I received the following in an email a few years ago. It is my hope that it blesses someone today, and you are encouraged to be Jesus on earth…
A few years ago a group of salesmen went to a regional sales convention in Chicago. They had assured their wives that they would be home in plenty of time for Friday night's dinner.
In their rush, with tickets and briefcases, one of these salesmen inadvertently kicked over a table which held a display of apples. Apples flew everywhere. Without stopping or looking back, they all managed to reach the plane in time for their nearly missed boarding.
All but one...
He paused, took a deep breath, got in touch with his feelings, and experienced a twinge of compassion for the girl whose apple stand had been overturned. He told his buddies to go on without him, waved good-bye, told one of them to call his wife when they arrived at their home destination and explain his taking a later flight.
Then he returned to the terminal where the apples were all over the terminal floor. He was glad he did.
The sixteen year-old girl was totally blind! She was softly crying, tears running down her cheeks in frustration, and at the same time, helplessly groping for her spilled produce as the crowd swirled about her, no one stopping and no one to care for her plight.
The salesman knelt on the floor with her, gathered up the apples, put them back on the table and helped organize her display. As he did this, he noticed that many of them had become battered and bruised; these he set aside in another basket.
When he had finished, he pulled out his wallet and said to the girl, 'Here, please take this $40 for the damage we did. Are you okay?' She nodded through her tears... He continued on with, 'I hope we didn't spoil your day too badly.'
As the salesman started to walk away, the bewildered blind girl called out to him, 'Mister...' He paused and turned to look back into those blind eyes. She continued, 'Are you Jesus?'
He stopped in mid-stride, and he wondered. Then slowly he made his way to catch the later flight with the question burning and bouncing about in his soul: 'Are you Jesus?'
Do people mistake you for Jesus? That's our destiny, is it not? To be so much like Jesus, people cannot tell the difference as we live and interact with a world that is blind to His love, life and grace.
If we claim to know Him, we should live, walk and act as He would. Knowing Him is more than simply quoting Scripture and going to church. It's actually living the Word as life unfolds day to day.
You are the apple of His eye, even though we, too, have been bruised by a fall. He stopped what He was doing and picked you and me up on a hill called Calvary and paid in full for our damaged fruit.
The cry of my heart is, Let the world see Jesus in ME today!
Monday, April 12, 2010
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Choose The High Road
A friend reminded me today that choosing to take the high road in difficult and uncomfortable situations is not always an easy thing to do. It is an easy thing to say, and good advise to give to others, “Just take the high road!” But when the proverbial chickens come home to roost, well, tis not always so easy.
It's kind of like the old Church Mother my former pastor knew. Every time someone was sick or had a problem, she’d say, “Honey, just tell the devil he’s a liar!”
This went on for quite some time, and then one day, Mother was sick. One of the young people said, “Mother, just tell the devil he’s a liar!”
Mother replied, “But honey, he ain’t lyin' this time!”
Advise is good until we have to take the medicine ourselves, then we are left with a choice. Do we just espouse rhetoric for the sake of sounding spiritually brilliant, or do we live the advise we so freely give?
When our names are scandalized, when our reputations are laid to bare, when we are not liked because of a particular stand taken, when the ‘green-eyed’ giant of jealousy rears his ugly head, when the favor of God causes tongues to wagging, what is our first inclination?
For the sinner and the seasoned Saint, the first thoughts are the same, “Let me explain…let me set you straight…you don’t know the whole story…” And sometimes we want to say, "Hold it just a minute, dude...let me tell YOU something...!"
In other words, we want to fix it. We think that if we tell them to keep their raggedy noses out of our business, they would be SO much better off! And they would be better off for sure, but would setting the record straight benefit them, or is it just that it would make us feel better?
Would they change their opinion because we gave them ‘what for’? If we extended to them the cold shoulder of dis-fellowship or rolled our eyes in disgust, would they stop their gainsaying and respect us more?
I admit to failing at this time and again. Being the only girl in a family of six boys, I had to learn to stick up for myself or they would run me over. So now, even in adulthood…sanctified adulthood, it is still difficult at times keeping my lips zipped and letting the high road speak for me.
It does have a voice, you know. The high road speaks volumes…
It says that my silence is my defense. Some might think that not answering rebuke or hurtful remarks is a sign of guilt, but I would disagree. It takes courage to remain quiet when the world is blabbering their lives away.
And by turning in silence and showing kindness in the face of those who speak evil of me, it says two things...it says that God has my back in this, and that I am forgiving as I have been forgiven.
Most importantly, the voice of the high road ensures my peace of mind and keeps my well of joy full. It is a fact that I cannot control what the masses say or think, but I can control my reaction to their actions.
And when the time is right, God will speak. It may come in added favor on the job or in my church. It may come through someone coming to know the Lord in a more and perfect way through my example. His voice may show up in a myriad of ways, but when He speaks, it will be abundantly clear that it is God.
So, in the midst of all the choices we make on a daily basis, let me encourage you as I encourage myself today, take the high road.
'Clearing the air' really doesn’t clear it at all…it just makes the Way harder to see.
It's kind of like the old Church Mother my former pastor knew. Every time someone was sick or had a problem, she’d say, “Honey, just tell the devil he’s a liar!”
This went on for quite some time, and then one day, Mother was sick. One of the young people said, “Mother, just tell the devil he’s a liar!”
Mother replied, “But honey, he ain’t lyin' this time!”
Advise is good until we have to take the medicine ourselves, then we are left with a choice. Do we just espouse rhetoric for the sake of sounding spiritually brilliant, or do we live the advise we so freely give?
When our names are scandalized, when our reputations are laid to bare, when we are not liked because of a particular stand taken, when the ‘green-eyed’ giant of jealousy rears his ugly head, when the favor of God causes tongues to wagging, what is our first inclination?
For the sinner and the seasoned Saint, the first thoughts are the same, “Let me explain…let me set you straight…you don’t know the whole story…” And sometimes we want to say, "Hold it just a minute, dude...let me tell YOU something...!"
In other words, we want to fix it. We think that if we tell them to keep their raggedy noses out of our business, they would be SO much better off! And they would be better off for sure, but would setting the record straight benefit them, or is it just that it would make us feel better?
Would they change their opinion because we gave them ‘what for’? If we extended to them the cold shoulder of dis-fellowship or rolled our eyes in disgust, would they stop their gainsaying and respect us more?
