Pastor Linette Thomas included this vulnerable prayer during her message to us at campmeeting. It helped my own soul deeply.
"Examine my soul. Lord, if there is anything in me that’s not like You, I am asking You to heal it right now! Deliver me from it. Wash me. This week I lay it all before You, God. An open book."Presence Matters Most! No Invisible People!
UNITY!
Pastor Kerry Willis
Tonight, Sunday, as our Philadelphia Campmeeting season begins with the first gathering, I will lead for a portion of the service a Gethsemane Gathering Prayer Lab based on this moving verse from God’s Word:
"...if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land." 2 Chron. 7:14 NIV
Pray with us and for us.
Presence Matters Most! No Invisible People!
UNITY!
Pastor Kerry Willis
This is my prayer as Philadelphia Nazarene Campmeeting approaches. Please pray with me.
Presence Matters Most! No Invisible People!
UNITY!
Pastor Kerry Willis
i only exist that... You, Christ, might reveal Yourself (to me and) through me. Yes, my solitary purpose day-by-day is that you, my Jesus, will manifest Your presence through me to others. In one word i really live to be Your sanctified "sanctuary" of hope to the seemingly hopeless.
Lord, i am Your lampstand. Shine Your glory from my existence.
Lord, i am Your tabernacle. Be ever-present in and through me.
Lord, i am Your garment. Wear me for Your own praise and purpose.
Lord, i am Your temple. Let Your holiness abide and reside in me.
Lord, i am Your vehicle. Empower me with Your Holy Spirit.
Lord, my heart is all yours. Take over my emotions so i am undeniably one with Your desires.
Lord, my mind is all Yours. Take over my thoughts so i am perfectly one with Your wants.
Lord, my soul is all Yours. Take over my surrender so i will only and forever belong exclusively to You.
Lord, my body is all Yours. Take over my earthly meaninglessness so You can breathe Your eternal mission in and through me for the rest of my days and today.
In Your Wonderful Name, i pray. Amen.
Presence Matters Most! No Invisible People!
UNITY!
Pastor Kerry Willis
Today, as a believer in Jesus, I had this thought enter my mind: "Quitting hurts more and lasts longer than suffering."
And, then this holy passage came clear on the horizon of my vision: "And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast." 1 Peter 5:10 NIV
Presence Matters Most! No Invisible People!
UNITY!
Pastor Kerry Willis
And here are some early summer photo shots. Enjoy my friends.
UNITY!
Pastor Kerry Wilis
Today, a friend sent me this YouTube song link and said: "Pastor Kerry, I heard this song and it reminded me of you." How humbling and how inspiring! Thanks friend!
Presence Matters Most! No Invisible People!
UNITY!
Pastor Kerry Willis
Kim and I were blessed with humble joy to be invited to celebrate with Harrisonburg First Church of the Nazarene in their 20 years Remembrance at the "new" worship location.
I closed the service with this Benediction:
"Almighty Personal God...
You are so totally amazing.
So are these, your people -- they are pretty amazing, too.
(Pause...)
Your name is Forever Faithful.
Our name is Forever Grateful.
(Pause...)
It has been so good on this day to:
Savor yesterday’s memories,
Seize today’s moments and especially good to...
See tomorrow’s miracles.
Truly, today, is about the future!
(Pause...)
Please continue to show Your Presence undeniably to and through Harrisonburg First Church of the Nazarene -- at home and beyond.
(Pause...)
Let this local family of faith, hope and love keep on focusing forward -- igniting the Light of Your Love, Oh Lord, inviting lost souls to hope only in You, Lord, and...inspiring hungry believers to holiness unto The Lord.
(Pause...)
Let Your vision be evident to Pastor Adrian. Continue to anoint Him and all of those who lead alongside him. May future generations continue to be told and to tell others about You, Oh Lord.
(Pause...)
May each of us here today, recognize even realize, how wide and how long, how deep and how high, Your love is for us and for the whole world. May those who are weary continue to find WELCOME here!
(Pause...)
In Your church, Lord, continue to be glorified, day-by-day. In Your Name, continue, Lord, to be satisfied, we humbly pray. We believe the future is always preferred for Jesus-believers. You will continue to be our amazing God. Continue to make us amazing, too, for You, Almighty Personal God!
(Pause...)
In renewed Unity, the people said: Amen!"
Presence Matters Most! No Invisible People!
UNITY!
Pastor Kerry Willis
2 Timothy 3:1-5 CEV
Presence Matters Most! No Invisible People!
UNITY!
Pastor Kerry Willis
The prayer of Jesus recorded in John 17 is my favorite chapter in all of God’s Word. One request Jesus prays to the Father is that we, His believers would "be one as the Father and the Son are one" -- yes, for our spiritual unity.
The song recorded years ago by Phil Driscoll is based on the vision of Jesus for our unity. It’s titled "Make Us One" and is part of the soundtrack of my own soul.
I hope the song encourages your soul...
Presence Matters Most! No Invisible People!
UNITY!
Pastor Kerry Willis
This week I am spending a few days of exhale with my Mom, Lady Melba. If you know anything about my life, you know my Mom’s influence concerning "reaching lost souls before it’s too late" has been huge on me. So, whenever we are together, we almost always talk and/or pray for lost souls. We did both today.
Also today, Mom quoted a passage aloud from memory. Then she said, "be sure to do what it says, son."
