Book of Proverbs – The Rain Falls on the Just & The Unjust

Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, of a truth, I perceive that God is no respecter of persons. – Acts 10:34. – Book of Proverbs – The Rain Falls on the Just & The Unjust.

That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. – Matthew 5:45

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As much as Christians or believers of God would like to believe that just because we acknowledge God in our lives, we should never have any sorrow that is untrue. Just believing that makes us commit sin because then we are not humble but haughty.

Haughty – blatantly and disdainfully proud: having or showing an attitude of superiority and contempt for people or things perceived to be inferior. http://www.merriam-webster.com

Humble – not proud or haughty: not arrogant or assertive, reflecting, expressing, or offered in a spirit of deference or submission. http://www.merriam-webster.com

We will all have challenges, disappointments, and unfair situations arise in our lives but as believers of God, we are to handle ourselves where unbelievers will want to become like us. We are to TRUST, HAVE FAITH, and BELIEVE that GOD has our back and will keep us lifted above, fight our battles, and always cause us to Triumph! Check out my website

If you have always wanted to be an actor and actress and that dream has not materialized yet realize that as a believer in God, you are in front of an audience every day. Every stressful situation that you encounter is a TEST. You must pass these tests and when you do God will take you to the next level. The way you handle theses tests and trials is being watched carefully by unbelievers. The way you handle yourself is what will bring more unbelievers to God which is our main purpose to further the kingdom of God. – Book of Proverbs – The Rain Falls on the Just & The Unjust.

Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints. – Ephesians 6:11-18.

So even though rain falls on the just and the unjust as a child of God and a believer remember what Moses told the children of Israel, The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.

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Book of Proverbs – From Crimson Red To White As Snow

Book of Proverbs – From Crimson Red To White As Snow. Check out my website

Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. – Isaiah 1:18

After the first transgression on earth in the Garden of Eden, we have been deemed sinners and ultimately, we will all face death. However, God’s love for us is insurmountable. “The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore, with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.” – Jeremiah 31:3.

God’s resume is bountiful. He is the greatest Doctor, Lawyer, Teacher, Accountant, Carpenter, Fisherman, Painter, and many more. God is also the greatest Makeup Artist ever.

Makeup artists all over the world, especially in Hollywood, are charged with making celebrities look stunning and fabulous. Top of the line makeup artists are used by famous Hollywood stars and musicians. Book of Proverbs – From Crimson Red To White As Snow.

When we are engulfed in sin and God touches our heart and we decide to trust him and give our lives over to him then he becomes our Makeup Artist. These are some of the ways that God changes us from Crimson Red to White as Snow:

And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity, whereby they have sinned against me; and I will pardon all their iniquities, whereby they have sinned, and whereby they have transgressed against me. – Jeremiah 33:8

A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. – Ezekiel 36:26

And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work: – 2 Corinthians 9:8

Then God will give you peace, a peace which is too wonderful to understand. That peace will keep your hearts and minds safe as you trust in Christ Jesus. – Philippians 4:7

For I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds, saith the Lord; because they called thee an Outcast, saying, this is Zion, whom no man seeketh after. – Jeremiah 30:17

And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever. – John 14:16

All these verses have a highlighted word which is most important. These are just some of the things that change after we give our life to Christ and we go from crimson red to white as snow. The most important of these is the comforter. This is the Holy Spirit that lives in each of us. The Holy Spirit is the third part of the Trinity. He is who will lead and guide us if we ask. He is also who will convict us if we are leaning towards doing sinful things. As you can see if we allow The Holy Spirit to guide us and obey God even though he changes us little by little eventually you will see the new you and what the Makeup Artist has created. Check out my website

Book of Proverbs – A Blissful Life Is Not Guaranteed

Bliss – supreme happiness; utter joy or contentment. http://www.dictionary.com.

