Blogs – Church of God Independent Ministries, Medina, Ohio

THE FALL OF GRATITUDE – BLOG 64

Have you ever heard the words, “kids these days aren’t grateful.” Well, what about adults? What about the majority of our society? We live in a very busy world. It’s easy to get caught up in the vast, fast-paced society we live in. We live in an age of abundance. We can have food sent to our doors without even leaving our couch. We have access to an endless amount of information right in our hands on our phones.

ARE YOU EATING FROM THE TREE OF LIFE? – BLOG 63

Here we go again…
Overwhelmingly, many people in the United States of America are gearing up to celebrate perhaps one of the darkest days of the secular year – Halloween. And not for the first time. As regular as Summer’s Warmth or Winter’s Chill, the occult holiday of Halloween appears somewhere in between.

DOES VOTING FRAUD EXIST? – BLOG 62

Since the November 2000 election, when George W. Bush and Al Gore were in the heat of controversy over Florida’s election, about hanging chads, dimpled chads, and pregnant chads, the suspicion around “rigged” elections has gained enormous interest. It seems that unless an election is won by a large margin that erases any suspicion of “cheating,” we now question and scrutinize whether our elections are stolen.

THE NARCISSISIM EPIDEMIC – BLOG 61

In 1971, McDonald’s launched one of the most successful advertising campaigns in American history. It was “You Deserve a Break Today.” The message seemed harmless enough, but it reflected a growing cultural shift. Around that same time, America became known as the “Me Generation,” (a term popularized by Tom Wolfe), with increasing emphasis on self-fulfillment over duty, responsibility, and sacrifice.

DO YOU REFLECT CHRIST IN YOUR LIFE? – BLOG 60

A question sometimes comes up in our lives about our merciful Savior’s sacrifice. Do you know what it is? It goes something like this: Do you live your life reflecting and being mindful of the sacrifice that Jesus made for you?

For a Christian, this question matters. We should, without a doubt, live our lives appreciating the cost that Jesus paid for our sins. As Christians, we should live to honor Jesus with our every word, thought, and action. However, it goes deeper than that… or at least it should.

THE TIMES OF THE SEASONS BLOG 59

Here in beautiful Western North Carolina, in my beloved “Upstate” of South Carolina, we experience four distinct seasons: Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter. These seasons have been set from the beginning by God specifically for his people to assemble for worshiping him.
“And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:”
-Genesis 1:14

CONTENDING WITH CONSPIRACY THEORIES -BLOG 58

Interestingly, the term “Conspiracy Theorist” is surrounded by a conspiracy theory of its own, concerning the origin of the “term.” Many think the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) originated it, but surprisingly, it was used in the 19th century. As early as 1863, Charles Astor Bristed of the New York Times mocked and accused the British Elites of arranging the circumstances of the American Civil War for profit. However, the phrase meant nothing more than the “idea about a secret plot.” It was simply regarded as a news story. It was not considered a derogatory label until the 20th century.

SHOULD WOMEN PREACH? – BLOG 57

The question of whether women can give sermons in church keeps coming up. As a Christian woman, I hear it discussed among congregations, Bible studies, and online conversations. Many churches are now ordaining women as pastors, bishops, and elders. Some branches of Judaism even have female rabbis.

Salome: The Mother of Boanerges – BLOG 56

We are introduced to the Zebedee family in Mark 1:19-20. They are in the fishing business and are in their boat, mending their nets. Jesus comes walking by after calling both Peter and his brother Andrew to follow Him, and says to James and his brother John to follow Him as well.

Apparently, we are told they left their dad immediately, who was in the boat with the hired servants, and followed Jesus. This appears to be an odd situation. Clearly, who just leaves their family business (which was large enough to have hired help) when asked by what appears to be a stranger, and to follow Him (Matt. 4:21-22)? It doesn’t seem to make sense unless, perhaps, Jesus wasn’t a stranger? This will become clearer as we proceed.

HAPPY 250TH BIRTHDAY AMERICA – BLOG 55

Many have called this nation the “American Experiment!“ Considering the many challenges this nation has faced in its journey, it’s a miracle that it survived the obstacles that tested its resolve and determination. Frankly, when considering the odds against winning its independence from the world’s greatest military at the time, with a ragtag militia, you would suspect there is more here than meets the eye.