Perspectives

If the pillars of our faith are to hold true, if they are to steady us upon troubled seas, it is imperative that

This is not Christ preached as a matter of debate or philosophical pretense, but of a savior that saves, the

Today’s podcast is titled.

Who is this?

07/06/2024

Romans 10:14

How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they

For more than 2,000 years we have muddied the waters of Christianity, turning the prophetic nature of God’s message into a form of mockery, believing the message of salvation (the Good News) to be empty and powerless. Yet, I will surmise it is quite contrary, as it is thus that shaped the foundations of the universe, our lives abound and are a constant reflection of God's longsuffering towards us. God's word is not void, nor will it return unto him empty, but it shall accomplish all that is intended.

Whether we agree or not, when the Master moves, who can forbid him from doing so? As we attend church and dwell in the quietness of the Pugh, let your hearts be turned towards Christ, asking that he reveal himself to you, in you, and through you. Come to know him through the word, how he lived, how he walked, how he ministered, how he prayed, how he spoke, and how he met the earnest needs of the people and heeded their call.

Again, I believe more than ever, it is important to know who Jesus is, not in terms of the words echoed from contemporary pulpit, but of one that walked the streets of Jerusalem, Samaria, and Judea, he stooped, he talked, he touched, he cried, he hurt, he ached, he gave, without

Good morning, I want to take this opportunity to congratulate the class of 2024, and all the kindergarten through college graduates, on their academic success.

In life we can be so wrong about so many things, in fact the longer I live, the more life I experience, that notion proves to be true often, when it comes to our presumptions, assumptions, and opinions. Likewise, there are times when we cannot always believe what our eyes may reveal, as they only paint a brief picture in a broad and rapidly changing landscape. There is an old saying,

There was a gentleman I rode to work with every day, he did not talk a lot, and to me he seemed a bit smug, as he would always sit in the front seat. We periodically attended church together when services were available, and I would wonder, why is he there. It was communion Sunday and as the elements were passed, we were reminded of its purpose, to serve as a reminder of the Lord’s death, until he comes once again. As we partook of the elements, they were shared with the stipulation that both wine and grape juice were available. That Sunday I sat behind the gentleman that I considered to be quite peculiar, and said to myself, “I know he’s going to take the wine,” as he looked (to me) as someone to would partake in such lavations. As the tray reached him, I said, “ah ha” I knew it, as he selected the wine over the grape juice. The tray finally reached me, and I retrieved them as well, and when it was time to take them, I suddenly gasped, as I had

3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? (John 7:3)

It was not long thereafter that we became wonderful friends, sharing stories and laughing about so many others.

Today’s episode is titled.

Grape Juice & Wine

John 7:1-2

1 Judge not, that ye be not judged. 2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what

Warriors apprehend at some point in their lives they are unable to abide under their physical strength alone,

If the opportunity presents itself to have the fortune to speak with someone and listen to the stories of those

To speak with someone of that stature presents a unique set of circumstances, as it forces us to come face to

In the desert, in the midst of nothingness, when soldiers grew weary from exhaustion, missing loved ones, and

Today’s episode is titled.

Wounded Warrior

Psalm 32:7

Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah.

Before I begin today's podcast, I want to wish all the mother's a very happy Mother’s Day, showered with flowers, candy, cards, balloons, and the treat of a special meal that she does not have to cook herself. Thank you for absolutely everything. . 

Is there anything greater, more beautiful than a mother’s love, to hear her voice, as she shares words of comfort and tender mercy. Is there a love that exceeds words unspoken, a purposeful glance, a gentle nod, or a well-timed wink, giving the assurance that everything is going to be okay. A mother’s love greets us at birth, as we experience her lasting presence, and continues throughout the peaks and valleys of our lives. Her voice often tender or firm in the moments that require such, the patient attentiveness of her listening ear to sensibly weigh our haste towards ill-advised decisions, and the remarkable warmth of her hug as it covers a multitude of our apprehensions, failures, disappointments, fears, and vulnerabilities. She covers the depth of our sorrows, gives refuge to the brokenness of our hearts, and wipes away the abundance of grief’s tears that we shed in the abyss of our despair. And should we perish before, she will always, no matter the bounty of her love, carry the unbearable burden of loss. Her words are often few, but her voice is known of the Lord, for her effectual prayers long before sunrise, and those late at night, when intuition tells her

Annie Maude Anderson, lovingly referred to as “Gran”, epitomized the life of so many women in the Bible: Ruth,

But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.

(Luke 2:19)

 Annie did as well.

Over the last few months I have attended four funerals, as I witnessed firsthand the grief and sorrow the families endured at the loss of their beloved. I listened to wonderful eulogies, acknowledgements, words of comfort, and invitations to Christian fellowship, and all with the exception of one sang the lyrics to the song by Reverend Paul Jones, titled “I Won’t Complain”, as he says

I've had some good days
I've had some hills to climb
I've had some weary days
And some sleepless nights

But when I look around
And I think things over
All of my good days
Outweigh my bad days
I won't complain

Sometimes

We spend an awful amount of time worried about things we cannot control. A lot of time worried about who has

Scripture does not promise equity; however, God's words are true. They do not ring hollow, as it is written,

Isaiah 55:10-12

10 For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to

We are not a suffering people, but those that endure, persevere. Our lives are not filled with a wealth of

Today’s episode is titled.

Wherefore Shall I Complain?

Psalm 27:13-14

I had fainted, Unless I had believed to see the goodness of

Throughout our lives, we are constantly pressured to be confident, self-sufficient, and be certain of our own abilities, depending on absolutely nothing or no one. Confidence enough in oneself to believe that we can do and accomplish anything we put our hearts and minds to, albeit innocent or ill intended. Given the ideal set of

Be nice to those you

How do we define confidence? Cambridge dictionary suggests the following: (a) the quality of being certain of your abilities: (b) a feeling of having little doubt about yourself and your abilities:

But … what happens when our strength fails, and our substance comes to naught? What happens when in moments of our deepest despair, family walks away, and friends betray us? Wherein lies our confidence when our lives are in disarray, our bodies ravaged by disease, our stomachs ache from hunger, and our once plush savings, in anticipation of a future, are now depleted? Wherein do we place such when our hearts are broken, and our soul cries in anguish for just a moment of relief, when the enemy attacks us, and the presence of God has long

Romans 12:3

For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

Where is it that or in what do we place our utmost confidence? Is it foolproof, does it come with a  surety or a guarantee? Are we confident that it will sustain us and remain reliably steadfast? Or draw us deeper into the abyss of uncertainty and sure emptiness? What are we absent of God? Who are we? What do we become? If I attend renowned academic institutions such as Cambridge or Harvard; if I become the CEO of the world's most prestigious enterprise; if by means of strength I become the world's strongest, with an incomparable physique; if my portfolio is equivalent to the upper 1%, and I own lands and territories beyond imagination. Suppose you achieved it all on your own, your own ability, your

Today’s episode is titled.

No Confidence

1 Corinthians 6:19-20

19What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 20For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

For more than 4,000 years God sought to redeem the whole of humanity through, signs, wonders, famine, drought, floods, decrees, laws, commandments, plagues and captivity, and for the 2,000 years since Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection, He has ceaselessly bid us to come unto repentance, and the excellency of His knowledge that the grace of God be revealed therein. Oh, if we truly knew the weight, the cost, the gravity of our

How many times, or yet, how long does God have to stand and knock, upon the doors of our heart, all the time demonstrating to us the splendor of His unmerited grace and mercy? How often are we convinced that we have the benefit of time on our side, as it slips away ever so suddenly, as sand between our fingers? How often, how many more times, must we plead for another chance, lest He say unto us as well, “Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee:” (Luke 12:19)?

Today’s episode is titled.

Uneven Exchange

Mark 8:37

37what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? 

The unequivocal answer for us all should be, “absolutely nothing.” Our mind cannot grasp the enormity of Christ's

Succotash, of which I cannot spell, is the most insufferable complement to vegetables known to humanity. Whereas

Most of us are aware of what a convenience store offers. Places like 7/11, Circle-K, and others, in which to pick

While we can be selective in such, we cannot be so when it comes to God's word. We can neither add to nor detract

“All” of God’s word is beneficial.

Today’s Podcast is titled.

Pick & Pluck

2 Timothy 3:14-17

14But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; 15And that from a child thou hast known

Before we begin, I want to ask a special prayer on behalf of the James family on the loss of their mother, my aunt Mary. I ask that God give them comfort and peace in this moment.

There is nothing more beautiful to behold than to witness, first-hand, the embodiment of God's grace and mercy. Someone

Today’s Podcast is titled.

Aunt Mary

1 Corinthians 13:4-7,13

4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; 6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; 7

 13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

It is not often, and exceedingly rare, that you find someone that lays bare the qualities of a quiet and gentle spirit, and if by chance it was so, it is only for a season. That was not the rationale for my Aunt Mary, her life was seasoned with grace, mercy, and kindness.

Matthew 5:13-16

13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. 14 “You are

There is no more impressive sight to behold than an aged tree, standing tall and picturesque in its magnificent glory. While others seem quite commonplace, like the trees and bushes in our yards, there are those that seem to have found a bit of immortality, archives of history. Yet, in all its luster, its life tells

The same can be said of us, as trees planted by the rivers of water, steadfast and immovable, abounding in the everlasting goodness of the Lord, knowing that He is able to keep us, as His chosen treasure, and quicken us even unto death, that the glory of His beauty be revealed in us, as we abide with all humility and grace, in the power of his might, and the glorious nature of his eternal presence.

The lyric to the song so graciously says.

I shall not, I shall not be moved.

I shall not, I shall not be moved.

Like a tree planted by the water.

I shall not be moved.

Today’s Podcast is titled.

The Cedars of Lebanon

Psalm 92:12-14

“The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the Lord, they will flourish in the courts of our God. They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green.”