Viewer Discretion Is Advised by James R. Coggins

Posted on August 21, 2024 by jrcoggins

When you’re watching television, have you ever encountered a warning such as this: “This program contains violence, coarse language, nudity, and mature subject matter. It may not be suitable for all ages. Viewer discretion is advised”?

Of course, you have. It comes on just before almost every program. Even the news.

Since it comes on before almost every program, what is the point? Why not just post one warning on the TV itself (“The programs on this television contain…”) and be done with it? Why bother to warn people if the problems are so widespread that viewers should know by now what is coming anyway?

The answer is that this way the networks and streaming services don’t have to do anything to clean up the violence, coarse language, etc. It is much easier to just post the warning and not do anything else or even think about the harm they are doing. If you don’t like it, you can’t say you weren’t warned.

As a Christian, as a parent and grandparent, and as a citizen, I am concerned about this situation.

But as a writer, I am also concerned about something else. I think many TV programs (and movies too) should with a warning like this: “This program contains hackneyed script writing, unbelievable characters, stilted and hokey dialogue, derivative plots, predictable endings, overused clichés, token characters (blacks, gays, hypocritical Christians), woke propaganda, and a lot more that you are not going to enjoy. But you can’t say we didn’t warn you.”  

Posted in James R. Coggins | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Walking the Walk Even in Fiction!

Posted on August 20, 2024 by Author Mary Alford

Faith in Fiction. As a Christian and Amish Suspense author, one of the key points I want to come through in every story that I write is God’s love and forgiveness to all. It is the greatest story ever written by the Creator of every thought.  

Whether the story is about something the hero or heroine have gone through in their lives that shakes their faith or has them wondering how a loving God could allow such awful things to happen, as in Ambush in the Mountains where the heroine is caught up in human trafficking and the hero is battling his own darkness after losing someone he loved to the war. God is there with them in the midst of their doubts and their hopelessness.

Psalm 28:7-8 says, The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him. The Lord is their strength, and he is the saving strength of his anointed.

Or if I’m writing a story where the protagonists come face-to-face with true evil straight from Satan himself as in The Last to Know. Even in that type of darkness, there’s hope as John 14:27 proclaims; Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

No matter what spiritual warfare might be coming at the hero and heroine of a story, there is always God’s light shining throughout the pages restoring faith and softening hearts.  

As Christian writers we are called to shine His light into the darkness whether it’s in the world around us on the pages of our books that spotlight Him to those who may not know the one true God.    

Mary

http://www.maryalford.net

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

A Special Light

Posted on August 16, 2024 by dtopliff

I’m not writing about Israel today, but I hope you’ll see the connection. Teaching in a small Christian college brought many special dividends. Students came from around the world and lived in our homes instead of in dorms. Sometimes their families also visited, stayed with us, and we became friends. When I could manage air tickets to their homelands (or had airmiles) I was part of their extended family—not a tourist. That’s my FAVORITE way to see other countries.

And my friends are kind. On one visit to Scotland I told Dianne, mother of two of my students, that one day I’d love to see the island of Iona where Irish monk St. Columba did so much transcribing and illuminating of the four Gospels in the outstanding 7th century Book of Kells masterpiece. Eighteen years later when I returned, Dianne had remembered my wish. “Our ferry tickets are booked from Oban to Mull and beyond,” she said, and off we went.

When Vikings swept down from the north to raid and plunder, the Book of Kells was preserved by rushing it to Dublin for safekeeping where it is displayed in Trinity College Library as a priceless treasure today. I’m thrilled to have seen it twice, lovely with its breathtaking decorations in gold and silver leaf and paints made from crushed jewels.

The small cave-like structure attached to the Iona abbey is where St. Columba worked on the manuscript. There’s a large stone on the hill outside where he also sat and worked looking out over the Irish Sea on non-stormy days.

It’s something to see and connect with the places where great things happened, and with the consecrated life of someone who helped anchor and spread our faith. Columba is credited with converting Scotland.

As I bent to peek into the small structure, it suddenly glowed with beauty. My old iPhone had no special features. There was no flash, yet the room seemed alive with radiance—as if Columba had just stepped outside and would be back any moment.

Later, after touring the abbey and museum, we returned. This time we saw no special radiance—just cold stone. Yet earlier a special light had glowed for us.

