Keep your chain letters…

Please, I’m going to give you a piece of advice if you message or email me:

Keep your chain letters to yourself.

Some great verses that apply to chain letters: https://www.openbible.info/topics/chain_letters

They are mostly lies, and most people never actually care enough about the message to look into it to see how they could help, or how they could better pray, or to see if the issue has already been resolved by the Lord before they even received the message themselves. Many people don’t even say a heartfelt prayer for the person or the message or examine what this should show them about their own hearts in drawing them closer to the Lord in humble prayer, but they say a quick, religious and obligatory, “Hey God, take care of this for me, will you?” and just forward the message along, with no actual work of the Holy Spirit having taken place at all. And they might have even carelessly perpetrated a lie by passing it along.

1 John 4:1 ESV

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.

So I’ll say it again:

Keep your chain letters to yourself.

Because I used to look into them — into each one of them. And I found them all to be utter lies and nonsense. And not only that, but when I’ve shared the truth with those who have sent them to me, somehow I end up being the bad guy for tearing down their comfortable “Christian works” of spreading lies to more unsuspecting folks in their friends list.

Let me show you a real world example of what happened today, and what is pretty much the running theme of what happens when I receive yet another chain letter from someone. This is actually from my Facebook Messenger thread, but I’ve added the graphics on the right to make a point:

In this case, I pointed out that it was fake, provided evidence, and pointed out that I’ve received these same messages multiple times over the years and they have always been lies. Even though I wanted to, I didn’t even mention who the father of lies was…

And then “This came from my Pastor!” — with a capital “P” no less!

I guess that she expected that I might say “Oh, then it must be true and all evidence to the contrary must be lies — and all the past times that it proved to be lies must have also been somehow true as well — since I’m sure you believe wholeheartedly that he is clearly not a child of His father, the devil, and that you can fully trust in a man.” But no. I must speak the truth, and I do not take it as truth just because it comes from a man who has accepted a title and gathered unto himself a people.

This link is a great reference to wonderful scriptures about not putting your trust in a man: https://www.openbible.info/topics/trust_no_man

So, I’m blocked again. But at least the number of lies showing up in my inbox is lower today. I just pray and trust that truth wins out.

Why is it that truth is so hated sometimes?

Matthew 23 (AMP)

Pharisaism Exposed

23 Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to His disciples, ² saying: “The scribes and Pharisees have seated themselves in Moses’ chair [of authority as teachers of the Law]; ³ so practice and observe everything they tell you, but do not do as they do; for they preach [things], but do not practice them. ⁴ The scribes and Pharisees tie up ^[a]heavy loads [that are hard to bear] and place them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves will not lift a finger [to make them lighter]. ⁵ They do all their deeds to be seen by men; for they make their ^[b]phylacteries (tefillin) wide [to make them more conspicuous] and make their ^[c]tassels long.⁶ They love the place of distinction and honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues [those on the platform near the scrolls of the Law, facing the congregation], ⁷ and to be greeted [with respect] in the market places and public forums, and to have people call them Rabbi.⁸ But do not be called Rabbi (Teacher); for One is your Teacher, and you are all [equally] brothers. ⁹ Do not call anyone on earth [who guides you spiritually] your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven.¹⁰ Do not let yourselves be called leaders or teachers; for One is your Leader (Teacher), the Christ. ¹¹ But the greatest among you will be your servant. ¹² Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be raised to honor.

Eight Woes

¹³ “But woe (judgment is coming) to you, [self-righteous] scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you shut off the kingdom of heaven in front of people; for you do not enter yourselves, nor do you allow those who are [in the process of] entering to do so. ^{14 [d]}[Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you swallow up widows’ houses, and to cover it up you make long prayers; therefore you will receive the greater condemnation.]

¹⁵ “Woe to you, [self-righteous] scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you travel over sea and land to make a single proselyte (convert to Judaism), and when he becomes a convert, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are.

