Tag Archives: christianity

Avoiding Presumptive Planning: Insights from James 4

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Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.” But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.

James 4:13-16

As we say good-bye to one year and prepare to welcome the beginning of another, we are often encouraged to take time to reflect on the year ending and make plans for the new year. How do we go about doing that? What are the criteria we use to evaluate the past, and determine plans for the future?

From my personal observations and experiences, I have come to the conclusion that often we engage in the fallacy of presumptive reasoning. James, in the passage quoted above, warns against this faulty way of thinking. He refers to someone who is obviously making plans for the immediate future, saying that he is about to head out on a journey that will take him to a certain destination where he will engage in business transactions that will result in a profit. There are several obvious fallacies in his line of reasoning.

First, he is assuming that he will be physically able to make this projected journey. Granted, this is something we all do – we make plans as if we are going to be around to see the fulfillment of those plans. We don’t usually make it a habit of sitting around with morbid thoughts of our physical death. We don’t allow ourselves to be consumed with thoughts of our own mortality. Those thoughts are for the most part foreign to us. We don’t think about our own death until we are forced to do so. This particular individual is certainly engaging in the art of presumption in relation to his own longetivity.

His second assumption is that he will be able to arrive at his destination. Again, when we plan to take a journey, we do the same thing. Just a couple weeks ago we set out for a trip to Texas to attend our grandson’s graduation from college. When we made our plans for the trip, we assumed that we would arrive safely at our son’s home in Mesquite, TX. which, thankfully, we did.

A third assumption was made that once he had arrived in his city of choice he would then engage in a successful business venture that would result in profit for him. I’m not sure of the state of economic volatility in the city to which he planned to travel, and I’m not sure of how much research he had put into this particular venture, but it sounds as if he was counting his chickens before they hatched, as the old saying goes. He was presuming that his venture would prove to be a success producing a windfall for him.

Still another matter of presumptive reasoning is that he planned to stay in this city for a year. Again, he is making assumptions based on very limited information and scanty knowledge of what the future would hold. The entirety of his reasoning in making these decisions was based on his presuming certain things would happen just the way he planned.

Now, is it wrong to make plans? Is it wrong for us, at the end of 2025, to make plans for 2026? No. But there is a right way, and there is a wrong way to make plans. James is giving us an example of the fallacy of presumptive reasoning, but he doesn’t leave his readers in the dark as to how to engage in proper reasoning. And it is extremely simple. He says that we should always practice the act of submitting our plans to God. We are to actively seek the Lord’s will in every decision we make.

As we prepared to leave for our first day of travel on our trip to Texas, the very first thing we did was seek the Lord’s will. We prayed for safety on the highway. At the end of the day’s traveling, we thanked God for safety. We did this every day. We actively sought the Lord’s will in everything as we drove the 2000+ miles of this journey.

It is not a difficult thing to do. As a matter of fact, it is one of the easiest things to do, but it is also one of the most important things. We should never engage in the fallacy of presumptive reasoning but rather give ourselves over to the Lord’s will in everything.

This is a fundamental part of the life of a sincere follower of Jesus Christ. It acknowledges that God’s will is far better than my own, and that I will actively seek His will in all my decision making. This is not a passive acceptance of waiting for God, but an active participation of obedience and submission as we actively pursue His will in our lives.

So, let’s look forward to the coming days of 2026 with anticipation and excitement, seeking His will in all things, not acting presumptively, but with the desire to follow His will as He makes it known through His Word and the leadership of the Holy Spirit.

Where Was God?

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The world has just witnessed one of the most powerful and devastating storms in history. The storm was so severe that the U.S. Air Force Reserves 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron, known as the “Hurricane Hunters,” had to turn back due to the extreme turbulence in the eye of the storm. We are now seeing pictures and videos of the massive storm and its destruction on major news outlets and social media.

Where was God?

The question many will wrestle with is, “Where was God when this storm developed and then destroyed?” It is the age-old question that arises every time something of this magnitude happens. Well, to put it as simply as I know how, God was where He always is, on the throne of the universe. He is in control, and He is keenly aware of everything that ever happens in all of His creation.

