There are a lot of things we aren’t going to understand on this side of eternity. Why do bad things happen to good people? Why did my life go left instead of right? Why am I even here?

God doesn’t owe us an explanation. The truth is, if he explained things to us we wouldn’t understand. Look at your own life. If ten years ago you had been given the opportunity to look at your life today, it wouldn’t make sense how you arrived here.

God is good and he is just. We just need to trust him. This includes trusting God during the shitty times in life. It’s easy to trust when everything is going well. He has been with us during every moment of our life, no matter what we were going through.

My encouragement to you is to say YES to whatever brings you closer to God. Say no to the things (and the people) who keep you apart from him. Look for God’s influence and direction in your life and other people’s lives. It’s there…

In The Book of Genesis we learn the story of Joseph. Joseph was a young dreamer who had a good heart. His older brothers sold him to some Midianite traders who sold Joseph to an officer of Pharaohs in Egypt. His brothers faked his death and thought they were rid of their troublesome brother, the “dreamer.”

Joseph was a righteous man and did well In Pharaohs eyes. God opened Joseph’s eyes to interpret dreams which saved Egypt during a long drought. The Egyptians had food while the rest of the world was starving. Joseph’s brothers came to Egypt to buy food, not knowing that it was their little brother who would be the one selling it to them.

Through a series of fascinating events, Joseph and his entire family were reunited. Joseph informed his brothers that “what they intended for harm, God intended for good.” The story is worth reading. You can find it in Genesis, Chapters 37-50.

The story of Joseph, and many others, is a great reminder that God is always working in our lives. We do not see it, but it’s happening.

God didn’t create us and then forget about us. He’s working…

In several instances, Jesus healed people on the Sabbath which, in doing so, sent the religious leaders into orbit. You see, it was against the law to do work on the Sabbath. Healing someone was considered to be work.

There was a lot at play here. First off, Jesus created the Sabbath and was in control of it. Further, by doing good on this day in particular he showed his mercy and compassion for mankind. Jesus is at work all the time, not just six days per week.

We can get confused about religion. In its essence, religion is a set of beliefs. We believe and have faith in someone we can’t really see. Or can we?

While Jesus was among us, he performed incredible miracles. He wasn’t showing off, and he never did a miracle that benefited him. He was demonstrating the character of God. And miracles continue happening today. Childbirth is a miracle. So is the position of the sun.

Slow down and take a look around. Miracles are everywhere. In fact, you are a living miracle. Don’t take it for granted…

Growing up, I was taught that Christopher Columbus discovered the new land which became America. Imagine my shock when I learned the truth! Columbus never made it here. It was a lie I believed for a long time.

Do you ever question your beliefs? I believe it’s a good idea to test our beliefs and convictions. If you are one of the ones who questions whether God exists or not, well, you wouldn’t be the first to do that.

It has been demonstrated that we are wrong more than we are right. And the most glaring examples of this are the people who believe they are always right about everything. A massive ego combined with some intelligence creates a self-righteous ass.

Having faith in a God we can’t see takes courage. Society today grasps onto New Age BS which tells us the answers are “within.” Yet, the New Age devotees are still looking for a Higher Power for guidance. They just don’t call him God.

I believe in the God of the impossible. My belief comes not only from personal experiences, but the miracles I have seen happen in the lives of others. He has redeemed the lives of addicts, restored families, and caused money to appear when there was none.

It’s a good thing to question yourself. We are like science experiments. In science there are no answers, only more questions…

Prosperity Gospel began in the 1950’s and continues to spread across the globe today. More people than ever are tapped into it because of the World Wide Web.

One of the theses is that it is God’s will for everyone to prosper and become wealthy. Some Pastors have perverted the true Gospel to fit their agenda. “Name it and claim it,” they say. This turns God into a genie who grants our every wish. The caveat is that for God to grant you health and wealth, you must first give.

God’s will is accomplished through us on this planet. He does want us to give in faith. In the Bible, God tells us to “test me on this” with regard to tithing (Malachi 3:10). God certainly doesn’t need anything from us, including our money. But this is an act of faith in His ability to provide for us. And our resources oftentimes go to help others who are in need.

Not everyone will become wealthy. Jesus himself told us “the poor will be with us always.” But God cares deeply for all of us, and we should help those who are less fortunate.

Give to worthy causes, including churches, when you feel moved to. But I encourage you to give freely, not expecting anything in return. God examines our hearts when we give.

You and I are prosperous now. Fresh air, sunshine and a beating heart are worth more than gold. Prosperity is not just about money…