Sometimes it takes everything we have to keep ourselves from drowning, whether in discouragement, stress, anger, or despair.
Maybe it’s the demands on you, or your financial troubles, or a family member who’s struggling.
Sometimes someone is suffering, and we don’t know how to ease them, or what we can do to make things better.
Sometimes, we’re barely hanging on, and it’s all we can do to keep our chins above the waters...
Jesus had those moments too. The books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John speak of His deep prayer and struggle at Gethsamane. And He knew that there would be days like that for us too, when it would be all we could do to turn our eyes to His face.
So He gave us hope in these beautiful words, “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30, NAS)
If you’re going through deep waters, remember that you don’t ever walk alone.
My flesh is tired of seeking God,
But on my knees I’ll stay.
I want to be a pleasing child
Until that final day.
My mind is full of many thoughts
That clutter and confuse.
But standing firm I will prevail
In faith that I’ll be used.
Amen. I’m asking once again:
Won’t You help me, my friend, Lord Jesus?
Holy Lord, Spirit, set us free
From chains we cannot see
Come release us.
I wrestle not with flesh and blood,
My fight is with the one
Who lost the keys of hell and death
To God’s most precious Son.
One sleepless night of anguished prayer
I triumph over sin,
One battle in the holy war
God’s promised me to win.
Amen. I’m asking once again:
Won’t You help me, my friend, Lord Jesus?
Holy Lord, Spirit, set us free
From chains we cannot see --
Come release us.
My flesh is tired of seeking God
But on my knees I’ll stay.
I want to be a pleasing child
Until that final day...
~~”Until That Final Day” by Keith Green (Album: Keith Green Collection)
KenaniahSings! is based on the song "Kenaniah" by Christian Rock band Petra. The song is derived from I Chron. 15:22,27, where Kenaniah sang before the Ark of the Covenant as it was brought into the Temple in Jerusalem. Altho Kenaniah served the Lord in a different way from many others, his contribution was vital & alive. KenaniahSings! will consider what it means to be a Christian & how each Christian contributes to the Body in their own unique way. Welcome!
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Monday, March 30, 2009
REDEMPTION
While I’ve been home sick for almost a week with the “nasties” (e.g., flu), I’ve been spending time cuddling with my many dogs (10 total), which got me thinking about this topic...
My sister & I have been involved in dog rescue & rehabilitation since the late 1980's. She has personally rescued & rehabilitated over 100 dogs. Me, not nearly so many, but I've worked with quite a few. Of the 12 dogs owned by my sis, my bro, & me, 7 are rescued dogs.
In a life already packed with activity, I’ve been asked why I invest time in this specific area. My answer is simple -- REDEMPTION.
I have the ability to act on behalf of a creature who cannot speak for itself. I am able to transform a needy dog's situation into something wonderful. Instead of being kicked, beaten, or neglected, I can bring them to a safe place where they can feel loved & cherished. I can help them to grow in self-confidence, & teach them the basics that they need to know in order to function in a new “forever” home. I can feel the righteous anger toward their abusers, & work to make changes to a system that treats such abuses far too leniently.
I’ve been blessed to taste the smallest hint of what it means to bring a creature back from the brink, a throw-away life that would have been snuffed out, & help to give that creature a new future of hope. Who WOULDN'T want to be part of something like that?! This doesn’t absolve me from my responsibility to live Christ to other humans in all areas of my life, but this specific focus is because I have already tasted redemption for myself, & know its intoxicating sweetness.
Because doesn't REDEMPTION describe exactly what Jesus did for me? He took me out of a life of darkness & degradation, with no future in front of me except for more darkness & degradation. As Michael Card said in his song “Joy in the Journey”: “Remember the hopelessness when you were lost...” From that lost wasteland, He brought me into His marvelous Light. He took a life with no meaning & filled it with His presence.
Redemption. Think on that precious word today, & what it means to you. Because it means EVERYTHING to me.
I once was lost, but now I'm found
I once was lost, but now I'm found
So far away, but I'm home now
I once was lost but now I’m found
And now my lifesong sings.
I once was blind, but now I see
I once was blind, but now I see
I don’t know how, but when He touched Me,
I once was blind, but now I see
And now my lifesong sings.
And now my lifesong sings,
And now my lifesong sings
I once was dead, but now I live
I once was dead, but now I live
Now my life to You I give
Now my life to You I give
Now my life to You I give
Hallelujah, hallelujah,
Let my lifesong sing to You
Hallelujah, hallelujah,
Let my lifesong sing to You
Hallelujah, hallelujah,
Let my lifesong sing to You
Hallelujah, hallelujah,
Let my lifesong sing to You
~~”And Now My Lifesong Sings” by Mark Hall/Casting Crowns (Album: Lifesong, 2005)
My sister & I have been involved in dog rescue & rehabilitation since the late 1980's. She has personally rescued & rehabilitated over 100 dogs. Me, not nearly so many, but I've worked with quite a few. Of the 12 dogs owned by my sis, my bro, & me, 7 are rescued dogs.
In a life already packed with activity, I’ve been asked why I invest time in this specific area. My answer is simple -- REDEMPTION.
I have the ability to act on behalf of a creature who cannot speak for itself. I am able to transform a needy dog's situation into something wonderful. Instead of being kicked, beaten, or neglected, I can bring them to a safe place where they can feel loved & cherished. I can help them to grow in self-confidence, & teach them the basics that they need to know in order to function in a new “forever” home. I can feel the righteous anger toward their abusers, & work to make changes to a system that treats such abuses far too leniently.
I’ve been blessed to taste the smallest hint of what it means to bring a creature back from the brink, a throw-away life that would have been snuffed out, & help to give that creature a new future of hope. Who WOULDN'T want to be part of something like that?! This doesn’t absolve me from my responsibility to live Christ to other humans in all areas of my life, but this specific focus is because I have already tasted redemption for myself, & know its intoxicating sweetness.
Because doesn't REDEMPTION describe exactly what Jesus did for me? He took me out of a life of darkness & degradation, with no future in front of me except for more darkness & degradation. As Michael Card said in his song “Joy in the Journey”: “Remember the hopelessness when you were lost...” From that lost wasteland, He brought me into His marvelous Light. He took a life with no meaning & filled it with His presence.
Redemption. Think on that precious word today, & what it means to you. Because it means EVERYTHING to me.
I once was lost, but now I'm found
I once was lost, but now I'm found
So far away, but I'm home now
I once was lost but now I’m found
And now my lifesong sings.
I once was blind, but now I see
I once was blind, but now I see
I don’t know how, but when He touched Me,
I once was blind, but now I see
And now my lifesong sings.
And now my lifesong sings,
And now my lifesong sings
I once was dead, but now I live
I once was dead, but now I live
Now my life to You I give
Now my life to You I give
Now my life to You I give
Hallelujah, hallelujah,
Let my lifesong sing to You
Hallelujah, hallelujah,
Let my lifesong sing to You
Hallelujah, hallelujah,
Let my lifesong sing to You
Hallelujah, hallelujah,
Let my lifesong sing to You
~~”And Now My Lifesong Sings” by Mark Hall/Casting Crowns (Album: Lifesong, 2005)
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
LET'S TALK SHEEP!!
I have sheep. Five of them, named Carmel, OB, Seven, Shaggy, and Dinky. Back before I had sheep, I didn't really understand why Jesus would compare us to sheep. But now that I have sheep, I get it!
So let me tell you about sheep, & how they're like us humans...
#1: Sheep always want the grass on the OTHER side of the fence, & they'll push down the fence & stomp all over it to get to that other grass.
Then, they'll decide that their grass was better after all, so they'll stomp down the fence in another place, just to get back to where they started.
~~We fight for our own way too, ignoring what we know is right to get what we want. We shove aside our consciences, that still, small voice inside of each of us. Then, when we're in a mess, we cry out to God to save us from the consequences of our waywardness.
#2: Sheep don't think about predators until one is staring them in the face, licking its chops.
~~We aren't very good at thinking about consequences either, until we're sinking in the quicksand. One of the statements that I'm known for is, "It seemed like a good idea at the time..." Sin can be very seductive & enjoyable...until you realize that you’re a pigeon among falcons who want to EAT you! Satan rejoices when we fail & fall.
#3: Sheep make a lot of noise when they don't get their way.
Carmel is my dominant ewe, & I ALWAYS know when she's unhappy, because she is LOUD! If I don’t give her corn when I come in from work, I hear it IMMEDIATELY. Even when I DO give her corn, she harangues me all the way into the house, because she wants even more...
~~We too are really good at complaining about what we have, or don’t have. Or we silently complain even while we're obeying God's teachings & commands, as if He can't hear our very thoughts!!
#4: Sheep recognize who's in charge most of the time, especially when it's a Border Collie!!
My Border Collie Jet kicks sheep's butts, even at almost 14! He knows that they’re prone to wandering, so his job is keeping them where I want them to be. And they know not to cross him, because he’ll enforce his will on them & he isn’t always gentle about it!
~~Sometimes we need spiritual Border Collies to keep us in line. Proverbs 27:17 says “Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another”. There are times when we need someone to call us on our behavior & tell us when we’re out of line too! Whether it’s a spiritual leader, a friend, or a mate, sometimes WE need to have our butts kicked too!
#5: Sheep aren't very bright, so they need a shepherd, to keep them from doing something stupid that has terrible consequences.
~~ I'm not always known as the brightest bulb in the batch. There is no doubt in my mind that I need a Shepherd to guide my way & protect me from the many hazards on the way...
In John 10:14, 27, Jesus said, "I am the Good Shepherd; I know My own, & My own know Me...My sheep hear My voice, & I know them, & they follow Me."
Even tho we are very like sheep, we have been given a Good Shepherd to keep & protect us. Rest in that protection & be at peace.
Come, Thou Fount of every blessing,
Tune my heart to sing Thy grace;
Streams of mercy, never ceasing,
Call for songs of loudest praise.
Teach me some melodious sonnet,
Sung by flaming tongues above.
Praise the mount! I’m fixed upon it,
Mount of Thy redeeming love.
O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I’m constrained to be!
Let Thy goodness, like a fetter,
Bind my wandering heart to Thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here’s my heart, O take and seal it,
Seal it for Thy courts above.
~~”Come Thou Fount” by Robert Robertson (1758)
So let me tell you about sheep, & how they're like us humans...
#1: Sheep always want the grass on the OTHER side of the fence, & they'll push down the fence & stomp all over it to get to that other grass.
Then, they'll decide that their grass was better after all, so they'll stomp down the fence in another place, just to get back to where they started.
~~We fight for our own way too, ignoring what we know is right to get what we want. We shove aside our consciences, that still, small voice inside of each of us. Then, when we're in a mess, we cry out to God to save us from the consequences of our waywardness.
#2: Sheep don't think about predators until one is staring them in the face, licking its chops.
~~We aren't very good at thinking about consequences either, until we're sinking in the quicksand. One of the statements that I'm known for is, "It seemed like a good idea at the time..." Sin can be very seductive & enjoyable...until you realize that you’re a pigeon among falcons who want to EAT you! Satan rejoices when we fail & fall.
#3: Sheep make a lot of noise when they don't get their way.
Carmel is my dominant ewe, & I ALWAYS know when she's unhappy, because she is LOUD! If I don’t give her corn when I come in from work, I hear it IMMEDIATELY. Even when I DO give her corn, she harangues me all the way into the house, because she wants even more...
~~We too are really good at complaining about what we have, or don’t have. Or we silently complain even while we're obeying God's teachings & commands, as if He can't hear our very thoughts!!
#4: Sheep recognize who's in charge most of the time, especially when it's a Border Collie!!
My Border Collie Jet kicks sheep's butts, even at almost 14! He knows that they’re prone to wandering, so his job is keeping them where I want them to be. And they know not to cross him, because he’ll enforce his will on them & he isn’t always gentle about it!
~~Sometimes we need spiritual Border Collies to keep us in line. Proverbs 27:17 says “Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another”. There are times when we need someone to call us on our behavior & tell us when we’re out of line too! Whether it’s a spiritual leader, a friend, or a mate, sometimes WE need to have our butts kicked too!
#5: Sheep aren't very bright, so they need a shepherd, to keep them from doing something stupid that has terrible consequences.
~~ I'm not always known as the brightest bulb in the batch. There is no doubt in my mind that I need a Shepherd to guide my way & protect me from the many hazards on the way...
In John 10:14, 27, Jesus said, "I am the Good Shepherd; I know My own, & My own know Me...My sheep hear My voice, & I know them, & they follow Me."
Even tho we are very like sheep, we have been given a Good Shepherd to keep & protect us. Rest in that protection & be at peace.
Come, Thou Fount of every blessing,
Tune my heart to sing Thy grace;
Streams of mercy, never ceasing,
Call for songs of loudest praise.
Teach me some melodious sonnet,
Sung by flaming tongues above.
Praise the mount! I’m fixed upon it,
Mount of Thy redeeming love.
O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I’m constrained to be!
Let Thy goodness, like a fetter,
Bind my wandering heart to Thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here’s my heart, O take and seal it,
Seal it for Thy courts above.
~~”Come Thou Fount” by Robert Robertson (1758)
Monday, March 23, 2009
Only One
Sunday was a rough day for me. I’ve been confronting some big issues in my life & Sunday was the day that some of those reached "critical mass". I didn't want to hear anything from God. I just wanted "pedal to the metal" to run away as far & fast as I could!
But God wasn’t finished with me. He used music to "talk me down from the ledge". This time, it was Casting Crowns' "Lifesong". At first, I wasn’t feeling too receptive, but then the lyrics of the song began to sink in & I realized that I was most upset because I was FAILING immensely in letting MY lifesong sing for Him.
I was consistently failing at living Christ in one specific area of my life, & it was driving me nuts! In trying to grasp control of the situation, I only succeeded in causing it to rock even more wildly out of control. I was out of options, totally frustrated, & out of patience!
Only a few posts ago I discussed talking to God about men BEFORE talking to men about God. Yet, here I was, completely tanking at the same thing! Once again, I was trying to FIX it myself!
So, after my spiritual boot in the seat, I picked myself up off the proverbial floor, & asked God for guidance & wisdom. Step by step, a new course of action began to materialize, as my thinking & emotions transformed at the foot of the Cross. As I focused my eyes upward, everything else fell into its proper place.