When we were born as babies we were pampered, comforted, loved, cradled, fed, changed, and as we grew, we were given every creature comfort possible. No wonder we thought that life would be a constant cycle of bliss. – Book of Proverbs – A Blissful Life Is Not Guaranteed. Check out my website

Reality started to set in as we grew older. Going to school was a perfect example. Sometimes it was difficult to make friends. We didn’t always get the best grades on our tests and homework assignments. Then there were those of us that were unfortunately bullied. Book of Proverbs – A Blissful Life Is Not Guaranteed.

As we grew into adults and then the real maze began. We thought once we graduated, we would find the perfect job or open our dream business and work there until retirement. We would find the perfect spouse, have a couple of kids if we chose, purchase a home, a couple of cars, and possibly have a pet or two and life would be great.

Surprise! A Blissful Life Is Not Guaranteed. As adults, we all have at one point or another faced these issues:

Being laid off or fired from a job

Lost a loved one to death

Struggled or still struggling with health issues

Divorce

Lost a business that you owned

Been involved in an accident of some type

Had to file Bankruptcy

I know there are many things that I have left off this list. We need to remember that Jesus did not have a blissful life when he was here on earth either. Jesus endured physical torment, emotional trauma, and spiritual agony. However here are some promises in the bible when life is tumultuous and not blissful:

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. – Romans 8:28

The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it and is safe. – Proverbs 18:10

Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. – Isaiah 41:10

And the Lord, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed. – Deuteronomy 31:8

The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. – Psalm 34:17

I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. – Psalm 34:4

Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest. – Joshua 1:9

Yes, you can count on the fact that A Blissful Life Is Not Guaranteed but you can also count on the promises of God and he will never fail you!

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. – Proverbs 3:5-6. Check out my website

Book of Proverbs – Proverbs For The Modern Day – One Step At A Time

Why is it important for all of us to take one step at a time? Our creator God did so if we are to emulate him then we should do the same thing. Book of Proverbs – Proverbs For The Modern Day – One Step At A Time. Check out my website

In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day. And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. And God made the firmament and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so. And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day. And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so. And God called the dry land Earth, and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good. And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so. And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good. And the evening and the morning were the third day. And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so. And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good. And the evening and the morning were the fourth day. And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven. And God created great whales and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good. And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth. And the evening and the morning were the fifth day. And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so. And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good. And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So, God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. – Genesis 1:1-27. Book of Proverbs – Proverbs For The Modern Day- One Step At A Time.

Now for those of you that are not new to Christ going over how the earth was created may have been boring but remember there are new people coming to Christ every day that have never heard the word of God or ever read a bible so this is for them. Book of Proverbs – Proverbs For The Modern Day- One Step At A Time. Check out my website

Let me provide you with some things that go one step at a time:

1 – A baby. Many babies take their first steps between the age of 9 months and 12 months. Babies just like all of us must take one step at a time. They must learn to walk before they can run.

2- A ladder. When we open a ladder to use it, we go up one step at a time. For all of you WWE fans which is almost everybody, you know about the ladder matches. They are excited to see when a wrestler has knocked all the other ones down and starts to climb the ladder to reach the championship belt and be declared the winner. For those of you who don’t follow wrestling you also know you can only climb one step at a time.

3- A recipe. When we decide to prepare some food that we have never fixed before we look up the dish and find a recipe. We purchase all the ingredients that we will need and follow the instructions carefully one step at a time. For example, for the holidays you have decided to make Gingerbread Cookies. That’s great but you need to follow the recipe. The most important thing you must do is chill the dough for at least 3 hours. If you just wrap it and then roll it out after a while and try to start making the shapes without chilling it, you will have a disaster. You want your cookie dough firm, so the cookies hold their shape. You won’t have that unless you have chilled cookie dough.

4- A Christmas Tree. If you decorate a Christmas tree for the holidays you know it is a step by step process. First, you purchase the tree. Then spread out the branches. Then you must place it in a tree stand. You also need a tree skirt. Then you start to add the festive decorations you have purchased. One by one you add the lights, tinsel, bulbs, ornaments, ribbons, etc.

