How Can I Know There Is a God? … June 4th
There is a question that has been asked for generations, from young and old, ‘How do you know? You say this is the way it goes, but how
do you know?’ Some will tell you that the answer to the question is this…but how do they know? Even the jury needs to know for sure before coming down with a verdict. As a Christian, you have been told that there is a God. Still some may ask, “How do you know?”
The Christian stands tall on faith that what the Bible says is true. God is alive and Jesus loves me because…‘the Bible tells me so!’ But is there anything concrete I can share with my unbelieving friends? Can I give them something outside of God’s inspired word that confirms my belief that God is real? This coming Sunday morning at Faith Village church of Christ in Wichita Falls, come join us as we look at the question… “How Can I Know There Is a God?”
“…I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also.” I Corinthians 14:15
Sunday morning, June 4, 2017
The following songs are found in the hymnal, Songs of Faith & Praise.
“All the Way My Savior Leads Me” – no book
Where are you going in life? Is there an ‘end game’ to your daily activities? As God’s children we know that He directs our path (Proverbs 3:6) and we follow Him by faith. Thus we sing, “All the way my Savior leads me, O the fullness of His love. Perfect rest to me is promised in my Father’s house above.” Maybe we should all ask ourselves, who is leading me and were exactly am I going?
“Step By Step” – 15
Following our opening song, “Jesus lead me all the way,” we reaffirm that we will follow Him, step by step. But not just follow Him. We will seek Him in the morning and we will learn to walk in His ways…all the way He leads us.
“Redeemed” – 458
When you know that there is a God and you are His child, it’s easy, and sweet, to sing this next song. “I’m redeemed! By love divine, Glory, glory, Christ is mine, Christ is mine.” When we believe, obey and follow God we will have a ‘sweet song’ (verse 1) and experience great joy (verse 2)!
“O Listen to the Wondrous Story” – 496
Though perhaps not known as a ‘song before the Lord’s supper,’ the chorus supports our claim that we can have assurance and know there is a God. With a short Q&A, we ask, “Who saved us from eternal loss?” Answer, “Who (else) but God’s Son upon the cross?” Question, “Why, what did He do?” Answer, “He died for you!” Question, “Where is He now?” Answer, this is good… “Believe it thou (you), in heaven interceding!” (Read Romans 8:34, “Christ Jesus is He who died, yes rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.”)
“I Believe in the One They Call Jesus” – 356
How can we say we know for sure that God is real? Perhaps we follow the words from Romans 4:18 as Abraham’s faith was being discussed, “In hope against hope he believed…” That’s why, within this one song, we sing the word ‘believe’ eight times, in verse one alone. And before it’s all said and done, we’ll sing that we believe in Jesus, in His power, His authority, His life and His death a total of 22 times. So then you must decide if you’ll sing the last line of the chorus, “And I believe that He’s the answer for me.”
“Our God, He Is Alive” – 23
Written less than 50 years ago, this spiritual song has become one of the most popular hymns within churches of Christ. And perhaps there is no song more fitting as we consider our lesson today than the song with this title, Our God, He Is Alive! But look closely at verse three. Often skipped over and misunderstood by many, this verse reminds us that God is not only in control, He is in charge. He holds in His hand the secret of life, and though men may search for the answer, they will never find it. Why, because only God understands!
“I Know Whom I Have Believed” – 524
We have lots of questions in life. Even with this invitation song we find 5 questions we might ask. From God’s grace and His love, how the Holy Spirit ‘moves,’ what my future holds and when Christ will return. But even with these ‘queries,’ we sing with confidence…“I know whom I have believed, and I am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed to Him (my life in Christ) against that day.” (See II Timothy 1:12, “…for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him UNTIL that day.”…I believe that!)
