In Memoriam
Editor’s Note: It is with deepest sorrow that we share that our beloved friend Dr. Nelson Price was called home to be with Jesus on August 30, 2025, at the age of 94. Though our hearts grieve his absence, we rejoice that he now rests in the presence of his Savior—face to face, where there is no more pain or death.
Dr. Price’s life was a testimony of faith, wisdom, and an unwavering devotion to God and his precious family whom he loved dearly. His legacy will continue to bear fruit for generations to come, in ways known and unknown, as the seeds he sowed in countless lives continue to grow.
Dr. Price was a prolific writer and this website contains only a small sampling of his prose. This website will continue to be updated as his writings are collected, so please check back often. For more collected writings on the legacy of our dear friend, please visit the In Memoriam tab at the top of this webpage.
Also please be blessed by Dr. Price’s newest book, Uplifted: A Journey Through Acts: A Study of the Early Church and its Timeless Lessons for Today. Now available on Amazon for Kindle.
God Knows Best
Bernard Palissy is credited with the discovery of the modern theory of the water cycle in 1580 AD. However, Solomon beat him to it centuries earlier when he wrote:
“The wind goes toward the south, And turns around to the north; The wind whirls about continually, And comes again on its circuit. All the rivers run into the sea, Yet the sea is not full; To the place from which the rivers come, There they return again” (Ecclesiastes 1: 6, 7).
Overly simplified, the sun draws water from the oceans, deserts, and the frozen Poles. Yes, even the Poles and deserts. The winds blow it inward where it forms rain water, falls on the earth, where rivers flow it into the sea and the aquifers. Then the cycle begins again.
Solomon knew that and more centuries before science proved it. How? The Great Designer who created it revealed it to him.
The Bible speaks of God knowing things before they happen—a concept often referred to as God’s foreknowledge, His omniscience (all-knowing nature).
Don’t confuse knowing a thing in advance with causing it to happen.
I can think of no knowledge comparable to His. If it is, and it is, the most reliable source of counsel, why not rely on it and obey His guidance.
Ulysses waded in the rain swollen waters that foiled his plan and beat it with a chain as a discipline. Foolish, right. That is not as foolish as it is to resist God’s standards and rebel against them.
God desires absolute, total obedience from His people. Why not? He knows what is best in every situation. Not to desire obedience to it would be to desire less than the best for us. Our love for God is displayed in our obedience to Him. This requires a living, lasting, and logical commitment in response to God’s mercy.
The following is from something called “Frank’s Daily Chuckles.” It’s one of those things that makes you laugh and then makes you think:
“Dear Lord, So far today, God, I’ve done all right. I haven’t gossiped, haven’t lost my temper, haven’t been greedy, grumpy, nasty, selfish, over-indulgent, coveted my neighbor’s spouse or taken your name in vain. I’m very thankful for that. But, in a few minutes, God, I’m going to get out of bed. And from then on, everyone that I encounter will probably need a lot of help from you. Amen.”
Things go well until we get out of bed, then things happen. James says, “We all stumble in many ways” (James 3:2).
If we fall while walking we get up. If we “fall” spiritually we get up spiritually.
Here is how to get up: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (I John 1: 9).
Fruit Has a Root – Part Two
Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.
Ephesians 4:30-32
There is an ageless couplet that summarily defines what bitterness does to a bitter person: “Bitterness does more harm to the vessel in which it is stored than to the one on which it is poured.” Bitterness is self-punishment.
Hebrews 12:15 gives a proper warning: “Watch out that no bitterness take root among you, for as it springs up it causes deep trouble, hurting many in their spiritual lives.” Much of this “deep trouble” is within us.
The person with whom you are bitter may be a world away or even dead, but in one sense is always with you. The object of your bitterness is always with you, lording over you as a taskmaster would a slave. He whips your thoughts into such an agitated state that your best mattress becomes a torture rack. Daily the object of your bitterness is a distractor, causing you to function at less than your best. You are often driven to unsocial and non-Biblical reactions to persons who have no idea what is driving you.
Modern science has opened our understanding regarding the ability of the mind, known as the “psyche” to produce various reactions in the body, known as the “soma” (body). By combining the word for mind and the one for body, we get our term psychosomatic. It speaks of the influence of the mind over the body. Invisible emotions such as bitterness can produce significant and serious changes in the body. Dr. William Sadler, a physician remarked, “The sincere acceptance of the principles and teachings of Christ with respect to the life of mental peace and joy… would at once wipe out more than half the difficulties, diseases, and sorrows of the human race… it would pay any man or woman to live the Christ-life just for the mental and moral rewards it affords here in this present world.”
Don’t try to even the score. Remember, God said, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay….”
Forgive, “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God….” Then it is noted, “bitterness” as grieving the Holy Spirit. We grieve the Spirit when He is guiding us not to do something and we do it. Thus, the Holy Spirit is depicted as appealing with us not to be bitter. The word “grieve” means to weep. Your bitterness makes God cry.
Bitterness, which is long-standing resentment, a refusal to be reconciled, causes God sadness. That alone should break our hearts and bring us to repentance. If you have any bitterness, pause now and do business with God.
Fruit Has a Root – Part One
Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.
Ephesians 4: 30 – 32
The subject of this post is one on which I was reluctant to write until I heard a speaker refer to it as the most common of sins among Christians. If it is, it is expedient to deal with it and gain a victory over it. What is it? It is bitterness.
Do you know any bitter believers? Have you ever been bitter? Are you presently harboring any bitterness?
