Focus on Eternity

        Have you ever been misunderstood?   A rhetorical question that I'm guessing has received a 100 percent positive response.   Positive in the sense that yes, it has occurred but not optimistic because it was a wonderful thing to experience.   My family has been engaging in family nights, watching old British television series, mainly in the genre of detective shows.   I would not classify us as heavy media consumers as we've found ourselves removing most cable connections from our home for lack of value.   With our family viewing, we are cautious about the content yet do not want to be so prim that we are producing teens that are naïve to the real world in which they will enter upon leaving our protective roof.      One of the types of shows we love most is detective series where the plot is about solving a crime committed in the beginning scenes.   In order to solve the crime, these shows focus on three ...

        When we do not actively pursue God's way of thinking through meditation in His Word; it is far too easy to be influenced by the world without even noticing it.   We cannot deny that we see much evidence today of ‘so-called’ Christians living undisciplined lives making modifications to God’s standard for holy living.   Christians are allowing the world to modify our thinking about sin.  We live under the illusion that we are far more righteous than evidence supports.  We barely question the motivations of our hearts before we act or speak.  Our understanding has grown dull to things that displease God.  We respond to life as though God will not follow through on His plans to condemn the world while still believing in His eternal promises for which we claim entitlement.          The Bible is clear, we are not to judge one another (see James 4:12 ESV),  "There is only one l...

           If you were to read what the apostle Paul had to say about wisdom in 1 Corinthians 2, you would find that he's speaking of not one but of two types.  One is far superior, making the other appear foolish.  One form of wisdom comes from natural man, whereas the other only come from the Spirit of God.  Paul is talking to the believers in Corinth when he shares that he speaks not of the wisdom imparted to the mature and understanding that passes away.  But he speaks of secret and hidden wisdom that comes only from God. Later, Paul reveals these thoughts,  "Let no one deceive himself.  If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise.  For the wisdom of this world is folly with God."  (see 1 Corinthians 3:18-19a)  Worldly Wisdom:      Let me illustrate the wisdom of the world by sharing what I've retri...

       I have been diligently studying Scriptures for some time, and over time I can see that the Holy Spirit is leading me to a more substantial recognition of the character of the Triune God we worship.   It is easy to adopt a particular study strategy that will give us slow and steady comprehension as the Holy Spirit guides us on our journey.   Just a few short years ago, it dawned on me to ask for the Holy Spirit’s guidance when reading God’s Word.   For most of my life, I was reading the Bible like it was a book of stories.   I never understood the significance of the Holy Spirit’s involvement to help me uncover the principles, patterns, and applications that would become my guiding light.   Most of my study habits came from my academic experiences in high school and college.   I needed to recognize that my previous endeavors were not the skills I needed to develop discernment.          This morn...