steviebee77

[steviebee77]

broken and contrite

GENERALLY SPEAKING, we humans tend to resist the idea of becoming broken and contrite. It sounds way too much like weakness! However, God often permits circumstances or events in our lives that tax us to the point where we must totally depend on him. Paul reminds us that it is through brokenness that our hearts begin to ache with sorrow, prompting us to turn from our sinful choices and yearn…

[steviebee77]

the things we carry

MY UNCLE SERVED in the United States army and did a tour in Vietnam. What a trying and confusing time for America! This so-called “war without end” was bloody and raw, like nothing we’d faced before, fraught with constant danger and unpredictability. Soldiers faced booby traps and snipers; women and children were weaponized and pointed toward our soldiers. Death lurked everywhere. While studying…

[steviebee77]

a new identity

WE ALL HAVE an identity, a distinguishing personality, shaped by factors such as individual characteristics, social influences, and life history. Even physical traits can have an impact on our personality. In rudimentary form, “identity” is our self-concept. Personality and temperament are impacted by a combination of religious beliefs, nationality, ethnicity, gender, educational background,…

[steviebee77]

distraction leads to destruction

DISTRACTION CAN SOMETIMES be a welcome companion. Who doesn’t need a little diversion now and again. In this regard, most people consider distraction a benign form of “escape” from daily pressures. For example, I would be lost without the welcome interruption of a favorite worship song. Music has literally saved my life many times. It is important to note, however, that distraction can also bring…

[steviebee77]

when addiction becomes oppression

TYPICALLY, WE DO NOT consciously choose a life of bondage or oppression. Often, what we are choosing is the perceived comfort of the known over the fear of uncertainty. Bondage can give us a sense of “routine,” but this is a false sense of security. Most importantly, some forms of bondage, like substance abuse or compulsive gambling or binge eating, offer an immediate escape from uncomfortable…

[steviebee77]

we are barabbas!

ROME WAS INFAMOUS for lining their roadways with crucified bodies as a warning to those who would dare go against the Roman Empire. Crucifixion is a notoriously slow death specifically designed to torture the condemned for up to three agonizing days. The pain of crucifixion was so great that it gave its name to extreme agony—excruciating, also known as “a 10” on the pain index. Etymology of the…

[steviebee77]

nothing less than everything

DRIVEN BY A FIERCE competitive spirit, he aimed for nothing less than first place, so determined to win that the thrill of victory far outweighed the pain and tedium of endless hours practicing, honing in, preparing to give it his all. I am not a competitive runner, nor do I play an organized sport, but this analogy is not lost on me. I do run after things. Unfortunately, not always the right…

[steviebee77]

by his own desires

Paul wrote about temperance (self-control) in 1 Corinthians 9. God’s grace undergirds all we do, but we are still responsible for rigorous spiritual discipline. I have learned that it is impossible for me to control my flesh with my flesh (that is, under my own power). It is God who helps us discipline our mind, heart, and body. Our job is to surrender to His will, take every thought captive to…

[steviebee77]

would have passed by them by

IMMEDIATELY AFTER JESUS miraculously fed five thousand people with only five loaves of bread and two fishes, He sent the disciples out across the water to Bethsaida on the other side while he dismissed the crowd. He then went up a mountainside alone to pray. At this point, the disciples were already a considerable distance from land. Suddenly, a storm arose, buffeting them on all sides by great…

[steviebee77]

what is this joy?

THE GOOD NEWS OF the gospel is described by the angels as “great joy that will be for all the people” (Luke 2:10). It is a message of joy because Jesus, the Christ, our Lord and Savior, came to save all people from the consequences of sin. It is only Jesus who can rescue us and bring us peace and reconciliation. However, the miraculous incarnation of Jesus provides more than a mere “ticket to…

[steviebee77]

should Christians smoke weed?

THE BIBLE IS SILENT on the subject of marijuana. In a recent article, Justin Lakemacher writes, “Nowhere in Scripture are we told, ‘Thou shall not smoke weed.’ God’s Word does not explicitly prohibit smoking marijuana.”1 However, Scripture has plenty to say about intoxication and the unbridled pursuit of fleshly desire (see Gal. 5:21). Pastor Heath Lambert writes, “…if it’s legal to smoke…

[steviebee77]

two broken legs

IF YOU WERE TO suffer two broken legs, certainly you’d seek medical treatment for both. You can’t “get better” by setting one leg while allowing the other to remain broken and misaligned. Healing begins almost immediately after a fracture, and if the two ends of the broken bone are not properly aligned, the result is malunion of the bone. Sometimes, the bone remains separated forever, often…

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time chases time

Time chases time. I fall to the ground, exhausted, staring at the twinkling expanse above.I wonder,Which stars are gone? © 2021 Steven Barto

[steviebee77]

Monarch Butterfly

I am a Monarch. A butterfly, that is.A mere larvae a few days ago, I justhatched from my chrysalis this morning.I look up toward the tree top and startclimbing, climbing, climbing,finally reaching the last branch— the view is overwhelming. When I first see the others, thereare more than a hundred, and myenthusiasm swells. It takes just a momentto realize what I see: one hundred thousandof my…

[steviebee77]

referee

The pain of loneliness andexcitement of adventureare at a face-off, eachconvinced of its position,mutually exclusive of the other.A front row seat to thefight of the century.To what do I owe this honor? As blows are struck,drops of sweat splash my face.Poignant reminders,rude, salty, definitive.Whom do I root for?Is that even a sensible question?Should I hope for a draw?I cringe at each punch,on…

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from death to life

IF WE WERE DEAD in our trespasses and sins and are made alive in Christ, why do we still sin? Moreover, why do we choose sin? Or, does sin choose us? Regardless, being dead in sin is a position of powerlessness and defeat. We cannot “not sin” under our own power. Paul insists that we not continue in sin, but rather actively live in holiness. Incredulous, he says, “We have died to sin once and for…

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Love is Not All

Love is not all: it is not meat nor drinkNor slumber nor a roof against the rain;Nor yet a floating spar to men that sinkAnd rise and sink and rise and sink again;Love cannot fill the thickened lung with breath,Nor clean the blood, nor set the fractured bone;Yet many a man is making friends with deathEven as I speak, for lack of love alone.It well may be that in a difficult hour,Pinned down by…