Sin
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The Hardest Open-Book Test
2 Corinthians 13:5: “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? – unless indeed you fail to meet the test!” (ESV) The church in Corinth was giving Paul some serious headaches. One report after another, he would… Continue reading
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Who is Your Nathan?
“Wounds from a sincere friend are better than many kisses from an enemy.” – Proverbs 27:6 When David had Uriah killed, he thought very little of it. After all, he gave Uriah a chance to live. Had he only gone home to spend some time away from battle with his wife, like David had suggested…… Continue reading
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Naughty? Or Nice?
“If God is for us, who can be against us?” – Romans 8:31 For many years I somehow had this idea that God was against me. Perhaps it had a lot to do with my misunderstanding as a small child, sitting in a pew at church one Sunday morning and listening to our pastor preach… Continue reading
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A Spirit Renewed
Psalm 51:12 “Restore to me the joy of your salvation and make me willing to obey you.” Something ain’t right. I feel off. I have no spiritual energy and I’m just going through the motions. The people around me can sense that something’s awry. “You don’t seem like yourself. Everything okay? What’s going on?” I… Continue reading
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Reprogramming Our Minds
“And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.” – Phil. 4:8 I knew I had really stepped in it big time. I said something to my wife… Continue reading
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Holy Monday: “Not in My House!”
“Then Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out the people selling animals for sacrifices. He said to them, “The Scriptures declare, ‘My Temple will be a house of prayer,’ but you have turned it into a den of thieves.” – Luke 19:45-46 As I read this passage, a childhood memory comes back to… Continue reading
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Nine out of Ten Lions Prefer Satrap Succotash Over Jewish Jambalaya
“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 could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent.” – Daniel 6:4 King Darius liked Daniel. And for good reason.… 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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Teacher, Who is My Neighbor?
“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” Jesus asked. – Luke 10:36 The parable of the Good Samaritan that Jesus tells (Luke 10:25-37) is one that seems foreign to some Christ followers in today’s culture. Few things hinder the spreading of the… 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!