John 2:1-12 tells us the story of Jesus’ first miracle.  It took place at a wedding celebration He, Mary, and His disciples had been invited to. In Biblical times (specifically in the time period our scripture was written), the wedding celebrations lasted up to a week. Knowing the background of Mary and Jesus, this wedding would most likely have been for someone of the same social class (most likely peasants) they had a pre-existing relationship with. At one point in the celebration, Mary (who seems invested in the success of this particular celebration) approaches her son, Jesus, and informs Him they had run out of wine. Jesus response in John 2:4 is, “Dear woman, that’s not our problem. My time has not yet come.” Without missing a beat, Mary turns to the servants and instructs them, “Do whatever he tells you.” (Don’t mess with Momma–she ain’t gonna tell you twice because you heard what she said the first time 😊) Even though his time has not yet come, Jesus knew better than to disobey His mother. He instructs the servants to take the 6 stone water jars (that had always been used for Jewish ceremonial purposes) and fill them with water. Each jar could hold anywhere from 20-30 gallons of fluid (an estimated 250lbs each—not to mention they were stone jars). The servants followed Jesus precise directions and the water is turned to wine. As instructed, the servant takes a cup of the new wine to the master of the ceremonies who states (not knowing the liquid had been water moments earlier) the wine he was drinking was better than what had originally been presented. There are some very important lessons to be learned here.

First, it’s interesting that Jesus chose to use ceremonial jars. His actions are a non-verbal representation that things are changing. His appearance on the scene was to teach them about the more personal relationship with God His sacrifice would offer rather than one based on traditions and laws that the Jewish people had come to know. Secondly, by using the servants, He allowed them to shoulder the burden and share in the blessing of what He had done. The servants could have chosen to do things halfway and they would have only experienced HALF the blessing. By following His instructions, they maximized their own blessing. Jesus commands probably didn’t make sense to these servants, but their submission provided a blessing for everyone around them. Thirdly, this scripture is a reminder to us, when God does something, He never goes halfway. He can and WILL do “…exceeding abundantly above what we can ask or think.” (Eph 3:20-21). This was the first of many signs that proved Jesus was the Son of God.

Closing remarks and encouragement: Jesus could have chosen to use ANYTHING as a container for the wine, but He chose to use something He had on hand. When Jesus fed the 5000, He could have used ANYTHING to feed them, but he chose to use a little boy’s lunch. We like to complain when we feel we don’t have enough. We gripe endlessly when we run out. Is it possible, the answer to our prayers has been staring us in the face all along? What are we doing with what we already have….what God has already given us? The miracle can be found in God using the little to create much. It’s also possible that God will sometimes allow us to run out of what we have because He has something BETTER for us?  He is the God of MORE THAN ENOUGH!  We must be wise in how we use what we’ve already been given. For example, are you having financial problems? Stay away from those $6 cups of coffee and $200 home satellite packages. Be wise in how you use what God has already blessed you with. What are you doing with what you already have?

Have a blessed week, my friends!!

Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

My brother and I have always (somewhat) gotten along. There have been quite a few moments throughout the years, especially while we were growing up, when we would butt heads over a certain issue. He had his own way of doing things, his own opinions, and his own set of expectations of the outcome in any given situation. The same could be said of me. Being the oldest, my instinct is to be protective and bossy. Naturally, Travis didn’t care to be bossed around by someone he considered his equal.  Growing up in the same household, our Dad had the expectation that we would complete whatever tasks he put before us.  I always enjoyed working by myself because I could get the task done and be about my business.  Then there were other times my dad forced and expected us to work together.  If something didn’t get done, we both would be disciplined. I could spend all day attempting to explain to my Dad what didn’t get done was my brother’s fault but, it didn’t matter. We were expected to learn to work together to accomplish that task.  Sometimes that required me bending to my brothers intentions.  Other times, we did things my way.  In those moments, we both realized, if I failed, he failed.   And vice versa.  Working together wasn’t necessarily my favorite thing to do but it forced us to be considerate of the other and work together to accomplish a certain task.