“Blue Skies and Rainbows” – no book
Some say this is a campfire song…maybe, but notice the last two verses and how they support our message today. “Green grass and flowers all blooming in spring time…are works of the Master I live for each day…” and, “Tall mountains, green valleys, the beauty that surrounds me, all of this makes me aware of the One who made it all.” Look around you and you’ll see God’s hand. Then you’ll sing, “I know that Jesus is well and alive today!”
A Song Leader’s Guide…Pt. 3
Since February we have been following a series of three lessons that focus on the responsibilities of the song leader, otherwise known as the Song Leader’s Guide. This last of three articles will be centered around the Three “P’s” of song leading; Proactive, Practice and Plan. Though this article may over lap with the first point (being prepared), I hope you’ll find the “Three P’s of song leading” to be more focused on how you approach and lead the Lord’s church in singing. Just remember we should work as though you’re working for God… Colossians 3:23 “Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.“
And finally, a basic guideline for all song leaders is to follow the “three P’s” of song leading. Be Proactive, be willing to Practice and be able to Plan. This approach will teach the congregation that singing is not just something we do, but rather the 
value in singing hymns. Being ‘Proactive’ means you work on getting to know the song book better. Whether you use a book or project songs, review them and determine which songs you personally know and which ones you don’t. Go over each song (in the book or on the screen) and know what you’re doing well before Sunday morning. If you project songs, do not to rely on the church secretary to build the slide deck for you. Take the time to learn this procedure and know what’s on the screen behind you.
Though we addressed ‘Practicing’ earlier, here we should be more focused on practicing with the congregation as a whole. This is best done in a class setting on Sunday evening before services or on Wednesday nights. Some might want to limit this class to one quarter per year, or once a month but you will be better served to keep this as an ongoing class. Make singing something that is more than just 8 songs on Sunday morning, 6 on Sunday night and 1 or 2 songs on Wednesday. Fifteen or sixteen songs of praise per week seem to limit the Hebrew writer’s thoughts. Hebrews 13:15, “Through Him then, let us CONTINUALLY (emphasis added) offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name.” So let us use some class time to learn new songs (practice) as well as 
singing old familiar ones (praise). You can even shake it up on occasion by splitting the group up into four parts and learn/practice harmony. But remember to practice by yourself so you know how to better lead and teach the congregation.
And as you ‘Plan’ out an approach to teaching the congregation the value of psalms, hymns and spiritual songs (Ephesians 5:19), be sure you are familiar with and know the value of the songs we sing. Some of our songs date back hundreds of years and have a rich history we can learn from. Others are closely aligned with scripture and shed a new light on an old hymn. Some of our newer, ‘contemporary’ songs have a magnificent message that we’ll never know if we don’t broaden our repertoire. But as you plan, always check the integrity of the songs we sing (new or old) with scriptural accuracy. We strive to avoid heresy in our preaching, and so we must also be aware that it can creep into our singing as well. When we are attentive to planning out the song service, we are more apt to avoid any accidental error. Be proactive, practice and plan so that you can be the best song leader God is calling you to be.
We know that Sunday morning will come on the first day of each week and we might be the one called on to lead the congregation in song. When do we start selecting our songs? What songs will we select? Will we (Do we) prepare ourselves before we meet together for worship? These and many more questions are ours to 
answer long before Sunday morning comes around. Just remember that we are leading the family of God in praise to Him. For some, this will be the first and only time during the week that they bow before God’s throne to worship. Will they see Him or will they be distracted by us? My prayer is that as song leaders in the Lord’s church, we will take on the mantra of I Cor. 14:15, “Church, come join us…we’re marching to Zion!”
A Song Leaders Guide…Pt. 2
As we continue to look at The Song Leader’s Guide, you’ll remember previously we talked about “Being Prepared.” Though we can never underestimate the importance of working with the preacher and coordinating the song service, the second point is of equal value. In today’s 
article we’ll look at the next recommendation for song leaders. We must know and practice humility. Without a humble spirit, our song leading becomes nothing more than a stage for your assumed presentation. Not a good thing!
