To Rejoice or Not To Rejoice....Tuesday

Does your church service includes a time of praise and worship? Do you ever wonder about what we are called to do during this time? When the worship leader encourages raising your hands or other actions, what do you choose to do?

In 1842, the term Holy Rollers started being used to describe any Christian religious group that expressed themselves with extremely enthusiastic actions.  There would be singing, crying, and hands raised to God. Then sometimes the emotions became so ecstatic they celebrated being in God's presence by dancing, spinning, jumping, and even rolling on the floor. Now whether that was the Holy Spirit leading as they claimed or an overly excited human reaction, only the Lord knows. But one thing we can learn from them is that being joyful is beyond being happy.

To rejoice or not to rejoice - that is the question. I think we all know that we are supposed to rejoice. A better question might be: how should we express gladness or joyfulness of the heart? Different churches rejoice in different ways. Some sing songs praising God. Others include a piano or organ, while still other churches include all sorts of instruments. For some Christians that kind of worship seems inappropriate, radical, and not even biblical. I answered this question in my own heart by seeking God's approval for how I worship in His Word. 

The Hebrew language has many meanings for the word rejoice, so we have options! Please do your own word search, or check out one of the websites I used at the link posted below.

Spinning around: this first one may seem surprising , but it's there in black and white.

Singing: including loud singing, such as the host of angels at Jesus’ birth. 

Instruments: of various kinds: rams horns were much louder than our trumpets today.

Dancing: I have been so ecstatic that I have jumped and danced for joy. 

Shouting: laughing, or crying with tears of joy.

 

In 2 Samuel 6, the Ark of God is being brought into Jerusalem. King David danced with all his might, the people were shouting to God, and blowing trumpets in celebration. This whole process was done with gladness, and was both joyful and exuberant.

 

In Job 38:7, God tells Job that the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for Joy when the foundation of the earth was laid.

 

In Isaiah 51, the prophet encourages the people of Israel to not fear but trust God. Because (verse 11) the ransomed of the Lord will return and come with joyful shouting to Zion, and everlasting joy will be on their heads. They will obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.

In Luke 15, Jesus tells the story of the shepherd who left the 99 to go after one missing sheep, then rejoices when he has found it. The point of the story is in verse 7:

"I tell you that in the same way,

 there will be more joy in heaven

 over one sinner who repents

than over ninety-nine righteous persons

 who need no repentance."

Luke 15:7 NASB

 

But the fruit of the Spirit is love,

joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,

faithfulness, gentleness, self-control,

 against such things there is no law.

Galatians 5:22-23 NASB

 

This is the day that the Lord has made,

let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Psalm 118:24 NASB

There are so many more verses that have filled my heart and mind with understanding about how I may worship God in Spirit and in Truth. This next one is one of my favorites.

“The Lord your God is in your midst,
A victorious warrior.
He will exult over you with joy,
He will be quiet in His love,
He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy.

Zephaniah 3:17 NASB

 

 Wow! It all begins and ends with God!

To hear Christ Tomlin's "Come Let Us Worship" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6wg3PXBMpI

1: Source for definition of Holy Rollers: http://oldlandmark.wordpress.com/2008/10/07/holy-rollerism/

2: Hebrew definition of Rejoice: http://m.ancient-hebrew.org/dictionary/rejoice.html

Written by Sandy Schott

Will We Sit By Silently?....Monday

There is a fire truck across the street tending to an emergency at my neighbors. We don't have to look far for bad news. It's in our own family, in the local schools, or at our jobs. The economy grows a little and things appear more hopeful, then the foreclosed house on the corner reminds us that it's not more hopeful for everyone.

Now we are facing the possibility of a military tactical movement to warn a dictator and his regime that it is not okay to break international law regarding the use of chemical weapons. Thanks to cell phones and digital technology there is evidence that the Syrian government may have used a poison gas on it's people who were involved in a protest. The people who have to make these strategic decisions see a lot more information that we don't have in front of us. They are advised by those who have spent their careers studying international affairs and conflicts. Although I don't want another possible war, I also don't want any leader of any country to think he can ignore the law, deal with men, women, and children who speak against him by killing them, and the rest of the world will sit by silently. 

When you hear of wars and rumors of wars,

do not be frightened;

those things must take place;

 but that is not yet the end. 

Mark 13:7 NASB

 

Anyone who sets himself up as “religious” by talking a good game is self-deceived.

 This kind of religion is hot air and only hot air.

 Real religion, the kind that passes muster before God the Father, is this:

 Reach out to the homeless and loveless in their plight,

 and guard against corruption from the godless world.

James 1:26-27 MSG

 

But he’s already made it plain how to live, what to do,
    what God is looking for in men and women.
It’s quite simple: Do what is fair and just to your neighbor,
    be compassionate and loyal in your love,
And don’t take yourself too seriously—
    take God seriously.

Micah 6:8 MSG

 

Dear Lord, thank You for spiritual leaders all over the world who are calling for prayer and fasting for Syria. Please open our eyes and minds to the injustices in the world at large, and in our own neighborhoods. Please fill our hearts with compassion that we will be moved by what moves You. In Jesus name, amen.

 

The head of the world-wide catholic church, Pope Francis, has called for a day of fasting and prayer over the violence in Syria, on Saturday, September 7, 2013. May all of God's people pray together.

 

Click here to enjoy a song written and performed by Kim McLean, "Pray for the World": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zcl4RpCKwUU

 

Written by Mary M. Wilkins

A CRUTCH... Sunday

Devotional for 9/1/13

My religion is a crutch.  Yes, you read that right.  I lean on God to help me through life, just like people lean on a crutch when they need help to walk.  Without that crutch they may still be able to move forward, but it might be more difficult, more painful, more unstable and unsafe, and more uneven in a limping fashion.  The same goes for life without God.  When difficulties are met in life without faith, they can produce much more pain and suffering.   Without God to help us through, our lives can become very unstable.  Our safety may be at risk, if not in this life, then certainly the next.  Without God we would limp through life, trying to rely only on ourselves and our own resources. 

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV

So yes, Jesus is my crutch!  He supports me and holds me up in times of trial, and he helps me walk a straight path through life.  

written by Jan Andersen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here is a song to listen to for  Sunday

     http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=You+tube+song+about+leaning+on++God&FORM=VIRE3#view=detail&mid=57C84BEC752BD695731357C84BEC752BD6957313

"Friends With Christ"

8/31/13

Everyone on this earth needs a friend. We all need someone we can talk to and share our hearts with. Relationships are important to people and a vital part of growth and living as a human being. Here on earth I would have to say that my husband is my best friend. We do lots of activities together. Some of the things we love doing are concerts, bike riding, dinner, walking and movies. Those are just a few of the things we spend time doing. During the day, certain things will come to my mind about a situation, and I know it is something I would really like to share with my husband. I look forward to sitting down with him and sharing my day and the things that are on my mind. I can honestly say that my husband is my best friend.

Jesus tells us in John how he has called us His friends. I don't know about you, but when I read in God's word about Him wanting to be my friend, it totally gets my attention. I not only love having my husband as my best friend and other friends as well, but now Jesus is telling me that He wants to be my friend. That rocks my world!

Scripture says in John 15:15,

"I no longer call you servants, because a servant

 does not know 
His master's business.

Instead, I have 
called you friends,
 for everything
 that I learned from my Father

I have made known to you."

But there is a "catch 22" to that scripture. As we read the passage right before it in verse 14 it says, 

"You are my friends

if you do what I command."

Jesus so desires to be our "best friend." He longs for us to spend time with Him. He wants us to have an extreme relationship with Him. But He is asking us to be obedient onto Him. In order to have that close friendship, we must follow His commands. Friend means "close trusted friend." Jesus wants us to draw close to Him in prayer, worship and meditating on His word and walking in His word. He wants to be able to trust us with what He has asked of us. If we have a true relationship with Him, we will want to follow His leading.

True, solid, friendships are not passive but continuously active in strengthening the relationship.

I choose to pursue an intense friendship with Christ, and in order to make that happen I am running hard after Him to follow His commands. It is then, I can say that Jesus is my "best friend."

Rich Blessings,
Sandy Billingham

Here is a song for today...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcxKRsn-hGc

SMALL THINGS...Friday

8/30/13

"Who despises the day of small things?" 

 Zechariah 4:10a

     

         Most people in this world do not feel successful.  The vast majority of us are not rich, or famous, or powerful.  I never heard of you and you never heard of me.

    God does not want us to compare ourselves to anyone else.  He is concerned with you and me -- each of us as unique individuals.  He is concerned that each of us reaches our full potential in Him.  He has given each of us special gifts totally unique to ourselves.  God can only accomplish what He would like you to do if you will do it.  No one else is you, or ever will be you, or can do exactly what you can do.

     God does not want us to despise all of the "small things" which we can accomplish for Him and His kingdom and to help our neighbors.  God measures faithfulness in doing what we can and being who we are created to be in Him.

Written by

Carol Steficek

Here is a song to listen to this morning. 

It is called "The God of the Little Things."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEukx8qUEt0

“Pressed In On All Asides”...Thursday

 8/29/13

There was a time in my life where I felt pressed in on all sides, financial issues, family problems, work, you name it.  The world felt like it is crashing in on all sides? I was also living in the what if’s.  I was looking at all stuff and not at our God’s blessings in mine and my husband’s life.  Tired warn down ready to give in and quit.  On July 29^th 2010 I picked up the Word (Bible) held it in the air and said this book is either the truth or a lie, it either means what it says or it does not. That night I made it known that what the Word of God had to say was the truth and we were going to stand on all of it, We would not stand on just a portion of it, but its entirety.  The peace of God enveloping me like a blanket, it was glorious.  At that time I started seeking what it meant to be seated with Christ in heaven, right now today.

 Hebrews 10:12,14 says, 

But this Man, 

after He had offered  ONE SACRIFICE for sins FOREVER,
SAT DOWN at the right hand of God…
For by an offering has PERFECTED FOREVER
those who are being sanctified.   

Are we not those being sanctified?  This is great and glorious news that we are those who are being sanctified.   His finished work on the cross was offered as one sacrifice FOREVER, and when I received Jesus Christ into my life, I was PERFECTED FOREVER!   No matter how things look, no matter what mistakes I have made, NO MATTER WHAT!!!!   

So how long is forever?  INDEFENTLY!  I have been perfected forever by Jesus’ cleansing blood.  When Jesus my precious Savior offered His life as a sacrifice and payment for all my sins,  He sat down at the Fathers’ right hand. Under the old covenant every priest stood ministering daily and offered repeatedly the same sacrifices, over and over and over again, which could never take away sins?  But the Bible tells us that Jesus, “after He had offered ONE sacrifice for sins forever, SAT DOWN.  Glory to God.   Jesus sat down to demonstrate to us that the work is indeed finished. In the old covenant it could never be finished, but with Christ it is finished.   Not only did He sit down at the Father’s right hand, He made us (ME) SIT WITH HIM!

Ephesians 2:4-6  

But God, who is rich in mercy, 

because of His great love with which He loved us, 

even when we were dead in trespasses, 

made us alive together with Christ… 

and made us SIT TOGHETHER 

IN the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.    

So what does that mean to me?  Let me tell ya, “sitting down” in the Bible is a picture of the believer resting in the finished and completed work of Jesus.  He has finished all the work on the cross on our behalf and is now seated at the right hand of God.  As it has all been accomplished on our behalf, this means that I can stop depending on myself efforts to earn and qualify for God’s blessings in our lives. I can sit down with Jesus at the Father’s right hand! YAHOO!  I had to see that I must stop depending on myself efforts to earn and qualify for God’s blessings in mine and my husband’s life.  I was wondering what is it that I have to do,   I was looking to mine and my husband’s efforts.  Thinking and beating myself up with what were we doing wrong.  Our Jesus has done it all for us at the cross.  All I need to do is receive what He has already done for me. I had to stop trusting in our ways our qualifications to bring the blessings of God to us.  All I have to do is ask and believe and I shall receive.  It does not matter what I have done or not done, it has all been done already by our precious Jesus.  Our God loves us and it is never too late to receive what He has for our lives.  We already have them. They were given to us over 2000 years ago.  I am not saying I do nothing what I am saying is God’s grace does not make us lazy and unproductive.  On the contrary, it makes us labor more abundantly for His glory.  God’s way is to bless us first, and the knowledge of His blessing gives us the power to labor more abundantly.  In other words, we do not labor to be blessed, but rather we have the power to labor because we are already blessed.  I was defeated because I was struggling to qualify myself for God’s blessings by my own works.  Self-effort was robbing me of reigning in life by His grace.  I cannot earn my salvation, or healing, or our financial breakthrough by my own efforts. I started thinking about this the greatest miracle – being saved from hell- comes by grace through faith, and not by works, how much more the lesser miracles, such as healing, prosperity and restoration. Jesus has accomplished everything on the cross for my husband and for me.  Our part is to trust in HIS PERFECT WORK, receive with open arms the abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness, and begin to reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ. That night it became my prayer that I would stop trying to earn God’s grace and righteousness.   It is not by my works! I have to let the Holy Spirit teach me to start depending on Jesus’ finished work and to start receiving by His grace.  This is God’s effortless way to success, wholeness, and victorious living!.. It is freedom. This God of ours has done it all for us.  I never have to do anything again, oh but how my heart wants to become more like Him because of the gift of Grace that He has given to us.  I have become Grace conscience and not sin conscience, not works conscience.  What freedom this has brought to me..  Our God is so awesome.   This past few years have been a complete faith walk for us.  He our God has brought provision for school, rent, food, gas, socks, you name it.  All we have to do is ask and believe and we received.

Blessings,

Kathryn Hanson

CO-Director of CBC San Jose, CA

"Set Apart For Jesus"...Wednesday

8/28/113

For Such a Time as This

I take great delight waking up each morning knowing I have purpose! Because I have surrendered my entire life onto Jesus and proclaim Him as Lord in my life I know that I am sanctified in Him. We who have said yes to Jesus have been set apart for the use extended by our Great Designer.

I find wonderful comfort knowing my God has set me apart for "such a time as this." He has specific ways in which He wants to use my life as I choose to live according to God's design and purpose for me.

In 1 Corinthians 1:2 it says......

"to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus,

 called to be saints, with all who in every place 

call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours." 

Sanctification is fully the work of God in grace. That is only by His mighty hand that He consecrates His people when we are fully yielded in Him.

 

And Jesus Christ was the perfect role model of sanctification, being without sin.

I choose to follow in Christ's footsteps and ever so grateful for the unique purpose He has set apart for me and each of us that are living for Him.

In His Radical Love,  

Sandy Billingham

Here is a song to listen to this morning. Please click on this link...

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXcJUIAJNW0