Lessons from the kids in the choir: Sing along even when you don't know the words.

I work with fifth and sixth graders at my church. There are many reasons why I LOVE this age group. They're a lot of fun for me. By fifth grade kids understand that life is hard at times, but they have not been bogged down with just how depressing life REALLY can be yet, and most kids are still very impressionable at this age.

I wrote previously about the kiddos from our church who sang and helped lead worship on Palm Sunday. There are so many things we can learn from kids. Today I want to tackle one more I learned while listening and watching them. Here it is: sometimes we go through a season when the things we are singing don't make complete sense to us, but we sing anyway.

When you go through a SERIOUSLY hard spot in your life the last thing you want to do is belt out a chorus that suggests that God is good and is in control. Sometimes you get to church and you just want to hide your face and cry in a corner. Satan will try to tell you, "Stop going to church! You don't need all that stuff!" Satan always has your worst interests in mind. "Stay at home and RELAX and you'll feel so much better," He lies to you.

If God suggests something it is ALWAYS in your best interest! Anything that contradicts His word is NOT from Him...and if it is NOT from HIM, then it is from....right...Satan...the one who leads your life into a state of utter chaos and destruction. Here's what the Bible says about going to church.

"Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching." -Hebrews 10:25

Do not give up going...like many other people are doing. The Day (capital D) is the day of Jesus' second coming. The Day (capital D) is approaching. NOW is your time. Don't wait until next week because you are too tired, too ornery, too ugly in the only shirt you have to wear, having a really bad hair day because God made it rain and rain makes your hair frizzy and He knows that-- so really it's His fault you aren't going to church. No, none of that nonsense. If you don't have clean underwear you just go commando. If you are tired, you go and rest your eyes when you need to. If you are invited to an amazing hoppin shindig on Saturday night that lasts until 3:00 AM, you choose to leave early. Plan it in. Make it priority. Just like when you take out your trash once a week so it doesn't pile up and make weird smells, attracting maggots and what not, you take out your emotional trash and get renewed once a week at least at church. When you choose to go to church, the things you learn there will NOT be learned in vain. You WILL use that wisdom down the road. Don't take my word for it. The Bible says this:

"As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it." -Isaiah 55:10-11

Listen. CHURCH is one of the places you get your spiritual nourishment, (SO VITAL) but you can do that on your own at home. Church is more than that, though. It is also the place you connect with other believers. Satan wants you isolated and alone. He can attack you so much harder when you are alone. You are so much weaker when you are alone.

"Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken." -Ecclesiastes 4:12

Bond with believers and see how you are strengthened when you join together and acknowledge how God is at work. Make a connection with someone who is going through something similar to you, or who has already been through what you are going through, and be encouraged. You are not alone, and what you go through is NOT new. No matter what you are facing...whatever trial you are in the middle of....someone can relate to you and help you find God in your situation. Satan wants nothing more than to get you hovering in a corner, scared and ashamed, thinking that you are HORRIBLE and not worthy of love. God wants you to live in freedom.

Okay, so back to the kids at my church. "Hallelujah" they sang. It's a big word. The kids were in kindergarten-fourth grade. I know that some of them had no idea what they were singing...not because our children's pastor did not tell them, but because their sweet little minds cannot understand the true power of the words they were singing. It's okay though. No one expects them to understand every word, or even to get every word right. Sing from your heart sweet little ones, and trust that God is going to reveal what those words mean to you in due time.

If you are feeling like you are in a spiritual rut, it's okay. Keep coming to church. If you feel like you don't understand what everyone is talking about, it's okay. Keep coming. Someday the message will be seasoned by your life experiences and it will hit you differently. You'll be surprised how the words bring new meaning and you'll be blessed. Not feeling blessed? Keep coming. Trust that God is going to speak to you and that He will bless the time you put into seeking Him.

Just like the sweet children who swayed joyfully back and forth while belting out the songs just for the pure joy of making music for the Lord, we can come and enjoy the service unashamed and open to what God wants to say to us. I was blessed because as I watched the children I knew they would remember those words forever and someday it would make sense. SOMEDAY, those kids are going to go through a life experience that is going to rattle their cage a little bit and one of these songs will come to their mind. They memorized the words so they could easily pull them out when they needed them. One day it will all come together and they will stand strong in their faith, holding on to the TRUTH that God wants to speak over them, they will be blessed, and God "will accomplish what He desires and achieve the purpose for which He sent it".

