While many people ask why God does not show them His will for their lives I have come to a simple conclusion. He does not need to. He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk … Continue reading –>
My father was a sculptor. His medium of choice was wood. He was also one of the most patient men in the world. Anybody who asked for a lesson would immediately find themselves situated behind a fresh piece of wood, holding a chisel. The very first thing my father would tell everyone is, “Always cut … Continue reading –>
Have you seen it? The head-bob and the eye-roll? You, the adult, have just said something that your teen has deemed – uh, less than intelligent or, at least, not pertinent to his or her current life situation. I hate to admit, though, that I have also performed that little operation as well. Usually just … Continue reading –>
Test your knowledge. Put your hand over the screen and guess the three most common mental disorders in the US. They are, in order, with lifetime prevalence rates: Anxiety disorders (about 18%), mood disorders (about 10%), and ADHD (about 5%). It might come as a surprise that anxiety rates higher than depression. Actually, anxiety diagnoses … Continue reading –>
“Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” Hebrews 10:25 Over the years, I have heard many people tell me they don’t need a church. They can just study the Bible for themselves. They don’t … Continue reading –>
How many legs does a spider have? Eight? Do you really know? I mean have you counted them? In 300 B.C. Aristotle said that spiders had six legs and was classified as an insect. All the world believed him, until finally in the 1400s somebody actually counted and saw they had not six, but eight … Continue reading –>
“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,” James 1:2 Have you ever considered how completely foreign that philosophy is to pretty much every other way of thinking on the planet these days? Most folks spend considerable time and money to avoid any kind of trial. Our lives (in the United … Continue reading –>
Facebook now lets you label all your friends and place them in categories. I can label them, family, close friends, just friends and even acquaintances, if I don’t think they quite measure up to friend. You have more control and power over your Facebook world than you do the real world. On Facebook you can … Continue reading –>
“He also said, ‘This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel … Continue reading –>
I remember a tense chat I had with my youngest daughter, who at about five years old became angry over some comment I made during dinner. She stalked off, planting herself on the couch with an ugly scowl. I walked over and began to speak to her softly, apologizing for the offense I’d caused, but … Continue reading –>
“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15 True confession time – I don’t know how to study. I know how to look stuff up and to read things … but I just don’t get the whole concept of … Continue reading –>
“So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.” 2 Thessalonians 2:15, NIV I once had a 1963 Chevrolet Nova Super Sport convertible that I enjoyed restoring. It was a rare automobile that represented a meaningful tie to … Continue reading –>
“Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.” 1 Peter 4:12. NIV In the early 15th century, over a hundred years before Martin Luther opposed the Vatican, a Catholic priest named Jan Hus opposed abuses by the church … Continue reading –>
“…hold on to what is good,” 1 Thessalonians 5:21, NIV While walking through Riverfront Park recently in downtown Spokane, I was approached by a young man and offered a one million dollar bill. Knowing that the United States does not issue one million dollar bills, I refused. I then discovered it was part of a … Continue reading –>
I have a set of dishes that I brought back from Germany with me that I only use on very special occasions. The dishes were pretty expensive and, I think, beautiful, but I use them maybe three times a year. Most of the time they sit in a cabinet and collect dust. When I do … Continue reading –>