God Wants To Hear From You, Psalm 55:17

I want your dinner! Are you listening to me?

When I was a teenager, I’d walk my poodle, Penny, and talk to God for at least an hour. Sometimes poor Penny sat on the bed with me as I poured out my teen angst and concerns to the Lord. Although I wasn’t born again nor understood who Jesus was yet, I believed there was a God Who heard me.

That poor dog!

Over a decade later I became born again. And although I accepted Christ was the Lord God in the flesh (Matthew 1:23), I then started talking to God like a holy person was supposed to: interceding for people and making other mighty requests that an Almighty, caring God could answer.

And expressing thanks, of course, trying to focus on the silver lining of life and its events.

But over the years I’ve had one problem after another. My pastor talks about the valley every Christian will have to go through eventually. But I’d like to get out of the valley once in a while! Some of us just seem to stay there in the desert without understanding why and if we get out of the valley, we’re right back in another with little rest!

Even when not engaging in any willful disobedience.

So this past holiday season I asked God: “What’s up with that? Why can’t I get a break from things going awry?”

Psalm 55:17 provides an answer:

“Evening and mourning and at noon, I will complain and murmur, and He will hear my voice.”

What, Dawn? Have you lost it?

I sensed that God was trying to pull me back into a true friendship with Him. To not see Him just as The Big Guy Who answers prayers, but also as my friend Who wants to hear from me. Who wants to be the Heavenly Father Who listens to his child talk about her day, her feelings, her concerns, and her worries.

To engage with Him and not just talk to Him.

So I think God trying to coax me into opening up my heart to Him once again as I used to as a teen. After all, when everything’s going great, I don’t have much to complain or murmur about.

God wants a true relationship with us, to be a friend and not just a Guy Who Answers Prayers.

Now it’s OK to make requests. In the verse before, 16, David cries out:

“As for me, I shall call upon God, and the Lord will save me.”

But I have to remember that He’s also my best friend Who knows me more intimately and completely than anyone else ever could, Who understands me better than anyone else ever could, and is always there to call out to when no one else can always be there for me.

“I will never leave you nor forsake you.”—Hebrews 13:5, Deuteronomy 31:6

Please say “hello” to your best friend every day.

God bless you.

Much love from Dawn and Buddy

***

Even though I spoke for hours upon hours to the Lord as a teenager, pouring out my heart to Him, it was a one-way conversation as I was not yet born again, filled by God’s Spirit.

Only His sheep hear His voice (John 10:27).

If you’re unsaved, generally the Lord will have only one message for you to hear: Follow Me. Become born again by My Spirit. Come to Me for life (Matthew 16:24, John 3:3, 5:40).

God wants to be your Heavenly Father and best friend. Will you please accept His invitation to enter into relationship with Him?

“Whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”—Apostle Paul, Romans 10:13)

The Lord’s name is Jesus, the God Who came in human flesh (Mathew 1:23) to die for your sins so that you don’t have to, and rose bodily from the dead to give you resurrection life through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Do you believe this?

If not, will you ask Him for the faith to believe?

If you’re ready to enter into a love relationship with God, please repeat the below prayer, out loud if possible:

Dear Heavenly Father, I call on Jesus to be my Savior and God Who died for my sins. I’m sorry for my disobedience and humbly ask for Your forgiveness. Please be my friend and Father and constant companion, my Good Shepherd Who will lead me and guide me now and forever. Please give me Your Holy Spirit. I give my life to You. Thank you for hearing my prayer. In the name of Jesus, amen.

If you prayed sincerely, congratulations, you’re born again. Please start reading the Bible daily as it’s your soul food. Just as your body needs daily nourishment to be healthy, so does your soul. I suggest starting with the book of Matthew as it’s easy to understand, and reading forward.

Also, join a Bible believing church or Bible study. And get baptized. If that’s not possible right now, I suggest these two ministries, which also have apps, if that’s your preference: http://www.LTW.org (Leading The Way) and http://www.AndrewFarley.org (The Grace Message).

God bless you as you start your new life in Christ.

May Buddy and I meet you in heaven one day.

Milking The Parable One More Time! Luke 11:29-30

Buddy resting in his cube.

Buddy can rest in the privacy of his cube knowing that he is loved and cared for. When he became my fur pal, it was for life.

I want to return to the prodigal one more time and milk a new point that I haven’t heard from preachers before.

