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A Message To The Church

And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you. 1 Thessalonians 4:12

On this day I give praise to our God for His goodness and love towards us, His Holy Church, the fellowship of believers thoughout this entire world. 

We are all connected through our belief in Him and united by our trust in the saving work of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

We believe in Him who died upon the cross as an offering, so that we might recieve forgiveness from our sins; Even the gift of eternal life in God’s presence, forever. Amen

May our faith unite us and help us overcome any doctrines this world may have imposed on us through its retoric, prejudices, and beliefs

Though we might live in different countries and have different cultures, may we share in the comfort of knowing that we are all children of the same God. 

Rejoice, that we each fall under the same mercy and grace, given to us by His Son, Jesus Christ.

In these difficult and divisive times, may our faith remain strong and our trust in God’s love for us through Christ Jesus, comfort all anxiety and concern

Let us praise the name of our God, the one who reigns above all the earth. Singing out songs of praise to Him, for we are the ones He calls His beloved sons and daughters. Let His name be honored above all.

May we give thanks for the gift of our families and towards the great fellowship of believers within His Church. That we might remember more deeply, and be assured of the love and caring Spirit of our God towards us.

Sing a familiar song of joy in the Spirit and power of Jesus Christ. Praise His gift to the church, the precious offering that He gave us upon the cross

I pray that we would feel encouraged to pray for our brothers and sisters in need this day. Both, for those in our own congregations, and those in need in difficult places throughout the world

May you pray that Christ, through His Spirit, would also come to you this day, and show you a need that you might fill

Let us cry out to God that He would help bring peace, where there is now war. And that by His power He would bring people who now stand divided, back together, that God’s love might abound and His church, strengthened

May God’s Spirit work within each of you this week, to show you a new message from His Word. That you would become more assured of His love for you, and gain God’s gift of peace and comfort in these days

Share the gospel message with others. Tell the good news of Jesus Christ, our savior, and the reason for our hope as believers

Finally, may God richly bless you and the church you belong to. Continue to grow in your faith and abound in love and good works towards eachother. 8/23/2026

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Grateful For Your Mercy

The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in mercy.  Psalm 103:8

Lord Jesus, full of mercy and grace, I thank you this day for looking out for me

Though I am not feeling good, You placed me into the hands of skilled and caring people and they put me on to a strong path for healing

I am grateful for all the care I have recieved

Lord you have blessed my life for good. Even though I have not always deserved it, Still You have cared for me and formed a shield of protection all around my life. 

What could I ever have done to deserve this?

How could I ever thank you enough for blessing my life?

In so many ways your mercy has reached out and surrounded me. It has stepped in and saved me through illness and injury and brought protection when difficult situations suddenly came upon me

When I look back I can see your hands at work in my life and the love that you had for me

And I am grateful Lord, for You have been so good

I see the people you brought near to me. Those who knew and loved me and others who showed up at the right times. They helped show me the way, mended my hurts, and healed my wounds

Each one somehow found the time to help me. Even when their lives were busy and they were dealing with their own things

I see how You hands were at work then, Lord. They are still busy to this day

But, I have not always been thankful, Jesus, and there were times when I took things for granted

Now, I clearly see on this day how You have watched over my life with care

Thank you, Jesus

Your mercy saved my life and healed me

Blessed Savior, I am in awe of Your love and mercy. I am grateful beyond words at how you have cared for me

Life is a journey filled with all the experiences common to life. Yet, it is Your love, mercy, and grace that help carry us through all the hard times

Isn’t it sad that during the good times we may come to forget; And we who have been so blessed by You, fail to remember who has been so good to them each and every day of their life

Oh Lord, you freely give to us each day in full measure

How great is our God, in Jesus Christ. I remember You this day and give thanks

And though I can not even comprehend the depth and width and height of your love, I sense it, feel its power, and understand how it has worked in my life

May I always be thankful, and remember how good you have been to me and be ever grateful for the blessings you have freely given to one so small.  8/21/2026

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Wait Upon The Lord

Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord! Psalm 27:14

I will wait upon the Lord and serve Him all of my days

Though trial and difficulty come upon me, I will trust in Him

My faith will be secure, a priceless possession I will guard. Though many may come against me, I will remain true to God

For He does battle for me and watches over my life to protect it. He defends my soul and casts a barrier all around me

God lifts me up when I become weak. He strengthens me, and readies me for the fight. Every day He stands watch to guard me from every sort of evil.

