New Year, New Beginnings

This year as we ring in the New Year I hope and pray for postitive new directions in your life and mine.  If we are not moving ahead we will surely be moving backward.  So let us resolve to look at things differently and seek God's guidance in a way we never have before.

The Bible has a lot to say about change and growth and how we are to attain it.  It begins with having reverence and respect for God.  Here is a primer on who He is : "Hast thou not known? Hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither's weary? There is no searching of His understanding." Isaiah 40:28-31.

It is traditional to look at our life in the previous year and evaluate what has passed in an effort to determine fitting goals for the upcoming year.  I personally love this tradition.  In our busy and hectic lives the tradition of making New Year's Resolutions is a great impetus for self-improvement.  It needs to be an honest assessment if it is to do any good.

Did I make foolish business decisions, what have I learned?  Do I keep on picking bad relationship partners?  What not so comfortable truths about ourselves do we need to assess?  It may even be something more serious.  If that is the case, dear friend, you can face whatever it is and begin to find a new path with God's help. There may be those reading this who have been engaged in something immoral or illegal.  You can turn the page in your life and begin a new chapter!  "And such were some of you but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of God." 1 Corinthians 6:11.

Beginning a new chapter will require strength and courage.  We have a certain comfort level with our bad habits.  Want to lose twenty pounds, clean your house or lose the attitude?  It will be a fight.  We begin that fight by changing our thought patterns.  Realize that we all have rationalizations for our bad behaviors.  A wife I know, is often frustrated with her husband's lack of attention.  After a typical work day, he will just come home and put the television on.  She asked him if he could shut it off and just spend some time with her.  His justification for answering in the negative was that he "needed it to unwind from his stressful day."   I have heard a Christian, once a wife-beater, remark on more than one occasion that, "she makes me so mad or, she made me do it!"  When I simply said, "no, that is not true.  No one can make you do that, you choose that.  You have the problem."   The simple openness to that truth lead this young man to accept responsibility for his actions and chart a WHOLE new course in his life.

So, we begin to replace the lies with some truth.  This is essential.  "No, I don't have a slow metabolism; I just eat too much."  "Okay, I don't like housework but my kids are embarrassed to bring friends over.  It is time for me to come up with a plan."  " My caustic comments are not funny just cruel."  "I am depressed about my life and need to seek help" or " I have an anger management problem that I need to face."  "I am a criminal."  The Bible tells us about pursuing positive goals.  "Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy meditate on these things."Philippians 4:8.

The next step is action. Talk to people who will challenge you.  Start an exercise class.  Shut that television off more and seek human interaction.  Do you need to take an anger management class or do a drug or alcohol detox? Resolve to take whatever action that you must to change the direction of your life in the upcoming year.  Read the Bible which is the guidebook for positive new direction and growth.  Go to God to strengthen you in the tasks ahead, and remember : "as a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day."  You are not alone, God Almighty has your back!

Finally, this world can often beat us down.  We lose hope. But, in the final book of the Bible, we are reminded of just who Jesus is.  "And He that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new." Revelation 21:5a



Happy New Year to all my dear readers.  I want to especially thank my readers in the United States, France, Portugal and Switzerland.  I pray for you often and with much affection.  May God bless you and keep you in this upcoming year!  Any comments or topics that you would like to see covered?  Just write them in the comment sections below.  

Christmas Miracles

One year ago, I decided I would do a Christian blog.  As I reach the first anniversary of this blogs' inception, it seems useful to reflect upon this.  Firstly, let me reflect upon some of the reasons I started this blog.  Christmas is a special time of the year.  A time filled with parties, gifts and joy.

A joy that induces us to give generously to those we love and to those less fortunate than ourselves.  A time, when we, whom are jaded or even fatalistic, are inclined to believe in miracles.This joy that exists today all started a long time ago with the birth of the baby called Emmanuel, meaning "God with us."

Biblical prophesy, beginning in Genesis, points to the momentous time when God would make right the devasting blow that Lucifer had dealt to humanity, when he was able to misdirect and destroy the special relationship that we had with God our Creator in the Garden of Eden.

The immense importance of a baby being born in the midst of the worst possible conditions point to the need in our life for that Savior as we face the worst possible conditions in our life.  For, we have a Savior, a "lover of our soul" who has lived what we lived and felt what we felt.  God has planned across time, and for all time, to reconcile ourselves to Himself through a personal touch from Jesus.  For "unto us a child is born, a son is given."

So, the season of Christmas has immense importance as we begin to figure out the spiritual condition of our life.  When I started this blog one year ago, I wondered what more that I could do in gratitude for the "gift of this child."  Just as we sometimes lack gratitude for those other gifts given us on Christmas morn, had I stopped being appreciative for all that I had received when God gave this child to me?

There are so many circumstances in my life and in your life which hurt and discourage us.  Our holiday season is less than we wish it to be.  Our jobs are difficult, our children struggling.  A loved one has passed away and our heart is broken. Divorced or lonely?  This was not what was supposed to happen.  How can I overcome this?

No, this was not what God's plan was.  It was not supposed to happen this way.  Yet a light shines over a little stable.  A bright and unusual star points into a horrible place in a horrible time and beckons us to come and follow that star.  Come to the little hovel where a baby is born which is to save man from his circumstance.

Last year, after much prayer and thought I knew that I must start this blog.  I did it because I saw so much need for healing in my life, and in the lives of those around me.  I started it, because like the Wise Men, I know that it was right to bring an offering to that manger because of this extraordinary event that we call "Christmas."

Go to that place, as the shepherds and Wise men did, and seek an audience with the King of all Kings and the Lord of all Lords.  He is open and good, just like a new born babe.  What a great gift!  With newness of life there is always hope and possibility.  Thank you God for the gift of this baby.  It is the birth of renewal and redemption for each and every one of us.

Entertainment Detox-Part 3

In Part 1 and 2 of my Entertainment Series, I challenged you to look at your viewing habits by taking a survey and thinking of some reasons you might be addicted to video games, television or the movies.  In Part 3, I present a detox plan along with some biblical guidance for creating more meaning in your life.

Galatians 6:1a  "Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault"

In the above biblical passage we start out with the notion that someone is caught up in doing something he or she ought not to.  The concept of being "overtaken in a fault," in verse one of Galatians is very evocative.  We can almost see our sins chasing us down in a darkened alley and finally catching up with us, and then having their way with us.  In effect, beating us to a pulp.  It also evokes the feeling of something we were not expecting. Maybe we were playing around in a dangerous place and were surprised at the direction things took.

In our quest for wisdom concerning entertainment, this verse has much meaning.  For all that our smartphones offer us, including helpful information such as, navigational assistance, medical advise and applications that can start dinner before we arrive home; we are often overtaken by the control it begins to effect in our lives.  What do we do when this happens to us?  What if the problem lies with our children, co-workers, or even a husband or wife?

The answer is : we must always be on guard lest the use of our devices gets out of balance with the rest of our life.  We must also cope with the fallout in our families or offices.  It has been my practice to go on an "entertainment fast" from time to time.  The concept of a fast is well established in the Bible as a spiritual exercise with many benefits.  Whole families and Churches can also benefit from this practice.  FAST

Daniel 10:3 "I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled."


Now that you are taking a fast from entertainment you will have all sorts of time on your hands.  You will also have to find other ways to accomplish the tasks that your phone has taken over for you.  Use this time wisely.  For instance, instead of instant messaging a friend or family member on social media, why not plan a visit instead?  What about a party? Make sure to hug and kiss all the people that you are now interacting with.  That is not something you can do while "skyping."  HUG AND KISS

1 Corinthians 16:20 "All the brethren greet you.  Greet ye one another with an holy kiss."

Learn something new.  Maybe you could benefit from a financial lecture.  An exercise class  could help improve your health.  What about a creative exploration? Is there an activity at your church that you have not availed yourself of?  You can take a class in your community and meet people who have the same interest.  Languages are best practiced with others.  So, check out local opportunities (language club) to do this.  LEARN NEW THINGS

Proverbs 1:5 "a wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels."

If you have been using your phone, television or the computing capability in your life to avoid dealing with some problems in your life, this electronic detox is bound to bring those issues to the surface.  Resist the urge to surpress these feelings and instead make a decision to face whatever your issues are.  Is your marriage in tatters?  Is your family estranged.  Unhappy on your job?  Angry, depressed or anxious? DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT

Psalm 50:15 " and call upon Me in the day of trouble : I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me."