PRINCE OF PEACE / SAINTS IN LIGHT

PRINCE OF PEACE

The Prince of Peace

The Son of God

Come to Earth

To bear Our Cross

The Prince of Peace

The Son of Man

A virgin Birth

To fulfill God’s Plan

The Prince of Peace

The Lamb of God

The perfect Sacrifice

To become Our Peace

The Prince of Peace

The Risen Lord

The Giver of Life

Is our Final Reward

Peace like a pillow

Comforts the Redeemed

Who in life have known God

The Prince of Peace

JEFFREE

NOV2009

“Everything about God reminds me of Jesus.” -- Author Unknown

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Don't worry I won't take credit for this

next one either - though Froggy might.

SAINTS IN LIGHT

strengthened with all power

according to his glorious might

for all endurance and patience

with joy

giving thanks to the Father

who has qualified you

to share in the inheritance

of the saints

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May you be strengthened with all power, according to his

glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy,

giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to

share in the inheritance of the saints in light.

COLOSSIANS 1:11-12

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Posted By FROGGY to WONDERFUL LORD JESUS

ONLY THE BLOOD

1 John 1:7

ONLY THE BLOOD

Only the blood
the blood of christ
christ is the messiah
the messiah of god

god on the cross
the cross of death
death is the enemy
the enemy of god

god the redeemer
the redeemer of life
life is the masterpiece
the masterpiece of God

god is the author
the author of faith
faith is the focus
the focus of god

god is the truth
the truth of love
love is the reason
the reason for jesus

jesus is the lord
the lord jesus christ
christ is the light
the light of all men

jeffree in jesus
september 2009

MY UTMOST FOR HIS HIGHEST

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December 26, 2009

'Walk in the Light'

If we walk in the light as He is in the light . . . the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin —1 John 1:7

To mistake freedom from sin only on the conscious level of our lives for complete deliverance from sin by the atonement through the Cross of Christ is a great error. No one fully knows what sin is until he is born again. Sin is what Jesus Christ faced at Calvary. The evidence that I have been delivered from sin is that I know the real nature of sin in me. For a person to really know what sin is requires the full work and deep touch of the atonement of Jesus Christ, that is, the imparting of His absolute perfection.

The Holy Spirit applies or administers the work of the atonement to us in the deep unconscious realm as well as in the conscious realm. And it is not until we truly perceive the unrivaled power of the Spirit in us that we understand the meaning of 1 John 1:7

, which says, ". . . the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin." This verse does not refer only to conscious sin, but also to the tremendously profound understanding of sin which only the Holy Spirit in me can accomplish.

I must "walk in the light as He is in the light . . ."— not in the light of my own conscience, but in God’s light. If I will walk there, with nothing held back or hidden, then this amazing truth is revealed to me: ". . . the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses [me] from all sin" so that God Almighty can see nothing to rebuke in me. On the conscious level it produces a keen, sorrowful knowledge of what sin really is. The love of God working in me causes me to hate, with the Holy Spirit’s hatred for sin, anything that is not in keeping with God’s holiness. To "walk in the light" means that everything that is of the darkness actually drives me closer to the center of the light.

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For similar resources, search these topics:

