As I sat in the middle of thousands of people, she decided to go shopping.  “I will be back shortly” were the words she lovingly used!  A kiss was given and I sat down to wait. More time passed then I thought, so I found myself constantly surveying the crowd, anxiously waiting for the return, of the one I love.  Then my heart paused!   The one I love even more than my wife, told me he would be back one day!  One day he would return to care for us.  To bring us to where he is. To wrap us in his love and warm embrace.  I want to wait daily with anticipation.  With an anxious feeling in my heart.  With a stronger fervor than I had for the return of my wife.  So many distractions. So many Interruptions. So many life moments… stealing my look from the return of my Savior.  I know he will return.  He will one day open the eastern sky and we will be taken to the place he has arranged for us.  I sit patiently.  I wait with anticipation.  I wait with an anxiousness in my heart.  I did the same for my wife.  She did return, and a joy filled my heart.  One day. One moment. One second.  He will be back.  Unspeakable joy will fill my heart on that day as well.  James 5:7

I Love You!

Perry

He started with forty and ended with three.  Forty days… alone… tempted… fighting… satan in his face each step of the way.  Each day was a battle and each step grew harder and harder.  After the forty he came out of the desert having dealt with satan.  It was not over!  Three years later on a distant hill… a guards whip…  a wooden cross… satan thought he had victory.  Wrong!  Three days.  Three days in a tomb but not silenced.  He knocked on the doors of hell and defeated satan once and for all.  “You will not have my children.”  Three days he battled… knocking down the gates of hell, and pulling us to his side.  He could have left us there… but no!  He could have called every angel in heaven… but no!  He could have used the power of his father… but no.  He defeated the evil one with pure love.  Love for you and love for me.  All it takes to defeat the liar, is love.  Our Savior is Pure. Perfect. Love.  Satan had no choice.  Want to defeat satan everyday?  Love like Jesus.   

What an amazing Savior!  What a perfect Lord!  He has RISEN!! 

Ephesians 5:1-2

I Love You!

Perry

We tend to glamorize it.  We even make beautiful jewelry out of it.  We don’t want to face the truth.   

The whip had metal, and bones, in the ends.  As Jesus was struck, flesh was torn away from his back… his sides… his neck.  This would continue until near death.  Our Saviors raw muscle, tendons and bones would have been exposed.  His wooden cross was made to have splinters.  As he carried it on his shoulder and back the splinters would lodge in his open wounds.  The nails driven through his wrist, were placed as to touch nerves. Any movement was excruciating.  As he was lifted upon the main pole his shoulders would have been dislocated from his own weight.  Then both of our Lords’ feet were held together and one large nail driven through them.  Breaking bones in the process.  Then the suffocation starts.  The only way to breath, was too push up on the nail through his broken feet, so his diaphragm could expand.  His legs would have been bent at a 45 degree angle, meaning all of his weight was on his thigh muscles causing excruciating cramps.  The cramps would worsen as he pushed up to breath.  As he lost blood all of his organs would begin to cry out in pain.  All these things were happening to our Jesus at the same time.  With no way for relief.  Why did he not call his army of angels?   LOVE!!!! 

I Love You!

Perry

They knew what he had done.  So a hero’s welcome… a kings honor.  The robes from their backs, and palm leaves paved his way.  Put yourself in Jesus’s place.  Not wanting the spot light, but knowing the donkey ride and the king’s parade, is what was needed to send the religious leaders to the edge. Knowing they needed one final push to send him to the cross.  I’m sure as he gazed at the gathering of people, he was repeating what he would say on the cross.  “Forgive these people, father, for what they are about to do.”  The same people that praised his entrance today would later cry out for his crucifixion.  They knew what they had seen… had heard… but chose to send him to the cross.  Twelve best friends… twelve men who walked in the parade with him… men who said they would die for him… ran and hid.  Do we not do the same thing when being his child is too hard?  When we ignore praying because it’s not politically correct?  When we turn away from a homeless man because it’s too hard to love him? When we do not trust?  Christ deserves better.  I’m going to spend my life trying to give him that.  I hope you will too.  Galatians 2:20

I Love You!

Perry

Walking past I heard him talking.  All alone.  My heart paused… maybe he needs someone to talk too.  As I sat down beside him I simply asked “tell me how you got here”? Three years.  Danny’s mom had died and he simply couldn’t move on.  Three years on the street…  simply doesn’t know how to get back.  Fifty eight and sleeping under a bridge.  He simply doesn’t know how to get back.  Do you ever feel lost?  Like you don’t know how to get back, to the place where you were?  Doesn’t matter how far gone you are, God can find you.  God will run after you and bring you back.  Back from addiction.  Back from grief.  Back from pain and back from despair.  Then just like the father of the prodigal he will rejoice with you.  He will welcome you home.  As I left this nice man I prayed, “thank you Father for always bringing me back”.  “Father, I asked that you show Danny the way home”.  “Give him the mind to see when you lead him”.   As i rejoined my family the tears came.  I always think…”but for the grace of God go I”.  Never take the guidance you are given for granted.  It comes from the Father.