¹⁶ “Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever swears [an oath] by the sanctuary of the temple, that is nothing (non-binding); but whoever swears [an oath] by the gold of the temple is obligated [as a debtor to fulfill his vow and keep his promise].’ ¹⁷ You fools and blind men! Which is more important, the gold or the sanctuary of the temple that sanctified the gold? ¹⁸ And [you scribes and Pharisees say], ‘Whoever swears [an oath] by the altar, that is nothing (non-binding), but whoever swears [an oath] by the offering on it, he is obligated [as a debtor to fulfill his vow and keep his promise].’ ¹⁹ You [spiritually] blind men, which is more important, the offering, or the altar that sanctifies the offering?²⁰ Therefore, whoever swears [an oath] by the altar, swears both by it and by everything [offered] on it. ²¹ And whoever swears [an oath] by the sanctuary of the temple, swears by it and by Him who dwells within it. ²² And whoever swears [an oath] by heaven, swears both by the throne of God and by Him who sits upon it.

²³ “Woe to you, [self-righteous] scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you give a tenth (tithe) of your mint and dill and cumin [focusing on minor matters], and have neglected the weightier [more important moral and spiritual] provisions of the Law: justice and mercy and faithfulness; but these are the [primary] things you ought to have done without neglecting the others. ²⁴ You [spiritually] blind guides, who strain out a gnat [consuming yourselves with miniscule matters] and swallow a camel [ignoring and violating God’s precepts]!

²⁵ “Woe to you, [self-righteous] scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the plate, but inside they are full of extortion and robbery and self-indulgence (unrestrained greed). ²⁶ You[spiritually] blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the plate [examine and change your inner self to conform to God’s precepts], so that the outside [your public life and deeds] may be clean also.

²⁷ “Woe to you, [self-righteous] scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which look beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and everything unclean. ²⁸ So you, also, outwardly seem to be just and upright to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

²⁹ “Woe to you, [self-righteous] scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build tombs for the prophets and decorate and adorn the monuments of the righteous, ³⁰ and you say, ‘If we had been living in the days of our fathers, we would not have joined them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ ³¹ So you testify against yourselves that you are the descendants of those who murdered the prophets. ³² Fill up, then, the [allotted] measure of the guilt of your fathers’ sins. ³³ You ^[e]serpents, you spawn of vipers, how can you escape the penalty of hell?

³⁴ “Therefore, take notice, I am sending you prophets and wise men[interpreters, teachers] and scribes [men educated in the Mosaic Law and the writings of the prophets]; some of them you will kill and evencrucify, and some you will flog in your synagogues, and pursue andpersecute from city to city, ³⁵ so that on you will come the guilt of all the blood of the righteous shed on earth, from the blood of righteous ^[f]Abel to the blood of Zechariah [the priest], the son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. ³⁶ I assure you and most solemnly say to you, [the judgment for] all these things [these vile and murderous deeds] will come on this generation.

Lament over Jerusalem

³⁷ “^[g]O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who murders the prophets and stones [to death] those [messengers] who are sent to her [by God]! How often I wanted to gather your children together [around Me], as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling. ³⁸ Listen carefully: your house is being left to you desolate [completely abandoned by God and destitute of His protection]! ³⁹ For I say to you, you will not see Me again [ministering to you publicly] until you say, ‘Blessed [to be celebrated with praise] is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’”

What a rollercoaster!

What an amazing rollercoaster yesterday was!

We woke up to family devotionals that pushed us to trust in the Lord, and I got ready and hurried to church for praise team practice where the Holy Spirit fell on us so thick and amazing that none of us wanted to stop praising.

As we finished up and prepared for the actual service, two of our very close friends came in to visit with us at The Well, so I was excited to see them. After we finished praise and worship, they checked their phones because their teenage daughter was driving to their church and usually sends them a text message when she gets there. They stepped out to check and realized they had missed a phone call from Spartanburg Regional and that their daughter’s GPS tracking on her phone was not showing her at the church.

Even though the hospital couldn’t confirm when they called to see if their daughter was there, now the GPS was showing her phone at the hospital. So they asked if we could keep their younger daughter after service and they rushed out to the hospital, tearful and unsure of what was happening. I hit my face in the aisle even as the pastor was continuing service and wet the floor with prayerful, hopeful, hurting tears of compassion for these dear friends, knowing that the uncertainty was a heavy burden as they rushed to the hospital.

