Monday, October 29, 2018

Devo: Chain Breaker

We sang this in a couple of our services yesterday. One of our (young!) retired ladies posted the lyrics on her Facebook profile, commeting "I so felt the Holy Spirit with us today." She inspired me to re-visit the lyrics. Perhaps someone you know needs this more than you. And maybe it was God that led me to share this just for you. To watch the powerful music video from Zach Williams, CLICK HERE.


Prison

What’s yours?

There are a thousand. Maybe more.

The prisons mentioned in Chain Breaker seem a good place to start:
hurting with pain,
searching for direction.

A dozen others come to mind whether I sing this it in personal worship or lead it publicly:
Alcohol
Anxiety
Depression
Fear
Gambling
Marijuana
Meth
Painkillers
Pornography
Pride
Tobacco
Worry.

After a minute with Google, a dozen other possibilities emerge.

The astounding thing about Jesus is that WHICH prison doesn’t seem to matter to Him. He can free us—better yet, He yearned to free us so much that He defeated sin and the grave to set us free—from our prisons.

To set you free from yours.

So run to Him. Every time you are tempted to run back to your prison, choose to run to Him instead.

He’s been breaking chains for people like Peter, Paul and Silas for millennia.

He wants to break yours, too.


Chain Breaker

If you've been walking the same old road
For miles and miles,
If you've been hearing the same old voice
Tell the same old lies,
If you're trying to fill the same old holes inside,
There's a better life,
There's a better life.

If you've got pain, He's a pain taker.
If you feel lost, He's a way maker.
If you need freedom, or saving,
He's a prison shaking Savior.
If you got chains, He's a chain breaker.

We've all searched for the light of day
In the dead of night.
We've all found ourselves worn out
From the same old fight.
We've all run to things we know just ain't right.
There's a better life,
There's a better life.

If you believe it,
If you receive it,
If you can feel it,
Somebody testify.

Oh, if you need freedom, or saving,
He's a prison shaking Savior.
If you got chains, He's a chain breaker.

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Monday, October 15, 2018

12 Commitments in Pursuit of Humility

In recent months, I have become more deeply convinced of the danger of pride and the value of humility. Pride is the gate through which we enter all other sins. Humility is the way out. And the way to stay out.

After struggling for more than 30 years with this central charicteristic of Christianity—humility—I’d like to share some of what I’m learning. I still fail more often than I succeed. But I think God has shown me some things along the way that might serve your journey. If so, hallelujah!

1) I will redirect my speech. If I’m talking about myself, I try to notice and turn the conversation to the other person. I can’t do this so much that I close myself off to others. That’s a different sort of arrogance. Still, talking about myself less tends to result in thinking of myself less.

2) I will simply say “thank you” or “that’s very kind” when someone compliments me. No commentary is needed. This is so hard for me. I want to thank them and deflect. Most of the time I attempt to do that, however, I end up in the land of #humblebrag.

3) I will redirect glory to God. If someone begins to attribute things to me that only God can do, that seems like the right exception to #2. Still, I’ll be brief.

4) I will talk less. The less I talk, the less I’m likely to talk about myself. And the less I talk about myself, the less I think about myself.

5) I will redirect to the other person. When asked a question about myself, if I can answer briefly and then ask the other person to share their perspective, this helps. In my fallenness, though, I typically have a lot I want to say and so I stink at this.

6) I will think about myself less — feeling pity, pride, or preoccupation — I want to am learning to “cast, give thanks, and refocus.” I cast my cares on my Father, because He cares for me. I thank Him that He’s got this—my pity, pride or preoccupation. And then I refocus. Usually this looks like getting busy serving someone else.

7) I will continually remind myself that it’s a lot better to humble myself than it is to be humbled by God. 

8) I will never one-up someone in conversation. I will celebrate their accomplishment without comparing it to my own.

9) I will ask more questions than I will give answers. Humility looks more like a student than a teacher. Pride gives answers. Humility asks questions. 

10) I will relentlessly pursue affirming others without regard for reciprocation.

11) I will live from a place of God’s love and acceptance so I don’t have to seek love and acceptance from people.

12) When my feelings get hurt, I will recognize this as a source of pride. And I will allow that broken, fallen part of me to die. For "my old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.” My flesh gets its feelings hurt. Christ in me does not.

Some of you will recognize this is not all original thinking. (Is anything?) But I have drawn on things I’ve learned from several influencers in recent years: Tim Harris, Louie Giglio, Rick Roepke, and others. I am grateful for those voices in my life—in person, in writing, in podcasts, etc.

Do you have any tips to share?

Monday, October 1, 2018

Guess Who Is Praying for You?

“I will pray for you.”

Fewer words are sweeter or more life giving. About the only thing I’d rather hear is the actual praying-voice of someone praying for me. Over me.

Get this: Jesus is praying for you. Praying over you. Pleading for you.

Use your holy imagination. See Him standing next to God, talking with His Father? Our Father.

Hear His voice.

Son to Dad. Perfect High Priest to Most High God.

Your Friend, Jesus, talking with the King of the Universe.

Dr Luke relays a story about this with one of Jesus’ closest friends, Simon (Peter):
“Simon, stay on your toes. Satan has tried his best to separate all of you from me, like chaff from wheat. Simon, I’ve prayed for you in particular that you not give in or give out. When you have come through the time of testing, turn to your companions and give them a fresh start.” (Luke 22:31-32, The Message)

Did you see it? “I’ve prayed for you in particular."

Now go ahead, put your name in the blank:

"_______, I’ve prayed for you in particular that you not give in or give out.”

Not sure your name deserves to be there? Hebrews 7:25 may help. It declares that the resurrected Jesus “lives forever to intercede with God” on behalf of those who come to God.

Try it again:

"_______, I’ve prayed for you in particular that you not give in or give out.”

Whenever it feels like you’re about to give in to temptation, remember Jesus has prayed for you to have victory.

Whenever it feels like you can’t go one more day, one more step, remember Jesus has prayed for you to have strength.


Before The Throne Of God Above (click on the title to hear the song)

Before the throne of God above,
I have a strong and perfect plea,
A great High Priest whose name is Love
Who ever lives and pleads for me;
My name is graven on His hands,
My name is written on His heart;
I know that while in heav'n He stands,
No tongue can bid me thence depart,
No tongue can bid me thence depart.

When Satan tempts me to despair,
And tells me of the guilt within;
Upward I look and see Him there,
Who made an end to all my sin;
Because the sinless Saviour died
My sinful soul is counted free;
For God the Just is satisfied
To look on Him and pardon me,
To look on Him and pardon me.

Behold Him there, the risen Lamb,
My perfect spotless righteousness;
The great unchangeable I Am,
The King of glory and of grace;
One with Himself, I cannot die;
My soul is purchased with His blood;
My life is hid with Christ on high;
With Christ my Saviour and my God,
With Christ my Saviour and my God.

Charitie Lees Bancroft | Vikki Cook | © 1997 Sovereign Grace Worship (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing (Integrity Music [DC Cook]))