2 Chronicles 18 / Luke 15

I Love You!

Perry

Not sure what his life was like.  

Scripture doesn’t tell us.  

The bible doesn’t even tell us where he came from.  

I simply know he must have had a troubled life, given the fact he was being crucified, next to our Savior.   “Jesus remember me when you enter your kingdom”.  Eight simple words.  So much power in eight words.  A lifetime of sin erased by eight words.  We have a God who chases after us.  He chases… he calls us by name… and he looks for the good in us…  We have a God who simply wants a relationship.  He simply wants us to acknowledge and love him.  Our Savior is not about rules.  He is not about worshiping one way or the other.  He is not about doing everything right.  He is simply about love.  We are a people who have been taught that nothing is free.  Everything has to be earned. Rules must be followed and reputations have to be upheld.  Many times that even applies to our human relationships.  But Jesus… the Christ… our Savior… says don’t worry about the rules, you can’t possibly fulfill all of them.  Love me… love others… and I will remember you, when you come into my kingdom.  Luke 23:42

I Love You!

Perry  

So I use to be an addict!  I’m sure that statement caught you off guard.  You may be thinking –  this is a surprise!  Without hesitation I could raise my hand and say “Hi my name is Perry and I am an addict”.  I’m pretty safe in saying we all could.  People have a universal addiction to being “right”.  We will argue… we will spend countless hours and resources… trying daily to prove that we are right, and others are wrong. I have encountered those that are so addicted to being right, that it becomes more important than loving.  I know… I use to be one of those people.  We have to find a better way to relate to one another.  A better way to love one another.  Pure love means I am willing to see you, to listen to you, with an open heart and an open mind. I am willing to walk in your shoes in order to understand the reason for your life… your ways. To be a Christ follower means we are to emulate his heart and his way.  His way was never condemning but always loving.  So the next time you feel the need to feed your ego… simply stop.  Look at the other person with Jesus eyes and let yourself become teachable.  

THEN SIMPLY LOVE!!

Ephesians 5:1

I Love You!

Perry

He laughs.  He lovingly laughs.  I can’t find it in scripture, but I know God lovingly laughs, at his children.  He laughs as he says – “make your plans, go ahead and nourish your dreams… your hopes… but don’t forget that I have my own plans for your life.  I have my own dreams for your future, and mine are greater than yours”.  This last year.  This last month.  This last week has given me pause to consider that even though my plans are necessary, I should always look to my father for guidance.  I should daily say “your will not mine”.  I should daily say “you lead and I will follow”.  Still I make plans.  Daily… weekly… monthly… even as a year progresses, I look to the future with every intention of fulfilling all of my hopes… my dreams. Our father loves us more than we could ever know.  When he laughs at our plans it’s because he knows what is best for us. We don’t always know why he leads to the places he does, but we must follow. We must have faith.  So make your plans. Have your dreams, but remember, when and if it changes, he is the one giving guidance.  He is the one doing what is best for you.  There are no better plans than that.

Isaiah 55:8 

I Love You!

Perry

Today the streets of heaven are crowded with too many angels.  This week someone very close to my heart, and a once in a lifetime friend of thirty years, went home to be with our Savior.  No warning… no preparation…  just gone.   I don’t really understand, but I’m trusting my God.  On top of that this week, we have watched as the weather took its toll, and we lost many things including animals.  I don’t understand, but I’m trusting God.  Our God uses everything for glory.  He will take my dear friends life, and her death, and use it to bless others and to forward his kingdom.  He will comfort… he will bring peace… and he will guide… as we walk thru this journey.  Without a doubt, he will find a way to use all of our lives, to bring glory to his kingdom, and further his love in this world.  I don’t understand his ways, but it is not my place to have understanding.   It is simply my place to trust.  On February 14th the streets of heaven become crowded with one too many angels.  Still I am trusting!!

Proverbs 3:5 (msg)

I Love You!

Perry

Recently I read the work of an astronomy professor.  He shared in his writing that fifty years ago we believed there to be six stars in the sky for every one person on the planet.  WOW!  Because of the Hubble Telescope we now know there are six galaxies in the heavens for every one person on the planet!! WOW! WOW!  The God we follow is huge. This is a God that can never be understood… he can never be pictured… he is beyond all human comprehension. In our feeble efforts we put him in a box out of a need for control.  Out of a need for intellect… which can never be fully achieved.  Do you honestly think that this God, who created all we see or know, will let anything stand in the way of his most prized creation? You!!  We have an immense God who climbs into our lives. He feels our hurts.  He laughs at our joys. He giggles at our feeble attempt to know him.  At the same time he loves… he forgives… he understands and he chases.  He chases after each of us desiring simply a relationship.  He is a father that sees his children and wants nothing more than our love. Next time you look at the heavens… think about the vastness of God.  Then remember he loves you more than you could ever imagine. 1 Corinthians 13        

I Love You!

Perry