Last Edits

 

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for people." (Colossians 3:23)

As I've said before, I have two fabulous editors: Tammy, all things technical, and Rebecca, the children's literature expert. Today begins the last edits in "The Window at Willow Springs" before the manuscript heads to Deep Sea Publishing. This morning, the Lord reminded me that I am working for Him, and I must depend on Him at all times. I am insufficient; He is all-sufficient.

Beloved, whatever you do today, depend on Jesus, work for Him with all your heart, and people will reap the benefits.

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Glassco Family Beach Vacation Bible Memorization Challenge 2021

 

family beach vacation 2020

"I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you." (Psalm 119:11)

We started the "Glassco Family Beach Vacation Bible Memorization Challenge" last year as a motivation for kids and grands (age 2 to 15) to hide God's word in their hearts. The dangling carrot is souvenir money for every verse your team quotes accurately.

Are you ready, team Stephen?

Are you ready, team Ben?

Are you ready, team Dan?

On your mark.

Get set.

Go!

Week #1: "The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing." (Psalm 23:1)

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Loud and Clear

 

Rebecca, grandboys, and farm animals

"The Lord is my shepherd . . . " (Psalm 23:1)

The spring of her freshman year at Samford University, our Rebecca considered transferring to Liberty University. When she drove to Lynchburg, Virginia to check out the school, a message rock on campus read: "Rebecca, your Shepherd is here."

Sometimes God's voice rings loud and clear!

Needless to say, two-and-a-half years later, she graduated from Liberty University.

Need direction, beloved? Call to Jesus, the Great Shepherd. He'll guide you down paths of righteousness for His name's sake.

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Eye on the Ball

 

family pickleball game

"Then they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different languages, as the Spirit gave them ability for speech." (Acts 2:4)

Our family loves the game of pickleball. Last week, Superman and I played it everyday at the Pine Island KOA at St. James City, Florida.

I constantly had to remind myself to keep my eye on the ball.

In the book of Acts, moments before ascending into heaven, Jesus told His disciples: "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

After He said this, He was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid Him from their sight. (Can you imagine??) The disciples then returned to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives. 

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly, a roaring sound like a mighty windstorm came from heaven, they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke by the ability the Spirit gave them.

So what in the world does this story have to do with pickleball? Well, to do well in pickleball, you have to keep your focus on the ball. And to do well in anything in life, you must keep your focus on the Holy Spirit—the One who gives the ability to succeed. In other words, when I write, teach, study, witness, take care of my family, play pickleball, or anything, I must remember the Holy Spirit and depend on His enabling power.

Remember, beloved, Jesus said that without Him we can do nothing (John 15:5), but in Him who strengthens us, we can do all things (Philippians 4:13)! 

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Oversized Googles

 

Oldest grandboy 2015

"So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." (2 Corinthians 4:18)

"The teenagers flipped from the springboard and Mark swam along the bottom in oversized googles . . . " 

GOOGLES!!! NO, goggles!!! Pound, pound, pound the head! (Typo, pp 69, The Adventures of the Lookout Mountain Gang, The Secret Chest.)

Mistakes in my books haunt me, but the Lord recently changed my perspective: "Don't think of your books as second-rate literature; think of them as first-class gospel tracts." (smile)

Beloved, may you view your work and your world through our Father's eyes.

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Day 20: Let Your Light Shine

Lighthouse
Sanibel Island, Florida

"Do everything without grumbling and arguing, so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God who are faultless in a crooked and perverted generation, among whom you shine like stars in the world. Hold firmly the message of life . . . " (Philippians 2:14-16)

Day #20 of 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting: "Salvation for a Generation." 

Beloved, may the light of Jesus Christ shine through you to every generation — cradle to walking cane. Go tell the world about Jesus.

"Let your light so shine before mankind that they may see your good works and glorify the Father, which is in heaven!" (Matthew 5:16)

 

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Day 19: Share the Love

grandboy and Bell

"Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God." (1 John 4:7)

Our grandboys are keeping Bell for a few days while we're out of town. Look where the little one fell asleep yesterday. Oh how they love sweet Bell.

Today's theme for day #19 of 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting: "Impacting Your Sphere of Influence" by sharing the love of God.

