Stop, Drop, Roll Out…

Jesus said, “Believe me, woman. The time is coming when you will not have to be in Jerusalem or on this mountain to worship the Father. You Samaritans worship what you don’t understand. We Jews understand what we worship. Salvation comes from the Jews. The time is coming when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth. That time is now here. And these are the kinds of worshipers the Father wants. God is spirit. Those who worship God must worship in spirit and truth.” The woman said, “I know that the Messiah is coming.” (Messiah is the One called Christ.) “When the Messiah comes, he will explain everything to us.” Then Jesus said, “He is talking to you now. I am he.” Just then, his followers came back from town. They were...

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Red Apples and Kind Words

Sparkling dew drops slipped off the apple tree leaves and hit me on the nose. Squinting, I tried to avoid the splash against my eyelashes. I stretched as I tried to reach the shiny red apple hanging just out of my reach. With one final effort, I stood up on my tippy toes and grabbed the apple. “UGG!” I exclaimed as I fell backward, a shower of cold dewy sprayed on me. My jacket was damp, but I had secured my prize. I looked down at the beautiful red apple in my hands. It almost felt wrong to eat something so beautiful. I wish I could save it forever. But apples only last so long, so I brought the apple up to my lips and took a big munch. The sweet flavor of the apple exploded in my mouth. It was better than any candy I had ever eaten! Proverbs 25:11 says, “A...

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Spiritual Strength

I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength. Philippians 4:13 How strong would you have to be to defeat the Incredible Hulk? You’d probably need biceps the size of boulders and superhuman strength. How strong is the Hulk exactly? He’s so strong that he could lift a planet over his head or destroy an asteroid in one punch. While it would be nice to have limitless physical strength like the Hulk, as Christians, we have something even better…spiritual strength. The apostle Paul said “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.” Paul was imprisoned for five years for preaching the Gospel, and although his body was weak, Jesus gave him the spiritual strength to overcome his circumstances. He continued spreading the Good News by...

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Jesus, Our Peacemaker … Referee … Mediator

For there is one God and one Mediator [Peacemaker; Referee; Connection] between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people. 1Timothy 2:5-6 🙂   Picture who JESUS is.  Stretch your brain a bit and tell me what do you see in your mind’s eye? Loving parents who nurture, teach, protect, correct and enjoy their children with deep love? How about a Chief Shepherd caring for  tenderly comforting, defending, feeding, rescuing them? Brightest of Lights in the darkest of places? Sunshine on cloudy days? Shield, Cool, pure, clean drink of water in sweltering heat? Strong Tower, Great Physician, tried and true, trusted Friend, freshly baked Bread! How do you see...

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“Night, night! Sleep tight!”

On my bed I remember You; I think of You through the watches of the night. – Psalm 63:6 You may have heard this saying ’Sleep tight’ to ensure you have a restful night’s sleep. Well, it certainly has a very interesting somewhat amusing story behind it (search around and let us know what you discover). Sometimes, we just can’t seem to go to sleep! Many reasons might be the cause; however, one of the best responses to this is time with GOD in prayer and Bible reading or listening. God’s loving Presence has such a calming effect on our minds, bodies, souls, and spirits. We can hold to the promises from God on any issue, situation, or circumstance we have. Consider these verses as you hear from and talk with our Heavenly Father while waiting for...

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CHOICES! CHOICES! DECISIONS! DECISIONS!

We make numerous choices every single day! How many have you had to make so far today? If you have only been awake an hour, perhaps not too many, yet! Some are fairly simple and may not make much difference one way or the other. Do I wear black or gray socks? Others require ongoing efforts of seeking the Lord, searching the scriptures, listing pros/cons, researching the options, lots of discussion with family, godly counselors, prayer, and fasting.

Unlike the color choice of our socks, these choices hold power that can have long-term consequences and may affect others in our lives, families, friends, neighbors, and communities. These decisions are most likely complex, stressful, and time-consuming. The Bible records the details of such a person. In Nehemiah chapter 1, a godly man is overwhelmed with grief about his people, their condition, and their city. 

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