Great is our God. He dwells above all and steers the procession of time. Even the movements of the entire universe is set in motion by His hand.

Yet He considers those who love Him, He does not ignore their cries

I will wait upon the Lord each day, even when I do not hear His voice

I will wait and pray and cleanse myself before Him

When He does not make His presence known; Still, I will wait, until that day when He may be found

Panic will not overcome me. Or, worries, cloud my vision. I will remain calm and wait upon the Lord. For He is always close at hand

As a good servant continues on in their duties, I will be patient and serve Him. I will do His will as long as I have breath

There are times when God is quiet. When we cannot hear or detect His presence. But, He is always there besides us. Surrounding us as a shield

He will continually uphold us. So never lose heart or diminish in faith.

For our God goes before us and will stand with us always. Even to the end of all time. 12/29/2006

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Our God Above All

Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever You formed the Earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God. Psalm 90:1

The Lord our God reigns.

He is covered in blinding light and His strength has no boundary

The majesty of His presence is above all things

From His throne flows an incredible power that travels out across the entire universe.

His presence is awesome, far greater than anything that He made

This world, our home, was formed by His hands. By them, He carefully crafted the formation of this incredible place within the greatness of our universe

He thought of it and formed it for His own pleasure and desire, as a place for life to exist and for us to live in

God’s throne was established from the beginning. He is from everlasting to everlasting

There is nothing that can move Him from His place

He reigns above all

We see the wonders of this earth and cry out in awe of its beauty and goodness. But you, oh God, are far far greater

Our eyes look out across the vast expanse of our oceans, and shudder the at the power of the tall waves that rage upon it. They roar and rise up to great heights and shake the land as they break upon the shorelines

But You, Our God, are mightier than these. You laugh at the angry waters

And though they crash and roar with tremendous power, they are nothing to You, oh God. You see them and smile, for you cannot be moved by them

We can observe from space the great storms that sweep across our planet

They move like gigantic waves and whirlpools miles above us. Their winds blast the earth. We run and seek shelter from their fury. But You, are unshaken. They are beautiful to you, for they accomplish Your will as they water the earth below.

Even in the harsh vastness of space, which surround us in unimaginable distances. You are not threatened, harmed, or controlled in any way. For the mighty things of this creation have no affect upon their creator. But You guide all things in any way in which you want

Even when a star explodes, or galaxies containing billions of stars collide, You remain unaffected. Or, when Black Holes with their incredible mass and gravity swallow up everything around them; You are not bothered in any way. For You are mighty above all things, and You made each of these for there own purpose

At the end of time when this creation come to its end, You will still reign. Your strength, power, and love will last beyond all of this. In all Your glory you shall remain God forever.

What an awesome God we have. I will continue to praise Him for the rest of my days

The Lord, our God, has made us to live within this beautiful and amazing creation. He has made this place with loving hands and guides it with a steadfast heart

Isn’t it profound that God so loved us that He sent His Son Jesus, along with His Spirit, and Word to us, His children

So that we might live to all the fullness He designed us for. And so that those who love and trust in Him may live in His presence, forever more. Amen. 1/24/2024

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The Incredible Wanderer

The Wandering Glider (Pantala flavescens)

One morning a few weeks ago, I stepped out into my yard and entered a familiar place, my pollinator garden. Almost immediately I spotted a plain looking Dragonfly resting on a branch soaking up the early sunlight. It had large eyes, clear veined wings, and a body that was light green and dull yellow. I was lucky that I came out early and it was still at rest, for I was able to sneak up and snap a couple of pictures. Seconds later, it flew up and circled the garden in effortless flight.

I’ve learned something important in recent years. When we take the time and effort to look closer at the life that lives all around us, we see so much more that we ever thought possible. There are thousands of species living in the places near where we live that we regularly pass by and never learn anything about. Some of these are truly incredible creatures that inspire us, wow us with their beauty, or surprise us with a unique ability. Life on this planet is amazing, and a wonderful slice of it is happening every day just outside our doors. As I have looked closer at what lives in the world around me, it became obvious that God did not make a simple world for us to live in. It is truly astounding in its complexity and function, yet in equal measure, it is filled with beauty and life giving qualities. 

