Tis The Season

Thanksgiving through New Year’s Day has always been a special time for me. I’m sure it is for most of us. We love the traditions, the time with family, the joy and the beauty of the season. This is the time when we focus on so many of the blessing we have received. We love […]

Thanksgiving through New Year’s Day has always been a special time for me. I’m sure it is for most of us.

We love the traditions, the time with family, the joy and the beauty of the season.

This is the time when we focus on so many of the blessing we have received. We love being surrounded by those whom we refer to as our blessings.

I think there is something we need to think about.

I love when we think about and talk about all the ways we feel we have been blessed by God. It is important that we think about those things, remember them and remain grateful for them.

However, sometimes we can have such a strong sense of how much God has blessed us with good things and the way He has cared for us and our loved ones, that we can look at those blessings as our assurance that we are approved by God and accepted by Him.

Perhaps it is knowing this about us that causes Jesus to conclude His sermon from the mountain in the way He does.

He tells about the people in the judgment who will be shocked that they are rejected by Jesus, even though they knew Him, thought they were doing good things in His name and even called on His name. No doubt these people, like us, could talk long and with passion of lives blessed by Jesus.

But they were not listening to nor following what He said. We are all building a life. What are we building it on?

Jerusalem, Jerusalem

"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!" (Matt. 23:37 ESV)   Are you familiar with...

These Qualities

5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly...

Welcome To Spring

I know, you’re ready for the pollen to go away. But isn’t it a beautiful time of year. Did you catch the equinox? It occurred on Monday, March 20. You can even check out the exact time. Four times every year we know the dates for the precise movement of the sun, or to...

John 3:16

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16 ESV) “For God” - The only God, all-powerful, all knowing, without beginning or end, Creator of all things. “So loved” - More than...

Wisteria

I find myself captivated by Wisteria every year at this time. Partly because it was Cathy’s favorite spring time flower. She really like the purple blooms. But we never planted any and neither does Jane have any interest in planting Wisteria. The opening words of an...

Got A Question?

Do you have a question you would love to ask Jesus? What would it be? He was certainly asked a lot of questions. Like the one Peter asked about the future of his fellow apostle, John. Jesus’ answer? “What is that to you? Be faithful to me.” He didn’t always give an...

After God’s Own Heart

David, King of Israel, was described as a man after God’s own heart. I can imagine other biblical characters who would fall under the same category. What about us? Can we come close to that kind of heart? How did David get there? From his childhood he had a deep and...

Groundhog Day

14 And God said, "Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years, 15 and let them be lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth." And it was...

Provided

And he said, "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD." (Job 1:21 ESV) Those words spoken by Job need to be pondered by all of us. We came into this world with nothing...

Some Wisdom for the Day

When the righteous increase, the people rejoice, but when the wicked rule, the people groan. (Prov. 29:2 ESV) One's pride will bring him low, but he who is lowly in spirit will obtain honor. (Prov. 29:23 ESV) Scoffers set a city aflame, but the wise turn away wrath....