Advice to a Young Couple Facing a Crisis by James R. Coggins

Posted on February 21, 2024 by jrcoggins

As an older Christian, I offer the following suggestions to those with less experience of the trials of life. When you are facing a crisis:

1. Admit the problem, to yourself and to those you trust. Do so before a problem grows into a disaster. You won’t die of embarrassment, but you might die from the problem.

2. Seek advice from those who are older and wiser. And take it.

3. Ask for help. Be grateful when it comes, and understanding when it doesn’t.

4. Think of the blessings, achievements, and good relationships in your life. And be grateful.

5. Keep working, being productive, and earning money. It will give you a break from worry, productivity contributes to the general welfare of society, it will give you something to feel good about, and money is always useful.

6. Keep looking for practical solutions. Be creative, think outside the box, and consider possibilities you haven’t thought of before.

7. Consider and be willing to accept solutions that might not be ideal, at least temporarily.

8. See this crisis as an opportunity to grow and make improvements.

9. Be patient.

10. Don’t panic.

11. Don’t argue with each other or blame each other.

12. Don’t take your frustration and anxiety out on your spouse, your children, or other innocent bystanders.

13. Love your children (if you have any) and give them extra encouragement and understanding. Consider how the crisis might be affecting them, and look for ways you can help them.

14. Keep the long term in view. Avoid temporary fixes that will create bigger problems in the future.

15. Survive. You can’t always be victorious, and sometimes all you can do is survive, but surviving is important. It makes future possibilities and improvements possible.

16. Don’t do anything stupid—such as taking a high-interest loan that will just postpone a financial problem and make it bigger; gambling; resorting to drugs and alcohol; quitting your job; or abandoning your marriage. These actions will just make things worse.

17. Pray and keep praying.

18. Trust God, no matter what happens

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What’s in Your Way?

Posted on February 20, 2024 by Author Mary Alford
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The Christian life has often been compared to a walk. We walk in faith. We keep moving no matter what stage of maturity we are in as Christians. It’s a marathon of growing and learning and yes, stumbling that lasts a lifetime.  

In the beginning, the new believer is on fire for God and excited to share the gospel with everyone they meet. We don’t want to just walk through the journey we want to run it as a marathon. We can’t imagine anything separating us from God.

Yet as we walk, sin sometimes gets in the way and causes us to stumble.  We love the Lord but we’re like little children taking a walk with our parents. We see a pretty flower or a butterfly, and we chase after it. God in His infinite love for us calls us back and sets us on the right path.

Sometimes the path is easy leading us through peaceful destinations and other times our walk is rocky and all uphill like when we lose a loved one or receive a bad diagnosis. Through each step, each bad thing, God is right there beside us. Sometimes holding our hand. Sometimes carrying us through the storms of life.

As we grow older, that fire that began with salvation can grow dimmer. Everything gets harder including walking. Finding our joy becomes difficult. But if we lift our head, God is there with us just as He has been through every step of our journey.   

Obstacles are always there no matter what stage we are in our walk. Temptation and tragedy are part of life. Satan desires to throw us off our path with God every chance he gets.

No matter what is standing in the way of your walk, know that you are not standing there alone. God is right there with you. In the valleys. In the mountains. Through it all.

Psalm 23 says,

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

Until next time, dear friends, many blessings!

Mary

http://www.maryalford.net  

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Implementing Changes by Julie Arduini

Posted on February 16, 2024 by juliearduini

I didn’t set any high goals for 2024, I figured I’d go with my word for the year, Illuminate, pray, and see where the Lord takes me. It’s still early in the year but I thought I’d share a little of what I’m learning and doing about it.

Physically

Last year ended rough. I had bronchitis and a sinus infection that took three months and multiple rounds of steroids to conquer. The high-dose meds made me hungry, and menopause didn’t help. When I felt well enough to exercise it seemed to take me a step back in how I was feeling. It was then I learned I have a list of allergies, the most severe being dust mites and black mold. Fun!

This year I started with a new endocrinologist and he sent me home with a bunch of lab orders. The results are in and they were what I expected. The praise is he is working with me on options to get this turned around. I’m drinking more water, sugar cravings are going away, and I’m eating a lot more protein and less carbs and sugar.

