Song Reflections: Sunrise by Nichole Nordeman

Posted on by
Reply

 

Sunrise

I love this song, because I can relate to the songwriter. Sometimes, we look back on our past and think: What if I would have taken a different road? What if I would have chosen to take the easier path? I like the line that says, “I would walk away with my yesterdays.” The truth is we wouldn’t be able to truly comprehend or appreciate the beautiful moments in our lives, if we hadn’t been through challenging and tragic parts of our lives. We wouldn’t be able to experience the glory of God in it’s fullest, if we had not known the loneliness and pain of the darkest and longest of nights. God is our “sunrise!” We wouldn’t know morning, if we hadn’t experienced midnight. Yet, sometimes we try to take different roads… easier roads, because maybe we are lacking courage or faith. Or, maybe we try to takes these easier paths, because we are lazy or just don’t believe in ourselves and God’s predestined potential for us. “How often we turn to level ground and try to avoid the hills. Yet it’s the hard path that strengthens us. Through our difficult times, God draws near and takes us by our arm. He becomes our guide and companion – and strength.”(Nortker, 3-Minute Devotionals For Women, p.134) But, we need to be willing to walk the most challenging path… the steep, windy path with thorn bushes and gravely sand. It is on this path, that God strengthens us. It is here, that He allows us to build the resistance and stamina to accomplish everything, which He has planned for our futures. In Daniel 3, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, choose to obey God in faith and to take the path that seemed that it would lead to eminent death in the fiery furnaces of King Nebuchadnezzar. This was a very dark moment for them, but God used these three young men’s obedience and faith to reveal Himself and His glory to not only them, but also the Babylonians. Like Shadrack, Meshach, and Abednego; we also are permitted to go through fire. God not only spares us, but comes to walk with us in the fire like He did with Shadrack, Meshach, and Abednego. The fire not only brings us closer to God, but it also purifies us and refines us like gold. Isaiah 48:10 says, “See, I have tested you, but not as silver. I have tested you in the fire of suffering.” But, we must be willing to take the path God has for us, even if it is the most difficult path. 1 Peter 5:10-11 says, “And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.” -1Peter 5:10-11

If you haven’t heard the song, you might want to check it out.

Here the lyrics to the song:

“If I had the chance to go back again
Take a different road, bear a lighter load
Tell an easy story
I would walk away with my yesterdays
And I would not trade what is broken
For beauty onlyEvery valley, every bitter chill
Made me ready to climb back
Up the hill and find thatYou are sunrise
You are blue skies
How would I know the morning
If I knew not midnight?You’re my horizon
You’re the light of a new dawn
So thank you, thank you
That after the long night, you are sunriseThere’s a moment when faith caves in
There’s a time when every soul is certain
God is goneBut every shadow is evidence of sun
And every tomorrow holds out hope for us
For every one of usYou are sunrise
You are blue skies
How would I know the morning
If I knew not midnight?You alone will shine
You alone can resurrect
This heart of mine

You are sunrise
You are blue skies
How would I know the morning
If I knew not midnight?

You are sunrise”

The Best GPS

Posted on by
Reply

“I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten.”

 – Joel 2:25 KJV 

 IMG_3222

 In Joel 2, the Israelites were called to turn from their ways, and to turn back to God. Sometimes, we are really hard on ourselves after we make bad choices or mistakes. We feel like we don’t deserve any good things. But, God is still working on us and still loves us. When we make so many bad choices, that we end up in the wrong place; God is still there with us to help us find our way to where we need to be. He is like our built in GPS. Deep in the back of our minds, He is telling us to head a certain direction. And, when we go the wrong direction, He reroutes for us to get to the destination, that He intended for us. We just need to listen to God and obey His directions. Furthermore, “When we make bad choices, it’s hard to believe anything good can grow in our lives again.” (Nortker, 3-Minute Devotionals For Women, p.322) But, Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” Notice how it says, “all things” and not some things. All things means not only our good choices, but also our bad choices. God knows everything. Isaiah 46:10 reminds us that, God knows “…what will happen in the end…” This means He even knows the mistakes we will make in the future. When we make these mistakes, God will still love us and have plans for our lives. God is bigger than our mistakes.

