August 8

As a landlord, I can relate to what it means to put down a security deposit on a dwelling. That deposit acts as a placeholder, to begin with, but once the lease is signed, and the tenant moves in, it becomes a guarantee that the tenant will treat the home properly, pay the rent as agreed, and stay the designated amount of time, or the deposit could be used to help fulfill their obligation. If everything goes as planned, the deposit will be returned to the tenant when they move out, and everyone is happy in the end. 

After Jesus had fulfilled his time on earth and had taught the world the ways of God, he didn’t want to leave us empty-handed, so he made a promise, and gave us the Holy Spirit as a deposit, a part of him that acts as a place holder until he returns to take his rightful place as King. We are only tenants right now and do not have the same rights as an owner. However, all of that will change when he calls us to be with him. Then when we return, we will no longer be renters but will rule with him and take ownership. Those who do not accept Jesus as Savior, will lose their deposit, because they haven't treated him properly, and will be evicted, and spend eternity in Hell without the comfort of him. I hope that more people, especially people I know and love, will come to know him as Savior, so they can become owners too, and never face eviction.

And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee. 1 Corinthians 1:21-22

The saying is trustworthy, for: If we have died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us; if we are faithless, he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself. 2 Timothy 2:11-13

August 7

We have been dealing with an issue concerning my car’s air conditioner, and have had it in the shop multiple times. Once again, I’m driving a loaner vehicle, but this time there is something different about the car; it has some kind of control that keeps the vehicle in its lane. As I’m driving along, not knowing about this control, I tried changing lanes, but it didn’t want to let me, I felt like someone was holding the steering wheel, trying to prevent me from moving over. After a couple of times of this happening, I quickly learned that if I used my blinker like I’m supposed to, it would allow me to make a lane change without holding the steering wheel tight. Let me tell you, that car has the Holy Spirit!! I’m only kidding, but that’s how the Holy Spirit works; he is a guide to keep you in your lane. When you start veering into the next lane, where you have no business, he tries to convince you to stay put by giving you a check in your spirit, but we still have the option of going our own way if we choose, but it could be dangerous. Please be aware of his presence, and listen when he tries to give you direction, it’s for your own good. He doesn’t want you changing lanes without his guidance; you could be moving into dangerous territory.

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. Galatians 5:16-17

August 6

None of us like chaos and disorder, but it seems to be engulfing our tranquil lives. We can’t help but be concerned with the calamity of those who go their own way, or follow the direction of Satan; it’s natural for us to feel a bit rattled because we don’t understand it. If you tend to become overwhelmed and have a little trouble sleeping, let me share with you something I like to do to help me rest and feel comforted. There is a verse in Isaiah 6 that describes the throne room: “In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple.” I picture what that might look like in my mind. I can’t see the face of God, because he is enormous, but I can see his robe, and its layers and layers of soft, comfortable fabric that are large enough for me to curl up within. When you are in his presence you feel secure and peaceful; but remember, we never leave the presence of God, and we are always hidden within Jesus, like being curled up in his robe, and peaking out at the world, where we only look with our eyes and see the recompense of the wicked. You might be disturbed, or rattled, but you are untouched and are safe and secure in Jesus!

And the effect of righteousness will be peace, and the result of righteousness, quietness and trust forever. My people will abide in a peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places. And it will hail when the forest falls down, and the city will be utterly laid low. Isaiah 32:17-19

August 5

It is bat eviction month. Our neighborhood has been dealing with infestations of those winged rodents that like to make their home in the eves of our houses. It wouldn’t be so bad if they didn’t make a mess, but their feces stink, and well, it’s just creepy to have them there. Supposedly, they keep the insect population down, but I still get bit by mosquitos when I go outside, so they aren’t doing their job. Bats are protected and cannot be touched or removed during certain times of the year; you can’t lock them out of their home when they are raising babies, and no one wants to go to jail over a rodent! So, we are waiting until that perfect day, August 15, to begin the process of removal. Do you have a few bats in your belfry that you have become fond of, but are causing a big mess in your life?  What I’m referring to is past hurts, trauma, fear, unbelief, or rejection, that continues to sap your joy, and cause an unwelcome distraction to complete submission to Jesus. That stinky mess needs cleaning up! Until you submit entirely to Jesus, and believe him when he says he has taken on, and suffered for you and your issues, you will remain chained to those strongholds. No Christian needs to be in bondage to those little creepers! Have a conversation with him, and turn over everything in your life to him, and get those bats out of your attic! 

