Everyone loves a soft, chewy center...

The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life. - John 10:10 (NLT)


A lot of peoples favorite treats have soft, chewy centers.  They enjoy the feeling of breaking through the outer shell to feel the explosion from the middle of the treat flow into their mouth. Whether its chocolates, hard candy, or any other treat with this characteristic, most people savor and enjoy that experience. Some have harder shells than others, and some are just down right hard and almost impossible to get to the middle of.

Compare your life to these candies. Everyone in my opinion should have a soft heart. Always ready to spring into action and help those in need. However, we need to have an impenetrable outer shell that the enemy can not break through. We need the armor of God protecting us.

Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. - Ephesians 6:13-17 (NIV)


If you were about to walk out into a battlefield (whether dark ages or modern), would you want to just walk out to fight in a t-shirt and blue jeans? What about a three-piece suit? Don't give me that look, it's a legitimate question. Of course none of us would go out to fight like that. We would try to find the best armor from the greatest military cache we could find. So answer me this, why to we walk out our doors every day, onto the largest battlefield ever, without a hint of protection?

Too many people don't rely on God's armor to help them through the day. They think it is silly nonsense that someone would be serious about using it everyday. For most, the armor of God is only needed in the worst of circumstances, when we've lost everything. If those people would realize that had they only worn God's armor from the beginning, they might have never had to face the dark situations they are in.

They need truth in their hearts, and not the worlds version of the truth. They need to be righteous and walk the path that only the Bible can give in their lives (lamp to my feet and light to my path kind of stuff). They must have faith to block all of the lies and attacks that come from the enemy. You must be saved and have God's word with you all the time (whether it is memorized or physically in your hand). How many of these characteristics do you possess and use daily? I'll admit, I have many days where I will forget a piece of my armor, and those days are always a fight to get through.

In Matthew 11:30 Christ says, "For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." What that tells me is his armor is easy to carry. Ephesians 6 tells me that if I wear it all, everyday, it is impenetrable. The enemy, Satan, wants to hurt and even kill us. That is why we must wear the armor. Putting it on is a daily discipline that far too many people lack.

The battle is raging, and you are in the midst of it. Whether you are consciously fighting or surrendering by not doing anything, you are in the middle of a war. The question is this: will you prepare yourself with an unbreakable armor, or will you be run through by the world everyday because putting on the armor is a hassle or unpopular? The choice is yours! You have been challenged. What are you going to do with that challenge?

Thanks for stopping by and God Bless...

Are you the next Rocky...?

Be prepared. You're up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it's all over but the shouting you'll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You'll need them throughout your life. God's Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other's spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out. - Ephesians 6:13-18 (MSG)


Ever feel like life is just punching you in the gut? Do you feel like every time you climb out of a hole there is someone there to smack you in the face and knock you right back in? These are the times in life that we want to give up. I know, I've been there. Just when you feel like you are starting to make headway in life, something hits you and knocks the breath out of you and you fall to your knees.

When we are in those times in life, on our knees and out of breath, we have a choice to make. Do we get up and get back in the fight, or do we stay down for the count. Are you like Rocky Balboa? Do you continue to stand up and continue the fight no matter the punishment? Are you like Glass Joe from the video game "Punch Out"? Do you take a hit and stay down hoping it will all stop?

I think it all comes down to who we have in our corner of life. Do you have family, coworkers, friends helping you? Who exactly is helping you get up when you get knocked down? Is it the people in your life that are also getting knocked down constantly, or do you have the ultimate trainer and friend? Do you have God in your corner? Nobody can knock him down or even phase him. Will he let you take some shots? Sure, how else are we supposed to grow. How would we ever learn how to teach or lead others if we have never faced any type of struggle where we had to lean on Christ.

Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes. - Matthew 6:34 (MSG)


The one thing that everyone can learn from the Rocky movies is this: no matter how many times you get knocked down you have to get back up. That is easy to say, but hard to do. Sometimes the punches come so hard and fast that all we can focus on is the pain. All we can see or think about is the pain, and we don't know if it will ever come to an end. This is the time we need to call on God. He will help you deal with whatever situation or pain you are going through. He will meet you where you are and will change your life.  All we have to do is trust that he has the right game plan to help us through the fight. However, like any other fighter, we must train for the fight.

How do we train for this fight? (This may sound preachy but it is true.) Get into the Bible, study God's word. There are so many lessons to be learned just by reading this book. Also, we need to pray, and I don't just mean at bed time. We need to spend time with God everyday, and sometimes quality supersedes quantity. Lastly, don't forget going to church. How are we supposed to have human help if we don't surround ourselves with like minded people that also seek God. They will stand in your corner and scream for your success.

