Category: faith

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A Lifetime Preparing for the First Time…

Can you remember the first time you road your bike without training wheels, or without having your dad run along beside you?  As a parent you might remember your child’s first day of grade school as he/she stood on the front porch with books in hand.  Or perhaps you’ll remember your first time to crawl in behind the wheel of the car and drive down the road…by yourself.  Our life if full of first!  We look at our lives and can remember the times when we did things for the first time.

This morning my family and I loaded up the suburban and drove to Tennessee.  Though this isn’t the first time we’ve taken this trip, it is the first time we’ll leave the house with five (5) in the car and return with only (4) four.  Our oldest son is going to Freed-Hardeman  University for his freshman year.  Having worked with college age students for years, I’ve seen anxiety in the eyes of the new college student.  And now, as his dad, I feel the tears in the eyes of the parents.  It’s never been more real to me as it is now.  For the first time, I sit here realizing my oldest, will be striking out on his own.  He won’t be getting up in the morning to make his mom and I a cup a coffee.  We won’t be riding out to the baseball field to officiate a baseball game together, and this evening, I won’t be walking into his room to tell him good night.   For the first time our oldest will be ‘riding on his own.’

Some times we have a ‘first’ that is a great experience and the beginning of a new, exciting direction for our life.  At other times, those ‘first’ are hard to face.  With every life changing ‘first’, and every new path we take, the Christian realizes he can’t go along.  When our young men and women graduate high school, that’s a big first.  When they leave home and go to college, that’s a big first.  Parents, we need to ask our children with whom do they plan to walk down the pathway.  What will they take along with them.

During the last few days my son has been busy packing his bags and last night he loaded the car.  He was determined to make sure he had what he would need in college.  But the one thing we have tried to impress upon our children is the importance of staying close to God.  Will their life bring honor to His name?  Will the friends they choose and words they use bring glory to God?  We show them a Christian example, discipline them in Christ and pray they’ll walk with God.  Parents (Grandparents), as our children take these first steps, pray for them, that they will ‘walk with God’.

Written in 1959, this spiritual song serves as an encouragement to those listening as well as those who are singing.  We know that our life will be continually filled with ‘first’.  With each first time opportunity we remember that we must take these steps with God.  The world will hurl lies at us, but you and I know that the only hope we have comes through Christ.  So Logan, this is my daily prayer that you will ‘Go with God!’

“This is my daily prayer; God Bless you, go with God.
Hold fast His mighty hand, thru out the day;
His grace your heart sustain, His pow’r relieve your pain,
Your prayer be not in vain, as you travel His way.

In spite of all the lies that some may hurl,
Christ is the only hope of all the world;
God bless you, go with God,
Thru out eternity, my prayer will always be,
May you go with God.

In spite of all the lies that some may hurl,
Christ is the only hope of all the world;
God bless you, go with God,
Thru out eternity, my prayer will always be,
May you go with God.  May you go with God!

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If it wasn’t for the Lighthouse…

How dark does the night have to be…
before you realize you can’t see where you’re going?

We wander through the darkness hoping that eventually we’ll find our way.  But add to the black of the night some wind and rain.  Feel the sting from the rain and the power of the storm…all in total darkness.  Now the dynamics are more intense.  Not only am I blinded by the night, whatever sense of ‘stability’ I once had is now in question.  We need someone to ‘shed some light’ on the subject.  A flashlight would be helpful, but a flood lamp would be great.  Better yet, if only the sun would shine and drive away the storm and night.

The storm may be ravaging your world today, and the darkness of sin may have blinded  your sight.  Do you need someone to shine the light into your day?  You can rest assured, the Son is shining!  Even after our physical sun has set and the day is done, God’s Light shines on.  He illuminates our lives and gives us hope in a dark and stormy world.  But are we willing to look for the light, be receptive to this glow and follow the light to the safety of the shore.  Robbie Hinson wrote the following country gospel song that stands to remind us that there is a lighthouse on the hillside.  [LINK]

 

There’s a lighthouse on the hillside that overlooks life’s sea.
When I’m tossed it sends out a light, a light that I might see.
And the light that shines in darkness now will safely lead me home,
If it wasn’t for the lighthouse, my ship would be no more.

Chorus
And I thank God for The Lighthouse, I owe my life to Him.
For Jesus is The Lighthouse and from the rocks of sin,
He has shown the light around me, so that I might clearly see.
If it wasn’t for The Lighthouse, Where would this ship be?

