Do we love ourselves too much?

Many really do. 

 

Funny. Just noticed this. A top seller right now: The Selfie Stick. And listen.. having one of these doesn't mean you love yourself too much, but.. just sayin'. 

 

You already do ♥ U and I do too (let's admit it.. but who wants to ..too much? Not me. Not you.. right?). U ♥ U. Yup. 

 

Q: When shown a group photo, whose pic in there do you look for first? Sure yours.. so quit tellin' people you hate yourself. 

 

When a teenager says they hate themselves cuz of their zits and how they look, it's not true.. cuz if they really did hate themselves ..wouldn't they be glad they had zits and looked bad? Sure they would. 

 

The Bible is not teaching you to first love yourself and then love your neighbor. Rather, it is teaching that you already love yourself, so now love your neighbor.

 

"The second, like it, is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these." — Mark (12:30-31)

Got some self esteem issues today? Really? How come? 

When the Bible states, "Love your neighbor as yourself," it is clearly not saying, "You need more self esteem. First learn to love yourself more, and then love your neighbor cuz you'll then be able to." Nope, but it is saying, "Hey, it is obvious you already love yourself. Therefore love your neighbor in the same way." 

Today ..at least here in the West.. it is this love of self, this rad obsession with self (I've even seen a magazine called by this S name), and my stuff, my experience, feelings, education.. and my resume, and gettin' "it" my way, and my looks.. (yes ego n self..) that gets us into trouble. It's true. 

You and I don't really need more self-focus, a better self-image, or more love of self. You know what I mean. Who among us needs greater self-esteem? Not me. You and I for sure don't need more self-love. But here is what we do need: Christ (the Savior we see in the Bible), who lived selfless. We need more focus on the Word. 

Jesus (God) said "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me" (Luke 9:23). 

Christ did not say, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him esteem himself and cultivate their self-image" or "let him love himself so he can start loving others." Rather, He said, "Let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me." This iactually means: to repudiate, to disdain, to disown, to forfeit, to totally disregard. Yikes. Challenging! 

What we often hear in our Land today is how radically significant self is. We hear about the importance of self-image, more self-love, self-worth, and higher self-esteem.. "Dude, have pride in yourself."  Why? Pride in self has meant gobs of trouble for us humans for centuries. 

And we even hear it preached in our churches, Sadly, yes proclaimed from our pulpits in Jesus' Name: "Doesn't the Scripture say, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself'? First you have to love yourself, and then you love your neighbor." Wrong!!! 

The Bible is not teaching you to first love yourself and then love your neighbor. Rather, it is teaching that you already love yourself, so now love your neighbor. In fact, the Bible says, "For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it... " (Ephesians 5:29). We already have self-love. Now we need to love others in the same way.

 

You will hear people say, "I am trying to find myself." But Jesus says that if you want to find yourself, then lose yourself. If you want to find your life, deny yourself.

What is the big prob in your life? It ain't our spouse. It ain't your mean boss. It ain't your co-workers or fellow students. It ain't your environment or upbringing or lack of education. It ain't really your low self-esteem or poor self-image. It be that proactive, overt love of ourselves. The ultimate choice in life for you and me is.. between living to primarily please ourselves or primarily living to please God by obeying Jesus.  facebook.com/shareJesus

I want to ask you some questions that I was asked. May I? Who started the work of grace in us? Did God choose us, or did we believers choose God?

"Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will…" ~ Paul

Bottom line: There was zero merit or goodness that caused God to choose you or me. You know we've blown it in sin going against God's holy standards and commandments - yes, all of us are real sinners. We have both crossed God's line and fallen short of His glory.(Rom.3:23) It is clear that in spite of our best intentions and the high opinion we may hold of ourselves, God's choosing had nothing to do with our merit.

Greg Laurie, my friend and pastor in California, says God chose us for the same reason He chose Israel. To them He said, "The Lord did not set His heart on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other nations, for you were the smallest of all nations! Rather, it was simply that the Lord loves you" (Deuteronomy 7:7-8 NLT).