Why do storms like this occur?

So, let’s revisit some questions that always come up when the world experiences another episode of the power of nature. First, why do storms like this occur? If God is really powerful enough to create everything that exists by simply speaking words into sheer nothingness and bringing everything that exist into being, then why does He not do a better job of overseeing the day-to-day operations of His creation?

The answer to that is found in the Book of Genesis. God had instructed His human creation – Adam and Eve – about what was permissible and not permissible. The list of the permissible was long and included the enjoyment of the marvel of God’s creation. The list of things not permitted was very short, including only one command: They were not to eat of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. They disobeyed, and the entire earth suffered the consequences. Paul gives some insight into this matter:

For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. Romans 8:22

He is referring here to the fact that the earth is under the curse of God, and the ravages of nature are a testimony to that reality. Earthquakes, hurricanes, tsunamis, tornados, floods, and every other disaster from nature happen due to the curse. That, in an overly simplistic way, tells us why storms such as Hurricane Melissa develop and destroy.

Could God not have diverted the storm’s path?

A second question follows on the heels of the first: Could God not have diverted the storm’s path? And the answer is yes, God could have caused the storm to simply go out over the sea, never intersecting with land masses. But again, the earth groaning under the curse becomes apparent when we see things like this happen. The curse affects every area of God’s creative work upon the earth. The Bible is replete with examples and illustrations of this painful truth. Theoretically, when we go back to the account of creation, and the placing of man in the Garden of Eden, had Adam and Eve not disobeyed the Garden would have been their permanent home: a home of absolute perfection without all the ravages of the curse. Since that event, the curse runs rampant. Could God intervene and circumvent a storm to protect His human creation? Certainly He could, but the curse He pronounced has its destructive effects on the entirety of creation, and for Him to intervene would mean that the curse was meaningless.

Does the fact that the storm made a direct hit on Jamaica mean that they were deserving of God’s personal wrath and judgment?

A third question must be addressed: Does the fact that the storm made a direct hit on Jamaica mean that they were deserving of God’s personal wrath and judgment? Every time something like this happens, we hear people making the absurd accusation against those who have been affected by the disaster. I remember distinctly hearing his judgment call after hurricane Katrina devasted the gulf coast of the United States. Certain individuals and groups were bashing the people of New Orleans, saying that the storm was God’s judgment against that city.

We must guard ourselves against making such rash and unfounded judgment calls. Listen carefully to these words of Jesus:

Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower of Siloam fell and killed them, to you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. Luke 13:2-5

Storms happen; disasters occur; destruction comes; deaths are multiplied; families are devastated; property is destroyed; hopelessness results; questions arise. And it all goes back to what we believe about God and His sovereign rule over His creation.

As we think through this horrific event, let’s pray for those in Jamaica who have personally been affected by this disaster. Multitudes will now go to the areas that are in the most desperate need, giving help, providing resources, and assisting with whatever needs show themselves to be of greatest concern.

And let’s never forget: God loves them, and He will reach out to them through the arms and resources that His people can give.

May God bless the people of Jamaica with His presence through His people, who are sharing and showing His love, being the hands and feet of our Lord.

The Amazing Grace of God

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A few years ago, I read a book entitled “What’s So Amazing About Grace?”, by Philip Yancey. That title caught my attention because it called into question my understanding of grace. The lyrics of the hymn, “Amazing Grace”, began to echo through my mind as I considered the far-reaching ramifications of this question, and how I would answer it if someone were to pose that question to me.

Yancey gave illustrations in his book which could possibly change our entire outlook on this matter of grace. We sometimes place grace within the parameters of our limited understanding. To do so could cause us some serious difficulties in our spiritual walk. It could shake us to the very core in our belief in what God being good looks like.

