Recent Entries

• Evening Prayer October 31, 2024

  by Russ Hjelm Oct 31
  Father in Heaven,   Holy are You, Lord God Almighty! You alone are worthy to receive glory and honor and power; for You have created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created. You are our Rock, our refuge, our shelter in times of storm. We stand in awe and wonder before Y...

• Reflections on John 1:4

  by Russ Hjelm Oct 27
  In Him was life, and the life was the light of mankind. John 1:4, Modern English Version (MEV)   From Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible we find:   “In him was life - The evangelist had just affirmed John 5:3 that by the λόγος ...

• Morning Prayer October 27, 2024

  by Russ Hjelm Oct 27
  Father in Heaven,   Holy are You, Lord God Almighty! You alone are worthy to receive glory and honor and power; for You have created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created. You are our Rock, our refuge, our shelter in times of storm. We stand in awe and wonder before Y...

• Reflections on Proverbs 1:5-6

  by Russ Hjelm Oct 24
  ... a wise man will hear and will increase learning, and a man of understanding will attain wise counsel, to understand a proverb and the interpretation, the words of the wise and their riddles. Proverbs 1:5-6, Modern English Version (MEV)   Of course, it's not just the naive or the yo...

• Evening Prayer October 23, 2024

  by Russ Hjelm Oct 23
  Father in Heaven,   Holy are You, Lord God Almighty! You alone are worthy to receive glory and honor and power; for You have created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created. You are our Rock, our refuge, our shelter in times of storm. We stand in awe and wonder before Y...

• Reflections on Romans 1:7

  by Russ Hjelm Oct 23
  To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 1:7, Modern English Version (MEV)   To all those who are God’s beloved saints in Rome: May grace and peace from God our Father and the Lo...

• Morning Prayer October 23, 2024

  by Russ Hjelm Oct 23
  Father in Heaven,   Holy are You, Lord God Almighty! You alone are worthy to receive glory and honor and power; for You have created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created. You are our Rock, our refuge, our shelter in times of storm. We stand in awe and wonder before Y...

• Reflections on Psalm 2:7-9

  by Russ Hjelm Oct 22
  I will declare the decree of the Lord: He said to me, "You are My son; this day have I begotten you. Ask of Me, and I will give you the nations for Your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for your possession. You will break them with a scepter of iron; you will dash them in pieces like a potter'...

• Morning Prayer October 22, 2024

  by Russ Hjelm Oct 22
  Father in Heaven,   Holy are You, Lord God Almighty! You alone are worthy to receive glory and honor and power; for You have created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created. You are our Rock, our refuge, our shelter in times of storm. We stand in awe and wonder before Y...

• Reflections on Matthew 1:20-21

  by Russ Hjelm Oct 21
  But while he thought on these things, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for He who is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. She will bear a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His...

• Morning Prayer October 21, 2024

  by Russ Hjelm Oct 21
  Father in Heaven,   Holy are You, Lord God Almighty! You alone are worthy to receive glory and honor and power; for You have created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created. You are our Rock, our refuge, our shelter in times of storm. We stand in awe and wonder before You. ...

• Evening Prayer October 20, 2024

  by Russ Hjelm Oct 20
  Father in Heaven,   Holy are You, Lord God Almighty! You alone are worthy to receive glory and honor and power; for You have created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created. You are our Rock, our refuge, our shelter in times of storm. We stand in awe and wonder before You. ...

• Morning Prayer October 20, 2024

  by Russ Hjelm Oct 20
  Father in Heaven, Holy are You, Lord God Almighty! You alone are worthy to receive glory and honor and power; for You have created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created. You are our Rock, our refuge, our shelter in times of storm. We stand in awe and wonder before You. There is...

• Reflections on John 1:2

  by Russ Hjelm Oct 18
  He was in the beginning with God. John 1:2, Modern English Version (MEV)   As we might imagine, all of this was a lot to take in for those who knew Jesus and had been around Him for very long. John was driving home the point that yes, this Word, Jesus, the One they had been around day ...

• Reflections on Proverbs 1:4

  by Russ Hjelm Oct 17
  ... to give subtlety to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion— ... Proverbs 1:4, Modern English Version (MEV)   In Clarke's Commentary we find:   “To give subtilty to the simple — The word simple, from simplex, compounded of sine, without, a...

• Morning Prayer October 17, 2024

  by Russ Hjelm Oct 17
  Father in Heaven,   Holy are You, Lord God Almighty! You alone are worthy to receive glory and honor and power; for You have created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created. You are our Rock, our refuge, our shelter in times of storm. We stand in awe and wonder before Y...

• Reflections on Romans 1:6

  by Russ Hjelm Oct 16
  ... among whom you also are called by Jesus Christ: ... Romans 1:6, Modern English Version (MEV)   Paul was commissioned by Jesus to take the Good News to the Gentiles, and guess what? That includes all of us! Jesus called us to himself, and He is calling everyone who has ears to hear ...

• Morning Prayer October 16, 2024

  by Russ Hjelm Oct 16
  Father in Heaven,   Holy are You, Lord God Almighty! You alone are worthy to receive glory and honor and power; for You have created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created. You are our Rock, our refuge, our shelter in times of storm. We stand in awe and wonder before Y...

• Evening Prayer October 15, 2024

  by Russ Hjelm Oct 15
  Father in Heaven,   Holy are You, Lord God Almighty! You alone are worthy to receive glory and honor and power; for You have created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created. You are our Rock, our refuge, our shelter in times of storm. We stand in awe and wonder before Y...

• Eyes That Do Not See

  by Russ Hjelm Oct 15
  We have eyes and do not see. Kempis, The Imitation of Christ   Do any of us really see what is in front of our faces, or have we grown so used to everything that blind to almost everything? We get is such a hurry, and so focused on some task we need to accomplish, that we don't really ...

