From the Home Place

October 2, 2025

Yesterday, I spent my day working on this ‘ol house by myself, again. One of the things that has been really good for me in this process though, is getting to work with my dear friend Jeff two days most weeks. He comes down from South Dakota to share his immense construction experience with me. The amazing part is that Jeff has shown me ways to get the same result with less effort and expense, and that has been a really good thing!

But, when it comes to our Christian life, shortcuts are extremely costly. You see, in biblical times, a person couldn’t get on the internet and research “religion.” Nor could they order a dozen different books on anything and everything pertaining on how to live a Christian life. Heck, they couldn’t even read blogs on the Web!

How in the world did Jesus ever expect these poor folks to learn the deeper truths of walking with Him? By living life together, that’s how. If we go back to biblical times, the Temple was where the only copy of a few of the Old Testament books were kept. Jews could go there and listen to readings from those scrolls, but they could not have a copy of their own. Gentiles could stand outside and hopefully be able to hear a bit of such readings. Other than that, everyone had to live life together, talking and sharing about what Jesus was saying.

Look at Acts 2, the church is born, the Holy Spirit now indwells all believers and people like Luke, John, Matthew and Paul are starting to write down in letter form, the inspired words of God. Eventually those letters would be compiled into a book called The Bible. That Bible would be condensed into a smaller version by a group of theologians and priests into what is called “the Cannon of Scripture.” In due time, the Bible would be mass produced and available for those who could afford one.

But because of the expense of the Bible, and the fact that most people couldn’t read, one man decided to teach others how to read, using the Bible as their textbook, thus Sunday School was born!. Using the Bible to teach kids how to read – what an amazing idea, perhaps we should try it again?

Fast forward to today, and we all have more Bibles than we can keep track of and most of them go unread because we are too busy reading Facebook and running to “Bible” studies, that are usually just a book someone has written about a topic from the Bible. Our shortcut method of discipleship.

I’m sorry, but please allow me to jump on my pony and ride – We call ourselves “Bible-believing Christians,” and we don’t even carry one with us on Sunday morning when we go to church! Today, I share two verses with you, “They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe: and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles.”(Acts 2:42-43)

Not to negate the “wonders and signs” but I just want to get back to “feeling a sense of awe!” I want to find myself in the presence of our awe-mazing God! Where did it go, how did we lose it? Perhaps the answer is found in one word from verse 42, “devoting.” The verse says, “they were continually devoting themselves.” The word “devoting” means to “attach oneself to, or to wait on.” Two things we busy American Christians are not very good at.

We seldom “attach” ourselves to any one topic for very long and we are really bad at “waiting.” Oh and you think we are falling short on those two topics, allow me to add Verse 44, “All those who had believed were together and had all things in common.” Ouch! “What’s mine is mine…”

Oh then there is the church growth method mentioned in Verse 46, “Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart,” “v.47 – “praising God and having favor with all the people, And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.”

There probably isn’t a church in America that can genuinely claim “with one mind.” We are so fractured on opinion that we seldom can find unity and as such, we lack the “awe.”

So, if your church is trying small groups of some kind, get involved! Participate, “attach” yourself, “with sincerity of heart” and watch what God will do! Don’t hurry home after the study ends, stay and visit. Though I will never negate the value of reading the Bible, I think the real power of Acts two was the way the Holy Spirit encouraged people to live life together!

Hey, it worked once long ago, why not try it again?

Being awe-mazed with you, Neal

October 1, 2025

And just like that, September has come and gone. I know that the speed of light is moving right along, as well as the speed of sound. Yet both of those seem to be standing still when it comes to the speed of time. Time seems to run faster than a good thoroughbred horse when he is laid down and running at his best. With time comes change.

October 1 always marks the beginning of several different rifle hunting seasons around Wyoming. Back in my teen years, the local high school would be half full on October 1. Leading up to this day, the young men would drive their dusty ‘ol pickups into the school parking lot, with at least one rifle in the back window.

During lunch time, the rifles would come out to be examined by all, even teachers. This rifle would be sporting a new scope; this one would show off its freshly varnished stock, yet another would gain attention because of the amazing large round it was bored to shoot. And then, all of the rifles would go back into their owner’s vehicle, and students and teachers would return to class, no threat, no fear.

Now days, a rifle brought to school is going to get someone a free ride in the local cop car. What happened between then and now? For the most part, rifles have not changed, so what changed to cause them to become so hated and feared?

Time happened, and with the passing of time, sin increased, and with more sin comes more fear. No, there isn’t any more sin today than there was 50 years ago, but the severity of that sin has increased immensely. From the time I was a teen and well into adulthood, if two fellers were at odds, they just simply stepped outside and let their fists determine who was the toughest. Heck, our football coach would even referee most such battles fought at school.

But even with guns and fists, there was always a degree of respect one for another. We may have been enemies for five minutes out behind the school, but then we were dedicated team mates on the football field because we had gained a measure of respect for each other. Perhaps that is what is missing today – RESPECT!

Years ago, most students respected each other, teachers, officers of the law, military men and women, parents and God. Even though a person might be using God’s name in vain, and that person had never been to church, there was still a certain respect for God as the ultimate authority within one’s life. For the most part, respect for those listed above has turned into hatred against them.

In the twenty-fourth chapter of Matthew there is a rather short verse that should gain more attention than it does. Verse 12, “because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold.” I’m of the opinion that Jesus was speaking of the time in which we now live. Note the phrase, “most people’s love will grow cold.” The word Jesus used for “love” here comes from the Greek word “agape.” It is the word used for men loving their wife and children and for God’s love for the world.

“Agape” speaks of a love that is willing to sacrifice for others, therein lies the problem. We have become a self-centered culture instead of a sacrificing culture. Today, everything is about me. Go to your local school and watch children from kindergarten through seniors and you will soon discover a self-centered society. Oh, don’t blame the children nor the school, they have learned to be selfish way before they get to school.

You see, in my opinion, selfishness is just the symptom, not the problem. The problem goes back to the kind of respect that I spoke of earlier. A respect that puts even my enemies on a common ground as a fellow human. A respect that recognizes and even honors those in authority positions. A respect for others, and a healthy respect for self.

Today, read Matthew 5 again, slowly. Chew on the words that Jesus is sharing.

Yep, time is flying by so quickly that time itself is about to run out of time. Speaking of the end of time the Holy Spirit has given us 1 Timothey 3. Once again, a key verse is hiding in the shadows, “But evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.” (v.13 Deception is born out of self-centeredness, and both are born out of a lack of respect.

Yes, it may be considered “old fashioned,” but it is time that we who remember “respect” bring it back for a second act. May we show respect for self, others and especially God in such a way that those around us will notice the light! And by the way, I’m not talking about the old song either.

I respect you for reading this, now let’s go live it!

Respecting others with you, Neal – before we run out of time!

September 30, 2025

Yesterday, Miss Deb and I attended the funeral of a man who was greatly loved by his family and community. The crowd was large, and for the most part old. As I looked around at faces, most of which I probably knew at one time in my life, but due to being away for thirty-five years and the fact that all of the faces and my recollection abilities have changed, I found myself in a room full of strangers.

Yet, as I looked around the room my heart was warmed. I told Miss Deb, “It’s been a long time since we have been in a room with so many old cowboys.” There they sat, remembering their friend who had passed on before them, knowing that their turn was probably not that far away. For most of us in that large crowd of mourners, it was quite evident that we had each seen way more sunsets than we will see sun rises.

Life works that way: we are born, and then we begin our dying process called life. I’ve always enjoyed the story in the Book of Genesis about a grand ‘ol gentleman named Abraham. In Genesis 25:8 we read, “Abraham breathed his last and died in a ripe old age, an old man and satisfied with life, and he was gathered to his people.”

What a grand death, “in a ripe old age and satisfied with life.” May we each be so blessed! The “ripe old age” would be nice, but I’m more concerned with the “satisfied with life” part. You see my friends, we each get only one trip across this ‘ol ball of dirt, and how we live our journey determines how we will be remembered at the end.

Yesterday, several hundred people gathered to celebrate the life of a man who had lived his life loving his family and caring for his friends. A man who seemed to me to die much like Abraham, “satisfied with life.”

In my mind, to die with such satisfaction of life, requires that we LIVE and not just exist. So many folks seem to just drag themselves from day-to-day, while others see each day as a new opportunity to live. What make the differene? I think the answer contains two main elements: purpose and attitude.

The folks who appear to be enjoying this journey called life the most, are folks who have a purpose for living – they have family, friends and God. All three are those whom you have been blessed to share your earthly journey with. Though the family and friends may not always bring joy into your life, they are always there. You see, life is best lived when we have folks and a God that we can count on to be there when things get tough.

Family, friends and God all put up with us when we are less than we should be, and they love us when we are all that they need us to be. A life without a relationship with family, friends and God would be a very difficult existence. A life with them is a satisfying life!

The second important element of life is nestled deep inside of each of us; it is our attitude about life. I’ve always reminded our children and grandchildren, “Attitude determines altitude. You can’t fly any higher than your attitude.” For much of our earthly journey, life happens to us. It is in those times that a good attitude is imperative to have a satisfying life. You see friends, there is only one person who can control your attitude, you.

As love and anger are both the result of a decision, we each get to determine our attitude as well. No one can force you to love or hate another, each is your choice. That choice will be determined by your attitude. The man we celebrated yesterday, had a great attitude about life. A life that was celebrated by his family, friends and God.

Could it be that a primary element of a good attitude about life is found in how we view those around us? If we see others as a burden, then our attitude will fly south faster than a goose in November. However, if we see those around us as a blessing, then a good attitude will follow us like a pup going for a walk with his favorite person – there will be joy and peace!

So for today, we are each challenged to love those around us. Not because of how they will improve our life but love them because we get the opportunity to improve their lives. And above all, love God, not because you can improve Him, but because He will give a grand purpose to your life, which is the best attitude adjustment ever known!

None of us knows when we will take our final breath, but we do know that moment awaits us. How we live between today and that day will determine the satisfaction level of our life.

Living life on purpose, with a good attitude, with you, Neal

September 29, 2025

Greetings friends. And yet another attack upon a church! I don’t care what the denomination or the religion is, it causes great pain to my ‘ol ticker when these things take place. It seems that in times like these we must remind ourselves that God is sovereign and that His heart is saddened as well.

Speaking of signs of the end of time, in Matthew 24:6 Jesus tells us, “You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end.” It would appear that Jesus is definitely speaking of “wars” between nations, but I think that He is also reminding us of the wars that take place between people groups.

The murder of Charlie Kirk, and shootings in various churches, are “wars” between people groups. You see my friends, a war between nations does not mean that the two nations are angry with each other. A war between nations can simply be that one nation invades and threatens another nation. The war between people groups can follow the exact same scenario.

Let’s pretend: you do not have to be mad at me for me to declare war against you. If in reality you are no threat to me at all, but in my mind, I perceive you as a threat, then do not be surprised if I declare war against you! Now please remember, we are only exploring a scenario, for in reality I do consider you a friend, not a foe.

We can see how easily Jesus’ words about “wars” can be played out among people and people groups. All of this brings us to today’s poster. If we, and others do not fill our minds with the word of God, Satan will fill our minds with his lies. Read Genesis 3 once again, Satan messed with Eve’s mind!

I have always said, “Satan’s biggest playground is right between my ears.” Well in light of today’s poster perhaps I should say, “Satan’s biggest “wars” are fought right between my ears.” If he can get us to think it, the odds are good that he can get us to do it. That is why it is so imperative that we fill our minds with the Word of God!

If you fill a jar full of water, adding dirt will displace much of the water, until instead a jar of clean drinking water, you now have a jar full of mud. And that my friends, would appear to be the mind of so many of the dear folks around us. Mass media has dumped so much dirt into our minds that our thinking is very muddy!

Remedy: Fill our minds with God’s Word and then put a lid on the jar. Yes, I am suggesting that we get our wisdom from the God of Heaven (clear, fresh water) instead of the god of Hell (dirt). It is absolutely a matter of God’s truth verses Satan’s lies – it is a full scale “WAR!” God will win the war, but if we wish to be on the winning side we must quit reading and listening to the dirt of Satan.

You see loved ones, stress, anxiety and worry are tools of Satan. In Matthew 24, Jesus reminds us, “See to it that you are not frightened.” Remember that in an earlier post, I mentioned that “fear” was and is the result of sinning against God. (Gen. 3:10)

Fearful people are easily agitated and will tend to see someone else as their enemy. Some 365 times in the Bible, we are told, “fear not.” The greatest way to defeat fear is to fill our minds with God’s truth, instead of Satan’s lies. After all, in John 14:27, Jesus clearly declared, “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.”

The only peace this “world” can give to us is the impossible absence of conflict. The peace of God is present even in the face of conflict. May we all be careful what we fill our “jar” with. There has always been a war between God and Satan. Each battle is fought between the ears of humanity. But God’s Word will win!

Filling our minds with God’s word with you, Neal

Today, I would like to give you a bit of insight into our “retired” lives. Last Thursday and Friday we spent ten-hour days working on the house. When we get help we go hard. But it sure is coming along. One of these days we will have time to post some pictures for you.

Yesterday we traveled 221 miles to take part in a Marriage Mentor Seminar. This is a ministry dedicated to strengthening marriages across Wyoming. Per Capata, Wyoming has the second highest divorce rate in the nation. This ministry is training folks how to walk with others to strengthen marriages using biblical principles.

Today we will drive 152 miles to preach at Esterbrook Community Church. If you have never attended there, do yourself a favor and make a day of it! The building is an old log cabin facility, but the people are some of the grandest people you will ever worship our Savior with, and the scenery is beautiful as well!

Tomorrow, a funeral and more work on the house. The rest of the week is spoken for, with several more road trips, appointments and meetings. Each day, we praise our Lord for allowing us to have a small part in expanding His kingdom within our community and state.

A portion of that work involves writing these daily blogs. It takes a little over an hour for me to write, Miss Deb to proofread and then post, each morning, if time allows. One way you folks could really help us is to go to fromthehomeplace.com for your daily readings. There is a subscribe box at the bottom of the page. You can also share from Facebook. We have invested heavily to be able to send these notes through this web page, as such, the more folks who follow us through this avenue, the further the message travels.

As of now, there are readers across several states and many countries. We do appreciate your cooperation, and thanks much for the encouraging notes. Hopefully the Holy Spirit will use these writings to strengthen the spiritual walk of each of us. When we grow, we glow for His glory!

For those around us who think that Christianity is a “crutch,” I say that Christianity is a blood relationship. A relationship with God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit, plus an amazing relationship with other Christ-followers scattered all around the world! Following Jesus is a constant battle, because of Satan and his crew.

A Christ-follower has to be “strong and courageous” and fully dedicated to “stand in the gap.” Living a life that honors the sacrifice that Jesus made upon the cross is demanding and rewarding at the same time. It is amazing to be at peace with God through following Jesus, and to then enjoy the peace of God as we live out our earthly existence preparing ourselves and others to celebrate eternity with Him! Christianity is not a process that is used as a crutch. Christianity is a relationship that challenges the strong to be humble and the weak to be strong.

Christianity is anything but boring – I awoke at 3:30 this morning and spent an hour in prayer for today’s ministry opportunities, for our leaders, for other pastors as they open God’s Word to congregations all around the world, for our family and for you and your family as well. It is such a blessing to get to pray for folks that I haven’t even met yet, but by God’s amazing grace I will get to meet many of you some day. As I always say, “We will see you here, there or in the air!”

Thank you for reading and commenting. And yes, we sure appreciate your prayers as we travel many miles, attend meetings and gatherings of various kinds, and get to meet many of God’s amazing people. It is such a blessing to get to serve our King! Oh yeah, it is also a blessing to get to work on this “ol house and our own lives.

Have a great day of celebrating God’s amazing grace. Be a blessing as you are blessed. Encourage instead of discourage, and “let your light shine in such a way that those around you will see your good works and glorify your Father who is in Heaven.”

Running full bore with you, Neal

September 25, 2025

I’ll admit right up front that I have made plenty of just plain dumb decisions in my life. Some of those decisions have life-long effects, while others pass with time. Yet, most of those dumb decisions seemed to be good decisions at the moment.

As a person ages, there are a lot of changes that take place, especially physically. Strength that was once available has now faded into the sunset. Health that was good, is slowly deteriorating as well. Like the story goes, “My body is like an old car – My headlights are growing dimmer by the day, my engine is difficult to start. Speed is out of the question, and my radiator and muffler both leak.”

Yet one of the good things about growing older is that I make fewer dumb decisions, at least I can’t remember them. As I sit here this morning and look back over the years the Lord has given to me, yes there are several things I would change if it was possible, which it is not. But when it comes to faith and family, I will die a grateful old man.

The decision to marry my high-school sweetheart, Miss Deb, was one of the greatest decisions I have ever made. For from that relationship, we have adult children who have brought our lives much joy, especially when they started bringing “short-legged” people home with them!

On the faith side, my only regret is that I didn’t accept Christ as Savior at a younger age. Yet the forty-three years of walking with Him have been an amazing journey. I’m so grateful that my Heavenly Father has given me much more than I could have ever earned, and that He has not given me that which I truly deserved. I love that my Lord is both graceful and merciful.

The sadness of my heart today is for all of the folks that I know who have never made a decision to follow Jesus. Just like making dumb or smart decisions, God allows each individual to make a decision to follow Him, or not.

Much like I cannot blame God for the dumb decisions I have made through the years of my life, those who decide not to follow Jesus will not be able to blame God on their judgment day. You see friends, God does not decide to send anyone to Hell. People decide to go there by refusing to decide to follow Jesus, God’s offer of salvation. “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for their deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.” (2 Corinthians 5:10)

It’s a simple fact that we humans often make bad decisions. So, to anyone who might be reading this blog I say, “Don’t make another dumb decision by refusing salvation through Jesus Christ.” I assure you, a life with Jesus is the smartest thing you will ever chose!

Making a wise decision with you, Neal

September 24, 2025

As most of you know, we have spent our summer working on the outside of this ‘ol house. Many of those summer days were well above ninety degrees. It has been a hot one, and as such we have consumed gallons of water, tea and Propel in an effort to keep our bodies hydrated. It seemed like that every quart I put in, my body put out almost an equal amount in plain sweat.

Working on a steel roof at ninety-four degrees soon turned our t-shirs into wet rags and our foreheads into a river of sweat. And yes, we smelled like it too. So you can imagine that every time one would bend over or look down, we had sweat running into our eyes, and the salt in the sweat burned like acid in the eyes. I mean it really burned!

Also, as we worked with a mountain of lumber and hundreds of feet of steel, there were plenty of stickers and cuts. And once again, when the salt running off our bodies would get into one of those open wounds, it really burned!

For all of the studies I’ve taught and all of the studies I’ve listened to about the “salt” mentioned in Matthew 5. We discuss that salt is a preservative, that it adds flavoring and that salt is used to kill germs in bad water, but I have never heard anyone mention that salt burns when you get it in an open wound, or in one’s eyes! Perhaps it is because it’s not very glamorous to talk about the sweaty salt.

Yet I think it is really amazing that our Creator has made our sweaty bodies to produce salt water that really burns when we get it into an open wound. Perhaps it is to be a reminder of what the Lord Jesus said to His first disciples, and to us as well, “You are the salt of the earth,”

With all of the good things that salt is, it can also be a cause for real pain. Perhaps, it is time for we Christians to be the real “salt of the earth.” For far too long we have sat in our churches and been well behaved children of God. Loved one, Jesus was not speaking to well behaved children! He was speaking to a group of believers that He expected to reveal all of the good qualities of salt, but then they were also to be an irritant to their sinful culture.

Let’s read Matthew 5:13 in its entirety: “You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again. It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men.”

That is another blessing of working on a hot steel roof in a ninety-plus degree day. Inevitably, while working up under the eve of our house, some of that sweat would always drip into my mouth, and do you know what, it tasted just like salt!

Salt is great for flavoring, for sterilizing, for preserving and for reminding us that salt is an irritant that is supposed to taste like salt!

In my opinion, we/I Christians are guilty of losing our saltiness, and especially of losing the irritant quality of salt. After wrestling with a jagged piece of steel I ended up with a significant cut on the palm of my hand, and you guessed it, some sweat ran into that cut and man did it burn. But you see friends, that burning effect of salt reminded me that I am still alive, another positive of salt.

So I ask, could it be that as salty Christians are we to be irritants to the sinful world around us? Not in obnoxious ways, but in ways that make it uncomfortable to continue in sinful actions and attitudes. (The Scripture also reminds us that we are to correct with “gentleness.” 2 Tim. 2:25) That would require we Christians to not possess those same sinful actions and attitudes within our lives, or otherwise we would truly be hypocrites. That my friends, is what Jesus meant when He said that Christians can become “tasteless.”

But here we are, still on earth and still usable to our Master. Perhaps it is time for we Christians to repent of our sinful tastelessness and to become all that salt is intended to be. Including an ocassional irritant. After all, that burning feeling reminds folks that they are still alive. According to 2 Timithy 2:25 we must be the irritant of “gentleness.”

September 23, 2025

May I encourage you to grab your Bible and read Isaiah 5, then read this post.

The “woes” of Chapter 5 seem to culminate in Chapter 6, Verse 5 when Isaiah declared, “Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I live among a people of unclean lips.” Jesus would have said that it isn’t what we put into our mouth that defiles us, it’s what comes out of our mouth that defiles us! Why, because that which comes out of the mouth is that which is within the heart. (Mark 7:20-23)

All of my life, all of your life, we have been surrounded by the defilement of evil. It would appear that for many, those years of living in an evil environment has developed a culture of evil people. Many of us have experienced the evil tongue of the internet. I absolutely believe in everyone’s freedom of speech as granted by the Constitution, as Americans. However, we should realize that speaking evil comes under the jurisdiction of God’s judgment, and not man’s laws.

Isaiah Chapter 5 clearly teaches that God will judge a nation that calls “evil good.” Verse 5, “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil;” read the whole Chapter, it appears that when God spoke to Isreal, He was also speaking to modern America! I am of the opinion that God does not realize that our Constitution overrules His Word! Perhaps, we should realize that our Constitution does not overrule God’s Word.

For all Christ-followers, evil is evil according to God’s word, not man’s opinion. Just as “good works” mentioned within the Bible are those works that are good according to God’s standard. Evil is also defined by God, not man. You see, our standard is totally skewed. We Americans tend to think that good is that which “I” say or do, and evil is the negative which is spoken about, or done to “me.” And once again, I admit, “I am a man of unclean lips.” Gossip and slander so easily roll off of our lips in conversation and on the internet.

Please hear me, I fully realize that in writing this, I’m standing on the edge of a cliff. I am not pointing a finger at any person other than myself. My desire here is to draw attention to what God’s Word says will happen to an evil nation. If you are wondering what God considers to be evil, Colossians 3:8-9 gives us a partial list: “But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth.”

Isaiah 6:5 concludes, “For my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.” Colossians 3:10 concludes, “and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him.” Being in God’s presence changes a person.

As Christians living in America, I would suggest that the light of Jesus Christ shines brighter now than ever before! A light that will “overpower” evil if we Christians live the light!

Standing against evil and for good with you, Neal

September 20, 2025

The harsh reality is that death comes knocking for all of us and we have to say “farewell” to family, friends and earthly possessions. Yet how we answer the death call seems to be quite different. Some are ready, even looking forward to the call, while others tend to think of it in a fairy-tale manner. By that I mean for the Christ-follower, death is like graduation day. As believers we step out of the only realm we have ever known, into the presence of All Mighty God! For the unbeliever, death is a passing from bad to worse. It has been well stated: “For a follower of Jesus, this earth is the only Hell they will ever know; for the unbeliever, this earth is the only Heaven they shall ever know.”

It seems to me that there are three major factors that will determine the attitude of our funeral. 1) How we love people. 2) How we respond to life circumstances. 3) How we respond to God.

1. How we love people: People tend to give us back that which we have given them. We reap what we sow. If we spend our life trying to get along with others, they will remember our kindness. As the Apostle Paul stated, “In as much as it is possible with you, be at peace with all people.” Kindness begets kindness – Proverb 15:1, “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”
2. How we respond to circumstances: I have found that if a person tends to see the difficult circumstances of life as opportunities rather than obstacles it makes life even more rewarding. Every trial makes us either bitter or better, the choice is ours, but that choice usually impacts the lives of others, and they tend to not forget that impact.
3. How we respond to God: You see loved ones, when a Christ-follower passes on, their life is easily celebrated. The Bible teaches us though a Christian is no longer with us, they are in the presence of God in the glory of heaven, and that brings great peace to those left behind.

Let’s build upon number three a bit more: The painful truth is that not all folks are ready to make the journey called death. So many live as if they will never die and stand before God. Some even die thinking Hell to be a constant party, not so! Years ago, when a family entered a local eating establishment the question wasn’t so much “What are we going to eat?” Upon entering a local the restaurant, the first question one had to answer was, “Smoking or Non?”

God is asking each of us to answer the same question, “Smoking or Non?” Will we decide to follow Jesus and be allowed to spend eternity in the non-smoking section, or will we live a life controlled by sin and self-pleasure and spend eternity in the smoking section? We all get to choose.

The problem, just like at the restaurant, you have to decide which section to sit in before you are seated. Stated another way, you have to decide where you want to spend eternity before you die. At the moment of death, the decision has already been made. You see friends, there are no do-overs once we take our last breath. At death, how we lived, and who we lived for have sealed our eternal state. We all live for self or Savior, which are you living for? Your decision is absolutely an eternal decision which determines “Smoking or Non,” and that same decision usually determines how folks will remember you.

Choosing a non-smoking eternity with you, Neal