Suffering? Trust God! He Will Never Fail You!

"So if you are suffering in a manner that pleases God, keep on doing what is right, and trust your lives to the God Who created you, for He will never fail you." ‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭4‬:‭19‬ ‭NLT‬‬

"Ears Wide Open… Listening…"

Pastor Kerry Willis

“God Only Knows!”

What an inspiring song…

https://youtu.be/eegPfUyyXko?si=DQHL1cigcPUmwBRA

“Ears Wide Open… Listening…”

Pastor Kerry Willis 

“Be Tenderhearted… In Suffering…”

“Finally, all of you should be of one mind. Sympathize with each other. Love each other as brothers and sisters. Be tenderhearted, and keep a humble attitude.” ‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭3‬:‭8‬ ‭NLT

“Now, who will want to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don’t worry or be afraid of their threats. Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it. But do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ. Remember, it is better to suffer for doing good, if that is what God wants, than to suffer for doing wrong!” ‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭3‬:‭13‬-‭17‬ ‭NLT‬

“Ears Wide Open… Listening…”

Pastor Kerry Willis 

"Patiently Endure"

"For God is pleased when, conscious of His will, you patiently endure unjust treatment. Of course, you get no credit for being patient if you are beaten for doing wrong. But if you suffer for doing good and endure it patiently, God is pleased with you. For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in His steps. He never sinned, nor ever deceived anyone. He did not retaliate when He was insulted, nor threaten revenge when He suffered. He left his case in the hands of God, who always judges fairly." ‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭2‬:‭19‬-‭23‬ ‭NLT‬

"Ears Wide Open… Listening…"

Pastor Kerry Willis 

A Prayer i Prayed in 2020 and today…

Lord, i love you above all else.

You are Pure Love. You are my Life.

i am forever overflowing with humility because of Your goodness towards me.

As i love back across the days of my life, i see Your enduring mercy and amazing grace.

Even in those seasons that i needed Your dIscipline, You did not despise me but only deepened Your devotion for me.

i live day-to-day to hear Your voice and i long for that day when Your face, my eyes will embrace. 

i want You to speak Your words of life to me and through me. Upon entering Your presence, i desire to present you with an overflowing bouquet of never-dying souls that i have pointed to You over my short earthly lifetime.

During these days of uncertainty, i rejoice because i know You are still the only certainty i need.

Thanks for really proving You care by gifting me with relational prayer. Remind, me, Lord, to "pray all the time" until time gives way to forever.

Find faith in me, Jesus until You return and when You return. 

Grant that i will know You more and more intimately, knowing You will return sooner or later or even immediately. 

In the Name that’s high above every other name -- Jesus, The Nazarene!

Amen. Amen. And Amen!

“Ears Wide Open… Listening…”

Pastor Kerry Willis 

The Tongue

“And among all the parts of the body, the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself.” ‭‭James‬ ‭3‬:‭6‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“Ears Wide Open… Listening…”

Pastor Kerry Willis 

My Prayer Song in Difficult Seasons Especially

This song often comes to my mind, especially so in the most difficult of spiritual seasons. Pray with me… 

https://youtu.be/BtFrhgBZO-w?si=Igy-RICX1tnc2eTK

“Ears Wide Open… Listening…”

Pastor Kerry Willis 

“My Witness is in Heaven” — Job’s Words

“Even now my witness is in heaven; my advocate is on high. My intercessor is my friend as my eyes pour out tears to God; on behalf of a man he pleads with God as one pleads for a friend.” Job‬ ‭16:19-21‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“Ears Wide Open… Listening…”

Pastor Kerry Willis 

“The One Who Lifts My Head”

“But You, O Lord, are a shield for me, My glory [and my honor], and the One who lifts my head.” Psalms‬ ‭3‬:‭3‬ ‭AMP‬

“Ears Wide Open… Listening…”

Pastor Kerry Willis

“I Want Them to Turn…” - God

“Do you think that I like to see wicked people die? says the Sovereign Lord. Of course not! I want them to turn from their wicked ways and live.” ‭‭Ezekiel‬ ‭18‬:‭23‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“Ears Wide Open… Listening…”

Pastor Kerry Willis 

"Eyes on Jesus"

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion Who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting Him, He endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now He is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. Think of all the hostility He endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up. After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin." ‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭12‬:‭1‬-‭4‬ ‭NLT‬‬

"Ears Wide Open… Listening…"

Pastor Kerry Willis 

Patient Endurance

“Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that He has promised.”‭Hebrews‬ ‭10‬:‭36‬ ‭NLT

“Ears Wide Open… Listening…”

Pastor Kerry Willis 

Shalom. Shalom.

One of my Mom’s most beautiful lines that has also become a mainstay for my own soul:

“There’s nothing between me and The Savior.” 