Before my entire psyche crashed & burned that day, I'd been thinking about a verse from Luke: "Only a few things are necessary, really, only one, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her." (Luke 10:42, NAS) I had thought of that verse, but it wasn’t until my heart was in proper relation to my Father that I learned that verse BY HEART...
Empty hands held high,
Such small sacrifice,
If not joined with my life,
I sing in vain tonight.
May the words I say
And the things I do,
Make my lifesong sing,
Bring a smile to You...
Let my lifesong sing to You!
Let my lifesong sing to You!
I want to sign Your name
To the end of this day
Knowing that my heart was true!
Let my lifesong sing to You!
Lord, I give my life,
A living sacrifice,
To reach a world in need,
To be Your hands and feet.
So may the words I say,
And the things I do,
Make my lifesong sing,
Bring a smile to You...
Let my lifesong sing to You!
Let my lifesong sing to You!
I want to sign Your name
To the end of this day
Knowing that my heart was true!
Let my lifesong sing to You!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Let my lifesong sing to You!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Let my lifesong sing to You!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Let my lifesong sing to You!
Let my lifesong sing to You!
Let my lifesong sing to You!
I want to sign Your name
To the end of this day
Knowing that my heart was true!
Let my lifesong sing to You!
Let my lifesong sing to You!
Let my lifesong sing to You!
I want to sign Your name
To the end of this day
Knowing that my heart was true!
Let my lifesong sing to You!
~~“Lifesong” by Mark Hall/Casting Crowns (Album: Lifesong, 2005)
But God wasn’t finished with me. He used music to "talk me down from the ledge". This time, it was Casting Crowns' "Lifesong". At first, I wasn’t feeling too receptive, but then the lyrics of the song began to sink in & I realized that I was most upset because I was FAILING immensely in letting MY lifesong sing for Him.
I was consistently failing at living Christ in one specific area of my life, & it was driving me nuts! In trying to grasp control of the situation, I only succeeded in causing it to rock even more wildly out of control. I was out of options, totally frustrated, & out of patience!
Only a few posts ago I discussed talking to God about men BEFORE talking to men about God. Yet, here I was, completely tanking at the same thing! Once again, I was trying to FIX it myself!
So, after my spiritual boot in the seat, I picked myself up off the proverbial floor, & asked God for guidance & wisdom. Step by step, a new course of action began to materialize, as my thinking & emotions transformed at the foot of the Cross. As I focused my eyes upward, everything else fell into its proper place.
Before my entire psyche crashed & burned that day, I'd been thinking about a verse from Luke: "Only a few things are necessary, really, only one, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her." (Luke 10:42, NAS) I had thought of that verse, but it wasn’t until my heart was in proper relation to my Father that I learned that verse BY HEART...
Empty hands held high,
Such small sacrifice,
If not joined with my life,
I sing in vain tonight.
May the words I say
And the things I do,
Make my lifesong sing,
Bring a smile to You...
Let my lifesong sing to You!
Let my lifesong sing to You!
I want to sign Your name
To the end of this day
Knowing that my heart was true!
Let my lifesong sing to You!
Lord, I give my life,
A living sacrifice,
To reach a world in need,
To be Your hands and feet.
So may the words I say,
And the things I do,
Make my lifesong sing,
Bring a smile to You...
Let my lifesong sing to You!
Let my lifesong sing to You!
I want to sign Your name
To the end of this day
Knowing that my heart was true!
Let my lifesong sing to You!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Let my lifesong sing to You!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Let my lifesong sing to You!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Let my lifesong sing to You!
Let my lifesong sing to You!
Let my lifesong sing to You!
I want to sign Your name
To the end of this day
Knowing that my heart was true!
Let my lifesong sing to You!
Let my lifesong sing to You!
Let my lifesong sing to You!
I want to sign Your name
To the end of this day
Knowing that my heart was true!
Let my lifesong sing to You!
~~“Lifesong” by Mark Hall/Casting Crowns (Album: Lifesong, 2005)
Thursday, March 19, 2009
At the Center
I don’t know about you, but I struggle with an attitude of prayer and praise. When I pray, sometimes it feels as if I’m reading from a shopping list of things that I’m asking for. I envision our patient Father as saying to me, “What is it this time?”
Or sometimes I feel as if my prayers are bouncing off of a glass ceiling & plummeting to earth all around me. That’s not the way that I want my prayer life to be. That’s not the way I want to have communion with my Savior.
But I tell everyone who has a need that I’m going to pray for them, and there are just SO MANY things to pray for! And there just isn’t enough time in my little “block of prayer time” to fit it all in.
I get so locked into what I want, or what I’ve promised to pray for, that I can’t get past it to have a true attitude of praise & worship. I can’t quiet my “SELF” enough to be still before God. There’s too much of ME in the way!
Isaiah 30:15 says, “In repentance and rest you will be saved; in quietness and trust is your strength.”
Taking those moments of quiet, and being still before God are the keys. If it’s been a while, this is a real struggle. My mind wanders EVERYWHERE and it’s a constant challenge to keep it focused on the Lord. But I’ve also discovered that it’s in those quiet moments before Him that He really speaks to me. And I treasure those moments so deeply that I wonder why I allow myself to be pulled away from them, back into the mania of life.
So how do we get there, to those moments of quiet and praise? For me, it’s music. I’m sure you’ve noticed that I include lyrics in each blog entry. Music lifts me, and refocuses my attention on the One who is the center of my life. For others it's dance, or getting out into the world that He has made for us, to appreciate its beauty.
Whatever your avenue, take the time to get these moments of quiet before Him, the center of your life. As C.S. Lewis wrote in The Last Battle ("Chronicles of Narnia"), “Further up and further in!!”
It's cold outside,
Or is that just the chill I feel inside from standing here
Steeping in my shame.
I can't deny
I'm surrounded by the very thing You freed me from;
That's why I can't come home...
And I don't know where I turned around
From chasing what I always found completed me
More than I could dream.
I don't know why I can't remain
Safe here where I always came to meet with you
And You always met with me...
And You're still here waiting...
I fail to see
Why You'd still be waiting to forgive me
After all that I have done.
But I cannot say
That one time I returned and You had turned away;
Your love never fails...
And I don't know where I turned around
From chasing what I always found completed me
More than I could dream.
I don't know why I can't remain
Safe here where I always came to meet with you
And You always met with me...
And You're still here waiting...
You say, "Come home" and You'll be there
I can run into Your arms
And I don't know where I turned around
From chasing what I always found completed me
More than I could dream.
I don't know why I can't remain
Safe here where I always came to meet with you
And You always met with me...
And You're still here waiting...
~~“Still Here Waiting” by Todd Agnew (Album: Grace Like Rain, 2005)
Or sometimes I feel as if my prayers are bouncing off of a glass ceiling & plummeting to earth all around me. That’s not the way that I want my prayer life to be. That’s not the way I want to have communion with my Savior.
But I tell everyone who has a need that I’m going to pray for them, and there are just SO MANY things to pray for! And there just isn’t enough time in my little “block of prayer time” to fit it all in.
I get so locked into what I want, or what I’ve promised to pray for, that I can’t get past it to have a true attitude of praise & worship. I can’t quiet my “SELF” enough to be still before God. There’s too much of ME in the way!
Isaiah 30:15 says, “In repentance and rest you will be saved; in quietness and trust is your strength.”
