But you must remain faithful to the things you have been taught. You know they are true, for you know you can trust those who taught you. 2 Timothy 3:14 If you’re a fan, or familiar with the Carolina Panthers then your most likely aware of the team’s rally cry “Keep Pounding.” In fact, just before every home game various guest are asked to pound the “Keep Pounding” drum which is always followed by exuberant cheers from the Panther faithful. What makes this rally cry so special is found in how it all got started. Sam Mills played in the[…]

“For, at just the right time Christ will be revealed from heaven by the blessed and only almighty God, the King of all kings and Lord of all lords.” 1 Timothy 6:15  In 2 Kings 11, we see the story of Joash and how, as just a small child, God hid him and his caretaker away in a room in the Temple for “just the right time.” I can only imagine what it must have felt like in a dark room with no windows for seven whole years. Young Joash and his caretaker both must have wondered, “has God forgotten[…]

“In the same way, the good deeds of some people are obvious. And the good deeds done in secret will someday come to light.” 1 Timothy 5:25  For most of us, when we hear the phrase, “It will all come out eventually,” negative and fearful thoughts rush through our heads. We usually think of something we’ve done wrong, that we can’t even remember exactly, but are pretty sure we did. But 1 Timothy 5:25 sheds a different light on that phrase. Here, The Apostle Paul is encouraging Timothy to keep on doing good things even if others don’t know about[…]

“Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.” 1 Timothy 4:16  When the flight attendant gives the safety briefing just before take-off, most people tend to look at their phone, a magazine, or stare out the window. But something struck me on a flight once that I’ll never forget. When she was giving instructions about putting on the oxygen mask, she said to first put on your own mask before helping the person next to you. The reality is, if you pass out, how can you possibly help[…]

“The Lord was with Joseph, so he succeeded in everything he did as he served in the home of his Egyptian master.” Genesis 39:2  From the rebuke of his father, the hatred of his brothers, the false accusations from Potiphar’s wife, and prison; Joseph’s life looked like a complete mess. It was not at all like he had thought things were going to work out for him based on the dreams he had. Two dreams, back to back, led him to believe that there was greatness in his future, but instead he was experiencing the worst kind of failure. But, in spite[…]

“May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.”              2 Thessalonians 3:18  Here in the South there’s nothing like a good sandwich. And here, a really good sandwich doesn’t have to be complicated, only a few basic components are necessary. Particularly in the spring and summer, you can choose pretty much any kind of filler or meat you like, but for me Dukes Mayonnaise is a must, a brand not widely seen around all parts of the country. And along with that Dukes Mayonnaise, fresh garden tomatoes this time of year[…]

“May the Lord show you his favor and give you his peace.” Numbers 6:26  I had a recent conversation with Siri and here’s how it went: ME: “Siri, where does the tradition of saying “bless you” when someone sneezes come from? SIRI: “Many people have become accustomed to saying “bless you” or “gesundheit” when someone sneezes. Wishing someone well after they sneeze probably originated hundreds of years ago. The phrase “God bless you” is attributed to Pope Gregory the Great, who uttered it in the sixth century during a bubonic plague epidemic (sneezing is an obvious symptom of one form of the plague).[…]

“We believe that we are all saved the same way, by the undeserved grace of the Lord Jesus.” Acts 15:11   Depending on where you’re from, the word “barbeque” can mean different things. To a Texan, BBQ is smoked brisket, but when a Missourian hears the word BBQ, they probably think of smoked ribs. Where I’m from in Eastern North Carolina, we’ve got our own brand of BBQ too, and some distant relatives of mine have gotten pretty famous by sticking with a simple recipe that’s been handed down for generations. In fact, they can trace the origin of their simple[…]

But let us who live in the light be clearheaded, protected by the armor of faith and love, and wearing as our helmet the confidence of our salvation.” 1 Thessalonians 5:8   In the sparcly populated county in Eastern North Carolina where I live, our 911 Call Center Telecommunicators have undergone some significant training in recent years resulted in lives saved. Not to long ago our local Telecommunicators underwent intensive training in the Emergency Medical Dispatch Interface which allows them to interact with the callers to the 911 center, by giving them medical instructions to assist victims of heart attacks, strokes, choking,[…]