Fresh heart for the journey
“Look, dear son,” his father said to him, “you and I are very close, and everything I have is yours.” Luke 15:31 LBT This devotional and several to follow are passages I discovered in my first Living Bible in 1974. Having been teethed on (and memorized) the King James Version, it was […]
“The steps of good men are directed by the Lord. He delights in each step they take. If they fall, it isn’t fatal, for the Lord holds them with his hand.” Psalm 37:23,24 Living Bible I don’t know of anyone who hasn’t experienced failure in some place and time in their life. Who hasn’t […]
“Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.” Ephesians 4:31,32 NLT “I’m not mad at anyone!” I came to this realization yesterday while […]
Sometimes we just need to start over! In the one summer that I gave myself to learning to play golf, I loved the word ‘Mulligan.’ It meant that when my tee shot didn’t go anywhere near my intended direction (which was almost always …) the ‘Mulligan Rule’ would kick in and I’d be given […]
“The Lord had clearly instructed the people of Israel, “You must not marry them, because they will turn your hearts to their gods.” Yet Solomon insisted on loving them anyway. He had 700 wives of royal birth and 300 concubines. And in fact, they did turn his heart away from the Lord.” I Kings 11:2,3 NLT […]
“May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.” Romans 1:7 New Living Translation “ …and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us.” Matthew 6:12 New Living Translation For a man with impeccable religious credentials, grasping grace wasn’t exactly easy. With an attitude […]
He may have had many days when he didn’t think about his father, but there was never a day when his father wasn’t thinking about him! There’s nothing worse than a lousy ending to a good movie. The ending must comply with our sense of right; it cannot mess with our sensibilities. If it’s a […]
“Generous in love—God, give grace! Huge in mercy—wipe out my bad record. Scrub away my guilt, soak out my sins in your laundry. I know how bad I’ve been; my sins are staring me down.” Psalm 51:1-3 The Message I was surrounded by people of dubious character. Many of those around me […]
Impasse! None of its dictionary meanings make me smile. (stalemate, standoff, deadlock, gridlock, bottleneck, dead end) Here’s what it sounds like: “I’m not moving until you do, and that’s because I’m right and you’re wrong. And even if you’re not wrong, you certainly aren’t as right as I am.” And so we stand on […]
Everyone needs a second chance Christmas is over – but not our gratitude for the Gift. The tree is gone – but not the awe of God visiting us in Person. Decorations are re-packed – yet the glow of the Son still warms our souls. There’s a response in our hearts that the marketers had […]
I am a pastor, teacher, and encourager. I am a happy husband and leader of a family tribe now numbering 13. I am President of Fresh Heart Ministries and consider called of God to help you grow in your spiritual walk … let you know how special you are to God … and have some fun while doing so.