Always

We are constantly faced with circumstances that test our faith.  On of the most jarring of these is the loss of a family member.  Unfortunately, we all face this trial at some point in our lives; but it's particularly difficult when it comes unexpectedly.  My prayers go out to those who have lost someone close to them.

Isaiah 43:10 (NIV) "You are my witnesses," declares the LORD, "and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he.  Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me. 

Even though it may feel like God is nowhere near you right now, have faith that He is right beside you. He is always with you. God has been there before this pain, He is with you now, and He will be there after the pain subsides. He never fails and He never leaves your side. Hold on to His promises to love and comfort you.

You may be crying out to God saying, "I need you.  Why did you leave me?  Why did you let this happen?" 

Things often seem unfair, but God has a larger plan.  One that we can't even begin to comprehend.  He knew long ago that you would be going through this pain and He's ready to hold you in His arms.  Hold on tightly to His promise and assurance that He will wrap his loving arms around you. 

This song is written from true stories of pain and loss. Let the words comfort you through your sorrow.  God is with you!

Always by Building 429   I was standing in the pour raining one dark November night, fighting off the bitter cold when she caught my eye.  Her face was torn and her eyes were filled.  Then to my surprise she pulled out a photograph and my heart just stopped inside.  She said "He would have been three today. I miss his smile, I miss his face."  What was I supposed to say?  But I believe always, always our Savior never fails.  Even when all hope is gone, God knows our pain and His promise remains.  He will be with you always.  He was living in a broken world dreaming of a home.  His heart was barely keeping pace when I found him all alone remembering the way he felt when his daddy said goodbye, fighting just to keep the tears and the anger locked inside.  He's barely holding on to faith, but deliverance is on its way.  'Cause I believe always, always our Savior never fails.  Even when all hope is gone, God knows our pain and His promise remains.  He will be with you always.  Friend, I don't know where you are and I don't know where you've been.  Maybe you're fighting for your life or just about to throw the towel in.  But if you're crying out for mercy, if there's no hope left at all, if you've given everything you've got and you're still about to fall - Well hold on!  He will be with you always.

Not only is God always there for you, He knows what you are feeling.  He knows what it feels like to be let down; we let Him down every day.  He knows what it is like to be lonely; we constantly turn away from Him.  And He knows what it's like to lose a loved one - after all, He graciously sent His son to die for you.  He gave up His loved one so that you could be His child today.

Desert Song

A friend of mine recently recommended this song to me and I haven't stopped humming it since.  Similar to the hardships I spoke of in my posting Stand in the Rain, this verse and song talk about how the struggles we face are meant to strengthen us.

I Peter 1:3-7 (NIV)  Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.

The visual picture in my mind from this verse is that of a refiner purifying gold over a burning flame.  The refiner in this picture is God and we are the gold: imperfect and flawed.  In order for God to truly strengthen us and purify our hearts for Him, He needs to put us through flames of trials.  The trials are hot, uncomfortable, and difficult; however, they are not more than we can withstand. 

Whatever struggles you are facing in your life, remember that God is with you through them.  Know that He may be using these struggles to strengthen your faith, show you glimpses of His mercy, or purify your life of imperfections that are weighing you down. 

These struggles are not things we look forward to; but, we need to have faith that God is allowing us to go through these trials with the purpose of strengthening us!  Just as gold is purified by fire - we are strengthened and purified by the trials that heat our lives.

Desert Song by Hillsong United   This is my prayer in the desert when all that's within me feels dry.  This is my prayer in my hunger and need.  My God is the God who provides.  This is my prayer in the fire and weakness or trial or pain.  There is a faith proved of more worth than gold.  So refine me, Lord, through the flame.  I will bring praise, I will bring praise.  No weapon forged against me shall remain.  I will rejoice, I will declare God is my victory and He is here.  This is my prayer in the battle when triumph is still on its way.  I am a conqueror and co-heir with Christ.  So firm on His promise I stand.  All of my life, in every season, You are still God.  I have a reason to sing; I have a reason to worship.  This is my prayer in the harvest when favor and providence flow.  I know I'm filled to be empty again.  The seed I've received, I will sow. 

No matter what you are going through, God is right there.  He is with you through life's storms and battles.  And He will still be standing with you when the storms and battles are over.  He is with you through it all.  

Better than a Hallelujah

I couldn't wait another minute to make this post.  This entry came to me tonight as I was sitting in my car waiting to meet up with my mother.  A brand new song by Amy Grant came on the radio and stopped me in my tracks.  It has been so long since I have listened to one of her songs (I believe the last time was on one of my mom's cassette tapes!) and I almost changed the radio channel; but, God began speaking to me.

John 4:23 (NIV)   A time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.

God has truly been reaching out to me through this verse recently and tonight, He gave me the song to pair with it.  Despite what many are taught, God doesn't want our good deeds, He doesn't want our attendance at church, He doesn't want our empty prayers or our Christian words - He wants our worship!  True worship is not just singing songs or reading His word or going to church; true worship comes when you reach out to God in every part of your life.  Praise Him through your words, praise Him in how you treat others, and praise Him by obeying Him.  God doesn't just want to meet with you on Sunday mornings; He wants to be in your life each day!   
 
