​Love you all, praying for you,
 
I just love God’s Word.  It calls you to account.  There are two things very different.  Ideas and Actions.  What you think, and what you do.  Ideas, maybe even revelation, dreams, plans…  those are all thoughts – figments of your imagination if you will.  But actions – those are different. Those are things moved from your mind into your hands and feet.  Actions are things taken from the realm of thought to the realm of reality.  Has God ever told you or prompted you to do something?  Did you?  What are you waiting for?  God often tells us to do something.  It might be just a prompting, or a dream He puts inside you.  Some people, God speaks to them on occasion. He loves you, He has plans for you, and He puts things in your heart, mind and spirit to do.  Other people, know and understand Jeremiah 29:11 – For I know the plans I have for you declares the LORD, plans to prosper you, not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.  They understand that God knows the plans, but they don’t, so they have developed the life habit of seeking Him for His plans.  PiVAT before dinner – the most important thing in your life.  Get God’s plans for you.  It’s a regularly scheduled conversation, the proof of the priority you place on that relationship, an intimacy habit with the One who loves you, who created you for a purpose.  And this is how you can know so you can do, what that purpose is from God – for today and your life.  Whatever God tells you is “the what.”  But the real questions is “the did.”  Did you do it?  What did God tell you to do? It starts with today.  Did you do it?  Did God tell you to do something a week ago, or a month ago?  If the habit of “God telling and you not doing” creeps in.  It’s very hard to make progress, it could even keep you from your purpose and destiny.  Eventually God will stop telling you to do, until you do it.  What did God tell you to do that you haven’t done?  Maybe it’s a habit.   Maybe it’s PiVAT before dinner, or a Daily Call, so you can overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of your testimony.  Or get up earlier so you can spend some time with Him in His Word. PRISM time – those five things you can do in God’s Word every day to transform your mind, so you think like Christ, and obey like Him!  Maybe it’s to prepare for something God has in your future, or make a change.  Maybe it’s acquire a new skill, or change a relationship or relationships of not likeminded people, or things that are leading you away from God and what He has for you, not closer to Him.  God told the Israelites to cross the Jordan and enter the land promised to Abraham and His descendants, but they listened to the other spies, not Caleb and Joshua and they didn’t do it.  Then when God told them, what lack of faith and disobedience would now result in (a forty year wild goose chase), then they decided to do it.  They tried to cross over by themselves and got their butts kicked.  They didn’t do what God told them, then they tried to do what God told them not to, and of course it didn’t work.  If you don’t go with God, you certainly cannot go against Him.  God told Jonah to go to Ninevah, but He had other plans in Tarsus.  God told the Israelites to utterly destroy the peoples of the land.  Because God was mean and unfair?  No, because God told Abraham, not now, you’ll get this promised land four hundred years from now – the sin of this land has not yet reached it’s full measure.  God said destroy them, or they will intermarry with you and your children and they will deceive you into following their gods, and their evil practices, and you will be vomited out of this land, just like they were.  But the Israelites didn’t do what God told them, and suffered the same fate.  It was 1948 before they were re-established as a nation.  So of those two very different words: thoughts and actions, how many things did God tell you, that are still thoughts and not actions?  Elijah asked the Israelites, how long will you flip-flop between two opinions.  If God is God obey Him, and if baal, then follow him.  But the Israelites remained silent.  Praying that you will know for sure what God told you to do.  That anything He has prompted you to do, you will confirm it, ask Him when, and then do it, no matter what.  Praying that you will just start with your PiVAT for today.  What did God tell you to do, in what hour?  Praying that you will do it completely, and not let any sleep come to your eyes until you do it.  So the what will always be the did – every day of your life. 
 
Love you all,
dad

 Love you all, praying for you.
 
I just love God’s Word.  It is truth, it is life, it is instruction for righteousness, for victory, it tells you what is needed.   So what is needed?  Faith.  God said without faith it is impossible to please Him.  God said the righteous (those in right standing with Him and right doing) will live by faith.  Faith is a funny thing.  It’s not what most people think it is.  Most people think faith is believing God will do what they want Him to do.  That’s not faith.  Faith is believing in God, not what He does that you wanted.  Faith is believing God, believing in His Nature, His Character, His Power, and His Promise.  Faith is believing that He is good, and believing that He will do what He wants to do, which is the very best, in the very best time.  So first, build yourself up in your most Holy Faith – pray in the Holy Spirit.  Read out loud with your mouth into your heart - the Word of God – Read PRISM Topics out loud, so you will be filled with the Word of faith, so faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.  Obey what He says – whatever He told you.  Obedience is the first demonstration of faith.  Praying that you will review out loud the PRISM Topic – Faith.   If you don’t have faith that He said it, or that He told you that, you won’t do it, you won’t obey.  So Pray in the Spirit, Read out Loud the Word of Faith, Obey what He told you.   And Call upon His Name. Pray the prayer of faith, that heals the sick, and raises the dead.  Act in faith – put your faith into action.  Obey what He just told you.  Believe in faith, banish every word of doubt, let not one perverse word creep in.  Praise in Faith, Take Joy again, Rejoice in Faith, let His joy give you strength.  Also know this, Faith comes with Joy – because if you know who God is, and what He promised, even when faith is required, love, joy, and peace comes with it.  That’s how you know it’s the faith that pleases God.  The fruit of the Spirit – consumes it.  If He said He’s the Healer, then call on His Name for healing, and believe He’s the Healer.  If He said He’s the Deliverer, than call on His Name to deliver you, and believe He’s the Deliverer, and will deliver you.  If He’s said He’s the God of mercy, and forgiveness, then call on His Name to forgive and show mercy, and Believe He’s the Forgiver, the Redeemer, the God of All Mercy. If He said He’s the Provider, Jehoveh Jireh, my provider.  Then call on His Name, believe that He is who He said He is, and that He will provide.   If He said He gives strength to those who have no strength, than Call on His Name for strength, and let His joy give you strength.  Today is a day for faith, for praise, for trust, for believing His Word, for walking in faith.  Every day is a day for faith.  His faithfulness endures to all generations.  The fruit of the Spirit is faithfulness.  Not only doing what He told you, but believing what He told you.  Being full of, fully activating the faith that He gave you.  The measure of faith you need to please Him, for today, and every day – to see His miracles come to life - in your life.  Praying that you will know what’s needed.  And do it. 
 
