As times change, so does the positions within churches across the country. One of the latest trends is the transition from a Director of Music to Worship pastors. Such is the case for Lincoln Brewster, who serves as a pastor when he isn’t on tour. Today’s song comes from a live performance for K-Love Radio. The song Lincoln chose to perform is There is Power. The lyrics speak to the power of healing and preaching in the name of Jesus.
For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear), but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control, 2 Timothy 1:7.
The apostle Paul provides advice to a teenager pastor in the passage above. Paul speaks about weak individuals who struggle with the fear of what other people think. Rather than be consumed by peer pressure, Paul urges this young man of God to lean on the power of the Holy Spirit. This includes a spirit of power, love, and self-control. While hidden from human sight, this supernatural power can transform lives by placing your sole trust in the Lord, Proverbs 3:5-6.
Samuel Smiles published the first self-help book in 1859. The goal of Smiles book was to promote self-development in individuals who were struggling with confidence. In recent years, self-help books have increased in popularity. Yet, no book compares to the best seller of all time. The Bible is full of answers to life’s question as Christians weekly find help and hope in God’s promises within this book.
And I am convinced and sure of this very thing, that He Who began a good work in you will continue until the day of Jesus Christ [right up to the time of His return], developing [that good work] and perfecting and bringing it to full completion in you, Philippians 1:6.
Unfortunately, as human beings we all have experienced the pain of broken and unfulfilled promises. If you have been burned multiple times by someone you care about or look up to, you may reach a point in life when you stop trusting people. Perhaps, this is why many Christians fail to take God and Jesus up on their promises. Ungodly beliefs like “this sounds too good to be true” or “the Bible isn’t completely true” conceive doubt and years of unbelief.
I appeal to you therefore, brethren, and beg of you in view of [all] the mercies of God, to make a decisive dedication of your bodies [presenting all your members and faculties] as a living sacrifice, holy (devoted, consecrated) and well pleasing to God, which is your reasonable (rational, intelligent) service and spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs], but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you], Romans 12:1-2.
Yet, anyone who has ever read Restoring the Foundations by Chester and Betsy Kylstra or attended one of their workshops, you will find help and power in the promises of the Bible. In a letter to the Church of Philippi, Paul encourages Christians not to give up hope as what God has started in your life will be brought to completion. Meanwhile, as believers begins to offer their bodies as living sacrifices, the spiritual climate is ripe to begin to grasp God’s will for your life. These two promises serve as steppingstones to dig deeper into God’s Word so you can begin to accept, believe in and claim these promises in a prayer daily.
Today’s song comes from the duo Jordan Phillips and Adam Stark. These two musicians from Nashville, Tennessee formed the group Apollo LTD. One of Apollo’s recent songs reminds me of one of my favorite verses in the Bible. Jesus’ earthly brother writes about a deed that covers over a multitude of sins. According to James, anyone who turns a sinner from the error of their way demonstrates God’s calling to save lost souls.
[My] brethren, if anyone among you strays from the Truth and falls into error and another [person] brings him back [to God], 20 Let the [latter] one be sure that whoever turns a sinner from his evil course will save [that one’s] soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins [[a]procure the pardon of the many sins committed by the convert], James 5:19-20.
Back in my early days as an aspiring youth director, I met an outcast at a church lock-in which began at a nearby bowling alley. After a few minutes of observing this group of teenagers, it didn’t take look to recognize the boy others referred to as Satan. Inspired by heavy metal groups, this lost soul enjoyed being the bad boy at church. Over the next several hours, I listened, making it my mission to invest in a soul worth saving. Before the night was over, this teen gave his heart to Jesus.
There were two common expressions the parents of teenagers in my neighbors used while trying to discipline unruly kids. The first was “knock it off,” but my dad often said, “cut it out.” When your father is a former defensive end and tight end in college, you do exactly what he says. One Old Testament prophet and Jesus make similar points in the passages below:
Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened at all, that it cannot save, nor His ear dull with deafness, that it cannot hear. 2 But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear. 3 For your hands are defiled with blood and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue mutters wickedness. 4 None sues or calls in righteousness [but for the sake of doing injury to others—to take some undue advantage]; no one goes to law honestly and pleads [his case] in truth; they trust in emptiness, worthlessness and futility, and speaking lies! They conceive mischief and bring forth evil! – Isaiah 59:1-4
I came face to face with this expression during the summer before my senior year of college. While playing sand volleyball with my good friend Eddy, I broke my ankle. Instead of enjoying my final month of summer, I was bed-ridden for two weeks. While lying in bed, I heard the Holy Spirit whisper “cut if out or be cut off”. Like the Laodiceans in Revelation 3:15-16, I had become a lukewarm Christian.
