He has shaped each person in turn; now he watches everything we do. Psalm 33:15 (MSG)   *** *** *** ***   After the flood, God gave Noah these simple instructions: ‘‘Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth. Everything that lives and moves will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything” (Genesis... read more

I have had some limited experience training hunting dogs. While doing so I quickly discovered that dogs who don’t listen are both annoying and usually destined for pain. Yesterday I heard a man speak on obedience. His message was for all children from one to twenty-one. No … actually his talk was for me as well. His name is Hank Hough... read more

You may not know this, but my worst fear is a movie.    I get to heaven and God sits me on a couch. He gives me a Coke and some popcorn and says “Watch this”. The movie I watch lasts for four hours, but it seems like it only lasts 15 minutes. There’s action and adventure, romance and comedy, and ethical dilemmas all wrapped up into... read more

I used to hate assigned seats in school. Then as a science teacher for 31 years I understood the value of such an arrangement. In the apostle Paul’s day, if someone was assigned a seat on the right hand of the king everyone knew without a doubt that person shared the king’s authority. In addition to raising Jesus from the dead, God... read more

Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise – the fruit of lips that confess his name. Hebrews 13:15 (NIV) *** *** *** *** Few things feel better than receiving heartfelt praise and appreciation from someone else. God loves it too. He smiles when we express our adoration and gratitude to him.   Noah’s life brought... read more

Noah did everything exactly as God had commanded him. Genesis 6:22 (NLT)   *** *** *** *** Noah obeyed completely (no instruction was overlooked) and he obeyed exactly (in the way and time God wanted it done). That is wholeheartedness. It is no wonder God smiled on Noah.   If God asked you to build a giant boat, don’t you think you might have a... read more

By faith, Noah built a ship in the middle of dry land. He was warned about something he couldn’t see, and acted on what he was told. . . . As a result, Noah became intimate with God. Hebrews 11:7 (MSG)   *** *** *** *** Imagine this scene: One day God comes to Noah and says, “I’m disappointed in human beings. In the entire world, no one but... read more

Continuing the summer’s tradition of superhero movies, this one features something a little different. First, one of my favorite actors of this age, Will Smith–a blockbuster king, a likable guy, and his range, though sorely underused most of the time, is not to be disregarded. In this case, however, he does not exactly play a “likable... read more