Love you all,
dad

Deliver H5337 natsal <naw-tsal’> to snatch away, defend, deliver, escape, without fail, pluck, preserve, rescue, recover, rid, save, surely take out.

Deliver H5414 nathan <naw-than’> to give, appoint, bring forth, without fail, grant, pull, withdraw

Delivered H2502 chalats <khaw-lats’> to pull off, strip, depart, draw out,

Delivered H4422 malat <mal-lat’> to be smooth, to escape, to release or rescue, let out, let alone, preserve, save speedily, surely.

Webster's 1828 - Deliver - to set free; to release, as from restraint; to transfer, to set at liberty, as to deliver one from captivity.  To put into another's hand or power; to pass from one to another
 
Psalms 18:2-3 – The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the power that saves me, my stronghold.  I called to the LORD who is worthy of praise, and I was delivered from my enemies.
 
Psalms 115:8 – For you, O LORD, have delivered me from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling
 
Psalms 91:14,15 – “Because he loves me,” says the LORD, “I will deliver him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.  He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.
 
Psalms 70:1,5 – Make haste, O God, to deliver me! O LORD, make haste to help me! But as for me, I am poor and needy; come quickly to me, O God.  You are my help and my deliverer; O LORD, do not delay. 

Psalms 71:2– Deliver me in your righteousness, and cause me to escape: incline your ear unto me, and save me.

Psalms 109:21 – But you, O GOD, the LORD, deal kindly with me for Your name’s sake; Because your loving-kindness is good, deliver me;

Psalms 119:153 – Consider my affliction, and deliver me: for I do not forget your law.

Psalms 142:6 – Listen to my cry, for I am in desperate need; deliver me from those who pursue me, for they are too strong for me. 

Psalms 143:9 – Deliver me from my enemies, LORD, for I hide myself in you.

Psalms 39:8 – Deliver me from all my transgressions.  Do not let the foolish mock me.

Matthew 6:13 – And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.  For yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever.  Amen.
 
Psalms 72:12 – For he will deliver the needy who cry out, the afflicted who have no help.

Psalms 107:6 – Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.

Psalms 107:20 – He sent his word and healed them, and delivered them from the pit.
 
Psalms 56:13 – For you have delivered me from death and my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before God in the light of life.
 
2 Timothy 4:18 – The Lord will deliver me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom.  To him be glory for ever and ever.
 
Psalms 86:13 – For great is your love toward me: you have delivered my soul from the lowest hell.

Psalms 34:4 – I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.

Psalms 18:17 – He delivered me from my powerful enemies, from those who hated me and were too strong for me.

Psalm 37:40 – And the LORD will help them and deliver them: he will deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him.

Jeremiah 1:8 – Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with you to deliver you, declares the LORD.

Jeremiah 1:19  They will fight you, but they will fail.  For I am with you, and I will deliver you.  I, the LORD, have spoken!

Jeremiah 15:21 – And I will deliver you out of the hand of he wicked, and I will redeem you out of the hand of the powerful.
 
I Samuel 17:37 – Then David said, “The LORD who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine,” Saul said to David, “Go, and may the LORD be with you.”
 
2 Corinthians 1:9-10 – Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death.  But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.  Who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver:  in whom we trust that he will deliver us again.
 
Psalms 18:19 – He brought me out into a large place; he delivered me because he delighted in me.

Psalms 54:7 – You have delivered me from all my troubles, and my eyes have looked in triumph on my enemies. 

Psalms 55:18 – He delivers me unharmed from the battle that rages against me: even though they outnumber me.
(even though many oppose me.)

Psalms 91:3 – Surely he will deliver you from the fowler’s snare and from the noisome pestilence. (destructive words that cause ruin). 
 
Proverbs 11:6 – The righteousness of the upright delivers them, but the unfaithful are trapped by evil desires.

Proverbs 11:8 – The righteous person is delivered from trouble, and it falls on the wicked instead.

Proverbs 11:21 – Be sure of this: the wicked will not go unpunished, but the seed of the righteous will be delivered.

Proverbs 12:6 – The words of the wicked lie in wait for blood, but the speech of the upright delivers them.

Psalms 41:1-2 – Blessed is he that has regard for the poor: the LORD will deliver him in time of trouble.  The LORD will preserve him, and keep him alive; and he shall be blessed upon the earth: and you will not deliver him unto the will of his enemies. 

Psalms 33:18-19 – But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, on those who hope in his unfailing love, to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine. 

