The Weapon of Praise

I was really touched this past week by the song "This is My Destiny." It is a powerful modern hymn containing Biblical theology and truth for every believer. Dennis Jernigan, the writer of "This is My Destiny", is also the writer of other well-known worship songs such as "Who Can Satisfy" and "You are My All in All." He was once a struggling youth who did not fit in with his peers. He had numerous self-esteem issues and eventually fell into homosexuality because that was where he found acceptance. As a young adult, God delivered him from this lifestyle and called Him into music ministry. Today, he is married and has several children (9 I last heard!) He is a powerful worship leader, and his music brings healing and hope to many who are struggling. Dennis admits even today that he writes many of his songs as weapons of warfare against his old patterns of thinking. He has learned that praise to God Almighty silences the enemy (Psalm 8:2). In other words, Satan is basically "bound and gagged" when we praise the Lord. He is forced to sit and listen to it!

In the Old Testament, King Jehoshaphat inquired of the Lord before going into battle against the enemy armies who were advancing toward them. Seeing the size of the enemy armies, Jehoshaphat prayed, "Lord, we don't know what to do, but our eyes are on You." (2 Chron. 20:12) The Lord spoke to Jehoshaphat saying, "Do not be discouraged because of the vast army...you will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance that the Lord will give you...Do not be afraid, but go out and face them tomorrow and the Lord will be with you." (2 Chron. 20:15-17) Jehoshaphat and all of his people fell to the ground and began to worship the Lord. They praised Him with a very loud voice! Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the Lord; to praise Him for the splendor of His holiness. Then they went out ahead of the army singing "Give thanks to the Lord for His love endures forever!" As they began to sing, the Lord sent ambushes against the enemy and they turned toward each other and destroyed one another. Not one member of the enemy army was left standing. What an incredible story!

God has reminded me this week that praise is a powerful weapon against the enemy. Praise is the way se "stand firm and take up our positions." There is great victory in praise. We begin by recalling truths from God's Word. I believe the song, "This is My Destiny" is a warfare hymn that Dennis Jernigan wrote to silence the enemy. The chorus says:

He calls me child He calls me to His side eternally
He calls me once was lost, now found, was bound to sin now free
He calls me holy, calls me righteous by the blood redeemed
He calls me overcomer crowned with victory, this is my destiny!

Stand firm, take your positions--let us see the deliverance of the Lord! Praise is powerful and it is our destiny to be overcomers!

Something Beautiful

Not too long ago, I had the wonderful opportunity to hear Andre Watts and the Ft. Worth symphony play the Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto #2 in Cm. The music was so incredibly beautiful that it made me cry. Rachmaninoff is a master of beautiful melodies (as many Russian composers are). The unique aspect of this concerto is that it came as a result of the aftermath of a disastrous failure of his first symphony in 1897. After horrible failure, Rachmaninoff sank into a deep, clinical depression. He began to doubt his ability to compose, and he was ready to put his music career behind him. After much therapy and encouragement, he decided to write the Piano Concerto #2 in Cm. It is one of his most captivating works, and audiences world-wide are astounded by the beauty of this piece.

This story reminds me of God's ability to redeem and restore after failure and loss. I am not sure of Rachmaninoff's religious beliefs, but it is evident that God is the author and creator of music, no matter who the musician may be. God is always at work within us to cause us to triumphantly march into victory even if there has been failure in our lives. When I was growing up, I learned a song written by the Gaithers entititled, "Something Beautiful." The lyrics go like this:

Something Beautiful
Something good
All my confusion
God understood
All I had to offer Him
Was brokenness and strife
But He made something beautiful of my life.

There is no failure or mistake too great that God cannot overcome. I love Corrie ten Boom's quote, "There is no pit too deep that He is not deeper still."

If you ever get a chance to listen to Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto #2 in Cm, you will hear absolutely beautiful music, and it would be difficult for you to believe that Rachmaninoff almost gave up composing before it was written. I am so thankful that he didn't give up! I am also thankful that God doesn't give up on us either. We are all "symphonies" that are being written, and God is creating "something beautiful" in all of us!

But thanks be to God who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him. (2 Cor. 2:14)

A Beautiful Flower

Cheryl Costello-Forshey once told a story about "the most beautiful flower." The story began with a woman who was disillusioned with life, with many reasons to frown. She sat down on a deserted park bench and began to sulk. At that moment, a little boy interrupted her silence and exclaimed, "Look what I found!" In his hand was a flower which was quite pitiful, with worn petals and a brown, droopy stem. As she grew more irritable, the woman just wished the boy would go away and leave her alone. Instead, the boy sat beside her and placed the flower to his nose and said, "It sure smells pretty and it's beautiful too. That's why I picked it for you!" The little boy handed the woman the flower, which looked more like a weed. There were no vibrant colors in this flower, no wonderful aroma or anything eye-catching about it. The woman was rather insulted that the boy would give her such an ugly "gift." She almost wondered if it was a joke. Out of kindness, the woman took the flower and said "thank you". The woman noticed that the boy handed the flower to her, but did not place it in her hand, and then she realized for the first time that the little boy was blind.

