Patricia's Principles for Living

We sit laughing around the huge mound of presents under the tree in the big living at my parent’s home on High Street in Philadelphia. The doorbell rings. In bounds the ones for whom we’re waiting, my sister Evelyn and her husband Ed and children from Virginia. . Here we all are, all of us together. My own husband, sons and I have flown in from Seattle, Washington to spend the holidays on the East Coast. Tons of presents together with squiggly grandchildren and aunts, uncles and grandparents make for a memorable scene. For me it’s a golden moment in time. All is right in the world. Christmas tree lights twinkle. Someone takes up the task to start calling names. Will we ever get through all of these presents? As the presents are picked up for distribution they seem to uncover another dozen hiding underneath. Well, there are eight brothers and sisters who have produced 12 grandchildren at this point. Such delight from squealing boys and girls and agreeing oohs and aahs from parents aun...

Earlier this year it was brought home to me in a vivid way that God is concerned about the details of our lives. I came home from work early because I was going to catch a train to Portland at 2:30 for a memorial service at six o'clock. If all worked as planned I would only be a few minutes late for the service. On the way home I called my youngest son to ask him to come with me so he could drive my car back home and park it. He agreed. When I walked into the house I saw my oldest son. I didn't know he was there. I asked if he would take me instead of the younger son. He agreed to do so. He started to go an unfamiliar way. I asked him where we were going. He said I'm taking you the back way. Everything looked unfamiliar. The next thing I know we were on what looked like a country road with lots of trees and very few houses. We both heard a flap, flap, flap. He asked, "Mother do you have a flat tire?" “I don't think so,” I replied. All of a sudden there w...

Elijah issued a challenge to the people to serve God. Elijah told the people that if God was God they needed to serve God. However Elijah also told them if Baal was God then, serve him. He wanted them to stop having one foot in a false religion and one foot as it were in the truth. However the people answered him nothing. What do you do when you don’t get a response from the people to whom you’ve just told an important truth? It appears, if you are the leader you tell them what to do. Give the plan to the unresponsive. Help them move to the place of decision by giving them a job to do. This is what Elijah did. The prophets of Baal didn’t know how to set up the test. God told Elijah what to do. Elijah took the leadership and instructed the unbelievers how to do the test to prove the reality and power of God for themselves. The test was out in the open. The prophets of Baal constructed their altar in full view of the people. They could not use any sleight of hand in dousing a little fi...

When the altar of the Lord was in ruins in Elijah's day whose fault was it? Of course, it was the peoples fault. Why was the altar in ruins? Well Jezebel had destroyed Gods prophets. There was no one among the people who dared to build it back up. So there was Elijah having to restore the altar. The God of Elijah answered Elijah on God's restored altar. God's people need to restore God's altars in our land. First the restored altar must be in our own hearts. Each one of us must take the time to seek God on a daily basis, like Daniel. No one can stop a devoted heart from worshipping God except the individual. Who is stopping you from your altar? Secondly we need to restore the family altars in our homes. These altars are in ruins. I go into most peoples house and see huge altars. They are places of meditation and instruction. Everyone in the family worships at this altar spending countless hours around it. It's called the television. Its replaced the family altar tha...

Over forty-five years ago my mother warned my sisters, brothers and me that we should be ready to experience something very difficult. There was a brewing scandal involving a religious leader who we really adored. She told us to keep our eyes on Jesus. She said that if we had our eyes on man that we could fall. Through the years her advice has stood me in good stead. I have total faith in God and God's Word. I also have respect for those who faithfully minister the Word of God. However I still keep my mother's advice close to my heart. What I have learned through the many ministerial and ministry scandals is that I am always safe when I have my eyes on God. As I watch another popular preacher come under close scrutiny for, at this time, alleged misdeeds and sins I am drawn to keep my eyes on God. God is our only true anchor. I choose to focus on God alone.

One day I attended a meeting of believers. The facilitator of the meeting made several introductions being careful to give each person's title and a brief remark about how she knew the person. When she came to this one particular person she inadvertently did not mention the woman's title. Upon hearing the introduction this person's friend was offended. This person is a reverend she said loudly. I've also been present when a pompous person has declared their own title to make sure that he received special recognition. In this day of superstar preachers, evangelists, apostles, and song leaders, Elisha deserves to be studied. We can contrast this asking and thinking one deserves special privileges with Elisha. The custom of Elisha's day was for travelers to stay in private homes. The hotel industry had not started. Therefore when strangers came into town and needed to have a place to sleep the townspeople would invite them into their homes. They would let them bunk on ...

In the grocery stores some time you see carts that are filled with merchandise near the check out stands. Or sometimes you see clerks pushing these carts up and down the aisle. They look like reverse shoppers- putting things back not picking them up. These things are called go backs. People got to the check-out stand and for whatever reason they did not want the item. They either plainly changed their mind, the cost was too great, the item wasn't needed, it was a spur of the moment decision or some other reason. Nevertheless they don't purchase the product. That's fair. If you don't want to pay for it you can't have it. However the store owners want to have some profit. The owners have their employees put the items back on the shelf. How like the Christian life, some see it and want it. They are Oprhahs as in the book of Ruth. She went with Naomi and Ruth for a while. However when Naomi started the questioning process of real commitment Oprhah counts the cost. Naomi...

Today you may hear that you can't have it all. Well when you look at God's economy in Proverbs 31, it seems to say you can have it all. God has given women an amazing amount of liberty and independence. She can be a woman of character -Noble character She can marry well -Has a Husband She can be a mother -Has children She can be healthy -Arms are strong for the tasks She can be a part of the team -Watches over the affairs in her house She can be socially adept -She is clothed with strength and dignity She can buy and sell -Buys property She can be a boss -Tells the servants what to do She can run a business -Sells her handmade belts She can work with men -Supplies the merchants She can be astute -Judges that the property is a good buy Sh e can be energetic -Works with eager hands She can be a good time manager -Gets up early She can ...

My granddaughter likes to walk pass the smooth stove top and put her hand on it. I vigorously object and tell her not to do so. I know the purpose of the stove. It is to heat and to cook food. I am trying to protect her from the day she goes around the corner absentmindedly and slides her hand on the cook top when it's on. Then she may be badly burned. Isn’t this like sin and temptation? We go around that temptation many times touching it but not feeling any consequences. It becomes a habit. We do it so many times we lose the fear and are unaware that we are setting ourselves up to be burned. One day we do what we’ve always done and the full force of the purpose of sin snatches us away. Just like my granddaughter. She’s not starting off with the intention of being burned. She just likes the smooth feel of the glassy surface of the cook top. Remember the purpose of the temptation is to take you away from God. God’s commandments are not hidden from us. When you start toying, feelin...

In the beginning portion of the Book of Job we see that the sons of Job had houses. The brothers would invite the sisters to their homes. However it appears that the sisters had no homes of their own. The custom of the time was for the women to be entirely dependent on their fathers until marriage. If the sisters never married and the father had died then the brother was in charge of them and their upkeep. After his life changing experience Job had a new vision. After his encounter with God Job saw that the cultural norms of his day were not necessarily the God given ones. Like the New Testament states there was no male or female in Christ. Job saw a clearer picture of God's plans. Job became a non-conformist. How much more we would be like God in His dealings with men and women if we could really encounter the God of the universe. Job became like Christ who never put women down. Christ liberated women, not only from their sins but from their oppression. The woman with the issue of...

When I was a child I could not stand reading the book of Job. It seemed so incomprehensible and boring. As I've matured the book of Job started to come into focus. Then it started to expand into this beautiful book. Then the book started to explode into my consciousness as a treasure trove of untapped knowledge. It became a revelation to me of God's ways. Now I absolutely love the book of Job. I've read portions of it over and over. There are so many facets to this precious jewel of a book called Job. One facet concerns Job's children. After Job's great trial he had a new set of children. In fact the Scriptures are quite clear about the fact that Job's daughters were extremely beautiful. The thought came so where were these children when Job was going through his trial? Well these children were in the loins of Job. Job had this new life residing in him. However, in order to get to this new life Job had to go through this trial. There are some things in life whic...

