don’t be drawn into something you know you can’t support.
• I am sorry to inform some social media junkies that Facebook posts, Instagram and Twitter tweets are not the Word of God. Social media can be very deceiving. Just because something is posted on the internet for the whole wide world to see, doesn’t make it true. Be smart. Refused to be sucked into the abyss of deception.
• Breaking New reports are not always what they appear to be. “First on the scene” or “Only seen on this station” doesn’t mean you are getting all the facts. Many, if not most,  initial reports, are revised after the emotional sensationalism and frantic scrambling to interview eye witnesses dies down.  
• All media outlets have an agenda. They are biased in some way. Ratings, viewership,  sponsors, financial profit, and power brokers drive the media machine. Be careful what you believe and buy into just because a Breaking News Bulletin arrests your attention.

My friends, you and I are living in increasingly dangerous times. Our day is an age of rampant deception. I am amazed at how so many of our citizens, professing Christians included, get duped by the powers that be.
Don’t be so blind that you don’t see the deception surrounding you and your loved ones.
Be wise. Don’t be duped by deceivers. Instead receive, believe and live your life according to the Word of God. The Lord will never dupe anybody.   
“And Jesus began to say to them, “See to it that no one misleads (deceives) you.” Mark 13:5
“Let no man in any way deceive you…..” II Thessalonians 2:3a
“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore, be shrewd (wise) as serpents, and innocent (harmless) as doves. ” Matthew 10:16
 “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.”                                                                                                                                         Galatians 6:9
A Word For Your Week: To not be duped by deceivers, stay close to Jesus.

​During the 1970’s, the Jesus movement swept across America. Multitudes of people came to a saving knowledge of Christ. I was one of them. On October 6, 1972 I received Jesus Christ into my heart as my Lord and Savior.
Bumper stickers were a big deal in the 70’s. If you remember that, I know how old you are! Some people plastered their bumpers, trunks and rear windows with myriads of stickers. I am pretty sure some old rust bucket, beater cars were held together by duct tape and the stickers!  
As a young believer in Christ, I remember a bumper sticker that declared “KEEP THE FAITH”.
Today, 2020, when many are struggling with faith in God, maybe Christians should plaster “KEEP THE FAITH” stickers on their bumpers. Sadly, in our day, some folks are jumping ship on the Lord, while others are silently caving into unbelief. Alarmingly, misguided people, who have been deceived by the devil, are outright denying their faith.
Faith is essential to salvation. Salvation is about faith in Jesus Christ.
Without faith, belief in God’s Son who died on the Cross and rose again from the dead to provide forgiveness for our sins, you, me and every human can’t be saved. The Good News is “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16. Paul writes in Ephesians 2:8-9 “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, but that no one should boast.“
 Initial faith in Christ saves us.  Continuing, unwavering faith, keeps us. Faith that falters is faith that fails.
Let’s discuss for a moment unwavering, constant, steady, unfluctuating, non-vacillating faith that God rewards.
Imagine you are one hundred years old. Your wife is ninety.  God sends you a news bulletin: Abraham and Sarah, you are going to have a son. You will not adopt one. Sarah will get pregnant by you old man and deliver one. How ridiculous, right? Not exactly.
Study carefully Romans 4: The stunned seniors hoped against hope. Faith fueled their hope. For over twenty, at times very long years, they waited, wholeheartedly believing God’s promise to them. Yes, they questioned the Lord, scratched their heads a few times, even laughed at the prospect that they would have to set up a nursery! You and I would have done the same.
KEEP THE FAITH looks like this. It is recorded that Abraham believed God. He and Sarah hoped against hope. Abraham did not waver in unbelief. He did not become weak in faith. He gave glory to God, for through faith, unwavering faith, he was   assured that the Lord would perform what He had promised.  
In the Hall of Fame of faith, it is recorded about Abraham that when God called him, by faith, Abraham went out not knowing where he was going. (Hebrews 11:8). When his faith was severely tested, Abraham did not waver in unbelief, as he offered up Isaac, his only begotten son of promise to the Lord on Mt. Moriah. (Hebrews 11:17). Throughout his life, Abraham believed God.
No doubt in my mind Abraham and Sarah would be worthy of a “KEEP THE FAITH” bumper sticker for their camels.
Abraham’s faith was deeply, securely, profoundly rooted and grounded in God and His promise. It was not faith in faith, nor faith in some creed or religious rule or ritual. Abraham’s faith was simple, unwavering faith in Almighty God, his heavenly Father, who is faithful to keep His Word.
Ways To Keep Unwavering Faith

