Words from Colorado

O n a Wednesday, a few years ago, I had one of the most incredible experiences of my life. A call came into the Church I pastored in Wyoming, requesting someone to visit a woman dying of a terminal illness. I took the call and told her daughter I would be there within an hour. I walked in the home one hour later, meeting the daughter her Dad and the woman (In her late 50's) who was ill. She told me clearly and directly that she was dying. I asked her how can I help you? She looked me straight in the eye, and said I want to know how to be saved, and I want to be baptized I placed my hand on hers, and told her that as a teenager in North Carolina I heard the Gospel (Good News) that the Lord Jesus Christ would forgive me and save me if I repented from sin (Turn from) and trusted Him, and Him alone for my salvation. I shared several other verses that point to the Lordship of Christ, and how all humans need what He alone can provide. I asked her if she would like to give her life to

But Ruth replied: Don’t plead with me to abandon you or to return and not follow you. For wherever you go, I will go, and wherever you live, I will live; your people will be my people, and your God will be my God.   Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the  Lord  punish me,   and do so severely, if anything but death separates you and me . Ruth 1:16-17 “Life is but a Weaving”  “My life is but a weaving Between my God and me. I cannot choose the colors He weaveth steadily. Oft’ times He weaveth sorrow; And I in foolish pride. Forget He sees the upper And I the underside. Not ’til the loom is silent And the shuttles cease to fly Will God unroll the canvas And reveal the reason why. The dark threads are as needful In the weaver’s skillful hand As the threads of gold and silver In the pattern He has planned He knows, He loves, He cares; Nothing this truth can dim. He gives the very best to those Who leave the choice to Him.” - Corrie ten Boom

I have a sappy confession to make. One of my all-time favorite movies is based on the Richard Matheson's, 1975 novel “Bid Time Return”. It’s about a playwright named Richard Collier, (The Late Christopher Reeves) who journeys back in time from 1979-1912 to fall in love with Elise McKenna. (Jane Seymour). The movie is set back in time on Michigan's, Mackinac (Pronounced Machinaw) Island, located on Lake Huron (500 residents, 15,000 visitors per day!) complete with period costumes and a moving musical score by the famous Russian Pianist Rachmaninoff…. Time travel is an interesting proposition. Who of us wouldn’t want to go back to some specific event or time in our lives to alter something, to spend more time with someone, to relive a moment in time, now etched in memory? I believe that heaven will afford us many spectacular experiences. Perhaps we will be able to stand on the shore of the Red-sea as Moses lifts up a staff, and God parts the water as easily as

When the centurion, who was standing opposite him, saw the way he breathed his last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”   There were also women watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome.    In Galilee these women followed him and took care of him. Many other women had come up with him to Jerusalem. Mark 15: 39-41 I n the span of a mere 6 hours on a long ago Friday much had happened. In the day leading to the cross, the Lord Jesus Christ, had been f alsely accused, hastily tried, Jesus was even preferred over a career criminal to be crucified! Compelled to carry his cross, until exhaustion overcame Him, Jesus has had the presence of mind while enduring agony upon agony to: Take upon himself the sins of the entire world Provide forgiveness for a repentant thief Ensure that His mom would have a home to live in after his death. All the while why the prince of life is dyin

6  At the festival Pilate used to release for the people a prisoner whom they requested.  7  There was one named Barabbas, who was in prison with rebels who had committed murder during the rebellion.  8  The crowd came up and began to ask Pilate to do for them as was his custom.  9  Pilate answered them, “Do you want me to release the King of the Jews for you?”  10  For he knew it was because of envy that the chief priests had handed him over.  11  But the chief priests stirred up the crowd so that he would release Barabbas to them instead.  12  Pilate asked them again, “Then what do you want me to do with the one you call the King of the Jews?” 13  Again they shouted, “Crucify him!” 14  Pilate said to them, “Why? What has he done wrong?” But they shouted all the more, “Crucify him!” 15  Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them; and after having Jesus flogged, he handed him over to be crucified. Mark 15:6-15 CSB The Jewish leaders had no power to exe

At my first defense no one came to stand by me, but all deserted me. May it not be charged against them!  But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion's mouth.  The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen . (2 Timothy 4:16-18). ESV C an you remember a time when you really needed someone, and that someone wasn’t there ? A promise made, was not a promise kept? Of qualities most desirable in a friend, integrity is high on that list!  I'm talking about the kind of people, that if they can, they will. On a cold Wyoming afternoon recently my Pastor heart was overflowing with gratitude for a group of people from this church who responded to my plea for help in moving a single mom in a tight window of time. Moving is hard! Moving is no fun…..moving in Wyo

Do your best to come to me soon.    For Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia ,  Titus to Dalmatia.  Luke alone is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is very useful to me for ministry.  T ychicus I have sent to Ephesus.  When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, also the books, and above all the parchments.    Alexander the coppersmith did me great harm; the Lord will repay him according to his deeds.    Beware of him yourself, for he strongly opposed our message . (2 nd Timothy 4: 9-15). ESV Have you ever felt abandoned, or alone? Circumstances propelled your life in a down word spiral that led to bedrock. From that low position you wandered, will I make it, will I survive? Friends well meaning, council to look up, or the suggestion “It will be alright” sounded hollow, and empty! What they offered as “Well-meaning” seemed to you then, as well….mean! It’s bee