Worship Invitation

Come to Me

“Jamie Grace” was the first thought that came to my head upon waking Sunday morning, followed by the name of her song entitled “Come to Me.”  I had been thinking of a song the previous morning, and had gotten up fully intending to not just write the title down, but to go ahead and type it straightaway into my daily PC journal.  (I did remember my Easter lesson!)  However, after turning the computer on, I became distracted looking at the devotionals online and then couldn’t remember the song.  I repented of not writing the title down immediately upon waking (trying again to do things my way without even realizing it!), asking the LORD to please restore to my remembrance what it was.  In His mercy, I believed that He had answered my prayer with restoration, so I thankfully just reached over, got a pen along with something to write on, and wrote down the song title.

Come to Me

Turning over to go back to sleep, my eyes fell on the words I had written, and they became rhema to my spirit as an invitation: Come to Me!  (… as though God was making His appeal through those words – 2 Corinthians 5:20)

I had not really planned to go to church that morning, wrestling in my mind and my heart about some things, and circumstances appearing the night before as if my attendance would be prohibited.  But I had been asking for guidance, and it looked as if this was God’s faithful answer.  Things fell into place such that not only was I being invited, but also the way was being made for me to go, and I was able to go to the early gathering for the first time.

Sitting in church, thanking God for His gracious invitation and provision such that I would be there, I sensed the instruction of His loving, gentle rebuke:  It didn’t matter what I thought or felt about some things; what mattered was where He would have me worship Him.  [… and later, by extension, how]

So a couple of days later, in hearing of how God, in His great mercy, had seen fit to encourage someone through something He had led me to do / say, I was so humbled, and gratefully pondered the way (Romans 8:28-30) He truly works all things together for the good of all of us us (as I was likewise encouraged by the report of God's goodness - Hebrews 10:25!) … all glory and praise be unto His Name!  How Great is Our God!!!

Jude 1:24-25 (KJV)

²⁴ Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,

²⁵ To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.

… and my journey with Him continues …

Devotional thoughts - Mountains, High Places

Thinking about today’s My Utmost for His Highest:

Can You Come Down From the Mountain?

While you have the light, believe in the light . . . —John 12:36

We all have moments when we feel better than ever before, and we say, “I feel fit for anything; if only I could always be like this!” We are not meant to be. Those moments are moments of insight which we have to live up to even when we do not feel like it. Many of us are no good for the everyday world when we are not on the mountaintop. Yet we must bring our everyday life up to the standard revealed to us on the mountaintop when we were there.

Never allow a feeling that was awakened in you on the mountaintop to evaporate. Don’t place yourself on the shelf by thinking, “How great to be in such a wonderful state of mind!” Act immediately— do something, even if your only reason to act is that you would rather not. If, during a prayer meeting, God shows you something to do, don’t say, “I’ll do it”— just do it! Pick yourself up by the back of the neck and shake off your fleshly laziness. Laziness can always be seen in our cravings for a mountaintop experience; all we talk about is our planning for our time on the mountain. We must learn to live in the ordinary “gray” day according to what we saw on the mountain.

Don’t give up because you have been blocked and confused once— go after it again. Burn your bridges behind you, and stand committed to God by an act of your own will. Never change your decisions, but be sure to make your decisions in the light of what you saw and learned on the mountain.

The website (www.utmost.org) also features a quote by the author from one of his books (shown as “Wisdom from Oswald Chambers”) which, at the moment I was reading the devotional, said:

Civilization is based on principles which imply that the passing moment is permanent. The only permanent thing is God, and if I put anything else as permanent, I become atheistic. I must build only on God (John 14:6). The Highest Good—Thy Great Redemption, 565 L

Both the devotional and the quote make me think of this Scriptural event:

Matthew 17 :1-21 (KJV)

 And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart,

² And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.

³ And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him.

⁴ Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.

⁵ While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.

⁶ And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid.

⁷ And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid.

⁸ And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only.

⁹ And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead.

¹⁰ And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come?

¹¹ And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things.

¹² But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them.

¹³ Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist.

¹⁴ And when they were come to the multitude, there came to him a certain man, kneeling down to him, and saying,

¹⁵ Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatick, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water.

¹⁶ And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him.

¹⁷ Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me.

¹⁸ And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour.

¹⁹ Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?

²⁰ And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.

²¹ Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.

The devotional piece also makes me think of the book, Hind’s Feet on High Places, by Hannah Hurnard, where the last two chapters are entitled “High Places” and “Return to the Valley.”  One internet description of the book referenced, “Lessons learned on the slopes of the high places…”  And this reminds me of:

Psalm 18:31-33

³¹ For who is God save the Lord? or who is a rock save our God?

