2 Corinthians 3:7-18 My Dad was my hero. My childhood desire was to be like him. One Saturday afternoon, while practicing the next morning’s children’s program, Brother Chilton asked me to go to the platform for a mic check, adding, “You must be Paul’s boy—I can see the resemblance!” When…
Acts 1:1-11 Hooking a leash on Lilly Belle, our Golden Retriever, I took her out the back door and a few yards away from the house one night. Being some miles from the city made it pitch dark outside, and I looked up to a breathtaking galaxy of twinkling stars…
Malachi 4:1-6 It’s never fun to be sick, even if it means skipping school. I recall my boyhood days when I would be absent from class due to illness. Sometimes, it meant a trip to the doctor; other times, it was just being homebound to take medicine, keeping distance from…
Isaiah 60:15-22 We all rejoice when someone is converted but realize that’s only the beginning. We must be patient with them and allow them to mature in the faith. I remember one man who was saved on a Sunday night. He immediately stood and testified about his new life in…
Isaiah 60:8-14 November 5, 1972. I’ll never forget that Sunday night, the night I responded to the pastor’s message, walked a long aisle to the altar, and begged God to forgive me of my sins. That night at the age of 19, I was gloriously born again! Though I grew…
Isaiah 60:1-7 I’ve tried my best to stay in tune with the Spirit. Occasionally, during Sunday worship, I would strongly feel that the sermon I had worked on all week was not the one for that day. My first reaction would be panic, and then I would pray. Once the…
Psalm 98:1-9 I love birthdays. It’s incredible to me that we celebrate someone just for existing. Society and academics celebrate achievement and status, but one day a year, every person gets a party for being born into this world. God gives us a reason to celebrate because we are called…
Hebrews 3:7-15 What has the power to harden our hearts? The writer of Hebrews discusses the effects of rebellion as he references the rebellion of the Hebrews in Egypt. Hearts may be hardened when motivated by selfishness. It is difficult to let go of our past hurts and live in…
2 Corinthians 9:6-15 My grandmother used the King James Version to repeat the truth from Galatians 6:7: “Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” She was teaching me the simple reality that we can plant joy, worry, kindness, grace, or anger; whatever we plant, those seeds will grow…
John 7:33-44 Jesus spoke in the temple courts and provoked strong reactions from His listeners. At the Festival of Tabernacles, Jesus’ brothers urged Him to go to the event publically in order to show His works and His identity. Jesus went to the festival in secret and taught about the…