Loud Cries And Tears...

Hebrews 5:7 (NRSV) really spoke to me in the early morning hours today:

Jesus offered up prayers and supplications with loud cries and tears to The One Who was able... and He was heard because of His reverent submission.

IF MY PEOPLE... WILL? I WILL! God's Promise in 2 Chron. 7:14.
Grateful

Do We Know The Way Home?

We have to come Home to Jesus before we can go Home with Jesus. -- James Spruill

"Let not your hearts be troubled; believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And when I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way where I am going." Thomas said to Him, "Lord, we do not know where You are going; how can we know the way?" Jesus said to him, "I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life; no one comes to the Father, but by Me. -- Words of Jesus in John 14:1-6 (NRSV)

Lord, thank You for being our Way Home. Because there will be no sin in The Father's House, thanks for being our Way to find forgiveness for our sinful actions and cleansing of our Sinful attitudes. We can now know there's room for us There. We cannot adequately express our gratitude in knowing that the Way of Your Cross leads us to You and You lead us to our forever Home. Amen.

For God took the sinless Christ and poured into Him our sins. Then, in exchange, he poured God’s goodness into us! -- 2 Cor. 5:21 (TLB)

IF MY PEOPLE... WILL? I WILL! God's Promise in 2 Chron. 7:14.
Grateful

Matthew 24:14

And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations will hear it; and then, finally, the end will come. -- Matthew 24:14 (NLT)

In light of Jesus' words in Matthew 24:14, is it safe to draw a conclusion similar to this statement penned by W.B. Godbey some 100 years ago?

Our Lord has promised to return to the earth, take the devil out, set up His kingdom and reign forever, if we will but preach the Gospel to every nation.

If so, let's everyone of us who know the Good News of Jesus in our own lives, preach the Good News with our own lives.

IF MY PEOPLE... WILL? I WILL! God's Promise in 2 Chron. 7:14.
Grateful

Encouraging Others to Sin?

1 Corinthians 8:12 (NLT) --And you are sinning against Christ when you sin against other Christians by encouraging them to do something they believe is wrong.

What a sobering thought, heh?

Lord, forbid that we would sin against You and others by encouraging others to go against their own consciences, coaxing them to choose wrong rebellion over what they believe to be right relationship with You. In the Name of Jesus. Amen.

IF MY PEOPLE... WILL? I WILL! God's Promise in 2 Chron. 7:14.
Grateful

Take Time to Remember & To Be Revived

I have learned one thing for sure in my forty-nine years: Unless we take to time to remember where we came from, we won't know where we're going, and we won't know who we are when we get there.

As I remember these words today, I am in a season of soul-sabbatical. Being the son of an Atlantic Coast fisherman, I have purposely planned seasons within my sabbatical season to return to and from my sandy-and-salty roots. Yes, indeed. If you were to take a look at my sabbatical calendar you would notice immediately that the skeleton of my schedule is actually held together by numerous back-and-forth journeys to and from the Atlantic Ocean. I just returned from a three-day season there. The first three days of my sabbatical were spent alongside the East Coast seashore. During this time, I wrote words akin to these in my daily journaling:

I never feel more alive than when I am standing alongside The Graveyard of the Atlantic. It is here that I remember where I came from and seemingly the location from which my Lord has so often sent me back to my present calling having been revived for the future.

I covet your prayers as I have been given this sacred season by my Faithful God and His generous local church -- a time-out-time-frame to be remembering and to be revived. Please pray for me along these three lines:

(1) That I will wholly recover from the past.
(2) That I will wholeheartedly celebrate in the present.
(3) That I will holy envision for the future.

And all In the Name of Jesus, of course.

This passage from Lamentations 3:17-26 (NLT) somehow contains the mystery of what I am trying to communicate when I say: Take time to remember and to be revived:

(17) Peace has been stripped away, and I have forgotten what prosperity is. (18) I cry out, "My splendor is gone! Everything I had hoped for from the LORD is lost!" (19) The thought of my suffering and homelessness is bitter beyond words. (20) I will never forget this awful time, as I grieve over my loss. (21) Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this: (22) The unfailing love of the LORD never ends! By His mercies we have been kept from complete destruction. (23) Great is His faithfulness; His mercies begin afresh each day. (24) I say to myself, "The LORD is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in Him!" (25) The LORD is wonderfully good to those who wait for Him and seek him. (26) So it is good to wait quietly for salvation from the LORD.