Let me try to frame my thoughts on this question: Is God good because He does good things, or does He do good things because He is good? Then, a second question must be asked as we consider the first: What exactly is “good”? Read these very familiar words from the pen of Paul:

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28

This verse comes to mind so very often when I hear about individuals who are experiencing difficulties and dilemmas in their lives. And then I am haunted by those questions that we all struggle with from time to time: “If God is really good, why doesn’t He do something?”, or “Is God good, but not powerful enough to do something?”, or “Is God not really good at all?”

Now, let’s go back to the verse quoted above. Paul says that “all things work together for good to those who love God.” Please note carefully that he does not say that all things are good, but that all things work together for good. God – who is good! – is able to take whatever comes our way in life, whether it “appears” to be either good or bad, and work in it and through it in such a way as to bring about good for those involved.

We may go through a time of testing, which comes in so many different ways and levels of intensity, and wonder where God is and why He doesn’t intervene. We may cry out, as did Job, that God can’t be found in the midst of our problems. We may even begin to question God’s goodness, because (in our thinking) we are consumed with the thought that either He doesn’t really care, or He isn’t really good, or He doesn’t really have the power to deal with whatever it is we are going through. Each of these accusations are false, but they haunt us as they fill our minds with questions and confusion.

So, back to the questions posed earlier in this blog: Is God good because of the good things He does, or does He do good things because He is good? The answer is that He does good things because He is good. If we say that He is good because of the good things He does, then does that mean that He is not good when He allows bad things to happen? You see, in our limited, finite, faulty human reasoning, we put good and bad into black and white categories. Something is either good or bad. It cannot be both good and bad at the same time.

However, from God’s perspective (if I dare say that I understand His perspective totally – how absurd!) the lines between good and bad are not so clearly delineated. We see something as either good or bad, while He may view it as nothing but good. All things work together for good – all things, ALL things.

For this very reason Paul says:

In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 5:20

Give thanks in everything, and for all things. Why? Because God is going to work in and through everything that comes our way for our good. Yes, God can do that! So today, let’s try to see things differently. Let’s try to see them as things God can work good in our lives, and in the lives of others.

Blessings!

The Battleground between Belief and Behavior

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The Christian life is a battleground – a spiritual minefield filled with dangerous explosives ready to detonate at any moment. We have to learn how to maneuver through this minefield maze called life, trying to steer ourselves around those dangers while maintaining our spiritual equilibrium. This is the battlefield between our personal beliefs and our behavioral practices.

It is a common thing in the spiritual climate of our contemporary setting to say that we believe the Bible to be God’s Word, filled with the message of His amazing love and grace, and yet struggle with conforming our lives to the Bibles teachings. That is what I mean by the Christian life being a battleground. And many seem to be losing the battle. Many have been injured by those explosive encounters with the enemy.

The Bible admonishes believers to be consistently striving to be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ. First and foremost, He is our Savior who has delivered us out of the darkness of this world into the light and life of God. And once we have been saved by His amazing grace, then we are to begin living our lives according to the teachings of Scripture. We are to consistently put off the old ways of our worldly mentality and put on the new ways of our new life. We have been born again, and as children of God we begin to learn from Him how to walk and talk and conduct ourselves in proper ways.

This process of growing in Christlikeness will demand that we turn away from those old habits and practices. Listen to how the Apostle Paul describes what this looks like:

Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. 1 Corinthians 6:10-11

Paul is contrasting their former life with their new life in Christ. In their former lives, some were fornicators, others were adulterers, others were drunkards and so on. But not any longer! Such WERE some of you. Their behavior has now been radically and permanently altered because they have been to an altar of repentance. They have turned away from their old behaviors and turned to Biblical behaviors. They are living in the battleground, and they are winning the battle – day by day, minefield after minefield. they are making it through.

Sure, there will be a few battles lost along the way. Our enemy, the devil, is a conniving, deceitful being who will place minefields in places that we would not expect. His demonic emissaries are relentless in their attempts to lure us into those dangerous places where we could easily be persuaded to fall back into those old behaviors.

But, praise God, we have One residing in us Who is greater than the one who is against us. And as we fellowship with Him, and walk in the light of His word, we are able to stand against the onslaught of our enemy, and we are able to behave according to our Biblical beliefs.

