August 1, 2025
     This moment is the culmination of forty years in the wilderness, it has been quite a learning experience, a generation of people have died and now it is time to enter into a new place, the promised land.  The new leader of these people is given instructions as he leads them into the land flowing with milk and honey, Joshua is told to keep all they have learned, that being the Torah, keep is upon your mouth, keep it in your heart, and meditate on it day and night, make it an integral part of your life. And he is also told to live according to all that is written in this book, it truly is God's plan for life, God's plan to prosper you and help you be successful.  
     Today, the Lord is telling us the same exact thing, keep my word upon your lips, meditate upon my word day and night, keep my word in your heart, live by it day by day.  The word of God is living and active, it leads, guides and lightens the path of righteousness that God has placed in front of those who believe, Jesus Saves!
July 31, 2025
Let the Lord Jesus be your example.  He stepped out of Heaven, humbled Himself. lowered Himself and lived as a  man among sinful people, not for His own gain, but to save His people from sure death and destruction.  Now that is humility, that is forgetting about anything self centered and doing and giving all for others.  The apostle Paul here in this epistle, says if you are going to live a Christ centered life, you must live like this, filled with love, compassion, and being of one accord, Spirit filled and Spirit led.  Do all things in full humility, doing nothing with bad motives, selfish ambition, nor conceit of any kind.  But rather, count others as far more significant than yourself, be humble, put them first.  Let us all be servants like Jesus, serving others and not expecting anything in return, let there be love shared among us always, Jesus Saves!
July 30, 2025
This sounds like common sense, you know what the right thing is to do, you do it, right?  Not so simple, have you ever known, this is what I know I should do, but you intentionally do not do that certain thing?  Sometimes out of fear, or selfishness we choose not to do what is right, well God says that is sin.  Oftentimes in our own minds we can justify not doing what is right, this is easier, this will save me time or money, sometimes doing what is right is costly...  There are those times when the Lord will put a task on our hearts to take care of, but we in our own infinite wisdom decide not to do it for whatever reason, that is wrong, that is sin, that is disobedience.  Trust the Lord, follow the Lord, Jesus Saves!
July 29, 2025
The Lord says a lot in most every statement He makes, as Jesus speaks to the crowd again, He reiterates something we were told at the beginning of John's Gospel, Jesus is God, Jesus is the creator of all things ever created, and Jesus is the giver of life.  Jesus is the Light of the world, it is He who created the light, here He is talking about Spiritual light, light that illuminates our path and our way as we walk in His righteousness as we walk with Him.  Darkness is loved by the world because darkness covers sin, they hide in the darkness, bars are dark to hide the sin, crime happens frequently at night to hide the sin, darkness though cannot hide from the light.  Followers of Jesus walk in the light, live in the light, for they have been delivered from the darkness of a sinful past.  Jesus is the light of the world, walk in the light and live, Jesus Saves!
July 28, 2025
Do you feel as though the whole world is closing in on you?  Do you have problems, crises, worries, cares, and many other issues piling up on you and you just feel overwhelmed?  Well, you need not be in that place, for you have one who cares for you and wants you to be able to walk through this life without all those burdens, the Lord Jesus, cast your cares and burdens upon Him, He wants to carry them for you.  When we are heavily burdened, it weighs us down, to a point where we become much less effective in life, Jesus wants to sustain your life and fill it with peace and joy.  And for the believer, the Lord says, I will not let the righteous to be moved!  Like a tree planted by the waters, you shall not be moved, Jesus Saves!
July 27, 2025
God is God.  Know that the Lord your God is the only God who exists, there is no other God, the one true God of Israel, the creator of all, He is God.  And the one true God is faithful and true, He always keeps His covenant, His promises are true, He keeps them all.  And the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, it is eternal, as is He.  God loves those who love Him and those who keep His commandments, the Lord Jesus said, If you love me you will keep my commandments.  And all this is not temporary, it is eternal, it is forever, God never changes nor does his promises, He is the Rock of Ages who stands firm for a thousand generations.  God is the only thing in this life you can know will not change over time, everything else is fleeting, God is a Hightower, a refuge, a fortress in a lost and dying world, Jesus Saves!
July 26, 2025
In this letter the apostle Paul wrote to the church at Colossae, he is encouraging those believers to live a Christlike life, to get rid of the old self, the old life and live as you have been called.  In the verse prior to this one, Paul gives them some attributes of a Christian life, that all of us should have and live by, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.  And then he tells the reader to bear with one another, to be loving toward all people, even those who are difficult, even those who might have wronged you.  If someone has a complaint against another, forgive them, let it go, life is far too short to waste precious time wading in Bitterness.  We are told to forgive others just as our Lord and Savior Christ Jesus has forgiven us, through His infinite mercy and grace, God has forgiven your sins, do the same for others.  The Lord doesn't give us an option as to whether or not to forgive, He says forgive them.  May we all live more like Jesus as the days grow short, Jesus Saves!
July 25, 2025
As we read through the four Gospels, we see a different approach in each of them, Mathew wrote from a Jewish perspective showing that Jesus is the Messiah of Jewish prophecy.  Mark wrote showing Jesus as the servant of God, Christ the redeemer.  Luke, a Gentile, wrote a very thorough message showing the compassionate and caring side of the Savior.  And John, a man very close to Jesus during His ministry, shows the deity of Christ, the God man.  And we are told here, even as we can read and plainly see this truth in all four Gospel accounts, Jesus is a servant of all, He did not come to earth to be served, but on a mission to serve and to save His people.  Jesus was born of woman on earth with a cause that was a straight line to the hill of Golgotha, a cross of death to pay the ransom for all people.  Jesus, He served, He healed, He forgave, and He died to bring about salvation for all who believe, Jesus Saves!
July 24, 2025
For those who know God, not just know about Him or have heard about Him, but those who know God, this statement is just an affirmation of what we already know, God is perfect, God is love, and God desires righteousness and justice.  The Biblical definition of righteousness is; Holiness; purity; uprightness; rectitude, all attributes of God.  From the beginning, God has desired His people to live in righteousness, live Holy lives with Him.  And as well God demands justice for all people, not some as our world sees justice, but all, young, old, rich and poor, everyone deserves justice.  Righteousness and justice both flow naturally from love, and God's steadfast love fills the earth, for God is love.  Sadly, our fallen, sin filled world cannot see the goodness of God, they cannot see His love, they refuse to understand His Holiness, His righteousness, and His Justice is unreachable for so many.  But there is Hope, Christ is coming back soon, very soon, Jesus Saves!
July 23, 2025
In context, Hannah, a barren woman, unable to have children, an outcast among women has prayed and God answered her prayer.  She has conceived and given birth a boy child, a child that she promised she would bring back to the Lord if he so answered. And here, this is Hannah's prayer to the Lord, a prayer of thanksgiving and praise to the only God who could and did answer her request.  There is no God like our God, there is none Holy like our God, as a matter of fact God is the only God, there are no other Gods.  Elijah, on Mt Carmel proved this fact once for all, there is no God other than Jehovah, people make up gods all the time, but they are impotent, truly non-existent. There is no Rock like our God, God is the rock of all we know and believe, He is the Firm Foundation of upon which we place our faith, He is the one who is our very existence, the giver of life and the keeper of life,He is our salvation, Jesus Saves!
July 22, 2025
We do need to realize there is much more to this life we are living, there is Spiritual power at work behind the scenes that are causing havoc when and where they can.  We can read of these battles in the book of Daniel, where the Angel tells Daniel, I was delayed as I fought off the forces of evil.  Satan and his minions desire nothing more than to see you and I fail in every aspect of our lives, don't let him win, fight back, love others, and do as Paul tells us in the verse following this one, put on the full armor of God every day!  We live in a sin filled fallen world, a world that thrives on lies and mistruths, a world that is full of evil deception and wickedness, for the Prince of this world is at hand working night and day to try to defeat God and His children.  Victory is God's, He wins this war in the end, but there is tribulation in the meantime, put on the full armor of God and as Paul says "praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication" Jesus Saves!
July 21, 2025
The Prophet Jeremiah had been delivering God's word to the people of Judah for some years now, and here in Chapter thirty-one, he gives them a message of hope, and joy in the morning, and then brings them a promise from God for a New Covenant.  God tells these weary people, a group of people who will soon be taken away to a foreign country, that He will satisfy their weary souls, this is what God does.  And every languishing soul, God will replenish, the Lord is in the business of restoring broken, weary, hopeless people everyday, all you need to do is call on Him, ask Him to come into your life and satisfy and replenish your weary soul.  This message from God through Jeremiah is fulfilled in Christ Jesus as He came to save His people, to restore them, to replenish them.  For He tells all who will believe in Matthew 5:6 "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied"  Jesus, the Savior of the world, come to Him for rest, for restoration, for Salvation, Jesus Saves!

A song for you:
 https://youtu.be/fKAPHjficIc?si=NIGcDCowlir7GW9h
July 20, 2025
Jesus said that in this life will have tribulation, life can be a struggle, especially for the follower of Christ Jesus.  And here the apostle Paul reiterates the same point but adds a very bright reality for the believer as well, there is coming a time when this short vapor of a life will not even compare to the magnificence of Eternity.  Over the course of a lifetime we will suffer loss through death, heartache because of broken relationships, distress over financial and other life experiences, health problems we just cannot understand all of which none are pleasurable.  But when we look at the future Glory that will be revealed in us, when that day comes and we are in the presence of our Lord and Savior, this life will pale in comparison.  Yes, life can be difficult, disappointing, hard to comprehend at times, but a day is coming soon and very soon when all of this will be gone and over with, a New Day is coming, Jesus Saves!
July 19, 2025
As I thought about this verse, Corrie Tenboom came to mind, as a Holocaust survivor she wrote a book, The Hiding Place, and this is one of the quotes from that book, "If you look at the world, you'll be distressed. If you look within, you'll be depressed. If you look at God, you'll be at rest"  Lord you are that one place that I can go where the worries, cares, and troubles of this world cannot get to me, you are my hiding place, a place of protection, for in you nothing can harm me.  And Lord you are my Hope, although I cannot see the end of this story, I know it is there.  For what I do see is only temporal, but that which I cannot see is eternal, life beyond this short existence on earth.  When I am in your word my heart is filled with hope, Jesus Saves!
July 18, 2025
Isaiah, at the very beginning of what he has written, highlights the heart of God, and the fact the people of that day were not doing as the Lord had taught many years before, Doing what is right, seeking justice, helping the oppressed, the orphans, and the widows.  At the center of God's law is love, loving God and loving others as yourself, and caring for those who did not have the ability to do so, widow, orphans, and the oppressed.  Learn to do right, this seems to be common sense, that we would automatically do what is right, but people are selfish and ignore the rights and needs of others, God says we are to do what is right in His eyes, always. And then there is justice, justice is often overlooked for the poor and oppressed, even more so today as money is king in our world.  As followers of Jesus, we are called to care for those who cannot care for themselves, we are to step up and encourage the oppressed, to defend the cause of the fatherless, and to plead the case of the widow.  In reality Isaiah's words are simply common decency, love and care for others above ourselves, Jesus Saves!
July 17, 2025
Jesus says come to me all you who are weary and burdened, heavy ladened, and I will give you rest.  Now Jesus is not talking physical rest here, not that we all do not need that kind of rest, but Spiritual rest, rest from the burdens of life, the stresses, worries, troubles, and daily problems that just seem to drag us down.  He wants you and I to bring them to Him, and lay them at His feet and ask Him to carry them for you.  We can all get so piled up with life that we are struggling to even function, the burden is heavy, but it need not be, let Jesus help you carry that burden, ask Him to help you.  When we allow the weariness and the heaviness of life overwhelm us, we become much less effective as a child of God, what are carrying around that you need to lay down?  Today it is time for a break, take Jesus up on His offer to take your burdens and give you rest, rest in the Lord, Jesus Saves!
July 16, 2025
Do you desire to be a disciple of Christ Jesus?  The Lord Himself stated to those who were listening to Him, that if you would come after him, to follow Him, to be His disciple, you must deny yourself, literally meaning "It's Not About You", and take up his cross daily and follow the Lord Jesus.   The old life and the old self is gone, you are no longer your own, you are His, and you live like Him in every way.  For whoever would save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.  Jesus is life, in Him a person becomes a new creation that is given eternal life, he has life.  But on the other hand, a person who rejects the Lord Jesus, rejects life, denies eternal life and lives in death, heading toward eternal damnation.  The decision is easy, and it seems obvious, but many cannot see the truth of salvation in Christ, they have been blinded by Satan and are walking with the evil one hand in hand to Hell.  Choose life, seek life, know the one who gives life, Jesus Saves!
July 15, 2025
It has been a rough few days, Jesus was arrested, beaten, crucified, buried in a borrowed tomb, is missing from the tomb, some suppose His body was stolen, but some believe what they have been told, He is Risen!  And now Jesus appears to them as they hide in fear of the Jews, and as He appears in a room, locked and secure, He gives them His words of Peace, "Peace be with you"  And the Lord goes right into the mission He is giving them, a mission to go and tell the world about Him.  As the Father has sent me, I am sending you, Jesus was sent to earth on mission from God, from Heaven, a mission to save people from their sin, death and eternal damnation.  And Jesus not only did  commission His disciples almost two thousand years ago, He, today, is commissioning you and I to go and tell the world about Him and His amazing saving Grace.  Jesus gives you the same peace He gives to all, Go in peace, live in peace, Jesus Saves!
July 14, 2025
Oh, the simplicity of the Gospel message.  Maybe it is because it is so simple and so easy to be saved that over the years people have attempted to make it far too complicated and cumbersome.  By adding the 'sinners prayer', which cannot be found in the Bible, or walking an aisle, taking classes, and so much other unnecessary stuff to be saved.  Paul wrote a whole lot right here in the book of Romans that tell the unbeliever that it is easy, it is simple, for everyone, and that means everyone, no exclusions, who call on the name of the Lord will be saved.  People often say, but do I not have to do something?  There has to be some work, some great action to make it happen?  Not at all, Jesus paid your sin debt, all you need do is believe, and when you call out to the Lord, it shows Him your heart for His salvation.  If you have not come to faith in Christ I urge you to read the tenth chapter of Romans and look and see just how profoundly easy salvation really is, Jesus Saves!
July 13, 2025
There was no light, only darkness all about for the eternally existent one, Jehovah God was beginning to create a masterpiece.  The word of God tells us the earth was without form and void, dark and empty.  And God spoke, the powerful voice of God spoke "Let there be light", Yes, the intelligent designer of all spoke light into existence.  The Light of the world brought about Light into a vast darkness, where nothing lived, and in the distant future the Light of the World would come and live among men to bring light into a dark, sin filled world.  John 1:4-5 "In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it" Jesus is the Light of the World, Jesus created all that was ever created, and Jesus is Salvation to all who believe.  Today, let the light into your heart, ask the Lord to become the light of your life, Jesus Saves!
July 12, 2025
Most all of us have seen some of God's beautiful creation in nature, mountains, grand canyons, red rocks, seas, oceans, waterfalls and so much more.  As believers in the one true God, we know who it is that brought all of this about, God did, and it is a great reminder of the most powerful and yet most loving God ever.  The Apostle Paul tells us of the presence of God's natural revelation in Romans 1:20 "For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse"  Just one aspect of life that we can come to the Lord and give Him thanks, so look at all of His great deeds He has done in your life, the daily blessings He pours out upon you and praise His Holy name.  And because of His love, mercy, and grace, let us all tell the world about our God, and all He has done for us, and everything He has done from creation to Revelation, give thanks to the Lord, Jesus Saves!

Pastor Roy Hagemyer
The Way Christian Church
702-219-0145
July 11, 2025
If God were to send a Prophet to America today, this message from Amos would probably be what God would say.  You want to appear righteous and pious, you want the world to think you care about the less fortunate around the globe, but in reality you are a self centered people promoting harm and injustice worldwide.  Much of what our nation promotes is absolute injustice, abortion, homosexuality, transgenderism, communist ways and much more.  Let justice roll down like waters, people know right from wrong, people know these ideas are bad, but they promote them anyway, we need real justice in the eyes of God.  And righteousness, there is little of that to be had in our nation and our world, churches defending the injustices of abortion and transgenderism, both that are harmful and destructive and unGodly.  God is saying it is time to stand up for real justice for all and righteousness will prevail, Jesus Saves!
July 10, 2025
James tells us a lot about how hard it is for us to control our tongues, that they are fire starters, a mighty force hard to keep bridled.  And along with that great truth is this perfect way to live, always be quick to hear, ready to listen to what is being said.  And as you listen, pray the Lord will help you bridle that wild tongue of yours for it can easily get you into trouble.  And finally be slow to anger, do not allow the words being spoken to you stoke the fires of anger within you.  We must always be prepared for a conversation, especially if we have any idea it might get unpleasant, always pray beforehand.  Breathe deeply before you even think about speaking, take your time, understand that the situation might not be what you think.   And then be very slow to allow your anger to come out, if you need to, take a break, take a walk, take a hike... Listen, Jesus Saves!
July 9, 2025
Jesus on more than one occasion told His disciples that through faith, strong , real faith they could do mighty things.  In Matthew 17:20 "He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.”  And here in Mark, Jesus shows them through the cursing of the fig tree, and then the next day it is withered, that they could do that and more with faith, truly believing.  If you will pray in true belief, knowing it will happen, you have whatever you ask, Jesus fulfills every need. Believe that you have received it as you are praying for it, that is true faith, that is bold faith, that is what Jesus is talking about, come to Him boldly with childlike faith and see what He does, Jesus Saves!
July 8, 2025
As the Apostle Paul prepares to bring his letter to the church at Galatia to an end, he brings a message of service to others, for we are nothing unless we live a life in Christ Jesus, loving and serving others.  Paul reiterates what the Lord said as well, we are to be helping others carry their burdens daily, walking hand in hand with them, bearing them up.  For Paul states, in doing so, we fulfill the law of Christ, of which Jesus said we are to love God with all our heart, soul and mind, and when we love others as we love God, we do live in obedience to the Lord Jesus. Paul completes this thought with this statement, "So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith"  We must be willing to take advantage of every opportunity given to us by God, and live rightly in Christ Jesus, Jesus Saves!
July 7, 2025
The Fear of the Lord ~ This is the beginning of everything, it is when you know God and Fear Him that you come into an intimate and righteous filled relationship with Him.  We as believers are called to Fear the Lord and love the Lord with our heart, soul and mind, with our whole being, for that is where God wants us.  The first of the Ten Commandments is the most important, you shall have no other Gods before me, if you keep this one commandment, you will keep them all.  Solomon wrote that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, Godly wisdom, Godly insight into how to live for the Lord.  And the knowledge of the Holy One is insight, for when we come to a true knowledge of God, when we truly know Him, our life and perspective on life changes dramatically, we become a different person, a new creation in Christ Jesus.   Today, ponder your relationship with God, is He the most important person in your life, do you know Him personally, does He know you as His child, Fear God, know God, love God, Jesus Saves!
July 6, 2025
The mind is a very powerful tool, if used in an improper manner, or allowed to wander in the wrong direction can lead to consequences, even death.  We must control what enters our mind, either through the eyes or the ears, and then keep the mind clear of darkness, clear of pollution, and absolutely not focused on this fleshly world we live in.  Rather, set your mind or keep your mind focused on God and led by the Holy Spirit of God.  And we do this by taking every thought captive, staying in close relationship with the Lord, in meditation on His word and in constant prayer.  We read in Proverbs 4:23 "he taught me and said to me, “Let your heart hold fast my words; keep my commandments, and live", guard your heart and guard your mind, walk by faith, not by sight and stay focused on your Savior, Jesus Saves!
July 5, 2025
It is time to replace that bad habit of worry with something that actually has value, praise and worship of the Lord your God.  Jesus spends a good amount of time here in His amazing Sermon on the Mount talking about the time wasting habit of worry and anxiousness.  Worry is putting your mind in high gear and going nowhere, your head is spinning with worry, but there is no progress, only wasted time.  God says, I created the birds of the air, and they have all they need, the flowers of the field, and they have the best of clothing, so think about this, will God not supply your every need?  We are told to number our days, to make every hour count for something, we are not to waste the little amount of time we have been given, therefore, do not be spending time worrying, it gains nothing.  Worry less, Know Jesus more, Jesus Saves!
