Rewired for the Journey

Do you ever get frustrated seeing other people get away with lying, stealing, and many other bad things? I do at times and then I have to remind myself that there were times I was one of those bad people. Thank fully the good Lord was patient with me and gave me time to repent to grow up and see a better way. Jesus gave me grace and now I try to give others grace even when biting my tongue. Lamentations 1:22 New Living Translation (NLT) 22  “Look at all their evil deeds,  Lord .      Punish them, as you have punished me      for all my sins. My groans are many,      and I am sick at heart.” Prayer: O'Lord, help us to give time to those who need to change their ways, in Jesus name, Amen.

The study of one's ancestral line can be fun and interesting. But the work on it can at times be hard and time-consuming. In Jesus time on earth, the Jews believed that if their ancestral line went back to the prophet Abraham then they were guaranteed to be in good favor with Yahweh. But Jesus taught that was not true and so did Paul. But that does not mean you cannot do genealogy for it is a great way to connect with the some of the saints of the past in your family. Titus 3:9 New Living Translation (NLT) 9  Do not get involved in foolish discussions about spiritual pedigrees or in quarrels and fights about obedience to Jewish laws. These things are useless and a waste of time. Prayer: O'Lord, thank you for the faithful in our genealogy family, in Jesus name, Amen.

Ever wonder if a natural disaster is from God to discipline a nation or group of people? Sometimes that occurred in the Holy Bible but in the bigger picture it is only because we live in a sin fallen world and nature is affected with the disease of sin also. Just reach out and help those in floods, tornadoes, fires, and more with love and let God worry about the discipline. Psalm 57:1 New Living Translation (NLT) Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy!      I look to you for protection. I will hide beneath the shadow of your wings      until the danger passes by. Prayer: O'Lord, please help those caught in natural disasters, in Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Growing up I really enjoyed listening to the radio. Today I still like listening to the radio. Now years ago trying to tune in your analog radio station could be tricky with a dial and antenna to adjust and having the radio in the right spot to get a connection. Today with a digital tune in it makes it so much easier and quicker to get your radio station connection. When you first start praying and trying to listen to the Holy Spirit it takes a lot of adjustment but after you spend a lot of time in prayer and a lot of maturing in the faith eventually you get tuned in easier to listening to the still small voice of the Holy Spirit. So spiritually you go form analog prayers to digital prayers, keep tuning in! Ezekiel 2:2 New King James Version (NKJV) 2  Then the Spirit entered me when He spoke to me, and set me on my feet; and I heard Him who spoke to me. Prayer: O'Lord, help me to stay tuned in to hearing You speak to me, in Jesus name, Amen.

People are so nasty with their words to one another since the spawning of social media. This is a sad part of the nature of humans when they think they can say anything and still be safe from a fist in the mouth. There are even professional trolls out there who intentionally try to stir up a word fight. But God has called us to walk by a higher standard in conduct and conversation with people who are created in the image of God. Let us speak kind words of encouragement, words of respect, and words of healing hope.  Proverbs 15:1 New King James Version (NKJV)   A soft answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger. Ephesians 4:31-32 New Living Translation (NLT) 31  Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior.   32  Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. Prayer: O'Lord, may we speak Your words to others, in Jesus name, Am

I remember reading a paperback book from Norman Vincent Peale called, "The Power of Positive Thinking." After the insightful awakening of the power, we have in staying positive, upbeat, and optimistic I have tried always to be cheerful and positive. It has been a game changer for me and helped me overcome many a dark time.  Proverbs 17:22 New Living Translation (NLT) 22  A cheerful heart is good medicine,      but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Prayer: O'Lord, thank for the good medicine of positive thinking, help us have good attitudes in all situations, in Jesus name, Amen. 

