Official Newspaper of Eddy County since 1883
Official Newspaper of Eddy County since 1883
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If our mind is filled with a world of thoughts that are contrary or even dishonorable to God, how can there be room for us to concentrate on His goodness, peace, and hope? When Mary was about to give birth and there was no room in the Inn, God was also allowing us to see that many people in this world have no room in their life for Jesus. Their heart and mind is filled with carnality, selfishness, arrogance, and negative influences. This is why the enemy of our soul has created many obstacles an...
We all have problems occasionally and there are times when we feel like we’ve been punched in the gut. I felt like this a couple of months ago when one morning I went into my office to start the day and my computer would not wake up. I realize hard drive failures are not the worst things that could happen. For someone who writes several hours a day, it’s discouraging to say the least. In the big picture of crisis issues, this is actually pretty far down the list. As I grow older, I want to be...
When browsing in a bookstore, I’m sure certain titles grab your attention and you read the back cover because you want to know more about the content of the book. The same is true for most people who research their direction before they begin traveling on a journey because they want to know about important places of interest. Well, since this is a brand new year, I want to ask some questions that are intended for you to contemplate and decide if this is a direction you dare to go in. My first q...
People believe many different things about God and spirituality. Some are convinced that it is arrogant to assume that we can know God’s will or walk with the Lord personally, however, what most people never stop to consider is how could the creator ask his creation to accomplish something without knowing who he is or what he expects from them? The divine reality of absolute truth includes the concept that God sincerely desires to share his mysteries and to work alongside his children to help t...
Do you believe that God intervenes in the affairs of mankind or do you consider the philosophy where he stands back and calmly watches everything happen? I admit that sometimes it seems like he chooses to not be involved but I’m convinced the Bible reveals his passionate desire to personally help and guide everyone’s life. The Deist concludes that the creator allows each person to control their own destiny and the deciding factor in every event is associated with man’s deliberate decis...
There was a time when like many others, I did not have a clue about the extensive training and dedication of our first responders. As a certified fire chaplain, I now know that battling structure fires is only one of many complex and dangerous situations they encounter. The development of these courageous men and women comes not only with many hours of on the job experience, but also years of classroom instruction and continuing education. Just as in college, instructors teach with PowerPoint...
Obedience includes the humble and sincere acceptance of the authority and will of God. It’s not only conforming, but also demonstrating our devotion through our thoughts, words and deeds. The general concept of compliance both in the Old and the New Testament is based upon us yielding our will in order to do God’s will and if we choose to advance in our spiritual relationship with Christ, we can understand a lot more about personal accountability. One of the Greek terms for obedience con...
I was talking with a Christian brother the other day about how it seems that many people are living in sadness and discouragement when suddenly he made a comment that really caused me to think. He said that according to his studies about the Christian life, it seems to be impossible to be depressed and to walk in the joy of God’s presence at the same time. After our conversation, I continued to ponder this statement and by the way, I do agree with it. I’m not saying that developing an opt...
When it comes to finding our place in this world, let’s consider two categories. The first one I call, “floating down the river.” Picture a scenario of someone napping in a small boat without a compass or a paddle. Having a spectator mentality, they have no map or intentional direction but rather are just hoping for the best. It’s also common for these individuals to throw pity parties from time to time, as a happy-go-lucky lifestyle usually runs into serious disappointments. Often haunted...
We all love to sit down to a good meal. Whatever our favorite food, we really look forward to enjoying the things we love. After our appetite is satisfied, it doesn’t take but a few hours and we are hungry again, but we seldom consider that our spiritual life functions in much the same way. For those who follow God, they have been given a new spirit which loves to spend time reading and praying, meditating, being grateful or just enjoying his presence and this is how we absorb our spiritual n...
Recently, I had the opportunity to sit with a nice elderly lady and she was sharing with me about her health issues and other concerns. Suddenly she stopped and wanted to know if she could ask me a serious question. I said of course, and she proceeded to relay that she felt silly asking me about salvation, especially with her being a church member since she was a child. Her question was, “How can I really know I’m going to heaven?” I do not believe this is anything to be embarrassed about...
Those of us who are married have learned the closer we are to our spouse the more sacred and meaningful our love becomes. When we listen, laugh, cry, reveal our most secret thoughts, hopes and concerns, this is an important part of learning to trust and know them. Likewise, this is also how we grow in our personal bond and adoration with our Lord. We come to Christ with as much sincerity as a human can have as we lay our head on his chest and are surrounded in his perfect peace that passes all...
