Attitude
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Becoming Hard to Hate
“When people’s lives please the Lord, even their enemies are at peace with them.” Proverbs 16:7 Isn’t life so much more enjoyable when we’re at peace with God? We’re not in such a hurry. We don’t have nearly as much stress. We ignore the little things that normally bother us. We’re much more patient with… Continue reading
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Bruised Reeds and Smoldering Wicks
“Let your gentleness be evident to all.”– Philippians 4:5a Gentleness isn’t weakness, it’s strength under control. It’s choosing kindness when you could demand your way. It’s responding with patience instead of becoming irritated. Paul’s words remind us that our faith should be visible in how we treat people. The way we speak, how we handle… Continue reading
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Do You See Giants, Too?
Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.” – Numbers 13:30 You know that moment when you’re staring at something big – maybe a dream, a challenge, or a step you know God’s nudging you toward – and… Continue reading
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Can’t We All Just Get Along?
Do not get involved in foolish discussions about spiritual pedigrees or in quarrels and fights about obedience to Jewish laws. These things are useless and a waste of time. – Titus 3:9 (NLT) One evening after Bible study, two men found themselves in the church lobby engaged in a spirited conversation regarding something they had… Continue reading
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Keep Striking
Elisha said, “Get a bow and some arrows,” and he did so. “Take the bow in your hands,” he said to the king of Israel. When he had taken it, Elisha put his hands on the king’s hands. “Open the east window,” he said, and he opened it. “Shoot!” Elisha said, and he shot. “The… Continue reading
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Thinking Like Jesus
Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus. – Philippians 2:5 (NKJV) There are days when my thoughts get the better of me – when pride, impatience, or self-interest creeps in before I even realize it. Then I read this verse and it stops me in my tracks. Am I really… Continue reading
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Seeing Our Work as Worship
Do you sometimes feel like nobody cares about all the work you do? Ever feel unnoticed and unappreciated? It’s tough, isn’t it? You work hard, whether it’s at your job, in your family, or even in serving others, and sometimes it feels like no one even notices. Maybe you’ve thought, “Why am I putting in… Continue reading
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What We Think About Matters
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. – Philippians 4:8 A few weeks ago a friend called me, frustrated and overwhelmed. There were some situations going on at home that were stressing… Continue reading
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The Heart Behind the Work
Remember me with favor, my God, for all I have done for these people. – Neh. 5:19 Nehemiah faced an overwhelming task. The walls of Jerusalem lay in ruins, and his people were suffering under oppression and injustice. His mission was more than just a construction project; it was about restoring lives. In the midst… Continue reading
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A Sojourner’s Uncompromising Resolve
But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way. – Daniel 1:8 Daniel could have easily compromised. He was in a foreign land, living under the rule of King Nebuchadnezzar, and had been chosen to undergo training… Continue reading
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Have You Been With Jesus?
When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. – Acts 4:13 When we make time to be in the presence of Jesus, it leaves a mark. Not just on our hearts, but… Continue reading
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When Believers Disagree With Fellow Believers
After some time Paul said to Barnabas, “Let’s go back and visit each city where we previously preached the word of the Lord, to see how the new believers are doing.” Barnabas agreed and wanted to take along John Mark. But Paul disagreed strongly, since John Mark had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not… Continue reading
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Playing Second Fiddle
Saul was very angry… “They have credited David with tens of thousands,” he thought, “but me with only thousands. What more can he get but the kingdom? ” And from that time on Saul kept a close eye on David. – 1 Samuel 18:8-9 It can destroy a marriage. It can end a friendship. It… Continue reading
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When The Evidence is Undeniable
When Samuel reached him, Saul said, “The LORD bless you! I have carried out the LORD’s instructions.” But Samuel said, “What then is this bleating of sheep in my ears? What is this lowing of cattle that I hear?” Saul answered, “The soldiers brought them from the Amalekites; they spared the best of the sheep… Continue reading
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When All is Not Good in The Neighborhood
So Saul summoned the men and mustered them at Telaim—two hundred thousand foot soldiers and ten thousand from Judah. Saul went to the city of Amalek and set an ambush in the ravine. Then he said to the Kenites, “Go away, leave the Amalekites so that I do not destroy you along with them; for… Continue reading
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Getting Along With Others
“Do everything without grumbling or arguing.” – Philippians 2:14 Grumbling and arguing are so common that they often feel like a natural part of life. We complain about our jobs, traffic, government, the weather, or even the slightest of inconveniences. We argue over opinions, preferences, and sometimes even the most trivial of matters. Yet, Paul… Continue reading
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The Gardener’s Patience
Then Jesus told this story: “A man planted a fig tree in his garden and came again and again to see if there was any fruit on it, but he was always disappointed. Finally, he said to his gardener, ‘I’ve waited three years, and there hasn’t been a single fig! Cut it down. It’s just… Continue reading
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Haman’s Hatred
“When Haman saw that Mordecai would not bow down or show him respect, he was filled with rage. He had learned of Mordecai’s nationality, so he decided it was not enough to lay hands on Mordecai alone. Instead, he looked for a way to destroy all the Jews throughout the entire empire of Xerxes.” –… Continue reading
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Why Do You Call Me Good?
