"When your thread becomes tangled, call the foreman."  
A young woman was new on the job at the textile mill. Her thread became tangled and she thought, "I'll just  straighten this out myself." She tried, but the situation only worsened. Finally, she called the foreman. "I did the  best I could," she said. "No, you didn't. To do the best, you should have called me." How many times have you  heard a little child tell their parents “I can do it myself”! That’s really the human condition…that we want to do  life on our own on our own terms. We can think that we can straighten life out ourselves, but like the young  lady at the textile mill, we end up making a mess of things. And the more we try, so often the worse it gets.  God wants to be in partnership with you and me in this life. The Bible reminds us that we are not created to  journey though life without God. A huge percentage of us are determined “to do it ourselves” and look at the  world we have now created. When we come to any kind of decision or crisis, we are cautioned to “call the  foreman”. He is the one who knows the machinery of the universe (he made it all) and he knows each one of  us. God wants you to call on him and allow him to walk you through the hard things, the great things and the  everyday things. He won’t force his loving hand on you, but the invitation is always there, and he is only a  prayer away. So, purpose this day to open the door to the God who promises to give you what you need to not  just survive…but to thrive this day. When your thread becomes tangled…do your best by calling God. He’s  really good at this! Here’s our Bible verse for today…  
Psalm 23:1-6 NLT The LORD is my shepherd; I have all that I need. (2) He lets me rest in green meadows; he  leads me beside peaceful streams. (3) He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor  to his name. (4) Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me.  Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me. (5) You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies.  You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings. (6) Surely your goodness and  unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the LORD forever.  
Remember I’m praying for you…  
PJ 
 

"When your thread becomes tangled, call the foreman."  
A young woman was new on the job at the textile mill. Her thread became tangled and she thought, "I'll just  straighten this out myself." She tried, but the situation only worsened. Finally, she called the foreman. "I did the  best I could," she said. "No, you didn't. To do the best, you should have called me." How many times have you  heard a little child tell their parents “I can do it myself”! That’s really the human condition…that we want to do  life on our own on our own terms. We can think that we can straighten life out ourselves, but like the young  lady at the textile mill, we end up making a mess of things. And the more we try, so often the worse it gets.  God wants to be in partnership with you and me in this life. The Bible reminds us that we are not created to  journey though life without God. A huge percentage of us are determined “to do it ourselves” and look at the  world we have now created. When we come to any kind of decision or crisis, we are cautioned to “call the  foreman”. He is the one who knows the machinery of the universe (he made it all) and he knows each one of  us. God wants you to call on him and allow him to walk you through the hard things, the great things and the  everyday things. He won’t force his loving hand on you, but the invitation is always there, and he is only a  prayer away. So, purpose this day to open the door to the God who promises to give you what you need to not  just survive…but to thrive this day. When your thread becomes tangled…do your best by calling God. He’s  really good at this! Here’s our Bible verse for today…  
Psalm 23:1-6 NLT The LORD is my shepherd; I have all that I need. (2) He lets me rest in green meadows; he  leads me beside peaceful streams. (3) He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor  to his name. (4) Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me.  Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me. (5) You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies.  You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings. (6) Surely your goodness and  unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the LORD forever.  
Remember I’m praying for you…  
PJ

How is your worrying today? You know, what are you worried about? They say that an average person’s worry  is focused on : 40% -- things that will never happen 30% -- things about the past that can't be changed 12% --  things about criticism by others, mostly untrue 10% -- about health, which gets worse with stress 8% -- about  real problems that will be faced. I think all of us struggle with worry. But as a follower of this Jesus of the  Bible what are we supposed to do when worry seems to haunt us? The Apostle Paul wrote a letter to the church  in Philippi that had a lot going for it. But there was some real opposition to their faith in Jesus and then on top  of that there was disputing among leaders and there was some false teaching that folks were pushing on the  church. There was stuff to worry about. So, Paul addressed that by writing “Don’t worry about anything”.  Well, that’s easy to say but doing it? He said replace your worry with prayer…about everything. And in those  prayers tell God what you need and thank him for all he has done. And he said that if they, and now you and  me, would do that, that God’s peace would push out the worry that so often consumes us. And that peace would  not only guard our hearts…but guard our minds too. There is a lot of stuff in our world and in our personal  lives that we are going to be tempted to give over worry. Choose differently. When worry comes…it is time to  start praying…about everything. And when you are afraid, you purposely and prayerfully put your trust in God.  Satan wants you to worry. God wants you to trust. Go with God! Here’s our Bible verse for today…  
Philippians 4:6-7 NLT Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need,  and thank him for all he has done. (7) Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can  understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.  
Remember I’m praying for you…  
PJ  

The other day I ran across a discussion between the difference between the Apollo moon missions and how long  it took to finally get the Artemis missions going. One insider said “The real genius of Apollo wasn't the  technology. It was the will to do something impossibly dangerous with barely adequate tools. We have better  tools now, but we've lost the stomach for the danger.” I’m glad that we are taking all the precautions for such  risky journeys, but I get that we have lost at least some of that willingness to put aside fears and take larger  risks. During World War II, a military governor met with the feisty and controversial General George Patton in  Sicily. When he praised Patton highly for his courage and bravery, the general replied, “Sir, I am not a brave  man…The truth is, I am an utter craven coward. I have never been within the sound of gunshot or in sight of  battle in my whole life that I wasn’t so scared that I had sweat in the palms of my hands.” But said later “I  learned very early in my life never to take counsel of my fears.” There are a lot of things that bring fear to our  hearts. And so often we will not step out in faith because we are just scared; of what might happen to us, how  people might respond to us or we just don’t want to run the risk of failure. Fear can paralyze us and keep us  from stepping out boldly in faith. God never asks us to go and do the foolish on our own. But he does ask us to  trust him. And when the future seems so tenuous or just plain frightening, the tendency is for us to just give up.  We feel we just don’t have it in us. God knows how we feel and he knows our limitations better than we do.  But he also promises us that he will be with us, he will strengthen us and he will protect us, when we are about  doing his will. In the Bible, Joshua was given the role of leadership of all the Jewish nation and was to lead  them into the land that God had promised them. The lives and fortunes of hundreds of thousands of people  were now his responsibility and God pretty much told Joshua not to “take counsel of his fears”. God told him  that he would be with him and that he would not fail him or abandon him. He was to be strong and courageous.  But to go with the courage of fighting great battles was the need to be careful to obey the instructions that God  had already given. Life can seem dangerous and there will be times when we just don’t feel we have the  stomach for the danger. Remember you are never alone in your journey and all that it brings. The God who  loves you is also your strong protector. Keep your eyes and heart on him and not on your fears. And God will 
not only bring you through the hazards of life but will give you success in his sight. Here’s our Bible verse for  today…  
Joshua 1:5-7 NLT No one will be able to stand against you as long as you live. For I will be with you as I was  with Moses. I will not fail you or abandon you. (6) “Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will  lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors I would give them. (7) Be strong and very  courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to  the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do.  
Remember I’m praying for you…  
PJ  
 

 It was a summer night and there was a pretty noisy storm with lightning and lots of thunder. Mother was  tucking her small son into bed and she was about to turn the light off when he asked in a trembling voice,  "Mommy, will you stay with me all night?" Smiling, the mother gave him a warm, reassuring hug and said  tenderly, "I can't dear. I have to sleep in Daddy's room."  
A long silence followed. At last it was broken by a shaky voice saying, "The big sissy!"  There are times when all of us want someone right there with us. In the last verse of the Gospel of Matthew,  Jesus tells us “I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” How can he do that…for all of us? For those  who are followers of this Jesus of the Bible they have been given a gift from God. When we believed, we were  given the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives, 24/7. That Holy Spirit is Jesus’ presence that never leaves us.  That means that you will never be alone, never be separated from God and never without God’s comforting and  strengthening power. When the promise of this one who would be God come in the flesh was made, history was  told that he would be called Immanuel…God with us. He is and he will be for each moment of our journey on  this earth. So remember that you never walk this journey alone now. The one who loves you more than anyone  ever has or ever could will not leave you nor quit on you. The storms of life will still rage out there, but you  will not be alone. Not today…not ever! Here’s our Bible verse for today…  
Matthew 28:20 NLT Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this:  I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”  
Remember I’m praying for you…  
PJ  

In May, 1983, Charlotte Huddelston died after breathing argon gas mistakenly pumped into the oxygen system  at Fort McLellan's Noble Army Hospital making her the third victim of the mix-up. Apparently, the five-foot  white tank of odorless, nontoxic argon resembled those that usually contained oxygen. Although the argon  didn't poison anyone, it displaced the oxygen supply and suffocated its victims. The Bible talks about the time  when the world as we know it draws to an end and the main adversary to God and his people is the Antichrist.  It is the one who is the direct adversary of Jesus Christ. When we hear “anti” the usual response is that is  something that is “against”. But the literal meaning of that means simply “in place of”. The Apostle John wrote  that the Antichrist is coming…but already many such antichrists have appeared. What we see happening in our  world is that the aim is to just substitute something, someone, anything for this Jesus of the Bible. And one of  the ways is to proclaim a Jesus that doesn’t match up with what is in God’s Word. Another is to just fill that  space that is in humans meant for God with all kinds of things that are not necessarily bad in of themselves, but  like the argon, displaces God’s presence and power in our lives and we die inside from spiritual suffocation.  Like that tragic substitution back in 1983, it is designed by the enemy to seem harmless and in and of itself non poisonous, but it blocks out that which the Bible says that humans have to have to live now and to live with God  eternally. Make sure that you and those you love are not being quietly and unknowingly suffocated by simply  blocking the God who created and redeemed us, out of your lives. The key to help start is with you reading for  yourself that Bible and seeing what God says to we who journey on this earth and will all one day leave it. Your  job is to investigate and make your own decision. But remember that everything depends on what you decide.  Choose wisely. Here’s our Bible verse for today…  
1 John 2:18-20 NLT Dear children, the last hour is here. You have heard that the Antichrist is coming, and  already many such antichrists have appeared. From this we know that the last hour has come. (19) These  people left our churches, but they never really belonged with us; otherwise they would have stayed with us.  When they left, it proved that they did not belong with us. (20) But you are not like that, for the Holy One has  given you his Spirit, and all of you know the truth.  
Remember I’m praying for you…  
PJ  
 

