"He Lives"

"He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay." Matthew 28:6

I have had songs on my heart all week. This morning is no different, therefore, I just had to post this wonderful old hymn. In a couple of days we are celebrating the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. He died on the cross but death could not hold Him. Of all those throughout history who have desired to be worshipped, of all those who have massed a following, of all those who made claims to be "God", of all those who are the "idol" of various religions, there is not a one of them who died and came back to life. In their tombs you will find bones, ashes or dust.... but not in Jesus' tomb. In His tomb there is no sign of death... because He is not dead. As you celebrate Resurrection Sunday, remember that... your God is risen from the dead. Your God is alive... and He lives forever more!!!! Hallelujah!

Have a great day. He lives, He lives... He is not dead!

" He Lives"

I serve a risen Saviour,He's in the world today;
I know that He is living,Whatever men may say;
I see His hand of mercy,I hear His voice of cheer,
And just the time I need HimHe's always near.

Chorus: He lives, He lives, Christ Jesus lives today!
He walks with me and He talks with me
Along life's narrow way.
He lives, He live, salvation to impart!
You ask me how I know He lives: He lives within my heart.

In all the world around me I see His loving care,
And tho my heart grows wearyI never will despair;
I know that He is leading
Thro' all the stormy blast,
The day of His appearing
Will come at last.

Rejoice, rejoice, O Christian,Lift up your voice and sing
Eternal hallelujahsTo Jesus Christ the King!
The hope of all who seek Him,The help of all who find,
None other is so loving,
So good and kind.

"The Glory He Is Due"

"Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness." Psalm 29:2

As I was praising the Lord the other day- giving Him the glory that was due His holy name- it dawned on me... how can I give Him the glory that He is due? How can I give Him the glory that He rightfully deserves? How can I whose frame is dust, who is a vapor that is here today and gone tomorrow, who am slow of speech, who is finite, who is a created being, whose existence is like the grass of the field, who is a mere mortal... give Him the glory that is due His holy name? How can I give Him glory to the degree in which He is worthy?

When I give Him glory and honor and praise and worship, I fall so short of what He is truly due. He is the King of glory, He is the Creator of the universe, He is the Eternal One, the All Powerful, All Knowing, Almighty God. He is worthy of, and He is due, so much more glory than I can give. He is worthy of so much more than I can articulate. He is worthy of greater accolades than I can bestow on Him. The glory He is due is not in my vocabulary or within my ability to give. My tongue can't give Him the praise He actually deserves- even if I had a thousand tongues I would come up short.

So what can I give Him? What praise can I offer? Will He accept my praise and worship even though it falls short and does not come close to giving Him what He is due? I am reminded of the widow in the Bible with the two mites. She was in the temple bringing an offering to the Lord. She didn't have much, she only had two mites. It was far less than what the Lord deserved. It was so very little. It fell short of what the Lord deserved. But Jesus took note of it. He acknowledged that it was an offering that was acceptable by the Lord. Why? Because she gave all she had. She gave all that was in her ability to give. She didn't hold back anything she had from the Lord. She gave sacrificially and unselfishly. She gave what she had even though it was little and did not come close to what He deserves yet Jesus acknowledged it.

Our praise falls so short of what He is due, but if we will not withhold it, if we will give Him all we have, if we will give it to Him unselfishly from our hearts, He will acknowledge it and He will receive it.

Have a great day. He deserves more glory than we have the ability to give Him, but we must give Him all that we have, even if it's a little.

"The Bird's Song - Part 2"

"And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out." Luke 19:40

Yesterday when we talked about the birds, I said that I was sure that their chirping was not chirps of fear, doubt, complaining, etc. I believe they are singing songs of praise and thanksgiving to the Lord who so graciously meets their every need everyday. As I thought about the birds praising the Lord, it made me think about the scripture above when Jesus said that if the people didn't praise Him, the rocks would cry out in praise.

I don't know about you, but like the song says, "Ain't no rock gonna praise in my place". And I am not going to let a bird, a rock, a flower, a cat- anything that has breath, or doesn't have breath- out praise me either. I am the one who was made in His image. I am the one that He died for on the cross. I am the one whose sins have been washed away. I am the one who has been forgiven. I am the one who has received the gift of salvation and eternal life and has a home prepared for me in His house. So I ought to be the one giving Him more praise. I ought to be the one praising Him more loudly. I ought to be the one out-praising every other thing on earth. To the birds, the grass of the field, the rocks, etc., He is their Creator but He is my Heavenly Father- so I should out praise them.

