We Must Yield Ourselves to a Full Invasion of God

“The salvation of Jesus Christ is not for just "an experience." God save us from this "experience" business! Sin must be eradicated and strangled to death. An absolute surrender must be made to God -- we must yield ourselves to a full invasion of God. There is no deliverance from sin until we seek the Cross of Jesus Christ, who became sin for us. Holy character is the result of God's work -- a character pure in secret and in public.”

-Oswald Chambers 

Deo Volente — Whatever God Wants.

Pastor Kerry Willis 

Hungry for His Holiness

Hungry For The Beauty of His Holiness

Indeed, the Beauty of God's Holiness is what i am hungry for, so i am feeding on these verses from The Holy Scriptures these days:

Give to the Lord the glory His name deserves. Bring an offering, and come to Him. Worship the Lord in His holy splendor.

 -- 1 Chronicles 16:29 (GWT)

Give to the Lord the glory His name deserves. Worship the Lord in His holy splendor.

 -- Psalm 29:2 (GWT)

Worship the Lord in His holy splendor. Tremble in His presence, all the earth!

 -- Psalm 96:9 (GWT)

Give to the Lord the glory due His name; Bring an offering, and come before Him. Oh, worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness!

 -- 1 Chronicles 16:29 (NKJV)

Give unto the LORD the glory due to His name; Worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.

 -- Psalm 29:2 (NKJV)

Oh, worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness! Tremble before Him, all the earth.

 -- Psalm 96:9 (NKJV)

 Also, the lyrics of this song, “Hunger for Holiness,” makes for a powerful prayer:

 There's a silent war that's raging deep within me

My lower nature fights to dominate

 My spirit man is poised and locked in battle

 With the carnal side of me I've grown to hate.

The trumpet of my prayers plays toward Heaven

 A voice of desperation in my cry

 Lord, strengthen me that I might not yield myself to sin

 But keep Your righteous banner lifted high.

Lord, I hunger for holiness

 And I thirst for the righteousness that's Yours

 That my mind would be cleansed

 And my spirit renewed

 And this temple that You dwell in would be pure.

The tempter stalks about me as a lion

 Searching for the slightest scent of blood

 For when the skin of my resistance is broken

 He moves in swiftly to deepen the cut.

Oh, Lord of all Creation, hear Your servant

 You understand the weaknesses of man.

 I'm counting myself crucified with Jesus

 Alive to Christ and dead indeed to sin.

Lord, I hunger for holiness

 And I thirst for the righteousness that's Yours

 That my mind would be cleansed

 And my spirit renewed

 And this temple that You dwell in would be pure.

Songwriter: Carman Licciardellog

Worship the Lord in the Beauty of His Holiness! Amen!

 Pastor Kerry Willis 

Taken Down Sin! Taken Away Death! Triumphed Totally!

Dearest King Jesus: 

You have taken down the dominion of sin! 

You have taken away the threat of death!

You have triumphed totally on our behalf!

No wonder we call You Wonderful Savior! Amen!" -kww

Grateful. Very.

Pastor Kerry Willis 

“You Cannot Fool God!”

“You cannot fool God, so don't make a fool of yourself! You will harvest what you plant. If you follow your selfish desires, you will harvest destruction, but if you follow the Spirit, you will harvest eternal life.” Galatians‬ ‭6‬:‭7‬-‭8‬ ‭CEV

Deo Volente. 

Pastor Kerry Willis

"The Best of Our Own Ability" and Philippians 2:13

"Remember, we can only do our jobs to the best of our own ability, not to the best of someone else’s. And we will never have to give an account to God for gifts He never gave us. So, exhale. You are highly valued." -kww

And take heart in Philippians 2:13, above all: 

"[Not in your own strength] for it is God Who is all the while effectually at work in you [energizing and creating in you the power and desire], both to will and to work for His good pleasure and satisfaction and delight."Philippians‬ ‭2‬:‭13‬ ‭AMPC‬‬

Deo Volente -- whatever God wants!

Pastor Kerry Willis 

Paradise Has (Already) Begun

“The soul who has personal communion with God knows that a Paradise has (already) begun and will lead to a greater blessedness, more grand that one can imagine.” Oswald Chambers 

“He who is able to hear, let him listen to and give heed to what the Spirit says to the assemblies (churches). To him who overcomes (is victorious), I will grant to eat [of the fruit] of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.” ‭‭Revelation‬ ‭2‬:‭7‬ ‭AMPC‬‬

Maranatha!

Pastor Kerry Willis 

Intercession > Criticism

“Criticism is a sad substitute for intercession.” -kww 

“So continue encouraging each other and building each other up, just like you are doing already.” 1 Thessalonians‬ ‭5‬:‭11‬ ‭CEB‬‬

Deo Volente — whatever God wants. 

Pastor Kerry Willis 

Entrance into Eternal Life

“The Resurrected Jesus is the firstfruits of the Harvest of Eternal Life and we make up the remainder of the Harvest.” -kww

"For the Jesus-believer, earthly death is the doorway, yes, the entrance into eternal life." -kww

Grateful,

Pastor Kerry Willis 

Wonderful and Vulnerable Conversations with Jesus

“Had some wonderful and vulnerable conversations with my Dearest Friend and the King of my Heart, Jesus of Nazareth, today. i am humbled in knowing that He really loves to hear my voice and listen to my heart being expressed aloud.” -kww

https://youtu.be/qiDj-PmimUs

What a Friend! 

Pastor Kerry Willis 

God is Still Good

Even though it may seem we are in the midst of bad things happening, God is still good. Jesus told us, “In this world you will have troubles, but I have overcome the world.” Life on planet earth is often hard, yet, God from Heaven above is always good. To not believe this is tragic for our souls. -kww

Deo Volente — as God wills!

