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  • “Watch and see.”

    December 16, 2025

    Hang onto your Stetson, the wind is going to be screaming for the next four days! With all of the “weird” things going on around our world, this weather is like nothing I’ve ever seen this time of year, here in Wyoming. We should be knee deep in snow by now and instead we are having sixty degree days! Speaking with a good friend last night at the girls’ basketball game, I mentioned that I’m concerned that sooner or later we are going to pay for this beautiful weather. He agreed and added, “Yep it’s either going to completely snow us in, or we are headed into a severe drought.” I figure he is correct. I know our Lord has this whole thing figured out, all we have to do is “watch and see.”

    My dad was never one to do a lot of explaining about most situations. When I was in grade school, I would ask “how,” or “why” about something and his response was always, “watch and see.” In another words, “quit asking questions and just watch, you’ll figure it out.” He taught by example, not words.

    I remember a time when we were helping a neighbor work some cattle. We pushed about 50 head of momma cows and their babies into a fence corner, ’cause this ‘ol feller wanted to sort off a hand-full of pairs. Dad and I sat on the perimeter with our horses, loosely holding the bunch in the corner. The neighbor tied up his horse about thirty yards down the fenceline and commenced to sorting, on foot.

    I suggested to my dad that the ‘ol boy was going about this project all wrong, to which my dad commented, “watch and see.” Sure enough, Mr. Rancher got his pairs sorted out and we moved them to a different pasture. Once again, I needed to keep my opinions to myself and just “watch and see.”

    I was in my early teens when I and another older feller went to helping folks with their Fall cattle work. We worked cattle in more places and in more fashions than my compadre had ever seen before, but we always got the job done. One day we were helping a “city raised” neighbor work his cattle, and that which most folks would have called a wreck, turned out just fine when I convinced my friend to just “follow this ‘ol boy’s lead, his cows are plenty familiar with the process.”

    In another words, “watch and see.” It didn’t take too long before we had the cattle work completed and were eating a great lunch his little wife had prepared for us. On the way home, my friend commented, “I do believe that you could work cattle with a School Marm.” That was his way of saying that my “watch and see” method seemed to work, regardless if someone’s methods made sense to us or not.

    Sometimes I have to apply the “watch and see” mind set as I watch our Heavenly Father do things that I don’t completely understand. I’ve learned rather than ask God questions about “how” or “why” He is doing things, usually all I need to do is follow His lead as I “watch and see.” Often, our questions are a challenge to how God is going about a certain situation, yet if we just humbly follow His lead, most things get done just fine.

    After all, God has told us that His way of doing things is better than our way of doing things. In Isaiah 55:8 we read, “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways, declares the Lord.” Within this passage God goes on to explain that His ways are much higher(better) than ours and all that He asks is that we walk in His ways so that He can use and bless us.

    For each of us, we have our “way” of doing things, and that is just fine, for around our outfit. But there are times that we get to help someone else, and at those moments we become like the commercial says, we are “young adults becoming like our parents” – we are sure that “the best way to do that is to do it the way I would do it.” However, we often need to just “watch and see” as God uses us to accomplish His much better ways. No questions, just follow His lead and we’ll get the job done.

    Practicing “watch and see” with you, Neal

  • Building upon difficulties.

    December 15, 2025

    At 4:30 a.m. we have 41 degrees, looking forward to 57 for today’s high. With a 9-mph breeze, I hope to get some more things buttoned up outside. Today will mark half-way for this last month of this year. Time sure enough is going by way too quickly.

    O.K., let me make it clear, I never once felt abused when I was a kid. Times and people were just different back then. You had to be tough to make a decent run at this thing called life. At a very young age, I realized that I was responsible for me. The kind of man I would become depended upon what I learned from being around other people. I had several examples of folks I did not want to become like, but on the other hand, I also had several examples of people that I tried really had to become like – they were fantastic folks who did their best to build positive traits into my life.

    I was extremely blessed in that I had several men who set the bar high for my life, and then they invested time into my development as someone who would know who he was. Yes, in a real sense, I was the community foster child to several great families. Each one showing me what unconditional love looked and felt like. They did their best to allow me to be a member of their loving family. Families I still cherish to this day. No, I was never abused nor used, I was greatly blessed and directed.

    In 1982, my Heavenly Father welcomed me into His family. A family of unconditional love, a family with high standards, a family that accepts each other where they are, but also a family that desires to help each person find their created purpose and live it to the max. Christianity really is about family! As a family, we love each other through good times and stand by each other during difficult times. We pray for and with others, always trusting All Mighty God to do His work within the lives of our family members.

    Perhaps the difficult years of my life help me to celebrate where and how I get to live now! I am so blessed to have an absolute soul mate for a wife. She blessed me with three amazing little ones who are now great parents, individuals and people who care for other people in genuine ways. And from the three, we have received a passel of grandchildren, and now we are being blessed with great-grand-children! I LOVE our family!

    And then there are the church families that Miss Deb and I have been blessed to get to be a part of over these last 40+ years. We have been given deep relationships all over this country (we spent yesterday afternoon with one of those groups of dear family members). Man, what a life we have lived, and what a life we look forward to living, until our Lord calls us to come and spend eternity at His house!

    No, I am not abused, I am abundantly blessed! I have experienced the truth that the difficult circumstances of this world are God’s way of giving us two choices: we can either become bitter or better. Please, allow the difficulties of your life to be the hands of God, shaping you into who He wants you to become. After all, if we work with God, it sure makes this journey way more enjoyable.

    Jesus tells us that “each day has enough troubles of its own.” Use those troubles to help you build a solid foundation to stand on, holding onto the hand of Jesus all the way. I join the Apostle Paul in stating, “but not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, … “(Rms.5:3-5) “Tribulation,” difficult times, are intended to help us become who God wants us to be, or they can help us remain who Satan wants us to be. We each have to decide which one we will work with, realizing that we will live with that family for eternity. As Joshua stated, “I choose God.” (paraphrase)

    Choosing to follow God with you, Neal

  • Blessed to be a blessing!

    December 14, 2025

    Eight degrees with heavy frost, headed for 56 for a high, and I can wear my Stetson today!

    From the time I was around seven years old, I got loaned out a lot. That is, I would leave our house at daylight, or sometimes the night before, to ride to a neighbor’s place to work for him for one to three days usually, sometimes for a week. It was always scarry sleeping at someone else’s place, usually in an old building or a barn. Every now and then, I would score sleeping in a basement. The even scarier part though was having to eat at some of the outfits I went to.

    We had one neighbor lady who would place all of the dirty dishes and silverware on a board that stayed on the floor of their kitchen. After placing all of the dirty dishes on that board, she would open the door and let three coyote hounds in, they would lick everything clean. She would then wipe each item with the bottom of her crusty apron and put everything back in the cupboard, ready for the next meal.

    Another ‘ol gal that I had to work for on a regular basis, carried a switch with her all of the time. If I wasn’t working fast enough or doing things the way she wanted, I got the switch. Boy, she could leave my legs and backside looking like a zebra, cussing like a crazy woman all of the time she was laying it on. But I reckon I survived.

    The work done for a neighbor usually involved working cattle in some form, haying, or fixing fence. I enjoyed one of those and dreaded the other two. But I had been raised to do my part, no matter the task. I remember one time, I was handed a shovel, directed to the family out-house and told to dig a hole beside the present structure. It was to be four feet by four feet and six feet deep. Oh ya, it was also out in the open, in July, so it was terrible hot, and the ground was like cement. And to top that, the new hole was to be on the east side of the existing outhouse, of course, the breeze was out of the west. I would have quit if I could of, but that was never an option.

    Every now and then, one of the neighbors would pay my folks for my labor. Those funds were always used by my mom to buy groceries or something needed. I learned at a very young age that we all worked to keep our outfit afloat, not for personal gain. I think I was probably in junior high before I was allowed to keep a paycheck for my own use. I cashed it and took both of my little sisters to the local ice cream shop the next time we were in town. Of course, we brought dad and mom both an ice cream cone back with us!

