Please read these verses in your own Bible or on Bible Gateway: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians+3%3A+1-14&version=NIV v 1-4a: Be joyful as an antidote to grumbling and arguing. Joy in the Lord is our protection; Paul keeps saying it because we learn best with repetition. Be alert. Don’t let your joy be stolen by “rules.” Paul is warning against…
Month: July 2019
Plans for Good
For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29: 11 NLT Lord, as I prepare dinner,I can hear their voices raised against me:“Oh, no! Green vegetables again!”My response is ready:“I am not required…
Someone You Should Know…
Frederick Buechner Frederick Buechner (“BEEK-ner”), born on July 11, 1926, is a is an American writer, novelist, poet, autobiographer, essayist, preacher, and theologian. One of the major themes in his writing is Listening to Your Life, exhorting us to “pay attention, because God is constantly at work in our everyday lives.” The grace of God…
The Name Game
“… He calls His own sheep by name …” John 10:3b NIV We were home, with two tiny new family members. Quickly I set up the litter box and closed off the kitchen and family rooms, where the cats would stay for the time being. We opened the carried, let them out, showed them their…
Philippians 2: 19-30 NIV
Timothy and Epaphroditus Please read these verses in your own Bible or on Bible Gateway: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians+2%3A+19-30&version=NIV v 19-24: Timothy is unique in three ways: 1) he truly cares for the needs of the church, 2) he puts the Lord’s interests first, and 3) he works with Paul as son and father. He is going to…
The Ask…
Man: “God, how long is a million years?” God: “To me, it’s about a minute.” Man: “God, how much is a million dollars?” God: “To me, it’s a penny.” Man: “God, may I have a penny?” God: “Wait a minute.”
Philippians 2: 12-18 NIV
Please read these verses in your own Bible or on Bible Gateway: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians+2%3A+12-18&version=NIV v 12-13: Christ was obedient (Philippians 2: 8); Paul modeled obedience. As His followers, the Philippians are to obey as well (no matter if anyone is watching or not), as they work out their salvation; not in order to gain what’s already…
Butterfly
The changes in my lifeAre causing me much pain;I mourn for what is lost, What cannot come again.The present days are dark, The storm clouds thunder near;I doubt I’ll ever find A place of refuge here. And then I lift my eyesAnd see against the skyIn graceful gossamer,A golden butterfly.I hear my Savior’s voice,“My child,…
The Birds of the Air
(Note: this was many years ago, before the Emerald Ash Borer.) We were becoming quite concerned about the Mountain Ash trees in our front yard that early autumn. The huge number of berries on the trees were causing the branches to bend down almost to the ground. Was this a sign of some disease? Could…
The Chosen
You did not choose me, but I chose you… John 15:16 NIV So we were going to choose a cat. Against all the odds we were going to have our own cat. In spite of the excitement, I was nervous. This was a big step and would change our lives. What if it was a…