My 🏳️ Prayer Today

Maranatha — “Come, Lord Jesus!” Rev. 22:20

Never Grow Old

Ocassionally, our local church worship pastor, Pastor Joseph, sends me a song that he knows will touch me deeply and bring me to tears. Today was one of those days. Here’s the song sung by The Church Sisters. 

https://youtu.be/M1bDJCkWpxM

Maranatha — “Come, Lord Jesus!” Rev. 22:20 

Grateful 

Holy Land Invitation

www.HeartsAflame.org

Maranatha — “Come, Lord Jesus!” Rev. 22:20

Grateful 

7 Words of Abandon

These are the 7 words I shared Sunday as points to help us focus on living totally abandoned to God:

Maranatha — “Come, Lord Jesus!” Rev. 22:20 

Grateful 

The Whisperings of Christ

“The soul that Jesus has saved and sanctified goes with a calm and unwavering tread through earth’s heartbreaks, sorrows, and joys — through death itself — with the whisperings of Christ, ‘Let not your heart be troubled, for I have gone before you.’ Glory Be To God!”

— Oswald Chambers 

Maranatha — “Come, Lord Jesus!” Rev. 22:20

Grateful 

The Journey

The journey of life is an interesting reality. Today, I fly home to Virginia from Kansas City via Atlanta. Three days of traveling has been part of my week and I am sure it’s been part of God’s plan for my life. 

Wherever God leads my life, I am always totally blessed and humbled to simply and profoundly be entrusted as a carrier of His Presence into the lives I encounter.

I’ve had several God-encounters, yet, I truly believe the biggest reason I’ve been on this journey was to engage and encourage the two men who shuttled me to and from the airport, the hotel, and the Nazarene Global Ministry Center — Glenn and Michael. We shared such deep and rich conversations together. I know Jesus reminded both Glenn and Michael of His Love for them through me. And I saw His kindness in them. Amazing.

And so, the journey of surrendering control of my life continues as my chosen lifestyle. I am not sure what the future holds for me personally — none of us know — nevertheless, I know Jesus holds my future. In fact, He is My Future, as well as, My Past and My Present, too. 

Finally, I want to be God’s friend like Abraham was. Abraham didn’t know where God was specifically leading Him, but he was surely content just knowing it was God Himself He was journeying with. Let this be true in my desires as well. I feel like traveling on. 

Statue in front of Nazarene Global Ministry Center 

My space at meetings of the P&B Board

Lady pilots bring me comfort

Bresee quote and display in foyer Nazarene GMC

Prayer in display case by Susan Fitkin, pioneer of Holiness 

Maranatha — “Come, Lord Jesus!” Rev. 22:20

Grateful 

 

Remember Me

I think most of us would admit, if we are truly honest, that we want to be remembered -- in our lifetime and even beyond our lifetime -- especially by those we love and those who love us.

As I get older, I find myself thinking about these things much more often. Don't get me wrong and please don't hear what I am not saying. I'm not interested in leaving a personal legacy, but I do hope that when I am absent -- especially from those I have loved and those who have loved me -- my presence will be missed because I was simply yet profoundly a true sanctuary of the Presence of Jesus while I was around those I shared my lifetime with.

Perhaps we are a whole lot like Jesus when we desire to be remembered. After everything He has made an eternal reality for us by being present here on the earth, surely He hopes and maybe even cries out to us: "Remember Me."

A song comes to mind... a song by Mark Schultz titled "Remember Me!"

https://youtu.be/16YYBoQ3YMI

Maranatha -- "Come, Lord Jesus!"

Grateful

Billy Graham February 21, 2018

Billy Graham is now in His presence. He finished his race on Wednesday, February 21, 2018 at age 99. This link is a tribute to Billy Graham with the invitational hymn, “Just As I Am” as a background melody.

https://youtu.be/GBDu94k7flU

Maranatha — “Come, Lord Jesus!” Rev. 22:20

Grateful 

Truth in Love Speech and Action

These words ar close to my heart this week;

Maranatha — “Come, Lord Jesus!” Rev. 22:20

Grateful 

Tears and Joy

Psalm 126:5-6 NLT “Those who plant in tears will harvest with shouts of joy. They weep as they go out to plant their seed, but they sing as they return with the harvest.” 

https://youtu.be/U1IZ499nt6c

Maranatha — “Come, Lord Jesus!” Rev. 22:20

Grateful 

Surrendering Control — A Lifestyle of Worship

Sunday morning I preached about Abraham and his lifestyle of faith, surrender and obedience as whole worship unto Holy God. It spoke very deeply to my own heart. 

The message concluded with an invitation to surrender ourselves to God and to say “yes” to anything and everything that would give Him glory. 

I posted the song a few days back, titled, “Control” by Tenth Avenue North. Here’s the heart of the song’s lyrics with the YouTube link pasted again below: 

https://youtu.be/kFfztu8-bBQ

Maranatha — “Come, Lord Jesus!” Rev. 22:20 

Grateful 

Desire for Communion

“God has given us a heart that will remain restless until it has found full communion. This God-given desire is a desire that causes immense pain as well as immense joy. Jesus came to proclaim that our desire for communion is not in vain, but will be fulfilled by the One Who gave us that desire.”

— Henri Nouwen 

Maranatha — “Come, Lord Jesus!” Rev. 22:20

Grateful 

Not Sin

“THAT

i 

MIGHT

not

SIN

against

YOU!”

Maranatha — “Come, Lord Jesus!” Rev. 22:20

Grateful 

Happy Valentines Day

Happy Valentines Day. Remember, God is Love, and as surely as He created and carefully wrapped each rose, He also cares especially and specifically for you and for me. 

Maranatha — “Come, Lord Jesus!” Rev. 22:20

Grateful 

Revival Matters

I am blessed that for almost 24 years, the local church I have pastored — Harrisonburg First Church of the Nazarene — has from the very beginning allowed me, even encouraged me, to also preach revival services for other local churches. We believe in being generous with others and we also believe revival matters. 

This week I have been in Mannington, West Virginia, and God’s favor has been glorious. We had 19 seekers Sunday and 6 Monday. Tonight, Tuesday, is the final service and we will close out with holy communion. I expect His Presence to fall upon us and move within us with wholeness, yes, healing from Heaven. 

Here are a few photos I’ve snapped here in West Virginia. 

The roadside revival invitation

My Holy Land preaching Bible 

Heroes Corner 1902 Cafe downtown Mannington, WV

The pastor’s wife is making sure we are well fed

 

Her coconut creme pie, o my 

Local church chapel 

A cross the pastor made in VBS when he was a boy

Maranatha — “Come, Lord Jesus!” Rev. 22:20

Grateful 

Servant Leadership

Today, these words spoken by Jesus to His disciples has been strongly on my mind. Having led a local church for almost 24 years, my goal has always been servant leadership. Not only is it what I expect from myself, it is what I look for in those who would lead alongside me.

Those who desire to lead primarily to elevate themselves, trouble my mind and my heart. As Jesus believers, if we are to be leaders in His church, we must do so by lowering ourselves and by lifting others and elevating Jesus. 

As I grow older, my goal is to serve those especially who have served alongside me. It is joy also to embrace John 3:30. (Both verses I have referred to are pasted below.)

Maranatha — “Come, Lord Jesus!” Rev. 22:20

Grateful 

Another Plan

Recently, I spent the better part of four days traveling by car. I listened to many radio stations. This is one of the songs that really ministered to me.

https://youtu.be/58rTEWN-6OE

Titled: When God Has Another Plan 

Maranatha — “Come, Lord Jesus!” Rev. 22:20 

Grateful 

Separated or Contaminated

“Be in the world but not of the world...” John 17:16 paraphrased prayer of Jesus

Lot was a friend of the world, contaminated by the world. Abraham was a friend of God, separated to the Lord.

This old boat 🚣🏿‍♀️ and water 💦 illustration is a good one: Of course a boat is made for the water, but if the water gets in the boat tragedy will soon be the result.

Maranatha — “Come, Lord Jesus!” Rev. 22:20

Grateful 

Funeral of a Faithful Father

Yesterday, I was favored to attend the funeral of a faithful father. The funeral was in Mobile, Alabama, and was for my partner in ministry, Pastor Jim Harrison’s Dad, Mr. Bobby.

Pastor Jim said: “Our Dad invested his life in his children.” 

The pastor of the church, quoting Mt. Bobby’s youngest son, said: “Mr. Bobby was not flashy, but he was consistent. And in our world today we need less flash and more consistency.” 

Here are some images from the day:

Maranatha — “Come, Lord Jesus!” Rev. 22:20

Grateful 

Surrender Control

What a beautifully convicting song I heard last night while journeying on a southern interstate highway. It became my prayer immediately. 

https://youtu.be/kFfztu8-bBQ

Maranatha — “Come, Lord Jesus!” 

Grateful 

ABBA Prayer

I was recently included in a group prayer text for someone facing a desperate situation, and one of the recipients replied with this prayer. I do not know the author but it is one powerful ABBA Prayer:

“God is the light in the darkness, the one who parts the seas, he makes the mountains low, he puts refreshing streams in the desert, opens the pathway in the wilderness, He calms the seas and walks on water, He takes the smallest things(a boys lunch) to care for thousands, He makes the lame walk and the blind see, and even dead things are resurrected when He speaks, there is no task too big no force too strong that can oppose His will, He is the author of every story, every adventure and the guide for the ultimate journey we call life...He is Holy, He is righteous, He is faithful, He is all powerful-all knowing, He is Love, He is grace, He is mercy, He is Joy, He is our friend and our rock, He gives hope to the hopeless, he is constant and never changes, there is no one greater, and we get to call Him ABBA Father! He is!! So let's let Him be who He is!! Today!”

Maranatha — “Come, Lord, Jesus!” Rev. 22:20

Grateful 

Prayer

Maranatha — “Come, Lord Jesus!” Rev. 22:20

Grateful 

Humor Helps

Sometimes humor helps. This tv program clip is thought to be perhaps the funniest scene ever from The Andy Griffith Mayberry series. 

https://youtu.be/SycxTpgVFk0

Maranatha — “Come, Lord Jesus!” Rev. 22:20

Grateful 

Belovedness

“As we learn to claim our own belovedness through prayer, we will then come to see the belovedness in others.” 

— Henri Nouwen 

Maranatha — “Come, Lord Jesus!” Rev. 22:20

Grateful