Basics Of Faith

> Salvation

> Justification

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JUST A LITTLE GRACE

Just a little grace Is all it takes To turn a broken heart Into a smile Just a little grace Is all it takes To help a suffering soul Through a trial Just a little grace Is all it really takes To show a stubborn sinner God's love To point to Jesus And tell about His Cross A little sovereign grace Is just enough Jeffree!!! June2009 God's Provision During the ministry of Elisha, a widow came to him for financial help. Creditors had come and threatened to take her two boys as slaves in exchange for payment of debt. The woman re- ported that all she had left was a little oil, but Elisha told her how to miraculously multiply her oil and pay her bills. 2 Kings 4:3 "Go around and ask all your neighbors for empty jars. Don't ask for just a few. Then go inside and shut the door behind you and your sons. Pour oil into all the jars, and as each is filled, put it to one side." The woman gathered empty jars and began to fill them from her one small jar of oil. She continued to fill the jars until each one she collected was full; "Then the oil stopped flowing" (2 Kings 4:6). The woman was able to sell the oil and pay her debt. Notice that the oil stopped flowing as soon as the last jar was full. If the woman would have collected half as many jars, the oil would have stopped flowing when the collected jars were filled. And if she would have collected twice as many jars, the oil would have continued until every last one was full. God's provision was equal to the number of jars she collected - equal to the number of jars she believed God would fill. In our limited understanding of God we often place artificial restrictions on what we think He can accomplish, and our prayers become reduced to what we believe is actually possible. We may rejoice when our small prayers are answered, but our level of faith has limited what God provides. Peter never would have stepped out of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus if confined to the realm of his own understanding. Please do not read this message as a formula for worldly prosperity! God's Word never teaches that we are all to be rich with material wealth (this is an ugly distortion of His truth). But God desires for each of us to trust Him beyond the bounds of our best analysis, and to draw closer than what we believe is ever possible. Peter didn't need to understand how the atomic struc- ture of water might be altered to provide stability, he simply needed to know with certainty that Jesus was calling; "Lord, if it's You, tell me to come to You on the water" (Matthew 14:28). We serve an Awesome God - more awe- some than we will ever comprehend; "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts" (Isaiah 55:9). We must never believe there's a problem too big for God to handle; "He is able to do immeasurably more..." (Ephesians 3:20). Let's pray with a faith that truly believes our Father is the Creator of the Universe, and let's refuse to place limits on God's provision. Have a Christ Centered Day! Steve Troxel God's Daily Word Ministries ***************************************************** Archived devotions : http://www. gdwm.org/archive08.htm Subscribe/Unsubscribe by email to closerwalk@gdwm.org Subscribe via web: http://www.gdwm.org/subscribe.htm Feedback and Prayer: http://gdwmboard.org/6/ubb.x Send Invitation: http://www.gdwm.org/invite.htm Verses and Psalms: http://www.gdwm.org/verses Spanish Devotions: http://www.gdwm.org/spanish Scripture references: The Holy Bible: N I V. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 I B S. God's Daily Word Ministries P.O. Box 190 Lorena, TX 76655

SLOW DANCE

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Matthew 16:25a
If you try to keep your life for yourself, you will lose it.
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Open your eyes/To life's pure Light/Let go of fear and worry.
Plant the Truth/Grow Spiritual Fruit/Don't be in such a hurry.
Give God a chance/Life is a slow dance/Full of precious memory.
Hold on tight/To the One True Life/And you will not be sorry.
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But if you give up your life for me, you will find true life.
Matthew 16:25b (NLT)
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For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it;
but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.
Matthew 16:25 (NASB)
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Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Read: Ecclesiastes 9:1-12
TODAY IN THE WORD

C. S. Lewis is considered one of the great Christian thinkers of the modern era. His writings, both fiction and nonfiction, continue to be influential in Christianity and culture. But his death, less than ten years after the publication of the last volume of the popular Chronicles of Narnia, received little media attention. It was November 22, 1963, the same day John F. Kennedy was assassinated.
Lewis’s death is a picture of how fragile life and the glory of livelihood can be, even for the famous. Life slipped from his grasp, and the world barely took notice. That aspect of death may have been King Solomon’s greatest fear. He had accumulated incomparable wealth, renown, and wisdom . . . and wives. His accomplishments in building, writing, agriculture, and art stagger the senses. But as recorded in Ecclesiastes, he realized that his final resting place would be no better than that of a slave.
Ecclesiastes 9 is not exactly a pick-me-up. Solomon bemoans the grave’s robbery of every aspect of life. Religion, evil, reward, memory, consciousness, love, hate, envy, celebration, work, food, drink, planning, knowledge, wisdom, and hope all cease at the point of death. How ironic that the great king of God’s chosen people and the ancient author of several books in the inspired Word of God would come to the same basic logical conclusion as a modern atheist. No one knows how or when they will die, they only know that it will come; so enjoy life while it lasts (vv. 7—10).
Of all the things from which we need salvation, is not this hopelessness the greatest and most relevant to our lives today? We can learn to accept sin. We can avoid thinking about eternal judgment. We can even allay our fears about the afterlife with manufactured hopes of reincarnation, nirvana, or automatic entry into heaven. But the fleeting nature of life is evident to all. There is much more to existence than life “under the sun.” These words are honest—our time on earth is short, and it ends suddenly and mercilessly.
TODAY ALONG THE WAYDo you believe in the certainty of death? Everyone knows of its truth, but people generally refuse to accept it. Whether you are assured of heaven or you are skeptical of eternal life, each day is precious. There is much wisdom in Solomon’s advice: whatever task you have before you, give it your all. Whatever opportunities you have to celebrate, enjoy them. Most of all, do not delay your decision to believe in Jesus Christ and be saved from the otherwise hopeless finality of death.

