Bud-and-Flourish

A heart at peace gives life to the body,      but envy rots the bones. -  Proverbs 14:30 (NIV) Scripture teaches us that not all wisdom is from God. Some of what looks and sounds wise is actually rooted in something far more dangerous. James 3:14 reveals that danger, and the book of Numbers shows us exactly how it plays out in real life. “But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth.”  James 3:14 (NKJV) Bitter envy is a sin that lurks beneath the surface yet masquerades itself as genuine wisdom.  It often expresses itself through spiritual language, concern, and criticism. Self seeking carries the connotation of one who is merely interested in what he/she can gain. It’s a motivation to get what one wants often at the expense of others. Together they form a psuedo wisdom that appears spiritual but serves a lie rather than the truth.   Numbers 12: Envy Disguised as Concern Numbers 12 gi...

When we think of heroes, we often picture soldiers, doctors, firefighters, or police officers. But during World Wars I and II, one of the most unlikely heroes came in the form of a small, feathered messenger: the carrier pigeon. Carrier pigeons—also known as homing pigeons—were trained to deliver critical messages across battlefields. They possessed an incredible homing instinct that allowed them to fly hundreds of miles back to their home lofts, often under extreme danger. Trainers gradually increased the distance from their home base to strengthen this ability, and when a message needed to go out, it was attached to the pigeon’s leg. These swift messengers flew only one way— from their release location back to their home —making them reliable and invaluable in times of war. Among these brave birds, one stands out:  Cher Ami , a small but mighty pigeon whose courage saved countless lives and cemented his place in history. During the Meuse-Argonne Offensive on October 4, 1918, the ...

Herd Mentality Herd Mentality: The tendency of individuals in a group to think and behave in ways that conform with others, rather than as independent thinkers. (Merriam Webster) The Power of the Mind The human mind is truly fascinating. It’s estimated to have a storage capacity of around 2.5 million gigabytes! Think of all the information we’ve consumed over the course of time. Everything from socioeconomic factors, peers, family, political affiliations, social media, music, popular trends, culture, religion, and even denominational beliefs influence how people think and live today. But we must ask ourselves: How have we allowed these things to shape our thoughts, values, beliefs, and behaviors? Proverbs 23:7 NKJV – “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.” With so much information coming at us daily — some subtle, some blatant — whatever we consume the most of will eventually shape our character and show in how we live. Conformed or Transformed? Romans 12:2 NKJV  ...