I personally wasn't out lookin' for him when I lived in Dana Point at the time. A friend named Randy Zieglar - my football coach and a four A surfer that I'd go hit the waves with.. told me all about knowing Jesus.

Glad!!!  I had no desire to seek Him. I was a surfer and mocker that got changed and now I am a mockee, but happy. Way blessed. Yup. 

The Lord loves you.

Romans 5:6–8 tells us, "For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (NKJV).

Paul was preaching to some Gentiles (non-Jews) and a number of them believed: "Now when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord. And as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed" (Acts 13:48 NKJV).

Allow me to pray for you before I close here...

Thank you Father for choosing us and hearing us. You are SO worthy of all glory and honor and praise. I worship You and I pray because I love You. We all do here. We want to be close to You, and want all our friends to be saved and helped. Yes God, we desire You and to be used by You to reach the lost around us. God, please use us today.. to sharpen our brothers and sisters in Christ, and to give the Lost a viable answer for the hope that we have in Your son Jesus. Please fill/refill us with the Holy Spirit for this Task. Guide our thoughts to the right ideas; to the right words to share with those in need. Give us a hunger to know You better and to serve you faithfully in every part of our lives. Please bless each of my friends where they need this most. Father, I ask all this in Jesus' Name as He has in the Bible clearly instructed us. We love You Father. Amen.

The Bible is filled with the call of God to man to respond to the Good News!

1. John 11:26 – "Whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die."
2. Paul in Romans 10:13 said, "Whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved."
3. Revelation 22:17 – "And the Spirit and the bride say, 'Come!' And let him who hears say, 'Come!' And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely."

God started it - as the Initiator. I responded.. just like you can do if you still need assurance inside. I love Him because He first loved and chose me. 

A free songwriting tip for ya.. if you need one.

If you write for those hurting, you'll never be without an audience cuz this world so quickly gone sideways is full of em.

Brutal to the point honesty. What you've struggled with in the dark before and then gained victory over, bring it on out into the light so to speak. Not hidden in shame. Tell it so someone else who is suffering can be helped. Painstakingly write it down. Yeah, the careful consideration of each element of how you tried, died, turned, and humbly got through it all with significant Help. Too many still stuck ..fear telling on themselves, or how they found a way out.

God's Word ain’t just there to be reasoned over, periodically pondered, or talked about. He is alive, strong and near - He is to be well known and daily experienced ..personally.

The Word of God is living, active sharp and working.. He's a person that deeply loves you and has a plan for your life.

He can keep you, provide for you, and use you today. Well you pause today.. and take some time to pray?

You can gain a good spiritual hunger even when you currently have zero in the tank.

"He who has the most need of righteousness is he who desires it the least." ~ Puritans 

How do does a believer develop this wonderful spiritual hunger, when he or she currently doesn't have any hunger for God's Word? Simple. 

It's the principle of prayerful force-feeding ..by your own decision ..until real hunger arrives to your joy and betterment.

Ever been so busy and not at all hungry for physical food (my brothers and I would get like this when a north swell was in and the waves at the beach were good..) but then you tasted some of your grandmother's uber delectable home-cooking.. and you suddenly got real hungry for more of it? Hey, it can happen. All guys know this.  

So be motivated If you don't have any spiritual hunger now to apply, cuz you could easily get on auto-pilot so to speak.. you can get locked into neutral impact.. for many fruitless years and then regret such waste. Yup, as your friends (minus your good influence on em, or any healthy words or warning) simply head in the wrong direction to their LONG-term hurt. 

But wanna know the end result of havin' such a great hunger down on inside? God says it plain, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied." 

If you are not authentically revived, on-fire for Christ instead of lukewarm spiritually.. if you aren not spiritual and balanced instead of carnally or worldly minded.. if you are not really hungry for knowing the Lord.. and hungry for the things of God.. then how do think that you will even start to help anyone else get hungry for what they need most? 