Exercise? I’m not on a regular regiment yet, but I’m giving myself grace. I want this to be a lifestyle. I didn’t get the lab numbers overnight, I won’t improve them in a day, either. It takes time, at least with me.

Emotionally

Last year also had rough patches I didn’t see coming, and they hit harder than I depicted. To recover I had to shut out a lot of noise around me and tighten my boundaries. At first, I felt I had to explain myself, but that’s going away. The choices I made and will most likely tweak as needed were to protect me, and are in no way with a motive to harm anyone else. God is big enough to take care of everyone, and I trust Him.

Spiritually

The call on my life is to encourage others and to pray. When I say “I’ll pray for you” I do not want that to be a cliche statement. Last year was challenging because as odd as it sounds, adopting a reactive puppy took my prayer time away. I was frustrated and exhausted.

He’s doing better, so now it’s time to tack back that time and improve it. I use the app ClickUp and create daily reminders to pray. There are ministries I pray for, situations, and people. Sometimes I drink coffee in the morning, pull it up, and start to pray.

I’m also pulling back on my study time. That sounds weird, but I can get competitive even with myself. I have an all-or-nothing personality. There have been times I get so wrapped up in “It’s Wednesday, you HAVE to read that Wednesday devotion” that I’d do it just to say I checked it off my list. If you asked me what I read, I could not tell you. I didn’t absorb it. If there is a day when my schedule is full from morning til bed, I give myself grace. So I finish the fourth day on a Saturday. It’s okay. That’s new for me. Guess what? I’m learning so much.

Ministry

For years I’ve run into women who confessed they felt like they were writers and/or had a book to finish. Once they shared that with me I told them I’d check in for accountability. Late last year I felt the God nudge to gather these ladies together.

We started in January and the first meeting was introductions, learning what everyone wrote and what their status was, and I shared my journey. This month they asked for writing-related terms, so I provided that, and we discussed that, and the types of publishing that exist. Next month I’ll talk platform. I hope to make it a writing time as well, but so far we seem to talk, so I’m hoping to tweak that.

I also changed up my website/blog. Nothing too fancy, but I think it’s a brighter, cleaner look. Go see and tell me what you think.

With Repairing Hearts out and receiving great reviews, now it’s time to write Hart sextuplet Evan’s story, Building Hearts. As usual, my starts are slow, but I’m excited. To give myself more time I have cut my newsletters from twice to once a month. I believe I still offer the same content with writing and family updates, giveaways, and reader news. If you haven’t subscribed, you’re invited!

My prayer is as 2024 continues, I will improve in all areas of my life and be a trusted vessel God uses to advance His Kingdom. Are there any changes you are making this year? What are they?

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A New Release by Patricia Bradley

Posted on February 15, 2024 by Patricia Bradley

I am preparing to drive to Nashville next week for the National Religious Broadcasters Conference where I will talk to podcasters, radio talk show hosts, and others about Christian Fiction and my books. I’ll also be signing copies of Fatal Witness, Book 2 in the Pearl River Series.

I’ve been reviewing why I write Christian fiction because that’s what I’ll be asked. As I look back over the seventeen books I’ve written, I realize that in a lot of my stories, a character needs to forgive either another person or themselves. In others, the character has lost hope, and the story (set against the backdrop of a crime) details how they find their hope again through Christ, even though it is a subtle message.

Why is my message subtle? Because I have a lot of non-Christians who read my books, and I want to challenge their thinking without preaching to them. Fatal Witness which was released on the anniversary of my first book, is no different. The heroine in the story is Dani Bennett, and she has gone to church all her life, but when she thinks about God, she thinks of him as her uncle’s God. As the story unfolds, the hero, Mark Lassiter, challenges her by telling her maybe that’s her problem, and that nothing will change for her until she makes him her God. The rest of the story is about how that happens as they solve a murder.

So if you happen to think of it next week, I would appreciate prayers as I go to NRB, that God would make divine appointments for me–and all the others who will be there. It’s not a competition. Everyone there will be seeking ways to get their message out to a hurting world.