I admit to failing at this time and again. Being the only girl in a family of six boys, I had to learn to stick up for myself or they would run me over. So now, even in adulthood…sanctified adulthood, it is still difficult at times keeping my lips zipped and letting the high road speak for me.
It does have a voice, you know. The high road speaks volumes…
It says that my silence is my defense. Some might think that not answering rebuke or hurtful remarks is a sign of guilt, but I would disagree. It takes courage to remain quiet when the world is blabbering their lives away.
And by turning in silence and showing kindness in the face of those who speak evil of me, it says two things...it says that God has my back in this, and that I am forgiving as I have been forgiven.
Most importantly, the voice of the high road ensures my peace of mind and keeps my well of joy full. It is a fact that I cannot control what the masses say or think, but I can control my reaction to their actions.
And when the time is right, God will speak. It may come in added favor on the job or in my church. It may come through someone coming to know the Lord in a more and perfect way through my example. His voice may show up in a myriad of ways, but when He speaks, it will be abundantly clear that it is God.
So, in the midst of all the choices we make on a daily basis, let me encourage you as I encourage myself today, take the high road.
'Clearing the air' really doesn’t clear it at all…it just makes the Way harder to see.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Bring Back The Days Of Yea And Nay
Times They Are a-Changin’ is a song recorded in 1964 by Bob Dylan. It came to mind as I thought about the direction of the world in this new decade, and it well could be the anthem of the day. As we are rapidly witnessing, 2010 is destined to be a decade of change, but is it a good thing?
It seems like every day there is some thing or some ideal or some just plain old common sense mores that have flown the coop. What was once considered inappropriate conversation is now acceptable in the public arena. What was once known to be bad conduct that most frowned on is now encouraged behavior. Those who live a life strongly condemned in the Holy Scriptures we are now told to tolerate as just having “another lifestyle” or “preference.”
There seems to be a distinct lack of propriety. Married folks who have found another lover, or series of lovers, are no longer referred to as “adulterers.” They now are said to have an addiction, so off they go to rehab to be ‘cured’. We see it today in almost epidemic proportions…first one celebrity and then another runs to rehab, after they are caught.
Where in all of this is the conscience? Where is the taking of responsibility for wrong doing? And have some in the Body of Christ bought into this, taking the mindset of society that sin is not sin but a sickness one recovers from? In the spirit of being ‘politically correct,’ I fear that a few may be losing the definite line of separation between right and wrong that the Scriptures so clearly make.
A friend’s daughter sings the old song, Grandpa, Tell Me ‘bout the Good Ole Days, and I love this line..
Grandpa, take me back to yesterday, when the line between right and wrong wasn’t quite so hazy.
Sometimes it seems that way, doesn’t it? People can’t seem to define just what is right and wrong anymore. It seems to me that they can no longer determine black from white because it is clouded over with popular opinion and personal conviction, causing everything in its path to have a hazy look to it. Consequently, we have folks who walk around in a gray fog of uncertainty.
I don’t mean to sound like Grandma Moses, but when I was a young’un, there were just things we did and didn’t do…not because the Scriptures necessarily spelled it out, or because the pastor stood over us with a baseball bat, demanding this and that. I just knew, even as an unsaved child, a thing was right or it was wrong.
Today we must be up on our hermeneutics…who was the writer speaking to in the verses? Was it cultural and not applicable to us today? And let’s not forget the Greek and Hebrew…
But is God pleased? Have we gained anything? Does enlightenment mean we tear down, or does Light given add to Light possessed?
We are encouraged to back political policies which run counter to our beliefs, and move on into the 21st century, for “the times they are a-changin’!” But have we asked ourselves, “Is God pleased in my political views? Have I placed party line over biblical principle?”
Even as pertains to doctrine we find the uncertainty rising. Instead of taking the Word of God for what it says, folks will dissect every word, examining every phrase, debating every issue. Study to show thyself approved is scriptural, but when the study causes us doubt and brings contention, we have to ask again, “Is God pleased?”
I would be the last one to speak against study and research…it has been my mainstay for many years now. And the Word declares that we should be “ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear (I Peter 3:15).
However, we must be careful that on our journey for more understanding, we do not lose our way and become shipwrecked. The Way of holiness of heart and life is still right, regardless of the wind blowing another way.
It is my desire today to admonish all who will read this post to not be discouraged. People will fall away, but there are zillions of God-fearing men and women, boys and girls, who have not bowed their knee to indifference or spiritual deception.
As we move ahead in the spirit of progress, let us hold fast to that which brought us over…
Let us bring back the days of yea and nay, when a person’s word was their bond. If someone said they were going to do something, only death would keep them from it. Even sinner men knew the power of a handshake in agreement. It was a contract that was binding, for their integrity was EVERYTHING.
Let us bring back the days of yea and nay, when commitment to marriage, family, friend, and job meant something that mirrored our commitment to the Savior…the days when a vow before God was a sacred thing.
Let us bring back the days of yea and nay, when we remembered who we were and why we are here.
Let us bring back the days of yea and nay, when we stood together as a Body, regardless of view. There was a time that brother in the Lord didn’t speak against a brother. The Blood line meant EVERYTHING, and folks wouldn’t cross it to merely espouse a conviction.
Allow me to encourage you today…
Let us be slow to speak, unless it is a good word. Let us think the best before we would the worst, make a vow and keep it, extend love in the face of adversity, and let our word mean something.
Let us not be easily shaken by what we see and hear. This is the hour when everything that can be shaken, will be shaken, but we cannot allow ourselves to be moved by the events and issues of the day.
Let us give because the spirit of giving is on us and not because we have a secret agenda.
Let us live honorably, not raising one hand to the Lord while hiding the other behind our back in deception.
Let us remember that we can’t wait for others to bring back the days of yea and nay. Let it begin with me. Let it begin with you.
And let us remember the power of one…
It seems like every day there is some thing or some ideal or some just plain old common sense mores that have flown the coop. What was once considered inappropriate conversation is now acceptable in the public arena. What was once known to be bad conduct that most frowned on is now encouraged behavior. Those who live a life strongly condemned in the Holy Scriptures we are now told to tolerate as just having “another lifestyle” or “preference.”
There seems to be a distinct lack of propriety. Married folks who have found another lover, or series of lovers, are no longer referred to as “adulterers.” They now are said to have an addiction, so off they go to rehab to be ‘cured’. We see it today in almost epidemic proportions…first one celebrity and then another runs to rehab, after they are caught.
