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The new year marks the 4th Centennial of the KJV. While this was not the first English translation, it has become one of the most widely used, in its modernized form, of all the early English translations. John Wycliffe was the first to translate the Bible into English and was widely circulated in manuscript form (before the printing press). It became illegal because of his stance against the Catholic Church’s teachings on several things in England in 1409. The manuscripts usually had a date before 1409 to circumvent the religious ban. Interestingly, because…  ( Click for more )

Under the tree is bare except there might be a scrap or two of wrapping paper back in the corner. The toys are scattered about. The slippers are warming the feet and Dad's tie looks great with his new shirt. Leftovers still taste good and memories of another glorious family celebration are still fresh in our minds. I'm wondering if you've unwrapped every gift? Is there one that is drawing your attention? See it sparkling in the Christmas lights?

John 4:10 Jesus answered and said to her, If you knew the gift of God, and who is the One saying to you, Give Me to drink, you would…  ( Click for more )

Little, sweet baby feet. Mary will soon cover them with her hand, warming them against the night chill. She has treasured in her heart all the words spoken about her first born Son. Things like, "The angel was so glorious, shouting out praises to God on High and the Good News! The Messiah is born! Our long awaited Savior, the Lord, is born!" And word went out publically, through the bright streets of Bethelehem. The star shining down on the child. The little feet, toes curled against the chill, wiggled in His mother's hand. Eight day old, tiny feet with pink…  ( Click for more )

To repent and turn from our wicked ways is the only way we can be fruitful. Solomon comes to my mind here. He was literally hell bound. In 1Kings chapter 11 we find out God talked to Solomon twice about turning from his wicked ways. He did not wholly follow the Lord and His ways and the punishment God had for him was not Hell's Fire... but the punishment was physical. God raised up two enemies against Solomon. Hadad and Rezon. Then God promised to take away the united kingdom of Israel from Solomon's son. I once thought that Solomon would not be in heaven. I thought because…  ( Click for more )

Benjamin Franklin once said that to set a habit, one had to practice a certain behavior for thirty days, and I’ve often heard that to get rid of a bad habit, one must work at that for forty days. There certainly seems to be something about that number forty because it appears in scripture many times, mostly in times of testing or healing, and specifically when God judged earth with rain for forty days and nights.

Habits can work for us or against us, and the smart woman will learn which habits will be most beneficial to her lifestyle and which ones are better tossed. I look…  ( Click for more )

I often wonder how seriously we take that. "Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up" - Dan. 3:17-18. Even if He does not... that was life or death to those young men, friends of Daniel who steadfastly stood up to ole Nebuchadnezzar. It's commitment, but it is deeper than that. Some people like to call it faith which is knowing…  ( Click for more )

The Groom, The Bridesmaids and the Bride

A very interesting parable is found in Matthew 25. 1Then the kingdom of Heaven shall be compared to ten virgins who taking their lamps, went out to a meeting of the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five foolish. Those being foolish, taking their lamps, did not take oil with them. But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. But the bridegroom delaying, all nodded and slept. And at midnight, a cry occurred: Behold, the bridegroom comes! Go out to meet him. Then all those virgins were aroused and prepared their…  ( Click for more )

I can't post a picture here, but imagine if you will a lonely turtle placed high up on a post. There is no way the turtle can get there by himself, and there is no way that anyone else (wife or friend or co-worker) can be there with him. It is lonely at the top, is it not?

A manager in a Fortune 500 company keeps a picture of a turtle on a post in his office for that very reason. He keeps a close relationship with those who work for him because he knows he didn't get to the top by himself. Oh, I got the point. I thought it an extremely good point and I've carried that thought…  ( Click for more )

Samson was ordained from the womb. The Angel of the LORD visited a barren woman and expressed to her she would have a son. She was to drink no wine nor eat anything unclean as her son was dedicated to the LORD as a Nazirite from the womb. The LORD had a much bigger plan in mind than a new judge for Israel. He was going to use Samson to move against the Philistines. The prowess of Samson is depicted in his many acts, yet his judgment isn’t as wise as one would think. He was blessed by God with mighty strength, and brawn of body, but his eyes languished for women outside his…  ( Click for more )

Be strong in the Lord Be as strong as Samson, with Samson’s power. In order to have that Supernatural Power, we need to study Ephesians chapter six.

Truth #1 – The same power that raised Jesus from the dead is the same power available to all God’s children. It is mightier than the strength of Samson.

Mighty Power – Ischurf Endowment of physical or mental or moral power. God is perfectly capable of empowering us with His mighty power. Kratos denotes the presence and significance of force or strength rather than the exercise of that power. God has…  ( Click for more )

I found an old faded copy of something that is almost illegible and has the number 46 at the bottom of it. I have no idea where it came from or who wrote it but it is an amazing piece of prose. Update: A dear friend sent me a message of where to go to find the author. It was written by Frances J. Roberts. Thank you, Peter for helping me with this!

Oh my child, have I ever failed thee? Have I ever turned my back on thee? Is the way it starts out. God has never, ever failed me, or forsaken me and has never turned His back on me. That is something that I cannot say about any one…  ( Click for more )

The Seven Crowns we receive…actually there are more.

Paul was very fond of using The Race as an analogy for the Christian Lifestyle. To the Corinthians, he espoused this theme pointing to the victorious receiving a crown of corruption. That was a wreath of leaves of laurel which would soon wither. It wasn’t the crown that the runner strived for, it was the victory which was coveted. The crown was the proof of victory, but lasted for such a short time. Paul immediately points out that our crowns are incorruptible, lasting forever, being the proof of victory of Christian…  ( Click for more )

Continuing the discussion from last week on meekness and how we should exhibit this trait in order to please God, we need to take a closer look at the purpose God has for Christians.