2009 Copyright Moody Bible Institute • www.todayintheword.org

The Cost of Discipleship

Hi friends and loved ones, this is a little poem I just wrote, sort of a
condensed version of the larger poem that follows which is inspired
by my study of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, one of my heroes of The Faith.
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Matthew 5:8 - Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God.

ONLY YOU

Take me,
Break me;
Hold me,
Mold me.
Lift me, Carry me; Stay with me,
Strengthen me. Cover me,
Counsel me; Comfort me,
Convince me.
Create
in me a
pure heart,
So that I Will See Only You.

JEFFPOLLOCK
April 21, 2009
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THE COST

Call me, Claim me, Choose me, Crush me,
Shake me, Break me, Hold me, Remold me,
Shape me in Your light so I will love Your truth.
Keep me in Your perfect sight as I take aim on You.

Change me, Challenge me, Cradle me, Cover me,
Blind me in Your light so eye can't find my way;
Lead me, Free me, Watch over me, Use me,
Pour Your Spirit out to encourage my faith.

Comfort me, Counsel me, Carry me, Control me,
Warn me of every pit into which I'd surely fall;
Walk with me, Talk with me, Teach me to see,
Open my desire to want to be where You are.

Cut me, Clean me, Close me, Consume me,
Come live in me; Create in me a newborn heart;
Sing with me, Cry with me, Dance with me, Jesus!
Make me holy, make me righteous, make me perfect.

Capture me, Conquer me, Create in me hope, a Friend;
That in Christ even now I may live as a citizen of Heaven.

J. E. POLLOCK
APRIL 14, 2009

The cross is laid on every Christian. The first Christ-suffering
which every man must experience is the call to abandon the
attachments of this world. It is that dying of the old man which
is the result of his encounter with Christ. As we embark upon
discipleship we sur-render ourselves to Christ in union with his
death - we give over our lives to death. Thus it begins; the cross
is not the terrible end to an otherwise god-fearing and happy life,
but it meets us at the beginning of our communion with Christ.
When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die. It may be
a death like that of the first disciples who had to leave home and
work to follow him, or it may be a death like Luther's, who had
to leave the monastery and go out into the world. But it is the same
death every time - death in Jesus Christ, the death of the old man
at his call. -- The Cost of Discipleship, 99 Dietrich Bonhoeffer
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Subject: BreakPoint: 'The Cost of Discipleship', April 14, 2009
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'The Cost of Discipleship' The Forgotten Price

In this month’s Great Books series, Dr. Ken Boa turns his attention to Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s The Cost of Discipleship. The book’s greatness lies not only in the truths expressed, but also in the fact that the author lived those truths in his own life so powerfully. In 1939, just two years after Bonhoeffer wrote The Cost of Discipleship, American friends arranged his passage from Germany to the United States. While others busily planned a speaking tour for Bonhoeffer, he grew increasingly unsettled. He wrote a letter to Reinhold Neibuhr who had sponsored his trip explaining that l eaving Germany had been a mistake. He knew that Christians in Germany would have to choose between desiring their nation’s defeat to preserve Christian civilization or desiring their nation’s victory and thereby destroying their civilization. “I know which of these alternatives I must choose,” wrote Bonhoeffer, “but I cannot make that choice in security.” Bonhoeffer then returned to Germany knowing that following Jesus would have a tremendous cost, but also knowing that whatever that cost was it was worth it to remain near to his Lord. Imprisoned for two years for his part in the German resistance movement, just three weeks before the liberation of Berlin, Bonhoeffer was executed. It’s a story I’ve told in my newest book, The Faith. It is against this backdrop that we read The Cost of Discipleship, perhaps Bonhoeffer’s greatest work and one of my all-time favorite books. As Dr. Ken Boa says in the Great Books Audio series, “Today we define discipleship at best as impartation of a certain . . . knowledge rather than life-changing approach to come and follow Jesus.” Bonhoeffer begins the work by showing exactly how much we’ve reduced Christian discipleship by contrasting the notions of cheap and costly grace. Cheap grace he wrote, “is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, Communion without confession. .. . .” In short, no desire to change. In contrast, costly grace is a call to follow Jesus. “It is costly,” writes Bonhoeffer, “because it costs a man his life, and it is grace because it gives a man the only true life.” Bonhoeffer was concerned that with the Christianization of the Western world had come a cheapening of grace, denying the very essence of Christianity. To take the name “Christian” and yet cling to what he called “bourgeois secular existence” disturbed him. And we saw the results clearly in the tragedy of Christians being silent in the face of the Holocaust. My concern today is that we learn this lesson and not become comfortable with cheap grace here in our own land. We need to re-read this classic because somehow we’ve forgotten how radical it is to follow the call of Jesus. We’ve forgotten that the disciples left behind the security of their nets and boats, for the gracious uncertainty of a life of faith. And we’ve forgotten that following Christ will lead us down a road likewise marked with suffering. As Bonhoeffer reminded us, “Jesus says that every Christian has his own cross waiting for him, a cross destined and appointed by God.” For us, it may not mean martyrdom as it did for Bonhoeffer, but it will mean abandoning the attachments of this world for fellowship with Christ. That’s an understanding of discipleship we desperately need today.