Are spiritual battles real? Yes, oh yes and they can drag you down to depression if not taken seriously. It can cause great anxiety and confusion. But greater is the Lord than the father of lies. Stay the course and fight the good fight. Stay prayed up and fill your soul with scriptures, and take time to go to church and take the Holy Communion (the holy healing food of Christ) and have your friends and family pray for you. Now stay hope filled and live believing in the Resurrection power of Jesus to overcome your spiritual battles in life. (Ephesians 6:10-20) 2 Thessalonians 3:3 New Living Translation (NLT) 3  But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one. 1 Peter 5:8-9 New Living Translation (NLT) 8  Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.   9  Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your family of believers all over the world is go

A great gift given to us by God is free-will. What I am seeing and hearing more and more nowadays is people telling God what they will and will not do. Fine, do as you please but remember every choice, every decision, and every action comes with its own set of consequences. People who call themselves Christian and pridefully will not be obedient to the laws and commandments of God laid out in the Holy Bible are living a dead witness to their faith. Why do you refuse to obey the Lord who loves you and wants only the best for you? Micah 6:8 New King James Version (NKJV) 8  He has shown you, O man, what  is  good; And what does the  Lord  require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God? Prayer: O'Lord, help me to be passionate about obeying You, in Jesus Christ name, Amen.

It has been found in studies that new churches pay attention to people and thrive and that old churches get complacent and shrunk and become irrelevant. Studies have also found that churches do better when they focus more on local missional projects in their own community than on world missions. So if your church closed its doors today who would miss it other than the active church members? When we lose touch with our purpose, we lose our capacity for finding meaning in our life. John 8:12 New Living Translation (NLT) 12  Jesus spoke to the people once more and said,  “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.” Prayer: O'Lord, help our churches to thrive for Your glory, in Jesus name, Amen.

Saw a full Solar Eclipse today and it was a wonder to see and one I might never see again in my lifetime. But it amazes me and reminds me of the Great Architect of the Universe who creates all things below and above the earth. 1 Corinthians 15:40-41 New King James Version (NKJV) 40  There are  also celestial bodies and terrestrial bodies; but the glory of the celestial  is  one, and the  glory  of the terrestrial  is  another.  41  There is  one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for  one  star differs from  another  star in glory. Prayer: O'Lord, You are to be praised above all creatures here below, in Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Faith is increased not by knowing you should be reading your Scriptures but by actually reading them. Faith is increased not by knowing you should pray but by actually praying. Faith is increased by doing not just knowing! Luke 17:5 New Living Translation (NLT) 5  The apostles said to the Lord, “Show us how to increase our faith.” Prayer: O'Lord, thank you for showing us how to increase our faith, Amen.

Lots of factory machines and lawn mowers have a fail-safe built into them that  causing a piece of machinery or another mechanism to revert to a safe condition in the event of a breakdown or malfunction. I know that living out the Christian life is not easy and because of that God has put in for us a lot of fail-safes for when we morally malfunction or fall into sin which breaks down our relationship with God and our neighbor. We can learn where and how to use the fail-safes from the Holy Bible. Heavenly Father's greatest fail-safe was sending Jesus to atone for our sins and to restore a right relationship with the Godhead. Hebrews 13:5 New Living Translation (NLT) 5  Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, “I will never fail you.      I will never abandon you. Prayer: O'Lord, thank you for the fail-safes in life when we breakdown or malfunction in living out a holy life, in Jesus name, Amen.

I have often wondered to myself, "If I was living back when Jesus was in the mortal flesh, would I recognize Him?" I am so grateful for the gift of faith and that though Jesus is no longer in the mortal flesh on earth I do recognize Him by the witness of the Holy Ghost to my spirit. I know that Jesus the Christ is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world. John 1:35-36 New King James Version (NKJV) 35  Again, the next day, John stood with two of his disciples.  36  And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, “Behold the Lamb of God!” Prayer: O'Heavenly Father, thank you that I and others recognize Jesus as Savior and Redeemer of this world, in Jesus name, Amen.

At the cross, Jesus disarmed Satan and the Resurrection sealed Satan's doom. Satan could no longer use unforgiven sin to destroy those who put their trust in Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:55-57 New King James Version (NKJV) 55  “O Death, where  is  your sting? O Hades, where   is   your victory?” 56  The sting of death  is  sin, and the strength of sin  is  the law.  57  But thanks  be  to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Prayer: O'Lord, thank you for winning us back, in Jesus name, Amen.

Jesus was very harsh at times when dealing with the people. John Piper in his book, "Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ," he writes, "If this does not sound like the ministry of the Prince of Peace, realize that his aim is not peace with unbelief and disobedience." I believe Jesus believed in tough love and he used it when dealing with hard hearts to get them to look honestly at themselves and make a decision on the cost of following Him. Luke 12:51 New King James Version (NKJV) 51  Do  you  suppose that I came to give peace on earth? I tell you, not at all, but rather division. Prayer: O'Lord, help us to look honestly at ourselves and count the cost of following You, in Jesus name, Amen.

