November 30, 2009

abundance of grace
photo by Patrick Frey

“Loving Father God, my heart is filled
upon rethinking the greatness of your love
and the completeness of your plan.
I want to please you,
but how often my flesh folds
under the pressure of temptation.
I thank you that you know my frame,
and you remember I am dust.
And I thank you for the abundance of grace
and the gift of righteousness
which you have made available to me
through the cross of your Son.
Thank you for receiving me, gracious Lord. Amen.”
- Jack W. Hayford

November 29, 2009

Christmas trees

The Christmas holiday season
is upon us.

One custom is to buy and decorate
the Christmas tree.

Let us remember, as we gaze upon
the Christmas tree

“O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!
How richly God has decked thee!
O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!
How richly God has decked thee!
Thou bidst us true and faithful be,
And trust in God unchangingly.
O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!
How richly God has decked thee!”
- from: O Christmas Tree

“He who has not Christmas in his heart
will never find it under a tree.”
- Roy L. Smith

November 28, 2009

another time to pray

Anytime someone gets married, or engaged…
anytime someone passes on…
anytime someone gets a new job, or goes to a new school…
whatever… there are many reasons to offer up a prayer.

Here is one you may not have considered.
How about when you see a new house being built?

Pray for the new tenants whoever they may be.
Pray that the Lord is building them a mansion in heaven.
Pray that while still here on earth
the new tenants will serve the Lord.

And be a good neighbor.

“But as for me and my household,
we will serve the LORD.”
- Joshua 24:15 NIV

November 27, 2009

human intelligence?

One day we count our blessings
and the next we show
that they are not near enough.

“Advertising may be described
as the science of arresting the human intelligence
long enough to get money from it.”
- Stephen Butler Leacock

“The only reason a great many American families
don't own an elephant
is that they have never been offered
an elephant for a dollar down and easy weekly payments.”
- Mad Magazine

“You have succeeded in life
when all you really want
is only what you really need.”
- Vernon Howard

November 26, 2009

glorify Him with thanksgiving

“I would maintain that thanks
are the highest form of thought,
and that gratitude
is happiness doubled by wonder.
- G.K. Chesterton

“I will praise God's name in song
and glorify him with thanksgiving.”
- Psalm 69:30 NIV

“It is good to praise the LORD
and make music to your name, O Most High,
to proclaim your love in the morning
and your faithfulness at night”
- Psalm 92:1,2 NIV

November 25, 2009

It's a very dismal, cold, rainy day here
so I went back into some
recently archived photos
taken in September of this year.
I am always looking for beauty
among the weeds... :)

The following lyrics are taken from the song
"Life of Agony... Weeds"

"I've wasted so much precious time
Been skating along these fine lines
Now these weeds have grown where the sun once shown
And my life has passed me by"

What a sad commentary.

Thanksgiving, in the USA,
will be celebrated Thursday, November 26th.
Let's all, the world over,
give thanks for all our blessings.

"Not what we say about our blessings,
but how we use them,
is the true measure of our thanksgiving."
- W. T. Purkiser

November 24, 2009

the Lord’s coming

“Be patient, then, brothers,
until the Lord’s coming…
You too, be patient and stand firm,
because the Lord’s coming is near.”
- James 7,8 NIV

“I wait for the LORD, my soul waits,
and in his word I put my hope.”
- Psalms 130:5 NIV

November 23, 2009

Don’t let this be said of you.

“The harvest is past,
the summer has ended,
and we are not saved.”
- Jeremiah 8:20 NIV

“For God did not send his Son
into the world to condemn the world,
but to save the world through him.
Whoever believes in him is not condemned,
but whoever does not believe
stands condemned already
because he has not believed
in the name of God’s one and only Son.”
- John 3:17,18 NIV

November 22, 2009

nothing must divert us

"A disciple is not above his teacher,
nor a servant above his master" ( Matthew 10:24 ).
In other words,
the same things that happened to our Lord
will happen to us on our way to our ‘Jerusalem.’
There will be works of God exhibited through us,
people will get blessed,
and one or two will show gratitude
while the rest will show total ingratitude,
but nothing must divert us
from going ‘up to [our] Jerusalem.’”
- Oswald Chambers

November 21, 2009

understanding

“One cannot help but be in awe
when he contemplates the mysteries of eternity,
of life, of the marvelous structure of reality.”
- Albert Einstein

BUT

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge…”
- Proverbs 1:7 NIV

November 20, 2009

discouraged, downcast and low?

“When we are deeply disturbed with a problem
and our minds are filled with doubt
And we struggle to find a solution
but there seems to be no way out,
We futilely keep on trying
to untangle our web of distress -
But our own little, puny efforts
meet with very little success...

And finally, exhausted and weary,
discouraged and downcast and low,
With no foreseeable answer
and with no other place to go,
We kneel down in sheer desperation
and slowly and stumblingly pray,
Then impatiently wait for an answer,
which we fully expect right away.

And then when God does not answer
in one sudden instant, we say,
"God does not seem to be listening,
so why should we bother to pray?"
But God can't get through to the anxious,
who are much too impatient to wait -
You have to believe in God's promise
that He comes not too soon or too late.

For whether God answers promptly
or delays in answering your prayer,
You must have faith to believe Him
and to know in your heart He'll be there.
So be not impatient or hasty,
just trust in the Lord and believe.
For whatever you ask in faith and love,
in abundance you are sure to receive.”
- Helen Steiner Rice

November 19, 2009

“Beyond the horizon o'r the treacherous sea
I still can't believe that you have set aside your love for me.”
- Bob Dylan
(Beyond the Horizon)

This line from the song, Beyond the Horizon,
has special meaning for me…

“For God so loved the world
that he gave his one and only Son,
that whoever believes in him
shall not perish but have eternal life.”
- John 3:16 NIV

"A cloud does not know
why it moves in just such a direction
and at such a speed...
It feels an impulsion...
this is the place to go now.
But the sky knows the reasons
and the patterns behind all clouds,
and you will know, too,
when you lift yourself high enough
to see beyond horizons."
- Richard Bach
('Jonathan Livingston Seagull', b.1936)

November 18, 2009

“Like the winds of the sea
Are the waves of time,
As we journey along through life,
Tis the set of the soul,
That determines the goal,
And not the calm or the strife.”
- Ella Wheeler Wilcox

“Yet it is in this loneliness that the deepest activities begin.
It is here that you discover act without motion,
labor that is profound repose,
vision in obscurity, and, beyond all desire,
a fulfillment whose limits extend to infinity.”
- Thomas Merton

“It [the soul] is truly an image of the infinity of God,
and no words can do justice to its grandeur.”
- William Ellery

November 17, 2009

I have become a more avid "sky watcher" recently.
The cloud formations have become more "interesting"
than I ever remember them to be.

Perhaps I will call these my "equivalents"
after Stieglitz's equivalents...
"revelations of a man's world in the sky,
documents of eternal relationship."

“Every action of our lives
touches on some chord
that will vibrate in eternity.”
- Edwin Hubbel Chapin

November 16, 2009

The Holy Spirit

“In arriving at a decision
in a question of doubt,
the apostles in the Acts
were guided solely by their sense
of the Spirit behind the action,
not by any speculations
as to consequences which might ensue.
And so they found the truth.
Gradually the results of the action manifested themselves,
and, seeing them, they perceived
what they had really done,
and learnt the meaning of the truth
revealed in the action.
But if, from fear of the consequences,
they had checked or forbidden the action,
they would have lost this revelation.
They would have missed the way to truth.”
- Roland Allen