Let me leave you with the following word of instruction from the pen of Paul:

That you put off, concerning your conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness. Ephesians 4:22-24

Let’s strive to clothe ourselves each day with the garments of the new person we have become in Christ Jesus.

Blessings!

How Big is God?

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Many years ago, I read an intriguing and thought-provoking book by JB Phillips. It was the title that caught my attention and drew me in even before I read the first word. I was already a fan of Phillips writings, but this particular one has had more effect on me than others. The title? “Your God is Too Small”. I was truly intrigued by this simple, yet profound, five-word title.

I remember as I made my way home from the bookstore, my mind was racing, wondering what it was he would write about in this small volume. As I began reading, Phillips asked a question that stopped me dead in my tracks. It may not seem like much to you, but to me it was one of those moments in which time stood still. I was caught up in a state of mind that consumed me for several minutes, pondering the far-reaching ramifications of my answer to this question. Phillips simply asked, “Does God understand radar?” I was mesmerized. My mind went into action, pondering the question, and realizing my answer would say so much about my belief in God.

Of course, the answer is a resounding yes! God certainly understands radar. But it was the question itself, or the belief behind the answer, that says so much about what we believe about God.

Through the ensuing years of my Christian life, I have often revisited that question (I have also reread the book quite a few times!). The reason I have been drawn time and again to the pages of this book is because I am forced on occasion to rethink my own beliefs about just how big God is.

How about you? Do you sometimes struggle with this concept? When you are faced with one of those myriad episodes in life in which you may question once again if God is big enough, if He is powerful enough, to handle the issue, does your faith shout a resounding “Yes” or does your mind whisper a daunting “No”, or at least an uncertain, “I don’t know”.

Life is filled with uncertainties. We are faced with countless seasons of struggle, difficulty, trial, and tribulation. How we handle them says a lot about our view of God. If we believe in a God big enough to handle whatever the problem is, then we will rest securely in His loving embrace. But if our minds are filled with doubts about His ability to deal with it, then we will open ourselves up to unbelief, fear, and panic.

The Bible presents the picture of a big God – one who is indeed powerful enough to deal with anything life might throw our way. Granted, He may choose to handle it in a way contrary to the way we would like, but His way is always best. He knows and does the best in every situation. And even in those times when His answer is diametrically opposite than that for which we hoped and prayed, His ability to deal with it is still valid.

According to the Bible, it is our faith in God that overcomes the world, and all that it throws our way. Faith enables us to see God, seated on His throne, in sovereign control over His creation, working in all things for the good of those who love Him.

Let’s not allow the eventualities of life to cause us to have a lesser view of the “bigness” of God. He is able to handle it all. And in conclusion let’s remember those powerful words of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, when they were facing execution by being thrown into a fiery furnace.

O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image you have set up.

We know He can; we know He will, BUT IF NOT! That is faith in a BIG God. It sees beyond the immensity of the problem, and sees God enthroned, in control. Let’s trust this big God with all of our problems, and by faith live in the reality of His care for us.

Blessings!

What Are You Doing Today?

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There are some things in life that are constant – never changing, ever the same. One of those things is time. It doesn’t matter who you are, where you live, the number of “things” you own, the amount of money you possess, time is one thing you have in common with everyone else. Each of us has exactly the same amount of time in the course of a day: 86,400 seconds; 1440 minutes; 24 hours. Money can’t buy more. Position does not afford an addition of minutes. You and I – and everyone else – has exactly the same – to the second!

Granted, there are different spans of time in a lifetime. Some live longer than others in the grand scheme of things, but the daily allocation is the same. The question that we face is how we will use our time. Our daily allotment is divided into different segments. Your specific divisions will differ from mine and mine from others. For example, we allocate a certain amount of time each day for sleep. Some sleep five hours in the span of a day, while others sleep eight. Then, we have blocks of time designated for meals. For some this may be leisurely time spent with family and/or friends, while for others it is rushed through to leave more of the daily allotment for other things.