July 4, 2025
Freedom, freedom is found in the truth, we are truly free when we know the truth and stand firm upon the truth.  And we find the truth in the very word of God, Jesus said in John 8:31-32 "So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”  When you become a follower of Christ Jesus, you are set free from the bondage of sin, the chains of death, and separation from God, that is the freedom we have as the Holy Spirit of God enters our lives.  Most people do not see the oppression and bondage that comes with a sin filled life, it is just what they do, but when they see the light of Christ come into their life, it all changes and the realization of that freedom in Christ is like nothing you will ever experience.  Know the truth, Know Jesus, Jesus Saves!
July 3, 2025
Thomas the disciple, he gets a real bad rap for simply being a scientific disciple, he wants proof, evidence of what he is being told.  And Jesus is more than understanding, Jesus did not get angry and displeased with Thomas, no He fully understood his questioning, and gave Thomas the opportunity to do as he had requested.  At that moment Thomas declared to Jesus, "My Lord and my God", there was no question that Jesus was alive.  But the Lord makes a statement right then that would impact people for many years to come, a statement intended for generations to read and hear.  "Thomas, have you believed because you have seen me?Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed"  People for almost two thousand years have read and have heard the Good News and believed without seeing Him, today we believe yet we have not seen.   "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen" ~ Jesus Saves!
July 2, 2025
 How often we fail to see the goodness of the Lord when life is hard, when dark times come upon us...  Here the Psalmist, David had been pursued by the King of Israel, seeking to kill him for Saul was jealous, envious, and unstable in mind.  But David, rather than getting depressed and wallowing in self pity chose to seek the and praise the Lord.  And he wrote this psalm, O taste and see that the Lord is good, for God is good all the time, even when this life is difficult and challenging, God is still on the throne and God is still good.  For happy are those who take refuge in Him, those who seek the Lord, and look to Him to carry them through those rough waters and protect them when they walk through a wall of fire.  Like the old song written by Bill Gaither says, "The longer I serve Him, the sweeter He grows", O taste and see that the Lord is good, Jesus Saves! 
July 1, 2025
Love and God are synonymous terms, God is love, God is the originator of love.  God's love for His human creation goes far beyond the obvious, it extends further and deeper than the surface that we can see.  God created all that has been created and then placed man within His creation and gave him dominion over it all, all for the love of God.  But the greatest act of God is His plan and the full execution of that plan to save His human creation from it's sinful nature, it's bent for wickedness, leading to sure death and destruction.  God loved mankind so much that He sent His only Son to die on a cross, a criminal's death to pay their sin debt, then He was raised from the dead to give all who would believe eternal life.  That is the love of God, He is the giver of life, we live because God loves us.  Salvation in Christ Jesus is a matter of life and death, believe upon the Lord and live, or reject Him, deny Him and death and destruction will come, Jesus Saves!
June 30, 2025 
You have heard the saying, "you have got to stand for something, or you will stand for anything", that is quite true, we all must be willing to take a stand, and in this case, we must stand for righteousness sake.  Blessed or highly favored are those who are persecuted for righteousness, for standing up for what is right, for standing up with Jesus.  Some of the major issues we stand for today that cause people to hate us are Abortion, we will defend those who cannot defend themselves, and we are severely hated for it.  Those who are encouraged to transition to a different gender at a young age, this is wrong and we will stand against it.  Or simply standing up for is right in a world that embraces wickedness and evil, it is the right thing to do.  When we are willing to take a stand against evil, we will be persecuted and hated , But God says our is the Kingdom of Heaven!  Do what is right and stand up for what is right. It is worth whatever cost comes your way, Jesus Saves!
June 29, 2025 
Blessed, Highly favored are those who make peace where there is no peace.  These people are willing to step in and help others find common ground and come back to a place of peace.  This is not an easy task, listening to both sides without prejudice, hearing arguments, pleadings, and peoples justification for the battle.  Oftentimes people do not desire to have peace, they enjoy times when there is strife all around, but there must be peace, especially in the church.  Making peace requires several important things, truth, humility and patience, because truth wins the day and Jesus is truth.  Humility brings people to a place of realization that whatever is going on is not centered on them.  And patience is a must when we are bringing others to the table of peace, it does not always happen in a quick and easy manner, it requires patience.  
Blessed are the peacemakers,  for they will be called children of God ~ Jesus Saves!
June 28, 2025 
Are any of us truly pure in heart?  No, of course not, but, if we have been redeemed by Christ Jesus and we have surrendered our will for His, and we have placed our full trust in Him, then we are covered with the blood of Christ and clean and pure and Holy in the sight of God.  This verse reminds me of David, a man after God's own heart, he was not perfect by any means, but he loved the Lord deeply.  When David was confronted with his sinfulness by Nathan the prophet, he realized his sin against God and he repented and wrote a Psalm, where he wrote  "Create in me a clean heart, O God"  The pure in heart are those who believe in the life saving power of the blood of Christ, that He shed on the cross of Calvary, where Jesus died for the sins of the world, then rose from the dead to give each believer eternal life.  We are saved by faith, made clean by the blood of Christ Jesus, pure and Holy in the eyes of God, Jesus Saves!
June 27, 2025 
God demonstrates mercy for us every day, but His mercy is beyond anything we can comprehend, Romans 5:8 tells us "but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us"  Mercy is being reprieved when we absolutely do not deserve to be reprieved, even though we are guilty God redeems us and makes us clean of all of our sin.  And God expects us to do the same for others, we are to be merciful to those around us.  Jesus made this promise, Blessed or Highly Favored are those who show mercy, for they too will be shown mercy.  So, instead of demanding retribution and always holding others fully accountable for their actions, let us show more mercy and be loving and forgiving.  Blessed are the merciful, Jesus Saves!
June 26, 2025 
Again Jesus is making a promise, an if-then statement to all believers.  Blessed or highly favored, Divinely touched are those who hunger, those who have a very deep longing or strong desire to see something come about.  And those who thirst, those who have a deep seated almost painful desire to see something come about.  And that outcome is to see righteousness reign supreme over all the world.  And the Lord says to those people who have these deep heart filled desires, you will be satisfied, not with food but with Joy, with Peace, and with the love of God.  One day this will happen, when Jesus returns and rules this world unfettered by evil and wickedness, righteousness will be the way of life at that time, and we do long for that time to come.  If you feel this very strong desire to see this world change, and you do not know Jesus, cry out to Him and ask Him to come into your life, Jesus Saves!
June 25, 2025 
Let's start today with the word blessed.  Many people want to believe this word simply means happy, but in reality this word holds far more significance than a fleeting emotion.  Blessed means highly favored, Divine favor, a state of Spiritual well being employed through the Grace of God.  Blessed are the meek, another word that is often mischaracterized, meekness is not weakness.  Meekness is power under control, Jesus demonstrated this often during His life on earth.  The Lord Jesus had the power to destroy the world, yet chose to allow the world to kill Him.  You and I have the power to do many things, but we as followers of Christ choose to restrain ourselves  for the sake of our Lord.  In many cases, what good does it do to get angry and lose control ?  When remaining calm, cool and collected will win the day.  Jesus is a gentle Spirit, we are also called to be gentle in our lives, to show the world a different manner in which to live.  Gentleness truly is next to Godliness, Jesus Saves!
June 24, 2025 
Most people mourn or grieve, or are filled with deep sorrow due to the death of a loved one, a close friend.  And there are those people in this world who mourn over many other events that happen in their lives, financial loss, or other material losses.  But that is not what the Lord Jesus is speaking of here, this verse relates very closely to the previous verse having to do with the poor in Spirit.  Jesus is saying here, Blessed are those who are deeply grieved over their own sinfulness, the fact they fully recognize the depth of their inability to hit the mark.  When a child of God knows within their heart that they have grieved God by their actions, it reveals to God that this person does indeed have a heart for God.  Having a heart that beats for the Lord is shown in our own reaction to deeds our hands have performed, and the desire to please the Lord and bring Him glory in all we say and do, Jesus Saves!
June 21, 2025
Consider His great deeds, His great works, His love and compassion, for He is God, the creator of all and the keeper of all.  We do not need to stop and ponder God for very long and we are overwhelmed by all He has done, He created the world we live in, He flooded the earth to cleanse it, He called a man and created a special people, He parted the Red Sea to save them, He gave them a land of their own, He stopped time to give them victory.  When you believe that God has abandoned you, meditate on all He has done and remember His promise to all people who love Him, I will never leave you nor forsake you, I am with you always.  And the Biggest wonder of all, He died on a despicable Roman cross to save you, died a criminal's death to redeem you, and He rose from the dead to give you eternal life ~ How Great is our God!  Spend some time today to just ponder everything God has done in the past as we read in His word, His story, and then ponder all He has done in your life, then let us praise God for He is great, Jesus Saves!
June 20, 2025
Paul, a man called by Christ to come and serve Him as His Apostle to the Gentiles.  For most this seemed a very unlikely choice as he was so zealous to stop The Way, and kill the name of Jesus of Nazareth.  But Paul heard the call and fully accepted Christ as Lord and Savior, he was all in, fully committed to the Lord.  This verse shows us that Paul had no desire for self, but only to do the work the Lord had drawn him into.  Jesus said in Matthew 10:39 "Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it"  This life we live here on earth is nothing more than a vapor, it is gone quickly, we must then make the best of it, spreading the Good News of Christ Jesus must be our life's goal, and to finish well, Jesus Saves!
June 19, 2025
Here, near the end of Paul's first letter to the church at Corinth, he explains a mystery, one many of us believers are patiently waiting for, and the Victory we have in Christ Jesus.  The mystery is the Rapture, the taking up of believers into Heaven without death, it is real and it will happen.  Then there is the Victory in Jesus, When the Lord Jesus died on that cross He paid the sin debt of every person, sin had been defeated and remains a defeated foe to this day and into eternity, Victory over sin.  When Christ was resurrected from the dead, He defeated another dark and ugly foe, Death.  Death no longer has a hold on us, we can know with confidence that we will not be chained in death, but be in the presence of our Lord, Victory over death.  Now, let us live in the Victory that God had given us, keep your eyes upon Jesus, and look up for your redemption is very near, Jesus Saves! 
June 18, 2025
The writer of Hebrews brings to mind the times in which the Lord Jesus, in the flesh, fully man went to God the Father in desperate prayer.  We can read how deeply troubled Jesus was as his hour had arrived, He knew what the hours just ahead of Him held, it was deep dark waters he was going to be walking through.  Jesus, in the Garden of Gethsemane prayed that His Father would take that cup from Him, but knowing that God is all good and all knowing surrendered His will for the will of the Father.  We can learn a great deal from how Jesus prayed, and even more about how Jesus reacted, "not my will, but yours be done".  There are times in our lives when we know a difficult season is upon us and we pray simply for relief, to be delivered from this time of trouble.  But we need to remember those hard times are what strengthen our faith, and God knows what you need, and the trials of life will help us even though they are hard.  "Even though my friends may fail me, sin and death and Hell asial me, I know my Jesus will never fail me", Jesus Saves
June 17, 2025
God desires that His people be comforted in times of need, distress and sorrow.  Isaiah spoke a similar message in his time as well, he said "Comfort, comfort my people, says your God"  We serve a God of all comfort, one who knows our every need, every tear, and every sorrow that comes our way, and He comforts us in many ways.  One way that God comforts is through others who have experienced the love, mercy and compassion themselves from the Lord.  Paul is writing to the people in Corinth to encourage them to be God's comforters, to ensure their community is being given the comfort that the Lord has poured out upon each of them.  Paul is making a strong point in these opening verses of his second letter to the church at Corinth, the word comfort is used some ten times in the beginning of this letter.  As followers of Christ, we are to be comforters to others, just as Christ is to us, comfort, comfort my people, Jesus Saves!
June 16, 2025
 At face value the words of this statement do not tell of the gravity of the work done in delivering us from the domain of darkness.  The act of delivering you and I from Satan's grasp required death.  God's plan of redemption of all of mankind required sacrifice, and not just any sacrifice, it demanded a perfect sinless lamb of God  to lay down His life.  There was no other way, and Jesus willingly went to the cross to pay the sin debt of you and I, thus delivering us out of the evil ons domain of darkness.  And in doing so, we have been transferred into the Kingdom of God's beloved Son, Christ Jesus.  The Lord Jesus, by sacrificing His life, created a bridge to deliver us from sure death and Hell to Eternal life in Heaven, Jesus Saves!  
June 15, 2025
This piece of Scripture is one of those that can be taken out of context in many ways.  We live in a very fallen world and we also know that bad things happen to good people.  Not all things that happen are good in any way shape or form, they are just plain bad and ugly.  But God, God can work miracles and God can make a way where there is no visible way to you and me.  It comes down to trusting God, that He will indeed work all things out for good, and for those who love Him and trust Him, we stand on this promise.  For we can know for certain that all things will work according to His purpose and His will.  If we look at the lives of the disciples, they looked to God and trusted God in all things, knowing how ever it worked out it was God's will.   God has a good plan, a plan that is unfolding day by day, and one day in the future it will be complete, we need only trust Him, Jesus Saves! 
June 11, 2025
 The mind is a powerful thing, it thinks, it commands, it creates, and it develops, most of which is good, but some of what the mind conjures up is untrue.  Have you ever had a thought come into your mind, and you thought to yourself, where did that come from?  We can allow thoughts and arguments to create an opinion within our own mind that is absolutely not true, it is a lie.  Here the Apostle Paul tells us in his second letter to the church at Corinth that we must not listen to those lies, arguments and opinions, but we must take them captive in order to be obedient to Chridt Jesus.  Who are you?  Many of you might respond immediately, I am a child of God, others might say a title, a name, or something else, but who you are is critical to making this happen.  If you know you are a child of God, then do not allow any lie, argument or opinion to say otherwise, take captive anything that says you are not a redeemed child of God, Jesus Saves! 
June 10, 2025
This verse in the twenty-first chapter of the Book of Revelation should give us so much hope, for a better time, a much more pleasant time, a time filled with love and joy.  Today, our world is filled with wickedness, evil, and hate is everywhere, there is a lot of pain and sorrow filled with tears.  But there is a day coming in the not so distant future when all of this will change, the Lord is going to renew this earth, eliminate all of evil, all the bad, death will be dead,  all the pain and sorrow and He will wipe away all the tears that come with it.  The Lord is going to make all things new, it will be the way it was intended to be from the beginning, all of this sadness and misery will be passed away, God is going to make it all new and right again, Jesus Saves! 
June 9, 2025
Jesus has just told the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax collector both in the Temple praying and the pious Pharisee says thank you God that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.  And the Tax collector beats his chest and says God forgive me a sinner.  The differences in these two men is obvious, one is self righteous and proud, the other humble and knows his own heart.  God knows the heart and simply says the humble tax collector will go home justified, he is humble and honest with himself and others, but especially with God. Pride is the number one sin that keeps people away from God, they see no need for God, they are their own God, prideful people believe they are self-sufficient.  Humility will lead to exaltation by the Lord, Pride will only lead to a fall and being humbled, Jesus Saves!
June 8, 2025
Today is Pentecost Sunday, the day the Christian Church was birthed, the day the Holy Spirit came to dwell within all believers.  This is the day Jesus told His followers would be coming soon, they were to wait in Jerusalem and this day would be fulfilled.  Today's verse is actually a result of what had happened days or weeks before, the Disciples were filled with the power of the Holy Spirit and they spoke boldly of their faith and the one in whom their faith originates, Christ Jesus of Nazareth.  If you are a follower of Christ, a Born Again believer, then you have been filled with the Holy Spirit of God, you have the same power within you that we read of here in the book of Acts, earth shaking power.  Jesus said that if you have faith the size of a mustard seed you can move mountains.  When Paul and Silas were in Thessalonica, it was said of them "They turned the whole world upside down", today, let's all go out and by faith turn our world upside down for Jesus, Jesus Saves! 
June 7, 2025
 The apostle Paul is getting near the end of his letter to the church at Corinth, he has taught them many lessons in this letter, some of the lessons were spelled out with brutal truth.  In that context, Paul is here guiding them to be on guard always, to be watchful in every way, because there is always trouble and destruction lurking around every corner.  He tells them to stand firm in the faith, do not allow yourselves to be led astray, to be lured into sinful actions by evil men, and never allow these things to creep into the church.  ACT LIKE MEN, this statement is absolutely directed to the men of the church, they are to be the Spiritual leaders of the home and of the church, they are the protectors of the flock.  Be strong, stand strong in the Lord Jesus in all you say and do, do not waiver, do not compromise, do not allow the slightest sin to come in and take hold within the body of believers, Be Strong.  And finally, Let all you do be done in love, people have problems, help them, people need guidance, lead them, and people need to be loved, encourage them, Jesus Saves!
June 6, 2025
Many people over the last almost two thousand years have willingly given their lives for the sake of the Gospel and their Savior Christ Jesus.  But even though their bodies were killed, they live on in Christ Jesus.  Being born again means surrendering your life and your will to the life and will of the Lord who saved you, the old self dies and the new creation in Christ lives.  Being a Christian does not mean you live a double life, not at all, it means you live a new life, a life shaped and molded by God to bring Him glory in all you say and do.  Being a follower of the Lord Jesus is a commitment to live for Him, all in, not lukewarm, not on the fence, but all in for Jesus.  Have you decided for Jesus?  If not it is quite simple, as Paul wrote in the book of Romans, if you confess Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart God raised Him from the dead you are saved, Jesus Saves!
June 5, 2025
In the context of this writing, David and his men had just brought the Ark of the Covenant back to Israel and placed it in the tent where it would stay until the Temple was built.  And David writes a song of Thanksgiving to the Lord, and the people celebrate and praise the Lord.  As part of our giving thanks to the Lord, we are to be in intimate relationship with him, we are to be seeking His face and His presence.   We are to seek the Lord and His strength, for we cannot do this life in our own strength, we need the strength of the Lord to carry us through.  And this is to be a continual part of our  communing with God.  
     Seek God in all things, seek His strength in all you do, Jesus Saves
June 4, 2025
Psalm twenty three is a beautiful picture of an intimate relationship with God, the psalmist, David, a Shepherd in the field paints  for his reader a picture of love, mercy, and hope.  Even though his enemies, and they are not specified, they could be perceived or real, but he knows the Lord always provides for him, even in the dark days that he travels through.  My cup overflows, showing that the Lord always welcomes him, and that he wants an enduring relationship.  And I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever, here is that eternal perspective we must all have, this life is short, but eternity is forever, and eternity is with the Lord in paradise, in perfect communion with God.  
    As you read through this psalm, meditate on the relational perspective that is spoken of, the intimate relationship the writer has with the Lord, the relationship we can all have with the Lord, Jesus Saves! 
June 3, 2025
How many of us go to bed each night filled with worry about the problems of tomorrow and beyond?  The Lord does not want us to worry about anything, especially those things we have absolutely no control over, which is most everything.  Anxiety is wasted time and effort, because we worry about things we cannot change, of which most of it never happens.   Let us remember who is in control of the life we live, is God not far more powerful than that little problem you perceive is big enough to destroy you.  God is Bigger, bigger than your financial problems, your marital issues, your medical diagnosis, your relationship disagreements... God is Bigger.  Rather than worry and get all anxious about these things, stop and get on your knees and give it to God, He already has a plan to resolve whatever might be going on in your life, God knows and God will, Jesus Saves! 
June 2, 2025
Children, in general, are fully dependent upon their parents for all their needs.  They depend upon adults to feed them, clothe them, help them in times of need, give them direction, offer discipline when it is needed, and love them at all times.  Jesus here tells the reader that unless you become like these children, fully dependent upon Him for all your needs, you will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven.  As well, having the humility of one who understands the need of the Lord is critical to an intimate relationship with Jesus.
     Jesus then says that these little ones are so precious to Him, that He compares taking care of them to being in relationship with Him.  As children of God, we are to trust Him and obey Him, following His guidance daily , Jesus Saves!
June 1, 2025
The Prophet Isaiah lived and prophesied some seven centuries prior to the life of Christ on earth, this is not a trivial telling of what was to come.  And what Isaiah wrote is not even up for argument, history tells us this happened, Jesus of Nazareth was indeed crucified by the Roman government at the urging of the Jewish religious leaders.  Not because of any wrong He had done, but because of the plan of God to save the world.  Jesus paid the ultimate price for your salvation, pierced for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities, His punishment brought us peace beyond understanding, and by His many wounds we have been healed.  The Old Testament leads us to the point of redemption, God's story, God's plan to save humankind from sin and death, Jesus Saves! 
May 8, 2025
Have you ever been really discouraged, feeling like there was just no way out of your situation?  Well, you are not alone, many people every day feel like that, the people of Israel after being taken into exile felt like that, But God.  Right here in the book of Isaiah, the Prophet relays a message from the Lord to the people who had been taken captive and moved to a foreign nation.  Forget about your old things, your disappointing past, because, I your God, am doing a NEW thing!  Do you not perceive it, can you not see what I am doing?  Leave the past in the past, for I am making a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.  Today, stop living a defeated , discouraged way of life, God has a better way, a new way, ask Him to show you, Jesus Saves!
May 7, 2025
The King is Coming!  Many of the Prophets of old spoke of that day, On that day, the day of the Lord.  Here the prophet Zechariah speaks words of hope to a very broken nation and people, he preaches a message of renewal as they return home from exile in Babylon, a message of covenant renewal and obedience.  We should always be looking to the future with Hope, that is the message of Jesus, the here and now is only temporary, that day is coming when Christ will reign supreme over all the world, the Lord will be one, and his name one.  This is good news for the weary soul, Hope in the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, Jesus Saves!
May 6, 2025
Have you ever asked yourself, why am I in this mood, why am I agitated, why am I feeling depressed?  Sometimes our feelings are justified due to circumstances around us, but often our feelings deceive us and we feel a certain way because we have created a scenario that does not exist and we then feel as though God has abandoned us.  The Psalmist here asks himself this question, why are you cast down, O my soul?  What is it that has brought you down?  Why are you so distressed within me?  Life can throw a whole lot at us, and sometimes all at once, and it can be quite overwhelming... But God, put your Hope in God, rest in the Lord, lean on the Lord, let Him pick you up and carry you out of this dark valley, for you then again will praise Him, your Lord and Savior.  Do not allow your feelings to deceive you, ask yourself why, and give it to God, Jesus Saves!
May 5, 2025
The key word in this verse from the Apostle John is Greater, for God is greater than any other in existence, He is greater than any force in the world, God is Greater.  Little children, those who have placed their faith in Christ Jesus, those who have been redeemed, you are from God, you have a relationship with God, you know God, and you are overcomers.  Jesus tells us in John chapter sixteen, that there will be trouble in this world, but He has overcome this world, and when we abide in Him too will overcome this world.  For you have the Holy Spirit of God residing within you, and Greater is He who is in you, than he who is in the world.  Satan rules this world, he is the prince of this world, but he has no power greater than God.  You are an overcomer, live like it, do not let the evil take an inch of your joy, Jesus Saves!
May 4, 2025
Words of comfort from the creator to His chosen people through the prophet Isaiah.  The Lord refers to Himself in this message to His people as; I am the one who created you, I am the one who formed you.  God is the creator of all that has ever been created, and yes, God called and brought this people group together in Israel.  The Lord wants His people to know He is always with them, no matter what is happening He is there.  He says to His children, "Fear not, for I have redeemed you, saved you, I have called you by name, you are mine"  Now even though this was written thousands of years ago to the people of Israel, it stands true for you and me today.  God created each one of us, and if you are a born again Christian, you have been redeemed, and God does indeed know your name, He calls you by name, you are His, Jesus Saves!
May 3, 2025
Bottomline, we are told not to worry, not to be anxious about anything, God's got this!  Here Jesus is speaking to regular people while He delivers His Sermon on the Mount, and in this sermon Jesus gives these people a great deal of information on many subjects, all a better way to live our lives.  We should not be anxious or worried about anything, not what we eat or drink, or even the clothing we wear, living for the Kingdom is far more important.  God will provide for our needs, He always has and He always will.  We need not be worried about anything, for it is nothing more than a waste of good time.  Ponder the Kingdom, meditate on God's word, pray, spend that time of anxiousness with the Lord, move those worrisome thoughts out of your head, give it to God, Jesus Saves!
May 2, 2025
In the beginning, God started out with a blank slate, the whole world was dark and without form or void, But God, God created this whole universe from nothing.  God also created you, knitted you together within the confines of your mothers womb, and He knew before you were ever even thought of here on earth.  Then God touched your life, and prayerfully you have been redeemed by Christ Jesus.  And if you have been born again, you are a new creation in Christ Jesus, different, changed and your purpose for life is new.  We are all very different people, personality, likes, dislikes, taste, desires, but even so, God uses us for His good will however He sees fit.  And here the Apostle Paul tells his readers that whatever it is God has started in your life, He will continue to work in your life until it is complete to His satisfaction, complete at the day of Christ Jesus.  He has a plan for every life, we need only respond to His call, Jesus Saves!
May 1, 2025
In his letter to the church at Ephesus, the Apostle Paul offers a prayer to those in that church for Spiritual strength, and concludes that portion of his letter with this statement. Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us.  As believers we are filled with the Holy Spirit, He resides within us, He has the power to do far more than any of us could possibly imagine.  We can often diminish His abilities because we lack that power, and we forget that it is through His power that great things happen in our lives.  And as the Holy Spirit of God works in us and through us, may we always give Glory to Him through the church, the body of Christ, and to Christ Himself.  And may this continue throughout all generations, forever and ever, Amen.  Live in the power of the Holy Spirit in all areas of life, Jesus Saves!
June 17, 2025
God desires that His people be comforted in times of need, distress and sorrow.  Isaiah spoke a similar message in his time as well, he said "Comfort, comfort my people, says your God"  We serve a God of all comfort, one who knows our every need, every tear, and every sorrow that comes our way, and He comforts us in many ways.  One way that God comforts is through others who have experienced the love, mercy and compassion themselves from the Lord.  Paul is writing to the people in Corinth to encourage them to be God's comforters, to ensure their community is being given the comfort that the Lord has poured out upon each of them.  Paul is making a strong point in these opening verses of his second letter to the church at Corinth, the word comfort is used some ten times in the beginning of this letter.  As followers of Christ, we are to be comforters to others, just as Christ is to us, comfort, comfort my people, Jesus Saves!
June 16, 2025
 At face value the words of this statement do not tell of the gravity of the work done in delivering us from the domain of darkness.  The act of delivering you and I from Satan's grasp required death.  God's plan of redemption of all of mankind required sacrifice, and not just any sacrifice, it demanded a perfect sinless lamb of God  to lay down His life.  There was no other way, and Jesus willingly went to the cross to pay the sin debt of you and I, thus delivering us out of the evil ons domain of darkness.  And in doing so, we have been transferred into the Kingdom of God's beloved Son, Christ Jesus.  The Lord Jesus, by sacrificing His life, created a bridge to deliver us from sure death and Hell to Eternal life in Heaven, Jesus Saves!  
June 15, 2025
This piece of Scripture is one of those that can be taken out of context in many ways.  We live in a very fallen world and we also know that bad things happen to good people.  Not all things that happen are good in any way shape or form, they are just plain bad and ugly.  But God, God can work miracles and God can make a way where there is no visible way to you and me.  It comes down to trusting God, that He will indeed work all things out for good, and for those who love Him and trust Him, we stand on this promise.  For we can know for certain that all things will work according to His purpose and His will.  If we look at the lives of the disciples, they looked to God and trusted God in all things, knowing how ever it worked out it was God's will.   God has a good plan, a plan that is unfolding day by day, and one day in the future it will be complete, we need only trust Him, Jesus Saves! 
June 11, 2025
 The mind is a powerful thing, it thinks, it commands, it creates, and it develops, most of which is good, but some of what the mind conjures up is untrue.  Have you ever had a thought come into your mind, and you thought to yourself, where did that come from?  We can allow thoughts and arguments to create an opinion within our own mind that is absolutely not true, it is a lie.  Here the Apostle Paul tells us in his second letter to the church at Corinth that we must not listen to those lies, arguments and opinions, but we must take them captive in order to be obedient to Chridt Jesus.  Who are you?  Many of you might respond immediately, I am a child of God, others might say a title, a name, or something else, but who you are is critical to making this happen.  If you know you are a child of God, then do not allow any lie, argument or opinion to say otherwise, take captive anything that says you are not a redeemed child of God, Jesus Saves! 
June 10, 2025
This verse in the twenty-first chapter of the Book of Revelation should give us so much hope, for a better time, a much more pleasant time, a time filled with love and joy.  Today, our world is filled with wickedness, evil, and hate is everywhere, there is a lot of pain and sorrow filled with tears.  But there is a day coming in the not so distant future when all of this will change, the Lord is going to renew this earth, eliminate all of evil, all the bad, death will be dead,  all the pain and sorrow and He will wipe away all the tears that come with it.  The Lord is going to make all things new, it will be the way it was intended to be from the beginning, all of this sadness and misery will be passed away, God is going to make it all new and right again, Jesus Saves! 
June 9, 2025
Jesus has just told the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax collector both in the Temple praying and the pious Pharisee says thank you God that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.  And the Tax collector beats his chest and says God forgive me a sinner.  The differences in these two men is obvious, one is self righteous and proud, the other humble and knows his own heart.  God knows the heart and simply says the humble tax collector will go home justified, he is humble and honest with himself and others, but especially with God. Pride is the number one sin that keeps people away from God, they see no need for God, they are their own God, prideful people believe they are self-sufficient.  Humility will lead to exaltation by the Lord, Pride will only lead to a fall and being humbled, Jesus Saves!
June 8, 2025
Today is Pentecost Sunday, the day the Christian Church was birthed, the day the Holy Spirit came to dwell within all believers.  This is the day Jesus told His followers would be coming soon, they were to wait in Jerusalem and this day would be fulfilled.  Today's verse is actually a result of what had happened days or weeks before, the Disciples were filled with the power of the Holy Spirit and they spoke boldly of their faith and the one in whom their faith originates, Christ Jesus of Nazareth.  If you are a follower of Christ, a Born Again believer, then you have been filled with the Holy Spirit of God, you have the same power within you that we read of here in the book of Acts, earth shaking power.  Jesus said that if you have faith the size of a mustard seed you can move mountains.  When Paul and Silas were in Thessalonica, it was said of them "They turned the whole world upside down", today, let's all go out and by faith turn our world upside down for Jesus, Jesus Saves! 
June 7, 2025
 The apostle Paul is getting near the end of his letter to the church at Corinth, he has taught them many lessons in this letter, some of the lessons were spelled out with brutal truth.  In that context, Paul is here guiding them to be on guard always, to be watchful in every way, because there is always trouble and destruction lurking around every corner.  He tells them to stand firm in the faith, do not allow yourselves to be led astray, to be lured into sinful actions by evil men, and never allow these things to creep into the church.  ACT LIKE MEN, this statement is absolutely directed to the men of the church, they are to be the Spiritual leaders of the home and of the church, they are the protectors of the flock.  Be strong, stand strong in the Lord Jesus in all you say and do, do not waiver, do not compromise, do not allow the slightest sin to come in and take hold within the body of believers, Be Strong.  And finally, Let all you do be done in love, people have problems, help them, people need guidance, lead them, and people need to be loved, encourage them, Jesus Saves!
June 6, 2025
Many people over the last almost two thousand years have willingly given their lives for the sake of the Gospel and their Savior Christ Jesus.  But even though their bodies were killed, they live on in Christ Jesus.  Being born again means surrendering your life and your will to the life and will of the Lord who saved you, the old self dies and the new creation in Christ lives.  Being a Christian does not mean you live a double life, not at all, it means you live a new life, a life shaped and molded by God to bring Him glory in all you say and do.  Being a follower of the Lord Jesus is a commitment to live for Him, all in, not lukewarm, not on the fence, but all in for Jesus.  Have you decided for Jesus?  If not it is quite simple, as Paul wrote in the book of Romans, if you confess Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart God raised Him from the dead you are saved, Jesus Saves!
June 5, 2025
In the context of this writing, David and his men had just brought the Ark of the Covenant back to Israel and placed it in the tent where it would stay until the Temple was built.  And David writes a song of Thanksgiving to the Lord, and the people celebrate and praise the Lord.  As part of our giving thanks to the Lord, we are to be in intimate relationship with him, we are to be seeking His face and His presence.   We are to seek the Lord and His strength, for we cannot do this life in our own strength, we need the strength of the Lord to carry us through.  And this is to be a continual part of our  communing with God.  
     Seek God in all things, seek His strength in all you do, Jesus Saves
June 4, 2025
Psalm twenty three is a beautiful picture of an intimate relationship with God, the psalmist, David, a Shepherd in the field paints  for his reader a picture of love, mercy, and hope.  Even though his enemies, and they are not specified, they could be perceived or real, but he knows the Lord always provides for him, even in the dark days that he travels through.  My cup overflows, showing that the Lord always welcomes him, and that he wants an enduring relationship.  And I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever, here is that eternal perspective we must all have, this life is short, but eternity is forever, and eternity is with the Lord in paradise, in perfect communion with God.  
    As you read through this psalm, meditate on the relational perspective that is spoken of, the intimate relationship the writer has with the Lord, the relationship we can all have with the Lord, Jesus Saves! 
June 3, 2025
How many of us go to bed each night filled with worry about the problems of tomorrow and beyond?  The Lord does not want us to worry about anything, especially those things we have absolutely no control over, which is most everything.  Anxiety is wasted time and effort, because we worry about things we cannot change, of which most of it never happens.   Let us remember who is in control of the life we live, is God not far more powerful than that little problem you perceive is big enough to destroy you.  God is Bigger, bigger than your financial problems, your marital issues, your medical diagnosis, your relationship disagreements... God is Bigger.  Rather than worry and get all anxious about these things, stop and get on your knees and give it to God, He already has a plan to resolve whatever might be going on in your life, God knows and God will, Jesus Saves! 
June 2, 2025
Children, in general, are fully dependent upon their parents for all their needs.  They depend upon adults to feed them, clothe them, help them in times of need, give them direction, offer discipline when it is needed, and love them at all times.  Jesus here tells the reader that unless you become like these children, fully dependent upon Him for all your needs, you will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven.  As well, having the humility of one who understands the need of the Lord is critical to an intimate relationship with Jesus.
     Jesus then says that these little ones are so precious to Him, that He compares taking care of them to being in relationship with Him.  As children of God, we are to trust Him and obey Him, following His guidance daily , Jesus Saves!
June 1, 2025
The Prophet Isaiah lived and prophesied some seven centuries prior to the life of Christ on earth, this is not a trivial telling of what was to come.  And what Isaiah wrote is not even up for argument, history tells us this happened, Jesus of Nazareth was indeed crucified by the Roman government at the urging of the Jewish religious leaders.  Not because of any wrong He had done, but because of the plan of God to save the world.  Jesus paid the ultimate price for your salvation, pierced for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities, His punishment brought us peace beyond understanding, and by His many wounds we have been healed.  The Old Testament leads us to the point of redemption, God's story, God's plan to save humankind from sin and death, Jesus Saves! 
May 31, 2025
 The Lord is good, that seems to be so inadequate when describing God, He is so much more than good.  God is perfect in every way, never late, never misses an appointment, goes far beyond what any of us could possibly expect.  Love, God is love, and His love is forever, from beginning to end, for God so loved the world He gave His only son to save it, even before He had created a single human being.  He is faithful to all generations,   God has been working with His creation, specifically human beings since the first two in the Garden.  And God has been leading, guiding, teaching, and loving His creation continually since, He is faithful to all generations, even to this very day, Jesus Saves! 
May 30, 2025
Today we take another look at a couple of verses that are familiar to most of us, verses we read often... But do we really hear what the Lord is saying to us?  God knows that this life we go through here on earth is going to be filled with trials, tribulations and general problems, but He also knows exactly how we should navigate it as well.  The Lord asks us simply to trust Him with every part of our lives, to be fully surrendered to Him, and most importantly do not lean on your own understanding.   How often we decide we know what is best and we take off on our path, doing things our way, and before we know it, we are in the ditch upside down and wheels are spinning.  God says, let me lead you and I will make straight your paths, I will lead you down that narrow path of life, just submit your ways for my ways, Jesus Saves!
May 29, 2025
Today we take another look at a couple of verses that are familiar to most of us, verses we read often... But do we really hear what the Lord is saying to us?  God knows that this life we go through here on earth is going to be filled with trials, tribulations and general problems, but He also knows exactly how we should navigate it as well.  The Lord asks us simply to trust Him with every part of our lives, to be fully surrendered to Him, and most importantly do not lean on your own understanding.   How often we decide we know what is best and we take off on our path, doing things our way, and before we know it, we are in the ditch upside down and wheels are spinning.  God says, let me lead you and I will make straight your paths, I will lead you down that narrow path of life, just submit your ways for my ways, Jesus Saves!
May 28, 2025
  There is a lot in this verse, but first, what is love?  The world confuses love with a fleeting emotion, something that comes and goes, but in God's economy, love is a state of being, real and forever.  Your love for God is something that grows and grows over time, as you come to know Him more intimately, you are consumed by His love.  And with His love comes knowledge and wisdom and discernment, growing in your relationship with Him and others, living life the way He leads you, which leads to a life God sees as pure, excellent, and blameless.  We see ourselves much differently than God sees us, when the Father looks upon those who have placed their faith in His son, He sees a person who is washed in the blood, pure and clean.  Live life in Christ, abounding in His love, His wisdom, His knowledge as we head toward that day of Christ, Jesus Saves! 
May 27, 2025
Physical exercise, our bodies do indeed need to be worked to keep them going and working as God intended.  And over the years exercise trends, machines and the like have become quite popular.  But the Apostle Paul here is not saying  exercise is not needed, it is of value, but that your Spiritual well being is of the greatest importance, for without it, you have nothing.  Godliness is of the greatest value for it will lead you into eternity, is of value in this short life on earth, and of value as you move into the life in Heaven with Christ.  Since both physical and spiritual well being are both important, why not do them together?  As you go for your daily walk, take the bible with you, listen to the Bible app as you walk, take your favorite devotional to the gym with you.  Whatever you do for physical exercise, Grow Spiritually right along with that.  Your Spiritual health guides you through this life, and leads you into eternity, Jesus Saves! 
May 26, 2025
More Good News, Paul has shared with this church how they have allowed themselves to be persuaded to fall back into a type of slavery to things not required.  This church was falling victim to those who would require extra biblical acts that do nothing to save them, they became slaves to these acts, forgoing the Gospel message.  Paul asks them who is it that has tricked you into believing this?  Paul gives them a very long message of faith, not works, that lead to salvation.  And here he tells them, you are no longer slaves, stop allowing anything to take you captive, you have been freed from all of this by Christ Jesus.  And since you have been freed by God, you are His child, adopted into the family of God, and therefore you have been made an heir as well, you have an inheritance.  In Christ you have been born again, redeemed, freed from bondage to sin and death, made into a new creation, and claimed as His own for all eternity.  That is Good News, Jesus Saves! 
May 25, 2025
The Lord knows His sheep, He resides in His people, and He has great compassion upon them, they are his.  Jesus' statement here is much like what He told Saul of Tarsus on the road to Damascus as Saul was on a tear to destroy "The Way', the followers of Christ.  In Acts 9:4 "And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” ~ The Lord takes the treatment of His people very seriously, as Saul persecuted them, and here as those He is speaking to in this parable were helping His people when they were in need.  It is a beautiful picture of Christians living out their faith by being servants to those less fortunate.  When you do unto each of them, you are doing unto the Lord Himself, Jesus Saves!
May 24, 2025
The Lord knows His sheep, He resides in His people, and He has great compassion upon them, they are his.  Jesus' statement here is much like what He told Saul of Tarsus on the road to Damascus as Saul was on a tear to destroy "The Way', the followers of Christ.  In Acts 9:4 "And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” ~ The Lord takes the treatment of His people very seriously, as Saul persecuted them, and here as those He is speaking to in this parable were helping His people when they were in need.  It is a beautiful picture of Christians living out their faith by being servants to those less fortunate.  When you do unto each of them, you are doing unto the Lord Himself, Jesus Saves!
May 23, 2025
The Lord says that to all who believe, they are given the right to be called children of God, adopted into the family of God.  Not because of anything you can do, but because of the amazing Grace of God.  Here in Matthew, Jesus continues to tell of that time when the King, that being Himself will return for His own.  And after He has separated the sheep from the goats, the sheep being on His right hand will be blessed and given their inheritance, the Kingdom of God, prepared, put in place, all before the very foundations of the world.  God already had a plan in place to save you from the wrath to come, even before you were knitted together within the womb.  
     All because of the enormous love of God, you are given the opportunity to become a child of God through Christ's selfless act on the cross of Calvary.  A gift, you cannot earn it, you cannot buy it, it is free, be born again and inherit the Kingdom of God, Jesus Saves!