IF MY PEOPLE... WILL? I WILL! God's Promise in 2 Chron. 7:14.
Grateful

Loneliness Leave Us Alone

Lord, let Your undeniable presence be the reason that loneliness leaves us alone. Help us to know that if we will always abandon ourselves to You we will never ever be abandoned. In the Name of Jesus. Amen.

No, I will not abandon you or leave you as orphans in the storm — I will come to you. -- Words of Jesus in John 14:18 (TLB)

IF MY PEOPLE... WILL? I WILL! God's Promise in 2 Chron. 7:14.
Grateful

Your Soul's Comfort is Only Found in Me

I brought you to Myself and carried you on eagle’s wings.
-- Exodus 19:4b (NLT)

After reading the soul-comforting message of the Lord in Exodus 19:4, I wrote these words, seemingly from Father God's heart straight to mine:

Why do you weep when the closest of kin
or the dearest of friend leaves you?
Do you ask why?
You don't know why their kinship
or friendship can never satisfy?

When kin or friend deserts you,
it's meant to help you see,
That the deepest comfort of your soul...
Is only found in Me.

IF MY PEOPLE... WILL? I WILL! God's Promise in 2 Chron. 7:14.
Grateful

Kerry & Kim: 30 Years of Marriage Past, True Love Present & Dreaming for the Future

Today, my dear wife, Kim, and I, are celebrating our 30th Wedding Anniversary. I think 30 years of *"Mawwage", yes, *"Twue Wuv" between one man and one wife pretty much writes its own blog post. 30 Years of "Mawwage" Past plus "Twue Wuv" present, causes us to * "Dweam" for the future, yes, beyond 30 years.

(* "Mawwage" is the pronunciation for "Marriage", * "Twue Wuv" is the pronunciation for "True Love", and "* "Dweam" is the pronunciation for "Dream" from the hilariously funny Princess Bride Movie :-)

Here's the Movie Clip Link :-)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIpPCPIuJpc

Always and forever, Kim, I will love You. Because we trust God and each other, we celebrate today 30 years of marriage and true love, and we can dream for the future, yes, beyond thirty years!

IF MY PEOPLE... WILL? I WILL! God's Promise in 2 Chron. 7:14.
Grateful

My Dad's New Joy-Description at Age 70.

A PRICELESS STORY WORTH YOUR PRECIOUS TIME. I PROMISE.

My Dad, Billy, has been working on the water in and around The Graveyard of the Atlantic Ocean all of his life. Fishing, crabbing, scalloping, and mostly shrimping has been his livelihood. Old Salty would properly define him. Now at age 70, because Dad's retirement fund never really got funded, he's got a new job-description. (Most all of the commercial fishermen along the North Carolina coastline have experienced less than overflowing nets, especially over the past 20 years or so.) About that new job-description? Dad would see it more as His new joy-description. Yes, my Dad is now working twelve-hour-a-day shifts on a ferry boat for the North Carolina Department of Transportation. Though he's been a boat captain of his own vessel for more than thirty years, he now goes back to being a deckhand and an engine oiler -- both servant-jobs he performed everyday of his life, even while he was captaining his own shrimp boat. My Dad has been and continues to be the very definition of a servant leader. That's one reason he's a hero of the faith to his family.

Well, recently Dad shared a story as our family of fifteen had gathered at the water's edge to celebrate Dad and Mom's 5Oth Wedding Anniversary. Dad's story was about a boy named Jesse.

The story began with Dad loading vehicles for a ferry boat passage across the channel, when he saw an over-sized van pull onto the deck. A severely handicapped boy was riding as a passenger. When the van stopped and the ferry pulled away from the dock, Dad watched from the cabin window as the boy's father unloaded his son in an electric wheelchair to sit on the deck and watch the coastal scenery during the half-hour crossing.

Dad stood at a distance as long as he possibly could, but he's never been good at posing as an innocent bystander. He likes to get involved once he senses permission from the Holy Spirit to do so. So Dad made his way out towards the father-and-son duo. After friendly introductions and careful questions, Dad learned that the boy, who looked to be seven or eight, was actually fifteen. Yes, his name was Jesse, and though he was severely handicapped physically, he had complete mental capacities. Jesse could only control his body basically from the neck up. He was bent and totally dependent on his father for pretty much everything except breathing and talking. It broke my Dad's heart.

Dad elevated the conversation with Jesse by beginning to talk prayerfully about Jesus and a place of total healing called Heaven. Dad gently reminded Jesse about the great day coming when he would have a new body, a day when physical pains and human limitations would be things of the past. Jesse was encouraged by Dad's words and agreed wholeheartedly with Dad's forecast of hope. Jesse, indicated that he knew life would be more than wonderful for him soon enough. Dad, touched deep within, went back into the cabin, all the while keeping a close prayerful watch on Jesse and his dad.