• Reflections on Psalm 2:4-6

  by Russ Hjelm Oct 15
  He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord ridicules them. Then He will speak to them in His wrath and terrify them in His burning anger: "I have installed My king on Zion, My holy hill." Psalm 2:4-6, Modern English Version (MEV)   Those of us who are disciples of Christ tend to g...

• Morning Prayer October 15, 2024

  by Russ Hjelm Oct 15
  Father in Heaven,   Holy are You, Lord God Almighty! You alone are worthy to receive glory and honor and power; for You have created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created. You are our Rock, our refuge, our shelter in times of storm. We stand in awe and wonder before Y...

• Reflections on Matthew 1:18-19

  by Russ Hjelm Oct 14
  Now the birth of Jesus Christ happened this way: After His mother Mary was engaged to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child by the Holy Spirit. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man and not willing to make her a public example, had in mind to divorce her privately. Mat...

• Morning Prayer October 14, 2024

  by Russ Hjelm Oct 14
  Father in Heaven,   Holy are You, Lord God Almighty! You alone are worthy to receive glory and honor and power; for You have created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created. You are our Rock, our refuge, our shelter in times of storm. We stand in awe and wonder before...

• Evening Prayer October 13, 2024

  by Russ Hjelm Oct 13
  Father in Heaven,   Holy are You, Lord God Almighty! You alone are worthy to receive glory and honor and power; for You have created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created. You are our Rock, our refuge, our shelter in times of storm. We stand in awe and wonder before...

• Afternoon Devotional - October 13, 2024

  by Russ Hjelm Oct 13
  The more you know and the better you understand, the more severely will you be judged, unless your life is also the more holy. Do not be proud, therefore, because of your learning or skill. Rather, fear because of the talent given you. If you think you know many things and understand them well e...

• Morning Devotional - October 13, 2024

  by Russ Hjelm Oct 13
  Many words do not satisfy the soul; but a good life eases the mind, and a clean conscience inspires great trust in God. Kempis, The Imitation of Christ   It is so easy for us to get so wrapped up in striving for more that we forget to take time to enjoy what we have and thank God for...

• Morning Prayer for October 13, 2024

  by Russ Hjelm Oct 13
  Father in Heaven,   Holy are You, Lord God Almighty! You alone are worthy to receive glory and honor and power; for You have created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created. You are our Rock, our refuge, our shelter in times of storm. We stand in awe and wonder before...

• Morning Devotional for 10/10/2024

  by Russ Hjelm Oct 10
  What good does it do to speak learnedly about the Trinity if, lacking humility, you displease the Trinity? Indeed it is not learning that makes a man holy and just, but a virtuous life makes him pleasing to God. I would rather feel contrition than know how to define it. For what would it profit ...

• Morning Prayer for October 10, 2024

  by Russ Hjelm Oct 10
  Father in Heaven,   Holy are You, Lord God Almighty! You alone are worthy to receive glory and honor and power; for You have created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created. You are our Rock, our refuge, our shelter in times of storm. We stand in awe and wonder before...

• Evening Prayer for October 9, 2024

  by Russ Hjelm Oct 9
  Father in Heaven,   Holy are You, Lord God Almighty! You alone are worthy to receive glory and honor and power; for You have created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created. You are our Rock, our refuge, our shelter in times of storm. We stand in awe and wonder before...
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• A Devotional

  by Russ Hjelm Oct 9
  The teaching of Christ is more excellent that all the advice of the saints, and he who has His spirit will find in it a hidden manna. Now, there are many who hear the Gospel often but care little for it because they have not the spirit of Christ. Yet whoever wishes to understand fully the words of...

• Reflections on Proverbs 1:1-2

  by Russ Hjelm Oct 9
  The proverbs of Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel: To know wisdom and instruction, to perceive the words of understanding, ... Proverbs 1:1-2, Modern English Version (MEV)   Why should we bother with Proverbs? It is, after all, the Old Testament, and aside from its cutesy and folk...

• Reflections on Romans 1:2-4

  by Russ Hjelm Oct 9
  ... which He promised beforehand through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures, concerning His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh and declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead. ...

• A Devotional

  by Russ Hjelm Oct 9
  "He who follows Me, walks not in darkness," says the Lord. (John 8:12.) By these words of Christ we are advised to imitate His life and habits, if we wish to be truly enlightened and free from all blindness of heart. Let our chief effort, therefore, be to study the life of Jesus Christ. Kempi...

• Morning Prayer for October 9, 2024

  by Russ Hjelm Oct 9
  Father in Heaven,   Holy are You, Lord God Almighty! You alone are worthy to receive glory and honor and power; for You have created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created. You are our Rock, our refuge, our shelter in times of storm. We stand in awe and wonder before...

• Evening Prayer for October 8, 2024

  by Russ Hjelm Oct 8
  Father in Heaven,   Holy are You, Lord God Almighty! You alone are worthy to receive glory and honor and power; for You have created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created. You are our Rock, our refuge, our shelter in times of storm. We stand in awe and wonder before...

• Reflections on Psalm 1:6

  by Russ Hjelm Oct 8
  For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly will perish. Psalm 1:6, Modern English Version (MEV)   It is a failing that far too many of those who follow the One who is the Christ have the belief that we are somehow better than everyone else. We will, of course, pr...

• Reflections on Matthew 1:12-16

  by Russ Hjelm Oct 8
  And after they were brought to Babylon,Jeconiah was the father of Shealtiel,and Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel.Zerubbabel was the father of Abiud,Abiud the father of Eliakim,and Eliakim the father of Azor.Azor was the father of Zadok,Zadok the father of Akim,and Akim the father of Eliud.Eliud wa...