New Cumberland Church of the Nazarene

06/11/2026

Copied from another post
Ezekiel 6 is one of those chapters that would probably not make the list of "Most Encouraging Bible Passages to Read While Sipping Coffee and Watching the Sunrise."

God tells Ezekiel to prophesy against the mountains, the hills, the valleys, and basically every place where the people had built altars to false gods. The message is not subtle. It is not wrapped in a neat little package with an inspirational quote at the end. God is confronting His people about their idolatry, and He is making it very clear that there are consequences for walking away from Him.

The thing that stands out is that Israel did not suddenly wake up one morning and decide to abandon God. This happened little by little. One compromise here. One excuse there. One small idol tucked into a corner. Then another. Then another. Before long, the people who had been rescued from Egypt, fed in the wilderness, protected from enemies, and blessed beyond measure were running after things that could not save them.

And honestly, that is usually how it happens.

Very few people wake up one morning and announce, "Today I am going to completely wreck my relationship with God."

Instead, life gets busy.

Work gets busy.

The kids get busy.

The calves get sick.

The laundry reproduces when nobody is looking.

The phone dings.

The notifications pile up.

The next thing you know, the thing that gets the most attention, the most excitement, the most trust, and the most affection is something other than God.

The idols may have changed, but human nature really has not.

Reading about people bowing to statues can feel a little ridiculous from our modern perspective. We read about someone carving a block of wood and then worshiping it and think, "Well, that's obviously a bad idea."

Then we spend three hours arguing with strangers on the internet over things that will not matter in a hundred years and somehow convince ourselves we are being productive.

Human beings have always been remarkably creative when it comes to finding things to place on the throne that belongs to God.

What makes Ezekiel 6 so powerful is that God's anger is not coming from indifference. It is coming from heartbreak. Again and again throughout Scripture, God describes His relationship with His people almost like a marriage. He loved them. He pursued them. He provided for them. Yet they kept running after other gods.

Imagine pouring your heart into someone, rescuing them, protecting them, blessing them, and then watching them give their devotion to something else entirely. That is the picture we see here.

But even in the middle of all the warnings, there is a glimpse of hope.

There is always a remnant.

There are always survivors.

There are always people who turn back.

That pattern shows up over and over throughout the Bible. Judgment is never God's final goal. Restoration is. Even when His people are running the wrong direction, He is still calling them home.

That is what makes the Bible such an incredible redemption story. From Genesis to Revelation, it is the story of a God pursuing people who keep wandering off. It is the story of a Shepherd who keeps searching for lost sheep. It is the story of a Father waiting for prodigals. It is the story of a Savior who would eventually leave Heaven itself to come rescue us.

Because if we're being honest, most of us have a little more in common with the Israelites than we would like to admit. We may not have golden calves in our backyards, although given my profession I suppose I should specify that mine are Jerseys and are definitely not being worshiped. They already think highly enough of themselves without any additional encouragement.

The real question Ezekiel 6 asks is not whether we have idols made of wood or stone.

The question is what occupies the place in our hearts that belongs to God.

What do we trust most?

What do we run to first?

What do we believe will finally satisfy us?

Because idols have not changed much over the centuries. They still make big promises. They still disappoint. They still leave people empty.

And perhaps that is the lesson hidden among all the warnings of Ezekiel 6. God was never trying to take away something good from His people. He was trying to pull them away from things that could never truly satisfy them in the first place.

And unlike every idol that has ever existed, Jesus is actually worthy of our worship.

06/10/2026

Copied from another post
The Mark on My Arm

One day a young guy asked me how I got the old scar on my right arm. Well..when I was in grad school at Ohio State, times were a bit hard. Many times I ate hamburger helper without the hamburger, and made do off ramen noodles and water. Yeh, it wasn't the best of times. But once a week I would go down to the blood donor place on High St and sit for a few hours giving blood. They would then pay me $7. Wow. Back then I could eat pretty good with that $7. I did that week end and week out making sure I could have something to eat. After awhile a small place on my arm carried a scar because they went in the same place each time they received the donated blood. It hurt but it had to be done.

