SHAKE, SHAKE, SHAKE IT ALL... Isaiah 24:19–20 (ESV) 19 The earth is utterly broken, the earth is split apart, the earth is violently shaken. 20 The earth staggers like a drunken man; it sways like a hut; its transgression lies heavy upon it, and it falls, and will not rise again. As I look at this world, I’m taken back to how much of this world is being shaken; from governments, the education systems, politicians, the world, to even church leaders. It is as though all these

When it came to fasting, I was rather good at fasting, not from food, but from the Lord and His Word. Then one day I began to hear from fellow Christians how much they enjoyed fasting. These Christians proclaimed all the blessings of fastings. I immediately thought to myself, "What are they talking about? No food, how could starving be a blessing? What, a loss of water weight? “Of course, when I tried to fast before, all I heard was complaints from my stomach telling me to f

I was reading in Acts 4 today, and I was astonished by what I read. Peter who was afraid to admit his friendship with Christ to a servant girl just weeks before is now boldly proclaiming Christ in the streets. Yes, we can definitely say that at one time our Peter was a wimp. What compelled Peter to deny his Lord? Good old FEAR, my friend. But now Peter speaks directly to the leaders who crucified Christ. What gives? How does one go from wimp to warrior in a matter of days? O

I have been thinking a lot about repentance lately. The role repentance has played in my life. The change my life took when I repented of a certain behavior. The areas that I need to repent. You could say all the facets of repentance. There is a lot of confusion to what repentance is and isn’t. First of all, repentance doesn’t mean “I’m sorry,” oh, I’ve been sorry for many things, but “my sorry” didn’t change my mind or my heart. This is what Paul refers to as worldly sorrow

I remember when my girls were younger, and I would brush their hair before we would leave the house. Well on days we didn't have anywhere to go, I allowed them to managed their hair themselves. Probably not the best of ideas, for with the combination of curl and thickness entanglement was a constant battle. It would take time to untangle the mess they had gotten themselves into by NOT brushing thoroughly through the back of their hair. It is amazing how us adults get into ta

The tornado of pride... Today, my heart is weeping over the tornado of pride I see ripping through our country and our churches. Pride is the one sin which makes it so easy to see the wrong in others but not the wrong in our own hearts. Pride makes one think they are doing things for others, but in actuality pride feeds itself. Pride destroys everything in its path, and then eventually will destroy its carrier. Pride takes no prisoners and brings death to the soul. In Joplin,

Have you ever wondered what a real friend is? Are you a real friend? I think in life we go through a process of learning how to be a friend. If we are honest, we must admit, sometimes, it's easier to mourn with another than rejoice. When someone loses a loved one, we can come along side a friend and feel the pain of loss. However, when something great happens to another, and our life is not going so well, jealousy can appear out of nowhere. We know it's wrong, but what can we

Self-control Out of all of the characteristic traits of Christ, the one I struggle with the most is self-control. See, self-control encompasses everything. Self-control means I give Him control over my mouth, my spending, my eating, my anger, and even my social media addiction. Now I am sure the last one has got your attention. Listen up Girlfriend, no need to feel defeated. We are overcomers. As we look to the fruit of the spirit, we may shine in one of the characteristic

Having traveled to many countries, needless to say, I've been on my share of guided tours. I have had some fantastic experiences. For instance, while in Costa Rica our guide, Elias, led us on a wonderful journey through a luscious rainforest. With Elias' guidance, our adventure was far more intriguing than had we hiked it alone. His keen eye kept us safe from vipers. He spotted zebra crickets, (I didn't even know such creatures existed) monkeys, sloths, and explained the var

When you hear the word “chosen” what comes to mind? Does it take you back to the dreadful high schools years, and you begin to see visions of you standing in line to be chosen for a team? Or maybe the time you were picked for prom queen, cheerleader, marriage, or a promotion? A plethora of images come to mind by the mention of the word “chosen.” If we define “chosen”, we must distinguish that a selection has been made and someone preferred you among others. You were picked fo