The peace that we can have with and in God should swell us with thanksgiving. Even when life is not as we would desire, we can maintain a thankful disposition all because we can be saved and added to the body (church) of Jesus Christ.

What are you thankful for?

Maybe you have a loving and supportive family…Be Thankful.

Maybe your finances are under control…Be Thankful.

Maybe your health is good…Be Thankful.

Maybe your relationships are the best they’ve ever been…Be Thankful.

Maybe your life is nothing like this but you are a Christian…Be Thankful!

And even if you are not saved (yet)…Be Thankful! Because you still can be.

Love & peace my friends…Stevo

I am prone for lifting my heroes up for all to see, whether it’s a sports legend like Walter Payton or one of my musical inspirations, such as Neil Peart. Probably all of you do this with individuals that have made a strong impact in your life. We esteem those that inspire us to reach beyond our means and that’s okay within reason.

I make application of this so that we do not forget to place our ultimate adoration on the One deserving of His rightful glory. For what our Father accomplished in Jesus that our sins could be forgiven aligns Him with receiving all “glory and honor and power…” Paul wrote, “And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” (Colossians 3:17) Precisely!

God created all things with us in mind. Everything we need He has provided therefore God is certainly worthy of praise and honor.

Love & peace my friends…Stevo

For some of us, planning for the future is a muddied picture. We struggle with what happened yesterday, so how can we envision looking ahead! So, the best we can do is live for the present day.

Yet, that does not mean we should not think about our soul and eternity. When Paul told the church in Colosse to “Set you minds on things above..” he was illustrating how they (and we) should live in anticipation of eternity.

How can we live with eternity on our mind, while enduring the daily grind of everyday life? By reminding ourselves where God is and that we can be there too! Our eternity is worth enduring for, because we will see Jesus some day! Consider ways that heaven is described:

No Tears, No Death, No Mourning, No Crying, No Pain, An immortal body – And the best of all is we will be allowed to see the face of God! (Revelation 22:4.)

Just this glimpse of eternity should be enough to suffice us to endure in the faith! God will provide all things once we are reunited with Him. Resolve to live with eternity on our mind.

Love & peace my friends…Stevo

Sometimes the task of facing our inner “fears and inadequacies” causes us to delay looking into our spiritual mirror. We probably do this because we fear the reflection that will stare back at us. We do not want the reality of knowing that popular opinion, religious tolerance, or lack of self-control influenced us, thereby possibly influencing someone else. What is the remedy? Face yourself and look in the mirror, anyway! Ignoring that we have issues that need to be dealt with does not excuse the problems we must face.

Our blessed Savior is the prime example of how to look a problem right between the eyes and deal with it. Jesus knew His end and the excruciating torment he was about to go through. Yet with determined vigor and an unwavering devotion to His Heavenly Father, Jesus stood before His mirror. So, don’t ignore what is staring back at you, for the mirror of the soul casts eternal reflections.

Love & peace my friends…Stevo

Do you complain about thorns on the stem of roses or can you look past the thorns and be thankful for the beauty of the rose?
The current atmosphere in the United States is quite draining. Regardless of where you look or what you hear it seems that everything is coming up thorns instead of roses. When the country’s mood is so politically and socially toxic it can appear as if there is nothing to be thankful for. Yet, can we stop just for a moment and think about Psalm 9? King David wrote this psalm knowing he had personal enemies that would love to destroy him and his country but took the time to still be thankful. Why? The answer lies in the fact that David looked past the thorns and saw the rose.
•David could look past the thorns to see the rose was because of his relationship with God. David could see God!
• David could be thankful because God will judge the wicked.
• David could be thankful because God could be trusted in times of oppression.
• David could be thankful because God showed mercy to His people.
Does the same not hold true for us IF our relationship with God is not one sided? We can be thankful that a relationship is even possible with God because of His Son Jesus. We can be thankful that God is righteous in His judgments, assures us that He will never leave us alone in a dark cruel world, and that His mercy will always be available to us because of what Jesus of Nazareth accomplished. Regardless of our situations in life, we can be thankful that salvation is real and attainable. So may we also learn to look past the thorns and see the beauty of the rose.

Love & peace my friends…Stevo

Do you know the phrase “safe place?” We may be told to find this “place” by TV meteorologists when storms are headed our way. Possibly you have such a place in your house or close by. But another type of storm has been on my mind recently and that is the “storms of life.” We don’t always see these storms approaching, but they come regardless. No one is immune to storms either, such as hardships, temptations, sufferings, and the like. Where is your “safe place” for these kinds of storms?

If you do not know God by name, I suggest you get to know Him. David presents God as Yahweh (Jehovah), the eternal protector. Jehovah is able to lift us above life’s storms and sustain as we travail thought them. Once you know Jehovah in all His glory, you will find the confidence to trust Him in all matters.

Seek him and find out!

Love & peace my friends…Stevo