The more sand has escaped from the hourglass of our life, the clearer we should see through it.
Category Archives: inspiration
The Hourglass of Time
The more sand has escaped from the hourglass of our life, the clearer we should see through it.
Filed under encouragement, health, inspiration, life, philosophy, reflection
Forward . . . . Plow
Jesus replied, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.” Luke 9:62 NIV
Before the use of machinery, farmers used oxen or horses to pull a plow. If a plowman plows half-heartedly his rows will be shallow and crooked. His peers will scoff at his plowing skills. The soil will not be broken up and prepared as well as it could be to hold the seed. If seed is sown on poor ground–the result will be a poor crop. Therefore, a plowman must focus on the ground ahead of him and keep both hands on the plow to adjust the blade as it cuts through roots and clods of dirt. A plowman knows that once he starts, quitting is not an option because good soil will often reward him with a plentiful harvest.
Jesus compared a life of following him to that of a plowman. Just as a plowman can’t plow a deep, straight row while looking backwards, I can’t prepare the soil of my heart to receive the seed of His word if I’m looking back and hankering for the life I left behind. Also, quitting in the middle of plowing my heart, isn’t an option either. Oh, I may stop to rest. Catch my breath. I may even fall–but when I do I know I must get up again and . . . get back to plowing.
Filed under Bible, devotional, encouragement, God, inspiration, Jesus, life
John’s Gaze Reveals Praise
Ever hear a crowd erupt into applause? It sounds like a cascading waterfall or the voice of many waters (Revelation 19:6). That’s what John heard when he peered into heaven. So . . . if that’s what heaven is like–perhaps I should rehearse down here.
O clap your hands all ye people, shout unto God with the voice of triumph. Psalm 47:1
Filed under Bible, devotional, encouragement, God, heaven, inspiration, Jesus, praise, Uncategorized, worship
Make a Funnel
I spread out my hands to you; my soul thirsts for you like a parched land. Psalm 143:6 NIV
“When you lift your hands you make a funnel for God’s spirit to come down to you,” said Reverend Lee Stoneking at a recent conference. Hmmm? I’d never thought of it that way. I’d always thought of it as a sign of surrender. Here I am God. I give up. I give it all to you. But make a funnel? OK.
I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands. (and make a funnel) Psalm 63:4
Pour it on God.
Filed under apostolic, Bible, devotional, encouragement, God, holy ghost, inspiration, Jesus, pentecostal, praise, religion, worship
You’ve Turned My Mourning Into Dancing
In John Bunyan’s classic, The Pilgrim’s Progress, Christian the journeying pilgrim traveled with a heavy load on his back until he came to a hill. On it stood a cross and below it, at the bottom, was a tomb. When Christian came up to the cross, his burden loosened from his shoulders and fell onto the ground. It rolled and rolled until it tumbled into the empty tomb. He never saw it again.
Christian stood in awe at the sight of the cross–amazed that his oppressive burden dropped and rolled away so quickly. He felt released from the pressure he had carried. As a result, he wept and sang and leaped for joy. The cross became a bridge that brought him from a life of despondent sighing, to over flowing gladness and singing.
Like Christian, I basked in a feeling of warm joy when I met Him at the cross. He gave me a new song and turned my mourning into dancing.
Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing. Psalm 30:11a
Thank you Jesus!
Filed under apostolic, Bible, devotional, encouragement, God, inspiration, Jesus, pentecostal, praise, religion, thankfulness, worship
Thanks Dad
What I learned from my dad, Melvin Magee,
b. 1914, d. 1990
You can make a meal out of sardines and saltine crackers.
The only way to be on time is to be ahead of time.
Dreams come true if you just get out of bed.
A penny saved is a penny earned, and if you put it in the bank it’ll earn interest.
How to change a flat tire. (When I was 17 he purposely deflated one so he could watch me change it.)
Despite the weatherman’s forecast, go outside, look around and check it for yourelf. (He was a pilot for 50 years.)
Go to church on Sunday, give God what is rightfully His.
Thanks Dad. Miss you. I’ve done my best to pass along your values. Happy Father’s Day.
Filed under childhood memories, family, inspiration, life, reflection
Does Zeal For Your House Consume Me?
For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up. Psalm 69:9a
And his disciples remembered that it is written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up. John 2:17
Although God can be worshipped any time and at any place, there’s something about going to His house. In church our spirits connect with His Spirit and with one another. We’re free to release the cares of life and focus on Him–the object of our worship and reason for living. We greet each other, pray and sing praises. We give our tithes and offerings. We break spiritual bread by reading and listening to someone explain His word and tell us how to apply it to our lives. In the tabernacle of His presence He renews our minds, refills our spirits, restores our soul and refreshes our strength. Finally, when the lights are turned off and the doors are closed we step out empowered once more to do His will–to be salt and light.
Dear God,
May I always have a zeal for you and your house.
Filed under apostolic, Bible, devotional, encouragement, God, inspiration, Jesus, life, philosophy, prayer, reflection, religion, worship
Sail On
The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change, the realist adjusts the sails. William Arthur Ward
Filed under beach, devotional, encouragement, inspiration, life, philosophy, reflection, sailing
Heavenly Heart Transplant
In 1983 my nursing class took a field trip to the Texas Heart Institute in Houston. It was fascinating to look down through a special viewing area and watch chest cavities opened as the physician surgically repaired heart defects, one right after the other.
Although we did not see a heart transplant, the bible reminds me that Jesus, the Great Physician, has been doing heart transplants for a long time.
I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. Ezekiel 11:19 NIV
Thank you Lord for a new heart.
Filed under Bible, devotional, encouragement, God, health, inspiration, Jesus, praise, reflection, thankfulness
A Lesson From Moko
Moko is a bottle-nosed dolphin near the New Zealand coast. Recently he responded to the distress calls of two stranded whales and led them through a channel and into the sea. http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/03/12/nz.whales.ap/index.html
Moko restored them to their intended environment. Due to Moko’s efforts, the whales will hopefully enjoy a few more whale years instead of an early death on a New Zealand sand bar.
Dear Lord
You specialize in turning hopelessness to hope. Help me to be sensitive to the distress signals around me. I long to stand in the gap and intercede for someone who’s lost their way. In this sea of life–I want to be like Moko.
Filed under beach, devotional, encouragement, God, inspiration, Jesus, prayer
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