Worship Archives - Page 2 of 29

10 Things God Might Use To Change Us This Year

January 9, 2019 by Tracey 8 Comments

We’re just over a week into the new year. How are you doing so far? Working toward some goals or getting on track with your word for the year?

On a very superficial note, I’ll say that we’ve had several days of beautiful weather here (after lots of cloudy, rainy days), so I feel like 2019 is going well!

While I didn’t choose change as my word for the year, I definitely want to experience some change in my life this year, especially spiritually speaking. I don’t want to be the same person on December 31, 2019 as I am today.

For example, one way I need to change is in not being critical in my thoughts and words. We had some of that beautiful weather on Sunday afternoon, and my husband and I were out walking in the neighborhood. I caught myself starting to say something critical about someone, but thankfully I backed off and didn’t take the conversation any further. I’m not always that quick to control my tongue, but I’m thankful that I listened to the prompting of the Holy Spirit that time!

I’m guessing we all want to change in some way. It’s not just change for the sake of change, but rather so that we can become more like Christ. That’s our ultimate goal.

So how might God change us this year? Here are ten things He might use to make us different as we walk with Him in 2019.

1. His Word

As we read and study the Bible, the Holy Spirit uses it to convict us about sin. Or, He may encourage us to step up to the plate and do something for Him that we’re not currently doing.

2. Meditation.

I’m not so good at this one. I’ve done the method of write a verse on a 3×5 card and put it in a prominent place in the kitchen or put a sticky note on the bathroom mirror, but after a couple of days, it’s like I don’t even see it anymore.

But I know meditation will help me – for example, with my critical spirit, like I mentioned above. Something as simple as “Let your speech be always seasoned with grace…” [Colossians 4:6] could go a long way toward helping me fight that spiritual battle.

3. Prayer

We might think more of prayer as a way God might change others, but the act of praying can change us, too. God can increase our faith as we see prayers answered. Including praise and thanksgiving in our prayer time focuses our thoughts on the greatness and goodness of our God.

4. Preaching

Being under the teaching of God’s Word, whether in a church service on Sunday or watching an online Bible study video during the week, can cause us to grow spiritually. The Holy Spirit can use a sound Bible teacher to show us truths and principles from God’s Word.

5. Music

Every time I’ve had a major trial in my life, God has given me a song to encourage my heart and draw me to Him. Sometimes I’ve heard it randomly on the radio or in church. At other times, a family member or friend has shared it with me.

6. Trials

So this one scares me. Yet I know if I’m going to change, I will likely face some hard moments in 2019. How you and I respond to these trials will determine whether or not growth and change happen.

7. Service

God can use our service for others to change us. I would guess we can all relate to a time when we went to be a blessing to someone else, and ended up getting a huge blessing ourselves!

8. People

I feel like this could go one of two ways. We may develop a new friendship with someone who edifies and encourages us in our Christian life. Or, God may place a difficult person in our lives who makes us see how unloving we really are. Learning to deal with him/her could bring about some very positive changes in ourselves, whether it effects that person or not.

9. Circumstances

This wouldn’t necessarily be a trial, but just something that comes along, perhaps that’s unexpected. In God’s providence, He may start us moving in a different direction than we had planned.

10. Books

How important is it to read good books! A couple of books that I think are worth reading every year are Stepping Heavenward by Elizabeth Prentiss and Keep a Quiet Heart by Elisabeth Elliot. I’m currently reading Abide in Christ by Andrew Murray. While it’s written in an Old English style, I’m pulling some great truths from it.

As we continue through January, I hope we’ll keep our hearts open to areas in which God wants to change us. We can trust our loving heavenly Father to do what’s best in each of lives as we go through this year.

Related posts:

Don’t Let the Kids Be the Only Ones Anticipating Christmas

December 19, 2018 by Tracey 5 Comments

Anticipation.

If you want a picture to go along with that word, I can’t think of one that’s more appropriate than that of kids waiting for Christmas to arrive.