These are all examples of taking things one step at a time. Don’t try and rush life because it goes quickly on its own. If God showed the utmost patience by creating the world one step at a time why can’t we? Check out my website

“Take the first step in faith. You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.” – Martin Luther King Jr.

Book of Proverbs – Proverbs For The Modern Day – God’s Grace

Let us, therefore, come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. – Hebrews 4:16. Book of Proverbs – Proverbs For The Modern Day – God’s Grace.

God’s grace is with us every day. We just must accept it.

Right now, our world is going through a crisis with this Coronavirus issue. We are in unchartered waters. Fear is running rampant. We all need to remember that Faith cancels out Fear! We all need to be judicious and follow what our government officials are stating we should do, pray constantly, and walk-in God’s grace. Check out my website

God does not give us grace days, weeks, months, or years in advance. Every 24 hours God gives us grace for the day. Book of Proverbs – Proverbs For The Modern Day – God’s Grace.

During World War II there was a young woman named Corrie Ten Boom who worked with her father, sister, and family members to assist several Jews to escape the Nazis from the Holocaust during World War II by hiding them in her home. Ultimately she and her family were captured and placed in prison. While there she witnessed many cruel acts, physical violence, and injuries. Unfortunately, she even witnessed the deaths of her sister and father. With a miracle turn of events, Corrie was released.

Someone asked Corrie how she was able to live through those awful events and not carry malice and unforgiveness in her heart for the people who murdered her father and sister. Corrie spoke about how when she was a small child her father always took her on train rides. She recounted how her father would never give her the train ticket until he saw the train pulling into the station. When the train arrived that was when her father handed her the ticket and they both stepped onboard. Corrie stated, “The reason you can’t fathom how I could forgive the person who killed my family, how I could not be filled with bitterness and hatred, is because just like my father and our train tickets, God doesn’t give us the grace we need until we’re about to step onboard. But if you were to ever go through something like I went through I can assure you God’s grace will be there to help you make it through the dark valleys and still keep your head held high and your heart filled with love.” Book of Proverbs – Proverbs For The Modern Day – God’s Grace.

Corrie Ten Boom Quotes:

Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow; it empties today of its strength.

Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.

Forgiveness is an act of the will, and the will can function regardless of the temperature of the heart.

Let God’s promises shine on your problems.

When a train goes through a tunnel and it gets dark, you don’t throw away the ticket and jump off. You sit still and trust the engineer.

It is not my ability, but my response to God’s ability, that counts.

Worry is a cycle of inefficient thoughts whirling around a center of fear.

Bible Verses on Grace:

And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly, therefore, will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. – 2 Corinthians 12:9

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God. – Ephesians 2:8

But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. – James 4:6

But by the grace of God, I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain, but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. 1 Corinthians 15:10

And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace. – John 1:16

For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men. – Titus 2:11

Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. – Romans 3:24

Thou, therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. – 2 Timothy 2:1

Now in these uncertain times and any other issues, you are looking to overcome remember that God is the conductor and has a ticket for you and will give it to you at the appropriate time. God will also give you the grace you need to accomplish whatever you need to do! Book of Proverbs – Proverbs For The Modern Day – God’s Grace. Check out my website

Book of Proverbs – God is in the Catapulting Business

Catapulting – hurling or launching (something) in a specified direction. Book of Proverbs -God is in the Catapulting Business.

GOD can and will bless you and catapult you years ahead regarding your desires. Whatever you are dreaming, wishing, and praying for GOD can and will make it happen in record time. Or like the Star Trek fans (Trekkies) call it Warp Speed! Book of Proverbs – God is in the Catapulting Business. Check out my website

A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation: I the Lord will hasten it in his time. – Isaiah 60:22. GOD wants to pour out his spirit and empower you. Our heavenly father wants to launch you forward into your destiny. God wants to launch you at lightning speed! Book of Proverbs – God is in the Catapulting Business.

We work on an earthly time schedule which is the exact opposite of GOD. For GOD a thousand years are like a day. Faith is what shapes GOD’S time schedule. Faith is what makes GOD catapult you. There is something about believing God that will cause him to pass over a million people to get to you. – Smith Wigglesworth.