Where in all of this is the conscience? Where is the taking of responsibility for wrong doing? And have some in the Body of Christ bought into this, taking the mindset of society that sin is not sin but a sickness one recovers from? In the spirit of being ‘politically correct,’ I fear that a few may be losing the definite line of separation between right and wrong that the Scriptures so clearly make.
A friend’s daughter sings the old song, Grandpa, Tell Me ‘bout the Good Ole Days, and I love this line..
Grandpa, take me back to yesterday, when the line between right and wrong wasn’t quite so hazy.
Sometimes it seems that way, doesn’t it? People can’t seem to define just what is right and wrong anymore. It seems to me that they can no longer determine black from white because it is clouded over with popular opinion and personal conviction, causing everything in its path to have a hazy look to it. Consequently, we have folks who walk around in a gray fog of uncertainty.
I don’t mean to sound like Grandma Moses, but when I was a young’un, there were just things we did and didn’t do…not because the Scriptures necessarily spelled it out, or because the pastor stood over us with a baseball bat, demanding this and that. I just knew, even as an unsaved child, a thing was right or it was wrong.
Today we must be up on our hermeneutics…who was the writer speaking to in the verses? Was it cultural and not applicable to us today? And let’s not forget the Greek and Hebrew…
But is God pleased? Have we gained anything? Does enlightenment mean we tear down, or does Light given add to Light possessed?
We are encouraged to back political policies which run counter to our beliefs, and move on into the 21st century, for “the times they are a-changin’!” But have we asked ourselves, “Is God pleased in my political views? Have I placed party line over biblical principle?”
Even as pertains to doctrine we find the uncertainty rising. Instead of taking the Word of God for what it says, folks will dissect every word, examining every phrase, debating every issue. Study to show thyself approved is scriptural, but when the study causes us doubt and brings contention, we have to ask again, “Is God pleased?”
I would be the last one to speak against study and research…it has been my mainstay for many years now. And the Word declares that we should be “ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear (I Peter 3:15).
However, we must be careful that on our journey for more understanding, we do not lose our way and become shipwrecked. The Way of holiness of heart and life is still right, regardless of the wind blowing another way.
It is my desire today to admonish all who will read this post to not be discouraged. People will fall away, but there are zillions of God-fearing men and women, boys and girls, who have not bowed their knee to indifference or spiritual deception.
As we move ahead in the spirit of progress, let us hold fast to that which brought us over…
Let us bring back the days of yea and nay, when a person’s word was their bond. If someone said they were going to do something, only death would keep them from it. Even sinner men knew the power of a handshake in agreement. It was a contract that was binding, for their integrity was EVERYTHING.
Let us bring back the days of yea and nay, when commitment to marriage, family, friend, and job meant something that mirrored our commitment to the Savior…the days when a vow before God was a sacred thing.
Let us bring back the days of yea and nay, when we remembered who we were and why we are here.
Let us bring back the days of yea and nay, when we stood together as a Body, regardless of view. There was a time that brother in the Lord didn’t speak against a brother. The Blood line meant EVERYTHING, and folks wouldn’t cross it to merely espouse a conviction.
Allow me to encourage you today…
Let us be slow to speak, unless it is a good word. Let us think the best before we would the worst, make a vow and keep it, extend love in the face of adversity, and let our word mean something.
Let us not be easily shaken by what we see and hear. This is the hour when everything that can be shaken, will be shaken, but we cannot allow ourselves to be moved by the events and issues of the day.
Let us give because the spirit of giving is on us and not because we have a secret agenda.
Let us live honorably, not raising one hand to the Lord while hiding the other behind our back in deception.
Let us remember that we can’t wait for others to bring back the days of yea and nay. Let it begin with me. Let it begin with you.
And let us remember the power of one…
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Hymns, Songs, And Songs Spiritual
The saying goes that “music is the universal language.” If this is true my universe has been mighty small, for I have discovered that there is a vast amount of Christian music I have missed down through the years.
I was brought up in a godly home and music was a great part of it. Because my mom was so musical, and taught me to sing The Holy City (Jerusalem) at an early age, I assumed that I knew more than the average bear about Christian music…wrong.
And given that our conservative church sang The Old Rugged Cross and Blessed Assurance, again I assumed those enduring songs, along with a few others, were THE all-inclusive list of hymns of the Church…wonderful songs, but wrong again.
There is a wealth of music out there, with lyrics that will grip the soul and melodies that ring like an anthem. I have been wondering of late why we never sang them, and if the reason we never learned these great pieces of music was because:
a. we were accustomed to the same type of song, with the same handclapping beat
b. for some, it was, and might still be a sectarian viewpoint…if it’s not written by our own circle of songwriters, we don’t need it.
If my assertions are true, with this mindset we have limited ourselves to a lot of feel good music that moves our spirit, and there’s nothing wrong with that…trust me, I love it. But in the process, our musical appetite has been lacking some absolutely wonderful words of life that along with moving the spirit will change the heart.
Paul wrote in Colossians 3:16...
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
Let’s look at this for a moment…
Singing psalms is quite popular today, but really is not a new thing. The Book of Psalms is a compilation of songs written by King David and others which were sung in the congregation of Israel in Temple worship. One can only guess by Paul’s writing they were sung in the early church as well.
When we think of ‘spiritual songs’, we tend to think of Swing Low, Sweet Chariot, Nobody Knows The Trouble I’ve Seen, and Down By The Riverside. But the original rendering of that verse is “psalms, hymns, and songs spiritual.”
That places the emphasis back on us rather than the style of song. When the song is sung under the unction of the Holy Ghost, it IS a song which is spiritual, thus a spiritual song. The unction or anointing is not something that falls or is experienced until we have invoked His presence with our praise and worship. It is a continual cycle of worship/praise and He's there...worship/praise and He's there.
I could talk about the anointing for days, but I must get back to the topic. Prayerfully you agree that the anointing is THE most important thing.
Hymns can best be defined in the few I mentioned at the outset…the ‘old-timey’ songs many would rather lay aside as being too outdated for this day and hour. Some feel, especially the young’uns, that ‘la-la’ songs do not fit the traditional Pentecostal image of rousing worship.
Personally, I am Pentecostal to the bone and absolutely love our musical tradition displayed in a good, upbeat song, but consider for a moment this wonderful piece…words by Isaac Watts in 1707, music by Lowell Mason in 1824...
