In August of 2021 I traveled with two others to Haywood County, North Carolina to assist with relief efforts for residents who had suffered a catastrophic flash flood. The things I saw and heard that day staggered me, and remain imprinted on my mind. The flood happened in the darkness of night, and several were […]
Author: bumchecks
When Did You Last Memorize Scripture?
Psalm 37:30–31; 119:11 It has been more than a decade since I took any kind of math class. The math class I disliked the most was trigonometry. I took exception to trigonometry because it required so much memory work. I wanted so badly to ask my teacher why she made us memorize so much. “In […]
What does it really mean to be a Christian?
Christianity should change you in the deepest and most profound ways possible. It should reshape your worldview until it becomes your worldview. It should change your temperament, creating balance and perspective. It should change your relationships by affecting all your associations and interactions. It should change your life so much that every thought, every word, […]
They did it first.
(Name the individuals that were recorded first from scriptures in the Old or New Testament. No reply needed) Hint: Reach back into your weekly Bible study lessons or current Bible study lessons. What king had the first birthday party in the Bible? Where was the first beauty contest in the Bible and who won? Who […]
Transformed Communication
It is said that for every word of Adolf Hitler’s book, Mein Kampf, 125 people lost their lives in WWII. Every word, written or spoken, has power–even the insane musings of a madman, and as children of God, we should consider this truth very seriously. “Death and life are in the power of the tongue” […]
Why the church needs manly men
It’s not a secret in the medical community that levels of testosterone, the hormone which men typically possess in much higher quantities than women, have been falling precipitously for decades. A Forbes article detailing the issue put it bluntly with this headline: “You’re Not the Man Your Father Was.” We don’t really even know what […]
A bike stage
“Helping Provide Power” The Newport (RI) Folk Festival features something new this year for its music concert: a “bike stage”. Five stationary bicycles are set up close to the stage. Fans take five-minute turns riding the bicycles, which are equipped to generate electricity as they are being pedaled. The amplifiers and speakers rely on electricity, […]
Let’s give God the blind, sick, and the lame
“The Table of the Lord” In Malachi, the last book of the Old Testament, God is displeased with the people and particularly with the priests. The Jews have returned from captivity, the wall and Temple in Jerusalem have been repaired and rebuilt, and sacrifices are again being offered up on the altar. God required the […]
One foot on hot stove and one foot in a freezer
The Average “If a man stand with one foot on a hot stove and one foot in a freezer, some statisticians would assert that, on the average, he’s comfortable.” Which reminds me of some who seem to feel that they can come to church on Sunday and yet live like the devil during the week. […]
A child named ODD
A man was born to quirky parents who wanted to give him a unique name. (Kind of like the guy in Johnny Cash’s song, “A Boy Named Sue”) Anyway, they came up with the idea of naming him “Odd.” It would surely get everyone’s attention and everyone would know who he was. However, it also saddled him […]