A new year, what STRONGHOLD is holding you back?

Good morning all. God is good all the time, all the time God is good.

What is your stronghold that is holding you back?  We all have strongholds, or thoughts of inadequacy or inferiorities.  What stops you from praising God, doing God's work and being a disciple to the world around you?

  With a new year we make resolutions that may be reasonable, but so often  are "dreams" that we, in our minds, convince ourselves we cannot achieve.

  Maybe, I am going to read the Bible each day.  That is reasonable but requires discipline.

I am going to lose 100 pounds this year.  Not so reasonable and we know in our minds we cannot do it.  May lose 10 pounds by March or April.  That would be reasonable.

   I can tell you my stronghold is computer games.  When I could be spending that time with God, studying the word, praying, or sharing with others I am playing a game.  And we justify it---I'll only play 1 game of hearts, then 1 game of cribbage, then a game of Euchre, then Spades, Minesweeper, Mah Jong,-------when does it stop???  Suddenly 1 hour or more has passed and no productivity in my life.  

  Look at yourself.  Is it the News?  Is it facebook?  Is it just to be on the phone?  Instagram? tic-tok?  What takes you away from God?

   When you are with other people are you constantly on your phone and you believe you are listening to them?  

  Be honest!!!  WHAT IS YOUR STRONGHOLD THAT KEEPS YOU BACK!!!!

Food for thought for the new year - 2026. Love y'all.

In Christ's Love and Grace

Johnny

 

What is your perception of you? Colossians 3:2; Proverbs 14:2

 Good morning all. God is good all the time, all the time God is good.  YOU ARE BLESSED!

 

What is perception?  Is it true what I perceive?  Our life is full of perceptions.

What we perceive is real to us, BUT, IS IT REAL?

Some parents got help for their son, psychological help,  Why??

Because they thought he was cruel and had a fascination with worms. Whenever he found a worm he would cut it in half.

  Parents, friends, psychologists all observed this cruelty, BUT, no one stopped to listen to the young boy.

   As he would take each worm and place it on his "cutting board", no one heard him say, after cutting the worm in half, "THERE, NOW YOU HAVE A FRIEND".

  DO YOU TAKE YOUR FIRST PERCEPTION, FIRST GLANCE AS FACT, OR, ARE YOU OPEN TO OTHER POSSIBILITIES?

Colossians 3: 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.

Do we look at things as Christ does, or as our flesh tells us to.  How do you see yourself?  A wreck, a disaster, troubled?  Or do you see yourself as Christ sees you?

  Think about this verse in Proverbs 14: 2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

  Where is your mind set? What is your perception?  Thank you for reading. Love y'all.

In Christ's Love and Grace

Johnny

Forgiveness! Matthew 18:21-22

 Hello and Merry Christmas,

   God is good all the time, all the time God is good.

This is the time of year when people hustle around, buying presents, and getting ready for Christmas, Santa, New Years and new resolutions.

So, why not start your new year with a resolution that you can actually do and stay with.  It is called FORGIVENESS!   Jesus commanded this in Matthew 18: 21 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”

22 Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times

What Jesus is saying is there is no end to forgiveness. However, there is a limit to tolerating the bad (evil) things happening.  Example:  If someone is being abused, they can draw a line in the sand and say, "this is it, if it happens again I am out of here".  Then stand firm.  We can forgive, but we won't forget nor do we need to bring the past back up. Grant forgiveness and move forward.  Jesus loves you and may your Christmas and New Year be bright, joyful, and full of God's blessings. Love y'all.

In Christ's Love and Grace

 Johnny

What is your perception of you?

 Good morning all. God is good all the time, all the time God is good.  YOU ARE BLESSED!

 

What is perception?  Is it true what I perceive?  Our life is full of perceptions.

What we perceive is real to us, BUT, IS IT REAL?

Some parents got help for their son, psychological help,  Why??

Because they thought he was cruel and had a fascination with worms. Whenever he found a worm he would cut it in half.

  Parents, friends, psychologists all observed this cruelty, BUT, no one stopped to listen to the young boy.

   As he would take each worm and place it on his "cutting board", no one heard him say, after cutting the worm in half, "THERE, NOW YOU HAVE A FRIEND".

  DO YOU TAKE YOUR FIRST PERCEPTION, FIRST GLANCE AS FACT, OR, ARE YOU OPEN TO OTHER POSSIBILITIES?

Colossians 3: 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.

Do we look at things as Christ does, or as our flesh tells us to.  How do you see yourself?  A wreck, a disaster, troubled?  Or do you see yourself as Christ sees you?

