BE INFORMED AND INFORM OTHERS! We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our…

DON’T FEAR DEATH— KEEP GOING & STAY FAITHFUL!  When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. —I Corinthians 15:54-58              Why do you fear death?  As…

OUR GREAT STAR NAMING LORD  He determines the number of the stars; he gives to all of them their names. Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure.  —Psalm 147:4-5              Let’s just think about the number of stars there are.  There are some who say there are 70 billion trillion stars.  Ok… we cannot even begin to wrap our head around that number. How do they come up with such a number?  Who really knows?  Only our Lord knows.  But consider the greatness of just this one act— He has given each one them a name.  This alone is staggering to think about. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jqMiS9ngCQ            …

MY HELP AND HOPE!  Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord their God. He is the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them— he remains faithful forever. —Psalm 146:5-6                Do you and I look to the God of Jacob for our help?  If so we are blessed.  Is our hope in the Lord God?  Are we trusting the One who “is the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them?”  If so we indeed are blessed. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-1fwZtKJSM                Why would we put our hope in anyone or anything else when we can put our hope…

HE SATISFIES AND PRESERVES!  You open your hand; you satisfy the desire of every living thing. —Psalm 145:16   The LORD preserves all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy. —Psalm 145:20              Think of every living creature, every living organism and all living vegetation— all life is satisfied by our Lord’s open hand.  If He were to close His hand and withhold then every living thing would die.  “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” (Matthew 6:26).             I am amazed…

OUR BRIEF LIVES, BUT ETERNITY IS AHEAD! Lord, what are human beings that you care for them, mere mortals that you think of them?  They are like a breath; their days are like a fleeting shadow. —Psalm 144:4             How true this is!  Our lives are like a single breath— breathe in and exhale.  That is our life— not long lasting at all in this temporary tent we live in (II Corinthians 5:4).  How often I am reminded of this when I talk to young people about Jesus.  I mention how not long ago I was their age and it is hard to believe I am already in my 60’s.…

MY ASSOCIATIONS  I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one. —I Corinthians 5:9-11  Teach me to do your will, for you are my God! Let your good Spirit lead me on level ground! —Psalm 143:10              Who…

ACCOUNTABLE FOR OUR STEWARDSHIP!  I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor. For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s field, God’s building. —I Corinthians 3:6-9  Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work…

PROPER PERSPECTIVE OF SELF  But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.  And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” —I Corinthians 1:27-31  For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus…

HIS WORD BRINGS HOPE  For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. —Romans 15:4-7              What is God teaching you through His Word? His Word was written for that purpose so that we would endure and be encouraged and have…