Category: Faith & life

Our spiritual gear box

October 11, 2025

“So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God’s laws, and it never will. That’s why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God.” Romans‬ ‭8:6-8

When I was in high school we had a class that taught the basics of car mechanics. In it we learned that a car had three main areas. The engine, the gear box and the diff.

The engine powered the car, the gear box connected the power of the engine to the diff, and this made the car go. We learned that you could start the engine and rev the motor, but unless you put the car in gear, it would not go.

For us as Jesus followers, the mind is like the spiritual gear box of our lives.

Our mind engages whether you to do the things of the Spirit or the things of the flesh. Just as we put our cars in D for drive to go forward, we need to put our mental gear box in S for Spirit.

We need to set our minds right and allow the Holy Spirit to guide and lead us in all situations. We need to choose the things of the Spirit over the things of the flesh.

Our actions, or the things we do, follow choices. Let us choose to put our spiritual gear box on S and choose the things of the Spirit today.

God Bless,
Dave

Share with gentleness and respect

October 9, 2025

I have spoken to several people lately who have had Christians share their faith with them, which is a good thing. However, they felt like they were mugged and bullied into answering questions.

It left them feeling angry with the person and it actually set both people back in their search for God. In talking to the people I remembered 1 Peter 3:15-16. Its says…

“Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it. But do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ.”

A key part of this passage is to be ready to share your faith, but do it with gentleness and respect. Gentleness and respect includes listening to the person and making sure your sharing is a two way conversation. It is not just downloading your belief on to someone else or interogating their beliefs.

If you are sharing your faith with someone today, remember to show gentleness, respect and listen as much as you speak.

God Bless,
Dave

You are My disciples

October 6, 2025

In a number of places in the Book of John, Jesus tells His disciples about things that show the world they are His followers.

In today’s post I want to share three.

1. Your love for one another

John 13:35 – Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are My disciples.”

2. You produce much fruit

John 15:8 – When you produce much fruit, you are My true disciples. This brings great glory to My Father.

3. Remain faithful to My teachings

John 8:31 – Jesus said to the people who believed in Him, “You are truly My disciples if you remain faithful to My teachings.

These three things show us what it takes to be considered a true disciple of Christ in His eyes. This is a good reminder for us and something to aim for.

Four things to remember when we sin

October 5, 2025

As Christians we all sin. No matter how hard we try to live right we all stumble at times. We are all human and we live in a world that is harassed by sin.

However there are four things that help me when I sin. I have shared these in my sermons over the last few weeks and I thought I would share them here.

1. God looked for man when he sinned in the Garden of Eden – Genesis 3:8 tells us God called out to man to find him. Even after the first sin, God pursued Adam.

2. Jesus died for our sins – Romans 5:8 says that Jesus died for us while we were still sinners. He paid the price for our sin.

3. God gave us a way to get right with Him – 1 John 1:9 tells us that God provided confession as a way to get right with Him when we fall short.

4. We have an Advocate in heaven – 1 John 2:1 reminds us that when we sin Jesus pleads our case before the Father in Heaven.

These things help me to remember that God is on my side. He knows I will fall short at times and He has provided ways for us to be right with Him.

It started after the first sin with Adam and Even, it continued with Jesus death on the cross and when we confess it continues with our Advocate in heaven pleading on our behalf.

These four things give me comfort knowing that when I sin forgiveness and restoration is just a prayer of confession away.

God Bless,
Dave

Keep on going…

September 30, 2025

I really enjoyed this devotion from Word for Today…

Get back up and keep going! (1)

September 30, 2025

‘We get knocked down, but we get up again and keep going.’ 2 Corinthians 4:9 TLB

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania tell us that a key predictor of success isn’t talent, title, wealth, or good looks. It’s the ability to work hard for a prolonged period of time toward a focused goal; to keep moving forward despite challenges, obstacles, and failures.

Paul writes: ‘We are pressed on every side by troubles, but not crushed and broken. We are perplexed because we don’t know why things happen as they do, but we don’t give up and quit. We are hunted down, but God never abandons us. We get knocked down, but we get up again and keep going’ (vv. 8–9 TLB). Here are some famous people who got knocked down but kept on going. A memo issued after Fred Astaire’s first screen test said, ‘Can’t act…slightly bald…can dance a little.’ Walt Disney was fired by a newspaper editor for lack of ideas. He also went bankrupt several times before he built Disneyland. Albert Einstein didn’t speak until he was four and didn’t write until he was seven. His teacher described him as ‘mentally slow, unsociable and adrift forever in foolish dreams.’ F. W. Woolworth’s employers at the dry goods store said he hadn’t enough sense to wait on customers. Winston Churchill failed at junior school. He didn’t become Prime Minister of Great Britain until he was sixty-six, after a lifetime of defeats and setbacks. He made his greatest contribution as a senior citizen. Abraham Lincoln once said, ‘Bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other.’ So when life knocks you down, get back up and keep going.