Today is Memorial day...a day of remembering. I have found that stopping and remembering helps keep me grateful. There is a story in the Old Testament where God parts the waters of the Jordan river and Joshua and the Israelites cross over on dry ground. I don't know about you but that would qualify as a miracle in my book. God instructed Joshua to take twelve men, one from each Hebrew tribe, and while the waters were still parted grab twelve stones from the middle of the river bottom. They took those stones onto the land and stacked them on top of each other and built a memorial to what God had done.
In Joshua 4:20 it says, 'And Joshua set up at Gilgal the twelve stones they had taken out of the Jordan. He said to the Israelites, 'In the future when your descendants ask their fathers, 'What do these stones mean?' tell them, 'Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground.' I think that's a good lesson for us today. Maybe you have an old picture of a grandfather or a dad that fought in WW1 or WW2 or Vietnam, etc. Why not take today and tell his story. Maybe you have a letter from a relative or a friend that was injured in combat or lost their life...why not take a moment to tell their story and remember today that the peace, freedom, rest, comfort, and safety we enjoy is extremely costly.
Gratefully Remembering today,
Brian
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Memorial Day.
I love what Lindsey wrote at the end of last week. It is so easy to zoom on past this day, Memorial Day, and simply see it as a day off..a day to sleep in. But memorial comes from memory or remembering. I think that is the point of this day...to stop for a moment...to reflect and remember the sacrifices that have been made so that we can be here today.
I was talking to a friend who is a police officer yesterday and asking him how his job was going. We talked about the fact that there is evil, selfishness, and injustice all around us and that there are many brave men and women every day who get up and face that world and fight off those attacks. Jesus refers to Satan as the 'ruler of this world' and it only takes a few minutes of watching the news to see Satan's handywork.
Our God is a God of justice. You could spend all day reading the multititude of verses throughouth the Bible that speak of God's justice. In Psalm 9:16 it says that 'The Lord is known by His justice...' and in Psalm 89:14 it says that 'righteousness and justice are the foundations of His throne...' I am grateful for our military, law enforcement, fire fighters, etc who for hundreds of years have one by one helped bring a little more justice to our world by stopping those who would seek to abuse, enslave, harm and destroy. It's important to remember that any good we experience...peace, laughter, rest, safety, comfort, provision, etc has come at the cost of countless lives and the ultimate life, Jesus Christ. So today let's stop and thank Jesus first and foremost for His sacrifice and then let's pause to remember and pray for those families who have lost a loved one in serving in the cause of justice.
Joe
I was talking to a friend who is a police officer yesterday and asking him how his job was going. We talked about the fact that there is evil, selfishness, and injustice all around us and that there are many brave men and women every day who get up and face that world and fight off those attacks. Jesus refers to Satan as the 'ruler of this world' and it only takes a few minutes of watching the news to see Satan's handywork.
Our God is a God of justice. You could spend all day reading the multititude of verses throughouth the Bible that speak of God's justice. In Psalm 9:16 it says that 'The Lord is known by His justice...' and in Psalm 89:14 it says that 'righteousness and justice are the foundations of His throne...' I am grateful for our military, law enforcement, fire fighters, etc who for hundreds of years have one by one helped bring a little more justice to our world by stopping those who would seek to abuse, enslave, harm and destroy. It's important to remember that any good we experience...peace, laughter, rest, safety, comfort, provision, etc has come at the cost of countless lives and the ultimate life, Jesus Christ. So today let's stop and thank Jesus first and foremost for His sacrifice and then let's pause to remember and pray for those families who have lost a loved one in serving in the cause of justice.
Joe
Friday, May 27, 2011
Sacrifice.
Yesterday morning as I was watching the Today show, I saw the end of a segment about a soldier who had lost his legs during the war in Afghanistan. I didn’t see the entire story but for one of her last questions, Amy Robach asked the wife what she and her husband wanted everyone to know. Her answer was simple; that these wounded men and women did it for us… and they would do it again if they had to.
It’s hard to hear stories about men and women who have been injured or who have given their lives while defending our freedom and not think about Christ’s ultimate sacrifice. 1 John 3:16 says “We know what real love is because Jesus gave up His life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters.” While most of us won’t ever be in situations that call us to physically lay down our lives for others, it is important to remember that every day there are men and women who do; and they do it for you.
Today David and I are heading up to North Carolina for a friend’s wedding. It’s going to be a lot of fun; we will be on the beach hanging out with friends and I’m sure eating some great barbeque. Sounds like a great Memorial Day right? But this year, I don’t want to forget what this day is really about. So as you are enjoying time with your families this weekend, take a few moments to remember the sacrifice that so many of our soldiers have made and say a prayer for their families that have been left behind. And thank Jesus for the ultimate sacrifice He made so we could have freedom from sin.
Thankful-
Lindsey
It’s hard to hear stories about men and women who have been injured or who have given their lives while defending our freedom and not think about Christ’s ultimate sacrifice. 1 John 3:16 says “We know what real love is because Jesus gave up His life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters.” While most of us won’t ever be in situations that call us to physically lay down our lives for others, it is important to remember that every day there are men and women who do; and they do it for you.
Today David and I are heading up to North Carolina for a friend’s wedding. It’s going to be a lot of fun; we will be on the beach hanging out with friends and I’m sure eating some great barbeque. Sounds like a great Memorial Day right? But this year, I don’t want to forget what this day is really about. So as you are enjoying time with your families this weekend, take a few moments to remember the sacrifice that so many of our soldiers have made and say a prayer for their families that have been left behind. And thank Jesus for the ultimate sacrifice He made so we could have freedom from sin.
Thankful-
Lindsey
Dropping God's Calls.
Good morning, Brian here. So i felt led to write the following devotional before I read Joe's entry from yesterday. Apparently, the Lord, wants us to be better listeners as I wrote on the same topic. I guess a little extra emphasis never hurts.
