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Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Are you tired of people letting you down? I was too. In a moment of Grace, I realized God never lets me down, and He never changes. That is something I can absolutely trust for eternity. (Also another convergence of New and Old Testament: the writer of Hebrews is quoting Psalm 102:25-28 link below.)

Hebrews 1:10-12 - 

And, “You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of your hands; they will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment, like a robe you will roll them up, like a garment they will be changed. But you are the same, and your years will have no end.”



Bible Gateway link: Psalm 102: 25-28 (ESV)


Monday, October 28, 2019

What if we stopped foolish controversies? We might have more time to do what is important: getting closer to God and studying the map for life He provides in the Holy Bible.

Titus 3:9-11 - But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned.

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Saturday, October 12, 2019

There seems to be the angry God of the Old Testament and the nicer God of the New Testament. This has nothing to do with God, who never changes. It has to do with Jesus, who brought us into peace with God by sacrificing once for all.

Jeremiah 19:3-5
You shall say, ‘Hear the word of the Lord, O kings of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem. Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I am bringing such disaster upon this place that the ears of everyone who hears of it will tingle. Because the people have forsaken me and have profaned this place by making offerings in it to other gods whom neither they nor their fathers nor the kings of Judah have known; and because they have filled this place with the blood of innocents, and have built the high places of Baal to burn their sons in the fire as burnt offerings to Baal, which I did not command or decree, nor did it come into my mind—
-Bible Gateway link: Jeremiah 19:3-5 (ESV)

Monday, October 7, 2019

This becomes clearer and clearer to me. The only thing that really matters is what I learn every day from the Holy Bible. If I were to lose everything else, I’d still be okay.

Jeremiah 9:23-24

Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.”

Friday, September 27, 2019

Ever notice that the sit-coms of our current culture cast the dumb husband/father figure as the butt of most of the jokes? This verse is simple. Men, love your wife as yourself. Women, respect your husband. Marriage is hard enough. Try a little respect, it may get easier.

Ephesians 5:31-33 -
“Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

Thursday, September 26, 2019

This is a great check for me to see if I’m making progress. It is also a concise instruction on how to make that progress possible. It’s a verse worth putting on your ‘do today’ list.

Ephesians 4:31-32 - 
Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

Sunday, September 22, 2019

I have had it! All the noise in my life, the news channels, the angry words, the lies and half-truths, the false posts, the politicians wrangling with each other, it wears me out. But wait! Wait on the Lord!

Isaiah 40:28-31 - 
Have you not known? Have you not heard? 
The Lord is the everlasting God, 
the Creator of the ends of the earth. 
He does not faint or grow weary; 
his understanding is unsearchable. 

He gives power to the faint, 
and to him who has no might he increases strength. 

Even youths shall faint and be weary, 
and young men shall fall exhausted; 


Photo by Virginia Hume Onufer


but they who wait for the Lord 
shall renew their strength; 
they shall mount up with wings like eagles; 
they shall run and not be weary; 
they shall walk and not faint.

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Sometimes you just have to give over to full-throated praise. I was saved, I wake up every morning amazed and grateful.

Psalm 59:16 -
But I will sing of your strength; I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning. For you have been to me a fortress and a refuge in the day of my distress.

Saturday, September 14, 2019

Saturday, August 31, 2019

I learned this when I was down with back pain for nearly a year. The pain took my breath away but God showed me He was far more powerful than my pain.

2 Corinthians 4:17-18 - 
For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

Thursday, August 15, 2019

This is how it worked for me. My addiction seemed to be in complete control of me. I was helpless, but a moment of grace saved me. God was my way of escape and He hasn’t let me down since.

1 Corinthians 10:13 - 
No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

Sunday, August 11, 2019

This is what happened in my marriage, we saved each other.

1 Corinthians 7:16 
For how do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?

Saturday, August 3, 2019

Friday, August 2, 2019

Thursday, July 25, 2019

Whenever I hate myself for being who I am, I remember this verse. He created me just the way He needed me to be. Who am I to second guess God?




But who are you, O man, to answer back to God?
Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?” Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use?


Monday, July 22, 2019

At a time when our country seems so broken, we would all do well to listen to God, who mercifully and CLEARLY tells us what we need to do.

2 Chronicles 7:14 -

if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

Friday, July 19, 2019

If you feel you just don’t know how to pray, here’s a good one from King David. You can use it over and over again.

King David Holy Card
1 Chronicles 29:11-13
Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord , and you are exalted as head above all. Both riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all. In your hand are power and might, and in your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all. And now we thank you, our God, and praise your glorious name.


Saturday, July 13, 2019

Wow. This is harsh! It could, however, explain the ugliness in our political culture right now. Generally speaking, we’d all be better off to acknowledge God. You don’t have far to look for evidence of his omnipresence.

Romans 1:28-31
And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless.

Wednesday, July 3, 2019

This is why I read the Bible. I am like that tree, but only because I meditate on His Word. It is changing my life from chaff to fruit.

Psalm 1: 1-4 
Blessed is the man 
  who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, 
nor stands in the way of sinners, 
  nor sits in the seat of scoffers; 
but his delight is in the law of the Lord, 
  and on his law he meditates day and night. 
He is like a tree 
  planted by streams of water 
that yields its fruit in its season, 
  and its leaf does not wither. 
In all that he does, he prospers. 
The wicked are not so, 
  but are like chaff 
that the wind drives away.
Bible Gateway Link: Psalm 1:1-4

Tuesday, June 11, 2019

When I’m fooled into thinking I’m doing a great job running my own life, everything inevitably goes to Hell. Then I remember King Solomon's prayer, and ask God to incline my heart to him.

1 Kings 8:57-58
The Lord our God be with us, as he was with our fathers. May he not leave us or forsake us, that he may incline our hearts to him, to walk in all his ways and to keep his commandments, his statutes, and his rules, which he commanded our fathers.

Sunday, May 26, 2019

It’s true, I could do nothing. Now my job in life is to bear fruit. His words abide in me.

John 15:5-7
“I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 
If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 
If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.”

Tuesday, May 21, 2019

Sunday, May 19, 2019

Are you a skeptic? So was I, but when I hit bottom, he heard me, he saved me from myself. So why wouldn’t I call on him as long as I live?

Psalm 116:1-2
  I love the Lord, because he has heard my voice and my pleas for mercy. 
  Because he inclined his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live.

Thursday, May 16, 2019

As a retired journalist I’ve watched many politicians over the years. I can’t think of very many who were not afraid of bad news.

Psalm 112:6-7
For the righteous will never be moved; he will be remembered forever. He is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord.

I love to work, but salvation is not a salary, it is a gift, and the proper response to a gift is thank you.

John 6:28-29
Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.

Tuesday, May 7, 2019

She was heartbroken! Then God gave this long barren woman the son she prayed for. She then gave God her son Samuel, who would go on to change the world. Heartbreak, sacrifice, fulfillment, God at work.

1 Samuel 1:11
And she vowed a vow and said, “O Lord of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall touch his head.”

Monday, May 6, 2019

Are you a manipulator? Ah, aren’t we all? Don’t be surprised to see God use our human weaknesses to get us where he needs us to be. Ruth ended up married to Boaz, their offspring was King David’s grandfather Obed. Jesus, of course, is the “Son of David,” born in Bethlehem as was Boaz.

Stained glass window: Naomi and Boaz
Temple Emanuel, Grand Rapids, Michigan
Ruth 3:3-4
(Naomi speaking to Ruth of Boaz:) 
Wash therefore and anoint yourself, and put on your cloak and go down to the threshing floor, but do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking. But when he lies down, observe the place where he lies. Then go and uncover his feet and lie down, and he will tell you what to do.”

Friday, May 3, 2019

“Born again Christian” in our current culture is often looked down upon by the educated, haughty elite. In a personal storm, I was born again. Everything changed for the better. Don’t look down, look up!

John 3:3-5

Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
 - Bible Gateway link: John 3:3-5 ESV

Tuesday, April 30, 2019

Sunday, April 28, 2019

Let us pray that all our earthly leaders understand this universal truth: “the Lord will rule over you.”

Shutterstock.com
Judges 8:22-23
Then the men of Israel said to Gideon, “Rule over us, you and your son and your grandson also, for you have saved us from the hand of Midian.” Gideon said to them, “I will not rule over you, and my son will not rule over you; the Lord will rule over you.”

Saturday, April 27, 2019

This is the song of my life too.

Easter sunrise 2019
Luke 23:42
And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”

Wednesday, April 24, 2019

This happened to me, and I’m just a regular person. As directed in red letters, I am now strengthening you by passing on his Word.

Luke 22:31-32
 “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”

Tuesday, April 23, 2019

This is one of God’s promises. He keeps his promises. I have to keep mine, to hold fast to him in love.

Psalm 91:14-16
“Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him; I will protect him, because he knows my name. When he calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.”