Do You Ask Him to Go?

Do You Ask Him to Go?

by David Brenneman 

"When He got into the boat, His disciples followed Him.  And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being covered with the waves; but Jesus Himself was asleep.  And they came to Him and woke Him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing!” He said to them, “Why are you afraid, you men of little faith?” Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it became perfectly calm.  The men were amazed, and said, “What kind of a man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?”   When He came to the other side into the country of the Gadarenes, two men who were demon-possessed met Him as they were coming out of the tombs. They were so extremely violent that no one could pass by that way.  And they cried out, saying, “What business do we have with each other, Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?”  Now there was a herd of many swine feeding at a distance from them.  The demons began to entreat Him, saying, “If You are going to cast us out, send us into the herd of swine.”  And He said to them, “Go!” And they came out and went into the swine, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea and perished in the waters.  The herdsmen ran away, and went to the city and reported everything, including what had happened to the demoniacs.  And behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus; and when they saw Him, they implored Him to leave their region." Matthew 8:23-34.

In-between living in our former hometown and now...I drove through one of the most dangerous storms that I have ever driven through.  Hours of near zero visibility on a highway sticking to a semi truck whom God kept in front of me.  The weather can indeed frighten us.

Then there's the stuff we call the big things in life.  Career altering, physically altering events that changes everything.  

Do these things draw you closer to God or do they push you in another direction?  

For all they'd already seen...when the storms came while they were all in the boat...the Disciples were afraid.  Jesus was with them and they still went to panicsville.

They arrived and the resident demons had to come and acknowledge Jesus...note the irony...and in doing so and what follows...people ask Him to leave. 

Life took a twist and they asked the Son of God to leave.  The menaces to their lives were gone and all they could think of was their livelihood went and drowned.  God had showed up and they were more concerned about self than what He wanted to do with them next. 

The paths our lives take aren't likely to make a whole heap of sense.  Many, every year, go to theme parks and ride on rides that are designed to push our senses to the limits.  To see who can make it without caving into fear.  Immense trust is placed in those who operate those machines.  Tremendous faith is placed on the table between operator and participant.  Why is there more faith present there than between mankind and God?

Why is there more faith between people and the losingest of teams and victory?  

Why do people immerse themselves in useless statistics on things such as movies, books and sports yet push away...literally tell Jesus it's not as important...the Word of God?

Do you ask Jesus to go away?

"Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen." Ephesians 3:20-21.

Beyond what you can ask for or think.  

Do you trust in the Lord with all your heart, and not lean on your own understanding?  Do you acknowledge Him so that He can make your paths straight?

Are you more worried about or interested in the world's views of you?  Are you more worried about what it is you might lose?  Are you worried about the changes that your limited imagination is coming up with?

If indeed our lives are not our own and that we were bought with a price, the shed blood of Jesus Christ, then why do we let these fears dictate our directions or our interests in the things of God?

I'm going on nearly a decade of leaving television behind.  I really don't miss it.  I do watch snippets of old shows, but there's no commercials.  I like instructionals.  Learning something that I may or may not use.  But I will not remove or alter my time with Jesus each morning or evening.  In fact my aim, not a lame thing such as a resolution, is adding more time with Jesus in my evenings.  Am reading through my Bible...two of them.  Two versions from study Bibles.

I want more of Jesus in my life.  Everything else is guaranteed to waste away.  Jesus said to store up treasures in Heaven.  Hide His Word in our hearts that we might not sin against Him.  Rest at His feet.  Go where He leads.  By all means never sending Him away. 

How do you view your time?  Are you intentional in spending time with Jesus or are you thinking of Him as someone other than your Savior?  Think about that one.  Saying He's your Savior and Lord and living it aren't the same things.

Jesus said many will say to Him of all the things they did in His Name...and He will say to depart from Me for I never knew you. 

How do you think about Jesus?  Who is He to you?  

Is there anything or anyone more important than Him to you?

