Goin' Home!

                   Over the past few months, I’ve heard a statement on a couple of movies and read it in a couple of articles.   I’ve even had someone tell it to me personally.   While I know it was meant to be an encouragement, I’ve struggled with the concept.   You see, the statement (and maybe you’ve heard it too) is that “God gives His toughest battles to His strongest soldiers.”   While I wish I could agree and am tempted to take some satisfaction in it, I know myself all too well.   Actually, when I first started hearing it, I thought, “Well, that would seem, then, that God is punishing some of us for being ‘strong.’ “ As if He were saying, “Congratulations!   Since you are so strong, here’s a life-shattering trial.   I know you’re tough; just fight your way through it.” Nothing, however, could be further from the truth.   Scripture itself bears testimony...

       What do you think is the most expensive holiday in the United States?  My first thought was Christmas.  In fact, I read that Americans spend an average of around $950 a person on Christmas.  In 2022, retailers made 936 billion --that's BILLION -- dollars on holiday sales.  Can there be any other holiday that even comes close?      The other day a friend on Facebook posted this quote about Memorial Day.  I can only credit the author as a man names Leonard, but I have thought about it ever since I read it.      Is there any value we can even begin to put on the lives of all those through the history of this nation who have given their lives so that we can live freely in this land?  Is there any spending greater than those who spent their life's blood for us to enjoy spending our $950 dollars each Christmas?  Is there any gift more costly than a parent who allowed their son or daughter to defend you...

     I had never heard this day of the Passion Week of Christ called Silent Saturday, but I've seen it mentioned several times today.  I understand the premise since there is no mention of any events related to Christ's death on this day in the Bible, but I'm sure it was anything but silent there that day.            I can imagine His close friends and family either gathered together or in the privacy of their inner rooms, spilling out their grief as friends and loved ones do after the loss of someone they love.  I can also picture the Pharisees and Sadducees gathered in their respective buildings, gloating over the fact that the bane of their religious authority was now out of the picture.  Finally, I can hear the cheering turned to cursing as Satan and his minions, at first, think they have been victorious and then realize that Christ is alive, and rejoicing with the penitent thief in Paradise as He had promised him.   ...

    "As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country." --Proverbs 25:25       When's the last you turned on the news and heard something that was encouraging?  Or went online and were overwhelmed by all the uplifting events on your news pages?  Something that refreshed your heart like a big glass of ice-cold water on a sweltering hot day.  Can you remember?  Me neither😞.     In fact, most people I talk to mention all the discouraging, gloomy things that are going on around world.  But I wanted to cheer you today with some good news from around the world.       In II Peter, Peter encourages the Christians to remember that in the last days, people are going to scoff at the idea that the Lord will come again.  They will say that the fact that He hasn't come in all this time is proof that He isn't coming at all.  And then Peter reminds us that those who think that way a...

            Over the past few weeks, several people I have known at different stages of my life have passed away.  A 98-year-old widow from our church who was a Scripture memory warrior.  Listening to the testimonies of her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren at her funeral I was reminded of her godly impact on so many lives.  A young man who went to elementary school with my oldest son.  Although we moved away many years ago, just reading other's comments of his testimony for the Lord during the four years he battled leukemia was an encouragement to see a young adult faithful through great adversity.  Just this last week, my former pastor from my high school and early adult years passed away.  To this day, I still remember many of the truths he taught, and as I read through the hundreds of comments from others who were impacted by his life, I was struck with the thought that here is a man who finished well....

                  A while back, one of the men in our church did a Sunday school series on the Lord's prayer.  He went line by line, and one phrase, in particular, stood out to me.  As I thought on it over the following months, I started to change the way I pray, and it has completely revolutionized my prayer life.  As you may know, I like to think in story mode, so here's a short story to try to explain what God has been teaching me about my time with Him. Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.     For days the battle raged around us.  We were surrounded and the enemy was relentless.  I knew if we didn't get help soon, all would be lost.  I could see the castle of the King just beyond the enemy lines and decided to make an attempt to get through and petition for assistance.              As word of my plan made it through our ranks, several other so...