Prisoners of Hope
January 19, 2025 When we think of the word prisoner, we think of incarceration or bound with chains. The apostle Paul referred to himself as a “prisoner of Christ” as he was imprisoned in Rome for the cause of Christ.…
Considering The Past
January 12, 2025 For some reason there is a growing disinterest in history which is sad for several reasons. The greatest reason for the sadness is that people who don’t care to know about the past are more likely to…
The Wisdom in Managing Your Time
January 5, 2025 Picture the life of a person who does not have a plan for managing their time. They are constantly responding to the tyranny of the urgent, so much so that at the end of the day they…
A Time to Sit Still
December 29, 2024 We never really cherish the thought of being told to sit still, but that is what we often need. Our minds are busy and most of us like to be engaged in doing something, especially when it…
Star of Bethlehem
December 22, 2024 One of the all-time bluegrass favorites for Christmas is “Beautiful Star of Bethlehem” written by R. Fisher Boyce. The reference is to the star that guided the wise men from the east to Jerusalem and then from…
Developing A Short Memory
December 15, 2024 Successful professional athletes develop a short memory for mistakes. Regardless of the technique they use, it is imperative they learn to let mistakes go and move on; otherwise, they will dwell on mistakes which take away their…
Minimum Daily Requirements
December 8, 2024 We read of minimum daily requirements on food containers as the manufacturer is required to list how this particular food fulfils a given percentage of what the government has determined to be a minimum daily requirement. To…
Who Is in Charge Here?
December 1, 2024 This is a question asked often when there is a problem, and you want to voice a complaint. You’ll find that there are many people who feel like they are in charge but they really aren’t so…
What Shall We Give to God?
November 24, 2024 There’s a great question posed in the 116th Psalm as the writer considers all the benefits he has received from God. Psalm 116:12–13 (ESV) — 12 What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits…
Motivation from Joy
November 17, 2024 What motivates you on a daily basis? Most often people look for something from the present to motivate them. Perhaps it’s the importance to provide for the needs of your family that motivates you to get up…
Don’t Let It Slip
November 10, 2024 What an embarrassing moment! I was recognizing some people and I forgot one person’s name and as much as I tried to sort through possibilities, I could not remember the name, so I had to admit defeat…
When You Are About to Faint
November 3, 2024 What do you do when you become weary and feel you are about to faint or give up? Ask that question to people and you will get a variety of answers, but what does the Bible say?…
A Very Present Help
October 27, 2024 Have you ever felt alone and even that God had abandoned you or at least was not paying attention to your cries? It’s important when you get in that state to have something to remind you of…
Help My Unbelief
October 20, 2024 There’s a great lesson with a promise in Hebrews 11, in which we find the example of faith in the life of Enoch which is followed by a promise and a challenge about faith. Hebrews 11:5–6 (ESV)…
How Then Shall We Vote?
October 13, 2024 Amid being bombarded with ads and opinions telling us where to place our allegiance, this is about some scriptural principles in exercising the privilege and responsibility in voting. 1 Corinthians 4:7 (ESV) — 7 For who sees…
The Test of Expedience
October 6, 2024 Since there’s a default mode to which we all seem to resort – the mode of “works righteousness” where we try to make ourselves acceptable to God – the matter of Christian liberty comes up several times…
Asking and Receiving
September 29, 2024 Prayer is a blessing as is, of course, receiving. We must recognize the fact that God does not need our prayers, but we need to pray. He doesn’t need information, but we need a place to cast…
Freedom In Submission
September 22, 2024 From the beginning, God’s creation enjoyed the greatest freedom in being and fulfilling God’s purpose. Sin entered the world as Adam and Eve decided that submitting to God’s will was less than fulfilling, thus rebelling against God…
Change Your Morning, Change Your Life
September 15, 2024 Think about your morning routine. The way you begin your day has a great impact on what you will accomplish that day as well as the ongoing attitude you will have throughout the day. Hence, there is…
Payday Is Coming
September 8, 2024 There is a growing desire to see God’s judgment as we see a growing amount of chaos and atrocities around the world. We can get discouraged if we don’t keep a close eye on God’s word to…
Finding Enjoyment on the Job
September 1, 2024 From the beginning of man’s existence, work was a source of fulfillment and joy. Think about Adam being placed in the Garden of Eden to work the garden and keep it. It was that very garden that…
The Trap of Fear
August 25, 2024 Have you ever noticed how enticing fear can be? Just watch the “teaser” they give in the midst of the news report before they go to a break. You will be given a snippet of a story…
The Conundrum of Clutter
August 18, 2024 It’s rare to find a person who does not have any clutter, the truth of the matter is we are a society that is given to much clutter. Consider how few garages are used to park cars…
Encouragement for the Encourager
August 11, 2024 Do you consider yourself to be an encourager? There are many promises in the Word of God for those who take the time to encourage others. Proverbs 11:25 (ESV) — 25 Whoever brings blessing will be enriched,…
Weeping May Endure for a Night
August 4, 2024 You have no doubt noticed that whenever you experience pain or sickness, it most often seems worse at night. You are not alone. Job expressed the same consideration: Job 30:17 (ESV) — 17 The night racks my…
The Truth About Indecisiveness
July 28, 2024 Decisions are made every day. In fact, most of us make hundreds of decisions each day, but what about the decisions we are putting off or make the decision to not make a decision? That is called…
The Grace of Being Content
July 21, 2024 What comes to your mind when you hear the word, “contentment?” Most often people think of a warm fuzzy feeling like you would picture a contented cow chewing the cud. Is that kind of contentment possible in…
Who Is Jesus?