Time is something God gives us to mark our life journeys, but He lives outside of it. He’s free to step in or out of time and give us glimpses of things beyond, or of long ago, or of things to come.

The verse I hear is Ephesians 4:6, “one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”

Sunrises and sunsets contain brief glimpses of that special light. Look for it. Thank Him for the moments here and now that connect us to all He is doing in eternity.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Royal Law by James R. Coggins

Posted on August 14, 2024 by jrcoggins

In James 2:8, the writer of that New Testament letter used a curious phrase: “If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself,’ you are doing right.” James had been saying that Christian church members should treat poor people just as well as they do rich people and then said that this would be fulfilling “the royal law.” What did he mean by that? James went on to say that the royal law is to “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

When Jesus was asked which were the most important commandments, He answered that they were to love God and to love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:39). The word that James used here for “royal” is basilikos. From this, we get our English word “basilica,” which is a Roman Catholic cathedral, the home base of a bishop. The word actually means “base” and refers to a big building for a court or high church official, a power base. So, what did James mean by calling this commandment the “royal law”?  He could have meant that this was the law given by the King (Jesus), but he might also have meant that this is the foundational law that supports and rules all others.

James was the leader of the Jewish wing of the church and, as such, might have been expected to uphold the importance of obeying the Jewish law. But here he made an interesting argument. He said that no matter how many laws we keep, if we break even one, we are sinners: “Whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it” (James 2:10). We are all sinful. This is the argument that Paul made in Romans (Romans 3:9-20), teaching that we are all saved by faith. James here used a phrase that he had used before, that Christians are to be judged by “the law that gives freedom” (James 2:12). He was not talking about the Old Testament law but about the new covenant that Jesus brought, a promise that we can be forgiven through Jesus’ death on the cross. He then reinforced this idea by saying that “mercy triumphs over judgment” (James 2:13). Included in James’s teaching here is Jesus’ teaching that if we want mercy for ourselves as sinners, we must extend that mercy to others (Matthew 6:12-15, 18:21-35).

Posted in James R. Coggins | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Finding Godly Friends by Nancy J. Farrier

Posted on August 12, 2024 by Nancy J. Farrier
Photo by DJ Paine on Unsplash

A friend. Don’t we all need one at times? Someone who will be there for us and love us despite all our prickly parts. So, where do we find them? Often when we become a Christian, the friends we once had don’t share the same values that we now have. We need to be “mutually encouraged by each other’s faith,” as it says in the following verses.

“For I long to see you so that I may impart some spiritual gift to you, that you may be strengthened; that is, to be mutually encouraged, while among you, by each other’s faith, both yours and mine.” Romans 1:11-12 LSB

In Acts 2, Peter preaches to a crowd and there are many who respond to his preaching and become Christians. 

“So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls. And they were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to the prayers.” Acts 2:41-42 LSB

Every one of these people needed to be mutually encouraged in their faith just as we do today. We can find four pillars of friendship in Acts 2:42. Let’s take a look at those pillars and see how we can apply them to our lives and friendships.

Pillar 1: Devoted to the apostles’ teaching. Are your friends devoted to going to church and to hearing the word of God preached? Do they spend time in Bible study? Do you get together and study God’s word? Do you compare notes about the previous Sunday’s teaching and encourage one another to think on godly things?

Being devoted goes beyond just showing up to sit through an hour of church, returning home, and forgetting about Biblical standards until the next Sunday. It means being involved in God’s word and His will for you every day. Finding friends who are also invested in their faith helps you to focus too.

Pillar 2: Fellowship with one another. Are you involved with people in your church or other Christians? Do you join in movie nights, or hikes, or other activities that build community? Do you help with outreach ministries?

Sometimes, putting yourself out there with new people is awkward. They may already have friends and you feel a little left out. Persevere. God wants you to have friendships among believers. Continue to participate in events sponsored by your church. Maybe you are the one encouraging someone else even when you don’t realize it.

Pillar 3: The breaking of bread. This one is pretty clear, right? Do you invite others to share a meal with you? Or, perhaps you can meet somewhere for coffee or tea. 

Jesus often ate with his disciples, friends, or the people he ministered to. This is something we can do too as we share a meal or coffee. There is something about sitting down to eat that encourage conversation.

 If you have trouble talking to people, make a list of questions to ask. Find a conversation starter and learn to relax and enjoy the time spent together. Sharing food or a coffee is a good way to get to know someone and that person may become a friend that you need, just as they need you.

