Compassion!

I sponsor a child through Compassion & know that some of you out there sponsor children as well. Yet there are so many more children out there in need of sponsors!

EDIT: You guys are awesome! Amando now has a sponsor!

This is Amando, a child in Honduras. He is nine years old & has been waiting for over six months for a sponsor:

Amando lives with his father and his mother. His duties at home include running errands. His father is sometimes employed as a laborer and his mother maintains the home.

As part of Compassion’s ministry, Amando participates in Bible class. He is also in primary school where his performance is average. Soccer, playing with cars and playing group games are his favorite activities. (from Compassion.com)

Want to sponsor Amando? Click here to go to Compassion’s page.

Amando has already been sponsored, but check Compassion’s web site for more children in need of sponsorship.

It costs less than a tank of gas to sponsor a child, & with the letters you write them, they will feel even more loved in addition to the services Compassion can provide for them through your sponsorship. I love getting letters from my sponsored child & am striving to write more often myself!

(FYI: I saw that Anne over at flowerdust.net was doing this with good results, & was inspired to help in this way myself. Why not try to help in any way we can–large or small!!)

Filed under: Christian, Compassion, God's Word , children in need, Compassion, compassion international, in Jesus' name, jesus, poverty

Irish Music for an Irish Day

A little late, but I thought I’d post a Irish tune for all of you to help celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.

(Pardon my fake percussion…)

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Filed under: Christian , celtic, celtic music, flute, ireland, irish, irish music, irish traditional, irish traditional music, jig, st. partick's day

The Father’s Love Letter

This was worth posting again:

My child,

You may not know me, but I know everything about you. Psalm 139:1
I know when you sit down and when you rise up. Psalm 139:2
I am familiar with all your ways. Psalm 139:3
Even the very hairs on your head are numbered. Matthew 10:29-31
For you were made in my image. Genesis 1:27
In me you live and move and have your being. Acts 17:28
For you are my offspring. Acts 17:28
I knew you even before you were conceived. Jeremiah 1:4-5
I chose you when I planned creation. Ephesians 1:11-12
You were not a mistake, for all your days are written in my book. Psalm 139:15-16
I determined the exact time of your birth and where you would live. Acts 17:26
You are fearfully and wonderfully made. Psalm 139:14
I knit you together in your mother’s womb. Psalm 139:13
And brought you forth on the day you were born. Psalm 71:6
I have been misrepresented by those who don’t know me. John 8:41-44
I am not distant and angry, but am the complete expression of love. 1 John 4:16
And it is my desire to lavish my love on you. 1 John 3:1
Simply because you are my child and I am your Father. 1 John 3:1
I offer you more than your earthly father ever could. Matthew 7:11
For I am the perfect father. Matthew 5:48
Every good gift that you receive comes from my hand. James 1:17
For I am your provider and I meet all your needs. Matthew 6:31-33
My plan for your future has always been filled with hope. Jeremiah 29:11
Because I love you with an everlasting love. Jeremiah 31:3
My thoughts toward you are countless as the sand on the seashore. Psalms 139:17-18
And I rejoice over you with singing. Zephaniah 3:17
I will never stop doing good to you. Jeremiah 32:40
For you are my treasured possession. Exodus 19:5
I desire to establish you with all my heart and all my soul. Jeremiah 32:41
And I want to show you great and marvelous things. Jeremiah 33:3
If you seek me with all your heart, you will find me. Deuteronomy 4:29
Delight in me and I will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4
For it is I who gave you those desires. Philippians 2:13
I am able to do more for you than you could possibly imagine. Ephesians 3:20
For I am your greatest encourager. 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17
I am also the Father who comforts you in all your troubles. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4
When you are brokenhearted, I am close to you. Psalm 34:18
As a shepherd carries a lamb, I have carried you close to my heart. Isaiah 40:11
One day I will wipe away every tear from your eyes. Revelation 21:3-4
And I’ll take away all the pain you have suffered on this earth. Revelation 21:3-4
I am your Father, and I love you even as I love my son, Jesus. John 17:23
For in Jesus, my love for you is revealed. John 17:26
He is the exact representation of my being. Hebrews 1:3
He came to demonstrate that I am for you, not against you. Romans 8:31
And to tell you that I am not counting your sins. 2 Corinthians 5:18-19
Jesus died so that you and I could be reconciled. 2 Corinthians 5:18-19
His death was the ultimate expression of my love for you. 1 John 4:10
I gave up everything I loved that I might gain your love. Romans 8:31-32
If you receive the gift of my son Jesus, you receive me. 1 John 2:23
And nothing will ever separate you from my love again. Romans 8:38-39
Come home and I’ll throw the biggest party heaven has ever seen. Luke 15:7
I have always been Father, and will always be Father. Ephesians 3:14-15
My question is…Will you be my child? John 1:12-13
I am waiting for you. Luke 15:11-32

Love,

Your Dad

ht: inkstreaks to the throneroom

Filed under: Christian, Encouragement, Faith, God's Word , bible, care, Christ, Christian, Encouragement, Faith, Father, God, God's Word, Holy Spirit, hope, jesus, Jesus Christ, letter, love, love letter, our Father, scripture, truth

Making Worship Meaningful

The following is an excerpt from an article from Greg at IsaiahSix titled Worship Style as a Means for Church Growth:

As worship leaders plan worship gatherings, we must take into account those believers who will be present. What are their backgrounds? What are their life experiences? And, yes, to some degree, what are the ages that might be present? The answers to these questions will dictate to some degree or another what forms of worship are included in a service. For example, if the background of a congregation largely centers around the Great Depression and World War II, then using the latest music from Sovereign Grace probably (notice I said probably—not definitely) isn’t going to allow the congregation to offer worship in a way with which they are familiar. If, however, the congregation is made up of college students, using only an organ and old hymns with archaic language isn’t going to work well.

Here’s the premise I’m trying to get across: it must mean something to the worshipers in order for them to be able to offer it in worship.

(from Worship Style as a Means for Church Growth at IsaiahSix)

“It must mean something to the worshipers in order for them to be able to offer it in worship.”

I thought this sentence from Greg’s article was worth repeating. So true, & what a great way of expressing how worship can be truly meaningful for us as individuals & as we worship corporately.

Filed under: Christian, Worship , Christian, Christianity, Church, forms of worship, God, meaning, meaningful worship, Worship, worship leaders, Worship Leading, worship music, worshiping

Worship = WORTHship

The greatest commandment is to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind” (Luke 10:27.)

How does this relate to worshiping through singing? Do you love the Lord when you sing to or about Him? Do you give God musical praise with all your strength & effort? Do you sing the words in complete awareness of their meaning & mean it by singing with both your heart & mind?

It takes effort to truly worship. We can’t worship without putting all our strength, all our hearts & all our minds into the picture & expect it to be meaningful to God.

Paul said in the second half of 1 Corinthians 14:15:

“…I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my MIND.“

How much worth do you give to God in worship? There is no worth in worship if our heart & mind aren’t in it. If our mind is not involved, then how can we worship in truth or in spirit? (John 4:23-24) [Note: The word worship comes from the old English word WORTHship.]

What are the words to the chorus of the song I’m Forever Grateful?

I’m forever grateful to You, I’m forever grateful for the cross
I’m forever grateful to You – That You came to seek & save the lost.

Do you sing these words & mean them as you do? Do you sing them with gratitude that God sought you & sent Jesus, who died for you to save you?

What about the beloved hymn Amazing Grace? We may have sung it 1,000 times & know every verse in memory, yet never truly engaged our minds as we sang the words:

Amazing Grace! How sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me!

Is God’s grace amazing to you? Is it a sweet sound? Do you sing the words with meaning, in thanksgiving to Him for loving you so much that He saved you?

———–

This is a devotional I’ve worked up & am thinking of doing with our choir. Feel free to offer your own ideas, reflections & continuations of this. I’m also curious if any of you out there do devotionals with your worship teams or choirs? It would be wonderful if you would share!

Filed under: Christian, Worship, Writing , amazing grace, choir, Christian, Church, God, greatest commandment, i'm forever grateful, jesus, love, meaning, Ministry, Music, praise team, singing, true worship, Worship, worship music, worship team, worth, worth in worship, worthship

Reaching Out as God Leads

I love finding another worthwhile podcast to listen to which helps me to grow in my relationship with God & I pray it will increase the outflow into reaching the lost. This podcast includes testimony & input from all those involved – awesome!

The Mission Podcast (from Carl of Revival Blog) — these are some excerpts I wrote down (mostly paraphrased) from the latest message on 03/07/08:

“If you sow listening, you will reap listening.” They will listen to you if you first listen to them, & be more likely then to receive Jesus Christ!

We must meet people at their unmet need, following the leading of the Holy Spirit. Jesus didn’t reach out to each lost person in the exact same way, but at their place of specific need. He will guide us in the conversation, & if we follow, He will open them to receive & bring them closer to (or to the very point of) receiving Jesus. Ask God what He is doing in this person’s life & how His Spirit is at work in them. He will help us to be relevant specifically to what this person needs if we will only listen to & follow His Spirit’s leading.

God anoints us with His Holy Spirit when we receive the Holy Spirit & teaches us to use our specific giftings to reach the lost & also to edify & help other believers in their Christian walk as well.

When we don’t rely on the Holy Spirit, we can’t truly glorify God. Religion without relationship with God & His Holy Spirit is without meaning & cannot truly glorify God.

Why do we as Christians think we are the ones who are to convict & point out people’s sin? That’s what the Holy Spirit does, we don’t have to. “Judgment is not ours, it’s the Lord’s!” When the Holy Spirit comes, He “will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment” (John 16:8 NASB). Our job is to share the GOOD News of the Gospel, convicting people of sin is the Holy Spirit’s job, not ours.

Why do we tell & expect sinners to change before they are saved? They can’t change yet, they aren’t saved! Lost people act lost! Let them come to Christ, then He will faithfully work in their lives to make them more like Himself.

If we’re not following God when He leads, we can’t be led by Him. We have to let the Spirit of God come in & run things! We don’t run things ourselves & we shouldn’t.

We don’t “not sin” because God told us not to, we don’t sin because we want more of God & to be able to share His Good News with others (& live an example of the change Jesus brings into us & into our own lives).

“I want people to so fall in love with Jesus that sin is not an obstacle.”

———–

Lord — break my heart for the lost. USE ME. USE ME. USE ME! Push the fear & timidity out of me! Help me to follow Your Spirit’s leading, to hear You when You speak to me, & to be obedient to do what You call me to. Show me anything in myself or my life that needs to change. Help me to grow closer & closer to You. Teach me, convict me, change me, guide me, use me for Your glory & Your purposes, & let nothing get in the way of Your will. In the name of Jesus let Your will be done!

Filed under: Christian, God's Word , bible, biblical, Christian, Christianity, God, good news, gospel, Holy Spirit, jesus, love, podcast, reaching out, true Christians

Something for Saturday

…nothing brings the heart, soul, & mind greater joy & satisfaction than praising the one true God.
- Beth Moore (Stepping Up)

Filed under: Christian, Encouragement, Photography, Worship , beth moore, God, heart, joy, mind, overcoming, praising God, satisfaction, soul, Spiritual Warfare, stepping up, Worship, worshiping

Twitter!?

Okay — So I’ve jumped on the Twitter bandwagon some of you have already traveled on for some time now!

But…

I don’t really have a clue what it’s all about or what to do with it! So please share!

Oh… & here’s a link to my poor excuse for a Twitter page.

Filed under: Christian , twitter