Keep on Keepin’ On

by Jim Gustafson | Jun 10, 2025

This life is full of the difficult.  Pain, stress, pressures, trials, tribulations, temptations, even persecutions, oppositions and rejection. 

A few things are true in such times of trouble: 

God delivers the circumstance. He does so with purpose and for our good. 
Man’s required response is endurance or perseverance.
God provides promises to the man who perseveres, giving him hope in the midst of the circumstance.

The Scripture is full of examples, responses, instruction and related promises.

Value

by Ed Allen | May 13, 2025

“The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” 

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls, and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it”

(Matthew 13:44-46).

What do you think? 

How do these comparisons apply to us personally, as we live out our lives with an eternal hope in this day and age?

AM to BE

by Ken Focazio | Apr 29, 2025

I was driving home about two years ago, and a song came on the radio called “Love Me As I AM” by King and Country.  I was struck by the simple message that God loves us just the way we are– the good, the bad and the ugly.  You know how you know something intellectually or at a conscience level but then something happens, and it penetrates down to the very soul? And consequently “you know” what it means that God loves us and accepts us, his perfect creation and what we as depraved sinners do with what God gives us.

Well, that got me to thinking how simple God’s provision of salvation really is, just three components: Justification, Sanctification and Glorification. 

Those of you who know sales have probably heard of the KISS method, “Keep It Simple, Stupid”. 

Man’s greatest talent is to overcomplicate things until they are unrecognizable.  For example, the Jews and the expansion of the Law: the Ten Commandments grew to over 602 additional laws!

What Do You Seek?

by John Hartshorn | Apr 14, 2025

“And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed as it is written, “HE SCATTERED ABROAD, HE GAVE TO THE POOR, HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS ENDURES FOREVER”  (2 Corinthians 9:8,9).

10 “Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness; 11 you will be enriched in everything for all liberality, which through us is producing thanksgiving to God. 12 For the ministry of this service is not only fully supplying the needs of the saints, but is also overflowing through many thanksgivings to God. 13 Because of the proof given by this ministry, they will glorify God for [your] obedience to your confession of the gospel of Christ and for the liberality of your contribution to them and to all, 14 while they also, by prayer on your behalf, yearn for you because of the surpassing grace of God in you.  15 Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!” (2 Corinthians 9:10-15).

Note that I have created an arbitrary new paragraph at v.10. 

Verses 8 and 9 are often used as further substantiation that compliance to “every good deed” should then further the message that the realization of one’s financial dreams and aspirations are a simple matter of you “investing in God” by faith. 

Waiting For?

by Ed Allen | Apr 1, 2025

“LORD, make me to know my end and what is the extent of my days;
            Let me know how transient I am.

 Behold, You have made my days as handbreadths, and my lifetime as nothing in Your sight;
            Surely every man at his best is a mere breath.       

 Surely every man walks about as a phantom; Surely they make an uproar for nothing;
            He amasses riches and does not know who will gather them.

And now, Lord, for what do I wait?
            My hope is in You.” 

The Weakness of God

by Pete Wood | Mar 16, 2025

Did our God have a weakness?

Jesus was crucified through weakness and it became foolishness to the perishing world. Jesus took upon himself our weak and infirm nature.  His weakness and foolishness of ours was imputed to him so that we might live. Our Heavenly Father took this on out of His love for us.

Jesus was made capable of suffering, and of laying down willingly his life for us on the cross.

But, he was raised from the grave, He is alive and He lives again by the divine power of God. This Spirit who raised Christ Jesus from the dead dwells in each of us.

But, we are to be strong in our weakness.  As we are to be weak in him, like Him, being liable to sufferings, undergoing sufferings by his example; but we shall live with him by the power of God, of which also we have living within us. 

“…Act like men, be strong”

by Pete Wood | Feb 25, 2025

When studying this verse, 1 Corinthians 13:16, in capturing the essence of this scripture, it should produce a new understanding, a new vision, a new anchor in the chamber of your heart.

“BE” is a word that should not be taking lightly.

First we need to understand that the word BE is considered a linking verb that is called “substantive.” Most importantly we need to carefully dig deep and look at the meaning of substantive, and specifically how it relates when using the word “BE” in 1 Corinthians 16:13.

Substantive: It means to have a firm basis in reality and therefore important or meaningful, to be fixed; to exist; to have a real state or existence, to be made, to be, to become. to remain. This is forming a particular future tense and expresses a duty, a necessity or a purpose.

What makes this so important is that this understanding should ignite a passion and our desire to Be alert, stand firm in our faith, act like men and Be strong.

So now let’s combine the word “BE with STRONG”,  and take a fresh look at what it means to “BE STRONG”,

To “BE STRONG”: Being Strong should have a firm basis in everyday life and is important and meaningful. We are called to be fixed in a position of strength.  

What Does this Year Hold for You?

by Jim Gustafson | Jan 28, 2025

“From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and violent men take it by force” (Matthew 11:12).

For many of us, this time of year is an activity for remembrance of last year and what God has orchestrated, what He might have planned for this New Year–and what would be a faithful response.

Regardless of the anticipation of future events, a few perspectives have come to mind that are imperatives:

“Therefore I will always be ready to remind you of these things, even though you already know them, and have been established in the truth which is present with you” (2Peter 1:12).

THE CHIEF SINNER

by Jerry Bangert | Dec 17, 2024

“For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.” Romans 12:3

How does one make such an evaluation and what constitutes sound judgment?

Paul reveals his candid evaluation of himself at three different times in his life. He first calls himself “the least of the apostles” (1 Corinthians 15:9 NASB); then “the very least of all saints” (Ephesians 3:8 NASB); and finally the chief sinner (1 Timothy 1:15 KJV). This is the chronological order in which these letters were written. But how does this help me in my own self-inspection, if none of these descriptors are my own honest judgment?

Since Jeremiah says the “heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; who can understand it?”, then my own “honest” judgment cannot be trusted. But the Bible’s judgment can be. What else does it say about me?

The Race Ahead

by Ed Allen | Dec 16, 2024

“Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart” (Hebrews 12:1-3).

The verses above follow the examples of the “witnesses” of faith given us by those who acted on their faith in preceding chapter 11 of the book of Hebrews.

Now we each run our own “race that is set before us.”