May 22, 2025
In chapters twenty three through twenty five, Jesus is doing a great deal of teaching and explaining to His disciples.  He has told them no one will know the day nor the hour of His return, only the Father knows, and it will be that day, a dreadful day.  And here in Matthew twenty five he is explaining the final judgment.  For when the Son of Man comes in His Glory, this being the second coming of Christ, He will sit in judgment upon His throne and all nations, everyone will sit before Him.  And at that time, there will come a judgment, and He will separate the sheep, those who hear His voice and know His voice and obey him, from the goats, those who do as they please and do not hear His voice and fail to obey and live by the will of God.  Jesus then tells a parable that describes how these lived within the will of God.  Time is short, Jesus is coming soon.  Life is short, death is sure, sin is the problem, and Christ is the cure, Jesus Saves! 
May 21, 2025
When we think about the love of God, let's think about the one that created us, the intelligent designer that put this body of ours together.  He is the same one who sent His son to die on a cross so that whoever would believe should not perish but have eternal life.  And there is nothing in this world that can change the love of God, and here Paul gives a long list of those people or situations that cannot separate you from the love of God.  God made a commitment to make a way for you to be redeemed, and God saw it through to the end, He is not going to give up on you now, and there is nothing that will cause Him to stop loving you, absolutely nothing.  Jesus loves you, you should know, for the Bible tells you so, and He always will, even throughout eternity, Jesus Saves!
May 20, 2025
       Jesus Himself quotes from Psalm 118:22, here applying it to Himself as the cornerstone.  Jesus was rejected by the Religious leaders, He was rejected by many Jewish people of that time, and He is still to this day rejected by the orthodox Jews of our time.  Jesus is the very cornerstone, the foundation of our faith, we base all that we believe upon Him and His life and teachings.  
       But sadly, as people reject Christ, for whatever reason they have, He is still God, they are rejecting God.  Jesus is woven throughout the Old Testament Scriptures, the Angel of the Lord interacting with many of the people the Jews venerated highly.  Christians around the world for almost two thousand years have stood strong upon the cornerstone of our faith, the Lord Christ Jesus, The Promised One, the Prophet spoken of by Moses, the Messiah, our Savior.  The rejection of the world does not change who He is, King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Jesus Saves!
May 19, 2025
 Give Thanks,  be thankful for all the blessings that God has poured out upon your life.  How often we overlook the Lord's blessing, as we concentrate on the not so good parts of our life.  When in reality, the good outweighs the bad by a long shot.  First off you woke up this morning, you have running water, many people did not do either of those things this morning, it is reported some 150,000 people die each day in our world, and you were not one of them,  We do indeed have much to be thankful for, let us praise God, and may we bless His Holy name.  Today, let us all focus on the good things God has given us in this life, let them overshadow the bad, let us walk with hearts filled with Joy as we praise the Lord, Jesus Saves! A song for you
May 18, 2025
The Good News of Christ Jesus, how could anyone call upon the Lord, if they have not believed?  If people are not given the opportunity to know Christ, they will not know to call upon His name, all believers are commissioned to tell the world about Jesus.  And how are they to believe in HIm of whom they have never heard?  Everyone on earth needs to hear the Good News of Salvation in Christ Jesus, but how can they believe if we do not tell them, how are they to know the mercy and grace of God if we remain silent?  And how are they to hear without someone preaching?  Not all men are called to preach the word of God, but all are called to tell others about Jesus and His Amazing Saving Grace.  All persons have the need to hear the Good News, and all believers have the duty to tell them, everybody ought to know, Jesus Saves!
A song for you
May 17, 2025
 Truth, truth has been skewed from the beginning, the serpent in the Garden skewed the truth, Abraham lied to Pharaoh, Sarah lied, Jacob lied.... And the inconvenient truth is ignored.  People lie everyday to keep from revealing the truth, but eventually the truth will be known, it will not be hidden forever, the truth always surfaces.  The Holy Spirit of God is truth, He comes in truth, and He guides the believer in all truth.  We are called to walk in the Spirit, to walk by faith, and to walk in all truth, for to do otherwise is of the devil, for he is a liar from the beginning and knows no truth.  Jesus said I am the way, the truth and the life, in the Lord Jesus, we will know the way to righteousness, we will have eternal life through faith, and we will know the truth and the truth will set us free, Know Jesus, Know Truth, Jesus Saves!
May 16, 2025
Trying to comprehend the vastness of God is truly impossible.  To think that God created the Heavens and the earth, all of the stars, planets, and everything beyond.  And this same amazing God created all those beautiful little plants, the trees, birds, fish and every living thing around.  And He created YOU!   That in itself is beyond belief, it is a task so massive in scope man cannot even come close to wrapping his head around its existence.  Man has been studying creation since the beginning, and has barely scratched the surface of God's handiwork.  We can see all that God has done, and stand in awe of our creator, knowing that that same God loves us and cares for us and desires to have a personal relationship with us, Jesus Saves! 
May 15, 2025
You have probably heard the old saying, "If you have nothing good to say, say nothing at all", that is very good advice, for all of us.  Sometimes we find it so very hard to keep our mouths shut, when that is exactly what we need to do.  Here Paul gives us some very good and Godly words of wisdom, do not let any corrupting talk come out of your mouth, do not say anything that will hurt others, do not say anything that will tear down another, and never use hurtful words.  We should do just the opposite, say things that are edifying, things that build up, words that encourage others.  For rather than using words that stir up strife and conflict, we should be using words that bring peace to the situation and sooth the storm at hand.  And remember, as a Christian, your words have a strong impact upon non-believers, let them see Christ in you and your words, Jesus Saves!
May 14, 2025
James here writes in his epistle, that those who remain steadfast, faithful to the Lord even when they are enduring a trail of some sort are blessed.  Now what does James mean by remaining steadfast?  He means that when the going gets tough, this person stays the course with the Lord, he doesn't walk away, he doesn't abandon the faith he has professed to have, he hangs on to the Lord with all he has.  Oftentimes, especially with new believers, they get to this place, life is hard, things are not going well, the trials are piling up and they walk, they give up, it is just too hard.  Now for this person, do the trials go away? Not at all, but they choose to deal with them in an unbiblical manner, without Jesus.  Trials come our way to strengthen our faith, to make us stronger in the Lord, and when we endure through these trials, our relationship with our Lord grows stronger, the bond is built up.  And when we have stood the test of time, the Lord will reward us with the crown of life.  Stand firm in your faith, do not give up, Jesus Saves!
May 13, 2025
A common theme in the word of God, one that plagues many of us, worry, concern, and anxiety.  We know from experience that worry fixes nothing, changes no outcomes and in reality only makes our situation worse.  The Apostle Paul tells his readers here, do not be anxious about anything, but instead, take it to the Lord in prayer and in supplication, and as you hand this issue off to the Lord, thank Him for hearing it and answering it.  And when we do this, when we give our problems to the Lord as is prescribed here by Paul, we will experience the true peace of God, a peace that is beyond human understanding, peace that exceeds anything else in the world.  And as that peace comes over you in a way that is like a cloud of grace, it will give you such peace of mind and heart.  Don't let the cares of this world get you down, give them to God and see what He does, Jesus Saves! 
May 12, 2025
In this second chapter of the letter written to the church at Ephesus by the Apostle Paul, he is speaking on our salvation in Christ Jesus.  We have been saved by grace through faith, not of your own doing but by the work of Christ.  You have changed, you are a new creation, no longer that old self reliant person, but one who leans wholly upon your Lord and Savior.  All of us were created in the image of God, but all of us were also born with  a sinful nature, we are sinners.  But God, He had a plan to redeem you and I from what was brought into our lives through Adam and Eve in the Garden through a new birth, a rebirth, Born Again in Christ.  We are His workmanship in both cases, now Born again for His good works, of which God had already prepared, a new way of life for us to walk in.  We are God's creation, created in His image, and now reborn in the image of Christ Jesus, Jesus Saves! 
May 11, 2025
This is a verse that we typically see and read at Christmas time as we celebrate the birth of our Savior, but how much do we spend thinking about the reason Jesus was born?  Here we are told exactly why He was born, why He came to live on earth, and why He had to die on that Roman cross, a criminal's death, to save His people from their sins.  Everything that took place, from the announcement of Mary being pregnant, to the ascension of her son back into Heaven, was all part of God's Bigger plan to save humanity from their sin.  This woman Mary, chosen by God to bring the Messiah into the then known world, sure there were moments of Joy, but far more times of heartbreak and sadness, but in the end, Jesus saved her, He was her redeemer.  Have you entered into a relationship with Jesus, ask Him to be  Lord of your life, it will be the best decision you will ever make, Jesus Saves! 
May 10, 2025
God created all that was created in six days, and then on the seventh day He rested.  God did not need to rest, God was not tired, but God set an example for all of us to follow, we work and then we rest.  Many of us do not do a very good job of resting, we work and work and work some more, failing to enjoy what God created.  Jesus tells us plainly if you are weary and heavy laden come to Him and He will give you rest.  The best rest we can have is in Christ Jesus, abiding in Him every day.  Jesus also set an example of not making the Sabbath day of rest a "Legal" day of rest, doing those things that need to be done causes no harm.  Let us all follow the example that Jesus gives us in His life, may we all live our lives in the shadow of His life each day, Jesus Saves! 
May 9, 2025
 A servant's heart...  Jesus said, I did not come to be served, but to serve, He was willing to do whatever it took to show people that bringing service to others is far more rewarding than being served.  As the Lord prepared to wash the feet of His disciple Peter, Peter was indignant toward Jesus, because Peter could not get past status.  Having a servant's heart means you will step up and do whatever needs to be done, not looking at it as demeaning, but as a joy to serve.  Jesus was willing to step out of Heaven to live as a man in a fallen world, He came to serve and to save.  As followers of Jesus, we must be willing to emulate our Lord and Savior, to serve and to bring the Good News to all we encounter, Jesus Saves!
May 8, 2025
Have you ever been really discouraged, feeling like there was just no way out of your situation?  Well, you are not alone, many people every day feel like that, the people of Israel after being taken into exile felt like that, But God.  Right here in the book of Isaiah, the Prophet relays a message from the Lord to the people who had been taken captive and moved to a foreign nation.  Forget about your old things, your disappointing past, because, I your God, am doing a NEW thing!  Do you not perceive it, can you not see what I am doing?  Leave the past in the past, for I am making a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.  Today, stop living a defeated , discouraged way of life, God has a better way, a new way, ask Him to show you, Jesus Saves!
May 7, 2025
The King is Coming!  Many of the Prophets of old spoke of that day, On that day, the day of the Lord.  Here the prophet Zechariah speaks words of hope to a very broken nation and people, he preaches a message of renewal as they return home from exile in Babylon, a message of covenant renewal and obedience.  We should always be looking to the future with Hope, that is the message of Jesus, the here and now is only temporary, that day is coming when Christ will reign supreme over all the world, the Lord will be one, and his name one.  This is good news for the weary soul, Hope in the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, Jesus Saves!
May 6, 2025
Have you ever asked yourself, why am I in this mood, why am I agitated, why am I feeling depressed?  Sometimes our feelings are justified due to circumstances around us, but often our feelings deceive us and we feel a certain way because we have created a scenario that does not exist and we then feel as though God has abandoned us.  The Psalmist here asks himself this question, why are you cast down, O my soul?  What is it that has brought you down?  Why are you so distressed within me?  Life can throw a whole lot at us, and sometimes all at once, and it can be quite overwhelming... But God, put your Hope in God, rest in the Lord, lean on the Lord, let Him pick you up and carry you out of this dark valley, for you then again will praise Him, your Lord and Savior.  Do not allow your feelings to deceive you, ask yourself why, and give it to God, Jesus Saves!
May 5, 2025
The key word in this verse from the Apostle John is Greater, for God is greater than any other in existence, He is greater than any force in the world, God is Greater.  Little children, those who have placed their faith in Christ Jesus, those who have been redeemed, you are from God, you have a relationship with God, you know God, and you are overcomers.  Jesus tells us in John chapter sixteen, that there will be trouble in this world, but He has overcome this world, and when we abide in Him too will overcome this world.  For you have the Holy Spirit of God residing within you, and Greater is He who is in you, than he who is in the world.  Satan rules this world, he is the prince of this world, but he has no power greater than God.  You are an overcomer, live like it, do not let the evil take an inch of your joy, Jesus Saves!
May 4, 2025
Words of comfort from the creator to His chosen people through the prophet Isaiah.  The Lord refers to Himself in this message to His people as; I am the one who created you, I am the one who formed you.  God is the creator of all that has ever been created, and yes, God called and brought this people group together in Israel.  The Lord wants His people to know He is always with them, no matter what is happening He is there.  He says to His children, "Fear not, for I have redeemed you, saved you, I have called you by name, you are mine"  Now even though this was written thousands of years ago to the people of Israel, it stands true for you and me today.  God created each one of us, and if you are a born again Christian, you have been redeemed, and God does indeed know your name, He calls you by name, you are His, Jesus Saves!
May 3, 2025
Bottomline, we are told not to worry, not to be anxious about anything, God's got this!  Here Jesus is speaking to regular people while He delivers His Sermon on the Mount, and in this sermon Jesus gives these people a great deal of information on many subjects, all a better way to live our lives.  We should not be anxious or worried about anything, not what we eat or drink, or even the clothing we wear, living for the Kingdom is far more important.  God will provide for our needs, He always has and He always will.  We need not be worried about anything, for it is nothing more than a waste of good time.  Ponder the Kingdom, meditate on God's word, pray, spend that time of anxiousness with the Lord, move those worrisome thoughts out of your head, give it to God, Jesus Saves!
May 2, 2025
In the beginning, God started out with a blank slate, the whole world was dark and without form or void, But God, God created this whole universe from nothing.  God also created you, knitted you together within the confines of your mothers womb, and He knew before you were ever even thought of here on earth.  Then God touched your life, and prayerfully you have been redeemed by Christ Jesus.  And if you have been born again, you are a new creation in Christ Jesus, different, changed and your purpose for life is new.  We are all very different people, personality, likes, dislikes, taste, desires, but even so, God uses us for His good will however He sees fit.  And here the Apostle Paul tells his readers that whatever it is God has started in your life, He will continue to work in your life until it is complete to His satisfaction, complete at the day of Christ Jesus.  He has a plan for every life, we need only respond to His call, Jesus Saves!
May 1, 2025
In his letter to the church at Ephesus, the Apostle Paul offers a prayer to those in that church for Spiritual strength, and concludes that portion of his letter with this statement. Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us.  As believers we are filled with the Holy Spirit, He resides within us, He has the power to do far more than any of us could possibly imagine.  We can often diminish His abilities because we lack that power, and we forget that it is through His power that great things happen in our lives.  And as the Holy Spirit of God works in us and through us, may we always give Glory to Him through the church, the body of Christ, and to Christ Himself.  And may this continue throughout all generations, forever and ever, Amen.  Live in the power of the Holy Spirit in all areas of life, Jesus Saves!
June 22, 2025
Highly favored are those who are poor in Spirit, those who are fully cognizant of their Spiritual bankruptcy.  How can you ask for assistance with anything if you are unaware of the true condition of that, that needs help?  The Spiritually poor know and understand the condition of their heart, and they know that God is the only one who can come and repair what is broken and or missing from within their heart.  Only I and God can know the true condition of my heart, I know that I need God to come and help me, for I am nothing on my own, it is God who makes me who I am.  God says to all, highly favored are those who admit they need God, that left to their own devices they are nothing and will fail miserably.  God knows the condition of your heart, are you willing to give it up to Him to change and to fill with newness of life?  Jesus Saves! 
June 21, 2025
Consider His great deeds, His great works, His love and compassion, for He is God, the creator of all and the keeper of all.  We do not need to stop and ponder God for very long and we are overwhelmed by all He has done, He created the world we live in, He flooded the earth to cleanse it, He called a man and created a special people, He parted the Red Sea to save them, He gave them a land of their own, He stopped time to give them victory.  When you believe that God has abandoned you, meditate on all He has done and remember His promise to all people who love Him, I will never leave you nor forsake you, I am with you always.  And the Biggest wonder of all, He died on a despicable Roman cross to save you, died a criminal's death to redeem you, and He rose from the dead to give you eternal life ~ How Great is our God!  Spend some time today to just ponder everything God has done in the past as we read in His word, His story, and then ponder all He has done in your life, then let us praise God for He is great, Jesus Saves!
June 20, 2025
Paul, a man called by Christ to come and serve Him as His Apostle to the Gentiles.  For most this seemed a very unlikely choice as he was so zealous to stop The Way, and kill the name of Jesus of Nazareth.  But Paul heard the call and fully accepted Christ as Lord and Savior, he was all in, fully committed to the Lord.  This verse shows us that Paul had no desire for self, but only to do the work the Lord had drawn him into.  Jesus said in Matthew 10:39 "Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it"  This life we live here on earth is nothing more than a vapor, it is gone quickly, we must then make the best of it, spreading the Good News of Christ Jesus must be our life's goal, and to finish well, Jesus Saves!
June 19, 2025
Here, near the end of Paul's first letter to the church at Corinth, he explains a mystery, one many of us believers are patiently waiting for, and the Victory we have in Christ Jesus.  The mystery is the Rapture, the taking up of believers into Heaven without death, it is real and it will happen.  Then there is the Victory in Jesus, When the Lord Jesus died on that cross He paid the sin debt of every person, sin had been defeated and remains a defeated foe to this day and into eternity, Victory over sin.  When Christ was resurrected from the dead, He defeated another dark and ugly foe, Death.  Death no longer has a hold on us, we can know with confidence that we will not be chained in death, but be in the presence of our Lord, Victory over death.  Now, let us live in the Victory that God had given us, keep your eyes upon Jesus, and look up for your redemption is very near, Jesus Saves! 
June 18, 2025
The writer of Hebrews brings to mind the times in which the Lord Jesus, in the flesh, fully man went to God the Father in desperate prayer.  We can read how deeply troubled Jesus was as his hour had arrived, He knew what the hours just ahead of Him held, it was deep dark waters he was going to be walking through.  Jesus, in the Garden of Gethsemane prayed that His Father would take that cup from Him, but knowing that God is all good and all knowing surrendered His will for the will of the Father.  We can learn a great deal from how Jesus prayed, and even more about how Jesus reacted, "not my will, but yours be done".  There are times in our lives when we know a difficult season is upon us and we pray simply for relief, to be delivered from this time of trouble.  But we need to remember those hard times are what strengthen our faith, and God knows what you need, and the trials of life will help us even though they are hard.  "Even though my friends may fail me, sin and death and Hell asial me, I know my Jesus will never fail me", Jesus Saves
June 17, 2025
God desires that His people be comforted in times of need, distress and sorrow.  Isaiah spoke a similar message in his time as well, he said "Comfort, comfort my people, says your God"  We serve a God of all comfort, one who knows our every need, every tear, and every sorrow that comes our way, and He comforts us in many ways.  One way that God comforts is through others who have experienced the love, mercy and compassion themselves from the Lord.  Paul is writing to the people in Corinth to encourage them to be God's comforters, to ensure their community is being given the comfort that the Lord has poured out upon each of them.  Paul is making a strong point in these opening verses of his second letter to the church at Corinth, the word comfort is used some ten times in the beginning of this letter.  As followers of Christ, we are to be comforters to others, just as Christ is to us, comfort, comfort my people, Jesus Saves!
June 16, 2025
 At face value the words of this statement do not tell of the gravity of the work done in delivering us from the domain of darkness.  The act of delivering you and I from Satan's grasp required death.  God's plan of redemption of all of mankind required sacrifice, and not just any sacrifice, it demanded a perfect sinless lamb of God  to lay down His life.  There was no other way, and Jesus willingly went to the cross to pay the sin debt of you and I, thus delivering us out of the evil ons domain of darkness.  And in doing so, we have been transferred into the Kingdom of God's beloved Son, Christ Jesus.  The Lord Jesus, by sacrificing His life, created a bridge to deliver us from sure death and Hell to Eternal life in Heaven, Jesus Saves!  
June 15, 2025
This piece of Scripture is one of those that can be taken out of context in many ways.  We live in a very fallen world and we also know that bad things happen to good people.  Not all things that happen are good in any way shape or form, they are just plain bad and ugly.  But God, God can work miracles and God can make a way where there is no visible way to you and me.  It comes down to trusting God, that He will indeed work all things out for good, and for those who love Him and trust Him, we stand on this promise.  For we can know for certain that all things will work according to His purpose and His will.  If we look at the lives of the disciples, they looked to God and trusted God in all things, knowing how ever it worked out it was God's will.   God has a good plan, a plan that is unfolding day by day, and one day in the future it will be complete, we need only trust Him, Jesus Saves! 
