Disobedience
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The Spiritual Danger of Hurried Living
Saul stayed at Gilgal, and his men were trembling with fear. Saul waited there seven days for Samuel, as Samuel had instructed him earlier, but Samuel still didn’t come. Saul realized that his troops were rapidly slipping away. So he demanded, “Bring me the burnt offering and the peace offerings!” And Saul sacrificed the burnt… Continue reading
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Genesis 4: Eve’s First Words After the Fall
A few days ago I started a new Bible in One Year reading plan for 2026, and yesterday I was reading in Genesis chapter 4. And the very first verse in chapter 4 (where Eve gives birth to Cain) got my attention: “I have gotten a man with the help of the Lord.” Now, the… Continue reading
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Mercy and Justice: Was Shimei’s Death Justified?
“And remember, you have with you Shimei son of Gera, the Benjamite from Bahurim, who called down bitter curses on me the day I went to Mahanaim. When he came down to meet me at the Jordan, I swore to him by the LORD: ‘I will not put you to death by the sword.’ But… Continue reading
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Sometimes We Need a Worm
But at dawn the next day God provided a worm, which chewed the plant so that it withered. – Jonah 4:7 I’ve had moments in my life when I’ve acted just like Jonah. God gives me a clear command, but instead of obeying with a grateful heart, I grumble. I focus on what I don’t… Continue reading
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Are There Cracks in the Foundation?
Solomon brought Pharaoh’s daughter up from the City of David to the palace he had built for her, for he said, “My wife must not live in the palace of David king of Israel, because the places the ark of the Lord has entered are holy.” – 2 Chronicles 8:11 Solomon was know for his… Continue reading
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The Breakfast Sandwich Confessional
When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown,… Continue reading
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Where is God in Our Hardship?
Then the angel of the LORD came and sat beneath the great tree at Ophrah, which belonged to Joash of the clan of Abiezer. Gideon son of Joash was threshing wheat at the bottom of a winepress to hide the grain from the Midianites. The angel of the LORD appeared to him and said, “Mighty… Continue reading
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Memorializing Sin
Early in the morning Samuel got up and went to meet Saul, but he was told, “Saul has gone to Carmel. There he has set up a monument in his own honor and has turned and gone on down to Gilgal.” – 1 Samuel 15:12 Just because we have a clear conscience isn’t a testimony… Continue reading
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The Lord’s Regret
Then the word of the LORD came to Samuel: “I regret that I have made Saul king, because he has turned away from me and has not carried out my instructions.” 1Samuel 15:10 One of the worst decisions I’ve made in my life was about 20 years ago when, in a moment of utter weakness… Continue reading
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An Unpalatable Truth
Samuel said to Saul, “I am the one the LORD sent to anoint you king over his people Israel; so listen now to the message from the LORD. This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘I will punish the Amalekites for what they did to Israel when they waylaid them as they came up from… Continue reading
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Outward Signs of Inward Faith
“What makes you think I want all your sacrifices?” says the LORD. “I am sick of your burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fattened cattle. I get no pleasure from the blood of bulls and lambs and goats. When you come to worship me, who asked you to parade through my courts with… 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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First Came the Law, Then Came the Love
“If someone has a stubborn and rebellious son who does not obey his father and mother and will not listen to them when they discipline him, his father and mother shall take hold of him and bring him to the elders at the gate of his town. They shall say to the elders, “This son… 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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Struggling with Priorities? Remember the Timber.
Life bombards us with pressures and tasks from all directions. Call this person. Make this appointment. Take the dog to the vet. Finish this project today. Attend this meeting. Everyone wants something from us – family, friends, employer. With little time and energy, we find ourselves racing through life trying to attend to all of… 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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Complaining without Grumbling
“I cry aloud to the Lord; I lift up my voice to the Lord for mercy. I pour out before him my complaint; before him I tell my trouble.” – Psalm 142:1-2 (NIV) When David was fleeing from Saul, he would often cry out to the Lord in desperation. Tired of being on the run,… Continue reading
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When you realize that what you desired and received isn’t what you needed
“Goliath stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, “Why do you come out and line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not the servants of Saul? Choose a man and have him come down to me.” – 1 Samuel 17:8 The Israelites were often referred to as “stiff-necked” people… Continue reading
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David Learns Hard Lesson
“Then David was angry because the Lord’s wrath had broken out against Uzzah, and to this day that place is called Perez Uzzah.” – 2 Samuel 6:8 As a former soldier in the United States military, the importance of following instructions and paying attention to detail is something that has always stuck with me. So… Continue reading
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When God Stops Listening
“Pray no more for these people, Jeremiah. Do not weep or pray for them, for I will not listen to them when they cry out to me in distress.” – Jeremiah 11:14 No matter how rebellious and disobedient an adolescent becomes, the responsible parent never stops loving, caring, and praying for their child’s wellbeing. But… Continue reading
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God Lets us Fail Sometimes
When the soldiers returned to camp, the elders of Israel asked, “Why did the Lord bring defeat on us today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the Lord’s covenant from Shiloh, so that he may go with us and save us from the hands of our enemies.” ~ 1 Samuel 4:3 “Whose… Continue reading
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The Thing About Sin…
“And should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left – and also many animals?” ~ Jonah 4:11 Have you ever felt God urging you to do something that you were so… 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 