Pastor CJ Counts

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“Mistakes were made,” the mayor of Chicago told reporters. He had been asked to comment on city officials recently convicted on corruption charges, and he resorted to the classic dodge: “Mistakes were made” deflects criticism while assigning personal responsibility to no one. We live in a bureaucratic age that is sorely lacking in moral courage.…

The latest trend in education is a bold plunge back to the past: educating for virtue. One summer two hundred educators met for a White House conference called “Character Building for a Democratic, Civil Society.” The message was that public schools should start teaching character and virtue. But which virtues should we teach? Can a…

You might not expect many sales of a volume called The Book of Virtues. From the title alone, the book sounds like a quaint Victorian volume, full of stories about good little children wearing knickers and pinafores. But, surprisingly, William Bennett’s Book of Virtues has been on the best-seller list for more than a year,…

Are we holding the door for a nation rushing to ruin? “What I have to deplore with mournful complaint is a general loss of good, a heaping up of bad. But no one should think that anything I say is said out of scorn for humanity or from a conviction that I am superior to…

On the day after New Year’s 2012,  Wesley Autrey, a construction worker and a Navy veteran, was waiting for the train with his two daughters at the 137th Street Station in New York. Then, a man collapsed on the platform and began convulsing. After Autrey helped him get up, the man collapsed again and fell…

A commonly understood Christian theological position is that God is a “Know It All”. In more serious terms, the theology says that God is “all knowing”. The big fancy church word for this is Omniscient. Why do Christians believe this? Can we back it up in the Bible? Lets take a look.  Scripture references 1…

I have heard many church goers say something along the lines of “I can’t go to church because I have to work”.  I believe that Church is a fundamental part of Gods plan for our spiritual formation. Church is a major ingredient in how God wants to care for us, and how God plans to…

What evidence supports a global flood? Some of the facts which prove that the earth endured a worldwide flood include the sedimentary strata layers which comprise the crust of the earth.  These layers found in a mixed order of deposition around the globe were laid down by water and have marine fossils throughout.  Animals and…

On the beauty of being an unimpressive congregation DECEMBER 19, 2018 BY JOHN BLASE The year was 2007. The first iPhone was released, the Red Sox won the World Series, and Britney Spears (bless her heart) shaved her head. But amidst all that hoopla, my family and I left one of the most amazing churches…

Isn’t it against the law to teach Creation in Public School? NO!! The 1963 Supreme Court banned the use of the Bible to lead kids to Jesus. They did not throw the Bible out of school. The court has ruled repeatedly that, “Teachers already possess the flexibility to present a variety of theories about the…

What do you think about the separation of church and state? With the religious philosophy of evolutionism dominating our school systems, I don’t see the separation, unless this refers to Christianity. But more importantly, nowhere in the U.S. Constitution is the phrase mentioned. It came from a letter written by Thomas Jefferson to a pastor.…

Aren’t there contradictions in the Bible, like the different accounts of creation found in Genesis 1 and 2? There are no contradictions in the Bible, just areas where fallible man has misinterpreted what has been given to us by God’s Word. For instance, the apparent contradiction between Genesis’ creation accounts. In Genesis 1 we are…

Don’t the trees of life found in science textbooks prove evolution happened? The evolutionary trees of life are nothing more than an evolutionist’s fairy tale. Each branch of these trees would require millions of transitional beings to be viable yet never has a single “missing link” of any kind ever been found that has held…

If we were created, why have ape-men been found? Never has an “ape-man” held up to true scientific scrutiny. They always turn out to be 100% human (Neanderthal man, Rhodesia man, Peking man, Homo Erectus, Cro-Magman, etc.), 100% ape (Ramapithecus, Lucy, Taung, Flat Faced man, the Australopithecines, etc.), or pure “mistakes” (Piltdown man, Java man,…

Is a short hair dog producing a long hair dog proof of Darwinian evolution? It proves that we need to clearly define the term evolution. From a biological standpoint, let’s focus on micro evolution, macro evolution and genetic information. Micro is simply an adaptation (variation) within the same kind of plant or animal. The genetic…

Are insects becoming resistant to insecticides proof that they are evolving? Although often cited as proof of evolution, there is no evolution there whatsoever. Let’s pretend that we started out with 1,000 cockroaches and sprayed them with an insecticide which kills 998 of them. Did the 2 survivors instantaneously evolve an immune system? Of course…

If we all descended from Adam and Eve, where did the different races come from? The term race is an evolutionary term. The only race mentioned in the Bible is the human race (Malachi 2:10, Acts 17:26). We have no idea what color the skin of Adam and/or Eve was. However, if a white and…