“See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” Ephesians 5:15-16

In this passage, the Apostle Paul contrasts two terms: wise and unwise. He uses these terms in relation to time, instructing his readers to be wise in determining how each will use their allotted amount. Each day, each one will make a withdrawal of exactly the same amount: 84,600 seconds. And we are to strive to use wisdom in how we invest our withdrawal.

Paul then adds a reason for striving to utilize wisdom in our decisions about the use of our time: the days are evil. It doesn’t take long to assess the tensions in the world and not realize that we live in extremely evil days. But our present generation is not the first to live in the reality of evil. Evil has been part of the world ever since the first act of rebellion committed by Adam and Eve in the garden.

So what are we to do? How are we to use our time wisely? Again, Paul gives the answer: Understand what the will of the Lord is. And what exactly is the will of the Lord? The passage under consideration offers an answer: the will of the Lord is to use Godly wisdom in determining how to use our time.

What, then, is the wise use of our time? The answer is simple on the surface, but rather complex deep down. For Christians, the surface level answer is the same for each of us: to glorify God in all that we do. The deeper level will differ from person to person. The deeper level is where we determine how each of us will flesh out exactly how we will glorify Him with a wise use of our time.

In conclusion, let me share one Biblical injunction that will assist us in going to that deeper level: Whatever your hand finds to do, do it all for the glory of God. Live life for His glory. Whether we are at work, or at home, or in the marketplace, or in the classroom, live life wisely and in a Godly manner so that the light of His life will shine brightly through us.

Until next time:
Blessings!

Isn’t God Good?

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A few years ago, I heard the story of a woman who went to her pastor and asked that he would pray for her husband, who had been ill for quite a while and was growing worse day by day. The pastor assured her that he would add her husband to his prayer list, which he did.

A few weeks passed, and the woman went back to her pastor to thank him for his prayers, stating that her husband had been completely healed. She then added the exclamation: “Isn’t God good!” The pastor responded in the affirmative by agreeing that God is indeed good, but then added a question: “Would God have not been just as good had He not healed your husband?”

I was thinking about that story this morning as I sat in the surgery center waiting room while my wife underwent gall bladder surgery. This type of surgery is pretty common, and the chances of something going wrong are minimal, but, surgery is surgery. There is always the possibility that an unforeseen problem could arise and a common, everyday surgical procedure could possibly go terribly wrong.

Teresa’s surgery was performed by the surgeon with no problems, and she is now sitting in the recliner across the room from me sleeping soundly and peacefully, for which I am thankful to our loving Father in heaven. And yet, during the procedure, as I waited for the text message that the operation was over, I knew that there was that possibility, be it ever so small, that things would go amiss.

Last night, as Teresa and I were talking about today’s surgery, she looked at me and said, “If something should happen…” I won’t share the rest of the conversation but suffice it to say we both committed her into the hands of God and trusted Him with the outcome of her procedure.

I certainly don’t want anyone to misunderstand the gist of this blog. Had something gone terribly wrong during the procedure and things did not turn out the way they did I would have been crushed to lose my soul mate. But at the same time, by God’s amazing grace and strength, I hope I would have given Him the glory for being a good God, never-the-less!

I remember years ago when I was about to be put under for surgery, the anesthesiologist came in and asked if I was nervous to which I replied that I was not. He then said that he would check my blood pressure to make sure everything was good, and when he saw the results he said, “Wow, you really aren’t nervous, are you? How can you be so calm?” This was one of those divine appointments in which God gave me the open door to share a quick word of witness with him, so I said, “In just a few minutes you are going to put me to sleep for my surgery. When I open my eyes, the first person I will see will be either my wife, or my Lord. Either one is fine with me.”

Admittedly, my faith is not always that strong, but on that day it was. Teresa’s was strong today. Why? Because God always gives grace that is equal to the situation at hand. If you are His child then it can, and should, be true of you. God is good, all the time. This morning Teresa and I experienced that reality once again as He brought her through this surgical procedure, and for that we give Him all the praise. Next time might prove to be different, and, by His grace, we will continue to give Him praise.