The work of the kingdom is the same way. God has blessed us all with certain talents and abilities. In my church, I am the pastor. I could work hospitality, lead the music, teach a class, or any number of tasks. But my priority must be placed on doing what I have been tasked to do. That is, bring a message that will encourage, challenged, and minister to those under the sound of my voice. I could busy myself doing other task’s, but I’ve had to learn to lean on those around me to help accomplish the entire work of the kingdom.  Early in my tenure, I learned, I can’t do everything. Even more importantly, God never intended the work of the kingdom to be a one man/woman show. God has tasked us all to minister to the lost and invite them into a personal relationship with their Maker. When everyone is pulling their weight no one person becomes overly fatigued or experiences burn out. Ecclesiastes 4:9 states, “Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labor.” It would take one person an extremely long time to build a house by themselves. With two working to accomplish the same work, the job will be completed in half the time. Every time you add another person, the work time and load become even smaller until the weight/burden of the job is evenly distributed.  The more we work together, the more we get done!

Closing remarks and encouragement: If I succeed, you succeed…and vice versa. Friend, we’re all in this together. God doesn’t expect us to do the work of the kingdom all by ourselves. There will be moments when you’ll be forced to cooperate and bend to the will of someone else.  There will be times when you’ll be forced to lean on others to bear the brunt of the burden because you’re in a weak season. There are other seasons when you’ll be expected to carry more of the burden. Rather than get frustrated because someone isn’t doing their part, we can use that energy helping them get back up. When you fall, I pray someone treats you in the same manner. Together, we can accomplish so much more!!

Have a blessed week, my friends!

**Photo by Randy Fath on Unsplash

My daughter has always been a very conscientious child. She works hard to do the right thing. Her teacher’s have (verbally) classified her to us as the perfect student. She, “..never gives me a moment of trouble!”  I can honestly say, she’s in the fourth grade and has never gotten in trouble for any reason at school. Along those same lines, she is very meticulous in everything she does. She has the perfect spot for everything in her room and doesn’t like for things to be moved without her permission. She loves routine and dislikes change. While these things can come with its share of positives, sometimes she also takes things in the opposite direction. She’s a bit of a perfectionist and gets frustrated when things don’t go her way. She frequently worries, “What if I don’t do well on this test……What if the teacher gets mad at me for not doing that…..What if….what if…..what if?!? She worries not only about the big things but fixates on the small thing such as the food she eats. “Daddy, is this okay to eat? Has it expired? Could I be sick; because my stomach hurts a little?”  Bless her heart, sometimes she has a hard time relaxing. We have come to realize she deals with mild anxiety issues have started teaching her coping mechanisms to get through those worrisome moments.  Admittedly, some days are better than others.

I understand her struggle because I too have dealt with these issues. I look at her problems and think, I only wish my problems were that simple. I’m sure others look at me and think, I only wish my problems were that simple. But to those of us that lean towards those anxiety-driven tendencies, even if our problems are considered small by most standards, our issues seem HUGE to us. As I’ve matured, I realize that I do worry too much. I get concerned over things I shouldn’t. While depression tends to focus on issues of the past we can’t seem to work through, anxiety is just the opposite. Anxiety is a fear of what might happen in the future and it can leave someone paralyzed at every turn. Regardless of how we may struggle, the word of God reminds believers, “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.  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.” [Phili 4:6-7 NLT] Regardless the situation, we’re encouraged not to worry about ANYTHING! We’re instructed to take it all to God in prayer and then thank Him for what He’s done. When we thank Him for what He’s already done, we’re reminded of His goodness. We shift our focus from worry to worship which leads to gratefulness.  At that moment, the big stuff doesn’t seem so big anymore.  Problems will come and go but God and His word are unchanging. His peace will always be there to guard our hearts and mind, if we will only accept it.

Closing remarks and encouragement: Recently on the way to school, my daughter was having one of those worrisome mornings. I finally stopped her from listing the “what if’s” and stated, “Baby, if you focus on the bad stuff that might happen you’ll miss the good stuff altogether.”  I encourage you today, don’t miss the good stuff! As scripture reminds us, “ Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” [Col 3:2 ESV] When you focus on what God is doing or has already done, you won’t have time to focus on your own preconceived notions.  You remember how He moved in the past and begin having faith that He can/will do it again. Shift your focus and watch God do the miraculous!!!

Have a blessed week, my friends!!

**Photo by Sydney Sims on Unsplash

I have been in the public eye for most of my life.  Our family has always been involved in pastoral and music ministry for as long as I could remember.  For that reason, I have found myself “in the spotlight” more times than I can count.  When I was younger, there were adults who would approach me (with good intentions) and praise me for a song I had sang or some other type of ministry I had been involved in.  Before I fully understood how to handle compliments in the right way, I would hold on to those affirmations and place myself in a position to do something that would allow me to receive even greater compliments.  I had become a monkey performing tricks for the applause of those around me.  I remember assuming the applause was the most valuable thing I could receive and I did everything in my power to get that desired response from others.  My eye opening experience came when I encountered someone younger and more talented.  I became jealous that person was receiving all the attention and accolades.  I suddenly felt like a failure.  Over time and with maturity, I began to understand how to better handle those types of situations and to receive compliments with the intention they were given.  Now, I understand everything I ever was or will be comes from God.  Those talents and abilities can be taken just as quickly as they have been given to me.

We have become a people constantly looking for the applause and/or attention of others.  We post something on social media and get offended when others don’t “like” us.  We are bothered when someone doesn’t respond in the way we think they should or– in the way we desire them to.  We focus our attention on how something makes us “feel” versus what was accomplished for the kingdom.  We find ourselves screaming….Look at ME…..Praise ME….Love ME!  Me…ME….ME….ME!!!!  God intends the life of a believer to be lived differently.  Matthew 6:1 (NLT) states, “Watch out! Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven.”  Our goal isn’t to do anything for the applause of others rather as ministry and service to those around us.  Galatians 1:10 (ESV) states, “For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God?  Or am I trying to please man?  If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.”  What’s more important to you?  Receiving the praise of other’s or accomplishing great and mighty things for the kingdom of God?

Closing remarks and encouragement:  Sure, it feels nice to our flesh to receive a compliment from time to time.  A pat on the back can be encouraging.  But we must realize, without God, we are nothing!  We are His creation.  The praise was never intended for you.  As scripture remind us, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men..” (Col 3:23 ESV)  Let’s keep things in perspective.

Have a blessed week, my friends!

A few years ago I was out of town (Nashville, TN) with a group of ministers for our denominations biennial meeting.  On this one particular day, we were scoping the area for a restaurant’s that served home cooking.  After consulting the internet, we found something that looked promising.  We arrived to find a restaurant called Monell’s.  It was an actual house that was probably built in the early 1900’s and refurbished over time.  As we made our way inside we were seated at a very large table that could hold upwards of 15 or more people.  The big table seemed like overkill for a party of five but…..whatever.  I didn’t care, I was just hungry and wanted to eat.  As we were seated, we began reading a menu of what was being served and it included an explanation of how the meal would progress.  While reading about the food I noticed that others who had arrived after us were being escorted to our table to sit– which seemed odd to me.  They were complete strangers.  After reading the full printout, I realized this was how the restaurant functioned.  Everything was intended to be “shared family-style with your neighbors.”  The bottom of the menu stated, “Enter as strangers, Leave as friends!”  This seemed odd to me but I made the immediate decision to roll with it.  Once our table filled with 4-5 other sets of strangers of different races, cultures, and social classes, the waitresses began bringing out the heaping bowls of warm food.  Minutes later everyone was passing the food around while talking and laughing with people they hadn’t arrived with.

This was one of the most interesting experiences I’ve ever had in my life.  It marked my life in an unforgettable way.  Truthfully, the initial instinct of everyone was to focus on the differences each person brought to the table.  The longer we talked, we realized we had more in common than we realized.  For all of us, the basic need to eat had brought us together and gave us common ground on which to stand.  This experience reminded me of Christians worldwide from differing denominations.  Many choose to focus on the differences of each church and allow those differences to create dividing lines.  “I don’t attend here because they don’t offer (fill in the blank).”  “I don’t like this church because their theology doesn’t line up with what I’ve always been taught.”  1 John 4:19-21 (NLT) states, “We love each other because he loved us first.  If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a fellow believer, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see? And he has given us this command: Those who love God must also love their fellow believers.”  Instinctually, we choose to focus on the things that make us different when we should be focusing on the things we have in common.  Mainly, our relationship with the Father and the importance of fulfillment of the Great Commission.  Personally, I don’t care if your theology is different that mine.  It’s not my goal to change you or allow you to change me.  I believe in allowing the Holy Spirit to lead me down the right path’s of knowledge and understanding as I study the word of God.  We should never allow any denomination be the final say in showing us the ‘right’ way.  Study God’s word and let Him speak to you!

