Sheep Food

  What is it about the topic of ‘God’s Wrath” that goes over like a lead balloon in so many circles of conversation with folks?   If you were to attend a church conference and have multiple break-away mini-sessions, which class will draw more attendees…the one that offers a title of ‘Understanding the wrath of God” or…”How to find God’s blessings as you pursue your purposes in His kingdom”?   Can we admit that there are various subjects found in the bible that make us ‘feel uncomfortable.’ And probably for an assortment of reasons.   Take ‘speaking in tongues’ for example. That phrase itself sends up all kinds of red flags in some people. Maybe it’s because it is unfamiliar to your particular denomination or perhaps you were taught to run from such folks who ‘do that’ or even teach it?   So what do you do when you read in 1 Cor. 14 where Paul wrote: I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all.” (18). Or how about when he said: “...

  Most of us know him as the ‘rich, young ruler’ as the sub title usually reads in bold print over the three telling’s of his encounter with Jesus in gospels. We are told little about him other than what we read there. Now I know some of you are wired in such a way where you want to dive off into books and research what all that might have involved, being a ‘rich, young ruler’ back in those days and in that geographical region. I won’t fault you for that. No doubt, interesting things can be learned.   But I will say that sometimes...we can be diverted or sidetracked onto other paths of pursuing knowledge, yet while ‘always learning, we never come to the knowledge of the truth’. (2 Tim. 3:7) And you may not want to admit it, but pride can play in to that pursuit as well. “Knowledge causes people to become puffed up” – (1 Cor. 8:1)   So here is what we do know about him: He was young. He was some kind of leader or ruler in that he clearly must have had some sp...

  We don’t have to be afraid of the word; we really don’t. You know....people who love Jesus, will come to the light. Even if they’ve been mistaken on some things pertaining to the word, they still come towards the light.   When you find yourself feeling nervous or apprehensive to simply come and examine scripture, then it might be good to pause and ask yourself why that is. Jesus told us that “he who practices the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen. But everyone who practices evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.” (John 3:21,20). What is hiding inside of us?   Just what IF...you had been mis-taught some things or learned doctrine that was not truly sound; - what might hinder you from coming to grips with that....pride maybe? Maybe there are some things in our hearts that we are not really wanting to ‘come to light’? It really is much easier to just retreat to our own standby belief...

  God has this way of repeating Himself throughout scripture. And it is not because He stutters or is forgetful. He is constantly wanting to make a point and drive certain truths deep in to our hearts and minds.   Take for example how this idea of His ‘Law’ is always coming up in both OT and NT. When we think of or hear mention of ‘the law’, our default setting is to immediately assume that was ‘done away with’ or that ‘we no longer have to deal with or be concerned with the law’.   Oh, we are fine with the ten commandments and like the idea of them being displayed in public. Some wish they were taught in public schools. But when it comes to our ‘salvation’ or being ‘made righteous’, all that is separate and apart from any law. We’ve been taught that throughout most of our Christian upbringing.   And let’s face it...when we hear mention of the ‘law’, our other default setting is to immediately think of this conglomeration of rules and ordinances an...

  “One who is too spiritually or heavenly minded is of no earthly good!”   I remember hearing this early on in my Christian walk of faith and it was like a speed bump of sorts that I guess was intended to ‘settle me down’ a bit. I’m telling you....I was On-FIRE for a 20-year-old who God in those first two years of my ’new life’ had brought so many transformative changes. God had and was making Himself real to me in so many ways. I was ready at one point to board a plane and move to the jungles of Africa if that was what He had in store for me.   I also remember trying to find that verse in the bible...the one about being ‘too spiritually minded’. I never could find it. You know why?   It’s not in there.   Funny how we hear a lot of those subtle gems that get planted along the way in our psyche thinking they are God’s words. They can be repeated over and over so often they become a part of us. You know....like the one about ‘God helps th...

  When God called me out of my ‘tomb of darkness’ back in early March of 2020, it was the week leading up to our country shutting down in grand fashion when the virus made its appearance. My calendar which was full of jobs over the next three months was wiped clean. Like many of you, I had a lot of free time on my hands here at home. And while many were ‘binging on Netflix’, God’s Spirit of grace and mercy had driven me back in to His word in ways like I had never known. I was literally binging on His word for hours upon hours a day and being cleansed like nobody’s business. Interesting, how we read that we are ‘cleansed by the washing of the water of the word’. (Eph. 5:26)   (Hmmm...there’s a post waiting to be written in itself...do your daily baths resemble a soaking and scouring...or more like a quick baby-wipe across the face so you can get about your day?)   Spending that kind of time in the word was no doubt a divine appointment arranged and inspired...

  I have a question for you. Whenever you get behind the wheel of a car to drive some place, be it to work or across town to visit friends/family or even taking a cross-country road trip where you are driving for hours upon hours at a time...Do you find it to be an inconvenient and burdensome task to have to keep your eyes on the road and your vehicle in its proper lane?   No...Really! Think about that for a moment.   Have you ever loaded up for a road trip and as you got in to the car to begin that 10-12 hour drive...thought to yourself...”Oh Gosh!...I have to keep my eyes on the road now for hours. I won’t be able to read a book or watch a movie or even take a nap! What a burden!!!”   Then, as you moved out in to open country on the interstate, did you find yourself sitting stiffly upright with both hands clenched fiercely on the steering wheel with your eyes wide open, almost in a frantic and fearful expression locked straight ahead...and the first...