There are times when the least likely person you think would be of much use in the Kingdom of God ends up being a powerful warrior for the Lord and His church. Sometimes you cannot judge a book by its cover as the old adage goes. Praise the Lord that He can use anyone for His glory and our blessing. Mark 9:38-41 New Living Translation (NLT) 38  John said to Jesus, “Teacher, we saw someone using your name to cast out demons, but we told him to stop because he wasn’t in our group.” 39  “Don’t stop him!”  Jesus said.  “No one who performs a miracle in my name will soon be able to speak evil of me. 40  Anyone who is not against us is for us.   41  If anyone gives you even a cup of water because you belong to the Messiah, I tell you the truth, that person will surely be rewarded. Prayer: O'Lord, may we not count anyone unworthy to work in Your Kingdom, in Jesus name, Amen.

I am suffering from back pain from I think a pulled muscle on my left side. I am so uncomfortable I just want it to stop hurting. I cannot imagine living the rest of my life with this chronic back pain. I thought to myself what if I was to end up in Hell for all eternity with pain and anguish of spirit. It is beyond my comprehension how one could endure eternal Hell with never any relief. Oh, heal my back pain and save my soul O' my Heavenly Father. Psalm 69:29 New Living Translation (NLT) 29  I am suffering and in pain.      Rescue me, O God, by your saving power. Prayer: O'Lord, please be merciful and heal my physical pain, in Jesus name, Amen.

Today is Sunday and I was wondering did you the reader go to church today? I hope you made the effort to assemble with the faithful and offer homage to God with praises and offerings. I hope you were blessed and filled with the Holy Spirit. What is sad to me is when a person makes the effort to get up early and go on Sunday to a house of worship only to experience no peace or joy or blessing. No feeling the Holy Spirit's presence but only emptiness. It could have happened from a cold faith community, bad homily, music that made you cringe or something else but whatever it was, just know that the Lord will bless you for your effort and wanting to worship Him. Maybe next Sunday you will have a better experience at another church but keep trying and do not give up your search of where you can feel authentic worship of Jesus and you can grow in faith.  Hebrews 10:25 New Living Translation (NLT) 25  And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one a

How irritating it is when you are in the middle of working on a project on the computer and the internet connection goes out. You hope you did not lose everything that has been worked on or written and you just hold your breath. It is a great comfort to know that when we are praying there is never a disconnection, no never. God will always see and hear everything we are sharing with Him. No need to back any back-ups or save them it is already done automatically in Heaven for us. And the greatest beauty of all about pray is it is free.  Psalm 34:15 New King James Version (NKJV) 15  The eyes of the  Lord   are  on the righteous, And His ears  are open  to their cry. Prayer: O'Lord, thank You for always staying connected to us, in Jesus name, Amen.

It is funny that humans idea of what Jesus looked like when he walked the earth as a mortal is that of a hippie minus the sunglasses. Today if we were to see Jesus as the glorified being that He is it would shock us no doubt. He would be so beautifully glorious that right now our minds could not comprehend it nor could we stand in His glory as the sinful creatures we are in this state of nature. Exodus 20:4-5 New King James Version (NKJV) 4  “You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness  of anything  that  is  in heaven above, or that  is  in the earth beneath, or that  is  in the water under the earth;  5  you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the  Lord  your God,  am  a jealous God, Prayer: O'Lord, help me to always put You first in my life, in Jesus name, Amen.

I like to help people and be of service but I do not do good works to win my salvation. That is not how one receives salvation but only through faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God who came to take away the sins of the world by His shed blood on the cross and three days later resurrecting back to life from the grave to give eternal life to us in Heaven with Him. So my good works are only a witness of my love for Jesus Christ and obeying His command to love and help others. So I cannot brag that I earned a gift that was given to me out of unconditional love from God in spite of my sinful nature. Ephesians 2:8-9 New Living Translation (NLT) 8  God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.   9  Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. Prayer: O'Lord, thank You for the free gift of my faith and salvation in You and what You have done for me and others in this w

There are some places you go and you can feel you are on holy ground like a monastery or a church sanctuary. My visit to Utah I would get up early in the morning and go get my cup of Chia Tea and drive over to the Provo Temple. There I would walk through the botanical gardens and talk to God and meditate. It was cleansing and a wonderful way to start my mornings and yes, it felt like I was walking on holy ground. Exodus 3:5 New King James Version (NKJV) 5  Then He said, “Do not draw near this place. Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand  is  holy ground.” Prayer: O'Lord, thank for holy places that we can go here on earth, in Jesus name, Amen.