Not only should we be prepared…a good song leader will demonstrate humility before, during and after the worship services. Before worship services begin, walk down the aisle of the auditorium and visit with the members. Knowing them by name is an important connection you can make before you step up to lead. If you are too busy picking songs, or if you aren’t willing to visit with the members, you’ll never be able to properly lead them. A humble heart will see others as valuable, and be willing to invest time in them.
During the song service, demonstrate humility. Have a countenance of joy when the song calls for it, but avoid excessive facial expressions that draw undue attention to you. A smile will tell the congregation you believe in the message of the song. At all times, avoid a look of distress or frustration. If you mess up on a series of notes, or if you sing the wrong words, don’t let the congregation know it has ‘rattled you.’ Your brothers and sisters may not even know you made a mistake, but either way it won’t shake you because, “this is not about you.” When you lead a melancholy song, strive to focus the congregation on the seriousness of the song’s message. Remember, you can communicate the meaning of a song simply by the expression you have on your face.
And, humility must also be exhibited after the worship services. At times you may receive accolades regarding your ‘work’ following the worship. A common response by many song leaders is a simple ‘thank you.’ And 
though there is nothing wrong with this reply, perhaps a better response would be ‘to God be the glory.’ However, if someone acknowledges my song leading, I prefer the phrase, ‘the congregation was in good voice.’ It is always best to turn the focus away from yourself, and towards our God and His church. Just remember that a humble heart cannot be seen in words, but in actions. Give praise to God and uplift His church or you run the risk of leaving the congregation feeling like spectators rather than participants.
Next month (April) we’ll conclude this three part series of a Song Leader’s Guide to Worship.
A Song Leader’s Guide…Pt. 1
Over the years some of my brothers and sisters in Christ have asked me, “How do you do it? How do you know what notes to sing, when you’re 
directing the songs, how do you know how to move your arms, how can you sing in front of so many people?” First of all, I’m no expert. As a matter of fact my 40 years of singing in the Lord’s church and leading singing is my only call to fame. So with this experience I want to share with you a few guidelines that will hopefully help you as you direct/lead singing in the Lord’s church. This is the first of a three part series that will look into ways we can better lead God’s family in worship and song.
Consider first of all…
It is a beautiful Sunday morning in the small, country church where our brothers and sisters in the Lord’s church have gathered for worship. The preacher has prepared a message from God’s word, and the song leader has selected the songs the congregation will be singing today. One is a ‘hired’ employee who has focused himself all week for this morning’s assembly. The other has spent only a few short minutes pulling together some of his favorites. If the truth be known, this scenario happens every Sunday morning somewhere within the brotherhood. Song leaders often find themselves sitting on the front row, searching through the song book for a good invitation song. This Sunday morning, somewhere a song leader will only take a few minutes to determine what songs will be sung in praise to God. The sermon might be focused on the ‘Man of Sorrows,’ (Isaiah 53:3), but the topic of the song service is ‘the Great Commission.’ (Matthew 28:19) Some points of emphasis within the sermon maybe lost to worth-while songs that fail to support the message of the morning. It is important to remember that coordinating the songs with the sermon will take some planning.
Isaac Watts wrote a familiar spiritual song more than 300 years ago that should be an 
inspiration to every song leader. When we realize that we are all “Marching to Zion,” the song leader can understand more clearly the first few words of this song. “Come, WE that love the Lord, and let OUR joys be known!” As the song leader, you are asking the congregation to join you in worship, “Come, we….” Know that you are not just leading the congregation; you are joining the congregation in praise to God. So what should the song leader do as he considers his task of leading the Lord’s church in singing? Many times we fail to put our best effort into song leading and a mediocre song service is produced. How much time is given to selecting your songs for Sunday? Are the songs selected appropriate in tempo and fit the message…or will this service be as predictable as ‘the last time he lead singing?’ Gentleman, we have to ask ourselves how much time and energy will we be giving to prepare ourselves for worshiping with the Lord’s church.