 God wants to be in a relationship with you.  If you're upset or angry or frustrated, tell Him about it.  He wants your honest prayer.  It's simple to start, talk to Him, tell Him how you're feeling and, like a true friend, He will listen and help bring you through it.  Get into His word, be strong in your prayers and God will speak to you.  He might not tell you to do what is easy, He might not tell you what you want to hear; but, He will tell you what is right and what is true.  I know that He will be honest and unwavering ... just reach out and let Him. 

Better than a Hallelujah by Amy Grant    God loves a lullaby in a mother's tears in the dead of night better than a Hallelujah sometimes.  God loves the drunkard's cry, the soldier's plea not to let him die better than a Hallelujah sometimes.  We pour out our miseries, God just hears a melody.  Beautiful the mess we are, the honest cries of breaking hearts are better than a Hallelujah.  The woman holding on for life, the dying man giving up the fight are better than a Hallelujah sometimes.  The tears of shame for what's been done, the silence when the words won't come are better than a Hallelujah sometimes.  Better than a church bell ringing, better than a choir singing out.

I realize that this site is dedicated to singing songs and praises and hallelujahs to God; but, these songs should just be an extension of our daily worship of Him.  Don't just sing words to Him, sing the honest praises that are on your heart. 

Rescue

When I think about my priorities, I always hope that they're in the right place.  But--if I am being truly honest--I know that I put my faith and hopes in so many of the wrong things.  I worry about relationships, I stress about work, I hope for wealth, I strive for success.  What are those things really worth? 

Matthew 6:19-24 (NIV)   "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

We all put our faith in things of this world.  We get caught up in all the stresses of life.  But, instead of being let down by the things around you, let God lift you up.  This world presents us with rewards that are fleeting; but God's rewards are unending. 

Nothing in this world will satisfy you; only the Lord can completely satisfy your needs.  You need to develop a relationship with the Creator through His word, prayer, devotion, and focusing on Him.  Know that He is with you through all of the hardships you may face.  If you focus on your relationship with God, He won't let you down!  You are forever in His arms.  The triumphs that you strive for in your life are nothing in comparison with what God has in store for you...

Rescue by Newsong   You are the source of life.  I can't be left behind.  No one else will do; I will take hold of You.  I need You, Jesus.  My heart is Yours for life.  I need Your hand in mine.  No one else will do; Lord, I put my trust in You.  I need You, Jesus, come to my rescue.  Where else can I go?  There's no other name by which I am saved.  Capture me with grace; I will follow You.  This world has nothing for me; I will follow You. 

We Will Not Go

Recently, I came across an Old Testament story that I've heard so many times before.  It is the story of Moses leading God's people out of Egypt.  You know the story: the slaves are freed, miraculously cross the Red Sea, enter the Promised Land.  That's the story we're all taught, right? 

Actually, before Moses led the people to the promised land, they first spent time worshiping God in the middle of the desert!  We usually pass over this part and skip right to the reward of the Promised Land.  That is, after all, the final destination; but what about the journey to get there? 

Exodus 13:20-22 (NIV)  After leaving Succoth they camped at Etham on the edge of the desert.  By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night.  Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people. 

God didn't want to just bring His people to a wonderful place; He wanted to bring them closer to Him.  To do this, they needed to make a pit stop in the vast sands of the desert, not in the land that flows with abounding gifts.  If we were in a beautiful place, would we really stop to think about how God's grace got us there?  If we are always focused on rewards (money, friends, success), we lose sight of what is truly important: our relationship with the God of the universe! We need to remember that our goal is to draw near to our Creator - our goal is not to just reap rewards from Him. 

Fire by Night Cloud by Day (We Will Not Go) by Kelly Minter   Fire by night, cloud by day; our God will lead the way. Desert sand or promised land; our God will lead the way. Forever we will follow, no matter what tomorrow holds. We will not go, we will not move, we will not walk without Your presence. We will wait for You. The great I Am, almighty God, we are desperate for Your presence. And without You, we will not go. Troubled soul when darkness comes; our God will lead the way. Joyful heart when blessings flow; our God will lead the way.

Don't depart for the Promised Land without God in your life.  Life's rewards will be meaningless if you don't have a relationship with the One who gave them to you.  Remember that He is always with you, even if you feel you are stuck in the middle of a desert searching for those Promised Lands...

Stand in the Rain

I wanted to start with a scripture and a song to uplift and strengthen you. 

Ephesians 6:10-17 (NIV)    Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.  Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes . . . Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.  Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.  In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.  Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 

These verses are all about how to prepare for those trials that will come in your life.  We all have them: the rough days, the lonely times, the broken relationships.  God doesn't say that following Him will be easy; having a relationship with the Lord will not be the end of all your troubles.  He tells us that we will have troubles and that the world will test us.  Let's just be ready for that day.  We prepare by having a relationship with God: by reading His word, following His commandments, singing His praises.  We need to stand firm in our faith so that we will not be changed by our experiences.  We need to be ready to stay strong when the winds of the world test us.  We need to Stand in the Rain.  

Stand in the Rain by Superchick (chorus)  Stand in the rain; stand your ground.  Stand up when it's all crashing down.  Stand through the pain; you won't drown.  And one day what's lost will be found.  Stand in the rain.