Stories and other stuff

 I had a pretty profound discussion yesterday about some Biblical things.  I have to say that the words I spoke were not my own, but those that the Holy Spirit gave me to speak because I really needed to speak the Truth.  Not my truth but God's Truth from His Holy Word.   It was a good conversation.  I had to differentiate between judging someone and making a judgment about a thing.  One is Biblical, the other is something believers do at their own peril.  In the defense of making a judgment about the subject at hand I had to explain to the person I was speaking with that I struggled with my own sins in the area of conversation so I was in no position to judge anyone. We spoke of Jesus eating with sinners and he very much did.  But He did more than that, He called them to repentance.  Think back to the man lowered through the roof by his four friends.  They hoped for a physical healing.  The first thing Jesus did was to forgive...

Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.  2 Corinthians 7:10 (NIV) One thing about reading the Bible I really like is how the words just become alive to you.  Yesterday, during my quiet time, I was reading a devotional a friend gave me.  This verse was part of the day's reading and the words "no regret" really jumped out at me. It's really neat how that happens.  You can read a passage of Scripture once and then read it again when you're in a very different place in life and have it speak to you in a whole new way.  I don't think I ever noticed the part about no regret. Accepting Christ as Savior was the best decision I ever made in life.  My walk has been anything but easy.  But ti's also been the most rewarding, fulfilling, and unbelievable thing I've ever experienced.  Sometimes, the old things, the old ways, try to call out to me, but I have no regret in making the decision t...

It kind of started a little while ago.  I somehow got lost from my humans and for a while, I was running around trying to find my way home.  I was hungry, cold, and scared.  Then one day a nice person caught me and took me in a truck to a big, scary place where there were lots of other barking dogs.  They put me in this big kennel.  They told me they were waiting to see if my people would come find me.   But they didn't.  Day after day passed.  The people there were nice to me.  They fed me and let me get outside the kennel for a little bit to go potty and things.  Then one day, they took me out of the kennel and I went into this room.  I was scared and they did something to me I didn't understand.  I felt this poke and fell asleep and when I woke up, those two things by my tail were gone and I hurt really, really bad.  They gave me treats that helped me feel better.  Then they put a new collar on me and put me i...

When they all had enough to eat, He said to the disciples, "Gather the pieces that are left over.  Let nothing be wasted."  John 6:12 (NIV) I wanted to resurrect my old 2007 macbook computer because it still works.  Not the best, but it still does.  When it became apparent though that I was at the end of being able to do that, I was ready to just put it in the box and tuck it away because I'd ordered a brand new computer. I tried upgrading the memory to be able to upgrade the software last evening, but with no success.  I cannot even upgrade to the last version of operating system that, in theory, should run on that computer.  But a funny thing happened this afternoon.  I'd mentioned about the laptop in chit-chat at the beginning of our staff meeting and my pastor told me that one of the men in the congregation might be able to help me upgrade it. Later on in the day, that same man was at the church troubleshooting some technical issues with the sound ...

Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed--not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence--continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill His good purpose.  Philippians 2:12-13   There seemed to be a theme of the day yesterday.  It started out with a daily devotional thought and as the day progressed, it seemed to continue to manifest itself with people I came in contact with.  The theme is this:  Be available and willing to obey the Holy Spirit.   There's a lot involved in those words.  Sometimes it's as simple as talking to a stranger about Jesus.  Sometimes, it's complex, like picking up and packing up and moving across the country.  Other times, it's taking on a task you're not sure if you're even qualified to do.  A lot of times, it's just about making yourself available and saying yes. My Bible reading for yesterday, had I...

  And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching.  Hebrews 10:24-25 (NIV) According to the Pew Research Center, in 2020 about 65% of Americans consider themselves as Christians.  That's a declining number, but still more than half the people surveyed.  I find that number interesting because on Sunday morning, you'd be hard pressed to prove it by church attendance.   Christians need to be around other Christians.  It's how we spur one another on toward love and good deeds.  Fellowship is how we learn about each other and when we can find out how best to pray with (or for) someone who has a need.  It's where we get to share our spiritual gifts with one another.  It's where we're taught Scripture by our shepherd, the pastor.  That's the purpose of church. ...