by leaps and bounds

    EVERY GOOD GIFT AND EVERY PERECT GIFT IS FROM ABOVE, AND COMETH DOWN FROM THE FATHER OF LIGHTS, WITH WHOM IS NO VARIABLENESS, NEITHER SHADOW OF TURNING. (JAMES 1:17)

    Some of you may remember a couple of things from newspaper comics and television from years ago. If you don’t remember, go back in time with me.

    In the Sunday morning comics, there was a detective named Dick Tracy. The thing I remember so well was the wristwatch he wore. It was also a radio that he used to talk to-and-see the other detectives. I used to laugh and say, “That will never happen.” Man, was I wrong! Now we have Skype, Facebook live – and the list goes on.  Then there was the Batman television series.

    The Batman series was not dark and somber like the more modern Batman movies. It had a cartoon characteristic about it.  I remember the huge computer that Batman used. It had blinking lights and stretched halfway across the room.  When information was needed, Batman would enter a paper and then the computer would toss out a small card with the information Batman wanted. Now we have computers small enough to carry anywhere and way more efficient than the bat computer – even when we have to deal with updates! My point is – my, how things have changed!

    There is one constant we can depend on. God will not change. He is forever the same.

    “Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hast formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.” (Psalm 90:2) Throughout all the ages, God has been God. He always will be God.

    God’s Word is unchangeable. Psalm 119:89 says it this way: “For ever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven.” Since it is settled in heaven, nothing on earth has the power to change it. His Word is – and will always be – true, right and powerful.

    What is true of God the Father is also true of God the Son. Hebrews 13:8 says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, and forever.” He is – and always will be – the way, the truth and the life. He is the one way we have to approach God.

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Dave Snyder is an Ordained Bishop with the Church of God – Cleveland, Tennessee. Before entering the ministry on a full-time basis, he was a school teacher. He also coached middle school basketball for eight years.

Dave and his wife, Sara, have two children  — Craig and Karen. They also have one ten year old granddaughter  — Breanna. 

Dave and Sara pastored in West Virginia for thirty-six years. Sara is now retired from the banking industry, and Dave is retired from pastoring. However, Dave currently serves as prison Chaplain for the West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation. 

Writing essays, articles, and devotionals is a real passion for Dave. He also enjoys playing musical instruments and singing.