What is deliverance?

The 10 most encouraging Bible verses with some AMAZING quote photos.

We often hear about people being set free from many different things. Being delivered or set free from addictions, afflictions, oppression and many other things. But is this biblical? We know that Jesus did set people free from many things that were holding them captive. Does this still happen today?

Are people afflicted and oppressed by spirits like they were in Jesus’ day? Or, was this something that only happened on the earth during Jesus’ time of ministry?

John 14:12 King James Version (KJV)

12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.

This verse clearly says believers will do the works that Jesus did and even greater works than these. What works did Jesus do? He healed people, both physically and spiritually. He set people free from spiritual bondage, affliction and oppression. He preformed miracles, signs and wonders. He taught the people about the kingdom of heaven. He raised people from the dead. He forgave their sins and loved them.

These are the works Jesus said we would continue to do and even greater works than these we will do. I don’t believe that all the evil or unclean spirits disappeared after Jesus ascended into heaven. The devil is still at work, prowling about looking for someone to devour. There is still evil in the world and people still need to be set free from these spiritual attacks.

The scripture I want to look at this morning is taken from Luke 8:26-39.

Luke 8:26-39 King James Version (KJV)

26 And they arrived at the country of the Gadarenes, which is over against Galilee. 27 And when he went forth to land, there met him out of the city a certain man, which had devils long time, and ware no clothes, neither abode in any house, but in the tombs.

28 When he saw Jesus, he cried out, and fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God most high? I beseech thee, torment me not.

29 (For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For oftentimes it had caught him: and he was kept bound with chains and in fetters; and he brake the bands, and was driven of the devil into the wilderness.)

30 And Jesus asked him, saying, What is thy name? And he said, Legion: because many devils were entered into him.

31 And they besought him that he would not command them to go out into the deep.

32 And there was there an herd of many swine feeding on the mountain: and they besought him that he would suffer them to enter into them. And he suffered them.

33 Then went the devils out of the man, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the lake, and were choked.

34 When they that fed them saw what was done, they fled, and went and told it in the city and in the country.

35 Then they went out to see what was done; and came to Jesus, and found the man, out of whom the devils were departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid.

36 They also which saw it told them by what means he that was possessed of the devils was healed.

37 Then the whole multitude of the country of the Gadarenes round about besought him to depart from them; for they were taken with great fear: and he went up into the ship, and returned back again.

38 Now the man out of whom the devils were departed besought him that he might be with him: but Jesus sent him away, saying,

39 Return to thine own house, and shew how great things God hath done unto thee. And he went his way, and published throughout the whole city how great things Jesus had done unto him.

So, if we found someone like this man that was filled with many devils in today’s culture, how would we treat him? Would we call him crazy or out of his mind? Would we diagnose him as psychotic or schizophrenic? Would we prescribe drugs and/or therapy to help the person? The answer to all these questions is “yes”. Jesus had the answer 2000 years ago, yet we misdiagnose this condition in today’s world. Why, because we have learned so much more than our creator about the human mind and spirit. I say this sarcastically, but it is true. We lean on our own understanding instead of trusting in the Lord with all our hearts. The bible contains all the answers we need to live successfully on this earth. Yet, we seek the answers elsewhere.

The people of the country of the Gadarenes bound this man with chains. They did not know how to help this poor man either. He lived in the caves, away from other people because he was an outcast from their society. Yet, after Jesus set him free, this man was in his right mind and wanted to follow Jesus. Jesus told him to return to his house and tell others about what God had done for him. The other people from the area wanted Jesus to leave because they were afraid.

How would we react to Jesus or someone doing the work of Jesus in today’s culture if they did something like this? People usually are afraid of something they can’t explain. This is what happened in Jesus’ day and it still happens today.

Jesus showed compassion for this man and helped him. The man was able to return to his house completely free from the devils that had held him captive. What are we doing to help people like this man? Are we following Jesus’ example or pronouncing judgement on them as crazy or psychotic?

What about those that are held captive by the spirit of fear? Or, the spirit of depression, the spirit of anger, the spirit of unforgiveness, the spirit of hopelessness? Have we really progressed as a society or are we ignoring the truth?