--Posted By JEFF to WONDERFUL LORD JESUS

TRUST IN JESUS

JOHN 11:25-26
"I am the resurrection and the life.
Those who believe in me will live, even
though they die; And those who live
and believe in me will never die."

TRUST IN JESUS

Wrap those words around your heart,
Bury them way down deep in your soul;
Conform to God's pattern of redemption,
TRUST IN JESUS to make you whole.

JEFFREY POLLOCK

Fearless: Facing Your Worst Fear
Max Lucado from UpWords Ministries.

SO WE'D BE BLESSED

This poem was shaped (more or less) by reading today's
My Utmost for His Highest. Hope you will enjoy. Jeffree7

SO WE'D BE BLESSED

For me, for you, for us,
Heaven sings a joyful chorus:
One for All and All for One!
Jesus came to die for us,
To save us from eternal death.

The blood, the pain, the sorrow,
No day is promised a tomorrow;
Live today for tomorrow we die,
Jesus came that we might live,
To try each day to do our best.

The hope, the faith, the love,
The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit;
All for One and One for All,
Jesus came that we might die,
To live again in peace and rest.

For me, for you, for us,
Angels sing this joyful chorus:
King of Kings and Lord of Lords!
Jesus came to go before us,
To lead the way so we'd be blessed.

J E POLLOCK
APRIL 5, 2009

http://jeffree7.wordpress.com/
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My Utmost for His Highest

Sunday, April 5, 2009 His Agony And Our Fellowship "Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, tarry ye here, and watch with Me." Matthew 26:36,38 We can never fathom the agony in Gethse- mane, but at least we need not misunder- stand it. It is the agony of God and Man in one, face to face with sin. We know nothing about Gethsemane in personal experience. Gethsemane and Calvary stand for some- thing unique; they are the gateway into Life for us. It was not the death on the cross that Jesus feared in Gethsemane; He stated most emphatically that He came on purpose to die. In Gethsemane He feared lest He might not get through as Son of Man. He would get through as Son of God - Satan could not touch Him there; but Satan's onslaught was that He would get through as an isolated Figure only; and that would mean that He could be no Saviour. Read the record of the agony in the light of the temptation: "Then the devil leaveth Him for a season." In Gethsemane Satan came back and was again overthrown. Satan's final onslaught against our Lord as Son of Man is in Gethsemane. The agony in Gethsemane is the agony of the Son of God in fulfilling His destiny as the Saviour of the world. The veil is drawn aside to reveal all it cost Him to make it possible for us to become sons of God. His agony is the basis of the simplicity of our salvation. The Cross of Christ is a triumph for the Son of Man. It was not only a sign that Our Lord had triumphed, but that He had triumphed to save the human race. Every human being can get through into the presence of God now because of what the Son of Man went through.

COME TO JESUS

Matthew 11:25-30 (NIV)
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened,
and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you
and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble
in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

COME TO JESUS

Come to Jesus
Sent from above
Come to Jesus
Fear not His love

Come to Jesus
Lay down your burdens
Come to Jesus
Before despair worsens

Come to Jesus
Trust Him today
Come to Jesus
Be healed by faith

Come to Jesus
Take up His yoke
Come to Jesus
Find peace and hope

J. E. Pollock
Apr 2, 2009

"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion?
Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover
your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk
with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn
the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything
heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with
me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly."
Matthew 11:28-30 (The Message)

TO BE OR NOT TO BE

Romans 12
Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy,
to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing
to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform
any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed
by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able
to test and approve what God's will is—his good,
pleasing and perfect will.

TO BE OR NOT TO BE

I am to be light in this world
Unfurled against the darkness
I am held to a higher standard
Shining forth the truth of Jesus
I am not to be conformed to this world
Consumed by the fears that pull it down
I am not to be lowered to its empty level
Forgetting what the Resurrection is about
I am to be true to God's Word
Brave and courageous like Joshua of old
I am faithful to the promises I've heard
Fitting into the press of God's holy mold
I am not to be afraid of the dark
Worried over yesterday, today, or tomorrow
I will love Almighty God with all of my heart
And step out in faith when its my time to go
I am to be transformed by God's Word
As I remain seperated from the world
Sanctified for service to Jesus my Lord
I worship in Spirit and wield His Sword

JEFFREE!
8/23 2008

TO BE OR NOT TO BE

I am light in this world
Unfurled against the darkness
I am held to a higher standard
As I shine forth the truth of Jesus
I am not conformed by the world
Consumed by fears that drag it down
I am not to be lowered to its empty level
And forget what faith in Resurrection is about
I am true to God's Word
Brave and courageous like Joshua of old
Faithful to trustworthy promises heard
I fit into the press of God's holy mold
I am not afraid of the dark
Worried over yesterday, today, or tomorrow
I love Almighty God with all of our heart
And step out in faith when its my time to go
I am transformed by God's Word
As I remain seperate from the world
Sanctified for service to Jesus my Lord
I worship in Spirit and carry His Sword

JEFFREE!
7/11 2008

TO BE OR NOT TO BE

We are light in this world
Unfurled against the darkness
We are held to a higher standard
As we shine forth the truth of Jesus
We are not conformed by the world
Consumed by fears that drag it down
We are not to be lowered to its empty level
And forget our faith of Resurrection and Life
We are true to God's Word
Brave and courageous like Joshua of old
Faithful to trustworthy promises heard
We fit into the press of God's holy mold
We are not afraid of the dark
Worried over yesterday, today, and tomorrow
We love Almighty God with all of our heart
And step out in faith when its our time to go
We are transformed by God's Word
As we seperate from the world
Sanctified for service to Jesus our Lord
We worship in Spirit and wield His Sword

JEFFREE!
6/16 2008

For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the
sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between
joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.
Hebrews 4:12 (New Living Translation)

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I am not what I ought to be.
I am not what I wish to be.
I am not even what I hope to be.
But by the cross of Christ,
I am not what I was.

John Newton
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Our Daily Bread
March 13, 2009

To Be Or Not To Be

READ: 2 Corinthians 1:3-11

We were burdened beyond measure, . . . so that
we despaired even of life. --- 2 Corinthians 1:8

When I was a child, kids on the playground
jokingly quoted Shakespeare's famous line:
"To be or not to be, that is the question!"
But we really didn't understand what it meant.
Later I learned that Shakespeare's character
Hamlet, who speaks these lines, is a melan-
choly prince who learns that his uncle has
killed his father and married his mother. The
horror of this realization is so disturbing that
he contemplates suicide. The question for him
was: "to be" (to go on living) or "not to be"
(to take his own life).At times, life's pain can
become so overwhelming that we are tempted
to despair. The apostle Paul told the church at
Corinth that his persecution in Asia was so
intense he "despaired even of life"(2 Cor. 1:8).
Yet by shifting his focus to his life-sustaining
God, he became resilient instead of over-
whelmed, and learned "that we should not trust
in ourselves but in God"(v.9).Trials can make
life seem not worth living. Focusing on our-
selves can lead to despair. But putting our trust
in God gives us an entirely different perspective.
As long as we live in this world, we can be
certain that our all-sufficient God will sustain
us. And as His followers, we will always have
a divine purpose "to be." --- Dennis Fisher

Lord, give us grace to trust You when Life's
burdens seem too much to bear; Dispel the
darkness with new hope And help us rise
above despair." Sper

Trials make us think; thinking makes us
wise; wisdom makes life profitable.

SING

A NEW SONG

Sing a new song
Sing it out loud
Sing a new song
TO JESUS

Sing a new song
From the depths of your soul
Sing a new song
Out of the weakness you know

Sing a new song
Sing it with love
Sing a new song
TO JESUS

Sing a new song
From the heights of your faith
Sing a new song
In the strength of His grace

Sing a new song
Sing it with joy
Sing a new song
TO JESUS

---

Jeffrey E Pollock

February 28, 2009

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Some Melodious Sonnet

In the book Night, Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel describes a moment in
the concentration camp frozen in his memory. In the darkened corner of
room, where the dead were slumped beside the living, his friend Juliek
sat with his violin. On the brink of his own grave, he played notes pure
and heavy to an audience of dead and dying men. Wiesel recalls, "[I]t
was as though Juliek's soul were the bow. He was playing his life.
The whole of his life was gliding on the strings--his lost hopes, his
charred past, his extinguished future. He played as he would never
play again."(1) I cannot make sense of this scene other than to say,
there are times when the gravity of a song flattens us. To this day,
Wiesel admits, he cannot hear the sound of a violin without memory
of Juliek dismantling all other thoughts. Perhaps similarly, you
have been floored by a memory locked in a melody or leveled by
the words of a song. In a very real sense, these are the images of
worship. The Hebrew word for worship conjures a physical image,
an outward response to an inward affection; to worship the Lord
whether in song or in silence means "to prostrate oneself" before the
Almighty. Far too often, this is not the result of the songs I sing.

