~Video Version~ ----------------------------------- I was reading in Isaiah this morning and encountered this verse: ~Isaiah 50:4b~ “Morning by morning He wakens me and opens my understanding to His will.” Do you use an alarm clock? What if we invited God to be our alarm clock? The word “alarm” comes from an old word that means “to arms.” It’s a call to battle. What if you prayed tonight that God will wake you up tomorrow and open not just your eyes but your understanding to His will? Using…

~Video Version~ *********************** I’m thinking about 2 Corinthians 5:16-17 today. “So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now! This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” New life! Exclamation point! We are a number of days into the new year now, maybe with a whole new you. Every day can be …

~Video Version~ -------------------------------- Perhaps you are among the many people who use the YouVersion Bible App. They reported that the most popular verse in the Bible on their Bible app this past year was Isaiah 41:10--- So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. That’s a good prayer to take into this new year, full of promised blessings to pray into the new year. Lord,…

~Video Version~ ------------------------------------ What makes you smile? Researchers found that saying the word cheese causes people to smile. I like dad jokes or funny headlines like this one….. “Federal Agents Raid Gun Shop, Find Weapons.” Or, “City unsure why the sewer smells.” You have to think about that one. Do you know of any sewers that don’t smell? I do know that there are lots of stinky things happening in our world right now, heartbreaking things, but we don’t want to lose our…

~Video Version~ ------------------------------------------ I’m thinking about peace this week. Most of us experience days where the schedule gets full, the task list is adding up, and too many things are adding stress to your life--- making you feel more anxiety than peace. You’d like to get ahead of things but too many problems interrupt your plans. Here is some truth to chew on….the PEACE that Jesus offers is not the subtraction of problems. It’s the multiplication of power to face those pro…