The Dennis Jernigan Podcast

In this week's episode, Dennis Jernigan shares the story behind his song,  “The Source” from the recording, Forty Days and Forty Nights - Songs of Contemplation and Intimacy Vol. 1." That mp3 is available at https://www.dennisjernigan.com/store/product.php?c=24&p=2353 The lyrics can be found below.

You can join Dennis and the people of All In All Church for live-stream worship on the first Wednesday evening of each month. Just go to https://www.facebook.com/therealdennisjernigan at 7 PM CST. Mark it in your calendar. Worship with All in All Church - First Wednesday of each month.

Daily Devotions for Kingdom Seekers, Vol. 3 is available at https://www.amazon.com/Daily-Devotions-Kingdom-Seekers-Vol-ebook/dp/B081K8TZLX

Check out my Patreon page at https://www.patreon.com/DennisJernigan and read through the various tiers of support and discover the myriad of benefits you will receive based on the level of support you choose. If you're willing, go ahead and sign up!

You will find the show notes and lyrics below:

Hello and welcome to the Dennis Jernigan podcast. Through the years God has seen fit to give me many songs and there's a story behind each and everyone of them. This week’s song is no different. The song is called The Source and it can found on my recording Forty Days & Forty Nights - Songs of Contemplation and Intimacy, Volume One.

This particular song came on May 8, 2010, which happened to be day six of a 40 Day Fast I was doing as a means of cleansing my soul, mind, and body in order to draw closer to Jesus. That means of helping me keep my eyes and mind focused on Jesus, I was meditating daily on Psalm 40 and on Isaiah 40. This song came as I meditated on Psalm 40 verse three part a which says, “Many will see and fear And will trust in the LORD.”

In those days I was still traveling and ministering around the world quite a bit and honestly felt a bit overwhelmed and out of control of my life. It seems like my life was well ordered and very much in sync with the Lord, but reality was that I had many things I was clinging to which the Lord wanted me to release to him.

Some of the hardest things to release in my life involved my children. Basically, I was having to learn to let them go and release them to begin their own adult journeys without me trying to control or manipulate them in anyway regarding the choices they would need to make on their own.

On another level, the political climate of those days was becoming quite hostile toward me which, in turn, worked against me feeling free enough and safe enough to share my story of deliverance from same-sex attraction. Even though I knew God was the source of my strength, I begin to recognize during the fast that there were still areas of fear that I needed to deal with.

I desperately needed to strip away all the fear from every area of my life and I did this by reminding myself that God loves me with the passion and intensity of 100 million stars and that he is the absolute source of everything good in my life. He spoke the universe into existence. He set every star, every galaxy, and every planet in just the exact place in the gravitational force to sustain life. Quite simply, I truly needed to see him as my all in all.

The Lord reminded me that he would be with me every step of the way through this journey we call life. He reminded me that I was never and had never ever been alone. He reminded me I was not here to be served but that I was here to lay down my life as a servant to those around me. He reminded me that even if I lost my life due to my faith, there would be no big change because I would still be with him. The bottom line was becoming quite evident to me. I needed to see Jesus Christ as the source, as the only one who could truly meet my deepest needs.

And let's take the next five minutes and simply acknowledge the fact that Jesus Christ is the source of everything we all need. He is here. Let’s acknowledge that truth whether we feel anything or not. Let’s plug into out Source right now. Ready?

SONG

Regardless of our circumstances, regardless of the countless hurts and wounds we receive throughout this journey we call life, and regardless of what anyone else thinks about our faith in Jesus, our God is the ultimate source and he is ultimately in control…especially when our lives seem to be spinning out of control. I have Parkinson's and I hate it, but I believe my God is able to use it for my good and for his glory - and that is enough for me. My personal goal is to just simply stay connected to him each and every moment of each and every day.

John 15:4-9 in the NIV has become very dear to me due to my health issues. In these verses, Jesus says it so clearly and I take it so personally: 4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. 9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.’

No matter what, I must remain connected to Him. I must - WE must - remain in His love. It is in this place of God’s love that the cares of this world - even Parkinson’s - is unable to touch me. And I can live…I mean REALLY live…with that.

Thank you for tuning in to The Dennis Jernigan Podcast! For more about my journey, music, and updates, visit dennisjernigan.com. Stay connected by following me on Facebook, Instagram, and enjoy my music on various streaming platforms. If you'd like to support this podcast's creation or the many various ways I still seek to minister the life and love of Jesus to others, consider joining my team at www.patreon.com/dennisjernigan.

If you're looking for the mp3 of the song “The Source" from the album "Forty Days and Forty Nights - Songs of Contemplation and Intimacy Vol. 1," head over to the store at dennisjernigan.com or find it on your favorite streaming service.

Remember this from today's episode: the one and only place in the entire universe to have all your needs met is in our relationship with Jesus Christ through faith. He is the vine from which we receive the fulness of life and we are the branch which extends His life and love to others. You and I are not here for ourselves. We are servants of the Kingdom…even with something like Parkinson’s thrown into the mix. My plan? To minister to the needs of others in spite of Parkinson’s. Now, go forth and embrace the truth of who your heavenly Father says you are.

 
The Source
Words & Music by Dennis Jernigan
Received on May 8, 2010
Psalm 40:3b
©2010 Shepherd’s Heart Music, Inc./Dennis Jernigan
Administered by PraiseCharts.com
 
Verse
All of the things that I think I need
Do I control them or do they control me
Feed the hunger, quench the thirst in me
Take control of my lack of control
Loose the grip of my sense I see hold
And feed the hunger, quench the thirst in me
 
Chorus
And many will see, and many will hear
And many will know, and many will fear
That you are the reason, You are the answer
To their existence
 
So here is my life Lord, take it and use it
I will find life the moment I lose it
You are the reason, You are the answer to my existence
You are the source, You are my source
 
Verse Two
I am not here for my own happiness
You created me to proclaim and confess
That you alone are God and very source
 
I will be the cloth used to wash men’s feet
Hid behind the cross helping others to see
That you alone are God the very source

Chorus
And many will see, and many will hear
And many will know, and many will fear
That you are the reason, You are the answer
To their existence
 
So here is my life Lord, take it and use it
I will find life the moment I lose it
You are the reason, You are the answer to my existence

Chorus
And many will see, and many will hear
And many will know, and many will fear
That you are the reason, You are the answer
To their existence
 
So here is my life Lord, take it and use it
I will find life the moment I lose it
You are the reason, You are the answer to my existence
You are the source, You are the source

In this week's episode, Dennis Jernigan shares the story behind his song,  “Hallelujah! He Reigns In Majesty” from the recording, "Kingdom Come." That mp3 is available at https://www.dennisjernigan.com/store/product.php?c=34&p=3782 To download the Annē Jernigan and her sister's version, go to https://www.dennisjernigan.com/store/product.php?c=24&p=477

You can join Dennis and the people of All In All Church for live-stream worship on the first Wednesday evening of each month. Just go to https://www.facebook.com/therealdennisjernigan at 7 PM CST. Mark it in your calendar. Worship with All in All Church - First Wednesday of each month.

Daily Devotions for Kingdom Seekers, Vol. 3 is available at https://www.amazon.com/Daily-Devotions-Kingdom-Seekers-Vol-ebook/dp/B081K8TZLX

Check out my Patreon page at https://www.patreon.com/DennisJernigan and read through the various tiers of support and discover the myriad of benefits you will receive based on the level of support you choose. If you're willing, go ahead and sign up!

In this week's episode, Dennis Jernigan shares the story behind his song,  “'Til The Walls Fall Down” from the recording, "Giant Killer: A Heart Like David." That mp3 is available at https://www.dennisjernigan.com/store/product.php?c=34&p=2127

You can join Dennis and the people of All In All Church for live-stream worship on the first Wednesday evening of each month. Just go to https://www.facebook.com/therealdennisjernigan at 7 PM CST. Mark it in your calendar. Worship with All in All Church - First Wednesday of each month.

Daily Devotions for Kingdom Seekers, Vol. 3 is available at https://www.amazon.com/Daily-Devotions-Kingdom-Seekers-Vol-ebook/dp/B081K8TZLX

Check out my Patreon page at https://www.patreon.com/DennisJernigan and read through the various tiers of support and discover the myriad of benefits you will receive based on the level of support you choose. If you're willing, go ahead and sign up!

In this week's episode, Dennis Jernigan shares the story behind his song,  “Say It Loud” from the recording, "Giant Killer: A Heart Like David." That mp3 is available at https://www.dennisjernigan.com/store/product.php?c=34&p=2127

You can join Dennis and the people of All In All Church for live-stream worship on the first Wednesday evening of each month. Just go to https://www.facebook.com/therealdennisjernigan at 7 PM CST. Mark it in your calendar. Worship with All in All Church - First Wednesday of each month.

Daily Devotions for Kingdom Seekers, Vol. 3 is available at https://www.amazon.com/Daily-Devotions-Kingdom-Seekers-Vol-ebook/dp/B081K8TZLX

Check out my Patreon page at https://www.patreon.com/DennisJernigan and read through the various tiers of support and discover the myriad of benefits you will receive based on the level of support you choose. If you're willing, go ahead and sign up!

In this week's episode, Dennis Jernigan shares the story behind his song,  “Nobody Can Take My Life Away” from the recording, "Celebrate Living." That mp3 is available at https://www.dennisjernigan.com/store/product.php?c=24&p=1289

You can join Dennis and the people of All In All Church for live-stream worship on the first Wednesday evening of each month. Just go to https://www.facebook.com/therealdennisjernigan at 7 PM CST. Mark it in your calendar. Worship with All in All Church - First Wednesday of each month.

Daily Devotions for Kingdom Seekers, Vol. 3 is available at https://www.amazon.com/Daily-Devotions-Kingdom-Seekers-Vol-ebook/dp/B081K8TZLX

Check out my Patreon page at https://www.patreon.com/DennisJernigan and read through the various tiers of support and discover the myriad of benefits you will receive based on the level of support you choose. If you're willing, go ahead and sign up!

In this week's episode, Dennis Jernigan shares the story behind his song,  “All Over Me” from the recording, "Giant Killer: A Heart Like David." That mp3 is available at https://www.dennisjernigan.com/store/product.php?c=24&p=501

You can join Dennis and the people of All In All Church for live-stream worship on the first Wednesday evening of each month. Just go to https://www.facebook.com/therealdennisjernigan at 7 PM CST. Mark it in your calendar. Worship with All in All Church - First Wednesday of each month.

Daily Devotions for Kingdom Seekers, Vol. 3 is available at https://www.amazon.com/Daily-Devotions-Kingdom-Seekers-Vol-ebook/dp/B081K8TZLX

Check out my Patreon page at https://www.patreon.com/DennisJernigan and read through the various tiers of support and discover the myriad of benefits you will receive based on the level of support you choose. If you're willing, go ahead and sign up!

In this week's episode, Dennis Jernigan shares the story behind his song,  “Amazed” from the recording, Forty Days and Forty Nights - Songs of Contemplation and Intimacy Vol. 1." That mp3 is available at https://www.dennisjernigan.com/store/product.php?c=24&p=2353 The lyrics can be found below.

You can join Dennis and the people of All In All Church for live-stream worship on the first Wednesday evening of each month. Just go to https://www.facebook.com/therealdennisjernigan at 7 PM CST. Mark it in your calendar. Worship with All in All Church - First Wednesday of each month.

Daily Devotions for Kingdom Seekers, Vol. 3 is available at https://www.amazon.com/Daily-Devotions-Kingdom-Seekers-Vol-ebook/dp/B081K8TZLX

Check out my Patreon page at https://www.patreon.com/DennisJernigan and read through the various tiers of support and discover the myriad of benefits you will receive based on the level of support you choose. If you're willing, go ahead and sign up!

You will find the show notes and lyrics below:

Hello and welcome to another episode of The Dennis Jernigan Podcast. I’m your host, Dennis Jernigan, and I am so grateful you have joined me for this week’s podcast. I’ll try to get right to the heart of the matter today. The story behind this song is amazing to me. You’ll find out why shortly. 

We live in a day and age when amazing things are taking place on a daily basis. Everyday citizens, if they have the time and money, can literally fly into outer space. A person’s identity, their image, and their voice and mannerisms can be manipulated in such a way as to make them appear to say and do things they would never do. Even though it gives me chills, this ability of AI, called deep fake, is kind of amazing. And speaking of AI, entire books are being written using artificial intelligence and new uses for AI are seemingly popping up every single day. And I think it is amazing that we live in a world where everyone is connected via the internet and smartphones to such a degree that we can talk with and see anyone we would like to communicate with instantly. The world is indeed amazing.

The word ‘amazing’ literally means ‘causing great surprise or wonder; astonishing; startlingly impressive.’ That is a good thing to experience, yet even good things can be viewed through the filter of the lies of the enemy. Here’s an example of what I mean taken from my now life experiences:

For far too many years I allowed the lies of the enemy to define me and dictate to me what was amazing. I could see the way others treated me as amazing in a very perverted way. What I mean by that is this: I thought that someone mocking me or physically harming me meant that at least someone was acknowledging me, even if they were insulting me and belittling me. I longed to be known and to know others and that expectation of being put down by others at least made me feel acknowledged. That, my friends, is the depth of depravity my mind had fallen to which is, well, astonishingly sad. That all changed the day I was overwhelmed with the Truth that Jesus Christ had died for me. I was instantly set free from my past but had to walk out the wonderful but difficult journey toward wholeness. In fact, I’m still on that journey. I invite you to join me for today’s brief leg of that adventure as I share the story behind my song, “Amazed”.

Way back in 2010, I embarked on an adventure that lasted 40 days but continues to affect my life to this day. From May 3 through June 11 I went on a 40 day fast. I needed to reboot my system because I had just gone through a series of traumatic events that left me gutted. The Lord called me to a fast and led me to meditate daily on Psalm 40 and Isaiah 40. He spoke to my heart and told me He would give me a song each day of the fast and that I was to record it that same day. Since then, I put together 4 ten song volumes where you can find all 40 songs. The first ten songs are on the collection called Forty Days and Forty Nights - Songs of Contemplation and Intimacy Vol. 1.

This week’s episode is the story behind the song “Amazed” which came to me on May 8, 2010 which was day 5 of that fast. When the Lord sent me on this fasting journey, He led me to focus and meditate on Psalm 40 and Isaiah 40 each day. He led me to write a song each day and then record it that very same day. What you are hearing is the original version of each song on the day I actually wrote it.

On day 5, He led me to meditate specifically on Psalm 40:3a which says, “He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God…”

As I began to ponder on what this part of the verse meant to me, I felt led to begin just simply praising God for Who He is. It became very apparent that I was meant to live every area of my life as a conduit of praise to Him. In that moment, I was instantly filled with a sense of wonder and a  very keen awareness that the God of the universe, my Creator, was in the room with me in a very tangible way…and that was amazing!

As I began to praise God, I truly was astonished at his presence with me. In that same moment, although I didn't literally see him, I felt the weight of his presence upon my soul. What I was experiencing was the very glory of God in my heart and mind. And that was truly amazing.

As I set my mind free to focus on the presence of God there with me, I felt completely surprised at the depth of love He has for me. I stood back in wonder as I thought about the depth of my depravity as opposed to His depth of mercy toward me. I deserved death and hell, but He had mercy on me as demonstrated in Romans 5:8 in the NIV which says, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” I a so amazed at the mercy of God. I just am…

Even more astonishingly impressive and astonishing was the way He led me to repentance - and continues to do so. He did not belittle me or mock me or reject me as I had experienced as a boy and as a young man. It was His great kindness that led me to repent of my stinkin’ thinkin’…and most impressive and astonishing of all? The realization that He has been lovingly pursing me my entire life; That I was the joy set before Him that drove Him to willingly lay down His life on the cross; That His love could reach as far as I could fall, yet that same love would not leave me in the rock bottom depravity my mind had gotten to.