Shalom. Shalom. Perfect Peace.

“Ears Wide Open… Listening…”

Pastor Kerry Willis 

Psalm 130 — “O Lord… Help!”

What joy it was this past Lord's Day to preach from Psalm 130...

"From the depths of despair, O Lord, I call for your help. Hear my cry, O Lord. Pay attention to my prayer. Lord, if you kept a record of our sins, who, O Lord, could ever survive? But you offer forgiveness, that we might learn to fear you. I am counting on the Lord; yes, I am counting on him. I have put my hope in his word. I long for the Lord more than sentries long for the dawn, yes, more than sentries long for the dawn. O Israel, hope in the Lord; for with the Lord there is unfailing love. His redemption overflows. He himself will redeem Israel from every kind of sin." Psalms 130:1-8 NLT

Indeed, i am counting on You Lord! Amen!

Pastor Kerry Willis

A Prayer of Thomas à Kempis

A Prayer of Thomas à Kempis

Grant me, O Lord, to know what I ought to know,

to love what I ought to love,

to praise what delights thee most,

to value what is precious in thy sight,

to hate what is offensive to thee.

Do not suffer me to judge according to the sight of my eyes,

nor to pass sentence according to the hearing of the ears of ignorant men;

but to discern with a true judgment between things visible and spiritual,

and above all, always to inquire what is the good pleasure of thy will.

— Thomas à Kempis

“Ears Wide Open… Listening…”

Pastor Kerry Willis

Jesus, You Alone Know…

Jesus, You alone know where i am, who i am, and what i need. 

Jesus, You alone know i am poor in spirit, i am desperate for You, and i am depending on You. 

Jesus, You alone know how to build my trust, how to help me pray, and how to enable me to wait on You. 

Jesus, You alone know how strong You are, how weak i am, and how apart from You i am nothing. 

Jesus, You know how to love me, how to lead me, and how to let me soar on the wings of eagles. 

Jesus, You alone know that i know i am just a stranger here, a weary traveler, and truly longing to be Home with You for forever.

Shalom. Maranatha. Amen. 

"Ears Wide Open… Listening…"

Pastor Kerry Willis 

“But We Preach Christ Crucified”

“The Apostle Paul preached one thing only, the Crucified Christ, Who is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption.” Oswald Chambers 

“Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.” ‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭1‬:‭22‬-‭25‬ ‭NIV‬

“Ears Wide Open… Listening…”

Pastor Kerry Willis 

"Right in His Sight…"

"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 ‭3‬:‭5‬-‭7‬ ‭NLT‬‬

"Ears Wide Open…Listening…"

Pastor Kerry Willis 

“In Your Presence” — Paul Wilbur

In Your presence

That's where I am strong

In Your presence

O Lord my God

In Your presence

That's where I belong

Seeking Your face

Touching Your grace

In the cleft of the Rock

In Your presence O God

I want to go

Where the rivers

Cannot overflow me

Where my feet are

On the rock

I want to hide

Where the blazing

Fire cannot burn me

In Your presence O God

I want to hide

Where the flood of

Evil cannot reach me

Where I'm covered by the blood

I want to be where

The schemes of darkness

Cannot touch me

In Your presence O God

You are my firm foundation

I trust in You all day long

I am Your child

And Your servant

And You are my

Strength and my song

You're my song

Seeking Your face

Touching Your grace

In the cleft of the Rock

In Your presence O God

In Your presence

“Ears Wide Open… Listening…”

Pastor Kerry Willis

“Beulah Land”

I'm kind of homesick for a country

To which I've never been before.

No sad goodbyes will there be spoken

For time won't matter anymore.

Beulah Land (Beulah Land) I'm longing for you (I'm longing for you)

And some day (And some day) on thee I'll stand (Someday we will stand)

There my home (There my home) shall be eternal (Eternal)

Beulah Land, sweet Beulah Land

I'm looking now, just across the river

To where my faith, shall end in sight (Shall end in sight)

There's just a few more days to labor.

Then I will take my heavenly flight.

Beulah Land (Beulah Land) I'm longing for you (I'm longing for you)

And some day (And some day) on thee I'll stand (Someday we will stand)

There my home (There my home) shall be eternal

Beulah Land, sweet Beulah Land

Beulah Land, oh it's Beulah Land

Oh Beulah Land, sweet Beulah Land

“Ears Wide Ooen… Listening… 🎺” 

Pastor Kerry Willis 

Words to Titus — “While We Look Forward With Hope…

“And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God, while we look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed. He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds.” Titus‬ ‭2‬:‭12‬-‭14‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“Ears Wide Open… Listening…”

Pastor Kerry Willis