Of course, their physical bodies return to dust, but in the wake of their passing, their vile agendas remain. Every unrepentant, dead tyrant leaves behind one or many former attendants—demons who reflect their values. After a despot dies, these spiritual agents find a fresh landlord, to whom they contribute a war chest of experience and…
Abraham was 100 years old, and Sarah was 90 when God fulfilled their dream of having a child. Sarah reveals her emotions while holding newborn Isaac: …Sarah said, “God has made me laugh, and everyone who hears of this will laugh with me.” She added, “Who would have told Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet…
My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: and he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. (I John 2:1-3 KJV) Anyone who has…
Note: I am biased by my own experiences raising children and living as a Christ-following “Gramps.” My conclusions arise from nearly 68 years of observations. Browsing this short essay may be as thought provoking to you as it was for me while writing it. Awakening to the Cause Paul the Apostle said: “…my imprisonment in the…
Jesus used familiar imagery to tell his stories that we know as parables. He used stories about the natural world to illustrate spiritual truths… Here is a story about his stories describing what can happen when we thirst for God’s Word. As the Sea of Galilee lapped against Jesus’ floating “ pulpit,” (Mark 4:1-2) interruptions…
Squalls drifted from the birthing room, and I knew my life was changing. I paced outside the door where my granddaughter, her parents, and nurses celebrated, but I worried. I worried about being a grandpa; I had only one example to follow—my dad’s father. He had hovered above me like a German zeppelin, dark and…
God’s sovereignty appears to be under siege today. Is he ignoring our worldly chaos? We ask: How long, O God, will you allow our enemies to insult you? Will you let them dishonor your name forever? (Psa. 74:10) Unspeakable—the pain that some inflict upon the innocent, in the name of idealism, democracy, philanthropy, or religion.…
But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. (I Tim. 6:6-7) In 2024, will we still be obsessed with our bodies? We check the scale. We study ourselves critically/longingly/wistfully in the mirror. We hit the gym. We dress to reflect self-assurance. We…
It’s snowing again. Our roads are unplowed, and deep ditches hide beneath unstable shoulders. A treacherous blanket of white obscures the edges of our rural highways. Our visual aids for drivers are the occasional signposts stabbing through the berms. These become guide markers that warn drivers to stay “centered.” As a writer, I use “signposts”…
“I watched in horror: Holes ate away the cowling’s skin – the size of a boot, the size of a prize sow, and finally, one massive iron shard as big as a barn door drifted into my trajectory. I had enough time to wonder where it would make contact; it turned on edge and sheared off…
Note: In the early 90s, my family and I operated an Alaskan historical park where our sled dog excursions were the centerpiece of our guests’ Last Frontier experience. __________________________________________________________________________ “Chinooks are here!” Chinooks are rain-bearing air currents that release moisture at high elevations before rushing down mountain slopes—warming territory as they travel. Chinooks can melt…
It seems irrational to thank God for everything that happens to us and others—yet that is exactly what God instructs us to do! Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (I Thes. 5:16-17) Why? Because persistent gratitude trains the brain for accomplishing important work in…
North of Anchorage, Alaska, the Matanuska Glacier feeds its namesake, the Matanuska River. From the Matanuska Glacier’s melting terminus, creeks, swamps, lakes and rivers gather into an aqua vein that empties into the ocean. From an eagle’s vantage, the Matanuska river snakes south for 75 miles. The river’s name in ancient Athabaskan is Ch’atanhtnu, meaning…
Biblical names are rich in symbolism and meaning. Scripture opens with the book of Genesis describing the beginnings of Creation. The word “Genesis” denotes “origin.” God named the first human “Adam,” and his name is derived from the Hebrew word for “ground”. Adam was created from the same elements as are contained in “dirt”. (Psa.…
I woke with resolve—and nerves as taut as piano wire. Your dad had grudgingly given his consent for you to marry me. You were ready to run if he got violent again. For weeks we had been communicating by phone—and I hated not holding you. “Are you okay?” “Yeah. Mom finished my wedding dress.” “What…
I wrote the book Night Dive to Heaven based upon interviews with Ian McCormack, describing his sudden encounter with Jesus Christ. His death-to-life experience transformed him from pleasure-seeker to God’s globetrotting evangelist. Extraordinary miracles and adventures have continued to follow Ian in his worldwide ministry. The movie about Ian’s life in The Perfect Wave (streaming…
(Story elements taken from I Samuel 20-31)…….. David slept fitfully in a dank cave. A scorpion darted across his chest, and he awoke in the predawn—half-dreaming about his encounter with the Prophet Samuel. He was a teenager when the old seer stood on tiptoes, raising a ram’s horn above his curly red head. It had…
The bemused Pontius Pilate measured the irrational fury of his Jewish subjects. They milled about the praetorium—a peculiar mix of Sadducees, Pharisees, priests, and Roman soldiers. Jewish temple officers had thrown an accused insurrectionist at Pilate’s feet. The name of the defendant: Jesus. From his judgement rostrum, the governor of Judea stared down at the…
Have you noticed how demanding and self-serving our old nature is? The “flesh” demands to be heard! And if we yield to its reckless urgency, we risk being misunderstood and having relationships ruined. Whenever we hear our insistent old nature scream, “Say it!” we should hold our peace. Solomon wrote: There is one who speaks…
Story from Luke 18:35-43 by RD _____________________________________________________________________ Have you ever heard rising voices from a distant crowd, and strained to make out what they were saying? So it was with a blind beggar named Bartimaeus wrapped in a tattered cloak, sitting on a mat near the gates of Jericho. A gathering of people came closer,…
Dad skipped baling the hay during the summer he divorced my mother. He abandoned three horses, a Hereford cow and calf, a flock of banties—and my sister and me. I guess he found greener pastures in California. For the three of us, our little Oregon ranch suddenly wasn’t home anymore. Mom lost the ranch to…
You may not realize it— but you’ve made a name for yourself. You are known as a “Rescuer.” No accolades here on earth, mind you. No fanfare or recognition. But your influence is distinguished by a growing eternal impact among people that you have served——-. Do you recognize YOUR Faith Profile? By faith, you…
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