Lift Me Up Above the Shadows
I first heard the song “Lift Me Up Above the Shadows” on one of the early Homecoming videos Bill Gaither produced but I liked it right away. To me, the song said what I’ve felt but had a hard time putting into words. No matter how difficult life is, I want to rise above: to be in the trial but not of it. This is a difficult place to get to but I still long to arrive at that place. Circumstances should not affect my mood. Whether or not I’m having a bad day should not be decided by what is happening around me but by what is happening inside of me. If I am full of the Spirit, He will show me a way to come through the trials victoriously. It occurs to me that the sin is not in the struggling but sin often occurs when we stop struggling so I strive to press on.
If we would stay close to Jesus and hold onto His hand, not worrying about the storm that rages all around us, I’m convinced we would find that security that we long for and that strength we desire. Maybe that’s what happens in trials. Maybe the experience of walking through a few storms with God is what causes us to have more strength for the next storm because it’s no longer something we just read or heard about. We know from experience that God will walk beside us, surrounding us with angels, carrying us if He has to until we’re safely on the other side. Who else do you know who will do that every time without fail? Who else will stick with you no matter how hot the fire or how deep the water? No one but the One who can lift us up above the shadows.
CD Review: Calvary Sings (The Harper Trio)
The Harper Trio is based in Georgia, and consists of Chip, Marion, and Flip Harper. The group started singing in 2001 but I only became aware of them a couple years ago.
Calvary Sings begins with “God is Good,” a song which the Talley Trio recorded years ago. “It Could Be Today” is a mid-tempo song, followed by “Calvary Sings” which is a song which I could picture a choir singing. Powerful message.
Marion sings “Make Me a Vessel,” a beautiful song asking God to do just that. “In Jesus’ Name” was written by Ann Downing. Kyla Rowland wrote the toe-tapping “Oh That Wonderful Promise” which is the same song the Perrys recorded on their This is the Day recording.
“Friend of God Medley” ( featuring “I am a Friend of God,” “No Not One,” and “Oh What a Savior”) is very worshipful and restful to listen to. I like the uptempo “Not About You.”
Other songs include: “One Way,” “There’s Never Been Another Day,” “Rest Assured,” and the popular “Calvary Answers for Me.”
We Can Pray
I think everyone has times in their lives when situations rise up beyond their control, and a feeling of helplessness creeps in. For some, there’s probably nothing that’s harder to handle than not being in control but the fact is we’re never in control … really. We serve a God who is all-knowing and all-powerful and, if we are His children, He is the One who is really in control. Yet He delights in hearing the petitions of His children.
Last week, before I realized the health care hearing was going to be taking place on Sunday, I woke up singing “I Can Pray” and I found myself singing it for days. It’s interesting to me that God often will lay something on my heart before I need it but I was reminded that, no matter what happens in the world, we can always pray. Whether it’s intercession, petition, or praise, we need to be on our knees so that “the things of earth will grow strangely dim.
Although the bill has passed, let’s not stop praying. Even when our leaders make decisions that would not have been our choice, they need our prayers. As time moves on, it becomes more and more vital that we learn to hear His voice more clearly. I really think that’s what God is trying to do right now: cause people to turn to Him like never before. When things are going well, it can be easy to forget God but when times get hard, we realize how much we need Him. Let’s acknowledge our need but not just because things aren’t going our way. Let’s tell God how much we love Him and trust Him because He knows what we need. He has never done us anything but good and He is worthy of all the praise we have to give and more.
CD Review: It’s Worth the Wait (Dana Russell)
A couple years ago, I became aware of a man by the name of Dana Russell. Many of you may not have heard of him as he sings mostly in GA and southern TN; however, I recently received his debut CD and I’m pretty impressed. Dana does a great job delivering a great message in song.
The majority of this CD is upbeat with a theme that focuses on making sure you’re ready to go to Heaven. Dana wrote all the songs on this recording: “Be Ready,” “I Just Wasn’t Saved,” “Does He Know Your Name,” “He Made An Offer,” “God’s Voice,” “Sing About My Jesus,” “That Day Jesus Came Into My life,” “If Not for Calvary,” “It’s Worth the Wait,” and “He’s Always There.”
For information on ordering this CD, you may email Dana at rogasinger4him@yahoo.com.
Aware of His Presence
Nothing ushers me into the presence of God quicker than taking time to stop and remind myself that He is right beside me. No matter how hectic life gets or how tired I am, that awareness relaxes me as I feel His arms around me and I know that everything is going to be okay. It also makes me more determined to give Him the praise He deserves which is quite a bit of praise if you stop and think about it. If I spent all day every day praising Him, it would not be enough for His goodness to me.
Amid the hecticity of life, make sure that you have plenty of time for Him. Nothing is more important than periodic stops during the day to acknowledge the one who walks beside you every step that you take. No one likes to be ignored, and God is no exception. It’s so easy to talk to Him as you go about your day but it does take an element of discipline–well worth the effort I must add.
If you begin to feel out of sorts, think about how much one-on-one time you’ve spent with God today. If everything is going wrong, acknowledge God and repent for ignoring Him. He desires to help us if we will just ask and if we will look to Him continually, not just when we need something.
