The Disciple Jesus Loved

John the Apostle wrote the Gospel of John as well as the letters of 1, 2 and 3 John. Probably no others books in the Bible talk more about love In his gospel he always referred to himself as “the disciple Jesus loved.” “How arrogant!” you think. No, he simply knew how Jesus felt about him. Yet, Jesus loved all the other disciples equally well, just as well as He loves you and me. Continue reading

Words or Deeds?

When I think of all God’s blessings, “Thank You” becomes such an inadequate expression. Simply knowing His arms wrap around me in love demands more than this humble phrase. As I read the Bible, I find more expressions of my Father’s tremendous love. How can I express my thanksgiving? Continue reading

The Nations Roar

My phone alarm jerked me awake with a flash flood warning. Since it was about 5:30 I got up. Within five minutes thunder roared, and the rain poured. Surprised since I wasn’t aware of any prediction of storms, I started reading my Bible. Bolts and flashes of lightning lit up the room as I instinctively put my hands over my ears when the noise far exceeded comfort level, realizing my reaction surprised me. With our 90-year-old home built on piers, one burst vibrated through the floors into my feet. Continue reading

Overflowing Gratitude

 

I cry easily. Sad movies, lost pets, even happy endings for people who almost lost each other – all can trigger my tears. Of course, I cry when I’m sad or even very angry. Unfortunately, I even cry when my heart is full of joy – tears of joy they are called, but I’d rather only the smile showed and not the tears. While I’m not one of these people who’s on cloud nine one minute and down in a deep pit the next, still I don’t know what to do about these tears. Continue reading

What a Difference Easter Makes!

Sitting in church Easter Sunday morning, I remembered that Easter morning in church so many years ago. A blind evangelist visited and preached the sermon, making such a real presentation about the two thieves crucified on either side of Jesus. Even though I was only six at the time, I realized that I didn’t know Jesus as my personal Savior and that without Him, I would go to hell when I died. So that morning became my resurrection into the new life that Christ always brings. Continue reading

Doubt or Confidence?

A mind troubled by doubt cannot focus on the course of victory,” said Arthur Golden. “I never seek to defeat the man I am fighting,” he explained. “I seek to defeat his confidence. A mind troubled by doubt cannot focus on the course to victory. Two men are equals – true equals – only when they both have equal confidence.” Continue reading

The Highest Way of Love

What can I do to show God I love Him? Various actions demonstrate our love, like reading the Bible, praying, serving however He asks, and giving our tithes and offerings. Trusting God, however probably is the highest way we prove our love. I don’t mean trusting Jesus as our Savior; that’s only the beginning when we grasp that Father God loved us enough to let His Son Jesus die in our place for our rebellion against God. Continue reading

What We Say Affects Our Health

The tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity; so is the tongue among our members, that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. (James 3:6 NKJV)

What a strong James gives us about our tongues! Although I’ve known this verse for years, God revealed a new truth to me tonight as I read it. I’d always taken the defiling to mean if a person speaks wrongfully of God or curses a person or something on that order. Tonight I realized that it can defile our natural bodies, and that defilement comes from Satan, who makes people sick, not God. God’s goodness to us and for us comes from His unfathomable love. Continue reading

God’s Promise for the Battle

He will redeem my soul in peace from the battle which is against me, For they are many who strive with me. (Psalm 55:18 NASU[1]).

What kind of battle is making your life hard today? Are you in the midst of financial troubles where you don’t know how you can pay the next bill? Are your children out of control and nothing you do seems to help? Do grown children pay no attention to you when you try to tell them the right way to live? Have you lost your job and can’t seem to find another one? Perhaps you face a spiritual battle in doing God’s will when your mind craves something else. What is your battle today? We all have them from time to time. Continue reading

God Delights in YOU

A few days ago my husband and I went home from visiting Rockport. Actually, he napped as I drove and had a time of worship, singing very quietly. I’d admired the wildflowers seen in spots along the road; after all, even in south Texas you don’t expect them at the end of February. They delighted me – just little spots of sunshine – and I’d mentioned them earlier to my husband. Continue reading

The Rest of the Story

What would you think if someone told you about a great opportunity but they neglected to tell you about the consequences if you didn’t take it? You wouldn’t be very happy if you decided against taking this chance and then the result was dire. You would blame the person for not telling the whole truth about the matter. And no one could blame you. Continue reading

Blue-Eyed Grass, Part 2

blue-eyed-grass 

Looking closely at a blue-eyed grass flower, you notice how complex it is: inward from the outer three leaves with their notches is the light blue or violet flower-like part, then comes the deep purple, and finally the three yellow stamen. All this for a flower that’s only about one-half inch across. While it can grow taller, those I most often see are less than six inches. That’s a lot for a flower that’s often inconspicuous. Continue reading

Blue-Eyed Grass

 blue-eyed-grass

 Blue-eyed grass sometimes gets sown in a garden but often it’s found among other wild plants in a yard or field, being planted there by birds who drop the seeds. Some might even consider it a weed if trying to grow a lawn of only a specific grass. Even though it’s called a grass, this flower is actually a member of the iris family. Continue reading

Do We Take Someone for Granted?

Possibly we are all guilty of thinking someone will always be around for us, whether that one is a parent, a spouse, a teacher, business leader or someone else we deal with regularly. As I was thinking of the subject, I realized that we need to daily thank God for whomever this person is. We don’t intend to be unaware of how important this one is to us. We simply don’t think about them that much.

I guess it’s somewhat like our hair; we simply assume it’s there, whether or not we always appreciate the way it looks. At one point a few years ago, I started losing hair, especially when I washed it. When my beautician was cutting it, she noticed the same thing and referred me to my doctor who tested me and put me on a heavy dose of Vitamin D for a while until the problem resolved itself. Sometimes I’m pleased with the way my hair looks and sometimes not, but I’d never thought of losing a lot of it.

We love and appreciate our parents but, especially if we don’t live close to them, we may not realize just how much they mean to us until we no longer have them. When they are gone we realize all the lessons they taught us with neither of us being aware of the teaching that is happening.

Let’s stop and thank God, and the person also, who means so much to us. An encouraging note or phone call may turn someone’s day from dull and dreary to bright and bring them joy.

Mist Nets

Mist nets are deceptive. While birds fly around searching for seeds or insects to eat, they often fly into mist nets hung between two trees. A fine mesh-like net, barely able to be seen, can span ten feet or more, waiting for the birds. Humans see them if they happen to know exactly where they are or if they notice the binding on the top and bottom of the nets. My husband and I ran into one without seeing it when we were walking in an area where the mist nets were hung. Continue reading

Awesome Love

God loved Hitler as much as He loved all the Jews Hitler killed. That’s an astounding statement, but I can prove it.
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. (John 3:16-17 NKJV[1])
“Say to them: [As] I live,” says the Lord God, “I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live.” (Ezekiel 33:11) Continue reading

The Glory and the Power

The Power and the Glory 
Or
The Glory and the Power?

I included the full title above since room is insufficient for it in the title space. Someone said something to me today that made me think about this phrase and wonder, “Which do I seek?” Continue reading

The Majesty of God

Mt Moran & Jackson Lake

Mt Moran & Jackson Lake

As I thought about the majesty of God, this picture came to mind. My husband and I love to visit the Teton Mountains in Wyoming. They rise 7000 feet above the valley floor, a very different concept from when you’re in the higher mountains in Colorado. There, you look up and see them towering above you, yet because the elevation is so high where you are, you may miss an aspect of just how tall they really are. In viewing the Tetons, you see them shooting straight up from the ground, especially if you are driving a back road where you are fairly close to them. Continue reading

Fathomless Love

 

Fathomless love: Deeper than the deepest ocean. Higher than the sky. Can you understand it? Neither can I. More than a man loves his wife; more than a mother her child. They would give their lives for the other. More than that is the love of the Father above. Continue reading