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Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love. - 2 John 3 Okay, I know it isn't December., but many Americans begin celebrating Christmas around Halloween and American advertising would have you believe that Christmas is practically year-round! So, why not write ab out it now? Of course, a huge part of the world does not reveal any evidence of this global holiday. because they are part of another r

Lord, what is man, that You care for him, the son of man, that You think of him? Man is like a breath, his days are like a passing shadow. - Psalm 144:3-4     Have you ever wondered how much longer you have, if the life you have remaining will be short? The truth is that life is short for all of us when compared to eternity.   If God has called you into His service (if you belong to Him, then you have been called), you should have immediately gained a sense of urgency about y

... because of the truth that remains in us and will be with us forever. - 2 John 2 Can you say, in all honesty, that you are an honest person? Truth is one of God's attributes and therefore it should also be a character trait of all those who are called His children. A person might just as easily separate light from the sun as separate a Christ-follower from truth. Believers should be honest, forthright, and trustworthy. If then a person's life is marked by dishonesty, then

Yahweh, what is man, that You care for him, the son of man, that You think of him? Man is like a breath; his days are like a passing shadow. - Psalm 144:3-4 I am nobody without Christ and I must confess that I don't always like it. You see, I am also a man and men (typically) like recognition. Our egos are often fragile and when the recognition goes lacking or missing, we begin to doubt our purpose and existence. We crave significance. How can we possibly win the victory over

The Elder: to the elect lady and her children, whom I love in truth -- and not only I, but also all who have come to know the truth.... - 2 John 1 What is true love? John, writing to local churches, said that he loved them "in truth," but what does this mean? What exactly is "true" love? First of all, true love is honest. The Apostle Paul said, "Love does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices in the truth." True love speaks the truth to another person because this per

I remember the days of old; I meditate on all you have done; I reflect on the work of your hands. I spread out my hands to You; I am like parched land before You. - Psalm 143:5-6 There is no more desolate place on earth than the desert of the parched soul. I have endured the heat of a West Africa dry season, walked the Kenyan plateaus, and hiked in some Western U.S. scrub, but nothing compares with the struggle endured within a spiritual drought. Of course, such an experience

Little children, guard yourself from idols. - 1 John 5:21     What is an idol?   In many parts of the world, idols are easily identified. Masks, beads, statues, jewelry, even trees are sometimes used as idols for fetish worship. Of course, an idol may be anything a person worships in the place of the one true God. For example, if a person puts their children before God, they are an idol. If a person puts their career before God, it is an idol. If a person puts their spouse or

Let the righteous smite me in lovingkindness and reprove me; it is oil upon the head; let not my head refuse it, for still my prayer is against their evil deeds. - Psalm 141:5     There is something in the human psyche that rebels against correction. Some call it "pride," but it could also be insecurity. Whatever the reason for the inner rebellion, I have never known anyone who enjoyed being told that they were wrong. This may explain why men have such a hard time asking for

And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding so that we may know the true One. We are in the true One -- that is, in His Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. - 1 John 5:20 Living and traveling overseas, I have been continuously confronted by the many differences that exist among those who live outside my home nation. The language is different. The culture is different. The clothes are often different. The food is different. In many

Lord, set up a guard for my mouth; keep watch at the door of my lips. - Psalms 141:3 Let's admit it, sometimes we just need to keep our mouths shut. Instead of "thinking by talking," we need to learn how to "think while talking." As one who used to speak thousands of words (publicly) each and every week, I made a few (?) mistakes ( none of which will be recorded here!). Frankly, I expected to err from time to time, but I have also come to understand that it is those words

We know that we are of God, and the whole world is under the sway of the evil one. - 1 John 5:19 How often these days do we hear of someone walking into a mall, school, or military facility, shooting people, and in the aftermath ask, "Why did they do it?" Answers often come after the fact, but when the target is civilian, the reasons do not make sense to a reasonable mind. Why? Why? Why? Of course, the Apostle John offers a simple response. "The whole world is under the sway

Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my concerns. See if there is any offensive way in me; lead me in the everlasting way. - Psalm 139:23-24 Do you know anyone who really enjoys being held accountable? I think we all harbor the illusion that we live independently of others, yet in truth we all answer to someone. It might be a boss, a friend, or even a child or spouse, but someone is watching our actions and will eventually call us to account. Even if we have no

We know that everyone who has been born of God does not sin, but the One who is born of God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him. - 1 John 5:18 Do you like to sin? If you are thinking, "Not me," then you are lying to yourself. If we didn't enjoy sinning, then why would we keep on doing it? Let's be honest. We sin because we like it. What we don't like are the consequences that accompany our sinful actions (guilt, shame, separation, etc.)! In fact, most of us would

God, how difficult Your thoughts are for me to comprehend; how vast their sum is! - Psalm 139:17 What is God up to? I must confess that when it comes to the multitude of details that make up my life, most of the time I am not real sure! Oh, I have a general idea of where I am going day in and day out, but sometimes the big picture eludes me. On the other hand, it is comforting to have the spiritual understanding to grasp the unchanging truth that my Creator and Savior knows

All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin that does not bring death. - 1 John 5:17 Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures, but we understand also that the blood of Christ cannot overcome the sin of rejecting the Holy Spirit. If a person chooses to reject the Spirit of God (denies Him), and persists in this rejection, then they are choosing to live a life separated from God forever. There is nothing more that God is able to do to save such a person. They rem

Even before there is a word on my tongue, behold, O Lord, You know it all. - Psalm 139:4 I truly admire those people whose words always seem to be measured and precise. I do not know many who actually fall into that category, but it just seems that when they speak, it is worth the time to listen. I, on the other hand (though it has improved with age), have sometimes been too quick to speak and allowed passion to supplant tact incurring damage that could have been avoided. Th

If anyone sees his brother committing a sin that does not bring death, he should ask, and God will give life to him -- to those who commit sin that doesn't bring death. There is sin that brings death. I am not saying he should pray about that. - 1 John 5:16 "There is sin that brings death." Really? If there is sin that brings death, then we should know what it is, right? And, once we know what it is, we better not pray about it! The sin that brings death (and by "death," ete

How can we sing Yahweh's song on foreign soil? - Psalm 137:4 Another great question, huh? The people of Israel were in exile (in Babylon) when the psalmist wrote these words. It was a time of great sadness for God's people, but the Lord encouraged them to sing in spite of their situation. You see, God knew that one day they would return to their beloved Jerusalem and He didn't want them to forget about it. As children of God (by faith), we live on foreign soil as well. This p

And if we know He hears whatever we ask, we know that we have what we have asked Him for. - 1 John 5:15 When in the midst of third-world cultures, a person is constantly confronted by the surrounding, enveloping needs of humanity. From the beggar in front of the Post Office, to the tap on the window by a starving young girl, the needs are everywhere and, at times, overwhelming. It is difficult to know what or how much to do. You want to help, but how much is enough? How much

How good and pleasant it is when brothers can live together! - Psalm 133:1 I don't like conflict. In fact, if someone does like conflict, they might be considered unstable. Yet still, in life, business, even in the church, conflict (though undesirable) is sometimes unavoidable. Instead of desiring conflict, we should pursue unity and peace. David wrote that it is good and pleasant when brothers can live together. It is like an anointing oil that both heals and refreshes. Shou