Author: Dr. Mark

ALONE BUT NOT LONELY

ByDr. Mark May 2, 2024 0 Comments
“Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. Relieve the troubles of my heart and free me from my anguish. Look on my affliction and my distress and take away all my sins. See how numerous are my enemies and how fiercely they hate me! Guard my life and rescue me; do not let me be put to shame, for I take refuge in you.May integrity and uprightness protect me,...

THE TENNIS BALL

ByDr. Mark May 1, 2024 0 Comments
“You are the salt for everyone on earth.” (Matthew 5:13a Contemporary English Version)  At the end of Sunday’s sermon, my concluding remark, supported by a bright, florescent tennis ball on the screen, was intended to move the attending members of the congregation, including me, to be the someone who tells others about “Someone” (Jesus), one who could do something that would make life...

SO, YOU KEEP WEARING THE SAME DIRT?

ByDr. Mark April 30, 2024 0 Comments
“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” (Psalm 51:10 NKJV) Working in his assigned group as part of an Applied Leadership class at a local university, an international student from a well-known European country diverted from the discussion on the groups assigned work. I don’t know what prompted him, but he commented, “You people in this country use...

MAKING IT PLAIN!

ByDr. Mark April 29, 2024 0 Comments
This is your Monday Short Meditation! I just chose some verses from the Common English Bible to encourage you today! I want to get you going with some positive vibes! Before you even read the verses thought, go ahead and rejoice in God’s grace! Thank God for the character He is continually developing in you!  Shake your head in recognition of the fact that because of your dependence on...

GOOD QUESTION!

ByDr. Mark April 28, 2024 0 Comments
“For as we have many members in one body...” (Romans 12:4-8 King James Version) This past week we cancelled our Tutoring Ministry session, partially because we cancelled all meetings and classes from Monday through Friday. The timing was perfect because the church had to devote our energies to some more urgent matters. However, a secondary reason for cancelling the tutorial sessions was...

EXCUSES? THERE ARE NONE!

ByDr. Mark April 27, 2024 0 Comments
“Then Moses said, “What if they will not believe me or listen to what I say? For they may say, ‘The Lord has not appeared to you.’ "The Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?” And he said, “A staff.” Then He said, “Throw it on the ground.” So, he threw it on the ground, and it turned into a serpent; and Moses fled from it. But the Lord said to Moses, “Reach...

MY STRENGTH, MY SONG, AND MY SALVATION

ByDr. Mark April 26, 2024 0 Comments
A wall hanging assigned to the dark hallway leading from the back rooms of my house to the dining room has two pieces of inspirational art. Usually, they are ignored. But as I was adjusting the thermostat, as needed because some of these spring days resemble summer and some are representatives of winter that does not want to go away, I turned on the hallway light and my attention was drawn to...

PREACHER VERSUS THE PESSIMIST I

ByDr. Mark April 25, 2024 0 Comments
“So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls.They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles. And all the believers were together...

READ ON!

ByDr. Mark April 24, 2024 0 Comments
A man was traveling on a four-hour flight from a major city. People were watching movies, eating snacks, taking naps, and engaging in friendly conversations with new acquaintances. The person sitting next to the man I just mentioned was a business traveler who read a fictional book, page after page after page, until the flight attendant told everyone to put things away, put up their trays, and...

A LOOK AT LIFE THROUGH THE LENS OF WISDOM

ByDr. Mark April 23, 2024 0 Comments
 “If it had not been the Lord who was on our side…” (Psalm 124:1a KJV) This past Saturday I joined our women’s group, Collage, as they visited the home of our oldest member, a woman who was born in 1920 and is the oldest living alumni of her famous high school, Crispus Attucks. The visit started out with prayer and then each member of the women’s ministry shared an assigned verse...