Month: July 2023

Yes-Yes-No-No

DrJayCook Uncategorized , ,

We regularly hear promises made that are never kept.

“If elected, I will do this or that.”  “We stand by our merchandise.”  “I will help you do it.”  “I am going to get my life in order.”  “Till death do us part.”  “I will pay you back.”  “I am going to get my family back in church.”

Broken promises seem common place to the point that we often expect them.  Though we may be disappointed, we are not surprised when it happens.  But are you guilty of it?  Is it really a big deal?

Yes, it is.  God deals with the issue over and over in the Bible.

Leviticus 19:12 states: “Do not swear falsely by my name, profaning the name of your God; I am the Lord.”

Numbers 30:2 states: “When a man makes a vow to the LORD or swears an oath to put himself under an obligation, he must not break his word; he must do whatever he has promised.”

Deuteronomy 23:23 states: “Be careful to do whatever comes from your lips, because you have freely vowed what you promised to the LORD your God.”

Matthew 5:37 states: “Let your ‘yes’ mean ‘yes,’ and your ‘no’ mean ‘no.’  Anything more than this is from the evil one.”

James 5:12 states: “Above all, my brothers ad sisters, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath.  But let your ‘yes’ mean ‘yes,’ and your ‘no’ mean ‘no,’ so that you won’t fall under judgment.”

Those are but a few of the examples found throughout the Bible.  God is trustworthy.  He keeps his word, and he expects us to do the same.

I do no believe that any of us want to have a promise broken towards us.  It causes us to not trust the offender.  It causes us to hold onto a bit of anger.  It causes us to doubt others.

Though we know the hurtful experience of having a promise broken to us, do we honestly think about it when we break promises?  Do we realize that others now see us like we see them?  Do we care that it affects our character?

My friends, let your “yes” be “yes.”  Let your “no” be “no.”  It may not be easy, but it is right.  It will strengthen relationships.  It will honor God.

And would it not be nice?

Consider the following resource for more insight…

I Didn’t Expect That!

DrJayCook Uncategorized , , ,

What do you do when you did not know what you would face?

I did not know that I would crash my bike. I did not know that my father would have Alzheimer’s. I did not know that Covid was coming. I did not know that the economy would be like a rollercoaster. I have not known a lot of things.

Many people tend to roll with the punches. Many people tend to withdraw and let fear control them. Many people tend to pretend that the unexpected never happened. But what do you do?

Whether we like it or not, we cannot anticipate the unexpected. We can prepare for what we know will happen, but we cannot prepare for something that we did not know was coming. It is like James stated (in James 4:13-14): “Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit’ – yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.”

Living on the coast for several years, I learned that you must prepare if a storm was coming. You must anchor things down. You must ensure you have done all you can to keep safe.

Life in general is like that. We know that “storms” are coming, so we must be prepared as best we can. We cannot pretend that life will have no problems. We cannot stop living because of our fears. We must roll with the punches.

My friends, please remember that even though we do not know what tomorrow will bring, God knows. Psalm 139 reminds us that he knows you, what you do, and your future. He knows.

Because God knows, we must find out what he desires. We must accept his truth. We must trust him. We must remember (as Ephesians 3:20 states) that he is the one “who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us.”

Also, remember that he not only knows you, he loves you. As his child (if you have accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior), you can face whatever tomorrow brings. So – let us face tomorrow with anticipation!

You may want to consider the following resource for added insight – click the picture to find out more…

Independence Day Celebrated

DrJayCook Uncategorized ,
Statue of Liberty

Another Independence Day has come and gone (just barely). How did you celebrate? What did you do? What went through your mind?

Fireworks, grills at full blast, red-white-&-blue decorations displayed – we know how to throw a party. But is that all there is?

As a child, I enjoyed the 4th of July parades that honored our veterans (my great-grandfather served during World War I). There was a sense of joy and gratitude for who we are and what we’ve accomplished as a nation. Unfortunately, that “spirit” has lessened in recent years.

Are there problems in our land? Yes. Are there divisions within the ranks? Yes. Are there disappointments and fears? Yes. Is there anything to truly celebrate? Yes!

We may not be perfect, but we can be grateful that our flawed founders knew that God must be the basis of our nation. We ARE “created equal” – even though many people have forgotten that. We HAVE been “endowed by their Creator” – even though many people have forgotten that. We CAN enjoy “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” – even though many people have forgotten that.

Freedom has become an idea seldom acknowledged. Many of our countrymen gave their “last full measure” to ensure the freedom we enjoy, but that freedom should never be used to excuse bad behavior and evil choices. We have an obligation to live as good citizens, and those of us who have accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior must remember that we have received even greater freedom that requires responsibility – Galatians 5:1 reminds us, “For freedom, Christ set us free. Stand firm, then, and don’t submit again to a yoke of slavery.”

Perhaps we should remember that we are just “passing through.” We spend a few decades here, but eternity awaits us all. For Christians, we must remember that we have been given citizenship in God’s eternal Kingdom (Philippians 3:20 – “Our citizenship is in heaven, and we eagerly wait for a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.”). Recognizing that truth puts life in perspective.

The official day may have passed, but let’s pretend it is still in effect. Be grateful to be here; it isn’t perfect, but it is vastly greater than what the majority of our world endures. Do what you can to make things better (by the way, griping does not make things better). Help others however you can. Pray for our leaders and one another. Live for God, and we WILL see God bless America.