Author: Kathy Tucker

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23 Some may say that there is no such thing as ‘free anything”. Admittedly, with mankind there usually is a hidden catch. Anything that sounds too good to be true, usually is just that — not true. We have been conditioned to be alert to scams, tricks and deceit. We stay on our guard to prevent being taken advantage of or making a bad choice that we will regret later.  In Romans 6:23 though we read about a choice that we can make, which really should be a no-brainer. We all are given this choice. We can either reject Jesus and live in sin which will pay us with…

“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.”  Hebrews 10:24  “I am not my brothers keeper!” We have all heard these words before and may have even spoken them. While it is true that we are not responsible for another’s actions, the Bible says that as part of a Christ’s body, we are to encourage (spur)  each other toward good deeds.   Cowboys are known to  wear spurs on their boots to help get their horses to move faster or to go in the desired direction. It is a gentle nudge. We can give these gentle nudges to others when we lend a listening ear,  offer a helping hand, or express sincere gratitude. It might also simply be a warm smile, a…

“I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.” Ephesians 1:18 The prayer that the Apostle Paul penned when writing to the Ephesians is powerful and timely. The recipients of Paul’s letter were already Christians and Paul expressed his thankfulness for them in verses 15 - 17. He went on to say though, that he was asking God for more for them. Paul wanted to see these people grow in their faith, he wanted to strengthen their hope in Jesus and he wanted to make sure they knew that God was working on their behalf. …

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 The truest, most wonderful love story of all is summed up in the words of John 3:16 and is demonstrated in Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross!  God sent Jesus to be our Redeemer. Jesus fulfilled that role when He took on the sins of the whole world and  died on the cross. But the love didn’t end there, Jesus overcame death and rose to life again and now lives eternally with the Father, giving us a way to salvation. This week when you are giving and receiving Valentine cards and gifts, think about the One that loves you the most, the One…

“Be still, and know that I am God…” Psalm 46:10a Psalm 46 begins by declaring that God is our “refuge and strength’’, always present in trouble. The psalmist praises God for His power and describes His almighty actions to protect His people when overwhelmed with trouble.  In verse 10 God responds by telling the people to be still and know that He is God. We too face troubles that seem to overwhelm us. Stresses are everywhere — family, relationships,  jobs, finances. It is easy to let the problems of the world overtake us. It easy to become burdened down with worry and doubt.  But, we too are called to be still and recognize the almighty God. God will speak peace to our hearts and minds in those still, quiet moments…

“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 7:12 Treat others like you want to be treated. How many times have we spoken these words to our children as they were quarreling, or being selfish over a toy? We call it the Golden Rule, indicating its importance. Many probably learned it as a child in Sunday School. But Jesus’ words are not just parenting advice or words to memorize in Sunday School. They are not just suggestions to guide children. They are not advice, suggestions or just words at all— this is a command spoken by our Lord to teach us how we should strive to interact with others.   He said in everything…

“By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:35 People living in this area would probably say that the weather this past week was very trying. We had sub-zero wind chills, single digit highs, freezing rain, snow and frigid, high winds.  Businesses were closed, schools were closed and people were encouraged to stay off the roads. Events and activities had to be cancelled due to the weather. It was a tough several days. But through all of that, the love of God shone through. Churches and other organizations stepped up to open warming stations. Here people without heat could sleep, shower and get a hot meal. Individual businesses delivered food, medicine and other supplies to those in need. Coworkers  and some…

“I lift up my eyes to the hills—- where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” Psalm 121:1-2 “A little help here” is a phrase we might use when we get in a tight like trying to carry a heavy piece of furniture. Hopefully there will be someone close by that will lend a hand. Sometimes my granddaughter will call for help while playing a game or putting a puzzle together.  We find help on the internet when we are researching a particular topic. When we are sick , we look to doctors for help and we expect teachers to help our children learn. Our lives are filled with times for which we need help for one reason or another.…

“The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.” Numbers 6:24-26 God spoke this wonderful blessing to Moses and instructed him to pass it on to Aaron and his sons (the priests), who  were to speak it over the people of Israel. God intentionally wanted to bless His children.  How thrilling it must have been to hear these words for the first time! How  humbling it had to be to hear that God Almighty wanted to bless  and protect them; and that He wanted to shine His love upon them and surround them with His peace!  God loved His children very much. As God’s children today we are…

As we close out 2023 and welcome 2024 we will, no doubt, send and receive many well wishes. We wish for our friends and acquaintances a happy year, with good health and success in business and life. We wish them peace and joy, but most of all, we wish them blessings from our Father in heaven. Psalm 20:1-5 is a fitting message for us to share with everyone for the coming year. “1.May the Lord answer you when you are in distress; may the name of the God of Jacob protect you. 2.May he send you help  from the sanctuary and grant you support from Zion. 3. May he remember all your sacrifices  and accept your burnt offerings. 4. May he give you the desire of your heart  and make…