😊HAPPY NEW YEAR🤗

Being happy can be found in the darkest of days if we remember to turn on the light. 

As we face the New Year we are all hoping and looking  for a good year. Some want a better year than the last while others are satisfied and hope the next will be the same as the last. Whichever side you agree with there is one thing for sure you want to be here and enjoy Christmas of 2026. Don't you? I thought you would say yes. 2026 will bring joy, excitement, thrills and chills but it will also have its days of disappointment, discouragement as well as sadness. Everyday will be different, none will be the same, maybe almost but not the same. Days are like our finger prints; they are all different.

The New Year 2026 Thursday January 1 many will say to themselves. I will stop cursing, looking, smoking, drinking, I will fix my anger problem, I will love my wife/husband/ children more, I will pray, read my Bible, go to Church and the list goes on and on. It's the list that never ends, why? Because

Sin is our Daily Battle:

Sin “The voluntary departure of a moral agent from a known rule”

We can curb its appetite but we will never be able to destroy its presence. 

1. David teaches us how to Cleanse our way 

Psalms 119:9 (KJV) Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. Do we?

2. David teaches us how to Curb our appetite 

Psalms 119:11 (KJV) Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. Do we?

How do we Cleanse our way & Curb our appetite 

3. David teaches us not to wander from God's Commandments 

Psalms 119:10 (KJV) With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. Do we know what they are?

Yet we still wander, we still sin! Why? I try so hard. Here’s why, we are sinners and we need a Savior! A Savior that will forgive us.

Hebrews 8:12 (KJV) For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.

Hebrews 10:17 (KJV) And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.

Psalms 103:12 (KJV) As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.

FORGIVENESS is refusing to bring it up.

I have a close friend and I hurt his feelings. And for over 30 years he was upset with me. One day I apologized and asked for his forgiveness and he nor I have ever brought it up again. God FORGAVE and will never bring it up again. Has God forgotten? 

No, I just don’t think God will forget what Jesus died for. 

Hollywood has marketed sin to be enjoyable and entertaining. Is it? No it’s not and we all have had our personal adventure to know. Get ready for 2026 and make a real difference that this time next year you can rejoice and be glad. 

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Don’t forget to turn on the light

 

🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒Family Member 👨‍🦰

 The new year is nothing but new opportunities to do things better.

We have heard about how we should live all our lives. What we should eat to be and stay healthy. They should know they say they are experts. Now when it comes to how to get to Heaven we hear there are many ways. Can one go to Florida going north? You can go north and go to Florida. How? Until you find out you can’t! That is what many do today about going to Heaven. They tell themselves I’m a good person. The Bible says you are not. 

Romans 3:12 (KJV) “there is none that doeth good, no, not one. ” 

No one goes seeking after God.  

Romans 3:11 (KJV)  “there is none that seeketh after God.” Adam and Eve ran and hid themselves when God came calling for them. Do you hide to do anything? Why? Many say I’m an open book. Nice saying but no one including myself is an open book. We may almost be an open book but there are things we don’t talk about like those things you like to do alone. Now God has a plan for all of us and the plan is the same. It’s a simple plan so don’t rush by it..

 John 3:16 (KJV) For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Break this verse down a little bit. “God so loved the world” who is in the world? Are you and I not in the world? For God so loved you and I. What does love do? It causes a person to give, is that not what God did? “that he gave”

God wasn’t cheap on His giving for God gave “his only begotten Son” God gave His only Son. There is always a purpose for giving. We give to those we love everyday but we also give much nicer gifts on special occasions. Why? Because we love them and want to give. We may wish those we know a happy birthday, anniversary, Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas and a Happy New year. The ones in our family we give much more than just verbally and so does our Heavenly Father. God gave to those that “believeth in him”

God didn’t give to those who just acknowledged Him but those who put their trust in Him. Like we may not give to those we work with, live Nextdoor to or our friends. We read that God gave to those who believed in Him two gifts. The first was that those who believe, place their trust in Him would not “perish” Then God goes a step further and gives us the second gift “everlasting life.”

What was the reason that God gave us this great gift “For God so loved the world.” Which you and I are a part of!

These gifts are only for family members. Are you a family member? You are if you have placed your trust in Jesus Christ God’s only Son. A new year is coming, it’s almost here. Will you be new in 2026 or the same as you were in 2025? To be honest I like those 2 gifts “not perish” and “have everlasting life.”

🧐Truth, Is It Really True?🤔

 You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Well I think you can’t know anything for sure. What is true for you is not for me, I’m searching for the truth. It is true the Varsity in downtown Atlanta has the best onion rings anywhere! Is that true or is that taste? That is taste, not truth and the reason being is my friend doesn’t like their onion rings. Truth never changes. It doesn't matter where you believe it or not, like it or not, trust it or not it will always be true. If 3 people were doing this math problem 2+2=

The first person comes up with the answer 3 and the second person comes up with the answer as 4 and the third comes up with the answer being 5. Which one is right? The second person that gave the answer to be 4. New day, new teacher, new year same test what will be the answer?

The correct answer will always be four. Why? Because we just think that sounds best. No! Because it is true and truth never changes no matter what I or you think.  All our lives we have been lied to. Go buy anything and you are told that you have a 7 year replacement if anything goes wrong. We will send our repair people out to your home and if it’s unrepairable we will replace it with a new one. That sounds good but my question is why can you explain your repair guarantee to me in two sentences verbally. Then in writing I have to read 10 pages in small print that  supposedly is to say the same thing???? I have a car warranty that is bumper to bumper. That all sounds wonderful verbally but I have found out that everything is not covered bumper to bumper. I tried to explain and show them where the front bumper and the rear bumper was only to discover that I was wrong. It is one of those cases where I was led to believe that I knew what bumpers were. Only to find out in their 10 pages front and back small print 

Policy that I didn’t. We no longer live in a handshake world. It’s not what they are saying, it's what is written on that policy that will take you 30 to 40 minutes to read. Truth has somehow gotten tangled up in the small print. Nonetheless Truth never changes.. Psalms 25:5 (KJV) Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day.

Psalms 119:160 (KJV) Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever.

Like I have said, do your own thinking!

🤗The Greatest Gift🎁

 God never gives anyone a gift they are not capable of receiving.

Think! What was it? The best Christmas gift you ever received? The awe of it in all its beauty. Where is it now? What condition is it in? Does it still hold any awe at all? Probably not. Now I’m interested in that word gift; what is a gift anyways?

Webster says that a gift is “A present; any thing given or bestowed; any thing, the property of which is voluntarily transferred by one person to another without compensation; a donation.” That’s what a gift is but a gift is nothing unless the  person it was intended for accepts or receives it. If that doesn’t happen it still belongs to one who voluntarily wanted you to have it. 

God sent His only Son Jesus Christ in the form of a baby. Luke 2:11 (KJV) For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

Luke 2:16 (KJV) And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.

Jesus born in Bethlehem His mother a virgin; virgins don't have babies 

Matthew 1:23 (KJV) Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

Luke 1:27 (KJV) To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. Do I believe what the Bible tells us? Oh yes I do! Not only do I believe it. I also have received the greatest gift to mankind, Jesus Christ. Yeah, the same baby born in Bethlehem. Why do I say that Jesus is the greatest Gift?  Luke 19:10 (KJV) For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

He was looking for me! For what reason? He had a gift for me, but remember a gift is worthless unless it is received. I did receive, oh happy day when Jesus washed my sins away. 

John 1:12 (KJV) But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

I am one of the many that received Jesus Christ as my Savior. Therefore I have become a son in God's family all because I believed on His name. The greatest Christmas gift still has its awe and its beauty and is still in great condition and I’m still in the family. I hope you too have received the greatest gift too. 

 

🎄Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays?🥳

May the magic of Christmas fill every corner of our homes.

Luke 2:1 (KJV) And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.

Sometimes God allows certain things to be done to get us where we need to be. 

• This is a time Joseph & Mary won’t forget.
• The Shepherd won’t forget
• Those that heard it won’t forget 

 Have you noticed as you stand in lines at the stores purchasing things to make our Christmas more joyful. Very few if any are wishing you a Merry Christmas?  Before they can say to me “have a happy holiday. I say Merry Christmas! Then they might say,  you too or something about a holiday. I’m not celebrating a holiday, I’m celebrating the Greatest Day in History. Oh but it hasn’t always been that to me. Christmas has its great memories without doubt but nothing like the First Christmas in 1973 When I heard these words read that now had real meaning.Luke 2:11 (KJV) For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

That was the first time I understood what a Saviour was. Because in April of that year I asked the Savior of mankind to save me and He did. I have been rejoying ever since. 

Look read it again “For unto you”

 second-person personal pronoun that refers to the person or people being spoken to (the addressee)

The Bible was written so that mankind could know who Jesus was and why Jesus came into this world that you and I live in. Without our Bible we would never know the full meaning. When I read that verse that reads  “For unto you” I can remove the ”you” and place my name there and so can you. The Bible tells us we can John 3:16 (KJV) For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Who is in this world? Is it not you and I? Sure it is therefore For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

What do you think Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays? 

 

🎈There Is Only One Life; Live It Up!🥳

              To find yourself, think for yourself.

You live only once. Who told you that? Jesus told His disciples right before He was to be crucified these words “ I go to prepare a place for you. ” (John 14:2)

Then He said John 14:3 (KJV) And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

Live it up while you are here and you may wish you hadn’t. One life will soon be passed. Only what’s done for Christ will last. ~CT Studd~

Luke 18:29 (KJV) And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God's sake,

Luke 18:30 (KJV) Who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting.

Hebrews 9:27 (KJV) And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

This ain’t all, there is more to come.  Too many let others control them without even knowing it. I heard this long ago and it made a lot of sense to me. A man buys a house priced at  345,000 which will become his home for the woman he will marry and the children they will raise. The bank loans him the money at 6.75% and he pays a down payment of  12,075 he then begins to pay back the money monthly over the next 30 years at 2,619 per month for the next 30 years. He will pay back almost a million dollars way more than the bank loaned him. Now whose plan was that? Not yours! Now I know we don’t have that kind of money just laying around but if I were your friend and loaned you $100 and asked you to pay back $300 what would you think? We must be careful not to let others do our thinking for us. Bring it down on a lower level, who is telling you what type of clothes to buy, shoes to wear, vacations to take? The person at work tells you there’s no place called heaven or hell. There’s no way the Bible is true let alone the Word of God. Take their word for it and you have just let someone else do your thinking for you. Death is  very important for once it has taken place you will be done as far as this world is concerned. If you are going to believe that this life is all we have then do your own thinking. Be sure! There was a man who thought no God, no Heaven. This man was asked to prove it? He was a law student and accepted the challenge. His name was Josh McDowell and he wrote a book about his finding. You can read about what he discovered in his book “A Journey From Skepticism to Faith.” It just might change the way you think. 

Galatians 6:4 (KJV) But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.

Oh to let someone else think for you is easy but is it profitable for you?

🗂️Don’t Get So Busy That You Forget😰

Love God rather than life. This will result in a love of life.

1 John 2:15 (KJV) Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

1 John 2:16 (KJV) For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

1 John 2:17 (KJV) And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

Here we are told not to Love the world. What is the world? Could it be the way a majority thinks? You decide we are given a definition in the next verse. (For all that is in the world) then we are given 3 things. 

1) Lust of the flesh

2) Lust of the eyes

3) The pride of life

The world is made up of the lust of the flesh and the eyes and pride of life. 🧐what does that mean?? 

The lust of the flesh is the controlling desire that tempts us to do. Have you ever been asked or heard this question? “If you could do anything you ever wanted to do, what would it be?” 

I’m sure we could all come up with an answer. Then there was the lust of the eyes. What’s the saying? 🤔Oh yes “seeing is believing.” Means that if you see something yourself, you will believe it to exist or be true. Then there was the pride of life or the consuming urge to be. If I could become…….So break it down. If a person could do anything they ever wanted to do, have anything they ever wanted to have or be anything they ever wanted to be during their lifetime you might say that this person would have gained the entire world. What does the Bible have to say about that?  Matthew 16:26 (KJV) For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

What is the gain? On one hand you have everything you could possibly think of. All those that see you will say Wow he/she has it made. On the outside it does, but then there’s the loss. What is the losing in the gaining? It’s a giving or exchanging for the soul. What is the profit if you lose? First John goes on to explain why it is a futile gain. 

1 John 2:17 (KJV) And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

In Luke chapter 12 we see this come to life in the parable of the rich man. What do you think?

Luke 12:15 (KJV) And he (Jesus) said unto them,  Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.

It’s not who has the most toys. In Luke chapter 12 verse  16 we read of a rich farmer whose ground brought forth plentifully. Now he has a problem his present barns were unable to store his harvest. He comes up with a plan he will pull down what he has and build greater. That was his plan. To some that might have sounded like a good plan but God called the man a fool. Why did God say that?   

Luke 12:21 (KJV) So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.  “not rich in his relationship with God." This man thought of himself.

Luke 12:17 (KJV) And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?

Luke 12:18 (KJV) And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.

Luke 12:19 (KJV) And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.

God’s response was Luke 12:20 (KJV) But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?

God didn’t care so much of what this rich framer had; it was what he missed that concerned God. God said tonight you will die. Tonight you will lose control of what you think you have; now all you have worked for will belong to someone else. You missed what was important, which was an acknowledgement of me and a relationship with me. Now What?