Monday July 1, 2013

[GinNJ]

Matthew 6:24 (NET)

24No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.

Matthew 28:16-20

16So the eleven disciples went to Galilee to the mountain Jesus had designated. 17When they saw him, they worshiped him, but some doubted. 18Then Jesus came up and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

So, as of last evening I thought that I had my verse and song and was all set. Then God intervened this morning (while I was at the gym of course) and everything changed.

I was lamenting about going back to work after spending a beautiful week in God’s service ministering His love and His word to the most precious of all…children. I was wishing that I could do that all of the time. Well, there is a reason why God doesn’t have all of His disciples working within church fellowships. We are out in the ‘world’ for a reason. Jesus lays it out…plain and simple…in these verses. We get immediate gratification when being ‘Christians’ within our churches. In the world we don’t. This doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t serve with equal focus and passion in both spaces. In fact, in the world we get more jeers than cheers. If we let those jeers deter us then we aren’t serving the way that we should. The great thing is that Jesus is there to lead us and give us strength. He knows that we can’t, in and of ourselves, serve Him the way we should and He doesn’t expect us to. We must be plugged into Him…prayer, time in the word and fellowship with committed Christians keep us plugged in. He promises to be with us always! What an awesome promise that is!!


Song for the week...

Until the Whole World Hears - Casting Crowns

Lord I want to feel your heart
And see the world through your eyes
I want to be your hands and feet
I want to live a life that leads

Chorus
Ready yourselves
Ready yourselves
Let us shine the light of Jesus in the darkest night
Ready yourselves
Ready yourselves
May the powers of darkness tremble as our praises rise
Until the whole world hears Lord we are calling out
Lifting up Your name for all to hear the sound
Like voices in the wilderness we're crying out
As the day draws near
We'll sing until the whole world hears

Lord let your sleeping giant arise
Catch the demons by surprise
Holy nation sanctified
Let this be our battle cry

Chorus

We'll sing until the whole world hears
We'll sing until the whole world hears

Want to be your hands and feet
Want to be a life that leads
To see you set the captive free
Until the whole world hears
And I pray that they will see more of you and less of me
Lord I want my life to be the song You sing
Until the whole world hears Lord we are calling out
Lifting your name up for all to hear the sound
Like voices in the wilderness we're crying out
As the day draws near
We'll sing until the whole world hears
We'll sing until the whole world hears
We'll sing until the whole world hears
We'll sing until the whole world hears
We'll sing until the whole world hears
We'll sing until the whole world hears

[Miami]

John 15:1-7

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. ...

[Deleted]

“But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.” –Isaiah 40:31

“Honor His holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice. Search for the Lord and for His strength; seek His face always.” – 1 Chronicles 16:10-11

“Wait for the Lord, and He will make it right.” –Proverbs 20:22

“God, examine me and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.” –Psalm 139:23




“Sweetly Broken” by Jeremy Riddle

To the cross I look, to the cross I cling
Of its suffering I do drink
Of its work I do sing

For on it my Savior both bruised and crushed
Showed that God is love
And God is just

At the cross You beckon me
You draw me gently to my knees, and I am
Lost for words, so lost in love,
I’m sweetly broken, wholly surrendered

What a priceless gift, undeserved life
Have I been given
Through Christ crucified

You’ve called me out of death
You’ve called me into life
And I was under Your wrath
Now through the cross I’m reconciled


In awe of the cross I must confess
How wondrous Your redeeming love and
How great is Your faithfulness

[GinNJ]

UF...I love that song so much. We sing it on Wednesday nights once in a while. It really melts my heart.