Happy New Year 2018 to our friends who have already transitioned into the
new year - our friends in Samoa, Australia, North Korea, China, India,
Afghanistan, Greece and many more.
When thinking of a New Year’s verse, there is a section of
scripture which has become a staple verse for New Year's Eve and New Year's
Day. Indeed, it has become such a standard recitation for the New Year that I
almost developed a lackluster attitude concerning its content. I had lost some
of the awe and wonder which accompanied my very first reading of that verse.
“Do not
remember the former thingsNor consider the things of old.Behold, I will do a new thingNow it shall spring forth;Shall you not know it?I will even make a road in the wildernessAnd rivers in the desert.Isaiah 43:18-19
Yet,
as I reflected on the coming year, I began to think about the gift that God
grants us with the dawning of each new day. He truly does a new thing ... daily. Each day is filled with
opportunities to hear His voice, to feel His presence, to see evidences of His
supernatural movement in my life individually and in the lives of others. It
holds an opportunity to be an extension of His hands in the earth to be a
blessing and encouragement to someone we encounter along this path called life.
And
what makes a Happy New Year but a
series of happy days, woven together to make a beautiful tapestry of days and
weeks and months.
Looking
in the dictionary, one of the first definitions of happy is noted as ‘favored by luck or fortune’. It is
based on happenings. And while we cannot control all of the things which will
happen in 2018 - we can control our approach and response to them. So let's do
it with a joy-filled attitude of expectancy … with a teachable spirit and a
determination to extract the best life lessons from every situation.
This year …
·2018 may be a year of reconciled relationships
·2018 might be the year of renewed health
·2018 could be the year for a positive financial reversal
·2018 may hold a series of divine connections and enhanced
business effectiveness
·2018 could see the realization of dreams which have long been
dormant
·2018 could be the year that the LORD connects you with that
one special person who will become your life partner
Whatever it holds, know that God will be
right there with you … every step of the way.
He is Emmanuel … God with us
He is Omni-present which means it is
impossible for Him not to be present in your life.
Even when you cannot see where He is working … or
understand how He is working …
trust
that Heis present and that Heis working still. Keep Trusting … Keep Believing!
The year we lost our home in 2011 was nothing compared to
the moments in 2017 when I lost hope.
Never
lose your hope!!!
You can get through anything as long as there is a hope
and expectancy for the next day.
I pray your New Year will be blessed with peace, strength and
unending joy.
What a wonderful time to reflect on the extravagant love of God.
I am praying that you are enjoying this holiday season. For
me … every time I think I have reached the limits of my strength – I find new
territories and challenges await. For certain, 2017 has been quite a year for
me personally – from health issues, financial challenges, work concerns and
areas of spiritual struggle such as I have not encountered in the thirty-one
years that I have been following Jesus.
Yet, one thing remains unchanged …
THE EXTRAVAGANT LOVE
OF GOD!!!
Lately, I have been listening to a song by Bethel called 'Extravagant.
It begins …
“You were a
lover before time's beginning You gave Your love freely withholding nothing Jesus, my Jesus You carried the weight of the world on Your shoulders You stopped at nothing, to prove You were for us Jesus, my Jesus”
The love of God ... It is truly an
amazing love, an amazing grace!
Romans 5:7-8 tells us, “Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous
person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But
God proves His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ
died for us.”
He met us right where we were. He loved us right where we
were. He loves us right where He finds us and He does not wait for us
to get ourselves together. He only beckons us to Himself … to receive the free
gift of salvation which He offers. It is truly mind boggling!
Just as the chorus of that song notes:
“It's extravagant … it doesn't make sense We'll never comprehend, the way You love us”
It is
a beautiful chorus.
However, if I am completely honest, it is the second half
of the chorus which gives me reason to pause. In referring to that EXTRAVAGANT LOVE, it continues:
“It's
unthinkable … only heaven knows Just how far You'd go, to say You love us”
Yet – the truth is that we
doknow how far He would go to
say how much He loves us – to show just how very much He loves each and every
one of us.
He would leave His majesty and the comforts of heaven, to
come to a fallen world, to assume the humble and vulnerable position of a
Child, to walk the path of life alongside His creation … to continue that trek
beyond the point any of us would have ever been able to endure – to go all the
way to the mount of Calvary … to hang and die on a cross…
Yet He did not stop there … to descend to the pits of hell to
take possession of the keys to death and the grave, to relinquish the enemy of
his power and death of its grip …
To
demonstrateEXTRAVAGANT LOVE
No, we may never understand the ‘why’ … but we know the ‘what’.
And what He did was to give His life a ransom for many … for
you … and for me
Therefore, while we understand that Christmas is a great time
to remember His birth, we also know that it is just as great a time to reflect
on His life, death and resurrection – an act of EXTRAVAGANT LOVE to bridge the gap between us and God, to afford us
the free gift of salvation and eternal life.
It is just a matter of whether we will receive it or not.
In that beautiful song that I mentioned, there is a line
which responds to this EXTRAVAGANT LOVE–
“Here is all my love It's Yours, no conditions When You pull me close No, I won't resist it”
Understand that He pulls every one of us close to Him.
He is
Emmanuel – God with us!
Therefore, no matter how your Christmas season is shaping out
… no matter what you have faced this year … no matter the disappointments that
may have arrived at your doorstep … irrespective of the failings you have
encountered…
He still
stands before you…
With an
everlasting, unchanging and unfailing EXTRAVAGANT LOVE!
And while it is often incomprehensible, it is FULLY available
… to each and every one of us.
DON’T PULL
BACK!
When He pulls you close … don’t resist.
Give all your
love… freely … and fully!
A demonstration of EXTRAVAGANT
PRAISE …
In awe of an EXTRAVAGANT
GOD who is always deserving of the highest praise.
In response to an EXTRAVAGANT LOVE …
Hallelujah!
I pray you have a
very Blessed and Merry Christmas!
I have not written here [or
anywhere not related to school] in quite some time. When we last left off –
ironically – I was writing about praise predators, things that will derail our Endless
Praise. And, wouldn’t you know? I got completely derailed by life,
working 55-60 hours per week, continuing my college studies and taking care of
my mom four-days a week. Then illness struck … three times! I do not say that
to garner sympathy but to emphasize that sometimes life just happens. However,
the important thing to keep in mind is to pick right back up where you left off
and … keep moving forward. The endless praise remains … even in the
midst of the trials … even when we feel unworthy and worn out.
He is worthy of praise … His love is
praiseworthy!
Several weeks ago, I heard a
song which captivated me and had me in tears. It was the song Reckless
Love by Bethel. It is a powerful song about the amazing and endless
love that God has for each one of us. And, its lyrics reminded me of His
relentless pursuit of me …
“Before I spoke a word … You were speaking
over meYou have been so, so good to me …Before I took a breath … You breathed Your
life in meYou have been so, so kind to me …Ohhh … the overwhelming, never-ending
reckless love of GodOh, it chases me down, fights ‘til I’m
found, leaves the ninety-nine.I couldn’t earn it …And, I don’t deserve it …Still You give Yourself awayOh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless
love of God”
Simply amazing lyrics!!!
Yet, that is not what had me
in tears.
As I struggled to make sense
of some of the situations I was experiencing and crying out to God, wondering
where He was in the midst of my situations – I was reminded, through this song,
that my focus was all wrong.
Self-focused and
self-absorbed, I had reached a point where I failed to continue to see His reckless
love as something truly marvelous, something to observe and to stand in awe
and wonder. The song goes on to state:
“There’s no shadow You won’t light upMountain You won’t climb up … coming after
meThere’s no wall You won’t kick downLie You won’t tear down … coming after me”
It is that love … that amazing and unyielding love which He has for all of creation. And, while there are ample situations which
I have brought upon myself, there are some that have occurred as a side effect
of living life – of being human … in a fallen world. And as I wrestled to
understand why the Father would let me endure those situations, I was reminded
that He will allow those who have been reconciled to Him already to endure
whatever it takes to bring that one home to Him. The same way He allowed His
own Son Jesus Christ to endure the unthinkable as He shone His light into the
darkness of all time … ascended the mountain of Calvary, suffered and died on
the cross, kicked down the walls of death, hell and the grave … and came after
me … and you … after that family member … after that neighbor … after that
criminal … after that spouse … after that ex-spouse … after that boss, that
co-worker, that friend, that enemy. And the most amazing part of that truth is
the reality that He did it for each and every one of us without condition. That
amazing song by Bethel continues …
"While I was Your foe, You love fought for
meYou have been so, so good to me …When I felt no worth, You paid it all for
meYou have been so, so kind to me …"
You see, He did not wait
until I was in a place of wholeness – for I could never be whole or complete
without Him.
He did not base His love for
and His pursuit of me upon my goodness – for I could never be good enough.
For all have sinned and fallen short of
the glory of God. (Romans 3:23)
No, before I ever made a
decision to follow Him – He gave His all
for me without expectation of anything in return.
Because love, true love, does not make
demands of others that it be reciprocated.
True love only makes demands of itself
that it be communicated and demonstrated.
God demonstrated His love in His giving …
Christ demonstrated His love in His dying
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only
begotten Son (John 3:16)
While we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8)
God, in all His goodness, reminded me –
Through this song and through
so many other ways in these past few months –
This is how He loves me and how He desires me to love
others.
I pray all
is going well for you this Sunday. As usual, it was a great time at church and
now my task is to get some dinner prepared and ready myself for the return to my
university studies. Will it ever be
complete? At times it feels like it is an elusive fantasy. And yet I am
determined to keep chasing it until it is complete. Thankfully, I at least have
a day off from work tomorrow.
This post
was actually started on Tuesday. As I thought about our theme of Endless Praise
for 2017, I started to consider some of the issues which could derail praise –
to start to examine some of the praise predators which exist, aimed at keeping us from
doing the one thing we were created to do, which is praise the LORD.
This section
has been divided into two parts to ensure that sufficient attention is given to
the items which can get in the way of endless praise in 2017. In this first
section, we will look at the praise predator of sin and its effects on endless praise. Next week, will
be a little lighter … I promise … where we will look at Comfort, Contentment and
Commitment. All are still very significant topics, however, still a little
lighter than the praise predator up for discussion this week – the subject of
sin.
In this
modern day, it has actually become somewhat unpopular to discuss the topic of
sin – unless it is piously scrutinizing the shortcomings and behaviors of
others. It is much harder to examine one’s own life … harder still to be transparent
about what is found.
Jesus, in speaking to His disciples
declared, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s
friends.” Just before saying this, it is noted, “My command is this: Love each
other as I have loved you.”
That being
said, I have wrestled significantly with the idea of sharing this post.
When we look at what Jesus did in
loving us, we find:
He endured the cross, scorning its
shame so that we could be free. (Heb. 12:2)
“He was despised
and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one
from whom people hide their faces He was despised, and we held Him in low
esteem. Surely He took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered
him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our
transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought
us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have
gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and theLordhas laid on him the iniquity of us
all.” (Is. 53:3-6)
Beyond the physical act of enduring
the cross in laying down His life for us, Jesus laid aside any claims to personal
pride and individual privacy. He was willing to forfeit the favor of men and to endure
scrutiny and ridicule so that we would be able to praise God with everything
have and everything we are. This is the laying down of life that He did for
each one of us. And He encourages us to love one another in like manner. Now,
there may be instances [and have been instances] where a friend has been tasked
with physically laying down their life for another. It is the ultimate display
of love and sacrifice. However, each of is called to lay down our life in love,
to follow Jesus’ example. So what does that look like practically? To me, it
looks like an individual who has enough love for his friends to lay bare his
life, to be transparent – in hopes that it will help one have a more fruitful
walk with fewer pitfalls.
