Love you all, praying for you. 
 
I just love God’s Word.  It tells you qualities most admirable to possess.  11 Qualities To Have.  
​#1 – Humility – the hallmark of Jesus.  The beginning of wisdom, the requirement of obedience (the most important habit of all – this is love for God), and the prerequisite for God to exalt you – Humility.  Humility is submitting to God, accepting His Word as truth, surrendering to His plan for your life, transforming your mind with His Word, and considering others more important than yourself.  See the PRISM Topic – Humility, Humble, and How To Be Humble, and How To Treat People.  His Word is powerful!  Get it in you and it will change you!  What you speak into your heart, becomes the overflow of it.  Humility is the beginning.  Start Here!
#2 – Diligence – the precious possession of a man (male or female) is diligence.  Do you have it?  What is diligence?  Speed and Incisiveness.  Speed – urgency and continued effort, and Incisiveness – separating between the superficial and the real (measure twice, cut once).  Diligence isn’t just working hard, it’s effort and consistency in that which is most important – that God tells you to do, not what you want to do.  That’s what brings fruit that will last, significance not superfluous, and a deep satisfaction that increases your joy.  See the PRISM Topic – Diligent.   The number three quality to have…
#3 – Kindness – it is the kindness of God that leads us to repentance. (Romans 2:4) Kindness to others is so rare.  Many people are polite, nice, reciprocal, but not kind.  Kindness is a deep sense of desire to benefit others.  It delights in contributing to the happiness of others.  It initiates, it’s proactive not reactive.  It doesn’t depend on externals – it comes from inside you – from the Spirit of God.  Be kind to one another – most people want others to be kind to them.   See the PRISM Topic – Kindness.  Let God grow you – in what characterizes Him!
#4 – Unoffendability – Overlook offense, not take offense.  See the best, believe the best, be quick to forgive – knowing that Christ forgave you.   Proverbs 19:11 - A man’s wisdom gives him patience, it is to one’s glory to overlook an offense.  Matt 6:14-15 – For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.  But if you do not forgive men their sins, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your sins.  Mark 11:25 – And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.  The greatest danger of being wronged, is not what happened to you, but your response to it.  Will you forgive?  How will you respond when they eventually ask you to forgive them?  Why not forgive now?  Don’t hold anything against anyone – what you hold on to – keeps you from getting anything else.  Holding on to offense – hurts you not them, they’re oblivious.  The devil wants that root of bitterness to grow in you and defile many.  Don’t give the devil a foothold, overlook this offense, be ready to overlook the next one that comes – and it will.  Forgive already – decide beforehand that you will.  So when they ask, you will respond graciously.  And if they never ask, it doesn’t matter - you’ve let it go a long time ago! 
#5 – Benevolence – Magnanimity – A heart of giving.  Givers never run out.  God makes sure of it.  Always give more than you receive.  It is the key to God’s perpetual blessing in your life.  The opposite of greed, a heart of giving, the grace of giving is the heart of God for his people, and his heart for the lost.  See the Relationship Topic – 11 Things You Need To Know About Giving.
#6 – Loyalty – defending and supporting those you love, and those you have relationship with. Quick to stay with someone, not quick to jump ship.  Not believing what looks bad, believing the best, finding out where you can help, not why you should reject. Not using people for what they can give you, sticking with them through thick and thin.  Imperfect is what people are.  Loyalty honors those who have helped you.  Disloyalty is quick to forget, dishonor and dismiss.  There is no more loyal friend than Jesus.  Every one of the disciples deserted him, but his loyalty to them, didn’t depend on their treatment of Him, or what someone else said about them.  Faithful friends are loyal, no matter what.  Doesn’t mean you accept wrongdoing in someone else.  Sometimes love is confronting in love.  But you stand with them to encourage and help them do what is right.    
#8 – Humor – humor is more what you think is funny, than the ability to make people laugh.  Humor is not taking yourself too seriously, seeing humor in everyday things to lighten the mood, and lighten the load.  Self-depricating humor makes you relatable – it’s humility that draws others.  Willing to laugh at yourself, declining to laugh at others, only at what’s funny, not cruel.  Humor is quick to smile, quick to laugh, quick to enjoy life, and see the best, quick to be thankful.
#9 – Honesty – telling the truth, even if it hurts, or is disadvantageous to you.  Not shading the truth for gain or obscuring it to avoid loss.  Dealing justly, using honest scales, not taking advantage of others, seeking a win-win, over a win for you.  Preferring loss over compromised integrity. God is a God of truth, there is no falsehood in him.  See the Relationship Topic - Honesty – the power of God’s Word.  It will compel you. 
#10 – Curiosity – A heart to search out truth, gain knowledge, reject deception.  Curiosity is a heart to gain knowledge and wisdom.  Not gullible, always learning, seeking truth and answers – seeking God first, and information that is available even if not readily.  Putting in the effort to increase your knowledge and understanding of things you have yet to discover, truth you have yet to uncover, skills you have yet to acquire. Curiosity leads you somewhere.  It’s one way God leads you in wisdom and in the plans He has for you. 
#11 – Hope.  A positive outlook in every circumstance of life, words that build up, and never tear down – yourself or others.  God’s Word of truth for faith and belief.  Seeing the good in people, helping them see the hope available to them.  The hope that Jesus gives, and the promise of His Word that makes it sure.  See the PRISM - Topic Hope.   
 
Praying that you will pursue these Godly qualities – and others God reveals.  The qualities you acquire add up over time.  The more you grow them, the more you can respond with grace.  The more Godly qualities you gain, the more you reflect the God who loves you, so He can love others through you. 
 
Love you all,
dad

​Love you all, praying for you.
 
