Love you all, praying for you,
 
I just love God’s Word!  It’s real, and it tells the truth. And it tells about people who forgot for a minute… like its so easy to do.  Psalms 13:1 – How long, O LORD?  Will you forget me forever?  How long will you hide your face from me?  Have you ever noticed that feelings are different than facts.  Many times they can be stronger than fact.  How long O LORD? Will you forget me forever?  Has He forgot you forever?  Has forever already come and gone and we just missed it?  How old are you?  Eighteen?  twenty-five?  fifty?  eighty?  To God a thousand years is as one day, and a day is as a thousand years.  Whatever you are believing him for is certainly not going to take a day because ten generations of your grandchildren will already have lived and died.  God said He will never leave you nor forsake you – He never has, He never will.  Just because dark clouds are in the way, you’re in the middle of a storm, that doesn’t mean the sun has turned away or is hiding it’s face.  Verse 3 – How long must I wrestle with my thoughts, and every day have sorrow in my heart.  Now that’s the real issue.  It’s not your life that’s the problem, it’s your thought-life that’s the problem.  How you think about life, or what you are going through, or what God is doing right now, or what you think He should do.  That’s the issue, how long will you wrestle with your thoughts? And have sorrow in your heart?  As long as you keep wrestling and sorrowing.  As long as you want to.  As long as you choose to. As long as it takes for you to take God at His Word.  He said, Cast all your cares on Him, because He cares for you.”  When you do that – the wrestling is over.  He said. “Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”  When you speak His Word, and do it – the wrestling is over, the sorrowing is over.  How long will my enemy triumph over me?  Are you dead?  Then he hasn’t triumphed.  But he will win this battle as long as it takes for you to do what God says you should do in this situation.  It starts with your words.  Praise God – He gives truth that our feelings are made to be brought in submission to.  When you go by what He said, and not what you feel, life gets so much better.  Nothing has changed – except you!  But when you do, everything changes.  David says it a couple verses later.  But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation.  (It hasn’t come yet, but he’s rejoicing now anyway…) I will sing to the LORD, for he has been good to me.  I love this – clear takeaways.  #1  You said your love never fails and I choose to trust you.  #2 – I will rejoice (take joy again) in your salvation!  I’ve seen it before, I will see it again, and when this life is over – my Salvation is in Jesus Christ and my eternity is paid for by Him alone.  #3 I will sing to the LORD (really, do it. Sing a new song – no band, no mix-tape, just sing, no rhyme needed – just do it) for He has been good to me.  He definitely has.  Everything you need He provides, He always has.  You have been blessed, provided for, protected – from things you didn’t even know were about to destroy you.  You have been remembered, promised, delivered, and He will do it again.  Praying that you will recognize the real issue.  God never made you to wrestle with your thoughts, He made you to submit your thoughts… Submit them to him, cast all your cares on Him, give all your praise to Him.  He isn’t hiding, He’s watching, He hasn’t forgotten, He’s working, He turns weeping into dancing – He gives the oil of joy for morning, He establishes your thoughts and your words on Him – just do what He says in this hour.  If just stand, then stand, but He probably has something for you to do while you stand.  You can still serve while you stand.  You can give a testimony to overcome with – the list is endless.  And you can speak His Word to establish your thoughts – then you don’t wrestle with them, you direct them, you invest them, you employ them, and your see the victory through the eyes of faith.
 
Love you all,
dad

Love you all, praying for you,
 
I just love God’s Word – it reveals things.  It stops you from what you were going to do, and tells you what you should do.  Have you ever noticed how easy it is to get confused between what seems right, and what is right.  In every decision in life – there is God’s way and man’s way.  Man’s way seems right, God’s way is way different, and way better.  Praying that you will regularly review the RELATIONSHIP Topic – God’s Way or man’s way – this truth will save you from a lifetime of mistakes.  I just love God’s Word – it has some sobering verses...  Psalms 30:11 – You rebuke and discipline men for their sin; you consume their wealth like a moth – each man is but a breath.   God’s warning is clear.  Those who pursue wealth, but not righteousness, will get neither.  They will end up with neither money or goodness.  It’s sobering - what you could spend a life pursuing, could disappear like the morning dew of a hot summer day.  There is a vital discernment required for a life that is a full life, that fulfills God’s purpose for you - to understand the difference between need and seed.  Praise God, He gives you what you need, and He gives you what to seed.  Those who hold back the seed, hold back the need, because seed always produces – what you need and more seed.  Some people only pursue what they need.  They pursue wealth only to end up with nothing, or only money.  Most people strive to get, not strive to give. Humility and the fear of the LORD bring wealth, honor and life.  The blessing of the LORD brings wealth, and He adds no trouble to it.  You can pursue wealth, or God can bring it. If you pursue wealth and not righteousness, it will be gone.  But if you pursue God and His Word and His will for you, wisdom fills houses with rare and beautiful treasures.  Humility and the Fear of the LORD, bring wealth, honor and life.  Those who pursue God are wealthy before the money comes.  They are wealthy even if the money goes.  Their wealth is in the LORD – the owner of it all. He gives them what they need, and gives them what to seed.  Just like what to pray and what to say, discernment needed.  Those who value God, more than the things He owns (and He owns everything), are always wealthy.  They have joy, purpose, contentment, blessing.  Their motives are different, and their result is different.  Like the golden eggs that you are trying to keep people from stealing, or the golden goose that keeps on laying more.  God’s ways are so much better.  His WORD is where you start.  PRISM every day – those five things you can do in God’s Word – they will never come up empty.  It is wisdom you need for today.  PIVAT for His plans – if you are busy doing what He has planned for you – your fruit will be great, and what you need will always come.  Fear will be gone, praise will be your clothing, joy will be your anointing, and righteousness will set you apart.  God’s blessing will follow, contentment and confidence in the LORD will have you walking joyfully and diligently in the next thing He has prepared for you to do.  His joy in you will be complete and your joy will be full.  Would you rather have joy or money?  That’s like wisdom or wealth.  Better to have wisdom.  Wealth without wisdom is NFL (not for long).  But wisdom brings wealth like seed brings harvest.  Praying that you will invest in God’s Word today, that you will invest your words today speaking His Word.  Praying that you will speak life, so you get what you speak.  That you will speak encouragement to others so you too will be encouraged, praying that you will encourage someone to obey today – that your obedience increases, so your testimony increases, and His glory can increase because of His life in you!
 
Love you all,
dad

Love you all, praying for you,
 
I just love God’s Word.  It gives you a different perspective.  It gives you reality.  The true reality of eternity, not the false reality of the temporary.  Psalms 39:4 – Show me, O LORD, my life’s end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting is my life.  You have made my days a mere handbreath; the span of my years is as nothing before you.  Each man’s life is but a breath.  Man is a mere phantom as he goes to and fro: He bustles about, but only in vain, he heaps up wealth, not knowing who will get it.  But now, Lord, what do I look for?  My hope is in you.  Save me from all my transgressions; do not make me the scorn of fools.” Do you remember when you were young?  You thought you would never get to high school, that you would never graduate – you couldn’t even imagine being a Senior.  And then Senior year came, and went, before you could blink.  Waiting for college to be over, or marriage to begin.  Or when that long awaited child came, and suddenly they are three years old – long out of bottles, and diapers, now they’re getting ready to start school!  What happened?  Life is but a breath.  The most valuable commodity is not money, it’s time.  The psalmist recognizes, you could spend your life gathering wealth, not knowing who will get it.  Or as Solomon said – those coming after me, who knows whether they will be wise with it, or foolish.  So in light of the breath that is life on earth.  What does David look for – in light of this truth?  My hope is in You!  Not in what I can accomplish in my life – what You can accomplish through me.  Save me.  But notice he didn’t say – save me from my enemies, from those who surround me to do me harm.  He doesn’t say save me from war, or from financial loss, or from unfulfilled dreams.  He said save me from all my transgressions, do not make me an object of reproach for the foolish.  David said, save me from sin – from wrong choices…  Help me never to do anything that would displease you.  He didn’t want a life of wealth, or a life of success, what he wanted most in light of the blink of an eye that life is.  Deliver me from doing my own thing, instead of your thing for me.  Help me live my life, spend my time in a way that honors you.  That is what matters.  Someone once asked the Executor of a famous millionaire – how much did he leave behind?  “Everything.”  Your most valuable commodity in life isn’t money, or success, or fame.  It’s time.  And what you do with it here, determines how you will live forever.  Without Christ you will be separate from God, in Christ you will live with Him forever, but how you live up there, the reward that is waiting – depends simply on – how you obey down here.  Praying that you will humble yourself – that those daily PiVAT conversations with God – getting His plans instead of yours... and before each week and month begin, will help you do everything in God’s heart for you to do.  It’s how he saves you from wrongdoing.  It’s how you learn what He is doing, and join him in it – doing your part – the part He has assigned specifically to you.  Then time passes joyfully, full of fruit, full of blessing, full of hope.  A life well spent starts with today!  What does God have for you today?  This week?  If you will ask him, He will tell you.  If you will obey – you’ll be amazed.  He’ll take you places, and give you things, eternal things, that you couldn’t even imagine.  This brief life will be joy and peace, and a deposit for the future – which never ends. 
 
Love you all,
dad  

Love you all, praying for you,
 
I just love God’s Word – it tells you the truth.  God’s truth, the only truth, and exposes false…  anything different than what God says.    I love that God’s Word has people who share exactly what we’re feeling sometimes.  Psalms 39:1 – I said, “I will watch my ways and keep my tongue from sin. I will put a muzzle on my mouth as long as the wicked are in my presence.  But when I was silent, not even saying anything good, my anguish increased, my heart grew hot within me and as I meditated the fire burned:  Then I spoke with my tongue.”  It’s interesting what He says next - not what you would think.  Have you ever decided to do better?  To keep your tongue from sin?  Sometimes our attempts at righteousness are insufficient.  Good intentions, but incomplete wisdom.  You don’t keep your tongue from sinning by not saying anything.  You keep your tongue from sinning, by saying the right thing… so often… that when something else comes out – its awkward, out of place.  It just doesn’t fit with who you are becoming – more like Christ.  So yes, keep a muzzle on your mouth, guard your tongue and you’ll guard your life.  But know that you overcome sin, not by your intention, but by the power of the Holy Spirit in you - choosing that grace to say no to sin, choosing the way out that God always provides.  And more important saying and doing what God just told you to do.  What you say is what you get.  So if you are speaking the Word of God, the promise of God, and the command of God, committing yourself to it, and trusting Him to bless it, your life will become very different than it was before.  Praise God.  He has good for you along the way – on the path He has chosen for you – the best path.  Praying that PiVAT before dinner is that non-negotiable where you are constantly getting His plans for you for tomorrow, helping you finish strong what He told you today, and remembering the testimony of what He does when you obey!  He will bless you every chance he gets – but the more you walk in His will for you – the more chances are created for His blessing to flow.  What He longs to do in your life, He delights in your well-being.  Praying that you will speak life and truth, and your commitment to walk in His ways.  Praying that PRISM is changing your mind, and your words, and your results – it happens every time. 
 
