Jesus… Adonai.

Jesus, You Are Adonai, The Emphatic Plural of Majesty — My Lord and Master, My Owner and Sovereign, My Protector and Provider. Amen. Amen. Amen. -kww

https://youtu.be/x9P5q_xo2a0

Grateful,

Pastor Kerry Willis 

A Powerfully Encouraging Verse from The Love Chapter

This verse from The Love Chapter of the New Testament has been so very powerfully encouraging to me of late…

"For now [in this time of imperfection] we see in a mirror dimly [a blurred reflection, a riddle, an enigma], but then [when the time of perfection comes we will see reality] face to face. Now I know in part [just in fragments], but then I will know fully, just as I have been fully known [by God]." 1 Corinthians‬ ‭13:12‬ AMP

Lord, You know me so much more than i know You, nevertheless, Your Word gives me hope that one day i will know You as much as You know me. i worship You, my Almighty Personal God. And i love You so very much because You first loved me and You will forever love me most. Amen and Amen. -kww

Hope is Alive!

Pastor Kerry Willis

Surrender Breeds Undeniable Evidence

When we surrender to God -- asking Him to have His way in our lives -- others will know it, often before we will know ourselves. -kww

Surrender Breeds Undeniable Evidence. -kww

Jesus, i wave the white flag over my life nonstop! Amen!

Pastor Kerry Willis 

Roped-Bracelets

Years ago as a local pastor, i recruited men in the church to be part of a crew that i called “The Pastor’s Prayer Patrol.” At one time 49 men had signed their names to the roster. 

i asked only two things of the men: 1. Pray for me at least one day each week and 2. Pray with me whenever possible at our once-a-week Thursday 6:10 a.m. Dawn Patrol Prayertime at the local church. It revolutionized us as men and it revitalized the ministry God had entrusted to us as Jesus-believers, together.

i often gave visible tokens to these dedicated men to remind them how essential prayer was. One such token i once gave to each man was a roped-bracelet. The story of the roped-bracelet was first shared with me by a historian at a lifesaving station along the coastline of my native Outer Banks, yes, overlooking the Graveyard of the Atlantic. He shared how seamen of old believed it to be bad luck to learn to swim. The crews believed that to learn to swim would mean to ask for a boat-sinking somewhere along their sea journey. Yes, that was pure superstition. But not the roped-bracelet part. 

The roped-bracelets were worn by each crew member in case the ship did sink or they might fall into the waves and/or be knocked unconscious overboard, whereby another crew member could save them from drowning by catching the roped-bracelet with a boat hook and thereby pull them from a watery grave. 

As prayermen we wore the roped-bracelets for years as a visible reminder that we really do need each other especially in prayer. 

Well, yesterday in Cape May, N.J., i happened into a nautical-themed shop and lo and behold they had roped-bracelets for sale. i purchased a navy blue one and told the sales clerk a short version of the roped-bracelet seaman’s story. She smiled knowing she will probably now sell some more. Amen and Amen.

Praying Always.

Pastor Kerry Willis 

We Must Give Up Our Lives If We Want to Save Our Lives…

“Then, calling the crowd to join His disciples, He [Jesus] said, “If any of you wants to be My follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow Me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for My sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul? If anyone is ashamed of Me and My message in these adulterous and sinful days, the Son of Man will be ashamed of that person when He returns in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.” Mark‬ ‭8:34-38‬ ‭NLT‬‬

My life, i give to You, Jesus, because You gave Your life for mine. Amen. -kww

Pastor Kerry Willis 

Because He Lives

This song of hope blessed my heart recently. You’re welcome. 

https://youtu.be/BrTT-fSthbM

Maranatha.

Pastor Kerry Willis 

Change the World

Lord, let my relationship with You change the world. Don’t let the world change my relationship with You. Amen. -kww

Presence Matters Most! 

Pastor Kerry Willis 

“Jesus Loves the Little Children, ALL the Children of the World!”

The Word of God is so very powerful and wonderful. Recently, in Mark’s record of the Gospel, the words written in chapter 10 (the whole chapter) have been really riveting to me, personally — heart, mind, soul, and strength. 

Here’s one portion of the passage: 

‬‬“One day some parents brought their children to Jesus so He could touch and bless them. But the disciples scolded the parents for bothering Him. When Jesus saw what was happening, He was angry with His disciples. He said to them, “Let the children come to Me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children. I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.” Then He took the children in His arms and placed His hands on their heads and blessed them.” Mark‬ ‭10:13-16‬ ‭NLT‬‬

How must the disciples have felt when they realized they were not allowing those that Jesus wanted to come to Him to actually come to Him? The little children, that is. 

In the culture of that day, children were not often highly valued. Generally speaking, they were to be invisible and silent. Yet, Jesus did not succumb to the culture of His day. He went against the culture and let everyone know that children were highly valued to Him. Why? Truly, “Jesus loves the little children, ALL the children of the world!”

This thought is on my mind, today. In the culture i live in now, do i highly value those that the world does not highly value? Is there anyone i think Jesus does not want coming to Him? If so, Lord forgive. Lord forbid. 

My prayer is: Lord, let the little children realize Your loving presence for them through me. And not just the little children, but ALL the children of the world, especially the ones who are seemingly invisible and have sadly lost their voice. Reach through me to save those created in Your image. All of them are precious in Your sight. Make them to also be precious in mine. Amen. 

Presence Matters Most.

No Invisible People. UNITY!

Pastor Kerry Willis 

“…future generations will be told about the Lord.” Psalms‬ ‭22:30‬b NIV

Beware

These words were strong in my thoughts this morning:

“BEWARE: TIME MARCHES ON. ETERNITY UP AHEAD.”

Say the Name, JESUS!

Pastor Kerry Willis 

Afterglow “Hearts Aflame Autumn Awakening” -- Cape May, NJ 2021

Dearest Lord, In the afterglow of our Hearts Aflame Autumn Awakening, i deeply thank You for this sacred season when my brothers, Billy Joe and Stephen, and i were invited to preach revival together in Cape May, New Jersey. Even our mom, Lady Melba, and my son, Grayson, were able to join us, along with our family friend from North Carolina, June Carolyn Guthrie. It was such joyous time to share Good News and to fellowship with others hungery for holiness. Mom called our days "Heaven on earth." i couldn’t agree more. We need seasons of holy spiritual focus and opportunities to be close to other Jesus-believes. Our lives cannot go on victoriously apart from set aside times to rest and to reset our trust in You. During such seasons You are able to examine us and surely correct any spiritual slippage in our souls. i believe this is what we experienced and i also believe our earthly time together will prove to have made eternity delightfully different in some way. We are grateful debtors that Your presence embraced us especially. Enable us now to be Your witnesses more wonderfully than ever before. Amen. 

Grateful for forever and today. 

Pastor Kerry Willis 

“It’s Me…” [Awaken Me, O Lord!]

We live in a world where everybody thinks someone else needs fixing. That’s a scary place to be. Open the eyes of my heart, Lord. i want to see You. -kww #awakening 

This old spiritual song comes to mind:

https://youtu.be/Kyd1M3U5VsQ

Lord, awaken me. 

Pastor Kerry Willis 

Emmaus Road Inspiration

These words from the Emmaus Road Bible story inspire my soul: 

“As they sat down to eat, Jesus took the bread and blessed it. Then he broke it and gave it to them. Suddenly, their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And at that moment he disappeared! They said to each other, “Didn’t our hearts burn within us as he talked with us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us?” Luke‬ ‭24:30-32‬ ‭NLT

Let us experience a real Jesus awakening. Amen. 

Pastor Kerry Willis

Awakening

i am praying for a spiritual awakening. This song helps to express my desires, at least in part… 

https://youtu.be/idQ1n3cdgfo

i want to see You, Jesus. 

Pastor Kerry Willis

A Spectacular September Sunday Afternoon… etc.

It’s a spectacular September Sunday afternoon and all is well. My hounddog Lucy is running and playing and barking, all-the-while, as multiplied hummingbirds are flying in and out and all about in the summer breezes above my head. The clouds look like cotton candy against a soft blue sky, the grass is full and green, and the air is crisp and clean. Even, three mourning doves perched on the neighbor’s roof are adding peace to my heart, mind, soul, and strength. 

And to think, God prepared all of this for me to enjoy. Makes me anticipate with mysterious wonder just one marvelous thing…

…What else might God be preparing for those who love Him? Whatever it is, it’s beyond even spectacular!

"… No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him." 1 Corinthians‬ ‭2:9‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Indeed, All Is Well!

Pastor Kerry Willis 

Remembering 9/11/2001 -- 20 Years Later

After 20 years, i still vividly remember September 11, 2001. i was vision pastor at Harrisonburg First Church of the Nazarene in Virginian’s Shenandoah Valley. 

