It may have been about 2005 when we moved into our current subdivision. Our house was one of the first houses built in our area of the subdivision. I’m not trying to offer that as an excuse for what happened, but then again, I may be. Entering our subdivision the...
Dewayne Spivey
Out With the Old, In With the New
A common slogan as we bring to an end the current year and look with anticipation to the coming new year. A slogan good for the passing of a year that is ending, but not good for everything. There is no “new” word of God. There is the word of God. That word is still...
Some Things Change, Some Don’t
We headed South to spend a couple of days with our vacationing grandchildren and their parents. On the way, our GPS kept giving me directions toward our destination. It kept saying, “Go toward Mobile”. It kept pronouncing it “Mo-bull” instead of “Mo-bill”. I wondered...
What’s Your Custom?
What are your habits of life? How would your family describe your customs? Twice in the New Testament the phrase is used, “as was his custom,” in reference to Jesus. In Mark 10:1 it is used to refer to his custom of teaching the people. In Luke 4:16, his going to the...
Follow Me
From time to time I will see trucks with a “Follow Me” sign on their tailgate. As a matter of fact, I followed one just last week who was directing traffic around the construction of a new bridge in our area. I understood where he was leading me. When I see a truck...
Treasure of Truth
The Bible is a vast treasure chest of truth. It is ours for the digging and the searching. Not just in every book or chapter. But in every verse and word of each verse. Consider this verse: Afterward He appeared to the eleven themselves as they were reclining at the...
Pine Straw
put out fresh pine straw in our flower beds each year. From my local gardening experts (my wife Jane and Terry Pruitt), I understand that pine straw is great for our plants. It helps to retain moisture, insulate the root systems, helps prevent weeds and improves the...
Love Lifted Me
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16 ESV) By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. (1 John 3:16...
None of Self and All of Thee
The title of a song I remember as being a favorite when I was a child. I’m glad we still sing it today. Theodore Monod wrote the words in 1874. “O, the bitter pain and sorrow that a time could ever be, when I proudly said to Jesus, ‘All of self and none of thee.’”...
Practical Application
Is the following an example of Jesus using practical application? A man asked Jesus, “What shall I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus in essence replied, “What does God say?” “What do you understand the Bible to say?” Are you reading the Bible? Do you understand what...
Ironing
I finally caught up on my ironing last night. I had been putting it off for a few days. Uh, yes, I know how to iron. Our mother made sure her boys knew how to iron, vacuum, clean house, wash dishes and clothes. Was your mother not mean like that? I’ve even ironed with...
As In The Beginning
Genesis is the first book of the Bible. We learn a lot about God in the first three chapters and none of it changes. The Bible is a big book, but the lessons of the first three chapters remain. God created man as male and female. His first directive to them was “to be...
An Opportunity To Help
We help support the School of Biblical Studies in Jos, Nigeria. It has been and continues to be a very productive work in various countries in Africa and even other continents. Several years ago, two students from Uganda attended the school in Jos, and upon their...
Freedom
We all want it. We often misunderstand it. Too often, we consider freedom to mean our ability to do whatever we want to do. But the problem with that is the reality that we cannot live that way. What we want to do may not be what we need to do. It may not be what is...
VBS 2022 The Big Four
Our very special thanks to our “Big Four” of VBS, Jina O’Clair, Karen & Jason Smith and Eric Gott. Jina, Karen and Jason have been the “brains” and drive behind our Vacation Bible School for years. Now they are joined by the special talents and abilities offered by...
Washington Speaks
As we prepare to celebrate Memorial Day, I thought it would be good to remember some words of final warning given to us by George Washington in his Farewell Address. He spoke of the great care that needed to be taken to guard and preserve the unity of our government....
Focus On The Text
I really enjoy using my computer Bible software. It is called BibleWorks. Early on, it would always start with a reminder to “Focus on the text.” God tells us to do the same thing. "So you shall observe to do just as the LORD your God has commanded you; you shall not...
Biddable
"Biddable" means "easily led, taught or controlled." The Oxford Dictionary defines it as " meekly ready to accept and follow instructions." Whether it is describing a good or bad quality in a person would depend upon the nature of the instruction or leading to which a...
The Greatest Thing Ever Said
This is not new. But sometimes it helps to look at something with a different perspective to broaden our understanding. So, what is the greatest thing ever said? Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. (Matthew 22:37...
Choice
Choices have consequences. Our choices mean certain things. “...as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15). When Joshua spoke these words he was calling upon all Israel to make a choice. He had already made his choice. He shared it with...