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Like A Thief In The Night

One night a thief broke into a house he thought was abandoned. As he walked then the darkened house with a flashlight he heard a voice from the kitchen that said, “Jesus is watching you.’ He stopped and said, “who’s there?” There was no answer so he thought he must have imagined it. But after he took a few more steps, the voice said again, “Jesus is watching you.” He decided to walk toward the voice, just before he entered the kitchen, he heard it again, “Jesus is watching you.” He swung the flashlight up and saw a parrot talking in a cage. The parrot said, Jesus is watching you.” The their turned flipped on the kitchen light and said, “Why you’re just a dumb bird.” The he looked in the corner of the room and seen a huge Rottweiler couching. And the parrot said “Get him Jesus.”

You might think it’s strange that Jesus would compare Himself to a thief. Of course, Jesus isn’t identifying with the sin of stealing. But just a good thief (that’s a oxymoron).that tries to sneak in quickly and quietly and escape with His people. That’s an accurate description of how Jesus will rapture His church.

We should all be living as if Jesus was crucified yesterday; raised from the dead this morning, and is coming back this afternoon.

1 Thessalonians 5: 1-4 tells us, “But concerning the times and the seasons, you have no need that anything be written to you. For you yourselves know that the day of the Lord comes like a thief in the night. For when they are saying, “Peace and safety,” then sudden destruction will come to then, like birth pains on a pregnant woman; and they will in no way escape.

We should know these 4 things

1. Jesus will return, But we don’t know the exact day.

Can you imagine a thief sending you a text or email saying, “Just wanted to know that I’m coming to rob your house tonight.” Of course not. Thief’s don’t announce when they’re coming. They sneak in and out.

When I was growing up my Dad used to do military funerals when a soldier or veteran would pass away. My father would keep all the guns in his closet. One night when no one was home the house was broken into and all the M16 rifles were stolen. He was very upset because they trusted him with these rifles. For a long time there would be someone home, or a neighbor would be watching the house.

Jesus told us to keep watch, because you don’t know on what day the Lord will come. We need to understand, if the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and not let the house be broken into. So we must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you don’t expect him (Matthew 24:42-44),

There have been times throughout history when many people expected Jesus to return. We use the Gregorian calendar now, but when the Julian calendar turned from year 999 to the year 1000, people expected Jesus to come for a new millennium, the same was true in the year 2000. People were on their best behavior, In the year 1000 history says that worldly goods were sold and money was given to the poor. Prisoners were set free, and many traveled to Israel to wait for Jesus’s return,

In the second and third chapter of Revelation, Jesus gives messages to the 7 churches, which represent all churches of all time. When He wrote to the church at Philadelphia, He says, “Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I also will keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth” (Revelation3:10).

In Luke 17 Jesus compares His return to a couple of Old Testament events. “Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man. People were eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage up to the dat Noah entered the ark. Then the flood cane and destroyed them all. It was the same in the days of Lot. People were eating, drinking, buying and selling, planting and building. But the day Lot left Sodom, fire and suffer rained down from heaven and destroyed them all. It will be just like this on the day the Son Of Man is revealed (Luke 17:26-30).

Are You Ready?

What To Do With Amazing News

Daily writing prompt
You get some great, amazingly fantastic news. What’s the first thing you do?
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If I received some great news, the first thing I would do is probably cry, because that’s who I am. But then we would celebrate with food, because that’s what most human beings do.

Respond Don’t React

Reacting is often quick and emotionally charged, and it can occur without much conscious thought or reflection. It can be influenced by past experience, conditioned responses, or the activation of the fight or flight response in the face of perceived threats.

In contrast to this, responding typically involved a more deliberate and thoughtful approach. Taking time to process information, consider different perspectives and choose the course of action consciously. When we learn to respond, we are more likely to experience more positive outcomes in our daily interactions.

Reactions are often based in the moment, and driven by emotion, they are often aggressive and fuel disagreement, this triggered psychological responses in the body, such as increased heart rate or sweating. While a response to a well-thought-out reaction can result in a positive outcome.

We can control the urge to react by practicing mindfulness. Mindfulness involves acceptance and nonjudgmental awareness of present-moment experiences that can help us respond rather than react in difficult situations. By pausing and being mindful, we can be present with our thoughts and feelings to identify our triggers so we can choose how to respond rather than react.

I learned a little trick years ago that has worked for me in difficult situations. It is taking 10 deep breaths to calm and relax my body to avoid reacting.

The benefits of being mindful lead to:

  • Less emotional reactivity
  • Reduce stress and rumination
  • Increased cognitive flexibility
  • Higher relationship satisfaction

Learning to respond and empower you to become a better person. Here are a few ways I respond rather than react:

Name your emotions

Verbalize them out loud or write them in a journal. This helps your brain realize the situation is temporary.

Recognize how your body feels

Pay attention to any physical symptoms you’re having. This helps you in the future to know when you’re being triggered. For example I can the tension in my neck when I’m feeling triggered.

Use your breath to regain control

Take 10 deep breaths. This helps slow your breath to a calm rhythm.

Ask yourself why you reacted

This helps identify and deal with what triggered you so you can respond, not react.

Practice mindfulness regularly

This helps improve your awareness of your body and brain responses, which helps you respond rather than react. Reacting and responding are both natural human tendencies, developing your ability to respond thoughtfully can lead to more positive outcomes. This helps in conflict resolution and decision-making. With practice and self-awareness, you can cultivate the skills necessary to respond mindfully.

Understanding The Journey

There is a spiritual and physical pilgrimage that believers undertake in their walk with God. This journey is marked by growth, trials, faith, and the pursuit of divine wisdom.

The Bible provides us with numerous examples and teachings that illuminate the nature of this journey, it offers guidance and insight for those who are seeking to navigate their path in accordance with God’s will.

There are 3 Biblical foundations I want us to take a look at:

  1. The journey of faith

The journey of faith is a central theme throughout scripture. This is exemplified by Abraham in Genesis to left his homeland and journeyed into a land that God would show him. Abraham’s obedience and trust in God’s promises set a precedent for understanding the journey as one of faith and reliance on divine guidance.

2. The Exodus

The Israelites’ Exodus from Egypt is a profound illustration of a collective journey. In Exodus 13:21-22, I believe that when God leads His people with a cloud by day and a fire by night, it symbolizes His constant presence and guidance. This journey from slavery to the promised land is a metaphor for spiritual liberation and a transformative process of following God.

3. Pilgrimage Psalms

The Psalms of Ascent are Psalms 120-134 are songs sung by pilgrims traveling to Jerusalem for their feasts. These Psalms reflect the physical and spiritual ascent towards God, emphasizing themes of trust, protection, and worship.

One of my favorite Psalms is Psalm 121:1-2, which declares, “I lift up my eyes to the hills. Where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.”

There are key themes that go along with understanding our journey:

  1. Growth and Maturity

James 1:2-4 encourages us to, “Consider it all joy when you fall into trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete.” This is the perseverance that leads to maturity in Christ Jesus.

2. Wisdom and Understanding

Proverbs 3:5-6 advises us, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your ways straight.” Our journey requires us to seek God’s wisdom and understanding, rather than relying only on our human insight.

3. Endurance and Perseverance

Our journeys are without challenges. Hebrews 12:1-2 urges us to, “Run with endurance the race set out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith.” Endurance is essential for completing our journeys through life to teach the ultimate goal of eternal life.

The Bible illuminates our journey, guides us through life challenges, and uncertainties we would do well to embrace the Bible as our daily compass and let it light our way.

Broken Laws

Daily writing prompt
Have you ever unintentionally broken the law?
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I have never unintentionally broken the law, but I have broken the law, mostly simple ones like running to a neighbor’s house just up the road and not wearing my seatbelt, and an officer gave me a ticket which cost me $45.

Beyond The Veil

Scripture tells us that when Jesus died on the cross, the veil in the Temple was torn in two from the bottom.This means that the barrier between God and humanity granting direct access to God’s presence for all people without needing human priests. The fact that it was torn from the bottom indicates it as a divine act, signifying the completion of Jesus’s sacrifice.

The thick curtain that separated the Holy of Holies from the rest of the temple was removed. It signifies that Jesus’s death was the final, perfect sacrifice, abolishing the need for animal sacrifices.

It also marks a transition from the Old Testament laws and rituals to an era of direct relationship with God, accessible to everyone rather than just the high priest.

This is mentioned in the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke to show the immense theological impact of the crucifixion.

Paul wrote in Ephesians 2:13-14, “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who has made us both one and had broken down in His flesh the dividing wall of hostility.”

Paul tells us that Jesus’s death tore down the walls of hostility. While we were, by nature, objects of wrath, Jesus’s sacrifice tore down the Holy Veil so we can approach the throne of grace. He removed the dividing walk between Him and us, making us a kingdom of priests.

Regardless of where we are from, what we look like, or how many resources we have, we can be reconciled to God. But this isn’t the only wall that wall broken -all the walls of the Temple were broken. Paul’s point is this: if, through Jesus and believing Gentiles (us) have no grounds to keep their own dividing walls of hostility between them.

We as individuals have a lot of differences, pursuits, likes, and dislikes. We come from various backgrounds and diverse cultures, but there is one commonality between us, the things that brings us together, is our love for Jesus. And it’s when we come back to that truth of who Jesus is in His Word that we are truly unified.

When different perspectives might challenge us, it is the one perspective that Jesus is Lord, that God’s Word is true, living, and active, that brings us back to our common perspective. It is in that commonality that we can truly make a difference for Jesus in this world.

Aging Parents

Daily writing prompt
What were your parents doing at your age?
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At 58 years old my father was still painting vehicles for a living and coming home to cook him and my mother supper. And my mother still doing what we always did, keeping a clean house.

Walking Out Our Own Salvation

“My beloved, even as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” -Philippians 2:12

We have to actively live out and manifest the inner salvation God has already provided, transforming our character and obeying Him with deep reverence which is “fear of the Lord.”

It’s important to note that this is not working for salvation but working on our obedience and building our character that cultivates the grace we have already received.

There are some key aspects of walking out our salvation I think we need to be aware of:

  • Active Cooperation This involves partnering with God to apply scripture in our everyday lives and transforming our character to match Jesus’s.
  • Obedience and Growth – Actively obeying God and growing in spiritual maturity.
  • Fear and Trembling – We should approach this with profound respect, awe for God’s holiness, and a serious desire to avoid sinning against Him, rather than being in dread.
  • Internal to External – Manifesting our inner faith through our outward actions that show the fruits of salvation

This is possible because God Himself is working in believers, providing a desire and the strength to follow His will.

“For it is God who works in you both to will and to work, for His good pleasure” -Philippians 2:13

The only thing God will not provide is our decision to do what He asks. This is a choice of the will that each one of us must make.

This is not working for salvation (earning it), but working out the salvation we already have. It is a partnership where God provides the desire and the power to act. This involves daily obedience and allowing the Holy Spirit to guide our actions, resulting in a life that reflects God’s grace.

A Bibliography About My Life

Daily writing prompt
If there were a biography about you, what would the title be?
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If there were a Bibliography based on my life, the title should be “The Beauty In The Breaking” About how I found God and my purpose. It was through deep pain, trauma, and failure that I realized God had a purpose for me.
Through every pain, trauma and failure we go through it is not about final destruction but about God revealing, refining, and reconstructing us into someone stronger and more purposeful. It is a journey of shifting from trying to maintain a “perfect” image to finding value in vulnerability and healing.

God’s Will

We can begin to know God’s will when we discern the Bible and don’t lean on our own emotions or understanding. And not beginning with our own desires. This has to be the baseline authority in us for finding and doing the will of God. It’s tempting to see Jesus as the key to getting what we want, and not who He is. I’m not saying everything we want is bad. In fact, a lot of the things we pray for are good. But God doesn’t simply want what is good for us, He wants what is best.

When we are seeking to know God’s will, we can start in the Bible. The Bible gives us a few categories for understanding God’s will:

  • God’s Revealed Will

What He shows us in the Bible. His revealed will is not a mystery. We don’t have to try to read the signs in our circumstances, we can just open the book and begin reading. God’s revealed will tells us:

  1. “Love one another – John 13:34-35, 1 Peter 4:7-11
  2. Confess our sins – 1 John 1:9
  3. Use our gifts to serve others -1 Corinthians 12.
  4. Love our spouses -Ephesians 5
  5. Rejoice in God whatever the circumstances -Philippians 4

These commands are all a part of God’s revealed will. We don’t have to ask God, “Do you want me to do these things?” He tells us, “I have already written this down in the Bible.”

  • God’s Hidden Will

Deuteronomy 29:29 says, “The secret things belong to the Lord our God but the things that are revealed belong to our children and us forever, that we may do all the words of this law.” In other words, there are some things we either can’t know in advance or that we’re just not going to know in this life, they are secret things. Such as, “What’s going to happen in five years? , when is the world going to end?, Or why did a good friend die so young?

God is sovereign, and He’s ruling over all things, so we can trust Him. We may not understand His purposes, but we can trust His plan.

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future” -Jeremiah 29:11

When we don’t know God’s will, we can still pray for it.

We may not know our future but we can pray to be prepared for it. What if He calls us to stand in truth in the midst of persecution? One of my greatest fears is that I will not be strong enough to stand for His truth, when things get tough. But I know I can pray and ask for strength.

Changing The Law

Daily writing prompt
If you had the power to change one law, what would it be and why?
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There are a few I would like to change, one beginning if someone murders someone after proof of guilt they would automatically get imprisoned. And if it’s an officer of the law or a child under 16 it would be a death sentence, not waiting in prison for life and then ending.


Another would be voter ID. I have a hard time believing that everyone doesn’t want this passed, even the greedy politicians.