Don’t you love the following scenario: you’re conversing with a friend on your cell phone, the conversation is riveting and you’re interacting back and forth…it’s now you’re turn to talk and you really start pouring out your heart, or you articulate a compelling argument and you’re so excited about your friend’s feedback or response to all that you’ve just shared and then with bewilderment you hear silence…absolutely no response…you’re thinking ‘how rude’ or ‘how can you not say anything to what I just stated?’. Then in disgust you pull the phone away from your ear only to notice that apparently the call was dropped about 2 minutes ago and all of that great stuff you poured out of your heart was just noise in the wind.
As I was reading in my devotional time earlier this week I came across this verse in Jeremiah 7:13 where God is pronouncing judgment on the Southern Kingdom of Judah and He states, ‘and now because you have done all these things,’ declares the Lord, ‘and I spoke to you, rising early and speaking, but you did not hear, and I called you but you did not answer…’ One of the major indictments upon God’s people was that God was speaking and they were not listening. I personally felt very convicted by that thought. What a horrific thought to think that God, creator and sustainer of the universe, is speaking to me, and I am allowing His words to go into the wind rather than into my heart and mind. Every day that I fail to carve out time, pause and listen I am missing out on treasures, wisdom, direction, encouragement, loving conviction, and adventure because I am failing to hear and listen to what God is saying.
Striving to stop and listen more,
Brian
Don’t you love the following scenario: you’re conversing with a friend on your cell phone, the conversation is riveting and you’re interacting back and forth…it’s now you’re turn to talk and you really start pouring out your heart, or you articulate a compelling argument and you’re so excited about your friend’s feedback or response to all that you’ve just shared and then with bewilderment you hear silence…absolutely no response…you’re thinking ‘how rude’ or ‘how can you not say anything to what I just stated?’. Then in disgust you pull the phone away from your ear only to notice that apparently the call was dropped about 2 minutes ago and all of that great stuff you poured out of your heart was just noise in the wind.
As I was reading in my devotional time earlier this week I came across this verse in Jeremiah 7:13 where God is pronouncing judgment on the Southern Kingdom of Judah and He states, ‘and now because you have done all these things,’ declares the Lord, ‘and I spoke to you, rising early and speaking, but you did not hear, and I called you but you did not answer…’ One of the major indictments upon God’s people was that God was speaking and they were not listening. I personally felt very convicted by that thought. What a horrific thought to think that God, creator and sustainer of the universe, is speaking to me, and I am allowing His words to go into the wind rather than into my heart and mind. Every day that I fail to carve out time, pause and listen I am missing out on treasures, wisdom, direction, encouragement, loving conviction, and adventure because I am failing to hear and listen to what God is saying.
Striving to stop and listen more,
Brian
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
You've got Mail.
Today's blog is by worship leader and songwriter Paul Baloche
God is always speaking to us. The question is, “How clear is our connection?”
“You’ve got mail.”
Many of us hear those words each day as we log on to the Internet to check our email. The phrase was also popularized by a movie of the same title a few years ago. Remember when the only option to connecting to the World Wide Web was through a phone modem with a tortoise like connection speed of 28k? Then we expanded to 56k. Then to cable, broadband, and DSL—suddenly we could download volumes of information in seconds with the simple click of a mouse.
Learning to hear the voice of God occurs in a similar fashion. The New Testament commands us to “walk in the spirit” (Gal.5: 16). The apostle Paul speaks of “hearing from God” and “being taught of God” (Gal. 1:12). The Old Testament tells us that our ears will hear a voice behind us saying, “This is the way: walk ye in it” (Is.30: 21). Isaiah points us to ‘the still, small voice” of the Lord. God is always speaking to us. Our hearts can be likened to a modem, picking up on the subtle impressions and whispers of the Holy Spirit. At first, our ability to discern His voice perhaps is slow and faint, similar to our 28k modem.
But as we persist in hiding His written word in our hearts and cultivating a 24/7 dialogue, or as someone said, “practice His presence,” we seem to develop a more “broadband” type of connection with the Lord. Impressions, insights, dreams, and visions become clearer as we stay “logged on.” Jesus said in John 14:26, “The Counselor, the Holy Spirit…will teach you all things and remind you of everything I have said to you.” A few verses later He gives us the secret or “password” to hearing from Him. “Remain in me.” Remain. What a great word. Paraphrased, that means “stay online 24/7 to my spirit.” Staying online requires cultivating an intentional preoccupation with Jesus as we live our lives and go about our daily schedule.
In Luke 10:38 it is recorded that Martha invited Jesus and His disciples to her home. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving; and she went to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are so anxious and troubled about many things; one thing is needful. Mary has chosen the good portion, which shall not be taken away from her.” (RSV)
Figuratively speaking, Martha seems to represent the busy, active, extraverted side of our personality and Mary the receptive, introverted side. This passage highlights our tendency to emphasize “action and doing” (Martha) over “being and listening” (Mary). Jesus says that Mary has chosen the “good portion.” Jesus seems to be emphasizing that nothing, not even hospitality and service, is more important than a readiness to “be still and know Him.” To wait upon Him. Jesus says, “One thing is needful,” and that is to “BE” with Him and to listen for His “still, small voice.”
Unfortunately, it is too easy to be distracted by the demands of our culture. Especially a culture that is driven by that which it values most-goals, action and results. Even our churches fall prey to this mentality as we are driven to respond to every need that arises. Many times “the good” is the enemy of the “best.” Let’s try to emulate Mary and carve out time in our lives to sit at His feet. And as we go about our daily routines, let’s stay logged on to the Holy Spirit, and progressively learn to be led by His Spirit through the adventure of this life. Psalm 95 declares, “Today if you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.”
You’ve got mail!
Joe McKinney
Pastor of Creative Arts
StoneBridge Church
God is always speaking to us. The question is, “How clear is our connection?”
“You’ve got mail.”
Many of us hear those words each day as we log on to the Internet to check our email. The phrase was also popularized by a movie of the same title a few years ago. Remember when the only option to connecting to the World Wide Web was through a phone modem with a tortoise like connection speed of 28k? Then we expanded to 56k. Then to cable, broadband, and DSL—suddenly we could download volumes of information in seconds with the simple click of a mouse.
Learning to hear the voice of God occurs in a similar fashion. The New Testament commands us to “walk in the spirit” (Gal.5: 16). The apostle Paul speaks of “hearing from God” and “being taught of God” (Gal. 1:12). The Old Testament tells us that our ears will hear a voice behind us saying, “This is the way: walk ye in it” (Is.30: 21). Isaiah points us to ‘the still, small voice” of the Lord. God is always speaking to us. Our hearts can be likened to a modem, picking up on the subtle impressions and whispers of the Holy Spirit. At first, our ability to discern His voice perhaps is slow and faint, similar to our 28k modem.
But as we persist in hiding His written word in our hearts and cultivating a 24/7 dialogue, or as someone said, “practice His presence,” we seem to develop a more “broadband” type of connection with the Lord. Impressions, insights, dreams, and visions become clearer as we stay “logged on.” Jesus said in John 14:26, “The Counselor, the Holy Spirit…will teach you all things and remind you of everything I have said to you.” A few verses later He gives us the secret or “password” to hearing from Him. “Remain in me.” Remain. What a great word. Paraphrased, that means “stay online 24/7 to my spirit.” Staying online requires cultivating an intentional preoccupation with Jesus as we live our lives and go about our daily schedule.
In Luke 10:38 it is recorded that Martha invited Jesus and His disciples to her home. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving; and she went to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are so anxious and troubled about many things; one thing is needful. Mary has chosen the good portion, which shall not be taken away from her.” (RSV)
Figuratively speaking, Martha seems to represent the busy, active, extraverted side of our personality and Mary the receptive, introverted side. This passage highlights our tendency to emphasize “action and doing” (Martha) over “being and listening” (Mary). Jesus says that Mary has chosen the “good portion.” Jesus seems to be emphasizing that nothing, not even hospitality and service, is more important than a readiness to “be still and know Him.” To wait upon Him. Jesus says, “One thing is needful,” and that is to “BE” with Him and to listen for His “still, small voice.”
Unfortunately, it is too easy to be distracted by the demands of our culture. Especially a culture that is driven by that which it values most-goals, action and results. Even our churches fall prey to this mentality as we are driven to respond to every need that arises. Many times “the good” is the enemy of the “best.” Let’s try to emulate Mary and carve out time in our lives to sit at His feet. And as we go about our daily routines, let’s stay logged on to the Holy Spirit, and progressively learn to be led by His Spirit through the adventure of this life. Psalm 95 declares, “Today if you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.”
You’ve got mail!
Joe McKinney
Pastor of Creative Arts
StoneBridge Church
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
We All Need a Full Time Counselor
In his book "Waking the Dead" John Eldridge writes, "Walking with God leads to His intimate counsel and counseling leads to deep restoration"
In his message on courage Sunday, Larry Cotton challenged us to be brave enough to seek counsel. We need community for God to fully speak his wisdom into our hearts.
And Jesus knew, we all needed a full time Counselor.
John 14:16
16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever–
John 14:26-27
26 But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.
John 16:7
7 But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.
John 16:13
13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.
Job 12:13
13 To God belong wisdom and power; counsel and understanding are his.
Isaiah 28:29
29 All this also comes from the Lord Almighty, wonderful in counsel and magnificent in wisdom.
Psalms 32:8
8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you.
Ephesians 1:17-19
17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. 18 I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you."
I believe Jesus loves you and me just as we are, but He also loves us too much to leave us that way.
Jesus is in the restoration business. He takes broken people and makes them whole again.
His Spirit dwells within in us revealing His glory and purpose in our lives. He replaces words of doubt with faith; hurtful thoughts and memories, with healing and hope.
A trustworthy Counselor with whom I feel safe enough to reveal my greatest fears, insecurities and the most intimate details of my life. The cost of a full time Counselor.......extravagantly high.
Isaiah 9:6
6b And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
God's Spirit in our hearts. Amazing!!!!!!
Talk to Him........ He's less than a heartbeat away.
Joe
In his message on courage Sunday, Larry Cotton challenged us to be brave enough to seek counsel. We need community for God to fully speak his wisdom into our hearts.
And Jesus knew, we all needed a full time Counselor.
John 14:16
16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever–
John 14:26-27
26 But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.
John 16:7
7 But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.
John 16:13
13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.
Job 12:13
13 To God belong wisdom and power; counsel and understanding are his.
Isaiah 28:29
29 All this also comes from the Lord Almighty, wonderful in counsel and magnificent in wisdom.
Psalms 32:8
8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you.
Ephesians 1:17-19
17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. 18 I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you."
I believe Jesus loves you and me just as we are, but He also loves us too much to leave us that way.
Jesus is in the restoration business. He takes broken people and makes them whole again.
His Spirit dwells within in us revealing His glory and purpose in our lives. He replaces words of doubt with faith; hurtful thoughts and memories, with healing and hope.
A trustworthy Counselor with whom I feel safe enough to reveal my greatest fears, insecurities and the most intimate details of my life. The cost of a full time Counselor.......extravagantly high.
Isaiah 9:6
6b And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
God's Spirit in our hearts. Amazing!!!!!!
Talk to Him........ He's less than a heartbeat away.
Joe
Monday, May 23, 2011
The Beauty of The Team.
Last night about 400+ people from our church gathered together for a time of celebration at the Bridge. What was really cool about this gathering was that everyone there was actively involved in a serving role. Everything from running a camera, to teaching a class, to working with kids, to directing people to their parking spots, to baking the legendary scones, to greeting people with a smile, to passing out the offering and communion, and on and on.
In Romans 12:4-5 it says 'For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.' I know it brings such a smile to God's face to see each of us with humility stepping out and serving according to how God has wired us. I have truly come to see that every single member of the body is important and necessary and that we absolutely depend on one another. In Jesus' prayer in John 17 He says that it's in this kind of unity or 'oneness' of serving alongside of each other that the world will truly believe in Him.
