My Prayer Poem

Holy Spirit, be my Guide.

I come to you 

with my heart open wide.

To pray at all times,

I especially request.

With Your Holy Leading,

I know I am blessed.

Let Jesus know

that I love Him so!

And I join Him in prayer, 

While I'm here below.

Grateful 

Immediate Versus Ultimate Miracles

When you ask The Lord to partner with you in an immediate miracle, don't become disillusioned if He chooses to skip the immediate miracle you asked for in lieu of a much grander, ultimate miracle that will bring Him more glory and you more amazement.

Read John 11. Martha and Mary requested an immediate healing of their deathly-ill brother, Lazarus, however, Jesus delayed and even denied their pressing request, because He had something much more wonderful in mind -- a resurrection of a graveyard-dead corpse from the dead!

Just Trust and be...

... Grateful

With or Without Jesus?

1. With Jesus? Endless Hope.

2. Without Jesus? Hopeless End.

Choose 1 and be...

... Grateful 

A Priceless Friend's Day

I spent most of the afternoon with my childhood friend, Paul. A ride down memory lane, coffee and pie, vulnerable conversation about God and life, and even a fun visit to a coastal antique shop. Priceless.

Grateful

"SOLD!" -- The Auction Redemption Story

This weekend I had a little time to unwind and I did so by attending a ten-hour event. You might say, "That doesn't sound much like unwinding time?" Well, the event was an auction.

Most people who know me well, realize that I have a need to go coastal from time-to-time. Yes, being an island boy by birth, salt water lapping on a seashore is the soundtrack of my life. 

This particular auction I attended was to sell the personal duck decoy collection of a man who recently passed away and who lived near my North Carolina childhood home. The event lasted a part of two days, because there were over 700 items to auction off. Most of the items were handmade duck decoys that date back as far as the late 1800's. (And this was only about 1/3 of his items. Another auction is planned for February to sell the rest.) One root-head shorebird from an unknown Harkers Island carver went for $4,500.

I sat alone in the gallery dressed very casual and wearing a ball cap. Of the 150 or so who attended the auction I may have personally known 25, but many of them didn't realize it was even me because I just sort of blended in with the other waterfowl enthusiasts. Besides, no one expected me to be there. So, it was indeed quiet time to unwind, as you can probably now imagine.

I admit that I personally have a modest collection of waterfowl items and some knowledge of the decoy folk art world. But what I learned at the auction was something beyond folk art value. I watched as those who appeared to be investment-minded millionaires biding against sentimental family members for these one-of-a-kind, historically significant items. It was heart-wrenching because the family members were among the 25 or so that I personally knew. 

You see, in his lifetime, it appears that the collector of many treasured decoys left most of his family at the fringes and held onto the collection for himself. After his death, I'm guessing that his left-behind wife really didn't know what to do, so rather than distributing the desirable items to extended family, she simply decided to put mostly all of them up for public auction.

So, I sat there experiencing all kinds of emotions during the event, especially feeling for the family members who would  occasionally bid in hopes that they might hear the gavel fall quickly and be able to afford a piece of the cherished folk art. However, their success rate wasn't very high. With glassy eyes, more often than not, they shook off the auctioneer as the price-range exceeded their ability to realistically purchase.

In the midst of all of my hurt for the family members, I suddenly learned that I was  among them. Say what? Yes, I discovered that there was actually one decoy, in the lot of some 700, that had belonged to my great, great uncle Ammie Willis, whom I never met. Suddenly, I felt the pain of thinking that a stranger would probably walk away with something that had once rightfully belonged to our family.

At about 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, Day #2, the auctioneer introduced "Lot #35. A Wooden Redhead Duck Decoy from the Hunting Rig of Ammie Willis." Goose bumps ran up and down my spine. Emotions I had previously known nothing about arose from somewhere deep within my being.

I was the first bidder and seemingly the final bidder, too. But just when it looked as if I would actually win the close-to-my-heart, Willis-family, folk art piece and at the modest price of $125......? 

"HE" walked in and sat in the row directly in front of me. "HE" immediately raised "HIS" hand and I knew by the casual way "HE" bided, that timing had not been on my side.

My eyes quickly glanced at the other family members across the aisle for moral support. They frowned in pain as one whispered in my direction, "We're so sorry." 

I took a deep breath, looked back at the auctioneer and gave the thumbs up to raise my bid to $175. I was back in the hunt. Finally, a dozen twenty-five-dollar bids later, the gavel came down and the auctioneer shouted: "SOLD to the gentlemen in the red cap!" There was silence in the room followed by mild applause.

