The Future Comes Soon Enough
11/24/10 07:00
These are worrisome times. But experience shows that many of our worries and fears about the future simply do not materialize. They do not merit the emotional toll they take on us. Mark Twain could have been speaking for all of us when he said, ‘I’ve known a great many troubles, but most of them never happened.’ For example, if you tried to recall all the things that you worried about at this time last year, chances are only one or two might come quickly to mind. Read More...
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Facing Our Fears
05/10/10 02:44
Jesus did not let fear hold Him back. He had the courage of His convictions. He knew that after the appointed hour He would conquer death and come into His glory. His focus was not on the here and now but on the hereafter. In our time of trial and tribulation, we can draw the strength and courage we need from Jesus. We can follow His example – instead of focusing on real or imagined fears, we can ask our selves what good might come out of this situation. Read More...
Freedom from Negative Thinking
07/01/09 06:03
“He said unto them, Go. And they came out . . .” (Matthew 8: 28-34)
In order to pray, each of us must claim victory over our own personal demons - - the worry and fear, the negative, self-defeating thinking that challenges us and torments us. Read More...
In order to pray, each of us must claim victory over our own personal demons - - the worry and fear, the negative, self-defeating thinking that challenges us and torments us. Read More...
Steering Through Troubled Waters
06/29/09 05:53
“Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.” (Matthew 8: 23-27)
Matthew’s Gospel focuses our attention on the storm that engulfed the disciples’ boat on the sea of Galilee, striking fear in the hearts of the men. In so doing, Matthew emphasizes the importance of prayer in fearful times, periods of great turbulence, such as the nation is experiencing today.
Much of our life is spent, not in tumult, but in the still, calm waters where a tranquil life can lull us into a false sense of being in control of our own destiny. When everything is going well for us, we may sail right along, not bothering to pray. However, when storm winds take us by surprise, panic can set with disastrous results. Read More...
Matthew’s Gospel focuses our attention on the storm that engulfed the disciples’ boat on the sea of Galilee, striking fear in the hearts of the men. In so doing, Matthew emphasizes the importance of prayer in fearful times, periods of great turbulence, such as the nation is experiencing today.
Much of our life is spent, not in tumult, but in the still, calm waters where a tranquil life can lull us into a false sense of being in control of our own destiny. When everything is going well for us, we may sail right along, not bothering to pray. However, when storm winds take us by surprise, panic can set with disastrous results. Read More...
Jesus Calms the Gale
06/15/09 07:29
"He awoke, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm." (Mark 4: 35-41)
Our nation has entered a period that will sorely test our faith. The aftermath of this tempest will be with us for a long time. Steering our way through this stormy passage will take a steady hand at the helm. Read More...
Our nation has entered a period that will sorely test our faith. The aftermath of this tempest will be with us for a long time. Steering our way through this stormy passage will take a steady hand at the helm. Read More...
Facing Our Fears
03/26/09 04:37
“I am not come of myself, but he that sent me is true, whom ye know not. I know him; because I am from him, and he sent me.” (John 7: 1,2, 10, 25-30)
The thought of His coming trials and tribulations was never far from Jesus’ mind. He was keenly aware that each day brought Him closer to the cross. Yet, Christ did not let fear hold Him back. He dared to attend The Feast of the Tabernacles where the Jewish leaders and their cohort would be present in large numbers and might seize and kill Him.
Jesus did not let fear hold Him back. He had the courage of His convictions. He knew that after the appointed hour He would conquer death and come into His glory. His focus was not on the here and now but on the hereafter.
In our time of trial and tribulation, we can draw the strength and courage we need from Jesus. Read More...
The thought of His coming trials and tribulations was never far from Jesus’ mind. He was keenly aware that each day brought Him closer to the cross. Yet, Christ did not let fear hold Him back. He dared to attend The Feast of the Tabernacles where the Jewish leaders and their cohort would be present in large numbers and might seize and kill Him.
Jesus did not let fear hold Him back. He had the courage of His convictions. He knew that after the appointed hour He would conquer death and come into His glory. His focus was not on the here and now but on the hereafter.
In our time of trial and tribulation, we can draw the strength and courage we need from Jesus. Read More...
Overcoming Fear
08/04/08 01:23
Courage is doing the best you can, when you know it might not be enough. It’s having the conviction – faith – in a power greater than yourself and the willingness to risk because it is the right thing to do under the circumstances. Read More...
Taking One Day at a Time
07/13/08 06:32
Senseless worry is the Devil's substitute for prayer. It robs us of our peace of mind by focusing our attention on things that have already happened and cannot be changed; or, on things that, in all likelihood, never will happen. Read More...
A Fearless Faith
07/12/08 06:28
“Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.” (Matthew 10: 24-33)
The other day we cut down a tree that had rooted itself too close to our home. For years, I had been trimming it back, trying to save it as well as our house. But it seemed to thrive on the abuse and grew back stronger every spring. This year, the tree got the best of me and we had to hire someone to cut it down.
To everyone’s surprise, as the trunk toppled over, a bird’s nest that had been hidden among the foliage, fell to the ground. Five little sparrows tumbled across our lawn, cheep cheeping as they scrambled for cover.
In today’s Gospel, Christ points out that two sparrows cannot fall to the earth without the Father knowing about it. Here, we had just knocked five of His favorite baby chicks to the ground. And, boy, were they angry!
My wife quickly and gingerly scooped them up while the parents of the chicks scolded her from a nearby evergreen. The fallen tree was propped up against the side of our house, the nest lodged back in the fork of the tree and the baby sparrows returned to their rightful place in the natural order. Or so it seemed to me.
The next thing I knew my wife was feeding the chicks spaghetti (“It’s just like worms.”) and protecting them from a downpour with a hastily rigged umbrella. Trouble was, the parents wouldn’t return to the nest as long as that umbrella was there. Despite the best of intentions, we were preventing the chicks from growing and thriving. Once we removed the umbrella, the adult birds returned to their nest. Within a week, the fledglings were fully grown and had taken flight.
I think of those sparrows when I read what Jesus said: “Do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows."
However, unlike the birds, many of my problems cannot be solved so quickly and easily. Sometimes, when the props are knocked out from under me and I lay sprawled on my back looking toward heaven, I want God to scoop me up, set me back on my feet and rig an umbrella to shield me from life’s storms. But, as with the sparrows, I realize that might not lead to growth, spiritually.
Some problems may be God’s way of saying He wants our undivided attention.
Every now and then I see a sparrow perched on the branch of another tree close by the one we cut down. I can’t help wondering if its one of the fledglings that spread their wings and flew off. When the sparrow cocks his head and looks at me, it’s as if he’s sizing me up, seeing whether I’ve grown. I hope so.
The other day we cut down a tree that had rooted itself too close to our home. For years, I had been trimming it back, trying to save it as well as our house. But it seemed to thrive on the abuse and grew back stronger every spring. This year, the tree got the best of me and we had to hire someone to cut it down.
To everyone’s surprise, as the trunk toppled over, a bird’s nest that had been hidden among the foliage, fell to the ground. Five little sparrows tumbled across our lawn, cheep cheeping as they scrambled for cover.
In today’s Gospel, Christ points out that two sparrows cannot fall to the earth without the Father knowing about it. Here, we had just knocked five of His favorite baby chicks to the ground. And, boy, were they angry!
My wife quickly and gingerly scooped them up while the parents of the chicks scolded her from a nearby evergreen. The fallen tree was propped up against the side of our house, the nest lodged back in the fork of the tree and the baby sparrows returned to their rightful place in the natural order. Or so it seemed to me.
The next thing I knew my wife was feeding the chicks spaghetti (“It’s just like worms.”) and protecting them from a downpour with a hastily rigged umbrella. Trouble was, the parents wouldn’t return to the nest as long as that umbrella was there. Despite the best of intentions, we were preventing the chicks from growing and thriving. Once we removed the umbrella, the adult birds returned to their nest. Within a week, the fledglings were fully grown and had taken flight.
I think of those sparrows when I read what Jesus said: “Do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows."
However, unlike the birds, many of my problems cannot be solved so quickly and easily. Sometimes, when the props are knocked out from under me and I lay sprawled on my back looking toward heaven, I want God to scoop me up, set me back on my feet and rig an umbrella to shield me from life’s storms. But, as with the sparrows, I realize that might not lead to growth, spiritually.
Some problems may be God’s way of saying He wants our undivided attention.
Every now and then I see a sparrow perched on the branch of another tree close by the one we cut down. I can’t help wondering if its one of the fledglings that spread their wings and flew off. When the sparrow cocks his head and looks at me, it’s as if he’s sizing me up, seeing whether I’ve grown. I hope so.