When I went back in to have a morning cup of coffee, I thought about the visitor I had just seen. It looked a little different than other dragonflies I had seen recently. So, I uploaded my pictures and used an app to help me identify it. It came up as a Wandering Glider. Hmm, something I had never seen before, and I felt honored that this new visitor felt inclined to stop by this tiny garden within God’s vast creation.

As I sipped my coffee, I began to read about this creature. There was a lot of information about this one, perhaps because it was an unusually widespread insect. Infact, the most widespread Dragonfly on the entire earth. But, even more surprising to me was its ability as a long distance traveler. This small bug is perhaps the most exceptional migrator and navigator I had ever heard of. Some populations of the Wandering Glider have multigenerational migrations that span over eleven thousand miles. They travel across continents, the worlds highest mountain ranges, even vast oceans to follow the wet warm seasons of winds and moisture such as the famous monsoons.

I read about a scientist who studied one of their most amazing journeys. He found that a very large population of these insects migrate across the entire Indian Ocean from East Africa to India, nearly two thousand miles. Out over the water, these Dragonflies cannot land, or eat, but somehow they have enough strength to cover this distance flying nonstop in about five days. They use an inate knowledge of the weather and seasons to follow the monsoons and weather patterns of this region. They ride on the winds of these storms at just the right times and altitudes like fine skilled sailors. Back and forth they fly from Africa to India and from India to Africa over and over, for multiple generations. It just so happens that these weather patterns bring rains which wet the land, allowing this dragonfly to successfully lay millions of eggs into puddles and ponds on both continents. Being the voracious preditor they are, their larva consume literally billions of mosquito larva in these pools of water, keeping the pest populations in check and reducing the spread of infectious diseases like Malaria and Dengue.

After a couple days, the Wandering Gliders who had visited my humble garden moved on, likely to the north to a place of there own knowing. But I have not forgotten them. Life is truly surprising, and I’m reminded what an incredible place this Earth is when I see something that may not appear that special, but really blows me away. It strengthens my belief in God to see these wonders in the world that He created. I believe we all benefit from eachother and that this place is not just for us, but for all the life that lives here. It strengthens my resolve that it is absolutely worth protecting, because all of God’s creatures and plants each can tell similarly amazing stories. How important then that we try to save this place and keep things intact as best we can. For God created all of this abundant creation for our benefit and also for the prosperity of the life that lives here. 

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Let All The Earth Praise Him

“Oh Lord, our Lord, How excellent is Your name in all the earth!” Psalm 8:9

Shout praises to the Lord of all creation. Give glory to Him who reigns

Sing songs of gratitude for His mercy and love; give thanks for the multitude of His blessings

Sing forth all you mountains. Bend low, every hillside. Tremble, before His power and majesty

Raise your branches, every tree. Reach them high towards the heavens. Dance as the wind of His Spirit rustles through your leaves that catch the sun’s glowing light

Give honor to Him, all you vineyards; and blessing you fertile fields. For He has given you richness in great abundance, so that you might bless all the earth with plenty

Call forth you songbirds. Cry out every Eagle on high. Give honor to Him, darting swallows, for He has given you the wind beneath your wings

In thanksgiving bow before Him. With gratitude give him praise. For He has fed you from His abundance and placed the miracle of life within your frame

Call out you azure heavens. Raise up you mighty thunder clouds. Give glory to Him who stands above you, and stirs you like dust beneath His feet

Shine forth, every golden sunbeam. Illuminate God’s good earth, whom He alone has made

Give light to all His children, so they might glory at the beauty of His creation

Whisper soft hymns, you quiet waters. Reflect forth images of His goodness and mercy. Give drink to all those who thirst, and life to all that lives and breathes

Give honor to the God of the heavens, sing praise to Him who made this Earth

Offer, each day, a sacrifice of grateful thanksgiving for all the good things He has done

Our God is higher than all of His creation. He is greater than anything known

Sing, for He is awesome

Raise you voices, because of the magnitude of His glory

Lift up His name, for He is more than worthy of all of our praise. 11/5/2006

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A Well Placed Bench

“Pray to your Father who is in the secret place, and your Father who sees you in secret will reward you openly” Matthew 6:6

In most every garden I have taken care of in my life I found a place where I could go to pray during my breaks. They were always in a quiet, out of the way area, where I could reliably find about fifteen minutes of undisturbed time. Often, I would just choose a spot and and then add a chair or small bench. It was somewhat important that these places be more comfortable in the cold of winter, or in the heat of summer. I found that nearly every garden has at least a place or two that are perfect for prayer. The main thing was to find a place that was condusive for spending some uninterupted time talking to God.

In one garden I recall, there was a well placed bench out in the back of the garden. It was found at the end of a path that looked out above the entire property, as well as the town beyond. Large trees surrounded and protected the bench from winds and provided nice shade in the summer and they also allowed sun to warm me on those cold winter mornings. Here there was often the fragrance of flowers in the air and the sounds of birds singing in the trees and down in the garden below. Even the subtle soundtrack of the city noise in the distance provided a valuable context for prayer. Most spots, of course, were not as idyllic as this one, but they each provided me an important place to conect with God each day.

There is truly no other way like prayer to draw near to God. When we step away from distraction and begin to talk and connect with our God truly amazing things can come about. Jesus himself told us to withdraw to our secret place and pray frequently. It is perhaps even more true in these days that we take time to do this most important activity. Think about how many times Christ withdrew from His busy schedule of teaching, healing, and dealing with all kinds of people each day. I’m sure He must have prayed to His Father every day, many times. I’m guessing some of us could do better that were currently doing. I know I could. From experience, I remember how my life has been transformed during the times and seasons when I made prayer a focus. Our lives are busy and full of things that occupy our attention, but we must set aside these things as best we can, and focus our attention upon the things that truly matter in our life within the Kingdom of God.

For some of you it may be a real challenge to find a place and time that is free from distraction and responsibility. But if you set your mind upon it, God will show you a way. Explore the possibilities you have before the day gets really started. How about fifteen minutes, a quiet room, a cup of coffee, and a Bible verse to get you started. Or, maybe you are as lucky as I was at work and you can find a quiet place at break or lunch. In truth, I have probably prayed the most in my car or truck when I had some time to spend with God wherever I was. God will provide a place, if you look for one. Perhaps there is a well placed bench somewhere near you. Or you might be able to place one in your very own garden. 

The most important thing to remember is that we have been instructed by God to make persistant effective prayer towards Him a priority in our lives. When we do, we will begin to see our faith life grow closer in His presence, which is filled with His Spirit, love, grace, wisdom and power.; and there, He will begin to transform our lives in many new and life filling ways.

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Renew Your Faith in God

“And do not be conformed this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you might prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” Romans 12:2

Be renewed in faith, and learn again to trust in God. For He is our hope and salvation. The one true and living God who watches over us

Remember

Rouse up your memory, so that you might be restored

Recall those days when He was alive in you, and your life was found in Him

Lift up your heart. Clear out the haze that has cloaked your mind

Purify yourself, so that you might know His fellowship again. Seek His forgiveness for sins with a spirit of repentance, so that the road ahead would be clear

Seek after your God!

Call out to Him. Spend time in prayer each day until the eyes of your heart sees Him, and your life is filled with His Spirit again

Don’t wait for another day, until it is convenient. Delay no more, for He is waiting besides you

Sing out to Him and lift up your praises unto Him

Give thanks for everything you can think of, for He has given it all to you, and more

Walk towards Him. Follow the one true path that leads to life

Hurry, if you have the strength

Rest upon His promises

Work towards His upward calling

Enjoy the peace of His love and salvation. The only sure thing that exists in this world

Stand upon the life of Jesus Christ, the one true savior of all mankind

Renew yourself

Cease from sin and from worthless distractions. Steer clear of the traps that are laid all around, and follow all the good ways of God

He is trustworthy

He is our strength

He loves us with a power that is beyond our understanding and rejoices over those who have faith

Be strong and don’t give up

For all those who seek to continually renew themselves in Him, each day, will surely taste the sweetness of His love and salvation. 12/23/2010

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Blessed Things

As I prayed this morning, my mind focused on a project I was in the middle of. The construction of a new shed. There was some details that had come up with the builder and my mind was awash with solutions and problems… all the what ifs. Then something interesting happened. Since I was in prayer and the moment should be more God focused, I turned the ownership of my shed around and decided to dedicate it to the Lord. I asked Him to bless it’s construction and its existence in this world, so that it might honor Him in any way it could. And this, made all the difference in my perspective.

