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Unless you have been living under a rock you have been to Walmart and seen some really weird outfits. I know there have been times I have noticed someones outfit and thought to myself I wouldn't have left the house in that, let alone worn it in public. There is even a website that is devoted to the strange outfits and antics of Walmart customers. The site, “The People of Walmart,” is a humorous site that depicts the many customers of Walmart stores across the United States and Canada, through funny photos. My difficult question for you is this: what are you looking at? What are you focusing on? If you spend to much time looking at the world you will soon become distressed, If you spend to much time looking at yourself you will become depressed but if you focus on and look to God you will find rest! As Christians we are called to be in the world but not of the world.

John 15:19 ESV If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

Jesus understood the tension we would experience as Christians living in a hostile world. So what does it really mean to be in the world, but not of the world? How do we decide which shows we should watch, which environments we should avoid or which activities are out of bounds? Look to the word of God, focus on bible study. The sad fact is that the only way to completely avoid all sinful experiences or influences is to leave this world altogether. You will always experience temptation until that day you enter into eternity in heaven. The fact that you might be in a location where your Christian view is challenged is not necessarily a bad thing. In fact, God may have placed you there so you can have a positive impact on those who don’t yet know Jesus. As Christians we are to be a light in a dark and sin filled world.

Matthew 5:14-16 ESV You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

So the question we must ask ourselves is how bright is our light. When you see that person dressed in some crazy outfit at Walmart that you just can't un-see it burns a memory in your head. What exactly are people seeing in your day to day actions? What influence is your life having on those around you? Living the Christian lifestyle is so difficult! Sometimes our light stops shining because we have started to crave the world more than we want to change it. This can happen to anyone, even those of us who are active in our church. We begin to pursue pleasure, attention, and money more than we strive after spiritual things like faith, love, and a close relationship with God. Worldly things promise us a lot, but ultimately leave us empty. God’s path leads to an inspiring, fulfilling, and purposeful life.

1 John 2:15-17 ESV Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.

Worldly distractions can pull your focus away from your faith. So who are you looking at, the things of the world or the things of God?

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I am pretty confident that most of us have had one of those, “What If” moments where you wondered just how things may have turned out differently if you had made a different choice. My biggest, “What If” moment has just recently came across my mind. When I turned 18, I signed up for the draft because I was required to. I thought myself I will serve if drafted, but I am not going to volunteer. I had several of my classmates signed up to serve in the armed forces right out of high school and now they are comfortably retired and only working at things they enjoy doing. It has made me think to myself, how would my life had been different if I had joined the military and made a career of it? First I would have gotten married at a very young age and had 3 girls and 2 boys, that passed away as infants. I also wouldn't have had a failed marriage after 8 years and been a single father for 4 years. I also wouldn't have met the love of my life Joyce Ellis who helped me raise my 3 girls. Finally, I wouldn't have 6 grandchildren ranging in age from 18 years old to 12 years old. There is no way to know what my life would have looked like. The choices you make in life are similar to throwing a rock into a body of water. It makes waves which ripple out for a long way. Here is my difficult question for you, what if you had enough faith in this life to do all that God would have you to do?

Matthew 17: 19-20 ESV Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.

If I had the faith to follow God without fail the impacts of my actions wouldn't be like the ripples caused by throwing a rock into a body of water, it would be more like the wave cased by a tsunami. Everyone and everything around you would be effected by your actions. However the truth of life is that we all live in a broken and sin filled world. We have all been betrayed in one way or another and this causes us to lose our trust in others and ultimately find it difficult to completely trust God. True Faithfulness comes from a place of trust and loyalty.

Hebrews 11:1 ESV Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

As a Christian, it is important to be faithful to God. It is one thing to simply believe in Him, but another to be faithful to Him. When we are truly faithful to God, this shapes the way we live. Faithfulness requires us to submit our ways to God. It comes from a place of realizing that we are in need of a Savior and that He is in control of our lives.

Proverbs 19:21 ESV Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.

So, how do we grow in our faithfulness? We can grow in our faithfulness by having a personal relationship with Christ. If we are truly faithful to Him and obey His commands, this will be evident in our lives. My challenge to you is this: Think about the ways you show your faithfulness to God. Are there things that are getting in the way of your faithfulness? What areas of your life have you not given over to God? Through spending time in prayer, ask God to make these things clear to you, so that you can grow in your faithfulness. “What If” you were completely faithful in all you do? What If?

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I have a common response to all who ask me how I am doing, most days I reply, “If I were any better there would have to be two of my and my wife would say, WOO HOO!” If the truth be known my wife's response would likely be something more like, “OH NO!” My wife has the patience of Job! She has the ability to accept or tolerate all the harassing, teasing and torments I hand out without getting angry or upset or at least she doesn't lash out at me, but I can tell by the expression on her face she is angry. I can be a bit of a trouble maker and that is putting it nicely. I am so grateful for the grace my wife extends to me. As I have grown older and more spiritually mature I have become more aware of the grace that is extended to me by God. Daily I sin and fall short of the glory of God. Grace is not something earned through good works or merit; it's a spontaneous gift, offered freely and unconditionally.

Ephesians 2: 8-9 ESV For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

The Bible does not attempt to conceal the sins of those God choose to do his will. The people that adorn the pages of scripture made mistakes just like me! Adam and Eve disobeyed God's command and ate from the Tree of Knowledge, Cain murdered his brother, Noah got drunk and slept in the nude, Abraham and Isaac both lied about their wives, David committed adultery with Bathsheba and had her husband killed, Moses killed an Egyptian, Jonah disobeyed God's command and ran from Nineveh and Lots daughters got him drunk and had children with him. Despite their sins God still used these people.

Romans 3:23 ESV For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

Let us face the fact, we came into the world with nothing, and we will leave it with nothing. Where do we get the notion that man’s idea of success and God’s are the same? You may have written a book and achieved some success. You may be a talented outdoors men and hunter. Maybe your a very successful farmer or maybe your good with your finances and have invested wisely and accumulated a great deal of money. Without the gifts of intelligence, imagination, personality, and physical energy, which are all endowed by God, where would you be? We are born poor and we die poor! We come into this world with nothing and we will leave with nothing. If we are anything, it is because God has blessed us with some talent or physical ability. Let's face it God doesn't need us! But he chooses to use us despite all our failures and sins to show his greatness. I once knew a person who told me, God can strike just as hard a lick with a crooked stick, and God knows I am a crooked stick. If God can use a lair, a drunk, an adultery and a murderer the he can use you and he can use me. God’s grace is amazing. His forgiveness knows no bounds. Whether you make one or one million bad choices, God will always take you back. He will always forgive you, because Jesus suffered the punishment for your sins on the cross. So if you mess up, admit it. Don’t let one bad choice lead to another. But also trust that no matter how hard you fall, no matter how low you sink, God’s grace for you knows no limits. Turn to him and find full and free forgiveness.

1 John 1:9 ESV If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

God accepts me warts and all! All I have, has been given to me by God's almighty hands. Forgive me when I tend to boast about my own accomplishments for I am nothing without Gods grace and love.

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In the early 90's there was a movie called, Wayne's World. Wayne and his best friend Garth run a popular cable access show called, Wayne’s World. They get the the attention of a TV executive who wants to exploit their show. In the movie there is a scene where Wayne and Garth repeatedly say, We're not worthy. It occurs when they meet Alice Cooper, a rock and roll icon. After Alice Cooper suggests they hang out with him, Wayne and Garth, in a state of extreme excitement and awe, react with the phrase, We're not worthy, which they repeat multiple times, along with other exclamations of self-deprecation. This may seem strange to you but there are times when have a strong desire to lift someone up in prayer, but as I begin my prayer I suddenly feel especially remorseful. I want with all my heart to approach the throne of God with my prayers, but I recognize that because of my sins, I am Not Worthy!

Psalm 51: 1-3 ESV Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.

The world wide waste of time, the internet, especially social media has a tendency to occupy or waste way more of my time than it should. Frequently I find myself on Facebook and I stumble across a post that really infuriates me. I know I shouldn't pay attention to it but I find myself getting lost in the comments. Many of the responses are a retaliation to what this person shared in their post. My heart yearns to leave a witty comeback! With my fingers poised over my phone's keyboard, I try to devise a reply to that will let all those who have hatefully lashed out that this person know just how they are wrong they are! I come up with several retorts that I really want to post, but I ultimately decided it is better to do nothing than it is to reply in my furious state, so I hit close all apps and put my phone down. Satisfied with my good behavior, I mentally pat myself on the back for my ability to exert such excellent self-control. Doing the right thing is good in many ways, but it doesn’t change what’s in our heart. Jesus tells us that sin starts in the heart.

Matthew 15: 18-19 ESV But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander.

If our sin isn’t dealt with at the core, it will grow out of control until it permeates our entire being, affecting our relationship with God. Although I practiced self-control by not posting a comment, my heart was unrepentant. Outwardly I looked clean, but on the inside, my heart was a muddy mess that still oozed pride and fury. Despite my good behavior, I still need to seek the Lord in true repentance. God delights in a heart that is truly remorseful!

Psalm 51:17 ESV The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

Rather than assuming that my good behavior is enough to make me right with God, I need to approach Him with the recognition that, I am Not Worthy, that even my most righteous acts are no more than filthy rags to God. I should have a repentant heart that wants to be made right so I can enjoy a better relationship with my heavenly Father. Because none of us are worthy, We are Not Worthy!!!

