Live life from within. The body is passing, the soul is eternal. Wake to life in the Spirit, and give priority to all things spiritual. Never be a slave to the body, rather make the flesh the servant of the soul. Jesus would wake us to His reality.
“The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life.” Jesus Conversations Within” ts
Just because someone disagrees with my point of view does not mean that they hate me. Just because I disagree with someone else’s point of view does not mean that I hate them.
“Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things.” 1Cor.13 Conversations Within”
I am reminded every day of two things, “I am a great sinner and Christ is a great savior.” I do not need to try and sin, it comes naturally. I have made my peace that the struggle will continue as long as I am in this place. I am also at peace knowing that forgiveness is always offered.
“What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is
There are times when we all lose in this life. Jesus assures us that losing our lives for His sake will become gain. I find great comfort in the knowledge that every sacrifice is met with an even greater reward. He speaks of course not about the rewards of hire, but the rewards that naturally follow love.
“whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.” Jesus Conversations Within” ts Sep 10, 2026
When I think about commenting on some current affairs, I am realizing more and more that it would not only be wiser, but better if I don’t. Why should I add to something that is already weighed down and divided by so many opinions?
“Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him" Ps.62
When I count my blessings, one is to have been raised and belong to a tribe that still knows wrong from right. It is a quiet knowing with no need to argue or press it on another, because underneath is the peaceful knowledge that the God and Father of Jesus is the Sovereign over it.
“Woe to those who call
Prayer is an attitude as much as an act. And, whether conscious or unconscious, prayer is the life breath of every child of God. Like physical breath, unconscious prayers are the mainstay, not just our conscious prayers. Communication is after all so much more than words, prayer no less.
“Pray without ceasing.” 1Thess.5 Conversations Within” ts
It is good for me to remind oneself that “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” I am a part of the “all.” I have sinned too many times to count. Who am I to condemn another? No one measures up. I certainly do not. Jesus teaches me to attend to my own sins before I even think about another's.
“And why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?” Jesus Conversations Within” ts
Humility enables us to express love in two directions, one is acting justly the other is loving mercy. When this happens our energy merges them into the singular dynamic of love’s goodness. We can be both just and merciful at the same time.
“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” Micah 6.8 Conversations Within” ts Sep 5, 2026
There are times when I feel helpless witnessing all the sufferings of the world, then I am gently reminded by the Spirit of Jesus, “Ask and it will be given to you.” Merge into the flow of this blessing to the world. Ask Him!
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We can breathe on purpose, but we will continue to breathe even when we are not conscious of it. This is how prayer can be for the child of God. Prayer is an attitude as much as it is an action.
Pray without ceasing. 1Thess.5 Conversations Within” ts
Some of the best conversations are the ones without words where two souls are joined in silent understanding, a nod of knowing, and agreement--two people on the same page.
"Pray without ceasing.”
I am convinced that God wants partners not pawns. In the matter of prayer, we often think we must wait on God, but the truth is that He is probably waiting on us just to ask HIm.
“For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him.” 2Chron.9 Conversations Within” ts Sep 2, 2026
My desire has always been for my children and grandchildren to have a mature inner life and experience all that God is for them in Christ. I pray that they would choose to live, not only on temporal bread alone, but on every word coming from His mouth, and that the love of Christ be the dynamic that defines their journey, and its light, joy and peace, their constant companions
“And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ.” Phil.1 Conversations Within” ts
Rise every morning and accept the challenge to live for something bigger than yourself. It helps to remember we never arrive in this place, there are always chores that need doing every day. But when you are on the Kings highway, and on the Kings business every chore is rich with eternal purpose.
“Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already
A large part of healthy living is simply to continue. Once you find the path of goodness, stay on it. Abide. See to it, every evening, every morning.
“Abide in me, and I in you! Apart from me you can do nothing." Jesus Conversations Within” ts
Realization is the perfect work of endurance, and it happens by showing up every day. Be as steady as sunrise, as reliable as waves on a beach. Keep at it. Never quit. Rest when you need it, but return and stay with it.
“Let endurance have its perfect work…” James 1 Conversations Within” ts
Love as Jesus taught it is understood to be actions that bring goodness and benefit. Of course the person we are trying to benefit, may not see it so. They may even accuse us of not loving them at all. Jesus loved the rich young ruler, and told him the truth, but the young man refused what Jesus said. Today, Jesus may even be accused of hating the man.
“Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him…go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” Disheartened…he went away sorrowful, for he had many possessions. ” Mk. 10 Conversations Within” ts
I remind myself every day that my only hope is that Jesus died for my sins, and declared that the penalty for them has been paid. As far as God is concerned, “It is finished.” There is nothing owed, the transaction is complete. The gospel is good news indeed!
"For whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows
I can cheat, lust, and covet all in my thought life. Jesus made it clear that we can sin just by thinking about doing something. A reverent regard for God--the fear of the Lord, is nurtured in us when we recognize that even our most private thoughts are known to Him.
“Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” Conversations Within” ts
Arthur comes to visit me every night, wakes me, then keeps me awake. After a few days of this, I am learning to sleep and dream about pain. At least I sleep, and when I finally get a good night's sleep, I wake up thinking, "absence really does make the heart grow fonder". I can honestly appreciate how sweet sleep is. Add a little more sweetener to my nights Lord.