Seek out what God wants you to do in your life. He will show you the game plan to follow in life. He will help you through every round of this fight. He will show you people that will help you train for this fight and succeed in life. One of the most important things to remember is this, when you get knocked down, he is the hand that helps you back up.

Don't stay down. Get up. God is standing above you with his hand out to help you up. The question is this, will you grab it and continue the fight? Thanks for stopping by and God Bless...

Can you handle the truth...?

Pilate said, “So you are a king?” Jesus responded, “You say I am a king. Actually, I was born and came into the world to testify to the truth. All who love the truth recognize that what I say is true.” - John 18:37 (NLT)


We all know the famous line spoken by Jack Nicholson in the movie A Few Good Men. He is on the stand testifying and Tom Cruise yells at him that he wants the truth. Jack's response was, of course, "You can't handle the truth!" Sometimes I feel, as Christians, we don't want to see the truth because we couldn't handle it staring us back in the face. We don't want to look in the mirror or take off our mask because we are afraid of what we might face. Even worse, others may see the truth about our lives or our deepest darkest secrets.

We as churches have stopped loving the truth. We have become a body of zombies that file into church on Sunday morning. We hope the preacher doesn't say anything to make us uncomfortable. All we want to hear is something that makes us warm and fuzzy inside, or that makes us feel better because we sinned that week. We no longer want to be challenged or shake up the status quo. All we worry about is our money, houses, cars, careers, and social status.

Why? Because hearing the truth can hurt. It can make us uncomfortable. It will challenge us to get out of our comfort zones and actually do the work God has called us to do. It will challenge us to change. We might have to get our hands dirty. We might have to hug a child with a snotty nose. We may have to serve a family that doesn't smell so good. We might have to go to the altar and ask for prayer, and we might be embarrassed because people will stare. Worst of all, it will make us face our past mistakes and ask others for help to shape a better future. Should you care about what other people think? Nope. You should care about what God thinks. The truth will challenge us to change, and change doesn't come easy.

Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” - John 8:31-32 (NLT)


As followers of Christ, we must follow ALL of Christ's teachings. We don't need to follow all the religious legalism that has caused so many to stumble. If you notice in most of the stories involving Christ changing peoples lives, they were sinners and some were even caught in the act of sinning. Did he yell and scream at them telling them they were going to hell? No. He loved them and told them to go and sin no more. Did it hurt when their sins were exposed? I'm sure it did. However, look at the eternal rewards they gained by listening to Christ. They are the same rewards available to us today. The truth no matter how painful will always set us free.

Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me." John 14:6 (NLT)


So, there is the truth that can really hurt. Jesus is truth and life. He is also the only way to God. That thought may be unpopular, but Christ said it and I believe it. In today's world we want to be good and moral, thinking that will get us into heaven. However, believing in Jesus is the only way to walk through the "pearly gates." We don't have to be legalistic about it. If we read about how Jesus lived and follow his example, our lives will be fulfilled beyond our wildest dreams. Plus, (here's the big kicker) if we live and love like Christ, when we sin we won't be afraid to come to our peers and ask for help. Also, they won't look down on us, because we are all equal in God's kingdom. They will be glad to pray for us. There is no shame in admitting our mistakes when we are looking to grow closer to God.

Take off your mask. Stop being a zombie. Don't pretend to be perfect. Face the skeletons in your closet. Live and love like Christ. Go and sin no more. Admit your sins if you do stumble. Stop hiding behind your social status, house, cars, or possessions. Chase after Christ and ask for help. Read the Bible. Jesus Christ is the only way. The truth may hurt sometimes, but the rewards are more than worth it.

There is the truth. Can you handle it? Can you live it? Look at yourself in the mirror and make a choice. You have been challenged. Thanks for stopping by and God Bless...

We are farmers...and I don't mean insurance...

Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.  - 2 Corinthians 9:6 (NIV)


Do you think of yourself as a farmer? Do you think about the seeds you sow in life? Do you think about how your decisions will affect your future or others? Well, whether you do or not, you should. One of Christ's most well known parables was that of the sower and the seed. He talks about the sowing of God's word in a man's heart and how they reacted to it. There are also several other examples throughout the Bible that compares a mans actions and outcomes to sowing and reaping. So let me ask you again. Do you think your actions will affect your future or others?