Everyone that lives around us, they say ‘Tear that lighthouse down;
You know the big ships don’t sail this way anymore, there’s no use in it standing round.’
Then my mind goes back to that stormy night, when just in time I saw the light
Yes, the light from that old lighthouse, that stands up there on the hill.

Chorus
And I thank God for The Lighthouse, I owe my life to Him.
For Jesus is The Lighthouse and from the rocks of sin,
He has shown the light around me, so that I might clearly see.
If it wasn’t for The Lighthouse, Where would this ship be?

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What Do You See?

Fanny J. Crosby wrote more than eight thousand songs during her life time.

Born in 1820 and raised in southeastern New York state, she was never afforded the privilege of seeing the sunrise or watching a bird fly through the air.  Before she had even seen 6 months of life, she was blinded by a ‘medical procedure gone wrong.’  And yet as we read any one of her many hymns, you’ll find that she was constantly referring to seeing and viewing all things godly.  Notice just a few of the thousands of hymns…

“Lo!  A spring of joy I see…” (All the Way My Savior Leads Me)

“We shall see the King of glory…” (Keep on Watching)

“Where our eyes shall see the beauty…” (At the Breaking of the Day)

“Visions of rapture now burst on my sight…” (Blessed Assurance)

“Let me now Thy glory see…” (Hear My Call)

“Ope thine eyes, behold and see…” (Church of Christ, O Sleep No More)

For someone who never saw the colors of life, she looked beyond this world and viewed things with her heart.  What has happened to those of us with strong eyesight?  The blessing of opening our eyes and viewing the sunrise; the pleasure we find in reading the printed word.  We are blessed with something those who are blind live without.  And yet some of us, with 20/20 vision, deliberately close our eyes to the promise of God.  It’s almost as if we are wondering in the wilderness.  Each of us have suffered from the bite of the serpent, and yet we dig in and refuse to ‘look upon’ the one who can heal and forgive.  It’s not a new scenario, and you’d think we’d learn from history.   Remember God’s words to Moses in Numbers 21:8, “…and it shall come about, that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, he will live.”

When I consider all the thousands of songs that our feature poet penned in her day, there is one particular Fanny J. Crosby song I want you to read, perhaps for the first time.  It became known to me in the last seven or eight years and I was drawn to it by the title she had given it.  Ms Crosby’s religious affiliations were varied throughout her life time.  She worshiped with the Plymouth Church of the Pilgrims, the Fourth Avenue Presbyterian Church, the Trinity Episcopal church and even the Dutch Reform church.  But with this smorgasbord of theology, she penned a most interesting hymn in 1905.  Not only do the words reach and touch me, the message is so timely for us today.  Follow along with the message and thought behind this 100 year old hymn.

Church of Christ, O Sleep No More

Church of Christ, thy Lord is calling;
Ope thine eyes, behold and see,
Precious souls, in chains of bondage,
Pleading now for aid from thee.
Up and work for those that perish,
Haste, the time will soon be o’er;
Fold thy arms of love around them,
Church of Christ, O sleep no more.

Lo, again thy Lord is calling;
Preach the Word, its truth proclaim;
Lift thy voice and, like a trumpet,
Sound aloud Jehovah’s Name.
Boding clouds are in the distance,
Billows foam, and surges roar,
Dark and wild the night is coming,
Church of Christ, O sleep no more.

Still again thy Lord is calling;
Take the lamp that once He gave;
Let its beams of peerless glory
Shine afar the lost to save.
Do His will and do it quickly,
For the time will soon be o’er;
He may come when least expected,
Church of Christ, O sleep no more.

Are we guilt of falling asleep on the job?  This life is long and weary, and often times our pathway is a hard road and quite honestly…we’re tired.  But this is no time to sleep!  Church of Christ, we are called to bring the lost to Christ.  We have an obligation to do more than just see those who in need; we must be ready to ‘fold our arms of love around them.’  Too often, I’m afraid, we revert back and say, ‘I’m just too busy’, or ‘My schedule is already so full.’  If you hold to that philosophy, I’m sorry to say, but you’re blind!  Shine your light in a dark and dying world.  Look up and see those who are in need.  There are ‘boding clouds’ in the distance, and believe me, the ‘surges roar.’  But it ultimately comes down to you and how you view your life with Christ…”When you look around, what do YOU see?”