You might be familiar with this parable Jesus told: A father had two sons. The younger son asked for his inheritance early; although such a request was dishonorable in that culture, his father honored the request. The younger son ran off to waste his money on “loose living (vs 13).” After impoverishing himself to the point of near starvation and demeaning, employment, he returned home, expecting to be treated by his father as a hired employee and disowned.

However, the father was so overjoyed that his son repented of his wicked behavior and showed new respect, that he threw his once wayward son a party.

The older son had been laboring away in his father’s field, not living it up; he was building up his father’s estate and his future inheritance. In anger he refused to accept his father’s invitation to the party to celebrate his brother’s return home.

“But he answered and said to his father, ‘Look! For so many years I have been serving you and I have never neglected a command of yours…but when this son of yours came, who has devoured your wealth with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him.’”—Luke 15:29-30

Get to the point, Dawn! We already know the story!

The older son believed he was more worthy of his father’s love because he worked for it. He believed he had earned his father’s love, but his younger brother hadn’t measured up. This passage is often preached on as a contrast between the legalistic believer who thinks he earns his salvation through good works, verses the person who realizes his salvation is through grace alone and cannot be earned, and that our Heavenly Father loves those with repentant hearts.

But also…

The older brother wasn’t the only one hard at work in the fields. He wasn’t taking care of his father’s estate and property by himself: The father had “hired men (vs 17).”

The older brother was equating his hard work with his worth in his father’s eyes.

But there were other men laboring hard for his father, also.

But the difference in the workers wasn’t how hard they were laboring, but their status in the father’s eyes.

You see, my dear reader, your value in the Heavenly Father’s eyes isn’t dependent on how hard you labor in his field.

You’re valuable to the Father because you’re His child,…

regardless of how you think your work is measuring up compared to those “superior” older brothers.

“See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are.”—Apostle John, 1 John 3:1

Hope you find this message encouraging.

Much love from Dawn and Buddy

***

Maybe you’re unhappy because you’re trying to live life apart from the loving embrace of your Heavenly Father who has rules of living to protect people. After all, He’s the one Who created us and knows the instruction manual.

Jesus is omniscient and omnipresent. He sees the future. What seems the right course of action to a person may actually be leading toward disaster. Only God knows where a chosen path will lead.

Jesus died to pay for your sins. He lived a perfect life as a human being so that He could pay for the sins of others, having no sin of His own to be punished for. After His crucifixion, He rose from the dead to prove that He is also God, that He has the power over death.

You don’t have to continue living a life of regret and defeat. But becoming a Christian doesn’t guarantee health and wealth, as false preachers claim, but does set you onto a new path leading away from self-destructive behavior.

A new Christian is like a baby: You’ll crawl, then totter on wobbly legs till you learn to walk steady. I’m encouraging you to give your life to Jesus, because it’s wonderful to be in relationship with God. But I also want you not to get discouraged after doing so. It takes time to learn about God’s love for you and how He works.

Are you ready to make Jesus your Savior from sin and your Lord, the God Who rules your life? If so, please repeat the below prayer, out loud if possible:

Dear Heavenly Father, I’m sorry for my sin and ask for Your forgiveness. I call on Jesus to be both my Savior and Lord, my moral authority. I give my life to You. Please fill me with Your Holy Spirit. And teach me how much You love me. I want to learn to trust You. Thank You for hearing my prayer. In the mighty name of Jesus Christ, the Lord, amen.

If you prayed sincerely, congratulations, you’re born again. You should begin to experience new attitudes and a desire to obey Jesus as you’ve been given a new heart by the power of the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. You’re starting to walk a new path in life, so please be patient with yourself as you learn and grow in the knowledge of the Lord.

Please start reading the Bible daily. And join a Bible believing church or Bible study. And get baptized. If that’s not possible right now, I recommend these two ministries, which also have apps, if that’s your preference: http://www.LTW.org (Leading The Way) and http://www.AndrewFarley.org (The Grace Message). There are other godly ministries, but it’s easy to be misled by legalism or false teaching until you know what the Bible teaches fairly well.

God bless you. May Buddy and I meet you in heaven one day.

Acceptable In The Beloved, Ephesians 1:6

Buddy

As you all know by now, Buddy is a bit of a spoiled brat because I was reluctant to discipline him after his adoption as he had spent three years in an abusive situation. But no matter how big of a stinker he is at times, I still adore my furpal and would never give him up.

Pastor Andrew Farley has been speaking quite a bit this year about how the modern church is treating the gospel as a “self-improvement program,” focusing Christians’ attention on themselves, rather than on their Savior.

So that got me thinking.

