Did you know that God is on your side…he is rooting for you today. Here’s what his Bible says  about him and you…  
God is with you… Isaiah 41:10 NLT Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged,  for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious  right hand. 
God sees you… Genesis 16:13 NLT Thereafter, Hagar used another name to refer to the LORD,  who had spoken to her. She said, “You are the God who sees me.” She also said, “Have I truly  seen the One who sees me?”  
God hears you… 1 John 5:14 NLT And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for  anything that pleases him.  
God knows you… Psalms 139:1 NLT O LORD, you have examined my heart and know  everything about me.  
God cares about you… 1 Peter 5:7 NLT Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares  about you.  
God loves you… Romans 5:8 NLT But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to  die for us while we were still sinners.  
God is for you… Romans 8:31 NLT What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If  God is for us, who can ever be against us?  
You are going to make it today and all your days that you stick with the God of creation and  redemption. God is for you! Here’s our Bible verse for today…  
Romans 8:31 NLT What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us,  who can ever be against us?  
Remember I'm praying for you,  
PJ  

Someone ran into an unusual tombstone with this inscription on it…  
 Remember man, as you walk by,  
As you are now, so once was I,  
Remember this and follow me.  
But underneath the inscription, someone had attached the following… 
To follow you I’ll not consent,  
Until I know which way you went.  
I like that! Jesus warned us that you need to be careful who you imitate in life, who you model  your life after, who you take your marching orders from. He told his disciples one day that every  plant that wasn’t planted by his heavenly Father would be uprooted…so ignore those people. He  said that there are people out there who blind guides, leading the blind. And the problem is that  if you have one blind person guiding another blind person…they will both fall into a ditch! That  is a reminder to us to use wisdom and caution in who we will be using as our guide in life. There  are a lot of people who seem to be following this Jesus of the Bible…but how can you be sure?  Well, the best way is to be really familiar with the Bible. And you get that way by spending a lot  of time reading the Bible! No matter what the crowd out there says about a person, remember  that Jesus said that every plant not planted by his heavenly Father…well, it will be uprooted. So  be careful of who you follow as an example for life. Make sure of the ultimate direction they  will end up in after this life. And remember, as a believer in this Jesus of the Bible…you are a  follower of this Jesus of the Bible. Follow him, honestly and fully and when you are gone, I’ll  know which way you went. To heaven where he is and where he wants you to be with him  always. Put down the phone, turn off the TV and pick up that Bible and read the instructions for  getting off planet earth and getting to heaven. Here’s our Bible verse for today…  
Matthew 15:13-14 NLT Jesus replied, “Every plant not planted by my heavenly Father will be  uprooted, (14) so ignore them. They are blind guides leading the blind, and if one blind person  guides another, they will both fall into a ditch.”  
Remember I'm praying for you,  
PJ  

When you choose to come to this Jesus of the Bible for forgiveness and follow him, your life  changes. The Apostle Paul says that we are to give our bodies to God…because of all he has  done for you. And he said that we are not to copy the behavior and customs of this world, but to  let God change you into a new person by changing the way you think. Sounds good. But…what  do you do? Have you ever thought about a list of good things you can do to work with God in  this transformation that he is making in you? I ran across a list that someone put together that I  thought was pretty good. Here’s what was recommended by one person… 
1-Go to church.  
2-Be kind.  
3-Take care of your body.  
4-Stop carrying your past.  
5-Love the life in front of you.  
6-Honor your boundaries.  
7-Read your Bible.  
8-Know Jesus.  
9-Keep showing up for the people you love.  
10-Pray often.  
It sounds like a pretty good list to me. And if you keep going doing all this stuff, I bet God will  continue to transform you into the very image of Christ. Keep the list and see how well you are  doing all these things. Here’s our Bible verse for today…  
  
 Romans 12:1-2 NLT And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to  God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will  find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. (2) Don’t copy the behavior and customs  of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then  you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.  
Remember I'm praying for you,  
PJ  

When you choose to come to this Jesus of the Bible for forgiveness and follow him, your life  changes. The Apostle Paul says that we are to give our bodies to God…because of all he has  done for you. And he said that we are not to copy the behavior and customs of this world, but to  let God change you into a new person by changing the way you think. Sounds good. But…what  do you do? Have you ever thought about a list of good things you can do to work with God in  this transformation that he is making in you? I ran across a list that someone put together that I  thought was pretty good. Here’s what was recommended by one person… 
1-Go to church.  
2-Be kind.  
3-Take care of your body.  
4-Stop carrying your past.  
5-Love the life in front of you.  
6-Honor your boundaries.  
7-Read your Bible.  
8-Know Jesus.  
9-Keep showing up for the people you love.  
10-Pray often.  
It sounds like a pretty good list to me. And if you keep going doing all this stuff, I bet God will  continue to transform you into the very image of Christ. Keep the list and see how well you are  doing all these things. Here’s our Bible verse for today…  
  
 Romans 12:1-2 NLT And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to  God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will  find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. (2) Don’t copy the behavior and customs  of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then  you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.  
Remember I'm praying for you,  
PJ  

