Singing the Classics

If you're familiar with Mike Cope, you know what an excellent and insightful speaker he is. But did you know he has singing talents as well? And if you're familiar with many of the favorite songs among the churches in our heritage, this spoof on "Classics" CDs will bring a smile to your face.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=16fqyp8UPaA

The Wheelbarrow Ride

In David’s “Trust and Obedience” class last Wednesday night, he mentioned the familiar story of the Niagara Falls tightrope walker. Legend has it that Charles Blondin, a French daredevil in the 1860’s, asked crowds if they believed he could traverse the falls pushing a wheelbarrow.

Yes. They knew he could. He had crossed Niagara Falls several times and several ways—backwards, blindfolded, on stilts, at night.

But would they volunteer to ride across in the wheelbarrow? No. Their faith wouldn’t take them that far.

How far does our faith take us? If we truly believe that Jesus is THE WAY, the only way, will we get in the wheelbarrow he’s pushing? Hasn’t he proven himself to us already in the crazy situations we get ourselves in—backwards, blindfolded, on stilts, at night?

If we believe he’s so trustworthy, what’s holding us back?
Fear of falling? Risk of being out of control? Too proud? Lack of motivation to get to the other side?

At times, we get in the wheelbarrow anyway. Even though we’re scared. And we hunker down in the bottom, hands over our heads, and pray that the Lord really knows what he’s doing with our lives. It’s out of our hands, and we finally acknowledge it.

Other times, we get in and feel confident enough to look over the top, but still cling white-knuckled to both sides. We may not feel totally safe, but we’re trying to enjoy the ride.

And then there are those rare moments when we stand up in the wheelbarrow and look around at the glorious water underneath and dance around and revel in being in God’s hands. Those are the times we were made for.

Perhaps it will take time to learn to live more in those moments, to truly trust.

But until then, let’s jump in the wheelbarrow anyway. “I believe; help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24) We really ARE safe there, whether we feel like we are or not.

Enjoy the ride.

A Day to Celebrate!

CELEBRATE MORE
Perhaps we do not celebrate enough - often enough or grandly enough. Perhaps we do not make enough out of the good things God does for us. In Genesis 21 we read that Abraham made a great feast on the day Isaac was weaned. Certainly that was a cultural event. It would seem odd to celebrate the same event today. Yet there are other things we could celebrate within our culture, but we don't.

When was the last time you made a big deal out of something important? Perhaps a high school or college graduation. A successful music recital. Running a marathon.

God has created us with emotions that make life a richer experience for us. Perhaps we should celebrate more--in both quantity and quality.

PRAISE MORE

Celebrate your personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ by giving Him your praise:

I will go in the strength of the Lord God; I will make mention of Your righteousness, of Yours only. O God, You have taught me from my youth; and to this day I declare Your wondrous works.

(Psalm 71:16-17)

WORSHIP MORE
Offer this prayer of worship to the Lord:

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen

(Ephesians 3:20-21)

~ Excerpts adapted from “Quiet Walk: Daily E-Devotional”, January 12.

Focus on Jesus

Allen appropriately challenged us in last Sunday’s sermon to resolve to “Focus on Jesus!” in 2008. The following quote by C. H. Spurgeon echoes that thought:

"It has been said by some one that ‘the proper study of mankind is man.’ I will not oppose the idea, but I believe it is equally true that the proper study of God's elect is God; the proper study of a Christian is the Godhead.

The highest science, the loftiest speculation, the mightiest philosophy, which can ever engage the attention of a child of God, is the name, the nature, the person, the work, the doings, and the existence of the great God whom he calls his Father. It is a subject so vast, that all our thoughts are lost in its immensity; so deep, that our pride is drowned in its infinity.

Other subjects we can compass and grapple with; in them we feel a kind of self-content, and go our way with the thought, ‘Behold I am wise.’ But when we come to this master-science, finding that our plumb-line cannot sound its depth, and that our eagle eye cannot see its height, we turn away with the thought, that vain man would be wise, but he is like a wild ass's colt; and with the solemn exclamation, ‘I am but of yesterday, and know nothing.’

No subject of contemplation will tend more to humble the mind, than thoughts of God……But while the subject humbles the mind it also expands it.

After all, the most excellent study for expanding the soul, is the science of Christ, and him crucified, and the knowledge of the Godhead in the glorious Trinity.

Nothing will so enlarge the intellect, nothing so magnify the whole soul of man, as a devout, earnest, continued investigation of the great subject of the Deity."