We waited for a text, but none came, so we continued in the service, and at the end, I gathered the elders to pray. Then I rushed off to the hospital as Mandee took the Mia and their younger daughter home to our house. As I was on the way, Mandee confirmed they were in ICU. I sent a text to the leadership at their church (our old church) and knew that we now had two large bodies of believers seeking God over this shocking situation. I sent a text to our small group that meets in our house that all know them close and personal, and to my closest kingdom friends. It was time for battle, so the call went out to ready the troops.

I arrived at the hospital, checked for directions and room number and they sent me to the Neuro ICU. I continued praying, not knowing what I could even say or do at a time like this. I let them know that I was there and they called me in, and there was their daughter — I should really say “our daughter” because they are closer to us than most of our blood family. Her body was shuddering erratically while she lay unconscious, and there were so many machines, tubes, protective gloves over her hands, and most noticeably a ventilator tube going into her mouth. And mom and dad were on each side of the bed, clinging to her close — and just in complete shock.

I didn’t even know if I was wanted there in this moment, if I was intruding upon this moment. I had no idea what do say or do, because I was overcome myself. But their family urged me in close with them saying, “They need you.” So we prayed. We had a “come to Jesus” moment where I cried out, not acting like we understood better, not blaming the Lord, but asking the Lord how in the midst of our seeking to bring Him praise we should be torn from that to find our loved one seemingly broken before us. And it wasn’t prayed in anger but in hopes that we could understand, because at this moment we were hanging on by faith alone, clinging to the promises of the Word of God, and trusting that He knows better than us.

But still hurting.

We finished praying WITH the Lord, to the creator and the healer, to Almighty God the Father, imploring Jesus Christ our great intercessor, asking for the power of the Holy Spirit to move and heal and restore today as He has done in the past. And the weight in the room lifted enough that our precious friends who had been muted by their grief could now speak just a few words, even in their still shell-shocked state.

So we hugged, we cried, we stood together, and I even fell on my face again, wetting the second patch of floor this day over a burden so heavy to bear over to the cross. She was not responsive — she hadn’t been since the accident. And there was precious little information available to us even about the accident, or her condition, or her prognosis — so we prayed, and we hoped, and we trusted in the Lord. I couldn’t even give so many friends who were praying any type of update, because we knew so little. We were blind to so much else because our attention was focused on what was happening inside that small little hospital room with the continual sound of the ventilator feeding her air to breathe and the beep of the heartbeat monitor, and the occasional sound of medicine being delivered intravenously. Our world had become so small and compressed, tight knit, close, personal — we were intimately entwined in this challenge, but we weren’t alone.

Over time they could speak, and we agreed that I would go run some necessary errands at their house for them and come back. I called my wife on the way out of the hospital and she said the girls are doing fine, but they have had questions. I was so encouraged by the answers she had given them, the reassurance, the wise counsel she had given them in trusting in the Lord. I praised God for this godly woman that I see Him raising up beside me daily. I asked her to pack me an overnight bag with Bible, pillow and blanket, “I’ll camp out in the waiting room” I told my wife.

So I ran the errands, traveling back the way that I had come earlier, returning from the urban environment of Spartanburg to the rural mountain foothills of Landrum, but I didn’t notice the normally beautiful skyline mountain views that I usually would. I was traveling not in awe of the creation, but awestruck by this circumstance, and seeking the Lord closely. There were no bright songs of praise playing on the radio like usual, because even though He is worthy of all praise, I also know the foolishness that Proverbs 25:20 tells us about singing joyful songs to a heavy heart.

And when I returned to the hospital, nothing had yet changed except they had gathered her belongings. No new news to share with those praying. No new answers to give our girls that were at the house with Mandee. Even heavier to realize — no new evidence that mom and dad’s hope and faith and love is on solid ground. But they were coming out of the shock. They were standing with the nurse, pleading with their daughter to wake up, to squeeze their hand, to respond in any possible way to outside stimulus. I had prayed for the Lord to breathe life and healing into her, but I knew when I prayed it that it would be on his time. We were past the 6 hour timeframe for a normal concussion at that point, so I didn’t know if it would be hours, days, weeks, months because unconsciousness is a tricky thing.

