Sissy Christians scare me. While they "talk the talk," they do not "walk the walk." My biggest concern is that they represent God is a shoddy, powerless way. Their lives do not show His love or victory. Their hearts do not long for His will. I think they honestly do harm to the cause of Christ because they are poor examples. How do you spot Sissy Christians?

1. They are all about making excuses for why they have not obeyed God.

(Dan. 9:13-14 NLT) Every curse written against us in the Law of Moses has come true. Yet we have refused to seek mercy from the LORD our God by turning from our sins and recognizing His truth. Therefore, the LORD has brought upon us the disaster He prepared. The LORD our God was right to do all of these things, for we did not obey Him.

2. If it were up to them, there are certain verses that would be deleted from the Bible.

(Philp.3:8) Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For His sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ.

3. No prayer life

(1Thess. 5:17) Never stop praying.

(1Tim 2:1-4) I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them.Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity.This is good and pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth.

4. No burden for the lost

(Luke 10:2) These were His instructions to them: "The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask Him to send more workers into His fields.

(Rom.10:15) And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, "How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!"

5. Need their comforts and would be very uncomfortable with the idea of sacrificing anything for the Gospel.

(Rom.12:1) And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all He has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind He will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship Him.

6. They haven't the faintest idea how to lead someone to the Savior.

(Mat.28:19) Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

7. See God as an "obligation" fulfilled by attending Sunday church occasionally. (But only ONE service! Forget getting them to turn up for an evening service. They need their rest, and don't want to miss anything on TV.)

(Heb.10:25) And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of His return is drawing near.

8. Own a Bible Rarely open and read it.

(Psalm 119:103-105) How sweet Your words taste to me; they are sweeter than honey. Your commandments give me understanding; no wonder I hate every false way of life. Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.
9. Do not understand the concept of being led by the Spirit of God.

10. Feels justified in holding grudges and not forgiving others.

(Mat. 6:14-15) "If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.

11. Gossips!

(Rom. 1:28-32) Since they thought it foolish to acknowledge God, He abandoned them to their foolish thinking and let them do things that should never be done.
Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, quarreling, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip. They are backstabbers, haters of God, insolent, proud, and boastful. They invent new ways of sinning, and they disobey their parents. They refuse to understand, break their promises, are heartless, and have no mercy. They know God's justice requires that those who do these things deserve to die, yet they do them anyway. Worse yet, they encourage others to do them, too.

12. When offering plate comes by them, they pick the smallest bill in their wallet, or just put in whatever change they may have.

(Luke 6:38) Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.

(Mal. 3:8) "Should people cheat God? Yet you have cheated Me! "But you ask, 'What do You mean? When did we ever cheat You?' "You have cheated Me of the tithes and offerings due to Me.

13. Negative and proud.

See number 11 scriptures

14. No concern for building God's kingdom.

(Mat.6:33) Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need.

Lord, help us do better! A lot better!

One day when I was talking with my youngest daughter on the phone, she said a most insightful thing. She had been asked to take on some new responsibility at Metro Ministries in NYC where she was working. I ask her if she had decided if she was going to go for it, and she said, "I made the decision to step outside my comfort zone, because I know when I have to stretch, I grow." WOW! I was impressed.

She and her boyfriend had determined that they were not going to just be for God. They wanted to be GREAT for God. It is a choice that would cost them, but they knew that, and they were not turning back.

Now, they are preparing to embark on a new adventure. Married, with two little girls (and a baby on the way!) they are preparing to move to Siberia this September. They have felt God's call to Russia for some years now, and in the past few months, God has opened doors for them. So, they will be selling their little house in N.Ireland and moving far, far away. Pray for them, please! Pray for me, too. I am struggling a bit, although I know this is right. Obeying God is not always easy, but it is incomparably wonderful!

How many of us are willing to step outside our comfort zone? There is always that "be reasonable" voice whispering in our ear to play it safe, isn't there? Don't volunteer. Don't reach out. Keep your mouth shut. Just keep a low profile. The mediocre choice. The easy choice. The boring choice.