• Study the Word of God.  Meditate upon the biblical characters stories in the Hall of Fame of Faith (Hebrews 11).  Be inspired and challenged by their real-life faith testimonies.
• Keep doubt out. Slam the door on unbelief. Tell doubt to take a hike and don’t bother to come back.
• Stand tall when Satan tempts you to doubt. Resist the enemy of your soul. Firmly rebuke the evil one’s attacks on your faith. Remember you are covered by the blood of God’s Son Jesus Christ. The devil can’t touch Christ’s holy, precious blood.
• Pass faith tests every single time your belief is tested. Without fail, pass every test!
• Believe when it is the hardest to believe. Dig deep. Hope against hope with unwavering faith in God’s promises.  
• Hang around with brothers and sisters in Christ whose faith is steadfast, unwavering. Fellowship with godly folks that encourage and edify your faith.
• Thank God for the faith He has given you and ask Him to help you to “keep the faith” without a bumper sticker!

Wishy-washy faith never sees the fulfillment of God’s promises. Unwavering faith always does.
My fellow Christian, never compromise or apologize for your faith. No concession or apology tours concerning your belief.  Believe in God’s promises whether anybody else does or not.
When unbelievers and weak Christians challenge your faith, adamantly refuse to cave in, capitulate, or retract what you believe. Truth, righteousness and love does not retreat in the face of opposition. On the contrary, “KEEP THE FAITH”. Be bold about your belief because Jesus was bold for you on the Cross.
 How will lost souls hear about Jesus Christ and turn to Him if His professed followers waver in their faith?
Who and what do you believe in? Why do you believe what you believe?  If you believe in God, why do you keep believing in Him and His promises? Maybe it is time for you and me to do a faith check-up. Maybe our belief needs a tune up, hopefully not an overhaul. 
Keep on keeping on with your faith. Those “KEEP THE FAITH” bumper stickers may not be such a bad idea after all.  
 “Therefore, do not throw away your confidence in your faith, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised.’ Hebrews 10:35-36
 “And because lawlessness is increasing, most people’s love will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.” Matthew 24:12-23
A Word For Your Week: Keep the faith because God keeps His promises.

Hope.
Hope helps you and me cope with life. No hope…no cope!
A “perfect storm” of life-upsetting, life-altering negative circumstances has produced a spirit of hopelessness that is discouraging, disheartening and depressing millions of Americans.  
A deadly pandemic. Social distancing and lockdown. Business shutdown. Potential economic collapse. Frightening civil unrest. Deception. Distortion. Discord. Division. Distrust. Our society is seemingly coming unraveled at the seams. Any wonder many are struggling with hope?
As I survey my surroundings and personal situation, I like most, am being challenged to make sure my hope is not misplaced.
Let’s be honest. Real honest. Gut level honest.  
Speaking as a Christian,  If our hope is in the world system that rejects God, in people, who the Bible tells us that all of us, including you and me, have sinned and fallen short of His glory (Romans 3:23), in  manmade, fallible institutions, fluctuating financial markets, godless government, agenda driven news organizations, narcissistic celebrities, what is “trending” on social media, political parties, military might, popular pastors, the religious church  or anything else that falls short of putting our hope in God is false hope, ultimately leading to despair.  
I have good news smack dab in the middle of bad news. HOPE IN GOD IS HOPE THAT WILL NEVER FAIL.  
In God’s Word, the Bible, the Hebrews writer exhorts/encourages his fellow Christians, who were being persecuted for their faith and suffering loss in many areas of their life, to encourage one another by confessing their unwavering hope in the Lord.
“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds.” Hebrews 10:23-24   
Please note the following.

1. Christ’s followers are to “hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering.”  

To hold fast means to hold on to. To firmly grasp. Not letting go of our grip. Holding fast is a tenacious unwillingness to surrender what is being held on to.   
Hope is to be confessed. I question if unconfessed hope is really hope. Speak your hope and faith with your mouth. Acknowledge, give witness to your hope in the Lord by your words and behavior.
Hope without wavering. Make you choice and keep your choice. No fluctuating or vacillating. No tottering or weaving. No back and forth. No hopefulness one day, hopelessness the next.

• Unwavering hope is resolute and unwilling to be hopeless.   

 
2. A believer’s hope is based on God who is a faithful promise keeper.

Unwavering, unshakable, immovable hope is rooted and ground in a loving God who is our hope. The God of the Bible promises to meet every need of His followers. He is not a promise breaker as many people are.
God keeps His Word. Period. It is not in God’s character to lie. What our Creator and Redeemer promises He performs. Hope for now and eternity is guaranteed because our Lord Jesus keeps His Word.

• Romans 10:13 boldly declares “For the scripture says, “Whoever believes in Him will never be disappointed.” I can put unwavering hope in Christ who will never disappoint me!

 
3. Hopeful Christians are “to stimulate (encourage) each other to love and good deeds”.

Unwavering hope is contagious! If you are feeling hopeless in any way, surround yourself with a bunch of fired-up, hope-filled, hopeful brothers and sisters who do not vacillate concerning hope in Christ. Catch what they have!
Right now, in your circle of relationships, inside and outside of the church, there are people struggling with hope. Be their cheerleader! Remind them of God’s promises. Man has messed everything up. Jesus is the Savior and is coming back soon! Don’t keep your “unwavering hope” to yourself. 

• Unwavering hope in God’s unfailing promises cannot and will not fail you and me.

So, let’s get real. Up close and personal. How is your hope? Hopeful or hopeless? Unwavering or wavering? Is your hope rattled by the latest Breaking News? In who or what do you put your hope in?
Is your hope in the God of the Bible? Is your hope in Him and His promises? Is your hope unwavering? Not wishy-washy, but unshakable, immovable, steadfast, firmly planted in the soil of God’s precious promises?  Is your confession of hope confidently, courageously consistent?
Bottom line. 2020. Yes, 2020! Are you holding fast to the confession of your hope? And are you encouraging fellow Christians with the lope you have in the Lord?
Now is the time. Today is the day. Every day is the day to confess our unwavering hope in God!
“Christ in you, which is the hope the glory.” Colossians 1:27.
 “And hope does not disappoint because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” Romans 5:5
“Surely my soul remembers and is bowed down within me. This I recall to my mind; therefore, I have hope. The Lord’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning, great is Thy faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:20-23
 A Word For Your Week: Keep your hope and faith solidly focused on God’s promises.

​Society is obsessed with success.  
So, what is true success? How would you define success for your life?
I have been asked that question many times during my ministry. As a Christian who has walked with the Lord for nearly fifty years, I have concluded that the world’s idea of success and God’s are very different.
Being a “seasoned citizen” in our culture,  and hopefully, an ever-maturing follower of Jesus Christ, reflecting upon the life I have lived, brings me to the place where “success” for me is not about pedigree, position, power, fame, fortune, influence or any temporal, material thing. Success that lasts into eternity has to do with my relationship with God.
Success for me is fulfilling God’s will for my life.
I believe Jesus Christ is the single, most significant example of someone fulfilling God’s will for their life.
This is what the Bible and Jesus says about His life purpose.
Then I said, Behold, I have come (in the roll of the book written of Me) to do Thy will, O God. Thy Law is written within my heart.” Psalm 40:7-8
“Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” Matthew 6:10 
 “Teach me to do Thy will, for Thou are my God; let Thy good spirit lead me on level ground.” Psalm 143:10“
 “I glorified Thee on the earth having accomplished, fulfilled the work which Thou has given me to do. “John 17:4.
“And He went a little beyond them and fell on his face praying “My Father if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me: yet not as I will, but as Thou will.” Matthew 26:39
Take a sacred peek with me into the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36-46).  Jesus had traveled to Jerusalem on purpose. He knew a cruel Cross would be waiting for Him. Agonizing for hours, sweating drops of blood because of the burden of sin He would bear, wrestling with His humanity to do His will or God’s, imagine the moments (three times) the Lord declared “Not My will, but Your will be done.”
His human flesh hoped it might be possible to not have to drink the cup of suffering. But in His spirit, He knew He came to fulfill the Father’s will and sacrifice Himself for you and me.
Having settled it to go to the Cross, Jesus gathered up His sleepy followers, was arrested, falsely accused, tortured twice, then nailed on a rough piece of wood. Close to breathing His last earthly breath, Jesus asked the Father to forgive His tormenters and all of us because all of us have sinned.  
“IT IS FINISHED.”  The Son of God breathed His last breath. What was finished, accomplished, fulfilled in that dark hour on Golgotha? SALVATION. The Father’s will for mankind was salvation from sin, death and eternal damnation.
 Jesus death on the Cross and resurrection from the dead purchased salvation. He did the will of the Father when it cost Him everything. Thank you, Jesus, for your willingness to do Your Father’s will so I could be saved!
From the day of His birth, to the ascension to heaven, God’s only Son’s goal was to fulfill His Father’s will. As you journey through the Gospels with Him, it is so evident, that Jesus’ life was not about Him. It was about the Father’s will being carried out through Him.
Jesus’ life, ministry, death on the Cross, glorious resurrection and promise to return for His children was/is His success.
Suggestions Why God’s Will Is The Way to Success.

