By Mike Smith on 2/25/2008 1:51 PM

I have thought a lot about obedience and law keeping. In one sense I am compliant and dutiful. In other ways I am one that stretches the law or rules to the breaking point. My wife, Rinda, gets frustrated with me when I do this. We are playing a board game together and I make some creative move. She ... Read More »

By Mike Smith on 2/21/2008 10:22 AM

“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). “Christ in you the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27). There are several verses that I quote to myself frequently. These are two of those verses! These verses convey the truth that the union of the individual bel ... Read More »

By Mike Smith on 2/11/2008 4:38 PM

Here is a great quote by Cornelius Plantinga from ... Read More »

By Mike Smith on 1/29/2008 10:29 PM

This past Sunday, January 27, 2008, Christ Community Church surprised me by honoring my wife Rinda and me for 20 years of service to the church. Pastor Scott Roley worked with several of the church leadership and staff to honor me and my family. The congregation gave me a lengthy standing ovation in ... Read More »

By Mike Smith on 1/22/2008 10:42 AM

This concept is new to some people. I did not realize this until I shared my own life verse with the church staff a few years ago and invited them to share theirs. Some had several verses and a few had one verse that they had memorized and sought to follow as their own life verse. My own life verse ... Read More »

By Mike Smith on 1/18/2008 6:58 AM

Today January 18, 2008 is my granddaughter Slone’s first birthday. She lives in Philadelphia with her parents, Joel and Allyson Smith. Rinda and I are visiting them for this joyous occasion. It is amazing how much of her personality has already come out at this young age. It is enjoyable ... Read More »

By Mike Smith on 1/17/2008 6:07 PM

I don't like being told what I cannot eat! Read More »

By Mike Smith on 1/7/2008 2:40 PM

January 1, 2008 marked my 20th year on staff as a pastor at Christ Community Church. I was at Cedar Springs Presbyterian Church as the youth pastor for about seven years before coming to Christ Community Church. I was reflecting with the Pastors this morning about the past 20 years. When my family m ... Read More »

By Mike Smith on 12/24/2007 6:03 PM

Paul gives us a bit of the teaching of Jesus in his farewell address to the Elders from Ephesus (see Acts 20:13-38) “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35). This is a curious comment that Paul makes. You will not find it anywhere in the gospel accounts of Matthew, Mark, Luke o ... Read More »

By Mike Smith on 12/10/2007 4:39 PM

Transformed
One verse that I quote to myself frequently is Romans 12:2, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (NIV). I actually memorized this verse in the New American Standard Bible (NASB) instead of the New Interna ... Read More »