Inside the ferry boat, Dad kept thinking on something Jesse's father had said earlier. Yes, Jesse and his dad were actually making their once-a-year trip on the ferry. Each year Jesse asks to make the ferry boat ride --thirty minutes one-way and then to make the return across the channel, to the mainland where he lives. Jesse's father told Dad that his dear boy just loves sitting on the deck in his wheelchair. Obviously, it is like medicine to his soul.

Finally, Dad said to the Lord, "I think I might be able to make Jesse's day." With that declaration, he went back to the deck and knelt down beside Jesse's wheelchair once again and asked: "Jesse, do you like ice cream?" Jesse gave Dad a big grin and said, "I think I do! I love ice cream, Mr. Billy!" Dad showed Jesse a five-dollar-bill and handing the cash to Jesse's dad said, "Jesse, I know there's a Dairy Queen Ice Cream Shoppe on the journey back to your hometown. When you and your dad pass by, I want you to stop and have a big, ice cream sundae on me." You guessed it! Dad was right. Jesse's day was made, indeed! His countenance was invigorating proof. Yes, Jesse's day was made by a silver-haired, should-be-retired-by-now (by this world's standards for success) boat-captain who took on the saintly joy-description of a deckhand and engine oiler at the age of 70. Could it be that being refired beats being retired?

As Dad walked back toward the cabin, Jesse's dad tenderly called out gratitude something akin to: "Thanks Mr. Billy. You'll can't possibly know how much encountering you on this two-way, ferry boat ride today means to Jesse and me." I know the feeling was mutual. You see, in making Jesse's day? Jesse, Jesse's dad, and especially Jesus had made Mr. Billy's day, too.

At the end of his story, my Dad was weeping big tears, and so were the rest of us listening around the table. Then Dad spoke to us his secret. "Each day when I wake up, I tell God the same thing. 'Today don't let people see Billy. Let them see Jesus in Billy.'" I'd say God is answering my Dad's daily prayer. Wouldn't you?

A vast crowd was there as He (Jesus) stepped from the boat, and he had compassion on them... -- Matthew 14:14 (NLT)

Then Jesus said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men". -- Mark 1:17 (NKJV)

For this is the secret: Christ lives in you... - Colossians 1:27 (NLT)

Dad still has his shrimp boat, The Lady Melba. It's tied up at the dock most days in the Refuge Harbor on the west end of Harkers Island, North Carolina. My guess is, that Dad will probably wet his shrimp nets a time or two again before the Lord calls him home. But right now God has him witnessing on the ferry boat. Life is good, even without early retirement funds. My Dad, Mr. Billy (still "Captain Billy" to most of the people who know him best) is invigorating proof of that.

*A 2006 YouTube clip of my silver-haired Dad scalloping:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpnOoEN3OzA

IF MY PEOPLE... WILL? I WILL! God's Promise in 2 Chron. 7:14.
Grateful

Proverbs 1:7 & Matthew 5:3

When Jesus spoke Matthew 5:3 (KJV) -- Blessed are the poor in spirit, it seems quite synonymous with the truth found in Proverbs 1:7 (NLT) -- Fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge.

I love the The New Living Translation rendering of Matthew 5:3: God blesses those who realize their need for Him.

Don't you think it's easy to connect the dots between these two passages?

My personal paraphrase of Matthew 5:3 might be: You're blessed when you obey God's will wholeheartedly and acknowledge that everything praiseworthy comes from Him alone.

My own amplified wording for Proverbs 1:7 might be: With reverent trembling in your eternal soul, willingly obey and respect the Lord, now you can declare that you have chosen the God who has chosen you, you now can begin to know the God Who wants to know you, as you can, too, commence to really love the God Who has already proven He loves you. As you claim Him as Your Everything in this life and in the Life to come, you will be surely BLESSED beginning now.

IF MY PEOPLE... WILL? I WILL! God's Promise in 2 Chron. 7:14.
Grateful

Wonderful, Merciful Savior

Tina, a voice from Heaven in our local church family, sings and recorded a song written and recorded by the contemporary group Selah. The words moved my heart so wonderfully recently that I listened to the song about five times in a row. May the lyrics inspire Your love for our Lord, today:

Wonderful, merciful Saviour, precious Redeemer and Friend.
Who would've thought that a Lamb could,
Rescue the souls of men.
Oh, You rescue the souls of men.

