A Christ Follower: The Journey

Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the water; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. (Isaiah 55:1) Thy grace first made me feel my sin; it taught me to believe. Then in believing, I found—and now I live, I live! — Horatius Bonar The heart of the Christian gospel is the gentle word "come." From the moment of a person’s conversion until he or she is ushered into eternal glory, the Savior beckons with the gracious invitation "come." This word appears more than 500 times throughout the Scriptures. The beautiful lines of this hymn by Horatius Bonar fill us with peace and buoyant joy. They calm us as we contemplate walking in the divine light of life that is shed on our ways as we respond in personal faith to the voice of Jesus. Horatius Bonar was one of Scotland’s most gifted and influential ministers and writers of the 19th century. He wrote more than 600 hymn texts throughout his life. "I Hea...

Have you ever been in a place where God does not seem to be anywhere around?  You know, don't you?  You simply feel like you have a hole in your soul.  You feel like you are running on empty and your spiritual apparatus is wheezing along on mere fumes. Bad things just seem to happen on days like this. Like the old country song "Gloom despair and agony on me... deep dark depression... excessive misery.  If it weren't for bad luck, I would have no luck at all... Gloom despair and agony on me." What's a person to do?  Good question.   How about trying this on for size:  Think about where, in the Bible we hear these words spoken at Creation: " God breathed into man the breath of life and he became a living soul."  God "breathed" and we "became."  Jesus did this as well when He "breathed on His disciples and said 'receive the Holy Spirit.' " Guess what I am trying to say is that, when bad things happen to you, a good p...

I have watched in amazement how the issue of Homosexuality has taken over a whole bunch of discussion in our culture in America.  So much so that, even in the United Methodist Church (Yup! I am a Christ Follower who happens to be a Methodist.) we battle over this issue all the way up to General Conference, where Church policy and polity is made. Some call folks "haters" who describe this sin as the worst of the worst; meanwhile the name callers who call folks "haters" frame homosexuality as a civil right, and call others "bigots" (Not to mention the  afore mentioned "haters") who believe it is sin. Let me make this clear.  It don't matter what we mere humans decide... PERIOD!  In the end,  we all are going to stand before the Creator. He will most definitely sort all of us out. So where does the ole SoJourner stand on this.  I believe scripture is clear regarding ALL sin, and it does NOT exclude homosexuality.  I believe that a Savior has...

Found written on the wall in Mother Teresa's home for children in Calcutta:   P eople are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered.   Forgive them anyway. I f you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives.   Be kind anyway. I f you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies.  Succeed anyway. I f you are honest and sincere, people may deceive you.   Be honest and sincere anyway.        W hat you spend years creating  others could destroy overnight.  Create anyway. I f you find serenity and happiness,  some may be jealous.  Be happy anyway. T he good you do today will often be forgotten.   Do good anyway. G ive the best you have, and it will never be enough.  Give your best anyway. I n the final analysis, it is between you and God.  It was NEVER between you and them ANYWAY!!!! ++++++++++ Now Y...

Learn to view every person, place, event of situation, (whether it is or is not disturbing) as being exactly the way it is suppose to be... at the moment. Absolutely nothing takes the God (who loves me) by surprise.  Nothing happens in God's universe by mistake; therefore I would do well to concern myself, not so much with what needs to be changed "out there" in the world:  But I would do well to concern myself with what I need to be or God wants me to be at the moment under the circumstances I am facing.  Try This And Be Blessed 2-day ... Especially 2-day SoJourner PS.  Please Watch Videos Above 

As the earth can produce nothing unless seeds are sown, water is applied and it is all bathed in the sun... Even so we can do nothing worthwhile for God without sowing positive spiritual seeds, Allowing the "living water" of HIS SPIRIT to flow spiritedly upon upon us,  And resting (for a while) in the  light of  HIS S-O-N...  Then and only then can we live fruitful lives that glorify God.   Al McGowen SoJourner  

O LORD, You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have   recorded each one in your book.   Psalm 56:8 Let this help you today... Especially Today SoJourner