…you are the image of your creator!

Moses needed a name for God
     'Refreshment in Refuge' from Gina Burgess

Have you ever wondered why Moses asked God, "What name shall I give the Israelites when they ask?" Perhaps it is simply that names connoted character or aspects of a person. " And God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM." And He said, "Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you.' " Exodus 3:14 YHWH -- self sufficient, I AM, no beginning, no end, eternal, infinite, forever. LORD God. Several places we find YHWH written before the word 'ĕlôhı̂ym which is translated God, but is actually the…

Compromise And Stair Steps
     ''Christ in You...'' from Dale Krebbs

Many in our world have sought for, worked and sacraficed for, a "lasting peace" for hundreds of years. Thus far it has eludeded them. Compromise has always been a strategy in world conflicts, although sometimes just an option if all else fails. The bottom line finally becomes just the best deal you can get, not what the peacemakers would like. Diplomacy assumes a give and take approach to world affairs and crisis. For nations, it is forced by war or national interests, and in this age, possible world destruction. However, one war, one completed international agreement…

Psalms 91:5
     'Voice of Inspiration' from Andy Castro

Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; Psalm 91:5 KJV We can see here the author is still speaking to himself. Still making declarations to his soul. King David did something amazing recorded in 1 Samuel 30:6(KJV), And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God. David's tribe of people were going to kill him. He was greatly distressed as we all would…

Laughter Is Natures Biggest Remedy
     'Inspiration For You' from Randy Mitchell

We all experience challenges, along with moments of pain, stress, and tension. It's just part of what makes us human as we travel through our individual journeys. However, one thing I've noticed is that those who carry the ability to laugh and allow humor to always be at the forefront of their demeanor are some of the happiest people I know. When life gives them lemons they make lemonade, when problems or people try and come up against them, they shrug them off and quickly pull a joke from their basket of endless humor. As they face challenges which would cause most to look…

Bible and Quote - August 11-15
     'Bible verse and quote' from Jan Couns

While they treat with contempt and dishonor, You will bless; they rise up and are ashamed; but Your servant will be glad. Psalm 109:28 Sometimes we have to "step over" our anger, our jealousy, our feelings of rejection and move on. The temptation is to get stuck in our negative emotions, poking around in them as if we belong there. Henri Nouwen, 1932-96, Dutch priest, professor, writer Great are the works of the Lord; they are pondered by all who delight in them. Psalm 111:2 The works of God are ofttimes not apprehended or minded; as a result…

Thoughts about Jesus
     'God's Words For US' from Cecelia Lester

Prince of Peace “For unto us a child is born, a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders and he will be called . . . the Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6 (NIV) The prophet Isaiah spoke of a coming prince, One whose name itself exudes peace. We know Him by the name Jesus. We utilize this part of His persona when we have fears and misgivings about our lives. We seek Him after receiving disheartening news. As children of God, we are ambassadors of His peace. In this 21Century world, we have innumerable times…

Tighten the Rules
     'Chip Shots from the Ruff of Life' from Tom Kelley

There is an argument raging that has been steadily gaining fuel over the past few years. At question is the formerly accepted mantle of "Greatest Running Back of All Time." For more than forty years that title has rested firmly in the hands of Jim Brown. Brown was the son of a fourth generation slave family from Georgia. He was born and raised in the St. Simons Island community of coastal Georgia. After amazing people in high school with his athletic prowess in pretty much every sport, he matriculated to Syracuse University in upstate New York where he played both football…

Vivisection
     ''Winging It' from Stan Smith

You remember the story of the conversion of Saul of Tarsus. He was a persecuter of the church. He was "breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord" (Acts 9:1) and set out with permission to hunt down anyone "belonging to the Way" (Acts 9:2). Traveling to Damascus to persecute the church there, he ran into an unexpected person -- the person of the Resurrected Christ. There, on the ground, he heard, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?" (Acts 9:4) Oh, now, hold on. I think Jesus made a mistake there, didn't He? I mean, the text was…

Laughing Off the Facts
     'The Way' from Kevin Pauley

Asserting in pride and in arrogance of heart: “The bricks have fallen down, but we will rebuild with smooth stones; the sycamores have been cut down, but we will replace them with cedars." Therefore the LORD raises against them adversaries – Isaiah 9:9b-11a On September 12,2001, Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle stood before the Senate and gave a speech decrying the 9/11 terrorist attack which included an unfortunate quote from Isaiah 9:10. Like many, he failed to note the context of that verse. It is actually a judgment on bravado! Around 700 BC, the…

Blessed Hope (2-3-11)
     'Today's Little Lift' from Jim Bullington

"…[W]e should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ." (Titus 2.12-13). The grace of God that brings salvation teaches the believer a number of things, among them how we ought to look for the second coming of Jesus and the things that will accompany His return. Our focus today will be to look at the phrase "the blessed hope" as it appears in the quoted verse. Hope is born of grace. To say it another way, without grace, we would have no hope.…

The Birth of the Thessalonian Church
     'Word from Scotland' from Sandy Shaw

The letter to the Thessalonians – 52 to 53 AD – is thought to be the first letter Paul wrote to the disciples of Jesus Christ at Thessalonica. We see how it all began, and we learn something of how great his love was for the people of God. In Acts 15 verses 36 to 41 we get a glimpse of……