When I think about who He is and what He's done for me, I have to praise Him. When I am lost, He is my Savior. When I am sick, He is my healer. When I am in bondage, He is my deliverer. When I am weak, He is my strength. When I am confused, He is my peace. When I am in need, He is my provider. When I am hungry, He is my bread. When I am thirsty, He is my water. When I'm in prison, He's the key that opens the door. When I am weary, He's my refreshing. When I'm sad, He's my joy. When I am overwhelmed, He's the lifter of my head. When I'm in darkness, He's my light. When I'm afraid, He's my comforter. Can a rock say that? Can a bird? Can a tree? Can any other creation? Can they do a better job of praising Him? Am I going to let them do a better job? Not as long as I have breath!

Have a great day. I am not going to let anything out praise me!... are you?

"The Bird's Song"

"Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD." Psalm 150:6

As day was breaking this morning I heard a little bird outside my window chirping loudly. I wondered what he was "saying". Of course, I can't interpret "bird language" but I have a feeling that he wasn't complaining about how it has turned off cold. I don't think he was bemoaning the state of the economy. I don't think he was fearfully wondering where his next meal was coming from. I don't think he was singing a song of gloom, despair, worry or fear.

I believe he was singing a song of praise- praise to God for giving him a new day, for watching over him and taking care of him. May I remind you this morning that the birds don't have jobs, they don't have grocery stores, they don't live in heated and cooled houses, they live in nests, they catch bugs and dig for worm, yet they have everything that they need. How? Because there is a God above who feeds them and attends to all their needs.

This God is our heavenly Father. So may I remind you also that if He cares so much for the birds that He feeds them every day, doesn't He care for you more? Aren't you more valuable to Him then they are? So why are you singing the song of worry? Why is your conversation one of fear? Why are you complaining? Why aren't you speaking in faith? Why aren't your words filled with praise? "Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?" (Matthew 6:25,26) "Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows." (Luke 12:6,7)

Have a great day. If God doesn't forsake the birds' needs, if He takes care of them, if He provides for them, won't He do the same for you... and much more.

"Who's In The Spotlight?"

"Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass." Zachariah 9:9

Yesterday we celebrated Palm Sunday- Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem. When Jesus rode into Jerusalem, all eyes were upon Him. All the shouts of praise were for Him. All the celebration was about Him. Everything and everyone was focused on HIM! But how did he get to Jerusalem? How did He arrive in the city? Did He walk? Did the disciples carry Him on their shoulders? Was He driven in a cart or a chariot? Did He come riding on a great white stallion? He made His triumphant entry riding on a donkey's colt.

This little colt was the vessel upon which Jesus made His entry. But as glorious an entry as it was, it was not about the colt. The colt got no attention. No one made a shrine to the colt. The colt wasn't inducted into some "hall of fame". It's wasn't the colt's day of fame. People didn't exalt the colt; people didn't applaud the colt; people didn't point at the colt in adoration. It was not about the colt, it was about the one riding on the colt.

My point this morning is that you and I are "vessels" that carry the glory of the Lord. It's our "job" to put Him in the "lime light". It's our "job" to take Him into places where He will be exalted. It's our "job" to "lift Him up so that all men are drawn to 'Him'". It's our "job" to make sure that we are pointing others to Him and not to ourselves. It is not about us- it's not about the vessel. It's about Him- the one "riding" the vessel. It's about us decreasing so that He might increase. It's about us taking the back seat so that He might have the front seat. It's about us exalting Him, not self. It's about making sure that He is the one who is high and lifted up, not ourselves. God never intended for us to put more emphasis on the vessels that He uses. He intended for us to be vessels that have one desire only-- to see the emphasis on Him. When God uses you as a vessel for His glory, don't let it go to your head and try to get in the spotlight. Like that colt, you have one purpose and that purpose is to get Jesus into a place where HE is in the spotlight.

Have a great day. What kind of "vessel" are you? One that tries to "steal" the spotlight, or makes sure He alone is placed in it?