That was a long time ago and since then i have been favored with a wonderful job, a great family and blessings all around. But occasionally when I get too big-headed for my own good, I simply look down at my arm and remember when my blood paid my way. That scar reminds me how far I've come. Yeh

Well, Thomas came up to Jesus and examined His scars. Only the risen Savior would have those scars. Jesus had gone and given blood, all of it, to pay a bill, that wasn't even His own. Jesus gave blood to pay our way back into God's grace. No sin is forgiven without the shedding of blood. And all those around Him could see the scars reminding them of His ransom sacrifice. Yes my scar reminds me of past bad times. The scars of the risen Savior remind us all of the good times that God has prepared for us in His kingdom.

Yeh, I feel better now about scars and i hope you do too. Starting today seek out the Savior who was scarred and killed so that we could live. He's paid the price.

06/09/2026

From another post
Once upon a time, in a kingdom more beautiful than any ever painted in a storybook, there lived a great King. He was wise beyond measure, strong beyond imagination, and kind beyond anything the people of the world had ever known. His castle was not built of stone and wood but of glory and light. Its gates shimmered like pearls, its streets sparkled like gold, and music filled the air like a gentle breeze. Every good thing people had ever experienced was only a faint shadow of the beauty found in His kingdom.

Far away from this kingdom lived a bride. She did not live in a palace surrounded by comfort and ease. Instead, she lived in a land that was often broken and weary. Storms came without warning. Hearts were wounded. Tears flowed freely. People grew sick, grew old, and said painful goodbyes. Many had forgotten the King entirely. Others doubted He even existed. Some laughed whenever His name was mentioned. Yet the bride remembered Him. Long ago He had made her a promise, and she treasured it in her heart. "I will come back for you."

The years passed slowly. Seasons changed. Generations came and went. The bride often found herself standing at the edge of the world, gazing toward the horizon and wondering if today would be the day. There were moments when the waiting felt easy, but there were also moments when it felt impossibly hard. Sometimes she stumbled. Sometimes she became discouraged. Sometimes the white wedding garment she wore became stained by the dust and dirt of the world around her. Yet whenever she turned back to the King, He faithfully cleansed her and reminded her that she belonged to Him. Though she could not see Him with her eyes, His voice still reached her heart. "I have not forgotten you."

As time passed, the people around her became more skeptical. "The King isn't coming," they would say. "Look how long it has been. Your parents waited. Their parents waited. Entire generations have waited. Surely if He intended to return, He would have done so by now." Their words echoed through the land until many stopped watching for the King altogether. Some became distracted by the temporary treasures of the world. Others simply grew tired of waiting. But the bride held tightly to the promise. Even when she did not understand the timing, she trusted the One who had made it.

Then, on a day that seemed ordinary at first, everything changed. A trumpet sounded across the heavens. It was not the sound of a village celebration or the call of a castle guard. This trumpet seemed to shake creation itself. Mountains trembled. Oceans roared. The stars appeared to bow before its power. Every person stopped what they were doing and looked upward as the sky itself seemed to open.

And there He was.

The King had come.

He was more magnificent than any story could ever describe. Crowns rested upon His head. Glory surrounded Him like the brilliance of a thousand suns, yet somehow it did not hurt the eyes to look upon Him. Armies of Heaven followed behind Him. The same King who had once entered the world in humility to rescue His people now returned in victory and power. There was no doubt who He was. No one needed to announce His arrival. Every heart knew.

The bride looked upon Him, and in that moment every sorrow she had ever carried seemed to melt away. Every prayer whispered through tears, every lonely night, every struggle, every disappointment, every wound, and every burden suddenly appeared small compared to the joy of seeing her King. The waiting was over. The promise had been fulfilled.

The King stretched out His hand toward her. His eyes were full of love, the same love that had carried her through every difficult day. "Come," He said.

And she ran to Him.