 “Only God can turn

 a mess into a message,

a test into a testimony,

a trial into a triumph,

a victim into a victory,

 a problem into a prayer.”

 -Nishan Panwar

We just need to be patient and willing to follow His directions, when He is rerouting our lives. Amen.

Reference:

Brigitta Nortker, comp. 3-Minute Devotionals For Women. Uhrichsville: Barbour, Ohio. Print.

Putting Out Fires!

Posted on by
Reply

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go, I will guide you with My eye. -Psalm 32:8 NKJV
1024px-2011-08-04_20_00_00_Susie_Fire_in_the_Adobe_Range_west_of_Elko_Nevada (1)

At times, our lives can feel like they are “careening out of control, so much so that you feel like a firefighter running from here to there, extinguishing fires breaking out in your life or the lives of those around you.” (Nortker, 3-Minute Devotionals For Women) Everywhere we look their are new issues threatening to burst into flames. And then, there are those explosions that take us by surprise. How can we find peace with all that is happening around us? But, we can’t let outer circumstances control our lives. What we see, hear, and feel around us tends tamper with our emotions. But, we can’t let our emotions control us, or else they will become like fuel thrown into the fires in our lives. As you can understand, uncontrolled emotions only exacerbate the problems in our lives.

We have to stop, drop, and roll.

1. Stop immediately reacting to our emotions
2. Drop to our knees and pray
3. Roll into listening mode

 stop drop and roll 042213_0138_ThinkLikeGo1

1. Stop immediately reacting to our emotions

“My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.” – James 1:19 NIV

2. Drop to our knees and pray

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”-Philippians 4:6-7NIV

“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.”-John 5:14NIV

3. Roll into listening mode

“But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth…” -John 16:13

For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”-Luke 12:12 ESV

As Christians, we need to let the Holy Spirit lead us instead of our emotions.

“When he calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him.”- Psalm 91:15 ESV

That way, we allow God to rescue us from the fires in our lives. Amen.

 

Reference:

Brigitta Nortker, comp. 3-Minute Devotionals For Women. Uhrichsville: Barbour, Ohio. Print.

Crossroads

Posted on by
Reply

“Trust  in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In
all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” – Proverbs 3:5-6

 Crossroads

“Gideon said to God, “If you will save Israel by my hand as you have promised— look, I will place a wool fleece on the threshing floor. If there is dew only on the fleece and all the ground is dry, then I will know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you said.” And that is what happened. Gideon rose early the next day; he squeezed the fleece and wrung out the dew—a bowlful of water. Then Gideon said to God, “Do not be angry with me. Let me make just one more request. Allow me one more test with the fleece, but this time make the fleece dry and let the ground be covered with dew.” That night God did so. Only the fleece was dry; all the ground was covered with dew.” – Judges 6:36-40

Have you ever asked God for a sign? Have you ever prayed that if one thing came to pass, you would take the next step? Maybe you haven’t gone so far as to ask God for a sign. Maybe you don’t have as much doubt or disbelief as Gideon had. Or maybe you aren’t as bold as Gideon. You have to admit Gideon was pretty audacious to ask God for another sign after he had already asked God for a second sign, and God had given it to him. “Amazingly God wasn’t angry with Gideon for his disbelief. God met Gideon where he was. Gideon’s faith was growing; that’s what mattered to God. When we feel inadequate about our qualifications for the job God has given us, we can take a page from Gideon’s book. Gideon didn’t hold back his fear of failure. He needed God’s reassurance and patience in his faith walk, and God lovingly provided both.”(Nortker, 3-Minute Devotionals For Women, p. 303) Perhaps, signs like the ones Gideon asked for are a thing of the Old Testament. Or, perhaps it would be considered disrespectful or foolish to ask God for a sign. But, we can always pray and ask God for His guidance in every step of our lives. “The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.” – Psalm 32:8 He is faithful and patient with us. He is always there to listen to us and provide us the patience necessary to wait for His guidance and timing. And, if we quiet ourselves before Him and listen, He will provide us with the reassurance we need to take the next step. Amen.