Partial Obedience is Not Obedience
“Then Samuel went to Saul, and Saul said to him, ‘Blessed are you of the LORD! I have performed the commandment of the LORD.’ But Samuel said, ‘What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?’ And Saul said, ‘They have brought them from the Amalekites; for the people spared the best of the sheep and the oxen, to sacrifice to the LORD your God, and the rest we have utterly destroyed.’ Then Samuel said to Saul, ‘Be quiet! And I will tell you what the LORD said to me last night.’ And he said to him, ‘Speak on.'” (1 Samuel 15:13-16).
As I read that passage, I find myself wondering what Saul’s real motive in sparing the sheep and oxen and King Agag. Was it so others could see his victory? Was he going to keep the animals for himself and turn Agag into a slave? Scripture doesn’t say but what is clear from this account is that Saul did not obey God. He tried to convince Samuel that he had since he’d obeyed part of God’s order but part was not enough. Because of one selfish act of disobedience, “the LORD regretted that He had made Saul king over Israel” (1 Samuel 15:35). How sad.
Excuses seem to be part of our human nature. I’ve seen children try to convince parents that they really did carry out their instructions. Maybe they folded part of the laundry they were asked to or washed some of the dishes; however, part is not what they were asked to do. Their job was not finished. As children in the Lord, our tendency can be to make excuses. “Don’t worry, Lord, I’ll talk to that person next time.” “Sorry, Lord, I was just too tired today but I’ll do it next time.” As we grow in the Spirit, we can no longer make those excuses. If we desire to live in the Spirit, we must walk in the Spirit and that walk begins with having a heart that is willing to be totally obedient in all we’re asked to do. We may not always know God’s will but, once He makes His will clear to us, we must move forward accordingly.
As you come before the Lord today, I encourage you to examine your heart. Ask God to show you if there is anything you are not fully obeying Him in and be willing to surrender that area of your life. It will be hard at first but the fellowship you will share with Him afterward will be so worth it!
CD Review: “The Journey” (The Mattingly Family)
As the title implies, the latest release from The Mattingly Family is a journey from the birth of Christ through His death and resurrection to the commission He gave us to “go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15).
Songs on the project are: “Only God Could Think of That,” “O Holy Night,” “On My Father’s Side,” “He Saw It All,” “That Soul Was Mine,” “Resurrection Morn,” “Beyond the Cross,” “No One Else,” “I Will Trust You Lord,” “Should We Neglect the Cause?” “Wake the Town,” and it ends with “It is Well.” It is a very creative project with great songs to take you on this journey with Jim, Ruby, Ruth Ann, Jeremiah and Jonathan Mattingly.
They only sing the chorus of “Beyond the Cross” but they sing it a capella. “It is Well” is also sung a capella. Both are nice arrangements. I think they sum up the the CD when they ask, “Should we neglect the cause? Should we forget the lost and fail to point the sinner to the cross?” After all Christ has done for me, I do not want to fail Him in that.
Have a Good Day!
I hope your week is off to a good start. My brother and I were talking earlier about how you don’t always know what’s going to happen in a day. You may receive unexpected news–good or bad. Whether it’s the birth of a new life or the death of a love one, that news may affect your plans but it’s good to know that, no matter what happens, you are in God’s hands.
I think the unknown is part of what makes life interesting. Some days are routine and boring but a lot are exciting, at least in my life. Some days are full of pain and heartache but a lot are full of joy and gladness. It’s hard to prepare for every phone call and every turn of events but, if we stay close to Jesus and hold His hand, we will not be shaken. The winds may blow and the sea may become stormy but it will not take us overboard. The captain has made sure that all His passengers are safe and, because of that, I can always have a good day. I hope you will too.
Reach Out
When I’m down, I find the quickest way to lift my spirits is to reach out to others. It’s never my first thought during those times but when I realize that I am beginning to wallow in self-pity, the thing that pulls me out of that pit the quickest is when God brings someone to mind that I can send a note of encouragement to or someone else who is having a trying time that I can pray for. They may never know the struggle I’m having but God does and He also knows the cure.
This week, the Gospel Greats radio program announced that their most requested song in their recent listener call-in was “I’ll Pray for You” by the Whisnants. It seems like most people want to know that someone is really praying for them. If you can’t think of anything else encouraging but can honestly tell someone you’re praying for them, that may be all the encouragement they need to lift their spirits, and you will be lifted up as well due to your obedience to the Holy Spirit.
Don’t have pity parties. They are extremely lonely parties and can just send you deeper into depression. Commit to fighting the good fight and keep reaching out. As you do so, God will encourage you as you encourage others.
CD Review: Rescued (The Harris Family)
The latest release from The Harris Family is a mixture of uptempo traditional southern gospel songs with a couple that have more of a praise and worship feel. The group consists of Roger and Sue Harris and their daughter Kristen. Their sound reminds me a bit of The Galloways but they are definitely setting their own niche.
Sue Harris wrote “The God Who Will Provide,” “Will Anybody Love Me?,” “God is Enough,” and “It Doesn’t Matter.” Kristen wrote “He Came to Me” and “Don’t Be Afraid, Just Believe.”
Two familiar songs on the project are “Mighty to Save,” (the popular praise and worship song) and “Victory Road,” a song they brought in a bass singer to accompany them on. Other songs included are: “Testify,” “Get Out There,” and “That’s Just What Love Does.”