Don’t you love that? Charles Wesley, who wrote the words to over 6,000 songs, reportedly said that he would have given up all his other hymns to have written When I Survey The Wondrous Cross. What a great song!
Here is a wonderful Charles Wesley hymn, that thanks to a dear friend is now one of my favorites…
Imagining himself in the prison of sin and all that it represented, and viewing the amazing love of the Master bestowed on his life, Charles Wesley could write, My chains fell off, my heart was free, I rose, went forth, and followed thee. Such powerful and anointed words.
A choir should sing an assortment of styles that will include all tastes in music, and our choir does just that. They recorded this next song a couple of years ago and I love it. On hearing the song, someone, not a member of our church, said that it was “boring.” I remember remarking then how beautiful it was and that I wished we would sing more of these wonderful songs…
If you ever want to worship in your private devotions, and words escape you, just read these lyrics to the Lord. If this doesn’t usher in His presence, nothing else will.
One of the better known songwriters of the 20th century once said that long after his songs are forgotten, The Hallelujah Chorus will live on. Read these words composed by Georg Friedrich Handel, imaging his rousing melody with full orchestration…
It has been 269 years since it was written, yet it stands as a hymn of praise and adoration that will last throughout eternity. Though I love to sing many of the newer songs of today, one has to wonder if they will stand the test of time in depth and fresh anointing as the songs mentioned here.
I pray I have not only enlightened you a bit, but whetted your appetite to launch out into the depths of music. ‘Old school’ is not just a 1970s Andrae’ Crouch song or Edwin Hawkins’ 1968 rendition of O Happy Day. ‘Old school’ reaches as far back as time is recorded, and is worth the time and effort to find them.
I encourage you today to seek out these songs and let them become a part of your musical library.
Your heart will be uplifted and your spirit enriched. You will be so glad you discovered the hymns...I'm sure glad I did!
I was brought up in a godly home and music was a great part of it. Because my mom was so musical, and taught me to sing The Holy City (Jerusalem) at an early age, I assumed that I knew more than the average bear about Christian music…wrong.
And given that our conservative church sang The Old Rugged Cross and Blessed Assurance, again I assumed those enduring songs, along with a few others, were THE all-inclusive list of hymns of the Church…wonderful songs, but wrong again.
There is a wealth of music out there, with lyrics that will grip the soul and melodies that ring like an anthem. I have been wondering of late why we never sang them, and if the reason we never learned these great pieces of music was because:
a. we were accustomed to the same type of song, with the same handclapping beat
b. for some, it was, and might still be a sectarian viewpoint…if it’s not written by our own circle of songwriters, we don’t need it.
If my assertions are true, with this mindset we have limited ourselves to a lot of feel good music that moves our spirit, and there’s nothing wrong with that…trust me, I love it. But in the process, our musical appetite has been lacking some absolutely wonderful words of life that along with moving the spirit will change the heart.
Paul wrote in Colossians 3:16...
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
Let’s look at this for a moment…
Singing psalms is quite popular today, but really is not a new thing. The Book of Psalms is a compilation of songs written by King David and others which were sung in the congregation of Israel in Temple worship. One can only guess by Paul’s writing they were sung in the early church as well.
When we think of ‘spiritual songs’, we tend to think of Swing Low, Sweet Chariot, Nobody Knows The Trouble I’ve Seen, and Down By The Riverside. But the original rendering of that verse is “psalms, hymns, and songs spiritual.”
That places the emphasis back on us rather than the style of song. When the song is sung under the unction of the Holy Ghost, it IS a song which is spiritual, thus a spiritual song. The unction or anointing is not something that falls or is experienced until we have invoked His presence with our praise and worship. It is a continual cycle of worship/praise and He's there...worship/praise and He's there.
I could talk about the anointing for days, but I must get back to the topic. Prayerfully you agree that the anointing is THE most important thing.
Hymns can best be defined in the few I mentioned at the outset…the ‘old-timey’ songs many would rather lay aside as being too outdated for this day and hour. Some feel, especially the young’uns, that ‘la-la’ songs do not fit the traditional Pentecostal image of rousing worship.
Personally, I am Pentecostal to the bone and absolutely love our musical tradition displayed in a good, upbeat song, but consider for a moment this wonderful piece…words by Isaac Watts in 1707, music by Lowell Mason in 1824...
When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.
Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
Save in the death of Christ my God!
All the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them to His blood.
See from His head, His hands, His feet,
Sorrow and love flow mingled down!
Did e’er such love and sorrow meet,
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?
His dying crimson, like a robe,
Spreads o’er His body on the tree;
Then I am dead to all the globe,
And all the globe is dead to me.
Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were a present far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.
On which the Prince of glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.
Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
Save in the death of Christ my God!
All the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them to His blood.
See from His head, His hands, His feet,
Sorrow and love flow mingled down!
Did e’er such love and sorrow meet,
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?
His dying crimson, like a robe,
Spreads o’er His body on the tree;
Then I am dead to all the globe,
And all the globe is dead to me.
Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were a present far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.
Don’t you love that? Charles Wesley, who wrote the words to over 6,000 songs, reportedly said that he would have given up all his other hymns to have written When I Survey The Wondrous Cross. What a great song!
Here is a wonderful Charles Wesley hymn, that thanks to a dear friend is now one of my favorites…
And can it be that I should gain
An interest in the Savior’s blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain—
For me, who Him to death pursued?
Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
’Tis mystery all: th’Immortal dies:
Who can explore His strange design?
In vain the firstborn seraph tries
To sound the depths of love divine.
'Tis mercy all! Let earth adore,
Let angel minds inquire no more.
'Tis mercy all! Let earth adore;
Let angel minds inquire no more.
He left His Father’s throne above
So free, so infinite His grace—
Emptied Himself of all but love,
And bled for Adam’s helpless race:
’Tis mercy all, immense and free,
For O my God, it found out me!
’Tis mercy all, immense and free,
For O my God, it found out me!
Long my imprisoned spirit lay,
Fast bound in sin and nature’s night;
Thine eye diffused a quickening ray—
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.
Still the small inward voice I hear,
That whispers all my sins forgiven;
Still the atoning blood is near,
That quenched the wrath of hostile Heaven.
I feel the life His wounds impart;
I feel the Savior in my heart.
I feel the life His wounds impart;
I feel the Savior in my heart.
No condemnation now I dread;
Jesus, and all in Him, is mine;
Alive in Him, my living Head,
And clothed in righteousness divine,
Bold I approach th’eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own.
