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Have you ever considered the word “excellent?” The word is used to describe something that is fantastic, marvelous, great! The term has been used in movies like “Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure;” it is also used in many hymns including “How Excellent Is Your Name” by John W. Higdon. Did you know that the word “excellent” is used 34 times in 15 books of the bible. My favorite is Psalm 8:1 where King David writes “O Lord Our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!” I pray that our God blesses you with an “excellent” day!

Telephones, voice mail, email, texts, Facebook! What has happened to good old fashioned communication? When I communicate with someone I want to look them in the eye and have them do the same to me! So the question arises: How do we talk to God when we can’t see him? When we are born again we receive the Holy Spirit and our spiritual eyes are opened so that we can see and experience Him! Jesus said in John 14:17 “Even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.” I pray that you see the Father through the Holy Spirit. God bless you!

This Way, That Way, Right Way, Wrong Way; there are lots of expressions using the word “way” – Did you know that in the first century believers were called “The Way,” which is what Saul called followers of Christ as he persecuted them in Acts 9:2. There were many religious groups back then, each known for different things. There were the Pharisees, Sadducees, Zealots and Samaritans and then there was Jesus and the Christians. How do people know that we are Christian? What distinguishes us from others? John 13:25 tells us! “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” As we go out and interact with others, let’s show them our way, Amen? God bless you today!

I recently read a devotional that made me think about growth as a believer. New Christians often believe that once they become saved their lives will be trouble free and can’t understand why they would face a crisis; they might find it unreasonable that something bad would happen to them. Mature Christians understand that in our lives we may encounter crisis, persecution, or suffering. Both types of believers might ask “Lord, why is this happening to me?” It’s a simple enough question, but is it really? The question can have two different meanings: the new Christian asks “why me Lord,” the mature Christian asks “what lesson do you want me to learn Lord?” In John 16:33 we are told “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” To new Christians I say, have faith and grow, to mature Christians I say, learn the lesson and teach. Remember that He is always with us through whatever we face. God bless you!

Imagine you are standing in a crowd listening to Jesus speak. You are getting hungry and you see bread and fish, but not much, AND you are at the back of 5,000 people. Would you start to panic thinking that the food would run out before the basket got to you? Thankfully, that will never happen. Just like for the crowd in Jesus’ day, there is plenty to go around. God has enough to feed all of us, whether it is food or blessings! He can fill our deepest needs. Philippians 4:19 says “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” I invite you to receive his nourishment through His word today. God bless you!

It’s hard to see a loved one in pain and be unable to help. You want to comfort them, but sometimes it’s hard to get through and you feel lost and unsure. You dwell on the possible outcomes and may feel afraid for them and yourself. Fortunately, at times when we are the most concerned, we have God to lean on. Isaiah 41:10 says “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea; I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.” In the midst of our trials, trust in Him. God bless you!

The curse of sin is exactly that – a curse. Some sin might be enjoyable for a moment, but it brings to the sinner an immeasurable cost and someone had to suffer for that sin. Galatians 3:13 says: Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, “Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:” Thankfully, because of Jesus we are delivered from the curse of sin; the curse was broken! Praise Him today for His great love and mercy towards us. God bless you!

The Pauli Exclusion Principle is a law of physics that says that two objects cannot occupy the same space at the same time. This could be said of oxygen and a vacuum, light and dark, good and evil, hot and cold.  It could also be said about God and Satan, who are completely opposite.  We cannot obey God and submit to Satan at the same time.  Two verses come to mind: James 4:7 says “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” and 1 John 4:4 says “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.”  Clearly, the scriptures agree with this principle of physics, it tells us that if we are near to God, the devil can’t be there!  Let’s all draw nearer to God today!

It is hard to understand all the suffering that goes on in our world. There is so much homelessness, hunger, and sickness; we see destruction of our cities and destruction of our families. There is unexplained violence in the workplace and in of all places, our churches, which should be places of safety and peace. We see acceptance of alternate lifestyles and the collapse of the morals our country was founded on. Some people might say it is God’s will that we should witness and suffer through these things, but He did not create us to suffer. These things are a consequence of mankind’s sin. Thankfully, God can bring us through these things and save us. We need to give Him praise for all the good in our lives. Joshua 1:9 says “Have I not commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whither-soever thou goest.” In the midst of the chaos, let’s draw our hope from the one who is in total control! Amen? God bless you today!

Would you be free from the burden of sin…..? Being set free from sin is an awesome reality that we, as followers of Jesus, get to experience. When the burden and strain of sin in our lives is taken away by the blood of Jesus it is a powerful testimony to the power He has in our lives. However, this freedom we enjoy cost Him his life, so we must guard it with determination and avoid yielding to the temptations we face daily. Galatians 5:1 tells us: “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.” God bless you as you stand firm in the faith!