Leviticus 14-15 THOUGHT FOR TODAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2019 THE LAW AND THE GOSPEL Laws concerning leprosy which began in chapter 13 are continued in today’s reading. The rules involved quarantining the victim of leprosy either permanently or temporarily, depending on the situation as assessed by the priests. I wish to focus on the words “But if he is poor and cannot afford so much…” (14:21-22). These words are also found…Keep Reading

Rev. Nate and Julie Ware Ruth 3::11 A Biblical Tribute To Wilma Dean Byington – Happy Birthday! Virtue: Moral excellence, demonstrated goodness, and righteousness; comes to us from the Hebrew, ‘sdakah,’ standing for the establishment among Godly people, that honesty, justice, and equity will prevail, through God’s divine Spirit, among all peoples. The person whose virtuous years and 90th Birthday we celebrate this evening certainly typifies the best of virtue….Keep Reading

Leviticus 11-14 THOUGHT FOR TODAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2019 TOUCH NOT, TASTE NOT The word “unclean” is used 158 times in the O.T., with 99 of those being in Leviticus and over a third of those being in today’s reading. Although the word “unclean” is not found prior to Leviticus, the contrasting “clean” is found. Noah was to take seven pairs of the clean animals and a pair of those that…Keep Reading

Isaiah 40:31 “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint” Who likes a waiting room? It is one of those uncomfortable, but necessary places in life. Discomfort is compounded when we are desperate for immediate help. If the clock has passed the time of appointment,…Keep Reading

Tuesday (Daily Example of What Happens at Shades of Grace) February 12, 2019 By Pastor Will Shewey Intense… a good description of what we experienced on this Tuesday at Shades. Sometimes we provide solutions. Sometimes there are none. A lady today needed her water turned back on. Her 80 year old mother is dying at home with hospice. A lady whose rent was delinquent due to her husband being entered…Keep Reading

1 John 4:20 “If you do not love your brother whom you can see, how can you love God whom you cannot see?” “No man is an island, Entire of itself, Every man is a piece of the continent, A part of the main…” -John Donne My brother and sister I need you. We share the sky above, be it cloudy or sunny; and we share the earth below with…Keep Reading

Leviticus 8-10 THOUGHT FOR TODAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2019 GOD SAYS WHAT HE MEANS AND MEANS WHAT HE SAYS That God says what he means and means what he says is demonstrated in Leviticus 10:1-3: “Now Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it and laid incense on it and offered unauthorized fire before the Lord, which he had not commanded them. And…Keep Reading

2 Timothy 2:19 “Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are His . . .” Bessie was talking about her husband as Pat and I took her to the hospital to visit him. “Sam is real bad about reading the Bible,” she said. Now, for those who do not understand the passing language of the mountains, Bessie was saying that Sam spent…Keep Reading

Leviticus 5-7 THOUGHT FOR TODAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2019 TWO KINDS OF SIN As we learned yesterday, sin is costly. Moses sums up the rules: “If anyone sins, doing any of the things that by the Lord’s commandments ought not to be done, though he did not know it, then realizes his guilt, he shall bear his iniquity. He shall bring to the priest a ram without blemish out of the…Keep Reading

Psalm 119:105 “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” We were on a mountain top in Haiti for a worship service. The shed like church was large and crude. We were told that this was the first service with electricity and lights. I noticed as the large crowd gathered that some were carrying lanterns with them. They would need them on the path…Keep Reading

Leviticus 1-4 THOUGHT FOR TODAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2019 THE CHRISTIAN ALTAR The Old Testament Scriptures close with a promise from the Lord of a messenger who would prepare the way for the coming of the Lord himself (Mal 3:1-4). Jesus confirmed that this messenger was John whom the ordinary people accepted and were baptized. He then says, “but the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected the purpose of God for themselves,…Keep Reading

1 Peter 1:19 “For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life you inherited from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ.” When we inspected our planes in the Air Force we had maintenance forms to fill out if we discovered something that needed attention or repaired. If it was something that…Keep Reading