The Bible is our guide to following life in the way God intended. It shows us the ultimate example in Jesus’ life. It also give us hope and purpose beyond what we find in this time we live here. These are my findings as I journey through life.

Three Voices of God at Damacus Road Fellowship

God speaks to us in many ways. On a recent Sunday in October Stephen Williams, with True Path Ministry (TPM), discussed three methods at the Damacus Road Fellowship Church in Ennis, Texas. Nature, the Bible and the Holy Spirit were the focus of his sermon and he used photos from TPM’s ministry work in Mexico to illustrate each of his three points.

“For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse,” says the Bible in Romans 1:20 (ESV). Our maker speaks to the believer and non-believer through His creation. The fine tuned intricacies of our earth and universe are powerful witnesses for God. Mexico’s beautiful landscapes and butterflies were used as illustrations. Monarch Butterflies travel 3000 miles to spend winter in the mountains near where TPM operates.

“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart,” says the Bible in Hebrews 4:12. Hearing the Lord through the Holy Bible is a vital channel for our Lord’s voice.

“We believe we’re humans having a spiritual experience, but in truth, we are spirits having a human experience. The Bible is a spiritual book, written by a spiritual being to spiritual beings,” said Robert Morris, pastor of Gateway Church. His quote captures the importance of the Bible to Christians. In Mexico TPM takes the message of the scriptures and physical copies of God’s word where there are desperate people seeking His hope.

“For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues,” says the Bible in 1 Corinthians 12:8-10 (NKJV).

When Christians truly surrender themselves to Jesus, the Holy Spirit gives them special talents to use in service to humanity. TPM works with many believers in Mexico and the USA who are using their special talents to serve others in joy. TPM is empowered to do the Lord’s work in large measure because of the many forms of support we receive from both sides of the border. We do what we do because our Lord did what He did to save us for His eternal kingdom.

Note: Click on an image to see it larger.

Uplifting Psalm 118

The Bible is full of wisdom and uplifting assurance of God’s love for us. Psalm 118 is one of my favorites and here are a few excerpts from my English Standard Bible:

1 Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
    for his steadfast love endures forever!

5 Out of my distress I called on the Lord;
    the Lord answered me and set me free.
The Lord is on my side; I will not fear.
    What can man do to me?
The Lord is on my side as my helper;
    I shall look in triumph on those who hate me.

8 It is better to take refuge in the Lord
    than to trust in man.
It is better to take refuge in the Lord
    than to trust in princes.

22 The stone that the builders rejected
    has become the cornerstone.

24 This is the day that the Lord has made;
    let us rejoice and be glad in it.

This is the day that the Lord has made;
    let us rejoice and be glad in it.

28 You are my God, and I will give thanks to you;
    you are my God; I will extol you.
29 Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
    for his steadfast love endures forever!

Let Peace of Christ Rule Your Heart

My drawings are simple “doodles” I made while studying the Bible. It helps me to meditate and internalize the deep meaning of scriptures. I take to heart these powerful words that were written to Christians.

And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.Colossians 3:15 (ESV)

  1 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your] life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming.In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth.Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. 11 Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.

12 Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.  And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Colossians 3:1-15 (ESV)

Sharper Than Any Two-Edged Sword

The word of God is a powerful thing! “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart,” Hebrews 4:12.

It is our “sword of the spirit” as it says in Ephesians 6:17. But it only has power for us to use if we know it as recorded in the Bible and know the living word who is Jesus (John 1:1, 14). Sharpen your sword, read your Bible and worship the King of kings today.

Life’s Two Gates

For this sketch “Life’s Two Gates” I pulled from the Old Testament book Joshua 24:14-15 and New Testament book Matthew 7:12-14. I was reminded of the many righteous things we find behind the narrow gate and the
darkness that lies behind the wide gate.

I also realize that through Christ’s grace, forgiveness and love we can enter the narrow gate even if we started down the wrong way. That happened to me, for years I was following the way of the world. I’m by no means perfect now but my hope is in Jesus.

One of the ways I (Stephen) study the Holy Bible is through simple drawings I make as I read or as the Holy Spirit brings images to my mind. For all my drawings I rely on my English Standard Version (ESV) Bible. It is not a study Bible so it does not have commentary. But, it does have 10,000 cross references. I view it as scripture defining scripture. I show my references in the drawing, look them up and see if they are related in your spirit.

Note: Click on the image to see it larger.