Then her mom mentioned that her best friend was on his way, and her daddy mentioned to her “He’s on the way… you’re going to want to wake up and squeeze my hand before he gets here.” And something in that heartfelt plea of her daddy gave me a ray of hope that hasn’t shone until that point. I have to admit that I was even tempted to dismiss it as only emotional, but as they pleaded with her, she squeezed a hand, she opened her eyes, she even wiggled her toes at the nurses prompting —

and BOOM!

A bomb of joy erupted into that room that had been so heavy, and the darkness fled, and hallelujahs were raised, and I even danced! It was one of the most beautiful things I had ever seen firsthand — like a really good Lifetime movie, or a great motivational message — but this was real life, this was our lives! So we praised even as the nurse calmed her and she went back to sleep.

And then, we got to share the testimony with her young friend — we got to pray a joyful prayer of thanksgiving, and for hope that others in this hospital facing such similar fears would find the living faith that sustains, and that peace that passes all understanding, that only is found in Jesus Christ.

And we stood in awe and commented on the stark contrast of the highs and lows of the day. We commented on the fact that we had sang “Show me your glory” that morning, and we had seen it first hand — but that it took a trip through the fire to get to it. And that took me back to something we had discussed in the early morning hours before praise team practice about how we have to understand better the weight of God’s judgement in order to better understand the precious nature of the cross and God’s grace. And we all agreed that knowing and trusting that God has a purpose and a plan doesn’t make the grief and the pain disappear, but it carries us through.

I wouldn’t wish what we went through on anyone — but I can’t explain how much I appreciated being there at that moment when she became responsive.

Enjoy the ride.

A Life of Change

Yesterday we moved my grandmother from independent living into assisted living. This was a major change as she has lived there for 17 years. This was the last place that she lived together with her husband who went home to be with the Lord 7 years ago. And part of this change involved downsizing, giving things away to family and donating them. It is a trying time, especially for her and my dad, as they face and deal with some of the very real and present challenges of this fleeting life — even as we try not to miss out on the opportunities of the day.

There are “things” that we received from grandmother, but the greatest gift she has given us is the testimony of her godly walk with the Lord. But even she needs extra encouragement and prayer and support sometimes as well, and I got to pray for her and over her situation and circumstances yesterday in a new way, and it was truly a blessing.

Out of all of the “things” we brought back and are integrating into our household, it isn’t the bed, or the antiques, not even the Bible study resources that are most precious to me. The things most precious are a few extremely worn/loved Bibles and three Church hymnals.

One hymnal is from the 40’s, one from the 50’s, and another from the 70’s. And the list of songs has changed within each of them, just as many of the songs we will sing this Sunday morning are different than when I was a child. But there is something about those wonderful, heavy books that you can flip through and see song after song dedicated to praising and worshipping different aspects of this relationship with our God. Call me old fashioned, but it isn’t quite the same as a playlist on YouTube or Amazon Music.

Yes, I miss a lot of the old songs. Yes, I miss the heavy hymnals in each row. Yes, I miss many things. But my grandmother misses her husband. She misses the place where they lived together. She misses the bed where they slept together. But we both press on towards the call that the Lord has upon our life TODAY.

Lord, don’t let us get so caught up in memories that we miss out on the blessings for today. And don’t let us be so mindful and longing for heaven that we miss out on kingdom opportunities around us today. Keep us balanced, content, grateful, patient, kind — even in those times where we don’t fully understand where you’re taking us. Help us to move when you move, Lord, and to be still and know that you are God. Amen.

For everything there is a season,

a time for every activity under heaven.

A time to be born and a time to die.

A time to plant and a time to harvest.

A time to kill and a time to heal.

A time to tear down and a time to build up.

A time to cry and a time to laugh.

A time to grieve and a time to dance.

A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones.

A time to embrace and a time to turn away.

A time to search and a time to quit searching.

A time to keep and a time to throw away.

A time to tear and a time to mend.

A time to be quiet and a time to speak.

A time to love and a time to hate.

A time for war and a time for peace.
Ecclesiastes 3:1‭-‬8 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/ecc.3.1-8.NLT

Before we sing “My Soul Longs for You”…

It’s interesting to look into what scripture is alluded to and what the words actually mean that we are singing. I mean, a lot of times we might sing a familiar tune on the radio not giving much thought to the actual words… But what about when we are “singing to God”?

