The eternal mountain

Love Letters of Jesus & his Bride, Eccelsia-THUMBNAILThe Scripture for today, April 24 (4/24), is Jeremiah 4:24 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

“I looked at the mountains, and they were quaking; all the hills were swaying.”

I was living in a village near the bottom of Mt. St. Helens when it blew.  We had lived there for eight years. We had taken our children up to it and gone sledding, building snow forts, making snow angels, the works. 

It was our mountain. Our beautiful mountain. It reminded me of an upside-down ice-cream cone.  It was perfect in every way.  Everyone knew it was a volcano, but it had formed thousands of years before and would continue like it was for thousands of years in the future. It was our mountain, and it belonged to us to do with as we pleased.

But it wasn’t our mountain.  One morning I looked outside. It seemed as though we had been plunged into the inside of a furnace with all its ashes. I stared. It was snowing gray ash.  I stared more, wondering what the birds had done.  Relieved, I saw them huddled together under bushes.

Of course, the radio and TV had switched to Emergency. We were told to stay indoors because ash is deadly to the lungs. If we did go out, we had to wear surgical masks. If we drove, we were told to put nylons over the air filter and to not go over 10 mph.  Even then, the ash flew everywhere. Our freeway entrance and exit were blocked. The most disturbing thing I heard on the radio (yes, everyone kept their radio on) was that we were at the top of the San Andreas Fault.  And so, we like the birds, huddled and waited for more unknown.

Not only was our mountain turned inside out, but our world was too.

People have expressions that something is “as eternal as the mountains” or “as old as the hills.”  Not true. Nothing on earth is eternal. That also includes things, people, power, position, belongings, even dreams.  Eventually, they quake and sway and are gone. Only that which is spiritual is forever.

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I pen my thoughts to reach out to souls. Will you help me tells others about this book?          https://amzn.to/3eP9tWm

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Love Letters of Jesus & his Bride, Eccelsia-THUMBNAILLOVES LETTERS OF JESUS & HIS BRIDE, ECCLESIA, is based on the Song of Solomon and portrayed as the church (“ecclesia”) being his bride at the end of time when the wedding feast will be held in heaven.  Each chapter in this book reflects events of each chapter in the S of S in a spiritual way.  Good for both a Bible class and personal reading and meditation.  Also a gift book, the font is in papyrus script and a watermark of a bride appears on each page of the interior.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this………. https://amzn.to/3eP9tWm  

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Listen! Do you hear them?

02-DreamMakerChildsCartoonSmallThe scripture for today, April 14 (4/14), is Esther 4:14b as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

“And who knows but that you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”

Today’s scripture is about a reluctant young lady who won a beauty contest and was chosen to be queen of Persia. Time has passed, and now a command has just gone out to kill all Jews. Queen Esther was a Jewess but had not told anyone at the royal court. She could continue to hide her nationality and let all her people die, or she could try to intervene with the king. She was the only Jew the king would have listened to. So, realizing she could be killed too, she spoke on behalf of her people. They were saved.

There are always situations in life in which you are the only one who can accomplish something very needed. Perhaps you are the only adult standing near a strange child about to run out into a busy street. Perhaps you are tall, and a short person needs to reach something at the store. Perhaps you know a particular language and others around you need you to explain something to them. Perhaps someone called a wrong number on the telephone and reached you instead.

What about during this word-wide pandemic and people without computers? What can you do while quarantined from everyone except those in your home?

  1. You can go to the home of someone living alone, and sit on their porch in a lawn chair and visit through the screen door. 
  2. You can lead others to form a parade to the home of a young person who is missing out on a graduation exercise, wave signs, honk your horns, put decorations on their front lawn.
  3. You can go to the home of a sick person and serenade them. 
  4. If you are a retiree and getting a regular monthly check, you can tighten your belt and send money to the church that is going to be overwhelmed with aid requests. 
  5. If you have old toys, you can wash them, put them on the porch of a family with children (duly disinfected), or tools you don’t use to the home of a craftsman, or your extra fabric to the home of a seamstress.
  6. What about calling a child and reading a story to them or an older person and singing to them?
  7. Is there a book you’ve wanted to write for years when you had time?
  8. Put storybooks or puzzle books or magazines or jigsaw puzzles on the porch of a family or person living alone
  9. Can you begin writing the story of your life to pass on to future generations?
  10. For large families running out of paper products, take over a supply of cloth handkerchiefs or cloth towels. A young family could use a supply of cloth diapers. 
  11. Take a supply of hand, dish, or laundry soap to a large family.
  12. Make a stew or cookies or a roast for someone.
  13. Do yard work for people.
  14. Repair or paint house exteriors.
  15. Make  100 or1000 handmade thank-you notes and leave them at a hospital for all the workers.
  16. Go through your congregation’s membership directory and pray for everyone by name.
  17. Go for a walk around your deserted neighborhood and tape an encouraging Bible verse on each front door. 
  18. Drive past deserted stores and office buildings and pray for those who are losing income.
  19. Read your newspaper, pray for everyone in it and, using your phone book, send them a note saying you did.
  20. If you get home deliveries, leave a box of goodies wrapped in individual packets at your door with a note, “Take one: This is my thank you.”
  21. Oh, and give blood.

As you go through life, there are situations in which you are the only one who can handle them or the only one who has thought of doing what others could be doing. Do you do them? Do you watch for those situations, or do you walk around in your own little world? Dare to be a queen. Or a king.

Listen! It’s the silent cries of people only you can help. Do you hear them?

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I pen my thoughts to reach out to souls. Will you help me tells others about this book?        https://amzn.to/3ckTnSi

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02-DreamMakerChildsCartoonSmallDREAM MAKER is storybook #2 in A CHILD’S LIFE OF CHRIST for ages 3-12.  At the end of every chapter is “Think & Do” for your child to apply something from that chapter in their life, usually a good work such as taking a cookie to a neighbor and calling a shut-in to sing to them or calling an unpopular child at school to say hi.  Perfect for the early reader with large font and dashes between syllables of big words. To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this……….  https://amzn.to/3ckTnSi

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Prayer for Sunday 3/8

Supper-Front Cover-ThumbnailLord God, you are worthy of all praise. The mountains tremble at your presence. The seas swallow up torrents at the mention of your name. The whirlwinds roar at the thought of their Creator.  The stars zoom through the cosmos at seeing your glory.  The tiny baby coos with your gentleness, young men stretch their muscles with your toughness, the ladies sing with the strains of your effervescence. The whole universe praises you. My heart, my soul, my being reaches out for you.

My soul soars with the gladness of you, the love of you, the excitement of you. What more do I need? It seems so trite to ask you to help me pass a test, to win a contest, get a promotion or buy an amazing item of clothing. I need none of that. All I need is you. If I am in the chasm of a prison someday, may I remember I am most blessed because I have you. So, I say thank you for everything I have and everything I do not have. I have enough. All I need is lost souls to bring to you.  Give me souls, dear Lord, or else I die.

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I pen my thoughts to encourage souls. Will you help me share today’s book with someone?          https://amzn.to/2PZWaIa

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Supper-Front Cover-ThumbnailTHE LORD’S SUPER:  52 READINGS WITH PRAYERS can be used by those presiding at the table for Sunday worship. It can also be read by individuals as they wait for the bread and wine and meditate on them.  Finally, it can be used by isolated Christians who remain faithful by keeping the Lord’s Supper though they are alone.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this……….https://amzn.to/2PZWaIah

 

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Thursday 12/26 ~ True and eternal honor

The scripture for today, December 26 (12/26), is John 12:26 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

0-BK 4-FolkHero-Cover-Kindle-thumbnail-new“Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.”

Ah, Lord Jesus. We claim we understand how humble you were, then build great cathedrals which we claim are to your glory but which are really to our glory. We organize great musical performances which we claim are to your glory, but which are really to our glory.

