A Morning View

In 2010 I went to South Africa and Namibia for seminary. I learned a very important word which honestly I have buried in the closet of my memory and today I remember the importance of this word. "Ubuntu" Ubuntu is an ancient African word meaning humanity to others.  Ubuntu can best be described as an African philosophy that places emphasis on being self through others.  It is often described as reminding us that I am what I am because of who we all are. We need one another. I need to make you better and you need to make me better. I need to help draw you close to Jesus and you need to help me draw close to Jesus.  I wonder if in our complex world of science, knowledge, absolutes and intelligence if we have forgotten one another? We can accomplish a lot of things with great success and have nothing. Relationship lasts forever.  "The end of the world is coming soon. Therefore, be earnest and disciplined in your prayers. Most important of all, continue to show deep love...

"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.” - Philippians 4:6-7 NLT   Great scriptures Great advice Great way to live  Easy to understand So difficult to do Keep Trying Peace, PB

I was reflecting back to the beach in Outer Banks this morning and thought of the first time I ventured into the ocean. I find it interesting that the most difficult time to keep my balance was when the waves rolled hard into the shallow water near the shore. As I went deeper, yes the waves were higher and strong, but there was a more firm foundation in the depth of the water. It seemed like the water was going to be over my head and a struggle, yet it was less of a struggle and easier to navigate.  I believe it is the same in our journey of faith in God. It seems like the deeper we go with God the more difficult it would become, yet when we are in a shallow faith journey the more difficult it is to stand. Yes the deeper waters are a struggle, but the depth of our relationship with God provides strength.  "And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though i...

Full Moon Last Night Beautiful Sunrise this Morning  Puffs of Clouds Sunny Day Leaving Soon  Going Home  What to do? "And then he told them, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone. Anyone who believes and is baptized will be saved.” - Mark 16:15-16a NLT   Peace, PB

Choose Joy Choose Peace Trust Overflow "I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.” - Romans 15:13 NLT   Peace, PB

"Wherever he went—in villages, cities, or the countryside—they brought the sick out to the marketplaces. They begged him to let the sick touch at least the fringe of his robe, and all who touched him were healed.” - Mark 6:56 NLT   I saw this scripture this morning and wondered why we do not experience more miracles? Is it because we do not look for them?  We cannot find something we are not looking for.  Peace, PB

So far the weather has not been at its best for us. It is a very cloudy morning. It is rainy with a good chance of clearing up later in the day. But as I sit here this morning I noticed that it does not matter if it is sunny and clear, partly cloudy or even ugly storm cloudy, the sun comes up. We just need to decide how to navigate the day!  Our lives are the same. We need to decide how to navigate each and every day we face. It does not matter what we face, if it is sunny and clear, partly cloudy or even ugly storm cloudy, we still have another day to live and the Son is with us.  I know to some of you this sounds like a no brainer message. Well of course PB, this is the day the Lord has made! Everyday is a great day. To others this is such a difficult message to swallow. It becomes a difficult task to simply tie your shoes. We are all different in our view and response and it is alright to be different.  But please recognize that the sun does come up no matter what. Als...

I stood all alone at the edge of the ocean. It is huge and endless. It seems to go on forever and when I am all alone it can be intimidating and overwhelming.  It is easy to find myself all alone, even in a crowd, asking God a lot of questions and pondering what God has for me. I woke up this morning with the song "Another in the Fire" by Hillsong Worship playing in my head.  I do not own the rights to the following link, but this is the song playing in my head.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUSsEo52-a0 The Holy Spirit is always with us in the fire. Sometimes it may seem like we are all alone, but we are never alone.  We need to hold on to the promise from God.  "This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” - Joshua 1:9 NLT   Peace, PB

The balcony is four rows of houses from the ocean. I can see the water from here, but I cannot experience it from here. Until I walk two blocks to gain the whole experience of the vastness and completeness of the ocean, I will not experience the fullness of the gift set before me. Our lives with God as the same. We may have relationship with Jesus Christ as our Savior and experience some of what God is doing from a distance, but we cannot fully experience God until we are ready and willing to gain the whole experience of the vastness and completeness of God, we will not experience the fullness of the gift set before us. "When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And ma...

Last night we arrived at our hotel destination in the dark. As I was driving into an unfamiliar area not knowing the roads, the turns and only depending on the GPS, I was very tentative of the uncomfortable and it was a little unnerving not knowing.  I went to the lobby this morning for the ever important cup of coffee and I stood outside the hotel in the daylight! The whole area looks different. It is lit up with the brightness of the morning and the surrounding area is inviting in the daylight while intimidating at night.  So do you walk in the light or do you spend your life in the darkness? I find it easy to spend way too much time in the dark. Fear of the future, struggles from the past and the unknown of the moment can make me tentative of the uncomfortable and it is a little unnerving not knowing.  There is light. As followers of Jesus Christ we do not need to choose the darkness, we are afforded the opportunity to choose to live in the light and love of Jesus Chri...

Do you ever get tired of trying to do the right things in life? Have you ever just wanted to quit? Have you ever wanted to lash out at someone who has hurt you? Honestly have you ever just wanted to stop doing good and let everyone else get what they deserve?  Friends, this is not how we are supposed to live.  "Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith.” - Galatians 6:7-10 NLT   Strive to live a Godly life and see what happens! Peace, PB

My dog Gabby loves me. She wants to always be near me. She is my 80+ lb. lap dog. She just desires for me to share all of my love and attention with her. But sometimes she is out of control and has to go to her crate for some time out. She can find herself way out of control. She knows better, but finds herself being tempted into doing something she knows she should not do. What about you? What tempts you? Do you find yourself giving in to things you know you should not find yourself in the middle of? Have you ever had to go to your "crate" for some time out? I learned the following verse many years ago and it often pops into my head in my times of temptation.  "If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall. The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.” - 1 Corinthians 10...

What is your title?  Doctor Custodian Lawyer Teacher  Driver Technologist Cashier Mom Perhaps we put too much emphasis on what we do over who we are.  As a follower and believer of Jesus Christ, our name is Christian.  We need to identify as Christian and nothing else. "My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” - Galatians 2:20 NLT   Take on the name of Christ and live like Jesus so that when others see you they encounter the Christ!  Peace, PB

The way to live: Stop Listen Ponder Relax Be Calm Remain Calm Results: Being and living Righteous lives Hmm......... I wonder? “Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires. ” - James 1:19-20 NLT     Peace, PB

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart;     do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do,     and he will show you which path to take.” - Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT   Sometimes it is very difficult to trust God. Yes, it seems logical in our heads to just trust and plow through on our journey, but in our hearts we may struggle with the emotions and fear that can overcome our head knowledge. We need to strive to connect our heads and our hearts with the heart of God and trust and move even, perhaps especially when life is difficult.  James tells us it is a joy to face troubles because we have a chance to grow. We have the opportunity to connect better with the heart of God when we live our lives confident in God believing in God's promise.  I find it difficult sometimes to completely trust God alone, but there really is no better way. “Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great...

What do we allow or what do we choose to label us?  I am a patriot? I am an American? I am progressive? I am conservative? I am Communist? I am Socialist? I am a Bengal's fan? I am....?  How about as followers of Jesus Christ we are Christian? I am Christian. Perhaps if we lived as Christian we would find ourselves living in a relationship the way God desires to have with us. Nothing else. I understand we live in this world. But we need not be of this world.  “Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.” - 1 John 2:15-17 NLT   Peace, PB

Have you ever had the best piece of cheesecake? There is no other cheesecake like it. Nothing can replace such cheesecake. No doubt you will try other cheesecake, but nothing satisfies like the best cheesecake ever.  When we stop asking God for the goodness of God we find ourselves consuming that which can not even come close to the best God has to offer us. Nothing satisfies like the goodness of God.   “ Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.” - Matthew 7:7-8 NLT   Peace, PB

I recently had a situation where there is a person who was upset with the way things were being done. That person never spoke to me about it and my attitude towards this person was, shall we say, not a very positive attitude. Finally, I had an opportunity to talk with this person about something else I saw that could help them in another area of their life and guess what happened? They told their story and I learned much about this person. I saw them in a different light. Eventually the conversation turned to the other issue which was never discussed before and we had a pleasant conversation which ended in an understanding of one another. We were able to compromise and walk away in a good place.  “For God chose to save us through our Lord Jesus Christ, not to pour out his anger on us. Christ died for us so that, whether we are dead or alive when he returns, we can live with him forever. So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.” 1 Thessalonians...

“A gentle answer deflects anger,      but harsh words make tempers flare. The tongue of the wise makes knowledge appealing,      but the mouth of a fool belches out foolishness. The Lord is watching everywhere,      keeping his eye on both the evil and the good. Gentle words are a tree of life;      a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.” - Proverbs 15:1-4 Why do we live in a culture of anger? Why do we say and do hurtful things to others,  to those we love as well as those we are called to share Christ's love with? Have we cultivated a spirit of contention or perhaps strive to feed our selfishness for our own gain? Perhaps we lash out because of our own pain. Maybe we do not realize the demeanor of the moment which we portray? I know I do not always see myself in the moment like others see me. I always beat myself up when I do not respond to another in kindness and love, even when I am on the correct side of the issue. I ...

 " Jesus returned to the Sea of Galilee and climbed a hill and sat down." -  Matthew 15:29 NLT  Over and over in the scripture Jesus tried to get away. People followed and would not leave him alone. Think about it, why wouldn't you want to be around Jesus 24 hours a day and 7 days a week? Jesus brought them peace. Jesus healed them. Jesus was hope and the light of the world. But remember, Jesus went away to refresh and refuel.  Recently, when I took some time away, there were many who were concerned about me needing time. What is wrong with PB? He said he needs to refuel and refresh? Why would someone connected to God in the Holy Spirit need time to refuel and refresh? Won't God sustain him? We love him and need him. He brings so much to us, challenges us and loves us. We need him.  Please never put a pastor, a spouse, a brother or a friend on a pedestal. When we put someone on a pedestal, both of us will get hurt when they fall. Please support them as they refr...