Thoughts ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZONPRTOFF dateof comment Look Inside Data Conditions:Order: Dateof Comment 09/24/2026 Listen to how God directs our steps. Sometimes he has to do things to get our attention when we are not listening: I was driving down the road and my car started to sputter until it finally died. I barely managed to coast into a gas station. At least now I would not be blocking traffic and would have somewhat of a warm spot to wait for the tow truck. Before I could make the call. I saw a woman walking out of a Quickie Mart. It looks like she slipped on some ice and fell into a gas pump. So I got out of my car to see if she was okay. When I got there, it looked more like she had been overcome by sobs, than that she had fallen. She was a young woman who looked really haggard. She had dark circles around her eyes. She dropped something, and as I helped her pick it up and give it back to her, I saw that it was a nickel. At that moment, everything came into focus for me. The crying woman, the old Chevy suburban crammed full of stuff. Three kids were in the back seat. One was in a car seat. I looked over at the gas pump screen $4.95. After finding she was okay, I asked if she needed help. She kept saying, "I don't want my kids to see me crying." So we stood on the other side of the pump from her car. She said she was driving to California, and I knew things were really hard for her right now. So I asked, "Were you just praying now?" That made her back away from me a little. But I assured her that I was not some crazy person and I said, "God heard you, and he sent me to you." I took out my card and swiped it through the card reader of the gas pump so she could fill up her Suburban completely. While it was filling, I walked next door to McDonald's. I bought two big bags of food, some gift certificates for more food, and a big cup of coffee. She gave the food to the kids in the car who attacked it like wolves. We stood by the pump eating fries and talking a little. She told me her name and that she lived in Kansas City, her husband left her 2 months ago. And she had not been able to make ends meet. She knew she wouldn't have money to pay rent on January 1st. Finally in desperation, I called her parents with whom she had not spoken to in five years. They lived in California and said she could come and live with them and try to get her life back together. So she packed up everything she owned in that vehicle. She told the kids that they were going to California for Christmas. But not that they were going to live there. I gave her my gloves, a little hug, and said a quick prayer with her for her safety on the road. As I was walking over to my car, she asked, "So are you an angel or something?" That question definitely made me cry. I replied, "Sweetie, at this time of the year, angels are really busy, so sometimes God uses regular people." It was so incredible to be part of someone else's miracle. And of course you guessed it when I got into my car, it started right away. And got me home with no problem. I'll put it in the shop tomorrow to check. But I suspect the mechanic won't find anything wrong. 08/24/2026 Ladies, do you have a man that you wish would grow up. I have had some hints like that. Do not fret, this is a common problem. Hebrews talks about disciplining our life. Hebrews 12:5-10 NLT 5 And have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as his children? He said, "My child, don't make light of the Lord's discipline, and don't give up when he corrects you. 6 For the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child." 7 As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father? 8 If God doesn't discipline you as he does all of his children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really his children at all. 9 Since we respected our earthly fathers who disciplined us, shouldn't we submit even more to the discipline of the Father of our spirits, and live forever? 10 For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how. But God's discipline is always good for us, so that we might share in his holiness. I have seen parents who have disciplined children and it is a beautiful thing to see. We should be like that towards our Lord. Jesus is preparing us for the day God reveals his glory. He wants a disciplined body that can disciple the new converts. We are the first thing they will see and we need to set the example how a true Christian lives. I do know that some of you men may be more disciplined then your wives but they usually seem to mature more quickly than we do. Both men and women all need some form a discipline when it comes to our Lord. We are what the world sees when it comes to God. Do not let our lack of discipline dishonor the name of Jesus! 06/13/2026 Lately, it seems like nothing is going right and appears that everything is against me. I have become discouraged because of this. I am not the first person to experience this. David could relate to this and I would not be surprised if many of you have had a taste of this in your own life: Psalm 42:5-11 NLT 5 Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again— my Savior and 6 my God! I felt like I should not give up either then tomorrow came and it gets worse Now I am deeply discouraged, but I will remember you— even from distant Mount Hermon, the source of the Jordan, from the land of Mount Mizar. 7 I hear the tumult of the raging seas as your waves and surging tides sweep over me. 8 But each day the Lord pours his unfailing love upon me, and through each night I sing his songs, praying to God who gives me life Just like David we need to take focus off our problems and concentrate on the things of God while being tested. We need to get our minds off of our problems which will just weigh us down. This is easier said then done as David tried. 9“O God my rock,” I cry, “Why have you forgotten me? Why must I wander around in grief, oppressed by my enemies?” 10 Their taunts break my bones. They scoff, “Where is this God of yours?” People may not speak to me but it always appears that I am the only one experiencing these problems. I still am down. 11 Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again— my Savior and my God! When we finally let go, God can now go to work on our situation. I figure I should concentrate on the things of God right now so I thought it would be good idea to write this thought down. 08/08/2024 Lately my buddy has been getting requests from gang members in the area of forgiving other people. These guys have deep hurts relating to what their dads were like when they left home. We all know that Jesus wants to forgive our sins if we are willing to confess them. Why would Jesus want to do that? He understands James 2:8 NLT Yes indeed, it is good when you obey the royal law as found in the Scriptures: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” The key word is "LOVE". In fact, he loved us so much he shed his blood for us. If we loved like that, we would also lay our lives down for another person and would want to forgive others who harmed us. Jesus lived his life this way: John 13:34 NLT So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Romans 12:9 NLT Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Romans 12:10 NLT Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. Some may say that it is humanly impossible to love like that but Colossians 1:8 NLT He has told us about the love for others that the Holy Spirit has given you. The Holy Spirit wants to show us how to love people like Christ did. The second step is to not be a hypocrite. The parable of the debtor will remind you that Jesus has forgiven the massive number of sins we have in our own life: Matthew 18:23-35 NLT 23 “Therefore, the Kingdom of Heaven can be compared to a king who decided to bring his accounts up to date with servants who had borrowed money from him. 24 In the process, one of his debtors was brought in who owed him millions of dollars. 