Worthy Words

Have you ever journeyed off the map? Have you ever found yourself in a place where you had no control over your situation? This week in Vacation Bible School Olive Place kids learned that whenever you’re off the map and “you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear this command behind you: ‘This is the way. Walk in it.’” Isaiah 30:21 Daniel was taken off of his map and made a slave by the conquering Babylonians. He didn’t cry or whine to God about where he was. He simply knew that his guide was God and he trusted his guide and followed his guide with every step he took. Even when it was difficult and the kings he served put pressure on him to give up Daniel stayed on track by trusting and praying to God every day for direction and wisdom. Everywhere Daniel turned he journeyed in the way of the Lord. He walked in the way every day. When you’ve lost your way you should take a moment and call out to your Guide—His name is Jesus. He has promised that He knows the way. ...

Have you ever had the feeling that you were the only one in the group (friends, co-workers, family) that spoke out for what was right? This group that you’re in has turned on its heels against you and seeks to speak what is true based on public correctness. You on the other hand are the odd-man-out and your voice is a mere squeak compared to the loud noise of the populist choir. Where have all the righteous gone? Why are the words of the righteous disappearing? Rest easy you are not the first to experience such a moment. Elijah (1 Kings 18:22) thought he was the only faithful prophet left and Isaiah (Isaiah 57:1) and Micah (Micah 7:1-7) voiced their concerns over the absence of righteous leaders. The apostle Paul moaned over having to go-it alone (2 Timothy 1:15) . David knew he was living in a society controlled by deception. It wasn’t that a small section was spinning the truth and promoting propaganda it was the characteristic of his entire generation. David prays, “Help, O ...

Today’s cruise ships are modern marvels. I read where the Royal Caribbean cruise line recently launched “Oasis of the Seas”, at present it is the largest cruise ship afloat. It can carry some 6,300 passengers. At 1,181 feet long, it is only 68 feet shorter than the Empire State Building. As large as a ship like this can be, it is still vulnerable to the natural conditions of wind, weather and seas. Yet, all modern cruise ships have “stabilizers” onboard, which counteract the motion of the ship by changing the angles of underwater fins attached to the hull – making people who are prone to seasickness much more comfortable. Storms come to every person’s life. When a loved one gets sick it seems like the rain of pain will never end. When a relationship becomes full of troubles it’s as if gale force winds blow to rip it apart. The stormy seas of anger toss and turn when something or someone you were counting on fails to follow through. No one escapes life’s storms. When the storm ra...

As a Christ-follower you discover early on in your journey that your heart wages war with what you use to be and what you are. It is a relentless fight betwixt to natures—the old and the new. Your old nature is seasoned and wily. It will use its veteran assault weapons of sex, lust, envy, wild parties, anger, selfishness, and jealousy at every opportunity to lay siege to your newfound grace. Your new nature however, is vigilant and ever ready to be the resistance force to take down and defeat this anti-grace coalition. This sworn enemy against grace will be met with tactile sorties of faith, hope, love, and prayer to bring this evil in your life to its knees in surrender. But be warned these two opposing natures will always clash as long as you live in this world. The apostle Paul earnestly lays it out for us concerning this two nature wrestling match. “The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are t...

I’ve had sinus infections before but this one was the worst ever. I started on a Friday with the usual signs of a sinus issue so I sprang into gear with the usual measures to lessen its impact—which in the past proved successful. However, when Monday rolled around it was overcoming all of my efforts to defeat its countermeasures. That night was unlike any I have experienced. No sleep lots of hacking up awful yellow stuff then uncontrollable breathing and vomiting this stuff was even coming out of my eyes! Tuesday morning I couldn’t take it any more so my wife drove me to the doctor—where I should have gone in the first place. Why do we not do what we know we should do in the first place? Why are we not drawn to seek out the only help for our condition? It wasn’t until Monday night after I tried everything while tossing about in such pain and misery did I cry out, “Lord help me!” In a similar way we are slow to respond to the Lord’s gentle urges. Instead of running to him we run ...