Love you all,
dad

Love you all, praying for you,
 
I just love God’s Word.  It tells you about real people.  What they did, and what God did.  Have you ever noticed in the life of Jesus on earth, He did mind-blowing miracles.  But the ones who got them, were rarely the successful.  They were the ones who recognized their need for Him – for a miracle from Him.  They fully admitted they were powerless to do it on their own.  Successful people – in their own mind – rarely get to the point where they need Him more than anything else.  The ones who leave everything behind in search of Him were the ones who got the miracle.  Like the woman with the issue of blood, who grabbed onto his cloak in the crowd.  Like the Phoenician woman who didn’t care what He said, she just wanted Him to heal her child.  The successful people, didn’t come to him, they critiqued him.  The ones who did what they did and got what they got, had no need of Him.  They didn’t value anything He had, other than notoriety.  The only exception – was the Roman Centurion – a very successful guy.  But He was humble and He worshipped the one true God.  He knew how authority worked, and He knew Jesus had all authority on earth, over every disease.  He understood authority, that’s why he asked Jesus to heal his servant, and said, “You don’t even have to come to my house, I am not worthy to have you enter, just say the word and He will be healed.”  And Jesus was amazed.  He said it was more faith than he had seen in Israel.  I really like this next guy… Mark 10:46 – Then they came to Jericho.  As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (that is, the son of Timaeus), was sitting by the roadside begging.  When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!  Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”  This man had a need, he was powerless in himself to meet it, he needed a miracle.  And he believed that this Jesus could give him what he asked.  How many times was Jesus in Jericho? – maybe the first and last time.  And he was not missing his chance.  He didn’t care what he looked like, what he sounded like, he didn’t care what anybody thought of him, insults did not phase him, He was going after Jesus with everything he had.  He was desperate.  People who are curious don’t get the miracle, people who are desperate and who believe - do.  Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” So they called to the blind man, “Cheer up!  On your feet!  He’s calling you.  (They had no idea what was about to happen, perhaps they thought Jesus was just going to ask him to be quiet, or give him some alms.)  Throwing his cloak to the side, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus.  “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him.  The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.”  “Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.  Even Jesus response was unexpected.  He didn’t call attention to the scene, wave his arms around – call upon the Name of the Father in Heaven, He just issued an authoritative command, and gave the reason that authority could flow – which brings ‘out of order things’ into order.  Your faith has healed you.  Blind Bartimaeus got to the place where his desperation merged with His faith – and he cried out to Jesus, Son of David, fully believing if Jesus would just hear him, He would heal him.  He did.  His faith was activated by what He called Jesus.  He didn’t call him Jesus of Nazareth.  He called Him Jesus, Son of David - The Christ, The Messiah.  Offensive to the religious, but he called Jesus who He really was – whether he completely understood what He was saying or not.  Praying that your faith will bring heaven to bear on what you’re desperate for that which God has put in your heart to ask and believe.  That God would reveal who He is, and that you would seek Him and call on Him and believe Him like Bartimaeus - so your faith will bring His authority to flow through your life as a testimony of God’s great love and power.  
 
Love you all,
dad

Love you all, praying for you,

I just love God’s Word.  Some verses are DNA verses.  That if you have ears to hear, and a heart to obey, it will change your life forever, it will shift the balance of power.  Psalms 8:2 – From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise because of your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger.  Wow.  God is talking about warfare here, and He’s telling you how to win.  He’s giving you a weapon to overcome with.  The first weapon is His Word.  "It is written, It is written."  (It’s why PRISM is so important)  The second weapon is faith – it’s what give you the victory!  (I John 5:4).  The third weapon is your testimony (and they overcame him (the enemy) by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony – that’s why your Daily Call is so important.  And this verse talks about the fourth weapon.  God ordained it for you since the time you were a baby.  God ordained praise.  It’s not a suggestion, it was purposely created as a weapon – to win battles.  When the disciples were shooing away the children, Jesus said, “No, let them come – for the kingdom of Heaven belongs to such as these.  God uses childlike faith – because it results in obedience.  They have no alternate philosophies, or ulterior motives, they just hear and obey with childlike faith.  This is the kind of Praise God has ordained for you – childlike praise.  And why did He ordain it?  Because of the enemy – this is warfare.  The enemy comes first with a voice.  The first battle ever – Eve heard a voice – a perverse voice – a false voice.  A voice that made her question what God said, His love for her, and His desire to do her good.  He lied, she bought it - hook line and sinker – and destruction followed.  We are still suffering today because of it.  When you are hearing voices, or listening to the wrong voice.  God has ordained a weapon for you to silence it.  He ordained it because of the enemy to silence the foe.  Your praise silences the enemy’s voice – it shuts him up!  It’s a weapon of war – it is what brings victory.  The key to the kingdom is hear and obey.  Jesus said, my sheep know my voice, another shepherd they will not follow.  Your Praise – was a weapon God ordained for your victory.  Some people are skilled with their weapon, others barely pick it up.   It’s buried in a closet or in storage somewhere.  Praying that you’ll sharpen your weapon today.  Praying that you will use it like your victory depends on it.  It does.  Start with the RELATIONSHIP Topic – Praise the Names of God, or Praise The Jehovah Names of God.  Use the weapon of praise – to silence the enemy.  All he can do is talk, your words will either speak what he says, or what God says.  Listen to him, and you will believe a lie – you’ll always be struggling with failure and defeat.  But believe and speak what God says – and you will overcome.  Praying that you will use your weapon of Praise today – so you silence the enemy, and exalt the LORD!  He’s got victory for you today! 
 