June 11, 2025
 The mind is a powerful thing, it thinks, it commands, it creates, and it develops, most of which is good, but some of what the mind conjures up is untrue.  Have you ever had a thought come into your mind, and you thought to yourself, where did that come from?  We can allow thoughts and arguments to create an opinion within our own mind that is absolutely not true, it is a lie.  Here the Apostle Paul tells us in his second letter to the church at Corinth that we must not listen to those lies, arguments and opinions, but we must take them captive in order to be obedient to Chridt Jesus.  Who are you?  Many of you might respond immediately, I am a child of God, others might say a title, a name, or something else, but who you are is critical to making this happen.  If you know you are a child of God, then do not allow any lie, argument or opinion to say otherwise, take captive anything that says you are not a redeemed child of God, Jesus Saves! 
June 10, 2025
This verse in the twenty-first chapter of the Book of Revelation should give us so much hope, for a better time, a much more pleasant time, a time filled with love and joy.  Today, our world is filled with wickedness, evil, and hate is everywhere, there is a lot of pain and sorrow filled with tears.  But there is a day coming in the not so distant future when all of this will change, the Lord is going to renew this earth, eliminate all of evil, all the bad, death will be dead,  all the pain and sorrow and He will wipe away all the tears that come with it.  The Lord is going to make all things new, it will be the way it was intended to be from the beginning, all of this sadness and misery will be passed away, God is going to make it all new and right again, Jesus Saves! 
June 9, 2025
Jesus has just told the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax collector both in the Temple praying and the pious Pharisee says thank you God that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.  And the Tax collector beats his chest and says God forgive me a sinner.  The differences in these two men is obvious, one is self righteous and proud, the other humble and knows his own heart.  God knows the heart and simply says the humble tax collector will go home justified, he is humble and honest with himself and others, but especially with God. Pride is the number one sin that keeps people away from God, they see no need for God, they are their own God, prideful people believe they are self-sufficient.  Humility will lead to exaltation by the Lord, Pride will only lead to a fall and being humbled, Jesus Saves!
June 8, 2025
Today is Pentecost Sunday, the day the Christian Church was birthed, the day the Holy Spirit came to dwell within all believers.  This is the day Jesus told His followers would be coming soon, they were to wait in Jerusalem and this day would be fulfilled.  Today's verse is actually a result of what had happened days or weeks before, the Disciples were filled with the power of the Holy Spirit and they spoke boldly of their faith and the one in whom their faith originates, Christ Jesus of Nazareth.  If you are a follower of Christ, a Born Again believer, then you have been filled with the Holy Spirit of God, you have the same power within you that we read of here in the book of Acts, earth shaking power.  Jesus said that if you have faith the size of a mustard seed you can move mountains.  When Paul and Silas were in Thessalonica, it was said of them "They turned the whole world upside down", today, let's all go out and by faith turn our world upside down for Jesus, Jesus Saves! 
June 7, 2025
 The apostle Paul is getting near the end of his letter to the church at Corinth, he has taught them many lessons in this letter, some of the lessons were spelled out with brutal truth.  In that context, Paul is here guiding them to be on guard always, to be watchful in every way, because there is always trouble and destruction lurking around every corner.  He tells them to stand firm in the faith, do not allow yourselves to be led astray, to be lured into sinful actions by evil men, and never allow these things to creep into the church.  ACT LIKE MEN, this statement is absolutely directed to the men of the church, they are to be the Spiritual leaders of the home and of the church, they are the protectors of the flock.  Be strong, stand strong in the Lord Jesus in all you say and do, do not waiver, do not compromise, do not allow the slightest sin to come in and take hold within the body of believers, Be Strong.  And finally, Let all you do be done in love, people have problems, help them, people need guidance, lead them, and people need to be loved, encourage them, Jesus Saves!
June 6, 2025
Many people over the last almost two thousand years have willingly given their lives for the sake of the Gospel and their Savior Christ Jesus.  But even though their bodies were killed, they live on in Christ Jesus.  Being born again means surrendering your life and your will to the life and will of the Lord who saved you, the old self dies and the new creation in Christ lives.  Being a Christian does not mean you live a double life, not at all, it means you live a new life, a life shaped and molded by God to bring Him glory in all you say and do.  Being a follower of the Lord Jesus is a commitment to live for Him, all in, not lukewarm, not on the fence, but all in for Jesus.  Have you decided for Jesus?  If not it is quite simple, as Paul wrote in the book of Romans, if you confess Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart God raised Him from the dead you are saved, Jesus Saves!
June 5, 2025
In the context of this writing, David and his men had just brought the Ark of the Covenant back to Israel and placed it in the tent where it would stay until the Temple was built.  And David writes a song of Thanksgiving to the Lord, and the people celebrate and praise the Lord.  As part of our giving thanks to the Lord, we are to be in intimate relationship with him, we are to be seeking His face and His presence.   We are to seek the Lord and His strength, for we cannot do this life in our own strength, we need the strength of the Lord to carry us through.  And this is to be a continual part of our  communing with God.  
     Seek God in all things, seek His strength in all you do, Jesus Saves
June 4, 2025
Psalm twenty three is a beautiful picture of an intimate relationship with God, the psalmist, David, a Shepherd in the field paints  for his reader a picture of love, mercy, and hope.  Even though his enemies, and they are not specified, they could be perceived or real, but he knows the Lord always provides for him, even in the dark days that he travels through.  My cup overflows, showing that the Lord always welcomes him, and that he wants an enduring relationship.  And I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever, here is that eternal perspective we must all have, this life is short, but eternity is forever, and eternity is with the Lord in paradise, in perfect communion with God.  
    As you read through this psalm, meditate on the relational perspective that is spoken of, the intimate relationship the writer has with the Lord, the relationship we can all have with the Lord, Jesus Saves! 
June 3, 2025
How many of us go to bed each night filled with worry about the problems of tomorrow and beyond?  The Lord does not want us to worry about anything, especially those things we have absolutely no control over, which is most everything.  Anxiety is wasted time and effort, because we worry about things we cannot change, of which most of it never happens.   Let us remember who is in control of the life we live, is God not far more powerful than that little problem you perceive is big enough to destroy you.  God is Bigger, bigger than your financial problems, your marital issues, your medical diagnosis, your relationship disagreements... God is Bigger.  Rather than worry and get all anxious about these things, stop and get on your knees and give it to God, He already has a plan to resolve whatever might be going on in your life, God knows and God will, Jesus Saves! 
June 2, 2025
Children, in general, are fully dependent upon their parents for all their needs.  They depend upon adults to feed them, clothe them, help them in times of need, give them direction, offer discipline when it is needed, and love them at all times.  Jesus here tells the reader that unless you become like these children, fully dependent upon Him for all your needs, you will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven.  As well, having the humility of one who understands the need of the Lord is critical to an intimate relationship with Jesus.
     Jesus then says that these little ones are so precious to Him, that He compares taking care of them to being in relationship with Him.  As children of God, we are to trust Him and obey Him, following His guidance daily , Jesus Saves!
June 1, 2025
The Prophet Isaiah lived and prophesied some seven centuries prior to the life of Christ on earth, this is not a trivial telling of what was to come.  And what Isaiah wrote is not even up for argument, history tells us this happened, Jesus of Nazareth was indeed crucified by the Roman government at the urging of the Jewish religious leaders.  Not because of any wrong He had done, but because of the plan of God to save the world.  Jesus paid the ultimate price for your salvation, pierced for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities, His punishment brought us peace beyond understanding, and by His many wounds we have been healed.  The Old Testament leads us to the point of redemption, God's story, God's plan to save humankind from sin and death, Jesus Saves! 
May 31, 2025
 The Lord is good, that seems to be so inadequate when describing God, He is so much more than good.  God is perfect in every way, never late, never misses an appointment, goes far beyond what any of us could possibly expect.  Love, God is love, and His love is forever, from beginning to end, for God so loved the world He gave His only son to save it, even before He had created a single human being.  He is faithful to all generations,   God has been working with His creation, specifically human beings since the first two in the Garden.  And God has been leading, guiding, teaching, and loving His creation continually since, He is faithful to all generations, even to this very day, Jesus Saves! 
May 30, 2025
Today we take another look at a couple of verses that are familiar to most of us, verses we read often... But do we really hear what the Lord is saying to us?  God knows that this life we go through here on earth is going to be filled with trials, tribulations and general problems, but He also knows exactly how we should navigate it as well.  The Lord asks us simply to trust Him with every part of our lives, to be fully surrendered to Him, and most importantly do not lean on your own understanding.   How often we decide we know what is best and we take off on our path, doing things our way, and before we know it, we are in the ditch upside down and wheels are spinning.  God says, let me lead you and I will make straight your paths, I will lead you down that narrow path of life, just submit your ways for my ways, Jesus Saves!
May 29, 2025
Today we take another look at a couple of verses that are familiar to most of us, verses we read often... But do we really hear what the Lord is saying to us?  God knows that this life we go through here on earth is going to be filled with trials, tribulations and general problems, but He also knows exactly how we should navigate it as well.  The Lord asks us simply to trust Him with every part of our lives, to be fully surrendered to Him, and most importantly do not lean on your own understanding.   How often we decide we know what is best and we take off on our path, doing things our way, and before we know it, we are in the ditch upside down and wheels are spinning.  God says, let me lead you and I will make straight your paths, I will lead you down that narrow path of life, just submit your ways for my ways, Jesus Saves!
May 28, 2025
  There is a lot in this verse, but first, what is love?  The world confuses love with a fleeting emotion, something that comes and goes, but in God's economy, love is a state of being, real and forever.  Your love for God is something that grows and grows over time, as you come to know Him more intimately, you are consumed by His love.  And with His love comes knowledge and wisdom and discernment, growing in your relationship with Him and others, living life the way He leads you, which leads to a life God sees as pure, excellent, and blameless.  We see ourselves much differently than God sees us, when the Father looks upon those who have placed their faith in His son, He sees a person who is washed in the blood, pure and clean.  Live life in Christ, abounding in His love, His wisdom, His knowledge as we head toward that day of Christ, Jesus Saves! 
May 27, 2025
Physical exercise, our bodies do indeed need to be worked to keep them going and working as God intended.  And over the years exercise trends, machines and the like have become quite popular.  But the Apostle Paul here is not saying  exercise is not needed, it is of value, but that your Spiritual well being is of the greatest importance, for without it, you have nothing.  Godliness is of the greatest value for it will lead you into eternity, is of value in this short life on earth, and of value as you move into the life in Heaven with Christ.  Since both physical and spiritual well being are both important, why not do them together?  As you go for your daily walk, take the bible with you, listen to the Bible app as you walk, take your favorite devotional to the gym with you.  Whatever you do for physical exercise, Grow Spiritually right along with that.  Your Spiritual health guides you through this life, and leads you into eternity, Jesus Saves! 
May 26, 2025
More Good News, Paul has shared with this church how they have allowed themselves to be persuaded to fall back into a type of slavery to things not required.  This church was falling victim to those who would require extra biblical acts that do nothing to save them, they became slaves to these acts, forgoing the Gospel message.  Paul asks them who is it that has tricked you into believing this?  Paul gives them a very long message of faith, not works, that lead to salvation.  And here he tells them, you are no longer slaves, stop allowing anything to take you captive, you have been freed from all of this by Christ Jesus.  And since you have been freed by God, you are His child, adopted into the family of God, and therefore you have been made an heir as well, you have an inheritance.  In Christ you have been born again, redeemed, freed from bondage to sin and death, made into a new creation, and claimed as His own for all eternity.  That is Good News, Jesus Saves! 
May 25, 2025
The Lord knows His sheep, He resides in His people, and He has great compassion upon them, they are his.  Jesus' statement here is much like what He told Saul of Tarsus on the road to Damascus as Saul was on a tear to destroy "The Way', the followers of Christ.  In Acts 9:4 "And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” ~ The Lord takes the treatment of His people very seriously, as Saul persecuted them, and here as those He is speaking to in this parable were helping His people when they were in need.  It is a beautiful picture of Christians living out their faith by being servants to those less fortunate.  When you do unto each of them, you are doing unto the Lord Himself, Jesus Saves!
May 24, 2025
The Lord knows His sheep, He resides in His people, and He has great compassion upon them, they are his.  Jesus' statement here is much like what He told Saul of Tarsus on the road to Damascus as Saul was on a tear to destroy "The Way', the followers of Christ.  In Acts 9:4 "And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” ~ The Lord takes the treatment of His people very seriously, as Saul persecuted them, and here as those He is speaking to in this parable were helping His people when they were in need.  It is a beautiful picture of Christians living out their faith by being servants to those less fortunate.  When you do unto each of them, you are doing unto the Lord Himself, Jesus Saves!
May 23, 2025
The Lord says that to all who believe, they are given the right to be called children of God, adopted into the family of God.  Not because of anything you can do, but because of the amazing Grace of God.  Here in Matthew, Jesus continues to tell of that time when the King, that being Himself will return for His own.  And after He has separated the sheep from the goats, the sheep being on His right hand will be blessed and given their inheritance, the Kingdom of God, prepared, put in place, all before the very foundations of the world.  God already had a plan in place to save you from the wrath to come, even before you were knitted together within the womb.  
     All because of the enormous love of God, you are given the opportunity to become a child of God through Christ's selfless act on the cross of Calvary.  A gift, you cannot earn it, you cannot buy it, it is free, be born again and inherit the Kingdom of God, Jesus Saves!
May 22, 2025
In chapters twenty three through twenty five, Jesus is doing a great deal of teaching and explaining to His disciples.  He has told them no one will know the day nor the hour of His return, only the Father knows, and it will be that day, a dreadful day.  And here in Matthew twenty five he is explaining the final judgment.  For when the Son of Man comes in His Glory, this being the second coming of Christ, He will sit in judgment upon His throne and all nations, everyone will sit before Him.  And at that time, there will come a judgment, and He will separate the sheep, those who hear His voice and know His voice and obey him, from the goats, those who do as they please and do not hear His voice and fail to obey and live by the will of God.  Jesus then tells a parable that describes how these lived within the will of God.  Time is short, Jesus is coming soon.  Life is short, death is sure, sin is the problem, and Christ is the cure, Jesus Saves! 
May 21, 2025
When we think about the love of God, let's think about the one that created us, the intelligent designer that put this body of ours together.  He is the same one who sent His son to die on a cross so that whoever would believe should not perish but have eternal life.  And there is nothing in this world that can change the love of God, and here Paul gives a long list of those people or situations that cannot separate you from the love of God.  God made a commitment to make a way for you to be redeemed, and God saw it through to the end, He is not going to give up on you now, and there is nothing that will cause Him to stop loving you, absolutely nothing.  Jesus loves you, you should know, for the Bible tells you so, and He always will, even throughout eternity, Jesus Saves!
May 20, 2025
       Jesus Himself quotes from Psalm 118:22, here applying it to Himself as the cornerstone.  Jesus was rejected by the Religious leaders, He was rejected by many Jewish people of that time, and He is still to this day rejected by the orthodox Jews of our time.  Jesus is the very cornerstone, the foundation of our faith, we base all that we believe upon Him and His life and teachings.  
       But sadly, as people reject Christ, for whatever reason they have, He is still God, they are rejecting God.  Jesus is woven throughout the Old Testament Scriptures, the Angel of the Lord interacting with many of the people the Jews venerated highly.  Christians around the world for almost two thousand years have stood strong upon the cornerstone of our faith, the Lord Christ Jesus, The Promised One, the Prophet spoken of by Moses, the Messiah, our Savior.  The rejection of the world does not change who He is, King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Jesus Saves!
May 19, 2025
 Give Thanks,  be thankful for all the blessings that God has poured out upon your life.  How often we overlook the Lord's blessing, as we concentrate on the not so good parts of our life.  When in reality, the good outweighs the bad by a long shot.  First off you woke up this morning, you have running water, many people did not do either of those things this morning, it is reported some 150,000 people die each day in our world, and you were not one of them,  We do indeed have much to be thankful for, let us praise God, and may we bless His Holy name.  Today, let us all focus on the good things God has given us in this life, let them overshadow the bad, let us walk with hearts filled with Joy as we praise the Lord, Jesus Saves! A song for you
May 18, 2025
The Good News of Christ Jesus, how could anyone call upon the Lord, if they have not believed?  If people are not given the opportunity to know Christ, they will not know to call upon His name, all believers are commissioned to tell the world about Jesus.  And how are they to believe in HIm of whom they have never heard?  Everyone on earth needs to hear the Good News of Salvation in Christ Jesus, but how can they believe if we do not tell them, how are they to know the mercy and grace of God if we remain silent?  And how are they to hear without someone preaching?  Not all men are called to preach the word of God, but all are called to tell others about Jesus and His Amazing Saving Grace.  All persons have the need to hear the Good News, and all believers have the duty to tell them, everybody ought to know, Jesus Saves!
A song for you
May 17, 2025
 Truth, truth has been skewed from the beginning, the serpent in the Garden skewed the truth, Abraham lied to Pharaoh, Sarah lied, Jacob lied.... And the inconvenient truth is ignored.  People lie everyday to keep from revealing the truth, but eventually the truth will be known, it will not be hidden forever, the truth always surfaces.  The Holy Spirit of God is truth, He comes in truth, and He guides the believer in all truth.  We are called to walk in the Spirit, to walk by faith, and to walk in all truth, for to do otherwise is of the devil, for he is a liar from the beginning and knows no truth.  Jesus said I am the way, the truth and the life, in the Lord Jesus, we will know the way to righteousness, we will have eternal life through faith, and we will know the truth and the truth will set us free, Know Jesus, Know Truth, Jesus Saves!
May 16, 2025
Trying to comprehend the vastness of God is truly impossible.  To think that God created the Heavens and the earth, all of the stars, planets, and everything beyond.  And this same amazing God created all those beautiful little plants, the trees, birds, fish and every living thing around.  And He created YOU!   That in itself is beyond belief, it is a task so massive in scope man cannot even come close to wrapping his head around its existence.  Man has been studying creation since the beginning, and has barely scratched the surface of God's handiwork.  We can see all that God has done, and stand in awe of our creator, knowing that that same God loves us and cares for us and desires to have a personal relationship with us, Jesus Saves! 
May 15, 2025
You have probably heard the old saying, "If you have nothing good to say, say nothing at all", that is very good advice, for all of us.  Sometimes we find it so very hard to keep our mouths shut, when that is exactly what we need to do.  Here Paul gives us some very good and Godly words of wisdom, do not let any corrupting talk come out of your mouth, do not say anything that will hurt others, do not say anything that will tear down another, and never use hurtful words.  We should do just the opposite, say things that are edifying, things that build up, words that encourage others.  For rather than using words that stir up strife and conflict, we should be using words that bring peace to the situation and sooth the storm at hand.  And remember, as a Christian, your words have a strong impact upon non-believers, let them see Christ in you and your words, Jesus Saves!
May 14, 2025
James here writes in his epistle, that those who remain steadfast, faithful to the Lord even when they are enduring a trail of some sort are blessed.  Now what does James mean by remaining steadfast?  He means that when the going gets tough, this person stays the course with the Lord, he doesn't walk away, he doesn't abandon the faith he has professed to have, he hangs on to the Lord with all he has.  Oftentimes, especially with new believers, they get to this place, life is hard, things are not going well, the trials are piling up and they walk, they give up, it is just too hard.  Now for this person, do the trials go away? Not at all, but they choose to deal with them in an unbiblical manner, without Jesus.  Trials come our way to strengthen our faith, to make us stronger in the Lord, and when we endure through these trials, our relationship with our Lord grows stronger, the bond is built up.  And when we have stood the test of time, the Lord will reward us with the crown of life.  Stand firm in your faith, do not give up, Jesus Saves!
May 13, 2025
A common theme in the word of God, one that plagues many of us, worry, concern, and anxiety.  We know from experience that worry fixes nothing, changes no outcomes and in reality only makes our situation worse.  The Apostle Paul tells his readers here, do not be anxious about anything, but instead, take it to the Lord in prayer and in supplication, and as you hand this issue off to the Lord, thank Him for hearing it and answering it.  And when we do this, when we give our problems to the Lord as is prescribed here by Paul, we will experience the true peace of God, a peace that is beyond human understanding, peace that exceeds anything else in the world.  And as that peace comes over you in a way that is like a cloud of grace, it will give you such peace of mind and heart.  Don't let the cares of this world get you down, give them to God and see what He does, Jesus Saves! 