God is good – all the time.

Until next time:

Blessings!

Where are You Looking?

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If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. Colossians 3:1-2

It is so easy to become enamored with stuff – whatever “stuff” represents in your life. It might be cars, or houses, or bank accounts, or vacations to exotic places, or people, or what other people have, or a million other possibilities. Things, “stuff”, can become the driving force in our lives, consuming every waking thought, captivating our every wish, dominating our drive to attain. Stuff. Just stuff.

Please understand that the accumulation of stuff is not bad in and of itself. There are a lot of individuals who have a great amount of stuff, and they continue to maintain a proper balance, a healthy perspective, toward their stuff. But the danger is crossing an imaginary line between having stuff, and stuff having us. If, as I said in my opening paragraph, “stuff” dominates our drives and desires in life, then we have crossed that line – our stuff is no longer our possession, but rather we are possessed by our stuff.

A good question to ask ourselves occasionally is on whom, or at what, do I focus most of my attention? In the verses quoted above we read two admonitions: “Seek those things which are above,” and “Set your mind on things above.” There is a tendency for members of the human family to look in the wrong direction. Instead of seeking those things and setting our minds on those things above, the tendency is to seek those things and set our minds on those things of the earth. And when we allow that to happen, the things above lose their appeal.

As many of you know, Teresa and I took a 50-day trip to celebrate our 50th anniversary in the summer of 2023. One of the simple pleasures of that trip was viewing the star lit nights in areas of dark skies – areas where there is little to no light pollution from the lights of cities. When you are in an area that is in close proximity to a large city, then the night sky is polluted with man-made lights. You can still see the stars, but very few in comparison with dark sky areas.

The point is simple, yet it has a profound message for us. The pollution of the appeals of earth will diminish the brightness of the “things above” by drowning out the light. That is the reason the Apostle John gave us the somber warning found in his first epistle:

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 1 John 2:15

We are to maintain an upward look, seeking those things and setting our minds on the things that are above. We are to be captivated by the glories of heaven, not be enamored by the temporal treasures of earth.

Let’s enjoy the blessings the Father has given but never allow ourselves to become so attached to the things of earth that heaven loses its appeal. Our treasures should be laid up there, not stored and hoarded here. Let’s keep our attention focused on those things above.

Until next time:

Blessings!

The Turning of a Page

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It may be a one-day calendar on your desk, or a weekly calendar in your purse, or a monthly calendar hanging on the wall, but no matter what kind of calendar you use, today marks the turning of a page. A single page. The one-day calendar goes from December 31, 2024, to January 1, 2025; the monthly calendar goes from December 2024, to January, 2025. Regardless of which you use, today simply marks the turning of a page – one page – nothing more and nothing less.

None of us knows what the days of 2025 will bring our way. Each day brings its own share of certainties and uncertainties. There are things that we will all assume will happen – even though there is no guarantee that they will – and there are things that may catch us completely off-guard. A daily task is to maneuver through each day as best we can, accepting those things for which we are prepared, and responding to those things that catch us by surprise.

Perhaps one thing that will help us with this task is to remember that every day is a gift from God. The psalmist said, “This is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.” This day, and every day, is a gift from the Lord. Each day that we live is a precious gift from God.

But today we are thinking about the gift of life itself. Your life, my life, is a gift from God. We are His craftsmanship – created by Him, and for Him. Our lives are to be lived to His glory. So, the turning of the page of the calendar marks another day that He has made, and given to us to use for His glory and praise.

Your life is God’s gift to you; what you do with it is your gift to Him.

Someone made the following statement: Your life is God’s gift to you; what you do with it is your gift to Him. This is a statement that we would do well to commit to memory and rehearse in our minds throughout each day that we live. My life is a gift of God. Each individual day that I live is a gift of God. Each breath that I take is a gift of God. Every sunrise and sunset that I see is a gift of God. The sustaining of my life for yet another day is a gift of God.