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Who Is Going to Win?

Several of my best friends are ministers in the Lord’s church.  Some have been in mission fields around the world while others have served the Lord stateside.

One of my best friends has worked as a missionary in Poland, Russia and most recently the Ukraine.  We have been friends since the late 1980’s and I’m honored to call Terry Harmon my brother.  Just recently Terry and his family moved back to the states where he currently serves the Lord’s church in Flagler, Colorado.  Each month Terry writes a bulletin article that is shared with that small congregation and, with his permission, today we all get the chance to read his thoughts about winning and losing…

“Every once in a while, when the kids are off to bed and there is a chance to sit down for a few minutes, I will turn on a taped game of some sporting event.  The advantage of this is that you can watch a 3 1/2 hour football game in about thirty or forty minutes.  If you fast forward through all the commercials, halftime entertainment and commentators remarks (between plays), you can watch the game so much quicker.  This is the reason I love to watch games that have been recorded.  There is, however, one slight drawback (although it doesn’t bother me).  Many times you already know the outcome of the game.

It has interested me for some time now, that while I may know who won the game, for those who are AT the game, siting in the stands, the outcome is still undetermined.  This is especially important when it is a really close game and the score goes back and forth.  Perhaps you can relate to this, sitting in the stands and thinking, “who is going to win?”  During these contest of skill, the camera will often zoom in on fans nervously watching the score board, trying to calculate whether or not their team has enough time to pull out a win.  The expression on these faces is often priceless.  Nervous and downtrodden at times, they can change to upbeat and excited at the moment their team overcomes.

A few years ago it dawned on me that our lives as Christians are really just like a ‘taped sporting event.’  It may not feel like it at times when our lives are beaten down by Satan’s attacks.  When situations test us and conflicts challenge our daily walk.  But we must remember, the outcome has already been set.  It just doesn’t seem like it as we face the struggles of life.  One of the greatest lessons we learn in the New Testament is that if we as Christians are faithful to the Lord until death…WE WIN!  The story has already been written, and God guarantees the victory.  So we just have to trust, obey and keep fighting until, ‘the race is run’.

Believe in God’s word and take comfort from reading I John 5:4, “For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world – our faith.”  Also you’ll remember Revelation 7:14-15, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.  For this reason, they are before the throne of God; and they serve Him day and night in His temple; and He who sits on the throne shall spread his tabernacle over them.”

Note the present tense of the verb in the last verse, “They (we) serve Him day and night…”  God sees all of this as it will happen in the future, but for us it seems so far off and distant.  We need to realize that there is really nothing to be nervous about and nothing to agonize over.  The bottom line is, if we stay faithful with the Lord, THE VICTORY IS OURS!  The story (the game) is already complete.”

Thanks Terry for the reminder that we should have courage and the faith to know the outcome is secure.  And of course…this also reminds me of the perfect hymn:

“Encamped along the hills of light, ye Christian soldiers, rise.  And press the battle ere the night shall veil the glowing skies.  Against the foe in vales below let all our strength be hurled;  Faith is the victory, we know, that overcomes the world.  His banner over us is love, our sword, the Word of God; We tread the road the saints above with shouts of triumph trod.  By faith they, like a whirlwind’s breath, swept on, over every field; The faith by which they conquered death is still our shining shield.  On every hand the foe we find drawn up in dread array.  Let tents of easy be left behind and onward to the fray.  Salvation’s helmet on each head and faith all girt about the earth shall tremble beneath our tread and echo with our shout. Faith is the Victory!  Faith is the Victory!  O glorious victory that over comes the world.  (NOTICE THIS LAST VERSE)  To him that overcomes the foe white raiment shall be given; before the angels he shall know His name confessed in heaven;  Then onward from the hills of light, our hearts with love aflame, we’ll vanquish all the host of night in Jesus conquering name.”

FAITH IS THE VICTORY!

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Do YOU Know?

“Be curious always!  For knowledge will not acquire you: you must acquire it.”

And it’s true, we all have questions.  From the earliest years of life we have asked questions like…”How do birds fly?”  “How many stars are in the sky?”  “Do the ocean waves ever stop?”