    By the time I was in high school, I bought all of my own clothes, school supplies, and footwear. A pair of new boots would cost a feller twenty to thirty dollars, a week’s wages, if I got paid at all for helping neighbors. There was no need to grumble or complain about any of it, it was just the way things were.

    Yet now as a Christ-follower, I marvel at how my Heavenly Father took such good care of me and how He always met my needs, and He is still doing the same! When I look back at some of the places I had to work, some of the folks I had to work for, and some of the conditions I had to survive under, I know that God had a plan for my life, or I would have been dust long ago.

    And today, I get to teach the adult Sunday School at our local church! Not because I’m anything special, but because that is what the Holy Spirit has equipped me to do. He gives spiritual gifts and opportunities as He sees fit, and that excites me. I’m constantly amazed at the opportunities the Spirit has given me, to help, to encourage and to bless others. I don’t think my dad had any idea that he was training me to be “other” focused, but I’m sure glad that he did. After all, I get to keep today’s pay checks – no not money, but great hugs, smiles and the blessing of seeing folks fall in love with Jesus!

    You see my friends, most often our Heavenly Father doesn’t put a dollar benefit with helping others, but He sure provides and protects. I constantly marvel that I get to serve the greatest King this world has ever known!

    So, how about your life? Do you serve the King of Heaven, or the king of cash? When everything we do has to have a dollar amount tied to it, we miss the blessing of being a blessing. For you see, according to God’s promise to Abraham, we are blessed to be a blessing, not to get rich. After all, how was it that Jesus said it, “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?” A person’s soul is that part of you that makes you, you. Our soul contains several elements of who we really are, including our emotions and desires. Chasing money has a way of negatively impacting both of those.

    Being a blessing with you, Neal

  • It’s a puzzle!

    December 13, 2025

    Good morning, friends. At 5 a.m. it was 21 degrees and extremely quiet here in Lusk. There was no wind, nor any trucks on the highway. The only sound was absolute quiet. So, I just sat in the quiet and listened for the Holy Spirits to speak into my life. He did!

    It is now 5:45 a.m., the wind is blowing, trucks are running up and down the highway that goes through our little town and my computer is clicking and clacking. Though each of the sounds that I can hear around me right now are sounds of life, I must admit, I really enjoyed the complete quiet while spending time withnthe Holy Spirit. What an amazing God we serve!

    Well anyway, as I mentioned yesterday, Miss Deb and I are trying to spend some time throughout our day and evenings working on jigsaw puzzles. Not only is it relaxing and gives us time together, working on puzzles is also good for our old brains and our arthritic hands. I highly recommend that you consider turning off your TV, dumping a jigsaw puzzle in the middle of a table and enjoy.

    However, I would like to make one more suggestion: Purchase a new puzzle of 500 pieces. Invite a friend over to help you with the puzzle and maybe some coffee and pie (cherry is my favorite)! By the way, here’s the twist. Have the friend join you, dump the puzzle out on a table and then ask your friend to take one piece of the puzzle out of the pile, place that piece in their pocket and take it home with them. (Now, if your friend is getting on in years, you might want them to tell you where they put that piece for safe keeping at their house, so that you can help them remember where they put it for later use. 🙂

    Then the two of you sit down and start working on the puzzle, visiting about whatever the Spirt leads you to talk about. Remember, no gossip, that’s never of the Lord. Jus visit, enjoy the company and relax with your drink and food of choice. Allow your brain and hands to stay busy while you talk with a friend – perhaps a few words of encouragement would be excellent medicine for that friend.

    After they leave, spend some time each day working on your puzzle. As you work, pray! Pray for your friend and their family, pray for your family, pray for those on your prayer list, for your church, for your community and national leaders, pray for the salvation of others, and especially pray for wisdom and discernment as you speak of spiritual matters with those you will come in contact with later this week. Remember to also spend some time praising God for how He is at work in your life.

    You see, using this method, not only is the puzzle good for your physical life, but it is also good for your spiritual life. Sometimes, life itself is just a puzzle waiting for God to help you find the right piece for the right place. As He puts the pieces of your life puzzle together, you get to watch the picture of your life come together.

