Tuesday, March 26, 2024

Why Did Jesus Curse the Fig Tree? 

Today, Pastor Byron Hannon beautifully led our Four Winds Prayer Zoom. He reminded us that on Holy Tuesday of Passion Week Jesus cursed the fig tree because it only had leaves but no fruit. 

Seems to me, the leaves might represent exterior religion — a shallow profession, while fruit would indicate interior relationship — a deep possession.

“Ears Wide Open… Listening…”

Pastor Kerry Willis 

Monday, March 25, 2024

Light & Blood 

"The Holy Ghost comes with the light of truth in one hand, so to speak, and the blood of Christ in the other. What the light reveals, the blood cleanses." A.W. Tozer

"Ears Wide Open… Listening…"

Pastor Kerry Willis 

Sunday, March 24, 2024

Jesus’ Last Hymn Before The Cross 

At the conclusion of The Last Supper we read these words about Jesus and His disciples:

“After singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.”Matthew‬ ‭26‬:‭30‬ ‭AMP‬‬ 

According to Passover tradition i have been told that the last hymn Jesus sang with His disciples before going to the Cross would have most likely have been Psalm 118:

“O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; For His lovingkindness endures forever. Oh let Israel say, “His lovingkindness endures forever.” Oh let the house of Aaron say, “His lovingkindness endures forever.” Oh let those who [reverently] fear the Lord, say, “His lovingkindness endures forever.” Out of my distress I called on the Lord; The Lord answered me and set me free. The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can [mere] man do to me? The Lord is on my side, He is among those who help me; Therefore I will look [in triumph] on those who hate me. It is better to take refuge in the Lord Than to trust in man. It is better to take refuge in the Lord Than to trust in princes. All nations encompassed me; In the name of the Lord I will surely cut them off. They encompassed me, yes, they surrounded me [on every side]; In the name of the Lord I will cut them off. They swarmed around me like bees; They flare up and are extinguished like a fire of thorns; In the name of the Lord I will surely cut them off. You [my enemy] pushed me violently so that I was falling, But the Lord helped me. The Lord is my strength and song, And He has become my salvation. The sound of joyful shouting and salvation is in the tents of the righteous: The right hand of the Lord does valiantly. The right hand of the Lord is exalted; The right hand of the Lord does valiantly. I will not die, but live, And declare the works and recount the illustrious acts of the Lord. The Lord has disciplined me severely, But He has not given me over to death. Open to me the [temple] gates of righteousness; I shall enter through them, I shall give thanks to the Lord. This is the gate of the Lord; The righteous will enter through it. I will give thanks to You, for You have heard and answered me; And You have become my salvation [my Rescuer, my Savior]. The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief corner stone. This is from the Lord and is His doing; It is marvelous in our eyes. This [day in which God has saved me] is the day which the Lord has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in it. O Lord, save now, we beseech You; O Lord, we beseech You, send now prosperity and give us success! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord; We have blessed you from the house of the Lord [you who come into His sanctuary under His guardianship]. The Lord is God, and He has given us light [illuminating us with His grace and freedom and joy]. Bind the festival sacrifices with cords to the horns of the altar. You are my God, and I give thanks to You; [You are] my God, I extol You. O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; For His lovingkindness endures forever.”Psalms‬ ‭118‬:‭1‬-‭29‬ ‭AMP‬‬

“Ears Wide Open… Listening…”

Pastor Kerry Willis 

Thursday, March 21, 2024

"The Healer is Here. Ask What You Will."

In 2014, when my Dad was in the midst of his cancer journey, one day in the front room of the homeplace he told me through tender tears, "Kerry, i sensed i heard a voice say ‘The Healer is here so ask what you will.’" Dad never told me what he asked for. But my guess is, He requested healing, yet he surely also simultaneously surrendered to whatever His Lord desired for his future. Before that year would end, Dad found ultimate healing in the presence of Jesus. No sad stories here. 

"Ears Wide Open… Listening…"

Pastor Kerry Willis


Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Prayer Helps Us Realize We Are Never Alone in Our Suffering 

“Perhaps the most wonderful thing about prayer is not that things always turn out as we would desire but the realization — that only prayer can give — that we are never alone in our suffering. Only prayer can assure us that God is surely present and that we are not alone.” -kww

“Ears Wide Open… Listening…”

Pastor Kerry Willis 

Saturday, March 16, 2024

Come Together With Childlike Faith -- Anticipation  

"Every great move of God is preceded by a keen sense of anticipation. We must declare war on the mood of nonexpectation and come together with childlike faith. Only then can we know again the beauty and wonder of the Lord’s presence among us.” A.W. Tozer 

"Ears Wide Open… Listening…"

Pastor Kerry Willis 

Friday, March 15, 2024

Who Do We Live For? Whose Are We? 

“None of us lives for himself [for his own benefit, but for the Lord], and none of us dies for himself [but for the Lord]. If we live, we live for the Lord, and if we die, we die for the Lord. So then, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s.” Romans‬ ‭14‬:‭7‬-‭8‬ ‭AMP‬‬

“Ears Wide Open… Listening…”

Pastor Kerry Willis