Here’s the cover and back copy for Fatal Witness:

As a child, artist and potter Dani Bennett witnessed the brutal murder of her parents. With no memory of the incident or her true identity, she was forced to take on a new name and a new life, hidden away in Montana for the past 25 years.

Mae Richmond has spent the same stretch of time searching for her granddaughter, who went missing the night her daughter and son-in-law were murdered. Convinced the woman she saw in a pottery magazine feature is the woman she’s been searching for, she enlists the help of K-9 officer Mark Lassiter of Pearl Springs, Tennessee, who tracks Dani down.

Skeptical but curious, Dani sets out on a journey to uncover the secrets of her past and reclaim her true identity. But someone close to her is determined to keep the truth of what happened all those years ago hidden.

You can find purchase links here.

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Anxieties by James R. Coggins

Posted on February 14, 2024 by jrcoggins

“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7 NIV). This verse doesn’t seem to have received much attention in recent years. It was a favorite verse in a previous generation. In our house growing up, there was a needlepoint hanging of this verse. Needlepoint is also now a neglected art form. Women would sew the words of a Bible verse or some other proverb on a white piece of cloth, along with a border or other decoration. The piece would then be put into a frame and hung on a wall. It was a way to practice sewing. It was also a great way to meditate on a Bible verse, both for the one sewing and for those who read it. For a time, I think this particular piece hung in my bedroom.

Meditation on such verses is important because we often forget. They need to be drummed into our subconscious minds.

As people, we live with serious problems—sickness, financial problems, interpersonal conflicts, and many more. In addition to these, the people Peter was writing to were also facing very serious religious persecution, including the threat of execution.

In addition to the problems themselves, we are often anxious. We worry about these problems, even obsess over them. The problems are real, but the anxiety, the worry, can become a problem itself, wearing us down.

This verse invites us to cast or dump all of our problems on God because He can resolve them. More than that, it calls us to dump our anxieties, our worries, our cares, on Him. If we are able to do so, it frees us from a great burden and releases our energies to work on practical solutions to the problems. It is a hard thing to do, which is why we need to be constantly reminded to cast our anxieties on God.

The verse also gives us a reason to do this and a reason to hope—because God cares for us. God loves us. We may have all kinds of problems, but we are loved, deeply and completely, by the all-powerful, all-seeing God, who will ultimately carry us through and make everything all right. That is reason to relax and rejoice.

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A Milestone Birthday by Tara Randel

Posted on February 12, 2024 by tararandel

My mother’s birthday is today. She is 90 years old. I can’t even fathom making it to that age. Some days I don’t think she can believe it either. It makes me wonder where the time has gone, while also reflecting on life.

We’ve had conversations about this birthday. She didn’t want a party or big to-do. Instead, she wanted to have dinner with her family, which includes my brother and our kids. I have another brother who lives out of state, so he wouldn’t have made it, but we would have included him by calling so we were all with Mom at the same time. But due to her health, dinner was postponed. Once we’re through with winter and the weather is nicer, we’ll try again.

Going back to her request to spend time with family, it reminded me that when it comes right down to it, family is important. Yes, I know this because I love my family and love being with them. But how often do we inadvertently allow life to get in the way of quality time? Maybe work or other events we think are important come first and we put family second. When you’re 90, family is everything. All the other distractions of life don’t matter. My mom could have asked for anything, and we would have made it happen, but she chose to be with her family. Why?

Because relationships are important. We see that clearly in the Bible. God wants relationship with His people, and He made a way for that to happen. Start with Genisis and end with Revelation. You’ll see how God had a plan. He created us, loves us, and guides us through this life until we are with Him one day. In the process, God took care of His people, even when they walked out of relationship with Him. He sent His only son to take the sin of the world and die for us, so we could be in right relationship with Him. And now we serve God until we will one day be home with Him for eternity.

In my books, I focus much of the plot around family. It’s a good source of conflict, but in the end, even if they were not close in the beginning of the story, my characters are happy to finally be part of a loving, messy family. As a reader, I’m drawn into these kinds of stories. Family is universal and we can all relate to different scenarios depicting a fictitious family because fiction reflects real life.

In the past few years, I let my career take up much of that family time. It began to bother me and while I was taking a walk one day, I was praying about it. The Holy Spirit spoke to me, telling me to slow down. Get balance in my life, which included making my family a priority. I wasn’t ignoring them or leaving them out of the loop, but I was saying no to outings because I was busy or tired when I should have said yes. Taking that instruction was the best thing to happen. My relationships have been renewed and that has helped me in my general outlook on life.

We shouldn’t wait until we’re 90 to realize what a blessing family is. Perhaps you’ve already figured that out. Good for you. But for those who are so busy building a career and putting family togetherness aside, consider recalibrating. Relationships are what really last. If you sit down to talk with friends or family, what ultimately ends up happening? We reminisce. We talk about those memories that are buried deep inside us. We laugh or cry, or both, but we remember that we were together.

So, I want to say Happy Birthday, Mom. Celebrate the milestone. Thanks for loving your children. May God bless you and keep you healthy until our next family gathering.

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. 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.

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To Tell the Truth by James R. Coggins

Posted on February 7, 2024 by jrcoggins

I spent almost two decades as an editor with a denominational church magazine. I spent a few more years working with Christian newspapers. In all of those years, we were committed to telling the truth, the whole truth. We insisted that the truth had to be told. Even when some pastors were quite happy to send us information about their pastoral appointments and pastoral credentials to be publicized but did not want to have their sexual sins and financial misdeeds revealed. Even when some denominational leaders did not want flaws in their programs discussed. Even when some readers objected to the publication of articles presenting some of the hard truths of the Bible—people do not like to confront the reality that they might be sinful.

But the fact is that we did not publish the whole truth. There were certain stories we did not tell. Those stories concerned missionaries in “unfriendly” countries, most often communist and Muslim countries. We did not publish details about the underground church in China or the burgeoning underground church in then communist Ethiopia or the church planting efforts one of our churches had undertaken in a former Soviet republic that was both communist and Muslim. Our publications were printed but also posted online. If we posted stories about those missionaries, those missionaries and their converts would be in danger of being tracked down, arrested, and/or killed. Generally, Communist and Muslim countries do not practice the human freedoms that have developed in Western countries.

Strangely, if we had publicized these issues, we were convinced that we would not gain sympathy in our Western democracies either. The secular elites who dominate our society would say that it serves our missionaries right. We should know better than to try to impose our Christian religion on other cultures. Of course, these same elites would not say that Muslim missionaries who try to import their religion to Western countries should be murdered or silenced. Nor would they refrain from trying to promote their own secular values among Christians and adherents of other religions. It seemed that it was only Christians who should not be allowed to share their beliefs with others.

Christianity is a missionary religion. Jesus died for the whole world. It is our duty to share that good news with other people, whether they accept it or not. Throughout history, because of persecution, the Christian church has often been forced underground. But Christians have continued to quietly share the good news, even at the risk of being tortured and killed.  

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Sometimes a Father. Sometimes a Friend.

Posted on February 6, 2024 by Author Mary Alford

There’s a Christian song that has quickly become one of my favorites of all time. Maybe it’s yours as well. It’s called The Goodness of God.

And there’s a line in the song that really grabbed me the first time I heard it, and it sums up who God is so well.

It goes:

I’ve known You as a father.  

I’ve known You as a friend.

And I have lived in the goodness of God.

I love that about God. He’s our father, but He’s also our friend and He know which of those we need even before we do.  

As a father, God takes care of us. He provides for our needs and calls us back to Him when we wander off. He is a good, good Father.

Ephesians 4:6 says, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

Psalms 68:5 says God is A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation.

And 1 Corinthians 8:6 tell us, Yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we exist through Him.

He is God and He knows when we need a friend. Someone to pour our heart out to when nothing makes sense in life. When the ground beneath our feet is crumbling. When we feel betrayed or rejected by those closest to us.

He is the best friend we can ever have. Closer than a brother. The one we can count on when everyone else lets us down.

John 15:13 says, Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Jesus laid down His life for us.

In John 15:14 Jesus says, Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.

God is the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. He is Creator, Savior, and Judge. And He is good. All the time.

Until next time, dear friends, many blessings!

Mary

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A Message in Stone by Nancy J. Farrier

Posted on February 5, 2024 by Nancy J. Farrier

Last fall I was struggling with some issues. Some were health related, others weren’t. The nice thing with struggles is that you find yourself praying more often, at least that was the case for me.

One morning, on our walk, my husband stopped with the dog, so I went off the trail and walked down a slight slope that was rock covered and then headed back to the path. I walked right past the rock above before it registered what I’d seen.

I turned around and there was a rock with a perfect heart burrowed into it. While praying, in the midst of hundreds of rocks, I happened on this one. It was like God embraced me and said, “I love you. You are in My hands.”

I took that rock home, washed it, and left it on my bathroom sink where I would see it every day. Each time, I was reminded of God’s great love and my need to trust Him.

In January, I needed a gift for someone. I had purchased one, but the cats knocked it off the shelf and broke it. I don’t live close to shopping and had no idea what to do. Then I felt God nudging me to give her my heart rock.

At first, I objected. This was a rock given to me by God. It’s His message to me. Every time I see it, I think of Him. But that stubborn thought persisted so I gave the rock away.

Was it easy? No. But I came to realize something. That rock had become a stumbling block—something that was fast becoming an idol. In fact, I was reminded of the Israelites in Numbers 21: 4-9, when they complained and God sent poisonous serpents among them. To save the people, God gave Moses instructions.

“Then the Lord said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and it shall be that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, shall live.” So Moses made a bronze serpent, and put it on a pole; and so it was, if a serpent had bitten anyone, when he looked at the bronze serpent, he lived.” Numbers 21:8-9 (NKJV)

The Israelites had something to look on that reminded them of God. That serpent on the pole didn’t heal them, but their faith in God as they looked on this reminder is what they needed. They could look at the serpent and God healed from the poison.

But something happened in the following years. Their attitude toward this serpent on the pole made by Moses changed. It became something different than God intended. We find this in 2 Kings 18, when King Hezekiah began his reign.

“He removed the high places and broke the sacred pillars, cut down the wooden image and broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made; for until those days the children of Israel burned incense to it, and called it Nehushtan.” 2 Kings 18:4 (NKJV)

What had been given as a reminder of God, became an idol that the people worshipped. Over the years, they had forgotten the purpose of the serpent and made it into something that no longer glorified God.

I have to wonder how many things we have that start out as innocent reminders of who God is and become something too precious to let go of. I know that nearly happened with me. Now I am considering things I have that are precious and deciding if they have become a stumbling block to my faith.

While all the biopsies I had done last year were either nothing or benign, I have to remember how much God loves me. He didn’t send the heart rock to heal me but to remind me that He loves me and is there for me no matter what is happening in my life.

But I see now that it was time to let that rock go—to pass it on and let the person I gifted it to know it’s a reminder of God’s love. I am so very happy that I gave the rock away.

This past week I went to the Tucson Gem and Mineral show with my sister. We went to a favorite rock place where I picked up some rocks for my grandsons and she got some rocks for gifting. As I was walking up to check out, I noticed the septarian rocks below. I love these rocks and had wanted one but they are too expensive. My sister insisted I ask how much they were so I took them up with us.

The man running the shop was very nice. He weighed them and ended up giving me such a good deal that I bought both of them. It didn’t escape me that they are both hearts. Maybe someday in the future God will once again nudge me to give a heart rock to someone and remind them of how much He loves them. In fact, I might buy a few more just to have on hand for that purpose.

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The Kingdom Mindset by Julie Arduini

Posted on February 2, 2024 by juliearduini

My bio across social media reads “Kingdom Minded.” To me, that says more than I’m a follower of Christ, a believer, or even a Jesus freak. As my prayer life intensifies, I see how important a Kingdom Mindset is.

A kingdom mindset is focused on Christ more than anything or anyone else. Every thought is shaped with His presence in mind.

—Rob McCorkle, Fire School Ministries

Although I’m not perfect, my goal is to look at life from His perspective. Instead of looking around and reacting, I look up and pray.

What appears at first glance to be bad news, I’m considering what’s the Kingdom purpose here? Could that diagnosis lead a person to share Jesus with a team of doctors and they give their lives to Him? Did that person not get the job because God knows that place will close in a year and He has something better and longer lasting in mind?

That’s the type of thinking I try to engage in. Do I know His mind? Of course not. But I believe living where all my focus points to Jesus takes away knee-jerk reactions, stress, and whatever complicated emotions the world dangles in front of me.

Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth (Col. 3:1-2).

My goal as a wife, mom, sister, author, ministry worker, whatever role I’m walking out is to advance God’s Kingdom. My measuring stick isn’t how many books did I sell, or how well I communicated with my husband. It’s did I say and do anything that pointed people in His direction? Did anything about my choices today move the person I interacted with from whatever level they were at with Him to something even better?

Not every day is a home run. Not even close! Each day, though, that lifestyle gets easier. What used to rattle me doesn’t. It’s hard to be shaken when your feet are firmly planted on the Solid Rock and that’s where your gaze lands. Looking around will bring worry and chaos. Looking up, I promise, is a discipline, but a wise one.

Have you heard of Kingdom living? Is that something you live to do?

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And God sent a Great Fish

Posted on February 1, 2024 by dtopliff

Jonah 1:17 “1Now the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.

I took this photo of the “Great Fish” statue in Joppa, Israel, just steps from the sea, in January 2023. There are frequent reports of whales just offshore in the Mediterranean there.

Consider the fact that the “Great Fish” was God’s loving discipline to stop Jonah from going the wrong direction to carry him to where he would full his calling.

Sometimes God allows Great Fish to swallow us. As unpleasant as that is, recognize that it is His merciful deliverance to bring us to where we need to be.

Also remember in Jonah 2:9-10 that his freedom came when he heard God’s voice the second time and answered, “But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the Lord. And the Lord spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land.

I won’t pretend that being swallowed whole isn’t horrible, but that experience gave Jonah the wisdom and heart change that became part of the message he ministered to others.

Scripture says Nineveh’s people from king to commoner paid rapt attention and dressed in sackcloth to accept Jonah’s message. Why? They recognized the messenger had been through a life-transforming experience.

In history, several people have survived being swallowed by whales. In 1891, American seaman James Bartley spent 15 hours in a whale’s stomach before his crew mates caught the beast, saw movement in its stomach, and cut Bartley free. His skin had been burned by digestive acid and the hair dissolved from his body, but he lived. I’ve heard that after rescue, Bartley moved as far inland as possible so nothing reminded him of the sea because he never wanted to repeat that experience. Do you blame him?

Lord, help us hear and obey You the first time. If we don’t, thank you for working with us until we do learn what You intend!

This link tells the 1891 true tale of James Bartley, a modern Jonah. https://www.australiangeographic.com.au/topics/history-culture/2017/03/did-a-19th-century-sailor-get-swallowed-by-a-sperm-whale-and-survive/

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As the Oracles of God by James R. Coggins

Posted on January 31, 2024 by jrcoggins

We are perhaps disturbed by 1 Peter 4:11: “If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God.” We have had too much experience of men (and women) claiming divine authority for their own opinions. In reaction, we find it safer to say, “This is how I understand God’s Word” or even “This is what I think.” Our pronouncements lack authority. Yet this, too, has a danger—of erring in the opposite direction. One unintended side effect is that when our words have proven a blessing, when our words have given good guidance and direction to someone else, when God has spoken His Word through our words, our attempted humility has the effect of giving us the credit for giving good advice or at least for figuring out God’s message.

The King James Version translates 1 Peter 4:11 as: “If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God.” An “oracle” in the Greco-Roman world was a mouthpiece for a god, as well as the message spoken by the mouthpiece of a god. An oracle was a channel through whom the god spoke. The Greek word translated “words” or “oracle” is logia, which means literally “words.” It is related to logos, which in John 1:1 is a name for Jesus, the Son of God and in essence God Himself. The word logia appears only three other times in the New Testament. In Acts 7:38, it refers to the “living words” that Moses received from God to pass on to God’s people, that is, the Mosaic Law. Romans 3:2 says that “the Jews have been entrusted with the very words of God,” referring to the entire Old Testament revelation. Hebrews 5:12 challenges immature Christians with the warning, “You need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again” (NIV) or “Ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God” (KJV)—referring to all of God’s revelation, both Old Testament and New Testament.

