Grains of Sand

Pixabay Should I, or shouldn’t I? Have you ever had a thought pop into your head, a suggestion about something that might be interesting or valuable to do, and then wondered if it was just a thought that wasn’t worthy of being considered at all? We have lots of those—in the dead of winter a vacation in a warmer climate might come to mind, but practicality soon puts that to rest. Other ideas linger. You chew over them, working out the possibilities in your mind. Everything feels good. Everything feels possible, but you still aren’t sure whether your own desires have overruled the voice of the Spirit of God telling you to put this one to bed too. Many years ago, when I was considering what to do with my life, there were some measuring sticks that we had been advised to used when determining whether or not the Spirit of God was leading us in a specific direction. The first of these was the counsel of the Word of God. Certainly God never leads us to do something that defies the instruc...

Pixabay, Public Domain If it were left up to the sheep, they’d stick to the same paths, the same pastures, the same watering holes. And eventually, the pastures would be eaten away to nothingness and the waters polluted to the point of contamination. The shepherd needs to guide them to fresh pastures and new streams. " The Lord is my shepherd…he guides me… ” Psalm 23:3. When was the last time you found something fresh and new in the Scriptures? It’s an old book that is always new. I’ve been attached to church since I was born, and a follower of Jesus for fifty-five years. I’ve been a student of the Word of God for a long time, more so in recent years. And I can say without a word of a lie that I discover new things constantly as I explore the Book. The truth isn’t new—it’s always been there. It’s just that I didn’t see it before. My fault. I either wasn’t ready for it, or not paying attention. But the Spirit of God guides us to, I guess you’d call it, “old truth made new.” Wha...