Pillar 4: The prayers. Do you pray together with the person who is becoming your friend? This is different than praying for a person during your quiet time. Do you take the person’s hand and say, “Let’s pray,” lifting the concern to the Lord right then?

Praying together can make you more vulnerable and give you insights into your friend’s character and their needs. They will also learn about you. Prayer is a way to build compassion and empathy for the other person. Prayer requests are to be private and not shared with anyone else. You must be discreet about prayer requests, but it is amazing how meeting together in this way will strengthen your faith and your friend’s faith.

If we follow these four precepts, we will find friends to encourage our faith, inspiring us to be a better person and a better Christian. Don’t wait for someone to approach you with friendship. Pray about it, ask God to help you, and reach out to someone. 

And then do it again.

Posted in Nancy J. Farrier | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

The Blessing of Seniority by James R. Coggins

Posted on August 7, 2024 by jrcoggins

As has often been said, old age is not for the faint of heart. It comes with many physical, financial, emotional, and spiritual challenges.

On the other hand, I have discovered that there are some upsides. Now, I am not really old. I am old, but not old enough to run for president. I am not really old, but I do qualify for the label “senior.” And seniority comes with perks. For one thing, the government sends me money just because I am old. For another, I get seniors’ discounts in restaurants, in movie theaters, in dentist offices, on public transit, and in a host of other places. And people explain things to me. Slowly. And loudly.

That is not all. I have found that age is a wonderful coverall for human failings.

If I do something really foolish, I am not stupid. I’m old.

If I do something bizarre or eccentric, I am not crazy. I’m old.

If I trip and fall or walk into something, I am not clumsy or awkward. I’m old.

If I don’t want to do something, I am not lazy. I’m old.

If I don’t want to listen to someone drone on and on, I am not being rude or hard of hearing. I’m old.

If I don’t want to give to someone or pay for something, I am not cheap. I’m old.

If I forget something, I don’t have a poor memory. I’m old.

I love being old because, like love (1 Peter 4:8), being old can cover over a multitude of sins.

Posted in James R. Coggins | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Revive Us! Revive Me!

Posted on August 6, 2024 by Author Mary Alford

This week, our church is having its annual revival. We have a guest speaker coming to talk each night. It will be a time to refresh, rekindle our fire, and a time to let God “wake up” His church to face the enemy.

If ever we needed that awakening its now!

Let’s face it, Satan has never been more at work in the world than he is now, or more determined to get Christians’ focus off our purpose of sharing God’s forgiveness with others.

It’s a battle out there.

Ephesians 6:12 sums it up as, For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Revival is key whether it’s a weekly event at church or a daily renewal, it helps us to stay plugged in with our source of power. . .God. Through prayer and reading His word we can see the enemy’s attacks for what they are, and then grow stronger in resisting those attacks.

There’s an old hymn by William P. Mackay, written in 1863 called Revive Us Again and it goes something like this.

We praise Thee, O God!

For the Son of Thy love,

For Jesus Who died,

And is now gone above.

Refrain:

Hallelujah! Thine the glory.

Hallelujah! Amen.

Hallelujah! Thine the glory.

Revive us again.

Deuteronomy 31:6 says, Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.

If you feel as if the enemy is winning more battles than he should, and you’re a little beat up, your strength almost gone, go to the source of all strength. Pray. Read His word and let Him revive you for battle.

Isaiah 40:31, But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.   

Mary

http://www.maryalford.net

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

The God Who Helps

Posted on August 2, 2024 by dtopliff

As told in A Traveling Grandma’s Guide to Israel, my travel memoir of nine great trips there over forty years, I’ve had several unexplained experiences of divine help. Both times, the young woman with me and I were going to accommodations in locations we weren’t familiar with when strangers stepped in.

The first time, Cindy and I had left a bus in Eilat with our luggage aware it was three to four blocks to our destination, but which direction? A smiling, neatly dressed young man approached us stating, “You are going to The Shelter. I will get you there.”

He reached out and took our heaviest pieces of luggage and within minutes brought us to the gate of the lovely enclosed garden surrounding the hostel.

A week later we were on a crowded bus in Tel Aviv/Yafo/Joppa riding from the central bus station to the sea. We knew our hostel, Bet Immauel, was among fascinating historic buildings ten minutes walk from the sea, but there was a welter of such structures.