I just love God’s Word.  It’s there if you want it.  And He sends you what you need.  Praying that PRISM will be a daily joy for you – those five things you can do in God’s Word.  That’s Logos, His written word. The ultimate filter for any information you encounter.  It’s either God’s way or man’s way.  One way seems right, the other is right.  God also speaks to you through His Holy Spirit into your spirit - if you’ve received Him.  And He can even use information you hear, or conversations with others to grow you in maturity, understanding, knowledge and success.   Never forget your New Information Filter – every time you hear something new.  #1 Is it True?  #2 Where’s the evidence?  #3 What’s in it for them? and #4 What Does God say?   In the information age we live in we are constantly inundated with an overload of information from a plethora of distributors – not all of which are honorable or honest.  Most push agendas and philosophies that they demand everyone agree with.  One thing to note: Anytime people are prevented from asking questions, that’s a BS indicator.  Shutting down questions or alternate viewpoints – is a sure sign that they or someone has something to hide, and something to gain; usually money and power.  Don’t let yourself be controlled by others.  Let the Holy Spirit control you, and you will easily see right through what completely deceives others.   Use your new information filter to let the Holy Spirit give you discernment between what is true and what is not.  Another thing I would encourage - in every conversation you have, or everything new that you hear.  Ask God, “Is this for me, or not?  Is this something you want me to learn from?  And specifically, what do you want me to learn from this?”  Sometimes it’s what to do, other times it’s what not to do.   God may have a needle in a haystack for you, or a gold nugget in a pile of dirt.  Ask Him, and He will show you – just don’t spend a lot of time in the dirt.  God promised the Holy Spirit will lead you in all truth.  God said He will teach you and instruct you.  Sometimes God brings truth in unexpected packages.  Donkeys for example.  “God is this for me?  What Do You want me to learn from this?” “What should I accept, and what should I reject?  What do you want me to search out further?”  Always compare what you hear, with God’s Word.  What does God say?  The more you stay in it - PRISM every day, the quicker you can filter and sift between things God may have for you, and foolishness not worth considering.  You can ask others for their counsel.  Listening to others honors them, and you can gain insight from people’s experience.  The best counselors are always obeyers.  Praying that you will cultivate mature counsel.  Praying that you will over time have a Daily Call with several different obeyers who seek God’s will and God’s way for their life.  You can grow together!  Sharpening will always bring growth.  Hebrews 3:13 - Daily Calls are God’s secret weapon for your overcoming!  Praying that you will welcome new information.  Know which information to ignore.  There are a lot of things that are a waste of your mental space and intellectual energy.  If you allow a steady diet of deception, you get stupid.   So be careful, consider the source.  And review your standard.  What sources do you trust, are they trustworthy?  The Source that exposes all others – is God’s Word!  Stay in PRISM daily, and your discernment will grow. Only listen to truth, don’t believe the fact checkers – they have agendas.  Remember your New Information Filter.  Ask the Holy Spirit to give you discernment.  And always be open for God to show you things that will increase your knowledge and understanding, that will impact your doing, so you honor Him with your thoughts, your words and your life.  God has good for you.  Don’t be overwhelmed by information.  Action is more significant than information.  Get busy with what God told you to do in this hour.  And He’ll lead you in all truth by His Spirit.  You’ll get what you need, He’ll tell you what applies to you, so you honor God, grow in wisdom, and bless others. 
 
Love you all,
dad

​Love you all, praying for you.
 