I often think that there are many people who are far more gifted and able than I am to be a missionary. The thing is —— I said YES! God has shown me over and over that it's not my gifts and abilities He is interested in —— It's my heart. Oh, how He looks to find someone who will say YES! Oh, how He rejoices over the willing heart!

One of my favorite books is You Were Born an Original. Don't Die a Copy, by John L. Mason. He says, "Failure is waiting on the path of least persistence." We have to push. We have to fight. We have to be determined that we are NOT going to be mediocre. Average is our enemy! "Good enough" is not good enough. Excuses don't cut it. Age is not an issue. Just step up! Just say YES, and God will empower you to do more than you ever thought you could.

Decide to be great for God.

Spring is finally showing up here in Denmark, and it is most welcome! This Winter seemed particularly long. We did not see much of the sun, and that can really start to get to you! But now, the brave, little crocus are coming up showing bright spots of color. It makes me happy!

It reminds me of these verses from the Song of Solomon.
(Song of Solomon 2:10-13 NLT) My lover said to me, "Rise up, my darling! Come away with me, my fair one! Look, the winter is past, and the rains are over and gone. The flowers are springing up, the season of singing birds has come, and the cooing of turtledoves fills the air. The fig trees are forming young fruit, and the fragrant grapevines are blossoming. Rise up, my darling! Come away with me, my fair one!"

I am by no means a Bible scholar, but I understand that the Song of Solomon is a type of Christ's love for His church. The church is considered to be the bride of Christ. The lover of our souls calls us, His beloved, to come away with Him. We understand so little of what that means, don't we? And the times that we live in influence the way we see and think about things. Christ wants a pure Bride. He, the bridegroom, will return someday to claim His bride, the church. Brides and purity do not necessarily go together anymore. The idea of a young woman "saving herself" for her husband is considered by many as a silly, old fashioned idea. But, does God want a Bride who has given herself to many others? Does God want a Bride with a divided heart--- one who has one eye on Him, and the other on the world?

When I was a kid, one of the songs we used to sing had words that said, "It's a glorious church without spot or wrinkle....." Oh, that this were so! I am sorry to say that as I see the church today, there are far too many spots and wrinkles. There is far too much building of personal kingdoms and far too little earnest, selfless, spirit-inspired prayer and serving. Far too many beautiful churches, and far too few beautiful souls. God has called His people to so much more than most of us seem able to comprehend. We are too tied to this present world to see it. We want our rewards HERE, instead of in Heaven. We want to be comfortable. We want to enjoy our pleasures and our stuff. We have hardened our hearts to the lost; to those who do not know Christ and are doomed to an eternity without hope. We don't care about making disciples. We want to enjoy life. We want to just get through the day and relax on the weekend. We have stopped loving what God loves and hating what He hates. We rarely even THINK about that. Those who still have a passion for God and a radical faith make us uncomfortable. A sermon preached on sacrifice has us squirming in our seats.

For me, I think for most of us, it is a constant battle. I know my true home is Heaven, but it is so easy to get distracted. I know what God considers most important, but too often I am tempted to choose what is easier ---safer. When God called my husband and I into the ministry, I really dragged my feet. No thank you, God! But, I knew my heart was wrong -- that saying "NO" to God would make me miserable. We became pastors. It was all right. Then, some years later, God called us to the mission field. Oh God, REALLY? Haven't I done enough? How selfish of me to say that to a Savior Who gave up EVERYTHING for me! So, we moved to Denmark. It's been good. Hard, but good. Often, the right choice -- the BEST choice, is not easy. Then God called my children into the ministry. Again, I had a battle with my heart. But it's OK. Then, God called my youngest daughter and her husband to be missionaries. SIGH... I think I am starting to get it, Jesus! WE ARE NOT OUR OWN! You bought and paid for us with Your blood.

I am beginning to understand that the heart-peace and deep joy I have in serving the King are worth the sacrifices. That having a front row seat watching God do incredible things in people's lives is worth the price. That watching Him provide for us again and again is good for my faith. I am learning that Jesus wants to be more than my Savior --- He is LORD. Lord of my life. Lord of my finances, free time and choices. He is Lord over my children and grandchildren. He is Lord of ALL.

Is Jesus Lord of ALL in your life?