Concurrently, I started reading a book from the library on the perfectionism epidemic in modern Western culture called, The Perfection Trap, by Thomas Curran.

Mr Curran discusses the research of the past few decades into the exploding, and rapidly rising, trend in perfectionism. It’s particularly difficult for the generations growing up under the influence of social media.

Culture, and families, are pushing unrealistic expectations onto people to be more, do more, accomplish more, excel more. It’s creating depression, stress, and anxiety.

There’s pressure to look better, be more fit, be more healthy, be more relaxed, be more confident, be more educated, be more organized, be more cosmopolitan—just always striving to be more!

You cannot just relax and be yourself.

Enough is never good enough!

You must always be improving!

People are manifesting this pressure in several different ways: overwork, or trying to be like someone else, or not trying, or procrastinating out of fear of failure.

Parents want their kids to be all stars and get into the best colleges, even if it means bribing people. Kids want to be influencers and make lots of money on social media.

And, it seems to me that the modern Church is mirroring our culture by putting the same expectations on people, turning the Good News into Bad News.

Many new Christians hear the message: The Law of Moses showed you that you were incapable of meeting God’s righteous standards, so, congratulations, you’ve realized your need for Christ. Now that you’re born again, the Holy Spirit will help you keep the Moral Law.

Now you can, dear Christian: be more, do more, excel more.

But what did the Apostle Paul write to the Church in Ephesus:

“…He chose us in Him (Jesus) before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His Grace, by which He has made us accepted in the Beloved.”—Ephesians 1:4-6

The Apostle Paul was highly educated and can sometimes create massive sentences, but did you catch his conclusion?

That Christians are “accepted in the Beloved.”

After I prayed to give my life to Christ, the Holy Spirit told me three things, and I surely wish I’d meditated these past 33 on the third much more: “Although I know every sin you’ve ever committed, I still love you very much.”

I was so thrilled that God was real and loved me that I was smiling with excitement nearly 24/7. At that time I worked with the public, and nonbelievers would ask me, “Why are you so happy?” And I’d respond, “Because Jesus loves me!”

Knowing me for some time, they wouldn’t criticize, but mumble, “OK,” and walk away.

Then I heard two legalistic sermons the same day that stole my joy. Since Jesus declared that “the truth sets you free (John 8:32),” I should’ve figured something was wrong with the teaching. But I was a new Christian, so who was I to question these two preachers with massive audiences and worldwide influence?

What was that false teaching that stole my joy and placed the chains of legalism around my heart for decades?

That some Christians were more acceptable to God than others. Christians who worked hard enough and met a certain standard (whatever that is) got to sit at the banquet table with Christ.

And those who didn’t meet that standard—lesser Christians—got to heaven but weren’t seated at the table with those superior Christians.

So I fell out of the joy of knowing Jesus loved me…

…and hopped onto the hamster wheel of trying to be acceptable to God through works.

In other words, the gospel of: do more, be more, achieve more.

And then, we’re saturated with examples of the super Christian, the one who makes us feel we’re failing because we aren’t as good, or kind, or humble, or doing enough amazing works like this phantom superstar.

So, some give up, walking away from Christ and the Church because they can’t meet THE STANDARD.

When they were already humble enough to admit they couldn’t meet God’s STANDARD of righteousness and gave their lives to Him.

You see, Pastor Farley is correct: the Church has Christians focused on themselves and their performance,…

…instead of…

…on Jesus and His performance,…

…His finished work on the Cross.

Dear Readers, Jesus said, “It is finished (John 19:30).”

King David, of the ancient kingdom of Israel and Judah, understood this truth. He was forgiven the sins of murder and adultery because he understood the grace of God.

“Oh my soul, you have said to the Lord, ‘You are my Lord, my goodness is nothing apart from You.’”—NKJV Psalm 16:2)

Relax. Focus on Jesus and His righteousness…

…on God and His unbelievable love and kindness.

He loves you so much that “even the very hairs of your head are all numbered (Jesus, Luke 12:7).”

And, please, pray for the grace to follow the Holy Spirit’s guidance.

And don’t stress about your focus!

You are totally “accepted in the Beloved.”

And the joy of the Lord will begin to bubble out of your soul.

“Praise the Lord!”—Psalm 147:1 (and others!)

“Give thanks to the Lord for He is good, for His lovingkindness is everlasting.”—Psalm 136:1

God bless you.

Much love from Dawn and Buddy

***

The gospel about Jesus really is Good News.

God loves you and sent His Son to die for your sins, so that you don’t have to meet His standard of perfection to enter heaven (Matthew 5:48).

No one can meet God’s standards, not even the kindest and most sacrificial of Christian teachers.

What God wants is for you to humble yourself enough to admit that you’re a sinner and need a heart change, to submit to His moral authority.

If you realize you want to experience God’s marvelous love and acceptance by becoming one of His children, please pray the following, out loud if possible:

Dear Heavenly Father, please forgive my sins. I ask Jesus to be my Lord and Savior. I believe He died for my sins and was resurrected bodily to give me new life. Please give me Your Holy Spirit. I give my life to You. Please reveal to me how much You love me. In the wonderful name of Jesus, amen.

If you prayed sincerely, congratulations, you’re born again. Please start reading the Bible daily as it’s your soul food; just as your body needs daily food to be nourished, so does your soul.

And join a Bible believing church or Bible study. And get baptized. If that’s not possible right now, I suggest these two ministries, which also have apps, if that’s your preference: http://www.LTW.org (Leading The Way) and http://www.AndrewFarley.org (The Grace Message).

God bless you as you learn how much He loves you.

May Buddy and I meet you in heaven one day.

Just Wasn’t “Feelin’ It”, Buddy Blog Nonpost

Hi. I try to post the regular longer blogs on Friday evenings, but I had a big project due this Tuesday (Am I crazy to go back to school and worry about getting my homework in on time?) and was feeling exceptionally cranky Friday night. I’m still not proficient in some popular graphic arts programs and miss being able to draw mostly by hand.

So, I’m just as human as everyone else. And have days I feel great, or not so great. Am joyful, thankful, and elated—or am crabby, worrying, and critical.

Thank goodness, just as I love my spoiled and demanding Silky terrier, Jesus still loves me—even on my bad days.

Just as the love Buddy and I have for one another is unconditional, so is the love of my God and Savior.

“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called the children of God! And that is what we are!”—the Apostle John, 1 John 3:1

I write these posts, not because I think I’m holier than others or the most knowledgeable, but because the best thing that’s ever happened to me is to become born again by the love of Jesus.

I want that same wonderful relationship for everyone.

Have a great week.

Love you,

Dawn

The Silver Lining, Buddy Brief

On Thanksgiving Day 2022 a black labradoodle escaped out of a neighbor’s home at my parents’ development and insisted on attacking and killing Buddy. Fortunately, neighbors ran out to assist. After our escape, I rushed Buddy over to the veterinarian across the street in Mesa the next day to patch his wounds.

The veterinarian’s staff said they wouldn’t help Buddy without an appointment and none were available that day, so I drove back to his usual doctor in Scottsdale who happily made accommodations to treat him without much notice.

So when, a few months later, Buddy injured his shoulder by ramming into a table doing zoomies at my parents’ home, I took him to the ER vet further away instead of the much closer office across the street.

The ER vet not only recommended arthritis chews, besides pain meds, but also a medication called Azodyl for Bud’s ailing kidneys.

Buddy had his annual physical last week at his usual doctor in Scottsdale, which included a blood test.

The test showed that Buddy’s kidneys stabilized and stopped deteriorating.

I don’t know why Bud’s usual vet didn’t recommend the Azodyl, because he was the one who told me about the prior concerning kidney test results during his 2023 annual physical. But those pills will likely extend his life for several more years.

The timeline:

Dog attack.

Vet across the street refused to treat Buddy.

Buddy taken to the ER vet when he injured his shoulder because the closest Mesa vet “sucks rocks.”

ER vet recommends kidney pills.

Annual visit with regular doctor shows pills worked.

Ironically, the dog attack led to Buddy getting put onto lifesaving medicine that is extending his life.

Truly, “all things work together for good to those who love God.”—Apostle Paul, Romans 8:28

Thank you, Lord, for taking care of my furever pal.

Our Purpose, Buddy Brief

Post from Buddy’s Instagram Page on 1-8-24

Some people bring home a dog to be a guardian, to be a working dog—like a sheep herder or Police K9–or to assist with a medical condition.

I rescued Buddy because I wanted a companion to love—and to love me.

That’s why God created humanity—to be loved and to shower His love on us.

“For the Father Himself loves you dearly because you love Me and believe that I came from God.”—Jesus, John 16:37

“Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy Him forever.”—Westminster Shorter Catechism (https://thewestminsterstandard.org/westminster-shorter-catechism/)

God bless.

Thanks for reading.

Much love from Dawn and Buddy

Merry Christmas! The Greatest Love Of All, 1 John 4:10

“This is real love—not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.”—1 John 4:10 (NLT)

Pastor Dr Michael Youssef recently preached that Jesus was the only person born to know the purpose for His life: to die for our sins so that we can fellowship with and be at peace with God.

Such humility! To leave glorious heaven to be confined to a human womb for 9 months, submit to the authority of human parents till adulthood, and suffer the company of sinful people during His public ministry—with grace and patience.

As Jesus said, recorded by the Apostle John in John 15:13:

“There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friend.” (NLT)

Jesus, God In The Flesh (Matthew 1:23), was born in Bethlehem, because He loves you.

If you don’t know Him, please ask Him to reveal His great love for you.

Merry Christmas.

God bless you.

Love from Dawn and Buddy

“Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.”—1 Corinthians 13:13 (NLT)

Christian Spoilsports, Luke 2:8-14

Ah, Christmastime. The time, once again, to torment our furpals with costumes as part of the holiday season traditions.

Just as Buddy isn’t too keen to put on his Christmas outfit, there is a group of Christians who seemingly refuse to enter into the joy of the season and put on their happy faces.

They self-righteously proclaim several reasons for not participating in the Christmas spirit:

Jesus wasn’t born on Christmas Day. He was likely born in Springtime as the shepherds were sleeping outside in the field.

Christmas is a pagan holiday, since it takes place on, and replaces, the pagan holiday of Saturnalia, traditionally celebrated around December 25th.

They claim that the Christmas tree is a pagan symbol, so we shouldn’t put up a tree in our homes.

And a couple other highlights worthy of Dickens’ Scrooge:

You shouldn’t be celebrating with your family on Christmas Day. You should be out serving and helping the poor.

You shouldn’t waste your money buying gifts for family and friends who already have too much. Give your money to charity, instead.

I remember something a Counseling Pastor’s wife once said: “Christians need to stop shoulding on other people.”

About a week ago I attended a Christmas Party with fellow authors. One dour-faced woman announced that she’d just received her license as a pastor (the denomination surprised me).

She scowled through the entire party, her small, bear-like eyes never sparkling with joy or gratitude. Not even a forklift could lift up the corners of her mouth to resemble anything like a smile.

I would never want to be her friend, let alone listen to her preach. As an unbeliever, I’d probably run the other direction if I saw her heading my way.

I remember walking to a church service one night with a group of students from the dormitory when attending college. I wasn’t a Christian then and appreciated that they wanted me to accompany them.

But, the pastor preached that you should never joke or be jovial, but always “sober-minded (1Peter 4:7, 5:8).” As an aspiring comic strip cartoonist, this lecture was a big turnoff to ever joining that denomination. After all, isn’t it the Scriptures that advise: “A joyful heart is good medicine. But a broken spirit dries up the bones (Proverbs 17:22).”

The Christian spoilsports always seem to rear up their legalistic heads during any holiday.

The Christmas tree actually has its origins during the Protestant Reformation. Supposedly Martin Luther began the tradition in Wittenberg, Germany, while walking beneath an awe inspiring, starry sky: “This wondrous sight inspired him to set up a candle-lit fir tree in his house that Christmas to remind his children of the starry heavens from whence their Saviour came.” The tradition supposedly was imported into Great Britain by Queen Charlotte, December 1800. (See article by Alison Barnes, 2006: https://www.historytoday.com/archive/history-matters/first-christmas-tree). Some scholars say that the traditional star atop the Christmas tree represents the Star of Bethlehem.

OK. Jesus likely wasn’t born on December 25th. But the early church planted the holiday tradition on this date to turn people’s attention away from worshipping a false god to worshipping the true God, Jesus Christ. Just as they built many churches upon the ruins of pagan temples.

Isn’t it wonderful to have festive Christmas lights and beautiful carols and family celebrations during the darkest time of the year?

Instead of being focused on the Winter Solstice, a traditional tine for pagan celebrations during the shortest day of the year, people are instead preoccupied with parties, gift giving, remembering the poor, baking delicious goodies, decorating their homes, and celebrating loving relationships.

If someone wants to be a Christmas Scrooge and scowl their way through the “happiest time of the year (see below video)” that’s OK. God’s unconditional love shines also upon his cranky children; they’re recipients of God’s grace too and deserve our love and compassion.

But don’t feel obligated, please, to heed their joy-killing admonitions.