In May, 1983, Charlotte Huddelston died after breathing argon gas mistakenly pumped into the oxygen system  at Fort McLellan's Noble Army Hospital making her the third victim of the mix-up. Apparently, the five-foot  white tank of odorless, nontoxic argon resembled those that usually contained oxygen. Although the argon  didn't poison anyone, it displaced the oxygen supply and suffocated its victims. The Bible talks about the time  when the world as we know it draws to an end and the main adversary to God and his people is the Antichrist.  It is the one who is the direct adversary of Jesus Christ. When we hear “anti” the usual response is that is  something that is “against”. But the literal meaning of that means simply “in place of”. The Apostle John wrote  that the Antichrist is coming…but already many such antichrists have appeared. What we see happening in our  world is that the aim is to just substitute something, someone, anything for this Jesus of the Bible. And one of  the ways is to proclaim a Jesus that doesn’t match up with what is in God’s Word. Another is to just fill that  space that is in humans meant for God with all kinds of things that are not necessarily bad in of themselves, but  like the argon, displaces God’s presence and power in our lives and we die inside from spiritual suffocation.  Like that tragic substitution back in 1983, it is designed by the enemy to seem harmless and in and of itself non poisonous, but it blocks out that which the Bible says that humans have to have to live now and to live with God  eternally. Make sure that you and those you love are not being quietly and unknowingly suffocated by simply  blocking the God who created and redeemed us, out of your lives. The key to help start is with you reading for  yourself that Bible and seeing what God says to we who journey on this earth and will all one day leave it. Your  job is to investigate and make your own decision. But remember that everything depends on what you decide.  Choose wisely. Here’s our Bible verse for today…  
1 John 2:18-20 NLT Dear children, the last hour is here. You have heard that the Antichrist is coming, and  already many such antichrists have appeared. From this we know that the last hour has come. (19) These  people left our churches, but they never really belonged with us; otherwise they would have stayed with us.  When they left, it proved that they did not belong with us. (20) But you are not like that, for the Holy One has  given you his Spirit, and all of you know the truth.  
Remember I’m praying for you…  
PJ  

In May, 1983, Charlotte Huddelston died after breathing argon gas mistakenly pumped into the oxygen system  at Fort McLellan's Noble Army Hospital making her the third victim of the mix-up. Apparently, the five-foot  white tank of odorless, nontoxic argon resembled those that usually contained oxygen. Although the argon  didn't poison anyone, it displaced the oxygen supply and suffocated its victims. The Bible talks about the time  when the world as we know it draws to an end and the main adversary to God and his people is the Antichrist.  It is the one who is the direct adversary of Jesus Christ. When we hear “anti” the usual response is that is  something that is “against”. But the literal meaning of that means simply “in place of”. The Apostle John wrote  that the Antichrist is coming…but already many such antichrists have appeared. What we see happening in our  world is that the aim is to just substitute something, someone, anything for this Jesus of the Bible. And one of  the ways is to proclaim a Jesus that doesn’t match up with what is in God’s Word. Another is to just fill that  space that is in humans meant for God with all kinds of things that are not necessarily bad in of themselves, but  like the argon, displaces God’s presence and power in our lives and we die inside from spiritual suffocation.  Like that tragic substitution back in 1983, it is designed by the enemy to seem harmless and in and of itself non poisonous, but it blocks out that which the Bible says that humans have to have to live now and to live with God  eternally. Make sure that you and those you love are not being quietly and unknowingly suffocated by simply  blocking the God who created and redeemed us, out of your lives. The key to help start is with you reading for  yourself that Bible and seeing what God says to we who journey on this earth and will all one day leave it. Your  job is to investigate and make your own decision. But remember that everything depends on what you decide.  Choose wisely. Here’s our Bible verse for today…  
1 John 2:18-20 NLT Dear children, the last hour is here. You have heard that the Antichrist is coming, and  already many such antichrists have appeared. From this we know that the last hour has come. (19) These  people left our churches, but they never really belonged with us; otherwise they would have stayed with us.  When they left, it proved that they did not belong with us. (20) But you are not like that, for the Holy One has  given you his Spirit, and all of you know the truth.  
Remember I’m praying for you…  
PJ  
 

How many red cars did you see yesterday? I bet you don’t know. You might even think you didn’t see any. But  what if I told you that I will pay you $1000 for every car you see today? I bet you’ll see red cars everywhere.  There won’t be more red cars…but you are focused on that one thing. God wants us to focus on one thing and  he promises us that if we do that, he will give you everything we need! In Matthew 6:33 Jesus is recorded  saying for us to “seek the Kingdom of God above all else and to live righteously”. So how do we do that? We  are called to think about the things that are of heaven and hold on to eternal values. And then to focus on loving  God first, to keep centered on God’s nature and then to love others. And then the Apostle Paul encouraged  followers of the Jesus of the Bible to think about what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and admirable. And he  said that if we would do this, that would keep our focus on God’s will. You aren’t promised $1,000 bucks, but  God assures us that he will provide for our needs in every way and give us a life filled with love and purpose  and joy. So quit seeking out those red cars and let’s seek first the Kingdom of God today. Here’s our Bible  verse for today…  
Matthew 6:33 NLT Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you  everything you need.  
Remember I’m praying for you…  
PJ  

