The Gift of Encouragement

"Encourage one another daily." - Hebrews 3:13 (NIV).

The word encourage is made up of two words: "en" meaning "in" and "courage." Literally, it means to put courage into another person. The gift of encouragement, that is, the ability to put courage into another person, is perhaps one of the better gifts one could wish to have. Furthermore, it is a gift that everybody has—either active or latent—or that can easily be developed. It is a gift

that is very much needed.

I read about an accountant who had worked for a business for many years who committed suicide. People wondered why he took his life. When examiners reviewed the company's financial records, not a single cent was found to be missing. Everything was in perfect order. They couldn't find any reason until they found a note he had written. It said, "In 30 years I have never had one word of encouragement. I'm fed up!"

Everybody wants to be appreciated and encouraged. So let each of us be sure we take our gift of encouragement, strengthen it through lots of practice and use, and take it with us and use it generously everywhere we go. And especially use it much at home.

Even when Jesus healed the ten lepers and only one came back to thank him, he asked, "Where are the nine?"  

Struggling to Believe

"Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world." - 2 Timothy 4:10 (NKJV). 


"Robert Robinson came from a poor family; his father died when Robert was a child and his mother sent him to London to learn barbering when he was a teenager. Instead he fell in with a gang and was involved in vandalism, looting and petty theft. They went to heckle a traveling evangelist, George Whitefield, who was preaching in the town square but Robert encountered the Lord Jesus and eventually accepted him as his Savior. He went on to become a renowned preacher and pastor, as well as a writer of extraordinary hymns and was well known throughout Europe. But late in his life he left the faith. We don't know the reason why, we don't know the circumstances, but the story is told that there came a day late in his life when he was traveling by stage coach, seated next to a woman who was humming the hymn, 'Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing.'


"If nothing else, maybe simply to make conversation, she asked him, 'Sir, do you know this song?'


"Robinson replied, 'Know it? Madam, I am the miserable man who wrote it and I would give a thousand lives to know the joy and peace that I knew then but I've lost it.'


"Mr. Robinson died shortly thereafter.


"'Come thou Fount' is one of my favorite hymns and that story is one of the saddest—and I am afraid, all-too-familiar—ones that I know."


This hymn also happens to be one of my favorites. The words of the last stanza say: "O to grace how great a debtor / Daily I'm constrained to be / Let that grace, Lord, like a fetter / Bind my wand'ring heart to Thee / Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it / Prone to leave the God I love / Take my heart, O take and seal It / Seal it from Thy courts above."

You Are Bad, When You spell it out. Blessed And Delivered

While shopping at a local mall, I spotted a man with an acronym on his shirt that had B.A.D. Me, being the person that I am (curious), stopped the man and asked, "What does B.A.D. stand for?" And trust me, you'll be amazed at what his response was.

He replied, B.A.D. stands for: "Blessed And Delivered." That thought stuck with me as I finished doing my shopping that day. So, I came up with a little advice for you today.

(1) When the enemy tries to attack you, just remember that you are B.A.D.!

(2) When things don't seem to be going right on your job, just remember that you are B.A.D.!

(3) When things are not looking good in your marriage,/relationships, just remember that you areB.A.D.!

(4) When folks scandalize your name, just remember that you are B.A.D!.

(5) When health challenges seem to overtake your body, just remember that you are B.A.D.!

(6) When the spirit of depression tries to overtake your mind, just remember that you areB.A.D.!

(7) When you have more month than money, just remember that you are B.A.D.!

(8) When your mode of transportation is not working right, just remember that you are B.A.D.!

(9) When the spirit of grief tries to paralyze you, just remember that you are B.A.D.!

(10)… And when you wake up in the morning to a brand new day, just shout to the heavens… Hallelujah! I AM B.A.D.!!!!!!!!!

Send this to somebody that you know is "BLESSED AND DELIVERED."

I Just did! YOU ARE B.A.D. So Have a B. A. D. Day!

The "Angel" Within

"So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image." - 2 Corinthians 3:18 (TLB).


I have read that "one of the most distinguished sculptors in American history was a man named Gutzon Borglum. He was a sculptor on a grand scale who is perhaps best known for his bust of Abraham Lincoln at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. On that project he carved the head of Lincoln from a large block of marble that had long been in his studio.


"The woman who cleaned his work area had swept around the formless mass of marble day after day for a long time. Then one day, as Borglum's work progressed, she began to see the face of Lincoln emerging from the stone. She quickly turned and, looking at Borglum, asked, "Is that master Lincoln?"


