1 Chronicles 16:8-9 Give thanks unto the LORD, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the people. Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him, talk ye of all his wondrous works.
Psalms 66:1-2 Make a joyful noise unto God, all ye lands: Sing forth the honor of his name: make his praise glorious.
Psalms 95:1-2 O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.
Psalm 96:1 Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth.
Psalms 98:1 O sing unto the LORD a new song; for he hath done marvelous things: his right hand, and his holy arm, hath gotten him the victory.
Psalms 98:4-5 Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise. Sing unto the LORD with the harp; with the harp, and the voice of a psalm.
Psalms 100:2 Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.
God's word tells of Him glory. God's word (much of it in Psalms) also tells us to SING His praises! God's creation of song is SUCH a beautiful thing! The birds and the animals sing a song to their creator, the ocean waves sing a song to their creator, the wind, the rain...I'll bet even the sun, moon, stars, and dirt sing out to the Lord! Then, God created man. God gave us words to articulate His song and placed it in our hearts.
I am a crier during worship. Even when I sing with the radio in the car (even if it's not a worship song) I find myself moved to tears. Why? Why does music touch our hearts so deeply? Why is song so special? I believe it is because God first placed a song within us. A song that yearns to be heard. A song made specifically for you to sing to God. Your song is different than anyone else's. ---It's not the words you use, the intonation, the musicality, the verse, the chorus, the cracendo...no...it's your heart sending Praise to the Lord! Therefore, EVERY song that you sing is a praiseful action to the Lord...Are the words you sing so praise-full?
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Liar, Liar
Yesterday, as I was teaching, I was confronted with one of my own "little white lies." I think I told one of the kids how wonderful their picture was without looking at it (because I was "SO" busy) And although that may not have been a lie, because the picture may have been wonderful, it wasn't honest OR a true picture of the love of Christ. Christ would have STOPPED EVERYTHING to turn His full attention to the child and his picture to make an honest and helpful comment. I feel like this applied to those other "white lies" we all use through out the day...I'm sure you can think of many from your own life, as can I...more than I can give words to...
One of the biggest I can think of is when a friend asks how does this make me look, and we say great, even through they look horrid...and is this uplifting? NO. Why? We just allowed our friend to walk out, into public, looking horrid! What kind of friend are we????
There is a consequence of every lie. It may not seem like it, but you are not the person you just lied to. I am not the friend walking around looking horrid! (or maybe I am...) Proverbs tells us "The Lord detests lying lips." (Prov 12:22)! We need to be careful to guard our lips from the evil in our hearts...choose our word and our actions carefully...and live truthful, uplifting lives... Examine your hearts. Be honest, and don't worry about "hurt feelings"...your goal should by to glorify God!
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Love
So, several months ago I began walking to work. Every day that I can I leave my apartment an hour early to trudge the 2.3 miles to work...I then work 10 hours, and walk home. Along my daily travels, I have found, I have more time to talk with God. It is after all 40-50 minutes of silence filled with the white noise of traffic. As we walk together, me and God, He brings to mind thoughts and ideas that I would not have/could not have materialized on my own. Yesterday, walking home, was one such instance of God's touch on my mind.
...Do you love people? I mean REALLY LOVE people? And, not just in theory, but in your speech and your actions and your being...do you SHOW people they are loved?
I was confronted within this thought, that I have a long way to grow. I think about the people I know and love; my friends and my family...how they love others... and I realized (or God helped me to see) that
my love is conditional.
I do not emulate Christ as much as I could and certainly not as much as I should... Unfortunately, my flesh still had a deep, dark, strong hold on my personality. My love is extended fully and with great enthusiasm within the situations I choose...to the people I choose...when I feel like I want to (when there is most profit to me). This saddens my heart. Christ did not (DOES not) CHOOSE to love some and not love others, He loves ALL UNCONDITIONALLY at ALL times!! Do you?