I am one of those people who take the Bible quite literally. I am a simple person with a simple faith. The Bible is written so that the simplest can understand it and obey. Of course, there are layers, and deeper meaning we can dig for, but I believe that the Bible says what it says. We can believe it. We can live by it. We SHOULD live by it. That’s why God gave it to us!

I was wondering....... do we really understand the authority we have in Christ’s name? It is such an amazing gift, and we don’t seem to know what to do with it. These verses about Jesus help us to understand the scope of His authority.

(Php 2:9-11 NLT) Therefore, God elevated Him to the place of highest honor and gave Him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Here are some more mind-riveting verses.

(John 14:12-13 NLT) "I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in Me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. You can ask for anything in My name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father.

We can do GREATER works than Jesus? We can ask ANYTHING in His name? Yep. That’s what it says. Most of us cannot get our minds around that information! We think there must be some mistake, but the Bible does not contain mistakes. The problem is that we need to come closer to God’s heart. We need to pray with the wisdom and discernment that comes from the Holy Spirit instead of praying from our own want and despair. I am learning that when I line my will/wants up with God’s heart, and ask in Jesus name, that results can be expected.

(Mark 11:22-24 NLT) Then Jesus said to the disciples, "Have faith in God. I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, 'May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,' and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart. I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you've received it, it will be yours.

The conditions for praying the kind of prayer that moves mountains are: 1.) strong, unwavering faith, and 2.) making sure that what you are asking for is for the right reasons and motives. (Selfish, whining, spiteful, angry prayers are not going to get you anywhere!) 3.) assurance that this is according to God’s plan and heart. (He knows what is best for us, and as a loving parent, He is not going to say yes to anything that could hurt us or others.) and 4.) understanding that we have no power of our own, but we have permission to use the name of Jesus which comes with GREAT power and authority.

Sometimes I think of young David choosing the stones for his fight with Goliath. Don’t you think God helped him pick just the right stones – ones that would fly straight and true? Don’t you think He directed that sling and caused the shot to be a perfect hit? I do! I want my prayers to be like that, too! David believed God was with Him. It never crossed his mind that he could fail. THAT IS FAITH!

I believe if we pray according to these scriptures, we can expect to see change. We are learning. We are all growing. There is so much more for us to know if we will seriously pursue God. Isn’t it an exciting life?

Blessings!

Life can be hard. We know there are going to be trials, temptations and heartache. This is a broken, sinful world, and we are imperfect people. The good thing is that if we know God, we have a Savior. We have a Counselor and Provider. We have a Comforter and Healer. He is mighty. He is able do far above anything we could ever imagine. He is loving and merciful. Yes, troubles will come, but knowing HIM changes everything. We can find peace in any storm. We can find hope, wisdom and strength for every problem. We have His promise that He will never forsake us. His love never gives up or runs out.

With all this in mind, I have made a list of things we, as God's children, should be worrying about.

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

Yep. That's right. NOTHING.

(Php 4:6-7 NIV) Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Admittedly, I do get anxious about things. I think probably my biggest concerns are about my children. But, I have to remind myself that God is able to care for them without my help. I suppose one reason it is a bit hard for me is because for the first years of their lives, they were entrusted to my care, and I was the one who kissed their boo boos, protected them, rocked them, washed and fed them... all that stuff. But they are capable grown ups now with families of their own. Thankfully, both my girls and their husbands love and serve God. So.... they are in HIS amazing, strong, faithful hands.

So often we think in terms of CONTROL, when God wants us to LET GO! When we keep trying to solve every problem and work everything out, we are not giving God permission to do His thing. We tie ourselves up in knots worrying, scheming, striving, when we should just let go and trust. I am getting better at doing this for my own life, but I admit to struggling over my kids.

Sometimes God has to "smack me up" and sit me down to ask, "DO YOU REALLY TRUST ME? Do you believe I am able? Do you doubt My love or My abilities?"

"No, Lord. I know You love us and You can do ANYTHING."

"All right then. Let go, and let ME."

I love the way The Message Bible translates this portion of scripture. Soak in it today, my friends. Let go and let HIM!

(Mat 6:30-34 MSG) "If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers--most of which are never even seen--don't you think he'll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you?