Before we get to the song itself, let’s look at some scripture to get a little background on “longing for God” first.

The Psalmist tells us:

I long, yes, I faint with longing to enter the courts of the Lord . With my whole being, body and soul, I will shout joyfully to the living God.
Psalms 84:2 NLT

And:

As the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for you, O God. I thirst for God, the living God. When can I go and stand before him?
Psalms 42:1‭-‬2 NLT

And:

O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water. I have seen you in your sanctuary and gazed upon your power and glory. Your unfailing love is better than life itself; how I praise you! I will praise you as long as I live, lifting up my hands to you in prayer. You satisfy me more than the richest feast. I will praise you with songs of joy. I lie awake thinking of you, meditating on you through the night. Because you are my helper, I sing for joy in the shadow of your wings. I cling to you; your strong right hand holds me securely.
Psalms 63:1‭-‬8 NLT

This doesn’t sound like God as a Sunday morning afterthought, but as — dare we say — an obsession? A passion? An all consuming fire?

We will start service tomorrow with this song:

Can we sing such songs in spirit and truth? Are we really longing for God like the Psalmist described? Or only playing around with this deadly game of religion?

I wonder if God has looked down on so many Sunday morning religious gatherings and said something like He had said before in Isaiah:

Stop bringing me your meaningless gifts; the incense of your offerings disgusts me! As for your celebrations of the new moon and the Sabbath and your special days for fasting— they are all sinful and false. I want no more of your pious meetings. I hate your new moon celebrations and your annual festivals. They are a burden to me. I cannot stand them! When you lift up your hands in prayer, I will not look. Though you offer many prayers, I will not listen, for your hands are covered with the blood of innocent victims. Wash yourselves and be clean! Get your sins out of my sight. Give up your evil ways. Learn to do good. Seek justice. Help the oppressed. Defend the cause of orphans. Fight for the rights of widows. “Come now, let’s settle this,” says the Lord . “Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool. If you will only obey me, you will have plenty to eat. But if you turn away and refuse to listen, you will be devoured by the sword of your enemies. I, the Lord , have spoken!”
Isaiah 1:13‭-‬20 NLT

Or maybe in Amos:

“I hate all your show and pretense— the hypocrisy of your religious festivals and solemn assemblies. I will not accept your burnt offerings and grain offerings. I won’t even notice all your choice peace offerings. Away with your noisy hymns of praise! I will not listen to the music of your harps. Instead, I want to see a mighty flood of justice, an endless river of righteous living.
Amos 5:21‭-‬24 NLT

Man, what a shame it would be for a people to gather in the name of the Living God but have no actual abiding relationship with Him but just be going through the motions, traditions, obligations, self serving dogmas of their religion!

“Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’
Matthew 7:21‭-‬23 NLT

It seems like a pretty big deal to me. It seems that like Paul urges the Corinthians, we should be examining ourselves — even questioning the underlying reasons behind what we are doing:

Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine. Test yourselves. Surely you know that Jesus Christ is among you ; if not, you have failed the test of genuine faith.
2 Corinthians 13:5 NLT

Are we making a name and a reputation amongst men so that we can be honored?

Or are we lounging for Him to receive all praise and honor and glory because He alone is worthy?

I pray that we won’t just sing a catchy, or emotional, or memorable, or beautiful, or gifted, or entertaining song — but that we will TRULY lift our praises to Him, mean what we say, say what we mean, believe In Him, surrender fully and see His will done on earth as it is in heaven.

Lord, show us your glory, because we have none in and of ourselves, and there is a wield in need of your saving grace. Have mercy on your servants, and bless those enemies who might reticent and know the power of the Blood of the Lamb and the fire of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Put on… from the inside out

I remember how Young Jeezy says, “I put on for my city…” But when we look at Colossians 3:10, we aren’t talking about stuntin’, fronting, and actin’ — we’re talking about real change that happens “from the inside out”.

I had fun recording this song last night:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/16JAribKpHjKTHbwiQGBziXt7RGxylEDm/view?usp=drivesdk

Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him.
Colossians 3:10 NLT

Life Application Notes

“What does it mean to “put on your new nature”? It means that your conduct should match your faith. If you are a Christian, you should act like it. To be a Christian means more than just making good resolutions and having good intentions; it means taking the right actions. This is a straightforward step that is as simple as putting on your clothes.”