Love you all,
dad

Love you all, praying for you,
 
I just love God’s Word.  It tells you the truth, and it tells you the why.  Has anyone ever told you, “Stop sinning.”  Have you ever struggled with a sin in your life that has started to become a habit, and you just can’t shake it?  Whether laziness, comparison, slander, lust, greed, complaining, a lack of contentment, Word-less, Praise-less, Prayer-less, prideful?  Whatever it is – it started as a choice, then two and three, and now it’s become a habit.  The devil is already lying to you.  He says it’s who you are.  That’s a lie.  He’s a liar!  You wish you could just stop sinning!  But you can’t.  Why?  It’s your old nature, and if you live in that nature – you will naturally do what the natural man does - sin.  Doing what is wrong, harmful, falling short, less than God’s best - that’s why God gave you a new nature.  No will-power on earth is stronger than the sin nature, your natural man, that nature you died to when you were baptized, and raised into newness of life.  Your will-power to not sin works great, until the next temptation.  And the devil is the master at bringing them to you.  Your feet and your mind are in the wrong place.  The old nature is the old nature, but you can resurrect it, you can live by it.  That’s why God said – walk in the Spirit and you will not fulfill the desires of the sinful nature.  That’s the only power that overcomes the sin that the old nature always produces.  Galatians 5:17 - For the sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants.  And the Spirit gives us desires that are opposite of what the sinful nature wants.  These two forces are constantly fighting each other, to keep you from doing the things that you want.   The sinful nature will keep you from doing what the Spirit wants, and the Spirit will help you overcome what the sinful nature wants.  The question is – what nature controls you, what nature do you walk in, what nature do you feed?  Spirit or flesh.  Don’t get depressed that you’re sinning, it’s what will happens when your sinful nature is in control.  Don’t get upset about gravity… Instead submit yourself to the Holy Spirit.  Learn to walk where He is leading you and your sinful nature won’t have an opportunity to take back the reigns - because you’re too busy investing your heart and mind, and your hands and feet, in what the Holy Spirit wants you to do.  The old nature brings death, the new nature is life.  Long ago I learned a great secret.  The best weed prevention is thick grass.  The weeds just don’t have any room to take root and grow.  Some people constantly plant weeds, other people just don’t plant grass, the end result is the same.  That’s why PiVAT and PRISM are so important.  PiVAT – gets God’s plans for you – so you are so busy doing what He has planned for you good, to fulfill your purpose today!  You just don’t have the time to do what your old nature desires, and you are no where near whose places, where your old nature can engage in the sin it desires.  You’re nowhere near that corner of the street where she lives…  You’re walking on a totally different path.  Years ago I was on a month long bicycle trip with a group of sight-seers.  And another young man and I – enjoyed the scenery, but we really wanted to be the first to climb the mountain after a steep climb day.  Whenever he was getting tired, he would say, “I can always quit tomorrow.”  That’s true, and powerful.   I can always give up tomorrow, I can always sin tomorrow, But Not Today!  Ask God to give you an undivided heart to Fear Him today.  See the PRISM Topic – You Are Not Fearing God For Nothing.  Nothing you do in life is worth more, than the fear of the LORD.  He will bless you, your life will be fruit and abundance, even in the struggles. But if you get caught living in the old nature, all you get is darkness, you don’t even know what makes you stumble.  Praying that PiVAT will have you busy doing what the Holy Spirit wants.  Praying that your PRISM Time with God is your priority – that’s how your mind is changed.  Think different and you will act different.  Praying that your Daily Call – doesn’t become a chore, or fall by the wayside.  Start a new 3-Day-Challenge with someone.  God said it’s how you overcome, two by two, by the blood of the Lamb and the Word of your testimony.  Remember, the old nature is only winning because you don’t resist it.  If you don’t it gets stronger, but if you do, the devil leaves in hopes of a more opportune time.  You can always sin tomorrow – but not today.  Ask God to help you, He will.  He is the power to overcome.  He’s got grace for you to say ‘no.’  He always has a way out, and a path forward – to leave that garbage behind.  It’s so worth it!  Let the Holy Spirit lead you.  Don’t spend time on guilt trips, they don’t come from God but the accuser.  If you are guilty - repent and turn, and God will forgive you.  But feeling guilty is a waste of energy and a useless distraction.   Praying that your love for God – will have you so far down His obedience path to fulfill your purpose in life, and your purpose today - that you don’t really have time for the old nature.  Everything you do, feeds the New! 
 