How did Noah fit millions of animals into the Ark? There were not millions of animals, but only a few thousand. Genesis 7:22 indicates that Noah only had to bring land animals that breathed through nostrils. This eliminates water living mammals, fish, insects, etc. He also only brought a pair of each kind of animal.…

How do dinosaurs fit into a young earth perspective? Very well! Keep in mind that the word “dinosaur” wasn’t invented until 1841. Prior to that they were called serpents or dragons. Besides the Bible, there are thousands of dragon stories in the history books going back from 1,000 to 3,000 years. Along with historical accounts…

How do coal beds fit with a young earth view? Coal is usually found in layers which requires the practice of strip mining for its removal. Evolutionists claim that coal formed in swamps during the Carboniferous period about 250 million years ago. However, coal layers at various depths, with strata layers between, often have coal…

If the earth is only a few thousand years old, why can we see light from stars that are billions of light years away? Let me point out a few things to be considered: God made a mature creation including stars and starlight (Isaiah 40:22, 42:5, 45:12 and Jeremiah 10:12). There is no way to…

As long as I believe in the Bible, why should I care about the creation-evolution issue? First, I have great respect for anyone who, despite the massive propaganda assault by evolutionists, can still see through to the truth of God’s un-compromised word. Here are 2 reasons why you should care. 1) The message of salvation…

Doesn’t Radiometric Dating prove that the earth is billions of years old? Not at all!! The only thing that these dating methods have proven is that they (Carbon, Ar-K, Isochron, etc.) are completely unreliable. They are also non-scientific. Science is defined as knowledge derived from the observation, testing and study of evidence. These dating methods…

If God created everything, doesn’t the evil we see in this world prove that God is evil? No, it doesn’t.  Keep in mind that God created a perfect universe, reflecting His infinitely good and perfect nature.  It was sin which brought evil into His perfect creation. The results we see reflect the infinitely evil nature…

Doesn’t the Geologic Time Scale prove that evolution took place over billions of years? The Geologic Time Scale, or column, was popularized by Charles Lyell in his 1830’s book “Principles of Geology”. He stated that his goal was to undermine people’s faith in the Bible. It is a nifty drawing of sediment layers in order…

Creationists do not fight science. Science is defined as knowledge derived from the observation, study and testing of evidence. Most branches of modern science were begun by Creation believing scientists. Real science is a Christian’s best friend because observable, testable facts support Creation and destroy evolution. Darwinian Macro-evolution is unobservable and non-testable so it is…

Does it really matter whether a person believes in a young creation or an old one? Whether the earth is young or old, whether God used creation or evolution, whether God created in six days or over billions of years or whether death existed prior to man’s sin are not the most important questions. But…

This page is dedicated to listing various resources that church planters and pastors will benefit from knowing about. Feel free to explore it, pass it along, and share it as you see fit.  Also, if you know of anything that should be listed here, please let me know! Resources Like Netflix for Christian teachers For…

Are you concerned that scientists will one day find proof of our origins? They’ve already found volumes of proofs but they have made accepting their findings an impossibility by ruling out the correct cause of our origins before they started their testing. Take a group of mathematicians, for instance, who have ruled out the number…

At the end of the six day creation, God called His creation, “very good”. Satan was still an angel at this time. Corinthians tells us that death is an enemy to God’s creation. The creation was certainly not full of death at the end of the sixth day and Romans tells us that death came…

Where did Cain’s wife come from? According to Genesis 3:20 Eve is the mother of all living people and Cain was her first son. (Gen.4:1)  Genesis 5:4 tells us that Adam and Eve lived for 800 years after the birth of Seth, when they were 130 years old, and they bore other children.  Cain’s wife…

What’s the problem with putting millions of years into the Bible? Ten results from a belief in “millions of years” : The great majority of Christians who accept old earth ages have never given much thought to what this belief implies. To cause all of us to reflect upon this belief, I have compiled the…

1 Peter 3:15 is the reason for this post. We have not done a good job of giving an answer to people when it comes to this topic. But, why does it really matter?   Credibility of Genesis is at stake Jesus’ credibility is at stake (25 references) The rest of the Bible is at…

Sola Scriptura (Latin for “Scripture Alone”) – Evangelicals believe that the Bible alone is the only inspired and authoritative writing totally sufficient for our faith and claims to be the Word of God. 2 Timothy 3:16 says, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for…

In the Book of Acts, the Bible records for us approximately 30 years of the early beginnings of the church and in spite of early persecution of the church by Roman Emperors such as Nero (54-68 AD) and Domitian (81-96 AD), Christianity had spread and established itself throughout the Roman Empire. Because of it’s location…

