Author: Chad Bandy

I was thinking about my faith today and I narrowed it down to two things.

1. 1. Living on earth: The world we live in is incomprehensible. The sin, hate, sadness, and the many things we cannot understand force me to search for meaning.  I realize that I won’t understand why things on earth happen the way they do. I have come to trust and believe that God has a plan and no matter how awful or incomprehensible the circumstances, God is at work.  I believe that we can find “rest” and peace in God’s promise, to look over us, guide us, and lead us.
   2. The afterlife: What happens to my soul after my death is important to me. I do not believe that this world is the end my soul.  I believe that I am going to a better place after I die.  I also believe that I will see the many friends and family that have passed before me, again, if they too believed that Jesus died on the cross to forgive their sins. The hurt and pain of their deaths are temporary, as we will spend eternity together in Heaven.

The title of Psalm 115 is “The Futility of Idols and the Trustworthiness of God.”  We can be enamored with success, achievement, and ultimately material things that we believe will make us feel fulfilled.  Time and time again, we see examples of a lack of satisfaction and fulfillment with life on earth.  No matter how much money or stuff a person has, they typically feel like they are missing something.

This brings my focus back to what’s important.  The size of your house or the amount in your bank account does not matter at the end of our lives.  What matters is our faith in Jesus Christ and knowing that we are saved and fulfilled. Fulfillment comes from a life following Jesus and confidence in knowing that we are destined for a better afterlife, after this life.  How depressing to think that this life is as good as it gets!

The Bible tells us that we will rest in Paradise (Heaven) with our savior after we die.  As for me, I will follow Jesus and enjoy the rest in this life that comes from His peace and run for salvation after my life on earth.

Praise God for our salvation!

Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; For Yah, the Lord, is my strength and song; He also has become my salvation. (Isaiah 12:2)

Trust. Our relationships are based on it.  Our marriages thrive on it.  The love we feel for individuals depends on it.  Without trust, we can be cynical, angry, and have a negative outlook regarding the relationships we have with people in our lives.

We know from our experiences, people around us will “let us down.”  Humans by nature are sinful and they will disappoint us.  Unfortunately, the impact our human relationships have on our trust can alter the way in which we trust God. The only type of trust we know is “earthly trust” and we consistently are reminded of the disappointments and the times individuals let us down.

God reminds us time and time again to put our hope and trust in Him.

But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation (Psalm 13:5)

You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock. (Isaiah 26:3-4)

Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust, who does not turn to the proud, to those who go astray after a lie! (Psalm 40:4)

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths (Proverbs 3:5-6)

Fear.  We make decisions because we are afraid.  We don’t make decisions because we are afraid.  Fear can be a catalyst, or it can cause paralysis.   Fear can drive people to avoid failure and or drive them to seek success.

Peace, I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. (John 14:27)

…say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution He will come to save you.” (Isaiah 35:4)

Have I not commanded you?  Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. (Joshua 1:9)

Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. (Psalm 23:4)

“I will trust and not be afraid.”  How would our lives be different or improved if we were not afraid and we trusted God?  Might we have a better outlook in life knowing that our God will always be there for us?  Might we be happier knowing that no matter how difficult the situation, our God understands our pain and will be there to provide us peace and rest?

My prayer for you today is you trust in our Lord.  Trust that his promises are real.  I pray that you put aside your fear and know that God is always

What if there were no boundaries to making decisions and right and wrong did not exist?  Where does morality and right and wrong come from?  How do we as humans know what the right decision is to make?  What is our foundation for making decisions, from the small daily things to the larger major ones?

Micah 1:1-16 demonstrates that God made clear his expectation of the Israelites, and time and time again, they strayed.  God was patient.  God provided prophets to speak to the leaders of Israel, guiding them and counseling them.  Micah wrote in this chapter in verse 8, “Therefore I will wail and howl, I will go stripped and naked; I will make a wailing like the jackals and a mourning like the ostriches, For her wounds are incurable. For it has come to Judah; It has come to the gate of My people – To Jerusalem.” Sounds harsh but God was sending a message.

Unfortunately, we as humans are sinful and stray from God’s commands due to the temptations of the world, just like the Israelites did throughout the Bible.  The decisions we make ultimately will have consequences in the eyes of the Lord.  The Lord is watching each of our decisions, many times influencing and guiding us, but ultimately leaving us to make our own choices.

