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We spend a lot of time waiting on something or someone. My husband waits for me to get ready to go somewhere. Sometimes that role is reversed.

I spend quite a bit of time waiting for a stop light to change to green or for oncoming traffic to clear out so I can make my turn.

Recently, we waited for the mail to bring us copies of photos taken by our son when he was camping. The mailer arrived wrapped in plastic. It had gotten damaged in transit, taking extra time to make it to our door.

Expectant parents wait for the blessed…  ( Click for more )

“For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother” Matthew 12:50 (NIV)

I have often wondered why friends of mine and I have to go through difficult times. Some have faced great loss of loved ones, extended periods of unemployment, lengthy illnesses, or prolonged times of depression.

A family recently lost a son/brother. This was the second loss of a child for the parents. They buried him on a Saturday and came to worship service the next day. Their presence was a testimony that spoke to each of the others present that…  ( Click for more )

God has been especially real to me to me this week. I can feel His presence; those arms of love surround me as we await word from our son.

Our son lives 600 miles away from our home. He’s on a week’s vacation from his job. At almost the last minute, he changed his plans and chose to go to Rocky Mountain National Park to tent camp. If you met him, you’d probably call him a loner—he went camping by himself.

When he called and told us of his finalized plans, I asked him to call us while he was gone. My reason for doing this was purely selfish—I…  ( Click for more )

“Though I walk in the midst of trouble,

Thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine

hand against the wrath of mine enemies,

and thy right hand you save me.

The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me:

Thy mercy, O Lord, endureth forever:

forsake not the works of thine own hands.”

Psalm 138:7-8 (KJV)

I found this passage in the King James Version of the Bible. When I share this verse with others, I refer them to that version.

Several years ago, I heard words that saddened me. My nerves…  ( Click for more )

God Surprises Us with Joy

“for his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime;

weeping may remain for a night but rejoicing comes in the morning.”

Psalm 30:5 (NIV)

When we sin, God notices our transgression. He finds a way to show us where we fail Him. After we repent, our Father guides and protects us as we live for Him.,

While we work for, fellowship with, and follow our Lord, God grants us favor. He allows us to enjoy certain blessings, reserved for His children.

Hubby…  ( Click for more )

God’s In Our World

“Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue, but with actions and in truth. Then this is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in His presence.” (1 John 3:19)

There are people who believe God created the world and stepped back from His work. I am not one of them.

For me, God has his hand on the shoulders of each believer who works for the Kingdom the laity as well as the clergy and the missionaries. We see marvelous signs of…  ( Click for more )

“Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness

to be tempted of the devil. And when he had fasted forty

days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.

Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came

and ministered unto him.” Matthew 4:1-2,11 (KJV)

{The following is a compilation of my journal entries from February 6,1997 through February 9,1997} (My devotional at the time was Disciplines for the Inner Life edited by Benson and Benson.)

(2/06) Jesus was led by the spirit into the desert. For forty days and nights he fasted…  ( Click for more )

Let everything that has breath praise the LORD Psalm 150:5(NIV) The psalmist says it succinctly. However, sometimes we feel that we have nothing to praise God for. We have myriad things to praise Him for. Here is a list of a few of those things. Did you sleep well last night? We should thank God when we do. We should thank Him when we happen to be awake late at night or early in the morning. He may want us to pray at those times. Did you wake up this morning? You can praise God for his gift of another day. Did you have breakfast this morning? You can praise God…  ( Click for more )

Let everything that has breath praise the LORD Psalm 150:5(NIV)

The psalmist says it succinctly. However, sometimes we feel that we have nothing to praise God for. We have myriad things to praise Him for.

Here is a list of a few of those things.

Did you sleep well last night? We should thank God when we do. We should thank Him when we happen to be awake late at night or early in the morning. He may want us to pray at those times.

Did you wake up this morning? You can praise God for his gift of another day.

Did you have breakfast this morning? You can praise…  ( Click for more )

One of the many things we can praise God for is His Word-the Bible.

His word gives us strength we are down and direction when we are faced with issues that affect our lives.

“This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life” Deuteronomy 30:19

The above passage guided me through an exceedingly difficult period of my life.

“Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave…  ( Click for more )

Thou wilt keep himin perfect peace,

whose mind is stayed on thee:

because he trusteth in thee.

Isaiah 26:3 (KJV)

Have you ever seen a snapshot that looked blurry? When I was a child, we used to see them often.

Have you ever watched a movie or a television show where the objects near the camera became less clear as the background became more pronounced? It is a vehicle of the director to cause us, the audience, to see something we might otherwise miss.

Both these examples deal with our focus. The old pictures are deemed out of focus. In the movie/television…  ( Click for more )

"And you, my child, will be called prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him, to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins." Luke 1:76-77 (NIV)

When Zechariah wrote that his son’s name was John, the neighbors. He, being Spirit filled, prophesied about what the Lord was going to do through John.

John’s calling meant he would be a prophet of God and go before the Lord and prepare the way for Him. He would impart knowledge of God’s salvation through redemption and…  ( Click for more )

“And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but waitfor the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.” Acts 1:4 (KJV)

“For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.” Galatians 5:5 (KJV)

I recently read a devotional booklet that dealt with how we look at success. The writer compared a sermonette of J. Hudson Taylor with various scriptures. In one section the author spoke on waiting.

“Things may not happen for us when we think they should,…  ( Click for more )

I lift up my eyes to you,

To you whose throne is in

Heaven.

The psalmist looks to God who rules over heaven. We must do the same.

As the eyes of slaves look to the

Hand of their master,

As the eyes of a maid look to the

Hand of her mistress,

So our eyes look to the LORD, our

God,

Til he shows us his mercy.

The writer tells us we must look to God for instruction and guidance until He answers our pleas.

Have mercy on us, O LORD, have

Mercy on us,

For we have endured much

Contempt.

He begs God for His mercy.…  ( Click for more )

Blessed is he

Whose transgressions are forgiven,

Whose sins are covered.

Blessed is the man

Whose sin the LORD does not count

Against him

And in whom there is no deceit.

When we confess our sins, God forgives us. Because He forgives our sins, He blesses us He does not hold those sins against us.

When I kept silent,

My bones wasted away

Through my groaning all day long.

For day and night

Your hand was heavy upon me;

My strength was sapped

As in the days of summer.--Selah

When we choose not to confess and seek God’s…  ( Click for more )

Psalm 28

To you I call, O LORD my Rock:

Do not turn a deaf ear to me.

For if you remain silent,

I will be like those who have gone

down to the pit.

David calls out to the LORD. He desires that God hear him. He fears that if God remains silent, he will be forsaken like those who have gone to the grave. At times, we who follow Jesus must call out to Him. Sometimes, it is for a circumstance we face. Other times we must call…  ( Click for more )

Psalm 118:1-9

Verses 1-4

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,

His love endures forever.

Let Israel say:

“His love endures forever.”

Let the house of Aaron say:

“His love endures forever.”

Let those who fear the LORD say”

“His love endures forever.”

God commands us to…  ( Click for more )

“He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hid their faces he was despised and we esteemed him not. Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him.” Isaiah 53:3-5 (NIV)

When we reflect upon the last week of our Lord’s earthly life, we read of His trials and obedience before His Father.…  ( Click for more )