A Morning View

As a fan of the Cleveland Browns I have always paid attention to the NFL Draft. NFL teams must do their homework through hours of film, personal conversations and watching individual workouts. There are drills and tests with investigation into personality and character. It is a deep process. This is all done projecting that whomever is chosen on Draft Day is a good fit and a sure pick for the future success of each team striving to win a SuperBowl. With all the careful attention, their are no guarantees for future success in the league. Friends there is only one guarantee in this world. Jesus Christ is our guarantee.  “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. So do not be attracted by strange, new ideas. Your strength comes from God’s grace.”   - Hebrews 13:8-9a NLT   Peace, PB

A Morning View From the Patio Sometimes life seems impossible. Life seems like it can be difficult to live each day. I am often asked how can we make it through the difficult struggles we face. Sometimes I wonder myself.  We need the Holy Spirit. “We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.”                                                                                                           ...

You are created in the image and likeness of God. You are a redeemed child of the King of Kings.  You are beautiful in the handiwork of your creation.  You are loved with the most awesome Agape ever given.  You reflect the love of Jesus Christ to all who surround you. You are a magnet drawing others into the light of the world, Jesus.  You are good as redeemed in the sight of the Lord.  You are loved.  “For the Lord your God is living among you.     He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness.     With his love, he will calm all your fears.     He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.”                                                      - Zephaniah 3:17 NLT   Peace, PB

Struggling?  Wondering?  Lonely?  Lost?  Afraid? Doubtful? Insecure? “Have compassion on me, Lord, for I am weak.     Heal me, Lord, for my bones are in agony. I am sick at heart.     How long, O Lord, until you restore me? Return, O Lord, and rescue me.     Save me because of your unfailing love. For the dead do not remember you.     Who can praise you from the grave? I am worn out from sobbing.     All night I flood my bed with weeping,     drenching it with my tears.”                                                    - Psalm 6 2-6 NLT   Peace, PB

" When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman. Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you? “No, Lord,” she said. And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.”   - John 8:9-11 NLT     This is the end of the story of the woman caught in adultery where she was going to be stoned by the letter of the law. Jesus wrote in the sand and all the accusers left the area one by one. When it was just Jesus and the woman left he shared love, grace and forgiveness by forgiving her. Truly an awesome act of Agape. In this world of theological debate, stances and differences this passage is often used to share the grace and forgiveness of Jesus Christ for ALL who have sinned. But in my experience an important part of this scripture is left out. In the very last sentence of verse 11 Jesus tells the woman you ...

"Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.   You have six days each week for your ordinary work,   but the seventh day is a Sabbath day of rest dedicated to the  Lord  your God. On that day no one in your household may do any work. This includes you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, your livestock, and any foreigners living among you.   For in six days the  Lord  made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and everything in them; but on the seventh day he rested. That is why the  Lord  blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy."  - Exodus 20:8-11 Do you do this? May God bless your Sabbath Sunday!  Peace, PB

I hear people talking about the second coming of Jesus Christ and how the end times are near. There were rumblings of the apocalypse happening because of the blood moon and lunar eclipse. This conversation was not just with Christians in the church, but it was happening in general conversations and postings. The world is a mess and seems to only be getting worse. There is a strong interest in the future of the world and end time prophesy. Humanity is in wonderment about the future. I embrace prophesy and am looking forward to the return of Jesus. But, for me, I see the now as huge and important. The world needs more of the grace love and action from believers. Are we as the Body of Christ, reaching the lonely, the least and the lost by meeting their human needs and sharing the amazing love of Jesus Christ? Do we let logical barriers like money, time and numbers of workers hold us back? Let us dream God dreams and pray the actions forward without human barriers. “I tell you the truth, a...

  John the Baptist, who was in prison, heard about all the things the Messiah was doing. So he sent his disciples to ask Jesus, “Are you the Messiah we’ve been expecting, or should we keep looking for someone else?”     - Matthew 11:2-3 NLT Is this the  John the Baptist who  jumped   in his mother's womb when Mary showed up with Jesus in her womb?  Is this the John the Baptist who baptized Jesus?  Is this the  John the Baptist who proclaimed that he was preparing the way of the Lord, the coming of the Messiah? So is this the John the Baptist still wondering if Jesus was the one?  There are days I wonder if Jesus is really the one. My head knows, but my heart struggles. How about you? Do you struggle in your heart? Are you allowing the circumstances of your life, which seem insurmountable, to create distance between you and God? Perhaps you have fallen and failed and believe you are not worth it. Perhaps that is all you have been told you...

