December 16, 2007

Good Sunday morning! It's close now; can you feel it? Christmas is in the air! This week will see a lot of Christmas fun at work. Production on Friday will be quite low I think. "And there were in that same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night." We often try to compare ourselves with the shepherds of that time, perhaps hoping for a choir of angels to give us an announcement from above. The shepherds are easy to identify with; they were the blue collar workers of the day. None held political office, and none were rich compared to the leaders and wealthy of the day. However, Jesus identifies himself as the Good Shepherd and places us with the sheep. That is not a demotion, but simply showing us that we are blind and helpless, and most definitely in need of the Good Shepherd to lead us home. We tend to forget that as the shepherds listened to the tidings of peace and goodwill toward all people, the sheep stood in awe and listened to that same heavenly host. One day those tidings will literally come to pass; the lion will lie down with the lamb and a little child shall lead them all. That seems so strange in this world. We know that if you place your lion and your lamb in the same stable, you will soon have only a lion, and if you try to sleep with that lion, the lion will soon have you! This world is not full of peace, but full of groaning and dying. God knows all of this and one day His peace will descend upon us. For now we must treasure His peace in our hearts, and spread the glad tidings of our Savior's birth this Christmas!

Merry Christmas and Joy to you!

Bucky

December 15, 2007

Good Saturday morning! Praise the Lord for the dawning of a new day. It is easy to realize the time of the year when I can write this late (0716) and the sun has not quite come up yet. Next week at this time, we will be sitting at the darkest point of the year and the official start of winter. It seems fitting that just after the darkest point, the shortest day of the year, we celebrate the birth of the one who brought hope and light to the world. We may not know the exact date of Jesus birth, but celebrate it to your heart's content. By the way, I have seen that supposed "letter from Jesus" floating around the e-mail chains, and one thing does occur to me. What makes them think that God could not have guided us to select December 25th? Believe in God and that He can take care of every detail, or choose the darkness.

Some good news for you! Kevin Everett, the NFL player who was injured catastrophically in the first week of the season, is walking again! You may recall a prayer request for him way back in September. It is good to see the young man walking again. You can read his story in the December 17, 2007 issue of Sports Illustrated. You may note those who give credit to God for a miracle. Yes, God deserves full credit, but why do some continue to insist that science and God must be separate? I see no problem with God working through scientific and medical advances in our world. He created it all in the first place and we know that He hasn't gone on vacation or left the stage. Hmmm, lots of things to say "hmmmm" about today it seems. :-)

Speaking of "hmmm", I made it through the third day of Workshare with no mental problems. The physical pain I can recover from through the grace of God! I did get to see some old friends on the third day and that helped a lot. Workshare is a good way to dampen your Christmas spirit. By the end of day 2, I would have gladly helped the Grinch steal every decoration in Whoville, and loaded his little sled for him. Today, the Christmas spirit is back in full force, though the pain in my body is still reminding me of my time out there working.

Christmas arrives soon! Praise God the Father for the gift of His son, Jesus Christ!

Bucky

December 14, 2007

Happy Friday to you! The Lord led me through yesterday with only a doubt here and there. Praise God for His grace and peace! Today in reading a devotional from Max Lucado, I thought about Jesus' neighbors. Growing up in Nazareth, Jesus lived next to someone, probably like us, one across the street and some on either side of the house and carpenter shop. What an opportunity they had to know the Lord as a child and young man! However, we also know that Jesus was not recognized as the Lord in his hometown. I can see that some of those same neighbors later gossiped about Mary, "did you know her son went down to see that baptizing guy and then went mad?" Many in Judah and the surrounding countries didn't see that God had come to live among them, and today many refuse to see the saving Lord of grace. Praise God for those who have seen the light and do know Jesus as Lord.

Pray this day for those still lost in the darkness.

Bucky

December 13, 2007

Good Thursday morning! Yesterday at the DC did not go so well. I got anxious and ill, which caused me to be hauled home once more. I hate making others go out of their way for me, but that is what happens so very often. Is that unique to me? Certainly not, no one likes to depend on others, why do you think old people get cranky in nursing homes? We know that self-sufficiency is an illusion, even for the young. We may think that we are able to get by depending upon our own selves, but each and every day we are dependent upon God for many things, most of which we take for granted. Did any of us wake up this morning and thank the Lord that a meteorite didn't land on our house last night? Such a thing is possible, but we seldom realize how much danger we walk through daily. As the Good Shepherd, our Lord would probably not have us worrying about every real or unlikely danger each moment, that would be a tremendous burden. Instead, we put our trust in Him. It isn't that we live blind to every danger, but that there are so many that we let our Lord carry that burden. Lately, I have been seeing and imagining far too many dangers and threats. Please pray for each other in that we will place our burdens at the cross, and leave them there. This life is a difficult journey, we do not need to walk with imaginary monsters. Let us instead walk with Jesus and imagine our hand in his mighty grip.

Nothing can take us from Jesus' grasp; let us remember that today as we pray for each other,

Bucky

December 12, 2007

Good Wednesday morning! Today is my first day of working at the distribution center in almost 10 years. No, not a job change, just a cute little program the company calls "workshare". My attitude about the program is not the best, to put it mildly. I will let you know what the Lord has in store for me through this trial. Speaking of trials, today I started reading in Jeremiah. Now here is a follower of God who did not enjoy prosperity in his life. Jeremiah also started his ministry by telling God that he was too young. Sometimes God doesn't let us get away with excuses like that, and He didn't with Jeremiah. As a result, we have one of the great prophetic books of the Bible. Jeremiah saw many of the prophecies that God spoke through him come true in his lifetime. That probably was not a reward as Jeremiah's prophecies spoke of death and destruction for Judah. Jeremiah watched as the great and noble in the land of Judah were led away as naked captives to the far land of Babylon. Imagine the terror of those captives and their wailing. No doubt many of them remembered which deity they should have been worshipping then! However, sometimes it is too late to call to the Lord. The Judeans had to endure 70 years of exile before they could return home, and obviously many never saw their homeland again.

Today we enjoy direct access to God. We do not have to wait for a priest to give an atonement offering, or sit outside the Holy of Holies. When forgiveness is needed, Jesus has already paid the price, and we simply must repent and ask. We do not have to endure a 70 year exile, but we do need to ask forgiveness regularly and pray for our country. Many of the sins pointed out by Jeremiah to Judah have modern equivalents in America. How long, I wonder, before a prophet appears here and says "repent or suffer the consequences!"?

Wrap the Holy Spirit around your heart today, and have a great Christmas! :-)

Bucky

December 11, 2007

Good Tuesday morning to you! More snow last night, but not a lot. We are enjoying a period of white before Christmas. Isaiah ends with a great and terrible prophecy, and isnt' it interesting how often those two words come together in prophecy? We see great rewards for those who will believe and terrible tragedy for those who chose to rebel. I know that in human reasoning there is a scorn for such beliefs. Intellectuals will scoff at those who believe in the Creation. Jesus told us that all who believe in Him will come under the scorn and scoffing of the world. How true that is today when the ancient Greek or Roman reasoning is worshiped in academia, but the Bible is under attack. In the world today it is becoming easier by the day to see the division happening. On one side there are many believers in Christ, but on the other are many who choose to rebel.

I found a new mantra for my meditation yesterday, I even placed in my cubicle at work. It arrived in one of the devotionals that I receive each day. Just a simple statement really, but it holds a life changing meaning. "I shall believe in the miracle-working power of Jesus Christ today." I have wondered at times why I don't see the healing that is happening in other parts of the world and that seems to be the answer. I don't believe that we are cursed around these parts, but I do seem to be not believing and receiving. Sometimes I am a little slow and need to repeat something until it gets into my thinking. I choose that statement because that kind of believing seems to be absent in my life, a shortcoming in my Christian walk. It is all the more interesting since I received that kind of healing myself once, and now it is time to believe once more. God isn't on holiday; believe in the miracle-working power of Christ, today!

Bucky

December 10, 2007

Good Monday morning! The world awaits the Good News of Jesus Christ! This week holds new challenges and new blessings for each of us. It may be tempting to sit at home all week, but we must quickly be working on what Christ would have us to do. Great things await without the walls of our fortress. We know that our fortress is no longer the thin, wooden homes that we live in on this earth. As Martin Luther wrote, "What a Mighty Fortress is our God!" Unlike other, human-made forts, this one does not have a fixed location. Our strength and our shield goes with us and leads us everywhere in this life. Do you face a trial this week? I suspect that all of us do. This week, remember the Rock, our Redeemer, who goes before you in all things. Obstacles will become clear pathways, and challenges will show your unique gifts from God. Let the mighty arm of God lead you to victory in all that you face this week!

God bless and keep you!

Bucky

December 9, 2007

Good Sunday morning! A load of guilt. Why do we carry it around with us? Jesus paid the price; He carried our guilt to the cross. Yet we still want to pick it up like some overloaded pack and carry it with us. Guilt loads us down, bends our backs, turns our smiles to frowns, and makes us hurt those around us. During this Christmas season, while forgiving all those who have hurt us, let us also forgive ourselves and lay aside that burden of guilt. You gave it to Jesus once, don't try to pick up that old burden again.

We are enjoying a very Christmas looking day here. It is cold, but the new-fallen snow is very beautiful in the sunlight. The pine trees all look like Christmas trees and the houses look like Christmas cottages. This will probably not last until Christmas, but we certainly can ask God for another round on Christmas Eve. Praise God for the wonderful snow!

God bless you and have a merry Christmas!