On January 27, 1967, a fire erupted in the Apollo spacecraft that was being tested on the launch  pad. All three astronauts were killed, and the Apollo space program was put on hold. There was  an intensive investigation as to the technical cause of the fire but also a Senate hearing debating  whether or not to continue the program to travel to the moon. The investigative team had 
astronaut Frank Borman on it and he was asked by the committee why the fire happened.  Borman answered, “The lack of imagination.” When asked what he meant by that he told the  committee that they always knew that there was danger of fire in a spacecraft. But it was a  danger while it was in flight. No one ever imagined that there was a danger of fire from a simple  test while the Apollo was just sitting on a launch pad. He said that we just never considered that.  Imagination allows us to look beyond what we have seen and known and to look out and see  what might be or could be. When we think of who God is and the magnitude of his love and  goodness…we can only go so far. God is infinite and we are not. The Apostle Paul reminded us  in his first letter to the Corinthian church that “No eye has seen, no ear has heard and no mind  has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.” We sometimes fall into the trap  of thinking we have God pretty well figured out. But not only have we not seen what God can  really do, we can even imagine all the things that he has already prepared for those who have  chosen to give their hearts to this Jesus and chosen willfully to follow him. No matter what life  is like for you today, no matter how good or how difficult, there is so much more and wonderful  things that the Bible says God has for you. In 1927 the first feature-length talking picture was  released to the public. It was the first and at the last part of the movie the star turns to the crowd  and says… “Wait a minute, wait a minute…You ain’t seen nothing yet!” No matter how much  you have seen, experienced or known of God…You ain’t seen nothing yet!” The best is yet to  come. Here’s our Bible verse for today…  
1 Corinthians 2:9 NLT That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, “No eye has seen, no ear  has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.”  
Remember I'm praying for you,  
PJ  

The Bible tells the account of Daniel who was a Jewish man who was a part of those in exile in  Babylon. He became a trusted leader in this foreign land. Other leaders were jealous of Daniel  and wanted him gone, so they targeted his faith. They tricked King Darius into signing into law  a decree that for 30 days no one could pray to any god or person except the king. Or they would  
be thrown into a den of lions. Daniel knew the law and he went home, opened his windows  towards Jerusalem and prayed to God three times a day just as he always did. They caught him. 
The King liked and respected Daniel, but the law was such that it could not be altered. He was  thrown into a pit with hungry lions that was sealed with a stone covering. The King didn’t sleep  a wink all night long. When morning came, they took away the stone, and they called down and  asked if he was still alive. Daniel, very much alive, said that God had sent his angel to shut the  mouths of the lions because he was found innocent before him. He was lifted out and those who  had plotted his death were thrown in along with their families and all perished. Daniel trusted  God and for his trust he was thrown into a pit with hungry, meat-eating animals. And God  protected him. There are times when we feel like we too have been thrown to the lions. You  may believe God, but there is the lion of people who want to hurt you, the lion of fear itself, the  lion of poor heath or even the lion of sketchy finances. You are in that pit, and you are facing the  lions in the darkness of that time. Remember that God has not forgotten you. Stay faithful and  let God do his work in you and for you. Not only will God shut the mouths of the lions in your  life, but he will use your faith in that situation to honor him and to open the hearts of others who  are watching you journey through this time. To do this, you will need faith and courage. And  the God of the Bible is with you even in the pit of danger and death. Make prayer a priority to  stay strongly connected to the God who loves you and is standing ready to meet that deepest  need you have right now. Here’s our Bible verse for today…  
Daniel 6:19-22 NLT Very early the next morning, the king got up and hurried out to the lions’  den. (20) When he got there, he called out in anguish, “Daniel, servant of the living God! Was  your God, whom you serve so faithfully, able to rescue you from the lions?” (21) Daniel  answered, “Long live the king! (22) My God sent his angel to shut the lions’ mouths so that  they would not hurt me, for I have been found innocent in his sight. And I have not wronged you,  Your Majesty.”  
Remember I'm praying for you,  
PJ  

My dad was a combat infantryman in Italy during World War II. He told me all kinds of stories  of what that experience was like. He and I would watch the old black and white movies that  combat cameramen had taken throughout the war. And because so little of it was done in  expensive color film of that time, it was called the “black and white” war. Recently on Facebook  there are several groups that are putting up clips from that war that start in black and white, but  then are switched to a colorized version of the same scene. The colors seem bright and bold and  make it all come alive and I am fascinated watching them, because I have a sense that I am able 
to kind of see what my father saw and experienced as a college student gone to war. It is like  after all these years I can see, at least a bit of what he was seeing with his eyes. When we look at  our lives and our struggles and joys, we see them one way, but we don’t see all that is going on  around us or even in us the same way our heavenly father sees them. We wonder why is God  doing this…or allowing this to happen. And we need to remember that God sees and knows  what we don’t and can’t. So, when life becomes confusing, or events leave us wondering why  all this has happened to us, remember that God is in control, God loves you and God is not  wasting any time or pain in your life. God says he has a plan for us. And that plan is for good  and not for disaster…to give you and me a future and a hope. Remember that it may not make  sense because we cannot see what God sees. So, our job is to trust him and walk confidently that  he is working out his perfect will in each of our lives as we allow him to do so. And one day, we  will be able to look back, in his presence and be able to see what he saw, what was doing and  how he brought us through this life and home to heaven with him. Here’s our Bible verse for  today…  
Isaiah 55:8-9 NLT “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the LORD. “And my  ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. (9) For just as the heavens are higher than the  earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.  
Remember I'm praying for you,  
PJ  

