I just finished this book. “Heaven is for Real” A Little Boy’s Astounding Story of His Trip to Heaven and Back by Todd Burpo (2010). At four years old, Colton Burpo experienced a ruptured appendix. After an emergency appendectomy, he lived to return to the normal life of any growing child. What followed was not expected, cannot be imagined, or dreamed.
Continue reading →
Good day again~
Ecclesiastes is one of the most difficult books in the Bible to read and to understand. Its subject is the meaning of life. It investigates the validity of the common quest to find meaning in life “under the sun” or, as we would say, “in this life.” The answer is that each path pursued (wisdom, wealth, pleasure, power, legacy) has several potential drawbacks:
* It proves an unworthy pursuit.
* It is unachievable (i.e., no matter how much of it you get, there is always more to get).
* In the end you die anyway, so what is the point? Continue reading →
Good morning Saints, Jesus bless you today~
I have something to admit, I got behind just a bit and am having to catch up. It is not too hard to catch back up, but it did a number on my spirit not reading daily as I had done for the 45 days straight prior to yesterday. When one is in a habit, it just feels different when that habit is not maintained. My spirit felt just a bit drier not flowing with what it had received before. The Word of God is so important to our souls and spirits, eh friends?
No one has answered the CRBC trivia question from a few days ago- “What three words we focused on in Luke 6 that propelled us to do Mashal March last year?”
Because we are flying through some short books here, you will be receiving a short note on each of them rather than a humongous, long one. Let’s see how it goes~ 
Wisdom literature does not operate like the commands of the law or the plot of narrative. It is not set forth as “Thus says the Lord” as in the prophets, nor is it even like the exhortation of the New Testament letter.
Continue reading →
Good day Friends~
I know that the pace is rigorous, stay faithful my friends. The volume of reading is heavy and the blessings are even more so.
I wonder if anyone has categorized every proverb. Giving a tag name to each of them to see what the topical flow looks like. For instance, 19:24 and 20:4 could be categorized as laziness, however, 19:28 could be justice, lying, words, or mouth. Right off the top of my head, I would think that the tongue or how we speak, money, and honoring others are at the top of the list. Certainly the words one uses to describe the proverb can vary. But there must be a top theme in the whole bunch of them. If anyone comes across a chart like this, please pass it on. Curiosity is getting the best of me on this one. Continue reading →
Hey there Saints~ 
I had a fresh reminder of what some of your lives are like right now. Christie and I had our two grandboys spend the night last night and spent some time with us today. Boy, are we plum tuckered out. In recently reading Arissa’s blog the other day, I quote, “It seems like all we do is parent, work, read the bible and sleep.” We just did it one night, you all do it each and every day. Picture me bowing to you giving you blessings for all of your hard work. You are my heroes.
Yesterday was just so good. It really started on Saturday night when some folks came together to pray for our service together the next day. I think it made a difference. Great time of challenge. Great time of worship. Great time of seeing folks mingle and fellowship. Great time in the Word. Great time of working together for a common purpose. Continue reading →
Good Sunday morning Friends~
Rarely do you get an email on Sundays. Surprise! 
In reading through Psalms, other literature about Psalms, and devotionals from Psalms, there is so much going on there which we miss on a cursory perusal of the book. There are issues of Hebrew poetry, called parallelism, which when understood, makes some of the material make more sense. There are issues of metaphors within the book, which, when understood, helps to make sense of some of the word-pictures. Then there are all the musical terms- maskil, alamoth, higgaion, sheminith, shiggaion, and the ever elusive ‘Selah.’ I think it meant, the worship leader broke a guitar string, to wait a minute, just ponder. And what about some of those song titles- “death of the son,” “do not destroy” (whatever is that about?), “doe of the morning,” “doves on distant oaks.” Must have been something with having the letter D in the name that was important? Maybe Iron Butterfly got there famous tune In A Gadda Da Vida from Psalms 45 & 49 “tune of the lilies.” Continue reading →
Good morning Saints~
I hope is all well for you today. Keep up the good habit of reading every day. Tomorrow we will literally be half way. It has been so good for me. I had lunch with one of our fine young men of CRBC yesterday, I was so encouraged by his words of growth, challenge, and learning. As I hear from you all, the diverse angles of how the Holy Spirit is working in your lives is so great. It surprises me how some of you are being affected. It shouldn’t surprise me as the “the word is living and active… judging the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” Let the Holy Spirit work in you. Don’t grieve Him by ignoring what he may be speaking to you.
Continue reading →
The most important book to have hidden in your heart when the train is coming.
The Psalms are Such Great Reading, Eh Saints? I love it, they are the best.
The Psalms were written over a thousand-year period across the whole range of Old Testament history. We find prayers to God by individuals as well as prayers designed for corporate use. Some arise out of historical or personal circumstances, while others address particular liturgical contexts.
Continue reading →
Posted in B90X
Tagged B90X, books, enjoy life, God reigns, Kings, love Father, love people, prayer, Psalms, Samuel, song
Good morning refugees~
I remember a dream my wife had one night several years ago. This dream has significance to both of us. I often recall the physical and spiritual imagery the dream spoke of. Whenever I need reminding of a few things, this dream is the picture I run to.
She was walking in a tunnel, it turned out to be a train tunnel. You guessed it, a train came along. The wall of the tunnel was so close to the tracks and the ensuing train, there was literally no where to go. The end of the tunnel was way too far to outrun the oncoming train. Just behind her was a cleft in the rock, a small crack of sorts which was the exact shape and depth her body could fit into as the train sped by. Had the cleft been any smaller or if she moved just an inch outward, she would have been obliterated.
Continue reading →
In reflecting on the issues of theodicy and the book of Job we finished today, I want you all to be sure and reread the paragraph from yesterday’s email beginning with the words, “Both Job and his friends believe…” With so many raging debates regarding God and Evil, why is there evil?, the justice, fairness, and wisdom of God~ it is imperative for us to have an healthy view of this issue. More times than not, these kinds of debates end in hurt feelings, unanswered questions, and even more questions than when the debate started. The thing to remember is, how will any of these discussions draw me closer to Father? If they don’t, then they should not be engaged. Father wants us to trust Him. As the writer in the synopsis from yesterday wrote, “The conclusion of the matter and the point the book intends to make is that the world is too complex for us to be able to have all the information that we would need to affirm that God is just. We do have enough, however, to affirm that He is wise. If we believe He is wise, then we can believe He is just.” Our finite minds, even at the highest level of knowledge and intelligence don’t have a comprehension of all that the Triune God has, therefore, all the arguing and fixating on opinions and positions are such a waste of time and breath. Stay innocent my friends.
Continue reading →
