Month: November 2023

Living On Purpose

/ James Penner / Leave a comment

“Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.” 1 Peter 4:8.

Famed Berkshire Hathaway Vice Chairman Charles Munger died just a few days ago at the age of 99. During his business career he stood side by side with Warren Buffet to build Berkshire Hathaway into one of the largest holding companies in the world. Charlie was also famous for his no holds barred “quotes” at investor meetings. Yet there was one stellar piece of advice Charlie once gave to Warren. “Live your life according to how you would like your obituary written, then live backwards.”

How Do You Want To Be Remembered?

I hope one day that it is said of me that I laughed easily and freely loved others as I loved the Lord. It’s never too late to start your own journey of remembrance. Decide how you want to be remembered, then live every day on purpose.

Still

/ James Penner / Leave a comment

“Be still, and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10

The best advice that I could ever give is to memorize these eight words, “Be still, and know that I am God.” There is such power in these words. No ambiguity, no beating around the bush, no figurative language that we have to decipher. No matter where you find yourself today,

Be Still.

Jesus drives the point home in Matthew 6 by telling us over and over again not to worry! About anything! When you put your faith and trust in God, He has your back. That does not mean you won’t face trials, or troubles, yet simply trust that God will work it out. Remember the promise found in Romans 8:28: “All things work together for good for those who love God.“

Perfect Timing

/ James Penner / Leave a comment

“To everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven.” Ecclesiastes 3:1

Isaiah 40:31 says that “Those who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings as eagles. They shall run and not grow weary. They shall walk and not feint.” Some of the greatest breakthroughs in my life came

When I Waited On The Lord.

God is in the time management business. Sometimes He uses a microwave and provides instant gratification for us. Sometimes He uses a slow cooker knowing the longer things cook the richer the taste. When you put your trust in God, let Him work out the strategy and the timing for what He has for your life. You’ll be amazed at what God has in store for you, and how beautiful the journey.

What If?

/ James Penner / Leave a comment
“He has made everything beautiful, in its time.” Ecclesiastes 3:11

We wake every day with a new day before us. Most of the time we look backward and simply continue to do what we did in the days, weeks, months and years before. Familiarity, whether good or bad, becomes our warm blanket. And yet,

What If?

What if I tried something new today? What if I gave that relationship 100%? What if I ventured back to school, or took dancing lessons, or went into a new career, or volunteered my time to a worthy cause, or loved more and criticized less, or decided that today was actually the first day of the rest of my life and became a better version of myself. You’re never too young, or too old, to write a new chapter. God makes everything beautiful in its time.

Be Salty

/ James Penner / Leave a comment

“You are the salt of the earth….” Matthew 5:13

It’s interesting that the human body literally cannot survive without salt. Too little salt leads to seizures, coma’s and eventually death. The body needs salt. When Jesus says “we are the salt of the earth”, in His analogy He means what he says. For just as the body cannot survive without salt, we are not made to live in isolation. We need each other, for love, encouragement, companionship. So,

“Be Salty.”

It doesn’t take much salt to change the flavor of any dish. You can change the world around you.

Be Thankful!

/ James Penner / Leave a comment

“Enter His gates with thanksgiving.” Psalm 100:4

God is gracious. For me, some years have been lean beyond comprehension, others held a sense of sorrow for loved ones gone, and others laughter that would lift the roof. Yet in the good years and the not so good years,

There Is Always Something To Be Thankful For.

That may sound cliche, but don’t let it become that for you. Thank You is the very first word that should pass our lips each day as we pray to God. God is life and all that we enjoy comes from Him. Don’t miss your chance to be thankful. For who among you does not pour out your love when someone is thankful to you. Just think how much more your Heavenly Father will pour over your life when you are thankful for what He has already given to you.

Healing From Heaven

/ James Penner / Leave a comment

“Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain you.” Psalm 55:22

David in Psalm 55 says, “Cast your burden on the Lord”. This is not the first time this concept shows up in scripture. Over and over again, God says, give your burdens to Me. I take the Bible at face value and simply do what God says.

Cast Your Burdens On The Lord.

Sometimes I’m a broken record about it, day, after day, after day, until the breakthrough comes. Give it a try. God’s not worried about taking on your burdens. He’s asking for them.

Sheep

/ James Penner / Leave a comment

“If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying?” Matthew 18:12

God’s patience with us is immeasurable. We look at the ‘lost sheep’ in our society and so many times respond by calling them out on social media, or by turning a blind eye in an effort to ignore them. Not Jesus. Jesus will stay right with that lost sheep in an endless effort to bring them back into the fold. Speaking as one who was at one time one of those ‘lost sheep’, I’m beyond grateful. Whether you realize it or not,

God Is With You

God is not elusive, He’s patiently waiting for you to come home, but He’s leaving the choice up to you. God is right beside you, quietly waiting for you to realize that He is what you are looking for. Turn to Him.

Blessings

/ James Penner / Leave a comment
“If you know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!” Matthew 7:11

I never really understood the joy of giving until we had children. To see their faces light up with any gift melts any heart. There is something inexplicably wonderful about giving, be it love, or laughter or possessions.

Giving Brings Forth Joy

Imagine the joy God must feel when He brings forth gifts to us. After all, He gave to us the ultimate power of free will. We choose to believe, or not to believe, in Him. So when we chose to believe, and exercise that belief by actually calling on Him and asking for His help and blessing, imagine the joy He feels. It’s not that hard to imagine, Jesus told us so Himself in Matthew 7:11. So, why not bring God some joy today and call on him. He loves to give.

Welcome Home

/ James Penner / Leave a comment

“…Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise…” Psalm 100:4

I have spoken with so many in my lifetime that approach God from a position of intimidation and fear. Images dance in their minds of veritable lightening bolts with a booming voice\ of disapproval coming from heaven to chastise them for how they have lived their lives. How will He respond to me, they say. I simply reply, the response will be,

WELCOME HOME

If you need a bit of a pep talk to gin up your courage about approaching the Creator of the universe, just read through Psalm 100. In this very short Psalm you will read one message loud and clear. God wants you to celebrate when you call on Him. The Cross of Christ took on all our junk and put out the “come in, we’re open” sign so we could feel the warm embrace of our Heavenly Father.

“Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is He who made us, and we are His; we are His people, the sheep of His pasture. Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name. For the Lord is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations.” Psalm 100