Beloved, may everyone we meet sense the loving, sweet fragrance of Christ today, tomorrow, and all our days to come.

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Day 18: All in the Family

grands 2019

"Don't be afraid of the enemy! Remember the Lord, who is great and glorious, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes!" (Nehemiah 4:14)

"Fight for Our Families" is Day 18's theme in 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting. How do we fight? Boldly on our knees in prayer before God's throne of grace.

Father God, I pray for my family. Please bless us and keep us. Help us  love You, obey Your voice, and hold fast to You all the days of our lives. I pray that we will love others as ourselves and treat others that way we want to be treated. I pray we will be patient and kind and quick to forgive.

Help us not follow the advice of the wicked or take the path of sinners or join a group of mockers. Help us delight in You and Your instruction, and meditate on Your word day and night. Make us as trees planted beside streams of flowing water that bear fruit in due season and whose leaves do not wither. May the Bible never depart from our mouths so that we may carefully observe everything written in. Help us to prosper and succeed. 

May no weapon formed against us prosper in Jesus' name. Make us the head and not the tail, above and not beneath. May we stand strong in You and in the power of Your might, dressed in Your full armor of truth, righteousness, peace, salvation, faith, and Your word. O Lord, may Your faithfulness be our protective shield. I pray that we will not worry about anything but trust You and pray about everything, rejoice always, and give thanks in all circumstances. May Your peace that passes understanding guard our minds and hearts.

Make us Your ministers and witnesses — a light on a hill and salt of the earth. Let our light so shine before men that they may see our good works and glorify You in heaven. Help us to finish the work You have given us to do for Your glory forever and ever.

In Jesus' name we pray,

Amen and Amen!

 

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Day 17: Here Comes the Bride

Our Rebecca and her groom, 2004

"Let us rejoice and be glad and give Him glory. For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and His bride has made herself ready." (Revelation 19:7)

The Bible calls the church the bride of Christ. Today's theme for 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting is: "Building Christ's Church."

Today, beloved, intercede for the Bride of Christ: the Church.

Father God, I pray for Your church. May the Bride of Christ live under the protection of the Most High and dwell in the shadow of the Almighty. 

Deliver her, Lord, cover her with Your wings, and make Your faithfulness her protective shield. Because You the LORD are her refuge, may no harm come to her. 

Give Your angels orders to protect her and support her with their hands. May she tread down the enemy and remain lovingly devoted to You.

When she calls to you, please answer her; be with her in trouble, rescue her, give her honor, and show her Your salvation.

May she constantly be a light on the hill and salt on the earth. May Your word go forth from her and accomplish Your purposes for Your glory!

In Jesus' name I pray,

Amen

 

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Day 16: Revival

 

Indiana grands

"Now restore us again, O God of our salvation. Put aside Your anger against us once more . . . Won't You revive us again, so Your people can rejoice in You? Show us Your unfailing love, O LORD, and grant us Your salvation." (Psalm 85:4,6)

"Revival in Our Land" is the theme for this third and final week of 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting.

What is revival? In the Bible, revival is a drastic improvement in devotion and obedience to God by His people.

A dramatic picture of revival in the Scriptures can be found in the infamous book of Jonah . . .

The word of the LORD came to Jonah son of Amittai: "Get up! Go to the great city of Ninevah and preach against it, because their wickedness has confronted Me."

Although it took being tossed overboard into the sea and a three-night stay in the belly of a great fish for the reluctant prophet to cooperate, in due course, Jonah delivered God's message: "In 40 days Ninevah will be overthrown," and the men of Ninevah believed in God. They proclaimed a fast, dressed in sack cloth, and sat in ashes. Revival!

When God saw their actions, that the Ninevites had drastically turned from their evil ways and moved toward Him, the LORD relented from disaster. Ninevah was spared. 

Pray, beloved! Revival in America is impossible for men, but nothing — absolutely nothing — is impossible for God!

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Day 13: Clean the Bowl

 

" . . . they crucified Him there, along with the criminals . . . Jesus said, 'Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." (Luke 23:33-34)

At the very core of the Christian story — the cross — is forgiveness. 

Years ago, a wise, godly woman told me a story about a little red mixing bowl. If you pour egg whites into the bowl, the more you stir them, the bigger they grow and become cloudy and fill up the bowl. 