So, the gentlemen wearing the red cap was now the owner of the 100-year-old Redhead duck decoy that my Uncle Ammie Willis had hunted over.

For the next ten minutes or so, I sat in the back row of the auction with a sick feeling in my stomach. 

You see, the night before I had been wearing a blue cap, but on this Saturday morning I was indeed...... "the gentleman wearing the RED cap". So, now you know. My great, great Uncle Ammie's decoy came home with his great, great nephew. That's me.

Tomorrow, Monday, I will ride to Davis Shore, N.C. to see Uncle Ammie's grandson, Preston. My mom called to tell him about the prodigal decoy's unexpected return to our family. 

I am going to see cousin Preston because when I was a boy, his mom, my Aunt Edna and Uncle Ammie's daughter, showed me a photo of Uncle Ammie duck hunting with his most famous decoy-toting friend -- THE "Babe Ruth". Yes, indeed, "the home-run-hitting Babe Ruth". Cousin Preston said I could copy the old photo so I can frame it beside my newest, old decoy. 

Indeed, it's mine. I paid the high price to redeem it. Yes, it just seemed right to buy it back into the family.

My stomach feels much better now. I think it would have actually felt much worse if I hadn't paid the high price to gain back the old, seemingly lost, family heirloom.

So, here's what I learned at a high price: "Redemption doesn't come cheap, but the buyer knows deep inside, it's more than worth it."

The End...

Author's Note: This Saturday, I will be renting a table at our Kid's Harbor bazaar. I will once again be "the gentleman wearing the RED ball cap". If you buy something off my table, you will probably help my marriage. ;-) I told my wife I would work hard to recover the expense of my auction adventure. Ask me and I'll show you a photo of my folk art family treasure.

Grateful

"Wide Awake" (Confessions of a Shepherd)

It's 2:15 a.m. and I am wide awake. Unusual for me, I must say. Just had trouble settling in for the night so I got out of bed and came to the sitting room.

Honestly, I have had some discomfort in my stomach, but I think I'm really just too relaxed to sleep. I know that probably sounds weird, but this weekend I scheduled myself out of our local pulpit simply to give my brain a weekend off and to be unplugged from ministry to be with my precious wife for a short season. 

Why do I need to unplug? Well, you may not know this, but after I preach on Sunday mornings, my mind "is engaged" nearly nonstop from the present Sunday afternoon to the following Sunday morning to know the mind of Christ. 

You see, because I pray always for the mind of Christ, I love to seek His thoughts always, especially as it pertains to preaching Sunday mornings at our local church. It's a great way to live, however, humanly I am sometimes drained and this particular weekend "off" from all the duties of shepherding and especially preaching (though I live to preach Christ) is somehow a good thing.

I guess I am, sort of, officially on vacation, however, I will still attend Sunday worship on Sunday morning, just not at my home church. 

This may come as a surprise, but it's more difficult on me when I do not preach than when I do preach, because after nearly 20 years, preaching Sunday after Sunday is now "normal" for me. So, it is particularly abnormal for me to sit in our local church on a Sunday and not share the Gospel. I mean I do it sometimes, and it's often a good thing, but it's really somewhat awkward and for whatever reason, more draining than actually preaching. 

So, this Sunday, I get a rare visit to another church without any real responsibility. Yes, I plan to simply attend and to profoundly worship as a Jesus-believer. 

Why am I blogging all of this? Not sure. But I feel better just "talking" about it. I also know many of the people who follow my writings fervently pray for me. 

So, thanks for praying for me and for listening to me. I'm not drowsy at all, but I am as I said earlier, "really relaxed". Maybe I'll fall asleep before daylight. But even if I don't, I feel pretty rested already. 

By the way, in case you're curious, though I am wide awake, I'm not counting sheep. I'm comfortably concentrated on the Good Shepherd. (That's not work for me, It's worship). I never desire to unplug from adoring my Almighty, Personal Lord, my Shepherd.

Baa... Baa... (It's past 3 a.m. now.)

Grateful 

Listening...

Listening... and...

...Grateful

Note: Isaiah 55:3 (NLT)

Heaven... "I Make All Things New"

And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.

-- Revelation 21:1-5 KJV

It will be worth it all when we see Jesus.

Grateful

Prayers Appreciated

Your prayers are appreciated as I am exhaling for a short season for ministry reflection and some personal time with my loved ones. Thanks in advance for your mercy.

