Imagine

John Lennon once wrote a song called “Imagine”, in the song he asks that you imagine an almost perfect world. I remember that when this came out Christians were all upset because one line in the song said “Imagine there’s no heaven
It’s easy if you try, No hell below us, Above us only sky”

What I found odd about the Christians response to the song was this, if the secular world is looking for the perfect world or Nirvana then why not show them the way to Jesus? Granted the world is not perfect because of sin, but Jesus is perfect and sinless.

Along the same lines of thinking, if Christians truly follow the Bible and try to be just like Jesus, I believe that the secular would would want what we have.

It is time that we as Christians come out of battle mode and into the Love that we are told to share in 1 Corinthians 13 “For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places” Ephesians 6:12.

If you are not a Christian and you are looking for the perfect world, you may not find it here on earth, but there is a place called Heaven that is far better than our minds could ever imagine. 

Where are the Dreamers?

We just celebrated Martin Luther King Day and the most famous words to his speech “I have a dream” rang out across every tv and news program and I have to wonder where are the dreamers? The ones who grow up with a driving passion for their future, the ones who knew what they wanted to become and accomplish in life before they graduated high school. I have seen a vast amount of teens without a clue as to what they want to become and therefore wander through life aimlessly with only the desire to make it to the next day. This saddens me. I believe we are all created to do great things, to be an asset to our country and not a liability.

Parents, please pay attention to your children, help them realize their talents and encourage them in their talents as well in their dreams (even if they seem unattainable).

The Bible tells us in Proverbs 22:6: ⁶Train up a child in the way he should go [and in keeping with his individual gift or bent], and when he is old he will not depart from it. Amplified Bible (AMP)

Let’s help the next generation fulfill their dreams and quite possibly change the world just as Martin Luther King did.

What? I am obese??

As many of you know I have decided that it time for me to get serious about losing weight. Yesterday I stepped on the scale for the first time in over 6 months and was shocked at the weight I had put on. So it was decided, I was going on (and I speak with trepidation) a diet. So I downloaded an app for my  smart phone and entered my weight and I was shocked when it told me I was ……. Obese! In such a politically correct society couldn’t they come up with a nicer term? That really hurt! I am sure when they came up with the word Obese, it was not to hurt my feelings but to make me aware that there is something that needs to change in my life or it could be dangerous for my physical health.

Along the same line of thought,  I was listening to my good friend Christopher Hopper singing “Feel You” on my phone this morning and the words hit me that says: “What do you see inside the windows of my soul?” Then I realized when I take communion at church the scripture tells us: A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. 1 Corinth 11:28.  I have to ask myself, do I really want to know what kind of sin lurks about inside my soul? There could be lust, gluttony, gossiping and all kinds of nasty things that I don’t like to think about, But the scripture is there to give us warning, there may be things in our spiritual life that could be a danger to us and it is time to get serious about it and make necessary changes.

Won’t you join in my quest, what things in your life need to be changed so that you can be in better physical or spiritual health?

Friends are Friends Forever

I have been thinking a lot about friendship and what it means. I have been blessed over the years to have some really great friends, people who would be there for me if I am in need, people to encourage me when I am down.

During Christmas my Mother was approached by a lifelong friend that had no place to go for Christmas and of course my Mother invited her to come and stay with them even

though she would have a house full of family, because that what friends do.

I really don’t remember anyone setting me down and explaining the difference between friendship and a acquaintance but I do remember leaving high school fully understanding the difference.

I admit to you that I have had people that I thought were true friends that have never reached out to call or even facebook me and it really makes me wonder if they were really a true friend at all. All that to say, I cherish true friendships and If I consider you my friend, you are a friend for life, no matter where you live, no matter how far apart or how many times we see each other, I will always be your friend and I am confident that when we do see each other again we can pick right up where we left off like we were never apart. If you have a friend that you have not seen or talked to recently, give them a call, e-mail, text or send them a facebook message and let them know you are thinking about them today, it will make their day.

“Truly great friends are hard to find, difficult to leave, and impossible to forget.”

