The Blackfoot Valley's News Source Since 1980
The Blackfoot Valley's News Source Since 1980
Sorted by date Results 26 - 45 of 45
Well spring has finally showed up, both on the calendar and in the warmer temperatures and melting snow. I know we are all glad for this time of year, especially after the rough month we had in February. The snow sure looks pretty, even when there is too much to plow and no place to put it. Seeing the snow fall reminds me of hunting excursions, road trips and the days of old when I was a timber marker and rode snowmobiles many miles in to the mountains of central Oregon to...
The basis for real change in one’s thinking, feelings and living is found in the Holy Bible. Even people that are not professing Christians have throughout history affirmed the value in the Word of God for living a good life. Many of our Founding Father’s were Christians. They believed in a personal God, the supernatural revelation of the Bible, the Person of the Holy Spirit, the salvation found only in the Person of Jesus Christ. Some were Deists, which is a belief that God...
To change biblically and travel the “self-confrontation journey” one must be born-again, a Christian, a Christ-follower; the terms may vary but you must be a person who has sincerely asked Jesus Christ to be your Savior. This is the priority principle. However, even if you are not a Christian, but you recognize there is a need for change you can still gain tremendous benefits tby applying God’s Word to your life. Taking the life principles of the Bible and applying them works...
This week I want to share some thoughts on how a person can change. But it is not change for changes’ sake, but how a person can change Biblically? How does a person adjust their thinking to match up with what God would have them think; or act or speak or live? I imagine most of us have heard that this “eternal life” God offers us is a gift. Unfortunately many reject this gift (Matthew 7: 13-14; John 3:16-21). If one does not have a sincere relationship with the Lord Jesus...
Well after almost one month of the New Year I imagine we all have failed in several or all of our New Year’s resolutions. It is very difficult to make changes. Old habitats die hard they say! For me that is most certainly true. A key aspect of failing to make changes in how we think, act, spend money, spend time or whatever the area is that concerns us, is that we go with the flow. By that I mean we fail to take a real and honest hard look in to our own lives. We keep doing w...
It looks like the ghost of winter past has decided to visit. We knew that we would have to plow, shovel and drive through a bit of snow before winter was out! If we wanted to complain about the heat we would have all migrated south for the winter, right? The beauty of the snow-capped mountains is wonderful. The sunshine on the ice crystals that form on the trees and shrubs is amazing. Hearing the laughter of my granddaughter playing in the snow is a joy. Yes there is a lot of...
Today many people are out returning gifts or shopping for bargains. The day after Christmas can be great for saving money, but the trade-off is that you must once again and go out and deal with the crowds and traffic. It is a choice that one must make. As 2018 winds down each of us should look back and honestly evaluate how well we did in making decisions this year. Some were simple, should I cut the grass or go for a hike? Others may have been do I take another three rounds o...
With the elections behind us it is time to celebrate! Yes, no more attack ads, the road-side placards are removed and the political phone calls have ceased! The people have spoken, and it seems once again we voted for “change”. It was a little over 10 years ago that the people voted for “change”, and we got a President who for the first time was a black man. With his election President Obama made more promises than a Chicago politician could ever live up (or down) to. For man...
Well a new week is here and with that we have new opportunities in store for each of us. For some it may be the chance to harvest your first deer or elk! Now that would be an awesome thing for sure! For others (like me) it may be a chance to harvest a deer or elk for the freezer this year. If you are looking for a job, maybe this week things will work out (no pun intended!) and the job of your dreams may happen. Or maybe it will be something to help pay the bills and keep you...
One of the greatest joys a minister of the Gospel has is to have those who sit under his teaching take the Word of God and apply it in their lives. It is satisfying when people actually read the Bible and learn what Jesus really was about. It is also something to read about how those who were opposed to him both as a teacher, and as Lord reacted to his message. Jesus was and is most concerned about the sin that separates us from his Father. This was the message Joseph heard...
Lisa and I have been on the road for over two weeks. It has been an awesome and wonderful trip. We have made new friends, renewed old friendships, and am getting to know and love our new daughter-in-law’s family. There has been a great spirit in all of our interactions with people. We have had nothing but friendship, politeness, and respect from people as we travel. People are genuinely excited about our Nation. It seems everywhere we have gone people are hopeful. There is a...
By the time this is in print I will be in Springfield, Ill. Then on the 23rd Lisa and I will be sharing our ministry with Zion Hill Baptist Church in Chatsworth, Ga. The following week it is on to Cleveland, Ohio to officiate our oldest son’s wedding, then a mad dash across country to get home! A vacation you say; hardly, although there will some “vacationing” along the way. We will be visiting with many old friends along the way, but not all and that is too bad. In order...
In the New Testament book called “James”, written by Jesus’ half-brother, there are several verses that people misread, or misapply on a regular basis. I hope that for most people it is an honest mistake. It is easy to come to a section of Scripture and read it, but fail to grasp the intent and application the author intended. Yes, there are some real basic and time-tested principles to properly interpreting and applying God’s Word in to our lives. Some read verse 22 of chap...
This past week has been a real enjoyable time for me and the members of the Community Bible Church of Lincoln and the Lincoln Baptist Church, and especially for the 32 wonderful people from South Side Baptist Church in Damascus, Arkansas. We have cut a log truck full of firewood for folks, repaired roofs, done some painting and plumbing work for the church building, and several other projects. It has been wonderful time of relational ministry to the Body of Christ and the comm...
I am sitting here watching the sun come up. It is a beautiful morning. The snow is gone, grass is green, bluebirds are around, and early summer has arrived in the mountains. I often do not take the time to enjoy this part of the day during early summer as I am busy preparing for or having a Vacation Bible School or camp. The stress and pressure of summer ministry is real and challenging. I know that over the years I have got better at trusting God with these efforts. Because t...
Last Saturday morning we were blessed to be able to sit around our kitchen table and talk with some dear friends from Tennessee who have come to assist us with Bible camp. We first met Doyle and Susan in the winter of 1994-95 when we started attending First Baptist Church in Benton. They became dear friends along with several other families. We spent seven wonderful years in that church family learning and growing together in our faith and friendships. But we moved to Montana...
When I arrived at church this past Sunday, there were some there whose faith and emotions had been terribly upended. They had found out about the couple who had lived in Lincoln that had many struggles which resulted in their lives being shortened by death this past weekend. I did not know this couple but my heart goes out to them and their families. I have had similar pain in my life and family. We were all very sad to hear of this, and prayed for the children, family and...
Investing money for retirement is a good and noble goal. After all, who does not want to have a bit of a nest egg to retire on? Social security is ok; it will help you some. But it was not intended to be the main source of one’s retirement fund. For many of us living in rural Montana, there is not the “old-school” safe and secure retirement program that people who worked in industrial areas have often had. Of course even the pension funds that were thought to be secure and s...
As we move through the month of May there are many things worth celebrating. If you are being inundated with water right now, you will be celebrating the lowering of the run-off, and assistance from neighbors and friends. Speaking of which, please do not hesitate to call me if I and the folks who make up Community Bible can be of any help to you. Being new to the community I do not know many of you yet, but hope to. If. Like me, you are a motorcyclist, you celebrate warmer...
My last “Musing” was titled “A New Beginning” and in it I shared some thoughts on being in community, and also on a new chapter in life as pastor of the Community Bible Church of Lincoln. I am very excited about that! But then again we are all excited about new things, new relationships, and the newness that springtime brings to our lives. But with new things there is change, and we often do not like change. Change causes us some feeling of discomfort doesn’t it? But to gr...
