The Rapture or Alien Abduction?

Posted on July 8, 2026 by Arrow

What is happening? Where is common sense? Deception is rampant. Online lurkers look to lure and lead you to line up with their latest illusion. Besides attempting to rewrite history, some are taking a stab at staging future events as science fiction!

The topic: the Rapture. The Apostle Paul described the event this way. “For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 NIV). In a blink, all true believers will be gone from this earth and in the presence of Jesus.

What will those left on earth think happened? How will it be spun in the media? What could be a possible explanation?

Some people left behind will be familiar enough with Scripture to identify the global mass exodus of Christians as the Rapture. Others will believe the ridiculous, perhaps a hint of the tale I heard spun—that those missing Christians were abducted by aliens in order to reset their misguided brains.

Wow! Some people will believe anything! And we shouldn’t be surprised. Hear Paul’s warnings:

  • “Evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived” (2 Timothy 3:13 ESV).
  • “Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ” (Colossians 2:8 NLT). 

Instead, “Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth” (Ephesians 6:14 NLT).

Let’s be seekers and speakers of truth … and ready to rise!

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A Nation Called to Repentance

Posted on July 1, 2026 by Arrow

This week the United States will celebrate its 250th anniversary of independence, the day our Declaration of Independence was adopted and approved. Congratulations!

Independence is a great thing when used properly. Other times, independence is taken advantage of, exploited. The same freedom used to produce significant good, can also wreak havoc and spiral into sin-filled living.

This happened repeatedly in Scripture. Nations would backslide, rebel against God, and engage in perverse behavior. Many times, God would then raise up a prophet or king to call the nation to repentance.

Old Testament prophets like Isaiah and Jeremiah called out a nation’s idolatry and hypocrisy. They pleaded for God’s people to acknowledge their sin, stop doing evil, and return to God.

God also used kings like Hezekiah and Josiah to encourage nations to get back on track, repent or turn from doing wrong, and live according to God’s standards.

Today, America needs a wakeup call, a call to turn to God and live right. A call to repent of our rebellious, evil ways, and put our trust and faith in God.

How does that begin? With us … with me. May we confess our wrongdoing, admit we need God’s forgiveness, believe that Jesus died for our sins, and accept His gift of salvation. May we repent, or turn from our old way of living, and strive to live a life that pleases God.

After king Solomon, David’s son, completed building the Temple, God appeared to him saying, “Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14 NLT). 

Our part: Humbly pray, seek the Lord, and live right.

God’s part: Hear, forgive, and restore.

May God restore America as we draw near to Him.

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Responding to God in Relationship

Posted on June 24, 2026 by Arrow

Think: Adam and Eve. In the garden. Before sin. Doing life in perfect harmony with God.

After Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit, Scripture states, “Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day” (Genesis 3:8a NIV).

First, notice who Adam and Eve heard. The “LORD God.” As the book of Genesis opens, we find the Creator referred to as “God” as in “God created …”. But in Genesis 2:4, just before God forms Adam from the dust, a new title appropriately pops up—the “LORD God,” indicating an intimate and personal relationship.

Even after their sin, God came to seek out and be with His children. And He continues to desire a restored relationship with us today.

  • The disciple John shared Jesus’ teachings, “As it is written in the Scriptures, ‘They will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me” (John 6:45 NLT).
  • The apostle Paul said, “He called you to salvation when we told you the Good News” (2 Thessalonians 2:14a NLT). Paul also wrote, “[God] has invited you into partnership with his Son” (1 Corinthians 1:9b NLT).
  • In Revelation 3:20, Jesus encourages believers saying, “Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends” (NLT).
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND

God is speaking. Are we listening? Have we heard the Good News? Answered the call to salvation and accepted Jesus as Savior? Do we hear God’s invitation to have a relationship with Jesus?

Is He knocking on the door of your heart? Will you answer?

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Practicing Humility

Posted on June 17, 2026 by Arrow

I was so proud of my homemade peach pie made from our homegrown peaches. Before serving it, I held it high making sure everyone saw the masterpiece I created.

Later, I felt that little God-twinge, the Holy Spirit correcting me. I wasn’t exactly reflecting an attitude of humility now, was I. Apparently, it was time for some humble pie. (Below is someone else’s online photo.)

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND

Humility is a tough lesson to learn. Like most of Christ’s characteristics, it takes a lot of trial and error.

The book of Philippians includes a beautiful example of humility as demonstrated by Jesus. Before he begins, Paul reminds believers “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus” (Phil. 2:5 NIV). Then Paul details what ultimate humility looks like.