Bucky

December 8, 2007

Good Saturday morning, the weekend is here at last! The cat wanted to go outside today, but it is cold, snowy, and even windy this morning. She may be crazy, but I let her out anyway. I am glad of the snow, especially from inside my nice, warm house. Trusting in God, what does that mean to us and for us? We have been raised to become self-sufficient and to believe in our own self. Jesus says that worldly wisdom is wrong, and He calls us to trust in Him. I think back to the Israelites and their laws, given by God. Every seventh year they were to leave the fields alone, no planting or tilling. They were to eat only what the earth produced in that year. Now that is unheard of in farming. Farmers today may let a field lie fallow, but they are planting another to the north, which will in its turn lie for a year. It is difficult for us to imagine a farmer, or for that matter all farmers, not planting on every seventh year. Think about that for a while, no planting or harvesting on the seventh year. That was not only to allow the land to rest, but it showed a trust in God that seems beyond our abilities today.

Praise the Lord that it is not beyond our ability, for the One who commands complete trust, also gives us the strength to trust in Him. It seems odd by the standards of this world that Jesus would tell us to trust in Him, and then ascend to heaven and send the Holy Spirit into our hearts to lead us to trusting in Jesus! However, in Christ we do not live by the standards of this world. Do you feel out of place in this world? You are! Our place is with Jesus, and since He has not taken up His sovereign place in this world just yet, we feel out of place. Yes, something is amiss. Jesus isn't here yet. Trust that He will arrive at just the right time, and that time is closer than ever.

Christ is risen!

Bucky

December 7, 2007

Good Friday morning. May the love of the Lord Jesus shine on you this day! The Christmas songs are playing on the radio this morning, as we have awakened to a white day of snow. It is supposed to snow at times throughout the weekend, and that is welcome news to a dry area. It seems that lately I have been leaning on Jesus a lot. Troubled times bring us to Jesus as the good times never do. Thank you Lord, for those times that bring us closer to you!

It is Friday, and that means another weekend will soon start. I pray for those of you who might be travelling this weekend, even if only for a shopping trip. As though anyone needed another reminder of how life can be ended on any given day, we pray for those in Omaha involved in the recent shooting. Did we need another reminder of the dark times ahead? It seems that in these dark days that suicidal persons do not want to go out alone. Hardly a week goes by that innocent people are not killed by someone wanting to commit suicide. The headline "murder-suicide" has become so common that we often don't take notice unless it strikes close to us. Pray for those around you, the only safety is in Jesus.

Have a wonderful weekend and a very merry Christmas!

Bucky

December 6, 2007

Good Thursday morning to you! The sky is turning bright outside, which coincidentally means that I am running a bit late this morning. :-) This does happen to most of us on some days. Today I read an article on the super-rich. It's funny that we once had articles on the rich, but now that is no longer enough, the rich don't bear mention, only the super-rich. Part of the article spoke of the rise in the number of gated communities; it seems that islands of wealth are now taking the place of the castles that once set the nobility apart from the crowd. Money is now the dividing line between the nobles and the rest of us. It is interesting that these noble networks have resources for philanthropy, and probably a false prophet or two to tell them how "good" they are. You have probably noticed that this has not changed from Jesus' time when He pointed out the self-righteous wealthy man giving a large amount of money while the poor widow gave all that she had. It is noted how easy it is to give from an abundance, I would do it and you would too. Win 400 million in the lottery and all of us would give large amounts to a charity. However, it is the daily, weekly, and monthly gifts that do both your heart and the charity or church the most good. The amount may seem small, but the Lord knows how much it is in truth. It is kind of funny that I realized just today that storing up treasure in heaven takes practice. A little giving each day, week, or month. A good deed done each day. Faithfully practice giving and one day we will see a treasure in heaven that we could not have imagined while on this earth. Take those little steps and trust in the Lord to provide for you.

Great and glorious is our Lord!

Bucky

December 5, 2007

Good Morning and Merry Christmas to you! Are you past the point of no return? We often think of the point of no return as that utter and final rejection of the Lord Jesus. However, there is also the point of no return in the other direction, believing in and surrendering to Christ. Jesus told His Father that He had not lost even one of those given to Him. I believe that means that everyone who makes that setting aside of the self and accepting of Jesus as Lord has also passed a point of no return. Jesus will not let us go, not one, not any of us. That is one aspect of resting in the Lord; there are no longer any worries about becoming lost again. Should we feel lost, the Good Shepherd will find us, and remember that is one of Christ's titles for himself, not something anyone made up for him. Put it in capital letters and sing praises to His holy name, Jesus is the Good Shepherd, and a good shepherd does not lose his sheep, no matter how those sheep may feel at any given moment.

Praise God and sing a happy Christmas tune!

Bucky

December 4, 2007

Good Tuesday morning, and a cloudy one it appears from my window. Today I read the terrifying, highlighting, and wonderful tale of Jonah. That story is not long, but it highlights our fear. We are all at one time or other just like Jonah, facing a calling from God to run a particular course... and just plain terrified. The tale tells of the wonder of serving God on the course that He has set before us. Jonah watched as a city, the entire city, of 120,000 repented, as the Bible says, "from the least to the greatest" all repented and were saved from certain destruction. If God can save the proud Assyrians of Nineveh, don't you think that a message of salvation can save the proud citizens of the United States? What a wonderful sign of the end it would be to have such a proud and destructive nation repent from the least to the greatest.

What about the course that God has set before us? How will we recognize it? Did God literally speak out load to Jonah? You might realize already that we do not know that Jonah "heard" God's voice through his own ears, God might have spoken as a voice in Jonah's mind. The Bible states plainly that people conversed with God as you or I would with each other, or they heard His voice in thunder, or as a still, small whisper, or even as an announcement from Heaven as they did when Jesus was baptized by John. What is going on that we don't hear God that way any more? The one great separating event occurred at Pentecost. Jesus had returned to Heaven and He sent the Holy Spirit out into hearts and minds. From that moment we are baptized with fire and the Holy Spirit of God. We hear the Lord in our thoughts and in the feelings of our heart. We hear the Lord in the ministry of those called to pastor churches. We hear the Lord in devotional messages, even in the writing of them! I am glad today for the healing, guiding, and saving Spirit of God in my life. Praise God the Father!

As the dark clouds turn to beautiful yellow and pink in the dawn, so I am reminded that the dark clouds of this world will soon give way to the Son of God!

Bucky

December 3, 2007

Good Monday morning! The world awaits the Good News of Jesus Christ! I read in Joel this morning about a devastating locust swarm that hit Judah back in the day. It is hard to imagine a swarm of insects coming through and eating every plant, even to stripping the bark from all of the trees. I look outside and have trouble envisioning that. However, it did happen in Joel's day and the message of hope was that if they would repent, the Lord would restore everything. Joel reminds us that the Lord is always ready, even eager, to restore us in all things should we but repent. Yesterday Kenneth Copeland spoke about how it is possible for us to choke off our pipeline to God; the one that carries the glory and blessing of God to us. By building up a blockage of unrepentant sin in our lives over the course of years, we can choke off that pipe. Like its champion, sin is very sneaky and stealthy, it can build up on us if we do not listen carefully to the Lord. I don't want to choke off the blessings and glory shining down from God, and I'm sure that you don't want that also. Close examination of our lives may reveal some sin that has plagued us for some years. Bitterness, anger, lust, and many other sins can start small. It may be time to forgive someone from many years ago. The Christmas season is one of hope and renewal, not unlike the Easter season, after that we have summer and fall to grow and harvest. God has everything laid out just right for us, praise His holy name!

May the light of Jesus shine on you today!

Bucky

December 2, 2007

Good Sunday morning! The Christmas songs have begun, the trees and lights are up, and everywhere people have Christmas on their mind and on their smile. Yes, it is the blessed season of our Savior's birth. Do you have worries, fears, anxiety, stress, or perhaps self-pity this season of the year? Many people do. I read something that gives me comfort today in Isaiah 55:8

"My thoughts are completely different from yours," says the Lord. "And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine."

To me that is a great comfort. When I think back on all of the self-destructive thoughts that come through my mind it is comforting to know that God's thoughts are not like that. When people build their pantheons or idols, often the stories of their beginnings are very much like our own thoughts; sexual deviance, violence, incest, and theft all mar the tales of these pagan religions. God's thoughts are not like that, and you can read in Genesis that the story of the beginning was not like the world's tales. Take comfort in God's majesty and in His sovereign will at work in our lives. In the end it isn't about what evidence the world can present to bolster its shaky foundation; it is about the choice to believe in Jesus, the Christ and Messiah, or to not believe. Believe and we are saved, don't believe and be condemned already, no middle ground, no excuses, just a clear choice. The Christmas season takes on a whole new glory in the light of believing in Jesus. Everything light, tree, gift, and wreath celebrates the birth of our Lord when we choose to believe.

Have a very merry Christmas!

Bucky

December 1, 2007

Good Saturday morning to you! And it is December 1st also, the first day of the month of Christmas. I don't know about you, but some of the wonderful Christmas movies are in store for me today, along with that old schoolwork. One of these days you will be reading this and notice that I don't mention school or homework. Yes, I look forward to that day too, and it isn't far away from now! It looks like snow around these parts and I do believe the weather forecasters agree with my amateur prognosis. Perhaps there is no scientific evidence for a person's joints predicting the weather, but I surely can feel the change this morning. I pray for a white Christmas this year, even for you folks down south. There is something so very special about Christmas, the celebration of our Lord's birth in Bethlehem.

Have you seen the news reports about Bethlehem lately? The little town in the Middle East has become a scene of contention with a huge wall separating the people from each other. The Prince of Peace may not seem to be in control of His own birthplace, but let us remember that Jesus will one day set all of that to right. In Bethlehem, the freedom to choose between Jesus or this world is at the most obvious. One one hill is the Church of the Nativity, in other places the worship of Muhammad, and in others the idol of violence and secularism, all together in a place that we hold dear. In the last days there will be a coming home for God's people; I wouldn't be at all surprised to see that kick into high gear very soon.