No one wants to leave a bus too soon or late while hauling luggage. We chatted quietly trying to guess when to leave the bus when a pleasant Dutch-looking blonde woman dressed in blue and white came up the aisle from several rows back. She said, “You’re staying at Bet Immanuel. Follow me.”

We did.

After leaving the bus, she kindly walked in front leading us to the hostel’s beautiful tree and flower-filled garden and front door.

If I had burst into song, it would have been the one I heard Ethel Waters sing in person years ago, “His eye is on the sparrow, And I know He watches me.”

If I had quoted a Bible verse, it would have been Hagar’s confession in Genesis 16, “Thou God seest me,” or the Matthew 10 verses, “Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.”

Our loving faithful God cares about every detail of our lives and is there to help.

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

James’s Social Teaching by James R. Coggins

Posted on July 31, 2024 by jrcoggins

We sometimes try to categorize Bible writers. We wonder what influenced them, where they got their ideas and biases. As I wrote in an earlier blog, James, who wrote the book of James in the New Testament, was a Jew, a prime leader in the Jewish wing of the Christian church. James also seems to have been a social justice advocate. Where did he get those ideas? The Old Testament law had many provisions for defending the poor, the foreigner, the widow, and the orphan. James 2:1-7 shows James as siding strongly with the poor. He says that poor people in “filthy clothes” should be welcomed into church as enthusiastically as rich people with gold rings and “fine clothes” (James 2:2-4). The passage is a straightforward command that church members (and churches) not show favoritism to the rich, which suggests that this kind of discrimination was happening. James also seems to say that the poor are more likely to have faith in God and that the rich are less moral than the poor—that it is the rich who more often exploit the poor, drag others into court, and thus prove to be hypocritical (James 2:5-7), which discredits the church and Christianity.

It should be remembered that Jesus also criticized the rich (Luke 6:24-26: “Woe to you who are rich…”) and blessed the poor (Luke 6:20-23: “Blessed are you who are poor for yours is the kingdom of God…”). Jesus also told a parable about a poor beggar named Lazarus who was rewarded in heaven and a rich man who was punished in hell (Luke 16:19-31). In dealing with the “rich young ruler,” Jesus said, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God” (Luke 18:18-30). Jesus taught that when His followers have a dinner party, they should invite “the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind” (Luke 14:12-14). Jesus also condemned the rich and powerful for loving “the most important seats in the synagogues and respectful greetings in the marketplaces” (Luke 11:43). Many more examples from Jesus’ teaching could be given. The point is that for people who think James’s letter is purely Jewish, it is interesting how much James’s teaching parallels Jesus’ teaching.

It is also worth noting that the apostle Paul, who sometimes pointedly disagreed with James, said some very similar things about these issues in his letters. He also suggested that the poor were often more godly than the rich: “Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong” (1 Corinthians 1:26-27). In 1 Corinthians 6:1-8, Paul also criticized Christians who take each other to court.

Christians might not always agree on every issue, but on many things, the Bible and Christians speak with one voice.

Posted in James R. Coggins | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Being Grateful by Tara Randel

Posted on July 29, 2024 by tararandel

Recently I was listening to a podcast where the topic of being grateful came up. It was very uplifting and inspirational but when it was over I had to stop and think, am I grateful? All the time? It sounds like something we all practice, but when you sit down and truly examine the question, what do you come up with?

Ever since covid I’ve found that I’ve been up and down. I’ve worked hard to stay positive but sometimes life just gets to you. This question of gratitude became magnified in my mind, and I had to spend some time thinking about what kind of attitude I portray in my life.

The first thing I did was order a 52 week gratitude booklet. Each day, you write down some of the things you’re grateful for. After I got the book, I looked up scriptures to add to each day’s entry. My keywords were gratitude, thanks, joy, and praise, to name a few. It’s one thing to be grateful, it’s another thing to invite the Lord into the process. When I think about the redeeming grace of God, how can I not be grateful? I can’t and I shouldn’t.

The speaker on the podcast talked about practicing gratitude. I soon realized that to be consistent; to be intentional, it has to become a lifestyle. It might be easy to speak of gratitude for a few days, but what about a year? Many years? What happens when we experience events that are not uplifting or are very painful? Does gratitude come easily then?  

