Church Blog (Page 4)

Scooby Doo is a popular cartoon that first appeared in the 1960s. Even though it has been through several iterations over the years, each episode follows the same formula. There is a villain doing a crime. Scooby and the mystery gang set up a plan and capture the villain. Then the villain’s identity is revealed. Regardless of the make-up applied, the mask worn, or the disguise donned, the true identity is always revealed. They cannot stay hidden as their crime…

Last trip I made to Mexico; my father gave me some habanero seeds in a small envelope. He knows I like fresh habaneros, so he usually saves some of the best seeds from the habaneros in the Yucatan. When I got back to Decatur, I placed the envelope in my drawer next to my car keys. Days and weeks passed, and I forgot that I have placed the envelope in my drawer, until I started to plant some tomatoes plants…

In the blockbuster movie series, Back to the Future, we see many interesting things, but one important lesson even children easily notice is that decisions and actions based on those decisions can completely change long term outcomes in life! Through the application of self-discipline (Galatians 5:23) decisions become actions which change the courses of our lives. Self-discipline is certainly a key ingredient in life’s recipe, but without good, proper decisions, self-discipline could actually be used to pursue an evil goal.…

THE PRICE TO BE PAID As her seven children grew up, they did not have their grandparents to cheer them up and encourage them! Those seven children did not have grandparents to see them at school events, at plays or at a sports event. There was no hint of grandparents during the graduation ceremonies of elementary school or middle school. There was never a greeting card in the mail of encouragement wishing you a happy birthday or even a dollar…

As the Israelites approach the land of Canaan, they “became impatient on the way” (Num. 21:4). They begin to criticize God and Moses: “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we loathe this worthless food”(Num 21:5). Fed up with their complaining, Jehovah sends “fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died”(Num 21:6). This has an…

Picture your worst possible day working out in your yard. It is 127 degrees out there (well, it feels like it) and you have been sweating profusely. As you were cutting your grass, the wind intentionally changed directions every time you turned and it blew all of the grass trimmings all over your sweat-drenched body. But, of course, your yard has as much dirt as it does grass, so you’re now covered in dirt from head to toe. You spend…

As the inspired psalmist, King David writes, “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked came against me to eat up my flesh, my enemies and foes, they stumbled and fell. Though an army may encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war should rise against me, in this I will be confident” (Psa. 27:1-3). As one…

We cannot fully comprehend the horror Jesus faced that night in Gethsemane. A merciless scourging awaited Him, followed by nails being driven through His hands and feet. For six endless hours searing pain would wrack His battered body as He struggled for every breath. But that scarcely begins to describe our Savior’s woe. Who can fathom the agony of taking the whole world’s sins and bearing them in His body on the tree (1 Peter 2:24)? No wonder He cried…

The death of Christ on the cross was God’s way (and ultimately the only way) of dealing with the problem of sin. “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Cor 5:21). Without the shedding of blood, there would be no remission of sin (Heb 9:22). This shows us at once both the horror of sin and the love of God. Jesus died…

The Bible tells us in Colossians 3:16 that we are to “Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.” Songs were used in the Old Testament to teach, to caution and to express gratitude toward God. Songs were written for significant events such as the crossing of the Red Sea (Exodus 15), as…

In my list of resolutions every year is to take up the sport of running again. Running keeps me motivated to lose weight and to keep myself healthy. A few weeks ago, I dusted off my treadmill and started to run again. I am doing ok so far; I am starting to get in the zone of running a few miles during the week. I am also trying to eat healthy and to eat less desserts. Three days ago, I…

“The Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish” (Psalm 1:6). According to the psalmist, there are two paths in life we can take. The path we take is determined by our decisions. Here are five choices every person needs to make in order to walk the right path. 1. LISTEN TO THE RIGHT PEOPLE “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked…”-Psalm 1:1 If we want to…