Every parent knows that they have to keep instilling the same values into their children if they are going to really "get it" later. You don't just say, "brush your teeth" once and hope they brush their teeth the rest of their lives. You tell them EVERY single day, over and over and over again, until FINALLY, one day they choose to do it on their own. God is your Heavenly Father. He knows what you need, and He has your best interests in mind. Take a deep breath feel His love for you as you let that one sink in. Ahhhhhh...

Thank you Lord. That you know EXACTLY what we need and that you have supplied us with a Bible to turn to for answers, and you have designed the idea of a church body to be there for us when we need spiritual nourishment and emotional encouragement. You are a wise God who loves us, and we thank you for that.

Poll results: Who introduced you to the idea of salvation in Christ?

18 answers.
Answers reflect who comes to my site.

Mom or Dad: 7 (38%)
Neighbor: 0 (0%)
VBS Teacher: 1 (5%)
Pastor: 4 (22%)
Youth worker: 1 (5%)
I read a tract: 0 (0%)
Friend: 3 (16%)
Other: 2 (11%)

Comfort for those who are struggling to overcome the lure of sin

1 Corinthians 10:13

"No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it."

Philippians 4:13

"I can do everything through him who gives me strength."

2 Corinthians 12:10

"That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

Philippians 2:13

"working in you, giving you the desire to obey him and the power to do what pleases him."

2 Timothy 4:17

"But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength."

Hebrews 2:18

For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

Hebrews 4:14-16

Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

James 1:2-5

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.

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.

James 1:12-15

Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

The difference between salvation and sanctification, as I understand it.

I wanted to make a really cool (or what I thought would be cool) illustration, and I just couldn't muster it up...so here's my second best option for making the point I want to make.... (great set-up, I know)...

YOU-GOD

YOU-SIN-GOD

YOU-SIN-SIN TO COVER UP PAST SIN-GOD

YOU-SIN-SIN TO COVER UP PAST SIN-NEW SIN-GOD

YOU-SIN-SIN TO COVER UP PAST SIN-NEW SIN-DEEPER SIN-GOD

YOU-SIN-SIN TO COVER UP PAST SIN-NEW SIN-DEEPER SIN-JUSTIFICATION FOR SIN-GOD

YOU-SIN-SIN TO COVER UP PAST SIN-NEW SIN-DEEPER SIN-JUSTIFICATION FOR SIN-REALLY UGLY THING YOU NEVER IMAGINED YOURSELF DOING-GOD

YOU-SIN-SIN TO COVER UP PAST SIN-NEW SIN-DEEPER SIN-JUSTIFICATION FOR SIN-REALLY UGLY THING YOU NEVER IMAGINED YOURSELF DOING-GUILT AND SHAME- GOD

YOU-SIN-SIN TO COVER UP PAST SIN-NEW SIN-DEEPER SIN-JUSTIFICATION FOR SIN-REALLY UGLY THING YOU NEVER IMAGINED YOURSELF DOING-GUILT AND SHAME- HURT, PAIN, DISAPPOINTMENT- GOD

YOU-SIN-SIN TO COVER UP PAST SIN-NEW SIN-DEEPER SIN-JUSTIFICATION FOR SIN-REALLY UGLY THING YOU NEVER IMAGINED YOURSELF DOING-GUILT AND SHAME- HURT, PAIN, DISAPPOINTMENT- GOD

YOU-FORGIVENESS-CLEAN SLATE-HOPE FOR THE FUTURE-GOD

YOU-GOD


THE BAD NEWS ABOUT SIN FOR THE UNBELIEVER.
The bad news is that your sin separates you from God and all the blessings he has for you. The road that leads us to indulge in our sinful nature is the road that leads to death. Period. If you are human, you are a sinner. There is no way around that, and the sin that separates you from God is the one that keeps you from getting into Heaven. Heaven is perfect, so sin can't exist there, so YOU can't be there...unless, of course, someone perfect pays the price, and offers themselves as a sacrifice for you.

