No Other Way

Sanibel Island

Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me." (John 14:6)

I've heard professing Christians say, "Jesus is my way to God, but He's not the only way. A loving God would not be so narrow-minded."

There's one BIG problem with this belief: the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation.

"And the LORD God said to the serpent, 'Because you have done this [deceived humanity], cursed are you...HE shall bruise you on the head." (Genesis 3:14-15)

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son [Jesus], that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life." (John 3:16)

"If any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed us to the word of reconciliation...He [God] made Him [Jesus] who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." (2 Corinthians 5:17-19, 21)

"Whoever denies the Son [Jesus] does not have the Father [God]; the one who confesses the Son has the Father also." (1 John 2:23)

"Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God..." (1 John 5:1)

"And behold, I [Jesus] am coming quickly. Blessed is he who heeds the words of this prophecy of this book." (Revelation 22:7)

Beloved, what are you trusting in? People's opinions or the Word of God?

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Week #8: Glassco Family Beach Trip Bible Memorization Challenge

a Sanibel evening

"From the rising of the sun to its setting, the name of the LORD shall be praised!" (Psalm 113:3)

And the week #8 Glassco Family Beach Trip Bible Memorization Challenge verse is:

"I will lie down and sleep in peace, for You alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety." (Psalm 4:8)

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I Will Follow Him

my superman
Sanibel Marina

"At once they left their nets and followed Him." (Matthew 4:20)

I've followed that man around for pert near fifty years now, and I've followed Jesus even longer.

One day over two thousand years ago, two brothers called Peter and Andrew dropped their fishing nets and followed Jesus for the rest of their lives.

Beloved, who are you following?

I will follow Him, follow Him wherever He may go

There isn't an ocean too deep

A mountain so high it can keep, keep me away.

I love Him, I love Him, I love Him

And where He goes I'll follow, I'll follow, I'll follow

He'll always be my true love, my true love, my true love

From now until forever, forever, forever! 1

1 I WIL FOLLOW HIM. Peggy March. 1963.

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"A" is for Alligator

My Phillip and a "friend"
Sanibel Island

"Fear-of-God is life itself, a full life, and serene—no nasty surprises." (Proverbs 19:23)

This morning, while tooling around Sanibel Island on a bicycle-built-for-two from Billy's Bikes, we spotted a surprise in the Rabbit Road Preserve lagoon beside us...

an ALLIGATOR. Can you find that big boy in the picture?

Beloved, life is full of surprises—troubles, twists, and unexpected turns. But a life lived in fear-of-the-LORD rides the waves nestled in God's strong and everlasting arms. Amen?

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Thy Kingdom Come

sunset on Sanibel Island
2019

"Here is another illustration Jesus used: 'The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed planted in a field. It is the smallest of all seeds, but it becomes the largest of the garden plants; it grows into a tree, and birds come and make nests in its branches.'" (Matthew 12:31-31)

Chances are that you have said the Lord's Prayer many times and prayed, "Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." Have you ever stopped and pondered what you're  asking God to do?

In the Gospel of Matthew, when Jesus began His ministry, He proclaimed: "Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near!" Over His three-year ministry, Jesus gave His disciples word pictures of the Kingdom of God (also called the Kingdom of Heaven) through parables. In Matthew chapter 13 alone, there are the parable of the seeds and soils, the parable of the wheat and the weeds, the parable of the mustard seed, the parable of the yeast, the parables of the hidden treasure and the pearl, and finally the parable of the fishing net.

Beloved, do you feel this old world is getting worse and worse? Be encouraged in the parables of the Kingdom. God's Kingdom came to earth through a Babe in a manger over 2,000 years ago. And ever since, the Sower (the Son of God) has been planting and planting and planting His good seed (the message of the Kingdom) into good soil (those who hear and understand and bear Kingdom fruit). 

As the Kingdom of the World grows louder and louder, the tiny seeds of the Kingdom of God are growing larger and larger. And one glad day under the rule of King Jesus, evil will be gone forever from the Kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven. (Don't just take my word for it; take God's word: Revelation 21 and 22.)

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Ask Not

pp. 278(34) Basic Knowledge and Modern Technology
Portrait of JFK by Aaron Shikler

"Here is a simple, rule-of-thumb guide for behavior: Ask yourself what you want people to do for you, then grab the initiative to do it for them. Add up God's Law and Prophets and this is what you get." (Matthew 7:12, The Message)

On January 20, 1961 in John F. Kennedy's well-remembered inaugural address, the new president challenged citizens: "My fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country."

And today, February 20, 2020, I challenge you, my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ: "Ask not what God can do for you; ask what God can do for others through you!"

Selah.

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Week #7: Glassco Family Beach Trip Bible Memorization Challenge

L-R Steve Eberhart, Freddy Eberheart, Mark Watson, and me
the old neighborhood gang, 1960s



"Do not be misled: 'Bad company corrupts good character."
(1 Corinthians 15:33)

When our kids were teenagers, I constantly quoted them 1 Corinthians 15:33, which is our week #7 Glassco Family Beach Trip Bible Memorization Challenge verse.