Those joyful hours spent everywhere else...do you spend any joyful times with Jesus?  Those hours you say you deserve to spend watching a game...how much time have you given to Jesus?  Those hours spent watching television or streaming Netflix...same thing.   Those fictional books.  

Do you inadvertently push Jesus away from your life?  Get 2025 off to the right start and push those thoughts and things out of your life and mind.  Establish a dedicated time to be with Jesus and add time to it as you go.

You only have one life to live.  

Get it right. 

All NASB 1995 and NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission. (C) Lockman Foundation. 

Alone We Are Not in Our Sorrows

Alone We Are Not in Our Sorrows 

by David Brenneman 

"He was despised and forsaken of men, A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; And like one from whom men hide their face He was despised, and we did not esteem Him." Isaiah 53:3.

"And those who know Your name will put their trust in You, For You, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You." Psalms 9:10.

"But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves; we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body." 2 Corinthians 4:7-10.

There's extremely few people, if any, that do not experience grief or sorrow at the loss of someone or something such as even a pet. Grief is a reminder of the ravages of the penalty for sin.

While many have taken to various ways to explain it away...death only exists because of the original sin of Adam and Eve. The first animals that died to make the clothes they were to wear. Then, in time, Adam and Eve saw death personally. I know not who saw who die first but I doubt they were prepared for it.  

It's a consequence of sin. Many in the world today hate the very idea of consequences to their actions.

Many, truthfully, get lied to at funerals in order to make themselves or others feel better about the deceased. Talk of being in a better place. My Dear Reader, if anyone dies without Christ Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior...Heaven will never be their home. 

Grief is a crushing blow to life because within it lies the truth of God. In a moment we have to face the very thing that oh so many people don't care to. It's found in a passage. Let God be found true and every man a liar. Romans 3 verse 4.

Pains of the heart are evidence as well of something the heart was never meant to experience.  

But the pains are real. I have lived through many a death with family and friends as well as pets. It's a crushing blow to life in that moment. Mentally you often feel like you can't breathe. Everything else that was important in your life all the sudden isn't so important. 

Jesus is who Isaiah was talking about. We only get a few examples of the times grief gripped Jesus. It's quite probable that Jesus saw the death of His Earthly Father. Saw the deaths of many.  

The Father’s plan included everything that Jesus experienced. 

He knows what each of us is or has gone through emotionally and mentally because of an event causing grief and suffering in our lives. He gets it. He truly understands it. Life wasn't to be this way.  

I am a Believer. I trust in Christ Jesus my Savior and Lord. My faith is in Him and what He did on the cross of calvary to save me. It doesn't mean that I was ever going to be impervious to grief. Because of my salvation in Jesus I know that 1 heartbeat after I die I will be with Him forever.  

Without salvation in Jesus there's absolutely no hope of that. None.

Do pets go to Heaven? There are indeed animals in Heaven and of the numerous personalities that I have experienced with our 'kids' that I do believe that all of ours that have died are waiting for us.  

Never for a moment, no matter how painful, are Believer's ever forsaken of God. As it's aptly put in the poem "Footprints" there's many many times where Jesus has had to carry us because the journey has been too much for us. 

The promise of the Spirit of God is also that He's our Comforter. Adam and Eve were the first to discover the Comforter. 

It's probably not what you expected to read today but it IS as much a part of being a Christ-follower as the rest of the Scriptures.  

There's no time limit on grieving but we shouldn't let it define who we are. People should still see the other attributes of Christ in us and not solely this one. Life still goes on. The plan of God for you and I in Christ still needs to be completed. 

For as many days as is necessary...bring your heart to Jesus in prayer. He IS the healer.

He knows us better than we know ourselves. He knows what we even try to hide from ourselves. 

In our grief resides hope...because of Jesus that is only found in a life in Christ Jesus. If Jesus isn't your personal Lord and Savior...the grief and sorrow can be bottomless. Truthfully there's billions of people in Hell that were good people. Were those who did good deeds throughout their lives. But they refused to come to Christ for salvation.  

