Have you ever questioned God’s faithfulness? Did you ever think that He has left you or forsaken you? These are questions we sometimes are uncomfortable voicing or admitting. As you contemplate your answer, think of times of disappointment, loneliness, grief or despair. This is when we are most vulnerable to the thought that God had forsaken us. God uses His Word and sometimes a person, a quote, a book or even a hymn to remind us that He is and will always be faithful to His children. One of these classic hymns is my focus on today’s post… Great is Thy Faithfulness.
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I recently watched a song video titled, It is Well, that inspired this week’s Sunday post. I’ve included the video at the bottom of this post. I was blown away by the words and the music. Though I really wish I could, I can’t sing. So, when I hear these very talented young people sing like Kristene, my heart praises God that He has given them the ability to write and sing songs that speak to my heart.
In It is Well, Kristene was able to marry a song of her own to the beloved old hymn…’It is Well with My Soul’. It begins soft and slow but continues to build into an awe-inspiring crescendo that literally gave me goosebumps. It ends soft and slow leaving you surrounded in God’s presence.
A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”
As we fast forward two millennia, to 2017…’The waves and wind still know His name’.
Curious to know a little more about Kristene and this song, I found a short backstory clip that was very interesting. In that clip she says…’I bet you everything knows His name and I bet you that everything we’ll ever face has already tasted some level of defeat or the entirety of defeat because of what He did. And so, there is really nothing to be afraid of.’ Wow, they are insightful words that really got me thinking. That took me to Romans 8:19-21…
For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.
All of creation knows Him and awaits liberation from bondage and frustration caused by the first Adam’s sin into the freedom and glory of the children of God in the second Adam’s righteousness—Christ Himself! Praise be to God!
Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”
This hustle bustle world we live in today has many things to distract us so we need to be diligent to focus on Him to keep us from our worries and fears.
Yes, Praise God that it is possible that we can really say… ‘It is well, It is well with my soul’.
Thanks for listening,
John
Of the many things that come across my Facebook homepage, this one caught my attention. It came from Gateway Online Bible Studies. I signed up and really glad I did. It is an online study, free and short, just 6-sessions where Anne teaches how to pray powerfully and passionately. Each week she shares a video about the lesson. The series can be used in small group setting or done individually, which is what I do. The book and study guide can be purchased through the online site but I got mine from Amazon. There is a link below if you want to take a look.
Known to me only because of her dad, Billy Graham, I was not familiar with Anne. Viewing her videos and reading this book, I am impressed with the way she speaks with clarity and her knowledge of scripture.
Using the life of Daniel as an example, Anne covers the following topics.
A Post from John…
To me, this is a wonderful visual showing the goodness of God. His intentions are for us to not only be content wherever we find ourselves but also to help and encourage those around us. How do we find the desire, strength and ability to be a help to those we come in contact? How do we effectively encourage one another? The answers comes in the choice we make in the source of our ‘food and water’.
If we choose to ‘feed and drink’ on impurity, hatred, discord, jealousy, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy… the ugly things people do in this world… we will produce ‘bad fruit’. But if we are ‘feeding and drinking’ on love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control, we will produce ‘good fruit’.
So, BLOOM WHERE YOU ARE PLANTED and with God’s help, choose to produce ‘good fruit’, that you may help and encourage those that come into your path where ever you live.
Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.
1 Peter 5:7
Thoughts of Good Friday are on my mind. Thoughts of the immensity of what the cross means and what it means for me. Thoughts of a love that goes far beyond my ability to grasp. But it is real.
In the words of an old hymn writer… What shall I do with Jesus? What shall my answer be? Question with question I answer, What will He do with me?
You have probably heard the Easter story. About forgiveness and redemption and that word no one likes to talk about, namely sin. It is a word that makes us want to walk away and think about other stuff. But sin is supremely important to God because it separates us and puts an impassable chasm between Himself and his beloved. Important enough to God that he provided a solution for it. A costly solution.
The Easter story tells of Jesus Christ’s journey to the cross, His glorious resurrection in triumphant over sin and death, His ascension into heaven where He reigns as our Lord and Savior. This gives us HOPE and JOY. We no longer have to pay the penalty for our sin. Jesus paid it in full. We can be forgiven and accepted and forever enjoy fellowship with God through Jesus. That is what Jesus meant when He uttered His last Words, “It is finished”. That heavy burden of sin we carry is dropped from our shoulders. That is amazing grace.
I hope you, dear reader, will take a moment to listen to the beautiful video below, listen to the words and if you haven’t already, consider the question, “What will you do with Jesus?” Because, neutral you just can’t be.
What Will You Do With Jesus?
Excerpt from David T. Clydesdale’s “How Great Thou Art”
Jesus is standing there in Pilates’ hall; friendless, forsaken, He’s been betrayed
by all. Suddenly comes the fateful call, “What will you do with Jesus?”
Now Jesus stands alone on trial, ready to face the crowd. To walk His
destined mile. In your heart you’re hearing all the while, “What will
you do with Jesus?”
Chorus:
What will you do with Jesus? Neutral you just can’t be. Someday
your heart will be asking, “What will You do with me?”
Will you deny Him just like Peter’s done? Will you reject Him? He is the
living Son. What will you say when the question comes? What will
you do with Jesus?
What will you do with Jesus? Neutral you just can’t be. Someday
your heart will be asking, “What will He do with me?”
What will you do with Jesus? Neutral you just can’t be. Someday
your heart will be asking, “What will He do with me?”
What will he do with me?
Below are the words of the original hymn. They are similar to the words in the video and were probably the inspiration for it.
Jesus is standing in Pilate’s hall
Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
Revelation 3:20
For he says, “In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.
2 Corinthians 6:2
Babbie Mason with Eddie Carswell wrote “Trust His Heart”. In an interview, Mason said the song was influenced by a North Atlanta pastor who “became inspired by the words that Charles Haddon Spurgeon had coined in his writings, ‘God is too wise to be mistaken. God is too good to be unkind. And, when you can’t trace His hand, you can always trust His heart.’”
Similar quotes are found in The One Year Daily Insights with Zig Ziglar and The Lucado Life Lessons Study Bible.
Spurgeon’s actual wording is found in his sermon “A Happy Christian”:
The worldling blesses God while he gives him plenty, but the Christian blesses him when he smites him: he believes him to be too wise to err and too good to be unkind; he trusts him where he cannot trace him, looks up to him in the darkest hour, and believes that all is well.source
Trust His Heart
I think this is why I resonate with these words by RC Trench.
