We have all seen open doors close. Opportunity ended. The tale of “Too little and too late.” The saying of the German, “Too soon oldt and too late smardt.” Matthew 25 records the parable of 10 bridesmaids awaiting the imminent return of the Bridegroom. Five were wise and well prepared for his arrival. Even if … [Read more…]
There’s nothing like a frequent, honest self-check to help our Christian effort. No one can know us as well as we know ourselves, yet most of us have to admit that we have at times “overlooked” a fault or a stumble, hoping no one would notice. But the more we are honest and alert with … [Read more…]
When I was a young school girl and we were living downstate, the arrival of the Message was always accompanied by some excitement. Who could get their hands on it first! This particular day it was I, because it was not a school day. And I still remember a short article called “Keep Alive the … [Read more…]
Think about our song, “True hearted, whole hearted”—it sends a message to the core of our being. How far do we take it? What about the cost? Before the fall of the Iron Curtain and the break up of the Soviet Union, Premier Nikita Khrushchev addressed the Supreme Soviet on the human rights violations committed … [Read more…]
There is a policy promoted by successful business owners that if you want to succeed you must say “no” to almost everything. The reason is that if you say “yes” to too many things, everything you do will be only “good enough”—nothing will be done well! This “good enough” situation is not serious along some … [Read more…]
On one of my early airline flights I recall the pilot or one of the airline attendants explaining how far we were able to see because of the elevation at which we were flying. It amounted to several hundred miles, as I recall. I asked the same question to the google assistant on my cell … [Read more…]
Can you imagine hearing a vast choir of heavenly angels singing? They sang at Jesus’ birth, and they’re singing again at Jesus’ Wedding, when He is united with His Faithful Bride. In Revelation 19 we have a brief preview of that wedding ceremony. The wedding opens with the angel choir singing “Alleluia!” “Alleluia” means literally … [Read more…]
You have probably guessed already where this lesson is going. Better to bend (be flexible, humble, submissive) than hold our own way, and—snap! The lesson comes from the garden. Today I was bending tomato branches, and I thought, what a life lesson! We like to grow tomatoes in our garden. The plants, depending on the … [Read more…]
I would like to read this morning from the very practical book of James. He speaks to our weaknesses straight on, hoping to wake us up in case we are getting spiritually “drowsy.” Is James talking about “wars” and “fights” and “lust” among the brethren? May seem too strong, but he doesn’t want anyone missing … [Read more…]
Take a sheet of paper and a pen. Draw a straight line about an inch from the right edge of the paper, from the top of the sheet to the bottom. Now draw another straight line about an inch from the left edge of the paper, top to bottom. To the left of the left … [Read more…]