All of us know someone who has had their dreams manifested at warp speed however that does not seem to happen for you. You dream of getting that promotion but someone less qualified gets it. At one point you applied for that small business loan and your idea was great however someone else gets the approval for a business that doesn’t sound half as lucrative as your idea. What is the missing ingredient? A mustard seed. GOD says if you will have the faith of a mustard seed which is the smallest seed ever then is when the catapult happens. Faith is trusting in the unseen. I have used this example before because most people can relate to it. Rollercoaster rides are the ultimate adrenaline rush. However, you don’t ever think before you embark on the ride what if the roller-coaster gets stuck high up in the air. Is it possible that there will be a malfunction with the ride, and you will be dangling in mid-air praying everything will be alright? No, of course not. You always have faith that this man-made metal ride will always land you safely on the ground when the ride is over. Why do you not have that type of faith in GOD? That is what GOD is waiting to get from you and then you will be catapulted into your dreams. Do you want to manage a team of 100 people, start your own successful business, become a successful playwright, be a New York Times bestselling author, pay off your home early? The desires are endless. It is important that you do your part and GOD will do his part. Therefore it is imperative that You have Faith and GOD will do the Catapulting. Book of Proverbs – God is in the Catapulting Business. Check out my website

Book of Proverbs – Proverbs For The Modern Day – Psalm 34

The Hebrew word for Psalms in Tehilim means “Praise”. Book of Proverbs – Proverbs For The Modern Day – Psalm 34. Check out my website

Psalm 34 is called “A Psalm of David”. It references when David changed his behavior before Abimelech; who drove him away, and he departed.

Psalm 34 is a Psalm that can be very encouraging to you when you feel like the walls of life are closing in on you and you have no way out. The times when if anything that can go wrong it does. The times when you are so overwhelmed when the tears just flow, and laughter is way on the opposite side of the football field, and you feel like you’ll never score a touchdown to get there. Book of Proverbs – Proverbs For The Modern Day – Psalm 34.

Psalm 34 is a wonderful testament of how GOD will always care for you but there are certain verses that I want us to look at specifically.

Psalm 34:4 “I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.” This is very comforting because fear comes to all of us. We need to be careful because most fear is False Evidence Appearing Real. If we succumb to this, we can become paralyzed and never live our lives. Remember John 10:10 “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly.” Book of Proverbs – Proverbs For The Modern Day – Psalm 34.

Psalm 34:6 “This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles.” This verse clearly states that if we will humble ourselves and cry out to God, he will save us from our troubles. Now it is important that you clearly see here that it does not say that trouble won’t come and if you have lived long enough you know trouble does come. However, God will save you and care for you.

Psalm 34:15 “The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.” This verse states that GOD takes watchful care of his people and his eyes and ears are attentive to their prayers.

Psalm 34:17 “The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.” A righteous person has a heart for GOD and tries to live in a moral and ethical way. Now you can start shouting and celebrating because this verse clearly states this person the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. Victory is right around the corner!

Psalm 34:19 “Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.” Remember earlier when I quoted Murphy’s Law (if anything can go wrong it will) this verse allows you to take a deep breath and live your life. Life is just that its life. Suddenly you lose a loved one, your spouse announces they are leaving you, your employer states they are downsizing, and you are now out of a job, you get a negative health report from the doctor, etc. etc. This verse has been a constant comfort for me all my life because it clearly tells you that you will encounter many afflictions, but the Lord will deliver you out of them all.

I hope one of these verses has brought joy to you and lets you know everything will work out for good. Get an index card and write down one of these verses and carry it in your purse or wallet for the times when you feel overwhelmed and unsure. Book of Proverbs – Proverbs For The Modern Day – Psalm 34. Check out my website

Breathe, Pray, Trust GOD and most importantly Praise GOD, be Thankful to GOD always and live your life.

