I love, being in love, with you father.  It’s like a fine wine as it gets older.  It becomes smooth, easy and more joyful.  Daily I get drunk on your love… your grace.  It brings such joy, such peace, such understanding to my existence.  I drink it in, and allow it to move through every part of my soul.  As I come to better understand your heart… your spirit… I can taste and smell it’s aroma like that of aged wine.  I can’t imagine a minute without you.  I want each day, to know you more.  To understand you more.  To be one with you.  To rest in your warm embrace and taste the smooth sweetness of your love.  To know that you will always love me, and you will always accept me, into your embrace.  You will watch over me, and guard me, as each day brings trials.  Each day brings troubles. Each day brings tribulation.  At the end of such days you are there to greet me.  To reassure me.  To give me peace.  To grant me rest.  Father let your light shine from me, so others may desire to taste your heart, your spirit. That they may come to know the peace, only you can bestow.  When I die I don’t want to go sober.  I want to go drunk on your love… your grace.  Thank you father… for loving me even more than I love you!

Colossians 3:15 / Ephesians 3:14

I Love You!

Perry

The comment I heard from the christians was “we don’t want our kids around those undesirable people”.  As I walked straight into the crowded street of Belize my friends were questioning “should we be here?”. “These are God’s people” I replied and I have on his armor.  We live in a world of judgement. A world of placing importance on our position at the table.  Those that live one lifestyle, look down on those that live another.  As I watch… tears fall and my heart is broken.  Christ didn’t see undesirable people.  He saw those he could save.  Christ didn’t ask “should we be here?” He saw those he could heal. Jesus was more comfortable with the prostitute, than the religious elite. He never belittled anyone, criticized anyone, or treated them with pompous attitude. When he encountered those with an elitist attitude, he rebuked them.  How can we ever teach people of Christ, when we only associate with those we feel comfortable with?  How can we teach a prostitute unless we get to know one?  The Jesus I know made it clear… the kingdom of God is radically inclusive.  According to the Jesus I know, we can no longer label people male/female… good/bad… rich/poor…slave/free…sinner or religious.  When we see everyone as God’s creation, worthy of his love, it will open our hearts and our minds. We will then welcome them to the table and tell them how amazing our Savior is.  Romans Chap. 3 (MSG)  

I Love You!

Perry

Doubt?  I use to think doubt was frightening.  To doubt the scripture, to doubt my religion, or to doubt my beliefs, brought anxiety to my soul. I have come to understand that doubt, brings contemplation, which leads me deeper into the heart of Christ. Doubt of all the beliefs we were taught, brings a faith that produces a stronger love.  Doubt of the false pretense of human beliefs, in the rules of law, produces a better understanding of the heart of love, that is our God.  It is human nature to think what we believe is right.  “The church I belong to is the correct one.”  “The club I am a part of is superior.”  “The team I root for should be the winner.”  Why did Jesus teach almost always in parables?  In order to get people to think.  He wanted you to contemplate his teaching.  To reach into your heart and decide what you felt his message meant. It’s easy to listen to a teacher and believe everything they tell you.  It is better to take what is said.  Contemplate it… pray about it… and come to a conclusion that rest in your heart.  The truth lies in Jesus and his message.  That truth is so much deeper, than we can understand, by simply reading scripture. To doubt what is on the surface, produces a desire to better know the heart of God.  When you find the heart of God, you will experience his kingdom… here and now.   

John chap 20 (msg) 

I Love You!

Perry  

Talk to him.   Not in formal prayer, although that is okay.  But talk to him.  Every minute, of everyday.  As you would a best friend or close spouse.  As your day progresses “Thank Him” continually for everything in your life.  Talk to him about problems. Talk to him about good things.  Many times as Lorna and I are intimate, I pause in my mind to “thank him” for such an incredible act of love he created. An act that is made to bring two people as one and create a bond he so desperately desires for us.  When I turned up the volume, Whitney Houston’s voice reverberated from the speakers.  As tears flowed my grandson asked “why”?  A heart of gratitude!  The ability to hear.  The ability to have a system to play the music.  Mostly for the beauty of such talent.  A voice that could only come from God.  Pure… perfect pitch… perfect tone.  It is during each moment of our lives, good or bad, that he longs to hear from us.  To talk with us.  To know our desires, our concerns, our loves.  How many days in the past have I gone for hours, maybe all day, without a word to him.  We get busy, as we are surrounded by people, and our mind puts Christ on the back burner.  I have decided, that is the last place he should be.  Talk to him!  Every moment of your day.  You will find pure joy, will fill your soul.  1 Thessalonians 5:16 (MSG)

I Love You!

