My Choices, My Character and My Destiny

“My choices determine my character, which in turn determines my destiny.” Think about this statement, what does it mean?   Who do you want to be? Where do you want to go in life? Your choices will form your character. Who you become will determine your ultimate destiny. Sometimes we are confronted with competing choices. What will we do? Where will our choice take us?  Choices are important. Of course, some choices are more important than others. The choices to marry, and who to marry, are infinitely more life-changing than what […]

Are You in the Faith?

Are you in the faith? Your answer to this question has eternal ramifications. So, it’s really important that we understand the intent, the meaning of the question. Let me begin by telling you what I’m not asking you about. I’m not asking if you are a religious person. You may attend church regularly, preach, sing in the choir, teach Bible studies, etc., and not be “in the faith.” You may be a good, moral person with an impeccable reputation but not be “in the faith.” All these things may be […]

Trust, A Delicate Flower

Webster defines trust as “assured reliance on the character, strength, or truth of someone or something.” Let that sink in a minute. Where do your thoughts take you? Do you have an unreliable vehicle or appliance? One of our greatest needs as human beings is to feel safe with others, to believe another person can be trusted to always want and seek what is best for us. This kind of faith is the glue that makes your marriage and friendships work. Trust in you as their parent is what helps […]

Toxic Thinking

Toxic thinking. Have you ever known someone whose thinking has been poisoned by the words and actions of others? I’ve known several folks like this. Many of them developed toxic thought patterns about themselves because of verbal abuse by a wounded parent. There is an old saying in Scripture that goes something like this, “The parents have eaten sour grapes and the children’s teeth are set on edge.” Toxic or poisoned thinking is often a generational issue; the grandparent is angry from an unhealed wound, afflicts their child with their […]

How Is Your Vision ?

Our subject today is vision. Your eyes are a marvelous testimony of the ingenuity of our Creator. If you haven’t done so, take some time to investigate some of the marvels of one of the most intricate and wonderful parts of your body, your eyes. For many years I had perfect (20/20) vision. But as I continued to age, I needed glasses with a corrective lens to enable me to read and see things up close more easily. Another change came and I now wear glasses to correct my vision […]

What Momma Said

  While shopping in a big box store recently I was assisted by an elderly man named Bob. He was very helpful, friendly, and brimming with stories about his life. This type of encounter can make the task of shopping more enjoyable for me, so I listened, and listened, and listened until I left the parking lot.  One of the things he told me about was the wild side of his life as a pro wrestler for several years. He described this period as living on the dark side of […]

Is God in the Details?

  There is an old cautionary statement related to contracts and business transactions that says, “The devil is in the details.” I take this to mean we need to read and understand the contingencies related to the deal we are making before we sign our name to the paper. In the housing crisis a decade ago lots of people lost their houses because they didn’t pay attention to the fact their sub-prime loan rate would change, resulting in much higher mortgage payments. The devil was in the details. I don’t […]

Is God Good?

  Is God good? Does your answer to that question depend on the mood you are in or the particular circumstances you are confronting? It is very easy to say, “God is so good” when everything is going your way. If you have your health, enough money to pay your bills, and your family relationships are in pretty good shape, you may have no difficulty in saying “praise God from whom all blessings flow.”  But, what do you think about God when troubles come and your life seems to be […]

Where’s the Evidence?

Many years ago there was a question being asked from pulpits and in Christian writings that went something like this, “If you were arrested and put on trial for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?” Today, Christians are being persecuted in many different parts of the world. And, the way things seem to be trending in our country, the idea that you and I could be put on trial for our faith in Christ may not be far-fetched What if you were arrested today for […]

Not Guilty

The guilt or innocence of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin is in the hands of twelve jurors. Chauvin, as you know, has been charged with the murder of George Floyd in May of 2020. The jury’s task is to listen to witnesses, weigh the facts, and decide the innocence or guilt of Mr. Chauvin. The verdict will determine this man’s fate, a judgment that is likely to be unpopular no matter which way it goes. Courtroom or legal words such as judgment, guilty, and innocent are part of the […]