Daily Spiritual Vitamin

09/02/2026

A very good morning Saints. Welcome to a Wonderful Wednesday! I have been traveling this week but am very grateful to be heading home today. First, I will stop at church where I have a wonderful office and will meet with our church family later tonight. It is a great refresher mid-week. How about you? Headed to a mid-week service or Bible study tonight? Why not?

How many times have you and I commented after a performance or a movie that “it really touched my heart”? I know you have said it. I certainly have. Believe it or not, I can get a bit emotional from time to time. OK, here it goes… I even cry at commercials (just not Superbowl commercials). When something touches you, it has the ability to change you.

I recall a few times I attended church with my aunt & uncle. Of course, my cousin was there. He was in the choir, and they were singing this particular Sunday so rather than attend the church I grew up in (Lavon Drive Baptist) I went with them to First Baptist Garland. (No stereotyping me) A song they sang that week has been with me for over 35 years now. I am sure you know it. “The Touch of The Master’s Hand”.

Christian artist Wayne Watson is most likely the best known for singing this fantastic song. I had no idea that this song was originally written as a poem. It was originally titled “The Master’s Hand” and written in 1921 by Myra Brooks Welch.

The song is about an old violin that was in pretty rough shape. It needed restoration or perhaps many would have just thrown it away. That is until the right person picked it up and began to play. It made beautiful music. It had value; it just needed his touch.

“For He healed many, so that as many as had afflictions pressed about Him to touch Him.” Mark 3:10 (NKJV)

“Wherever He entered, into villages, cities, or the country, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged Him that they might just touch the hem of His garment. And as many as touched Him were made well.” Mark 6:56 (NKJV)

The verses I referenced above are just a few recorded in scripture of the healing power that a touch from Jesus provided. The faith of those that just wanted to even touch His garment is beyond what many of us have ever seen. They would fight through a crowd and in one recorded event, be lowered through a roof, just to receive a touch from Christ Jesus.

I am reminded of another song written and recorded by Bill Gaither in 1963 and eventually recorded by many others. The song is, “He Touched Me”. Powerful indeed. It remains a celebrated hymn even today. Although it is relatively young in terms of a hymn, it is based on events that occurred thousands and thousands of years ago. Guess what? It still happens today.

Let me encourage you today. What we need in our lives is a touch from Jesus. Our lives are never the same after that. Like Jacob, our walk will never be the same (Genesis 32). I remain steadfast in my belief that Jesus is still working miracles in the physical today. I also know that there are healings we do not see that we all need. Healing from brokenness. Healing from regret. Healing from shame. Healing from the pain of a loss. What the country needs, and quite frankly the world today, is a touch of God. The world offers medicine and a lot of self-help programs. None of those are necessarily evil. I would suggest that, as a Christ follower, we answer this question. Why don’t you and I help introduce them to the only one whose touch heals completely? There is healing in His touch for you, for me, and certainly for everyone who receives it. No price tag. It is already paid for. Thank you, Jesus!

08/26/2026

A very good morning Saints. Welcome to a Wonderful Wednesday! I pray you are doing well as we hit this mid-week point. Watching the news while working out this AM one can’t help but notice the continued heat wave here in north Texas. With wind and no rain, the fires west of Ft. Worth and other locations rage on. Please take a moment to pray for our fire crews, EMS, volunteers, and the families impacted. Their job is hard enough, but the weather conditions exasperate this extremely hazardous situation.

From time to time, we have probably all attended an awards banquet. This is a time where certain individuals are honored for the work they have done or a special accomplishment in their life. Many times, these actions have blessed the lives of others in our communities. I always enjoyed the annual dinner to honor our Firefighters and other first responders. What a great time to celebrate great people. The board I served on kept this front and center every year. Respect!

“Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.” Matthew 6:1-4 (NKJV)

How many of you remember those High School award banquets? Were you nominated? Did you go? Well, I have to tell you… at my high school I was not very popular. In fact, I was never nominated for one award. Now, that being said, I did attend a banquet and do have my picture in a high school yearbook as a nominee for “most handsome”. The problem with this is that it was my brother’s high school, their banquet and his nomination. See, we were identical twins, and his banquet was on the same night as his girlfriend’s who went to yet another high school. See the problem? Well, not if you have a twin that can stand in for you.

But what about all those things that are done where there is no recognition? All the acts of service are done in the name of the Lord where no trophies are handed out (Yet, and not here!) No story written about the generous donation of your time and or resources. You just did what you did, motivated by the love of God and His never-ending mercy and kindness toward you.

