Rock Excavation Service

There are so many needful things, all demanding our attention. We ask ourselves, “Does God not hear them?” We know He does. Still, if we’re going to cast ourselves into the fray, it helps to know whether we’re in the right “fray.”

I happened to read a story written by a senior citizen who reminisced about her childhood. She was quite adept at painting a picture of her youth with words. It was fun to read her accounts of playing hide-and-seek with her siblings and cousins and the joy she experienced playing on her front porch. She wrote about a church across the street from her home. Then, suddenly, I read something she intended to be joyful, but it made me sad.This author had included a picture of her mom, dad, herself, and siblings, all dressed up and standing outside in “their Sunday best.” She wrote that her parents had a photographer come to their home around the same time each year to take a picture of them.There was a church right across the street from them, but they never attended. It seems that the only impact the church had on the family was to dress like the parishioners once a year and immortalize the annual event with a picture.I wondered, did the parents die unsaved? Did none of the siblings receive Jesus as Lord and Savior? Was the author ready to face eternity without the blood of Jesus covering her guilt? Did anyone from the church ever invite them to church? Did people in the congregation ever pray for the families around their church? I have so many questions, but no answers, just a deep sense of sadness.From her picture, it was exactly how my parents had us “dress up” on Easter Sunday - that’s what we called it back then. Resurrection Sunday is better. Each year, Mom would tell my sister and me that Jesus gave His very best for us, so we should meet Him in our very best. This made sense, but I hated wearing a tie, being a boy full of energy.Anyway, when Mom corralled Dad, Sister, and me, we’d pile into our red and white 1956 Chevy Bel Air and drive into town to our church to celebrate the Good News of Christ’s resurrection with our congregation. At some point during our pastor’s Easter sermon, he would quote the verse that would become my joy and strength:“He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you.” - Matthew 28:6–7I understand now, but as a boy, I didn’t fully grasp the Good News preached on Easter Sunday; I could tell it held a power that knit our small congregation together. Mom and Dad clung to the words of the sermon. At the time, I didn’t understand how deeply Mom and Dad had been hurt as children, having both lost their mothers during the Great Depression. But it wasn’t just my parents who fed on the Good News; each (saved) “grown-up” in the congregation was filled by the Holy Spirit with strength and renewal of commitment to Christ Jesus, their Savior. However, this wasn’t true for the author of the story I read. For her, it seems that there was no Resurrection Day.Paraphrasing her account, “We’d get dressed up in our Sunday best. The photographer would take our picture, and then we’d get back in our play clothes and enjoy the spring day.” Her family did not go to church, not even on Easter Sunday. Across her street were people who knew the power of “He is risen,” but she and her family were just dressed up with nowhere to go. I don’t think I’ve ever read a sadder story.How many people do we know who are like the five virgins who had dressed in their finest but found themselves unprepared, dressed up with nowhere to go? (Matthew 25:1-13)Whether your local church performs a cantata or your pastor preaches his Easter sermon, if we have placed our faith in Jesus, we are brothers and sisters with hope and a future because Christ Jesus has risen, just as He said.

God is described as complex and powerful, beyond human comprehension, who created the universe and knows every detail about us. He is loving and compassionate, offering refuge and forgiveness to all who accept Jesus as their savior. The text highlights various names of God from the Bible, emphasizing His sovereignty, might, and love.

This episode uses the joy of swimming pools as a metaphor for a vibrant Christian life. Just as a pool requires maintenance to remain inviting, believers need the Holy Spirit to nurture their faith so that they are inviting in how they present Jesus to others. Jesus gives us Living Water. Some will hate us because they hate the Water, but others will be drawn to come in.

I highlight the significance of discipleship in Jesus' time, emphasizing the need for close adherence to a rabbi's teachings, symbolized by “covering oneself in the dust” of a rabbi's feet. Also, I point out that acts of kindness towards even the weakest believers are noted as being done to Jesus. Followers are encouraged to show compassion to others, especially fellow believers.

The Gospel comes before our rights. Compromise Truth; never! Go to the back of the line when we are next in line? Sure, why not? The time I have belongs to God. If he wants to promote me, great; if not, I'll catch up on some emails while I wait.

In this episode, we will explore God’s endgame. What is He doing and why is He doing it? We will touch on why Jesus established the ministries of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers. And we will see what God desires from us. All in 5 minutes!

Paul tells the Jews, and us, that outward religious acts, even if they were valid before Jesus of Nazerith, no longer provide a way for us to draw close to God. Now, the only way is to live in Christ Jesus Himself.

Believing that God answers prayer is essential to being counted among His children. Prayer serves no purpose without faith. Jesus emphasized the importance of sincere prayer through His teachings and life. We can trust that God hears and responds to our prayers, as confirmed by Biblical scripture and historical events.

Several times in my life, a random person has used a battery as a metaphor. Once, on a frigid, pitch-black night, I was riding on the back of a friend’s black motorcycle, traveling to a prayer and praise meeting. At a stoplight, I asked why we were riding a motorcycle in freezing weather, in the middle of the night, to a home that “might” be hosting a Bible study. He turned to me and said, “_We don’t have self-charging batteries._” His metaphor stayed with me.

A prayer for a year of victories, both big and small, both seen and unseen. The prayer acknowledges that victories require battles and battles’ foes, but emphasizes faith in God, the ultimate source of victory.

The author reflects on how seemingly simple tasks, like losing weight or living Christian values, are fraught with complexities, including personal struggles and societal expectations. New Year’s resolutions may seem straightforward, but they conceal deeper challenges.

In a pre-Internet era, local Christian bookstores served as community hubs for revivals in the 1960s and 70s, supporting young evangelists and musicians. Discussions around selling tickets to concerts highlighted concerns over monetizing ministry and maintaining faith's purity, emphasizing motives behind such actions.https://rockexcavationservice.org/?p=11232

Dirk Willems was a Dutch Anabaptist martyr. He is famous for escaping from imprisonment for his Anabaptist beliefs, then turning back to rescue his pursuer, who had fallen through the ice while chasing him. This resulted in Dir Willems being recaptured, tortured, and killed for his beliefs.The things of God are not like those of the world. You can read the article at Rock Excavation ServiceThe Things of God

The article, with Scripture references, can be found at: Rock Excavation Service BrokenThe article highlights the inner struggle of seeking validation from emotionally unavailable people. It emphasizes God's desire to heal the brokenhearted and reassures readers of Jesus' unchanging love and support.

Between 30 AD and 500 AD, Christianity transformed from a tiny, marginalized Jewish sect into the official state religion of the Roman Empire, undergoing one of the most significant demographic and linguistic shifts in history.

The post explores how to live for Jesus in today’s fractured world, emphasizing faith over worldly distractions, possessions, or traditions.

Fleese is a sheep’s fruit. It is what they produce, other than more sheep and gyros 😉. Year after year, sheep grow their wool. They don’t think about growing their fleece; it’s not something they force. Instead, it is in their nature to produce wool, so they do.

Even when you stumble or feel inadequate, God has already determined to bring His work in you to completion. The focus is not on how but on who—God’s faithfulness ensures.