What 1 Peter 4:11 is challenging Christian preachers (and perhaps also other Christians) to do is to speak with all of the authority of His prophets: “Hear the word of the Lord” or “This is what the Lord says.” This is a high challenge. Those who speak in the church are to speak as channels of God’s revelation.

How on earth are we to rise to such a challenge? This means that we are to try as much as possible to speak God’s Word and as little as possible our own opinions. This requires prayer, sober reflection, deep commitment, a pure heart, diligent Bible study, and great care. If we are only voicing our opinion, we may feel free to say whatever seems good to us. If, however, we are speaking on behalf of God, we must do our best to examine every word we speak, to ensure it aligns with God’s Word.

Second, we should speak humbly, acknowledging that we are fallible and could be wrong but that God is never wrong.

Third, even though we confess that our understanding is not perfect, we should be quick to add that if our words are a blessing, God deserves the praise. We need to make clear that all good things, all abilities and spiritual blessings, come from God (James 1:17) and He deserves the credit.

Fourth, there are times when we can be sure of speaking God’s words. One example is when we are quoting God’s Word, even if, in our weakness, we choose an inappropriate passage for the occasion. No sermon which contains Scripture can be entirely valueless to the hearers. Another example is when we say, “May God bless you” (a prayer to an all-powerful God) instead of “I hope things work out for you.”

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I Wish I Was an English Lord by James R. Coggins

Posted on January 24, 2024 by jrcoggins

Three years ago, we moved. It was time. We had been in our previous house for almost thirty years, and we needed a new challenge. It was a time to re-evaluate—our habits, our activities, and our possessions.

We gave away some of the possessions we no longer needed. Some things that were worn out and no longer useful were thrown out or recycled.

This also applied to my library, the library that I had been eagerly accumulating for several decades. There were history books, reference books, literary classics, theological books, political science books, devotional books, murder mysteries, novels, books of poetry, and biographies. Altogether, they represented a wealth of knowledge. But many of them had to go. I knew I would never open many of them ever again. I donated some to a local Christian university, some to a church library, a few to friends and family members, some to thrift stores.

It hurt.

About the same time, my sister was trying to disperse the library my parents and grandparents had left behind. There were more works of fiction, old school readers, theology and devotional books, history books, biographies, and much more. Some were a couple of centuries old. My sister donated some to archives and museums and libraries. She asked if I and some other relatives would like some. They were valuable books, but I had room for only a few.

Our move was three years ago. Since then, I have accumulated more books, some of which I have published and a couple of which I have written.

As I grow older, the question arises as to what will happen to my carefully accumulated library. My children do not have room for them in their houses. They have their own books and their own needs. I will direct and hope that most of my books are donated to archives, universities, libraries, and thrift stores. I hope they will be preserved, valued, and read. But, no matter what directions I leave behind, I will have no control over that.

At such times, I wish I was an English lord, living in an old manor house, a manor house passed down in the family generation after generation, with the manor library carefully preserved and each generation adding to the library. It would be an ever expanding and continually preserved library, a reservoir of knowledge, a family treasure.

But I am not an English lord. I am of English descent, but descended from a long line of peasants and artisans (with perhaps a bastard noble child inserted here and there).

My dilemma is not new. The writer of Ecclesiastes outlined the issue almost three millennia ago, declaring that everything in human life is “meaningless” or “vanity”—that is, temporary, bound by time and thus impermanent:

• “No one remembers the former generations, and even those yet to come will not be remembered by those who follow them” (Ecclesiastes 1:11 NIV).

• “I hated all the things I had toiled for under the sun, because I must leave them to the one who comes after me. And who knows whether that person will be wise or foolish? Yet they will have control over all the fruit of my toil into which I have poured my effort and skill under the sun.” (Ecclesiastes 2:18-19).

• “The words of the wise are like goads, their collected sayings like firmly embedded nails—given by one shepherd…Of making many books there is no end…” (Ecclesiastes 12:11-12).

