I love God because He first loved me.
He loved me when he gave me a dad full of love and integrity. He loved me when he gave me a mom full of joy
and hope. He loved me when He wrote my
story before time. He loved me when He
created my plan of redemption before I ever sinned. He loved me when He chose the cross for my
rebellion, hell for my wickedness, and resurrection for my weakness. He loved me when I was little by never
leaving my side. He loved me when I was
young by giving me faith even though I didn’t have understanding. He loved me as an adult even though I didn’t
know how to love Him. He loved me when
He opened my ears that I might finally hear His true voice. He loved me when He called me to reign with
Him.
I love God because He first loved me.
He loved me when he gave me Emily.
She is the perfect picture of His love in my life. She stood for us when there was nothing to
stand on but faith. She believed in me
when there was nothing to believe in but hope.
She loved me when there was nothing lovable. I love my wife. For many years I could not see clearly, I
could not love like my heart wanted to.
But today, because of HIS GREAT LOVE, I am able to see more clearly and
I am able to love my wife like I’ve always wanted to. THANK YOU JESUS, THANK YOU FOR SAVING ME UNTO
YOUR GRACE, THANK YOU FOR SAVING THIS FAMILY UNTO YOUR GRACE, THANK YOU FOR MY
WIFE - MY BEAUTIFUL WIFE.
Emily, you will never know the depth of my gratefulness to God and to
you for your great love over me. I AM SO
BLESSED! You are so beautiful, so
beautiful - I love thinking about you. I
have peace I never thought possible, joy unspeakable, desire only you can
quench; you satisfy my heart, when I am with you there is rest. You don’t have to do anything but be in the
same space and I sense the presence of God’s love. I love you, Emily, for the rest of eternity,
I love you. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MY LOVE,
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
Steve H.
Justification (Christ Says): "When I see you I don't see a series of mistakes that need repairing - I see a man surrendered who I can use where ever I need Him. Where you are today, in me, you are because I put you there, not because your failures put you there. Trust my redemption." Romans 3:23-26
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Recorded 1/22/12
With all to lose - He gave His life; He gave His everything knowing that I could simply walk away. My Hero, with everything to lose gave His all for me - to know me, to walk with me, to laugh with me, to cry with me; to strengthen me, to hold me, to save me, to love me. My Hero laid it all down that He might pick me up. He saw me more important than all of Heaven. My Hero called Heaven and Earth to witness my salvation the day He hung on that cross and called me by name through the ages. My Hero broke the chains of lust, depression, deception, and death off of me when He broke through Hell and destroyed the grave. My Hero set me on high with Him, He gave me His crown, He gave me His Name, He gave me His Father - the day He ascended, sat down at the right hand of Mercy & Righteousness, and sent His Holy Spirit on us all. My Hero, My Hero gave all, risked all, died to all for my all! I give my all to my Everything - to MY HERO!
Thank you, Father for the Holy Spirit; thank you, Jesus for coming that we, that I should be filled with the same power that raised you from the grave. Thank you, Holy Spirit for engrafting yourself into me - to my every cell - that I would never be separated from my Father, from the Love of my Father. Oh, Holy Spirit take me to new heights, new challenges, new faiths, new understandings; Oh, Holy Spirit take me to my Lord, my Father, your call.
- Father God: "I'm proud of you, son. Its not that you won't make mistakes, but what you'll do after making the mistake. Greater sensitivity, greater obedience. I'm proud of my son."
- Recorded 12/18/11
John 10:27 (NKJV): "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me."
"There is no abundant life apart from hearing the voice of the Good Shepherd."
