Jalen and the Gnome

"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, ⁴not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others." - Philippians 2:3-4

Today's story is a reminder for all of us that it doesn't take much effort at all to make someone's day; to turn a frown upside down. All it takes is thinking of others, first.

During my summer disc golf class for kids, we had a quiet young man do something quite unexpected. As you might have guessed, his name was Jalen. He was 10 years old.

One night, Jalen showed up with a handful of 3D-printed gnomes and gave one to every kid in the class. He even gave one to his instructor. Suddenly, Jalen was loved by everyone in the class.

This kid didn't have to do what he did. He wanted to do it. But he had the ability (the gift) to make those gnomes. So he did.

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." - James 1:17

Was Jalen's gift "good and perfect?" I'd say 'yes' because I know how it made me feel. But the beautiful thing was, Jalen never expected anything in return.

What "gifts" have WE given to others recently? Does anything come to mind? Think about it. What was the last nice thing you did for someone? 🤔

Uhh.....

Maybe if we did unto others as we would have them do unto us ("Golden Rule," Matthew 7:12) we would all be better off. But we don't do that. At least not often enough. Why not? It's a command from our Lord.

Start off this work week "in Jesus' name." Buy some donuts for the office for no reason. Compliment someone on a job well done. Open a door for someone. Drop something in a tip jar. Donate something to the local food pantry. Donate blood or platelets. Clean out your office and donate the items to Goodwill. Take a walk and pick up trash. Give someone a hug.

"Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. ³⁵By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” - John 13:34-35

Thank You!

When you get to be my age (73), thoughts of mortality creep in. Aches and pains become daily occurances. And we begin "thinking" before we do things. Like "I should take my phone with me into the woods in case I fall," or, "If I sit on the floor with my granddaughter, how will I ever get up?"

Such things are all part of life as we get older. But there is another part of aging that is absolutely wonderful. Our relationship with God, and with others. This morning I am grateful for both.

God has blessed me with many young friends. These are mostly former youth group kids who are now in their thirties. I keep in touch with a few and we are all very close.

Then there's the older friends. I have a few of them as well, and again, we are all very close to one another.

The thing that binds us all together is what I am MOST grateful for. Jesus. The Trinity really. If it weren't for God, I would have none of these wonderful gifts (these dear friends) in my life.

Let me drop a Bible verse here, as I just finished reading Psalms.

"When I consider your heavens, the work of your hands, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, ⁴what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?" - Psalm 8:3-4

More personally, "Who am I, that you are mindful of me?"

All these gifts, friends, and blessings, are from God.

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change." - James 1:17

But why does He give us such amazing friends and family members? That's easy.

Love.

"God is love." - 1 John 4:8

We sure could use a whole lot more love in this crazy world right now. And I think we will be getting it soon. But in the meantime. . . . 

"Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another." - John 13:34

Who Am I? - Casting Crowns

Thank You Jesus For The Blood - Charity Gayle

Do You Hate Me?

“If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters - yes, even their own life - such a person cannot be my disciple." - Luke 14:26

That verse always makes me pause for a moment. Jesus wants us to hate everyone? No. Jesus simply wants us to love Him more. More than anyone. Even ourselves.

Who do you love most right now? A spouse? A parent? One of your kids? A super-best friend? Jesus wants us to love Him more than any of these. And that's where we often struggle.

How much do we love Jesus?

The key to understanding the meaning of this verse is to look at the Greek text. In the picture above we see that the Greek word for 'hate' is 'misei.' It actually means to "love less."

Perhaps a better way to understand this verse is to substitute those words for the word 'hate.'

“If anyone comes to me and does not love less their father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters - yes, even their own life - such a person cannot be my disciple."

Going one step farther, the translators COULD have said, "you must love me more than these." But that's not what scripture says.

The point of all this, I think, is our priorities in life. Is Jesus really our #1 love? We need to remember another verse in order to help us in this.

"At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven." - Matthew 22:30

People tend to think that, when they die, they will be reunited with dead loved ones, or can finally marry the one they truly love. That's not what Jesus just told us. We will all be worshipping and serving God, together.

God gives us friends, children, and spouses as earthly objects of our love and affection. But do we love Jesus more? Remember, God created us all in His own image. He is the creator of ALL things; therefore, we are His. Whatever He says, goes.

