For those who are/have been wondering, I haven't posted in a while because of a combination of busyness and - somewhat - of a lack of material and inspiration (often meaning the hard work of writing). I plan to have much to say in the coming months. May I be diligent in my work so that such can occur.

God bless

Recently the Lord has answered a ton of my prayers.

-Short-term and Long-term plans (super in-depth and moving very fast)

---->ISI grant application, Senior Theses topics, LCCTI, John Jay Fellowship ---->Opportunity International/Koch/self-started organization?, overseas seminary ---->dedicated to church-planting?

-More gratitude
-More wisdom (from prayer and through reading several books along with Scripture)
-Greater family unity in Christ
-Empowerment to serve the Body effectively
-Retention of Scripture
-Greater heart for prayer


- I had event in December when I was praying at night, and the Spirit moved me to pray for a couple of guys I had been ministering to a couple of years ago, and then, in the morning when I awoke, there was a message on my cellular phone from their youth pastor (I live about an hour and a half from their church) asking if I could attend their winter retreat as a leader. It was an awesome Christmas gift from the Lord to be a servant to their youth and also have the opportunity myself to grow in the knowledge of the Lord.

So much more has also occurred. Our God is awesome, and that would be the fact even if none of these prayers had been answered.

Ask and you might receive. Call, and I'll consider answering you.

Does this sound like God...no

Jesus makes it clear that those who meet the conditions that God has established (this does not by any means make them uncertain) will receive the promised reward.

The Psalmist prophesying about Jesus in the ninety-first Psalm is also sure that God will answer His servant when called up.

When some say, wait but that's only about Jesus, we must be quick to remember that Jesus says, abide in me.

The promises to Jesus find their way to us through Him by the Holy Spirit in us.

A morning prayer for a gathering of the church

Looking around at us I can see the brokenness in me,
As the Body flounders to find solid ground in He,
Who told us such would happen and that we were not to flee,
But await the Spirit that would be sent so that we could see,
So that we could be, the Body that He died to save at Calvary,
Why then do we seek treasures that won't last
Why do we fret when all that He said would come comes to pass?
The love of the Father is found in the discipline from Him purging sin, from us,

Do we really mean to say "in God we trust?"

Then in God we must abide and come to realize that we need Him much,
More than we have yet to realize,
We know that we ought repent,
If we have hoped for anything other than for what Christ has sent.
And we will receive that for which we pray,
not that we can trick God in prayer by what we say,
but that if we abide in the life of the Light,
if we seek after Him morning and night,
if we call out to God because He's the only Provider in sight,
the Righteous One Who does all that is right,
That's Who we'll get, and that's Who we want,
The God who listens to the weak and lowly, not those who put on a front,
but those who are blunt,
those who recognize that they have nothing to offer,
He made them, and so their humility's softer,
able to perceive that they're best seen on their knees,
for they have nothing worthwhile that could appease
a righteous God and so they look to the One Who pleads on their behalf
Jesus Christ, Our Friend, our Lord, Our King, Our Judge, The sacrifice Who for the Father's glory took what we deserve upon Himself when He drank the cup of the Father's wrath.

O Lord, You are the All in all of us. You were before the beginning, perfect. You required nothing, and out of such perfection you freely created. As Jesus has brought us back to You and He is what unites us to Your will, please forgive us for our lack of faith. Help our unbelief. We see the world but crumble when the world enters turmoil because we have not broken all ties with false gods yet. Please forgive us. Help us to not turn to such idols which harm us, but rather turn from them for good. Then, as You told Jeremiah, might we be able to live in the land, receiving our inheritance which you promised to the faithful forefathers forever. You are our portion. You are our inheritance. Help us this morning to rejoice in Spirit and in Truth. Help us not to tread lightly into Your presence, knowing the sacrifice which was required, but equally remember that you have made a way for us, and it was not done so that we might mourn, but so that we might rejoice righteously as Your Redeemed. May we lift Holy hands in confidence of the grace you have secured. Bless You Lord, all that is within us, bless Your holy Name.

For thine is the Kingdom, the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

broken token

To seek what I know I should desire,
A God Who characterizes Himself as an unquenchable fire,
Burning away the muck from times spent in the mire,
All around us circumstances, dire
Beat against the Body like switches plucked from stout briers,
Purging the liars, the defilers,
Prior to healing, brokenness required,
Before thousands of tongues get to sing,
We get to bring, a contrite spirit's broken-heart offering.
All thankfulness for such marvelous a thing,
To the God Who Is, Who conjoins us in Himself as kings.
All glory honor and power to Him.