If I let my mind go to think about the nature and character of God, I think about things he has created; the beauty of nature; the precision of the universe; the resurrection power of Jesus Christ and it's effect on my life; the fact that when I think about Jesus and fix my eyes on him that I find myself completely transfixed with a childlike wonder at just how amazing our God is…and I cannot help but praise Him.

SONG

In Luke 9:37-43 in the NIV, we find Jesus coming down from the mountain after His transfiguration. Here’s what is says:

 37 The next day, when they came down from the mountain, a large crowd met him. 38 A man in the crowd called out, "Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, for he is my only child. 39 A spirit seizes him and he suddenly screams; it throws him into convulsions so that he foams at the mouth. It scarcely ever leaves him and is destroying him. 40 I begged your disciples to drive it out, but they could not." 41 "You unbelieving and perverse generation," Jesus replied, "how long shall I stay with you and put up with you? Bring your son here." 42 Even while the boy was coming, the demon threw him to the ground in a convulsion. But Jesus rebuked the impure spirit, healed the boy and gave him back to his father. 43 And they were all amazed at the greatness of God.

The recording of this podcast took place some 15 years after that initial 40 day fast and I still continue to find God's grace…His restorative grace…Completely and utterly amazing as I did all those in years ago. And it is my belief that we are living in a very amazing time in history, but that this amazing time in history is far overshadowed by the astonishing, incredible, massive and amazing love of Jesus Christ surrounding us at all times, through any circumstances. Let's live our lives like we believe that. We really do have an amazing God!

Thank you for tuning in to The Dennis Jernigan Podcast! For more about my journey, music, and updates, visit dennisjernigan.com. Stay connected by following me on Facebook, Instagram, and enjoy my music on various streaming platforms. If you'd like to support the podcast's creation, consider joining my team at www.patreon.com/dennisjernigan.

If you're looking for the mp3 of the song “Amazed" from the album "Forty Days and Forty Nights - Songs of Contemplation and Intimacy Vol. 1," head over to the store at dennisjernigan.com or find it on your favorite streaming service.

Remember this from today's episode: the constant, unwavering, massive love of God is where we must choose to abide and wait on Him. He is a sure Foundation. He is Solid Ground in a shaken and fallen world. Just keep your eyes fixed on Him and keep your feet firmly planted on the Solid Rock of Jesus Christ. Now, go forth and embrace the truth of who your heavenly Father says you are.
Dennis Jernigan

Forty Days and Forty Nights
Songs of Contemplation and Intimacy V1

Vol. I – Song Five – Day Five
He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God…
Psalm 40:3a NASB
 
Amazed
Words & Music by Dennis Jernigan
Received on May 8, 2010
Psalm 40:3
©2010 Shepherd’s Heart Music, Inc./Dennis Jernigan
 
Verse One
I will praise You in all my ways
I will praise You. I stand amazed
Amazed at Your presence. Amazed at Your glory
Amazed at the power of all the love You have for me
Amazed at Your mercy. Amazed at Your kindness
Amazed at the length you went to rescue to find us
 
Chorus
And I stand amazed. I give You praise and glory
And I stand amazed, can’t take my gaze off You
And I stand amazed and let Your grace restore me
And I stand amazed as I praise you
 
Verse Two
I will praise You in all my ways
I will praise You. I stand amazed
Amazed at Your presence. Amazed at Your glory
Amazed at the power of all the love You have for me
Amazed at Your mercy. Amazed at Your kindness
Amazed at the length you went to rescue to find us

Chorus
And I stand amazed. I give You praise and glory
And I stand amazed, can’t take my gaze off You
And I stand amazed and let Your grace restore me
And I stand amazed as I praise you

Chorus
And I stand amazed. I give You praise and glory
And I stand amazed, can’t take my gaze off You
And I stand amazed and let Your grace restore me
And I stand amazed as I praise you

 
• 7804 W. Fern Mountain Rd. Muskogee, OK 74401
•www.dennisjernigan.com•1-800-877-0406
Administered by PraiseCharts.com

 

In this week's episode, Dennis Jernigan shares the story behind his song,  “Rock of My Life” from the recording, Forty Days and Forty Nights - Songs of Contemplation and Intimacy Vol. 1." That mp3 is available at https://www.dennisjernigan.com/store/product.php?c=24&p=2353 The lyrics can be found below.

You can join Dennis and the people of All In All Church for live-stream worship on the first Wednesday evening of each month. Just go to https://www.facebook.com/therealdennisjernigan at 7 PM CST. Mark it in your calendar. Worship with All in All Church - First Wednesday of each month.

Daily Devotions for Kingdom Seekers, Vol. 3 is available at https://www.amazon.com/Daily-Devotions-Kingdom-Seekers-Vol-ebook/dp/B081K8TZLX

Check out my Patreon page at https://www.patreon.com/DennisJernigan and read through the various tiers of support and discover the myriad of benefits you will receive based on the level of support you choose. If you're willing, go ahead and sign up!

