August 9

I’m on the board of our Home Owners Association, we had to meet to handle the issue with the bats. We had planned to meet in the cul-de-sac outside of my house, but the weather turned, and it began to thunder with lightning popping, and then it began to rain. We moved our meeting into my garage; we are still protecting one another from the Coronavirus. The meeting was successful, so now, when it is lawful, we can remove any bats that may have made their home in the eaves of some of the houses. Isn’t it funny the people have to follow the law, but the bats don’t? They were uninvited guests, but we can’t evict them until the appropriate time. God has a plan to remove the evil of this world too, but we have to wait until the right time, so we have to contend with it until the assigned day. This situation is similar to the parable of the weeds being sown into the crops by an enemy; Jesus said to let them grow with the wheat and then separate them at the harvest. The day of reckoning is coming! We will evict the bats, and the weeds will be burned at the harvest. Hang in there; our troubles are almost over. The enemy may try to discourage us from meeting to handle the issue, but seek shelter under the covering of the Lord, and you will be safe.

Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, “Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.”’” Matthew 13:30

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

August 1

Justice awaits! In Isaiah 13, he is writing about a vision he saw of Babylon and the destruction they face because they oppressed God’s people. Isaiah references the day of the Lord; the day of the Lord and the return of Christ are two different times. It will be a dark day for those people left on earth after we are caught up in the clouds to meet Jesus because they will know that their destruction is near, or will they? We see people today reveling in the crushing and the oppression of the church; they might be happy when we are all gone, but only for a moment! God will rally his people for their destruction. His warriors will go out under his power and exact revenge for all the wrong they committed against God and his people. The things we see now, and the people destroying the peace of the land by their demonic possession will suffer at the hand of God’s warriors. You see, we will be a part of God’s vengeance. He will equip those of us who are called for that purpose. If you thirst for revenge, wait for it! It will be much better when brought by the power given by God. 

I myself have commanded my consecrated ones, and have summoned my mighty men to execute my anger, my proudly exulting ones. The sound of a tumult is on the mountains as of a great multitude! The sound of an uproar of kingdoms, of nations gathering together! The LORD of hosts is mustering a host for battle. They come from a distant land, from the end of the heavens, the LORD and the weapons of his indignation, to destroy the whole land. Wail, for the day of the LORD is near; as destruction from the Almighty it will come! Isaiah 13:3-6

July 31

We have Jesus! When the world seems to be falling apart, life is hard, and we are no longer comfortable, we have Jesus. He is the light that shines on our path, our salvation, when bitterness takes its toll and breaks our hearts. He is our comfort, our peace, and is gentle to our soul. He knows us better than we know ourselves, our deepest secrets are not secrets to him, and we don’t have to hide. Out of the depths, he rescues us, pulls us out of the muck and mire, and gives us newness of life. Don’t let upheaval define who you are; let it be Jesus. Run to him for protection, when you can no longer tolerate evil, he will not turn you away; he will restore your tranquility, and affirm your reason for living. Jesus is our source, seek him in every situation, when rejoicing, or full of sorrow; he wants you to include him, and be the rock, and firm foundation on which you stand. 

* You will say in that day: “I will give thanks to you, O LORD, for though you were angry with me, your anger turned away, that you might comfort me.

* “Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the LORD GOD is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.”

* With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. Isaiah 12:1-3

July 30

One thing we can all agree upon is that this year is giving us 20/20 vision! I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the number for the year and the number for perfect vision are the same. When Jesus said in Mark 4:22, “For nothing is hidden except to be made manifest; nor is anything secret except to come to light.”, he wasn’t kidding. Some of what’s coming to light are heart wrenching and vile; things I wouldn’t wish on my worse enemy. There are some sick minds trafficking children and using them for their pleasure as if they weren’t human. If you haven’t figured out what’s going on by now, you have your head in the sand! President Trump vowed to get to the bottom of human trafficking, and God is helping him make good on that promise, and heads are beginning to roll. He has stirred up a hornet's nest that seems bigger than him, but he’s holding an enormous can of spray, and with the help of God, he will fumigate our country, and other countries that are involved, of this heinous crime against humanity. The acts of violence, racism, Russian collusion, and other acts of defiance are issues meant to distract our attention away from the truth. We will see heads beginning to roll, as God cuts the tops out of the mighty trees in Hollywood and topples the big wigs in Washington, DC. Keep your eyes open; the truth is beginning to trickle out!