Consider this first of three points as you ready yourself for the next time you are asked to lead singing. Whether you are the only song leader within your congregation, or if you are in a rotation, the following bullet points will give you some guidance in preparing to lead the Lord’s church in song.
First of all, you must be prepared both mentally and physically for the task of song leading. It 
may take some work, but contact your preacher and get his sermon topic, scripture references and key ideas early in the week (maybe even on Monday morning.) Don’t be overly aggressive, but let him know you can’t put the time into the song selection until you know the basis of Sunday’s message. By this, he will know you care about the worship and it may help spur him on as well. In the meantime, review your song book and make a list of 1) the songs you know, 2) songs you want to teach the congregation and 3) songs you don’t know. Be familiar with your song book and enrich your repertoire of songs! This can’t be over emphasized. The more songs you know*, the more growth you can provide to the congregation in song. During the week prepare your voice for Sunday. Avoid stressing your vocal cords but sing songs of praise daily. Turn off the radio in the car and sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs as you drive down the road. Your preparation doesn’t start on Sunday morning, though you should be singing (and listening to) A Cappella songs as you’re getting ready for Sunday morning worship. Your first step in making worship the best it can be on Sunday is to start by preparing, and practicing, on Monday.
*To ‘know a song’ means you 1) have committed to memory the words, 2) can maintain the tempo, 3) recognized/read the notes and 4) understand the message. This will take practice!
Next month (March) we’ll look at the second point toward the song leader’s guide to worship…
Good Morning, Lord!
“Well I’m up in the morning and I’m feeling OK…Don’t want the devil to get in my way so I’m down on my knees and I’m starting to pray, ‘Good Morning, Lord!’ Good morning, Lord! Send a little sun(son)shine down my way. Good morning, Lord! I just want to live for you today.”
Earlier this month I was honored to worked with more than 20 young people (JH/HS & College) at the 1st Annual Ark/La/Tex Singing Camp in central Louisiana. With the combined talents of Andy 
Baker, Benjamin Bruce and our camp director Doyle Bruce the young men were taught more than just how to read shape notes and understand music theory. We imparted a working knowledge that embraced the responsibility of leading singing and bringing the congregation closer to honoring and glorifying God. The young ladies were directed by Katheryn Baker, Kristy Huntsman and Emili Bruce.
When we consider our opportunity and obligation to sing and teach singing, we come closer to knowing how GREAT our God really is. We come to appreciate the vast debt we owe for the hope we have in this life and in the life to come. But when it comes to trying to understand that debt and how I should live in response to God’s great gift, we start by looking at the first chapter in the book of Psalm. Thanks, Andy, for taking us through this psalm as we sang and learned how to live for our God!
“Blessed is the man
Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,
Nor stands in the path of sinners,
Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;
But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
and in His law he meditates…day and night.
He shall be like a tree
Planted by rivers of water,
That brings forth its fruit in its season
Whose leaf also shall not wither;
And whatever he does shall prosper.
Godly man…PARALLELED…with the Ungodly man
The ungodly are not so
But are like the chaff which the wind drives away.
Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment,
Nor sinners in the congregation (family) of the righteous.
For the Lord knows the way of the righteous
but the way of the ungodly…shall perish (shall not last).”
Make plans to join us next summer, but in the mean time let me encourage you with these words from Andy Baker…
“Spend time in the Son (sun),
Spend time in the Scripture and
Spend time in Self-Refection.”
Heavenward ‘Applause’
For a moment, think about how we train our young people. Those in our children’s Bible classes and up through the teen years.
So often we talk about teaching our young men to lead, but stop short of providing them with the opportunity. We provide summer trips, monthly activities and weekly Bible studies, we even practice song leading and preaching (with Leadership Training for Christ, Lads to Leaders, Timothy classes, etc.) But how much of the teaching and training of our young people is focused on actually leading as opposed to entertaining. Young men prepare talks, practice singing and then stand up before the congregation to lead. But rather than accept 
their work, honor their contribution and receive edification from their message, we smile and applaud. In like manner a young person makes the great confession, is baptized into Christ and the first thing they hear coming up from the watery grave is the sound of clapping. What message are we hoping to give when we clap for their service? Are we saying, “good job,” or “congratulations,” or “we approve?”
