Month: January 2021

I just finished reading Mark Battersons book Double Blessing.. In one chapter of this book, he talks about the concept of “letting go of the fly bar”. The fly bar is the bar used by trapeze artists, who perform daring acts of gymnastics. In an interview with a trapeze artist, who started performing in the circus at age 7, the artist shared that the hardest part of their work is the mental preparation to “let go of the fly bar”. Until they can overcome their fear of letting go, they can never achieve the stunt. Until they have enough courage to risk the fall, they can never let go to perform.

What is your fly bar? What are you afraid to let go of that is keeping you from being able to perform? What dream are you afraid to chase?

If it’s a God given dream, I challenge you today to let go of the fly bar… He’s got you.

Be blessed today, my friends.

Lord, I am Yours, willing to share my story with all who will hear it… the story of how You picked me up out of the pit of despair and out my feet on solid ground… gave me a new purpose… to let others know that what You did for me You will also do for them!

Show me Your lost people and give me a place and opportunity to tell my story, that it would bring them to place of saving faith in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Bring to my mind those who need to know You.. that I might intentionally pray for them and make opportunities for them.

Let me speak to Your people.

Let them see You through me.

Let them seek You with all of their heart, for them they will find You!

Amen

SB

The cause and effects of the fall of Jerusalem…

How fitting that my daily Bible study, from the Ap Mission 119, began the book of Lamentations, which is written about the fall of Jerusalem after they’ve turned away from God. God allows cause and effect to occur in history because His people have turned away from Him.

Oh the similarities i see compared to the US of A at present. I believe this Bible study was recorded somewhere around 2010, long before our current president and the pandemic we face, along with the political cesspool that has polluted our nation.

Has God removed His favor? Would it be any wonder?

Though God may remove His favor from our nation, the Bible is clear that He will save His people for eternity. Eternity. That is far longer than the past year we’ve endured. Memes on social media provide some comic relief to the stress we are all facing, and highlight (or lowlight) the year 2020. The reality, however, is that eternity is a mighty long time. We will spend eternity either with the King or in the pit of Hell.

The time is short to get your life and your heart right with God. It is time to turn your focus to Him and not to the things of this world. Sure, we live in the world, but only so that we make disciples for Him.

He will not turn away from His people, the people who love Him and serve Him. The Bible says all you must do is believe in Him… accept the sacrifice He made for you for the forgiveness of your sins… ask Him to come into your heart. Today and reign as King Supreme over your life!

He is waiting for you… the Bible says He tarries not because he is slow but because He wants to give as many people as possible an opportunity to be saved. (2 Peter 3:9). What must you do to be saved? Ask Him to reign in your heart.

¹⁶ For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)

In all ways, acknowledge Him and He will make straight your paths. (Proverbs 3:5)

I am praying for you, today, my friends. Some of you may not know Gods saving grace. Some of you may not yet know His power and His love. I pray that you keep searching… for when you seek Him with all of your heart, you will find Him. Oh the assurance I have, knowing that this world is not my home… my home is to spend eternity with the King of Kings in the place He has prepared for me. Let that be your place as well, my friends.

Be blessed,

SB

5+2= 5000 remainder 12

Mark Batterson is one of my favorite authors… I’ve read nearly every book he’s written… I am currently ready his book Double Blessing… and have certainly been doubly blessed by it. In this book, he talks of being blessed by God so that we can bless others… which is the double blessing.

The Biblical account of the loaves and fishes miracles tells how Jesus was preaching and a crowd had gathered to listen. They were getting hungry so Jesus asked if there was any food. A small boy had five small fish and two small loaves of bread, barely enough to feed the boy let alone the crowd. Yes they asked this little boy for his lunch… and yet he gave up his lunch, not knowing what was going to happen. He gave his lunch willingly, and Jesus multiplied its blessing… not only did it feed the crowd, but the leftovers filled 12 baskets! That was more than the five fish and two loaves would have had in the first place!

Only Gods math could work this way!

Those who haven’t seen Gods miracles have a limited perspective… as Jesus’ disciples did when Jesus asked if anyone had any food to feed the crown that had gathered. They could hardly conceive of feeding the crowd, let alone having leftovers!

Yet when God blesses something, He makes way where we, with limited vision, never thought possible.

Can you identify miracles in your life that could only have happened by God’s blessing? I sure can! Take some time today to think about miracles, both small and big, that you’ve seen in your life. If you think you haven’t seen any, try changing your perspective. If you find it difficult to change your perspective, ask God to reveal His miracles in your life to you… and let that be the first one!

Be blessed today, my friends!

SB

Change changes, nothing but changes. Changes abound and changes confound. Change causes anxiety and change exhilarates…

Sometimes change is welcome… sometimes sneaks up on us unsuspecting like a thug… sometimes we seek change and sometimes we run from change.

2020 has been such an odd year if I welcomed and uncontrolled change… and it’s changed all of us somehow.

As we close a bad year and being a new, I consider some of these changes, and I am concerned that if we do nothing, we are changed forever.

Whether we agree or not, we are experiencing a cultural change brought on by the corona virus. This “social distancing”, which we implemented as a means of saving people physically, has, in my opinion, has had a tremendous negative impact to our overall mental health.

In the very beginning of this pandemic, I expressed my concern that the restrictions being imposed will have a far greater impact to our society than the virus itself. It’s not that I don’t have a healthy respect for the virus and the people who have struggled with it, but I believe we have turned ourselves upside down. We are withdrawing from one another, more concerned about whether the stranger we passed not wearing a mask might be contagious than to smile at them and brighten their day…

Political opinions and virus opinions have literally split families and friends. Social media is a literal hotbed of social bullying, showing the ugly side of humanity.

Perhaps we have to work extra hard to show care… perhaps that change needs to start from me… from you… toward others who are seeing this withdrawn society

People don’t look each other in the eye anymore… and neighbors are turning each other in for “violating the rules”

My hope in our society diminishes, but I am reminded that my hope is built on nothing less that. Jesus blood and righteousness!

My prayer is for hearts to be changed to seek Him who creates real change… hearts changed for eternity. My prayer is that our nation will return to God…

We need to be the change we hope to see. It’s time fir us to stand and direct the change we need. He is rising up warriors… change agents… are you one of them? Are you prepared?

In Him

SB

Oh Lord my God…

When I in awesome wonder

Consider all thy hands have made….

I see the stars. I hear the rolling thunder,

Thy power throughout the universe displayed…

Lord, You are my God… and I am Your child. everything I have has been given to you by Your hand… everything I have done is by Your grace. I’ve seen Your power through miracles unfolded right before very eyes. You’ve forgiven me from unspeakable sin and found favor with me… as undeserving as I am. You’ve brought healing where it was believed impossible… provided paths through red seas of my life… You alone are worthy of my praise. I humbly lay myself down and ask You to use me.

Forgive me when I fail, and help me to seek Your righteousness… let Your light shine through me for others to swe

Guide and direct my steps and decisions, that I might be used to bring the Good news to others.

Protect me from evil, and from the wicked schemes of man, that your sovereign will prevails. Let us reach as many people as we can for Your glory and kingdom before Your wrath is poured out.

Prepare hearts to receive your salvation, and give me words and opportunity to share Your message.

You are preparing me. I feel it in my soul. Let me be obedient to Your calling. Reveal Your full calling and give me courage to follow wherever You are leading.

Truly Yours…

SB