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Phil  2:3 Regard others as More important than yourself True humility         Isaiah  49:16 I’ll  not  forget  you  I  have  engraved  your  name  on The  palms  of  my  hands  A Happy New Year to you and to your family, Bill

The ghost of Christmas past draws near to Ebenezer Scrooge in a blinding light.  "The light...it hurts my eyes...it blinds me,"  The ghost says, "Its the light of thankfulness and gratitude". "I've never seen it before..." "Of course not," she says, "it's men like you that have long forgotten gratitude..." The Psalmist says, "  Praise be to his glorious name forever;  may the whole earth be filled with his glory.  Amen and Amen. ps.72 Some have long forgotten gratitude, peace, and goodwill. But...God has the unique ability to reveal His glory when and how He chooses just like in Charles Dickens' "Christmas Carol". You can take His name out of school, government, hospitals, and even Christmas, but you can't remove His glory from the earth.  Keeping Christ in Christmas is a worthy endeavor, but far more important and even crucial is that you and I keep Him in our hearts.   2 Corinthians...

Numbers 13:31&14:8 ...But the other men who had explored the land with him disagreed. "We can't go up against them! They are stronger than we are!" (14:8) Moses and Aaron said, If the LORD is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and will give it to us. 9 Only do not rebel against the LORD. And do not be afraid of the people of the land, because we will swallow them up. Their protection is gone, but the LORD is with us. Do not be afraid of them." Expect the Lord to bring you to the place of no return in your spiritual walk; a line of demarcation that forces the exercising of your faith. Only two from this generation actually inherited the land; Joshua and Caleb. Unbelief ravaged the camp like a cancer, infecting all that succumbed to the lie of the other 10. Faith is our victory. Its what defines the whole of who we are as Gods people. When we embark on our journey with Christ, expect the road to be lined wi...

II Samuel 18 Vs. 19  "Let me run..." Absalom was despised by all Judah. Because of his rebellion, brother fought against brother in a senseless and brutal civil war. To the generals on the battlefield, the prince was the enemy, but to David, the enemy was his beloved son. Unavoidable judgement had come upon Absalom and what needed to be done...was done.  Davids unfailing love was so intense that even in the final crush of the enemy, David attempted to argue clemency for his tyrant amoral son. The love of a father for his son needs no apology or explanation. Absalom was bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh. The young priest Ahimaaz had witnessed this heart wrenching warfare up close. Maybe Ahimaaz had a son and identified with Davids inner strife or perhaps he at one time had befriended Absalom. Whatever the case, Ahimaaz rushed to King Davids side, out pacing the official messenger. His heart strings guided him and made him swift afoot. En route to his King,...

William Chatterton Dix was born in England in 1837. His father was a surgeon, and Dix was in maritime insurance. At age 29 he developed a near fatal illness and was confined to bed for months. He became depressed.  Yet many of his hymns including “What Child Is This?” date to this period. Another is “As With Gladness Men Of Old”. Originally, “What Child Is This?” was a poem entitled: “The Manger Throne”. It became a hymn and was set to a traditional English melody of the 16th Centry, “Greensleeves” in an arrangement by Sir John Stainer. Dix died in Cheddar, Somerset, England in 1898 and was buried in the parish churchyard. Once again we learn that God waste no pain....!   Dix suffered and the world was served. Enjoy this amazing version of "What Child is This" by Andrea Bocelli & Mary Blige. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wix14BuE09o Merry Christmas Dr. Stone & Bro. John

John 12:1-2 Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead. 2There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him. He would not have missed it for the world !! It was more than important for Lazarus to be there. What if...he was absent from the table of gratitude? Maybe another appointment...or some urgent meeting across town. What if...a night with his friends seemed more important than a night with the resurrection and the life? The appropriateness of his presence was fitting to the writer, John the beloved. He saw great significance in Lazarus seated by his redeemer and Lord. No issue, appointment, engagement, or emergency could hinder him from an hour to sup with the one who transformed him from death to life. Nothing in heaven or on earth could have been more preeminent than to dine with his beloved savior. What keeps u...