The little boy was pleased that she accepted his gift and ran on to play. The self-pitying woman sat speechless on the park bench after the little boy left. It was almost as if the little boy "saw" her self-indulgence. Perhaps he had been the one who was blessed with true sight. The woman learned a great lesson that day--from that moment on, she vowed to see the beauty in life and appreciate every second that she had. As she held the wilted flower to her nose, she breathed in the fragrance as a reminder to her of the lesson the boy taught her. It was at that moment that she could smell a "rose".

There are certainly plenty of problems in this world and it is easy to get bogged down with all of the issues that plague us on a daily basis. The Lord used this "beautiful flower" story to remind me this week that I need to be thankful for each day and the blessings that belong to me. Sometimes when things don't go "our way" we are tempted to become disillusioned, but there are always things to be thankful for in this life and the Lord desires for us to have a heart of gratitude. The blind little boy is such an inspiration to me, because he was not concerned with the fact that he was blind--he was not depressed or sad because of his blindness. Instead, he was enjoying life and giving to others.

Lord, open the eyes of our hearts as you reveal those "beautiful flowers" to us. Many times, we have blessings that we do not see. May we not be blind to the blessings that you desire to give us. Give us "true sight" as we seek to be thankful for each day and the special moments that will be gone before each day is over. Most of all, help us to see the needs of those around us so that we can bless some else's life today.

Offerings of Praise

As I reflected on Psalm 99 this week, it occurred to me that I need to spend more time recalling the things that the Lord has done, as well as the many aspects of His name. As Psalm 99:1-3 says, "The Lord reigns, let the nations tremble; He sits enthroned between the cherubim, let the earth shake. Great is the Lord in Zion; He is exalted over all the nations. Let them praise Your great and awesome name!" So today, here are my offerings of praise:

I praise You Lord...

Because You reign far above all other gods...
Because Your plans will stand forever...
Because You are close to the broken-hearted and You save those who are crushed in spirit...
Because You redeemed my life from the pit and put a song of praise in my mouth...
Because You will supply all of my needs according to Your riches in Christ Jesus...
Because You have compassion on me...
Because You will never leave me, nor forsake me...
Because Your love never fails...
Because all things work together for good for those who love You, who are called according to Your purpose...
Because You are near to all who call on You in truth...
Because You have given me everything I need pertaining to life and godliness...
Because You do immeasurably more than I could ask or imagine...
Because You are faithful to Your promises...
Because You are worthy of my praise!

Lord I praise Your name today:

Because You are the Holy and Anointed One, the Beginning and the End...
Because You are my Deliverer, Healer and Provider...
Because You are my Strength, my Rock, My Fortress...
Because You are My Redeemer and Restorer...
Because You are my Light and my Salvation...
Because You are my Shield and My Defender, the Ancient of Days...
Because You are the Great I AM, the Living God...
Because You are the name that is above every other name!

"Great is the Lord and worthy to be praise...Ascribe to the Lord, O families of nations, Ascribe to the Lord glory and strength...Ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name! (Psalm 95:4,7)

More Than Gold

A couple of weeks ago, so many of us were "glued" to the T.V., as we watched the Olympic athletes amaze us with their incredible abilities. Each gymnast, swimmer, runner, etc. seemed to perform his/her athletic event with such ease. Michael Phelps, who has repeatedly won gold medals, created the illusion that swimming in the Olympic races is easy. However, we all know that it is no easy task to become an Olympic athlete.

I once knew of a gymnast who trained for the Olympics and she put her entire life on hold to pursue this dream. For months, she trained for 8-10 hours per day, giving ultimate sacrifices with a strict diet, curfew and social restrictions. She left her school, her family, her friends and everything familiar to press toward the goal of competing in the Olympic Games.

The apostle Paul had also observed the Olympic Games in his day, for they are nearly as ancient as civilization itself. Paul was what I would consider to be an Olympic Christian. He left all of the comforts of life to do the work of evangelism and follow his calling to the Lord Jesus. In Philippians 3:12-14, Paul gives us a beautiful illustration of the life of a Christian who is pursuing his/her goal to know the Lord--everything is a loss compared to knowing Him. In verse 10, he continues to want to know Christ even more, to share in the fellowship of His suffering...Here is what Paul says concerning His relationship with Christ in verses 12-14: "Not that I have obtained all this or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."