“Our deepest calling
is not to grow in our knowledge of God.
It is to make disciples.
Our knowledge will grow --
the Holy Spirit, Jesus promised,
will guide us into all truth.
But that's not our calling, it is His.
Our calling is to prepare the world for Christ's return.
The world is not ready yet.
And so, we go about
introducing a dying world to the Savior of Life.
Anything we do toward our own growth
must be toward that end.”
- Jeffrey Bryant

November 15, 2009

beautiful and good

“Lord Jesus… Keep alight in our hearts the flame of hope,
make us to see the beautiful and good things in the world,
not just the drab, the squalid and sordid.
Help us to see the goodness of men,
and by our love increase this and make it grow
and spread among the people,
for we are your instruments in the world.
Make your hope and love shine
through us so that the hells of others
may be lightened and they may glimpse
something of your glory.”
- Michael Hollings and Etta Gullick

November 14, 2009

Christian tolerance?

Tolerance is no substitute for love.

Love shows support, encouragement, a willingness
to engage, and an interest to share.
Tolerance gives nothing but an acknowledgement
of, and a right to, presence.

What do you practice… tolerance or love?

Next time don’t just say…
”Hi, how are you?”

Show that you really care and express
an interest… encourage and support
the Truth in that person. If they have done
something in service to the Lord, praise the Lord
in their presence for the use
of their unique God-given talents.

We need each other.

“Now about brotherly love
we do not need to write to you,
for you yourselves have been taught by God
to love each other.”
- 1 Thessalonians 4:9 NIV

November 13, 2009

The church is a place…

I find a severe lack of support and encouragement
among professing Christians and I wonder why.

Are we too busy with the things of this world?
Have we too become so desensitized by our culture
that we do not see the need anymore?
Do we feel so self-satisfied
with our own ministry and our own growth
(or the support within our own circle of friends)
that we fail to uplift others,
not to praise “them”, but for the glory of God
and out of a sincere love for our neighbor?

Christian service requires many different kinds of talents
and is not a solo event, nor is it a competition.

Christian growth and the spiritual health
of each member
requires the support and encouragement
of all.

“The Church is not a place
where perfect people gather
to say perfect things,
or have perfect thoughts,
or have perfect feelings.
The Church is a place where imperfect people
gather to provide encouragement,
support, and service to each other. …
We are here with the same purpose:
to learn to love Him with all our heart,
soul, mind, and strength,
and to love our neighbor as ourselves.”
- Joseph B. Wirthlin

November 12, 2009

glow of Your love
photo by Patrick Frey

“O Lord, prepare my heart, I beseech You,
to reverence You, to adore You, to love You;
to hate, for love of You, all my sins and imperfections,
shortcomings, whatever displeases You;
and to love all which You love.

Give me, Lord, fervor of love, shame for my
unthankfulness, sorrow for my sins, longing for Your
grace, and to be wholly united with You.

Let my very coldness call for the glow of Your love;
let the emptiness and dryness, like a barren and thirsty
land, thirst for You, call on You to come into my soul,
who refreshes those who are weary.

Let my heart ache to You and for You,
Who stills the aching of the heart.

Let my mute longings praise You, crave You,
Who satisfies the empty soul that waits on You.”
- E. B. Pusey

November 11, 2009

friendships

“This is my wish for you:
Comfort on difficult days,
smiles when sadness intrudes,
rainbows to follow the clouds,
laughter to kiss your lips,
sunsets to warm your heart,
hugs when spirits sag,
beauty for your eyes to see,
friendships to brighten your being,
faith so that you can believe,
confidence for when you doubt,
courage to know yourself,
patience to accept the truth,
Love to complete your life.”
- Author Unknown

November 10, 2009

watch Autumn Symphony at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKBCpdjRzAQ

"Leaves drift softly earthward toward the grass
Spring and summer blend from green to gold
And so the seasons come full turn and pass
Day follows day and each of us grows old.