Beloved, your kids got stinkin' thinkin'? Who are you letting them hang out with?

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For Real

"The real children of Abraham, then, are those who put their faith in God." (Galatians 3:7)


Riddle-ma-riddle-Marie, I see something you don't see, and it's pink. What is it? 

If you said beautiful flowers, you are absolutely...wrong. 
If you said coffee filters dyed pink that look like beautiful flowers, you are absolutely right! (They do look amazingly real, don't they? My friend, Tammy, made them.)

In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus warned that not everyone who calls himself a Christian will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only  people who actually do God's will are real Christians and will enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

What about you, beloved? Are you a real Christian or a fake  imitation?

Jesus said, "On judgment day many will say to me, 'Lord! Lord! We prophesied in Your name and cast out demons in Your name and performed many miracles in Your name.' But I will reply, 'I never knew you. Get away from Me, you who break God's laws.'" (Matthew 7:22-23)

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Broken Wing

our oldest grandboy

"For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin." (Hebrews 4:15)

We were sad to learn that our fourteen-year-old grandboy suffered a broken arm during Saturday's indoor soccer game, and we're all praying for his speedy recovery.

Did you know that, according to the Old Testament, a broken arm disqualified a man from priesthood? (Yep, just look it up— Leviticus 21:19)

The New Testament book of Hebrews, on the other hand, offers the fantastic news that we now have the perfect High Priest who has passed through the heavens, and His name is Jesus, the Son of God. And because Jesus lives forever, His priesthood lasts forever. 

He is able, once and forever, to save those of us who come to God through Him, and He intercedes on our behalf. He is the kind of priest we need because He is holy and blameless, unstained by sin. He has been set apart from sinners and has been given the highest place of honor in heaven. 

Unlike those other high priests of the Old Testament, He doesn't need to offer sacrifices daily. They did it for their own sins and then for the sins of the people. But Jesus did this once for all when He offered Himself as the sacrifice for people's sins. 

Therefore, beloved, let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive His mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most. (Hebrews chapters 4 and 7)

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LOVEly Day

my love and me
Valentine's Day 1973

The LORD said, "I have loved you, My people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to Myself." (Jeremiah 31:3)

Jesus said, "I have loved you even as the Father has loved Me. Remain in My love...There is no greater love than to lay down ones love for one's friends." (John 15:9,13)

"This is real love—not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. Beloved, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love one another!" (1 John 4:10-11)

Have a LOVEly Valentine's Day!

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Remember the Dream

my brother Mark

"The Sovereign LORD is my strength; He makes my feet like the feet of a deer, He enables me to tread on the high places." (Habakkuk 3:10)

This old photo of almost six-year-old Mark riding the Smoky Mountain chair-lift reminds me of an old dream for my children's books: that God will take them to heights that seem impossibly out of reach.

Got big dreams, beloved? Put them in the hands of Jesus—the only One able to do immeasurably more than all we can ask or imagine according to His power that is at work within us (Eph. 3:20)!

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The Law and the Prophets

Ben's backyard swing across the creek

"In everything therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, FOR THIS IS THE LAW AND THE PROPHETS." (Matthew 7:12)

Week #6 Glassco Family Beach Trip Bible Memorization Challenge verse: "Kind words are like honey—sweet to the soul and healthy for the body." (Proverbs 16:24)

Because Team Ben's little boys love the sound of FOR THIS IS THE LAW AND THE PROPHETS, they end every verse with that phrase.

"Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right, FOR THIS IS THE LAW AND THE PROPHETS." (Eph. 6:1)

"For I can do all things through Christ, who gives me strength, FOR THIS IS THE LAW AND THE PROPHETS." (Phil. 4:13)

"A hot-tempered person starts fights; a cool-tempered person stops them, FOR THIS IS THE LAW AND THE PROPHETS." (Proverbs 15:18)

I love it! (I think God does, too.)

Beloved, are you obeying Deuteronomy 6:6-7 by diligently teaching God's word to your sons and daughters? FOR THIS IS THE LAW AND THE PROPHETS!!

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A Wrestling Match

The Lookout Mountain Gang
My brother Mark and me
1957

"Your name is no longer Jacob. From now on it's Israel (God-Wrestler);  you have wrestled with God and prevailed." (Genesis 32:28)


After wrestling with book titles all weekend, the new book name is no longer Once Upon a Neighborhood, A Fort Payne, Alabama Story. From now on the Christian children's book will be called: The Adventures of the Lookout Mountain Gang: The Secret Chest.

In one adventure within God's epic narrative: the Bible, years after stealing Esau's birthright, Jacob sends his twin brother a gift and a message: "Humble greetings from your servant Jacob. Until now I have been living with Uncle Laban, and now I own cattle, donkeys, flocks of sheep and goats, and many servants, both men and women. I have sent these messengers to inform my lord of my coming, hoping that you will be friendly to me."