Reference:

Brigitta Nortker, comp. 3-Minute Devotionals For Women. Uhrichsville: Barbour, Ohio. Print.

The Barren Tree

Posted on by
Reply

“He must increase, but I must decrease” – John 3:30 ESV

“The tree was bare. Every leaf had been shed. Winter had arrived. Yet, beyond the barren tree, the sun peeked its head above the treetops. Dawn was breaking. As the sun ascended higher, it’s rays were visible through the bare branches. Before long, the entire tree was glowing as the sun’s radiance shone through it.” (Nortker, 3-Minute Devotionals For Women, p. 91)

 barren tree

“Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.”

 -James 4:10 NKJV

 

What is humility? The Living Bible translation of James 4:10 describes it as seeing ourselves as worthless. It says, “Then when you realize your worthlessness before the Lord, he will lift you up, encourage and help you.” Humility is one of the most misunderstood concepts. There is a quote by C.S. Lewis that sums it up pretty good, though: “True humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less.” When we think about it like that, we have to ask ourselves the following question: how much time do we spend thinking about ourselves (our wants, our desires, our happiness, our dreams, our goals, our plans, our finances, our things). I’m sure that most will find that we spend more time thinking about ourselves than thinking about God or others. But, if we spent less time thinking about our problems, wants, needs; how would our lives be different? Maybe we would be less stressed about our own lives and a bigger blessing in other’s lives? The author of the excerpt above describes a tree, that doesn’t have any leaves or blossoms. It’s been stripped of everything that could give it physical beauty, power, glory. In the same way, we need to be able to let God strip us of our desires and our visions of self-importance. We need to humble ourselves, before The Lord, and offer Him everything we have and want. That way, God can take the pride and other ungodly attitudes from us. If we do that, we will not be hindered by our own selfish will from fulfilling His complete and ultimate purpose for our lives. What if we made God’s will and God’s plans our will and our plans? Since the tree had less of itself, the glory of the sun (Son of God) could shine through it making it a more glorious sight than if it would have stubbornly retained its leaves. We need to be like the tree. We need to decrease, so that God can increase (“He must increase, but I must decrease” – John 3:30) and His glory can shine through us and past our insufficiencies. Amen.

 

“Jesus said to His followers, “If anyone wants to be My follower, he must forget about himself. He must take up his cross and follow Me.”-Matthew 16:24

 

Falling Down

Posted on by
Reply

“The godly may trip seven times, but they will get up again.” 

– Proverbs 24:16 NLT

di8onE5ie


 As followers of Christ, we are still human. Humanity is by nature weak. We all fall down. “In our lives, too, there are many times when we fall down–not physically, but emotionally, spiritually, and relationally.” (Nortker, 3-Minute Devotionals For Women, p. 262)            Sometimes we fall down really hard. We all have made mistakes. Maybe we lost focus of God and His lead in our lives. Maybe we gave up on the dreams, that God put in our hearts. Maybe we didn’t handle a situation in a way that reflects God’s love. Maybe we lost our patience in seeing God’s promises fulfilled. Maybe we took things into our own hands, instead of trusting God to guide us. Maybe we have not been the most understanding or maybe we have been unforgiving. Maybe we fell in “our struggle with particular temptations.” Maybe we fell in our attempts “to climb the ladder of success or in our effort to lead consistently Godly lives.”(Nortker, 3-Minute Devotionals For Women, p. 262) Maybe fell trying to carry a burden, that was to was to heavy for us to bear on our own. Maybe we failed to trust God to see us through the dark nights. But, God is still there with His hands reaching out. He still loves us and forgives us. “…God’s love never fails.” -Psalm 136:1 His love never runs out. Everyone else may give up on us, forsake us, and even leave us fallen on the ground. But, GOD NEVER GIVES UP ON US. He is there to help us get up stronger.

Think about the lyrics to this song: Forgiven performed by Sanctus Real.

“Well the past is playing with my head
And failure knocks me down again
Im reminded of the wrong
That I have said and done
And that devil just wont let me forget

In this life
I know what Ive been
But here in your arms
I know what I am

I’m forgiven
I’m forgiven
And I don’t have to carry
The weight of who Ive been
Cause I’m forgiven

My mistakes are running through my mind
And Ill relive my days, in the middle of the night
When I struggle with my pain, and I wrestle with my pride
Sometimes I feel alone, and I cry

When I don’t think and I don’t feel like I belong anywhere
When I don’t measure up to much in this life
Oh, I’m a treasure in the arms of Christ.”

Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for always being there for us. Please help us to reach out to You, when we trip and fall down. May You help us to reflect Your love by offering forgiveness, support, and love to those who fall down. Amen.
Reference:
Brigitta Nortker, comp. 3-Minute Devotionals For Women. Uhrichsville: Barbour, Ohio. Print.

Just Enough Light for Today

Posted on by
Reply

“Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” – Psalm 119:05 NIV

 ark-technology-oil_lamp_lit_01

Sometimes we get lost along the way. We lose sight of the real light. Maybe we get distracted with the fireflies or the sounds of the night? We end up walking around without the real light. Then, we start stumbling around in the dark. We may even fall down and crash into those around us; not only hurting ourselves, but also those around us. Anyone (even “strong” people) can fall down, if they lose focus of the path before them and can not see where they are walking. From reading the above verse, we know that the only real light for our path is God’s word. If we fail to read His word daily, we won’t have the light we need for each day. We are sure to fall down and lose our way along the path. Yet, we can’t expect to see any farther than today. God only gives us enough light for each day. He doesn’t let the light shine farther than the barriers of today. Why? Because He doesn’t want us to become overwhelmed by what lies ahead. Why should we be worried about tomorrow? God already knows what is there and preparing the way. But, we need to make sure we have just enough light for today’s steps.

Dear Lord Jesus, please help us to keep our eyes focused on You and Your word. May we commit to reading Your word and communicating with You daily. Amen.

Holy Week: Experiencing Jesus Christ

Posted on by
Reply

“I want to know Him. I want to have the same power in my life that raised Jesus from the dead. I want to understand and have a share in His sufferings and be like Christ in His death. Then I may be raised up from among the dead.”

 – Philippians 3:10-11 

iStock_000011568286Small

 In Philippians 3:10, Paul writes “….I want to understand and have a share in His sufferings and be like Christ in His death.” Developing a relationship with an individual involves not only communicating with them, but also sharing experiences a with that individual. We share not only positive experiences with them, but also very difficult experiences with them. Here Paul writes about sharing in the suffering of Christ. This is not an isolated case. A number of other scriptures also talk about sharing in the suffering of Christ (1 Peter 4:13, 2 Corinthians 1:5, and Romans 8:17-18). In these verses, suffering with Christ appears to be a requisite for sharing in His glory. It is especially during this time of the year, that we are reminded: our humanly suffering is nothing in comparison to the suffering of Christ (when He paid the price for our sins on the cross). 1 Peter 2:21-22 says “…But if you suffer for doing good and endure it patiently, God is pleased with you. For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps.” Sometimes, we suffer for obeying God or trying to help others. The self-control we must exercise to obey God or follow His will, may feel like suffering. Also, in our efforts to help others by sharing in their hardships, we may feel their pain and share in their suffering. In these ways, we share in His suffering. Yet, all of this is nothing in comparison to the suffering of Christ. Philippians 3:10 also mentions sharing in the death of Christ. What does it mean to share in the death of Christ? Romans 6:6-8 says, “We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with him.” It means our sinful human nature must die, so that it no longer has power over us. Living with Christ means having an intimate relationship with Him and ultimately sharing in the power of His resurrection.

Dear Lord Jesus, please help us to experience You on a deeper level. Amen.

Holy Week: Knowing Jesus Christ

Posted on by
Reply

“I want to know Him. I want to have the same power in my life that raised Jesus from the dead. I want to understand and have a share in His sufferings and be like Christ in His death. Then I may be raised up from among the dead.”

 – Philippians 3:10-11

3CROSSES

This verse is quite fitting for this week, since it is Holy Week. The big question here is what does it mean to know Jesus Christ (described as the “holy righteous one” in Acts 3:14)? If someone asked you: do you know Jesus Christ? How would you answer that question? In order to answer that question, we must ask ourselves the following question: do we really know Him or do we just know about Him? Imagine having a favorite celebrity (that you have never met) and knowing all of these random facts about him or her. And, then someone asks you if you know that Celebrity. Would you be giving an honest answer if you said yes? Absolutely not. Why? Well, if you asked the celebrity if he or she knew you, the celebrity would say no. The point is the only way to know someone is to have a personal relationship with them. Thus, we must have a personal relationship with Christ to be able to honestly say that we know Him. Any relationship requires two-way communication. Are we really communicating with Jesus? Are we not only faithful in prayer, but also diligent and patient in listening? We know that God is always listening to us. We just need to speak to Him. It doesn’t matter what time it is or where we are. 1 John 5:14 says, “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.”Furthermore, not only does He listen to us, but He speaks to us. John 10:27 says, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” Notice how it says, “I know them,..” Knowing Jesus involves not only speaking, but also listening.

Think about the lyrics to this song: What Do I Know of Holy performed by Addison Road

“I made You promises a thousand times
I tried to hear from Heaven but I talked the whole time
I think I made You too small, I never feared You at all, no
If You touched my face would I know You?
Looked into my eyes, could I behold You?

What do I know of You who spoke me into motion?
Where have I even stood but the shore along Your ocean?
Are You fire? Are You fury? Are You sacred? Are You beautiful?
What do I know? What do I know of Holy?

I guess I thought that I had figured You out
I knew all the stories and I learned to talk about
How You were might to save
Those were only empty words on a page
Then I caught a glimpse of who You might be
The slightest hint of You brought me down to my knees

What do I know of You who spoke me into motion?
Where have I even stood but the shore along Your ocean?
Are You fire? Are You fury? Are You sacred? Are You beautiful?
What do I know? What do I know of Holy?

What do I know of holy?
What do I know of wounds that will heal my shame?
And a God who gave life it’s name?
What do I know of holy of the One who the angels praise?
All creation knows Your name on earth and heaven above
What do I know of this love?

What do I know of You who spoke me into motion?
Where have I even stood but the shore along Your ocean?
Are You fire? Are You fury? Are You sacred? Are You beautiful?
What do I know? What do I know of Holy?

What do I know of Holy?
What do I know of Holy?”

Dear Lord Jesus, please help us to not only spend more time speaking to You, but also more time listening. Amen.

 

What is Love?

Posted on by
2

“This is what real love is: It is not our love for God; it is God’s love for us. He sent his Son to die in our place to take away our sins.” – 1 John 4:10

Slide2
 What is love? Love is God. God is the purest form of love. As humans, we are incapable of loving in the way that God loves us. He sees us as we are and loves us still. He sees our imperfections, flaws, and mistakes. He sees our sinful nature; how easily we can fall into sin. He sees our selfishness, our pride, our unyielding nature, our dishonesty (not only the lies we tell those around us, but the lies we tell ourselves), our ungratefulness, our wastefulness, our vanity, our unforgiving nature. He sees our hunger for earthly desires and our thirst for human approval/praise. After seeing all of this, He still loves humanity. His love is so infinite, it is incomprehensible. Romans 3:10 says, “…There is no one righteous, not even one;” After seeing humanity as it was/is, He could have chosen not to love us. But, instead “..God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him.” -1John 4:9  God loves us as we are and not as we should be. Sure, He has plans for us and is still working on us. “And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.” As humans here on earth, we are and will always be a work in progress. The main point here is: He knows we are imperfect humans. But, he loves us still. In this way, He sets for us the perfect example of love.
1 John 4:11-12 says, “…since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us.” May God give us His heart, so that we can love as He does. Only then, would we truly know what love is.
Lord, please help us to love as You do. As we see others in their imperfections, please help us to love them still. Fill our hearts with Your infinite love. Amen.