Prayer Over a Friend

I prayed this prayer over a friend this morning. Please allow me now to pray it over you, too:

"Lord, help my friend to remain focused on You as his/her Helper and Comforter in the struggles he/she is straining at. Give him/her permission to pull the oars in the boat and trust the whispering winds of Your trustworthy Holy Spirit to direct his/her journey totally. Most of all remind him/her often of Your Love, Yes Your amazing Love towards him/her. God be in his/her head. Keep the enemy far away from him/her and his/her family. In Jesus' name. Amen and Amen."

Grateful

No More Missed Opportunities

Today is my brother, Billy Joe's, birthday. I remember when he was born. I was just 5-years-old. I was delighted to have a baby brother but also somewhat jealous. Now, 47 years later, there is no jealously left. It all turned into love. Not only is he my precious brother, he is also my dear friend.

Is there a family member you haven't told how much you love lately? I encourage you to contact that person and to embrace four words that I am embracing as my own...

...NO MORE MISSED OPPORTUNITIES!

Click here: Shower the People James Taylor - YouTube

Grateful 

I Have Been Young. Now I Am Older.

I turned 50-years-old on June 12, 2011, Pentecost Sunday. I have been young and now I am older, and what amazes me most is the faithfulness of my Father God day-by-day over the years.

Yesterday I sent this message to a dear friend, whose faith is presently on trial: God knows. God cares. God provides.

My friend sent back this message in reply: I believe it. God has never let me down.

Then I sent back to my friend this verse of Scripture:
I have been young, and now I am old,
but I have never seen a righteous person abandoned
or his descendants begging for food.
-- Psalm 37:25 (GWT)

By Faith! In Faith! (Hebrews 11)
Grateful

You've Got a Friend!

In John 15:15, Jesus said: I have called you friends...

If you're down and troubled, close your eyes and think of the One Who has called you friend. Yes, You've Got a Friend... in Jesus!

To hear four great voices singing the song, click link below:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58D4elqQqbg&feature=related

And for a double blessing, listen to Kathryn Scott singing "What a Friend We Have in Jesus" by clicking this second link below:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HaaQC3xPVfE

Oh, What A Friend We've Found...
Grateful

Were It Not For Grace

The words of this Larnelle Harris song touch me deeply:

Were It Not For Grace

Time measured out my days
Life carried me along
In my soul I yearned to follow God
But knew I'd never be so strong
I looked hard at this world
To learn how heaven could be gained
Just to end where I began
Where human effort is all in vain

Chorus
Were it not for grace
I can tell you where I'd be
Wandering down some pointless road to nowhere
With my salvation up to me
I know how that would go
The battles I would face
Forever running but losing this race
Were it not for grace

So here is all my praise
Expressed with all my heart
Offered to the Friend who took my place
And ran a course I could not start
And when He saw in full
Just how much His would cost
He still went the final mile between me and heaven
So I would not be lost

Repeat Chorus

Forever running but losing this race
Were it not for grace

ALL JOY TO YOUR WORLD!
Grateful

Your Soul's Comfort is Only Found in Me

I brought you to Myself and carried you on eagle’s wings.
-- Exodus 19:4b (NLT)

After reading the soul-comforting message of the Lord in Exodus 19:4, I wrote these words, seemingly from Father God's heart straight to mine:

Why do you weep when the closest of kin
or the dearest of friend leaves you?
Do you ask why?
You don't know why their kinship
or friendship can never satisfy?

When kin or friend deserts you,
it's meant to help you see,
That the deepest comfort of your soul...
Is only found in Me.

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

Best Advice Ever

I was recently surfing the website of a college baseball team. One of the freshman players is a new friend of mine. I eventually found his personal profile page. While the whole page glorifies God, one question in the interview section especially touched my heart. When the young ball player was asked to share the best advice he had ever been given, he simply but profoundly answered: Proverbs 3:5-6. WOW! What an awesome answer!

Proverbs 3:5-6 (NLT) (5) Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. (6) Seek His will in all you do, and He will direct your paths.

Today, consider yourself a recipient of the best advice ever. (According to a 19-year-old baseball catcher named Billy, who also happens to have a great heart for God.)

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

At His Expense

Please saturate in this small but powerful portion of a wonderful blog post entered by my mentor and friend, James Spruill, earlier this week. I'm still soaking in it myself:

Christ Jesus never forces Himself on anyone. He makes us an incredible offer of eternal life at His expense. You don’t have to blow yourself up to make it to Heaven, the ticket is on Him.

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