Great Mercy

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Daniel 9:18 “We do not present our supplications before you because of our righteous deeds, but because of your greatest mercies.”

No matter what I do or say.  No matter who I help or don’t. No matter what righteous deeds I might accomplish, or how much I give, or what wonderful words I write, or what glorious songs I sing.  No matter how much I devote my life to the Lord, and turn my desire to Him.  No matter how much I put iniquity behind me and walk according to His word and His plan. No matter how much I pray for my church, my elected officials, the missionaries abroad, or my family.  None of these things are a reason for me to expect an answer from the Lord.  The only reason there is that will ever bring an answer from God is His mercy.  His great mercy.  mercy that is far above my thought process.

Now, don’t get me wrong. All of the things listed above are good, and I should strive to fulfill each and every one.  I should do righteous deeds and think righteous thoughts.  I should think of things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtuous and praiseworthy.  I should speak words that will minister grace to the hearer. I should pray without ceasing.  I should bear my brothers or sisters burden with them,  I should do good when I see that good needs to be done.  I should bring all my tithes into the storehouse. I should pray for and honor all those that are in authority over me, from my boss at work to the President of the United States.  I should put all my evil ways behind me.  I should walk in the liberty wherein Christ has set me free.  I should do these things.

But it is not these things that determine what His answer will be when I stand before Him.  he will always answer because of His mercy.  My deeds, thoughts, and actions will never be the reason He answers me.  His answer is based on what He did for me on that cross.  He was beaten and bruised, wounded and nailed to that tree.  He suffered more than I can possibly imagine.  I remember once, as a young boy of around 8, jumping out of my tree and having a nail go right  through my foot   All the way through.  I pulled my foot up and it came out,, and started bleeding.  My mom bandaged me up without a trip to the doctor, and it healed after a while   But it hurt – bad.   

But to be whipped with cat-o-nine tails laced with small stones would be much more than I could bear.  The small stones would rip the flesh open, over and over.  Then to have a crown of thorns pushed onto my scalp, digging into my head until blood started oozing out, would be the icing on the cake.  I would be ready to give up at that moment, never mind all that was still to come.  Carrying that cross uphill, in that weakened condition would be grueling. Then to have four nails, one in each foot and one in each hand, driven through my feet and hands, I cannot imagine.  And then to be lifted up on that cross, with those being the only  things that are holding me there, would be excruciating.   What Jesus went through is beyond my comprehension.  But even in that weakened, beaten condition, He cried out “Father forgive the, for they know not what they do.”  Great mercy, even on that cross.

I have done nothing compared to what He has done for me;.  I have given nothing compared to what he has given for me.  I have said, or written nothing compared to the words He has left in the Bible for me.  It is not, nor will it ever be, the things that come out of me that will bring me His answer.  It is His great mercy.  It is His great love. As the great song says:

“Mercy there was great and grace was free.

Pardon there was multiplied to me

There my burdened soul found liberty at Calvary

Let us do those things we should do, and give what we should, and say what we should.  Let us do all we can to live righteous lives before a holy God.  But may we never think it is these things that will bring an answer to our prayers.  God answers prayers for all types of people, even unbelievers.  He answers prayers for sinners and saints, rich and poor, just and unjust.  It is never because of what we do, but because of mercy that He answers.  That is why we must wait as long as he deems necessary for the answer to our prayers.  He owes us nothing. He has already paid it all. Anything more He gives us is completely and strictly because of His mercy.  That fact will never change.

Mercy is His Name

What To Do?

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I am having difficulty with what to post on this particular page. I want to update it more often, but hate to be redundant by posting the same things I put on my other sites. I am also pressed for time to write original posts. I am not even sure if anyone is still connected to this page. So, I am going to ask you, the reader, what you would like to see.

Here are some of the options. I could post my poetry, whi0ch is already posted on my Psalmist page (see the link in the menu). I would simply have to post different poems out of the 2,000 or so I have on file. These range from short poems written years ago for the Daily Prompts of the day, to songs and worship choruses. Some are free verse, while others rhyme in patterns. All are Christina in theme.

I could go back through and post Bible studies from various books of the Bible that I have done before, like James, Philippians, Psalms and so on. These can be found on the God’s Maintenance Man page linked in the menu. All are simply sharing my thoughts on what the scriptures say to me after over 4 decades of study and contemplation.

I could share personal stories, which have also been on this site before, or could take excerpts from my book and post them here in page order, so you can see the depth of study that went into the prayer book called “The A.S.K. Principal.” I could also post from the 150 or so songs I have recorded on YouTube. They are far from professionally done, but express my love for my Savior and what he has done for me.

I might be able to write some original content here, or could pick up the daily prompt again, but that might be short-lived because of time constraints. Then there are day to day happenings in my life which could be pout into something thoughtful. I could post once a week on the lessons I learned in that particular week, maybe on a specific day each week, or two times a week. It is all up in the air.

