Jesus said to His disciples, “Don’t worry! I am Jesus. Don’t be afraid. “Peter replied, “Lord if it is really you, tell me to come to you on the water.” “Come on!” Jesus said. Peter then got out of the boat and started walking on the water toward Him. But when Peter saw how strong the wind was, he was afraid and started sinking. “Save me Lord!” he shouted. At once, Jesus reached out His hand. He helped Peter up and said, “You surely don’t have much faith, why do you doubt?” Matthew 14:27-31. It’s clear in this text, Jesus tells them all not to worry, or to be afraid, Peter let fear and disobedience in, and he doubted Jesus was who He said He was. Peter also was believing more in what he saw around him than what Jesus told him he was able to do. Is there something or someone around you that has caused you to doubt that Jesus is who He says He is?

David told Solomon in 1 Chronicles 22:13: “If you obey the laws and teachings that the Lord gave Moses, you will be successful. Be strong and brave and don’t get discouraged or be afraid of anything.” If we obey the Lord-we should not be afraid of anything! God told Joshua in Joshua 1:7:”Long ago I promised the ancestors of Israel that I would give this land to their descendants. So be strong and brave! Be careful to do everything my servant Moses taught you. Never stop reading the Book of the Law, he gave you. Day and night you must think about what it says. If you obey it completely, you and Israel will be able to take this land.”

Oh, but the waves around us are so high– or the people in our family– or staff on the job or people in general are promoting fear into our lives, these are perilous times that we are living in, if we do not trust and obey in a living, risen savior in these times, then courage will not be easy. I do remember many times that the hair stood up on the back of my neck, but I still did what God wanted me to do, because I was sure I heard His voice, and knew that I was doing what he asked me to do. Without His power through the Holy Spirit, I would not have been able to do the things that God wanted me to do. I believed Jesus is who He said that He is. He is Lord, He will forgive you of all your shortcomings, Come to Him today. Believe that He died for your sins and for a chance for eternal life. He rose again to grant you that second chance, believe today that He is Who He says He is, take courage, surrender your life to Jesus, then trust and obey what he teaches you through His living word.

Psalms 23:2 “He leads me beside still waters.” “Just as physical waters are essential for life, spiritual still waters are necessary for the soul’s vitality.” (Bible Hub.com) Even though still waters usually mean a sense of peace, the Biblical meaning runs much deeper, it’s about spiritual renewal and trust in a higher power. God leads His believers to trust Him for spiritual strength, and to pray to Him to be refreshed by the Holy Spirit. This sustenance we get through faith in Him.

In John 4:3-15′”Jesus left Judea and started for Galilee again. This time he had to go through Samaria, and on His way, he came to the town of Sychar. (which was also known as Shechem which means shoulder) It was near the field of Jacob (which passed between two mountains) had long ago been given to his son Joseph. The well that Jacob had dug was still there, and Jesus sat down beside it because He was tired from traveling. It was noon, and after Jesus’ disciples had gone into town to buy some food, a Samaritan woman came to draw water from the well. “Jesus asked her, “Would you please give me a drink of water?” “You are a Jew,” she replied, “and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink of water when Jews and Samaritans won’t have anything to do with each other?” Jesus answered, “You don’t know what God wants to give you, and you don’t know Who is asking for a drink. If you did, you would ask me for the water that gives life.” “Sir, you don’t even have a bucket, and the well is deep. Where are you going to get this life-giving water?” “Our ancestor Jacob dug this well for us, and his family and animals got water from it. Are you greater than Jacob?” Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will get thirsty again. But no one who drinks the water that I give will ever be thirsty again. The water I give will become in that person a flowing fountain that gives life.” The women replied, “Sir, please give me a drink of that water!”‘

Jesus told her to go get her husband, even though He knew that she did not have one, then continued to tell her things that no one else could know about her, He did not come to this well for Himself, rather he came to the well so that this woman would become saved. Jesus, Father God, and the Holy Spirit provide the living well within each person who believes that Jesus came, died, and rose from the dead for each one of us. That afternoon at the well this Samaritan woman was saved, she also ran back to town to tell everyone she saw about Jesus! He is our refresher, He revives us, as He said in this passage, He gives us water that quench our thirst forever more! Those who believe in Jesus will never thirst again!

“You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.” C.S.Lewis

As this year ends there may be places in our lives where we sense that we have lost our light, or in some cases perhaps we feel that our lamps have gone out altogether. This quote by C.S.Lewis reminds us that though the year is ending, there is much more to come for our lives as long as we are fortunate to still be breathing. Look ahead to new beginnings, a fresh place to start, refuse to keep reliving all those past hurts, past pains, choose to grieve all loss and grieve all pain, and let go.

C.S.Lewis also quoted,” Getting over a painful experience is much like crossing monkey bars–let go to move forward.”

In Isaiah 43:19 it reads: “See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.”

