A cranky old professor who teaches graphic design
The Rolling Hills of Tennessee
Joined November 2013
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Semi-Retired Professor Steve Cox retweeted
Driving home from Nashville a few days ago, the wife wanted to stop in Franklin to do a bit of Christmas shopping. Obedient to her wishes as I am, I make the detour and park. As we strolled along the square, I see an older man sitting alone on a bench. Being the sort who initiates conversation with strangers, I say jokingly:
“You look like a man who is waiting for his wife while she spends his money.”
He gives me a wan smile and replies: “I wish I was.” His voice cracks. “She passed away last November.”
We stop. I extend a sympathetic hand. He shakes it and rises to greet us. Lauri asks him about his wife, and he tells us what a wonderful woman she was and of their 50 years of marriage. His eyes welling with tears, he says he comes to the square and sits on that bench daily to reminisce about her because it was their spot for decades. He seems glad to have someone, even strangers, with whom he can talk.
We chat a bit longer, exchange numbers, and I ask him if we can pray for him. A believer, he readily accepts the offer. So, right there on the square in Franklin we pray for the Lord’s comforting presence and peace in his loss. We open our eyes and, at that very moment, a woman walks by hurriedly and reaches for the bench behind this fellow. Only I see it, and I think she might be stealing his phone which he had left on the bench when he rose to speak with us.
I walk to the bench to investigate and see that she’s left a card, a little plastic dove glued on it, proclaiming the hope of John 3:16. I look up to see her far down the sidewalk, her brisk pace undiminished, placing them everywhere in her own evangelistic endeavor. God bless her for it.
Lauri and I wished our new friend well and proceeded to shop. I bought a new vest at her encouragement — “It looks good on you” — and she bought some aromatic candles — “cinnamon vanilla.” But all the while we were thinking of this man and the seemingly coincidental nature of our meeting. The Lord had used us to visibly encourage him.
I cannot tell you the number of times I have had such encounters simply because I spoke to a stranger: a taxi driver who told me someone had murdered his daughter; a waitress who cried when I told her she was doing a good job; a contractor who, just last week, revealed to me how the Lord had delivered him from meth addiction when I was sharing the Gospel with him; and a young woman who looked unsettled and I simply asked her what troubled her so.
There are people all around you who carry secret burdens, and the Lord puts you in their path for a reason. Do you notice them? Or do you press on to “more important” things? Pray that the Lord gives you eyes to see them and the heart to minister to them. It will do you as much good as you do them.
Semi-Retired Professor Steve Cox retweeted
There is a greater love we must first know and experience before we can truly love a world that is sick and doesn't even recognize its sickness.
It is the love of God revealed in Christ, who did not wait for us to become worthy of saving. He loved us in our rebellion, pursued us in our ignorance, and gave His life for us while we were still His enemies.
That is love! Not earned, not deserved, but freely given.
Romans 5:8–10.
Semi-Retired Professor Steve Cox retweeted
Pray with me
October 21, 2026
Heavenly Father,
Today, we come before You with grateful hearts, not because everything in our lives is perfect, but because You are good in every circumstance.
Your Word declares in Psalm 100:5, "For the LORD is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations."
Lord, we thank You for the blessings we recognize and the mercies we never even see. For prayers You have answered, doors You have closed, dangers You have kept us from, and grace You have extended when we didn't deserve it.
Forgive us for the times we have been so consumed with what we lack that we have overlooked the abundance of what You have already given.
Your goodness is not measured by our comfort. Your faithfulness is not determined by our circumstances. And Your love does not diminish when life becomes difficult.
As Lamentations 3:22-23 reminds us, Your mercies never cease. They are new every morning. Great is Your faithfulness!
Father, teach us to be grateful not only for what comes from Your hand, but for who You are in Your heart. You are holy, righteous, patient, merciful, and abounding in steadfast love.
Thank You for the gift of another day, another breath, another opportunity to walk in obedience and reflect Your glory.
And above every earthly blessing, thank You for Jesus Christ. Thank You that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Thank You that our greatest need was not for an easier life, but for a Savior, and in Your goodness, You provided Him.
