There are some people who avoid paying their taxes. They make good money, but think it’s all theirs; that the government doesn’t deserve to have any of it.

When taxes were born, all working employees were required to report their earnings and to pay the required taxes on this money. If they don’t, they break the law and can face imprisonment. Some are tricky enough to avoid the IRS for years, thinking they’re getting away with it.

I spent my 20s and 30s running from God. I thought if I filled my life with ‘stuff,’ God would leave me alone. I thought I could hide in my anger and depression. I thought God’s got enough people to care for, and I can just block Him out of my plans.

Thank God, He is a loving God; a God full of mercy. But, He’s also a jealous God.

If we find ourselves consumed with worry, afraid the stock market will crash, or bogged down with our own physical issues, we can convince ourselves that we’ll take care of it, and that we don’t need God.

Friends, this is the day you can turn that around. Come out of hiding. God already knows where you are in your life; He knows your thoughts and most of all, He knows your heart.

You can’t hide from God because He is omnipresent; He’s everywhere at all times.

You can run from God, that’s your choice, but don’t think you can hide from Him.

Hebrews 4:13 - “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.”

Whether you’re a track star, a basketball hero, or a gold medal Olympian, one thing is for certain. In order to achieve the goal (winning the game), you must be mentally and physically prepared.

You’ll rarely find someone signed up to run in the New York Marathon, who signed up on a whim.

Most athletes train in some form almost every day of the year. They can’t just sleep in, or miss practices because they’re a little tired. They must have the mental and physical capacity to stay in the game; be ready when they’re called to perform.

As it is with Christians. We too must be physically, mentally and spiritually ready at all times. We can’t take a week off, just because we’re on vacation.

God has called us to be His hands and feet. We can’t do that if we’re not prepared.

Our game plan is all contained in God’s word, the Bible.

We can’t expect to witness to others, if we don’t have the knowledge to do so. But, the best thing about evangelizing to others, is all we have to do is to speak the truth; tell our story about what He’s done in our life, and God takes care of the rest.

Get in the game. Practice and do your best. God’s got this.

Proverbs 16:3 - “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.”

I’ve seen it in my own life, disobedience to God. Early on in my Christian walk, I shrugged it off, thinking I was just having bad luck. Looking back, I see now that God was trying to get my attention.

I didn’t tithe; didn’t love as Jesus loves and I kept telling myself, “once this or that happens, then I’ll start tithing, giving, loving, etc”. I was basing my future on my circumstances.

I suffered because of it. Broken relationships, financial issues, living paycheck to paycheck, the list goes on.

The good news to all of this is that God NEVER gave up on me. He kept His pursuit on my life, because when I was feeling hopeless, when others were disappointed in me, God stood nearby, waiting to catch my fall.

It didn’t happen overnight, but little by little God started opening doors. I didn’t understand it, but I knew deep in my soul that God was near. He was positioning me for greater things.

I started giving to the church, even while on a small salary. I started giving my time to others and serving where needed.

My outlook on life is different now. I know that if I lost everything, God will be there to take care of me. This confidence doesn’t come from personal status or position; it comes from my relationship with God.

If you think you can do this life on your own, think again. God will get your attention. Satan will put things in your life, so that you question God. The devil can cause you to lose everything; your job, your home, your family.

If this is you, don’t ignore God. Look to the one who gave you life. Look to Jesus who paid the price of your sin. Trust God, He’s in this mess of yours and will see you through it, only if you believe He will.

Psalms 46:1 - “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.”

As I look back on 2019, I’m thankful for many things, most of all that God is in my life. I’ve made so many new friends, through mission trips with my team, with the beautiful people of Peru and through Evangelism Explosion (group from our church that evangelizes weekly to the lost and broken).

Friendships are precious and something to treasure. My last trip to Peru (Olivos, Peru) brought so many new friends in my life, but more than that, I saw Jesus in each one of them. From the 10 year old Aby, who helped me across a felled log on the river, to Andy, who was always there to catch me before falling in the mud. And, then there’s Rosa. What a blessed woman of God. She took all our muddy clothes, muddy shoes and cleaned them. One pair she even had to stitch back together!

I’m excited for the new year; thankful for what God’s got planned for me. I have already signed up for 2 mission trips and can see great things in the making. I trust God to provide for me financially, but more than that, I’m praying that He prepares my heart spiritually.