"Yes," he replied. 


"How did you know he was in there?" she asked.


"The great sculptor knew, for he had double vision. All great artists have such a gift. They see what is and what can be."


Years before Michelangelo said the same thing: "I saw the angel in the marble and I chiseled until I set it free."


And that's how God sees you and me. He sees the "angel" within us (our God-given potential) and when we are truly committed to him, through his Spirit he will keep "chipping away" until we become all that he envisions us to be.

There was a little boy visiting his grandparents on their farm. He was given a slingshot to play with out in the woods. He practiced and he practiced, but he could never hit the target. Getting a little discouraged, he headed back for dinner. As he was walking back he saw Grandma's pet duck. Just out of impulse, he let the slingshot fly, hit the duck square in the head, and killed it. He was shocked and grieved.

In a panic, he hid the dead duck in the wood pile, only to see his sister watching! Sally had seen it all, but she said nothing. After lunch the next day Grandma said, "Sally, let's wash the dishes." But Sally said, "Grandma, Johnny told me he wanted to help in the kitchen." Then she whispered to him,

"Remember the duck?"

So Johnny did the dishes.

Later that day, Grandpa asked if the children wanted to go fishing and Grandma said, "I'm sorry but I need Sally to help make supper." Sally just smiled and said," Well that's all right because Johnny told me he wanted to help." She whispered again,

"Remember the duck?"

So Sally went fishing and Johnny stayed to help.

After several days of Johnny doing both his chores and Sally's ...he finally couldn't stand it any longer. He came to Grandma and confessed that he had killed the duck. Grandma knelt down, gave him a hug, and said, "Sweetheart, I know.
You see, I was standing at the window and I saw the whole thing,
I was just wondering how long you would let Sally make a slave of you.
Hoping you would come tell me yourself, and because I love you, I forgive you."
Thought for the day and every day thereafter?
Whatever is in your past, whatever you have done...
and the devil keeps throwing it up in your face
(lying, cheating, debt, fear, bad habits, hatred, anger, bitterness, etc.) ...
whatever it is....
You need to know that God was standing at the window and He saw the whole thing.....
He has seen your whole life.
He wants you to know that He loves you and that you are forgiven.
He's just wondering how long you will let the devil make a slave of you.
The great thing about God is that when you ask for forgiveness,
He not only forgives you, but He forgets...
It is by God's grace and mercy that we are saved.

Letting Go to Find

"Whoever will lose his life for my sake will find it." - Jesus in Matthew (16:25). 




"True love is like quick-silver," said Ann Landers, "if you hold it in the palm of your hand, it will remain. If you try to grasp it, it will slip through your fingers." Perhaps this is what Jesus meant when he said, "Whoever will save his life will lose it: and whoever will lose his life for my sake will find it."


Some parents never let go of their children even when they are adults. Out of their own insecurity they cling to their offspring and smother them. In so doing they drive them away and the thing they need the most—love—they lose. As the saying goes, "If you love someone, let them go; if they come back to you, then they are truly yours. If they don't, they never were."


In other words, when we cling to life to live for ourselves or cling to someone else for our own sake out of our own need, we lose what we need the most—love. This is because we have mistaken need for love. Only as we let go of clinging are we free to love and live life to the full.


When we do this and truly love, we give love without strings attached. In so doing we receive more love to give.

Lord Help Me

When I stumble and fall, when I fail to forgive,

When I give way to anger, wash me clean.

Free me from mistrust, from bigotry and hatred.

Free me from resentments...

Lord, have mercy on me.

When I fail to welcome, when my words are a lie.

When my heart is prideful and cold, wash me clean.

When tempted and weak, when sinful and selfish.

Free me from the darkness of my shame.

Lord, have mercy on me.

Give me purity of heart,and a reverence for

All that lives; send me simplicity in all the

Ways of Your world. Wash me and clean me.

Teach me to listen to Your word. Open my

Ears to cries for compassion and help me to

Be an instrument of Your peace.

Lord, have mercy on me.

Kindness - The Simplest Act Of All

"But my life is worth nothing unless I use it for doing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus -- the work of telling others the Good News about God's wonderful kindness and love." - Acts 20:24 (NLT).

If your gift is to encourage others, do it! If you have money, share it generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly. - Romans 12:8 (NLT).
Kindness takes only a moment. Often, kindness does not involve work, or money, or even a huge commitment to bettering the world. So why do we not engage in this simple act of beauty more often? I don't know.

Kindness is picking up the phone and calling a friend or a relative who is sad, lonely, or depressed, and saying cheerfully, "I am thinking good thoughts about you," and then simply listening to them.

Kindness is the cost of a pretty card and a stamp to send a quick note of encouragement to a person that we have not thought of in a while.

Kindness is showing up to a church or charity function and uttering those magical words, "How can I help?"

Kindness is stopping on the street when we see someone in distress and saying, "May I help you in any way?"

Kindness is the price of a bunch of flowers, and a surprise half-hour visit to an elderly or ill person.

Kindness is placing a fresh, nutritious sandwich into the cap of a person on the street, who is begging for money.

Each of us has the capacity to come up with thousands of ideas of ways by which we can simply, easily, and inexpensively brighten someone's day. Remember that God brightens every one of our days by giving us food, health, love, and the very capacity to share our good fortune. But it is up to each of us to worship God by acting on that impulse to share.

His name is wonderful

His name is wonderful

Read Ahead: Exodus 20:7

Do not misuse the name of the Lord your God. Exodus 20:7, HCSB

When you hear people use God's name as a profanity or in a flippant way, what assumption do you make about their view of him? Do you think they understand what they're doing? If they really knew the one whose name they carelessly toss about, would it change their language?

Abusing God's name is much more than cursing. It involves anything that takes away from the value of God's name. It means mocking God--showing him contempt rather than the fearful reverence he deserves.

So there's more than one way to misuse God's name. Whenever we speak of God without absolute respect for who he is, we misrepresent him. Whenever we try to justify our sinful actions with the argument that we were only acting in obedience to God, we slander his character. Whenever we do anything ungodly in the name of Christ, we disgrace the name of God. Using a Bible verse to justify our own sin tarnishes God's name. Claiming to be a Christian, yet living as if God has no power to help us, treats God as less than he is.

There's a price to be paid for mocking the Lord's name. He will not stand for such disrespect. There is too much at stake. He will protect his reputation. So if you have been careless in the way you represent God, seek his forgiveness immediately, and begin to show him the respect he deserves.

Why are names so important? Why is God so concerned about his?

Read Up: 1 Samuel 12:20-24, Ezekiel 36:20-23 

Why Temptation is Like Ice Cream

"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." - 1 Corinthians 10:13 (NIV).

Nelson Searcy tells of a study that was conducted about the best tasting ice cream. Members of the control group were blindfolded and given all kinds of vanilla ice cream to taste—quality brand ice cream, gourmet ice cream, homemade ice cream, cheap ice cream and everything in between.


It didn't matter if it was gourmet, brand name, or homemade ice cream, "The number one determining factor was the percentage of fat in the ice cream. In other words, the more fat that was in the ice cream, the more people liked it."


As Searcy stated, "Now, isn't that one of the ironies of life? Why can't fried chicken, which happens to be my favorite food, be as good for you as an apple?   I have never heard a doctor say—'A fried chicken leg a day will keep the doctor away.' The reason they say that is because if you had fried chicken every morning for breakfast, it would probably keep the doctor nearby because your cholesterol would shoot up. I guess I'll have to settle for apples."


And who doesn't like a good fatty ice cream? As a kid we even used to pour pure cream over our ice cream. Yum! Yum! We had no idea how unhealthy that was.


Temptation, too, can have an overpowering attraction and appeal. It can look fabulous and at first taste very inviting—but in the long run its effects are deadly. It reminds me of an extremely beautiful fish that is found on the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. It's only very small but its sting is incredibly painful. It needs to be avoided at all cost. Same with sin. Regardless how attractive it appears, its end result is deadly so it needs to be avoided at all costs. As Searcy said, "When we give in to temptation, we always regret it because in the long run we always give up something greater for instant gratification right now."

How do we React?

Jesus said, "You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' 
But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven .... If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?" - Matthew 5:43-44; 46-47 (NIV).


Mike Benson asks, "How often do you let other people's nonsense change your mood?


"Do you let a bad driver, rude waiter, curt boss, or an insensitive employee ruin your day? The mark of a successful [mature] person is how quickly he/she can get back his/her focus on what's important.


"I hopped in a taxi, and we took off for Grand Central Station. We were driving in the right lane when, all of a sudden, a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver slammed on his breaks, skidded, and missed the other car's back end by just inches! The driver of the other car, the guy who almost caused a big accident, whipped his head around and started yelling bad words at us. My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. And I mean, he was friendly.


"So, I said, 'Why did you just do that? This guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the hospital.' And this is when my taxi driver told me what I now call, 'The Law of the Garbage Truck.' He said, 'Many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger, and full of disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it. And if you let them, they'll dump it on you. When someone wants to dump on you, don't take it personally. You just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on.'


"I started thinking, how often do I let garbage trucks run right over me? And how often do I take their garbage and spread it to other people: at work, at home, on the streets? It was that day I said, 'I'm not going to do it anymore.'"


However, as many of us know, that's easier said than done. When we overreact to people who "dump their garbage" on us, we need to realize that what the other person does is his or her problem—but to the degree that we overreact that is our problem. To react in a Christ-like manner, it is imperative that we resolve our "garbage." If we don't, we will be forever allowing others to control our moods and trigger our unresolved problems. 

I was once Was lost

I Once Was Lost 

I once was lost without one plea

I had no hope in this world.

My Jesus came to me one day

Bade me march with his flag unfurled. 

I trusted Him that glorious day.

He saved my soul and life.

And now I have such joy in Him.

He took away my strife 

And now I have gladness with Him,

A gladness the Devil can’t dim.

I look to the future now with great joy

I will spend it forever with Him. 

Let my soul live, and it shall praise thee; and let thy judgments help me. I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek thy servant; for I do not forget thy commandments.

( Psalm 119:175-176 )(KJV)

Be Angry..Sin Not..

"In your anger do not sin" -  (Ephesians 4:26, NIV).


A Preacher teaching a group where he said that it was okay to be angry. One lady was absolutely amazed. She told him that she had been taught all her life that Christians never get angry. So she had reasoned in her mind: "Christians never get angry. I'm always angry. Therefore I can never be a Christian!"


That night she was freed from 20 years of anguish and received assurance of her salvation. She was indeed a Christian because she had received Jesus as her Savior.


Anger is amoral; that is, of itself it is neither right nor wrong.  It's what we do with it and how we handle it that matters. The Bible actually says, "Be angry—sin not."


Anger itself (not rage, hostility or bitterness) is a God-given emotion. Its purpose is to fight evil and right wrongs. This is how Florence Nightingale used her anger. She was angry at the way wounded soldiers were being treated, or rather, not being treated, so she did something about it. We are meant to use our anger in related ways.


The reality is that everybody gets angry at some time or another.  Some people bury and deny theirs while others lash out and hurt others. Neither of these is healthy or Christian.


When expressing anger we need to own it as our own, and remember that the biblical principle is to speak the truth in love. One way to do this is to say something like, "I know my feelings are my responsibility, but I feel angry and need to talk to you about such and such."


Never say to a person, "You make me angry." This is because nobody can make us angry without our permission. All they do is trigger our anger but the anger is always ours.


Unfortunately, when we have a lot of bottled up anger or anger from the past that has never been resolved, our anger button can get triggered real easy and we overreact. As I've said many times, what the other person does to me is their issue, How I feel and react is always my responsibility—but to the degree that I overreact, that is my problem.


For healthy, intimate relationships it is imperative that we learn to identify our feelings—positive and negative—to be honest about them, and learn how to handle them in creative, rather than destructive, ways.


As the Bible teaches, "If you are angry, don't sin by nursing your grudge. Don't let the sun go down with you still angry—get over it quickly, for when you are angry [and don't resolve it] you give a mighty foothold to the devil"  - (Ephesians 4:25-27, TLB).

Faith Without Works

"Choose you this day whom you will serve." - Joshua 24:15.

"We're all self-made," said one self-made philosopher, "but only the rich will admit it."

The fact is life is a series of choices. I am where and who I am today and doing what I want to do because of choices I made many years ago. Furthermore, who I am and what I do tomorrow will be largely affected by choices I make today. To do nothing is

also a choice even if it is made unconsciously.

For example, I may have been victimized in the past but if I remain a victim that is my choice and in so doing I become a willing volunteer. No matter what my background was or what happened to me in the past, I am now fully responsible for what I do about it and for what I become.

With God's help and the support of loving friends and, if needed, the help of a well trained counselor, I can become the person God wants me to be and fulfill the purpose he has for my life. It's up to me, however, to find out what that purpose is and do my part in fulfilling it.

