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  It has been said that a nation’s most valuable resource is their children. Now while some may want to argue that point, it only takes a moment or two to realize that without the raising of a ‘next generation’, that nation will cease to exist. Many countries around the globe today are starting to sit up, alarmed... and are taking notice of declining birthrates while they try to figure out ways and incentives to turn this trend around. Our current administration has floated the idea of paying people to have babies. I'm guessing that many of us have had young children on our minds/hearts this past week, and tragically...for all the wrong reasons. There is something about hearing of the loss of life and suffering when young kids are involved...that just make it hard for us to think straight. And I don’t believe I have what it takes to be a part of what many volunteers are doing now in central Texas...going out to ‘search and recover’. May God extend grace, strength, and comfort to ...
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  In response to the question I left you with yesterday....’No - God did NOT create this beautiful world, which He said was ‘good’ (Gen. 1)..capping it off with ‘creating man in His image and likeness’ (Gen. 1:26-28) ....only to release His fury of wrath and anger, death and destruction on His creation. That wasn’t even on His radar. And prior to sin, (which resulted in the ‘fall of man’)... we read of no sickness and disease or even death that existed on the earth. There’s a reason we refer to the Garden of Eden as ‘paradise’. But living in this place of wonderment where fellowship with God was ongoing and every need was fully met...it came with only one condition. You know the story of the two trees, and what would happen if man ate from that one tree (Gen. 2:17) Then... man ate from that one tree (Gen. 3:6-13) and the world changed forever. (Rom. 5:12) But God. But God was not to be outdone nor did He give up on His creation in whom He loved deeply. He was hoping they woul...
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  I believe the case can be made that we are witnessing today...as many are personally experiencing...a ‘crisis of faith’. How might we even define the phrase ‘faith crisis’ or ‘crisis of faith’? How’s this for starters? - A faith crisis is a period of intense doubt or questioning of one's religious or spiritual beliefs. It involves a struggle between existing beliefs and skepticism, often triggered by conflicting information or challenging life experiences. This can lead to feelings of confusion, disillusionment, and a reevaluation of one's faith and spiritual identity. Now, let’s narrow that down in a more specific way: Many professing believers today...are struggling to ‘believe’. In the gospel of Mark, we read about a distressed father who brought his son to the disciples seeking help. The son was demon possessed and suffered much torment, having seizures, throwing himself into both water and fire; not to mention he was deaf and mute. The disciples were unable to cast the...
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  We are told explicitly in Eph. 2:1-3....what our condition was (or continues to be) prior to being born again and ‘made alive’ in Christ. Paul writes: You. Were. Dead.... He even tells us what/who was operating ‘in’ us, which was the ‘prince of the air’ (Satan 1 John 5:19; Acts 26:18; 2 Tim. 2:26). And the vehicle, or platform which gave place to this spirit to operate...was our ‘flesh nature’. Take your time with those three verses in Eph. 2 and you will see this plainly...what I share with you here is nothing but the truth from God’s word (Acts 17:11) There is good reason as to why the Spirit of God begins to lead us to ‘put to death the deeds of the flesh’ (Rom. 8:13; Col. 3:5-8). And those who truly are ‘children of God’ and ‘belong to Christ’...have done just that (Rom. 8:14; Gal. 5:24). And let’s not forget what Paul also brings out there in Romans...that if we continue...to live according to the flesh...we will die (8:13). That has always been the penalty for sin, whic...
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  I don’t know who needs to hear this, but God has never been overly impressed, or ‘wowed’ by big crowds, nor does the ‘majority opinion’ ever figure in to His plans, let alone His word. And on those few occasions when He did yield to the whims of the majority, it came with a price (Ps. 106:13-15) I mean think about it, Noah and his family of 7 were the only ones who survived the flood by entering the ark that God had him construct. I have no idea how many people were on the earth at that time, but God said it had gotten pretty bad then so as to justify the severe action He took (Gen. 6) Then there was Lot and his family, living in Sodom. Abraham had interceded for that city before God unleashed His judgment on that region. I have no idea how many people lived in that area before the ‘fire fell’, but God told Abraham that if just ten righteous people could be found amongst the population, that He would relent from destroying the city. There weren’t even ten to be found...and the...
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  “Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.” (John 8:34-36) In case you didn’t catch that the first time you read it, let me repeat it again: “Whoever commits sin is a slave to sin...” - Jesus Jesus said that, and in the most ‘assured’ way. (I mean the letters are in ‘red’ in my Bible!) And He didn’t just leave it at that, either. Did you notice how He goes on to say that a ‘slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever’? Oh, but you’ve been taught that we are all sinners saved by grace and we will always continue to sin. May I encourage you to read the first four paragraphs here once more, please? Oh, but you were told that as ‘Christians’...we are ‘saints who sin’? May I encourage you to read the first four paragraphs here once more, please? Oh, but you’ve been told tha...
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  Just when you thought it could not possibly get any darker...it does. Isaiah described it as a deep, or thick darkness that covered the earth (Isa. 60:1-2). And he wasn’t talking about those who live in Gnome, Alaska during the winter months either. We’re talking of course...about a spiritual darkness that covers the earth today. And what did Jesus say about those who walk in darkness? - “They don’t know where they are going.” (John 12:35) This is the same darkness that Matthew reminds us... is what people were sitting in, just prior to the arrival of Jesus... quoting the prophet of old...”The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light...” (Matt. 4:16) That was and continues to be the place we were all in prior to coming to Jesus (Acts 26:18) Jesus would later announce to the world that He Himself was indeed...the ‘light of the world’ (John 8:12) and warned those who followed Him that the only way one can keep the darkness from overtaking them...was to ‘walk in the light...
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