I enjoy putting puzzles together it is relaxing to me to listen to some soft background music and look for that elusive piece. Time and patience are needed to eventually see a picture put together. Life is like that in that you have to have time and patience with yourself and God for Him to develop a beautiful picture of your life as you put together each moment and stage of your life. You soft background music can be the Holy Spirit speaking to your soul. Isaiah 30:21 New King James Version (NKJV) 21  Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This  is  the way, walk in it,” Whenever you turn to the right hand Or whenever you turn to the left. Prayer: O'Lord, please help me to put together the pieces of my life, in Jesus name, Amen.

I visited a zoo out in Utah and as I saw the animals in the cages I realized that most of them did not look real happy. In fact, they were a bit lethargic laying in the cages as if hope to get out of those cages was no longer in their thoughts. Is that not how we are when we get caught in a sinful lifestyle and we slowly but surely lose our happiness and then we become lethargic and let sin waste away our purpose in life. Eventually, we lose hope and just like those zoo animals we just sit in our cage of sin with no thought of freedom from sin anymore. John 8:36 New Living Translation (NLT) So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free. Prayer: O'Lord, we plead with You to set those trapped in sinful lifestyles to be set free by the blood of the Lamb, in Jesus name, Amen.

Every morning it is important to say your prayers and thank God for the gift of another day of life. In those prayers asking God to help you keep a clean heart is so important to help you fight off the temptations and sin in our daily lives. Another important part of your morning prayer is to ask God to help you stay steadfast or loyal to Him so you never waiver in your faith in Jesus. Psalm 51:10 New King James Version (NKJV) 10  Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. Prayer: O'Lord, help me to always be thankful and prayerful in the mornings of every day of my life on earth, in Jesus name, Amen.

One thing about the future is our faith should tell us that no matter what lies ahead of us, Jesus is already there! This should give us comfort that we do not face the future alone. Jeremiah 29:11 New Living Translation (NLT) For I know the plans I have for you,” says the  Lord . “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. Prayer: O'Lord, may we listen to Your plans for our life, in Jesus name, Amen.

I love to read and write because I love stories that can take me away to another world. One thing I love to do is open a new book and smell the new pages it brings back memories of elementary school when on Fridays we got to order books for .10 cents and .25 cents and the following Friday we were given our new books and the smell of the new books was a happy smell. When I spend time in the chapel of the monastery I love the smell of incense, it brings a happy memory of being in the presence of God before His throne of grace. Psalm 141:2 New King James Version (NKJV)   Let my prayer be set before You  as  incense, The lifting up of my hands  as  the evening sacrifice. Prayer: O'Lord, thank you for happy memories and the gift of smell, in Jesus name, Amen.

I enjoy Carribean music with the Panyard Drum and also reggae music. The music is joyful and happy music which can put you in a good mood. I get that happy feeling when I listen to uplifting Christian music and as we all know music has a power all its own. Psalm 71:23 New King James Version (NKJV) My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing to You, And my soul, which You have redeemed. Prayer: O'Lord, let me praise and sing to You, Amen.

Have you ever found yourself very tired and then drink a cup of coffee and feel this wonderful feeling coming over you that is like the insurgence of energy. I have had that feeling when I have been in prayer before and I feel the Holy Ghost just fill me with hope and energy. I wonder what type of coffee the Holy Ghost drinks... Holy Blend maybe? Luke 4:14 New Living Translation (NLT) Then Jesus returned to Galilee, filled with the Holy Spirit’s power. Reports about him spread quickly through the whole region. Prayer: O' Lord, fill me with the power of the Holy Spirit, Amen.

Some call him the Black Knight and others Batman but what ever you call him he always carries his Batman utility belt with Batman this and Batman that so I was thinking about what would a "Christianman" have in his Christianman utility belt? I would say definitely a Holy Bible, Holy Oil, Holy Water, Prayer Beads, and even the Book of Common Prayer. Fun to think about superheroes and super powers which for the record my super power is "Jesus Christ." Philippians 4:13 New King James Version (NKJV) I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Prayer: O'Lord, help me to find out what my Christian super power is, in Jesus name I pray, Amen.