I pray for you constantly, ¹⁷ asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom^[f] and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God. ¹⁸ I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance.^[g]

¹⁹ I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power ²⁰ that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms. ²¹ Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else—not only in this world but also in the world to come. ~ Ephesians 1:16-21 

Two very important things here. first, that we can understand and have confidence the incredible rich and GLORIOUS inheritance that is offered to EVERYONE in this world. and secondly, that we will understand the incredible GREATNESS of God’s power for us!! This is the same power that raised Jesus from the dead. I don’t know about you but I have never ever in all of my life heard of, met anyone or read about anyone who has the power to raise the dead!!

Jesus is ABOVE any ruler or any authority in this world!! What do you have to fear? If you understand this how could you NOT walk in confidence and JOY? Once you “get it” start praying for other’s to “get it” – your family and your friends, your co-workers and your school mates, your neighbors and the guy who takes your money at the gas station, your dr’s and to cop who writes you a ticket….. are you getting it? Pray this for EVERYONE!!!

Now go out and have an EPIC day today!

¹⁷ But you, my dear friends, must remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ predicted. ¹⁸ They told you that in the last times there would be scoffers whose purpose in life is to satisfy their ungodly desires. ¹⁹ These people are the ones who are creating divisions among you. They follow their natural instincts because they do not have God’s Spirit in them.

²⁰ But you, dear friends, must build each other up in your most holy faith, pray in the power of the Holy Spirit,^{[g] 21} and await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will bring you eternal life. In this way, you will keep yourselves safe in God’s love.

²² And you must show mercy to^[h] those whose faith is wavering. ²³ Rescue others by snatching them from the flames of judgment. Show mercy to still others,^[i] but do so with great caution, hating the sins that contaminate their lives. ~Jude 1:17-23

This entire book is about people coming into the body of Christ (the churches) and pulling people away into sin, claiming to be prophets, teachers, having dreams from God but NOT being filled with the Spirit of God. They will destroy churches and pull people into Hell. So after warning the body about this he give instructions for us….

But you, dear friends, must build each other up in your most holy faith, pray in the power of the Holy Spirit,^{[g] 21} and await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will bring you eternal life. In this way, you will keep yourselves safe in God’s love.

This is number one… OUR OWN SALVATION and keeping ourselves safe in God’s love. (you can walk away or get caught up in a trap) then you can pull others up and snatch them out of the fire!! This is so important to understand… I’ve seen and I’ve fallen into the trap of trying to help others and end up falling into hell with them. ….

And you must show mercy to^[h] those whose faith is wavering. ²³ Rescue others by snatching them from the flames of judgment. Show mercy to still others,^[i] but do so with great caution, hating the sins that contaminate their lives.

DO WITH GREAT CAUTION!!!!

Now go out and have an EPIC day today

⁴ I always thank my God when I pray for you, Philemon, ⁵ because I keep hearing about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all of God’s people. ~ Philemon 1:4-5

How often do you really pray for others? Do you have a son or daughter in the “faith”? Someone you have personally led to the Lord, mentored them in their growth? Do yo have a spiritual father or mother in the faith? The LOVE that Paul has for Philemon is deep, it’s amazing and you can feel the great joy he has in this man. A man he trust and loves.

Is there someone in your life that you could write this letter to? If NOT please start asking God to help you in this area…. you should be mentored and be a mentor until the day you die.

Now go out and have an EPIC day today.

⁸ This is a trustworthy saying, and I want you to insist on these teachings so that all who trust in God will devote themselves to doing good. These teachings are good and beneficial for everyone.

⁹ Do not get involved in foolish discussions about spiritual pedigrees^[b] or in quarrels and fights about obedience to Jewish laws. These things are useless and a waste of time. ¹⁰ If people are causing divisions among you, give a first and second warning. After that, have nothing more to do with them. ¹¹ For people like that have turned away from the truth, and their own sins condemn them. ~ Titus 3

Bottom line here, this is the truth about who Jesus is and what He has done for you. Know it, believe and live it…. DO NOT fall into arguments about it, if someone is telling you a different truth…. don’t listen to them, in fact try to correct them but if they will not listen leave them alone and move on with your life. After all your salvation is more important than any person on tis earth.

