Old House

Today, I passed a very old nearly fallen-down house that I had to make a u-turn to photograph. It grabbed my soul in a spiritual sense and reminded me immediately of an old gospel song

I heard in my days of youth.

(Click below for my new photo of the old house, and then click the link for the old gospel song by Rusty Goodman that came to mind.)

https://youtu.be/3nUks4I5ifM

"...and i wait." Psalm 5:3 GW 

Grateful

"How Precious Was That!" / Presence is Everything!

Yesterday, while visiting my Mom for a couple days on my native island, I was blessed to be a carrier of the presence of God is two specific and undeniable ways.

First, while visiting our local waterfowl and heritage museum, as I sat alone in an old, wooden, rocking chair reflecting on the oh so precious but passed away life of my dear friend, David, while I was looking at his coastal paintings and waterfowl decoy carvings, a gentleman from out West came up and without doubt it was a providential meeting. He was born on the East Coast. I won't take time to explain it all, but as we parted about half-hour after meeting, we shared personal contact info and I said, "I believe you are the reason I came here today." 

Second, as I was returning from the east end of the island to our old homeplace at Red Hill on the west end, I passed the barbershop of my childhood. Mr. Paul Wade, the barber, now age 75, was sitting in the barber's chair with no customers. I needed a haircut so I made a u-turn and went back to give him some business. It was such a sacred time of sharing. 

Mr. Paul found out on November 19, 2014, the same day of my Dad's funeral, that he had stage 4 cancer. His cancer has responded better to treatment than my Dad's did, and now he revisits his doctor every 6 months. So, he's still here, on his feet, and still filling his role as the island barber. 

During and after my haircut, we reminisced about my Dad and Grandaddy Gray, and we cried together. I hugged him, paid him real good, and thanked him saying: "I can't hug my dad, but you had a part in raising me, too, so I am glad I can hug you."

As I headed back to leave in Mom's Buick, I said in a loud whisper, "Thank you, Lord. How precious was that!" 

Presence is Everything!

(Click below for full-view image of me and my childhood barber.) 

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

Grateful 

A Favorite Song of Lady Melba

Sitting with my Mom, Lady Melba, is among the very sweetest of times for sharing about the Lord known to humanity. 

Today, she read the words of one of her favorite old songs to me: "He Washed My Eyes With Tears That I Might See".

(Click below for image of the actual song book she read from.)

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

Grateful 

"More Than We Can.. Imagine!!!"

Pastor Steven, pastor at Elevation Church, shared his favorite Scripture:

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

Grateful 

"...Our Clumsy Hands..."

From Book of Common Prayer App:

(Click-on type for full-view.)

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

Grateful 

The Look of Love

The Look of Love intricately illustrated below:

(Click on image for full-view.) 

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

Grateful 

"The Lord Gives Wisdom..."

This passage from Proverbs speaks deeply to our lives:

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

Grateful 

Friends of Jesus...

Jesus was called "Friend of Sinners" because He came to deliver (all of us who will call Him "Friend") from all Sin. I am personally a debtor of His Friendship. 

In John 15, Jesus said to those closest to Him: "I have called you friends." 

I had this thought recently: "Friends of Jesus make good friends of one another."

There's an old Michael W. Smith song about "friends" of Jesus. Take a stroll down memory lane as you listen and as you do my prayer is that you will be blessed by The Friend of All Friends, yes, Friend Jesus. 

https://youtu.be/aIO0QIk2LBQ

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

Grateful 

Always and Forever and Today...

Today, August 23, 2016, marks 36 years of marriage for my wife, Kim, and I. 

Times has mysteriously disappeared, yet love miraculously remains. 

The song link below is one song sung at our wedding in 1980. Yes, it's our song. 

A few weeks ago we attended a funeral for a wife who has passed of cancer and her husband had a soloist with guitar beautifully sing "our" song, because it was their song, too. It was a tender moment for Kim and me. Yep, memories, emotions, and tears. 

Let us cherish the ones we love always and forever and today. 

https://youtu.be/B_Ppx9FdCjE

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

Grateful 

"Be Angry..."

As humans, we are vulnerable to becoming angry. After all, life is hard. 

There is of course, a righteous anger that may feel wrong, yet is very right. For example, I get angry when the enemy deceives God's children. Makes me mad, in fact. Still, we must not burn with anger or allow madness to make us mad. 

This verse below is a guide and a prayer to help us approach and alleviate anger in our lives. These words give us permission to "be angry" but a condition is attached...

(Click on type below for full 

-frame view.)

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

Grateful 

"Come to Me!" -- Jesus

N.T. Wright's Kingdom New Testament translation of Jesus' words recorded in Matthew 11:28-30 is so inspiring to me:

(Click type below for full-frame rendering.) 

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

Grateful 

"Return to Me"

This sacred crying song by Jason Upton -- written and sung from The perspective of The Prodigal Son's Loving Father -- touches my heart:

https://youtu.be/8K_vsseSgtI

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

Grateful 

Holiness & Pleasure & Presence

Click on image below for true message concerning holiness and pleasure and presence:

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

Grateful 

The Way to Rest

Click text below for The Way Jesus calls us to real rest:

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

Grateful 

"I Will Wait for You!"

This sacred song by Jason Upton is a signature prayer of worship from my own heart. Truly, waiting for the Lord, is pure worship and He is more than worth the wait! 

https://youtu.be/LAnnjCeHz1A

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

Grateful

Concentrate. Focus. Continue.

"Concentrate on...

1. Reading Scripture in Worship,

2. Giving Encouraging Messages,

3. And Teaching People.

Focus on your life and your teaching. Continue to do what I've told you. If you do this, you will save yourself and those who hear you."

Wisdom from 1 Timothy 4:13,16 GW

(Click on image to view Monk who oversees The Well of Samaria, The Holy Land.)

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

Grateful 

Unbelievable

Click font below for an "unbelievable" quote:

 

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

Grateful 

"Only Jesus Can Heal This Hurting World"

Our local church worship pastor, Joseph, often sends me good music to inspire my soul. Here's the latest link...

https://youtu.be/m8HNCBfoERY

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

Grateful 

The Lord is Near

The Lord is near...

https://youtu.be/2BfNKFLxOcI

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

Grateful 

Answers from Psalm 103

These answers come clear in Psalm 103:1-5...

Who forgives us? The Lord does.

Who heals us? The Lord does.

Who rescues us? The Lord does.

Who crowns us? The Lord does.

Who fills us? The Lord does.

Let us seek the Lord with all of our hearts. 

And these words from Isaiah 61 surely soothe the troubled soul:

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

Grateful 

Encouragement / Strength / Nevertheless

My vulnerable prayer for myself today is that You, O God, would -- by Your amazing grace and loving embrace -- gift me with increased encouragement and revitalized strength deep within. Nevertheless, if You desire to entrust me with more discouragement and the increase of weakness, let it be, only, do not take Your Holy Presence from me. In Jesus' Name. Amen. 

(Click image for strong message.)

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

Grateful 

The Old Psalms & A New Song

I make no apology that I continue to find solace for my own soul as I pray the old Psalms as if they were my own recorded words. I invite you to join me in this practice. 

Today, these words bind up my wounds, calm my fears, and restore hope deep within my soul:

"I pour out my complaints in Your Presence and tell You my troubles. When I begin to lose hope, You already know what I am experiencing. I call out to You, O Lord, I say, 'You are my refuge, my own inheritance in this world of the living.'" Psalm 142:2,3, 5 GW remixed

On another note, this "new" song by Jason Upton is an awesome prayer that I cry out from my deepest places as well. The song title is "It Ain't Easy." 

https://youtu.be/9rV_fnI9A7Y

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

Grateful 

Verses Resonating as I Pray

As I am praying the Psalms again today, these two verses are especially resonating with my deepest being:

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

Grateful 

Troubling Verse

This verse from God's Holy Word is troubling, yet true. Let's pray deeply and nonstop for souls (even our own) during this dark age we live in. Let us Love Jesus Passionately, above all else and let us love Him passionately to the very end of the age. 

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

Grateful 

"Amazing Grace" -- Wintley Phipps

On this blog, I do my best to repeat the best stuff from time-to-time. Today, I repeat an all-time favorite hymn sung by Wintley Phipps. The story that builds up to the song presentation will add to the deep inspiration. Be encouraged by what will likely be the most uplifting 8 minutes and 23 seconds of you day. Trust me. 

https://youtu.be/Ef_1biA9GZM

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

Grateful

7 Words and a 10-Minute Clip

Seven words from Psalm 138:8 and a ten-minute music clip from a worship concert by Jason Upton have captivated my soul with inspiration for this day:

"The Lord will do everything for me." 

Psalm 138:8a GW

https://youtu.be/P3TAmNtOKUI

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

Grateful 

Deep Gratitude for Our Good God

I am praying the Psalms today, like I so often do, as if I had written the words myself. This verse causes deep gratitude for our Good God to overflow in spontaneous praise and sacred worship from my own deepest being:

"...and i wait." Psalm 5:3 GW 

Grateful 

Our Inheritance is His Presence

Last evening my wife, Kim, and I, enjoyed supper and fellowship with two dear Christian friends. 

After a wonderful meal, the spiritual conversation became better than dessert ever could be. The theme of our sharing was "presence" -- specifically, "the presence of God within us". 

I was really inspired and left the restaurant renewed in my mind about the beautiful inheritance that is ours: the presence of Christ lives in us as believers.

This Sunday, our local church will be in the middle of a three-part sermon series on "The Ministry of Presence." I plan to close my comments with a song by Casting Crowns. The words of this song are so very powerful and so totally true. I counsel you today, to embrace your inheritance; "Christ in you the hope of glory." Colossians 1:27b

(Click song link below.) 

https://youtu.be/EhygM116OuM

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

Grateful 

New Lessons in The Life of Faith

The difficulties that confront us are not intended to discourage us, but to teach us new lessons in the life of faith, and to prove us to see whether we will depend upon the natural, or trust God to perform the impossible. Author Unknown 

Read the story surrounding John 6:6.

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

Grateful 

Forsaken... Forgiven...

God the Son was forsaken by God the Father and God the Holy Spirit on Calvary's Tree so from sin we could be forever freed. 

Yes, Jesus Who knew no sin, became sin on the Cross and was abandoned at that moment in time so we could be accepted by God for all time. 

Truly God's Love is amazing. 

Read Psalm 22, as it is an Old Testament prophetic picture of what would unfold in the New Testament, yes, a foretelling that Jesus would be rejected so we could be redeemed.

After reading Psalm 22, click link below to give thanks for/to The One Who took our place. 

 https://youtu.be/DMLH67y7C5E

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

Grateful