 This story is told of the pioneer days in our country. A man was making his way west when he came to the  Missouri River. It was winter and the ice covered the river from bank to bank. But how could the man be sure it  would hold his weight? He knew people often drowned in that river when the ice broke. Yet he had to cross. He  walked out a little way, then gripped with fear he crawled on his hands and knees. He looked back and saw how  far the bank was now behind him and knew he would drown if the ice broke and the frigid water swallowed him  up. To spread his weight even more, he lay out flat on his belly and slowly drew himself sliding across the river  a few inches at time. All of a sudden from behind him he heard whistling. He whipped his head around and  there saw a big man, a farmer, walking across the ice leading a team of horses drawing a heavy wooden sleigh  full of hay. He was smiling and whistling and tipped his hat. The timid man stood and brushed off the ice  crystals and managed a sheepish smile. That old farmer had crossed the ice many times and knew it could be  trusted. When you decide to trust God, you may do it kind of fearfully, but when you step out on that “ice” for  the first time and see that it holds…we see that God makes good on his promise to us that he will be with us and  protect us and lead us. But we need to remind ourselves of our history with God and to read our Bible and see  how he was faithful to the people who were faithful to him. A verse that I hold close to me and use a lot in my  life is Psalm 56:3. It says “ But when I am afraid, I will put my trust in you.” You need to “cross over” those  rivers by faith, but that faith is emboldened and strengthened each time you see him honor your trust. So what  is it that you fear today? Tell God that you are willing to trust him…and then do it. He loves you and wants  you to know that you can count on him anytime fear raises its head in your life. When you are afraid, of  anything, put your trust in him. Here’s our Bible verse for today…  
Psalms 56:3-4 NLT But when I am afraid, I will put my trust in you. (4) I praise God for what he has  promised. I trust in God, so why should I be afraid?  
Remember I’m praying for you…  
PJ  

It was 1924 and a youngsters dad had brought him to Washington D.C. and he was standing in a line with his  father inside the White House, waiting to meet President Calvin Coolidge. As they neared him, The boy noticed  that the President of the United States said something to each visitor as they shook hands. Soon, the thrilling 
moment arrived. The young man put his small hand into the President’s. Then the President said words he said  he will always remember… “Move along.” Well, we can hardly blame President Coolidge with all the people  who wanted to be with him in person and actually shake his hand. But sometimes we kind of feel that way with  God. You know, God wants you to come up and be in his presence and even shake his hand, but you are just  one of umpteen millions of people. And so we might expect God to look at us kindly, shake our hand and then  in a friendly way ask us to move on so he can get to the next anonymous individual. But that isn’t what the  Bible says that God is like. King David wrote a psalm, and he started it out by saying that God has examined  your heart and knows everything about you. He knows your name, but he also knows your dreams and your  hurts, your loves and your sins. Even when you aren’t focused on him…he still knows your thoughts. He sees  you when you travel and when you are resting at home because he knows everything you do. He even knows  what you are going to say before you say it. You are not a nameless body in some line of humanity…you are  known and loved intimately by the God who made you, who lost you, who bought you back and you are now  his prized possession. And he thinks so much of you that he will go before you and he will follow you and he  will place his hand of blessing on you…because he is just crazy in love with you. There is no line to stand  in…go to that one who loves you more than anyone ever will or ever could today. He is waiting for you right  now! Here’s our Bible verse for today…  
  
Psalms 139:1-5 NLT O LORD, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. (2) You know  when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I’m far away. (3) You see me when I travel  and when I rest at home. You know everything I do. (4) You know what I am going to say even before I say it,  LORD. (5) You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head.  
Remember I’m praying for you…  
PJ  
 

William Henry Rodgers is an American runner, Olympian, and former record holder in the marathon. Rodgers is  best known for his four victories in both the Boston Marathon, including three straight from 1978 to 1980, and 4  straight wins in the New York City Marathon, between 1976 and 1979.  
Bill Broadhurst was a great runner and he entered a 10k race in Omahu, a race that Bill Rodgers would win in  less than 30 minutes.  
Bill Broadhurst had a handicap, he was paralyzed on his entire left side from an aneurism early in life. But he  still loved to run and for him to be in the same race as his hero Bill Rodgers was the greatest thing he could  imagine.  
The banners had been taken down, the traffic had begun to flow on the roads, there was nothing left that would  tell you that a race had been run.  
Except one man Bill Broadhurst who was still running the race. 2 hours ago Bill Rodgers had finished the race  and now Bill Broadhurst was nearing the place where the finish line was. A couple of kids on bikes rode beside  him and said "Hey mister, are you still running the race? It’s been over for hours, someone’s already finished  first and won. Why don’t you quit, the race is over?"  
Broadhurst replied, "I can’t, I have to make it to my hero at the end of the line". And he kept on running.  As he approached the place where he knew the finish line would be, Bill Rodgers and about 30 people stepped  out from an alley and they placed a banner up and strung a ribbon across the road. And Bill Broadhurst  stumbled across the finish line. And there stood his hero, Bill Rodgers who took off the ribbon form his neck  and placed it around the neck of Broadhurst, and he said, "you are a winner...” As a follower of this Jesus of the  Bible, we are running a race too. And that race will require endurance. And what will keep you and me going  is keeping your eyes on the champion who has finished before us…Jesus. The race won’t be easy and there will  be those who will quit and those who will call out for you to quit. But don’t. Like Bill Broadhurst responded  when kids told him to just quit, he said “I can’t, I have to make it to my hero at the end of the line.” And though  it may be lonely at times there will come that moment when you will see the finish line and there will stand  your hero, this Jesus of the Bible. And maybe in some way he’ll take off a ribbon from his neck and place it on  yours and announce to all who can hear… “You are a winner. Enter into the joy of your master.” Don’t quit,  don’t give up. You can do it and your champion and a lot of us are cheering you on. Here’s our Bible verse for  today…  
  