 Behold, the Lord GOD of hosts will lop the boughs with terrifying power; the great in height will be hewn down, and the lofty will be brought low. He will cut down the thickets of the forest with an axe, and Lebanon will fall by the Majestic One. Isaiah 10:33-34

July 29

This is for the weak Christians among us; close your ears and harden your heart if you don’t want to hear it. Are we too boastful as a nation? Our strength is celebrated on the world stage, but have we forgotten who has given us our power? The message today will strike fear into some people, those whose faith is weak. Assyria was used as an instrument of God to teach a lesson to his people. They boasted that their strength came from their own hands, but God was only using them as a tool. We know that the gates of our country were opened up to the Islamic faith through our former president, and they call us infidels. Is God using the people of Islam as an instrument to destroy us from within because of our boastful attitude, and idol worship? He’s used tools such as them to clean up the people of Judah and start fresh with people whose faith is only in him. We should not be so arrogant to think that it won’t happen to us. If this is not the case, we can say that they have weakened us by infiltrating our government and coming hard against our belief in Jesus, but it also seems they are trying to wipe the Christians off the face of the earth. Fortunately for us, if they do take us out, our home is with Jesus, and they can’t take that away! Make sure your faith in him is secure; you never want to hear him say to you, “I never knew you.”. He will give you the strength to endure and stand firm for him.

What will you do on the day of punishment, in the ruin that will come from afar? To whom will you flee for help, and where will you leave your wealth? Nothing remains but to crouch among the prisoners or fall among the slain. For all this his anger has not turned away, and his hand is stretched out still. Isaiah 10:3-4

July 28

If, while going through a trying time, you knew that life would be better than you had it before, would you change your attitude? Together, let us declare a new and right position about our troubles; we know that whatever or whoever is causing our oppression will be no more, and happiness will be forever ours. We have peace that was guaranteed, long before this day and age, a Warrior who tramples on our enemies and uses their blood-soaked garments as fuel for the fire. Allow him to exact your revenge, because it will be much worse than if you did it yourself. Right now, our enemy is the press, pouring out their lies and suppressing the truth, along with the party of destruction, destroying the lives of our future by making those who are yet to be born their prey. Jesus came as a servant and the only acceptable sacrifice, but when he comes again, he will come to rule! Whatever is dirty and disgusting will be thrown into the lake of fire, and those of us who love him, will live on with him, the Avenger, as our King! The atrocities happening now will be no more; we can be confident of that. 

For the yoke of his burden, and the staff for his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian. For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult and every garment rolled in blood will be burned as fuel for the fire. Isaiah 9:4-5

Woe to those who decree iniquitous decrees, and the writers who keep writing oppression, to turn aside the needy from justice and to rob the poor of my people of their right, that widows may be their spoil, and that they may make the fatherless their prey! Isaiah 10:1-2

July 27

Sometimes, I’m shocked at the things brought to my attention by the Holy Spirit. Wouldn’t you think that the house of God, would be the last to see his judgement? That is untrue! He starts cleaning up his own house first. If he doesn’t withhold his judgment from the church, what will happen to those who deny him? Look at what is happening now; churches are closing, some burned to the ground. Then the Supreme Court refuses to give churches the same privileges as casinos, restaurants, and other businesses in Nevada that are allowed to operate at fifty percent capacity, capping the church attendance at 50 people. That is not justice, or is it? What is God trying to tell us? We need to clean up our own house before we tell someone else how they should live. Why would they listen to us, when those who call themselves by Christ’s name, act as evil as the world? Those people don’t represent me, but because they carelessly take Christ’s name as their own, they paint an ugly picture of his people. God needs to clean up the church first, as unfair as it may seem, it’s the only way to clean up the world. Remember the old saying, “A fish rots from the head down”; we need to fix the head, so the rest of the world doesn’t rot!

Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 1 Peter 4:16-17

July 26

I’m thankful for being so close to the beach and being able to go whenever I want, but my enjoyment is not everything, there is much more to a life in Christ than this. I have learned to stay detached from my pleasures and belongings, even though many of them bring me joy, but they are not permanent. What is permanent? The things you carry in your heart, our love for Jesus, family, friends, and others, are what we will take with us into eternity. The things we build with our hands are dross and will melt away when refined by fire. If you feel you have to work to receive payment, work for spiritual gifts, and the fruits of the Spirit, work toward bringing others into the Kingdom, those are the things worth working towards, and are the rewards for a life lived for Jesus. Yes, the works of our hands bring us comfort while we spend our ambassadorship here on earth, but those are not the things God holds dear, and he doesn’t give us rewards for having them; more often than not, he calls them idols; something built with our own hands. Learn to value what God values, and stay detached from earthly things.

Their land is filled with silver and gold, and there is no end to their treasures; their land is filled with horses, and there is no end to their chariots. Their land is filled with idols; they bow down to the work of their hands, to what their own fingers have made. Isaiah 2:7-8

July 25

Years ago, I took a trip to the state of Washington, and traveled through Oregon. While there, I notice many things, but mostly the lack of godliness. We were there for a week, and I only saw one church, and it was boarded up. I had my first encounter with a demonic presence there, and I have never forgotten it; my weapons were not as sharp as they are now, so I was fearful. I left there feeling like God was only there because of me, and that he had forsaken the area. As it stands now, I would never go back there, though it is quite beautiful. When I see the rioting in the news, and the occupying of Seattle, and Portland, it confirms my impression, and I do not doubt that the behavior of the rioters is an outward sign of how spiritually dead those cities are. I believe there is a reason God showed me the underbelly of our country, so when things got rough like they are now, I could see what is happening. It’s a demonic dance, a picture of hell on the surface of the earth, and the devil is using the souls of the depraved to do his bidding. The verses in Job that I’m using today reminded me of what’s going on there and a warning we need to heed. 