In this passage of Scripture, Paul is obviously making comparisons to a runner who is striving toward the finish line to win a race. These verses give me a new perspective about goals, dreams and prizes. When I see the Olympic athletes from the U.S.A. receive a gold medal, and the American flag is raised while the National Anthem is being played, I always get a tear in my eye. However, how much greater will our prize be, when we stand before Jesus face to face to receive the rewards that He has prepared for us. How much greater will our prize be than a piece of metal or a plastic trophy when we fully understand the priceless gift of a relationship with the Lord of Lords who gives us everlasting purpose. Let us look toward what is ahead and press toward the goal to receive the prize (which is much greater than gold) of the high calling of knowing Christ Jesus our Lord.

More than gold, More than silver,
More than bronze is Your worthy to me...
I press toward the mark of the high calling
Of Jesus Christ Who is the Prize
Of my life...

A Symphony of Praise

When I was in elementary school, my teacher conducted an experiment with our class. She asked us to listen to every sound we could possibly hear in the classroom. As we sat and listened, we could hear airplanes flying over, people walking down the hall, the buzz of the fluorescent lights on the ceiling, etc. The teacher finally asked us to list the things we heard during the experiment. While the class listened for all of the sounds in the room, no one seemed to notice the teacher scribbling on a piece of paper with her pencil. She explained that no one heard her scribbling because of "noise pollution". All of the other noises we heard were much louder than her scribbling pencil. The object of the lesson was for us to realize that there are sounds happening all around us that we may never hear.

Every now and then, I am reminded of this experiment, and I begin to listen for sounds that I don't usually notice. There is an entire symphony of praise that God orchestrates every day. He pulls the curtain open each morning to a beautiful sunrise. The rhythm of nature is expressed in the wind trickling through the leaves on the trees, the crashing of waves against the shore, and the drops of rain on giant leaves in the rain-forest. Choruses of living creatures give praise to the Lord as whales moan, crickets chirp, mockingbirds sing, and bears growl. Thunder echoes through time and space, as the great timpani of heaven awakens us to the Majesty of our God.

Luke 19:40 tells us, if we keep quiet, the rocks will still cry out in praise to God. Not only will the rocks praise Him, but every living creature will orchestrate a glorious symphony of praise to the Creator of heaven and earth. Thank you, God for Your awesome creation that daily demonstrates for us how to worship You. May we never keep silent, but let us join with all creation in this symphony of praise!

A Divine Masterpiece

This weekend, my husband, Dale and I went to see the Impressionist Exhibit at the Kimball Art Museum. It was fascinating to see original works by famous painters such as Monet, Renoir, Van Gogh, and Cezanne. Although Dale appreciated seeing these great masterpieces, he was satisfied with a 45 minute tour. However, I wanted to linger at each painting to observe every brush stroke, every hue and shading technique. Several art students were at the exhibit taking notes and memorizing the exquisite details in those great works of art. I will probably have to go back and take notes myself!

I was so inspired by the use of color and design that these artists dared to explore during their lifetime. The impressionists rose out of France in the late 1800's and early 1900's. They were rebels against the Western art of the Renaissance period. Up until the late 1800's artists primarily painted formal portraits and Biblical scenes. The Renaissance artists painted realistic, concrete images. The impressionists experimented with figures in every day life and their painting techniques leaned more toward the abstract, and eliminated clean lines. The use of color and vivid brush strokes became more prominent.

What led these brilliant artists to rebel against what was considered to be normal and acceptable? The impressionists were initially criticized for rebelling against the culture of their time. They were continually misunderstood. But what if they hadn't rebelled? We wouldn't have the works of art that are so beautifully admired today.

Sometimes rebellion can be a good thing. I am thankful that Jesus rebelled against the religious culture of His day. The Pharisees, or pious, religious leaders carried an image in their minds of what the Messiah would look like--a majestic king, robed in royal clothing, with a jeweled crown. They pictured Him to be a conquering warrior; a commanding hero who would set up a magnificent earthly kingdom. Yet God sent another portrait of the Messiah--a humble carpenter, dressed in ordinary street clothes, who held children in His lap and spoke to half-breed women. Instead of seizing power over nations and kingdoms, Jesus taught, "the last shall be first and the first shall be last."

Many times I ask myself--what would I have done with this Messiah if I would have lived when Jesus lived? Would I have seen Him for who He was or would I have looked for someone else? I believe that God is still painting images of Jesus today. He is still presenting "brush strokes" and "color schemes" that seem foreign to me at times; foreign because my flesh does not often see the things God's Spirit longs for me to see. Even now, God is rebelling against the culture of our day. He fights against what seems to be normal in our finite realm of thinking..

However, God, in Holy rebellion is painting the Way, the Truth and the Life, and when all is said and done; we will see Him as He is! We will be filled with awe and wonder one day, as we gaze upon the Masterpiece that God has been painting all along. Oh Lord, help us to catch a glimpse of the images of Christ that you are painting in our lives today. May we see with the eyes of the Spirit and not miss the beauty that you long for us to see...