We often speak of “mountaintop” experiences where we spend time alone with God. These encounters bring peace, joy, wisdom and revelation from Him and of Him, sometimes in a profound way. Ascending to the high places to abide with God will often transform us—He knows that. God is always calling out to us to come up higher.

Anticipation lasted for weeks. The event? Barely four minutes. It didn’t change anything.

How can something that’s perfect have a weakness?

We live in a universe created by a moral God. He has expressed Himself through the laws and

moral principles found in Scripture, with which we can know right from wrong. The commands of

the LORD reflect the very nature and character of God. Collectively they instruct us on which

choices are right, and they protect and warn us from making choices that are wrong.

“If you love Me, obey My commandments. And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads

into all truth. John 14:15-17 NLT

No words could express more simply or more powerfully the inconceivably glorious place

Christ gives to obedience.

He (Jesus) made the things we can see and the things we can't see—such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through Him and for Him. Colossians 1:16 NLT

Many years ago, God helped me understand, and better comprehend, the unseen world that exists around us. He graciously gave me the privilege to see the workings of the spiritual world through a vision.

I’ll never forget Sociology class in college, especially the day the professor taught the

concept of Mores and Social Relativity. “Mores are rules agreed upon by a social group,

including what people hold to be right and wrong,” she said. She went on to explain that since

ideas, beliefs, and behavior vary according to time and place, nothing is really right or wrong;

instead, each group decides what they think is right or wrong, and for them, it is. Those who

break social mores aren’t doing anything intrinsically wrong or evil, they are just “deviants.”

Furthermore, no social group is allowed to question the mores of another social group,

according to this philosophy.

We are all wounded, and every wound represents the potential to hurt other people. We sometimes do crazy things to try to cope with our wounded hearts. When a person lashes out at you, God wants you to see that person through His eyes, and to realize there is a hurting heart buried in the rubble of pain. Only God can heal a broken heart, no matter the source of the offense, whether self-inflicted or brought about by another person. It does not matter your station in life, whether you are at the pinnacle or the bottom of the heap, God offers His relentless love to heal your aching and wounded heart.

So you’ve experienced spiritual salvation! Wonderful!! There is much rejoicing over you in

heaven! But is that the end? Maybe you’ve read the previous articles and thought to yourself,

“Yes, I became a Christian years ago, so I guess that’s it. There’s nothing left for me to do.”

Actually, your story is just beginning!

I hate to be late.

I don’t mind so much if others are—things come up. That’s understandable and we all have to be gracious and patient.

It’s no big deal.

A family emergency? That’s quite a different thing. We’ll leave immediately and head to the one we love. We’ll get there as soon as we possibly can. We’ll dodge traffic, speed, and might even go through a red light or two to get there.

One thing we wouldn’t do is delay. We wouldn’t get distracted or forget. If it’s urgent and immediate, then it’s the priority. We go. Fast.

“Yes, I am the Vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in Me, and I in them, will produce much fruit.” When we abide with God in prayer, our yielding to Him will bear the fruit we seek. This seems to be a paradox and backward to our finite earthly minds, but the power for the answer comes from laying down our concerns and burdens and choosing to abide in Him.

Frankenstein. Just that one word conjures up so many images! Countless books, movies, and stories have been based on the 1818 novel by Mary Shelley. But did you know that Frankenstein is not the name of the monster, but the name of the doctor who created him?

Christians have a foundational truth in their arsenal that puts everything in our lives into perspective. It doesn’t make sense to unbelievers, but it is what gives us joy, peace and hope: Jesus is coming back.

“How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your Word. With my whole heart I have sought You; Oh, let me not wander from Your commandments! Your Word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You.” (Psalms 119:9-11 NKJV)

We just finished the backyard. In a short time, we’ll need to attend to the front. It’s a perennial tag-team. That’s because the two oaks in the back are not the same kind as the three oaks in the front. They shed their leaves at different times.

Still, I love the trees. I’ve always loved trees. Ours have grown in the time we’ve lived in the same house for over twenty years. They’ve been silent witnesses to the changes in our lives during the time we’ve been in Texas.

Biblical Worldview - Part 2 - Is there a God? If so, What is He like?

A.W. Tozer said, “What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” This is because the question, “Is there a God?” is the most foundational concept humans address in their existence. All other decisions and ideas flow from the answer to this question.

The terms “faith” and “believing” are synonymous, but these two concepts often have different meanings in Scripture. Therefore, I feel it necessary to distinguish between them. While studying the Scripture references that help define “faith” and those defining “belief,” I discovered a subtle shade of difference between the words.

We all have our own unique life story. Our story is our past and the myriad of influences and life events that shape us. Our narrative is how we express our outcome, as well as define ourselves to others based on our perspective about our story. In other words, what we tell others about ourselves, based on our story, will define who we are.

Many people find it difficult to believe the teaching of the first two chapters of Genesis. It is

easy to ask, “Are we sure that account is reliable?” or “Isn’t that just a general picture? It’s not meant to be taken literally, right?”

If we have a question about the Bible, the best place to find the answer is the Bible. As Major

Ian Thomas was fond of saying, “The best commentary on the Bible is the Bible!” So what does

the rest of Scripture teach us about Genesis Chapters 1 and 2?