"When you lie down, you will not be afraid; yes, you will lie down and your sleep will be sweet." Prov.3.24 Conversations Within” ts
A mature inner life expresses faithfulness when no one is watching. God works this fruit in us. He is consistent in grace, always showing us the right path, and walking with us every step of the way.
“Stay in step with the Spirit.” Gal.5 Conversations Within” ts Aug 23, 2026
I believe in the absolute goodness of God. If I read a passage in the Bible that seemingly contradicts His goodness, I have not understood it correctly. The same can be said of how I view life’s ups and downs in our fallen world. God is good, every single day.
“The LORD is good! Ps.100
God works faithfulness in our hearts. He doesn’t just highlight its value, and encourages us to remain so, He also empowers us with the will to choose it. Every temptation can be transformed into an opportunity to express and deepen our loyalty and commitment.
“The fruit of the Spirit is… faithfulness.”
Learning to dismiss any thought that competes with goodness is a valuable and powerful skill. The very moment I realize that some thought will rob me of the joy and peace of Christ, I can stop thinking about it. It really is that simple.
“We cast down imaginations, and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God, and bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” 2Cor.10.5
I have been amazed at how shrewd some non-believers are in marketing a morality that is anything but Christian. They often hijack the message of Jesus, distort the idea of Christian love, and effectively re-brand what is right and wrong in God's eyes. It is sad, but Christians often fail to be effective witnesses of Christ to the world.
“For the sons of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the sons of light.” Jesus Conversations
Thank you for leading me to the path of joy. I always find it when I let loose my selfish concerns. If it involves saying no to myself, it probably places me in the best position to serve others, and that is where joy is realized. I smile at the memories that have revealed this to me.
“Deny yourself, take up your cross and follow me.” I tell you these things so that my joy may be in you, and your joy made full. ” Jesus
How do we know when something is a coincidence, or is God’s way of giving us guidance? We are cautioned in the Scriptures to not be superstitious, but sometimes, as observed by Yogi Berra, some things are “too coincidental to be a coincidence.” Of course, why can’t something be both a coincidence, and God directing our steps as well?
"Time and chance happen to us all" Ecc.9 “You have made known to me the path of life.” Ps.16 Conversations Within” ts
“There's a billion people on the planet... I mean, what does any one life really mean? But in a marriage, you're promising to care about everything. The good things, the bad things, the terrible things, the mundane things... all of it, all of the time, every day. You're saying 'Your life will not go unnoticed because I will notice it. Your life will not go un-witnessed because I will be your witness'. “Shall We Dance” (The movie)
“Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh”
I can sense a growing hunger in people, tired of all the negativity, and longing for beauty and soul inspiring dialogue. It may be that the companions who travel with me are people who are more interested in living life than complaining about it. Join in the song. Make music and celebrate all that is beautiful.
"Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing" Ps.100 Conversations Within” ts
Jesus is always telling us to not be afraid. Why fret when He promises His presence with us always. I have let so many silly things disturb my peace. He is teaching me to relax and turn my eyes towards His light.
“But the path of righteous people is like the light of dawn that becomes brighter and brighter until it reaches midday.” Prov.4.18
Because God delights in truth, He will personally attend to it. We do not need to fear the trickery and deceit that pervades our world. Every lie will be exposed, even the ones we tell ourselves. The truth will set us free. Lord before I speak, let me weigh not just the truth in what I say, but if what I say will bring your blessing.
“Lying lips are an abomination to the LORD: but they that deal truly are his delight.” Conversations Within” ts Aug 12, 2026
Every time we choose, we add to or take away the fruitfulness of our life. Before I answer the call of some desire, or give expression to some feeling, let me deliberately pause and measure if I am adding to or taking from my joy and peace.
“Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that ruin the vineyards, our vineyards that are in bloom.” Song of Solomon 2 Conversations Within” ts
My spouse has nurtured a wise way of responding to my silly complaints. She just shrugs and says, “That’s just life.” You could say she shrugs these inconveniences of life off her shoulders. She has learned to dismiss matters over which she has no control, and refuses to let them steal her peace.
“Nothing can separate us from the love of God…” Rom.8
I see the wisdom of anchoring a new habit to one that I already practice. For instance, I can take my vitamins when I brush my teeth. I can also use the pain and regret of a bad habit to encourage me to establish a healthy one. Suffering is as much a part of growth as are the rewards for enduring it.
“...discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness. 1Tim.4 Conversations Within” ts Aug 6, 2026
After explaining what two greatest commandments are, the rest of the Bible is mainly wisdom on how we can effectively love.
“Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” Jesus Conversations Within” ts Aug 6, 2026
Pursue a life of loving and serving others, and you will never need a backup plan. Here is a dream worth chasing, and one that brings perfect satisfaction. Love is its own reward and the wholeness it brings will follow us forever.
“Pursue love.” 1Cor.
This morning the world population clock said that there are 8,308,660,528 souls on earth. That’s a lot of people to love. To say that it is not difficult for God to love every single one of us does not diminish in the least the far reaching power and intensity of that love. The only true measure of His love is the sacrifice He made in Jesus to ransom us from death and hell on the cross.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. Jo.3.16 Conversations Within” ts Aug 4, 2026
So what does God want to be for me at this moment? Well, for one thing He invites us to join Him in it, and experience it through His wisdom and grace. He wakes us to life. There is a promise for every single thing we need every single moment of each day.
“He has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature,