Have a wonderful and blessed Christmas season!

Bucky

November 30, 2007

Good morning! The last day of November is upon us, and we have but one month to go this year. I am glad that Jesus watches over us each and every day. Thinking back over the years, I often realize that God has protected and guided me even when I have been far from Him spiritually. All of us can recall instances where we might have perished or been hurt through our own mistakes, but somehow we escaped. In our unbelief we might have commented on how "lucky" we were at that time; now we know better. We know that God protected us then, we should know better than to doubt now. I am guilty too! Those doubts are whispered to us and sometimes we grab onto them, even knowing that we should not. Trust means that we will grow to have complete confidence in the Lord and His providence, at all times and in all situations. Let us try to grow our trust a little each day.

Praise God for His infinite mercy!

Bucky

November 29, 2007

Good Thursday morning! Last night at Bible study we reviewed some of the prophets. Jeremiah was one who complained to the Lord that he was too young. That gave me a thought, that at least I thought was funny, did anyone in the Bible think that they were perfect for the Lord's will? Abraham was too old, Jeremiah was too young, Moses was too shy, and Elijah was too scared. All of our great heroes of the faith were too something or not enough of the other thing. Only Jesus stands alone in the Bible as one who did God's will from the start without complaining that He was too something or other. So often we think of serving the Lord in some way and stop with an "I can't" or "I'm too..." Do you think that David didn't feel a strong urge to panic when facing Goliath? "Lord, what if I miss?" The Bible is wonderful in that all of our heroes, save our Lord Jesus, are just like us (and Jesus is who we want to be like). One perfect example to follow, and then a whole bunch of imperfect ones to show us God's love for us in whatever condition we find ourselves. Praise the Lord! Like you, I can think of a great many things that I am too much of, or don't have enough of, but one thing we all must remember, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!"

The love of the Lord Jesus is with you this day!

Bucky

November 28, 2007

Good morning! Today is a new day in the Lord Jesus! Praise the name of our Lord. In looking for a benefit to our troubles in this life, I came upon one thing that I can hold on to, understanding. It is more than just experience. Many will experience one thing or another and come through unchanged. "Oh, yeah. I did that too and it's no big deal." They might say, meaning they have put away the experience and gained no understanding. In coming to the place of understanding, we gain compassion, empathy, and the ability to help that other person who is going through what we have already experienced. I believe that Jesus grants us understanding when the world simply puts the experience behind. I don't mean that we constantly relive the event, only that in facing someone who needs help, Jesus gives us an understanding mind.

My list of understood events might read almost like a confession of sins, and some of them were sins. When someone comes to me and tells me that he or she has a problem with this because of that, I often understand. It doesn't excuse the sin, but Jesus understands the problem. Why do you think He came to earth? Not only does He understand, but He offers the grace of His forgiveness, paid for by His own sacrifice!

May God grant us wisdom in this.

Bucky

November 27, 2007

Good morning in Christ Jesus! I feel the love today. I am watching possible storm clouds roll in this morning; it may be a large weather front with a lot of snow and wind, or it may only be a passing small group of clouds. The view outside this one window is too small to show the entire truth. So it is with our view of the universe and God. We are just too caught up in our tunnel vision to see the entire story right now. Trusting in Jesus means that we believe in His word. He has a better view than ours, and His love extends beyond what we can see and remember. That regret or failing you experienced years ago, let it go. Those worries and fears for the future, leave them with Jesus. Let us instead keep our eyes upon the maker and author of our faith, the Lord Jesus. In Isaiah 49 the Lord reminds us, "At just the right time, I heard you." Waiting for that time is not only difficult, but is beyond our vision. The time will come, trust in God for that!

Praise, honor, and glory to our Lord Jesus!

Bucky

November 26, 2007

Good morning... ow. I am feeling the aftershocks of trying to do actual work yesterday. Wow, getting old kind of hurts. Why does it seem that whenever I am ready to complain, and have good reason to do so, something like today's devotional comes along? (see Love Worth Finding). Does stiff and sore count as trouble I wonder? :-) Most of us get to go back to work today, though I have seen a few taking Monday off as well, extending their weekend a bit longer. Tomorrow marks four weeks until Christmas, tonight if you anticipate Christmas Eve as I do. It hardly seems very long ago that I wrote about how Christmas had just passed for another year. Thanksgiving has gone by once more and even the Scroogiest cannot say that it isn't the Christmas season now. Hallelujah for our Savior, born more than 2,000 years ago on this earth. Great and glorious is our Lord Jesus, born in a manger and now sitting on a throne in Heaven! It is time to celebrate His wonderful birth and to give a few gifts in honor of the gift given to us, eternal life in Christ.

Praise our victorious Lord Jesus on this fine day!

Bucky

November 25, 2007

Good Sunday morning! The Thanksgiving holiday weekend comes to a close today and it has been a good one for me. Do you have trouble waiting on the Lord? I know that I do; patience and humility while waiting on the Lord are difficult to learn. At times I ask "what should I do?" over and over when I should be asking "What would you have me to do, Lord?" The answer might be to just wait, to rest, and to meditate on the Lord. We don't always want to hear that answer. We have been brought up to work, to do, to act decisively in all things. I don't think the Lord would have us rushing about like that well-known headless fowl. Resting, waiting, and meditating are part of life in Jesus, just the same as witnessing, cleaning the church, and performing are for those called to His name.

Jesus Saves!

Bucky

November 24, 2007

Good morning! I hope your fondest shopping dreams were fulfilled yesterday, or at least you found a good deal. The news looks good for retailers today, perhaps our economy is not ready to give up just yet! Enjoy the remainder of the Thanksgiving weekend and let us pray for those who will be returning home from a Thanksgiving trip in the next couple of days.

Have you ever felt kind of fat, faithless, and filthy at the end of a day? Just one of those days where you were lazy, saw or watched something that made you feel dirty, and just didn't feel close to the Lord that day. I had one like that yesterday and would just as soon not repeat that experience. To help with that, I am up and getting something positive done this morning, starting with the writing of this devotional! The day is just dawning, which in the winter does not make it that early on the clock. We are into the darkest two months of the year, with the shortest day about one month from today. Pray for a wonderful Christmas time; one where Christ comes first in Christmas for everyone.

Have a wonderful, merry Christmas!

Bucky

November 23, 2007

Good afternoon! Thanksgiving has given way to the Christmas season as many of you are probably shopping today. I am doing some serious goofing off today, not even having started on my school paper yet. Alas, this cannot go on forever, but it is fun to do once in a while. It looks as though our football team will be home for Christmas. We might as well invite an offensive player( narrows it down eh?) over for dinner, as there doesn't appear to be a defense. :-) There is a silver lining though, just think of all the good comic material we have for the next year!

Pastor Rogers was fond of noting that the world is becoming gloriously dark. He wanted us to note in the gathering darkness the imminent arrival of our Savior, for the second time. In the season of celebration for His arrival the first time, I always like to look forward to that second Christmas, the one where Jesus will come in the clouds to take up His sovereign realm on the new Earth. It sounds very fantastic, and I cannot help but thing that is a good word. It will indeed be fantastic when He arrives, and wonderful, magical, beautiful, glorious. and ... I cannot come up with enough words to describe how it will be on that great day. Praise God for the glory of His coming realm!

I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Bucky

Thanksgiving 2007

Happy Thanksgiving! We have made it to another day of giving thanks to the Lord for what we have been granted through the year. In our discussion forum in this class, we were asked what our favorite holiday is. It might come as a complete shock to you that mine is Christmas, or perhaps that isn't so shocking. :-) Another student noted Thanksgiving as his favorite, and do you know why? It is a secular holiday. I suppose in a secular celebration of giving thanks, you thank your friends, family, employer, ...and then leave out God. Once I believed in Jesus, I could not give thanks without thanking the creator of all things for my blessings. Today I even thought of the most difficult thing to thank God for. What did I come up with? Thank you, Lord, for my life just as it is. After a bit, it settled on me just how difficult we find that. No wantings for this, that, or the other thing at Wal-mart, no wishes for the many changes that we wish would happen, just a simple "Thank You" to the Lord for what is in our lives right now. We are constantly looking forward and off to the sides of the path that Jesus leads us on. The Apostle Paul had learned to be content, whether in feast or famine, wealth or poverty, and we too need to learn contentment, and that starts with a heartfelt "Thank You!" for life, just as it is now.

Thank You, Lord Jesus for my life and your life, just as it is now, may we have your peace this day of Thanksgiving.

Bucky

November 21, 2007

Good morning! Last night's e-mail went out, so I have added a few more this morning. It seems that I will need to get an unsubscribe option and a sign up method available at some point. Is the declining number a bad sign? Not necessarily, the Holy Spirit can reach the entire population of the planet, any time day or night, and all at once. Yet, we know that many will not believe. Numbers alone are not the answer and neither is technology. It is unlikely, but very possible, that one day I could be hand writing these devotionals and carrying them from shelter to shelter in some remote place. We do not know what tomorrow may bring. Isaiah speaks of "rivers of difficulty" and doesn't that seem to be an appropriate metaphor at times? We go through times when it just seems like one thing after another comes against us, other times it seems like they all come at once! :-)

May God be praised this wonderful Thanksgiving!

