Think About It

When you look into the Bible, you can find a lot of good role models – some are famous, others are not quite as well known. Among those in the latter category might be Ezra. While there is an Old Testament book named for him, the story of Ezra is somewhat unknown; but it is important and inspiring. Ezra was instrumental in attempting to restore godly religion back in Judah following the Babylonian Captivity. In the book of Ezra we find a resurgence of national commitment to the spiritual restoration, but I want to focus something a bit more personal. In his biography, it is says, “For Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the Lord and to practice it, and to teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel.” (Ezra 7:10). When we dissect this statement we find a formula for making a difference. First, we need to study the Word. Spiritual growth comes from learning the message. Then we need to commit to putting the information into practice. It isn’t enough to “know it”, we must...

One of the things I have found about growing older is that age tends to bring about some limitations not faced by younger people. I remember when I was younger and felt like I could do anything! My mind and body was sharp and I was fearless! I relished the opportunity to confront and change the world. As I have aged, I wake up with more pains and less confidence. I don’t feel that I am afraid, but I do know that I am not nearly as confident nor as cocky! While I am not saying I am helpless, I am saying that it is tempting to slow down – especially when it comes to helping people. The problem with this is that it doesn’t need to be this way! I may have more pain and fewer possibilities than I had decades ago, but that doesn’t mean I should put myself out to pasture. Wisdom and insight has given me an opportunity to serve in different ways. Knowledge and contentment have helped me become more focused. It has become too easy to excuse our inactivity and start to become comfortab...

While Juneteenth is a relatively new federal holiday in the United States, it has its roots in an incident decades ago. On June 19, 1865 word finally reached Galveston, Texas that the slaves had been freed by the Emancipation Proclamation – some two and a half years earlier. We didn’t have 24/7 media back then, so it wasn’t until Major General Gordon Granger delivered the message that these Texans realized they were free! On one hand, it is tragic that the slaves had to wait so long to hear the good news, but that didn’t dampen the message of freedom! As I have thought about Juneteenth, I have been pondering another type of freedom people are missing out on even today. When Jesus died on the cross, all people were freed from the bonds of spiritual consequences. Jesus not only paid the debt for our iniquity, He also provided a way for everyone to experience inner peace and contentment. The shame of this truth is that too many people have never heeded the good news. They haven’t...

I have been thinking about God lately – that is God the Father. There are so many ways God is described in the Bible, but one of the most often used is as our Heavenly Father. Have you ever thought about what kind of a Parent He is? Well, think about this. Most of the time I was growing up, there were two children in our family. My sister and I had different personalities, but we were similar in a lot of ways. Jeane and I had two children – again, they were each their own person, but shared a lot of the same values and characteristics. Even though both my sister and I and our children were similar there were enough differences that made parenting challenging. Now, imagine this – God has had billions of children throughout the history of the world. Some were calm, some are go-getters. Some were even-keeled, some are moody. Some were easy to like, others have required lots of extra attention. Yet, no matter their personality, God loves them! He recognized the value of each a...

Until Cal Ripken broke his record, Lou Gehrig held the record for most consecutive major league baseball games played. Cal had more than 500 more games in his streak – which is impressive – but before Mr. Oriole came on the scene, Gehrig, the original Iron Man, had an almost 800 game lead on Everett Scott. When you get into that type of rarified air you would think that winning would be a catalyst for that type of record; however, Gehrig didn’t necessarily see it that way. In one quote he observed, “I love to win; but I love to lose almost as much. I love the thrill of victory, and I also love the challenge of defeat.”. While that sounds a little wishy-washy, I do see some wisdom in his processing. If the love of winning is what keeps us going, a decent losing streak will suck the drive out of us. However, if we find something to learn from both winning and losing, we will always have something to keep us going! It is the process more than the results that keeps things interest...

When you see the American flag, what does it mean to you? For some, it is the symbol of unity; while for others it reminds them of a history of fragmentation. For some, it reminds them of what the nation has done for them, while others wonder what the forefathers did to them. To some, the stars and stripes, represents a lifetime of freedom, while others see them as a chance for a new lease on life. No matter how we perceive Old Glory, I would like us to take a minute today to reflect on what today, Flag Day, can do for us. Now, before I get too deep in this, please do not misunderstand my intent. I am not saying that we should be arrogant because of the nation in which we live, but I do hope that we will find the common ground it can represent. I have my own personal feelings about my response to the American flag, but I also think that it can be a symbol that reminds us of what can be done when we all work together. Whether it is a solid economy or advanced social justice, by ...

There is a lot of discussion about equality and equity these days. We have discussed how we should see each other in a more balanced way. Whether it revolves around gender, race, economics or education we have discussed the challenges to fair and parallel treatment. However, have you noticed that too often we miss out on one of the most basic aspects – spiritual? Way too often, when religion is brought up, people blame disparity on godly religion; however, that couldn’t be further from the truth. From the very beginning, Jehovah God has advocated for spiritual equality. Shortly after creating humans, Moses describes God’s mindset by saying, “God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” (Genesis 1:27). Sure, throughout the years, He would provide different people and different groups with unique responsibilities, but that was never intended to demean anyone. Not everyone can do everything, but that doesn’t mean that God ...