Ransom: a sum of money or other payment demanded or paid for the release of a prisoner – That’s a pretty good description of the ransom that was paid for your release. And mine. And everyone else’s. Your life is held prisoner in this fallen world. Your body is held prisoner to sin, and sin demands a ransom. And if the ransom isn’t paid, you’ll be … The rest of the story…
Category Archives: Matthew
The Salt of the Earth Is Losing Flavor and Getting Trampled Under Foot
“It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.” What is the “it” that sentence is talking about? Salt. “Salt of the earth” to be more precise. It’s a metaphor for Christians and the Christian message. And even here in the good ol’ U.S. of A. this salt is being tossed out and stomped on. But does … The rest of the story…
Are you spending any time today worrying about what might happen tomorrow or next week or next month or next year? Do you realize you’re living in a future that may not even exist. I’m not saying THE future doesn’t exist. I’m saying a future you’re seeing in your worried mind’s eye may not exist. And yesterday? Well, it’s gone forever. A phrase I … The rest of the story…
Blessed Are You Who Hunger Now
The Creator of the universe and everything in it said this: “blessed are you who hunger now, for you shall be filled.” Imagine how good that must sound to someone who truly knows the gut-wrenching pains of hunger. Blessed are you who hunger now. And later. A couple of days ago I shared another beatitude with you. And I mentioned there are four “positive” … The rest of the story…
You have enough to think about today. So, how will it help you to worry about tomorrow, today? The short answer is…it won’t. And a longer, much more efficient answer can be found in red letters in the Bible. (for those of you unfamiliar with the Bible, red letters are used when it’s Jesus talking) Think about tomorrow for a minute. It never really … The rest of the story…
Open Rewards for Secret Deeds
Did you know you could receive open rewards for secret deeds? It’s a principle found in the teachings of Jesus. Uh-oh…there he goes again talking religion and Bible thumping. Sorry if it upsets you to hear all these things I write and sing about that come from the Bible. But I’m convinced when you see the love behind it, you’ll want to know more. … The rest of the story…
If you need a reason for faith instead of empty promises and stuffy traditions, you couldn’t do better than having faith in Jesus. I’ll explain… Jesus lived out His life on earth as a sinless man. At about the age of 30 He began a three year ministry that included teaching, admonishing, healing, and even raising people from the dead. But more importantly than … The rest of the story…
I’ve had a number of brand new cars in my life. And I’ve enjoyed the luxury of a large house with plenty of nice furnishings. At times you could see I was not denying myself the pleasures of multiple performance tools like keyboards, computers, sound systems, and various accoutrements. (I always wanted to use that word somewhere) But all the “stuff” pales in comparison … The rest of the story…
There’s no getting around it. In this life you will have to suffer fools. To have no contact with fools you’d need to leave the planet. And sorry to say…that would make you a fool, and then your plan would self-explode. 🙂 Now, just because you have to suffer fools and their willful ignorance doesn’t mean you have to do it gladly. In fact, … The rest of the story…
My Hiding Place
Even the bravest warriors, fighters, and soldiers need a hiding place once in a while. A place where they can rest from their battles. A place where they can eat and fuel their minds. A place where they can rise above the noise and plan their next moves. Do you have a hiding place you can go when this world weighs heavily on your … The rest of the story…