Last weekend, I had a couple of friends over for cake and ice cream for my birthday.
My daughter, bless her hard headed self, decided that she would bless us with her singing. So she stood in the living room and sang "Be Blessed" for my friends.
She brought my one friend, a kinda hardened, crusty old guy, to tears.
Yes, she did.
He even admitted it.
Music is one way that we as Christians can open the hearts, minds, souls of those who are trying to resist the call of God. Music opens a door that the Lord can use to work His Will upon even the most hard hearted, strong willed person.
There's good reason why we have praise and worship before we have the lesson at church. Music opens us up, makes us willing recipients of the Word. It pushes the world away as voices and then hands raise in worship. We become open to the Lord.
Then His Word reaches, teaches us.
Music opens the heart, not just among the unsaved, but among His chosen people as well.
I would urge you today, turn on the music. Put on the spiritual songs that touch your heart. Let Him work on you today.
Hallelujah, hallelujah. Raise your voice to sing to Him today.
Hallelujah.
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Friday, April 4, 2008
Even The Best Of God's People Make Terrible Mistakes
Yes, even the best of God's people make terrible mistakes.
For example, David lusted after and took loyal Uriah's wife. A terrible mistake.
When poor Bathsheba became pregnant (poor woman -- what foolish person would say no to the king?), he arranged that Uriah would die in battle. Bad decisions follow terrible mistakes. Trying to cover up a sin is just asking for more trouble to follow.
David made a terrible, terrible mistake and then tried to hide it. Action, then reaction.
For his mistake and his bad decisions afterward, he paid a horrible price. The consequences were worse than he could have imagined.
15 ...the LORD struck the child that Uriah's wife had borne to David, and he became ill.
16 David pleaded with God for the child. He fasted and went into his house and spent the nights lying on the ground.
17 The elders of his household stood beside him to get him up from the ground, but he refused, and he would not eat any food with them.
18 On the seventh day the child died. David's servants were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they thought, "While the child was still living, we spoke to David but he would not listen to us. How can we tell him the child is dead? He may do something desperate."
19 David noticed that his servants were whispering among themselves and he realized the child was dead. "Is the child dead?" he asked. "Yes," they replied, "he is dead."
20 Then David got up from the ground. After he had washed, put on lotions and changed his clothes, he went into the house of the LORD and worshiped. Then he went to his own house, and at his request they served him food, and he ate
21 His servants asked him, "Why are you acting this way? While the child was alive, you fasted and wept, but now that the child is dead, you get up and eat!"
22 He answered, "While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept. I thought, 'Who knows? The LORD may be gracious to me and let the child live.'
23 But now that he is dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me."
24 Then David comforted his wife Bathsheba, and he went to her and lay with her. She gave birth to a son, and they named him Solomon. The LORD loved him;
25 and because the LORD loved him, he sent word through Nathan the prophet to name him Jedidiah. [loved by the Lord] -- 2 Samuel 12:15-25
Yes, in the end, David did the right thing. He repented. He prayed. He worshipped the Lord. He did what little he could (at this point) to make things right. He comforted Bathsheba (now his wife) and from them came Solomon, who was loved by the Lord.
Even the best of God's people make terrible mistakes.
The moral of this story is meant for all of us.
Do we learn from our mistakes and do we deal with the consequences?
Do we rail against God? Or do we repent of our sins and move forward?
Do we choose to avoid responsibility for our actions, or do we accept it and get back on the right Path?
As Christians, we are held to a high standard. We try and all too often we fail. Yet, as we repent of our sins, we step up, we get back into the Path that the Lord has laid before us. We walk the walk, one step at a time, every day.
Just as David did.
Actions.
Reactions.
Then consequences.
David paid a terrible price for his actions and reactions.
Yes, even the best of us make terrible mistakes.
For example, David lusted after and took loyal Uriah's wife. A terrible mistake.
When poor Bathsheba became pregnant (poor woman -- what foolish person would say no to the king?), he arranged that Uriah would die in battle. Bad decisions follow terrible mistakes. Trying to cover up a sin is just asking for more trouble to follow.
David made a terrible, terrible mistake and then tried to hide it. Action, then reaction.
For his mistake and his bad decisions afterward, he paid a horrible price. The consequences were worse than he could have imagined.
15 ...the LORD struck the child that Uriah's wife had borne to David, and he became ill.
16 David pleaded with God for the child. He fasted and went into his house and spent the nights lying on the ground.
17 The elders of his household stood beside him to get him up from the ground, but he refused, and he would not eat any food with them.
18 On the seventh day the child died. David's servants were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they thought, "While the child was still living, we spoke to David but he would not listen to us. How can we tell him the child is dead? He may do something desperate."
19 David noticed that his servants were whispering among themselves and he realized the child was dead. "Is the child dead?" he asked. "Yes," they replied, "he is dead."
20 Then David got up from the ground. After he had washed, put on lotions and changed his clothes, he went into the house of the LORD and worshiped. Then he went to his own house, and at his request they served him food, and he ate
21 His servants asked him, "Why are you acting this way? While the child was alive, you fasted and wept, but now that the child is dead, you get up and eat!"
22 He answered, "While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept. I thought, 'Who knows? The LORD may be gracious to me and let the child live.'
23 But now that he is dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me."
24 Then David comforted his wife Bathsheba, and he went to her and lay with her. She gave birth to a son, and they named him Solomon. The LORD loved him;
25 and because the LORD loved him, he sent word through Nathan the prophet to name him Jedidiah. [loved by the Lord] -- 2 Samuel 12:15-25
Yes, in the end, David did the right thing. He repented. He prayed. He worshipped the Lord. He did what little he could (at this point) to make things right. He comforted Bathsheba (now his wife) and from them came Solomon, who was loved by the Lord.
Even the best of God's people make terrible mistakes.
The moral of this story is meant for all of us.
Do we learn from our mistakes and do we deal with the consequences?
Do we rail against God? Or do we repent of our sins and move forward?
Do we choose to avoid responsibility for our actions, or do we accept it and get back on the right Path?
As Christians, we are held to a high standard. We try and all too often we fail. Yet, as we repent of our sins, we step up, we get back into the Path that the Lord has laid before us. We walk the walk, one step at a time, every day.
Just as David did.
Actions.
Reactions.
Then consequences.
David paid a terrible price for his actions and reactions.
Yes, even the best of us make terrible mistakes.
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