THE GOOD NEWS ABOUT SALVATION.
Salvation is the process of being saved. If you pray the prayer asking for forgiveness, acknowledging that God is who He says He is and that He died on the cross for your sins, asking God to take away your sin, then YOU are saved by the power of Christ that is in you. Salvation really is that simple. It really is just a moment of declaration that God is THE God of your life, and accepting that He calls you to be with Him. With salvation, there is immediate freedom in knowing that our sins are forgiven. The cleansing of our souls is rejuvenating and energizing. Awesome, one time experience.

WHAT IS SANCTIFICATION?
Sanctification is something different. Sanctification is a process. Where Salvation is a solitary act that wipes away all of the sin from our past and becomes the bridge that gets you into Heaven when you die, sanctification is a process that continues on for the rest of your life here on earth until you are in Heaven.

Unfortunately, we are still human, and we are still drawn to worldly things. We let our guard down. We forget what God told us was important. The old boyfriend comes back around and puts temptation in front of us again and we fall into a trap of sin we never intended to fall into. We're not perfect, but with God in our hearts, we can be made perfect. Sanctification is the process of being made more and more into the likeness of God until the day we are made perfect in Heaven. God wants you to be close to Him, so He will continue nudging you and drawing you closer to Him. His spirit convicts you when you go off course, and you can ALWAYS come back at ANY time, ask for forgiveness, and get a clean slate again.

THE BAD NEWS ABOUT SIN FOR THE PERSON WHO IS STRIVING TO LIVE FOR GOD.
If you decide to let things come between you and God, (sin) you will find yourself feeling off. Where is that hope I once had?? All sins start with a wrong thought left unchecked. If you ignore that still, small voice telling you to bolt in the other direction, entertaining thoughts of how fun, satisfying, or liberating indulging your sinful nature would be, you are setting yourself up for making a bad choice. Every sin has a consequence. We still have to deal with the consequences of sin here on earth, whether we choose to acknowledge that we are sinning or not. If we allow sin to creep into our life, little by little Satan gets a stronghold over us until we don't know how to get back to where we were. We feel lost. God's will won't seem clear anymore. It will be very hard to discern where God is at work in your life and around you. You'll start to doubt God because you won't be able to see Him. If someone asks you where God is at work it will seem foggy. Your prayers will seem strained, at best. You'll miss out on the blessings that come with obedience to God. Satan is a thief and a liar.

"I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." John 10:9-10

Satan's attacks on you are inevitable. Satan is the thief that steels your joy, and zest for life. Don't fall into his trap.

A WORD OF ENCOURAGEMENT FOR THOSE WHO ARE STRUGGLING, AND WANT TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT ACCORDING TO GOD.
When you catch yourself coming off the path that leads you closer to God, stop yourself, ask for forgiveness and get yourself distracted with what God has for you. Make a choice to run from the appeal of the sin that presents itself in a pretty package. Find an accountability partner...someone you trust who will hold you to the standard God asks of you. Check out the post after this one if you feel you are weak in standing up to the lure of sin in your life. It's verse after verse of what God has to say about how you can avoid sin in your life. You have the power of God on your side. You can be more than a conqueror when you seek God, and tap into the power He provides.

In the words of Susie Larson, "Be strong and last long! God is the one who will keep you strong to the end."

God bless.

When the world falls apart...

Lessons from the kids in the choir: Know who you are following.

A few weeks back, our church decided to have the children bless us by leading the music for a couple of songs. They were super cute, as was expected. Their parents dressed them in their cutest little dresses and button down shirts. They were excited. It was Palm Sunday, and they knew exactly what to do with their little branches.

My husband and I chuckled as one of the kids tried to go straight when the line of children was supposed to turn. All the other kids happily followed right behind the wayward child, figuring he knew what he was doing. One of the leaders saw the problem and tried to redirect him, but by then the whole line was going off course. My husband and I thought it was hilarious. Kids are always so much cuter when you are not the one responsible for them, aren't they? :) Somehow the leader managed to turn them all back around and get them going in the right direction until they ended up on the stage.

