Sheep Food

  “Go...and miss the mark no more!” Say what? “You heard Me- I said ‘Go, and miss the mark no more or something worse may come upon you!” Um, ...excuse me but I’m not sure I’m tracking here. Sin. We’re talking about ‘sin’. Lots of people like to wrap that definition around the word ‘sin’ when they break it down in the Greek language. I’ve heard that for years, how sin is defined using an ‘archery term’ where you miss the bullseye. Nobody hits the bullseye every time they shoot an arrow from their bow. Or take down the wild game when they are hunting. The problem with buying into that literal translation, (which I am not denying has legitimacy) is it leaves the door wide open to basically...’keep missing the mark’ without really explaining what the mark is...or why we keep missing it. It’s pretty vague, to be honest. I’m not an archer, but I have played a few rounds of golf over the years. Have you ever heard of a ‘Par 3 Course’? It’s a much shorter golf course where every h...

  So what would you do? What would you do if on the day of closing where you go to the title company to sign all the final documents on your brand new home that is now complete, you are informed of some ‘news’ you were not aware of. This was to be your ‘Forever Dream Home’ that you have longed to build and move into; and there in the office where all the paper work is laid out, you see your contractor getting ready to leave, and he winks at you. He then pulls you aside and lets you know that he saved you a ‘boatload of money’ on the construction of your new home. Curious to know just how he did this, he then informs you that he used absolutely no rebar in the concrete slab. Hopefully that needs no explanation of the implications of this now known piece of ‘news’ that has been brought to light. But just in case you might not be aware, this is no small matter. Foundation issues are critical; especially when it ties in to our faith and Christian walk. Why is that? Well, you only ...

  I want to pick up where I left off from the last two days regarding the topic of ‘staying in your lane’ as you abide in Jesus...and yes, believe it or not....you can actually go...and no longer practice sin; as in truly be ‘free of sin’. (1 John 3:6; John 8:36: Rom. 6:18,22) And I want to explain why it is so important that you ‘come to the knowledge of the truth and repent (for believing a lie) so that you may come to your senses and escape the snare of the devil having been taken captive by him to do his will.” (2 Tim. 2:26; Acts 26:18). If I’m starting to sound a bit more ‘bold’ (if nor repetitive) in driving home this point, it is not accidental. I am feeling more compelled and empowered to declare to you the whole counsel of God and the sooner people begin to see the truth of God’s word, and the power it holds, the sooner people will be set free, and be free indeed. (John 8:34-36) As always, you are free to believe what you choose to believe. But when you reject the truth...

  Just because you hear something that is ‘new’ to you, for the first time perhaps, does not mean it can’t be ‘truth’. Nor does the fact that just because what you are hearing is not ‘mainstream’ negate the idea that it could be true either. And watch out for pride slipping in and telling you that there is no way that you, of all people, could ever be ‘deceived’. (You may need a moment with that to let sink in as you read it again, a time or two maybe?)  If you have any degree of faith in and love for…Jesus, surely you are not opposed to at least examining scripture from His word. The more I study, see, and share here with you from God’s word, the more I come to realize and accept that I cannot get or make anyone to ‘see’ anything when it comes to revealing truth. And I’m fine with that. That’s His job. All I can do is share what I learn and then implore you to do what the Bereans did there in Acts 17:11- 'they searched the scriptures daily to see if these things were tru...

  It was a lesson we were taught early on in life, that one about ‘coloring within the lines’. Kindergarten, wasn’t it? Teach them when they are young while they are still impressionable. It’s funny some of those early memories that stay with us. I remember my second grade class when we lived in El Paso, TX where my dad was stationed at Ft. Bliss. Mrs. Hass was my teacher, an older woman as I remember her. We were given a drawing outline of a pilgrim and were told to color it in with our crayons. After we were done with that task, we were then going to cut it out and they would be displayed on the board given Thanksgiving was approaching. I remember not being a fan of having to change up the direction on my waxed crayon marker when it got close to the edges. It just did not have that consistent, uniformed look to it so I had an idea. Just don’t change directions…keep on coloring in the same flow of direction and to heck with the lines; I was going to cut it out any way. Wh...

  What? Could it be? Please...Say it isn’t so! I’m hearing the rumblings of ‘baaas’ amongst the aggravated sheep who refuse to wear masks if we are asked or required to do so again. A flurry of posts and comments have begun to surface in my social media feed. Swords are being drawn as well as ‘lines in the sand’, and voices of dissent are rising up. Defiance is in the air. Could civil war be looming? “WE WILL NOT BE CONTROLLED!” is the rallying cry. Too soon? And we are not even talking about the ‘Mark of the Beast’ finally becoming a reality either. It is the discussion of masks once again, as an uptick in Covid cases are manifesting; and it is reported that already a school in south Texas recently shut down due to a high number cases. Let me assure you now that this post today has nothing to do with the wearing of masks (or not wearing them) or whether they are even effective or not. But I do feel compelled to talk about this issue of ‘control’, which is a word I hear use...

  To hear Jesus explain it, you would at times begin to question if anyone could be ‘saved’. I mean really, even those who followed Him began to ask that exact question: “Who then can be saved Lord?” (Luke 13:23; 18:26; Matt. 19:25). And as I have maintained all along during my writings here, I’m not here to argue or debate the topic of who is saved, or not, how does one ‘get saved’ and can we end up ‘unsaved’. My focus is centered more on the importance and call for professing ‘believers’ to abide in Christ. Abiding in Him is everything and it goes without saying that there is no better place for anyone to be other than abiding in Him. To do so, one can rest assure that they ‘were saved, are being saved and will be saved’ provided they continue to abide in Jesus. And whenever that ‘rapture’ occurs, you cannot help but conclude that those who are abiding in Him are in a good, safe place. And yet...to hear Jesus talk about His kingdom and the need to be ‘born again’ and ‘take up ...

  I’m sure you have experienced something similar to this in your own church setting at one time or another: The preacher/pastor is sharing a personal story about something that they had experienced, even recently perhaps, where they ‘showed out in the flesh’. They will readily admit, with a sheepish smile, it was not one of their finer moments, especially as a Christian, let alone being a preacher. And how did you and the rest of the congregation respond to that story? I’m pretty sure a hearty laugh was heard throughout the auditorium. I would also bet the laughter was more of a 'release of relief’ as well. Why do I say that? Because we all easily identify with the man who is supposed to be ‘showing us the way’ in how we are to live as believers and followers of Jesus. We are all painfully aware of our own shortcomings and how often we ‘fail the Lord’ when we too, ‘show out in the flesh’. So when we hear the ‘preacher’ does the same thing, even regularly by his own admiss...

  Are you looking for a boat to board or waiting on a bus to pick you up? I use the word ‘boat’ given that is what Noah built back in his day to protect (save) him and his family from the impending flood of destruction that was coming. God had given Noah plenty of advance notice (warning) and being “moved with godly fear he prepared an ark for the saving of his household’. (Heb. 11:7). Jesus points to Noah’s day as being similar to what times would be like when He returns to the earth. He describes how people seemed to be clueless and were not even aware of what was happening until it was too late, and the floods came and ‘took them away’ and they were ‘destroyed’. (Matt. 24:39; Luke 17:27). God suggests that His people can be a bit ‘dull’ and don’t even recognize His judgments. (Jer. 8:7;5:4; Isa. 42:25) And it’s not like the people weren't told of what was coming. It’s safe to assume they were ‘warned’, given that Noah was a ‘preacher of righteousness’. (2 Pet. 2:5). Then the...