Regrets, I Have a Few

I had some time to sit and think about my past, things that I have done right and things I have done wrong. I grew up in a great home with a very close nit family. I have so many great memories growing up but along the way I made some major mistakes. I always had the philosophy that I would not change a thing because it made me who I am, but now that I have grown older and a bit wiser I realize the flaw in this line of thinking……others were hurt along the way. If I had it to do over I would certainly do it differently. I wish I could take back all of the awful things that came out of my mouth because of my anger and temper. I would treat people different especially old girlfriends, their parents, teachers and others in the position of authority. I am completely embarrassed at the way I treated them (and if one of you might be reading this I am sincerely sorry).

James 1:10 states: My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.

If you are just starting out on your journey of life, please keep this in the back of your mind, one day you will have to face the stupid things you do in your youth, it might be years down the road but at some point you will have to face it. It is much easier to be cautious about the things you do and say now that face them in the future.

A New Year to be Thankful

This morning on my way to church I made a quick stop at McDonalds for breakfast since I was running late.  As I drove away with my food I started to eat as I drove. I had realized that I never asked the Lord to bless my meal, something I always do. I at first thought “no big deal ” then the thought hit me that I am so fortunate to be able to pull into a place and grab a quick meal, not something everyone has the means or ability to do. So this day, New Year’s Day, I resolve to give thanks for all the blessing in my life. How about you, What are you thankful for this New Year?

Scam Alert

Beware! There is a scam going around that seems to be affecting millions and millions of people across the globe. Like many scams, it offers you instant pleasure without any sacrifice. The dangerous part of this scam is that you may not know that you have been scammed until it is too late. What is this terrible scam you ask? It is having a form of religion without holiness. I have seen so many people lately that choose to call themselves religious or even Christian that have no problem living just like the world and thinking that they will enter Heaven when they die, the Bible says this is a scam. Roman 6:23 states: For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Hebrews 14:14 states: Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. Please accept this warning, if you have been fooled into believing that you can live like the world and still make it to Heaven, this is your wake up call.

There is only one way that you will enter Heaven:

1) Believe: Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved–you and your household.
Acts 16:31

2) Repent: Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away. Acts 3:19

3) Live a Holy Life. without holiness no one will see the Lord Hebrews 14:14

Why I love My Church

I am sure many of you have read on Facebook of my heavy involvement and love for my church. As well I am sure many have wondered what in the world is so great about church? After all how can someone get up at 6:00 am on a Sunday and stay until 2:30? Well if you have a picture in your mind of the wooden pews and alter rails then you would be wrong. If you think that everyone sits silently in holy reverence then you would be wrong. My church is not irreverent but is full of life. The sanctuary is beautiful and comfortable. The music is not old stoic hymns but songs that are upbeat and glorify God at the same time. The preaching is not “over your head” but just what you need to hear in a way you can not only understand but identify with. The people are not all “dressed to the nines” and are not “holier than thou” as a matter of fact it is more like the old TV show ”Cheers” Where everyone Knows Your Name and are happy to see you. (although in a large church it is hard to know everyones name, they are still happy to see you). I am not saying the church is perfect, far from it, but here is the reason I love my church: the Jesus Factor, people who love Jesus are people who love people. If you want to see for yourself, stop in on a Sunday morning and see what it is all about, you will be pleasantly surprised.

Smile And The World Smiles With You

As I was thinking this morning about the people the God has placed around me, I realized how much my attitude had changed because of them. I tended to be critical and temperamental. Just surrounding myself with good influences has changed the way I see people and respond to them. My outlook on life has also changed and I am able to see all of the good rather than see just the bad. I don’t know about you but I cannot stand to be around a negative person and as well I don’t want to be the negative person in the room. Ask yourself if you lift people up or drag them down. I want to lift them up and put a smile on their face rather than leave them with a frown. Be the one today to change a life and Influence a generation, Be the example.

You Can’t Teach An Old Dog New Tricks, Or Can You?

I have heard it said that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks but this week I found that to be false.  I did something this week that I never thought I would do, I bought a Macbook Pro computer. That may not seem like such a big deal but I have spared for the last 8 years with Mac users and I always said I would never buy a Mac. A very good friend helped me to understand that the issue was not really about a computer brand, it was more about being unwilling to change or learn new things. After just a day using the Mac and learning the new OS, I have to say that I like it. So the question is: am I too old to learn or just plain unwilling? I pray I never come to the place of not wanting to learn and adapt to new things because that is when I will become unusable. How about you, are you willing to learn?