"For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery." Galatians 5:1

"Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom." 2 Corinthians 3:17 

"and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”" John 8:32

August 4

It may be time for us to bring the gospel message to everyone we meet. It’s a tough thing to accomplish; I had intended to start yesterday, but failed upon the first person I met, by forgetting my commitment for the day, I suppose the Holy Spirit would have reminded me if it had been a necessity. We need to be prepared ahead of time by having the gospel clear in our minds. The first and best way to convince someone is your testimony to show them what Jesus has done for you, but another approach may be to point to the chaos and impending end of our world as we know it, there is much fear in everyone because of it. Also, remember that the Word of God does not return void, so use scripture! I will point you back to my old Baptist upbringing and give you the scriptures from what many call The Roman’s Road. Copy these to your notepad on your phone so you always have them ready when needed. Many people wonder what their purpose in this life is; your purpose right now is to bring people to know Jesus. He commissioned us for this reason. "And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation." Mark 16:15

The Roman’s Road To Salvation

• "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," Romans 3:23
• "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 6:23
• "but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8
• "because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." Romans 10:9
• "For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10:13

August 3

I have great concern for those who’ve not surrendered to Jesus. If you haven’t noticed, the world is suffering from what some may call “birth pangs,” like what is mentioned in the Bible. There is turmoil, chaos, destruction, and a sickness that is being called a plague. Even though the church is being persecuted at this time, don’t wait any longer to turn yourself over to Jesus, it would be better for you to do it now than wait until all the Christians have been gathered to Jesus. If you wait, you will suffer much, and I wish for no one to experience what has been predicted to happen in the Bible. Broken people come to Christ, not perfect people, there is no such person, except Jesus. The process is easy, and it only takes a simple prayer and a heartfelt belief that Jesus is the one and only son of God and that he was given to us as a gift, a sacrifice for our sins. I know this sounds too good to be true, but it is. Pray this simple prayer today, and you will be welcomed into God’s kingdom when he calls the Christians home.

God, I know that I have sinned against you and deserve punishment. But Jesus Christ took the punishment that I deserve so that through faith in Him, I could be forgiven. With your help, I place my trust in you for salvation. Thank You for Your wonderful grace and forgiveness - the gift of eternal life! Amen!

August 1

Since Isaiah seems to be a hard pill for many to swallow, I decided to take a break from my commentary on it today and give you a practical lesson that we all can use. All is not lost, and we are not the first generation to deal with difficult times. Being we are part of the family of God, we have certain protections that we can count on; the primary protection, and most importantly, is our eternity. Things on this earth are not easy, but if we hold on to what we have until the end, we will be spared eternal separation from God. 

Out of four children, we have one who is connected to our hip. She feels sad when she is away from us for too long. Sometimes a phone call or FaceTime will help her get over her separation anxiety, but in most cases, she needs to see us. She has an overwhelming desire to be close; when we moved to Brandon, which was only about five miles away, she followed us there; I don’t quite understand why, we aren’t that great, but her love for us is full, and I am very thankful for that love. Imagine if we all desired to be close to Jesus in this way, so much could be accomplished on his behalf, and the world might be a better place. The lesson for today, start thinking about Jesus more, grow in love with him, make him the focus of your moments, breathe him in at every breath, and be like our sweet child, who always wants to be near. Doing this could help you get over some of the hurdles this life on earth sometimes throws at you.

"And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind." Matthew 22:37