In Leviticus God instructed the Israelites about the sacrifices they were to bring to Him. Interesting God did not tell the Israelites to go hunting for a sacrifice. God told them to go to the flock or the herd. The sacrifice was with them, even as Christ was going to be among them. If God asks you to give an offering or to give something it is going to be something you already have. You are not going to have go hunt for it. Moses did not have to hunt for his staff. He had it with him. David did not have to hunt for a weapon. He had his sling with him. Abigail did not have to hunt for a present to mollify David. She had it with her. The widow woman did not have to go hunt for flour to make Elijah a loaf of bread she had it with her. When Jesus wanted to feed the five thousand he didn't have to make the bread and fishes. The child had it with him. If you are hunting and scheming to get something to give to God you are not doing what God wants you to do. What do you have in your hand...

Many product makers aspire to receive the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval. It gives consumers the assurance that someone has rigorously tested the product and found it safe to use. This is a thorough process to make sure the item lives up to its claims. In Romans 16 we have the name Apelles mentioned once in the Bible. However this one mention tells us a whole lot. Apelles went through some type of tribulation and came out victorious. This is something to which I aspire. I want Christ’s seal of approval. I can have it if I follow the word of God and not faint under pressure. Greet Apelles, tested and approved in Christ. Romans 16:10

34 But someone drew his bow at random and hit the king of Israel between the sections of his armor. The king told his chariotdriver, "Wheel around and get me out of the fighting. I've been wounded." 35 All day long the battle raged,and the king was propped up in his chariot facing the Arameans. I Kings 22:34-35 Why would the king need to be propped up? You see when the king fell the battle was considered lost. However since they made the king look vital, alive, and unwounded then the army continued to fight Is this not a picture of Satan? He is a propped up king. He’s really wounded and the blood as it were is seeping into his chariot until the evening falls. When you read the Scripture you see that he’s really mortally wounded. Christ has won the battle. Our job is to live in that victory and not be afraid of a propped up King.

I’ve been praying the Lord ’s Prayer since I was a little bitty girl. Over sixty years later I still pray it from time to time. This week as I was meditating on the prayer I started to think about the phrase, “Deliver us from evil.” I examined my concept of being delivered from evil. I began to realize that deliverance doesn’t always look that way in the immediate circumstances. Sometimes it is in the hindsight and reflection that one sees the deliverance. I thought of the following Biblical examples where being delivered from evil came wrapped in various packages that on the outset didn’t look like deliverance. Sometimes delivering us from evil looks like being sold as a slave by your brothers who betrayed you - Joseph Sometimes delivering us from evil means a coat left in the hands of our false accuser- Joseph Sometimes delivering us from evil means being held in a jail cell when you are not guilty - Joseph Sometimes delivering us from evil looks like God coming in a dream telling ...

Have you ever been so lost in prayer or praise until people are looking at you calling you names? Or are you so wrapped up in what people think that you will not enter fully into prayer or praise. The pastor, actually Eli was the priest in the temple, called her a drunk and made a special visit to the place where she was praying. Hannah did not get offended and storm out. Hannah stayed at prayer and got her answer. She was a woman who would not be denied. She was on a mission. Hannah was a woman of great faith in God. She made a promise to God to give her son to God forever. I'm sure that she heard of the evil doings of Eli's own sons. Who on earth would have blamed her if she reneged on her promise based on that alone. Or who on earth would dare assail her character if she procrastinated saying I better keep him at home until he is a little older to make sure he's strong enough to face the kind of behavior that's going on around him. After all what kind of evil influen...

It’s worth noting that today almost no one is silent. Blue tooth in ears,ipods on blast and televisions going 24/7 leave no time for silent contemplation. Can anyone still hear the still small voice of God? Is God’s voice being drowned out with all of the constant noise known as entertainment? We do not serve a boisterous God. God moves silently almost imperceptibly. Look at the dawning of the day or the coming of the sunset. No great thunderclap announces their arrival. As you sit and look at these events one can hardly determine how it happens. Yet the night turns into day, and day turns into night. God moves mysteriously and silently. Even Job acknowledges this when he says that if God was to move right in front of our face we would not know it. Who can actually see God’s hand? Yet God’s hand is directing our lives. God is a silent God. Doesn’t Elijah tell us this? Elijah is sitting in the opening of the cave. He sees the fire, feels the earthquake, but God was not in those things...

Ask King David does the end justify the means? I believe that across the river of time he would shout emphatically, "NO!" Look at II Samuel 6. Here is the story of David's plan to bring back God's symbol,the Ark of the Covenant. David went with 30,000 men to retrieve the Ark of the Covenant from Gibeah. David had just come from a victory over the Philistines where God showed His mighty power. Maybe David was feeling too certain of himself. One thing I've seen over and over to watch is, after a great victory one must be prayerful and hide under the protection of God's wings. It seems to be the place where one is the most vulnerable to Satanic attacks or moral failings David had the Ark of the Covenant put on a new cart to transport it back to Jerusalem. Can anyone tell me why there was a place among God's people called Baale of Judah? I think they had gotten a little too close to the idol worship to have named an Israeli town Baale. A sign of callousness an...

I've always loved the story of the Prodigal Son. It's such a great story of restoration and forgiveness. Over the years I've thought of the miserable older brother. That older brother had such a feeling of superiority until he could not enjoy life. He was like the man in the Scripture who said I fast three times a week. I pray everyday. I give to the poor. I've done all the right things. The elder brother never considered that maybe something he was doing required his father to forgive him too. He was tight lipped, feeling superior, and doing his duty. He never showed or expressed hospitality to his friends. At night he was content to stew in his own self righteousness, never conversing with his father, never trying to find out what were his father's concerns. The older brother may have thought well I never went to a dance, never smoked a cigarette, never drank, never had sex outside of marriage,and never ran away and squandered my father's money. He was pretty ...

One Sunday morning as I stood in Timothy and Nancy's lush garden I looked at the fruit trees. There were plum trees with purple plums hanging with some laying on the ground. There were pear trees laden with small green pears. As I looked I remembered that in the garden of Eden God gave man a specific task. They were to take care of the garden. I wondered what it was like did taking care of the garden. When ripe food dropped and could not be eaten, did Adam take it to make a compost pile to prepare to use it again as fertilizer? Adam was the first organic gardener. It must have been a joy to take care of something God already planted. Adam was also the keeper of the Tree of Life and the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Adam had choices. He could have decided on which tree or plant he would take care of on any given day. At the end of the day God would come and they would discuss plants, animals, marriage, and food. Or maybe they discussed heavenly things. Adam would walk with...

Rahab was a woman of ill repute who lived on the wall in the soon to be destroyed city of Jericho. Joshua sent spies to Jericho to reconnoiter the land because Israel was going to launch an unusual offensive against it. Jericho's king heard of the Hebrew spies being in town. Tracking the spies' movements they determined that these men had gone into Rahab's house. Being a wily woman herself, Rahab had already hidden these men before the soldiers came to look for them. After the search party had left her house, at the peril of her own life Rahab agreed to help them escape. However, being the true entrepreneur that she was, she made a contract with the spies before they left. The binding visual element of the contract was the scarlet cord. Joshua 2: 12 Now then, please swear to me by the LORD that you will show kindness to my family, because I have shown kindness to you. Give me a sure sign 13 that you will spare the lives of my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and ...

Health Professionals tell us there are some self examinations we should perform once a year. I believe there are some spiritual self examinations that we should do at least once a year, if not more frequently. I want to make sure that I'm examining myself to make sure I'm not taking my walk with Christ fo granted. At this Easter I am reminded of Judas. His is an example I do not want to follow. During one of my Bible readings I came across the passage about Judas dipping his hand in the bowl with Christ. To me, this is a passage mixed with strong emotions? Here is a person close enough to Christ to actually touch Jesus' hands in a bowl. Here’s a man who lived and traveled with Christ. How fearful and bone chilling is this warning? He saw Christ, touched Christ, lived with Christ, traveled with Christ, did miracles in Christ’s name. He saw the miracles, even performed some himself under Christ’s authority. Yet he did not commit himself to Christ. Less than 24 hours with his ...

You don’t have to be a close friend to a person find strength in God. You just have to know there is a need. If you are in a position to assist rectify an unfair situation, do so. What made Ebedmelech so memorable. He crossed racial and class lines. He was a black man, a Cushite. Jeremiah was a Jew. Ebedmelech was a court official. Jeremiah was a despised prophet and a prisoner. Ebedmelech shows us another way to help a fellow human being find strength in God. 1. Intercede for your friend with those in charge Why stop in the middle if you can go straight to the top. Ebedmelech didn’t waste time with the lower court officials. He went straight to the King. While he was not of equal rank with the king he had the king’s ear. He didn’t think of himself. He imperiled himself. It did seem to enter his mind that if the king was mad at Jeremiah, he might get mad at him for asking that he do something for Jeremiah,” 2. Present a clear cogent argument for doing the right thing. Ebedmelech did ...

Jeremiah 38:7 Now when Ebedmelech, the Ethiopian, one of the eunuchs which was in the king's house heard that they had put Jeremiah in the dungeon, the king then sitting in the gate of Benjamin; 8 Ebedmelech went forth out of the king's house, and spake to the king.. When the prison doors shut on Jeremiah he had no way of knowing that an Ethiopian Court servant was going to intercede on his behalf. Up until this point we have no record of Jeremiah and Ebedmelech ever having a conversation, much less having a lasting friendship. These verses show us what to do when you see injustice take place around you and you are in a position to help. Be aware of what is happening in your circle of influence There is a thing in teachers call with-it-ness. It’s not something that can be taught. It is the ability to be aware of what is happening around you at all times so that you can respond to the changing dynamics in the classroom. Ebedmelech possessed this with-it-ness. It appears that he...

Jonathan encouraged David and then let David go on and deal with life I Samuel 23:15 While David was at Horesh in the wilderness of Ziph, he learned that Saul had come out to take his life. 16 And Saul's son Jonathan went to David at Horesh and helped him find strength in God. 18 The two of them made a covenant before the Lord. The Jonathan went home, but David remained at Horesh. When Jonathan went to visit David in the wilderness he didn’t stay with David forever. He stayed with him long enough . In this life we have to have those gas station experiences. Get a fill-up and then hit the road. Jonathan went home and David stayed at Horesh. Sometime you just have to stay in that wilderness of Ziph. Each person has his or her own Horesh. David and Jonathan never met again in this life. Later David did fulfill his part of the covenant to treat Jonathan's descendants kindly. When my late husband Winston died my family flew in from across the country. My mother stayed with me for se...

Jonathan encouraged David by reminding him of God’s promises. Jonathan reminded David that God had already revealed to the prophet Samuel, King Saul, and him that David was to be king. God was going to fulfill his word. David would not be a dead king. God’s promises are yeah and amen. After my husband passed sometimes I’d have periods of time when I could not see anyway out of confusing dilemmas. I felt lost and helpless. Adjusting to a new life and trying to figure my way out of difficult situations left me emotionally spent. One day I was weeping my eyes out because of some bad news I'd just received from my attorney. I was devastated and could see no way out. Just then the phone rang. It turned out to be my mother. Upon hearing her voice I started to cry again. I gave her a little bit of information on why I felt totally helpless. She started to remind me of God’s promises. This helped me make it to a point where I could look back and see yes, God has never abandoned me and His ...

Jonathan encouraged David by his words, "Don’t be afraid My father will not lay a hand on you." Jonathan told David to not fear, don’t be scared or frightened. He told him this because God had given His word. God had already confirmed to David and his family that David would be the king. Days and months after my husband died I’d see people who told me I think of you often. However as the days went by it became rare for my phone to ring. Over and over people told me that I was in their thoughts. However those thoughts did not turn into visits or calls. To help your friend find strength in God be like Jonathan. He didn’t just think about David he put actions behind his thoughts. Remember Jonathan's father, King Saul, had David and anyone who helped him on a hit list. Jonathan went to see David at the peril of his own life. He gave him words in person. The only thing we have to do is to pick up the phone and let a friend hear one’s voice. Even an e-ma...

For my next several entries I'm going to share some thoughts on helping your friends find strength in God when they are going through tough times. This is Part 1. I Samuel 23: 14-18 15 While David was at Horesh in the Desert of Ziph, he learned that Saul had come out to take his life. 16 And Saul's son Jonathan went to David at Horesh and helped him find strength in God. 17 "Don't be afraid," he said. "My father Saul will not lay a hand on you. You will be king over Israel, and I will be second to you. Even my father Saul knows this." 18 The two of them made a covenant before the LORD . Then Jonathan went home, but David remained at Horesh. These three verses give a very powerful lesson about friendship and its power to help one make it through difficult places in life. Here are some of the lessons we can learn from Jonathan and David. Jonathan encouraged David by just being there. Just show up. David was in a precarious situation. He was in a desert t...

This week marks eight years since the sudden and unexpected passing of my late husband Winston. That was a strange land for me. The land of loss and death. At first I needed to hear others sing because the song in my heart was frozen with grief and I was traumatized. I’d sing God’s song later with help from others. There were tapes I listened to that reminded me of the Lord’s song. It was the voice on the radio or the television that told me God would bring me out of these trials. It was the voice of my mother telling me and reminding me of God’s faithfulness to me in the past. How could I sing the Lord’s song in a strange land? In the next phase on my journey through grief after the sudden death of my husband I tried to sing along with those who were on the journey with me At first I’d only get a few words out before the tears started to flow. I kept trying day after day to sing along. I was reminded of God’s word. I was strengthened by constantly hearing the words of faith and ...

When my late husband Winston died he left some unfinished projects. One was finishing our deck. I decided to go ahead with Winston’s plan for glass panes with the railings. Finally the day came when the contractor finished the project. The deck and the glass panes with the white railings were absolutely beautiful. These panes allow one to have an unimpeded view of the lake and the mountains when sitting or standing. They were so clear. In Seattle the mornings in the early spring are rather dull and the sun is usually hidden behind the clouds. Later the sun rises earlier and earlier. I happened to be up one morning when the sun made its brilliant appearance. I looked through the big picture windows towards the lake. Suddenly I saw what I couldn’t see before. The brilliant sunlight revealed every hand print of the workmen who installed the glass panes in the railings. The mrks were as clear as day. It was amazing that which could not be seen before were now as obvious as the proverbia...

Software engineer rams a plane into a Federal building because of his anger at governmental policies and the IRS. Professor kills three other professors because she was not granted tenure. Man kills police officers vowing that he will never again go to prison and blaming the government for his treatment. These stories are coming in rapid succession. I ask myself why are we seeing these situations playing out over and over again. I think I have a simple, but not a simplistic, answer. If I agreed with W.E. Henley* in Invictus that “I am the master of my fate I am the captain of my soul,” I may be driven to take matters in my own hand and settle my grievances as I see fit. I’ve chosen a different way to look at real or even perceived injustices. I’m practicing filtering life through the lens of God’s Word,the Bible. God states, “Vengeance is mine I will repay.” Does that mean I don’t recognize that sometimes things don’t seem or really are not fair? No! However with God's promise ...

Of all the genres on television the most perplexing is the reality shows. Why are we so interested in the way other people are living their lives and being treated? Do we not have enough drama in our own lives that we must be embroiled in the saga of other people’s fears, tears, sins, intrigues, deceptions, turmoils, love lives and agonies? It’s a disturbing trend. Houses have walls to provide privacy. God has given our brains a covering to allow us privacy of thought. We cannot read each other’s minds. This allows us to share our opinions only when we want to purposefully do so. A person who cannot control when he/she speaks is thought to have a disorder of the brain. So this begs the question why are we intruding in areas once thought private? Why are we becoming a nation of voyeurs cruising into this or that melodrama at will? It also causes me to wonder about the people who would open the sacred pages of their lives to the scrutiny of any person who owns a remote control and a tel...

I resisted buying a new cell phone for a very long time. However I started to notice that other people were taking great pictures, surfing the net and sending emails with their new and improved phones. After six years with my tried and true friend I decided enough was enough. I bought a new phone. The pictures were incredible. I didn't want to pay the extra $35.00 for Internet service. My reasoning was I can do my email at work and at home. I resisted that part of the sales pitch. One night while exploring my new cell. Right there, I saw it, "Free Site, CNN." Well that sure is nice I thought. Night after night I read the latest headlines and saw great pictures on this website. This went on for weeks. I was hooked. On a Friday night I went on the website like I always did and enjoyed the stories. The next morning I woke up and went to the website. However this time I read that I did not have access because web service was not in my plan. I was startled. I'd been readi...

I've heard people say, "If God does not want me to do this, He can stop me." Well, God didn’t want Moses to hit the rock, but God didn’t stop Moses either. You see God had already told Moses what to do. Moses disobeyed and did not make it into the Promised Land either. It is the same thing today. God has already told us what to do. We just need to do it. If not, we live with the consequences. I have no argument with you. You want to get a divorce. God said don’t do it. You do it and reap the consequences. God said don’t murder. Look at the havoc it wreaks in others and one's own life. God's Word states don’t look at the wine when it is red in the cup. Go ahead you can drink it to excess. Check how many DUI's are issued in your city or how many people are killed on an average weekend. God also stated many positive things to do. Rejoice always. Live at peace. Find a wife. Eat with gratefulness. Come into His presence with singing. God stated this is the way wal...

Acts 27: 8 We moved along the coast with difficulty and came to a place called Fair Havens, near the town of Lasea 9 Much time had been lost, and sailing had already become dangerous because by now it was after the Fast.So Paul warned them, 10“Men, I can see that our voyage is going to be disastrous and bring great loss to ship and cargo, and to our own lives also.” 11 But the centurion, instead of listening to what Paul said, followed the advice of the pilot and of the owner of the ship. 12Since the harbor was unsuitable to winter in, the majority decided that we should sail on, hoping to reach Phoenix and winter there.( NIV) The place where God warned them was called Fair Havens. God would have them spend the winter in Fair Havens. It was not God’s intention that they should lose everything in life, or suffer loss. Paul was the representative of God. The centurion represented the Government/the military. The Captain represented the economic/business side of the country. Paul represe...

Leaning down to peer at my face the man at the other postal window asked me, “Are you a Simpson?” “Yes,” I answered not recognizing to whom I was speaking. “Oh my,” he continued,”I knew your sister Joy.” After exchanging a few more pleasantries I realized this man indeed did know my family members, I just didn’t know him. He knew I lived in Seattle, Washington over the past three decades. In parting I said.” Well. I guess I’ve been marked as a Simpson.” “Indeed, he continued,” Your father stamped his imprint on all of you.” Reflecting on this brief encounter I thought how could this man, a stranger to me, in a city of over 1.9 million people identify me as a Simpson by just my features? He did say that I looked just like my sisters. Isn’t this what Christ told His disciples when they asked Him to show them the Father? He replied if you have seen Me, You have seen the Father. What if I, who names the name of Christ, had the same goal? What if I emulated Christ and followed God’s Word ...

The old adage states that beauty is only skin deep. Well lasting beauty is really unfading. It has to do with the state of one’s spirit. I’ve actually met people who by industry standards would not necessarily be called physically attractive. In fact the Bible makes it very clear that Jesus would not have made the cover of GQ. The Bible states there was no beauty that we should desire Him. In other words people walked by Him and took no notice. He was not an Absalom, a handsome but vain man, who had women standing around while he got his haircut and weighed once a year. No, Christ’s attractiveness was that of His spirit. We know from the story of Esther that there are many beautiful people in various countries and of various races. Even with six months of oil and six months of perfumed baths if the inner person is not beautified with a gentle and quiet spirit the person is not very useful to God. Inner beauty is cultivated by keeping a humble spirit, being prudent and holding back the...

I was taught in school that the explorer Juan Ponce de Leon sailed around the world looking for the Fountain of Youth. Over the years I always thought of what a facetious reason for a dangerous journey. For me it ranked right up there with the Greek fables and other folk tales. I read stories about the quest for youth from other cultures too. The fact is Juan Ponce de Leon could have found the Fountain of Youth without ever leaving his country. The Fountain of Youth/life does indeed exist. Only one person has it. You simply must read it in Psalm 36:9 "For with you is the fountain of life." God has the fountain with Him. When you find God you find eternal life. No need for a ship, plane or car. It is as close as the nearest prayer.

“Fasten your seat belts and make sure that your seat backs are in the upright position,” announced the flight attendant. Obediently I did so. I’ve been flying as a passenger for forty four years. I could give the announcement. I’ve always felt a little apprehensive about take off and landings. It seems to me that most accidents happened during these two phases of the flight. I sensed the descending plane as I sat with my eyes closed. I opened just in time to see that we should almost set down on the ground. The wing flaps usually opened wide to slow the plane down on touchdown. However I heard the great engines rev up, not down. We started on a steep climb. I looked out the window We were climbing straight up, and up. I’ve had enough experience to know that something was drastically wrong. Did the landing gear not come down? Unlikely I thought since we were almost touched down. I waited for the pilot’s voice. I was sure he would have some type of announcement. After we had leveled o...