Taking those moments of quiet, and being still before God are the keys. If it’s been a while, this is a real struggle. My mind wanders EVERYWHERE and it’s a constant challenge to keep it focused on the Lord. But I’ve also discovered that it’s in those quiet moments before Him that He really speaks to me. And I treasure those moments so deeply that I wonder why I allow myself to be pulled away from them, back into the mania of life.
So how do we get there, to those moments of quiet and praise? For me, it’s music. I’m sure you’ve noticed that I include lyrics in each blog entry. Music lifts me, and refocuses my attention on the One who is the center of my life. For others it's dance, or getting out into the world that He has made for us, to appreciate its beauty.
Whatever your avenue, take the time to get these moments of quiet before Him, the center of your life. As C.S. Lewis wrote in The Last Battle ("Chronicles of Narnia"), “Further up and further in!!”
It's cold outside,
Or is that just the chill I feel inside from standing here
Steeping in my shame.
I can't deny
I'm surrounded by the very thing You freed me from;
That's why I can't come home...
And I don't know where I turned around
From chasing what I always found completed me
More than I could dream.
I don't know why I can't remain
Safe here where I always came to meet with you
And You always met with me...
And You're still here waiting...
I fail to see
Why You'd still be waiting to forgive me
After all that I have done.
But I cannot say
That one time I returned and You had turned away;
Your love never fails...
And I don't know where I turned around
From chasing what I always found completed me
More than I could dream.
I don't know why I can't remain
Safe here where I always came to meet with you
And You always met with me...
And You're still here waiting...
You say, "Come home" and You'll be there
I can run into Your arms
And I don't know where I turned around
From chasing what I always found completed me
More than I could dream.
I don't know why I can't remain
Safe here where I always came to meet with you
And You always met with me...
And You're still here waiting...
~~“Still Here Waiting” by Todd Agnew (Album: Grace Like Rain, 2005)
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Find Your Voice!
When was the last time you succumbed to peer pressure? Turned away from someone who looked as if they needed a friend? Ignored someone less “cool” than yourself? Acted or said something unkind to someone close to you? Gave your word and then went back on it? Didn’t actually lie, but didn’t tell the whole truth either? Told a white lie to get out of something you didn’t want to do?
What type of voice do you have? I don’t mean your singing voice, or the extent of your singing range. I mean something much more subtle and powerful -- your voice as an individual child of God.
In the Garden of Gethsemane, when they came to arrest Jesus, the book of John says that they asked Jesus if He was the One they sought: “When He responded, ‘I am He,’ they drew back and fell to the ground.” (John 18:4-6)
THAT’S a powerful voice! Over the years, I’ve spent a lot of time considering that passage. I’ve come to believe that, when Jesus spoke those words, all of the power of {{I AM}} became evident for that single moment in time. The POWER of those words pushed those people back as they fell to the ground. They could not stand against the amazing presence of {{I AM}}. Just imagine it! The One who created the earth, moon, and stars spoke at a moment in time, and eternity ripped through temporality for that split second!
So what does YOUR voice stand for? Do you stand for those in need, as you act with compassion? Do you stand for those in pain, as you work to ease their suffering? Do you stand against injustice, for those who have no voice? Do you stand as someone who is reliable and keeps their word in all circumstances?
Or do you stand as someone who passes by those in need, as the Israelites passed by the one who had been beset by thieves? Are you one of those people, or are you the Samaritan? The one who stops and makes the extra effort, even when it is inconvenient or challenging for you? Are you one who stands by, or one who takes action?
Maybe, as we approach this Resurrection Day, we should step back & take a hard look at ourselves and our voices. Maybe we should ask ourselves the tough questions that we usually avoid in the hectic rush of our lives. We each have only one voice. What does YOUR voice stand for?
Only one life to offer
Jesus, my Lord and King.
Only one tongue to praise Thee
And for Thy mercies sing (forever).
Only one heart's devotion,
Savior, O may it be
Consecrated alone to Thy matchless glory,
Yielded fully to Thee.
Only this hour is mine, Lord.
May it be used for Thee.
May ev'ry passing moment
Count for eternity (my Savior).
Souls all about are dying,
Dying in sin and shame.
Help me bring them the message
Of Calv'ry's redemption
In Thy glorious name.
Only one life to offer.
Take it, dear Lord, I pray.
Nothing from Thee withholding,
Thy will I now obey (my Jesus).
Thou who hast freely given
Thine all in all for me,
Claim this life for Thine own,
To be used, My Savior,
Ev'ry moment for Thee.
~~”Only One Life” by Avis Christiansen & Merrill Dunlop (c) 1937, 1964
What type of voice do you have? I don’t mean your singing voice, or the extent of your singing range. I mean something much more subtle and powerful -- your voice as an individual child of God.
In the Garden of Gethsemane, when they came to arrest Jesus, the book of John says that they asked Jesus if He was the One they sought: “When He responded, ‘I am He,’ they drew back and fell to the ground.” (John 18:4-6)
THAT’S a powerful voice! Over the years, I’ve spent a lot of time considering that passage. I’ve come to believe that, when Jesus spoke those words, all of the power of {{I AM}} became evident for that single moment in time. The POWER of those words pushed those people back as they fell to the ground. They could not stand against the amazing presence of {{I AM}}. Just imagine it! The One who created the earth, moon, and stars spoke at a moment in time, and eternity ripped through temporality for that split second!
So what does YOUR voice stand for? Do you stand for those in need, as you act with compassion? Do you stand for those in pain, as you work to ease their suffering? Do you stand against injustice, for those who have no voice? Do you stand as someone who is reliable and keeps their word in all circumstances?
Or do you stand as someone who passes by those in need, as the Israelites passed by the one who had been beset by thieves? Are you one of those people, or are you the Samaritan? The one who stops and makes the extra effort, even when it is inconvenient or challenging for you? Are you one who stands by, or one who takes action?
Maybe, as we approach this Resurrection Day, we should step back & take a hard look at ourselves and our voices. Maybe we should ask ourselves the tough questions that we usually avoid in the hectic rush of our lives. We each have only one voice. What does YOUR voice stand for?
Only one life to offer
Jesus, my Lord and King.
Only one tongue to praise Thee
And for Thy mercies sing (forever).
Only one heart's devotion,
Savior, O may it be
Consecrated alone to Thy matchless glory,
Yielded fully to Thee.
Only this hour is mine, Lord.
May it be used for Thee.
May ev'ry passing moment
Count for eternity (my Savior).
Souls all about are dying,
Dying in sin and shame.
Help me bring them the message
Of Calv'ry's redemption
In Thy glorious name.
Only one life to offer.
Take it, dear Lord, I pray.
Nothing from Thee withholding,
Thy will I now obey (my Jesus).
Thou who hast freely given
Thine all in all for me,
Claim this life for Thine own,
To be used, My Savior,
Ev'ry moment for Thee.
~~”Only One Life” by Avis Christiansen & Merrill Dunlop (c) 1937, 1964
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Just Enjoy!
Living in Michigan as I do, I know that everyone in our state has really enjoyed the past few days, with our first taste of spring weather. Each winter, we live through the frost and ice and snow, sometimes enjoying the season with skiing, boarding, or showshoeing. But it is nice to feel the sun and see the first crocus of spring starting to peek through.
Sometimes, it’s OK to just enjoy it. To let go of our cares & burdens & just be in the moment for a while. Jesus told us, “Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matthew 6:34).
I think God takes delight in our enjoyment of this world He has created for us. As Keith Green wrote in his song “I Can’t Wait to Get to Heaven”: “Deep green forests, mountains reaching for the sky, grasslands and deserts, Your creation fills my eyes.”
So don’t waste the moment! Take a second to go out & enjoy yourself! Find that first violet, or just sit for a moment in the sunlight. Listen to Chris Rice’s “Cartoons [What If Cartoons Got Saved?]” -- Yabba-dabba-lujah!! Or what about Steven Curtis Chapman’s “Live Out Loud!”
My own favorite for times like these is White Heart’s “God Made Convertibles!”. I don’t own a convertible, but I DO have a sunroof, & I open it up & play that song FULL BLAST!
Or find another song that “floats your boat”! There are so many out there to enjoy! The point is, take the moment to be in the moment!
GOD MADE CONVERTIBLES
Whooooooooo!
Hey, are you ready to go?
Got the top turned down on my GTO!
C’mon, let’s all jump in,
Gonna take this car for a little spin!
Oh! Hear the motor hum!
Gonna ride into the endless summer sun!
Wind blowing through my hair,
The sky is blue, I haven’t got a care!
Feels so good and free,
Just like God is sitting next to me!
Oh, don’t you feel it too?
You gotta know that it really must be true...
God made convertibles!
The sun is shinin’ here, you can see it’s pretty clear!
God made convertibles!
And this high I’m ridin’ on is not a manufactured one!
God made convertibles!
As you put the pedal down, let Him lift you off the ground!
Hey, it’s an open road, got this tune clicked up on my radio!
The whole world has got the song,
You just can’t help but to sing along!
Oh! Can’t hold it in!
We’re like this top cuz we’re opened up to Him...
God made convertibles!
The sun is shinin’ here, you can see it’s pretty clear!
God made convertibles!
And this high I’m ridin’ on is not a manufactured one!
God made convertibles!
As you make it up to fly, you gotta know the reason why,
God made convertibles!
As you put the pedal down, let Him lift you off the ground!
Convert, convert, convertibles!
God made convertibles!
The sun is shinin’ here, you can see it’s very clear!
God made convertibles!
And this high I’m ridin’ on is not a manufactured one!
God made convertibles!
As you make it up to fly, you gotta know the reason why!
God made convertibles!
As you put the pedal down, let Him lift you off the ground!
God made convertibles! God made convertibles!
Jump on in, start it up, pop the top and feel His love!
God made convertibles!
~~White Heart (Album: Don't Wait for the Movie, 1986)
Sometimes, it’s OK to just enjoy it. To let go of our cares & burdens & just be in the moment for a while. Jesus told us, “Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matthew 6:34).
I think God takes delight in our enjoyment of this world He has created for us. As Keith Green wrote in his song “I Can’t Wait to Get to Heaven”: “Deep green forests, mountains reaching for the sky, grasslands and deserts, Your creation fills my eyes.”
So don’t waste the moment! Take a second to go out & enjoy yourself! Find that first violet, or just sit for a moment in the sunlight. Listen to Chris Rice’s “Cartoons [What If Cartoons Got Saved?]” -- Yabba-dabba-lujah!! Or what about Steven Curtis Chapman’s “Live Out Loud!”
My own favorite for times like these is White Heart’s “God Made Convertibles!”. I don’t own a convertible, but I DO have a sunroof, & I open it up & play that song FULL BLAST!
Or find another song that “floats your boat”! There are so many out there to enjoy! The point is, take the moment to be in the moment!
GOD MADE CONVERTIBLES
Whooooooooo!
Hey, are you ready to go?
Got the top turned down on my GTO!
C’mon, let’s all jump in,
Gonna take this car for a little spin!
Oh! Hear the motor hum!
Gonna ride into the endless summer sun!
Wind blowing through my hair,
The sky is blue, I haven’t got a care!
Feels so good and free,
Just like God is sitting next to me!
Oh, don’t you feel it too?
You gotta know that it really must be true...
God made convertibles!
The sun is shinin’ here, you can see it’s pretty clear!
God made convertibles!
And this high I’m ridin’ on is not a manufactured one!
God made convertibles!
As you put the pedal down, let Him lift you off the ground!
Hey, it’s an open road, got this tune clicked up on my radio!
The whole world has got the song,
You just can’t help but to sing along!
Oh! Can’t hold it in!
We’re like this top cuz we’re opened up to Him...
God made convertibles!
The sun is shinin’ here, you can see it’s pretty clear!
God made convertibles!
And this high I’m ridin’ on is not a manufactured one!
God made convertibles!
As you make it up to fly, you gotta know the reason why,
God made convertibles!
As you put the pedal down, let Him lift you off the ground!
Convert, convert, convertibles!
God made convertibles!
The sun is shinin’ here, you can see it’s very clear!
God made convertibles!
And this high I’m ridin’ on is not a manufactured one!
God made convertibles!
As you make it up to fly, you gotta know the reason why!
God made convertibles!
As you put the pedal down, let Him lift you off the ground!
God made convertibles! God made convertibles!
Jump on in, start it up, pop the top and feel His love!
God made convertibles!
~~White Heart (Album: Don't Wait for the Movie, 1986)
Monday, March 16, 2009
This Is My Father’s World
[as sung by The 2nd Ch of Acts]
This is my Father's world,
And to my listening ears,
All nature sings, and round me rings
The music of the spheres.
This is my Father's world,
The birds their carols raise,
The morning light, the lily white,
Declare their Maker's praise.
This is my Father's world:
He shines in all that's fair;
In rustling grass I hear Him pass;
He speaks to me everywhere.
This is my Father's world.
O let me ne'er forget that
Though the wrong seems often strong,
God is the ruler yet.
This is my Father's world:
The battle is not done.
Jesus who died shall be satisfied,
And earth and heaven be one.
~~Maltbie Babcock
Last Saturday, I had the privilege of viewing 3 of Michigan’s Great Lakes (Michigan, Huron, and Superior), locked in the ices of winter. We had driven into Michigan’s Upper Peninsula to take pictures of Tahquamenon Falls in winter. Parts of the falls themselves were locked in ice, and snow piles stood 8-10 feet high in many places, so that driveways and roads could be cleared.
It reminded me that, even though man as a species has achieved some dominance over his environment, it is truly humbling to see how little control we really have. No man or woman could clear the ice from the lakes, locked in snowy & icy waves. No more could they start the waters of the falls flowing again. There is only one power strong enough to thaw those lakes and falls again -- the power of the natural laws that God Himself bestowed in our world.
The Bible describes the power of the Lord movingly: “Lift up your eyes on high, and see Who has created these stars, the One Who leads forth their host by number; He calls them all by name. Because of the greatness of His might and the strength of His power, not one of them is missing.” [Isaiah 40:26]
Today, as you enjoy a pleasant early spring day, or even if you are seeing the grey of storms or the darkness of night, remember Who created these things, and controls their movement across our world. Remember, too, your smallness in comparison to His greatness.
[as sung by The 2nd Ch of Acts]
This is my Father's world,
And to my listening ears,
All nature sings, and round me rings
The music of the spheres.
This is my Father's world,
The birds their carols raise,
The morning light, the lily white,
Declare their Maker's praise.
