How many times a day do we use the words āme,ā āmyself,ā or āIā? I tried keeping track once and finally gave up because I lost count. Have we considered just how powerful that āIā is? Our mindās eye, personalities, and core existence. Letās look at exactly what weāre up against when we pit our human mind against the power of the Holy Spirit. Christ and the apostles were on a boat after He delivered the Sermon on the Mount. As they crossed the Sea of Galilee, a great windstorm blew in. The … [Read more...] about The Holy Spirit Versus āIā
Growth
Our True Defense
After WW1, the French built a seemingly impenetrable defense against German aggression, the Maginot line. A technological marvel, it nevertheless failed. With a false advance, the French were lured north while the bulk of the German forces simply went around the Maginot line and into the heart of France. The technical strength of the Maginot line gave the French a false sense of security, and they became complacent. Their enemy had changed tactics, and they were unprepared. Do we have a … [Read more...] about Our True Defense
Sabbath Sanctity
Most of the 10 commandments are reasonably accepted as part of a civil society and the concepts have been built into the rule of law of Western society. But the Sabbath is a law that gets in the way. The prophet Amos brings that attitude to our attention. āSaying: when will the New Moon be past, that we may sell grain? And the Sabbath, that we may trade wheat?ā (Amos 8:5). The Sabbath got in the way of their all-important personal activities. The seventh day needs to be important to Godās … [Read more...] about Sabbath Sanctity
Conflict Resolution
We canāt get around the fact that in this world weāll have conflict. How many times have we said the wrong thing or displayed the wrong attitude, knowing that it has caused offense? Conflict stems from a lack of understanding the different things that motivate each of us: āWhat causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you?ā (James 4:1 ESV). Godās Holy Spirit canāt come to its fullest when weāre divided, and that disunity corrupts … [Read more...] about Conflict Resolution
Encourage One Another
How many times have we been reminded by life experience that the path due to our calling is not always simple and easy to follow? We are instructed to enter the Kingdom of God by āthe narrow gateā (Matthew 7:14). Yet Christ was aware of the challenges that His followers would face. He left us, from the apostles forward, with encouragement through a solid focus on the big picture. Encouragement is a vehicle to strengthen relationships and build bonds. We, as part of Godās family, have a … [Read more...] about Encourage One Another
What is Human Greatness?
What is human greatness to you? What sort of definition comes to your mind when you think of someone being āgreatā? Some might think of personality, intellect, wealth or physical prowess as something that sets someone in the realm of the āgreat.ā Obvious and publicized accomplishments that make oneās name widely recognized would surely be markers of greatness. Alexander the Great conquered all the known world by the age of 33. Thomas Edison held over 1,000 patents for his many inventions in … [Read more...] about What is Human Greatness?
Hear The Voice
In the midst of the coronavirus disaster, we are hearing many voices. The fact that the virus at the center of the crisis has many unknowns increases the cacophony. We hear experts contradicting each other, politicians leveraging the situation and the worldās top medical professionals doing their best to inform the public. All of this is natural as nations struggle to come to terms with something they were unprepared for and are uncertain as to how to respond. What are we to believe? … [Read more...] about Hear The Voice