According to current census calculations, the population of our planet is rapidly approaching 8billion people. Along with this massive number, we know there has never been a time in history when this many individuals occupied the earth at the same time, but we can also agree that we have more philosophies, opinions, and worldviews than ever before. This, in turn, brings us to a point in time where our arguments and conflicts have created a more difficult atmosphere to acknowledge what we...
I’m sure you will agree that most of us humans have very peculiar and quirky personalities. It’s strange how we are easily influenced and persuaded in certain things, and stubborn as a mule about others. When it comes to admitting we are wrong in our views or that we are heading in the wrong direction, it doesn’t take long for us to reveal our contrary and rebellious attitudes. Most people seldom say it out loud, but are content with the way they believe and hope that everyone will leave them...
Do you remember that old song in vacation Bible School that said, “I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy, down in my heart?” Well, I do agree that humanity is searching as hard as they can to find contentment and desperately longs to discover peace, but rebellion and the lack of knowledge is preventing them from finding it. What type of knowledge are you talking about? Spiritual understanding and holy wisdom about God and His instructions. In the first part of Hosea 4:6, the Lord declares, “My p...
I have a few antique clocks and for those who are somewhat familiar with these fascinating machines, you also know what a frustration they are to keep running. Recently, I was having problems with a grandfather clock and after a few weeks, I was being exposed for my lack of knowledge and ability when it comes to working on them. I can do some tweaking and occasionally I’m rewarded with a bit of luck but more often than not I turn to an older gentleman who lives in my community and depend on h...
I received a letter the other day from a reader who wanted to know more about praying for miracles and how long a person should keep asking. My first response is to ask, “Just how serious are you about receiving your request?” I realize the subject of faith is actually more complex than it seems and one that I have attempted to address in my new book, “Convictions and Considerations” which will be released this summer. There are many people including myself who are seeking and waiting on mira...
There are certain spiritual laws similar to the natural law of gravity that may be difficult to understand yet they are true and important keys to victorious living. The power of words fall under this category and are an excellent addition of knowledge and wisdom to our spiritual life. We can learn that words are much more than simple communication and when spoken in accordance with God’s desires they actually carry the power to motivate, inspire and change circumstances. Even though the name i...
The cross is one of the most recognizable symbols in the world and rightly so; it represents mankind’s hope for eternal life. Does this sound religiously dogmatic? Maybe so, but how could any sincere Christian give reverence to Holy Week without referring to the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ? Billy Graham is quoted as saying, “God proved his love on the cross. When Christ hung, and bled, and died, it was God saying to the entire world, I love you.” To go a step further, the follo...
Many people believe it’s their mission in life to tell everyone what to do and how to believe and I’m sure there have been times when we have been guilty of something similar. There are situations when we feel that individuals need sound advice and this might be true, but it’s also common to forget that everyone has a right to think and live however they want. Christians do not intend to be insulting, but sometimes their message can be offensive and in rare cases, some end up living in isola...
I cannot imagine a more optimistic and exciting thought than going to heaven and spending an eternity with God. For those who have accepted Jesus Christ as their savior, this divine promise is a wellspring of joy which confirms that our trials cannot be compared to the glory that awaits us. We should be inspired to fasten this covenant vow to our bathroom mirror so that every morning we can be reminded of God’s love and rejoice for the opportunity to not only know him in this life, but to w...
When we hold a tiny baby in our arms, do we consider how devoted they will be to God, or do we just see the natural and physical possibilities? As Christians, we have the opportunity to become as close to God and spiritually sensitive as we desire with the potential to discern wisdom that is hidden from our earthly understanding. An important question is how many people, including all those tiny babies, will make the most important decision to follow this type of lifestyle? I realize it’s a s...
There is a beautiful passage found in John chapter 20 that is a wonderful example of how much God loves us and wants to encourage us. The friends and family of Christ were gathered together after his horrific crucifixion and were still grieving over his death when all of a sudden, he appears in their midst! Even though they remembered how he had promised to return I’m sure they were still awestruck. Jesus stretches out his hands and reveals his wounds, and of course, they are overjoyed to see h...
Our destiny is the core of our purpose and constantly urges and drives our responsibility to make sure we are doing everything we can to accomplish our mission. This divine calling fuels our thoughts and imaginations as we ask God to help keep us going forward and to never give up. Once we discover our vision our goal will not be easy. Dreams and faith go hand in hand. May we also consider that working a temporary job might be necessary in order to support our family while we are developing our...
Is God always happy? Well, let me see, this is an unusual question but I would say probably not. Since he is not made of flesh we assume that he does not have emotions like us. But, on the other hand, we read about his demonstrations of compassion and anger, so I guess this is still up for debate. It is my opinion that some things please him and others cause him disappointment and most of it is associated with the way people live. So, what do you think makes him happy? Well, again we have the sc...