Just where was Jesus when he was on earth saying this?  In a posh hotel in Jerusalem? Did he have great musicians performing in the background? Did he stand on a podium and declare this to multitudes? Who are you fooling when you declare you are his servant?  

Who or what are you really a servant to? Power in a workplace, club, congregation, neighborhood? Prestige in a community, an occupation, an organization? Self-indulgence of money, music, entertainment?

While you are pursuing things in life, is Jesus there with you? Are you doing what he would be busy doing?  Are you where he was when he said this?

Dare to be a servant to the power of Jesus’ love, prestige in the eyes of God, self-indulgence in the joy of worshiping Him. In this only is there true and enduring honor.

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0-BK 4-FolkHero-Cover-Kindle-thumbnail-newTHEY MET JESUS:  FOLK HERO. Jesus was a hero but never had a cathedral to preach in.  He never had a great choir or grand orchestra as a mood creator before his sermons.  He never wore clothes that were different from other people or insisted on people bowing and kissing his ring.  When he performed miracles of feeding thousands, he never had fine crystal or silver urns to distribute the food or gather up the leftovers.  How we, in our misdirected zeal, shame him.  We bow at his wounded feet and ask his forgiveness.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this:  https://amzn.to/2EXU85s

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Wednesday 12/18 ~ The heavenly temple

The scripture for today, December 18 (12/18), is Hebrews 12:18ff as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

0-REV-Cover-No Logo-KINDLE-lg-thumbnail“You have not come to a mountain [Sinai] that cannot be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storms; to a trumpet blast….The sight was so terrifying that Moses said, ‘I am trembling with fear.’ “

“But you have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the first-born, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God the judge of all men, to the spirits of righteous men made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of a NEW COVENANT….”
The first paragraph refers to Mount Sinai in Arabia on which Moses received what was called the Law of Moses ~ not just 10 commandments, but over 600 ~ over a 40-day period. It was a terrifying experience for everyone. The second paragraph refers to Mount Zion where the temple was built in Jerusalem by the Jews.

Next, the writer of Hebrews shows that Jesus took mankind higher than either physical mountain through his new agreement with us. He took us from the Old Agreement of the Law of Moses to the New Agreement of the Law of Grace. He took us from the physical to the spiritual. The Christian Jerusalem is in heaven where angels and the living God dwell (Revelation 21).

Why would anyone want to dip into the old Law of Moses to get justification to do showy things in worship when Christian worship is so much more simple and spiritual? Why would anyone want to rebuild the Jewish temple when the temple is in the heavenly Jerusalem? Let us climb down off that old mountain of the Law and physical temple and soar with the angels to the spiritual, the heavenly.

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0-REV-Cover-No Logo-KINDLE-thumbnailREVELATION: A LOVE LETTER FROM GOD unravels all the confusion and logically takes you through each chapter and how they all link together in order.  The key is to understand the symbolism of the numbers.  I love the number 1000 because it is 10 X 10 X 10 which means all-inclusive X all-inclusive X all-inclusive.  Revelation is a beautiful book of love. It is a love letter to you from God.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this……….https://amzn.to/34yGgsz

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Friday 12/13 ~ Our God-Shaped Emptiness

The scripture for today, December 13 (12/13), is Ecclesiastes 12:13 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

Pearls Cover-Palms-300dpi-Thumbnail“Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.”

When the King James Version was published in the early 1600s, they italicized all words that were not in the old documents of the Bible. The word “duty” above was not in the original. Translators inserted it to help us understand the original. But perhaps, in this case, it did not help. Fearing God is the whole of man ~ not our duty, but our essence.

Fearing the Lord is a gift. Isaiah 11:2 predicted regarding Jesus:

“The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him ~

     “…the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,”

          “…the Spirit of counsel and of power,”

               “…the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.”

Solomon had tried everything to find happiness, as he explained in his book of Ecclesiastes ~ Pleasure (ch. 2), hard work (ch. 3), advancement (ch. 4), riches (ch. 5). None brought him true happiness.  Eventually, he concluded that only one thing can bring that happiness deep down inside where no one and no situation in life can touch it ~ God. God is the whole of man ~ if we let Him be.

Why? Ecclesiastes 3:11 explains it richly: “He has also set eternity in the hearts of men.” Another way to view this is “There is a God-shaped emptiness in everyone’s heart.” Fill your mind with the Word of God. Then God will fill your heart and being, and make you feel complete.

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Pearls Cover-Palms-300dpi-Thumbnail365 PEARLS OF WISDOM: GOD’S SOUL TO YOURS.  Start your day with one Proverb and one passage from Job, Psalms, Ecclesiastes, or Song of Solomon. Keep them on your heart to help guide your day. These are the wisdom of God. This is book two in the TOUCHING GOD trilogy on inspirational thoughts, wisdom, and prayers. Beautiful original artwork on the cover and artistic font on the inside.  A perfect gift for all occasions.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this……….https://amzn.to/34h4Zl1

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Sunday 12/8 ~ The meaning of life

The scripture for today, December 8 (12/8), is Ecclesiastes 12:8 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

Pearls Cover-Palms-300dpi-Thumbnail” ‘Meaningless! Meaningless!’ says the teacher. ‘Everything is meaningless!’ “

About thirty-five years ago some Christians in England did a sidewalk survey in the downtown of a major city. One of their inquiries was: “What question about your life do you ask the most?”. The answer almost always was, “Why am I here? What is life all about?”.

The entire book of Ecclesiastes is about all the things that the richest and most powerful man in the world did in order to have an enjoyable and fulfilling life: He built palaces and grand temples, he cultivated great gardens, he imported tons of gold and precious stones and fabrics from around the globe, he had numerous wives and mistresses, he built the largest army and navy in the world, he studied every possible subject. At the end, he said it was all meaningless.

The meaning of your life is that you were born to die and walk through a gate. This life is temporary. It is your proving ground. This life is the foyer of the life you will have eternally ~ a life in heaven or hell. You were not put here just to have fun, but rather to live in the very presence of your Maker and take many people as possible with you to the home of God, your Maker, the Lover of your soul. That is the meaning of life.

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Pearls Cover-Palms-300dpi-Thumbnail365 PEARLS OF WISDOM: GOD’S SOUL TO YOURS contains daily excerpts from Proverbs plus one passage from Job, Psalm, Ecclesiastes, or Song of Solomon.  This is one of three books in the devotional TOUCHING GOD SERIES. Original artwork on the covers and poetic font inside.  A beautiful gift book for Christmas and all through the year.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this………. https://amzn.to/2rvxON8

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Sunday 11/3 ~ Our daily bread

The scripture for today, November 3 (11/3), is Luke 11:3 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

00-Cover-Thumbnail“Give us each day our daily bread.”

This is part of the ideal prayer that Jesus taught his followers to say. People claim to agree with it. But do you completely?

Do you feel like it is your hard-earned money that bought that bread? Do you claim it is your ability to cook that created that bread? Do you claim it was the hard work of the farmers and their equipment that brought you the grain from whence the bread is made? Or the mills that ground it into flour? Or the stores that brought the flour to the consumers?

Ultimately you must look past all of this to that which is beyond your control. It is God who makes the sun shine down upon the seed. It is God who makes the rain come down to water it. It is God who places life in the buried wheat germ for it to reproduce with a flourish.

Many activities of man bring you your daily bread. But ultimately it is God the Creator who makes it all possible. He not only makes it possible for good people, but he brings bread also to the bad. He loves everyone.

Thank you for loving me. You show it every day in the earth I trod, the food I eat, the birds that fly around me for my entertainment. You are in my every delight, my every movement, my every song. I am surrounded and protected by your high walls of salvation, your waters of life, and your light of truth.  How can I thank you for all you have done for me?