• Doing God’s will is doing what He wants for me, not what I want for me.
• Knowing God’s Word in the Bible is the pathway to success.
• To know God’s will, study the Bible, pray over the Bible and obey the Bible.
• God’s will is a guarantee of success in what matters most when we faithfully follow His leading.
• The will of God sustains us when we walk by faith and not by sight.
• God’s will is a bright, shining beacon that lights our way as we journey through life.
• My will can never accomplish God’s will unless I surrender my will to Him.
• Conforming my will to God’s will is a safe, secure and stable place for me to be.
• Sleep is sweet when we have done our best each day to fulfill God’s will for us.
• Not your or my will, but Your will Father, is following in the footsteps of Jesus.
• Fulfilling God’s will on earth is rewarded with spending eternity with Jesus in heaven.

Paul writes in Ephesians 5:17 “So then do not be foolish but understand what the will of the Lord is.”
I have settled it for me. I do not want to be a fool! With all my heart, I desire to understand God’s will for my life and with His help fulfill it.  
How about you?  You don’t want to be foolish, do you? Do you know what God’s will is for your life? In general and specifically?
If you know what His will is, are you diligently seeking to fulfill, accomplish it?
If necessary, what adjustments do you need to make regarding your view of success in light of success is fulfilling God’s will for your life?
May His will be done in your life every day.
 “Not by the way of eyeservice, as men pleasers, but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart.” Ephesians 6:6
A Word For Your Week: Doing God’s will is success indeed.  

Everyone has expectations.
 
Especially now as we navigate our way through the COVID-19 pandemic sweeping across our world and nation. You and I are still affected in numerous ways by this virus and at a significant junction in our life journey where we are pondering what might be next.
 
There are those who fear the worst is to come. Doom and gloomers are a dime a dozen. Others are cautiously optimistic about the future. Many, maybe most, are unsure where to put their expectation because much is still unknown.   
 
To expect means to hope, to anticipate, and to look forward to.
           
I believe God put an expector in each one of us.
 
Hoping and looking forward to certain things, especially good things, happening in our lives is very natural. Healthy expectation is critical to moving forward in life. A spirit of positive expectation fires up our souls. Hope and anticipation of good things and better days stimulates walking by faith and believing God for the best.
           
But when our hopes and expectations are not realized, we feel let down, disappointed and discouraged. A major cause of burnout, depression and suicide is based on unfulfilled expectations.
 
Often expectations are not fulfilled because our expector is expecting something from a source that is not always reliable. Many of us invest our hopes (expectations) in people. People are wonderful, but they can be very fickle! Investing our hopes, dreams, and expectations in people can be disheartening when their expectations don’t meet ours.
 
Psalm 62 is an excellent word of encouragement to us regarding expectations.  
 
The Psalmist clearly and confidently confesses that His expectation is from God. His hope was in the Lord. “My soul waits in silence for God only, for my expectation (hope) is from Him. He only is my rock and my salvation, my stronghold; I shall not be shaken.”     Psalm 62:5-6
 
David avoided the tempting trap of putting his hope in people or himself by pinning his hope on God. Therefore, David detoured disappointment by focusing his faith in God and His expectations for his life.
 
David says some significant things about expectation.
 
1. He waited on God to meet his expectations. Note that his soul was silent. Quiet. Meditative. Contemplative. And anticipatory. Why? Because “my hope is from Him.”  God put hope in David’s heart. The Lord was the source of David’s expectations.
 
·      David’s expectation was that God Himself would always meet his expectations.
 
2. God was David’s rock and salvation. Expectations built on a rock will not be moved. David’s life was stable and secure because God was His foundation. The Psalmist had enough spiritual sense to look with faith to His Savior for His hope and expectations.
 
·      Jesus Christ is the bedrock for Christian believers to build their hopes and expectations on.  
 
3. David’s life was not shaken. From time to time, our expectations and hopes will be tested. Shaking comes to reveal what cannot be shaken. Hope that is placed in God is hope that will stand. Misplaced hope will fall.
 
·      You and I will not be shaken when our expectation is founded upon the unshakable God of the Bible. 
 
4. God’s expectations were David’s expectations.  When we spend time with the Lord, and trust in Him, our expectation is from God. His hopes and dreams for us become our hopes and dreams. What He expects of us is what we expect of us. My expectations must be His expectations for my life.  What God hopes for me is what my hope should be.
 
·      Life is fulfilling and enjoyable when we expect what He expects.   
 