Now, what will I do with this precious gift? That choice is mine – and yours. Each day offers me yet another opportunity to give my life to Him, or to hoard it all to myself. I can go selfishly through life, making every day all about me, or I can go selflessly through life, giving my life in surrender to Him, making it all about Him and using every moment to bring glory to His name.

Perhaps we could all start on this very first day of 2025 by offering today, January 1, to God. Perhaps we could make it a habit of doing that every day, at the very beginning of each day. Perhaps we could verbally say to Him, “Lord, I acknowledge that this is yet another day that You have made, and that You have granted me the gift of this day to use in whatever way I choose. So, I choose to gift this day back to You. Bring whatever You desire into my experience today and enable me to use it all for Your glory. I choose today to yield myself to You so that others might see You working through me, and that I could be a living testimony to Your grace.”

So today I say, “Happy New Day,” a day that the Lord has made and given to each of us. Let’s use today for Him, and tomorrow let’s do it all over again, and the next day, and the next, and – well, you get the picture. I pray that the days of 2025 will be vehicles through which He might use each of us to serve His purposes, and to bring Him glory.

And, yes – Happy New Year, everyone!

Until next time:

Blessings!

I Really, Sincerely, Don’t Hate You

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Please read the title once again before reading this blog. I am dead serious: I don’t hate you. You may find that difficult to believe, and you may stereotype me along with others who are today applauding the election of Donald Trump as our president elect. But please do me the favor of reading to the end before making a judgment.

I, first and foremost, am a conservative, Bible-believing Christian who simply believes in the God of the Bible, His precious Son, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. These three are one God manifested in three Persons: Father, Son, and Spirit. The plans and purposes of God are recorded for us in His Word, the Bible. In this amazing book He gives us specific instructions in how He would have us live. And then, He lovingly, graciously, and without prejudice gives each of us the ability to choose whether we will live by those instructions or if we will choose to reject them.

The Bible gives explicit instructions on the matter of the sanctity of human life. Psalm 139 speaks of being “fearfully and wonderfully made” – a reference to the formation of a baby in the womb of his/her mother. Each human being is a distinct creation of God, created in the very image of God, and has a God-given, God-assigned purpose to fulfill in this life.

Many speak of the right to choose in relation to what to do about the baby growing in the womb. Their mantra is, “My body, my choice.” But the fact of the matter is, you made your choice when you decided to engage your body in sexual relations which resulted in your pregnancy. That was your choice. But now, the baby growing in your womb is not your body – it is his/her body. A real, living human being. That baby has no voice to cry out his/her desire to live: he/she is seeking safety in the environment of your womb so that he/she may grow and develop until the day of delivery.

My vote, cast for Donald Trump, was not a vote for him as much as it was a vote against a culture of death that would ravage our great land. You might accuse me of having tunnel-vision, focusing on just one major aspect of the Democrat’s platform. However, that simply is not the case. Even if abortion was not prominent in the election. I could never vote for anyone who had the audacity to tell the person who yelled out in one of Kamala Harris’s rallies, “Jesus is Lord,” that they were in the wrong rally. That let me know that Christians were not welcome in her political platform. And on the other side of the political spectrum, Donald Trump stated in his comments after being declared the winner of the election that he knew God spared his life for a purpose. There is a vast difference between one who acknowledges God, and one who chooses to show Him the door!

I will pray for those who have now been elected, just as I have been praying for those who are serving in the present administration. I do this because Christians are admonished in Scripture to pray for those in authority. I am praying that the transfer of power from the Biden administration to the Trump administration will be characterized by peace and respect. And I pray that as we move forward as a nation we will see clear evidences of the providential hand of God as He gives guidance and direction to those in office.

Jesus did indeed love everyone, but He did not accept everyone. Only those who came to Him on His terms, and those terms are clear for anyone who is interested in where He stood. His respect for individuals showed itself clearly as He offered His gift of grace, and then left the choice up to the individual as to whether they would accept His offer or turn and walk away. The choice is the same today. Please, choose Him.

Until next time:

Blessings!