Love you all,
dad

​Love you all, praying for you,
 
I just love God’s Word.  It’s exactly the opposite of what you would think.  It’s truth and life.  It’s God’s Way verses man’s way – one of the most important truths to ever comprehend in life.  It is the key to fulfilling your purpose.  Every once in a while, the sports conversation turns to ‘Who’s the greatest of all time.’  Everyone seems to have an opinion.  Wilt Chamberlain thought He was – one hundred points in a game is a strong argument.  Kareem Abdul Jabbar still holds the record for most points scored.  Most players – of the greatest basketball era (from Magic, Bird, Isaiah, Dominique, Dr. J) agreed that no one comes close to Michael Jordan – 6 finals, 6 rings, 6 finals MVPS.  Some fans now – those under thirty years old – seem to think that Lebron James is the greatest of all time.  Actually, it’s just a game, it probably doesn’t really matter, it’s merely a matter of opinion.  But really, who was the G.O.A.T.?  It’s funny how we humans want to be the greatest, or want to argue who was the greatest.  You don’t get a trophy, there’s no money in it, no monetary compensation, it’s a matter of esteem, people’s need for recognition.  So who’s great?  And who’s the greatest?  Thankfully the argument is now over.  Most people may not realize it.  But Jesus weighed in on the conversation… just to settle it forever.  Here’s what happened.  Jesus is on his way to Jerusalem with his disciples  Mark 10:33 – “We are going up to Jerusalem,” he said, “and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and teachers of the law.  They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles, who will mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him.  Three days later he will rise.  Not long after (the very next verse) James and John came to him and asked – Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask.”  What do you want me to do for you?  “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left…”  Instantly the other disciples were offended, and the first G.O.A.T. debate began.  It takes a moment to gather your mind around.  Jesus just told them He was going to be arrested, spit on, flogged, and killed, and the disciples are arguing about this?  Are you kidding me?  Could there be a greater ‘tone-deaf’ example in human history?  Did you hear what Jesus just said?  And that’s what you are thinking of?  Jesus had to be shaking his head, “with friends like these… who needs enemies.”  But he went ahead and settled the argument once and for all, for all of our benefit.  Verse 42, Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them.  Not so with you.  Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be the G.O.A.T. must be slave of all.  For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Jesus just settled the G.O.A.T. conversation by changing the criteria.  It’s not those who score the most, it’s those who serve the most – not points, assists.  (Maybe not Jordans, Jabbars, Malones, or Chamberlains, it’s Magic Johnsons, Jason Kidd’s, and John Stockton’s).  Jesus said what makes you great is how you serve.  In His kingdom the first will be last, and the last shall be first.  So how are you doing today when it comes to greatness.  The truly great, don’t worry about G.O.A.T. conversations, they just serve – so others can shine, so the love of Jesus can shine through them.  Praying that you will ask God who He wants you to serve today, and what He wants you to do - to benefit them.  It’s why PiVAT before dinner is so important, getting His plans instead of yours.  Yours will serve you, His will serve others.  He will tell you how to serve today – and if you do, you will really point to the only G.O.A.T. the Name above all Names, the One who laid down his life, so we could live - forever.  Praying you will serve well in how He leads you today…
 
Love you all,
dad   

Love you all, praying for you,
 
I just love God’s Word.  It is truth and encouragement.  Even warnings are encouragement.  He loves you enough to give you a warning.  If He didn’t love you, he wouldn’t bother.  And I love passages that give you takeaways to hang your hat on.  All of them do.  Psalms 3:3 – But you are a shield around me, O LORD; you bestow glory on me and lift up my head.  To the LORD I cry aloud, and he answers me from his holy hill.  I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the LORD sustains me.  I will not fear the tens of thousands drawn up against me on every side.  I just love God’s Word, it tells you who God is, and what He does – it’s His love letter to you, and it tells you what you should do – with people who did it before you!  You’re not the first calf through this gate.  If they did it, so can you.  And if you walk in the Spirit of God – nothing is impossible.  I love this… “But you – my situation isn’t as it appears… but God!  You are a shield around me.  He is your protector – He will protect and deliver you – He is the LORD – the Supreme Authority in heaven and earth – and He loves you!  You bestow glory on me.  That means He gives you success and the glory – the reward and recognition and esteem that goes with it.  And He lifts up your head!  He helps you see His power and possibility – not what things look like around you.  He encourages you – when discouragement is trying to overtake you.  He lifts up your head!  Here’s your job – cry out to him, and He answers you.  Lie down and sleep – He gives rest to those He loves – He sustains you, strengthens you, gives you counsel in the night season, and awakens you every morning.  Your job – fear not, and you start by saying it.  I will not fear the tens of thousands drawn up against me on every side.  Like Elisha prayed for his servant – “Open his eyes,” and his servant saw the legions of angels surrounding the army that surrounded them.  A total mismatch.  What seemed like certain death – through the eyes of the Spirit – is not even a contest.  It’s a blowout.  Verse 8 – from the LORD comes deliverance.  He is your deliverer.  He is a shield around you, He gives you success, He encourages you, He answers when you call, and delivers you, He gives you sleep, He sustains you, he delivers you from all your fears.  That’s pretty good.  That’s better than pretty good.  He is the strength you need.  He stands with you, goes before you, He comes alongside you, He’s your rear guard, He is your Shepherd, and best friend, your sustainer, and the One who fulfills the purpose He has for you.  Praise God we get to ‘just obey’ because He’s got this.  He has good for you – every test or trial is just a joy, another testimony about to happen.  Praying that PRISM will be your goto – so He can show you what you need for today.  That you will obey the very next thing he has assigned for you – and not worry about anything else.  Just the first thing.  His plans are always joy. 
 
Love you all,
dad

Love you all, praying for you. 
 
At daybreak this morning, everything changed.  The dawn of Resurrection Day – the day everything changed forever!  The pivotal moment in History – when Jesus left His throne in heaven, and took the form of a baby in a manger.  The culmination of that moment was the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.  It’s why He came… for you!  When the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, rose from the dead He brought Salvation and victory, healing and hope, He brought death to life.  April means new beginnings.  What an appropriate month for Easter.  Everything is new.  Nothing is as it was before.  The chains are gone, we’re set free!  All who put their faith in Jesus Christ – become clean before God.  The sin that separated you from a Holy God – has been put under the blood of Jesus that He willingly shed for the removal of your sins!  You no longer are a sinner, you are saved by His grace.  Those who put their faith in Jesus and what He did on the cross in their place – these will live with God in heaven forever – for all of eternity.  Jesus is the only way to God the Father in Heaven.  Jesus said it, not someone else.  This was the greatest transfer of power the world has ever seen.  Jesus replaced your condemnation with His – so His innocence can become yours.  This concept is foolishness to those who are perishing, doubtful to those who think they can earn their own salvation, needless to those who think sin doesn’t really matter to God, and offensive to those who hate God and those who believe and follow Him, who promote false gods or no god.  But to those who believe, who obey the Word of the One True and Only God – the Creator of Heaven and earth - this truth is the power of God for Salvation, a completely new life, a fully paid ticket to eternity in Heaven with God.  This is love in it’s ultimate form.  The love of a Father that would give His own son… for you!  The love of Jesus for His Father who obeyed even to death on a cross, and His love for you – to take your sin and your guilt upon himself – so you could go free.  On Easter amid the dresses and hats, and bunnies, eggs, and chocolate.  Sometimes we can forget what Jesus really suffered, so we could be set free.  The power of His resurrection is far more power than you will ever need.  The same power that raised Christ from the dead is available for you to live in freedom in your life.  This day changes everything!  Praying that you will remember that today – is a new beginning.  The power of God to live a life pleasing to Him – that brings His blessing!  Today is a new beginning!  Defeat has been swallowed up in victory.  God’s good for you - started with what Jesus did.  Now everything is possible.  Praying that you will have a new beginning today.  His death purchased new life for you and has given you all the power you need from a new beginning to the very end.  Easter – the day of new beginnings.  Happy Easter. 
 
Love you all,
dad