Hebrews 12:1-2 NLT Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith,  let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with  endurance the race God has set before us. (2) We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who  initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame.  Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.  
Remember I’m praying for you…  
PJ  
 

William Henry Rodgers is an American runner, Olympian, and former record holder in the marathon. Rodgers is  best known for his four victories in both the Boston Marathon, including three straight from 1978 to 1980, and 4  straight wins in the New York City Marathon, between 1976 and 1979.  
Bill Broadhurst was a great runner and he entered a 10k race in Omahu, a race that Bill Rodgers would win in  less than 30 minutes.  
Bill Broadhurst had a handicap, he was paralyzed on his entire left side from an aneurism early in life. But he  still loved to run and for him to be in the same race as his hero Bill Rodgers was the greatest thing he could  imagine.  
The banners had been taken down, the traffic had begun to flow on the roads, there was nothing left that would  tell you that a race had been run.  
Except one man Bill Broadhurst who was still running the race. 2 hours ago Bill Rodgers had finished the race  and now Bill Broadhurst was nearing the place where the finish line was. A couple of kids on bikes rode beside  him and said "Hey mister, are you still running the race? It’s been over for hours, someone’s already finished  first and won. Why don’t you quit, the race is over?"  
Broadhurst replied, "I can’t, I have to make it to my hero at the end of the line". And he kept on running.  As he approached the place where he knew the finish line would be, Bill Rodgers and about 30 people stepped  out from an alley and they placed a banner up and strung a ribbon across the road. And Bill Broadhurst  stumbled across the finish line. And there stood his hero, Bill Rodgers who took off the ribbon form his neck  and placed it around the neck of Broadhurst, and he said, "you are a winner...” As a follower of this Jesus of the  Bible, we are running a race too. And that race will require endurance. And what will keep you and me going  is keeping your eyes on the champion who has finished before us…Jesus. The race won’t be easy and there will  be those who will quit and those who will call out for you to quit. But don’t. Like Bill Broadhurst responded  when kids told him to just quit, he said “I can’t, I have to make it to my hero at the end of the line.” And though  it may be lonely at times there will come that moment when you will see the finish line and there will stand  your hero, this Jesus of the Bible. And maybe in some way he’ll take off a ribbon from his neck and place it on  yours and announce to all who can hear… “You are a winner. Enter into the joy of your master.” Don’t quit,  don’t give up. You can do it and your champion and a lot of us are cheering you on. Here’s our Bible verse for  today…  
  
Hebrews 12:1-2 NLT Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith,  let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with  endurance the race God has set before us. (2) We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who  initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame.  Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.  
Remember I’m praying for you…  
PJ  
 

I sat down yesterday and read through the whole book of Job in the Old Testament. It is the story of a man who  loses his health, his family and his fortune. He has no answers to his suffering, and he even makes accusations  against God, but he does not give up on his faith in God. One verse that captured my heart was his declaration:  “But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and he will stand upon the earth at last. And after my body has  decayed, yet in my body I will see God! I will see him for myself. Yes, I will see him with my own eyes. I am  overwhelmed at the thought!” Job is not perfect in his suffering, and when he says this, he is a sick man ready  
to die. Even in his pain, he declared the truth about God. Out of his darkest despair, he makes this claim of  victory! He knew that his Redeemer lived. He believes in the one who would come to save and to save him  too. Remember that Job suffered, and he complained against God in his pain. But he believed him and knew in  his heart that he would see God with his own eyes and that he would live again. If you are having a hard or  even dark time in life, read of this man from so long ago. He went from riches to rags. From happiness to  heartache. He hated what he had to go through, and he didn’t know why God allowed it to happen. But he  didn’t give up on the truth that God would be victorious and that he would get to be there to see this one whom  he had trusted and honored. And the good news about what happens to Job is that God restores this one who  had been faithful and all that he had lost because of his belief in the God who could do the impossible. The  same God is out there for you and me too. Stick with him and let him take you through the dark valley and into  his restoration and redemption. Because your Redeemer lives and he will stand up on the earth at last…you will  too and you will see him for yourself. Don’t quit on God or yourself. Don’t give up. Here’s our Bible verse for  today…  
Job 19:25-27 NLT “But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and he will stand upon the earth at  last. (26) And after my body has decayed, yet in my body I will see God! (27) I will see him for myself. Yes, I  will see him with my own eyes. I am overwhelmed at the thought!  
Remember I’m praying for you…  
PJ  

The book of Esther in the Bible is unique in that God is never mentioned in it. The book records the story of a  young Jewish woman who is chosen by King Xerxes to be his new queen. But she never reveals that she is a  part of the Jewish nation. There arises a plot to destroy all the Jewish people in the kingdom, but she and a  relative uncover the planned genocide of all the Jews in the country. She chooses to approach the king without  being called first by the king. The risk is that should the king be at all displeased by her action, the act is  punishable by death. Her relative, Mordecai, says this: (Esther 4:14 NLT) “If you keep quiet at a time like this,  deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who  knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?” God wants you to know that your life has  purpose. You are somebody unique and special to God. When you enter into a personal relationship with this  God of the Bible, you then will have the opportunity to see your life take on eternal meaning. So talk with God  and tell him you want to do and accomplish what his plan is for you on this earth. Keep asking and he’ll pull  that curtain back a bit and give you a glimpse of what your life means and has meant to others and to the  Kingdom of God. But rest assured, when you get to heaven, you’ll see it all and realize that God did not waste  your life, your efforts or your pain. And he is a God who is a rewarder of those who love him and give their  hearts and lives to him. So get up this morning and remember that you are a part of a big picture that you  cannot fully see now, but one day you will be able to rejoice that your life made more difference than you could  have ever imagined! Here’s our Bible verse for today…  
Psalms 57:2 NLT I cry out to God Most High, to God who will fulfill his purpose for me.  
Remember I’m praying for you…  
PJ  

The book of Esther in the Bible is unique in that God is never mentioned in it. The book records the story of a  young Jewish woman who is chosen by King Xerxes to be his new queen. But she never reveals that she is a  part of the Jewish nation. There arises a plot to destroy all the Jewish people in the kingdom, but she and a  relative uncover the planned genocide of all the Jews in the country. She chooses to approach the king without  being called first by the king. The risk is that should the king be at all displeased by her action, the act is  punishable by death. Her relative, Mordecai, says this: (Esther 4:14 NLT) “If you keep quiet at a time like this,  deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who  knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?” God wants you to know that your life has  purpose. You are somebody unique and special to God. When you enter into a personal relationship with this  God of the Bible, you then will have the opportunity to see your life take on eternal meaning. So talk with God  and tell him you want to do and accomplish what his plan is for you on this earth. Keep asking and he’ll pull  that curtain back a bit and give you a glimpse of what your life means and has meant to others and to the  Kingdom of God. But rest assured, when you get to heaven, you’ll see it all and realize that God did not waste  your life, your efforts or your pain. And he is a God who is a rewarder of those who love him and give their  hearts and lives to him. So get up this morning and remember that you are a part of a big picture that you  cannot fully see now, but one day you will be able to rejoice that your life made more difference than you could  have ever imagined! Here’s our Bible verse for today…  
Psalms 57:2 NLT I cry out to God Most High, to God who will fulfill his purpose for me.  
Remember I’m praying for you…  
PJ  

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The great World War II English Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, gave a commencement address to his alma  mater, Harrow School, in London in 1941. As the story goes, Churchill stepped up to the podium and simply  said “Never give up”. The crowd cheered and Churchill had to stop. When it was quiet he repeated the phrase  “Never give up”. This time the crowd went crazy, and he had to stop for several minutes before he could go on.  When the cheering stopped, Churchill once again with much passion declared “Never give up!” He then sat  down to the cheers of the people. And this speech, which is called the best in history, would be passed down for  generations. The problem is Churchill never gave that speech…exactly. What the historians claim is that he  talked about never giving in and the speech was two pages long. It still must have been pretty impressive for  folks to grab it and remember it as something else. I do like the idea of simply telling those graduates not to  give up. We need that kind of encouragement, and the Bible gives us that. But how do we keep on going when  so many people give up on so many different things? It takes a lot of strength to keep on going when weariness,  failure, grief or hostility seem to be all we can see. To not give up we must have hope. The prophet Isaiah  wrote “But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar on high on wings like eagles; they 
will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:31). That’s how you keep from giving up  on yourself and giving up on God. But if we do this and “never give up” what is the end game? Well, the Bible  tells us that too. Galalatians 6:9 NLT… “ So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we  will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.” God is telling us that not giving up on him and his plan for  your life is going to bring a harvest of blessing…if we don’t quit. So even though Winston Churchill didn’t  exactly say it…Never, Never, Never give up. Because the God of the Bible promises that if you don’t quit on  him, he won’t quit on you…and his reward will make it all worth it. Here’s our Bible verse for today…  
Galatians 6:9 NLT So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of  blessing if we don’t give up.  
Remember I’m praying for you…  
PJ  

