Resentment
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Jesus Accomplished What David Couldn’t
Then Joab went to Geshur and brought Absalom back to Jerusalem. But the king said, “He must go to his own house; he must not see my face.” So Absalom went to his own house and did not see the face of the king. – 2 Samuel 14:23-24 I find the story of David and… Continue reading
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So, I’ve Been Banging on This Door…
In Acts 13:50-51, Paul and Barnabas were in a city called Pisidian Antioch (which today is an area in west-central Turkey), and it was there that they were preaching the gospel in the local synagogue. At first, things went really well! Many Jews and Gentiles were excited about what they heard and wanted to learn… Continue reading
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Has Someone Ever Stolen Your Thunder?
But when David’s oldest brother, Eliab, heard David talking to the men, he was angry. “What are you doing around here anyway?” he demanded “What about those few sheep you’re supposed to be taking care of? I know about your pride and deceit. You just want to see the battle!” “What have I done now?”… Continue reading
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Love… is Rejoicing in Others’ Blessings
[Love] does not envy… – 1 Corinthians 13:4b Yesterday we read the apostle Paul’s initial thoughts on what Love is. Today we examine more of this “Portrait of Love” that Paul continues painting; negative things that are absent because of love. He shifts his attention to a destructive emotion that love has no part of:… 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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Ain’t You Tired?
If you’re looking for an easy and enlightening read this summer, I highly recommend Brant Hansen’s book Unoffendable. Today’s devotional is an excerpt from one of the stories in his book, (p.59-60). Brant writes: “[God] wants to know us, and he wants us to know Him. He wants us to want Him. Not ideas or… Continue reading
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Wounded Trees and Forgiveness
“Forgiveness is a beautiful word, until you have something to forgive.” – C.S. Lewis Shortly after the Civil War, General Robert E. Lee ran into a woman in Virginia who complained to him that Yankee artillery had severely damaged a beautiful tree that was in her yard. She was so livid about it that she… 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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Redemption and Forgiveness
In his book, “Winning the War in Your Mind,” bestselling Christian author Craig Groeschel says, “A lie believed as truth will affect your life as if it were true.” Few people would live out this profound truth more personally in the Old Testament than Jacob. For over two decades, Jacob had believed the lie that… Continue reading
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Standing Out? Or Blending In?
Jesus said, “By this, everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” – John 13:35 (NIV) There are a few people in my life whose attitudes make it really challenging for me to love them. They all have the same things in common: they’re always playing the victim; everything bad… 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 