Recently I slipped away to a place I go to often to pray and wait on the Lord. As I was seeking the Lord regarding the challenging situation me, my family and others are facing at this time, the Holy Spirit spoke to my spirit “Steve, focus today and every day after on  the good, awesome things God is going to do coming out of this pandemic. “
 
Every day since, I have confidently, positively and joyfully confessed my expectation of God’s goodness now and in the future. This perspective has warmed my heart, motivating and encouraging me to expect God to turn this present evil into good on behalf of all those who love Him.   
 
I believe you and I get what we expect.
 
What are you expecting God to do in your life today? What is your expector expecting?
 
Set aside some quiet time to reflect on what you expect. What are you expecting to happen? Where is your hope based? Who are you expecting it to come from?
“Know that wisdom is thus for your soul; if you find it, then there will be a future, and your hope (expectation) will not be cut off.”                                         Proverbs 24:14
 
“Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us.”                                                                                                             Psalm 62:8
 
A Word For Your Week: Line up your life with God’s expectations for you.
​

​I have been thinking.
Please don’t tell my wife that. She will wonder what has happened in my head and be concerned about my mental state!
Seriously, in light of living life during what some call “unprecedented times” for you, me, our families, country and world, there is most likely a whole lot of thinking going on. Who hasn’t paused to give thought concerning their current situation and the future?
The Lord put on my heart the following thoughts, which are truths, about life.
Reflecting upon them and praying over them has helped me to positively face the realities of our day, maintain proper perspective, and center my life on what really matters.
Here we go into the files of my mental hard drive!   
LIFE HAPPENS.  Life can change in a moment, in a flash, without our permission or approval.  Sometimes the changing season is good, others not so good. Regardless, it is a fact that life doesn’t stand still, even when we wish it would for a while.
When life happens, though we may not know  exactly what is happening or why it is happening,  that is when we have to come to grips with present reality, deal with it successfully, and know that life, by its very nature, will change again!
LIFE IS RISKY. There is no guaranteed outcome in this life. None. Nada’. Zero. Well maybe, death and taxes! Why no guarantees?  Because life is full of risk.
 Driving down the highway is a risk. Boarding an airplane is a risk. Depositing your money in the bank is a risk. Getting out of the bed in the morning could be a risk!  
Even people of Christian faith face risk every day. The good news: God is with us to assist you and me to navigate through risk with His wisdom and guidance.
 LIFE REQUIRES FAITH. Living life is all about trust and faith. People believe and trust in someone or something. Trust is a truth we must acknowledge and then trust in who or what is trustworthy.
Not everyone or everything can be trusted. Walking by faith in God and not by sight is a decision you and I can make every day. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and you will never be disappointed (Proverbs 3:5-6, Romans 10:13).
Put your faith in the One who is faithful.
LIFE IS RELATIONSHIPS. The greatest joy is life our relationships. Think for a moment about the people you love and who love you. Relationships sweeten life.
Relationships matter. God set it up that way. He is relational. He loves us and through Christ made it possible for us to spend eternity with Him in heaven. Now that is a relationship!
Do you value your relationships with God, family friends and fellow Christians? When push comes to shove in life, healthy, loving, caring, mutual-satisfying relationships will carry the day.
Cherish, nurture and thank God for your relationships every single day.
LIFE IS GOOD. Life can be tough at times. But overall, when you and I stop to think about it, our life is good. We are blessed!
 Life is good because God is good, and He gives us life. Certainly, bad things happen to good people. But God’s goodness overrules bad things. His goodness prevails in the hearts of those who trust Him to make good out of bad.
Praise God for your good life today. No matter your current situation, God has been good to you, is good to you, and will always be good to you.
LIFE IS SHORT. Time flies, especially when you are having fun!  Your and my days are numbered, appointed by our Creator. Our times are in His hands according to the Bible. Our days seem to pass by swiftly, especially the older you are!
Never waste your day. Every day is a gracious gift from God. Rejoice in your days (Psalm 118:24). Give God praise for today because life is short and your days on earth will run out!  
Count your days and make your days count by walking in God’s wisdom (Psalm 90:12).  
LIFE IS CHIRST. Have you discovered what life is all about? In John 14:6 in the Bible Jesus declared” I am the way, the truth and the life, no man comes to the Father but through Me.”  In John 10:10 the Lord says “I have come that you might have life and have it more abundantly.”  
Clearly, Jesus is life. There is no abundant life and eternal life without God’s Son. Jesus loves us so much that He willingly gave up His life on a Cross and rose from the dead so that we could live free from sin.
Have you received Christ, who is life, into your life? Is Jesus your personal Lord and Savior? Now is the time to humble yourself before God, repent of your sins, receive forgiveness from the Lord, and live your life for Him the rest of your days.
 Those are my thoughts. Pretty thoughtful huh? What do you think about life?
My friend live your life for the glory of God and the good of people.
“For there the Lord commanded the blessing---life forever.” Psalm 133:3
A Word For Your Week: Think about life the way God thinks about it.