 There is a story out there about a couple of guys who pulled up to a Dollar General store with  the intention of robbing it. The getaway driver stayed with the car, its engine running. The  second guy went into the store carrying a pistol and threatened the staff and customers.  However…the folks in the Dollar General didn’t take kindly to that and managed to take the gun  away from the robber and began to beat him with his own firearm. The getaway driver watched  all this from the parking lot and called 911 on the Dollar General people! I bet that was 
interesting when the police arrived. The Bible teaches us that we are not to take personal  revenge against people. That’s God’s prerogative. But we are commanded to protect the  innocent. So, God calls us to stand up for those whose lives are in danger or when injustice is  imposed upon the weak. And don’t forget what God says in Psalm 11:5… “The Lord examines  the righteous, but the wicked, the one who loves violence, he hates with a passion.” If you can  stand up against wicked people…do it. Here’s our Bible verse for today…  
Psalms 82:4 NLT Rescue the poor and helpless; deliver them from the grasp of evil people. 
Remember I'm praying for you,  
PJ  

 Ray Charles was a wonderful singer, songwriter, pianist and composer and was a pioneer of soul  music. He lost his sight at the age of seven and accomplished all of that as a blind man. He was  loved by so many folks, and one friend told a story of calling Ray and telling him that he was  coming over that evening. The friend arrived at the house, and it was completely dark. He tried  the door and it was unlocked for him, and he walked into the spacious living room. He heard a  rustling sound and asked, “Ray, is that you?” And Charles replied, “You bet it is!” And the  friend asked incredulously, “Ray, why are sitting here in the dark?” Well, that was a dumb  question…a blind man can’t tell if it is light or dark. When I remember that story, I think about  how many people in our world today cannot see the darkness around them. Because of the 
spiritual blindness they have, darkness seems normal and ordinary to them. That’s not what God  wants for any of us. He wants us to live in the light of life. The Apostle Paul wrote to Christians  in a town called Corinth where there was a lot of darkness in his day. He said that Satan, who is  the god of this world has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. And because of that they  
cannot see the glorious light of the Good News of this Jesus of the Bible. So, if you are a  follower of this Jesus of the Bible, do what you can to bring the light of Christ to people through  your love and kindness and through telling the story that you have lived with him. And  remember to do it will gentleness and respect. But don’t be surprised by the blindness and turn  on that light wherever you can and let them join us who did nothing on our own, but simply said  “yes” to the God who turned night into day in our hearts and minds. Here is our Bible verse for  today…  
2 Corinthians 4:4-6 NLT Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who  don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand  this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God. (5) You see, we don’t  go around preaching about ourselves. We preach that Jesus Christ is Lord, and we ourselves are  your servants for Jesus’ sake. (6) For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has  made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of  Jesus Christ.  
Remember I'm praying for you,  
PJ  

 It was 25 years ago that America was attacked by enemies of our country and of the faith in  Christ that I and so many other hold. I remember watching in disbelief as the Twin Towers  burned and then crashed to the ground. The only other attack like that on our country had been  at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. As I think about those few who killed so many I’ve 
realized that they were people like me. But murdering hundreds of people has not been a passion  for me. But it could have been. I have to remember what I saw that day was the fruit of humans  who have not been changed by this Jesus of the Bible. Someone said of me and others who have  
chosen to follow him this: “God removed you from a table where you used to sit; in order to  save you from a host who was serving you poison.” I didn’t do anything…God did it. And what  has happened in the last 25 years is that of those who believe the way the attackers of 9/11 did,  numbers of them are coming to faith in this same Jesus that I know. And so often, they pay with  their lives too. Satan is the host who serves humanity the poison of the heart and mind and soul.  Jesus said that he came to give us life and life to the fullest. And we have nothing to brag about  because he has done it all. First at the cross dying for the sins of the world and then doing all the  work to bring us through faith into eternal life. We and any who choose to, are saved by God’s  grace through faith, it is a gift of God to us. You and I were at the table being served  poison…and God saved us only through his grace to us. He alone is the hope of our world. Here  is our Bible verse for today…  
Ephesians 2:8-10 BSB For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from  yourselves; it is the gift of God, (9) not by works, so that no one can boast. (10) For we are  God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance  as our way of life.  
Remember I'm praying for you,  
PJ  

 It was 25 years ago that America was attacked by enemies of our country and of the faith in  Christ that I and so many other hold. I remember watching in disbelief as the Twin Towers  burned and then crashed to the ground. The only other attack like that on our country had been  at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. As I think about those few who killed so many I’ve 
realized that they were people like me. But murdering hundreds of people has not been a passion  for me. But it could have been. I have to remember what I saw that day was the fruit of humans  who have not been changed by this Jesus of the Bible. Someone said of me and others who have  
chosen to follow him this: “God removed you from a table where you used to sit; in order to  save you from a host who was serving you poison.” I didn’t do anything…God did it. And what  has happened in the last 25 years is that of those who believe the way the attackers of 9/11 did,  numbers of them are coming to faith in this same Jesus that I know. And so often, they pay with  their lives too. Satan is the host who serves humanity the poison of the heart and mind and soul.  Jesus said that he came to give us life and life to the fullest. And we have nothing to brag about  because he has done it all. First at the cross dying for the sins of the world and then doing all the  work to bring us through faith into eternal life. We and any who choose to, are saved by God’s  grace through faith, it is a gift of God to us. You and I were at the table being served  poison…and God saved us only through his grace to us. He alone is the hope of our world. Here  is our Bible verse for today…  
Ephesians 2:8-10 BSB For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from  yourselves; it is the gift of God, (9) not by works, so that no one can boast. (10) For we are  God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance  as our way of life.  
Remember I'm praying for you,  
PJ  

