“Prayer is not overcoming God's reluctance. It is laying hold of His willingness.”Martin Luther

 Lay hold of what you know God wants to do, and will do, instead of trying to talk Him into doing something you want Him to do. In this sense, faith is a process of discovery. Discovery is often a hit and miss kind of thing. If God doesn’t answer you the first time, keep at it. He always leads those who follow.

“Ask and It will be given.” Jesus Conversations Within ts 9/20/22

Often the first mountain that needs moving is our doubt.

Faith is not only believing someone can do something, it is believing that they will. It is one thing to believe God can move a mountain, it is another to believe He will do it for you when you ask Him. My doubts usually fade when I am confident Jesus would gladly carry my petition to His Father. 

“Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt…you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done.’” Jesus Conversations Within ts 9/18/22

“You just have to have a simple faith.” Jimmy Carter

A simple faith is expressed in simple prayers. Keep it simple. God does not need our help to move a mountain. Just ask, and leave it to Him. Often the first mountain that needs moving is our doubt.

“Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt…you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done.’” Jesus Conversations Within ts 9/17/22

The secret of prayer is simply to pray.

One regret that I have, and hope that I will not have in the future is that I did not ask more from God. We can hardly over work His generosity. He invites us to join HIm in blessing others when we approach Him and pray for them. Grab handfuls of goodness from the granary of God and enrich the lives of others with your prayers.

 “I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit--fruit that will last--and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. Conversations Within ts 9/16/22

“No soul that seriously and constantly desires joy will ever miss it. Those who seek find. Those who knock it is opened.” C.S. Lewis

 The act of seeking is in a very real sense the finding. Our need to express faith when we pray, is as great as anything we might seek from God when we do. 

“Seek and you will find.” Jesus Conversations Within ts 9/15/22

Praying for my prayers…That I say them!

There are many mysteries surrounding the death of Jesus, but one clear benefit He secured for us is free access to speak with God, anytime, anywhere, and with the assurance that He not only hears, but will answer us. I can hear Jesus praying for our prayers, simply that we take advantage of the privilege to do so.

“Call to me and I will answer you…” Jer.33.3 Conversations Within ts 9/14/22

“Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less,” C.S. Lewis

Service is the truest expression of humility. Our preoccupation with self smothers humility. Lord make me less, a “Here I am,” kind of person, and more a “there you are.” servant.

“...he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant…” Phil.2.7 Conversations Within ts 9/11/22

As a Christian I believe that Christ alone is perfect. Yet in His interaction with others, the only superior person, never conveyed an air of superiority, but an aura of gentleness and tolerant humility.

I think one arena where we get into trouble is in our dialogue on moral and spiritual matters, especially with those who have a different background than our own. Somehow dialogue digresses into monologue, and we spend more energy trying to make our own point, rather than seeking to understand the others.

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.” Phil.2 Conversations Within ts 9/10/22

“Gentle on my mind.” Glen Campbell

Let gentleness guide the influences of your love. Be a refreshing rain, and like a gentle breeze. Caress the world with kindness. Adopt a gentle approach to living, and live with ease and grace.

“Your beauty should…come...from the inner disposition of your heart, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in God’s sight.” 1Pet.3.4 Conversations Within ts 9/9/22

“Nothing is so strong as gentleness, nothing so gentle as real strength.” St. Francis de Sales

When I think of a true Christian, my thoughts turn immediately to any person who interacts with everything and everyone with gentleness and humility of heart. Here is the Spirit of Jesus.

“Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Jesus Conversations Within ts 9/8/22

”The stupid things you do, you regret if you have any sense, and if you don't regret them, maybe you're stupid.” -- Katharine Hepburn

 I have done some stupid stuff in my day. What is really stupid is when I repeat something I already know to be foolish. I am grateful that God loves me as I am, but doesn't leave me that way. His corrections are life and peace.

“Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid.” Prov.12.1 Conversations Within ts 9/7/22

We all have notions of what it means to live “the life.” It is probably wise just to live life, you know, the one we have, but live it wholeheartedly.

 Wake O my soul to where you are. Do not let this moment pass and miss its joy. Tune out all that distracts and tune in the beautiful rhythm of embracing life in every breath. Give this moment your all, and every moment will give joy in return.

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind." Jesus Conversations Within ts 9/7/22

“Your mind is a garden. Your thoughts are the seeds. You can grow flowers or you can grow weeds.” Meme

 When I choose my thoughts, let me choose wisely. Measure the fruit of their worth by the standards of “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness and self control.” What a bouquet of beauty! 

“Watch over your heart for from it flows the springs of life.” Prov.4.23 Conversations Within ts 9/6/22

Don't wear your opinions on your sleeve, roll your sleeves up and get to work instead.

I realize that I talk about issues, when I could be doing something about them. If I cannot bring positive change to an issue, I should probably keep my mouth shut. But here are some good words worth repeating. “Be the change you would see in the world.” Thank you Mr. Gandhi for your words and your example.

