REMOVED

I have been a painter for many years. During the last 15 years or so, dealing with lead that is found on previously painted surfaces has become a big concern. I had to take classes, pass a test, and become certified to work on houses where lead was present. Extreme guidelines had to be followed when lead needed to be removed before painting could begin. So, let’s compare this issue of lead to sin in our lives.

We grasp the fact that we are sinners and there is a penalty that must be paid for our sins. If you are a Christian there are some very wonderful verses concerning how God has dealt

CHRISTmas.

“O come, O come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel, that mourns in lowly exile here, until the Son of God appears.”  These are the words to the first stanza of a very famous CHRISTmas hymn. It is sung during advent as it is a time of anticipating the birth of Jesus. Though I had sung this hymn many times while growing up a child, about 30 years ago I had an epiphany and came to understand it’s meaning; what joy filled my heart. It has now become one of my favorite CHRISTmas hymns.  Israel was in bondage

Pick a Side.

As I was taking an afternoon walk the other day, I was enjoying the cool air and listening to the wind blow through the trees. The path I was walking on is paved with asphalt and is fairly wide. A few minutes into the walk a lady with two small boys riding their bikes were approaching me.  They were riding right down the middle of the path. As I was figuring out if I should go to the left or to the right the mom yelled out, “Pick a side boys.” Both boys immediately went to their right so I was able to go to my right side as

This is a Test.

I was watching a television show the other night and it was interrupted by the familiar noise and the saying, “This is a test of the emergency broadcast system.” As always, I was very thankful it was only a test.

We can probably all remember our days in school when we would have a pop quiz. There was no time to study as it was a test to see how much we knew at that moment. What about tests from God?  Does He ever give us tests? He certainly does, but we must

Give Thanks.

This is the time of year when one day is set aside called Thanksgiving. It is a time for families to get together (although there are many restrictions these days), to share a meal and enjoy fellowship together, and to give thanks. One day is set aside for thankfulness; maybe we should set a week aside or perhaps we do a year of thanksgiving? As a Christian, every day of our lives is to be filled with gratitude to the One who has “called you out of darkness into His marvelous light,” (1Peter 2:9).  Many times in the book of Psalms we

Ebenezer.

When you hear the word Ebenezer what is the first thought that comes to mind? Is it Ebenezer Scrooge in Charles Dickens the CHRISTmas carol? That is my first thought and it is probably the same for most people. This word however, is mentioned in the book of First Samuel.  Samuel was a prophet for Israel and he was also the last judge. Israel then began to be ruled by kings instead of judges.

In chapter seven of first Samuel the Philistines are gathering together to do battle with

Needs.

Over the years I have heard many little sayings about God’s provision in our lives.  Here are a couple of them; “where God guides God provides,” or “God meets all of our needs but not all of our greeds.” 

One of the names for God is Jehovah Jireh, which means the Lord will provide. In Genesis 22 God told Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac, which was a test of Abraham’s faith. God knew what Abraham would do but God wanted Abraham to see his level of commitment in

I See You.

When children are very young and they try and hide from their parents they may merely cover their face with a blanket. They think that if they can’t see their parents, their parents can’t see them. As they get older, they play the game hide and seek. They are more creative in trying to hide from the person whose job it is to find them. So, the question is do some people try to hide from God or try to hide what they are doing?

One of the many names for God is El Roi, the God who sees. You can read about the

Peace

What are some words that come to mind that are the opposite of peace? Maybe you are thinking fear, worry, anxiety, terror, dread or some other words. We all desire peace in our lives instead of those other emotions and by faith in God we can then obtain His peace.

A very famous hymn, “It is well with my soul,” was written by Horatio Spafford after his four daughters were drown in a tragic ocean liner accident in the late 1800’s. The first stanza says, “When peace like a river attendeth my way, when sorrows like sea billows

Practical Preppers

There was a TV show a few years ago that was very popular; it was called “Preppers”. It was about people who were preparing for some kind of a disaster whether from natural causes or some other means. Most of them seemed to be getting ready for doomsday or end times.  They were stockpiling food, guns, ammunition, and they became as self- sufficient as they could be. They were prepared for just about anything.