 I relate to the story about the 5-year-old girl watching her mother in fascination as she was  rubbing cold cream on her face. She said, "Mom, why do you do that?" The mother said, "To  make myself beautiful." To the little girl's amazement in just a minute, the mother began  removing the cream she had just put on with a cloth. The girl said, "What's the matter? Giving up  already?" What if God spoke to you today? Would he say “What’s the matter? Giving up  already?” Life is filled with hard times and struggles and disappointments and fears. And there  are some times when we just want to crawl in a hole and cover it up over us. But if you are  feeling anything from fear to frustration, remember that God is with you. The people of Israel  were on the verge of going into the land that God had promised them…and it looked like a pretty  scary endeavor. But Joshua, who had followed Moses in leadership of the hundreds of thousands  of people told them from God to be strong and courageous. To not be afraid or discouraged.  Well, those are brave words, but why shouldn’t we be afraid or discouraged? Because the Lord,  your God…is with you wherever you go. The key is that the Lord has to be YOUR God. Not  just the God of the universe out there. If you are going to be strong and to be courageous, you  won’t be able to do this life to the fullest on your own. And the good news is that not only you  don’t have to…your are not supposed to do it on your own. Stay close to God. Spend time with  others in worship on Sundays. Read your Bible. Have relationships with other followers of this  Jesus of the Bible. And God will make a way for you no matter what you are facing or fearing.  God loves you, God is with you and God wants you to finish well in this life. Don’t give up and  surrender only to God himself! 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  

I love the story of two friends who were walking through the desert. During some point of the  journey, they had an argument, and one friend slapped the other one in the face. The one who got  slapped was hurt, but without saying anything, wrote in the sand, "Today my best friend slapped  me in the face. They kept on walking until they found an oasis, where they decided to take a  bath. The one who had been slapped got stuck in the mire and started drowning, but the friend  saved him. After he recovered from nearly drowning, he wrote on a stone, "Today my best friend  saved my life. His friend asked him, "After I hurt you, you wrote in the sand and now, you write  on a stone, why?" The other friend replied "When someone hurts us, we should write it down in  sand where winds of forgiveness can erase it away. But, when someone does something good for  us, we must engrave it in stone where no wind can ever erase it. Forgiveness is precious to  receive…but also to give. When we forgive someone who has hurt us, we release them from the  bitterness and anger and even rage that the wound can give birth to. We are commanded to  forgive because Christ has forgiven you. And if you say that you’ve received the forgiveness  that Jesus purchased with his death on the cross and you cannot forgive others, then the reality of  your forgiveness is not there. So how do you do the hard undertaking of forgiving others? First,  we need to come to grips with the truth that forgiveness is not an option for those who have  received it. When we forgive, we acknowledge our own need for God’s grace. And when you 
forgive you reflect God’s character and display His grace in your life. You will need to pray for  strength and courage to do this. And then God’s Holy Spirit will give you what you need to  forgive those who don’t deserve to be forgiven. Because the awful truth is that you don’t deserve  to be forgiven either. Nor do I. Forgive and declare the love of Christ for you and in you by  your choice. Here’s our Bible verse for today…  
Ephesians 4:31-32 BSB Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, outcry and slander, along with  every form of malice. (32) Be kind and tenderhearted to one another, forgiving each other just  as in Christ God forgave you.  
Remember I'm praying for you,  
PJ  

There is a great chapter in 1 Kings (19) that focuses on the great prophet Elijah. He had been a  busy and obedient servant of God. He had destroyed the pagan prophets of Baal and stood time  and again for God against his own countrymen. Everyone seems to be out to get him and this  guy who God has used so powerfully goes and hides in the wilderness…and he prays to die.  God takes care of his needs and then asks him “What are you doing here?” And he complains to  God that the Israelites have broken every law and covenant they possibly could and killed all his  fellow prophets…and he is alone. God doesn’t berate his faithful prophet for this imploding of  hope and faith that he is experiencing. God quietly and gently speaks to him, tells him what the  next tasks are and then announces to him that he is not alone. There are 7,000 others who have  not bowed down to pagan gods but have remained faithful also to the God of the Bible. God  knew that Elijah was weary and depressed and discouraged. Elijah had gone from one of the  most spectacular victories in the whole Bible to wishing he would rather die than ever wake up  again. Like Elijah there are going to be times and even seasons when you just get knocked  down. And the reason you and Elijah do is because the work of following God is hard. God sent  an angel to help out with physical necessities and tells him “The journey is too much for you.”  Like Elijah, you will sometimes be in a place spiritually where power is not going to cut it. In  this account, it is only when God enters the silence of his broken heart and bruised soul that  Elijah gets up and is ready to go again. You and he don’t need to see power, but in those times  you need to know that you are so loved by God. You need to know that you are held in the hands  of God that are gentle and sensitive to hold the brokenness you feel and then to tenderly put them  back together with what one person called “the glue of his grace”. If we try to do this following  of Jesus on our own, the journey will be too much for us. So when you find yourself there, he  will remind you that you are not alone. And that this is not too much for God’s Holy Spirit 
working in your heart and soul. Slow down, take a deep breath and listen for the still, small voice  that will remind you that God is there, God is working and God has a great tomorrow for you.  No matter how you feel, don’t quit on God, because God is not going to quit on you. Here’s our  Bible verse for today…  
1 Kings 19:18 BSB Nevertheless, I have reserved seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees  have not bowed to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him.”  
Remember I'm praying for you,  
PJ  

