The Pastor’s Pen

1 Samuel 25:2-38 tells a short, volatile story involving David, and Nabal with his wife Abigail, who were opposites in every way that mattered. At this time, David and his men were running from King Saul’s army and moved into the wilderness  of Paran. Nearby lived Nabal, a wealthy businessman who owned three thousand sheep…

Psalm 27:4 is a short prayer by David. It’s a response to his acknowledgement that “The LORD is my light and my salvation… The LORD is the stronghold of my life…” (Psalm 27:1). So he prays; One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the…

I’ve been reminded from Matthew 13, with the parable of the Weeds and Wheat, that the weeds (Darnel/Tares) are able to be born again spiritually into Wheat. It’s a whole-person transformation which makes us a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come (2 Corinthians 5:17). Yet sometimes we forget what…

Often the most powerful lessons come from the negative experiences and the negative people who impact us. Recorded in 2 Samual 16:5-14, is the account of one such individual, who, I suspect thought he was doing the right thing. BUT WAS HE EVER WRONG! Shimei was a hot tempered man who not only lacked insight…

As the year 2023 moves towards an end, I’m reminded of the preciousness of time, of relationships, and even of life itself, but most of all, of the mountainous value and worth of the Lord our God. The Psalmist puts it this way; Great is the LORD! He is most worthy of praise! No one…

It’s an irony, often the quality we require most from others, is the one we display the least. Faithfulness is one such quality. Obviously, unfaithfulness is the opposite, and it seeks to undo and reverse all the beautiful qualities and benefits of faithfulness. This is what makes unfaithfulness so hurtful, it attacks with the intent…

In God’s family, every member other than Jesus Christ, God’s only begotten Son (John 3:16), is an adoptee. Which is staggering when you think of the size and diversity of God’s family. Heavenly and earthly adoption share a common method, occurring when someone legally becomes a full member of a family that is not theirs…

Peter, James, and John would have had no idea what was about to unfold before their eyes as they naively walked with Jesus up the mountain. Without warning or explanation, Jesus was transfigured before them, and His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became white as light (Matthew 17:2). Stunned most likely, time…

When I was young I hated big words and I detested writing. I was a lazy reader and an even worse student. I happily refused to use dictionaries or any book that would assist me in learning and understanding the little that I did read. And then Jesus changed all that. It began as an…

Familiarity can easily reduce our appreciation of something we once considered precious. Sadly, this can become true in our spiritual lives also. The statement “The Lord is My Shepherd” is found in Scripture, in songs, in poems, on headstones, and in quotations of all kinds. Quoted by people from across the spectrum of spiritual beliefs,…