The Good and Faithful Hobbit 

By Ken Yates on May 05, 2026 10:00 am

I, Pastor Scott, received this blog on Tuesday form one of the “Grace” sites I subscribe. I am sharing not, just, because I’m a big fan of The Trilogy, but also because the article makes a great point!

In J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, the fate of the world rests on a ring. Forged by the Dark Lord Sauron, the Ring of Power corrupts all who possess it. It needs to be destroyed. Someone has to carry the Ring into the heart of enemy territory and destroy it in the fires of Mount Doom. 

The unlikely ring bearer is Frodo Baggins, a small hobbit from the Shire. As the story unfolds, the burden of the Ring grows heavier. It weakens his body. It clouds his mind. It isolates him from his companions. By the time he reaches the aptly named Mount Doom, he is staggering under the weight of the ring. 

But Frodo is not alone. He has Samwise Gamgee with him. 

Sam is Frodo’s gardener. He was not chosen to bear the ring. He is not given the “important” role. He begins the story as a servant, packing supplies, cooking meals, and worrying about potatoes. If you were assembling a team to save the world, Sam would not be your obvious pick. Yet anyone who knows the story knows this: Frodo would never have made it to Mount Doom without Sam. When Frodo collapses, Sam carries him. When Frodo despairs, Sam speaks hope. When the path disappears, Sam keeps walking. Sam fights when necessary, but more often than not, he simply serves.  

What was Tolkien’s inspiration for Samwise? He revealed it in an interview. Tolkien served as a second lieutenant in World War I, enduring the brutal conditions of trench warfare. In those trenches, he encountered a class of soldiers known as batmen. In the British army, a batman was an enlisted man assigned as a personal servant to an officer. His tasks were unglamorous: prepare meals, clean uniforms, maintain equipment, carry extra gear, make tea, run messages. In the mud of the trenches, they shaved their officers, washed their clothes, and set up their quarters.  

These batmen lived and served under shellfire, in the cold, with the rats, and experienced exhaustion. Their daily work often consisted of what seemed insignificant: cooking, cleaning, carrying. Tolkien saw them up close. And he never forgot them. 

In a 1956 letter, he wrote: 

“My Sam Gamgee is indeed a reflection of the English soldier, of the privates and batmen I knew in the 1914 War, and recognized as so far superior to myself.”

That sentence speaks to the profound impact these men had on Tolkien. “So far superior to myself.” Tolkien was the officer. By rank and education, he stood above them. Yet he believed the quiet endurance and loyalty of those ordinary soldiers surpassed his own. Tolkien understood something that war teaches quickly: Leaders cannot lead if no one serves. Commanders cannot function without someone to clean, cook, carry, and sustain. Armies do not move on speeches; they move on meals prepared in the mud.  

The great moments of history are built on unnoticed faithfulness. It is human nature to love the climactic scene, such as Frodo at Mount Doom. In the Bible, we are inspired by David facing Goliath. We love the dramatic language of spiritual warfare and the heroes listed in Hebrews 11. We gravitate toward the epic, the visible, the extraordinary. But most of the believer’s life is not lived at Mount Doom. 

It is lived in kitchens, laundry rooms, offices, and hospital waiting rooms. In these places, there are daily, repetitive acts of service that no one applauds: cooking a meal for a weary family member; showing up to work with integrity when no one notices; preparing Sunday school lessons; cleaning a church building; praying for someone who will never know you did; raising children in quiet consistency; serving aging parents; answering emails; paying bills; folding clothes.

In Luke 19, when the Lord describes His return and the evaluation of His servants, the praise He gives is striking: “Well done, good and faithful servant.” Not “good and famous.” Not “good and influential.” Not “good and impressive.”  

Faithful. 

Faithful implies repetition. Showing up day after day and doing what was entrusted to you without needing recognition. It is not a single dramatic act. It is a word that describes a life lived consistently, like Samwise and the batmen who inspired him.  

The kingdom to come will not measure greatness the way this world does. It will not be impressed with numbers or noise. What will matter is whether we were faithful with what we were given, whether in great trials or small tasks. The steady obedience in the mundane may count for more than the single act of visible bravery. 

Frodo reached Mount Doom because Sam kept walking. 

Armies held their lines because unnamed soldiers known as batmen kept serving. 

And believers finish well, not because every day is epic, but because, in the quiet and the ordinary, they remain faithful. 

The post The Good and Faithful Hobbit  appeared first on Grace Evangelical Society.

Oh No!  – Apr 30, 2026

AI is taking over the banking systems!

…..Trump recovered from a head wound 

……….AND is negotiating peace in the middle east

……………Islam is growing exponentially

………………..One world government seems inevitable

……………………..The world is getting darker!

I’m sure glad my hope is anchored in Christ and that He is anchored in the veil! (Hebrews 6:19-20)

Where, beloved, is YOUR hope?

Pastor Scott

PS Blog – April 23, 2026

Neuroplasticity and the Renewal of the Mind

Modern neuroscience has uncovered something remarkable: the human brain can rewire itself. This concept, known as neuroplasticity, means that our thoughts don’t just pass through our minds — they shape them. Repeated thoughts and habits physically alter the brain’s structure over time. Negative patterns like anxiety, fear, or bitterness can create neural pathways that make those responses automatic. But the good news is that the brain can also be reshaped with intentional focus and truth.

This discovery has profound spiritual echoes. Long before MRI machines and brain scans, the apostle Paul wrote in Romans 12:2, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” In other words, Scripture is not only spiritually true — it aligns with the way God built our brains.

When a person meditates on the Word of God, memorizes Scripture, or even repeatedly returns to biblical promises in times of trouble, those truths begin to form new thought patterns. Peace replaces panic. Identity in Christ replaces insecurity. Gratitude takes the place of complaint. Over time, this process doesn’t just change the way we think — it changes who we become.

Neuroplasticity tells us that the brain responds to what it’s given. Scripture tells us that the Word of God is “living and active,” capable of dividing soul and spirit, judging the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. When you bring the Word into the mind, the mind doesn’t stay the same. It’s renewed — not just spiritually, but neurologically.

~New Start Discipleship – 37 Sermon Illustrations

The Resurrection; our Lynchpin!

I’m sure, like me, you’ve taken a fan apart to clean or to repair.  You’ve probably done it more than once if you have one with white or light-colored fan blades because the dust is especially noticeable.  Most desk or box fans are held to the shaft by a single nut.  If you fail to put that nut on, the blades will fail.  Regardless of how well the motor works or weather or not it’s getting enough electricity, without that nut, no fan!

The same thing is true of a helicopter.  In fact during the Vietnam war, that nut that held the blade on the shaft was named the “Jesus Nut” because despite the millions of dollars’ worth of hardware on that bird, if the shaft nut failed, you were going to meet Jesus.

Ironically, the resurrection is our theological “Jesus Nut”.  If Jesus rose from the dead, then He is God and ALL of His claims are true!  If He is still in the grave, then He was just another moralist teacher….  BUT this is the Year of Our Lord 2026; He did rise.  He is sitting at the right hand of the Father.  If two witnesses seal the deal, 500 are unimpeachable…

”For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,  and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,  and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.  After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep;  then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles;  and last of all, as to one untimely born, He appeared to me also.  For I am the least of the apostles, and not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.  But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me.  Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.” Corinthians 15:3-11 

Pastor Scott

@Wikipedia

Jesus nut

The Main rotor attach nut, or “Jesus nut”, from a Bell 222U, shown in hand for size perspective (left) and installed with locking key (right)

The main rotor retaining nut[1] or mast nut, often colloquially referred to as the Jesus nut, holds the main rotor to the mast of some helicopters. The related slang term Jesus pin refers to the lock pin used to secure the retaining nut. A failure of this nut is likely to result in a crash. More generally, Jesus nut (or Jesus pin) is used to refer to any component that is a single point of failure and whose breakdown would result in catastrophic consequences, the suggestion being that in such case the only thing left to do would be to “pray to Jesus“.

Origin of name

The term Jesus nut may have been coined by American soldiers in Vietnam;[2] the Vietnam War was the first war to feature large numbers of soldiers riding in helicopters. The term may also have originated with the PBY Catalina, which had two Jesus bolts holding the wing onto the fuselage.[3]

If the main rotor retaining nut were to fail in flight, the rotor would detach from the helicopter,[4] hence the idea that all that would then be left for the crew to do would be to “pray to Jesus.” The nut/pin must be checked before the flight, even though real-world examples of the Jesus nut/pin failing are rare. For example, in 2000, the mast nut of a Bell 206B was removed to be repainted and was not restored and checked prior to a test flight. The helicopter crashed within ten minutes of takeoff, killing the two occupants.[5][6]

Hosanna! – Mar 26, 2026

Palm Sunday is in three days.  I can’t guarantee we will have palm branches, we live about as far away from the beach as one can get in the continental United States, but I can guarantee, if the Lord wills and the creek don’t rise, we will look at the Palm Sunday passages in the New Testament.  And they will feature the word: 

Hosanna is often thought of as a declaration of praise, similar to hallelujah, but it is actually a plea for salvation. The Hebrew root words are found in Psalm 118:25, which says, “Save us, we pray, O LORD!” (ESV). The Hebrew words yasha (“deliver, save”) and anna (“beg, beseech”) combine to form the word that, in English, is “hosanna.” Literally, hosanna means “I beg you to save!” or “please deliver us!” – GotQuestions.Org

We know the story, and we will rehearse it on Sunday.  The same crowds that called out to Jesus, Son of David, to save them (from the Roman occupation), crucified Him a week later. Their praise turned to hateful anger, but it was all part of God’s plan.  They didn’t really take Jesus’s life, He laid it down, for you and for me!!

Pastor Scott

One Judgment – 03.19.26

Hebrews 9:27 says, “And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment.” 

On Sunday, Pastor Jim reminded us of both the Bema Seat (1 Corinthians 3) that believers will face, and the Great White Throne (Rev 20) that unbelievers will face.  In the series “Fear Not”, this was to be the reminder that we need not fear that our good deeds will go unrecognized, nor that evil will go unpunished.  The latter seems to be a huge concern, especially when we are young.  The need for justice seems written on our heart.  And on the one hand that’s a VERY positive thing if it helps us to actually be just, and to work to set up just systems in our own homes and businesses.  On the other hand, it’s a painful thing when we watch injustice over which we have no power…. That’s when we have to pray for the redemption of those at fault, and remember that the Lord said, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay.”  Very easy to write, very hard to do as we see bullies seem to triumph.  Never forget Who gets the last word!

Blessings,

Pastor Scott

Rough Patch – 03.11.26

Columbia Records must have had a massive advertising budget when I was a kid.  It was impossible to escape hearing about their record deals.  They played two lines of popular songs back to back during every commercial break!  One of them has been running through my head recently: “I beg your pardon, I never promised you a rose garden!”  Of course, it was a love song, but in my head it’s transposed as the Holy Spirit speaking through James, “count it all joy!” or through Peter, “Do not be surprised, beloved..” or through Paul, “we also exult in our tribulations!” Every believer throughout the world and through the eons has had burdens, trials to endure and through which to persevere.

I do appreciate your prayers as I have gone through this rough patch of successive migraine headaches.  There does seem to be a light at the end of the tunnel (for which I praise God), but the point of this blog is to say, suffering IS the human condition. It is how we grow.  Physically, we can’t get stronger only resting, nor in our character if our life is sipping lemonade by the pool!  Overcoming, enduring, builds our character, makes us stronger, equips us to better serve our master and better serve our brothers and sisters!

We all know that but we don’t all feel that when we are hurting!  I can certainly testify to that! 😀

Pastor Scott

Some Clarifications – March 5, 2026

Sunday March 1, God’s grace was sufficient (enough) for me to finish preaching, but didn’t leave me much room for interpreting the three questions that came in from the text line.  I think I misread two of the three.  Therefore, I’m going to take another shot:

Q1:  I understood this one and answered the question about redemption/restoration cycles in a believer’s life.

Q2: “Since Jesus died and rose from the dead, isn’t He our one & only Ultimate Hero”?

This one threw me, and I bobbled it. I later remembered my “aside” during my opening illustration about the march from Normandy to Berlin.

One of the dangers of not manuscripting (writing down every single word of one’s sermon) is that one gets used to saying whatever pops into one’s head, trusting that it’s from God and one’s study.  However, sometimes it’s just a strong memory that, as in this case, has absolutely nothing to do with the message.  As I have mentioned, I came to Blue Ridge, now Word of Grace, in 1997, when a number of WW2 vets were still actively attending.  They were in attendance when a guest speaker was introduced as a Vietnam Era “War Hero.”  To a man, they each let me know, privately, that the heroes were the ones that were buried “over there”.  The ones, like them, who came home to their families, were just vets.  They were all quietly adamant, and that memory popped out on Sunday morning in a way that likely made zero sense.  🙂

Q3: “What is that to you? You follow me” Is it appropriate to co-opt this phrasing when parenting children?”

I feel like I missed the specificity of this one.  I believe, after some thought that the texter was asking, is it okay if everything isn’t “even-steven” for the kids?  I think consistency is very important in parenting.   If you are talking about simply gracing (gifting) a child over another child, I think I would try to seek balance in the long-term.  Now if it is a merit thing, or an age thing, I think the parent should put his or her foot down like Jesus did.  (Just write the achievement or age down somewhere so you can reward the younger kids the same way if they achieve that same way – I say this not so much as a Bible scholar but as a counselor). 

Thanks for letting me clarify,

Pastor Scott

Heroic Hobbyists

In 2018, an event made international news. A soccer team of twelve boys and their coach became trapped inside the Tham Luang cave in northern Thailand. The team had gone to explore the cave. But the monsoon rains came and sealed off their exit, pushing them miles inside a twisting, waterlogged cave system. For over two weeks, rescuers fought to find the boys and bring them to safety. Thai Navy SEALs, international volunteers, engineers, medical teams, and elite cave divers from around the world came to help. Happily, all thirteen were saved.

I recently learned some interesting facts about this story that I didn’t know in 2018. Two of the rescuers, Rick Stanton and John Volanthen, were British natives. Stanton, a retired firefighter, and Volanthen, a tech engineer, were cave diving hobbyists. They weren’t in the military, but they ultimately became the heroes of the story because of their unique set of skills.

There are three prominent cave diving methods, each with its own techniques and culture. Mexican cave divers specialize in clear, spacious caves and are experts in long-distance navigation. Floridian cave diving focuses on deep cave formations with fast-flowing water. It produces divers who excel in technical planning, teamwork, and dealing with strong currents. The last one method is British cave diving, with which Stanton and Volanthen were familiar. 

British caves are known for low visibility, narrow passages, and muddy floors. They require solo diving due to tight spaces. British divers excel in dark, cramped caves where they swim alone and can do so without panicking. 

All three methods are impressive forms of diving. But it was the British caves that most closely resembled the Thai cave structure, making Stanton and Volanthen uniquely qualified to rescue the boys.

What looked terrifying to most of the world was familiar to them. And when the time came, the entire rescue operation—SEALs, engineers, doctors, and global volunteers— turned to these two British hobbyists to lead the way, not because they were better, but because their experience fit the mission.

When I heard this, I was reminded of some Biblical principles. The Thai Navy SEALs, the engineers, the logisticians, the volunteers—everyone worked together for one goal: to save the boys. No one fought for control. No one insisted that their way was best simply because of rank or title. They did not say it had to be done by their method of cave diving.

Of course, the church is meant to operate in the same way. It also illustrates the point that expertise doesn’t make you qualified for everything. The SEALs were extraordinary, brave, disciplined, and highly trained. The Mexican divers were experts in their field, as were the Floridians, but they weren’t specialists in this area. And the moment they recognized it, they deferred to the British divers.

In the church, wisdom acts in the same way: by submitting to the people whose gifts fit the moment. James reminds us that the “poor” are often rich in faith. Often, it is not the impressive, the loud, or the most obvious by human standards who are best qualified to meet a particular need. Sometimes, the ones God uses are unassuming amateurs who become heroes. There will be times when the guy who has a seminary degree should give way to somebody who doesn’t.

January 27, 2026 by Ken Yates, Grace Evangelical Society

Filling in for me, Pastor Scott – both because the article makes a great point and because I’m out sick this week. 😦

Innocent as Doves – Jan. 22, 2026

The following question came in after the Benediction on Sunday.  In case you weren’t in attendance, I made the point from Psalm 139 (cf. Genesis 1:27) that we were knit together in our mother’s womb as male OR female. 

Text: So in the workplace, when folks tell us they are a different pronoun, etc.  Do we comply with that?  Would that make it seem like we agree?  If so, what should our response be?

Pastor:  My preaching (communicating) model is “Truth with Grace” (John 1:14 & 17) and typically it serves as a great way to bring the temperature down in most discussions.    Let me offer two suggestions:

  1. For the coworker with whom you have limited involvement:  Just stay away from third-person pronouns with him or her.    Refer to him/her by name and I think the problem goes away.  Obviously, if they have changed their given name, you have a bigger problem.  I would revert to the second person -“hey you”.  Or if you really want to be pointed, ignore the “new name” and use their birth name.  I was recently in a situation where initials were used, but that only really works if the changed name has the same starting letter.*   
  1. For the coworker with whom you have regular interactions, it might be best to do the hard thing and share the truth in private, something like:  “I love (like?) you because you are a fellow image-bearer.   I believe you are equally valuable before God to anybody here. At the same time, I believe God made you male (or female) from the very beginning.  I don’t believe gender is a measure of how you feel, but rather of what you are, physically.  So I will do my best to honor you, without lying or pretending.”  Then use the technique under heading #1.

Obviously if you know this person well, #2 will take longer than what is written here and it doesn’t guarantee peace and acceptance; but in as much as it does depend on you, try to be at peace with all.

Pastor Scott
* Using a given name or “you,”  rather than a third-person pronoun sounds like an easy solution until one starts the “what abouts;”  clearly if we weren’t distinct from the world before, we are now.  2 Corinthians 6:17 (“Come out from among them and be separate”), 1 John 2:15-17 (don’t love the world or its desires), Romans 12:2 (don’t conform to this world), and 1 Peter 2:9 (a chosen people, holy nation).