³ May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace. ⁴ I always thank my God when I pray for you, Philemon, ⁵ because I keep hearing about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all of God’s people. ⁶ And I am praying that you will put into action the generosity that comes from your faith as you understand and experience all the good things we have in Christ. ⁷ Your love has given me much joy and comfort, my brother, for your kindness has often refreshed the hearts of God’s people.
-- Philemon 1:3-7 (NLT)

Grateful

Be Holy: Don't Slip Back Into Your Old Ways

"So think clearly and exercise self-control. Look forward to the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world. So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. For the Scriptures say, 'You must be holy because I am holy.'”

1 Peter 1:13-16 (NLT)

Holiness Unto The LORD!

Grateful

The Rich Family in Our Church

I love this story... I heard it 20 years ago and it never gets old. And yes, it will be worth your time. Trust me.

I'll never forget Easter 1946. I was 14, my little sister Ocy was 12, and my older sister Darlene 16. We lived at home with our mother, and the four of us knew what it was to do without many things. My dad had died five years before, leaving Mom with seven school kids to raise and no money.

By 1946 my older sisters were married and my brothers had left home. A month before Easter the pastor of our church announced that a special Easter offering would be taken to help a poor family. He asked everyone to save and give sacrificially.

When we got home, we talked about what we could do. We decided to buy 50 pounds of potatoes and live on them for a month. This would allow us to save $20 of our grocery money for the offering. When we thought that if we kept our electric lights turned out as much as possible and didn't listen to the radio, we'd save money on that month's electric bill. Darlene got as many house and yard cleaning jobs as possible, and both of us babysat for everyone we could. For 15 cents we could buy enough cotton loops to make three pot holders to sell for $1.

We made $20 on pot holders. That month was one of the best of our lives.

Every day we counted the money to see how much we had saved. At night we'd sit in the dark and talk about how the poor family was going to enjoy having the money the church would give them. We had about 80 people in church, so figured that whatever amount of money we had to give, the offering would surely be 20 times that much. After all, every Sunday the pastor had reminded everyone to save for the sacrificial offering.

The day before Easter, Ocy and I walked to the grocery store and got the manager to give us three crisp $20 bills and one $10 bill for all our change.

We ran all the way home to show Mom and Darlene. We had never had so much money before.

That night we were so excited we could hardly sleep. We didn't care that we wouldn't have new clothes for Easter; we had $70 for the sacrificial offering.

We could hardly wait to get to church! On Sunday morning, rain was pouring. We didn't own an umbrella, and the church was over a mile from our home, but it didn't seem to matter how wet we got. Darlene had cardboard in her shoes to fill the holes. The cardboard came apart, and her feet got wet.

But we sat in church proudly. I heard some teenagers talking about the Smith girls having on their old dresses. I looked at them in their new clothes, and I felt rich.

When the sacrificial offering was taken, we were sitting on the second row from the front. Mom put in the $10 bill, and each of us kids put in a $20.

As we walked home after church, we sang all the way. At lunch Mom had a surprise for us. She had bought a dozen eggs, and we had boiled Easter eggs with our fried potatoes! Late that afternoon the minister drove up in his car. Mom went to the door, talked with him for a moment, and then came back with an envelope in her hand. We asked what it was, but she didn't say a word. She opened the envelope and out fell a bunch of money. There were three crisp $20 bills, one $10 and seventeen $1 bills.

Mom put the money back in the envelope. We didn't talk, just sat and stared at the floor. We had gone from feeling like millionaires to feeling like poor white trash. We kids had such a happy life that we felt sorry for anyone who didn't have our Mom and Dad for parents and a house full of brothers and sisters and other kids visiting constantly. We thought it was fun to share silverware and see whether we got the spoon or the fork that night.

We had two knifes that we passed around to whoever needed them. I knew we didn't have a lot of things that other people had, but I'd never thought we were poor.

That Easter day I found out we were. The minister had brought us the money for the poor family, so we must be poor. I didn't like being poor. I looked at my dress and worn-out shoes and felt so ashamed—I didn't even want to go back to church. Everyone there probably already knew we were poor!

I thought about school. I was in the ninth grade and at the top of my class of over 100 students. I wondered if the kids at school knew that we were poor. I decided that I could quit school since I had finished the eighth grade. That was all the law required at that time. We sat in silence for a long time. Then it got dark, and we went to bed. All that week, we girls went to school and came home, and no one talked much. Finally on Saturday, Mom asked us what we wanted to do with the money. What did poor people do with money? We didn't know. We'd never known we were poor. We didn't want to go to church on Sunday, but Mom said we had to. Although it was a sunny day, we didn't talk on the way.

