What are you singing today?

So many times I ask "what are you listening to?" and today I thought I would change it a little . . . we are told in the Bible:

speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord,

or as another translation says:

addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart,

Both of these are Ephesians 5:19, but they are slightly different. Another translation says "in your heart" and I think all three are correct!

We can make melody in our hearts if we are not in a situation where we can sing aloud, and we also should sing from our heart and with all our heart!

So, what are you singing today?

Why do we obey? (Continued)

We touched on this last time . . . some people (and we might be in the boat with them) obey Jesus' commands because of the fear of punishment. Maybe their grandma or parent told them about the fires of hell. Maybe they heard sermons about it. What does the fearful person look like? The person who simply wants to escape the fires of hell?

Now, before we go any further, let's pause briefly. I know there are some people who would point out that it's OK to be motivated by fear. They even show us verses that talk about it:

               ....fear the Lord and shun evil.   Proverbs 3:7

               ....work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works
               in you.  Philippians 2:12,13

But let's examine this more closely.
Did you know that in the Old Testament, there are ten nouns and eight verbs that can all be translated into the word "fear"? And it is in the New Testament that we find four different words that all translate to "fear."  Oy. We need to figure this one out, right?
When you and I think of fear, we put it in the category of worry, anxiousness, dread, frightened feelings, etc. Everything from butterflies in our tummy to true horror and dismay. Just one word. Maybe the ancient world had a better idea -- lots of different words to convey different meanings! Anyway, this is all what we'd call the "spirit of fear" like in this verse:

               For God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love,
               and of a sound mind. II Timothy 1:7

The fear that is mentioned in the verses at the top of this post is a reverence for God. The spirit of fear can be harmful, but the fear of the Lord does us a world of good. We are not stricken by terror, we are brought to reverence and awe by the thought of our Father God and His blessings.

                For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but
                you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry,
                "Abba, Father!"  Romans 8:15

So the "right kind" of fear, the kind that is spoken of in both Proverbs and Philippians, is a reverence for Him. It is a reverence that makes us take great care and thoughtfulness to make certain that we don't come up short in our following Jesus. This type of fear is a great guard to preserve us from evil. This reverence will cause us to think before we act. This is a reverence that will cause us to put Christ and our witness for Him before our own selfish desires, and it will keep us from making foolish mistakes. Not all the time, for we are creatures that forget. But the more we model this reverence, this fear of God, the fewer selfish mistakes we will make. Where do we get this? He gives us this ability. It is His grace that reminds us and that bends our wills; His grace works in us; He enables us to act according to His principles. Kinda takes the stress off, right? (Grin) We have the Creator of the universe that helps us!
Are we supposed to have a fear of the Lord, then? Yes, that fear is the reverence and awe of God; it is that we put God first, and far above all else in our lives!
But are we to have an unhealthy fear of God? No! We should not dread Him. We should not be terrorized by the thought of God. Why should we? He is a loving Father:

                If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your
                children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to
                those who ask Him!  Matthew 7:11

Those who will obey God because they fear punishment have a difficult time drawing near to God. They have a hard time with worship and praise, since it is difficult to embrace something that frightens you. They fear that God will reject their efforts to obey Him. That is far from the truth. And it's a lack of faith. He has promised that He will meet our needs. He has promised He will grant our requests. He is a loving Father . . . let's ask Him today to help us reverence Him; let's ask Him today for wisdom as we move about in this world -- show us, Lord, when we stray and sin. Show us the pathway that we need to walk, to follow you so closely that Satan has no opportunity with us. Show us how to walk with you so that others see Christ, and not us.

All of these are requests that will honor Him, and He will grant them. We need only to ask.

Friday slowdown

When we walk with the Lord In the light of His word, What a glory He sheds on our way! While we do His good will, He abides with us still, And with all who will trust and obey. 
Trust and obey, for there's no other way To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey. 
Not a burden we bear, Not a sorrow we share, But our toil He doth richly repay; Not a grief or a loss, Not a frown or a cross, But is blest if we trust and obey. 
But we never can prove The delights of His love Until all on the altar we lay; For the favor He shows, For the joy He bestows, Are for them who will trust and obey. 
Then in fellowship sweet We will sit at His feet, Or we'll walk by His side in the way; What He says we will do, Where He sends we will go; Never fear, only trust and obey.

Why do we obey? (Part II)

Please be sure to check out our focus passage today and then join us for the study.
Sure, go ahead.
We'll wait till you get back. The verses are John 14:15,21-24.

Ah, there you are. Great, let's get back to our study.
The first reason that we noted yesterday for believing and obeying Jesus' commands is the reward of heaven.
There are people who obey our Savior for the simple reason that they are hoping to get something out of it. (I know, right?)
What is this like?