Our mind is like the little red mixing bowl. Offenses are the egg whites. The more we turn those offenses over in our mind, the bigger they become, our mind clouds, and hurt, anger, and unforgiveness fill our thoughts.

So, what do we need to do? Stop stirring? NO! Beloved, clean the bowl!!!

"Cast all your anxiety on [Jesus] because He cares for you." (1 Peter 5:7)

"Forgive each other, just as Christ forgave you." (Ephesians 4:32)

"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and, do not let yourselves be burdened again by the yoke of slavery." (Galatians 5:1)

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Day 12: Bridge Over Troubled Water

Rocky, Mark, and me, 1963

"He will call on Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him." (Psalm 91:15)

As a teenager, my big brother, Rocky, loved the music of Simon and Garfunkel.

When you're weary

Feeling small

When tears are in your eyes

I'll dry them all

I'm on your side

Oh, when times get rough

And friends just can't be found

Like a bridge over troubled water

I will lay me down

Like a bridge over troubled water

I will lay me down.

Although it wasn't their intention, in these lyrics, Simon and Garfunkel described our Bridge over troubled water: Jesus Christ.

Are you down and out, beloved? Feeling small? Let Jesus — the Bridge over troubled water, the One who laid down His life for you — ease your mind and comfort you. 

 

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Day 11: Vision

 

grandboy and friend

"And the Lord answered me and said, 'Write the vision, and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it." (Habakkuk 2:2)

With The Window at Willow Springs nearing completion, I'm looking toward my next book for 2022. At 21 Days of Prayer this morning, Pastor Chris encouraged us to seek God for vision. So, I asked: "Lord, what's the theme? What do you want children to learn through the next book?"

Beloved, God prepared good work for you to do before you were even born. Do you know what it is? Are you doing it?

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Day 10: Three Things to Pray for a World Gone Crazy

 

my crazy family 2018

"I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession, and thanksgiving be made for all people — for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness." (1 Timothy 2:1-2)

For a world gone crazy, I'm praying three things for all leaders — Democrats and Republicans, incoming authorities and those currently in office.

1. Father God, first and foremost, send fear of the Lord upon our leaders that they will do what is right!

2. Father God, give our leaders competence that they will know how to do what is right.

3. Father God, give our leaders protection that they will live to do what is right.

O Lord, listen! Lord, forgive! Lord, hear and act! For Your sake, my God, do not delay, for calamity and disaster are upon us! In Jesus' name I pray. Amen and amen!

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Day 9: Jars of Clay

 

Family heirloom 

"But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us." (2 Corinthians 4:7)

My grandmother gave this beautiful, old vase to my parents before I was born. The bottom is etched with the number 337 and stamped with the Royal Seal of Germany. I don't know if it's a valuable antique, but it's a treasure to me.

In his second letter to the Corinthians, Paul calls believers jars of clay — vessels like pottery created, shaped, and molded by the skillful Potter according to His design and purpose. The Apostle went on to say that, as believers, we hold a treasure inside: the light of the gospel,  which displays the glory of Christ! In his letter to the Romans, Paul proclaimed, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jews and then to the Gentile." (Romans 1:16)

Beloved, you are fearfully and wonderfully made by Creator God, and you hold a treasure that this dark world desperately needs. Everywhere you go, everyone you meet, let the light of God's powerful gospel — the Good News of salvation through faith in Christ — shine through you!

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Day 6: The Year of Obedience

 

Indiana kids and grands

"If you love Me, keep My commandments." 

(John 14:15)

~Jesus Christ~

Today's theme in 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting is: "Obey Jesus." This morning I jotted down some of God's commandments in Scripture. In thirty minutes, I came up with 67:

1.  Love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.

2.  Love others as yourself.

3.  Trust God.

4.  Submit to God.

5.  Humble yourself before God.

6.  Forgive others quickly as God forgave you.

7.  Guard your tongue.

8.  Be quick to listen.

9.  Fear the Lord.

10. Pray without ceasing.

11. Rejoice always.

12. Give thanks in all circumstances . . . 

67. Be content.

Beloved, what would your life look like if you determined 2021to be the Year of Obedience to God? 