³² It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect.

³³ He maketh my feet like hinds' feet, and setteth me upon my high places.

 

... and my journey with Him continues ...

Easter 2013

Woke up this morning thinking of the lyrics, “set me free … none but Jesus.”  I wasn’t quite ready to get up, so I thought I’d just text these lyrics to myself and go back to sleep.  The thought came that if I did that, that would be all I got; but if I would just wake up enough to write these words down, I would be given more.  Thankfully, I made the decision to grab a pencil, find some paper, and write.  Just after I jotted down the lyrics, the question came, “How can [I] be disobedient in any [thing / way] when [I] consider the price paid to ransom me?” 

Because I had been so personally focused on the crucifixion of Christ after attending a Good Friday service, the question loomed large.  I wondered what area of disobedience the question was addressing, and immediately got an answer.  I thought of all the fearful thoughts and feelings I had about obedience in this regard, and realized how trivial they were in the face of Jesus’ obedience and sacrifice.  I repented and asked the Lord’s forgiveness, resolving to obey as soon as I got up.  Then I heard Christy Nockels’ voice singing “Grace Flows Down” in my head.  I turned over in the bed and my hand landed on a journal given me by a friend.  So, another directive: the online devotional blogging may be over, but my personal journaling has to be stepped up a notch.  Ok.

I thought of the phrase, “obedience is better than sacrifice” from 1 Samuel 15:22-23 (NKJV):

²² So Samuel said:

“Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices,
As in obeying the voice of the Lord?
Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,
And to heed than the fat of rams.
²³ For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft,
And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.
Because you have rejected the word of the Lord,
He also has rejected you from being king.”

(The NCV rendering of verse 23 begins: “Disobedience is as bad as the sin of sorcery.  Pride is as bad as the sin of worshiping idols.”)

And I thought about the greatest obedience (that of Jesus) that led to the greatest sacrifice (Jesus’ crucifixion)…

So I didn’t go to church today, on Easter / Resurrection Sunday.  Instead, I was honoring the ransom paid for me by obeying the voice of my Lord.

LORD, please help me remember this lesson and live it, through Your grace, every day of my life. Thank You for Your all-consuming love for me…

… and my journey with Him continues …

Devotional thoughts - Lent 2013 - day 46 (2)

So, in the quiet, hearing God’s voice … a tender correction.  I had recently been at an event with two young ladies, and before we got to the gate, one of them noticed that the venue wouldn’t allow the outside food or drinks (even water) which we had with us.  When we went back to the car to divest ourselves of these restricted items, I made some glib comment about items in our pockets probably not being detected when our handbags were searched.  When we got to the gate, though, not only were our bags searched, but we were asked if we had food or drinks.  I didn’t think about it at the time, but today the Lord was showing me that had we actually been trying to sneak in our snacks (which we really didn’t have any intention on doing), we would have either had to lie or turn over the disallowed items.  So I was convicted to call and apologize for even jokingly suggesting that we try to act in a way that was not in accordance to what was accepted.  After all, 1 Thessalonians 5:22 (AMP) instructs us to:

²² Abstain from evil [shrink from it and keep aloof from it] in whatever form or whatever kind it may be.

During the ensuing discussion with one of the young ladies, she mentioned how having items confiscated during her recent travels had taught her to not even try to get around restrictions – to be mindful of what the restrictions were and make every effort to be in compliance with them.  I thought this a valuable lesson to remember in life’s journey as well.

The Daily Guideposts 2013 devotional for today mentions “a story from the life of Francis of Assisi” which seems similar:

 

One evening Francis was sitting before a fire, when a novice drew near to speak with him about acquiring a prayer book.  The novice, knowing how passionately the founder of the Franciscans felt about not owning things, was nevertheless asking for permission to own one.

 

“Then,” Francis said to him, “you will want a fancy Bible too.  And then you will seat yourself in a pulpit like a great priest and beckon to your companions, saying in a proud voice, ‘Bring me my Bible!’”

 

Taking up some cool ashes from the nearby fire, Francis gently smeared a line of ash on the forehead of the novice, saying, “There is your prayer book.”

This makes me think of the progression and conclusion mentioned in James 1:14-18 (AMP):

¹⁴ But every person is tempted when he is drawn away, enticed and baited by his own evil desire (lust, passions).

¹⁵ Then the evil desire, when it has conceived, gives birth to sin, and sin, when it is fully matured, brings forth death.

¹⁶ Do not be misled, my beloved brethren.

¹⁷ Every good gift and every perfect (free, large, full) gift is from above; it comes down from the Father of all [that gives] light, in [the shining of] Whom there can be no variation [rising or setting] or shadow cast by His turning [as in an eclipse].