As a child, I remember my two younger brothers getting up VERY early on Christmas morning. At some point they’d come into my room, so excited to go downstairs and wake up my parents so we could open gifts (and eat candy from our stockings for a little pre-breakfast sugar high!)

Take time to anticipate the wonder of Christ's birth this Christmas season.

As adults, I think we generally anticipate Christmas a little (or a lot?) less. We face more responsibilities. There are presents to buy, food to make, holiday events to attend, and Christmas parties to fit into an already busy schedule.

And while we’re never too old to get excited about gifts, Christmas becomes about a whole lot more. We treasure the joy others get when they open presents we’ve chosen just for them. Getting together and spending time with family becomes much more of a focus…though there’s still a lot of excitement about the candy and other good food!

All that to say that our anticipation level for Christmas can be fairly low at times. But in these last few days before Christmas, I hope we can slow down and really anticipate what’s to come. Let our whole focus not be the gifts or the food or the family celebrations as much as marking the significance of Christ’s birth.

I love the definition of anticipate from the Cambridge Dictionary. It defines it as “to imagine or expect that something will happen, sometimes taking action in preparation for it.”

Thinking all the way back to the first Christmas, Joseph and Mary must have experienced incredible anticipation. Many of us can identify with anticipating a child’s birth. But what about a child that has been said to be the Messiah? One whose birth was foretold to both Joseph and Mary by angels! How exciting!!

Since long before then, though, God’s people had been waiting for a Savior. God told Adam and Eve in Genesis 3:15 that the seed of the woman would bruise Satan’s heal. From then on, the anticipation of God fulfilling His promise was a hope for all mankind.

And just as our God is always faithful, so He provided His Son as that seed. The anticipation from the centuries before was brought to pass on a quiet night in Bethlehem.

In this last week before Christmas, let’s try to find a bit of the wonder and anticipation of the season. This message is for me. Me, with a few presents still to buy and wrap, a couple more parties to bake for, and a Christmas dinner to cook. Let me not get so caught up in the last minute details and preparations that I forget to marvel in the glory of the greatest gift ever given.

“And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord….And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” ~Luke 2:10, 11, 13, 14

Thank you, Jesus, for coming to earth. This was the initiation of God’s plan for my redemption, the redemption of the whole world. Thank you, God, for the gift that was perfect and that only You could give.

It’s the Gift We All Need

December 6, 2018 by Tracey 4 Comments

Are you doing any dedicated Advent reading leading up to the Christmas season? I mentioned in a previous post that I’m reading Ann Voskamp’s The Greatest Gift: Unwrapping the Full Love Story of Christmas this month.

Here’s what I read the other day that grabbed my attention.

“Worry is belief gone wrong. Because you don’t believe that God will get it right.”

Sit with that for a while. Doesn’t that drill right down into the root of all our worry?

When we worry, we’re basically saying, “God, I don’t trust you with the outcome of this situation.” We think that we know what’s best – and we’re not sure it’s going to work out that way. And if God doesn’t do it the way we think it should be done, then we’re convinced it will end badly.

Yes, we know in our heads Romans 8:28, that all things work together for good. And we know we should be able to trust God with whatever we’re facing. Yet our human hearts and minds seem hardwired to worry.

But, my sweet friends, we can rest in the knowledge that God will get it right.

It's the original Christmas gift, and it's needed now just as much as it ever was.

We’ve lived long enough to know that hard times will come. And when they do, we can know that God stands ready to provide for our need. Here’s what Voskamp goes on to say.

“In the thin air of Advent, you may not even know how to say it out loud: ‘I thought it would be easier.’ And your God comes near: I will provide the way.

You may not even know who to tell: ‘I thought it would be different.’ And your God draws close: I will provide grace for the gaps.

You may not even know how to find words for it: ‘I thought I would be…more.’ And your God reaches out: I will provide me.

God gives God. That is the gift God always ultimately gives. Because nothing is greater and we have no greater need.”

In this season of giving and receiving, there’s no greater gift than God. The original Christmas gift, a babe born in a manger, for the purpose of redeeming the world to God, is ours for the taking.