If you are in a season of grieving...turn to Jesus. Be sure of your salvation in Christ and cling to Him and His promises. If you aren't saved or aren't sure...now is the time. You don't have to go it alone.

There's many resources online to come to Christ for salvation. You can even text "Jesus" to the phone number of the Church we attend and they'll help you settle that question. +1 330-264-9459.

My prayers include all who might find this blog. Jesus awaits with open arms...for you. 

All NASB 1995 and NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission. (C) Lockman Foundation.

The Therefore

The Therefore 

by David Brenneman 

“Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So then, you will know them by their fruits. “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’ “Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and great was its fall.”

A long time ago I was taught something about reading my Bible. That something was "when you find a therefore in your reading, go back as many verses as is necessary to find out what the therefore is there for".

Jesus used a therefore to make a point in all of His speaking that day to the people. 

He wasn't speaking to be heard...as the Pharisees and Sadducees were doing every single day. He was talking to people who indeed were sheep without a shepherd. People needing guidance and direction. Us.

"Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them," think about that statement. For all of their days leading up to Jesus Himself teaching them all they heard were fruitless words. Countless days of do as I say not as I do from the Jewish leaders. 

Some of what His therefore refers to you just read. I encourage you to read back further. Ask the Spirit to explain it to you in the way you learn. 

To me...I understand differently than you probably do. To me...when Jesus said something about not judging...He meant do not write people off as to who is or isn't worthy of the Kingdom of God and salvation in Christ. We don't have that kind of authority. It's not up to us to decide who's worthy of Heaven and who should go to Hell. 

In this very same train of thought...Jesus teaches about righteousness judging of others by the fruits. Not casting the pearls of God's wisdom before those who are only out to destroy it.  

Do you seek to learn from your time in your Bible? It IS the Spirit's textbook for you. The basis of where salvation that you hopefully understood came from. 

Many don't read their Bible because it involves learning what the honest truth of God's word really says about sin and His definition of it.

If they don't read then they think they'll get away with things before Jesus.  

Doesn't work that way.  

The Spirit can and does still bring conviction. But you must choose to recognize that. 

Jesus wants doers of the Word and not just hearers only. His crowd then is the crowd now. Vast amounts of people hearing but not doing the Word of God. 

That's another element of our therefore today. 

Do you believe that anyone will ever get away with their definition of a good person or a good life over what God's Word says it is to be?

We're to become more like Christ. This is going to mean letting go of things that need to go. Regardless of how the world around us perceives it.

His therefore is there for us to really think about how we are really. Are we really doing the Word? Are we hoarding thoughts, actions, intentions, feelings about anything that's not ever going to grow us in Christ?  

There is no joking around here. 

Never once did Jesus explain sin and its consequences then say to take your time there's no hurry in repenting from it. 

Our world is never going to stop trying to throw Satan's arrows at us. We may be desensitized to many of them but without the shield of faith...how do you plan to keep from being hit? Without the helmet of salvation, the breastplate of righteousness. How are you going to defend yourself from this very real very constant threat? 

Satan's schemes are both soft and hard. Soft schemes are those where he has crafted a trap for you that is something you're very interested in. It may be nothing more than a perpetual distraction such as keeping a house clean just in case. It may even be a hobby or a job. It may be sports or other entertainment. Just enough to get you to wrap all your time, energy and effort into...so long as the Word of God isn't used or invoked.  

Think about this particular therefore. There's more there than you probably first thought about isn't there?

Pray about what you're wrapping yourself up in that you are thinking you want in your life. Are you absolutely sure these things are honoring God?  

When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word what a glory He sheds on our way. While we do His good will He abides with us still never fear only trust and obey. Trust and obey for there's no other way to be happy in Jesus...but to trust and obey.

