This morning I had an interesting "revelation" as I was driving to work. ( it's difficult to drive when your heart's beating out of your chest and your eyes are full of tears!! )
Listening to my iPod and with music on "shuffle", an old Salvation Army March began and I sung along with much gusto.
Although I have never played the March before I had heard it a couple of months ago.
The revelation was that I am NOT living up to the words I was singing. I have been so busy over the past few weeks I have begun to slip back into my old ways - very little prayer - very little devotions - very little focus on God - and not attending church (once).
SASB 491
I would be true, for there are those who trust me;
I would be pure, for there are those who care;
I would be strong, for there is much to suffer;
I would be brave, for there is much to dare.
Jesus will help me,
He is my friend;
He'll lead and I will follow
Till life's very end.
I would be friend of all - the foe, the friendless;
I would be giving, and forget the gift;
I would be humble, for I know my weakness;
I would look up and laugh and love and lift.
I have had the line "I would be true for there are those who trust me" at the forefront of my life as I have had many leadership positions within the church. I have felt it necessary to be true to God as people that you lead need to be able to trust there leaders. I'm feeling a little flat at present and wonder what others are seeing - someone showing signs of little motivation and unsteadiness I would expect.
The line "I would be pure, for there are those who care" . what can I say - pure in thought, word and deed - failing miserably at present. Don't get me wrong - I have not turned to the "dark side", but just some days are worse than others and I know I should/could/must be better.
Next comes "I would be strong, for there is much to suffer", "I would be brave, for there is much to dare." - not feeling very strong or brave at present - finding too easy to go with the flow.
Jesus, please help me to be true, pure, strong and brave.
Jesus, take my hand - lead me and I will follow 'till life's very end.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Being Useful
Thought for today:
Our heavenly Father knows our circumstances, and if we will stay focused on Him, instead of our circumstances, we will grow spiritually. If you want to be of use to God, maintain the proper relationship with Jesus Christ by staying focused on Him and He will make use of you every minute you live.
I have to ask: To be useful for God - every minute - is that even possible ?
Sometimes I think I get stuck in my routine - doing "service". It all looks good, but am I being useful ?
What am I doing instead of being useful ? Where is my time taken up - job, family, doing "church", watching TV.....?
How do I maintain a proper relationship with God ? It's very difficult these days to stay focused with so many distractions surrounding the "every day" life we lead. I have increased my reading, listening, praying, caring and focus on the needs of others, but there will need to be more commitment on my behalf - I know that for a fact !
My prayer:
Christ of Glory, Prince of Peace,
Let thy life in mine increase;
Though I live may it be shown
'Tis thy life and not my own.
Dwell within, that men may see
Christ, the living Christ, in me.
Answer now my soul's desire,
Purge my heart with holy fire,
Soothe the hurt with gentle balm,
Breathe within my life thy charm,
Fill me now, so shall there be
Christ, the holy Christ, in me.
Gracious Lord, thy grace apply,
Both to save and sanctify;
All my life wilt thou control,
Calmly ordering the whole,
That the world may ever see
Christ, and only Christ, in me.
SASB 479
Our heavenly Father knows our circumstances, and if we will stay focused on Him, instead of our circumstances, we will grow spiritually. If you want to be of use to God, maintain the proper relationship with Jesus Christ by staying focused on Him and He will make use of you every minute you live.
I have to ask: To be useful for God - every minute - is that even possible ?
Sometimes I think I get stuck in my routine - doing "service". It all looks good, but am I being useful ?
What am I doing instead of being useful ? Where is my time taken up - job, family, doing "church", watching TV.....?
How do I maintain a proper relationship with God ? It's very difficult these days to stay focused with so many distractions surrounding the "every day" life we lead. I have increased my reading, listening, praying, caring and focus on the needs of others, but there will need to be more commitment on my behalf - I know that for a fact !
My prayer:
Christ of Glory, Prince of Peace,
Let thy life in mine increase;
Though I live may it be shown
'Tis thy life and not my own.
Dwell within, that men may see
Christ, the living Christ, in me.
Answer now my soul's desire,
Purge my heart with holy fire,
Soothe the hurt with gentle balm,
Breathe within my life thy charm,
Fill me now, so shall there be
Christ, the holy Christ, in me.
Gracious Lord, thy grace apply,
Both to save and sanctify;
All my life wilt thou control,
Calmly ordering the whole,
That the world may ever see
Christ, and only Christ, in me.
SASB 479
Sunday, May 23, 2010
What's your choice ??
Today at church - it was Pentecost Sunday.
Pentecost (Ancient Greek: πεντηκοστή [ἡμέρα], pentekostē [hēmera], "the fiftieth [day]") is one of the prominent feasts in the Christian liturgical year commemorating the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples of Christ.
As we listened to the Band play "Refiners Fire" and then having the opportunity to sing the lyrics, I found myself picking up on a line that I had never considered before.
As with the past several months, new and exciting things are continually happening in my life and as I continue to wait on God for His plan and direction to be made clear, I am finding exciting "revelations" to assist me in my Journey.
The words to the contemporary song read:
Purify my heart
Let me be as gold and precious silver
Purify my heart
Let me be as gold, pure gold
Refiners fire
My heart's one desire
Is to be holy
Set apart for You, Lord
I choose to be holy
Set apart for You, my Master
Ready to do Your will
Purify my heart
Cleanse me from within
And make me holy
Purify my heart
Cleanse me from my sin
Deep within
Refiners fire
My heart's one desire
Is to be holy
Set apart for You, Lord
I choose to be holy
Set apart for You, my Master
Ready to do Your will
Whilst I have often sung - "my hearts one desire is to be holy, set apart for you Lord", I hadn't taken much notice of the line - I choose to be holy.
We all make choices in life and we are responsible for the actions and consequences of our choices.
I have often made choices and then not followed through on them and still, even as I contemplate Gods will for my life, I still make the wrong choices.
I often have "good intentions" but often they still fall away and never get completed.
Today it was a little hard to sing the line "I choose to be holy" and mean it. I felt that this time the choice - to be holy and set apart and ready to do Gods will - needed some more commitment on my behalf to make it a "real" choice.
I am seeking to continue to do further "work" and be useful in extending Gods kingdom, I now need to make some choices that are meaningful and stick to "being holy" so that God can work through me - where ever and when ever He needs me.
Burning, Burning, deeply burning,
Deeply burning holy Fire,
Now, your perfect plan discerning,
Your design is my desire.
Burning, burning, always burning,
Holy Spirit, stay with me;
To your will my will is turning,
What you will I want to be.
What will you choose ?
To be Holy ? To be set apart to do Gods will ?
Are we happy to just go with the flow and not even consider the choice to be Holy ?
My prayer for you (and me) today is:
Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me
Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me
Break me, melt me, mould me, fill me
Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me.
Pentecost (Ancient Greek: πεντηκοστή [ἡμέρα], pentekostē [hēmera], "the fiftieth [day]") is one of the prominent feasts in the Christian liturgical year commemorating the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples of Christ.
As we listened to the Band play "Refiners Fire" and then having the opportunity to sing the lyrics, I found myself picking up on a line that I had never considered before.
As with the past several months, new and exciting things are continually happening in my life and as I continue to wait on God for His plan and direction to be made clear, I am finding exciting "revelations" to assist me in my Journey.
The words to the contemporary song read:
Purify my heart
Let me be as gold and precious silver
Purify my heart
Let me be as gold, pure gold
Refiners fire
My heart's one desire
Is to be holy
Set apart for You, Lord
I choose to be holy
Set apart for You, my Master
Ready to do Your will
Purify my heart
Cleanse me from within
And make me holy
Purify my heart
Cleanse me from my sin
Deep within
Refiners fire
My heart's one desire
Is to be holy
Set apart for You, Lord
I choose to be holy
Set apart for You, my Master
Ready to do Your will
Whilst I have often sung - "my hearts one desire is to be holy, set apart for you Lord", I hadn't taken much notice of the line - I choose to be holy.
