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It is Election Day 2018 and few elections have been more important. We are a nation divided by race, religion, economic status and political creed. The decisions made today, the votes which are cast, will determine our nation’s future for decades to come.

We have done our civic duty and voted our conscience. But as Christian citizens of this great nation our duty does not end there. God tells us to also “seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile.” We must “pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, [we] too will prosper.” Jeremiah 29:7.

We may not like who is in power or approve of their policies, but we must respect their office, being “subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established.” Romans 13:1 NIV. To rebel against that authority is to rebel against God.

As future citizens of Heaven we should be the best citizens we can be here on earth, doing all we can to help our nation once again become “one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” We must continue to remind our leaders that “all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with the certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”

This does not mean we do not speak out against injustice or protest abuses of power, but when we do, we do so in the Spirit of Christ, with tears in our voice and love in our hearts. “For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does.” 1 Corinthians 10:2.

Election 2018 is almost over. When the votes are finally counted we may not be happy with the result, but we must accept them, trusting that God knows what He is doing, trusting that He who “changes times and seasons…deposes kings and raises up others [will give] wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning.” Daniel 2:2.

We must now leave the results in God’s hands, trusting that, no matter what happens, “dominion belongs to the Lord and he rules over the nations.” Psalm 22:28. We must remember “in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28

Have a wonderful day and God bless America!

Yesterday Rishana, Alex, Julie, and I were transported to another world. We soared over a volcanic cauldron, felt the heat on our faces and wrinkled our noses at the smell of sulfur in the air. We penetrated deep into the enemy base, did battle with the forces of evil, and, though heavily outnumbered, prevailed, bringing peace once again to the galaxy!

The Void, a Star Wars virtual reality gaming experience, was simply amazing! For a few minutes we forgot where we were, immersing ourselves in battle with the evil Empire, and, of course, coming out heroes at the end, defeating the mighty Darth Vader! It all seemed so real!

Of course, the reality was it was pure fantasy. After removing our headsets and vests, we left that virtual world and stepped back into reality (if Disney can be called reality). Still the experience left an impression on me.

The truth is we all are in an unseen battle every moment of our lives, but this conflict is not between imaginary forces on a VR screen. “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Ephesians 6:12 NIV.

If we are to be triumphant in this battle, we cannot depend on ourselves or on weapons of human devising. No, we must “put on the full armor of God.” (v. 13). Truth, Christ’s righteousness, and a willing and ready spirit will be our protection. With faith in God and assurance of salvation we will turn back Satan’s assaults and with “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,” we will take the fight to the enemy. (v. 17).

The battle will be fierce. Our enemy will not yield the field willingly, but we will prevail, because our King goes before us. Jesus has paid the price! Victory is assured! If we will persevere, we each “will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.” James 1:12.

This morning, before you go forth to join the fray, don’t forget your armor!

Stop for a moment and “put on the full armor of God.” Fortify your mind with God’s Word and ask Him to be with you throughout the day. To do otherwise guarantees your defeat, but with God by your side you cannot fail!

I’m an early riser, usually up by 4:30 or so. This morning I woke up at my usual time, went out to the couch and turned on my tablet to read my morning scripture, just like I always do. I looked at the time on the screen I remembered – Daylight Savings Time had ended! It was only 3:30.

I went back to bed!

Time is a funny thing. It is fleeting, yet sometimes seems to drag. We say, “I’ve got plenty of time”, when in fact we don’t. And how many of us wish we could go back in time and be able to take back that hurtful word, fix that mistake, make another choice?

This morning you get your wish. You get to turn back the clock. True, you don’t get to correct the mistakes of the past, but you get an extra hour to use as you please. “So, be careful how you live….Make the most of every opportunity. ” Ephesians 5:16 NLT.

Use this extra hour wisely. It will not last. Spend a little more time with God before you start your day, striving to “understand what the Lord wants you to do.” (v. 17) . Then get up and give  the ones you love a special gift – your time.

Surprise your spouse with breakfast in bed or play with your children for a few extra minutes. Drop a line to a friend or go help a neighbor. Go volunteer for a worthy cause or just text someone an encouraging word.

Whatever you do “have nothing to with the fruitless deeds of darkness…Instead, be filled with the Spirit…Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord.” (Ephesians 5:11, 18, 19 NIV)

In other words, celebrate! It’s a new day! “Old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” 1 Corinthians 5:17 NKJV.

This morning, God has given you a wonderful gift – TIME! Make the most of it! Put Him in charge of every minute and see what happens. It’s going to be amazing!

It’s been wonderful having Alex, Julie, and Rishana here with us in Florida! Our only disappointment is Andrew and Paige couldn’t make it. Still, it’s been great getting to spend special time with 3 of our kids. Since we live several hours apart, we rarely see each other, so it’s really nice to get away together for some fun and relaxation.

