I’ve been listening to my conversations with people lately, and the words I am hearing are not pleasant. Complaints. Impatience. Annoyance. Don’t I regularly speak about the power of praise? Didn’t I write an entire book about God’s blessings in the face of disability and despair? Don’t I stand and lead others in worship in all times, good and bad?
If so, then why am I not wrapping myself each day in the protective blanket of praise?
And now that I’m thinking about it — where has my joy gone?
The Bible says that “The joy of the Lord is my strength.”(Nehemiah 8:10)
Look a little more closely at that verse and we can see that the word “strength” here (Ma`owz) means
“place or means of safety, protection, refuge, stronghold place of safety, fastness, harbour, stronghold refuge (of God), human protection.”
And since the Word of God is Truth, then shouldn’t I praise God (choosing thanksgiving over complaints) all the more on my darker days? Days when the reality of my situation would lead me to despair and hopelessness, choosing instead to focus on God’s promise of a future?
Choosing joy over ingratitude bring me to a place of safety, protection and refuge.
There’s God’s infallible promise, written clearly in Nehemiah. A gift from God, the secret to overcoming.
In today’s worship moment, I am passing along a truth that I learned from singer and songwriter Laura Story, who surprised us by showing up to lead worship at Church at Charlotte this morning. Laura says in her new song “Blessings,”
What if…the aching of this life Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can’t satisfy And what if trials of this life The rain, the storms, the hardest nights Are your mercies in disguise?
I think she’s on to something. A truth I keep trying to burn forever into my heart but find a need for frequent reminders. So today, I’m choosing gratitude instead of self-centerness. I’m choosing to find God in the simplest joys of life.
I’m choosing life, not death, a life of abundance lived right here, right now.
Here are my Worship Weekend videos to bless you today:
Want to experience something divine? Have you ever felt the goosebumps of brushing up with the divine nature of Christ? Do you want to know where we can go to fully experience the Holy Presence of God?
If so, let’s take look at a special miracle that occurred at a pool of healing waters, the Pool of Betheseda. This story provides a clue on how we, too, can encounter God’s power. This story provides a clue about where we can go to experience the supernatural Presence of God.
FASCINATING NOTES:
Jesus’ first public miracle takes place near the Pool of Betheseda, which means “house of mercy” and “house of grace”
The pool of Betheseda is located near the Sheep Gate (also called “Lions Gate”) the place where the sheep were washed to be sacrificed for the atonement of sins.
The Sheep Gate is on the Via Dolorosa, (Latin for “way of grief” or “way of suffering.” This was Jesus’ walk to the cross.) Jesus would have walked past those sheep as He went to the cross as the perfect Lamb of God!
The following short video looks at the miracle at the Pool of Bethesda, and studies Scripture to find how we, too, can experience the divine in this life:
Today’s post on God’s Promises for Living takes a look at Romans 8:28 as it relates to the call God has placed on your life.
Has God called you for a special purpose? If you are a child of God, the answer is “Yes!” But … do you seem far away from meeting your Heavenly calling?
If you feel far away from that goal, here’s a look at Romans 8:28. God is right now behind the scenes of your life, training and preparing you for amazing things for His glory! Consider this your official “training ground” and be encouraged to press on! Watch this video:
26-28 Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God’s Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don’t know how or what to pray, it doesn’t matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God. That’s why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good.
28 We are assured and know that [God being a partner in their labor] all things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to and for those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose.
My grandmother used to say, “Be patient, Kelly. You’re married a long time.” Her emphasis was on the word “long.” I grimaced each time she said those words. After all, I was still single with a heart’s desire to be married. Grandma’s warnings were colored by her own struggles in marriage, I reasoned. But me? I wanted to be married, and not to anyone, either. I wanted to be married to “The One.” The man who God would pick for especially for me.
Growing up in a broken home and surrounded by broken marriages for most of my life, my childhood was anything but stable. My mother spent years trying to get marriage right, never finding the right fit. My father did find a woman that he loved very much, but my sister and I struggled to find our place in his new life. I remember many nights lying in my bed in tears, longing for the kind of family that my friends had. In hindsight, I realize now that no family is perfect. But even so, my one prayer that I carried throughout life was that when I married, I would marry God’s pick for me and that the marriage would not end.
I had experienced enough pain from divorce to last a lifetime. And I didn’t want to cry those tears again.
Tomorrow my husband and I will celebrate our 15th anniversary, and I’ve never regretted a single day of our marriage. I know that Matt is “The One.” But how? How am I so sure?
