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An Eternal Perspective on Life: A Quint of Quotes


Dear fellow travelers, Here is another “Quint of Quotes” from my collection, five quotes on the theme of living for eternity: “O LORD, make me know my end            and what is the measure of my days;            let me know how fleeting I am!” – Psalm 39:4 “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.”  – Jim Elliot “Some day you will…

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Jesus is Indignant – Those Who Mourn #3


Today is part 3 of a series on the second Beatitude from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount: “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted” – Matthew 5:4.  The first two are here and here. We begin with story of the resurrection of Lazarus by Jesus: “Jesus said, ‘Take away the stone.’ Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, ‘Lord, by this time there will…

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Mourning Has Value – Those Who Mourn #2


Today is part 2 of a series on the second Beatitude from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount: “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted” – Matthew 5:4. In the first post, I wrote about how mourning logically follows our awareness of needing Jesus because we are poor in Spirit.  When we mourn this way as Christians, we deeply acknowledge that we aren’t happy with the consequences of…

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Blessed are Those Who Mourn #1


This post continues a series about the Beatitudes, the opening statements from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, starting with Matthew 5:3 – “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”  The crowds who gathered to hear Him needed to hear this Beatitude first of all because if anyone refuses to be humble before Christ, the rest of His speech won’t matter.  The more we see…

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Daily Readings for August 3 – 9


Fellow travelers: For those looking for a Bible reading plan, each week I post 2 chapters to read per day as a main reading plan, and for anyone who wants to read the whole Bible in 2026, I’ll post the extra chapters to read that week.  The main readings will include nearly all of the New Testament, plus Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, the Prophets, and a few other Old Testament books.…

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A Blogger’s Wish List


I’ve been writing this blog for over 5 years, and it’s been a great experience.  As a reason for me to more fully consider thoughts I have about God, it’s been a good exercise.  Instead of making a quick note about a verse or idea, having this blog provides an outlet for thinking those things through.  As a way to share with others what I learn about God, it’s also…

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No Confidence in the Flesh


Today is the last post in a 5-part series on the first Beatitude from Matthew 5:3 – “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”  Today’s thought begins with how the Apostle Paul, who met Jesus on the road to Damascus[1], emphasized how being “poor in spirit” is universal across all demographic characteristics: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free,…

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The Scope of Our Need


Today is part 4 of a series on the first Beatitude from Matthew 5:3 – “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” In this post, we begin later in the same chapter as the Beatitudes, where Jesus includes as sin matters of the soul’s inclination, which are entirely internal: “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder;…

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Give Up Your Lists


Today is part 3 of a series on the first Beatitude from Matthew 5:3 – “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”  Monday covered how the statement could make both the “proud” and the “ashamed” humble and be blessed by God.  Tuesday was about the rich young man who was fully set on earning his own salvation to see that it was impossible, all…

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Not a Matter of Degree


Today is part 2 of a series on the first Beatitude from Matthew 5:3 – “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”  Today’s post highlights that seeing our spiritual condition as a matter of degree or magnitude, rather than as absolute spiritual poverty, keeps us from seeing, accepting, and experiencing Jesus as He is. We’ll focus on this passage from Mark 10:17-22: “And as…

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