The Lamb of God

Wait for the song to start...then sing along and enjoy the pictures that help tell this awesome truth!

THE LAMB OF GOD - Kirk Franklin

Chorus
Now behold the Lamb
the Precious Lamb of God
born into sin that I may live again
the Precious Lamb of God (2x)

Holy is the Lamb
the Precious Lamb of God
Why You love me so, Lord
I shall never know
the Precious lamb of God (2X)

Solo1
Now behold the Lamb
the Precious Lamb of God
Born into sin that I may live again
He's the precious Lamb of God

When I always didn't do right
I went left, He told me to go right
But I'm standing right here
in the midst of my tears, Lord
I claim You to be the Lamb of God

chorus
Thank You for the Lamb
the Precious Lamb of God
Because of Your grace
I can finish this race
the Precious Lamb of God

solo2
Even when I broke Your heart
my sins tore us apart
But I'm standing right herein the midst of my tears
I claim You to be the Lamb of God
New life can begin (yeah),
for You washed away, washed away every one of my sins
Whom the Son sets free, is truly free indeed
claim You to be the Lamb of God

chorus
Now behold the Lamb
the Precious Lamb of God
born into sin that I may live again
the Precious Lamb of God

Oh Oh Oh
Oh Oh Oh

Why You love me so, Lord
I shall never know
Why You love me so, Lord
I shall never know
Why You love me so, Lord
I shall never know
the Precious Lamb of God
Oh Oh Oh
Oh Oh Oh
Oh Oh Oh

Why You love me so, Lord
I shall never know
the Precious Lamb of God

uh....
uh....oh....
You love me, Jesus
You died for me, Jesus
You shed your blood for me, Jesus On Calvary.

Thank you for Being Born For Me, Jesus
Thank you Jesus
For lovin' me so
Never never never know
For lovin' me so yeah.
Thank you for your blood yeah...
Why you love me so, Lord
I shall never know
the Precious Lamb of God

The wolf will lie down with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat,
the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them.
Isaiah 11:6

RICHES I HEED NOT - Be Thou My Vision Part 4

"Riches I heed not, nor man's empty praise;
Thou mine inheritance, now and always;
Thou and Thou only first in my heart,
High King of heaven, my treasure Thou art."
Be Thou My Vision, Text: Mary E. Byrne

I love this verse! What a wonderful mindset to have! After all, what is our main purpose as we pass through this planet? We so easily get caught up in this world of greed and competition and forget what matters most - God and His mission of spreading the Good News to all the world. That is the real treasure to pursue. An eternal treasure that far outweighs an earthly one!
"Do not wear yourself out to get rich; have the wisdom to show restraint. Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle." Proverbs 23:4-5 And heed this warning: "For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs." I Timothy 6:10 So, "Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, 'Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.'" Hebrews 13:5
Dr. Tony Evans, a great "radio preacher", author and pastor of a church, once said, "You can't appreciate what money can buy until you possess what money can't buy!" AMEN TO THAT!

What about "man's empty praise?" In Matthew 6:1-4, Jesus condemns doing righteous acts before men "to be seen by them." Meaning, for that purpose alone (showing your righteous acts to be praised by men). Earlier, Jesus had said, "...let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven" Matthew 5:16 In this way God is being praised and glorified. Jesus said, "You are the light of the world." Matthew 5:13 When we expose our "light" by living righteously, others see these good deeds and realize we are different. We belong to God. He is our inheritance NOW and ALWAYS. He is FIRST in our heart because we know when we "...seek first his kingdom, he then provides for us (for earthly needs and spiritual needs - based on Matthew 6:33)."
Sing this verse to God and take it to heart. Knowing that big, eternal picture of heavenly things really minimizes worldly pleasures and treasures that easily disappear (see Matthew 6:19-21). The final phrase of this verse sums it up beautifully, "High King of heaven, my treasure Thou art!" Isn't God awesome?
"For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men." Romans 14:17-18

BE THOU MY BATTLE SHIELD - PART 3

"Be Thou my battle-shield, sword for the fight;
Be Thou my dignity, Thou my delight,
Thou my soul's shelter, Thou my high tower;
Raise Thou me heavenward, O Power of my power."

Verse 3 brings my thoughts straight to Ephesians 6:10-18

(BibleGateway.com - Passage Lookup: Ephesians 6:10-18). God didn't create us, save us, and hope for the best. He equipped us to be prepared for our spiritual battles. Through prayer, reading scripture and applying these learned truths, we are equipped to defend against Satan's attacks. Through Him we are given dignity, protection, honor and a place in His kingdom.
"I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness." Isaiah 61:10a
He is our soul's shelter:
"You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance." Psalm 32:7
Our high tower:
"The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe." Proverbs 18:10
Paul says in Philippians 3 not to put our confidence in the flesh. He chooses instead to desire to ...know the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings becoming like him in his death... Philippians 3:10 and, although he has not perfected this (for us "all or nothing" people), he does not give in to frustration but chooses to have this attitude: "..Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." 3:13-13
Moses certainly experienced the equipping of God. He had his doubts when he asked, "Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt? And God said, "I will be with you." Exodus 3:11-12a And of course he was! Certainly, we are not being asked to lead a nation of people out of an oppressing land with an evil dictator. So if God can do what he did for Moses, can he not do wonders for us in our battles? Moses told the Israelites at the Red Sea with the Egyptians at their back, "The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still." Exodus 14:14
So...be still...pray....and allow God to be your shield and defender!

BE THOU MY WISDOM - Part Two

What the quote says on the picture is, "There are two ways to live your life. One is though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle." Albert Einstein
I choose the latter! Think of it. Every day in itself is truly a miracle! The fact that no one has set off a nuclear bomb either by fault or by accident is a miracle. That the Bible's integrity has never been compromised (as proved by the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls in 1948) after thousands of years in this evil world is another amazing miracle. The Jewish nation that began with Abraham and remains in tact today...and on and on.... But why would these not be so? God is in the business of miracles in spite of the world and it's efforts to snuff Him out.
"Do not be deceived. God cannot be mocked." Galatians 6:7 His will and His word can never be destroyed.
This is our God. True as True can be. He defines the word, "Wisdom". And He loves to bless us with this incredible attribute as well.
"Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding, for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold." Proverbs 3:13-14
What a wonderful prayer to pray...verse two of, "Be Thou My Vision."

Be Thou my Wisdom and Thou my true Word;

I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord,

Thou my great Father, I Thy true son;

Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one

SOLOMON'S PRAYER:

(Based on I Kings 3:9)

"Lord, give your servant a discerning heart to lead your people and to distinguish between right and wrong."

20/10 Vision - Part One

People used to be amazed at what I could see from such a distance. "How can you see that from so far away?" "If only I had your eyes!" These were some of the comments I used to receive in my younger years. When I had my first "official" eye exam by a doctor, I was in my late teens. He announced that I had 20/10 vision which is better than the average 20/20 vision of most people. What a blessing! I delighted in this strong sense. Now I am over 50 and although I do wear bifocals for astigmatism and reading, my aging eyes are still doing well as I have 20/20 vision. I'll take it!
Thinking of my physical vision makes me wonder how my spiritual vision is. Much more important! I'm thinking of all this now because I recently gave a friend a hymns CD for her birthday and she noted that her son would like a featured hymn on it. That hymn was, "Be Thou My Vision." I told her this was one of my favorite hymns as well. What a wonderful prayer to to the Lord! And what a wonderful reminder of how our heart attitude should be every single day.

"Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart(...to love the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to obey his commands, to hold fast to him and to serve him with all your heart and all your soul." Joshua 22:5); Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art, - Thou my best thought, by day or by night (....fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess. Hebrews 1:3b), Waking or sleeping Thy presence my light." (I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the LORD sustains me. Psalm 3:5)

"Lord, may my spiritual vision of you cause people to wonder how I can see so well and see great things from afar. May they desire to have this beautiful vision as well. Use me as your voice, hands and feet to bring those needing 20/10 vision of you, the prescription they need...your word....your gospel!" AMEN!