It was for such a reason that John Wesley offered his congregation a list
of guidelines for singing, even providing encouragement for the one who
would claim he could not. In the preface to Sacred Melody, published in
1761, he wrote, "Sing all... Let not a slight degree of weakness or
weariness hinder you. If it is a cross to you, take it up and you will find
a blessing." He had in mind both the expression of the community and
the heart of the individual. Sing lustily, sing modestly, and with good
courage, he instructed. Wesley sought to remind all that it takes audacity
to approach a God holy and mighty, and boldness to sing of a hope
weighted in God's glory. "Above all, sing spiritually," he concluded.
"Have an eye to God in every word you sing. Aim at pleasing Him
more than yourself, or any other creature... [A]ttend strictly to the
sense of what you sing, and see that your Heart is not carried away
with the sound, but offered to God continually."

How often do we take in the enormity of the joy set

before us, the weight of the words we profess?

Come, Thou Fount of every blessing,
Tune my heart to sing Thy grace;
Streams of mercy, never ceasing,
Call for songs of loudest praise.

Teach me some melodious sonnet,
Sung by flaming tongues above.
Praise the mount! I'm fixed upon it,
Mount of Thy redeeming love.

How often do we fathom the proclamations we make in our songs?

Jesus sought me when a stranger,
Wandering from the fold of God;
He, to rescue me from danger,
Interposed His precious blood;

How His kindness yet pursues me
Mortal tongue can never tell,
Clothed in flesh, till death shall loose me
I cannot proclaim it well.

And how many of the oaths we make are even unattainable with-
out the intervention of Christ and the bold surrender of our souls?

O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I'm constrained to be!
Let Thy goodness, like a fetter,
Bind my wandering heart to Thee.

Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here's my heart, O take and seal it,
Seal it for Thy courts above.

On the occasions that we are leveled by God in the words we sing, it
seems odd that we could ever have remained standing in the first place.
Perhaps these are the times when God knocks us off our feet and leaves
us like Isaiah, speechless in his presence. "The Truth must dazzle
gradually," wrote Emily Dickinson. "Or every man be blind." Sometimes
gently, sometimes fearfully, God reveals Himself to our hearts and minds.

Other times of worship require much more of us. We fight distractions
and judgments, selfishness and pride. But we press on, taking thoughts
captive, confessing the pride that blocks our vision, standing with
determination to attend to what we sing. "For 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"
(John 4:23). A distracted, rejected, ill-reputed woman at a well was
the first recipient of these words. With her eyes on Christ and her
heart on her sleeve, she was leveled by God's glory
and given a new song to sing.

Jill Carattini is managing editor of A Slice of Infinity at
Ravi Zacharias International Ministries in Atlanta, Georgia.

(1) Elie Wiesel, Night (New York: Bantam, 1982), 90.

THE LOVE OF GOD

<< 1 John 2 >>
GOD'S WORD

1 My dear children, I'm writing this to you so that you will
not sin. Yet, if anyone does sin, we have Jesus Christ, who
has God's full approval. He speaks on our behalf when we
come into the presence of the Father. 2 He is the payment
for our sins, and not only for our sins, but also for the sins
of the whole world. 3 We are sure that we know Christ if we
obey his commandments. 4 The person who says, "I know
him," but doesn't obey his commandments is a liar. The
truth isn't in that person. 5 But whoever obeys what Christ
says is the kind of person in whom God's love is perfected.
That's how we know we are in Christ. 6 Those who say
that they live in him must live the same way he lived.

THE LOVE OF GOD

We have a cover, a banner
THE SHEPHERD ON HIGH
Who spoke truth, and lived truth
And taught us how to live and die.
We have an Advocate, a Judge
THE SAVIOR IN HEAVEN
Who made law, and obeyed law
And encouraged us to win
We have a light, an ambassador
THE KING OF HEARTS
Who was love, and is love
And promised never to depart
We have a master, a living hope
THE LORD IS HIS NAME
Who caused life, and causes life
To follow Him His way

TRUE LIFE

It's not about us, It's all about God, Who chose
to die To set us free. It's all about the Cross, It's
not about us, Or what we can or cannot do for
God. It's not about us, It's all about grace, That
rescued us From every sin. It is all about Jesus,
It's not about us, Or how we prove Our love to
Him. It's not about us, It's all about Christ,
Who conquered death So we can truly live!
_____________________________

Are You Fresh for Everything?