Bucky

November 16, 2007

Good Friday morning! The week of a thousand years is coming to a close at last. Yes, my work week has been one of those that seemed to last forever. You have, I am sure, experienced the same phenomenon from time to time, a week where it seems that the end just won't arrive; the train will not pull into the station and the plane sits on the tarmac. In case you couldn't tell, I am glad that Friday has arrived at last this week. What can I say? Next week is that wonderful holiday where we get to pause and thank the Lord for all that He has blessed us with this year. We are still here! Is that a blessing or a curse? Some of both I should think. There is no question that this life is very difficult for us, but at the same time a great work is going on, the spread of the Good News that Jesus Christ is risen. We are caught up in monumental times, and soon we will be caught up to meet Jesus. There is much to be grateful for in this life and even more to look forward to in the next.

To God be the glory forevermore!

Bucky

November 15, 2007

Good Thursday morning, one week from a wonderful day of giving thanks and expressing our gratitude to the Lord. My fingers do not want to cooperate with my typing today. You won't see it, but I had to go back twice to correct things on that last sentence alone. It is a very crisp morning out here, about 7º according to my thermometer. I suppose that I should have my hoses in and my sprinkler system shut off, but I have been slow in that regard this year. Some bug or other is going around again, I was feeling ill last night and crashed at 8:00pm. This morning I feel much better for it.

Today I read a wonderful chapter in Isaiah, the one about the Highway of Holiness leading to Zion. I wondered, what song would we be singing on that highway? Probably it won't matter; some will be singing Joy to the World, some belting out Blessed be the Name, Martin Luther's What a Mighty Fortress, and still others singing Amazing Grace. In this world that would sound just awful, a cacophony of many different voices singing different songs, but somehow I think that several trillion people, marching to Jerusalem on the Highway of Holiness in that great day of the Lord, could sing a million different tunes and it would be a glorious harmony of praise to our Lord. How can this happen? Look at it this way: some time ago, God spoke the universe into existence in six days. Ponder the clouds, the atoms, electrons, flowers, forests, the Earth, planets, solar systems and stars. Six days! Now realize that Jesus has gone to prepare a place for us and will return when all is ready. He left almost 2,000 years ago. Six days, two thousand years, just how wonderful will this new heaven and earth be?

Praise God for His everlasting love!

Bucky

November 14, 2007

Good morning, today is another great day in the Lord! The sun is rising well to the south this morning; how did the season sneak up on me so fast? Thanksgiving is a week away; some of you will be traveling at this time next week. Christmas is but six weeks from yesterday. The year will soon pass into the history books. All of us will be that much closer to meeting our Lord in Heaven. No worries, mate! The Lord watches over us moment by moment, and only He knows what is around the next corner. As for me, God willing, I will attend another Bible study this evening. It seems that more often I like to keep the plans simple. It is easy to try leaping ahead of the Lord, after I finish this, then I'll do this, and go there, and do that, and on and on it goes. The Bible warns us about making all those plans without seeking God's will first. One day at a time sounds pretty good right now. I think that I will just worry about today.

Praise God for the Victory!

Bucky

November 13, 2007

Good morning! The trip to Denver went well and we are safely home. Last night I had a dream that sent a clear message to me. This doesn't happen often and so I thought that I should share with you. The dream was simply about me having a temper tantrum. What happened was that in having that tantrum in hopes of impressing one girl, my dream self lost them all. It came to me as I lay thinking about the dream that a temper tantrum produces the clanging sound of loneliness in the empty tin can of regret. Ambrose put it another way; "Speak in anger and you will make the best speech that you will ever regret." I try to remember that saying, and now the dream, to remind myself that throwing a tantrum or speaking out in anger will usually produce the opposite result from what we desire. I speak of that rage type of anger, the one where our mind shuts down and restraint goes out for lunch. When Jesus cleared the moneylenders from the temple, He did not lose control. There is a place for anger, but not for rage, or the more childish version, tantrums. Pray for God's all-encompassing peace in your heart today.
May the wonderful joy of the Lord shine through us,
Bucky

November 12, 2007

Good Monday morning and welcome to another work week! Ouch, that hurts this early on a Monday morning. I am up early for a meeting in Denver today; I hope that it is worth the trip. Ah, attitude adjustment! It is an opportunity to get away from the office for a day and perhaps enjoy a view of the mountains. The Huskers set a record in the opposite direction this weekend; they really do need to check who those players were, Tom may have snuck a few of his own in there.
Today is the observance of Veteran's Day. A big thank you to all of you who served our country on this day. Gotta get going, hope you forgive the shortness of this today.
Bucky

November 11, 2007

Good Sunday morning! Where does the message go? Does the message arrive or does it go astray? A couple of disconcerting bounces in the e-mail for yesterday. In this I must trust in the Lord. I cannot control all of the Internet and it seems that we are caught up in a war, a conflict, that is beyond my imagination. Praise God that we have the sovereign Lord to watch over us!
Today I am thinking of the power of movies and books, our entertainment media of choice. Whether you watch electronic media, movies, games, or television shows, or read print media such as magazines and books, there is a certain freedom, power, and responsibility inherent in these forms of media. Learn about new movies coming out, especially that aimed at children. I hear the writer of the trilogy behind the new movie "The Golden Compass" has an ulterior motive. Try to find out what that is before letting the kids go. Don't simply take my word for it, that's why I'm not telling you what I heard, search and be informed on your own. We shouldn't read or watch everything that comes our way. There are many media works that I must avoid, and some that you should as well. They will differ in form. You may not be tempted by the same things that are weaknesses for me. In all things we must come to the Lord and trust in Him. Reading in Isaiah again this morning, the Lord chastised Israel for trusting in an alliance with the Egyptians after He had told them not to. You know what He said? That He would save them anyway, and not through the Egyptians, who would betray the Israelites, but through His own mighty power. That story ends in Sennacherib's loss of his army before the gates of Jerusalem, without a human warrior lifting a finger in combat. Yep, when the Lord tells us to trust in Him, we might want to step back out of the way!
God bless you this fine day!
Bucky

November 10, 2007

Good Saturday afternoon! I spent the morning as a busy person, and now I am ready for an afternoon nap; guess I'm not as young as I think! Happy Marine Corps Birthday to everyone! MSNBC shows Nebraska ahead 52-10 in the third quarter, if that is correct they may want to inspect the players for ringers. There are probably fans in the stands wondering, "who are these guys?" :-)
I had hoped to make it through a not-on-call weekend without a call, nope, didn't happen. Got caught last night at about ten minutes to six pm. It was a simple problem, but still a call from work. Do I have anything important to write about today? No, not really. Sometimes the Holy Spirit speaks strongly through my writing and at other times it is more of a note to let you know that someone out here still cares about you. In a way you might say that the first Christmas was just that, a note from God letting us know that He still cares. Okay, so it was a note accompanied by heavenly hosts, a glorious star in the sky, and a virgin birth; my notes cannot produce quite those kind of special effects, but I hope you enjoy the writing.
God bless you!
Bucky

November 9, 2007

Good Friday morning! We can only hope for some kind of renaissance for our football team this weekend. Reading in Isaiah 29 today and came to this discussion of evolution.
How stupid can you be? He is the Potter, and he is certainly greater than you. You are only the jars he makes! Should the thing that was created say to the one who made it, "He didn't make us"? Does a jar ever say, "The potter who made me is stupid"?
That is something we are assaulted with almost daily, "you are an accident of the universe" No, we are beloved creations of an almighty God. If you come upon, or are experiencing, a difficult moment today, remember that you are beloved of God. I see a suggestion in Guideposts this month that we spend 15 minutes each day being grateful, or listing those things in our life that we are thankful to God for providing to us. I think that will barely scratch the surface of God's blessings, but it should pay huge rewards in improving me to an "attitude of gratitude," as I hear now and again. It is much easier to dwell on the problems in this life, after all those problems tend to throw themselves in our face moment by moment. Let us fight back with gratitude!
God bless and keep you this weekend!
Bucky

November 8, 2007

Good morning! What a wonderful Bible study last night; I am glad in my heart for all of you who enjoy a group study of the Word each week. The story of the Red Sox victory is already gone from the headlines, replaced by the alleged sale of Lindsey Lohan's Benz on Ebay. Now I do not miss any more stories on the Red Sox, and even had the Rockies won the story should not receive overmuch attention in light of the serious problems in our world. However, to be replaced by the sale of some gal's car? Where are our values these days? If it is the public's demand for such stories that drives the headlines, what does that say about our public?
Last night I also watched a news story on two very different approaches to bringing attention to the war in Iraq. One group of Iraqi War veterans staged mock patrols through Washington D.C., detaining volunteers, wearing camo fatigues, and pointing their imaginary weapons at people. They did it to show the people in Washington what it was like to work and live in Baghdad. However, I see a problem in that approach. Here in the U.S., where there is no war or occupation, it is more likely that the people will see their act as an interesting novelty, probably an irritating one. The other veteran brought attention through meeting with his congressional representative. A very different and more valid approach, as we are in a constitutional republic and do elect representatives to govern us. What does it all mean? We are in a world in constant conflict. The next election here will have far reaching consequences; pray earnestly for guidance in our voting.
God be with you this day,
Bucky

November 7, 2007

Good morning! What is my hope? These days we ask "what do you hope for?" We look toward a house/farm/ranch in the country, away from the rush of cities and our own hectic daily life. We hope for retirement and that we have enough money saved up to actually retire. We hope for a new car, or a boat, or a ... You can see that "hope" has become different for each of us, but still similar. The world hopes for the things of the world. We can easily get caught up in these kinds of hopes. "If only I can save enough", or have that house "over there", or "if I could get a car that lasts past the final payment", and others. Jesus calls us to place our trust in Him; in Him there is no possibility of disappointment as there is with all of the world's hopes. That house or farm could become a money pit that burdens you financially, that dream job may have a boss that makes your life miserable; the things of this world do not satisfy and are always prone to disappoint us. In examining our lives, it is always good and quite interesting to see what we may be putting our hopes in before God. Can a dream or hope be a graven image? Certainly it can be just as bad if we do not trust God first in our lives.
God bless you this fine day!
Bucky