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When my children were young there were several things that I was known for with all their friends. First, if your car blocked the driveway and you parked me in you would find your car at the top of the hill, a couple blocks away. If your car was not running right, I would fix it for you or if you wanted a new stereo installed in your car, well I was your man. I was also a bit ornery, matter of fact I was infamous for being a a joker. Children frequently describe their parents by the job or careers they have, their hobbies, and the types of activities they enjoy, such as reading, gardening, or cooking. Children describe their parents beliefs about right and wrong, based on the rules they are given. They describe their parents, using adjectives like "funny," "strict," "kind," "generous," or "helpful". In essence, their descriptions of their parents is a snapshot of how they perceive their parents characteristics, actions, personality, beliefs, and values. What would your children say your infamous for?

Proverbs 22:6 ESV Train up a child in the way he should go; and even when he is old, he will not depart from it.

I will be the first to tell you that when I was raising my kids, they were more likely to find me in the garage working on my race car than they were to find me with my bible studying God's word. As parents, we bear the responsibility of being a good example for our children. Our words and actions shape their understanding of God. Just as we are encouraged to learn from God's Word and apply it to our lives, we should also teach our children to do the same. There is a delicate balance between parental authority and ultimate obedience. The most successful parents have the wisdom to guide their children, not just through rules, but through the example of their lives. In Ephesians the bible tells us that Fathers and mothers, should not provoke their children to anger, but teach them discipline and instruction of the Lord. This verse encourages parents to discipline and instruct their children with love and guidance, not anger. I was blessed with two parents that kept God at the center of their lives. No matter what foolishness I had done on Saturday evening, I knew that my parents would be dragging me out of bed to go to Sunday school and church the next morning!

Psalm 103:13 ESV As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.

I am confident that when my parents stand before God they will receive a crown so full of jewels it will be hard for them hold their heads up. I know this because as a teenager if my parents asked me to do something I would intentionally do the opposite and yet the kept their composure. My parents showed me compassion and love when I deserved the opposite. I am sure there were moments when my parent questioned my sanity and prayed to God and asked Him what they did to deserve such treatment! My parents and my grandparents of both my mother and father's family were infamous for attending church nearly every time the doors were open and that trait was also demonstrated in their lives Monday through Saturday. Children will use words and phrases that they have seen and heard their parents say. I received a call from my daughter when she was in college one day and she said I can't believe it but I have become my father. I asked her what she meant and she told me that she had just told her room mate, were your born in a barn? Close the door and shut off the light, a phrase I had said to her many times when she was a child. Some of my most vivid childhood memories are was reciting the Lords prayer before a meal at a family reunion and receiving a bible as a Christmas gift. I still

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I got married and started my family at a very young age. When I married my first wife I was 18 and she was only 16. We were married for 8 years and had 3 girls, who I love with all my heart. Our marriage failed for many reasons, but the main reason it failed is because God was not in the center of our relationship. I will be brutally honest with you! I chose my first wife for the same reason many men choose a bride. She was beautiful and I was consumed with fleshly desire for her. After the marriage failed, I spent the next 4 years of my life as a single father doing the best I could to raise 3 little girls. I had primary custody of the girls and their mother spent weekends and summers with them. I must say these were the most difficult years of my life. In Genesis God says it is not good for man to be alone!

Genesis 2:18 ESV Then the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.

In Genesis 2, God brought the creatures to Adam to see what he would call them. This act of naming was not just a matter of labeling, but a demonstration of Adam's dominion over creation and a way to show him the difference between himself and the animals. It also served as a test to see if Adam could find a suitable helper from among the creatures, ultimately leading to the creation of Eve. You really have to think deeply about this task to understand the real reason God asked Adam to name all of the animals of creation. God could have easily done this himself, with just his words he spoke them all in to existence, so why did God need Adam's help? The truth is God didn't need Adam's help. What I believe God was doing was teaching Adam a lesson. Naming a creature requires that Adam recognize that creature as God's creation and that the creature has a role to play in the world God created. As a result of getting to know the all of God's creatures it became clear that none of them were like Adam. None of them could be a suitable helper, which resulted in the creation of Eve, because it was not good for man to be alone.

Genesis 2: 20-23 ESV The man gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper fit for him. So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. Then the man said, “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.

It was not good for Adam to be alone and it wasn't good for me either. In May of 1997 I married Joyce Hendren. Joyce and I have always put God first in our relationship. I will be the first to tell you that she makes me a better man. I have a tendency to be a bit ornery. To some I may seem to be a difficult husband, but I love my wife more than I do myself. I love her with all my heart and just like the bible says I would give up my life up to protect her.

Ephesians 5: 25-30 ESV Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body.

