NCarolinian

Male and female individuals have enough issues in this world. For many the excitement of the dating scene and/or the intoxication of love blinds us to the multiple challenges singles will face as a couple. When marriage does arrive, the smoke of infatuation clears and reality is revealed. Not that we stop loving our significant other, just that within the new relationship of marriage there are different dynamics. We might overcome the many challenges as a couple, but Scripture teaches we can learn from them and do much better with God in the picture. There are a number of couples in The Bible to observe in this light of challenging marital dynamics. Adam and Eve, Abraham and Sarah, Boaz and Ruth, Zachariah and Elizabeth, Joseph and Mary, plus Priscilla and Aquilla. Adam and Eve enjoyed the perfect relationship with each other and with their Creator until they both chose to accept The Lie into their world. This totally changed their environment and outlook on things, but Hop...

Soul searching is a distraction and deception. It steers one away from a life that could be best lead, directed, and guided by a supreme intelligence that cares. Soul searching convinces one that the answer is within yourself, when the something greater is outside yourself just waiting for your discovery and faith. That conclusion spawned from a phrase I recently read - "Life isn't about finding yourself. It is about discovering who God created you to be." (A slogan on www.godsnotdead.com poster on Facebook.) Many brands of vehicles have what is called Standard Features. This is what you can expect on or from the base model. Everything else is a Special Feature and therefore extra money. When an individual is spiritually re-created due to their faith in Christ Jesus, I think there are certain Standard Features that should be applied to our lives. These SFs expose us to the world as the brand of person we are or should be - Christian.  A few of these SFs are ...

Scripture says, Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him. (Psalm 34:8)   Some food is good for you but tasteless. However, there is plenty of healthy, beneficial food to eat that is also pleasing to the taste buds. Have you ever been eating a meal and the food is doing it's job of re-energizing you, strengthening you, and providing nutrients to your body and mind - when all the sudden you chew a really great tasting bite of whatever you're having? This is the same with eating the Lord or tasting the Lord and seeing that He is good.  In this Psalm, David encourages us to not only digest that the LORD is good ( "see that the LORD is good" ) but he also challenges us to "taste" . There is an "and" between "taste" and "see" that helps us observe this distinction. You sit down with His Word, start reading it, studying and researching it, knowing that it is doing you good and wi...

After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. 2 There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. 4 The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. 5 The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples: 'He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.' Now I have told you." (Matthew 28:1-7) On the third day, after the death of Jesus, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to "look" at the tomb on the first day of the week. They would not be able to move the stone for it woul...

Have you every played a game of cards or watched a game that uses the betting phrase "I'm all in"? It is a gamble, a chance with all of one's money that you think you have the winning hand. There is a spiritual tie-in here, believe it or not. The only difference is that God said, "I'm All In" and He did not gamble or take any chances. God knew the cost and reward for redeeming humanity and He did it anyway. His "all in" was the sacrifice of His very words in human form, Jesus the Christ and His reward was a restored relationship with us. God said to Joshua -   As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. (Joshua 1:5) Then later in Scripture, Paul, speaking to the Jews about their need to be dependent on God, referred back to this verse in Hebrews 13:5 -  Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never wi...

In my life I have encountered many instances where an individual either liked to hear himself/herself talk, thought they knew everything or Both ! I don't know what drives these people to dominate a setting with an obvious need to either impress with knowledge or showcase their voice. Some social couth and further maturity are in order for these persons. So, what does The Word of God have to say about talking to much ?  When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but whoever restrains his lips is prudent. (Proverbs 10:19) Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise; when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent. (Proverbs 17:28) Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; (James 1:19) Do you see a man who is hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him. (Proverbs 29:20) But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness, (2 Timothy 2:16) Kind of Ta...