Then Jacob prays, "O God of my grandfather Abraham and my father Isaac—O LORD, you told me, 'Return to our own land and to your relatives.' And You have shown to me. O LORD, please rescue me from the hand of my brother, Esau."

During the night, when Jacob was all alone in the camp, a man came and wrestled with him until the dawn began to break. After wrenching Jacob's hip our of socket with a mere touch, the man said, "Let me go, for the dawn is breaking!"

But Jacob said, "I will not let you go unless you bless me."

"What is your name?" the man asked.

"Jacob."

"From now on you will be called Israel, because you have fought with God and with men and have won." 

Then the man blessed him, and Jacob named the place Peniel (which means "face of God"). "For I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been spared, (literally meaning my soul has been saved)," Jacob said.

~

Biblical Scholars believe this "man" was God Himself in human form (a Christophany or preincarnate appearance of Jesus, the Son of God), and the wrestling match was the climatic resolution to Jacob's life-long struggle against God and man. That dawn, Jacob changed direction from fighting against God to walking with Him. What a beautiful picture of salvation through trust in Jesus Christ.

Beloved, are you wrestling against God or walking with Him?

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A New Name

My Confirmation Class
First Methodist Church, 1963

"Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches. To everyone who is victorious I will give some of the manna that has been hidden away in heaven. And I will give to each a white stone, and on the stone will be engraved a new name..." (Revelation 2:17)

Because the book title Once Upon a Neighborhood has already been taken, we're racking our brains to quickly come up with a new name for my soon-to-be-released book. Stay tuned!

In His Revelation message through the Apostle John to the Church of Pergamum, Jesus promised a white stone and a new name to victorious believers. According to the Matthew Henry Bible Commentary, the white stone represents absolution from guilt of sin, alluding to the ancient custom of giving a white stone to those acquitted on trial and a black stone to those condemned. The new name is the name of adoption: adopted persons took the name of the family into which they were adopted. Both the white stone and the new name serving as evidence of sonship and inheritance.

Beloved, do you quality for God's white stone and new name?

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Idle Hands

me sewing
1964

"She looks well to the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness." (Proverbs 31:27)

Wednesday morning, after submitting the new-book manuscript to Deep Sea Publishing Tuesday night, I eagerly asked, "What's next, Lord Jesus?"

There's nothing more boring (or dangerous) than idle hands. Beloved, what's God got you up to these days?

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Week 5: Glassco Family Beach Trip Bible Memorization Challenge

My brother Mark and my favorite grandgirl
in the old neighborhood atop
Lookout Mountain, Fort Payne, Alabama

"You must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, and when you are going to bed and when you are getting up." (Deuteronomy 6:6-7)

For all you new followers of the Wonderful Storybooks blog, at the beginning of January, I challenged the kids and grands to memorize a Bible verse each week leading up to our family beach vacation in June. At the beach, Team Stephen, Team Ben, and Team Dan will compete for a prize awaiting the family who hides the most Scripture in their hearts.

And the verse of week #5 is Luke 10:27. "Love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind. And love your neighbor as yourself."

So, beloved, how are you teaching God's word to next generations?

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Keep Growing

Liam Hunter Glassco
4 years old today

"And Jesus kept growing in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and all the people." (Luke 2:52)

Happy birthday big boy! I can't believe you're four years old! 

May the Lord bless you, Liam, and keep growing you in wisdom and stature and favor with God and all people. May you grow to be a mighty man of God who loves the Lord, obeys His voice, and holds fast to Him all the days of your life. 

One day, may the Lord bring you a beautiful wife—a godly partner in the work of the gospel, who fears the Lord and deeply loves and greatly respects you. 

I have no greater joy than hearing that my children are walking in truth. 

I love you SO much!  

Memaw

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Out of My Hands

Illustration from Once Upon a Neighborhood
by the talented, young artist: Anya Figert
(my grandgirl)

"And may the LORD our God...make our efforts successful. Yes, make our efforts successful." (Psalm 90:17)

The Once Upon a Neighborhood, A Fort Payne Alabama Story manuscript and illustrations are now out of my hands and in the capable hands of Deep Sea Publishing.

Lord, please use the work of our hands for Your good purposes and glory.

And may the LORD our God bless the work of your hands, beloved.

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Testing One Two Three

kids and grands
at the farm

"For God is not a God of confusion but of peace."

(1 Corinthians 14:33)

Because...

my Bible studies start tomorrow...

my new-book manuscript is due this week... 

and my computer crashed this morning...

I'm typing this post to test out the new computer that (thanks to God and my superman husband) is up and running with everything intact and recovered.

And the purpose of the picture? Just wanted you to see four of my adorable grandboys.

I hope you had a peaceful day, beloved.

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