Let’s focus on JOY, the second fruit of the spirit listed in Galatians 5:22-23. You may have heard it said that “happiness” is dependent upon circumstances, but joy is “an inside job.” It is an inner delight, no matter one’s circumstances. How easy it is for us Christians to be emotionally dragged down by the preponderance of wickedness, tragedy, and …
LOVE is GIVING
Given the state of our world, it is vital for each of us Bible believers to step back and look at what’s going on from a spiritual perspective. First, you are BELOVED by your FATHER, who is the CREATOR. Second, you have the absolute guarantee of the GLORIOUS HOPE that our Lord Jesus Christ is coming back for us to …
God’s Heart For Humanity
The longer I live, the more I appreciate the beauty of the Bible. It remains insightful, refreshing and always peculiar in so many ways. Even after decades of reading and studying I continue to discover nuggets of wisdom that surprise me. In recent years, I have come to especially appreciate the narrative structure of its message. Previously, I was perhaps …
Judging Righteously
Have you ever been accused of being judgmental? Christians today are routinely labeled as narrow-minded, bigoted, hateful, and unloving by the progressive western cultural elites. Some attempt to bolster their position by quoting Jesus as evidence that we are not walking in step with him, saying, “After all, Jesus said “judge not” Right? (Matt. 7:1-7) They misuse this quote as …
The Greatest Gift Of All Time
This month marks the remembrance of the greatest gift ever given to humanity, the gift of the new birth. The day of Pentecost, as recorded in the book of Acts chapter two, succinctly describes the phenomenal events which occurred in Jerusalem nearly two thousand years ago. Events that literally shook the “gates of the grave” and caused Satan to be …
Different or Difference?
It seems our Western culture has become fixated on those who are different. Going against the social norms is applauded, but to what end? Being different is meaningless. But making a difference is everything. In his time on earth, Jesus was undoubtably the most different character of his day. While other religious leaders were preoccupied with selfish ambition or casting …
The Godly and the Ungodly
In Psalm 12:1-2, the Psalmist says, “Help, LORD, for the godly are no more; the faithful have vanished from among men. Everyone lies to his neighbor; their flattering lips speak with deception.” I don’t think I’m alone in noticing that we are living in dark times in America. Each day seems to bring with it new outrages. The Government no …
Everyday Faithfulness
Consider these words from the scroll of Proverbs: Proverbs 20:6“Many claim to have unfailing love, but a faithful person who can find?” Relationships of every type are built on trust. Everyone desires to love and be loved. Some exhaust themselves extolling flattery, gifts, or the like; attempting to demonstrate their loving devotion. But, here, God’s Word makes a simple, direct …
Change Offers Growth
One of the hallmarks of weak leaders is the insistence that the followers give unquestioning loyalty and adherence to them, often at the exclusion of all others. Such leaders usually employ subtle intimidation tactics to create fear in their followers. Governments rule by the threat of force, and religions by the threat of rejection. Both create fear and fear is …
Get Wisdom
“Life is _ (fill in the blank)”. In many ways that is precisely what God invites us to do… “fill in the blank”; and how we choose to perform that feat will, in large part, determine who we become. Certainly, some things affect us which are beyond our control. But most of our lives are directed by our own choices. …