Perry

Faith… as described by Jesus, always involved a heart of growth.   This time of year I am amazed, as I watch everything come back to life from a state of deep sleep.  Small seeds that dropped in the fall, become towering, beautiful plants, as the sun does its job.  Faith is the same.  As we grow in our faith, it is not about deeper belief in scripture, or God.  It is more about learning to grow in the presence of God, living in our spirit, known as love.  When Christ described faith as a mustard seed.  Faith as a new wine skin.  He was talking about faith that has room for growth.  Faith that is never sitting stagnant.  We can read all the scripture we want.  We can memorize verse after verse, but if love is not produced by our faith, it is useless.  We can show up at church every time the doors are open.  We can go to every church gathering, but if love for others is not produced, it is time wasted.  During my forty seven year walk with God, I have been a part of many christian gatherings.  I have also seen many worship, and pray on Sunday, then go out into the work place and treat others with disrespect.  That is faith only in a book, or an institution, and not in our Savior.  Love.  Pure… unlimited… untarnished… faith produces the same love that our Savior had.  Love for others that is never ending. 1 John 4:20 (MSG)

I Love You!

Perry

As sixty thousand pounds came out of the water, the emotion overtook me. This massive grey whale, made by God, was swimming not thirty yards from our boat.  All my heart felt was amazement, at the power of our God.  Ten miles in the ocean, no land in sight. The vast water does not rest. Knowing below me is unlimited life down to an amazing 4000 feet. All I could think of was the sovereignty of our God.  I felt so incredibly small.  Then he speaks.  I made all this because I love you!  I did all this because I care. As large as all of this is… I love you more.  I have numbered every hair on your head, and I think about you every moment, of every day.  Stop and ponder that.  Our God. The one that formed the earth, and breathed life into everything we see or hear, spends his day in thoughts of us.  In love, with us.  Knowing that… feeling that… how could your day ever be bad.  So much anger.  So much hatred.  If only… everyone could understand the depth of Gods love, why would there be anger or malice. To truly know that everything we see, hear, touch or taste was made for our enjoyment.  Was made out of an unending, never ceasing love, should bring such joy to every creature that anger and hatred would be swallowed up. All that would remain is love.  Unending love and thanksgiving for God and each other.

1 John 4:11 

I Love You,

Perry

As we all sit in a circle the question was; “what do you get from your spouse”?  After listening to all the desires, all the wants from the others, I simply answered “I expect nothing from Lorna except to love me”.  Love is a free choice.  As the two of us are soulmates, our love does not demand performance.  We simply do for each other out of a place of deep love.  Unconditional love produces a desire to please… to serve… to cherish.  So it is, with our love and relationship with Christ.  As we accept his unconditional love it forms in us a desire to please him. Not out of fear… not out of a desire to earn… or a need to follow rules, but out of respect and love.  Unconditional love never demands performance.  Never demands compliance. Never demands rules.  If love is truly unconditional there is no need for rules, because everything is done from a place in the heart.  Our Savior does not demand that we do things a certain way, act a certain way or follow a given set of rules.  If he did, then what was the cross for?  He simply and unconditionally asked that we love him in return… the way he loves us.  He then ask that we love others as much as we love him.  From a place of love that goes bone deep. That is the only way to live and love in harmony. 

1 John – Chapter 4

I Love You!

Perry

He battled. Daily Jesus battled.  He spent his time in a never ending battle with evil.  With demons. With Satan.  He stood strong and fought well, but in the end… he was crucified.  He was tortured… beaten… scarred… and taken to Hell.  Then in a moment, he woke, he rose, and he walked again.  They still came.  The demons still pursued, they still hated, but could not touch.  They pursued, but could not harm.  They chased, but could not catch.  They tried again to beat, to torture, but could not penetrate the shield that now surrounded him.  An armor of love from his father.  A shield of love that lived in his very skin.  There could have been no other way.  The kingdom of God is not about might and show of force.  It is in the quiet submission that true power is found.  Christ message is about surrender in order to inherit power.  Our Saviors’ message is about turning the other cheek.  It’s about the power that comes from a life of service.  The kind of power that can change a world, from the inside out.  That can change you from the inside out. Daily we battle as well.  Daily we take up our cross.  Daily we need to offer quiet submission.  Then Christs’ love will live in your very skin.  That is an armor that the demons of hell can not penetrate.  He rose!  So will you!  

1 Peter Chap. 4 (MSG)

Happy Easter!

Love, Perry