Encouragement
-
Church Alone Ain’t Enough
Encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. – Hebrews 3:13 Every single brother in Christ that I meet with and spend time with is actively engaged in a daily battle with sin. They don’t have to tell me this –… Continue reading
-
I’m Thankful Jesus Picked ‘The Twelve’ He Did
Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” – Matthew 19:26 There are times when I’m reading my Bible and I think to myself, “What’s the point? I’m not smart enough, I’m not brave enough, I’m not disciplined enough, and I’m not good enough. What use… Continue reading
-
Riding the Storm with God’s Faithful
“Men, I can see that our voyage is going to be disastrous and bring great loss to ship and cargo, and to our own lives also.” – Acts 27:10 In Acts 27, Paul, a prisoner on his way to Rome, is aboard a ship facing a perilous journey. As an experienced traveler, he senses an… Continue reading
-
Just Because Something Isn’t Bad Doesn’t Always Mean That It’s Helpful.
“Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak.” – 1 Corinthians 8:9 Robert throws a big Super Bowl party every year. Wings, nachos, loud friends, and a cooler full of beer – it’s tradition. People look forward to it. It’s one of the things he’s… Continue reading
-
He Was Thinking of You and Me!
My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent… Continue reading
-
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
-
Do Not Be Afraid!
One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision and told him, “Don’t be afraid! Speak out! Don’t be silent! For I am with you, and no one will attack and harm you, for many people in this city belong to me.” So Paul stayed there for the next year and a half, teaching… Continue reading
-
Greater Things Through Him
“Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.” – John 14:12 Jesus wasn’t threatened by the idea of His followers doing greater works than He had done. In fact, He… Continue reading
-
Bringing Back The Wanderer
My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.– James 5:19-20 It’s not uncommon for people to drift from the… Continue reading
-
Responding to Correction
“Wounds from a sincere friend are better than many kisses from an enemy.” Proverbs 27:6 We often seek out friends who are kind, supportive, and affirming. But true friendship goes beyond just making us feel good; it also involves being honest, even when the truth hurts. In the passage above, Solomon reminds us that a… Continue reading
-
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
-
Do You Ever Feel Forgotten?
“The chief cupbearer, however, did not remember Joseph; he forgot him.” – Gen. 40:23 Do you sometimes go through periods in your life where you feel unappreciated, perhaps even unnoticed? Like everything you do seems to matter to no one? Maybe sometimes even wondering if perhaps even God has completely forgotten about you? Maybe you’re… Continue reading
-
Don’t Hoard Your Experience
“He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.”2 Corinthians 1:4 When difficult situations and circumstances come our way, our human tendency is to automatically assume that God is disciplining us for some… Continue reading
-
Godly Inspiration
One of the most important things a head coach will ever do for his team is pick the right player from his roster to be the team captain. As he looks through his list, he’s not only considering each player’s level of skill. He’s also looking for a player with experience, who is fearless, who… Continue reading
-
Just keep holding on. It’s worth it.
“Think about Jesus’ example. He held on while wicked people were doing evil things to him. So do not get tired and stop trying.” – Hebrews 12:3 (NCV) Many of them would die at the hands of Nero in AD 64. But up until that point they had largely avoided execution. Still, life was not… Continue reading
-
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
-
A Freedom that Shines
“It goes back to what I said about Andy wearing his freedom like an invisible coat, about how he never really developed a prison mentality. His eyes never got that dull look.” – Red, from Shawshank Redemption A few times per month I’m given the privilege of going to a place where most people have… Continue reading
-
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
-
The Unity and Joy of Fellowship
“So it is right that I should feel as I do about all of you, for you have a special place in my heart. You share with me the special favor of God, both in my imprisonment and in defending and confirming the truth of the Good News. God knows how much I love you… Continue reading
-
The Value of a True Friend
“A friend is one that knows you as you are, understands where you have been, accepts who you have become, and still, gently allows you to grow.” William Shakespeare Jonathan and David were the closest of friends, despite the fact that they were from different families and had different destinies. They made a covenant between… Continue reading
-
Christmas with a Stranger
“From there we set sail and arrived at Rhegium. The next day the south wind came up, and on the following day we reached Puteoli. There we found some brothers and sisters who invited us to spend a week with them. And so we came to Rome. The brothers and sisters there had heard that… Continue reading
-
The Best Advice
“Where there is strife, there is pride, but wisdom is found in those who take advice.” ~ Proverbs 13:10 I wouldn’t do that if I were you. As children, most of us probably heard that sentence hundreds of times growing up. And again, as children, most of us probably disregarded that suggestion more times than… 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 