If there is anyone still out there looking at this page, please comment back to me what you like to read and I will do my best to post content that you will want to come back to. I am open to all suggestions. In the meantime, I will continue to post daily on my Psalmist and God’s Maintenance Man pages. If you are a visitor there, I thank you.

I pray that you have a blessed day today! Jesus loves you.

Have You Had Your Oil Changed Lately?

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I am not an auto mechanic!  I know very little about cars, let alone trying to fix them.  I don’t even do my own oil changes, as simple as that seems to be.  And I’m glad!  After oil, the oil change experts of the world need my business to stay in business, right?

Changing your oil is the most important thing you can do to keep your car running smoothly, and running longer, as well as keeping the engine cooled down.   The lubrication new oil provides is essential to have everything running with less friction.  Today’s cars are built to go well over 100,000 miles, many over 200,000.  A fresh supply of oil is the key to making this kind of mileage a reality with your car.

Some say you should change your oil every 3,000 miles to make sure you are always running with fresh clean oil in your system.    Other say that 5,000 miles is the norm.  Still other say 6,000 miles if you use the synthetic oils that are now on the market.  Whichever your mechanic says, it is up to you to make the decision and have it done.  Our Enclave tells us when it is ready for new oil – I like that!

In the Bible, oil is a symbol of the Holy Spirit.  In the Old Testament, oil was an anointing element used in worship.  When something is anointed, it is consecrated or set apart to God for service.  Oil was applied to the meal offering (Leviticus 2) which was an offering of praise.   Oil was applied to the burnt offering (Ex 40:10) to set it apart.  The burnt offering was an offering of obedience to the Lord.  Oil was applied to the priests (Ex 40:13) to consecrate them, or anoint them, for service to God.  Oil was applied to the Prophets (I Kings 19:15) and to Kings (I Sam 16:12).  Setting apart people with anointing oil was reserved for those who were in special service to the Lord in the Old Testament.

But in the New testament, the Holy Spirit takes the place of the Anointing oil from the Old Testament.  Joel tells us in the Old Testament that in the later days He will pour out His spirit on all flesh (Joel 2:28) Jesus receives Frankincense at His birth, an oil that was used to anoint priests.  He also receives Myrrh, and oil that was used to anoint the dead.  Both are symbols of His future. 

The Holy Spirit descends in bodily form like a dove and rests on Him (Matt 3:10, Luke 3:22), symbolic of the oil being poured over the High Priests’ head, anointing Him for service, and running down his shoulders.  It is 40 days of wilderness training after this anointing that Jesus begins His ministry.

The priests made intercession for the people in the Old Testament.  The priests had to be anointed to fulfill that role.  In the New Testament, we can go directly to God because the Holy Spirit within us speaks directly to God, and speaks the will of God (Rom 8:26).  We can also go directly to God because the veil of the temple was rent n two – removed – when Jesus said “It Is Finished”.  The veil was a wall between the people and God – God was thought to abide in the Holy of Holies, deep within the Temple.  Only the High Priest could go in there to make intercession for the nation once a year, and it was believed he met directly with God.  It was called the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16).  With the veil ripped, The Holy of Holies became available to all of us.

In I Kings 17:6 and 2 Kings 4 we see cruses of oil that just kept flowing out more oil than can possibly fit n them.  The speaks of the unending supply of the Holy Spirit to be with us and meet our needs.  Jesus said the Holy spirit would bring His words to our remembrance when we need them (John 14:26), would guide us to the truth (John 16:13), would help us with what to say (Luke 12:12), and would help us pray (Rom 8:26).  The Holy Spirit, the anointing, plays a major role in our Christian walk.­­

This brings me back to the oil change, because it is so important that we always have a fresh supply of the Holy Spirit flowing through us,  He is also known as the Living Water (John 4).  A fresh, unlimited supply is there for us whenever we need it.   We just need to bring our vessel (body) to God and allow Him to fill us up (see the story of the cruse of oil above). 

Then we must pour it out to others and not hold it inside.  It becomes a soothing balm among people and makes everything go smoother ij our lives, much like the oil does to the engine.  If you are not seeking a new infilling on a regular basis, you are running on old oil, and it will be seen in various areas of your life. And if you are also holding it inside, you are just holding it oil that has no value anymore, and will cause only your problems, no one else.  This s what happens to those we see constantly complaining, moaning and groaning and unforgiving.  If they carry on too long, bitterness sets up in their heart, and that is a nasty evil (Romans 3:14), and can take a person far from God (Hebrews 12:15).  Only Jesus can remove these roots (Matt 3:10).

Have you had your Oil Changed Lately?  2 Tim 2:20-21 tells us that if we get rid of some of the clutter in our lives, and give that space or time to the God, He will fill us with His purpose, which means a fresh anointing to do His work.  Kind of like taking out the dirty oil and putting fresh in, isn’t it?  Just take some time with the Lord in prayer and praise, and ask Him for the fresh anointing – that oil change today.  I guarantee that is a prayer He will answer!