It was January 2, 1987 and the game was the Fiesta Bowl and the winner would be college football’s national  champion. Miami was ranked number one in the nation and Penn State ranked number two. The game was  close but Penn State won in the end with a 14-10 victory. Their stubborn defense managed to hold off Miami’s  talented quarterback Vinny Testaverde and held them in the closing minutes of the game. After the game TV  cameras and microphones zoomed in on different Penn State players and when one linebacker was asked how  they won, he said that our hard-hitting defensive backs made the difference. He said that the Miami receivers  just didn’t want to catch the ball…that they “heard footsteps all night long and just didn’t want to get hit”. How  about you? Do you walk through your life “hearing footsteps”, afraid that you are going to get pounded by  life? There are a lot of things out there that can bring us to that, everything from failure to grief. God doesn’t  call his children to a life of fear and timidity, but to one of power, love and self-control (2 Timothy 1:7). That’s  easy to say, but how do we go on when our hearts or our spirits or our confidence are broken? When the walls  seem to cave in on you remember that the God of creation and redemption has promised that he will be with  you wherever you go. When Joshua was put in a position of leading the people of Israel into the land that God 
has promised, there were all kinds of dangers and obstructions before them. But he told the people first to look  to God’s Word, to meditate on it and do what it tells us to do. And then God will break through the barriers of  life with you. And then he said God was telling them this: (Joshua 1:9 BSB) “Have I not commanded you to  be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God is with you  wherever you go.” No matter what the “footsteps” are that you are hearing in life right now, God is right there  with you. Your job is to take the next step by faith, knowing that God is with you wherever you go. You do that  and you will be the champion that God has destined you to be. Here’s our Bible verse for today…    
  
Joshua 1:9 BSB Have I not commanded you to be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid; do not be  discouraged, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”  
Remember I’m praying for you…  
PJ  

One of the special times I remember with my Dad was getting to stay up late to watch the “Tonight Show” with  Johnny Carson. All the other family would head to bed, but if it was a Friday or a vacation day, he would  occasionally ask if I would like to stay up…and my answer was always “yes”! One of the things I remember  about Johnny Carson was that when it came time for a commercial, he would always say the same thing: “I’ll be  right back!” That was such a part of his persona that he once said he wanted that on his tombstone. We are still  just days past from Easter, and I thought that was something that God could have put on that tomb that Jesus  was laid in after dying on the cross. Why is it important that he rose from the dead? If you are a follower of  this Jesus of the Bible, you are bound to him and because he resurrected and lives forever…you will also live.  Are you going to die? Yeah…but the Bible tells us that to be absent from our bodies (die) means that we are  present with the Lord. The Apostle Paul wrote, in his letter to the Romans (6:8) that if we died bound to Christ,  we know that we will also live with Him. That’s the power of Easter. Death is real…but we live life that 
swallows up even death itself. That’s the promise of the Bible. And what we see in the Bible is that there a  resurrection and there will be a new heaven and a new earth. So remember that if you’ve put your trust in the  Jesus, it won’t be out of line to put on your tombstone “I’ll be right back”. Because there is a tomorrow that  God promises all those who believe in him…even in the experience of death itself. Here’s our Bible verse for  today…  
John 14:19 NLT Soon the world will no longer see me, but you will see me. Since I live, you also will live.  
Remember I’m praying for you…  
PJ  

So, are you an optimist or a pessimist? We like to think that we are pretty much just wired the way we think.  Well, in a way I guess we are. The Bible says that all of us arrived in this world broken because of sin. And  that even affects the way we look at the world. The lie out there is that you are stuck with whatever way you  think and look at life and love. The book of Romans tells us that we are not to conform to the pattern of this  
world…which is pretty negative. But it tells us that we can be transformed by the renewing of our minds.  That’s the business that God is in. Changing our minds. The good news then is that you have the power to  choose what goes into that mind of yours and we are challenged to fix our thoughts on what is true and  honorable and right and pure and lovely and admirable. With God in our lives our minds can be focused on  things that are excellent and worthy of praise. That’s why the Bible says that anyone in Christ is a new creature.  So, you want to give up hating people and the world and even God? Well, come to him and let his love and  grace open the door to hope for today and hope for tomorrow. Let him change your mind and then you’ll be 
able to believe that God does indeed have plans for you…that are good and not for disaster, that will open the  door to a future and a hope. Let God open the door to his goodness in the midst of all the brokenness around us  through this Jesus of the Bible. Here’s our Bible verse for today…  
 Philippians 4:8 NLT And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and  honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of  praise.  
Remember I’m praying for you…  
PJ  
 

We had a shortage of teachers at our AWANA club for kids last night and so I was assigned to lead the pre kindergarten class. I’ve been in that class before, but not as the lone teacher. That’s like saying that I’ve flown  in a commercial airliner…but I’ve never been in the pilot’s seat! We talked a bit about them and about Easter  and then I showed an animated clip that lasted maybe 5 minutes about Jesus loving the little children. I asked  them a question about his love for children and a hand went up immediately. Excitedly I called on the little one  and he said “Why is there gold in your teeth?” I actually started to explain about crowns and then came to my  senses. Another hand went up and the young lady was pretty adamant about me calling on her. I called on her  and she shouted “I have to go to the bathroom”. A reasonable request, but she needed to go two other times  before our short session ended. But I got down on the floor and we talked about how Jesus loved us and then  sang “Jesus loves me”…I did most of the singing. But for all that went on in our time together, they did get to  hear that this guy in the room was convinced that Jesus did indeed love these little children. Kids are beloved 
and while our time was a bit on the chaotic side…I loved being with them and letting these little ones know that  they are indeed precious in his sight. I hope I’ll be able to do the same thing on Sunday when I stand up in front  our church family. That’s a good and worthy goal for all of us this week. To find any opportunity we might be  given to let the folks God brings us to, that they are indeed precious in his sight. And to never forget that you  are too. Here’s our Bible verse for today…  
Matthew 19:13-15 NLT One day some parents brought their children to Jesus so he could lay his hands on  them and pray for them. But the disciples scolded the parents for bothering him. (14) But Jesus said, “Let the  children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these  children.” (15) And he placed his hands on their heads and blessed them before he left.  
Remember I’m praying for you…  
PJ  