Many will struggle with this, but I think that's the point. Jesus said what He said to make us stop and think. Do we really love Jesus more than these? Paul has something to say about this.

"An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord’s affairs - how he can please the Lord. ³³But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world - how he can please his wife -  ³⁴and his interests are divided. An unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the Lord’s affairs: Her aim is to be devoted to the Lord in both body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world - how she can please her husband. ³⁵I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord." - 1 Corinthians 7:32-35

One more verse to close with and I will leave it to you to wrestle with.

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength." - Mark 12:30

Next Thing You Know

My wife and I were watching one of "our" TV shows when they cut to a commercial. As is their habit on this show, they usually play some "bumper music," which they did. But instead of muting the song, which my wife usually does, she held the remote and just listened. We both really liked the song. But then it was gone. What was it?

That's where modern technology comes in handy. Most people our age can be incredibly clueless when it comes to technological advances, but, using Google, we did figure out who the artist was and quickly found the song on YouTube (link at bottom).

It was a country song. And although "country" isn't really our thing, we both really enjoyed listening to it. Here's a few of the lyrics:

'Cause next thing you know

You got a yard full of your kid's kids

And ya take 'em to church, teach 'em to fish

And ya tell 'em stories every chance you get

About how fast this life down here can go

That's the stage my wife and I are at. Our kids have kids. And we love it when they're in our yard.

As I listened to the song, the first thing I noticed was how my mind went back in time to our OWN marriage and how I have loved my wife through all of the changes along the way. 

The second thing that crossed my mind was the amazing grace that God has extended to us. We've had our ups and downs, just like most couples. But our love has always endured. We've put up with each other for over 49 years.

"Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.

His love endures forever." - Psalm 139:1

I guess from this point on, the next thing you know, we'll both be in heaven, worshipping our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. As the song says, "our life down here" sure goes fast.

But God has been with us since before we were born. As it says in Jeremiah 1:5, "Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you."

I wonder . . . what would happen if we thought about God as we listened to that song? What if we thought about how He has watched over us and directed our steps all along the way. Would our relationship with Him, and our love for Him, grow stronger?

There's one way to find out . . .

Next Thing You Know - Jordan Davis

Foolish Hearts

"Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” - Matthew 19:14

I love kids and I love interacting with them. Perhaps that's why I have taught VBS for the past 5 years. Who knows? God knows.

Kids have an innocence about them that seems to fade with age. And that is the topic of today's story.

When Jesus said, "the kingdom of God belongs to such as these," He was referring to the children gathered around Him. It's their innocence that caused Jesus to say that IMO. Innocence compared to us - the backsliders, doubting Thomases, and the lukewarm. We become tainted by the world because we live in it day after day.

Children grow up and their innocence fades. Is rhere anything we can do to keep from fading away in our faith?

"The grass withers and the flowers fade, but the word of our God stands forever.” - Isaiah 40:8

And there's the answer. We can immerse ourselves in God's Word. Our love for God must be complete. 100% And how do we get there? Pray, read, study, surrender, worship, and quit wallowing in a world that tells us to do the opposite.

We need the heart of a child. Not one that is foolish and perishing.

"The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?" - Jeremiah 17:9

"I've been wrong before, don't be wrong anymore." - Steve Perry

Foolish Heart - Steve Perry

Peace and Love

It is easy to feel unloved in this world. Everyone is so busy with their own lives.  We live in a consuming culture. Buy this, buy that. Who has time to love when we are told to indulge ourselves in the world around us? Spend, spend, give in to your desires.

Another thing that's hard to find is peace. Because we are encouraged to "have things our way," someone else's way can be hard to swallow. I want, I want, give, give. We desire peace, and, if you don't give it to us, we will kill you.

Love and Peace. Just two small things, right? But they are everything. So, how do we get them? And where do we find them? Logical questions. I would suggest that neither one can truly be found on our own. Both of these things require someone else being involved. And they cannot be fully received until we give them away. Check out this Bible verse:

"Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled; do not be afraid." - John 14:27

"MY peace?" Does Jesus really offer a peace that is different than OUR version of peace? I would say yes, yes He does.

And what about love? Does Jesus offer a different kind of love too? Let's take a look.

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another." - John 13:34

As Jesus has loved us, that is how we are to love one another. Are you kidding? That's impossible! He DIED for us!

Yessss..... 

Think about that for a moment. Jesus died, and through His death, our sins were paid for.