¹⁸ And it was of His own [free] will that He gave us birth [as sons] by [His] Word of Truth, so that we should be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures [a sample of what He created to be consecrated to Himself].

 

And this makes me think of a song I recently heard Christy Nockels sing, “Already All I Need”.

 … and my journey with Him continues …

Devotional thought - Lent 2013 - day 46

I was thinking about how Jesus’ disciples must have felt on the day after His crucifixion - their sadness, disappointment, confusion, hopelessness, helplessness, any guilt or shame for abandoning Him, loneliness, grief, despair.  Today’s Daily Guideposts 2013 devotional speaks to this, starting with these words:

This is one of those few days on the calendar when we don’t quite know what to do with ourselves.  Some call it “Black Saturday.”  Jesus’ body lies in the tomb on this day, and our churches are usually quiet and dark until tomorrow morning, when we begin to celebrate.

But before Easter Sunday comes, there is a time to be quiet, to listen for God’s voice.  …

Then today’s God Calling begins:

Be calm, be true, be quiet. I watch over you.

In the darkness, to remember that He is watching over all.  To have faith… part of last night’s God at Eventide says:

I must trust Myself and My Cause to My followers who see me with the eyes of faith. How else can I be loved and known?

 They will meet Me, the outcast Savior, when I am performing no mighty deeds, wandering unheeded and unacclaimed through dark and lonely ways, and they will pause, all other pursuit forgotten, and will yet turn and follow Me.

Follow because of some chord in them responsive to the yearning of My Heart for Man, who has shut Me out. Follow, too, because of that in Me which is responsive to the cry of man's hungering soul.

 … and my journey with Him continues …

Devotional thoughts - Lent 2013 - day 45 (2)

Good Friday - BibleGateway.com Verse of the Day, 2 Corinthians 5:21:

For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.  – KJV

God made this sinless man be a sin offering on our behalf, so that in union with him we might fully share in God’s righteousness.” – CJB

God had Christ, who was sinless, take our sin so that we might receive God’s approval through him. – GW

He orchestrated this: the Anointed One, who had never experienced sin, became sin for us so that in Him we might embody the very righteousness of God. – VOICE

Christ did no wrong thing. But for our sake God put the blame for our wrong ways on Christ. So now God sees us as good, because we are in Christ. – WE

Christ never sinned! But God treated him as a sinner, so that Christ could make us acceptable to God. – CEV

Him, who knew no sin, he hath made sin for us, that we might be made the justice of God in him. – DRA

Christ had no sin, but God made him become sin so that in Christ we could be right with God. – ERV

For our sake He made Christ [virtually] to be sin Who knew no sin, so that in and through Him we might become [endued with, viewed as being in, and examples of] the righteousness of God [what we ought to be, approved and acceptable and in right relationship with Him, by His goodness]. - AMP

The Our Daily Bread stated, in part:

When Jesus died, He shared in what all of us must experience. But far beyond that, He did what none of us can do. He paid the price for our sins that we might be forgiven and have eternal life through faith in Him.

Scripture from Good Friday service:

1 Peter 3:18 (New Life Version)

¹⁸ Christ suffered and died for sins once for all. He never sinned and yet He died for us who have sinned. He died so He might bring us to God. His body died but His spirit was made alive.

… and my journey with Him continues …

Devotional thoughts - Lent 2013 - day 45

Ok – some other things about yesterday that I didn’t see until today:

On the radio, there was an opinion question about which people were calling and commenting.  The question involved something about a father whose young daughter had not seemed to have the right attitude about passing food to a sibling at dinner. The father reminded his daughter about Jesus’ attitude in serving, shown in the fact that Jesus would wash the feet of His disciples.   I thought it was cute when the two songs I remember playing during the discussion were Chris Tomlin’s I Will Follow, and Jamie Grace’s You Lead.

The Our Daily Bread devotional from yesterday also mentioned Jesus’ last meal with His disciples – the time and place where He washed His disciples’ feet.  And yesterday’s verse from You_Version at www.twitter.com/Daily_Bible  gives Jesus’ take on His role of service in instruction to His followers on servanthood and leadership:

For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many. http://bible.us/Matt20.28.NLT

Then, yesterday’s devotional from the 2013 Daily Guideposts, entitled “Maundy Thursday: Following the Teacher” also mentioned Jesus’ washing of the disciples’ feet – including Judas – “around the table of what we have come to know as the Last Supper.”

So I think again of some of the lyrics of Stuart Townend’s song, How Deep the Father’s Love for Us:

Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom

Thank You, Jesus …

… and my journey with Him continues …