Some information was sourced from www.gotquestions.org

Q)  How do I explain that Jesus is God to someone who lost his faith?   A) This is a wonderful question. I think the first, and most important thing to realize is that we will never be able to argue somebody into the faith. A Saving Faith is not an intellectual issue. There are…

Q) Jesus said that you can not be a follower of God unless God calls you to be. How is that free will?   A) In scripture, there are a number of statements that imply what you are describing. One such example is in John 6:44 which says No one can come to me unless the Father who…

If the resurrection of Jesus Christ was a fabricated hoax, it was the greatest deception, and a vicious and cruel lie created by despicable, heartless men. If so, Christians are to be pitied above all people, for our hope would then be based on that lie.    But, if the resurrection of Jesus Christ is…

Simply put, Buddhism is mans attempt to escape pain and suffering through self-perfection and meditation. The goal is to eliminate desires in an attempt to stop the endless cycle of reincarnation and karma by attaining enlightenment and thus extinguishing self, desire, and pain; while at the same time becoming one with the universe. Buddhism is…

For the aspiring preacher looking for some inspiration as you develop your skills at the pulpit. The guidelines here are not necessarily law, but are rather best practices.   Introduction: As you develop your outline, consider a nice introduction to the message. This should be a summary of your message, and sometimes is best written…

Carl Sagan (1934-1996), an American astronomer and author stated in his 1980 book Cosmos, “The Cosmos is all there is, all there was, and all there will ever be.”1   This statement embodies what the atheist believes, namely that the universe is eternal and if it is not eternal, then it came to be “out…

Are you a tolerant person? By that I mean, would you be willing to accept a persons friendship, even if you do not agree with their lifestyle choice? Can you be different from somebody, and still be their friend? Can you disagree with their belief, without being in a confrontation with that person or group…

Christians find themselves in a situation these days where the word “sin” has become a dirty word. What I mean is that many people are so repulsed by the word “sin” that it would be liken to a person dropping the F-Bomb in a church. Many people just don’t like to hear the word. These…

Ezekiel’s Prophecy of Israel’s 1948 Rebirth Hidden in the pages of scripture is a precise prophesy about the exact time when the Lord would miraculously restore his chosen people to their ancient land.   Israel’s relationship to the land is a major focus of biblical prophesy. The Egyptian captivity was prophesied to last exactly 430…

Last week, we addressed a question from a reader that deals with two different topics. Therefore, while I answered him in one email, I have split the content into two posts for our site for the sake of topical clarity. Today, we will pick up where we left off last week. I will re-paste the…

In today’s post, our reader asks a question that should be answered in two parts for the sake of topical clarity. My readers question was answered directly by me in one email, however I am splitting the answer into two posts because there are two topics addressed here. Some of my original email has been…

My congregation is aware of my story. I served in the cannabis industry for a very long time before I was born again. In a matter of months after my new life began, I felt called out of that industry and in to a life dedicated to ministry. God has been providing for my family…

Quiet heroes dot the landscape of our society. They don’t wear ribbons or kiss trophies; they wear spit-up and kiss boo-boos. They don’t make the headlines, but they do sew the hemlines and check the outlines and stand on the sidelines. You won’t find their names on the Nobel Prize short list, but you will…

We do not know the day or the hour when it will happen, but one day, Jesus Christ is coming back again to take back the earth and gather those who belong to Him to be with Him forever in paradise. The Scriptures clearly tell us how we should live each day as we wait…

Q) Is marriage a type of relationship that was made by God that shows the relationship between Jesus and Father God?   A) I believe it is. Let’s take a look at the Word of God for examples.    Ephesians 5: 21-33  Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. 22 Wives, submit yourselves to your own…

If we want to be at peace with God and with others, then we must learn to forgive others. An unforgiving attitude can lead to a person’s ruin. Let’s take a look at what the Bible has to say about it.    Luke 23:34 –  Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are…

For being such a small part of the body, this little muscle can sure make a big impact on a life! Whether good or bad, the tongue has enormous power and therefore should be controlled and directed acordingly.    There are many scriptures that speak to this matter, but I will chose a select few. …

We here are not talking about the beating organ in our chest. In Scripture, the words heart, thoughts, mind, or affections speak about what is inside us. What we are or what we do daily will be greatly determined by what is in our heart, because what is there will lead our actions. Whether they are good, bad,…

Trust is very important. It is hard to earn trust, and very easy to lose it.  Don’t you hate it when somebody tells you “I will be there”, when in reality they have no intention of showing up at all? They would rather not tell you the truth, which is that they are not coming.…

Q) Why and how does one man, Adam, infect the entire future of mankind with sin? If we didn’t ask for sin, why do we have to ask for forgiveness?   A) This is a great question. A lot is said on this topic in Romans chapter 5. Lets take a look.  Romans 5:12 – Therefore,…

Q) How many resurrections are there? A) There are two resurrections, however the first resurrection seems to happen in stages. Lets take a look at the scriptures.  Daniel 12:2 summarizes the two very different fates facing mankind: “Many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some…

The reader who asked the question in the article “What happens after death? – Question from a reader” followed up with the question below.  Q)  I’m so confused, I’m finding contradictions in the bible. One part says, no one has been to heaven except jesus, but your examples say different. Another part says, the dead…

Q) I have a question as of now, nobody has gone to heaven except Jesus? Are all the dead in a type of coma till the first resurrection? Are the dead clueless of things going on?   A) These are terrific questions. Let’s take a look at what scripture has to say.  We know from scripture…

Isaiah 40:31 – but those who wait on the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.   Waiting is  hard. We are more comfortable working. Try sitting with no cell phone, no computer, no talking, no texting. Just sit…..and wait.  It is…

It is completely natural for a person to want recognition. We want to achieve much in this life. The following scriptures give us insights on the proper balance of humility in our lives.    Proverbs 13:10 – Where there is strife, there is pride, but wisdom is found in those who take advice. The person lacking humility…

I would like to dedicate our next post to the work of the Lord through our friends DuWayne and Christina. They have dedicated their time to representing Jesus to the disenfranchised homeless community. Not just once in a while, like some of us. Not just from a distance, with a financial contribution, like some of…

I am just a lazy Christian I don’t want to do anything All that I do when I go to church Is clap my hands and sing I don’t know who pays the bills And keeps the church house clean All I know is it sure looks nice When I come on the scene I…

A Jewish man was traveling from Jerusalem down to Jericho, and he was attacked by bandits. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him up, and left him half dead beside the road. By chance a priest came along. But when he saw the man lying there, he crossed to the other side of the…

Our god is love. 1st John chapter 4 says much about that topic. And the Bible goes on to say so much on the topic that it would be hard to say it all here in just one devotional post. But I will try to do the matter justice while being brief enough that you…

In spite of all the trials, testing, and suffering we may face, God still watches over us and meets our every need.    Isaiah 43:2 – When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the…

Many people, Christian and non-Christian are fans of the idea that people are assigned a guardian angel to watch over them. So I would like to address this popular belief from a Biblical perspective.  Here is what the Bible has to say.    Hebrews 1:14 – Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who…

The Bible says “God loves a cheerful giver”, thereforE I will present a number of scriptures that demonstrate this point. Don’t worry, I am not going to ask for a donation at the end of this message.  1 Chronicles 29:14 – “But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to…

If I Were The Devil By Paul Harvey   If I were the Devil. . . I would gain control of the most powerful nation in the world; I would delude their minds into thinking that they had come from man’s effort, instead of God’s blessings; I would promote an attitude of loving things and…

END TIME SIGNS 1. False Bible teachers would be money hungry. They would be smooth talkers, have many followers, and slur the Christian faith (2 Peter 2:1-3) See some at: Fakemessiah.com 2. Homosexuality would be increasingly evident at the end of the age (2 Timothy 3:3) 3. Earthquakes would be in diverse places (Matthew 24:7) 4. Stress would be part of living (2…

Although there is overwhelming evidence that the New Testament is an accurate and trustworthy historical document, many people are still reluctant to believe what it says unless there is also some independent, non-biblical testimony that corroborates its statements. In the introduction to one of his books, F.F. Bruce tells about a Christian correspondent who was…

As I have been considering church planting, I have been studying the book of Acts and the common practices of the early church, trying to figure out what God expects of us as we try to further His kingdom.    Buildings. Perhaps most obviously, the early church was not confined to a church building with steeple…

Q) Jesus has gone through all emotional suffering that we have but I can’t find anywhere about any sexual temptation. Did he experience that to or is that the one thing that he doesn’t empathize with?   A)  This is a great question. The answer is, yes, Jesus did struggle with sexual temptation and can empathize…

Christians have two natures, one at war with the other. We have our sinful nature, which the Bible often refers to as “the flesh”, and we have our reborn spiritual nature that longs for the things that pleases the Lord. If we are going to grow closer to God, and look more like Christ, we…

“The reason why we struggle with insecurity is because we compare our behind the scenes with everyone else’s highlight reel.” Stephen Furtick

I know. This will probably be the least popular devotional on the site. Who wants to talk about such a topic after all? Well, there are times when God corrects us. Because of His love for us, He will sometimes bring a measure of discipline into our lives.   Lets just see what the scriptures…

“If an egg is broken by an outside force, life ends. If broken by an inside force, life begins. Great things always begin from the inside.” Jim Kwik

In many respects, the Christian life is a life of testing. We can expect trials because God, through adverse situations, takes out of our lives things that are not pleasing to Him. But trials should not always be viewed as punishments.    Lets take a look at what the scriptures have to say about it. …

“The greatest danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it but that it is too low and we reach it.” Michelangelo

Let God direct your daily path, and you will save yourself a lot of heartache, wasted time, dead end roads, and wrong turns in your Christian life. God sees things from a very different perspective.    Lets see what the scriptures have to say about it.    Psalm 25: 4-5 – Show me your ways, Lord, teach me…

“Too many people buy things they don’t need with money they don’t have to impress people they don’t like.” Dave Ramsey

This is not much of a devotional. More of an addictive online game, and I am posting it here more for my own ease of referance.  http://www.flashbynight.com/drench/mobile/

Revelation 4:10–11 describes a scene in heaven: “The twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and . . . lay their crowns before the throne and say: ‘You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power.’” The words translated “glory” and “honor” are closely related and often used…

“No matter how many mistakes you make or how slow you progress, you are still way ahead of everyone who isn’t trying.” Tony Robbins

Q) In judges 11:30 ,Jephthah’s vow to the lord, did he really sacrifice his daughter as a burnt offering? Isn’t God against child(human) sacrifice?   A) This is a great question. This story is found in Judges 11: 30-40   Jephthah had made a very foolish vow to the Lord that if God gave him victory in…

“No snowflake in an avalanche ever feels responsible.” Voltaire

All the religions and denominations of each religion would say the same thing. That they are the ones who have the market cornered on understanding completely sound doctrine. Speaking of just Christianity alone, with dozens of denominations, each with their own interpretation of what the Bible says, how are we to know what is truth…

“Have I not destroyed my enemy when I have made him into my friend?” Abraham Lincoln

I have been asked many times about this doctrine. The question is usually something like “what happens to babies or children who die before they are old enough to really accept Christ as Lord”.  It is not going to take long as a Christian before any of us have to ask a question like this.…

“You don’t drown by falling in the water. You drown by staying there.” Edwin Louis Cole

Cults can be identified by the following practices: • Submission to “discipleship partners” or “shepherds” and those in authority • Obligation to confess sin to “discipleship partners” or “shepherds” • Unquestioning loyalty and obedience to all those in authority • Obligation to intensively recruit others to join the movement • Authoritarian leadership and group experience…

”I don’t understand why when we destroy something created by man we call it vandalism, but when we destroy something created by God we call it progress. “ Ed Begley, Jr.

Jesus described His followers as the salt of the earth in Matthew 5 as part of His Sermon on the Mount: “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot” (verse 13). There…

“Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.” Buddha CJ – As a Christian, I might not agree with Buddha’s theology, but I have to admit he has a point on this quote

Q) Should women be stay at home mothers, or is it Biblical for them to work as much as men do?   A) Whether or not a woman should work outside the home is a struggle for many couples and families. The Bible does have instructions regarding the role of women. In Titus 2:3-4, Paul gives these…

“Prejudices are rarely overcome by argument; not being founded in reason they cannot be destroyed by logic.” Tryon Edwards

Q) What does begotten son mean?   A) When the Bible refers to Jesus as the begotten son, it means that Jesus is the biological birth son of God. Jesus was born, and His mother was impregnated by God. Begotten means ​procreate. So I begat my daughter. My parents begat me.    Jesus was the only begotten…

“Many are stubborn in pursuit of the path they have chosen, few in pursuit of the goal.” Friedrich Nietzsche

Praise and thanksgiving please God very much. We were made to love, adore and worship God. On occasion, we ought to take our entire prayer time to tell God just how much we appreciate all that He is doing for us each and every day.    Psalm 50:23 – Those who sacrifice thank offerings honor me, and…

“A ship is safe in harbor, but that’s not what ships are for.” William G.T. Shedd

Q) When Peter saw Jesus walking on water, and thought it was a ghost- does this confirm there are ghosts?     A) There were many superstitions circulating in this time and in this culture. I do not think that Peter believing in ghosts is enough to affirm that ghosts as we expect them to be are…

“Happiness is not determined by what’s happening around you, but rather what’s happening inside you. Most people depend on others to gain happiness, but the truth is, it always comes from God within us.”