Mom started to sing, but no one joined in and she only sang one verse. At church we had a missionary speaker. He talked about how churches in Africa made buildings out of sun dried bricks, but they needed money to buy roofs. He said $100 would put a roof on a church. The minister said, "Can't we all sacrifice to help these poor people?" We looked at each other and smiled for the first time in a week.

Mom reached into her purse and pulled out the envelope. She passed it to Darlene. Darlene gave it to me, and I handed it to Ocy. Ocy put it in the offering.

When the offering was counted, the minister announced that it was a little over $100. The missionary was excited. He hadn't expected such a large offering from our small church. He said, "You must have some rich people in this church."

Suddenly it struck us! We had given $87 of that "little over $100."

We were the rich family in the church! Hadn't the missionary said so? From that day on I've never been poor again. I've always remembered how rich I am because I have Jesus!

 

-- Author Eddie (Edie) Organ

 

Grateful

Don't Make Yourself Cozy Here

"Friends, this world is not your home, so don’t make yourselves cozy in it. Don’t indulge your ego at the expense of your soul. Live an exemplary life among the natives so that your actions will refute their prejudices. Then they’ll be won over to God’s side and be there to join in the celebration when he arrives." 

1 Peter 2:11, 12 (MSG) 

Lord, this is not my home. Live in me on earth until my eyes behold Your face in that Holy Place. Amen.

.

Grateful

No Weapon Formed Against You Shall Prosper

In an antique shop, I read these words from Isaiah 54:17 printed on a collectible:

No weapon that has been made to be used against you will succeed. You will have an answer for anyone who accuses you. This is the inheritance of the Lord’s servants. Their victory comes from me,” declares the Lord. (GWT)

No weapon formed against you shall prosper, And every tongue which rises against you in judgment
You shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, And their righteousness is from Me,” Says the Lord. (KJV)

The visual that comes to mind is The Shepherd Boy David lifting the Philistine sword to behead The Champion Giant Goliath. Yes, even though the enemy's sword had been formed to fell God's people, the reverse actually happened.

How inspiring is that? Think about it! The weapons the enemy is making to mess up our lives, will actually in the end be turned on him instead.

Hallelujah!

Grateful (The battle belongs to the Lord!)

To Know God

Thanks to my sister in Christ, Amanda, for this Scriptural direction for today:

This is what the Lord says: “Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches, but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,” declares the Lord. 

Jeremiah 9:23, 24 (NIV)

To Know God.

Grateful

God's Glory Will Guard You

My friend, Kris, sent me this verse of overflowing encouragement last evening.
I pray it over your life and mine today:

Then your light will break through like the dawn,
and you will heal quickly.
Your righteousness will go ahead of you,
and the glory of the Lord will guard you from behind.
-- Isaiah 58:8 (GWT)

Grateful

The Days of My Life... (Let Me Pray)

Let me/us pray:

Dearest Almighty Personal Father God:

As the days of my life stack up behind me, I am keenly aware, day-by-day, that I need You more desperately today than yesterday.

I cry out with the Psalmist, "Lord, don't take Your Holy Spirit from me." I cannot imagine an existence on planet earth apart from Your Spirit of Truth to comfort and to counsel me.

For each encounter of my day today, I humbly ask that Your Holy Spirit would sustain me and speak to me the Words of Jesus and breathe through me the Life of Jesus. Apart from Your abiding Holy Presence, I dare not delve into spiritual things.

I thank You, my God, for Your Great Love. You are Love. Your ways are almost always immediately mysterious to me, but always ultimately marvelous, as well.

Please save me moment-by-moment from the lies of the enemy and unshackle the chain of false guilt he seems to continuously attempt to fasten around my neck. Remind me often that in Your lifetime on planet earth You undeniably overcame the evil one and make me to believe that You will also see to it that I am an overcomer, too.

Finally, Lord, I pray for my family. Let the circle be unbroken by-and-by, Lord, by-and-by. Heighten our desire for Your Holiness, as the allure of sin disappears altogether. Empower me to be Your witness in this world by possessing me wholly with Your Holy Spirit. 

I pray that there will be a bumper crop of souls harvested in Your Name and for Your Fame. During the days of my life, find Your delight in me and I pray You will surely find faith on the earth when You return.

