“Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.” Most of us learned that song as children. Sweet, innocent, and comforting, but understanding the depth of those words takes some time. Suppose we stop to think about it for a moment and realize that each of us is unique to God. What an incredible thought, indeed. The creator of all cares about us. In other words, we matter to God. WOW! Psalm 144:3 says, “Lord, what is... Read more
Center (Who do you Trust?) Trust: How hard is that? Placing our trust in the Lord: what does that look like? Psalm 118:8 reads, “It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man.” Studies say that this Scripture is the Bible’s center, meaning that the same number of verses exist on either side of this passage. However, I believe there is a much great point to the significance of its placement. If we... Read more
History We see the turmoil in our nation right now. I want us to look back at some meaningful quotes and notes from the past. Understanding history and its real meaning can give us great insight into the reason for current conditions. Greatness In 1831 Alexis de Tocqueville, visited America. He would later state, “I sought her greatness in her harbors, her ample rivers, fertile fields, and boundless forest, but it was not there. I searched for greatness in her... Read more
ACTS 26:11 “And I punished them oft in every synagogue and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange cities.” The Issue of Mad Mad: it seems to be a constant state for many. I speak not about the mental illness part of the definition but rather the enraged, irritated, angry part. Look around, and you will see somebody mad about something. It may be traffic, a life issue like finances, medical... Read more
Proverbs 15:13 “A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.” What do they see? What is my Countenance? Expressions, visuals, and what others can see; we are mindful of such things all the time. However, we would rarely, if ever, use the word countenance to describe them. Indeed this word means “a person’s face or facial expression.” It is written here in Proverbs “A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance.”... Read more
Bondage Romans 8:15 “For you have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but you have received the Spirit of Adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.” Bondage (I’m Not free) The word bondage means enslavement. The word alone sounds terrible, and indeed, it is. The idea of never being free does not sound like a great moment. I remember, during my time as a Police Officer, it was my duty to place people in handcuffs and leg shackles.... Read more
Life: it is a complex subject. Some argue its origins, and others study how to keep it going for as long as possible. There are many components of life; pages upon pages filled with information and opinion are available. But we, as believers, should give extra attention to one vital part of this passage. Where do we search for strength to complete this journey? How do we find strength for this life? Psalm 27:1 The LORD is My Light... Read more
Proverbs 15:1 A soft answer turns away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger. What has happened? We live in what many see as a disrespectful world. Everybody seems mad about something or always seems prepared with something unkind to say. Many seem to have forgotten how to talk kindly to each other. Yet, in life, we... Read more
James 4:4 “You adulterers and adulteresses know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever, therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.”https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+4%3A4&version=KJV What is an enemy? We hear the word enemy throughout life. It may come in the form of war talk. It may come in the form of feelings toward the class bully. In the church world, we hear that the devil is the enemy. So we... Read more
Familiar The word (Faith) is a familiar one. Indeed, we probably find it used in the church world most often. However, we also hear the word (Faith) used when describing a world religion. In addition, Faith is also a popular name for girls. So, like many things in our world, we see multiple uses for a single word. James 5:15 “And the prayer of Faith shall save the sick; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven... Read more
Keeping it Simple
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