You will find the show notes and lyrics below:

Hello and welcome to another episode of The Dennis Jernigan Podcast. I’m your host, Dennis Jernigan, and I am so grateful you have joined me for this week’s podcast. I’ll get right to the heart of the matter today. For far too many years I allowed the lies of the enemy to define me. That all changed the day I was overwhelmed with the Truth that Jesus Christ had died for me. I was instantly set free from my past but had to walk out the wonderful but difficult journey toward wholeness. In fact, I’m still on that journey. I invite you to join me for today’s brief leg of that adventure as I share the story behind my song, “Rock of My Life”.

Way back in 2010, I embarked on an adventure that lasted 40 days but continues to affect my life to this day. From May 3 through June 11 I went on a 40 day fast. I needed to reboot my system because I had just gone through a series of traumatic events that left me gutted. The Lord called me to a fast and led me to meditate daily on Psalm 40 and Isaiah 40. He spoke to my heart and told me He would give me a song each day of the fast and that I was to record it that same day. Since then, I put together 4 ten song volumes where you can find all 40 songs. The first ten songs are on the collection called Forty Days and Forty Nights - Songs of Contemplation and Intimacy Vol. 1.

This week’s episode is the story behind the song “Rock of My Life” which came to me on May 6, 2010 which was day 4 of that fast.

As soon as I began the fast, I felt God’s presence and love for me and my spiritual hunger for more of Him began to surpass my physical hunger. But what the Lord began to reveal to me was often not always pleasant or easy to hear. He revealed to me that I still believed certain lies about my identity; He showed me that I still battled thoughts of being unlovable and of feeling rejected; He pulled back the curtain of my heart and I saw that I still struggled with doubts and that I often reverted to a victim mentality. It felt like I was suddenly on shaky ground.

On May 6, 2010, I meditated on Psalm 40:2b which says, “And He set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm.” To say I was consumed with what that meant to my soul is an understatement. The sinking sand I had been mired in suddenly began to be replaced by the Solid Rock of my faith in the ever-present presence of my Savior, Jesus Christ.

As I poured out my heart to him in honest confession, anxious thoughts began to fall by the wayside; fear began to melt away from the fire of God's massive love for me; doubt was eradicated; I stepped into an even greater awareness of who I am and of whose I am; as I declared the truth of God's word over my own soul, I suddenly found myself firmly planted on the solid rock of Jesus Christ. From that vantage point, I recognized that I had set my eyes on Dennis - on myself - and we always know how that goes. I saw that in my pride there was no room for Jesus, but as I humbled myself and fixed my eyes on Him, even the most hurtful traumas of my life began to go through a whole new phase of healing.

Let's take a few minutes and listen to the song and, as we do, let us fix our eyes away from ourselves and onto the solid rock of Jesus Christ. Are you ready?

SONG

As I have said in the past few episodes, these songs have taken on a whole new meaning for me since my diagnosis of Parkinson's in 2019. But the truth of the matter is that I have discovered the rock solid foundation of faith in Jesus Christ is even more solid and more steadfast than I could ever could have imagined experiencing in this life. Jesus is indeed a steadfast rock…the Rock of My Salvation…and will continue to be so until the day I die - and far beyond. The bottom line? I am not a victim. I am a victor because of the victorious work of Jesus on the cross and because of His victory over sin, death, and the grave. I am full of resurrection power…and so are you, my fellow new creations in Christ.

Thank you for tuning in to The Dennis Jernigan Podcast! For more about my journey, music, and updates, visit dennisjernigan.com. Stay connected by following me on Facebook, Instagram, and enjoy my music on various streaming platforms. If you'd like to support the podcast's creation, consider joining my team at www.patreon.com/dennisjernigan.

If you're looking for the mp3 of the song “Rock of My Life" from the album "Forty Days and Forty Nights - Songs of Contemplation and Intimacy Vol. 1," head over to the store at dennisjernigan.com or find it on your favorite streaming service.

Remember this from today's episode: the constant, unwavering, massive love of God is where we must choose to abide and wait on Him. He is a sure Foundation. He is Solid Ground in a shaken and fallen world. Just keep your eyes fixed on Him and keep your feet firmly planted on the Solid Rock of Jesus Christ. Now, go forth and embrace the truth of who your heavenly Father says you are.

 

 

 

Vol. I – Song Four – Day Four

Psalm 40:2b NASB
 
Rock of My Life
Words & Music by Dennis Jernigan
Received on May 6, 2010

Verse One
One day happy, next day alone
Greatest sorrow I’ve ever known
Then I cried out to You
And You set my feet upon a rock
 
One day hopeful, next day in pain
Fears consume me, falling like rain
Then I cried out to You
And You set my feet upon a rock
 
Chorus
You are the rock and the hope of my life
You are the air that I breathe to survive
You are my hope, You are the rock of my life
 
You are my rock and the hope of my life
You are my joy with an endless supply
You are my hope, You are the rock of my life           
 
Verse two
One day standing, next day I’m down
I get so lost but I want to be found
So I cry out to you and you set my feet upon a rock
 
One day soaring, next day in shame
In my own strength, I go down in flames
So I cry out to you, and you set my feet upon a rock

Chorus
You are the rock and the hope of my life
You are the air that I breathe to survive
You are my hope, You are the rock of my life
 
You are my rock and the hope of my life
You are my joy with an endless supply
You are my hope, You are the rock of my life           
 


©2010 Shepherd’s Heart Music, Inc./Dennis Jernigan
• 7804 W. Fern Mountain Rd. Muskogee, OK 74401
•www.dennisjernigan.com•1-800-877-0406
Administered by PraiseCharts.com

In this week's episode, Dennis Jernigan shares the story behind his song,  “You Came For Me” from the recording, Forty Days and Forty Nights - Songs of Contemplation and Intimacy Vol. 1." That mp3 is available at https://www.dennisjernigan.com/store/product.php?c=24&p=2353 The lyrics can be found below.

