The Lord is our help

God is love

Love your fellow Christian

Seek first the kingdom of God

Now is the time

Forgive one another

(July 31, 2002 6:04 AM CDT)

Jesus said,
"Learn a lesson from the fig tree.
Once the sap of its branches runs high
and it begins to sprout leaves,
you know that summer is near.
In the same way, when you see these things happening,
you know that he is near, even at the door."
Mark 13:28-29

You see the signs of our times.
There are unbelievable things happening.
You know that Jesus is near.
Prepare for his return.
Jesus said to watch and be ready.
Seek to have a pure heart.
Welcome him back.
Come, Lord Jesus.

(July 30, 2002 5:56 AM CDT)

"Now in Christ Jesus
you who once were far off
have been brought near
through the blood of Christ."
Ephesians 2:13

Come near.
Come into the presence of God.
He welcomes you with open arms.
God is a loving father.
Come and learn about him.

(July 29, 2002 6:01 AM CDT)

This morning I have to go to the dentist
on 114th and Davenport to have my teeth cleaned.
I see him every 6 months.
He owns a lot of Lucent stock .
It seems to be down every time I see him.
We have a 6-month checkup on Lucent.
How low can it go?
Lately I hear some people saying to get out of the stock market
and get into real estate.
Buy a house as an investment.
Maybe they are right.
Back in 1986 my cousin in New York City told me this.
At that time he worked on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange.
I asked him what stocks he owned and
he said he was into real estate.
The S&P is at 852,
so it's a good time to buy from my point of view.
I could be wrong.
God bless all the people that work on Wall Street.
May they conduct their business honestly and fairly today.

"Now he has appeared at the end of the ages
to take away sins once for all by his sacrifice."
Hebrews 9:26

Jesus died for us.
He took our place.
He suffered and died for us.
He opened heaven's doors.
Our sins are forgiven, if we ask him.
It is for all time.
Jesus, forgive my sins today.
Change my life.
Make me a new creation.

(July 28, 2002 6:08 AM CDT)

"If we have died with Christ,
we believe that we are also to live with him.
We know that Christ, once raised from the dead,
will never die again;
death has no more power over him."
Romans 6:8-9

Christ has overcome death.
Death is not to be feared.
Believe in Christ.
He is the author of life.
Trust in him.
Life is yours in Christ.

(July 27, 2002 6:17 AM CDT)

Cornelius said to Peter,
"All of us stand before God at this moment
to hear whatever directives the Lord has given you."
Acts 10:33

Are you ready to listen?
Do you look forward to the words from God?
Do you treasure them?
God has something to say to you.
Be ready to receive the message.
Go to the Lord for direction.
He will lead you to life.

(July 26, 2002 6:01 AM CDT)

Did I ever show you my two pictures of San Diego?
It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon
to go for a boat ride on the Pacific Ocean.
Here is picture one .
Here is picture two .
I took them back in 1993.

Jesus said,
"Search the Scriptures
in which you think you have eternal life ---
they also testify on my behalf."
John 5:39

When you read the Bible you see Jesus.
He is there.
The words point to him.
He is in the words.
He is the word.
He is the word of life.
He is eternal life.
Read the Bible and know Jesus better.

(July 25, 2002 5:54 AM CDT)

"The heavens proclaim your wonders, O Lord..."
Psalms 89:6

Just take a look at this picture of NGC 5194 and 5195 .
It is the awesome beauty of God.
He is way beyond us.
He is big.
He created this universe.
Praise the Lord for his creation.
And yet he is interested in us.
He has time for us.
He is a God of details.
He cares about you and me.
Praise the Lord for his love.

(July 24, 2002 5:52 AM CDT)

"The Lord, indeed, knows how to rescue devout men from trial,
and how to continue the punishment of the wicked
up to the day of judgment."
2 Peter 2:9

There are good and bad people in the world.
Evil is there.
Good is there.
One day there will be a judgment.
Jesus clearly spoke of this.
Heaven exists and so does Hell.
We don't like to talk about Hell, but it exists.
Evil people will be punished.
Call on the mercy of God.
Call on Jesus to rescue you ---
that is why he came.
Ask Jesus to forgive your sins and to change your life.
Be holy.
Aim for Heaven not that other place.

(July 23, 2002 5:56 AM CDT)

"May our Lord Jesus Christ himself,
may God our Father who loved us and
in his mercy gave us eternal consolation and hope,
console your hearts and strengthen them
for every good work and word."
2 Thessalonians 2:16-17

We call on God the Father today.
He loves us very much.
He is all mercy and love.
Let us learn from him.
May we console others.
May we work for good and spread the word of Christ.

(July 22, 2002 5:57 AM CDT)

This morning I'm listening to Mozart's Requiem .
(You can listen to 5 selections of music on this link.
Click on "Track Listing".)
They have asked choirs to sing this on September 11th around the world.
It's called a Rolling Requiem .

"Jesus performed many other signs as well ---
signs not recorded here ---
in the presence of his disciples.
But these have been recorded to help you believe
that Jesus is the Messiah,
the Son of God,
so that through this faith
you may have life in his name."
John 20:30-31

Have life.
That is what Jesus is all about.
Life.
Read about his life.
He gives meaning to your life.
He is life.
Believe in him.

(July 21, 2002 6:22 AM CDT)

Yesterday I installed
Norton SystemWorks 2002 and
Norton Personal Firewall 2002 on my PC.
It is interesting to see all the processes
that try to access the Internet without my permission.
I usually block their access.
The worst offender is C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe.
The utility DiskEdit is lots of fun.
You can go snooping around all the sectors on your hard drives.
I still don't understand the Master Boot Record ,
but I'm studying it.

"O Lord, hear my prayer,
and let my cry come to you."
Psalms 102:2

Pray.
Offer prayers to God.
Talk to him when you can't sleep.
Ask him to bless your family and neighbors.
He is always there to listen.
He cares about you.
He wants the best for you.
Ask him for help at work or school or home.
Talk to the Lord.
Let him know what you are thinking.

(July 20, 2002 6:13 AM CDT)

Jesus said to them,
"Thus it is written
that the Messiah must suffer
and rise from the dead on the third day."
Luke 24:46

It cost Jesus something.
He paid the penalty for our sins.
He is to be thanked.
He rose from the dead.
He is amazing!
He did all that for us.
Praise Jesus.

(July 19, 2002 6:04 AM CDT)

"Let us confidently approach the throne of grace
to receive mercy and favor and
to find help in time of need."
Hebrews 4:16

Where do you go when you need help?
Who do you turn to in time of need?
Go to Jesus.
He will give you the grace to continue.
Approach him confidently.
He cares about you.
He will supply all your needs.

(July 18, 2002 6:00 AM CDT)

"Anna was constantly in the temple,
worshiping day and night in fasting and prayer."
Luke 2:37

She was ready.
When Jesus came she recognized him.
That is the power of prayer.
That is the insights that only the Holy Spirit reveals to you.
Be a person of prayer.

(July 17, 2002 5:53 AM CDT)

"See to it that no one deceives you
through any empty, seductive philosophy
that follows mere human traditions,
a philosophy based on cosmic powers
rather than on Christ."
Colossians 2:8

What is your life based on?
What do you believe?
Do you read horoscopes and live by them?
Do you read the latest book at the bookstore?
Read the Bible.
Base your life on what Christ said.
Forget about "cosmic powers."

(July 16, 2002 6:01 AM CDT)

"Indeed, we know that when the earthly tent
in which we dwell is destroyed
we have a dwelling provided for us by God,
a dwelling in the heavens,
not made by hands but to last forever."
2 Corinthians 5:1

Christ has gone before us.
He has prepared the way.
Heaven is there.
A place is there for us.
We are meant to be with Christ forever.

(July 15, 2002 5:55 AM CDT)

"We were rescued like a bird from the fowler's snare;
Broken was the snare, and we were freed."
Psalms 124:7

We are trapped.
We try to escape and can't.
Who will help us?
Who will rescue us?
It is Jesus who comes.
He comes to set you free.
He will save you.

(July 14, 2002 5:59 AM CDT)

"These things that happened to them
serve as an example.
They have been written as a warning to us..."
1 Corinthians 10:11

We can learn from other's mistakes.
These things have been noted in the Bible.
They are a warning to us.
Don't let it happen to you.
Live a life that pleases God.
Be led by the Holy Spirit.
Call on the name of Jesus for help.
Follow his example.

(July 13, 2002 6:20 AM CDT)

Jesus said,
"I offer you praise, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth,
because what you have hidden from the learned and the clever
you have revealed to the merest children."
Luke 10:21

It is a simple message.
It is an easy message to understand.
Children can understand it.
The message is obvious.
It is plain to see.
Don't try to make your faith too complicated.
Don't get carried away.
God loves you and you love God.
God talks to you and you talk to God.
It is simple.

(July 12, 2002 6:08 AM CDT)

Jesus said,
"Whoever does the will of God
is brother and sister and mother to me."
Mark 3:35

Be part of the family.
Be close to Jesus.
Do what God asks of you.
Do the will of God.
Jesus is our brother.

(July 11, 2002 6:02 AM CDT)

"Be rooted in Christ and built up in him,
growing ever stronger in faith, as you were taught,
and overflowing with gratitude."
Colossians 2:7

Have an attitude of gratitude.
Thank the Lord.
The Lord is good.
Praise the Lord.
Your foundation is in Christ.
Build on him.
Remember what you were taught.

(July 10, 2002 6:02 AM CDT)

"May I never boast of anything
but the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ!"
Galatians 6:14

You look at the cross and ask, 'Why?'
Did Jesus have to go through all that?
Couldn't there have been some other way to save us?
It is a mystery.
The cross shows his love for us.
He suffered and died to save us.
He loves us very much to do all that.

(July 9, 2002 6:02 AM CDT)

"When the kindness and love of God
our Savior appeared, he saved us;
not because of any righteous deeds we had done,
but because of his mercy.
He saved us through the baptism of new birth
and renewal by the Holy Spirit."
Titus 3:4-5

We can't earn heaven.
Your good deeds will not get you there.
Heaven is a free gift.
We call on the mercy of God.
Lord, forgive my sins.
Have mercy on me.
Save me.
Renew me with the Holy Spirit.

(July 8, 2002 5:50 AM CDT)

"God's gifts and his call are irrevocable."
Romans 11:29

God wishes for all people to come to him.
He gives the invitation to all.
He showers you with gifts.
He calls to you.
Will you respond?
Will you give your life to Jesus?

(July 7, 2002 6:09 AM CDT)

The drought continues here in Nebraska.
Rain hit different parts of Omaha yesterday afternoon.
It is so unusual.
It happens so infrequently.
I was at Lowe's on 76th and Dodge and heard something.
What is that noise? Oh, it's thunder.
The lightning to the north of there was cool to watch.

"When all the people were baptized,
and Jesus was at prayer after likewise being baptized,
the skies opened and the Holy Spirit descended on him
in visible form like a dove.
A voice from heaven was heard to say:
'You are my beloved Son.
On you my favor rests.'"
Luke 3:21-22

What was that sound?
Was it thunder or was it the voice of God?
In 2002 to be "politically correct" we would,
of course, explain it as thunder.
God speaks to us, but are we listening?
Do we explain him away?
Is it just a sound we ignore?
Listen to the Lord.
We have much to learn.
Jesus is a bright flash of light to be studied.

(July 6, 2002 6:11 AM CDT)

Yesterday I took a day of vacation and
played golf at Shoreline Golf Course in Carter Lake, Iowa.

"To each person the manifestation of the Spirit
is given for the common good.
To one the Spirit gives wisdom in discourse,
to another the power to express knowledge.
Through the Spirit one receives faith;
by the same Spirit another is given the gift of healing,
and still another miraculous powers."
1 Corinthians 12:7-10

The Holy Spirit is here.
Jesus sent the Spirit.
Is the Spirit part of your life?
Call on the Spirit.
Pray to the Spirit.
Receive the gifts of the Spirit.
The gifts are given for the good of all.
Use your gifts.
Use your talents.

(July 5, 2002 6:09 AM CDT)

"A crowd of thousands had gathered,
so dense that they were treading on one another."
Luke 12:1

They people sought Jesus.
They followed him.
They wanted to be close to him.
They wanted to see a miracle.
They sought something new.
The same is true today.
Seek Jesus.
Follow him up and down the hills and dusty roads.
Watch him closely.
Learn from him.
Hear what he has to say.
Be one of the thousands.

(July 4, 2002 6:05 AM CDT)

Happy 4th of July,
if you live in the good old USA!

Jesus said,
"This is how it is with the reign of God.
A man scatters seed on the ground.
He goes to bed and gets up day after day.
Through it all the seed sprouts and grows
without his knowing how it happens."
Mark 4:26-27

Your faith will grow.
It will happen little by little.
It is a mystery how God works,
but he is at work changing you.
The Lord Jesus is changing you daily.
He is teaching you new things.
He is blessing you with his grace.
Be open to growth.
Watch for the sprouts.
You are "under construction."

(July 3, 2002 6:00 AM CDT)

Today I was reading about the SOHO spacecraft .
It orbits the sun at the L1 Lagrangian point
(1.5 million kilometers sunward of earth).

"Cast your care upon the Lord,
and he will support you;
never will he permit the just man (or woman) to be disturbed."
Psalms 55:22 (or 55:23)

Are you worried?
Are you upset?
Cast your cares on the Lord.
He is your support.
He will help you through the situation.

(July 2, 2002 5:50 AM CDT)

Yesterday I bought a 40 GB hard drive
at Best Buy near 75th and Dodge in Omaha.
It was only $69.99.
That's a good price, if you need a new hard drive.

"Pray perseveringly,
be attentive to prayer,
and pray in a spirit of thanksgiving."
Colossians 4:2

Pray to God.
Talk to the Lord.
Tell him your concerns.
Be still before him.
Listen to his words of wisdom.
Thank him for all he has done for you.
Praise his greatness.
Think of Jesus often during the day.
Tell him that you love him.

(July 1, 2002 5:57 AM CDT)

"Through all this, Peter kept on knocking.
They finally opened the door and were astonished to see him.
He motioned to them to be quiet,
and explained how the Lord had brought him out of prison."
Acts 12:16-17

I love this story.
Peter is in prison and the Lord frees him.
An angel wakes him up one night and leads him to freedom.
He knocks on the door of his friends and they don't open the door.
They are too excited.
He just kept on knocking.