There is no
discussion on sin which could capture all of the areas of struggle which are
encountered. Therefore, I will focus on just one aspect which has current
relevance for me – this being done with the recognition that the ultimate
solution is the same regardless of the specific iniquity.
Working full
time, going to school, managing my household, taking care of my mom and getting
back to writing, my calendar is pretty packed – leaving little time to meet
people. Therefore, I have recently stepped out of my comfort zone and delved into the
online dating scene - about three months ago. I have not been on a date in
fifteen years. And, without going into graphic detail, when you find yourself attracted
to someone, and those feelings reciprocated, it presents an entire realm of
spiritual wrestling that I did not entirely anticipate. The struggle is real!
And what I
have realized is that I had come to a point where I was – not intentionally but
nevertheless, actually – taking pride in my ‘discipline and self-control’ of
being chaste in thoughts and action/inaction all these years. However, the true test of self-control is not in avoiding
the temptation all together. It is wisdom ... but it is not necessarily
self-control. The true test is having the opportunity and seduction right within
your grasp and choosing to be self-controlled and not entertain it. This is a
much greater challenge. This is why …
It is essential to take every
thought captive.
Trust me … I'm speaking from experience ... left
unchecked, you will find yourself thinking things you have no business thinking
and saying things you have no business saying. Then, riddled
with guilt, there is that feeling – much like Adam and Eve experienced in
the beginning – of the need to hide from God … as if it were possible.
We know from
scripture, ‘Each person is tempted when
they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.' James 1:14-15
A random thought ...
Gives birth to a series of thoughts,
Which gives birth to
enticement and desire:
Desire gives birth to sin
Sin gives birth to death
And what does it kill?
It kills our praise, it kills
our fellowship with the LORD.
Do we not know, ‘He inhabits the praises of His people’?
(Ps. 22:3)
Therefore, if we are left unwilling or unable to
praise – because of sin – what does this do to His dwelling place within our
lives?
Yet despite
these struggles and stumbles, this is all the LORD keeps saying to me: “There
is nothing you could think, or feel, or say, or do … that will ever change
My love for you.”
This does not condone sin or give
license to live without regard. What it does, is remind me – and anyone in a
similar situation – that there is no condemnation for them that are in Christ
Jesus (Rom. 8:1). It declares that the power of sin and death was defeated by
Jesus at the cross. Our praise, our worship, our fellowship does not have to be
hindered or interrupted because of our actions – even when those actions are
not in keeping with the Father’s will for our lives.
For me in,
in this season, I must guard myself relationally. I still have not gone on a date and have removed myself from the online dating community. For you, it will be something
else entirely. Yet, no matter the area of struggle, the solution and response
from our LORD is the same and unchanging: ‘There is
nothing that can change My love for you.’
Our best behavior could never earn
the love of God and our worst could never drive it away.
Ever
thankful for this truth – still we must not allow ourselves to be bogged down in
situations and circumstances which will hinder our praise and worship in any
way.
He caused me to stumble upon a song
recently [definitely not coincidentally] which says, in part: ‘Don’t turn your
eyes from Me, for My love won’t be undone. Don’t hide your face from Me, for My
light has surely come … Lift up your voice and sing, know that My love won’t
let you go … I’m closer than you know.’
Here is a
link to that song which so pointedly captures the heart of this message and the
Father’s response to us in times of struggle. I hope you enjoy it …
Hillsong United … Closer Than You
Know
Praying That You Have a
Truly Blessed & Victorious Week!
“Yes, I have loved you with an
everlasting love …” —Jeremiah 31:3
I pray your
new year is off to a great start! Here where I live in Virginia Beach, VA, we
are starting the year with our first snow storm of the year. Yes, Virginia
Beach only received 4-6 inches of snow yesterday. However, those amounts are debilitating
for a city ill-equipped to handle any type of accumulation.
Today, temperatures
are not expected to rise above freezing, further complicating matters with
issues of icy roads. We are officially under a snow-induced house arrest. Roads …
horrendous. Temperature … freezing. Winds ... blowing. Even church was cancelled this morning!
However, my
home church – Bridge Church – had an awesome time of praise and worship and
prayer via Facebook Live! I am so thankful for my senior pastors Archie and
Tangie Callahan. I am even more thankful for the Holy Spirit – whose presence
filled my living room as I tuned in online. It was actually quite overwhelming.
That is the
beautiful thing about praise – it can happen any time, any place, right where
you are, no matter what you are experiencing. That same atmosphere that is
present in physical environment of corporate worship is available – and was
present – in our online gathering this morning. In fact, I think this snow was
a blessing in disguise!
You see – there are times when praise
and worship must be undignified!
There are
those moments when the tears begin flowing almost immediately and
uncontrollably – eyes red, voice shaking, hands trembling and nose running. It’s
not pretty … but it is real and powerful! That is the praise and worship and
prayer which took place this morning.
In II
Samuel, chapter 6, verses 14-22 the tale is told of King David and his undignified,
yet unashamed, praise before the LORD. It accounts how David’s wife, Michal,
criticized him for exposing himself to the scrutiny of others as he danced and
praised the LORD for His goodness.
The Message
Version of the Bible records David’s response to Michal:
“In God’s presence I’ll
dance all I want! … Oh yes, I’ll dance to God’s glory – more recklessly even
than this. And as far as I’m concerned … I’ll gladly look like a fool!”
Haven’t we
all had those moments? There are times when our praise cannot be contained and
we do not care who sees, who hears, or how terrible we look. His is the only
favor we seek. Sometimes, it is represented with a dance, at others times with
a shout, and still other times with a cry …
Yet, whether
you are in the position of having to expose your praise to the criticizing eye
of others – or whether the LORD provides an opportunity for private undignified
praise – as He did for me this morning while being snowed-in … the
point is … to praise Him!
With
everything we’ve got, with every feeling we possess, with every breath in our
lungs … let’s set our minds – this year, every month, every day,
moment-to-moment to praise the One who alone is worthy.
Here is a
song we sang today … I hope you enjoy it
I pray your New Year is off
to a great start and that you are eagerly anticipating all that 2017 has to
offer. With this being the first day of the New Year, it seemed an appropriate
time to chart the course before this 2017 journey begins.
Understand this – no matter
where your individual road carries you throughout the remainder of this New
Year, one thing is certain: Praise will be the fuel to keep you going.
In the book of II
Chronicles, an account is provided of a situation where enemy forces stood
ready to wage war against the Israelites. Yet, a word of encouragement came to
Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah:
“You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand
firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you,
Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face
them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.” II Chronicles
20:17
What
followed was a detailed account of steps taken by Jehoshaphat and the people,
in response to this declaration:
“Jehoshaphat bowed down with
his face to the ground, and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell down in
worship before the Lord.” II Chronicles 20:18
“Then some Levites from the
Kohathites and Korahites stood up and praised the Lord, the God of Israel,
with a very loud voice.” II
Chronicles 20:19
“After consulting the
people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the Lord and to praise
him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the
army, saying:
“Give
thanks to the Lord,
for his love endures forever.”
II
Chronicles 20:21
“As they
began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and
Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated.” II
Chronicles 20:22
In
response to their praise, the LORD waged war on their behalf and secured their
victory against their enemies. There was no task left for the people of God but
to collect the spoils.
Understand this – Your
victory is closer than you think!
It is right at the tip of your tongue.
So let us make a
determination today, this first day of 2017, that no matter what the coming
days and months hold, we shall praise the One who stands alone as worthy of
praise.
Praying you have a blessed
day and an exciting year full of realized expectations and sudden surprises!
Here is a beautiful song I
stumbled upon this New Year’s Eve.
It is not new … but it is new to me ... and so
fitting for our first communication of 2017.
Hillsong UNITED – Even When
It Hurts (Praise Song)
Be Blessed … and … Happy
New Year!
“Through Jesus, therefore,
Let us continually offer to God a sacrifice
of praise—