Psalms 50:15-17 – And call on me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me.”  But to the wicked God says, “What right have you to recite my laws or take my covenant on your lips?  You hate my instruction and cast my words behind you.

Proverbs 2:11-12 – Discretion will protect you, and understanding will guard you, to deliver you from the way of evil, from the man who speaks perverse things;

Proverbs 28:26 – Those who trust in themselves are fools, but those who walk in wisdom will be delivered.

Deuteronomy 23:14 – Because the LORD your God walks in the midst of your camp, to deliver you and to give up your enemies before you, therefore your camp must be holy, so that he may not see anything indecent among you and turn away from you.

2 Kings 17:39 – Rather, worship the LORD your God; it is he who will deliver you from the hand of all your enemies.” (But you shall fear the LORD your God, and he will deliver you out of the hand of all your enemies.)

Daniel 3:17-18 – Your majesty, if it be his will, our God whom we serve can deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire, and he will deliver us from you.  But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”

Daniel 3:29 – “Therefore I decree that the people of any nation or language who say anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego be cut into pieces, and their houses be turned into piles of rubble, for there is no other god who can deliver like this.”

Daniel 6:20-23 – When he came near the den, he called to Daniel in an anguished voice, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?”  Daniel answered, “May the king live forever!  My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions.  They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight.  Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, Your Majesty.”  The king was overjoyed and ordered that Daniel be lifted from the den.  Not a scratch was found on him, because he had trusted in his God. 
 
Galatians 1:4 – Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God our Father:
 
Hebrews 2:14-16 – Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death – that is, the devil – and deliver those who all  their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.  For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abrahams descendants.
 
Hebrews 2:17-18 – For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people.  Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to deliver those who are being tempted.
 
2 Peter 2:9 – The LORD knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:
 
Romans 7:6 – But now we have been delivered from the law, since we have died to what held us, so that we may serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old letter of the law.
 
I Corinthians 10:13 – No temptation has seized you except what is common to man.  And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.  But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way of escape, so that you can stand up under it. 

Daniel 12:3 – Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.
 
Luke 22:31 – “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you like wheat.  But I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail.  And when you have returned, strengthen your brothers.”  
 
Colossians 1:13 – He has delivered us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins.
​

​
A PRISM Topic: is God’s Word on a single subject.  A Relationship Topic is a perspective from God's Word on relationships.  A PRISM Topic Packet is a grouping of PRISM or Relationship Topics of similar subjects... part of the M: Meditate on the Word of PRISM – (5 Things You Can Do Daily in God’s Word)  to transform the way you think. Ask God what PRISM Topic or Relationship Topic He wants you to meditate on today.  Take your PRISM Topic, Relationship Topic or Packet with you!  Come back to it multiple times a day!   “It is to be with him, and he is to meditate on it day and night, so that he may learn to fear the LORD…” - Deuteronomy 17:19

Love you all, praying for you.
 
I just love God’s Word, it gives such practical and foundational truth that will make or break your life.  It gives insight, that never runs out, and it reveals the obvious, that is not always obvious.  God said, there are two kinds of wisdom.  The real, and the fake, the wisdom of God, and the so-called wisdom of the world.  Praying that you will follow God’s first plan to gain wisdom.  Your daily Proverbs Chapter.  Do you want to become wise, beyond your age, above your peers, not for pride, but effectiveness in life?  Do you want in your life, prosperity, and success which starts with humility and the Fear of the LORD?  Then read that chapter of Proverbs with today’s date, that God gave you for today.  Every day of the month, He gave one for you.  If you do PRISM, you’ll read Proverbs twelve times this year.  How will that impact the wisdom you operate in?  Significantly.  If you do PRISM for the next ten years, you’ll have read Proverbs through one hundred and twenty times.  His Word never fails to yield a result, produce a profit, it’s the most guaranteed investment ever.  You can’t read Proverbs one hundred and twenty times, and it not change your character, your DNA, your destiny, and your whole family.   When I was growing up, we had a telephone in the house, it was mounted on the wall, with a receiver that clicked in a box.  With a long curly cord, that let you walk a good distance from the wall, even around the corner to the other room, where people couldn’t hear you.  Back then, the phone rang, but you never knew who was calling.  There wasn’t any caller id back then, and no cell phones.  They were just coming out, only the rich could afford them, they looked like a phone at your house, but connected to a big box they could carry around like a thick triple wide briefcase.  That was cutting edge technology at the time.  Now caller ID lets you know exactly who’s calling.  I was reading in Proverbs recently, a chapter I’ve read many times.  Proverbs 8 – It says, Wisdom calls out!  Does not wisdom raise her voice?  From the heights along the way, where the paths meet, she takes her stand, beside the city gates (where all the people come through) she cries aloud.  I’ve read this many times.  But God asked me a question…  Who is wisdom calling out to?  So I looked.  Wisdom calls out to the simple, the fool, the simpleton, those who lack knowledge and understanding.  She calls out to them.  She wants to give them at least the basics, at least wisdom 101, so they don’t fall off the cliff in the direction they’re heading, so they don’t end up in the ditch, crash and burn.  Wisdom calls out so they turn off that road that leads to destruction.  And God gently told me.  “Wisdom calls out to fools, not the wise.  It doesn’t have to, because the wise call out for wisdom.”  And I remembered Proverbs 2 - My son, if you accept my words, and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding…  then you will learn the fear of the LORD – the beginning of wisdom.  The wise cry out for wisdom, wisdom doesn’t cry out to the wise.  It doesn’t have to, they’re walking together, the wise are walking in it.  Praying that you will cry out for wisdom, so wisdom doesn’t have to cry out for you.  That you will be faithful in PRISM every day.  Those five things you can do in God’s Word, that give you wisdom! God’s Wisdom!  It will change you, you will succeed, it will bring you success, safety, prosperity, in good times, or hard times,, it will guard you from disaster, and establish you in success.  God said it is available for anyone who asks (James 1:5) who cries out for it.  Praying you’ll review 11 Things You Need To Know About Wisdom.  and 11 Things Wise People Do.  Praying you will call out for wisdom, that wisdom is what you walk in, that it will set you apart, so you discern the difference between the wisdom that comes from God, and the wisdom that comes from the world – which is not wisdom at all.  Praying that you’re wise.  But if you’re not, you can be.  Praying that you’re wise, but if you are, you can gain more, Proverbs 1:5 - Let the wise listen, and add to their learning, let the discerning get guidance.  Praying that you will call out for wisdom, and walk in it, not be a part of the crowd at the city gate, that wisdom needs to call out to.  So who’s calling?  Wisdom, or you?  
 
