Walking The Walk

"What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death!" ~Romans 6:21 (NIV) Think about that momentary satisfaction when we give in to temptation. Maybe it's that gossip that feels good for a moment, the small dishonesty that seems to make life easier, or the angry words we use that feel so good at the time. Or maybe it’s a bad habit we can’t seem to shake like drugs, or alcohol, or sexual immorality.   We can even view these sins as a “reward” for “being good all week.”   In the moment, sin offers us something that feels like a benefit—if it didn’t, we wouldn’t keep falling into that same trap. Paul challenges us to look back at those poor choices honestly. What lasting fruit came from those choices? What real benefit remained after the momentary pleasure faded? The truth is, sin promises satisfaction but delivers shame. It promises freedom but brings bondage. Jesus described this in John 8:34 when He said, ...

"Do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness."  ~Romans 6:12-13 (NIV) In today's world, we face a subtle but dangerous challenge: the redefinition of sin. What God clearly names as sin, our culture often labels as personal choice, alternative lifestyle, or even virtuous behavior. Paul's words in Romans 6 calls us to something radically different. The apostle doesn't mince words. He commands us not to let sin reign in our bodies. This implies we have a choice-- we can either surrender to sin's authority or stand against it. Victory over sin begins with recognizing God's definitions, not the world's.  The world can call sin whatever it wants, but the Bible is clear.   Paul balances this fir...

Just about everyone has at least one difficult relationship in their life. As Scooter would tell you siblings can be especially challenging at times. All of us encounter situations that test our patience and ignite our emotions. The book of James offers us profound wisdom in chapter 1, verses 19-20: "My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires." These words cut straight to the heart of how our anger can derail both our spiritual journey and our personal well-being. James makes a direct connection between our anger and our righteousness before God. When we allow anger to take root in our hearts, it creates a spiritual barrier. Ephesians 4:26-27 further warns us, "Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold." Unchecked anger grows.  It becomes resentment and unforgive...

"He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken."  ~Psalm 62:6 I talked a little bit last Sunday about how sometimes we tend to compartmentalize our life.  We have our faith life, and then we have our regular life.  But our faith should play a role in all aspects of our life.  It should be the foundation of our life, not an aspect of it.   But in a world of constant uncertainty, many of us struggle with spiritual doubts. We question God's presence, His goodness, or His plan, and we fall back into depending more upon ourselves than God. But this psalm confronts us with a bold declaration--not a suggestion, but a statement of unshakable truth. When you look at this psalm, note that David doesn't say God is like a rock or similar to a fortress. He states with absolute certainty: He ONLY is my rock  (emphasis is mine).  When David wrote these words, he wasn't lounging around the palace in comfort and excess. He was likely fl...