Bible Reading

If you miss your bath for a few days, people will notice. I find the same principle applies to my spiritual life. When I go days without reading and meditating on God’s Word, it is noticeable – in my words, in my thoughts, in my attitude, in my relationships – and it is not a […]

Sandwiched between the two mountains described in Psalms 22 and 24 lies the familiar Psalm of the Shepherd, Psalm 23. Many people recognize this psalm, but it is important to note the psalms that precede and follow it. Psalm 22 gives us the experience of Mount Calvary. Here we read Jesus’ cry from the cross, […]

There is a verse in Psalm 119 that has often brought a smile to my face. My husband and I use it to remind each other not to be easily offended. Great peace have they which love Thy law, and nothing shall offend them. Psalm 119:165 In context, the word offend means cause to stop […]

Falling leaves and somewhat cooler breezes (I live in Florida) remind me that seasons change, and time passes. Flowers that I rejoiced over in Spring now look a little worse for wear. We put away the hummingbird feeder today knowing that they are moving on to other locales for the winter. Mornings are dawning later, […]

Psalm 51:4 – Against Thee, Thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in Thy sight:” When we sweep away all of the world’s debris that clutters our hearts and emotions, we come to the realization that our sin is direct rebellion to God’s ownership of our lives. We like to lessen the blackness […]

We were walking to the bus at the end of the school day, and I was holding first-grader Bryan’s hand. His hand was in mine because that is the only way that I could be assured that he was in line and with the rest of the class. Our day had been troublesome at best. […]

The excitement was over. The disciples had lived through the horror of the arrest and trial, witnessed the agony of the cross, and experienced the resurrection at the tomb and through their own interactions with the resurrected Christ. Now what? They didn’t see Him everyday like before. They probably felt like they were living in limbo […]

Encouragement from Hebrews 12:1-4 – Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which does so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us (Hebrews 12:1). We need to let go of […]

Psalm 102 I have burdens on my heart – we all do – so the first verse of Psalm 102 caught my attention this morning. Hear my prayer, O Lord, and let my cry come unto You. I am thankful for the God Who hears – the God Who listens. As I continued to read […]

“Prone to wander, Lord I feel it. Prone to leave the God I love.” Robert Robinson, Hymn “Come Thou Fount of Many Blessings” We are a people of wandering hearts, flitting from one obsession to another, always looking for greener grass. There is a reason that God calls us sheep. Even when we determine to […]

Psalm 116 We make Christianity – knowing and loving God – so difficult! Early in my Christian walk, I was plagued by doubt and fear. These feelings overwhelmed me and paralyzed my joy and my service. During that time, I remember reading Psalm 116 (check it out) over and over again, but I focused on […]

We look at our world, and we say, “NO HOPE. The problems are beyond repair. This downward spiral is going right into a black hole.” That is what human logic tells us, and I confess that sometimes I bow my head and say, “Enough already, God.” But what does God say? Behold, the Lord’s hand […]

When life is confusing and hard, when troubles seem to stack up like blocks in a child’s play set, the foundation of one’s faith is critical. Paul the Apostle was familiar with difficulties and trials. He described a few of his challenges in II Corinthians 11: 24 Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes […]

When the Holy Spirit is at work in my heart, He makes things happen. The Bible calls this bearing fruit. Fruit is visible, and it is pleasant. What can I expect to seeing growing in me when God is having His way in my heart? Love, even in the face of hate Joy, even in […]

Psalm 79: 9 Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name: and deliver us, and purge away our sins, for thy name’s sake. When the psalmist cried out for God’s help in verse nine of Psalm 79, he had no bargaining chip. Israel had sinned. They had left the path of […]

What do we do when we have messed up everything, allowed sin to overtake us, and ignored God’s loving ownership of our lives? How do we remedy the regret and stifle the stigma? How can we open ourselves to restored fellowship with the Father? David understood these questions. His sin was laid bare when Nathan […]

Peter failed. When faced with the opportunity to stand with his Lord, he bailed, denying the One Who had called Him, the One to Whom he had declared his undying allegiance (John 18:25 – 27). After the crucifixion, though, Peter could still be found with the disciples. He showed up at the tomb. He was […]

Sometimes I hear people quote me, but the words they say don’t match what I said. Due to misunderstanding or to foster false impressions, words are taken out of context and incorrect directives are repeated. When this happens, I jokingly say that my name has been taken in vain. Names are important. They represent who […]

God has a great benefit plan! In Psalm 103, David sings his praise to the Lord, and he challenges us to not forget all that God does for us. Here are a few of the benefits David lists for us to remember: God forgives. He heals. He redeems. He crowns with lovingkindness. He loves. He […]

BIG MISTAKE!! I opened Facebook to check on something before I opened my Bible this morning. What did I find? Arguments – some civil, some not – over our president, over the virus, over data, over masks, over current protests and riots. People I know and people I don’t know weighing in with a comment […]