I plan on finding out. I want gratitude to be as easy as breathing, not something I have to dig for deep inside. At first, I thought of the idea of practicing gratitude as a challenge. Now, I want it to be an everyday occurrence. Not something I have to think about, something I do naturally.

If you already practice gratitude, that is awesome. If this is a tough area or you haven’t thought much about it, why not join me on this journey. I’ve always considered myself a polite, pleasant, thankful person, but intentionally being grateful has made a difference in my spirit that has made me feel lighter and happier.

Here are a few scriptures for you today. I hope they life your spirit!

I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.  Psalms 9:1

The trumpeters and musicians joined in unison to give praise and thanks to the Lord. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals and other instruments, the singers raised their voices in praise to the Lord and sang: “He is good: his love endures forever.” 2 Chronicles 5:13

Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.  1 Thessalonians 5:18

I will praise God’s name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving. Psalms 69:30

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.  Psalms 107:1

Tara Randel is an award-winning, USA Today bestselling author. Family values, a bit of mystery and of course, love and romance, are her favorite themes, because she believes love is the greatest gift of all. Look for her Harlequin Heartwarming romance, HER SURPRISE HOMETOWN MATCH, available in 2025. For more information about her books, visit Tara at www.tararandel.com. Like her on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/TaraRandelBooks. Sign up for Tara’s Newsletter.

Posted in Tara Randel | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Lose a Letter, Gain a Story: A Blog for the Silly Season by James R. Coggins

Posted on July 24, 2024 by jrcoggins

Some of my writer friends like to play a little game. They have discovered that if you drop a single letter from the title of a famous book, you can come up with a title for a completely different story. It may sound silly, but, honestly, playing around with words is all writers do all day anyway. Following are a few examples. Use your imagination and consider what these new stories might be about.

Lord of the Rigs

Ale of Two Cities

Little Omen

Little Me

The Prince and the Paper

Seeping Beauty

Brave New Word

One with the Wind

Gone with the Win

Now White

Far from the Adding Crowd

Of Ice and Men

Lord of the Lies

The Tree Musketeers

Animal Arm

Oliver Twit

Leak House

The War of the Words

All Quit on the Western Front

Jane Eye

The Fir

How Green Was My Alley

Lack Beauty

The Lion, the Itch, and the Wardrobe

Canterbury Ales

198

Posted in James R. Coggins | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

More Like God by Nancy J. Farrier

Posted on July 22, 2024 by Nancy J. Farrier
Photo by Tim Marshall on Unsplash

Sometimes I get so frustrated with my human nature. I want to be more like God, but that nasty humanness rears its ugly head when I least expect it.

Have you ever had that happen? You determine to be a godlier person and then something happens. A co-worker snaps at you and you snap right back. It’s the end of the day, you’re tired, and the person in front of you is so slow, keeping you from getting home and putting your feet up. The list can go on and on. 

There comes a point when we forget what it means to be like God in our actions and thoughts. What should we strive for in our daily life?

One of my favorite verses is Joel 2:13. The verse is so clear about God’s character and gives us an idea of what we can do to change our human traits to godliness. 

“So rend your heart, and not your garments;

Return to the Lord your God,

For He is gracious and merciful,

Slow to anger, and of great kindness;

And He relents from doing harm.” (Joel 2:13)

There are four traits of God mentioned in the verse above.

1)He is gracious and merciful.

2)Slow to anger

3)Of great kindness

4)He relents from doing harm.

In looking at this list, I believe if you do the first one, all the others will fall into place. Someone who is gracious and merciful will also be slow to anger and will show great kindness. They will relent from doing harm because they are showing mercy. 

If we wonder how God demonstrated these traits to people, we only need to look at Biblical examples. He showed mercy to Noah and his family by delivering them from the flood. When Abraham asked for grace for the people of Sodom, God extended that grace if there were as few as ten people in the city. He extended mercy to David when he repented of his sin with Bathsheba and Uriah.

God gave grace and showed mercy to Saul, a man who persecuted Christians, seeking them out to be put to death. And He offered grace and mercy to the whole world with the sacrifice of His son.

With God’s example before us, we should treat each situation with great consideration as we learn to act likewise. This isn’t something that comes naturally to those with a human nature. It takes practice, working every moment of every day, to change into a godlier person.

