“Abstain from all appearance of evil” --1 Thessalonians 5:22 (KJ)

Recently I was told a very funny “joke” of something that happened in church. It struck me so funny I laughed and laughed. Later, when I was alone I went over it several times to be sure I would get it right when I retold it. It was one of those that you just had to tell someone else, a close friend. But it was somewhat “shady.” It wasn't really a “dirty” joke. But it was not one you would want to tell from the pulpit. The pastor and I were very close and I was just itching to tell it to him.

Verses to Live By:

• “Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors..."
  For if you forgive their trespasses, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men, then your Father will not forgive your trespasses --Matt. 6:12,14-15
• Then Peter came to him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.”--Matt. 18:21-22
• And when you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone; so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your transgressions. --Mark 11:25-26
• “Sufficient for such a one is this punishment which was inflicted on him by the majority, so that on the contrary you should rather forgive and comfort him, lest somehow such an one be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. Wherefore I urge you to reaffirm your love for him.--2 Corinthians 2:6-8
• Other good verses about forgiving are:
  • Mark 3:29, which speaks of “an eternal sin"
  • Luke 7:47
  • Luke 23:34
  • Mark 2:5-12
  • Luke 17:3-4

After my last visit with the doctor to go over my cholesterol test, I increased my workout regimen.  While I was on the treadmill, listening to one of Pastor Mike’s sermons from our podcast, the idea of spiritual fitness came to mind. Since then, I have drawn some correlations between physical fitness and spiritual fitness.

Well it is the beginning of a new church year so I thought I’d kick it off with a new eDevotion and the first one that I’ve written.

The political race is now in full swing with all of its trappings: speeches full of lies, half truths and mud slinging. To top it off, the television commentators think it’s their job to throw fuel to the fire.

Jeremiah, Job, and Sometimes... Us

"In·de·scrib·able- that which cannot be described; surpassing description. " Words seemed to fail the Apostle Paul as he expressed, "Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!"

Is Jesus' teaching of the "roaring of the sea and the waves" one of the signs preceding His Second Coming? It appears to this writer that it is. Three verses later, Jesus said, "When these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near."

I once heard a motivational speaker say, "We can do anything if we are just motivated." How motivated are we? The most urgent thing we should be motivated to do is to Seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness.