Author: Scott

Here’s a question for you to think about. I hope it challenges you to really analyze your heart. I know it challenges me. So here’s the question: “Do you really trust God?” I mean “really” trust God. There are so many ways to look at this. And it’s hard for us to fully put our trust in something that is unseen. But that’s where our faith comes into play. Think about it for a moment. We are called to fully trust God. 100%. And that means we need to relinquish some control over what we are doing. When we are doing things. And why we are doing things. I know it’s hard. But that’s where the trust comes into play.

Let’s go to the Bible for a moment here. Let’s recall Noah. I know you know the story. God told Noah that it was going to rain and cover the earth with water. And he told Noah to be prepared. Noah trusted God. He fully believed that God was going to do what he said he was going to do. Noah expected it to happen. And that is because of his faith. He knew that God was going to keep his promise about what was to come. Wow! Let that sink in. He fully expected it to rain and for the earth to be covered. Would you have?

When we have faith in our Lord and Savior, we expect God to act. It may not be the way we want to be, but we expect him to act. Now for the fun part. If we are expecting God to act, we must prepare for it. We must prepare for the promise to take place. So today, look at yourself and your expectations of God. Actually, let’s all do that. Let’s expect our Lord and Savior to do what he says he’s going to do. But we better be ready. We better be prepared. Let’s trust him like no other. Let’s be prepared to receive the word and to know that the promise is going to happen.

If any of you follow me on social media, you see that I make regular jokes about my bride and myself. It’s all in fun. She knows it. I know it. We know it. And I think most of you know. Although it doesn’t happen very often, sometimes someone out there takes offense. And then just attacks me. Like I’m some type of male chauvinist pig. Recently, I had a woman call me Tarzan. And that she tamed me. Even when I tried to explain it, she couldn’t get over it. Then there are times that I watch others argue back-and-forth over different things. Sometimes it turns pretty ugly. We live in a day and age where people get very comfortable behind a keyboard. And say things that they wouldn’t say face-to-face. When looking at a screen, attitudes can turn pretty sour pretty quickly. 

You’re probably wondering what does arguing on social media have to do with my devotion. In this life, I believe there is one thing that we can 100% control 100% of the time. I could be wrong. But that’s what I believe. We can control our attitudes. No matter the situation. We can choose. For example, I can choose to retaliate with a bad attitude to those who don’t see humor my jokes. And I admit, there’s times in the past that I have done that. But I like to think that’s my distant past. And I know this as well, we always have an attitude. Sometimes we have a positive attitude. Sometimes we have a negative attitude. The choice is ours. One thing we always tell our kiddos, feeling bad doesn’t give you the greenlight to have a bad attitude. You can still be nice.

This is all important stuff because our attitudes can really dictate our days. I think bad attitudes are selfish attitudes because you are focused on only you. And I think it’s just opposite can be said about a good attitudes. Think about it. I bet often times when you have a good attitude you are concerned more about others more than your self. Attitudes definitely can shift our focus. And they play an important role in how we view our lives. And that can lead us in different directions. I think that our ability to have an attitude is a great gift that God has given us. Here’s something that I read earlier: “Speaking life over death will change your perspective, which changes your attitude.” If we do that, the optimism that we will live life with can be amazing. Now…I know sometimes it can be really difficult in tough situations. Sometimes it can be difficult if we are miserably sick. If this is something that you struggle with, you might consider turning towards God. Ask him to help you control your attitude. Pray for the ability to control it. If you do these things, then you become more aware of your attitude. And being more aware of it, can help you have more control over it. We get one shot at life on earth. One! Try to choose to have a attitude of optimism. That will help bring more joy into your life. And then you can better serve others.

Our youngest granddaughter, Millie, turned five years old on Thursday. She’s going to be a kindergartener. Hard to believe. So last night, we were able to celebrate her with a dinner which included her chocolate chip cookie cake. It was awesome being able to have family over for a few hours. A night of faith, family, and food. During our conversation with our son and daughter-in-law, we talked about her taking a new job this fall. She’s going to be an instructor at Crowder College for the nursing program. Such a blessing.

This new position is going to utilize her knowledge and talents like never before. And it’s also going to free up much of her time. Which will allow for her to focus on her family and continuing education. So awesome. It’s also going to afford her some time to sit back. Listen to God. Be still. And couldn’t be a better time for this to happen. Trey and Jessica moved to Neosho in January. Bought a new house. Trey took the head pastor job at their new church. And all three kids enrolled into new schools. That’s a lot for a family to take on in a short period of time. Yet here they are. 

God’s timing is always perfect. Sometimes you don’t know why things happen, until they happen. And even then, sometimes we don’t know why. But God is definitely preparing our kids for what is happening in their lives. He knew this was coming. And he cleared the path. Now Jess can be still. Which is something that we should all do some point. We should be still and listen for God. Let him work on our hearts. Let him give us wisdom. Let him give us a discernment. Let him build humility in us. All part of his plan for us if we let him take hold. So today, let’s work on listening to God. Let’s work on focusing attention on him. What he wants for us may not be obvious at times. But his plan will be revealed at one point. And oh boy, it will be glorious and good.

Today is the last day of the sixth month of the year. Basically, we are halfway through the year. How did that happen? We’ve all heard how time flies as you get older. Hard to argue with that. Every year seems to come quicker and go by faster. One day or youngest child is just an infant. The next, you look around and she’s turning 20. We’ve also heard how time flies when you’re having fun. I think that partially means that the things that we enjoy doing never seem to last long enough. I could be wrong. But that’s how I view it.

Looking back at where the last six months have taken us, we’ve talked about several things. Dealing with obstacles. Overcoming challenges. Celebrating victories. Enjoying successes. And more. But the reoccurring theme that always pops up with what we’re reading and writing about is God‘s grace. How God‘s grace is involved in everything. Because it’s through his grace that we are able to rejoice no matter what it is that we’re facing. Because it’s through his grace that we have the strength to overcome whatever comes our way. And also, because it’s through his grace that we feel the love and hope the only comes from Jesus. When we look at our lives like this, it’s easy to see that his grace is truly involved in everything. And everything means quite literally everything.

How do we know this? We know this because we read this. It’s in God‘s word. The Bible tells us that God‘s grace is sufficient. And I know sometimes it’s very hard to believe this. Especially, whenever things seem insurmountable. But even in times like that, times that seem insurmountable, we still turn towards God for his grace. I believe that is because often we do not know what else to do. Where else to turn. Sometimes even those that do not believe will ask for prayer. Seeking God‘s grace. That’s how powerful it is. I often pray for God to put a hedge of protection around my family. To cover us with his cloak. That’s my way of asking for his grace. Have you ever asked for his protection? So today would be a great day to ask for God to cover you. To ask him into all aspects of your life. Let his grace go to work on you. And then others will see his hope and his love through you. Just think about where that could go. So glorious.

If you have ever received some not so great news, raise your hand. If I were to take inventory at this point with all of you reading this, I would expect to see every one of you with your hand up. I can’t imagine going through this life and not ever hearing something that wasn’t necessarily good. I guess there’s a slim chance someone out there has always received good news. And if there is, I’m happy for you. But chances are, at some point or another in our life time, we are going to receive news that really isn’t what we want to hear at all. And sometimes it comes at the most inopportune time.

Some of us find out about illnesses that are not curable. Some of us find out about accidents that are horrific. Some of us may be called into the office to find out that we have been let go from our jobs. Some of us may learn about the death of a loved one. I think you get my point. Not so good news can sometimes become a regular occurrence. I know our family has had our share of it. And I also know this about our family, through it all we have been able to get through it because of the grace of God. God has provided us hope and comfort through difficult times. God has provided us peace. He has even provided us wisdom on how to get through tough times. And I’m certain that he will continue to do so.

Jesus came to earth and died on the cross for us all. He did so because his love for us is that deep. He has paved the path for us to join him. And that is what gets us through the difficulties that we’re going to face. Knowing that he is there for us. He is waiting for us. When I say us, I’m talking about you as well. I’m talking about everyone. Unfortunately, some of us are going to give it a shot on our own. We’re going to go through this lifetime trying to figure it all out without God in our lives. I couldn’t imagine trying that. Knowing where that takes us in the end. I couldn’t imagine it. But some of us do. So today, if you don’t know Jesus, make today the day that you come to know him. Make today the day that you welcome Him into your heart. Receive the peace and hope that ONLY comes from him. And if you know Jesus, maybe today is the day that you reignite your fire to serve him. Either way, if we have Jesus in our lives, he will get us through those times that are not so good. Know that. Believe that. Trust that. Because it’s true.

This morning I woke up to several text messages. Some were sent last night after I was in bed. Others came early this morning. The majority of them were from veterans that I have been blessed to work with the last few years. I’m always humbled by what they send me. The ones that I received recently varied from thanking us for supporting them, to showing me photos of items for the banquet, and to a link of a video about a former Navy SEAL finding faith. Pretty awesome stuff. I’m so thankful that they feel close enough to me to share these with me.

In the video of the Navy SEAL, he talks about searching for answers to his questions in various places. Astrology. History of the world. Science. And more. He was in a bad place trying to figure out how to best handle his thoughts. Let’s just say, he wasn’t finding what he was looking for. Does this sound familiar to anyone? I’m sure it does. I can relate to this. The good news is that he kept looking. And ultimately he found Jesus. And with Jesus, he found the answer to every question that he has ever had. And I say that he has found the answer to every question that he is ever going to have as well. That’s pretty powerful. Especially in the world we live in today. The mess that we live in. Does anything make any sense anymore? Sometimes it’s hard to say yes to that question.

The Bible tells us how to handle what it is we’re facing. It tells us how to handle the mess that we are in. It tells us to trust the Lord with all of our heart. And that might be the best advice we would ever get. Because it’s hard to know who to trust now. Different media stations offering different opinions. Different politicians offering different solutions. Different this. Different that. Who’s right? Who’s wrong? That is so hard to determine. Today let’s cry to God for wisdom. Let’s cry to God for strength. Let’s cry to God for the Holy Spirit to move in us. We may not be able to change the climate of the world. But we can change the climate around us if we do this. Let’s lean on God. Let him take control of our hearts. Just as the Navy SEAL did. And let’s watch the peace and the hope that we receive change our lives. Because Jesus is the answer.

Couple days ago I posted a picture online of Barbara and me with Coach Armstrong’s daughters. They are all married now. They are women doing very well. Seeing them always reminds me of Coach. And when I think of him, I think of all the times that we sat and just talked. There are moments at the gym before and after people would arrive that we would just have conversations about life. No topic other than life. There were times that we talked about certain world events. Certain people in our lives. Critical conversations. Conversations that he was teaching me morals and values in. And I know I’ve said this before. Coach was so much more than a basketball coach. I miss those conversations. I miss those phone calls. I miss him.

Nobody will ever replace Coach Armstrong. That void will always be a void. No doubt about it. But I have been blessed the other men have stepped in to different roles in my life. Some men I have known for several years. Others for only a couple of years. Veterans and civilians alike. And I know that God was preparing me and them for my life without Coach Armstrong. Each of them bringing different aspects to the table. Mentors. Advisors. Accountability partners. Brothers in Christ. And I am very thankful for each of them. That is so very important. Having this type of relationship with others, is so very important to all of us. People who can actually help you keep your life on track. Even help you change your life. The Bible tells us how important this is. The Bible warns us just what bad company can do to us.

So today, ask yourself who your mentors are. Ask yourself who your influencers are. Ask yourself who holds you accountable because they love you. Ask yourself who celebrates your victories. Your successes. Take a look who you have surrounded yourself with. Your inner circle. I’m not telling you to abandon anybody that you love. I’m just telling you that we need people of Christian character in our lives for very important reasons. We must remember just how important Christian associations are. Relationships with people who believe in Jesus. Who strive to serve Jesus. Because they can influence you in so many different ways. Work. Hobbies. Homes. And more. And I think a good piece of advice is…Pray over this! Pray over your circle. Pray over who influences you. Pray over who you should let influence you. God will show you. If your relationships are built on material items or social ideals, they will end as soon as those items and ideals go away. That I promise you. Place God first in your heart. Place God first in your relationships. And watch how God changes your life and those around you. He will do so because he loves you.

This morning I have to admit I was struggling to think of a topic to write on. Nothing really hit me like it usually does. Nothing really stuck out to inspire me. Waiting for God to show me what to read and write on. Just sitting here. Struggling to come up with something. And then I realized, right there is my topic. 

We all go through times where we seem to struggle and nothing we do can fix it. Nothing that we can do seems to solve the issue. The struggle seems to linger on, and on, and on. Sometimes by our doings. Sometimes by the doings of others. I think it’s during those times that God is building us for what is to come. I think it’s during those times that God is using what we are facing to teach us something. But I also believe that we must view it this way in order for us to learn what God is trying to teach us. I’ve said many times that one of the greatest gifts that God has given us is ability to choose. And that includes the ability to choose how we view things. We can choose to be a bitter at what has happened. We can choose to be bitter about what is happening right now. Being bitter about something only results in us being bitter about something. That’s not good.

Now, I am not saying that we shouldn’t feel pain or be upset about something. That’s part of being human. That comes from being part of this earth. It’s going to happen. It’s unfortunate. But it is going to happen. What I am saying is that we can choose to use tough moments as building blocks to grow closer to our Lord and Savior. One of the ways I think we can do that is by praying. Maybe we know the solution and we need to pray for strength to put it into action. Maybe we know the source of the struggles and we should pray to know the way to make those sources go away. Or maybe we just need to sit and pray for wisdom. To be still for a moment. And to let God work on our hearts and our minds. I don’t know your situation or your struggles. But I know God has the answers. You can choose to face them on your own. And you might possibly solve them. But you might not. Or we can choose to let God guide us and no matter what we face, the end will be glorious, and God‘s grace will be revealed. 

So, yesterday I was watching the Top Gun movies. I remember the first one coming out when I was a kid. After watching it, we were all going to be pilots. I don’t think any one of us went on to do that. At least I don’t know anyone who did. When Top Gun Maverick come out last year, we were thrilled to go watch it. And it did not disappoint. If you haven’t seen it, I recommend it. It was worth the wait. But I’m not writing about a movie today. There was a couple lines near the beginning that kind of hit home.

I don’t want to give away the story of the movie for those of you that haven’t seen it yet. So I’ll be short. Tom Cruise‘s character, Maverick, is getting ready to do a test run on a plane. One of the guys helping monitor this flight said to him, “Do you know what happens if you go through with this?“ Maverick’s response was, “I know what happens to everyone else if I don’t.” This may sound cheesy. But it was a powerful moment in the movie for me. And it made me think about something else.

Let’s go back 2,000 years in our minds. Let’s go back to the last night before Jesus was arrested. I’m wondering about the conversation that could’ve taken place. Might’ve taken place. I’m wondering if someone could’ve said to him the same thing: “Do you know what happens if you go through with this?” And I can imagine Jesus’s response being very similar. “I know what happens if I don’t.“ Jesus knew what was getting ready to take place. He knew why he was here. He knew tremendous pain was coming. Can you just imagine! He knew all these things, and he still took it upon himself. Because, he knew his purpose was to be sacrificed for us. He had to go through with it to pave the way for us. He had to go through it to show us what love looks like. Holy cow! Now…can you imagine what Life might look like today if He chose not to? No thanks. So today, let’s work on lifting others above ourselves. Let’s remember that many people don’t know Jesus. And remember what happens if they don’t come to know him.

I grew up in a household with one TV. As a matter of fact, the first one I remember having was black and white. And whenever dad was home, we watched what he wanted to watch. Being a soldier, he liked war movies. He liked westerns too. But, he preferred war movies. I enjoy them myself. Especially World War II movies. Like the Big Red 1. And I believe it’s because of growing up in that household. When I was a teacher, I prefered teaching American history. Because, I got to teach on the wars that the American soldiers fought in. Don’t get me wrong. It’s not that I think war is good. I think that it’s an important part of our history. And we need to remember that. And we need to honor those that lost their lives. Actually, we need to honor all of our troops. 

In the Bible, there are stories about battles. Stories of war. But more importantly, the Bible has imagery. Imagery of war. Imagery of battles. And from times thousands of years ago all the way through now, there’s a battle taking place. It is spiritual warfare. It’s a war against the demons of hell. And it’s ugly. But what’s awesome about our God is that he gives us everything we need to face this battle. And sometimes it’s personal. It’s personal because we fight our past. Maybe even our present. But most definitely, we fight for our future. We don’t have to let our past define us. We can learn from our past. Especially from our mistakes. We can learn from our choices that were destructive. That’s part of the blessing from God.

Fighting this battle, it’s up to us to stay in contact with God. Especially, during times of struggles. We need to remember he gives us everything we need. We also need to remember that the victory has already been declared. Jesus did that for us on the cross. And just as we must honor all of our troops, we must honor Jesus and what he did for us. Even more so. Stay in contact with your Lord and Savior by praying. Talk to him. He wants to hear from you. Staying close to him will keep giving you the weapons that you need in this battle. Staying close to him will help you heal from your past. It will help you solidify your present and your future. And the greatest victory is this: We can have eternal salvation with our Lord and Savior in heaven.