Love you all,
dad

​Love you all, praying for you,
 
I just love God’s Word.  It tells you what you can’t see.  It reminds you of things you need to know and remember.  Sometimes you just have to say it.  “If the LORD had not been on our side – let Israel say – If the LORD had not been on our side when men attacked us, when their anger flared against us, they would have swallowed us alive; the flood would have engulfed us, the torrent would have swept over us, the raging waters would have swept us away.  Praise be to the LORD, who has not let us be torn by their teeth.  We have escaped like a bird out of the fowler’s snare; the snare has been broken and we have escaped.  Our help is in the Name of the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. Psalm 124  Sometimes you just have to say it.  There is power in declaration.  When was the last time you praised God, and thanked him for the near misses, the disasters that didn’t happen, the danger He turned away, the plans against you that He foiled, the arrows that missed, the protection He gives.  God said, Let Israel say.  Israel – where He rules as God.  That’s you, not just God’s chosen people, you’ve been grafted in.  You are the children of the promise, counted as Abraham’s descendants.  God said there are some things you should say.  “His mercy endures forever!” Let the redeemed of the LORD say so!  Praying that you will review the PRISM Topic – Say - Read it out loud, and then just speak the bold letters - what God said, to say.  There is power in your declaration, and always blessing in obedience.  Praying that you’ll review the PRISM Topic – Starter Verses,  and start the day declaring His truth into the atmosphere around you, into your mind and heart and spirit.  Praying that you will learn to say, what God told you to say.  It will establish His will and His good in your life.
 
Love you all,
dad

Love you all, praying for you. 
 
I just love God’s Word.  It tells you the most important thing and things.  Proverbs 4:23 – Above all else, guard your heart for it is the wellspring of life.  So if God said above all else, guard your heart.  What is He talking about, and how do you do it?   Some people think that guard your heart means be careful who you fall in love with, who you give your affections to, that is not your spouse.  Be careful who you let into your heart.  That’s good counsel.  Some people are so wanting a partner or a spouse, that they give their affections away easily, and their heart follows, but if that is not the one God created you to be married to…not wise, not God’s best.  But this verse is about even more than that… this is about a broader truth, not just relationships.  Guard your heart means – be careful what you put into it.  Why is that so important?  Because out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.  What’s in your heart, will come out, under pressure, sooner or later, blessing or cursing.  You can’t hide what’s in your heart, it comes out.  Both the irony, and the blessing is.  What’s in your heart, you put it there, so you can put something else there! The words you speak, what you see, where you go, what you do, and who you do it with fills your heart – with good, or compromise.  So What is guarding your heart?  Guard the inputs.  How do you guard your heart?  Guard your mouth, your eyes, and your feet.  First, Speak His Word always, use your tongue to fill your heart.  Do PRISM Out Loud.  Get a PRISM Topic – and speak it out loud, all day long, into the atmosphere, into your mind, and into your heart.  The best weed prevention is thick grass.  Your mouth is a weapon, use it for good, fill your mouth with His Word, and you will fill your heart with truth.  So truth and wisdom are the overflow of your heart.  – You’ll say nothing without them. You’ll say them without thinking, it’s just in there, so it comes out.  Do not say anything perverse – any ‘slow to obey’ words, any words other than instant and complete obedience of what God says, and what God told you.  Don’t allow your mind to consider other alternatives than what God said is true, or what you should do.  Be sure you continually put His thoughts into words, and your heart will be filled with what is true, not untrue, not perverse.  Don’t say anything corrupt or harmful, build up, don’t tear down.  If you allow yourself to think and speak, other than what God told you, your heart will be filled with the wrong thing, distractions, deception, a lack of knowledge, not what is profitable for you or others.  Second thing to guard your heart.  Be careful what you look at Proverbs 4 covered all three.  Put away perversity from your mouth, keep corrupt talk far from your lips. Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you.  Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm.  Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.  God’s secret to guard your heart:  Mouth, Eyes, and Feet.  If you’re going to guard your heart, here’s how you do it, guard your mouth, your eyes, and your feet. Say nothing corrupt – that tears down, or is untrue, nothing perverse - a slowness to obey, justifying other than God’s plan or God’s way, keep your eyes on him, and straight ahead on the path He has for you, not the path of the wicked.  And finally, your feet.  If your feet are in the right place, your hands don’t get dirty.  If you are running on God’s path, it leads far away from compromise or less than His will for you, it brings you to His destiny for you!  Joseph knew this principle.  When he couldn’t avoid the temptation, when it cornered him, he ran!  Good advice.  The young man at dusk, walking down the street near her corner, didn’t understand the feet principle.  His feet were in the wrong place, on the wrong path, and it led to his destruction.  (Even King Julian did warn you about the feet.) To guard your heart, you have to guard your mouth, your eyes, and your feet.  Praying that you are actively speaking God’s truth into the atmosphere, and into your heart.  Praying that your eyes are looking straight ahead, on where you are going, not the distractions around you.  Praying that your feet are in the right place, on His path to your good.  It’s how you guard your heart.  So what’s in your heart comes out.  And blesses God and others – It puts you in the exact place where God can bless you, and bring you to His Good!  Praying that you’ll guard your heart, so it will always spring forth life!    
 