Counselor, Comforter, Keeper, Spirit we long to embrace.
You offer hope when our hearts have,
Hopelessly lost our way.
Oh, we've hopelessly lost the way.

CHORUS:
You are the One that we praise.
You are the One we adore.
You give the healing and grace,
Our hearts always hunger for.
Oh, our hearts always hunger for.

Almighty, infinite Father, faithfully loving Your own.
Here in our weakness You find us,
Falling before Your throne.
Oh, we're falling before Your throne.

IF MY PEOPLE... WILL? I WILL! God's Promise in 2 Chron. 7:14.
Grateful

Lord, I Want to Be Truly Humble!

God sets Himself against the proud,
but He shows favor to the humble.
James 4:6b (NLT)

What is your definition of true humility?

What might be the results if you and I were to write down the words above from James 4:6 on a note card and take it around in our pocket, spontaneously and purposefully praying for thirty days:

Lord, I want to be truly humble!
I truly need Your favor in my life!
In the Name of Jesus. Amen.

IF MY PEOPLE... WILL? I WILL! God's Promise in 2 Chron. 7:14.
Grateful

What a Wonderful Inheritance

Psalm 16:5-6 (TLB) -- (5) The Lord Himself is my inheritance, my prize. He is my food and drink, my highest joy! He guards all that is mine. (6) He sees that I am given pleasant brooks and meadows as my share! What a wonderful inheritance!

Inspirational Song Link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnmIiE1mJz4

IF MY PEOPLE... WILL? I WILL! God's Promise in 2 Chron. 7:14.
Grateful

Are You Weary? Are You Sorrowing?

For I have given rest to the weary and joy to the sorrowing.
-- Jeremiah 31:25 (TLB)

Then Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you. Let Me teach you, because I am humble and gentle, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke fits perfectly, and the burden I give you is light. -- Words of Jesus in Matthew 11:28-30 (TLB)

IF MY PEOPLE... WILL? I WILL! God's Promise in 2 Chron. 7:14.
Grateful

Hurt People?

Hurt people? Hurt people.

(7) Anyone who rebukes a mocker will get a smart retort. Anyone who rebukes the wicked will get hurt. (8) So don’t bother rebuking mockers; they will only hate you. But the wise, when rebuked, will love you all the more. -- Proverbs 9:7-8 (NLT)

IF MY PEOPLE... WILL? I WILL! God's Promise in 2 Chron. 7:14.
Grateful

Be Ready As You Wait For The Lord

In Matthew 25:13 (TLB), Jesus speaks these words: So stay awake and be prepared for you do not know the date or moment of My return.

Lord, find us ready as we are waiting for Your realized arrival in our lives. Amen.

IF MY PEOPLE... WILL? I WILL! God's Promise in 2 Chron. 7:14.
Grateful

Land of the Living

Does anyone (other than saints and perhaps a few poets) ever realize how wonderful life is while they're living it? -- Paraphrase from the early 1900's Play entitled "Our Town"

Wonderful Link: Click here: Louis Armstrong What A Wonderful World - YouTube

(11) I said, "Never again will I see the LORD GOD while still in the land of the living. Never again will I see my friends or laugh with those who live in this world. (12) My life has been blown away like a shepherd’s tent in a storm. It has been cut short..."
-- Isaiah 38:11-12a (NLT)

IF MY PEOPLE... WILL? I WILL! God's Promise in 2 Chron. 7:14.
Grateful

Wait

I sensed my blog entry today should just be one word today:

"WAIT..."

IF MY PEOPLE... WILL? I WILL! God's Promise in 2 Chron. 7:14.
Grateful

As Long As We Sing Praises to Our King

Could it be possible that as long as we sing praises to our King, that nothing can break us?

(1) I will praise the Lord no matter what happens. I will constantly speak of his glories and grace. (2) I will boast of all his kindness to me. Let all who are discouraged take heart. (3) Let us praise the Lord together and exalt his name. -- Psalm 34:1-3 (TLB)

You keep me singing, Jesus. Amen.

IF MY PEOPLE... WILL? I WILL! God's Promise in 2 Chron. 7:14.
Grateful

Need Wings? Wait on the Lord.

Isaiah 40:31 has really been an encouragement to my soul: But those who wait on the LORD will find new strength. They will fly high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint (NLT).

And Malachi 4:2 also adds inspiration to Isaiah's words: But for you who fear My name, the Sun of Righteousness will rise with healing in His wings (NLT).

Keep waiting, His Help and Healing is on the way.

IF MY PEOPLE... WILL? I WILL! God's Promise in 2 Chron. 7:14.
Grateful

Pentecost Gives Newness...

