Prayer Requested for Brenda Ruppe
The group Sisters has announced that Brenda Ruppe will be undergoing surgery tomorrow, April 27, to remove her thyroid. She’s been diagnosed with thyroid cancer. Since it was caught early on, they expect a great outcome but I’d like to ask the Body of Christ to remember Brenda and her family in prayer this next little while. After the surgery, there will be a time of recovery, and we need to specifically pray that the surgery will remove every bit of cancer. We serve a faithful God who still heals all the time. Praise Yahweh!
UPDATE: Brenda is out of surgery and the doctor is 99% sure it’s not cancerous. If everything continues to go well, she should go home tomorrow. Praise God for yet another answered prayer!
Christ is Risen!
“Christ is Risen!” What joy it must have been to all who heard those words … after the initial shock, that is. How they longed to believe it but everyone knows that death means finality. One does not walk out of the grave after being cruelly murdered. It wasn’t long, though, before Jesus appeared to His followers proving that indeed He was alive and He would continue living so that they could have uninterrupted fellowship with Him.
This week, I was thinking how the focus is so often put on Christ’s death and resurrection but, to me, what really proved His great love is the suffering He endured before He died. Had He simply died of a heart attack, for instance, and come back to life, I’m not sure the impact would have been the same. Sure, it would have still been a miracle but when you think that He chose to suffer, to be cruelly tortured and then sentenced to a painful death and the reason He chose that was so we could spend eternity with Him, that is what is truly amazing.
Today, I am thanking God for His love. I praise Him for His willingness to die for me, and I pray that I will be faithful to live for Him all my days. If He never does another thing for me, I will still never be able to repay everything He’s already done but I want to die trying.
He’d Do It Again
As I was praying this morning, thanking God for His incredible love, the thought occurred to me that, in spite of the pain Jesus went through–the humiliation and the agony–He would do it again if it meant that I could spend eternity with Him. His love never ceases to amaze me.
It’s sad to think of the people who live their lives mocking Him, spitting on Him, and in other ways tearing Him down. Yet His desire is still that they repent and come to truly know Him so that they can share in His life as well.
Sadder still are those who claim to know Him and live their lives the same way as those who don’t know Him. If we desire to know Christ, He requires better of us. Those who don’t know Him don’t know what they are doing but we as professed Believers do. We owe Him everything!
Take time this weekend to think about exactly what our Lord went through. It’s not pleasant but I don’t think we can understand true love until we look at the road to Calvary. As bad as the pain of the cross was, He went through so much before He even got there.
Father, I don’t know why You love me so much but I thank You. Help me to be willing to surrender to You the life You paid for. I love You!
CD Review: Singing the Classics (Ed O’Neal and the Dixie Melody Boys)
From here on out, when I review CDs, you’ll notice I’ve added categories to classify the CDs. Within the southern gospel genre, there’s variety. Most groups or artists considered southern gospel seem to be what I would classify as inspirational, country, bluegrass or traditional. This CD definitely falls into the latter category.
The Dixie Melody Boys recently put out another CD of timeless classics. Songs included are: “Saved to the Uttermost,” “The Blood Will Never Lose Its Power,” “The Longer I Serve Him,” “10,000 Years,” “That’s What Jesus Means to Me,” “Rise Again,” “He Looked Beyond My Fault,” “Through it All,” “The Night Before Easter,” and “There is a River.” Each song has the same familiar arrangements but is unmistakeably DMB.
My favorite songs on the project are “He Looked Beyond My Fault” and “Rise Again” which surprised me that I would like this last song so well. Dallas Holm is not a southern gospel singer but Ed O’Neal and the boys brought the song to life.
Peace in the Valley
Why is it that when I’m tired, the words to “Peace in the Valley” inevitably come to mind? Maybe it’s because that’s how I feel. I’m tired and weary but I know I can’t give up until the Lord calls me Home. I’ve learned, though, that we can experience peace in the midst of chaos here. God does not simply reside in Heaven waiting for us to join Him; He is with us here, walking with us and giving us strength in the midst of our weakness and tiredness. This is where we begin to experience what our eternal life with Him will be like. Experiencing His presence now whets our appetite for the glory that waits for us in Heaven.
I’m definitely looking forward to Heaven and, if I were called Home today, I’d be rejoicing. However, I know God has a purpose for me here and, while I’m here, I pray to accomplish that purpose. I desire to live where resides that peace in the valley, that shelter in the storm, that Rock when everything around me is shifting. Life may change but He never changes.
So tonight I’m singing “Peace in the Valley” with the emphasis “I’m tired and so weary” but I know it’s just a season. I’m also singing, “Lord, lift me up and let me stand by faith on Heaven’s tableland, a higher plane than I have found. Lord, lead me onto higher ground!”
Take Me to the Cross
I don’t think I’ve ever posted one of my songs or poems on my blog but, with this being the week before Easter, I thought this one was fitting. Amid the hecticity of life, may we all be taken back to the Cross and our perspective renewed.
