If you're like me, it feels good to be in control.  You feel powerful and confident, but if you're basing your situation on your own strength, your own control, then you might be fooling yourself.  


It's easy to trust and believe in God when things are going good, but when things take a turn for the worse, we tend to think that we can rely on ourselves.  These times are all the more reason to trust God, to stand firm on His promises. This journey can be a tremendous blessing and a great reward, if we give it all to God.  You have to do your part and give up any semblance of control that you think you might have.


Walking by faith and not by sight or feeling requires us to go to a place that we do not know.  A place that God will reveal to us as we walk in obedience.


This walk of faith requires a strong determination to follow God's plan regardless of what life is throwing at you.


Trust Him.  He's got this!


Hebrews 13:5 - "Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,

“Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”

Have you ever been in a relationship where your love for another person or someone's love for you started to vary a little bit?  If you have, you know what I'm talking about when I say, 'it stinks.'


But, on the other hand, if you're a child of God and have given your life to Him, then you know that His love for you never changes, is never lost, or never varies depending on your circumstances.  

I have been through times in my life where I felt distant from God.  I felt like He wasn't listening to me, or feeling like He may have even abandoned me.  But, even though I was distant, God never was.


Thank God He doesn't give up on us when we give up on Him.  Thank God His love never varies just because we put Him in a box or forget about Him.  His love for each one of us is unconditional, unwavering; not subject to variation.


God loves you like no one else does.  His love endures forever!  His love has no limits!


Romans 8:38-39: "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

This video is Day 3 of the Mission trip near Tarapoto, Peru, February 2018. Enjoy!

God created us to work.  This work is to reflect the glory of God. 

Of course, the goodness of work was twisted by sin.  Once since entered the human heart in the garden of Eden, it permeated the entirety of creating, including work itself.

Be careful friends.  Don't let work become your idol.  Don't let work take you away from God and your family.

After Jesus died for us and sent the Holy Spirit, we are now empowered to redeem our work for God's glory and the good of others.

Make sure you're aware that God is your boss, if you're a child of the King.  Also, God works through us in more ways than you can imagine.

I've always strived to have a good work ethic and give all the glory to God for my job and the ability to provide for my family.

Don't underestimate God.  You may be in a job where you're wondering 'why am I here?'  Know that God placed you in the position you're in for a reason, to bless others.

Psalm 119:133 – "Keep steady my steps according to your promise, and let no iniquity get dominion over me."

God designed each of us and our emotions to be gauges, not guides.  Your emotions shouldn't dictate how you live your life.  Emotions reveal what your heart loves, trusts and fears.

Don't let your emotions boss you around. They're merely reports of what you're humanly feeling.

Satan prowls around, seeking to detour you off your path.  He'll make you feel like you deserve more, that you're not getting enough praise, etc.

Think in agreement with God.  Our emotions tell us how we feel, not how God feels.  God works with us until we're not moved by human emotions alone.  He sent the Holy Spirit to be our guide.

It's important that we, as Christians, learn about managing emotions rather than allowing our emotions to manage us.

Don't be a fool and let your emotions take over your life.

Proverbs 29:11 – " A fool gives full vent to his spirit, but a wise man quietly holds it back."

How's your heart attitude?  Do you go around angry and bitter; holding onto unforgiveness and hurtful situations?  Do you have a pure heart?

To be pure in heart means to be blameless in who we actually are.  As Christians, our heart must be desiring to please God.  A pure heart has no hidden motives. 

The only way we can truly be pure in heart is to give our lives to Jesus, totally surrender your heart to Him.  Ask Him to do the cleansing work.

How's your heart today?  Full of love and mercy?

Check your heart daily.  Desire to please God.

Matthew 5:8 – "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God."

Wouldn't it be nice if we could have a worry-free life?  Well, those of us who are Christians will have this type of life someday, in Heaven.  But, while we're living on this earth, there will be  heartaches and worry.

Matthew 6:33 – "Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need."

The way I interpret the above verse is that I need to put God first in my life.  That means before anyone and anything else.  This means putting God in the number one position.  When we do this and allow God's Will to be first in our life, then we will see things happen that we never imaged could happen.

Yes, it's human nature to worry, but don't let it consume you.  After all, worry is coming from Satan himself.  He knows that if he can distract you with worry, he's taking you away from seeking the Kingdom.

Our hearing of the Word of God (Bible) must result in doing.  We must do what God says, with complete faith to Him.

Are you reading your Bible daily?  Are you taking it seriously?  Do you have a reverence for Scripture and the time that you worship and study this Word from God?

God will speak to each of His children through Scripture.

In order for any relationship to work, it takes good and effective communication.  And for effective communication to occur, there must be effective listening. This also holds true with our relationship to God.  If we rarely talk to God, then how is He going to really know us? 

Tell God your desires. Trust that what He says in the Bible is the truth.

Just like any instructional manual, use the Bible (DAILY) to help guide you and to help you in making decisions throughout the day.

Romans 10:17 – "So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ."