Paying It Forward

"So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit." (John 19:30 NKJV) For some, the religious season of Lent is upon us. This is the time that we give up something as a reminder that Jesus gave up His life for us, so that we might live. A lot of people give something up grudgingly thinking of it as a burden. If one is to give up anything, it should be done with great joy and thanksgiving for what Jesus has done for us. We should also take this one step farther. Giving up something should be about more than just giving up something. It should be about giving back as well. For example, we should give up some of our leisure time to volunteer at our local churches/synogogues/temples, community centers, working with the elderly, and or with children, etc. Lent should be a time when we feel renewed, blessed, and fulfilled...not burdened and like we "have to" do something. So, for the next 39 days, as you think about the meaning of Lent, also think about how you can pay that gift forward...not just through Lent...but every day from this point on. Love, Beau

Prayer is FREE

"Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men,...and pray for one another" (1 Timothy 2:1; James 5:16a) In these hard economic times we all wonder what we can do for one another. Some people have high vet bills, high other bills, no job, etc...Some even have lost their homes. We want to help, but we are also financially struggling and don't have the means to help...or do we...? Even if you have no money to spare, no "room at the inn," no extra food or clothing, you can always pray for others. Prayer doesn't cost anything but a little time. AND, it's one of the most powerful forces in the universe and it changes things and creates miracles. God said whenever two or more agree, it is done. Prayer crosses all faiths and all religions. No matter what your faith or beliefs, prayer is a central part of the faith. So, not only is prayer free and powerful, but it universally unites each and every one of us and binds us together. So, the next time you don't know what to do for someone...get down on your knees, bow your head, and or look up to Heaven, and pray. You may never know the results of those prayers but the person(s) you're praying for will!! Love, Beau

Go In Peace

"And the priest said to them, “Go in peace. The presence of the LORD be with you on your way.” (Judges 18:6 NKJV) It could be said that peace is the opposite of anxiety and fear, because when you are not fearful and or anxious you can have peace. In these troubled times we are all anxious and fearful...for our jobs, security, finances, welfare, family, and futures. But, the Lord is with you "on your way" wherever you go. God is always with you. Not only that God has your back. He has the map of where you're going, how you're going to get there, and He has given all of us the tools we need for the journey. Not only that God has a backup plan, and a backup plan to the backup plan. He's totally prepared for whatever happens in our lives. We can rest assured that no matter what happens in our lives, no matter how bad things get, no matter how stressed and anxious we get, as long as we have God with us on our life's journey it's all going to work out okay...even if we can't see that at the time. And so, we can go in peace knowing all is well. Love, Beau

Patience Is A Virtue

"But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness." (1 Timothy 6:11) Everyone experiences time of frustration, desperation, anxiety, etc., when we all need to have patience. But, having patience can be very hard sometimes. We want things to happen NOW, if not sooner. God says we are to have patience in ALL things, and that He does answer our prayers. However, God's timing is not our timing. What seems like an eternity to us is only a second to God. So, when we ask God for something, and or tell Him our needs, we need to remember God responds to us in His time, not our time. We also need to be open to how our prayers are answered...no expectations. God doesn't always answer our prayers the way we expect, or want, Him to. Sometimes He says yes, sometimes He says no, sometimes He makes us wait a little longer...and sometimes if we wait patiently enough our prayers are answered better than we could ever dream of! Waiting patiently for God's response is hard, but it is always in our best interest...and what God wants us to do. Patience IS a virtue! Love, Beau

Superbowl Sunday - God vs Satan

"And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him." (Revelations 12:7-9 NKJV) God and His angels, led by Michael are facing team Satan (aka The Dragon or The Devil). It's a fierce battle and they are in the fourth quarter. God's team tackles the Devil's team...they score....they win!! WOOOHOO!! Team Satan is defeated and sent out and back down to where they came from. And, instead of getting gold rings to wear, God's team receives eternal life and a kingdom made of gold and pearls.! And God's team includes ALL of His children and those who truly believe in Him and follow Him! AND, God's rewards are much better than a ring! Love, Beau

Love Is A VERB

"This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you." (John 15:12, 13:34 NKJV) Love is a verb. It calls us into action. God loves us so much that He allowed His son to die a horrible death for us. God acted on His love for us. And, God doesn't just tell us to do the same, He COMMANDS us to love one another as HE loved us. God tells us that if we love another, then not only are we to act on that love, but act on it fully and completely...even if it means dying. Then God tells us that if we love another we have fulfilled His law. Loving is such a critical thing to God, that He tells us "And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the GREATEST of these is love." (1 Corinthians 13:13 NKJV) But what exactly is loving to God? God gives us a description of love. He says: "Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things." (1 Cor 13:4-7) At first this sounds like just a description, but when you go back and reread it you will see that the descriptions are also actions...being patient...being kind.... Conversely, when you do these things, you are being loving towards another. And remember, being loving is even more important, and bigger, than faith! So, remember to always uphold and sustain your words with actions! Love, Beau

Child of God

"The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together." (Romans 8:16-17 NKJV) We are all children of God. And, as children of God we are all part of a royal family. God values each and every one of us as His children, and He does so equally. We all are hard on ourselves, and maybe others, at some point in our lives. Do not let anyone tell you that you are anything less than what you are in God's eyes. Don't buy into it and don't believe it. It's not true. And, don't sell your own self short. Each and everyone one of us, whether an animal or human, was created by God and is extremely special, valuable, and important to God. We need to remember that about ourselves and about each other. We need to treat each other as a valued and important person in high esteem, and just importantly we need to treat ourselves that way. We are all a child of God and dearly loved! AMEN!!
Love, Beau