JUST ENOUGH for The Journey - Fake It and You'll Forsake It

In my honest opinion, there is no such thing as "Fake it until you make it". Fake is fake and real is real. Heaven is real and Hell is real.

I pray that today that we realize that when we Fake we bake; when we Sin we can't win; when we Lie we die; when we turn we burn.

God is real and apart from Him there is nothing. You can continue to Fake it, BUT I'm here to tell YOU, that if you Fake it, you'll never make it.

As surely as I live, says the Sovereign lord , I take no pleasure in the death of wicked people. I only want them to turn from their wicked ways so they can live. Turn! Turn from your wickedness, O people of Israel! Why should you die? (Ezekiel 33:11 NLT)

JUST ENOUGH for The Journey - Modern Day Idolatry

What is an example of Modern Day Idolatry? Well, to put it simply it is that attention to self. In the Bible we see others bowing down to man-made images and we quickly convince ourselves that we don't do such things, but we forget about how obsessed we are with ourselves and the amount of possessions that we have.

Don't believe that we have fallen asleep and have been overcome by idolatry? Look in your closets, attics, garages...they are filled with the "I got to have it" items of yesterday, yet we are still plotting and planning how we will obtain that latest gadget or newest item in the marketplace.

We worship at the altar of our own pride and ego. This often takes the form of obsession with careers and jobs. Most of us spend 60-80 hours a week working...even on the weekends and during vacations. Our laptops, iPad and smartphones never stop and our minds are in full motion with thoughts of how to make our life more successful, how to get that promotion, how to get the next raise and how to close the next deal. In the meantime, our children are starving for attention and love. We fool ourselves into thinking we are doing it for them, to give them a better life. But the truth is we are doing it for ourselves, to increase our self-esteem by appearing more successful in the eyes of the world.

This is folly. All our labors and accomplishments will be of no use to us after we die, nor will the admiration of the world, because these things have no eternal value.

As King Solomon put it, "For a man may do his work with wisdom, knowledge and skill, and then he must leave all he owns to someone who has not worked for it. This too is meaningless and a great misfortune. What does a man get for all the toil and anxious striving with which he labors under the sun? All his days his work is pain and grief; even at night his mind does not rest. This too is meaningless" (Ecclesiastes 2:21-23).

I shared all of this to SHOUT that starting this Friday, I'm on vacation! I will totally unplug...leaving behind the iPad, Laptop and BlackBerry! My wife doesn't think that I can do it, but after reading and listening to the above passage of Scripture, not only can I do it, I must do it. God has given me too much love (wife, children and His creation), to let it all pass me by. Time to pay attention to what truly matters.

Have a great Monday!

JUST ENOUGH for The Journey - Do Ya Know Jesus?

Jesus, the creator. Jesus, the creative. Jesus, the creation. Jesus, Lord of Lords and King of Kings. Jesus, the Author and the Finisher of our faith. Jesus, the Messiah, Prophet, High Priest and King. Jesus, the Perfect Sacrifice and Jesus, the Savior.

Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? (John 14:9a NKJV)

Read that verse once more, except this time insert YOUR name instead of the name Philip.

Today would be a good day to get to know Jesus. Today would be a great day to open both your eyes and your heart...ALL OF YOUR LIFE HE'S BEEN RIGHT THERE WITH YOU, BUT YOU HAVE NOT KNOWN HIM.

Today, Jesus says "Hello" once more, He needs for you to acknowledge Him by simply saying hello back. He'll carry on the conversation from there and OH MY GOD, what a conversation it shall be!

JUST ENOUGH for The Journey - Live God's Way

Being a follower of God demands that we live our lives according to His commands and to His decrees. For instance, love one another. Forgive one another just as your Father in heaven has forgiven you. Don't commit adultery. Don’t steal. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind; and, Love your neighbor as yourself.

The Bible is full of God’s expectations of our living our lives rooted in doing good to others, loving, sharing, helping, caring and providing. After doing this daily, we are to praise Him with thanksgiving for all that He has done and for who He is. God will then bless you and equip you to give more of yourself in service to those whom He will bless through you.

This world that we are living in would be so much better had we lived God’s way.

This was just a thought as I lay in bed thinking about my day with the volume on my television muted because there are just some days that I don't want to hear about the world in which we live.

JUST ENOUGH for The Journey - A Question

Jesus looks at the Disciples and asked, does this offend you?

"When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples complained about this, He said to them, “Does this offend you?" (John 6:61 NKJV)

Prayer: Lord God, whatever may be causing us to turn from your gift of love, remove it. Whatever it is that is swaying our loyalty from you, remove it. Whatever it is that has us upset, insulted, displeased, hurt, wounded, disgruntled, put out, annoyed, angry, cross, irritated and resentful...remove it. In its place, give us more of YOU! Let there be no offense in us, only acceptance. In Christ Jesus, increase our faith again on today. Amen.

JUST ENOUGH for The Journey - Do the right thing

YOU are a very smart and thoughtful person. Whatever decisions that will be required of you today, will be made with prayer and compassion. Don't let the distractions and those who think that their daily task is to cast dispersions on another detract from you doing the right thing.

There is someone that you will encounter on today that has already been in prayer that God will put them in the presence of someone who will do the right thing.

Be that person!

Do to others as you would like them to do to you. “If you love only those who love you, why should you get credit for that? Even sinners love those who love them!  And if you do good only to those who do good to you, why should you get credit? Even sinners do that much!  And if you lend money only to those who can repay you, why should you get credit? Even sinners will lend to other sinners for a full return. “Love your enemies! Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for He is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked.  You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate. (Luke 6:31-36)

JUST ENOUGH for The Journey - This Too Shall Pass

Be warned to not make permanent decisions about temporary situations.

Although your situation seems serious right now, know that when we give it to The Lord that these things too shall Pass.

Loneliness shall pass; Frustration shall pass; Discontent shall pass; Isolation shall pass; Sickness, Poverty, Addiction and Manipulation shall pass.

The issues that are keeping you Stuck. The issues that are causing you to Stumble. The issues that are Blurring your Vision...THIS TOO SHALL PASS!

"For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever." (2 Corinthians 4:17-18 NLT)