Q) How do I defend the Bible against people that say humans are millions of years older than just 6000 years believed by Christians?   A) This is a great question.  There are two Christian schools of thought on this.  1) The Bible can not be taken literally, and the ages of the characters in the…

“Forgive others, not because they deserve forgiveness, but because you deserve peace.” Jonathan Lockwood Huie

The people in the prophet Micah’s day complained that God was never satisfied. They snidely asked, “Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of olive oil?” (Micah 6:7). It was their way of asking, “What does God want from us, anyway?” Some people today feel like all their striving to please…

“If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work and give orders. Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea.” Antoine de Saint-Exupery

n February 1963, C.S. Lewis published an essay exploring a number of topics related to space-travel, including the idea of finding God in space. He wrote: The Russians, I am told, report that they have not found God in outer space… Looking for God—or Heaven—by exploring space is like reading or seeing all Shakespeare’s plays…

“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Maya Angelou

Q) How did people come up with the second death meaning “Separation from God”?   A) Only four times in the Bible is the term “Second Death” mentioned: Revelation 2:11, Revelation 20:6 & 14, and Revelation 21:8. We have been taught that this “Second Death” means permanent separation from God.   The physical death process involves the separation of…

“Life is 10% of what happens to you and 90% of how you react to it.” Charles R. Swindoll

Q) Can you compare Samson to a suicide bomber?   A) This is an accusation commonly made by Muslims. But there are some big differences between a suicide bomber, and the Martyrs of the Bible who gave their life. Though I can see how there would be some confusion based on how our english language…

“One original thought is worth a thousand mindless quotings.” Diogenes

A very common question or topic that just seems to come up a lot is as regards praying to saints, and worshiping Mary, the mother of Jesus. This question comes most especially from those in my congregation who have a Catholic background or family who are Catholic.  Before I go on, I want to go…

“If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change the way you think about it.” Mary Engelbreit

It is God’s desire that every believer live a victorious Christian life. Yet, God knows that there will be times when we will yield to sin and temptation. In His graciousness God has provided a way for us, through confession, to be forgiven and cleansed from all sin.    1 John 2:1 – My dear children, I…

“The true measure of a man is how he treats someone who can do him absolutely no good.” Samuel Johnson

Q) What does this mean, “a bruised reed he will not break,”? What is a reed? I think this is in Isaiah 53   A) This question is answered by a fun word study.    The verse you are refering to is in Isaiah 42:3 – “A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall…

“I don’t count my sit-ups. I only start counting when it starts hurting. That is when I start counting, because then it really counts. That’s what makes you a champion.” Muhammad Ali

Luke 9:26  Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.   God knows when we are ashamed of Him, or when we are in a position where we respect people…

“A life spent making mistakes is not only more honorable, but more useful than a life spent doing nothing.” George Bernard Shaw

One major brick we put in the wall between us and God is that most of us have our own plans and agendas for our lives. In most cases these plans don’t bring any fruitful results and may not be successes but we are too short sighted to see the end. We end up resisting…

“If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough” Albert Einstein

Materialism is an attitude.  It makes us seek after things that are temporary and don’t add any value to our lives in the long run. Love of worldly things, money, and pleasure are fine examples. We can begin to value things more highly than people, and we put ourselves over others while money becomes a…

“There isn’t anything noble about being superior to another person. True nobility is in being superior to the person you once were.” Ziad K. Abdelnour

Of all the attitudes that can depreciate our relationship with God, this is one of the most common. Pride is the foremost among the deadly sins, and it is the root cause of most other sins. It can lead to bitterness, rebellion, hatred, anger, arrogance, and many other sins. It is also very subtle, and…

“The things you do for yourself are gone when you are gone, but the things you do for others remain as your legacy.” Kalu Ndukwe Kalu

Belief in God is a choice. There is intellectually sound, reasonable arguments to consent to the Christian doctrines in the Bible, if only one would objectively explore them. One does not have to be naive to believe in the supernatural. Unbelief actually takes more effort than it does to believe, because to miss out on…

“[Man] sacrifices his health in order to make money. Then he sacrifices money to recuperate his health. And then he is so anxious about the future that he does not enjoy the present; the result being that he does not live in the present or the future; he lives as if he is never going…

The Holy Spirit is an all powerful being and an extension of God himself, so all things are possible to Him. Barriers like addictions, attitudes, sexual immorality, perversions, lies, and unhealthy obsessions can be easily defeated when we have the Holy Spirit on our side. The only condition is we must want to be set…

“Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t — either way you’re right.” Henry Ford

Most of the time when we hear about Hanukkah, we think it’s a “Jewish thing.” However, you may be surprised when you hear a bit more about it. Tuesday, December 12th, began the eight-day Jewish festival of Hanukkah, the story of which is recounted in 1 Maccabees. Many Christians are familiar with the eight-day festival…

