February 2011 Archives
Though None Go With Me
Do you ever find yourself singing, “Though none go with me, still I will follow … but I really hope some go with me”? If I’m honest, that’s how I would have written the song but I’ve learned that, no matter what decisions you make in life, even ones you see as Biblical decisions, there will be times you have to stand alone. Your closest friends may think you’re crazy and beginning to go a bit overboard in your convictions that they will begin to withdraw or will try to convince you that what you believe God spoke to you wasn’t God at all. Those are the moments you have to draw near to God and say boldly, “If it seem evil to you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom you will serve. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:15).
Loneliness is never fun but I’ve learned that it’s often in the lonely times that we are more aware that we are never alone. Recently, I’ve started thanking God for His kindness in never leaving me. I don’t know how I would get through life without Him but I do know I wouldn’t do it very well. I pray that, with every decision I make in life, none would be based on what others think I should do but I pray that I will be constantly focused on what God desires me to do. Others may consider me a fool but if God is pleased with me, it really doesn’t matter what others think. His opinion’s all that matters. Because of this, I can truly say, “Though none go with me, still I will follow. I’ll go with Him, with Him ALL THE WAY!”
Miracles
Have you ever witnessed a miracle? If not, have you wanted to? God has answered so many of my prayers for specific miracles that I’m sure I don’t even remember them all. I do remember that, many times when the answer came, I was surprised and then I’d ask myself “Why?” We serve a great God who delights in giving good things to His children so why does it surprise us when He grants us our hearts’ desires?
Maybe you don’t think you have witnessed a miracle but have you ever stopped to think that life itself is a miracle? Every breath you breathe … every step you take … is really amazing. I don’t know how God thought of every body part to give us to function in a certain way but it’s beyond comprehension to me.
I still have some major things I’m asking God for but I don’t ever want to lose sight of His work in the relatively small details of life. The fact that He is by my side is a miracle and I praise Him for that. He is so worthy!
The Greatest of These is Love
Love. The essence of Christianity but something that is often overlooked. I just started a book called Spiritual Progress where the author makes the following statement: “When we cease to love a single person, we cease to be Christians.” At first glance, it would be easy to tear that apart. We often feel we have a reason to not love everyone but what did John mean when he said, “If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?” (1 John 4:20)?
“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). That is love, Folks, and that’s the love Christ wants us to have for others. Love is not warm, fuzzy feelings but a determination to not harbor hatred toward a person who has wronged us. It’s a willingness to go the distance for that person not because we feel like it but because it’s the right thing to do.
Are you harboring bitterness or resentment toward someone? If so, I encourage you to lay it at God’s feet and let go of it totally and completely. You can’t afford to let anyone or anything stand between you and God. Begin again to live that victorious, joyous life you’ve been longing for. As you allow Him to place a love in your heart, you will feel your burdens grow lighter and you’ll know the joy and the peace that only He can bring.
CD Review: Sojourner Quartet
The Sojourner Quartet out of Ohio put out a self-titled CD a few years ago which includes a great mixture of ballads and uptempo quartet songs. If you like four-part male harmony, you will like this CD.
From the first notes of “Get Up, Get Ready” to the end of “Will I See You Over Yonder” this recording is top notch. Bass singer Dave Barker went Home to be with Jesus last year but I loved listening to him sing. He was a quality singer who, although I only met him briefly, seemed to have a love for God and a love for God’s people.
Other songs on this recording are “Just Got to Praise Him,” “Precious Love of Jesus,” “The Lighthouse,” “Happy Time in Heaven,” “Just One Hope,” “Where the Light Comes from the Son,” “Lean on Me,” and “I’m a Whosoever.”
Pursue Holiness
Songs about Heaven are going through my mind today. Songs like “Heaven is Real” that New Journey sang or “Heaven is Where I’m Going” which I’ve really been enjoying from the Pfeifers. Just as Heaven is real, though, Hell is also real. I think people often forget that. Verses like “Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14) often get overlooked as people like to think that, as long as they live a good life, they’ll make it. Have you ever thought about the fact that “a good life” does not automatically reflect holiness? You can live an outwardly decent life and yet have your heart be full of uncleanness and wickedness. In Matthew 23:26, Jesus told the Pharisees to “first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also.” I think we need to be reminded of this. There are many modern day Pharisees who harshly point out others’ faults but the reason is to make themselves look clean.
Brothers and Sisters, Jesus’ return is drawing nearer with each day that passes. Life is too short to indulge in sin, even for an instant. It may seem pleasurable at the time but the end certainly leads to death. If you desire eternal life with the one who loves you more than you could ever imagine, put away all uncleanness and ask God to give you a new heart, one that honors Him in everything. You will truly be happier and more fulfilled as you see Him at work in your life and you will be able to enter His presence full of joy, knowing that nothing will hinder your communication with Him. Sounds like Heaven on earth to me.
The Spiritual Battle
“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” (Ephesians 6:12)
I don’t know if everyone feels the spiritual battle like I do but I feel it almost constantly. It seems like life is a struggle, whether it’s making the right choices, fighting to stay healthy, or trying to attempt a simple task. It’s just plain hard. But then I’ll also feel grace for certain things.
Although not fun and often draining, spiritual battles are similar to exercise. They’re a lot of work but they’re what keeps us in shape. If life was complete ease, we would quickly become out of shape and would more than likely get out of the habit of staying close to God. When storms are closing in around us is when we most see our need and resolve to stay close to Him and let Him lead us. That posture is vital to our survival.
No matter what you’re going through, don’t view it as a punishment but begin to see God’s hand at work. There are differences of opinions as to whether or not God causes trials but I do know He allows them, and everything He allows is for a purpose. Because of that, I will continue to fight and declare “Greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world!” In the words of Don Francisco, “There ain’t nothing gonna happen today the Lord and I together can’t handle.” Thank You, Father!