I love Easter and the demonstration of God’s power in raising Jesus Christ from the dead! And the Bible  reminds us that because he lives…and that even in the face of our own deaths, we will live too. God is in the  business of resurrection, because there is something else that he can resurrect in your own life right now. And  that is hope. The story of the human race is that we look for hope, even in the face of suffering,  disappointment, discouragement and heartache. If your hope is fading or maybe has even died, God wants you  to know that he has a future and a hope for you. The Apostle Paul wrote to the Christians in Rome, who were  under constant persecution, told them that there is hope and there is a specific path to hope. He said that we  rejoice in our sufferings. And the reason we can is because we know that through suffering, God can produce  endurance and that endurance will create character and character produces hope. And the really good news is  that the hope that God builds into us doesn’t disappoint us because God has poured his love into our hearts 
through the Holy Spirit in his children. The resurrection of Jesus from death and the tomb is reality. And the  hope that God gives is real too and is there for you. It won’t always be easy, but if you let him, God will build  that into your heart and mind, and no human or spirit or circumstance can take that away from you. Trust him  and let him make hope come alive in your heart again! Here’s our Bible verse for today…    
Romans 5:3-6 BSB Not only that, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering  produces perseverance; (4) perseverance, character; and character, hope. (5) And hope does not disappoint us,  because God has poured out His love into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us. (6) For at  just the right time, while we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.  
Remember I’m praying for you…  
PJ  
 

Have you ever fallen in a pit? You know, you are just having a great day, walking along and you don’t notice  that there is a huge hole in the ground. You didn’t expect it. You fall, but then you discover that you can’t get  out of it…you are trapped! That happens…not so much the physical way I described, but there are pits that we  find ourselves in during our journey here on earth. It can be a pit of uncertainty, of pain, of grief, of loneliness  and more. There are all kinds of pits that can trap us. But the good news is that God is in the business of  delivering people from those pits. When we find ourselves in that “hole” looking up all we can think of is how I  can get out of here. And the longer we stay in that pit, the hope we had of being rescued can start to fade away.  The good news is that the God of the Bible is a rescuer of “pit-bound” people. In the book of Gensis, Joseph is  thrown into a pit by his jealous brothers. But God rescues him and uses him in a mighty way. In the book of  Daniel, the prophet Daniel is tossed into a pit filled with hungry lions and a stone is put over the top. But when  the allotted time is up, Daniel is unharmed and restored to his former position and his enemies thrown to the  starved lions who satisfy their hunger with them. And how about Lazarus? The good friend of Jesus who died  and had been buried four days before Jesus got there. A pretty hopeless “pit”. And in the Gospel of John the 
account reads that Jesus had them roll away the stone that sealed his tomb. And with the words “Lazarus, Come  out”! Lazarus comes walking out on his own still wrapped as he was when they buried him. No matter what  kind of pit you see yourself in, our God is big enough to not only get you out but use that period in your life for  something good. Pits are scary things, and when you get scared, remember what the Palmist wrote “When I am  afraid, I put my trust in you.” (Psalm 56:3). But never forget, even while you are in that “pit”, the God who  loves you more than anyone has or anyone ever could is right there with you, surrounding you with his love.  Here’s our Bible verse for today…  
Romans 8:38-39 BSB For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor principalities, neither  the present nor the future, nor any powers, (39) neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will  be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.  
Remember I’m praying for you…  
PJ  
 

Do you know the four most special times that we celebrate this Jesus of the Bible? The first is his birth…that’s  Christmas. God became flesh and became one of us according to the Bible. The second is his death…that’s  Good Friday. This same Jesus goes to the cross for us and pays for the sins of all of us by his blood shed on the  cross. The third is Easter…Jesus rose from the dead. Easter is God’s affirmation first that Jesus is indeed the  Son of God. But also, that Jesus’ did bring forgiveness to whomever wanted it. But there is one more day. It is  the day that you gave your heart to this same Jesus who did all of those other things…and you became a new  person in God’s sight and began a new life right here on planet earth! And the thing is…those other three don’t  really have a lot of meaning without this last one. Jesus can be born a thousand times in Bethlehem, crucified  again in Jerusalem and be raised from the dead…and unless you are born in him…you remain lost to him 
forever. Enjoy all those special days we celebrate, but don’t miss out on that last one, because God wants you  in heaven and with him for eternity. He waits for each one of us to open the door to that last day of  celebration…when you become a child of God, for now and forever. Here’s our Bible verse for today…  
John 1:10-13 BSB He was in the world, and though the world was made through Him, the world did not  recognize Him. (11) He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. (12) But to all who did receive  Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God— (13) children born  not of blood, nor of the desire or will of man, but born of God.  
Remember I’m praying for you…  
PJ