What I'm trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God's giving. People who don't know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works.

Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don't worry about missing out. You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met. Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.

Good to know, yes?

The other day a friend and I were talking about all the amazing songs of commitment and surrender which are being sung in churches. I still remember has a child in our little country church singing:

I surrender all.
I surrender all.
All to Thee, my blessed Savior,
I surrender all.

But really. Really? It is so easy, in the passion of the moment to sing it and think you mean it, isn't it? I surrender ALL? Everything? God is looking to see if we still mean it on Monday. If we only "feel it" on Sunday, and live any way we want to live the rest of the week, we cannot really say we have "surrendered all," can we? Could it be that we are singing LIES to GOD?

The Lord: I want you to teach the preteen Sunday School class.
Me: God, you know that age group scares me! And think how much earlier I would have to get up!

Yeah..... I surrender ALL. It's hard.

When God made it clear that He was calling my husband and I to move to Denmark, I did NOT want to surrender AT ALL. Nope. No way. I loved my life. I loved my job. I loved my family, my nation and my current way of life. It was really hard. Quitting my job, packing up my life, saying good bye to family and friends.... I thought I was going to die. When I hugged my mom, I literally had to pry her fingers off me. She did not want to let go. It broke my heart. But.... in the midst of it all, there was another song that was going around and around in my head. It's an old one by a group called Anointed.

For the sake of the call, I am laying down my all
No turning back, moving straight ahead
I'm on the right track, and its all for the sake of the call

It was on a day like no other seeking Your face when I discovered
My life was no longer my own, but Yours
But then I heard you say Go and tell them. Open your heart
Let me in and I will supply your every need

Then I cried, Lord, I dont know if I can do it
You will find your strength in Me, only believe
Then I said, What if I fail? I just couldnt take it
He said, I have given you My ability

For the sake of the call, I am laying down my all
No turning back, moving straight ahead
Im on the right track, and its all for the sake of the call

You see, Jesus bought me with His own blood. Literally. So, it is not my life anymore. I don't get to decide everything. Yet, there are so many Christians who don't seem to get that. (Including me, sometimes!) You know, I didn't die. I have thrived. I have grown. It has been so exciting and rewarding! I am so glad I obeyed, even though I did drag my feet quite a lot!

How about this song:

I'm yours Lord! Everything I've got
Everything I am. Everything I'm not.
I'm yours Lord! Try me now and see
See if I can be completely yours.

And God listens while we sing. God watches how we live.

This is the air I breathe
This is the air I breathe
Your holy presence living in me

This is my daily bread
This is my daily bread
Your very word, spoken to me

And I... I'm desparate for you
And I... I'm lost without you

It is incredible how patient God is. It is also incredible how selfish, stubborn and UN-Christ like we, God's own people can be.

Saying no to God has a price. If you do that enough times, God will just stop asking. You will wonder why your relationship with Him has grown cold. Or... maybe you won't even notice.

God wants to be first in our lives. God wants us to BURN for Him. He wants us to love Him with such passion, that there is NOTHING we won't do, and no where we aren't willing to go if He asks. As Keith Green so aptly wrote in his song, To Obey is Better Than Sacrifice, "If you can't come to Him every day, then don't bother coming at all."

We wonder why the world is in such a mess. We "tut tut" at the sin and the scandals and the filth and the lies. Do we ever wonder WHY the world is going down? Do we ever ask why it is that sin abounds? Sorry, it is not the president's fault. It is not the fault of the porn industry or Hollywood. It is not the drug pushers or prostitutes that are responsible. It's only my humble opinion, but I think the problem is Christians who would rather sing about commitment than BE committed -- who would rather sing about serving and loving Him than really doing it. Christians who would rather be comfortable than obey God. Lukewarm Christians.

Please, don't be one.

Lately I have been working on a song which shares a bit about my struggles. I am so often humbled by how forgiving my God is! I hate it when I make the same mistakes over and over again. I want to be so "tuned in" and sure of the Holy Spirit's voice that my words are always right, timely and true. I know words are powerful. I guess know I can be really impatient! I am working on it -- which is why I am so grateful for the patience and forgiveness of my wonderful Lord!

