Quote 13...

Quote 13… “Mama always had a way of explaining things so I could understand them.” …

Communication is vital isn’t it? You can lecture for hours, read a zillion words, write a zillion more…But unless the thoughts are conveyed, you’ve just wasted time, energy, and ink. (…or in my case, memory on a computer.)
Sometimes, I get an attitude and mindset that I need to be right about every single thing, as well as make sure you are correct too. Sometimes, I skip right over the message, and focus on the method.

I’m sure I’m the only one guilty….

Don’t misunderstand me. Being correct is of the utmost importance, but sometimes I correct form, when form doesn’t make a bit of difference.

Mama talks baby talk so baby can understand. THAT is the important thing. Understanding. And baby talk is far from correct grammar !

I’ve heard folks argue over which translation of written scripture to use, as if Jesus used one of them. (He did use one, and I understand it was Hebrew….I don’t understand Hebrew much better than I understand the original KJV.)

Translations line the shelves of bookstores now. There are groups of scholars from all over the globe who regularly gather to examine the old documents and manuscripts. They study the language of the era, and they consider how words were used in all sorts of literature of that day.

They consider what words we use today, and how we use them. Which, by the way, changes from generation to generation. Big time.

Scholars’ goal is to take the message in that old manuscript, written to that ancient world, a document that used their language and their words, and then communicate the message of it to our world today, using our language and our words.

I bet the people of other foreign languages don’t have this axe to grind….I’m pretty sure there’s not a lot of Bibles written in Chinese. Certainly not the King James Version ! And I’m glad I don’t have to read either of them. But I am thrilled that the Chinese can read and understand what was once only written in Hebrew or Greek.

It is certainly a good thing to be educated in the correct use and form or words. It’s a far better thing to be able to use all of them to effectively transfer a thought from one mind and heart to another.

We are told to “ …grow in the grace and knowledge…”(2Peter 3:18)

I wonder if some of us don’t need some refresher courses in grace. Are we impressed with our knowledge and the other person’s lack of it ?

Might we need to heed the words of Paul…. Certainly I do.

“ Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up…” (2 Cor. 8:1)

It is the message that is important. Not the method, not the pronunciation, not the spelling, not the punctuation, not the grammer.

Father, may our desire be to grow in grace and not simply knowledge. May our knowledge be only a tool to help us build others up and communicate the message of Jesus Christ.

Quotes 12....

Quotes 12.…“A place where there isn't any trouble. Do you suppose there is such a place, Toto? There must be. It's not a place you can get to by a boat or a train. It's far, far away. Behind the moon, beyond the rain…”

Have you ever been in such a place? Ever longed for such a place?

I tried for years to make such a place. Didn’t happen.

There is a such a place though. And it is indeed beyond the moon, beyond the rainbow… somewhere.

I find my mind going to the old hymns….

“Peace, perfect peace, in this dark world of sin? The blood of Jesus whispers peace within….”

“When peace, like a river, attendeth my way, when sorrows like sea billows roll;
whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say, It is well, it is well with my soul.”

“The winds and the waves shall obey Thy will, peace be still.
Whether the wrath of the storm-tossed sea, or demons, or men, or whatever it be.
No water can swallow the ship where lies, the Master of ocean and earth and skies;
they shall sweetly obey Thy will, peace be still, peace be still.”

I do long for a place where there is no trouble. No global trouble, national or international… political, cultural….personal.

I have known people who lived in circumstances that looked so distressing…like there was not a moment of peace. Yet, they exhibited joy.

How often I have said ‘I don’t know how you do it…’.

“Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow, blessings all mine, with then thousand, ten thousand beside….” Great is His faithfulness.

There is peace for our now and for all of eternity for those who have The Holy Spirit of God dwelling within.


We all have eternity in our hearts. Will your eternity be one of peace?

No need to search for peace over the rainbow, no need to try to orchestrate it for yourself, you can’t.

Jesus Christ says “I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with Me”

He is waiting. Let Him in….“and the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds…” (Phillipians 4:7)

Quotes 11....

Quotes 11.…. “….you are under the unfortunate impression that just because you run away you have no courage; you’re confusing courage with wisdom.”


The speaker of that quote was not at all what he pretended to be. He hid behind curtains, used bells and whistles of all sorts to make himself appear to be THE grand, all knowing, and all powerful one. Some wizard he was….

He was pretty ordinary….pity he didn’t apply his words of wisdom to his own life and come out from hiding behind that curtain sooner…. It takes courage to step out of hiding and be real.


We have an enemy who is a liar and a deceiver of the brethren ( John 8:44, Rev.12:10, Rev. 13:14, Gen. 3:13) He prefers to keep us in pretense.

One of the enemy’s most effective weapons against most of us is fear. Satan deceives us, we choose to believe him over believing God, we find the truth out for ourselves by experience, then instead of running TO God, we hide behind our own curtain, displaying our own bells and whistles…those of denial, pretense, and excuse.

We too are often under the unfortunate impression that running and hiding means we are weak and cowardly. A usual tactic of the enemy...take a little truth and twist it....

Hiding our sin from God IS cowardly. And futile.

“Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” (Hebrews 4:13)

Hiding our sin from ourselves is not only cowardly but catastrophically unwise.

