November 2018 Archives
Happy Thanksgiving 2018!
My dear readers, I just wanted to take a minute to wish you all a very blessed Thanksgiving. Thank you for the blessing you have been to me and for the encouragement to continue to write and share what God lays on my heart.
Life is not always easy, and one can lose sight of what we have to be thankful for, but a Christian should never draw a blank in that department. If you are going through today just biding your time and waiting for the day to end, ask God to open your eyes to even the smallest blessings. I’ve no doubt that they’re there. You all are among the blessings that I am thanking God for today.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Photo by Pro Church Media on Unsplash
Les Beasley Passes Away
This morning, I awoke to the news that another southern gospel icon has gone on to Heaven. Although I’ve seen Les at the National Quartet Convention, I didn’t really know him. My impression of him was a man who loved people and always took time for them no matter how busy he probably was. He always seemed to be smiling. My heart goes out to those who were close to him. Please pray for the Beasley family and all those who knew and loved him.
How to Make the Most of Your Quiet Time
On Sunday, I wrote a devotional for Music Scribe on the importance of slowing down and spending quality time with the Father. Although time is a large factor as to why many don’t take the time they should to really get to know Him, I expect that a lot of people (Christians included) don’t really know how to do so. Following is a list of some things that I have found to be helpful in having a productive quiet time with Him.
Worship. I find that my best time with the Lord comes when I begin by worshiping Him. When I get out of bed in the morning, right after I get my coffee, I put on a CD and begin to get ready for my day. I sing along. I praise Him while the music plays. Sometimes I sip my coffee and just listen to the words, letting them speak to me.
Pray. After my CD ends or I turn it off, I continue to praise the Lord, thanking Him for His goodness, another day to serve Him, strength to do the work He has called me to do, anything else that comes to mind, answers to prayer, etc. Then I ask Him to open my heart to hear what He desires to speak to me through His Word.
Read. I have done read-through-the-Bible-in-a-year plans but, more often than not, I just read one chapter a day. I would rather get something out of what I read than to read through it quickly. After I read a chapter, I will go back over it, prayerfully asking the Lord to show me whatever I need to get out of that day’s reading. Last month, I also began underlining the commands in Scripture that stuck out to me. This would be a good way to find them if you later want to remember how God desires His people to live. If you are reading the Bible in a year, I would recommend going back through and studying at least one of the chapters you just read so that you have something to ponder throughout the day.
Listen. After reading and focusing on the Word of God, take some time to be still and listen in order to hear what God desires to speak. I am easily distracted, so it works best for me to sit on my balance ball and look up into the sky. I keep my Bible open before me so that, if my mind starts to wander, I can bring it back by focusing on another portion of Scripture and then praying over it, continuing to listen all the while.
Pray again. Once I have finished all of that and I’m ready to start my day, I take a few more minutes to pray. I ask for His help with anything He has shown me that I need to change. If He has laid someone on my heart to pray for that morning, I will do it then. I ask for strength and wisdom as I go through my day, that I will know what He desires me to do. If I know I will be editing that day, I ask that He will help me to find the errors in the manuscript and have wisdom to know how to correct them. If we have seminars or conferences coming up, I ask that He will bless those, sending people who need to hear the message we bring, and that He will give us the words to speak to each person we encounter. I could go on but you get the point.
Time with God is not something we should dread. When you were dating your spouse, I suspect you talked for hours about any and everything. God is willing to listen to whatever is on your heart as well. The more time you spend with Him, the more you will look forward to this uninterrupted time together.
My purpose in writing this is not to draw attention to my prayer life, and I’m not saying that everyone needs to use this formula, but I do want to encourage you to create a formula that works for you and do not forsake meeting with Him on a daily basis. If you only have limited time during the day, break it up. Maybe take 15 minutes to study the Bible before you head out the door … then take another 15 minutes to pray during your first break … whatever works for you. Just make sure that you make the most of the time you have.
Book Review: More Than the Music (Bill Gaither)
I debated on whether or not to call this a book review since it is as much about Bill as a person as it is about the book, but since the book was the inspiration for this post, I suppose it could fit into the “review” category.
I grew up listening to the Bill Gaither Trio and, although I have only ever met Bill briefly, I respect him. As I read his autobiography More Than the Music, there was very little that I did not already know but it was nice to hear Bill’s perspective on some of the rumors that have gone around in the last 40 years or so. I know Mr. Gaither is not perfect, and I don’t agree with him on everything, but I believe that he desires to please the Lord in the way he lives his life. I appreciated his honesty in sharing his struggles while giving glory to God for his successes. There were even times that he admitted that he wasn’t sure he made the right decision in some areas but he did what he felt was right.
As one acquires fame, it is easy to forget those who helped to pave the way for that acclaim. In 1993, Mr. Gaither chose to show honor to the southern gospel singers whose heydays had ended and who, in some cases, were struggling. He also created a renewed excitement for a genre of music that many did not know existed, and he continues to do so to this day.
I think what has impressed me the most though is his support of Gloria. I hardly ever hear him mention an accomplishment without prefacing it with “Gloria and I …” He is also quick to admit that he is not the greatest singer, but he knows how to find good singers and, when he does, he provides opportunities for others to hear those talents too. I expect there are more people singing today because of Bill Gaither than I realize.
Only God knows the heart but if I could summarize Bill Gaither by what I’ve seen, it would be a humble encourager. This book has reminded me of what I would like to aspire to as well.
