Scripture & Thought Isaiah 7:14 “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.” The birth of a child is not a time for asking questions – unless there are concerns about issues that are unknown […]
We are almost at Christmas! Just a few days away. I heard that old song again today; “Away In A Manger” by John Thomas McFarland. I especially like that last verse that says, “Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask Thee to stay close by me forever, and love me, I pray; bless all the […]
Scripture & Thought Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” Last month the Discovery Channel broadcasted live the historic two-phase, tightrope walk of Nik Wallenda between two skyscrapers in downtown Chicago, […]
Well, it’s that time again. I know many of you have wondered where my blogs have been. I have been recovering from my second total knee replacement (left side, this time) surgery. I feel like it is important for me to focus on my recovery and rehab so that I can be fully recovered and […]
Scripture & Thought Ephesians 4:32 “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” “To err is human, to forgive, divine,” said Alexander Pope, a British poet. Most of us can identify with the humanity of the fellow who knelt to pray and said, “I’ve done […]
There isn’t a person alive on this earth who doesn’t have some sort of problem. Whether you are rich and famous or poor and struggling, you have a “thorn” in your side that you wish was not there. What we must realize and understand about problems is that in many cases they serve a purpose […]
Scripture & Thought Proverbs 24:16 (NIV) “For though a righteous man falls seven times, he rises again…” Last Sunday, I referenced a sermon by Tony Campolo, “It’s Friday, But Sunday’s Comin’!” We all have “Fridays” that we would like to forget, but not the Friday before Easter! And it doesn’t need to stop there. Why? […]
Knowing that God is omniscient, omnipotent and omnipresent, which means He knows all things, at all times in all places, I can rest in the knowledge that He is in control of my life and everything else that may come my way. I have confidence that God has my best interests in mind at all […]
It’s Holy Week! A time of reflection and remembering what our Savior went through and endured to gain our salvation. Humanity wasn’t able to reach God’s standard of righteousness because of our sinful nature, but God found a way for us. The Lord Jesus was that sacrifice that mankind needed because He was Holy and […]
Scripture & Thought Deuteronomy 14:2 “The Lord has chosen you to be his treasured possession.” This week I read in the four Gospels of the suffering of Christ surrounding Jesus’ crucifixion and wrote down the many ways He suffered shame. The soldiers bound Him and led him away. Some spit at Him, blindfolded Him and […]
Spring has definitely sprung! There are wonderful, beautiful signs of it everywhere. Have you noticed? It’s also a great reminder to us that God is in the business of renewing and refreshing His children! The great thing about life is that it continually offers us a second chance. Just because we falter and fail at […]
Scripture & Thought Jeremiah 33:3 (The Message) “This is God’s message, the God who made earth, made it livable and lasting; known everywhere as God: ‘Call to me and I will answer you. I’ll tell you marvelous and wonderful things that you could never figure out on your own.’” You’ve heard the saying, I’m […]
This morning when I awoke, I suddenly had my Dad on my mind. Most of you remember that my Dad went to be with the Lord this past October 28 in Columbia, SC. Today would have been my Dad’s 80th birthday. It dawned on me that this is why my Dad was on my mind, […]
Scripture & Thought Philippians 4:12 (NLT) “I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. Years ago there used to be advertisements of a major Dairy company that announced […]
Scripture & Thought Thought to Ponder. . . In a sermon by Robert Kopp, I came across this affirmation. In 1980, a young pastor in Rwanda was forced by his tribe to either renounce Christ or face martyrdom. He refused to renounce Christ, and he was executed. The night before, he had written a testimony […]
In this day that we are living with all of the technological breakthroughs, with all the ease of daily living and with the great bounty that we possess, people are depressed all around us and they feel like giving up now more than ever before. They don’t see life as something that is to be […]
I trust that as we move through this Lenten season, that you are taking advantage of opportunities to draw closer to God through personal prayer, study and meditation. Practicing spiritual disciplines can also be useful tools in drawing us closer to God and His Spirit as well. I encourage all of us to be proactive […]
Scripture & Thought Romans 8:9-11 (NLT) “Since Christ lives within you, even though your body will die because of sin, your spirit is alive because you have been made right with God. The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as he raised Christ from the dead, […]
One thing that we should always remember and keep in mind is that we are each special and unique with gifts, talents and abilities that no one else possesses. The Lord has created each of us differently because we each have a different purpose that we are meant to fulfill and bring to pass, but […]
Scripture & Thought Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT) “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. If you do this; you will experience God’s peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and […]