I am SO thankful that God has blessed me with the people in my life who can show me how to truly show the love of Christ...and Praise God that He can change my heart which changes my actions. I pray today and everyday that I can be a beacon of Christ's love in every moment! He can do it, He's that good!
...Do you love people? I mean REALLY LOVE people? And, not just in theory, but in your speech and your actions and your being...do you SHOW people they are loved?
I was confronted within this thought, that I have a long way to grow. I think about the people I know and love; my friends and my family...how they love others... and I realized (or God helped me to see) that
my love is conditional.
I do not emulate Christ as much as I could and certainly not as much as I should... Unfortunately, my flesh still had a deep, dark, strong hold on my personality. My love is extended fully and with great enthusiasm within the situations I choose...to the people I choose...when I feel like I want to (when there is most profit to me). This saddens my heart. Christ did not (DOES not) CHOOSE to love some and not love others, He loves ALL UNCONDITIONALLY at ALL times!! Do you?
I am SO thankful that God has blessed me with the people in my life who can show me how to truly show the love of Christ...and Praise God that He can change my heart which changes my actions. I pray today and everyday that I can be a beacon of Christ's love in every moment! He can do it, He's that good!
Saturday, May 14, 2011
The Sabbath
I love the storms spring brings in. The wind, the rain, the thunder, the lightning...What a wonderful gift God has given us to appreciate storms and sunshine whether in weather or in life! Unfortunately, sin has tainted how weather affects our lives and our homes...but I believe we can still enjoy storms- with a healthy fear of the power behind them. I feel the perfect day to enjoy a storm is on a Saturday!
Exodus 20:8
8 Remember to dedicate the Sabbath day: 9 You are to labor six days and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. You must not do any work—you, your son or daughter, your male or female slave, your livestock, or the foreigner who is within your gates. 11 For the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and everything in them in six days; then He rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and declared it holy.
We are called to rest for one full day of the week. Our American calendar makes that day Saturday or Sunday...the seventh day of the week. And on this day we are to do NOTHING. We are to rest. We are to relax. NO work should be done. No housework. No office work. No business calls. Just rest and relaxation and time to sit back and ENJOY what God has done for us through the week...
By the seventh day, God completed His work that He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work that He had done. (Gen.2:2)
God rested and observed all that he had created and declared it good. We are to emulate God in this way...we are to rest and observe all the work God has done through us in the past six days and see that He has declared it good (every moment of it! For, all things work together for the Good of those who love God!) Have you observed your day of rest this week? It doesn't have to be Saturday or Sunday...it doesn't matter what day you take your rest, just that you take it. It's a commandment from our creator!
XOXOX
Saturday, May 7, 2011
In Christ alone...
God is all that we are and more than we could ever be!
Can you comprehend that?
After we accept Christ, he comes to dwell within us...He makes our hearts His home. As Christians we have the power of Christ within us to become exactly what God has destined for us to be! But, more than that, we have the potential to be immeasurably more! God provides the extra 10% when we can only give 90% (or the extra 90% when we only have 10%). He's our smile on the worst day of the week. He's our strength in weakness. He's our comfort in pain. He's our support when we feel alone. He's the hand that lifts us up and the hand that lays us down. He's everything we can't be right when we need Him! Can you FEEL that power? It's amazing! In every Every EVERY moment of every day, God walks with us, inside us, helping and guiding us. He WILL fulfill the plans he has begun in us! (Philippians 1:6)
So, in the sea of stress and doubt and failure that is our world, guard your heart, mind, and soul. Live each day as God gives it allowing Him to guide your steps and lead you to fulfillment of His perfect and glorious plan!
Praise Him for who He is in us and who He has made us in Him!
SaraJo
Can you comprehend that?