I heard this statement while watching a Texas sized pastor with a Texas sized congregation. I thought I miss-heard the comment then he repeated it again citing an O.T. text (BTW-ANYTHING can be proven with an O.T. text). He then followed up with our lives missing the blessing and prosperity of God. "Praise can change God's mind, it gets His attention. When we start praising God...He starts blessing." Now...as a minister, I can honestly say that God has blessed many of my messages and sermons even when my theology was weak and out of context. I appreciate the ministry of Lakewood and know they love Jesus so why did this statement bother me so much? All night I began to search out the etiology of why this statement is so disturbing. After all, what ever gets people into the position of praise and worship of our heavenly father is a good thing... Right?  Well...not entirely. That's true about salvation. God may use a variety of strange things to bring the unsaved...

Psalm 46:4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. Rivers are a constant force; unceasing, ever flowing. Landscape, buildings, and urban sprawl, evolve and change with the era and times but the river remains steadfast. Old photographs of the Cumberland exist all around Clarksville and Civil War images of iron clads churning up the mighty Mississippi hang in museums. Everything is different today but the river remains unchanged, following the same route. Throughout the generation's the mighty rivers are still flowing just as they were in days of old and will continue to the end of time. The river of God is a constant...unchanging...power and presence. There is great comfort in knowing that Yahweh God, who lives in us, is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Hebrews 6:17-18 MSG   When God wanted to guarantee his promises, he gave his word, a rock-solid guarantee—God can't break his word...

James 2:2-3 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance "God don't waste no pain." A complete stranger spoke these words to me while I waited for a fast food order late at night. It was one of those  encounters that had an angelic feel about it. Think on the statement. God takes the pain in our lives and He refines and renders it until it becomes a strength in our faith and spiritual walk. I was told once that the wind which whips and sways the branch's of an oak tree actually cause it's roots to deepen, making it even stronger. Such is the character of the beloved. Pain, sorrow, and struggle cannot defeat a child of God. As we persevere, it is refashioned to create pillars of faith within the body of Christ. Paul wrote, "...be patient in affliction" (Rom 12:12). The message from the apostle is to keep your eyes on Jesus. He is even now in ...

1 John 3:7-10    Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. He who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. 8 He who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work. 9 No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God. 10 This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love his brother. Coach Tommy Bowden was the key note speaker at this years annual FCA banquet. Angie and I listened with a packed audience as he shared some winning principles he used as head coach of the Clemson University football program. I was impressed with his straight talk, bold faith, and practical wisdom. One principal stuck out in my mind abo...

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1 Samuel 27:1 And David said in his heart, "Now I shall perish someday by the hand of Saul. We are all guilty of making pitiful declarations. There are times when we think in our heart that the forces which oppose us are eventually going to get the best of us. David grew weary of the constant fleeing from Saul and the bounty on his life. In his despair he thinks to himself that one day he's going to get me. I can't keep this up forever. History proved otherwise. Saul actually died by his own hand being surrounded by the Philistines. David ascended to the throne as ruler of Israel and he became the most beloved and Godly King in the lineage of Christ Jesus. Buckling under pressure and having negative thoughts is nothing new. Although everything God has promised and done proves contrary, we still fall victim to our own weakness of disbelief. Life has a way of tormenting our conscience. Satan, our adversary, is the father of lies. He attempts to build on our mome...

Most of you know that I completed the residency at the VA. I'm deeply grateful for that experience. With Gods leadership, my chaplaincy and ministry began to soar to new heights. Now, it's time to move forward from there and continue the work He has begun. I'm now chaplain of pastoral care at McReynolds/Nave/Larson funeral home in Clarksville. Ed Larson and I are old friends and he captured the vision of what spiritual care can accomplish there. Again I'm grateful for the new position. Getting started in a new field has been a challenge and the hours are long but rewarding. My blogging has suffered from this but please allow me the time to establish this great opportunity. I love you all and keep up with me and pray for my ministry Blessings John Mark iPhone

Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the LORD with all your heart    and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him,    and he will make your paths straight. Most believers are aware of the principle that we are to trust in the Lord in the midst of life's troubles and happenings. After all, without faith it is impossible to please God. The challenge for us is where the verse states..."our own understanding". We have a narrow and extremely limited understanding. Our interpretation of life issues, decisions, sufferings, trials etc. are processed by our finite minds and lead us to form our own understanding. Its a human thing. We all do it. That's how the world operates. Receive information...process data... make decisions. But...as believers, our method of processing life events and issues follow a different route and...a different outcome. Let me explain. Roy gets a pink slip from his employer. Roy doesn't flip out and show desp...

