Category Archives: Devotionals

On Prayer (Maybe Not What You’ve Been Thinking)

Posted on October 11, 2018 by

Phyllis Beveridge Nissila Prayer: “an invocation or act that seeks to activate a rapport with an object of worship, typically a deity, through deliberate communication. Prayer can take a variety of forms, it can be part of a set liturgy or ritual, it can be performed alone, or in groups. Prayer … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentaries, Devotionals, most recent posts | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

On Wagon Wheels and Ministries for Such a Time As This

Posted on September 4, 2018 by

Phyllis Beveridge Nissila Living on the West Coast of the United States, as I do, formerly known as the “Wild West,” one sees rusty, crusty old wagon wheels in many places. I saw some today. Such wheels transported “Oregon Trail” … Continue reading →

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On God’s Equal Parts Judgement and Love in This “End Times” Age

Posted on September 4, 2018 by

Phyllis Beveridge Nissila Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing (Matthew … Continue reading →

Posted in Devotionals, devotionals and commentaries featuring technology, Easter/Good Friday themes, encouragement in hard times, end times spiritual survival, most recent posts, prophecy, Psalm 91 devotionals, salvation by grace, spiritual survival, spiritual transformation, survival tools | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

Is It God’s Word, or Some Other god’s words? On Interpretation and a (Literary) Plan

Posted on July 31, 2018 by

Phyllis Beveridge Nissila Tricks of the Interpretive Trade–From the Lit Teacher (it’s summer…I get poetic in the summer…) There are many approaches to interpreting and studying the Bible, a discipline known as hermeneutics. As a lover of “close reading” for … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible/literary themes, Bible/literary themes, elements, Christian poetry, Devotionals, encouragement in hard times, most recent posts, spiritual transformation | Tagged , | 4 Comments

On Desperately Seeking the REAL Jesus–You Are Not Alone

Posted on July 29, 2018 by

Phyllis Beveridge Nissila Do any of the believers quoted below sound familiar? Maybe they’re you (excerpts taken from 5 years ago in the comment section of a video of a sermon by A.W. Tozer entitled “Holy Spirit: Why Some Can’t … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentaries, Devotionals, encouragement in hard times, end times spiritual survival, letters to the remnant, most recent posts, spiritual survival, spiritual transformation, survival tools | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments

To a Hammer, Everything is a Nail; to a Teacher, a Lesson Plan; to a Believer, Jesus Christ

Posted on July 26, 2018 by

Phyllis Beveridge Nissila Regarding Hammers and Teachers I’ve noted on the blog in several places that I consider myself a metaphorist (if there is such a word–or pursuit) as well as a teacher. Like the references above to hammers and … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible/literary themes, elements, Devotionals, most recent posts | Tagged , | 1 Comment

They Might Take Your Voice But the Song Crescendos

Posted on July 21, 2018 by

Phyllis Beveridge Nissila I came across this song, today, while looking for another (as so often happens, right?). It prompted a tie-in to all of what I and my guest writers and others have written, lately, on false religions, cults, … Continue reading →

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On Ozymandias, Religion, and Christ the Redeemer

Posted on July 18, 2018 by

Phyllis Beveridge Nissila Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible/literary themes, elements, Commentaries, Devotionals, encouragement in hard times, most recent posts, salvation by grace, spiritual survival, spiritual transformation | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

The Annual Nabokov Christmas (in July) Gift, from Me to You

Posted on July 8, 2018 by

Phyllis Beveridge Nissila From last year to this: I have decided to offer my post based on the Vladimir Nabokov short story “Christmas” (which I have featured, now, [four] times since 2012 for various reasons) as an annual “Christmas in July” … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible/literary themes, Bible/literary themes, elements, Christmas themed, Commentaries, Devotionals, encouragement in hard times, most recent posts | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Hope for Countering the “Information Apocalypse” and the Power of “Slide-By News”

Posted on March 1, 2018 by

Phyllis Beveridge Nissila The Information Apocalypse From the down side of the brave new world of artificial Intelligence, specifically, the manipulation of information to influence and/or deceive viewers and readers, comes a growing concern over what is called the “information … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentaries, Devotionals, devotionals and commentaries featuring technology, encouragement in hard times, end times news, end times spiritual survival, letters to the remnant, most recent posts, ON THE STATE OF POLITICAL RAGE, salvation by grace, spiritual survival, spiritual transformation, survival tools, technology | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment