SCRIPTURE:  For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.”  Romans 8:18 (NASB)     “It will be worth it all when we see Jesus.  Life’s trials will seem so small when we see Christ.  One glimpse of His dear face, all sorrows will erase; so bravely run the race til we see Christ.”  The lyrics of this classic Christi...  Read More

SCRIPTURE:  “…but the one who endures to the end, he shall be saved.”  Mark 13:13  (NKJV)      Most of us are familiar with the phrase “Been there, done that!”  No one that we know, however, can say it with greater authority than Christ our Lord, as He is familiar with all that confronts us in this sin-cursed world. He has faced it all, yet WITHOUT SIN. (Hebrews 4:15)       Have you been lied on? ...  Read More

SCRIPTURE:  “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when the desire comes, it is a tree of life.” Prov. 13:12 (NKJV)     In God’s word there’s a “league of extraordinary waiters!”  Sounds like a new restaurant reality show, doesn’t it?  Just like the “hall of faith” in Hebrews, chapter 11, peppered throughout Scriptures are people who can teach us, if we search them out, what perspective best ser...  Read More

SCRIPTURE:  "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”  (Romans 15:13) NIV      Today’s scriptural focus does not read, ‘May the God of positive thinking fill you with all joy and peace….!”  Our Savior God urges us to hope in Him, because  any old “slap-happy Joe (or Jill”), can recommend mere posit...  Read More

SCRIPTURE:  “The heart is the most deceitful thing there is, and desperately wicked.  No one can really know how bad it is!  Only the Lord knows!  (Jeremiah 17:9 TLB)      You and I often hear people say, ‘Well—God knows my heart.’  I often wonder if they’re using the phrase to compensate for living life on their own terms, or to justify what they suspect (in their heart) may not be a godly attitu...  Read More

SCRIPTURE:  "THE LORD HAS MADE ROOM FOR US"  Genesis 26:22        After Isaac and Rebecca took up residence in the valleys of Gerar, as directed by the Philistine’s King  Abimelech, the Philistine people became jealous of their growth and prosperity there.  As a result, they intentionally plugged up the relied upon wells in the region.  For the first two wells dug [restored] in the valley, they fo...  Read More

SCRIPTURE:  "THE LORD HAS MADE ROOM FOR US"  Genesis 26:22       Oftentimes when we consider or experience winter, there is a sense of loss attached to it, of hardship, of our being misfitted for the circumstance of it. Sometimes, if extreme enough, it can isolate us from others, disrupt relationships, and if severe enough, block the availability of needed resources.  The equivalent to winter, wit...  Read More

Type your new text here. SCRIPTURE:  "...LET US REJOICE AND BE GLAD IN IT..."  Psalm 118:24 A faith which behaves is a faith which saves...and the bedrock of our believing is Jesus. Trust ye Him! His big move on our behalf awaits our agreement.  America, listen up."There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death." Proverbs 14:12"Seek the Lord while He may be found; call u...  Read More

SCRIPTURE:  "...LET US REJOICE AND BE GLAD IN IT..."  Psalm 118:24         Obadiah the prophet is drawn to bringing the word of the Lord across the border, where he shepherds and manages figs.  He then enters a conflict with a message for the Edomites who’d savaged Israel, while Babylon was already crippling Israel.  It is a short read, with a lot packed into it, and while I wouldn't summarize it ...  Read More

SCRIPTURE:  "...LET US REJOICE AND BE GLAD IN IT..."  Psalm 118:24   God has brought, is bringing, and shall perfect joy in the now-life [and beyond-life] of the believer, whose hope and faith prevail--even as the things of the temporal roar upon us. That is the good news, news we can use, although sometimes it takes work to hear it from a prophet. Theirs is not always the voice to applaud us for ...  Read More

SCRIPTURE:  "I AM MY BELOVED'S, AND HIS DESIRE IS FOR ME."   Song Of Solomon 7:10       Let's consider, as a meditative exercise, re-imagining The Song of Solomon as the proverbial 'golden yellow ribbon' wrapped around each and all of the remaining sixty-five other books of the Bible: How might we think them through differently? How might we receive the 'gospels' differently? Might the depth and t...  Read More

SCRIPTURE:  "I AM MY BELOVED'S, AND HIS DESIRE IS FOR ME."   Song Of Solomon 7:10      God in Genesis gave us a rainbow, with yellow being the boldest, brightest hue in the visible color spectrum. Intuitively we respond to that by allowing its use as an attention getter, a part of standard traffic signals informing us to prepare to slow down or expect the need to stop. Often yellow is used in art ...  Read More

SCRIPTURE: “There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord….but the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all…” 1 Cor. 12:4, 5, 7 (NKJV) A cousin of mine once commented that he’d purposed years ago to never resent the successes of another, whether they were rich, famous, or in possession of any desirable attr...  Read More

SCRIPTURE: “Let each person examine his own work, and then he can take pride in himself alone, and not compare himself with someone else.” Galatians 6:4 (CSB) Throughout my life I must have received thousands of lessons from different sources—from parents to pulpits—about the downside of comparing myself to someone else. It’s one thing to comparison-SHOP for various goods and services—we want to s...  Read More

SCRIPTURE: “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” John 14:27 (NLT) In addition to the above title verse, an especially favorite Scripture of mine (and yours, too, I’m sure) is Colossians 3:15. Christ Jesus calls His own to peace. How can we walk in His peace, though, if we, however subconsciously...  Read More

SCRIPTURE: “…His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue...” 2 Peter 1:2, 3 (NKJV) I forgot to follow up on caring for the purple salvias that we’d planted in front of our home this past spring. I was to have removed the leaves and other fallen debris from around those perennials, since a period of d...  Read More

SCRIPTURE: “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 (NASB) The sobering necessity of scriptures like today’s title verse must have been continually reinforced throughout my grandmother’s life. Christ followers develop a growing appreciation for the multiple encouragements found in ...  Read More

SCRIPTURE: “ For I am mindful of the sincere faith within you, which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois…and I am sure that it is in you as well.” (2 Timothy 1:5 NASB) My maternal grandmother went to be with Jesus in November 1988. She died at the age of 84. Although she has been gone a while, as time passes, I am increasingly impressed by how intimate her relationship with her Savior was. With h...  Read More

Scripture: "In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory." Ephesians 1:13-14 Uncertain before believing and accepting Jesus ChristI was apprehensive knowing t...  Read More

Scripture: "For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."  Isaiah 9:6 The Christmas tree in my house represents new lifeThe star that shines at the top symbolizes the Lord Jesus ChristChrist’s purpose was to sacrifice His life for the sins of menT...  Read More

Scripture:  "Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!" 2 Corinthians 9:15 Christmas symbolizes love, sacrifice, and givingGestures that mirror Christ with sanctified intentionsHe left examples for us to follow in His stepsTransforming believers to inspire who’s nextSo, He left it up to us to spread the Good News around ChristmasThe reason for the season is to focus on the Son He gave usConside...  Read More

Scripture:  "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness." 2 Timothy 3:16 I am a grateful child of GodHis goodness has created a servant’s heartI just can’t keep His love to myselfYet, the love I’m shown is available for someone elseSo, I serve according to His gloryI’m ecstatic to share who is the Auth...  Read More

Scripture: “And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. 12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. 13 Let us walk [c]properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife...  Read More

Scripture:  "Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. 13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of G...  Read More