May 12, 2025
In this second chapter of the letter written to the church at Ephesus by the Apostle Paul, he is speaking on our salvation in Christ Jesus.  We have been saved by grace through faith, not of your own doing but by the work of Christ.  You have changed, you are a new creation, no longer that old self reliant person, but one who leans wholly upon your Lord and Savior.  All of us were created in the image of God, but all of us were also born with  a sinful nature, we are sinners.  But God, He had a plan to redeem you and I from what was brought into our lives through Adam and Eve in the Garden through a new birth, a rebirth, Born Again in Christ.  We are His workmanship in both cases, now Born again for His good works, of which God had already prepared, a new way of life for us to walk in.  We are God's creation, created in His image, and now reborn in the image of Christ Jesus, Jesus Saves! 
May 11, 2025
This is a verse that we typically see and read at Christmas time as we celebrate the birth of our Savior, but how much do we spend thinking about the reason Jesus was born?  Here we are told exactly why He was born, why He came to live on earth, and why He had to die on that Roman cross, a criminal's death, to save His people from their sins.  Everything that took place, from the announcement of Mary being pregnant, to the ascension of her son back into Heaven, was all part of God's Bigger plan to save humanity from their sin.  This woman Mary, chosen by God to bring the Messiah into the then known world, sure there were moments of Joy, but far more times of heartbreak and sadness, but in the end, Jesus saved her, He was her redeemer.  Have you entered into a relationship with Jesus, ask Him to be  Lord of your life, it will be the best decision you will ever make, Jesus Saves! 
May 10, 2025
God created all that was created in six days, and then on the seventh day He rested.  God did not need to rest, God was not tired, but God set an example for all of us to follow, we work and then we rest.  Many of us do not do a very good job of resting, we work and work and work some more, failing to enjoy what God created.  Jesus tells us plainly if you are weary and heavy laden come to Him and He will give you rest.  The best rest we can have is in Christ Jesus, abiding in Him every day.  Jesus also set an example of not making the Sabbath day of rest a "Legal" day of rest, doing those things that need to be done causes no harm.  Let us all follow the example that Jesus gives us in His life, may we all live our lives in the shadow of His life each day, Jesus Saves! 
May 9, 2025
 A servant's heart...  Jesus said, I did not come to be served, but to serve, He was willing to do whatever it took to show people that bringing service to others is far more rewarding than being served.  As the Lord prepared to wash the feet of His disciple Peter, Peter was indignant toward Jesus, because Peter could not get past status.  Having a servant's heart means you will step up and do whatever needs to be done, not looking at it as demeaning, but as a joy to serve.  Jesus was willing to step out of Heaven to live as a man in a fallen world, He came to serve and to save.  As followers of Jesus, we must be willing to emulate our Lord and Savior, to serve and to bring the Good News to all we encounter, Jesus Saves!
May 8, 2025
Have you ever been really discouraged, feeling like there was just no way out of your situation?  Well, you are not alone, many people every day feel like that, the people of Israel after being taken into exile felt like that, But God.  Right here in the book of Isaiah, the Prophet relays a message from the Lord to the people who had been taken captive and moved to a foreign nation.  Forget about your old things, your disappointing past, because, I your God, am doing a NEW thing!  Do you not perceive it, can you not see what I am doing?  Leave the past in the past, for I am making a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.  Today, stop living a defeated , discouraged way of life, God has a better way, a new way, ask Him to show you, Jesus Saves!
May 7, 2025
The King is Coming!  Many of the Prophets of old spoke of that day, On that day, the day of the Lord.  Here the prophet Zechariah speaks words of hope to a very broken nation and people, he preaches a message of renewal as they return home from exile in Babylon, a message of covenant renewal and obedience.  We should always be looking to the future with Hope, that is the message of Jesus, the here and now is only temporary, that day is coming when Christ will reign supreme over all the world, the Lord will be one, and his name one.  This is good news for the weary soul, Hope in the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, Jesus Saves!
May 6, 2025
Have you ever asked yourself, why am I in this mood, why am I agitated, why am I feeling depressed?  Sometimes our feelings are justified due to circumstances around us, but often our feelings deceive us and we feel a certain way because we have created a scenario that does not exist and we then feel as though God has abandoned us.  The Psalmist here asks himself this question, why are you cast down, O my soul?  What is it that has brought you down?  Why are you so distressed within me?  Life can throw a whole lot at us, and sometimes all at once, and it can be quite overwhelming... But God, put your Hope in God, rest in the Lord, lean on the Lord, let Him pick you up and carry you out of this dark valley, for you then again will praise Him, your Lord and Savior.  Do not allow your feelings to deceive you, ask yourself why, and give it to God, Jesus Saves!
May 5, 2025
The key word in this verse from the Apostle John is Greater, for God is greater than any other in existence, He is greater than any force in the world, God is Greater.  Little children, those who have placed their faith in Christ Jesus, those who have been redeemed, you are from God, you have a relationship with God, you know God, and you are overcomers.  Jesus tells us in John chapter sixteen, that there will be trouble in this world, but He has overcome this world, and when we abide in Him too will overcome this world.  For you have the Holy Spirit of God residing within you, and Greater is He who is in you, than he who is in the world.  Satan rules this world, he is the prince of this world, but he has no power greater than God.  You are an overcomer, live like it, do not let the evil take an inch of your joy, Jesus Saves!
May 4, 2025
Words of comfort from the creator to His chosen people through the prophet Isaiah.  The Lord refers to Himself in this message to His people as; I am the one who created you, I am the one who formed you.  God is the creator of all that has ever been created, and yes, God called and brought this people group together in Israel.  The Lord wants His people to know He is always with them, no matter what is happening He is there.  He says to His children, "Fear not, for I have redeemed you, saved you, I have called you by name, you are mine"  Now even though this was written thousands of years ago to the people of Israel, it stands true for you and me today.  God created each one of us, and if you are a born again Christian, you have been redeemed, and God does indeed know your name, He calls you by name, you are His, Jesus Saves!
May 3, 2025
Bottomline, we are told not to worry, not to be anxious about anything, God's got this!  Here Jesus is speaking to regular people while He delivers His Sermon on the Mount, and in this sermon Jesus gives these people a great deal of information on many subjects, all a better way to live our lives.  We should not be anxious or worried about anything, not what we eat or drink, or even the clothing we wear, living for the Kingdom is far more important.  God will provide for our needs, He always has and He always will.  We need not be worried about anything, for it is nothing more than a waste of good time.  Ponder the Kingdom, meditate on God's word, pray, spend that time of anxiousness with the Lord, move those worrisome thoughts out of your head, give it to God, Jesus Saves!
May 2, 2025
In the beginning, God started out with a blank slate, the whole world was dark and without form or void, But God, God created this whole universe from nothing.  God also created you, knitted you together within the confines of your mothers womb, and He knew before you were ever even thought of here on earth.  Then God touched your life, and prayerfully you have been redeemed by Christ Jesus.  And if you have been born again, you are a new creation in Christ Jesus, different, changed and your purpose for life is new.  We are all very different people, personality, likes, dislikes, taste, desires, but even so, God uses us for His good will however He sees fit.  And here the Apostle Paul tells his readers that whatever it is God has started in your life, He will continue to work in your life until it is complete to His satisfaction, complete at the day of Christ Jesus.  He has a plan for every life, we need only respond to His call, Jesus Saves!
May 1, 2025
In his letter to the church at Ephesus, the Apostle Paul offers a prayer to those in that church for Spiritual strength, and concludes that portion of his letter with this statement. Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us.  As believers we are filled with the Holy Spirit, He resides within us, He has the power to do far more than any of us could possibly imagine.  We can often diminish His abilities because we lack that power, and we forget that it is through His power that great things happen in our lives.  And as the Holy Spirit of God works in us and through us, may we always give Glory to Him through the church, the body of Christ, and to Christ Himself.  And may this continue throughout all generations, forever and ever, Amen.  Live in the power of the Holy Spirit in all areas of life, Jesus Saves!
June 22, 2025
Consider His great deeds, His great works, His love and compassion, for He is God, the creator of all and the keeper of all.  We do not need to stop and ponder God for very long and we are overwhelmed by all He has done, He created the world we live in, He flooded the earth to cleanse it, He called a man and created a special people, He parted the Red Sea to save them, He gave them a land of their own, He stopped time to give them victory.  When you believe that God has abandoned you, meditate on all He has done and remember His promise to all people who love Him, I will never leave you nor forsake you, I am with you always.  And the Biggest wonder of all, He died on a despicable Roman cross to save you, died a criminal's death to redeem you, and He rose from the dead to give you eternal life ~ How Great is our God!  Spend some time today to just ponder everything God has done in the past as we read in His word, His story, and then ponder all He has done in your life, then let us praise God for He is great, Jesus Saves!
June 21, 2025
Consider His great deeds, His great works, His love and compassion, for He is God, the creator of all and the keeper of all.  We do not need to stop and ponder God for very long and we are overwhelmed by all He has done, He created the world we live in, He flooded the earth to cleanse it, He called a man and created a special people, He parted the Red Sea to save them, He gave them a land of their own, He stopped time to give them victory.  When you believe that God has abandoned you, meditate on all He has done and remember His promise to all people who love Him, I will never leave you nor forsake you, I am with you always.  And the Biggest wonder of all, He died on a despicable Roman cross to save you, died a criminal's death to redeem you, and He rose from the dead to give you eternal life ~ How Great is our God!  Spend some time today to just ponder everything God has done in the past as we read in His word, His story, and then ponder all He has done in your life, then let us praise God for He is great, Jesus Saves!
June 20, 2025
Paul, a man called by Christ to come and serve Him as His Apostle to the Gentiles.  For most this seemed a very unlikely choice as he was so zealous to stop The Way, and kill the name of Jesus of Nazareth.  But Paul heard the call and fully accepted Christ as Lord and Savior, he was all in, fully committed to the Lord.  This verse shows us that Paul had no desire for self, but only to do the work the Lord had drawn him into.  Jesus said in Matthew 10:39 "Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it"  This life we live here on earth is nothing more than a vapor, it is gone quickly, we must then make the best of it, spreading the Good News of Christ Jesus must be our life's goal, and to finish well, Jesus Saves!
June 19, 2025
Here, near the end of Paul's first letter to the church at Corinth, he explains a mystery, one many of us believers are patiently waiting for, and the Victory we have in Christ Jesus.  The mystery is the Rapture, the taking up of believers into Heaven without death, it is real and it will happen.  Then there is the Victory in Jesus, When the Lord Jesus died on that cross He paid the sin debt of every person, sin had been defeated and remains a defeated foe to this day and into eternity, Victory over sin.  When Christ was resurrected from the dead, He defeated another dark and ugly foe, Death.  Death no longer has a hold on us, we can know with confidence that we will not be chained in death, but be in the presence of our Lord, Victory over death.  Now, let us live in the Victory that God had given us, keep your eyes upon Jesus, and look up for your redemption is very near, Jesus Saves! 
June 18, 2025
The writer of Hebrews brings to mind the times in which the Lord Jesus, in the flesh, fully man went to God the Father in desperate prayer.  We can read how deeply troubled Jesus was as his hour had arrived, He knew what the hours just ahead of Him held, it was deep dark waters he was going to be walking through.  Jesus, in the Garden of Gethsemane prayed that His Father would take that cup from Him, but knowing that God is all good and all knowing surrendered His will for the will of the Father.  We can learn a great deal from how Jesus prayed, and even more about how Jesus reacted, "not my will, but yours be done".  There are times in our lives when we know a difficult season is upon us and we pray simply for relief, to be delivered from this time of trouble.  But we need to remember those hard times are what strengthen our faith, and God knows what you need, and the trials of life will help us even though they are hard.  "Even though my friends may fail me, sin and death and Hell asial me, I know my Jesus will never fail me", Jesus Saves
June 17, 2025
God desires that His people be comforted in times of need, distress and sorrow.  Isaiah spoke a similar message in his time as well, he said "Comfort, comfort my people, says your God"  We serve a God of all comfort, one who knows our every need, every tear, and every sorrow that comes our way, and He comforts us in many ways.  One way that God comforts is through others who have experienced the love, mercy and compassion themselves from the Lord.  Paul is writing to the people in Corinth to encourage them to be God's comforters, to ensure their community is being given the comfort that the Lord has poured out upon each of them.  Paul is making a strong point in these opening verses of his second letter to the church at Corinth, the word comfort is used some ten times in the beginning of this letter.  As followers of Christ, we are to be comforters to others, just as Christ is to us, comfort, comfort my people, Jesus Saves!
June 16, 2025
 At face value the words of this statement do not tell of the gravity of the work done in delivering us from the domain of darkness.  The act of delivering you and I from Satan's grasp required death.  God's plan of redemption of all of mankind required sacrifice, and not just any sacrifice, it demanded a perfect sinless lamb of God  to lay down His life.  There was no other way, and Jesus willingly went to the cross to pay the sin debt of you and I, thus delivering us out of the evil ons domain of darkness.  And in doing so, we have been transferred into the Kingdom of God's beloved Son, Christ Jesus.  The Lord Jesus, by sacrificing His life, created a bridge to deliver us from sure death and Hell to Eternal life in Heaven, Jesus Saves!  
June 15, 2025
This piece of Scripture is one of those that can be taken out of context in many ways.  We live in a very fallen world and we also know that bad things happen to good people.  Not all things that happen are good in any way shape or form, they are just plain bad and ugly.  But God, God can work miracles and God can make a way where there is no visible way to you and me.  It comes down to trusting God, that He will indeed work all things out for good, and for those who love Him and trust Him, we stand on this promise.  For we can know for certain that all things will work according to His purpose and His will.  If we look at the lives of the disciples, they looked to God and trusted God in all things, knowing how ever it worked out it was God's will.   God has a good plan, a plan that is unfolding day by day, and one day in the future it will be complete, we need only trust Him, Jesus Saves! 
June 11, 2025
 The mind is a powerful thing, it thinks, it commands, it creates, and it develops, most of which is good, but some of what the mind conjures up is untrue.  Have you ever had a thought come into your mind, and you thought to yourself, where did that come from?  We can allow thoughts and arguments to create an opinion within our own mind that is absolutely not true, it is a lie.  Here the Apostle Paul tells us in his second letter to the church at Corinth that we must not listen to those lies, arguments and opinions, but we must take them captive in order to be obedient to Chridt Jesus.  Who are you?  Many of you might respond immediately, I am a child of God, others might say a title, a name, or something else, but who you are is critical to making this happen.  If you know you are a child of God, then do not allow any lie, argument or opinion to say otherwise, take captive anything that says you are not a redeemed child of God, Jesus Saves! 
June 10, 2025
This verse in the twenty-first chapter of the Book of Revelation should give us so much hope, for a better time, a much more pleasant time, a time filled with love and joy.  Today, our world is filled with wickedness, evil, and hate is everywhere, there is a lot of pain and sorrow filled with tears.  But there is a day coming in the not so distant future when all of this will change, the Lord is going to renew this earth, eliminate all of evil, all the bad, death will be dead,  all the pain and sorrow and He will wipe away all the tears that come with it.  The Lord is going to make all things new, it will be the way it was intended to be from the beginning, all of this sadness and misery will be passed away, God is going to make it all new and right again, Jesus Saves! 
June 9, 2025
Jesus has just told the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax collector both in the Temple praying and the pious Pharisee says thank you God that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.  And the Tax collector beats his chest and says God forgive me a sinner.  The differences in these two men is obvious, one is self righteous and proud, the other humble and knows his own heart.  God knows the heart and simply says the humble tax collector will go home justified, he is humble and honest with himself and others, but especially with God. Pride is the number one sin that keeps people away from God, they see no need for God, they are their own God, prideful people believe they are self-sufficient.  Humility will lead to exaltation by the Lord, Pride will only lead to a fall and being humbled, Jesus Saves!
June 8, 2025
Today is Pentecost Sunday, the day the Christian Church was birthed, the day the Holy Spirit came to dwell within all believers.  This is the day Jesus told His followers would be coming soon, they were to wait in Jerusalem and this day would be fulfilled.  Today's verse is actually a result of what had happened days or weeks before, the Disciples were filled with the power of the Holy Spirit and they spoke boldly of their faith and the one in whom their faith originates, Christ Jesus of Nazareth.  If you are a follower of Christ, a Born Again believer, then you have been filled with the Holy Spirit of God, you have the same power within you that we read of here in the book of Acts, earth shaking power.  Jesus said that if you have faith the size of a mustard seed you can move mountains.  When Paul and Silas were in Thessalonica, it was said of them "They turned the whole world upside down", today, let's all go out and by faith turn our world upside down for Jesus, Jesus Saves! 
June 7, 2025
 The apostle Paul is getting near the end of his letter to the church at Corinth, he has taught them many lessons in this letter, some of the lessons were spelled out with brutal truth.  In that context, Paul is here guiding them to be on guard always, to be watchful in every way, because there is always trouble and destruction lurking around every corner.  He tells them to stand firm in the faith, do not allow yourselves to be led astray, to be lured into sinful actions by evil men, and never allow these things to creep into the church.  ACT LIKE MEN, this statement is absolutely directed to the men of the church, they are to be the Spiritual leaders of the home and of the church, they are the protectors of the flock.  Be strong, stand strong in the Lord Jesus in all you say and do, do not waiver, do not compromise, do not allow the slightest sin to come in and take hold within the body of believers, Be Strong.  And finally, Let all you do be done in love, people have problems, help them, people need guidance, lead them, and people need to be loved, encourage them, Jesus Saves!
June 6, 2025
Many people over the last almost two thousand years have willingly given their lives for the sake of the Gospel and their Savior Christ Jesus.  But even though their bodies were killed, they live on in Christ Jesus.  Being born again means surrendering your life and your will to the life and will of the Lord who saved you, the old self dies and the new creation in Christ lives.  Being a Christian does not mean you live a double life, not at all, it means you live a new life, a life shaped and molded by God to bring Him glory in all you say and do.  Being a follower of the Lord Jesus is a commitment to live for Him, all in, not lukewarm, not on the fence, but all in for Jesus.  Have you decided for Jesus?  If not it is quite simple, as Paul wrote in the book of Romans, if you confess Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart God raised Him from the dead you are saved, Jesus Saves!
June 5, 2025
In the context of this writing, David and his men had just brought the Ark of the Covenant back to Israel and placed it in the tent where it would stay until the Temple was built.  And David writes a song of Thanksgiving to the Lord, and the people celebrate and praise the Lord.  As part of our giving thanks to the Lord, we are to be in intimate relationship with him, we are to be seeking His face and His presence.   We are to seek the Lord and His strength, for we cannot do this life in our own strength, we need the strength of the Lord to carry us through.  And this is to be a continual part of our  communing with God.  
     Seek God in all things, seek His strength in all you do, Jesus Saves
June 4, 2025
Psalm twenty three is a beautiful picture of an intimate relationship with God, the psalmist, David, a Shepherd in the field paints  for his reader a picture of love, mercy, and hope.  Even though his enemies, and they are not specified, they could be perceived or real, but he knows the Lord always provides for him, even in the dark days that he travels through.  My cup overflows, showing that the Lord always welcomes him, and that he wants an enduring relationship.  And I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever, here is that eternal perspective we must all have, this life is short, but eternity is forever, and eternity is with the Lord in paradise, in perfect communion with God.  
    As you read through this psalm, meditate on the relational perspective that is spoken of, the intimate relationship the writer has with the Lord, the relationship we can all have with the Lord, Jesus Saves! 
June 3, 2025
How many of us go to bed each night filled with worry about the problems of tomorrow and beyond?  The Lord does not want us to worry about anything, especially those things we have absolutely no control over, which is most everything.  Anxiety is wasted time and effort, because we worry about things we cannot change, of which most of it never happens.   Let us remember who is in control of the life we live, is God not far more powerful than that little problem you perceive is big enough to destroy you.  God is Bigger, bigger than your financial problems, your marital issues, your medical diagnosis, your relationship disagreements... God is Bigger.  Rather than worry and get all anxious about these things, stop and get on your knees and give it to God, He already has a plan to resolve whatever might be going on in your life, God knows and God will, Jesus Saves! 
June 2, 2025
Children, in general, are fully dependent upon their parents for all their needs.  They depend upon adults to feed them, clothe them, help them in times of need, give them direction, offer discipline when it is needed, and love them at all times.  Jesus here tells the reader that unless you become like these children, fully dependent upon Him for all your needs, you will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven.  As well, having the humility of one who understands the need of the Lord is critical to an intimate relationship with Jesus.
     Jesus then says that these little ones are so precious to Him, that He compares taking care of them to being in relationship with Him.  As children of God, we are to trust Him and obey Him, following His guidance daily , Jesus Saves!
June 1, 2025
The Prophet Isaiah lived and prophesied some seven centuries prior to the life of Christ on earth, this is not a trivial telling of what was to come.  And what Isaiah wrote is not even up for argument, history tells us this happened, Jesus of Nazareth was indeed crucified by the Roman government at the urging of the Jewish religious leaders.  Not because of any wrong He had done, but because of the plan of God to save the world.  Jesus paid the ultimate price for your salvation, pierced for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities, His punishment brought us peace beyond understanding, and by His many wounds we have been healed.  The Old Testament leads us to the point of redemption, God's story, God's plan to save humankind from sin and death, Jesus Saves! 
May 29, 2025
Today we take another look at a couple of verses that are familiar to most of us, verses we read often... But do we really hear what the Lord is saying to us?  God knows that this life we go through here on earth is going to be filled with trials, tribulations and general problems, but He also knows exactly how we should navigate it as well.  The Lord asks us simply to trust Him with every part of our lives, to be fully surrendered to Him, and most importantly do not lean on your own understanding.   How often we decide we know what is best and we take off on our path, doing things our way, and before we know it, we are in the ditch upside down and wheels are spinning.  God says, let me lead you and I will make straight your paths, I will lead you down that narrow path of life, just submit your ways for my ways, Jesus Saves!
May 28, 2025
  There is a lot in this verse, but first, what is love?  The world confuses love with a fleeting emotion, something that comes and goes, but in God's economy, love is a state of being, real and forever.  Your love for God is something that grows and grows over time, as you come to know Him more intimately, you are consumed by His love.  And with His love comes knowledge and wisdom and discernment, growing in your relationship with Him and others, living life the way He leads you, which leads to a life God sees as pure, excellent, and blameless.  We see ourselves much differently than God sees us, when the Father looks upon those who have placed their faith in His son, He sees a person who is washed in the blood, pure and clean.  Live life in Christ, abounding in His love, His wisdom, His knowledge as we head toward that day of Christ, Jesus Saves! 
May 27, 2025
Physical exercise, our bodies do indeed need to be worked to keep them going and working as God intended.  And over the years exercise trends, machines and the like have become quite popular.  But the Apostle Paul here is not saying  exercise is not needed, it is of value, but that your Spiritual well being is of the greatest importance, for without it, you have nothing.  Godliness is of the greatest value for it will lead you into eternity, is of value in this short life on earth, and of value as you move into the life in Heaven with Christ.  Since both physical and spiritual well being are both important, why not do them together?  As you go for your daily walk, take the bible with you, listen to the Bible app as you walk, take your favorite devotional to the gym with you.  Whatever you do for physical exercise, Grow Spiritually right along with that.  Your Spiritual health guides you through this life, and leads you into eternity, Jesus Saves! 
May 26, 2025
More Good News, Paul has shared with this church how they have allowed themselves to be persuaded to fall back into a type of slavery to things not required.  This church was falling victim to those who would require extra biblical acts that do nothing to save them, they became slaves to these acts, forgoing the Gospel message.  Paul asks them who is it that has tricked you into believing this?  Paul gives them a very long message of faith, not works, that lead to salvation.  And here he tells them, you are no longer slaves, stop allowing anything to take you captive, you have been freed from all of this by Christ Jesus.  And since you have been freed by God, you are His child, adopted into the family of God, and therefore you have been made an heir as well, you have an inheritance.  In Christ you have been born again, redeemed, freed from bondage to sin and death, made into a new creation, and claimed as His own for all eternity.  That is Good News, Jesus Saves! 
May 25, 2025
The Lord knows His sheep, He resides in His people, and He has great compassion upon them, they are his.  Jesus' statement here is much like what He told Saul of Tarsus on the road to Damascus as Saul was on a tear to destroy "The Way', the followers of Christ.  In Acts 9:4 "And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” ~ The Lord takes the treatment of His people very seriously, as Saul persecuted them, and here as those He is speaking to in this parable were helping His people when they were in need.  It is a beautiful picture of Christians living out their faith by being servants to those less fortunate.  When you do unto each of them, you are doing unto the Lord Himself, Jesus Saves!
May 24, 2025
The Lord knows His sheep, He resides in His people, and He has great compassion upon them, they are his.  Jesus' statement here is much like what He told Saul of Tarsus on the road to Damascus as Saul was on a tear to destroy "The Way', the followers of Christ.  In Acts 9:4 "And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” ~ The Lord takes the treatment of His people very seriously, as Saul persecuted them, and here as those He is speaking to in this parable were helping His people when they were in need.  It is a beautiful picture of Christians living out their faith by being servants to those less fortunate.  When you do unto each of them, you are doing unto the Lord Himself, Jesus Saves!
May 23, 2025
The Lord says that to all who believe, they are given the right to be called children of God, adopted into the family of God.  Not because of anything you can do, but because of the amazing Grace of God.  Here in Matthew, Jesus continues to tell of that time when the King, that being Himself will return for His own.  And after He has separated the sheep from the goats, the sheep being on His right hand will be blessed and given their inheritance, the Kingdom of God, prepared, put in place, all before the very foundations of the world.  God already had a plan in place to save you from the wrath to come, even before you were knitted together within the womb.  
     All because of the enormous love of God, you are given the opportunity to become a child of God through Christ's selfless act on the cross of Calvary.  A gift, you cannot earn it, you cannot buy it, it is free, be born again and inherit the Kingdom of God, Jesus Saves!
May 22, 2025
In chapters twenty three through twenty five, Jesus is doing a great deal of teaching and explaining to His disciples.  He has told them no one will know the day nor the hour of His return, only the Father knows, and it will be that day, a dreadful day.  And here in Matthew twenty five he is explaining the final judgment.  For when the Son of Man comes in His Glory, this being the second coming of Christ, He will sit in judgment upon His throne and all nations, everyone will sit before Him.  And at that time, there will come a judgment, and He will separate the sheep, those who hear His voice and know His voice and obey him, from the goats, those who do as they please and do not hear His voice and fail to obey and live by the will of God.  Jesus then tells a parable that describes how these lived within the will of God.  Time is short, Jesus is coming soon.  Life is short, death is sure, sin is the problem, and Christ is the cure, Jesus Saves! 
May 21, 2025
When we think about the love of God, let's think about the one that created us, the intelligent designer that put this body of ours together.  He is the same one who sent His son to die on a cross so that whoever would believe should not perish but have eternal life.  And there is nothing in this world that can change the love of God, and here Paul gives a long list of those people or situations that cannot separate you from the love of God.  God made a commitment to make a way for you to be redeemed, and God saw it through to the end, He is not going to give up on you now, and there is nothing that will cause Him to stop loving you, absolutely nothing.  Jesus loves you, you should know, for the Bible tells you so, and He always will, even throughout eternity, Jesus Saves!
May 20, 2025
       Jesus Himself quotes from Psalm 118:22, here applying it to Himself as the cornerstone.  Jesus was rejected by the Religious leaders, He was rejected by many Jewish people of that time, and He is still to this day rejected by the orthodox Jews of our time.  Jesus is the very cornerstone, the foundation of our faith, we base all that we believe upon Him and His life and teachings.  
       But sadly, as people reject Christ, for whatever reason they have, He is still God, they are rejecting God.  Jesus is woven throughout the Old Testament Scriptures, the Angel of the Lord interacting with many of the people the Jews venerated highly.  Christians around the world for almost two thousand years have stood strong upon the cornerstone of our faith, the Lord Christ Jesus, The Promised One, the Prophet spoken of by Moses, the Messiah, our Savior.  The rejection of the world does not change who He is, King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Jesus Saves!
May 19, 2025
 Give Thanks,  be thankful for all the blessings that God has poured out upon your life.  How often we overlook the Lord's blessing, as we concentrate on the not so good parts of our life.  When in reality, the good outweighs the bad by a long shot.  First off you woke up this morning, you have running water, many people did not do either of those things this morning, it is reported some 150,000 people die each day in our world, and you were not one of them,  We do indeed have much to be thankful for, let us praise God, and may we bless His Holy name.  Today, let us all focus on the good things God has given us in this life, let them overshadow the bad, let us walk with hearts filled with Joy as we praise the Lord, Jesus Saves! A song for you
May 18, 2025
The Good News of Christ Jesus, how could anyone call upon the Lord, if they have not believed?  If people are not given the opportunity to know Christ, they will not know to call upon His name, all believers are commissioned to tell the world about Jesus.  And how are they to believe in HIm of whom they have never heard?  Everyone on earth needs to hear the Good News of Salvation in Christ Jesus, but how can they believe if we do not tell them, how are they to know the mercy and grace of God if we remain silent?  And how are they to hear without someone preaching?  Not all men are called to preach the word of God, but all are called to tell others about Jesus and His Amazing Saving Grace.  All persons have the need to hear the Good News, and all believers have the duty to tell them, everybody ought to know, Jesus Saves!
A song for you
May 17, 2025
 Truth, truth has been skewed from the beginning, the serpent in the Garden skewed the truth, Abraham lied to Pharaoh, Sarah lied, Jacob lied.... And the inconvenient truth is ignored.  People lie everyday to keep from revealing the truth, but eventually the truth will be known, it will not be hidden forever, the truth always surfaces.  The Holy Spirit of God is truth, He comes in truth, and He guides the believer in all truth.  We are called to walk in the Spirit, to walk by faith, and to walk in all truth, for to do otherwise is of the devil, for he is a liar from the beginning and knows no truth.  Jesus said I am the way, the truth and the life, in the Lord Jesus, we will know the way to righteousness, we will have eternal life through faith, and we will know the truth and the truth will set us free, Know Jesus, Know Truth, Jesus Saves!
May 16, 2025
Trying to comprehend the vastness of God is truly impossible.  To think that God created the Heavens and the earth, all of the stars, planets, and everything beyond.  And this same amazing God created all those beautiful little plants, the trees, birds, fish and every living thing around.  And He created YOU!   That in itself is beyond belief, it is a task so massive in scope man cannot even come close to wrapping his head around its existence.  Man has been studying creation since the beginning, and has barely scratched the surface of God's handiwork.  We can see all that God has done, and stand in awe of our creator, knowing that that same God loves us and cares for us and desires to have a personal relationship with us, Jesus Saves! 
May 15, 2025
You have probably heard the old saying, "If you have nothing good to say, say nothing at all", that is very good advice, for all of us.  Sometimes we find it so very hard to keep our mouths shut, when that is exactly what we need to do.  Here Paul gives us some very good and Godly words of wisdom, do not let any corrupting talk come out of your mouth, do not say anything that will hurt others, do not say anything that will tear down another, and never use hurtful words.  We should do just the opposite, say things that are edifying, things that build up, words that encourage others.  For rather than using words that stir up strife and conflict, we should be using words that bring peace to the situation and sooth the storm at hand.  And remember, as a Christian, your words have a strong impact upon non-believers, let them see Christ in you and your words, Jesus Saves!
May 14, 2025
James here writes in his epistle, that those who remain steadfast, faithful to the Lord even when they are enduring a trail of some sort are blessed.  Now what does James mean by remaining steadfast?  He means that when the going gets tough, this person stays the course with the Lord, he doesn't walk away, he doesn't abandon the faith he has professed to have, he hangs on to the Lord with all he has.  Oftentimes, especially with new believers, they get to this place, life is hard, things are not going well, the trials are piling up and they walk, they give up, it is just too hard.  Now for this person, do the trials go away? Not at all, but they choose to deal with them in an unbiblical manner, without Jesus.  Trials come our way to strengthen our faith, to make us stronger in the Lord, and when we endure through these trials, our relationship with our Lord grows stronger, the bond is built up.  And when we have stood the test of time, the Lord will reward us with the crown of life.  Stand firm in your faith, do not give up, Jesus Saves!
May 13, 2025
A common theme in the word of God, one that plagues many of us, worry, concern, and anxiety.  We know from experience that worry fixes nothing, changes no outcomes and in reality only makes our situation worse.  The Apostle Paul tells his readers here, do not be anxious about anything, but instead, take it to the Lord in prayer and in supplication, and as you hand this issue off to the Lord, thank Him for hearing it and answering it.  And when we do this, when we give our problems to the Lord as is prescribed here by Paul, we will experience the true peace of God, a peace that is beyond human understanding, peace that exceeds anything else in the world.  And as that peace comes over you in a way that is like a cloud of grace, it will give you such peace of mind and heart.  Don't let the cares of this world get you down, give them to God and see what He does, Jesus Saves! 
May 12, 2025
In this second chapter of the letter written to the church at Ephesus by the Apostle Paul, he is speaking on our salvation in Christ Jesus.  We have been saved by grace through faith, not of your own doing but by the work of Christ.  You have changed, you are a new creation, no longer that old self reliant person, but one who leans wholly upon your Lord and Savior.  All of us were created in the image of God, but all of us were also born with  a sinful nature, we are sinners.  But God, He had a plan to redeem you and I from what was brought into our lives through Adam and Eve in the Garden through a new birth, a rebirth, Born Again in Christ.  We are His workmanship in both cases, now Born again for His good works, of which God had already prepared, a new way of life for us to walk in.  We are God's creation, created in His image, and now reborn in the image of Christ Jesus, Jesus Saves! 
May 11, 2025
This is a verse that we typically see and read at Christmas time as we celebrate the birth of our Savior, but how much do we spend thinking about the reason Jesus was born?  Here we are told exactly why He was born, why He came to live on earth, and why He had to die on that Roman cross, a criminal's death, to save His people from their sins.  Everything that took place, from the announcement of Mary being pregnant, to the ascension of her son back into Heaven, was all part of God's Bigger plan to save humanity from their sin.  This woman Mary, chosen by God to bring the Messiah into the then known world, sure there were moments of Joy, but far more times of heartbreak and sadness, but in the end, Jesus saved her, He was her redeemer.  Have you entered into a relationship with Jesus, ask Him to be  Lord of your life, it will be the best decision you will ever make, Jesus Saves! 
May 10, 2025
God created all that was created in six days, and then on the seventh day He rested.  God did not need to rest, God was not tired, but God set an example for all of us to follow, we work and then we rest.  Many of us do not do a very good job of resting, we work and work and work some more, failing to enjoy what God created.  Jesus tells us plainly if you are weary and heavy laden come to Him and He will give you rest.  The best rest we can have is in Christ Jesus, abiding in Him every day.  Jesus also set an example of not making the Sabbath day of rest a "Legal" day of rest, doing those things that need to be done causes no harm.  Let us all follow the example that Jesus gives us in His life, may we all live our lives in the shadow of His life each day, Jesus Saves! 
May 9, 2025
 A servant's heart...  Jesus said, I did not come to be served, but to serve, He was willing to do whatever it took to show people that bringing service to others is far more rewarding than being served.  As the Lord prepared to wash the feet of His disciple Peter, Peter was indignant toward Jesus, because Peter could not get past status.  Having a servant's heart means you will step up and do whatever needs to be done, not looking at it as demeaning, but as a joy to serve.  Jesus was willing to step out of Heaven to live as a man in a fallen world, He came to serve and to save.  As followers of Jesus, we must be willing to emulate our Lord and Savior, to serve and to bring the Good News to all we encounter, Jesus Saves!
May 8, 2025
Have you ever been really discouraged, feeling like there was just no way out of your situation?  Well, you are not alone, many people every day feel like that, the people of Israel after being taken into exile felt like that, But God.  Right here in the book of Isaiah, the Prophet relays a message from the Lord to the people who had been taken captive and moved to a foreign nation.  Forget about your old things, your disappointing past, because, I your God, am doing a NEW thing!  Do you not perceive it, can you not see what I am doing?  Leave the past in the past, for I am making a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.  Today, stop living a defeated , discouraged way of life, God has a better way, a new way, ask Him to show you, Jesus Saves!
May 7, 2025
The King is Coming!  Many of the Prophets of old spoke of that day, On that day, the day of the Lord.  Here the prophet Zechariah speaks words of hope to a very broken nation and people, he preaches a message of renewal as they return home from exile in Babylon, a message of covenant renewal and obedience.  We should always be looking to the future with Hope, that is the message of Jesus, the here and now is only temporary, that day is coming when Christ will reign supreme over all the world, the Lord will be one, and his name one.  This is good news for the weary soul, Hope in the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, Jesus Saves!
May 6, 2025
Have you ever asked yourself, why am I in this mood, why am I agitated, why am I feeling depressed?  Sometimes our feelings are justified due to circumstances around us, but often our feelings deceive us and we feel a certain way because we have created a scenario that does not exist and we then feel as though God has abandoned us.  The Psalmist here asks himself this question, why are you cast down, O my soul?  What is it that has brought you down?  Why are you so distressed within me?  Life can throw a whole lot at us, and sometimes all at once, and it can be quite overwhelming... But God, put your Hope in God, rest in the Lord, lean on the Lord, let Him pick you up and carry you out of this dark valley, for you then again will praise Him, your Lord and Savior.  Do not allow your feelings to deceive you, ask yourself why, and give it to God, Jesus Saves!
May 5, 2025
The key word in this verse from the Apostle John is Greater, for God is greater than any other in existence, He is greater than any force in the world, God is Greater.  Little children, those who have placed their faith in Christ Jesus, those who have been redeemed, you are from God, you have a relationship with God, you know God, and you are overcomers.  Jesus tells us in John chapter sixteen, that there will be trouble in this world, but He has overcome this world, and when we abide in Him too will overcome this world.  For you have the Holy Spirit of God residing within you, and Greater is He who is in you, than he who is in the world.  Satan rules this world, he is the prince of this world, but he has no power greater than God.  You are an overcomer, live like it, do not let the evil take an inch of your joy, Jesus Saves!
May 4, 2025
Words of comfort from the creator to His chosen people through the prophet Isaiah.  The Lord refers to Himself in this message to His people as; I am the one who created you, I am the one who formed you.  God is the creator of all that has ever been created, and yes, God called and brought this people group together in Israel.  The Lord wants His people to know He is always with them, no matter what is happening He is there.  He says to His children, "Fear not, for I have redeemed you, saved you, I have called you by name, you are mine"  Now even though this was written thousands of years ago to the people of Israel, it stands true for you and me today.  God created each one of us, and if you are a born again Christian, you have been redeemed, and God does indeed know your name, He calls you by name, you are His, Jesus Saves!
May 3, 2025
Bottomline, we are told not to worry, not to be anxious about anything, God's got this!  Here Jesus is speaking to regular people while He delivers His Sermon on the Mount, and in this sermon Jesus gives these people a great deal of information on many subjects, all a better way to live our lives.  We should not be anxious or worried about anything, not what we eat or drink, or even the clothing we wear, living for the Kingdom is far more important.  God will provide for our needs, He always has and He always will.  We need not be worried about anything, for it is nothing more than a waste of good time.  Ponder the Kingdom, meditate on God's word, pray, spend that time of anxiousness with the Lord, move those worrisome thoughts out of your head, give it to God, Jesus Saves!
May 2, 2025
In the beginning, God started out with a blank slate, the whole world was dark and without form or void, But God, God created this whole universe from nothing.  God also created you, knitted you together within the confines of your mothers womb, and He knew before you were ever even thought of here on earth.  Then God touched your life, and prayerfully you have been redeemed by Christ Jesus.  And if you have been born again, you are a new creation in Christ Jesus, different, changed and your purpose for life is new.  We are all very different people, personality, likes, dislikes, taste, desires, but even so, God uses us for His good will however He sees fit.  And here the Apostle Paul tells his readers that whatever it is God has started in your life, He will continue to work in your life until it is complete to His satisfaction, complete at the day of Christ Jesus.  He has a plan for every life, we need only respond to His call, Jesus Saves!
May 1, 2025
In his letter to the church at Ephesus, the Apostle Paul offers a prayer to those in that church for Spiritual strength, and concludes that portion of his letter with this statement. Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us.  As believers we are filled with the Holy Spirit, He resides within us, He has the power to do far more than any of us could possibly imagine.  We can often diminish His abilities because we lack that power, and we forget that it is through His power that great things happen in our lives.  And as the Holy Spirit of God works in us and through us, may we always give Glory to Him through the church, the body of Christ, and to Christ Himself.  And may this continue throughout all generations, forever and ever, Amen.  Live in the power of the Holy Spirit in all areas of life, Jesus Saves!

