As we celebrate Resurrection Day, I thought it important to process the price that Jesus paid to purchase a personal relationship with God for us. A review of the Levitical law indicates that sacrifice was required to compensate for man’s sin nature. As sin separates us from a holy and righteous God (Isaiah 59:2), the blood of an animal sacrifice offered a tangible visual for the cost required to reconcile man to God. More importantly, the Levitical system established man’s need for a Savior. In response, God sent His Son, Jesus Christ to fulfill the Law that we might be reconciled to Him (Matthew 5:17).
Read MoreHave you considered that we are living in a captivated culture? Uninvited ubiquitous feelings of bewilderment, worry, hopelessness, anxiety, anger, apathy, selfishness, grief, depression, insolence, and disappointment act as voracious viruses that consume the consciences of countless minds. Without question a major catalyst to our compromised consciences is the reporting of the current global pandemic which has been identified as the invisible enemy COVID-19 virus, also known as Coronavirus. Major metropolitan streets that once teemed with masses of humanity have vanquished. Immense multimillion-dollar industries and colossal corporations have closed or modified their operations. The economy is being eviscerated on many levels. In addition, we see a full and fast-flow fire hydrant of hysteria perpetuated by the media’s coverage of COVID-19. These disquieting dispositions purge our peace and cloud our consciousness. Consequently, we are considerably vulnerable to being captured by a culture caught in pervasive poison of fear.
Read MoreMy wife, Gloria, and I make it a point to walk at minimum two and a half miles four days a week. We refer to it as our “Hour of Power” time as we spend this time together in prayer. We have found this time to be a personal blessing as well as beneficial to our connection with our Creator, Jesus Christ, and as a couple.
Question: What do you know to be true about God? This is a significant question due to the turbulent time of troubles that are currently confronting us. You must be closed in a coffin and covered with dirt not to be drenched with the doom and disaster of the daily news. Now, I am not dismissive to the reality that we are gripped by the global coronavirus (renamed COVID-19 by the World Health Organization) pandemic and along with it governmental declarations, Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommendations, and a severe and significant economic implosion. But beloved body of Christ, the media capitalizes on crisis in order to cash in!
Read MoreQuestion: Have you ever wondered why we are often in a hurry to worry or feel woe? Worry is defined as to torment oneself with or suffer from disturbing thoughts; to fret and woe is defined as grievous distress, affliction, or trouble (Dictionary.com). What we worry about or walk into woe is a plethora of personal circumstances and expected and unexpected life events. For example, these could include one’s faith, finances, family, future, faculties, facilities, food, and favor, just to name few. No matter what season you are in your spiritual walk with God there are times that you will forfeit your faith and jettison your joy because of worry and woe.
Read MoreCongruent means to be in agreement or harmony. More simply stated it is a reference to being “on the same page” with someone else. Generally speaking, when there is a titanic task or paramount project that requires more than one individual to bring the task to completion congruence is central for completion. As we transition from a working or professional setting to a personal setting such as marriage and family, we can substantiate that congruence is essential for a successful marriage and family.
Read MoreDeeply loved by God: Do you recall what our precious Lord reinforced with respect to our resolution to a relationship with him?
“Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.” 1 John 3:13 (KJV)
“Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.” Matthew 5:11-12 (KJV)
Do you remember when our public schools were resolute in teaching our children what we referred to as the 3 R’s? Basically the three R’s are a reference to the bedrock of a basic, skills-oriented education program focusing on reading, writing and arithmetic. I respectfully submit to you that our schools have been seduced to supplant the 3 R’s with secular social constructs like: promotion of promiscuous sexual orientations, transgenderism, racial politics, anti-capitalist ideology, self-entitlement, indifference and intolerance of a biblical worldview as opposed to the ABC’S of learning. For our edification this week, I would like you to give consideration to the third R arithmetic aka math. As an elementary student, I remember my mathematical progression from adding and subtraction to the multiplication table.
Read MoreAfter over thirty-eight years of ministry, I have discovered that a good, godly grasp of the gift of God’s glorious grace is profoundly deficient among the people of God. Grace is too often understood to leave those unaddressed who are adamant in applying self-autonomy that undermines spiritual growth and surrender to the Savior and Lord Jesus Christ. In addition, grace is erroneously implemented to launch a life of lawlessness in the name of liberty. So, let’s examine the scriptures in order to contrast godly grace with grace that is sourced in the soul of carnality.
Read MoreHas anyone ever challenged you that you are too “judgy”? Sometime ago my wife and I were in a conversation with another couple who, like us, also has adult children. The gist of our conversation was germane to resistance of accountability, specifically to accountability regarding Christian conduct. Whenever we, as parents, called attention to questionable conduct that was incongruent with the call of compliance to Christ, the retort has been consistently “Don’t be so judgy!”
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