  Think about this verse in Proverbs 14: 2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

  Where is your mind set? What is your perception?  Thank you for reading. Love y'all.

In Christ's Love and Grace

Johnny

Is your world view in line with the Biblical view?

 Good morning all. God is good all the time, all the time God is good. What is truth?

I will not be long today, just some thoughts for you to ponder.  We tend to worry about many things which are inconsequential in our lives.  What do people think of me?  How do I look? Will I be accepted by the social group of my neighborhood, church, society?  We tend to worry about these things, yet how important are they really?

  Don't worry!  Matthew 6: 25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?

   In this verse Jesus is telling his followers not to worry or be anxious about life's necessities (what to eat, drink or wear), emphasizing that life and the body are more valuable than these temporary things, urging trust in God's provision instead of fearful anxiety.

  What do you see in a mirror?  The miracle God made, or what the world views?  Oz Guinness says, (and I quote) CHRISTIAN FAITH IS NOT TRUE BECAUSE IT WORKS, IT WORKS BECAUSE IT IS TRUE!!

   Take a moment to think about this. This is a powerful statement to me. Thank you for reading today. Love y'all.

In Christ's Love and Grace,

Johnny

Are you fully committed to GOD? Will you share the gospel with non-believers?

 Good morning all. God is good all the time, all the time God is good.  Be strong in the LORD, do not waiver or fall, for God is with you always.

I finished listening to a documentary about Islam and the Muslim faith.  It is actually scary if you do not know our living God.  The young people of today are riddled with lies of how good the Muslim faith is, yet not riddled or discipled in the greatness of God.

Young women fight for the Muslim faith, but if they read the laws and rules, women are property of the men and have only the rights that a man will give her. In other words, she has no rights.  She can be beaten, punished to death, and it is all her fault.

Years ago, during the cold war, Russia said America would be taken over and no shots will be fired.  Many people wrote this off as idle rhetoric.  However, if you look around you can see the Muslim faith is spreading faster than the Christian faith.  48 countries now have Muslim pods within their boundaries, the USA is also one of the countries.

Why?  People who are influential to our young adults are polluting their minds.  Who would this be you ask?  College professors, government officials, young Muslims who are recruiting, and more misguided individuals. They are sharing untruths or lies and brainwashing our young minds.  When will we, as Christians, stand up, go forth and share the true word of God, not Mohammed's tainted male version of religion?

Deuteronomy 31:6 "Be strong and courageous, Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you."

Psalm 57:6 "They set a net for my steps; my soul was bowed down.  They dug a pit in my way, but they have fallen into it themselves. Selah.

Proverbs 16:7 "When a man's ways please the LORD, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him. 

Matthew 5:43-48  "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have?  Do not even the tax collectors do the same?   If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others?  Do not even the Gentiles do the same?

My major point here is: 1) to trust in the LORD; 2) spread the gospel [God's word]; 3) do not be angry at Muslim but share the word of God as the Holy Spirit leads you; 4) be able to counter the Muslim laws and rules with the Bible.

We, as Christians, need to go forth, get out of our comfort zone (staying with other Christians constantly) and share the word with non-believers; aka Muslims, Buddhists,

Hinduism, Unaffiliated, and other religions.

  Christianity is the most declined religion in the world.  In 1976 91% of the population claimed to be Christians, but this number declined to 73.7% in 2016, then further to 64% in 2022.

WHAT WILL YOU DO TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE?

Thank you for reading today. Love y'all.

In Christ's Love and Grace

Johnny

 

Jude 1:24 Doxology

 Good morning all. God is good all the time, all the time God is good.  Has God blessed you in the last week month, or year.  Please share if you wish to tell your story.

Is Jesus with you today?  Do you or can you feel HIS presence?  Often times we say no, HE is not around and I'm struggling on my own.  However this is not true.  Jesus/God/Holy Spirit is with us always.

So, if they are here what are they doing?  Please look at the verse below.

Now unto him (Jesus) - speaking about Jesus, so, what is he doing?

Keep you from falling - Jesus left the Holy Spirit as our guiding light, to see what is ahead and to not fall

Present you faultless - this is saying we are pure, white, our sins are gone away because of Jesus taking them on the cross for us.

(present) before the presence of HIS glory with exceeding joy - Jesus is presenting us to God as He has taken our sins, we are in a relationship with Jesus, and it is great joy that He is able to preset us to the father - clean, sinless, forgiven.

Jude 1:

24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,

Thank you for reading today. Feedback is always welcome. Love y'all.

In Christ's Love and Grace

Johnny