There’s nothing greater we can do than point people to that gift, to Jesus, the One who can meet their every need. No wrapped box under the tree is worth more than what Jesus gives, salvation to all who believe.

And I love that phrase “grace for the gaps.” Because sometimes it’s not an overwhelming calamity that I’m facing. It can be a relatively small struggle. But even there, His grace can fill in the cracks, meeting me right where I am.

Remember this other Romans 8 verse, number 32? It says, “He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?”

We serve a great God who desires to give us every gift that will be good for us and bring glory to Him. And more of Him is always just what we need.

There’s No Time Like the Present to Be Thankful

November 21, 2018 by Tracey 4 Comments

Thanksgiving.

For those of us who try to make gratefulness a priority all year long, this is a welcome season! It helps us focus on gratitude on a daily basis. It’s a time when even our culture encourages us to be thankful.

Psalm 103 gives us many reasons to be thankful to God, so start expressing your gratitude to Him today.

I recently read Psalm 103, and it’s a wonderful thanksgiving passage. Let’s look at the first six verses.

Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

Wow, what a list of benefits from our Lord! Forgiveness, healing, redemption, lovingkindness (so often undeserved, might I add), and good things to satisfy our mouth. (And won’t we have an abundance of those on Thanksgiving day!!) Verse two tells us not to forget all these benefits; remembering what God has done for us is important!

My mind has been drawn to God’s healing this week. My sister’s husband just lost his mother to cancer at a relatively young age. Our family and many others prayed for her for a long time, asking God to take away the cancer and heal her body.

God answered our prayer for healing, but not in the way we would have prescribed. A few days ago, He gave her a permanent healing, an everlasting relief from her pain. It’s another life circumstance that can make us want to doubt His goodness and providence. Yet we know that giving thanks in all things is part of His will for us. [I Thessalonians 5:18] And we trust in His plan to always do what is for our good and His glory.

In verses 10-12, we find a benefit that only God can give us, forgiveness of sins.

He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.

Mercy. That’s God’s compassion and forbearance raining down on us. It can’t even be measured. We could never in a million lifetimes have paid for our sin. Yet Jesus Christ took it all on Himself, and paid our penalty.

Verses 15-16 remind us of just how fast our lives go by.

As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth.For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more.

Let’s be thankful for the time we have. We each get a certain number of years to flourish and prosper. But they’re short. And then, just like when a flower dies, we won’t be remembered long here. But each day we’re given, we can be doing what will matter when we’re gone as we love others, share our faith, and seek to bring glory to God.

Then verse 19 brings hope for our souls.

The Lord hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all.

I might be a little depressed these days if I thought all I had was this life here on earth. There’s lots of injustice, dishonesty, corruption, and plain ol’ evil. But we just read that God’s got a throne in heaven and that one day, He will reign over all. So whether or not politics goes our way or justice seems to be served, we can be thankful that all will one day be made right by the King of Kings.

The last verse of Psalm 103 brings us full circle.

Bless the Lord, all his works in all places of his dominion: bless the Lord, O my soul.

Bless the Lord with me in this Thanksgiving season!!

On a personal note, I hope you and those you’re celebrating with have a wonderful Thanksgiving! We’re spending the week, just the four of us, in a cabin in the mountains near Pigeon Forge, TN. Our Thanksgiving meal will be courtesy of Cracker Barrel. (Not a first for us, for sure, even though some kids in one of my daughter’s classes told her that eating at Cracker Barrel doesn’t count as a real Thanksgiving meal, ha!! Don’t worry – one day soon, I’ll make all our Thanksgiving favorites at home!)

I’m very thankful for each one of you who takes the time to read this blog. May you recognize God’s goodness in your life, not only at Thanksgiving, but every day of the year!

How’s Your Memory? 4 Benefits of Recalling God’s Work in Your Life

November 1, 2018 by Tracey 6 Comments

A few weeks ago, I had a day full of a long list of errands to accomplish.