"The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life, IN Christ Jesus our Lord." - Romans 6:23

In order the fully receive the peace and joy we desire, we must be "in Christ." So, how we become "in Christ?" What does that mean? Well...

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!" - 2 Corinthians 5:17

So, in order to be "in Christ," He has to be "in us."

"And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption." - Ephesians 4:30

And there it is. The conclusion of the matter. In order to have peace and love, the way God intended it, is to have The Holy Spirit's seal. The Holy Spirit living in you.

"On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. ³⁸Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” ³⁹By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified." - John 7:37-39

My Peace - Maranatha Singers

Perfect Love

"There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love." - 1 John 4:18

There is a desire within the human heart to be loved. You have that desire. So do I. When we are loved, our hearts are filled with joy. When we are NOT loved, no amount of sunshine can brighten up our day.

"A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you also must love one another." - John 13:34

"No one is perfect," says the world. Is that true? Of course not! The world does not know Jesus. If it did, we wouldn't have any of these horrible, divisive stories on the news every night. What would the news media do then?! Lol!

Jesus demonstrated His love for us by sacrificing His own life for us. Think about that for a moment. Think about a world filled with His unconditional, sacrificial love!

"Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends." - John 15:13

One might say, "A world filled with that kind of love is not possible." To that, I would say, "All things are possible . . . with God." - 

“With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” - Matthew 19:26

My friends, if you are not feeling loved, if your world is filled with darkness and pain, please consider Jesus. He beings light to the darkest day. He brings hope to the lost, and love to those who have none. Be perfected in love. The love of our Savior.

Great Are You Lord - Casting Crowns

The Life Preserver

What does love look like to you? Most of us tend to picture a young couple, walking along the beach at sunset, holding hands. Or perhaps a young mother, holding her newborn child to her breast.

"See how much they love each other," we say. "Look how much she loves her child!"

God commands us to love one another. And we DO have that ability within us. But we tend not to love those who are against us or who are not interested in hearing the Gospel message.

How can we NOT share the Gospel? Considering what awaits those who have not come to a saving faith in Jesus, it is the ONLY loving thing we can do.

"So he began saying to the crowds who were going out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?" - John The Baptist, Luke 3:7

The example I always use is someone drowning at the beach. They need help. If they don't get that help, they will soon be dead. Are we just going to stand there and watch them die? Or, do we throw then a life preserver?

"As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead." - James 2:26

Every human needs a life preserver, and His name is Jesus. Without Him, we will be eternally dead, spending our forever life after this one in hell. But, in Jesus, we can have eternal life, free from pain and suffering, surrounded by love.

"Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another." - Jesus, John 13:34

It seems so simple. So, why do people not want to hear our message? Why do they choose to spend eternity in anguish? They don't believe our message.

We can do nothing to change their hearts. But we CAN love them, and pray for them, and share  the message of hope with them.

We are ALL sinners. But, if we repent of our sins and trust in Jesus, we WILL be saved.

“The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the Gospel!” - Jesus, Mark 1:15

So then, this is love . . .

"This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. ¹¹Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another." - 1 John 4:10-11

Our departure for our new home is approaching. We best be found busy when He comes.

This Is Home - Switchfoot

The Shadow of a Cloud

"You silence the uproar of foreigners; as heat is reduced by the shadow of a cloud, so the song of the ruthless is stilled." - Isaiah 25:5

We've all experienced the hot and humid days of summer. There's nothing quite as uncomfortable as doing yardwork during the heat of the day under a cloudless sky. But wait! What's that? A cloud!

When a cloud comes between us and the sun we can actually feel the temperature drop. Even more so if the cloud begins dropping water.

As the shadow of a cloud reduces heat from the sun, so we can be to others as we comfort them with the love of Jesus.

I have a friend who recently experienced the loss of a family member. If I am to be "a cloud in the heat of the day," how do I "cast my shadow" on them to comfort them?

1. Contact. A timely phone call or text can really help. It gives the person the opportunity to vent or open up about what's been hurting them.
2. Listen. Sometimes simply listening is enough to show you care. And listen to learn, not simply hear.
3. Empathize. Let them know you are feeling their pain along with them.
4. Guide. Share an appropriate Bible verse or a story about how you navigated a similar situation.
5. Pray. Pray WITH them. Hold their hands, put a hand on their shoulder, or while delivering a hug. Appropriate physical touch is huge.
6. Continue. Don't let the conversation end. Promise to keep in touch. And DO IT!