There is a cemetery across the street in my back yard. This morning view has caused me to ponder all who have passed away from this earth. All the Saints who have gone on before me. Even though I have faith, I still struggle with the mystery of death. Do not get me wrong, I believe, but I wonder! The good news is that there is hope in our relationship with Jesus Christ. That is the hope I tightly hold on too! “And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died.”   - 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14 NLT Peace, PB

Sunny and warm early yesterday. Cold and snow today. Warming moving forward.  Hot next week.  Blessings and resurrection yesterday.  Sin, set backs and failure today. Recovering moving forward. Rejoicing, praise and celebration next week.  The faith journey life is like the weather.  Ever present, ever changing, ever challenging,  never the same, rejoicing and weeping,  yet the constant is our connection to God. God is there even when we do not recognize God.  “God is our refuge and strength,     always ready to help in times of trouble. So we will not fear when earthquakes come     and the mountains crumble into the sea. Let the oceans roar and foam.     Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge! ”   - Psalm 46:1-3 NLT   Peace, PB

Yesterday I was reminded of the difference God makes through my life. How was I reminded? People told me. I heard directly from them how God has used me to impact their lives. I was blessed and actually I am starting to believe what they say.  We flood funeral homes to remember the deceased and share with their loved ones the difference the deceased made in their lives. Why do we wait? Why do we wait until someone is gone on to eternity to affirm their efforts of love? Why do we not now look them in the eye, send them a card or share a call of some sort an tell them the difference they have made for us? We all need to know!  My friends, do you also realize your pastors always hear what is wrong, mistakes they have made and how they offended another? They carry a lot of your burdens, your pain and are constantly striving to find ways to bring you closer to the love and grace of Jesus Christ. They yearn for a thank you. They desire nothing more than knowing your story of how you...

Do you often fight and battle in your struggle?  Do you plan and seek solutions for your situation?  Are you planning, doing and trying to control what you have no control over?  Living in what ifs' and should be's?  The Israelites saw the Egyptians pursuing them in the Exodus and began to complain and worry. They told Moses they would have been better off in Egypt back in slavery than in the wilderness facing the Red Sea and the pursuing army.  “But Moses told the people, “Don’t be afraid. Just stand still and watch the Lord rescue you today. The Egyptians you see today will never be seen again. The Lord himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.”   - Exodus 14:13-14 NLT   Whatever your day brings, facing life and death, fear and disappointment, wondering how you are going to make it, asking God why me, family torn apart, loneliness in the crowd or fill in the blank for your situation, listen to the word Moses has for you today. " Don’t be afraid. Ju...

Good Morning World! There is nothing better than seeing a morning post on Facebook from someone who is excited to see you which reminds you how much you are loved and appreciated. It is easy to live in the one negative comment directed toward you and focus on the hurt, when in reality there are 10 other people out there who love you, lift you up and would go to the end of the earth for you! To top it off, the CREATOR of EVERYTHING, including you, LOVES YOU NO MATTER WHAT! Yes I realize life stinks at times, death happens, struggles are still there! We push through the desert and enjoy the mountains. But remember people love you and God loves you! “No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in th...

Do you ever find yourself happy and content on the outside for others to see, while struggling to decide where you want to run away and hide? Well do not fear, you are not alone. The Psalmist starts Psalm 46 with the same thought, but reminds us that God is a safe place to hide. Today I want to share Psalm 46 with you from the Message. In the NIV it tells us "To be still and know" but in the Message it says "Step Out of the Traffic!" Wake up!  “God is a safe place to hide,     ready to help when we need him. We stand fearless at the cliff-edge of doom,     courageous in sea storm and earthquake, Before the rush and roar of oceans,     the tremors that shift mountains.     Jacob-wrestling God fights for us,     God-of-Angel-Armies protects us. River fountains splash joy, cooling God’s city,     this sacred haunt of the Most High. God lives here, the streets are safe,     God at your service from crack of dawn. God...

What impossible life situation do you face? How are you struggling? Do you doubt? Perhaps overwhelmed with fear and anxiousness? Is everything pressing in all around you? Wonder if God is even there? Friends, all of our emotions and experiences are real. Do not be ashamed for being broken. Please do not struggle with guilt because of all the questions you have. Fear and doubt are natural emotions. BUT! As children of God we have a way. We are not promised perfect lives. We are promised a perfect God with us. “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Kee...

