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  I’m 66 now. What have you learned? I became a true and regenerated grace-bought believer when I was 25, so I got 41 years in the Family of God. Since then I have learned, but more importantly unlearned a lot. Unlearned? Yes, I have unlearned through the many God-workings, (mainly his Word and also trials and tests.) Oh, you have learned how to use the system, take advantage of resources? Yes and no — I have learned how to understand and decipher God’s systems and ways, mostly. Tell us. Well, God’s ways, it has been said, are mysterious, and I agree. But their mystery wants a revelation, and this brings us to the “trial” or “test.” The test is this: As God brings certain mysterious flaws and sins to light in your heart, (through adversity), are you willing to honestly name them back to Him? God calls and waits. See,…

  And “I am praying that you will put into action the generosity that comes from your faith — as you understand and experience all the good things we have in Christ. Your love has given me much joy and comfort, my brother, for your kindness has often refreshed the hearts of God’s people. That is why I am boldly asking a favor of you. I could demand it in the name of Christ because it is the right thing for you to do.  But because of our love, I prefer simply to ask you. Consider this as a request from me—Paul, an old man and now also a prisoner for the sake of Christ Jesus. I appeal to you to show kindness to my child, Onesimus. I became his father in the faith while here in prison. I am sending him back to you, and with him comes my…

  Martha received him into her house. Sister, Mary, sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word. Martha was dragged about with much serving. Martha said, “Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.” Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art anxious and disturbed about many things (needy). But one thing  will supply the need: Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her. Luke 10:37-   Sisters fighting? No, pictured  are 2 kingdoms at war. A highly motivated agenda  vs. A highly relaxed “it is finished” positioning. Anxiety-fueled unsettledness  vs. rest-filled  right-mindedness. Disturbed resentment vs  prioritized excellence. slavish pose vs friendly exchange superficial honoring vs. heart honor  Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself,…

The American Civil War tipped the scales for sad stories, many of which wrench the heart, even today. It reveals an era stacked with gloomy playing cards, cheerless scarecrows, heartsick yarns, and war-torn dilapidation. These are flora and fauna, these essentiality. The distinctive dream-escapee tasted life till it died; the bursting of bubbles, the swipe of found-less islands. Enheartenment looks not like a gratuity, windfall, or sweepstakes hit. It is not about happiness, joy, bliss or blessedness. Inflated words solicit us to their lip-service. Instead, a tidbit inspirits, a morsel of food enraptures, and a mere scent sends goose bumps up and down the neck. True love breathes not much in these parts, only in diminished silhouettes; all numbed down, reductionism dulls the culture, drives the humdrum, heats the monotonous day. War has come, Gung-ho! — but we are not ready, we have no guns; for soldiering, no skill-set. Go, the politician’s incite…

Was Jesus ever sad? Isaiah 42:4 prophetically shows Him unfailing and in-discouraged. In chapter 53, He was a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief. He wept more than once prior to His agony — at the grave of his friend and on the overlook of Jerusalem. Perhaps it was vexation which He experienced. I sense a frustration for man’s unbelief. Jesus came unto His own, but His own received Him not. Could we say that the experience of becoming man taught the Savior some hard lessons? He was despised and rejected of men. To what sense, to what rationale do men reject goodness? Is it fear, is it deception, is it a dumb spirit? To what degree do men not comprehend their disease, and so seek healing? To what quirk of psyche do men love darkness rather than light? This last one gives an explanation; “because their deeds were evil.”…

I have often said to my wife, “I’m sorry Hon.” “Sorry for what?” she comes back. “For everything.” – meaning: I’m sorry for being alive, for being human, for doing what humans do. “Oh” Honestly, I have come a long way with my human-hood; come to grips with it. My early problems with it came as a result of a subtle philosophical mistake. I believed, and it was implied by what I could grasp as “normal,” that people are fundamentally good. That is, “normal people are good.” My problem was, I was not good all the time, but liked being bad better. I really tried hard to be good, and because of this, I was guilty a lot. I was letting my conscience be my guide as I was taught to do. This philosophy led to a very low self-approval rating. Needless to say, I had a poor self-image, also…

A fervent prayer rose up to heaven, a fragile soul was losing groundSorting through the earthly babble, heaven heard The sound.This was a life of no distinction, no successes, only trysBut gazing down on this unlovely one, there was love… in heaven’s eyes. The orphan child, the wayward father, the homeless traveler in the rain,when life goes by and no one bothers, heaven feels the pain.But looking down, God sees each heartache; He knows each sorrow, and hears each cry,And gazing up, we see compassion’s’ fire, ablaze… In heaven’s eyes In heavens eyes there are no losers, in heavens eyes, there can be no hopeless causeOnly people like you with feelings like me, amazed by the grace we can find,In heaven’s eyes Compassion’s fire is ablaze…in heaven’s eyes. Wow! “And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the…

There is a river where mercy flows, I’m going to follow where it goes, where it goes, where it goes, I’ll follow wherever it goes. There is a fountain that will cleanse, all those who wash there from all sin, from all sin, from all sin, all those who are washed from all sin. There is a refuge for wounded souls, their broken hearts will be made whole, be made whole, be made whole; their broken hearts will be made whole There was a death that empties tombs, there is a scar that heals all wounds, heals all wounds, heals all wounds, a scar that heals all wounds. There is one name that leads us home, it is no other than Christ alone, Christ alone, Christ alone, no other than Christ alone. Have you ever expected punishment but instead found clemency? Expected rebuke but found compassion, expected a repulse only…

There is a river where mercy flows, I’m going to follow where it goes, where it goes, where it goes, I’ll follow wherever it goes. There is a fountain that will cleanse, all those who wash there from all sin, from all sin, from all sin, all those who are washed from all sin. There is a refuge for wounded souls, their broken hearts will be made whole, be made whole, be made whole; their broken hearts will be made whole There was a death that empties tombs, there is a scar that heals all wounds, heals all wounds, heals all wounds, a scar that heals all wounds. There is one name that leads us home, it is no other than Christ alone, Christ alone, Christ alone, no other than Christ alone. Have you ever expected punishment but instead found clemency? Expected rebuke but found compassion, expected a repulse only…

For the transgression of a land many are the princes thereof: but by a man of understanding and knowledge the state thereof shall be prolonged. Proverbs 28:2. When it goeth well with the righteous, the city rejoiceth: and when the wicked perish, there is shouting. By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted: but it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked. Proverbs 11:10-11.  When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn. Proverbs 29:2. Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people. Proverbs 14:34  Keil and Delitzsch Commentary on Proverbs 28:2 writes; The transgressor “breaks through the limits fixed by God.” “The land that apostasies from revealed religion becomes at once the victim of party spirit, and a subject of contention to many would-be rulers…” Lets review some terms used in old psychological circles.…