Not only do little children ask questions, even the honest (mature) adults realize there are things in life for which we don’t have the answer.  The real question comes in understanding that though we might not know everything, there is one thing we can be sure of.  There is One who knows the answer to all of life’s queries.  But if we lack patience and humility, we’ll be inclined to reject anything with which we don’t agree.  The truth: God is the creator of all we see and all we have!  If we, as His creation, seek to know the answers we would be wise to go to the One who owns the ‘answer key’.  Otherwise we are left trying to guess at the answers to life’s questions.

Aileen Nicole Coleman-Mullen, professionally known as Nicole C. Mullen, was born in 1967.  She is an award-winning singer and songwriter.  I have recently come across one of her more captivating songs.  It’s known as “Redeemer”.  Read the words and feel the comfort in knowing…HE LIVES!

I KNOW MY REDEEMER LIVES!

Who taught the sun where to stand in the morning?
And who told the ocean, “You can only come this far?”
And who showed the moon where to hide ’till evening,
whose words alone can catch a falling star.

Well, I know my Redeemer lives
I know my Redeemer lives.
All of creation testifies.
This life within me cries.
I know my Redeemer lives!

The very same God that spins things in orbit,
runs to the weary, worn and the weak.
And the same gentle hands that hold me when I’m broken,
They conquered death to bring me victory!

Well, I know my Redeemer lives
I know my Redeemer lives.
All of creation testifies.
This life within me cries.
I know my Redeemer lives!

With all the questions we have in this life, and with many seeking answers to life’s questions, you can know that God is the Key!  He created our world and He brings us victory.  I know my Redeemer lives.

Do YOU know…He Lives!

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Understanding a 150 Year Old Hymn

Born in 1824, Walter Chalmers Smith served as a minister in the Free Church of Scotland, a poet and a hymn writer.  Unlike other writers from the 1800’s, Mr. Smith never amassed a collection of recognizable hymns.  However at the age of 43, he penned a song that we can still find in many hymnals today.  Rich in the language of ‘Old English’, Walter Chalmers Smith referenced I Timothy 1:17 as he penned “Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise”.  “Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory forever and ever.  Amen”  I Timothy 1:17

Immortal, invisible, God only wise,
In light in accessible hid from our eyes,
Most blessed most glorious, the Ancient of Days,
Almighty, victorious, Thy great name we praise.

Unresting, unhasting, and silent as light,
Nor wanting, nor wasting, Thou rulest in might;
Thy justice like mountains high soaring above
Thy clouds, which are fountains of goodness and love.

To all, life Thou givest, to both great and small;
In all life Thou livest, the true life of all;
We blossom and flourish as leaves on the tree,
And wither and perish – but naught changeth Thee.

Great Father of glory, pure Father of light,
Thine angels adore Thee, all veiling their sight;
All praise we would render: O help us to see
‘Tis only the splendor of light hideth Thee.

As a Christian hymn, this song is typically sung to the tune, “St. Denio”, originally a Welsh melody.  A well noted musicologist by the name of Erik Routley has given his impression of the hymn ‘Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise’.  He wrote:

“[Immortal Invisible] should give the reader a moment’s pause. Most readers will think they know this hymn, the work of another Free Kirk minister. But it never now appears as its author wrote it, and a closer look at it in its fuller form shows that it was by no means designed to be one of those general hymns of praise that the parson slams into the praise-list when he is in too much of a hurry to think of anything else but a hymn about the reading of scripture.  Just occasionally editorial tinkering changes the whole personality of a hymn; it has certainly done so here.”

When we sing songs (whether in the church auditorium, in the car driving down the road, or walking alone… ‘at eve’), are we thinking about the words to the songs we’re singing?  Processing our words and realizing what we’re saying should be more of a focus for those who sing.  Singing without thinking about the words would be no different than speaking without thinking about the message.  Read some of the words from this 150 year old hymn one more time, with some clearer understanding.

Verse 1…Immortal, invisible, God only wise (do we realize the immortality of our God?  We don’t see Him physically, but even in this ‘invisible state’ we know He is all wisdom.)

Verse 2…Unresting, unhasting and silent as light (God never sleeps, He’s not slow in keeping us and just as we can not hear the sun…we feel His presence.)  Nor wanting, nor wasting Thou rulest in might (God does not lack in giving to us, nor does He waste His time on us; He is the ultimate ruler.) Thy justice, like mountains, high soaring above (Who won’t desire justice that holds a high standard in our life and death?)  Thy clouds which are fountains of goodness and love. (Ever notice the comfort, and rain, that comes from the clouds?  When you see a cloud floating in the sky, you can remember God’s ‘goodness and love.’)