“I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life.” 1 Timothy 1:16 (NIV) Do you consider yourself to be a good driver? Of course you do. Everyone does. In fact, the… Continue reading
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Removing Our Sandals
“It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” Hebrews 10:31 When Moses saw the flames coming from the burning bush but noticed that it wasn’t being consumed by the fire, he went over to investigate. Suddenly God’s voice called from the bush, “Moses! Moses!” “Here I am,” Moses replied.… Continue reading
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Becoming Hard to Hate
“When people’s lives please the Lord, even their enemies are at peace with them.” Proverbs 16:7 Isn’t life so much more enjoyable when we’re at peace with God? We’re not in such a hurry. We don’t have nearly as much stress. We ignore the little things that normally bother us. We’re much more patient with… Continue reading
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The Fruit of Gentleness
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”-Matt 11:28-30 The Old Testament… Continue reading
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Letting Go of Things That are Hard to Let Go Of
Every kid I grew up with in the 70’s had two things that he valued more than anything else: an old basketball, and a hoop nailed to a nearby telephone pole. Basketball truly was a religion in Kentucky. Years later, Gene Hackman would play the head coach of a high school team in Indiana, the… Continue reading
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Getting to the Root of the Problem
“For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit, for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thornbushes, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the… Continue reading
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Do You Have Friends Like These?
When Jesus returned to Capernaum several days later, the news spread quickly that he was back home. Soon the house where he was staying was so packed with visitors that there was no more room, even outside the door. While he was preaching God’s word to them, four men arrived carrying a paralyzed man on… Continue reading
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The Kingdom Value of Two Small Coins
Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box, and he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. And he said, “Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out… Continue reading
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Once Takers, We Became Givers
“Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.” ~ Alcoholics Anonymous, Step Nine In the grip of our addictions, our sole focus was satisfying our cravings, blinding us to the needs of others. We earned a reputation as “takers,” willing to lie, cheat, and even… Continue reading
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I’m a lot like Jonah.
“But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the Lord. Then the Lord sent a great wind on the sea, and such a violent… Continue reading
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Three is better than two; two is better than one.
So Joshua did what Moses had commanded and fought the army of Amalek. Meanwhile, Moses, Aaron, and Hur climbed to the top of a nearby hill. As long as Moses held up the staff in his hand, the Israelites had the advantage. But whenever he dropped his hand, the Amalekites gained the advantage. Moses’ arms… Continue reading
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The Impossibility of Loving Without Caring
“Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.” – James 1:27 I simply asked him how he was doing. Five minutes later I began looking at my watch and wondering if this guy was ever… Continue reading
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Character over Comforts
“Believers who are poor have something to boast about, for God has honored them. And those who are rich should boast that God has humbled them. They will fade away like a little flower in the field. The hot sun rises and the grass withers; the little flower droops and falls, and its beauty fades… Continue reading
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Count it All Joy
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. – James 1: 2-4 What if something we consider good is actually bad?… Continue reading
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Like a Star in the Sky
“Now Daniel so distinguished himself among the administrators and the satraps by his exceptional qualities that the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom. At this, the administrators and the satraps tried to find grounds for charges against Daniel in his conduct of government affairs, but they were unable to do so. They… Continue reading
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Two Kinds of Wisdom
“If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don’t cover up the truth with boasting and lying. For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s… Continue reading
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What Does it Mean to be Poor in Spirit?
