Category: Lighthouse

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What We See…Feb. 23rd

One of the associate ministers at Waterview church of Christ, Robert Taylor, will bring the Sunday morning lesson as he combines the Word of God with a report of his latest mission trip to Nicaragua.

As a disciple of Christ, we are called to take the gospel to the world, whether that Nicaragua1‘world’ is across the alley or across the equator. Giving a quarter on Sunday morning (during our ‘quarterly’ quarter collection) will help feed hungry children in the breakfast program that we support in Nicaragua. So as I give a quarter, or give my time, to show someone Christ I must first be willing to open my eyes to a lost and dying world. Then we must be prepared for what we will see.

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

Sunday morning, February 23, 2014

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

“To God Be the Glory” 4

“Praise the Lord, Praise the Lord! Let the earth hear His voice…” A beautiful song (hymn) of praise. But ask yourself, ‘how great is YOUR rejoicing?’ We conclude the third verse with the assurance that when this life is over and when we see Jesus, our joy (our rejoicing) will be, ‘purer and higher and greater.’

“Thomas’ Song” – 269

A moving, spiritual song that takes the account of John chapter 20 and recalls what Thomas might have said/thought during the days after Christ’s death. Remembering the death of my parents, I would often think how comforting it would be to see them again. To reach out and touch their hands and talk to them again. Perhaps Thomas had the same thoughts as we sing, ‘…if I could only hold Your hand…’

“I Love to Tell the Story” – 659

Just singing the third verse of this old hymn we’ll be thinking about giving to help the work in Nicaragua. We love to tell the story, but why? This verse makes it clear, ‘…for some have never heard.’

“He Is Able” – 213

New to some, this song accentuates the message from the scripture reading this morning, Ephesians 3:20, 21. “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly beyond all that we ask or think…” Our God is able to take these few small quarters and change the lives of so many lost ones. Robert will report that at least two have been baptized into Christ through this breakfast program. He is able, more than able…

open our eyes

“Open Our Eyes” – 766

Open our eyes that we may see and open our ears that we may hear…a message many of us should do more than just sing. But what am I looking for? What should I be listening to? The simple, short answer: Jesus

“There is a Redeemer” – 287

Before our lesson this morning we’ll echo the praise from this contemporary song. The soprano and tenor voices lead us through the verses, but we all join together in the chorus as we proclaim, “Thank You, oh my Father, for giving us Your Son, and leaving Your Spirit till the work on earth is done!”


“None of Self and All of Thee” – 695

Not under compulsion, but willingly do we sing this commitment. Notice the building of our ‘faith’ (and volume) as we go from all of self to none of Thee, to some of self and some of Thee, to less of self and more of Thee.  But without this final verse the whole song is empty. Our voices ring as we praise our God with a commitment to Him; “Higher than the highest heavens, deeper than the deepest sea, Lord, Thy love at last has conquered, “None of self and all of Thee!”

“The Lily of the Valley” – 548

As we pass the collection plate on Sunday morning we sing a ‘love song’ finding it’s root in Song of Solomon. Perhaps the most stiring of the words within this song come in the second verse. We sing of how He has taken all our griefs and our sorrows to bear for us. And when we’re tempted, He’s our strength. But when you sing the next line notice your resolve, “I have all for Him forsaken and all my idols torn from my heart…” Will you, have you, torn the world out of your life, or does it still hold on?

“Let the Lower Lights Be Burning” – 642

We’ll conclude our time together with a song that encourages us to keep shining our lights to a dark and desperate world. We are the lower lights that direct lost souls to the Lighthouse. The question you have to ask is whether or not you’re keeping the watch for some poor fainting, struggling seaman. Trim your feeble lamp, my brother!

