Without your mercy, I will die. Apart from your forgiveness, you will consume me in the fires of your holy judgment. How can I live apart from you? I would be lost entirely! Yet, how can I live in your presence? I should be devoured by your holy wrath! I will hide in Jesus. In … Continue reading Prayer Note #49 — A Prayer for Those Who Know Their Sins Well
Tag: Gary Chorpenning
Pastor Note #57 — Worship: A Surprising Conversation with God?
We script them out carefully, planning each part of the service diligently and in detail, so that we know who will do each part of the service, when they will do it, what they will say while they are doing it, and how long it will take them to do it. Then, we commit the … Continue reading Pastor Note #57 — Worship: A Surprising Conversation with God?
Prayer Note #48 — A Preachers Prayer to Be Used Rightly by the Word of God
[Yes, that's what I meant to say: "to be used rightly by the word of God."] Your word, Lord, is alive and powerful in the ears of faith. Grant me believing ears, so that I will hear your word clearly and welcome your word warmly into my mind, my heart, and my life. My calling … Continue reading Prayer Note #48 — A Preachers Prayer to Be Used Rightly by the Word of God
Prayer Note #47–A Prayer for Pure Pleasure
Lord, my Shepherd, shepherd my wayward will. Keep prodding me back onto the right path. You see my mind -- how it wanders after pretty, poisonous pleasures. I beg your help. Keep me from pursuing those enticing, envenomed enchantments Capture my heart with visions of your true joy, the powerfully pure pleasures of your kingdom. … Continue reading Prayer Note #47–A Prayer for Pure Pleasure
Prayer Note #46 — A Channel of Blessing: a Pastor’s Prayer
[Although I have called this a "Pastor's Prayer," with a slight adjustment of the language, this prayer might well work as a prayer for any Christian who wants to be a channel of blessing to the people in their lives. And what Christian wouldn't want to be a channel of God's blessing in the lives … Continue reading Prayer Note #46 — A Channel of Blessing: a Pastor’s Prayer
BIBLE NOTE #18–Matthew14:22-33: Adventures in Water-walking with Jesus
ADVENTURES IN WATER-WALKING WITH JESUS I love this passage – Matthew 14:22-32. But I’m still not sure I understand what Peter had in mind (v.28). It all happened one dark, windy night out in the middle of the Sea of Galilee. It’s typically called a “sea,” but really it’s a large, freshwater lake. Still, … Continue reading BIBLE NOTE #18–Matthew14:22-33: Adventures in Water-walking with Jesus
Pastor Note #56 — On Marriage and Redemption
I’ve been married now for almost twenty-nine years. So has my wife. We got married at the same time. I think I can say without much hesitation that my wife and I have a good marriage. It has been a tremendous blessing to my life. Nothing in my life has quite equaled it, except … Continue reading Pastor Note #56 — On Marriage and Redemption
Poem #1 My Grandma’s Old, Orange Cat
MY GRANDMA'S OLD, ORANGE CAT My grandma had an old, orange cat Older than me when I knew him. A stern companion, Not always patient with little boys, He bore his age With as much dignity as an old cat can, Though in his last summer The flies bothered him. In the end, he liked … Continue reading Poem #1 My Grandma’s Old, Orange Cat
Backyard Note #6 — Singers, Lovers, Assassins
"Voyeur!" had been my wife's reply to my text message. And I suppose It was a fair assessment. I had been quite brazen about it, although I couldn't get too close for fear of disturbing the couple. Well, actually, the scene was edgier than that. I was watching and photographing a menage a trois, a … Continue reading Backyard Note #6 — Singers, Lovers, Assassins
Pastor Note #55 — The Joy and Humility of Pastoral Ministry
Last Fall, I passed my thirtieth anniversary in pastoral ministry. At one of its meetings around that time, our presbytery recognized those of us who were marking anniversaries in multiples of five –tenth, fifteenth, twentieth, etc. They started with the smaller anniversaries and worked up. It took them a little while to get to … Continue reading Pastor Note #55 — The Joy and Humility of Pastoral Ministry
Gary Chorpenning's Notebooks 