All NASB 1995 and NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission. (C) Lockman Foundation. 

Not Our Time, Always His Time

Not Our Time, Always His Time 

by David Brenneman 

"Now then let the fear of the Lord be upon you; be very careful what you do, for the Lord our God will have no part in unrighteousness or partiality or the taking of a bribe.” 2 Chronicles 19:7.

"Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take away the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? May it never be! Or do you not know that the one who joins himself to a prostitute is one body with her? For He says, “The two shall become one flesh.” But the one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him. Flee immorality. Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body." 1 Corinthians 6:15-20. 

"As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:14-16.

How often do you really consider yourself before God? How often do you weigh your motives between what you want versus what you know God wants of you?

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. “The eye is the lamp of the body; so then if your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth." Matthew 6:19-24.

These events that you are very intentional about plugging into your life...these choices that you make where you don't even look at Jesus to see if He approves or not...are they worth it in His scheme of things for you?

How often have you went with the world in a decision to include someone or something in your life that God's Word is absolutely against?

It starts with peer pressure as a child and the process to desensitize you concerning the ways of the world. Training you in your upbringing and education to believe and accept things that are against the Word of God both for you and the world. 

When someone comes to Christ...there's a life more abundant to be had...but we need to live in obedience to see it.

Living in the past won't achieve it. 

Always finding ways to be busy regardless of no necessity to be busy won't achieve it.

Embracing facets of humanity that only appear to be safe and harmless...without first asking God...won't achieve it. 

"Oh its harmless! I'm not hurting anyone!" always hurts someone: you.

Raging against others all because of the status quo says to isn't Biblical.  

There's nothing harmless in ridiculing others. There is nothing harmless is disobedience to the Word of God: the person most impacted is you.

In 2025 what are you going to do to be serious about your walk with Jesus more than you were in 2024?

When Jesus took the Disciples away from others...it was to be with Him...not to fill that time with arbitrary things. 

Our lives are not our own. We were bought with a price, the shed blood of Jesus Christ.  

Isn't that reason enough to behave accordingly? Isn't that enough to realize that we need to live out our salvation?

When you look at what you have planned even for today. Is Jesus in it beyond asking Him to bless the food? How are you going to look Him in the eye when the deeds done in your life are examined?

As Joshua once said...so do you say as well?

"If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:15.

It does take work, effort, on the part of Believers to live out the Christian life before men and women. What would you rate your effort on a scale of 1 to 10?  

Is your life a list of have to do's? 

Is your life a list of need to gets?

Is your life really about living a life in such a way that people see your good works and glorifying your Father in Heaven?

The time we are given by the grace of God isn't ours. It's His. What are you really doing to live it that way?

All NASB 1995 and NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission. (C) Lockman Foundation. 

Our Time to Spend? Hardly

Our Time to Spend? Hardly.
by David Brenneman

O for a thousand tongues to sing
my great Redeemer's praise,
the glories of my God and King,
the triumphs of his grace!

My gracious Master and my God,
assist me to proclaim,
to spread thro' all the earth abroad
the honors of your name.

Jesus! the name that charms our fears,
that bids our sorrows cease,
'tis music in the sinner's ears,
'tis life and health and peace.

He breaks the power of cancelled sin,
he sets the prisoner free;
his blood can make the foulest clean;
his blood availed for me.

To God all glory, praise, and love
be now and ever given
by saints below and saints above,
the Church in earth and heaven.
- Charles Wesley 1739

