Encouragement
Lately I've been a bit 'down' due to my wife's physical condition.
The past 2 yrs. have been probably the most difficult time she has had.
At 81 yrs. of age, I have some health problems, but La Moyne's have been extreme and she has been in much pain.
As always, God had a talk with me in my spirit.
"Travis you have been pessimistic lately and it shows.
That is not good for you nor for your witness!"
This is why I decided on this message...
to encourage your spirit should you have similar times.
God DOES give us a song and by life and lip, we must sing it.
Not only do we need it, but the world needs it also!
1) THE SOURCE OF OUR SONG is the Three in One:
~God the Father
~The Son
~The Holy Spirit.
Kurt Kaiser speaks of this in his song, 'Bring Back The Springtime':
"When in the Spring, the flowers are blooming bright and fair..
after the grey of Winter's gone.
Once again the lark begins its tuning, back in the meadows of my home.
Lord, make me like that stream that flows so cool and clear,
down from the mountain high above.
I will tell the world the wondrous story of the precious stream, filled with Your love.
Lord, to my heart bring back the Springtime, take away the cold and dark of sin:
O fill me now sweet Holy Spirit, may I warm and tender be again."
2) THE SUBJECT OF OUR SONG IS JESUS
Isaiah looked forward to the Messiah coming in Isaiah 7:14 and 9:6-7.
This gave him songs of joy.
We should have greater joy in the songs of our life, for Christ has come.
Make sure that your JOY is Jesus and you...with nothing (zero) in between!
3) THE SILENCE OF OUR SONG is caused by sin.
In Psalm 51, David gets his song back following a long time of silence.
He is revived through repentance, confession and faith.
He began singing his song again (Ps.51:7-13 and Ps.137:4).
The Jews in captivity said, "How shall we sing the Lord's song in a strange land?"
Singing our song must not depend upon:
~geography
~circumstances
~feelings
but on Faith that God will never leave us...nor forsake us. (Hebrew 13:5, 8)
4) THE SUCCESS OF OUR SONG is when we sing:
~in the power of the Holy Spirit
~for the glory of God
Stuart Hamblin was saved in one of Billy Graham's Revivals in Los Angeles.
The last song that Hamblin wrote before his salvation was....
"I can't go huntin' with you Jake, but I'll go chasin' women".
The first song he wrote after he was saved was:
"It is no secret what God can do.
What He's done for others, He'll do for you."
My favorite song written by him is, "Until Then, My heart Shall Go On Singing"
Thank God for:
~the power to save
~to strengthen
~to sing
then depend on God for the success.
5) THE SITUATION OF OUR SONG is:
~we walk by faith
~not by fear
~sing God's song, no matter the situation.
I was pastoring in California when my Dad (who lived in Oklahoma) was having difficulties similar to Alzheimer's disease and it looked as though he might not live much longer. Our congregation at Foothill Baptist in Los Altos, paid for my flight home and I will always be grateful for the 10 days I was able to spend with my Dad and Mom during that difficult time.
While there, Dad and I were listening to the radio broadcast one Sunday evening from First Baptist Church of Altus, Okla. Jim Landrum was singing a solo and Dad...
as best he could, sang along in his deep bass voice...
"Just when I need Him most Jesus is near to comfort and cheer just when I need Him most."
When Dad died a few months later at only 62 years of age, Jesus WAS near!
Mom lived another 22 years, but they are now together, experiencing her favorite song, "How Beautiful Heaven Must Be".
6) HE IS THE STRENGTH OF OUR SONG.
A little boy was struggling, trying to lift something when his father asked him,
"Son, have you used all of your strength?"
The little boy said, "Yes"
His father replied, "No, you haven't, for you have not asked me to help you."
PLEASE feel free to ask your Heavenly Father to help you!
The apostle Paul needed that help so often (in a variety of ways)....
and he found that God's grace was always sufficient.
(II Cor. 3:4-5 and 9:8 and 12:9)
Several years ago Gene Bartlett (Head of the Music Dept. for Oklahoma Baptists for many years) came to visit us here in our home. He had written two new songs to be used at Falls Creek Baptist Youth Assembly where he was affectionately known as 'Uncle Gene' as he led the thousands of teenagers in songs of worship each year. Not long before he came to visit us, he had been diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease and knowing that my wife had Lupus, he wanted to share the songs with us, to give us encouragement.
Those songs were:
~"God's Grace Is Enough For Me"
~"Don't You Quit".
One of the theme songs at Falls Creek is "Victory In Jesus" which was written in 1939...
by Gene's Dad, E.M. Bartlett.
"I heard about a mansion..He has built for me in glory.
And I heard about the streets of gold, Beyond the crystal sea.
About the angels singing...And the old redemption story.
And some sweet day, I'll sing up there, The song of Victory.
O victory in Jesus....My Savior forever.
He sought me and bought me, with His redeeming Blood.
He loved me ere I knew Him...and all my love is due Him.
He plunged me to Victory, beneath the cleansing flood".
A few years after that special visit from Gene, he went Home to Heaven...
where he's SINGING his songs of Praise for His Lord!
God bless you as you sing YOUR song.
If you don't have a song to sing, Jesus is waiting to give you the greatest song of your life.
The Road to Salvation is sometimes called "The Roman Road" because of these verses found in the book of Romans.
~Romans 3:23
~Romans 6:23
~Romans 5:8
~Romans 10:4-11)
Earlier today La Moyne came across some songs sung by the late tenor Jack Holcomb.
When we were in Seminary, I would play his records while I was preparing sermons.
(Yes we did have records back then, albeit 78 rpm records :)
We listened to some of Jack's songs online today and it bro't tears to our eyes as he sings with such feeling! We would like to share Jack's life/background with you in next week's paper. In spite of the tragedies in his life before dying at 47 yrs. of age, he continued to sing!!
Also Acts 20:21 says, "Repentance toward God and faith in Jesus Christ".
You can have this....if you will. This is our prayer for you.
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