May our gratitude become more than words spoken in prayer. Let it become worship expressed through obedience, generosity, humility, and love.
And when we cannot understand what You are doing, remind us that we can still trust who You are.
For every good and perfect gift comes from above, from You, the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. (James 1:17)
Lord, You have been better to us than we have been faithful to You. And yet Your goodness remains.
So today, we choose thanksgiving over complaining, contentment over comparison, and worship over worry.
Because even if You never gave us another earthly blessing, You have already given us more than we could ever deserve in Jesus Christ.
You are good. You have always been good. And You will never cease to be good.
In the mighty and precious name of Jesus Christ, we pray.
Amen.
Semi-Retired Professor Steve Cox retweeted
Pray with me
October 16, 2026
Heavenly Father,
Before I ask You to bless my plans today, I ask You to order my steps. Before I ask You to change my circumstances, I ask You to examine my heart.
Your Word says that the steps of a righteous man are ordered by the Lord (Psalm 37:23). So today, lead me where You want me to go, keep me from places I do not belong, and give me the wisdom to recognize the difference.
Guard my mouth from speaking foolishly, my mind from entertaining fear, and my heart from becoming hardened by the troubles of this world.
Lord, help me not to confuse being busy with being fruitful, being successful with being faithful, or being comfortable with being obedient.
Give me the courage to stand for truth, the humility to receive correction, and the grace to love people who are difficult to love.
When I am tempted to worry, remind me that You are sovereign. When I grow weary, renew my strength. When I face opposition, remind me that no weapon formed against me shall prosper according to Your purposes.
And Father, let me not become so consumed with what I want You to do for me that I forget what You desire to do through me.
Make me useful for Your kingdom today. Let my words bring life, my actions reflect Christ, and my decisions honor Your name.
Above all, Lord, don’t just give me a good day. Make me faithful with the day You’ve given me.
In the mighty name of Jesus Christ,
Amen.
Semi-Retired Professor Steve Cox retweeted
MERE PROVISIONISM:
God provides a way of salvation to every person created in His image. No one perishes because God passed them over before creating them or reprobated them before they were born. Those who perish do so only because they refused the truth by which they would be saved.
Semi-Retired Professor Steve Cox retweeted
I am pro-Israel, like much of Michael Anton's work I've been exposed to, think Chesterton is one of the most brilliant thinkers in the history of English-speaking Christianity, consider Tucker Carlson to be a modern-day Marcion level arch-heretic, agree with Charlie that antisemitism is brain rot, don't agree that unbelievers should be granted any standing whatsoever to hold jurisdiction over Christian thought and argumentation boundaries, want an all-out immigration moratorium to save my country, don't believe Islam to be compatible with Western Civilization, think the war we launched with Iran (whose regime I loathe) was dumb, don't care which antichrist megalomaniacs control Ukraine, have nothing in common with the mostly-white Marxist leaders of Western Europe, want to defeat the anti-white racialism in my own country, revere the Constitution as one of the great civic miracles in the history of our species, yet don't think the Constitution should be a suicide pact when you have a broken social compact, concerned young men are being handed a generational raw deal that threatens our way of life, convinced men of all ages are to do what is right regardless of the state of the women or the culture at-large based on the calling of headship God has given us.
I have no idea which of the various tribes this puts me in.
Semi-Retired Professor Steve Cox retweeted
Pray with me
October 15, 2026
Heavenly Father, when the road grows weary and the weight of life presses upon us, teach us to find joy not in the trial, but in the truth that You are with us through it. Let every season of testing deepen our faith, every hardship strengthen our endurance, and every unanswered question draw us closer to Your heart.
Forgive us when we seek the comfort of an easier road rather than the beauty of a transformed life. Refine what is weak, strengthen what is weary, and complete the good work You have begun in us.
May we never mistake the silence of heaven for the absence of Your heart and hand. And when the storms have passed, may we emerge not merely relieved, but renewed, more steadfast in faith, more surrendered in spirit, and more like Jesus.
In His holy name we pray, Amen.
