My Refuge

By now you probably see a pattern for these blogs - ABIDE is my word for 2020. Since January 1st, abide is the only thing I have NOT done. The older you become the more you feel and fight the pull on your time, energy, and attention. There is an invisible force that hates your focus on God - the source of peace, joy, and strength. There are a couple of distractions in life that will take your mind off of God. A few nuggets of wisdom I've learned: DO NOT FOLLOW THE CROWD. Ever notice how panic tends to happen when there's a big crowd? We have a flock mentality. Everybody feeds off of the emotion and state of mind of one another. When you follow the crowd, it is easy to not be able to hear and abide in the voice of God. DO NOT BE A PENNY PINCHER. In the effort of trying to save a few bucks here and there you will notice that you've wasted time, energy, and mental capacity that is meant to look at the big picture. Do not throw your money away either. Find the most effi...

"Cast your burden upon the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken." (Psalm 55:22, NASB) If you have lived long enough, you will have experience pain. "For it is not an enemy who reproaches me, then I could bear it; nor is it one who hates me who has exalted himself against me, then I could hide myself from him. But it is you, a man my equal, my companion and my familiar friend; We who had sweet fellowship together walked in the house of God in the throng" (V12-14). The worst source of pain are from those friends or family - the people we open our heart to, confide in, do life with, share deep values, and consider as our own. They know our strengths. Worse, our weaknesses. They use our vulnerability against us in. Friends became foes. Have you ever felt anguish, the terrors of death fall upon you, and fear has overwhelmed your soul? When do you feel so deeply wounded, lonely, scared, and embarrassed that you wish you would beco...

'Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before stumbling.' Proverbs 16:18 (NASB) Dictionary.com defines pride as: a high or inordinate opinion of one's own dignity, importance, merit, or superiority, whether as cherished in the mind or as displayed in bearing, conduct, etc. There is a difference in being proud of yourself for your hard work and who you've become. But even the fruits comes from God. There is nothing wrong with being proud your accomplishments. Pride, however, says, "I have done it all on my own." Pride, has a tendency to think too highly of one's own worth and importance. However, all things have been given to us by God for His purpose. Pride comes in so many shapes and form. Today, I want to talk about jealousy as one of the many dangerous forms of pride. Because jealousy is not only a discontentment with what you have, but it is arrogance - I deserve to and capable of handling what others have. King Saul was a pridefu...

Proverbs 16 1: The plans of the heart belong to man, BUT the answer of the tongue is from the Lord. 9: The mind of man plans his way, BUT the Lord directs his steps. 33: The lot is cast into the lap, BUT its every decision is from the Lord. (NASB) We live in a world full of worry, anxiety, and fear. We are frustrated when our plans fail or when life take an unexpected turn - we don't get into the school we want,  we are betrayed, we miss out on the ideal job, make a bad choices leaving us hopeless, and the list goes on. The book of Proverbs help us handle all the unwanted circumstances of life that can be summarized in these few words - "God is sovereign". The plans that begin in the heart, to the outworking of the mind, to the outcome of our decision are directed and answered by the Lord. There is no such thing and random chances, choices, or outcome. They are all the working of God. How we understand God's character determines how we respond to this truth...

Psalm 52 6 The righteous will see and fear, and will laugh at him, saying, 7 “Behold, the man who would not make God his refuge, But trusted in the abundance of his riches and was strong in his evil desire.” 8 But as for me, I am like a green olive tree in the house of God; I trust in the lovingkindness of God forever and ever. 9 I will give You thanks forever, because You have done it, and I will wait on Your name, for it is good, in the presence of Your godly ones. (NASB) Rest. Meditate. Trust. Look at what God has done for us. His promises endures forever. Every day is presented with His goodness and faithfulness. The sun that shines on all - good and evil. The air that fills our lungs, providing oxygen for the blood, which fuel our bodies as we tackle the day. He is faithful even when we are not. But there will be a day when the wicked will be broken, snatched up, and torn from their tent - uprooted from the land of the living. And those who trust in the Lord will remain, like ...