Somewhere there is a bright new shining day
And as these seasons pace and turn
We will live in joy complete and never say
That for younger days our hearts still yearn.”
- Corby Magnuson
The Measure of Leaves

November 9, 2009

INSCRIPTION FOR A PULPIT

"The hungry sheep look up, and are not fed."
The hungry sheep, that crave the living Bread.
Grow few, and lean, and feeble as can be,
When fed not Gospel, but philosophy;
Not Love's eternal story, no, not this,
But apt allusion, keen analysis.
Discourse well framed -- forgot as soon as heard --
Man's thin dilution of the living Word.
O Preacher, leave the rhetorician's arts;
Preach Christ, the Food of hungry human hearts;
Hold fast to science, history, or creed,
But preach the Answer to our human need,
That in this place, at least, it may be said
No hungry sheep looks up and is not fed.”
- Robert Hammond Adams

“The church is the great lost and found department.”
- Robert Short

November 8, 2009

It takes a childlike faith.

“Where is the wise man?
Where is the scholar?
Where is the philosopher of this age?
Has not God made foolish
the wisdom of the world?”
- 1 Corinthians 1:20 NIV

"Let the little children come to me,
and do not hinder them,
for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.”
- Mark 10:14 NIV

November 7, 2009

“God is no stranger in a far away place -
He is as close as the wind that blows' across my face.
It's true that I can't see the wind as it blows ,
But I feel it around me and my heart surely knows
That God's mighty hand can be felt every where,
For there is nothing on earth that is not in God's care.
The sky and the stars, the waves and the sea,
The dew on the grass, the leaves on a tree
Are constant reminders of God and His nearness
Proclaiming His presence with crystal-like clearness.”
- Helen Steiner Rice

November 6, 2009

Autumn is rapidly fading into winter.
Soon all the brilliant colors of autumn leaves
will fade to brown and the landscape will appear
to rest before the glorious uprising of spring.

"May your joys [always]
be as bright as the morning,
and your sorrows merely be shadows
that fade in the sunlight of love."
- Irish blessing

November 5, 2009

important crossroad

“I believe with all my heart and soul
that at every important crossroads in my life
I was faced with a choice:
between right and wrong,
between serving God and pleasing myself.
I didn’t always make the right choice.
But God heard the earnest prayers
of those who loved me
and by His grace
brought me to my knees.”
- Al Green

November 4, 2009

a temple

“Money can build or buy a house.
Add love to that, and you have a home.
Add God to that, and you have a temple.
You have ‘a little colony of the kingdom of heaven’”
- Anne Ortland

"Have your heart right with Christ,
and he will visit you often,
and so turn weekdays into Sundays,
meals into sacraments,
homes into temples,
and earth into heaven."
- C. H. Spurgeon

November 3, 2009

taught of the Lord

“While we try to teach our children all about life,
Our children teach us what life is all about.”
- Angela Schwindt

“And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD;
and great shall be the peace of thy children.”
- Isaiah 54:13 KJV

November 2, 2009

vitiated eye

“The eye is the lamp of the body -
And what the eye is to the body,
the intention is to the soul.
We may observe with what exact propriety
our Lord places purity of intention
between worldly desires and worldly cares,
either of which directly tend to destroy.
If thine eye be single - Singly fixed on God and heaven,
thy whole soul will be full of holiness and happiness.
If thine eye be evil - Not single,
aiming at any thing else
thy whole body shall be full of darkness-darkened.
As a vitiated eye,
or an eye that looks not straight and full at its object,
sees nothing as it is,
so a mind and heart divided
between heaven and earth is all dark.”
- Wesley Notes
and Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary
on Matthew 6:22,23

November 1, 2009

last days
photo by Patrick Frey

“But mark this:
There will be terrible times in the last days.
People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money,
boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents,
ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous,
without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good,
treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure
rather than lovers of God—
having a form of godliness but denying its power.
Have nothing to do with them.”
- 2 Timothy 3:1-5 NIV