And of Zion [mountain of Jerusalem] it will be said, "This one and that one were born in her; And the Most High Himself shall establish her." The LORD will record, when He registers the peoples: "This one was born there." Selah (Psalm 87:5-7)

I want us to rise higher in the understanding of who we are in Christ! No matter what is going on around us or in our own lives, if we keep our focus on Jesus, He will see us through! All around are wars and rumors of wars, floods, tornados, hurricanes, earthquakes, fires, and many other devastating things. I live in northern California where one raging fire has grown to the size of the city of Los Angeles, and sadly, as of now, it is only 14% contained. That is just one fire and there are many burning right now, taking people’s homes and livelihoods. Difficult times for so many.

I call the Bible our manual for success! It is the truth that shows us the what, when, and how we so greatly need! What to do, when to do it, and how to do it. It is the only truth we can stake our life on!

The issue about fathers comes up a lot this month of June when we are to honor our fathers. Fathers come in all varieties: good, kind, gentle, loving, good provider, helps us through life, wants us to succeed, and helps us to do just that.

I see so many people just coming and going, doing their own thing! The Bible is to be taken seriously, and if we do not read it, we will not know what it says and what to obey! We certainly cannot get training and all the biblical understanding we need on just a Sunday morning! So, we must read and study our manual for success (the Bible) ourselves!

As I look around at all that is going on, like this morning before I started to write this article, I saw on the news a great earth quake hit Turkey and Syria and it said 2500 thus far have been killed. Within that many people we know some of them are Christian I’m sure

When Covid hit, sadly many churches closed and people began “attending” online. It became comfortable and people got used to watching in their pjs or whatever. But it grieves me to know that many are continuing that habit. When I hear a Christian say, “I don’t have to go to church. I watch it online and worship that way. It’s just as good!” I say, “Oh, Really? Just as good?” What does the Bible say about that?

Each year I give the word of the Lord for that year. Here is the word of the Lord for 2023: Thus He showed me: Behold, the lord stood on a wall made with a plumb line, with a plumb line in His hand. (Amos 7:7)

Everywhere we look, some kind of tragedy is taking place. In other nations, in America, and closer to home, even in our own towns. The enemy is causing disaster, despair, and destruction of property and lives.

So many people are going through tough times . . . I did say going through because when we are a child of God, we have Him holding our hand through it all! We live in a fallen world, but we are not of it! We need to rise up with a grateful heart for all His help and guidance.

So many people are looking to this government to solve their problems. I am here to tell you, it won’t! Everywhere around us are a whole lot of very angry people. I say quit watching the news. I say get out and VOTE; then let it go.

I am getting calls from people who need understanding about the signs of the times and how to live through all the wickedness going on around us. How do we please God in all the tragedy?

If we belong to the Lord, we have a manual for success as we go through this journey, and it is the Bible. I say manual for success because we will find no other book that holds the answers for our life! So many times, we go through life looking for answers because we feel like we are sinking lower and lower.

We live in a selfish, materialistic world where people are seeking after worldly goods to please themselves.

We are experiencing the darkness of the world all around us! It can be very upsetting. So many things changing. Sadly, I’m seeing even Christians changing, like a thermometer, in their faith level, joy level, hope level, love level…. Troubles come and their level drops. Our manual for success is the Word of God, the BIBLE! We have to choose to either be a thermostat, which keeps a constant temperature, or be a thermometer which changes with its environment!

We are to be doers of the Word, not hearers only. I tell people never buy emotionally and never give emotionally. Ask the Holy Spirit if this is what you are to do. His job is to lead us into all truth, so let’s let Him to do it.

We are living in very serious times. We never know what the next minute holds for us, or that we’ll have a next minute. I ask you, if you should die in the next second, do you truly know where you will go? Years ago, that very question haunted me. I knew there was a Creator God. I only had to look at the night sky to see that, or at the birth of a baby. But after death — then what? I certainly knew I was not coming back here as a worm or anything else. Reincarnation was not for me. So what was for me?

It is hard for me to wrap my head around the words “2022.” 2021 came and went so fast. We, as Americans, and all the world, had so much to contend with! People ask me what I think the future holds. Well, first, I do not see into the future, but I do know that the Bible is the only truth we can stand on. I also know that only standing on the promises of God will help us through 2022.

