Submitted by Andy McIlvain.
Right now in America and around the world there is much angst. Our continuous American election cycle and the pandemic along with life in general has many people on edge. God has historically always used plague/pandemics to reorder, reveal, and reset our lives. As serial sinners we grow far to comfortable with the status quo and fall into patterns of this world that are sinful, unholy, and evil.
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Submitted by Andy McIlvain
In the book of Job there is a lot of talk in the heavenly realm about humans on Earth. But what has changed is that now at this present moment our risen Lord in his physical self is talking to God the Father concerning his children (all of us), based on his experience as a human on earth.
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Submitted by Andy McIlvain
We live in the most distracted age in history. And we in the West are the most distracted.
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Submitted by Andy McIlvain
Racism is as old as mankind. It is a sin and an attitude that finds its roots in our pride. We as Christians should be offended by it at the least and do whatever we can within our sphere of influence to keep it from happening.
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Submitted by Andy McIlvain.
You are the keeper of your story. For as long as God permits you to live you have a responsibility to be morally responsible, virtuous, and truthful. That lifelong process of spiritual growth begins by understanding that what you are in private, what is at the center of your heart is what God sees. Our secret, silent and private sins are hidden from no one. When we think or overtly commit sins, we do two things: we deny God’s omnipotence and we go against his absolute righteousness.
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Submitted by Andy McIlvain.
As I sit at home with my wife under a stay at home order for our state I am grateful. Just a few short months ago the world went about its everyday routine at a frenetic pace, nothing could affect us (or so it seemed), we were – we thought – masters of our own fate. Now store shelves are empty, many things are in short supply and will become even harder to get. This virus, this disease we now call Covid-19 is seemingly the topic of most of our conversations and the focus of our day. Yet what we have is a forced slow down, a grinding to a halt of all economic and social systems.
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Submitted by Andy McIlvain.
Recently I met a friend I had not seen since the pandemic began. He was not his characteristic confident self. He was fear stricken. Understandably being in his 70’s he must be prudent and safe, but his demeanor was that of anxiety and fear as was our conversation. Continue reading
Submitted by Andy McIlvain.
What will you pray for? As this slow calamity unfolds around the world and in America what will you pray for? At some point in the future, we may be able to look back and discern some of what God is doing through this worldwide calamity. But not now. Now we must reflect and pray. Continue reading
Submitted by Andy McIlvain.
In my day to day employment in healthcare, disease, suffering, and death are ever before me. The list of names of patients, many of them friends that have suffered and died on my watch, is lengthy. Continue reading
Submitted by Andy McIlvain.
Men are you a spiritual father? Does your family and friends, the people you meet know that you are a Christian and that the Lord is the center of your life? If we want our children or anyone for that matter to be lead toward Christ, we must be able, like Paul to say, “Watch me.” Continue reading