NEXT: Verse Two of "Be Thou My Vision"
Words: At­trib­ut­ed to Dal­lan For­gaill, 8th Cen­tu­ry / Music: Slane

RESPONDING TO A WONDROUS LOVE

This Holy week, we reflect what Jesus did for us on the cross. It is difficult to understand the love and sacrafice that went into such an act. How does one respond to THIS? "..Repent and Believe...." Mark 1:15

"...Hear the word of God and obey it..." Luke 11:28

"Sing to the Lord, praise his name; proclaim his salvation day after day." Psalm 96:2


"... go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you." Matthew 28:19-20a



“Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13


WHAT WONDROUS LOVE IS THIS:

Words attributed to Alexander Means/Music: William Walker 1835

What wondrous love is this, O my soul, O my soul!
What wondrous love is this, O my soul!
What wondrous love is this that caused the Lord of bliss
To bear the dreadful curse for my soul, for my soul,
To bear the dreadful curse for my soul.

When I was sinking down, sinking down, sinking down,
When I was sinking down, sinking down,
When I was sinking down beneath God’s righteous frown,
Christ laid aside His crown for my soul, for my soul,
Christ laid aside His crown for my soul.

To God and to the Lamb, I will sing, I will sing;
To God and to the Lamb, I will sing.
To God and to the Lamb Who is the great “I Am”;
While millions join the theme, I will sing, I will sing;
While millions join the theme, I will sing.

And when from death I’m free, I’ll sing on, I’ll sing on;
And when from death I’m free, I’ll sing on.
And when from death I’m free, I’ll sing and joyful be;
And through eternity, I’ll sing on, I’ll sing on;
And through eternity, I’ll sing on.

PROVEN LOVE FOR YOU!

How often have you talked about yourself in a negative way? "I'm such an idiot." (a common one for me!) "I never should have been born!" "What a Jerk!" We know it's wrong saying these things about other people, but we don't hesitate to say them about ourselves. After all...we aren't harming anyone by saying such things about US....are we? When I was a child, I remember saying these things about myself within hearing distance of my very wise mother. She said to me, "You know, that's not a nice thing to say about Jesus." I told her I wasn't saying that about Jesus. I was saying it about myself. She explained to me how God created me. He gave his Son to die for me. Saying these things about myself was criticising my Creator. That sure put a new perspective on my life! I still have times when I'm down on myself. But when I get too negative, I think about her words of wisdom. A year or so ago, our former worship leader seemed to have a similar experience. He told the congregation that he wasn't feeling too good about himself one night. While lying in bed, he said to his wife, "Does Jesus really love me?" She said, "He DIED for you!!!" Well answered! What more can we say! "You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrated his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:6-8
Next time you are feeling like "scum" or unworthy of anything (whether from something you've done, or the way someone else makes you feel), think of how God views you. This is what He says: "How beautiful you are , my darling; there is NO flaw in you!" Song of Songs 4:1

ABOVE ALL
by: Paul Baloche, Lenny LeBlanc

Above all powers above all kings
Above all nature and all created things
Above all wisdom and all the ways of man
You were here before the world began
Above all kingdoms above all thrones
Above all wonders the world has ever known
Above all wealth and treasures of the earth
There's no way to measure what You're worth

Crucified laid behind the stone
You lived to die rejected and alone
Like a Rose trampled on the ground
You took the fall and thought of me
Above all

HEART CHECK UP

Since it's National Heart Month, let's look at some SPIRITUAL heart conditions:

A diligent heart:
"Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it." Proverbs 4:23

A heart of action:

"Good people bring good things out of the good stored up in their heart, and evil people bring evil things out of the evil stored up in their heart. For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks." Luke 6:45

A pure heart:
"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God." Matthew 5:8

A lackluster heart:

"But they did not listen or pay attention; instead, they followed the stubborn inclinations of their evil hearts. They went backward and not forward." Jeremiah 7:24; 23:17

A heart of right treasures:

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal." Matthew 6:18-20

A broken heart:

"The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." 34:18 and "He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds." Psalm 147:3

A cheerful heart:

"A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones." Proverbs 17:2

A giving heart:

"Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver."