CD Review: Changing World … Unchanging Christ … Changeless Sound (Dave, Duane & Neil)
I first heard the Couriers as a teenager in the mid-1980s. Our local radio station would have an artist spotlight segment once a week and one week the DJ chose a live recording from the Couriers which I really enjoyed. (I still have that recording somewhere.) Now the group that I remember as the Couriers goes by Dave, Duane and Neil but it’s the same three men and their sound hasn’t changed.
Neil Enloe wrote 5 of the 15 songs on the project including, “I Stand Before Your Majesty,” which notes the various postures one assumes when coming into the presence of Jesus. I love songs which usher you into His presence and this song does just that.
“Happiness is Following Jesus” was recorded previously but they still include it in their concerts.
I love the sound of “Euroclydon.” It’s the story of Paul and the storm he encountered while sailing to Rome. It then goes on to talk about the storms of life and how, like Paul, we have nothing to fear if we let Jesus steer the ship.
Neil Enloe also wrote “When It Hurts So Bad,” a great song to lift the spirit of anyone who’s hurting.
Dave Kyllonen wrote and sang “Jochebed.”
My favorite song on the project is their arrangement of “Dear Jesus, Abide in Me.”
Other songs include “It’s Such a Good Feelin,” “He’ll Be There,” “I Am the Word,” “Still Good News Today,” “The Next Time I Get Married,” and “Christ in Me.”
Obedience vs. Rebellion
This morning, I was reading Jeremiah 42, where the people begged Jeremiah to talk to God on their behalf and then relay to them what God desired them to do. Jeremiah was hesitant but the people assured him that, whatever God told them to do, they would obey. Jeremiah knew their hearts but, because of their persistence, he did what they asked.
When He returned to give the message to the people, God’s desire was simply that they stay in the land they were currently dwelling in and God would protect them from their enemies. However, if they left, they would surely die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence. So, what did the people do? Let’s look at the next chapter.
“Now it happened, when Jeremiah had stopped speaking to all the people all the words of the LORD their God, for which the LORD their God had sent him to them, all these words, that Azariah the son of Hoshaiah, Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the proud men spoke, saying to Jeremiah, “You speak falsely! The LORD our God has not sent you to say, ‘Do not go to Egypt to dwell there.’ But Baruch the son of Neriah has set you against us, to deliver us into the hand of the Chaldeans, that they may put us to death or carry us away captive to Babylon.” So Johanan the son of Kareah, all the captains of the forces, and all the people would not obey the voice of the LORD, to remain in the land of Judah.” (vs. 1-4)
You would think that, if they believed in Jeremiah to beg him to intercede for them, they would listen to his words but, no, they believed they knew better. They left Judah, and the things which Jeremiah prophesied came true.
I sometimes wonder why it’s so hard to obey simple instructions. For myself, I tend to think that if I knew God was speaking, I would follow; I just have to know it’s Him. The verses this morning was a reminder that the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. Without God, we are rebels, free thinkers who want to do our own thing. However, rebellion leads to death. I pray that God will help me to hear His voice and to be quick to obey it. I can’t afford to re-think Him. If I want His blessings on my life (and I do), that is my option. Is that your desire as well? Are there things you know God has spoken yet you refuse to obey? If so, I beg you to repent right now and surrender to His will. You won’t know peace until you do and you have a lot to risk if you don’t.
Pleasing the Lord
“When a man’s ways please the Lord, He maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.” (Proverbs 16:7)
As I was reading in Precious Pearls from the Proverbs this morning, the chapter was based on the above verse. I memorized that verse a long time ago but I never thought about its meaning. Is it true that all we have to do is please the Lord and we won’t have an enemy in the world? That’s what it sounds like until you think about the verses which talk about a man’s enemies being those of his own household or what about “All that will live Godly in Jesus shall suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3:12)?
There is obviously truth to both verses. If we are serving God wholeheartedly, we will be persecuted. We’ll be accused of being legalistic or “too Heavenly minded to be any earthly good.” We may even be slandered by those who think we’re “too good to be true” and who, therefore, are determined to undermine us. However, no matter what others throw at us, if we are truly pleasing God, people will notice and they will be drawn to Him. If we can counter their attacks with kindness and love, we may win them back as opposed to driving a deeper wedge between us.
I’ve learned not to take the bad things that come as an automatic sign of God’s displeasure but I do believe that, if I’m walking in His ways and striving to please Him, nothing will be able to touch me for I will have His Spirit giving me the strength to move on to live peaceably with all men, and those who refuse to live peaceably will eventually move on. All I need to do is stay close to Christ.
Yes, Lord, Yes
Trust and surrender: two attributes required of Christians but ones which can be hard to put into practice. For a year or two, these have been the traits which God has reminded me over and over again I need to possess. He’s helping me in so many ways but I still marvel at the fact that it is not habit to trust the Lord yet or to surrender my will to His. I’m closer than I used to be but many times, I still find my first reaction to be one of disbelief or fear. Thankfully, I serve a patient God who has to feel sadness as I doubt His wisdom. I may not consciously do so but, when my eyes aren’t on Him, I’m sure that’s what I’m communicating.
This week, I’m striving to draw closer to Him so I become more aware of Him every moment. If my eyes are on Him and I’m asking Him to truly order my day, I know He’ll be faithful to do so and I know He’ll give me strength for whatever comes. He is always trustworthy. I can always depend on Him and, because of that, my posture is “Yes, Lord, Yes to Your will and to Your way. Yes, Lord, Yes. I will trust you and obey. When Your Spirit speaks to me, with my whole heart I’ll agree and my answer will be Yes, Lord, Yes!”