For 18 years of my life as a church-goer in Southern California.. I allowed many blind men who were dead inside to lead me ..a blind and very dead-inside kinda person. I had no hunger inside and never got any from them, because they were not hungry for the Word of God or being born again in Him. Hey, If you wanna start getting spiritually hungry in a good sorta way, then try hangin' around with spiritually hungry, spiritually alive Bible lovers. 

Ain't here to cast the final judgement or be "a hater" of people. Nope. I do want to judge myself, but I'm not the ultimate Judge - never was Him. But listen, God does want each and evey single one of us to judge their message and fruit. 

Who? Those you like you hear or follow. Is the one you follow following Christ according to the Scriptures? Nobody can be a good leader who isn't a good follower of the Bible Jesus.  

Yup, I'm a fruit-inspector and a seed sower instead of the Judge. I like to sow seeds of truth from the Bible. God wants all of us Believers to be hungry for truth and sharing what God says is really so. 

Jesus is our best Friend and as iron sharpen iron so one man sharpens another.  

So who have you been feeding from.. I mean listening to lately? Who has been influencing you, and in what direction? Towards the Lord and His Church or away from His Word and Kingdom? 

Here's a good test for em...

What is their doctrine like?..  do they actually hold to Christ and the Essentials of our historic Christian faith?  

What are their deeds like?.. 

..and what do their so called disciples turn out to be like? What do they crave.. you know what are they hungry for? What are they talkin' about the most, or actin' like?.. immoral, or puffed up with "know it all" pride. Are they greedy, lustful, or rebellious regarding the civic authorities or towards Bible authority?

How are their attitudes? Now you know that real Christians can act like a hypocrites, or even have a bad attitude at times. I hate those kinds of sins and have been guilty before, but what is their character really like?

The Bible says, "Do not be deceived: bad company corrupts good morals. Become sober-minded as you ought, and stop sinning; for some have no knowledge of God." 1 Cor. 15:33  facebook.com/shareJesus

God, we want to see and experience You today...

..yeah, like we do everyday.. in the small and quiet moments.. or not so much.. and in the small or not so small details of this life. Yes, perhaps in ways that we hadn’t even noticed before. How cool would that be, Lord! Let Your will be done. Let Your Spirit take control. Thank You for Jesus and for the gift of Your quiet presence - so powerful and good. Be glorified in and through us. Feelin' so grateful for how You work to bless us.. for how You hear our prayers, how You respond, and for wherever we may find You workin' with those around us today. Wanna care like You always do. Give us Your winsome tact, and wise words of truth.. Your tender kindness of attitude, Your non-milk-toast or wimpy kinda strength, and BIG hearts for those we meet today.. in Jesus Name. Amen.

"It won't be long."

The late Andrae Crouch used to sing that. Loved hearing him. Was listening to him this morning. 

Now, it won't be long.. in just a few days we'll be once again hearin' that the State of the Union address from Washington. I kinda think that less people than before ..at least where I live.. will be listening or lovin' to hearin' it. Do you personally believe it will be accurate?  

Are you ready for it.. or what will you be doin' during that time? We will undoubtedly hear that the State of this Union is strong (and pretty much every President has told us that), but listen. It really ain't strong. 

Not to be partisan, but it would appear that.. yes appear like our U.S. President really wants Iran to get the bomb .. perhaps due to a hatred of the Jews. What would say not - his weak motions n optics? Shouldn't he kinda learn from past leaders ..and how it went for their nations when a leader didn't side to protect the Jews, but joined the other side? Man, I see more anti-Semitism now than I have seen in my whole life time. Stop it. This is so beyond disgusting. Halt on that. Turn, repent. 

“For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.” Romans 1:16 nkjv

The Jews are a real priority when it comes to the one Gospel of salvation, though they are not any more loved by God than you are. But never forget that among all peoples on this globe, they were the people that God chose. 

But about the SOTU address here, I'm not saying that our country isn't kinda strong in every area there is, nor am I sayin' that it isn't in the very different perspective or eyes of our current leader. But in reality many citizens here already know that it ain't strong ..any more. 

What I want to say is this. We believers do have a li'l time left to warn people and share the Word, so that people can get in Him and become strong spiritually. That's way important! 

