The Caffeinated Christian

In 1 Samuel 24 David has an opportunity to take Saul’s life and bring an end to a long, dangerous, abusive episode.  But instead, David decides to cut only the corner of his robe. Small decisions can lead to big mistakes.  David explains the ‘why’ of what he did by saying, “I have not sinned against you, though you hunt my life to take it.”  As much rage, anger, and frustration as there must have been in David in that moment, he made a clear-headed decision that kept him from committing a personally damaging sin. Our bodies are full of feelings, our mind filled with fantasy, our ears are filled with condoning voices, our eyes are filled with gratification, our lives are full of passion; all of which make us easy prey for temptation.  But we are not animals, we are living souls that are capable of self-control.  I f  you can question yourself, you can control yourself.   Here are five questions to ask before you make a small decision that may lead to a big mistake. QUESTION YOU

Originally posted 7/11/2017 The Bible says in Romans 8:26-27 that “the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.” Sometimes you preach sermons. Sometimes you watch them. I’m not here to split theological hairs over the interpretations and applications of Romans 8:26-27, I just want to share with you what I saw and heard last Sunday.    After our late service two ladies approached me with some urgency and excitement about a conversation they didn’t know how to handle. One of the ladies, Julie, had brought with her two adults, a male and a female, who have mental handicaps and are under the care and supervision of one of her family members. Julie explained the situation. The lady of the two was physically in her fifties, but men

Idiot - a foolish or stupid person. Living in SEC country there is a fervor we share as fans for football that is on the razor's edge of fun and idiocy.    At times it is hard to tell the difference. We spar one another when we win or when we lose. Nothing is going to change that. It’s too much fun.   But it is somewhere in the rest of this that fervor turns into something else: when we critique the coaches and players ad-nauseum, when we live vicariously through people of whom we cannot control, for whom we make no sacrifice, and with whom we do not share in any of the sufferings they go through physically to do what they do on the field for our entertainment. We go too far when we press upon them an image and an expectation that no human can possibly live up to; one of which we should all be thankful is not pressed upon us. So many times our future happiness is tied up in "a game." That’s not fun. That’s idiotic.   Trust me, every player and coach that is actuall