Hit the Mark.

Posted on February 28, 2026 by SJ

Sin is an archery term. It means “missing the mark.” Jesus Christ, on the cross, is the bullseye. He set the example for us, living a sinless life while surrounded by sin. Tempted by Satan, as we all are, each and every day. He resisted in obedience. Obedient to the Father, to the very death of His flesh. He died for our sins. Every mark we miss, every thought, every word, every deed. The ask was small, but significant. Love your neighbor as yourself, love your God with all your heart, soul, and mind.

We still sin though. Every day, thoughts, words, and deeds. I’ve heard others say “remember every time you sin, the Holy Spirit is right there as you do it.” That is not insignificant. He is with us every moment of every day until we are called home. When we sin we are ignoring His pleading for us to do things differently, to remember the cross. I thought I might add to that perspective, to perhaps help me in my own struggles. Every time you sin, imagine yourself, back turned to the cross, committing that sin while Christ looks down at you.

“Forgive them Father, for they know not what they do.”

He shouts that out to God the Father, and it is a prayer specifically for you. Nails in his hands and feet. Scourged. Beaten. Bleeding. Unimaginable physical pain. He doesn’t lash out, He does not cuss, He does not seek to please His broken flesh. In that fog of torture He doesn’t even plead for Himself… He pleads for you and me. Can any of us turn and look Him in the eye at that moment? To see the innocent bleeding Son of Man, pouring Himself out as a sacrifice for all so that we may be saved?

Every knee will bow, every tongue will confess, Jesus is Lord. We can’t do that with our back turned. That is why we must repent. Turn around, face our Lord on that cross, kneel and confess that HE IS LORD. It is the only way. Look up to Him, see the mercy He was denied being given freely to us as we kneel before Him.

Then remember, after He proclaimed “It is finished” and gave up His Spirit… 3 days later, He came back to prove to us, to prove for all, that death is not the end. Salvation is possible for everyone who confesses who He is. Our sins put Jesus Christ on that cross. His work is not finished until we have all turned from our sin and confessed, on our knees, that He is Lord.

Keep that in mind, next time you sin. You are in that crowd, yelling, cussing, sinning, with your back turned to Him as He suffers for you. Repent. Turn back. Hit the mark.

God bless.

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Pray Without Ceasing

Posted on January 13, 2026 by SJ

Over the weekend I had the noble task of changing the oil and rotating the tires on my wife’s truck. Now an oil change is pretty straight forward, which is why it amazes me how many places will charge over $100 for $20 in oil and a $10 filter.

I do the same thing each time. I park the truck, set the parking brake, chock the wheels, and get it up in the air on jack stands. If I didn’t also rotate the tires, driving up on ramps would be enough, but I have a full service driveway.

While I still need to get an extender on my Daytona jack (need another 3-4 inches of lift and my hack of using lumber isn’t exactly OSHA compliant)… Once everything is up in the air, it’s simply a matter of getting under the truck with an oil drain pan and removing the bolt.

This was all complicated further by random gusts of wind that sent my tools (and the cardboard sheet I lay on under the truck) flying. Forgive me Lord for my language when I saw my socket set get scattered across the driveway.

So there I was, under the truck, and the bolt won’t move. 29 ft/lbs is what I torqued it to, per Honda’s specifications. Won’t budge. I proceed to get a grip on the wrench, jam my foot against the tire, and push with all my might only to have the bolt round off.

The socket wrench is now useless. I’m going to need a new drain plug as well as a tool to remove the rounded bolt… both things I currently lack. I go online and discover that the local O’Reilly has both available, so off I go. I get back about 45 minutes later to try again.

I couldn’t get extractor sockets because none of the kits had a 17mm option, so I got extractor inserts that slot into a standard box end wrench. The way this work is that they will bite in to the bolt and allow enough grip for torque to be applied and loosen the bolt.

Under the truck, I discover that my 17mm extractor requires a 19mm box end. Largest one I have is 18mm. That’s when I did what I should have done to begin with. I got out from under the truck, closed my eyes, bowed my head, and prayed.