A seeking heart:

"I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands." Psalm 119:10
A wise heart:

"For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul." Proverbs 2:10

A trusting heart:

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;" Proverbs 3:5

Heart protection:

"Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life." Proverbs :23

A new heart:

"Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit." Ezekiel 18:31a

A hard working heart:

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men," Colossians 3:23

A sincere heart:

"let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water." Hebrews 10:22

The state of our heart is obviously very important to God. A wonderful daily prayer for our heart:

"Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me." Psalm 51:10

GUIDANCE IS NOT IN THE STARS

Do you read your horoscope? Have your palm read? Consult a psychic? Whether you do this on your own, pay someone to do it for you, or even play around with these things at a party, you are participating in an occult practice. Webster: Occult: of or pertaining to magic, astrology, or any system claiming use or knowledge of secret or supernatural powers or agencies.
More importantly, what does the bible have to say about such practices? "Let no one be found among you ... practice divination." Deut. 18:10 Webster: Divination: the practice of attempting to foretell future events or discover hidden knowledge by occult or supernatural means.
"They will be exposed to the sun and the moon and all the stars of the heavens, which they have loved and served and which they have followed and consulted and worshiped." Jeremiah 8:2
"And when you look up to the sky and see the sun, the moon, and the stars...do not be enticed into bowing down to them and worshiping things the Lord your God has apportioned to all the nations under heaven."
Perhaps the strongest biblical support that astrology is condemned by God is this verse: "Let your astrologers come forward, those stargazers who make predictions month by month...Surely they are like stubble. The fire will burn them up. They cannot even save themselves." Isaiah 47:13-14.
An extrabiblical argument against astrology: "Astrology is based on Ptolemy's misunderstanding that the earth was the center of the universe rather than the sun being the center. Therefore astrology is based on a false premise which in turn renders its conclusion false." From: Astrology & Psychic Phenomena, by Andre' Kole & Terry Holley, Zondervan Publishing House, 1998, pg. 73.
Our God is a jealous God. He wants us all to Himself. He created us. He knows what's best for us. He created the stars, the sun and the moon, the earth and everything in it for us to live in and enjoy - NOT to worship it. We are to worship our creator, NOT the created. To do so is to worship something other than God.
"Do not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God." Exodus 34:14 Seeking advice and guidance from any other source other than God or His word and those entrusted in Him (preachers, Christian family and friends who worship God alone) is to worship the god of created things.
"Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." Acts 4:12 Since this is true, why would we seek advice from anything other than Jesus alone? Need advice and counsel? "... seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." Matthew 6:33 and of His word: "All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." God bless you as you seek Him alone in ALL that you do!

SPRING FEVER

REFRAMING

A poster I saw once reads, "Blessed are those who expect nothing for they shall never be disappointed." Hopefully one chuckles at this saying and doesn't take it seriously. However, the statement shows how frustrated one can get when life doesn't go as planned. Serious tragedies in life need to go through a process that is painful. First there is shock, then anger, the "why me" stage and hopefully, eventual acceptance of one's new situation. Reframing takes place in the final acceptance stage , though maybe for some it will occur earlier. The "reframing" I'm speaking of is when you can't change a situation, you then change the way you respond to it. Most of the time this is not an easy thing, but the more one does it, the easier it is. For example.... Someone you interact with daily (neighbor, coworker, co-student, etc.) is the most annoying person you know. This individual isn't moving away, no one is transferring them, or they aren't changing schools. You are stuck with this wonderful challenge! You can let this person annoy you and perhaps annoy them back adding to the strain, OR, you can pray and ask God to see this person through HIS eyes. You can begin to reframe the situation by seeing God's perspective and act accordingly. Perhaps you are what this person needs. A link to Jesus? A calm presence in their life? An encourager? A role model? Maybe it's you that needs this challenging person in your life. To develop patience? Learn a new skill? See the other side of life? Learn to have a sense of humor? Maybe it's physical pain you are going through and things aren't getting better (I can relate to BOTH of these situations!). Maybe God is slowing you down so you rely on him more and yourself less. Perhaps he is showing you to be sensitive to what others are going through - becoming more humble. Is it a job cut, loss or lack of progress? Could it be God is showing you what is really important in life? To depend on him for your needs? To look in another direction to fulfill his will? Each situation we face causes us to react to it in one way or another. Initially, I want to act in a worldly fashion and defend ME. "I can't deal with this annoying person, Lord. Get him/her out of my life." "Rid my body of pain." "Why, Lord, would you allow me to have a job loss? I can't give to you without an income!"
How easy it is to think on human terms. But if we cling to God's words and promises, we have such a higher hope. "I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope. " Psalm 130:5 And of course, once again (another favorite verse) "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:10-12 It is natural to start out thinking negative. It's our nature! But as Believers, we march to a different drum because we know in the end, this life is temporary and.... "... we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28 So next time you are down and out on what life has handed you, think about such things. If it's a major crisis, know that you will need to work through those giant steps that make take a long time, yet keep your focus on Christ. God has BIG plans for you! For the smaller things (like the annoying person that never goes away), remember that God has a plan in it and pray to see it through his eyes. You will be amazed at how your attitude changes. How uplifting to see these annoyances now turn into golden opportunities to serve God for his glory. As I pointed out in a previous post, persevere and be victorious for God's kingdom defeating the evil one and his wicked desires. God's will goes on with or without us. To that I say, "Count me in!"

