(June 30, 2004 6:10 AM CDT)
I've talked enough about death and dying lately.
"May our Lord Jesus Christ himself,
Work for the Lord.
It is now time to move on.
Life continues.
my 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
Be faithful to your calling.
He has great plans for you and your family.
Step forward.
Serve the Lord Jesus Christ.
(June 29, 2004 6:08 AM CDT)
"And now, brothers and sisters,
We said good-bye to my dad yesterday at the funeral.
I must say good-bye.
Mend your ways.
Encourage one another.
Live in harmony and peace,
and the God of love and peace
will be with you."
2 Corinthians 13:11
Many of his friends came to the church.
It was a sad time.
It was a time of joy.
Of course, there were the tears.
That is to be expected.
That is a sign of love being stretched
from some distance away.
There was talk that one day
we would all be together again.
There were things that went wrong
during the ceremony --- little things.
It broke the seriousness of the moment for me.
It said something about my dad.
He was not perfect.
He had his faults like all of us,
but you look at the results.
You look at his wife and children
and grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
They are monuments in a sense
of a life well-lived.
He worked two jobs at times.
He made many sacrifices for his family and friends.
His name never made any stories
in the newspaper or TV that I can recall.
He lived a simple life.
He did not have many things.
Many of the things he had he built himself.
He prayed often.
He left a legacy of faith.
I am in debt to him to carry on the faith.
I am to keep building.
The 21-gun salute at the cemetery
made many of us jump.
They were very close.
They played the tape of the taps music.
They folded up the flag and gave it to my mom.
It was like watching a movie
before your eyes.
It was a 3-dimenional movie
that you could interact with.
You could look left and right
and behind you and all around.
You could feel the heat of the sun
beating down on the tent that was set up.
The gentle breeze was making the candle dance
that mom was holding.
I did not want the candle to be blown out.
God would not let that happen.
The matches did not work to light it.
We used a cigarette lighter to light it.
The coffin was very heavy.
I was one of the 8 pallbearers.
We carried my dad into the church and out
and then to the gravesite.
I picked up one flower that had fallen
off the coffin at the end.
I brought it with me.
I looked at the many designs and colors.
I showed it to others afterwards.
We saw where my sister was buried.
One of my brothers trimmed back the bordering grass.
There was an angel coin on it.
We don't know where it came from.
It is still there.
I took a close look at it.
My sister talked about angels often.
They are watching over us.
Life is changed.
Life goes on.
(June 28, 2004 6:13 AM CDT)
Last night at the wake for my dad
"Jesus told Martha,
My dad believed this.
I found out that my aunt's sister
had died overnight.
So pray for all their family also.
I guess this week will be a week of funerals.
Today is my dad's funeral.
It will be a tough day.
I don't want to think about it.
I called my aunt last night
that lives in Jackson, Mississippi.
She had tried to call me earlier.
She has a southern accent.
That was the first time I have ever talked to her.
We have never met that I can remember.
She lost her husband a few years ago.
It is sad that funerals have to happen
to bring families together.
'I am the resurrection and the life;
whoever believes in me,
though he should die,
will come to life;
and whoever is alive and
believes in me
will never die.
Do you believe this?'"
John 11:25-26
He believed in Jesus and his promises.
He had the faith and
kept the faith and
passed it on.
I am grateful.
He believed it.
Do you?
(June 27, 2004 6:14 AM CDT)
Yes, there are tears this morning.
"He shall wipe every tear from their eyes,
It is a new day for my dad.
I'm having problems seeing the computer screen.
I am "choked up" as they say.
Yesterday I took my mom and uncle to church
around lunchtime downtown.
This was one of the readings:
and there shall be no more death or mourning,
crying out or pain,
for the former world has passed away.
The One who sat on the throne said to me,
'See I make all things new!'"
Revelation 21:4-5
He is learning many new things today.
The universe is a complicated place.
There is much to learn.
The Lord is probably showing him
how close he came to death
flying that plane in World War II,
but it was not meant to be.
The angels were protecting him.
The Lord had bigger plans for him.
He is seeing the Lord face to face.
They are walking hand and hand.
His soul is overflowing with love.
There is much to learn about love ---
love that never ends.
He is home...
home at last.
His soul is at peace.
