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