Today, 18 September 2025, is our 60th Wedding Anniversary.

I'm happy to say that our marriage is a covenantal relationship, rather than a contractual relationship.

I would describe (not define) a covenantal relationship as: for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from this day forward until death do us part. (Yeah, all of that. There is much sacrifice and forgiveness in a good marriage, but it is worth it. And there is also much joy and celebration, too. Remember, sometimes you are the one being forgiven!  We are all imperfect people.)

I would describe (not define) a contractual relationship as one which can be terminated for poor performance.

The Lord Jesus established a covenantal relationship with both of us (saved us) and empowered us to maintain this covenantal relationship that binds Helen and me together. For this we are most grateful.

Well, what do we have with this covenantal relationship? We have a relationship where Helen and I still love each other.  And we even like each other!  We also have a wonderful family who still loves us. For both of these we are most grateful to the Lord Jesus for His faithfulness in enabling us to keep going and not give up!

And you can too, with His enabling power!  Ask Him to intervene, and save your marriage by His grace!

Larry Carroll

 The Bible stories that we learned as young children such as:

    David and Goliath

    Jesus born in a manger

    Daniel in the lion’s den

Are all good, but we need so much more. The Bible warns us about drifting away from the faith that has been revealed to us in the Lord Jesus. Hebrews chapter two asks "How can we escape if we neglect so great a salvation as this!?"

I've been there.  Saved (Yes, saved from Hell!) at age 6, learned about taking my faith (that is, my relationship with the Lord God) seriously as a teenager, and filled with (baptized in) the Holy Spirit as a young man, I still got so distracted that I let the Word of God (the Bible) slip.  I was drifting away from Christ, and I didn't even know it!  Oh, I was still going to church, but that means I only got a limited feeding once a week.  Not enough!

Well, I was fortunate that somebody confronted me about this, more than once.

I know other people are offended by church goers and cast off their relationship with the Lord God. They say the church is full of hypocrites.  Hey, I think everyone has been offended by church goers, and by believers even.  And I know some people have been offended by ME!  

Hey, the real question is: have you been offended by Jesus Christ? No, you haven't!

We need to continually read the scripture, the Bible, a few times weekly if not daily, to get through this life.

We need to read the Bible for ourselves!

Now don't you go saying you can't understand all those old English words.  There are SO MANY new translations.  In fact, I don't regularly read the old King James Version of the Bible.

And don't say you can't find a Bible, for if you have an Apple or Android phone, you can easily find an on-line Bible.  I'll suggest two: BibleGateway.com and BlueLetterBible.com.  These both have apps you can find in your phone's Apple App store or Google Play store.  I like BlueLetterBible since the BLB app has no ads.

But WHY read the Bible regularly?

Because:

1. It’s like no other book; it’s inspired by the Spirit of God.

2. Although all of these reasons are important, #2 is the most important reason:

It will lead us to Jesus, to know about Him, and then to know Him personally. Start in one of the first four books of the New Testament, called the Gospels. Start in any one of them.

3. It will comfort us when we are down. The Psalms are good for this, but this can take time. Pray the Psalms.

4. It will change us!  We will become, little by little, more and more like Jesus!  And that is Good!

This will keep us from drifting away from the Lord God.

I want you to read the Bible for yourself. Please!

Larry Carroll

Larry Carroll

This morning, I read an article (from BibleGateway.com) by A W Tozer, in which he decried the tendency of many believers to share only the good parts of living as a believer in Christ. He called it salesmanship.

It brought to mind an old song I heard almost 60 years ago, sung by a ladies trio, which said “It’s not an easy road“ living as a believer. Some people in the audience didn’t like that. I can see now that there are two sides to this issue:

1. As believers, we are encouraged to cast all our cares upon the Lord God, the Lord Jesus. This is wonderful, and such a blessing!  Yes, He is a Savior!

2. However, as believers, it truly is not easy having our faith tested, and having our faith mocked, even persecuted.

It was not easy for Abraham to obey God’s command to offer Isaac as a burnt offering, or for Daniel to continue praying to the Lord God, knowing he'd be thrown into the lions' den for doing it.

So I see that it truly is not an easy road; the cost of discipleship is heavy (but worth it!)

However, the cost of living without the Spirit of God within us, without the Spirit of God guiding us, without the Lord bringing us into His kingdom, without His peace now, is eternal ruin!

Larry Carroll

Larry Carroll