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The Hypocritic Oath…August 18th

doctor making house callsPhysicians, historically, work under a Hippocratic oath.  It means they promise to ‘practice medicine honestly.’  Part of the oath includes the following: “I will prescribe regimens for the good of my patients…and never do harm to anyone… I will give no deadly medicine to any one…nor suggest any such counsel…I will preserve the purity of my life and my arts…In every house where I come I will enter only for the good of my patients…All that may come to my knowledge in the exercise of my profession, I will keep secret and will never reveal…If I keep this oath faithfully, may I enjoy my life and practice my art, respected by all humanity and in all times; but if I swerve from it or violate it, may the reverse be my life.”

OK, but what is a Hypocritic Oath?  Not hard to recognize a hypocrite (one who pretends to be what he’s not), but how could that be placed in the same title as ‘oath?’  Could we be ‘promising’ something we’re not willing to do?  Join us Sunday morning as Robert Taylor takes us closer to understanding this mystery.

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

Sunday morning, August 18, 2013

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

“Hosanna” -167

Praise to God!  That’s the definition of the word “Hosanna”…Praise to God in the highest.  Gentlemen, lead the congregation as you open the chorus; “Lord, we lift up Your name, with hearts filled with praise; So be exalted, O Lord my God, Hosanna, in the highest!”

“Lord, We Come Before Thee Now” – 797bowing before a king

A song of prayer, a hymn we sing to our God proclaiming our desire to approach His throne.  But what could we mean by ‘…O do not our suit disdain…”; what’s a ‘suit’ and how can it be disdained?  The suit is the plea, the appeal we make before God.  Our request is that He will not reject or turn away our plea.  Notice the words; “Lord, we come before Thee now; at Thy feet we humbly bow.  O do not our suit (plea) disdain (reject), shall we seek Thee, Lord, in vain?”  Find the message in the next line…“Lord, on Thee our souls depend…”.  If we are rejected by God what hope do we have?

“When My Love to Christ Grows Weak” – 350

Do you ever find your ‘love for Christ’ growing weak?  How about your love for mankind?  This song gives you the remedy for those times of ‘weakness’.  We do have a place we can turn…This morning we’ll sing all five verses of this song as we remember the Lord’s Supper. 

“I’m Not Ashamed to Own My Lord” – 609

Often when ‘put on the spot’ we have a tendency to deny what’s truly important, what we hold dear.  A child is questioned about following his parents rules and he might say, “I don’t have to do what they say…”  So it is with many in their relationship with God.  I don’t have to do EVERYTHING the Bible says.  When you are questioned about your faith do you deny Him?  Are you ashamed of Him?  Let’s live so we ‘maintain the honor of His word…” 

“The Greatest Commands” – 448

A great contemporary song that provides each of the four basic parts an opportunity to sing their individual lines, yet all in harmony.  Notice each of these verses come from the scripture; I John 4:7, 8, I Corinthians 13:7 and Christ’s words in Luke as He says, “Love the Lord, thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, all thy strength all thy mind…”; a beautiful soprano line.  But do you know which part (bass, tenor or alto) sings I Corinthians 13:7?

“All to Jesus I Surrender” – 662

What does it mean ‘surrender all?’  When a wrestler throws in the towel, is he giving up for just a few minutes or is he giving up the whole match?  When we give our lives over to God, we must leave the world behind…entirely!  Unfortunately, many are willing to just give up enough to feel comfortable with their Christianity.  Maybe what we should be asking is, ‘what part of ALL do you not understand?’

“Let the Lower Lights Be Burning” – 642lower lights 2

The lower lights…how important are the lower lights when the tall, majestic light house is perched on the hill?  Maybe you should ask a sailor who is tossed by the stormy waves on the dark sea.  A faithful row of lights illuminating the darkness can mean life and death to some who are close to the reef.  My job is to keep my lamps trimmed (burning), regardless of how ‘feeble’ I may think my lamps to be.

“Ring Out the Message” – 622

One of the most stirring, spiritual songs is found in this call to evangelize.  Again, the male voices lead the chorus as we sing “Ring out the news that makes men free…to all the lost of every nation, ring the message out!”

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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?