We read about the demise of people every day in the news.  Celebrities, athletes, politicians, and the list goes on.  From the outside, we view someone’s life and think they have everything!  They are rich, with the handsome husband, pretty wife, the nice cars, beautiful house, and deep down, we may want to be like them.  Their life looks fabulous!

Ultimately, power, money and fame can corrupt a person.  We can lose sight of thankfulness, appreciation, and what is important in our lives. We can become selfish and dismissive of what is important and become focused on ourselves rather than others.  There are very few who reach the pinnacles of success and fame that “come out on the other side” with their lives, family, and faith intact.

God is clear in the Bible about His desire for us to follow His commandments and Gospel.   He demonstrated His love for the Israelites time and time again, but He also demonstrated His willingness to punish them for their sins and misdeeds.

Life without discipline and direction leads to poor decisions because we as humans are incapable of making consistently good choices. Sometimes it takes the hard lessons and bad situations to help us appreciate what is important.

Romans 2:11-13 says 11 For there is no partiality with God. 12 For as many as have sinned without law will also perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the laws will be judged by the law. 13 for not the hearers of the laws are just in the sight of God but the doers of the law will be justified.

Today’s reading is Isaiah 32:1-20.

In the first eight verses of this book, the prophet Isaiah speaks to the coming Messiah, and the impact He will have on the people.

Verse 4 says “Also the HEART of the rash will understand knowledge, And the tongue of the stammerers will be ready to speak plainly.”

Verse 6 “For the foolish person will speak foolishness, And his HEART will work iniquity.”

The HEART is the center of the body.  The HEART is the organ that controls our mood, our mental state, and overall health.

The HEART is the center of our spiritual health as well.  The Bible consistently speaks of “changing the HEART” of people.

“Above all else, guard your HEART, for everything you do flows from it.” Proverbs 4:23

“As water reflects the face, so one’s life reflects the HEART.” Proverbs 27:19

The HEART is also where the Bible speaks of where we are corrupted or impacted negatively by the world around us.

“The HEART is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?  I the Lord search the HEART and examine the mind, to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve.” Jeremiah 17:9-10

As Christians, I hope we “guard our HEARTS,” to love like Jesus and have compassion for those around us. Our “HEART” controls our spiritual and physical health and determines our daily walk living out our faith.

“Create in me a pure HEART, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” Psalm 51:10

For the HEART we show to the world each and every day, demonstrates the commands Jesus gave to all of us, which is to “love thy neighbor” and serve others.

“For where your treasure is, there your HEART will be also.” Matthew 6:21

My prayer today is that we have eyes to see what the Lord wants us to see, the ears to hear and recognize what the Lord wants us to hear, and the HEART to be compassionate and loving to those around us.

Today’s reading is from 1 Corinthians 2:1-16.

Authenticity is on my mind today as we traverse life.

Many times, we “put on a face” of everything in our lives is great.  Our job could not be better.  Our kids are thriving and happy.  Our marriage is like a fairy tale. We just completed the greatest vacation we have ever had, and it could not have been more restful and relaxing!

Is that how your life feels?

I am not afraid to say that life can be a struggle and brings about a fresh set of challenges.  I believe my state of mind and expectations drive my response.  My response to these challenges varies based on the day, what else is going on, and my state of mind.  I am human.  I am imperfect.  I don’t always react to challenges the way I should.

Most importantly, I think we need to surround ourselves with authentic and open relationships where we can share our lives with others in an authentic way.  There is power in understanding that others have similar challenges, others have similar struggles, and know that we are not alone in our attempt to deal with difficulties.

I love how the Apostle Paul writes in this reading with an authentic and vulnerable voice.

1 And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with the excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God.

3 I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling.

4 And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power. NKJV

Life is messy.  Situations do not always turn out like we planned.  We are not always at our best. Relationships are complicated.  Jobs don’t always turn out to be the dream we though they would be.  Vacations do not always end with the blissful moments we had hoped.