I just love God’s Word.  It sets you free.  Have you ever noticed the devil wants you bound?  Have you ever been in bondage?  Habits so strong you cannot break them? Theoretically good habits are as hard to break as bad habits.  But like reputation that’s unfortunately not always so in practice.  You can spend your whole life building your reputation, only to lose it in one day, in a moment, in a decision.  Doesn’t seem fair, but an important thing to learn.  Life’s not fair.  It is a challenge.   What are most people in bondage to?  11 Things The Devil Wants You Bound By - #1 Complaining – negativity, always something to complain about.  Putting words to what’s wrong rather than what’s right, what’s bad rather than what’s good.  Your perception becomes your reality – a self-fulfilling prophecy.  God’s Word says it. Distorted perception becomes distorted reality.  From the fruit of his lips a man is filled with good things, as surely as the work of his hands rewards him. - Proverbs 12:14  Your speech, and your work ethic.  Good or bad, what you say is what you get.  What you say is what you eat.  Don’t be a complainer, or that’s what you’ll attract, life-speakers will avoid you, they select companions of like mind.   #2 Criticism – a critical spirit.  Seeing the bad in people, rather than the good, taking offense rather than overlooking it.  Viewing others as not measuring up.  When neither do you.  Be critical of yourself not others. Willing to self-assess.  What’s it your business to judge other people?  #3 Dissing – cutting comments or jokes at someone else’s expense.  Have you noticed some people’s humor is always making fun of others.  Always jabbing… It’s a part of slander, it steals people’s reputation – influencing others to think less of them by attempting to put them in a bad light.  Poking fun at their mistakes, words, looks, or actions.  Always trying to embarrass them for a mistake made, or being different.  God hates it.  It’s the opposite of love – love always protects.  How is it your business to comment regarding someone else?   They belong to God, not you.  God created them, not you.  The delusion that putting another person down, builds yourself up - untrue. The people that will laugh at your jokes about others, will just as soon laugh at you, and they do.  They can’t trust you, they know you’ll make fun of them the first chance you get.  Putting people down brings you lower every time you do it, not them.  God will defend them.   God said we are to build up, never tear down, it’s not funny, it’s a character flaw, it exposes you, not them.  Don’t diss people, defend them.   #4 Cursing.   People curse because of habit, they curse because of frustration, they curse to add emphasis – when they lack the vocabulary sufficient to convey meaning or emotion intelligently.  #5 Anger – when something doesn’t go your way, happen like you wanted, or someone does something that slights you, disadvantages you, or disrespects you – or so you thought...  Some people don’t believe the best, they interpret everything as offense. God said be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to become angry.  God said avoid people who anger easily, or you will become like them.  Anger doesn’t produce the righteousness of God.  Check it, or it will become bondage.   #6 Lust – we live in a culture that has lost all moral boundaries – lust is not God’s plan or God’s way.  Love is the opposite of lust.  God said love your spouse, not lust after someone else.  #7 Laziness – people think they work harder than they do.  The lazy - in their own mind always compare themselves with those more lazy than they.  Hard workers – they deem workaholics, a life out of balance.  God said work hard, with all your heart, for the LORD (not men or money).  Diligence is your precious possession.  There are two things you work at: Your job – so you can buy things, and stewarding the things you have.  Job:  Work as unto the LORD, not for men (or money).  Stewardship – God is a God of order, not disorder, He’s a God of peace, not confusion and every evil practice.  There’s a time to work, and a time to rest, and they are not even close to being equal.  A Godly nation that America once was – had laws and values that gave incentive to hard work.  The wealth which those values and laws created is now being redistributed to those who don’t work.  And borrowed through money creation – that will eventually, inevitably destroy currency and collapse economy.  The current culture and government incents laziness.  You are responsible for you.  Examine yourself, Ask God, Get His plans and do them with all your heart.  What else does the devil want you bound by?  #8 Political Thought – half the nation are mental slaves to lies.  Socialism, wealth redistribution, marginalized group victimhood.  Equity is not from God.  People have equal opportunity, but not forced outcome.  God said, anyone who believes in him will not perish, it’s equal.  If God were for equity, he wouldn’t have given the talents unequitably.  People have different things based on priority, talent and work ethic.  God commands those who are rich in this present age to do good and be willing to share – not make sure everyone has the same.  Socialism is godless, all socialistic and fascist countries reject God and His Ways.  These are all the same and lead to the same place in all of human history – a society of mass incarceration – of those who want freedom, not socialism, truth not lies, free speech not oppression.  Politics is the new religion.  Bondage to group think – has half the country calling up-down, black-white, men-women, women-men, good-evil, and evil-good.  When you reject God, you reject truth, and you are easily deceived.  And the end is mass persecution, and ultimately, mass murder.   Entitlement is a colossal force that deceives the masses.  It defies gravity.  You cannot tax the rich enough to feed all the poor.  Eventually the rich leave, or they are no longer rich.  And then the least poor of the poor – become the hated rich.  If you are confused politically – turn off the news.  Seek God, view both parties’ platforms, and measure them according to God’s Word.  Leave personality out, ask God about policy.  What is Biblical, and what is not?  The end doesn’t justify the means, no matter how virtuous it sounds.  God said woe to those who call good evil, and evil good.  You will either stand with God, or find yourself with those standing against Him.  #9 Substance abuse.  Alcohol, Cannabis, Caffeine – once you are hooked, you squander your resources to buy what you cannot do without.  Justified by freedom of choice, when freedom has long vanished, you’re bound.  #10 Get Rich Quick – The something for nothing pipe dream that thinks eventually your ship will come in – instead of putting in the time and effort to build one.  #11 Pride – the false but deep seeded belief that you are better than someone else.  Your ideas, views, opinions, lifestyle or life choices are right, and others’ are wrong.  God says in the last days men will become lovers of themselves.   These eleven are bondages that are incredibly difficult to break.  That’s why so few escape or escape momentarily, only to fall again into the same trap.  What is the solution if you are in bondage?  Is there any hope?   Jesus said I have come to set the captive free.  He whom the Son sets free is free indeed (free completely, free permanently.) If you are bound, God wants you free.  He’s paid for it - so you can be.  To be free:   #1 – Recognize – if you don’t know you’re in bondage, you can never be free. “ I just drink socially, when i want to, it doesn’t control me.”  No, you’re a lush.  “I just hate that politician, He’s a racist.” No hard evidence, just parroting popular opinion – you’re on the plantation.  Whether you love someone or hate someone, if you can’t say why specifically, and don’t have hard evidence, only opinion – you’ve deceived yourself.  Read what they stand for, and compare it to God’s Word.  Don’t look at what they say, look at what they do, and the result of it.  Most people don’t recognize they’re bound.  “You can’t work all the time, you need to rest.”  No, you rest more than you think, you should probably work once in a while.  How many lazy people admit they’re lazy?  Virtually none.  “I don’t have an anger problem, they deserved it.”  No, you’re out of control.  No one can make you angry, it’s a personal choice, a character weakness.  If you don’t recognize your bondage, you will never escape it.   #2  Humble yourself.  Ask God to reveal where you’re in bondage.  And ask Him to change you.  He will.  See the PRISM Topic – What God Delivers You From  #3 – Change.  If you are ever going to escape bondage, you have to be willing to change.  You have to think differently, and act differently.  Change your habit before the first temptation.  See it coming – and take a different path. Choose Grace.  God gives you way out – take it.  Sometimes its just building a habit that avoids it.  Choose Grace.  Establish a new path.  Don’t go down that street at twilight.  Consider others better than yourself, speak life, and you won’t be complaining.   Soak in God’s Word – PRISM – PRISM Topics, prepare!  So you see truth, and see through deception.   Receive Jesus the Deliverer as your Savior, and the Holy Spirit He promised– so He can lead you in all truth and give you power to overcome.  Repent, ask God to help you change.  Confide in a friend, and walk together celebrating every victory.  Keep going if you make a mistake.  Resist the devil and He will flee from you, don’t resist him, and he will own you.  Move your feet, don’t go where you fall, leave when it comes where you are – move your feet.  That’s half the battle. You’ve been bought with a price already.  The blood of Jesus is enough to overcome bondage.  He’s the bondage breaker.  He will give new habits of righteousness.  PiVAT – get busy doing God’s plan for you today.  This bad habit is not what God told you to do this hour.  Get busy doing what He told you, and you will leave the bondages of the past behind.  PRISM – soak in God’s Word, choose it first, and more than any other input in your life.  Put it in your mouth and in your heart.  And you will start to think like God thinks, not the culture around you, or what the devil wants you to think.  Truth is required to expose bondage and break it.   Have faith that God will answer your prayer, do whatever He tells you to do.  Be willing to think differently, like God thinks, not like you think or the world thinks.  Be willing to act differently.  Do it – make a habit of it.  Celebrate each victory – Believe that He will save you to the uttermost, and deliver you blameless on the day of his coming.  It’s what He said.  You can walk in victory!  Just begin, He’ll give you grace and strength to continue – so your new bondage is righteousness, and your new reality is victory!  You will be bound to Him, and bound to overcoming.  He will do it!  You just submit, and He will take over.  His power – His grace is enough.  He promised. 
 
Love you all,
dad

Love you all, praying for you. 

I just love God’s Word, it tells it like it is.  Are you going through some crap right now?  Maybe a crappy boss, a crappy job, a crappy situation in your life right now?  Things not what you dreamed, not what you’d prefer, not anything you even like?  Why does God let crappy things happen?  To get the crap out of you!  God can’t grow you until your pressed, stretched.  Until things don’t work, you won’t see the need for change?  You won’t see the need to seek Him and ask for His ways over yours.  Most people don’t ask God for anything – wisdom or gifts – they’re too busy doing what’s not working.  A crappy boss – is not your job to fix.  Your job is to help them succeed.  God said honor those in authority over you.  He didn’t qualify if they deserve it or not.  If nothing else – God can teach you what not to be like when you become the boss one day.   Sometimes God blesses you with a crappy job to learn to be diligent in what is not fun.  Everyone is diligent in something they love.  I’m diligent in eating ice cream, less diligent in eating spinach.  But sometimes you need the spinach.  If you can learn to give thanks in a crappy job, when God gives you a great job, you will really appreciate it, and you’ll be prepared to succeed in it.  “In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus, concerning you!” – I Thes 5:18   One of my favorite stories… a loving and devoted wife waking her husband up to go to church on Sunday morning.  “But I don’t wanna go?”  “I know, honey”.  But I don’t like that church?”  Honey, I know.  “I don’t like the carpet, I hate the music, I don’t even like the people!”  “I know honey, but you’re the pastor, you have to go.”  How do you learn to give thanks in a crappy job, or a crappy situation?  By seeing the good, not the bad.  Focus on the good and praise God for it.  For most people, they haven’t learned to see the good and give thanks in every situation.   Jobs that are actually pretty good are crap to them.  Have you noticed, that some people always go through crap?  It’s their perpetual state.  Their address is actually on crap street, it’s where they live, they’ll never move, they’re stuck there.  They’re always going through something, because that’s all they can see.  They miss the silver lining, because they are focused on the bad, not the good.  Every job, even the best job ever has some crappy parts to it.  Every opportunity has some drawbacks, every relationship has some less than ideal parts – because people are less than ideal.  I’ve only met One who is.  I’d put my faith in Him if I were you.  First for Salvation, and then to trust him in what you’re going through.  Praying that you will see the blessing of crap.  That you will see what God wants to teach you and be content with where He has you.  Not complacent, content means diligent to see and do good.  Doesn’t mean you have to like everything, but praise Him for it anyway.  Ask Him to show you solutions and resolutions, ideas, and opportunities.  God makes beauty from ashes, He can turn crap into crème brulee.  Most things are how you see them.  He’s faithful even in affliction.  He’s letting you step in some stuff, and go through some things – so you can grow through some things.  So you are prepared to succeed at higher levels.  Just be faithful here, and God will bring you through – with not even a hint of the smell of what He brought you out of.   God has good for you in this.  Praying that you will learn to see it, until He can turn this crappy situation, into a blessing for you!
 