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” – Jesus, Matthew 5:3 Poverty of spirit does not mean financial poverty. It has nothing to do with how many stocks and shares I have or how fat my wallet is. Nor does it have anything to do with being poor in… Continue reading
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God’s Jealous Eye
When a company decides to hire a new talent from the outside instead of promoting someone from within, it can potentially result in increased productivity and a much-needed boost in morale for the entire team. Sometimes all that’s needed to get to the next level is finding the right person who has some fresh ideas… Continue reading
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The Pharisee Who Prayed to Himself
Jesus said: Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other a despised tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: “I thank you, God, that I am not like other people – cheaters, sinners, adulterers. I’m certainly not like that tax collector! I fast twice… Continue reading
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That Time Jacob Gave an Angel All He Could Handle
Back in the late 1980’s they were called the Bad Boys of the NBA. They were the most hated team in the league, and no player, not even the great Michael Jordan, looked forward to playing against the Detroit Pistons. Their reputation was fed in large part by their three most physical henchmen: Rick Mahorn,… Continue reading
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September 7th: Embracing the Mundane
“You show me any athlete at any level who gives maximum effort, and I will show you a player who will excel. It is not a matter of talent. It’s not a question of where you went in the draft. The question is do you have the heart of a champion? And at the heart… Continue reading
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There Will Be Opposition
When Satan sees the advancement of God’s plans, he responds by immediately going on the offensive. He actively searches for willing instruments to discourage, distract, and disrupt God’s will from being carried out. If we’re not careful, we can fall right into the enemy’s trap. After the Exile, Nehemiah had tasked the remaining Jews in… Continue reading
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The Most Valuable Thing Seldom Measured
“Try to imagine a life without timekeeping. You probably can’t. You know the month, the year, the day of the week. There is a clock on your wall or the dashboard of your car. You have a schedule, a calendar, a time for dinner or a movie. Yet all around you, timekeeping is ignored. Birds… Continue reading
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A Ghost From the Past
I recently ran into an old golf buddy I hadn’t seen for several years. We shared some fun times together on the golf course for the better part of a decade. Alcohol was most always involved and very much a huge part of that lifestyle for me. But once I got sober and began following… Continue reading
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When You’re Faced With a Battle Before the Big Battle
“Now Eliab his eldest brother heard when [David] spoke to the men. And Eliab’s anger was kindled against David, and he said, “Why have you come down? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your heart, for you have come down to see the battle.” And David said,… Continue reading
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Thinking Our Way Out of Temptation
“No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face. All you need to remember is that God will never let you down; he’ll never let you be pushed past your limit; he’ll always be there to help you come through it.” – 1 Corinthians 10:13… Continue reading
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Love Always Wins
“Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.” But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you… Continue reading
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When We Don’t Like What God Wants Us To Do
“But Jonah got up and went in the opposite direction to get away from the Lord…” Jonah 1:3 If you were God and were searching for a potential candidate to become one of your prophets, you would probably have a list of good qualities that you would require for the position. You’d want someone who… Continue reading
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We Are Tools in the Hand of God
“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” – Ephesians 2:10 Samuel Brengle, who was an early Salvation Army official, was once introduced as the, “Great Dr. Brengle.” He later wrote in his diary, “If I appear great in their eyes,… Continue reading
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The Only Things Beneath Us Are Graves
“Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.” – Philippians 2:5-7 (ESV) A large group… Continue reading
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Thinking of Ourselves Less
“Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose. Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others.… Continue reading
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Is There Joy in Your Suffering?
“For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him, since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have.” – Philippians 1:29-30 Who among us enjoys dealing with physical or emotional pain?… Continue reading
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Just Visiting
“Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ. Then, whether I come and see you again or only hear about you, I will know that you are standing together with one spirit and one purpose, fighting together for the faith, which is… Continue reading
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God can use our setbacks to set us up for something bigger
“For I know that through your prayers and God’s provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.” Philippians 1:19 Paul reminds us of the power of prayer and the provision of the Holy Spirit in our lives. When we face difficult situations, we can take… Continue reading
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Defining Moments
“But then I recall all you have done, O Lord; I remember your wonderful deeds of long ago. They are constantly in my thoughts. I cannot stop thinking about your mighty works. – Psalm 77: 11-12 My hands were shaking, and I instinctively backed away. “You can do this,” I said under my breath. “You’ve… Continue reading
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Clean Hands Won’t Help an Unclean Tongue.
“Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen and understand. What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them.” ~ Matthew 15:10-11 The Pharisees confronted Jesus one afternoon to complain about his disciples. v2 “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the… Continue reading
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It’s a Free Ride, When You’ve Already Paid
“You know, you can be a real ass sometimes, Scott.” True statement. Despite being sober for a while now, I can still cop an attitude on occasion. And when that happens, invariably it’s because I didn’t get my way with something, and it’s usually something insignificant in the grand scheme of things. Ever notice that… Continue reading
About Me
Welcome! I’m Scott (aka Former Blackout Artist), and I’m so happy you decided to drop in! I hope you find the content here spiritually enlightening and uplifting. Most of all, I hope that my love of Christ is revealed through my writing and that it encourages you in some way today. Thanks for stopping by!
Former Blackout Artist 