It boils down to choice. As Joshua said to the ancient  Israelites, "Choose you this day whom you will serve ... As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."

And he did for the rest of his life.

Successful in the Savior's love

"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; 

and all these things shall be added unto you" 

....Matt. 6: 33.

* * * * * * * * *

Many people are looking for ways to be successful.  As one wise man said, "I really cannot give you the formula for success. But I can give  you the formula for failure. It's this: Try to please everyone."

No matter how hard we were to try to please everyone, we'd soon find it couldn't be done.  Even the Lord Jesus Christ, who was perfect, could not please everyone.  In this world we will have tribulation and also opposition, but we must stand strong in the power of the Lord and continue to share His gospel message.

To be successful in Jesus should be our goal.  The victory has already been won.  When we look to the Lord and stand strong in the power of His might, we will make it.  Our weakness, Jesus is our strength.  His power will carry us and we can know that everything will work out for His glory.  Our God will make a way when there seems to be no way.  He will give living water to those who hunger and thirst after righteous.  When we seek, first, the kingdom of God and His righteousness; our Lord assures us the things we need will be added unto us. He will give us everything needed to be successful in our Christian walk through this life.

What a joy it is to know that we have One who loves us so.  There is no mountain too high to climb and no valley too low, when Jesus is the center of our soul.  We'll never walk alone once we take hold of the nail scarred hand of Jesus and continue to be led by the Master.

"Let go and let God' is more than just a motto, it is a way of life.

With Christ in control, everything will be alright in Christ!

Witnessing Made Easy

"How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things." - Romans 10:15 (NKJV).

"Do you remember the Mercedes TV commercial a few years ago that showed a Mercedes crashing into a concrete wall during a safety test? An engineer in a white lab coat walks over after the crash and kneels down to examine the damage, which is minimal. A reporter then asks the engineer about Mercedes' energy absorbing car body. After the engineer tells all about the unique design the reporter asks him why Mercedes doesn't enforce their patent on the design, a design evidently copied by several other companies because of its success.


"The engineer then replied matter-of-factly, 'Because some things in life are too important not to share.' How true this is. There are many things in life that fall into this 'too important not to share category.' Advances in science, in medicine, in technology. But all of these pale in importance to that of sharing our faith."


As Billy Graham said, "I am convinced the greatest act of love we can ever perform for people is to tell them about God's love for them in Christ."


There are many ways we can do this. Here's one very simple way. For example, whenever I eat at a restaurant, I always leave one of my Good News business witness cards with the tip. And whenever a suitable opportunity arises, without being pushy, I ask the person I am talking to if I can give him or her one of my cards. It is a very attractive card that invites people to visit the Good News websites. The site has many articles that speak to the felt needs of the average person—articles that deal with overcoming worry, stress, marriage, relationships, and the like.


And, by the way, speaking to an individual's felt needs is the only known sure-fire way to get people to read any message.


I've never had anyone ever refuse to accept one of these cards. They are attractively printed and are not in any way preachy. This is a very easy, attractive, and non-offensive way to witness even for the most timid person.


It is true, the gospel message of Jesus Christ is far too important not to share. Please send today for a pack of Good News Business Witness cards so you, too, can be involved in what God is doing in the world today.

Loving from the Heart

"Fervently love one another from the heart." - 1 Peter 1:22 (NASB).

There is a story by an unknown author being circulated on the Internet that reflects the outlook of Peter's letter to the churches in Turkey. You've probably read it, but it is worth repeating. It may or may not be true, but it does make an excellent parable if you keep in mind that Jesus made up stories to illustrate a point.


It is about a little boy who is about to have open-heart surgery.


"Tomorrow morning," the surgeon began, "I'll open up your heart."


"You'll find Jesus there," the boy interrupted.


The surgeon looked up, annoyed. "I'll cut your heart open," he continued, "to see how much damage has been done."


"But when you open up my heart," said his young patient, "you'll find Jesus in there."


The surgeon looked to the parents, who sat quietly. "When I see how much damage has been done, I'll sew your heart and chest back up and I'll plan what to do next."


"But you'll find Jesus in my heart," the young boy insisted. "The Bible says He lives there. You'll find Him in my heart."


The surgeon had had enough. "I'll tell you what I'll find in your heart," he said coldly. "I'll find damaged muscle, low blood supply, and weakened vessels.  And I'll find out if I can make you well."


Later, the surgeon sat in his office, recording his notes from the surgery,  "Damaged aorta, damaged pulmonary vein, widespread muscle degeneration. No hope for transplant, no hope for cure. Therapy: painkillers and bed rest. Prognosis,"  here he paused, "death within one year."


He stopped the recorder, but there was more to be said. "Why?" he asked aloud. It was clear he was speaking to God. "Why did you do this? You've put him here; you've put him in this pain; and you've cursed him to an early death. Why?"


The surgeon's tears were hot, but his anger was hotter. "You created that boy, and you created that heart. He'll be dead in months. Why?"


And thus a dialogue began between the surgeon and God. And in that dialogue this frustrated physician discovered a new understanding of God's providence and love. The surgeon wept.


Now he sat beside the boy's bed; the boy's parents sat across from him. The boy awoke and whispered, "Did you cut open my heart?"


"Yes," said the surgeon.


"What did you find?" asked the boy.


"I found Jesus there," said the surgeon.


In times of persecution and suffering, in times of grief and stress, when it all comes down to it, we have only one place to turn, and that is to the power of the indwelling Christ. If, at the heart of the universe, there is not love, then nothing else we believe matters.


As the Bible says, "Fervently love one another from the heart." - 1 Peter 1:22 (NASB). 

Music, Music, Music!

"Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord." - Ephesians 5:19 (NIV).

One of the biggest areas of conflict in today's church is music. Older generation Christians tend to like the "good old hymns" while the younger generation lean more toward what Joy and I like to call "happy clappy" gospel songs. So whose music is the best for worship?


Allow me to answer in a roundabout way. A few years ago I had the opportunity to preach in the Sunday morning services at an Anglican (Episcopal) church in Perth, Western Australia. It was in the middle of winter and I was so cold that a doctor's wife loaned me her overcoat. So here I am sitting on the front pew dressed in a woman's overcoat waiting for the service to commence. The moment the congregation began to sing it hit me like a thunderbolt. "Wow," I said to myself, "surely the presence of the Lord is in this place!"


When I got up to preach, never in my life had I experienced such incredible liberty with such an overwhelming sense of God's presence.  Very interesting, too, that in that service was a professor from the University of Western Australia. This lady had recently emigrated from China where she grew up under Mao with the teaching that said there is no God. This was only the second time in her life she had ever been in a church. She told friends who were with me that when I was preaching, she saw me encircled by an aura of rainbow colored light. She also said she now knew that there was a God because she felt his presence so strongly in that service.


So what does this have to do with church music? Everything. It's not the form of music that matters but the attitude of the heart of those who are singing. Whenpreaching, I can pretty much tell on the first line of the first song whether or not it will be easy or hard to preach in that service because one can easily sense whether God is in the music or not. If God is not in the music, you can be certain his Spirit is not in the rest of the service.


So the question is, is the music from the heart as Paul stated in today's Scripture? If not, it isn't worship—no matter how talented the singers may be.  To put it another way, is our music a sweet smelling savor to God as an act of genuine worship, or is it nothing more than an obnoxious effluvium as were some of the sacrifices in the Old Testament era where the sacrifices were merely ritualistic and not from the heart?

Relational Living

"The Lord God said, 'It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.'" - Genesis 2:18 (NIV).

It is good to remind ourselves that God created mankind primarily for relationships from which come eighty percent of life's satisfaction. To live meaningfully we need to be in meaningful relationships, without which life can be very empty and lonely.


If we don't know how to relate in healthy ways, we don't know how to live fully, and we can impair both our mental and physical health as a result. Or another way to put it: to fully live we need to fully love!


It helps us to remember that God himself is in relationship through the Trinity (God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit). Also, Jesus started the Christian movement with relationships: "He [Jesus] appointed twelve...that they might be with him." - Mark 3:14 (NIV). Furthermore, practically all of Christ's ministry was done in relationship with his twelve disciples.


As a Christian, our first need is to keep in a right relationship with God, which begins by accepting Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord. Trying to live the Christian life without this is like trying to go east by traveling west.


We then need close, healthy relationships with people. Only then can we realize some of the deepest longings of the human heart. This doesn't mean that we are to be overdependent on others, codependent with them, or independent from them, but interdependent with them.


Furthermore, the degree of our mental health, emotional maturity, and spiritual well-being will be reflected in the health or otherwise of our close relationships. God's command to "love one another" is not a sentimental suggestion. It's an imperative.