Something New, Beyond Our Own Imagination

Glory belongs to God, Whose power is at work in us. By this power He can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine.
-- Ephesians 3:20 (GWT)

My mentor, James, gave me a blank journal in January for the purpose of recording God-thoughts and especially for writing down new things the Lord is allowing me to see. When he gave me the book, James said, "Ask the Lord everyday to show you "something new" that you have never witnessed before."

Well, I've been seeing new things and recording some of these sightings as well. One way the Lord is showing me "something new" is in His marvelous Creation. For example, a few weeks ago while on our pastoral staff prayer retreat I saw for the very first time Shoveler ducks on the water. It was a cold day and the waters were iced over in many places. Suddenly these rafts of these beautiful Shoveler ducks were everywhere. (If you look at my digital images associated with this blog you will see a picture of two drake Shoveler ducks in flight over the cold, placid waters of Assateague Island, Virginia.) For a coastal boy, it doesn't get any better than seeing a new species of ducks never before witnessed up close and personal.

My prayer for you today is that the Lord will show you "something new". I want His glory to bring awe into Your soul for His intricate involvement in Creation, even in yourself. Whether He speaks to you through the whispering wings of ducks or in some other unique way, I invite you to live with your eyes and ears wide open.

Lord, Your glory is all around us and even within us. May we be amazed in Your presence. Give us eyes to see and ears to hear "something new" today, yes, something beyond our own imagination. In Jesus' Name. Amen and Amen.
Grateful     

Counsel -- A Timely Word

(22) Plans fail when there is no counsel,
but with many advisers they succeed.
(23) A man takes joy in giving an answer;
and a timely word — how good that is!
-- Proverbs 15:22-23 (Holman Christian Standard)

Speak My Lord. I Have My Ears-Wide-Open.
Grateful

Your Gentle Whisper, Lord...

(11) The LORD said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by.” Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake.
(12) After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.
(13) When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
-- 1 Kings 19:11-13 (NIV)

Almighty Personal God...
Today, I pray that we as Your beloved ones
will hear Your holy and healing voice.
Yes, according to Your pure and perfect desires for us --
after the winds have blown
and the earthquakes have shook,
and the fires have threatened --
allow us to hear Your gentle whisper, Lord,
inviting us out of the dark caves of this life
and into Your loving and everlasting light.
We pray in the Name of the One called
"The Light of the World."
We know that You alone, Almighty Personal God...
are worthy of all our worship and praise.
So as we wait to hear your gentle whisper, Lord,
Here we are to worship You!
Amen.

"Here I am to Worship" Prayer Song:
Click > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CoxopsRSfdU

Knees Bowed Down, Ears Wide Open.
Grateful

Angels Among Us

For me, Christmas Eve is a lot about remembering the angels as they made their Glorious Good News announcement during the night that preceded the birthday of the Christ Child:

(8) That night some shepherds were in the fields outside the village, guarding their flocks of sheep. (9) Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terribly frightened, (10) but the angel reassured them. "Don’t be afraid!" he said. "I bring you good news of great joy for everyone! (11) The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born tonight in Bethlehem, the city of David! (12) And this is how you will recognize Him: You will find a baby lying in a manger, wrapped snugly in strips of cloth!" (13) Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God: (14) "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to all whom God favors." (15) When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, "Come on, let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this wonderful thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about." (16) They ran to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the Baby, lying in the manger.
-- Luke 2 :8-16 (NLT)

For me, Christmas Eve is also a lot about recognizing, even realizing that there are surely still angels among us these days:

Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it!
-- Hebrews 13:2 (NLT)

The vocal group known as Alabama recorded a song a number of years ago that has been playing through my thoughts this week. The song is titled Angels Among Us.

Here's the link if you'd like to take a listen:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ey0HrEvh44c

Dearest Lord Jesus, it's Christmas Eve once again!
Open the eyes of our hearts and give us ears wide open!
Help us to see Your glory and to hear the angels still announcing:
"Good News of Great Joy!" And make us Your witnesses! Amen!

Grateful (to be surrounded by the sound of angels' wings!)