The verses referenced above speak directly to this. Please understand my heart. I am not in any way suggesting that we can’t have a testimony to share. It is not necessarily wrong for others to know about or learn of something you did for someone else. What does need to be kept in check is our heart attitude if and when we do discuss what has taken place.

Let me encourage you today. I know that many of you go above and beyond to help where you can. I know you have cooked a meal, mended a fence, mowed a yard, sat with a dear friend or loved one… or helped out someone whose name you never knew. Keep doing those things. We all need to be actively pursuing opportunities to represent Christ in this fallen world. The point here, as Jesus was telling His disciples and us, is that we do not “toot our own horn”. We are not to be puffed up and make sure others see or notice what we have done. That will rob us of the true blessing. We are to have a “God-heart” and do acts of kindness and charity for His glory. Not our own attention. Be a blessing today…and be blessed!

08/19/2026

A very good morning Saints. Welcome to a Wonderful Wednesday! It is HOT. That is pretty much the weather here in Texas and many other places as well. No recorded rain here for over 30 days and easily been over 100 degrees for 10 days except when it fell to 99. So, let it rain Lord!

I don’t know what your Saturday mornings looked like, but I grew up in the “Cartoon” generation. We had many choices of what to watch. Some of my favorites included the various superheroes of the day. There were also the afterschool shows that gave us a more “realistic” view of the heroes. By realistic I mean not animated. We had Batman & Robin. There was The Flash. Throw in Aquaman, Wonder-Woman, The Wonder Twins, Underdog, and on and on and on. The list would not be complete without Superman. (Thought I was going to leave him out, didn’t you?) Each of these heroes somehow were always just seconds away at any time and always there to “save the day”.

Coming back to reality, what did we do in a real emergency? What do we almost instinctively do today? We grew up learning to do this and now it is automatic. Our cell phones will do it with a one-touch button. We call “911”.

Here is a little history for you at no additional cost…

“In the United States, the push for the development of a nationwide American emergency telephone number came in 1957 when the National Association of Fire Chiefs recommended that a single number be used for reporting fires. The first city in North America to use a central emergency number was the Canadian city of Winnipeg, Manitoba in 1959, which instituted the change at the urging of Stephen Juba, mayor of Winnipeg at the time. Winnipeg initially used 999 as the emergency number but switched numbers when 9-1-1 was proposed by the United States. In the United States, the first 911 service was established by the Alabama Telephone Company and the first call was made in Haleyville, Alabama, in 1968 by Alabama Speaker of the House Rankin Fite and answered by U.S. Rep. Tom Bevill.” (Wikipedia)

“But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, ‘Lord, save me!’” Matthew 14:30 (NKJV)

“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:1-2 (NKJV)

I am not a fan of television commercials. Stay with me here, this is going somewhere… Occasionally there are some that are entertaining and others that can be informative. We won’t discuss the various strategies to influence viewers on social agendas. I am not really a fan of Shriners. You might be, and this is certainly OK. I know a few members. Regardless of my opinion, I cannot deny some of the outstanding work they do with children through the Shriner’s Hospital. The commercials they broadcast are precious. I noticed a slogan at the very bottom of their page and in rather small print. I think it should be at the top and it should be in bold, large print. It reads, “Love to the Rescue”. It is followed by a toll-free number to call which connects you to that love. Now, I like that.

I am sure you are familiar with the story of Peter stepping out of the boat, in a storm, by faith, and walking on water. We come to the verse I referenced above from Mattew’s Gospel account to see that Peter took his eye off Jesus and realized the magnitude of the storm which prompted him to call out for help. He did not shout “911”. He cried out, “Lord, save me”. That was all that was needed for an immediate response from Jesus.

I want to also call your attention to the verses from Hebrews, chapter 12. Specifically, what we read in verse 2. “Who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross”. I wonder if we can begin to comprehend the obedience and devotion to His Father that was required to complete this task.

Let me encourage you today. Unlike those fictious superheroes from our childhood, there is a real Savior who is Mighty to Save. No telephone required as we have been given the “911” access through prayer. It is not a matter of “Who ya gonna call?” (See what I did there?). There is only one whose love has already come to our rescue. He will continue to be our rescue and our lifeline. His love, unlike man’s or any organization’s love that can unintentionally fall short, His love never fails. He is always there, and He is always on time.

08/12/2026

A very good morning Saints. Welcome to a Wonderful Wednesday! Yes, it is, it is indeed. Our mid-week moment. Our day to look back and look ahead. Question: Have you shared what Jesus has done for you with anyone this week? Why not?