  • Even though Jesus was fully God, He “made himself nothing” (2:6-7a).
  • Jesus became human, having the nature of a servant (2:7b).
  • As a man, Jesus died a criminal’s death on a cross (2:8).

That doesn’t even include Jesus’ humble attitude and responses to all the horrible things said and done to Him during His ministry. Did Jesus boast about healing others, feeding thousands, or raising the dead? Never. He was not one to crave the limelight. When put on the spot by religious leaders and Pilate, He remained silent or spoke very little. His purpose was to bring glory to His heavenly Father and do the work He was sent to do. Simply put, Jesus put others above Himself as seen when He died for our sins.

Being humble is countercultural. God’s Word encourages us with this.

  • “Be completely humble and gentle” (Ephesians 4:2a).
  • “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up” (James 4:10).

May the Lord help us be humble.

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Where Wisdom Begins

Posted on June 10, 2026 by Arrow

Alright, who wants wisdom? I see those hands!

We are all looking for guidance with life situations. Teacher and author, Jen Wilken, describes wisdom as the ability to take the facts we have and make our best decision.

The key verse in the book of Proverbs says, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom” (Proverbs 9:10a NIV). This gives a clue as to where wisdom begins—the fear of the Lord.

To understand the fear of the Lord, let’s observe two Bible characters.

First, the Old Testament prophet Isaiah. When God called Isaiah to preach His message to His people, Isaiah most likely saw a vision in the temple.

In it, Isaiah saw the Lord in all His holiness and glory. Recognizing his own sinful ways, Isaiah responded, “‘Woe to me!’ I cried. ‘I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips… and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty’” (Isaiah 6:5 NIV).

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA

Now let’s look at Peter just before he became one of Jesus’ disciples. Peter and his fishing partners had caught nothing all night. When Jesus challenged him to cast out one more time, they got a whopping catch of a lifetime!

Immediately, Peter knew Jesus was the Messiah! “When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, ‘Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!’” (Luke 5:8 NIV). That’s the fear of the Lord. It was followed with confession and repentance.

If we desire wisdom, let’s emulate the examples of Isaiah and Peter. Begin with an awe-filled reverence for the Lord. Worship and honor His holiness, recognizing that His ways are far above ours. This is the beginning of wisdom.

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Be Warmed and Cooled by Scripture

Posted on June 3, 2026 by Arrow

I’m not a huge coffee drinker, but on one particularly cold morning, it called to me, “I will warm you up from the inside out.” And it did. The warmth of its heat was almost as good as my electric blanket. It just didn’t quite reach my toes.

Conversely, when we need cooling down, an iced drink does the trick.

It’s interesting that what we put inside us can affect how we feel temperature-wise. Sounds a lot like Scripture, huh?

Sometimes we crave or need a word to warm up our faith, perhaps even light a fire and get us moving. Other times, we require a word that will cool down our emotions. Better than any barista or quick-stop market, whatever we need can be found in God’s Word.

Here are a few examples for cooling emotions and warming up faith (NLT version):

Exodus 14:14 “The LORD himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.”

Proverbs 12:16 “A fool is quick-tempered, but a wise person stays calm when insulted.”

Zephaniah 3:17 “For the LORD your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.”

Romans 10:10 “For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.”

1 Corinthians 16:13 “Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong.”

Colossians 2:7 “Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.”

May God’s Word be our go-to for daily guidance.

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Small Beginnings, Big Difference

Posted on May 27, 2026 by Arrow

A pilot friend of mine shared that once she was flying near a large airport and was surprised when the tower radioed about a problem. Apparently, one of her instruments needed recalibration. There was a 100-foot error in her altitude. That small difference could have been detrimental if her small plane had encountered the wind blast left by a jet.

In his book, Gradually Then Suddenly, Mark Batterson discusses “the butterfly effect,” which basically means a small change can make a big difference over time.

Batterson uses Paul’s voyage to Rome (Acts 27) as an example. When the ship’s captain noticed “a gentle soft wind,” they set sail. Soon a “wind of hurricane force” blew them off course, grounding the wrecked ship on an island. There, Paul was bitten by a poisonous snake and healed. He met the chief official, healed his ill father, and then healed many others. Revival followed … all traced back to one small puff of wind!

We never know how our action and words will affect the future … perhaps even future generations.

You may teach a small group, chat with or help a neighbor, share Bible stories with a child, or encourage someone over coffee. You think it’s nothing. But it could change someone’s entire trajectory. It could be just that “puff” or Holy Spirit moment they needed or remembered.

Perhaps you, influencing one person, could in turn touch the hearts of millions.