Love you all,
dad

​Love you all, praying for you.
 
I just love God’s Word.  It reveals truth, and exposes lies.  Have you ever met someone or maybe know someone who uses personality as an excuse?  They are acting or behaving in a way that is less than honoring or honorable, and instead of admitting it, and considering a change, they pull out the personality card.  “That’s just my personality.”   Or “You’re just like that, I’m not built that way.”  Character supersedes personality.  You may be an introvert, or an extrovert, but saying “hello” when someone greets you – is character, not personality.  It might come more naturally for some than others, but it’s a character requirement, not a personality trait.  If you don’t do it, it’s not personality you lack, it's character.  Do you know what many people struggle with that is far more important than they realize?  Order versus disorder.  Many people, maybe even most, live lives of disorder.  Having never been trained when they were young, they live adult life with the unformed habits of a child or teenager.  Most people love podcasts and blogs – until they hit a nerve.  Have you ever had a friend that every time you went to their house, it was neat and clean, yard beautiful, toys in the toybox, kitchen sparkling.  What did you think?  Impressive?  Or Impossible?  You may have said to yourself, “They’re just neat freaks.”  No, they value something that God values.  They understand the difference between order and disorder, confusion and peace.  Have you ever gone to a friend’s house that’s a wreck?  The first thing they say, every time you enter their house, “Please excuse the mess, we have kids.”  House in disarray, toys everywhere, dishes from breakfast and lunch still on the table, or piled up in the sink, while the kids are already on to watching a movie or playing video games.  Coffee cup from this morning still on the end table… What do you think?  Is it a personality issue? Or a character issue?  It’s certainly a value issue.  What we value, we do.  What we don’t value, we don’t.  Even a child is known by his actions, whether his conduct is good and right. (Proverbs 20:11) Parents.  Do not let your child much less your teenager live in a messy room.  It’s a God thing.  What about you?  Have you learned to steward the things God has entrusted to you – in a way that honors God – and draws His presence?  Or do you live in disorder, and the chaos and confusion that comes with it?  We’re not talking personality here, this is character.  Luke 16:11 – Whoever is faithful with little, is faithful also with much, and whoever is unfaithful with little is also unfaithful (unrighteous) in much.  If therefore, you have not been faithful in the use of worldly wealth (stewardship of physical possessions), who will entrust the true riches to you?  There is a principle that God gives:  Natural before Spiritual.   How you steward the natural – is not unimportant, it’s not personality – its character.  How you steward the natural reveals how trustworthy and capable you are to be entrusted with the spiritual.  That’s why it’s difficult if not impossible to live in disorder in the natural, and have order in the spirit.   “For God is not a God of disorder, but of peace.”   “Let everything be done decently, and in order.”  “The reason I left you behind in Crete, was to put things in order…”   Order is not important to some people, but God is not one of those people.  Even sacrifices had to be offered in order.  What is order?  Regular disposition.  What is disposition – the methodical arrangement of things.  So what is disorder?  Want of order (lack of it). Irregular disposition, chaos, confusion, things out of place.  Order pertains to more than physical possessions.  There is moral order.  Cheat on your spouse, it’s out of order, and outside of God’s blessing.  There is civil order.  Lack of it, brings chaos and rioting in the streets.  There is meeting order – proper meeting protocol, civically Roberts Rules of Order for method and procedure of meeting.  People talk of having your finances in order – in their proper place,  knowing where they are, and directing them accordingly (better yet, have God direct them).  God says He is a God of order.  And He reveals He is not a god of disorder.  “For where you have jealousy and self-interest, there you find disorder, and every evil practice.” – James 3:16   God states a shocking truth.  Some things go together.  They are inextricably linked.  Disorder comes with every evil practice.  Disorder is confusion, the lack of peace.  What most people do not understand.  Natural before spiritual.  Living in order – stewarding well the things God has entrusted to you, is a spiritual exercise, a spiritual priority.  Those who struggle with keeping a house in order – it’s a value issue, not a personality issue.  What we value we do, what we don’t, we don’t.  A powerful verse in Proverbs – about a wise man.  What made him wise?  He saw, He observed, He learned a lesson, and he applied his heart to it.  “I went past the field of the sluggard, past the vineyard of the man who lacked sense.  Thorns had come up everywhere, the ground was covered with weeds, and the stone wall was in ruins.  I applied my heart to what I observed and learned a lesson from what I saw:  A little sleep a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come on you like a bandit, and scarcity like an armed man.”  What was this verse about?  The sluggard?  No, it was about the wise man and what made him wise.  He was willing to hear and change his ways.  Does having a clean house get you to heaven?  No.  But if it’s the house God gave you, if it’s God’s house, and it is… it should reflect Him.  Why do most people struggle in keeping their house or room or car clean?  They don’t value order – they are content with disorder.  What appalls the average person, they don’t even notice anymore.  What they don’t realize is that God is a God of order not disorder.  He’s a God of peace, not confusion.   And if you want His peace in your home, it comes with God’s order.  “But I’ve always lived this way, we’ve always had a messy house, my parents did, and their parents before them.”  That is a curse that needs to be broken.  God is a God of blessing, not curses.  First repent. Think differently than you’ve thought -perhaps all your life.  Like the wise man learn a lesson from what you see.  If God is a God of order and peace… then for God’s peace to rest and remain on your home – your house must be in His order.  It doesn’t matter if its moral order, civil order, family order – children obey your parents, husbands love your wives, wives submit to your loving husband who lays down his life for you.  That’s God’s order.  And your physical possessions – must also reflect the Order of God – so the Peace of God can remain on your house, and you prove trustworthy to be entrusted with Spiritual things.  God’s word says be careful how you hear.  If this makes you bristle, it may not be for you.  You may not be ready yet.  You may have excuses, or past issues or whatever.  But if you will humble yourself, and like the wise man – be willing to change.  The God of order, the God of peace, will rest on your house.  And your children and children’s children will be blessed.  The curse will be broken.   Five Steps of Stewardship.   #1 The Pre-Requisite - Everything has a place.  For the possessions in your house, what place has God assigned it?  Ask Him. If it doesn’t have a place, maybe you’re not the one who is to steward it.  Give it to someone who has a place for it.  God’s Order or Regular Disposition – means everything in it’s place.  #2 The Standard - Every Surface Clean.  Nothing on the surface except decoration, nothing on the floor except furniture.  The standard of stewardship must be observable and doable.  Every surface clean is black and white, no gray.  #3 The Rule – Put it away before you do anything else.  There should never be a dish in the sink – why?  Wash it, dry it, and put it away.  It takes so little time, and the habit of diligence propels you to get to the next thing God has for you – even if it’s rest!  There should never be dirty or clean laundry in the laundry room.  It’s either in the washer, in the dryer, or on a hanger in your closet.  There should never be shoes on the floor – put them on the shelf, in your closet, or wherever shoes in your house belong.  The only reason there is mess – disorder – irregular disposition - things not in their proper place is… people invert the rule!  They do something else, before they put it away – instead of “put it away before you do anything else.”   This is so simple it’s kind of embarrassing.  Follow this rule – and your house will be in God’s order, and His peace will remain.   #4 Clean Regularly – Steady Plodding – not all at once.  Here is a secret: Half-Two – Half hour daily, 2 hours weekly.  Once things are in place, the house still needs to be clean.  But that’s easy! Dust & Vacuum daily, Weed the yard daily – takes 5-10 minutes tops.  Scrub Bathrooms weekly.  Get your list of daily, weekly, and monthly chores and just do them when it’s time.  God said there is a proper time and procedure for every matter… Steady plodding brings prosperity.   #5 – Accountablity. Intervals.  To ensure you actually remain consistent.  Until you learn.  Do Intervals.  Whoever is at home.  Every 9am, 12:00 noon, 3pm, 6pm, and 9pm.  Everyone do a run-through of the house.  Not to clean.  To identify anyone who left something not in it’s place.  The one who didn’t put it away before they did anything else.  That person, not mom, not dad, that person must now put it away before they do anything else.  Three hours from now, they’ll be told again for the next thing they left out.  So they might as well Put it away before you do anything else.  Intervals – modify behavior permanently.  Go every hour if you have to, eventually twice a day will suffice.  Championship teams hold each other accountable.  In order for you to no longer be the sluggard, with weeds everywhere – but the wise man, who learned a lesson from what He saw… you must change your habits which will change your behavior.  Intervals apply God’s Word.  Here’s what He said.  Bear one another’s burdens. (Gal 6:2) But He also said each one must carry their own load. (Gal 6:5)  Don’t clean up after people – or you’ll have to do it again.  Dad and Mom lead the way, children will follow.  Train them up in the way they should go, and when they are old they will not depart from it.  You will either live in mess and stress, or in God’s peace.  You will live in Order – not disorder – the regular disposition that God can bless that reflects God, the God of order – so His Peace will descend on your home.  It will rest and remain.  Change little habits.  BRCBC – Bed, Room, Clothes, Bath, Clean.  The moment you wake up, when your feet hit the floor - make your bed, even before you brush your teeth.  Your bed will always be made.  Have a cloth in your car.  When you get in, dust the dashboard and console before you leave the driveway.  Every time.  And your car will always be excellent – it will reflect the owner.  Not you, it’s God’s car – it will reflect him.  When you come home from work, or anywhere, take everything from the car with you.  And your car will always reflect the order and peace of God.  It will be a place of worship, a place of excellence.  Little steps bring permanent change.  Know God’s place for everything in your house.  Know the standard of God’s order.  Every surface clean.  Live by the one rule or Order.  Put It Away Before You Do Anything Else.  And to keep yourself and your family accountable – Do intervals every hour or two hours or three – until God’s Order is your habit.  And God’s peace will rest on your home, and your life!  You will prove yourself faithful to be entrusted with greater things.  Your cars and your home, young person – your room, or your college dorm room – should reflect God’s order – not disorder which comes with every evil work.   This is not personality, this is character.  Your character should reflect God’s character, He’s a God of order.  So be honest, are you even still listening to this?  Or did you turn off the audio or stop reading long ago…  Here’s a test.  If you found yourself saying “But…” that horrible 3-letter word.  “But I’ve got kids,”  “But my work schedule is crazy,” “But this… But that…” If there’s always a but… your butt’s too big.  This isn’t personality, this is character.  For the God of order to rest on your home, you need to be like the wise man, learn a lesson, and change.  Most people don’t, their pride keeps them from it.  They make excuses, even theological ones.  They will not do it.  They will not change.  They are comfortable in their disfunction.  My prayer is that you will humble yourself, and accept the Word planted in you that can save you.  God has good for you – but to get His good, you must walk in His ways.  He is a God of order not disorder – He’s the God of peace.  What you were, you no longer will be.  The curse is broken, His grace is sufficient.  You will never again say, “please excuse the mess,” No, you’ll have a testimony to overcome with!  You will welcome people into your home, at any time - full of the peace of God.  They will notice the difference.  And when they comment… you can share the God who delivers!  Who breaks generational curses, who gives grace, to establish your life in His ways!  His order brings peace, every time.  Don’t the devil lie to you.  Jesus said, “My yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”  He has good for you – for the wise and the willing.
 