Well, since their obedience is linked to a reward, these people will always have their hand out. What do I mean? Either short term, or long term, these folks are always expecting God to "bless them real good" because they have been so good!
It's as if they are channeling the little kid in them, and they expect God to be their parent and dole out an allowance to them for good behavior. Or that He is their personal Santa Claus, and they have been very, very good.
Whoa, pardner.
Yes, we do believe that whatever we ask for in Jesus' name, we can receive. After all, Jesus just told us that back in verse 14 of this same chapter. But that is not a magic formula for getting our prayers answered!
Instead, it is a confirmation that God will answer our prayers because we have Jesus within us, in His Spirit. So, we are not going to use prayers as a frivolous thing, but rather we will pray the same kind of prayer that Jesus would pray.
Ummmm, what are our prayers usually like? OK, no fudging here. Are we in a crisis, asking for help? What kind of help? Do we ask to be removed from the crisis, or do we ask for strength and wisdom to get through it and be a witness to His power?
I guess that Jesus wouldn't pray many of the prayers that we do. We are so quick to ask for God's blessings. So quick to seek relief from any kind of difficulty or hardship. We know in our hearts that He will be with us, is with us in the hard times. But we want to scoot away from those times that will teach us so much. And those situations are nothing compared to what Jesus faced; they are small potatoes compared to the suffering of the cross -- He didn't try to shy away, in fact He embraced the suffering that He knew was ahead of Him.
He lived with the reality of God's grace and the Father's presence in His life -- He lived this moment by moment. We need to understand this in the same way -- God's blessing and His presence is upon us right here . . . right now.

                I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it
                is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the
                secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or
                hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through
                him who gives me strength.  (Phil. 4:11-13)

Paul had learned (and it didn't come easily) the secret of contentment. Each of us needs to learn that, too! Christ is with us even in the midst of difficulties, suffering and pain. He will give us all the strength we need for each moment. He will be true to His word, and be faithful to us.  We don't need to ask God to make us comfortable, or to remove our difficulties, or to give us an allowance, or a reward because we've been good. He has told us that heaven is ours, and more blessings beside.

Why do we obey?

 

“If you love me, you will obey what I command . . . 21Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him.” 22Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, “But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?” 23Jesus replied, “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.”   (John 14:15,21-24) 

This passage can be read on the surface and you just think, yeah, that sounds nice. I love Him and I keep His commands . . .
On the other hand, if you really dive in, it can be a wee bit intimidating -- you mean, if I don't keep His commands, then I really don't love Him?  Or, if I keep His commands, no matter the motivation, then I love Him?
Oy.
Let's dive in and keep your eyes open so we can figure this out, OK?

Jesus actually says this four times here; I kinda think He was trying to make a point, and I really want to make certain I understand it correctly! It's clear that He is linking obedience to His commands as a sign, or a proof of the genuine love of His followers.
It's really important, though, to look at what He DIDN'T say -- He did not say, "If you keep my commandments, then you love me." That could mean that love is flowing from my obedience, and that could be a flawed reasoning.
Let me show you an example. Recently I have become much more careful to use my seat belt when I drive into the town near me.  Why?  Well, I almost received a ticket for not wearing it -- I actually had it under my arm instead of over my shoulder, because I am short, and the belt really bothers me if I wear it "correctly." OK, I am more careful about wearing it the right way now. So I am obeying the law, right? But my obedience has not made me "love" the deputy that stopped me late at night and scared me to pieces. Nor has my obedience made me "love" the town that says he can stop and ticket me for not wearing it.
Truthfully, my obedience to the law hasn't even made me agree with the law, although it's written "to protect" me. I saw nothing wrong with my shifting the belt for my comfort, and since I was going very slowly in a town with very low speed limits, I feel I was in no imminent danger. I simply don't think my opinion is worth a hefty ticket fee. (Grin)

Jesus said, "if you love me, then you will obey my commandments." In other words, love produces obedience. It is possible to obey Jesus' words and not love Him, but it is impossible to love Him and not obey Him.
Got it?
As parents, we know that our kiddos will obey us for many different reasons. Sometimes they do what they're told because they are out to get something that they want. (Really? Those little schemers...) Sometimes they obey because they're afraid of being punished. (Yep, it happens.) Sometimes they obey us parents simply because they must; they have no choice. (Grumble, grumble.) But you and I both know that it's wonderful when they obey simply because they love us!

So let's look at ourselves. Look slowly, and thoughtfully. And honestly.
Do we obey Jesus because we are hoping for the reward of heaven?
Do we obey Him because we are scared of being punished?
Or do we obey Him because we are forced to; we have no choice, like the self-righteous Pharisees?
Lastly, do we obey Jesus simply because we love Him?

We need to be very careful that we don't fool ourselves. Think about your motivations, your reasons. Do we really know the motives of our own hearts?

                The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can
                understand it?  (Jeremiah 17:9)

Let's study this passage and think about these reasons for obedience. Let's see if we can apply this to our lives . . .

Verses that inspire

I'd like to encourage everyone who stops by the blog today to pause a moment and leave a specific comment: tell us a verse that has meant a great deal to you in the past week.

So many of us are facing similar challenges, heartaches and joys -- the verse that helped you this week might be just what another woman needs to hear!

I'll share one to get us started . . . kinda long, but oh, so wonderful!

Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
    will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
² I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
    my God, in whom I trust.”

³ Surely he will save you
    from the fowler’s snare
    and from the deadly pestilence.
⁴ He will cover you with his feathers,
    and under his wings you will find refuge;
    his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
⁵ You will not fear the terror of night,
    nor the arrow that flies by day,
⁶ nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
    nor the plague that destroys at midday.
⁷ A thousand may fall at your side,
    ten thousand at your right hand,
    but it will not come near you.
⁸ You will only observe with your eyes
    and see the punishment of the wicked.

⁹ If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,”
    and you make the Most High your dwelling,
¹⁰ no harm will overtake you,
    no disaster will come near your tent.
¹¹ For he will command his angels concerning you
    to guard you in all your ways;
¹² they will lift you up in their hands,
    so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
¹³ You will tread on the lion and the cobra;
    you will trample the great lion and the serpent.

¹⁴ “Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him;
    I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
¹⁵ He will call on me, and I will answer him;
    I will be with him in trouble,
    I will deliver him and honor him.
¹⁶ With long life I will satisfy him
    and show him my salvation.”
(Psalm 91)

There are things going on in our lives that we may not understand at this time; but as Charles Stanley often preached, we must not fret or whine. We need to ask ourselves, "What is my Father trying to teach me in this situation?"  There must be a reason, for He tells us that even though we don't understand, we must accept that . . .

"My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts," says the LORD. "And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. Isaiah 55:8

Share with us a verse or two that has inspired, comforted, or challenged you. God may use it to help someone else, too!

John 14:12-14 Greater works?

Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves. ¹² Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. ¹³ And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. ¹⁴ You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

This is a pretty amazing passage, is it not?
Does anyone besides me hear the theme for Mission Impossible playing? I mean no sacrilege; how in the world can we, as mere followers, do something this huge, this impossible?
Greater works?
But our Savior did not, could not lie. And He said it.
Let's dive in!

First, let's look at the things that Jesus did . . . we can find examples in His feeding over 5,000 people with just a boy's lunch; He walked on water; He told the wind the waves to "be still" and they did.
Are we going to do greater miracles than our Savior?
Nope.
He said we would do greater works. Let's look back at some ground that we already plowed, OK?

            For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, and he
           will show him even greater works than these, so that you will be amazed.
           ²¹ For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the
           Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it. ²² Moreover, the Father
           judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, ²³ that all may
           honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the
           Son does not honor the Father, who sent him.“Very truly I tell you, whoever
           hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be
           judged but has crossed over from death to life. ²⁵ Very truly I tell you, a time
           is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of
           God and those who hear will live. (John 5:20-25)

There's that term, greater works, again. To put this in context, we remember that this was when the man who'd been an invalid for over thirty years was healed. He was lifted up physically.
Even greater than lifting up someone physically is lifting them up spiritually. The greater work is salvation -- when people pass from spiritual death into spiritual life.
Even though Jesus performed many miracles, His primary work was not healing people, walking on water, etc. The primary thing that Jesus was concerned about was seeking and saving those who were lost!

            For the son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
            (Luke 19:10)

Jesus wanted to see sinners saved -- and then He says we will do that, too!  Remember the scene at Pentecost? More people were converted in that one day than were recorded converted in the whole three years that Jesus was teaching and preaching here on earth. Remember the verse where Jesus says the fields are "white unto harvest"? He is talking about a harvest of souls . . . we are building on the foundation that He laid!
Jesus began the work; we are supposed to work hard to bring it to completion. Jesus knew what was coming. He knew that we would have the privilege of "harvesting" many souls; we are able to tell many people of His love.
The darker the world gets, the more brightly our light can shine. And now it can shine through radio and television, across our land, and across the globe. Our light can shine further now than could even be imagined before.
Think of all the way we have to witness -- a word for Christ to a neighbor or acquaintance, giving money for missions to spread His gospel -- I'm sure that you can think of many other ways that we can fulfill this verse:

             But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you
             will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and
             to the ends of the earth.  (Acts 1:8)

In our passage, He promises to do these works through us. And this applies to our witness here at home, and our witness around the world . . . when we ask something that is according to God's will, and we know it is His will, He promises to make it happen!
We are able to bring glory to God by seeing people saved. That's worth devoting our lives to. That is worth committing ourselves to doing. It's way, way bigger than us, or our problems. We can do greater works, with His power and Spirit.
We have a great commission, and we can tell of a great salvation; it can conquer a great need, and bring glory to our great God!
Let's get busy!