November 6, 2007

Good morning! Today in prayer I thought about two-way communication. Often it seems that I come to God with an unending list of needs and wants, both for myself and others, that is such as rush as to prevent God from getting in a word edgewise, as we like to say. Prayer is a two-way communication, we should listen as well as speak. We are told that God wants to have a relationship with us. How are we going to have a relationship if I try to drown out His voice with my own? Jesus spoke of peace and patience, waiting on the Lord. In remembering to listen for His voice, I also thought of how in every ministry there is also two-way communication. Did you ever feel that you can never offer the pastor of your church advice on anything? This is God's anointed messenger to me; how can I possibly offer anything to him or her? All ministry since Jesus death rent the veil is two-way; our ministers do not know everything, they do not have every message, and above all they earnestly desire shared communication with each of us. Just the same as our Father in Heaven earnestly desires that shared communication. He has wonderful things to say to each of us, if we will let Him. Our ministers in this life want to do more than just preach on Sunday; they also want to speak with us on a personal level, a sharing level. This also goes for every Christian brother and sister in this life. It is about sharing and caring for each other; we are never alone in this life in Christ, and we have each other too!
God bless you all this day!
Bucky

November 5, 2007

Good morning, time to head back to work, although the sky does look oddly light today, like I'm late or something. Drat that time change anyhoo! Yes, woke up just after 4:00am this morning, wondering why the music had not started. In jolly old England they celebrate Guy Fawkes day today. It seems that in 1605 he tried to blow up the houses of Parliament. Whether that would have been good or bad I will leave up to you to decide. Sometimes I think a complete refreshing of our Congress would be good for the country, but not through violence, simply one of those vote 'em all out every 20 years or so things.
Today, the football fans out here get another dose of humility... any more humble and we will have to take up another sport. Yes, both the Huskers and the Broncos suffered very embarrassing losses this weekend. The scores do not bear repeating in polite company, but Kansas set a points scored record against the "No-Shirts" defense of the Huskers. Some fans might believe that God has forgotten them in this season, but this is a game not life or death.
In Lamentations, we read where Jeremiah mourned deeply for Israel as he saw Jerusalem destroyed and the population led away in captivity or left to starve. Remember that this Jerusalem was the glorious city built by Kings David and Solomon, a wonder of the world in any time, though there was not enough evidence left to show the world of its glory. The inhabitants had trusted in the mighty walls and fortifications of the great city, after all was not God's great temple there? However, after years, even centuries, of warnings about their sin and disobedience, God finally turned his back on Judah, the remaining part of Israel, and the mighty city was destroyed. Lamentations is a short, but heart breaking, book in the Bible. Jeremiah lists the sins, and the punishments, of a nation gone wrong. The list kind of makes you think of some other land and time.
Pray daily for our nation and rest in God's grace,
Bucky

November 4, 2007

Good Sunday morning! Our great college football team, the Huskers, continues to stun us with failure and futility. The newspaper critics are calling for not just the coaches head, but his entire staff as well. That is life in Nebraska, we demand greatness from a college football team. Whatever happened to going to college to get an education? The world is upside down in more ways than college football. The darkness comes in this world, praise God for the light that shines in the darkness.
This weekend, or at least beginning last night, I resolved to think about work as little as possible. This is to learn to relax from my job on the weekend. Now there are the calls for equipment problems, but learning to not think about those work problems is of great importance to all of us. In our class, we are going to interview our fellow workers about the amount of leisure time they experience now versus several years ago. Just how much is work affecting our home lives? I think too much, but I am not supposed to leap to conclusions ahead of the survey results. How is it with you? Do you spend time on the weekend worrying over work problems? Does your work, like mine, call you on the weekends to help prevent complete relaxation.
I pray the Lord will bring us to His place of peace in this life.
Bucky

November 3, 2007

Good Saturday morning! I love the Lord Jesus and am grateful for all that He has done for me. Last night I thanked God for as many things as I could remember before falling asleep. I can't help but think that it was a wonderful way to begin a good night's sleep. Even after one very tiring week at work, it was good to thank the Lord. Perhaps that should be "especially after..." This month we celebrate a holiday devoted to giving thanks and expressing our gratitude to the Lord for His blessings. Why just one day though? Let's give thanks the entire month! The secular world sees Thanksgiving as a holiday of eating, football, and family gathering - forgetting or ignoring the main reason for the day of celebration. As we gather this month, let us remember to thank the Lord in a special way on Thanksgiving, and thank Him every day for the blessings He has poured out upon us.
Thank you Lord for life everlasting!
Bucky

November 2, 2007

Good Morning! Today is another fine day in the Lord! We are all ministers and witnesses to our risen Lord Jesus. What is the difference? I think that a ministry comes from the head and the heart. We learn from our elders, the Bible, and from other ministers. Some ministers go to college to learn even more. We also learn from living. Witness comes from the heart, from listening to the voice of the Holy Spirit, and from telling what God has done for us. All of who believe in Christ have both a witness and a ministry. You and I may not stand up in front of groups on Sunday morning as ordained pastors of churches, and may God bless and guide those who do, but we have little ministries of our own as we speak to coworkers, children, friends, and neighbors first through our witness and then through our ministry. Is it really, really important that we distinguish between the two? Not really, in letting God guide us through His Holy Spirit, we will share the Good News is just the right way for any person or situation. Will everyone be saved? No, we already know from the Bible that some will choose not to believe until their dying day. That is why we look up to Jesus and not down to despair. I pray that each of you will have a wonderful day at work and a great weekend!
God bless and keep you my brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus!
Bucky

November 1, 2007

Good morning on this fine November day. Yes, I said November. Halloween has passed and we are now in the eleventh month of another year. How the time does fly toward that great day when Jesus shall come! The big days continue to come, we have another department moving today and a big clean up of our own tomorrow. When will the fun slow down a bit?

Last night, between the hordes of trick 'r treeters, I watched a story about a young woman who died in an accident. She did not know that her body carried a virus that often triggers mononucleosis in teenagers. Apparently a person can carry the virus with few ill effects unless they get run down from stress or overwork, then the mono is triggered. I was taken back this morning to a friend in high school. He was then a member of what would be known as the "in" crowd. Successful in sports, academics, and most anything else he chose to participate in. One of the people most of us envied. Yet, he suffered from this illness. So what stresses or overwork would this person have suffered from? It brings me to the realization that often we don't think someone who appears to "have it all" can be as stressed or overworked as we are. The outward signs of success may mask a soul and mind in desperate need of the peace of Jesus that I spoke of yesterday. It is so easy to get caught up in me, my problems, and my situation that we miss what is going on around us. Perhaps that is why Jesus tells us to throw all of our problems on Him. Not only is He more than capable of bearing that which is too much for each of us, but through giving up our worries we are free to look at the pain in the friends and neighbors around us. What pain can I ease today with a kind or understanding word?

May the name of our Lord be praised forevermore!

Bucky

October 31, 2007

Good morning and a happy Halloween to you! Tonight I will be visited by hordes of little costumed children. I hope that I have enough candy for them all. Today is that day before lock down at work, I wonder how many last minute changes await us? So many things going on today, and so many yesterday and just as many await the day after, how are we to cope with this? Hurry, hurry, rush, rush, when do we have the time for each other? When do we take time for God? Your employer will be glad to send you to classes to schedule and record your time better, make you more efficient, and more productive. Is that what we really need? Do we need to account for every moment in our service to Christ? I don't know how you feel, but to me that does not seem to agree with "my yoke is easy and my burden light", the words Jesus spoke to us so many years ago. Those words resonate now in this very hectic rush about world. Since those who seek shall find, I propose that we start seeking peace. Yes, that same peace that Jesus gave to us; it is time we started seeking it. Through that search I suspect that we can come to know Jesus better and find more of His will for our lives.
Not as the world gives... that seems so right.
Bucky

October 30, 2007

Good morning to you. Did all of you go to your jobs and question whether it could really be your God-given destiny yesterday? I know that I did. The thought came to me this morning that perhaps some of us are not yet in that destiny, but we are in training to move into what God wants us to do. I heard the message of the God-given destiny from Pastor Joel Osteen on Sunday, but that does not mean that the message was meant for all of us. It may be that some of you looked around at work, at the events happening to you and around you, and nearly wept from despair. I don't think that we all have found our calling just yet, and I praise God for those that have. You may not find that destiny God has for you until you retire from your career. Suddenly one day, or night, you may realize that all those years were simply training you for where you are now. What we can do, in even the worst job situation, is to work on that attitude. It may take practice and dedication, improving our attitude just a little each day, but we can change the way we look at where we are. This attitude change can work in the home, a marriage, a relationship with friends, and in many other areas of our life. Jesus didn't send us out into the world with the crack of a whip, but with the whisper of love and an arm around our shoulders.
Praise God for the everlasting love of Jesus!
Bucky

October 29, 2007

Good Monday morning! Today, if you haven't already, you go not to a job, but to your God-given destiny. "What part about my job don't you understand!" someone would be glad to ask me. Yes, it may seem strange to start thinking about your work as a part of your destiny in Christ. Change that negative thinking, and walk in the light Jesus' love for you!

Last night our Rockies completed the cold part of their hot-cold run to finish the season. Yes, they get to go home now after four losses in the World Series. We kept up with it while working on various installations and upgrades. Where? Yes, at my God-given destiny! After midnight my destiny felt kind of goofy and light-headed from sleep deprivation, but we accomplished much last night.

My sister reminded me that IT never sleeps, and then I got a dose of it myself. God and His angels never sleep, even while we do. I have never woken up and seen an angel guarding me, but I am assured that they are there. Entities exist that we cannot perceive by sight or touch, but that does not mean that they are not there, for good, ill, or indifference to us. When I get all Halloween like, and start thinking about those kinds of things, it is good to know that God, the Father, is still in control of everything.