Suno – I Depend On You

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I have been using Suno lately to record some of my songs. Suno takes my lyrics and puts music to them through AI software. I think it is pretty amazing stuff.

I wrote the attached Lyrics yesterday morning and used this software to create what I think is a pretty nice song. I’d love your thoughts about it. The name fo the song is “I Depend On You.” Here are the Lyrics

I am strong when I am weak
I am rich when I am poor
I am healed when I am sick
When I depend on You

I have faith when doubts arise
I have peace when storms surround
I have joy when sorrow comes
When I depend on You

CHORUS
Jesus, you are all I need
When trouble comes, I fall on my knees
Jesus. you are all I need
So, I depend on You

I feel safe when trouble falls
I feel love when hate is shown
I feel warm when life is cold
When I depend on you

CHORUS

BRIDGE
I depend on you every hour
I depend on you every day
I depend on you in every way
Jesus, I depend on you



I pray this song blesses you this morning.  I hope to get back into updating this site more often, but feel free to visit my other web sites listed in the menu on the home page.

I pray you are blessed today!

Grandma’s Kitchen

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My grandmother passed away when was very young.  Years later, my grandfather remarried a lady who we always affectionately called Marge.  Marge was a lifetime resident of Maine, and had the down east accent to prove it. They lived near Blue Hill, Maine, way out in the country and a short distance from the ocean.   We loved to visit every summer, spending a week or so with them in a cottage.

Marge was an amazing cook, but there are two things I remember most. The first is her omelets.  She would separate the whites and yolks and cook the fluffiest omelets, part of the time on the stove and the rest in the oven.  Then she would cover it with strawberry preserves and fold it in half.  So delicious!  The other dish was a family affair.  My brother and sister and I would go down to the shoreline and dig up clams at low tide.  We would get as many as we could and bring them back up to the house.  Marge would then steam them for supper.  She would place the whole big pot in the center of the table, each of us would get a bowl of drawn butter, and we would go at it.  I would love to be at that table again to enjoy more of those steamed clams.

My wife grew up living at her grandma’s house.  Her mom and dad and five brothers and sisters also lived in the 6-room farmhouse, along with grandpa of course.  It was quite a full house!  Grandma Lundquist cooked just like you would expect a grandma to cook – never used a recipe and cooked for an army.  She was almost always in the kitchen, and my wife was often in there helping her, learning the craft. 

I remember my first meal there.  I had moved out to Iowa from Massachusetts just for this girl, and it was time for me to meet the family.  So Janeen took me out there, and I was greeted not only by her whole immediate family, but cousins, uncles, nieces and nephews and friends.  A huge crowd had gathered to see this city boy who was who was sweet on the country farm girl.  But the most impressive things to me was the spread of food on the kitchen table.  It looked like Thanksgiving minus the turkey!  I thought there was enough food to feed an army, and there was.  Everyone gathered in the kitchen and just went at it, filling their plates and heading back to one of the other two rooms downstairs to eat.

After that event, and marrying that country girl, I watched grandma as she took care of the kitchen.  Janeen would help her when she could, but we had little ones that needed caring, so it wasn’t too often.  Grandma was a country cook, and everything she made just came out right.  From fried chicken, which was often, to noodles – homemade of course – her touch was on everything in that kitchen.  I liked to cook as well, but this was a master at work.  As my wife started to cook more, I found out she was a master as well.

At Thanksgiving time this year, we had one of our granddaughters stay with us for a few days, and grandma, who is my wife, taught her how to make pie crust.  My wife’s pie crusts are amazing.  This granddaughter then made pies for Christmas at her other grandpa’s house.  Then she made pies to raise funds for a school trip.  I think she made something like $300 from that venture, and the pies came out great.

Just a week ago, two other granddaughters were here visiting, and my wife had to make a cake for the pie granddaughter for her birthday.  The two of them wanted to watch and help grandma bake and decorate he cake.  I sat in the living room listening to them, and thought how wonderful it was that the skills and knowledge are being passed down to another generation.  When I married my wife, she was still learning at her grandma’s side.  Now she is the grandma, teach her grandkids the skills they will need.

The bible tells us in Deuteronomy 6:6-7 that we should teach our children about the works and word of God while we sit in our house, or walk by the way, or lie down or rise up.  Basically, all the time!  But this doesn’t just apply to God’s word.  It applies to life!  We need to reach our kids and grandkids about life and all the things that pertain to it.  Cooking, cleaning, finances, relationships, handling troubles and disappointments.  These things are so crucial, and they need to be learned in the home.  I know t takes twice as long to cook when that 4 or 5-year-old wants to help, but what a blessing it is to be able to teach them.  Make sure you are doing all you can to teach the young ones in your life the basic fundamentals of life.  Pass it on!