Love you all,
dad

Love you all, praying for you. 
 
I just love God’s Word.  It is wise counsel for excellence in life.  Have you ever been in a situation where you dropped the ball.  Maybe something at work, that you forgot to do, and it was important, and it came back to bite you?  Or something, the Holy Spirit prompted you to do, but you didn’t do it immediately, or write it down, so the opportunity passed.  And God got someone else to do it, or you lost the benefit of doing what God prompted you, that could have blessed others and blessed you?  Obedience is always a test.  God prompts you because He’s trying to help you!   He wants you to succeed!  He loves you!  He knows how to succeed, you don’t.  He knows what’s coming next, you don’t.  The more you ask Him, the more He helps you.  Wisdom is there for the asking.  And as long as you do it, He’ll give it to you again and again, He’ll give you more.  Have you ever been in a place where the ball isn’t in your court?  Trick question.  You’ve never been in that place.  Yeah I have, It’s in someone else’s court. I’ve done my part, now it’s on them to do their part.”  But their performance will affect you in some way, enabling you to deliver on your expectations, or causing you to fail to deliver…  So is the ball in their court? Or yours.   Here is a life rule to remember.  The ball is always in your court! Keep your eye on the ball, Always.  There is no such thing as the ball in their court.  Even when the ball is in their court – just know – the ball is in your court.  It may be theirs to do, but it’s your responsibility if it affects you.  Not saying you should micro-manage others, or constantly worry, just write it down, It’s why your PiVAT Journal, your Monthly Excellence Tool is so important.  So you ask God when He has assigned your follow-up.  Then focus on your job until then.  But if you’re expecting something by tomorrow morning 8:00 am to enable you to deliver your part by noon.   You better not find out in the morning, that you’re not going to get it until 3pm.  It’s your job to keep your eye on the ball, even if it’s in their court.   Ultimately – if one of your deliverables depends on others.  the ball is never in their court – even when it is.  That’s your responsibility.  You better find out before the night before – that they won’t meet their deliverable.  That means you can’t meet yours.  It’s not their fault, it’s yours.  Adam tried to get out of it.   The woman you gave me…  No Adam, God aint hearin’ that…  you’re not going to get out of this one.  The responsibility is yours.  If someone you’re depending on won’t deliver, you need to know that a week in advance of their failure to deliver, not the night before, or the morning of…  You need to know in advance, so you can ask God for His alternate solution to meet the deliverable for the ball that is in your court.  You cannot blame others.  The sluggard has excuses, “he cannot plow by reason of the cold, so at harvest he looks but finds nothing.”  He can’t go to work today, because his ride didn’t show up...  Some people always have excuses.  They don’t realize – the ball is always in your court.  Communication of any delays – is not their job, it’s yours.  Because if they fail, you fail.  So saying someone dropped the ball, doesn’t excuse you from delivering what is required of you, or what you committed to.  Watch the ball – no matter whose court it’s in.  God said He would give the Holy Spirit to show you things to come.  Ask Him, and be sure you communicate with everyone who has anything to do with you delivering on your expectations.  Excellence is proactive, not passive.  No passive person has ever been excellent.  And the Spirit of Christ is the spirit of excellence.  Make the phone call, find out how they are doing, ask if there is anything you can do to help them (even though they might be helping you).  If they ran into some obstacles, maybe you can remove one for them… Value and appreciate them, see if you can help them deliver the ball in their court, so you can deliver what you are responsible for.    It’s just good habit, and good business, help them succeed, value and appreciate those who help you, and help others every chance God gives you, even if you don’t directly gain from it.  You need to understand - your needs are not their priority.  Honor them, thank them, compensate them, but make sure you know that what you depend on from others, they are on track to fulfilling.  Find out early, so you can make other arrangements to be faithful to what you are called to do.  That’s excellence.  A simple life lesson to remember.  The ball is always in your court, even when it’s not.  Ask God, He’ll help you.  Communicate early, not late.  Love and honor always, thank them and reward them, so they and you can both succeed in serving God and others with excellence.   
 
Love you all,
dad

​Love you all, praying for you.
 