2 Corinthians 3:3 Clearly, you are a letter from Christ showing the result of our ministry among you. This "letter" is written not with pen and ink, but with the Spirit of the living God. It is carved not on tablets of stone, but on human hearts. I could listen endlessly to my father speak of his experiences in WW II. However, I never quite understood about the power and influence of his love letters from home until later on in life. His personal messages from his sweetheart were at times his only hope and strength. He told his buddies all about his girl and willingly showed off the photograph of his red headed darling. He declared to everyone that if he ever got out of this war he was going back to Martin TN to marry my mother. He did and then went back to France to serve two more years as a medic. Her letters were written on his heart just like Gods love letter is written on ours. His future rested in the hope of someday, somehow, making it home to purs...

It's a joy to watch my daughter and grand daughter talk and play together. Hailey brought joy into our lives when she was the same age as Alora. I can see the same delight in Haileys eyes. While Hailey and Alora were playing in the den, I decided to share some words of wisdom. It seemed to be the perfect time for practical advice typical of a father and grandfather. "Hailey, I'm going to tell you something and I want you to listen to me. If you don't raise this little thing in church and teach her to love God she doesn't stand a chance." Hailey asked what I meant. I talked to her about right and wrong and where we learn the principals that govern our lives. What follows is the essence of our conversation. "Hailey, we live in a messed up world where the temptation to do the wrong thing exists in every facet of life. Children learn what is right from their parents. Sometimes I didn't even trust myself to know and do what is right. That's...

Haiku (3 lines, 17 syllables) (1)    John 7:38 Who believes  in  Me From his  heart  will  flow  rivers Of  living  water (2)  Genesis  1:26-27 You’re  a  person  of Importance  in  your  own  right  Made  in  God’s  image (3) Jesus  died  for  you It  is  my  privilege  and My  joy  to  serve  you               -William J. Stone

2 Peter 1: 3-4 His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires At times a promise is all we need to persevere. As a child, simple promises kept my dreams alive; a promise from daddy to take me fishing when he got home, a promise to buy the bicycle I had always wanted if I made good grades. Little promises that made me wonder, hope, and dream. Our heavenly father makes essential promises to us. Essential because these great promises keep our hopes and dreams alive as we continue to press on in this present world. When I'm given an exciting promise my mind begins to plan and prepare for the reality of that promise. Even though in our heart we know that agreements can be easily bro...

                              Limerick         Knows the Bible from Abel to Zaccheus,         A good lesson he will guarantee us.         His missionary spirit,         I hope that we'll inherit.         His and Kat's lives devoted to Jesus.  Dr. Tom Proctor, who was an ordained conservative Presbyterian minister, missionary to Palestine in the 1960's, and radiologist. He led a great life and was in a Bible study with me. His wife is Kat. God went to extraordinary lengths to meet their needs in the mission field.                          ...

Luke 13:1-5 Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. 2 Jesus answered, "Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? 3 I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. 4 Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? 5 I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish." We look to the words of Christ to give us a proper view of life...and death. By nature of our flesh we are prone to view death as a consequence; the consequence of a mistake, the consequence of judgement, old age, disease, etc. We as earth bound people are fixated on death; why it happens, how it happens, and most urgently, WHEN ? Our Savior cuts through our concern with death and gives us a heavenly perspective of true life. Tryin...

Romans 2:1 You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. 2 Now we know that God's judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. 3 So when you, a mere man, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God's judgment? 4 Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness leads you toward repentance? I've been convicted of my judgemental attitude. Looking around us today we can always find someone or some thing to judge. Actions that you detest or morality that you abhor or even a persons actions that you think is beneath you. It's as old as the ages. Judging others is a game that is played out in front of us in society, politics, school, at work, and even at church. Truth is, we all are sinners. We judge by wh...

How does the divine appear? In what manner is the spirit revealed?  Elijah was a man just like us . Manifestations of divine power and spirit were revealed in awe and wonder; rain shut up in heaven...fire brought down. How then is He revealed to us? Say to the redeemed... "be strong, do not fear, your God will come." Where then is he who set his Holy Spirit among them? Look into the faces of whom you share the word of life. Gaze into the window of their soul. Can you not see the light of glory dance in their eyes? Is not the radiance of Him evident in their countenance? Hear the voices of the redeemed as they ramp up a chorus of praise. Can you not peer into the heavenly realms and see the Lord of glory...high and lifted up? As a beast senses the spirit of a person, the spirit knows the heart of a man. A seeker finds. The hungry are filled. Those wanting are satisfied. Does He not appear to the poor in spirit? Bless...