My final stop was the grocery store. I’d made a list of ten to fifteen items I needed. I’ve learned the hard way that if I don’t have a list when I go to the grocery store – even if it’s for five things – there’s a huge chance I’ll get home and realize I forgot the key ingredient I needed to make supper.

Excited that I was almost ready to go home, I grabbed a grocery cart and headed to the back of the store. About halfway to the dairy section, I realized I’d left my list in the car. At this point, I was too focused on just getting done to walk all the way through the store and back to the car to retrieve my list.

I decided to rely on my memory – a risky proposition, for sure! After I checked out and put my bags in the car, I looked over my list still lying on the front seat. Thankfully, I actually remembered the most important things, and only forgot stuff I didn’t need till later. I have to admit to being pretty proud of myself that day!!

Just as God commanded the Israelites, we also need to remember what God has done for us in the past.

The reason I’m talking about remembering things today is because of a verse I noticed as we ended our Sunday School lesson this week. We’ve been studying Gideon, and Judges 8:34 tells us what happened right after he died.

“And the children of Israel remembered not the LORD their God, who had delivered them out of the hands of all their enemies on every side.”

One of God’s frequent commands to the Israelites in the Old Testament was for them to remember what He had done for them. Remember means to bring something to mind, or to think about it again.

In the book of Deuteronomy alone, God specifically told His people at least nine times that they were to remember what He did in bringing them out of Egypt. (If you’d like to look those up on your own, here are the references – Deuteronomy 5:15, 7:18, 8:2, 8:18, 15:15, 16:3, 16:12, 24:18, 24:22.)

Surely if God was that insistent on the Israelites remembering what He had done for them, He would want us to do the same. I found five verses in Psalms to encourage us in this area.

“And they remembered that God was their rock, and the high God their redeemer.” ~Psalm 78:35

God is my rock and my redeemer. He is firm and unchanging, and I can always depend on Him. Reflecting on any of God’s character traits will lead me to praise Him.

“Remember his marvellous works that he hath done; his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth;” ~Psalm 105:5

Reflecting on His works and His wonders also causes me to praise Him. Whether it’s studying the miracles of the Bible or looking back at the wonderful ways He’s shown Himself mighty in my own life, I can recognize that whatever I’m currently facing is no match for an all-powerful God.

“I have remembered thy name, O LORD, in the night, and have kept thy law.” ~Psalm 119:55

I love how this verse mentions remembering the Lord’s name in the night. If you’re like me, and sometimes have trouble sleeping, what better way to comfort yourself than by meditating on the names of God.

“I remember the days of old; I meditate on all thy works; I muse on the work of thy hands.” ~Psalm 143:5

This type of remembering isn’t just a passing thought. No, we think on His works carefully, thoroughly, and seriously.

“Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me,” ~Isaiah 46:9

We serve a great God. He alone is God. No one else can do what He can. Only our God can keep His every promise

So why all the commands to remember? Why was it important for the Israelites to remember how God delivered them? What will remembering do for us?

Here are four benefits of remembering what God has done for us.

1. It cultivates gratitude.

I think this quote from Ann Voskamp in her book, One Thousand Gifts, says it well.

“Remembering is an act of thanksgiving, this turn of the heart over time’s shoulder to see all the long way His arms have carried.”

How can we help but be grateful when we spend time remembering all that God has done for us! In big ways and small, He has been faithful to love, guide, and watch over us.

2. It creates trust.

A God who has brought us through trials in the past can be trusted to carry us through whatever is ahead.

3. It brings blessings.

It was only when the children of Israel forgot what God had done that they left off worshiping Him, and followed after Baal and other idols. Then God’s judgment came as punishment for their sin. How much better if they (and we!) could stop the cycle by keeping God’s greatness always before us.

4. It causes all glory to go to God.

Remembering keeps us humble because we realize that God is the one who has accomplished everything good and productive in our lives. If it had been left up to us, what a mess we would have made of things!

We can be confident in our future because we know, based on the past, that our God will continue to perform His will faithfully in our lives!

Why We Can’t Take the Credit for Any of It

October 25, 2018 by Tracey 6 Comments

Maybe you’ve never had this problem. But hypothetically, let’s say, there’s a day when we don’t feel so good about ourselves. Perhaps, in order to feel better, we’re tempted to look around and find someone whose life seems to be more of a mess than ours is. We think to ourselves, “Well, at least I’m not that bad off. I’m doing better than they are.”

We find something in their lives to judge, a way to put them down and lift ourselves up. But nowhere in the Bible do we find room for self-congratulations, for an “I’m better than she is” approach.

There's a five-letter-word that reminds me it's all of God, and none of me.

This saying often attributed to John Bradford puts the correct spin on it.

“There, but for the grace of God, go I.”

For example, I can’t take credit for being born into a Christian family. Being raised in an environment where we went to church every time the doors were open gave me repeated opportunities to hear the gospel. Making good decisions as a teenager was easier because I had a family and a church community supporting me.

Obviously I still got to choose. I got to choose my friends at school and whether or not I followed the rules (which I didn’t always). The older and more independent I became, the more choices I got to make. But it was easier, at least for me, to choose right because I came to know Christ as my Savior at an early age, and was consistently taught and had lived out before me Bible principles.

On the other hand, I’ve known people from very difficult backgrounds who chose the opposite of what they’d seen, and are some of the strongest Christians I know. And that was how God’s grace played out in their lives.

When I see someone around me who’s struggling with sin – and reaping the consequences – I need to remind myself that I could be right where they are. When I see their children make mistakes, mine could have – and may still – make those some ones. So could I.

“Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.” [I Corinthians 10:12] Whatever brought that person to where they are, the same sins and wickedness can be found in my heart. What does Jeremiah say? “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?” [Jeremiah 17:9]

That’s what’s so amazing about grace. It’s undeserved, unmerited favor. And it’s available to all of us, no matter how many times we’ve messed up.

And grace means there’s no grounds for me to put myself above anyone else, to think I’m better. Because I did nothing to earn it.

That’s how it all starts with salvation. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast.” [Ephesians 2:8,9]

Didn’t God know us well? He understood what we would do. If our salvation had been through works, it would have been ALL ABOUT one-upmanship. “Look at my works. I’m so good. I’m sure to get to heaven.” If morality and good works could save me, I wouldn’t need God.

And our Christian walk is just the same. It’s the grace of God if, when I read my Bible tomorrow morning, the Holy Spirit gives me a truth I need for the day. If I have boldness to share my faith – it’s His grace.

Which means I treat others with compassion. I’m humble because it’s all of God. His grace is every bit as much for them as it is for me.

My own goodness, which is for sure unbelievably small, is not getting me anywhere. Not to heaven, not to rewards, not to a closer walk with God. It’s all of God, all of His grace, nothing of me.

Do I remember this always? No. I’ve admitted before that I struggle with pride often. But I want God to work on this in me, that I continually see myself as I am, totally reliant on His grace. And then I can offer that same grace to others.

Were it not for grace
I can tell you where I’d be,
Wandering down some pointless road to nowhere
With my salvation up to me.
I know how that would go,
The battles I would face,
Forever running but losing the race,
Were it not for grace.

~”Were It Not for Grace” by Larnelle Harris

Don’t Be a Fool: 5 Things to Avoid if You Want to Be Wise

October 11, 2018 by Tracey 3 Comments

During my morning Bible time, I usually read a chapter from Proverbs. A couple of months ago, I decided to be more focused in my reading. Every time I came to a verse that talked about a fool, I wrote it down in my journal. I wanted to see what it said a fool did – or didn’t do – so that I could hopefully avoid being one!

While I knew that Proverbs talked a lot about fools, I didn’t actually realize how much until I did this exercise. I found it helpful, and thought I would share some of what I found with you – since I’m sure you don’t want to be a fool either!

So here are five things to avoid if you want to be not foolish, but wise.

1. Take advice or correction from no one.

We get this first one right out of the gate, in Proverbs 1:7.

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.”

This makes perfect sense. How can you avoid foolishness if you won’t listen to wisdom? Proverbs 1:22 says something similar.

“How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?”

Wise people recognize that there are many situations in life that they don’t know how to handle. God’s Word is our first resource in those cases. Beyond that, look for wise advice from other people. Hopefully your pastor could be a help here. In marriage or parenting, ask counsel from someone who’s ahead of you in the journey, and seems to be living in a Christ-like way.

It’s only the foolish who think they’ve got it all under control, and don’t want to glean wisdom from anyone else.

2. Talk a lot about anything and everything.

Later on, I’d like to write a post on the verses in Proverbs that talk about the fool’s mouth. But for now, here are a few examples.

“The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness.” Proverbs 15:2

I like the use of the word “poureth.” A fool’s mouth doesn’t just trickle out foolishness; it comes gushing out. And we know from Proverbs 18:7 that it’s not helpful words we’re talking about.

“A fool’s mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of his soul.”

We all know that our tongue can get us in a world of trouble. Sometimes we can be wise just by keeping our mouth closed.

“A fool uttereth all his mind: but a wise man keepeth it in till afterwards.” Proverbs 29:11

Don’t say everything you know. Before they speak, a wise person will ask themselves those famous questions, “Is it kind? Is it true? Is it necessary?”

3. Enjoy your pet sins.

A fool wants to hang on to his sin.

“The desire accomplished is sweet to the soul: but it is abomination to fools to depart from evil.” Proverbs 13:19

The foolish man hates to walk away from evil. He’s not willing to deny himself in order to overcome his sin. Proverbs 1:23 goes even further when it says,

^“It is as sport to a fool to do mischief: but a man of understanding hath wisdom.”

He sins without regret or remorse, even finds pleasure in it. If we want to be wise, how tender our hearts need to be in asking the Holy Spirit to reveal sin in our lives. Then we can ask forgiveness, and seek God’s strength to overcome it.

4. Have a short fuse.

In other words, get angry quickly.

“He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly…” Proverbs 14:17

Haven’t we all fallen into this trap? We lose our temper, and then we say or do something really stupid. It can be with a co-worker, our spouse, or one of our children. Proverbs 12:16 addresses this, too.

“A fool’s wrath is presently known: but a prudent man covereth shame.”

If everybody around you knows when you’re angry, it might be time to work on some self-control. (Preaching to myself here for sure!) We need the Holy Spirit’s help to have self-control, which I think we’d all agree is the mark of a wise person.

5. Be proud.

This kind of goes along with number one. If you refuse to accept instruction from others, you qualify as proud. But look what it says in Proverbs 14:16.

“A wise man feareth, and departeth from evil: but the fool rageth, and is confident.”

Wise people discern that there’s trouble ahead, and avoid it at all costs. But the fool thinks, “I’ve got this!” He’s arrogant and self-confident. His way is the best way. Proverbs 12:15 says,

“The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise.”

I love that we read in James 4:6 that God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. A wise man knows he is weak, but goes to God for discernment and strength to overcome his weakness.

Maybe we can all take what I learned about a fool from Proverbs, and make decisions in our lives that will cause us to be wise!

When You Have the Best, Why Would You Want Anything Else?

October 4, 2018 by Tracey 4 Comments

Chocolate – do you like milk or dark?

I listen to a podcast where the host often asks her guests that question. When I was younger, milk chocolate was my favorite, but I admit to having developed a taste for really good dark chocolate as I’ve gotten older.

Yes, it’s usually the expensive stuff, but now the lower quality chocolate pales in comparison. Plus it only takes a little bit of the costly stuff to satisfy that chocolate craving (theoretically, that is!) I’d rather have a small portion of the best stuff than a whole pile of the other.

I just started Kelly Minter’s Bible study titled No Other Gods: The Unrivaled Pursuit of Christ. Before she dives into the first of the ten commandments, she backs up and looks at the previous verse. I’d never analyzed Exodus 20 this way, and her approach got me thinking.