We are in a battle between good and evil. God is real and so is Satan. Heaven and hell are the only two possible eternal destinations. Which side are you on? Where do you want to spend eternity? If you haven’t decided your answer to these questions, I would encourage you to pick up a bible and start reading. When you are ready, confess to Jesus that you are a sinner and that you believe he died for your sins. Tell Jesus that you believe he died on a cross, was buried in a tomb for 3 days and then was resurrected back to life by God’s power. Ask Jesus to come into your heart as your Lord and Savior. Invite the Holy Spirit of God to fill you and transform you. Thank Jesus for his shed blood and for dying for your sins. Find a church that teaches and preaches the bible and get baptized.

I trust you will find hope in these words. Christ’s blessings to you this 2nd day of September 2019.

The Day the Sun Stood Still

Remember the story in the bible about the day the sun stood still? This morning I read this account in the bible. I had almost forgotten this story. When Joshua asked the Lord to hold the sun and moon still, God did exactly what he asked. Both the sun and moon stood still in the middle of the day for another full day.

This story takes place in the book of Joshua chapter 10;

Joshua 10:12-15 New International Version (NIV)

12 On the day the Lord gave the Amorites over to Israel, Joshua said to the Lord in the presence of Israel:

“Sun, stand still over Gibeon,
    and you, moon, over the Valley of Aijalon.”
13 So the sun stood still,
    and the moon stopped,
    till the nation avenged itself on[a] its enemies,

as it is written in the Book of Jashar.

The sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day. 14 There has never been a day like it before or since, a day when the Lord listened to a human being. Surely the Lord was fighting for Israel!

15 Then Joshua returned with all Israel to the camp at Gilgal.

God extended the daylight hours by about another full day. God honored Joshua’s request because he was doing God’s will and the task at hand was very important to God

Last month I talked about not taking a single second of our lives for granted and trying to make the most of each day by aligning our will with God’s will. How do we know we are on the right track? How do we know if our will is aligning with God’s will. God is in control of every aspect of our lives. That doesn’t mean we can’t make our own decisions or make mistakes. Because, sometimes God allows us to make mistakes to teach us something. God will give you signs and indicators of which direction you should go, if you are paying attention.

If we enter each day submitting our will to God and accepting his will for our lives, it becomes very easy to follow God’s will. You will know when you are moving in the right direction. You will have a peace about where you are at. If you sense resistance or don’t have a peace about the direction you are going, stop and ask God to point you in the right direction. God will answer your prayer, don’t move until you sense God opening a door.

Six months ago I was praying about whether to become a licensed minister at our local church. I didn’t have a peace about it and so I fasted and prayed for 40 days. At the end of the 40 days, I still didn’t have peace about moving forward with the licensing. God spoke very clearly “no”. So, I told the elders and the church I was not going to go through with the licensing. This was difficult to do, because I do have a calling to be a pastor and I was called to this specific church 3 1/2 years ago.

I spent most of the last 6 months praying, asking God to tell me why he had told me “no”. It wasn’t until late April that I got my answer. I was having my devotions one morning, reading Proverbs chapter three, when the Lord revealed to me why he said “no” six months ago.

Proverbs 3:5-6 New International Version (NIV)

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart
    and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways submit to him,
    and he will make your paths straight.[a]

I had one of those aha moments with God that morning. I realized God was testing me and I was not trusting in him completely. Yes, I did trust him enough to say no, when he told me “no”. But I then tried to figure it all out with my own understanding, instead of trusting God. Once I gave it over to God and completely trusted him to lead the way, I gained a peace about moving forward with the licensing. Later that week the Lord spoke “there is an opening door in front of you, step through it”. So, a couple of weeks later I met with the leadership team of our church and told them I was ready to move forward with the licensing.

I now realize God needed to do some more work on my heart before I was ready to step through the door. If we are sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit, he will make your paths straight.

When our will and God’s will align, powerful things will happen. Just like they did with Joshua that day he asked God to stop the sun from setting. If what we are asking God to do is aligned with his will, that’s when miracles happen.

Being one with the Holy Spirit reveals the Father’s will to us. We can hear him speaking to us, we can sense when we are moving in the right direction and when we are moving in the wrong direction there is resistance. The closer we walk with God, the easier it is to hear his voice and know his will.

I hope this is helpful, may God bless you today!

Thank you for reading my blog!

What Does Tomorrow Hold?

I find myself constantly thinking about what is next, what will I do today and what will I do tomorrow. We are constantly making plans and thinking ahead about tomorrow. But what about today?

Are we making the most of the day we are living in right now. What are we planning for tomorrow that we could do today. Each day is a gift from God, and each day is a unique creation by God. Do we realize how precious each day of life is? Are we making the most of each day, each hour, each minute and each second we have been giving? I have to admit, I am not making the most of each second.

So, what can we do to be more deliberate with making the most of each second of life? We like to make plans or have goals to facilitate getting things done we want to accomplish. But God has plans for us too.

Jeremiah 29:11 New International Version (NIV)

11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
God’s plans supersede our plans. We need to include God’s plan for our life, when making plans for the future.

Proverbs 19:21 New International Version (NIV)

21 Many are the plans in a person’s heart,
    but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.

What are God’s plans for our lives? How can we include God’s plans in our own planning?

James has few things to say about making plans for tomorrow;

James 4:13-14 New International Version (NIV)

Boasting About Tomorrow

13 Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” 14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.

James has a way of cutting to the chase, and just saying it like it is, we don’t know what tomorrow will bring. We need to make the most of each day. If we live each day as if it were are last, how does that change our perspective?

We pray the Lord’s prayer;

Matthew 6:9-13 New International Version (NIV)

9 “This, then, is how you should pray:

“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
10 your kingdom come,
your will be done,
    on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts,
    as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation,[a]
    but deliver us from the evil one.[b]’

Do we really mean it when we say “your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven”? We need to realize God is in control and whether we cooperate with his will or not, his will, will be done. We just need to submit our will for God’s will. If we lay our plans aside and say, “Lord use me however you wish”, what would happen?

We all have a limited number of days, God has determined the number of our days in advance. So, he knows what you need to accomplish each day to live out his plans for our lives. It makes sense to me to submit my plans to the Lord, and give him full control. Living my life with God in complete control puts my spirit at peace. It’s not that I don’t make plans or don’t have things I want to accomplish. I just realize when God intervenes and my plans are put on hold or changed, I don’t get upset, God knows best.

If we pay attention, and look at everything that happens in a day, we can see God’s hand at work. I always say, “everything happens for a reason”. Divine appointments happen each day, we just miss them most days.

I want to encourage you to change your perspective, and look at each day differently. God has a plan for each day of our lives. We need to perceive his hand at work in our lives each day. That requires us to open our spiritual eyes and ears, and pay attention. Paying attention to every detail of our day and looking for his hand at work.

God uses us wherever we are, at work, at home and at church. I work with a gentleman from Grenada. The other day he asked me if I was a Christian. I told him I was, and he said he was a believer too. He said he perceived that I was a believer. We have had a couple of conversations about our faith since then. God has a plan and a purpose for everything that takes place in our lives. I don’t know how God is going to use me, but there is no doubt in my mind that he will use me to accomplish his will. I don’t know how God is going to use this gentleman I met at work. Neither of us know the impact we have on each other and how we are accomplishing God’s will. But, there is know doubt, we met for a reason.

So, making the most of each day, has more to do with changing your perspective and paying attention to what God is doing, than making plans. So, I challenge you to take a step back and look at life differently.

May God bless you today! Thanks for reading my blog!E

Are you moving in the right direction?

I can’t believe its been over a month since I last posted in my blog. Life has gotten busy. I’ve been at my new job now for around 10 weeks and love it. Joanna and I moved from Wooster, Ohio to Beach City, Ohio three weeks ago. As I wrote last month, that’s a lot of changes packed into a couple of months. But, we are enjoying all of these changes and believe they are blessings from God.

One of the benefits of our recent move is, we are closer to our son and his family. We have been spending more time with them and love being just minutes away. We are enjoying more time with our grandson, who is such a blessing to our family. We are also closer to my parents and our siblings.

I want to talk about moving closer to God and how this can benefit us. When we move from one home to another, we gather our possessions and load them on a truck. When we move spiritually, we need to gather our spiritual possessions and load them on a prayer. In both cases we are moving everything we have from one place to another. By moving, we are hoping to better our situation within our current circumstances.

What kinds of benefits would we want to gain by moving closer to God? Knowing God’s will and his plan for our lives are just a few of the benefits. What else can we expect from a move closer to God? Living in God’s presence fills us with his peace and his love, grace and mercy. We need this to be healthy spiritually. Being closer also means we will spend more time together. Spending more time together means we will begin to know the heart of God. It also means you can get his input on any decision you need to make. We will be in constant communication and lay down any burdens we carrying.

