UNTIL THEN...MY HEART WILL SING!

 

 

 

 

 

UNTIL THEN……..MY HEART WILL SING!

I missed writing to you last week because my walk along the pathway with Jesus suddenly became dark, storms arose in my life.  A simple hospital procedure turned into a frightful time of fighting for breath, and for a moment, I felt lost and alone.  But my God is faithful, and has promised to never leave me alone even for a moment.  He again filled my heart with songs of deliverance right there in the recovery room of the hospital and I began to rejoice in His love and even shared with nurses there of the great joy that He had given me.  So, as this song declares, “Until Then My Heart Will Go on Singing.”

 “My heart can sing when I pause to remember, a heartache here is but a stepping stone along a trail that’s winding always upwards, this troubled world is not my final home.

Refrain:  But until then my heart will go on singing, until then with joy I’ll carry on, until the day my eyes behold the city, until the day God calls me home.

The things of earth will dim and lose their value if we recall they’re borrowed for a while; and things of earth that cause the heart to tremble, remembered there will only bring a smile.

This weary world with all its toil and struggle may take its toll of misery and strife; the soul of man is like a waiting falcon, when it’s released its destined for the skies.”  (Stuart Hamblen)

When we are walking with Jesus, the trail is leading onward and upward towards our eternal home.  Sometimes there are valleys where everything is green and peaceful, and the Lord allows us to lie down in green pastures and rest.  But then as the trail grows steeper and we continue to climb, the storms do come.  But like the song says, those troubles along the way are like stepping stones along the way.  But sometimes we can trip even on a stepping stone and lose our way.  But then we are reminded that no matter what we go through on this earth, we are just pilgrims here, keeping our eyes on our final destiny, our final home.

Yes, it is easy to say that our hearts will continue to sing in spite of the terror that may fill our hearts.  But how do we react when we suddenly receive more bad news regarding test results?  I received such news just this afternoon after tests and lab work in my doctor’s office.  You have probably received such news, a phone call and test results and then the tears may come.  But, Oh, I serve a mighty God.  So I went to the Word of God and was reminded of  an incident in the life of King Jehoshaphat in the 20^th chapter of 11 Chronicles.

It happened after this that the people of Moab with the people of Ammon, and others with them besides the Ammononites came to battle against Jehoshaphat.  Then some came and told Jehoshaphat, saying “a great multitude is coming against you from beyond the sea, from Syria; and they are are in Hazazon Tamar” (which is En Gedi).  (verse 1-2).

So we see in the previous chapters that this King of Judea was a good king who brought reforms throughout the land and encouraged his people to serve the Lord.  He served Almighty God unlike other kings who had reigned before him.

So as we walk with the Lord, the skies may be bright, the Lord may be doing great things in our lives, but one day Jehoshaphat received a bad report, and now did he react?  He reacted like many of us do in these situations.

And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judea.  (verse 3).

The first thing that happens is that we begin to fear, we begin to panic.  But look at what he did after he calmed himself down, “he set himself to seek the Lord.”  The first step when that panic comes is to find a sister or brother in the Lord, as I did this afternoon in my situation.  There is your strength for battle.  Then as we read further down the chapter we see him gathering the people around him from Judea and they all came to seek the Lord concerning the battle ahead.  You might call your prayer chain, get the prayer warriors praying.  As I have said before, prayer is like a covering is like an umbrella that covers the believer is prayer, surrounding like a cloud, cool and soothing.  And we can read his wonderful prayer to his God, His mighty God in verses 5-11. 

“Then we hear his pleading in verse 12: “O our God, will you not judge them? For we have not power against this great multitude: nor do we know what to do, but but our eyes are upon you.” (emphasis mine).

We sing a chorus based on Zechariah 4:6:  “Not by might, not by power, but by my Spirit says the Lord of Hosts, not by might, not by power, but by my Spirit says the Lord of Hosts.  This mountain shall be removed, this mountain shall be removed, this mountain shall be removed, by my Spirit says the Lord.”

