This past weekend, I had an opportunity to sing with a gospel quartet in Marion, SD, with a group of guys that go pheasant hunting up there every year. It just so happened that this Sunday the entire community was celebrating “Harvest In-Gathering". Each year on this particular Sunday, the farmers gather together and they celebrate the harvest being over and they make a special offering for missions - both local and around the world.
Read MoreI remember one time, my youngest brother thought it would be clever to carve his initials, “J.D.B.” into the wet concrete in our neighbors freshly-poured driveway. Probably what you expect from a 13 year old! He and his buddy thought it would be funny, but what he did was selfish. He wasn’t thinking of the impact it might have on someone else, just did it for a good laugh. Maybe your kids have done something similar? Maybe you have a similar memory from your days?
Read MoreDo you remember the Magic 8 Ball when you were growing up? Hopefully you have stopped using it to make decisions...but wasn't it so cool then? You could pose any question, shake it, and it would give you the guaranteed right answer…which meant that you could keep shaking it until it gave you the answer you wanted!
Read MoreSome people think that people of faith cannot (or should not) ever allow their spirits to be “down.” However, it happens, and it may be difficult to discover the reason. Some possible reasons are: physical sickness, emotional stress, or being too busy.
Read MoreA very sincere man asked for some counsel. He was considering a major change in the life of his family. It would involve a change in location, as well as other major adjustments. He honestly said, “I just want to know what God wants me to do. I have made too many bad decisions in my life, and I cannot afford to make another bad one.” He asked, "How can I know what God wants me to do?”
Read MoreThe act of prayer teaches us our own unworthiness. This is a very important lesson for proud beings like us. If God gave us favors without asking us to pray for them, we would never know how poor we were. Through true prayer, we stake our claim on divine wealth, but we also confess our human emptiness. The healthiest state for a Christian is to be always empty of self and constantly dependent on the Lord for supplies-poor in self and rich in Jesus. That is why we pray.
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