Just a Guy and his Journey Back to God

Send us Fan Mail In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says,  “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone h...

Send us Fan Mail Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for. Hebrews 11:1-2 I have often thought of faith as an intellectual endeavor, however, it is really an action. Yes we must understand the thought, but our actions demonstrate our faith. AW Tozer writes, "the lesson that comes to us through the many dra...

Send us Fan Mail For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy. Hebrews 10:14 And where these have been forgiven, sacrifice for sin is no longer necessary. Hebrews 10:18 So often, I don't feel holy. In fact, I can't really remember ever feeling holy, but to deny that I have been made holy is to deny Christ's sacrifice! In addition, once we're cl...

Send us Fan Mail For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance —now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant. Hebrews 9:15 Keeping in mind that the book of Hebrews is addressed to Jews, the author has consistently worked to demonstrate that Jesus is the culminati...

Send us Fan Mail But in fact the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, since the new covenant is established on better promises. Hebrews 8:6 For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more. Hebrews 8:12 Charles Spurgeon started his sermon on October 22, 1882, regarding Hebrews 8:12 in the fo...

Send us Fan Mail This Melchizedek was king of Salem and priest of God Most High. He met Abraham returning from the defeat of the kings and blessed him, and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. Hebrews 7:1-2 In today's western world, we hear about the "high priest" mostly when we read the Bible. The role doesn't really exist in our society and it certainly doesn't play a...

Send us Fan Mail Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity Hebrews 6:1 Charles Spurgeon puts it this way: "In the previous chapter Paul was writing to some who ought to have been teachers, but who still needed to be taught the first principles of the Gospel. They were such babes in Grace that they needed the milk of the Word — the very...

Send us Fan Mail During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered Hebrews 5:7-8 Jesus isn't a god that is aloof and looking down on us from on high. He isn't a High Priest wear...

Send us Fan Mail Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. Hebrews 4:13 AW Tozer speaks about knowing God in the following ways, "When we talk about God’s knowledge of everything, we’re talking about a rational approach to God. There are two ways to approach God: theologically and experiential...

Send us Fan Mail Out of the depths I cry to you, LORD; Lord, hear my voice.  Let your ears be attentive  to my cry for mercy. Psalms 130:1-2 Our nation is in a dark place. People are isolated and losing hope. Where do they turn? The Lord will hear them and give them rest and peace. If you've lost hope, please don't give up! God loves you! Join me in reading and praying Psalm 130 and be e...

Send us Fan Mail fix your thoughts on Jesus, whom we acknowledge as our apostle and high priest. Hebrews 3:1 When all else is falling down around us, "fix your thoughts on Jesus". When you don't know where to turn, "fix your thoughts on Jesus". When you don't feel like it, "fix your thoughts on Jesus". Hebrews 3 will demonstrate that Jesus is way more than M...

Send us Fan Mail Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted. Hebrews 2:18 Jesus had to become a man so He could have compassion and sympathy for us, His brothers and sisters! God could have chosen any beings in His creation, but He chose for the following reason, as shared by Charles Spurgeon, "God did not choose angels to be made High Prie...

Send us Fan Mail In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. Hebrews 1:1-2 C. S. Lewis memorably portrayed the growing Christian's experience of an ever-enlarging Christ in his Chronicles of Narnia. Lucy, ca...

Send us Fan Mail The Book of Hebrews may briefly be summarized in this way: Believers in Jesus Christ, as God’s perfect sacrifice for sin, have the perfect High Priest through whose ministry everything is new and better than under the covenant of law.  Hebrews is unique among the NT documents. Its author describes it as a “word of exhortation” (Heb. 13:22), the same Greek expression used to descri...

Send us Fan Mail Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.  He called out to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?”  “No,” they answered. He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” John 21:4-6 After Jesus had been raised from the grave, His disciples were still going about their business. In fact, many...

Send us Fan Mail He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.” Jesus said to her, “Mary.” Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” Jesus never told us how painful His tria...

Send us Fan Mail The day after Jesus was crucified must have been a dark and scary day for the disciples! They must have feared that the Romans would be coming for them next! But they also had Jesus's most recent word that told them He'd die but would return shortly! Saturday was a day requiring great faith.  Join me in reading some thoughts about "Dark Saturday" and be encoura...

Send us Fan Mail Jesus answered, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.” John 19:11 Jesus loves all of us, even those killing Him. He died for them just as He died for me! AW Tozer puts it this way, "Christ left us an example, and from it there can be no appeal. As He was, so are we in th...

Send us Fan Mail Have you wondered what Jesus thought was important the day before He was crucified? In these 5 chapters, we see that Jesus loved us. He thought of us. He poured Himself into His disciples so we would know Him.  Jesus didn't whine and moan about what was coming up. He didn't hide away and ,"Get His head right"! No, He spoke to the crowds, showed them another mir...

Send us Fan Mail “ Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophet...

Send us Fan Mail so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. Matthew 6:18 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matthew 6:33 God sees us all of the time. He also knows our motives. He wants us to do because it&a...

Send us Fan Mail And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Matthew 5:47 During my early Christian walk, I always thought of these verses, and so many others, as what I had to do if I was to be saved. They became a "To Do" or a test of my salvation. However, I can do nothing to gain salvation, but Jesus already did it. I can&ap...

Send us Fan Mail You are the light of the world. Matthew 5:14 Charles Spurgeon writes, "Jesus, in effect, said — not the Rabbis, not the Scribes, not the assembled Sanhedrim, but you, My humble followers, you are the light of the world! He gave them this title, not after He had educated them for three years, but at almost the outset of His ministry. From this I gather that the title was given...

Send us Fan Mail The LORD is my light and my salvation — whom shall I fear?  The LORD is the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid? Psalms 27:1 Do you ever feel like you are bothering God with your constant pleas? I know I've felt like I'm bothering Him because I'm always asking for help! Yet, David, a man after God's own heart, was constantly going to God with his t...

Send us Fan Mail During this time leading up to Easter and Christ's resurrection, I'll be reading many the teachings of Jesus. Today, we begin the Sermon on the Mount. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:3 Do not fall into the mistake of supposing that the opening verses of the Sermon on the Mount set forth how we are to be saved, or you may cau...