I just love God’s Word.  It’s so un-pius.  Irreligious.  It’s the story of Jesus, who was the biggest counterculture revolutionary of all time.  He turned the world upside down.  He exposed religion, and invited relationship, the very heart of God.  He exposed the devil’s grip of sin, and offered freedom.   I love that God’s Word is not religion, it’s relationship, restoration, ridiculously simple, redeeming, and loving, and one hundred percent truth, for those who will receive it.   God recently brought to mind one of my fondest childhood memories.  Always been a NFL Football fan, as long as I can remember.  Growing up in Milwaukee the home of half the Green Bay Packers home games at the time, until all moved to Lambeau about a year or two after I had left for college.  I would love to watch my beloved Packers despite loss after loss, year after year, pretty much my entire childhood, until a guy named Reggie White showed up, and restored the entire franchise to respectability.  We hadn’t seen that since Vince Lombardi, and I was too young to remember that…  It’s amazing what can happen when just one man shows up – who puts their faith in God.  Granted he was quite a large man, but that’s beside the point.  The NFL for a season spanned the spectrum of end zone celebrations deemed too outlandish, so they made rules that restricted them, and then loosened them up a bit more recently.   I’ll never forget one of my favorite Packer moments, surprisingly, given the circumstance...  In Lambeau Field.  The Minesota Vikings had come to town – of whom we had no love for, especially now that the future Hall of Famer - Randy Moss was on their team.  I’ll never forget that game he scored a touchdown and in celebration – in response to the earful he’d been getting the whole game from the rather impolite Packers faithful in the endzone… turned his back to them, and with his hands simulated the motion of lowering his knickers to share with them – the full moon.  Didn’t really do it, mind you, just pretended.  And the entire end zone section went full-on apoplectic!  As did the rest of the stadium, when the replay hit the big screen.  It was bad enough that he scored on us, and they were winning, but do be that rude, disrespectful and impolite… it was almost more than they could bear!  I however, was perhaps the only one in Wisconsin at the time who thought - that was hilarious.  I gained a whole new level of respect, dare I say almost even love for this unfairly gifted wide receiver, despite the fact that my love for my Packers never waivered.  That was hilarious!  It still makes me smile thinking about it.  The greatest end zone celebration ever!  But it showed me something.  Sometimes a full moon is in order.  Your enemy the devil, has recruited a crowd of accomplices in your life who will constantly yell things at you from the stands.  They’re not in the game mind you, they are just accusing you, berating you, blaming you, reminding you of your past, your lack, your mistakes, trying to bring you down.  Mooning them is not the moral of the story.  But not letting them affect you is.  One of my favorite stories in the Bible was when God through the prophet of God  - told the widow to take her sons, take the jars, go inside her house and shut the door.  Sometimes, you just have to - shut the door.  Sometimes you just have to shut out all the outside voices, the screamers, the slanderers, the condemners, the devil in your ear…  Sometimes you have to just ignore the part truth that their accusations resonate with.  Sometimes you gotta believe what God says about Himself and His promise for you… not what others say about you, whether part true or not.  Sometimes you just gotta trust God, turn toward Him, take that first step of obedience from here, right now, and never look back.  It’s kinda like a full moon so to speak.  Your audience is One, not all the haters.  Jesus forgave you, He is leading you, you run with Him, don’t worry about opposing team fans.  Listen to God, not them.  Keep your eyes on Him, not anyone else, not your past, or your failures, or your limitations - just what God told you to do today – to obey.  Let Him lead you -  You will score touchdown after touchdown.  Not everyone will be happy.  But you don’t even need to spite them or show them.  God said he’ll prepare a table for you in the presence of your enemies.  Just Love Him, Hear His voice.  Do it immediately.  And when it comes to the devil that used to so easily trap you in those sins that once so easily beset you, let him see your backside, as you head the opposite direction on the path God’s got for you!  Follow Him, Keep your eyes on Him, and He’ll lead you to green pastures, quiet waters, through valleys and over mountains.  He’ll never leave you, not alone, not the same, not lacking… He’ll never leave you short, with anything missing.  He will lead you completely.  You can trust Him fully.  And if you don’t grow weary in well doing, if you don’t turn back from that obeying… He’ll set a table for you in front of everybody.  He gets the glory, you get the blessing.  Just keep your eyes on Him. 
 
Love you all,
dad

Love you all, praying for you. 
 
