It has been interesting to hear all of the testimonies that are coming in from people who have decided to honor God by putting Him first in the area of their finances. The only way to put Him first is to begin to tithe (give Him [the church]) the first 10% of what you make. II Corinthians 9:6-7 talks about giving and the attitude that should accompany it. It’s amazing what can happen in our lives for the good when we obey the Word of God. If our money isn’t right, the other areas of our lives won’t seem to be right, either. When we get it right with our money, everything else will work itself out. God wants to be first in every area. In Exodus 20:3, the first commandment God gives says, “You shall have no other gods before me.” Anything we put before God immediately takes a position that belongs to Him. Whatever keeps us from doing what He asks is a violation of the first commandment. In the area of money, there seems to be a block or an unwillingness to trust and submit; to be obedient to God’s Word. The Bible says to trust Him in this area and see if He won’t open the windows of Heaven and pour out such a blessing you can’t even contain it (Malachi 3:10-11).

Just a Thought,
PSS
Legacychurch.com

On Monday, we celebrated Memorial Day which is a day to remember all of the men and women who have given their life in defense of this great country. They sacrificed everything in serving America. This is the ultimate sacrifice. To the fallen heroes of this nation, we thank you for all that you have done and endured to protect and preserve the ideals and beliefs that keep us free. We are able to enjoy the rights that God has given us because of their sacrifice. Sacrifice is defined as “the act of giving up, destroying, permitting injury to, or forgoing something valued for the sake of something having a more pressing claim”.

This is a word that some don’t want to hear. We tend to want and achieve something, but without the sacrifice. We believe, at times, we deserve this or that, meaning that if we want it, we shouldn’t have to sacrifice for it. This seems to be the unhealthy attitude prevailing in today’s society. When you achieve something, you tend to appreciate it more than if it were just given to you. We tend to take things for granted, and in turn, that takes our incentive to grow, develop and achieve success away. We sacrifice different things (money, time, enjoyment, etc.) at different times to achieve a goal, but in order to truly accomplish things in our lives, it takes a commitment and starts with a sacrifice. It’s a good word that will bring great fulfillment to our lives.

Just a Thought,
PSS
Legacychurch.com

Summer’s almost here! The kids are almost out of school, vacations are around the corner and you get to spend more time as a family. Just like every year has seasons, so too, do our lives. It’s up to us to recognize each season and its’ importance. At this time of year, kids are graduating high school and transitioning from one season of life to another. If they go off to college, it’ll be the end of one season and yet again, the beginning of a career. As we go through life, there are seasons where we struggle with things, and yet there will be seasons of peace where everything seems to be going well. There are seasons of growing and stretching; seasons of sadness and joy. There will always be seasons of transition.

This is the one season of life that seems to be the toughest for people, especially when we realize most of us have a personality that resists change. Whatever situation you might find yourself in, know that God is with you and you are not alone. He’ll never reject you or abandon you, so stay the course. Keep doing what you know is right and you will see the tough seasons come and go, and the peaceful, joyful seasons will be there more often. Doing the right thing is always the right thing to do. When going through seasons of transition, we have to maintain our attitude and THAT will help us through them.

Just a Thought,
PSS
Legacychurch.com

I have a t-shirt that says, “Life is Good!” I love that message! Despite all the difficulties and complications, life is still good. It’s a constant reminder to keep the most important things important; things like my family and that life is what I make it. I remind myself that the decisions I make today affect and impact my life in the future. You see, the good and bad experiences of our past affect the decisions we make today, and become the default reason as to why we did this or that. The reality is that we have to accept responsibility for our lives and the choices we make. We should no longer allow ourselves to be the victim, but to overcome every obstacle and refuse to blame others for our actions. If we do, we’ll continue to make better choices and realize that life really is good. We only get one life to live, and there are no do-overs or mulligans. Whatever the poor choices we made in the past, we have to let them go and move on and make better decisions with optimism for the future. Life is good! 

Just a Thought,
PSS
Legacychurch.com

Fear is one of those emotions that cause us to be “overly” safe in our lives. It can be a result of hurts, disappointment or tragedy. Whatever the cause, it’s not a place where we should camp out. Too many of us spend our lives in fear. We take no chances, and we try to control everything and everyone around us. Fear manipulates us into giving up on others and living a life that is only focused inwardly. We should strive to live a life that not only improves our lives, but the lives of those around us as well. A life of service and helping others is a life well lived. Protecting ourselves from life’s misfortunes and making sure we never get hurt again isn’t living life to the fullest as God intended. When you serve others and pour yourself into it, you’re bound to get hurt from time to time. But isn’t the risk worth it? One day we’ll stand before the only judge that matters and have to give an account for our life. What would the judge say to the one that declares, “Lord, I played it safe and didn’t take any chances. I only looked out for me, and made sure I didn’t risk anything!” How can He judge that? It’s all about loving life and trusting God with it. Step out in faith and help others by serving in the Kingdom! “Never be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs built the ark, professionals built the Titanic. – Author Unknown”

Just a Thought,
PSS
Legacychurch.com