So let's continue to serve with joy and gladness and show the onlooking world what an incredible and amazing Savior we serve!
serving alongside of you all,
Brian
In Romans 12:4-5 it says 'For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.' I know it brings such a smile to God's face to see each of us with humility stepping out and serving according to how God has wired us. I have truly come to see that every single member of the body is important and necessary and that we absolutely depend on one another. In Jesus' prayer in John 17 He says that it's in this kind of unity or 'oneness' of serving alongside of each other that the world will truly believe in Him.
So let's continue to serve with joy and gladness and show the onlooking world what an incredible and amazing Savior we serve!
serving alongside of you all,
Brian
Friday, May 20, 2011
Deep Roots.
Recently David and I put our house on the market. If you have ever been through this process, you know there are a lot of preparations that need to be made before it is officially for sale. One of our projects was refreshing the landscaping. In the two years that we lived in this house, we have tried a few times to make our yard look spectacular. We would buy the brightest flowers and place them perfectly throughout the yard, only to slowly watch them wilt away over the next week. So in order to have the perfect landscaping job for our potential homebuyers, we recruited help from David’s mom. As I was watching her plant some of the flowers, I noticed one thing she did that I had seemed to miss; she was careful to dig the hole deep enough for the roots to really grow down strong.
In thinking about this, Colossians 2:7 came to mind: “Let your roots grow down into Him, and let your lives be built on Him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.” When we allow our roots to be planted in Him and we spend time growing in His word, our faith will be able to withstand so much more. Regardless of what comes our way, we will be planted firmly in the truth and although we may shake, we will overflow with a thankfulness for what He has done that overshadows everything else. So today ask yourself, are you digging into the Word deep enough for your roots to be planted firmly?
Lindsey
In thinking about this, Colossians 2:7 came to mind: “Let your roots grow down into Him, and let your lives be built on Him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.” When we allow our roots to be planted in Him and we spend time growing in His word, our faith will be able to withstand so much more. Regardless of what comes our way, we will be planted firmly in the truth and although we may shake, we will overflow with a thankfulness for what He has done that overshadows everything else. So today ask yourself, are you digging into the Word deep enough for your roots to be planted firmly?
Lindsey
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Can a guy sing a love song to Jesus?
Are the worship songs we sing too feminine? I read an article the other day that addressed this question. I have thought about this before as well and have heard people pose this question. I mean on a surface level it does seem a bit odd for a guy to sing a love song to a man named Jesus. But honestly it would be a little strange for a girl to sing a love song to Jesus like she would sing a love song to a boyfriend. So how do we reconcile this? Perhaps we need to re-think what we mean by loving Jesus and make sure we’re not applying a human or Hollywood definition to it but rather God’s definition. Here’s an exerpt from the article from the Musicademy blog:
“My concept of giving my love and receiving God’s is always in the context of his love not being my equal. Mine comes from a place of unworthy thankfulness and part-knowledge of just how awesome he is. God’s love comes from a place of him humbling himself to my level and it far exceeds my own in its extravagance. God’s love is holy. When I experience it, I don’t just feel a warm-glow feeling like when I’ve fallen in love with a guy [or girl]. Oh no, I feel the fire of it that burns away the unholy in me and cleanses me.
His love is transforming. It goes beyond the emotional and physical, to the depths of my soul. He knows me better than I know myself. He welcomes me into his embrace, but his love is so weighty I don’t often make it into his arms and I end up bowed low in reverence. It is more intimate than I know, and yet I can’t get too close because it reaches too far beyond all that I am. It is constant and dependable. He always respects and protects my vulnerability, I am always enough as I am, I am never judged, always accepted. Now I can’t think how this is anything like human love”
So when we sing songs and proclaim our love for Jesus…let’s remember 1 John 3:1 ‘How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!’ and remember that through Jesus we come to know a love that is truly other-worldly, indescribable, wild, freeing, piercing, powerful and definitely not like our human love.
In Christ,
Brian
“My concept of giving my love and receiving God’s is always in the context of his love not being my equal. Mine comes from a place of unworthy thankfulness and part-knowledge of just how awesome he is. God’s love comes from a place of him humbling himself to my level and it far exceeds my own in its extravagance. God’s love is holy. When I experience it, I don’t just feel a warm-glow feeling like when I’ve fallen in love with a guy [or girl]. Oh no, I feel the fire of it that burns away the unholy in me and cleanses me.
His love is transforming. It goes beyond the emotional and physical, to the depths of my soul. He knows me better than I know myself. He welcomes me into his embrace, but his love is so weighty I don’t often make it into his arms and I end up bowed low in reverence. It is more intimate than I know, and yet I can’t get too close because it reaches too far beyond all that I am. It is constant and dependable. He always respects and protects my vulnerability, I am always enough as I am, I am never judged, always accepted. Now I can’t think how this is anything like human love”
So when we sing songs and proclaim our love for Jesus…let’s remember 1 John 3:1 ‘How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!’ and remember that through Jesus we come to know a love that is truly other-worldly, indescribable, wild, freeing, piercing, powerful and definitely not like our human love.
In Christ,
Brian
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Going back to go forward
I came across an old article from "In Touch" magazine. I had torn out the page and stuck it in another book I had on worship. I believe it's by Mark Batterson. He writes, "Whenever I've lost my way spiritually, I try to retrace my steps. That's essentially what we do every time we celebrate Communion: we make a pilgrimage back to the foot of the cross."
All of us have a need to remember, when we first understood, that God not only loved the whole world, but that He loved us. I remember as a teenager being overwhelmed when our youth pastor said that Jesus would have gone to the cross for just one person. Such a sacrifice for the whole world sure....but for just one. God love is that personal.
That thought still ignites in me a heart of passion.
In Revelation, John talks about returning to your first love.
