Posts from 2022

God in his eternal kindness has granted us another year of life to serve him and one another. While no one knows for sure what this year will bring we can still be prepared to make the most of it. There will be opportunities for each of us to serve God and to glorify him. We should make up our minds ahead of time that we are going to do everything within our power to grow spiritually and to be…

You’ve seen the spoof, right? On my right shoulder stands the diminutive angel in white, encouraging me to do the right thing. On my left shoulder sits the little red demon with his pitchfork and tail, taunting me to do evil. Choose and receive the consequences, it usually goes. Choosing good means smooth sailing. Choosing evil brings a new companion. His name is Guilt. When one is burdened with guilt, its weight can be debilitating and feel as heavy as…

Have you ever had a spirited disagreement with anyone? Have you been filled with indignation over what you were convinced was their wrong view? If you have lived for any length of time, you have been incensed over the views and philosophies of others. But, you have not carried it as far as the Shammaites did around 66 AD. There were two great teachers in the time right before the incarnation of Christ, Hillel and Shammai. They frequently found themselves…

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! The holiday season is typically a time of joy and excitement in our country. I hope you enjoy the holidays while maximizing your service to God. We should all do our best to capitalize on this time of the year and do everything during the holiday season to the glory of God (1 Cor. 10:31). Here are four ways to glorify God during the holiday season. 1. Give More than You Receive…

Ruth Duccini was the last female “munchkin” from the iconic movie, The Wizard Of Oz, to die. She passed away in January, 2014, at the age of 95. She was four feet, four inches tall, and lived in Santa Monica, California. She was associated with that movie for all of her life and likely was reminded of her celebrity past every day. But do you know what she was most proud of? She always told people it was her role…

This month, our nation sets aside a special day to give thanks to God. While it is great to feel grateful for our many material blessings, the Christian also understands how much more of a debt of gratitude we owe to Him for the spiritual ones (Eph. 1:3). As you sit down to enjoy food, family, and fellowship next week, remember the most important gifts God has given. T ruth and time, the thunderous triumph o’er the tomb H eaven…

Near the end of Acts 18, we are introduced to a skilled and scholarly speaker named Apollos. However, when we first read about him in Acts 18:24-28 he is in need of correction because his knowledge about Jesus is incomplete. A Christian couple, Priscilla and Aquila, help to point him in the right direction. We all have friends and neighbors who are in a similar situation to Apollos. We can adopt some best practices from Priscilla and Aquila that will…

In recent years, the idea of dependency has gained a lot of negative connotation in our society. This is no surprise, since we see so much negative dependency all around us. The general American population has several different types of dependencies. Look at us with our smart phones, mindlessly scrolling and typing away for hours on end. What about our relationship with our TVs? Whether it be streaming movies and shows or catching sporting events, a lot of our culture…

Each of us lead very busy lives: church, church functions, school, work, family lives and the list could go on and on. Do we include God in our daily plans? James 4:13-14 says, “Come now, you who say, Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor…

There are occasions like family reunions, class reunions, church seminars, lectureships, and forums, and the like which allow us to see friends and loved ones sometimes for the first time in years. There is a joy and rejuvenation of spirit which comes along with such being brought together again. The reunion may seem to come at just the time we feel we needed it, to aid us in coping with trouble, temptation, or trials. A kind word or warm greeting…

I hope you always feel like praying, but here are five things to remember in the times when you would rather not pray. The Holy Spirit Helps (Rom. 8:26-27). While I wish I knew more about exactly how this happens I am content to know that it takes place. The Holy Spirit helps us to pray when we struggle with groanings that are too deep for words. We may bow our heads and believe we are on our own talking…

Concerning the relationship between truth and change, Tolstoy wrote, “I know that most men — not only those considered clever, but even those who are very clever and capable of understanding the most difficult scientific, mathematical, or philosophic problems — can seldom discern even the simplest and most obvious truth if it be that such as obliges them to admit the falsity of conclusions they have formed, perhaps with much difficulty — conclusions of which they are proud, which they…