    The day before you finish your puzzle, invite that friend to bring back the “missing” piece. They will enjoy seeing what you have completed on the puzzle, and they will also enjoy helping you finish the puzzle with the missing piece. Perhaps it is now time for more coffee and goodies, and then if you are not sure your friend is a Christ-follower, mention how a relationship with Jesus may be the missing piece in their life. For as you know, knowing Jesus puts many of the life-puzzle pieces in place. Be sure to take a couple of minutes and share with your friend how they are a very important piece in the puzzle called your life. Laugh together, cry together if needed, and celebrate your friendship.

    Last step: take the puzzle apart, box it up and give it to your friend. Encourage your friend to repeat this process with someone else who is a blessing within their life. Share how you pray during your “puzzling” times and how God has answered many of those prayers. Encourage your friend to do the same as they work on that same puzzle. Using this method, one simple puzzle can be used to spread fellowship, joy and encouragement around your hometown! (Perhaps have everyone who completes this process sign their name on the inside of the box upon completion of the puzzle?)

    Working on this puzzling thing called life with you, Neal

  • Yeah God!

    December 12, 2025

    Well, I’m finally back home and able to get to my computer. This has been a grand day! Miss Deb, Coffee and I all went to Scotts Bluff today to get groceries and to continue celebrating my beautiful bride’s birthday with a meal at Culvers. I know, nothing fancy, but we both enjoyed a “store bought” meal and some time just for the two of us.

    Then back to Lusk to get to visit with a very special friend, with the extra special blessing of getting to help him accept Jesus Christ as his Savior! Praise be to God our Father for calling him to salvation! Jesus, Your sacrificial blood was applied to another soul this very day.

    After that, we went to a recital where two very special young ladies blessed us with some great music. Oh for sure, there we other youngsters who also did a great job displaying their musical abilities, but our two young ladies are extra special, to us anyway.

    The next item of our day was to return home, turn up the furnace and praise God for giving us so many special blessings on this otherwise cold and dreary day. Forty-three degrees colder today than yesterday, yet this was a beautiful day.

    I hope that your day was as special as ours. May we each continue to be available to be used by our Lord for His glory, and for the good of those around us. After all, we each just pass on the blessings that our Lord has given to us: He has given us life; He has called us to salvation; He has given us gifts; He expects us to use all of that for His glory. What a joy it is to see Him at work within and through our lives! All we have to do is be available for whatever, and however, He wants to use us.

    Now, Miss Deb and I are about to tackle our jigsaw puzzle. Hopefully you have something equally as enjoyable to do as we each unwind from the business of this day. I often comment to Miss Deb just before going to sleep, “I think this day is tired of me, “love ya, good night!”

    So now, I send that same comment your way. If God should allow, we’ll take another run at it tomorrow. Blessings my friends, Neal

  • Just pray!

    December 11, 2025

    At 4:30 a.m. the temperature is 51 degrees, headed for 61. The problem is that the wind gusts are predicted to match the temperature for today. This is a special day around our outfit, it’s Miss Deb’s birthday. For the next four months we are the same age, old.

    I can’t say for you, but my prayer page is completely full right now. Don’t get me wrong, I feel blessed to get to pray for folks, it’s just that today, so many of those requests are really heavy. But then, isn’t that why the Lord told Joshua to be “strong and courageous?” Joshua was headed into a physical battle, while mine is a spiritual battle.

    As a pastor, I can’t do anything to help these dear folks that I’m praying for find an answer to their prayer request, only God Himself can help them. My part is to present those needs before the throne of grace and allow our Heavenly Father to decide the best course of action concerning each person.

    This morning’s prayer requests range from salvation for a loved one, to another coming back to Jesus, to someone dealing with emotional stress, to several needing physical healing, while still others are waiting for the Lord to call them home.

    I must admit, praying for physical healing is the toughest prayer for me. You see, sometimes, God allows suffering to be the avenue to help someone come to salvation, or a to deepen a person’s faith in God. So, I jump in and pray that He bring a quick healing to their pain, but that pain might just be the best thing for them at this moment? Perhaps in this situation I am best to follow the example Jesus gave us in the Garden of Gethsemani, “Not my will, but Thy will be done.”