In the same way you bring out the top of the wedding cake and watch the wedding video on your first anniversary, so too we Christians need ways to remember. Ways to reignite our first love. Something to remind us of how great God's love toward us really is.
I mentioned a few Sundays ago that I have some words of encouragement and remembrance written on the wall in my closet. I would have gotten in trouble for that as a kid. Sometimes it good being the dad.
I have some photos in my office of some worship events that were powerful faith builders in my life.
In my Bible I have notes from sermons heard or special verses underlined with a date of when God's word spoke to me in a particular situation, time or circumstance.
As I wrote this devotional, I immediately remembered the words from the song, "the Heart of Worship"
Matt Redman wrote:
When the music fades
And all is stripped away
And I simply come
Longing just to bring
Something that's of worth
That will bless your heart
I'll bring You more than a song
For a song in itself
Is not what You have required
You search much deeper within
Through the ways things appear
You're looking into my heart
I'm coming back to the heart of worship
And it's all about You
All about You, Jesus
I'm sorry Lord for the thing I've made it
When it's all about You
It's all about You Jesus
Its all about you
Jesus
Every time I sing this song, I pray Lord, never let me become a professional Christian, devoid of passion, just going through the motions. Holy Spirit stir in me a love and passion that will set my heart ablaze. Help me always remember my First Love.
your fellow worshipper,
Joe
All of us have a need to remember, when we first understood, that God not only loved the whole world, but that He loved us. I remember as a teenager being overwhelmed when our youth pastor said that Jesus would have gone to the cross for just one person. Such a sacrifice for the whole world sure....but for just one. God love is that personal.
That thought still ignites in me a heart of passion.
In Revelation, John talks about returning to your first love.
In the same way you bring out the top of the wedding cake and watch the wedding video on your first anniversary, so too we Christians need ways to remember. Ways to reignite our first love. Something to remind us of how great God's love toward us really is.
I mentioned a few Sundays ago that I have some words of encouragement and remembrance written on the wall in my closet. I would have gotten in trouble for that as a kid. Sometimes it good being the dad.
I have some photos in my office of some worship events that were powerful faith builders in my life.
In my Bible I have notes from sermons heard or special verses underlined with a date of when God's word spoke to me in a particular situation, time or circumstance.
As I wrote this devotional, I immediately remembered the words from the song, "the Heart of Worship"
Matt Redman wrote:
When the music fades
And all is stripped away
And I simply come
Longing just to bring
Something that's of worth
That will bless your heart
I'll bring You more than a song
For a song in itself
Is not what You have required
You search much deeper within
Through the ways things appear
You're looking into my heart
I'm coming back to the heart of worship
And it's all about You
All about You, Jesus
I'm sorry Lord for the thing I've made it
When it's all about You
It's all about You Jesus
Its all about you
Jesus
Every time I sing this song, I pray Lord, never let me become a professional Christian, devoid of passion, just going through the motions. Holy Spirit stir in me a love and passion that will set my heart ablaze. Help me always remember my First Love.
your fellow worshipper,
Joe
Encouraging Worship
I feel so blessed to lead worship with such an incredibly talented band and creative arts team. It is electric when the drums are kicking, the guitars are wailing, the bass is thumping, the keys are laying down some great melodies and the singers are belting out some awesome words. But I must say, my favorite moments in worship are when the band drops out and all you hear is the sound of hundreds of voices singing and agreeing together that 'Our God is greater, Our God is stronger, God you are higher than any other, Our God is healer, awesome in power our God, Our God...' It's truly powerful.
I love Steve's message yesterday about having the courage to encourage one another. I think worship can be like that. I think when we corporately gather together and we praise God a couple of things happen. Vertically, something is happening between us and God and horizontally, something is happening between us and the people around us. When I'm with my church family I am reminded that I am not alone and that all of these people in this building are singing to the same God and have had their lives changed by the same Savior. So as Hebrews 10:25 says, "Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching."
God bless you this week!
Brian
I love Steve's message yesterday about having the courage to encourage one another. I think worship can be like that. I think when we corporately gather together and we praise God a couple of things happen. Vertically, something is happening between us and God and horizontally, something is happening between us and the people around us. When I'm with my church family I am reminded that I am not alone and that all of these people in this building are singing to the same God and have had their lives changed by the same Savior. So as Hebrews 10:25 says, "Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching."
God bless you this week!
Brian
Thursday, May 12, 2011
Waiting.
When I was a kid my dad’s job required him to travel a lot. I remember at the beginning of the week saying goodbye to him, knowing it would be several days before he would be home again. But one thing my dad would do when he was gone was always bring me and my brother a souvenir from whatever city he was in. These souvenirs were never anything extravagant; maybe a t-shirt or a keychain, but the anticipation of what would be in his suitcase when he got home made the week go by a little smoother. I always knew that wherever he was, he was thinking of something that would be special specifically for me.
Have you ever noticed that waiting on the Lord is one of the hardest things to do? Especially in our fast paced society, we want results and we want to see them now. But the bible tells us a few times that we need to wait patiently on the Lord. Just like those souvenirs at the end of my dad’s trips, God has special blessings in store for us when we wait on Him and His timing. So next time you are getting frustrated standing in line at the grocery store, or when the fear of what tomorrow holds gets too strong, slow down and wait on Him. Even in the times you may feel like He is far away, God is always preparing blessings that are special specifically for you.
Psalm 27:14 "Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord."
-Lindsey
Have you ever noticed that waiting on the Lord is one of the hardest things to do? Especially in our fast paced society, we want results and we want to see them now. But the bible tells us a few times that we need to wait patiently on the Lord. Just like those souvenirs at the end of my dad’s trips, God has special blessings in store for us when we wait on Him and His timing. So next time you are getting frustrated standing in line at the grocery store, or when the fear of what tomorrow holds gets too strong, slow down and wait on Him. Even in the times you may feel like He is far away, God is always preparing blessings that are special specifically for you.
Psalm 27:14 "Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord."