Psalms 141:1,2 “I call to you, Lord, come quickly to me; hear me when I call to you. May my prayer be set before you like incense; may the lifting of my hands be like the evening sacrifice.”

God wants us to make this move to be closer to him, he welcomes this move. This was his plan from the beginning; for mankind to be in communion with him. Why do we wander away from God, like lost sheep? It is because we are focusing on the here and now, rather than our eternal future. This is easy to do with all that we face each day.

But, if we make a deliberate move closer to God, it will be much easier to stay focused on our eternal future. God has a way of keeping our perspective focused in the right direction when we are close to him.

So, the question is; how do you pack up your spiritual possessions and move closer to God? What are our spiritual possessions? Well, our spirit is made up of our emotions, intellect and our will. What all is contained in our emotions? Wow, that’s a load in it’s self. What about our intellect, what all does that contain? And lastly but certainly not least, what is contained in our will? If you can pack up all that is contained in these three areas of your life and move it closer to God, what would happen? Awesome, incredible and amazing things would be the result.

To do this you need to pack up each area separately, one at a time. Doing more than one area at a time is overwhelming. So, let’s tackle our emotions first. Let’s pack up all the deep rooted emotions that drive our existence. The things that light our spiritual fires. The passions, the hates, the pain, the anger, the love, everything that brings out the good or bad in us. If we don’t pack up everything that means something to us and move it closer to God, we will not be able to work through and resolve each emotional area.

What about your intellect? Your intellect is made up of both knowledge and your ability to reason or figure something out. Some of the knowledge we carry with us is tainted and not complete truth. As we move it closer to God, he will sifted it and expose the areas of untruth. Our ability to think or reason, will also benefit from the move closer to God. Because over time you begin to see the world through God’s eyes and weigh decisions based on God’s heart.

Lastly, packing up our will can be challenging. Bringing our will closer to God is dangerous and can be scary. But, unless we bring our will along on the move, God will never be able to use us to our full potential. Realizing that God has our best interests in mind all the time is a weight off our minds. Giving up our will and being obedient to God’s will is life changing.

I hope this all helps you begin a process that leads to greater spiritual growth. I hope it has challenged you like it has challenged me. Keep moving all that you are closer to God and you will see positive changes in your life. Tackle each area one at a time and see what happens.

Blessings to you today! thank you for reading my blog.

How are you handling change?


I haven’t posted anything for a month and I apologize for my inactivity. I started a new job 5 weeks ago and my life has been in transition. Joanna and I are also moving in the next few weeks, so that’s another change. Sometimes changes are welcome and needed, other times they are unwelcome and unneeded. But one thing we know for sure, changes are coming. If we don’t handle changes well, our life can seem like it’s on a downward spiral.

Life is full of changes, no one is exempt from changes. So, we had better have a good attitude about change. I look forward to changes, otherwise our lives would be pretty boring. Changes offer the opportunity to learn something new or meet someone new.

If we look at change from God’s perspective, we can see why these changes are necessary. God is in control of everything, there is nothing that he does not have control of. God and his word are the only things that will not changes. But God is truly the author of change. Not all of the changes we experience in life are to our liking. But, if we trust our heavenly Father, it is his will that we go through these changes. Many times we can’t understand why something happens.

Isaiah 55:8-11 says “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are my ways your ways, declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and make it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so my word that goes out from my mouth: it will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”

Did you ever think about how God keeps track of all the people on the planet and knows the decisions they will make before they make them?

When we make decisions that don’t line up with his will, what happens? His will is done anyway. God accounts for human decisions that go against his will and still accomplishes what he wants in the end.

So, like I said earlier God is factoring in decisions of all the people on the planet and still able to accomplish his will at the end of the day.

We can’t wrap our minds around how he does this, but I am glad he is able to do it. If God wasn’t in control of everything, everything would be out of control. There would be no order to the universe we live in.

Psalms 145:3 Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom.

God is in control of every situation in every second of every day. Every change that takes place on the planet, God is the author of each change that takes place.

There are often consequences for not following God’s will. Sometimes we experience pain, discouragement and frustration as a result.

Changes are inevitable, that is part of life, nothing remains the same forever except God and his word.

Does it make sense that we should consult God before making any decisions?

Of course, it does, but sometimes that is easier said than done.

So, how do you seek his will for your life?

Pray, seek the Lord with all your heart, soul and mind

Study his word, God often speaks to us through his written word

Pay Attention, to what is going on around you, God can speak through other people and situations

Listen, be quiet, stop thinking about work and all the other distractions in your life and focus on Jesus.

