A Coffee Break With Jesus

We look one last time into the classroom regarding the study of the Great Blue. This time you see our solitary friend standing sentinel-like in shallow water at the margin of a pond or sluggish river. He is one of America’s largest birds, with a standing height of nearly five feet. He stands perfectly still, demonstrating a quiet patience that assures him of success. So still does he stand that the unwary fish and frogs rush to the shadow in the water that he creates by h

We return once more to the study of the Great Blue Heron. At the first sense of approaching danger, this great blue avian, with a wingspan of nearly six feet, will effortlessly mount up from the earth. He lifts his head toward heaven and within moments he is out of danger. In like manner we to must look upwards towards the heavens and utilize the advantage that God has given us. In Psalm 50: 15 God declares; “Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you

One of the grand lessons from natures schoolroom, is to never let down your guard. There are many predators lurking just outside the range of your natural vision, who would carefully plot your destruction. In this age of apathy far too many have cast off restraint. In doing so, they fail to take a stand, almost certainly encouraging defeat rather than success. They carelessly saunter into the enemy’s territory, inviting destruction. Then they lift their complaint and cry a

“Love (charity) never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance .” 1 Corinthians 13: 7 NLT C.S. Lewis believed that four types of love were involved in human relationships. They are affection, friendship, sexuality, and charity. Charity goes beyond the other forms of love. Charity loves because God Himself is Love. If you are looking for an example of perfection in humanity you will be greatly disappointed. If you are looking for

When we moved to Arizona we quickly found out that the hardest part of the learning curve is the gardening. The zone is different, the earth is different, and the weather far hotter than any place I've put in new plants or sown seeds. At first it didn't work out. We bought plants that soon died. They withered no matter how much we studied, researched, watered or fertilized them, but then we tried again. And again. And again, but we didn't give up. In the midst of all of thi

How have I been personally impacted by the Gospel? When I was younger I had all the symptoms of having the Gospel. I went to church, I prayed, I spoke openly about Jesus in our home and my family thought I was the most spiritual in our household. By the age of 15 I was in hot pursuit of the world and God had become a burden to me. I was 26 years old when God called me out of the darkness of the world that I was living into his marvelous light. I am living proof that men can

A Little Boy's Christmas Pressing his nose against the window pane, A little boy stood peering through the clouded glass. Falling snow had covered muddy fields stained. He spoke aloud, "Will this peace on earth last?" Icicles clinging like ornaments from the branches. Fields and orchards decked in brilliant white- In the air, a mysterious stirring of divine romance- To think that it all began so long ago on Christmas Night. All of creation is charged with radiant glory,

"Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 18:3 What does ‘becoming like little children’ actually have to do with God's kingdom? Isn't one of our great challenges to assist our children in growing up to become enterprising individuals? Why would anybody want to be a child again? I believe it has a lot to do with a child's sense of adventure and wonder, that gives them the confid

He stands alone in the face of extreme danger, without regard for his own life. He is exposed to all adversaries, all while forsaking his own safety. Thus, he provides the necessary security to assure that the little ones will have a future and a hope. This picture of devotion and loyalty does not come from the pages of human history or great accolades of courage. No, the inspiration of this tale, the truth of this deed lies in the simple and humble Sentinel Quail. He

“And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory. Romans 8:30-31 Nothing Can Separate Us from God’s Love. What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us?” If God had not chosen me, I cannot conceive of any self-concocted plan that would have secured my understanding and love for God. I am

“Jesus told many stories in the form of parables, such as this one: "Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seeds…” Matthew 13:3 NLT I cannot look at the parable of the sower with eyes only on the unbeliever and the condition of his heart. I believe Jesus’s parable also speaks to the heart of every follower of His. If the WORD of God (Seed) is going to produce an abundant increase within my life, then I must also be aware of the conditions in the parable that will pr

“Through Him, therefore, let us at all times offer up to God a sacrifice of praise, which is the fruit of lips that thankfully acknowledge and confess and glorify His name.” Hebrews 13:15 I had to purpose gratitude in my life. It isn’t as though some are born with it, and others are not; it is a learned character trait. In the early days of following JESUS, my trials appeared to be more in number than my blessings. I questioned GOD’S fairness and love for me. I understa

“A wise man will hear and increase in learning, and a man of understanding will attain wise counsel.” Proverbs 1:5 Why develop a habit of reading? Why read the Bible and great books? Reading stimulates our imagination and expands our understanding of the world we live in. Trisha and I have always read to our children great books, both classics, and history. I have read George McDonald’s, The Princess And The Goblins , to the delight of my children and grandchildren many ti

It is unfortunate that so few Christians understand that the real battle we face is not mere flesh and blood. We struggle from within and without, attempting to overcome the world, the flesh, and the devil. We utilize all the energy we have at our disposal, and It doesn’t work! Why? “For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.” 2 Corinthians 1

“It's not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What's important is that God makes the seed grow.”1 Corinthians 3:7 NLT Many of the religious leaders hated the message the apostles were openly preaching after Jesus’s death. Today the message of Jesus is also under assault and there are many who stand in opposition. What makes people so violently hostile to the truth of the living Jesus? SIN! Sin that does not want to be challenged or denied is at the

If we know that God is speaking to us, through HIS WORD or through wise counsel and refuse to act, how can we say we have faith in God. Faith is not easy; we tend to choose the path of least resistance, where status-quo becomes a companion of unbelief. Real faith humbles one's pride and strips away self-confidence. Real faith takes the road less traveled. What pressing decisions demands your courage and obedience to act in faith? Many times, I have had to separate my emotio

As a follower of Jesus, “do I look to the Word daily?” Am I taking my daily challenges to the Spirit for guidance? I think of it this way. Would I attempt to put a complex 2,000 piece puzzle together without the picture on the box. I recently bought a worktable for Trisha’s garden. It had a lot more pieces than I expected, and some were cut in such a way, that you had to study the directions quite carefully, and even then, I had to remove a section I thought fit well. Life

"For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones." Ephesians 5:30 What do you want in a church? Have you ever sat down and considered what things are really important to you in the church that you call home? The reason that I believe this is an important exercise for all of us is that we have diversity of ethnicity; we are multi-generational with a wide range of gifted-ness and personalities. Diversity can be a challenge, but in Christ, we glorify God by seek

"But you are a chosen generation, a· royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him...

“Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, Sweetness to the soul and health to the bones.” Proverbs 16:24 Don’t be fearful of disagreement: Remember the slogan, "When two partners always agree, one of them is not necessary." Perhaps this disagreement is your opportunity to be corrected before you make a serious mistake. Watch first reactions: Our first natural reaction in a disagreeable situation is to be defensive. Be careful. Keep calm and watch out for your first reaction. It m