OpentheWord.org | A bit of Bible, A bit of Life, A bit of Politics

Stepping past your fears

by Barb Smith

For years I have been controlled by what other people thought of me. Over the past few weeks I have enjoyed watching YouTube videos of people dancing up stairs. I had a notion to try this myself but wondered what others would think of a 60 year-old-woman dancing up a set of stairs. Because of my fear, I hesitated doing it. I was trapped in a mindset of “not being good enough.” I was caught in the comparison trap and was controlled by what other people might think. Proverbs 29:25 tells us that “the fear of man is a snare.” It traps you and stops you from being who God created you to be. We have to quit worrying about what others think, because God accepts us just the way we are and we need to accept ourselves. Each one of us is created with our own unique design and expression. We were recently in Galveston, Texas and I saw some stairs going down to the ocean. In that moment, I wanted to dance...

Why dreams work?

Published by Dean Smith

Open Doors USA is reporting on another remarkable conversion of a Muslim because of a dream. This one involved a young man in Egypt who was actually planning to...

February 21, 2019

Comments 0

Islam, Main, News, Persecution

Why an Ottawa city councilor opposed Michael Olsen’s volunteer appointment

Published by Dean Smith

It was a bizarre move, and some would argue a sign of the times, but a city of Ottawa councilor recently opposed the appointment of Michael Olsen to a...

February 20, 2019

Comments 0

Main, News, Persecution, Politics

New research concludes divorce rates are much lower than commonly believed

Published by Dean Smith

Marriage can be tough at times and most of us just presumed that the stats being thrown around that half of marriages end in divorce is basically true. Some...

February 19, 2019

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Family, Main, News, Studies

Don’t Be A Goat!

Published by Andy Becker

Don’t be a goat! Be a sheep! Wait, what? I get the end is near routine but what does that have to do with goats and sheep? Let me...

February 18, 2019

Comments 0

Bible, Main, Thought for the day

How to Die in Prison

Published by smcintos

There is a news story developing, in Syria, that is very sad. As the last territory controlled by ISIS is overrun, and the militants face defeat, many people are...

February 17, 2019

Comments 0

Bible, Main, Opinion

What is so mysterious about an Egyptian Guard?: PODCAST

Published by Dean Smith

Hi my name is Dean Smith and in this episode entitled, What is so mysterious about an Egyptian guard?, I will talk about the strangest passages in the...

February 16, 2019

Comments 0

Main, Podcasts

Change and Choose

Published by Linda Wilson

Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh,...

February 15, 2019

Comment 1

Devotional, Main, Women

Quit comparing

Published by Barb Smith

We were recently on a cruise and one day I headed to the gym and exercise studio on the 11th deck. I decided to participate in a workout session...

February 15, 2019

Comments 5

Emotional health, Main, Spiritual Life, Women

Uganda Muslim extremists are now offended when Christians call Jesus the Son of God

Published by Dean Smith

Located in East Central Africa, Uganda has a population of 42 million people of which 85% are Christian and only 14% (5.88 million) are Muslim. Most of the Muslims...

February 14, 2019

Comments 0

Islam, Main, News, Persecution

Toddler says bear protected him while he was lost in the wilderness

Published by Dean Smith

On Tuesday, January 22, 2019, the family of Casey Hathaway reported the three-year-old boy as missing. Casey had wandered away from their North Carolina home into the woods surrounding...

February 13, 2019

Comments 0

Bible, Main, Teaching, Thought for the day

Geologists confirm Amos 1:1

Published by Dean Smith

Though secularist love to castigate the Bible as being little more that a book filled with myths and fairy tales, according to the Israeli news site Haaretz, geologists working...

February 12, 2019

Comments 0

Apologetics, Archaeology, Bible, Main

Life is like a Box of Spaghetti

Published by Andy Becker

You want to see a man panic quicker than dog eats a treat? Ask him what he’s thinking. Men hardly ever ask each other this question and for good...

February 11, 2019

Comments 0

Bible, Main, Opinion

What if God won’t help us?

Published by smcintos

I have some friends who are struggling with problems in their lives. Where I live, the economy is weak and people are losing their jobs, and a good friend...

February 9, 2019

Comments 4

Bible, Main, Teaching

American radical-leftist politician, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, warns we have just 12 years to stop man-made global warming

Published by Dean Smith

When US Rep Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the newly elected radical leftist and rising star in the Democratic party, recently issued a warning that the world is going to end in...

February 8, 2019

Comments 0

Apologetics, Global Warming, Main

Chris Pratt’s nine rules for life?

Published by Dean Smith

At this year’s MTV Movie and TV Awards held on Monday, June 18, 2018, actor Chris Pratt won the “Generations” award handed out to actors who have displayed their...