It’s easy to become distracted by things on this earth
Joy and sadness, friends and foes, things worthless and of worth
When I begin to get consumed by things here in this life
Take me to another place where things were not so rife
Chorus:
Take me to the cross
Lord, let me see Your agony
Take me to the cross
Remind me how You died for me
Sometimes I get distracted
But I hate to think where I would be
If not for your amazing love for me
Lord, take me to the cross
So many are going through life just living as they please
They seem to think You gave Your life so theirs could be all ease
But, Lord, I know that my salvation came at a great cost
Please take my life and use it for, without You, I’d be lost
CD Review: Love Came Calling (Triumphant Quartet)
The latest CD from Triumphant Quartet begins with a song I remember listening to the McGruders sing: “Saved by Grace.” Being a Priscilla McGruder fan, I wasn’t sure what I’d think of another group recording the song but Scott Inman does a great job, keeping the feel of the original version. I love turning it on and cranking it up. Then I start it over.
“Love Came Calling” is another song on which Scott’s featured. It’s a mid-tempo ballad with a great message. Triumphant Quartet posted on Facebook today that this song is going number 1 on the Singing News chart. Congratulations, Guys! Keep God at the center of what you’re doing and He will reward you.
“I Can Take You to the Place” is an uptempo quartet song written by Scott Inman and Dianne Wilkinson.
David Sutton sings “Mercy, Forgiveness and Grace.” As he so often does, David puts feeling into a meaningful song, making it easy to focus on the lyrics.
Eric Bennett sings “The Undertaker,” which was written by McCray Dove.
Rodney Griffin wrote “Holy Hands,” sung by Clayton Inman. It’s hard to pick a favorite song on this project but this would definitely be up there. This could partly be due to the fact that I often think about the fact that God’s arms are holding me. I rely on those arms, and this song talks about how the great, powerful God who set the stars in place takes the time to hold me and lead me in the way I should go.
The final song, “You’ll Find Me There,” was written by Scott Inman and Joseph Habedank and is a toe tapper that will excite you if you listen to the words. Maybe I should have reviewed this in the morning instead of when it’s getting close to my bedtime. 🙂
Other songs which will be familiar to long-time southern gospel fans are: “Movin’ Up to Gloryland,” “Jesus is Your Ticket to Heaven,” and “We Shall Overcome.”
Faithfulness
I’ve noticed, in my prayers lately, that the number one thing I ask God for is to help me to be faithful. He has never been anything but faithful to me and I desire to give back to Him what He’s given me. In a world of selfishness, temptation, greed, etc. sometimes our focus can get off of Christ and the reason He put us on this earth. However, regardless of what people say, God did not put us here to be happy. He put us here to serve Him. As we serve Him with our whole heart, true joy and contentment comes but not before then. It’s in giving of ourselves that we learn what it means to receive. The greatest blessing I receive comes when people tell me what a blessing I’ve been to them.
In our “feel good” society, I pray that the people of God will stay strong and steadfast and continue to look to Him and allow Him to use them for HIS glory. Faithfulness is not unattainable. It may be challenging. There may be times we prefer to give into our own desires and lusts but, in the end, it will cost us the close relationship with Christ that all of us should desire. I cannot afford that and neither can you.
Let’s move forward with renewed zeal and a greater love for our Lord. May He continually find us faithful and, when we do stumble, let’s be faithful to repent, get back up, and continue moving forward and drawing even closer to Him.
Learning to Trust
I’m on the road which is why my posts have been really intermittent but I continue to draw near to God and strive to learn what He desires to teach me. Right now, one of the big lessons is still learning to trust … to be still … to understand that my will needs to conform to His and, when it doesn’t, I need to trust Him, knowing He knows what’s best and has a plan.
I must admit I don’t always turn to Him instantly. It’s easy to pout and complain when things don’t go my way but I’m learning.
I started this post yesterday, and today we ended up in a mechanic’s shop with our car. Definitely not one of those things I planned but, again, God proved Himself faithful.
As Henry and Hazel sang, “I don’t need to understand; I just need to hold His hand.” That’s what I’m striving to do this year. I long to do it faithfully so that I can more fully experience the peace that passes understanding. My Father is so good and I desire to be faithful to trust Him in return.
Acknowledging God’s Blessings
The other day I realized I’ve been so busy that I’ve neglected to think about the many ways God is blessing. It bothers me when I get that busy. How can we praise Him if we don’t see what He’s doing? I quickly turned my heart to count my blessings and to feel His presence. I’ve had a hectic few months but God has led, opened doors, given grace. He’s just been so good to me.
I’m presently in Texas where the sun is shining and the weather is warmer. How nice to be able to wear sandals and to feel a bit on the warm side. I love spring and look forward to it being in full bloom by the time I get back home.
If you haven’t taken time lately to thank God specifically for the various ways He’s blessed you, do so today. We can’t praise Him enough. If He never does another thing for me, He’s already been better to me than I deserve. However, He continues to pour out His love and let me know that I’m His child. How blessed I am! Thank You, Father, for your unfailing love. May I never cease to give You the praise that You deserve.
