Faith

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Hungry wolf

Le Loup et L’Agneau

Throughout the ages, society has drawn on a unique class of poets and authors. These are people who craft fables and spin short stories that have moral messages, especially for children and the otherwise illiterate and unlearned peasants of their age. The most famous, without a doubt was Aesop, and his fables are taught to children even today. What child has not heard of the Tortoise and the Hare, from which they learn perseverance? Less known to American audiences is...

Dried-up well

DRIED-UP WELLS

One of the most precious commodities through the ages has been clean, pure water. Wars have been fought over water throughout recorded time, until even today. In the U.S. during the “Old West” period, there were occasions of conflict over water rights for cattle and in modern times, states such as Texas and Oklahoma and countries such as the Sudan and Egypt have faced off likewise over the commodity known as water. Water is one of the prerequisites not only...

Troubled young man torn

A PSALM FOR HURTING HEARTS AND BROKEN SPIRITS

A few mornings ago, I read Psalm 136 as part of my early devotions. There are twenty-six verses in the psalm, and each verse ends with the words “His love endures forever.” Over and over (twenty-six times), David reminds us of God’s love. Imagine the objet d’affection in your life–your spouse, child or parent telling you over and over (twenty-six times a day) that they love you! Would you ever get tired of hearing it? Could you ever doubt it?...

Catskill Mountains

OF THINGS VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE

This is not the view from my front door, but it’s close. However, what you actually see depends on the time of day and the atmospherics, because sometimes you see rows of mountains as in this photo, and some times you see nothing at all except a fairly flat horizon bordered on the upper margin by clouds or fog (most recently, smoke from the wildfires in California, 3,000 miles away.) But regardless of whether the mountains are visible or whether...

Second coming of the Bronco and Jesus

SECOND COMINGS

The second coming of the Bronco and the second coming of Jesus. A week or two ago as my wife and I were planning our move to a mountain house where we’d live for the next twelve months, she casually mentioned to me that it would be nice—and fun—to have a Jeep or four-wheel drive OTR/GOAT vehicle (in case I wind up in the ditch again, if not in traction.)  But she was actually thinking about the snow we’d encounter next...

Sin, like a strangler fig, can choke the life out of a host

WHAT I’VE LEARNED ABOUT SIN

[Sometimes, I believe I have valuable insight on sin and how the Devil can trip you up. Other times, I think I’ve learned absolutely nothing about sin at all.] The world in which we live is not the world that God created for us. Unless we’re at a tropical resort on a sandy beach, in the mountains, or at some other breath-taking destination, few of us would call our world a paradise. Forces of nature and the destructiveness of people...

Viola signifying the voice of God.

HEARING GOD’S VOICE

One of the “life hacks” I want to leave behind has to do with hearing God’s voice.  Is it possible that God still speaks to us, and how can we know it if He does?  Psychotic patients firmly believe He speaks to them and hearing such a voice is a hallmark of some diseases. Are Christians psychotic if they believe God has communicated with them? It is my belief that God does on occasion speak to us in some way or fashion,...

Jesus loves you, bruh

JESUS LOVES YOU, BRUH!

One of the most frequently quoted Bible verses is John 3:16: “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.” The Greek word for “perish” is apollumi, and it refers to the loss of well-being in the next life (the hereafter.) The words “eternal life” (aiōnion) refer to the condition of joy and well-being in the life in Heaven which is endless in terms...

Doorway to other worlds

TENNYSON ON RESTLESS HEARTS AND NEW BEGINNINGS

“The long day wanes: the slow moon climbs: the deep  Moans round with many voices. Come, my friends, ​ ‘T is not too late to seek a newer world. ​ Push off, and sitting well in order smite  The sounding furrows; for my purpose holds To sail beyond the sunset, and the baths ​ Of all the western stars, until I die. ​ It may be that the gulfs will wash us down:  It may be we shall touch the Happy Isles, And see the great...

Pentecost Sunday title

TONGUES OF FIRE

“On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning, with a thick cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast. Everyone in the camp trembled. Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. Mount Sinai was covered with smoke, because the Lord descended on it in fire. The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace, and the whole mountain trembled violently. As the sound of...

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