The Apostle Paul was a go-getter! He was an enemy of this Jesus of the Bible but when he  turned to him, experienced forgiveness and a new life in Christ, he was hard to hold back. But his  ministry of telling people the good news of new life through Jesus Christ was not self-directed,  but Spirit-led. There was a time when he and his companions were in some way prevented from  going into certain areas. And the doors were closed more than once. They must have been  frustrated, not knowing what God was doing. But they waited and then Paul had a dream one  night of a man in a part of Greece, standing in his country pleading for Paul and company to  come to them and help them. The door was opened and they brought this good news to these  people and to untold numbers of others as well. There are times when God will give you a new  beginning. But it starts with an ending of something else. We say that a door is “closed” to us in  our lives. And the temptation is to wonder what we did wrong so that door isn’t open to us in  life right now. Closed doors can mean that God is simply guiding you to the right one. When  you trust your life to Christ, you are trusting him for your future. And that is both eternally but  also right now in your daily life and in the choices you make. Don’t panic if the door that you  really want open to you remains shut. God has his own timing and it may be that he just needs  for you to wait, to trust him and let him get you to the right place at the right time. When we let  God be the one to call the shots in our life we are letting him be the sovereign God he really is.  It takes faith to do that. But the Bible says that God is pleased by the faith that you demonstrate  in him. Paul was able to do some great works by letting God take the lead. And you will be able  to live the best life you can sometimes by just being patient. God knows you and he knows the  future. And he is putting you in the position to live the most successful and meaningful life  possible. Wait for God and remember that closed door is God guiding you to that right place at  the right time for the right purpose. Here’s our Bible verse for today… 
 Acts 16:7-10 NLT Then coming to the borders of Mysia, they headed north for the province of  Bithynia, but again the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them to go there. (8) So instead, they went  on through Mysia to the seaport of Troas. (9) That night Paul had a vision: A man from  Macedonia in northern Greece was standing there, pleading with him, “Come over to Macedonia  and help us!” (10) So we decided to leave for Macedonia at once, having concluded that God  was calling us to preach the Good News there.  
Remember I'm praying for you,  
PJ  

I just got back from a fun event. Some of our folks from church went to an outdoor air museum  with over 80 different aircraft on display. And we went yesterday because it was “Open Cockpit  Day”. What that means is that many of the planes were open for you to either climb up a  hardstand to look into or to even get to go inside some of the larger ones. I love airplanes and  this was fun. However, because these are all older military planes, comfort and ease of  movement was not the main concern in designing them. That meant that we people who were  not used to these tight spaces had to be careful. Well, in my enthusiasm to see as much as I could  in one day, I was moving quickly…and not paying as much attention to what was going on  around me. I hit my head a number of times on doors, equipment and metal supports.  Fortunately I’ve got a pretty hard head (at least that’s what people say) and though it hurt, it  didn’t do any permanent damage. I thought about that as I looked at my head in the mirror at  home and thought about being careful, not just on antique airplanes, but in life itself. The  Apostle Paul wrote that we need to pay attention to how we walk in life. He said that we need to  walk with the wisdom that God gives us in his Bible. To not do so is to live carelessly. As a  follower of Jesus Christ we are to live a life that pleases God. That’s the job. But also we are to  live well before those who have not yet given themselves to a believing relationship with this  Jesus of the Bible. We have the mandate and really the opportunity let our lives shine in Christ  and let God use that to draw others to that saving relationship with him. Sometimes, like on a  military plane, you need to just slow down, take a look at where you are and where you are  headed next. And it makes all difference in the world to listen to the one who is guiding you in  life or in the tight spaces of a World War II bomber. And if you do end up getting bumped  around because of carelessness, don’t let it stop you but get up, rub your bruises and keep going  and be careful where you step and where you are headed. Remember that you are important to  God and he has plans to use you in this rescue operation that is going on in human history right  now. Pay careful attention to how you are walking because the time gets shorter every day and 
the Jesus you know is the answer to someone who is searching for meaning and contentment and  eternal life. Here’s our Bible verse for today…  
Ephesians 5:15-16 BSB Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk, not as unwise but as  wise, (16) redeeming the time, because the days are evil.  
Remember I'm praying for you,  
PJ  