We have been chosen to complete a mission for Jesus. We can do that by obeying His first, and greatest, command for us.

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. And love your neighbor as yourself." - Mark 12:30-31

Even If

In my previous story about our lovely little ice storm this past week, I detailed some of the events that happened. However, God was not done writing HIS part of the story yet so here you go.

Thursday night, after all of this had transpired, we were sitting in the livingroom, listening to all of the ice and branches still falling from the trees and onto our roof. Non-stop. Both of us were very tired and had just spoken about going to bed. Then, it happened.

A loud thump followed by the sound of shattering glass. A pine tree behind our house had snapped in half, the top half of which came in for a visit through our sunroom window. 

My wife picked up glass and vacuumed the sunroom carpet while I went outside, in the rain and debris, and tried to get the branches cut off the tree trunk and away from the house. We got all of that accomplished, I got dried off, and we went to bed, overtired and ready to sleep.

That's when I felt my wife's hand searching for mine. And, finding it, we both fell asleep. 

When God said, "It is not good for man to be alone." (Genesis 2:18), He was SO right.

Then Saturday morning came, I got done posting my story for the day, and then I "found" this song. Thank you, Lord.

They say sometimes you win some

Sometimes you lose some

And right now, right now I'm losing bad

I know You're able and I know You can

Save through the fire with Your mighty hand

But even if You don't my hope is You alone

Even if we had lost every tree in our yard to the storm, our hope is still in you alone. Thank you Lord for keeping us safe. Thank you for bringing our kids over for a visit, scheduled weeks in advance, to help clean up. You are MORE than able.

“I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?" - Jeremiah 32:27

Even If - MercyMe

Why Love Matters

Let's start off this story with a line from the old Don Henley song, The Boys of Summer.

"I thought I knew what love was.  What did I know."

We go through our lives with changing ideas about just what love is. It begins with the simple, honest love of a small child. Jesus wrote about these kids and their faith saying, "

"Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." - Matthew 19:14

Is a child's love different from their faith? Not really, if you think about it. Both are simple, honest, and unconditional.

As we grow older our "love definition" changes, as do our beliefs. They become conditional and more self-centered. It's all about me instead of all about Thee. Both get entangled and mixed with other feelings - lust, and selfishness mainly. One word - sin.

We find ourselves alone, wondering what happened to the love we once had?  That childlike love, when things were simple and life was good. Do you ever long for those days? Would you like to go back to that simpler time and experience true love all over again? Yes, be we can't.

Our love for others continues to become more complex and we lose track of its true meaning and intention. It becomes contaminated by the world we live in.

Finally, we come to the end of our lives, when someone is in their last days of life, what does of love look like for them then? Often it is extremely lonely. What can be done? I have a few suggestions.

1. Love everyone we meet. And love them unconditionally. Jesus already commanded us to do this but we always seem to forget just what His love was like, to our detriment.

2. Get off our butts and GO love someone! Visit someone, invite them to lunch. If they're not doing it, we should call them up and take the initiative.

3. Send someone a text or message. Maybe they're having a really bad day and when we reach out, they know someone cared enough to actually act.

If we sit at home and "hope" someone is doing okay, what good is that? We could, and should, pray for people. But God placed us here for a reason. Not simply to think, but to act.

How are we doing with that?

"But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first." - Revelation 2:4

The Boys of Summer - Don Henley

Elusive Love?

This story is for those who desire to find love yet somehow it eludes them. It is for those who THOUGHT they were in love, only to find themselves shipwrecked on some remote desert island. Your story can have a happy ending, if you so desire. Interested?

Let's start with the concept of love itself. Where does love come from? How and where do we find it? So many questions! Let's begin with a Bible verse, shall we?

"So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him." - 1 John 4:16

Store that away for a moment and consider this: God created all things. He also created man in His own image. Do you then suppose that man is capable of showing love to others?

Yes, we CAN love, but then why don't we? Why are there some people who hate? Including ourselves. That's because of sin. God WANTS us to love one another.

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another." - John 13:34

All the pieces seem to be there, so why are we not finding love? Again, it's sin - in us, and in others. But the biggest component is the Holy Spirit. Are we SURE we have the Holy Spirit; or do we THINK we do. That's a real question we all must answer.

