Have you ever stopped and just look back on your life and wonder where exactly you would be had it not been for God? This is a thought that crosses my mind on a regular basis. I say, God why me? I am no good and don’t deserve what you are giving me. He is always right there telling me that he doesn’t make mistakes and that I was chosen out of millions of people to do what I do. In my own eyes I may be a failure but it is not about me, it is however about God. How about you, what do you think?
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Where would our lives be right now? I can only speak for myself, but I am pretty sure I would be dead without a doubt. What a day it was in 1978 when God said Steve I want to rescue you and save you. Though through the years I have let him down miserably, he has always right there to pick me up and set my feet back on the right path. What is your story? How do you fit into the cycle of what God is doing? Can you look back on your life and remember that day that you said yes Lord? Stop and look at the situation you were in or what was it that caught ahold of you and said now is the time. I would venture to say that not one of us will ever forget that day. Some of us may have fallen away and once again are searching for whatever it is that is going to make us happy, but I can tell you this, God is the only way and no matter how hard you search you will never find the happiness that comes from serving Jesus.

Don’t get me wrong when I say that it is easy but God did not make it hard, he made it easy and we are the ones who make it hard. We start out on fire for God and all of a sudden there is a small rain and our fire seems to get extinguished just a little. If we let that little rain quench us and we get discouraged we are on a downward spiral, there is a way back up but it requires complete surrender. I know what I am talking about because I am the king of discouragement. I have let what others have to say to me, about me or whatever (the rain) and as it quenched my fire there was a withdrawing of my destination and I was totally off the path. After a period of time depending upon what is happening I would see that I am failing and then begins the hard climb back up. Did I say hard climb? It is an easy climb when you allow God to show you the path. We don’t have to do it alone and that is something that I am beginning to learn.

There are those of us who seem to have to struggle to get where God is sending us, but God is right there patiently waiting for us to say I can’t do this Lord can you lend a hand, and he is right there with a mighty hand up. Time and time again we will fall into the pit of taking our eyes off of God and thinking we can do it by ourselves only to begin to drown. We fall into good company of taking our eyes off of Jesus. Remember Peter, he was walking on the water and suddenly he took his eyes off of Jesus and down he began to go. You can read the story for yourself, it can be found in Matthew 14:22-33. I figure that if it happened to Peter, then I know it can happen to each and every one of us. The same Jesus that rescued Peter from drowning is the exact same Jesus that is right there to keep us from drowning as well.

 I feel God saying to each of us, “Keep your eyes upon what I have done for you and shut out the world around you. The world is going to destroy many men who have chosen not to follow me and the price is very high. Trust me and let me show you things that will bless you far beyond your wildest dreams. Trust me and you will see my mighty hand move in your life and in the lives of those that you are reaching out to. Don’t be discouraged, I hear your prayers and your answer is on the way. Look to me and I will show you my power and my rescuing grace. Do not be afraid and watch for me because soon and very soon I will be returning to rescue you forever.”

Enough said. The grace of God is more than sufficient for us (2 Corinthians 12:9). Trust in God and your prayers are answered.

A recent conversation with a young man showed me something that really needs to be addressed. I asked the young man if he was a Christian to which he replied, “I listen to Christian music”. I hated to burst his bubble, but I told him, just because you listen to Christian music does not make you a Christian no more than walking into a garage makes you a mechanic. He said that he was told that all you have to do is to do the right thing and you would be okay with God. Once again I told him that does not make you a Christian. What makes you a Christian is you surrendering to Jesus Christ and turning your life over to him. You have a relationship with Jesus and follow what he shows you. You accept him as your Lord and Savior and turn away from the things of the world. It was at that point I asked him if he wanted to receive Jesus into his heart and he said yes, praise the Lord.

How about you, are you a Christian or do you think that by your good works and listening to Christian music makes you a Christian? It is not too late right now to accept Jesus into your life and start a relationship with him. The only need required is that you surrender and repent. Say, Jesus I accept you into my life. Come and change me, I surrender to you and ask you to be my Lord and Savior. Not too difficult but the biggest change in your life that you will ever have. Know that you know that when you die you will be with him in heaven. Know that your name is written down in the Lambs Book of Life. Get into a bible believing church. Get a bible and begin to read it. If you don’t know where to start, try starting with the Gospel of John and then go from there. Read the bible and listen to what it is saying to you then just follow it.

God wants all of us to be saved and though there will be many who will reject him he still loves them. It says in John 14:6, “I am the way and the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except through me”. In other words, you will never see heaven or the Father unless you have a relationship with Jesus and receive him as your Lord and Savior.
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Think about these words and act on them. God wants you to accept him because he loves you. Receive him and watch your life begin to change.

I think many times about integrity. I know that we should not pride ourselves with anything but I can't help but to pride myself with integrity. If I tell someone that I am going to do something, then I do it. If I say that I will be there, I will. But, recently I have questioned the integrity of others.

​Not long ago I had someone tell me that they were going to support our ministry each month and now several months later there is nothing. Not to judge the person but that is the type of thing that tests your integrity. We do have to understand that sometimes you get caught up in the moment and speak without thinking. I know that I do that on a regular basis. In fact when I was young, my Dad always use to say to me, Don't put your ninety mile an hour mouth in gear before you do your two mile an hour brain, so I know that feeling. But for me, when push comes to shove, it seems like I am telling a lie and not being true my beliefs.

​Integrity is a virtue that many people need to adapt into their lives and I'll bet you that we would see a nicer and maybe even a safer life. It may be old fashion but integrity is so important that it lets others know what kind of a person you really are. If you can't follow through with what you have said then why would you wonder why people don't trust you or depend upon you? When it comes down to it when I die I hope my wife and family hear, he was a man of integrity.

​As for the person who did not follow through with what they had said, it is alright and your are forgiven. God knows our heart and leave it far beyond me that I would hold anything against anybody. If you are a Christian you will know what I am saying, and if you are not then you can see that it is not alright to hold a grudge against anyone for any reason. You forgive and then you go on with what God has in your plan.

​Thank you for letting me clear some of the clutter in my mind and to let me assure myself that forgiveness is the only way. If you can't forgive, then remember that God can't forgive you. God bless you.