Go to the home page: Do You Need A Winning Game Plan For Your Life?
Most Sundays we sing three or four hymns in a service and then there is a sermon. Today, we will sing the sermon and you will compose the sermon by selecting the songs we'll sing. Anyone who has a favorite, please raise your hand and call out the page number. We'll sing the first verse of as many songs as time permits.
I've found a friend, who is all to me. His love is ever true. I love to tell how he lifted me and what his grace can do for you. Saved, by his power divine. Saved, to new life sublime. Life now is sweet and my joy is complete for I'm saved, saved, saved.
I can hear the savior say, thy strength indeed is small. Child of weakness watch and pray. Find in me, thine all in all. Jesus paid it all. All to him I owe. Sin had left a crimson stain, he washed it white as snow.
Now I belong to Jesus, Jesus belongs to me. Not for the years of time alone, but for eternity.
Tell me the story of Jesus, write on my heart every word. Tell me the story most precious. Sweetest that ever was heard. Tell how the angels in chorus, sang as they welcomed His birth,“Glory to God in the highest!Peace and good tidings to earth.” Tell me the story of Jesus, write on my heart every word. Tell me the story most precious. Sweetest that ever was heard.
Amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost but now I'm found, was blind but now I see.
O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder consider all the worlds they hands have made. I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder, thy power throughout the universe displayed. Then sings my soul, my savior God to thee. How great thou art, how great thou art. Then sings my soul, my savior God to thee. How great thou art, how great thou art.
We have heard the joyful sound: Jesus saves, Jesus saves.
Spread the tidings all around: Jesus Saves! Jesus Saves!
Bear the news to every land, Climb the steeps and cross the waves.
Onward 'tis our Lord's command. Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
There's a call comes ringing ore the restless waves, send the light, send the light.
There are souls to rescue, there are souls to save, send the light, send the light.
Send the light, the blessed Gospel light, let it shine from shore to shore.
Send the light, the blessed Gospel light, let it shine forever more.
What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear.
What a privilege to carry, everything to God in prayer.
O what peace we often forfeit. O what needless pain we bear.
All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.
Years I spent in vanity and pride. Caring not my Lord was crucified.
Knowing not it was for me he died at Calvary. Mercy there was grace and grace was free. Pardon there was multiplied to me. There my burden so found liberty at Calvary.
Some say that Saint Augustine (335-430 AD) was the most important figure in the ancient Western church and he wrote this about the power of singing.
"For he who sings praise, does not only praise, but also praises joyously; he who sings praise, is not only singing, but also loving Him whom he is singing about/to/for. There is a praise-filled public proclamation in the praise of someone who is confessing/acknowledging (God), in the song of the lover there is deep love."
Maybe because we know he said this, some attribute to Augustine,
"He who sings prays twice."
Monday, August 15, 2011
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Details Prevent Confusion
Go to the home page: Do You Need A Winning Game Plan For Your Life?
Ephesians 4:1-5
Paul makes it very clear how we are to act after we have accepted Christ. If you are a follower of Christ, you are to be busy! You are not to sit on your hands and wait for things to happen. The Message translation of verse 1 says, "I want you to walk--better yet, run! -- on the road God called you to travel." The NIV says, "I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received."
Some might wonder what road God has called them to travel and but as Christians there is no wondering. We are to travel toward the only true God and the more we study the Bible the more clear the road becomes. Our calling is to Christ and to a life of service.
How are we to act on the road? Paul says we are to be humble, gentle and patient. He also insists that we are to, "Pour ourselves out for each other in acts of love and be quick to mend fences."
Many might think that humble means you put yourself down or walk with your head hanging low. That is not what this word means. Humble means you do your work with competence and confidence and you keep your mouth shut. You don't need to brag or beg for attention because your good work stands as the testimony of your life.
We saw this delivery truck on the streets of London when we were there last month. The company tag line is, "Well done is better than well said." This is what we want others to say about us and for sure when we meet Jesus face to face we hope he'll say to us, "well done."
Gentle does not mean weak. Think about a thoroughbred horse. If you have ever looked closely at one of these amazing animals you see the power from their ankles to their nostrils. The trainers keep them calm and gentle as they rest and then when it is time to run, the horse focuses every ounce of muscle, bone and blood to run the assigned race. Where is the horse looking? This perfectly built and trained animal is looking at the finish line and this is an image we can use for our life. We are to be fit for the work. We are to train and rest in God's power then release our God-given strength to the task.
When, "our hope is built on nothing less than Jesus Christ and nothing less," we can and will be patient. This is difficult since we have technology constantly speeding things for us. It is as if God doesn't move as fast as a text message we quit.
If you think being humble, gentle and patient will challenge you, wrap your mind around the last part of this passage we are looking at today. As followers of Christ we are to love each other so much that we pour ourselves out for each other and when we disagree, we are to quickly mend the fences. We are to be one bonded by Christ's love for us.
Paul is not saying you must bind yourself to non-believers. We are to love every person and when it comes to daily activity of course we are kind and loving to every person. However, we are be close to, depend upon and support our fellow followers of Christ. We need each other because when one of us is weak the others will pick us up.
And why do all of this? We do it all because we believe that we have, "one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all."
God knows we are weak, needy and easily confused so he gives us all the details we need to live out our true calling.
Ephesians 4:1-5
Paul makes it very clear how we are to act after we have accepted Christ. If you are a follower of Christ, you are to be busy! You are not to sit on your hands and wait for things to happen. The Message translation of verse 1 says, "I want you to walk--better yet, run! -- on the road God called you to travel." The NIV says, "I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received."
Some might wonder what road God has called them to travel and but as Christians there is no wondering. We are to travel toward the only true God and the more we study the Bible the more clear the road becomes. Our calling is to Christ and to a life of service.
How are we to act on the road? Paul says we are to be humble, gentle and patient. He also insists that we are to, "Pour ourselves out for each other in acts of love and be quick to mend fences."
Many might think that humble means you put yourself down or walk with your head hanging low. That is not what this word means. Humble means you do your work with competence and confidence and you keep your mouth shut. You don't need to brag or beg for attention because your good work stands as the testimony of your life.
We saw this delivery truck on the streets of London when we were there last month. The company tag line is, "Well done is better than well said." This is what we want others to say about us and for sure when we meet Jesus face to face we hope he'll say to us, "well done."
Gentle does not mean weak. Think about a thoroughbred horse. If you have ever looked closely at one of these amazing animals you see the power from their ankles to their nostrils. The trainers keep them calm and gentle as they rest and then when it is time to run, the horse focuses every ounce of muscle, bone and blood to run the assigned race. Where is the horse looking? This perfectly built and trained animal is looking at the finish line and this is an image we can use for our life. We are to be fit for the work. We are to train and rest in God's power then release our God-given strength to the task.
When, "our hope is built on nothing less than Jesus Christ and nothing less," we can and will be patient. This is difficult since we have technology constantly speeding things for us. It is as if God doesn't move as fast as a text message we quit.
If you think being humble, gentle and patient will challenge you, wrap your mind around the last part of this passage we are looking at today. As followers of Christ we are to love each other so much that we pour ourselves out for each other and when we disagree, we are to quickly mend the fences. We are to be one bonded by Christ's love for us.
Paul is not saying you must bind yourself to non-believers. We are to love every person and when it comes to daily activity of course we are kind and loving to every person. However, we are be close to, depend upon and support our fellow followers of Christ. We need each other because when one of us is weak the others will pick us up.
And why do all of this? We do it all because we believe that we have, "one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all."
God knows we are weak, needy and easily confused so he gives us all the details we need to live out our true calling.
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