Words are like salt, use just enough to season a conversation, not oversalt it.
“When there are many words, transgression is unavoidable, But he who restrains his lips is wise.” Prov.10.19 “Conversations Within” ts 4/10/2025
Just me trying to be honest with God.
The blessing of admitting I was wrong.
In order to get it right we must often admit to the possibility of being wrong. If you are a follower of Jesus you get used to doing this. He leads us to confess our shortcomings so we can discover where, and where not to walk.
Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.” Is.30.21 “Conversations Within” ts 4/11/
“If there is nothing you can do about it, put it in God’s hands and let it go.” My wife’s motto
My wife is teaching me a “matter of fact” approach to dealing with the stuff that springs up every day. If you can do something about it, do it. Otherwise, trust that God has a reason for it.
“Because the Lord is at my right hand I will not be shaken.” Ps.
“The greatest message ever heard came from an empty tomb.”
The resurrection of Jesus is the greatest game changer. Death no longer carries us away from our hearts desire, but to it. God has taken the sword of our enemy, and turned it into a healing scalpel.
“O Death, where is your sting?” 1Cor.15.55 “Conversations Within” ts 4/19/2025
To hear the words, “Well done” is all that will matter in the end.
The best way to thank God for life is to live it in His name. We live life in His name when we can look with confident faith that He would joyfully bless whatever we are doing.
“I always do what places Him.” Jesus “Conversations Within” ts 4/20/2025
.jpg)
Rightly placed faith makes a long shot a sure shot.
Do not confuse personal accomplishment with the lasting fruit that God desires. He does not need our strategic power plays to affect real positive and lasting change in the world. Tapping into the workings of His Spirit is the only source of being blessed and being a blessing.
“Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of hosts.” Zech.4.6 “Conversations Within” ts 4/6/2025
Count on it being done!
There are operations in the universe that sustain my life that I know nothing about. It makes good sense to me that I do not need to understand everything that God is doing to bring me to glory. We will get there simply, because He is the one doing it. In the end, all the glory and praise will be His.
“Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!” Rev.5.12 “Conversations Within” ts 4/5/2025
You’ve got this, because He’s got you.
Pause, breathe, and embrace this wonderful grace inside your soul. Whatever you are facing, remind yourself that you can do it, because you will never have to do it alone. The grace of Christ is always with us. Relax and rest on this word.
“I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.” “Conversations Within”
Judgment day preparation
One thing I can do to get ready for judgment, and the most important, is not to make the fatal mistake of standing on my own flawed record. Instead, I accept the free gift of forgiveness that God offers. I stop trusting my own efforts, and trust what Jesus accomplished. Jesus was served my justice so He could give me His grace.
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this is not from
“When I run, I feel his pleasure.” Eric Liddell
I value inner peace, but not at the expense of finding out that the Judge of all the earth did not approve of how I experienced it. In the end, His review of my choices is all that will matter. How blessed it is to be confident that God is pleased with our daily choices.
“I always do what pleases him.” Jesus “Conversations Within” ts 4/1/2025
“The greatest message ever heard came from an empty tomb.”
The resurrection of Jesus is the greatest game changer. Death no longer carries us away from our hearts desire, but to it. God has taken the sword of our enemy, and turned it into a healing scalpel.
“O Death, where is your sting?” 1Cor.15.55 “Conversations Within” ts 4/19/2025
"It is finished..."Father, into your hands I commend my spirit." (The seven sayings of Christ of the Cross)
Paid in full. Nothing owed on this transaction. God made a gift out of what we could never afford to buy. Christ has paid it all. His last words are the Last Word.
“Religion says do. Jesus says done.” Jefferson Bethke Conversations Within” ts 4/18/
"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"
The answer to His haunting question, ‘Why’ is because God created a way to satisfy justice and be loving at the same time. Christ volunteered to pay our debts so we could be free from any condemning judgment. Why, indeed?
“Amazing love, how can it be that Thou my God should die for me.” Charles Wesley Conversations Within” ts 3/17/2016
"I thirst." (The seven sayings of Christ of the Cross)
No one can justly accuse God of sitting idly by in Heaven watching human suffering. He entered space and time and joined us in our pain. He chose the agony of the cross and identified with all it means to live in a cursed world. Christ bore not only our sins, but the cruel consequences of them. He chose to experience human thirst so we would never have to thirst again.
“If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.” Jesus Conversations Within” ts 4/17/2025
"Jesus said to his mother: "Woman, this is your son." Then he said to the disciple: "This is your mother." (The seven sayings of Christ of the Cross)
We might be tempted to think that Jesus waited until the last minute to attend to something so important, but Jesus’ friendship with John was not a last minute investment. If you can’t count on your family and friends, who can you count on?
“It is not what we have but who we have in our lives that count.” Unknown Conversations Within” ts 4/16/2025
"Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise." (The seven sayings of Christ of the Cross)
In the hour of His death, Jesus was granting life. He answered the thief dying next to Him who, with simple faith, asked only to be remembered. We would all like to be remembered this way.
“It was the thief's last prayer, perhaps even his first. He knocked once, sought once, asked once, dared everything, and found everything.” Fulton J. Sheen
"Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do." Jesus
Oh that God answer this prayer for me. And, I know He has. I am forgiven. I echo this now and forever, I am forgiven! Oh that God answer this prayer for us all who hunger for it. Your mercies are everlasting and your truth endures for all generations. “Conversations Within” ts 4/14/2025
“No man knows how bad he is till he has tried very hard to be good.” C.S. Lewis
I do battle every day to push out negative thinking, and to keep my focus on what is good. There is a blessing in the battle. Like all sword fighting, the repeated struggle deepens my commitment to positive change. The fight gives me the opportunity to practice stopping a judgmental thought from becoming a judgmental word.
“Fight the good fight of the faith.” 1Tim.6.12 “Conversations Within” ts 3/31/2025
“God hates sin not because he wants us to be good little boys and girls, but because he knows sin destroys that which he loves most: sinners.” Criss Jami
I tend to soften my response to my own sinful attitudes and actions. The truth is that I should cultivate a strong hatred for my rebellious attitudes and actions. My sin is no joking matter. It is offensive to God, and should be no less offensive to me. Teach me to hate my sins, Lord.
“To fear the LORD is to hate evil.” Prov.8.13 “
“Every little thing’s gonna be alright.” Bob Marley
If God did not spare His own son from suffering, why should He spare any of us from it? But there is good news. God willingly delivered His son up to suffering so that He could ultimately deliver us from it all. Every little thing may not be all right, right now, but relax, it’s gonna be.
“He who did not spare His own son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not also with Him freely give us all things.” “Conversations Within” ts 3/29/2025
"Sow the wind, reap the whirlwind" Hosea
Everything I think, say, or do is an act of sowing. And, It is important to note that I do not simply reap what I sow, but a greater portion of it. Sow goodness, reap greater goodness. Sow evil, or what is worthless and I will reap, not the same, but a lot more of it. The reproductive power of the seed we sow should encourage us to carefully choose what we plant.
“...for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.” Gal.6.7 “Conversations Within” ts 3/28/2025
“To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable, because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you. C. S. Lewis
We are invited to experience the beauty of life defined by love. Such a life knows the glory--the value of forgiving and being forgiven. Humbly accepting God’s forgiveness works in us the grace to forgive others. To love is to forgive.
“forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” Jesus “Conversations Within” ts 3/27/
“Puddle jumping is good for the soul.” Meme
O to be a child again, dancing in the rain.
“Become as children…” Jesus “Conversations Within” ts 3/26/2025
“God has no religion.” Mahatma Gandhi
Don't make a religion out of what God intends to be the blessings of a healthy relationship with Him.
"The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” Jesus “Conversations Within” ts 3/25/2025
“Real food doesn't need a label telling you it is real food.”
Modern culture seems to care more about appearing authentic than being authentic. We have made a show out of coming across as genuine. Just because I try to be authentic, doesn't mean I am good. I want more than to be authentic, I want to be the person God wants me to be. This means that I will always be in a state of changing from the person I am to the person He is creating in me.
“By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?”
“To know and not to do is not to know.” Proverb
I do better practicing what little I know, than to make the pursuit of knowledge my life’s end. What good is knowing without doing? Of course the value of knowledge is that It leads us to do the right things. Like the two ores of a rowboat, put them both together and they will lead to a wise and fruitful life.
“Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.” Jesus “Conversations Within” ts 3/
We learned to walk when we were young; we learn how to walk slower and with greater care as we get older.
Like an old pair of shoes, or a well worn backpack, I will eventually have to lay this old body down. I am assured that when the time comes, I will find new provisions waiting for the journey that is sure to continue. I thank God for today’s bread, and purpose to use it for the goodness my Father intends.
“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.” 2Cor. 4.16 “
“People ought to saunter in the mountains - not hike!” John Muir
There are times I walk with the deliberation of getting somewhere. Even so, I can still choose the way I walk. I want my journey to reflect a reverence for life, to saunter, and take life in while I am going. This way every walk can be a Sabbath walk--every step in reverence. Every walk "a la sainte terre” to the holy land.
“At about that time Jesus was walking through some grainfields on the Sabbath.” Matt.12.1 “Conversations Within” ts 3/20/
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)