Closing remarks and encouragement: The enemy has attempted to divide the kingdom of God for hundreds of years—and, unfortunately, he’s been somewhat successful.  We divide ourselves based on theology, race, and any number of inconsequential and irrelevant stimuli.  It’s time for believers worldwide to join as one mighty army and complete the work we were placed on this earth to do!  We’re all eating at the same table.  It’s okay if you don’t feel comfortable with certain things on the menu.  Pass that bowl to the person beside you and keep eating and working together.  You may enter as strangers, but you can leave as friends.  Open your mind to what the Holy Spirit is teaching YOU and allow God to do the same with others.  Most importantly, don’t ever forget, we can accomplish more together than we can separately!

Have a blessed week, my friends!

One evening recently, our family was driving home in the rain.  We were a half mile from home before my wife and I heard a loud pop on the passenger side of our windshield.  Unexpectedly, one of the wipers had come loose and flown off.  I drove the rest of the way home (without wipers) while praying to get home safely.  The next morning, I left early to go get a replacement.  Unfortunately, it was still raining so I was forced to drive extremely slowly as my vision was obstructed by streaks of rain being blown in different directions on my windshield.  Using the one existing blade would have required use of the side with the missing blade.  The loud noise from the night before had signified to me my inability to use either wipers until the issue had been rectified.  It was inconvenient, the say the least.  To know I had the power to use the blades but couldn’t because of the existing problem left me frustrated.  It reminded me of what it would be like to be married without the ability to be intimate with my wife.  Sure, there are other parts of a married relationship that are rewarding.  But there’s something special about those intimate moments.  Those intimate moments bring both parties closer together.  God created intimacy for the mutual enjoyment of both parties.  To abstain from such a gift seems like a form of self-punishment.

As I was thinking over the issues from the above story I was reminded of our walk with Christ.  As believers, we are the bride of Christ.  While on this earth, it is our responsibility to choose to spend intimate moments with our groom to build, grow, and nurture that relationship.  Sadly, many people choose to whore (harsh but true statement) themselves out to the things of this world while turning their backs on the Savior.  There are benefits that come with our relationship with the Master.  One being the gift and work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.  Acts 1:8 records the last thing Jesus said to His disciples before His ascension.  He stated states, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”  The Holy Spirit is like the windshield wipers on our cars.  He brings clarity to our lives and our walk with Christ.  When situations arise that bring confusion, He is there to bring us peace as our comforter.  When we feel fearful, the Holy Spirit endows us with a boldness to complete the tasks at hand.  If the Holy Spirit is there to help, lead, and guide us, why wouldn’t we court his presence and allow Him to be an active part of our lives.

Closing remarks and encouragement:  Choosing not to allow the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives would be like abstaining from opening and using beautiful gift we’ve been given.  Are you allowing the Holy Spirit to work in your life?  We’re already two months into 2019.  There’s no time as good as the present to tap into a more intimate relationship with our Savior.  If we want a different outcome in the things that will happen in this year, we must do something different.  We can’t repeat 2018’s old habits or we’ll get the same results.  Stretch yourself this year!  Seek Him more!  He said, if you seek Him you will find Him!

Have a blessed week, my friends!!!

I endeavor to raise my children to be independent while knowing I’m there if they need me.  My daughter is ten and growing at a rapid pace these days.  She recently approached me about making her some toast to eat. I said, “I think you can make it for yourself this time.”  She looked at me somewhat surprised and a little apprehensive. This was the first time I’d pushed her to do something like this for herself. Until now, I’d always done it for her because I didn’t want her to get burned. I stated confidently, “You’re old enough!  You can do it!”  She replied apprehensively, “What do I do?”  I began giving her specific instructions on how to turn on the oven, how to know when it was preheated, what to be cautious about, and more. At one point before putting the bread into the oven I warned her, “When you open the oven there will be a lot of heat coming out. Just back away as you open. You’ll feel the heat but you won’t get burned….just don’t touch anything on the inside”. I walked over and watched as she followed my instructions. After doing so, she looked at me and smiled as if she’d conquered the world.