In a society that is devoid of hard work, the sound of applause is heard at the accomplishment of a task. A beautiful, musical score played or sung by a talented musician is means for applause. The athlete hitting a deep drive into the gap, or making a catch or scoring the winning run is honored with a standing ovation. But when he’s training and practicing for the performance, where is the clapping? Yes, we want to recognize the accomplishment, but why clap for one who is training to lead and teach? Too often we honor the servant when we should be glorifying the Master. In John chapter 13, verse 16, just hours before His arrest and crucifixion he said, “…truly, I say to you, a slave is not greater than his master, nor is one who is sent greater than the one who sent him.”
A congregation in Nashville, Tennessee (Woodson Chapel church of Christ) participates in the Lads to Leaders program. During an extended training opportunity for their boys who have been trained, one young, 3 year old boy asks if he can lead a song. Not being old enough to participant in the ‘official training,’ this little man stepped up to lead the congregation. Listen and watch him as he ‘directs’ the saints in the song, “Blue Skies and Rainbows.” But more importantly listen to the lesson this body of believers teaches him AFTER the song has been sung.
You’ve heard it said, “Actions speak louder than words.” Our children will learn from what we do as well as what we say. If we truly want to glorify God, we’ll consider carefully how much ‘glory’ we give each other. We must train our 
young people to ‘…honor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God and honor the king.’ I Peter 3:17. Honoring all people and the king doesn’t mean to applaud their service. Loving the brotherhood doesn’t refer to clapping at their new birth, but fearing God does mean…‘By those who come near Me I will be treated as holy, And before all the people I will be honored.’ Leviticus 3:10 Remember the preacher and the song leader are nothing more than servants, and each of us should concern ourselves with who we honor and how we honor them. Perhaps we should focus more of our ‘applause’ heavenward.
Homonyms and Hymnology
Have you ever stopped to consider how words, though spelled alike, have a different meaning? It’s easy to see how words like post can mean something you write or something you dig a hole for. Or how stalk, can be a part of a plant or it could mean to follow someone. How about the word yard, or jam, or left, or right, or match, or crane…you see the list goes on and on. These words are commonly referred to as homonyms; words that are both spelled and pronounced the same, but have different means.
Obviously, we find homonyms in some of the songs we sing as well. You might remember singing the word ‘beguile’ in a song or two. This is a word we must know what it means if we’re going to sing it. Notice the second verse of the song, Let the Beauty of Jesus Be Seen:
“When somebody has been so unkind to you, some word spoken that pierces you through and through. Think how He was beguiled, spat upon and reviled, let the beauty of Jesus be seen in you.” The word beguiled means to trick, deceive or cheat. Could it be said that when Jesus was on trial he was cheated? Certainly; taken by night, accused by false witnesses, lied about. We can see how ‘he was beguiled’ but what about another song with the same word, could we possibly be using the same meaning?
“Sing on, ye joyful pilgrims, while here on earth we stay; let songs of home and Jesus beguile each fleeting day…” The word beguile means to trick or deceive or cheat. Would that mean songs about home and Jesus are nothing more than a deception? You know that using that definition would be a misrepresentation of Jesus’ love. Instead, this is where the ‘other’ definition comes in. Beguile can also mean, ‘to pass time pleasantly.’ We sing about our home in heaven and remember our Savior; and those thoughts alone can help us pass the time pleasantly in our life.