Think about how things were here in the past when our nation's strength and very existence came into jeopardy. Do you remember how the great Winston Churchill in England warned so many deaf ears over and over again that Hitler was flat out evil, and he warned of an evil "gathering storm" ahead. It's been kinda like that here in a way.  

That's why Churchill always called WWII such an unnecessary war. People who would hear his warnings simply weren't alert or taking heed to the facts he spoke of. Today, think about the brutal facts in Paris. Now Jews are leaving France in record numbers [over 1000 in a ten-day time span] to return to Israel, and Benjamin Netanyahu is open arms glad to welcome them. Did you watch all those subsequent EU arrests following the Paris massacre?.. so many religious-murderers linked internationally and working together? 

Some might not hear cuz they don't want to, but we can pray effectively and warn people regarding the real facts, and we should ..with love and the Word of God. 

Yo America, will we keep turning a blind eye to our own sins and what has been going on here, or to rad-Islam that is already here in our Land? 

Not to uber-scare anyone, but Muslim fanatics are already among us. Listen, the USA isn't just in decline on multiple levels at this point, our country is fast on the road to an implosion-collapse. Check out the ginormous debt. Could God still spare our nation. I think He could apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah for the inequity and still pull off a miracle. I sure want Him to, but apart from that happening.. even a third great awakening with true repentance and faith mixed in.. can only buy our nation some more time. When you read about the last of the last days in the Bible do you even see America in Bible Prophecy? Nope. Think about it. Why do I say all this? 

Well, I used to lived right near Dachau and won't be like many who deny what happened on that site, and at so many other KZs (Konzentrationslager) near that one in Bavaria. 

We've actually killed 57 million people right here in the USA (yes, weak defenseless li'l babies - gone). Such sin! And it doesn't become any less serious as the years roll past us. I am an American and we Americans need to repent. Our very dim Judges and political leaders ..on both sides of the fence also need to. And in a few years it'll be 60k killed if we don't turn from our dumb ideas and love of pleasure (that's ten times more people than those leading National Socialism in death camps systematically murdered). Think about it. Even Roe (of Roe v. Wade) repented of her own abortion-mind-set, but will the next generation turn from doing that horrific sin? You remember how Germany was judged so severely; but how do you think we as a nation will escape God's judgement? The blood of 57 million babies cries out for justice and real justice is what they will one day soon.. receive.  

Hey believer, you know I want to encourage you to keep livin' it and tellin' it - the whole nine yards of the Gospel Message. Perhaps you and me still have some time left. 

"It won't be long 

'Till we'll be leavin' here 

It won't be long We'll be goin' home 

Count the years as months 

Count the months as weeks 

Count the weeks as days 

Any day now 

We'll be goin' home" ~ Andrae Crouch

While we have a few moments of time if ya will, think about what God is telling us: "When I say to the wicked, 'O wicked man, you shall surely die!' and you do not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand. Nevertheless if you warn the wicked to turn from his way, and he does not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul..." (See Eze. 33:1-9. In fact, take some times to prayerfully meditate upon this whole chapter). And if you haven't yet... it's time to get right, before you're left in the night. 

Sure today is a good day for hangin' a U-turn if you've been on the wrong road, but I was once told...

..by a well-meaning person: 'It's never too late, never never too late to start over. It's never too late to have a new beginning. It's never too late to make it right after you've blown it.. messin' up big or small time.' But the fact remains; They matter and it can actually become too late. That's why we must arrive with the right heart and Message on time.' ~ K (We each choose, and sometimes choose by puttin' it off / by not choosing)

Evangelism isn't really "professional" or back-breath-religious. It's on time and winsomely relational.

"Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." ~ Paul, 1 Thessalonians 5:21

Prayed a lot? Try tears. 
Be directed by the Lord and punctual. Not uber-sad and tardy.  

"You number my wanderings;

Put my tears into Your bottle;

Are they not in Your book?"  56/8psalm

Christ wept for the unregenerate people He saw and encountered (as a man of sorrows - Isa. 53:3). But He never said, "Hey you, clean up before ya try to come on in." 