When people become annoying and situations stress us beyond what we think we can take, we must ask God to help us demonstrate his mercy and kindness, to not wish harm to anyone. We must consider that, as Christians, we are called to show God’s love toward others and to demonstrate His characteristics.

Perhaps, at the end of the day, we should go over all out actions and consider these four points.

Ask ourselves: Did I handle that with grace and mercy? Was I slow to anger and did I keep a cool head? Did I demonstrate kindness? Did I wish harm on this person or would I delight if harm came to them? If we failed in any of these, we ask forgiveness and determine to do better from then on.

If we do this every day, then we will become accustomed to this attitude Then our lives will begin to change and we will reflect God’s loving kindness to all those around us.

Posted in Nancy J. Farrier | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Do You Have a Passport?

Posted on July 18, 2024 by Patricia Bradley

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20

Do you have your passport ready if God calls you to be a missionary out of the states? I don’t necessarily mean a lifetime missionary, but what if He called you to go on a short mission trip? I once had an opportunity to go to Romania with a mission group from my church for two weeks and had to say no because I didn’t have a passport. I didn’t really know how to apply or that I could even apply for a passport on line. Yet I procrastinated.

I know what you may be thinking—God won’t call me to be a missionary, but what if you’re wrong? I’ll never forget the first time I felt the nudge to go. It was by the singing group, No Other Name. That year, their song “Lead Me To The Cross” was chosen by the Southern Baptist International Mission Board to promote missions to Northern Africa and the Middle East. During the concert, they asked a question I haven’t been able to get out of my mind even years later.

“What would it mean to you if someone traveled around the world to tell you how much Jesus loves you?” Because I’ve always known about Jesus, I can’t even imagine a life devoid of Him. But so many people have never heard His name even.

No Other Name didn’t just give lip service to the Great Commission—they followed it up by organizing mission trips to different parts of the world. They even had passport applications on the table with their CDs. Yet I didn’t pick one up…

The second time I was nudged, it was by two people from my church who had just returned from a mission trip to Tanzania. Their description of the people and the living conditions of the people in that part of the world briefly shook me out of my complacency. In the village where they went as medical missionaries, one well supplied water for about five thousand people. Yet, I still didn’t get a passport.

I’m too old…or too young…or too…our excuses go on, don’t they? Mine do. How young is too young, or how old is too old? Several teens from our church have gone on the Romanian and Haiti (when it was safe) trips, and I have several friends who’ve gone on mission trips in their retirement years, one who took her first mission trip to the Philippines when she was 76. And our very own Christians Read author, Delores Topliff, has gone on mission trips to the Philippines three times, and to Mexico, Israel, and South Korea…and to a tributary of the Amazon where Colombia, Peru & Ecuador meet.

I know we all can’t go halfway across the world to be witnesses for Jesus, and maybe God hasn’t called you to a foreign mission field. Perhaps He has your mission field right in your neighborhood, your town, your state. But what if He did call you, to say… Romania. Would you be ready? I am…now.

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Shut Up and Listen by James R. Coggins

Posted on July 17, 2024 by jrcoggins

In James 1:18-27, the apostle addresses the topic of “words.” Verse 18 (NIV) says that God “chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.” There is an echo here of Genesis 1, where God spoke the universe into existence. John 1 equates God speaking in creation with the Word, Jesus. However, more than creation is in mind here. Human beings were the culmination, not the “firstfruits” of creation. More directly, this verse is about being born again (John 3:3) through Jesus. This regeneration of human beings is the firstfruits/beginning of the restoration of all of creation. Just as the universe was created by the word of God (God spoke the universe into existence), so creation is being restored by the Word of God (Jesus is the Word of God, who brings the dead back to life).

James goes on to say, in verses 19-21, that we should be “quick to listen, slow to speak.” Human beings like to talk, but their words do not have the power or purity of God’s Word. When we become angry, then bitter and hurtful words pour out of us. Therefore, we should speak much less than we do. Instead, we should listen to God’s Word. We should humbly accept what God has said and welcome God’s Word (Jesus) to live in us. It is only accepting God’s Word that can save us.