We all make choices in life and we are responsible for the actions and consequences of our choices.
I have often made choices and then not followed through on them and still, even as I contemplate Gods will for my life, I still make the wrong choices.
I often have "good intentions" but often they still fall away and never get completed.
Today it was a little hard to sing the line "I choose to be holy" and mean it. I felt that this time the choice - to be holy and set apart and ready to do Gods will - needed some more commitment on my behalf to make it a "real" choice.
I am seeking to continue to do further "work" and be useful in extending Gods kingdom, I now need to make some choices that are meaningful and stick to "being holy" so that God can work through me - where ever and when ever He needs me.
Burning, Burning, deeply burning,
Deeply burning holy Fire,
Now, your perfect plan discerning,
Your design is my desire.
Burning, burning, always burning,
Holy Spirit, stay with me;
To your will my will is turning,
What you will I want to be.
What will you choose ?
To be Holy ? To be set apart to do Gods will ?
Are we happy to just go with the flow and not even consider the choice to be Holy ?
My prayer for you (and me) today is:
Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me
Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me
Break me, melt me, mould me, fill me
Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me.
Friday, May 21, 2010
By Love Compelled
SASB 579 v3
His love has no limits, his grace has no measure
His power no boundary known unto men;
For out of his infinite riches in Jesus
He giveth and giveth and giveth again.
Annie Johnson Flint
I should look within and remember how wonderfully He has dealt with me.
The knowledge that God has loved me beyond all limits will compel me to go into the world to love others in the same way.
My Utmost for His Highest
His love has no limits, his grace has no measure
His power no boundary known unto men;
For out of his infinite riches in Jesus
He giveth and giveth and giveth again.
Annie Johnson Flint
I should look within and remember how wonderfully He has dealt with me.
The knowledge that God has loved me beyond all limits will compel me to go into the world to love others in the same way.
My Utmost for His Highest
Thursday, May 20, 2010
HE’LL CARRY YOUR LOAD
Being part of the Salvation Army Brass Band has always been an important part of my life and has brought many, many blessing in music over the years - both as a player as well as a leader.
This week I was (again) blessed by the devotions brought to us at the end of practise.
I thought you might like it too. (Thanks to Barry)
GOD COMES ALONGSIDE US when we go through hard times, and before you know it, he brings us alongside someone else who is going through hard times so that we can be there for that person just as God was there for us. We have plenty of hard times that come from following the Messiah, but no more so than the good times of his healing comfort – we get a full measure of that, too.
We’ve been surrounded and battered by troubles, but we’re not demoralized; we’re not sure what to do, but we know that God knows what to do; we’ve been spiritually terrorized, but God hasn’t left our side; we’ve been thrown down, but we haven’t been broken. We’re not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace. Distress that drives us to God does that. It turns us around. It gets us back in the way of salvation. We never regret that kind of pain.
God’s a safe house for the battered, a sanctuary during bad times. God is a safe place to hide, ready to help when we need him. We stand fearless at the cliff-edge of doom, courageous in sea storm and earthquake, before the rush and roar of oceans, the tremors that shift mountains.
Pile your troubles on God’s shoulders – he’ll carry your load, he’ll help you out. Jesus said, “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest.”
(2 Cor. 1:4-5; 2 Cor. 4:8-9; 2 Cor. 4:16; 2 Cor. 7:10; Ps. 9:9; Ps. 46:1-3; Ps. 55:22; Mt. 11:28)
I am still amazed how God is sending me messages - Guidance, hope, comfort (just to name a few).
How great is our God .. * sing with me *
This week I was (again) blessed by the devotions brought to us at the end of practise.
I thought you might like it too. (Thanks to Barry)
GOD COMES ALONGSIDE US when we go through hard times, and before you know it, he brings us alongside someone else who is going through hard times so that we can be there for that person just as God was there for us. We have plenty of hard times that come from following the Messiah, but no more so than the good times of his healing comfort – we get a full measure of that, too.