Nor did He say, "Yo bro, you be one dirty dude. Step back and stay away!" Nope, Jesus was and still is inclusive sayin', "Come on in and I'll clean you up."

"Not terrifying if you know Jesus (..talking about how many days we each have left). There is eternity after that last bean. Eternity? Can you even conceive how long that is? Really, the only question is, where are you going to be for that eternity? In the presence of God? Or, the absence of God?" ~ My brother Kevin on Ohau

Post by Notixx.

Five aspects that are related to both fruit and a harvest for you.

Sometimes people ask me about fruit and I'm always glad? I love to think 'bout and discuss this vine-idea when I get a few minutes free ..like I have right now. 

Now you know, God only expects two things from us... faithfulness and fruitfulness from His believers. Sure, He never said, Well done thou hardworking top producer for the Kingdom. No, no. But go check out these words of His: "Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord." 25/23mat. 

Like fruitfulness, faithfulness is also something for us to look at very carefully. Believer, would you pray something like.. Dear Lord, I want to seek You and learn what's important to You! Bitte, re-wash (forgive) me, restore me, revive me, recommission me, and refill me with Your Spirit now. Make me faithful and fruitful for Your glory. Yes, right now rekindle that pure fire of vertical passion within my heart. Won't worry 'bout it, but please let Your faithfulness, Your fruitfulness, Your loveliness like a well-watered meadow, and Your holiness be what I'm about ..yes, let these aspects consistently be seen in me. God, I want others to see Christ without any distortion or duplicity on my part. Help me walk in Your Word, but not get in Your way today. It's because I desire to be used and glorify You in Jesus Name. Amen.

Has your life thus far seemed somewhat barren, empty, non-impacting or insignificant? You are very important to God and He can change all that. Perhaps you desire to see fruit, more fruit, and much fruit? 

"Abide in Me." ~ Jesus

You know that Christian "abiding" has to do with making your relationship with God through Christ ..the very top priority. Yeah "Seek ye first" pretty much means.. before all that other stuff that you might feel like A.S.A.P. doin' each day (c6/33mat). I say begin the year, the month, the day ..with the Lord and you'll never regret it. Just watch what He will do as you obey! 

"Start with God—the first step in learning is bowing down to God; only fools thumb their noses at such wisdom and learning." 1/7pr.msg.

Perhaps you are asking, from a biblcial perspective... What is fruit?

1. Boldly introducing people to Jesus Christ.. is fruit! 

Obeying the Lord ..in livin'-out and sharing His Gospel produces fruit for God. Yes, the Apostle Paul and others told us this. Just leave the results up to Him cuz He's the only One who can save people. 

The Bible says, "The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who is wise wins souls. If the righteous will be rewarded in the earth, How much more the wicked and the sinner!" 11/30pr. 

2. Christian character that comes from intimately knowing God.. is fruit. 

"But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, you have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life." 6/22rom.  

Want fruit? Christ-likeness is very important for every believer. God desires to use every believer in regards to His Great Commission. 

You know that too many people religiously do their own thing down here. They live exactly how they feel like living instead of according to the Word of God. And they do this jive in the Name of Jesus—this gives the Gospel a black eye so to speak. Much of the time it doesn't represent the Lord well at all. Yes, Christ said, "I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn't produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. Remain in me.." c15jn.

3. Spiritual fruit can be seen in givin' as the Holy Spirit directs ..and according to God this is credited to your account. 

I'm not talking here about some give-to-get word-faith "God-wants-us-all-wealthy-all-the-time" error. But Paul wrote this, "For even in Thessalonica you sent aid once and again for my necessities. Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that abounds to your account. Indeed I have all and abound. I am full, having received from Epaphroditus the things [sent] from you, a sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God. And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus." 4/16-19phil.

"Not that I seek" money. No, Paul really wasn't greedy and out on the take. He wasn't livin' for what he could get for himself post conversion. And we should be like that either.

I like what the Bible says, "But you, are you seeking great things for yourself? Do not seek them.." 45/5jer.

