Eudurance

Whether traveling, working, or just walking our way through this life we are faced with endless trials and temptations. The urge to shout at a helpless ticket agent that has found an error in ticketing or found that your reservations for the flight did not take. Traveling can at times be one irritation after another with late flights, heavy traffic, and foul weather. It takes endurance to finish well. Long distance runners experience the highs of endurance when they finish the race. In a spiritual sense we have a God who has planned an incredible future for us. Eugene Peterson writes in The Message, Chapter 12:1, “So you see what this means–all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we’d better get on with it. Strip down, start running–and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it.” Click here for a short devotional about endurance.

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God Wants to be Your Friend

Inside Martha’s Vineyard Camp Meeting Association Church

“No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you” (John 15:15 NKJV).

Our Father is supernatural. While on Earth, Jesus was one hundred percent God and one hundred percent man. He was in constant contact with God. And this is the mystery of that relationship. Jesus is God.

Worship on Martha’s Vineyard

Scripture reveals God’s intention toward us is love. Jesus says that He will no longer call his disciples servants. As believers we fit into that small group called disciples. This is not just for the twelve; it is for us. He says a servant does not know what his master is doing. The Lord gave us the Scriptures, revealing His plan to the very end. We know His plan is for our good and benefits others. He says we are His friends because all things He heard from His Father He has made known to us. It’s in the Bible. It takes two to form a friendship. Get to know Him by reading His thoughts and plans for us.

Friendship can never be one-sided. He will walk with us. He speaks to us through His word, through Church, and through His people. As we listen, He speaks to us personally through the Holy Spirit in our quiet times. “Be Still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). He will walk along side of us when we feel completely alone. We can run to Him in times of trouble and He will defend us.

Our side of the friendship is to keep studying His Word, to pray without ceasing, and to fellowship with His other friends — other believers. We can do this by finding a Bible believing church. Spend some quiet time alone with Him. The miracle is that He wants to be your friend.

—from The Miracle of You. Click here for more information.

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The Garden of Eden, Lucas, Kansas

Driving into Lucas, Kansas

I love the out-of-the-way places. You find that everyone has a story, and most of the time it’s an interesting one. There are no lines. Quite often I find I have the place to myself to explore and ask all kinds of questions. The Garden of Eden in Lucas, Kansas was one of those marvelous off the road experiences. Drive north of I-70 for just fifteen miles. It’s best in the spring.

Here’s a close up of Adam and Eve as they welcome you to their paradise. The Garden of Eden was built by Samuel Perry Dinsmoor, a retired schoolteacher, Civil War Veteran, and Populist politician, Dinsmoor moved to Lucas in 1891 and settled on a farm outside of town with his wife. I won’t spoil the link by telling you the entire story, but I will tell you this: you can actually take a look at the man’s face – for real!

The entrance hints of the wild array of sculpture throughout the grounds. You must go in the spring or summer to get the benefit of the leaves and water lilies on the pond.

This is just a glimpse of the sculptures. There is so much more to this story. Click here to find out about the Garden of Eden.

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You can Abide in HIM

Old North Church
Boston, Massachusetts

“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5 NKJV).

Inside the Old North Church

The secret is abiding. He is the vine and we are indeed the branches. When we accept Him and seek His face continually, we can be incredibly fruitful. We can achieve things we never thought possible. We can climb impossible mountains, overcome impossible odds, and do it with little effort. As we lean on Him, He takes the burden. When the Scripture says, “for without Me you can do nothing,” it means that without Him you can do nothing that counts. Some things count for eternity. Other things count for today, but they may not last.

There’s not going to be a Fortune 500 list in Heaven. Making money seems to be the focus of society these days. You heard the joke about the man who died and went to Heaven. St. Peter met him at the gate and asked him what he was trying to bring in. The man said he wanted to bring his gold with him. After some time, Peter shrugged and said the man could take it in. But since Heaven’s streets are made of gold, it was as though the man carried in a load of concrete!

The Lord can give us beyond what we could ever think or imagine. It goes far beyond money or material possessions. Although, that can be part of the blessing. Abide in Him. Abide means live. Live in Him. He can and He will make your life more exciting and adventurous than ever, if you’ll just trust Him. Be faithful and hang on tight! No matter what happens, you will be glorifying God and doing something that matters. The miracle is that you can abide in Him.

— from The Miracle of You. Click here for more information.

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Nashville’s Parthenon

The Parthenon in Nashville, Tennessee

The Parthenon stands as the centerpiece of Centennial Park, Nashville’s premier urban park. The re-creation of the 42-foot statue Athena is the focus of the Parthenon just as it was in ancient Greece. The building and the Athena statue are both full-scale replicas of the Athenian originals. You can spend a day enjoying the park and museum.

Click here for the story of how this amazing building came to be part of Nashville’s landscape.

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You are Salt and Light

Went to this church in Savannah!

“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden” (Matt 5:13-14 NKJV).
You are the salt of the earth. It’s a phrase people use when they speak of someone’s integrity. Someone who is the salt of the earth can be trusted. They are solid and considered the best and noblest elements of society. Here Jesus is saying that we are the ones who give flavor to life.
Salt was used as a preservative in ancient times. Even today you will find it used against bacteria, mold and spoiling. The way it works is that salt draws water out of cells via the process of osmosis. If you add enough salt, too much water will be removed from a cell for it to stay alive or reproduce. This keeps bacteria from living and growing in beef jerky.
Strangely, our body also needs salt in order to live. It is both a flavoring and a necessity to maintain our body’s chemical and electrical balance. Salt can be very useful or deadly.
Beyond that, salt creates thirst. One of the best things we can do as believers is create in others a thirst for more knowledge and relationship with Jesus. Let’s be useful, not deadly!
You are also the light of the world. As a believer in Christ, you hold the light of eternity in your hands. You can share this light to bring others into the Kingdom. Add these to the positive qualities the Lord has poured out upon you. You are the salt of the earth and the light of the world shines through you. The miracle is you.

—from The Miracle is You. Click here for more information.

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Power In Believing

February 8th I will be sharing my message, “The Power of Believing” at Alma Temple. The service begins at 6:00 pm. Beginning at 6:30 pm it will be on live radio broadcast on AM910. Please join us if you can. Alma Temple is located at 1340 Sherman Street, Denver.

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Jerusalem Travel Guide

On Our Own in Jerusalem’s Old City

If this is your year to travel to Israel and make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, do yourself a favor and read “On Our Own in Jerusalem’s Old City.” The subtitle is, “Two Born-Again Christians Explore Their Hebraic Roots.” It is the story of spending nearly a month within the confines of the ancient city walls of Jerusalem. That’s less than a square mile. During that time David and I experience divine appointments and did continual research on the sites tour guides take their clients.

This book will tell you the ‘rest of the story’ about those famous sites. If this is your year to go to the Holy City, then take the adventure first with us. It will help you decided where to spend your time and money. The book is now available in audio format.

Click here for more information.

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Answer to Where In The World . . .

Giving Elvis a little advice!

Here I am at the Wishbone Restaurant at 9701 Federal Boulevard in Westminster, Colorado. I have to say they have the very best homemade fried chicken. Drop by and try it sometime! Thanks for playing 😉

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