Strong Coffee

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...