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We all have that one person in our lives that the moment they walk into your presence just makes you grind and grit your teeth. When they speak there is just something about them that grates on your nerves like fingernails on a chalkboard. Maybe this person is your next door neighbor, maybe they are a co-worker or worse yet, and I hope I am wrong,.. maybe they are a fellow church member! The minute you see this person you start searching for the nearest exit so you don't have to listen to them, to be irritated by them. Surrounding yourself with like minded people can be awesome. The encouragement you receive and the focus you’re able to achieve can be incredible. I’m convinced that creating a circle of like-minded people should be a non-negotiable task on my to-do list and if you know me very well, you know that I love my to-do list! I hate to inform you of this but there is danger in surrounding yourself only with like minded people. People who constantly agree with you. People who never challenge you and only affirm your beliefs. It becomes very easy to simply accept that something is true because enough of the people around you say it’s true. You accept that what you believe is right, just because people around you say it’s right... But you say, the bible tells me that I am not to forsake the gathering together of like minded believers.

Hebrews 10: 24-25 ESV And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

Yes you are right, we are not to forsake the gathering together of believers, but in the very first part of this verse is a couple very important words, stir-up. This verse tells us that we are to stir the pot, to motivate one another to love and good works, because the Day of the Lord's return is drawing near. There is another bible verse that many people misunderstand. The bible says that iron sharpens iron and one man sharpens another.

Proverbs 27: 17 ESV Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.

Most people think that this just means surrounding yourself with good friends makes you better. But sharpening isn't comfortable. It is friction with sparks flying everywhere. Iron doesn't sharpen iron by sitting next to you. It sharpens by clashing with you, by creating heat and irritation. If your friends never challenge you, call you out or push you to be stronger, they are not sharpening you. True Christian friendship is not about comfort. It is not about affirming your desires. It is not being a consumer of Christianity and getting all you can get. It is about forging Christians that are strong, wise and holy through real accountability. If no one ever irritates you, if no one every applies pressure to you and creates some friction, you will never be sharpened. You must be challenged in order to learn. I can tell you from my own experience that there are times that God's word, spoken to me in love by a brother or sister in Jesus Christ, can cut to the bone.

Hebrews 4:12 ESV For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

If these words have some how irritated you then they have accomplished their purpose. Hopefully I have helped you to discern your thoughts and showed you the intentions of your heart, sharpening you into a better person!

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Influencer marketing has become one of the most popular and effective forms of online marketing. Millions of internet users are browsing social media platforms for entertainment, inspiration, and product recommendations daily. It is no surprise that marketers are harnessing the power of social media’s most recognizable faces for promotion. Influencers help brands grow quickly because they have a lot of followers who trust them! They're experts at creating visually appealing content and have a loyal audience that's interested in a specific topic, like food, fashion or fitness. I grew up in the day before the explosion of the internet and my biggest influencers were my parents. Nothing made me pay more attention to the decision I was about to make than when my mother said, “Jeffrey Jay, don't make me tell your father!” When my mother did have to provide me with some positive influence she would carry out her threat and when she told my father what I had been up to he never asked any questions His belt came off his pants so fast I swear it made a sonic boom!
Proverbs 13:24 ESV Whoever spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him.
The bible says that children are a blessing from the Lord. Having many children is a reward from him. They are like arrows in the hands of a warrior. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them.
Psalm 127:5 Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.
The most significant influences on children are their family, environment, and the culture they are raised in. As children become teenagers their peers and social circles become increasingly important, influencing their behavior, values, and choices. Exposure to the media, including television, movies, and social media, can impact a child's beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors.... If you know very much about archery you know that there are many factors that will influence the path of your arrow and whether or not it will hit the bullseye. First, on the bow there is the arrow rest, your arrow most be held in place by the arrow rest, but only lightly. Next, there is the nock point where the rear most part of the arrow is again only lightly attached to the bow string. The archer must carefully draw the arrow back to the same point each and every time, then look carefully down the shaft of the arrow to insure that the arrow is pointed at its target. Finally, the archer must let go of the arrow and hope that they have taken into account all the things that could influence the path of the arrow to it target after they release the arrow, such as distance to the target and direction speed of the wind. There are so many similarities between arrows in the archers hand and children it is incredible! Just like in archery at some point in your child's life you are going to have to let go and hope that as a parent you have pointed your child at the bullseye. So as a parent what are you doing to influence you children. The lessons you teach your children not only come from the words you say, they come from your actions. If my mother had repeatedly said, “don't make me tell your father”, but she never took action on those words and actually told my father of my foolish choices, her words would not have had much impact on my choices. As a parent what influence are your actions having on your children? Do you say one thing and do another? Do your words say, “do as I say not as I do”, or do you walk the walk and talk the talk? Do you drop your children off at church functions or do you worship with your children. I promise you that if as a parent you don't provide them with a positive influen

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