Love you all,
dad  

​Love you all, praying for you.
 
I just love God’s Word.  It tells the truth, the good, the bad, and the ugly.  It doesn’t sugarcoat, it doesn’t need to.  God is truth – and people make choices.  The Bible tells it all.  Just like all will be exposed on that day.  An amazing story and God’s response are fascinating to me.  God asked Solomon what He wanted from God - a blank check.  What would you ask?  Here is David’s son, David – the man after God’s own heart, who God told Him that this son would replace him on the throne. Not his oldest son, or any of his other sons.  Solomon had just escaped sure death, as another brother assumed the throne, which would have ended his life.  But God intervened and established Solomon as King over Israel.  God asked him what He wanted.  And Solomon asked for wisdom to rule God's people well.  God was so pleased with Solomon, that He said, “I’ll answer that prayer, and I’ll give you what you didn’t ask for – riches and power.  Your enemies will be subject to you, and you not only will be the wisest man to ever live, you will be the richest man who will ever live.  And instantly God showed His power though the wisdom given to Solomon – who rendered judgments that inspired the awe and respect of the whole nation, and surrounding nations that soon heard of Solomon’s fame.  But I don’t get it… how could the wisest man who ever lived.  Be so foolish?   Can you be wise and also foolish?  I don’t think so.  If you’re wise you aren’t foolish, and if you’re foolish, you’re not wise.  But apparently you can have wisdom and ignore it – and choose folly.  That means you have wisdom, but don’t operate in it.  You can cease to be wise.  Wisdom was given from God, but Solomon made choices.  I always thought wisdom was ‘the right use of knowledge.’  But Solomon in all his wisdom, didn’t walk in it his whole life.  He started well but ended abysmally.  God didn’t reneg, He didn’t remove His wisdom, yet Solomon reaped the harvest of his foolishness, and it’s impact on others was devastating.  God commanded the kings of Israel – Do not take for yourselves foreign wives, for they will surely turn your heart away from God.  But Solomon’s Achilles heel was women.  Beautiful women from the kingdoms around him, political marriages.  Beautiful women who insisted on their own palace, and a temple for their gods.  And Solomon obliged them.  How stupid.  By the end of his forty-year reign, the whole nation was steeped in sin.  Worshipping many different god’s, sacrificing and offering incense on the high places to gods that didn’t even exist, created with their own hands.  An affront, and an abomination before the God of all creation, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and the God of Solomon’s father, David.  Solomon started well but crashed and burned at the end.  A somber warning.  You can have wisdom, but not walk in it.  Women weren’t even his only mistake.  He pursued wisdom, devoted himself to study and knowledge, the understanding of wisdom, but then he also pursued folly, He then pursued pleasure to see the extent of it.  And the result – disillusionment.  “Everything is meaningless.”  No it’s not!  You left the One who gives meaning to it.  The secret to Solomon’s failure.  Ecclesiastes 1:16 – I thought to myself…  that's your problem. He thought in his heart, he didn’t ask God.  He didn’t get God’s thoughts, he chose his own.  Of course everything is meaningless if God is not in it, if God is not directing it.  God never gave you wisdom to chase it! Certainly not pleasure, or folly – that’s just foolish.  Wisdom is just to lead you and God’s people in righteousness.  If Solomon had chased God like his father David did, instead of wisdom and folly and pleasure and women.  He would have known the joy of the LORD.  Instead, Solomon despite his wisdom, didn’t live by it, and chose foolishly – and sowed the seed of the destruction of the nation - the same people whom he asked God for wisdom to rule righteously.  And because of him, the people eventually were vomited out of the land just like God warned would happen to them.  They would be driven out just like their predecessors – if they followed in their sin.  Solomon’s end of life was an abomination to God.  Clearly Wisdom comes from God, you can know it, but not do it.  So where does wisdom slip begin?  You can tell by what you justify.  Whatever God said not to do, if your first reaction is, I’m not, or it’s not that bad, or He didn’t mean this, or I’m not really doing it fully, or other people do it, or whatever your excuse – it’s a sure sign, you’ve left the path. Any time your mouth says anything different than what God says.  It’s perverse.  The very thing God hates - perverse lips.  If when questioned, you come up with an excuse – you’ve left wisdom, and you’ve left God.  There is no fear of God before your eyes.  Wisdom doesn’t guarantee a heart after God.  God said get wisdom above all else, but once you have it.  Be sure that you heed it, that you don’t tire of obedience, that you don’t forfeit the grace or the blessing.  God said He’ll keep you, He will fulfill the purpose He has for you.  Keep your eyes on Him, get His plans, love His Word, get His thoughts, not your own, overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of your testimony.  And let wisdom be a blessing that increases in you, not a passing phase that you walk away from.  Keep your eyes on Jesus, don’t think other things in your heart.  Fill your heart with His Word and His will, and rejoice in every step He leads you in.  He will give you wisdom, knowledge and joy.  Stay with God.  He has better things to come.  So your latter years will be even better than the former!  He is faithful, He will do it.  Just keep your eyes on Him, and stay on the path He has for your good!  It gets better!  
 
Love you all,
dad

Love you all, praying for you.
 
I just love God’s Word.  It surprises you.  Have you ever considered the distinction most desirable? What would most set you apart if you had it?  Intelligence, Money?  If you had anything that separated you from the competition, from everyone else, what would it be? Strength? Cunning?  Wisdom might be a frontrunner – God said above all else, get wisdom.  Obedience is the best skill to have, but what would you most desire to distinguish you?  Here’s what God thinks.  Psalms 45:7-8 – You love righteousness and hate wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy.  Wow, that’s not the first thing I would have thought of.  A definite distinction.  Strength alone won’t do it, the wise take the city of the strong.  Money comes and goes.  The rich, intelligent, wise and strong often lack joy.  Ecclesiastes 1:18 - Solomon said, with much wisdom comes much sorrow.  The greatest billionaires of the past – many had miserable personal lives. The intelligence of the intelligent God frustrates.  Nothing can succeed against God so what does He mark as distinction? What distinction does He want for you?  Joy.  It’s an anointing – that means you don’t produce it - it’s given to you.  It’s not happiness – that’s situational.  Happiness is a spark, have you noticed how long sparks last?  Not long, they fizzle out.  Joy is a pilot light, and a flame that doesn’t go out.  Joy is deep.  Joy – the passion or emotion excited by the acquisition or expectation of something good; that excitement of pleasurable feelings which is caused by success, good fortune, the gratification of desire or some good possessed, or by a rational prospect of possessing what we love or desire; gladness; exultation; exhilaration of spirits.   Joy is the opposite of discouragement or despair, or having lost your way.  Joy comes from the inside, and it is situationless.  If you have it, the rest doesn’t matter, nothing else needed.  God is bringing good, He promised.  I’m in the center of His will, standing in faith – Joy is a distinction – that God has for you.  So how do you get it?  Without Jesus the author of Joy, you can’t get it.  Situational happiness is the best you can hope for.  Joy is that missing piece, that if you had everything else, but lacked joy, it would be meaningless.  So how do you get it?  Commit your life to Jesus – so your eternity in heaven is secure.  You can’t have joy without that, only fear of judgment and eternal punishment. Not unfair, that’s just gravity.  Sin and God cannot coexist – He’s Holy.  Just like joy without God cannot exist.  In His presence is fullness of joy, He fills you with joy in His presence.  The humble get filled with joy, those who love righteousness and hate wickedness get joy, obeyers get joy, even trials can be joy if you count them as it, faithfulness brings joy.  It’s an anointing from God, and a gift of the Holy Spirit – so be filled with the Holy Spirit, so you know what Joy is.  Asking and receiving bring joy – so ask according to His will, so He hears you and you have what you asked.  The God of hope fills you with Joy.  Finishing your course – the plan that God has for your life – brings joy.  So first - Get His plans for you today!  Start there, and He’ll bring joy.   He keeps you from falling, without fault, and with great joy.  God’s Kingdom is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.  The righteous can shout with joy.  Giving brings joy.  God’s victories bring joy, His Word is joy – it makes your heart rejoice.  He brings joy in the morning, He lets you hear joy and gladness – so don’t listen to the other stuff, and certainly don’t speak it.  Salvation brings joy.  If you are pleasing to God, He gives you wisdom, knowledge and joy.  God gives you wisdom to give an appropriate response, a wise answer – and gives you joy with it.  God turns your sorrow into joy, He increases your joy, He provides for your every need, so you can eat and drink with a joyful heart.  God gives wealth – beyond just money, and keeps you occupied in the joy of your heart.  God redeemed you, He crowns your head with joy, joy overtakes you.  His presence brings joy, and His joy is your strength.  Believing in Him, brings inexpressible and glorious joy.  Joy is a choice, you can take it again, you can rejoice.  That part is up to you – to use what He gave you.  Know what He has promised, and your joy will be full.  And if you walk in truth – you bring joy to God and others.   God has joy for you.  Praying that you will today for Meditate on the Word of your PRISM time, that you will review the PRISM Topic – Joy.  It’s the anointing God has for you.  A distinction He has reserved for you.  If you have it.  It will separate you from the rest, and draw people to you, so you can point them to Him! Do you have joy?  Is it your distinction, Is it your anointing?  Is it something that you may have forgotten to walk in?  God wants to bring you back – with Joy! 
 
Love you all,
dad

Love you all, praying for you,
 
I just love God’s Word, it tells you what’s important.  If you could develop or increase a skill in your life, that would be most valuable to you, that would make you most effective...  What would it be?  By far, the skill of obedience.  Jesus said, “If you love me you will obey what I command.”  The first test the disciples ever faced was that skill of obedience.  “Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”  Their moment of truth.  Do you have the skill of obedience?  They either obeyed and followed him, or they could decide not to.  His plan for their day, meant they had to forsake their own plans for today.  God’s Word says – they left their nets, and followed Him.  They left their plans and followed His plan.  They went with Him.  That is exactly what God has for you!  If you learn to obey – God can lead you in the plans He has for your good, He can then fulfill His purpose for you.  Which He promised to do.  But if there was another skill most valuable to your effectiveness as a person?  It would probably be listening.  If you don’t hear His voice, how can you obey what He told you?  Listening is a demonstration of humility.  It’s humbling yourself in practice.  First hear, then obey.  Humble yourself before God.  He knows, you don’t.  He’s right, you’re not.  What He says goes.  If not now, surely then.  You choose now. So how do you hear God’s voice?  There are two things God tells you, what to do, and what to know.  If you hear Him, you can know, and you can do what He has for you.  PiVAT before dinner is hearing practice.  You need it every day.  He’ll give you the plans He has for you for tomorrow.  They are so good!   PRISM is hearing practice.  Throughout the day – come back to His Word.  He will confirm what He told you to do and tell you what you need to know for today!  His timing is perfect, it will amaze you!  If you’ve fallen off these two habits, just download the 3-Day PiVAT Journal from hearwelldone.org (From the Home Page, click on Step 1 – PIVAT)  Ask someone to a Daily Call with you for 3 days or a week, so you can overcome together!  If you submit to His Word and His Way – obedience will take you on a journey of blessing, peace, hope, and joy in your life.  But if you don’t obey God’s Word you’ll miss out on His presence, and all the good He longs to give you.  Plus you’ll get the results of disobedience – that leads to death.  Why don’t people obey?  They don’t fear God, they want to do their own thing, they’d rather enjoy sin for a season. But you are not guaranteed tomorrow.  This very night your life may be required of you.  It’s appointed unto man once to die, not everyone gets 77.4 years on average.  The longer you wait to obey, the more you miss out on God’s goodness, blessing, and purpose for you.  God wants you on the path of obedience, so you are on the path of blessing.  His blessing becomes your companion and destination.  Hear, Obey, Love God, Serve Others.  Get that skill of Listening, so you can hear His voice.  And then get that most important skill of Obeying.  Be instant in obedience.  There is great joy in obedience.  Celebrate every little step – whether you see the benefit and reward instantaneously or not.  If you obey – you can know this.  Good is coming.  God is blessing you – already!    
 
Love you all,
dad  

Love you all, praying for you.
 
I just love God’s Word – It is the most powerful thing on earth.   It is life changing.  It tells you truth for the ages.  One of the greatest acts of God is the replacing of the Old Covenant with the New and better one.  There’s a difference between trying to follow God’s law, and living by it.  When He said the New Covenant is the law now written on your heart, the standards of Godliness don’t go away, they are just written on your heart instead of on stone tablets.  God’s laws never change, He’s the same yesterday today and forever.  His holiness hasn’t diminished.  What is done away with is not the Ten Commandments, it’s the obligations of the blood sacrifice of animals required under the Old Covenant to cover sins, not the characteristics of His nature – that’s unchanging!  The Old Testament remains, what is done away with is the requirement of Old Covenant sacrifices for sins…  You are now under grace - because a once and for all sacrifice has been made – Jesus was the sacrifice!  God himself! The Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.  Now - living by God’s laws, and Jesus’ commands… You aren’t trying to get accepted, you are already accepted!  You don’t obey to get loved, you are loved so you willingly and joyfully obey.   You are justified by faith. But faith without the works that demonstrate it, that reflect it, God said – is dead.  And you now have grace to live the law written on your heart, not because you are earning love, but because you have it!  And His grace - the power of God - helps you love him by obeying.  The old covenant was not just rules, it was blood.  The law only wasn’t the covenant it was only half of it, the other half was the remedy.  The new covenant has more rules, rules of love, it’s just different blood.  The old covenant was never met until Jesus.  It couldn’t be, because the law just revealed what sin was. And man’s inability to live by God’s laws – because of our sinful nature.  The old covenant… allowed blood to cover our sins.  The new covenant, Jesus’ blood removed our old nature, and covered sins forever.  No other blood needed.   God is holy, we’re fallen by Adam’s sin and our own.  The law given to Moses revealed sin and our need for a Savior.  The book of Romans tells us this.  God’s laws and rules weren’t done away with, Jesus completed them, so we could live them by the Spirit that can, not by the flesh which can’t.  That’s why God said, walk in the Spirit and you won’t fulfill the desires of the flesh.  Habits don’t lead to godliness, (only Christ can make you Godly), but they certainly reflect it.  Sometimes God gives us new habits, so we reflect the Godliness we are now justified to live in.  The Ten Commandments weren’t done away with, they were completed.  Do you not have to follow the Ten Commandments anymore?  They still remain, you just now have power to live by them.  But they are still there because God doesn’t change.  There are even more rules now.  Jesus commands set the bar at higher level!  Jesus’ commands aren’t suggestions, they’re new rules, the characteristics of Kingdom life.  Jesus said, “You have heard it said thou shalt not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment, but I tell you if you’re angry with your brother you will be subject to judgment, (Matt 5:21)  if you hate your brother you’ve committed murder (in your heart).  I John 3:15. Yikes.  Jesus now gave a new command love one another, He said turn the other cheek. He even said - love your enemies.  The Old Testament Law never commanded this.  This was beyond law, this was love!  So God’s law remains, or He wouldn’t have written it on your heart… we just now have the Holy Spirit who leads us in all truth, in power, and in love.  Your new habits in Christ – your obedience habits to His commands, aren’t to earn God’s acceptance by your own power.  They are to live by God’s power because you have been accepted, justified (just as if it didn’t happen), and qualified, by the blood of Jesus.  Old and New Covenant weren’t just about law, God is the same yesterday today and forever.  He doesn’t change – His holiness doesn’t change.  The Covenants were about blood!  The blood of sheep and goats just covered sin, Jesus’ blood removes it.  So you can now live out God’s commands by the Spirit who helps you, not try to obey his laws by the flesh, which can’t.  And if you ever fall a bit short, His forgiveness is there, already paid for, no further blood sacrifice is needed to cover your sins, they have been removed by blood of the Lamb.  New Covenant means Jesus’ blood cleanses it all. We just repent, (Metanoia – to think differently, “No sin is not ok! It leads to death, it separates you from God whether you’re a Christian or not).  Then confess before God and the one you offended, and turn from it.  And God forgives you, Jesus’ blood once shed, holds us in Him.  Praying that you will know the joy of the blood of Jesus which cleanses all sin, and also know - the power of the Holy Spirit which enables you to walk in newness of life! The divine power of Grace to say no to sin.  His law written on your heart, the kingdom life that lives His character and nature by a new power – the power available by the blood of Jesus, and the power of the Holy Spirit – to lead you in all truth, and remind you of everything Jesus commanded you.  Praying that you will walk in His Way, His truth.  There will be new habits, grace habits.  His power working in you!   He does the work, we just live in Christ – by the Holy Spirit – the power to know and do – what God is and tells us to do.  That’s freedom! 
 
Love you all,
dad

​Love you all, praying for you.
 
I just love God’s Word.  It tells you what people don’t know.  Most church people talk about worship.  God said we should worship him.  But what is worship?  Do you know?  Have you ever asked someone what worship is?  You will probably get as many answers as people you ask.  Many think worship is what we do in church.  There’s a worship leader who sings songs – and coerces the rest of us to sing along with them, we call them the leader of the praise team.  And there are other people with them up on the stage who are well dressed and sing with the leader person – hopefully in tune, sometimes with good harmony or at least great enthusiasm.  It also has to have a band to really be worship.  It must have a guitar and drums and keyboard.  Many think that’s worship.  But in years past those things weren’t worship, it would have had to include an organ, and be hymns.  Some say you can’t have any instruments at all – in order for it to be worship.  But is singing songs worship?  If you’re singing are you worshipping?  If you’re not, are you not?  If you sing better are you worshipping better, or singing louder than the person next to you?   Most people don’t know what worship is.  We just label certain activities, like singing songs, as worship.  So what really is worship?  Exodus 33:10 – Whenever the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance to the tent of meeting, they all stood and worshipped, each at the entrance to his tent.  Wait a minute – where was the worship team? and the praise band? Or the organ?  At least there were no instruments…  Is that what made it worship?  God said we are to worship Him in spirit and in truth, not in song and in tune.  God said make a joyful noise, not a pleasant melody.  But He also said to play skillfully.  So what is worship?  How do you do it?  I believe God’s word teaches that worship is a heart posture of reverence toward God.  You could be kneeling, standing, praising, working, bowing down, lifting your hands, or being still in your heart, or obeying what He told you. Romans 12:2 – presenting your body a living sacrifice, God directs your day planner – this is your reasonable act of worship.  It is the mental, spiritual, and physical recognition and honor of the God of the Universe, the One who loves you and gave His Son for you – to save you from your sin, and the death and hell that result from it.  It’s to show reverence to the One who bought you with his own blood, to cover your sin and qualify you for eternity in Heaven with Him.  That God who made the heavens and the earth, who will one day judge the quick and the dead, who will reward those who have done good, and bring justice for those who have done evil; who will separate the sheep from the goats.  One will be with him forever, the other cast into outer darkness.  He’s a fearful and awesome God.  He has no competitor, no peer, He is The One to be feared.  Jesus said, don’t fear men, who all they can do is kill you.  Fear the one who after He has killed you – has the power to send your soul to eternal damnation…  So do you worship God because He’s fearful?  He’s even more loving than fearful.  His love endures forever!  God’s word says His anger lasts a moment, but His favor lasts a lifetime.  He’s the loving Heavenly Father to all who put their faith in His Son Jesus, who rose from the dead after becoming the one sacrifice for sin – everyone’s sin – who believes in him.  Those who don’t believe are condemned already – because they have not believed in God’s only Son – the free gift from God – to save you, and give you eternal life – free from sin, and the wages of it.   So how do you worship this God?  Several ways, not sure anyone knows them all.  Here perhaps, is the question… Is Worship determined by the worshipper, or by the God whom you worship?  Some say you’re welcome in our church to worship the way you feel most comfortable.  What kind of crazy statement is that?  As if we determine what worship is acceptable to God.  How would we decide that?  What makes worship acceptable to God, is not what is most comfortable to us.  Worship: Shachah <shaw-khaw’> to depress, that is prostrate, reflexively in homage to God) bow down, crouch, fall down flat on your face, humbly beseech, do or make obeisance, do reverence, make to stoop, worship – a physical posture of making yourself lower.  Of the times worship is mentioned in the Old Testament – often it was “worship and bow down, worship and bow down.”  To prostrate oneself before God (flat on your face, body extended).  “But we don’t do that in our church, that’s not how we worship, it might make some people uncomfortable.”  Hmmm.   Gen 22:5 – And Abraham said unto his servants.  Wait here with the donkey and I and the boy will go a little further, and worship, and then we’ll come back to you.  Isaac didn’t know what was coming, but Abraham did.  What kind of worship is that?  Not the comfortable kind, the kind God prescribed.  “Abraham, take your son, Isaac, and offer him as a sacrifice on the mountain I will show you.”  No thanks, God.  That’s not how I worship, that’s not my worship style.    Will you worship in the way you feel comfortable?  Or in the way God prescribes?   The way God asks of you…  Will you prostrate yourself before Him?  What kind of worship has God prescribed?  Is that how you worship?  Or do you worship the way you want to.  Just a few things to consider – if your heart is truly to worship, the One who is worthy. 
 
Love you all,
dad