I would encourage us to surround ourselves with supportive, faith-filled people, that we can be authentic with.  We should strive to spend time with people that are not afraid to tell us when we are “off the path” and encourage us when we need it.  These are the same people who share with us when they struggle and when they need encouragement. Let us not surround ourselves with people who are not authentic and tell us what they think we want to hear. I pray that we open ourselves up to vulnerability and input from mentors, small groups, and positive influencers in our lives to help us work through difficult situations.

God encourages us to surround ourselves with other believers and commune together. Hebrews 10:24-25 says the following:

24 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works. 25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some but exhorting one another and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. NKJV

Today’s reading, Luke 12:22-40, is filled with some of the most practical and applicable guidance from Jesus in the Bible, Do Not Worry.

In fact, Luke 12 is packed with great application for believers and perhaps our friends and family that are not yet believers.  The sections of Luke 12 are as follows: Beware of Hypocrisy (1-3), Jesus Teaches the Fear of God (4-7), Confess Christ Before Men (8-12), The Parable of the Rich Fool (13-21), Do Not Worry (22-34), The Faithful Servant and the Evil Servant (35-48), Christ Brings Division (49-53), Discern the Time (54-56), Make Peace with Your Adversary (57-59).   Wow, what great teachings for us to apply to our lives.  Go and read Luke 12 today!

Jesus’ command not to worry is a consistent challenge in my life.  I am confronted with caving to the world’s temptations and allow my emotions to be overcome with anger and frustration.

“Therefore, I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on.” Verse 22

“And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind.” Verse 29

During recent years, I found myself conflicted with my life.  As a husband, father, son, brother, etc. I felt strain from the “world” around me. I was in a professional transition, and I was angry with the situation.  The 2020 presidential election was underway with the daily barrage of controversy, debate, and arguments, including social media posts and news coverage. Our family, like many, had challenges that included happiness and health.  I felt out of control, angry, and I worried.  I worried about the things I could not control, that I needed to let go of, and give it to God.

I took a step back and examined what truly made me unhappy, that I could control, and “let go” of the things I could not control, that contributed to my worry and anxiety. I needed to focus on what made me happy and fulfilled. As I examined my life, social media was something that created worry. I enjoyed Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for many years, but I was wasting my day reading and checking posts, and the tone of the stories were negatively impacting my attitude and candidly, I felt anxious about staying up to date on posts, news, etc.  I derived that social media was one of the things that generated worry, and frankly, anger. I had to make a change and did.  I shut down my accounts. This is a small gesture but it make a big impact on my life.

That was a great decision for me. Unfortunately, I have not completely rid myself of worry, but my life has a few less distractions and irritations.  I have been blessed with a new career opportunity. Our family is in a good place, not without daily ups and downs, but moving in the right direction.  I feel more in control of my worry, and I have become better at turning to the Gospel and prayer during my worry rather than allow myself to feel out of control.  I know there will be challenges.  I know bad things will happen.  But I know my faith and my God are where I need to turn for solace and peace.

Let us all turn to the Lord.  Let us encourage our friends and family to do the same in times of daily strife.  Stress and worry erode our faith and pull us away from God. The “world” and material things will not make us happy or solve our deepest insecurities or issues.  Turning to the “world” and seeking happiness and satisfaction will make it worse.

The Word of Jesus and His saving grace is the only thing that will remove our worry and angst while we are on this side of life.

Joshua 24:1-18

The prophet Joshua was nearing the end of his life and he called the tribes of Israel together to remind them of the blessings God had bestowed on the Israelites throughout generations.

Joshua chronicled for the tribe leaders the sins their fathers had committed, the attacks the Israelites endured over hundreds of years, and time and time again how God blessed the Israelites and brought them to 13 “land for which you did not labor, and cities which you did not build, and you dwell in them; you eat of the vineyards and olive groves which you did not plant.”

These passages lead me to consider how families are impacted positively, or negatively, by the choices of previous generations.  Some people come from broken marriages, family addicted to drugs or alcohol, marriages filled with infidelity, and sadly abusive behavior. The life that many live is a direct reflection of the example that has been set for them by their parents or family.  The Israelites lives for hundreds of years suffering for the sins of their fathers.

The good news is we can make the choice to “break the chain” of previous generations and God will provide for us.  The abusive behavior can stop.  The addiction can stop.  The infidelity and adultery do not have to continue. Absent fathers and mothers from our lives does not mean that we should continue that same behavior and cause the same pain for our children.