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00-Cover-ThumbnailFUN WITH BIBLE NUMBERS includes 525 math problems from the Bible beginning with Genesis and concluding in Revelation.  Did you know Solomon put three trillion dollars worth of gold just in the Holy of Holies in the Temple?  Did you know Jesus walked on water 3 1/2 miles in a storm to get to his apostles’ sinking boat?  Did you know Jacob and Esau were 15 when grandfather Abraham died?  Did you know Isaac died just ten years before his son took the family to Egypt?  Trivia for bulletin fillers, Bible class ice breakers, homeschoolers, retirees, prisoners, family devos, etc.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this:  https://amzn.to/32gIcoF

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Thursday 10/31 ~ Hold fast. Stand Firm. Do the right thing.

The scripture for today, October 31 (10/31), is 1st Corinthians 10:31 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

10-Daniel-KindleThumnail“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”

How is your everyday life while around other people? What kind of employment do you have? Secretary, engineer, manual labor, going to school, teaching school, keeping your home, watching your children?

Some jobs are exciting, some are boring. Some require decisions, some require following orders. Some can involve a little bit of misrepresenting the truth. Some may be under a boss who is mean. Some may be among fellow-employees who shirk their duties and try to get by with doing as little as possible. Some may be among people who steal from the company.

Always remember that, wherever you are, this is God’s assignment for you in this universal battle between Good and Bad. You must do whatever you do in your daily life as good and honestly as possible. Will others notice? You bet they will!  Will they resent you? Maybe. Will they blame God for the way you act? Deep down the resenters probably will. But at least it will make them think about God.

Then someday when they have a problem they are desperate to work through but cannot, who will they turn to? You. And God.

So, be strong. Hold Fast. Stand firm. Do the right thing. And ultimately God will be glorified.

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10-Daniel-KindleThumnailA CHILD’S BIBLE HEROES: DANIEL.  Daniel began as a slave and ended up being the best friend to the emperor of Persia.  Why? Because he had integrity. He kept to God’s code of ethics and never wavered for the sake of his career.  Those who hated him tried to destroy him, but he only grew stronger.  Each chapter ends with “Think and Do.”  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this:  https://amzn.to/2BY1jcc

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Thursday 10/10 ~ Just an innocent wink?

The scripture for today, October 10 (10/10), is Proverbs 10:10 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

Pearls Cover-Palms-300dpi-Thumbnail“He who winks maliciously causes grief, and a chattering fool comes to ruin.”

How can eye winking be malicious? Let’s look further at Proverbs 6:12-14 ~ “A scoundrel and villain, who goes about with a corrupt mouth, who winks with his eye, signals with his feet and motions with his fingers, who plans evil with deceit in his heart ~ he always stirs up dissension.”

Have you ever said something to someone, but turned to someone else in the room and winked as though to let the second person know you didn’t really mean what you just said? That made your words a lie.

You might have pre-arranged signals before a meeting, such as crossing your feet as a signal you do or don’t like what is being said. Or you may run your fingers over your hair, or tap three times on a table as a pre-arranged signal to someone else in the room. If you are saying one thing but signaling something else to your partner, then your words are lies.

Perhaps you think it is purely innocent and claim that everyone does it. But Revelation 21 says “…all liars ~ their place will be in the fiery lake.”

So, from now on, decide to be truthful in everything you say in word and deed. Remember, Jesus never told a lie. He called himself Truth. It can be done. And it is liberating.

 

Pearls Cover-Palms-300dpi-Thumbnail365 PEARLS OF WISDOM: GOD’S SOUL TO YOURS provides a daily proverb and one passage from either Job, Psalms or Ecclesiastes.  A great way to begin each day.  This is #2 of the TOUCHING GOD gift-book trilogy with original art on the cover.  Perfect for teens, newlyweds, new parents, busy professionals.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this:  https://amzn.to/2B1SoWM

 

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