Fall 2021: Praise, Being Thankful & Asking for Comfort

 Sing to the LORD, all the earth; proclaim good tidings of His salvation from day to day. Tell of His glory among the nations, His wonderful deeds among all the peoples. For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised. He also is to be feared above all gods for all the gods of the peoples are idols, but the LORD made the heavens. Splendor and majesty are before Him, strength and joy are in His place. Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength. Ascribe to the LORD the glory due His name; bring an offering, and come before Him; worship the LORD in holy array. Tremble before Him, all the earth; indeed, the world is firmly established, it will not be moved. Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; and let them say among the nations, "The LORD reigns." 1 Chronicles 16:23-31

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body and be thankful. Colossians 3:15.

This morning I found out that a staff member of one of the churches I work for went home to the Lord on Saturday. Her husband is still in the hospital with the same illness. Praying for healing for her husband as well as comfort for him and their, children and grandchildren.

The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Psalms 34:18

Father's Day

I know. Yesterday was Father's Day.

I remember when my son was young worrying about how he would know to be a good father and a friend of mine said "He will know to be a good father by what he didn't have." Such prophetic words, for he is an awesome father.

Yesterday I thought about my son as a father, but today I'm thinking of my Dad.

He went home to be with the Lord twenty years ago. The last Father's Day with him, my mother, and two of their friends had dinner at Ledo. I had been teasing my parents prior to their friends joining us. There was a couple sitting near our table and during our meal as the couple was leaving the woman came over, knelt next to me and whispered, "Be good to them. I lost my Father recently." Those words were kind of prophetic as well, for in the next month my father had a diagnosis of throat cancer which was terminal. He never made it to the next Father's Day.

My Dad was a quiet man. He had a wonderful sense of humor; he could be such a clown. He loved to sing and I could listen to him for hours. Mom claimed he made the songs up because she had never heard of them. I figured I inherited that ability from him as I have often made up my own songs. My songs, mind you, have never been very good, however Dad's songs always were, at least in my view.

A psychiatrist who tested me when I was in elementary school (I was a weird, super-introvert) told my parents that I was terrified of my father. Later when I was an adult and was informed of the results of the testing I agreed with two of them but did not with this one. I have never been afraid of my dad; I have always looked up to him with admiration and respect. He wasn't perfect but that is maybe where the empathic side of me would kick in. Dad had a severe hearing loss and at times he could be a little cross when trying to listen to the news or things like that and kids are being loud in their play.

Dad loved the Lord with all his heart, and soul, and mind. I remember seeing him in his room either studying his Bible or praying. He always handed out Bibles to people who visited in our home and gave them as gifts. I believe all my friends received one. At work he had a rack he made filled with tracts and after he died a former co-worker told me that people would come by and pick up a tract or stop and talk to him about God. Dad taught Sunday school and he also preached at a senior housing in our neighborhood. My former husband did not want me to tell my father why we had separated; he told me that my father was the only person he knew who actually lived what he believed. That statement put me to shame as I knew at that time I was not living my faith.

My dad didn't have a Christian upbringing. He lived with his father, who was a musician, and they traveled all over the place. I remember my dad and grandfather sitting together for hours as my father would share the gospel with him. About five years before my dad passed away, I asked him how he came to know the Lord. I always remember going to church together as a family and we had family devotions. I don't remember my dad not being a follower of Christ. He told me that at first my mother shamed him into going to church by taking us children to church. Then one day he picked up my oldest brother's Bible and began to read it. It was through reading my brother's Bible that the Holy Spirit convicted my father of his sin, repenting, turning away from his sin, confessing Jesus as his Lord and Savior; he began a relationship that has gone on into eternity. At that time a light bulb went off in my head; that is why he always handed out Bibles!

I praise God and thank Him for my father who has inspired me to be just like Jesus.

 

What if.....

Have you ever played the what if game? I was doing that the other day. Not necessarily what's listed below but something like it.

• What if my parents stayed in Phoenix, Arizona?
• What if my Dad didn't get a job with Westinghouse in Maryland?
• What if I wasn't the oldest and middle child?
• What if I was an only child?
• What if I wasn't an introvert?
• What if I followed my dream when I was younger?
• What if I married the right person?
• What if I had more than one child?
• What if I didn't lose my job?

I could continue on and on but let's look at it in a different way.

• What if God didn't create anything -- no heaven and earth, no light, no waters, no dry land, no sun or moon, no plants, no birds, no creatures in the sea, no animals on the land?
• What if God didn't create Adam and Eve?
• What if Adam and Eve hadn't sinned?
• What if Cain hadn't killed Abel?

Again, I could continue throughout the Bible but...….

• What if Jesus never came to earth as a baby born to Joseph and Mary?
• What if Jesus didn't die on the cross?
• What if Jesus didn't raise from the dead?
• What if there was no Holy Spirit?
• What if we didn't have the promise and hope of Jesus return?

That's something to think about, isn't it? 

I remember on my way to work a man several mornings on the light rail train walking up and down the aisles talking about Jesus. All the people just looked out the windows as he spoke. It was around five o'clock in the morning so they looked out into darkness. One day just before he got off the train he asked "Have you considered Jesus?" I wondered how many people left the train with that thought on their mind as they either went on to work or wherever they were going. Did it make a difference in their lives? What if what that man said made a difference in someones life? I believe it did. I believe someone on that train, even though they were looking out into darkness, saw the light of Jesus that they so much needed.

What about you, have you considered Jesus?

How Do People See You As The Church?

How do people see your church? Most people think of the church as the building but I'm not asking about the building. The first century church had no building. It was over 300 years before what we know as "church buildings." Prior to that time people gathered together in homes, meeting for fellowship, ministry, and worship.

