It’s a trap. It’s a con. It’s a scam. And it’s winning.

I had convinced myself that it would be only one scoop. One scoop of chocolate peanut butter ice cream. Just a little something sweet to finish off a nice meal.

But . . . the sugar took over, and its ability to release dopamine into the brain’s reward system and create pleasure made me crave more . . . and guess what? Yup. One scoop turned into two, which turned into . . . 



Scientists say this sugar stimulus is similar to what happens when we consume cocaine or nicotine. It’s addictive.

The clincher was . . . that even after I had satisfied my cravings, I wasn’t satisfied. Instead, I was upset with myself and realized that my indulgence was actually going to cause more problems than benefits.

And that’s how Satan works in this world of addictions, isn’t it? Temporary delight but no lasting satisfaction. Whether it is ice cream, drugs, money, fame, power. If we crave the world’s version of happiness we will never be satisfied. The sugar high or power high or fame high will always be followed by a letdown. An emptiness.

This is why Jesus told his listeners to “not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal” (Matthew 6:19-20). 

God is all we need. We are told this over and over and over. 

I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.  I can do all this through him who gives me strength (Phil. 4:12-13).

Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart (Psalm 37:4). 

And we already know those desires are not of the flesh for they fail to sustain us, but of God who provides exactly what we need to be truly satisfied and at peace.

I love to read. I love to write. Let’s just say I love words. They have power.

Little black and white markings on a page, put in the right order, have the power to make me laugh, cry, grow cold with fear or hot with rage.

And I am reminded that not only is language a gift from God, but that it is a reminder that we humans are created in His image. For in the very beginning of the Old Testament and the New Testament we are reminded that words were God’s building blocks. All three members of the Trinity are a part of the creation process—which happened with words.

"And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. Then God said, ‘Let there be light.” Genesis 1:2-3

“In the beginning was the Word [Jesus], and Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.” John 1:1-3.

And God has created us in His image so that we too can use words to create, to encourage, to build community.

Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. (Colossians 4:6)

The soothing tongue is a tree of life (Proverbs 15:4a)

A gentle answer turns away wrath (Proverbs 15:28a)

Unfortunately, in our fallen state, we also have the ability to use words to hurt and destroy. 

. . . a perverse tongue crushes the spirit (Proverbs 15:4b).

. . . harsh words stir up anger (Proverbs 15:28b).

As Solomon reminded us “Death and Life are in the power of the tongue” (Proverbs 18:21). 

Let us use our words for life and thereby reflect the glory of God.

No one wants to talk about it. I can see why. It’s a real conversation stopper.

Ages ago pastors were known to give their “Hell, Fire, and Damnation” sermons on a regular basis. They wanted their listeners to remember what lay at the end of rejecting God.

But somewhere along the line that message went out of vogue. I guess it just wasn’t drawing in the crowds like a good rock concert style worship service or a Kumbaya sermon would.

Yes, God’s love for us is first and foremost. He loved “the world” so much that He gave His only Son to die for us, to take all our sins, and pay our price. Jesus allowed himself to be separated from God for the first and only time in all of eternity in order to pay that price as God can have nothing to do with sin—He is pure. He is Holy. Jesus rose from the dead so that we would know—for a fact—that we would rise one day as well. He did all of this out of His perfect love so that none would perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16).

But that perishing doesn’t mean a cessation of existence. If it did, then there would be nothing to fear. No, there is eternity for all of us—with God (John 14:1-3)—or without God.

This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 13:49-50).

“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels….Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life” (Matthew 25:41-46).

. . . hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched—where Their worm does not die And the fire is not quenched” (Mark 9:43-44).

Yes, the world will know we are Christians by our love. What better way to love on someone than to let them know that the
train they are in is on a track with a huge gorge ahead and no bridge to cross it. To stay on that train is certain death.

Eternity is a given. Where you spend it is not.

It was the first email I saw Sunday, April 13, 2025.

The headline read--

"Masters Sunday: Immortality Awaits"

As much as I love golf, I knew that wasn’t true.

Well, yes, a lot of golf history could be made that day: another possible three-time Masters winner in Scotty Scheffler, and, of course, the biggie of them all—a grand slam title for Rory McIlroy.

Yes, names could go down in the record books and on trophies but . . . 

I was listening to commentators rattle off previous records and winners, and I knew many of the names and some of their stories, but some I knew only by name and others not at all. And I am sure that there are some previous winners that they never even mentioned during the course of the broadcast. 

Immortality? In golf or any human achievement? It seems like a reality as we still know the names of those who have made great contributions to society and those who have achieved great successes. But the reality is that eventually, trophies and record books will cease to exist, and names will be forgotten.

Thankfully, once our name is in the Lamb’s Book of Life, not only will our name never be forgotten, but we will be immortal, for the one who created us and knows us intimately—not just our name but every hair on our head and every word and act that we have done—has claimed us for His own for all eternity. 

And crowns will be given in heaven too--

The Victor’s Crown (The Imperishable Crown) (1 Corinthians 9:25)
The Crown of Rejoicing (1 Thessalonians 2:19)
The Crown of Righteousness (2 Timothy 4:8)
The Crown of Life (James 1:12)
The Crown of Glory (1 Peter 5:4)

And these crowns will never tarnish.

We are called to work hard and do our best, but as for the Lord, not men (Colossians 3:23), and if  accolades come our way, well done. But we are also told to lay up our treasures in heaven “where neither moth nor rust destroys” (Matthew 6:19-21).

Immortality does indeed await, for all of those made new in Christ Jesus.

I woke up to the sound of birds this morning and it reminded me of the goodness of God. I love spring and its promise of renewal. Like every season, God has loaded our senses with reminders of His creative powers and His mercies--the sound of the birdsongs (for me, doves, mockingbirds, sparrows, and finches); the beauty of the flowers and their fragrant aromas; the coolness of the breeze. All are reminders that God is the God of renewal. 



​
He can heal the brokenhearted.


The Lord is close to the brokenhearted
    and saves those who are crushed in spirit. (Psalm 34:18)

He can take a broken life and create something new.

So I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was working at his wheel. And the vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the potter’s hand, and he reworked it into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to do. (Isaiah 18:3-4)

He can redeem broken people:

Praise the Lord, my soul,
    and forget not all his benefits--
who forgives all your sins
    and heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the pit
    and crowns you with love and compassion,
who satisfies your desires with good things
    so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. (Psalm 103:2-5)

And while Spring is a reminder of God’s desire and ability to renew, His mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23): winter, spring, summer, and fall.