Related Scriptures / Cross References

throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.
Ephesians 4:22‭-‬24 NLT

But if you refuse to serve the Lord , then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord .”
Joshua 24:15 NLT

For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you are always biting and devouring one another, watch out! Beware of destroying one another. So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses. When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God. But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives. Let us not become conceited, or provoke one another, or be jealous of one another.
Galatians 5:13‭-‬26 NLT

Baby it’s cold outside

Baby it’s cold outside…

10 degrees to be exact.

But I’m warm and cozy at the moment this morning.

However, when I came to bed last night my hands, my feet, my whole body was ice cold. I had been in the basement for about 4 hours, working out and practicing songs. Actually, I was in full blown worship mode by myself. And even though it was around 40 degrees in the basement, I was in a t-shirt and seemed warm all over — until I stopped.

Then…

There’s a passage that seems to encourages us about the presence of the Lord inhabiting the praises of His people —

But You are holy, O You who are enthroned in [the holy place where] the praises of Israel [are offered].
PSALM 22:3 AMP

And my praises weren’t just preparing for a Sunday morning performance. No, I was spending time worshipping My King, the living God, the Almighty One, My Father in Heaven. And there is a FIRE in that place that never grows cold.

There appeared to them tongues resembling fire, which were being distributed [among them], and they rested on each one of them [as each person received the Holy Spirit]. And they were all filled [that is, diffused throughout their being] with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues (different languages), as the Spirit was giving them the ability to speak out [clearly and appropriately].
ACTS 2:3‭-‬4 AMP

If I had just been “practicing”, I would have been half frozen and miserable, doing it out of some obligatory thought that I want to “get it right” or “not embarrass myself in front of others” come Sunday morning.

Rejoice always and delight in your faith; be unceasing and persistent in prayer; in every situation [no matter what the circumstances] be thankful and continually give thanks to God; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench [subdue, or be unresponsive to the working and guidance of] the [Holy] Spirit.
1 THESSALONIANS 5:16‭-‬19 AMP

But no, just like I will be in Sunday morning, I had an audience of one, my song was lifted to Him, and if anyone else happens to hear it, that’s just sprinkles on the cookie.

The funny thing is that I came to bed around midnight, with my ice cold body, and the warmth of my wife already in the bed asleep was such a stark contrast to my ice cold body. But she didn’t draw back from me, she loved me, she drew me close and warmed me up. Even though we laughed and she winced each time we touched in a new way to warm another part of my seemingly frozen body, I knew that this was not just a blessing from my wife, but that this moment was a blessing from God.

It may be cold if I were lost outside in the dark by myself, but man, it sure is nice and cozy at home tonight where I’m supposed to be.

We aren’t meant to be alone, we aren’t meant to be wandering further and further away from our God, but we are meant to repent, to turn back to Him and know life, know closeness, know Him present in our lives. So let’s draw close!

The way of the wicked is like [deep] darkness; They do not know over what they stumble.
PROVERBS 4:19 AMP

But the path of the just (righteous) is like the light of dawn, That shines brighter and brighter until [it reaches its full strength and glory in] the perfect day.
PROVERBS 4:18 AMP

Thank you, Lord. Thank you, heavenly Father. Thank you, Holy Spirit.

But I, the Lord , search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve.”
Jeremiah 17:10 NLT

Revelation Song Sing-A-Long

I’ve been having some fun singing along with Kari Jobe’s “Revelation Song”, written by Jennie Lee Riddle and published by Capitol Christian Music Group. I encourage you to buy it here: https://www.amazon.com/Revelation-Song-Live/dp/B00IXARJBC

I was enjoying it so much that I recorded it here:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1iP0IbVZWfmLzCMHmISQY6rp4vKqOYaxi/view

I recorded this hoping to encourage you to sing along with us. First time through, you will hear me singing along with a harmony part. The second time through I drop back so that you can join in.

NOTE: It takes me a little bit to get warmed up in the beginning, but i really had fun recording this.

I encourage you to sing along with us! Here’s the lyrics:

Bring it into the Light…