I just love Gods Word, it gives truth, and starting points.  Foundations – for every good thing that God has for you, if you’ll receive it.   Have you ever heard of the marriage foundation?  Ephesians 5:33 - Love and Respect. (There’s a book of that title – worth the read).  In Ephesians Chapter Five, God said Husbands love your wife, wives respect your husband.  Why didn’t God tell husbands to respect their wife?  Why didn’t God tell wives to love their husband?  (Actually, he did, but we’ll get to that in a minute).  Something that always puzzled me.  Why do so many women insist that men treat them with respect?  Who are you hanging out with that needs to be told that?  How many men do you know that don’t?  Why do you even know them?  Why would you have any contact whatsoever with someone like that?  Disrespectful men?  You need to change your circle.   God didn’t have to tell a husband to respect his wife because the command He gave husbands was infinitely higher.  Love your wife means you lay down your life for them, like Jesus laid down his life for you!  That is the polar opposite of disrespect.  It’s at the other end of the spectrum.  Love is a much bigger commitment than respect.  If you love your wife, you will check off the respect box, long before you even start.  If husbands love their wives, wives will love their husbands, they can’t help it.  He gives her what she needs and longs for every day, she will just naturally love him, she can’t help it.  How he treats her, makes it easy for her to love Him.  A lot of husbands respect their wives, they were taught to respect women, but love?  That means lay down their life, that’s a whole ‘nother level, and most men don’t do that, not naturally…  That’s supernatural, it’s where you need God to help you through the Holy Spirit – to love your wife.  Men, like women, don’t naturally love, it takes a decision, daily choices, humility, and grace.  It takes selflessness.   Women don’t naturally respect their husbands, they’re human.  They want to do their own thing, and this culture tells them to be an independent woman - the opposite of honoring, respecting and submitting to a loving husband.  If your husband doesn’t love well, it’s hard to respect him.  If your wife doesn’t respect you, it’s hard to sacrificially love her.  But God didn’t say love your wife if she respects you.  He said, love your wife, lay down your life for her, like Jesus laid down his life for you, when you didn’t respect him.  Wives, God didn’t say respect your husband if he deserves it, God said respect your husband – his role if nothing else, to honor God if nothing else.  You respect the President of the United States, it doesn’t matter if your candidate is in the office or not.  God put him there, and God can take him out.  Husbands, God gave you a wife and He said to love your wife, with no qualifications.  Wives, God gave you a husband, He said to respect your husband, with no qualifications.  (Clearly this discussion is about people who obey God’s commands to treat all human beings with dignity.  So we’re not talking to spouses in abusive situations to stay in harm’s way.  That is not respecting your husband, to permit physical abuse.  We’re obviously not talking about those situations where separation is required for safety.)  But in normal marriages that are not abusive, why is it still so easy for married people to treat to their spouse worse than they treat others.  Familiarity breeds contempt?  No, it’s a ‘taking for granted,’ it is merely pure selfishness, rather than self-less-ness, that is the requirement of love and respect.  Some people say the rudest things to their spouse that they would never say to anyone else.  If you wouldn’t say that, or treat a co-worker that way, why are you treating your wife that way?  Why are you treating your husband that way?  You should be ashamed.  If we follow I Corinthians 13 – the love chapter, that’s how we should treat one another.  With patience, and kindness, not pride, never rude, self-less not self-seeking, not easily angered, keeping no record of offenses, truly forgiving and not holding it against them, always protecting, always trusting, always believing the best, always hoping, and always persevering in love, (persevering starts when you don’t want to), never failing to love and respect.  God said submit to one another in love.  So both husband and wife should love one another, and both husband and wife should show honor and respect, God’s word teaches that.  But God’s command:  Husband – you demonstrate love – lay down your life for your wife.  Wives - you show honor and respect for your husband.  Trust God to lead them to what they should do… you just do what you should do.   And if you’re not married yet…  Be very cautious in friendship (God said), be very cautious in who you marry. Those little things you see now, will be magnified then.  Just because they’re attractive, doesn’t mean they are of noble character.  What do they do when no one’s looking, what do they do when you’re not around?  What do they do under pressure?  Choose friends and a spouse wisely.  The best way to find the right one, is to become the right one.  See the Relationship Topics – 11 Things you need in a husband, and 11 Things you need in a wife.  Not to select one, but to become one!  You won’t change them, but you can change you! You can prepare to be what they need, God will take care of making them what you need.  You can even do this after you’re married.  But if you are not married yet, God’s way of approaching marriage – is polar opposite of the dating culture of this generation.  Husbands, praying that God will help you love your wife, and lay down your life for her.  If you ask Him, He will help you.  Do that first, don’t worry about if she is respecting you or not.  Leave her to God.  Wives, praying that God will help you respect your husband.  If you ask Him, He will help you.  Do that first, don’t worry about what He is now, let God make him respectable, you just respect him.  It’s amazing what God can do in your spouse, when you are committed to doing what God says, no matter what.   They say marriage takes a lot of work.  I don’t know if that’s true or not, but it does take humility, preferring them and their needs, over you and your needs.  If you love your job, it’s not really work.  Love your wife, Respect your husband, it’s God’s beginning step – His foundation for a successful marriage.  Ask Him, He’ll help you.  He wants you to have a great marriage!  One that reflects Him, one that your children hope they have someday.  That’s why He brought you the perfect partner.  Not perfect, perfectly suited to you.  Someone you can grow with.  They’re not the perfect spouse right now, neither are you, this is a journey, a journey of love.  It takes time, it gets better and better, if you will humble yourself, and do what God tells you, and trust them to Him.  Don’t look around, the grass isn’t greener – that’s just the devil’s lie to destroy your marriage, and destroy you.  Stick with this one, practice hedges.  You do you, and God will handle them.  If you will humble yourself, and commit fully, God’s grace will cover you, He will bring you to a unity where He commands a blessing.  It’s so worth it!      
 
Love you all,
dad

Love you all, praying for you.
 
