We Christians often talk about God’s unconditional love. However, using a word search tool in the ESV, KJV, NKJV, NASB, and NRSV translations reveals “unconditional” never appears once in scripture. “Love”, in contrast, appears 773 times in its various forms in the ESV. So does God love us unconditionally? Yes – and No. God absolutely […]
As a small child, Christmas held a special magic I’ve often wished I could experience once again. Mesmerized by the tinseled tree whose outstretched arms protected rewards for a good little boy’s year-long behavior, I anticipated for two weeks what marvelous treasures lay concealed by colored wrapping paper bound with glittering ribbons and bows. I
Christmas Wish 2017 Read More »
Last night I was given the honor of being asked to speak at the Porterville Peace Rally. These were my comments. Good evening. My name is Rick Groves. Most of you don’t know me, and all of us are far too complex to nail down in a few words. So, by way of personal introduction,
Rallying for Peace Read More »
I craved a milkshake thanks to a post shared by my friend Dana Phillips on how chocolate improves your intelligence. So I went to Jack-in-the-Box to seek out a higher IQ. And I found it. A friendly and sweet chunky Latina lady waited on me as we engaged in pleasant conversation about the Chicken Fajita
To my Liberal Friends after the Election (and yes, you are my Friends)… “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light,
Full Speed Ahead While historically I haven’t gotten too excited about politics, I find myself rather obsessed as of late. Try as I might, I just can’t help being drawn back into a very opinionated position. Here’s why. I care about my planet, my country, and even more about the people around me. I don’t
Bondage or Freedom? You Get to Choose… Read More »
I killed my dog today. You can sugarcoat the words by saying he was put to sleep, euthanized, or that his suffering was ended mercifully, but it doesn’t change that even if not by my hand that by my decision a life given by God to one of His creatures ended away today at 12:10
At the Stanford Eye Clinic in Palo Alto, CA on August 29, 2011, a sight I will likely never forget passed through my eyes and into my heart. A lovely Asian family – father, mother, and daughter – slowly crossed the waiting room floor, the aged father maneuvering one small, weak step at a time, his quivering
There has been a social media war going on since Dan Cathy honestly answered the question about his viewpoints on the definition of marriage. While the media storm now appears to be settling, the debate will continue for a long time as American society deals with the issue. What saddens me most, however, is the
A Personal Viewpoint on Chick-fil-A Marriage Controversy Read More »
When we think of buried treasure, our mind most often conjures pictures of finding precious metals or jewels that have lain in wait below the ground for a wonderful discovery that makes our life richer. We dream of the pleasures we can buy with the value of such a lucky find, and we imagine the