It is very important in the eyes of God that we forgive anyone who has wronged us. Forgiving people is the only condition that God has put down for our own sins to be forgiven by him.   Matthew 6:15 – But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.…

“He who asks a question remains a fool for five minutes. He who does not ask remains a fool forever.” Chinese proverb

All believers are subject to temptation. Even Jesus was tempted, so we can not imagine any level of christian maturity that will exempt us. But victory can be ours if we use the resources available to us. If there is a sin in our life that we have not been able to eliminate, even though…

“A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in.” Greek Proverb

I will only talk here briefly, because a preacher could easily fill volumes on the subject. For the sake of brevity, I will keep it short and sweet.  “Fruits of the Spirit” is a biblical term that describes the visible attributes of a true Christian walk. It is visible physical manifestations of the work the…

“Most people do not listen with the intent to understand. Most people listen with the intent to reply.” Steven R. Covey

I think there is a reason that the Bible dedicates very little text to describing Satan and his works. Other than to clearly define Him as the enemy, we know very little for certain about Satan, and for good reason. I believe that people would have a greater tendency to fixate on Satan if more…

“If you want to make God laugh, tell him about your plans.” Woody Allen

People by nature are very suggestive. This goes for everybody, no matter how strong willed we are. Non-believers, and believers alike. Even the most mature believers have to be careful to confirm a prompting is indeed of the Lord instead of coming from inside ourselves somewhere, or from the enemy disguised as truth.  In the…

“In three words I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life: it goes on.” Robert Frost

Our English language can limit us at times when reading the Bible. We often use only one word for things that the Greeks or Hebrews would have multiple words for. For example, the Greeks had numerous words for Love, to define the various types of love. Like for the love of a man toward a…

“Every villain is a hero in his own mind.” Tom Hiddleston

It has been said that God wants to talk to us more then we want to hear from him. This can be said of anybody, no matter how mature of a Christian we may be. This may not have anything to do with how intently we desire to hear from God, instead it says everything…

“For every minute you are angry, you lose 60 seconds of happiness.” Ralph Waldo Emerson

With a title like “Obedience”, I expect this will be the least popular devotional of all. Nobody likes to be reminded that we are called to live a life of obedience toward God’s commandments. I would rather hear all about ooy gooy Grace and forgiveness, and less about what God wants to see from me.…

“The temptation of the age is to look good without being good.” Brennan Manning

    The Bible does not specifically condemn gambling, betting, or the lottery. The Bible does warn us, however, to stay away from the love of money (1 Timothy 6:10; Hebrews 13:5). Scripture also encourages us to stay away from attempts to “get rich quick” (Proverbs 13:11; 23:5; Ecclesiastes 5:10). Gambling most definitely is focused on the love of…

“I’ve come to believe that all my past failure and frustration were actually laying the foundation for the understandings that have created the new level of living I now enjoy.” Anthony Robbins

Q) Did Enoch and Elijah die like everybody else?   A) This is a good question. In fact these two men are the only two men believed to be raptured to heaven alive with out dieing so far.    In Genesis 5:24 the Bible says Enoch walked faithfully with God; then he was no more, because God took…

“Everyone you will ever meet knows something you don’t.” Bill Nye

As we study the scriptures we begin to discover what it means to place our full trust in God. The following scriptures speak about the “fear” of the Lord and what will result when we have a trusting respect for His authority.  Let’s keep in mind that when we see this word “fear”, we can…

Please enjoy the audio clip about the Christian response to the LBGT community. You may be surprised by what you hear. CLICK HERE – to be redirected to a radio sermon on the LBGT topic Please also enjoy the video below, and feel free to post your comments and feelings. Video CLICK HERE – to…

Q) What’s the difference between being a Hebrew and Jewish? Aryans say they hate Jews but Jesus was a Hebrew.   A) The word “Hebrew” tends to be defined as the language that the Jews speak. However, over the years this word has been used interchangeably with the word Jew to have the same definition. When we…

“A man cannot build a reputation on what he is going to do.” Henry Ford

The work of the Holy Spirit is so important that Jesus said in Matthew 12:32 “Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.” The Holy Spirit is the part…

“Speak only if you can improve the silence.” Spanish proverb

Jesus Christ is the most unique person in all of history. He is the eternal God who became man in order that He could die for the sins of the world. He is the Son of God who died in our place, because the cost of our sins are deserving of condemnation. He was raised…

Question – Shouldn’t Christians celebrate the 7 feasts of the old testament instead of pagan holidays?   Answer – Good question. Back in the day, the Jews had celebrated these holidays to remind them of their heritage, so these ceremonies were more than just religious rituals, because they were steeped in cultural history. We today can…