God has a plan for each of our lives. He has created each of us to do the work of his kingdom and he has given each of us gifts in different areas.

God created you for a special purpose, with the gifts, talents and abilities to get the job done.

God wants you to diligently seek his will for your lives. He wants to reveal his plan to you and empower you to do the work you were created to do.

Spend time praying and seeking God’s will for your lives. When you find out what your purpose is and what God created you to do, you will be empowered by the Holy Spirit to do the work.

When you are doing what God created you to do and are walking in your destiny, you will run and not grow weary. When you find your spiritual sweet spot, God can use you to do great things to bring honor and glory to his name.

We know the safest place to be is in God’s perfect will for our lives. Sometimes walking in his will requires patience, Psalms 27:14 says “Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He will strengthen your heart; wait I say, on the Lord. We need to be aware of God’s timing and walk with patience according to his will.

The Lord truly is the author of change, he is in control of every detail of our lives.

Find out what God’s will is for your life and start living your destiny.

I challenge you to seek God’s will for your lives and to start walking in his will. Find out what God wants to change in your life and turn the steering wheel over to him.

Instead of resisting change, let’s anticipate and accept change. Let’s look forward to change, because change is how God makes his will be done on earth as it is in heaven. God uses changes to make things happen.

Blessings to you today and thanks for reading my blog.

Are you a true sheep of Jesus?

A few weeks ago I preached about what a true sheep (disciple) of Jesus looks like. I have also been teaching a bible study Wednesday evenings on this subject. I am going to share some of the material from this study with you today.

The scripture I used in the sermon was Matthew 25:31-46, in which Jesus was describing the separation of the sheep from the goats.

Matthew 25:31-46 New International Version (NIV)

The Sheep and the Goats

31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

44 “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’

45 “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’

46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”New International Version (NIV)

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Jesus often referred to his followers and disciples as sheep. There are over 200 references to sheep in the bible. In today’s scripture the Lord is separating his sheep from the goats. This was a common practice in Palestine, because sheep and goat flocks were often intermingled. The shepherd would allow the sheep and goats to be together during the day and separate them at night. The reason this was done, is the sheep could withstand the colder night temperatures better than the goats. The goats would need to be huddled together to keep warm.

Can you imagine what this would look like? Jesus comes in all his glory with all the angels of heaven with him. The nations, basically all people gathered before the throne of Jesus. Then Jesus separates the people as a shepherd separates the sheep and the goats.

Jesus says” Come you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.”

Jesus says his sheep are blessed by his Father and this blessing is our inheritance, the kingdom prepared for us.

Jesus then tells us why some people were sheep and others goats. He says “for I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.”

I find it interesting that Jesus says this instead of saying, the sheep believed in me as their Lord and Savior.

The sheep answer Jesus, asking him when did we see you hungry and feed you, thirsty and gave you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or need clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go visit you?

Jesus calls the sheep righteous and they were not aware that they had done these things for Jesus.

Then Jesus gives us the reason these people were considered righteous and called his sheep.

Jesus says” truly I tell you whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did it for me.

Wow, so the reason these people are considered righteous and his sheep; is they cared for the other sheep.

We know that the goats did not care for others in the flock.

The result; the goats go away to eternal punishment and the sheep to eternal life.

The first trait of what true sheep look like is;

  1. True sheep care for their fellow sheep

In Matthew 7:15-20 Jesus warns us to watch out for false prophets. Jesus says they will come to you in sheep’s clothing. In other words, they will be pretending to be sheep. Jesus says by their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? Every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Jesus says, every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.

John 21:15-17 New International Version (NIV)

Jesus Reinstates Peter

15 When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”

“Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”

16 Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”

17 The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.

In both of these passages the fruit or words and actions we take are of high importance. Jesus says that “you will know them by their fruit” and tells Peter to “feed his lambs, take care of my sheep and feed my sheep.” So, our actions testify what is in our hearts.

The next scripture I want to look at is John 10:1-5

John 10:1-5 New International Version (NIV)

The Good Shepherd and His Sheep

10 “Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. 2 The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.”

In this passage Jesus is talking to the Pharisees about the Good Shepherd and his sheep. The shepherd enters by the gate, but a thief or robber climb in some other way. Jesus says in verse 3 the sheep listen to his voice and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. Verse 4 says; his sheep follow him because they know his voice. Verse 5 says, the sheep will never follow a stranger, in fact they will run away from him because they do not recognize his voice.