Jesus answered and said to him, 'Most assuredly, I say to you,
unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God' —John 3:3

Sometimes we are fresh and eager to attend a prayer meeting, but do
we feel that same freshness for such mundane tasks as polishing shoes?

Being born again by the Spirit is an unmistakable work of God, as
mysterious as the wind, and as surprising as God Himself. We don't
know where it begins— it is hidden away in the depths of our soul.
Being born again from above is an enduring, perpetual, and eternal
beginning. It provides a freshness all the time in thinking, talking,
and living— a continual surprise of the life of God. Staleness is an
indication that something in our lives is out of step with God. We
say to ourselves, "I have to do this thing or it will never get done."

That is the first sign of staleness. Do we feel fresh this very moment
or are we stale, frantically searching our minds for something to do?
Freshness is not the result of obedience; it comes from the Holy Spirit.

Obedience keeps us "in the light as He is in the light . . ." (1 John 1:7).

Jealously guard your relationship with God. Jesus prayed "that they
may be one just as We are one"-with nothing in between (John 17:22).
Keep your whole life continually open to Jesus Christ. Don't pretend
to be open with Him. Are you drawing your life from any source other
than God Himself? If you are depending on something else as your
source of freshness and strength, you will not realize
when His power is gone.

Being born of the Spirit means much more than we usually think. It
gives us new vision and keeps us absolutely fresh for everything
through the never-ending supply of the life of God.

--

http://www.rbc.org/utmost/index.php


Verse of the day:

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers,
against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against
the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 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.”

Ephesians 6:12-13 NIV Listen to this chapter
Audio is taken from Listener's Audio Bible

Look Up Word or Passage

SING ALONG

If John 3:16 isn't the refrain of the Christian life I
don't know what is; it definitelykeeps coming back
to our attention as we journey towards Heaven and
endeavor to invite others to follow Our Savior and
Sovereign Lord Jesus Christ. Also included are a
few of my favorite stops on the Web. Jeff

This is a song so please sing along!
__

"God loves the world so much He gave us His one
and only Son, so that all who believe in Him would
not perish but have eternal life." see John 3:16

"IN HIM"

Where will you go
When you get old?
What do you think
Will save you from sin?

Where will you turn?
When will you learn?
You won't escape sin,
Unless you're found in Him.

Refrain:
Come to the Cross of Calvary,
Find your place at His feet,
Let the blood from His wounds,
Wash over you,
Then stand up and be new again!

What will you do,
When its your turn to die?
Whether you're young or you're old,
Now is your time to make up your mind;
Believe God knows what is right for your soul.

Where will you go
When you get tired and old?
Why do you think
You'll be UP in Heaven with Him,
If you refuse now to do what you're told?

Back to refrain:

JEFF POLLOCK
JANUARY 2009
__

"I am the way. I am the truth and the life.
The only way to the Father is through me.
see John 14:6

Eyes on the Father by Max Lucado When the restaurant waiter brings you a cold hamburger and a hot soda, you want to know who is in charge. When a young fellow wants to impress his girlfriend, he takes her down to the convenience store where he works and boasts, "Every night from five to ten o'clock, I'm in charge." We know what it means to be in charge of a restaurant or a store, but to be in charge of the universe? This is the claim of Jesus. There are many examples of Jesus' authority, but I'll just mention one of my favorites. Jesus and the disciples are in a boat crossing the Sea of Galilee. A storm arises suddenly, and what was placid becomes violent—monstrous waves rise out of the sea and slap the boat. Mark describes it clearly: "A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped" (Mark 4:37 NIV). It's very important that you get an accurate picture, so I'm going to ask you to imagine yourself in the boat. It's a sturdy vessel but no match for these ten-foot waves. It plunges nose first into the wall of water. The force of the waves dangerously tips the boat until the bow seems to be pointing straight at the sky, and just when you fear flipping over backward, the vessel pitches forward into the valley of another wave. A dozen sets of hands join yours in clutching the mast. All your shipmates have wet heads and wide eyes. You tune your ear for a calming voice, but all you hear are screams and prayers. All of a sudden it hits you—someone is missing. Where is Jesus? He's not at the mast. He's not grabbing the edge. Where is he? Then you hear something—a noise … a displaced sound … as if someone is snoring. You turn and look, and there curled in the stern of the boat is Jesus, sleeping! You don't know whether to be amazed or angry, so you're both. How can he sleep at a time like this? Or as the disciples asked, "Teacher, don't you care if we drown?" (Mark 4:38 NIV). The very storm that made the disciples panic made him drowsy. What put fear in their eyes put him to sleep. The boat was a tomb to the followers and a cradle to Christ. How could he sleep through the storm? Simple—he was in charge of it. He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?" (Mark 4:39–40 NIV) Incredible…Is it any wonder the disciples were willing to die for Jesus? Never had they seen such power; never had they seen such glory. It was like, well, like the whole universe was his kingdom. It's only right that they declare his authority. It's only right that we do the same. And when we do, we state without question: The ruler of the universe rules our hearts. From For These Tough Times: Reaching Toward Heaven for Hope and Healing © (Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2006) Max Lucado

