The faithful keep the faith.  That is the message of the New Testament.  “Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.” (Jude 3).  This is Jude’s thesis statement for this little letter. 

What best defines self-control for you? Is it seeing a table full of wonderful desserts and simply turning away since you do not need it? Or is it seeing a table full of wonderful desserts and boldly striding up to it to partake in moderate amounts? (Replace the desserts with homestyle cooking and you have my dilemma.)

When you are standing at the bottom of the mountain you intend to climb, it can be an intimidating sight.  The top seems to be somewhere among the clouds.  The trail to the top is filled with obstacles.  The time commitment to reach the top is significant.  You might think, “Am I ready to do this?”  You might even wonder if it will have been worth it when you finally reach the top.

Paying attention is so hard for many people.  Admittedly, there are many who have a hard time paying attention because they have an emotional or a physical issue that is an obstacle.  These people are easily distracted.  They lose connection in the moment and are led away down a different path.  Trying to bring them back is difficult.

“That person is real!”  I have heard that compliment many times about people.  What is intended by it?  It means that the person is not trying to make people believe something about them that is not true.  This person is honest in his or her portrayal of self.  They are real because they are not false.  What you see is what you get!

The word “meekness” has an improper reputation. The base word “meek” even rhymes with a word with which it has been associated:  weak. But, meekness does not mean weakness. 

There many phrases that are used in public prayers that we, who have been a part of the church for all of our lives, have heard many times.  These are not improper or wrong.  They are just overused often without really understanding what they mean or even if they have a meaning.  One of those phrases is “guard, guide, and direct us.”  These three words are similar.  There are slight differences in their meaning.  “Guard” is a defensive term.  Using this word in prayer seems to ask God to protect us in our journey through life.  The word “direct” brings the thought to mind asking God to show us or point us in the right direction. 

The one word that summarizes the book of Hebrews is BETTER.  Jesus is better than the angels because He has received a greater inheritance (Hebrews 1:4).  Hebrews 7 discusses the story of Melchizedek who blessed Abraham when he returned from the slaughter of the kings.  The text speaks to this event saying that, “…the lesser is blessed by the better.” (Hebrews 7:7).

The pull of the world is so powerful!  As each day begins, we already have in our minds, on our smart phones, on a wall calendar, or even in a voice reminder everything that we need to do that day.  We have places to go, people to see, and things to do.  We are busy!

Fido the dog has no idea why he is named that. The Marines, however, know very well why Semper Fidelis is so important to them. Each of these terms is related to another term that you know quite well. Old Faithful in Yellowstone Park is so named because it faithfully gushes forth on time and has done so for a long time. Fido the dog is so named because he is faithful to his master. The Marines are “Always  Faithful”.  And, it is from Old Faithful that we learn the definition of faithfulness.

“…but whoever drinks from the water that I shall give him will never thirst.” (John 4:14).  These were intriguing words for a woman who had just walked about 2 miles with a large clay pot to get water for her family for the day.  You have probably seen pictures of women walking with their pots balanced on their heads.

A 2-way mirror is a valuable tool in criminal investigations. Using this tool, investigators are able to conduct an interview of a suspect, not only to hear what he says, but also to “see” what he says with his body language.

There surely can’t be many things more depressing than feeling that your life is worthless.  I think there are many people who have never found their way.  They are like a ship tossed about on the ocean waves just getting by from day to day without any real drive or direction.  It has led to so much depression and heartache.  What is the problem and what can do about it?

A few weeks ago, I stepped onto my deck to start the grill.  The deck has been there for a few years.  I had built it with treated wood.  I had water-proofed it.  I had maintained it as best as I could and as well as I could determine.  It looked like a really solid deck.  However, as I walked toward the grill, my next step went right through the deck to the ground below!  I’m sure you gasped and wondered if I was ok.  I was fine.  The ground below is only about 12 inches below. 

We raise our children with the constant admonition that we want them to be good.  I often talk to the little ones and ask them, “Have you been good today?”  Being good is a worthy goal.  Not everyone is successful in that pursuit.  There are many people who just are not good.

This title reflects a common thought with a lot of people.  So many are depressed even to the point of suicide.  The suicide rate in the US has risen steadily over the past 18 years reaching its highest point since 1941.  The rate of suicide per 100,000 people in 2022 was 14.3 and 2.6% higher than in 2021.

What do you think of when you hear the word—pursue?  You probably think about someone running real fast chasing another person.  Maybe you think about a predator animal chasing its prey.  You might even think about a football game with defensive back trying to chase down a runner before he scores a touchdown.  The obvious common denominator is someone or something running real fast.

Going to school is just what people do from about the time that they are 5 years old or so.  Some are now going to preschool, but for most, kindergarten is the beginning of several years of formal schooling.  Some people get that schooling in a public school or a private school while others are homeschooled.  Technical College, academic College and graduate school await many after those first 12 years. 

“Be kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another…” (Ephesians 4:32)  One of the great losses in the world is simple human kindness. It seems that people are so selfish and materialistic today that taking time to be kind is passé. So many people are so focused on getting what they feel is due them that they do not take the time to be kind. It is much easier to react in whatever way they feel in the moment.

“Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers…” (Ephesians 4:29).  Most often, this verse has been used to forbid cursing and swearing.  This kind of language certainly fits the meaning of these words.  But, is that all that it means?  Are there other corrupt words that we should avoid?