I was talking with a nice couple at the Bed and Breakfast in Savannah when they asked me if I was going to go on a ghost tour. I thought carefully about what to say. I could launch into a rant against such things. Instead, I could be wishy-washy about them and talk about how... Continue Reading →
Rom 8 Filling the tank is victory in Jesus. A study for the seriously religious. by Douglas
As we study Romans, if we forget where we have been and don’t understand where we are going, we can come to the wrong conclusions. Remember that the first chapters had everyone convicted of sin, but Jesus died so we would be justified. This seemed to leave the law nullified, except that salvation by faith... Continue Reading →
Rom 6; What Would you Do if You had a Permanent Get Out of Jail Free Card? A Study for the Seriously Religious by Douglas
Let us review the first five chapters of Romans. Ch 1. God’s wrath is revealed against mankind, because they knew God, but chose to reject Him. God gave them over to their lusts. God gave us the law, which showed us how to get to heaven. We just had to obey the Law completely. Ch... Continue Reading →
Victors, not Victims: Psalm Wednesday
So often the problems in our lives lead others to refer to us as victims, which seems to suggest a sense of helplessness and an inability to help oneself. But, many people, including me, have overcome the obstacles in our lives, and we see ourselves as victors and survivors, individuals who, through God's mercy and grace... Continue Reading →
Reaping a Harvest of Joy: Psalm Wednesday
Over the last couple of days, we have tried to find tomato plants that are already starting to sprout flowers. Douglas generally starts to plant his garden in late March or early April, but we were away during that time, so there is a mad dash to sow some vegetables, especially our beloved tomatoes, in... Continue Reading →
The Core of My Faith
When people ask me how I can believe in an invisible deity, I tell them that at the core of my faith is the miracles that have taken place in my life. I am convinced of the reality of God and of Jesus Christ through the ways in My life has imitated the Scriptures. It... Continue Reading →
Needed, Great Mentors
I am one of those rare people who became a Christian just by reading the Bible. When I first became a Christian, there was no Christians around me to help me understand what was happening to me. I set off hitchhiking across country. Many people that I met on that trip tried to convince me... Continue Reading →
Rom 4 Does Justification by Faith Contradict the Old Testament? A Study for the Seriously Religious
One sharp man wondered about my study of Romans, since it contradicts the Old Testament. This question of contradiction is truly a key to understanding this chapter. In the past, being a modern Christian, I have wondered, “Why does Paul insert this unnecessary chapter?” When Paul wrote, most Christians were Jews, and the Jews, Christian... Continue Reading →
Romans 3 The Peak of Despondency Lit by a Ray of Sunshine. A Study for the Seriously Religious.
Romans 2 leaves off seeming to condemn the Jews the most. Paul starts there, and starts the questions that he’ll continues in the next few chapters. He quickly, though, goes to the conclusion that he has been headed toward in chapters 1 & 2. Since this conclusion, this peak, only leads to despair, he... Continue Reading →
God is not a Genie in a Bottle
I have been disturbed lately about the content of prayer training in many churches. The emphasis seems to be on calling on God with a list of wants, and then waiting as He fulfills the requests. This attitude of God as similar to a genie, a magic spirit who takes on human form and grants... Continue Reading →
