Council Fire

“Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what He taught.” Luke 10:39 (NLT) This is an interesting story, but so good! If you have sisters, then you may understand Martha. When I was young and had to do the dishes, I would complain to my mom that my other sister should be helping me! Yet, in all seriousness, there is great value in this story of Mary and Martha. Jesus went to eat at...

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV) I’ve been working on a little cabin these last few months. It’s a real “journey” for me, mainly because I’ve never built one by myself befor...

“Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.” Psalm 116:15 (NKJV) We were all there as our youngest sister lay in a coma due to a brain aneurysm, a complication from her open-heart surgery the previous month. She had been in this state for a number of days already. As in every family, everyone did as much as possible, along with prayers and a hope that she would recover. Earlier...

“For everyone that asks receives; and he that seeks finds; and to him that knocks it shall be opened” . . . “And I say unto you, ‘Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.’” Matthew 7:8 / Luke 11:9 (NKJV) Sometimes we think we have all the answers of how life should be . . . but then life never seems to go our way. There we are again, reminded...

“You shall not steal, nor deal falsely, nor lie to one another.” Leviticus 19:11 (NKJV) Lying — saying things that aren’t true — is wrong, according to the Bible. But is there such a thing as “little white lies” . . . untruths that don’t cause real harm to others? They may not hurt anyone, per se; however, if uncovered, they could cause dire consequences. Leanna Bennett never finished high school...

“Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:16 (NIV) It was really dark when we started out in the morning from home. We were heading out on a gospel music ministry trip to northern Ontario. About five minutes from home, we noticed a very bright light up ahead. We came over a hill and realized that the light was coming from a...

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.” Revelation 3:20 (ESV) I often teach and speak about our Native First Nations people and culture. There is such a vast variety of nations from the northern villages of Alaska to the jungles of South America. I always say there is one word that sums up the val...

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” Romans 3:23-24 (NKJV) I will reluctantly confess that I’ve fallen off every horse I’ve ever been on. I would like to blame it on a “faulty” horse, or saddle, or something brilliant like that, but I will outright say that riding a horse doesn’t seem to be my...

“Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry.” 2 Timothy 4:11 (NIV) John Mark was a young believer when Paul and Barnabas took him on a Gospel outreach trip (Acts 15:36-41). Things went okay until they ran into some intense spiritual warfare. That was it. John Mark could hardly get out of there quick enough. “Mama, I’m comin’ home!” A couple ye...

“For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, ‘Abba, Father.’” Romans 8:15 (NKJV) My father had a painful upbringing in his younger years. At eight years old, his parents separated, and his father found another woman. As a result, his mother and his siblings left our community, and he was given to another family to be rais...

“But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.” Genesis 50:20 (NKJV) Joseph endured unimaginable hardship. His brothers hated him, plotted to kill him, then sold him as a slave. In Egypt, Joseph was wrongfully accused, and was thrown into prison. Undoubtedly, there were times when Joseph felt that God...

“So He got up from the table, took off His robe, wrapped a towel around His waist, and poured water into a basin. Then He began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel He had around Him.” John 13:4-5 (NLT) What a beautiful display of humility and love that Jesus showed for His disciples. Washing people’s feet in that time and culture was necessary, and usually done by the servant o...

“In the beginning God created the heavens and earth.” Genesis 1:1 (KJV) “All things were made by Him and without Him was not anything made that was made.” John 1:3 (KJV) Just recently I was reading a short article about creation. The writer said that he believed that while God was in the act of creation, He did it with music in the background. He noted Job 38:4,7. It reads, “Where were you when I...

“Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to the servants, ‘Fill the jars with water.’ And they filled them up to the brim.” John 2:6-7 (ESV) The first miracle Jesus performed was at a wedding in Cana. The six stone water jars are said to represent the old order of Jewish law and custom. The old order of thing...

“And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.” Matthew 21:22 (NKJV) A friend of mine shared unexplainable things that were happening in her home. I immediately asked the question, “When you are awakened to noises, what do you do?” I was reminded of a similar thing happening to me when I was in Bible college. I moved off campus and rented a basement suite. My first night ther...

“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” Colossians 3:17 (NIV) “So that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God.” Colossians 1:10 (NIV) “Do everything in love.” 1 Corinthians 16:14 (NIV) A while back I went walkin...

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart.” Proverbs 3:5a (NKJV) I was listening to two elderly women talking in church. “So how is Robert doing?” Ann asked. “Not good, the cancer has spread,” May replied. “I guess there is nothing left to do but pray and trust God,” Ann said and shook her head. They both sighed. They had lost hope; they expected the worst to happen. It was a serious situation — an o...

“A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.” Proverbs 22:1 (NIV) Humility is one of the characteristics of a godly person. It’s much better to have others speak highly of oneself than it is for us to do it ourselves! But a good and godly name is something to celebrate, and something to strive for. Notice that our emphasis is often on our last nam...

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” Matthew 7:7 (NKJV) As I walked on a trail one day, I saw a footprint of an animal that was odd. I heard a cry in the nearby bush and the footprints led to the sound. I stopped to make sure the footprint was small so that whatever it was wouldn’t hurt me. I pushed open the bush. To my surprise I found...

“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” 1 Corinthians 10:31 (NIV) We’re surrounded by choices. I made choices this morning — what to wear and what to eat, how I am going to spend this day, and what kind of mood I am going to face this day with. Everyday living requires choices. Every choice we make is up to us. I talked with a young lady recently about som...

“Six things the Lord hates, yes, seven are an abomination to Him: A proud look . . . and one who sows discord among brethren.” Proverbs 6:16,19 (NKJV) With Sophie and her friends, it’s playing cards every Saturday night. Each player places 100 pennies in “the pot” for a “winner take all.” But they seldom have a winner because juicy gossip always takes over. “Guess who’s getting a divorce?” Josie s...

"Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.” Luke 6:37 (NKJV) I have had to come to God many times to help me forgive someone who has hurt me or wronged me in some way — not so much physically, but certainly emotionally. One example I will mention is, when I was quite young, I had a special cat I loved. At that time livin...

"Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.” Luke 6:37 (NKJV) I have had to come to God many times to help me forgive someone who has hurt me or wronged me in some way — not so much physically, but certainly emotionally. One example I will mention is, when I was quite young, I had a special cat I loved. At that time livin...

"Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.” Luke 6:37 (NKJV) I have had to come to God many times to help me forgive someone who has hurt me or wronged me in some way — not so much physically, but certainly emotionally. One example I will mention is, when I was quite young, I had a special cat I loved. At that time livin...

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NKJV) Previously, I wrote a devotional about an old 1964 Mercury school bus that’s been rusting away in the bush behind my dad’s place since 1976. I looked forward to the hope that someday, someone would take it, work on it, and transform it to the “sweet...