… I cast my mind to Calvary
Where Jesus bled and died for me
I see His wounds, His hands, His feet
My Saviour on that cursed tree
… His body bound and drenched in tears
They laid Him down in Joseph's tomb
The entrance sealed by heavy stone
Messiah still and all alone
… O praise the Name of the Lord our God
O praise His Name forevermore
For endless days we will sing Your praise
Oh Lord, oh Lord our God
… Then on the third at break of dawn
The Son of heaven rose again
O trampled death, where is your sting?
The angels roar for Christ the King
… O praise the Name of the Lord our God
O praise His Name forevermore
For endless days we will sing Your praise
Oh Lord, oh Lord our God
… He shall return in robes of white
The blazing sun shall pierce the night
And I will rise among the saints
My gaze transfixed on Jesus' face
… O praise the Name of the Lord our God
O praise His Name forevermore
For endless days we will sing Your praise
Oh Lord, oh Lord our God
… O praise the Name of the Lord our God
O praise His Name forevermore
For endless days we will sing Your praise
Oh Lord, oh Lord our God
… Oh Lord, oh Lord our God

-O Praise The Name (Anástasis)
Song by Hillsong Worship

It's an amazing thing to wake up to the remembrance of a Promise Keepers event.  We were late getting there due to traffic I believe and so were others evidently.  We get there to find there had been technical difficulties so they hadn't started yet.  We walked into a stadium where singing to fill the time...over 15,000 men were singing "Praise Him! Praise Him!" with no music.

That moment brought to mind the hymn that I copied for you to read.  Oh for a thousand tongues to sing my great Redeemer's praise!  In a moment of time I got to experience that.

Yesterday I began a new kind of reading plan.  In the evenings I am reading through the Bible. Starting January 1st I began reading it in two versions of the Bible.  NASB and CSV.  I have always strongly held to the NASB due to accuracy and the CSV that I have is a Spurgeon Study Bible. 

Truth be known for all of us...it will never hurt a single human being to spend a little more time with Jesus in their Bible.  If people can willingly waste time watching a television or going to the movies they, by that accepted definition, have that much time that can be spent learning from God's Word.

I was reading in 2 Chronicles 17 of King Jehoshaphat.  King Jehoshaphat gathered the known prophets of his day to go throughout the kingdom teaching the book of the law to the people. 

In decades past the Bible used to be taught in schools as both a moral compass and history.

In both these historically accurate accounts...the peace of God descended upon the land and the people.

In both these very same examples...in time both stopped and history recalls the grave perils that came from negligence.

The peace of God comes from the obedience of God in Christ Jesus.

What's more?  He's looking to see if you and I are...all the time...365 24/7. 

"For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His." 2 Chronicles 16:9a.

What say you now concerning how little time you spend with Jesus? 

Ironically the defense of anyone given today on Earth wouldn't stand up in the Earthly courts let alone the Court of the Living God!

We are without excuse.  If our allegiance to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ really was as rock solid as we claim it to be...why do we eagerly spend so much time away from anything to do with Him?

Why must there even be a single excuse?  Nothing is more important than time spent with the One who bled and died for me...or you.

Going into 2025...forget resolutions.  Recommit to the life in Christ that you came to receive from God in Christ Jesus.  Less of you and more of Him in your life.

The world will think you're crazy.
The world will get mad at being put in less than 2nd place.  You will cost them time and money because  you won't be wasting your time storing up treasures here on Earth where moth and rust destroy.

Knowing that Jesus IS watching will this make a difference to you?  The Scriptures say that He never slumbers nor sleeps. 

Knowing this...does that make a difference to you? 

Knowing that your time with Jesus adds to the material making up that crown of righteousness that you will some day give back to Jesus...is this beginning to be more important to you?

While I make a living 40 hours a week...I still need my time with Jesus to truly live and to store my treasures in Heaven where moth and rust cannot destroy.  Time with Jesus prepares us for those conversations with people He brings to us to find that very same salvation we received from God.  Time with hours worth of sports and other forms of entertainment will never do that.  Millions of people gladly spend thousands per year on "their" teams, their entertainment and hundreds of hours watching...yet won't spend an hour in a Bible preaching Bible teaching church.  Won't at all consider giving money or time to the same said church. 