“The prudent will bring a supply of oil along with their lamps.” Matthew 25:3

What is that supply of oil? It’s the living word of God, Jesus tells us: “I am the way, the truth and the life.” John 14:6. John 12:36 “Have faith in the light while it is with you, and you will be children of light.”Fill your lamps with His word every day, do not let your lamp go out.

If you are someone who has not yet put your faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior of your life, now is the best time! Let go of the past and choose to move forward by putting your trust and faith in Jesus Christ. He came to save you and He wants to give you a fresh start, light your lamp and continue to show you the way by His living word.

Psalms 119:105″ Your word is a lamp that gives light wherever I walk.”

Happy New Year!!

The old song by Frank Sinatra is a famous one that many of us may judge how our Christmas is going, by searching what’s going on in our hearts:

“Have yourself a Merry little Christmas

Let your heart be light, from now on our troubles will be out of sight.

Have yourself a Merry little Christmas, make the Yuletide gay

From now on our troubles will be miles away.

Here we are, as in olden days, happy golden days of yore,

Faithful friends who are dear to us, gather near to us once more.

Through the years, we all will be together, if the fates allow

Hang a shining star upon the highest bow, and have yourself a merry little Christmas now.

Here we are as in olden days, happy golden days of yore,

Faithful friends who are dear to us, gather near to us once more.

Through the years we all will be together, if the fates allow,

Hang a shining star upon the highest bow, and have yourself, a Merry little Christmas, now.

Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas!

I love this song, but not all families are happy, safe -some do not have a roof over their heads. The song says, “let your hearts be light”. This is also difficult to do when lives are in turmoil, it is when we look for support from our faithful friends and family members, sadly, however, some have no support. I have been in these situations.

What I have learned over the years is that I needed a savior. I could not find lightness, happiness, or even family support. When I found Jesus Christ as Lord of my life, that was when I learned to appreciate all that I have, all of the things that God has done for me, through Him I found everlasting PEACE on earth.

Our “hearts may be light”- because baby Jesus was born on Christmas Day. He came to earth, God incarnate, in a form of a baby to save us all. The Shepherds of Old and the Three Wise Men (Matthew 2:1-11) went in search of the newborn King, following the eastern “shining star” until it stayed over the stable in Bethlehem.

“Hang a shining star from the highest bow”. Accept what Jesus came to earth to do for you, accept Him as your savior today. No matter what the state of your life may be right now, He came to bring you peace in the midst of it all. Surrender all your pain, your cares and concerns to Him today and let Him bring you eternal peace in life. He can make “your troubles be out of sight.” My Christmas is a Merry Christmas, is your Christmas Merry?

David wrote in Psalms 56:8 ” You have kept record of my days of wandering. You have stored my tears in Your bottle and counted each one of them.” David had an intimate relationship with the Lord and that is really where all the Psalms came from, his intimacy with God guided by the Holy Spirit. David knew that our creator knew everything about each one of us. Psalms 139:15 reads: “Nothing about me is hidden from You. I was secretly woven together deep in the earth below, but with Your own eyes You saw my body be formed, even before I was born You had written in Your book everything that I would do.”

Psalms 87:6 reads: “The Lord will make a list of His people, and all who were born here will be included.”

Malachi 3:16 reads: “All those who truly respected the Lord and honored His name started discussing these things, and when God saw what was happening, He had their names written as a reminder in His book. “In Jeremiah 22:30 it reads: “Erase the names of Jehoiachin’s children from the royal records. He is a complete failure, and so none of them will ever be king. I, the Lord, have spoken.” This is eye opening. It is clear that what many do not think the Lord is watching or aware about what is going on, He sees all things, knows all things. We all have heard the song written about ” Michael row the boat ashore…….” Daniel 12:1 reads: Michael, the chief of angels, is the protector of your people, and he will come at a time of terrible suffering, the worst in all of history. And your people who have their names written in the Book will be protected. “The main point that I draw from these scriptures is what David knew, if we respect and obey the Lord we will be protected unto our eternal day. He always sees what we are doing, even from the foundations of the earth- He sees all. This was what David was referring to when he said in the Psalms 56:8 ” You have kept record of my days of wandering. These scriptures do show that the Lord keeps records of right and wrong. This message is not to condemn, ” There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” Romans 8:1.

God gives us free will and He can see all that we do, but He loves us enough to give us a second chance to be redeemed by Jesus Christ and teaches us to respect and follow after His ways, and the Bible is full of warnings, directives, truth, and comfort as we make our way through life in the Spirit. Frankly, I do not know how people make it through the ups and downs of life without the Lord.

Today is a chance to start over again and lean on His word and promises to keep you protected and in His Spirit. Ask Jesus to be your Lord and lead and guide you to the correct path. Jesus died and rose again so that we can have that second chance if only we believe in Him. The Holy Spirit will always comfort you, direct you and reveal the truth of His word to you daily.

Your name will be written in the Book of Life.