"Of Course We Are Human, But..."

These words from 2 Corinthians 10 in God's Word Translation of The Holy Bible, speak so powerfully to my soul: 

(Click on type below for full-frame rendering.)

 

"...and i wait." Psalm 5:3 (GWT)

Grateful 

What City Are You Looking For?

This song is on my homesick heart from time-to-time. It's all good. 

https://youtu.be/zC_iHRPA7XA

"...and i wait." Psalm 5:3 (GWT)

Grateful 

Secular Goes Sacred / Break Every Chain

I love when secular television goes sacred, yes, when Jesus goes prime-time! What a song of victory and freedom for the whole world to hear! Sing it Paxton Ingram. Your Voice is an instrument to our King of Kings Who Breaks Every And All Chains!

https://youtu.be/KOrCJgzrdQg

"...and i wait." Psalm 5:3 (GWT)

Grateful 

"Training ... Holds Promise"

After an accountable yet awesome ministry training session with our pastoral staff under the leadership of church health consultant, Dr. Paul Borden, the youngest pastor present sent me these words of affirmation and inspiration:

"This scripture came to mind after our session so far...

Training isn't always enjoyable, but we are grateful for it and see its benefit and reward later..

“For physical training is of some value (useful for a little), but godliness (spiritual training) is useful and of value in everything and in every way, for it holds promise for the present life and also for the life which is to come.”  

1 Timothy 4:8 AMP"

"...and i wait." Psalm 5:3 (GWT)

Grateful 

Needy and Oppressed?

This passage, Psalm 86:1-8 GWT, ministered to me much of the day yesterday, so I'm sharing it with you today. It took me a while to get past wrangling with and praying through verse one. Having finally realized my own neediness, the rest of the passage really fell into the deep places of my soul.

(Click on image for full-frame view.)

"...and i wait." Psalm 5:3 (GWT)

Grateful 

I Will Trust In You...

A friend in Jesus sent me this song of trust early Monday morning. Such a faith-filled message:

http://youtu.be/qv-SXz_exKE

"...and i wait." Psalm 5:3 (GWT)

Grateful 

The Reason for Keepers of the Light (in song)

This song is in part and in substance the reason why I/we continue after 22 years to value our Keepers of the Light Mens' Retreat:

http://youtu.be/KRSLz_KgUsM

"...and i wait." Psalm 5:3 (GWT)

Grateful 

Keepers of the Light 2016 Mens' Retreat in Pictures

Here's a look at our 22nd annual mens' retreat on Ocracoke Island, North Carolina, in pictures:

(Click each image for full-frame.) 

"...and i wait." Psalm 5:3 GWT

Grateful 

22nd Annual Keepers of the Light Mens' Retreat

I am speechless with joy as I am able to be present for the 22nd consecutive year on Ocracoke Island, North Carolina, for our Mens' Retreat. We are meeting as always in the old Methodist Church Chapel built in part with timbers from old shipwrecks along the Atlantic. Our theme this year is "ALL IN!" 

(Click images below for full-frame view:)

"...and i wait." Psalm 5:3 (GWT)

Grateful 

7 Hope-Filled Words Written in 1 Thessalonians

Today, I read from God's Word Translation of The Holy Bible these 7 hope-filled words written in 1 Thessalonians 3:13:

"HE WILL STRENGTHEN YOU TO BE HOLY!" 

What a Promise! Let us take The Lord at His Word. 

Here's the verse in context. Yes, 1 Thessalonians 3:9-13 GWT: 

(Click text below for full-frame rendering.)

"...and i wait." Psalm 5:3 GWT

Grateful 

"I've Come to Call Sinners..."

Luke 5:29-32 (GWT) is a powerful picture with sound depicting why Jesus came:

(Click passage below for full-frame:)

"...and i wait." Psalm 5:3 (GWT)

Grateful 

"I Want to Be Where You Are!"

This worship song is one of my all-time favorites and we used it as one of two songs to close our most recent Sunday services. It's a throwback song of yesterday but surely not a throwaway song for today. May it bless you as it blessed me:

http://youtu.be/-pxUC9ZDDdw

"..and i wait." l Psalm 5:3 (GWT)

Grateful 

True Love Shares

This verse inspired me and challenged me, too, at a recent leadership training gathering of Celebrate Recovery:

(Click image for full-view.)

"...and i wait." Psalm 5:3 (GWT)

Grateful 

Father -- Generous & Kind (Another Kathryn Scott Worship Song)

I got such a good response from yesterday's worship song post, that I decided to share another Kathryn Scott worship song. She is an awesome talent and seems to be quite a daughter of our generous and kind Father God.

