In a world where we’re told right is wrong and wrong is right, how is one to know what to do? Maybe it doesn’t matter. We just do what we want, when we want, how we want. “To each his own.” Of course, when it comes time for an answer, and a decision is required, is there an ‘answer key’ to know if we’re right or wrong? The children of Israel made up their own answer key and it didn’t work out so well for them. Read the book of Judges, but notice chapter 21. What was right (truth) was ignored, and the writer sums it up best in the last verse. “In those days… everyone did what was right in his own eyes.”

If we take that approach, and everyone does what ‘seems right’ (or ‘feels right’), how can we possibly know what is truth? Take a child and give him run of the house. No bed time, no manners, no responsibilities, and what kind of child will you get? Eliminate anything that is true and right, drop the parameters of living and give him no guidelines and I promise you, he will fall apart. Without absolute truth, we have nothing! There is an answer key and we have truth, the question is…do you know where to find it?

“…I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also.”  I Corinthians 14:15

Sunday morning, August 31, 2014

The following songs are found in the hymnal, Songs of Faith & Praise.

“Our God He Is Alive” – 23

What a great reminder as we open our worship time together. Beyond the skies above, there is a God we can’t see. But He has made all we see and experience in this world; it’s His creation. “There is a God, He is alive. In Him we live and we survive. From dust, our God created man. He is our God…the great I AM!”

“Here I Am to Worship” – no book

A contemporary song that explains what we’re doing here today. Do you come to worship Him, or are you coming to get your spiritual ticket punched? Do you find fulfillment in honoring God with your voice and with your presence, or are you just going through the motions? This song begins with a simple statement we make to God, “Light of the world, You stepped down into darkness, open my eyes…let me see.” This could be considered a song of prayer as we sing to our God. But notice our transition as we go from “…let me see” to the third verse of our next song.

“Beneath the Cross of Jesus” – 314

As we stand beneath the cross of Jesus, what do we see? The third verse paints the picture of “…the very dying form of One Who suffered there for me.” How do you react to such a sight? We’ll sing, “…and from my smitten heart with tears, two wonders I confess: 1) the wonders of His glorious love, 2) and my own worthlessness.”

“Dear Lord and Father of Mankind” – 770

A very old ‘hymn’ that is our prayer following the reading of Isaiah 5:20-23. Would that we realize how foolish we are in our own eyes. When we call evil good and good evil. Let’s sing and pray that God will “re-clothe us in our rightful minds,” and that we will serve Him with pure lives and praise Him with more reverence. But first remember that our God is truth…absolute truth!

“I Gave My Life for Thee” – 354

Why do we give? What motivates you to write a $100 check and put it in the collection plate each week? Do you have to? Obviously we give because He has given to us. He gave His life for me, but as we sing this song we’ll sing it from Jesus’ perspective. Notice the words we sing, that Jesus says…”I gave My life for you, I shed my blood on the cross that you might be ransomed, saved, redeemed, and quickened from the dead (brought to life.) I gave My life for you, what have you given to Me?” And your answer is…

“Jesus, Thou Joy of Loving Hearts” – 200 (tune from Doxology)

We’ll take the words from this hymn and sing it with the music from Doxology. But we must never forget the message of this old song. Verse two helps us focus on truth as we sing, “Thy truth unchanged hath ever stood; Thou savest those that on Thee call; To them that seek Thee, Thou art good; To them that find Thee, all in all.” And then we sing our next song of praise…“You are my strength when I am weak, You are the Treasure that I seek, You are my all in all…”

“You Are My All in All” – 484

‘Jesus, Lamb of God, worthy is Your name!’ Our God is Truth, His word is truth, His ways are true and His judgements are true and righteous. (Psalm 19)

“Thou Art the Way” – 280

To make it in life, we need to answer the questions of life correctly. To answer the questions of life, we need the answer key. The One who writes the test has given us the Key. He is the Way, He is the Truth, He is the Life! In what classroom does the teacher give you the answer key before giving the test? Fortunately for us, our Teacher is our Father. We have no excuse if we fail this test…

“We Have an Anchor” – 467

How well will you do taking the daily test in life? Will you be tossed on the sea, unsure how to answer the problems, or are you secure and confident. Know that we have an anchor that keeps us steadfast while we’re being tested. In God’s word we find the answers, we find Absolute Truth!