We sometimes act like those adorable children, don't we? We get all dressed up and get into line, figuring the people ahead of us know what they are doing. He looks like he knows what he's doing, so I will just follow him....only to find out that the guy we were following only LOOKED like he knew what he was doing.

Who do you follow? You are following someone, whether you like it or not. Your thoughts are not original. Mine aren't either. I'm not trying to call you out. I am just saying, "there is nothing new under the sun." The stuff that you come up with that you thought was extraordinary...chances are good that you didn't come up with it. You just forgot where you got it from. :) You probably heard something somewhere and it sounded right to you, and it is just finally sinking in now.


Be careful who you follow. Know what the Bible says. Do you know what the Bible says about following other people who look like they know what they are doing? The Bible actually says A LOT about this issue, which lets me know that it IS a struggle for humans. Why else would God choose to hit on this topic over and over and over again? Allow me to share a handful of verses with you that speak on the concept of knowing what the Bible says and measuring what you hear from the people around you against what the TRUTH (the Bible) says.

VERSES FROM THE BIBLE...

"Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world." (1 John 4:1)

"Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves." (Matthew 7:15)

"The old prophet answered, "I too am a prophet, as you are. And an angel said to me by the word of the LORD: 'Bring him back with you to your house so that he may eat bread and drink water.'" (But he was lying to him.) (1 King 13:18)

"This is what the LORD Almighty says: "Do not listen to what the prophets are prophesying to you; they fill you with false hopes. They speak visions from their own minds, not from the mouth of the LORD." (Jeremiah 23:16)

"and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people." (Matthew 24:11)

"For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect--if that were possible." (Matthew 24:24)

"I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them." (Romans 16:17)

A STORY FROM THE BIBLE... Numbers 13:1-14:45 tells of a story in the Bible of a time when God told Moses to send 12 spies to the land that God had promised them... Canaan. After spying for forty days, the spies were to bring back food from the land and report on what they saw.

When Moses sent them to explore Canaan, he said, “Go up through the Negev and on into the hill country. See what the land is like and whether the people who live there are strong or weak, few or many. What kind of land do they live in? Is it good or bad? What kind of towns do they live in? Are they unwalled or fortified? How is the soil? Is it fertile or poor? Are there trees in it or not? Do your best to bring back some of the fruit of the land.” (It was the season for the first ripe grapes.) (verses 17-20)

The spies came back from their excursion and went to Moses and Aaron and everyone else and showed them the fruit. The spies said, "We went where you told us to go. There were rivers of milk and honey and here's some fruit we found. But the people who live there are strong and the cities are surrounded by walls. Our enemies are all over the place in that land."

Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.” (verse 30)

But the other spies spoke evil words. "No way!" they said. "They're stronger than us. That land eats people. And we saw people there that were so tall that we were like grasshoppers to them."

All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, and the whole assembly said to them, “If only we had died in Egypt! Or in this wilderness! Why is the LORD bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword? Our wives and children will be taken as plunder. Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?” And they said to each other, “We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt.” (Numbers 14:2-4)

Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces in front of everyone.

Joshua and Caleb tore up their clothes and said,

“The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good. If the LORD is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and will give it to us. Only do not rebel against the LORD. And do not be afraid of the people of the land, because we will devour them. Their protection is gone, but the LORD is with us. Do not be afraid of them.” (Numbers 14: 7-9)

But the people wanted to kill Joshua and Caleb with rocks.

God's analysis, and the outcome from all of this...Only Caleb and Joshua got to go to the land where there are rivers of milk and honey. The kids will get there, too. (God's grace in action)

So tell them, ‘As surely as I live, declares the LORD, I will do to you the very thing I heard you say: In this wilderness your bodies will fall—every one of you twenty years old or more who was counted in the census and who has grumbled against me. Not one of you will enter the land I swore with uplifted hand to make your home, except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun. As for your children that you said would be taken as plunder, I will bring them in to enjoy the land you have rejected. (verses 28-30)

And all the spies who lied about the land got a plague and died after 40 years of wandering in the land they said they would rather stay in.