Pastor Kerry Willis 

Perfect Peace

"You [God] will keep in perfect peace all who trust in You, all whose thoughts are fixed [stayed] on You!" Isaiah‬ ‭26‬:‭3‬ ‭NLT‬‬

"Lord, i want my belief in You to be anchored deeply in devotion to You, for forever and today. Shalom. Shalom. Amen." -kww

‘Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus!

Pastor Kerry Willis 

“Once Again…”

“Once again…” It’s been a tender day. It all began when a dear brother in Christ, who’s had lots of prayer requests for a while, sent a new one and prefaced it by saying “i feel like a such a whiner.” Then, shortly thereafter, a dear sister in Christ, also with many needs, contacted me to pray and said at the end,”Sorry if i’m a pest.” i assured them both that making a prayer request is not about being a whiner or a pest. 

i am glad they knew i would pray for them “once again” and i asked them to also remember me in their intercessions. Late in the day this sacred prayer song came to mind for both of my friends and for me. Let us pray “once again” for His touch.

https://youtu.be/2Lbre9rz2m8

Amen.

Pastor Kerry Willis 

Seek Eternal Life / Pray for Lost Souls

"But you shouldn’t be so concerned about perishable things like food. Spend your energy seeking eternal life that I, the Son of Man, can give you. For God the Father has sent Me for this very purpose." Jesus, John 6:27 [NLT -- 1996 Edition]

"For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 6:23 [NLT -- 1996 Edition]

"For people can’t come to Me unless the Father Who sent Me draws them to Me, and at the last day I will raise them from the dead." Jesus, John 6:44 [NLT -- 1996 Edition]

So we pray: "Father God, nothing is impossible for You. Draw lost souls to Your Son, Jesus, by the power of Your Holy Spirit. Amen." -kww

Jesus. Jesus. Jesus. 

Pastor Kerry Willis 

Jesus’ Tomb is Still Empty

“Across the ages many faithless humans have denied that Jesus ever arose from His grave, nevertheless, each of His naysayer’s bodies are sadly but surely now buried in the earth while His Tomb is still empty.” -kww

i still believe!

Pastor Kerry Willis 

Spiritual Awakening Become Full-Blown

"Lord, i pray the holy spiritual awakening that is already undeniably underway in Your would will become full-blown among us, within us, and beyond us." -kww

#pleasepraywithme #especiallyas #ourdistrictgathering #approachesendofApril

Live Anticipating!

Pastor Kerry Willis 

Stay

A dear brother in Jesus sent me this song this morning and said it reminded him of me. It surely is my deepest desire. Lord, let Your Presence stay! i want more of Your Presence, Lord! 

https://youtu.be/2KiUPP0KO5A

Presence Matters Most!

Pastor Kerry Willis 

Accurate Not Arrogant -- Resurrection Day Proved Jesus Right!

"Some say Jesus was arrogant when He declared these words in John 14:6 -- "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." Surely, Resurrection Sunday proved He was right! Never confuse what may sound arrogant with what is SOUND and ACCURATE!" -kww

He is Risen, Indeed! 

Pastor Kerry Willis

Easter Sunrise Call to Worship

"Tomb, thou shalt not hold

Him longer;

Death is strong, but life is stronger:

Stronger than the dark, the light;

Stronger than the wrong, the right;

Faith and hope triumphant say,

He was raised on THIS day."

-Phillips Brooks,

"Tomb, Thou Shalt Not Hold Him Longer,"

1903.

He’s Alive!

Pastor Kerry Willis 

The Humility of Jesus Beautifully Breaks My Heart

This passage beautifully breaking my heart, today, as Holy Week continues… 

"Who, although being essentially one with God and in the form of God [possessing the fullness of the attributes which make God God], did not think this equality with God was a thing to be eagerly grasped or retained, But stripped Himself [of all privileges and rightful dignity], so as to assume the guise of a servant (slave), in that He became like men and was born a human being. And after He had appeared in human form, He abased [lowered] and humbled Himself [still further] and carried His obedience to the extreme of death, even the death of the cross!" Philippians‬ ‭2‬:‭6‬-‭8‬ ‭AMPC‬‬ 

Thank You, King Jesus! 

Pastor Kerry Willis 

Good Friday Up Ahead

As Passion Week commences, i cannot help but think about Good Friday up ahead…

“And it was the third hour (about nine o'clock in the morning) when they crucified Jesus. And the inscription of the accusation against Him was written above, The King of the Jews. And with Him they crucified two robbers, one on His right hand and one on His left. And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, He was counted among the transgressors.” ‭‭Mark‬ ‭15‬:‭25‬-‭28‬ ‭AMPC

This song is whispering to my soul during this season… 

https://youtu.be/f4whBsh9ovI

Worthy is The Lamb!

Pastor Kerry Willis 

Encouraging Words from a Missionary

A precious missionary who has visited our district and local churches — in person and virtually — over the past few years wrote these encouraging words in an email recently:

“Every time I am on your district, whether remotely with Zoom, or speaking in person, I feel that the Lord is preparing you for something extraordinary. I encourage you to look to the horizon in faith and stay true, no matter what happens, in anticipation of His 'new thing' for you all.” #sobeitJesus #Amen #ThanksDearJohn

Love Anticipating!

Pastor Kerry Willis 

Palm Sunday Takeaway

When Jesus failed to meet the expectations of many who waved palm branches along the Mount of Olives parade route, seems by Friday their Palm Sunday shouts of “Crown Him!” quickly changed to “Crucify Him!” In other words, let us not say: “Jesus, if You don’t accomplish things according to the way we expect You to, You are as good as dead to us.” -kww #unlesswetrustinJesus #oursoulsareinjeopardy

God, You are Good!

Pastor Kerry Willis