But let’s consider another song with a more obscure homonym, The Lily of the Valley…(verse 2) “Oh, He all my griefs 
have taken and all my sorrows borne; in temptation He’s my strong and might tower. I have all for Him forsaken and all my idols torn from my heart and now He keeps me by His power. Though all the world forsake me, and Satan tempt me sore, thru Jesus I shall safely reach the goal…” Though you might have noticed more than one homonym, let’s see what Satan is doing to us directly. We sang, “…though Satan tempt me sore…” What kind of sore could that mean? Is it referencing what most would consider ‘causing sorrow or misery?’ Though Satan does cause me sorrow and pain in temptations, perhaps there is another meaning to this ‘sore.’
Written in 1881, Charles W. Fry was in his mid-forties and only months away from death. As he would have been familiar with a more rustic and rural life style, Fry may have also seen a different meaning to the word sore. Truly he would have known this to be a word depicting pain, but perhaps he also knew this word had another connotation. He may very well have known that sore(d) meant to, ‘mutilate the legs or feet of (a horse) in order to induce a particular gait in the animal.’ With this added definition let’s consider the message of the song; “…though all the world forsake me and Satan tempt me (so as to make me walk the way he wants me to), thru Jesus I shall safely reach the goal…” Satan does ‘tempt me sore’ that’s true. But we should never let him change from our walk with Christ!
And it’s true, we do hurt when we face trials and temptations, but know that Satan wants to do more damage to you other than just ‘making you hurt.’ He is trying to change your gait (a person’s particular manner of walking). His evil desire is to ‘mutilate’ your legs (your heart) so badly that you will eventually change your way of walking. But that’s when we remember the next line of this hymn, “….thru (with) Jesus I shall safely reach the goal.” There are more to our psalms, hymns and spiritual songs than we sometimes realize. Spend time reading, learning and understanding the words you sing as you praise God and edify one another.
Do We Want More? (part 3)
Whether it’s Oliver Twist asking for more gruel in the orphanage, or a young boy asking about ‘mo’ -lasses for his hotcakes; we all are looking for more of something. As we conclude this three part study asking if ‘we want more’, we will examine the last verse of Phillip Bliss’ old hymn, “More Holiness Give Me.”
As you may recall, this hymn contains the word more a surprising twenty-four (24) times in only three short verses. Let’s conclude our study as we dive into verse three to examine Phillip Bliss’ inspiration of wanting more.
In verse three we sing about wanting (needing); more purity, more strength, more freedom and more longing. A desire to be more fit, more useful, more blessed & holy and more like the Savior. In the third part of this three part study we’ll consider one by one the ‘mores’ we’re seeking:
1) More purity give me…Purity is an interesting word. To be pure, by definition, is to be ‘unmixed.’ When we strive to have more purity, we are asking (praying) for God to keep us clean. Romans 3:23 reminds us that we “…all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…”, we’re all dirty. Its our decision is to seek salvation or remain in sin. God’s children belong to Him, therefore we shouldn’t be mixed with the world. Living in a sinful world, we need more purity.
2) More strength to o’er come (overcome)…When faced with an obstacle we’ll either walk away from it, or work to ‘over-come it.’ But what does that mean? Bliss states it clearly, if we are to over come our struggles (obstacles), we need strength. Strength that we currently do not have. We might consider ourselves strong and capable to ‘overcome’, but that’s exactly where the devil wants us. Comfortable and over confident. To stand for Christ we need His strength if we are to ever overcome. 
3) More freedom from earth-stains…Remember the need for purity? When we’re ‘mixed up’ in the world we become stained, soiled, dirty. To be free from stains we need a cleansing agent. Tide* might get the stain out of our clothes, but only Christ can remove ‘earth-stains’. Do you want more freedom?
4) More longings for home. Perhaps we have to be away from home for a while to realize how much we long for home. But then again you have to ask yourself…where is home? You’ve heard the saying, “Home is where is your heart is.” OK, then where is your heart? If our heart belongs to God, then heaven is our home. Are you longing to go home or have you given your heart to someone else?
5) More fit for His kingdom. Take a square peg and try to ‘fit’ it into a round hole; you know it doesn’t belong there. It doesn’t fit. To make that square peg do it’s job, you’ll need to shave off the corners. Round the peg off and smooth it to the same size as the hole. Then it will fit and be ready to use…you could say it will be ‘more fit’ than it was previously.
6) More useful…The idea of being useful and fit go hand in hand. Once the corners of the peg are carved off, smoothed down and shaped to fill the hole, it will be useful. But how can it be ‘more’ useful? We all have a responsibility in some form or fashion. Consider how well do you do your job? We work for a reason, to get the job done. We want to be useful in our daily task. But you need to ask yourself; “In God’s kingdom, am I being as ‘useful’ as I could be?”
7) More blessed and holy…8) More, Savior, like Thee. These last two are joined together for a reason. As we strive to be more like Christ in our life, we will be focused on living a holy life. In turn, we’ll be more blessed and ultimately we’ll be more like our Savior. Make no mistake, this song is a prayer. And in our prayers we ask God to give us good health, peace of mind, and patience. But be honest, do you want to be more holy and more like Jesus? That’s a prayer we should all be praying
This 140 year old hymn serves as a full, 24-point sermon on seeking more, but not what the world seeks. The world is focused on self, and it wrestles for more status and position. The child of God is focused on heaven and their desires more Christ centered. We have sung about being more godly…now we need to live ‘more, Savior, like Thee!
LTC…Be Devoted
In the spring of 2009 this group of young men came together to praise God with their voices. They practiced for weeks on end to learn how to harmonize and lift before the Father several songs of praise. These boys were ‘devoted’ to giving God the glory and sought to encourage those who listened. Though the years have passed and they’ve ‘grown and moved away,’ they continue to uplift and edify God’s people with songs of praise. Take a few minutes to hear their voices and listen to them as they praise the Father. A memory from the 2009, Leadership Training for Christ.
LTC (Leadership Training for Christ) has been a constant focus for the Waterview church of Christ for more than 30 years. Students have studied, practiced and devoted months to reading the scripture, Bible bowl, singing with small groups, and song leading as well as public speaking (sermon preparation), sign language and many other areas of preparation to serve in the kingdom of God. All the while, these young people are being trained and encouraged to give God the glory.
In 2009, seventeen young men (now in college or college graduates) came together to sing 3 songs with the hope of edifying the congregation and glorifying their God. These men sang three songs, Surround Us, Lord, and a medley consisting of Poured Out Like Wine, Make Me New, Teach Me Thy Ways and I Am Mine No More. They concluded with a song taken from the text of Galatians 6:2 and Romans 12:10-13, Be Devoted.
My prayer is that you will enjoy listening to these young men as they praise God with the voice of youth. The first song, Surround Us, Lord comes from the book of Psalms, chapter 125, verse 2… “As the mountains surround Jerusalem, So the Lord surrounds His people From this time forth and forever.” When times are difficult and the way seems hard, don’t forget; the Lord surrounds His people!
The concluding song, Be Devoted, took lots of practice and work. As noted earlier, the words are taken from Galatians 6 and Romans 12. Notice how clearly this passage speaks to our relationship with each other: “Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.”
Carry each other’s burdens
Carry each other’s burdens
And in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ
Chorus:
Be devoted to one another in brotherly love
Be devoted to one another in brotherly love
Honor one another above yourselves
Never be lacking in zeal
Keep your spiritual fervor
Keep your spiritual fervor
Serving the Lord
Love one another
Serve one another
Pray for each other
Encourage one another
And build each other up
Chorus:
Be devoted to one another in brotherly love
Thanks guys for the reminder from years gone by. My prayer is that you will stay faithful to God’s word and honor your song to be devoted in brotherly love. We are reminded by your song that we are to be poured out before the King, commit ourselves to being new (putting off the old self) and then seek to have Him teach us His ways. When we do that, we will no longer be our own. May God bless each of you and your walk with Christ.