Once again it’s KNOW NG the Word, Knowing the heart of the Father, knowing Jesus and knowing the Holy Spirit.

Now go out and have an EPIC day today.

Today I’m printing the entire 2nd chapter of Titus — there is NOT much I can add except this: DO THIS.. Be a Mentor and Have a Mentor — it is essential to your growth and survival as well as to others. YES YOU ARE IMPORATANT — Be!!!

2 As for you, Titus, promote the kind of living that reflects wholesome teaching. ² Teach the older men to exercise self-control, to be worthy of respect, and to live wisely. They must have sound faith and be filled with love and patience.

³ Similarly, teach the older women to live in a way that honors God. They must not slander others or be heavy drinkers.^[a] Instead, they should teach others what is good. ⁴ These older women must train the younger women to love their husbands and their children, ⁵ to live wisely and be pure, to work in their homes,^[b] to do good, and to be submissive to their husbands. Then they will not bring shame on the word of God.

⁶ In the same way, encourage the young men to live wisely. ⁷ And you yourself must be an example to them by doing good works of every kind. Let everything you do reflect the integrity and seriousness of your teaching. ⁸ Teach the truth so that your teaching can’t be criticized. Then those who oppose us will be ashamed and have nothing bad to say about us.

⁹ Slaves must always obey their masters and do their best to please them. They must not talk back ¹⁰ or steal, but must show themselves to be entirely trustworthy and good. Then they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive in every way.

¹¹ For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people. ¹² And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God, ¹³ while we look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed. ¹⁴ He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds.

¹⁵ You must teach these things and encourage the believers to do them. You have the authority to correct them when necessary, so don’t let anyone disregard what you say. ~ Titus 2

Now go out and have an EPIC day today

I have been sent to proclaim faith to^[a] those God has chosen and to teach them to know the truth that shows them how to live godly lives. ² This truth gives them confidence that they have eternal life, which God—who does not lie—promised them before the world began. ³ And now at just the right time he has revealed this message, which we announce to everyone. It is by the command of God our Savior that I have been entrusted with this work for him. ~ Titus 1:1-3

God has positioned you and sent you exactly where you are for a destiny and a purpose. The place you live, the school you attend, the place where you work, God has placed you there to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ, to be a light, to speak truth, give hope and purpose to the world around you. My question is what are you doing with your life? Your faith? Your salvation?

Be a man or a woman that changes the world around them…. believe that God has placed you right where you are and then LIVE the LIFE He gave you, be faithful and true. Start with your own family!! God has a perfect plan to bring the Gospel message to the world and that plan is YOU.

Now go out and have an EPIC day today!!!

¹⁹ My dear brothers and sisters, if someone among you wanders away from the truth and is brought back, ²⁰ you can be sure that whoever brings the sinner back from wandering will save that person from death and bring about the forgiveness of many sins. ~ James 5:19-20

This is SO huge on so many levels. Frist of all it’s saying that you can walk away from your salvation. This is important to know and understand, God will never stop loving us and wanting us but the notion that once you raise your hand and claim to be saved that you can never loose that salvation. God will NEVER let go of you but you can let go of God!!

Secondly when people walk away and go back into old ways, old habits etc, sometimes they do it by making the choice and sometimes they make it by being caught up in satan’s traps and really don’t even realize it. Either way it’s happening and we as brothers and sisters, as the church, as the body of Christ allow our personal feelings and anger dictate how we will treat them, pray for them and DO what we can to restore them. Most Christians say things like “they made the choice” “it’s their own fault they ……”  and we just let them go, hoping that one day they will return but even then it’s a BATTLE — trust has been broken and we “love” them with one eye open.

I will admit it’s very difficult and it’s very messy sometimes….. I have been on both sides of this fence and it’s horrible for a man or woman to feel shunned, unloved, without hope. The church needs to learn how to love unconditionally…..with all of this said it takes 2 right? But here is what I know….. “you can be sure that whoever brings the sinner back from wandering will save that person from death and bring about the forgiveness of many sins”

I could write a book on this subject, it’s very hard, complex and yet it’s very simple…..YOU are the key to how it works, who you are in Christ, your love for him and your relationship with Him will always determine how you love others…. the good the bad and the ugly.

Now go out and have an Epic day today

⁴ You adulterers!^[a] Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God. ⁵ Do you think the Scriptures have no meaning? They say that God is passionate that the spirit he has placed within us should be faithful to him.^{[b] 6} And he gives grace generously. As the Scriptures say,

⁷ So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. ⁸ Come close to God, and God will come close to you. ~ James 4:4-7

As time goes by in this world you can see it more and more, it’s coming down the place and quicker than you may think that you will have to choose, God or the World!! You can see the divide in just about every aspect of living on this earth from personal relationships to big Gov’t — the day is approaching when if you are a Christian/God follower you will be hated and an outcast from society. Very sad and yet at the same time very exciting. It is at this time I believe the church will be empowered and will be ONE… true believer’s!!! NO more gray area’s, no more mediocre — It says in these Scriptures “do you think the Scriptures have no meaning?”

So, HUMBLE yourself before Him — KNOW HIM…. KNOW HIS WORD… if you do not today and cannot today in this world there is NO way you will when it’s life or death. You will be duped into the believing the world. The church has a GREAT PURPOSE in this world and it’s looks nothing like the church looks today… but I say to you today “keep your eyes open” the day of the Lord is coming faster than you realize.

Now go out and have an EPIC day today

 ⁶ And among all the parts of the body, the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself.^[b]

⁷ People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish, ⁸ but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison. ⁹ Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God. ¹⁰ And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right! ¹¹ Does a spring of water bubble out with both fresh water and bitter water? ¹² Does a fig tree produce olives, or a grapevine produce figs? No, and you can’t draw fresh water from a salty spring.^[c] ~ James 3:6-12

This preaches so well, it’s a great portion of Scripture to teach on, we love love love to say this and quote this. This is one of the most important statements in the Bible when it comes to living a life of peace, holiness and JOY. It’s one of the most important scriptures to “get” when it comes to other people who watch you because you claim you are a “Christian” — why?

Our words change lives, our words bring life and death. With our words we can bless someone or we can crush their spirit……and for the most part this is exactly what we do! Our words once spoken can never EVER be taken back, once the fire is started you can NEVER EVER put it out. We can try to make things right, we can try to mend the brokenness that our words bring to our spouses, children, friends, co-workers and even total strangers, but the scar will ALWAYS be there!

James says that we can control our tongue, our anger, our wrath, our judgments, out hate, our hurtful words, would that include road rage? Would that include just a mean spirited way of speaking to others? Would that include when you are having a bad day?

There are things that stick in my mind that have been said to me 50 years ago by my father or mother, by a friend or a co-worker….. our words have the POWER to bring LIFE or bring DEATH. Think about this every time you open your mouth to speak.

So how do we change this? For some of us it’s habit, it’s the only thing we know, we lash out in anger and say things that hurt others as a defense. We say “the deserve it” but is that true? Here is a truth….The word of God has the power to heal us, to transform us, to change our hearts, renew our minds, cleanse us, to give us a new heart,……. Jesus is the living WORD of God. KNOW HIM, FALL IN LOVE WITH HIM… and you will NEVER do this by saying you want to… it takes action. KNOW HIS WORD, KNOW HIS HEART and allow Him to change your life, your habits, your tongue.

Now go out and have an EPIC day today.