    And then there are the prayers for our nation! Perhaps Moses prayed it best when he said, “Pardon, I pray, the iniquity of this people according to the greatness of Your lovingkindness.” There is so much strife, deceit, greed and pain in America today, yet the real King is still upon His throne, and I yield my request to His wisdom. I wonder, how often does God uses situations in our nation to draw someone to Himself, while using similar circumstances to discipline others. Perhaps the tears of the heart are the best prayer for this nation?

    For today, I pray as King David prayed, “In the morning, O Lord, You will hear my voice; In the morning I will order my prayer to You and eagerly watch.” That is one of the lessons my Lord has taught me concerning prayer, I am to pray and then watch to see what He wants to do, and then praise Him for the result. For you see, in some situations, a season of prayer is required. I often think that our Lord is using the situation to teach me to pray expectantly and constantly. I always pray knowing that He will work, in His time and in His way. My part is to “watch,” while I continue to pray for the same person, or situation over and over again. Often the Holy Spirit burdens my heart to pray, not only for others, but also for myself, each prayer time beginning with a prayer of confession.

    Regardless of the circumstances, regardless of the frequency or urgency of the prayer, there are times that all we can do is pray – yet is there possibly anything greater that we could ever do? To be allowed the blessing of praying for others is one of God’s greater gifts to His children. For I suspect, we all need a “healing” in some way or another?

    As the Apostle Paul challenged us, “pray without ceasing.” Our part is to pray; His part is to heal in whatever way He knows to be best.

    Anticipating His healing grace with you, Neal

  • Free Rein!

    December 10, 2025

    Looks like we are jumping into two more days of stiff breeze. I reckon when the wind gusts are over 100 miles an hour, the wind is officially blowing! But with three days of strong wind, we will really appreciate it when the wind comes back down to 12-15 miles per hour. Sometimes our Lord sends us some tough stuff, so we better appreciate when the better shows up.

    Here we are looking straight into the eyes of the end of 2025. I remember when the year 2000 was on the horizon, the media did all they could do to convince us that life was going to pretty much end because of computer failures. Can you believe it, the media hype was wrong, again.

    Oh for sure, the end of life as we know it could come at any moment, but I don’t think the media is going to have much to say about it until after the fact. I wonder how they will account for thousands of Christ-followers leaving the earth all at once???

    Well anyway, for today I would like to visit with you about something that is very dear to my heart. Now let’s get it straight, I’m not trying to make you follow my agenda, I just want to share some feelings with you and then perhaps ask some questions.

    I miss having a horse! All of my life I have had some kind of a horse (remember, a donkey was my first one), up until 2016. In 2011 we moved to a different location to help a freshly wounded church find healing in their life with Jesus. By God’s amazing grace, they found their healing and are impacting their community with the Gospel message even today! While we were at that location, the Holy Spirit lead me into a new ministry, helping men determine what it meant to be “a man of God.”

    To better facilitate this ministry, we moved back to Wyoming in 2016. Because we couldn’t afford enough land to keep my horses, they all went to new homes, and I have not had a horse since. I must admit, there is seldom a day goes by that I don’t think of how awesome it would be to have a horse friend once again. But due to the fact that we now live in town, I reckon that such a yearning is nonsense.

    So let’s shift gears now and take a good gander at the little feller in the photo below with his prancing steed. Looking at this picture, it is easy to “feel” the love between a feller and his horse. As Teddy stated, “The outside of a horse is good for the inside of a man.” I miss those relationships I’ve been blessed to have with good horses.

    Not only is it good to have “chores” to do, it is also good to have a friend to visit with who doesn’t talk back. They just listen and love. Perhaps we should have a little more “horse sense” and a few less opinions. I reckon most folks would be blessed if I was to just listen and love.

    And then there is the freedom from life the moment you step a foot into the stirrup, swing your leg across the back of a horse and ride. You don’t even have to have a job to do when riding, just get on and ride away from, so that when you return there is a feeling of refreshment. An abiity to step back into reality with a better attitude.

    Well anyway, now the question: “What is it that helps you improve your attitude?” Asked a different way, “How do you get your attitude adjustment?” Perhaps it’s at the demand of a spouse, perhaps at the suggestion of a child, perhaps when you just feel “a little off? However the suggestion show up, people or circumstances can suggest that we change an attitude, but how we get said attitude adjustment is my question for today? For me, stepping on a horse and spending time in the saddle is the best attitude adjustment method I have ever experienced.

    But now, with no horse, I just have a crummy attitude all of the time – I sure enough hope not! I have found that the Holy Spirit is also really good at giving an attitude adjustment. His conviction, or His encouragement are both great tools to help us realize the need of changing a poor attitude.

    So, if you are blessed to have a horse, go for a good ride and return with a good attitude about your life. But if you don’t have a horse, allow the Holy Spirt to help you in that department. Oh and by the way, the Holy Spirit also listens and loves, but He doesn’t stop there. The Holy Spirit listens and loves and then He empowers us with the ability to make needed adjustments!

    Allowing the Spirit free “rein” with you, Neal

  • They are missed!

    December 9, 2025

    Weather report: The wind gusts are almost twice the high temperature for today! I’ll be wearing a cap and not my Stetson when I go outside.

    Today is the birthday of our youngest child, Happy Birthday Son! Miss Deb and I were just blessed to get to visit with him and his family during a video chat. I won’t say where they live, but at 5:30 a.m. here, it was 7:30 p.m. at his house. We sure do miss getting to see him and his beautiful family, but he continues to serve his country well.

    Every time we get to sneak in a video chat, I feel so very blessed. I think back to all of the families who years ago sent their son off on overseas military tours and all they could ever do was hope for a possible letter. Or think of the parents who would help their daughter and her husband load a covered wagon, knowing that they probably will never see her again! We can jump on the internet or a plane and see our children within a day, or two of travel, my how times have changed.

    Yet as one reads biblical accounts of life during that time, we have to wonder what their lives were really like. One thing I’m sure of, family was still family. A young couple exchanges vows, sets out to make their mark on this world, have children, spend years nurturing and developing those children and then one day send those young adults off to repeat the cycle. Yet one thing is always true, the life our children live is not very similar to the life we lived at their age. Things are always changing.

    Though life is different for different cultures, in different locations, there are still many similarities when it comes to raising a family. The primary similarity that we all hope for is that there will be plenty of love shared within the home and through the family wherever they call home. Our Heavenly Father created us to express His love to one another, especially within the family.

    This time of the year we all look forward to celebrating the holidays with family. We all have family who have passed on from this life, and they are missed. Many of us have family who live so far away that getting together is not possible, and they are missed. Many of us have family members who have other obligations that prevent them from coming home, and they are missed.

    Also, as a Christ-follower you are part of a larger family. When you don’t come home on Sunday, you are missed. I know, sometimes we are too busy to make it to church, and yet for others, attitude keeps us from the church family, but you are still missed.

    Now, let’s take this family thing one step further. As a Christ-follower you are a member of God’s family. When you don’t stop to give Him a call on a regular basis, you are missed. When you don’t ask Him for assistance, you are missed. When you are too busy to sit down and listen to His wisdom, you are missed. And for the person who refuses to become a part of God’s family through Jesus, you are missed.

    Yep, the holidays are a wonderful time for family. But for those of us who are no longer able to get the family together for a meal around the table, the holidays become a time of missing the precious members of our once physically close family. They are missed!

    So, if you can get your family together from the holidays, celebrate God’s kindness to you! But if any member of your family isn’t able to make it home, let them know, they are missed!

    Celebrating family with you, Neal

  • Coming change!

    December 8, 2025

    On our way to church yesterday morning, there was a beautiful sundog in the eastern sky. It was located north of the sun, which is usually read as cold weather on the horizon. If a sundog is south of the sun, warmer weather can be expected. Yet, over my years of walking across this ‘ol ball of dirt, sundogs seem to indicate more of a change in the weather, rather than specific colder or warmer. A sundog seems to be a warning that a change is coming.

    Here in our area, we have a change coming, the wind is going to blow at speeds that would be talked about on the national news if they were to occur in any place other than Wyoming. Here, a 70-mph wind is more of an inconvenience than a national weather alert.

    In Matthew 16:1-4, Jesus is confronted by the Pharisees and Sadducees that He should give them a “sign from heaven.” Jesus replied by affirming their ability to read a red sky, but that their “evil and adulterous generation” would not be getting any special sign from heaven.

    Jesus had been healing various diseases, casting out demons and had forgiving sins, yet these leaders did not believe that Jesus was truly who He said He was – the Son of God! Today, the Holy Spirit is still doing amazing things in and through His bride, the church. Yet, just like in days of old, the “authorities” refuse to believe that Jesus is alive and well.

    Today, we too, regularly meet people who say that they cannot believe in God without a specific sign. Usually in these conversations they build their argument upon the negatives, not on positives. Such folks say things like, “I can’t believe in a God who would allow a little one to die.” Or they argue, “I can’t believe in something I can’t see.” And then there is the argument of, “If God was real, science would prove it.”

    So here we are today, with the same kind of folks Jesus dealt with in His time, “an evil and adulterous generation.” An “evil” generation is one that is consumed with self. An “adulterous” generation is one that will “sleep with,” that is to join with, anyone who will help them advance their selfish motives.

    In the times of Christ, the Pharisees and Sadducees came with a personal agenda, with a pre-formed opinion about the validity of Jesus. And as the Bible so clearly states, “there is nothing new under the sun.” Judges 21:25 concludes with these words, “In those days there was no king in Isreal; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” Perhaps this last statement best describes our present generation. Everyone seems to be an authority about everything, much like the Pharisees saw themselves. It’s funny how people have always been the same, generation after generation.

    So, I conclude today’s writing with a comment based upon the first two words from my favorite verse of Scripture, “But God.” (Eph. 2:4) Regardless of how highly any of us who are alive today value our personal opinions, God will one day soon show Himself to be exactly who the Bible says He is, “Almighty God!”

    Looking forward to the return of Christ with you, Neal

  • All hail the KING!

    December 7, 2025

    With two inches of fresh snow, 28 degrees at 4 a.m. and the hope of 42 for a high, what a great day to enjoy the fellowship of other Christ-followers!

    Yes sir, this is a great Sunday to put on your fancy duds and head to your local church. You may ask “Why get dressed up?” Because God deserves it that’s why. Think about it, we dress up to go to weddings, funerals and special community celebrations, why not get dressed up to go to church to celebrate one person, the Lord Jesus Christ? To me it’s worth putting on my best clothes to attend the celebration of the greatest gift ever given to humanity, salvation in Christ Jesus!

    Why should we get all dressed up to attend church, because God dresses up for us. In Psalm 93:1 we read, “The Lord reigns, He is clothed with majesty; The Lord has clothed and girded Himself with strength.” Now let’s see you match those fancy clothes! “Majesty” implies the kingly nature of God. The Bible often mentions the “kingdom of God.” For there to be a kingdom, there must first be a king.

    The amazing element of God’s kingship is that unlike human kings who tend to be self-absorbed, our heavenly King is completely other focused. While earthy kings are attempting to amass riches, our heavenly King holds all of the riches of the universe in His mighty hand. While earthy kings attempt to show power and strength, our heavenly King is “all-powerful.” May I suggest that you go to “YouTube” and find Dr. S.M. Lockridge speaking of “That’s My King,” if you want to learn of the kingship of Almighty God!

    After listening to Dr. Lockridge, you will want to put on your good clothes and humbly enter into the presence of the one True King! With all of our different worship styles and all of our different music preferences for “church,” perhaps it’s once again time to put on your “Sunday best” and present ourselves for adoration of the KING! “Oh, come King Jesus! Halleluiah! Come King Jesus. May Your humble servants be allowed a glimpse of Your majesty and splendor even this very day!”

    “Lord Jesus, as we gather in Your presence, may we not only cloth our bodies with fine linens, but may we first and foremost, clothes our spirit with Your righteousness from on high!” Today is a day of worship; a day to worship the Most-High King!

    So get up, dress up and show up, to lift up your spirit to the Holy Spirit of God! This is not a “have to,” but instead, worship is a “get to.”

    Worshiping the KING with you, Neal