In verses 22-25, James explains more fully what it means to listen to God’s Word. He does so by offering a metaphor or word picture. He talks about a man looking in a mirror and then immediately forgetting what he looks like. I understand this. I look in the mirror and see an old man, then walk away and still think of myself as a young man able to do the things I used to do. But James’s analogy does not mean that we see ourselves in the Word of God. Well, God’s Word does tell us that we are sinful and weak. But that is not the point James is making. The illustration is about forgetting. He says that some people look at the Word of God and then immediately forget it and live as if they had never read it. James then uses a peculiar phrase: “the perfect law that gives freedom.” It is not clear whether he is talking about the Old Testament law (as a good Jew) or the New Testament Good News. We do not think of law as giving freedom. We see law as restricting what we do. So, how does the law, God’s Word, give us freedom? Law keeps us from doing what we want to do. God’s Word, on the other hand, gives us the freedom to do what we should do, what God wants us to do. It empowers us to do good. In telling us not to covet, it frees us from envy and bitterness. In telling us to forgive, it allows us to experience forgiveness. Obeying God’s law frees us from all kinds of addictions and the bondage of sin. But there is more here. James later (James 2:12) uses the same phrase, and there he is clearly referring to the new covenant in Jesus, which brings forgiveness and freedom from sin and its penalties. James is contrasting the law (the Old Testament) with “the law that gives freedom” (the New Testament or new covenant in Jesus).

Verses 26-27 again tell us to shut up (to “keep a tight rein” on our tongues) and submit to God’s Word. Being quiet keeps us from sinning with our words, keeps us from blaspheming, lying, and hurting others with our words. It also keeps us from boasting. If we “consider ourselves religious,” we might boast about our righteousness—a boast that is undercut by our actions. Christians have done immeasurable harm by loudly proclaiming our faith and then failing to live up to it. James tells us to stop boasting and start doing. Our actions will proclaim the truth of God’s Word more loudly than our words ever could. Once again here, the Bible cuts through our narrow prejudices. Some Christians focus on maintaining their personal morality (keeping themselves “from being polluted by the world”). Other Christians say it is more important to be involved in social action, in doing good to other people (“looking after orphans and widows in their distress”). James says to do both.

God’s Word brings about creation, restoration, and life. Too often, our words are destructive. We need more of God’s Word and less of our words.

Posted in James R. Coggins | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Remembering: The Value of Photo Albums by James R. Coggins

Posted on July 10, 2024 by jrcoggins

A while back, my wife and I sat down and went through our photo albums—fifteen of them, covering almost half a century. Several themes stood out.

1. Family. Of course. We have photos of our families of origin and the family we built together. The Bible says that God places the lonely in families. We are grateful for the supportive families we have had and for the opportunity to support and guide the next generation.

2. Friends. We have been blessed to have had many good friends over the years. Some we were close to for a while but have lost touch with. Some have passed away. But some are still friends, both close by and far away. They have supported and helped us in uncounted ways, and we hope that we have been a blessing to them, at least in small ways.

3. Nature. There are many pictures of the pets we have had, both cats and dogs. There are photos of horses and cows and sheep. There are photos of wild animals—eagles, seagulls, hummingbirds, geese and ducks, whales, dolphins, bison, bears, beaver, lions, tigers, snakes, lizards, moose, and many more. There are photos of mountains, trees, rivers, waterfalls, oceans, clouds, lightning strikes, northern lights, sunsets, sunrises, and rainbows. We celebrate God’s marvelous and extremely varied and beautiful creation.

4. Church. There are photos of Bible study groups, Sunday school concerts, church concerts, baptisms, weddings, and funerals. There are reminders of the many ways we have been served and the ways we have served in turn. Our lives have been intricately tied up with and blessed by God’s church.

5. Travel. We have not been world travelers, but photos remind us of the one cruise we took, long drives across our own beautiful country from coast to coast, and visits to other countries. We have seen the rich culture and history of people around the world.      

6. Productivity and Creativity. There are photos that remind us of the many productive pursuits we have been able to participate in—concerts and dramatic events we have attended; concerts and dramatic events we have been part of; music and other awards we and members of our family have earned; university degrees earned; books written; projects completed. We have been privileged to have been part of God’s ongoing creative work.

7. Troubles. Our journey on this earthhas not all been sweetness and light. Our albums have also reminded us of death and loss, failure, and brokenness. There is much to mourn in our fallen world. And yet, we have often found comfort and grace in the midst of loss.

Looking back over our lives, we realize we have been incredibly blessed in innumerable ways.

Posted in James R. Coggins | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment