Taking A Second Look

Judgment Day on May 21, 2011?

2011-05-16T23:53:00.002+02:00

There is a story that comes out of India that tells about a donkey who was very proud of himself. He was a diligent donkey because he was easy to ride and did not have to be prodded. Many who rode him commented that they thought

Grateful

2009-04-01T20:38:00.000+02:00

We have so very much to be thankful for to our heavenly Father. Exodus 34:6 says “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness…” Every once in a while I stop and look around. I marvel at the mercy and grace that God has showered on us. We did not deserve this. There is nothing in the world…no human energy, strategy or

Thumbs up to Plan A…

2009-04-01T12:08:00.000+02:00

“When God speaks, neutrality is not an option…the condition of [my heart] is revealed in [my] Hearing God’s Voice; p.45 Italics added. response. Henry & Richard Blackaby: I can respond positivity as Mary did to the angel of the Lord’s announcement [Luke 1: 19-20] or I can respond negatively as did Jonah and run away. We can run but we cannot hide. The Hound of Heaven stays on our trail. As

What about rewards...

2009-03-30T08:17:00.000+02:00

On an outreach in Swaziland a year and a half ago, Garth and I were preparing supper for our team. As we worked around the campfire we started discussing living normally and living as missionaries. Our conversation focused on Jesus' words recorded in Luke 18:28 - 30: And Peter said, "See, we have left our homes and followed you." And he said to them, "Truly, I say to you, there is no one who

What lasts...

2009-03-27T08:24:00.000+02:00

On the cosmic canvas God has placed a speck. To the human eye this speck is almost undectable. Very few have seen this speck. It duration is vapor-like. Once the speck is gone noone will remember the speck. The DNA of this speck is of God's choosing. The speck is me and in light of cosmic eternity I can rightly ask the question: Does my life matter? All humans want to be remembered...to

Who are you gonna believe?

2009-03-26T07:35:00.000+02:00

The question means who are you going to believe in...yourself or in your Creator? And the reason that I am thinking about this is simple. We are going on furlough starting May 11th. There is lots of things to organize. We are spending about a month on the East Coast visiting family and friends; another 20 some days traveling across the US to the West Coast visiting more friends and then

Consider...

2009-03-25T09:34:00.000+02:00

From the book The Phoenix Rises, edited by Leslie Lyall, comes this quote: The fact is that no government is perfect. The overthrow of one government or party and the establishment of another does not solve the problem of sin. Dynasties come and go, but sin remains. We should not expect too much from human politics. Something to think about in light of elections here and abroad.

Eternal values...

2009-03-24T14:48:00.000+02:00

I have just read a biography of James O. Fraser, a missionary to China with OMF [CIM]. He was a talented and intelligent man with a brilliant career...but he choose to surrender it all. As I look back on my own life I see many junctures where decisions were made. But my decisions were based on human understanding of "what if." My corporate career was decided by the question of "if only." Too

Revenge or Grace...

2009-03-21T16:48:00.001+02:00

According to mythology and a lot of religious people today, when we sin the gods seek revenge. They give no thought of redemption or trying to turn the sinner's heart away from the sin. Revenge is the only thing possible for them. I am glad that the God...the King of all kings...saw fit to reveal himself to me and thereby give me an escape from the bondage of revenge. Unlike the gods, my God

Being ready anytime...

2009-03-21T16:40:00.000+02:00

No knows how much time they have on this earth. I for one want to be able to face my Maker and say that I finished the course set before me. [Jn 17:4] I am not satisfied standing in the crowd watching God at work...awed by His deeds. I want to know God. I want my life to reflect a continual process of getting to know the Creator of the Universe. My aim is to be able to reflect accurately

Trusting is Resting...

2008-07-22T09:16:00.000+02:00

It has been a while since the last time I spent meditating in the Word...I am not talking about studying. I am talking about when I have just spent time chewing on a verse or concept that I have found in the Word. For the last few weeks I have been having trouble making time to spend quietly before the Lord. Last week I started preparing a devotion to bring yesterday's staff meeting. I

Running Out of Control

2007-04-10T23:00:00.000+02:00

I have been thinking lately that life moves swiftly and we run frantically to keep up with it. We try to achieve so much by multi-tasking. We are in constant motion. And when we are not in motion, our minds are in motion planning out the next move. I would be a millionaire with the number of times I have awoken at 1am and laid awake with my mind refusing to shut down. I suspect that so much

Control Issue

2007-04-10T22:41:00.000+02:00

“The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace…” Romans 6:6Life as we know it is all about control. Who are we controlling? Who is controlling us? Left to our own devices, the thing we do that we think are good and noble outside of the control of the Spirit are dead…they are hay, wood and underbrush.“…the sinful mind is hostile to God.” Do I believe this

Choose to Refuse

2007-04-09T17:59:00.000+02:00

“…he persevered because he saw Him who was invisible.”A life of faith, I am discovering, looks to the future while operating here in the present. If I want to be living in faith then I will be making hard choices. Trusting Jesus…it rolls off the tongue so easily…means refusing to be known as a man of the world. Being identified as a Christian in anything more than name, means valuing Christ as

Living In The Present

2007-04-05T17:58:00.000+02:00

Jim Elliot, a modern-day martyr, gained international recognition when he died with four others at the hands of Auca Indians. An entry in his personal journal makes this observation: “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose." Dick Bridgman, whose ministry is with the businessmen, told me recently over lunch that winning men to the gospel of Jesus Christ is “all

No parasitic sins...

2007-04-04T16:56:00.000+02:00

Susie’s comment last night about not wanting to take the time for spiritual breathing got me to thinking. My experience has been the same many times. It is all about time, is it not? Let me share my journey…what I have been learning on the way to Eternity.I have discovered that the battle for me is not so much about temptation to sin, life’s difficult moments, thorny family circumstances or

No Orphans In The Kingdom...

2006-12-22T21:05:00.000+02:00

"I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you." John 14:18This is a chapter on wills. Here you will find that Jesus will, his Father will, and we will or will not. Thee are more than 25 "will" in 30 verses. The subject Jesus is speaking to is how we can be incorporated into a definite plan being acted on by the God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the coming Counselor. The emphasis is on

It Takes More Than Ears...

2006-12-21T23:30:00.000+02:00

"Why is my language not clear to you?" asked Jesus to the religious right who were challenging his authority. He continued by answering His own question: "Because you are unable to hear what I say. You belong to your father, the devil and you want to carry out your father's desire...He who belongs to God hears what God says." John 8:43 - 47In one way this is a tremendous encouragement. It

Beware…

2006-12-19T20:50:00.000+02:00

“You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life…yet you refuse to come to me to have life.” John 5:39 – 40Eternal life through Jesus is more than diligent study and memorization. It is more than learning facts about Jesus. It is more than being able to parse out meanings of the original languages. It is more than being able to debate great theological

More Than People

2006-10-27T21:37:00.000+02:00

“I tell you, Open your eyes and look at the fields. They are ripe for harvest…I sent you to reap…” John 4:35,38Jesus is very pointed when He speaks. He sticks with what is known in people’s lives. He speaks in the vernacular in which they are familiar.Jesus knew He was sent by God, His Father.Jesus knew His purpose was to atone for my sin.Jesus knew His mission was to finish what God had started

Daylight

2006-10-27T21:09:00.000+02:00

“This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil.” John 3:19If there is an opportunity for evil to crop into my life it is when I am staying away from interacting with the Light [Word of God]. I will stay away when I refuse to admit that there is some particular sin in my life and I am unwilling to confess it to the Savior.

Who Can You Trust?

2006-10-27T19:11:00.000+02:00

“Because of the miraculous signs…many people were convinced that He was indiid the Messiah. But Jesus did not trust them…no one needed to tell Him about human nature…” John 2:23-25I see and believe. But God wants me to go further. He wants me to believe in a way hidden from the physical eyes. Jesus grew up living a normal life. He experienced the sufferings, dramas and traumas of daily living in

My Place

2006-10-27T18:55:00.000+02:00

"This is the One I was talking about...” John 1:15John knew his mission: To point out Jesus.John knew his purpose: To be replaced by Jesus as the center of attention.This is what I am to be about if I dare call myself a follower of Christ: pointing out Jesus. This means that I must be in the business of allowing Him to replace my natural self-centered tendencies.I have purposed that my mission is

Martyrdom…

2006-04-03T19:35:00.000+02:00

In the gathering twilight, the two mujtahid, Ahmed Abu Zeid and Dr. Sayyed Abdul-Rauf heard the loud voices outside the compound gate and then the splintering of wood as the four men on the battering ram demolished the gate.From their shadowy vantage point behind the curtained window of the second floor overlooking the courtyard, they saw eight of the enemy running toward the front entrance below

Eternity...

2006-04-03T19:32:00.000+02:00

The young man’s twisted body lay on the hard ground in the aspen grove. He stared with unblinking eyes at the early morning sun light filtering through the canopy of golden yellow leaves. A crimson pool of blood had spread out staining the ground around his torso. A numbing cold was replaced the searing pain.He had made a dumb mistake trying to climb through the barbed wire fence with a loaded

2006-03-28T21:08:00.000+02:00

I dedicate this writing to KatheWho has taught meThe secrets ofRelationships.