December is a busy month for us all. In the midst of all the busyness, believers must get excited about Jesus and what He has done, what He is doing, and what He is going to do!

We live in very difficult, stressful times but let’s remember we have the Father of mercy who will help us through it all. God also comforts us through our problems.

Our world is upside down. I live in California and wow is our state having a hard time. (Like many of our states, actually!)

I know I talk about “Faith or Fear” a lot but in the times we are living in, we MUST know that a Christian cannot be in both at the same time! We are in one or the other, Faith or Fear! Notice, I put faith before fear.

Joy and more joy is needed in our society today. If we Christians cannot be joyful, how can we tell others they can have joy no matter what is happening around them? We live in very tough times and it is going to get worse, not better (read your bible). The Christian should be joyful through it all because we know to whom we belong, and we are just passing through this life to the next! Joy is a choice!

Here we are in April and soon will be celebrating Resurrection Sunday, or maybe you already have. It really makes no difference because we should celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ every day. Without the Resurrection, we have no hope.

Is our life a stench or a sweet perfume? If we call ourself a Christian or Christ-like, then we must do some self examination before we can examine others. I also like to ask, are we perfume or cologne? Cologne is wonderful but it fades quickly, whereas perfume is bolder and lasts longer. But both have a pleasing aroma! Stench on the other hand is offensive and foul smelling.

Did you stop going to church because yours closed down with the COVID lockdown? Have you been having “church” from your TV or computer in the comfort of your living room? If so, that is very, very sad. You see, the Church is made up of the people of God who come together in fellowship to worship the Lord.

I am so glad that I am a child of God. I cannot imagine going through what we have gone through and are going to go through without knowing what Jesus did on the cross for me, and my faith in Him stands on that!

I write the articles for this column a month before they come out in the paper so as I write this one, the election for the President of the United States is still undecided. I do hope all of you reading this voted! Voting is a wonderful privilege we have here in this country. No matter who wins the election, the actions of the follower of Christ is the same: Pray for those in leadership, whether we agree with them or not!

I am writing this article from California which as most of you know has been hit hard with the virus and fires. I do feel it is time to re evaluate where we stand with the Lord.

We are living in very strange times. I am a follower of the Lord, and I know what the Bible says about the end time. This is something every believer should know. But I must say this came as a surprise to me all the virus stuff and the reaction from so many people everywhere. I know it is a true struggle for many who have had this virus, but no matter what the sickness, disease, or crisis, there is a true struggle.

I see so many people who have trouble with happiness. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.

There are no certainties in this life – well, I should not say that because we do have some. The Bible and what it says is a certainty, the cross and resurrection of Jesus Christ is a certainty, Jesus’ returning is a certainty, promises in the Bible are certainties, believing in Jesus Christ and going to heaven is a certainty, and not believing in Jesus Christ and going to hell is a certainty. These are all certainties. Whether we believe them as truth or not, they are still true. So with Jesus in our life all the changeable seasons really do not matter to us because our God is not changeable. The promise of Him as my refuge is still the certainty I rely on and not what is going on or what the media has to say. “The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms; He will thrust out the enemy from before you, and will say, ‘Destroy!’” (Deuteronomy 33:27) A refuge is a place of safety for animals. Likewise, for Christians our refuge in God is a place of safety from all the traps and snares of the enemy. During this journey we are on now, we see some huge bumps in the road before us. We have to speak who He is and what He promises us and know He is with us. We shall have no fear but faith when we mediate on His wonderful words to us. I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.” (Psalm 91:2) Stop and think when fear tries to arise and ask yourself, “Am I running to my God as my refuge and fortress and trusting Him?” When we worship Him in spirit and truth, our doubts fade away and our faith arises, no matter what we see or hear.

I am very confused and I hope you can give me some insight into the craziness going on with my fellow Christians about that virus. I see fear and this really bothers me.

What a mess we see in the world and our nation. We have been and are watching things crumbling all around us. I sure would not like to be in this mess without Jesus Christ as my personal Savior and Lord.

