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John 4:14  But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.   Living water is a treasure. How is it possible to keep a thing like that to yourself?  Living water doesn’t just lie there.  No, it’s springing up…. It’s overflowing… It’s alive.  It’s a treasure that wants to be heard and seen.  And what happens to a person when they go from lost to

I LOVE THAT GOD LOVES TO GIVE GRACE AND MERCY!   Mat 5:44-45  But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;  (45)  That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.   I LOVE IT MOST BECAUSE I NEED MERCY.  My sin had imprisoned me.  The wages of

In the Kendrick Brothers’ movie Overcomer, there is a powerful conversation between a man who is blind, in a hospital bed and in his final days, and a basketball coach at a Christian school who ends up coaching track with only one person on his team.  The blind man asked the coach, “Who are you?   That’s a good question for all of us.  There are two questions, the answer of which will define your life.  Jesus asked the first of His disciples, “Who do you say that I am?”  The

It’s been a long winter.  However, according to The Weather Channel, we are gaining a minute of daylight every day.  I’m a little excited that daylight saving time is only 12 days away, not because of the clock change, but because the cold days of winter will be behind us soon.   I love that the light is increasing and the darkness is decreasing every single day, even if it’s only a minute.  I know God is doing this by design, and it has spiritual significance.  I’m ever amaz

It's difficult to watch someone you love hurting.  The pain may be physical, emotional, or spiritual, but the result is the same.  I remember watching my toddler son break his arm for the first time.  I picked him up and carried him to the car and then to the hospital.  There were tears in my eyes and in my heart.  In that moment, I would gladly have taken his pain upon myself (if only it were possible).  Even when little things discourage my family, I often find myself hurti

“I don't believe there is anything more moving than the cry of a mother's heart.  I also believe nothing touches our God more than our brutal honesty and complete dependence on Him.  Sometimes, it's hard for us to admit that our children aren't perfect (believe me, I know).  I've struggled and had to overcome the fact that my kids' bad choices are not always a reflection of my "bad parenting."     There is a battle in the hearts and minds of many parents because “the accuser”

“I don't believe there is anything more moving than the cry of a mother's heart.  I also believe nothing touches our God more than our brutal honesty and complete dependence on Him.  Sometimes, it's hard for us to admit that our children aren't perfect (believe me, I know).  I've struggled and had to overcome the fact that my kids' bad choices are not always a reflection of my "bad parenting."     There is a battle in the hearts and minds of many parents because “the accuser”

The Lord woke me up this morning with thoughts about all the words that need help to better describe the God we serve.  For example: Not just love, but love and peace.   2Corinthians 13:11  Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you.   Not just wisdom, but wisdom and understanding. Not just counsel, but counsel and might.   Isaiah 11:2  And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon h

I was sitting with my nephew in the ER last night, and I asked if he had worked that day. He said no: “I called out” this morning.  That sounds so weird to me, even though I heard my granddaughter use the same phrase a couple of weeks ago.  I told her, you “call in” if you are sick, and “call out” if you need help!   Years ago, I was watching a tv show called “Chicago Fire,” a phrase the firefighters used caught my attention, “Call Out!”  Obviously, before a fireman uses this

I’m sorry I missed out on sending a devotion yesterday.  I woke up Sunday feeling poorly.  I feel like I lost a day in there somewhere, but today, I realize what I’ve just experienced could be categorized as a “light affliction.” Sometimes, in life, the signs of the coming storm are clear.  We may have a warning of trouble on the horizon.  However, some storms come suddenly.  Either way, we really should not be surprised when they come.     1Pe 4:12-13  Beloved, think it not

I Timothy 2:1 “First of all, then, I urge that requests, prayers, intercession, and thanksgiving be made in behalf of all people….”   I shared the following spiritual insight during our Ladies Prayer Time on Wednesday night.  I wish I could say I wrote it, but I didn’t.  I don’t know the person who did, but it sure is wise words and I believe inspired by God.  For all of you that pray, this is for you!   When you carry someone to God, you’re loving them past your limitations.

This week, I was preparing a special lesson for our Grace Place Youth.  It was basically about “walking in the Light,” as “God is in the light.”  I spoke with them about the wonder of God “giving us light” first to know Him, and then to discover His truth.  It’s amazing when God allows us to see something we’ve never fully understood before.  During the process, I was reminded of this passage.   Rom 13:12  The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off

I loved coaching my children when they played youth sports.  I remember when my son was about 12 years old, his basketball team from Granite Falls was playing an away game at Dudley Shoals.  When building their gym, they installed a cheaper floor: tile instead of hardwood.  During warm-ups, I instructed my son to “sneak up” for his 3-point attempt during the game (that is, act like he’s more interested in passing than in shooting).  To execute this properly, I told him to be

I’ve heard someone mention that you can say anything you want about someone if you end the statement with the following words… “bless their heart.”  This is probably a sad truth, but true, nonetheless.  For example, we might say, “She just doesn’t know how to dress, bless her heart.”  Or we might say, the guy doesn’t have a filter, bless his heart.””   Words come from thoughts, and we are taught that we shall give an account for every idle word.  That’s a scary thought for a

There were a few things that became part of my life as a child. There was always a guitar lying about.   I picked it up as a child and taught myself to play through trial and error. One of my parents was always singing and sometimes playing that guitar.   Mom and Dad both played.  Dad sang… “When the roll is called up yonder,” and mom sang, “When they ring those golden bells for you and me.”    And there was always a copy of God’s Word somewhere on a table.  I listened to men

A paperback New Testament is no bigger than a smartphone, and it is beyond smart!   Heb 4:12  God’s Word God's word is living and active. It is sharper than any two-edged sword and cuts as deep as the place where soul and spirit meet, the place where joints and marrow meet. God's word judges a person's thoughts and intentions.   Your Bible is alive!  Your Bible is at work!    It’s powered by the Holy Spirit and never needs recharging.  ·     Through God’s Word, we are convinc

Recently, with all the inclement weather, some folks have missed a few days of work.  Labor is a good thing, but God also intended for each of us to have a time of rest to look forward to.  A song without a "rest note" is just a bunch of noise "strung together."  It was by the wayside where Jesus did His best teaching.  It's hard to worship or hear from the Lord when our lives are more like a whirlwind than still waters.   Psalm 4:4 Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with you

“A Study of Colossians”   I’m married to a gifted Bible teacher.  Tonight at 6:30 at Grace Place (Morganton, NC), Dawn will teach the first lesson she prepared in the book of Colossians.  We plan to stream the series live each Wednesday night for the next 7 weeks or so.  It will be easier to find the stream each week if you click the link below and subscribe.  https://www.youtube.com/@Hisgraceplace     I believe this little book holds a powerful message we all need today.  He