We hinder the work of the Spirit of God in us when we're not ingesting the Word of God or true time in prayer with our living Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Consider your ways says the Apostles.  Reaffirm your walk with Jesus in 2025.  Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face...and the things of Earth will grow strangely dim...in the light of His glory and grace...

All NASB 1995 and NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission. (C) Lockman Foundation.

Looking Ahead

Looking Ahead 

by David Brenneman 

“Do not call to mind the former things, Or ponder things of the past. Behold, I will do something new, Now it will spring forth; Will you not be aware of it? I will even make a roadway in the wilderness, Rivers in the desert." Isaiah 43:18-19.

We assume much when we think we have enough time and information. We do not know what's possible when complete obedience to God's Word comes to the for.  

We are often very blind to those things that have been traps for so long because we're convinced or have been taught those things we're accepted aren't traps at all. 

Going into 2025 I know that things are about to get real, as the saying goes.  

Something about this particular year says to me that significant things are going to be happening.  

"but just as it is written, “Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, And which have not entered the heart of man, All that God has prepared for those who love Him.” 1 Corinthians 2:9.

How much have you missed out on because less than second best looked really good to you?

Trust the Word of God, don't look at me, or the person you see in the mirror. 

Life isn't what you do around the house. It's not the job we leave home to go do or the job done at home if you work from home.  

Your life is defined by your relationship with Jesus and no one or nothing else. Period. 

The works of your mind, soul, spirit should be aimed at the righteous life that God desires for you. Not the things that are of this world.  

The enemy of God comes to steal and to destroy. What is it that he's seeking to destroy in you? Your relationship with Jesus. It's the only thing that matters to Satan after someone comes to Christ for salvation. To those as yet unsaved his aim is to keep them in darkness. 

But oh you who claim the name of Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior...his sights are set on any little thing that he's allowed to do to entice you away from the full life in Christ that's the desire of God for you.

Satan's not wanting anyone who's saved to succeed at the Christian life. Satan's not wanting anyone to seek the Lord with all their heart. Satan's not wanting you to give of your best as unto the Lord. 

But...the choice to believe these things rests with you. 

Your future hasn't been written yet. No one's has. Your past is the past.  

Don't be so sure you understand your life as is appears to be in the here and now. 

Seek the Lord while He may be found.  

"Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:13-14.

This passage isn't only for the perceived spiritual elite. There's no such thing as them. 

You have a calling in Christ and you are to be seeking out what it is in order to have a life hallmarked in obedience...to be able to give a crown of righteousness back to Jesus for all He's done for you. 

As you ponder the road ahead...seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be added unto you. 

Press on in Christ. Get rid of the wasted time wasted efforts that aren't adding to that crown of righteousness.  

Step into 2025 with the right mindset in Christ.  

For me changes are starting today. 

Risks will be taken in order to be more successful in my walk with Jesus. Whether people agree or not. Life isn't between me against the world. Life is my keeping up with Jesus and His purpose for my life in this world. 

It's all about perspective. It's not about cooking, cleaning, or whatever you put your hands to. It's what you put your heart and mind to. Your heart and mind are what the enemy of God wants to influence. He wants nothing to be given to Jesus as a crown of righteousness.  

Hello 2025...goodbye 2024...let's get this done.

All NASB 1995 and NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission. (C) Lockman Foundation.

Every Single Time

Every Single Time 

by David Brenneman 

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven." Matthew 5:14-16.

“Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. “For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 5:17-20.

Whenever we're in private or in public...on social media or in person...when we choose a path other than God's way...we're putting a covering over the Word of God. Keeping the world from it.

Whenever people believe that it's not hurting anyone...they neglect to understand that it hurts their relationship with Jesus and quenches the Holy Spirit. 

Whenever a single compromise has occurred...the devil gets a foothold. 

Good intentions. Many have said that road to Hell is paved with these. 

"The end of all things is near; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer. Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins. Be hospitable to one another without complaint. As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. Whoever speaks, is to do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen." 1 Peter 4:7-11.