We’ve been surrounded and battered by troubles, but we’re not demoralized; we’re not sure what to do, but we know that God knows what to do; we’ve been spiritually terrorized, but God hasn’t left our side; we’ve been thrown down, but we haven’t been broken. We’re not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace. Distress that drives us to God does that. It turns us around. It gets us back in the way of salvation. We never regret that kind of pain.
God’s a safe house for the battered, a sanctuary during bad times. God is a safe place to hide, ready to help when we need him. We stand fearless at the cliff-edge of doom, courageous in sea storm and earthquake, before the rush and roar of oceans, the tremors that shift mountains.
Pile your troubles on God’s shoulders – he’ll carry your load, he’ll help you out. Jesus said, “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest.”
(2 Cor. 1:4-5; 2 Cor. 4:8-9; 2 Cor. 4:16; 2 Cor. 7:10; Ps. 9:9; Ps. 46:1-3; Ps. 55:22; Mt. 11:28)
I am still amazed how God is sending me messages - Guidance, hope, comfort (just to name a few).
How great is our God .. * sing with me *
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Confidence in the future
I found this in my devotions and shared it with a friend - I thought it would be good to add it to my Blog.
To be certain of God means that we are uncertain in all our ways, not knowing what tomorrow may bring. This is generally expressed with a sigh of sadness, but should be an expression of breathless anticipation. We are uncertain of the next step, but we are certain of God. As soon as we abandon ourselves to God and do the task He has placed closest to us, He begins to fill our lives with surprises.
How awesome is the line - "but should be an expression of breathless anticipation" ??
I certainly hadn't thought of it like this before.......
I hope it gives you some confidence in your future too - as it did me when I read it.
To be certain of God means that we are uncertain in all our ways, not knowing what tomorrow may bring. This is generally expressed with a sigh of sadness, but should be an expression of breathless anticipation. We are uncertain of the next step, but we are certain of God. As soon as we abandon ourselves to God and do the task He has placed closest to us, He begins to fill our lives with surprises.
How awesome is the line - "but should be an expression of breathless anticipation" ??
I certainly hadn't thought of it like this before.......
I hope it gives you some confidence in your future too - as it did me when I read it.
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Supplying your needs
What ever your "need" is this week, take some time to reflect on these words - again not mine, but something to take into the week.!
In this quiet place with you I bow before your throne
I bare the deepest part of me to you and you alone
I keep no secrets for there is no thought you have not know
I bring my best and all the rest to you and lay them down
With all my heart I want to love you Lord
And live my life each day to know you more
All that is in me is yours completely
I'll serve you only with all my heart
You faithfully supply my needs according to your plan
So help me Lord to seek your face before I seek your hand
And trust you know what's best for me when I don't understand
Then follow in obedience in ev'ry circumstance
With all my heart I want to love you Lord
And live my life each day to know you more
All that is in me is yours completely
I'll serve you only with all my heart
I feel verse 2 is very much needed for me and some others that I know in my "social circle"
May God supply your needs - trust in Him and spend some time on your knees (see James 4 vs 10 (The Message) )
Let God know you are willing and available - and pray...
All that is in me is yours completely
I'll serve you only with all my heart
In this quiet place with you I bow before your throne
I bare the deepest part of me to you and you alone
I keep no secrets for there is no thought you have not know
I bring my best and all the rest to you and lay them down
With all my heart I want to love you Lord
And live my life each day to know you more
All that is in me is yours completely
I'll serve you only with all my heart
You faithfully supply my needs according to your plan
So help me Lord to seek your face before I seek your hand
And trust you know what's best for me when I don't understand
Then follow in obedience in ev'ry circumstance
With all my heart I want to love you Lord
And live my life each day to know you more
All that is in me is yours completely
I'll serve you only with all my heart
I feel verse 2 is very much needed for me and some others that I know in my "social circle"
May God supply your needs - trust in Him and spend some time on your knees (see James 4 vs 10 (The Message) )
Let God know you are willing and available - and pray...
All that is in me is yours completely
I'll serve you only with all my heart
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