Singer of Songs

I’m not a savior, and I’m not a saint.
The man with the answers I certainly ain’t.
I wouldn’t tell you what’s right or what’s wrong.
I’m just a singer of songs.

But I can take you for a walk along a little country stream.
I can make you see through lovers’ eyes and understand their dreams.
I can help you hear a baby’s laugh and feel the joy it brings.
Yes, I can do it with the songs I sing.
I’m not a prophet, and I’m not a priest.
I’m not a wise man who’s come from the East.
I wouldn’t tell you what’s right or what’s wrong.
I’m just a singer of songs.

But I can take you to a city where a man was crucified.
I can tell you how He lived, and I can tell you why He died.
I can help proclaim the glory of this mighty King of kings.
Yes, I can do it with the songs I sing.
I’m not a great man. I don’t claim to be.
But when I meet my Maker and He questions me,
I won’t hang my head. I will stand proud and strong
and say, “I was a singer. Lord, I was a singer.
Yes, I was a singer of songs.”

-Johnny Cash

From Ray Ortland

“You turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God.” 1 Thessalonians 1:9

You and I are not integrated, unified, whole persons. Our hearts are multi-divided. There is a board room in every heart. Big table. Leather chairs. Coffee. Bottled water. Whiteboard. A committee sits around the table. There is the social self, the private self, the work self, the sexual self, the recreational self, the religious self, and others. The committee is arguing and debating and voting. Constantly agitated and upset. Rarely can they come to a unanimous, wholehearted decision. We tell ourselves we’re this way because we’re so busy with so many responsibilities. The truth is, we’re just divided, unfocused, hesitant, unfree.

That kind of person can “accept Jesus” in either of two ways. One way is to invite him onto the committee. Give him a vote too. But then he becomes just one more complication. The other way to “accept Jesus” is to say to him, “My life isn’t working. Please come in and fire my committee, every last one of them. I hand myself over to you. Please run my whole life for me.” That is not complication; that is salvation.

“Accepting Jesus” is not just adding Jesus. It is also subtracting the idols.

#9: What does it mean to “accept Jesus”? is a post from: Ray Ortlund

Life and Godliness

Once again in my circles there has been a wave of this question, if God is so loving, why do bad things happen? (And let me clarify, the following does include suffering such as child molestation, rape, financial loss, physical disability, disease, death and the like.) This is something I have been studying for years and when leaning on my own understanding it really doesn't make any sense. But through Scripture, illuminated by the Holy Spirit, it makes perfect sense.

Paul tells us, to keep me from becoming conceited... a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited (2 Corinthians 12:7). Paul says, to keep me from becoming conceited, twice in this passage. Kinda repetitive, right? Apparently the emphasis is not that Paul was given a thorn in his flesh, but that it was given to keep him humble.

So what does Paul do with that? He rejoices. Why? Well he tells us, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, (Romans 5:3-4). And again, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

So he is saying is we suffer and enjoy it? No. He is saying when we suffer (and Peter tells us we will, 1 Peter 4:12) we are to turn to our merciful Savior and rejoice in the work being done in our suffering. Both Peter and James speak on this as well.

1 Peter 1:6-8:
In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

If necessary. As God saw it necessary to give Paul a thorn in his flesh; He may find it necessary for us to suffer that we may be purified. However, there are varying degrees of suffering (none more important to God than another) and not all will endure the same suffering.

2 Peter 1:3-4:[God's] divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us to His own glory and excellence He has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature.
Ultimately, what we need for life and godliness is the knowledge of Christ. Yet for those who are in the wilderness, do not despair. Your God has not forgotten you, there is a divine purpose. What is necessary for life and godliness does include suffering and in that suffering we have the pleasure of vision in saturated colors. Notice Peter says twice this is granted to us - a gift.

1 Peter 5:10
And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.


Peter is telling us that, in the midst of our suffering God is at work in our hearts. He is at work to:
purify (tested genuineness): dokimion - that by which something is tried or proved
perfect: katartizō - mend, complete, equip;
confirm: stērizō - to make stable, to render constant one's mind;
strengthen: sthenoō - make strong of one's soul;
establish: themelioō - to lay the foundation.