-Lindsey
Bluegrass Wake up call.
My wife and I are from Georgia and so we do love us some good bluegrass music sometimes. One of the songs that we have on our ipod is ‘You don’t love God if you don’t love your neighbor’ – by Rhonda Vincent. Besides being a pretty sweet bluegrass tune it has quite a convicting message. The song is based on the passage that Steve shared this past Sunday from Matthew 18:21-35 about the man who was forgiven of millions of dollars and then goes and wrings the neck of someone who owes him like 100 bucks.
Jesus also links the love of God with the love of our neighbor in Matthew 22:36-39, 36 "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?" 37 And he said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
I love worship music and the power of all of our voices singing praises to God on a Sunday morning. But here’s a final thought. Perhaps the handshake I give to someone I see in the lobby is just as important. Perhaps the drive to church with the family matters to God too. Maybe stopping and praying with someone who is really burdened after church is a big deal to God. Maybe some of the sweetest music God hears is when he watches us show mercy towards people, notice the forgotten, greet the lonely, include the left out, and encourage the discouraged.
Striving to look more like Jesus,
Brian
Click Here For Video
Jesus also links the love of God with the love of our neighbor in Matthew 22:36-39, 36 "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?" 37 And he said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
I love worship music and the power of all of our voices singing praises to God on a Sunday morning. But here’s a final thought. Perhaps the handshake I give to someone I see in the lobby is just as important. Perhaps the drive to church with the family matters to God too. Maybe stopping and praying with someone who is really burdened after church is a big deal to God. Maybe some of the sweetest music God hears is when he watches us show mercy towards people, notice the forgotten, greet the lonely, include the left out, and encourage the discouraged.
Striving to look more like Jesus,
Brian
Click Here For Video
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do is to go to take a nap.
What is an act of worship? Rich Muchow writes, "Music can be an act of worship---but it doesn't have to be. When we roll into church on a Sunday morning and sing a song just to check off another item on our do list, that's not worship. It's just singing.
On the other hand, taking a nap---when we've surrendered control of all the unmanageable events of life, when we've relaxed into the all-powerful hands of our Lord---can be a powerful statement of worship, particularly in a world that constantly relates busyness to value."
I'm reminded of Jesus sleeping during a storm.
Matthew 8:24
24 Without warning, a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping.
Sometimes during the storms of life, we need to just give it to God and in an act of totally trust and surrender, take a nap.
Proverbs 3:24
24 when you lie down, you will not be afraid;
when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.
Psalms 4:8
8 I will lie down and sleep in peace,
for you alone, O Lord,
make me dwell in safety.
I pray our loving Father will watch over you and all of us, as we enjoy His peaceful sleep.
Joe
On the other hand, taking a nap---when we've surrendered control of all the unmanageable events of life, when we've relaxed into the all-powerful hands of our Lord---can be a powerful statement of worship, particularly in a world that constantly relates busyness to value."
I'm reminded of Jesus sleeping during a storm.
Matthew 8:24
24 Without warning, a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping.
Sometimes during the storms of life, we need to just give it to God and in an act of totally trust and surrender, take a nap.
Proverbs 3:24
24 when you lie down, you will not be afraid;
when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.
Psalms 4:8
8 I will lie down and sleep in peace,
for you alone, O Lord,
make me dwell in safety.
I pray our loving Father will watch over you and all of us, as we enjoy His peaceful sleep.
Joe
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
"To Hear Children Sing about Jesus, it doesn't get any better than that!!!"
Todays title is a quote from my dear friend and coworker Nancy Willis.
This morning we were celebrating the contribution to the worship from the children's choir. Their singing on "Children of God" and "Indescribable" really made the Mother's Day service special.
Add to that the baby dedications by so many young families and I could just hear Jesus' saying, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these"
Jesus also said,"Don't you know that the scriptures say, 'Children and infants will sing His praises'? Matthew 21:16
Jesus is referencing Psalm 8:2. "You have taught children and nursing infants to give you praise."
Jesus later holds children up as models on how we all should worship God, when He says, "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 18:13
Trust. Children have it. They simply believe.
Must we become simpletons to worship. Certainly not. We are to worship God with All our mind.....but it is a gift to simply trust. Children get that........easily.
Unlike many adults Facebook status I see, relationships aren't complicated for children. They simply trust.......simply believe......simply love.....simply worship.
Keeping it simple,
Joe
This morning we were celebrating the contribution to the worship from the children's choir. Their singing on "Children of God" and "Indescribable" really made the Mother's Day service special.
Add to that the baby dedications by so many young families and I could just hear Jesus' saying, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these"
Jesus also said,"Don't you know that the scriptures say, 'Children and infants will sing His praises'? Matthew 21:16
Jesus is referencing Psalm 8:2. "You have taught children and nursing infants to give you praise."
Jesus later holds children up as models on how we all should worship God, when He says, "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 18:13
Trust. Children have it. They simply believe.
Must we become simpletons to worship. Certainly not. We are to worship God with All our mind.....but it is a gift to simply trust. Children get that........easily.
Unlike many adults Facebook status I see, relationships aren't complicated for children. They simply trust.......simply believe......simply love.....simply worship.
