Love Broke Through

Jesus is my focus.... it's been a year since my dad was allowed to slip from this earth to heaven. A year of drought in the dessert of my broken heart of prayers not answered as I wanted. But just as He promised, God never left me and I'm glad to say, the melody is humming in my heart once again.  I've prayed for this longing, this unquenchable joy... a melody of love, worship, praise that you can't get out of your head because it stems from a heart filled with His joy. 

Today's melody is Toby Mac's, "When Love Broke Through" and how appropriate. Talking about wandering through the dessert, hopelessness, and darkness. So, as I often do with these songs that plague my soul, I looked up the lyrics so I could read the words and these 3 phrases stuck with me:

Walls I built 

Opinions I learned 

Covered in the ashes of bridges I burned 

Lord, I know you're still working on me. Please continue to shine and continue to help me forgive and move forward. Thank you for the lessons dad taught me, for the faith he shared, and for the special times we had. Help me to pass along that faith, that love, the joy that only You can bring. 

Take the Name of Jesus with You

This morning's devotions ended with a phrase of "Take the joy of Christmas with you" and it brought this song to mind:

Take the name of Jesus with you, Child of sorrow and of woe; It will joy and comfort give you, Take it then where’er you go.

Precious name! Oh, how sweet!

Hope of earth and joy of heav’n;

Precious name! Oh, how sweet!

  Hope of earth and joy of heav’n.

Take the name of Jesus ever,

As a shield from every snare.

If temptations round you gather,

Breathe that holy name in prayer.

Oh, the precious name of Jesus,

How it thrills our souls with joy;

All the favor of the Father

In this name we may enjoy.

At the name of Jesus bowing,

Falling prostrate at His feet,

Claim His vict’ry over evil

And the enemy defeat.

Taking the joy of Christmas is good but Christmas only focuses on a specific date whereas the name and Godship of Jesus as your personal savior is the only true source of Joy and Peace, Comfort and Victory. So, take the name of Jesus with you and carry Him in your heart. 

Living He Loved Me

"Living He loved me.  Dying He saved me.  Buried He carried my sins far away. 

Rising He justified, freely forever.  One day He's coming!  Oh glorious day!"

These words have literally been running through my head all night as I cough, toss, and turn.  So, I figured God has a lesson for me. I tried doing some cleaning of a cupboard that hasn't been touched in years (I actually found trash left over from our Son's wedding rehearsal dinner 8 years ago) and, as the song still played in my head, I found myself staring into the faces of my wonderful parents. 

Mom has been gone for 3 years now (longer if you count the years when Alzheimer's didn't allow her the recognition of the ones who loved her) and dad joined her 11 months ago. So now, I've got the coughing, hymn stuck in my head and tears rolling down my cheeks... a mess, right?  But that's exactly what I am, without Jesus... a mess.

One of the things I praise God for all the time (even before their passing) is the fact that I was a child of these too wonderful, loving parents because, without them, I may not have become a "Child of the One True King."  And, if it weren't for my parents, I may hav never known this hymn and so many others that are memorized in my heart.  Songs that remind me that Jesus left His home in glory to lead a life that He knew would lead to Calvary.  Songs that remind me that He is my light and salvation.  

So, sleep is overrated when your mind is flooded by His glory and grace... when ther are so many things to praise Him for and when memories are so precious. 

Thank you, Jesus, for my parents, for their legacy of faith, for dying on the cross as punishment for my sins. Thank you for your Word that recounts Your faithfulness and the stories of your miraculous intervention, tender mercies, love, joy, and peace.  Prepare my heart for the celebration of your birth.

"Living He loved me.  Dying He saved me.  Buried He carried my sins far away. 

Rising He justified, freely forever.  One day He's coming!  Oh glorious day!"

The Miracle of Prayer

If I truly believe in the power of prayer, in miracles, that God is the true master physician, then why am I such a mess and going through Kleenex like water over a dam?  It's because, rather than focusing on prayer, I'm holding onto anger, hurt, regret, and doubt... I'm focusing on the past, the circumstances, and the injustice, rather than focusing on the one who can erase the past, change the present, and is the one true judge.

Dear Lord, 

Help me in my unbelief.  Take this mess and jumble and turn it into a miracle.  Reset my focus and priorities.  Take control of the healing... Please, Lord, give us more time with our dad... The vibrant man we knew last week, make him whole but let him be whole here on earth so that he can be a part of his Great-Grandchildren's lives... so that they can know the man that we all love so much.

Lord, dad has been such a good earthly example of your love for us... I'm praying for a miracle... A miracle of love and grace.