In the past, I have ruined so many things by being impatient. I know I have also hurt the feelings of others. So, I am often asking God to be Lord of my MOUTH! I do not want to be negative, and I do not want to impulsively just blab without thinking. Lord, teach me to be wise, too, please! My mom used to have a sign over the phone that said something like, "MAKE SURE BRAIN IS ENGAGED BEFORE OPENING MOUTH." Yeah... good advice!

Anyway... here is the song. As yet, it has no title. Any ideas?

I don't want to speak
When I should be still.
You know I like to talk,
And I will

Lord, You know what is best,
So put me to the test.
I don't want to talk when I should be still.

I don't want to run
Ahead of you.
They say I am impatient,
And it's true.

But my life is in Your hands,
And I trust Your Master Plan,
So, I don't want to run ahead of You.

And I will not be still
When I should speak
Sometimes I do get scared,
And I am weak

But Your message is so true,
There is lots for me to do,
So, I will not be still when I should speak.

Blessings on your week, folks!

Are you as tired of gray Winter days as I am? If you aren't, you don't live in Denmark! We have had very little snow, but lots and lots of rain and fog. I miss colors and sunshine! When I feel like that, my husband takes me to Plantorama! I bring my camera and enjoy just walking around in the greenhouse taking photos. I love to soak up the glorious riot of colors and remind myself that Spring will come.

(Psalm 104:19 NLT) You made the moon to mark the seasons, and the sun knows when to set.

(Psalm 3:3-4 NLT) But you, O LORD, are a shield around me; You are my glory, the One who holds my head high. I cried out to the LORD, and He answered me from His holy mountain.

(Psalm 16:7-8) I will bless the LORD who guides me; even at night my heart instructs me. I know the LORD is always with me. I will not be shaken, for He is right beside me.

(Luke 12:28 NLT) And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, He will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?

(Psalm 18:2-3 NLT) The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety. I called on the LORD, who is worthy of praise, and He saved me from my enemies.

(Song of Solomon 2:12 NLT) The flowers are springing up, the season of singing birds has come, and the cooing of turtledoves fills the air.

(Psalm 13:5-6 NLT) But I trust in Your unfailing love. I will rejoice because You have rescued me. I will sing to the LORD because He is good to me.

(Psalm 68:19 KJV) Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah.

I like this verse best from the King James. I do feel that God "loads my life" with so many blessings! I will never stop claiming His wonderful faithfulness! He is a God who can be trusted. He is a God who keeps His word. He knows how to care for what belongs to Him ---- and I do!

Winter does give me more time to work on projects. Lately I have been making wreaths using old books. I like the way they look. I especially like to use old books, because the pages are yellowed, and I like that.

This wreath was made from rolling the pages. Thank you, Pinterest for good ideas!

I made this button wreath several years ago. It took me a long time to collect the buttons! I hang it on my front door during the Christmas season. Sorry the picture is not so great. My camera does much better in natural light.

I like "re-purposing" things. I look for things in second hand shops that I can breathe new life into. I am currently working on an afghan which will me made of yarn leftovers and the bits and bobs of yarn I pick up from second hand shops. I am thankful that God "re-purposed" my life! I am so glad that He saw something in me He could make good and useful.

Hubby rescued this oak bench from a second hand shop. It was broken and dull. He fixed it up and I just love it! I have loaded it with some of my plants and second hand shop odds and ends. I like the look. Do you? I know... it is a bit blurry. Can I blame the camera?

I love this sign my daughter gave me. It makes me cry and smile at the same time! I also like this sign that says STAY POSITIVE. Good advice, for sure! It is in the bathroom where our washing machine is located.

So --- whatever you are doing during these cold Winter days, remember that Spring is coming. Stay positive. Remember you are cherished by the King. Let Him make something beautiful of your life!

Blessings!

Is there some secret to having a better life? Are there things we need to be doing (or NOT doing!) that will make things go better for us? Remember in Sunday School when the teacher talked about the way to have joy?