No other god can compare to the one true God.

The first commandment says, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” That statement comes in verse three. Verse one lets us know it’s God who is speaking. So what comes in verse two, right before we get the list of the ten commandments?

“I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.”

Before He lays down the law that the Israelites are to follow, issues the commands they are to obey, God reminds them of Who He is and what He’s done.

It hasn’t been long since these people were freed from slavery. They’ve witnessed the ten plagues and the parting of the Red Sea, miracles that could only be attributed to God. He brought them out of Egypt powerfully, and with great purpose and intent. His plan not only got them out of their oppressive situation, but also had the Egyptians lavishing them with parting gifts of silver and gold! [Exodus 12:35-36]

In Exodus 20:2, God lays down His claim for being the only God they are to worship. He declares that He is their God, their deliverer.

We may think that, having witnessed extreme miracles, they would just automatically follow God. We may scoff at how shallow their faith was, since we know from further reading how quickly they turned to a golden calf or a god named Baal as the object of their worship.

Yet let’s look at our own lives. We have God’s Word that we can hold in our hands. His salvation is available to all who will trust Jesus as their Savior. But when a little trouble comes, how quickly we look to our own devices to solve a problem. We don’t actually build an idol, but we so often look to something else to deliver us.

Maybe we think that if we just had this or that we’d be content, happy. We give our devotion, our time, and our emotional energy to our family or our work or our own comfort. These can all be good things. But they’re not the one thing, the person we are to worship.

In my own life, my husband and I are trying to help guide our daughter as she makes decisions about college and career plans for next year. Being the planner that I am, I want to know yesterday how that’s all going to work out. Uncertainty makes me nervous.

But I can’t worship at the altar of control or security. Nor can I make what I want for her my idol. I have to trust God to work in her life, and bring both she and us to a place of peace about her future plans.

And what a neat thing it will be for her to experience God leading her! I want her to be able to look back, like the Israelites could, and say, “Look what God did for me! Look how He brought me to the place where I need to be.”

So why would we want any other god but the one true God? He commands us to have no other god before Him, and He has that right because of all He has done and continues to do for us.

When you realize that you have the best – the only all-powerful One who can save and deliver – you can confidently worship Him, and set all others aside.

When You’re in the Pit, Look Forward to Your New Song

September 12, 2018 by Tracey 8 Comments

There are certain ways you can tell you’re getting old. From knees that audibly creak when I first walk across the floor in the morning to a new wrinkle I spotted on my face last month, there’s no denying it.

While trying to find some music on Alexa recently, I realized that the songs from my past tend to date me as well. I used to think of “oldies” as the tunes my parents listened to when they were teenagers, back in the 50’s and 60’s. However, considering that I went through my teen years during the 80’s, my music might now be considered “oldies” as well, especially to my own teenage daughters. Somehow that hurts!!

Today I wanted to look at how we can get a new song. Maybe life has drained us of our old song. Trials and difficulties might be keeping our voices silent. But whatever song we’ve had in the past, or how quiet our soul feels today, God can give us a new one.

This passage from Psalm 40 talks about getting that new song

“I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord.” ~Psalm 40:1-3

1. It starts with waiting.

There it is, y’all. It seems inescapable, that patiently waiting part that’s so hard to do in our flesh. We want right-now solutions and instant relief. But David says he waited patiently. He didn’t get annoyed with delays or anxious about the problems in front of him. He was calm, and didn’t complain. Ouch! I’ll confess that my waiting doesn’t always look like that.

2. We call out to the Lord.

In our waiting, we cry out to God. Yes, He already knows our situation. But when we come to the place where we recognize that we need His deliverance, we can look up to Him and seek His help.

3. The pit is horrible.

Your pit may be different than mine. The pit could be divorce, sickness, a lost friendship, a rebellious child, thwarted dreams, financial troubles, job failure, a terminal diagnosis, or a death in the family. It can be a dirty, muddy, sticky place in life that we desperately need to be rescued from.

4. God delivers us.

In this life and for eternity, only God can save us. Not only does He bring us up out of the pit, but He also puts us on a firm foundation. He sets us on a path back to safety.

5. He puts the new song in our mouth.

As he lifts us out of the pit to a place of safety, God gives us a new song to sing. No matter what our old song was, we now have a new one. God has once again been faithful. And this leads right into the next one.

6. The new song is all about praising Him.

The pit was hard and dark and deep, but God rescued us. No matter what we just came through, He is worthy of our praise.

7. Our new song is a testimony to others.

God brought us up. We waited, we called, He delivered. We can use our pit experience to teach others about trusting Him. As we’re willing, God can use what we went through to glorify Himself.

Whether you’re in the waiting, in the pit, or up on top of the rock, know that God gives the new song. And remember, this new song…it’s a song that we wouldn’t have gotten without the waiting and the pit. It’s even sweeter because we remember what we came through to get the song. The learning to wait, to trust, and to obey makes the new song a sweet melody that glorifies God and testifies to others.

How C.S. Lewis Helped Me Find a New Perspective on Praise

August 24, 2018 by Tracey 4 Comments

I want to thank C.S. Lewis for writing part of this post for me! Reading his thoughts on praise, as shared in Sharon Hodde Miller’s book Free of Me, caused me to think a little differently about how I praise God.

I’m sharing a passage from the book here. I tried to leave out a few sentences to make it shorter. However, I think we need this whole section to get the gist of what he’s saying.

“In his book Reflections on the Psalms, C. S. Lewis wrestles with the entire purpose of praise. He admits he stumbled over the notion of a God who clamors for praise ‘like a vain woman wanting compliments.’ In a moment of clarity – and comedy – Lewis realized that ‘even if such an absurd Deity could be conceived, He would hardly come to us, the lowest of rational creatures, to gratify His appetite. I don’t want my dog to bark approval of my books.’

Lewis continued to explore the nature and purpose of praise which led him to this epiphany: ‘I had never noticed that all enjoyment spontaneously overflows into praise…The world rings with praise – lovers praising their mistresses, readers their favourite poet, walkers praising the countryside, players praising their favourite game – praise of weather, wines, dishes, actors, motors, horses, college, countries, historical personages, children, flowers…The Psalmists in telling everyone to praise God are doing what all men do when they speak of what they care about.’

Lewis then concludes:

‘I think we delight to praise what we enjoy because the praise not merely expresses but completes the enjoyment. It is its appointed consummation.'”

Wow. So if we sincerely love God, then our praise of Him, for Him, and to Him should flow out naturally. As we interact with Him through prayer and Bible study, as we see His faithfulness demonstrated in our lives, we will praise Him. And while praise may start inside of us, it will also come out of us.

It’s like when I’ve eaten at a really good restaurant. I will tell my family about it, and likely a few friends. And you can bet that if someone I know asks me for a recommendation for where to eat, I’ll excitedly share where I had that delicious meal.

We do that with a great recipe, an exciting new product we find, or when we receive excellent service at a business. We let others know when we’ve found something that excites us.

Now do you have a mindset that defaults to praise? I can’t say that I always do. That likely has to be cultivated by the Holy Spirit. On my own, I tend to default to griping or complaining.

But there are little ways we can move in the right direction. Put on a song that causes you to praise. In fact, make a play list of songs that put you in that frame of mind.

Memorize and meditate on a Bible verse of praise. You can visit my post 10 Bible Passages of Praise for Worshiping God if you want help getting started.

Take five minutes before bedtime and write down three things you’re thankful for from the day. Is there a better way to go to sleep than by praising God?

Enjoying God will ultimately lead to praising Him. It’s up to us to invest time getting to know Him and appreciating His character and His providence in our lives. “Praise the Lord” shouldn’t be a trite phrase we say, but a real, heartfelt lifting up of gratefulness to God for Who He is and what He’s done.