You can join Dennis and the people of All In All Church for live-stream worship on the first Wednesday evening of each month. Just go to https://www.facebook.com/therealdennisjernigan at 7 PM CST. Mark it in your calendar. Worship with All in All Church - First Wednesday of each month.

Daily Devotions for Kingdom Seekers, Vol. 3 is available at https://www.amazon.com/Daily-Devotions-Kingdom-Seekers-Vol-ebook/dp/B081K8TZLX

Check out my Patreon page at https://www.patreon.com/DennisJernigan and read through the various tiers of support and discover the myriad of benefits you will receive based on the level of support you choose. If you're willing, go ahead and sign up!

You will find the show notes and lyrics below:

 

Welcome to The Dennis Jernigan Podcast, where we journey together towards healing, hope, intimacy, and refuge, ultimately seeking a deeper connection with Jesus. Throughout my years, one truth remains clear: God makes purpose out of everything. He will not waste anything we bring to Him. Not our sorrows, not our wounds, not even our failures.
Hey there, I'm Dennis Jernigan, your host, and today I'm thrilled to reveal the story behind my song, “You Came For Me," featured on the album Forty Days and Forty Nights - Songs of Contemplation and Intimacy Vol. 1. Back in 2010, I felt a divine nudge to embark on a challenge I had never attempted before—a forty-day fast. Admiring those who had accomplished such a feat, I found myself teetering between awe and amusement at the thought of completing a forty-day fast. Yet, one day, I felt a compelling urge to begin this uncharted journey.
Little did I anticipate the profound revelations and life-altering transformations God had in store for me during those forty days. Having weathered three years of grief and loss, navigated economic downturns, grappled with my identity and relationships, faced major surgery, coped with my daughter's marriage and relocation across the globe, and felt alienated from the Christian music scene, I woke up that morning realizing the urgent need for a comprehensive reboot—mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually.
From May 3 through June 11, I embarked on a journey consuming only water, fruit, and vegetable juice, shedding 40 pounds in the process. While the physical transformation helped post-surgery, the realignment of my mind, emotions, and spirit towards God set my entire being on a new course. Each morning, I delved into either Psalm 40 or Isaiah 40, and with each meditation, the Lord inspired a new song within me—each promptly recorded as it came to me. These forty songs across four volumes represent the essence of a 40-day voyage of self-discovery.
My aspiration for these collections is for you to use them as spiritual reflections in your daily walk of intimacy with Christ. The lyrics and corresponding Scriptures are accessible on this website, serving as a roadmap to help you rediscover your identity in Christ and unearth hidden treasures in your relationship with Him. If you ever consider embarking on a fast of your own, I enthusiastically recommend Dean Briggs' book, Consumed: 40 Days of Fasting, Repentance & Rebirth. Dean's guidance offers a soul-nourishing, Christ-centered approach to a spiritual fast, providing you with encouragement and strength along the way.
Today I am sharing the story behind the song, You Came For Me, which, now sounds funny to say, came to me on May 5, 2010 or day 3 of my 40 Day Fast, as I meditated on Psalm 40:2a in the NASB which says, He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay…
Whenever I mediate on the Word of God, I take it very personally. Due to the deep hunger pangs of my physical body, it didn’t take long for my soul to begin to experience very similar hunger pangs I sensed in my thought life, my emotional life, and in my spiritual life. For the first 22 years of my life I had felt trapped - hopelessly trapped - mired in the unforgiving muck of my own depravity. My mind began to flood with the realization of just how far I had fallen away from the Lord as a young man and just how stuck I had been in my sin.
I remember feeling so alone in my younger days, trying to make sense of my sexual identity and feeling completely abandoned; feeling that if I were to suddenly disappear, no one would ever even notice, much less come looking for me. 
But then, on November 7, 1981, completely out of the blue, God revealed Himself to me; Revealed just how massive His love for me truly was; Reaching out to me in the middle of my sin-soaked identity showing me that He could reach as far as I could fall; helped me see that not one time in my life had I ever been alone. Showed me that for each and every step of my entire life and existence, He had been pursuing me. That knowledge left my heart undone, sitting there in His presence, being soaked with His wonderful grace and being wonderfully drenched in His incredible love. He did bring me up out of the pit of destruction and out of that miry clay. Never once had He stopped pursuing me…and has never stopped since the day I came to that realization. Let’s take some time to bask in that realization for the next few minutes.
SONG
The Lord reminded me that every tear I have ever cried, He has saved. Why would he save or keep a  record of my tears? I believe that He used them - still uses them - as a form of prayer. When I have come to the end of words I have to say to Him and the cares of the world have left me reduced to nothing but tears, He uses those very tears as a weapon of warfare against the lies of the enemy.

Psalm 56:8-9 in the NIV says, “Record my misery; list my tears on your scroll; are they not in your record? Then my enemies will turn back when I call for help. By this I will know that God is for me.”

It does the human soul well to know God pursues us. Luke 19:10 in the NIV says, “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

Who was lost? Every single human that has ever existed and ever will exist. Jesus came for us but loved us enough to not leave us in that state of lostness. That is simply astounding.

