MercyMe

About 7 or 8 years ago, when "I Can Only Imagine" by MercyMe first came out, it was on the mainstream radio and I immediately fell in love with it.  (If you haven't heard it, I recommend you listen to it, the words really get you thinking.) I remember a time back then when my daughter Alyssa and I were pulling up in the driveway, probably coming home from softball or soccer practice, and this song came on. We sat in the car and sang it together. I will never forget that moment.    

I am not sure if she remembers that moment or not, but last week for my birthday she and Tyler bought my wife Kathy and I tickets to see them in concert.  I thought it was interesting how that came around in full circle.

The concert was last night, and they were awesome. We will definitely be looking for them again when they come around.

Romans 12:1

Paul, in Romans 12:1, urges us as believers in Christ, "to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God"

Paul's reference to sacrifice here is that we give ourselves COMPLETELY to the Lord. In the Old Testament, they killed and sacrificed animals to God. 

 Many in the church today go to church services on Sundays for 2 hours and feel they have GIVEN their time. That is their weekly duty, then they go about their week feeling good about themselves.  These people usually go to church because it make them feel good, it gives them a sense of peace. 

Now their is nothing wrong with feeling good and encouraged after attending church services. But when your purpose is to go to church to feel good and feel encouraged your are RECEIVING spiritual nourishment. 

Paul is exhorting us to sacrifice, to GIVE COMPLETELY, our bodies to Christ. In the Old Testament, they did not just offer up a leg or a thigh from the animals. 

We are to worship the Lord on Sundays and once we receive the spiritual nourishment. We are to go out the rest of week and be servants for God. 

Yes, we are commanded to go to church on Sundays. But if that is where your obedience to God ends, I think that you need to re-examine your heart. 

In Luke 9:23 Jesus says "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me. "

Jesus Draw Me Ever Nearer

We sang this song in church today, that really got the tears flowing in me. The timing of this song really has coincided with some emotional times that are going on in my life right now.



I am reminded of James 1:2-3 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.

As believers, we can have confidence that God brings or allows trials into our lives to build us up or to strengthen our faith. Make no mistake, God tests our faith to prove and to increase the strength and the quality of our faith.  It gives us an opportunity to show that our faith is genuine.

God is going to bring trials into our lives in order to increase our faith.  If we, as believers, are able to submit to the trials that we encounter and endure the trials with a Godly peace knowing that He is in control;  then we can be assured that the promise of James 1:12 will be awaiting us.  "Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him"

It is comforting to know that as I experience trials in my life, I can rely on the assurance that God is in control.