Month: December 2025

Prayer Life

What role does prayer play in the life of a Christian and how do we measure up? Paul encouraged Christians to pray without ceasing (I Thessalonians 5:17). Wow! How can we accomplish that? He sure doesn’t mean speak to God without stopping, but what does he mean? One of my favorite old hymn is “Sweet Hour of Prayer” and even that sounds overly optimistic in today’s fast paced life. Sometimes we are lucky if it is just “Sweet few minutes of prayer first thing in the morning, before each meal and at bed time”.How can we pray without ceasing? By living in God’s presence obedient to His will for us. Prayer isn’t connecting with God’s answering machine leaving a message of thanks and needs, then hanging up hoping He will get back to us with an answer later. When we keep our entire life in God’s presence, He will will keep our actions, words, thoughts and feeling in line with His will.

I am writing this on New Year’s Eve. I am not normally a fan of New Year resolutions, but resolving to pray without ceasing from now on will be a real life changer.

Silent Holiday

Yesterday was Christmas Day. It began, as every day, with a caregiver for four hours helping with breakfast and lunch. But then, nothing. No guests dropping in and no phone calls to check on me. I have outlived my family and many dear friends and the others were enjoying Christmas with their family.. Most people would think that is a lonely way to spend a holiday, but those people would be wrong. The birthday boy, Jesus, has promised never to leave me nor forsake me. He and I celebrated not the beginning of His life, but the beginning of His mission to seek and save all who will believe in and follow Him. Best birthday party I’ve ever attended.

Hate Not

It is true that we are saved by grace and not by observing God’s laws, but anyone who says the laws given to Moses no longer apply to us is not teaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He said that He didn’t come to abolish the law but to fulfill it. The law still applies to our actions, but Jesus expands it to the thoughts of our minds and the feelings of our hearts. He taught that if you lust for a person in your mind you aren’t married to, you are guilty of adultery, or if you hate someone in you heart, you are guilty of murder. He set the bar much higher, not lower, but He plants the Holy Spirit in our heart to make it possible to clear that bar.

My friends, it is impossible to love God and hate someone created in His image. It is like hating God by proxy. In this day and age, hate is passed around like candy on social media. most people hate someone they have never met. When someone attacks me or my faith, I love to disappoint them by not stooping to their level.Hate only harms the hater. Like termites eating away inside a person until they are an empty shell and collapse unfer the pressures of life; or like drinking poison and waiting for the hated person to die. Hate is a very dangerous emotion that is NEVER useful.

The Shepherd

I ran across this short story about 30 years ago, about old time Hollywood actor, director and producer, Charles Laughton. I want to share it with you. In 1926, he was just starting his career as a stage actor in London. A friend invited him to his manor for Christmas dinner. They enjoyed a delicious five course dinner and then moved into the parlor where the host announced it was a family tradition that everyone share their favorite scripture on Christmas. As the guest of honor, Laughton stood and dramatically recited the 23rd Psalm. Everyone cheered and applauded. Then each person shared their favorite scripture. Finally, they came to an elderly aunt who has dozed off in her chair. They gently woke her and asked if she had a scripture she wanted to share. She nodded yes and in a soft voice she began, “The Lord is my shepherd…” When she finished, there wasn’t a dry eye in the room. Later, as they were saying their goodbyes, the host mentioned to the actor what a different reaction he and the old lady received. Laughton replied, “The answer is simple, my friend. I know the Psalm – she knows the Shepherd.”

My friends, we can read the Bible from cover to cover memorizing chapter and verse, but until we know the Shepherd personally, it is just a mental exercise. As a new Christian at age eleven, the old English words of my King James Bible that had seemed so strange before suddenly were clear to me as the Holy Spirit guided me through it.

Memories

Today is December 7, 2025. On this date 62 years ago, I was a 20 year old Staff Sergeant on leave from the Air Force, standing nervously at the altar of a church in Baldwin, Missouri, watching my beautiful 21 year old bride slowly walk up the aisle on her father’s arm. That was the beginning of a loving marriage that I have never regretted for one second, in spite of the obstacles and challenges we faced together for 50 years until Carol slipped into heaven ahead of me.

Our love didn’t die with Carol. It is still very much alive in my heart and precious memories.