I narrowly avoided a serious accident in the car the other day. I was taking my oldest  granddaughter to a meeting and she said “You know Grandpa, I’m going to be 18 in less than  2 ½ years. I took my eyes off the road and stared at her and said “What in the world are you  talking about?” She said “Grandpa, do the math…” I did run the numbers and she was right. I  regained my composure, focused on driving and began to talk to her about the tiny little girl that  I thought I was just holding a few years ago. And now I’m talking to a beautiful, articulate,  young lady sitting next to me! All of a sudden I realized how much life has passed by and the  passage of so many stages of growing up. I love this time and I am grateful to be able to share  the history and also the days of her life now. But it was a reminder of how fast time actually  passes. And that God has told us in his word that there is a time for every activity under heaven.  Solomon, who wrote about there being a time for every activity under heaven also wrote that  God has made everything beautiful for its own time. It is a reminder to me to not waste any days  with dumb and careless stuff. But to treasure each day knowing that once it is past, it will never  come again. So welcome this day and all the days that God gives you and I will do my best to do  it also. Wake up and remember that this is the day that the Lord has made…rejoice and be glad in  it! And don’t forget to do all the good you can while you can…and choose to make God look  good today. Here’s our Bible verse for today… 
Ecclesiastes 3:1 NLT For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven.  
Remember I'm praying for you,  
PJ  

 It was 1939 and George Dantzig was late for his statistics class at Cal Berkeley. The graduate  student got into the classroom and the professor had already put equations on the board. Dantzig  copied everything on the board down and when class was over, he went home and got to work.  He simply worked on the problems using his own methods and had a hard time with them and it  took weeks before he solved them and could turn them in to his professor. When he brought  them in to turn in his solutions his professor didn’t give Dantzig praise. Instead, he apologized  to the student…they weren’t homework problems. The equations were two of the most famous  open problems in statistical theory. No one had ever been able to solve them and had been used  in textbooks to demonstrate the limits of mathematics. Dantzig had done what the entire  mathematical community claimed couldn’t be done. George Dantzig said he had done it partly  because he didn’t know that it was supposed to be impossible. There are lots of things that you  and I have been taught by our world that are impossible. Things that you can’t be. Hopes that  can’t come true. Problems that you won’t ever be able to solve. And even love that you will  never know. But they can’t stand against the God who declares that there is nothing impossible  for him…which means that they are not impossible for your life. Not everything you want or try  will go the way you think they should. But it isn’t because they were impossible…it was  because the God for whom nothing is impossible had eternally better plans for you. Never give 
up on God, never quit hoping, never give up. Because the one who loves you more than anyone  ever has or ever could is telling you today, that with men, it is impossible, not so with God. With  God all things are possible. Here’s our Bible verse for today…  
Mark 10:27 NLT Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible.  But not with God. Everything is possible with God.”  
Remember I'm praying for you,  
PJ  

Have you ever just looked at how other people drive? There are a lot of things we do wrong as  California drivers…we speed, cut people off in traffic, go slow in the fast lane of a highway or  freeway, but there is one dangerous thing that we don’t do that is so simple. For some reason so  many of us struggle to use the turn signals on our cars. Yeah, the blinkers. It doesn’t require  any extra fuel, and it requires a tiny amount of effort, and the law requires us to signal when we  turn or make a lane change. It seems like a silly thing to get upset about, but I don’t know how  many times I’ve had to sit and wait for a car that has paused and at a corner or in a street and I  have no idea what they are planning to do. And I can drive down the freeway and people are all  over the place and half the people never use the blinker. Except…when there is a law  enforcement officer. And then it looks like a celebration of lights out there. I’ve never seen  anyone not use a blinker when a police officer is watching. But we have that kind of attitude so  often. I remember one time I asked folks to all put on name tags at an event and one guy said, “I  don’t need a name tag…I know my name”. I didn’t even respond. That’s what we people on  earth are naturally like. But the Bible reminds us that when we come to this Jesus of the Bible  and are transformed in heart and mind by him…we begin a journey of being conformed to being  more like him. The Apostle Paul wrote that we should not only look out for our own interests,  but we should take an interest in others. It is what Jesus taught…love God and love the people  around us. It doesn’t have to be great and grandiose things. Simple kindness each day, as often  as we have the opportunity. Do that and you will be different…and you will make God look
good. And have mercy on the rest of us and use that turn signal in your car! Here’s our Bible  verse for today…  
Philippians 2:4-5 NLT Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others,  too. (5) You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.  
Remember I'm praying for you,  
PJ  