We choose to display whomever is guarding our hearts. We will either show the Spirit or we show our sin nature. 

Many choose the world's ways because of the supposed element of "fun".  

My Dear Reader...if all it takes for most is a single wrong decision to destroy a life or critically deform one...the same thing can go with intentionally choosing a single sin over obedience to God's Word. 

Many these days want to exude compassion and try to tell others to be sensitive to those around us because we don't know where they are in life. 

My Dear Reader...this is how life should be viewed in light of temptations and blatant acceptance of sins in this world.

If Believers choose to sin and its in public...people will think that it must not be that bad. 

"However not all men have this knowledge; but some, being accustomed to the idol until now, eat food as if it were sacrificed to an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled. But food will not commend us to God; we are neither the worse if we do not eat, nor the better if we do eat. But take care that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. For if someone sees you, who have knowledge, dining in an idol’s temple, will not his conscience, if he is weak, be strengthened to eat things sacrificed to idols? For through your knowledge he who is weak is ruined, the brother for whose sake Christ died. And so, by sinning against the brethren and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if food causes my brother to stumble, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause my brother to stumble." 1 Corinthians 8:7-13.

Christians can be very insensitive to the true effects of their impact on the lives of people whom God has put in their paths. 

A little bit of road-rage here a little bit of nastiness in a grocery store. An inappropriate rant on social media. A running commentary on a subject that would never lead a person to believe that a Believer wrote it. Participating in social events that are the world's ideas of fun but in reality are tearing people down. Using words to brutalize others. 

Every single time Believers aren't considering that real impact and importance of keeping the whole armor of God on...the enemy gets a chance to take advantage of us and our situation. 

People also honestly shut up at the wrong times as well. "I can't say anything because I did that too". So you fell off a cliff and learned something from it but won't say something to keep someone else from falling off the same cliff?  

People take the cop-out of "you shouldn't judge" as an excuse to keep on sinning. We aren't to sit in judgment to decide who should go to Hell or is more worthy of Heaven. We are to make judgment calls on what sin is and to both avoid it ourselves and encourage others to do the same.

I often find myself embarrassed because I said or did something that I shouldn't have because I wasn't considering the way I was being seen by others. I wasn't showing a lost world the character of Christ. 

Every single time we have the choice to show Christ to the world...strive to get it right. Being sensitive to the things of God rather than maybe even being right before men and women. 

Every single time...we can change the course of a life and point them towards a new life in Christ we should take it.

Are people seeing me or seeing Jesus? It's a simple rule.  

In NCIS, Gibbs had rules he created to be reminders of his own code of ethics. Maybe we should as well. I know several who have Dr. Charles Stanley's Life Principles memorized for pretty much the same reason.  

We need to remember that after coming to Christ we are no longer still living and breathing for our own benefit. We have a life to live in Christ that has purpose. There is a Godly plan for us. It may not even look at all like our former life without Christ.  

Every single moment we are awake we represent our Savior and Lord. There's no exceptions to be found. 

A few decades ago the What Would Jesus Do craze was going on. The truth is to ask ourselves "What would Jesus like me to be around this person or in this situation?"

Is my foolish rant going to point people to Jesus?

Is my griping about things that don't matter in light of eternity going to point people to Jesus or away from Jesus?

Every single day, all during our day, we make decisions to either follow Jesus with a whole heart or we do the Spiritual life not even half-heartedly and the world really doesn't see Jesus. 

My Dear Reader...you choose who the world sees. Either the grace and mercy of God or they see our potential for utter sinfulness. 

Every single moment of every single day the choice must be made to follow Jesus.  

If whatever you plan on doing brings a shred of dishonor to the name of Jesus...why are you doing it?

Take a good look at your 2024 with a critical eye towards doing 2025 right in the sight of God. Every single person is GOING to give an account of their lives before Jesus. 

What will yours show?

All NASB 1995 and NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission. (C) Lockman Foundation.