My brother and I are fortunate because we have two parents that have provided great examples of how to live a Godly, Christ-filled life.  What is important to note is that our family did not always have that as an example.  Both of my grandfathers, our parents’ fathers, came from broken and unhappy homes.  They both came from challenging situations where they experienced terrible sadness, experienced a lack of love, and could have become angry and bitter men.

I believe my grandfathers both “broke the chain” of their earthly fathers because they were “bathed in the Word of God.”  They followed Christ, believed in His power to change them, and followed his teachings.  My grandfathers were not perfect men but they both perfectly broke the chain of their fathers, just like the Israelites did, and set an example of living a life following Jesus Christ.

The great news it that we worship a God that provides us a “path” for our lives.  He commands us to live a life following Him but there will be challenges and trials. God commands us to love Him and glorify Him and He will be with us every step of the way.  There are stories and examples in the Bible where we can learn from other’s mistakes and apply these lessons to make better decisions for our lives.

I am thankful every day that my grandfather’s made that choice and generations of our family to come will thrive based on the choice they made to “break the chain” and follow Christ.

Deuteronomy 7:9-10

9 “Therefore know that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and Keep His commandments; 10 and He repays those who hate Him to their face, to destroy them. He will not be slack with him who hates Him; He will repay him to his face.”

Do you fear God?  Do you love God? Can you love someone and fear them at the same time?

In a worldly sense, I think these two emotions are difficult to maneuver.  When we love someone, we have an unending appreciation, value, and yearning for a relationship with them.  We want to be with them and spend time with them.  We know them and trust them.

When we fear someone, we avoid them.  We resent them.  We may even hate them, to use a much harsher word.  The individual may have altered our lives in a way that seems unforgivable.

Here is how I ratify the two emotions as it relates to God, where I both love and fear Him.

God shows me mercy and grace every day.  I sin and He forgives.  I sin again, and His promises in scriptures says He will forgive again, if I repent and ask for forgiveness.  He showed us inconceivable love by sending His son, Jesus, to earth to become a man, to live a perfect life, breath scripture into our world, and suffer a horrible death to demonstrate His love for us.  God is merciful every day and His actions speak louder than words.

As for it relates to fear, I don’t want to disappoint God.  I have developed a relationship with Him that I do not want to “let Him down.”  I know that if I don’t live by scripture, follow His guidance, I will be punished.  Much like a parent and child relationship, I wish to please my Father.   Growing up, I “feared” my parents, as I did not want to disappoint them.  I did not fear mental or physical harm, by any means.  I “feared” letting them down as I knew right from wrong, good from bad, and I did not ever want them to be upset with me.

At a whole other level of fear, I know that if I don’t believe that Jesus died on the cross to forgive my sins, I will not spend eternity in Heaven with Jesus and the rest of my relatives that have passed.  I know that I will be sent to “Hades,” as the Bible calls it, where I will suffer great pain and “gnashing of teeth.”  That is not for me.

For me, I have learned right from wrong.  I know the standards and morals that I should live in my life.  My foundation for truth and direction is the Bible.  The Bible provides me specific guidance on how God wants me to live my life.  As such, I expect that if I sin against God, I will be punished as is written in the Bible.  As I did not want to disappoint my parents, I do not want to disappoint God.  My parents did not deserve my sin, and God certainly does not either.

2 Thessalonians 3: 13 “But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good.”

I have found myself at times in life disappointed with my behavior.  I am disappointed that I am impatient.  I am disappointed that I am “short” or not engaging with people.  I am disappointed that I assume the worst in people and find myself being impolite or not accommodating.

Why do I do that?  My nature is to protect myself from disappointment or insecurity.  My tendency, at times, has been to be not “too nice” when I fear someone else will not be “nice” back.  Really?  Why does it matter if someone will be “nice” back?  Shouldn’t I just be “nice” regardless of the other person’s reaction?

It amazes me how much I enter social situations and rely on other people’s reactions and attitudes to determine mine.  What I mean is if someone is rude or impatient, I will mirror that same behavior.

Verse 13 speaks to me today in the sense of, do good and do not expect anything in return.  Be nice to the server in the restaurant who is impolite or not overly friendly.  Be kind to the flight attendant who embarrassed you in front of many people.  Be patient with the person in the grocery store who cut you off in line causing you to wait even longer.  Engage with the homeless person on the corner who is asking for help and not be embarrassed to stop and talk to them.

When Jesus was on earth, He had dinner with tax collectors, witnessed to prostitutes, and welcomed sinners of all kinds to be with Him at His table.  The Son of God was kind to every person of all shapes and sizes, all the while knowing He would be killed for doing good.  No matter the sin, Jesus loved all people and made a difference in their lives.

One area of my life that I have worked on very hard is witnessing to homeless people.  I used to dread pulling up to a stop light and seeing a homeless person on the corner.  In the past, I would immediately talk myself out of speaking to them, not even make eye contact, thinking they might be scary.  I would convince myself not to give them money as “they are just going to go buy liquor or drugs.”  I am not proud to admit that.

These days, I pull up to the stop light, roll down my window and ask the person to come to my car, if it’s safe.  I give them money, without judgment or reservation, and I ask them their name.  I cannot tell you the surprise and shock on their faces when I ask them their name.  When they tell me their name, I now call them by their name and tell them Jesus loves them and I will pray for them.  The look on their face is priceless.  The thanks and appreciation always come through.  Never once, have I had a negative reaction being nice to a homeless person.

So please join me in praying for Bobby, who I met in Charlottesville, Virginia today.  Bobby was panhandling on the side of the road with a cast and his arm in a sling.  God loves Bobby like He loves you and me.  Let’s pray for Bobby and all the broken people Jesus loves, without reservation or expectation that we will get anything in return.

Ephesians 6 reads.

12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day and have done all, to stand.

The “darkness of our age” comes from covert and overt places.  On the overt occasions, we can see and respond with our opinion when we encounter a situation or question about our faith.  We try to teach our children the Biblical foundations of living a Christ-like life, and how to respond to the many challenges each day that we experience.  There are times when we can witness to our friends, family, and children during a family dinner, a phone conversation, or a ride in the car.

The covert places of “darkness” are what I worry about.  The daily saturation of our friends, family and children with social media that is constantly barraging their hearts and minds to see things they shouldn’t see and tempt them in ways they may not be prepared. Our “armor of God” can be eroded each day by one swipe, one comment on a post, and the daily grind of trying to keep up with a technologically connected world.

I worry about the sexually explicit images young boys are tempted with every day.  Social media platforms like Snapchat and Instagram are constantly saturating our sons, nephews, and grandsons with sexually implicit images that demean women.  How do I know this?  Because I have profiles on these platforms to see what my children are experiencing.  Literally, they are one click away from pornography, on their phone, without any accountability.

The simple nature of “staying connected” with friends can create a desire to be included and accepted in a fictitious world that will never be satisfied.  Rather than having a strong foundation of faith in Christ, believing they are loved for who they are, regardless of what they look like, that they are loved, cherished, and were perfectly designed by their Father in Heaven, our young people and adults are being barraged with images and ideas that they are missing something.  The pressures and temptations of social media platforms cause our youth to question their looks, wish they had more material items like their “cool friends” who are having so much fun without them, and seed a constant desire that they should be something different than they are.  You are missing out…if you only had…you would be so much happier if you only…you would be so much thinner, funnier, cooler, and the list goes on of feelings and desires that will never be met.

The only constant and predictable solution to ridding ourselves of selfish desires, eliminating feelings of inadequacy, and removing doubt and guilt from our lives is following Jesus Christ.  When I hear of someone’s unhappiness or troubles, I think “they need some Jesus.”   Jesus is the one who removes all shame, doubt, and unhappiness.  Jesus is the one who turned away the devil, in the flesh, after being tempted many times.  Having “more Jesus” in our lives is not some cliché statement without tangible meaning.  Our God, who came to earth to be a man in our flesh as Jesus, changed the course of the world for billions of people by providing us guidance and a formula to a genuine sense of fulfillment, satisfaction and happiness in our lives.

Wondering how to get your family, friends, or children on the right course?  I would implore you to find a great Bible-based church, in person or online, to listen and read the words of our Savior Jesus Christ.  Jesus is the only “true armor” that will ride with us each day that will fulfill us when times of doubt and temptation arise.  No doubt, these moments will happen but our faith in Jesus is the best defense against a world of sin working against those that we love.