What is the Love of God

Philippians 3:13 …I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead. Have you ever noticed that it is easier to walk toward home than it is to walk away from home? I remember walking home from kindergarten once.  It was only a couple of blocks but it was a freezing winter day, and my corduroys […]

Psalm 30:5 For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; “…his favor lasts a lifetime…”  wow, God gets angry temporarily but His love for us is forever! That is my new favorite part of the Bible, I have read the Bible many times but always find something new and exciting.  His favor lasts a lifetime!  Isn’t that exciting? That to me speaks volumes. […]

Matthew 4:19 “Come, follow Me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” As a child I loved fishing.  All I needed to do was see where everyone else was fishing.  I would go there and I always caught something. Right before I enlisted in the Army I worked on a professional fishing boat.  Our catches […]

Colossians 1:17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. ‘Together’ superficially, seems to be a word describing social settings.  My wife Winnie and I are together for life.  I am together with other Christians in our belief in God and God is together with us in a group.  We gather together. The Bible’s word ‘together’ is more of […]

1 Kings 17:6 The ravens brought (ELIJAH THE PROPHET) bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook. I have met and dealt with some very unpleasant people in life, and particularly on the mission field.  With the exception of a few ‘missionaries’ themselves, it is easy to dismiss them as non believers, and walk away from them.  I usually […]

Hebrews 4:12  For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Lately the Lord is teaching me to be more intentional about seeking His will in my life, my family’s lives, and in […]

I spent this week driving across America from Florida to Reno and back. What I love most about traveling are the faces of those who I have encountered on the road.  When I reflect on the end of a trip, I mostly remember the amazing faces: the chiseled face of a Navajo Indian selling jewelry, […]

I am driving across america with a close friend this week. Not only am I helping him, but I am always raising awareness of our charity’s needs. This week the pressing need is $1200 cash by Friday to pay our co-laborers.  We all live hand to mouth.  If we miss payroll, the staff and their dependents […]

Recently I was in a room, and a lady entered complaining about me.  It was nothing serious, but she was really embarrassed when she saw me.  I laughed, which made her more embarrassed. Philippians 2:14 New Living Translation Do everything without complaining and arguing, Complaining is bad.  It damages all of your relationships.  Even worse, […]

Deuteronomy 8:4 New International Version Your clothes did not wear out and your feet did not swell during these forty years. Lauren Cunninham once said, “God provided all the provisions of the Israelites in the desert.  Also, their shoes never wore out, nor their clothes.  Good thing they weren’t wearing white patent leather shoes and […]

John 15:15 New International Version I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. I once heard on a country western song, ‘friends forgive each other’s sins’.  Although it’s […]

Galatians 6:2 Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ. People want to feel fulfilled with their lives.  Many times conducting job interviews or interviewing people who want to come down and serve as missionaries, I asked them why they want to subject themselves to this torturous heat, ridiculously long hours, poor […]

Isaiah 41:10 New Living Translation Don’t be afraid, for I am with you I loved holding my children’s’ hands when we walked.  They let go of me quicker and quicker as they got older, but I never want them to.   I want my kids to know that I am here for them. God is the […]

Matthew 28:19  New International Version Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, Jesus told us to go make disciples.  He didn’t tell us to go ‘save people’, because only Jesus can do that.   Discipleship is different from salvation.  In 1 Cor 11:1, Paul urged believers to follow him as he followed Christ. As […]

Angels are messengers from God.  They send messages to us, and they also report back to God. So Angels are two way transmitters.  We are too.  We as Christians go obediently, telling people about Jesus.  When someone gives out information, they should also be receiving information.  Hear what the other people say and think.  Listen […]

Acts 20:28 Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among […]

Romans 2:29 No, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a person’s praise is not from other people, but from God. ‘8’ basically means new beginnings.  Jesus rose from the dead the 8th day of the week, […]

Numbers 14:24 New International Version But because my servant Caleb has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly, I will bring him into the land he went to, and his descendants will inherit it. God likes different.  People do too, reluctantly.  This past weekend we reflected on Jesus’ triumphant return to Jerusalem.  The multitudes adored […]

James 1:27 King James Version Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. Karl Marx said, ‘Religion is the opium of the people.’  If you mean religion as just doing things to do them, he […]

Proverbs 26:4 New International Version Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you yourself will be just like him. If you are answering a fool according to his folly, you are empowering them.  Usually when someone says something weird, it is just a way to get attention.  I think it is best […]

Acts 19:8 New International Version Paul entered the synagogue and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God. I had a problem when I was in the car business.  I could only remember a customer’s name if I saw the car they were driving.  Once I saw a guy in […]

Like the song says,’ I, Am Not Skilled to Understand…What, God has Willed…What God has “Planned” Jeremiah 29:11 New International Version For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. A little lady by stature, but […]

Companies pay millions of dollars a year trying to keep young employees loyal, but they will never have loyal employees as long as they look for ways to fire people once they have a little seniority.  Young employees are young, not stupid.  When they see the company firing or forcing out older employees they know […]

Romans 12:8 New International Version if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully. Cheerfulness has won over more people than anything else that I know of. I have been reminded again […]

Romans 12:8 New International Version if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully. Cheerfulness has won over more people than anything else that I know of. I have been reminded again […]

Do we preach the ‘truth in love‘?  Really?  What exactly is the truth? I met a middle eastern man named Sahara in airport last week.  He was kind enough to help out with technical difficulties on my laptop.  We were fast becoming friends until I told him I was a Christian missionary.  It was as […]

Jeremiah 3:15 New International Version Then I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will lead you with knowledge and understanding. God said he will give us pastors after His heart to lead us. Although no one can know another man’s heart, we should be very careful when we choose our pastors.  That […]

Our pastor opened up church on Sunday saying ‘Today we are going to talk about what we should wear’.  Winnie Joy said to me in an excited whisper, “finally, a sermon about fashion sense!” Isaiah 61:10  New International Version I delight greatly in the LORD; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed […]

Philippians 1:3 I thank my God every time I remember you. 2016 has been a hard year for our ministry as we’ve gone through growing pains.  But we have also accomplished so much!  As a new year starts, we’ve been reviewing the past year and have been amazed at all that has happened. With the income […]

Inspire literally means to breath in.  Like you would do if you are about to do something crazy, like jump into ice cold water, or jump out of an airplane for the first time.  Inspire is a transitive verb, insinuating that you are about to do something. Inspiration makes you want to do something, as […]