Paul, in Ephesians 6 gives the picture of a Roman soldier in full attire by dissecting the "whole armor of God" and encouraging us to pray for - the helmet of salvation , breast-plate of righteousness , belt of truth , shoes of peace , shield of faith , and sword of the Spirit . The part I wish to magnify to you in this writing is The Shield of Faith. Ephesians 6:16 says, "In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one."  Before this verse, Paul has just listed the parts of the belt of truth, breast-plate of righteousness, and shoes of peace so when he gets to the next piece, in the next verse, the phrase "In addition to all this" takes on an extra meaning. The phrase not only means here is another piece of armor or here is the next one to pray for, but the phrase means - in considering what has been mentioned pay attention to this next piece of armor. Notice in the ne...

Great leaders are and remain servants. Ever had somebody wash your feet in a foot washing basin? I have. To be the one washed brought on me feelings of not wanting to expose my dirtiness/stinkyness to the washer. Why did I feel this way? Because I have been the washer of feet as well. In Jesus' day the sandal was the common shoe worn by many travelers. This coated dirt and all kinds of debris quickly upon one's feet as any journey progressed, especially in the arid environment of the Middle East. A custom of hospitality during those times was to wash the feet of those entering a house. In the Scriptures I observed two times when feet washing were magnified - Luke 7:36-50 and John 13:1-17 . The Luke account was Christ's preparation for entering The Kingdom on our behalf. The John account was the Disciples preparation for entering The Kingdom. Both were quite the teaching moment for the kind of Christ-like attitude and practices believers should display as we live i...

Peace, love, and rock-n-roll is not an equation that works as well as Faith, Hope, and Love. The result of the second equation is the peace that probably alluded you in the first grouping. Among the other benefits to come from the second trinity are joy, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Allow me to briefly expose you to what Scripture says about Faith, Hope, and Love and leave it to you to "chew" on these verses in your mind and spirit. Faith Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. (Hebrews 11:1) Hope For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. (Romans 8:24-25) And again, Isaiah says, "The Root of Jesse will spring up, one who will arise to rule over the nations; the Gentiles will hope in him." (Romans 15:12) Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus ...

"It" is all a State of Mind. Our faith, joy, peace and so many other wonderful gifts from God are acknowledged and kept by the strength and state of our mind. Paul, in his second letter to the believers in Corinth emphasized the enemy's first target - The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. (2 Corinthians 4:4)  Paul's concern continues as he says,  But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent's cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. (2 Corinthians 11:3) . So, Paul reverts back to the teaching about this subject and has the believers in Ephesus recall it and review it.  You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds ; and to put on the new self, ...

In the movie "Judge Dredd", Dredd (Sylvester Stallone) has a well-known line - "I am the law!" Funny how movies, even bad ones can make you think about spiritual parallels. God, in providing all the rules and regulations of the Old Testament was saying to His people and future believers - "I am the law! No one can fulfill the law except a perfect person." That perfect person was the very Word(s) of God that came from Father God's mouth, spoke everything into existence, and holds all things together ( Colossians 1:16-17 ). That perfect person was the very Words that spoke the law to follow in the first place. That perfect human who followed every commandment flawlessly, fulfilled The Law in Himself and was killed as an innocent sacrifice for freedom from the punishment of The Law is Jesus Christ of Nazareth. When I was a kid there used to be a healthy respect for police officers. If a police officer visited my elementary school, no matter if it was...

As we  get this new year rolling, I felt a stirring in my spirit in the form of a warning. Christians know that their enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour . ( 1 Peter 5:8 ) That "The Thief", another name for our enemy, comes only to steal, kill, and destroy . ( John 10:10 ) A good example of how Satan tries to do this is found in the account of the Temptation of Christ - Matthew 4:1-11. Temptation has at it's core doubt in something or someone. The challenge to turn the stones into bread doubted God's Provision. The dare to jump from the top of the Temple doubted God's Protection. The invitation to worship Satan for all the earthly kingdoms doubted God's Promises about the Christ. In addition, all of the tempting was targeted at two vulnerable points - (1) when Christ was alone and (2) at Christ's supposed weaknesses. The Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness to experience these temptations, and possibly ot...