On that terrible Tuesday morning, i had a golf tee time with three other staff members and four of our senior citizen guys from the local church. On about the ninth hole, my executive assistant, Angela Sipe, called my cell phone. "Have you heard about what’s happening at the Twin Towers yet?" i had not. After a brief understanding about the morning confusion, i lost all interest in golfing. We quickly rode the golf carts back to the clubhouse and made our way back to the church.

i remember thinking, "Is this World War III?" Once back at the building, our whole staff gathered in the teen room and watched the rest of the morning happen live on tv. The pain was indescribable. Immediately i called for a sacred assembly, yes an evening prayer vigil. The church was packed with members and neighbors. What a solemn gathering. 

i heard about a chapel service that day at our Nazarene Global Minsitey Center near Kansas City, where one of our General Superintendents, Dr. Jerry Porter, was asked to speak. He came to the mic and said only two words and then sat down: "JESUS WEPT!" 

In the wake of this horrific day, these words recorded in 2 Corinthians, chapter 4, were my confidence and still are: 

"We’ve been surrounded and battered by troubles, but we’re not demoralized; we’re not sure what to do, but we know that God knows what to do; we’ve been spiritually terrorized, but God hasn’t left our side; we’ve been thrown down, but we haven’t broken." -- From 2 Corinthians‬ ‭4, The Message Paraphrase

i love You. i need You. i want You, Jesus! Still on September 11, 2021. 

Pastor Kerry Willis 

The Word Needs to See the Kingdom

The problem with the world is the world cannot depend on us as the church to live what we preach. When the world looks at us they need to see the Kingdom of God. -LaMorris Crawford 

Lord remind us Your Kingdom is within us. Amen. 

Pastor Kerry Willis 

Preview of Heaven

“… I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes and held palm branches in their hands. And they were shouting with a great roar, “Salvation comes from our God who sits on the throne and from the Lamb!” Revelation‬ ‭7:9-10‬ ‭NLT‬‬

This Scriptural preview of Heaven is powerful for me as a pilgrim journeying THERE…

Pastor Kerry Willis 

The Antidote to Exhaustion

"The antidote to exhaustion is not necessarily rest; the antidote is wholeheartedness. You’re so tired through and through because you are only half here and half here will kill you after a while." Brother David Steindl-Rast

Jesus, lead me on a journey to wholeheartedness. 

Pastor Kerry Willis 

Do Actions Really Speak Louder Than Words?

This 15-minute video is astounding to me… 

https://youtu.be/OPzfxvJ9cq8

Pastor Kerry Willis 

Religion Ruins. Relationship Recreates.

Because Jesus did a good deed on the Sabbath Day -- healed a man with a deformed hand -- the religious leaders went away from "church" angry. They began "to discuss plans for killing Jesus." Though Jesus saved a life on the Sabbath Day they preferred to destroy a life -- His life. Beware: Religion ruins. Relationship recreates. 

-kww

[Thoughts from Mark 3:1-6 NLT]

Lord Jesus, i want to be a sanctuary of Your saving presence. Amen. 

Pastor Kerry Willis 

“Have No Fear of Sudden Disaster”

“My child, don’t lose sight of common sense and discernment. Hang on to them, for they will refresh your soul. They are like jewels on a necklace. They keep you safe on your way, and your feet will not stumble. You can go to bed without fear; you will lie down and sleep soundly. You need not be afraid of sudden disaster or the destruction that comes upon the wicked, for the Lord is your security. He will keep your foot from being caught in a trap.” Proverbs‬ ‭3:21-26‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Lord, let Your Word be my way forward to forever. 

Pastor Kerry Willis 

Equally

As i prayer-walked this morning, i just started speaking these tender, spontaneous words from my sincere soul to my Dear Lord and Savior: 

“Lord Jesus, i love You, i need You, i want You — equally. Amen.” -kww

Pastor Kerry Willis 

Beauty for Ashes

When i was still a local pastor, one weekend i invited Crystal Lewis to come and lead us in worship. Sevetal of her songs are especially sacred to my own soul. This is a more recent edition of one -- "Beauty for Ashes."

https://youtu.be/uILSyi___Oo

Let’s sing the Scriptures! 

Pastor Kerry Willis 

What? Versus Why?

My friend and colleague, Pastor Wes Tink, shared this link with me today. i will simply say it is profoundly amazing. What? vs. Why? 

https://youtu.be/1ytFB8TrkTo

In Jesus we discover the Answer to why.

Pastor Kerry Willis 

Nothing i Desire Compares With You

Today, when stormy weather was threatening, I sang this song [link below] to the Lord walking through "my outdoor cathedral." He is worthy to be worshiped always. Sing it to Him along with me now: 

https://youtu.be/0RjXVFDRqQk

And, O Come Let Us Adore Him, as well!

Pastor Kerry Willis