NCarolinian

Ever been uncomfortable sitting on the couch or lying in bed for a while, then you find that Nook or Cranny that makes you not want to move from that spot? That new position gave you a new appreciation for the struggle you had to get there. Moses had this same experience. In Exodus 32 we read of The Lord's people impatiently focusing their worship on their handmade Golden Calf. The Lord was not happy and dealt with them severely. Afterward, in Exodus 33 , The Lord told Moses it was time to move on; time to aim for the Promised Land. The only catch was that The Lord said, "But I will not go with you because you are a stiff-necked people and I might destroy you on the way." (33:3) Meanwhile, before the Great Trek to the land flowing with milk and honey - people with an inquiry of The Lord came to the Tent of Meeting that Moses set up outside the camp. Moses would come out of the tent, hear their request, go back into the tent, the Pillar of Cloud would descend a...

Today, in this writing, I want to re-emphasize to my fellow believers in Christ Jesus the depths of God's Salvation. I know I will only scratch the surface, but I do this for us to gain even more appreciation for Him and to keep a grateful heart before Him. I have heard it said that journaling is healthy. Whether you are on life's mountaintops, in its valleys or somewhere in between there is truth to this idea of keeping a record of important events or memories. I keep one, but it is not as strict as every day or even every week - just on an as needed basis.  Although few-and-far-between, there have been times when I have felt slighted, hurt or done wrong. I would journal such things to get the issue off my "chest" (mind) and I would eventually forgive whomever in prayer. However, the situation is now documented in print. Therefore, should I read my diary/journal again I undoubtedly would revisit that hurt.  God handles His booking-keeping a little differentl...

Luke 10:20 records Jesus telling His disciples after they had returned from being sent out -  "However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” (NIV). I also like The Living Bible version - "However, the important thing is not that demons obey you, but that your names are registered as citizens of heaven." I love how Jesus does not dismiss the subjection of demons altogether, He just focuses our attention on the "important thing" - the location of your true citizenship, Heaven. Christ charges us to "rejoice that your names are written in heaven." So, allow me to elaborate on this a little more. The words "written" or "registered" in the above texts come from the original word Graph0 . This word means to write, engrave or to describe . I believe this is where we get the word graffiti .  Then there is the word "heaven" . The original word used here is Our...

One might call a Constant Communicator - a motor mouth! This is someone who never stops talking and you wonder if they ever take a breath to do anything else. Two-way listening and speaking is imperative in a healthy relationship, but this passion of the Constant Communicator is the same kind of passion that 1 Thessalonians 5:17 and Ephesians 6:18 convey. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 says, "pray continually" . Ephesians 6:18 states, "And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests." Both say to communicate with God at all times. Paul elaborates to the believers in Ephesus to not only pray with your own heart, mind and prayer list, but with The Spirit and with a variety of matters that come up. This is the kind of relationship God paid for with His Son's life on The Cross and out of the Grave! This is a relationship of such tight-nit communication that distractions, issues and temptations roll off your back like it hardly happen...

Ever notice the sparkle Disney movies insert into the eyes of some of their characters to give them a certain emotion? Have you ever actually seen that sparkle in a female's eyes as she is about to become a mom? Or have you seen it in the eyes of a pair who have fallen head-over-heels in love? How about the joy of just a good day pouring out from the eyes of one of your friends? The powerful, communicative effect of our eyes is real. And with this truth comes an awesome responsibility. How you interpret, process and respond to what you see is the key to Keeping The Windows of Our Soul Clean . William Shakespeare is noted as saying, "The eyes are the windows to our soul." Matthew 6:22 in the New International Version says, "The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light." The priceless question is - do you want your whole body to be "full of light" ? Jesus says, "The eye is the lamp of the...

David pens in Psalm 37:4 - " Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart." At first glance, the idea conveyed may portray God as a Genie. Some may think - become a Christian, live a good little life, pray and ask God for anything and He will give it to me. Nope! Here is a better approach at understanding this verse and concept. "Take delight" (delight thyself) in the original Hebrew is  anag  (aw-nag) meaning to be soft or pliable. "Desires" in the original Hebrew is  mishalah  (mish-aw-law) meaning a request or petition. So, the verse could be rendered -  Make yourself or allow yourself to be pliable in the Lord and He will grant you what you have been petitioning about. The key is making yourself or allowing yourself to be pliable, softened or moldable by the Master. This includes trusting in Him, His ways and His timing for everything. I never said and He never said this would be easy, but The Holy Spirit through Da...