Scripture & Thought Luke 18:9-14 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself…But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy upon me, a […]
I believe greatly that it is within our ability to see each new day that we are blessed enough to have with optimism, hope, joy and gladness. How? It is done by having a proper perspective. It is easy for anyone to murmur and complain about their own hardships when that is all they focus […]
One thing that we should always remember and keep in mind is that our life is not our own. We are on this earth for a set time according to our life’s purpose. So many people today have goals of simply growing older; retiring from their jobs, enjoying their golden years, etc, but that is […]
So many people today are frustrated with where they are in their life. They wish they were on a better path than they currently are and instead of being joy filled, they find themselves discouraged and feeling defeated. What we must each understand about our life is that it does not have to stay in the same defeated […]
When Hannah Whital Smith was visiting a home for the handicapped she saw the children going through exercises. They had strength but no skill to use their strength. Their deficiencies were very apparent as they made all sorts of awkward movements. Now and then, by a happy chance they would make a movement in harmony […]
Scripture & Thought John 15:16 “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit – fruit that will last.” When it comes to amateur and professional sports, almost everyone wants to be “Number One.” Second place is okay in some circles, but few people ever remember who […]
I want to encourage us to keep our heads held high and keep looking to the Master for our every need. He will not disappoint, and will be with us every step of the way! In fact, there are moments in life when we become discouraged because we feel overwhelmed with the trials and challenges […]
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, […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 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 […]
Scripture & Thought Isaiah 49: 15-16 (NIV) “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands.” Evangelist Billy Sunday once said, “What we see as we […]