Verse 3…Abundant life comes from God (‘we blossom and flourish’) and still we understand that if life we will all grow old (‘wither and perish’).  However…God never changes.

Verse 4…If you’ve ever tried to look directly at the sun, you know you can’t without being blinded.  In the same way, God’s brilliance hides Him from our sight.  Yet the author ask God, “O help us to see”!  Oh that we would ‘render our praise’ to God!  Conclude this hymn with the combination of verse 1 & 4; “All mighty, victorious, God’s great name we praise, and to Him…ALL praise we would render“.

 

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What If…You Make the Choice?

Have you ever ask yourself, “What if…”?

What if I oversleep?
What if I lose my wallet?
What if I miss my flight?
What if I have to sell my house?

The world is full of questions, and not just the ‘what if’ kind.  We could spend a lot of time talking and thinking about our answers to these questions, but take a moment to dig deeper into the ‘what if’ scenario.  During the early 1990, almost 20 years ago, many of us learned and began to echo a personal motto, a phrase that was used as a reminder of our belief.  A moral imperative that guided our thoughts concerning how we should act.  A phrase that not only directed our thoughts, but became a public display of our love for Jesus.  The motto could be found on bracelets and banners.  Do you remember WWJD, What Would Jesus Do?  This simple phrase was meant to motivate us to think about our actions.

So, what would you do if you overslept, or lost your wallet, or missed your flight?  Your heart will determine your actions and how you’ll react to your circumstances.  It’s important to keep this thought in mind as you live your life.  There’s a song that you will appreciate, and most certainly will help you consider a new dimension to the ‘what if’ question.  Click on the picture (or the title of the song below) and listen to the McCoy Family Singers as you read the words to this song.  What you would do if you had walked with Jesus?  How would that have changed you?

Song Title: “If I Could Have Walked with Jesus”

“If I could have walked the streets with Jesus.
If I could have washed my Savior’s feet,
if I could have seen His acts of mercy and love,
My joy would have been so complete!

If I could have seen Him in the garden,
if I could have waited while He prayed!
If I could have been there when my Lord was betrayed
I hope that I would not have strayed!

If I could have wiped the brow of Jesus
as He carried His cross to Calvary.
If I could have seen the open tomb where He rose
my faith would have transformed me!

O God, let me walk the streets for Jesus.
Let me wash Your people’s weary feet!
May I carry out His acts of mercy and love,
may faith in Him transform me!
May my faith in Christ transform me!”

Over two thousand years ago there were hundreds who really did walk with Jesus.  What if you had been one of them, what would you have done?  Would that experience have ‘transformed’ you?  Today we encounter people at every turn.  Within those encounters there are opportunities that will define who we are.  As we walk through life consider how you’ll treat people because ultimately that will determine your attitude toward God.  Carry out acts of mercy and love and see how you will change.  What if TODAY you decided to walk with Jesus?

How would that change you?

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Doing Chores…Part Two

What kind of chores do you have?  You know that we all have work to do, and in an earlier article we discussed a two-fold idea of ‘doing chores’.

The idea of working on the farm (doing chores) and how we, through God’s Word, are referred to as sheep.  Understand this clearly, we are sheep, and at the same time we have an obligation to tend sheep.  How can we be expected to do both?  Can we be sheep and at the same time be ‘shepherd’ sheep?

Perhaps the following song, written in the 1960s by Robert Arnold and Clyde Williams, gives the details of our task, our chore, when it comes to working with sheep.  Though not often sung in our congregations today, this song speaks to us about doing our chores.  The basis for this song is found in John 21:15-17; “So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?’  He said to Him, ‘Yes, Lord: You know that I love You.’  He said to him, ‘Tend My lambs.’  He said to him again a second time, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love Me?’  He said to Him, ‘Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.’  He said to him, ‘Shepherd My sheep.’  He said to him the third time, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love Me?’  Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, ‘Do you love Me?’  And he said to Him, ‘Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.’  Jesus said to him, ‘Tend My sheep.’ ”  Referencing Christ’s discussion with Peter by the Sea of Galilee, you’ll notice this song of encouragement is really Christ telling Peter (and us) to bring those who are lost back to Him.  If we love Him, we will be doing our chores and tending His sheep.  Perhaps we need to examine ourselves and see who we really love.