I did a funeral service the other day and we did it in a church with friends and family but  afterwards we were to go to the cemetery for a family only committal service. They have a large  family, and it made it easier for the whole group to be alone together that way. I finished the  service at the church and invited the folks attending to come to an area inside where they could  visit with the family before we left. It was a friendly group, and people were talking about the  wonderful person we were remembering. I greeted people for a while but decided that I might as  well head out to the cemetery and make sure all was well and be there to greet the family before  our short service. I was dressed in my usual funeral clothes of white shirt and tie and my black  clerical robe. I figured I had a lot of time, and I was thirsty as I got in my car, so I decided to stop  in at McDonald’s to grab my favorite diet coke. I do that a lot, so it just seemed like any other  run to Mac’s to grab a soda. I drove up in the drive-thru and held out my money and when the  young lady finally turned to take it, she looked at me and just stared for a moment and without  taking my money just said slowly, “Who are you…?” I’ve never been asked that question in the  drive-thru, and she went and said again slowly “What are you doing?" And without missing a  beat, I just said, “Well, right now I’m doing a funeral!” That didn’t seem to help…and I tried to  explain why I was dressed the way I was and that I was in the middle of a funeral…yeah…she  just kind of smiled. I thanked her and just gave her a cheery “Goodbye, see you next time!” I am 
so used to going through that drive through I didn’t even think about how people might look at  me. But later I thought about that question…what if people asked you today “Who are you? And  then, “What are you doing?" Would you be able to say “I am a child of God through faith in  Jesus Christ? And then answer that I’m out here doing my best to love God and love the people  around me? To receive Christ means to trust him for salvation, to believe in His name and to  follow him in obedience. It isn’t just knowing facts about Jesus or admiring his teachings.  Receiving him involves personal commitment to him as the only Lord and Savior and only then  becoming a child of God. And the job is pretty much each day just making God look good! So,  if that’s you, get ready to let them know. And if it isn’t you, remember…with a heartfelt prayer,  you can change all that in a moment before the day’s over! Here’s our Bible verse for today…  
John 1:12-13 NLT But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become  children of God. (13) They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion  or plan, but a birth that comes from God.  
Remember I'm praying for you,  
PJ  

 It was New Year’s Day almost 100 years ago and it was the Rose Bowl Game with Georgia Tech  playing against the University of California. During the first half of the game California’s Roy  Riegles recovered a fumble and got turned around and ran the wrong way for 65 yards. One of  his teammates ran after him and caught him just before he scored a safety for Georgia Tech.  California couldn’t move the ball and had to punt near the goal line, and Georgia blocked it and  scored the safety. When they went into the locker room for halftime, the California coach didn’t  say a word. That’s not how halftimes work. Usually there is a great deal that is said. The  timekeeper came in with a three-minute warning for starting the second half. Roy had been  sitting in a corner with a blanket over his head. The simply said “The same team that started the  first half will start the second half. The players all started out…except for Riegles. The coach  came over to him, and the big football player’s cheeks were wet with tears. He said “Roy, didn’t  you hear me? The same team that played the first half will start the second half.” Riegels said  “Coach, I’ve ruined you I’ve ruined the University of California, I’ve ruined myself.” The coach  put his hand on his shoulder and said “Roy, get up and go only back out; the game is only half  over.” You’ve made mistakes and I’ve made mistakes. And people will remember them. But 
God reminds us that life doesn’t have to end with a mistake. We can be forgiven and God wants  us to forget was lies behind us, repent when we need to, ask for forgiveness and get back into the  game. The God of the Bible is the God of the second chance…as well as the third and fourth and  even more. No matter where you have been, what you have done or how many people have seen  you mess up…your game is not over. God is not through with you. God has not given up on you.  Don’t you give up on God. Get back out there and get in the game of life again. You don’t have  any idea what good God has for you still. Here’s our Bible verse for today…  
Proverbs 24:16 NLT The godly may trip seven times, but they will get up again. But one disaster  is enough to overthrow the wicked.  
Remember I'm praying for you,  
PJ  

I remember a wonderful story that a couple shared with me. They are gone now but they told  how they wanted to get married and they had committed their lives to this Jesus of the Bible and  were in love and ready to live their lives together until death separated them. The problem was  that they were set to get married and the groom was in the army and for some reason was not  able to get leave for the marriage ceremony. The crazy thing was that he had a twin brother who  was stationed with him and they came up with a plan that only crazy young guys would consider.  On the wedding day, they would trade places. They would switch uniforms and my friends  would go to the wedding, and the twin would take the brother’s place and fulfill the duty that his  brother was scheduled to do. And they pulled it off! I’ve thought about that story for years and it  always makes me think of what this Jesus of the Bible did for us. He died on the cross…but that  was my cross and every person’s cross. He literally switched places with us. Because of our sin,  we are all separated from God. No matter how good we have been or think we have been…none  of us can claim to being free from ever having sinned. Even our deaths wouldn’t be enough and  so for us to be brought back to God, Jesus took the place of every man, woman and child. And  he could do it because the Bible claims that he was indeed God who joined us here on this earth 
as one of us and because he had no sin he died as payment for us. The apostle Peter wrote that it  was the upright one taking the place of sinners. And because of that act, our sins can be forgiven  if we simply come and ask and give ourselves to his love. If you ever doubt the love of God for  
you, remember the cross…the godly dying for the ungodly. The perfect sacrificing for the  hopelessly broken. Forgiveness is paid for…but it will never be forced on any human. We have  been given the precious but dangerous gift of freedom to choose our own destiny. Each person,  in their journey has the opportunity to receive forgiveness…every sin ever committed wiped  away. And the tragedy of the human drama is that most will simply say “No thanks”.  Remember this offer is a limited time deal…it expires for you when you expire. Don’t miss the  greatest gift you could ever receive…forgiveness…grace from God that makes you sinless in his  sight. And you didn’t do a thing to earn it…it is a gift from God so that no human could ever  boast of having it. Don’t pass it up…and don’t let those around you miss this deal of a  lifetime…eternal life paid for by someone who loves you more than anyone ever would or could.  Here’s our Bible verse for today…  
 1 Peter 3:18 BBE Because Christ once went through pain for sins, the upright one taking the  place of sinners, so that through him we might come back to God; being put to death in the flesh,  but given life in the Spirit; 
Remember I'm praying for you,  
PJ  

