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  Happy Thanksgiving Week! Thankfulness is a prominent Bible theme. First Thessalonians 5:16-18 says, “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” Did you catch that? Give thanks in all circumstances. Thankfulness should be a way of life for us, naturally flowing from our hearts and mouths.   We should be thankful because God is worthy of our thanksgiving. It is only right to credit Him for “every good and perfect gift” He gives (James 1:17). When we are thankful, our focus moves off selfish desires and off the pain of current circumstances. Expressing thankfulness helps us remember that God is in control. Thankfulness, then, is not only appropriate; it is actually healthy and beneficial to us. It reminds us of the bigger picture, that we belong to God, and that we have been blessed with every spiritual blessing (Ephesians 1:3). Truly, we have an abundant life (John 10:10), and gratefulness is fitting.

  Happy Labor Day!   So long summer of 2022.   You sizzled us, you soaked us, you satiated us. And like every other summer season, your sprint to Monday – Labor Day – seemed a blur.   For many, Labor Day is all about capturing that last blast at the beach, backyard barbecues, school retail bonanzas and the grudging realization that sun-soaked play days are no more.   But why is it called Labor Day? Labor Day is a day set aside to pay tribute to working men and women. It has been celebrated as a national holiday in the United States and Canada since 1894.   "Labor Day differs in every essential way from the other holidays of the year in any country," said Samuel Gompers, founder, and longtime president of the American Federation of Labor. "All other holidays are in a more or less degree connected with conflicts and battles of man's prowess over man, of strife and discord for greed and power, of glories achieved by one nation over another. Labor Day

  On this day,  July 20th 5 3 years ago, NASA marks the anniversary of the historic Apollo 11 Moon landing. On July 16, 1969, astronauts Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins lifted off from Launch Pad 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on a journey to the Moon and into history. Four days later, while Collins orbited the Moon in the command module, Armstrong and Aldrin landed Apollo 11’s lunar module, Eagle, on the Moon’s Sea of Tranquility, becoming the first humans to set foot on the lunar surface. This is a composite I create to celebrate the historic occasion.

  Happy Independence Day! Today we celebrate America and the passage of the Declaration of Independence. Many will celebrate with backyard (some indoor) barbecues, a tradition that dates back to the 1800's. Who knew?! Many boast that they make the best barbecue ribs, chicken, etc. Whatever your family tradition is today, have fun making memories and be safe.   “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.” Galatians 5:1a NIV   “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” 2 Corinthians 3:17 NIV In light of the turmoil our society currently faces, it is critical that we curate our values and rise up against the immorality of the world. You and I are to represent God and His viewpoint in every sphere of life. We are to represent the living God, who is the pillar and foundation of the truth.   Today, dwell on Christ, who He is, and all the good things He’s already done. He is faithful, He will come through, and in Him you can have hope!   Be bl

  Juneteenth is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating emancipation of enslaved black Americans. It is also often observed for celebrating African-American culture. Originating in Galveston, Texas, it has been celebrated annually on June 19 in various parts of the United States since 1865.   The US will officially recognize Juneteenth, which commemorates the end of slavery in America, as a federal holiday after President Biden signed a bill into law on Thursday, 6.17.21.   Charleston was one of the largest slave trading cities in the US. The old Exchange Building (pictured below) was one the most common sites of downtown slave auctions. Thousands of enslaved people were sold here along with real estate and other personal property.

  We’ve come to the end of our “Journey Through the Book of Isaiah!”   In Luke 4:16-22, Jesus spoke in the synagogue of Nazareth, His hometown. He opened up the scroll to Isaiah 61 – perhaps an assigned reading, perhaps chosen by Him – and read from the beginning of the chapter through the first line of verse 2. When He sat down, He simply said today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing. Jesus is the person described in Isaiah 61:1-3 and He is the one the Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon. “To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, And the day of vengeance of our God…” Isaiah 61:2b NKJV   Because sin is a crime that must be avenged, He will  proclaim... the day of vengeance of our God .   Significantly, Jesus stopped reading before this sentence. He stopped in the middle of the prophecy, because to  proclaim... the day of vengeance of our God  is relevant to His  Second Coming , not to His first coming. The comma in  year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance  

    Week 5 in Review   If the first two lines of Isaiah 53 describe our sin problem, the last two lines give God’s solution to it. God took our sin, all our sin, and laid it on Christ. When Christ hung on the cross, God took all our sin and placed it on Christ so He could die in our place. So here, in the middle of Isaiah 53, is a powerful statement. First, man’s basic sin problem is stated to be going our way rather than God’s way. Then there’s God’s solution: a Substitute who will bear our sin.   It’s amazing when you think of it—all your sin and rebellion paid for by another, who died for you. Amazing grace.   “All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, everyone, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” Isaiah 53:6 NKJV   All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, everyone, to his own way: Here the prophet describes our need for the Messiah’s atoning work. Sheep are stupid, headstrong animals, and we, like they, have g

  Memorial Day is a federal holiday in the United States for mourning the U.S. military personnel who have died while serving in the United States armed forces.   Thank you to those who served and making the ultimate sacrifice for our country, democracy, and our freedom.   Have a blessed day as we remember those who give their all this Memorial Day.

  Week 4 Summary       “Listen, O coastlands, to Me, And take heed, you peoples from afar! The LORD has called Me from the womb; From the matrix of My mother He has made mention of My name.” Isaiah 49:1   Listen, O coastlands, to Me: These words come prophetically from the Messiah, the Servant of the LORD revealed in previous chapters. Here, He commands the coastlands – the distant lands of the Gentiles – to listen to Him. Then I said, “I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing and in vain; yet surely my just reward is with the LORD” (Isaiah 49:4). The translators of the New King James do not believe these words belong in the mouth of the Messiah, because the do not capitalize the pronoun my, as they would if they believed it spoke of the Messiah. Yet these words can be set prophetically in the mouth of the Messiah, because surely Jesus was tempted by the discouraging thought that all His work was in vain and for nothing. Yet He triumphed over such temptation by d

  Week 3 Review   Isaiah 40 is one of the most striking passages in the Bible on the greatness, the majesty, and the power of God. It was written to a discouraged people. The Babylonians had taken Israel captive. They had been uprooted from their homes, their communities and their land. They were discouraged, disheartened, and despondent. They were wondering, “Where is God? Does God care? Does He see? Does He notice? Has God abandoned us?”   We understand. At times, we feel discouraged and wonder if God sees, if He cares. Maybe you feel that way right now. Through the prophet Isaiah, God reminds His people of how big, vast, and great He is.   In Isaiah 40:12–14, we see that God is so much bigger than nature—the oceans, the skies, the deserts, and the mountains.    In Isaiah 40:15-17, we see that God is so much bigger than the nations; than nations like Babylon that terrorize and destroy.   In Isaiah 40:18-20, He is so much bigger than idols—the created things that s