Ah, to lay the foundation. I love that. I have seen God tearing down strongholds all the way to the bedrock so He may lay His foundation. It is painful when my teetering tower comes crumbling down, but I am far better off as God places me on His Cornerstone.

James puts this pretty succinctly as well:
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
James 1:2-4

Lacking in nothing. We have been granted all things that pertain to life and godliness, and that includes all suffering because God will use it to purify our faith, restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish us that we will be lacking nothing for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for us. No matter how gruesome the offense, how devastating the loss, we are given an opportunity to cleave to our Savior as He does the work. I can tell you dear friends that this process of pruning - however painful - produces something more valuable than if the suffering never happened at all. It produces knowledge of, and fellowship with our Savior who suffered more than anyone ever in all eternity. More than that, Christ shows us the hope produced through suffering by the inexpressible glory that resulted in His crucifixion.

...and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
Romans 5:5

Wholehearted trust accepts authority

Wholehearted trust accepts authority

Back to the Basics...

... and taking a chill pill called, trust.

http://www.youtube.com/user/jennijenlynn#p/a/u/1/tepU3yD2flY

Proverbs 1:7

I have been studying humility for a few months which has been terribly awesome! You know when you ask God for humility, or patience, or a loving heart and then things become difficult? He gives us an opportunity to be humble, an opportunity to be patient, an opportunity to show someone love... and boy, does He know what buttons to push! He gives us the opportunity, we fail, He picks us up, dusts us off and sends us out again.
Since i find myself in this situation often, i thought to myself, self if this is so hard then why the heck do you keep asking?! I guess i would rather have it hard and be more like my Lord than to have it easy and be more like me. I'm pretty sure i am not masochistic, so there really isn't any other explanation.

Whenever i ask of God, i always think of King Solomon. In 1 Kings chapter 3, God offers King Solomon, "Ask what I shall give thee," and Solomon asked for, "an understanding mind... that I may discern between good and evil" (vv. 5, 9). In remembering this, after i have asked i ask above all for wisdom. And what is wisdom?

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge;
fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Proverbs 1:7

In a day when we are trying to see how much we can get away with with the least effort, the kind of knowledge that honors God demands discipline and wisdom. Discipline takes effort and, at times, pain. Wisdom is the proper application of knowledge in a certain situation. When we know that God will ultimately judge all of His creation for how we use the resources that He provides for us, we have the fear of the Lord. That proper reverence is what causes us to tell the truth when no one cares, to act honorably when no one sees. This is the beginning of knowledge (emphasis added).

Today’s commentary by:
Dave Whitehead, Senior Pastor, GraceNYC.org

Rejoice or Die

Lately i have been more and more exhorting myself with my mantra/motto, Rejoice or Die. I realize it sounds pretty dramatic but here is my logic (a.k.a. my interpretation of scripture) behind it.

Paul tells us over and over in the the New Testament to sew to the Spirit and rejoice in all circumstances:

For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.
Galatians 6:8,9

Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you.
Philippians 3:1

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.
Philippians 4:4

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

It seems to me that if Paul was so intent on us rejoicing in all circumstances, there must have been an urgent reason. If i do not rejoice, my proclivity is toward bitterness or self pity which is sinfully thinking i deserve better than what God has given me. This is sinful because God tells us that by His divine power, God has given us everything we need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3) which includes any suffering He deems necessary. Rejoice not in the suffering but in the result of the suffering after God has done His work!
Choosing not rejoice may lead to bitterness to which i apply:

Abstain from every form of evil.
1 Thessalonians 5:22

Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.
James 1:15

These passages - and knowing my heart - bring me to the conclusion that not rejoicing may easily lead to bitterness (desiring 'better' than my portion) which is a form of evil. It is sin and sin fully grown leads to death. So really, it takes only three steps to go from rejoicing to death. I guess that is why i take it so seriously as (i believe) Paul did too.

Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you.