Mountains in the Valley

                                                                        New Shoes Shallow as it sounds, many people are enthusiastic about ‘new shoes’. Some consider a new pair of shoes as a necessity when they simply want to change outfits. Ask a teenager about a brand of athletic shoe and he quotes a price, who makes them, and where they are available for purchase. Ask a lady about what she intends to wear to a special event and you can be certain the pair of shoes to be worn will be discussed. Sports participants know specific shoes are made for specific sports players: golf, bowling, running, and football shoes, to name a few. As with many other things people buy or collect, too much value is placed on the 'thing'.  Reality. We can only wear one pair of shoes at a time! Headlines still...

Mountains in the Valley   Look but do not Touch We go through life seeing and not seeing...things we choose to see and choose not to see. This becomes a problem when we do not focus on what is right by God's standards. When we look without God's focus, and decide to touch, we easily commit such sins as stealing, killing, and adultery. Just because you decide to look but NOT touch does not get you off the hook. This action easily leads to sins of the heart: jealousy, envy, and lust. Well, you say you will fix all that, you just won't look and can not be tempted. you choose to just look the other way. The homeless on the bench, the hungry on the street, the hurting as close as your neighbor next door; you pretend not to look so you will not have to touch. There can be consequences. Deuteronomy 34 tells us Moses stood on Mount Nebo, looked and saw the promised land but due to disobedience, he could not touch. The gospel according to Luke tells of a rich man,...