Thank you for tuning in to The Dennis Jernigan Podcast! For more about my journey, music, and updates, visit dennisjernigan.com. Stay connected by following me on Facebook, Instagram, and enjoy my music on various streaming platforms. If you'd like to support the podcast's creation, consider joining my team at www.patreon.com/dennisjernigan.

If you're looking for the mp3 of the song “You Came For Me" from the album "Forty Days and Forty Nights - Songs of Contemplation and Intimacy Vol. 1," head over to the store at dennisjernigan.com or find it on popular streaming services.

Remember this from today's episode: the constant, unwavering, massive love of God is where we must choose to abide and wait on Him. He loves you and eagerly waits to meet with you. Can you spare a few moments today, tomorrow, and beyond to wait on the Lord? I assure you, it will be worth that wait. Now, go forth and embrace the truth of who your heavenly Father says you are.
Dennis Jernigan
 
You Came For Me
Words & Music by Dennis Jernigan
Received on May 5, 2010
Psalm 40:2a
©2010 Shepherd’s Heart Music, Inc./Dennis Jernigan
 
Verse one
You brought me up when I was down
Sin took me in. You brought me out
You delivered me. You came for me, my God
 
You rescued me when I was bound
You set me free, lost is now found
You delivered me you came for me, my God
 
Chorus
Out of destruction You made a way
Out of the darkness You brought me light of day
Out of despairing my burdens baring,
You made a way
 
Up from my sorrow. Up from my tears
You came restoring all of my wasted years
Out of my sorrow, brand new tomorrow
You delivered me. You came for me
 
Verse two
Bound up in chains, mired in doubt
You broke the curse, bringing me out
You delivered me. You came for me, my God
 
Downcast in shame, too many days
You lifted my eyes up to Your redeeming gaze
You delivered me. You came for me, my God
 
Chorus
Out of destruction You made a way
Out of the darkness You brought me light of day
Out of despairing my burdens baring,
You made a way
 
Up from my sorrow. Up from my tears
You came restoring all of my wasted years
Out of my sorrow, brand new tomorrow

Words & Music by Dennis Jernigan
Received on May 5, 2010
Psalm 40:2a
©2010 Shepherd’s Heart Music, Inc./Dennis Jernigan•www.dennisjernigan.com•1-800-877-0406
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In this week's episode, Dennis Jernigan shares the story behind his song,  “Breathe” from the recording, Forty Days and Forty Nights - Songs of Contemplation and Intimacy Vol. 1." That mp3 is available at https://www.dennisjernigan.com/store/product.php?c=24&p=2353 The lyrics can be found below.

You can join Dennis and the people of All In All Church for live-stream worship on the first Wednesday evening of each month. Just go to https://www.facebook.com/therealdennisjernigan at 7 PM CST. Mark it in your calendar. Worship with All in All Church - First Wednesday of each month.

Daily Devotions for Kingdom Seekers, Vol. 3 is available at https://www.amazon.com/Daily-Devotions-Kingdom-Seekers-Vol-ebook/dp/B081K8TZLX

Check out my Patreon page at https://www.patreon.com/DennisJernigan and read through the various tiers of support and discover the myriad of benefits you will receive based on the level of support you choose. If you're willing, go ahead and sign up!

You will find the show notes and lyrics below:

