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Gollum/Smeagol is one of my favorite literary characters in Tolkien ’s Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. Gollum talks to himself obsessively over the One Ring —even after he loses it in the deep caverns of the Misty Mountains. He constantly seeks his “precious” ring which Baggins finds. While Peter writes some two -thousand years before Tolkien, he talks about the spiritual things that Christians ought to see as precious. In Peter ’s letters, he writes as we journey…

Despite several staff members and campers getting COVID at Peach Valley, I am glad that camp happened and that I was able to attend. It was a blessing my heart badly needed! The risk of illness was not greater than the blessing God provides by His people coming together. Here are some things I gleaned from the week that may help you as you live by faith: “Blessed, blessed, blessed are we!” We learned a new song at camp by…

If Luke, guided by inspiration, included three separate looks at what happened to Paul on the road to Damascus and his subsequent obedience to Christ, you would be inclined to believe it was important. From the actual events (Acts 9) to Paul ’s retelling of them before hostile Jews (Acts 22) to the apostle explaining it again to King Agrippa (Acts 26), we see what many consider the most dramatic conversion recorded in the New Testament. The fierce persecutor became…

Vacation Bible School for 2021 is in the books and what a great week it has been. Along with the numerous “thank you ’ s” I offer for all those who were a part, I offer that I have learned so much more than our kids have! I am reminded about what wonderfully, sacrificial people we have who are able to meet needs, anticipate needs, and to communicate needs in the family. So much of what we do as the…

It ’s a simple enough title and concept, but for each season and busy opportunity in our lives, there ought to be a reminder, “this is something for which I MUST pray” (Ps. 55:7; Zech. 8:21; 1 Thess. 5:17). Here are some things God ’s people need to be lifting up and praying about NOW: Pray for our country (1 Tim. 2:1 -2). Our nation is in rapid decline. As a whole, our rulers, leaders, and educators are invested in…

The apostle Peter, in the early part of his second letter, gives emphasis to the importance of Christians being diligent in the development of spiritual qualities. How diligent did he want them to be? He urges, “…giving all diligence…” (II Pet. 1:5). Later, he adds, “…be even more diligent…” (II Pet. 1:12). Since Peter wanted these saints to be diligent, he also knew the need for him to be certain he did not neglect his duty to call their attention…

In the heart -felt book of John, Jesus has several confrontations with the Jews of that day to prove to them His deity. Of note, the discussion in John 8 is particularly passionate. The hardness of heart of these people broke the Savior ’s heart as they claimed allegiance to God, to the things of God, and to God ’s faithful servant, Abraham. However, Jesus cuts to the core of their hypocrisy and powerfully says in 8:44, “You are of…

Lord willing, we’ll be on our way Sunday morning to this year’s session of Camp Bandina. I love going to a Christian camp. I don’t love it because the counselors there are perfect, but because they’re servants of the Perfect One. As counselors, we all bring our faults and flaws right along with us, but we get a chance to serve God by teaching His perfect love and His perfect ways to the campers. I don’t love it because it’s…

The writer of Hebrews urged readers to ”. . . have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear” (Heb. 12:28). The Greek word for reverence signifies, first of all, caution, then godly fear. One English dictionary tells us it is “profound respect mingled with fear and affection.” In order to serve God acceptably, we must do so with reverence. Therefore, we must understand how reverence is produced and maintained. It is an internal trait.…

I want to be a person who prays more, but I just don’t know what to pray for! The truth is that nobody except Jesus is an expert at prayer (Luke 11:1; 18:1). Yet, there are a number of helps that can cause us to think more about the blessings God gives us—as well, the opportunities we have to ask God to make a difference in our world. Consider this old illustration of just using your hand to remind you…

With the departure of the Albers family, there is a hole left in the work of Graeber Road. While we pray for Troy, Amy, and Remi in their new home in Sunray, we also need to be praying for the work and the next associate preacher of Graeber Road. Consider that we are now in an interim time period. Interim means temporary/provisional. How long that may be is not known, however, what we can do in this interim is absolutely…

How one will answer this question WILL mold and shape their view of life, for the rest of their life and usher them into eternity. If God does not exist, then our lives will cease to have meaning outside of ourselves and there will be no absolute standard of right or wrong for us. On the other hand, if one comes to know that there is a God, then determining His will and His revelation He has made becomes an…