I am the True Vine, and My Father is the Vinedresser. 2 Any branch in Me that does not bear fruit [that stops bearing] He cuts away (trims off, takes away); and He cleanses and repeatedly prunes every branch that continues to bear fruit, to make it bear more and richer and more excellent fruit. 3 You are cleansed and pruned already, because of the word which I have given you [the teachings I have discussed with you]. 4 Dwell in Me, and I will dwell in you. [Live in Me, and I will live in you.] Just as no branch can bear fruit of itself without abiding in (being vitally united to) the vine, neither can you bear fruit unless you abide in Me. 5 I am the Vine; you are the branches. Whoever lives in Me and I in him bears much (abundant) fruit. However, apart from Me [cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing, John 15:1-5.
In the days that followed, I had come to a crossroads of faith. This was God’s way of saying, “make Jesus Lord of your life, Romans 10:9-11, or live for yourself.” At college I was a strong Christian, but at home in Cleveland I was chasing after earthly pleasures. August of 1991 altered my prodigal journey as I came to my spiritual senses to return home for good by beginning to cut out my former way of life, Colossians 3:5-9. May my personal journey inspire you to go all in by making Jesus Lord and Savior.
If you have lived in the same place for an extended period of time, you’ve probably received a visit from Jehovah Witnesses. I typically take a few minutes to listen to their speel, take one of their Watchtower brochures and say “I’m not interested.” One of my spiritual mentors liked to play games with Jehovah Witnesses, asking questions about the various names of Jehovah God in the Old Testament
Happy (blessed, fortunate, enviable) is he who has the God of [special revelation to] Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God, Psalm 146:5.
Today’s song comes from one of the numerous worship songs you’ll find on You Tube. Same God by Elevation Worship features Jonsal Barrientes as lead vocalist. I used Jehovah Witnesses to highlight that God never changes, Hebrews 13:8. While the names of God vary throughout the Bible, God continues to work behind the scenes to bring the Great Commission to completion, Acts 1:8.
After taking my last graduate level teaching class, I made some radical changes in my teaching style. My Classroom Management course taught me to seek out a responsible individual in each of my classes. This person served as the heartbeat and pulse of their peers. The purpose of this leadership position was to help and keep me aware of any learning difficulties within each unit. These unclear areas were then addressed prior to each unit test. While this system wasn’t perfect, it did help and keep me on track.
My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth, Psalm 121:2.
The passage above was written during a climb or walk to the summit of a mountain in Jerusalem. This Psalmist remains nameless but was inspired to sing and write during this special stroll. One of the best ways to clear my mind in high school was to take a late-night jog while listening to my Walkman cassette player. One of my favorite music mixes was the soundtrack from Rocky IV. As each song began, adrenaline would cause me to run faster and faster.
The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade on your right hand [the side not carrying a shield], Psalm 121:5.
According to the Psalmist, God gives you something greater than adrenaline. While specific details are left up to your own interpretation, the Psalmist credits God for helping each day and keeping him near. Moses speaks about this in Deuteronomy 28:1-3. Moses believes God’s presence as a helper and keeper is a form of blessings for being obedient to the Lord. Meanwhile, the Psalmist compares God to a spiritual warrior who shields the unarmed from danger. May you begin to see God as a helper and keeper.
One of the first things I did in high school becoming a Christian was to join an accountability group. While it felt good to share to others what was going on in life, I felt like a few individuals tried to dominant each session, forcing the group to spend most of the time on this person’s issues. During college I joined a Chrysalis Reunion Group which was a perfect place to cast your burdens to others.
Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden and overburdened, and I will cause you to rest. [I will [o]ease and relieve and [p]refresh [q]your souls.] 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am gentle (meek) and humble (lowly) in heart, and you will find rest ([r]relief and ease and refreshment and [s]recreation and blessed quiet) for your souls. 30 For My yoke is wholesome (useful, [t]good—not harsh, hard, sharp, or pressing, but comfortable, gracious, and pleasant), and My burden is light and easy to be borne, Matthew 11:28-30.