This is my Father's world:
He shines in all that's fair;
In rustling grass I hear Him pass;
He speaks to me everywhere.
This is my Father's world.
O let me ne'er forget that
Though the wrong seems often strong,
God is the ruler yet.
This is my Father's world:
The battle is not done.
Jesus who died shall be satisfied,
And earth and heaven be one.
~~Maltbie Babcock
Last Saturday, I had the privilege of viewing 3 of Michigan’s Great Lakes (Michigan, Huron, and Superior), locked in the ices of winter. We had driven into Michigan’s Upper Peninsula to take pictures of Tahquamenon Falls in winter. Parts of the falls themselves were locked in ice, and snow piles stood 8-10 feet high in many places, so that driveways and roads could be cleared.
It reminded me that, even though man as a species has achieved some dominance over his environment, it is truly humbling to see how little control we really have. No man or woman could clear the ice from the lakes, locked in snowy & icy waves. No more could they start the waters of the falls flowing again. There is only one power strong enough to thaw those lakes and falls again -- the power of the natural laws that God Himself bestowed in our world.
The Bible describes the power of the Lord movingly: “Lift up your eyes on high, and see Who has created these stars, the One Who leads forth their host by number; He calls them all by name. Because of the greatness of His might and the strength of His power, not one of them is missing.” [Isaiah 40:26]
Today, as you enjoy a pleasant early spring day, or even if you are seeing the grey of storms or the darkness of night, remember Who created these things, and controls their movement across our world. Remember, too, your smallness in comparison to His greatness.
Friday, March 13, 2009
In This Is Love
Prayin’ in the garden
You saw the crowd a-comin’
Betrayed by the one that called You King
You could’ve called a band of angels
To come and save the day
But instead You chose to stay
You didn’t run away
CHORUS
In the very front of Your mind
While the blood was flowing
You saw my face as You cried
Certain in knowing
Tears, blood, and pain in the sand
Yeah....
True love was pouring
True love was pouring from Your hand
Bruised and beaten
Appeared You were defeated
But things aren’t always what they seem
They thought when they placed Your body
Into an empty grave
It would end all debate
But the stone was rolled away
In the very front of Your mind
While the blood was flowing
You saw my face as You cried
Certain in knowing
Tears, blood, and pain in the sand
Yeah....
True love was pouring
True love was pouring from the
Same hand that washes clean
And sets the captive free, yeah
Same hand that calmed the sea
And the One that rescued me, yeah
In the very front of Your mind
While the blood was flowing
You saw my face as You cried
Certain in knowing
Tears, blood, and pain in the sand
Yeah.... True love was pouring
True love was pouring from Your
In the very front of Your mind
While the blood was flowing
You saw my face as You cried
Certain in knowing
Tears, blood, and pain in the sand
Yeah....
True love was pouring
True love was pouring from Your hand
In the very front of Your mind, yeah
You saw my face as You cried
All the tears and pain in the sand
True love was pouring from Your hand
~~”FROM YOUR HANDS” By Julian Drive
This song stopped me dead the other day, because it was the first time I had ever heard it. Before I knew it, tears were pouring down my cheeks from its powerful message, a reminder of the terrible price that was paid for my life.
I know it’s still a few weeks before we celebrate Easter, or what I like to think of as “Resurrection Day”, but maybe we all might want to start preparing our hearts NOW for the reverent remembrance of the most significant event that this world has ever known.
"In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins...We love, because He first loved us." (I John 4:10, 19)
You saw the crowd a-comin’
Betrayed by the one that called You King
You could’ve called a band of angels
To come and save the day
But instead You chose to stay
You didn’t run away
CHORUS
In the very front of Your mind
While the blood was flowing
You saw my face as You cried
Certain in knowing
Tears, blood, and pain in the sand
Yeah....
True love was pouring
True love was pouring from Your hand
Bruised and beaten
Appeared You were defeated
But things aren’t always what they seem
They thought when they placed Your body
Into an empty grave
It would end all debate
But the stone was rolled away
In the very front of Your mind
While the blood was flowing
You saw my face as You cried
Certain in knowing
Tears, blood, and pain in the sand
Yeah....
True love was pouring
True love was pouring from the
Same hand that washes clean
And sets the captive free, yeah
Same hand that calmed the sea
And the One that rescued me, yeah
In the very front of Your mind
While the blood was flowing
You saw my face as You cried
Certain in knowing
Tears, blood, and pain in the sand
Yeah.... True love was pouring
True love was pouring from Your
In the very front of Your mind
While the blood was flowing
You saw my face as You cried
Certain in knowing
Tears, blood, and pain in the sand
Yeah....
True love was pouring
True love was pouring from Your hand
In the very front of Your mind, yeah
You saw my face as You cried
All the tears and pain in the sand
True love was pouring from Your hand
~~”FROM YOUR HANDS” By Julian Drive
This song stopped me dead the other day, because it was the first time I had ever heard it. Before I knew it, tears were pouring down my cheeks from its powerful message, a reminder of the terrible price that was paid for my life.
I know it’s still a few weeks before we celebrate Easter, or what I like to think of as “Resurrection Day”, but maybe we all might want to start preparing our hearts NOW for the reverent remembrance of the most significant event that this world has ever known.
"In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins...We love, because He first loved us." (I John 4:10, 19)
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Who Do You Love?
I want you here with Me,
But you’ve been keepin’ other company.
You can’t sit still, it’s plain to see,
You love the world, and you’re avoiding Me.
My Word sits there upon your desk,
But you love your books and magazines the best,
You prefer the light of your TV,
You love the world, and you’re avoiding Me.
You used to pray, you were so brave,
Now you can’t keep even
One appointment we’ve made.
Oh, I gave My blood to save your life.
Tell Me, tell Me, is it right?
Will you leave Me here alone again tonight?
Well, I love you still more and more,
But you’re fighting everything I’m working for.
You’re acting like My enemy,
You love the world, and you’re avoiding Me.
These other loves, they’re hurting you,
If you end up losing Me, then what will you do?
Oh, I gave My blood to save your life.
Tell Me, tell Me, is it right?
Will you leave Me here alone again tonight?
I want you here with Me,
But you’ve been keepin’ other company.
You prefer the light of your TV.
You love the world, and you’re avoiding Me.
~~ “You Love the World [and You’re Avoiding Me]” by Keith Green, Album: Keith Green Collection)
If we (and I include myself here) as a family of believers were to spend as much time in the Word of God as we do in front of our TV and computer screens, there is nothing we could not accomplish for the Lord.
Just something to consider as you go about your day...
But you’ve been keepin’ other company.
You can’t sit still, it’s plain to see,
You love the world, and you’re avoiding Me.
My Word sits there upon your desk,
But you love your books and magazines the best,
You prefer the light of your TV,
You love the world, and you’re avoiding Me.
You used to pray, you were so brave,
Now you can’t keep even
One appointment we’ve made.
Oh, I gave My blood to save your life.
Tell Me, tell Me, is it right?
Will you leave Me here alone again tonight?
Well, I love you still more and more,
But you’re fighting everything I’m working for.
You’re acting like My enemy,
You love the world, and you’re avoiding Me.
These other loves, they’re hurting you,
If you end up losing Me, then what will you do?
Oh, I gave My blood to save your life.