  Hebrews 11:32 And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets: 33 who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens....  Civil War Cannon Lookout Mt. TN  ...Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. 36 Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented— 38 of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts... In the interest of fairness you can't lists one without the ot...

Psalm 146:16 The trees of the LORD are full of sap; the cedars of  Lebanon, which he hath planted; "Lebanon's cedars are emblematic of the Christian, in that they owe their planting entirely to the Lord. This is quite true of every child of God. He is not man-planted, nor self-planted, but God-planted. The mysterious hand of the divine Spirit dropped the living seed into a heart which he had himself prepared for its reception..."  - Charles Spurgeon    Morning and Evening A classic from the great teacher. There is power in scripture. From every phrase and imagery to each object and character, God is revealed. Revealed with awe and wonder. His word is deep for those plunging deep and a fountain to those in need of drink. The precious and stately tree of scripture; the Cedars of Lebanon. These majestic evergreens are found in the high rocky terrain of Mt.Lebanon. Over 8 feet in diameter and surpassing 100 feet as it reaches...

Doubt... Fear... Uncertainty... Shrink...Shrink...Shrink "Why do the righteous suffer and the wicked prosper?" "Is this the Christ or do we seek another?" "When a man dies will he live again?" "Not until I touch where the nails were or thrust my hand in the hole in his side..." "I tell you I do not know him." The cock crows. And Sarah laughed... "My Lord, by now he stinketh." Doubt...is it weakness; what manner of sin? For he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust. What can dust do for him? What is man...that he is mindful of him; that he should care for him? What can man do; mere dust; what can dust do? Faith...is it necessary? Trust...is it needed? Is it too much to ask of dust? What does a newborn child know? Nothing...nothing, nay hunger and sleep; but... it also knows no doubt. Doubt is foreign; yea he learns it. Learned through failure...from failed caregivers and fro...

1 Thessalonians 5:19 Do not put out the Spirit's fire; Each of us is a fire requiring a steady supply of fuel to keep our blaze aflame. The people in our lives are like clumps of wood. Each one brings their stick to our flame. Some are green and wet adding strain to the blaze. Others are like dry kindling springing life to the fire. At times we encounter the kerosene soaked wood. Like a Duraflame log they are guaranteed to add instant fuel, warmth, and even some flare. Healthy relationships are essential to a hearty consistent blaze. Our spiritual flames struggle at times. We frustrate ourselves with the problem of smoldering embers. The issue is the clumps of wood we allow in the pit. Like charred spent wood some come into our tinder and stifle the spirit. The Spirit of God within us is ablaze... and an all consuming fire! With zeal, God watches our protection of His fervor . Deuteronomy 4:24 For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God. To be hea...

A true story was told by Jim Henry former pastor of Two Rivers Baptist in Nashville TN. It was about a WWII infantry unit that was scheduled to lead a decisive push in the famed Battle of the Bulge . The night before the fight, soldiers were gathered around the fire in a somber, reflective, and intense atmosphere. The Colonel instructed the chaplain to assemble the men and conduct some form of  chapel service. It was apparent for most of the men that the battle for freedom and liberty would soon require the ultimate sacrifice of their lives. Needless to say the air was thick with a veil of darkness and fear of death. Cautiously the chaplain approached the men and spoke of their call to duty and the value of their sacrifice. The men were silent and downcast as he spoke. The chaplain then asked if any had a favorite hymn,  if any had a poem,  or perhaps a letter from home. He then asked if anyone had a word . One soldier broke the silence and said… "C...

Matthew 6: 19 "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. These past several weeks have been extremely difficult for my mother- in-law. My uncle Bob died a few months ago and it has been her sole responsibility to manage and liquidate the complete estate of her only brother. Over the years I had seen uncle Bob's life and family decline. I had officiated his sons funeral, his wife, and eventually uncle Bob. I had been their minister for years. He and Aunt Nell spoke to me on numerous occasions about their final instructions, things you don't enjoy talking about but weigh heavy on the minds of the elderly. This Saturday was a culmination event of Uncle Bobs life and legacy. It was a living ob...