My 2020 is going to be full of hope. It will be God’s year to shine through me. I hope to be a part of the great commission and bring the lost to Him.

There are so many people in this world that are unreachable. I want to be a part of reaching them.

God is good and my resolve for 2020 is in His hands.

Proverbs 16:9 - “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.”

I can remember the year 1999. Some people were prophesying the year 2000 would be the end of the world. Doomsdayers were getting ready for wars, destruction; everything to be destroyed.

Needless to say, some were disappointed when the year 2000 came and nothing happened.

Some came to Jesus because of fear, which is not a bad thing, as long as they kept their relationship with God after the new year arrives.

This year is almost over and 2020 is near. The end of the year makes most of us review the past year. What have we done that’s made a difference? What have we accomplished? Have we made the world a better place, or did we just get through it?

I served on 2 mission trips this year; God has been good to me. My faith has grown leaps and bounds.

I’m looking forward to 2020. Y2k may have come and gone, but instead of being afraid of the future, I’m excited what God’s got planned.

It’s a win/win situation. Stick with God; He’s got your future in His hands.

Trust Him. Allow Him to use you, in whatever capacity that may be.

2020 is around the corner. I say, “bring it!”

Isaiah 43:18-19 - “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.”

No one likes to be punished, to be ridiculed, or put on the spot.

As a child, you seek your parent’s praise and approval. If you’re a parent yourself, you encourage your child and revel in their achievements.

Christians should be seeking God’s approval. We need to be serving and giving, not for our own praise, but to glorify God; to show others the love God gives us.

Seek God’s face. Ask God, “what is your will for my life?” Ask God what you can do to please Him. Be ready to follow through, no matter what. Don’t ignore your responsibility as a Christian. Just because you feel intimidated, or not ready to serve others, shouldn’t delay your response of love to others.

Just as a child doesn’t like to be reprimanded, you don’t want God’s judgment.

I used to just go through life on my own terms, not giving God a thought during my day. When something happened to ruin my day, or things didn’t go as I planned, I got depressed or angry. That was 20 years ago. Today, I start my day with God. It may sound corny, but I spend time talking to Him, thanking Him, praising Him; seeking His face.

I have peace. Things go wrong sometimes (in my eyes), but I know God’s in it. He’s right there.

2 Chronicles 7:14 - “if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”

This world is full of convenience. Back in my day, there were no 711s (Seven Elevens), pump your own gas stations, etc. I actually had someone put gas in my car, or check my tires, or check my oil. Those were good times. We went to the grocery store, usually just once a week, and we survived.

The convenience era has made us all lazy to some degree. Instead of buying all the ingredients to make something like lasagna, we started purchasing a boxed frozen version of it. I admit, I used to think of tv dinners as a treat, but it was definitely not as good for you as mom’s home cooking.

I see some living a convenient Christian life. I used to do it, in my 20s and 30s.

I went to church when I felt like it, which wasn’t often. I opened the Bible when the Pastor was reading from the pulpit.

If it wasn’t on my timetable, I left God on the shelf, until I need Him in a pinch.

Now, I look back on my life during that time and realize how foolish I was. My life was a mess. I thought I was doing all the right things God wanted me to do.

God doesn’t want relationships with robots. He wants you to seek Him. He wants you to put Him first in your life.

Don’t live a convenient Christian life; live a fulfilled God-driven life.

Luke 2:4-6 - “So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David.  He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.  While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born,”

Expectations are beliefs that spring from a person’s thought process when examining evidence.

Have you ever got your hopes up for something, that never transpired?

When these expectations come and are not met, we often get angry or hurt, and put the blame on someone else.

Conflict often results when the assumed expectations fail to be met. May not be anyone’s fault, it just happens.

I’ve been let down many times in my life, mostly because I try to see the good in people and think they should respond and act to situations like I would. I can’t blame anyone but myself, especially if I hadn’t voiced my expectations to the other person.

It’s different when you have a relationship with Christ. Jesus says we are to expect great things. We should have faith that God will bring us a great future. When you thank God for His promises, in the midst of storms, this tells Him you have great expectations of His provision.

I am going through a storm in my life, but I can honestly say that God is good. He is working on my behalf and this is only temporary, a valley. The mountain top is in view and I keep pushing forward, seeing God move each day.

God is good and I expect great things today and in my future.

How about you?

Psalms 62:5 - “Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from Him.”