Harry Whitt on the Journey with Jesus
Prayer is as simple as a conversation with God. It is a privilege we possess and too often neglected. Jesus said, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you” (Matt. 7:7 NKJV).
Though I do not want you to overthink praying, there are a few emotional mistakes that are not theologically correct. Let’s explore a few.
Continue reading “How Not to Pray!”
As a child and young man growing up in church, I often heard people use the word “burden” quite often. Pastors would say they had a burden for their church. Friends would speak of “carrying a burden” for a family member. I don’t hear people use the term much anymore but I am very familiar with the term and the experience. I would define “burden” as a deep concern planted by the Holy Spirit to motivate us to prayer and action.
Continue reading “Spiritual Burden”
The village girl who had no worldly aspirations was chosen to be the earthly mother of a Heavenly Son. Her dream was to marry a common craftsman and fill his quiver with arrows called children. She saw not much more in her future than drawing water at a village well and baking flat bread. The faithful tasks of a wife and mother for the care of her family was her hope. She dreamed of moments of joy and fulfillment scattered among the mundane. This was her only view over the horizon.
Continue reading “Eternal Destiny Cloaked in an Unplanned Pregnancy”
I am amazed at the programming in creation by our Creator. Mankind, being the pinnacle of His earthly creation, has the greatest capacity for logical reasoning. Animals including man also have instincts. Instinct is part of the intellectual design God “hardwired” into his creatures for them to survive in this world. Instincts are not things that need to be learned, yet they can be sharpened by experience and reasoning.
Continue reading “Instinct and Discernment: Radars of Protection”
A grateful heart begins with seeing eyes to perceive God’s bounty. We see the blessings given to us as gifts beyond our efforts and intelligence.
A grateful heart hears with an ear of mercy to those who cry. We are moved with compassion just as our Savior was moved to heal and deliver.
Continue reading “Anatomy of a Grateful Heart”
Yep, nanner sammij, you heard it right! To those of you in the northern latitudes, I am not speaking in tongues. Nanner sammij is the correct term, pronunciation, and spelling (perhaps) for banana sandwich.
My years in elementary school were in the sixties. Only the spoiled kids had metal Roy Roger lunch boxes. Most of the kids who brought their lunch to school carried it in a brown paper bag. This made for a combination of memory-making aromas.
Nanner sammijes was the frontrunner of the aroma generators. The fruity nanner smell, the aroma of bread, and the microbial growth in the mayonnaise had a multiplied effect. Then all of that Petre dish combination was filtered through a brown bag. It makes my mouth water just thinking about it. It was a unique smell that put wrinkles on my gray matter. When I think of the lunchroom at Duck Springs Elementary School, this peculiar, yet fragrant smell returns.
Continue reading “A Southern Delight: Nanner Sammijes”
“Fake fruit on a dead tree”, is a phrase my pastor, Bro. Bradley Petrey, recently used in a sermon. It describes the look some folks try to portray in Christian circles. I told him, “I do not like the condition it describes but I loved the phraseology.”
Jesus used something similar when He said, “Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. / A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit” (Matt. 7:17-18 NKJV).
The fruit depends on the tree. Said another way, the tree determines the fruit.
Continue reading “Fake Fruit on Dead Trees”
Jesus used salt as an analogy to show the importance of being a true disciple. Salt performs two basic functions; it enhances taste, and it preserves. As Christians we bring flavor and meaning to a hopeless world. We also preserve society and order to a fallen world. How do we lose our salt factor?
Salt does not in itself deteriorate. Salt without its saltiness is contaminated salt. Salt is derived from the sea or from salt deposits in the earth. The substance we buy today is consistent and mostly free from contamination.
In the time of the New Testament it was not so pure. The water from the sea was evaporated leaving a residue of salt but the residue was not pure. It was often contaminated with other minerals and substances of the sea. If it became too contaminated, it lost its flavor or saltiness.
Continue reading “Saltiness of Christianity”
Old boots are much like ole friends. They started out a little stiff and perhaps a little awkward. In the beginning, they were not a perfect fit. However, the more time I spent with them, the more we molded as one.
Continue reading “Old Boots and Ole Friends”
I find choosing a paint color a little frustrating because there are just too many options. I ate in a foreign restaurant where I had a choice of meat but no option for the side dishes. When it came to the side dishes, you either ate them or left them. Of course, I usually ate them!
When it comes to being a true disciple of Jesus Christ, why do some folks think they have options?
Continue reading “True Discipleship Means No Alternatives”
Pathway Journey 