No one had to convince her. No one had to force her. She had spent her life longing for this moment. The King took her hand and led her home. There, beyond anything she had ever imagined, a great wedding feast had been prepared. Tables stretched farther than the eye could see. Laughter filled the air. Music echoed through the kingdom. Joy flowed like a river. Every person gathered there belonged to the King and was welcomed as family.

Then the King did something even more wonderful. He wiped every tear from His bride's eyes. Not some of them. Every single one. The grief she had carried was gone. The pain of loss was gone. The sicknesses that had plagued the world were gone. Death itself was gone. Fear had no place there. Regret had no place there. The broken things of the old world had passed away forever.

As the celebration continued, the bride realized something she had never fully understood before. Every chapter of her journey had been leading to this moment. Every trial had taught her to trust the King. Every delay had strengthened her faith. Every rescue had been a reminder that He was faithful. Even when she could not see what He was doing, He had been preparing a home for her all along.

"And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, 'Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people...He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more.'" Revelation 21:3-4 (ESV)

And so the King and His bride entered the greatest happily-ever-after ever told. Not because it was a fairy tale, but because it was true. The King kept His promise. He came for His bride. And together they lived in a kingdom where joy would never fade, where love would never end, and where every story finally pointed back to Him.

06/07/2026

06/05/2026

Give me the old time religion where the love for God brought us to church and not the needs at home

Give me the old time religion where Christians were living saints and not hypocrites

I want the old time religion where purity was celebrated and sin detested.

I want the old path where neither text messages nor voice calls are used to remind the saints about service.

Give me the old path where persecution was a testimony and not a reason for back sliding

Give me the old path where saints were more heavenly conscious and not the world base Christianity of today.

The old path
The pews and benches
The crosses
The tears
The love built on trust
Where sisters married as virgins and not as single parents.
The old path where Christ was all
Husbands were loving;
Wives were supportive; and children were polite.
Women looked like ladies; Men looked like gentlemen; and children looked decent.
People loved the truth, and hated a lie.
Rejoicing sounded normal;
and crying sounded sincere.
Cursing was wicked; Drinking was evil; and divorce was unthinkable. Not where we are now. Divorce today preach tomorrow
We read the Bible in public; Prayed in school;
And preached from house to house.
To be called a Christian was worth living for;
S*x was a personal word. Homosexual was an unheard of word, And abortion was an illegal word.
Preachers preached because they had a message; and
Christians rejoiced because they had the VICTORY!
Preachers preached from the Bible;
Singers sang from the heart;
Sinners turned to the Lord to be SAVED!
A new birth meant a new life; Salvation meant a changed life;
Following Christ led to eternal life.
We have turned church to theatre
Alter to stage
The Gospel to motivations
Faith to management.
Being a preacher meant you proclaimed the word of God;
Being a deacon meant you would serve the Lord;
Being a Christian meant you would live for Jesus;
And being a sinner meant someone was praying for you!
Laws were based on the Bible;
Homes read the Bible;
And churches taught the Bible.
Preachers were more interested in new converts than new clothes and new cars.
Church was where you found Christians on the Lord's day, rather than in the park,
on the creek bank, on the golf course, or being entertained somewhere else.
Give me that old time religion
'Tis good enough for me!
Am tired of the new
Am tired of hypocrisy
Am tired of betrayals
I want the old
I still like the "Old Paths" Jeremiah 6:16

06/04/2026

A little boy wanted to meet God. He knew it was a long trip to where God lived, so he packed his suitcase with Tw***ies and a six-pack of root beer and he started his journey.
When he had gone about three blocks, he met an old man. He was sitting in the park just staring at some pigeons. The boy sat down next to him and opened his suitcase. He was about to take a drink from his root beer when he noticed that the old man looked hungry, so he offered him a Tw***ie. He gratefully accepted it and smiled at him. His smile was so pleasant that the boy wanted to see it again, so he offered him a root beer.

