HE TELLS ME THAT I AM HIS OWN

Dad was born in 1932. He was the ninth child, the baby of the family. The U.S. Census from that period called dad's family profession "Dirt Farmers". Hmm, I wonder what other kind of "Farmers" there were?

Pop grew up in the homestead house, built by hand at the turn of the century by his dad who struck a desert claim for the land on which he lived and there, on the high plains of Eastern Colorado, he raised a family.

God so blessed me by being born at just the right time to my Mom and Dad. My young eyes and the eyes of my younger sister witnessed so many wondrous transitions of the homestead life and the changes most of the country had already seen. Tube and Ball electric wiring, using out houses then real indoor plumbing! Placing two large pieces of coal in the pot belly stove before bed; the coal to stretch the warmth through out the night. To this day I truly love the smell of a wood/coal fire on a cold winter's night.

Dad died in his fifties. I miss him so. An honest and hard working man, devoted to one woman for life, a sense of humor that endeared him to may. Like so many dads from his era, this man was one of a kind.

By far the most often hummed or softly sang melody was a hymn. I still hear his voice. He and his dad shared this same song of worship, and to both, and now including me, the hymn speaks to that close and beautiful relationship we joyously cherish with our Lord Jesus. These are incredible lyrics with a depth of love that knows no bounds. It cannot be measured, only savored.

Join with me, won't you? Let us raise our voices together in reverent praise to Him whom we so love and who first loved us.....

IN THE GARDEN

I come to the garden alone
While the dew is still on the roses
And the voice I hear falling on my ear
The Son of God discloses.
Refrain

And He walks with me, and He talks with me,
And He tells me I am His own;
And the joy we share as we tarry there,
None other has ever known.

He speaks, and the sound of His voice,
Is so sweet the birds hush their singing,
And the melody that He gave to me
Within my heart is ringing.

Refrain

I’d stay in the garden with Him
Though the night around me be falling,
But He bids me go; through the voice of woe
His voice to me is calling.

Refrain

Father God, thank-you for Your Son, Our King, our Savior, our Christ. We sing, O' Lord with great humility to the majesty of Your being, the might of Thy hands, and the endless depths of Your heart. Praise You Father, thank-You for creating our dads who taught us Your ways as we tarried there, in Christ, AMEN.

Luk 10:27 And he answered, "YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND; AND YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF."

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?

HE TELLS ME THAT I AM HIS OWN

Dad was born in 1932. He was the ninth child, the baby of the family. The U.S. Census from that period called dad's family profession "Dirt Farmers". Hmm, I wonder what other kind of "Farmers" there were?

Pop grew up in the homestead house, built by hand at the turn of the century by his dad who struck a desert claim for the land on which he lived and there, on the high plains of Eastern Colorado, he raised a family.

God so blessed me by being born at just the right time to my Mom and Dad. My young eyes and the eyes of my younger sister witnessed so many wondrous transitions of the homestead life and the changes most of the country had already seen. Tube and Ball electric wiring, using out houses then real indoor plumbing! Placing two large pieces of coal in the pot belly stove before bed; the coal to stretch the warmth through out the night. To this day I truly love the smell of a wood/coal fire on a cold winter's night.

Dad died in his fifties. I miss him so. An honest and hard working man, devoted to one woman for life, a sense of humor that endeared him to may. Like so many dads from his era, this man was one of a kind.

By far the most often hummed or softly sang melody was a hymn. I still hear his voice. He and his dad shared this same song of worship, and to both, and now including me, the hymn speaks to that close and beautiful relationship we joyously cherish with our Lord Jesus. These are incredible lyrics with a depth of love that knows no bounds. It cannot be measured, only savored.

Join with me, won't you? Let us raise our voices together in reverent praise to Him whom we so love and who first loved us.....

IN THE GARDEN

I come to the garden alone
While the dew is still on the roses
And the voice I hear falling on my ear
The Son of God discloses.
Refrain

And He walks with me, and He talks with me,
And He tells me I am His own;
And the joy we share as we tarry there,
None other has ever known.

He speaks, and the sound of His voice,
Is so sweet the birds hush their singing,
And the melody that He gave to me
Within my heart is ringing.

Refrain

I’d stay in the garden with Him
Though the night around me be falling,
But He bids me go; through the voice of woe
His voice to me is calling.

Refrain

Father God, thank-you for Your Son, Our King, our Savior, our Christ. We sing, O' Lord with great humility to the majesty of Your being, the might of Thy hands, and the endless depths of Your heart. Praise You Father, thank-You for creating our dads who taught us Your ways as we tarried there, in Christ, AMEN.

Luk 10:27 And he answered, "YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND; AND YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF."

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?

FROM WHERE DO YOU COME?

Job 1:7 The LORD said to Satan, "From where do you come?" Then Satan answered the LORD and said, "From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it."

It was about three months after I turned 16 years old, a small gaggle of pimple faced fellow 16 year olds were enjoying the freedom of rolling about town and being obnoxious. That's what 16 years olds with a driver license and a car did. The word obnoxious does not do justice to the shenanigans of these worshipers of stupidity. I was driving!

The car was stopped at a red light at the corner of the Boulevard and Prince Street. A little old lady with pure white hair, carrying a paper bag of groceries was crossing, from left to right, in front of the car. I Swear I did not know that she was blind, and I certainly did not see the white stick in her left hand. With a sudden satanic grin, and a wicked giggle, I honked the horn! Groceries went everywhere!

Me and my buddies were paralyzed with uncontrolled laughter and none of us noticed the huge tree branch of an arm enter my open window and biggest man that I had ever seen in my life then withdrew me from the vehicle. Through the window! My buddies all bailed out and ran.

As this Goliath of a man carried me about, my neck fully encompassed by a massive hand, he moved me from here to there picking up every can, every package, every item that had fallen from the paper bag, and returning them to the proper place in the sack. A few times my feet were actually in contact with the ground. The man had my whole neck and a good part of my head in his massive right hand, and he turned my head toward the lady, whom I had just learned was his mother. He said quietly to me “Say your are sorry”

Tears began to flow down my cheeks as the words left my mouth, partly because I had a feeling this was not going to end well. The man then turned my face toward him, and he said “tell me that you are sorry”. I was a groveling mess of slobber at this time and shaking like a leaf. Finally, he lessened his grip a bit advising me that his mother had already forgiven me, and that God had forgiven me, but that he was neither her, nor God. He whispered in my ear, “if I ever see you again, I will snap your neck!”. With that he turned me loose.

About 15 to 20 folks had gathered, traffic was backed up, and I walked slowly back to the car, with my head hung low, thankful that I was still in one piece and not bleeding anywhere.

That day I witnessed Satan kick-start a temptation. I had the ability to stop it before it matured. I did not. I then witnessed the wonder and might of God working through the biggest man I had ever seen rebuke me with a powerful arm, and then forgive me for being such a jerk. I remember this day as it were yesterday. I have never forgotten the grace and the mercy shown by a wondrous God through a vessel of a man, in righting a wrong and forgiving a transgression.

Act 4:12 "And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved."

Fifty Four years later, I would answer HIS call.

Thank-you JESUS !

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?

GRAPHIC CREDIT: curbsideclassic.com

FROM WHERE DO YOU COME?

Job 1:7 The LORD said to Satan, "From where do you come?" Then Satan answered the LORD and said, "From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it."

It was about three months after I turned 16 years old, a small gaggle of pimple faced fellow 16 year olds were enjoying the freedom of rolling about town and being obnoxious. That's what 16 years olds with a driver license and a car did. The word obnoxious does not do justice to the shenanigans of these worshipers of stupidity. I was driving!

The car was stopped at a red light at the corner of the Boulevard and Prince Street. A little old lady with pure white hair, carrying a paper bag of groceries was crossing, from left to right, in front of the car. I Swear I did not know that she was blind, and I certainly did not see the white stick in her left hand. With a sudden satanic grin, and a wicked giggle, I honked the horn! Groceries went everywhere!

Me and my buddies were paralyzed with uncontrolled laughter and none of us noticed the huge tree branch of an arm enter my open window and biggest man that I had ever seen in my life then withdrew me from the vehicle. Through the window! My buddies all bailed out and ran.

As this Goliath of a man carried me about, my neck fully encompassed by a massive hand, he moved me from here to there picking up every can, every package, every item that had fallen from the paper bag, and returning them to the proper place in the sack. A few times my feet were actually in contact with the ground. The man had my whole neck and a good part of my head in his massive right hand, and he turned my head toward the lady, whom I had just learned was his mother. He said quietly to me “Say your are sorry”

Tears began to flow down my cheeks as the words left my mouth, partly because I had a feeling this was not going to end well. The man then turned my face toward him, and he said “tell me that you are sorry”. I was a groveling mess of slobber at this time and shaking like a leaf. Finally, he lessened his grip a bit advising me that his mother had already forgiven me, and that God had forgiven me, but that he was neither her, nor God. He whispered in my ear, “if I ever see you again, I will snap your neck!”. With that he turned me loose.

About 15 to 20 folks had gathered, traffic was backed up, and I walked slowly back to the car, with my head hung low, thankful that I was still in one piece and not bleeding anywhere.

That day I witnessed Satan kick-start a temptation. I had the ability to stop it before it matured. I did not. I then witnessed the wonder and might of God working through the biggest man I had ever seen rebuke me with a powerful arm, and then forgive me for being such a jerk. I remember this day as it were yesterday. I have never forgotten the grace and the mercy shown by a wondrous God through a vessel of a man, in righting a wrong and forgiving a transgression.

Act 4:12 "And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved."

Fifty Four years later, I would answer HIS call.

Thank-you JESUS !

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?

GRAPHIC CREDIT: curbsideclassic.com

[Graphic Credit: Jesus Daily]

FRIENDS OF THE KING

What is your relationship with Christ? If asked, how would you describe the relationship to another person? Would it be distant, formal, or privileged? How about intimate, trusting, or loving?

