“Out of the Mouths of Babes, Huh?

"Out of the mouths of babes and nursing infants have You ordained strength, because of Your enemies, that You May silence the enemy and the avenger."  (Psalm 8:2)

What does this say about the "need for seasoned intercessors"?!?  The Church needs to revisit the Words of Our Lord Jesus Christ, "Unless you are turned and become as little children...."

Hey, weary one, who may not feel like you know "how to pray," take heart!

Father, in Jesus' Name, teach me this text.  Amen. 

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Some Thoughts From Psalm 4

"Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness!  You  have relieved me in my distress; have mercy on me, and hear my prayer."  (Psalm 4:1)

Please believe that I send these to you in the prayer that I can be of encouragement to you in your sojourn in Jesus Christ.  And I can tell you that if this verse encourages, blesses you half as much as it is me, then you are blessed.

"God of my righteousness."  This kind of, "God-Breathed," impartation has been occurring more and more to me in these days as I, "sojourn," through Sacred Writ.   Sometimes we look at our lives and wonder, "How could You have been putting up with me all these years, so many wrong choices, sin, failures, etc.?"  Well, the reality is that somehow in Jesus' Infinite Mercy and Grace, He has/does.

Verse four tells us, "Be angry," literally, "Tremble or Be agitated, and do not sin."  So I guess that if all which is transpiring in the earth which makes us, "angry, be agitated," it's okay, just don't let it become sin to us.  Jesus will show us what this means.

Verse 6:  "There are many who say, 'Who will show us any good?'"  Indeed, there are.  Answer?  "Lord [Jesus], lift up the light of Your countenance upon us."

Verse 8: "I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; for You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety."  Have a good remainder!

Father, in Jesus' Name, I receive.  Amen.

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

Hebrews 12:2

Woody's Video, September 2, 2020

https://youtu.be/HgKjzVdbePY

This Is Heart-Breaking

"But know this, that in the last days perilous times (times of stress, difficult times, dangerous times, difficult days that will be hard to bear) will come: For men will be lovers of themselves...." (2 Timothy 3)

Phillips says of the last part of our text, "men will become utterly self-centered."  Other translations say, "People will be selfish," and, "People will love only themselves."  Now I know that you have heard many sermons and read many articles concerning, "In the last days."  As I look back over the last six months, however, I see events and attitudes being manifest which are indicative of, "In the last days..," for me, at least, in a way which I have not witnessed in my life time.  Consider:

The following statement, by someone who is considered to be a prophet, was sent to me by a friend.  "For many pastors the quarantine period has caused them to reset and take inventory of their lives....Other pastors have suddenly concluded they hate what they are doing-- and they are trying to determine if it is that they hate pastoring or just pastoring the way it is being done.  Church overhaul is in process and will be intensifying in the coming days, weeks and months.  We are transitioning into a new era and 'church as usual' is not going to cut it....They are already planning a 'going back to normal,' but there is no such thing coming."  

While this was inevitable, it is heart-breaking.  I can tell the world that those who live for "ministry" are those who are living in a most precarious state.  You and I were not called to live for "our ministry."  We are called to follow Jesus Christ.  If one follows, lives for, plans for, and is energized by his/her "ministry," the "hate what they are doing" is a very, very real probability.  Too many love their "ministry," and bring God and people along with them; doesn't work that way.  

I am so thankful that I saw in my Dad a love for and commitment to Jesus Christ.  Whatever else he was and did in his life was the "outcome" of following, loving Jesus.  May everything you and I do in the years we have in this sojourn be motivated only by love for and obedience to Jesus Christ.

Father, in Jesus' Name, I pray that You always be my "center," my foundation, my everything.  Amen.  

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

Hebrews 12:2