It does takes courage to evaluate ourselves in the Light of the holiness of God because we …“all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”(Romans 3:23)

I am convinced that only when we KNOW the love of God can we come out of hiding.

Only when we have the Presence of Jesus Christ by the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit, can we see ourselves both as we are, (sinful to the core….), as well as loved by our Creator God beyond human capacity and beyond human understanding.

Don’t confuse courage with wisdom, nor fear and hiding with safety.

There is only one safe place to hide. ….“hidden with Christ in God”(Col. 3:3) “We have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body..” (Hebrews. 10:18-20)

Quote 10....

Quote 10.… “Houston we have a problem.”…….

Houston, LA, Seattle, New York, Miami…Hong Kong, London, Cairo…

New Boston, Foreman, DeKalb, Simms…

Every person in every city….we all have a problem.

“You know the story of how Adam landed us in the dilemma we're in…”(Romans 5:12 The Message)

Our problem is that we can not be perfect. No matter how bad we want to, no matter how hard we try.

"…….What I don't understand about myself is that I decide one way, but then I act another, doing things I absolutely despise.

So if I can't be trusted to figure out what is best for myself and then do it, it becomes obvious that God's command is necessary. But I need something more!

For if I know the law but still can't keep it, and if the power of sin within me keeps sabotaging my best intentions, I obviously need help!

I realize that I don't have what it takes. I can will it, but I can't do it.

I decide to do good, but I don't really do it;

I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway.

My decisions, such as they are, don't result in actions.

Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time. It happens so regularly that it's predictable. (Romans 7:14-21 The Message)

The apostle Paul had the problem, we all share it. And Houston can’t fix it….

So what to do?

“Who will save me from this sin that brings death to my body? I give thanks to God. He will do it through Jesus Christ our Lord…”(Romans 7:24-25)

“With the arrival of Jesus, the Messiah, that fateful dilemma is resolved.”(Romans 8:1 The Message)


Hallelujah.

Quote 9....

Quote 9... “What we’ve got here is a failure to communicate.”……

Paul Newman’s portrayal of a cool handed Luke demonstrated that Luke communicated quite well. He chose his own way, regardless of the personal cost.

Over and over he breaks the rules and pays the price for it… being imprisoned.

Over and over he challenges that prison. He managed to escape it, but it was a short-lived freedom…he would only be re-shackled, bound heavier and tighter.

At one point, after an escape, he finds himself in a church building and speaks to God, accusing Him, “You made me like I am.”

Our shortcomings are not God’s fault. He only allows us the freedom to choose poorly.


Luke’s communication was one sided. He communicated his will, but failed to understand the communication from the other side of that church house ceiling.

He insisted on his own way, refused to accept the consequences of his choices, and challenged the wrong in others while accepting, even excusing the faults in himself.

When caught up with yet again, he found himself with no way to escape. “…all you’ve got to do is give up.”, his friend told him.



I don’t claim complete understanding. I don’t claim to be able to communicate perfectly.

But how very thankful I am that my Lord’s message makes sense to me.

I am so grateful to understand what He has gone to such great length and cost to communicate to us.

I continue to learn to communicate…..in both hearing and listening to Him. I continue to learn to communicate with Him in prayer, doing my best to bring an open and honest heart, even though at times, it is not at all cool.

In fact, it’s pretty ugly sometimes…..

Quote 8....

Quote 8.… “I’ll be back….” I bet you read that with a certain accent.



The two looked human, but were not.

The two had different missions. To kill. To save.

When the character uttered the line in the movie, he usually came back in some vehicle, crashing thru walls or windows.

He demolished whatever was in the way of his mission….saving a young woman’s life.

As the movie progresses, she goes from not trusting him at all, to complete trust and following his direction.

Jesus was human, yet was not. He is unique in that….completely both. Completely human. Completely divine.

He too had a mission, and He has a foe that counters that mission, trying to thwart it in any way he can.

The enemy? “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy…”

The Savior has “…come so they can have life….in the fullest possible way.” (John 10:10)

And He WILL be back.



“I will come back. And I will take you to be with Me. Then you will also be where I am.” (John 14:3)

Quotes 7....

Quote 7... “May the force be with you.”……..

I didn’t think much about that line back way back when…and I really don’t know now just what that meant.

But, it’s a line that most people recognize.

It is something found in most all my prayers of intercession.

It was something that Paul prayed in many of his letters. I consider those prayers to be prayers for ME.



“May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus….equip you with everything good for doing His will, and may He work in us what is pleasing to Him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” (Hebrews 13:20-21)


“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:13)


“May the Lord be with your spirit. May God's grace be with you.”( 2 Tim. 4:22)

The force IS with me. Just as was promised to those early Christians, the power and Presence of Jesus Christ thru the Holy Spirit of God is with me.


“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you. Then you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem. You will be My witnesses in all Judea and Samaria. And you will be My witnesses from one end of the earth to the other." (Acts 1:8)

Is The Force with you?

There is no reason to live a defeated life, no reason to not have peace even in a storm of life.

If He is not with you, you can not know what you are missing….

Find out today. He is so good. He wants ONLY good, even better and best, for all of His creation. He WANTS to be with you. The God of the universe WANTS to be with and in you!

“For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you," declares the LORD..”(Jer. 29:11-14)