Some people call it Karma, some call it fate, but no matter what you call it, no matter what you do, there will be a consequence. The outcome may be good or bad, but someone will be affected. As Christians, everything we do sows some type seed in the lives of people around us. We can lead people to Christ, or drive them away. Non-Christians are not exempt. You either sow positively into peoples lives, or sow hate and discord. What are your actions doing?

We are farmers of the soul. As people grow throughout life, there comes a point when they will reach a choice. A choice whether to follow Christ or not. If they have had a positive seed sown in their lives by Christians, there is a good chance they will choose God. However, if the church has shown them the negative side of life, they won't even darken the doorstep to the church. How are you planting your seed?

One of the downsides of this is the fact you may plant the seed, but you may not reap the harvest. You may show someone the love of Christ, but they end up meeting God at a different church. This is where we as Christians need to not be competitive. We are all playing for the same team. If someone becomes a Christian the whole kingdom of God wins. (Quick rant) "Churches", and I'm talking about the different denominations and buildings, need to quit competing with each other and unite to reach one common goal. They need to come together for the sole purpose of reaching and serving the lost. Who cares who has the most people, or who has the biggest building. Who cares who has the loudest sound system or biggest choir. Come on, we are all serving the same God and he doesn't play favorites. So why should we compete with each other.

So go out and sow the seeds of love. Serve others with no strings attached. Do random acts of kindess. Show others the true love of God. Sow the seeds. Unite with the churches around you. Reach your community as the body of Christ. Who knows, you may reap the seed that someone else has sown, or you may see a life changed from the very beginning.

So here it is. We are farmers (insert music from the commercial here) , but I don't mean insurance for your stuff.  We are trying to give insurance for the soul. We plant and we sow everyday. Just pay attention to what kind of seed you are spreading. Change the world for the better. Thanks for stopping by and God Bless...

Bridges...How strong are yours when under fire...?

Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand. - Isaiah 41:10 (NLT)


I recently came across and interesting analogy in my daily devotional. It compared the tough times in life to bridges we have to cross. It told the true life story of two firefighters that were driving through a wild fire in order to save friends and family. They were driving in such heavy smoke that as they crossed the bridge, they could not see it was on fire. Ultimately, the bridge collapsed and they lost their lives.  If we compare the rough or "smoky" times of life to crossing a bridge my question to you is this: What is your bridge made of? Can it handle the fire coming against you?

Have you built your life and bridges on the backs of friends and family, or have you given everything to Christ and built it on him? Now, this question is not just for those who don't believe in Jesus. This is also needs to be personally asked by every Christian alive today.  As we go through rough times like financial trouble, marital problems, accusations, career issues, etc., do we just give it all to God and drive over the bridge? Do we try to carry the problems by ourselves and hope the bridge doesn't collapse? Do we hope that our friends are strong and loyal enough to help us through our issues without giving up or turning their backs on us? How do you handle the rough times?

I will be completely honest. Too many times I have tried to either take it all on myself or put it on the backs of my friends and hoped for the best. Each time has ended in some type of disaster. I may not have lost my life, but I have fallen into pits of depression and lost friends by doing this. Until recently I did not realize how important it was to give everything to Christ, and I mean EVERYTHING. From the smallest to the largest. It doesn't matter how big or small it is, if you put God in a box don't expect anything outside YOUR box to happen. Step into God's box and let him show you how big he really is. Give it all to God and let him carry you through.


See, God has come to save me. I will trust in him and not be afraid. The LORD GOD is my strength and my song; he has given me victory.” - Isaiah 12:2 (NLT)


What is something that has recently happened in your life that if you had only given that issue to God would have turned out different? Again, it doesn't matter how big or small. Did you recently loose your job to downsizing? Did you recently go through a divorce? Did you go to buy a new car and didn't quite get the deal you were wanting? Did you forget to do something for your spouse for the umpteenth time? It may sound silly, but (I'm gonna beat a dead horse here) no matter how big or small, if you give it ALL to God things will be different. Let me follow that up by saying this. The outcome may be the same, but building your "bridge" on Christ will allow you to be different in the end. You will be able to walk off the other side with honesty and integrity, a different person, ready to move forward and continue on.

So, what have you kept for yourself? What do you rely on your friends for? What do you need to let go of and give to God? This may sound silly, but try it for three weeks. Give everything to God, and I mean EVERYTHING. Be honest and when you come out on the other side of the three weeks, you will wonder why you didn't do it sooner.

Build stronger bridges and make it through the "smoky" times. Change the world for the better. Thanks for stopping by and God Bless...