“And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” - Colossians 3:17 Our actions can be broken down into three categories. Those categories are habits, environmental actions, and experimental actions. Habits are constant daily actions that shape your way of life. Environmental actions are actions that specifically create a healthier environment. Experimental actions are those taken solely to be learned

“For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren.” - Hebrews 2:10-11 NKJV I think it is fair to say that in a functioning, healthy, loving family, those family members share an intimacy and appreciation for each

“Life is only how you see it.” - Unknown There was a group of men in a room divided over an issue. In the middle of them was half a glass of water. One group argued it was half full, and the other argued it was half empty. They had spent some time debating with no resolution. Then the door swung open, and a young boy walked in. He walked between the men and straight to the table. He took the glass in his hand and drank it. He set the glass back down on the table, turned arou

There is a Hebrew word in Genesis 4:7 that has been the subject of discussion among scholars. In verse 7, God warns Cain, "If you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door... but you must rule over it." The Hebrew word translated "rule" is timshol. Some understand it as expectation ("shall rule"), others as obligation ("must rule"), and others as capability ("may" or "can rule"). Whatever camp you land in, I don’t think it changes the message: God wants us to rule over sin

The reading of the Scriptures is so vital to our spiritual growth in the Lord. To see this, consider the instruction Moses gave to every king who ruled over Israel. The Jews had left Egypt and were just about to enter the Promised Land. It would be more than four hundred years before they ever had their first king, but God gave these instructions for the kings. “When he sits on the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write for himself a copy of this law in a book, from the o

Competition is defined as a rivalry or contest between two or more individuals, groups, or businesses striving for the same goal, prize, or limited resource. Competition pushes us to perform at our best, improve, innovate, and grow. We see it in sports, in the workplace, and even throughout nature. Competition is something I have always loved. Much of my life has revolved around sports — from basketball and baseball to now playing golf. Even outside of sports, I sometimes fin

“This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil...” Hebrews 6:19 Limits are set by rules or by ourselves. Boundaries are often set before us to keep us safe; hence the need for regulations. However, those are very few in the big scheme of things. They don’t keep you from being a bodybuilder, a triathlon runner, the best co-worker, or an owner of a business or company. You do. You keep yourself from su

I have to admit something. When I was reminded that I was to provide today’s article, I struggled. Normally, I have no problem taking some idea and developing it. I read, think, pray (a lot), and, somehow, the message makes its way onto the page. That just didn’t happen this time. Writer’s block is a real thing! Maybe I’m just too ambitious sometimes. In the same way, “Faith block” is a real thing. It’s that feeling of a pause in our spiritual growth, a feeling of some

July 4th is the day Americans celebrate Independence Day, the day that we declared our independence from England and showed our determination to be a free and sovereign nation. The United States of America is a symbol of freedom to people around the world. It has been that way for more than 200 years. We have repeatedly defended our freedom and independence from other nations wanting to take away our freedoms. However, it appears that we might take our freedoms for grant

My dad rose early, worked hard, and mastered stoicism. He sat at the head of the table like a modern Indian chief. He said things like, “A lock is to keep an honest man honest,” and “Take everything with a grain of salt.” Grandmother taught me checkers and repeated phrases like, “When do you believe a liar?” and “If a bullfrog had wings, he wouldn’t bump his rear every time he jumped.” Papa had pranks, fishing, and stories. His hat was a signal to move, and his humor brought

I read an account recently: A man's wife had confided in him about some conversations with a female friend. Her friend had been having some commonplace difficulty in her marriage. She had seen a video online that caught her eye about relationships going poorly and had dwelled on it just long enough for the platform's algorithm to decide she'd want more. Before long her social media had convinced her that her spouse was either cheating or would at the first opportunity and she

“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;” Philippians 2:12 What a nasty word! Who likes responsibility? Yuck! That means I must do things. I must take care of things! No way, Jose! You do that. I’ll just sit over here and play. Someone will take care of all that other stuff. I haven’t heard anyone talk like that either. We act like it, though.

If you have lived around Huntsville very long, you know how this time of year works. One day may be mild and comfortable, and then suddenly the forecast changes. Temperatures climb into the upper 90s, humidity rises, and stepping outside feels like opening the door to an oven. Local weather reports begin warning people to stay hydrated and seek relief from the heat. A heatwave is coming... We respect heat because we understand what it can do. Too much exposure can d

“Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?” - Romans 6:16 We see ads all the time that say, "Save money," "It is free," or "50% off." They all sound good! The truth is, they are all lies. You can't save money unless you spend it on these ads. You're not saving money. It can't be free. There is a price you have to pay for it. There

I hate to be the one to break it to you, but in this life you will lose. To quote Frank Sinatra’s “That’s Life,” “you’re riding high in April, shot down in May.” Losses will come in all depths and dimensions and they may seem to come more than the wins. Take for example (the man the kids are studying on Sunday nights), Joseph. His life started with great favor and potential, his eyes were bright and his mind full of dreams. However, the promise soon turned into a downward spi

The first words of a favorite church song are, “To God be the glory…” We enthusiastically sing those words with meaning. Maybe we would do well to consider how often it is that the same sentiment is foremost in our thinking when someone gives us praise for a personal accomplishment. People who literally blush when someone praises them aren’t those who pursue personal glory. We all know people whom we would say have their “heads swell” when they are praised. Those are the oppo

Our mission trip to Honduras each year has a special place in my heart. As Myles indicated in his Lads speech, it has a way of giving you a different perspective on life. Things we take for granted here would be considered a luxury if you lived in Honduras. John 13:35 says: “By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” Building houses, food bag preparations and delivery, clothing drives, Vacation Bible School, medical drives, and D

The Lads to Leaders Convention has come to an end for this year. Our youth have worked hard over the last few months. They prepared speeches, led songs, preformed puppet skits, created artwork, designed scrapbook pages and studied for Bible Bowl. The main theme this year was "Faith Works.” This theme comes from James 2: 17-18 and it is very important to Christian life. In James 2:17, James writes, “Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.” James is a

“ But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified .” - 1 Corinthians 9:27 The mind is a wondrous expanse of capability and possibility. In fact, a real phenomenon that can happen is pseudocyesis or phantom pregnancy. This is where an intense desire or fear of pregnancy causes the body to mimic physical symptoms. These symptoms include a swollen belly, missed periods, or even labor pains, wit

Any time we eat in a restaurant, I prefer to have the seat facing the door. Same goes for standing in line at the gas station. I like to be able to see who’s coming in and who is in my immediate vicinity. I do this because I know we do not live in a perfect world. Evil exists. Danger exists. Uncertainty exists. Yet God calls men to live neither in fear nor in denial, but in sober readiness. In Luke 22:36, Jesus told His disciples, “Let the one who has no sword sell his c