Be Listening

My prayer to the Lord these past few quiet days of my life can be best summed up in seven words:

Let me be listening whenever You speak.

Come to me with your ears wide open. Listen, for the life of your soul is at stake. I am ready to make an everlasting covenant with you. -- Isaiah 55:3 (NLT)

IF MY PEOPLE... WILL? I WILL! God's Promise in 2 Chron. 7:14.
Grateful

If This Sea Could Speak

Sitting along the banks of The Sea of Galilee, one desires to have a conversation with the waves. Imagining all of the miracles that Jesus performed around this body of water is wondrously overwhemling. If there are three words that echo from this famous, fresh-water lake, those three words are the words the Master of the Sea spoke as his disciples awoke him from His sweet sleep in the midst of a storm: Peace. Be Still. Yes, if this sea could speak, those three comforting words would have to be its message to us.

Lord, as sure as the sun rises over The Sea of Galilee, storms are sure to come our way. Help our unbelief. Let us have ears-wide-open to hear Your delightful declaration: Peace. Be Still. In the name of Jesus. Amen.

IF MY PEOPLE... WILL? I WILL! God's Promise in 2 Chron. 7:14.
Grateful

Save Us. Gave Us. Not Enslave Us.

Yesterday, I was driving home from work in my Ford. I was of course rejoicing as Christmas Music was loudly ricocheting throughout the cab. It is December, after all, and yes, my radio is locked in on a local radio station that plays nonstop Christmas tunes between Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.

Anyway, as I drove, a celebrative-overflowing-with-joy Holy Day song came on the radio. It was a song that I have never heard. I mean I have heard parts of it, it's a take off of "Mary's Boy Child", but the conclusion of the song was a brand new arrangement to my ears and the newly added words -- along with the uplifting, Caribbean-sounding, Calypso-style music beat it was sung to --combined to offer spiritual strength to my seeking soul.

I did my best to write the closing words down on a sticky note. Here's what I heard:

Oh my Lord...
You sent Your Son to SAVE us.
Oh my Lord...
Your very Self You GAVE us.
Oh my Lord...
That sin might NOT ENSLAVE us!
And Love might reign once more.

REJOICE WITH ME! THE WORDS OF THE SONG ARE ALL TRUE!

ALL. JOY TO YOUR WORLD!
Grateful

Right? Wrong! Words from a Wise Man...

My nearly 70-year-old, shrimp-boat-captain Daddy and I were taking a walk near our native, island home last week and let me just say, it was a sacred stroll for his not-too-far-from-50-year-old son. My Daddy is proof to me that Wise Men still seek the Lord. Anyway, just before our walk ended my Daddy made a simple but profound statement. I've been soaking in his wise words for nearly a week now. So, here are a Daddy's loving words to his ears-wide-open, listening son just in case you'd like to eavesdrop:

A man who thinks he's never wrong, is never right. -- Capt. Billy

Proverbs 3:7 (NLT) -- Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom. Instead, fear the LORD and turn your back on evil.

ALL... JOY TO YOUR WORLD!
Grateful

Offerings Our Almighty God Deserves

Hear these beautiful words of worship from King David preserved in 2 Samuel 24:24 (TLB): I don’t want to offer to the Lord my God burnt offerings that have cost me nothing.

Hear these blunt words of wisdom attributed to King Solomon in Ecclesiasties 5:1 (NLT): As you enter the house of God, keep your ears open and your mouth shut! Don’t be a fool who doesn’t realize that mindless offerings to God are evil.

Hear these personal words of invitation written by the Apostle Paul in Romans 12:1 (MSG): So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering.

Hear these sobering words of instruction that I heard God speaking deep within my heart last night as I crossed Virginia's Afton Mountain in my Ford following a heart-wrenching, pastoral visit at the Trauma Center at University of Virginia Hospital where a precious, young life -- *a 19-year-old -- is in a seemingly fragile state: In the very worst of times we cannot afford to approach God with less than our very best.

Please pray for *Chandler at UVA's Trauma Center and pray for his beloved family, too. Also, please consider with me the kinds of offerings our Almighty God deserves.

ALL JOY!
Grateful