May these words from Zechariah encourage you: “Do not despise these small beginnings, for the LORD rejoices to see the work begin” (Zech. 4:10 NLT). God is not celebrating the end result. He is thrilled, and applauds when we begin the work, no matter how small.

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Leaning into Relationships

Posted on May 20, 2026 by Arrow

Some people thrive on relationships. Others find relationships difficult to manage or challenging to begin and maintain.

Today, let’s look at a couple of healthy relationships in the Bible.

In the book of 1 Samuel, we find that while Saul was King of Israel, his son Jonathan was good friends with David—the same David who, as a young man, killed the giant Goliath. But God had chosen David, not Saul’s son, as the next king. Saul, Jonathan, and David, all knew it.

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC

Saul’s reaction to the news was to try to kill David. But the young men’s friendship was deep. Jonathan protected David from Saul’s wrath.

Scripture says, “Jonathan loved David as he loved himself” (1 Sam. 20:17b NLT). Jonathan was willing to give up his right to the throne for his friend David.

During David’s reign, he regularly sought the Lord for help and encouragement. His songs and prayers are found in the book of Psalms. Even though he made plenty of mistakes, Scripture notes David was “a man after [the Lord’s] own heart” (1 Sam. 13:14).

David’s son Solomon was also close to the Lord. One of the reasons the queen of Sheba came to visit Solomon was “his relationship to the LORD” (1 Kings 10:1 NIV).

Having good friends and being a good friend is important. But the number one relationship we should be working on is our relationship with God. This is the reason God created people. He wanted a relationship with us! It pleases Him when we come to Him. He longs for us to turn our heart toward Him and live in relationship with Him.

I encourage you to spend time with the Lord today … and then reach out to a friend.

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Moving Forward in Faith

Posted on May 13, 2026 by Arrow

We were babysitting grandsons. As the four-year-old stood on the toybox, Papa encouraged him to jump into his arms. This kiddo wanted to. He would get his toes right to the edge and then … step down to the floor, admitting, “I’m scared.”

We coaxed and reassured him that Papa would catch him. Finally, he leaped. Papa caught him and giggles filled the playroom.

Hebrews 11 is known as the “Hall of Faith.” It lists Old Testament characters who moved forward in faith, believing in and depending on a God who they could not see, but who was always faithful.

Most were regular folks who made plenty of mistakes. But when it counted, they stepped up and trusted God.

Abraham was one example. When told to go to a place where God would show him, he did! He eventually arrived in the land that one day would be known as Israel. He received no map. He didn’t know how far or how long he would travel. Abraham simply heard “Go” and he “obeyed and went.” (Hebrews 11:8-11)

Another example was Rahab from Jericho who risked her life by hiding the Israelite spies who came to check out their future homeland. Her faith in God was greater than her fear of the local king. God spared her and her family as the city was conquered. (Hebrews 11:31)

Hear this definition: “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see” (Hebrews 11:1 NIV).

Our grandson could hope Papa would catch him, but he couldn’t see it happen until he jumped. Imagine if he had never jumped!

Better yet, may we imagine God following through on all He’s promised. May we not remain frozen in fear, but instead, move forward in faith and experience God’s blessings.

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Moving Forward After Failure

Posted on May 6, 2026 by Arrow

Last year, I opened the door to let in cooler air. Apparently, an unwelcome gnat, perhaps with some friends … drifted in. They found my plants in the living room and master bath. You know what happened next. They laid eggs in the soil and voila! We had a pesky gnat invasion!

I tell that story to remind myself that actions or decisions—even small ones—can have more than annoying consequences. Recently, I set some goals. The problem is, sometimes I make it difficult to reach those goals if I don’t make wise daily choices.

For instance, yesterday I surrendered to cookies at church which led to not-the-best selections at lunch and dinner. When I “cheat” and eat gluten, I don’t feel so great which cheats me of a good night’s sleep, which leads to a desire to sleep in. And if that happens, I get a late start the following day … which affects my goals. YIKES!

So, I kicked myself out of bed, opened up today’s devotional and read from 1 Timothy.

I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, 
who has given me strength to do his work. 
He considered me trustworthy 
and appointed me to serve him." 
1 Tim. 1:12 (NLT)

I love how God provides the encouragement we need.

Here’s what to do when we fail:

  1. Confess our shortcomings to God.
  2. Give thanks that God has a plan for us, including work to do for Him, and be thankful for opportunities to serve Him.
  3. Move forward doing what He’s called us to do.

Also, I’m learning I can increase the odds of having a successful day with a little preparation the day before and getting to bed at a decent time.

Let me know or comment on what works for you.

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