Here’s the passage:
"Be helpful to all who may have doubts. Rescue any who need to be saved, as you would rescue someone from a fire. Then with fear in your own hearts, have mercy on everyone who needs it. But hate even the clothes of those who have been made dirty by their filthy deeds."
Jude 1:22-23 CEV
Presence Matters Most! No Invisible People!
UNITY!
Pastor Kerry Willis
For the past year or so, I have been tenderly overwhelmed at the very thought of God‘s kindness towards me across my lifetime. These words recorded in the New Testament book of Titus elaborate somewhat on my thoughts...
"Once we, too, were foolish and disobedient. We were misled and became slaves to many lusts and pleasures. Our lives were full of evil and envy, and we hated each other. But-- When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. Because of his grace he made us right in his sight and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life." Titus 3:3-7 NLT
Presence Matters Most! No Invisibile People!
UNITY!
Pastor Kerry Willis
Ephesians 1:5-6 is rendered so beautifully for us in The Living Letters Paraphrase of the New Testament:
(5) His (God’s) unchanging plan has always been to adopt us into His own family by sending Jesus Christ to die for us. And He did this because He wanted to. (6) Now all praise to God for His wonderful kindness to us and His favor that He has poured out upon us, because we belong to His dearly loved Son.
Enjoy this song as well:
Presence Matters Most! No Invisible People!
UNITY!
Pastor Kerry Willis
I have a friend and we call one another "Blue". His real name is Scott. Scott did the artwork engraving of a beautiful anchor for my dad’s grave stone. I am a debtor to Almighty God, in knowing my Daddy, Capt. Billy Willis, is anchored in Jesus. I am also a debtor to brothers in the Lord like Blue, too.
Recently, God has been completing some beautiful heart-work in Blue’s life. He sent me this email earlier in the week and gave me permission to share its’ contents here on my blog. It’s like an anchor finding deep water for my own soul. Lean in and be blessed as Father’s Day weekend is upon us.
Now, here it is, Scott’s / Blue’s, very vulnerable and victorious e-mail to me, all of it -- the real deal:
Hey Brother:
Longevity-- God doesn't let go...
I have tried for years to form a relationship with Jesus.
I have tried to plant the relationship myself so many times... I have been excited and traveled the road with Jesus in my back pocket (should've been in his). Failure then set my heart in a downward spiral. Then I tried again.
40 some odd years of this. The operative words have been "I have/tried".
God is merciful, and has allowed me to be captured by Jesus' "I have".
My heart went from "I have" to "HE has".
Below is a testimony/poem that the Lord gave me while I thinking about what he has done for my soul.
Also sent this to Pastor Margaret because I wanted to encourage her in what Celebrate Recovery, the step studies, are doing in my life. Hope this encourages you as well!
Love you, Blue!
Now, the poem...
"a soul redeemed"
dry and lifeless
desolate and frail
the only evidence of life is the
stale putrid life-blood
seeping through the fissures
of silence and isolation
hopelessness
unleashes
pain
estrangement
and fear
in a baked-shut
tormented
dust bowl soul
a hardened brittle heart
shatters completely
screams
then cries out
in abandonment
humbled and broken
prostrating
heart and soul
to the King
and the King’s true reality
honest desire drives
a purge
of the stubbornness
and the pride of self
thankful
for the gift from God
which tethers and binds
the whole soul
to the advent
of Christ within
self will
will dissolve
into God’s
thirst rises
for the pouring in
of God’s mercy and
the healing
everlasting
living water
Every hurt,
every hangup
every habit
will be bathed and washed
by God’s gentleness
Every scar will flower
every thought
will be alive
to a garden
of hope within
only in the abiding presence
of JESUS
is life now rightly
related with GOD
self and others--
Scott / Blue
Presence Matters Most! No Invisible People!
UNITY!
Pastor Kerry Willis
Watch these these three videos in order and be sure to listen also to the comments not just the songs. You will be inspired by the possibility that lies in the power of loyal friendship -- yes, indeed, we are most certainly better together!
1. https://youtu.be/41IS2OKqq1w
2. https://youtu.be/rkQVNDrF0pY
3. https://youtu.be/www3RwEKcm4
Bravo! Jonathan and Charlotte! What a portrait of the synergy and unity of friendship you are together.
Presence Matters Most! No Invisible People!
UNITY!
Pastor Kerry Willis
This song by Rich Mullins is a classic and also true. He said he wrote it (and I paraphrase) “because Christian music needed a true song like this."
Presence Matters Most! No Invisible People!
UNITY!
Pastor Kerry Willis
This video reminded me of a precious little toddler girl, years ago, named Miranda, who was sitting at the piano once with her dad. He was teaching her that simple yet profound song for children of all ages -- "Jesus loves me," when all of a sudden Miranda stopped and said loudly and wide-eyed: "Jesus loves... ME!!! Jesus loves... ME!!!"
It’s all true! "Jesus loves... ME And YOU!!!" And Jesus coming to earth to save us from sin and death and hell is the purest picture of God’s Love for us all!!!
Presence Matters Most! No Invisible People!
UNITY!
Pastor Kerry Willis
This story encourages me and helps my prayer life in an inspiring way. I pray the same for you.
Presence Matters Most! No Invisible People!
UNITY!
Pastor Kerry Willis