So, what about us as Christians; is it wrong for us to be prepared and make plans in case

The Exchange.

 

For first time travelers to a foreign country there may be some uncertainties when exchanging your money to comply with the currency of the country you will be visiting.  It is normally best to do some research and do the exchange before you travel. You want to get the best exchange rate that you can.

 In the life of a Christian there is a great exchange that takes place and there is nothing comparable to it. Our sin and the penalty that we rightly deserve from a just God has been placed upon Jesus. When we surrender our life to Jesus as Lord, our sins are forgiven and we then have peace with a holy God. Romans 5:1-2 states, "Therefore,

Work and Rest

                                                            

Work and rest are about as polar opposite as you can get. People work all day then they come home and rest so they can go back to work the next day and do it all over again. It gets very tiring and the routine can just wear you down, but work and rest are just part of our lives.

Look at these two concepts from a Biblical perspective. Jesus made the statement in Matthew 11:28-29, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Jesus is speaking about those who are working to make themselves right with God. They think that because of their good deeds and their religious lifestyle they are making themselves approved in God’s eyes. They

Changing Times

I once heard a statement that people want progress without change. That just can’t happen because to have progress there must be a change that has to take place. There certainly is a lot of change going on today with this worldwide pandemic; I’m not quite sure how much progress is being made. Bob Dylan wrote a song in the 60’s entitled, “Times They Are A Changin'.”

Your Reservation

When the internet started becoming popular many people started making reservations online instead of calling on the phone. Making reservations on a computer was something new and exciting but it didn’t always work out as expected. Whether reserving a hotel room, a car, or an airline ticket, at times people would hear, “We are sorry, we don’t have a reservation for you.” There was some kind of communication breakdown along the way which was frustrating. Perhaps you can relate if it happened to you.

Common Grace and Saving Grace

About a week or so after the beaches in southern California were opened up, my wife and I enjoyed a few hours being at the beach. We walked for a little while on the sand enjoying the fact we could once again be at the beach. We then sat down and had a tasty lunch. It was very nice to be at the ocean and watch all the children play in the water and just thoroughly enjoying the day.

Light.

Light and darkness are about as extreme opposites as you can get.  I can remember taking a guided tour of an underground cave in Arizona.  As we were walking down the path the guide told us all to stop and get a tight grip on the handrail.  He said he was going to turn off the lights and we were going to experience total darkness. When the lights went off you could not see your hand in front of your face. It was actually a little unnerving being in total darkness.

Laws.

From early on in our childhood we had rules and orders that we were told we had to obey. These rules came from loving parents trying to protect their children from danger such as; stop and look both ways before crossing a street. Other rules were designed to help us grow to be mature and responsible citizens. Don’t be late, work hard and help others when you can. These were just a few rules given to us so we could have a positive influence on others.

As we got older, we had laws to protect us from danger as well. Speed zones, seat belt laws, and giving the right of way to pedestrians are just a few for our safety and for the safety of others as well. Though these are man-made laws, as Christians we have an even greater responsibility to observe the laws of the land.

Time to Meditate

All of us are now spending more time in our apartment or home than we have ever done in the past and much of that time is spent being alone.  We are told to have limited physical interaction with others; we are told to keep our distance. As a result, we now have much idle time on our hands. There is a saying that idle hands are the devil’s workshop. What about an idle mind? I would venture to say an idle mind is even more dangerous. Eastern religions incorporate an aspect of meditation, which is emptying your mind of all thoughts. What a dangerous thing to do. With an empty or idle mind, you are susceptible to all kinds of wicked, evil and especially fearful thoughts.

Fear Not.

These certainly are interesting times right now. That is probably an understatement considering all that is going on with the coronavirus, the over-buying of toilet paper, cleaning supplies, and the food that is being stockpiled. While God has called us to be wise, we are not to live in fear. Isaiah 41:10 says, "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes I will uphold you with My righteous right hand." That is a promise from God. He is always with us. The word dismayed carries with it the meaning of looking around. We can become fearful as we look around and see the panic that is going on in some people.