I could do everything for my children for the rest of their lives but that’s not a feasible expectation.  Sometimes, I allow them to make mistakes and go through certain issues to strengthen and teach them valuable lessons.  It’s not because I don’t care.  Just the opposite.  It’s because I know experience is the best teacher and, in the long run, it will make them stronger.  In Daniel 3 we come across the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.  These three Hebrew men were sold out to God and refused to bow down and worship a golden idol put in place by King Nebuchadnezzar.  God could have rescued them from being thrown in the furnace for their refusal to worship the idol but He had other plans.  The king becomes enraged at their refusal and has the furnace heated seven times hotter than normal.  The three were bound and thrown into the fire.  Coincidentally, a few of the soldiers die from the heat while completing their task.  Moments later, King Nebuchadnezzar exclaims that he sees four men inside (rather than the three they had thrown in) and one of them resembles the son of God.  Surprised, the king calls for them to come out of the furnace.  Daniel 3:26-27 states, “…So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego stepped out of the fire.  Then the high officers, officials, governors, and advisers crowded around them and saw that the fire had not touched them. Not a hair on their heads was singed, and their clothing was not scorched. They didn’t even smell of smoke!”  From that day forward the king promoted the men to even higher positions and proclaimed that no one would speak negatively about the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

Closing remarks and encouragement:  As believers, we get frustrated when we feel God should intervene on our behalf and He doesn’t.  When God allows us to go through certain trials, it’s not because He’s a mean and vengeful God.  Sometimes, it’s because He has a valuable lesson to teach us.  God won’t always prevent us from being thrown in the fire but He will always meet us there.  Just as I exclaimed to my daughter, it’s probable you’ll feel the heat but you won’t get burned.

Have a blessed week, my friends!

Like most Americans, I find the idea of England having a queen to be a bit odd.  Having a king or queen (that is more of a figurehead with little to no actual ruling power) seems more or a traditional ideal rather than a necessity in this era.  I have always found the etiquette that surrounds Queen Elizabeth to be a bit much, in my opinion.  For example, you are always expected to curtsy or bow (with your head only) when coming into her presence.  It is a well-known fact you are not to speak with the queen unless she initiates conversation with you.  If she feels a conversation has gone too long, she has been known to switch her purse from one arm to another signaling to her staff she is ready to move on and they should help her with such.  Visitors are always expected to be early to any gathering.  She should never be left to wait for your arrival.  You’re expected to wait for her arrival.  Etiquette states that you should abstain from touching her to assist or hug her unless she initiates such. If sharing a meal with the queen, she will always begin a conversation with the person to her left and then switch to the person on her right when moving to the next course.  When meeting with the queen as part of a group you will be ushered by her staff into a semi-circle to be greeted as this is what she prefers.  Unofficial photography is not permitted so, no selfies with the queen are allowed.  In a way, we have this same type of requirement here in the United States when meeting our President, though the expectations are not as strict or as rigorous. 

As I was learning the etiquette and requirements listed above, I was reminded that I don’t have to do those things when approaching my King.  Though I’ve never met Him physically face-to-face, I know He’s there.  I’ve sensed His presence.  He’s always there when I need Him.  He is the King of all Kings and the Lord of all Lords.  His schedule is always open to me and I’ve never been forced to make an appointment to bring my needs before Him.  As a matter of fact, Hebrews 4:16 (NLT) tells me, “So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.”  While I long to fall at His feet and worship Him, He doesn’t require that I follow a long set of rules before making my needs known to Him. I came come BOLDLY before Him at any time and I know He’s just as interested in spending time with me as I am with Him. 

Closing remarks and encouragement:  When was the last time you went before God?  I dare say you didn’t have to wait in a long line to meet with Him either.  He’s always available.  But are you only coming before Him when you need something or are you doing so to simply spend time with Him.  I encourage you to spend quality time with Him today!  It will change your life and your view of the things happening around you.

Have a blessed week, my friends!        

Recently, my children and I were unloading groceries from my car. I grabbed anything heavy that they wouldn’t be able to carry and left the rest to them (they are beginning to have more chores and responsibilities).  At one point, my daughter walked in carrying a massive load and exclaimed dramatically, “Daddy, what do I need to do with all this stuff?!?  It’s too heavy for me!!!  I can’t even clap my hands they’re so full!” The last part of her statement didn’t fit and I asked, “What did you say?”  She responded more forcefully,“Dad, it’s heavy!  What do I do?”  I responded with a laugh, “Throw it down at my feet, silly!  Why are you carrying all that stuff in the first place?”  She dropped the items on the floor and responded with a shrug, “I don’t know.”  Then I followed up on her prior statement,“Why did you say you couldn’t clap your hands?”  Again, she responded, “I don’t know,” as she giggled and ran off to grab more groceries.  I was struck with a thought in that moment, how many times have I come into a worship service and felt overwhelmed with all that’s going on around me and not been able to focus on Him?  How many times have I come before God with my hands so full of stuff (worries,anxiety, frustrations, burdens, questions I needed answered etc.) that it became impossible for me to concentrate on just being in the presence of God?  The answer is, more times than I care to admit. 

I can’t find a single scripture in the Bible that tells me God wants me to handle everything on my own. I haven’t found a single scripture that implies God desires me to worry myself to death over things I have no control over.  Actually, the Bible says just the opposite…..on both accounts.  As He promised His disciples,when Jesus left this earth, the Father sent the Holy Spirit to bring us an invaluable gift.  John 14:27 states, “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” This gift we’ve been given doesn’t keep us from enduring the troubles of life, but it does give us an unexplainable peace amid the chaos.  Some of the storms we deal with are due to our bad decisions.  Sometimes, the issues we endure are a testing of our faith.  Our problems are not the real issue.  The real issue is the fact we choose to control each situation rather than allowing God to take care of it.  Are you carrying around a lot of heavy stuff today?  It’s simple, throw it down at His feet and worship! 

Closing remarks and encouragement:  God never expected us to live this life without His help.  We’ve been given so many tools to help us maneuver the hurdles of life but we have to employ them.  Need peace? Accept it.  It’s that simple.  Need the answer to a problem?  Shut up long enough for God to speak and give you guidance (I’m preaching to myself here).  Do you need God to intervene?  Get out of the way and allow Him to.  Rather than spending so much time trying to fix every detail, we would get more accomplished if we would just lift our hands to worship.  The answer will come.  He’s always on time.  Just worship while you wait.   

Perfection.  It seems to be running theme God is dealing with me about right now.  Perfection is the one thing most people strive for but never attains.  I have spent most of my life trying to do everything perfectly.  At home, I attempted to please my parents.  At school, I attempted to please my teachers. At church, it was my pastor.  At work, it was my boss.  Guess what?  I have failed miserably throughout my entire life.  Even when I did certain things right, I never felt like it was good enough. I always compared myself to how good this person did in school, how good that person was at sports, how much better someone else was at (fill in the blank with any number of random achievable acts). My life has been plagued by this unhealthy cycle of over-analyzing and worrying about doing everything right that I lost my focus for what I really should be striving for.  As I sit dead-center in the “mid-age” range of my life I’m beginning to realize, life is only defined by our past mistakes if we allow it. Our lives are actually defined with how we react AFTER the mistake. It’s a given.  We’re all going to screw up from time to time no matter how we try to live our lives.    

Consider this. If we all were perfect, why would we need a personal relationship with God?  As humans, we are born with a sinful nature.  I have never been forced to teach my children to disobey me.  They do so without any input from me.  Sadly, their proclivity for disobedience came a bit too naturally.  The apostle Paul poses a question to the Galatian people that I think we should all answer for ourselves.  In Galatians 1:10, he states, “ Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.” Does God expect perfection from us? Absolutely not.  There has only been one man who walked the face of this earth who was sinless and blameless.  While here, Jesus did everything right and he still couldn’t please everyone.  While I think it is important to do everything with excellence for the glory of God, there comes a time when we must decide what our priorities will be. We will never be perfect. But that doesn’t prevent us from giving God our very best without allowing it to stress us to the point where our giving is done apprehensively and under duress.  After all, isn’t that what He did for us?  Gave us His very best (Jesus)?  

Closing remarks and encouragement:  We constantly carry this burden around to please everyone we meet.  We’re like a dog chasing its tail and never catching it. Hear me loud and clear—WE WILL NEVER ACHIEVE PERFECTION.  But we should choose to serve God to the best of our abilities and let the chips fall as they will.  The things of this world bring no long-termor eternal value.  But eternity with God is forever.  Which is more important?  Just do your best and allow God to handle the rest.

Have a blessed week, my friends!!!