Two Ways to Praise
Sing a new song to the Lord, for he has done wonderful deeds. His right hand has won a mighty victory; his holy arm has shown his saving power!
Shout to the Lord, all the earth; break out in praise and sing for joy! (Psalms 98:1, 4 NLT)
Praising God does something IN me. It does something TO me. It does something FOR me.
This morning I listened to the news update regarding the tragic deaths caused by a massive tornado that ripped through Oklahoma. That news prompted me to pray for the victim’s families, the wounded, the responders, and the healing of a community.
But it also led me into a sincere moment of praise, when I thanked God for my wife and my children.
By the way, it is not selfish or heartless to praise God and experience His joy during times when others are grieving. In fact, it is the reality of those moments that propels us to be grateful for God’s blessings in our own lives.
Praise develops gratitude.
These verses give us two particular WAYS to praise: (1) sing a new song to The Lord, and (2) shout to The Lord!
Singing a new song to The Lord is more than merely singing in church or while listening to Christian music. When the bible speaks of “a new song,” it refers to our expression of a song from within our hearts, a song never before sung or written, a song whose words we compose in the moment of praise.
Certainly this new song of praise involves both singing “in the spirit” and “in the understanding.” In other words, a new song can be expressed either by way of your spiritual language or by way of our own langauge(s). (See 1 Corinthians 14.)
Shouting to The Lord is also a powerful expression of praise, but one that many may not fully understand or value.
If you are like me, you are not naturally inclined to be loud. Yet, God repeatedly instructs us to shout!
Shouting involves a faith-declaration of victory! When you raise your voice you remind yourself that God fights your battles and assures you victory. Shouting to The Lord also puts the devil and his demons on notice that you are exercising your spiritual authority over the forces of darkness that try to hold you back.
Sometimes you NEED to shout to The Lord!
Take time today, and everyday this week, to sing a new song to The Lord and to shout to the Lord in victorious praise. Allow the Holy Spirit to develop and strengthen your spirit through praise and worship.
God is worthy of ALL of our praise.
A Woman of Wisdom: a tribute to my mom
When she speaks, her words are wise, and she gives instructions with kindness. (Proverbs 31:26 NLT)
My mom is a wealth of wisdom, yet her words are few.
Don’t get me wrong – my mom is an effective communicator. From her infamous daily chore list to her detailed schedule for babysitters, she knew how to communicate and care for her boys.
Even today I enjoy receiving her informative monthly newsletters, updating their itinerary as traveling ministers. She keeps people in the loop, giving enough details to tell the story, while still keeping thing simple.
And then there are the phone calls, which are my favorite. My mom keeps me connected with her and my dad’s extended families, and the people they meet along their journeys.
Always informative.
But never intrusive.
One of the hallmark characteristics of wisdom is it’s camouflage. Wisdom is always nearby; yet illusive enough to be missed by those not seeking it.
I believe that in every person exists a “well” of wisdom. Some people have very deep wells, filled with refreshing waters of Godly perspective and insight.
But those with the deepest wells do not have a sign posted: “Free wisdom- drink deeply!”
No, to get to the deep waters of wisdom in people like my mom, one must come to the well with a rope and a bucket.
Wisdom isn’t free. But it is readily available – if you search for it.
Mom- thank you for being a well of deep wisdom from which I continue to draw.
Happy Mother’s Day, mom.
Living with an Eternal Perspective
“So you, too, must keep watch! For you don’t know what day your Lord is coming. (Matthew 24:42 NLT)
In the beginning of time, God created Man in His image – and Man was perfect.
But Man willfully rebelled against God and sinned, knowing that it meant certain death.
The Lord, in compassion and covenant love, offered the first blood sacrifice in order to temporarily atone for sin and to cover Man with animal skins.
Then, The Lord came to earth in human form and made the eternal and final atonement for all sin, re-establishing a perfect kingdom.
Today we live in the age of the church – a dispensation of time in which there co-exists two kingdoms: the kingdoms of this world (ruled by satan), and the kingdom of God.
Very soon this age will come to an end. Jesus, the King, will come to gather His people. The trumpet will sound, the bodies of people of faith who have already died will be resurrected to new life, and every living believer will be lifted from this earth to meet Jesus and live with Him forever.
Then the earth, along with all of it’s injustices, will be brought to justice. Satan’s rule and people’s rebellion will be brought to an end. The earth as we know it will be destroyed and replaced (rebooted) with a new earth.
The culmination of our eternal victory will occur when Jesus leads us – His Church – back to the earth to forever rule and reign, which was His original intent for us.
Matthew records more of Jesus’ prophetic words:
And then at last, the sign that the Son of Man is coming will appear in the heavens, and there will be deep mourning among all the peoples of the earth. And they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he will send out his angels with the mighty blast of a trumpet, and they will gather his chosen ones from all over the world —from the farthest ends of the earth and heaven. (Matthew 24:30, 31 NLT)
When I think about eternity, my life comes into better perspective. Today I can face challenges with peace; I can face uncertainty with faith; I can face sorrow with joy – because I serve a King who is returning to bring justice and deliverance.
Heaven is real, and Jesus is Lord!
Father,
Thank You for loving me, for redeeming me, and for giving me hope.
I choose to walk with an eternal perspective today, anticipating the day when Jesus returns for me. Until that day, I will seek and save the lost and make disciples.
I refuse to leave this world like I found it.
In Jesus’ name, amen!
How to Handle Dumb Questions
Sometimes people ask distracting questions about God in order to avoid facing truth.
The Sadducees and Pharisees regularly attempted to distract Jesus from His message and His ministry. For example, in Matthew 22, They asked Jesus a random hypothetical question: “If a woman marries seven times and each husband dies; then who will be her husband in eternity?”
Jesus didn’t let the question cause a detour. In fact He responded by saying:
“You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God. (Matthew 22:29 NIV)
As believers we often face hypothetical questions. Instead of allowing the hypotheticals to hijack the conversation, it is better to stay focused on the truth and reality of the moment.
Not every question CAN be answered. In fact, not every question SHOULD be answered.
But remember, there is a difference between a skeptical question and a sincere question. The same question can be asked from different perspectives. Sincere questions should always be entertained; but you need not feel obligated to dance around a conversation with a sceptic.
Father,
Give me wisdom to answer sincere questions.
Give me wisdom to deflect skeptical questions.
And help me to discern the difference.
Amen.
Answering a Tough Question About Suicide
As a pastor I have had the privilege, on many occasions, to walk with families and individuals through “the valley of the shadow of death.” Death can bring an avalanche of emotions, particularly when accompanied by unanswered questions, as in the case of someone taking their own life.
Last week a 17 year old friend of ours took his life, leaving a wake of confusion and heartache among his family and friends. Although our hearts remain heavy, the funeral service brought some incredible moments of healing and closure as we heard that the event was not the result of depression or bullying, but due to a medication that he should never have been prescribed.
Coleman was a man of God, who was sincerely pursuing God’s plans for His life. His family, his schoolmates and our entire community are heartbroken… but not without hope.
The truth is, as much as we all wish that he was still with us, Coleman is in heaven today.
Which brings me to the purpose of this writing.
There is a misguided, yet widespread belief that says: “Those who take their own lives are doomed to hell.”
Over the years I have heard grieving parents desperately ask if their child was eternally condemned; I have talked with concerned friends who weren’t sure what to believe; and I have recognized the fear in the eyes of loved ones – all because of this poor theology.
I’ve even heard questions this past week from individuals who were concerned about Coleman.
It would be tasteless to use a tragic situation like this to simply “blog” an opinion. But I feel almost obligated to set some minds at ease – that is my heart and desire.
I know sincere, godly people who hold to this belief regarding suicide – not because they are judgmental, but because it’s what they were taught. My words are not intended to pass judgment, but to bring correction to the wrong teaching that has caused tremendous grief and confusion.
The Bible says:
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. (Ephesians 2:8, 9 NKJV)
The simple truth is this: we are not saved by our works; therefore we cannot be “unsaved” by our works.
Salvation comes not from works, but by faith. When we come to a point of understanding our sinfulness, acknowledge our need for Someone to save us from our sin, and confess Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord; we are saved.
One of my favorite verses in the bible says it like this:
For He (God) made Him (Jesus) who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. (II Corinthians 5:21 NKJV)
Jesus became sin so that we could become righteous. Forgiveness isn’t earned; it is simply received. When we put our faith in Him, we are saved.
You don’t lose your salvation just because you do something wrong. In fact, Jesus gave us salvation BECAUSE we do wrong things. We are saved by faith, not by works.
Suicide is devastating enough. But misunderstanding of God’s word can make things far worse.
Let me say it clearly: Coleman is in heaven. He is at peace. And for those who put their faith in Jesus Christ, they will see him once again – this time for eternity.
Although I pray that these words will bring understanding and hope to many people, I specifically desire to bring peace to the hundreds of teenagers who are hurting over the loss of their friend Coleman.
And if you ever find yourself battling suicidal thoughts, I pray that you will first call out to God and seek help from someone you trust. God has a plan for your life – there is hope for you.
Father,
I am grateful to have known Coleman, and I’m overwhelmed by the grace and strength of his family. I pray that You continue to surround them with Your love, Your peace, and Your presence.
May Your joy give them strength everyday. Heal their hurt. Bring rest to their souls. Give them hope for tomorrow, and a deep awareness of eternity.
And thank You for turning around what the enemy intended for evil into multiplied opportunities for Your will to be done here on earth as it is in heaven.
Thank You, Jesus, for the promise of heaven.
Amen.
Pastor Dale Jenkins 