NCarolinian

Christians are considered citizens of another kingdom, kids of another family and residents of another world or realm - all while living in this one. There is an amazing balance act required by the Follower of Christ when he/she accepts Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior.  You have heard the expression - The Believer has to be in the world but not of the world . This truth tells of the requirement met for living out the Christian life (not being of the world) while meeting the condition for living in a temporary place (having to dwell for the time being in the world). In Matthew 22:15-22 , Jesus is approached by Pharisees with an entrapping question - "Is it right to pay the Imperial Tax to Caesar or not?" The Imperial Tax was a special tax levied on subject peoples and not the Roman citizens. Referring to the coin used for payment in those days, Jesus answered, "Whose image is this? And whose inscription?" The Pharisees replied, "Caesar's....

Throughout Scripture everyday analogies are given to communicate a spiritual truth. For example -  " They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream." (Jeremiah 17:8) "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field." (Matt. 13:24) "The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds of flour until it worked all through the dough." (Matt. 13:33) "The kingdom is like a treasure hidden in a field." (Matt. 13:44) "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls." (Matt. 13:45) One of the analogies that I believe believers may want to stop and research is the analogy of us as Living Stones. However, let us first look at Jesus pictured as a rock or stone. There are many references to Christ as The Rock, The Stone or The Cornerstone. In Matthew 16:18 when Jesus was talking to the little rock or Peter, I beli...

Imagine yourself a mountain that moves. Who or what is king of the mountain? Who or what is king of you? Is it a fleeting emotion? Is it a relative, friend or thing? Imagine again, but this time picture yourself as a portable room. Who have you let in your door? Who or what are you letting in your door currently?  Ephesians 4:26-28 mentions the word "foothold" as a condition brought about by the enemy of our souls that has given him possible strategic advantage over our lives. The verse reads -  "' In your anger do not sin': Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold ."  The original word for "foothold" here is topos . It is likely where we get our word topography - the study of land or places.  Topos can refer to a specific advantageous location, like a foot in the door or right placement of the foot on a mountain outcropping. Some would say this is being in the right place at the rig...

There is a song by Simon and Garfunkel entitled "The Sound of Silence". Some say it was written in the void left by the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. There are times when even with the best intentions of desiring to reach for the words to say to someone, we would be better served if our mouths stay shut. Then there are other instances where something said is totally appropriate and would drive the sheer awkwardness of silence away.  There is plenty in Scripture to draw from on this topic. However, allow me to lift from three verses. The first is Proverbs 17:28 -  " Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent, and discerning if they hold their tongues."   So here, we have somebody or a group of people that are known in the community as "fools" . The thought is one that is not written down but inferred by what is stated - if fools are wise enough to keep silent and discerning enough to hold their tongue, then how much more sho...

God is everywhere, at all times - omnipresent. However, as believers in Christ Jesus, God's Son, we can have a more intimate experience of God's manifest presence. The keys to God's manifest presence are thanksgiving and praise. My Pastor's son, Logan, taught recently on this subject and stated, "The password into His presence is 'Thank You'." Psalm 100:4 says, " Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name." This is a simple mindset, attitude and lifestyle we can adopt but often forget or neglect. God has blessed us with everything, now do we return to The Giver on a regular basis with thanks and entrust back into His hands what was already His? For many Christians this is a grateful lifestyle that is lived out daily. However, Lord help us to never be so consumed by ourselves, others, society, our culture or things that we revert back to what the Israelites did - they forgot yo...