Matthew 12:34 - "Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks". You know how it works, when you deposit money in the bank, you are able to pay bills and write the checks you need. To my amazement...
Read MoreC.S.I. - Christ Scene Investigation
John 20:6-7 (21st Century King James Version) "Then came Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulcher and saw the linen cloths as they lay and the napkin that had been about His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but wrapped together in a place by itself." The hit show C.S.I. has been around for a long time, and although I am not a fan, I am fascinated by...
Read MoreSix Powerful Words
Acts 13:43 “When the congregation was dismissed, many of the Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who talked with them and urged them to continue in the grace of God.” If you are ever asked to share your faith with a group of people and you are stuck for ideas...
Read MoreRun Under His Wings
Psalm 91:4 - "He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings shalt thou trust". When you picture a magnificent flying bird, it won't be a chicken that comes to mind. I've never seen a chicken fly, eagle yes, chickens no...
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Once Shaved, Always Shaved
1 Corinthians 1:8-9 – “Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.” I know that beards are making quite the comeback these days, but every day, no matter what, like most men, I shave...
Read MoreLive Loved. by Natalie Fortunato
Ephesians 3:17 (Amplified Bible) – “…May you be rooted deep in love {and} founded securely on love,” Livin’ large. Live, Laugh, Love. Live on the edge. Livin’ for the weekend. Live and let live. Live free or die. Livin’ in the fast lane. Live Mas! How about…live loved…by God. Imagine living every moment of your life loved. Deeply, intimately, unconditionally, and intensely loved. Imagine having the power to...
Read MoreDo the Next Right Thing
Isaiah 50:7 - "The Lord God will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded. Therefore have I set my face like a flint and I know that I shall not be ashamed." Have you ever found yourself feeling as if you've got far too many burdens, too many people depending on you, too many things on your list of things to take care of...
Read MoreBobo's Back!
Matthew 6:9 “Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed by thy name”. Some of you may remember me talking about Bobo in recent years, a dog in my neighborhood where I grew up. He was chained up in the yard at his house, all day long, rain or shine, near the softball field where we played. Bobo was a huge black dog with matted fur and very large teeth, and barked nonstop. Unfortunately...
Read MoreTake What's Yours
Matthew 6:11 – “Give us this day our daily bread”. Some of my favorite memories are of dinner time as a young boy in the Fortunato household. Imagine five kids, mom, dad, around the kitchen table…a lot could, and often would happen. People talked over one another, lots of hijinks, questions were asked that you were supposed to answer, it was really interesting. But there’s one thing that none of us ever did...
Read MoreRing in the New Gear
Philippians 3:13-14 – “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do , forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” To see God do something great in your life, quit can never be an option...
Read MoreDynamic Soaring in 2015
Isaiah 40:31 “But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” When I was in the window and siding business many years ago, there was a saying among the sales people, “Are you working hard, or working smart?”, meaning...
Read MoreThe Naughty and Nice List
Romans 4:4 “Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt". Christmas brings back some really great memories for me from my childhood. How about the lyrics to the song “Santa Claus is Coming to Town”? We used to sing that song all the time, loved it. But as I got older and really listened to the lyrics...
Read MoreStickability
Ephesians 6:18 - “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;” Stickability. Stick with it. Persevere. Press through until the end. Keep praying until you pray through. So many times, if something doesn’t happen as quickly as we think...
Read MoreAbsalomic Vinegar
2 Samuel 15:2 – “And Absalom rose up early, and stood beside the way of the gate: and it was so , that when any man that had a controversy came to the king for judgment, then Absalom called unto him, and said, Of what city art thou? And he said, Thy servant is of one of the tribes of Israel.” I really enjoy a nice salad with my dinner…and my dressing of choice – balsamic vinaigrette! Did you know that the name balsamic comes from...
Read More"Thanks-given"
2 Peter 1:3 "According as his divine power has "given" unto us all things..." My favorite holiday to celebrate has always been Thanksgiving. As a child, I have great memories of our family going to the big rivalry football game on Thanksgiving morning and then...
Read MoreGet on the "Say-Saw"
Gen 1:3-4 (Amplified Bible) “And God said, Let there be light; and there was light. And God saw that the light was good (suitable, pleasant) {and} He approved it; and God separated the light from the darkness.” When I was younger, I basically spent my entire spring and summer at the...
Read MoreThe 24-Hour Rule
Philippians 3:13 - “But this one thing I do, forgetting...” After a touch and go, back and forth, high drama battle against a top 10 college team, Hugh Freeze, coach of the Ole Miss Rebels football team, finally came out on top. It was the first time in decades that the University of Mississippi was on the radar for an important game. Amidst the celebration and student stampede to take down the goal post, ESPN interviewed Coach Freeze right on the field. They asked, “You just won one of the biggest games in Ole Miss history, what are you gonna do next week for an encore?” His answer...
Read MoreThe "Mess-terpiece"
Ephesians 2:10 (New Living Translation) “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things he planned for us long ago”. If you haven’t seen it already, I highly recommend the movie Moms Night Out for you and your family. It’s a wonderful celebration of the “mess” that sometimes comes with parenting. In the movie, when the moms go out for a much needed night out with the girls...
Read MoreHave Your Logged Onto "Faith-Book" Today?
Romans 10:17 – “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God”. Did you know there are currently 1.32 billion monthly active users on Facebook? That’s astounding to me. Americans spend an average of...
Read MoreThe Holy Ghost Tugboat
1 Peter 1:21 - "For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." Tugboats. What comes to mind? The Saturday Evening Post comical magazine stories about Tugboat Annie? Nothing in particular? Get this...
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