Every Breath

In one of our Tuesday morning men's prayer gatherings, I asked Steve to come and pray for us. He prayed, "Lord, help us to remember that because every breath we inhale is a gift from You, surely, every breath we exhale should be worship to You."

Grateful

The Breath of God Breathing in Us

When we speak about the Holy Spirit, we speak about the breath of God, breathing in us. The Greek word for "spirit" is pneuma, which means "breath." We are seldom aware of our breathing. It is so essential for life that we only think about it when something is wrong with it.The Spirit of God is like our breath. God's Spirit is more intimate to us than we are to ourselves. We might not often be aware of it, but without it we cannot live a "spiritual life." It is the Holy Spirit of God who prays in us, who offers us the gifts of love, forgiveness, kindness, goodness, gentleness, peace, and joy. It is the Holy Spirit who offers us the life that death cannot destroy. Let us always pray: "Come, Holy Spirit, come."
-- Henri Nouwen

Inhale and exhale His Presence and be...
... Grateful

Can We Live Without Revival?

If we can Iive without Revival?
Then we're not where God wants us to be!
-- Leonard Ravenhill

Let's humble ourselves before the Lord, praying and seeking, that is, desperately gasping for Revival with every breath we take. Let's turn from all other deceptive imitations of life-support, and only inhale and exhale God's holy invitation found in 2 Chronicles 7:14 -- yes, indeed, His invitation to breathe, to really live in the realm of Revival for forever and today.

If My People... Will? I Will! -- God's Promise in 2 Chron. 7:14
Grateful

Go to Calvary. Breathe Again.

For as long as I can remember, my Aunt Edith (my Dad’s only sister and only sibling) has been the organist at the church where I was raised – Free Grace Wesleyan Church. She’s not a flashy musician, but she is talented and dependable and her love for the Lord invites breathless souls to breathe again.

Aunt Edith was always content to let the pianist choose the selections for praise and worship. I only remember once when she requested we learn a new hymn. Well, it was written in 1921 by Jennie Hussey, so it wasn’t exactly “new”, but you know what I mean. It was “new” to us. As Aunt Edith passionately shared, it was obvious that this “new” hymn was a personal prayer from her very alive soul.

By the theme of the hymn, it must have been the season leading up to Easter when Aunt Edith brought it to our attention. The title is “Lead Me to Calvary”. To this day, whenever I think on the wonderful words of “Lead Me to Calvary”, it inspires and challenges me to consider each word carefully and prayerfully.

Here are the loving lyrics now. Let’s remember that before we can breathe again on Easter Resurrection Sunday, first the Lord must “Lead Us to Calvary!”

(1) King of my life, I crown Thee now,
Thine shall the glory be;
Lest I forget Thy thorn crowned brow,
Lead me to Calvary.

(Chorus)
Lest I forget Gethsemane, Lest I forget Thine agony;
Lest I forget Thy love for me, Lead me to Calvary.

(2) Show me the tomb where Thou wast laid,
Tenderly mourned and wept;
Angels in robes of light arrayed
Guarded Thee whilst Thou slept.

(3) Let me like Mary, through the gloom,
Come with a gift to Thee;
Show to me now the empty tomb,
Lead me to Calvary.

(4) May I be willing, Lord, to bear
Daily my cross for Thee;
Even Thy cup of grief to share,
Thou hast borne all for me.

Lord, I do not ever want to forget Your love for me. I want to go to Gethsemane and to Calvary, yes through Your agony, so my eternal soul can in gratitude breathe again – inhaling and exhaling for forever Your Resurrection Life. In the name of Jesus. Amen.

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

Presence

Presence is much more essential than words.

Lord, when I don't know what to say, let me continue to be present in the lives of the hurting so that I might inhale and exhale Your essential Presence in their presence, knowing that these seven words from Colossians 1:27 are wonder-working indeed: "Christ in you (me), the Hope of Glory!" Amen.

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

The Lord Hears. The Lord Knows.

If you belong to the Lord, I invite you to inhale within the depths of your soul and embrace with all of your life these two verses:

* Psalm 34:17 (NLT)
"The LORD hears His people when they call to Him for help.
He rescues them from all their troubles."

* 2 Timothy 2:19 (NLT)
"But God’s truth stands firm like a foundation stone with this inscription: 'The Lord knows those who are His,' and 'Those who claim they belong to the Lord must turn away from all wickedness.'"

Together, let's pray and obey Psalm 34:17 and 2 Timothy 2:19. The keyword for me in both verses is the word HIS.

And let us never forget that Our Lord Hears and Our Lord Knows.

ALL JOY!
Grateful

Breathe Proverbs 3:5-6

Proverbs 3:5-6 has been an especially inviting passage for my seeking soul over the years and over these past few days it's really been calling my name aloud. So here's a prescription if you need some good medicine from God's Word for your soul:

Read Proverbs 3:5-6.
Pray Proverbs 3:5-6.
Obey Proverbs 3:5-6.
Inhale Proverbs 3:5-6.
Exhale Proverbs 3:5-6.

Proverbs 3:5-6 -- Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

ALL JOY!
Grateful