- J. Pearsons (John 10)
I took my grandmother to a library in Northwest D.C. last Friday. As we pulled into the handicap parking spot I saw a homeless person sitting in a small alcove, hidden from the street, with there back to the building, strategically blocking them self from the bitter wind that day. This person was bundled up with a heavy coat buttoned up to their nose, and their feet covered with dried leaves. They never looked up to catch my eyes. There were some used sports drink containers and a couple of paper bags around them. The weather was cold, dry, and unforgiving that day. When I saw this individual my heart broke, for two reasons: One - their suffering and two - I wanted to do something, I just didn't know what. I had three $20's and a couple of $1's. I had a small Gospel of John for evangelism distribution. But, certainly $2 seems like a spit in the face as I would climb into my nice warm car and I just don't know if I could part with $20 - that just seems extreme; plus you're not supposed to give cash to the homeless right? I couldn't just give them a Gospel without accompanying it with something of comfort or necessity - its like saying, "The Lord bless you" and then leaving them to freeze to death. There was a Starbucks across the four lane highway and a restaurant that I could have gotten some soup or chili, but then again my grandmother was waiting for me in the car. This was my reasoning with God as I went into the library to look-up, find, and check-out a book for my grandmother. The whole time completely distracted with what I was going to do when I got back around to my car. I exited the library and came around towards my car, I could not yet see the homeless person, and I stopped right in my tracks. By the Holy Spirit and God's grace I made a decision right there I was going to do SOMETHING before getting back into my car. I pulled out a Gospel of John, and I opened my wallet. I knew what I had to do. What is $20 in comparison to Jesus hanging on a cross? And, maybe by giving a bit more than they might be used to receiving they might just be a little more open to reading that small book. I folded up the bill so you couldn't see the amount, but pushed it up enough to see there was money inside. I found peace with God, finally. I knew I was following the Holy Spirit. As I approached the individual they slowly looked up to me, and as I reached out my hand they reached out theirs. When they took hold of the Gospel all I could say was, "God loves you." Sounds so simple, almost flippant, but in my heart I wanted to weep for them. I became weak in my breathing and in my knees, not because I was nervous, but because Compassion overwhelmed me at that moment. It was a very brief transaction, with soberness they replied with a "Thank you" and immediately started looking at the book. Of course it opened up to the money, but when I looked back they were more interested in the book than the money! God knew what He was doing. After a brief visit with my grandmother in her apartment, I headed home to Frederick. Fighting my way through rush-hour, beltway traffic I listened to some worship music and Compassion led my thoughts back to the person trying desperately not to freeze to death on this wintery day. I began to weep for them. I wept for their heavenly salvation, I wept for their earthly salvation, and then I just wept. I don't tell this story to boast of myself or boast of how much I gave, or boast of my big heart -because for this one homeless person there are a thousand more that I have walked by turning my face from theirs for fear that our eyes would meet and I wouldn't know what to say or do.
- Father God, help us in these moments to allow our hearts to break for the hopeless, helpless, the homeless and give us wisdom in each instance to know what to do. For anyone without Christ is homeless, they don't have to be freezing on the street corner - let compassion take over, not pity but compassion. For Pity says, "That's awful" while compassion says, "I need to do something about it." And in everything let our sacrifice be just that - A SACRIFICE! AMEN (Amos 5:24)
Luke 6:27-28 (NASB): "But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you."
- Lord Jesus, I repent; I repent for everything evil I said tonight about certain co-workers. I repent for aligning myself with the accuser and coming into agreement with those who had similar feelings and attitudes of rebellion and frustration. I did not represent Love today, and for this I am truly sorry. Holy Spirit, help me to walk in forgiveness and Love towards co-workers that can so easily exasperate me; I really got frustrated tonight and gave into my flesh - I DO NOT want this to happen again. Thank you for filling me with your Joy and helping me to keep my eyes and thoughts on things above and not things below. Honestly, the candy jar is just not that important. AMEN
Lord Jesus: "Worship me like your heart just exploded and you can't catch your breath! Look to me for everything - EVERYTHING! Your very breath does not belong to you - let me have it ALL! For in this sacrifice, in this humility - YOU SHALL TRULY LIVE! LIVE SAINTS, LIVE!"
- Recorded 1/22/12
"It costs you nothing to dream, but everything not to!"
- D. Phillips
In 2006 God called me to be honest with myself, with Him, and with my wife. Honesty is not always easy, but its ALWAYS freeing. "You shall know the TRUTH and the TRUTH shall set you free!" The life I now live is a life of freedom. Before 2006 I was entrapped and imprisoned by lies, deceit, and absolute confusion. But today I am free! I AM FREE INDEED! Not everyone will understand my language, my calling, or my relationship with God, but it's not about who "they" say I am, it's ONLY about who He says I am. I welcome you to come with me on my journey with the King of Kings; allow me to introduce you to Jesus, and I hope above all else that you would be encouraged to take your own journey - your own journey with the Great Lion Himself. -Steve H.
