Feb 27, 2012
Posted by PhatherPhil on Feb 27, 2012 | 5 comments
“Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented. And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”” – Matthew 3:13-17 (ESV)
While the Son of God certainly didn’t require baptism for the forgiveness of sins He didn’t hold, He chose to humble Himself in the eyes of the Father, and by doing so identified Himself with the sins of humanity. In that moment of divine humility and affirmation, He set the example for us all and began His mission and ministry of salvation.
Feb 23, 2012
Posted by PhatherPhil on Feb 23, 2012 | 6 comments
“Though the fig tree should not blossom,
nor fruit be on the vines,
the produce of the olive fail
and the fields yield no food,
the flock be cut off from the fold
and there be no herd in the stalls,
yet I will rejoice in the Lord;
I will take joy in the God of my salvation.” – Habakkuk 3:17-18 (ESV)
There will be periods in our lives of great abundance, and of overwhelming drought. It’s important to remember that both those times are of God’s design, and while we may not see the underlying reason for our trials, He’s deserving of our praises throughout it all.
Feb 22, 2012
Posted by PhatherPhil on Feb 22, 2012 | 4 comments
“Look among the nations, and see;
wonder and be astounded.
For I am doing a work in your days
that you would not believe if told.” – Habakkuk 1:5 (ESV)
Quite often, we miss the forest for the trees; we allow the world around us to cloud our vision, and look past the amazing wonders that our Heavenly Father places all around us. To embrace His great works and live abundant lives, we need to suspend our disbelief and peer through eyes cleansed by faith.
Feb 17, 2012
Posted by PhatherPhil on Feb 17, 2012 | 7 comments
“Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it, for their evil has come up before me.” But Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish. So he paid the fare and went on board, to go with them to Tarshish, away from the presence of the Lord.” – Jonah 1:1-3 (ESV)
Like Jonah, many of us make vain attempts to “hide” from God’s calling; we convince ourselves that His voice is our minds playing tricks on us, we ignore the signs He places in our lives each day, and we “write off” His Blessings as happy coincidence. When we open our hearts to the understanding that we’re in the grip of a loving Heavenly Father and accept His guidance into our lives, we take on new purpose and can truly live in abundance.
Feb 15, 2012
Posted by PhatherPhil on Feb 15, 2012 | 7 comments
“For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God.” – James 3:7-9 (ESV)
Our words are powerful things; they can be used to either share the light of Christ with those around us, or to spread the venomous intent of our sinful natures. It’s very often not an easy internal conflict to resolve, but through the guidance and Grace our Heavenly Father offers us, we can make our speech reflect His glory and goodness.
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. 