Praise our God, the Father of our Lord Jesus!

Bucky

October 28, 2007

Good Sunday morning! I see the critics are after us again, this time proclaiming deep divisions in the evangelical Christian movement. To tell you the truth, I'm not exactly sure what the evangelical Christian movement is. I believe in Jesus, I don't think that we should allow the murder of unborn babies, and I vote. If that makes me a part of some movement, then I guess there it is. However, we are united in our belief in Jesus Christ and the relationship that he gives us in Him. After that, we may disagree on which political candidate to vote for, what laws should or should not be passed, and many other issues of the day. I don't see a "deep division" between myself and another Christian who wants to vote for some other candidate. If one of us does not approve of something, or even everything, that the President has done in his two terms, then hooray for both of us. My apologies to the world though, I still don't see that as a "deep division" between us. The only deep division that concerns me is between Jesus and those who refuse to believe in the Son of God. That is the great divide that we should worry about, for some that we love are standing on the other side of it right now. Whether you immediately think of some friend or relative, some celebrity, or the billions that remain in the world; there is someone over there who is waiting anxiously for a shaft of light to shine in their darkness. Let us shine it on them today.

Praise God for our unity in Christ Jesus!

Bucky

Book recommendation:
Max Lucado's 3:16, you can pick it up in Wal-mart, Amazon,or your local bookstore. This one is a keeper, a wonderful in-depth discussion of the center verse of our faith. For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life. I like the mantra formed in that verse and pointed out in the book:
God loved... He gave... we believe... we live.

October 27, 2007

Good Saturday morning to you! It seems that by some guidance, I have let slip by the anniversary of the start of this thing. Yes, about 20 days ago the 365th posting of this devotional on the blog went past. While that is an interesting date, I think it was let go because it just isn't that important. I should hope that many hundreds, even thousands of devotional messages will come from God and through my fingers before this is done. For in that is hope for those still lost in the darkness. If those like you and me, who spread the Word, the Gospel, the Good News of Jesus are called home, who will deliver the Good News to a lost world? And what hope does the world have if God gives up on it? None whatsoever without that light shining in the darkness spoken of in Isaiah so many years ago. Today, that light shines through us, in many different forms. This appears in an e-mail and on the web, your testimony may come in song, the verse of poetry, the pages of stories, in sermons, in novels, in television scripts, in everyday conversation, in your living, giving, accepting, and in your stand for Christ. May we not forget that in praying for another, especially one who does not know that he or she is the object of that prayer, that we show great love for them, and God does not forget that.

Today began very early and I do not yet know all of what lies in store, but it seems that I did need to get up to find out. Did you realize that Christmas is but two months away? If not, I am more than glad to let you know! Merry Christmas to you, and may God's blessings overflow your cup this weekend!

Bucky

October 26, 2007

Good morning! What a time for a streak to end; the Rockies now cannot seem to win. Hopefully a return to Denver will help them. I see an article about aircraft, firefighting aircraft that is, being grounded during the wildfires; that will surely stir up a firestorm of a different type. I am glad that the winds have eased and they now have a chance to contain the fires. Praise the Lord for the power of prayer! I read in Pastor Rogers' devotional about the sting of criticism. Is that ever the truth or what? Criticism can really sting, if we let it. It took years for me to learn that criticism of what I do or write is not criticism of me. I once took every kind of criticism as a rebuke of myself and my worth, and such is not the case. In this life we will make mistakes, do things that others do not agree with, and generally incur criticism of some sort on most days. However, Jesus still loves us enough to die for us, and that trumps any earthly criticism. Use criticism to improve or examine it and toss it away if it is of no value, but don't take it personally.

What if they criticize something about you that you cannot change? That hurts too! All of us have some physical trait or other that we might wish that we didn't have. The world is often quick to point these out to us, over and over and... Yes, that can be difficult, but once more we must trust in Jesus. You know, people can be afraid to speak to those who are very attractive; it can be tough for them to spread the love of Jesus when no one will approach them. Notice that I carefully exclude myself from the "very attractive" group. :-) I am probably among the many who don't give themselves enough credit. Well praise God that I am not a supermodel, people tend to attribute no intelligence at all to those poor folks.

May God grant you a wonderful weekend!

Bucky

October 25, 2007

Good morning! I have heard twice now about GoodSearch (goodsearch.com) a search engine that donates to charity with each search. We may want to check that out, and don't forget our friends at Maranatha Camp when you do! The fires in California show signs of easing as the wind dies down, good job on those prayers and keep 'em coming! In viewing the news reports, I cannot help but be reminded of the Biblical judgments in the last days. No, I don't believe that the fires are any more than the usual California fires, but it does make one think about how the world is growing ripe for the end times. Droughts seem to be in the news almost constantly and they are the precursors of huge wildfires. Should we despair over the events a day brings? That is the test; we must hold firm in our faith. God is still in charge and no event is out of His control or knowledge. Pray for the firefighters and those who have lost their homes, but trust in God first and have joy in Him this day.

God bless you!

Bucky

October 24, 2007

Good morning! Is there any special significance to October 24th? A quick look on the Internet, that fount of information, shows that October 24 does have some significance. October 24, 1929 is known as Black Thursday, the day of the great Wall Street crash that began the Great Depression worldwide. It is also no wonder that no one would want to commemorate that day since the Great Depression was not a time of financial joy and easy living. We have been assured by some of those talking head economists that such a thing cannot happen again, but they said similar things about the Titanic, the Hindenburg, the... you get the picture. As always we should, we must, place our trust only in God. No institution, government, organization, strength, weapon, or any other worldly thing can save us from death and destruction.

Now, since that is a bit of a heavy note to start the day. Let's move on to something else before going off to work with a cloud of doom over our heads. Jesus came that we might have life and have it more abundantly. I do not believe that He meant just in the next life, but that He wants us to have abundant life in this existence too. He may not mean that all of us are going to be rich, fat cats laying in the sun for the remainder of our lives. The world produces plenty of those folks, and they are generally only useful as fodder for the tabloids. Having abundant life probably lies more in the area of enjoying the company of friends, coming through a time of danger or distress, helping out someone without being paid or rewarded, doing something special with your family, and many other wonderful things that are available to us in this life. Yes, life in heaven with Christ will be much better, but not all of the good things are put on hold until we get there.

Enjoy a bit of life in Christ this day!

Bucky

Prayer requests!
The fires in California have become very bad in a short time, please pray for the people out there who have lost homes and been evacuated to shelters. Pray for the winds to ease and the rains to come.

October 23, 2007

Good morning! Whew, I am a bit groggy and feeling that emotional letdown of yet another class passing by. May the Lord be with you on this fine day. Today, I thought of the old explorers, one in particular, and their search for famous cities and the Fountain of Youth. Ponce De Leon, if my recall hasn't failed me, was the one searching in Florida for that fabled fountain. We look at that in the history books and we laugh at his efforts; "fountain of youth, ho, ho, ho" However, if we look at the news reports today, that search still goes on in this world. DNA, gene therapy, stopping aging, all of these are in the news from time to time, and the possible halting of the aging process is thought now to be possible within the next 50 years. How would that change the world if it comes true? Would only the rich be able to afford it and thus become richer? Would there be a huge revolt against the "ageless ones" and start that dreaded final war? I don't know, perhaps the 50 years is as good as forever, God may not allow such a thing to come about. Or perhaps He will and the resulting arrogance will cause everyone to choose God or the world, and the end times will indeed come to pass.

It is interesting to ponder these things, but we are not at that bridge just yet. Today, let us go forth in the Lord's grace and show joy and peace in a world that is still searching for the Fountain of Youth. There is no dread spectre of Death waiting to grasp us, only the welcoming arms of our Lord Jesus.

Have a Hallelujah day!

Bucky

October 22, 2007

Good Monday morning to you! Have you ever wondered why ministers of the Christian faith speak their own words? What I am referring to is the world of television and cinema, where actors don't speak their own words. That great actor or funny comedian is fed their lines by skilled writers who may not perform their own words. A comedian may be hilarious because the team of writers behind them has carefully worked out those hilarious lines and depends upon the comic actor's timing and delivery. Would not a team approach work well in the ministry?

You know, I don't think so. I believe that God has hung out a "No Actors" sign on the Christian ministry. God wants us, has commanded us, to bear witness to the world. Our witness is our own words, our own experience in Christ Jesus. While one minister may write out his sermon word by word, another may only make a few notes to guide her sermon. One minister may speak one on one with people in coffee shops or on the street, another may write, and another may sing, but all are ministers bearing witness to the Son of God. A Christian singer may sing hymns written by someone else many years ago, and we all sing songs of praise to our Lord. Not everyone can sing well and so God has provided talented performers. All of us use words though and your witness is from your heart, your words, and God has made you and those words special.

A person may not be able to read and write, but in Jesus that person still bears a powerful witness of the Risen Lord. You may quote those who have a God-given talent for stringing words together, but your witness is YOU, and a wonderful witness you are!

God loves you and so do I!

Bucky

October 21, 2007

Good Sunday Morning! The light of the Lord shines upon us this day. The paws of a cat are also messing with my mouse and keyboard, so I apologize for any odd characters or spaces today. Actually I do a proof read before sending so you shouldn't see any of them. This morning starts out cool and wet; it didn't snow yet, but there is a chance that we could see our first snow flakes of the season today. I am glad that we have the opportunity to gather together in this way or together in person somewhere. In the next week I begin my introduction to sociology and the forces of the world are gathering even now. The one thing I see already is that in order to study a religious group, the sociologist must remain detached or dispassionate. I have no problem with that in studying religions, but how can one remain dispassionate in a relationship with Christ? A person either believes and cannot remain detached or does not believe and is detached already. If one cannot truly understand belief without experience, the sociologist will never truly understand what it is to be in Christ and have Him in one's heart. To me there is a line that divides completely. A person can join most any other group and remain inside while observing in a detached manner, but this belief of ours is just not compatible with the wisdom of the world.