Like many of you, I have a deep seated respect and reverence for our Lord. There is a healthy bit of fear too. Fear of falling short of His expectations. Fear of wrath, when I really mess up.

It is difficult for me to consider them to be separate, as they truly are. I see the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit as Almighty GOD. He is the Creator. We are the created. He is the Potter, we are the clay.

Am I a FRIEND OF THE KING? Are you?

The very thought of being a FRIEND OF THE KING, of GOD, of JESUS, is a very sobering concept for me. It is not something I would ever take lightly, or be cavalier about. I think that if I spent too much time thinking about friendships using the fleshly model, I would be petrified with fear for even considering it.

Joh 15:15 "No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you.

Wow. The KING, our Lord calls us His friends. John chapter 15 describes the beauty and depth of His and our Father's love for us. Teaching that to love, is to be Godly, Holy, Righteous.

Joh 15:16-17 "You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you. (17) "This I command you, that you love one another.

As several of you know, I was a late bloomer; in my mid 60's when I answered His call to salvation, then a year later to the ministry. He chose me, ME. If you knew me in my profane life, you would never believe that Jesus would call or consider me His friend. He did. Praise You Yeshuah, Praise You Son of God!

With great humility, honor, love and reverence, I declare to you that Christ Jesus has called me His friend. I am also His servant, His Slave, His worshiper, His creation. He died for me. I will die for Him.

Are you FRIENDS OF THE KING?

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?

[Graphic Credit: Jesus Daily]

FRIENDS OF THE KING

What is your relationship with Christ? If asked, how would you describe the relationship to another person? Would it be distant, formal, or privileged? How about intimate, trusting, or loving?

Like many of you, I have a deep seated respect and reverence for our Lord. There is a healthy bit of fear too. Fear of falling short of His expectations. Fear of wrath, when I really mess up.

It is difficult for me to consider them to be separate, as they truly are. I see the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit as Almighty GOD. He is the Creator. We are the created. He is the Potter, we are the clay.

Am I a FRIEND OF THE KING? Are you?

The very thought of being a FRIEND OF THE KING, of GOD, of JESUS, is a very sobering concept for me. It is not something I would ever take lightly, or be cavalier about. I think that if I spent too much time thinking about friendships using the fleshly model, I would be petrified with fear for even considering it.

Joh 15:15 "No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you.

Wow. The KING, our Lord calls us His friends. John chapter 15 describes the beauty and depth of His and our Father's love for us. Teaching that to love, is to be Godly, Holy, Righteous.

Joh 15:16-17 "You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you. (17) "This I command you, that you love one another.

As several of you know, I was a late bloomer; in my mid 60's when I answered His call to salvation, then a year later to the ministry. He chose me, ME. If you knew me in my profane life, you would never believe that Jesus would call or consider me His friend. He did. Praise You Yeshuah, Praise You Son of God!

With great humility, honor, love and reverence, I declare to you that Christ Jesus has called me His friend. I am also His servant, His Slave, His worshiper, His creation. He died for me. I will die for Him.

Are you FRIENDS OF THE KING?

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?

NEARER THAN YOU MIGHT THINK

When I was small, summers would be spent at the homestead of my Grandfather and Grandmother. Grandma Elsie May was the family Bible scholar and each evening, just before bedtime, she would read scripture out loud to us. Many of the evening bedtime Bible sessions would be reflective of the days events, usually events involving me, and often, the scripture was from Proverbs! More than once, I feared that by the time morning returned, I would awake and find my seven-year-old body in the fires of hell. Elsie was powerful in sharing Solomon's life lessons.

One evening, following a thunder storm, Grandma Elsie began reading about the end times. “They are nearer than you might think”, she said. Moving from book to book, verse to verse, Elsie painted a mental image that had me spellbound, and scared out of my wits! Woe is me, I thought.

In the days of our Savior Jesus, the end times were near. Mat 24:3 As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him [Jesus] privately, saying, "Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?" In the minds of those listening then and reading those words now, we certainly are quickly approaching the end times today. Assuredly, we are much nearer to the end today than where we were two-thousand years ago.

God is eternal. He does not wear a wristwatch. While in this flesh, we are tied to the clock. God is not. Don't be lulled into a false sense of security that two-thousand years after Christ revealed His Revelation to Saint John, that we still have plenty of time. 2Pe 3:8 But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. This is a deadline you should not miss!

How close are we? Well, let's look around at events that paint a truly frightening picture; (ripped from the news headlines):

TEEN KILLS SISTERS, MOTHER THEN SELF

ENTIRE FAMILY OF THREE SHOT DEAD BY DAD

SON SUES MOM AND DAD FOR ALLOWING HIS BIRTH

MOTHER SAYS TO DAD, I'VE KILLED THE GIRLS

BOY SAYS, I SHOT HIM TO WATCH HIM DIE

And the Bible says: Luk 12:53 "They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law."

The hatred, the nastiness, the absence of moral responsibility and evil is off the charts. It gets worse by the day. The endless 24-hour news cycle and quality 4G service keeps our brains bathed in this wretched slop. We know how its going to end. Its in THE BOOK. No one knows when. My sense is that its nearer than you think!

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?