Living Unfiltered for God

There’s an awful lot of talk these days about hygiene. In fact, I don’t think I’ve been told so many times to make sure I wash my hands (while singing “Happy Birthday”… Twice!) since I was in elementary school. And for good reason, I should say. This Coronavirus has a lot of people concerned, so it’s just prudent to use common sense when it comes to keeping your hands clean, not touching your face, and generally practicing good hygienic habits. And of course, these are things we should be doing all the time anyway, regardless of any newly introduced virus or even just good old-fashioned influenza. As a borderline germophobe, I think we could all do a better job at these things! Now, you’re starting to ask yourself, what does this possibly have to do with faith, or living unfiltered for God? Well, I’m glad you asked! Yesterday morning during my time in The Word, I came across a passage that I know I have read many times before. And as Scripture often does when you read it regu...

We often hear the expression, “Be a light!” If you are a Christian, we are taught that we are to shine Christ’s light – to emanate His Light that lives within us to the world around us. Have you ever really thought about what that means, though? Or how to practice this on a day to day basis? He said to them, “ Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don’t you put it on its stand? For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open . ( Mark 4:21-22 NIV )   Several weeks ago, I was reading through a devotional with some others that posed a question I had never thought of before. In the “For Reflection” area, it stated the following: “There are different kinds of lights (traffic lights, flashlights, spotlights, florescent lights, candle lights, lighthouse, torches, lamps) - which one best describes you? Why?” This really got me thinking. Like anything else when it comes t...

(Continuing some reflections from Youth Devotions and Communion at Florida Family CFO camp last month...) The purpose of our discussion on the third day of the week, was to go a little deeper into the story behind one particular, well-known verse. I’ll start this post the same way I began the lesson that morning with the teenagers… Which verse in the Bible do you think is the most popular to quote, or at least the most well known? Who said it? Who was He talking to? After the first question, there were several good answers provided, but the consensus of the group settled on John 3:16. (I’ve said before, this was a smart bunch of kids!) Of course, I had to follow it up with the question, “Where is that verse found?” After a few seconds of looks of confusion, they realized I was just seeing if they really were awake that early in the morning! The second question was trickier. Their initial answer was John. A logical and reasonable choice. But then, they zeroed i...