“The godless in heart cherish anger; they do not cry for help when he binds them. They die in youth, and their life ends among the cult prostitutes. He delivers the afflicted by their affliction and opens their ear by adversity. Job:36:14-15

“But you are full of the judgment on the wicked; judgment and justice seize you. Beware lest wrath entice you into scoffing, and let not the greatness of the ransom turn you aside. Job 36:17-18

July 24

Does your righteousness belong to you? When going through troubled waters, do you cry out to God and proclaim your innocence. At one time or another, we have all said to him, “Why aren’t you helping me? I haven’t done anything wrong!”. In our misery, we tend to rebuke God for allowing us to fail and endure hardships; we can’t help it; we are human. But that’s just it; our humanity is anything but innocent! We are flesh, and it’s our nature to sin, so if you think you don’t sin, you are wrong, and your self-righteousness becomes a sin! I got a spanking when reading Job this morning. He was refuting his friends and proclaiming his righteousness, and I felt him, and understood his feelings, because I’ve been there, and have spoken very similar words. In all of his rebuttal, he did not give God credit for his innocence; it was all about him and his righteousness. In this, Job was wrong. He was wrong to blame God; he was wrong to declare his innocence. God is Almighty, and if we don’t fear him, there is no wisdom within us. Don’t kid yourself; we are only righteous because of Jesus; make sure you get this right. 

You say, ‘I am pure, without transgression; I am clean, and there is no iniquity in me. Behold, he finds occasions against me, he counts me as his enemy, he puts my feet in the stocks and watches all my paths.’ “Behold, in this you are not right. I will answer you, for God is greater than man. Job 33:9-12

And he said to man, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.’” Job 28:28

July 23

The eye can be deceived. My house has the same color of paint throughout. When we bought it, the paint was in good shape but needed a little touch-up. We didn’t have the code for the exact color, but because of technology, we were able to take a sample and have it color-matched. It was the perfect color, so we thought. We are having new countertops installed, which means that the old must be removed. Behind the four-inch backsplash, the old paint color is uncovered and is next to the original paint. With the kitchen lights being very bright, it reveals the slight difference in the shade. It’s not noticeable where we’ve touched-up, probably because the lighting is not as bright. It’s also noticeable in my garage, where I can see that they didn’t cut in close to the ceiling; I probably notice it because of the bright natural light that pours in when we open the garage door. Could this be a revelation? It absolutely is! The slight variation between the truth and lies, is revealed when light is shined upon it. There is no greater light than Jesus. When he decides to uncover the truth and bring it into his light, the darkness will scatter like roaches. Don’t be afraid of what will come, God is in control, and all we need is the light of Jesus to send the enemy scattering.

Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Ephesians 5:11-16

July 22

The book of Job is poetry, but resembles a trial with his friends, the lawyers, bringing accusations against him. Job pleads his case before God, but his friends question whether he is righteous in his heart. I had an eye-opening experience this morning as I read that Job, during his pain, knew his Redeemer lived. He rebukes his friends for torturing him with their words, and not offering him comfort in his time of need, and proclaims his unwavering faith in the Almighty. Is the book of Job also a foretelling of the suffering of Jesus? He suffered as Jesus did, they turned on him, and he was beaten and accused, even though he was not guilty. Job was worn down, and his flesh deteriorating, and yet in his suffering, his friends accuse him of being evil in his heart. His response to them proved otherwise when he said, 

“For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth.” Job 19:25

My friends, if you are suffering from great anguish, sickness, or disease, stand strong, your Redeemer lives; don’t let go of him. He is your judge, the only righteous Judge; take hold of him and hang on with all your might; although you are weak, he is strong, and he will judge you fairly, and find you innocent of all charges brought against you, for he accepted your penalty when he hung on the cross, whether you are guilty or innocent.

July 21

I know many of you like the book of Job; I, however, find it depressing, and Job’s friends insensitive. Who needs friends if they kick you when your down? Don’t be like Job’s friends! Many are hurting; to point out that their troubles are because of sin is heartless, and unbecoming of a person that is called by the name of Christ. Stop doing it. Some of our pain is indeed brought on by sin, but we should offer hope, not condemnation. I also have concerns that the words of his friends could be used out of context by those quoting the Bible, and that what they say could be used as justification to be cruel to others. If someone quotes you verses from Job, make sure you look it up to see if it’s Job’s reply, God’s reply, or the reply from his friends. Remember that context is vital with any quote from the Bible. Job goes on to recover, and God rewards him for his faithfulness, but at the time of his sorrow, his future was in doubt. When others are going through hard times, tomorrow is unknown, so we need to care for them with kindness, and Christlike love, and avoid being like Job’s friends.

Job’s reply: But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you. Who does not know such things as these? I am a laughingstock to my friends; I, who called to God and he answered me, a just and blameless man, am a laughingstock. In the thought of one who is at ease there is contempt for misfortune; it is ready for those whose feet slip. Job 12:3-5