Thoughts

Sometimes I can imagine God saying, “Work with me, people”. I have offered you love redemption peace joy strength for each day goodwill grace provision abundant life direction rest purpose righteousness guidance abundant life eternal security but you continue to go your own way. You seek the temporal over the eternal, lust over love, license […]

I stood outside in the brisk breeze of a Florida winter tonight and watched the moon. It glistened in the night sky, a waxing crescent two days out from the new moon. Our family calls this a fingernail moon, because that is what it looked like to our children when they were small. As I […]

As I was driving out of the garage the other day, I thought of the chorus to an old song. There’s a roof up above me, I’ve a good place to sleep. There’s food on my table, and shoes on my feet. You gave me Your love, Lord, and a fine family. Thank You, Lord […]

Unworthy. That’s me. How often have I have allowed my fellowship with my Lord to be blocked by my own feelings of unworthiness? Defeat over failures and sins blossoms into an inability to petition my King. I am unworthy – that’s nothing new. I was unworthy of His love when He died for me, and […]

Let’s talk about Jesus, the King of Kings is He, the Lord of Lords supreme, throughout eternity. The great I AM, the Way, the Truth, the Life, the Door – Let’s talk about Jesus more and more. by Herbert Buffum, Jr. I thought about the words of this old chorus today as I read the […]

And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto Thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak Thy word. Acts 4:29 BE BOLD. And they (the apostles) departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name. Acts 5:41 REJOICE IN PERSECUTION! Therefore they that […]

On Christmas Eve, we sang a mighty hymn of joy – Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee. The words are words of hope as we end a troubled year and look forward to a new one. The hymn, written by Henry Jackson van Dyke in 1907, speaks to the joy in the Christian that cannot be […]

Just as the star beckoned the wisemen to search for the newly born King, God is calling us back to Bethlehem – back to the humility of the stable, back to the wonder of the shepherds, back to the joy shared by the angels, back to the Truth of Christ’s life, back to mercy birthed […]

God’s grace is a central theme in scripture. From the covering of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden to the preservation of the nation of Israel, one can trace His grace in His dealings with mankind. We could speak of Noah and Abraham, of Moses and David, of Daniel and Jonah to demonstrate […]

This morning, I was struck once again by the wonder – IT HAPPENED! IT REALLY HAPPENED! Our Christmas celebrations are quite stuffed with traditions and activities that encompass bits and pieces from various cultures and times. Santas and reindeer Long Christmas stockings Jingle bells jangling as neighbors come knocking. Memories that light up our hearts […]

If there was ever a year in this generation that darkness and the shadow of death seemed to hover and blanket the world, 2020 is that year. Every newscast, every report focuses on infection and death rates. Conversations flit between virus and vitriol as people ponder over politics and masks. We are a world in […]

We need warriors today – those who will stand against the tide of public opinion, who will live courageously and honestly in a hostile culture. People who will cling to God’s truth regardless of the consequences. However, we sometimes place our human interpretation of love and mercy onto others who are in the fight for […]

You know what? I bet having a baby was not on Mary’s ‘to do’ list for the year Jesus was born. Just a teenager, she was still looking forward to a wedding. Then the angel came and spoke words that rocked her world, interrupting any plans she may have had. The angel’s announcement set her […]

I love the story of the Magi. Referred to by various names – wise men, kings – they give us a picture of a people determined to celebrate and worship the infant King. Some traditions say there were three of them, but Scripture only confirms that there were at least three gifts (Matthew 2:11). The […]

As we begin this Advent season, this time of remembering the birth of our Lord, I echo the thoughts of Dietrich Bonhoeffer – “May God in His mercy lead us through these times, but above all may He lead us to Himself.” Psalm 25:5 Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the […]

Today I am thankful for – dappled light filtering through the colors of changing leaves; silence that catches me by surprise when I pause my frenzied pace; the absolute goodness of God; the assurance of God’s grace; the certainty that God remains in control; the “off” switch on the television; the first laugh of a […]

It happened again tonight. I expected a beautiful sunset over a turbulent sea. Clouds swelled in the sky, and I knew they would display the color. But what I saw was glory. Within three minutes the sky went from blue and gray to brilliant oranges and yellows. The sun sank quickly, and just before it […]

“For the birds” is an American idiom that means trivial or worthless. When we say something is ‘for the birds’, we are not usually offering a commendation. God loves birds, though, and having a day for the birds is not always a bad thing. Sometimes, they are just the reminder we need that God has […]

I have friends who are jubilant right now. I have friends who are not. I have friends who are celebrating right now. I have friends who are not. I have friends who see the world as their oyster. I have friends who believe the oyster has spoiled. I find my direction in Psalm 146. While […]

In church today we sang the old hymn, “Great is Thy Faithfulness”. What a timely reminder to my heart in these days of uncertainty and change. Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father; There is no shadow of turning with Thee; Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not; As Thou hast been, Thou […]