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Christmas Bells by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow I heard the bells on Christmas Day Their old, familiar carols play, And wild and sweet The words repeat Of peace on earth, good-will to men! And thought how, as the day had come, The belfries of all Christendom Had rolled along The unbroken song Of peace on earth, good-will to men! Till ringing, singing on its way, The world revolved from night to day, A voice, a chime, A chant sublime Of peace on earth, good-will to men! Then from each black, accursed mouth The cannon thundered in the South, And with the sound The carols drowned Of peace on earth, good-will to men! It was as if an earthquake rent The hearth-stones of a continent, And made forlorn The households born Of peace on earth, good-will to men! And in despair I bowed my head; "There is no peace on earth," I said; "For hate is strong, And mocks the song Of peace on earth, good-will to men!" Then pealed the bells more loud and deep: ...

When Heaven Held It's Breath ! iPhone

Matthew 1:23  "The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel" (which means "God with us").   Isaías 7 Por tanto, el Señor mismo os dará señal: He aquí que la virgen concebirá, y dará a luz un hijo, y llamará su nombre Emanuel. iPhone

Check out this video on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txm-QjMuGkU&feature=youtube_gdata_player iPhone

  John 5 (Msg) Soon another Feast came around and Jesus was back in Jerusalem.   Near the Sheep Gate in Jerusalem there was a pool, in Hebrew called Bethesda, with five alcoves. Hundreds of sick people—blind, crippled, paralyzed—were in these alcoves. One man had been an invalid there for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him stretched out by the pool and knew how long he had been there, he said, "Do you want to get well?" 7 The sick man said, "Sir, when the water is stirred, I don't have anybody to put me in the pool. By the time I get there, somebody else is already in." 8-9 Jesus said, "Get up, take your bedroll, start walking." The man was healed on the spot. He picked up his bedroll and walked off.   Jesus went to the pool of Bethesda. There he found an eager crowd waiting for the stirring of the water. It was said that when the water mysteriously moved that whomever was first into the pool would be healed from whatever malady t...

One of the GREAT joys of serving God is that He is Lord of everything. This means I encounter Him...Everywhere. He invites me today as His child to ride His royal train !! Psalm 97:5 The mountains melt like wax before the LORD, before the Lord of all the earth.

 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. iPhone

Dear Mr. Potter, After reviewing your records and studying your case I have reached a conclusion. Due to the extensive damage to your heart, your hope of a sustainable, meaningful, and fulfilling life has been greatly minimized. For your sake, immediate action is necessary and essential. Maladies of this kind are NOT rare. Cases such as yours are seen on a daily basis; however, treatment is often overlooked.  I feel it necessary, almost obligatory, to make you aware of a procedure that exits which has proven to be entirely successful. Patients that undergo this aggressive procedure have resumed not only a normal life but one that surpasses it. Testimonies from some have been that of extraordinary abundant living. This radical procedure in question is a non-invasive Heart Transplant . Make no mistake; this is a delicate procedure that requires the commitment of your mind and soul to be effective. There is only one physician capable of performing this delicate operation a...

Matthew 5:4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Dr Bowen shared this verse with me early this morning. It was the daily verse sent to his iPhone. When he read it he said his thoughts went to me and the chaplain service. The verse stuck in my head all day. I began to look for expressions of the verse in patients I visited. The promise of the verse was occurring all around me. God was meeting the mournful in multiple places, in diverse ways, on many levels. The reality of this promise drove home with me when Dr. Rickard stopped me in the hall to ask if I would see one of her patients. She shared about a patient that had been denied a life saving transplant. She explained that when she discussed this information with him, as you might expect, he erupted into tears and a host of human emotion. A few hours later I was sitting with this patient listening to his life's story. Moments later, I witnessed him give his life to Christ. I...

What is done medically is only temporary. What is done spiritually last for eternity. I hear this expression repeated again and again by several of our Christian doctors. Today I saw the immediate impact it had on a patient. Mr. M is dying from cardiomyopathy. A disease in the heart. I stood by his bedside and listened to L. Abraham share with him that every physical and medical procedure had been done leaving no other options. The attention quickly moved to the spiritual. Mr. M talked about his spiritual relationships and his need to be baptized. He admitted that he was out of fellowship with God and wanted to rededicate his life to Christ. In the middle of the ward, with other patients all around, Mr. M re- committed his life to Christ. Afterward he shared about a roommate that had died a few days ago and the frightening yet spiritual effect it had on him. Tears of joy came over him as he thanked us for helping reintroduce him to a heavenly Father that cared for him ...

Leviticus 17:11 For the life...is in the blood, it is the blood that makes atonement for one's life. Listening to doctors and physicians talk all day about hemanalysis  reminds me that indeed the power is in the blood. A single drop of blood can provide enough medical information to diagnosis practically every condition. We all know that its impossible to sustain physical life without blood. It brings life giving oxygen and protein and antibiotics (etc.) to the entire body.  What about Spiritual life?  Our scripture says that... Life,  is in the blood. Spiritual life, everlasting life, is in the precious blood of Jesus Christ. Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace The verse in Leviticus is referring to the animal sacrifice that was required from worshipers. Atonement for sin called for a costly and living sacrifice. During the days of atonement, the chil...

The only authority Satan has over us is that which we surrender to him. Subtleties of his rule over us and threats of his command are only a rouse. All authority has been granted to our Lord Jesus Christ and and given to us. Matthew 28:18 Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me." Actually, regarding authority, its quite the opposite. Satan flees at our command!   James 4:7 So let God work his will in you. Yell a loud no to the Devil and watch him scamper. (MSG) Fear is the dark room where Satan develops his negatives. His accusing tone and threats have no dominion over the children of God. To succumb to his schemes would be like an all star athlete being enslaved by a heckler from the cheap seats. King David said it best. ... The Lord prepares a table for us in the presence of the enemy (Ps.23). God would never give Satan the keys to the kingdom, and neither should you surrender your keys to ...

  Check out this video on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wp_RHnQ-jgU&feature=youtube_gdata_player Matthew 9:36 (NIV)     When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.    There's no fitting modern version of the Judean country side in which Jesus met the crowd of seekers than Macy's department store during the holiday shopping season.   The rapturous and thunderous applause at the conclusion of the chorus reveals to me a divine need that had been met by this random act of kindness. In a world of chaos and confusion, people have a swelling intrinsic need to connect with a God of wonder, amazement, and majesty; something bigger than themselves; a celestial vision that sets chaos in order!   By nature of life, work, pressure, and toil we all can easily lower our heads and drudge through life with short goals of just finishing the day or making it to th...

Dr. Richardson asked me if I could visit the patient in 439. I believe he could use your help was the phase he used. Of course I agreed. Mr. J was a homeless young man that presented himself with a variety of health problems that are associated with an indigent life. We had a warm conversation and I found him to be an intelligent person that seemed to choose homelessness as an easier way to feed addiction. After I grasped an understanding of his life picture I began to ask him some pointed questions regarding faith in Christ. Mr. J had made a public profession of Christ just a few months back. He confessed that after receiving the Lord he slipped back into his homeless routine and landed once again, flat of his back. I asked if he had ever been baptized. He answered no. I explained about hospital baptism and that I would be willing to perform if he would like. He quickly agreed. We spoke for several minutes more on a variety of things, mostly regarding addictions, vi...