“In the good Book we’re told how to the saints of old, Jesus said, ‘Go feed My sheep;’
As He commanded then, we’ll be commanded when Jesus says children feed My sheep.

Chorus:
Lovest thou Me, My child, more than these? (repeat)
These are the words Peter of old, by our Lord then was told,
And today, Jesus says, these are My sheep.
Lovest thou Me, My child, more than these? (repeat)
As of old, so today, Hear the Lord, He will say,
Lovest thou Me, more than these?
Feed My sheep!

“Jesus commanded those, who would obey His call, ‘Go the lost and bring them in.’
Bring ye the wanderers home, wherever they may roam, Help them eternal life to win.

Chorus:
Lovest thou Me, My child, more than these? (repeat)
These are the words Peter of old, by our Lord then was told,
And today, Jesus says, these are My sheep.
Lovest thou Me, My child, more than these? (repeat)
As of old, so today, Hear the Lord, He will say,
Lovest thou Me, more than these?
Feed My sheep!”

There are chores to be done no doubt.  And like those years of my youth on a small, rural farm in the 70’s, you too have a chore.  But unlike those early years, you have a choice.  You don’t have to do your chores.  You can skip out on ‘tending the sheep’ and just play around in the garden.  If that’s the road you take you need to remember this; one day you’ll be ask how you did with your chores?  Did you love your Father and obey His directive?  Did you (do you) really love Him?  We can answer like Peter did, “Yes, Lord!  I love You…”  But the results of your labor will be the real answer to the question, “Lovest Thou Me?”  When we love our God, we’ll be doing our chores!

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Wake Up!

Veiled in the cover of darkness and intent on pure evil, a lone masked gunman interrupted the lives of thousands in Aurora, Colorado.

The setting was a ‘late night movie’, the opening day for a blockbuster release featuring a popular, well loved super-hero…Batman.  Many across this nation joined in this event; at this same time, even in this same town.  But the movie theater known as Century 16 was marked as a target, and 71 individual lives were scarred and/or taken by a senseless, dark, act of evil.

Words fail as we try to wrap our mind around such a senseless tragedy.  TV anchors struggle to think of the right questions and ultimately fall back on, “We’re so sorry for your loss.”  But what else can we say?  Are there any words we can turn to for comfort and direction during these deprived times?  Pictures of weeping family members and friends have been seen holding onto loved ones.  Leaning on the neck of those who care and seeking compassion is what we desire in times of disaster.  We have seen images of friends giving comfort (and a shoulder) in the aftermath of such great pain.

But what about you; do you seek someone to lean on when you can’t stand on our own?   Without a clear understanding of this life we will cry out in pain, and light a candle in memory but then simply move on to tomorrow.  Is that where you are?  Is that what you want?  If you truly seek understanding, and if you honestly want to find peace and comfort…you can.

The apostle Paul wrote to the church in Ephesus as to how they could find comfort in a world of sin and darkness.  Ephesians 5:1-20 “Follow God’s example…there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater —has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God…Therefore do not be partners with them. For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them…everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. This is why it is said: ‘Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.’ Be very careful, then, how you live —not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Certainly you know the best time to sleep is during in the dark hours of the night.  Our bodies need to rest and regain strength spent during the ‘working hours’.  But perhaps too many of us are enjoying the night life and sleeping through the day; exchanging day light for darkness.  Look again at what Paul calls ‘partners of darkness’; *sexual immorality, *any kind of impurity, *greed, *obscenity, *foolish talk, *coarse joking, *an immoral person, *an impure person, *a greedy person.  Each of these characteristics belongs to those who do not have an ‘inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.’

So if this description is me, if these characteristics look like my life, what do I need to do?  How can I find comfort from the darkness?  Paul’s words are pretty clear in verse 14 of Ephesians 5, “Wake up!”  There needs to be a change in our ‘sleeping pattern’.  We need to be making the most of each day, exposing what is evil and shining a light of godliness in a dark and dying world.  That is the ‘shoulder’ a hurting nation is searching for; Christ is the one who provides our strength and comfort.

In 1999 thirteen lives were lost in the tragic “Columbine High School Shooting”.  Incredibly less than 20 miles separated the tragic of Columbine and the loss at Century 16.  But in 1989, ten years before our country wept for Columbine, Ken Young penned a song that we need to learn and sing in our churches today.  With Ephesians 5 as his foundation, Ken wrote the following song of encouragement:

“My God has said His light will shine;
His light will shine in hearts of man.
The fruitless deeds of darkness past:
revealed by Christ with glorious hand.

