The Revelation: Part Eleven

AT THIS POINT WE have read through the warnings Christ gave to the seven churches and applied them to deficiencies we see in the church today. The apostle John gave us an amazingly detailed view of the throne room of heaven, and an explanation of the twenty-four elders, the four living beasts, and the seven …

When Self Becomes an Idol

WE EACH HAVE AT some point in our lives made decisions while thinking only about our own interests. Not every selfish decision is equally damaging, but a pattern can develop that is quite difficult to recognize. I have been talking with people about this subject since my hiatus on December 22, 2022. As a result, …

A New Post is Coming Later Today

I HAVE TRULY MISSED preparing and posting new articles. But, the time I took to get some things in order have been a huge blessing. Please watch for "The Idol of Self" by this evening. Steven Barto

Going on Hiatus

I AM SORRY TO announce that I will be continuing with earlier plans to suspend writing for this blog. However, it will remain open for people to visit and read from the seven years of posts on various subjects that have been important to me, such as recovery, spirituality, theology, doctrine, apologetics, and poetry. This …

It’s Christmastime!

This is the sixth year I’ve re-blogged this original piece I wrote about what Christmastime was like growing up. I hope you enjoy it. Wow, only 3 more day til Christmas. The year went so fast I almost forgot there were twelve months. Sometimes the days seem to run together. Partly because of the limited …

Vaping of Marijuana on the Rise Among Teens

More teenagers in the United States are vaping marijuana than ever before. Health and addiction experts believe vaping is more dangerous than smoking it in a joint, pipe, or bong. Between 2017 and 2019 the percentage of teens who reported using marijuana within the past month had risen from 13.9% to 15.4%. However, studies done …

Change in Schedule

IT HAS BEEN DETERMINED that Wednesday evenings are best for publishing the weekly podcast episodes. This allows for Sunday to be about praise and worship, and observing the Sabbath as a day to rest and reflect on God and Jesus Christ. Also, brother Tim and I meet regularly on Tuesday evenings, which gives us enough …

What’s Your Donkey?

JESUS CHRIST, the Lord of all Creation, walked everywhere, every day, for countless miles. In sandals! He rode into Jerusalem on Passover on a donkey! Not in a palanquin with servant-slaves carrying Him. In Western civilization today, we tend to focus on making the best name for ourselves. But God sent Jesus into a broken …

Did Someone Say Podcast?!

EQUIPMENT PURCHASE IS COMPLETE! We now have enough mics for two or three participants, a mixing board, new cables, a tablet for accessing outsourced music and sound effects, and a very nifty portable acoustic wall (not shown in the image). We settled on Audacity for our desktop audio editor. Tim, one of my brothers in …

On Second Thought

BEFORE THE THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY I announced a sabbatical from blogging. That message has been deleted. At times I tend to get ahead of God. Thankfully, when I do He is faithful to redirect me. As I seek God's will for my life I must remember to listen for His perfect timing. We cannot let impulsivity …