There were many things I loved about growing up in the San Joaquin Valley of California, among them the view of the mountains from the valley floor. Especially when covered in snow.  But as I got older the view began to change. The air became polluted, creating a haze that limited the view, and ultimately became so great the mountains were no longer visible. They were still there of course, but could no longer be seen. You may find this hard to believe, but I once talked to a man who relocated to the area and wasn't

You've often heard me stress the importance of studying, meditating on, memorizing, and obeying the Word of God. It cannot be overstated, and is even more critical as the return of Christ draws near. Periodically I'm asked how to study. Guidance on where to start, how to cross reference verses, and find the root meaning of a word is important. Every church should have a class offered to its congregation on a regular basis. It is especially important to those new in the faith. My first church family was small in number, and although I don't remember

You've probably heard the phrase, "The book was better." You'll find it in the comments of movie reviews for films based on a book when the commenter actually read the book prior to viewing. Rarely, if ever have you seen a comment stating the movie was better. I'll admit, that while I don't read fiction, I can understand from a writer's perspective why this may be so. When reading/writing a book, you're able to place yourself in the story. How you envision that small rural town, the large oak tree at the end of the road, and

As we pray God's direction, how do we know His response? How do we know the difference between His direction and our desires? Unfortunately it isn't always black and white, and we don't always make the right choice. But that shouldn't prevent us from moving forward. Just as your GPS will "recalculate" when you miss a turn, so the Holy Spirit will do when we're heading in the wrong direction. But we must be willing to follow His direction, and course correct when necessary. Thinking you have a better way, or know shortcut won't turn out well.