Dear Brothers & Sisters, My children drew pictures of Super Dad for Father's Day. They are objectively bad art, but I love them, for they communicate the love and creativity of my children. I think of how our Father in Heaven looks at our attempts to paint His likeness in word and deed. Are we not all like kindergarteners trying to convey what is beyond our skill? Yet still he loves our attempts to honor Him. I do not say this to excuse misrepresentations of the Almighty Go

Dear Brothers & Sisters, There is, as they say, more than one way to skin a cat and there is also more than one way to worship falsely. 1) Offer homage and sacrifices to a false god (Exodus 20:3-6, 23) 2) Worship the true God (in name), but not according to his commands (Exodus 20:24-26, Isaiah 29:13). Many have fallen because they offered praise to God with their lips and even sacrificed in His name while they simultaneously refused to obey Him. God does not care for a form

Scripture Reading: Psalm 103 “I love You Lord, I bless Your Holy Name, I worship You.” These words roll so easily upon my tongue. There’s just one word that trips me up, a word so small, yet it means everything. All. All is not simple or tidy. All means even when the passion is gone and the happy glow has faded, when the worship set is over and the Sunday morning service done. All I have within me is what I want to give, yet so often all I give is some. But when I gaze upon

"And this is the judgement: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God" (John 3:19-21 ESV) Only the light of the truth can set you free. In the light my rotting

Shepherd of Israel Shepherd my Soul Lord I read of how you shepherded Jacob and freed your flock from Pharaoh's hand how you guided and took them through wilderness and gave them a home in Canaan Then when they left you again and again, you traveled far in search of them Lord I have been so stubborn and wayward, Will you lead me home again? We wander far from the God who created us seeking happiness and peace in things that are passing away. But the Scriptures reveal goo

[18] And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. [19] Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, [20] teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." [Matthew 28:18-20 ESV] "Go" he said and go we must to every nation. The ones in our backyard and across the ocean. Go with news of

Last week Shanay typed "Christian Mother's Day Cards" into Google and saw the following quote: "God can't be everywhere so he made mothers" There's only one problem, this "cute" saying isn't true. Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? [8] If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! [9] If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, [10] even there your hand shall lead m

Dear Brothers & Sisters, Mary didn't see him coming. She stood weeping outside the tomb and looking in she saw the angels. Then she turned and saw him, but thought he was the gardener. Only when Jesus called her name did she realize He was her Teacher and Lord (see John 20:11-18). Sometimes we take for granted the moment Jesus first appeared to his disciples. Think of it, the shock and awe and grief turned to delight. We're grown accustomed to the resurrection of Jesus, but t

Dear Brothers & Sisters, The Scripture are full of written prayers. Records of the prayers of God's people and testimonies of God's answers. The practice of writing prayers is less common today, but is of much value. Some of you may question, "why should I write down a prayer when I can just talk with God?" Others of you may feel as though you aren't much good at writing so "what's the use?" I will be the first to say that writing your prayers is not commanded in Scripture,

Dear Brothers and Sisters, Jesus taught us, " Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full ." (John 16:23-24) " In Jesus Name" We say the words so often in our prayers, but do we ever think about what (and why) we're saying them. 1) Asking in His name communicates a relationship with Jesus. If I went to the White House and said "T

Dear Brothers & Sisters, What do you do when the answer to your prayers doesn't come right away? Do you pout, get louder, or quit asking? I've done all of the above, but how should we respond? The prophet Habakkuk had questions for God, questions about God's plan for Judah and this was (part of) the LORD's response: " For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end - it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it ; it will surely come; it will not dela

Dear Brothers & Sisters, Farming is hard work all year round, but come harvest-time most farmers hire extra help in order to harvest their fields before the season ends. The bigger the operation the more help is needed. If this is true of the harvesting of grain, how much more so is this true of the harvest of souls. Matthew tells us, And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing ever

Dear Brothers & Sisters, There is a kind of prayer that is beyond words, groanings too deep to be uttered (Romans 8:23, 26). But the Apostle Paul would not have us choose between rational thought and unconscious spirit. What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also . (1 Corinthians 14:15 ESV) Prayer should not (ordinarily) be without words. Our mind as well as our spirit is

Dear Brothers & Sisters, Do you realize how privileged we are to know the LORD God? Moses wrote, " What great nation is there that has a god so near to it as the LORD our God is to us, whenever we call upon him? " (Deuteronomy 4:7) The old gods, the gods the nations worshiped, were cruel and unapproachable (see Deuteronomy 12:31 for one example of what these 'gods' required of men. The gods men worship today likewise fail us. Money, Power, Influence, Pleasure none of these

Dear Brothers & Sisters, I began a series of letters last year focused on the seven sins God hates recorded in Proverbs 6:16-19. These seven sins are a mirror to hold up to our lives so that we would see our sin clearly and turn to Jesus Christ for forgiveness and the power to change. Today's letter is the conclusion of that series. You can find the first installment here: https://www.christfellowshipcardston.com/post/hating-what-god-hates-9-30-25 . God's hatred for sin is

Dear Brothers & Sisters, " And Balaam took up his discourse and said, “Rise, Balak, and hear; give ear to me, O son of Zippor: God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it? Behold, I received a command to bless: he has blessed, and I cannot revoke it ." (Numbers 23:18-20) The pagan prophet Balaam was an ungodly man, condemned for his greed (see 2 Peter 2:14

Dear Brothers & Sisters, You're in a fight to the death with a dragon. Will you choose the pen knife or the sword? The Dragon: he's also known as the Devil, the accuser of the brethren (Further Reading: Revelation 12:7-12). The pen knife: Your wits and the world's best philosophies (Further Reading: Proverbs 14:12, Colossians 2:8) The Sword: The wisdom and power of the Word of God (Further reading: Ephesians 6:17, Hebrews 4:12, 1 Corinthians 1:18-31) David asks " How can a y

Dear Brothers & Sisters, I have written before about the extent of David's heart for God (see blog post: "Delight in the Thoughts of God" 7/9/24 ). He sought the LORD with an intensity that shocks our modern sensibilities; even to the point of saying "D o I not hate those who hate you, O LORD?" (Psalm 139:21). Yes, the same David who loved his enemies deeply. Consider David's words in Psalm 35:11-14 , this was a man who prayed that the wicked be destroyed, yet loved them

Dear Brothers & Sisters, Our Lord taught us "Look at the birds of the air" (Matthew 6:26) Some birds fly south, they let us know the cold dark season of winter is upon us. Their Creator has built within them a calendar for the times and seasons, so that they may migrate to warmer climates. But others stay in the cold and wake the dawn with their songs. Consider the little black-capped chickadee, the american tree sparrow, or the downy woodpecker. If such little creatures can

Dear Brothers & Sisters, Theology and Doxology are not opposites but twins. The study of God (theology) and the worship of God (doxology) should not be separated. David prayed to God " I will praise you with an upright heart, when I learn your righteous rules ."(Psalm 119:7) The knowledge of God's ways was His call to worship God. For this reason, I encourage you to study the Word in this and every season, to meditate on the person of Christ and His work and respond in praye