God’s Covenant with Abram—Promise of a Son—Gen. 15:1-6 https://youtube.com/live/D7EFSNvd5v0

Abram Rescues Lot; Pays a Tithe to Melchizedek—Gen. 14:8-23 https://youtube.com/live/sshrrcExKsA

That’s what makes a saint: not your glory, but His. Not your record, but His blood. Not your hands full of works, but your hands empty and open to receive. That’s what John saw in his Revelation vision—beggars made beautiful. Robes washed white in the blood of the Lamb. No longer hungry or thirsty or sorrowful, but singing and tears of joy. Not because they were great, but because their Jesus is. View article →

"It's a great huge game of chess that's being played—all over the world—if this is the world at all, you know." --Lewis Carroll, Through the Looking Glass

Reformation Day—Abram and Lot—Genesis 13:1-18 https://youtube.com/live/uy5p5_UDP5o

Fantastic piece of writing! View article →

The Call of Abram—Genesis 12:1-20 https://www.youtube.com/live/OD3Vvrz2fUg God chose Abram solely by grace. He called Abram away from worshiping false gods to trust in Him, just as He has called us through His Word from unbelief to faith. When Abram hesitated at Haran, God called him again and led him out of Haran with the promise. The promise grows from the least to the greatest: God would make Abram into a great nation, and many would trust in that nation or land instead of in the promise. Others would trust in Abram's great name rather than in the God who granted that name. Through Abraham's seed, all peoples on earth would be blessed because that seed is Christ, who offered His blood as payment for everyone’s sins. Now, that great name of the seed has been placed upon us in Holy Baptism—blessing those who bless us and cursing those who curse us. This blessing in Jesus’ name always points us to the cross and our death, so that Christ may live in us and through us. Every day, we call on that great Name above all names, just as Abram did, for there is no life outside of it.

But Jesus doesn’t come to make us look righteous. He comes to make us new. And the new life He brings can’t be stuffed into the old wineskin of self-righteousness. That’s why the Pharisees couldn’t stand Him. Their religion was working for them. Their fasting, their praying, their rituals—they made sense. They made them feel holy. And then Jesus shows up and sits down with tax collectors and prostitutes and sinners. He eats with them. Drinks with them. Forgives them. And that offends everyone who still believes holiness can be earned. View article →

Considering using a tax attorney and/or financial planner to manage personal finances and two small businesses. But I need someone BTC-savvy who supports using tax structures to build a BTC treasury. Local folks have been super skeptical, and I don't need to orange pill them. Suggestions?