Semi-Retired Professor Steve Cox retweeted
Pray with me
October 14, 2026
Heavenly Father,
Give us the courage to stand when others bow, to speak truth when silence is easier, and to obey You when obedience comes at a cost. Remove the fear of man from our hearts and replace it with a holy reverence for You. Like the apostles in Acts 4:29, grant us boldness to proclaim Your Word without compromise.
Let our confidence come not from our own strength, but from the power of Your Spirit. Make us fearless in faith, humble in spirit, and unwavering in conviction. May we never be ashamed of the gospel, never intimidated by opposition, and never forget that if You are for us, no one can stand against us.
In the mighty name of Jesus, Amen.
Semi-Retired Professor Steve Cox retweeted
Go to sleep knowing….
Every night, God asks you to surrender control of a world you were never in charge of in the first place.
And yet, we lie awake rehearsing conversations, worrying about problems, and imagining circumstances that may never happen.
But remember this:
God does not need you to stay awake for Him to remain faithful.
Psalm 121:4 reminds us that the One who watches over His people neither slumbers nor sleeps.
That means while your eyes are closed, His are not.
While your mind is resting, His wisdom is not diminished.
While your strength is being restored, His power is not exhausted.
While tomorrow remains uncertain to you, it is already known to Him.
You don’t have to finish everything to rest in Him. Leave tomorrow where it belongs: in the hands of the Lord. The same God who carried you through today will be waiting for you when morning comes.
Semi-Retired Professor Steve Cox retweeted
Pray with me
October 9, 2026
Heavenly Father,
Your Word declares, “Behold, I make all things new.” (Revelation 21:5)
Lord, we come before You today with grateful hearts, knowing that our past does not have to define our future, our failures do not have to determine our destiny, and yesterday’s burdens do not have to become tomorrow’s chains.
Your mercies are new every morning, and great is Your faithfulness. (Lamentations 3:22-23)
Father, where we have wandered from Your will, lead us back to the path of righteousness.
Give us the courage to release what You have called us to leave behind and the faith to embrace what You are calling us toward.
As Your Word declares in Isaiah 43:19, You are doing a new thing. Give us eyes to recognize Your work, hearts willing to receive it, and feet ready to walk in obedience.
Lord, we do not ask merely for new circumstances. We ask for renewed minds, transformed hearts, and a deeper surrender to Jesus Christ.
Close the doors that lead us away from You. Open the doors that serve Your purposes. Teach us to trust You even when we cannot see the road ahead.
May this new beginning not simply mark a change in our lives, but a greater work of Your grace within us.
For if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. (2 Corinthians 5:17)
Today, we surrender yesterday, trust You with tomorrow, and commit ourselves to walking faithfully with You today.
In the mighty name of Jesus Christ, our Redeemer and the Author and Perfecter of our faith, we pray.
Amen.
Semi-Retired Professor Steve Cox retweeted
Gen X, we are not the passed over or forgotten generation. For a long time I thought this way, and clouded my judgment on things. But now I see we have a very important assignment. We are to be the enduring, resetting generation.
We endured watered down, pottery barn churches that built pastoral brands and not the kingdom of God, so we reset by making that old time religion great again.
We endured being latch key kids, so we now reset by being there for our kids.
We endured mass divorce, so we now reset by finishing the race with the wife of our youth.
We endured being the first porn is mainstream generation on video snd computers, so we reset by making it as difficult as possible to obtain it in the future and making monogamy and the nuclear family hot again.
We endured being passed on mountains of debt that can never be repaid well into our prime earning years, so we reset by making sure we leave our kids an inheritance. If possible, we give it to them early when they need our help. And they’re gonna need more help with the down payment on their first house at 25 or 30 than a bunch of money at 50 when we die.
We endured grandparents that posted more Facebook vacation than pics of their grandkids, so we reset by taking some vacations (we worked hard too) in retirement but prioritizing being there for our adult kids and our grandkids. And because we want to be. Grandkids are the ultimate inheritance of a life well lived. Work as hard at being there for them that love us as we did being there for a boss who didn’t.
And if we endure and reset in this way as much as possible, we will have won our millennial children and Gen Z grandchildren the opportunity to truly make America great again.
Semi-Retired Professor Steve Cox retweeted
Pray with me
October 6, 2026
Father, search our hearts and show us anything in us that does not honor You. “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me” (Psalm 51:10).
Teach us that repentance is more than feeling sorry. It is agreeing with You about our sin, confessing it honestly, and turning from it to follow You. Give us godly sorrow that produces repentance and leads to life (2 Corinthians 7:10).
Lord Jesus, we confess that we have sinned in thought, word, action, and desire. Forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). Where we have wandered, turn our hearts back to You. Where we have made excuses, give us humility. Where we have resisted Your Word, give us obedience.
Thank You that repentance does not drive us away from You, but brings us running toward Your mercy. Help us bear fruit in keeping with repentance and walk today in the newness of life You have given us through Christ.
In Jesus’ name, amen.
Semi-Retired Professor Steve Cox retweeted
Good Morning,
Please join me for a daily scripture break.
Ephesians 5:6:
"Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.”
A well written thought is like a precise surgical instrument; it poignantly extracts the meaning of an idea or sentiment from the heart and imprints all that it embodies in the mind and conscience of the human sojourner. Take heed to this verse because our world is chock full of deceivers. They spew “empty words” of treachery, deceit and mischievous contempt: all calculated to misdirect its receiver. “Empty words" are not without purpose but never filled with joy, hope, and love. I would characterize “empty words” as words stacked like a house of cards with no foundation in truth, knowledge, understanding or wisdom. II Timothy 3:16-17 says, "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” This is a great example of what “empty words” are not.
So, how do we identify and circumnavigate these potholes of enmity? Hebrews 4:12 guides us to this unescapable conclusion that “...the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” Empty words are dull, lifeless, and result in oppressive burdens of the heart.
Let’s examine “empty words” a little closer. Here are some characteristics of "empty words.”
1. Their purpose is to deceive.
2. They lack truth, understanding, wisdom and knowledge of good.
3. They portray a false narrative often through the use of flowery language thereby confusing the recipient of the underlying deception.
4, They engender mistrust, disloyalty, skepticism, immorality, and a heaping dose of obfuscation.
5. They never lead you to Jesus.
6. They are uttered by those who oppose the Lord.
7. They are often utilized to manipulate the receiver’s faithfulness to God against them for the benefit of the offender.
The Bible frequently presents a good verses evil theme contained in many of its verses. This scripture premise identifies the evil succinctly and the consequences awaiting the offenders.
Please a take moment and review these foundational scriptures about the dangers of “empty words."
Colossians 2:8 - "See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.”
I Timothy 4:1 - "Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons,…”
James 1:16 - "Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers.”
James 4:4 - "You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.”
Matthew 12:34-37 - "You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”
Be ever vigilant to keep a watch over the words you use and be an astute decipher of the “empty words” of the world.
Have a blessed day.
Peace and be prepared.
Semi-Retired Professor Steve Cox retweeted
Pray with me
October 5, 2026
Father,
Quiet every voice in us that competes with Yours. Strip away our pride, our fear, our distractions, and our need to have everything figured out. Fix our eyes on Jesus, “the founder and perfecter of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2).
When we are weary, lead us to Jesus, who says, “Come to me… and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).
When we are confused, lead us to Jesus, who is “the way, and the truth, and the life” (John 14:6).
When we are ashamed, lead us to the cross, where there is forgiveness. When we are afraid, lead us to the empty tomb, where death has been defeated. When we are wandering, remind us that the Good Shepherd still calls His sheep by name.
Lord, we do not simply need better circumstances. We need Christ. We do not merely need answers. We need Christ. We do not need more of the world. We need more of Jesus.
Teach us to abide in Him, trust Him, obey Him, and follow Him. Let everything in our lives point back to the One who loved us and gave Himself for us.
Jesus, be the center of our thoughts, the desire of our hearts, and the direction of our lives.
Lead us to You again today.
In the mighty name of Jesus,
Amen.
Semi-Retired Professor Steve Cox retweeted
Do you think you'll lose more opportunities to foreigners if Rob Sand wins or if @ZachLahn wins?
