Author Archives: markrspencer

Living in the information age certainly has its downside doesn’t it?  Much like the housing collapse of 2008, this COVID-19 virus blindsided us and flipped our worlds upside down.  But, true to the age we live in, there is no lack of information.  Just one Goggle search this morning produced 4,320,000,000 results in 0.55 seconds! Continue reading “It’s a new day…so do old things.”

Some folks at this morning’s Christmas service requested a copy of my reading.  Here it is and Merry Christmas! IN THE BEGINNING… when God carefully sculpted the world; it was perfect.  Absolutely perfect.  No sickness, no sorrow, no pain, no tears.  Pure and perfect.  Faultless and mess-free. Then, He risked the ultimate risk…He gave it…toContinue reading “A Christmas Reading”

Some time ago I was invited to talk to a class full of budding pastors.  What they wanted to know from me is how to have a fruitful and enduring ministry.  While visiting the class I listed a few points, but concluded by saying, “all these don’t matter if you don’t pay attention to thisContinue reading “Busyness vs. Hurriedness”

Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience. (Hebrews 4.11) You should take another glance at that verse.  It is a weird concept: “make every effort…to enter that rest…”  Effort and rest.  Hmmm.  Sounds like a contradiction, doesn’t it?  Effort andContinue reading “Tis the season to watch for hurry”

“Restore to me the joy of your salvation…”    (Psalm 51.12a) The importance of a happy soul can’t be seen any more clearly than here.  David, the man after God’s heart (see 1 Sam. 13:14), has lost his way.  He’s done things that tabloids rant about.  Why?  It appears to me David lost his joy.Continue reading “Project Restoration”

“I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10.10b) The pursuit of a “happy heart” keeps this verse in mind constantly.  Jesus wants us to have the fullest life possible.  Of course this doesn’t mean lavish homes, big cars and Swiss bank accounts.  No, Christ’s aim is MUCH higher.Continue reading “2 Questions”

“Come and hear, all you who fear God; let me tell you what he has done for me.” (Psalm 66:16) Listening to Pastor Sharon last Sunday reminded me of how very important storytelling is to all of us. In a recent study, 89 adult participants were asked to tell their life stories to a team of researchersContinue reading “Psalm 66 For Your Brain!”

“Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD.” (Psalm 150:6) One summer I worked in the inner-city of Miami.  Got to know a lot of good people there, but the one I learned the most from was Big Joe.  He had a tough life…very tough.  No dad. Most his family was inContinue reading “4 Keys to Getting Your Praise On!”

  “To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul.”  (Psalm 25.1) One of my hero’s is George Mueller.  A remarkable man, in 1834 (when he was 28) he founded The Scripture Knowledge Institute for Home and Abroad. The Institute was comprised of five branches: 1) Schools for children and adults to teach Bible knowledge, 2) BibleContinue reading “The Happy Soul”

I heard Paul Harvey tell a story about a driver who fried their car.  Apparently the person thought the oil light flashing meant everything was OK.  Not so.   You know “the rest of the story”. We desperately need to pay attention to the signals that our coming our way…especially those on our soul’s “dashboard”.  As I mentioned inContinue reading “Your Dashboard”