I was able to do something today that is every "papa's" dream, I took Allison to the VA today and she shadowed a couple of physician's. It took several weeks to set it up. She shadowed our mental health doctors and their medical teams. She sat in on the teams as they discussed treatment plans and then went with them as the made rounds visiting with patients. I was extremely proud of her and her professionalism. The doctors and med. students she met seemed to be equally impressed. I asked her to describe in one sentence her experience. She thought for a minute and said, "... A four word sentence pop... phe · no · me · nal." Well, besides all the hot doctors she's now in love with, I think she might have found a career path. I'm glad she loves Jesus. :) iPhone

A sick man turned to his doctor, as he was preparing to leave the examination room ... ...and said, "Doctor, I am afraid to die. Tell me what lies on the other side." Very quietly, the doctor said, "I don't know." "You don't know? You, a Christian man, do not know what is on the other side?" The doctor was holding the handle of the door; on the other side of which came a sound of scratching and whining, and as he opened the door, a dog sprang into the room and leaped on him with an eager show of gladness. Turning to the patient, the doctor said, "Did you notice my dog? He's never been in this room before. He didn't know what was inside. He knew nothing except that his master was here, and when the door opened, he sprang in without fear. I know little of what is on the other side of death, but I do know one thing...I know my Master is there and that is enough."                               ...

I n the early days of Angie's ministry, she began to feel the weight of continuous church gossip and strife. It seemed to be an initiation for every new children s minister. Her anxiety began to take a toll. She would have resolve by day and resignation by night. S he felt that her every move was scrutinized and undermined. One evening, her stress came to a head. My heart was breaking for her. A s a pastor for 25 years I knew the experience she was having all to well. I knew that I could neither remove her obstacles or relieve them. It seemed that God was using these experiences for a purpose we couldn't define. That particular evening, I asked for her to lay down and listen to this song that I've qued up for all our "Strong Coffee" friends. I wanted this song to serve as a reminder to her that no matter what she went through, God and those that loved her dearly were there with her. A s she listened to the song she wept. God revea...

History of revivals all reveal a common thread. When Gods people pray, God opens the windows of heaven. In most of these occasions the prayer for revival went on for months and years without fruit. Before the great awakening of the late 17th century, John Wesley, Charles Finney, George Whitfield and others, prayed earnestly for decades that revival would fall. For decades a small prayer group has prayed that revival would come to the VA hospital in Nashville. Steadily through the years the praying continued. In our prayer group today we had doctors, nurses, housekeeping, pharmacist, chaplains, a full representation. Several were there for the first time. Employees that heard from others about the prayer time were there. Most importantly, God was there, and His Holy Spirit descended upon us all! The prayer time had a sense of urgency and anticipation like none I've ever witnessed. I can only believe that God is preparing a ground swell of revival to occur in our ve...

Lord, Thou Great Physician,  I kneel before Thee.  Since every good and perfect  gift must come from Thee: I Pray Give skill to my hand,  clear vision to my mind,  kindness and sympathy to my heart.  Give me singleness of purpose,  strength to lift at least a part  of the burden of those under my care,  and a true realization of the rare privilege  that is mine. Take from my heart  all guile and worldliness,  that with the simple faith of a child  I may rely on Thee. Amen Author Unknown

Matthew 25:35-40 "I was hungry and you fed me, I was thirsty and you gave me a drink, I was homeless and you gave me a room, I was shivering and you gave me clothes, I was sick and you stopped to visit,                          I was in prison and you came to me.' "…Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me—you did it to me."  (Message) Never before have I seen this verse in action as much as it is at Operation Stand Down Nashville. This seems to be the driving force behind this remarkable agency. Operation Stand Down Nashville (OSDN) is a veteran non-profit agency that reaches out to our nation's veterans and assists them with employment, transitional housing, legal services, referrals, and more. "Stand Down" is a military term which describes the movement of soldiers in combat to a safe place. OSDN serves as a po...

2 Timothy 2 Timothy, my dear son, be strong through the grace that God gives you in Christ Jesus. 2 You have heard me teach things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others. 3 Endure suffering along with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 Soldiers don't get tied up in the affairs of civilian life, for then they cannot please the officer who enlisted them. Affairs of this life can lure us away from what is good, noble, and trustworthy. While pastoring, I witnessed this happen time and again. A teacher decides to make a case over something unrelated to teaching and next thing you hear is she/he has given up the class. A musician decides to create gossip over another musician and the next thing you here is everyone in the group is mired in controversy. A pastor decides to get involved in a local issue or club and the next thing you hear is the congregation i...