BANNING SHEEP

Counting sheep never worked for me! I find it boring and often my thoughts drift to and fro. Eventually, I fixate on a foible that will turn into a major crisis by 3 AM! Once daylight hits, I'm tired and discover the crisis really is only a foible. Such a waste of time and emotion. Irving Berlin must have had the same problem. In the early 50s, the songwriter couldn't sleep and complained to his wife that counting sheep didn't work. She said, "Why don't you count your blessings instead of sheep." Instantly, he went to his piano and a song was born. Bing Crosby made it famous in the classic movie, "White Christmas." About that same time, Rosemary Clooney also included it on her album making the song a big hit in it's day. Such a sweet song! Since I have bouts of insomnia (a condition I've suffered on and off since childhood), it is a song I've tried to condition myself to sing in my head so that my thoughts turn from ridiculous "sheep" problems to wonderful, God given blessings. Sometimes I fall asleep, but sometimes not. But if I'm going to be awake, I might as well dwell on the positive! It certainly is a more peaceful experience. Thankfully, these "bouts" are temporary and eventually, I'm back to a deep slumber for which I am so thankful for. I highly recommend it. Give it a try! Sweet Dreams!!!

"...for he grants sleep to those he loves." Psalm 127:2b



COUNTING YOUR BLESSINGS
Instead of Sheep
Words & Music by Irving Berlin, 1954


When I'm worried and I can't sleep
I count my blessings instead of sheep
And I fall asleep counting my blessings
When my bankroll is getting small
I think of when I had none at all
And I fall asleep counting my blessings

I think about a nursery and I picture curly heads
And one by one I count them as they slumber in their beds
If you're worried and you can't sleep
Just count your blessings instead of sheep
And you'll fall asleep counting your blessings

NO NEED TO FEAR

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." John 16:33

I was recently reminded of this verse in my bible study. And though I've heard it many times, it seemed to penetrate deeper this time. I started to think, "What if you truly believed in this verse and lived each day holding on to this truth?" Imagine it! Current events such as terrorism, war, political unrest, etc. wouldn't even cause you to flinch.

"Do not lose heart or be afraid when rumors are heard in the land; one rumor comes this year, another the next, rumors of violence in the land and of ruler against ruler. For the time will surely come when I will punish the idols of Babylon (enter any enemy here since our God is the same God of Jeremiah and He never changes!); her whole land will be disgraced and her slain will all lie fallen within her." Jeremiah 51:46-47

"You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come." Matthew 24:6

The fact that someone is against you wouldn't phase you in the least -

"If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you." John 15:18-19

You'd never worry where your next meal came from, or how you were going to make ends meet this month -

(Jesus reminds his disciples how God cares for things in nature so how much more does He cares for us...then says...)
"And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom and these things will be given to you as well." Luke 12:29-31