I started thinking about when I had asked God to bless things of mine before in my life, There was a house, a property, and a truck that I needed to buy. There were gardens and jobs, trees that I had planted, and even the pages of words that I have written that were put into print. These became my blessed places after I had asked God to take them and use them through me for His Glory. It changed my whole attitude and the way that I valued these things and it stayed with me all the days that I ‘owned’ them.

It’s amazing how God can power us through a simple act as this. In truth, I should be placing everything in my life before God. Isn’t it amazing and humbling that all we have is His to begin with. Each thing that God brings into our lives are really just gifts that we can use to glorify Him in whatever way we can. He owns them all, but He has allowed us to own them for a time, a chunk of this and a part of that. Tools that I use, spaces He allows me to manage, even my friends, family, and the people I come into contact each day. These people whom He considers His most precious possesions. This is God’s intention of how we should conduct ourselves in this life.

Our loving God created us to live in this place, and He has given us all that we need. Indeed, we pass through this world in a blip of time within the span of a great eternity. And yet He made us, so that we might live before Him and enjoy the wonder and beauty of all His goodness. It is therefore, our duty to honor Him and live our lives according to His Will. So that we might consecrate our lives, and all the things He has given us, into honoring Him for all that He has done.

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Mercy’s Prayer

Lord God, help me always follow Your will and Your Way

Let me not to get too caught up in the ways of the world

Show me the right path, that You desire of me

By Your Spirit and through Your Word. Give me insight into Your truth. Mend my heart, and soften my tendency towards stubborness

Let me show mercy, goodness, and grace towards others, as You bring them before me each day

When I have been quick to judge and shown contempt for those I do not even know, help me not be too swayed by the rhetoric of these times. Which only works to consolidate power towards those who are already powerful, and shows contempt for the weak and lowly among us

Jesus Himself, once stood in a temple ruled by the religious authorities of that time, and behold, before Him stood a man who was both a cripple and poor

There, the leaders of the temple stood and watched Him. They positioned themselves as the ones who were holy and righteous above all others

In all power and authority they ruled over God’s people and they looked upon Jesus with great contempt

Jesus stood before them, full of the Spirit of the living God. He was the very incarnation of God Himself, filled with the supernatural beauty of His love and grace

Jesus looked upon the injured man, whose life had become such a struggle, and He desired to heal him and make His life complete again; To openly show the love of God for a man who had simply come in faith that day

In their selfish hearts, the temple leaders gazed at the very Son of God, waiting to see if He would sin against their man made rules 

They glared at Him in utter hatred, because He was not like them at all

In the rigidity of their own laws, they had neglected God’s mercy. Because of the hardness of their own hearts, they showed their own hatred, but not God’s grace

For when Jesus reached out and took hold of the poor man’s hand, and healed him. They reacted in anger, jeolousy, and hatred; seeking a quick way to destroy Jesus’ life

Oh, how can we get it wrong so often? Is it because we trust in our own ways and not in God’s?

What ugliness wells up from us, when we act out in pride and selfish ways. It obscures the beauty of God’s love that exists as His banner for all to see

The Word of God is clear

The Gospels of our Lord Jesus Christ show us without any doubt

That We need to live our lives before Him and renew our faith each day, so that we may show His mercy, goodness, and grace to all. So that we may express, as best we can, the essential nature of our Lord

My God and Savior, help me each day to not be led away with the doctrines of man

Show me the right path, as You lead me by Your Spirit and by Your Word

Help me see the love You have for Your people, so that I may not be quick to judge them

But that I might be willing to help them in any way that I can  3/26/2025