Category: Passion

Do You Ever Hope for Heaven?

“The nation who (first) put a man on the moon needs a Church (Called-out, Holy People/Fellowship of Sold-out Believers/Followers of Jesus) that can soar into the Heavens. Our Country and world (desperately) need another (Great) Awakening. Perhaps we can “remember our way” into what could be a Rebirth of that “Shining City” (or “City Upon a Hill” that Christ shared originally…and many pastors and politicians have quoted since, starting purportedly with John Winthrop).” Ken Gurley, The Book on Prayer, pg. 304. (italics and words in parenthesis added by me)

Happy Hunger

Happiness comes in the Hunger (for God/Righteousness/being in right standing or relationship with Him and others).

The Old is Gone, THE New Has Come: No More PAST, Present & Future Living…

We were made for divine Double-vision, not triple-vision, to learn from and perhaps even admire, the past, albeit at a safe distance…but NOT to live in it, to our own stagnation and demise. So we desperately need elevated Duplicity of Vision, first for our Truer, Homebound Tomorrows, then for our Urgent, Needful Todays, to be embraced by God’s Double, above-time Vision that can empower higher-living perspectives and foster HIS freedom and joy-strength in the Here and Now. In short, ‘Today AND Tomorrow Double-Vision’ but not, ‘Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow Triple-Vision’ (and I should know, as I live with physical double-vision)! “…old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new,” II Corinthians 5:17 and “…do not dwell on the past,” Isaiah 43:18 and “…this ONE thing I do…” Philippians 3:13. Rhema.

When GOD Weeps

“When the city came into view, He wept over it. ‘If you had only recognized this day, and everything that was good for you! But now it’s too late. In the days ahead, your enemies are going to bring up their heavy artillery and surround you, pressing in from every side. They’ll smash you and your babies on the pavement. Not one stone will be left intact. All this because you didn’t recognize and welcome (but instead refused)  God’s personal visit’ (Me).” Jesus, weeping over Jerusalem (and us), Luke 19:41-44, MSG Bible. (Words in parenthesis and italics added by me, dkb.)

Priceless, Efficacious Tears.

“In one of the six ‘Golden Psalms’ (michtam, in Hebrew), David describes how God values tears:

Psalm 56:8-‘You number my wanderings; put my tears into Your bottle; are they not in Your book?’ God is an avid collector of tears. Tears are the silent, eloquent testimonies to God’s nearness: “He remains close to those who are brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit” (Psalm 34:18).

Did you know what’s physiologically in our tears? A tear is comprised of more than ‘just’ water and includes proteins, enzymes, lipids, metabolites, electrolytes, and even our DNA! If our eyes get irritated, tears are more aqueous (comprised of water). If we are under high stress, our tears are filled with stress-related hormones.

But the chemistry of tears pales in comparison to their (spiritual) value (to God…and us): “There is a sacredness in tears. They are not the mark of weakness, but of power. They speak more eloquently than ten thousand tongues. They are the messengers of overwhelming grief, of deep contrition, and of unspeakable (hope and) love.” Unknown.

Contrition. Unspeakable love. Not ordinary, everyday words…nor occurrences, sadly, though tears might be.

Is that why God has a supreme interest in…and pays undying attention to…our tears? He is love personified and, therefore, “near to the brokenhearted.” The Psalmist said that ‘God collects tears, even stores them in his bottles.’ ” The Book on Prayer, pg. 248, by Psr. Ken Gurley (italics and words in parentheses, etc., added by me, dkb).

F.A.I.T.H. is…

F- Father A- Anointing (+) I- Inspired T- Trust (=) H-Healing … F- Faith A- Amazing (&) I- Inside T- Treasure (of) H- Holiness … F- Focus A- Above (fosters true) I- Intelligence T- Training (=) H- Health … F- Fearing A- Adonai I- In T- Truth (&) H- Heart

“Try Tears.” General William Booth, The Salvation Army.

“Grown men don’t cry. Again, life lies. Jesus wept. Shouldn’t I?” Ken Gurley, in The Book on Prayer, pg. 258 (italics added by me, dkb, and: I have, time and again, personally experienced powerful breakthroughs to Christ…when I’ve sought Him with all my heart, by His Grace!).

Perfecting Your Practice

“Practice (alone) does NOT make perfect (nor even does “perfect practice make perfect,” as I once heard a Ventura County Fire Dept. Captain teach us at a City of Simi Valley CERT training class); practice WITH EVALUATION makes perfect.” John Maxwell, in his (NKJV) Leadership Bible Commentary, pg. 1249.

Tears of Faith…Tears of JOY.

“My mother would not be satisfied but urged him (a bishop) with repeated entreaties and floods of tears to see me and discuss with me. He, losing patience, said: ‘Go your way; as surely as you live, it is impossible that the son of those tears ahould perish.” Augustine and F. J. Sheed, Confessions, Book 3, pg. 51 (as noted in Ken Gurley’s, The Book on Prayer, pg. 254).