BLOG––Encouraged by Faith

(Dealing with Difficult People) Galatians 5:22-23 In horrible days that I now remember fondly, I worked in a stressful environment for a long time. My success was always uncertain. My competence was continually questioned, and not only by me. My job seemed perpetually tentative. Technically I...

I'm so proud of my son Scott Kenney for coming up with such a thoughtful communion meditation.  He delivered this on May 5, 2019, at East Side Church of Christ in Colorado Springs.   “Welcome to the Table of the Lord. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for...

Our world argues for everything to be mutually exclusive. We argue over position and place and prominence. We fight to be noticed, defended and celebrated. We argue over whose lives matter most, whose side God is on and whether he prefers elephants or donkeys, a socialist or free market...

You may have grown up quoting Hezekiah 6:1, “God helps those that help themselves.” Even if you know that verse is not in the Bible, you might believe it’s true. I think there is a true principle at work in that verse, but it was originated by an English philosopher and...

We have buried children decades before we expected. We suffer from debilitating diseases. We have listened to descriptions of a bleak prognosis. We are stressed with the burden of caring for aging parents. We are shamed by our perpetual fall into the same sins. We are chased by our godless...

I am, generally speaking, a positive person and am truly grateful to God for everything. But, there are times that I just simply get exhausted from the "messaging" that occupies my own mind and that is everywhere in the world. You know, the voices of others and your own sometimes doubting...

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all...

My mouth has got me into trouble a few times recently, and not just my mouth. It has also been my written words and my facial expressions as well. My words have not been as carefully chosen as they should be.  I have offended, and worse, hurt people I love dearly, and whom God loves. An...

“The Lord said to Moses, “Tell Aaron and his sons to treat with respect the sacred offerings the Israelites consecrate to me, so they will not profane my holy name. I am the Lord.”Leviticus 22:1-2 NIV It’s as if babies instinctively know the sacred. As if they...

Most of my life I’ve wanted to be what God wants me to be. I’ll admit there were some times when that was not my intent. I was fortunate to survive those interludes of self-centered folly, and I consider it a blessing from God to have experienced a few death-defying thrills without...