"I believe in miracles

I’ve seen a soul set free,

Miraculous the change in one

Redeemed through Calvary;

I’ve seen the lily push its way

Up through the stubborn sod

I believe in miracles

For I believe in God!"

Onward Christian Soldiers!

For far too long, we Christians have kept silent and if this trend continues, we will no longer have the right to open our mouth to share the gospel.  Government has taken away our right to pray in school, won't allow the Ten Commandments to be displayed, won't allow the display of nativity scenes or crosses on public property, has legalized murder and called it a "choice", and have opened the floodgates to the Sodom and Gomorrah lifestyle.

What do we hear from some of our Christian leaders?  Remember God is in control, don't join the haters.  I was raised singing songs like "Onward Christian Soldiars".  We are "Marching as to War" and, yes, God is in control but what did we see in the Old Testament?  We saw people fighting to spread the gospel, being martyred for telling the truth, and fleeing evil with the help of angelic beings.

Now days, it seems that our battles are only fought on our knees and, while prayer is good and we must stay in constant communion with our Father, we must also obey when His Spirit tells us to stand strong, fight the good fight, and spread the word of God.

We are to be the salt of the world.  Salt on a canker sore does not feel good, but it's effective.  Are you being effective salt or have you stopped spreading the truth because it rubs people the wrong way?

Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war,

With the cross of Jesus going on before.

Christ, the royal Master, leads against the foe;

Forward into battle see His banners go! 

Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war,

With the cross of Jesus going on before.

At the sign of triumph Satan’s host doth flee;

On then, Christian soldiers, on to victory!

Hell’s foundations quiver at the shout of praise;

Brothers lift your voices, loud your anthems raise. 

     

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Faith and Works... A purpose and a plan

Faith and Works (James2:14-20)

14 What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? 17 Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.

18 But someone may well say, “You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” 19 You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder. 20 But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless?

This is exactly what my husband has been telling me but not in so many words. He says, "so, what? Now that we believe, we just wait and bide our time until we die?"

Everyone is searching for meaning in life and this is it... God has a purpose for each one of us. And, for each one, it's different. For you, it may be helping young couples plan weddings based on a relationship with Christ, or helping an unwed mother make the tough decision to go against social opinion even when it costs her a relationship with her parents. It may be caring for the elderly or spreading God's word abroad.

For us, our mission, our God breathed purpose, is showing His love to the lost and hurting... The homeless and working poor in our area. God continues to bless this ministry that He has given us and He has a plan for you, too.

Jeremiah 29:11 says, "for I know the plans I have for you, declares The Lord..."

What plan does He have for you? In Matthew 7:7, He says, "seek and you will find. Ask and it will be given... Knock and it (the door) will be opened." So, go to Him in prayer today. Ask Him to reveal His plan and purpose for your life and then step out in faith, believing that He will open the doors and will unfold that plan... His will... in and through you.

Corporate Worship through Music

Church services are otherwise labeled "Corporate Worship".  Therefore, when one goes to a church service, they are expecting certain things... mainly, the Praise and Worship of the Eternal King of kings.  So, what is Praise and Worship?  Praise is singing songs about God... His grace, wonderful works, mighty power... songs of thanksgiving for what He has done and/or promised to do.  Worship would also include songs of thanksgiving because true worship songs would be songs singing to God.  So, if praise songs sing about God and worship songs sing to God, how do secular songs fit in with praise and worship in a corporate worship setting?  Granted, there are some that may work but with so many true praise and worship songs, why would we need to delve into that gray territory?

Today's worshipper has so much rich music to choose from... there are classic praise and worship songs such as, "Great is Thy Faithfulness", "It is Well with My Soul", "Crown Him with Many Crowns", "Count Your Blessings", etc. and then, over the years, these songs have been added to with music from great songwriters like Andre Crouch ("Through it All"), Rich Mullins ("Awesome God"), and Bill Gaither ("Because He Lives").  And, as many of you will recognize, I've only used one song per person but they each have such a rich history of songs from which to select. 

To further add to our repertoire, we've now got songwriters such as Matt Redman, Chris Tomlin, and David Crowder... again, each with so many songs from which to select.

If you are a worship leader at a local assembly, please prayerfully consider... will the songs that I'm selecting for this week truly usher our congregation into the presence of God?  Will they be inviting God into our assembly?  Will they be preparing hearts, as soil, to accept the Word of God?  Or will they be a distraction from the purpose of our time together.  Are these songs laid on my heart by God for a particular purpose for this week's message?

Also, please prayerfully keep in mind 1 Thessalonians 2:4, "... we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel.  We are not trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts."