Tag: Blog

Hebrews: Beginnings

Published on by Dominick SantoreLeave a comment

As I begin, please know that these are just my thoughts as I begin to read through the book of Hebrews and try to understand it. They will not be theologically perfect, meaning, I may not be saying everything right, though I will strive to. I am writing  as lay person, so you probably wont get big, lofty, theological thoughts or phrases, but if by chance you do, it will hopefully come by way of small and simple-sounding explanations that are easy to grasp, because that’s what I’m trying to do, even if only for myself as I try to understand. So feel free to join me on this journey whether in simply reading along, or commenting here, or on Facebook or Twitter.  Continue reading “Hebrews: Beginnings” →

The Performance Trap!

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I was thinking back to an old devotional I read (and probably never finished), Holiness: Day by Day, by Jerry Bridges  I really liked reading his works, and this was no different. He has a way of focusing everything on the Gospel and the cross, as well as God’s mercy and grace in such a way, I sometimes wonder if he isn’t snatching the thoughts right from my head so he can speak directly and exclusively to me. Continue reading “The Performance Trap!” →

Rejecting God

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This is a story from my past:

This was a crazy week.

There were so many things happening at that time, that it would waste way too much of your time explaining it. My emotions were bouncing back and forth from anger to despair, and then eventually to pity(for myself). To be honest, I had myself to blame. Whether anyone else was at fault in any of what was going on, frankly didn’t matter, and neither does my opinion of that moment in time. I do have an opinion, but its best to keep it to myself. Continue reading “Rejecting God” →

Understanding Scripture ‎

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Christians love to talk about how you can read a scripture a hundred times and miss the point, and then all of a sudden, BOOM! God throws His revelation smack-down on you, and you, in awesome wonder try to understand why you never saw it before. Some will cite that God all of a sudden “deposited truth in your spirit”, as if you didn’t have this ability to comprehend what was there before. But that doesn’t jibe for me. There are plenty of unbelieving scholars and professors, hollow and empty of God, that grasp those things and simply don’t believe them. Continue reading “Understanding Scripture ‎” →

Just Another Father’s Day…

Published on by Dominick Santore2 Comments

So, Father’s Day is here again.

I’m sorry, but I just can’t be excited about it. Maybe it’s because of all my faults. Maybe in a sea of screw ups, a few life preserver moments of manly clarity and wisdom doesn’t inspire me towards feeling accomplished as a husband or father. I just don’t think it’s necessarily something to relish in or put on a pedestal. It doesn’t seem like it’s something to be highly regarded from a fatherly point of view. I’m sorry, but I’m just not feeling it and frankly I never do. I am a father simply because and only because, my wife blessed me with two children. I am a father because that’s what my children call me. I feel more privileged and honored by that than by anything I’ve ever done in my role as a father. To be honest, if they still love me and if my wife still loves me and I think they do, then they have shown me the face of God and I have probably failed to adequately acknowledge it.
 Continue reading “Just Another Father’s Day…” →

Job’s Friends: Our Curse ‎

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Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this evil that had come upon him, they came each from his own place, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. They made an appointment together to come to show him sympathy and comfort him. And when they saw him from a distance, they did not recognize him. And they raised their voices and wept, and they tore their robes and sprinkled dust on their heads toward heaven. And they sat with him on the ground seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his suffering was very great.

Job 2:11-13 (ESV)

Continue reading “Job’s Friends: Our Curse ‎” →

Job’s Faith: God’s Favor.

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There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job, and that man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil. There were born to him seven sons and three daughters. He possessed 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, and 500 female donkeys, and very many servants, so that this man was the greatest of all the people of the east. Job 1:1-3

Continue reading “Job’s Faith: God’s Favor.” →

We Sin. God Forgives. Grace Reigns.

Published on by Dominick SantoreLeave a comment

‪Early on in my Christian walk, I was told exposing your sin is the only way it could be robbed of its power over you. So I did it. I told people. Lots of people. It was hard, and it hurt, and it was tough on my family, especially my wife. When the smoke cleared, I didn’t feel better, or freer, or more holy.  The only thing I knew now was the people knew what a horrible sinner I was, and after the initial pats on the back, it seemed as if I hadn’t said a word. Continue reading “We Sin. God Forgives. Grace Reigns.” →

We Need Forgiveness, ALL THE TIME!

Published on by Dominick Santore2 Comments

One of the most regular, and familiar parts of the current contemporary mainstream evangelical church service is the altar call.

Whether for first time believers walking the aisle wanting to hand their lives over to Jesus, or old mainstays in the church that go up for prayer for some sin or struggle in their life. Inevitably, and without fail, there will always be those repeat offenders that return week after week. Those repeaters run the aisle after every service, needing prayer for the same thing again. Continue reading “We Need Forgiveness, ALL THE TIME!” →

My Walmart Purgatory

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It’s early Sunday morning, and I’m at a gas station just outside of Detroit, filling up for a long drive home. Around 9 hours ahead of me, to be exact. The last thing I need to see on my dashboard, is the “low tire pressure” light on. I inspect the back tire on the driver’s side, and my fear is fully realized. I’m totally screwed! No, really. It’s a big fat screw robbing my tire of the precious air it needs for it to get me home. As per the hotel clerk, I was left two choices; the local gas-station mechanic, which wasn’t open yet, and would undoubtedly have access to limited supplies on a lazy Sunday morning, or the super-sized Walmart, just short of a mile down the road.  I hastily made my choice, and I suppose I’ll have to live with that for the rest of my life. Continue reading “My Walmart Purgatory” →