"It takes two to tango," so we need to make sure that both parties in our love relationships are saved (ie. a follower of Jesus). And yes, that's plural. We are to love everyone.

To be clear, 'love' has many different meanings. We are talking about unconditional, sacrificial love here. Agape in the Greek.

If we still haven't found love at this point, the last two components in our search for love are prayer and patience. Earnest, honest, vulnerable prayer. And a patience for as long as it takes.

We might say, "But I want love now!" Look at that statement. "I want." What about what "God wants?" And "now" sounds like impatience. Selfishness and impatience are sins.

It comes down to our faith in God. Our faith in Jesus. Is it real? Or just superficial? Are we SURE we know Him, or do we just know about Him?

Have You Been Sealed?

The Parable of Our Cat

Well, our cat is running back and forth throughout the house right now. Sunroom to living room, living room to bedroom, bedroom to sunroom. Repeat, repeat, repeat. Is our cat insane? Yes, but that's beside the point. I think our cat is simply happy.

Our cat is a "used" cat and by that I mean that my wife is the second owner. Our cat's previous life was spent in a small duplex with high, curtained windows . . . and a dog. Not that any of that is bad, but now it is living in a bigger, window-filled, dogless house and I think the cat is merely expressing joy in its new home.

The parable here is simple - a joyful life IN Christ. Think about it. Did we ourselves not journey from one "owner" to the next? Have we not been given a new heart? Are we not loved and cared for? We have all we need and SHOULD be joyful.

"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice." - Philippians 4:4

Granted, our cat still gets into trouble from time to time. It's a curious cat. But we too can stray from the path of righteousness. But then we are corrected and forgiven.

My wife absolutely loves her cat. And the cat knows it. It will sleep on her lap and waits for her outside the bedroom door each morning. And then, when her owner finally emerges, well, let the joyful romping begin! Oh, to have a faith like that!

Fear Not

"Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’" - Isaiah 41:10

Wow! Those are some very encouraging words. They were given through the prophet Isaiah to the Israelites who were struggling in their captivity. But what do they mean to us today? They mean the very same thing (with an asterisk).

God was speaking to "His people." Back then it was just to the Jewish people, but today, it also includes the Gentiles - those who have received the Holy Spirit through faith in Jesus. And by "faith" I mean through repentance and surrendering to the lordship of Jesus Christ - the Messiah.

It's hard to explain but I have found this to be true: There is no fear in love. There is also peace. John confirms this.

"There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love." - 1 John 4:18

And where do we experience this "perfect love?" And how do we get perfected? 1.) Jesus. 2.) Become weak.

"My power is made perfect in weakness." - 2 Corinthians 12:9"

Is it not true that, in our times of weakness, we pray? We pray more deeply, more meaningfully. Isn't that what God desires?

When I was in Boy Scouts 60 years ago we once said a prayer before our meals when we went camping. It went like this:

"Rub-a-dub-dub. Thanks for the grub. Yay, God!"

It's a wonder that we survived the weekend. God does not desire meaningless prayers and sacrifices. He wants our hearts to turn to Him in sincere repentance. And when we do, THEN we are blessed, we experience His peace, and truly realize the love He has for us.

"Stop bringing meaningless offerings! Your incense is detestable to me. New Moons, Sabbaths and convocations - I cannot bear your worthless assemblies.

¹⁴Your New Moon feasts and your appointed festivals I hate with all my being. They have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them.

¹⁵When you spread out your hands in prayer, I hide my eyes from you; even when you offer many prayers, I am not listening." - Isaiah 1:13-15

But then comes this....

“Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.

¹⁹If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good things of the land; He's waiting for you. He's waiting to make you strong, in His love." - Isaiah 1:18-19

If we honor God, obey His commands, and seek His will, THEN we shall all know peace. THEN we shall have NO fear.

Love Theory

"You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. ⁷Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. ⁸All these are the beginning of birth pains." - Matthew 24:6-8

That was Jesus telling us about the end of things and the signs of His coming. It sounds like He just got done watching the nightly news.

I just watched Minnesota Governor Tim Walz say that he was going to call out the national guard to fight against U.S. ICE agents. Here's one quote from a news story.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said Wednesday the state's National Guard was prepared to deploy if necessary following the fatal shooting of a woman during a federal immigration enforcement operation, saying, "We've never been at war with our federal government."

That was a state governor threatening war against the federal government - a rumor of war? A CIVIL war?