Let’s take a trip in the way back machine. Let’s go back to those early years when we were kids. Remember when someone would tell you something and then offer that famous closing… “You can’t tell anyone”? When I think about it, I suppose it still happens today. We have friends and those we hold near to us that we feel we can share with. Even as we share, we have fears it might go beyond them so we mark our story or confession with that same phrase… “you can’t tell anyone”.

As I like to often do, I will refer you to Webster’s definition of the word “secret” …

“something that is kept or meant to be kept unknown or unseen by others” or “not known or seen or not meant to be known or seen by others”

Obviously, the intent, or intention, is that what you share will be held in confidence. As a pastor I understand the value of this when I am sitting in counsel with an individual or a couple. It would not be appropriate for me to share what they have shared as it was often their very private business. It may not be anything that would cause harm, but it was not intended for ears outside those directly involved. They would come with a level of trust and that was to be honored. There are occasions when I am sure we have all spoken with another individual or group in which we counted on things being kept private, confidential, or secret.

“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Acts 1:8 (NKJV)

What may have surprised us when we were younger is what as an adult we now almost come to expect. The first person we shared in confidence with, we would ask for the information to not be revealed. After a time, the person holding this “secret” just must share, so they do. Now, often times a few of the facts are altered a bit, either intentionally or unintentionally. Regardless, the spread begins and eventually becomes the expected rumor. Before too long, looks and stares and gossip begin. Apparently our “secret” becomes public knowledge that can change opinions and alter decisions. It might even impact trust.

If you will recall from the many Gospel accounts we read in scripture, from Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, our Lord Jesus often had these same words to those He encountered. He might perform a healing or other miracle only to conclude the act with instructing those he encountered to go and tell no one of what they had seen or heard. One must wonder if He knew (obviously as Lord He did) that they would most certainly “go and tell”.

At the end of His ministry things changed. In fact, what we refer to as “The Great Commission” from Matthew 28:16-20, is His instruction to the disciples, and us, to go and share the Gospel. To share the Good News to every tribe, tongue, and nation. Our Lord Jesus went from instructing silence to passing on a privilege and responsibility to every believer. We are to be His witnesses to the ends of the earth as we read from Acts as I referenced above.

Let me encourage you today. I realize that not all feel “qualified” to share the Gospel from a stage or pulpit setting. True, not all are called in that manner. As a believer in Christ, a Christian, we are all called to be a witness. That might be at work, at the store, in line at a bank, at the restaurant, family gathering, or wherever you find yourself. Being a witness, I would argue, is much greater than words we speak but found in the life we live. Paul, who was the greatest Apostle, referred to himself as the least of these yet preached one simple but profound message. He preached Christ crucified. There it is. Do not try to engage every soul in a theological debate. Simply stand on The Truth, that is Jesus. There will be plenty of time to debate and one day, on that day, all will be revealed. For now, let it be Jesus. He is enough. In fact, truth be told, He is more than enough. Let it not be a secret what He has done for you!

08/05/2026

A very good morning Saints. Welcome to a Wonderful Wednesday. Are you thankful in your heart today? It seems, at least for me, I can get so wrapped up in the day to day, dealing with “problems” or challenges, that I need to remember to just STOP. Step back and remember all that I do have to be thankful for. I am thankful to be heading back home later today. Today, may we “Enter into His gates with thanksgiving And into His courts with praise.” (Psalm 100)

Have you heard the expression, “He or she will be the talk of the town”. Of course you have. I think that, more often than not, that is expected to have a positive connotation. When a veteran returns home from war. When a hometown athlete does something inspiring by accomplishing something of greatness. When a child overcomes their past and circumstances life has dealt them to rise above and exceed all expectations. When a man or woman spends a lifetime denying God and then one day, one day, their heart melts and they become an outspoken witness for our Lord Jesus. These are instances where being the talk of the town might be welcomed.

Then there are other situations. Someone finds themselves caught up in a scandal and they become the subject of the town gossip. When a person makes the headlines for the one (known) fall from supposed greatness. When that man or woman of influence sacrifices their integrity for a momentary benefit. This is not the sort of “talk” we want said of us. Even the untruths spoken can hurt us. It can understandably stir up anger and desires for revenge. We want to lash out and tear down those that come against us.

“Do not fret because of evildoers, Nor be envious of the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, And wither as the green herb.” Psalm 37:1-2 (NKJV)

“The wicked plots against the just, And gnashes at him with his teeth. The Lord laughs at him, For He sees that his day is coming.” Psalm 37:12-13 (NKJV)

“I have been young, and now am old; Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, Nor his descendants begging bread. He is ever merciful, and lends; And his descendants are blessed.” Psalm 37:25-26 (NKJV

Now, obviously there are times when even those who walk with the Lord will make mistakes. Sin is still a struggle, even for the Christian. Some who are bold in their faith operate in a more public eye and can be more susceptible to ridicule, criticism and attack. It should be no surprise, however, when those who trust in The Lord face any sort of trial or tribulation. Our enemy cannot take our soul, but he desires to ruin our witness. We allow that, in part, when we strike back as the world would and perhaps even friends and family would expect us to.

