No Serpents or Scorpions

 No Serpents or Scorpions 

September 28, 2026

Luke 11:9-13 (NKJV) 

9 “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 “For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 11 “If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will hegive him a stone? Or if [he asks] for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? 12 “Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? 13 “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will [your] heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”

We seem to be seeing a common theme this week; serpents and scorpions. Today’s scripture is encouraging though, reassuring us of the Father’s love. If we ask for bread He sill not give us a stone. He will not give us a serpent instead of a fish or or scorpion instead of an egg. When we ask anything of the Father, He is assuredly going to give us a good thing. Thank you Jesus!

Now as to our current journey, today we find ourselves in Baton Rouge, the capital of Louisiana. Now this state has an abundance of wonderful food as well as slimy swamp creatures. This could be upsetting to a Midwest farm boy like me, but the Cajuns have adapted by turning the various critters into food! When I was a kid, we had crawdads in the ditch, but no one thought to eat them, but in Louisiana, the make crawfish into an excellent gumbo and other interesting dishes. Each to his own, I suppose.

But back to our scripture, we need to be mindful to ask the Father for everything that we need. He gives good gifts to His children and will give the Holy Spirit to those who ask. What a blessing to know the blessing and provision of the Lord. We can certainly testify, after our fifty years of marriage, that the Lord is faithful to provide in all seasons. And He is able to protect us in all circumstances, so if you come across what looks like an evil scorpion, thank the Lord, and make shrimp gumbo out of him!

Serpents and Scorpions

 Serpents and Scorpions

September 27, 2026

Luke 10:17-20 (NKJV) 

17 Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject tous in Your name.” 18 And He said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 “Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. 20 “Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”

Today’s scripture is particularly relevant as we are in Louisiana river country, and will be touring swamps and sugar plantations. They assure us that any wildlife we see will be tame, but it never hurts to have the knowledge that the Lord protects us from all scorpions and serpents. We just need to be alert and wearing the armor of God, for you never know what kind of demons might emerge from the swamp!

Luke 9:1-2 (NKJV) 

1 Then He called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authorityover all demons, and to cure diseases. 2 He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.

The important thing to remember is that the scorpions and serpents are not the important thing. The important thing is to go forth with power and authority to cast out demons, cure the sick, and to preach the gospel. So whatever swamp you find yourself in today, do not fear, but take courage and be the Lord’s representative to bring light into the darkness. Not even the scorpions nor serpents can harm you when you are about the Lord’s business.

His Glory Above the Heavens

 His Glory Above the Heavens

September 26, 2026

Psalm 113:1-6 (NKJV) 

1 Praise the LORD! Praise, O servants of the LORD, Praise the name of the LORD! 2 Blessedbe the name of the LORD From this time forth and forevermore! 3 From the rising of the sun to its going down The LORD’s name [is] to be praised. 

4 The LORD [is] high above all nations, His glory above the heavens. 5 Who [is] like the LORD our God, Who dwells on high, 6 Who humbles Himself to behold [The things that are] in the heavens and in the earth?

Today is a propitious day for us. This afternoon, we will start a journey up the Mississippi River. Who knows what wonders we will see of the “things that are in the heavens and in the earth?”  Whatever we will see, it will be an adventure.

According to Grokipedia (https://grokipedia.com/page/Mississippi_River), “The Mississippi River is the longest river entirely within the borders of the contiguous United States, measuring approximately 2,340 miles (3,766 kilometers) from its source at Lake Itasca in Minnesota to its delta in the Gulf of Mexico near New Orleans, Louisiana.[1] Its watershed encompasses about 1.2 million square miles (3.2 million square kilometers), draining portions of 31 states and 2 Canadian provinces, representing the largest drainage basin in North America excluding Canada.” At the time that Mark Twin wrote “Life on the Mississippi”, parts of the river were a mile wide, but with the construction of flood control levies, I’m not sure that is still the case. But regardless, the Mississippi is a mighty river and undoubtedly holds many wonders to behold.