Today’s featured song sings about the passage above. Finding Favour created Cast My Cares for anyone who is being weighed down by heavy burdens in life. Hebrews 12:1-2 compares life to a marathon with a call to throw off anything that is weighing you down. May the lyrics of Cast My Cares encourage Christians to unload any anxieties, burdens and cares at the feet of Jesus in prayer.
After moving back to Delaware in the late 1990’s, I worked for one of my college roommates. John has just started a new Christian wholesale business and needed someone to help out with the Warehouse. As John and his wife Stacy focused on Retail Sales in their showroom, I spent two years as a production manager, overseeing the Inbound and Outbound shipping operations.
Blessed (happy, [a]to be envied) and holy (spiritually whole, of unimpaired innocence and proved virtue) is the person who takes part (shares) in the first resurrection! Over them the second death exerts no power or authority, but they shall be ministers of God and of Christ (the Messiah), and they shall rule along with Him a thousand years, Revelation 20:6.
Like any job that I’ve ever done, music or the radio is needed to keep me focused. When I wasn’t blasting Christian music, I listened to books on tape and famous Bible teachers. The one cassette tape that got the most replays was a series of sermons on Great Awakenings. Former church historian Leonard Ravenhill is who introduced me to the concept of the second death.
Then death and Hades ([d]the state of death or disembodied existence) were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire, Revelation 20:14.
Ravenhill looked at the past to make sure modern Christians didn’t fall prey to the mistakes of previous generations. Leonard specialty was as educating churches on prayer and revival. Ravenhill had a way of bringing alive the past as if you were part of some sort of a time capsule. While everyone goes through a physical death on earth, the second death only occurs to those not listed in the Book of Life. To avoid this eternal destination, make sure your make your reservations before it’s too late, 1 John 5:12-13.
While John 3:16 is one of the most recognized verses in the Bible, only one person heard these words in person. Nicodemus was a Pharisee who requested to meet with Jesus at night so that his colleagues wouldn’t think he was falling for his new teaching. Cody Barnes sings about Ain’t Nobody loves him like Jesus. Nicodemus came to the same conclusion, preparing Jesus’ body for burial in John 19: 38-42.
For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten ([d]unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life. 17 For God did not send the Son into the world in order to judge (to reject, to condemn, to pass sentence on) the world, but that the world might find salvation and be made safe and sound through Him, John 3:16-17.
Cody’s first claim to fame was as a gospel singer. This popularity opened the door for Cody to pursue a Christian music career with songs like Ain’t Nobody. Cody’s humility is revealed in the lyrics of this song. Over the course of his life, no one person has remained steady in their love for Cody. Yet, Jesus’ love is constant, described in 1 Corinthians 13.
King Solomon writes about the emotional twists and turns that life brings you. Some of these unexpected events result in tears of joy while other moments bring pain to your heart. To keep circumstances in their proper perspective, Solomon encourages individuals to take everything in stride within chapter 3 of Ecclesiastes. Solomon ends his teaching on joy and pain with “God makes everything beautiful in His time,” verse 11.
To everything there is a season, and a time for every matter or purpose under heaven: 2 A time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to pluck up what is planted, 3 A time to kill and a time to heal, a time to break down and a time to build up, 4 A time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, Ecclesiastes 3:1-4.
As an emotional individual, I find it hard to stay even keel. While I no longer experience the emotional roller coaster of my immature high school days, tears of joy and pain are a weekly occurrence. Subsequently, I tend to read too much into daily events. Sometimes bad days are merely the ebb and flow of life, part of the refining process as one of Jesus’ disciples writes about in 1 Peter 1:6-7. Despite this spiritual reality, certain songs and shows still elicit tears of joy and pain.
Then I heard a mighty voice from the throne and I perceived its distinct words, saying, See! The abode of God is with men, and He will live (encamp, tent) among them; and they shall be His people, and God shall personally be with them and be their God. 4 God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and death shall be no more, neither shall there be anguish (sorrow and mourning) nor grief nor pain any more, for the old conditions and the former order of things have passed away, Revelation 21:3-4.
I don’t mind tears of overwhelming gladness, but painful sorrow is an emotion that I’d rather not face. After reading the final chapter in the Bible, John reminds readers of one of the final promises of God. According to Jesus, tears will cease in heaven. All kinds of earthly anguish, mourning, and sorrow will be wiped away like erasing a new white board. Although there may be slight indications of what was once sadness, this human condition will pass away in heaven. May this day come soon.
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