Click here: Father (Generous and Kind) - YouTube

"...and i wait." Psalm 5;3 (GWT)

Grateful

My Newest Favorite Worship Song

Thanks Kathryn Scott from Scotland for this very perfectly worded and lovely, heart-warming worship song: 

http://youtu.be/-HFKi-In2xE

"...and i wait." Psalm 5:3 (GWT)

Grateful 

Tell Your Children

According to Psalm 78:7, we are to tell our children these three things:

1. Trust God.

2. Remember what He has done.

3. Obey His commands.

My son Grayson with My Granny Margery, about 1988. 

"...and i wait." Psalm 5:3 (GWT)

Grateful 

"In Spite of a lot of Suffering..."

These words penned by The Apostle Paul and sent to the early Jesus-believers at Thessalonica, touch at the deep desires of my own soul: 

"In spite of a lot of suffering, you welcomed God's word with the kind of joy that the Holy Spirit gives. This way, you became a model for all the believers in the province of Macedonia and Greece. From you the Lord's word has spread out not only through the province of Macedonia and Greece but also to people everywhere who have heard about your faith in God."

-- 1 Thessalonians 1:6b-8a GWT

"...and i wait." Psalm 5:3 (GWT)

Grateful 

Psalm 84 in Worship

Psalm 84:10 is leading my heart to the Throne of My King today and this song based on the verse really expresses my depths of worship:

http://youtu.be/gBzpGtiFzp0

"...and i wait." Psalm 5:3 (GWT)

Grateful 

The Refiner's Fire (Song)

My call to ministry was founded on this song in many ways:

http://youtu.be/uZtgJKJCqXM

"...and i wait." Psalm 5:3 (GWT) 

Grateful 

In a Storm?

If you're in a storm, this song gives instructions on how to best respond.

http://youtu.be/Ype1xE0wzsg

"...and i wait." Psalm 5:3 (GWT)

Grateful 

"The Call to The Lonely Soul..."

"Whenever we as Jesus-believers feel lonely, we should recognize it as the blessed voice of Jesus calling, "Come to me"; and every time we are "not understood," it is His blessed call to us to come yet again to Him. The Presence of Christ alone will satisfy the lonely soul."

-- Cowman remix 

"...for I called him alone, and blessed him." Isaiah 51:2

(Click on image below for full-view.)

"...and I wait." Psalm 5:3 (GWT)

Grateful 

Get Your Worship On

This link will lead you to songs,

That'll help you get your worship on!

http://youtu.be/A3h6XAQgw_Y

"...and i wait." Psalm 5:3 (GWT)

Grateful 

Satisfaction Through Substitution

"The righteous, loving Father humbled Himself to become in and through His only Son... flesh, sin and a curse for us, in order to redeem us without compromising His own character." 

-- Stott 

In other words, Holy God only found satisfaction through substitution of Himself for our sin.

Yes, according to the Word of God, the biblical gospel of atonement is of God satisfying Himself by substituting Himself for us.

"Unlike the other high priests, He has no need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for those of the people; this He did once for all when He offered Himself." Hebrews 7:27 NRSV

"...and i wait." Psalm 5:3 (GWT)

Grateful 

"Come & See"

This video from the life of Jesus with Bob Bennett singing "Come & See" touches me deeply and I pray it touches you deeply, too:

Click here: come and see - YouTube

"...and i wait." Psalm 5:3 (GWT)

Grateful

Trusting in the Face of Disappointment...

Trusting in the face of disappointment is hard but holy. It's more than a shallow feeling, it's a deep decision. Know that The Lord is pleased with your broken-hearted gaze still being focused on Him, even though the fog of your pain-drenched emotions might attempt to make Him invisible.

"Peace be still." (Words Jesus commanded as He called the Sea of Galilee raging storm to become a slick, mirror-like calm)

(Click image below for full-frame view of lighthouse I photographed at sunrise on Lake Michigan.)

"...and i wait." Psalm 5:3 (GWT)

Grateful 

Do We Look Redeemed?

My friend, Gary, sent these words in his e-newsletter today. May it be so of us:

E. Stanley Jones quotes the words of the philosopher Nietzsche, "If the Christians want us to believe in Christianity, they must look redeemed." To this Jones writes, "Few have the redeemed look. And they are the ones who are looking at Jesus." The world is desperate for those who have the redeemed look. Desperate for those who have not only seen the face of Christ, they continually see it."

"Redeemed" = "Bought back from the Slavery of Sin by The Shed Blood Jesus." 

"...and i wait." Psalm 5:3 (GWT)

Grateful 

"My God is Awesome!"

The highlight of April Fool's day for me was a Wise Word I heard sung soulfully on an inspirational radio station while driving through "my holy land" -- North Carolina :). 

If this song doesn't touch your heart, mind, soul and strength, play it over and over until it does, because it will. 

http://youtu.be/qHl_ASJ6lDs

"...and i wait." Psalm 5:3 (GWT)

Grateful