Have you ever had such a rough time with something that you really start to wonder why God is allowing it to happen? Why He doesn't step in and do something? I know I have.
There is a new song being played on many Christian radio stations that has caught my attention. It really does get to the heart of our faith, especially during hard times. How we react and trust during hardships really does reveal our heart of hearts in the matter of faith and trust.
Below are the lyrics and a Youtube video of this song by Laura Story. I hope it blesses you as it has me. No matter what is happening----Jesus has not left us. He will be us to the end of the age!
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We pray for blessings
We pray for peace
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
We pray for healing, for prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering
All the while, You hear each spoken need
Yet love is way too much to give us lesser things
'Cause what if your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise
We pray for wisdom
Your voice to hear
We cry in anger when we cannot feel You near
We doubt your goodness, we doubt your love
As if every promise from Your Word is not enough
All the while, You hear each desperate plea
And long that we'd have faith to believe
'Cause what if your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise
When friends betray us
When darkness seems to win
We know that pain reminds this heart
That this is not, this is not our home
Its not our home
'Cause what if your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near
What if my greatest disappointments
Or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can't satisfy
What if trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are your mercies in disguise
Monday, April 25, 2011
Monday, April 4, 2011
The Grace and Truth Paradox - Randy Alcorn
Oh boy. If there ever was an area that tends to get out of balance in the Church and with Christians, I'd have to say the balance between walking in Truth and Grace is it. People who lean too far into the Truth are very legalistic and rule based and although their intentions might be right, their methods are wrong. So many people are turned off of Christianity because of this imbalance. On the other hand, if one leans too far into Grace, the message of the Gospel is watered down to share only God's love, mercy and grace, ignoring His attributes of justice, righteous jealousy, and judgment. This leads to many false converts worshiping a false god.
This very short but powerful book by Randy Acorn does a great job of laying out the proper balance as demonstrated to us in Christ. He came in Truth AND Grace. We have personally handed this book out to many Christians as a part of our ministry. Owning a Christian bookstore, we talk to many Christians who fall into one camp or the other, or, are frustrated because they see how so many Church leaders lean one way or the other and are leading the flock astray.
This very short but powerful book by Randy Acorn does a great job of laying out the proper balance as demonstrated to us in Christ. He came in Truth AND Grace. We have personally handed this book out to many Christians as a part of our ministry. Owning a Christian bookstore, we talk to many Christians who fall into one camp or the other, or, are frustrated because they see how so many Church leaders lean one way or the other and are leading the flock astray.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Book Discussion - Putting Together The Puzzle of the Old Testament (Bill Jones)
Pastor Jones was a guest speaker at our Church last summer and presented the information contained in this book. Wow!!!! It was one of the most enlightening sessions I've ever attended regarding the Old Testament. This book lays out the Old Testament in a way that's very easy to follow and understand, irregardless of how long you've been studying the Bible.
Teaser: Intimidated, overwhelmed, totally confused. With hundreds of pages of names like Melchizedeck, Mephibosheth, Meshelemiah, and Michmethath, who wouldn't feel this way about the Old Testament. But imagine that the Old Testament was a 1,000 piece puzzle. Figuring out what you're putting together is easier if you have the picture on the box to go by and the corners and straight edges as guides. The chapters in this book provide the puzzles's box cover, corners, and straight-edged pieces so you can understand the whole picture of what you are assembling. Armed with these advantages, when you read or study Old Testament stories, you will discover how the pieces fit together.
Teaser: Intimidated, overwhelmed, totally confused. With hundreds of pages of names like Melchizedeck, Mephibosheth, Meshelemiah, and Michmethath, who wouldn't feel this way about the Old Testament. But imagine that the Old Testament was a 1,000 piece puzzle. Figuring out what you're putting together is easier if you have the picture on the box to go by and the corners and straight edges as guides. The chapters in this book provide the puzzles's box cover, corners, and straight-edged pieces so you can understand the whole picture of what you are assembling. Armed with these advantages, when you read or study Old Testament stories, you will discover how the pieces fit together.
Book Discussion - So You Want To Be Like Christ? (Charles R. Swindoll)
I read this book a couple of years ago and was challenged by it in many ways. If you've read the book and would like to leave comments, questions, discussion points, please do so here:
Teaser: In a world bent on enticing us away from growing deeper in love with Christ, how on earth do we become more Godly?
Teaser: In a world bent on enticing us away from growing deeper in love with Christ, how on earth do we become more Godly?
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Book Discussion - Ashamed of the Gospel by John MacArthur
I'm setting up this discussion board for my brothers and sisters in Christ who have read the subject book and are interested in discussing it. I'm in the 6th Chapter of the book now and am being challenged by what I'm reading. I would love to discuss it with others who've read it. Anyone else out there want to discuss this book?
Here's the overview of the book as written on the back cover---just to whet your appetite:
"Everywhere there is apathy. Nobody cares whether that which is preached is true or false. A sermon is a sermon whatever the subject; only the shorter is the better." - Charles Haddon Spurgeon
In the late 1800's, Charles Spurgeon warned that the Church was drifting away from the purity of the Gospel. Instead of boldly proclaiming the truths of Scripture, Christians were candy-caoting the Word, being careful not to offend anyone. As a result, Christianity's influence in the nineteenth-century England was severely weakened.
Now, 100 years later, John MacArthur is sounding the same alarm. And it's a warning the Church just can't ignore.
The signs of compromise are all around us: Numbers have become more important than the message. Churches are offering up "Show-Time" religion instead of the "Old-Time" religion. Pastors have turned to the marketing industry to help them draw people in rather than relying on the sovereign power of God.
Until all that changes - until we return to our calling to go into all the world and preach the Gosepel without shame - the Church is in danger of losing its impact on society. And that would be our generation's greatest loss.
Here's the overview of the book as written on the back cover---just to whet your appetite:
"Everywhere there is apathy. Nobody cares whether that which is preached is true or false. A sermon is a sermon whatever the subject; only the shorter is the better." - Charles Haddon Spurgeon
In the late 1800's, Charles Spurgeon warned that the Church was drifting away from the purity of the Gospel. Instead of boldly proclaiming the truths of Scripture, Christians were candy-caoting the Word, being careful not to offend anyone. As a result, Christianity's influence in the nineteenth-century England was severely weakened.
Now, 100 years later, John MacArthur is sounding the same alarm. And it's a warning the Church just can't ignore.
The signs of compromise are all around us: Numbers have become more important than the message. Churches are offering up "Show-Time" religion instead of the "Old-Time" religion. Pastors have turned to the marketing industry to help them draw people in rather than relying on the sovereign power of God.
Until all that changes - until we return to our calling to go into all the world and preach the Gosepel without shame - the Church is in danger of losing its impact on society. And that would be our generation's greatest loss.
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