Keeping it simple,
Joe
Selah
I was reflecting on Psalm 46 today, one of my favorite Psalms. I love the contrast. You have this picture of complete chaos and insanity all around and yet for those of us who belong to Jesus we have a mighty fortress, a refuge in God. Take a moment to read the Psalm below:
1 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, 3 though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. "Selah" 4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. 5 God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day. 6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts. 7 The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. "Selah" 8 Come and see the works of the LORD, the desolations he has brought on the earth. 9 He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear, he burns the shields with fire. 10 "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." 11 The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. "Selah"
The word Selah appears three times in this short Psalm. Here is a summary of some of the thoughts about the meaning of this word:
Selah is also thought to be rendered from two Hebrew words: s_lah, to praise; and s_lal, to lift up. Another commentator believes it comes from salah, to pause. From these words comes the belief that selah is a musical direction to the singers and/or instrumentalists who performed the Psalms, which was the hymnbook of the Israelites. If this is true, then each time selah appears in a psalm, the musicians paused, either to take a breath, or to sing acapella or let the instruments play alone. Perhaps they were pausing to praise Him about whom the song was speaking, perhaps even lifting their hands in worship. This would encompass all these meanings praise, lift up, and pause. from www.gotquestions.org
Now read Psalm 46 and notice the word 'Selah'. So I would challenge you and me to Selah during different points of our day. When it starts getting hectic, the blood is pumping, the traffic is crazy, the emails overwhelm you, the to do list keeps getting longer, the kids keep whining just take a moment in your heart to pause and praise. Just be still for a moment and know He s God and He is with you.
In Christ,
Brian
1 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, 3 though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. "Selah" 4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. 5 God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day. 6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts. 7 The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. "Selah" 8 Come and see the works of the LORD, the desolations he has brought on the earth. 9 He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear, he burns the shields with fire. 10 "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." 11 The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. "Selah"
The word Selah appears three times in this short Psalm. Here is a summary of some of the thoughts about the meaning of this word:
Selah is also thought to be rendered from two Hebrew words: s_lah, to praise; and s_lal, to lift up. Another commentator believes it comes from salah, to pause. From these words comes the belief that selah is a musical direction to the singers and/or instrumentalists who performed the Psalms, which was the hymnbook of the Israelites. If this is true, then each time selah appears in a psalm, the musicians paused, either to take a breath, or to sing acapella or let the instruments play alone. Perhaps they were pausing to praise Him about whom the song was speaking, perhaps even lifting their hands in worship. This would encompass all these meanings praise, lift up, and pause. from www.gotquestions.org
Now read Psalm 46 and notice the word 'Selah'. So I would challenge you and me to Selah during different points of our day. When it starts getting hectic, the blood is pumping, the traffic is crazy, the emails overwhelm you, the to do list keeps getting longer, the kids keep whining just take a moment in your heart to pause and praise. Just be still for a moment and know He s God and He is with you.
In Christ,
Brian
Friday, May 6, 2011
Proverbs 31
This Sunday Hailey will be singing a song some of you may have heard on the radio. Francesca Battistelli s This is the Stuff was intentionally scheduled for this weekend because it is Mother s Day (did you catch that husbands?). Check out the lyrics to the song:
I lost my keys in the great unknown
And call me please 'Cuz I can't find my phone
This is the stuff that drives me crazy
This is the stuff that's getting to me lately
In the middle of my little mess
I forget how big I'm blessed
This is the stuff that gets under my skin
But I gotta trust You know exactly what You're doing
It might not be what I would choose
But this is the stuff You use
45 in a 35
Sirens and fines while I'm running behind
Whoa
This is the stuff that drives me crazy
This is the stuff that's getting to me lately
In the middle of my little mess
I forget how big I'm blessed
This is the stuff that gets under my skin
But I gotta trust You know exactly what You're doing
It might not be what I would choose
But this is the stuff You use
So break me of impatience
Conquer my frustrations
I've got a new appreciation
It's not the end of the world
Can you relate ladies? I know I can. When our team was listening to this song, all of the women were in agreement that it was written specifically for them. If nothing else, we all seemed to have one thing in common; we lead crazy, hectic lives. And while this song is catchy and fun, it has a great message that we can t miss. In the middle of the mess we sometimes call life, don t forget to see how much we are blessed.
Being a young wife, I am amazed at how women are able to do all that they do. I mean, most of the time my husband is about all I can handle; but many of you have children and careers as well! Seriously, you all are amazing. I wanted to remind you of a verse in Proverbs that is meant just for us:
She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future. When she speaks, her words are wise, and she gives instructions with kindness. She carefully watches everything in her household and suffers nothing from laziness. Proverbs 31:25-27
If you haven t read through Proverbs 31 in awhile, I encourage you to do so. It is a great reminder of how our lives should look as we live as women of God. Moms, I pray that this Sunday you feel loved and appreciated for everything you do. You are amazing examples of Christ s unconditional love for us. We are so thankful for the role you have played in our lives.
For those of you who do not have children, I hope Sunday can be a day for you as well. Proverbs 31:20 says:
She extends a helping hand to the poor and opens her arms to the needy.
Regardless of whether you have children of your own or not, we as women were made for kindness and caring. Invest in the lives of someone younger than you. You are exactly what they may need right now; reach out and be a light for them. What you do matters as well.
I leave you with one of my all-time favorite verses:
Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last; but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised. -Proverbs 31:30
-Lindsey
I lost my keys in the great unknown
And call me please 'Cuz I can't find my phone
This is the stuff that drives me crazy
This is the stuff that's getting to me lately
In the middle of my little mess
I forget how big I'm blessed
This is the stuff that gets under my skin
But I gotta trust You know exactly what You're doing
It might not be what I would choose
But this is the stuff You use
45 in a 35
Sirens and fines while I'm running behind
Whoa
This is the stuff that drives me crazy
This is the stuff that's getting to me lately
In the middle of my little mess
I forget how big I'm blessed
This is the stuff that gets under my skin
But I gotta trust You know exactly what You're doing
It might not be what I would choose
But this is the stuff You use
So break me of impatience
Conquer my frustrations
I've got a new appreciation
It's not the end of the world
Can you relate ladies? I know I can. When our team was listening to this song, all of the women were in agreement that it was written specifically for them. If nothing else, we all seemed to have one thing in common; we lead crazy, hectic lives. And while this song is catchy and fun, it has a great message that we can t miss. In the middle of the mess we sometimes call life, don t forget to see how much we are blessed.