Do you think more babies will be murdered if Rob Sand wins or if @ZachLahn wins?
Do you think taxes and fees will be higher if Rob Sand wins or if @ZachLahn wins?
Do you think you'll have more medical freedom if Rob Sand wins or if @ZachLahn wins?
This is not that hard.
Semi-Retired Professor Steve Cox retweeted
Call it "woke reich", dissident right, podcastistan slop, or whatever the heck you want to call it. It's filth.
And don't even bother with any "but the Left" at me. I don't need any convincing of the far-left ills and their massive institutional prowess. I've had a front row seat for years reporting on the gender horror, euthanasia, surrogacy, and other anti-human causes that such people promote, and have seen the ideological nihilism up close.
Ten to 15 years ago, the alt-right used to be (rightly) fringe. It's not anymore. And it's beyond foul.
The other day, I spoke with a Hispanic woman from a southern state who sounded like she was in her 30s. Her views tilt conservative, and she's an earnest Christian. For years, in college and ever since, the campus types and other leftists antagonized her, rudely calling her all sorts of ugly names, including "racist," because she's a racial minority who leans conservative. They still do that, she tells me. But she has always tuned it out because the most decent people she knew (and still knows) were Christians who largely tended to see things as she did, the type she attends church with, and they didn't have a prejudiced bone in their bodies. The idea that they were Westboro-like racist haters was always crazy to her. It's still true.
But lately?
She's starting to see younger men on the chronically online dissident/podcastistan Right soften people up to RANK BIGOTRY and be platformed by big organizations, spreading their bilge.
She wants no part of this, particularly as a Hispanic woman.
Those accusations of racism she previously blew off? They are starting to have teeth. And most of her like-minded, non-racist, wholesome peers remain unaware.
Additionally, where she lives, she tells me that Jews are starting to be increasingly targeted, and she's not entirely sure if the assailants are left-wing or right-wing (kinda hard to say these days, sadly), but this has not been much of an issue at all before.
Something wicked this way comes. It's not disengenous wolf-crying this time.
Christians, call out this evil turbo-cancer that grieves the Lord.
God is not mocked.
Semi-Retired Professor Steve Cox retweeted
Pray with me
August 28, 2026
Father, in the name of Jesus, we come before You believing that You are still the God who breaks chains, opens prison doors, heals the brokenhearted, and sets captives free.
Jesus, You declared that You came “to proclaim liberty to the captives” (Luke 4:18). So today we stand on the freedom You purchased at the cross. Where sin has enslaved, bring deliverance. Where shame has imprisoned, speak grace. Where fear has controlled, release courage. Where lies have built strongholds, let the light of Your truth tear them down.
Lord, remind us that “if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36). We refuse to live as prisoners to things Christ has already defeated. Sin will not have dominion over us. Condemnation does not own us. Our past does not define us. Jesus Christ is Lord.
And Father, make us instruments of that freedom. Give us courage to walk into dark places carrying the light of Christ. Give us compassion for those who are bound, patience with those who are struggling, and boldness to proclaim the gospel that breaks the power of darkness.
You have delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of Your beloved Son (Colossians 1:13). Now send us out to proclaim freedom to others.
Break chains today, Lord. Open doors no human being can open. Restore minds, redeem lives, reconcile families, awaken hearts, and call prodigals home.
May captives discover that their chains are no match for the finished work of Jesus Christ.
Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
In the mighty and victorious name of Jesus, amen.
Semi-Retired Professor Steve Cox retweeted
You know what would be amazing? If just one of the evangelical leaders who shamelessly peddled Fauci’s COVID propaganda under the guise of Christian love would come out and clearly acknowledge his wrongdoing, spell out exactly why what he did was sin, ask forgiveness for how he wronged those who followed his lead, and then pointedly call on his buddies who similarly mishandled their leadership in that time to confess and repent publicly as well.
What a thought, huh?
Semi-Retired Professor Steve Cox retweeted
Here's the full segment with Senator Hawley GOING OFF on Fauci and it's well worth the watch.
Send this to EVERYONE you know.
