…you are the image of your creator!

Exhibiting the sanctity of life
     'Refreshment in Refuge' from Gina Burgess

Do you ever wonder why David cut the corner off Saul’s robe rather than killing him in that cave? (1 Samuel 24). Then David’s heart was troubled after he did that. That word troubled is a very strong word in Hebrew that means to strike (as the KJV translates it) but also means to kill, slaughter, murder, stripes, wound. David felt that for just cutting off the corner of Saul’s robe. Yet, he took the life of Uriah (1 Samuel 11-12). One would think that David would remember how his heart wounded his soul for taking the robe’s corner, but…

Twas Anything but Silent
     'Voice of Inspiration' from Andy Castro

Twas the night before Christ was born and all through the barn, all the creatures were stirring wondering who these two were. Mary was frightened and Joseph unsure of what the heck God was doing. It seemed like a blur. They had to leave home to give birth in a barn. It didn't make a bit of sense. The Redeemer born in a barn! And it was anything but silent. The person who wrote "Silent Night Holy Night" apparently didn't have kids. With restless animals and Mary in labor it was not silent. Joseph had to be on edge and unsure what to do. And who…

What Is Going On...?
     ''Christ in You...'' from Dale Krebbs

Why are events in the nations of the world happening as they are? It seems that the world as we knew it has been turned upside down. Events seem to be out of control worldwide. Is there something going on that the world in general does not see? Most details about world conditions are too complicated to be completely understood. However, the source of the condition of the world can be known and understood. There are only two major realities that we need to know in order for world events to be understood. World conditions are changing by the hour. Even by the minute. There are many…

Focusing On The Good
     'Inspiration For You' from Randy Mitchell

Seeing the positive in people is far easier than only seeing the negative. No matter who you work with, marry, be-friend, date, parent, or live beside, sooner or later there’ll be personality traits which you don’t agree with, or find uncomfortable to be around. We’re all created differently, are an original masterpiece created by God, and like any living thing, there are no two of us exactly alike. It’s what makes the human race such an incredibly diverse body of souls. But, how we interact, and appreciate each others positive and negative qualities…

Bible and Quote - November 23-25
     'Bible verse and quote' from Jan Couns

The LORD has heard my supplication; The LORD will receive my prayer. Psalm 6:9 Rather than repeated repetitions; reexamine, realign and revise prayer until there is a resolve that it is within God’s preferred will. Let all my enemies be ashamed (confounded) and greatly troubled; Let them turn back and be ashamed suddenly. Psalm 6:10 For what good can thy neighbor's ill do for thee? If he had no ill, he would not even be thine enemy. (Pray) that he may end his ill, and he will be thine enemy no longer. St. Augustine You will be made rich in every…

Think on These Things.
     'God's Words For US' from Cecelia Lester

Journal entry April 14,1997 Today’s scripture reading, Philippians 4:8-9, causes me to stop and think. “Whatever is true:” I shared some information ‘as I saw it’ yesterday evening about two different situations that I was aware of. One concerned an elderly lady who kept violating confidences and reacting to her surroundings. The other lady only came to God on her terms and as long as it didn’t hurt her to worship God, if she felt she had to change then she {stayed away and} came back in times of crisis and only on her terms (looking…

His Purpose
     'Chip Shots from the Ruff of Life' from Tom Kelley

A newspaper that is curculated in the Louisville, Kentucky area ran a story on Kentucky basketball in this week's rag. They tied the idea of "passion" into it, which, in and of itself, was not a problem. However, the front cover showed Jesus holding a basketball with the story's caption emblazoned in print reminiscent of the move, "The Passion of the Christ", just below the picture of Jesus. The owner of the paper said that he was not mocking the Lord in any way. One of his deliverers saw it differently. David Wine refused to deliver the paper saying it was, indeed, a mockery…

Taking God's Position
     ''Winging It' from Stan Smith

We are Christians. We are to be disciples of Christ -- learners of Christ, students of Christ. We are to be constantly "transformed by the renewal of your mind" (Romans 12:2). We are to be drawing reality from the source of reality -- God Himself -- which He offers in His Word. It is God-breathed, so by the help of the Holy Spirit, we should be able to see truth there that a world blinded by the god of this world will certainly miss. With that truth we ought to be correcting our own fallen views by replacing them with God's position on things. The process itself is fairly…

A Good Conversationalist
     'The Way' from Kevin Pauley

The prayer of the upright is His delight. – Proverbs 15:8 What if your loved ones only communicated with you in prescribed, rote, memorized fashion? What if they never deviated from certain written phrases? No matter how eloquent the phrases, wouldn’t you be disappointed? If my children only addressed me when they wanted something and did it in a very formal, ritualized fashion (in old English) it would drive me crazy! “Our Father, who art in the living room, how handsome thou art today,” they might say. “Thy fatherhood be established, thy will…

Snow (1-18-11)
     'Today's Little Lift' from Jim Bullington

The Sunny South is an expression I have heard all my life. I was born here and I have lived here all my life. I have ventured into the northern states a few times during the winter months and was always glad to get home to a more moderate clime. Last week in Atlanta was an entirely different and unprecedented week for the Sunny South. What fell as about a three or four inch snow proved to be our match. In fact as I was driving to work on Thursday (one of only three days I was able to get to the office due to icy road conditions), I spotted a white flag marking one of the holes on…

Can This Possibly Be Possible Yes, It Is
     'Word from Scotland' from Sandy Shaw

In Luke Chapter 10 we have a lesson which we all know and acknowledge – but can have difficulty in applying it to our own personal lives. It is possible that we are too busy doing things that we do not have time to love God - and that comes out in verses 38 to 42. Jesus goes……