I am grateful for what King David shares with us in this 37th Psalm and inspired by the Holy Spirit. We know the heights to which David rose, under God. We also are very aware of his often-public shortcomings (sin) and eventual fall… before rising again. What I want desperately to convey from the passages I referenced above is “The Who” we are to look at, and how we are to respond when the attack comes our away, justified or not. It may be true or it may be lies. When others can’t bring truth against us, they will create something in which to use against us. That is how the father of lies works (John 8:44).

What we read here, from David, is that we are not to worry. We are not to plot against those who attack us or accuse us. We are not to swing at proverbial pitches in the dirt. That only gives further credibility to our enemy, and if true, only highlights the bad. Do you see what it says above? “The Lord laughs” at those who come after His children. I am sure you recall this from Romans the 12th chapter... “Vengeance is mine” says the Lord.

Let me encourage you today. I realize, and you can trust me on this, how much we want to respond to attacks. The true and untrue alike. We feel the need to clear our name and then hurt those that have hurt us or our family. As tempting as that is, let me offer a word. Don’t! Give it to the Lord. Spend a moment in prayer and leave it at the very feet of Jesus. We think we face attack? Remember what He went through on our behalf. John 15:20 assures the enemy is coming. Good news that David knew, and we need to hold fast too as well. Our God already won. Through His laughter HE is working it for your good. Hold fast Christian. You are His.





“You wouldn’t worry so much about what others think of you if you realized how seldom they do.” — Eleanor Roosevelt

07/29/2026

A very good morning Saints. Welcome to a Wonderful Wednesday! I hope your week is going well. I am in town this week, preparing for another short trip. Along with that we have a number of summer “wrap up” activities at church as school prepares to start back. Staying on top of everything requires a good team. I hope you have one as well!

Accountability. The very sound of this word turns some people away. It would seem that we like holding others accountable but are not too fond of them holding us accountable. This, however, is one of the most important parts of our Christian life. Yes, we are ultimately accountable to God. That being said, we need that one person or even two people that we trust and allow into our inner circle. These are the people you give permission to get up in your grille. They will be honest with us even when it hurts.

“So the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is still one man by whom we may inquire of the Lord; but I hate him, because he never prophesies good concerning me, but always evil. He is Micaiah the son of Imla.” II Chronicles 18:7 (NKJV)

In the verse here today, we see and exchange taking place between Ahab, the king of Israel, and Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah. Ahab was considering an attack on Ramoth Gilead. He wanted to enlist the help of Judah, and as such, needed the kings “buy in”. This might equate to our President seeking counsel and support from other nations to defend and protect freedom somewhere in the world.

You must appreciate Ahab’s honesty here in the scripture. He makes it very plain when he says there is one he does not like because he refuses to simply tell the king what he wanted to hear. He tells him the truth that he needs to hear. If you read on in this story, in verse 13, Micaiah says that he can only tell the king what the Lord has indeed said. Not his opinion, perhaps not what was popular, but rather the very Word of God.

Friends, we do not need to surround ourselves only with “yes men” or “yes women”. That is an extremely dangerous policy. In fact, it cost Ahab his life in this Biblical account. As I said above, we need those individuals around us who love us enough to tell the straight truth, without sugar coating it. What we need to hear, rather than what we may want to hear.

Let me encourage you today. Do you have that small network of trusted friends and wise counsel in your life? If not, you would be wise to identify those people. Build lasting relationships grounded in truth. I know I have a few men in my life that will flat out get in my business. The same is true for them. These are true friends, not your enemy (Galatians 4:16). Be willing to expose yourself and receive those gentle corrections. That accountability will forge a lasting bond and from that, you will be made more and more into the image of Christ Jesus.

07/27/2026

07/22/2026

A very good morning Saints. Welcome to a Wonderful Wednesday! I hope & pray you are having a good week. Mine got better yesterday as I returned from a brief road trip. It is always good to come home! Driving as I typically do on my work trips, provides me with some great time with The Lord for both listening and talking. I know that many of you use that "drive time" in a similar manner. It can help us focus and strengthen. So, no matter where you are today, have a little talk with Jesus. Let Him speak to you.