Chorus:
Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you. (repeat chorus)

The fruits of light His Spirit gives
are goodness, truth and righteousness.
A new day breaks and all is clear;
give thanks to God, in Jesus Christ.

Chorus:
Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you. (repeat chorus)

God’s word is light!  Have you read what He has to tell you?  Let these inspired words from Paul to the church in Rome be a closing reminder of the need we have to ‘wake up’!  Romans 13:11-13… “And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy.”

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The Value of Fine Gold and the Honeycomb!

“More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold!”

Psalm 19:10 is the beginning for the ‘chorus’ of a song I recall singing during my youth.  A psalm that is not found in many (if any) of our hymnals.  To be quite honest, it was only a few years ago that I actually found the sheet music.  In my early years we would sing this psalm around the campfire (youth camp) or in the living room of one our friend’s homes (devotionals).  There is not much repetition with the words in this song, so our ‘song book’ was our Bible.  The words are almost a direct quote from the book of Psalms (19:7-10), but the musical arrangement was put together by Gary L. Mabry.  Of the 3 verses and chorus, you’ll notice that all four stanzas are taken straight from scripture.  (Remember, a ‘psalm’ is a song that is sung with the Bible as it’s text.)

Read these words as penned by King David in Psalm 19:7-10,

“The law of the Lord is perfect restoring the soul;
the testimony of the Lord is sure making wise the simple.
The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.
The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever;
the judgements of the Lord are true; they are righteous all together.
They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold;
Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb.”

If you remembered singing this song (or if this is a first) you were able to ‘sing along’ as you read the text.  But let’s dig deeper into the words of the Psalmist.  David refers to the “law of the Lord”, the “testimony of the Lord”, the “precepts of the Lord”, the “commandments of the Lord”, the “fear of the Lord” and the “judgments of the Lord”.  In turn, each one fulfills a need we have to follow ‘the Lord’.  Let’s break this song down (verse by verse) and examine the specific elements of God’s law in relationship to mankind.

First, as we look at Psalm 19:7, we understand that God’s law is perfect.  When we follow His law, it restores our soul to Him.  In addition, the testimony (the evidence and overwhelming proof) of God is sure, and those who believe in Him are wise.  Even, as this text explains, the ‘simple’ can gain wisdom and have confidence in the assurance of our Heavenly Father.

Psalm 19:8 continues with the precepts and the commandments of the Lord.  A precept, by definition, is ‘a principle intended as a general rule of action’ and a commandment is simply, ‘to direct authoritatively’.  Both precepts and commands are directives, given by and with authority.  But you’ll notice these ‘directives’ are right and pure.  They come from our Lord and give us true hope.  When we follow them, our hearts will rejoice and our eyes will be enlighten.

The final verse of this song (Psalm 19:9) includes the fear and the judgment of the Lord.  The fear of the Lord is clean, defined as thorough or complete, and last forever.  Will we fear God throughout eternity?  Undoubtedly YES!  As we come to understand that fearing the Lord is respecting Him and honoring His name we’ll know that is our reason for living.  As for the Lord’s judgments, they are true and righteous.  Know this; God will treat mankind with fairness.  He created us.  He calls us.  He longs for us.  However, if we don’t follow His law, believe His testimony, obey His precepts, follow His commandments or fear (honor) His name; He will have no other option but to judge us in all righteousness (fairly).

As we wrap up this ‘psalm’ let us consider what we notice to be the chorus of the song.  In the scripture we read verse 10 and understand from David that these God-given principles are of extreme value.  From the gold-miner’s prospective, God’s word is more desirable than gold.  And not just the raw gold from the bottom of the riverbed that is still unrefined.  The value of God’s gifts are like that of pure and unblemished gold.  To him who is hungry, God’s word is sweeter than honey, even the honey that drips directly from the honeycomb.

Sadly there are many who don’t believe any of these instructions.  They’ll read them, perhaps even try and follow some of the teachings from God’s word.  But in the end, they give up on His law.  Determine His ways are too hard to follow.  Remember that God will judge us all based on how much we value His commandments.  As you go through this day I encourage you to honor (fear) God, and savor His precepts (rules).  What we have in Christ is better than fine gold or the honeycomb.