“Let us love not in word and speech, but in action and truth.” 1Jo.3.18 Conversations Within ts 9/5/22

What a deep well is the soul!

My inner life is not always reflected in my outer life. I want to be one way, yet I am another. I aspire, but fall short. It is what it is. Thank You Father for meeting me here each day. The soul is, after all, the only place we can really meet. Connect these momentary dots until peace is at last, my continuous line.

“The purposes of a person’s heart are deep waters, but one who has insight draws them out.” Prov.20.5 Conversations Within ts 9/5/22

“Wonder is retained by wise pondering.” Ravi Zacharias

I am grateful for reflection, for ponderings, and for memories. Memories can enrich the present moment, not only by recalling them, but pondering them and learning from them. Wise remembering joins the past to the present, and becomes another means of communion with its joys.

“But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.” Lk.2 Conversations Within ts 9/4/22 

Every grain of sand is a text message from God that says, “Thinking about you!”

Someone once told me that he thought it arrogant to believe that God gives a single thought to “our puny existence.” In contrast, Jesus assures us that God tenderly cares for each and everyone of us. Scoop up a handful of sand and count the grains, and we will still not know how much He loves and thinks about us.

“How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would outnumber the sand.” Ps.139 Conversations Within ts 9/3/22

”You are free to choose, but you are not free to alter the consequences of your decisions.” Ezra Taft Benson

I understand that one reason God created consequences, is to help me discern good  from bad choices. Even so, it is still hard to witness human suffering as the result of bad decisions. Lord help me alleviate suffering when I am able, and to put only goodness into the pot from which we all eat.

“I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live.” Deut.30 9/2/2022 Conversations Within ts

Sometimes when bad things happen.

Who could deny that some pretty bad stuff happens in the world every day. It is sobering to realize that God allows it. The bottom line? God does not force people to love Him or do as He asks, and when we don’t, well, this is one reason bad stuff happens. We should not think this a punishment, only a natural consequence of a bad choice.

“When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider this: God has made the one as well as the other.” Ecc.7 9/1/2022 Conversations Within ts

“If you want to get warm you must stand near the fire: if you want to be wet you must get into the water. If you want joy, power, peace, eternal life, you must get close to, or even into, the thing that has them.” C S. Lewis

 Jesus invites us to His joy. Everyone is free to reject His offer. This is central to His joy, for at the heart of His offer is the joy of being freely united to Him. Everything about love is, and must be an expression of the freedom of our will to choose.

“Abide in me.” Jesus Conversations Within ts 8/31/2022 

If life with God is glory then life without Him is poverty, the worst sort of poverty.

We must first realize our poverty without God before we can truly discover the great wealth of returning to Him. So says Jesus in His very first sermon. The path to true wealth must begin here. No one takes a path until they first realize they are not on it.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.” Jesus 8/30/2022 Conversations Within ts

“Nothing beats a first hand experience.” Meme

Experience has taught me a great deal about God. One is that He disciplines me, and by that I do not mean He punishes me, but rather He trains me. This tells me that He cares about my character, and wants what is best in me.

“For whom the LORD loves He disciplines, Just as a father disciplines the son in whom he delights.” Prov.3.12 8/29/2022 Conversations Within ts

It is one thing to know about, and another to know of.

I know a great deal about flying a plane, I know very little of it. I do not want to come to the end of my life knowing a great deal about God. I want to know Him, not as I imagine Him, but as He reveals Himself-as He truly is.

“That you may know you have eternal life.” 1Jo.5.13 8/28/2022 Conversations Within ts

A good description of a kiss cannot compare to the experience of kissing. Some things just have to be experienced.

 I am discovering that to define God with words is not the best way to know Him. That is why it is possible to know the Bible forwards and backwards but never really know anything of God. It is one thing to know about God; it is an altogether different experience to have personal knowledge of Him. Don’t define knowing God, become the definition of what it means to know Him.

"And this is eternal life, that They may know You, the only true God and Jesus Christ whom You sent.” Jesus Conversations Within ts 8/27/2022 

"Happy moments, PRAISE GOD. Difficult moments, SEEK GOD. Quiet moments, WORSHIP GOD. Painful moments, TRUST GOD. Every moment, THANK GOD.” Rick Warren.

 When I am mindful of God I realize that I am mindful of life itself. This wakefulness works in me an "I can't help myself" awe and praise. My soul is stirred by all that surrounds me, and to everything that it reveals about the glory of the One who wants me to call Him Father. 

“Praise the Lord, my soul.” Ps.103 Conversations Within” ts 8/25/2022

“God is good all the time.” Meme

When I watch a video clip of a lion chasing down a baby zebra, I find myself hoping it will survive, even though I realize that if it always does, all lions would starve. There is a longing in me for the day when the lion will lay down with the lamb. Until that day arrives, I remind myself that God is still good, and that every baby zebra that dies is tenderly known to Him.

“Praise the Lord, all his works everywhere in his dominion.” Ps.105 Conversations Within” ts 8/23/2022