What else will I learn about the "science" of sociology in this course? It should be interesting, that much I can see already.

God bless you!

Bucky

October 20, 2007

Good Saturday morning! We are one in the Lord on this fine day. Today I said a short prayer for our football team. I heard they were booed this year after more than one disappointing performance. It is especially bad to be booed in your home stadium. I must admit that I haven't been among their supporters this week as their performance has been truly miserable. Do you know what I hope they remember? That Jesus loves all of us, no matter how well we perform, no matter whether we meet some one's expectations or not, no matter what we have done or have not done; Jesus loves us more than I can describe in words. He proved it first in His death on the cross and second upon His Resurrection. No greater love than to lay down His life for us and then to take it up again has been shown to us since time began. Let us rest today in the overcoming love of Jesus.

God loves you on this fine weekend!

Bucky

October 19, 2007

Good Friday morning! Another weekend begins tonight, use it well. I wonder what today will bring? It has been an interesting week and isn't every week or day that way? We do not know for sure what may come. We can plan and have lists of to do's; we can hope and dream, or pray and sing, but we do not know what will come on any given day. Things that are dreaded; shots, chores, a trip to the doctor, a bit of nasty cleanup... these things, like juggernauts, seem to rush toward us, unstoppable. Good things don't arrive fast enough. Over all of that we know that God is sovereign. No bad thing is coming that He cannot stop, divert, or grant us the strength to overcome. No good thing is so distant as it seems, for God wants us to have every good thing.

Praise the Lord for the coming of His great day!

Bucky

October 18, 2007

Good morning! It is a great day in the Lord! Hallelujah! Sorry, some days it is difficult to stop, and why stop? I am up a bit early today as help is needed in one of the eastern stores. One of the fun things about building things to the east is that you must get up early to support them.

Throwing your worries upon the Lord, how hard is that? It might seem easy to do, but our conditioning and training in this life teaches us to be self-reliant. This is at odds with trusting the Lord! We must unlearn that self-reliance and become God-reliant. I may seem to go on and on about this, but it seems more important to me in these days of information overload and job burnout than ever before. We are overwhelmed in this life by what is available. We think we need more time, but what we really need is that inner peace and joy that comes from God. As knowledge and tech-knowledge increases in this life, we will see it becoming faster and faster. We must look up and concentrate on Jesus. Rest in His peace and joy, trust in Him completely in this most hectic life.

God's grace go with you this day,

Bucky

October 17, 2007

Good morning! I have been struggling with a worry and asked for an answer. Today I received that answer and it is right out of the Bible. It is good to know that when we seek, just as Jesus said, we shall find. The problem and the answer are not as important as the fact that an answer was provided. The challenge for me now is to obey, which requires keeping my mouth shut. You might think that would be easy for me, and usually it is. However, you also know that when you are angry or have something you think is funny rattling around in your head, it can be especially difficult to not speak it aloud! Praise the Lord and His glorious name!

You might check out the interview in Newsweek with Eric Prince, the leader of Blackwater. I won't say good or bad, but will let you make your own conclusions. There is one what you might call a Biblical gaffe in the interview that I cannot let easily pass by. I will give you a hint: it was Nehemiah. The weekly survey of the Old Testament has apparently put some Biblical knowledge in my head that has grown roots. We also studied Nehemiah in depth a couple of years ago. One good use for our Bible studies, and all of us should be reading daily from the Word, is in making sure that the media gets it right.

May God's joy and peace be with us all on this great day!

Bucky

October 16, 2007

Good morning! The Rockies will play in the World Series! Despite the miserable playing of our football team, we do have something to cheer about. I see they canned the Husker athletic director yesterday; I wonder if that has anything to do with the Rockies winning? No, sometimes we look for patterns and signs where none exist. That may be a part of our nature or it may be a symptom of the modern electronic media. We get news so quickly these days that it is easy to make connections where none exist. We are to be watchful and there are signs that the last days are upon us and Jesus return is closer than it has ever been. We do see a polarization of the world from those who will believe on one side to those who refuse to believe on the other. People all over the world rush about trying to "get ahead" and make more money. Not that long ago it took a couple of months to cross the Atlantic; you had time to regret taking on the journey well before arriving at the destinations. Today, a few hours in a plane and you are in a totally different culture and still trying to sort out your feelings and thoughts. However, the speed of the Internet and satellite news is perhaps the most breathtaking of all. News developments in far countries can be seen live in many cases. Overwhelmed? You bet; we can be overwhelmed with information today and we see the mental disorders that go with it.

Seek and ask for God's peace today. He promised it, and we know that our God never goes back on His Word. Trust in the Lord Jesus and enjoy a life of peace and joy in Him!

Bucky

October 15, 2007

Good Monday morning! The world awaits our presence with some cringing, for we are the salt and Jesus is the light in this dark world. Does that seem strange to you? That the world should fear us may seem backwards. After all there are billions of people, governments, corporations, armies, and all of popular and religious culture out there. In our own power certainly we are weak, but we come in the name of the creator of all the universe. Our armor is provided by God and our strength is in the name of Jesus, who rose from the grave to glory. Yes, the world should fear us. The salt of our words stings the wounds of sin, the light of Jesus causes the darkness to flee, and the authority of Jesus' name cannot be denied.

Do not fear the day, and do not fear the shades of gray, for Jesus is Lord!

Bucky

October 14, 2007

Good Sunday morning! So often we begin to think that some sin or other, or the sum total of the sins that immediately come to mind, is somehow greater than God can forgive and forget. Perhaps we forget just who our God is, but we become depressed remembering and writhing in shame over the sins that the accuser parades through our mind. This morning I read in the sixth chapter of Isaiah about his vision of God in Heaven on His throne. I noted, after however many times that I have read this, something kind of new. This vision has an example of how powerful and gentle is our Lord's forgiveness.
Then one of the seraphim flew over to the altar, and he picked up a burning coal with a pair of tongs. He touched my lips with it and said, "See, this coal has touched your lips. Now your guilt is removed, and your sins are forgiven."

We read here of how a seraphim touched Isaiah's lips with a hot coal, yet he was not burned but forgiven, a gentle touch. But wait! What is that we always read over? The seraphim, a being powerful enough to fly while in the presence of God, used a pair of tongs to take the coal from the altar! The seraphim are described as mighty earlier in the passage, yet they need tongs to grab God's coals. How powerful is the forgiveness of God! We see that so often, sometimes to the point of taking it for granted, the power and gentleness of God displayed as one.

Praise God for His strength and gentleness,

Bucky

October 12, 2007

Good morning! It's Friday once more! Does it seem like the weeks are just sliding by us? It does to me as another weekend of school work arrives. Praise the Lord for the opportunity to learn more. Deep thoughts are with me today, and on a Friday at that. Questions and pondering, are big changes ahead or simply a time of trial, at the end of which I will look back and wonder at dark thoughts? At the moment, I don't know. I am anxious to start writing for the Lord, but is the time right? A time of soul searching is upon me. Will it be gone by Monday? Or am I facing great changes that will take a while to work through?

One thing is true, perhaps I shouldn't write before breakfast! It is odd how such a seemingly small thing can affect our thinking so much. Let the glory of the Lord rise above my little problems. I know those problems are not little to you and I, but they are small to our awesome Lord. The answer to my deep thoughts is in Jesus. Perhaps I cannot answer my questions alone and need to come first to Him in prayer and then to my brothers and sisters in Christ. Pastor Rogers' devotional starts out with a very interesting verse regarding this matter. "My times are in Thy hand." It would seem that my worries are too! Have a blessed and wonderful Friday!

Pray for each other on this fine day!

Bucky

October 11, 2007

Good morning! Last night we finished Ecclesiastes in our Bible study and it does end with a wonderful conclusion. "Fear God, and obey His commandments." Solomon shows the wisdom that God gave to him after a lengthy experiment in finding meaning under the sun. Jesus said much the same thing during His ministry upon the earth. Trying to find satisfaction and meaning in this world is useless for it does not satisfy more than briefly and its meaning is vaporous. It is, as Solomon would say, "like chasing the wind." Truly we want to store up treasure in heaven.

Give glory to the one true God,

Bucky

October 10, 2007

Good morning! Is it hard to believe in Christ in this world today or what? It seems that everywhere one looks there is someone that we are taught to look up to showing us once again how intelligent people believe in nothing but look critically at everything. People with a PhD behind their name or a Dr. in front, politicians, actors, successful and wealthy people, and on it goes, the parade of those we should admire in this world telling us how it is. Then I stop and wonder, who should I really look to? These people living here and now, who are certainly as capable of being mistaken as I am, or the almighty creator of the heavens and the earth. What have those talking heads created? A fine novel, a painting, a few performances on stage and screen, even a lifetime of research and study, but what does all of that, and none have done all of that, really amount to in regards to saving me or anyone else? Yet when I choose to believe, much becomes clear to me. Humans can be and often are mistaken, and I am no different than any other in that. What is it about believing in Jesus that makes a clarity possible that was not before? The Holy Spirit living within me. I take no credit for suddenly becoming "smart" or intelligent; these qualities one is either born with or not. Intelligence, like any other talent, can be squandered in a life of pleasure or lost through circumstance. Understanding, or wisdom, however, is a gift from God. If a person chooses not to believe, then they will not understand what it is about Jesus that makes us carry on so. Yes, I believe in Jesus and I will look to the one true God for my understanding.

Praise God for His own glorious Son, Jesus Christ!

Bucky

October 9, 2007

Good morning to you. Do you ever wonder how fragile our world is? This is not the earth that we are standing on that I speak of, but the social, economic, and entertainment world that we live in on the surface of that earth. There have been wars, economic events, and social unrest for as far back as anyone can remember. Through it all, God has always been in perfect control of all. We can ponder these things, but we need not fear them. It seems that hardly a day goes by that some news report will have some form of doom outlook regarding something. Often these reports conflict with another pronouncement of doom from a few days or years in the past. All of it points out that none of us knows when Jesus will return, exactly as the Bible said many centuries ago. We live our Christian life expecting our Lord at any moment, but we also know that we may live to be 120 and die still waiting for Him to come. It does make our lives a bit of a split; looking to the heavens and hoping that today will be the day, but also looking to the earth and working, saving, and going about spreading the Good News. Jesus didn't promise that it would be easy, but He did give us His peace.

God bless each of you this day!

Bucky

October 8, 2007

Good morning! What hope do we have in this dark world? Everywhere we look it seems that darkness is fast taking over. Not everywhere we look. The world's media may delight in presenting violence, scandal, and other darkness, but there is a lot to see that is not sin. Churches are active, believers are meeting together, prayers are answered, and God is still sovereign. The darker it seems to get, the greater our hope becomes at the imminent return of Jesus. After the death of Jesus on the cross, it did not seem like there could be any hope to the first followers of the Way. For 2 days they met behind locked doors in secret as the rulers of the day gloated over what they thought would be the final blow to yet another sect or cult. Yet on that third day something very different happened and soon the power of the Holy Spirit would be felt across the world. Yes, we have a great hope in Jesus Christ.

Spread the Good News today!

Bucky

October 7, 2007

Good Sunday morning to you! It has been one of those big changes in temperature today, 90's yesterday and 40's today. Welcome to autumn! Wow, I hope none of you owns a laundromat in Sidney today; those good folks were being badmouthed something fierce today. It doesn't help that several of us show up to do our laundry at the same time and that about 1/4th of the machines are "out of order". A lady was wondering aloud where the owner/operators were. I suspect they are in one of the 8:00 am church services, but I think that she was ready to send them somewhere else.

It is in our nature that we can get involved in gripe and moan sessions without even intending to do so. I sat this one out, but there have been others where I later regretted some (or all) of the things that were said. More often than not, the object of these sessions is not there to defend themselves. Jesus told us to love even our enemies, and trashing someone behind their back is not showing that love. I am not sure that one of those gripe sessions has ever really solved anything, but sometimes the release of tension and stress can help. Please leave off with the hurtful speech toward others, but don't be afraid to lean on other Christians with your problems. Jesus also told us to love one another, and discussing our problems together does help us cope with this life.

May God have mercy on us all,

Bucky

October 6, 2007

Good Afternoon! I am getting going just a bit late on the writing and homework, but I did get a haircut and help out at work. This class has proven more difficult than I anticipated. It is interesting how we base our assumptions and anticipations on not enough or no evidence at all. How would I know how difficult this particular class would be? I have never taken it before and only have the assurance of a previous student that all of the undergraduate classes are easy. I should be suspicious that all of his former classes were easy; either he is an academic genius or all of the classes seem easy when they are finished. It has been the same in many instances in my and your life I know. For example, I knew nothing about Marine boot camp, yet arrived with a bag of assumptions about how it would be and how well I would perform. Needless to say that I was proven wrong about a great many things, and quickly too!

Jesus told us to count the cost before following Him, and what is that cost? The houses, cars, money, and other material possessions that we have? I don't know about you, but I didn't have to take a vow of poverty to believe. What about friends, you and I may have to give up friends to follow Christ. Especially if those friends like to hang out at places that we should not go to, or do things that Jesus commanded us not to. Some may have given up jobs, fame, family, and friends. Some may have lost all of their material positions and reputation among men. There may be a price, but we gain so much in Jesus! The rich, young ruler in the Bible was asked to give up all his material possessions and give to the poor. We may not be asked to do that; each relationship in Jesus in personal.

Personal, there is a thought. We have been placed in and identified with so many groups in our lifetime that it is almost alien to us that Jesus would know each of us personally and lead us on the way to the Father individually. Actually it is very foreign to the world to have a personal savior. Take a look at religion and note how it is up to the follower to perform in order to gain the attention of a distant deity. A relationship with God himself; now there's a concept that is at odds with the world!

God bless you this fine weekend,

Bucky

October 5, 2007

Good morning! It is kind of muggy and humid this morning; which means that it is almost half as humid as some of you experience normally. :-) Yesterday proved difficult, probably due to a lack of sleep for the most part. I am sure that today will go better. I am working on attitude if you are wondering. I read a very inspirational story about a young lady who had suffered from rheumatoid arthritis from the time that she turned three. That is very young to be finding out how harsh and painful the world can be, but her attitude was one of praising God for each new day. The most inspiring thing about the story for me was that she didn't get up one day and suddenly everything was better in her outlook, it took a lot of work to improve her disposition toward everything. Today, I want to start working on that... it's going to be a wonderful day! Praise God for this new day!

God loves you and so do I!

Bucky

October 4, 2007

Good morning, and technically it is morning though I have not been to bed yet. We had a little DNS change for the cabelas.com site tonight and I am helping with that. Even the eastern folk can have this in their inbox before getting up this morning. :-) Last night we had the second Bible study of the year and it was once again very motivational and inspirational. I even met an old friend who had stopped to pick up her child from Awana. I am going to crash soon, it is almost 0200 out here and that is late for me.

We studied the meaning of life last night in Ecclesiastes. It may not seem at first read that this book holds anything but depressing news about life. However, through our study and discussion, along with some input from Christian scholars and our pastor, we saw how the secular view of life is what is meaningless and depressing. Life In Christ is anything but meaningless, and we know that He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. The Bible is full of wonderful news for those who will believe!

My work is finished for the evening and the crash is coming, but I wanted you to have this when you got up in the morning.

God bless you all!

Bucky

October 3, 2007

Good morning! Do you ever want to see what's around the corner? Come on, fess up. One of my ways of trying to see ahead is the 5-day weather forecast. I have it up in a tab right now. We like to attempt a "seeing" into the future. Revelation is good for inspiring a wish to look ahead. This makes it all the more interesting that Jesus tells us to be watchful. This is to keep watch on what is happening now, not trying to watch what we cannot see. We are to worry about today's problems.

Watching that weather forecast is almost a waste of time for me; I work inside all day and study inside through the evening. Where am I going with this? Beats me, sometimes the writing just seems to follow where the Spirit leads and I am not to know the destination. God loves us, we can know this through the death of Jesus on the Cross. How does that relate to today? We don't know where or how the day will end, but we know the pilot of our craft will not leave us nor forsake us, His own promise to us. Unless you're the boss, none of even knows for sure how the workday will begin and even the boss can be surprised by events. I guess that I will need to leave the worries to God, for I really don't know what I should even worry about today! :-)

Trust in God for the day,

Bucky

October 2, 2007

Good morning. The assignment didn't go so well last week; I am sure that I haven't enjoyed so much difficulty on a first assignment for any class. However, this too will be conquered in Christ Jesus. I pray that you are all doing well today and enjoying life in Jesus.

Last night, perhaps having something to do with a rough ending to the day, I pondered perfection. How do you define perfect? Probably not a 10.0 score as seen by a group of imperfect human judges, or a 100 on a test scored by an imperfect teacher in an imperfect educational system. We are not perfect, so would we recognize perfection when it appears? I believe that we will, for just as we have eternity in our hearts, so also do we have an idea of what perfection is.

Probably like you, I have many questions that remain unanswered. I know that I may die without most of those answers, and that is fine. When I meet Jesus, many of those questions will most likely fall away as unimportant, or at least no longer important in relation to where I will be at the time. Too many of my questions are related to my condition now, and through the assurance of Jesus, that condition will not always be as it is now. We are all in that fallen condition and though it seems so real to us now, it is a temporary condition. Isn't that the word you long to hear from a doctor? "Yes, your suffering is great now, but the condition is only temporary." That is this life, my friend in Christ, only temporary.

Praise God from whom all blessing flow!

Bucky

October 1, 2007

Good morning! Who would've thought those Rockies could pull it off; they are very nearly in the playoffs and riding a winning streak. They must win a one game playoff though. I wonder who would have thought because those Rockies also fulfilled my prediction of being in last place before May this year. I guess almost anything can be turned around!

Money, we need more of it, there is never enough; we work hard to get it and worry about it too much. It's funny that we work and seek so hard for financial security when God tells us that we already have it. I realize that you might question that, and I have my own doubts at times. Each of us can list our debts or dwindling resources or some other worry about the our coming financial ruin. Illness, catastrophe, litigation, theft... the worries go on and on. How are we to cope with all of this?!

Jesus gave us some instruction in this in John, "You trust in God, now trust in me." He does not expect us to go it alone in any area. Jesus is concerned with every aspect of our life in Him. Jesus knows we need money to buy things in our system, and He knows that not everything we want to buy is a rock hard necessity. I saw in a magazine where someone condemned Americans for buying homes that are too large for them. I would ask, "what about the builders, tradesmen, and suppliers who made a living building those houses?" You could go on with realtors, bankers, tax grabbers, and others who can feed their families from that big house. Sorry about the tax one, I had to pay mine not too long ago. :-) The privilege of paying taxes... sometimes it really hurts.

Trust in Jesus today!

Bucky

Prayer request!
Pray for each other today; pray that each of us will trust in Jesus in our financial matters.