Let's zoom out and look at the globe we live on. Russia, Ukraine, Israel, Iran, Syria, and Lebanon have all struck others with acts of war in recent days. China and Taiwan are waiting in the wings.

I have an idea.

Why doesn't everybody just relax and spend a little time reading the Bible. The part where Jesus tells everybody to "love your enemies."

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love 

 neighbor i and hate your enemy.’ ⁴⁴But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, ⁴⁵that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. ⁴⁶If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? ⁴⁷And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? ⁴⁸Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." - Matthew 5:43-48

I'm with Him.

When God created everything, everything was good. VERY good (Gen 1:31). He breathed life into us (Gen 2:7).

"Then the LORD God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being." - Genesis 2:7

God loves us (John 3:16). And how do we thank Him? How do we give praise to Him?

We hate. We kill. We lie. We were not created to do this! We need to repent!

And we need a Savior. We need Him right now. Maranatha! Come, Lord Jesus!

But there IS something we all can do while we wait. While we occupy these earthly bodies. And that is to love one another, as He first loved us (John 13:34).

Let that be our goal today with everyone we meet. The lady at the cash register, our co-workers, the guy pumping gas next to you, the kid playing games on their phone.

Could simple acts of love really change someone's life? Let's love one and find out!

Great Are You Lord - All Sons & Daughters

How Deep?

"Who am I that you are mindful of me?" - Psalm 8:4

This is going to be an emotional story for me. I hope I can properly write down what my heart is dictating to me. Several things are prompting me to write. First of all, this verse you just read. I read it this morning in my daily reading. It asks a good question - Who are we that the God of the universe cares about us?

Secondly, I am also reading two other books along with the Bible right now. Both are nearing their end, but one struck a sympathetic note with me today, dealing with the subject of compassion as it relates to evangelism.

The author related a story about a college student coming up after the talk he had just delivered, asking him, "Could we talk?" And talk, they did. This is from the book:

"I realized that this wasn't just an intellectual puzzle to figure out, it was an emotional knot to untie."

I go back to when Jesus was talking to Nicodemus (picture above). I can picture that conversation whenever I am about to talk to someone about Jesus. Speaking in love. Asking questions. Telling the truth. It's a very intimate time.

I recently reached out to someone who was struggling. And there came a thankful response.

The timing of me reading this chapter along with this new person in need of encouragement agreeing to meet and all, is simply amazing. The Romans Road to Salvation is one thing but offering to walk along the road WITH THEM and to ENCOURAGE THEM as you walk down that road, is an entirely new ball game.

Again, who am I Lord, that you are mindful of me?

There is a bridge on that Romans Road. Its a short, narrow bridge that takes the traveler from death to life. We cannot cross the bridge without first acknowledging that it exists. And that it spans an immensely deep chasm. The bridge has a name written on it. "Jesus. King of kings, and Lord of lords."

The person we are walking with is uncertain about the bridge. Why? Because they can't yet see it or understand it. So, what do we do?

Your friend can see YOU. Your friend can hear YOUR voice and understand YOUR words. So, what's next? How can we tell our friend that they can trust the bridge and not fall?

Tell them how YOU crossed the bridge!

Tell them YOUR fears and doubts before YOU crossed it. Tell them what awaits them on the other side. It is YOUR healed heart that makes others want the same. Share. Trust. Love. Pray.

Sin separates. Love binds us together.

"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another." - John 13:34

How Deep The Father's Love - Fernando Ortega

He Provides

Traditionally, my wife and I chop up our Thanksgiving pumpkins and put them out in our backyard for the deer to eat. The deer really appreciated them this year as we had a foot of snow in late November.

At first we only had one spot for their Thanksgiving "leftovers" but then we noticed mama deer kicking at the two kids to keep them away while she ate. "That's not right," we thought.

So, the next day I shoveled two additional spots so that ALL could eat. That worked out great (see picture above).

It wasn't long before word got out in the deer community that there were pumpkins at the Hall house. At one point we had seven deer grazing in our yard. That has proven to be both a blessing and a curse as a few of our bushes have gotten "pruned" in the process. Oh well. We love our deer.

As I carried the last pieces of the last pumpkin out, I stopped and looked at the areas that I had shoveled off for the deer. It wasn't intentional, but the pathways I had shoveled formed a rather familiar shape. As a result a few verses came to mind. 

"The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my sheep." - John 21:17

And then this one . . .

"Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them." - Matthew 6:26

The deer don't NEED our pumpkins to survive. God has provided for them, just like He has for us. Hasn't He also provided for each of us the ability to earn a living through some skill set He has also provided?

My wife and I LOVE watching the deer, and the deer love to eat. It's a double blessing!

In the weeks leading up to Christmas I did some research on YouTube. I am just about done building our deer friends a feeder. I also got them a bag of "minerals" to lick up and a 25-pound grain block which they are currently working on.

We feed the deer for the same reason we feed the birds - we love seeing them in our yard. God feeds US simply because He loves us. And even in the most difficult times, God provides. And we are grateful!

The cross on which Jesus died is also an example of God's provision. Through it, and our repenting and coming to faith in Jesus, God has provided a way for us to "be in His yard" forever. And for that we give Him thanks and praise!

A Christmas Letter - 2025

As I look back on 2025 and reflect on all the gifts that God has given us, it's worth noting that they ALL have been wrapped in love. God's love. Every gift, from first to last. May YOUR list of such gifts be equally as lengthy, if not even more so.

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." - James 1:17

This year I thought I would go through my calendar and reflect on the aforementioned verse from James. Was God's love truly in every single event? And if so, how?

The name that appears first in my 2025 calendar is "Kortney." A hymn immediately comes to mind - "How Deep The Father's Love For Us." Kortney, a former youth group kid, was in tremendous need in my last Christmas letter. In very early January, God provided her with a new heart and two new lungs through a 17-year-old girl from Texas named Jay. Kortney and I meet semi-regularly to talk about life, transplants, and family. She is doing miraculously well and is, literally, filled with the energy of a teenager. Praise God! I love you Kortney!

Luke - another youth group "kid." (How are all these former youth group kids in their 30's already?) Luke and I also still meet and talk, although in January it was at his aunt's funeral. Luke came back and sat with me during the service. Still a good friend and a good man. I love you too, Iceman!

A January blood donation brought about a discussion about Jesus with a nonbelieving phlebotomist. I pray that she would come to know the ultimate blood donor - Jesus. I love Him too!

And then there's the grandkids - Lleyton and Emma. Bev and I were blessed with many visits, basketball and baseball games, and dance recitals. Grandchildren define love, IMHO. So do our kids and their spouses. Love you all!

A knee injury (still not 100% yet) also exhibited love as friends and family had pity on this old, hobbling man. I am thankful for a loving God who heals!

February brought Valentine's Day, a reminder of the love that my wife and I have for each other. Also, a mutual love for kids brought my friend Chuck and I together to begin preparations for our Vacation Bible School teaching in July. I love my brother Chuck AND all of those VBS kids at our church!

March was pretty calm. Bev and I celebrated our birthdays while we waited for the snow to melt. I met with my friend David. You can't beat long talks with good friends, especially at Chick-fil-A. Love you my friend.

As long as I am talking about good friends, let me mention a few more. Vic, Myshelle, Kari, Sarah, Jean, Dan, and Gayle. All former workmates, they still allow me to visit them each week. I have known most of them for 20 years. Some, 25! And I love them all.

April saw the addition of five new holes at our local disc golf course. Lots of work but I love disc golf and God has provided the ability for me to still play, even in my old age. Although some days my arm feels like it will fall off with the very next throw!

Let's not leave April behind without talking about Jesus and His resurrection. Christians celebrate Easter because Jesus died for OUR sins and then rose again. We thank you and love you Lord!

May found Bev and I exploring NE Wisconsin waterfalls and birding at OUR state park. We love our birds! And we love waterfalls and walks too! And then on Labor Day, I took my 50-year-old canoe out for a spin on a nearby lake. My friend Chris (the best man at our wedding) and I used to do a lot of white-water canoeing in northern Wisconsin. Love you, my brother.

June was a very busy month. Take all of the above, then throw in cataract surgery. I love my improved eyesight. Still not 100%, but brighter! Plus, we got a new cat. Bev loves it. I tolerate it . . . because I love my wife.

July brought Vacation Bible School AND Disc Golf Class. I LOVE teaching those kids! And then there was our 48th wedding anniversary. So much love!

August is the Johnson Family Reunion. Lots of love at that event too. Bev and I lost at car bingo AGAIN but we love playing it during our 10-hour trip over to Michigan and then again on our way home. Congrats too Krystle and Travis. Wait until NEXT year!

September was a sad month, yet joyous for the same reason. I went to a funeral for a former pastor's mom. What a love-filled event that was! Afterwards, checking my phone in the church parking lot, I learned that Charlie Kirk had been killed. That hit pretty deep. But then, seeing the resulting resurgence of faith in many as a result of it, it warmed our aching hearts.

October found Bev and me on another waterfall trip to northern Wisconsin. Copper Falls State Park is worth the drive, no matter where you live. October also saw the first-ever Youth Group Night at my church. Guess who the teacher was. Yep. Love it! Did I already mention that I love teaching those kids? I think I did.

November was Thanksgiving of course. We love when our whole family gets together, whatever the reason, but especially when we gather and give thanks to God for His love and provision. AND the Packers beat the Lions. And, of course, we love the food!

But if we're going to talk about "love", how can we not discuss our heavenly Father.

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." - John 3:16

May God bless you this Christmas; not with worldly possessions, but with life eternal through His Son Jesus - The Messiah. And with memories to last a lifetime, and beyond . . .

Testings

Do you remember getting surprise tests in high school? We referred to them as "pop" quizzes. That was probably because our GPA "popped" after taking them. We usually hadn't studied, and the results often made that fact rather obvious.

The point the teachers were trying to make with these pop quizzes was that we should ALWAYS be studying, and always be prepared.

"Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have." - 1 Peter 3:15

Hmm. I should have listened to Peter.

We had another youth night at church a week ago this past Friday. I decided to give the kids a pop quiz. Ha! Payback time! The student has become the teacher!

Well, that failed.

After providing everyone with paper and pencil, I asked the "students" a question and worded it this way:

"Write down who Jesus is to you."

Two kids literally wrote "Who Jesus is to you." Funny. But that wasn't the answer I was looking for. The wording of my question failed. I am still a "student." Perhaps God was giving ME a pop quiz, to show me that I was the one who was not prepared.

I am reading a book right now called Questioning Evangelism by Randy Newman. I've read it before but this is an updated version, better reflecting today's questions and social media. It is part of my effort to "always be prepared," as Peter suggested.

James 1:3 says, "the testing of your faith produces endurance." How much testing can we endure? That's the real question. Job has an answer for that.

"Though He slay me, yet will I hope in Him." - Job 13:15.

So, how can we possibly pass God's tests? Reading the Bible and doing what it says might be a good start.

What are you going through in your life right now? Uncertainty at work? A friend battling cancer? Another friend recovering from addiction? Maybe it's loneliness.

As we watch the news it's easy to see that "the world" does not know God. If they did, there would be no wars, no killing, no hunger. Only love. WE have failed the test.

"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. ³⁵By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” - John 13:34-35

Jesus mentions 'love' FOUR TIMES in two verses. And STILL we don't get it. It's a simple test. Yet, we humans fail to pass it. And it is "the first and greatest commandment" according to Jesus in Matthew 22:37

Let us endeavor to not only PASS this test today, but get an A+.

Contrast

We received a dusting of snow the day before Thanksgiving. Suddenly the woods around our house came alive with all kinds of wildlife. Deer especially. It's hunting season and the deer just seem to know "it's safer near the houses."

Of course the deer are ALWAYS walking through our yard. It's just easier to see them with the light background. It's the contrast that makes them stand out and become more visible.

Think about it. When a jeweler displays his diamonds, does he place them on a white cloth? No. He pours them out on a BLACK velvet background. Why? The contrast makes them seem to shine brighter.

That's the way it should be with you and me. So says Jesus anyway.

"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." - Matthew 5:16

My wife does this. She shops for deals at the local grocery store. When she finds a good deal she buys multiple items. It might be a frozen meal or some deodorant or toothpaste. Then she sneaks down to the food pantry or homeless shelter and drops them off. She shines brightly in our community.

The doe in our back yard was noticeable because everything around it was white. She had no idea we could see her, but were blessed by what we saw.

I think God likes watching us as we walk through the dark world we live in. WE can bless God simply by loving others. There should be quite a contrast between ourselves and "the world." So shine!

"Shine! Make 'em wonder what you got.

Make 'em wish that they were not on the outside lookin' bored.

Shine! Let it shine before all men.

Let 'em see good works and then let 'em glorify the Lord." - Newsboys

 

As The Deer - Robin Mark

Shine - Newsboys