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1/14/2024 1 Comment I Am Claiming God's Goodness
1 Comment
3/8/2023 2 Comments Land of Cabul
5/14/2022 0 Comments Your Faith has Healed You!
4/25/2022 1 Comment The Problem with Religion9/30/2020 0 Comments The Return
7/31/2020 0 Comments I & II Samuel
10/29/2019 0 Comments Bright Eyes
10/9/2018 0 Comments HeartfeltCandy and I spent most of the morning writing back and forth about questions regarding the definition of Christians and evangelicals and current events that troubled her. While we may not have the same political leanings that does not prevent us from having honest and prolonged discussion. She ended our time with kind words and greetings to my family. Candy is one of the most warm-hearted persons I know and it is always a privilege to be around her.
1/25/2015 0 Comments Clean the InsideWe sang in worship this morning a song that included a desire to present to God an inside that was both clean and committed. It reminded me of the words of another song, “Cleanse my heart O God.” I’ve probably sung that song a hundred times without dwelling on the fact that unless my focus is heart-centric cleansing is superficial at best. In any area that I have not surrendered to God from the core of my being, I continue to struggle. For example, I know that when my wife is talking to me I should listen. Yet, because I am intent on getting my work done or enjoying my activity, I do not give her my full attention. Mentally I ought to be able to fix inattentiveness and focus on what Kathleen is saying but without a surrendered heart it is just not so. The problem at the core is I am more concerned with my things than with her things.
11/17/2014 From a Pure HeartThe day Arthur was born his father left his mother for another woman. So, along with his siblings, the young boy was raised by his resilient mom. And then she became very ill. Calling her son to her side, she began to share final instructions as she was dying. The devastated young man cried out, “Mama don’t die, you can’tdie.” And even though he was not a Christian, knowing that there must be a God, he prayed and asked the Lord to save her because they were too young to be without a mother. Graciously God immediately healed her and extended her life for many more years.
8/5/2012 0 Comments The Three P'sMeditation
Colossians 3:5,8,12,13—Therefore, put to death what belongs to your worldly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desire, and greed, which is idolatry . . . But now you must also put away all the following: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and filthy language from your mouth . . . Therefore, God’s chosen ones, holy and loved, put on heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience, accepting one another and forgiving one another if anyone has a complaint against another. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you must also forgive. 9/11/2011 OverwhelmedI want to know You. Let Your Spirit overwhelm me. Let Your presence take over my heart. Repeatedly the worship leader led us in singing those seventeen words that if analyzed meant far more than we could imagine.
6/4/2006 Heart IIRecently for my quiet time I read from 1 Samuel 24. It records the story of King Saul in pursuit of David whom he viewed as a threat to his throne. In God’s providence, David was hiding with his men deep in a cave that Saul entered alone. David had an easy opportunity to kill Saul and was encouraged to do so by his men but he refrained from killing the ruler the Lord anointed. After Saul left the cave, David followed and shouted, “My lord the king!” Getting Saul’s attention, he alerted him to the fact that God had put him in his hands and yet he spared his life. David strongly challenged King Saul even reminding him of an old proverb, “From evildoers come evil deeds.” Saul was so stricken by David’s words, that he ended up crying. He confessed that David was the better man and pronounced a blessing upon him as well as recognition that David would indeed be given the throne and would be a successful leader. Shortly thereafter, the king departed with his army for home but David and his men went back to their stronghold.
10/29/2004 0 Comments MotivationRecently, I met with a man whose marriage is tottering towards collapse. He feels alone and unwanted in his own household. His wife seems more devoted to his children than to him. He seemingly cannot do enough to please her and he is ready to give up. When I asked Him how his relationship with God was doing, he shared that it is anemic. He grew up without a loving father which has effected how he views, relates to and trusts his Heavenly Father. Therein lays the core issue.
2/6/2004 0 Comments ScrutinyIt was 1:00 a.m. and the doorbell rang. I got out of bed, walked down the stairs, looked through the peephole and opened the door for a young police officer.
“Sir, we received a 911 call from your home.” “Officer, was the call from 620-4081?” “Yes, the dispatcher said all she could hear was static. She called back and left a message.” “I’m so sorry. This is the second time this week (midnight or later) this has happened. My computer is turned off and I don’t know how you are getting called.” I took him into my office and showed him the offending phone. “Okay, you might want to call your phone company and have them check this out.” “Yes, I will. I’m sorry you had to come out here.” “No problem. Hope you can get back to sleep.” 9/27/2002 DistractionsThe bride stood beside the groom radiant. Sitting next to me, Dan wondered what chemical process takes place that allows a woman to practically glow! There was a spiritual vibrancy as well. It was obvious that Jason and Shelby were committed as much to glorifying God as they were to consummating their marriage. But I found it difficult to concentrate as the two lovers recited their vows.
6/2/2001 0 Comments Coram DeoFriday evening I watered the young trees and shrubbery in my front yard. I noticed a plastic soft drink container wrapped in gray tape. It looked suspicious enough, so that not wanting my children to pick it up, I chucked it across our road.* The next morning while Bryan and Stephen and I shot hoops in our driveway, a police car pulled alongside the curb across the street. Someone evidently reported the object and a bomb squad was dispatched. Sure enough, it was a poorly-made bomb that failed to explode. Perhaps you can imagine some of the thoughts that ran through my families’ heads as we pondered the incident.
9/2/1999 0 Comments Teaching--Motivational“Maximize the god within you!” Welcome to the arena of self-help teaching spun from the mouths of success gurus. The gist of their message runs something like:
Ø Do your best; overcome your fears for the key to success lies within you! Ø Go after your dreams. Listen to your inner voice it will never fail you. Ø Be sincere. Persevere and believe in yourself. You can be whatever you want to be! |
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