Welcome to The Dennis Jernigan Podcast. The purpose of this podcast is to help you find healing for your wounds; find hope in your despair; find intimacy in your loneliness; find refuge from the storms of life; Basically, to help you find a deeper walk with Jesus. There is one thing I know after having lived all these years: God wastes nothing. Not our sorrows. Not our wounds. Not even our failures.
Hey there, I'm Dennis Jernigan, your host, and I'm excited to unveil the story behind my song, “Breathe” from the recording, Forty Days and Forty Nights - Songs of Contemplation and Intimacy Vol. 1.
As I shared last week, in the year 2010,  I felt led to embark on something I had never experienced in my life…a forty day fast. Always marveling at those who had accomplished such a feat…marveling at, while at the same time,  considering those who had completed a forty-day fast somewhere between ‘hero’ and ‘eccentric’…I woke one day feeling compelled to begin my own journey of a forty-day fast. Little did I know that God would speak to me in such profound ways and so radically re-order my life in the process.
Having just gone through 3 years of grief and sorrow at the loss of relationship with several friends…reeling from the dramatic downturn of our economy…recognizing the lonely place I found myself due to the call to declare to the world my freedom from same sex attraction…major surgery…another daughter marrying and moving literally to the other side of the earth…coming to grips with how different and removed I was from the ‘normal/mainstream’ Christian music scene…I woke that day knowing I needed a change…needed to reboot my system in every way – mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually.
From May 3 until June 11 I consumed only water and fruit and vegetable juice losing 40 pounds in the process. While the weight loss helped get my body back on track after the surgery, the re-focusing of my mind, emotions, and spirit on the things of the Lord began to get my entire being back on track. I began each day meditating on either Psalm 40 or Isaiah 40. With each day’s meditation the Lord saw fit to give me a song…which I recorded immediately after receiving it. The forty songs in these four volumes are the culmination of a 40-day journey of self-rediscovery.
My vision for these collections is that you would use them as devotional meditations in your personal daily spiritual walk of intimacy with Christ. We have made the lyrics available to you on this web site along with the Scriptural reference on which I meditated. Use this as a guide to help you rediscover a deeper awareness of your identity in Christ or to uncover new hidden treasures concerning your relationship with the King. Should you decide to set out on your own fast, I strongly encourage you to get the book Consumed:40 Days of Fasting, Repentance & Rebirth by Dean Briggs. You will be greatly encouraged and strengthened in your soul as Dean leads you through a healthy, Christ-centered approach to a spiritual fast.
Today I am sharing the story behind the song, Breathe, which came to me on May 4, 2010 or day 2 of my 40 Day Fast, as I meditated on Psalm 40:1 which says, “I waited patiently for the LORD” along with Matthew 6:17-18 in the NIV, which says, “But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”
At this point in my fasting journey, I felt it was important to take heed of the Matthew 6 instructions as I continued to wait on the Lord for whatever he might have for me. I continued with my daily physical workouts. Continued with my daily focus on my music ministry. I continued with my duties toward my family and toward my marriage. I carried on with my duties at our local church body. In other words, the only ones who knew I was really fasting were my wife, my children, and a few close friends. The fast was not about stroking my pride or inflating my ego. It was about whatever the Lord wanted me to gain from Him concerning not only my life but those to whom I ministered to as well.
I woke that day feeling a deep sense of hunger, both physically and spiritually, and with a deep anticipation of what the Lord would speak to me or reveal to me that day. As the first words of the first verse reveal, I did not even know what I needed other than I knew I needed Jesus first and foremost to be the Lord of every area of my life and existence. The more I thought on these things, the more I related my need to physically breath in order to keep existing. This, in turn, had a direct correlation with my need to breathe in all the Holy Spirit had for me.
At that point, the song began to flow out of me. I had physical hunger. This reminded me of my spiritual hunger. I was thirsty and this reminded me of my thirst for God’s presence in my life. It reminded me of just how bound up in sin I had once been and of how many more lies of the enemy I had still been believing.
It became apparent that I had a great void in my heart that only my heavenly Father could fill. It became very apparent that I had been wondering in the desert for quite some time and I needed the refreshing rain of God’s presence to drench my soul.
Those 40 days proved to be very healing to my body and to my soul and I must add this: since I have been struggling with Parkinson's, the Lord has brought these songs back to my mind and I find myself, once again, having to still and quiet my own soul - especially since my body is in perpetual motion due to the tremors caused by this disease. It is as if I’m learning an even deeper stilling of my soul even as my body ails and refuses to cooperate. Just do what I do. Just take a few minutes. Get alone with the Lord if possible and make this your heart’s cry for today:
I waited patiently for the LORD…
Psalm 40:1a NASB
Let's just do that. Let's just sit here a while and patiently wait for the Lord. He is here whether you feel Him or not. He is just here.
SONG
What I found on day two of my fast was my great need for intimacy with the Father. My soul longs to just feel Him breathe on me; aches for just a drop of the rain of His presence; yearns to have the chains of the enemy’s lies broken from my mind; and now that I battle Parkinson’s, I recognize how much more I need Him to set me free from the cares and fears  of this world; that in Him I find that even in the midst of a life-altering sickness, in His presence I have room to breathe.

Let's be as those who wait on the Lord this week; among those who find room to breathe even in the midst of our circumstances; room to breathe in our our sorrows; room to breathe even in our fears; room to breathe even when bombarded by the enemy and his lies. Let’s just wait on the Lord. Let us learn the art of lingering with Him. It’s time well spent.

Thank you so much for joining me here on The Dennis Jernigan Podcast! For further insights into my journey, music, and more, visit dennisjernigan.com. Stay connected by following me on Facebook, Instagram, and find my music on most major streaming services. To help with the ongoing creation of this podcast, would you consider becoming a member of my team? If so, just go to www.patreon.com/dennisjernigan to find out more! 

If you're wanting the mp3 version of the song “Breathe" from the studio album "Forty Days and Forty Nights - Songs of Contemplation and Intimacy Vol. 1," simply head to the store at dennisjernigan.com or, again, on most major streaming services. You can also find a very amazing version of this song on my album “Days of Awe.” Check them both out and let me hear from you which version you prefer.

If you get nothing else from today's podcast, get this: the constant undercurrent of God’s love is the place we must choose to wait on Him. God loves you and He is patiently waiting to meet with you. Can you spare a little time today, tomorrow and the next to wait on him? I guarantee it will be worth the wait. Now go and be who your heavenly Father says you are.

Breathe
Words & Music: Dennis Jernigan
Received on May 4, 2010
Psalm 40:1b; Matthew 6:18
©2010 Shepherd’s Heart Music, Inc./Dennis Jernigan

Verse One
I don’t even know what I need
All that I know is that I need You

The hunger and thirst of my heart?
All that I know is I need You

Like a child needs a Father
I need You

Like a desert needs the water
I need You

Chorus
Lean so close that I feel You breathe
Lean so close You quench this thirst in me

Lean so close You loose these chains in me
Set me free…

So I can breathe…

Verse Two
The world has grown so dark I can’t see
Reminding me just how much that I need You

Much more than the air that I breathe
All that I know is I need You

Like a child needs a Father
I need You

Like a desert needs the water
I need You

Chorus
Lean so close that I feel You breathe
Lean so close You quench this thirst in me

Lean so close You loose these chains in me
Set me free…

So I can breathe…