25 He couldn’t pay, so his master ordered that he be sold—along with his wife, his children, and everything he owned—to pay the debt. 26 “But the man fell down before his master and begged him, ‘Please, be patient with me, and I will pay it all.’ 27 Then his master was filled with pity for him, and he released him and forgave his debt. 28 “But when the man left the king, he went to a fellow servant who owed him a few thousand dollars. He grabbed him by the throat and demanded instant payment. 29 “His fellow servant fell down before him and begged for a little more time. ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it,’ he pleaded. 30 But his creditor wouldn’t wait. He had the man arrested and put in prison until the debt could be paid in full. 31 “When some of the other servants saw this, they were very upset. They went to the king and told him everything that had happened. 32 Then the king called in the man he had forgiven and said, ‘You evil servant! I forgave you that tremendous debt because you pleaded with me. 33 Shouldn’t you have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?’ 34 Then the angry king sent the man to prison to be tortured until he had paid his entire debt. 35 “That’s what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters from your heart.” This analogy says: Colossians 3:13 NLT Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. How many of us behave like this? I look at people differently when Jesus and I am the persons in this story. Look at all the other problems we cause by unforgiveness: Matthew 6:15 NLT But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins. John 20:23 NLT If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven. If you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.” Man, it can even mess with your prayer life: Mark 11:25 But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too.” I firmly believe that how we forgive people can also bring people into the fold: James 5:20 you can be sure that whoever brings the sinner back from wandering will save that person from death and bring about the forgiveness of many sins. This verse describes God and Jesus very well. Nehemiah 9:17 NLT They refused to obey and did not remember the miracles you had done for them. Instead, they became stubborn and appointed a leader to take them back to their slavery in Egypt. But you are a God of forgiveness, gracious and merciful, slow to become angry, and rich in unfailing love. You did not abandon them, Some may never ask for forgiveness. If you want peace again in your life you still need to let it go. Other than the thief on the cross no one asked Jesus for forgiveness. Because he loved us so much, he asked, "Father forgive them because they do not know what they are doing." So it may be time now for you to forgive and let it go. Time to live in freedom with Christ. If you really want to be able to forgive people, strive for this: 2 Corinthians 5:14 NLT Either way, Christ’s love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life. 03/11/2024 Look what happens when we continue to honor and love our King. Deuteronomy 7:9 (New International Version) Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments. God has never forgotten the covenant the pilgrims made back with him way back in the 1600's. That covenant is influencing what is happening in America today. I am just thankful there are many people in America who still serve God even though we're in a minority. God did not spare Sodom for Abraham. Without their covenant it would possibly be all over for us. God's word never expires. If I would come back a 1000 years from now, God would still honor what he spoke Isaiah confirms that: Isaiah 55:11 KJV So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it. Just watch what God is about to do in America. I was created just at the right time to be part of all of this. 01/05/2024 Look how Isaiah relates to Titus in my last comment. More proof God's word is never changing. Isaiah 1:16-17 (New Living Translation) Wash yourselves and be clean! Get your sins out of my sight. Give up your evil ways. Learn to do good. Seek justice. Help the oppressed. Defend the cause of orphans. Fight for the rights of widows. Isaiah was from centuries past, but the only difference from each was in the words each man used. The biggest priorities are getting that sin out of our lives and learning to do good. Titus 2:12-14 NLT 12 And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God, 13 while we look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed. 14 He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds. 04/27/2022 Luke 19:10 (New Living Translation) For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.” Solomon the wisest man to ever walked the earth had his moments where wisdom escaped him. He even received his wisdom from God. 2 Chronicles 1:10 Give me the wisdom and knowledge to lead them properly, for who could possibly govern this great people of yours?” There is a saying that stupid people do not realize they are stupid but the wise know there is always more to learn. That even comes to God's word. Some things are hidden to be Revealed at a later time. Ecclesiastes 7:23 23 I have always tried my best to let wisdom guide my thoughts and actions. I said to myself, "I am determined to be wise." But it didn't work. 24 Wisdom is always distant and difficult to find. 25 I searched everywhere, determined to find wisdom and to understand the reason for things. I was determined to prove to myself that wickedness is stupid and that foolishness is madness. David knew his Lord could help with bringing wisdom closer. Psalm 19:7 7 The instructions of the Lord are perfect, reviving the soul. The decrees of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. This verse says keep your eyes on the Lord. Solomon was right about wickedness making you stupid. It used to be you could look at a new born baby and could tell the sex. Now they can't tell any more. They need to consult a biologist. Look at what is madness; placing a mask on our kids who are impervious to the virus which easily passes through the mask. This is true madness and stupidity we are facing today. This the result of taking our eyes off the things of the true God.