Still Anticipating

Ever since I composed my blog post yesterday, I have had the throne image and the words from our Coming King (written down in Revelation 21:5) strong on my mind:

The one sitting on the throne said, “I am making everything new."

In case you missed yesterday's post, I simply wrote the words of an old Southern Gospel song:

This is not our home.
We're just passing through.
This is not our home.
Ours is brand new.

Still anticipating... and..
Grateful 

Urge Us to Pray

The thought that God is longing to find His home and His rest in the hearts of people will urge us to pray. All the thoughts of our weakness and unworthiness will be swallowed up in the wonderful assurance that God has spoken concerning His desire to dwell in humans hearts.
-- Andrew Murray paraphrased

“This is My resting place forever,” He said.
“I will live here, for this is the home I desired.

-- Psalm 132:14 (NLT)

Jesus replied, “All who love Me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and We will come and make Our home with each of them.

-- Words of Jesus in John 14:23 (NLT)

I Am But A Foreigner Here

(18) Open my eyes to see
the wonderful truths in Your law.
(19) I am but a foreigner here on earth;
I need the guidance of Your commands.
Don’t hide them from me!
-- Psalm 119:18-19 (NLT)

Lord, apart from Your guidance I would be a very lost soul in this life and especially in the life to come. Your Words alone make up the marvelous map for me to find The Way through this foreign world. In the Name of Jesus, The Way Home, I pray. Amen.

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

New Life

Recently, I was blessed to make an early morning boat trip to Cape Lookout Lighthouse along the crystal coast of North Carolina. It's the most beautiful of all the east coast lighthouses in my estimation -- a beautiful beacon painted with a black-and-white diamond pattern. As a boy, I was raised on the interior island, Harkers Island, very near this inspiring lighthouse. My childhood home is only about a 20-minute-boat ride across the sound to what locals call "The Hook of the Cape".

I am always rejuvenated when I visit this lighthouse location, but on this particular visit the lighthouse was secondary in inspiration, because one of the Shackleford Banks wild ponies had given birth in the night to a precious foal. We were likely the first humans to view the breath-taking vision of this new life on the shoreline.

I climbed out of the boat near "The Short Turn" and walked with my camera towards the mother and her newborn standing for the first time on shaky little legs. In amazement I clicked priceless images. Take it from me, witnessing new life is an unmatched gift on planet earth. The only event that compares to and surpasses physical birth on planet earth is witnessing what Jesus called "being born again".

Thank you, Creator God for new life -- physical and spiritual. We are speechless in the presence of Your creation and re-creation. In the Name of Jesus. Amen.

John 3: (5) Jesus answered, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. (6) That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. (7) Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ (8) The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit." (NKJV)

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

Do We Know The Way Home?

We have to come Home to Jesus before we can go Home with Jesus. -- James Spruill

"Let not your hearts be troubled; believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And when I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way where I am going." Thomas said to Him, "Lord, we do not know where You are going; how can we know the way?" Jesus said to him, "I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life; no one comes to the Father, but by Me. -- Words of Jesus in John 14:1-6 (NRSV)

Lord, thank You for being our Way Home. Because there will be no sin in The Father's House, thanks for being our Way to find forgiveness for our sinful actions and cleansing of our Sinful attitudes. We can now know there's room for us There. We cannot adequately express our gratitude in knowing that the Way of Your Cross leads us to You and You lead us to our forever Home. Amen.

For God took the sinless Christ and poured into Him our sins. Then, in exchange, he poured God’s goodness into us! -- 2 Cor. 5:21 (TLB)

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

Forever?

I challenge you to come up with a definition for the word forever. It will be a frustrating but inspiring experience if the Lord is Your Good Shepherd.

Psalm 23:6 (TLB) -- Your goodness and unfailing kindness shall be with me all of my life, and afterwards I will live with You forever in your home.

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