SCRIPTURE: "The righteous perishes, and no man takes it to heart; Merciful men are taken away, While no one considers that the righteous is taken away from evil." Isaiah 57:1, 2a As I write this article, three gifted soldiers for Christ have exited this world; their faith havingbecome sight—young Charlie Kirk, just 31 years of age; stalwart defender and preacher of Christ’s gospel, Pastor John Mac...  Read More

SCRIPTURE: “Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.” Psalm 119:105 Our gracious Father, we thank you so very much for the gift of Your Word to us. We agree as a people that it is the infallible Word, that the entrance of it in us gives us light.  We have known and seen that it does affect us in a positive and in a challenging way. So once again we open it, wanting to be spoken to, n...  Read More

SCRIPTURE: “Trust in Him at all times, you people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us.” Psalm 62:8 Recently, my husband and I celebrated our wedding anniversary. Clearly, I remember being escorted down the church aisle with my father all those years ago. Each year when our anniversary date comes, I so vividly recall memories of my father and mother’s date of passing and their b...  Read More

SCRIPTURE: “You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, Nor of the arrow that flies by day, 6 Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.” Psalm 91:5-6 Is there really a “Devil’s Day” and why have we esteemed this day as such? There could be an argument made to educate about the history of that day, but why study the counterfeit when the rea...  Read More

SCRIPTURE: "Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." John 16:32-33 When very young, kindergarten-young, the world ...  Read More

SCRIPTURES: “that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” Ephesians 2:12-13“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you a...  Read More

SCRIPTURE: “See, the former things have taken place, and new things I declare; beforethey spring into being I announce them to you.” Isaiah 42:9 Transitions are productive in a myriad of ways because they: establish new relationships; offer freedom from past bondage; grant a new or renewed vision for ministry; energize a pursuit for new possibilities; and heighten a revitalized level of excitement...  Read More

SCRIPTURE: “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.” Matthew 10:34   After the September 10th slaying of Christian conservative and patriot Charlie Kirk of Salem News Channel, no one who professes to know Christ Jesus should be harboring any confusion about the insidious nature of this ideological and primarily spiritual war in our nation. It i...  Read More

SCRIPTURE: “Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. 2 Oh, give thanks to the God of gods! For His mercy endures forever. 3 Oh, give thanks to the Lord of lords! For His mercy endures forever:” Psalm 136:1-3 Father, we thank You today for the 39 and ½ years of official pastoring. You have been gracious enabling me and blessing me in various ways, in sustaining me...  Read More

SCRIPTURE: “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.” Colossians 1:15 I believe we send the world into a conundrum when we speak of the whole life and purpose of Jesus, the Christ. In general conversations, everything is fine when we refer to baby Jesus and the Christmas; but when we speak of Jesus, the God-man, First Born, conversations/relationships get sticky, turb...  Read More

SCRIPTURE: "Then Samson called to the Lord and said, 'O Lord, God, please remember me, and please strengthen me just this time, O God, that I may at once be avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.'" Judges 16:28 He squandered the gifting upon him, embarrassed his people, Israel, and the office of judge in the eyes of the enemy. He undermined the hope and the legacy given him, made small the vi...  Read More

SCRIPTURES: “just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love,” Ephesians 1:4 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; ordained you a prophet to the nations.” Jeremiah 1:5“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you ...  Read More

SCRIPTURE: “So, then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.” Revelation 3:16 One day a man stood at the shore. The water just covered his feet; he was ankle deep. Without fear, the man walked further into the water. The crashing waves didn’t rock him. He continued until he was knee deep. There he stood enjoying the water and the scenery without care....  Read More

SCRIPTURE: “Be angry, and do not sin, do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil.” Ephesians 4:26 Anger has the unhealthy potential to plunge its victim into bondage during seasons of change. When the Holy Spirit is after a heart change, submission to God’s will is the challenge. This absolute call for submission can sometimes cultivate an attitude of anger. Why? Because...  Read More

SCRIPTURE: “Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.” 2 Corinthians 2:14 At various times throughout life we will find ourselves in seasons in which we’ll be tempted to falter in our resolve, in our limited human strength to see it through—whatever the problem or challenge is. Nevertheless, in the midst of...  Read More

SCRIPTURE: “that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, 18 the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, accor...  Read More

SCRIPTURE: "'In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.' 15 Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the sa...  Read More

SCRIPTURES:  “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Romans 12:2“Therefore, come out from among them and be separate.” 2 Corinthians 6:17 “they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.” John 17:14 You may have seen experiments whereby we watch how people follow other people’s actions and often without a word being spoken. The subj...  Read More

SCRIPTURES: “But if anyone has caused grief, he has not grieved me, but all of you to some extent—not to be too severe.” 2 Corinthians 2:5“Now in return for the same (I speak as to children), you also be open.” 2 Corinthians 6:13“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, tha...  Read More

SCRIPTURE: “And He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore, most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” 2 Corinthians 12:9 Once, during a very difficult time in life it felt as if God should have been doing more. Many days and nights went by, and my prayers went seemingly unanswered. I c...  Read More

SCRIPTURE:  “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. 9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8-9 Moses illustrates God’s patience and development with us as individuals. When encountering transitions such as embracing a new marriage, bearing children, embarking on...  Read More

SCRIPTURE: “As a father pities his children, so the Lord pities those who fear Him. 14 For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust.” Psalm 103:13-14 “The Lord of all knows what He is working with…” is a comment in which many Christ followers find great consolation. People in general, and even those closest to us, can never consistently show us the level of empathy, sympathy, and infinite...  Read More

SCRIPTURE: “Your testimonies are wonderful; therefore my soul keeps them. 130 The entrance of Your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.” Psalm 119:129-130 Our gracious Father, we thank You so very much for the gift of Your Word to us. We agree as a people that It is the infallible Word, that the entrance of It in us gives us light. We have known and seen that It does affect us ...  Read More

SCRIPTURE: “’You are My witnesses,’ says the Lord, ‘And My servant whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe Me, and understand that I am He. Before Me there was no God formed, nor shall there be after Me. 11 I, even I, am the Lord, and besides Me there is no savior. 12 I have declared and saved, I have proclaimed, and there was no foreign god among you; Therefore you are My witnesses,’ sa...  Read More