Dec 29, 2011
Posted by PhatherPhil on Dec 29, 2011 | 4 comments
“A woman from Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” (For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.) The Samaritan woman said to him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.” The woman said to him, “Sir, you have nothing to draw water with, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob? He gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and his livestock.” Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”” – John 4:7-14 (ESV)
Like drinking water from the well will eventually leave us thirsty again, when we seek to find personal fulfillment in things of this world we’re always brought back to finding something “missing” in our lives. Only when we give our lives over to Christ can that hole in our hearts truly be filled, and our spiritual thirsts be quenched.
Dec 28, 2011
Posted by PhatherPhil on Dec 28, 2011 | 3 comments
“Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.”” – Jeremiah 9:23-24 (ESV)
Whatever our accomplishments, achievements or gains, it’s important to place glory for those Blessings firmly where they belong; in the hands of our Heavenly Father. True wisdom doesn’t come from the reliance on our own strengths or abilities, but instead in the knowledge that all good gifts flow directly from God (James 1:17).
Dec 27, 2011
Posted by PhatherPhil on Dec 27, 2011 | 3 comments
“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?” – Matthew 6:25-27 (ESV)
For many people, anxiety can be a pervasive and overwhelming force in their lives. It can gnaw at our very beings, and obscure from us those Blessings that surround us each and every day. In this teaching, Jesus warns us against allowing such emotions to poison us, and reminds us that as our Heavenly Father provides for the necessities of other creatures of the world, He will make available those basic needs to support our lives as well. When we allow our fears and doubts to overcome us, we place a barrier between ourselves and God, denying His many gifts in our lives.
Dec 23, 2011
Posted by PhatherPhil on Dec 23, 2011 | 3 comments
“And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”” – Luke 2:8-14 (ESV)
As we rush around trying to put all of the finishing touches on our Christmas celebration preparations, we need to keep in our hearts the true meaning of the season. Two thousand years ago, brought into the world in the most humble of circumstances, God sent us His only begotten Son; to teach us, and guide us, and finally to die for us that we might be released from our bondage of sin. Christmas isn’t about presents, or lights, or festive holiday parties… It’s about a Child, divine made incarnate, born to save the world.
Dec 22, 2011
Posted by PhatherPhil on Dec 22, 2011 | 4 comments
“”For the mountains may depart
and the hills be removed,
but my steadfast love shall not depart from you,
and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,”
says the Lord, who has compassion on you.” – Isaiah 54:10
We all experience disappointment in our lives at some point; the betrayal of a confidence, loss of a job, the disillusionment of a broken trust, or possibly the dissolving of a relationship. However, while events like that may shake our lives, we can always securely place our faith in the steadfast love and compassion our Heavenly Father freely offers. In His arms, we can always find safe haven.
Hi, I’m Phil Malmstrom, a.k.a. Phather Phil. I’m self-employed, father of two wonderful young men, an ordained minister who delights in spreading Jesus’ Message of Hope and Love, a science-fiction junkie, an aspiring photographer and above all that one of God’s Children who rejoices in His Blessings each day. 