It was a simple prayer. “Lord Jesus, I need you now. I need to get my wife’s truck fixed so she can get to school tomorrow. Please help me to get this job done. In your name I pray, amen.” So I got under the truck with a 17mm box end wrench and a soft-blow hammer.

I get the wrench on the bolt, and the first whack moved the bolt. The second whack loosened it more. I paused, praised the Lord for the help, and got the rest of the bolt out with my box end wrench. The wind fanning the oil all over my face and arm was just icing on the cake…

After that, the rest of the job went as smoothly as could be. I installed the new drain plug, torqued it to 29 ft/lbs, replaced the oil filter, rotated the tires, checked the brakes, replaced the cabin filter, checked the tires were properly inflated… Hallelujah, done!

16 Rejoice always; 17 pray without ceasing; 18 in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

They don’t give a location in that verse, do they? May not seem possible to pray without ceasing, but God’s will for us in Christ Jesus was to have a constant conversation with Him. Doesn’t matter where, doesn’t matter when, doesn’t matter way. Your Father in Heaven wants to hear from you, help you, and love on you.

I’ve lost track of the number of times He has helped me in situations that to others seem completely innocuous, but after I bring Him into the situation, it gets resolved quickly. God is always faithful, He always delivers for our good and His glory. He wants us to reach out to him, we can always pray more. The standard is ceaseless.

So pray ceaselessly. Bring Him into your day, be blessed.

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Adoramus te, Domine

Posted on September 30, 2025 by SJ
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The Chosen…SPAM!

Posted on September 24, 2025 by SJ

Despite its at time extreme artistic license taken, I’ve been a fan of “The Chosen” since it launched. As a born again believer, my discernment alarm goes off pretty quick when they color outside the lines of scripture. Case in point, the latest season, 5, episode 4… “The Same Coin” not only is the dinner with the women entirely fictional…

The only remotely biblical reference, the cursing of the fig tree, happens in Matthew 21:18–22 where Jesus is returning to Jerusalem. It’s a parallel to Jerusalem itself which appears to bear fruit but up close – is as barren in its faith as the fig tree is of fruit. That being said, in the show? He’s on his way TO Jerusalem. Bending scripture to fit a fictional narrative… C’mon.

My thing with the show is – if it gets someone to pick up a bible and seek the Truth – praise the Lord. I haven’t continued season 5 since the episode I mention above. I’ll finish it eventually.

My current biggest complaint though? The level of SPAM email I get from them. I’ve repeatedly requested to unsubscribe and the emails keep coming. I mark them as SPAM in my GMail, and for a time that lands them in my SPAM folder, but eventually they’re right back in my inbox. So if anyone from the company behind The Chosen reads this, UNSUBSCRIBE.

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Dark Days to Salvation

Posted on September 11, 2025 by SJ

I think yesterday a lot of people, not just Christian Conservatives were shocked at what transpired in Utah. Charlie Kirk – a well known evangelical Christian who would challenge the reigning ideas of the day in some of the darkest places in the world (college campuses) was murdered doing what he loved.

I, like many saw the videos. I can’t get the images out of my head. One minute, debating I think gang violence, next moment he was gone. The shooter? Still on the run. I’ve got a feeling they’ll brag about it and get caught. That’s what the Lefty’s like to do. Virtue signal for clout. Not sure what pride there is in murdering a husband and father of two.

One thing I’m sure of, is where he is right now. Face to face with the Father, lamp lit. Seeing Trump nearly taken out in a similar way, that young Ukranian woman Iryana Zarutska who was murdered on a train by repeat criminal… It’s a reminder of just how short and precious our life is, because all it takes is a single moment of evil to change everything.

The “why” seems pretty obvious to me, the question should be now – what next? 24 years ago today I sat at my desk at the library system where I worked and without seeing the evil that transpired in NY, Washington, and Pennsylvania – heard all about it. Within minutes of the towers falling many miles away from my comfy chair… I got to work.

Many people got to work then, and many more will get to work today. My advice? Start in the word, book of John whether you believe or not. You may never get a solid answer as to why bad things happen to good people, or even why good things happen to bad people. What you will learn is that there is a good Father for all of us right now in heaven.

Evil happens because of sin, period, end of story. We live in a world corrupted by sin. The only way out, the only way to have true peace, joy, and love in your heart – even in times of trial and chaos – is to believe in Jesus Christ. He does not guarantee a good, perfect, or prosperous life. All but one of his 12 apostles died horribly. But He does light your way home.

What He does guarantee though, is to never leave you or forsake you. In times of trial and chaos, He is right there next to you, gently guiding you and giving you the choice to obey His wisdom. We all have a choice, work by our own hands, or by His. I assure you every time my life goes sideways, it’s not because I was obeying God. I guarantee I was going against Him.

Hug your family a little tighter today, greet a stranger, read the bible, pray.

Thank God that you’re able to breathe and greet another day, and have been given another chance to turn to the Him before it is too late. We will always have to contend with the evil of this world until we are no longer part of it. Until that glorious day comes… God bless you and keep you safe.

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Gavin Newsome Right Now

Posted on June 10, 2025 by SJ
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AI is a Ouija Board.

Posted on June 7, 2025 by SJ

When I was a tween, I’d generally take my allowance and burn it as fast as it came in. One time this lead me to a garage sale down the street. I returned home with a seemingly innocuous board game with a big name on the box – OUIJA. My mom proceeded to tell me to get that thing out of her house and never bring it back.

To this day I have never used one, or even considered trying it out. The way it was explained to me, was that it’s a communication device. The catch – we have no way of knowing who is on the other end of the line. Satan can quote scripture like a priest. Even his demons know Jesus Christ and feared him long before I was saved.

What I mean to say is, that these things may provide answers – even accurate ones – but as they say, the devil is in the details. I wouldn’t trust it.

Even the origins of this “game” are pretty hinky. In the late 19th century, the Kennard Novelty Company came up with it. Society in that time was very spiritual, engaging with ghosts, spirits, etc was big business. Like today, the people wanted to communicate and they wanted to communicate faster. Thus Ouija was born.

How’d they get the name? They asked it. That’s right, they placed the board down, a well known “medium” (the creators sister in law) grabbed the planchette, and asked what the “game” should be called. Then they asked what the word meant… The board responded “good luck.” The rest as they say, is history.

That brings me to AI. Now do I think AI is evil? No. It is a computer program, a tool. I’ve spent quite a bit of time messing around at least with its ability to generate images, I’m still quite proud of my series of Terminator ballerinas, but I digress. Just because it is not evil, it is programmed by man, and should not be relied on when it comes to sharing the gospel.

Some time ago, I recall the pastor at my church mentioning that there are AI applications out there which can generate an actual sermon, start to finish. I’d suppose any AI from Chat GPT to Pilot, Gemini, or even Skynet could generate a sermon on the fly which could be acceptable to anyone listening who might not even be aware of the source.

The question I ask of those who preach and teach scripture though, would you pick up a Ouija board and ask it what the message should cover? I pray the answer is a resounding NO. That being said, why would anyone consider asking a machine what the teaching should cover? Whether it’s simply an outline, or a soup to nuts sermon full of fire and brimstone… NO.

Sermons should be researched by the teacher, and the first one any of us should consult is God above. We should be asked to be filled with His spirit, for guidance and wisdom in laying out anything involve sharing the scriptures. Countless other acceptable resources exist, like the teachings of pastors like Warren Wiersbe or even Chuck Smith. A computer though?

Unless we’re OK with using a Ouija board to direct us, AI should not even be on our radar.

“Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know.”

Jeremiah 33:3

Jeremiah isn’t quoting Chat GPT there, although I’m certain if I ask it something, it will happily tell me many things I do not know. Jeremiah was a prophet of God. He’d be no more likely to quote Chat GPT than the evil one. There is no justification here, we either follow God or the world, and AI is most decidedly a creation of the world.

End rant. God bless.

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It’s all about misdirection…

Posted on February 9, 2025 by SJ

So lemme see if I get this right.

Trump hires Musk, asks him to seek out government waste through the humorously named Department of Government Efficiency.

Musk finds loads of government waste. USA ID has been wasting billions every year as the Federal government grows ever deeper in debt. We don’t have enough revenue to fund our own internal needs, but this persists.

Government waste defends itself (see: every single politician screaming right now) and tries to limit Musk’s access to data further proving that government waste exists by turning the public against Musk. Federal judges step in and begin to try to limit Musk’s access.

A willing (albeit ignorant and easily manipulated) public cries out in protest, defending government waste. “We didn’t elect Musk” I actually got a spam text with that idiocy the other day. Still convinced some nitwit put my cellphone # on a lefty spam list.

The only ones screaming right now are the ones defending or benefitting from the corruption, while the rest of us who voted specifically for this are being vindicated every day. Was Musk elected? No. Trump was. Trump hired Musk to a do a job and he is doing it well.

I’ve seen how some politicians treat corruption. I recall a time where Andrew Cuomo started a similar process in New York State (the Moreland Commission), and promptly shut it down when corruption was found.

Looks like it’s being handled properly this time.

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Devotional – John 4:43-54

Posted on September 26, 2024 by SJ

43 After the two days He went forth from there into Galilee. 44 For Jesus Himself testified that a prophet has no honor in his own country. 45 So when He came to Galilee, the Galileans received Him, having seen all the things that He did in Jerusalem at the feast; for they themselves also went to the feast.

Healing a Nobleman’s Son

46 Therefore He came again to Cana of Galilee where He had made the water wine. And there was a royal official whose son was sick at Capernaum. 47 When he heard that Jesus had come out of Judea into Galilee, he went to Him and was imploring Him to come down and heal his son; for he was at the point of death. 48 So Jesus said to him, “Unless you people see [a]signs and wonders, you simply will not believe.” 49 The royal official *said to Him, “[b]Sir, come down before my child dies.” 50 Jesus *said to him, “Go; your son lives.” The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and started off. 51 As he was now going down, his slaves met him, saying that his [c]son was living. 52 So he inquired of them the hour when he began to get better. Then they said to him, “Yesterday at the [d]seventh hour the fever left him.” 53 So the father knew that it was at that hour in which Jesus said to him, “Your son lives”; and he himself believed and his whole household. 54 This is again a second [e]sign that Jesus performed when He had come out of Judea into Galilee.

John 4:43-54

“Unless you people see signs and wonders, you simply will not believe.”  I could feel frustration here, so many must see to believe.  In John 20:29, Jesus says “…Blessed are are they who did not see, and yet believed.”  The official asks Jesus to come with him, instead Jesus commands “Go; your son lives.”

The man saw nothing, but believed in the words of Jesus and went home.  His slaves met him on the way and confirmed that his son had been healed.  I see the officers next inquiry as more of curiosity than a lack of faith, as his faith in Christ is what healed his child.  The  boy was immediately healed at the same time the officer spoke with Jesus.

The first sign in Cana of Galilee was when Jesus turned water into wine at the wedding feast… The second was healing this boy, sight unseen.  The father’s faith brought him to belief, and the rest of his household followed.

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Devotional – John 4:39-42

Posted on September 25, 2024 by SJ

39 From that city many of the Samaritans believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, “He told me all the things that I have done.” 40 So when the Samaritans came to Jesus, they were asking Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days. 41 Many more believed because of His word; 42 and they were saying to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves and know that this One is indeed the Savior of the world.”

John 4:39-42

At first, the Samaritans believed in Jesus because they saw the mighty transformation of the woman.  Jesus stayed for two days and taught them.  As a result of all He said, they believed in Him. They returned to the woman and made clear it was not her words, but His that brought them to believe He is the Christ.

This is a good lesson to all who choose to share the gospel to the unsaved.  It is not we who save, it is Jesus.  All we do is change the perspective of others, we point them to Jesus when they hear and see the fruit of the spirit through us.  He brings them to salvation.  In the end it is Jesus who knocks at the door to our hearts, and we who make the choice to let Him in.

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