So, the next trait of what true sheep look like is;

2. True sheep know the voice of Jesus and follow him.

Another scripture I want to look at quickly is Matthew 7:21-23

Matthew 7:21-23 New International Version (NIV)

True and False Disciples

21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

In this passage Jesus says that not everyone who says to him Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Jesus says” many will say to me on that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and, in your name, perform many miracles? Then Jesus says,” I will tell them plainly, I never knew you. Away from me you evildoers!

False disciples or sheep call Jesus Lord, but they do not do the will of the Father in heaven. Our third trait of what true sheep look like is:

3. True sheep do the will of our Father in heaven.

Another scripture I want to look at is;

John 14:23-24 New International Version (NIV)

23 Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. 24 Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.

In John 14:23-24 we find another clue to what a true sheep looks like. Jesus says, “anyone who loves me will obey my teaching.” “Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching.”

Our fourth trait of what a true sheep looks like is;

4. True sheep obey Jesus’ teachings.

So, we have 4 traits of what true sheep of Jesus look like. None of these traits speak about our salvation, but a few of them do speak about eternal life.

So, is there more to being a true sheep than believing in Jesus as our Lord and Savior?

Believing in Jesus is required for salvation but is only the beginning. It is also clear that we are expected to grow spiritually and produce good fruit. How do we do these four important traits that define true sheep?

How do we apply what we have learned?

What we are talking about is spiritual growth or learning to be disciples of Jesus.

We are not saved by works, but by Faith, yet it is our works that testify of our faith.

Jesus knows our hearts and whether we are real sheep or not. Our actions and our words come from our heart. So, it is our actions and our words that define what is in our hearts. That is why Jesus said, you will recognize them by their fruit.

In Matthew 7:13,14 Jesus talks about the narrow and wide gates. Let’s read this together.

“Wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. “

I believe that many so-called prophesying Christians will be in for a rude awakening on the day of judgement. Are you truly born again, if there is no evidence of a true-life change? The evidence is found in these four traits we talked about this morning.

  1. True sheep care for their fellow sheep.
  2. True sheep know the voice of Jesus and follow him.
  3. True sheep do the will of our Father in heaven.
  4. True sheep obey Jesus’ teachings.

If our lives are not producing this fruit, we need to examine our hearts carefully and make changes to get on the narrow road and enter through the small gate.

These four traits define a true sheep or disciple of Jesus Christ. I encourage you to carefully look at your lives and seek the Holy Spirit’s counsel.

Is 2019 a defining moment in your life, a point where you made real spiritual growth a priority?

Please don’t take this lightly, your eternal life depends on this. There is no better time to change your life than right now.

Do you want to experience the Christian life in a new exciting way? Do you want to reignite your passion for Jesus? Do you want to live the life that God created you to live? I challenge you to make a commitment today, to make these four traits a priority.

Our lives, the things we do and say are the evidence of our salvation. They are our testimony of a true changed heart.

Are you a true sheep of Jesus?

May the Lord Bless you and keep you! Thank you for reading my blog!

Earthly Challenges and Spiritual Solutions

We are in the middle of a very snowy and cold winter here in Ohio. This past week had it’s challenges, with weather and car issues for me. But God is faithful to carry us through any and all challenges. No matter your situation, if you give it to God and have faith, God will carry you through to the other side of the challenge in your life.

Psalm 23:4 King James Version (KJV)

4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

What is it that removes the fear; “for thou art with me”. What is it that comforts me; ” thy rod and thy staff”. God’s rod and his staff represent his unmatched power and control over every situation we face.

This brings to my mind the story of Jesus walking on water in Matthew 14:22-34.

Matthew 14:22-34 King James Version (KJV)

22 And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away.

23 And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.

24 But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary.

25 And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.

26 And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.

27 But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.

28 And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.

29 And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.

30 But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.

31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?

32 And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased.

33 Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.

34 And when they were gone over, they came into the land of Gennesaret.

The first thing I noticed is Jesus went up on the mountain to pray and hear from his Father. Jesus sent his disciples on ahead of him in a boat on the lake.

Later that night Jesus went to them walking on the water. The lake was a challenge or obstacle that stood in their way. Jesus didn’t see it as an obstacle, but an opportunity to bring glory to God. Jesus didn’t try to find a earthly solution to cross over the body of water. He chose a heavenly (spiritual) solution to cross the body of water. But he spent time in prayer prior to undertaking the spiritual solution to the challenge they faced.

The other challenge the disciples faced was the wind was against them as they attempted to cross the lake. When they saw Jesus walking on the lake they were afraid and didn’t recognize him. Isn’t this how we often react to God working in our lives? We don’t recognize him walking on the water and react in fear.

When Peter realizes it is Jesus, he says; if it is you Jesus tell me to come to you on the water. And Jesus replies “come”. Peter got out of the boat and started walking on the water, then he noticed the challenges around him and he took his eyes off of Jesus. He focused on the earthly challenges instead of the spiritual solution.

Peter cries out; ” Lord save me” and Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. Jesus was close enough to Peter to reach out his hand and save him. He is always right there with us, close enough to save us.

Jesus then says; ” you of little faith, why did you doubt”? All it took for Peter to walk on the water is faith. All it took for him to start to sink under the waves was doubt. Faith is powerful, yet it is invisible; we can’t see it, feel it or hear it Yet it is the spiritual solution to our earthly challenges.

The more faith we have the more awesome the solution to our challenge will be. Faith is the fuel to power our spiritual motors. Faith is the spiritual solution to our early challenges and will carry us to the other side of the challenge we face.

God showed up in a mighty way this week and carried me to the other side of the challenges we faced. I praise God for his faithfulness and his almighty power.

Be encouraged and have faith that Jesus will reach out his hand and save you. He is saying “come” right now, so get out of the boat and go to him. Allow him to quiet the storm around you and speak peace to you.

I hope and pray that this spoke to you, like it spoke to me. Thank you for reading my blog! May the Lord bless you and keep you!

Are you bold and fearless?


This morning I was reading Luke chapter 24 and verses 36 through 49 spoke to me. This is the account of Jesus’ last meeting on the earth with his disciples prior to his ascension into heaven.

Luke 24:36-49 New International Version (NIV)

Jesus Appears to the Disciples

36 While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 37 They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. 38 He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? 39 Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.” 40 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. 41 And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” 42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43 and he took it and ate it in their presence. 44 He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.” 45 Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. 46 He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”

New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Jesus appears in the flesh to his disciples. He makes the point that he is flesh and bone, not a spirit. To further prove this point, he eats a piece of broiled fish in their presence. The disciples are afraid and startled by the sudden appearance of Jesus. He encourages them to look at his hands and feet, he tells them to touch him and see that he is real.

Jesus addresses their doubts and fears as soon as he appeared to the disciples. He then tells them that he needed to fulfilled everything that is written about him in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.

Then the Lord does something amazing, he opens their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. Jesus summarizes what is written in scripture: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning in Jerusalem. Jesus then declares that they are witnesses of these things. Jesus tells them,” I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high”.

We as Christians often have doubts and fears, just as the disciples did. It was important that they see and hear Jesus in the flesh to boost their faith. They also were the eye witnesses that would record these events for future believers. This eye witness account should be a blessed assurance that Jesus is alive and that our sins are forgiven.

Jesus opened the disciples minds so they could understand scripture and he instructed them to remain in the city until they are clothed with power from on high. It was important for them all to be together when the Holy Spirit was poured out upon them. Not only did they witness this happening to one another, but the people of Jerusalem were witnesses to this as well. The message of salvation needed to be preached first to the Jews in Jerusalem before being spread throughout the world.

Notice that Jesus did not send them out to preach the gospel alone and unprepared. He told them to wait until they were clothed with power. We as believers are clothed with this same power and the Holy Spirit will open our minds to understand scripture, just as Jesus did.

Jesus isn’t asking us to go out into the world alone or unprepared. He has sent the comforter to go with us and to cloth us with power from on high. The stronger our faith, the more the Holy Spirit can use us to do God’s will.

Luke picks up the story in the book of Acts and we see the amazing ways the disciples were used by God to spread the gospel. These men who were afraid and doubtful, were now bold and fearless. That is the power of the Holy Spirit, transforming ordinary people into extraordinary instruments of God.

To those of you who have been praying for me, thank you! Your prayers are making a difference. God will use me, just as he used the disciples to do extraordinary things in his name.

I will be preaching at Pleasant View Mennonite Church in Holmes county, Ohio next Sunday January 27th. Pray that God will use me in a powerful way. Thank you for reading my blog!