For months the world watched and prayed as 33 Chilean miners remained trapped nearly 2 kilometers in the heart of the earth. News updates came from around the globe on the welfare of the men and the heroic men and women that assisted recovery. The rescue effort brought experts from every major county to assist and advise the crews. No costs was spared as the eyes of the world were upon them. When the men were lifted out, one by one, the cheers and applause were universally heard and seen in studios, living rooms, lobby's, restaurants, and lecture halls. In a sociology class, a professor asked his students this question. "What is the most valuable thing to come out of a mine." Some of the students shouted gold, some said silver, others shouted diamonds. The professor rejected every answer. "The most valuable thing to come from a mine," he said,  "is a Miner !" A physician said to me just days ago that he felt it important to...

 People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered.  Forgive them anyway. If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives.  Be kind anyway. If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies.  Succeed anyway. If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you.  Be honest and sincere anyway. What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight.  Create anyway. If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous.  Be happy anyway. The good you do today, will often be forgotten.  Do good anyway. Give the best you have, and it will never be enough.  Give your best anyway. In the final analysis, it is between you and God.  It was never between you and them anyway. It's between you and God...! Mother Teresa had it right. If God is for us, who can be against us? Serving God in the trenches can be disheartening when your good is evil spoken of.  You ...

The story is told of a WWII infantry unit that was scheduled to lead a decisive push in the famed battle of the bulge. The night before the fight, soldiers were gathered around the fire in a somber, reflective, and intense atmosphere. The Colonel instructed the chaplain to assemble the men and conduct some form of  chapel service. It was apparent for most of the men that the battle for freedom and liberty would soon require the ultimate sacrifice of their lives. Needless to say the air was thick with death and fear. Cautiously the chaplain approached the men and spoke of their call to duty and the value of their sacrifice. The men were silent and downcast as he spoke. The chaplain then asked if any had a favorite hymn,  if any had a poem,  or perhaps a letter from home. He asked if anyone had a word. One soldier broke the silence and said… ”Chap., maybe you need to tell all these men how to meet God!” What a moment of clarity. Sometimes the obvious…is not so o...

There's a saying that if you want to make God laugh, tell Him your plans Whenever you work on the international mission field there is a consistent word of advice you hear over and again: be flexible, plans change! The healthy perspective for you and me is to approach every day with this:          God, I don't know where you're going today          but I'm going with you. Abraham and His brother Lot parted company because their traveling families had become too large to coexist. Abraham said to Lot, "We need to split up. If you go left I'll go right, if you go right I'll go left." To the left were the plains of Sodom and Gommorah. Consequently, Lot chose left and his life was ruined! What if Lot had chosen right? That would have placed Abraham in the cesspool of Sodom. Would Abraham have experienced the same fate as his brother? Not likely. Why? Because Abraham, as a child of ...

"Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, did not hesitate. The fiery furnace was in their future. They didn't presume to understand why or how God could use this experience for His purposes but they were determined to be faithful. Their response to the king was, "Our God will save us from the fire, if not here, then in glory." It wasn't until they were cast into the blazing furnace that the image of the fourth man appeared, the presence of Christ was there! God may have the fiery furnace set before you, but take courage. It is when you are in the fire that the 4th man appears. God will use this for good!" I knew God wanted me to share this Old Testament story. The soldier for whom God had chosen this message was a patient of mine. After speaking to him about these things I wasn't sure how much of it he would remember. His medical situation had left him discouraged and hollow. The following day I stopped in to check on his condition  and ...

"Hello Mr. K, I'm chaplain Thomas. Your doctor asked me to come by. You asked for communion and anointing oil?" "Yes. Come in. Come in. Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Praise him all creatures here below. Praise him above ye heavenly host. Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost." "Oh my," I thought to myself. "I've caught me a live one here." I shook Mr. K's hand and pulled up a chair to chat with him for a few minutes. After his opening invocation, my interest was peaked. He asked about my ministry as a chaplain and I shared a brief outline of the work. I asked him to share about his life, work, family, and service. Mr. K. was warm and delightful. With every detail of his life history he would quote some applicable verse. The joy of the lord was radiant in his life. As he moved from his boyhood to marriage and so forth he spoke of Gods intervention at every turn. "My wife of 65 years went home to be wi...

1 Corinthians 15:57 (Message) But now in a single victorious stroke of Life, all three—sin, guilt, death—are gone, the gift of our Master, Jesus Christ. Thank God! In NCAA football, Alabama reigned number one for weeks until   they met number 12 Carolina. As a friend put it, they didn't just win, they beat them! Consequently, when the South Carolina Gamecocks rolled into UK Wildcats territory Saturday I'm sure that most were thinking it would be a walk in the park. But it wasn't. It was a huge upset. Past victory doesn't insure you any victory today. In our spiritual lives its much the same way.  It doesn't matter what we did yesterday, last week, or last year. What matters is what were doing now.   Today.   Right this moment. Victorious living is a daily achievement. Sin, defeat, and failure lurk in every crevice of our lives. Our Lord conquered our defeat and through Him, triumph awaits us.  For a child of God our victory is found in Chris...

There were two other men crucified with Jesus on that day. Both were sinners Neither were baptized Both were condemned Neither had good works One of them cursed Jesus. The other cried for mercy. One said remember me when you come into your kingdom. The other made fun and mocked Him. One believed in Him as the Christ. The other denied Him. One feared God. The other said He saved others let Him save himself and us. The difference...? One went to heaven for all eternity. The other spent an eternity separated from God in hell. Which one are you? Isaiah 45:22 Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else. iPhone

Cursing... bellowing out expletives... objecting to the very notion that he needed a chaplain. "I don't want to talk to you, I just want to lay here and rest."  I'm fine, just leave me alone". Cursing as I left the room. I was irritated by his rejection but not too much. It wasn't the first time I've been asked to leave. Thoughts of him didn't enter my mind again until early the next day The following morning I met with Dr. D and we were discussing several patients. "I'd like for you to go by and visit Mr. C. in room 214.  He has a psa of over 200. Normal is 4. A psa that elevated indicates a rapid growing cancer of the pancreas.  The medical team met with him this morning. He doesn't have very long." The moment he mentioned the name I new it was the patient that practically threw me out the day before. I left the doctors office and headed toward the room. When I arrived, I found myself hesitating before going in. ...

James 4:14 (NASB) Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. Touring across the state on a road bicycle allows you to see plenty of amazing sights. I was pushing my pedals trying to make it up a 12% grade when I passed a road marker that I'll never forget. The road name was "life road". My mind raced with all the symbolism and metaphors of "traveling down life's road". No sooner than when I had that processed in my head and thinking of who gave the road such an interesting name, I rode past the next country lane. The name of that road was..."life cut off". Some county road engineer was really enjoying themselves. The idea of naming two county roads, life road , and life cut off, is genius. Those two street signs in east TN are still making people think! It's difficult to imagine our lives like a mist or vapor. The fog that rolled off the Cumber...

2 Corinthians 5 (Message) 1-5 For instance, we know that when these bodies of ours are taken down like tents and folded away, they will be replaced by resurrection bodies in heaven—God-made, not handmade—and we'll never have to relocate our "tents" again. Sometimes we can hardly wait to move—and so we cry out in frustration. Compared to what's coming, living conditions around here seem like a stopover in an unfurnished shack, and we're tired of it! We've been given a glimpse of the real thing, our true home, our resurrection bodies! The Spirit of God whets our appetite by giving us a taste of what's ahead. He puts a little of heaven in our hearts so that we'll never settle for less. I'm falling in love with the message translation. It tackles this rather muddled KJV scripture and puts it in beautiful language. However, when a patient of mine passed today, In prayer, I quoted the old text to the best of my recollection and it...