June 13, 2025

At face value the words of this statement do not tell of the gravity of the work done in delivering us from the domain of darkness.  The act of delivering you and I from Satan's grasp required death.  God's plan of redemption of all of mankind required sacrifice, and not just any sacrifice, it demanded a perfect sinless lamb of God  to lay down His life.  There was no other way, and Jesus willingly went to the cross to pay the sin debt of you and I, thus delivering us out of the evil ons domain of darkness.  And in doing so, we have been transferred into the Kingdom of God's beloved Son, Christ Jesus.  The Lord Jesus, by sacrificing His life, created a bridge to deliver us from sure death and Hell to Eternal life in Heaven, Jesus Saves!  

June 12, 2025
You know, if life was always bright and happy without any problems, we would not appreciate all that God has done for us, we would take it all for granted.  But we all know life has its ups and downs, good days and bad days, and days we hope we will never see again.  As David writes this song of praise to the Lord, he knows that God's anger is very short lived, He does not stay angry for long periods of time because He is overflowing with mercy and grace.  But above and beyond that, God's favor is for a lifetime and beyond, for God's favor will carry us into eternity.  Those days of grief and sorrow, nights filled with tears are short lived, our weeping may stay with us for a night, but come morning, we will have a day filled with Joy.  Look up, keep your eyes upon Jesus, a new day is coming, Jesus Saves!
June 11, 2025
 The mind is a powerful thing, it thinks, it commands, it creates, and it develops, most of which is good, but some of what the mind conjures up is untrue.  Have you ever had a thought come into your mind, and you thought to yourself, where did that come from?  We can allow thoughts and arguments to create an opinion within our own mind that is absolutely not true, it is a lie.  Here the Apostle Paul tells us in his second letter to the church at Corinth that we must not listen to those lies, arguments and opinions, but we must take them captive in order to be obedient to Chridt Jesus.  Who are you?  Many of you might respond immediately, I am a child of God, others might say a title, a name, or something else, but who you are is critical to making this happen.  If you know you are a child of God, then do not allow any lie, argument or opinion to say otherwise, take captive anything that says you are not a redeemed child of God, Jesus Saves! 
June 10, 2025
This verse in the twenty-first chapter of the Book of Revelation should give us so much hope, for a better time, a much more pleasant time, a time filled with love and joy.  Today, our world is filled with wickedness, evil, and hate is everywhere, there is a lot of pain and sorrow filled with tears.  But there is a day coming in the not so distant future when all of this will change, the Lord is going to renew this earth, eliminate all of evil, all the bad, death will be dead,  all the pain and sorrow and He will wipe away all the tears that come with it.  The Lord is going to make all things new, it will be the way it was intended to be from the beginning, all of this sadness and misery will be passed away, God is going to make it all new and right again, Jesus Saves! 
June 9, 2025
Jesus has just told the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax collector both in the Temple praying and the pious Pharisee says thank you God that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.  And the Tax collector beats his chest and says God forgive me a sinner.  The differences in these two men is obvious, one is self righteous and proud, the other humble and knows his own heart.  God knows the heart and simply says the humble tax collector will go home justified, he is humble and honest with himself and others, but especially with God. Pride is the number one sin that keeps people away from God, they see no need for God, they are their own God, prideful people believe they are self-sufficient.  Humility will lead to exaltation by the Lord, Pride will only lead to a fall and being humbled, Jesus Saves!
June 8, 2025
Today is Pentecost Sunday, the day the Christian Church was birthed, the day the Holy Spirit came to dwell within all believers.  This is the day Jesus told His followers would be coming soon, they were to wait in Jerusalem and this day would be fulfilled.  Today's verse is actually a result of what had happened days or weeks before, the Disciples were filled with the power of the Holy Spirit and they spoke boldly of their faith and the one in whom their faith originates, Christ Jesus of Nazareth.  If you are a follower of Christ, a Born Again believer, then you have been filled with the Holy Spirit of God, you have the same power within you that we read of here in the book of Acts, earth shaking power.  Jesus said that if you have faith the size of a mustard seed you can move mountains.  When Paul and Silas were in Thessalonica, it was said of them "They turned the whole world upside down", today, let's all go out and by faith turn our world upside down for Jesus, Jesus Saves! 
June 7, 2025
 The apostle Paul is getting near the end of his letter to the church at Corinth, he has taught them many lessons in this letter, some of the lessons were spelled out with brutal truth.  In that context, Paul is here guiding them to be on guard always, to be watchful in every way, because there is always trouble and destruction lurking around every corner.  He tells them to stand firm in the faith, do not allow yourselves to be led astray, to be lured into sinful actions by evil men, and never allow these things to creep into the church.  ACT LIKE MEN, this statement is absolutely directed to the men of the church, they are to be the Spiritual leaders of the home and of the church, they are the protectors of the flock.  Be strong, stand strong in the Lord Jesus in all you say and do, do not waiver, do not compromise, do not allow the slightest sin to come in and take hold within the body of believers, Be Strong.  And finally, Let all you do be done in love, people have problems, help them, people need guidance, lead them, and people need to be loved, encourage them, Jesus Saves!
June 6, 2025
Many people over the last almost two thousand years have willingly given their lives for the sake of the Gospel and their Savior Christ Jesus.  But even though their bodies were killed, they live on in Christ Jesus.  Being born again means surrendering your life and your will to the life and will of the Lord who saved you, the old self dies and the new creation in Christ lives.  Being a Christian does not mean you live a double life, not at all, it means you live a new life, a life shaped and molded by God to bring Him glory in all you say and do.  Being a follower of the Lord Jesus is a commitment to live for Him, all in, not lukewarm, not on the fence, but all in for Jesus.  Have you decided for Jesus?  If not it is quite simple, as Paul wrote in the book of Romans, if you confess Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart God raised Him from the dead you are saved, Jesus Saves!
June 5, 2025
In the context of this writing, David and his men had just brought the Ark of the Covenant back to Israel and placed it in the tent where it would stay until the Temple was built.  And David writes a song of Thanksgiving to the Lord, and the people celebrate and praise the Lord.  As part of our giving thanks to the Lord, we are to be in intimate relationship with him, we are to be seeking His face and His presence.   We are to seek the Lord and His strength, for we cannot do this life in our own strength, we need the strength of the Lord to carry us through.  And this is to be a continual part of our  communing with God.  
     Seek God in all things, seek His strength in all you do, Jesus Saves
June 4, 2025
Psalm twenty three is a beautiful picture of an intimate relationship with God, the psalmist, David, a Shepherd in the field paints  for his reader a picture of love, mercy, and hope.  Even though his enemies, and they are not specified, they could be perceived or real, but he knows the Lord always provides for him, even in the dark days that he travels through.  My cup overflows, showing that the Lord always welcomes him, and that he wants an enduring relationship.  And I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever, here is that eternal perspective we must all have, this life is short, but eternity is forever, and eternity is with the Lord in paradise, in perfect communion with God.  
    As you read through this psalm, meditate on the relational perspective that is spoken of, the intimate relationship the writer has with the Lord, the relationship we can all have with the Lord, Jesus Saves! 
June 3, 2025
How many of us go to bed each night filled with worry about the problems of tomorrow and beyond?  The Lord does not want us to worry about anything, especially those things we have absolutely no control over, which is most everything.  Anxiety is wasted time and effort, because we worry about things we cannot change, of which most of it never happens.   Let us remember who is in control of the life we live, is God not far more powerful than that little problem you perceive is big enough to destroy you.  God is Bigger, bigger than your financial problems, your marital issues, your medical diagnosis, your relationship disagreements... God is Bigger.  Rather than worry and get all anxious about these things, stop and get on your knees and give it to God, He already has a plan to resolve whatever might be going on in your life, God knows and God will, Jesus Saves! 
June 2, 2025
Children, in general, are fully dependent upon their parents for all their needs.  They depend upon adults to feed them, clothe them, help them in times of need, give them direction, offer discipline when it is needed, and love them at all times.  Jesus here tells the reader that unless you become like these children, fully dependent upon Him for all your needs, you will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven.  As well, having the humility of one who understands the need of the Lord is critical to an intimate relationship with Jesus.
     Jesus then says that these little ones are so precious to Him, that He compares taking care of them to being in relationship with Him.  As children of God, we are to trust Him and obey Him, following His guidance daily , Jesus Saves!
June 1, 2025
The Prophet Isaiah lived and prophesied some seven centuries prior to the life of Christ on earth, this is not a trivial telling of what was to come.  And what Isaiah wrote is not even up for argument, history tells us this happened, Jesus of Nazareth was indeed crucified by the Roman government at the urging of the Jewish religious leaders.  Not because of any wrong He had done, but because of the plan of God to save the world.  Jesus paid the ultimate price for your salvation, pierced for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities, His punishment brought us peace beyond understanding, and by His many wounds we have been healed.  The Old Testament leads us to the point of redemption, God's story, God's plan to save humankind from sin and death, Jesus Saves! 
May 31, 2025
 The Lord is good, that seems to be so inadequate when describing God, He is so much more than good.  God is perfect in every way, never late, never misses an appointment, goes far beyond what any of us could possibly expect.  Love, God is love, and His love is forever, from beginning to end, for God so loved the world He gave His only son to save it, even before He had created a single human being.  He is faithful to all generations,   God has been working with His creation, specifically human beings since the first two in the Garden.  And God has been leading, guiding, teaching, and loving His creation continually since, He is faithful to all generations, even to this very day, Jesus Saves! 
May 30, 2025
Today we take another look at a couple of verses that are familiar to most of us, verses we read often... But do we really hear what the Lord is saying to us?  God knows that this life we go through here on earth is going to be filled with trials, tribulations and general problems, but He also knows exactly how we should navigate it as well.  The Lord asks us simply to trust Him with every part of our lives, to be fully surrendered to Him, and most importantly do not lean on your own understanding.   How often we decide we know what is best and we take off on our path, doing things our way, and before we know it, we are in the ditch upside down and wheels are spinning.  God says, let me lead you and I will make straight your paths, I will lead you down that narrow path of life, just submit your ways for my ways, Jesus Saves!
May 29, 2025
Today we take another look at a couple of verses that are familiar to most of us, verses we read often... But do we really hear what the Lord is saying to us?  God knows that this life we go through here on earth is going to be filled with trials, tribulations and general problems, but He also knows exactly how we should navigate it as well.  The Lord asks us simply to trust Him with every part of our lives, to be fully surrendered to Him, and most importantly do not lean on your own understanding.   How often we decide we know what is best and we take off on our path, doing things our way, and before we know it, we are in the ditch upside down and wheels are spinning.  God says, let me lead you and I will make straight your paths, I will lead you down that narrow path of life, just submit your ways for my ways, Jesus Saves!
May 28, 2025
  There is a lot in this verse, but first, what is love?  The world confuses love with a fleeting emotion, something that comes and goes, but in God's economy, love is a state of being, real and forever.  Your love for God is something that grows and grows over time, as you come to know Him more intimately, you are consumed by His love.  And with His love comes knowledge and wisdom and discernment, growing in your relationship with Him and others, living life the way He leads you, which leads to a life God sees as pure, excellent, and blameless.  We see ourselves much differently than God sees us, when the Father looks upon those who have placed their faith in His son, He sees a person who is washed in the blood, pure and clean.  Live life in Christ, abounding in His love, His wisdom, His knowledge as we head toward that day of Christ, Jesus Saves! 
May 27, 2025
Physical exercise, our bodies do indeed need to be worked to keep them going and working as God intended.  And over the years exercise trends, machines and the like have become quite popular.  But the Apostle Paul here is not saying  exercise is not needed, it is of value, but that your Spiritual well being is of the greatest importance, for without it, you have nothing.  Godliness is of the greatest value for it will lead you into eternity, is of value in this short life on earth, and of value as you move into the life in Heaven with Christ.  Since both physical and spiritual well being are both important, why not do them together?  As you go for your daily walk, take the bible with you, listen to the Bible app as you walk, take your favorite devotional to the gym with you.  Whatever you do for physical exercise, Grow Spiritually right along with that.  Your Spiritual health guides you through this life, and leads you into eternity, Jesus Saves! 
May 26, 2025
More Good News, Paul has shared with this church how they have allowed themselves to be persuaded to fall back into a type of slavery to things not required.  This church was falling victim to those who would require extra biblical acts that do nothing to save them, they became slaves to these acts, forgoing the Gospel message.  Paul asks them who is it that has tricked you into believing this?  Paul gives them a very long message of faith, not works, that lead to salvation.  And here he tells them, you are no longer slaves, stop allowing anything to take you captive, you have been freed from all of this by Christ Jesus.  And since you have been freed by God, you are His child, adopted into the family of God, and therefore you have been made an heir as well, you have an inheritance.  In Christ you have been born again, redeemed, freed from bondage to sin and death, made into a new creation, and claimed as His own for all eternity.  That is Good News, Jesus Saves! 
May 25, 2025
The Lord knows His sheep, He resides in His people, and He has great compassion upon them, they are his.  Jesus' statement here is much like what He told Saul of Tarsus on the road to Damascus as Saul was on a tear to destroy "The Way', the followers of Christ.  In Acts 9:4 "And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” ~ The Lord takes the treatment of His people very seriously, as Saul persecuted them, and here as those He is speaking to in this parable were helping His people when they were in need.  It is a beautiful picture of Christians living out their faith by being servants to those less fortunate.  When you do unto each of them, you are doing unto the Lord Himself, Jesus Saves!
May 24, 2025
The Lord knows His sheep, He resides in His people, and He has great compassion upon them, they are his.  Jesus' statement here is much like what He told Saul of Tarsus on the road to Damascus as Saul was on a tear to destroy "The Way', the followers of Christ.  In Acts 9:4 "And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” ~ The Lord takes the treatment of His people very seriously, as Saul persecuted them, and here as those He is speaking to in this parable were helping His people when they were in need.  It is a beautiful picture of Christians living out their faith by being servants to those less fortunate.  When you do unto each of them, you are doing unto the Lord Himself, Jesus Saves!
May 23, 2025
The Lord says that to all who believe, they are given the right to be called children of God, adopted into the family of God.  Not because of anything you can do, but because of the amazing Grace of God.  Here in Matthew, Jesus continues to tell of that time when the King, that being Himself will return for His own.  And after He has separated the sheep from the goats, the sheep being on His right hand will be blessed and given their inheritance, the Kingdom of God, prepared, put in place, all before the very foundations of the world.  God already had a plan in place to save you from the wrath to come, even before you were knitted together within the womb.  
     All because of the enormous love of God, you are given the opportunity to become a child of God through Christ's selfless act on the cross of Calvary.  A gift, you cannot earn it, you cannot buy it, it is free, be born again and inherit the Kingdom of God, Jesus Saves!
May 22, 2025
In chapters twenty three through twenty five, Jesus is doing a great deal of teaching and explaining to His disciples.  He has told them no one will know the day nor the hour of His return, only the Father knows, and it will be that day, a dreadful day.  And here in Matthew twenty five he is explaining the final judgment.  For when the Son of Man comes in His Glory, this being the second coming of Christ, He will sit in judgment upon His throne and all nations, everyone will sit before Him.  And at that time, there will come a judgment, and He will separate the sheep, those who hear His voice and know His voice and obey him, from the goats, those who do as they please and do not hear His voice and fail to obey and live by the will of God.  Jesus then tells a parable that describes how these lived within the will of God.  Time is short, Jesus is coming soon.  Life is short, death is sure, sin is the problem, and Christ is the cure, Jesus Saves! 
May 21, 2025
When we think about the love of God, let's think about the one that created us, the intelligent designer that put this body of ours together.  He is the same one who sent His son to die on a cross so that whoever would believe should not perish but have eternal life.  And there is nothing in this world that can change the love of God, and here Paul gives a long list of those people or situations that cannot separate you from the love of God.  God made a commitment to make a way for you to be redeemed, and God saw it through to the end, He is not going to give up on you now, and there is nothing that will cause Him to stop loving you, absolutely nothing.  Jesus loves you, you should know, for the Bible tells you so, and He always will, even throughout eternity, Jesus Saves!
May 20, 2025
       Jesus Himself quotes from Psalm 118:22, here applying it to Himself as the cornerstone.  Jesus was rejected by the Religious leaders, He was rejected by many Jewish people of that time, and He is still to this day rejected by the orthodox Jews of our time.  Jesus is the very cornerstone, the foundation of our faith, we base all that we believe upon Him and His life and teachings.  
       But sadly, as people reject Christ, for whatever reason they have, He is still God, they are rejecting God.  Jesus is woven throughout the Old Testament Scriptures, the Angel of the Lord interacting with many of the people the Jews venerated highly.  Christians around the world for almost two thousand years have stood strong upon the cornerstone of our faith, the Lord Christ Jesus, The Promised One, the Prophet spoken of by Moses, the Messiah, our Savior.  The rejection of the world does not change who He is, King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Jesus Saves!
May 19, 2025
 Give Thanks,  be thankful for all the blessings that God has poured out upon your life.  How often we overlook the Lord's blessing, as we concentrate on the not so good parts of our life.  When in reality, the good outweighs the bad by a long shot.  First off you woke up this morning, you have running water, many people did not do either of those things this morning, it is reported some 150,000 people die each day in our world, and you were not one of them,  We do indeed have much to be thankful for, let us praise God, and may we bless His Holy name.  Today, let us all focus on the good things God has given us in this life, let them overshadow the bad, let us walk with hearts filled with Joy as we praise the Lord, Jesus Saves! A song for you
May 18, 2025
The Good News of Christ Jesus, how could anyone call upon the Lord, if they have not believed?  If people are not given the opportunity to know Christ, they will not know to call upon His name, all believers are commissioned to tell the world about Jesus.  And how are they to believe in HIm of whom they have never heard?  Everyone on earth needs to hear the Good News of Salvation in Christ Jesus, but how can they believe if we do not tell them, how are they to know the mercy and grace of God if we remain silent?  And how are they to hear without someone preaching?  Not all men are called to preach the word of God, but all are called to tell others about Jesus and His Amazing Saving Grace.  All persons have the need to hear the Good News, and all believers have the duty to tell them, everybody ought to know, Jesus Saves!
A song for you
May 17, 2025
 Truth, truth has been skewed from the beginning, the serpent in the Garden skewed the truth, Abraham lied to Pharaoh, Sarah lied, Jacob lied.... And the inconvenient truth is ignored.  People lie everyday to keep from revealing the truth, but eventually the truth will be known, it will not be hidden forever, the truth always surfaces.  The Holy Spirit of God is truth, He comes in truth, and He guides the believer in all truth.  We are called to walk in the Spirit, to walk by faith, and to walk in all truth, for to do otherwise is of the devil, for he is a liar from the beginning and knows no truth.  Jesus said I am the way, the truth and the life, in the Lord Jesus, we will know the way to righteousness, we will have eternal life through faith, and we will know the truth and the truth will set us free, Know Jesus, Know Truth, Jesus Saves!
May 16, 2025
Trying to comprehend the vastness of God is truly impossible.  To think that God created the Heavens and the earth, all of the stars, planets, and everything beyond.  And this same amazing God created all those beautiful little plants, the trees, birds, fish and every living thing around.  And He created YOU!   That in itself is beyond belief, it is a task so massive in scope man cannot even come close to wrapping his head around its existence.  Man has been studying creation since the beginning, and has barely scratched the surface of God's handiwork.  We can see all that God has done, and stand in awe of our creator, knowing that that same God loves us and cares for us and desires to have a personal relationship with us, Jesus Saves! 
May 15, 2025
You have probably heard the old saying, "If you have nothing good to say, say nothing at all", that is very good advice, for all of us.  Sometimes we find it so very hard to keep our mouths shut, when that is exactly what we need to do.  Here Paul gives us some very good and Godly words of wisdom, do not let any corrupting talk come out of your mouth, do not say anything that will hurt others, do not say anything that will tear down another, and never use hurtful words.  We should do just the opposite, say things that are edifying, things that build up, words that encourage others.  For rather than using words that stir up strife and conflict, we should be using words that bring peace to the situation and sooth the storm at hand.  And remember, as a Christian, your words have a strong impact upon non-believers, let them see Christ in you and your words, Jesus Saves!