J -- Jesus
O -- Others
Y -- You

The idea is that if you really want a good and joyful life, you should put Jesus first. Next, care about others, and last, think of yourself. I am not sure you can really make joy such a simple formula, but I do know that things go better in my life when I put Jesus first. I also think caring about others is important. (Although for me that means a lot of time spent on my knees in prayer.) I have learned I can't change anybody, but it has not stopped me trying! Our old pastor used to say, "There is only one Savior, Mae, and it's not you." Good to remember, don't you think? It is hard to see people you care about doing dumb things, though. But, we just have to be the best influence we can, and PRAY!

As far as putting yourself last, well --- I don't know. I know we should not be whining, obnoxious, selfish and all that, but taking care of yourself is important. As I get older and my body defies my will in many ways, I see the importance of taking care of myself. I like to work hard. I used to be able to push myself, but these days, it doesn't work so well. If I am in pain because I have not used wisdom and have overdone, I am not very nice or very useful to anyone, so in this regard, I need to think of myself.

I guess I am wandering a bit here, but what I really want to say is that living a balanced life -- a life of moderation -- is a good thing. Eating cookies is not wrong. Eating a dozen cookies is excessive and out of balance. Buying yourself something you like or need is not wrong. Being a "shop-aholic" is out of balance. Putting on a few pounds over the holidays is not terrible. Keeping those pounds, and adding more is unhealthy and out of balance! Your home does not always have to look like the cover of Home Beautiful, but don't take too long to clean and tidy. It's all about finding the balance. I believe that is what makes me feel right.

Sure, it is good to have things in your life you are passionate about, but usually, if these things consume all your time, money and energy, you are out of balance. Well, having said that, I also want to say that I don't think you can EVER have too much of God. I don't think you can ever have too much of spending time with Him! In fact, He is the one who teaches me what real balance is. He is the one who helps my life find the right rhythm. His wisdom guides me.

(Proverbs 16:32 NLT) Better to be patient than powerful; better to have self-control than to conquer a city.

If I were the type to make resolutions in the new year, I think living a Christ-centered, well balanced life would be the best one I could think of!

What is truth? It seems like an easy enough question to answer, but when you observe the lives of different people you start to wonder. It seems to me that there are some people who base truth simply on whether or not they have decided to believe something. But, does that make it true? Is something true because you heard it on the news? Read it on Facebook? A friend or acquaintance shared it? What constitutes truth? So much of the media is hype. So often declarations and "evidence" can be slanted in whatever direction is felt right to the individual writing/reporting. Most radio and TV broadcasts have an agenda, and they decide what, and how to report what they put out there. I must admit that over the years I have gotten very suspicious of a lot of what is reported as "truth." Often, there are conflicting reports. Then what do you believe? The one you like best? Crazy.

There is a source of absolute truth. I believe it can only come from God and His Spirit. The Bible says He cannot lie, so it seems to me, He would be the best resource for truth. Oh sure, I know there are those who say the Bible is a book of myths, or just nice stories. They say it is "outdated" and not relevant for today. Baloney.

All I know is that when I read the Bible, it speaks to something deep within me. It gives me hope. It points me in the right direction. It helps me understand life. I also sense that as I read, God is revealed to me more and more. I see His faithfulness to mankind. I read of of His incredible wisdom and love. I choose to trust in the Bible as absolute truth, and I have to say it has never let me down. When I choose to live by the principles revealed there, life is just.....GOOD. When I choose to treat people the way God asks me to, I am blessed. When I make decisions based on what the Bible says is right, I have peace. I haven't found these things anywhere else.

(Psalm 25:5 NLT) Lead me by Your truth and teach me, for You are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in You.

(Psalm 86:11 NLT) Teach me Your ways, O LORD, that I may live according to Your truth! Grant me purity of heart, so that I may honor You.

It is interesting that all through the Gospels, Jesus says, "I tell you the truth....." But, maybe that isn't so surprising, considering Jesus IS THE TRUTH! (John 14:6 NLT) Jesus told him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through Me.

I guess in this day and age, you can believe any crazy thing you want to. If you want zombies or vampires to be real. Sha-zam! For you, they're real. If you want to believe the earth is drifting out of orbit and will crash into the sun.... uh... OK. But I know there is something deeper --- something better--- than just making it up as you go along. I choose to go to the source of all truth. Almighty God. It's undoubtedly the best choice I have ever made.