After we accept Christ, he comes to dwell within us...He makes our hearts His home. As Christians we have the power of Christ within us to become exactly what God has destined for us to be! But, more than that, we have the potential to be immeasurably more! God provides the extra 10% when we can only give 90% (or the extra 90% when we only have 10%). He's our smile on the worst day of the week. He's our strength in weakness. He's our comfort in pain. He's our support when we feel alone. He's the hand that lifts us up and the hand that lays us down. He's everything we can't be right when we need Him! Can you FEEL that power? It's amazing! In every Every EVERY moment of every day, God walks with us, inside us, helping and guiding us. He WILL fulfill the plans he has begun in us! (Philippians 1:6)
So, in the sea of stress and doubt and failure that is our world, guard your heart, mind, and soul. Live each day as God gives it allowing Him to guide your steps and lead you to fulfillment of His perfect and glorious plan!
Praise Him for who He is in us and who He has made us in Him!
SaraJo
Monday, May 2, 2011
Monday...
Do you ever wonder how Monday gets here so fast? I feel like, "Wait, wasn't it just Friday? Where did the weekend go?" To tell you the truth I don't really even know what kept me "busy"...but somehow Saturday got away from me...then Sunday got away from me...the next thing I know the alarm is going off to tell me I have work today...when I completely neglected the work I took home to do over the weekend. I'm guessing it's not just me.
we have such good intentions right? We "sign ourselves up" for anything and everything intending to do the right thing. to spend more time with a friend or loved one-to work on that report-to finish the project ahead of time-to prepare for that presentation coming up-to spend more time with our Lord and savior... ---but how "good" are our intentions when we don't (or can't) follow through AND we leave God for last??? {did you catch that?}
how often do we leave Jesus (our one true love) for last? And, for that matter, how often do we have good intentions to make our yes be yes and our no be no...only to realize we've dropped the ball? We fill our lives SO full of works we lose sight of The One who makes it all possible. The One who says "Come to me all who are weary and I will GIVE you rest" He will GIVE! There is nothing we can to to work up to or earn ANYTHING that The Lord wants to give. He longs to be gracious to us. I know what you're thinking, "the things we fill our lives with are good works and kingdom building and storing up treasures in heaven." I agree. We are called to good works...however...there's a line that we all to often cross...Jesus should ALWAYS be the first thought--He should always receive the first fruits--He should always be our number one. So much of my weekend made ME number one...
...no wonder it went by so fast. If we spend more of our time with Jesus at the center, we will enjoy more, remember more, and ACCOMPLISH more BECAUSE of our reliance on HIM!
XOXOX
This one was written on a Monday a few weeks ago...but I feel the core issue is always and forever looming over our every Monday...the true reason we "hate Mondays"... I wanted to share this on an "off" day (waiting for Saturday is just so difficult some times), so, thanks for reading :)
we have such good intentions right? We "sign ourselves up" for anything and everything intending to do the right thing. to spend more time with a friend or loved one-to work on that report-to finish the project ahead of time-to prepare for that presentation coming up-to spend more time with our Lord and savior... ---but how "good" are our intentions when we don't (or can't) follow through AND we leave God for last??? {did you catch that?}
how often do we leave Jesus (our one true love) for last? And, for that matter, how often do we have good intentions to make our yes be yes and our no be no...only to realize we've dropped the ball? We fill our lives SO full of works we lose sight of The One who makes it all possible. The One who says "Come to me all who are weary and I will GIVE you rest" He will GIVE! There is nothing we can to to work up to or earn ANYTHING that The Lord wants to give. He longs to be gracious to us. I know what you're thinking, "the things we fill our lives with are good works and kingdom building and storing up treasures in heaven." I agree. We are called to good works...however...there's a line that we all to often cross...Jesus should ALWAYS be the first thought--He should always receive the first fruits--He should always be our number one. So much of my weekend made ME number one...
...no wonder it went by so fast. If we spend more of our time with Jesus at the center, we will enjoy more, remember more, and ACCOMPLISH more BECAUSE of our reliance on HIM!
XOXOX
This one was written on a Monday a few weeks ago...but I feel the core issue is always and forever looming over our every Monday...the true reason we "hate Mondays"... I wanted to share this on an "off" day (waiting for Saturday is just so difficult some times), so, thanks for reading :)
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