​Uncertainty.
Certainly, the Coronavirus, with all of its negative impact on our health and livelihood, has stirred up a spirit of uncertainty in many lives   
Uncertain things and situations make us uncomfortable.
It is natural and comfortable for human beings to gravitate toward what is certain, sure, known, predictable, calculable and controllable. Who amongst us doesn’t like to feel sure and secure, having everything figured out, laid out in a clear path? I am not ashamed to admit that I am a card-carrying member of the certainty club. 
Being unsure creates anxiety and hesitancy. Surety and certainty produces peace and instills confidence.
So how should you and I deal with uncertainty? Uncertain times and situations?
The best way to handle uncertainty is to know what you are certain of.
The Bible addresses both certainty and uncertainty. One example of this is found in I John 3:1-3.
“See how great a love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason, the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God and it has not appeared as yet what we shall be. We know that when He appears, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him just as he is. And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him, purifies himself, just as He is pure.”  
As a believer in Jesus Christ, I love this passage. These comforting, encouraging words from the beloved apostle John warm my heart and give me spiritual goose bumps! John was certain of the following.

1. The Father has bestowed upon those who believe in Him a “great love.” It is certain that God’s loves us in a big way! No matter how uncertain life appears GOD LOVES US.
2.  The Father has called us His children. It is certain that followers of Christ are sons and daughters of the Living God. That is a very good thing to know! YOU AND I ARE GOD’S KIDS.
3. It is certain that the world doesn’t know God’s people. Worldly people don’t know us because they don’t know Jesus. GOD KNOWS US.
4. Jesus is coming back for His children. It is certain He will appear. When He does, we will see Him and be just like Him. GOD’S SON IS COMING BACK AND WE WILL BE LIKE HIM.
5. It is uncertain just when and how Jesus will appear. The time is not known to us. Exactly what our life will be like while we wait for His glorious return is often uncertain.
6. While we wait with some uncertainty, John exhorts us to purify ourselves as He is pure. In other words, keep working out the salvation that Jesus has worked in you. Pursue a holy, Christ-like life. Grow in grace and the knowledge of Jesus. Keep growing spiritually with maturity in Christ as your goal. 

Thanks brother John. You have helped us to walk confidently and boldly in certainty when life is uncertain. Because God loves us, calls us His kids and Jesus is coming back soon for us, you and I can live with surety and security in an unsure and insecure world.
How To Be Certain When Uncertain

• Search the Scripture. Study the Bible. Know what God says about life. Build your life on the sure, certain foundation of Jesus Christ. (I Corinthians 3:11).
• When you aren’t sure about something, focus on what you are sure of.
• Go with what you know. Let go of what you don’t know.
• Trust God for what you don’t know or cannot see. He knows and sees what you and I don’t know or see.  
• When moving forward by faith in uncertain times, remember how the Lord has been faithful to you in the past during times of uncertainty. You can be certain He will come through for you again!
• Be certain of what you are certain of even when others are uncertain

Many people today, maybe you,  are anxiously concerned about the future. Our world, the system apart from God’s Kingdom, is confused about what really matters. It amazes me how many folks focus on what is uncertain instead of what is certain. Speculation displaces revelation. What man thinks might happen overrides what God says will happen. Man glorifies man instead of glorifying God.
No wonder people are uncertain in uncertain times.
Don’t be one of those confused, deceived folks. Like you, I face some uncertainty every day. But I choose and do my best with God’s help to dwell on what I know is certain. That’s how I am able to remain reasonably sane and secure in an insane, uncertain world.
My sanity and security is based on knowing God loves me, Steve Roll, with a great love. Knowing I am God’s kid who inherits His Kingdom. Knowing Jesus promised to come back for me at the right time.  Knowing I shall see Him and be like Him. Oh my, Oh my! My soul soars with a holy hope, positively anxious anticipation and eager, enthusiastic expectation that mere words can’t express!
Being certain of where I am going makes it easier to live in uncertain times.
Do you have the certainty that God loves you? That He wants to call you His child? That His only Son Jesus will come back for you one day as you walk by faith and look to the eastern sky for His appearing? Are you sure that you are saved and will go home to heaven when you die?
 Are you certain of what you need to be certain of? The only way to be sure of what really matters is to receive Jesus Christ into your heart as your personal Lord and Savior.
Read these few verses in the Bible. Meet with a Christian. See a pastor. Then, be sure that you invite Jesus into your life. (John 3:16, Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23, Romans 5:8, Romans 10:9-10, John 1:12 and Revelation 3:20).
I can place my head on my pillow at night with peace because I am certain, without a single doubt, that I belong to Jesus. I will spend eternity with Him in heaven. Lights out. Good night. Sweet dreams of glory on the other side of this uncertain world.
How do you sleep at night?
A Word For Your Week: Be certain of what you are certain of and leave uncertainty to the Lord.

​When I was about ten years old, my Dad taught me to cast a fishing line into the lake. The picturesque setting was a snow fed, freshwater lake tucked in the towering mountains outside of Spokane, Washington. I remember well enjoying the warm sun and refreshing breeze while eating ham sandwiches and drinking a can of Cream soda.  
 
My father taught me a principle: Steve, you can’t catch fish with the line and wiggly worm in hand. So, my Dad schooled me in the art of tossing, or throwing the line out to where the fish were.
 
Dad was a really good caster! Me, not so good. I am sure my father recollected with fondness in his heart (frustration too!) how awkward and inexperienced his son was in throwing that baited hook and line out of the boat.
 
Dad casted like a professional because he had fished for decades. Casting was natural for him. Not so much for me. My initial casts snagged his pants, landed on logs jutting out from the lakes surface, and I even hooked myself once! But over time I did learn to cast the line and even caught some fish. Imagine that!
 
Jesus taught us not to worry about life (Matthew 6:25-33). The Apostle Paul exhorts us to not worry about anything and to pray about everything (Philippians 4:6-7).  Peter commands believers in Christ to “cast all their anxieties” (worries, cares, concerns, frustrations and burdens) on the Lord. Why cast our anxieties? To catch a fish?  Not exactly.
 
The Apostle Peter carried some heavy burdens and cares that crushed his spirit. Imagine how devastated his heart felt after denying the Lord when he swore that he wouldn’t? The Lord lovingly restored Peter’s relationship with Him. Years later, Peter wrote “Casting all your anxiety upon Him, because He cares for you.”  I Peter 5:7
 
God desires that His children be carefree. To be carefree never means to be careless.
It means to be free from unnecessary care. It is not our Heavenly Father’s will for us to be burdened and bogged down with worry as we walk through life. 
 
Think about it for a moment. Why should we carry burdens, worries and cares that Jesus nailed to the Cross? Isaiah 53:1-6 makes it clear that Jesus bore or carried everything that would burden us down in life. He took upon Himself all of our cares so we would not have to carry life’s cares.
 
 
CAST YOUR CARE! Please note that tossing our worries, anxiety and cares on the Lord is our responsibility. My Dad didn’t cast my fishing line for me. God doesn’t cast our cares for us. Neither can other people. Each of us are to be our own care caster.
 
It takes a humble person to admit they are burdened and then do something about it. Verses 5-6 in I Peter 5 tell us that God resists the arrogant or proud person (the one who thinks he can handle his or her life without outside help). Arrogant people hang on to their cares and become buried by their burdens. Proud and burdened does not make for smooth sailing through life.
 
 On the other hand, God gives grace and assistance to the humble person. That’s great news! God takes our cares because He cares for us. Because He cares, He takes our cares. He shares our concerns. He invites us to cast our cares His way!
 
 Are you one of those discouraged people who thinks that nobody cares? Please think again. GOD CARES! You have His Word on it. He cares that you have cares and He is ready and waiting to relieve you of them.
 
Unburden your burdens. Lighten your load. Dare to cast your cares on the Lord who for cares for you.
 
Casting Exercise
 
1. Make a list of your “cares” on a piece of paper. Be very specific.
 
2. Write I Peter 5:7 over each one of them. Make the font of the verse                                     bigger and bolder than the care.
 
3. Toss each “care” on the Lord through believing prayer. Speak your care                             into the air of God’s faithfulness and leave it there.
 
4... Tear up the paper. Place it in the trash and move forward in life with                          a renewed faith and a lighter load. 
           
5. When the devil tries to remind you about your “cares”, remind him you                               cast them on Christ and they are history! Hallelujah!
 
I have learned throughout my forty-seven years as a Christian, that the more I cast my cares on the Lord, the better caster I am!
 
Your Heavenly Father loves you and simply asks you to toss your worries to Him! God has big hands, wide shoulders, and a huge heart. He can handle all your anxieties.
 
