I am told that if you take all of the information that human beings had up until 1900 and call that a unit, that unit has now doubled every ten years to present. That’s doubling over 120 years or 12 times. Wow! Way too much information. That’s why we are dealing with such high levels of anxiety and confusion today. Throw in social media and the internet and one can see the huge negative effect it has on children and ungrounded people…..total confusion. So what is one to do. Well I think to combat this crazy world of information, one must learn about his/her self. So where do you go or who do you talk to? There are hundreds and hundreds of books written on the self. From psychology to self-help books, the list is endless. So who is right? Dr. Phil? My choice is Jesus and His Truth as written in the Bible. For me the Bible is the one and only truth about human existence. Jesus is the greatest teacher who has ever lived and He is my go to person on all things that cause me confusion. He is the final Word. I put my total trust in Him.

Proverbs 3:5 – Trust in the Lord with all your heart and to not lean on your own understanding

Do I love people from the inside out? I think too often I love them from the outside in. All forms of media (especially social media) insist that the most unfortunate in the world are those that are not physically attractive. The world worships those that are physically attractive. God says otherwise. For as He bestows natural beauty on a simple flower, so He bestows the same beauty on every person on the planet from the inside out. Natural beauty is a gift from God, but we need to stop being obsessed with it. We need to look inside people. When we do, we often find something beautiful and believe that everything is beautiful.

Matthew 6: 29-30 – Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?

Ever made a bad casserole? Sometimes its just perfect. Tastes out of this world. But sometimes its very average and once in a while you just want to throw it out and start over. The ingredients are not the problem. The cook (ME) is the problem. Sometimes my faith is like that. It is not very good. And sometimes I feel like I need to throw it out and start over. The ingredients (Jesus) is not the problem. The recipe (The Bible) is the same as it has always been. The problem is me. I just sometimes have a bad day, week or even month. I wander away from Jesus and my life sucks. It just happens. I’m broken. My Lord Jesus is not. His word is righteous and His love is unconditional and His Grace is epic. I’m just a bad casserole sometimes and I need to get back at it and know that I can make things right again just by keeping my eyes on Jesus in all circumstances. He is the way. And I can make that perfect casserole again. Along with some stumbles along the way.

Hebrews 12:1-2 – Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith……..

In the Holy Bible there are many passages that refer to our doubting of Jesus. We doubt who Jesus is and we doubt what He is capable of doing. From the beginning of the Bible and creation to his death on the cross and resurrection it seems like an impossible story that leaves us with questions and doubts. Jesus knows this and continues to love us unconditionally and meet us where we are at. Faith is big word in the Bible and if we don’t lean on it big time we will have a difficult time understanding Jesus and who He is and how He relates to our lives. I just feel that it is impossible to understand the greatness of the great “I Am”. We need to be alright not knowing everything because Jesus is alright with us not knowing everything. We don’t need all the answers. We just need a lot of trust and boldness to enter “into the mystery” of a great and wonderful and loving God.

Proverbs 3:5-6 – Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding: in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

Strive for excellence in thought, word and deed. Acknowledge the Almighty in all that you do. Love your friends, speak the truth, practice fidelity and honor your Father and Mother. These Godly Principles are the foundation of self-mastery. They make you strong of character , give you hope, and put you on the path to greatness.

John E. Peterson

Romans 12:2 – Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is….his good, pleasing and perfect will.

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can; and the wisdom to know the difference. Living one day at a time; enjoying one moment at a time; accepting hardships as the pathway to peace; taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it; Trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His Will; That I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with Him forever in the next. Amen. Reinhold Niebuhr

Proverbs 3: 5-6 TRUST IN THE LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and He will direct your paths.

There are a lot of folks who believe that living a good life, believing in the Ten Commandments, not sinning, treating people well, giving (maybe even tithing) to charities, etc. are the keys to God’s Kingdom. While these are all good things they in themselves are not the keys to God’s Kingdom. The key is Jesus. Jesus plus nothing equals everything. Jesus is the way. The only way into God’s Kingdom. I know that people don’t want to hear this but it is the Truth. We don’t make the rules……Jesus is everything. He is the King. He loves us unconditionally. He extends endless grace. He is the absolute truth. If one wants to live a life full of purpose and meaning then Jesus and his teachings are the answer. Jesus is everything and nothing at the same time. He will give us what we need and not what we want. So if you are asking Jesus for money and fame then you will probably get nothing. If you are asking for his will to be done in your life then you will get it. Welcome into the mystery!

John 14:6 – Jesus answered, “I am the Way and the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

The following are words from author James Bryan Smith concerning Christ’s commitment to us. “For most of my Christian life I related to Jesus on the basis of what I did for Him. If I prayed well, studied hard, served much and sinned little, then I felt reasonably sure Jesus was pleased with me. I was paralyzing my ability to love Jesus, love myself, and ultimately love others. I was afraid that Jesus would look at my faults and withdraw his love. I was afraid my weaknesses and sinfulness would separate me from the love of Jesus. I see now how foolish it was to think that my feeble attempts at righteousness had anything to do with how Jesus feels about me. For too long I was impressed with my commitment to Jesus, now I am impressed only with Jesus ‘s commitment to me.”

Romans 8: 38-39 – I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.