Author: Dr. Mark

“If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations on earth.”(Deuteronomy 28:1 NIV) Friday I opened up my computer to my Yahoo page.  There was an article heading that of course would cause all of us to check out the full content.  Perhaps you saw it, a piece written by Jaimie Ethkin...

“Teach them to your children.” (Deuteronomy 6:7a Good News Translation) Tuesday, two different people shared with me texts that reinforced our decision as a church to change the focus of the five to seven minute Teaching Emphasis portion of our morning worship.  The focus of the Teaching Emphasis, originally as implemented 30 years ago, was to provide opportunities for Associate...

“Immediately the two of them did see what’s really going on—saw themselves naked!  They sewed fig leaves together as makeshift clothes for themselves.  When they heard the sound of God strolling in the garden in the evening breeze, the Man and his Wife hid in the trees of the garden, hid from God.  God called to the Man: “Where are you?” (Genesis 3:7-9 MSG) During the time of cell...

“…and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.”(Ephesians 4:24 NASB) Working from home can be comfortable, but don’t get too comfortable.  Case in point:  A high level manager joins a virtual meeting, clinging to a coffee cup in hand and comfortable in his attire; an athletic tee-shirt, commonly referred to...

“When he returned, he said to his father and mother, “I have seen a Philistine woman in Timnah; now get her for me as my wife.”  His father and mother replied, “Isn’t there an acceptable woman among your relatives or among all our people? Must you go to the uncircumcised Philistines to get a wife?” (Judges 14:2-3 NIV) A couple of houseguests ask if it is okay to use the...

“In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil.”(Ephesians 6:16 NLT) After a company I worked for in the past received a $400 fine from OSHA for a fire extinguisher not being checked within a month, I amended the Safety Committee’s inspection checklist to include inspecting every single fire extinguisher in our big box distribution center to...

“Therefore you also must be ready, for in an hour when you least expect, the Son of Man is coming.”(Matthew 24:44 MEV) This past weekend, “Independence Day” came on at least three days, and maybe more.  I enjoy watching some science fiction movies, so I watched this one again, again, and again, up to a certain part; the part when the visitors attack major cities and the extras are...

“Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful...”(Psalm 1:1 NKJV) In my lifetime I have sat on a park bench that was partially covered with melted chocolate and I messed up a pair of new blue jeans.  I have sat at the cafeteria table where it seemed like the conversation focused on conquest, the...

A friend is always a friend… - Proverbs 17:17a CEV Confucius wrote, “There are three kinds of friendships which are advantageous, and three which are injurious.  Friendship with the upright, friendship with the sincere, and friendship with the man of much information – these are advantageous.  Friendship with a man of spacious airs, friendship with the insinuating soft,...