What is your calling in life?

Today I want to share with you something the Lord has been speaking to me about recently. God has created each of us with a unique combination of gifts, talents and abilities.

Psalm 139:13 New Living Translation (NLT)

13 You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body
    and knit me together in my mother’s womb.New Living Translation (NLT)

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

So, God put each of us together in our mother’s womb, no two are exactly alike. Even twins are created with a different combination and are not exact copies. In my work as a butcher, I can see that God created each animal differently. They are similar, but each one is different. Some are big, others small, some are thin and others are fat, some are tough and others tender.

God is a god of order, and everything has a purpose and a place. God has a reason for everything he does, both great and small. Each of us was created with a purpose in mind. Finding this purpose, our true calling in life, is so important to living a fulfilling life.

Ephesians 4:1 New Living Translation (NLT)

4 Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God.

God has called each of us for a special assignment, a special purpose. This unique calling is because of how God created each of us differently. God knew what combination of Spiritual gifts, talents and abilities each calling would require.

As Paul says in Ephesians 4:1; we need to live a life worthy of our calling. In order to do this, we need to know what our calling is for this life. That can be very difficult if you don’t hear God speaking to you. God speaks to us in many ways and everything that happens to us has a purpose. We have to pay attention to everything and view it through our spiritual eyes and ears to perceive the meaning. God can speak to us using almost any situation. Paul says this is living by the spirit in Romans chapter 8. Every decision we make needs to be made seeking God’s guidance and council.

I am going through this process right now, seeking God’s calling and will for my life. There are often times when God asks us to wait and this can be difficult to understand. But as it says in the book of Ecclesiastes there is a time for everything. Being in God’s perfect will requires us to be in his perfect timing as well. God’s timing is important, because as I said earlier, God is a god of order.

As I ponder what God’s will is and what my calling is for my life, I am reminded of Proverbs 3:5-6.

Proverbs 3:5-6 New Living Translation (NLT)

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
    do not depend on your own understanding.
6 Seek his will in all you do,
    and he will show you which path to take. New Living Translation (NLT)

I am trusting and waiting for God to show me which path to take. I covet your prayers during this time of waiting. I know God will show me which path to take, I just need to be patient and wait. Please pray that I will have patience and faith that God will reveal his plan.

If you don’t know God’s will or what your calling is in life, I challenge you to seek God with all you heart. God has a plan for your life and it is important that you live the life God has planned for you.

Matthew 7:7-8 New Living Translation (NLT)

Effective Prayer

7 “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.

Thank you for reading my blog and for your prayers!

God’s Prophetic Word for 2019

God spoke the word “transition” to me a couple of days ago. As I continued to pray and seek the Lord what this word meant, he began speaking to me. I was reading in the book of Isaiah, in chapter 43 and verses 18 and 19 jumped out at me;

Isaiah 43:18-19 New International Version (NIV)

18 “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. 19 See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.

New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

God is doing a new thing! We have entered into the 12th hour. The Lord is going to do some incredible things in the next 12 months. Just as the these verses say, “I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” God is going to open up and allow roads into places that the word of God has never been before. The fullness of time is approaching and the word of God will be spread through the streams in the wilderness. God is going to use some unusual circumstances and situations to bring about his will being done on earth as it is in heaven. God will use people in a powerful way through breakthroughs in technology to deliver the word of God into the wilderness.

The scripture says it will spring up or spring forth. This is all going to happen quickly and some people, if they are not paying attention could miss this incredible miracle. The fields are ripe for harvest. This season we are entering into, will be like no other time in history. God is going to do things we have never seen before to accomplish his will on earth. And his chosen people, followers of his Son Jesus Christ will be his instruments he uses to get the job done.

Please spend the next few days in prayer to seek God’s will. God has a plan and a purpose for each of his chosen ones. Prepare your heart by submitting to God’s perfect will for your lives. Be obedient to what God is calling you to do. God will make a way in the wilderness and provide streams in the wastelands. God will make it possible to do things that seem impossible. He will make a way where there seems to be no open door. Please keep your spiritual eyes and ears open, so you don’t miss these incredible miracles God is going to do.

Today is the transition time between, these two seasons. The time of preparing is coming to a close and the time of harvesting is approaching.

Numbers 6:24-26 New International Version (NIV)

24 “‘“The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26 the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.”’

New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

May the Lord bless you in 2019! Thank you for reading my blog!