Blog Archives

TO SIN AGAIN

1/30/2019

TO SIN AGAIN

With some of us
Maybe not all of us
God gives us time
To sin and then
To sin again

Like the tortoise and the hare
Some of our sins occur rapidly
But, for most of us, we plod along
Tortoise like, as our sins accumulate
Over time

But, to God, a sin is a sin, is a sin
And in the end, He asks of each of us
Where have you been
What have you done

Is there no escape, O Lord
Is there no respite
For those who have fought
The good fight and lost
Came up short and found it
Not enough

O my son, and daughters, too
I sent my Son to earth
To live and die just for you
He is your way, your hope,
And your eternal salvation

He beckons to you even now
Even though the hour is late
And too many days are through

Come back home he cries
Come back home to me
And I will take you to our Father
And he shall welcome you home
With a glad heart,
He shall welcome you
Home

(Written on January 29, 2019)

ISAIAH 50:1,4,7

1/28/2019

ISAIAH 50:1,4,7

Is my hand shortened at all,
that it cannot redeem?
Or have I no power to deliver?

The Lord God hath opened
the tongue of the learned
that I should know how
   to speak a word in season
   to him that is weary

For the Lord God will help me
Therefore shall I not be confounded
Therefore have I set my face
like a flint, and I know I shall not
be ashamed

NEVER AGAIN LIST 540

1/28/2019

  NEVER AGAIN LIST 540

We recently read an article
on spiritual warfare by Stephen
Strang in which he offered a
"Never Again List" of daily
scripture affirmations. Here
they are for your edification.

Never again will I confess "I can't,
for "I can do all things through Christ
which strengthen me." Philippians 4.13

Never again will I confess lack, for "My
God shall supply all your needs according
according to his riches in glory in Christ
Jesus." Philippians 4:19

Never again will I confess fear, for "God
has not given us a spirit of timidity, but
of power and of love and of a discipline."
2 Timothy 1:7

Never again will I confess lack of doubt
and lack of faith, for "God hath given
to every man the measure of faith."
Romans 12:3

Never again will I confess weakness, for
"The Lord is the Strength of my life."
Psalm 27: 1
And "the people that know their God
will display strength and take action."
Daniel 11:32

Never again will I confess supremacy
of Satan over my life, for "greater is he
that is within me than he that is in the
world." 1 John 4:4

(First published on October 19, 1978)

SHARE YOUR WEALTH 192

1/20/2019

SHARE YOUR WEALTH 192

"Share your wealth," wrote Wilfred A.
                                     Peterson. "The greatest wealth of all
                                     is the wealth of yourself."

                                     What do I have to offer the world today?
                                     A worn old body that hourly continues
                                     To turn into clay.

                                     What do I have to offer the world today?
                                     No great talents, but say...
                                     We'll light a candle or two
                                     For a stranger or two
                                     With kind words and a wide grin
                                     we make a new friend

                                     What do I have to offer the world today?
                                     When things go wrong?
                                     An encouraging word
                                     A heart filled with song
                                     A friendly handshake
                                    And peaceful thoughts
                                     As we travel along
                                    The open road
                                    Together

   (First published on July 15,1976)

ISAIAH 49:22,23,26

1/19/2019

ISAIAH 49:22,23,26

Thus sayeth the Lord God,
Behold, I will lift up mine hand
to the Gentiles, and set up
my standard to the people

And they shall bring their sons
in their arms and their daughters
shall be carried upon their shoulders

And ...thou shall know that I am
the Lord;for they shall not be ashamed
that wait for me

...all flesh shall know that I the Lord
am thy Savior and thy Redeemer,
the mighty One of Jacob

A MIRACLE

1/16/2019

THE FOLLOWING IS A LETTER I HAVE MAILED TO MY NIECE AND HER HUSBAND

Dear Wayne and Colleen.                                  22 Dec 2018

After my last handwritten letter, I thought I should type this one,
Although, I’ll still try handwriting, most of the time.

We hope you have a great Christmas holiday season full of love and warmth, followed by a great new year.

The last half of 2018 was quite a struggle for both of us. Donna is one of thousands of Utahns that do not fare well when the low hanging smog rolls in. In addition to lots of coughing, she gets lots of throat burn.
   As for me, finally, after about nine weeks, I am nearly back to normal. Minor aches and pains still exist, but by end of January I should be okay. The falls have really made my walking sluggish and slow, but I get around fine with a very tall stick.
From Thanksgiving until yesterday, the valley floor had been covered with snow. Warmer weather melted the snow all away, although there is still much snow on the mountains.
Chelsi, Tammy’s oldest girl, should have a baby boy (Briar) by the middle of January. Briar's father is Colton Sharp. He works with his uncle in the construction business. Don’t know much else to tell you.

One of the ladies in Donna’s ceramic class will begin the class again in February, It will be good for them to get out of the house, again, and enjoy each others long standing fellowship. Well, that’s about all the news we have. Love--(didn't get mailed, way too busy!)

January 10, 2019-----We interrupt this slow pony express letter for the latest news.    Briar Sharp, our first great grandson was born just a few minutes before midnight on January 9, 2019. (His deceased Aunt Sandy was born on the same day in 1949—She probably had a hand in this coincident.) He weighed in at 8 pounds. He has had troubles from the start, has suffered a seizure and is in intensive care at the major IHC hospital in Murray, Utah. Present condition unknown. Please pray for him.
Sorry there was such a gap between first writing and this second one. We’ll try to do better next time, but no absolute guarantees.             Love Bill and Donna.

January 16,2019. I think I’ll turn this letter into a novelette. So much has happened since 1.09.2019, my typing has not been able to keep up with it,---especially at my typing speed.

By the 11th of January, our newborn, great grandson, Briar Dean Sharp, 2 days old, had experienced at least 2 seizures and a stroke. Things were beginning to look a little seriously serious.

On Saturday morning, January 12, family members were doing a lot of praying. We gathered at the hospital to give him a blessing. Both parents were there. Grandparents on both sides were there. Donna and I represented one set of the great grandparents in this historic chain of love.

The blessing was given. Afterwards, we stood around and talked and hugged and comforted each other, expecting and hoping for the best. (I don’t think there were any doubters in our crowd, at this time. We all left and went our separate ways.

  Sunday, the thirteenth was a silent day. Colten and Chelsi watched over their baby, Briar. No word. No communication.

Around noon on Monday, the fourteenth, Donna received a Facebook picture of Briar, with all wires removed. His grin was just a little bit wider than the Grand Canyon. The next day, Briar was dressed in an outfit with white and black stripes (prison style) and white grandpa nightcap, more than ready to go home with his mom and dad.

Some people can’t believe in miracles, but I do.

The reason I was able to type this much today and finish this fine story is that Donna is asleep having just had an upper endoscopy looking for a cause of excessive heartburn. (And we thought old age was going to be fun! I guess it all depends on how we spell fun.)

Really though, it’s great to be alive. There are literally millions of reasons to thankful for living in this time and age!

Hey, it’s a wrap. Can you believe it. Where’s Ripley when you need him!

Love, Bill and Donna

January 20, 2019 Briar and his parents continue to do well.

GREAT HOPE 170 25 MAY 1976

1/15/2019

GREAT HOPE 170 25 MAY 1976

Jenkin Lloyd Jones wrote,
"You cannot put a great hope
into a small soul."

Now, we have read brother Jones'
columns in the newspaper for many
years, and admire them for their
moral tone and literary fiber.

But, we would like to offer an opposite
viewpoint to his statement above.

We believe most of us would be most
miserable of creatures, and life-long
small souls had not some person, through
written or spoken word, implanted within
our hearts...a great hope.

Perhaps this is the main reason Jesus Christ
always succeeded while other philosophers
and moral teacher failed. For only he can
deliver the goods...in every area of our
apparent hopelessness...

Joy in the midst of pain
Solace in the midst of sorrow
Patience in the midst of problems
Calmness in the midst of turmoil
Feasting in the midst of famine
Resurrection in the midst of death

Hope, always hope, for today, tomorrow,
and always.

(First published on May 25, 1956)

NEW YEAR'S HOPES (2019)

1/11/2019

NEW YEAR'S HOPES (2019)

It is my hope and prayer that
my heart will be warm and kind
and my words shall be pure, in
the year to come.

You may certainly join me
in this prayer if you should
believe it would benefit you
and your family.

Take hold my heart O, Lord
Warm it with your love
Send down thy gentle kindness
From thy courts above

Let me be a blessing pure
Speak words of praise all day
Of the gracious Lord almighty
May thy purity hold sway

(Written on January 11, 2019)

FACETS OF LOVE

1/11/2019

    FACETS OF LOVE

"Love," wrote Katherine Anne Porter,
must be learned, and learned again and
again; there is no end to it. Hate needs
no instruction, but waits only to be provoked."


Who among us has learned all there is to learn
about love? Love is like a continually rotating,
smoothly polished diamond with an infinite
number of sides and facets.
And, each day we see more and more ways in
which love may be extended, expanded and
bestowed.

Just as we hope we have mastered one small
facet of love, numerous more sides appear and
we learn...that we have, oh so much more
to learn...about love and loving.

We are presently learning that it is necessary
to receive love from a God of love before we may
attempt to pass His love along to those around us.

We are learning that economic or social status
may or may not have a great deal to do with
the amount of love we receive from or give to
others.

However, this we know, the facets go on and on.
And, we shall never see their end in our lifetime.

THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD 549

1/11/2019

THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD 549

The Lord is my shepherd
I'm merely a sheep
He gives me green pastures
In which I may sleep

He leads me besides still waters
And restoreth my soul
He nurtures me while young
And tends me when I'm old

Tho' I walk through death's valley
No evil shall I fear
For his rod and staff comfort me
And I feel his spirit near

He prepares for me a feast
In the midst of all my woes
And gives me joy unspeakable
In the presence of my foes

He anoints my head with oil
Fills my cup up past the rim
I'm glad he is my shepherd
I'm glad I follow him

His mercy and his goodness
Continually follow me
Oh how I praise my shepherd
His touch hath set me free