"In everything I (Paul) showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'" 20/35acts

These words on givin' and fruit are in there - in the Book. Listen friend, I can't just cut these words out of the Bible for anyone.

4. Good works of Christian service in some form of Bible-loyal ministry.. is fruit.  

"Don't make 'church-attendance' with a healthy Bible teaching fellowship a flip of the coin kinda thing.. according to the weather or what you or your children might feel. Go faithfully and become fruitful! Don't give your dear children the option—they aren't the parents of the family." ~ @kurtwvs

"For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously.." 1/10col.  

5. In Christ, praising and sincerely thanking God.. is fruit. 

"Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name. And do not neglect doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is pleased." 13/15heb.

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.." 5/22gal.

Love ain't God as many tend to say (cus according to the Greeks there's at least five types of love..), but God is Love. Pure and unselfish. People enjoy loving and being loved. Sure, it's cuz people were made in the very image of God and that's exactly what He enjoys - loving and being loved by people. He doesn't need us, but we sure need Him - we need His love. As the Initiator - He loved first. We simply respond. 

It's so imperative that you repent and believe the Gospel.. that you get to know the Lord today.. even now. Don't put it off. Want you there! We must be together with God for eternity!  

You can count on Christ to produce fruit in you as you stay connected. He is of course your Vine and you are His branch (you and I have been bought at a price - Christ paid with His blood on the Cross), believer. In His vineyard, don't let anything or anyone break you off and away from Jesus. You can't lose if you don't quit. 

"Others (seed) fell among the thorns" said Jesus, “and the thorns came up and choked them out. And others fell on the good soil and yielded a crop, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty. He who has ears, let him hear." 13/7-8mat.  That’s a good warning that I want to take heed to.  Why?  Well, I never want my fruitfulness in the Lord ..or potential fruitfulness in my future.. to get choked out by any cares of the world.  None of us should. 

Listen, no matter how bummed-out you might feel at times, or how desperate your circumstances might look, the one thing that you can always count on is the Lord's unfailing Love for you. Let nothing distract you away from Jesus. The Vine will be true to His branches and vineyard. If you'll be in the Word as a loving, caring Christian, you'll abide bearing fruit. Jesus'll walk and talk with you - guiding. He'll meet your every need as you look to Him. Let His fresh zoe life flow in and through you today. Others are thirsty for Him. He is SO there for ya. Even if or when all others walk out (of your life), He'll walk in - won't ditch ya ever. facebook.com/shareJesus

Hot expresso in hand. I hear the temp will drop into the teens tomorrow. I'm ready and listenin' to a skilled pianist play their piano.

Always love that kind of music if it isn't too slow!.. and my wristwatch is recording some [audio]. I hear there's a smartwatch-cam app, but not much lighting. 

So how are you adapting to this new year so far? I pray that it is a really wonderful, blessed, peaceful year for you as you draw closer to Christ. He is so there for you.  

A.S.A.P. - always say a prayer... or better yet, from the heart pray.  

"I love the Lord, who listened to my voice in supplication, who turned an ear to me on the day I called." I begged for mercy. He listened so intently as I laid out my case before him. Psalm116:1-2 msg

What happened today? Let me tell you. Can you believe that North Texans felt a 3.6 earthquake here in Dallas today! 

My friend David who I've shared with some.. texted me and said he actually felt a total of four of them (audio). He was ampted. 

Yeah, it's been the excited-talk of the town (some people were a bit scared). There's been 17 small earthquakes in this same area this last year in 2014. But this shakerRrRrRrrr sadly cracked a lady's house almost right down the middle in the location of the epicenter near Jerry's world - Cowboy Stadium.

Transplanted-Californians here dawnin' new Stetsons, Wranglers etc, glanced at their watches and grabbed a coffee. "Where'd we say we'd go do lunch?" 

You can't lose if you don't quit. Having done all to stand, stand therefore..

New Year. Too early to quit walkin' with and sering the Lord.

Pretty late in the game so to speak. Fight on.. fight the good fight of faith.