Category Archives: Bible

Blest Is the Man Who Makes the Word ~ Hymn

Blest Is the Man Who Makes the Word

Blest is the man who makes the word
Of God his con­stant guide;
There learns the path his Sav­ior trod,
Nor turns his step aside,
But shuns the broad and flow­ery way
Where vice and fol­ly love to stray.

He, like a tree whose spread­ing root
Refreshing wa­ters lave,
Whose bend­ing boughs with gold­en fruit
In rich lu­xu­ri­ance wave,
Shall firm­ly stand when storms in­vade—
No leaf shall fall, no blos­som fade.

And when, his life’s brief sum­mer o’er,
He shares the ge­ne­ral doom,
Though earth shall know his place no more,
In Hea­ven he still shall bloom;
And there, with end­less glo­ry crowned,
In fruits of right­eous­ness abound.

Words: Harriett Auber, 1829

Truth for Today #98

Thursday April 25th

On Thursdays my posts will include verses that stood out in my readings from the Bible during week. One, two, three or maybe more. If you have a verse/verses that you read during the week and would like to share, leave it/them in the comments and I will add it/them to the post. Let’s dig deep in God’s Truth again this year!

The verses that you share are appreciated and so encouraging, I’m thankful for them and for each of you! 

Psalm 98:1-2

Oh sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done marvelous things! His right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him. The LORD has made known his salvation; he has revealed his righteousness in the sight of the nations.

1 Corinthians 16:13-14

Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love.

From Vera:

”Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me, lest I be full and deny you and say, “Who is the Lord?” or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God.“
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭30‬:‭8‬-‭9‬

From Leonard:

Job 34:2-3

“Just as the mouth tastes good food, the ear tests the words it hears. So let us discern for ourselves what is right, let us learn together what is good.”

 

 

Peace

It is unusual for us to see a dove at our birdbath. This one looks quite fluffy and stayed around long enough for some photos on Saturday.

On Sunday I was reading a devotional by John MacArthur called Drawing Near and on this day the title of the devotion was The Cushion of Peace.

I’ll share part of what I read and found so encouraging.

…”Christians can experience a cushion of peace in their souls regardless of their troubled surroundings. That’s because they belong to God, who is the source of peace; serve Christ, who is the Prince of Peace; and are indwelt by the Holy Spirit, who is the agent of peace. Galatians 5:22 says, “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, [and] peace.” When you become a Christian, God grants you the gift of peace…

God is not only the source of perfect peace, but also its purest example…

God wants everyone to know that kind of peace. He created the world with peace and sent His Son to offer peace. Someday Christ will return to establish His kingdom and reign in peace for eternity…”

My prayer for you is that you have this cushion of peace.

John 14:27

27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

Truth for Today #97

Thursday April 18th

On Thursdays my posts will include verses that stood out in my readings from the Bible during week. One, two, three or maybe more. If you have a verse/verses that you read during the week and would like to share, leave it/them in the comments and I will add it/them to the post. Let’s dig deep in God’s Truth again this year!

The verses that you share are appreciated and so encouraging, I’m thankful for them and for each of you! 

Colossians 4:2-6

Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving; praying at the same time for us as well, that God will open up to us a door for the word, so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ, for which I have also been imprisoned; that I may make it clear in the way I ought to speak. Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity. Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person.

From Maristella:

Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul. Psalm 143:8.

From Dianna:

Psalm 16:11 ”You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.”

From Vera:

”Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.“
‭‭Psalm‬ ‭143‬:‭8‬ ‭ESV‬‬

From Susan:

“When I discovered your words, I devoured them. They are my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear your name, O LORD God of Heaven’s Armies.” Jeremiah 15:16

Truth for Today #96

Thursday April 11th

On Thursdays my posts will include verses that stood out in my readings from the Bible during week. One, two, three or maybe more. If you have a verse/verses that you read during the week and would like to share, leave it/them in the comments and I will add it/them to the post. Let’s dig deep in God’s Truth again this year!

The verses that you share are appreciated and so encouraging, I’m thankful for them and for each of you! 

Joshua 22:5

Only be very careful to observe the commandment and the law of Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, to love the LORD your God, and to walk in all his ways and to keep his commandments and to cling to him and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.

From Dianna:

“Who Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that having died to sin, we might live to righteousness; by His wounds you were healed.” 1 Peter 2:24

From Vera:

”Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.“
‭‭Psalm‬ ‭143‬:‭8‬ ‭ESV‬‬

From Leonard:

Job 23:10-12,14

“But He knows where I am; when He has tested me, I will come forth as gold.

My feet have closely followed His steps; I have kept to His way without turning aside.

I have not departed from the commands of His lips; I have treasured His word in my heart.

So He will do for me all He has planned. He controls my destiny.”

From Maristella:

I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand to be a covenant for the people and a light for the gentiles, to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.

Isaiah 42:6-7.

From Karen:

I Samuel 12:24

Only fear the LORD, and serve him in truth with all your heart: for consider how great things he hath done for you.

From Marilyn:

Isaiah 43:10-11 You are My witnesses,” declares the LORD, “and My servant whom I have chosen, so that you may consider and believe Me and understand that I am He. Before Me no god was formed, and after Me none will come. I, yes I, am the LORD, and there is no Savior but Me.

From Cheryl:

But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.
I cried unto the Lord with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill. Selah.

Psalm 3:3, 4

Truth for Today #95

Thursday April 4th

On Thursdays my posts will include verses that stood out in my readings from the Bible during week. One, two, three or maybe more. If you have a verse/verses that you read during the week and would like to share, leave it/them in the comments and I will add it/them to the post. Let’s dig deep in God’s Truth again this year!

The verses that you share are appreciated and so encouraging, I’m thankful for them and for each of you! 

Isaiah 57:15

“Thus says the high and exalted One who lives forever, whose name is Holy, ‘I dwell on a high and holy place, and also with the contrite and lowly of spirit in order to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite.”

Psalm 51:17

“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise”

From Vera:

”‘Ah, Lord God! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you.“
‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭32‬:‭17‬ ‭ESV‬‬

From Dianna:

“Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things which have not been done, Saying, ‘My counsel will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure’,_

Isaiah 46:10

From Karen:

I Corinthians 1:18

For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.

Good Friday

Today we remember Good Friday, the day Jesus was crucified on a cross and when he breathed His last and was laid in a tomb.

Were the angels looking down from heaven to see all that would transpire?

We are so fortunate to be able to attend a Good Friday service this evening in Colville.

And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
From Matthew 27:45-66

The Death of Jesus

45 Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour. 46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” 47 And some of the bystanders, hearing it, said, “This man is calling Elijah.” 48 And one of them at once ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine, and put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink. 49 But the others said, “Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to save him.” 50 And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit.

51 And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. 52 The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, 53 and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many. 54 When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!”

55 There were also many women there, looking on from a distance, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to him, 56 among whom were Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Joseph and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.

Jesus Is Buried

57 When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who also was a disciple of Jesus. 58 He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered it to be given to him. 59 And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen shroud 60 and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had cut in the rock. And he rolled a great stone to the entrance of the tomb and went away. 61 Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there, sitting opposite the tomb.

The Guard at the Tomb

62 The next day, that is, after the day of Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate 63 and said, “Sir, we remember how that impostor said, while he was still alive, ‘After three days I will rise.’ 64 Therefore order the tomb to be made secure until the third day, lest his disciples go and steal him away and tell the people, ‘He has risen from the dead,’ and the last fraud will be worse than the first.” 65 Pilate said to them, “You have a guard of soldiers. Go, make it as secure as you can.” 66 So they went and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone and setting a guard.

 

Is it not strange, the darkest hour
That ever dawned on sinful earth,
Should touch the heart with softer power,
For comfort, than an angel’s mirth?
That to the Cross the mourner’s eye should turn,
Sooner than where the stars of Bethlehem burn?
~Spurgeon

Truth for Today (Holy Week)

My usual Thursday Truth for Today will be a little different today because of Holy Week. If you have verses to share I will add them to the end of this post. Today is Maundy Thursday a day we remember the night Jesus was betrayed and the night He had the last supper with his disciples.

My Lenten Rose (Hellebore) in Kenmore appeared out of the cold hard ground every winter just before the season of Lent. I find it to be a humble plant in that it’s beautiful bloom faces down to the earth. I have to get down on my knees to capture a good photo of the beautiful bloom. It is a consistent reminder to me of our Savior and His humility in coming down to earth to live among us in human form. He took on our lowly body to be with us because of His great love for us. When I see my Lenten Rose come up I think of Jesus Christ’s humility and obedience to the Father in going to the cross and suffering and dying for all our sins. This is a reminder from nature that draws me to God’s truth in His Word, the Holy Bible, which leads me to worship.

Philippians 2: 5-11 (ESV) 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

On this day of Holy Week my prayer is that you will turn your eyes to our Savior and accept His sacrifice on the cross in faith, repenting of your sins and receiving forgiveness for your sins and and a new life of hope for your future in Him.

GOTW-practice035

Excerpts from John chapter 13…

It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love.

Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God;  so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist.  After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them.  “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am.  Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet.  I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.  By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

From Maristella:

Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland. Isaiah 43:18-19

From Vera:

”When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.“
‭‭John‬ ‭17‬:‭1‬-‭5‬ ‭ESV

From Leonard:

Acts 2:22-24

“Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it”

Easter Week Hodgepodge

Wednesday Hodgepodge is ready to go with a new set of question from Joyce. Thank you, Jo!

1.What do you love about your life right now? 

There is so much to love. God loves me. Jesus died on the cross and was raised to life to save me from my sins because He loves me. The Holy Spirit guides me. Greg and I are coming up on our 50th wedding anniversary at the end of this year. Our three kids and their spouses honor us. Our two grandchildren are a gift to us and we get to love them. We love our church where the Word of God is preached and honored. We love our little country town and our country bungalow. We love the Godly heritage we were privileged to grow up with. We do not take any of this for granted.

‘O how I love Jesus, because He first loved me’

2. March 26th is National Spinach Day…are you a fan? If so, how do you like yours prepared/served? 
We enjoy a traditional soup that we call ‘Green Borsch’ that is a spinach soup we serve with hard boiled eggs chopped up in it. Greg has ordered spinach enchiladas on occasion. Spinach salad is good, too.

3. In this current season would you say you need to spend more time looking inward or that you need to get out of your head? Tell us why. 

The inward needs a good evaluation with help from God to get on the right track and continue on the right track. What is on the inside can’t help but come out through our mouth and actions. We are a selfish people who need help to get out of our own heads. 🙂

4. Are you following the ‘March Madness’ madness? (That’s US college basketball in case you’re out of the loop).

We do have a team from our state and our closest large city in the tournament. Gonzaga is a private college in Spokane, and they are in the Sweet 16. Gonzaga has made it to the Sweet 16 for the ninth consecutive year. Spokane is also hosting the final game of the tournament so the police are gearing up for all that excitement.

Fun fact about Gonzaga is that Bing Crosby is an alumnus. Spike the Bulldog is their mascot. We have lots of ‘Zags’ fans in our little city of Colville and in the state of Washington.

What’s something that feels like actual madness to you right now? 

So much feels like madness. The Southern Border for one. The hate that fuels so much of politics and the lies that deceive. Pronoun craziness. OYE! It is our natural bent to want to be God but we are not God and we are not ultimately in control.

5. How will you celebrate the Easter/Passover holiday this year? 

We will attend a solemn Good Friday Service on Friday evening that will include Communion. On Easter we will attend our Easter Celebration which includes an Easter Coffee Fellowship before our service (that I’m in charge of) and then our glorious celebration of our Risen LORD! After church we will enjoy a gathering for a meal and Easter Egg hunt at our Colville Kids’ home.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

EASTER Is Coming! It is always so good to celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus Christ Our LORD! We actually celebrate that all year long.

Christ Is Risen!

Truly He is Risen!

Khristos voskrese!    Voistinu voskrese!

Христос воскрес!
воистину воскрес!

Truth for Today #93

Thursday March 21st

On Thursdays my posts will include verses that stood out in my readings from the Bible during week. One, two, three or maybe more. If you have a verse/verses that you read during the week and would like to share, leave it/them in the comments and I will add it/them to the post. Let’s dig deep in God’s Truth again this year!

The verses that you share are appreciated and so encouraging, I’m thankful for them and for each of you! 

Psalm 9:1-2

I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart;
    I will recount all of your wonderful deeds.
 I will be glad and exult in you;
    I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.

From Vera:

”Therefore David blessed the Lord in the presence of all the assembly. And David said: “Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of Israel our father, forever and ever. Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all. Both riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all. In your hand are power and might, and in your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all. And now we thank you, our God, and praise your glorious name.“
‭‭1 Chronicles‬ ‭29‬:‭10‬-‭13‬ ‭ESV‬‬

From Karen:

I John 3:18

My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.