Pursuit of Paul

I am here on this beautiful Sunday afternoon to give you an opportunity for as long as YouTube will host the platform. Six videos with scenery you do not want to miss and information concerning Paul’s Missionary Journeys. 
Please enjoy.

That’s Him

You know how when you have lived with your spouse for some years and you have invested yourselves in each other; you are familiar?
So much so when he is in the outfield and you came late to the stands, you know it is him out there. You can’t see the lines of his face; you can’t make out his chin but you know that’s him.  Even from a distance, a long-distance facing his back, you just know.  That’s him.

Why —  you could even pick him out from a line up seeing only his hands or feet. That’s how well you know him.  
And why is that? Why do you know him so well?
That’s easy. Years of togetherness have taught you.

GOD wants us to know Him even better than this. 
He wants us to recognize His hands, His path, His face, and His heart. 

It’s important, don’t you think, that we can say of HIM, I recognize that Hand. I know this Path. This Direction is surely His. Even when we are looking through a glass darkly we must know that’s HIM

How do we do this? 
Years of Togetherness. 

Conversation. Investment. LOVE. 

ALL relationships require it. 
And NO relationship is more needed or more complete than the one we have with Father GOD.

So how close do you have to be before you can say, That’s HIM! 

18 “Come now,” says Adonai,
“let’s talk this over together.
Even if your sins are like scarlet,
they will be white as snow;
even if they are red as crimson,
they will be like wool.
19 If you are willing and obedient,
you will eat the good of the land;
20 but if you refuse and rebel,
you will be eaten by the sword”;
for the mouth of Adonai has spoken.  source

Right Then and There

Good Morning.
As I sit to share with you it is raining, raining, raining in Lower Alabama this Saturday.
The view from my library window is lush green and I hear thunder rolling. 
Earlier from the back stoop, I heard the birds singing and at this moment I hear the wind chimes serenading.
It’s a lovely Saturday.

Now.

I am giving thanks we still have a substantial amount of free speech in this Country; otherwise, what I found on Facebook this morning would not be circulating. Take a look.

See what I mean? Innocent enough, right? Just having fun, right?

In a fully communist society, this likely would be considered an attack and would get one swift retribution. We are not there YET.

I get it. This Administration gives us much fodder for shaking our heads but is it helping? 

Back to free speech. 

I’d like to keep (or even gain back what has been lost of) what we have. Would you?
 
Could we consider this? 
Could we start today? 
 
Could we:
Speak with the authority, that is KNOW our words are backed with FACT?

Refuse to waste our voice throwing out slurs, jabs, or telling jokes that JESUS would not tell?

IF we are CHRISTIANS can we not speak to Society respectfully, with Holy Spirit compassion what we KNOW from Scripture that will help them learn JESUS?

Should we spend our time idly chatting about the vile acts of this Society, Politicians, or the Media?

When we speak of these things should it not be when we are talking to a person who has come to us for help to learn repentance and abandonment of such vile behavior?

Or perhaps prayerfully disciplining another believer, bringing him or her information to protect them and encourage them to be wise as a serpent but harmless as a dove? 

So when conversations turn to discussing the vileness that is rampant in our world, what if we cease the talk and start praying right then and there with our conversation partners for those very people we were talking about? 
 
I think this is good advice and I plan to practice it – and when I fail, I shall repent and start again.
 
How about you?