Again, he smiled at him. The boy was delighted! They sat there all afternoon eating and smiling, but they never said a word. As it grew dark, the boy realized how tired he was and he got up to leave, but before he had gone more than a few steps, he turned around, ran back to the old man, and gave him a hug. He gave him his biggest smile ever.

When the boy opened the door to his own house a short time later, his mother was surprised by the look of joy on his face. She asked him, "What did you do today that made you so happy? "He replied, "I had lunch with God." But before his mother could respond, he added, "You know what? He's got the most beautiful smile I've ever seen!"

Meanwhile, the old man, also radiant with joy, returned to his home. His son was stunned by the look of peace on his face and he asked, "Dad, what did you do today that made you so happy?"

He replied, "I ate Tw***ies in the park with God." However, before his son responded, he added, "You know, he's much younger than I expected."

Too often we underestimate the power of a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring.
Copied.

06/01/2026

Copied from another post and why the Nazarene’s don’t celebrate pride S*XUAL IMMORALITY AS DEFINED IN THE HOLY SCRIPTURES/BIBLE:

THUS SAYS THE HOLY AND RIGHTEOUS CREATOR-GOD OF THE BIBLE
ADULTERY - "EXTRAMARITAL S*X THAT WILLFULLY AND MALICIOUSLY INTERFERES WITH MARRIAGE RELATIONS" [MALE & FEMALE]

BE******TY - "S*XUAL ACTIVITY BETWEEN A HUMAN AND AN ANIMAL."

FORNICATION - "VOLUNTARY S*XUAL IN*******SE BETWEEN PERSONS [MALE & FEMALE] NOT MARRIED TO EACH OTHER."

IN**ST - "S*XUAL IN*******SE BETWEEN PERSONS TOO CLOSELY RELATED TO MARRY (AS BETWEEN A PARENT AND A CHILD.

HOMOS*XUALITY - "S*XUAL RELATIONS WITH PERSONS OF THE SAME GENDER."

BIBLICAL REFERENCES: GENESIS 1:27, GENESIS 2:21-24, EXODUS 20:14, LEVITICUS 18, MATTHEW 19: 3-6, ROMANS 1:24-32, 1 CORINTHIANS 6:9-10

““For I, the Lord, do not change……”
‭‭Malachi‬ ‭3‬:‭6‬ ‭

“Let God’s curse fall on anyone, including us or even an angel from heaven, who preaches a different kind of Good News than the one we preached to you. I say again what we have said before: If anyone preaches any other Good News than the one you welcomed, let that person be cursed. Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant.”
‭‭Galatians‬ ‭1‬:‭8‬-‭10‬ ‭

“And I solemnly declare to everyone who hears the words of prophecy written in this book: If anyone adds anything to what is written here, God will add to that person the plagues described in this book. And if anyone removes any of the words from this book of prophecy, God will remove that person’s share in the tree of life and in the holy city that are described in this book.”
‭‭Revelation‬ ‭22‬:‭18‬-‭19‬ ‭

“Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth.”
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭4‬:‭14‬ ‭

IN CLOSING, THERE ARE SOME IN THIS LIFE WHO CHOOSE TO BE "POLITICALLY CORRECT"; AS A FOLLOWER OF THE GOD-MAN, THE SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST, I CHOSE TO BE "BIBLICALLY CORRECT". IT'S MY PRAYER THAT ALL WHO READ THESE WORDS, THE CREATOR-GOD WILL BLESS YOU WITH KNOWLEDGE, WISDOM, AND MOST OF ALL UNDERSTANDING ABOUT HIS WILL FOR YOUR LIFE, AND THE AFFAIRS OF THIS DARK AND SINFUL WORLD
"MAY THE GOD OF LOVE AND HOPE CONTINUE TO BLESS AND SUSTAIN YOU ALL, EACH EVERY NEW DAY." AMEN

NOTE: THE WORD OF GOD LISTS ALL IMMORAL S*XUAL BEHAVIOR IN ONE CHAPTER-
THE OLD TESTAMENT BOOK-LEVITICUS, CHAPTER 18.