NCarolinian

"There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under the heavens:" - Ecclesiastes 3:1 Just because you or someone has a gripe about something, doesn't mean now or a certain venue is the place to voice your complaint. I am talking about timing. I am NOT talking about agreeing or disagreeing with your or anyone's position on a matter. Not only do you have to know which battles to fight, but when to fight them and where. However, if I was to take a stance on what is going on in our sports, particularly the NFL, I would have the following to contribute. I am against racism. I am for standing against racism, but at another time than the National Anthem.  The National Anthem is a song meant to bring us together not show signs of division. It's lyrics are saturated with perseverance and unity. In a period of American history when we need these characteristics in our culture, let us not pollute this time; this singing/playing of The Nationa...

The doctrine of imminency is a reality that should change how we live in the present age. This expectation certainly changed how the early church lived. The early church adopted a special password to identify themselves and to greet each other: Maranatha ( 1 Corinthians 16:22 ). It is an Aramaic word that only appears once in Scripture. It consists of three Aramaic words: Mar ( Lord ), ana ( our ), and tha ( come ). It's a kind of one-word prayer - 'our Lord, come.' Maranatha only makes sense in light of the imminent view of the Rapture. As Renald Showers says,  "'It's instructive that the early church coined this special greeting to reflect their hourly hope, eager expectation, and ardent anticipation of the Rapture. No doubt this expectation motivated them to pursue personal purity, devoted service, and evangelism. Think of how the church would change today if we were to adopt this greeting for our brothers and sisters in Christ. Think of how our live...

There was once a second child to a father and a younger brother to a sibling who felt he knew how to handle or manage his part of the estate. So, the younger son and brother went before the father and requested that he be given his portion at this time in his life. Without any hesitation from the father, without any fuss about his age or experience level in managing wealth, land and/or material possessions – the father divided up the land between the two sons. The younger son/brother made a couple of bad decisions that kept him spiraling downward in life. First, at such an early age, he thought he knew how to live life. Second, he moved away from home; he moved away from the protection, provision and advice his father could easily bestow before it was time. Finally, the young man seemed to have consolidated his inheritance into currency because he then proceeded to waste all of it on a frivolous lifestyle. Just as he went bankrupt, a famine hit the area where he was located. ...

As people accept Christ as their Savior and God they also get Commissioned. Christians have a Prime Directive within The Great Commission that every new and old believer should desire to shout from anywhere, mountaintops included. However, there are additional directives that The Holy Spirit prompts us to make on our life's journey. My combined main directives in life form a  Worshiper-Teacher-Testifier me. When I received Christ as my Lord and Savior and was baptized in 1979 (9 years old), even though I automatically received Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15; and Acts 1:8 as my marching orders - I wanted to tell others about my Savior, Christ Jesus. My Commission states... "Then Jesus came to them and said, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely...

Wholeheartedness is to be sold out, completely surrendered or without any reservation in something or someone. The answer to the question - why - is usually the basis for anyone's devotion. My wholeheartedness comes from Romans 5:8 - " But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." He died for me, so I will live for Him. Reading in the Old Testament I discovered that to live wholeheartedly for the Lord meant - a great inheritance ( Numbers 14:24 ), rest ( 2 Chronicles 15:15 ), prosperity ( 2 Chronicles 31:21 ), and escape from shame ( Psalm 119:80 ) . Caleb was rewarded as an individual and his descendants benefited from his commitment to the Lord also. "But because my servant Caleb has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly, I will bring him into the land he went to, and his descendants will inherit it." - Numbers 14:24 As a nation, Judah was blessed with peace or "rest on every side...

The shadow of an object or person can only cast so far. To be in the shadow of something or someone is to be in very close proximity. Applying this to our walk with God speaks of the intimacy in such close quarters and desire of communion with Him. God's Shadow does not speak of darkness, doom or gloom but of shade, comfort and refreshing. In Psalm 91:1 we read that "The Shelter" is His and "The Shadow" is His. Those who journey to this locale "dwell" and "rest". Do you have a quiet time or personal time with The Lord? Do you have a set time where you get away to what Psalm 91:1 calls "the Secret Place"? If you do not, I want to encourage you to implement a time like this in your everyday agenda.  However, I also desire to encourage you to access that hallowed atmosphere when you are on the go and need a special touch of His Presence.  Some of us when we get disturbed or irritated might count to ten to get our wits back under...

The Disciple John recalls - " When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, 'I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.' ” (John 8:12) Ronnie Hinson best penned a description of this verse when he wrote a song that says.... There's a lighthouse on the hillside that overlooks life's sea. When I'm tossed it sends out a light that I might see. And the light that shines in darkness now will safely lead me home.  If it wasn't for the lighthouse, my ship would sail no more. Chorus And I thank God for The Lighthouse, I owe my life to Him. Jesus is The Lighthouse and from the rocks of sin, He has shown the light around me, so that I might clearly see. If it wasn't for The Lighthouse (Tell me) Where would this ship be? Everyone that lives around us, says tear that old lighthouse down. The big ships don't sail this way anymore, ain't no use in it standing round. But then my mind g...

NOAA GOES-16 Sat image (Sept. 10, 2017) In the last week and a half North America has seen Hurricane Harvey devastate Texas with record amounts of waterfall. Hurricane Irma slam the Caribbean Islands and Florida with high winds, waves and rain. An 8.2 earthquake in Mexico came with an awesome light-show because of the friction of the rocks. Plus, fires in California, Oregon and Montana whose smoke can be seen on radar and smelt for miles is burning. There is also another two hurricanes in the water - one named Jose in the Atlantic and one named Katia in the Gulf of Mexico (https://www.popsugar.com/news/NOAA-Satellite-Image-Hurricanes-Irma-Jose-Katia-43993731). In the meantime, we have American society doing it's best to be the Un-united or Disbanded States of America. We have a broken healthcare system, racism shouting louder "I'm still here!", a leaderless country and a country who has raised it's fist to God. If there is any judgment coming soon, and I pe...

Whenever I have played or watched any sport, I have always dreamed of having the best player at each position on my team - an All-Star Team. This would mean I would be considered part of the best-of-the-best team also. Spiritually, Christians are part the best All-Star Team of all time. Christ is our everything. Jesus is at every "position" by the power of His Holy Spirit, directing us and empowering us to be the All-Star at our "position" or calling. Christ Jesus has come before us and secured our place on His team by perfectly living life so that we would not be burdened with having to try this impossible feat. Paul addresses the Jews about this in Hebrews 4:15 when he said, "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin." You see, an All-Star Team is still going to have some weaknesses. Because we are still earthbound and n...

Many Christians know the call to Repent - Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand . - to be most associated with John the Baptist. However, Jesus also proclaimed it - "From that time on Jesus began to preach, 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.'" (Matthew 4:17) The word that Jesus was using for Repent , as He walked the roads of Israel so many years ago, is metanoeo (met-an-o-eh-o), meaning you think differently , you reconsider . This word is a compound word (two words forming one). The first word is meta meaning hereafter. The second word is noieo meaning think differently. So, when you combine the two you have Hereafter Think Differently - Metanoeo . Repentance and Forgiveness are not the same, BUT they do travel hand-in-hand wherever they go. First, there is a consideration in the mind of change, then there is the ascent of the decision in the mind by coming to God and accepting His gift of Salvation by asking for Forgiveness. You have go...