(June 26, 2004 6:40 AM CDT)
We set a record low temperature of 45 F degrees
Around 10:30 AM yesterday morning I found out
"The Lord is my shepherd..."
Jesus is there.
here in Omaha yesterday morning
with lots of fog in places.
that my dad had passed away.
I had been copying documents
in their safety deposit box.
I drove to the hospital and
talked to some of my relatives at the front door.
The hospital workers had "pulled the curtain."
There was nothing to see.
There was no way to say, "Bye."
Someone would take his body to the mortuary.
I was there only 3 hours earlier.
The numbers on all the machines looked the same to me,
but I am no doctor.
I thought it would be another
long day of waiting and watching.
"June 25th is the day" I thought to my self,
as I drove over there.
We knew he would die soon.
I wondered what day would be
recorded in the "history books."
It easy to remember half way from/to Christmas.
He was very sick.
He is home now.
He will see all his relatives,
like his parents and his daughter
that he has not seen for many many years.
It will be hard for us to adjust,
but God will help us through it.
There will be change for our family.
There will be tears.
It will bring us closer together hopefully.
It will bring us closer to Jesus.
Continue to pray for us.
Thanks.
Psalms 23:1
He is our shepherd.
He will lead us home one day.
We trust in him.
My dad loved the Lord.
He prayed often.
He read verses from the Bible daily.
He was a believer.
He is now experiencing the joys of heaven.
He is there.
He made it.
We should celebrate.
We should aim to be with him and all the saints.
(June 25, 2004 6:11 AM CDT)
"May grace, mercy, and peace be yours
Some of my relatives came to town yesterday.
from God the Father
and Christ Jesus our Lord."
1 Timothy 1:2
God be with them.
May God give them peace.
It helps to have family around you
at a time like this.
Thank you to all of you
for your prayers.
That means a lot to us!
(June 24, 2004 6:10 AM CDT)
Pray for my family.
"John caught sight of Jesus coming toward him,
Look to Jesus.
We are going through a lot of stress
with my dad being so sick.
Thanks.
he exclaimed,
'Look!
There is the Lamb of God
who takes away the sin of the world!'"
John 1:29
He is the Lamb.
He was innocent and died in our place.
He was the sacrifice for our sins.
Through him we have hope.
Call on the Lamb.
Jesus, come and save me.
(June 23, 2004 6:12 AM CDT)
Jesus said to his disciples,
I look at the poor people
"Blest are you poor;
the reign of God is yours.
Blest are you who hunger;
you shall be filled.
Blest are you who are weeping;
you shall laugh."
Luke 6:20-21
who come to the
Siena/Francis House
each week.
I don't think they feel blest.
Some are literally hungry for food.
They are fed.
Some are hungry for things that money can't buy.
They need a friend that cares.
I have seen people weeping recently.
It's hard to believe they will laugh anytime soon.
Through it all Jesus is there
to transform our lives
in ways we do not see.
(June 22, 2004 6:20 AM CDT)
Sorry, I missed yesterday.
"Simon's mother-in-law lay ill with a fever,
Jesus, reach out your hand today to us.
I could not get into my ISP.
and the first thing they did
was to tell Jesus about her.
He went over to her
and grasped her hand
and helped her up,
and the fever left her."
Mark 1:30-31
Lift us up.
We are down.
We are ill.
We need you, Jesus.
Come and heal us.
(June 20, 2004 7:29 AM CDT)
Happy Father's Day!
"This Son is the reflection of the Father's glory,
We praise the Lord.
God bless all the fathers today.
God be with them.
the exact representation of the Father's being,
and he sustains all things
by his powerful word."
Hebrews 1:3
Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
we give you honor and praise.
You are most powerful.
You are worthy of all our praise.
(June 19, 2004 8:06 AM CDT)
"The word is near you,
Read the words of God in the Bible.
on your lips
and in your heart.
For if you confess with your lips
that Jesus is Lord,
and believe in your heart
that God raised him from the dead,
you will be saved.
Faith in the heart
leads to justification,
confession on the lips to salvation."
Romans 10:8-10
Speak them with your lips.
Let them get into your heart.
Think about them.
Then you can say that Jesus is Lord.
(June 18, 2004 6:17 AM CDT)
"The royal official and his whole household
There is a ripple effect.
thereupon became believers."
John 4:53
It is contagious.
Catch the faith.
Spread the faith to others in your family.
May your whole house be transformed.
