Towpath Family Church of the Nazarene

09/07/2026

Gratefully Give Blessings
Sep 06, 2026 04:12 pm | H. Lamar Smith

We frequently say, “I am blessed” or “God has been good to me.” Indeed it is true! God has been good to us so we will be good to each other. God has blessed us so we can bless others. A good job is so that we will have something to give. A good day is so we can enable another to have a good day. If goodness stops with us then it will decay our souls. If we give it away we will find we still have it. If, in gratitude, we share our blessings we will be twice blessed.

“Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need.” Ephesians 4:28 (NKJV)

From, “Springs In Dry Places”

09/06/2026

A Bigger Life
Sep 05, 2026 08:14 pm | H. Lamar Smith

Live a life that is bigger than yourself. Take on challenges that are too big for you to complete in your lifetime. You can best do this in partnership with your Father. Plant trees from which others can pick fruit. Invest in enterprises that rescue the lost, feed the poor, nurture the broken and restore the downtrodden. Invest in Christ’s mission. Kingdom investments will bear fruit after you have gone. People you have never known will drink water from wells you dig.

“Then Peter arose and went with them. When he was come, they brought him into the upper chamber: and all the widows stood by him weeping, and showing the coats and garments which Dorcas made, while she was with them.” Acts 9:39

From, “Springs In Dry Places”

09/05/2026

Peacemakers
Peacemakers
Sep 04, 2026 07:41 pm | H. Lamar Smith

Christians are called to be peacemakers. We must understand that there are many behaviors which are incompatible with peacemaking. Disrespect and unkindness gives no chance for peace. Pinning names on others is a way of discounting the opinions of the other person, resulting in further polarization. Speaking much and listening little does not help. Reactionary anger divides even more. Those at peace with God are to seek/pursue peace with all others (Ps 34:14, I Pet 3:11, Heb 12:14, Rom 12:18). God is a reconciling God and so are His true children.

“Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.” Matt 5:9

From, “Springs In Dry Places”

09/04/2026

Incomprehensible Peace
Sep 03, 2026 04:13 pm | H. Lamar Smith

The beginning of our peace with God is when we realize that we have been reconciled to God through His Son Jesus (2 Cor 5:19). In justification by faith we have peace with God (Rom 5:1). Then the peace of God guards our inner persons as well as our thoughts. It presides over us in unexplainable and incomprehensible ways, even in the midst of the greatest trials of our lives. We know we have the peace of God and go forward to live our lives, even when all around us seems to be falling apart.

“And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Phil 4:7 (NASB)

From, “Springs In Dry Places”

09/03/2026

Changing Your Default Settings
Sep 02, 2026 07:12 pm | H. Lamar Smith

You make time to do what you want to do. You are becoming what you do. Habit. You are doing what you are becoming. Character. You are what you are doing. Habits shape character. Character changes habits. If you want your life to change, then it will be necessary to reset your default settings. This cannot be done by willpower alone. This must happen because you are drawing on God’s grace to walk a new and better path.

“Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.” James 3:13 (NIV)

From, “Springs In Dry Places”

09/02/2026

A Cleansing Walk
Sep 01, 2026 08:24 pm | H. Lamar Smith

There is a cleansing from sin by confession (I Jn 1:9). There is also a daily cleansing that comes by walking in the light (I Jn 1:7). Walking in the Light is nothing less than a disciple following Jesus the Light. This is walking in obedience to our Lord. Such a disciple does not rest in an initial confession, but has chosen the path of discipleship as a serious follower of Jesus. The result of this relationship is cleansing. Walking in obedience with Jesus is walking with our Jubilee, sins forgiven and debts paid.

“If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.” 1 John 1:6-7 (NASB)

From, “Springs In Dry Places”

09/01/2026

Gift of Gab
Aug 31, 2026 07:40 pm | H. Lamar Smith



The gift of gab is not a call to teach or preach. These folks can talk on any subject at any time to anybody; they have lots to say about everything. There are lots of reasons that the gift of gab is not an asset to the kingdom of Christ. Oftentimes it is focused on the narrow knowledge or experience of the speaker; it is sometimes shared in boastful ways and without necessary humility or sensitivity. It needs no inspiration of the Spirit, it needs only a platform. It always has a greater story. It has no listening ear to another. It seldom has any real wisdom or scholarship behind it; it does not listen to the wisdom of another. It has no filter nor self-control. It is compulsive and emotive. It does not advance the cause of Christ. They cannot hear, “let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak.” (James 1:19). As representatives of Christ Jesus, may we all be good listeners and set a watch over our own tongues in what we say, when we say it, and how we say it.

Lord help us to know when to be silent; may our desire to hear what You have to say be greater than the desire of saying what we have to say.

08/31/2026

Heart of the Teacher
Aug 30, 2026 09:13 pm | H. Lamar Smith

Christian teaching has a clear goal for Paul. He also reminds Timothy that there are teachers that do not have this goal, but just want to be in the enviable position of being a teacher. “But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. For some men, straying from these things, have turned aside to fruitless discussion, wanting to be teachers of the Law, even though they do not understand either what they are saying or the matters about which they make confident assertions.” (1 Timothy 1:5–7 NASB). These peddlers are confident in what they believe. However, they have no Christian understanding of Scripture and their heart is not right. There is no achieving Paul’s goal for others without the teacher having come himself to “love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.”

08/30/2026

Grace as Energy
Aug 29, 2026 03:00 pm | H. Lamar Smith

There are views of grace that empty grace of its true and full biblical meaning. Some have defined grace as “unearned favor”. There is truth in that, but it tends to make grace only God’s attitude toward us. There is a much richer view of grace when we see it as divine energy. It is energy that enables us to do what God has invited us to do. Grace comes to us as energy when we are weak. It comes to us as inspiration when we do not know what to do. Grace is energy that comes to us from our Great High Priest through the agency of the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit that makes grace to be energy. By this energy of Holy Spirit’s grace we are born of God; by the energy of the Spirit we are sanctified and being sanctified. Remember, by grace you can yet overcome; you can climb that mountain. By grace you can get through that problem; you can discover help when you are helpless. Grace is more than God’s attitude toward you; it is God showing up for you by divine energy.

“Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:14-16 (NASB)

08/29/2026

Come on out today for our free community give away! We have a lot of goodies to go through from clothing to school supplies and household items to kitchen supplies! We are getting all set up and will be ready to go from noon until 3pm. Even have a few homecoming dresses to help out if that would be a need as well!

771 Cherry St E
Canal Fulton, OH 44614

Free Community Give Away on Saturday 8/29/26 from 12p-3p. Know anyone who may need some clothing, household/kitchen items,etc. We will be set up out front of the church.