WHAT WE CAN LEARN FROM THIS STORY...

When God speaks, we ought to listen. It is not uncommon to let your fears and anxieties take over until you are no longer acting out of your faith anymore. To cower back to your old ways of bondage and live a life in disappointment and shame is "normal." The crowd chose to agree with the majority who said, "this is TOO hard for us! Let's just go back to what we know."
God had GREAT things in store for them, if they just would have trusted him!
What amazing things do we forfeit when we choose to grab hold of what we think we want rather than stepping out in faith to see what God has for us that is better? You won't know until you step out in faith! Do not get side-tracked, bogged down, and caught up in your own selfish desires and insecurities. God has more for you than that. When you step out in faith, you step away from the thing that was holding you captive and say, "GOD, you are BIGGER than this thing!" Blessings are just around the corner. Hold on tight. It's about to get exciting! :)

THREE QUESTIONS:

1. Who are you following?

2. Who are you leading?

3. Does answering those two questions provoke a nudge of conviction in you?

If your answer to number 3 is yes, please pray and seek where God is at work in your heart and in your life.

"A thousand people wait on the other side of your obedience." -Susie Larson

Dear God,
I want so much to be on the receiving end of your blessings. I want to be strong in my faith. I want to be the kind of person who reports back to the crowd, "WE can DO THIS! God said we can; therefore, WE CAN. Period." I'm sorry, Lord, for the times I have shrunk back and allowed others to bring my faith down because of their lack of faith. Help me to see the truth around me. Give me holy discernment, that allows me to know when the things I am hearing are not from you. I will take you at your word, Lord, and trust you to be who you say you are, and I will choose to trust that you can do what you say you will do. I'm all yours Lord. Make my life a testimony of your strength, power and victory. Amen.

By your love, others will know you serve a God who loves them.

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
-John 13:34-35

This verse kept coming to my mind today. As a child I think I read this verse thinking, "because I am a believer I must make an effort to love everyone around me". That wasn't a bad thought. The truth was, I did not possess a lot of love for everyone as a child, because I was very egocentric (thinking the world revolved around my every little desire)...a common characteristic trait for young children, it seems. :) Sometimes we do what we know God wants us to do, even though we have not FELT it yet. I will choose to show love to people, because that is what God wants, even though there is part of me that would really just rather punch their face in. :) (I'm being overly dramatic here, for fun, but you get my point)

Now, it's different. I'm not perfect, by any means, but some of the things that God calls me to seem easier now that I have been doing them for so long. Loving people is not a chore. It's not this thing I have to really work hard to muster. I can't help but love people around me. I see their pain, and I identify on some level, and I cannot help but have compassion for them. It got me thinking.

God calls us to do things...out of love. Sometimes we feel like doing those things (like David, in the Bible) and sometimes we would rather crawl in a hole or run the other direction (like Jonah in the Bible) but we can be assured that IF we obediently follow God's prompting for us that He will bless it. God wants to use his people to love on his other people. He cares about the hurting. As we act out of the love HE has given us, we are creating an atmosphere around us where, "people will know that we are God's disciples".

I used to think "well, even a non-believer loves someone, so how is THIS any different?" This is not a matter of just being "civil". This is a matter of stepping out in faith, and trusting that God is going to be glorified when we take radical steps to love those around us. Respecting others is a thing we are forced to do, by the law. If I infringe on your rights, I am in trouble. Even a non-believer must adhere to the law. There are consequences when we don't. LOVING others with God's love is different. It is this thing you do when your heart breaks for someone who is hurting, and even though you may never get anything back, you reach out and pull them up from where they are. This might mean setting aside my personal agenda, seeing others with the expectation that God has GREAT things in store for them, and helping them to get to a point where they can see that too.

Where is God's nudge for you today, and in your future? Where does your heart break? If He is calling you to move forward in love, DO IT! Tear up your list of excuses not to and move ahead, praying as you tackle the thing He is calling you to do. You will be blessed in the process and people will know that you are God's disciples. To God be the glory, for the love we learn to possess for others as we reach out and serve with a humble heart.

"Developing radical faith really happens one obedient step at a time." -Susie Larson