July 14, 2024 Ask a hundred people today who Jesus is, and you’ll probably get a hundred different answers. It was a similar scene to the one described in the Bible when Jesus asked His disciples who people thought He…
Say It Now
July 7, 2024 There is nothing like the regret of wanting to say something to someone, putting it off, then only to learn of their death and realize you have blown it. It happens all the time. Most funeral weeping…
I Am Praying for You
June 30, 2024 What could be better than to have someone say to you, “I am praying for you.” It’s a great way to open a spiritual conversation that can lead to a Gospel presentation, or a word of encouragement…
The Danger of Isolation
June 23, 2024 God has established man to be in relationship with God first, his/her mate second, then in family and in the covenant family. God has stated the reason: “It’s not good to be alone.” Genesis 2:18 (ESV) —…
The Value of Early Rising
June 16, 2024 How would you like to get more things done each day? This is not a sales pitch for the latest course in time management, but there is one time of the day when you can be most…
The Emergency Action Plan
June 9, 2024 We live in a time that is much like Jesus predicted would be the scene prior to the destruction of Jerusalem in which there would be wars and rumors of wars. Many people are in a state…
The Wonder of God’s Love
June 2, 2024 The love of God is not easily understood. In fact, we are told that we need divine revelation to comprehend anything about God’s love. To get just a little grasp of this enormous aspect of God literally…
A God Formed Self-Image
May 26, 2024 How do you see yourself? How you see the most important person in your life sees you is a good indication of your self-image. Think of growing up and how your self-image was formed by how your…
I Can’t Come Down
May 19, 2024 I have a friend who is quite knowledgeable and talented who, if he answered every request for help, would not only be over stressed but quite unsuccessful due to over-commitment. As he talked to me about his…
Embracing Discomfort
May 12, 2024 We live in a very comfortable time when we seem to hold onto comfort above anything else. Consequently, when the Bible speaks of times of discomfort in the form of affliction, suffering, discipline, pruning, self-denial, or tribulation…
The Pleasure of The Lord
May 5, 2024 If you love someone, you’ll want to know what pleases them. It’s an appropriate thing to ask couples to see if they really know the other person. In what do they take pleasure? Peter gives that advice…
Great Expectation
April 28, 2024 God has given us every reason to expect great things from Him. Jeremiah 33:1–3 (KJV) — 1 Moreover the word of the Lord came unto Jeremiah the second time, while he was yet shut up in the…
Come Out from Hiding
April 21, 2024 Have you ever been guilty of trying to hide something in your life? Maybe you have convinced yourself that you’ve even been successful in hiding it from God. Wrong! The Bible is clear that the revealing of…
A Gospel Centered Life
April 14, 2024 A Gospel centered life is a Christ centered life because the Lord Jesus Christ and His accomplishment is the focus of the Gospel. Therefore, a Gospel centered life is one in which the person involved is focused…
The Power of Dependency
April 7, 2024 We love being independent. Just ask a person if you can help them and their quick response will be “no thank you.” That is nothing new. It’s exactly what Adam and Eve proclaimed in the Garden of…
Up From the Grave He Arose
March 31, 2024 There’s a song by the same title written by Robert Lowry that is sung at the time of the year when the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ is front and center. The first verse and chorus…
God Is Watching
March 24, 2024 Knowing that God is omniscient (all knowing), may go over our heads until we stop and think about it as it concerns us and our activities. We cannot hide from God! And that means we cannot hide…
Kicking The Can
March 17, 2024 There’s an expression for procrastinating called, “kicking the can.” Just picture a person walking down the street and seeing a can, of which the content is of great worth. Rather than picking up the can and gleaning…
Why Are You So Angry?
March 10, 2024 It’s well documented that people are angry today. But why are people so angry? Some say it’s because of television news that plays on the viewer’s emotions, often stirring up anger about a situation so the viewer…
Breaking Away from the “Used To” Camp
March 3, 2024 I met with a health care professional about an ailment I was experiencing and was quickly disgusted by her attitude of trying to prove her worth to me by telling me all the things she “used to”…
The Intercessor
February 25, 2024 It’s a terrible feeling to be all alone, to feel like there is nobody going to bat for you or to stand in the gap for you. It’s a lonely feeling when you know you need someone…
Your Work Matters to God
February 18, 2024 Next time you feel your work doesn’t matter or you are stuck doing what seems to be a meaningless task, remember this: you were designed to work. Genesis 1:26–27 (ESV) — 26 Then God said, “Let us…
Discontentment Versus Contentment
February 11, 2024 Like most spiritual applications to life, we almost always need to think in terms of the opposite of how things are naturally. If we want to mature, we need to be more and more dependent upon God.…