(June 17, 2004 6:14 AM CDT)
Jesus said,
It must have been totally amazing
"Go back and report to John
what you hear and see:
the blind recover their sight,
cripples walk,
lepers are cured,
the deaf hear,
dead men are raised to life,
and the poor have the good news
preached to them."
Matthew 11:4-5
to see Jesus in action.
All these miracles were happening
right before your eyes.
You heard him with your own ears.
Today Jesus continues to heal
and change people's lives.
If you are sick,
call on the name of Jesus.
Jesus, come today.
Heal the many sick people around us.
We need your healing touch.
We need you.
We need your good news.
Help us to see you.
Help us to listen.
(June 16, 2004 6:14 AM CDT)
"The Lamb appeared in my vision.
Go to the mountain top (Jerusalem, the holy city).
He was standing on Mount Zion,
and with him were the 144,000
who had his name and
the name of his Father
written on their foreheads."
Revelation 14:1
Stand with the Lamb (Jesus Christ).
Give praise to God the Father.
Stand with the many thousands of saints.
Pray with your brothers and sisters in the Lord.
Memorize the holy words of God.
Store them in your mind.
Recall them often.
See the vision
that God calls you to be a part of.
(June 15, 2004 6:05 AM CDT)
"Can it be that there is no one among you
Do you sue other Christians?
wise enough to settle a case
between one member of the church
and another?"
1 Corinthians 6:5
Can't you settle issues without a lawsuit?
This is embarrassing.
We are to love each other and set a good example.
Try to settle your disputes
without taking others to court.
(June 14, 2004 6:09 AM CDT)
Peter said,
The promise was made.
"It was to you and your children
that the promise was made,
and to all those still far off
whom the Lord our God calls."
Acts 2:39
God would send a Savior.
They waited for hundreds of years.
It was a long time.
God sent his Son.
Jesus came to earth.
He saved us from our sins.
We have eternal life.
The promise remains for us
hundreds of years later.
Call on the name of Jesus.
(June 13, 2004 6:14 AM CDT)
"The reign of God can be likened
Are you ready?
to ten bridesmaids who took their torches
and went out to welcome the groom.
Five of them were foolish,
while the other five were sensible.
The foolish ones, in taking their torches,
brought no oil along,
but the sensible ones took flasks of oil
as well as their torches."
Matthew 25:1-4
Are you prepared?
The groom is coming.
He will arrive soon.
Do you have all that you need?
Welcome Jesus with your torch burning brightly.
(June 12, 2004 7:59 AM CDT)
This morning I'm reading about
Heparin
.
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
Trust the Lord.
My dad is taking this medicine.
Pray for him to get better.
on your own intelligence rely not;
In all your ways be mindful of him,
and he will make straight your paths."
Proverbs 3:5-6
Lean on him.
He will give you wonderful insights.
He is your inspiration.
He is your creativity.
Base your life on Jesus.
(June 11, 2004 6:14 AM CDT)
"Come to him, a living stone,
Jesus is alive.
rejected by men but approved, nonetheless,
and precious in God's eyes.
You too are living stones,
built on an edifice of spirit,
into a holy priesthood,
offering spiritual sacrifices
acceptable to God through Jesus Christ."
1 Peter 2:4-5
He is life.
Build upon this rock.
Base your life on this foundation.
Build the kingdom of God.
(June 10, 2004 6:07 AM CDT)
"What we are aiming at in this warning
Does your conscience bother you?
is the love that springs
from a pure heart,
a good conscience,
and sincere faith.
Some people have neglected these
and instead have turned to meaningless talk..."
1 Timothy 1:5-6
Do you feel guilty?
Can you sleep at night?
Ask Jesus to forgive your sins.
Get right with God.
Stop all the meaningless talk.
Be sincere in what you say to others
and to the Lord.
Pray often.
Then your heart will be renewed.
(June 9, 2004 6:13 AM CDT)
There are many pictures this morning of the
Jesus prayed,
Do the will of God.
transit of Venus
.
Very beautiful --- what God has made.
All creation gives praise to the Lord.
"Father, if it is your will,
take this cup from me;
yet not my will
but yours be done."
Luke 22:42
Do what he asks of you.
Do so cheerfully.
Listen to the instructions of the Lord.
He will guide you to the truth.
He will lead you home.
(June 8, 2004 6:08 AM CDT)
"Jesus looked at him with love and told him,
If you live in the USA,
'There is one thing more you must do.
Go and sell what you have
and give to the poor;
you will then have treasure in heaven.
After that, come and follow me.'
At these words the man's face fell.
He went away sad, for he had many possessions.
Jesus looked around and said to his disciples,
'How hard it is for the rich
to enter the kingdom of God!'"
Mark 10:21-23
the odds are that you are rich.
You are wealthy.
You have much to eat
and many nice things.
You have way more than you need.
It is going to be tough for you to get to heaven.
You will have to make changes.
You have to get your priorities straight.
What is more important to you: God or money?
Don't turn away sad.
This man could have followed Jesus,
but he turned away.
Don't let that happen to you.
(June 7, 2004 6:12 AM CDT)
"The Lord himself
Jesus will return.
will come down from heaven
at the word of command,
at the sound of the archangel's voice
and God's trumpet;
and those who have died in Christ
will rise first."
1 Thessalonians 4:16
He could come today.
Are you ready to welcome him?
Are you listening for the trumpet?
He is our hope.
He is our joy.
Come soon, Lord Jesus.
(June 6, 2004 7:37 AM CDT)
My hand is much better today.
"The mother of Jesus instructed those waiting on tables,
Very good advice.
Thanks for the prayers.
'Do whatever he tells you.'"
John 2:5
Do what Jesus asks of you.
Listen to his instructions.
Follow them closely.
You will find eternal life.
(June 5, 2004 8:14 AM CDT)
Pray for my Mom.
I'm hurting also.
Billy Graham
has TV programs
"Through all this,
Let us pray for the church.
She broke a rib the other day.
God be with her and heal her.
My right hand is in pain this morning.
I wonder if I have
arthritis
.
Maybe I type on the computer
and use the mouse too much.
Ouch.
Pray for my hand to heal.
Thanks.
the next two weeks.
Check the TV listings on this link above for times.
In Omaha he is on KXVO Ch. 15 June 12th at 6 PM.
In Lincoln he is on KOLN Ch. 10 June 8th at 7 PM.
the congregations grew stronger in faith
and daily increased in numbers."
Acts 16:5
We pray for all believers in Jesus Christ.
May the number of believers grow each day.
May their faith be strong.
Lord, hear our prayers.
(June 4, 2004 6:19 AM CDT)
Did you see the
huge clouds of smoke
"Only in God is my soul at rest;
Be at rest.
over Omaha last evening?
I was driving back from golfing at Fox Run
and decided to take a close look.
I got within a half a mile and had to give up
because of all the traffic trying
to also see it on North 16th Street.
from him comes my salvation.
He only is my rock and my salvation, my stronghold;
I shall not be disturbed at all."
Psalms 62:1-3
Have peace.
Jesus is your salvation.
Like the bumper sticker says:
No Jesus --- no peace.
Know Jesus --- know peace.
(June 3, 2004 6:19 AM CDT)
"There is cause for rejoicing here.
Life is tough.
You may for a time have to suffer
the distress of many trials;
but this is so that your faith,
which is more precious
than the passing splendor of fire-tried gold,
may by its genuineness lead to
praise, glory and honor
when Jesus Christ appears."
1 Peter 1:6-7
You will suffer.
You will have difficulties.
Focus on Jesus.
He is your inspiration.
He suffered just like you.
In the end there is glory.
Rejoice.
(June 2, 2004 6:17 AM CDT)
"Test yourselves to see
Testing 1, 2, 3.
whether you are living in faith;
examine yourselves."
2 Corinthians 13:5
Are you there?
Are you living for the Lord?
Check it out.
What is your purpose in life?
Love the Lord with all your heart.
Walk in his ways.
Live the faith.
(June 1, 2004 6:17 AM CDT)
"Can you not realize
Are you realistic?
that the unholy
will not fall heir
to the kingdom of God?
Do not deceive yourselves..."
1 Corinthians 6:9
Do you see things the way they are?
You must be holy as God is holy.
This will take effort.
This will take change.
Ask Jesus to forgive your sins.
Turn toward God.
Go in his direction.
Ask for the help of the Holy Spirit.
You will not make it on your own.
You need brothers and sisters in the faith.
Be part of the family of God.
Do what God wants you to do.
Be an heir of the kingdom.
