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BIBLE READING: Col. 2: 6 - 10 6 And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. 7 Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.  8 Don't let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ. 9 For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body. 10 So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority. BLOG: It's Humpday.  I never really understood that term.  I get it, but why? You're halfway to what Friday?  Saturday?  Sunday?   If Friday is payday, then you're looking forward to paying your bills. (Hoping to have a little leftover.)  Saturday is a play day.  Go out on the boat, go shopping, or take a day o

BIBLE READING:  Col. 2: 1 - 5   1 I want you to know how much I have agonized for you and for the church at Laodicea, and for many other believers who have never met me personally. 2 I want them to be encouraged and knit together by strong ties of love. I want them to have complete confidence that they understand God's mysterious plan, which is Christ himself. 3 In him lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.  4 I am telling you this so no one will deceive you with well-crafted arguments. 5 For though I am far away from you, my heart is with you. And I rejoice that you are living as you should and that your faith in Christ is strong.  BLOG:  I want to take a moment to revisit yesterdays' blog .   Matthew 17: 14 - 21 14 And when they came to the crowd, a man came up to him and, kneeling before him,15 said, "Lord, have mercy on my son, for he has seizures and he suffers terribly. For often he falls into the fire, and often into the water. 16 And I bro

BIBLE READING: COL. 1:24 - 27 24 I am glad when I suffer for you in my body, for I am participating in the sufferings of Christ that continue for his body, the church. 25 God has given me the responsibility of serving his church by proclaiming his entire message to you. 26 This message was kept secret for centuries and generations past, but now it has been revealed to God’s people. 27 For God wanted them to know that the riches and glory of Christ are for you Gentiles, too. And this is the secret: Christ lives in you. This gives you assurance of sharing his glory. BLOG: To recap, I shared the following illustration this past.   Up river to the Niagara Falls, before the 180-degree drop at the American and Horseshoe falls, boating is quite popular in the gentler flow. At the crossing of Wellington and Niagara River is a pedestrian walkway which has two signs for the boaters below, each posing a question. First: Do you have an anchor? Second: Do you know how to use it? In yesterday

BIBLE READING; COL. 1:23 But you must continue to believe this truth and stand firmly in it. Don't drift away from the assurance you received when you heard the Good News. The Good News has been preached all over the world, and I, Paul, have been appointed as God's servant to proclaim it. BLOG: In this mornings message, I shared the following illustration.   Up river to the Niagara Falls, before the 180-degree drop at the American and Horseshoe falls, boating is quite popular in the gentler flow. At the crossing of Wellington and Niagara River is a pedestrian walkway which has two signs for the boaters below, each posing a question. First: Do you have an anchor? Second: Do you know how to use it? How do you end up shipwrecking your life? I've had people walk into my office with elaborate stories about how their lives are a complete wreck.  They tell me about their addictions, divorces, jail time, broken hearts, crashed careers, and more. It's all quite sad.  Often

BIBLE READING: Col. 1: 21 - 22 21 This includes you who were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions. 22 Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault. BLOG:  This video came out last year, and I played it a lot.  It's just a great song.  So before you click here and play it, I want you to know.   Psalm 37:4  Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. I preached about this a couple of weeks ago, but just in case you forgot.  King David is old and sharing his wisdom.  He looked for happiness in all the wrong places. He wouldn't allow God to supply His needs.  He tried to do it himself and ended up hurt himself.   Here are a few things that you can do to make today better.  Answer this que

BIBLE READING:  Col 1: 15 - 20 15 Christ is the visible image of the invisible God.  He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, 16 for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth.  He made the things we can see and the things we can't see—such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world.  Everything was created through him and for him.  17 He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together.  18 Christ is also the head of the church, which is his body.  He is the beginning, supreme over all who rise from the dead.  So he is first in everything.  19 For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, 20 and through him God reconciled everything to himself.  He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ's blood on the cross. PERSONAL NOTE: Yesterday, I posted a blog that I wrote for next week.  Our beloved family pet, Latte, took a turn for the wors

BIBLE READING:  Col. 1:28 - 29 28 So we tell others about Christ, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all the wisdom God has given us. We want to present them to God, perfect in their relationship to Christ. 29 That's why I work and struggle so hard, depending on Christ's mighty power that works within me. BLOG:  When your faith fails. What do you do when your faith fails?  I know.  Some of you are cringing right now.  Some of you might be shouting at me, "Faith never fails!" I get it.  But you need to look at this passage of scripture regardless of your opinion. Matthew 17: 14 - 21 14 And when they came to the crowd, a man came up to him and, kneeling before him,15 said, "Lord, have mercy on my son, for he has seizures and he suffers terribly. For often he falls into the fire, and often into the water. 16 And I brought him to your disciples, and they could not heal him." 17 And Jesus answered, "O faithless and twisted generation, how lo

BIBLE READING: Col. 1:11 - 14 11 We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy,12 always thanking the Father. He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people, who live in the light. 13 For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, 14 who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins. BLOG: Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. As a kid growing up and through Bible College, I never notice Jer. 29:11.  It wasn't on anyone's radar at the time.  Then the popularity of this verse began to soar in the 2000s and is still popular today.   Why? Our present became more painful.  We needed something to look forward to.  Words like HIV, AIDS, ADHD, Bi-Polarism, Phobias, Drug and Alc

BIBLE READING: Col. 1: 9 - 10 9 So we have not stopped praying for you since we first heard about you. We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding. 10 Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better. BLOG: Feeling a little blue?  Down in the dumps a little?  Good news! You're normal.  Everyone goes through bouts of depression.  But that word!  Depression!  It makes you feel dirty or even worse broken.  Then when you research it, you read statements like mild to moderate depression,  severe to acute or self-destructive to suicidal.  Which one are you? Ever felt depression because of significant loss?  King David did. 2 Samuel 12:15-23 and 18:33 How about Elijah? He said, "I have had enough Lord, he said. Take my life, I am not better than my ancestors." 1 Kings 19:4.  

BIBLE READING:  Col. 1: 3 - 5  3 We always pray for you, and we give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 4 For we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and your love for all of God's people, 5 which come from your confident hope of what God has reserved for you in heaven. You have had this expectation ever since you first heard the truth of the Good News. BLOG:  Each of us has unfinished projects waiting for our return.  Cleaning the garage, writing a book or completing a degree could be among them.  There are a few things that lead us to set something aside. A crisis.  Something desperately needs our attention right now.  Because we cannot create time or save it like money - we have to reallocate time we have to address the need. Change of heart.  We get bored or discouraged.  Because we forget our "why," we stop spending time and energy. More often than not, these are the culprits that derail our dreams. Procrastination - Putting something

BIBLE READING: Colossians 1:1-2 This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and from our brother Timothy. 2 We are writing to God's holy people in the city of Colosse, who are faithful brothers and sisters in Christ. May God our Father give you grace and peace. BLOG: In my Sunday Life Group class, I've been asking the question. "What is your faith?" Can you define it? What does it mean to you? Let us make faith and adventure together. There are no lone ranger, hermit, isolated followers of Jesus. We were created for community, but community is an act of faith.  The greater your faith, the better your community. This Sunday, I am going to ask, "How do you make faith a reality in your life?" What steps do you take to make faith an essential part of who you are every day? We know that Hebrews 11:6 says And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exist

BIBLE READING:  Phil 4: 21 - 23 21 Give my greetings to each of God's holy people—all who belong to Christ Jesus. The brothers who are with me send you their greetings. 22 And all the rest of God's people send you greetings, too, especially those in Caesar's household.  23 May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.  BLOG:  Who do you fight?  Satan?  Yourself?  God?  Your spouse?  Maybe you're fighting the system, cultural or tradition.  Who are you fighting daily?  Did you know that you are probably fighting the wrong person or thing?   Fighting each other is pointless.  But you and I live in a world designed to do just that.  Rather than taking responsibility for one's actions, people play the blame game.  This means that you usually end up in the middle of someone's finger-pointing.   Fighting the "system" or culture is pointless.  God isn't in it.  All authority in Christ, not the "system."  Fighting