I grew up only about 40 miles from the Mississippi, on the Illinois side, across from Hannibal, MO where Mark Twain was born. Many of the things he wrote about can still be seen in Hannibal, including the cave where Tom and Becky hid from Injun Joe. One time when we were touring Hannibal, the guide remarked on the construction of the old houses, and my sister and I just looked at each other and said that it looked just like our old house. In fact, when that old house was torn down in the 60’s, the hand hewn boards and  square nails were taken to Nauvoo where they were reconstructing the old Mormon village. Joseph Smith had built a town there for his Mormons before the good folks of Illinois encouraged them, rather violently, to move further west! I’m rambling, but the Mississippi River is in my blood and in my family history, so it will be interesting to see what we discover on this voyage.

We are starting from New Orleans, which is a city steeped in history, though much of that history is of an unsavory nature. It is a city of good food and good music and good times (“Laissez les bons temps rouler” as they say here.) Many love New Orleans, but as for me, I will be just as glad to board the boat and steam up the river to see what we can see.

Revival

 Revival

September 24, 2026

Psalm 85:6-7 (NKJV) 

6 Will You not revive us again, That Your people may rejoice in You? 7 Show us Your mercy, LORD, And grant us Your salvation.

Psalm 85:10-13 (NKJV) 

10 Mercy and truth have met together; Righteousness and peace have kissed. 11 Truth shall spring out of the earth, And righteousness shall look down from heaven. 12 Yes, the LORD will give [what is] good; And our land will yield its increase. 13 Righteousness will go before Him, And shall make His footsteps [our] pathway.

Today’s reading from Psalm 85 is a prayer for restoration and revival. The nation of Israel had spent seventy years in exile in Babylon and was being restored to Jerusalem by King Cyrus (Ezra 1). There are those today who have called President Trump a Cyrus for our time.

Ezra 1:1-2 (NKJV) 

1 Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth ofJeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and also [put it] in writing, saying, 2 Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: All the kingdoms of the earth the LORD God of heaven has given me. And He has commanded me to build Him a house at Jerusalem which [is] in Judah.

It is interesting that our scriptures today talk about Cyrus, king of Persia, and Persia, that is Iran, is in the news again as President Trump strives to restore American greatness and peace to the world. In the psalm, it calls for a restoration of mercy and truth, of righteousness and peace. We need the same today. America has fallen into the spirit of licentiousness and violence, which is the spirit of Babylon. We need a time of national repentance and spiritual revival to bring back mercy and truth to our land. A restoration of righteousness and peace will come when we call upon the Lord and return to the ancient principles that led our forefathers to cross the ocean to found a nation based on freedom, truth and justice. Our constitution and declaration of independence were written by men who believed in the Lord God, creator of the universe, and author of all righteousness and peace. Only in returning to these founding principles, which are all found in the Bible, will America return to a land where the Lord reigns in the hearts of men. God Bless America!

The River of Life

 The River of Life

Sept 19, 2026

Ezekiel 47:12 (NKJV) 

“Along the bank of the river, on this side and that, will grow all [kinds of] trees used for food; their leaves will not wither, and their fruit will not fail. They will bear fruit every month, because their water flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for medicine.”

Revelation 22:1-2 (NKJV) 

1 And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from thethrone of God and of the Lamb. 2 In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, [was] the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each [tree] yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree [were] for the healing of the nations.

This morning’s reading included the vision of the prophet Ezekiel, where he described a temple in great detail, and in the end of the vision, he sees a river flowing from out of the temple to the Dead Sea. But the river was the river of life, and brought life and healing, even to the great salt sea. The Apostle John had another vision of this river in Revelation 22. The key to understanding the mystery of the river, was given to us by Jesus when He was talking to the woman at the well.

John 4:13-14 (NKJV) 

13 Jesus answered and said to her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, 14 “but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.”

Jesus is the source of the living water that brings healing to the nations. Psalm 1 tells us that the man who meditates day and night on the Word will be like a tree planted by the water. So today is a day to count your blessings, to be planted by the river of life and rejoice in the provision and healing that it brings.

Psalm 1:1-3 (NKJV) 

1 Blessed [is] the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in thepath of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; 2 But his delight [is] in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night. 3 He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.

So may you be like a tree planted by the river who bears fruit and who will prosper in all of your says. Shalom and Amen.

The Truth and The Lie

 The Truth and The Lie

September 17, 2026

John 8:32 (NKJV) 

“And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

John 8:44-45 (NKJV) 

44 “You are of [your] father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own [resources,] for he is a liar and the father of it. 45 “But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me.

I had a dream last night about a Great War. There were physical weapons used, but the main weapon used by the enemy was The Lie. The three lies seemed to correspond to the current war, lets call it the war of the patriots against the deep state.

The first lie was a false alarm to get the patriots to leave their safe space. In the dream it was a fake fire alarm to get the good guys to leave their fortress. In real life, we have had several false flag events, such as the COVID “Plandemic” that convinced many to panic and trust “The Science” instead of trusting God. Undoubtedly, more false flags will come, so beware, listed to the Holy Spirit for the truth, and trust in God, no matter what.

The second lie was when the enemy masqueraded as patriots. We see this in modern warfare, where the enemy dresses like the civilian population, so are indistinguishable from friendly forces. In the dream, many patriots were captured or killed because the forces that came to rescue them couldn’t tell the patriots from the bad guys. In real life, this requires discernment. There are many evil men in the deep state army that pretend to be patriots. Famously, one congressman made the comment recently that some current candidates will “empty out your religion and wear it like a skin suit.” Not everyone is who they claim to be, so be discerning, and seek guidance from the Holy Spirit to learn the heart of a person, not just believing what they say.

The third lie was more difficult to interpret. In the dream, one of the patriots caused it to snow to reveal who the good guys were. The snow and the cold did come and cover the patriots, but many were not prepared and froze to death. I think that means that the Lord’s army is coming but that doesn’t mean that there won’t be casualties amongst the patriots. The lie is that you can remain safe if you just stay out of the fight and hide in the “snow”. The truth is that this is a war and we need to be prepared. Wear the armor of God at all times and be prepared to wield the sword of the Spirit to defeat the plans of the enemy. We know who wins in the end, but there is real danger between now and then, so be prepared to battle.

Finally, remember Jesus’ words that “the truth will make you free” and “I have overcome the world”, so do not fear, but be of good courage.

John 16:31-33 (NKJV) 

31 Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe? 32 “Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. 33 “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

We Fall Down

 We Fall Down

 by Chris Tomlin

Verse 1

We fall down

We lay our crowns

At the feet of Jesus

The greatness of mercy and love

At the feet of Jesus

Chorus 1

And we cry holy holy holy

And we cry holy holy holy

And we cry holy holy holy is the Lamb

Revelation 4:8-11 (NKJV) 

8 [The] four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night,saying: “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!” 9 Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying: 11 “You are worthy, O Lord, To receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, And by Your will they exist and were created.”

I woke up this morning with the Chris Tomlin song, “We Fall Down”, on my heart. This song is a version of the scene in heaven described in Revelation 4 where the living creatures fly around the throne saying “Holy, holy, holy” and the elders fall down and worship, casting their crowns before the throne. What a picture of heavenly worship! And it’s our privilege to participate when we fall down and worship the Lord.

Falling down prostrate before the Lord is one of the postures of worship that we see in the Bible. It’s a common response whenever someone sees a heavenly vision to fall down and worship. The awesome power of God overwhelms the human body so the only response is to fall down. That is the right and proper way to fall down. But there are other ways to fall. Better to fall in worship before a holy God that fall in our pride.

1 Corinthians 10:12 (NKJV) 

Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.

Proverbs 16:18 (NKJV) 

Pride [goes] before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall.

Pride and worship are ant-ethical. Lucifer was made to worship, but fell from grace due to his pride  (Isaiah 14). Likewise, we are in danger of falling if we indulge in pride. On the Hebrew calendar, these are the days of awe, a season of repentance and worship. So let us consider our stance; repent of pride and fall down and worship the Lord, crying “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord!”