Book of Proverbs – Laughter

Laughter…it seems like such a simple thing to do however it isn’t especially if you are an adult. Book of Proverbs – Laughter

Children find it easy to laugh. They chuckle about everything. It is said children laugh on average 200 times a day. However on the contrary adults only laugh 4 times per day. Book of Proverbs – Laughter

Book of Proverbs – Laughter – As adults, we have allowed ourselves to get lost in the stress of life. We don’t take time to have fun anymore. There are deadlines, time crunches, agendas, etc. Adults have lost the capacity to do as it is stated in the bible: “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.” – Proverbs 17:22. Check out my website

Laughter is medicine! The best part of that is that is doesn’t cost us anything. When is the last time you filled a prescription for medicine and there was no charge? Maybe the medicine somehow didn’t cost but for you to get the prescription you had to go through the doctor and most certainly there was a co-pay you were responsible for. Book of Proverbs – Laughter

God laughed. Here are some bible verses regarding that:

He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. – Psalm 2:4
The Lord shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is coming. – Psalm 37:13
But You, O LORD, laugh at them; You scoff at all the nations. – Psalm 59:8

So, if God laughed knowing it’s benefits, and we were created in his likeness then we should also laugh. Book of Proverbs – Laughter

Here are some benefits of laughter:

Relaxes the whole body

Increases blood flow

Creates oxygenation of the cells and organs

Defends against illness

Provides greater memory, intelligence, and creativity

Is a pain killer

Boosts the immune system

Triggers the release of endorphins

Lightens anger’s heavy load

It may even help you to live longer

The Physical Health Benefits of Laughter:

Boosts Immunity

Lowers Stress Hormones

Decreases Pain

Relaxes Your Muscles

Prevents Heart Disease

Strengthens Resilience

Creating Opportunities to Laugh

Watch a comedy movie, a funny TV show, or view YouTube videos

Share a funny joke or good story

Read funny books

Play with your pets

The same way that we make time every day to feed ourselves, drink water, exercise, etc. in spite of all that we still have to laugh every day. Laughter makes you feel better and releases healing in your body.

Yes, we all have challenges in life. If Jesus did when he was here who are we to be exempt from challenges. The devil is always busy and as the bible says, “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly. – John 10:10. You know how you make the devil really mad: you keep hope alive, you have faith and trust (even if it is the small size of a mustard seed) in God, and you LAUGH daily! Book of Proverbs – Laughter. Take a look at my website

Book of Proverbs – Don’t Say You Can’t – Say Can

Book of Proverbs – Don’t Say You Can’t – Say Can. Check out my website

James and Michael his best friend and best man are out at the baseball game.

“What am I going to do Mike? Jenna wants me to take ballroom dance classes with her in preparation for the wedding. I can’t do that.”

“You think you have problems I have my own set. Madeleine wants me to take a Hot Air Balloon ride with her and she knows I have a fear of heights. I can’t do that”

Jenna and her best friend Madeleine at the nail salon.

“What am I going to do Madeleine? James wants me to go to a baseball game with him. He knows I don’t like sports of any type. I can’t do that.”

“I have my own issues as well. Michael wants me to learn French for our upcoming trip to France. I don’t want to do that. I just want to visit the Eiffel Tower and The Louvre. I can’t do that.

How many times have you said I can’t to God?

I can’t be an usher in the church. I can’t stand on my feet that long. I can’t sing in the choir. They rehearse a couple of times a week and then there are mid-week services as well as multiple services on Sundays. I can’t go on a mission trip. It is not a vacation it is hard work. I can’t go to seminary. When I graduate, I am supposed to be a reasonably perfect person free from sin. I can’t write that spiritual book. I am an unknown who is going to pay any attention to me? The list goes on endlessly of all the things God wants us to do and the answer is always I can’t.