Besides, I think we all needed the break. What with work and all our other duties we were all kind of worn out. We needed this time to rest and recharge and just have a little fun together.

Jesus understood his disciples needed time to get away too. They had been so busy taking care of people they were in danger of burnout, so Jesus called a timeout. He said to them, “Let’s go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile.” Mark 6:31 NLT.

Time hasn’t changed our need for some time away for rest. The vacation industry makes billions every year meeting this need. Life is busy and we all need to take a break or else we’ll breakdown.

But God knew a vacation once a year would not be enough. That’s why He gave us the Sabbath, a special time each week for us to get away together ‘to a quiet place and get some rest.” It’s like a mini-vacation every seven days when we get to stop working and reconnect with Him, with our families, and with fellow Christians.

Although God will gladly meet with us any day of the week, the seventh day of the week, Saturday, is a special appointment set aside by Him to spend quality time with us and we only hurt ourselves if we miss it.

Today, “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.’ Exodus 20:8. You’ve been so busy this week. Take a break. Besides your Heavenly Father would love to spend some time with you. Why not accept His invitation and come away with Him “to a quiet place and get some rest.” You’ll be glad you did!

Yesterday we went to Seaworld and had a great time!

We got to feed stingrays, watch dolphins flip in the air, and hear sea lions calling out to each other (they’re noisy!). We saw rescued manatees and sea turtles. There were beautiful birds, graceful sharks, and even some alligators. The grounds were beautiful and the temperature was just right.

The best part of all were the roller coasters!

We rode the Manta, where you spend the whole ride flying face first through the air, and the Kraken, with its dizzying spins and loops. Both rides were amazing!

My favorite, though, was the Mako. At 200 feet high and reaching speeds of 73 mph, it is the tallest, fastest, roller coaster in the area. At the top of the hills you are momentarily weightless, floating above your seat. Then you go hurtling down, only to be thrown into a series of twisting turns and loops. I could have ridden it all day!

Highs and Lows

Life can be like a roller coaster at times, with lots of highs and lows. One moment we can be riding on the heights, feeling like we can almost touch the heavens, but the next we are plunged into the depths of despair and hopelessness by circumstances beyond our control.

The good news is our God never leaves us. Psalm 139:8 says about our Heavenly Father, “If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave, you are there.” It doesn’t matter where I am, whether safe at home or wandering in a foreign land, because “even there [His] hand will guide me, and [His] strength will support me.” (v. 10).

I don’t know where you find yourself this morning; whether at the top of the ride, enjoying the view, or plunging down a steep slope, screaming with fear, feeling like the bottom has fallen out of your hopes and dreams. However, I do know this – wherever you are, God is near!

Be Strong and Courageous

So be “strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified…for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6 NIV. No matter what highs or lows you’re experiencing, call on Him today and He will lift you up and carry you safely home. You can count on it!

I’ve been traveling the last couple days, so I haven’t been able to post anything, but you have been in my thoughts and prayers.

In fact, you are often in my thoughts. I pray for my blog readers, Facebook friends, Twitter and LinkedIn followers, everyday. “I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called…” Ephesians 1:18 NLT.

When I pray I ask God “to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God.” Ephesians 1:17. Why? Because “this is the way to have eternal life-to know…the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one [He] sent to earth.” John 17:3.

This morning I would like to ask you to join me in prayer. James 5:16 tells us, “The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.”

Please “Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.” Ephesians 6:18. Pray for each other and each others’ families. Pray for your friends, for their protection and salvation.

While you’re at it, don’t forget to pray for our nation in these troubled times. Remember God promises, “if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14.

And please, “pray for me, too. Ask God to give me the right words so I can boldly explain God’s mysterious plan…that I will keep on speaking boldly for him, as I should.” Ephesians 6:19, 20.

Thanks and have a wonderful day! I’ll be praying for you!

Sometimes we humans are so blind!

We look at each other and see only the outside. We see a black man or a white woman. We see a Muslim or a Jew, a bum or a banker, a junkie or a nurse, and we form opinions, without really knowing anything about who they really are underneath.

We miss out on so much because of our tendency to judge by the superficial, seeing only our differences, rather than how we are alike. This leads to hatred, prejudice, injustice, and strife. It leads to misunderstanding, arguments, disagreements. In extreme cases it leads to violence, like we saw this weekend in Pittsburgh.

However, if we have let Jesus into our lives, we see each other differently, because “we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view.” 2 Corinthians 5:16. Now, “Christ’s love controls us” (v. 14). Our eyes are open and we no longer see our differences, but only our shared identity as children of God. With Christ’s love in our hearts, “There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male or female. For [we] are all one in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3:28.

Today, don’t settle for stumbling through life, blind to the needs and hurts of others. Stop “evaluating others from a human point of view.” Instead, ask God to open your eyes that you may see the child of God in everyone you meet.

God bless and have a beautiful day!

Yesterday a gunman burst into a Pittsburgh synagogue and murdered 11 people whose only crime was being Jewish. This horrific crimes staggers the imagination, but, unfortunately, it is becoming almost commonplace. It seems almost everyday we hear news of a new bombing, another shooting, or some other tragedy.

Looking at the world around us, even the most hardened unbeliever must wonder if Peter was not correct when he declared, “The end of all things is near.” 1 Peter 4:7. As they see events unfold, “People will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world…” Luke 21:26.

But as Christians we should not be surprised, because we have been warned in 2 Timothy 3:1, “There will be terrible times in the last days.” We knew this was coming and what is still to come.

So, what should be our response?

First, we must “be alert and of sober mind so that [we] may pray.” We need to “pray continually…” 1 Thessalonians 5:17. Prayer is the lifeline of the soul, our one connection which will keep us from being overwhelmed as we face the storms of life.

Secondly, we must “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.” What happened in Pittsburgh was a result of fear, fear of another culture and a perceived threat to a way of life, but “perfect love drives out fear…” 1 John 4:18.

When we let Christ fill our hearts with His love there is no room left for fear or hatred, for in Christ “there is no Gentile or Jew…but Christ is all, and is in all.” Colossians 3:11.

Lastly, we must take seriously Jesus’ first command after He rose from the grave to “Go and tell…” Matthew 28:10.

Go and tell He is risen!
Go and tell of His love!
Go and tell there is forgiveness!
Go and tell He’s coming soon!

There is but one real solution to tragedies like what happened in Pittsburgh and it’s not armed guards in the synagogues, stiffer death penalty laws, or any of the other inadequate solutions which have been offered. The only thing which will finally stop the madness is Christ’s return.

“The end of all things is near”! It’s time to pray without ceasing. It’s time to love without holding back. And, most of all, it’s time to Go and Tell!

I could never be a podiatrist! Dealing with people’s feet all day? No thanks! Feet are smelly, rough, and just not very pretty. Sort of like you and me.

Yet Jesus, “Who, being in very nature God…made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant,” loved us so much “he humbled himself” so that we; smelly, rough, and ugly as we are; might someday walk on streets of gold. (Philippians 2:6, 8 NIV)

When Jesus washed the disciples’ feet, he was not just washing the grime of Jerusalem’s streets from their toes. He was seeking a way into their hearts. By humbling himself to be like a servant, Jesus was giving them (and us) an example to follow, showing them the only way to be truly like Him is to kneel in service to others as He did.

Being a Christian is not just sitting in a pew each week or singing along with choir. These things have their place, but real Christianity is so much more. It is bearing each other’s burdens, providing a helping hand, offering a shoulder to cry on, and, yes, sometimes washing a dirty foot or two!

This Sabbath morning all around you there are people in need of a word of encouragement, a hand up from the gutter, a place they can call their own. These are your congregation. These are who you are called to serve.

So, gird a towel around you, take a little water in a pail, and get to work. Follow Christ’s example and do as He has done for you. “Taking the very nature of a servant” go and change the world – one “sole” at a time!

God bless and Happy Sabbath!

Proverbs 18:14 says, The human spirit can endure in sickness, but a crushed spirit who can bear?

Everyday I see the truth of this verse played out in the Walk-in Clinic where I work. If you come into see me I can sew up your laceration, give you something to ease your cold symptoms, or splint your broken arm. Those are easy. It’s the broken spirit that’s hard to deal with.

Depression is the leading cause of disability in the U.S. About 6.8 million adults are dealing with Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Social Anxiety affects about 15 million people, with women twice as likely to be affected as men. And these statistics don’t even take into account the millions dealing with OCD, PTSD or other mental health disorders.

Our treatment options for these conditions are limited. Medicine can only help so much and comes with unwanted side effects. Counseling also has an important role, but is not the full answer.. Lifestyle changes, including diet and exercise can make a difference, but when it comes right down to it there is only one real solution.

David found that solution. David dealt with depression as evidenced by his cry in Psalm 42:11, “Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me?” Yet he continues, “Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.”

Trust in God is the only real cure for a broken spirit. Other therapies may help relieve symptoms, but they can’t heal the heart. Only God can do that. He promises in Ezekiel 36:26, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you…”

This morning, if your spirit is crushed and your soul downcast, “Put your hope in God.” He loves you with an everlasting love. Give Him your heart and let Him “put a new spirit in you” today.

God bless and have a wonderful new day!