I can’t imagine why anyone would want to bear burdens and suffer with anxiety with an invitation like this. There is no joy or freedom in being stressed out over the cares of this life. We need to take some casting lessons from our Father in heaven.
 
Do you trust Him enough to toss your cares upon Him? 
 
“Cast your burden upon the Lord, and He will sustain you. He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.”                                                                         Psalm 55:22
 
“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 souls. For My yoke is easy and My load is light.”             Matthew 11:28-30
 
A Word For Your Week: Cast your cares on the One who cares for you.

​As the COVID-19 crisis continues, how is your patience?
I have a pretty good idea that the mandated quarantine and shutdown is causing your patience to wear a little, or a lot, thin. Getting testy. I know my patience is!
As the “blursdays” drag on, impatience is stalking all of us.
“Be patient” is a phrase I have loathed in the past.  I know patience is one of the fruits of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-24. At times I have had conversations with the Lord about that. I mean, love, joy, peace etc. I can do that. But patience is not my personal forte’.
 But over the years of my walk with Christ, I have slowly, slowly learned that patience is my friend, especially when I am waiting for adverse circumstance to turn around.
Job’s story in the Bible inspires me. His life is one of faith, patience and endurance.
James writes “As an example brethren, of suffering and patience, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. Behold, we count those blessed who endured.  You have heard of the endurance of Job and have seen the outcome of the Lord’s dealings that the Lord is full of compassion and is merciful.” James 5:10-11
Job: an example of suffering and patience. A man of endurance when life was unbearable.
I encourage you to take some time and read through the entire book of Job. Yes, the whole book, all forty chapters, Read it as a continuing story.
The Cliff note version goes like this. Satan attacked Job. God allowed the devil to test him, but not kill him. Job’s sons and daughters lost their lives. Job’s servants, livestock, crops and wealth were wiped out.
His wife told him to “Curse God and die.” (Thank you for your love and support woman!). Job’s health deteriorated. He sat on an ash heap scraping boils off his body with rocks (I don’t like that picture). Three of his supposedly faithful friends, incessantly taunted him, accusing him of committing sin and evil while Job suffered.
During the trial that affected every part of his life, Job, like you and I would have, questioned God as to what He was up to. At a critical point Job declared “Though He slay me, I will trust in Him.”
 
Suffering. Enduring. Patient with the process. Job declared he would trust God no matter what. God was going to do. The Lord was not going to slay Job.
God is not in the business of killing His servants who go through severe seasons of suffering.
The end of the matter. Read chapter forty. Study it carefully. Be inspired.
Job’s faith was intact. He reveals that He now sees God in an even great way than before. When Job repented of his doubts and prayed for his accusing friends, the Lord restored double, that’s right, twice as much of everything that Job had lost.  For job’s sake, I hope his wife had a change of heart too!
Job is remembered as a faith hero. Job endured because he was patient.  
 How is your patience level with what is going on in our society? “Breaking News” dominated by bad news can definitely produce anxiety, fear and impatience in you and me. What in particular is testing your patience at this time?
Honestly, you and I aren’t facing anything like Job. So, if he had patient endurance because of faith in God, we certainly can!
Endurance is fueled by patience. Impatience sabotages endurance. Being patient with our faith gives us the strength to endure whatever adverse circumstances we may face.
Being Patient When Feeling Impatient

• Recognize the spirit of impatience. What triggers impatience in you? Know your foe if you want to defeat it.
• Resist the impulse to be impatient. Reject the impatience bug with all your might.
• When impatient, sit down. Take a deep breath. Maybe two. Or three. Then get up. Choose and resolve to be patient with your circumstance. Yes, patient!
• Tune out people who are impatient. Stay clear of them. Don’t catch what they have.
• Immerse yourself in God’s promises in the Bible. God’s Word has a calming effect on our impatient soul. Jesus taught “In your patience possess your soul.” Luke 21:19
• Bottom line: Patience is a measure of mature faith. Impatience is evidence of immature faith. Which kind of faith do you want to have, patient or impatient?
• Thank God for helping you to be patient when tempted to be impatient.

My friend, we may or may not be in the same boat. Whatever harbor our boat sails into depends on our attitude.
You and I get to choose patience or impatience.
Be patient. Trust God whether we stay locked down a little longer and, of course, when we are set free again.
“That you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.” Hebrews 6:12
“The end of a matter is better than its beginning, patience of spirit is better than haughtiness of spirit.” Ecclesiastes 7:8
A Word For Your Week: Be patient with your impatience.