In the New Testament the word comes from the Greek word “pikria.” It refers to a person who has become cynical, caustic, sarcastic, hostile, or resentful. It manifests itself by the person becoming negative, unhappy, and critical. Does that remind you of anyone?
We become bitter when we feel God, circumstances, or someone has wronged us, and we can’t do anything about it. We get angry and refuse to forgive. By harboring this anger, we become bitter. Dwelling on this past injustice, we develop a negative and critical outlook. Soon everything and everyone seems wrong and worth criticizing. Bitter people build a mental dossier on the failings of others. This outlook causes the bitter person to look for little things about which to make snide, cutting comments, sarcastic remarks, and unkind statements.
Often bitterness is felt toward God. When it is, most frequently it is expressed indirectly. Maybe as a child something traumatic happened that you prayed would not happen. Anger toward God arose. Over a period of time bitterness sprouted. It is hard to get your hands on God and exercise vengeance against Him. Therefore, the church becomes the target. Maybe it is even God Himself and the reaction of bitterness is expressed in a denial of His existence.
The AKJ translates Hebrews 12: 15 as follows: “Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled.”
Did you catch who is troubled by the root of bitterness? “You.” Bitterness deteriorates the personality, destroys healthy emotions, and drains spiritual vitality. has hurtful or negative experiences. It is up to the individual as to how to react.
You are a marionette on the strings of the person with whom you are bitter. Your every action is manipulated by the one who is the object of your bitterness. Don’t let any person be your master.
There are two different and dissimilar Greek words in the text, both of which are translated “forgiveness.” One refers to releasing of charges against a person and exempting that one from punishment. The other speaks of aggressive action to regain the heart of the adversary. It means to show grace to a person. To give them unmerited favor. Both meanings are contained in what Christ did for us.
Heaping Coals of Fire
Some passages of Scripture are so clear they need no commentary. Romans 12 is such a passage. Therefore, rather than me commenting on it I want to encourage you to read it in a modern English version and then in the version you normally read the Bible in. To help you accomplish this a copy of the “Holman Christian Standard Bible” follows below. If you have a modern version you may prefer to use it.
ROMANS 12
“Therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God. 3 For by the grace given to me, I tell everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he should think. Instead, think sensibly, as God has distributed a measure of faith to each one. 4 Now as we have many parts in one body, and all the parts do not have the same function, 5 in the same way we who are many are one body in Christ and individually members of one another. 6 According to the grace given to us, we have different gifts: If prophecy, use it according to the standard of one’s faith; 7 if service, in service; if teaching, in teaching; 8 if exhorting, in exhortation; giving, with generosity; leading, with diligence; showing mercy, with cheerfulness. 9 Love must be without hypocrisy. Detest evil; cling to what is good. 10 Show family affection to one another with brotherly love. Outdo one another in showing honor. 11 Do not lack diligence; be fervent in spirit; serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in hope; be patient in affliction; be persistent in prayer. 13 Share with the saints in their needs; pursue hospitality. 14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep. 16 Be in agreement with one another. Do not be proud; instead, associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own estimation. 17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Try to do what is honorable in everyone’s eyes. 18 If possible, on your part, live at peace with everyone. 19 Friends, do not avenge yourselves; instead, leave room for His wrath. For it is written: Vengeance belongs to Me; I will repay, says the Lord. 20 But If your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him something to drink. For in so doing you will be heaping fiery coals on his head. 21 Do not be conquered by evil, but conquer evil with good.”
Only the last part of verse 20 needs a bit of an explanation. In the Bible time there were no fire starters. If a household was without one they went next door and asked for a coal. Generosity prompted them to give them so many they needed a bowl to carry them on their head. Thus, they heaped coals of fire on their head.
Go heap some coals of fire on the heads of some needy persons.
Go Share a Little Lagniappe
“….whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two “
(Matthew 5: 40)
In teaching His followers to show generosity and do more they are expected to do He drew on the law of His day. By law Jews were required to take the items a Roman was carrying a mile. Having fulfilled the law they were free to put it down and walk away. As a show of compassion they could voluntarily carry the load further than required.
The teaching today involving all things is to always go beyond what is expected. Whether in school, athletic training, business, parent/child relationships, husband/wife relationships, friendship, or any transaction.
It is generosity in action.
Among the Cajun population of Louisiana they speak of lagniappe, something given or obtained gratuitously or by way of good measure.
The classic example is when purchasing 12 donuts and getting 13. The 13th one is lagniappe, a little something extra.
Are you a second mile person, do you have a lagniappe disposition?
I met the most fulfilled person in Bermuda. He was John James Randolf Adolphus Mills, known as Johnny Barnes. He was a Bermudian entertainer who waved to passing traffic at the Foot of the Lane roundabout in Hamilton, Bermuda, from roughly 3:45 am to 10:00 am every workday. A Bermuda institution mentioned in several guidebooks and profiled in two documentary films, he was known for waving and saying “I love you, God loves you,” to passing commuters during the morning rush hour into Hamilton. He did more than he had to.
Society is hungry for second mile acts, and lagniappe deeds. Little kindnesses result in big uplifts. They build up people.
As Christians, we often seek guidance from the Bible on how to live our lives. The Scriptures are filled with verses that encourage us to take action, serve others, and make a difference in the world. Whether it’s helping those in need or sharing kindness, the Bible teaches us the importance of doing good in our everyday lives.
Freedom in Christ carries the responsibility to serve others selflessly. The Bible encourages and motivates us by a sincere desire to uplift others rather than seeking personal gain.
“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” – 1 Peter 4:10
Go walk a second mile with someone needing a pick-up. Give someone a little lagniappe.