In Greek "church" means called out ones, a congregation, an assembly of people. The church is a group of people holy, set apart from the world, a body of believers with a purpose, a mission. Jesus Christ is the cornerstone of the church, the prophets and apostles is the foundation. 

So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and are of God's household, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone. Eph. 2:19-20

Christ is the head of the church.

And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all. Eph 1:22-23.

By Christ's authority the church was commissioned.

But the eleven disciples proceeded to Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had designated. When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some were doubtful. And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Matt. 28:16-20

The church is called to assemble.

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near. Heb. 10:23-25

The church has two ordinances; baptism and the Lord's Supper.

Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Brethren, what shall we do?" Peter said to them, "Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself." And with many other words he solemnly testified and kept on exhorting them, saying. "Be saved from this perverse generation!" Acts 2:37-40

The church has received gifts.

Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons. But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills. 1 Cor. 12:4-11

As the church we are to do the following.

• Worship: Our worship is to be God-centered, Christ-centered. We are to praise and glorify God in worship.
• Edification: We are to edify believers, nurture them, build them up, help them to mature in Christ.
• Evangelism: We are to reach out to the lost; we should be able to defend our faith, express compassion, mercy, to love others and to share the message of Christ.
• Bible Study: Jesus knew scripture and memorized it. So we should too.
• Praying for One Another: Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much. James 5:16
• Acts of Hospitality: contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality. Rom. 12:13

The following came from "My Booky Wook" by Russell Brand.

"Over the road there was a church: a modern gray building, which constantly played a recording of church bells. Strange it was, why no proper bells? I never went in but I bet it was a robot church for androids, where the bible was in binary and their Jesus had laser eyes and metal claws." 

So my two closing question to you is......

1. How do people see you as the church?
2. How do you see your church?  

If you want to know more about the church and 

how you should be as the church, read the book of Ephesians.

Struggles

I read a facebook post early this morning someone shared that "God does not owe us a happy ending". Everyone is looking for a happy ending; however, for some it seems to elude us. I know that I have struggled a lot in my lifetime and I have often wondered why I just can't get a break. Some of my struggles though are the results of my own making.

Years ago I flipped through the pages of my son's Bible reading scripture that he had highlighted. I smiled to myself when I came across one portion of a verse that said "Oh, why didn't I listen." Yes, I could really relate to that verse and I'm sure there are many who can as well. Whether it's the Word of God that we do not heed or the wise council that God has placed in our lives, sometime we just go our own way and refuse to be obedient.

There are other times when we face hardship or struggles that have nothing to do with our disobedience. Have you ever thought "it's not fair?" Life isn't fair. No, it isn't, for we are engaged in a battle against rulers, against powers, against world forces of darkness, against spiritual forces of wickedness. We face an army of dark powers, however, we are not on our own and we know that we are promised victory.

One way to prepare as you go into battle is by praying Ephesians 6:10-17 before you start your day.

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."

I watched a television series once about the time of King Arthur. As Arthur would begin to lead his soldiers into battle, he would raise his sword into the air and cry out "for the love of Camelot!" I have always imagined starting my morning as I go into battle for the day, with the sword of the Spirit raised high in the air and with a shout "for the love of the LORD and His Kingdom!"

Remember our happy ending is not in this world but it is coming.

Proverbs 5:13
Ephesians 6:12
Romans 8

Merry Christmas

Christmas blessings in the name of my Lord and Savior, Messiah Jesus! As we celebrate His birth, may you know the grace, mercy, hope and peace of God and may you joyfully anticipate His return. Ruready?

For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us;

And the government will rest on His shoulders;

And His name will be called

Wonderful Counselor, 
Mighty God, 
Eternal Father, 
Prince of Peace

There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace,

On the throne of David and over his kingdom,

To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness

From then on and forevermore

The zeal of the LORD of hosts will accomplish this.

Isaiah 9:6-7

And the rest of the story.......

Several rehearsals later the choir director asked for volunteers to give testimonies for the songs in the cantata. I never do solos or testimonies; that’s just not me. After returning home, though, I had this feeling as if the Lord wanted me to give a testimony, which of course I thought was crazy. I couldn’t think of any song that I could give a testimony on and besides all the songs had already been taken. Still I felt the Lord pressing me on this.

“So, okay Lord, I’ll tell you what. If this is really from you, if this is something you want me to do” I prayed, “have someone ask me to give a testimony for a specific song.”

And I figured that would be the end of it.

It wasn’t long after that when the choir was together again the director’s wife asked me if I would give the testimony for the song “In Everything Give Him Thanks.” I should have seen it coming but was completely caught off guard! How can this be? Again I was amazed. He actually answered my prayer in a way that I knew only came from Him!

I agreed to do the testimony. That in itself is amazing. I cannot stand or speak before people without every bone in my body shaking. In high school whenever I had to do an oral report the boys would take bets on how loud my knees would knock. I had an English teacher tell me once that I “should never, ever do anything in front of people!” In a college class my peers were extremely critical; however, the professor did show me some mercy. It wasn’t going to be easy. I had to stay focused on the fact that it was the Lord who wanted me to do it. He would calm my fears and hopefully stop my knees from knocking.

The evening before the cantata I had a nasty argument with someone. It was ugly. It added fuel to the flames of my increasing nerves about standing in front of people. I wanted to back out. I cried and begged God to let me out of this commitment. On the day of the cantata He did exactly what He intended. In my weakness I felt the power of His strength as I shared what He was doing in my life. (November 23, 2012)

He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Most gladly therefore I will rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Messiah may rest on me.

2 Cr. 12:9 (HNV)