Tell Me, tell Me, is it right?
Will you leave Me here alone again tonight?
I want you here with Me,
But you’ve been keepin’ other company.
You prefer the light of your TV.
You love the world, and you’re avoiding Me.
~~ “You Love the World [and You’re Avoiding Me]” by Keith Green, Album: Keith Green Collection)
If we (and I include myself here) as a family of believers were to spend as much time in the Word of God as we do in front of our TV and computer screens, there is nothing we could not accomplish for the Lord.
Just something to consider as you go about your day...
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
What is YOUR Lighthouse?
One of the reasons that this blog bears a lighthouse graphic is because of the way that Kenaniah’s song acted as a sort of "auditory lighthouse" for the Israelites. When entering battle, Kenaniah and his fellow Levites stood high on a hill, singing anthems to the Lord. The sound of this anthem above the noise of battle strengthened the Israelites as they fought their enemies, and ultimately helped to give them victory.
When you are fighting your daily battles, or when you are feeling torn up or worn down by the fight, what is your lighthouse? Are there songs that soothe your soul and strengthen your spirit?
One of my most precious “musical lighthouses” is:
HE WILL CARRY ME
I call, You hear me.
I’ve lost it all, and it’s more than I can bear.
I feel so empty.
You’re strong, I’m weary.
I’m holdin’ on, but I feel like givin’ in.
Still, You’re with me.
And even though I’m walkin’ through
The Valley of the Shadow,
I will hold tight to the hand of Him
Whose love will comfort me.
And when all hope is gone,
And I’ve been wounded in the battle,
He is all the strength that I will ever need.
He will carry me.
I know I’m broken.
But You alone
Can mend this heart of mine.
You’re always with me.
And even though I’m walkin’ through
The Valley of the Shadow,
I will hold tight to the hand of Him
Whose love will comfort me.
And when all hope is gone
And I’ve been wounded in the battle,
He is all the strength that I will ever need.
He will carry me. He will carry me.
And even though I feel so lonely,
Like I have never been before,
You never said it would be easy,
But You said You’d see me through the storm...
And even though I’m walkin’ through
The Valley of the Shadow,
I will hold tight to the hand of Him
Whose love will comfort me.
And when all hope is gone
And I’ve been wounded in the battle,
He is all the strength that I will ever need.
He will carry me. He will carry me.
~~Mark Schultz (Album: Stories & Songs, 2003)
I hope that you have a "lighthouse" too. If you do, would you share it here?
When you are fighting your daily battles, or when you are feeling torn up or worn down by the fight, what is your lighthouse? Are there songs that soothe your soul and strengthen your spirit?
One of my most precious “musical lighthouses” is:
HE WILL CARRY ME
I call, You hear me.
I’ve lost it all, and it’s more than I can bear.
I feel so empty.
You’re strong, I’m weary.
I’m holdin’ on, but I feel like givin’ in.
Still, You’re with me.
And even though I’m walkin’ through
The Valley of the Shadow,
I will hold tight to the hand of Him
Whose love will comfort me.
And when all hope is gone,
And I’ve been wounded in the battle,
He is all the strength that I will ever need.
He will carry me.
I know I’m broken.
But You alone
Can mend this heart of mine.
You’re always with me.
And even though I’m walkin’ through
The Valley of the Shadow,
I will hold tight to the hand of Him
Whose love will comfort me.
And when all hope is gone
And I’ve been wounded in the battle,
He is all the strength that I will ever need.
He will carry me. He will carry me.
And even though I feel so lonely,
Like I have never been before,
You never said it would be easy,
But You said You’d see me through the storm...
And even though I’m walkin’ through
The Valley of the Shadow,
I will hold tight to the hand of Him
Whose love will comfort me.
And when all hope is gone
And I’ve been wounded in the battle,
He is all the strength that I will ever need.
He will carry me. He will carry me.
~~Mark Schultz (Album: Stories & Songs, 2003)
I hope that you have a "lighthouse" too. If you do, would you share it here?
Monday, March 9, 2009
Am I Welcome Here?
There’s a ministry in our churches that frequently seems to go unnoticed. It’s the Welcome ministry, in which a church member greets visitors and hands out programs for the upcoming service. It’s not as prominent as the preacher or the music team, and sometimes I think we view this ministry in lower esteem.
I never realized how critical that ministry was until I began my own search for a new church home. Suddenly, I was on the outside looking in. Sometimes, no one seemed to care whether I came back or not.
How many of us, as greeters, have really understood the impact we are having when we serve in this way? Do we take the time to give a sincere word of welcome, or do we just hand over a program? Do we reach out and touch these visitors in a meaningful way, as our brothers and sisters, or as needy ones seeking help? To paraphrase a famous saying, WE are the only Bibles that these people may ever read!
It’s been said that, during a job interview, the first fifteen seconds are the most critical, because potential employers put tremendous trust in that first impression. On his website, Malcolm Gladwell (author of The Tipping Point, Blink, and Outliers) discusses the speed at which human beings make pivotal decisions about a new person or setting: “When you meet someone for the first time, or walk into a house you are thinking of buying, or read the first few sentences of a book, your mind takes about two seconds to jump to a series of conclusions.”
What are we doing during those critical first moments? Will our visitors wander our churches like lost sheep, and wander out again after services, never to be seen again? Or will we welcome them into our church families, as Jesus welcomed us to come to Him?
Does anybody hear her? Can anybody see?
Or does anybody even know she's going down today?
Under the shadow of our steeple,
With all the lost and lonely people,
Searching for the hope that's tucked away in you and me.
Does anybody hear her? Can anybody see?
If judgment looms under every steeple,
If lofty glances from lofty people
Can't see past her scarlet letter
And we've never even met her...
~~Excerpt from ”Does Anybody Hear Her?” by Casting Crowns, Lifesong album
I never realized how critical that ministry was until I began my own search for a new church home. Suddenly, I was on the outside looking in. Sometimes, no one seemed to care whether I came back or not.
How many of us, as greeters, have really understood the impact we are having when we serve in this way? Do we take the time to give a sincere word of welcome, or do we just hand over a program? Do we reach out and touch these visitors in a meaningful way, as our brothers and sisters, or as needy ones seeking help? To paraphrase a famous saying, WE are the only Bibles that these people may ever read!
It’s been said that, during a job interview, the first fifteen seconds are the most critical, because potential employers put tremendous trust in that first impression. On his website, Malcolm Gladwell (author of The Tipping Point, Blink, and Outliers) discusses the speed at which human beings make pivotal decisions about a new person or setting: “When you meet someone for the first time, or walk into a house you are thinking of buying, or read the first few sentences of a book, your mind takes about two seconds to jump to a series of conclusions.”
What are we doing during those critical first moments? Will our visitors wander our churches like lost sheep, and wander out again after services, never to be seen again? Or will we welcome them into our church families, as Jesus welcomed us to come to Him?
Does anybody hear her? Can anybody see?
Or does anybody even know she's going down today?
Under the shadow of our steeple,
With all the lost and lonely people,
Searching for the hope that's tucked away in you and me.
Does anybody hear her? Can anybody see?
If judgment looms under every steeple,
If lofty glances from lofty people
Can't see past her scarlet letter
And we've never even met her...
