Many companions or a deep friendship

 Proverbs 18:24 “A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend that sticks closer than a brother.”   

Some people surround themselves with lots of people.    They have lots of social media and lots of acquaintances.      Hollywood celebrities come to mind.   Depth of friendship is hard to get when we have too many distractions.     Our best friend sticks closer than a brother.  Our best friend is with us always.  Do you ever get so distracted with the many friends of social media, or casual acquaintances that you neglect Jesus?    Personally, depth beats width every time.   

Kind and Cautious

 Proverbs 12:26 “A righteous man is cautious in friendship, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.”   Be careful whom you let in your inner circle.   We may think we can bring people up, but often they bring us down.   

9/11 fight or flight.

 Romans 7:16 “Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the  one whom you obey- weather you are slaves to sin which leads to death or to obedience, which leads to righteousness.”   Today marks the 25th anniversary of 9/11. Yesterday was the one year anniversary of the assassination of Charlie Kirk.   Where were you on 9/11/2001?   Many of us remember the moment we saw the first plane hit the tower and of course the aftermath.   Its hard to imagine that instead of fighting Islam after that,  we have embraced her.     Not me!  Hopefully, not you  either.   Allowing that religion to grow in our nation with the huge expansion of Mosques and the incredible expansion of Muslim political influence,  I think is  an abomination  in remembrance of 9/11.   Somehow we have embraced, “Don’t be an Islamophobic”, over stand up for  God and country.   This day  puzzles me.   We could see the enemy but instead of standing up and fighting,  we have embraced her.   (Dearborn , Mi.) We are becoming a slave to her.   This 25th anniversary is a very sad day indeed.  Be inspired to Stand up for Jesus today!! Don’t coward in your faith!  Faith not fear!!!

A Lying tongue hates those that catch it in a lie

 Proverbs 26:28. “A lying tongue hates those it hurts, and a flattering mouth works ruin.”  I heard Dr David Jeremiah say “Gossip is saying something about someone behind their back that you wouldn’t say to their face and flattery is saying something to  someones face  you wouldn’t say behind their back.”    A lying tongue is poison.   When I was a drinker, I had learned to lie about almost everything.    I didnt do it on purpose.  I was just so embarrassed about who I was and what I was doing,  I made up stories so I didn’t have to face up to my reality.    I started lying and it  became a way of life.    If you would have asked me, “ Are you a lier?”  I would have told you, “ I don’t lie!”   I lied so much I believed my own lies.  Even today, many years sober  I have to fight the battle of believing lies that are in my head.   Just because i think something doesn’t make it true.      Today, may you walk in the Spirit of truth!! “A lying tongue hates who it hurts.”   I used to hate the people that would catch me in a lie.   So cool how the Bible has the answers.   May you get  yours  today  by reading His word!!

Stand firm in faith

 Isaiah 7:9 “The head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is only Remaliah’s son.  If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all.”

“If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all!”  When I “feel” the weight of anxiety.  It is when I am not accepting things as they are.   In order for me to accept things as they are I have to TRUST God is in control.   He is working all things out for His glory and my good.   This is putting on my faith.  “If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all.”    Will you be standing firm in your faith today?  God’s got this!!!

Stop sinning or something worse will happen to you

 John 5:14 “Later Jesus found him at the temple and said to him, “See you are well again.  Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you.”  Stop sinning or something worse will happen to you!! This reminds me of quitting drinking.   I would quit after something bad happened.  Then I would stop being fearful of drinking and decide I could try it again hoping that this time it wouldn’t end badly.    It always just got worse.   Hopefully my last bad experience is going to be enough to last me    for my life time.   What I have is today.   Today,  I will choose to stop sinning.   Yet, that is impossible.   I will try my best to stop sinning and fill myself with the love of Jesus.   I will try my best to be a God pleaser not a man pleaser.   Today, let’s do our best to  live James 4:7&8. “Submit yourselves, then to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come near to God and He will come near to you.”   God loves us each so much that He takes the time to discipline us.   If we keep going down the wrong path, our consequences keep increasing.

Our spouse is our team mate notbour enemy

 Genesis 1:18 “The Lord God said,”It is not good for the man to be alone.  I will make a helper suitable for him.”  …24 For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.”   God makes a husband and wife to be on the same team!!! One flesh!! Husband’s are to cherish their wives and wives are to respect their husbands (Ephesians 5)    I am thinking of the Muslim culture….as I understand it, they are allowed to beat their wives treating them more as property than as a gift from God. If you are beating up or hurting your spouse in any way, you are hurting half of yourself.  If you are blessed with a spouse, he or she is your #1 team mate next to Jesus.   Often when people are stressed they take it out on the ones they trust the most, they hurt their teammate.  Remember if you are tempted to hurt your beloved in anyway, you are actually hurting yourself.  Be encouraged today to treat your spouse as your number one team mate next to Jesus.  Help each other, no matter how you “ feel”.  Choose love!!😇    The destruction of our country is largely because of the destruction of our families.   Do what you can today in your own family to love each other through the powerful gift of Jesus.  Choose love!  Choose to be on the same team!!