In Jesus' Name. Amen

Grateful

Earnestly Seek God (Pray)

These verses have been speaking to me strongly:

 

Those who know your name trust you, O Lord, because you have never deserted those who seek your help. (Psalm 9:10 GWT)

For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. (Jeremiah 29:11-13 NLT)

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. (Romans 8:28 NLT)

Lord, find me always seeking You earnestly.

Grateful

On Monday Mornings, I Pray.

It's another Monday morning and I invite you to join with me in my prayer time:

Almighty Personal Father God...

On Monday mornings, it seems I am more keenly aware -- than at any other time of the week -- of how much I desperately need you to be my All-in-All.

On Monday mornings, my emotions are flimsy and my physical strength is waning.

On Monday mornings, I can nearly hear my heart crying outloud for Your Holy Spirit.

On Monday mornings, life often seems overwhelming, but I still know because of Your Presence within me, I will somehow be an overcomer.

On Monday mornings, my mind wants to focus, but it is most always a challenge to do so. So, I continue to ask for The Mind of Christ in all things.

On Monday mornings, I sense that life begins all over again.

On Monday mornings, my weekly schedule can cause my knees to buckle and my heart to faint.

On Monday mornings, the reality that Your mercy is new every morning is paramount to me.

On Monday mornings, I cry out to You for power and peace and fresh desire to finish the race.

On Monday mornings, I realize afresh and anew that without You I can do nothing.

On Monday mornings, I often imagine what it would be like to see Your face, my Lord.

On Monday mornings, I think of how beautiful and wonderful Heaven must be.

On Monday mornings, You alone are my Hope.

On Monday mornings, I pray "Search my heart, Oh God..."

On Monday mornings, I eventually rediscover that You are my Way, Truth, and LIFE!

On Monday mornings, I begin slowly but surely to honestly intercede for myself and for others.

On this Monday morning, moments after I was breathing the name of a "seemingly hopeless" man to You, my God, that very man I was interceding for, sent me this very powerful verse of Scripture from Psalm 9 and verse 10 (GWT): "Those who know Your name trust You, O Lord, because You have never deserted those who seek Your help."

On Monday mornings, I choose yet again to Know You more and to Trust You anew.

On Monday mornings, You prove as always, to be my Worthy and Trustworthy God.

On Monday mornings, I remember Your Name is Faithful and my name is Grateful.

On Monday mornings, I pray.

On Monday mornings, I pray all of these things in the Precious Name of Jesus.

Amen.

Grateful

"We Really Do Need Each Other"

Reuben Welch wrote a book titled "We Really Do Need Each Other." I love the title. The book is good, but the title is great. I keep it on the shelf closest to my quiet place just to be reminded constantly how true the title is to me as a believer.

I love Jesus and His Bride, the Church. I love Sundays because I get to corporately worship God with the people of God on Sunday morning and then on Sundays at 4 p.m., I get to meet with our smaller life group and to study God's Word and to enjoy intimate spiritual fellowship in Jesus' name.

I guess I am just saying... 

"I am grateful."

kerry i am...

Lord of My Past

I am so glad Jesus is The Lord of my past. Today, as I was reflecting, I suddenly became overwhelmed with humility and gratitude because my past is covered by the Precious and Perfect Blood of the Lamb of God.

Surely, yesterdays that have been entrusted to Holy God are in a good place. Of course we can still remember past pain and brokenness, but Praise The Lord we don't have to live there anymore.

What wonder-filled hope to know that the rest of our lives will be the best of our lives. Especially, The Eternal Life that is already ours because we know God now.

"Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent."

John 17:3 (NIV)

Grateful 

I Like Fridays.

I like Fridays. Yes, it helps that Friday is my official day off each week. But even more than an ocassional day off, Friday just refreshes me. It seems to be that one day of the week when my strength is almost always renewed. 

My 8th grade teacher, Mr. Ben Selvitelle,  was surely one of the greatest school teachers in the world. On the coast of North Carolina, we lovingly called him "Mr. S." He was a "retired" Marine from Boston and gave me a love for English, writing, and sports. He also helped me to begin to believe in myself and just gave me an overall appreciation for life itself.

And yes, Mr. S. gave me a love for Fridays. Every Friday he wrote "TGIF" on the chalkboard. "Thank God, It's Friday".

Grateful 

Holy Spirit Possession

Judges 6:34 (NLT) "Then the Spirit of the Lord took possession of Gideon. He blew a ram’s horn as a call to arms, and the men of the clan of Abiezer came to him."

Grateful

100,000 All-Time "Beautiful Feet" Pageviews

Yesterday, my blog surpassed 100,000 all-time pageviews.