For my anniversary, let me give you the 5 Reasons Why I Knew He Was The One. If you are asking yourself today, as I did fifteen years ago, “How can I be sure he’s the one?”, maybe these reasons will encourage you in some way:
1. I Asked God to Show Me His Will
This simple step is often forgotten in the wonder and excitement of being in love and contemplating marriage. I wanted to be sure that Matt was the right man for me. Oh, he seemed right. But could I trust myself? I had made poor choices in relationships many times. So I asked God to show me clearly that Matt was right for me. And God answered. Not once, but three times. The last time, as Matt greeted me with a hug, I prayed a silent prayer, God, I know you have shown me before, but I have to ask you just one more time…Is Matt Your choice for me? At that moment, Matt said to me entirely out of the blue, “Kelly, do you know what my name means?” I shook my head. Then Matt whispered words into my ear that I will never forget: “It means ‘God’s Gift.’“ Tears welled in my eyes and I finally knew. God was sending His blessing.
2. He Wanted to Know More about God
God had spent the last three years healing the emotional wounds of my soul. As A result, I was flowing with gratitude for His restoring love and passionate about my faith. The strength of that passion must have been strange to Matt, coming from a more reserved spiritual background. Yet rather than pulling back, Matt was intrigued by my faith and wanted to know more about this God Who had healed my brokenness. Today, Matt and I share a passionate faith together, praying our way though all of life’s difficulties.
3. He Never Played Games with Me
You know what I mean. The “I’ll call you tonight” and then not doing it. The safe distance. Matt did not play those games. He was simply Matt. Always there, and always doing what he said he would do. This behavior was entirely new to me. I had unconsciously chosen distant men for most of my relationships. Matt was never distant. It took a while to feel comfortable with that kind of honesty. After all, I was scared of getting hurt again. But God walked me through that fear and I’m so glad He did.
4. I Had Dealt with My Emotional Baggage
Marriage is hard. If I had met Matt before allowing God to poke at the raw spots in my heart, I would have never been ready to meet the real deal. I would have run for the hills in a panic from a man who was confident enough to pursue me. For most of my life, I didn’t feel worthy of being loved. But as I surrendered my pain–ugly scars and all–to God, He loved me unconditionally. Finally, I had a taste of the kind of love that God intended me to have in marriage. Unconditional love.
5. He was in It for the “Long Haul”
It was some time after Matt and I were married that I finally got it through my thick head that he wasn’t going to leave me. Again and again, Matt told me that he was in it for good. “For the long haul,” as he said. It took a long time to accept that, but finally, God helped me to release the pain of past and trust not only God, but Matt, too. Trusting a man to stay, after the instability I experienced as a child, was hard. If our marriage was to work, I had to learn to trust again.
In our fifteen years, Matt has truly stayed for the long haul. We’ve wept through prayers for our autistic son. We’ve held each other up through severe financial stress. We’ve laughed a little every day, and we’ve managed to stay best friends. I know that no marriage is perfect, and neither is ours. It takes work.
This much I know for sure: I asked God to show me if Matt was the man for me, and God did just that. God blessed me with a wonderful man, and I honor God by loving that gift with everything that I am. My vows to Matt, uttered fifteen years ago, weren’t vows to Matt alone, but to God as well.
The same God that encouraged me to let go of the pain and trust Him.
Praise and Worship in Battle: Can you imagine sending a praise team into battle ahead of the soldiers? That’s exactly what the Israelites did in 2 Chronicles 20. This act of faith and worship brought about an amazing supernatural victory. It’s a fascinating story that I want to share with you.
In this Bible story, which I talk about in the video below, King Jehoshaphat discovers that praise and worship is one of the mightiest methods of warfare that believers can use against the enemy. When you face walls that keep you from your own Promised Land — the place that God prepares you for — follow King Jehoshaphat’s lead, declaring the victory for God and praising Him for the victory that lies ahead. Then you, too, will see God move in mighty ways!
21 After talking it over with the people, Jehoshaphat appointed a choir for God; dressed in holy robes, they were to march ahead of the troops, singing,
Give thanks to God, His love never quits.
21 Then he consulted with the people and appointed some to sing for the LORD and some to praise the splendor of [His] holiness. When they went out in front of the armed forces, they kept singing:
Give thanks to the LORD,
for His faithful love endures forever.
21 After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the LORD and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying:
“Give thanks to the LORD,
for his love endures forever.”
Each Worship Weekend, I want to give you a special video. Here’s one by U2. Enjoy!:
Do you see God as distant? Uninvolved? Do you ever wonder if God really cares for you? If so, then take a look at the promise found in Zephaniah 3:17. In this video, I look at an exciting promise in one of the lesser known books of the Bible:
The LORD your God is among you,
a warrior who saves.
He will rejoice over you with gladness.
He will bring [you] quietness with His love.
He will delight in you with shouts of joy.
Not only does He delight in us–in the same way that we delight whenever a beloved child of our own walks into the room–but He is also a warrior fighting for our good. He is with us at all times, ready to save us in our time of need.
Watch this video for more on this amazing promise:
The LORD your God is among you,
a warrior who saves.
He will rejoice over you with gladness.
He will bring [you] quietness with His love.
He will delight in you with shouts of joy.”
Jerusalem will be told:
“Don’t be afraid.
Dear Zion,
don’t despair.
Your God is present among you,
a strong Warrior there to save you.
Happy to have you back, he’ll calm you with his love
and delight you with his songs.
The Lord your God is in the midst of you, a Mighty One, a Savior [Who saves]! He will rejoice over you with joy; He will rest [in silent satisfaction] and in His love He will be silent and make no mention [of past sins, or even recall them]; He will exult over you with singing.
This is the first of my “Worship Weekend” video posts that will feature a special thought on the topic of worship.
Worship is a key component to living a victorious life in sync with God’s purpose and will. Worship is not just about singing songs on Sunday… it’s something you do with your entire life.
In this video I share some thoughts about the impact of drawing near to God’s presence, and why it matters:
Do you have any thoughts about worship? Do you wonder why it’s important or why it matters to God?
If so, let’s talk! I would love to discuss the topic with you. Leave your comments below!
Have you wondered what Christianity is all about? Or, have you feared you have “lost” your salvation? If so, then God’s promise – in the very words of Jesus – found in John 10 is for you:
“The sheep that are My own hear and are listening to My voice; and I know them, and they follow Me.”
The question is….do you recognize His voice?
The following video takes a look at this promise and why the Good Shepherd will never lose a single one of His flock:
The sheep that are My own hear and are listening to My voice; and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never lose it or perish throughout the ages. [To all eternity they shall never by any means be destroyed.] And no one is able to snatch them out of My hand. My Father, Who has given them to Me, is greater and mightier than all [else]; and no one is able to snatch [them] out of the Father’s hand.
Jesus answered, “I told you, but you don’t believe. Everything I have done has been authorized by my Father, actions that speak louder than words. You don’t believe because you’re not my sheep. My sheep recognize my voice. I know them, and they follow me. I give them real and eternal life. They are protected from the Destroyer for good. No one can steal them from out of my hand. The Father who put them under my care is so much greater than the Destroyer and Thief. No one could ever get them away from him. I and the Father are one heart and mind.”
My sheep hear My voice, I know them, and they follow Me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish —ever! No one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all. No one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. The Father and I are one.”
To be in the hands of Christ, is to be high in his esteem and favour; the saints are a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of their God; they are a signet on his right hand that shall never be plucked off; they are engraven on the palms of his hands: to be in the hands of Christ, is to be in his possession, and at his dispose, as all the elect of God are; and to be under his guidance, care, and protection, as they be; they are fed according to the integrity of his heart, and guided by the skilfulness of his hands; they are always under his care and watchful eye, who protects them from all their enemies, and hides them in the hollow of his hand: hence, because they are so, they are called “the sheep of his hand”, ( Psalms 95:7 ) . And none shall ever pluck them from thence; no man can do it, not any false teacher can remove them from Christ, by all the art and cunning he is master of; nor any violent persecutor, by all the force and power he can use; nor can any sin, or snare, or temptation, draw them out of Christ’s hands; nor any adversity whatever separate them from him: they must be safe, and always abide there, who are in the hands of Christ; for his hands have laid the foundations of the heavens and the earth, they grasp the whole universe, and hold all things together; and who then can pluck any out of these hands? Moreover, Christ, as Mediator, has all power in heaven and earth; and even as man, he is the man of God’s right hand, made strong for himself.
We all set goals for ourselves, especially at the start of the new year. But what happens when we experience failure or when we slip up? If we love the Lord, then we can depend on a promise found in Roman Chapter 8, one that gives us the grace to strive for our best without performance anxiety.
This year, I will be starting a series of short videos focusing on the promises of God. I am a strong believer in promised-based living. Each of these short video posts will feature a single promise. I will also be posting scriptures with discussion on why we can trust the Promise Maker.
Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God’s Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don’t know how or what to pray, it doesn’t matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God. That’s why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good.
We are assured and know that [God being a partner in their labor] all things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to and for those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose.
Finally an affordable Bible app. This one is fantastic, beautifully designed and interactive. I highly recommend it. @bibleglo http://twitter.com/Kelly_Langston
Comments from Readers … or your turn to talk!