Some may ask, "What are the benefits of Pentecost?"

Well, here's just a short list of what I have come to realize that Pentecost gives:
(1) A newness of joy.
(2) A newness of love.
(3) A newness of mind.
(4) A newness of heart.
(5) A newness of strength.
(6) A newness of assurance.
(7) A newness of compassion.
(8) A newness of anointing to pray in the Holy Spirit.
(9) A newness of perspective from The Holy Word of God.
(10) A newness of intimacy in sweet communion with Holy God.

But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code. -- Romans 7:6 (NIV)

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses... -- Acts 1:8 (NIV)

IF MY PEOPLE... WILL? I WILL! God's Promise in 2 Chron. 7:14.
Grateful

His Love Poured Out In Our Hearts

Many of us who call ourselves Christians are not truly devoted to (disciples of) Jesus Christ. No one on earth has this passionate love for the Lord Jesus unless the Holy Spirit has given it to him. We may admire, respect, and revere Him, but we cannot love Him on our own. The only One who truly loves the Lord Jesus is the Holy Spirit, and it is He who has “poured out in our hearts” the very “love of God”. Whenever the Holy Spirit sees an opportunity to glorify Jesus through you, He will take your entire being and set you ablaze with glowing devotion to Jesus Christ. -- Oswald Chambers, slight edit

God has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with His love.
-- Romans 5:5 b (TLB)

IF MY PEOPLE... WILL? I WILL! God's Promise in 2 Chron. 7:14.
Grateful

Rest, O My Soul

(7) Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the LORD has been good to you. (8) For you, O LORD, have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling, (9) that I may walk before the LORD in the land of the living. -- Psalm 116:7-9 (NIV)

IF MY PEOPLE... WILL? I WILL! God's Promise in 2 Chron. 7:14.
Grateful

Do We Ever Pray in Private?

Hypocrites never pray in private. -- Samuel Chadwick

(5) "And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. (6) But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. -- Words of Jesus in Matthew 6:5-6 (NKJV)

IF MY PEOPLE... WILL? I WILL! God's Promise in 2 Chron. 7:14.
Grateful

Resurrection Illustrated

Rarely do I post a link, but I believe this "Resurrection Illustrated" link describing a Ron Dicianni painting will bless your heart:

http://downloads.cbn.com/cbnplayer/cbnPlayer.swf?s=/vod/MW131v2_WS

"I was dead!" These three powerful words of testimony were spoken from the lips of our Resurrected and Glorified Christ and recorded by John in Revelation, Chapter 1 and verse 18 (NIV).

IF MY PEOPLE... WILL? I WILL! God's Promise in 2 Chron. 7:14.
Grateful

"And You Will Be My Witnesses..."

These eight verses from Luke's second New Testament volume, The Book of Acts, invigorate my soul:

(1) In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach (2) until the day He was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles He had chosen. (3) After His suffering, He showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that He was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. (4) On one occasion, while He was eating with them, He gave them this command: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift My Father promised, which You have heard Me speak about. (5) For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit." (6) So when they met together, they asked Him, "Lord, are You at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?" (7) He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by His own authority. (8) But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." -- Acts 1:1-8 (NIV)

IF MY PEOPLE... WILL? I WILL! God's Promise in 2 Chron. 7:14.
Grateful

My God

Time is in His hands and eternity is in His eyes. Yes, that's my God.

From eternity to eternity I am God. -- Isaiah 43:13 (NLT)

IF MY PEOPLE... WILL? I WILL! God's Promise in 2 Chron. 7:14.
Grateful

Prayer: Simple & Profound

Prayer is so simple that even children can pray, and it is so profound that unless adults have childlike hearts they cannot pray.

Then He (Jesus) said, "I assure you, unless you turn from your sins and become as little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven." -- Matthew 18:3 (NLT)

IF MY PEOPLE... WILL? I WILL! God's Promise in 2 Chron. 7:14.
Grateful

Devotion Dilemma

We have (during these too-busy days that we "live" in) what I call, a devotion dilemma. Yes, sadly, it seems that people these days have little or no time at all for praying. However, if we are to ever learn to pray, it will take time and plenty of it. If we are to ever know God in ever-increasing intimacy it will require seasons of prayer in His presence, not just seconds of prayer as we wrecklessly race into the future. Let us take time immediately for intimacy with Immanuel or time will take us ultimately from His presence for eternity.

Lord, teach us TO pray... -- Luke 11:1 (NIV)

IF MY PEOPLE... WILL? I WILL! God's Promise in 2 Chron. 7:14.
Grateful