BIBLE READING: Phil 4:18 - 20 18 At the moment I have all I need—and more! I am generously supplied with the gifts you sent me with Epaphroditus. They are a sweet-smelling sacrifice that is acceptable and pleasing to God. 19 And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus. 20 Now all glory to God our Father forever and ever! Amen. BLOG: So yesterday I told you that I was having a rough day.  When I got to church yesterday morning, 1/2 of the churches electricity was off.  No AC.  No Lights. Nothing.  So we called FPL who eventually came out to see what the problem was.  Their diagnosis, the bypass meter box was broken.  (That's the box that your meter is in.)  There was no doubt.  Call an electrician.   This morning three electricians show up.  After some fiddling, they "accidentally" fixed everything.  They told me to call FPL and tell them their meter was defective.  FPL c

NOTE:  It’s late, I’m tired and I apologize.  I explain more in my blog, but for now please excuse any bad grammar.  I’ll try to do better tomorrow, I promise. BIBLE READING: Philippians‬ ‭4:15-17. “ As you know, you Philippians were the only ones who gave me financial help when I first brought you the Good News and then traveled on from Macedonia. No other church did this. Even when I was in Thessalonica you sent help more than once. I don’t say this because I want a gift from you. Rather, I want you to receive a reward for your kindness.”  NLT‬‬ BLOG:  I got up this morning with every intention of getting stuff done today.  That was short-lived. I’ll tell you more that soon.  But while I was dealing with one big problem today, ministry happened. One such thing happened a little while ago.  As I was checking out of the store the cashier asked, “How was your day?”   My answer was honest.  “You know, generally I try to be a positive person.  While I am not having the greatest of

BIBLE READING: Phil 4:10-14 10 How I praise the Lord that you are concerned about me again. I know you have always been concerned for me, but you didn't have the chance to help me. 11 Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have.12 I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. 13 For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.14 Even so, you have done well to share with me in my present difficulty. BLOG: Pain hurts. That's the definition of it, isn't it? It's an uncomfortable sensation we experience in a variety of ways. I've felt physical pain.  Pass a kidney stone, and you'll know what I am talking about. I've felt emotional pain. I've been betrayed, insulted, and treated poorly by some. But there is another aspect of pain that we often don't acknowledge

BIBLE READING: Phil 4:4 - 6 4 Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! 5 Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon.  6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.  8 And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. 9 Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you. BLOG:  I was eating at someone's house, and someone asked, "Are you full?"  I told the truth.  "Yes, I was full."  The lady of the house said,

BIBLE READING  Philippians 4: 1 - 3 4 Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stay true to the Lord. I love you and long to see you, dear friends, for you are my joy and the crown I receive for my work.  2 Now I appeal to Euodia and Syntyche. Please, because you belong to the Lord, settle your disagreement. 3 And I ask you, my true partner, to help these two women, for they worked hard with me in telling others the Good News. They worked along with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are written in the Book of Life. BLOG: Remeber the line from the Matrix where Morpheus tells Neo, "Remember… all I'm offering is the truth, nothing more…"? It's that moment when Neo has to choose between the red pill, which represents the harsh reality of life and the blue pill, which represents the ignorance of the harsh realities of life. Of course, Neo chooses the red pill; otherwise, that would have been the end of the movie. But you and I still have to choose

BIBLE READING:  Phil 3:17 - 21 17 Dear brothers and sisters, pattern your lives after mine, and learn from those who follow our example. 18 For I have told you often before, and I say it again with tears in my eyes, that there are many whose conduct shows they are really enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 They are headed for destruction. Their god is their appetite, they brag about shameful things, and they think only about this life here on earth. 20 But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior. 21 He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same power with which he will bring everything under his control. BLOG: . . . Listen  Who or what are you listening to?  The power of listening is such a lost art in our world today.  Here is a little experiment that will only take about 20 seconds.  Close your eyes and identify every sound around you

BIBLE READING: Phil 3: 15 - 16 15 Let all who are spiritually mature agree on these things. If you disagree on some point, I believe God will make it plain to you. 16 But we must hold on to the progress we have already made. (NLT) BLOG:  What are you grateful for? I know that I have blogged often about gratefulness.  But if there is one thing that our world needs a big dose of, it's gratefulness.  I cringe when I hear something positive that happens for someone, only to hear someone else gripe and complain about it.  There is no doubt that there are people who dedicate their lives to tearing down anyone who doesn't agree with them.   The other day I heard a person say how wonderful someone was that assisted them.  How grateful they were because it got them out of a jam.  Then in the same breath say, "But they were (of a certain race) and then commence to stereotyping them based on their opinion.   My response was, "What did you say?"  When I p

BIBLE READING: Phil 3: 12 - 14 12 I don't mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. 13 No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. BLOG: Amid the despair, there is hope.  I know that often we get into situations and think that there is no way out. It's hard, and it doesn't look like it's going to get any easier any time soon.  What do you do?  Deuteronomy 31:6 B e strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you. Most of the problems we face have to do with people.  But people fail us, betray

BIBLE READING:  Phil. 3:7 - 11   7 I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. 8 Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ 9 and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith. 10 I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, 11 so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead! BLOG: 1 Peter 3:8-10: "Finally, be all of one mind, be loving toward one another, be gracious, and be kind. Do not repay evil for evil, or curse for curse, but on the contrary, bless, knowing that to this you

BIBLE READING:  Phil 3:5-6 I was circumcised when I was eight days old. I am a pure-blooded citizen of Israel and a member of the tribe of Benjamin—a real Hebrew if there ever was one! I was a member of the Pharisees, who demand the strictest obedience to the Jewish law. 6 I was so zealous that I harshly persecuted the church. And as for righteousness, I obeyed the law without fault. (NLT) BLOG: I heard this statement years ago. "If you go looking for money, you will find it." At the time, I thought that was an odd statement. But leading research tends to agree.  Whatever we imagine, our brains will go into overtime to find.   Then I read in Matthew 7:7 "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. On first reading, it would seem that God is some magical golden cash card that we can use for whatever reason.  After all, He wants me to be happy that new car sure would make me happy! Well, that's n

BIBLE READING:  Philippians 3:1 - 4 Whatever happens, my dear brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord. I never get tired of telling you these things, and I do it to safeguard your faith. 2 Watch out for those dogs, those people who do evil, those mutilators who say you must be circumcised to be saved. 3 For we who worship by the Spirit of God are the ones who are truly circumcised. We rely on what Christ Jesus has done for us. We put no confidence in human effort, 4 though I could have confidence in my own effort if anyone could. Indeed, if others have reason for confidence in their own efforts, I have even more! BLOG: So I sat down with a pastor a while back, and he began to complain about how bad his church was.  The people were mean, the offerings were horrible, attendance was weak, and the church wouldn't grow.  After about 15 minutes of this, I stopped him and said. "O lighten up!  Things are not as bad as you make them out to be."  "What?" he said

BIBLE READING: PHIL. 2: 28 - 30 28 So I am all the more anxious to send him back to you, for I know you will be glad to see him, and then I will not be so worried about you. 29 Welcome him in the Lord’s love and with great joy, and give him the honor that people like him deserve. 30 For he risked his life for the work of Christ, and he was at the point of death while doing for me what you couldn’t do from far away. (NLT)  BLOG:  Opportunity is knocking, but will you open the door?   What if I don't like what I see?  What if I don't like what they say?  What if I don't like where this is taking me?  Opportunity always disguises itself in tough situations, and it still requires you to make a sacrifice.  But of what?  Your fears.  Opportunity may need you to speak up, stand out, or even take charge.   Here are a few things you may not know about your relationship with Christ.  He will make the opportunity, but you have to take a step of faith and open t

BIBLE READING: Phil 2: 25 - 27 25 Meanwhile, I thought I should send Epaphroditus back to you. He is a true brother, co-worker, and fellow soldier. And he was your messenger to help me in my need. 26 I am sending him because he has been longing to see you, and he was very distressed that you heard he was ill. 27 And he certainly was ill; in fact, he almost died. But God had mercy on him—and also on me, so that I would not have one sorrow after another. BLOG: It is no secret, we don't like Monday. According to The Fact Site.  Monday is the best day to buy a new car.  The average U.K. person won't crack a smile until 11:16 A.M. The productivity of workers is at its all-time low on Mondays.  A study in 2011 showed that the average person moans for 34 minutes on a Monday, compared to the 22 minutes on other days. Monday is the day of the week when you will weigh the most. Almost 50% of employees are late to work. Professionals over 40 suffer more stress on a

BIBLE READING: Phil 2: 19 - 24   19 If the Lord Jesus is willing, I hope to send Timothy to you soon for a visit. Then he can cheer me up by telling me how you are getting along. 20 I have no one else like Timothy, who genuinely cares about your welfare. 21 All the others care only for themselves and not for what matters to Jesus Christ. 22 But you know how Timothy has proved himself. Like a son with his father, he has served with me in preaching the Good News. 23 I hope to send him to you just as soon as I find out what is going to happen to me here. 24 And I have confidence from the Lord that I myself will come to see you soon. (NLT) BLOG:  I am writing this blog on a Saturday in anticipation of tomorrow.  Sunday.   How do you approach your Sunday's?  Do you do so with anticipation or as a duty of your faith?  Is it an opportunity to connect to Christ, or do you dread getting out of bed?  Galatians 6:7-9   7 Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one s

BIBLE READING Phil. 2:14 - 18   14 Do everything without complaining and arguing, 15 so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. 16 Hold firmly to the word of life; then, on the day of Christ's return, I will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless. 17 But I will rejoice even if I lose my life, pouring it out like a liquid offering to God, just like your faithful service is an offering to God. And I want all of you to share that joy. 18 Yes, you should rejoice, and I will share your joy. (NLT)  BLOG:  So I am reading Jon Gordon's book, The Positive Dog.  A good book and I recommend it. I'm not going ruin it for you, but it's about how to be positive and the benefits you reap from it.   What do you do when you find yourself in a bad situation.  One that is negative and causes you a great deal of stress?  What do

BIBLE READING:  Phil2: 12 - 13 12 Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. 13 For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him. BLOG: Today is the 4th of July.  On this day the colonies declared their independence from England. The War for Independence followed, and for eight bloody years, people gave their lives and futures and for an idea that all men are created equal.   We are studying the Book of Romans in our Advance Life Group on Wednesdays.  And if I were to imagine the Apostle Paul being in the same room as Thomas Jefferson or George Washington I think that he would agree with the following statement, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that amon

BIBLE READING: Phil. 2: 5 - 11 5 You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.  6 Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to.  7 Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being.  When he appeared in human form, 8 he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal's death on a cross.  9 Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,  11 and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (NLT) BLOG: Positive vs. negative.  To opposites on a battery terminal or a magnet.  They are different as night and day, black and white, up and down.  Both are a choice. What does the Bible say?  Philippians 4:8  Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whate

BIBLE READING:  Philippians 2: 1 - 4  (NLT) Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? 2 Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose. 3 Don't be selfish; don't try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. 4 Don't look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. BLOG:  I have often said, "Change is going to happen.  Choose how you want to change because you'll dislike what changes choose for you."  I've also said, "That which ceases to change, dies." You have to change if you're going to survive.  You have chosen what kind of change happens in your life if you're going to be successful.  Let God direct your change, and you'll discover significance. In Genesis 32