~~Excerpt from ”Does Anybody Hear Her?” by Casting Crowns, Lifesong album
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Down Time
At some point, every believer "runs out of gas." It's part of being human. Our forefathers did much better at keeping the "day of rest" than we do today.
Even God rested on the seventh day of Creation, definitely our BEST example of down time.
So cut yourself some slack, as we intend to do, & MAKE time for a day of rest. Spend some time with your family, or doing something that you love. And make sure to include some time in meditation, prayer, & contemplation of One bigger than yourself.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
I'm finding myself at a loss for words,
And the funny thing is, it's okay.
The last thing I need is to be heard,
But to hear what You would say...
Word of God, speak!
Would You pour down like rain,
Washing my eyes to see
Your majesty?
To be still and know
That You're in this place,
Please, let me stay and rest
In Your holiness.
Word of God, speak.
I'm finding myself in the midst of You
Beyond the music, beyond the noise.
All that I need is to be with You,
And in the quiet, hear Your voice...
Word of God, speak!
Would You pour down like rain,
Washing my eyes to see
Your majesty?
To be still and know
That You're in this place,
Please, let me stay and rest
In Your holiness.
Word of God, speak.
I'm finding myself at a loss for words,
And the funny thing is, it's okay.
~~MercyMe
Even God rested on the seventh day of Creation, definitely our BEST example of down time.
So cut yourself some slack, as we intend to do, & MAKE time for a day of rest. Spend some time with your family, or doing something that you love. And make sure to include some time in meditation, prayer, & contemplation of One bigger than yourself.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
I'm finding myself at a loss for words,
And the funny thing is, it's okay.
The last thing I need is to be heard,
But to hear what You would say...
Word of God, speak!
Would You pour down like rain,
Washing my eyes to see
Your majesty?
To be still and know
That You're in this place,
Please, let me stay and rest
In Your holiness.
Word of God, speak.
I'm finding myself in the midst of You
Beyond the music, beyond the noise.
All that I need is to be with You,
And in the quiet, hear Your voice...
Word of God, speak!
Would You pour down like rain,
Washing my eyes to see
Your majesty?
To be still and know
That You're in this place,
Please, let me stay and rest
In Your holiness.
Word of God, speak.
I'm finding myself at a loss for words,
And the funny thing is, it's okay.
~~MercyMe
Friday, March 6, 2009
Who Are You Talking To?
In the early 1900s, a godly man named Edward M. Bounds wrote a book that has become a classic -- "Power Through Prayer".
In his book, he challenged Christians to talk to God about men BEFORE they talk to men about God.
So that's my question: WHO are you talking to?
The next time you go to speak to someone about Jesus & what He's done in your life, maybe spend some time on your knees first, before the One who makes all things new.
In his book, he challenged Christians to talk to God about men BEFORE they talk to men about God.
So that's my question: WHO are you talking to?
The next time you go to speak to someone about Jesus & what He's done in your life, maybe spend some time on your knees first, before the One who makes all things new.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Room Noise?
In 1991, the 2nd Chapter of Acts released their album “Singer Sower”, with songs that pierced to the hearts of many heretofore unsuspecting believers. As usual, the band had gone straight to the point with their lyrics.
Their song “Room Noise” confronted Christians who had been listening to, but not really hearing or paying attention to, the lyrics of Christian musicians:
Their song “Room Noise” confronted Christians who had been listening to, but not really hearing or paying attention to, the lyrics of Christian musicians:
No more conversation
No more idle words.
Pitter, pitter, patter!
Words fall from your ladder.
Pseudo gospel music,
Music everywhere,
But not a single drop
to drink anywhere!!
I don't want to be room noise,
generically speaking.
I don't want to be room noise,
no one will stop and hear me,
Hear me... hear me, hear me!
Down on bended knees,
doing what you please, as you say...
Gospel gospel music's
an alternative,
Then you never have to
change the way you live...
Idle, idol lyrics
floating through the air,
Invisible netting,
Emotional snare...
I don't want to be room noise,
generically speaking.
I don't want to be room noise,
no one will stop and hear me,
Hear me... hear me, hear me!
Down on bended knees,
doing what you please, Pharisee!
I don't want to be room noise,
I don't want to be room noise, Elevator music
I don't want to be room noise, Elevator music
I don't want to be room noise, Elevator music
So exactly what purpose does Christian music serve? Is it a tool wielded by the hand of God, piercing to the heart of a Christian and challenging them to lead a more godly life? Is it a cloud lifting the believer to a higher realm in worship of their Creator?
Or is it something that we’ve turned into a sort of sacred & safe “muzak”? No offensive lyrics, but perhaps no **sting** to them either. No piercing of the heart with truth, because the lyrics have faded into the background.
Or is it something that we’ve turned into a sort of sacred & safe “muzak”? No offensive lyrics, but perhaps no **sting** to them either. No piercing of the heart with truth, because the lyrics have faded into the background.
Isn't Christian music supposed to DO something? Certainly, no Christian musician ever writes a song, praying that it will someday be played as background music in a restaurant or shopping mall!!
When we relegate our Christian music & its lyrics to the background, are we dulling ourselves to the point where we are never truly touched by the lyrics that so many Christian musicians have struggled & prayed over, praying that their music would touch a heart or save a life?
When we relegate our Christian music & its lyrics to the background, are we dulling ourselves to the point where we are never truly touched by the lyrics that so many Christian musicians have struggled & prayed over, praying that their music would touch a heart or save a life?
As a musician, I must ask these questions, of myself & of others. They’re not simple questions, but I think that they’re questions that each believer must examine in his or her own heart.
Lyrics to "Kenaniah"
"Kenaniah"
by Bob Hartman, John Lawry, & Danny Klingen
Kenaniah of the Levites
appointed by the king
To teach the songs of Zion,
to lead them as they sing
Your song is not forgotten,
we hear it in our souls
Let it burn and burn within us
(And) Fan the sacred coals
Kenaniah, Kenaniah,
we will sing your ancient song
Kenaniah, Kenaniah,
we will sing it loud and strong
Gathered for the battle,
Kenaniah led the way
As the singers closely followed him
they all began to pray
The musicians all assembled,
Kenaniah gave the word
Through the raging battle zone
the anthem could be heard
Sing unto Jehovah of his wonderous ways
Sing a song of triumph, sing a victory song
And in the cloud of witnesses
Kenaniah sings along.
Kenaniah, Kenaniah,
we will sing your ancient song
Kenaniah, Kenaniah,
we will sing it loud and strong
by Bob Hartman, John Lawry, & Danny Klingen
Kenaniah of the Levites
appointed by the king
To teach the songs of Zion,
to lead them as they sing
Your song is not forgotten,
we hear it in our souls
Let it burn and burn within us
(And) Fan the sacred coals
Kenaniah, Kenaniah,
we will sing your ancient song
Kenaniah, Kenaniah,
we will sing it loud and strong
Gathered for the battle,
Kenaniah led the way
As the singers closely followed him
they all began to pray
The musicians all assembled,
Kenaniah gave the word
Through the raging battle zone
the anthem could be heard
Sing unto Jehovah of his wonderous ways
Sing a song of triumph, sing a victory song
And in the cloud of witnesses
Kenaniah sings along.
Kenaniah, Kenaniah,
we will sing your ancient song
Kenaniah, Kenaniah,
we will sing it loud and strong
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