Question – Is the second death the permanent destruction of our spirit? Eternal life after death is not guaranteed, it is given as a gift to some people and others are destroyed. Is this biblically correct?   Answer – No, it seems that the phrase “second death” refers to the second time one would die, though this…

Question – Is the Trinity Biblical? Answer – Let me see if I can help you with your understanding of the trinity.  I will point to some scriptures that show the writers were trinitarians themselves. But before I do, let me say this. I acknowledge what many say about the word “trinity” not being in the…

“Don’t worry about what people think, they don’t do it very often”

Question – Is salvation revocable? Can you lose it?    Answer – If you have faith in Christ, you can be absolutely secured in your salvation. You can do nothing to loose it, no matter what sin you commit. Your enemies can not take it from you, and you can not fail God so much that he will refuse…

When we become children of God through faith, we become responsible to tell others about Christ, and represent Him well while living in this enemy occupied territory. We become like an ambassador for the Kingdom of God in a foreign land. This means we must be a good example to others who are not citizens…

“Going to church doesn’t make you a Christian, any more than standing in a garage makes you a car”

Often called the Forgotten God, because unless you attend a pentecostal church environment, the Holy Spirit is often neglected in the average American church environment. However the Holy Spirit is the dominant member of the triune Godhead today. Of course all three members of the Godhead are eternally significant. But what Jesus did in thirty…

9-9-2017 @ Mission Under Grace Video Pictures CLICK HERE – to go to photo gallery  

It ain’t the jeans that make your butt look fat Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity For every action, there is an equal and opposite government program Bills travel through the mail at twice the speed of checks A conscience is what hurts when all of your other parts feel so good Eat…

Prayer is our lifeline to God. We are expected to live a lifestyle of prayer, which means more than just a ritual before dinner or a quickie before we fall asleep. Our lives can be a prayer, when our prayers become our life. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 – 16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for…

Q) – If God knows everything all at once, why was he violent in the old testament, but wants peace in the new?    A) – This is a great question.    We know that God Himself is unchanging.  Hebrews 13:8 – Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.   Malachi 3:6 – “For I, the LORD,…

Today we have a higher level of access to the Word of God than ever before in human history. On any smartphone, you can download an app with every single translation and every single version for free. Although it is impossible to obtain exact figures, there is little doubt that the Bible is the world’s best-selling…

Q) If Mary was born with a sinful nature like everybody else, then why didn’t Jesus inherit a fallen nature from her?   A) Great question. It is true that Mary does come from the same ancestry as Adam, and therefore has inherited his sinful nature. Since Jesus was born of a human woman, he inherited…

I was pleased to discover that our local government has a ritual of prayer and the pledge of allegiance to the flag by one nation under God before each city council meeting. I was honored to be asked to provide this invocation, and enthusiastic to discover that I could praise the name of Jesus when…

You may have read from a few weeks ago that we are saved by faith, through grace, and if you stick around me long enough, you will hear it said again. When we put our faith in Jesus Christ, He becomes not only our Savior but also our Sovereign Lord and Master. We are under…

Q) This has been bugging me for two months. It says in Galatians 3:19 (around there) , that angels gave the law. Moses said God gave him the law directly. Also, when Jesus was confronted by people that caught a woman committing adultery, he was writing on the ground as a symbol, that he can’t…

I have expressed to other Christians that I am living the scriptures that speak to having a peace in Christ that the world could never provide, or that count my trials as joy. I express that this is a feeling and lifestyle that is hard to explain, or even understand until appreciating its reality in…

Satan is constantly trying to undermine your salvation by whispering blasphemies in your ear, getting you to doubt your faith. He will first plant doubts in your head, then he will try to convince you that these were your own thoughts. Now I am not an advocate of the theology behind the phrase “once saved,…

The purpose of this devotional is to explore the basics of our salvation. Salvation means the deliverance from sin and its consequences. Please review and meditate on these scriptures and reflections to either renew your commitment to Christ, or to enter into the Kingdom of God for the first time.   How? Romans 10:9 =…

From Steven Gibson Q1) Do I take my hat off in Church service?   A1) Steven, that is a good question, because in today’s cultural climate, there are lots of possible answers to that very question. So, I want to answer this question from two perspectives. Both Gods and Mans. From Gods perspective, He sees into…

If we are called to be disciples, and we are called to make disciples, then it is worth asking for the sake of clarity, “What is a disciple?” We here will be focusing on the answer in its Christian context, because the idea of being somebodies disciple is not originally a Christian term. During the…

Why did I make this web site? Did I just want a spotlight on myself? Was I looking for a way to promote all my interests, or show off? NO There are two reasons why I created this web site, and I want to share them with you so you understand my intentions. An alternative…