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “See, the home of God is among mortals. He will dwell with them; they will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them; he will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away.” - Revelation 21:3-4 I struggle today with the world. Many happenings and actions of others do not make sense to me. There is a lot of struggle going on, many disagreements, division, senseless death, treating others with disrespect. Stress in families all the way to global stress issues in the world. Is there really hope? My answer and hope in today is that I choose to allow God to dwell with me. I understand the scripture points toward eternal rest, but why not begin here on this earth? God dwells with me. I need to look for God in EVERYTHING! Not just the good times, but also in the struggles. Perhaps I need to practice what I preach! Peace, PB

Do you struggle with your wait? Do you like waiting in line at the store? Do you like waiting in traffic?  Do you like waiting for a phone call?  Do you like waiting to know if you got the job?  Do you like waiting on the struggles to turn positive? Do you like waiting for the test results? Do you like waiting for recovery of your loved struggling with their health? I do not know many people who like to wait. Waiting on the Lord is developing trust in the Lord. Often we face the difficulties of life and have to wait. How we wait is so important. I struggle to trust God. Most often when I see the outcomes of life after waiting I am reminded how foolish I can be in my anxious anticipation of outcomes. No matter the outcome of anticipation I am so much better in trusting the Lord.  “Have you never heard?     Have you never understood? The Lord is the everlasting God,     the Creator of all the earth. He never grows weak or weary.     No one...

"Praise the Lord! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty firmament! Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his surpassing greatness! Praise him with trumpet sound; praise him with lute and harp! Praise him with tambourine and dance; praise him with strings and pipe! Praise him with clanging cymbals; praise him with loud clashing cymbals! Let everything that breathes praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!" - Psalm 150 What a great reminder of what we are created for! We are to be in relationship with the Creator and praise God in everything! We are to rest in the faith and trust that God will meet our needs and take care of us. My dog goes crazy whenever I come home! Her whole body shakes and twists and the tail goes wild! She cannot leave me alone, jumping and striving for every ounce of attention I can give her. She paws at me, gives me "kisses" and crawls up onto my lap, an 85 pound lap dog! Do I go crazy shaking, jumping and striving f...

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it." - John 1:1-5 Enjoying the crisp air and looking for the sunshine this morning! My pondering mind gives thanks for God who created all things and loves what was created. God loves creation so much that a way to live in the light was provided by the Word, Jesus Christ. So where do you choose to live? Light or Darkness? We have the gift of choice! Do you choose to live in light or hide in darkness? It is up to you! Peace, PB

As I sift through the make up of life and who I am and why I do and react the way I do, I often ask the question why am I who I am? What I have found is at 59 years of age is that the formation of life in the little boy growing up has impacted me. I know that I may have a keen sense of the obvious in saying this, but in my life reflection I am finding that even in the small events the small impression left can be huge in life development. My reflection today is very simple, when and how we react to, talk to, care for and deal with our children is bigger than we could imagine. Every moment of every day leaves a life imprint on our children. What we say, do and how we treat them is a lifelong part of who they become. This is not intended only for parents, but for all of us as we encounter little ones daily. I am led to two scriptures to share today. "And, fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord." - Ephesian...

Dreary, cloudy, rainy days can be bring our spirits down.  There is sunshine, but often it never shines through the dreary.  But know that the sunshine is there.  Life and all the struggles of life can be oppressive on the soul.  Often times they seem like they will never end. It feels like the Son will never shine. But know that the Son is there.  “We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love” - Romans 5:3-5 NLT Peace, PB

Each day I grow deeper into the understanding of what is important.  We have one life to live on this earth and we have one job to to and that is to Love God, Love People and Make Disciples for Jesus Christ.  NOTHING ELSE MATTERS.  Everything else may impact our lives, but nothing else matters. Things, stuff, power, wealth, prestige, freedom, rightness, pride and anything we humanly strive for are just dust. They mean nothing in eternity. So why do they matter now?  Family, friends, people we encounter, those with less than me, those with more than me, those who are the same as me and especially those who are different from me, people I love, like and do not care for someone I encounter for a moment and some I will never encounter are why we are here.  Stop the insane fighting and over opinionated dividing stances you are putting out there and actually follow what Jesus Christ COMMANDED us to do and LOVE GOD and LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR as YOU LOVE YOURSELF!  Not...