Branch Living

God is still speaking” is a catchy phrase currently touted in some Protestant churches.

Sometimes its intent is to encourage believers to be aware of and listen to God’s “voice,” what he wants to say to us.

But, in other cases, it hints at the possibility that maybe some tenets of our faith are no longer true—or have never been true—we just misunderstood God in the past.

How does a believer sort this out?

Whenever I am confused, I fall back on the “facts” underlying my faith.

A house must be built on a solid, unmoving foundation. This is also true of our faith. Without absolute truths, our faith has nothing to rest upon. We have nothing to stand upon.

Without absolute, inviolable truths, the world can pull us anywhere.

So, what are those absolute truths? Here are 20:

As we celebrate freedom, it is essential to remember that our founders, those who drafted the documents on which our liberty is founded, believed that there was only one source of true freedom, and that was in God, our creator.

I grew up at a time when fathers were revered. The fathers in the television shows I watched were strong men who took care of their families. They were wise, compassionate, firm, and always took time for their kids. They teased their children and supported their wives. They were the dads we loved to watch!

But something happened between the time I was little and when my children were growing up.

With Sunday school attendance declining in most churches, I wondered, “How did Sunday School come about?”

This Sunday is Pentecost Sunday, commemorating the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Long before Christ, the celebration of Pentecost was a joyous occasion. It marked the wheat harvest, which occurred 50 days after the celebration of the barley harvest—the first fruits. The word “Pentecost” is Greek for “fifty,” which refers to the fifty days between the two festivals.

But, when Christ died, this celebration took a dramatic turn

Each year, I listen to a daily audio Bible podcast—and complete the Bible in one year. This year marks my sixth year through the Bible.

Why don’t I stop?

Every year, I learn new aspects of the Bible because each year, I am in a different place in my life, and the Holy Spirit speaks to me where I am.

The Bible is always fresh! It is always alive!

It is the only book that has a Living Spirit within it.

Each year, when I get to Judges in the Old Testament, I say, “Oh boy!” because I know what is ahead.

This week, I was listening to a minister on the radio who noted that in the days after His resurrection, Jesus did not appear to Pilate to tell him that he had been wrong in ordering His crucifixion.

Jesus did not appear to the Jewish leaders and chastise them for not believing and demanding His death.

He did not appear to the Roman soldiers who nailed Him on the cross.

Why?

My mother is Irish—which makes me Irish as well!

One of my favorite blessings is The Irish Blessing, which is a favorite benediction of my forefathers—and so appropriate for St. Patrick’s Day!

It is a great blessing for everyone—even if you aren’t Irish!