Like everything else in human life, books are temporary and impermanent. Human knowledge builds and accumulates over time, but then inevitably leaks away.

God’s books, however, are different. God’s library of knowledge and history and creativity remains intact and complete, forever, into eternity (Revelation 20:12). “The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever” (Isaiah 40:8). “No word from God will ever fail” (Luke 1:37).

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A New Release by Mary Alford!

Posted on January 23, 2024 by Author Mary Alford

Today is the release day for Deadly Mountain Escape and I’m happy to be able to share it with you.

The story is about redemption and second changes. The two main characters, Charlotte Walker and Jonas Knowles have both survived tragic pasts. Though strangers at the beginning of the book, they must work together to stop a human trafficking ring.

Soon, a search to find a missing woman becomes a nightmare for K-9 deputy Charlotte Walker after she stumbles on the lair of the trafficker and is captured. Death seems certain until she’s rescued by rancher Jonas Knowles. Together, they take shelter in the Amish community he left behind. But they can’t hide forever—not when the criminals are still after them, and countless girls are at risk…  

Caught between his painful Amish Past and an unknown future, Jonas Knowles risks everything to stop a murder.  

K-9 Deputy Charlotte Walker thought she’d lost her world until she found her future while fighting to survive. 

Can Jonas and Charlotte survive the danger nipping at their heels with the help of Annie, one determined blue tick coonhound, and find the future they both so richly deserve?

Psalm 147: 3 says, He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.

And that’s exactly what He did for Charlotte and Jonas. And he can do the same for you!

Until next time, dear friends, many blessings!

Mary

http://www.maryalford.net  

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Staying Focused by Tara Randel

Posted on January 22, 2024 by tararandel

As we begin this new year, I find that taking stock of what I’m looking forward to keeps me focused, not only in my career, but in my spiritual life. Yes, I’m writing, but I’m also waiting to hear from my publisher about what lies ahead. Instead of coming up with what if scenarios, I plan on focusing on what I can do now, at this moment.

The same goes for my spiritual life. In this moment, what can I do to keep my feet grounded and my heart filled with joy and happiness? This is different for everyone. We all seek God in different ways, but the bottom line is, we seek him.

So, to start out this year, I’m focused on ways to grow closer to the Lord. Maybe you’re already taking these the steps I’ll mention, or you need a little encouragement about what to do next. These are a few ideas.

Bible study.

To be honest, I could be a career student. On any subject. I love learning. I still go to craft workshops to keep my writing sharp. While that benefits my career, I find that I need to also work on my relationship with God. What better way than by learning more about him?

I start every year with a Bible study.  This year it is Abide by Jen Wilkin, focusing on 1, 2 and 3 John. I order the workbook, then watch the lectures online and enjoy every minute. It keeps me challenged and in the Word.

There are other ways to study as well, like joining a group at your church or gathering with friends to discuss a topic of the Bible. No matter how we learn, the important thing is, we are learning. We are seeking. And hopefully, we find what we need.

Prayer time.

With our busy schedules, does prayer time become an afterthought? I know I’m constantly talking to God during my day, but what about the devoted slot of time to focus on my relationship with God? We can change what we’re doing if it’s not working by realigning our focus. Sometimes switching the way we go about our prayer time opens us up to new discoveries in how we pray. Taking the time to study our practices, then tweaking how we spend time in prayer, could be a game changer. All it takes is some focus to pinpoint what we can do to better to keep in communication with God.

Quiet time.

In our rush, rush, rush society, taking a moment of quiet time is essential. Downtime away from it all keeps us centered. This doesn’t mean getting away to a secluded location so nothing and no one disturbs us, although, that would be nice. We can find those special moments in small ways, like walking the dog and enjoying the path you take. Going into the backyard and breathing in the fresh air. Standing in the sun and enjoying the warmth it provides. There are so many ways to take a moment and reboot if we focus on making it happen.

This year will reveal how we can focus more. On our relationship with God. On life. On family and friends. My prayer is that we all seek that important time and that God is standing beside us as we grow closer to him.

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. 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.

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