Do you remember playing with those bottles of soap that we would dip a “magic wand” in that had a circle at one end? We would dip it in, then gently blow through it. What happened next? We made bubbles! We used to actually spend good money on a small container of soap so that we could entertain ourselves for hours blowing bubbles. Now, it was not any special solution. In fact, you can use other products to see the same result. You just need to add the air. Blow!

“Also He said to me, “Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.” So I prophesied as He commanded me, and breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army.” Ezekiel 37:9-10 (NKJV)

I can’t help but laugh when I think of the hours we spent, as children, chasing bubbles. Now, we incorrectly squeeze the dish soap and spew bubbles into the air hoping they don’t fall and leave a stain where they fall. At least at our house this was the rule.

I absolutely enjoy the book of Ezekiel. I realize I am a bit odd, but I truly enjoy studying the Old Testament, especially the books of the prophets of God. These were men chosen by God to hear His voice and relay His Word to the people. If you study Ezekiel, you will see a man that experienced much as he served the Lord.

In the verses above you only read a part of the story. I would encourage you to take some time to read of the “Valley of Dry Bones”. These bones are representative of the captives, in Babylon, and their ultimate return from exile. It is the breath of the Lord…the very Spirit of God, transferred into these otherwise useless bones that allows them to now attain sinew and flesh. Then breath enters them, and they become, as you can read, “an exceedingly great army”.

Friends, I do not wish to claim any profound knowledge or insight. I simply call it as I see it. I believe the Lord provides His Word to us… if we just listen. What I see today is a church that, not entirely, but in part, is like these dry bones. Dry bones piled up, counted and useless. Captive, like those exiles, to a depraved and fallen world. Captives to the traps of the evil one who comes to “kill, steal & destroy”. (John 10:10).

Let me encourage you today. As individual believers, it is far past the time for the battle cry to be sounded. It is time for an exceedingly great army to rise up and truly represent the Kingdom of God to a lost and dying world. We must allow God to breathe on us. Invite the Holy Spirit to come and have His way in each of us, and the church. Surrender to His will. Boldly and unashamedly proclaim the truth of His Word. Stand up. Rise up. Gird your loins! If God be for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31)

07/15/2026

A very good morning Saints. Welcome to a Wonderful Wednesday! How is your week going? Well, regardless, give Him praise anyway! I like that contemporary song, “Praise You Anywhere”. That can be and should be our attitude. Like you, I struggle at times. Not everyday is sunshine and rainbows, but I know that I know, God love me through it all!

Perhaps you have experienced this. I was in bed last night; an old hymn was burning in my soul. I am not sure the last time I heard it, much less sang it. Truly amazing how a song can stay in our heart and mind for years, even without hearing it, yet we struggle to remember what we watched on television just the day before. Perhaps it has something to do with the “what” it was as opposed to the “when” we heard or saw it…

I am sure we are all the same. We hear something that excites us, and we like to share it. We love to talk about it and share our joy and enthusiasm. The emotions and attitude are contagious. Others can begin to rejoice with you in the moment. The Bible tells us to “rejoice with those that rejoice” (Romans 12:15). My question for each of us today is, what are we excited about and what are we sharing?

“And my tongue shall speak of Your righteousness and of Your praise all the day long.” Psalm 35:28 (NKJV)

That hymn I was singing in my spirit, even after I was up and going was one you are most likely familiar with. “O for a thousand Tongues to Sing”. It was written by Charles Wesley in 1739 and published in 1740, and based on the verse I cited above. It might surprise you to know that it was originally the 7th verse in one of the 6,000 hymns written by Wesley. It speaks to his renewal of his faith and belief in God. I wish we would sing it more often in our congregations, but I know we can sing it in our heart every day.

Friends, every day we have the opportunity to “sing” of God’s amazing love, mercy and grace He has shown us. If not audibly, certainly in our spirit. Taking it beyond that, we can “sing” with our lives. Living and operating with a thankful heart. We discussed setting goals and operating in our calling. Well, as Christians, one thing we are all called to do, no matter our vocation, is to share the Gospel with the world around us.

Let me encourage you today. Realizing these are difficult times we are living in, think for a moment how it must feel living through this life without a relationship with Jesus. Knowing Him and making Him known is our true calling. It is worth singing about! Sing with your voice and sing with your life. Jesus told us that if we do not, “even the stones would immediately cry out” (Luke 19:40, NKJV). Let’s not wait on the rocks. Let’s cry out standing on The Rock. The rock that is Jesus. Sing it with me today. Sing out loud or sing in your heart.




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“O for a thousand tongues to sing
my great Redeemer's praise,
the glories of my God and King,
the triumphs of his grace!”