Can you imagine the LORD saying that ? I can. It has a familiar ring to it. Sounds like something a close friend might say or a co-worker. My brother says this to me all the time. We had our first annual Thomas reunion a couple of weeks ago. My doting brother said to me a few times, "...I got this". I can see his little smirk, "...go on John Mark, I got this". He likes to push me out of the way and take charge. He's always been a brute. :) When it comes to serving the Lord, it's nice to have a big brother. Scripture says that Christ sticks closer than a brother. Cast your cares upon the Lord for he cares for you as it says in 1 Peter. I can fancy my heavenly Father saying to me "I got this..." Isn't it wonderful to know that he wants to carry our burdens? He wants to lift our load. He has the power to handle it all. When he says I got this... there's no doubt...HE'S GOT IT! My goal for this week...quit trying...

Colossians 3:12 (The Message) So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Kindness can be the most precious gift you can bestow on others. It's free...but priceless. It's easy...but dynamic. Kindness shouldn't be rare or seldom seen. It's like a smile, how difficult is that? This simple fruit of the spirit has been underrated. Kindness can do more for the kingdom of God than 10 thousand sermons. Simple acts of goodness. Cruelty, harassment, and rudeness are facts of life for so many. Kindness can take many shapes. A smile, a warm hello, gestures of goodness, listening with patience, opening a door, the opportunities are endless. It takes very little effort but the benefits are huge. One of them is the deep sense of pleasure and satisfaction that you get in return from knowing that you did not fail your neighbor in offering to them a small piece of yourself. The pie...

Three weeks ago a request came to the chaplains office that Dr. Dunn, an attending physician at the VA, wanted a chaplain to join his medical team. Dr. Dunn has traveled across the world doing medical missions. Working alongside missionaries and pastors they met physical needs and then turned to address spiritual needs. His desire and prayer is that this holistic healing approach could be brought to the VA level. This pilot program would involve a chaplain on the medical team as a key component. Physical and spiritual needs would be addressed simultaneously. God in his wisdom allowed me to join Dr. Dunn for this awesome opportunity. After daily morning briefings on the patients we began making rounds on the floor. The resident doctors, Dr. Dunn, and I would gather around the patient and discuss treatment plans. The doctors would introduce me as the VA chaplain and with the involvement of Dr. Dunn we would inquire about their spiritual needs or questions. In many...

Good ole Church signs. Gotta luv'em!! Coming home from the hospital I saw this one... "Free trip to heaven. Details inside" Now I'm a little brain fried from work today so indulge me for a moment. Chuck Swindoll said that in communication, we rarely say what we mean. Christ loved the church and that even means when we say things that come out...weird. Hey, what's wrong with this statement? Well it's not about the statement being wrong. It's about saying a right thing poorly. Kinda like what I just said... I didn't explain that very well. Let me try again. Free...? The gift of eternal life...is not a freebie. Christ paid dearly with his own blood. And..implying that the Christian life is like a free ride is...cheap... and less than realistic. Christ said that we consider the cost and it is complete surrender. Trip...? Heaven is...not really a trip. Be back next week...? Need anyone to house sit for you...? To heaven...? T...

Open windows...doors...portals...cracks...a crevice Spiritual entrances made visible to a looker A maze of tangled web...a labyrinth laid bare from a failed perception of reality. Adversity...trials...pain, though pitiful, erodes the clutter masking the human heart. A clearing away of pride and pretentious walls. An opening. The spirit drawing. Christ attentive to one look. A glance at the cross of possibility...opportunity. A suffering soul meeting the suffering servant. When laid bare...possibilities arise. Though small...a mustard seed of faith can reverse the course. A joy...no, a privilege, of unspeakable degree, to share the way, the truth, the life. Making sense of immeasurable love. Giving the oil of gladness for mourning. iPhone