Archive - January 2021

“A tree is identified by its fruit. If a tree is good, its fruit will be good. If a tree is bad, its fruit will be bad. Matthew 12:33  Bill and Bette had no idea what the little farm they had just purchased would one day become. The year was 1953 and the young couple couldn’t wait to start planting sweet corn in the fertile soil of Southern New Jersey. Bill started selling that corn from the back of a wagon, and as the family grew, so did the farm.  From corn to apple trees, peach trees, cherry trees, blueberries[…]

“Then Jesus said, ‘Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest’.”   Matthew 11:28 As John the Baptist found himself wasting away in prison his disappointed and weary heart led him to question things.  Was Jesus actually the Messiah at all? Where do you turn when life’s circumstances and disappointments leave you weary? The answer isn’t found in our enemy and the things of this world, and it sure isn’t found in doubting or questioning our faith. The answers can only be found in Jesus Himself. There will be times and[…]

“So, don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.” Matthew 10:31 According to People.com, “A Southern California man was in for a howling surprise recently when he rescued what he believed to be a puppy and soon discovered that it was no snuggly house pet after all. While walking his dog in a canyon area on the man came across an abandoned furry creature, Darriel Walker, a representative at San Diego Human Society, tells PEOPLE. With no hesitation, Walker says the man brought the little “puppy” back home before the Humane Society arrived[…]

“The words and promises of the Lord are pure words, Like silver refined in an earthen furnace, purified seven times.” Psalm 12:6  As a young sheep herder, Russell Carter developed a serious heart condition and felt that if God did not heal him, he would surely die. Russell grabbed hold of healing promises throughout scripture, fervently taking his stand in believing God for his complete and total healing. Russell did indeed experience that healing and vowed to be used by God in any way the Lord wanted. He later went on from sheep herding to become a professor of Natural Science, Civil Engineering, Chemistry[…]

“Jesus traveled through all the towns and villages of that area, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness.” Matthew 9:35 According to Wikipedia, “A by-product, or byproduct, is a secondary product derived from a manufacturing process or chemical reaction. It is not the primary product or service being produced.” Listverse.com sights, “Cow intestines led a pretty depressing existence prior to the nineteenth century. Their taste was overshadowed by the rest of the delicious parts of the cow and their utility was overshadowed by the versatility of pig and[…]

“As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at his tax collector’s booth. “Follow me and be my disciple,” Jesus said to him. So, Matthew got up and followed him.” Matthew 9:9 Matthew was missing something, and he knew. Yes, he had the cushy tax collector job that netted him some great cash flow, but on the inside, he knew there had to be something more to life. That “more” came along one day in the form of a person and that person Jesus came with a call. The number nine in scripture represents Divine completeness, and in[…]

“Suddenly, a fierce storm struck the lake, with waves breaking into the boat. But Jesus was sleeping.” Matthew 8:24  The disciples were panic stricken. Several on board were experienced fisherman and boaters, yet this time the storm was greater than their faith in their own personal nautical skills. On top of it all, none of this made sense. After all, they were in that boat and on that sea in the center of God’s perfect will, yet this storm came out of nowhere. As waves continued to break into the boat, they remembered something.  They remembered that Jesus was on[…]

“Then Jesus said to the Roman officer, ‘Go back home. Because you believed, it has happened.’ And the young servant was healed that same hour.” Matthew 8:13 David had his chance. Saul was right there in his grasp and all David had to do was take Saul out in the darkness of that cave and all of David’s troubles would be over. By killing Saul, David would no longer have to be on the run, live in hiding and could take his rightful place as the next king of Israel for which he had already been anointed. But 1 Samuel chapter seven tells[…]

 “And Abraham said, ‘My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering:’ so they went both of them together.” Genesis 22:8   So, what exactly was God testing when He asked Abraham to take his son and sacrifice him on an alter? Genesis 22: 1 tells us that God was testing Abraham’s faith.  But faith in what exactly? In Genesis 15 we see that God made a covenant with Abraham when He passed through the bloody carcasses of the animals, He asked Abraham to cut into halves. Abraham also participated in his part of the covenant when he,[…]