Bold I approach th’eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own.
An interest in the Savior’s blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain—
For me, who Him to death pursued?
Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
’Tis mystery all: th’Immortal dies:
Who can explore His strange design?
In vain the firstborn seraph tries
To sound the depths of love divine.
'Tis mercy all! Let earth adore,
Let angel minds inquire no more.
'Tis mercy all! Let earth adore;
Let angel minds inquire no more.
He left His Father’s throne above
So free, so infinite His grace—
Emptied Himself of all but love,
And bled for Adam’s helpless race:
’Tis mercy all, immense and free,
For O my God, it found out me!
’Tis mercy all, immense and free,
For O my God, it found out me!
Long my imprisoned spirit lay,
Fast bound in sin and nature’s night;
Thine eye diffused a quickening ray—
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.
Still the small inward voice I hear,
That whispers all my sins forgiven;
Still the atoning blood is near,
That quenched the wrath of hostile Heaven.
I feel the life His wounds impart;
I feel the Savior in my heart.
I feel the life His wounds impart;
I feel the Savior in my heart.
No condemnation now I dread;
Jesus, and all in Him, is mine;
Alive in Him, my living Head,
And clothed in righteousness divine,
Bold I approach th’eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own.
Bold I approach th’eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own.
Imagining himself in the prison of sin and all that it represented, and viewing the amazing love of the Master bestowed on his life, Charles Wesley could write, My chains fell off, my heart was free, I rose, went forth, and followed thee. Such powerful and anointed words.
A choir should sing an assortment of styles that will include all tastes in music, and our choir does just that. They recorded this next song a couple of years ago and I love it. On hearing the song, someone, not a member of our church, said that it was “boring.” I remember remarking then how beautiful it was and that I wished we would sing more of these wonderful songs…
Fairest Lord Jesus,
Ruler of all nature,
O Thou of God and man the Son,
Thee will I cherish, Thee will I honor,
Thou, my soul’s glory, joy and crown.
Fair are the meadows,
fairer still the woodlands,
Robed in the blooming garb of spring;
Jesus is fairer, Jesus is purer,
Who makes the woeful heart to sing.
Fair is the sunshine,
Fairer still the moonlight,
And all the twinkling starry host;
Jesus shines brighter, Jesus shines purer
Than all the angels heaven can boast.
All fairest beauty, heavenly and earthly,
Wondrously, Jesus, is found in Thee;
None can be nearer, fairer or dearer,
Than Thou, my Savior, art to me.
Beautiful Savior!
Lord of all the nations!
Son of God and Son of Man!
Glory and honor, praise, adoration,
Now and forever more be Thine.
Ruler of all nature,
O Thou of God and man the Son,
Thee will I cherish, Thee will I honor,
Thou, my soul’s glory, joy and crown.
Fair are the meadows,
fairer still the woodlands,
Robed in the blooming garb of spring;
Jesus is fairer, Jesus is purer,
Who makes the woeful heart to sing.
Fair is the sunshine,
Fairer still the moonlight,
And all the twinkling starry host;
Jesus shines brighter, Jesus shines purer
Than all the angels heaven can boast.
All fairest beauty, heavenly and earthly,
Wondrously, Jesus, is found in Thee;
None can be nearer, fairer or dearer,
Than Thou, my Savior, art to me.
Beautiful Savior!
Lord of all the nations!
Son of God and Son of Man!
Glory and honor, praise, adoration,
Now and forever more be Thine.
If you ever want to worship in your private devotions, and words escape you, just read these lyrics to the Lord. If this doesn’t usher in His presence, nothing else will.
One of the better known songwriters of the 20th century once said that long after his songs are forgotten, The Hallelujah Chorus will live on. Read these words composed by Georg Friedrich Handel, imaging his rousing melody with full orchestration…
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
For the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
The kingdom of this world
Is become the kingdom of our Lord,
And of His Christ, and of His Christ;
And He shall reign for ever and ever,
For ever and ever, forever and ever,
King of kings, and Lord of lords,
King of kings, and Lord of lords,
And Lord of lords, And He shall reign,
And He shall reign forever and ever,
King of kings, forever and ever,
And Lord of lords, Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
And He shall reign forever and ever,
King of kings! and Lord of lords!
And He shall reign forever and ever,
King of kings! and Lord of lords!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
For the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
The kingdom of this world
Is become the kingdom of our Lord,
And of His Christ, and of His Christ;
And He shall reign for ever and ever,
For ever and ever, forever and ever,
King of kings, and Lord of lords,
King of kings, and Lord of lords,
And Lord of lords, And He shall reign,
And He shall reign forever and ever,
King of kings, forever and ever,
And Lord of lords, Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
And He shall reign forever and ever,
King of kings! and Lord of lords!
And He shall reign forever and ever,
King of kings! and Lord of lords!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
It has been 269 years since it was written, yet it stands as a hymn of praise and adoration that will last throughout eternity. Though I love to sing many of the newer songs of today, one has to wonder if they will stand the test of time in depth and fresh anointing as the songs mentioned here.
I pray I have not only enlightened you a bit, but whetted your appetite to launch out into the depths of music. ‘Old school’ is not just a 1970s Andrae’ Crouch song or Edwin Hawkins’ 1968 rendition of O Happy Day. ‘Old school’ reaches as far back as time is recorded, and is worth the time and effort to find them.
I encourage you today to seek out these songs and let them become a part of your musical library.
Your heart will be uplifted and your spirit enriched. You will be so glad you discovered the hymns...I'm sure glad I did!
Monday, March 29, 2010
The Healer Is Here
Does it seem to you that sickness and disease are on the rampage? Whew! It seems like everywhere you turn any more you hear someone has received a bad report. Things have gotten so bad where my brother lives that their church is in a prayer and fast revival, with the main theme, ‘Praying Cancer OUT Of Anderson.’
One may wonder how this is possible…can disease be something folks can pray out of a city? While I don’t pretend to have all the answers, I believe it is indeed possible to pray that kind of a prayer.
What we are dealing with are not just hereditary diseases or things we catch, like one would a softball. I believe diseases are an attack from the enemy of our souls that come to kill, steal, and destroy. The Word of God confirms this in Luke 13:11...
And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself.
It is the job of satan and his emissaries to stop the believer before their appointed time, and prevent the nonbeliever from coming to the Lord.
But hear ye the Word of the Lord…
But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed (Isaiah 53:5).
Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed (I Peter 2:24).
He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions (Psalm 107:20).
Not only ARE we healed, but we WERE healed the moment the stripes were applied to the back of the Master. The price for sickness has been paid. As someone once said, “Healing is the children's bread.” We can boldly approach the throne with our petitions because His Word says we ARE healed.
When the people of God become desperate for a touch from on High, God does the impossible. Our family can speak about this from experience…
My brother, Rob, was three years old when he was hospitalized with pneumonia. It was there that the doctor discovered he had leukemia. In 1956 there wasn’t much they could do for someone with this form of cancer, and the doctor said those very words to my parents.
I remember the police coming to our door, as we didn’t have a telephone, and telling my parents to get right up to the hospital because Rob was dying. Daddy somehow contacted our pastor, and the church prayed. The report that came from the doctor was this… “It was a Higher Power that saved your boy, for there was nothing we could do!”
March, 29, 2010, and Rob is yet alive and well!
I have seen God do SO many wonderful things. More than 15 years ago I fell up a flight of stairs…don’t ask! I was in a hurry and wasn’t paying attention, as I was busy preparing to leave the next day for a convention.
In the process of falling, my right shoulder hit the step…hard. When I turned around to sit down, I was in such pain, there are not words to describe. A friend was there, and related to me after this ordeal was over that she was afraid at the time to tell me just how bad I looked…black under the eyes, and the shoulder was drooped way down my arm.
I had knocked it out of socket, y'all.
Someone ran to get ice, but they had to remove it because of the pain. My friend said we had better go to the hospital, but I asked that before we do, would they pray? She sat next to me, gently laid her hand on my back, which, even in her gentleness, was extremely painful...but then she prayed these simple words, “Lord, you know we don’t have time for this…!”
When she said those words, I felt my shoulder pop back in place. Her daughter was on the other side of the room, frightened I imagine, and said that she heard it pop. God healed my shoulder, and I have never been to a doctor about it.
My niece had a detached retina, and through prayer and faith, it reattached, something the experts tell us is impossible. I saw a woman with a broken back leap from the wheel chair and run around the church house. Sister Alice was in so much pain, they could barely get her from the car into the church, but afterward, she walked on her own to the car, rejoicing in the Lord.
Though some leave here and are not healed, that does not mean healing has ceased. I don’t understand God’s will and timing in such matters, but I DO know God is still a healer!
When my 20 year old nephew passed, I had to say those words out loud, "God is STILL a healer!" It was necessary to say it, not just for my own benefit, but so the devil could hear it. Though grieving, he had to know that my faith was not shaken because John was gone. God still works the impossible!
In describing the loss of both of her nephew's eyes due to disease, a friend said that though it is something she will never understand, the fact remains, God is STILL a healer!
He is a testimony that though he cannot see with his natural eyes, it is possible to lead a productive life with a positive attitude...she said her nephew does everything he wants to do, plays the piano, and even water skies.
The Lord continues to work the impossible. The blind still see. The deaf still hear. The lame still walk. The diseased are still made whole. The Healer has not left the building...He is here!
So today, if you or a loved one have received a bad report, choose to receive the report of the Lord! His Word says we are healed! Trust in the Lord this day, for the Healer IS here!
One may wonder how this is possible…can disease be something folks can pray out of a city? While I don’t pretend to have all the answers, I believe it is indeed possible to pray that kind of a prayer.
What we are dealing with are not just hereditary diseases or things we catch, like one would a softball. I believe diseases are an attack from the enemy of our souls that come to kill, steal, and destroy. The Word of God confirms this in Luke 13:11...
And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself.
It is the job of satan and his emissaries to stop the believer before their appointed time, and prevent the nonbeliever from coming to the Lord.
But hear ye the Word of the Lord…
But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed (Isaiah 53:5).
Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed (I Peter 2:24).
He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions (Psalm 107:20).
Not only ARE we healed, but we WERE healed the moment the stripes were applied to the back of the Master. The price for sickness has been paid. As someone once said, “Healing is the children's bread.” We can boldly approach the throne with our petitions because His Word says we ARE healed.
When the people of God become desperate for a touch from on High, God does the impossible. Our family can speak about this from experience…
My brother, Rob, was three years old when he was hospitalized with pneumonia. It was there that the doctor discovered he had leukemia. In 1956 there wasn’t much they could do for someone with this form of cancer, and the doctor said those very words to my parents.
I remember the police coming to our door, as we didn’t have a telephone, and telling my parents to get right up to the hospital because Rob was dying. Daddy somehow contacted our pastor, and the church prayed. The report that came from the doctor was this… “It was a Higher Power that saved your boy, for there was nothing we could do!”
March, 29, 2010, and Rob is yet alive and well!
I have seen God do SO many wonderful things. More than 15 years ago I fell up a flight of stairs…don’t ask! I was in a hurry and wasn’t paying attention, as I was busy preparing to leave the next day for a convention.
In the process of falling, my right shoulder hit the step…hard. When I turned around to sit down, I was in such pain, there are not words to describe. A friend was there, and related to me after this ordeal was over that she was afraid at the time to tell me just how bad I looked…black under the eyes, and the shoulder was drooped way down my arm.
I had knocked it out of socket, y'all.
Someone ran to get ice, but they had to remove it because of the pain. My friend said we had better go to the hospital, but I asked that before we do, would they pray? She sat next to me, gently laid her hand on my back, which, even in her gentleness, was extremely painful...but then she prayed these simple words, “Lord, you know we don’t have time for this…!”
When she said those words, I felt my shoulder pop back in place. Her daughter was on the other side of the room, frightened I imagine, and said that she heard it pop. God healed my shoulder, and I have never been to a doctor about it.
My niece had a detached retina, and through prayer and faith, it reattached, something the experts tell us is impossible. I saw a woman with a broken back leap from the wheel chair and run around the church house. Sister Alice was in so much pain, they could barely get her from the car into the church, but afterward, she walked on her own to the car, rejoicing in the Lord.
Though some leave here and are not healed, that does not mean healing has ceased. I don’t understand God’s will and timing in such matters, but I DO know God is still a healer!
When my 20 year old nephew passed, I had to say those words out loud, "God is STILL a healer!" It was necessary to say it, not just for my own benefit, but so the devil could hear it. Though grieving, he had to know that my faith was not shaken because John was gone. God still works the impossible!