I just love God’s Word, it is different than what you would expect.  Just the opposite.   If you ever get on the internet, there are a lot of people – millionaires, sharing what made them millions.  Some of them, maybe even most – genuinely want to help others achieve what they did, wealth (at least for now).  Others do it, because more clicks mean more money.  Of all the “become a millionaire” philosophies out there.  There are common threads…  “First, Invest in yourself, your own skills, knowledge and abilities – your best investment for the future, and your best hedge against economic uncertainty.  Then invest in index funds (sure things), but your best investment – invest in what you know.”  Dave Ramsey gave some widely respected advice to a fan who already had considerable money success.  What is your knowledge percentage?  80% Real Estate, 20% stock market?  Then your portfolio percentage should mirror that.  Ramsey said really wealthy people invest in only a couple of things, things they know, and they do them a lot.  Warren Buffet said the same thing.  I listened to a quick clip of an interview of billionaires asked “Was it worth it?”  Their responses were interesting, but quite frankly, saddening.  I can honestly say, not one of them is who I would aspire to.  God gave a warning in His Word.  Those who love money, and pursue money fall into temptation and a snare.  Even those who gained mega wealth themselves say – they know a lot of millionaires who are miserable.  God gave a real secret.  God owns it all, and gives it to whomever he chooses.  And He said a shocking thing.  To the wicked, He gives the task of storing up wealth, to give it to the one who pleases God.  So how do you filter advice, and whose advice are you pursuing?  Some of it has to be true, it results in money.  There are some things you can clearly do that result in money, not poverty.  Millionaires think a certain way, different than poor people do.  But what does God have for you?  God gave a warning, This is the fate of fools (who trust in themselves) and their followers who approve of their sayings.  Their bodies will rot in the grave far from the fine houses they lived in.  Not condemning a single one of them, I don’t know them, God knows their heart, He just warns us to be careful who we follow after.  God doesn’t think like rich people or poor people.  He thinks like God thinks.  That’s why He told us – transform your mind, so you think like I think.  It’s the mind of Christ.  That’s why PiVAT and PRISM are so important.  Get God’s plan for you today, and do it.  Keep PRISM, His Word on your mind and tongue, learn to think like He thinks!  God warned, Be careful what philosophy you pursue and adopt as your own.  Be sure it’s God who is leading you.  These philosophies are tricky.  What is your motive, and what part of these philosophies, are simply a discovery of God’s truth, versus deception in disguise?  And how do you discern?  What will you make?  Money, or Disciples?  What kind of disciples will you make? Whose disciples?  Is making money bad?  Your motive and how you go about it is where the danger lies.  If money is your measure of success, those who make disciples won’t measure up well in your eyes.  Some will, but not all.  Do you want to make money? Or make disciples?  Can you do both?  If you want both, it might be a good idea to seek God, to be sure that you’ve not convinced yourself you want both, but really want one - the money.  Like the guy who said, I want to land this million dollar deal, because God will get 10% of it. That’s funny, God doesn’t need to give you a windfall, so you tithe.  He owns the whole thing already, He can just keep it all.  God said, you cannot love God, and money.  God said to make disciples, not money, or money disciples.  He said, Godliness with contentment is great gain, and He revealed another secret, God gives wealth and adds no trouble to it.  This is where you need some friends who are God-obeyers in your circle of counsel.  Praying that you will pursue God’s commands above all others, seek a multitude of Godly counsel, exhort one other daily, walking with someone in an obedience relationship, and be sure you guard your heart against all kinds of greed.  It’s sneaky, or God wouldn’t have emphasized, all kinds…  Don’t measure people by their money, don’t measure them at all… let God do that, pray for them.  But measure yourself by your obedience.  God has different things for different people.  What does He have for you?  If you walk with someone daily, learning to obey, your life won’t be the same, but your obedience will be.  If you are seeking after God, His presence, and His Word, and if you obey what He tells you to do.  You can rest in His confidence knowing He will lead you, and provide for you.  Sometimes how He leads you will result in money generated, sometimes it won’t.  No matter where He leads you, these are the people of whom you can make disciples, helping them know the God who loves them and has such good things planned for their life.  Whatever He calls you to do, brings you in proximity with those who do similar things.  Some people pursue all the wealth building advice they can get.  The internet is full of it.  What if you pursued the wisdom of God through His Word, with the same intensity that aspiring millionaires pursue the advice of those who made it? the wisdom of this world to attain wealth.  God said seek first His Kingdom, and his righteousness and all these things will be added unto you.  But that doesn’t mean you’ll have the millions they do.  You’d have to do what they do, and believe like they do, plus luck, skill and timing – to get what they have, and they could lose it, in a moment.  Disaster or calamity could sweep it all away.  Is that what God wants you to pursue, and do and believe?  These are things you need to ask God.  God said in the house of the wise are stores of oil.  How did they get it and keep it?  God’s Word has instructions for it.  He said my people are destroyed by lack of knowledge.  (that’s not the absence of knowledge, that’s putting their faith in the wrong knowledge).  Destroyed means coming to ruin, loss.  Most people if they have money, end up losing it.  Not because the didn’t know enough about what Warren Buffet says, they don’t know enough of what God says.  Praying that you will pursue the knowledge of God, over the knowledge of men.   Praying that you won’t compare wealth.  You wouldn’t measure God’s plan for Mother Teresa, ministering to the destitute in Calcutta, by the value of her portfolio.  Praying that you will seek the Kingdom of God first, that your desire would be - to be simply - an obeyer, like Jesus.  That you would seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and be cautious in what knowledge you pursue.  So God will lead you in making disciples, obeyers, not in making money.  He may call you to things that make money, He may call you to things that make more or less money.  But everything here, will be left here, Money stays, People go with you.  Praying for wisdom, discernment, protection, that you would be on your guard against every form of greed.  But that you would fully pursue the presence and Word of God, and whatever training He requires of you – to put you in whatever sphere of influence He has created you for, so you can make disciples there.  His plans for you are good!  And they will include preparation, and discernment and hard work.  He reveals both, and gives grace for it.  He loves you, He has plans for your good, and good plans for your future.  Praying that His measure will be your measure.  So you make what He wants you to make.
 
Love you all,
dad