"You cannot stay where you are and go with God. You cannot continue doing things your way and accomplish God's purpose in His ways. Your thinking cannot come close to God's thoughts. For you to do the will of God, you must adjust your life to Him, His purposes, and His ways." ~ Henry Blackaby

Happy Friday. This one self-identifies as September 25, 2026. I wrote something the other day that has been bugging me. I said our God was a God of unlimited chances. I need to add a couple of caveats to that statement. When we pass from this life to the next our time to return to God ends. And even scarier is when someone's heart and conscience becomes so hard and seared that they no longer care about returning. This means we should return NOW, while we can feel Him calling us back home. Amen. Now on with today's edition. I should be a better person after hearing eleven sermons at our annual Bible conference that began last Sunday. In addition, great biblical truths were also presented in the music shared. But as we all know, hearing is just that, hearing. Taking it in and having it change the heart that's where a difference is made. Getting perfect attendance at the Bible conference might get you a star on a chart, but when it is all said and done, it can mean you were there, nothing more. I pray that for me and so many others, it will end up being more than just being there. Amen? Yes. Amen. It's easy for us as believers to soak up great preaching where God uses men to expound the Scriptures, but sometimes people like me need a kick in the backside to help me put feet to the truths I have heard. Here's what the half-brother of Jesus said in the earliest writing of the New Testament: James 1:22-25 from the GOD’S WORD Translation ~ "Do what God’s word says. Don’t merely listen to it, or you will fool yourselves. If someone listens to God’s word but doesn’t do what it says, he is like a person who looks at his face in a mirror, studies his features, goes away, and immediately forgets what he looks like. However, the person who continues to study God’s perfect laws that make people free and who remains committed to them will be blessed. People like that don’t merely listen and forget; they actually do what God’s laws say." 

With just 90 days until Christmas Day, it's time for us all to begin thinking about thinking about getting ready. At our local assembly, our Church choir and orchestra are heads down in learning the selected music planned for early December. Some of the music is truly challenging. And as you can see in the photo above, we are beginning to anticipate our appearance schedule as Santa and Mrs. Claus. Using the artificial intelligence utility ChatGPT, I've been updating some of our favorite Santa photos with our more current faces. Believe it or not, when we started 17 years ago, we actually looked a wee bit younger than we do today. What? You knew that already. Good. And, not to worry, I never get rid of the original photos; we just like to present a more realistic and up-to-date image of what they will be getting when we show up. If the Lord allows us to do this adventure this year, it will be the last time Mrs. Claus does so in her seventies, and it will be Santa's first time showing up in his eighties. Remember, our goal when we show up as the Clauses is to bring joy to children of all ages. May God add His blessings. Amen.