Even the angels took a break to joyfully announce the birth of the Savior to lowly shepherds one dark night:

“Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.

“And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid.

“Then the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.

“‘For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, Who is Christ the Lord.

“‘And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.’

“And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

“‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.’”—Luke 2

Enjoy the holiday season.

Merry Christmas from Dawn and Buddy

Don’t worry; be happy!

***

Knowing Jesus Christ is good news. It’s wonderful to discover that God is real and loves you immensely.

But too many Christians only preach half the gospel, so it sounds like bad news, instead of the Great Good News that it really is.

Through Moses, God brought the Law, His rules of right and wrong, to show us how sinful we are and in need of abandoning our right to rule our lives and submit to His rule and authority.

But too many legalists stop there.

God makes you feel bad to announce the way to eternal happiness.

Jesus died for our sins on the Cross so that we don’t have to suffer the punishment for rebelling against a holy God (Colossians 2:13-14).

But followers of Jesus are saved, given eternal life, through His resurrection (1 Peter 1:3).

Too many focus on the Cross and forget why He was resurrected. He rose bodily, not spiritually, and walked amongst His followers for 40 days till he rose heavenward with his apostles looking on.

We are all born spiritually dead. No one is holy enough to deserve to be saved, to become born again. Everyone must repent.

But we must repent so that we can be given spiritual life by the Holy Spirit.

Other religions or leaders can tell you how to be good. But only Jesus can give you spiritual life. That’s why He claimed to be:

“The way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me.”—John 14:6

EVERYONE needs to repent to receive eternal life with God in Heaven. There’s no sliding scale where someone does enough good deeds to get in.

Jesus said that the standard to enter heaven through good works is “perfection (Matthew 5:8).”

No one is perfect, even if they think they are.

EVERYONE is on the same level, and fall short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23). It’s the most fair religion there is.

NO ONE can earn their way into bliss. EVERYONE must humble themselves before the Almighty Lord.

Are you ready to become a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17) in Christ Jesus? If so, please repeat the following, out loud if possible:

Dear Heavenly Father, I’m sorry for my sin and ask for Your forgiveness. I realize that I can never be good enough or do enough good deeds to earn your love and forgiveness. I call on Jesus to be my Lord and Savior. Please fill me with Your Holy Spirit. I give my life to You. And teach me how much You love me. Thank You for hearing my prayers. In the mighty name of Jesus Christ, amen.

If you prayed sincerely, congratulations, you’re born again. Please start reading the Bible daily. I suggest starting with the Book of Luke this Christmas Season as it tells the most complete story of the first Christmas. The Bible is your soul food. Just as you need to eat daily for your body to be properly nourished, so does your soul.

Also, please join a Bible believing church or Bible study. And get baptized. If that’s not possible right now, I suggest these two ministries, which also have apps, if that’s your preference: http://www.AndrewFarley.org (The Grace Message) and http://www.LTW.org (Leading The Way). There are other godly ministries, but it’s easy to be misled by false teaching or legalism till you know the Bible fairly well.

God bless you as you celebrate your first Christmas, united with God through Christ Jesus.

Merry Christmas!

May Buddy and I meet you in heaven one day.

Where Joy Comes From, Quickie Read

I gotta wear this stupid hat?

Every time I look at Buddy, I smile because I love him so much.

Now many preachers claim that joy is independent of circumstances, but happiness is based upon circumstance. In other words, you can be joyful even when life sucks.

But I think joy is more than an attitude, but also a wonderful feeling. When I focus on the Lord, how magnificent, creative, intelligent, patient, and kind He is, it’s more than an intellectual exercise: I feel gratitude and thankfulness and love.

So, if you’re feeling down or under spiritual attack, please start praising God and singing His praises.

“Nehemiah said, ‘Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.’”—Nehemiah 8:10

It’s Christmas time, when God sent His greatest gift, the incarnation of His Son, Jesus Christ, “God With Us (Matthew 2:23).”

Go and enjoy great food, gift giving, and loving relationships this Christmas Season.

God actually encourages celebrating His goodness.

As artist Sandra Boynton made famous: Don’t let the turkeys get you down.

It Doesn’t Have To Be Either Or, Quickie Read

“O Lord, You preserve man and beast.”—Psalm 36:6

The Lord’s plan of salvation centers around saving human souls from the bondage of sin and Satan. But the Lord doesn’t just care about people.

Love does not have boundaries.

You can love and want to protect both human AND animal life.

“The creation waits in eager expectation for the revelation of the sons of God.”—2 Corinthians 5:19