Changes from the New Covenant

Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah (Jeremiah 31:31).

Although Jesus said that he came not to destroy the law but to fulfill it, His birth, life, death, and resurrection certainly changed some things. A big one is that believers no longer need to offer blood sacrifices for their sins. Jesus' blood became the ultimate sacrifice that covers all who ask. And the sins of the fathers no longer fall to their children as happened in Moses' day (Exodus 34:7).


Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost (Matthew 28:19).

Now, God's people include not only the Jews but all others who accept Christ as their Lord and Savior. This encompasses all nations. One of the reasons Christ died for us is to make it possible for us to again have a close, personal relationship with our heavenly Father. We can be restored.

But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of the spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter (Romas 7:6).

Our main assignment as Christians is to love God and love others. By doing this in the way Christ commanded, we have all the Ten Commandments and laws of God covered. Christ has freed mankind from the shackles that previously bound him because he could not keep the full law. But we are to use this freedom for God's glory and to fulfill His purposes.

Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy souls, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment, And the second is like unto it, thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets (Matthew 22:37-40).

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Pricing Books

Since I have started publishing independently, I have debated how to price my ebooks. Largely, I have gone by page numbers for my novels. Less than 100 pages, I price at 99 cents. If the page count falls between 100 - 250 pages, I've priced it at $2.99. And if a book is over 250 pages it is $3.99. I have skipped $1.99 because Amazon gives a much lower percentage for books under $2.99. I also use the print book to get the page numbers because it is more accurate than the estimated page count for the Kindle version.

At one time, I considered lowering the $3.99 books to $2.99, but I was unsure. At that time the $2.99 books were selling much better than the others. But right now, price doesn't seem to matter. I have 5 books that are selling so well that I am amazed, and they are at differing price ranges. Therefore, it would seem that as long as it's not outrageously high, price really doesn't matter that much.

I know by comments I've seen that other authors also struggle with this issue. However, readers seem to understand how much work goes into all the steps of writing a book, and they don't mind to pay a reasonable price for one. For now, I will continue the pricing the way I have. If the situation changes, I will reconsider the issue.

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Signs in Early America

In early America, so many people couldn't read that businesses often put out signs with painted pictures showing what they made or sold. Picture signs even continued to be popular long after the literacy rates improved. After all, they were eye-catching and interesting. I guess it's the same reason today that a book, movie, or music cover is designed by a graphic artist and tries to have wide appeal.

Some of these have been considered to be among the first artwork in the British colonies. The sign was usually painted on both sides of a wooden board and hung perpendicular to the building. Today these are highly collected as folk art, and even reproductions are popular.
Whether you visit Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia; Old Salem in Winston-Salem, North Carolina; Historical Philadelphia; Colonial Boston; or some other preserved colonial area, you'll likely find some painted signs with a picture advertisement.

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Salt of the Earth

Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men (Matthew 5:13).

We are told we should be the salt of the earth. What does this mean? Salt is found naturally upon the earth and has some unique properties. Its discovery is believed to be instrumental in the development of civilization. Life has come to be dependent on salt for survival. In Matthew 5:13, Jesus used some of these ideas to encourage his followers to share His teachings with the world. Jesus Christ is essential both living a blessed life on earth and an eternal life with Him.

Salt helps prevent food spoilage and keeps meat from rotting and decaying. Sharing the Good News will do the same for a person's spiritual life. It will keep souls from rotting and decaying into Satan's hands, and preserve the good that comes from knowing Jesus as our Savior. Christians are to be the salt of the earth, sharing the Lord's love with all we meet. And salt not only prevents spoiling but also enhances flavor, making the food taste better. Jesus enhances our life and makes everything better. Problems will still come, but because of Him, they don't have the same sting they once did.

Salt does create a thirst, however, but this, too, can be a good thing. We need to hunger and thirst after righteousness, and when we do, God promises that we will be filled. Yes, we are to be the salt of the earth, preserving the good, sharing Jesus, enhancing the lives of everyone we meet. And in the process, we will be fulfilled in Christ.

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Kindle Unlimited Sales

At the present time, I have four of my books on Kindle Unlimited, and so far, I've been disappointed in their performance. My regular Kindle sales are doing great, both in continuous sales each day and remarkable growth. However, the number of pages read on KU has been lackluster, trickling in several days apart and even flatlining once.


I know there are authors out there who've found success with Kindle Unlimited, but I wonder how many have experienced the slow sales I have. Perhaps in our busyness, it makes more sense to pay per book for what we read instead of paying for a reader-service. I guess it depends on how fast and how much you read. Quite a few books can be purchased each month for the cost of KU.


One of the reasons I don't have more of my books in the KU program is that I just recently began to publish solely on Amazon, which is a requirement for enlisting in the program. However, given the fact that KU does subtract some from direct sales, I'm wondering if it is worth it at all. So far, it doesn't seem to be for me, but that could change.

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Farming in the Middle Ages

Farmers in the Middle Ages used more advanced techniques than most people give them credit for. Of course, these practices would vary from region to region and even village to village. There were often common fields for each village, but each croft would also have their own lands. A croft was a farm owned by the nobility but let to a farmer and his family for a certain rent or part of the crops.

Medieval farmers liked to plant in three fields. Two would be planted each year with the third lying fallow, and these were rotated from year to year. The same crop was never grown in the same field the next year. They often plowed three times. The first time would cut the soil, the second broke up weeds and turned the soil, and the third would end with a field ready to plant.

Fertilizers were also used. Manure, especially from cattle, was preferred, but it was not always available in large quantities. Then, marl (a mixture of seaweed, lime, and clay) was applied. Wheat, barley, oats, and rye were the main grain crops. Grains were sown or scattered over the fields. Vegetables were usually dropped into holes or furrows. Beans, peas, and lentils were also planted. There were often spring and fall plantings. 

Farmers stayed busy the entire year. He would begin plowing and preparing the soil in February or March and plant in April or early May. He would spend the summer weeding and trying to keep the animals and pests out of the crops. Fall brought the harvest, and winter was spent willowing grains, making needed repairs, and perhaps spinning and weaving. Then it would all begin again. Sometimes, there would also be a fall planting and that made things even busier.

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Have You Been Made New?

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things have passed away; behold, all things become new (2 Corinthians 5:17).

The Bible tells us once a person repents and accepts Christ as  Lord and Savior, they are made a new person. If you haven't been made new you won't be in heaven. This transformation comes from Christ, but the choice is up to you. Salvation is not about saying the right thing, doing the right thing, or being baptized. Salvation is about accepting Jesus Christ as your Savior, making Him the Lord of your life, and allowing Him to transform you.

So then because thou art  lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth (Revelation 3:16).

Too many people go through the motions to be a Christian, but they allow few if any changes, and they don't make Christ the Lord of their lives. They try to control everything themselves and usually try to achieve worldly success. In reality, they are some of those lukewarm "Christians" He will spew out. They are the ones who will hear, "Depart from me for I never knew you" because they were never really saved. They had no change of heart.

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Our main goal as Christians should be to do God's will, not our own. We should seek His will instead of telling Him ours and expecting Him to do what we want. Knowing His will requires Bible study, prayer, being attuned to Him, and listening. The good news is that it's never too late to begin. Christ is the King of second chances, and renewal is an important biblical principle. Accept  Him into your life today if you have never done so. Rededicate yourself now if that's what you need. You will not regret it. The rewards are great.

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