The Culture of Hope Founded on Faith
Our Fathers’ Spiritual Legacy
While packing up the garage in preparation to move, Dan came across a box he had decorated for his dad as part of the craft activities available for summer camp at Verdugo Pines in 1964. The art on the box is a multi-media representation of their church – Grace Bible Chapel, an open Bible, a mountain with snow on it, and a sheet of paper with the word “Announcements” written at the top of the page……
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Be Exalted, O God
The past few weeks have been extraordinarily busy and stressful as we have been in the middle of selling our Susanville house and buying another in the Reno area at the same time. I now understand the wisdom exercised by friends who moved a couple of years ago and waited to buy in Reno until their house sold. They lived in an apartment for a while in order to do so. But they are also in…..
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What Are You Looking For?
A New Year is, once again, upon us. It seems a time of reflection for many, in which the old year is reviewed for the purpose of recognizing what we need to change to make our lives better. But then those resolutions quickly depress us by their unattainability and the New Year begins just like all the others: in the same rut of compromising behaviors and habits. When we make resolutions, what is it that…..
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The Christ of Christmas
Some years ago it was reported that a re-release of the 1965 “A Charlie Brown Christmas” television special had deleted the Luke 2:8-14 reading that is part of the Christmas program in the movie. How sad that the creator of the Peanuts cartoons, Charles Schultz, was so dishonored in the removal of such a key part of his carefully conceived story and script. But it is even sadder that subsequent generations have not heard the story…..
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Singing “Messiah”
Tonight Dan and I have the rare opportunity of singing part of Handel’s oratorio entitled “The Messiah” with the accompaniment of the Susanville Symphony. The libretto is a compilation of Bible verses establishing the need for a Messiah, the coming of the Messiah, the Messiah’s death, burial, and resurrection, and the prophetic look at His future return. The part we are performing is the first part plus the traditional addition of the “Hallelujah Chorus”. We will also sing…..
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He Knows My Name
Dan celebrates his birthday today. After two cancer diagnoses, 2006 and 2017, the subsequent and devastating treatments for both, and a near fatal accident last summer he is celebrating more than just a birthday. He is celebrating the blessing of God’s healing, protection, and longevity. We keep reminding ourselves that God has spared us for a reason and that He is not done with us on earth yet.
But today reminds me also of family anecdotes,…..
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Training By Testing
When “bad” things happen to Christians, we frequently wonder what they have done in the past to deserve it. The Bible is clear that tribulation and suffering are not necessarily deserved or earned. Reasons for trials in a Christian’s life include God’s training by testing, God’s glory, the spread of the gospel, Satan’s sieve, or the consequences of unconfessed sin. Training by testing is the topic of this week’s devotional.
I took a trip down memory lane…..
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To The Glory of God
When “bad” things happen to Christians, we frequently wonder what they have done in the past to deserve it. The Bible is clear that tribulation and suffering are not necessarily deserved or earned. Reasons for trials in a Christian’s life include God’s training by testing, God’s glory, the spread of the gospel, Satan’s sieve, or the consequences of unconfessed sin. The glory of God is the topic of this week’s devotional.
While humans fear adversity,…..
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For the Spread of the Gospel
When “bad” things happen to Christians, we frequently wonder what they have done in the past to deserve it. The Bible is clear that tribulation and suffering are not necessarily deserved or earned. Reasons for trials in a Christian’s life include God’s training by testing, God’s glory, the spread of the gospel, Satan’s sieve, or the consequences of unconfessed sin. The spread of the gospel is the topic of this week’s devotional.
Paul is…..
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It Started With a Broken Arm
When “bad” things happen to Christians, we frequently wonder what they have done in the past to deserve it. The Bible is clear that tribulation and suffering are not necessarily deserved or earned. Reasons for trials in a Christian’s life include God’s training by testing, God’s glory, the spread of the gospel, Satan’s sieve, or the consequences of unconfessed sin. Satan’s Sieve is the topic of this week’s devotional.
For Dan and me, it…..