Being a young wife, I am amazed at how women are able to do all that they do. I mean, most of the time my husband is about all I can handle; but many of you have children and careers as well! Seriously, you all are amazing. I wanted to remind you of a verse in Proverbs that is meant just for us:
She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future. When she speaks, her words are wise, and she gives instructions with kindness. She carefully watches everything in her household and suffers nothing from laziness. Proverbs 31:25-27
If you haven t read through Proverbs 31 in awhile, I encourage you to do so. It is a great reminder of how our lives should look as we live as women of God. Moms, I pray that this Sunday you feel loved and appreciated for everything you do. You are amazing examples of Christ s unconditional love for us. We are so thankful for the role you have played in our lives.
For those of you who do not have children, I hope Sunday can be a day for you as well. Proverbs 31:20 says:
She extends a helping hand to the poor and opens her arms to the needy.
Regardless of whether you have children of your own or not, we as women were made for kindness and caring. Invest in the lives of someone younger than you. You are exactly what they may need right now; reach out and be a light for them. What you do matters as well.
I leave you with one of my all-time favorite verses:
Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last; but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised. -Proverbs 31:30
-Lindsey
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Life Song.
True worship involves our whole life, which is incredibly challenging. I catch myself throughout my day battling God with little thoughts like Oh, not now , but I want , Oh, God, not that guy , I m tired, how about tomorrow? , I m going to pretend that s not my child right now , but she doesn t deserve me to forgive her , but he ll just spend that money on alcohol , surely, someone else will talk to him , etc
Casting Crowns wrote a song called life song. Below are some of the lyrics from the song:
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
This song begs the questions: Are the things I sing in worship consistent with the life I live during the week? or do the things I say match the things I do?
Jesus said in John 14:21a, Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. Does our life song truly communicate love to Jesus? What specific areas (work, home, private time, marriage, kids, friendships, finances, family, etc) is our life song not lining up with Jesus way?
In Christ,
Brian
Casting Crowns wrote a song called life song. Below are some of the lyrics from the song:
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
This song begs the questions: Are the things I sing in worship consistent with the life I live during the week? or do the things I say match the things I do?
Jesus said in John 14:21a, Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. Does our life song truly communicate love to Jesus? What specific areas (work, home, private time, marriage, kids, friendships, finances, family, etc) is our life song not lining up with Jesus way?
In Christ,
Brian
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
My battery was so low the car wouldn't crank.
So this morning my car wouldn't crank. Parking lights inadvertently left on drained the battery. Tried to crank the car....nothing. No power. Batteries can only recharge when the engine is running. If they give out power very long without being constantly replenished they get depleted......weak.....low.....dead.
Jesus talked about what it means to be disconnected. He used a different metaphor.
John 15:5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
If we are connected to Christ His power flows through us, filling our lives and overflowing to touch others.
Paul put it this way.
Colossians 1:10-12
10 And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.
Now that is being connected.
Please God in every way.
Bearing fruit.
Growing in knowledge of God
Strengthened with all power.
Endurance.
Patience.
Joyfully thankful to God
That is the evidence of a fully charged battery connected to the replenishing power of the resurrected Christ.
Christ the true vine!!!
Your fellow branch,
Joe
Jesus talked about what it means to be disconnected. He used a different metaphor.
John 15:5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
If we are connected to Christ His power flows through us, filling our lives and overflowing to touch others.
Paul put it this way.
Colossians 1:10-12
10 And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.
Now that is being connected.
Please God in every way.
Bearing fruit.
Growing in knowledge of God
Strengthened with all power.
Endurance.
Patience.
Joyfully thankful to God
That is the evidence of a fully charged battery connected to the replenishing power of the resurrected Christ.
Christ the true vine!!!
Your fellow branch,
Joe
Monday, May 2, 2011
Songs Stick.
Good morning this is Brian. Have you ever noticed how when you are trying to memorize something and you put it to a song it just sticks with you? I remember in 6th grade our homeroom teacher randomly decided to teach us the Greek alphabet during our homeroom time. She put it to a song and we all learned it and without skipping a beat I can rattle off the song today a whopping 23 years later!
Worship songs are like that too. They are an incredible way to hide God's promises and truths in our hearts. We were driving back from a retreat yesterday and during a little lull in our drive my son, Joshua (age 4) decides to sing every single worship song he can think of. He is singing about John 3:16, going deep with God, how 'God can do oh He can do...God can do anything', how 'Every move he makes he makes in [God]', etc. Finally after quite some time he announces, 'That's all I can think of.'
In Deuteronomy 6:6, 7 it says 'And these words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart; and you shall teach them diligently to your sons and talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up.' Worship songs are a powerful way to pass on the truths and words of our faith to the next generation. Joshua may not understand all of what he was singing but those words and promises are in his mind and heart. Their may come a day later in his life where he might doubt God's love. Who knows maybe at that moment God's Spirit will bring back that little song he learned when he was 4 that goes, 'John 3:16 says that God so loved the world, He gave His only begotten son, and whoever believes in Him will never die..he'll have eternal life!'
So sing the songs of faith and pass the baton on to those who are coming behind us!
In Christ,
Brian
Worship songs are like that too. They are an incredible way to hide God's promises and truths in our hearts. We were driving back from a retreat yesterday and during a little lull in our drive my son, Joshua (age 4) decides to sing every single worship song he can think of. He is singing about John 3:16, going deep with God, how 'God can do oh He can do...God can do anything', how 'Every move he makes he makes in [God]', etc. Finally after quite some time he announces, 'That's all I can think of.'
In Deuteronomy 6:6, 7 it says 'And these words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart; and you shall teach them diligently to your sons and talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up.' Worship songs are a powerful way to pass on the truths and words of our faith to the next generation. Joshua may not understand all of what he was singing but those words and promises are in his mind and heart. Their may come a day later in his life where he might doubt God's love. Who knows maybe at that moment God's Spirit will bring back that little song he learned when he was 4 that goes, 'John 3:16 says that God so loved the world, He gave His only begotten son, and whoever believes in Him will never die..he'll have eternal life!'
So sing the songs of faith and pass the baton on to those who are coming behind us!
In Christ,
Brian
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