Chosen Gems

In our journeys through life, we have come to understand that certain people are identified by the badges they wear.  Just take a moment now to think, can you see a badge of authority on someone? Maybe it is even a name tag on the shirt of the person at the coffee shop, or something … Continue reading The Badge of Forgiveness

It is so much fun to win, right?  Lots of things we do, whether against others or just for our own satisfaction, we cherish success.  How our hearts identify with Olympic champions as we see them on the victory stand, realizing all their hard work and dedication has finally paid off. Ephesians 2:4-9 KJV 4 But … Continue reading Our Championship Attitude

(the conclusion of a four part series taken from an audio teaching on 10/20/2009) And those are times, those are questions, those are things where we have all been or asked.  Places we've all been, is like, "Where is the joy in all this?" Well, you know what? I'm spending too much time trying to … Continue reading Our Secret Place: Part IV

“In fact, Satan would like nothing better for us than to get involved in all kinds of religious activities rather than spend time with God. There's only one way I know to maintain the... she calls it the anointing of my life, and that is by spending time in the presence of God. Well, you … Continue reading Our Secret Place: Part III

You have just opened the door for God Almighty to work with you to such a point that he will show you things about your life that you will never forget. All God is doing is waiting for us to ask the right questions. He can't force it on you. What was it that "somebody" said? … Continue reading Our Secret Place: Part II

(This is an edited transcript of an audio teaching from 10/20/2009) If you would take your Bibles please and turn to Psalm 31, I think that would be a good place to begin today. Psalm 31:19-20 says, "Oh, how great is thy goodness which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee, which thou … Continue reading Our Secret Place: Part I

“ Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13 The title of this article says so much and is a reversal of the world’s thinking of leadership and service, especially in the academic and business sectors. If a person is more highly educated than another, … Continue reading Greater Knowledge, Greater Love, Greater Service

I think it reasonable to assume that you and I would like to continue to grow in understanding the things of God and in doing what He is telling us to.  In the first part of Proverbs 1:7 we are instructed that “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.” So, I think … Continue reading Our Obedient Devotion

Someone once told me, “If you want to keep a secret don’t tell me.”  Have you ever noticed how difficult it is to keep quiet about something once you’ve been told something in confidence?  It is almost as if you can’t wait to tell someone.  Unfortunately, the consequence of telling someone else “your secret” may … Continue reading Can You Keep A Secret?

Have you ever heard of a character called Gumby? He was very popular a few years back and occasionally I will see something that reminds me of him. He was a green clay figure who became animated with a unique personality.  According to Wikipedia, the United States Marine Corp even developed some language regarding this … Continue reading Staying Flexible