"Today I have given you a choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. So I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live! You can make this choice by loving the Lord your God, obeying Him, and committing yourself firmly to Him. This is the key to your life. If you love and obey the Lord, you will live long in the land . . . " (Deuteronomy 30:19-20)

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Day 5: Committed in Chaos

 

Team Stephen: Log Rolling Contest

"For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him . . . " (2 Chronicles 16:9)

First and Second Thessalonians, two books of the New Testament, are letters Paul wrote to the church in Thessalonica, Greece. Did you know that church was born in the midst of violent chaos after a three-week revival? Don't take my word for it. Study Acts Chapter 17.

Paul and Silas had come into Thessalonica, and as was their custom, they went to the synagogue service. For three Sabbaths in a row, Paul used the Scriptures to teach the people, explain the prophecies, and prove that the Messiah must suffer and rise from the dead. He said, "This Jesus I'm telling you about is the Messiah!"

Some Jews listened and believed, but other Jews grew jealous and gathered some troublemakers to form a mob and start a riot. The city was thrown into turmoil. So, that night, the believers slipped Paul and Silas out of town, and in the midst chaos, arose a church of believers who loved Jesus more than they feared persecution.   

My heart breaks over the chaos and destruction in our land today. But I hold great hope in our faithful God! Stay committed to Jesus, beloved. Love Him. Obey Him. Fear Him over the chaos! 

O Lord, You are a great and awesome God! But we have sinned and done wrong. We have rebelled against You and scorned Your commands. Lord, You are in the right; but as You can see, our faces are covered with shame. Please hear our prayer, we plead! Lean down and see our despair and help us, O Lord! We make this plea, not because we deserve Your help, but because of Your great mercy! In Jesus, the Messiah and Savior's name we pray, Amen and amen. 

(From Daniel's prayer in Daniel Chapter 9)

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Day 4: Listen and Surrender

 

Grandboy Race

"Whether you turn to the right or the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, 'This is the way; walk in it." (Isaiah 30:21)

Yesterday, while jotting down an outline of next semester's Bible studies, halfway through the list I believe the Holy Spirit whispered, "No, this is the way, walk in it," So, I changed directions.

In the Old Testament, God told Abraham, "Take your son, your only son —yes, Isaac, whom you love so much —and go to the land of Moriah. Go and sacrifice him as a burnt offering on one of the mountains, which I will show you." But ten verses later, we learn that God through an angel told Abraham, "Don't lay a hand on the boy! Do not hurt him in anyway."

In the New Testament, we're told that Paul and his companions traveled through out the region of Phrygia and Galatia because the Holy Spirit had prevented them from preaching the word in the province of Asia at that time.

Always listen for God's guidance, beloved, and always surrender to His will. And when He gives instruction, keep listening. Keep surrendering both now and forevermore.

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Day 3: Dependence on Jesus

 

My grandboy, my boy, and me

Jesus said, "I am the true vine; you are the branches. If you remain in Me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing." (John 15:5)

Simple truth: You can to all things through Christ who gives you strength (Phil. 4:13); without Him, you can do nothing (John 15:5b).

Stick with Jesus, beloved!

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Day 2: 21 Day of Prayer and Fasting

 

grandboys

" . . . Pour out your hearts like water to the Lord. Before His presence, lift up your hands to Him for the life of your little ones." (Lamentations 2:19b)

Yesterday, a multitude of churches entered 21 days of prayer and fasting (January 3-23). This year's theme at our church is "Return to Me" from Joel 2:12,25: "Even now," declares the LORD, "return to Me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning . . . I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten." 

Beloved, please pray to Father God in the name of Jesus Christ with me.

Prayer services available on demand at:

www.churchofthehighlands.com

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Listen/Trust

 

my girl and grandgirl

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take." (Proverbs 3:5-6)

The new year began with a bang — an explosive opportunity to practice my "listen-and-trust" theme for 2021. After a wonderful Christmas visit with our thirteen kids and grands, a daughter-in-law got sick with covid, which instantaneously set my focus on listening to and trusting Jesus my Lord. 

And the LORD God Almighty said: "Do not be afraid or discouraged, for I will personally go ahead of you. I will be with you; I will neither fail you nor abandon you." (Deuteronomy 31:8)

In a crisis beloved? Listen to God. Trust God. And may His peace that passes understanding guard your heart and mind!

Happy New Year!

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