In describing the loss of both of her nephew's eyes due to disease, a friend said that though it is something she will never understand, the fact remains, God is STILL a healer!
He is a testimony that though he cannot see with his natural eyes, it is possible to lead a productive life with a positive attitude...she said her nephew does everything he wants to do, plays the piano, and even water skies.
The Lord continues to work the impossible. The blind still see. The deaf still hear. The lame still walk. The diseased are still made whole. The Healer has not left the building...He is here!
So today, if you or a loved one have received a bad report, choose to receive the report of the Lord! His Word says we are healed! Trust in the Lord this day, for the Healer IS here!
Saturday, March 27, 2010
God Wants What Is Best For Us
It seems like an elementary thought, doesn’t it? The Lord loves His children and wants what is best for us. He said in His Word, No good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly (Psalm 84:11). We know it and have heard it preached time and again, but often it is hard for some to accept this is meant for them. Wonder why that is?
It was pointed out to me recently that perhaps this is so because of past relationships. For example, when a person has grown up not knowing the love of a parent, it may be hard to fully comprehend the love extended to them by our Heavenly Father, for they simply have nothing to compare this kind of love to.
How often have we read these words spoken by the Master…
Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him? (Matthew 7:9-11).
It is the Holy Bible and we know it is true…but, the question remains the same, how can this be true for me?
This analogy does not just apply to the orphan, but to those who had an inattentive parent, one who may not have known how to express love to their child. Consequently, children grow up with a void in their inner beings. There is an emptiness, a deficiency that they try to fill with things, but things cannot replace the loss of a dysfunctional or absent parent/family structure. So, when they come to the Lord, they know John 3:16, but when it comes to believing God wants the best for them, they have a difficult time wrapping their faith around something they have never experienced in the natural.
The same is true of folks, especially women, who have had bad personal relationships. The man who beats his wife with a broom handle one minute, the next minute says, “Baby, you know I love you,” and continues this vicious cycle, has a wife who has a hard time understanding the depths of the love of the Lord.
The woman who endures a constant verbal attack may not accept the Lord whispering, “You are important to me” as being really for her. It is possible to become so accustomed to the negative tone and action that when pure and honest love comes from above, it is not easily understood or received.
What we have in this are people who are saved and Sanctified, Holy Ghost filled, and fire baptized, yet are, to call up an expression from the 70s, “living beneath their privilege.” Their inability to completely trust in every area is not something which will prevent them from entering through the Pearly Gates, but it does hinder their peace of mind and joy of spirit in this arena.
As I ponder all of this, I see my grandmother in my mind. If ever a godly woman walked this earth, it was my grandmother, yet she found it hard to trust the Lord completely. Her story is one of losing her mother at the age of nine, and having her father marry the 19 year old babysitter three months later. “Stepmother,” as Grandma always referred to her, set my granny out to work soon after, so Grandma had little formal education, and no parental guidance. This lack of nurturing can be seen in how she related, not just to family, but to her Lord.
What was needed was a healing of the emotions. Some think that emotions should not enter in when speaking of spiritual matters, but I would disagree. God fashioned us as emotional beings. The events in our lives are not easily forgotten, and emotions can be wounded as easily as receiving a bump on the head produces a wound. Thus the need for the Healer.
The experts will tell us that “there is sometimes no way to speed up the healing process,” and they would be correct. In the natural realm, sometimes we just have to wait things out and go through the process. But then there is God! I have seen Him do in an instant what years of process management could never do. His love goes beyond all human understanding and reaches to the broken pieces of our hearts and emotions. It is this healing balm which binds the wounds and heals the broken pieces, filling in the empty spot with trust and assurance that He wants the best for His children.
Emotional healing brings wholeness and is no respecter of persons. If the Lord has ever healed one, He will heal all. While the events of the past may have formed us, they do NOT have to define us. Our lives are not set in stone, in that once we head out on a course, we must remain there forever. We can receive these simple truths into our inner beings and be whole…
He doesn’t have a secret agenda or watch our backs because He wants something in return. The Lord wants what is best for us because He loves us, and it is as simple as that. It is He who purchased us with His own Blood. It is He who came that we might have abundant life. Abundance in every area…heart, mind, soul, provision, family…every area of our lives.
God has our best interest at heart, and this is revealed through His Word…
Jeremiah 29:11 reads, For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
The Master of all creation thinks about you and me. The Amplified Bible reads, For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome.
It is the Lord’s desire that we walk in peace and have hope in the final outcome of it all. Sounds like a pretty good deal to me. Sounds like we have a Father in heaven who sees after us and wants what is best.
I pray today that those hurting from events long ago are healed and made whole. May they receive all that the Lord has for them, and learn to trust He will perform His Word everyday, in every way. In Jesus’ Name…Amen!
It was pointed out to me recently that perhaps this is so because of past relationships. For example, when a person has grown up not knowing the love of a parent, it may be hard to fully comprehend the love extended to them by our Heavenly Father, for they simply have nothing to compare this kind of love to.
How often have we read these words spoken by the Master…
Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him? (Matthew 7:9-11).
It is the Holy Bible and we know it is true…but, the question remains the same, how can this be true for me?
This analogy does not just apply to the orphan, but to those who had an inattentive parent, one who may not have known how to express love to their child. Consequently, children grow up with a void in their inner beings. There is an emptiness, a deficiency that they try to fill with things, but things cannot replace the loss of a dysfunctional or absent parent/family structure. So, when they come to the Lord, they know John 3:16, but when it comes to believing God wants the best for them, they have a difficult time wrapping their faith around something they have never experienced in the natural.
The same is true of folks, especially women, who have had bad personal relationships. The man who beats his wife with a broom handle one minute, the next minute says, “Baby, you know I love you,” and continues this vicious cycle, has a wife who has a hard time understanding the depths of the love of the Lord.
The woman who endures a constant verbal attack may not accept the Lord whispering, “You are important to me” as being really for her. It is possible to become so accustomed to the negative tone and action that when pure and honest love comes from above, it is not easily understood or received.
What we have in this are people who are saved and Sanctified, Holy Ghost filled, and fire baptized, yet are, to call up an expression from the 70s, “living beneath their privilege.” Their inability to completely trust in every area is not something which will prevent them from entering through the Pearly Gates, but it does hinder their peace of mind and joy of spirit in this arena.
As I ponder all of this, I see my grandmother in my mind. If ever a godly woman walked this earth, it was my grandmother, yet she found it hard to trust the Lord completely. Her story is one of losing her mother at the age of nine, and having her father marry the 19 year old babysitter three months later. “Stepmother,” as Grandma always referred to her, set my granny out to work soon after, so Grandma had little formal education, and no parental guidance. This lack of nurturing can be seen in how she related, not just to family, but to her Lord.
What was needed was a healing of the emotions. Some think that emotions should not enter in when speaking of spiritual matters, but I would disagree. God fashioned us as emotional beings. The events in our lives are not easily forgotten, and emotions can be wounded as easily as receiving a bump on the head produces a wound. Thus the need for the Healer.
The experts will tell us that “there is sometimes no way to speed up the healing process,” and they would be correct. In the natural realm, sometimes we just have to wait things out and go through the process. But then there is God! I have seen Him do in an instant what years of process management could never do. His love goes beyond all human understanding and reaches to the broken pieces of our hearts and emotions. It is this healing balm which binds the wounds and heals the broken pieces, filling in the empty spot with trust and assurance that He wants the best for His children.
Emotional healing brings wholeness and is no respecter of persons. If the Lord has ever healed one, He will heal all. While the events of the past may have formed us, they do NOT have to define us. Our lives are not set in stone, in that once we head out on a course, we must remain there forever. We can receive these simple truths into our inner beings and be whole…
- God wants what is best for us
- God has our best interest at heart
He doesn’t have a secret agenda or watch our backs because He wants something in return. The Lord wants what is best for us because He loves us, and it is as simple as that. It is He who purchased us with His own Blood. It is He who came that we might have abundant life. Abundance in every area…heart, mind, soul, provision, family…every area of our lives.
God has our best interest at heart, and this is revealed through His Word…
Jeremiah 29:11 reads, For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
The Master of all creation thinks about you and me. The Amplified Bible reads, For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome.
It is the Lord’s desire that we walk in peace and have hope in the final outcome of it all. Sounds like a pretty good deal to me. Sounds like we have a Father in heaven who sees after us and wants what is best.
I pray today that those hurting from events long ago are healed and made whole. May they receive all that the Lord has for them, and learn to trust He will perform His Word everyday, in every way. In Jesus’ Name…Amen!
Friday, March 19, 2010
There Is Always A Place At The Table
This thought has been on my heart all day, and is 'provoked' by the lyrics of a wonderful song, written by Bill & Gloria Gaither. You will find that this piece is not for everyone, for it is carefully aimed and directed…
To the soldier who is weary of the journey and may have stepped away, or is considering stepping away from the House of Refuge. To the child of God who may have become swallowed up with the trick bag of the enemy and feels their mistake means there is no place for them now. To the oppressed and depressed who are convinced they just need time alone…“I’m all right…I just need some space.” To the hurting…those who perhaps were made to feel they were pushed aside and forgotten.
If the words above fit your situation, I have a word for YOU…
There is always a place at the table. Regardless of what has happened or how bad things may seem, we want you here. You are needed here. You are important to us. You are missed at the table of the Lord. There has always been a place for you here!
The Church of the Living God is a family. Just as we miss a family member who is not seated with us at supper time, the Family of God misses your presence…your voice…your testimony …we miss YOU!
Most importantly, the Lord misses you. He is seated at the head of the table, looking for you. He knows where you are, but is yet looking for you to come through the door, pull out your chair, be seated, place the napkin in your lap, and eat at His table. Though He sees your pain, weariness, and mistake, in the midst of all that may be wrong today, He sends an invitation, one which reads the same as all the rest, Come home!
The words that were penned by the poet are so true…a person can get “used to living on the outside looking in.” I am a witness, for I have been broken. I have the unfortunate testimony of a backslider, and know how hard it seems to find a way home. Our own minds convince us that there are so many at the table who have never left…why would the Host save a seat for me? But today I promise you, your place has NEVER been filled by another.
There has always been a place at the table set just for you...
Can you picture it? The golden charger is in place under the finest china, the silver place settings and crystal are sparkling. The place card is set, with your name carefully handwritten by the Lord. The centerpiece is the finest of floral arrangements placed by the Rose of Sharon, the table lit with the Glory of God. The feast is prepared and lovingly served by the Bread of Life...and to think, He did it all for YOU!
Be encouraged today. The Host didn’t remove your name from the guest list because you got up from the table, for in the words of the poet, Your place is set each time the family gathers. It will never be the same till you are home!
You are invited to come back home and dine with the family…won't you come?
To the soldier who is weary of the journey and may have stepped away, or is considering stepping away from the House of Refuge. To the child of God who may have become swallowed up with the trick bag of the enemy and feels their mistake means there is no place for them now. To the oppressed and depressed who are convinced they just need time alone…“I’m all right…I just need some space.” To the hurting…those who perhaps were made to feel they were pushed aside and forgotten.
If the words above fit your situation, I have a word for YOU…
There is always a place at the table. Regardless of what has happened or how bad things may seem, we want you here. You are needed here. You are important to us. You are missed at the table of the Lord. There has always been a place for you here!
The Church of the Living God is a family. Just as we miss a family member who is not seated with us at supper time, the Family of God misses your presence…your voice…your testimony …we miss YOU!
Most importantly, the Lord misses you. He is seated at the head of the table, looking for you. He knows where you are, but is yet looking for you to come through the door, pull out your chair, be seated, place the napkin in your lap, and eat at His table. Though He sees your pain, weariness, and mistake, in the midst of all that may be wrong today, He sends an invitation, one which reads the same as all the rest, Come home!
The words that were penned by the poet are so true…a person can get “used to living on the outside looking in.” I am a witness, for I have been broken. I have the unfortunate testimony of a backslider, and know how hard it seems to find a way home. Our own minds convince us that there are so many at the table who have never left…why would the Host save a seat for me? But today I promise you, your place has NEVER been filled by another.
There has always been a place at the table set just for you...
Can you picture it? The golden charger is in place under the finest china, the silver place settings and crystal are sparkling. The place card is set, with your name carefully handwritten by the Lord. The centerpiece is the finest of floral arrangements placed by the Rose of Sharon, the table lit with the Glory of God. The feast is prepared and lovingly served by the Bread of Life...and to think, He did it all for YOU!
Be encouraged today. The Host didn’t remove your name from the guest list because you got up from the table, for in the words of the poet, Your place is set each time the family gathers. It will never be the same till you are home!
You are invited to come back home and dine with the family…won't you come?
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