Tagged: Audrey Frank

  He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation, for all things in heaven and on earth were created in him—all things, whether visible or invisible, whether thrones or dominions, whether principalities or powers—all things were created through him and for him. He himself is before all things and all things are held together in him. Colossians 1:15-17   The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands…The heavens proclaim his righteousness, and all the peoples see his glory. Psalm 19:1; 97:6 “Nature was the first scribe.” James Prosek  We picked up James Prosek’s Audubon-like book on the coffee table of a hospitable stranger’s riverside cabin. His comment caused me to ponder the veracity of… Read More

But he gives greater grace. Therefore it says, "God opposes the proud, but he gives grace to the humble." So submit to God. But resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and make your hearts pure, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn, and weep. Turn your laughter into mourning and your joy into despair. Humble yourselves before the Lord and he will exalt you. James 4:6-10 I used to dread our visits to my old great-aunt's house. Adult conversation about achy knees and cousin Sam's latest romance was utterly boring. So I would sneak away to the raspberry patch and eat sweet berries until my cheeks ran red with… Read More

It was now about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour, while the sun's light failed. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!" And having said this he breathed his last. Luke 23:44-46, ESVUK   Now after the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. Suddenly there was a severe earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descending from heaven came and rolled away the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow.… Read More

Into your hand I entrust my life; you will rescue me, O LORD, the faithful God. Psalm 31:5   So then let those who suffer according to the will of God entrust their souls to a faithful Creator as they do good. 1 Peter 4:19, NET Entrust your life; entrust your soul. The Psalmist is in great distress and needs rescue. He chooses to entrust his threatened life to the Lord, the faithful God. Many things can prove “life-threatening.” It depends on where one’s “life” is centered. Job loss can feel life-threatening. The unexpected diagnosis is a threat. The lives of prodigal children seem profoundly threatened to the mother and father who faithfully trained them to know and love God. No matter who we are… Read More

Now Dinah, Leah’s daughter whom she bore to Jacob, went to meet the young women of the land.  Genesis 34:1 Here is the first and last time we see Dinah happy and whole. Dinah means judgment. She was the daughter born after her shamed mother, Leah, gave birth to honor (the meaning of Zebulun, the sixth son Leah bore to Jacob). Dinah, now a young woman, left that morning set on finding friendship. Instead, she was intercepted and violated by someone with great power. The rest of the story is about the silence of her father, the patriarch Jacob, and the violent revenge of her brothers. Yet we have no explanation of why Dinah, the daughter of an unloved woman who spent her life seeking… Read More

Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had not given birth to any children, but she had an Egyptian servant named Hagar. So Sarai said to Abram, “Since the LORD has prevented me from having children, please sleep with my servant. Perhaps I can have a family by her.” Abram did what Sarai told him. Genesis 16:1-5 Can we be so attached to God’s promises and the way we interpret their meaning that we try to make them happen on our own? In serving the Lord among the nations for over thirty years, I have observed something fascinating: God’s heart is always for the nations. That promise-invitation I was given about my future when I was nine, sitting in a small country church in the Appalachian mountains, was… Read More

  LORD, who may be a guest in your home? Who may live on your holy hill? Whoever lives a blameless life, does what is right, and speaks honestly. He does not slander, or do harm to others, or insult his neighbor.   Psalm 15:1-3 No spying on each other in God’s house. The Hebrew word for slander is רָגַל râg̱al, and its meaning includes to search, to slander, to go about as an explorer or spy. It is the same word Joseph used about his brothers when they came before him in Egypt so many years after throwing him in the pit and then selling him into slavery. It is the word used to describe the task of the spies sent in Joshua 6… Read More

Our Father in heaven, may your name be honored, may your kingdom come, may your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Matthew 6:9, NET One Thing Only by Audrey Frank Can we start anew today... Again? I’ll take Your hand once more Upon the Way. I lose myself Though You are near; Let go Your hand In paltry fear. Forgive me, Lord. Unruly mind, Assailed and tossed; Lord, teach me the focus Of the Cross. Set my will Upon one thing; And on the Way I’ll walk with You Free. No other person, Joy or pain, Circumstance, Or problem strange, May I give power Me to claim. Only one thing, One thing only, Above all else, One thing holy. Your will… Read More

From that time on Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests, and experts in the law, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. So Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him: "God forbid, Lord! This must not happen to you!" But he turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me, because you are not setting your mind on God's interests, but on man's." Matthew 16:21-23, NET   Peter said, "I have no silver or gold, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, stand up and walk!"… Read More

For Pastor Dave, with gratitude And all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. And God will exalt you in due time, if you humble yourselves under his mighty hand by casting all your cares on him because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:5-7, NET I don't care. This sentence brings to my lively mind a clear picture of a stubborn child, arms crossed, refusing to obey.  Or a weary ministry leader beleaguered by too much caring and not receiving enough care in return.  The child only cares about what he wants; the adult is desperately drawing boundaries to self-protect from any more pain in the challenging task of so much… Read More