Comments 0

Arts, Hollywood, Main, News, Testimony, z106

La Danza de la Vida

Published by Barb Smith

English: The Dance of Life Estas últimas semanas mis ojos se han abierto a mi necesidad de amor, respeto y aceptación de los demás. Tiendo a acusar a otros de...

Comments 0

Bible, Español, z106

Restoring the Tabernacle of David worship in the Church

Published by Dean Smith

I have written articles in the past about the Tabernacle that David set up in Jerusalem to house the Ark of the Covenant (2 Samuel 16:17). This tabernacle or...

Comments 6

Arts, Bible, Main, Teaching, The Arts, z106

Apostles and prophets Part I: Five or three

Published by Guest Post

[by Keith Hazell] Some of us have lived through days of exciting change in the Body of Christ. We have seen God bringing the Church into her own; equipping...

Comments 0

Bible, Main, Teaching, z106

Study shows that religious people live longer

Published by Dean Smith

According to the Daily Mail, a study undertaken by researchers from Ohio State University in the US concluded that religious people live on average four years longer than atheists...

Comments 0

Main, News, Religious, Studies, z106

Jobs for Christians

Published by smcintos

Are you a Christian? Do you believe that God will provide? Do you know any Christian who is struggling to find a job? I know someone who is struggling...

Comments 0

Bible, Main, Opinion, z106

The millennial challenge

Published by Barb Smith

We often joke with our daughter about being a “millennial” because she and her generation have a strong sense of entitlement. I realize now we are actually demeaning them...

Comments 0

Family, Main, Women, z106

Oops, that wasn’t supposed to happen: genetic study unravels evolutionary theory

Published by Dean Smith

A study produced by two geneticists Mark Stoeckle from New York’s Rockefeller University and David Thaler from Switzerland’s University of Baler concluded that 90% of animals came into existence...

Comments 0

Apologetics, Creation, Evolution, Main, z106

If you want to know God’s will, start moving

Published by Dean Smith

Many of us can struggle trying to decide what God wants us to do. It is clear from Scripture that God has a purpose for each of us. The...

Comments 0

Bible, Main, Project Management, Teaching, z106

Where is Mt. Sinai?

Published by Dean Smith

We don’t know for sure where Mt Sinai is located. The mountain, also called Horeb (Deuteronomy 4:10), was the location where Moses received the Ten Commandments. It’s traditionally believed...

Comments 0

Apologetics, Archaeology, Bible, Main, z106

Bible, Main, Spiritual Gifts, z50

My Prophetic Journey Part 12: Using your keys

[This is the twelfth in a series of articles on the ministry of the prophet and gift of prophecy.] Years ago I worked doing security in a large corporate...

Emotional health, Main, Women, z50

Whose voice are you listening to?

“For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With His love, He will calm all...

Islam, Main, News, Persecution, Religious, z50

The horrific persecution of the Egyptian Coptic Church

Many consider the Coptic church as the oldest church in the world. It traces its beginnings back to the work of the gospel writer Mark who they believe came...

Arts, Christmas, Main, Music, Music, News, Religious, Video, Videos, z50

‘The Singing Contractors’ unexpected climb to fame

Two general contractors working in and around Indianapolis, Indiana have taken social media by storm, not by displaying teaching videos on contracting techniques, but by singing. Aaron Gray, 39...

Main, News, Testimony, z50

After being warned in a dream was a Brazilian soccer player praying Psalm 63 before plane crashed?

Helio Neto is a surviving member of Chapecoense, a Brazilian soccer team, whose chartered plane crashed into a mountain near Medellin, Columbia on Monday, November 28, 2016 killing 71,...

Apologetics, End times, Main, z50

Have we entered the ‘post-truth’ era?

Each year, Oxford Dictionary presents its word of the year. They are not always words, sometimes they are phrases or even an emoji — “face with tears of joy”...

Emotional health, Main, Women, z50

Out of sorts?

My husband had just taken three days off work so we could paint our family room. We accomplished a lot the first two days and by the third day...

Bible, Main, Opinion, Teaching, z50

Should Christians support the death penalty? — A response

The death penalty is a controversial subject for Christians. Believers fall on both sides of the issue. Some believe the death penalty should be part of the criminal code...

Main, Opinion, z50

One More Way to Kill a Church

This is my fourth time to write about how to kill a church, and I think this is enough; I don’t want to get morbid. But it is simply...

Main, News, Persecution, Religious, z50

BuzzFeed article on Chip and Joanna Gaines called a ‘hit piece’ on Christians

Chip and Joanna Gaines, the stars of the popular reality program Fixer Upper on HGTV, have come under fire because they attend a church that does not agree with...