I had a coach when I was in high school who was only about 8 years older than me. He was a  great teacher in the classroom but also in sports. And one of the things that this 23 year old  stressed as important was we young men having good character. I was 15 when I first came  under his influence and I still remember how important he let us know that was. And later in life  I discovered that the Bible says that our character is important to us as followers of this Jesus of  the Bible. The Apostle Paul wrote to the followers of Jesus in Rome that we ought to rejoice  when we run into problems and trials in our life. And the reason is that they help us to develop  endurance. And that is important because endurance is a part of character development. And  character makes our faith stronger. But the price of character development is not to focus on  how we feel, but on how we think. And the Bible calls us to think and then act like Jesus did. In  Philippians 2 Paul writes that Jesus gave up his divine privileges and instead came to earth as  one of us and took the humble position of a slave. He humbled himself in obedience to God and 
died a criminal’s death on a cross. Character is costly. Thinking critically and thinking godly is  hard. But God uses all that to change us. So, remember that the hard times in your life are in  fact opportunities for your faith to be tested and in turn to grow. So hard times are…well, they  are hard! But in those times God has not abandoned you but instead is refining you and  conforming you to the image of this Jesus, the Son of God. So many years ago, our coach knew  that for us to be the best that we could be started not in competition with others, but with the  development of our minds and hearts. Let God do that for you and the result of your journey on  this planet will be that you will see God make you the best you, you could be here and now…and  forever with him in eternity. Hard? You bet, or else everybody would be doing it! Worth it? Oh  yeah! Here’s our Bible verse for today…  
Romans 5:3-5 NLT We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that  they help us develop endurance. (4) And endurance develops strength of character, and  character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. (5) And this hope will not lead to  disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit  to fill our hearts with his love.  
Remember I'm praying for you,  
PJ  

I bet you’ve been hurt sometime in your life. It might have been spiritually or emotionally or  maybe even physically. The pain may have been recent or even a long time ago, but it was real.  Some people might say that you just need to forget it and get on with your life. But can you?  No, not really. So, what do you do? First, pray, asking God to help you release your heavy  burdens and hurtful memories to him. Tell God that you are ready to let go of anger and  bitterness. Next, ask him to help you to not focus on your past but on the present and the future  that God has for you. And then ask God to help you to forgive those who have hurt you. While  we cannot erase the memory of pain that someone else has brought to our lives, we have a choice  to become bitter or better. There are many folks who find satisfaction in being bitter and  replaying the hurting that others have done. But if we want to live the life that God wants for us,  that is life to the fullest, he will help us get better. God knows the tears that you have shed and  we are reminded in the Bible that God collects all our tears (Psalm 56:8) and he makes the  promise that one day he will wipe every tear from your eyes in a place where there is no more  death or sorrow or crying or pain. That all those things will be gone forever (Revelation 21:4). 
Never forget that God knows your pain and will help you on your journey. Don’t grow  bitter…get better. Here’s our Bible verse for today…  
Psalms 34:18 NLT The LORD is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are  crushed.  
Remember I'm praying for you,  
PJ  

I finally got my chance to go to the beach and to go body boarding in the ocean. Our whole  family was together at the beach, and I had been waiting for this since last Fall. I kept telling  everyone that I was hoping to get to the beach even in the cold just to be able to ride the waves.  We got out in the ocean on the first day and my wetsuit was working great and I was ready to  have a whole week of fun! I did my first run, and it was awesome! And then a second and then a  third. I was so excited at the thought that I had today and then five more days beside. I took a  few tumbles but wasn’t discouraged, it is all part of the game. And then there was a wave that  didn’t look unusual, but I got caught up in it and it turned and twisted and I still held on to my  board with that right hand…and then I felt it. It jerked my shoulder and arm back with a quick  crashing of water and all I felt was pain. It wasn’t horrible, but I walked out on the beach and  moved my arm around and the pain seemed tolerable…so I went back out! The first wave  caught me and it was then that I knew I was hurt. So I walked up to my towel and watched our  gang dance in the waves. I tried it again for two more days, but I realized after just one run that  it wasn’t going to work. And so I spent the rest of the vacation sitting and watching other family  members play. Was I disappointed? You bet! Did I pray? Sure did. But I was still injured. I had 
waited the better part of a year…for this week, and now this. I don’t know why it  happened…not counting my lower skill level. Disappointment is a tough thing to deal with.  And all of us have been there and will be there again. I don’t know why it happened, but I  realized that this was a great time to trust God. The Bible tells us that God’s thoughts are not  your thoughts, and neither are his ways our ways. And as the heavens are higher than the earth,  so are his ways higher than my ways. I sure wanted to be out there with my kids and grandkids,  but I was reminded that in all things God works for the good of those who love him and are  called according to his purpose. Disappointed…you bet. But thankful that I got to be with my  family at a beautiful beach and share those days with them. And maybe some day God will show  my why he wanted me on the beach in chair that week instead of in the water. But even if he  doesn’t, I will trust his judgement because I know of his love and kindness for me. So, when  disappointment comes your way…slow down and listen to see if you might hear the voice of  God in your heart and his loving touch on your spirit. Here’s our Bible verse for today…  
Remember I'm praying for you,  
PJ