When you tell someone, you can’t what you are really saying is that I am not interested in doing that. When we say we can’t do something it often means we don’t believe in our ability to do it. We refuse to try. We are concerned about how much time and effort it will take to do that thing. It’s a matter of how much time and effort we want to put into it. Let’s not leave out the fear factor which is usually snuggled up close to the word can’t. FEAR = False Evidence Appearing Real! Let’s look at the above examples:

James doesn’t want to take ballroom dance classes. Obviously, he is concerned about stumbling over his feet and looking clumsy around everyone else especially if the lessons are not private lessons with just him and his wife. There is also the fear factor. If it’s important to her than he should do it and don’t say I can’t.

Michael doesn’t want to take the Hot Air Balloon Ride because of fear. What did we just say about fear? It is False Evidence Appearing Real. He just needs to not eat anything before he goes up and drink minimal liquids, so his stomach doesn’t go sour on him. The most important thing, however, is to remember what the bible says, “I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.” – Philippians 4:13.

Jenna doesn’t want to go to a baseball game because it doesn’t interest her. However, there could also be the fear factor here as well. If she is concerned about getting hit by a line drive ball coming in her direction, then she just needs to voice that to James and get seats behind the home plate where there is a protective net. She needs to remember the reason why they got married is to be together and want to please each other. This will please James and again she needs to remember “I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.” – Philippians 4:13.

Madeleine doesn’t want to learn French. It’s not that she can’t she hasn’t applied herself and believes she doesn’t have the ability to learn it. She is saying she can’t, but the truth is she hasn’t even tried. Besides, it is just common courtesy to learn the basic phrases for another country if you are visiting. Hello – thank you – where is there a bathroom – how much does this cost – etc.

Do not say you can’t unless you can prove it is physically impossible. You can do all things through Christ! Book of Proverbs – Don’t Say You Can’t – Say Can. Check out my website

Book of Proverbs – Proverbs For The Modern Day – You Are Blessed

The next day is not promised to any of us. Therefore, we must live in the present, the here and now. However, not every day is smooth sailing. We sometimes get thrown a curveball like in baseball that throws us off-kilter. No matter what you must constantly remember you are blessed. There is always someone who is dealing with an even bigger battle than you are. “I cried because I had no shoes until I met a man who had no feet.” – Helen Keller. Book of Proverbs – Proverbs For The Modern Day – You Are Blessed. Check out my website

Your car is in bad condition and runs badly. While driving you pass several bus stops that are crowded with people who don’t have a car.

You are overworked and underpaid. You go out to lunch and see there are several people in the lobby who are applying for a job with the firm where you work. You have a job and they don’t.

You dream of owning a home because the apartment complex where you live is poorly maintained with dim lighting and sometimes it is hard to find a parking space. While you are driving home you see several homeless people in the street who have nowhere to sleep asking for money and pulling a shopping cart.

You have a cold and it’s making you miserable. You are constantly coughing and blowing your nose. You take some cough medicine and put some tissues in your bag and head over to the hospital to visit your friend who has pneumonia.

You sign up to take a tour however it is not what you thought it would be. There is too much walking and your legs are hurting and your feet are sore. You meet someone else on the tour who is confined to a wheelchair and is unable to see everything they want because of the terrain where they cannot get to certain places with the wheelchair.

You go to the movies with your friends and you are disappointed because the cinematography is not as breathtaking as you expected. Then you see someone at the movies who is vision impaired.

Your spouse aggravates you to no end and sometimes you wish they weren’t around. You get a phone call from your best friend who is hysterically crying because their spouse just passed away suddenly.

Every day you wake up you are blessed. That means God still has a purpose for your life. You are blessed when you have clean water to drink, you have a washer and dryer where you live, you have a vehicle to drive, you have all of your five senses working, you have your health, you have food to eat, your parents are still alive and in good health living on their own and not in a facility. Your children have a heart for God, and they are serving him in some capacity in the church.

As you can see there are so many ways in which God blesses us daily from the smallest to the greatest. Having your eyesight to see a rainbow and a butterfly is just as great as taking a month-long tour of Europe. Book of Proverbs – Proverbs For The Modern Day – You Are Blessed. Check out my website

Thank God daily for all his blessing and remember YOU ARE BLESSED!