Four years ago I started posting simple words of encouragement here at www.romanstenfifteen.blogspot.com and only because of God's Persevering Presence through my life has this 100,000-plus pageview milestone become a reality.

In my four-plus years of posting, here are the top ten countries who have viewed my writings:

 1. United States
 2. Russia
 3. United Kingdom
 4. Canada
 5. Germany
 6. France
 7. Latvia
 8. India
 9. Denmark
10.South Korea

While I have posted approximately 1,500 times in these four years, here are five of the top viewed writings:

1. "Crossing the Bar & The Sailor's Psalm" -- Jan. 2, 2012
2. "How Will They Know Unless We Tell Them?" -- Mar. 3, 2011
3. "John Wesley's Good Friday Message" -- Apr. 22, 2011
4. "Deception? Carnality Masquerading as Spirituality" -- July 26, 2012
5. "Quiet Confidence or Fast Horses" -- Nov. 14, 2011.

I want to thank everyone for journeying with me in my devotion to be EXCLUSIVELY GOD'S and ENCOURAGING OTHERS!

I pray those who know me will truly be able to say of my life: "How beautiful are the feet of this humble messenger who brings (brought) Good News." -- RomansTenFifteen

Grateful... very....
Kerry

A Servant of The Lord Must Not Quarrel...

Stay away from lusts which tempt young people. Pursue what has God’s approval. Pursue faith, love, and peace together with those who worship the Lord with a pure heart. Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments. You know they cause quarrels. A servant of the Lord must not quarrel. Instead, he must be kind to everyone. He must be a good teacher. He must be willing to suffer wrong. He must be gentle in correcting those who oppose the Good News. Maybe God will allow them to change the way they think and act and lead them to know the truth. Then they might come back to their senses and God will free them from the devil’s snare so that they can do his will. (2 Timothy 2:22-26 GWT)

Grateful

...In The Last Days?

2 Timothy 3:1-5 (GWT) 

You must understand this: In the last days there will be violent periods of time. People will be selfish and love money. They will brag, be arrogant, and use abusive language. They will curse their parents, show no gratitude, have no respect for what is holy, and lack normal affection for their families. They will refuse to make peace with anyone. They will be slanderous, lack self-control, be brutal, and have no love for what is good. They will be traitors. They will be reckless and conceited. They will love pleasure rather than God. They will appear to have a godly life, but they will not let its power change them. Stay away from such people. 

Grateful

Grateful for Grace

Great new song by Matt Redman is full of Grace:

Click here: Matt Redman - Your Grace Finds Me (Lyrics&Chords) - YouTube

Grateful for Grace

And He Hasn't Stopped Yet

The Mission of God to save the world became visible in The Garden of Eden. Never forget that our God has been and still is a Seeking God and He came on a Mission immediately after the Fall of Humanity Seeking to save Adam and Eve and He hasn't stopped Seeking the sons of Adam and the daughters of Eve since.

-- Reggie McNeal paraphrased

Jesus really did come to seek and save the lost...

Grateful 

The Insight of The Enraptured Heart

“We might be wise to follow the insight of the enraptured heart rather than the more cautious reasoning of the theological mind.”

-- A.W. Tozer

 

Please Love Jesus Passionately! Then, the Mind of Christ will begin to possess you and from such holy intimacy, holy insight will surely come.

 

Grateful

A Place Where Fear Vanishes

"The beauty of the Eucharist (The Lord's Supper) is precisely that it is the place where a vulnerable God invites vulnerable people to come together in a peaceful meal.  When we break bread and give it to each other, fear vanishes and God becomes very close."

-- Henri Nouwen

 

Grateful

The Holy Spirit Brings The Holy Cross

Galatians 2:20 (NIV) -- I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."

"The Holy Spirit brings the (Holy) Cross into our hearts... It is only as we have been crucified with Christ that we can receive the full power of the Holy Spirit. When we do not realize how necessary it is to die to all earthly things, The Holy Spirit cannot gain full possession of us."
-- Andrew Murray

My Prayer:
Lord, I want Galatians 2:20 to be more than just my life-verse. I want it to be Your Life's Voice in me. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

Grateful

An Actual Abiding -- A Definite Indwelling

"Let us believe that when The Apostle Paul said in Galatians 2:20, 'I myself no longer live, but Christ lives in me,' he spoke of an actual abiding (a definite indwelling) of Christ in him. Christ was working in him to do all that was well-pleasing to the Father."
-- Andrew Murray

Philippians 2:13 (GWT) "It is God who produces in you the desires and actions that please him."

 

Grateful