When we do that, we will be looking at the One who has all the answers. Look up, not around! When we look up we are looking toward the heavens, but when we look down or around, we are looking only at the carnal world. Earthly carnal things change, but heavenly things always remain the same; they never change! Looking up and to the light of Jesus Christ, we will have joy and strength. Nehemiah 8:10 … Do not sorrow, for the joy of the LORD is your strength. Everyone who calls himself a Christian should have the joy of the Lord because his or her strength comes from that joy. We need to read the scriptures about joy and apply them to our life. We live in a very sinful, sick world, but when we have Jesus in our life, we are to tell others about where our hope, joy, and peace come from -- His name is Jesus. He came to make a way (the only way!) for all people to have eternal life. We simply must believe and trust in Jesus Christ who died to pay for our sins. Our purpose is to tell others that they too can have hope, joy, and peace of mind. The joy comes because we have life eternal with the Creator of the world and we are saved from our sin because of the shed blood of Jesus Christ on the cross. The early disciples had extreme hardships. Nevertheless, Paul wrote in Acts 20:24 But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. P aul calls our purpose a race and we need to finish it with joy, just like Paul and the other disciples did. I feel sorry for those who turn their back on the Gospel of Jesus Christ because time is running out! For those of us who know Heaven is our home, let us enjoy the journey, even in hard or devastating times. Joy comes when we know our Lord is with us, and He will see us through. 1 Thessalonians 2:19-20 For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming? For you are our glory and joy.

Hard to believe but spring is just around the corner. Here in California where I live, the weather has been sunny and beautiful. Cold but nice. While enjoying the nice sunny weather, I also realize winter is still with us and it will bring more cloudy, rainy days before spring. I am noticing weeds popping up everywhere!

Before I gave my life over to the Lord, my full potential was met and that was living for Judy and what made me happy. Now I live for the Lord and what makes Him happy. Huge difference. Living for Judy was sending me to hell and living for the Lord is sending me to heaven. It’s my choice where I go when the breath in me stops. I tell people to be ready for that to happen. It is happening all the time, not only to the older but also the young. The USA is unraveling because of moral decay, and the moral decay is because God has and is being pushed out of our nation! What happened to the words IN GOD WE TRUST which is on our currency? Because of pushing the Lord out of our nation, now children and adults can choose if they want to be male or female or both! That is pushing God totally out and self totally takes over. What happened to the biblical principles that guided and were even taught in our schools not so many years back? What happened to prayer in school? People think… what if I might offend someone?! Because we have complied to a small majority in this country, the Christians are losing their voice. It is time for Christians to come out of the closet! We need to quit compromising our values and use our voice with authority and boldness! Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing (2 Corinthians 2:14-15). Christians need to know what fragrance their lives are giving out. Is it a stench or a sweet perfume? It is our job to bring the sweet perfume of the Lord Jesus Christ to the world. Our perfume will not be so sweet to those who do not believe yet. To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life (2 Corinthians 2:16). To those who are smelling death, why don’t we be bold and tell them about the fragrance of life through asking the Lord to forgive their sin and believe in Him. Live for Christ, speak about Christ, and live for Him as a sweet perfume!

This is the first month in a New Year and I am sure we all made some declaration for this New Year which wholes new beginnings if we will allow them to be. Instead of giving up I always add something to my walk with the Lord and when I do that it seems to take care of what I should give up or change.

What is living in the now? I know people in the world and of the world do not understand that statement.

What do we put our faith in? So many things are happening in the world and even closer to home—in our country, state, community, and in our own lives. No matter where disaster and destruction hits, we are still affected.

We are living in tough times. Where do we go for help when a crisis hits our life or the lives of our family?

The other day I received a phone call from a friend who lost her home in Paradise, CA, last November to the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in California history! Most of the town was burned. At least 85 people died and nearly 2,000 homes and buildings burned to the ground.

As I travel around and preach and teach the Holy Spirit is impressing upon me how much the influences of the world is impacting our fellowships. Why is that? Well the church is the body of Christ!

I am writing this from California. Wherever we live, most Christians are facing or watching others facing huge situations.

In his inauguration speech in 1933, Franklin D. Roosevelt is known for his statement, “The only thing to fear is fear itself.” That is so true -- then and today! Every day I am around people who are experiencing very tough times. The unknowns of tomorrow seek to swallow them up.