The word that Paul uses for purpose is prothesis which is the Greek word for showbread. I explained briefly that because Paul uses the word prothesis, it indicates we Christians are the showbread, the purpose of God to illustrate His manifold wisdom to the principalities and powers of the heavenlies, Ephesians 3. That word manifold in the Greek is polupoikilos meaning much variegated, perhaps…  ( Click for more )

Meekness... oy vey! πρᾳότης praotēs prah-ot'-ace, if you say that fast, it almost sounds like practice. It is defined gentleness; by implication humility: - meekness.

Let’s take a look at what God says about meekness.

Numbers 12:3 And the man Moses was very meek, more than any man who was on the face of the earth.

Psalm 22:26 The meek shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek Jehovah shall praise Him; your heart shall live forever.

Psalm 25:9 The meek He will guide in judgment; and the meek He will…  ( Click for more )

Someone asked me the other day what I meant when I said that I was engraved in His palm. I pointed to Isaiah 49:16 "See, I have enscribed you on the palms of My hands..." God said. Engraving in the palm is so permanent. Once there, nothing can blot it out or remove it except it be cut out. Even if cut out, the hole is still there. "I will not forget you." "Who can undo what I do?" says the Lord of hosts. My Bible opened to that verse and I was thinking about it, and God happened to be in a talkative mood. "What else happened…  ( Click for more )

Defining goodness is as hard as being good. Jesus said that only One is Good. Only One exhibited unconditional love in the giving of His only begotten Son to die so that we might live even while we were black with sin. He exhibits selfless Love all the time and has this characteristic. We humans are given the chance to be Good, but how many times do we let self get in the way? Our desires constantly override that which is good for another. We humans have fits and starts of goodness, even those who do not have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit exhibit goodness of morals, values,…  ( Click for more )

The written word is a mighty thing.

I reached in my bag to grab my Sunday School book to study and a blue piece of paper came out with it. “What in the world?” I thought as I opened the folded note.

Suddenly, I was transported back a couple of years to a happy Sunday morning. The note was from my pastor’s wife encouraging me and telling me something to make me smile. Just a little three inch by three inch scrap of paper and a few words from a beloved friend lifted me out of the humdrum onto a floating blessing. It wasn’t much effort on her part. It…  ( Click for more )

...and unconditional love.

Being a Christian since I was six years old, I guess it was inevitable that I should take God's Grace for granted. I know absolutely that God has a purpose for everything and that includes me. So, I was sitting there feeling incredibly sorry for myself... trying to pray and realizing that my prayers weren’t even getting off the ground. Not, because there was unconfessed sin, but because I was focusing on my depression rather than on God's grace.

Have you heard of Tony Evans? He wrote a most enlightening book called Totally Saved. I think this…  ( Click for more )

Spiritual bankruptcy is something that happens a lot in our stressed-filled lives. We fight it, of course, by reading our Bibles and going to church. Sometimes we are spiritually depleted just as Elijah was after he ran for his life into the desert away from Jezebel. He collapsed under a broom tree, crying out for God to take his life. Remember, this was after he chided all the prophets of Baal and Ashtoreth… after he spoke to God and asked for fire to consume the sacrifice… after he had 12 barrels of water poured over the altar soaking the wood and the bull.

Admittedly,…  ( Click for more )

I get to the screaming point. I want to shout out the truth, but to no avail. I work and work at trying to be what God wants me to be and I always fail. Help me, Lord. Carry me over the fjord. The chasm is deep and I weep. Dry my tears. Release me from my fears. Carry the truth to those ears that refuse to hear the truth. Put back that hair that I have pulled out. Rub the steel bands that are supposed to be my shoulders for I am done with things as they are, no longer look back and pout. Whisper my name, cause me to be still. Tomorrow I shall go forward, leaving…  ( Click for more )

Kindness is the outward evidence of the Spirit. When we show kindness we are extending God's hand to others around us. Frankly, I do not see a whole lot of kindness in the Church. It takes effort and energy and it takes all the other parts of the gift of the Spirit in order to evidence kindness.

Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is: love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faith, 23 meekness, temperance. Against such things there is not a law.

A person in deep depression has little thought of exhibiting kindness for he is wrapped up in his own Hell.…  ( Click for more )

The one time I was blessed enough to go to Charles Stanley's church in Atlanta, he made a statement that penetrated my hard head. He said, "Never throw away the notes you've made while in study of the Bible. These were important enough for you to jot them down, they may be a life saver later on." I had just decided to clean out some files when I got home so that I'd have room for more files without have to buy another filing cabinet. There went that plan, tossed out with a few words from Charles Stanley. Well, he was right! I have spent a few minutes each day…  ( Click for more )

No one understands God's perfect ways or even why God acts in such a way for some and in another way for others. How do we even know for sure we are walking in His will?

We can't see the future. Our feelings are fickle. We can't control other people's decisions. So how do we find the path where God’s word is the light for it and the lamp for the feet? Of course that question suggests that we must know which direction to take in order to be in His will. I don’t think we really ever need to know exactly which direction we are supposed to go. It is something we must step…  ( Click for more )

I have heard until I am sick to death this rubbish that people are not healed from their sicknesses because they just don’t have enough faith. To say that a person just doesn't have enough faith is an out right lie straight from the Father of Lies, Satan himself.

You want to know why? Because God takes care of His children and their needs regardless of what, when or how they ask. Matthew 6

You don't have to believe when you pray for something. Go read Acts 12. Peter was amazed he was standing outside the prison. He thought he must be dreaming, yet it was real.…  ( Click for more )