You would no longer feel like a failure-


"I can do everything through him who gives me strength." Philippians 4:14

Many more promises are in the bible that affirms that Jesus has indeed "overcome the world." Perhaps what this verse means most is that although we are like sheep to be slaughtered, Jesus has rescued us through His sacrificial death. Still, He is very much concerned about our daily needs, big and little. "Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows." Matthew 10:29-31 If we live fully believing this, we would live as Paul did. He defined his life like this (as further described in that famous Phil. 4:13 verse), "I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength." Philippians 4:11

BELIEVE (No matter who wins the next presidential election, no matter who doesn't like you, no matter if you have enough money to pay off debts, no matter how many times you've failed in the past, Jesus has overcome the world......).

A POEM FOR DIRECTION

DIRECT ME, O LORD
BY, M.S. Lowndes

Direct Me, O Lord
To where you want me to be
Give light to my steps
And a lamp to my feet

Give me your wisdom
So I’ll know which road to take
And know the twists and turns
And when I need to wait

All these things O Lord
Are important in our walk
So we won’t go the wrong way
Forgetting what you’ve taught

Let us know your will
The plans you have for us
So we may fulfil our destiny
And be walking in your love

So that others may also
Come to know your ways
And follow after youO Lord
And walk within your grace.
© By M.S.Lowndes.

CLIMB EVERY MOUNTAIN

If you want to be inspired to persevere, go see the movie, "The Pursuit of Happyness" (not a misspelling). It's a pleasure to be able to recommend more than one movie (see, "Rocky Balboa" as well!) for a change. Finally, Hollywood pumps out some good, decent films! In the, "Pursuit of Happyness' film, the lesson learned is that through earnest perseverance, there isn't anything you can't do. So many times we let the obstacles in our life determine when to quit. The movie is based on a true story about Chris Gardner who currently is a successful, wealthy stock broker. He did not come from a wealthy background or inherit a position from a well to do family member. He started at rock bottom. Life circumstances dug him even below rock bottom as he tried to make something of himself. It would have been easier to give up and live off of government programs, but this isn't what this determined young man wanted for himself or his son. Through much perseverance, he pushed his way through unbelievable obstacles and made a successful life for himself. Now I don't know if this man has any faith in God (although in the movie, he does attend a church service and appears to take hope and comfort in very spiritual songs that were sung) but the point of the story was to not give up on your dreams, hopes and inspirations.
I once read an article about the differences between successful people and non-successful people. One striking difference is in how both types of people sees obstacles. The non-successful person sees an obstacle and throws up his hands and says, "That's it. Twas never to be!" But the successful person sees obstacles as opportunities and moves forward with it. This nugget of truth has stuck with me and I bring it out of my "Memory File" from time to time when faced with an obstacle. This can be applied to anything in life. Sometimes we blame something in our past (the way we were raised is a popular one...even with me!), "I was raised to believe, therefore....." "My father was so strict about that I am now afraid to.....". It could be a present circumstance (probably the most popular of all), "I'm so busy I don't have time to study the bible." "I can't do that ministry/volunteer job. I'm too shy/busy/unqualified." (not that one should say yes to everything...I'm talking about when you know you should say yes, but these excuses come up so you can say no and get out of it....my dear Jonah!). When you know God wants you to go in a certain direction, or life circumstances make you want to throw in the towel, remember these verses:

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." James 1:2-4

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." Hebrews 12:1-3

Jesus endured a lot more than I ever had or will have to endure. Abraham, Moses, David and Paul certainly endured more in a few short years than my whole lifetime X 100!

For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. II Corinthians 4:17

My hope for us in 2007 is to see our obstacles as an adventure and opportunity in our journey to that eternal glory. Whether we are bogged down in busy activities, health issues, work frustrations, money matters, or relationship issues, we have an obligation to live by and follow the Spirit's leading, not as the world lives which is for ourselves first and what's leftover, for God (Romans 8). We may need to give up something or re-prioritize in order to accomplish what needs to be done. May our New Years Resolutions be Godly focused and fulfilled and completed no matter what the enemy throws at us! God Bless you in your endeavors!