· Jealousy · Cheering Others On · Choosing · All in the Family · The Danger of Comparisons - Previous Messages - · Stronger in the Broken Places View the sermon Jesus: Bigger Than Your Box

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"Devotions From The Studio" To: jeffreyevelyn@yahoo.com January 2009 :: Show 355 True and False Humility The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold, so a person is tested by being praised. PROVERBS 27:21 NRSV That was a good concert," someone will say to me. "Oh no," I moan, "I sang flat, my guitar was out of tune…." What passes for my humility is in fact only a disguised form of pride, a ploy to hear more compliments. At these moments I have forgotten who I am, and I look to strangers to tell me. I have lost sight of the truth of what Jesus has done in and for me. This is a perilous place to be, a dangerous trap. Genuine, biblical humility is nothing more or less than knowing the truth of who we are in Christ. Only relationship with him can give us the genuine article. APPLY: Pay special attention to how you respond to compliments. Do you display false humility (pride in disguise) or genuine humility (security in your identity in Christ)? Joy in the Journey: Through the Year (2007) - Devotional As you move through the one-year devotional book, you'll find yourself experiencing a kind of creative renaissance as God's artistry inspires you to a more vivid faith. Click here to order! Available Now - Click To Order! Taken from Joy in the Journey Through the Year by Michael Card. ©2007 by Michael Card. Used by permission of InterVarsity Press, P.O. Box 1400, Downers Grove, IL 60515-1426. ivpress.com Listen to this program If this message was forwarded to you, you may subscribe here. If you would like to send this newsletter to a friend, click here. January 19, 2009 Looking Back: Clearing Away the Trash We Regret Joel 1:2–20; 2:12–27 For many of us, looking in the rearview mirror at our past brings unpleasant memories to mind of broken promises, tangled emotions, and guilt. We've all said and done things we regret. Today Chuck Swindoll shares a timely message for those wanting to start the new year with a clean slate where relationships are concerned. January 20, 2009 Looking Back: Clearing Away the Trash We Regret—continued Joel 1:2–20; 2:12–27 It's not easy to put the past behind us, especially when we've made some wrong choices that keep coming back to haunt us. Today Chuck Swindoll offers practical advice for clearing out the rotten fruit in the garbage dump of our past that's hindering our effectiveness for Christ today. Now is the time to empty the trash! January 21, 2009 Looking Back: Clearing Away the Trash We Regret—continued Joel 1:2–20; 2:12–27 It's hard to move forward when guilt weighs us down, and it may even be impossible. Today Chuck Swindoll provides practical tools for putting the painful experiences of the past behind us. If we accept some divine discipline from the book of Joel, we can see what had once been destroyed restored to us again. January 22, 2009 Looking Back: Finding Healing through Forgiveness Matthew 5:23–24; 18:21–35 It's seldom easy to admit you're wrong. But when you've inflicted pain on a loved one, taking steps toward reconciliation is the only way to find healing. Today Chuck Swindoll shares a timeless message on forgiveness. Forgiveness is a required course in the curriculum of the Christian life—and the exams are tough! January 23, 2009 Looking Back: Finding Healing through Forgiveness—continued Matthew 5:23–24; 18:21–35 We all know what it feels like to be wronged—to be hurt by a friend's ill-timed comments or a loved one's actions. Today Chuck Swindoll shares a powerful message about cultivating a healing spirit of forgiveness. If you've been struggling to forgive someone who's hurt you, please don't miss today's message! Listen Now