Yes, this king faced a mighty army but when we face these mighty battles in our walk with the Lord, it is by His power that the enemy is routed and victory is won, but we have to stand our ground and walk that ground in faith knowing that He, the Mighty Lord of Hosts is going out before us.  Praise the Lord!

And he said, “Listen all you of Judea and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you, King Jehoshaphat! Thus says the LORD to you: Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is your yours, but God’s” Verse 15.

The multitude of problems may look big, like a mighty army marching our way, but He calls us not to fear, it is His battle and He will route the enemy. But how do we route the enemy when these great battles come against us?

“You will not need to fight in this battle.  Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the LORD, who is with you.  O Judah and Jerusalem!  Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the LORD is with you” Verse 17.

As we conclude this great chapter with victory, we see the army marching out, singing and praising their God “with voices loud and high.” (vs. 19b).  They did not even take any weapons with them.  They shouted the victory as the LORD of hosts went before them and the enemy destroyed each other, and God’s people took of the spoil.  And we read in the last verses that God gave them rest all around.

So my testimony this night and your testimony too in times of great storms that come upon us, we can go on singing and praising our God until the day our God calls us home.  We can go forth in these battles with great joy knowing that someday these things will only bring a smile, as the song says.  And truly, each one of us, no matter what this life may hold, is destined for the skies, our heavenly home with Jesus.

Blessings,

Pastor Sharon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

GOD'S GREAT LOVE REACHING OUT!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

GOD’S GREAT LOVE

REACHING!

This coming Thursday is Valentine’s Day once again.  Valentines have been out since right after Christmas.  We see red hearts, chocolate candy, cards are sent to one another, and it is a day proclaiming love?

But as I look around at all the Valentines and displays and all the signs of affection that the season brings, my mind looks beyond the secular view of Valentine’s Day.  It has been told that Valentine’s Day is based on the story of a Christian martyr in the days of Rome, who was named Valentinus.  He had a great love for his Lord and was in a Roman prison for sharing his faith in a time of great persecution of fellow Christians.  He gave His life because of his love for fellow believers.  It is said that he helped many to escape before he was thrown into prison.

“Greater love hath no man than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends” John 15:13

Oh, but there is a greater love than the giving of hearts and flowers on February 14^th each year.  The deep love of Jesus reaches much farther and deeper than all the trimmings of this one day each year.  He reaches out to a lost and dying world.  He reaches out to those going through great trials and grief.  He reaches out with His great love to all those who are suffering and in pain. He reaches out to the lonely in heart, who feel like life has passed them by.  He reaches out to those in nursing homes, those no one comes to see, and who spend their days all alone.  He reaches out to the dark world we live in with His love.

He reaches out to those in hospitals right now suffering, and he reaches out right there at their bedsides to bring His special comfort.  I had that experience in past months where He reached out to me in the dark nights of pain, and oh, the love of my Lord.  It is hard to put it into words.  I met a lady recently in the nursing home, and immediately we bonded together in God’s love.  Her suffering has been great, but oh the joy she has knowing how much He loves her, and she looks forward soon to meeting her precious Lord face to face.  What a precious hour we spent together as we shared His love and sang hymns of praise together.  Oh, the joy of knowing Jesus and His salvation when days are long and suffering is so great.  But she has had a glimpse of heaven and she knows that love truly found a way to redeem her and give her a peace that passes all understanding.  Oh, Praise the Lord!

And, my friends, He is reaching out to you right now and offering you His love and His great salvation, no matter what situation you may find yourself or what stage of life you find yourself.  If you have not received the wonderful love that God brings in the person of Jesus Christ, reach out to Him right now.  He is waiting for you with His arms of love open for you. Just ask Him to come into your heart, forgive your sins and give you hope within your heart.

So let’s look past all the hearts, flowers and candy, and look to the One whose great heart beats with the deepest love for us.  The red hearts displayed remind me of the sacrifice of Calvary, the blood my Savior shed for my sins and for yours.  The sweetest of Valentine candy could never be as sweet as the love my Lord has for me, and He is indeed the Rose of Sharon, the Lily of the Valley.

This great heart of love beats with love that is beyond all human comprehension.  From the beginning of time, God’s love had a plan, a and a way to redeem man by sending the Lamb of God, His very own Son, to walk among us, to redeem us by going to the cross, sacrificing His very life, but Praise the Lord, He came out of that tomb on the third day, and is now at the right hand of His Father and still reaching out with His love to all who will call on His name. Oh, how can we fathom that our Wonderful God had a plan and saw us down the years and.  Truly God is absolute Love and He found a way!  Praise His Holy Name!

 LOVE FOUND A WAY

Wonderful love that rescued me, sunk deep in sin, guilty and vile as I could be no hope within; when ev’ry ray of light had fled, O glorious day! Raising my soul from out the dead, Love found a way.

Chorus:  Love found a way to redeem my soul, love found a way that could make me whole; love sent my Lord to the cross of shame, love found a way, O praise His holy name.

Love bro’t my Saviour here to die on Calvary, for such a sinful wretch as I, how can it be?  Love bridged the gulf ‘twixt me and Heav’n, taught me to pray; I am redeemed, set free, forgiv’n, Love found a way.

Love opened wide the gates of light to Heav’ns domain, where in eternal pow’r and might Jesus shall reign; Love lifted me from depths of woe to endless day, there was no help in earth below, Love found a way.

Avis B. Christiansen

Oh, the depths of God’s love reaching out to you!  No matter how deep a person sinks in sin, He raises us from the depths of sin and makes us whole. And when he makes us whole, we are redeemed, set free, forgiven and the gates of heaven are opened wide.  And someday we will cross that river, see the light in the city beyond, and enter the joy of our Lord all because love found a way!

Blessings,

Pastor Sharon Besler

 

 

 

 

COME, HOLY SPIRIT, WE NEED YOU!

 

 

 

 

 

 

COME HOLY SPIRIT, WE NEED YOU!

Oh, what wonderful promises we have from our Lord as we walk along this pathway as pilgrims heading to our heavenly home.  The way may be get rocky and cause us to stumble.  Or the storms of life may begin to blow and we can’t see our way clear ahead.  We may feel like we are walking in the dark, no light in the pathway that we can see.  But, oh Praise the Lord, He has given us His blessed Holy Spirit to guide us, comfort us, strengthen us in our weakness.  So we cry out to Him to “Come.”  And He does come in all His sweetness and power.  He comes when we are weary, when we are dry and  we feel like our prayers only reach the ceiling. 

If you are feeling today like you need a special touch from the Holy Spirit, read these words or sing them as a prayer to the Holy Spirit if you know this wonderful prayer chorus:

COME, HOLY SPIRIT!

“Come as a wisdom to children, come as new sight to the blind.  Come, Lord, as strength to my weakness.  Take me soul, body and mind.

Come as a rest to the weary, come as a balm to the sore.  Come as a dew to my dryness.  Fill me with joy evermore.

Come Holy Spirit, I need you now. Come, Sweet  Spirit, I pray.  Come in Your strength and Your power.  Come in Your own gentle way.

Come like a spring in the desert.  Come to the withered of soul.  Oh, let Your sweet healing power touch me and make me whole.

Come Holy Spirit, I need you now.  Come, Sweet Spirit, I pray.  Come in Your strength and Your power.  Come in Your own gentle way.  Come in Your own gentle way.  (as sung by Bryan Duncan)

As I look over the words of this song, I think of the cry of my own heart during a time when I face a great trial ahead.  But I know the Holy Spirit is there to comfort with all His grace and mercy as I walk this road that He is leading me on.

But I want to encourage you that the Holy Spirit comes in the most remarkable, sweet ways.  It does not matter what level you are spiritually, I have found that the Lord comes and meets you right where you are.  I will give you an example of how sweet our precious Lord comes in the ministry of salvation, when He draws someone to Himself, especially a precious elderly lady who could hardly speak a word, but He came.  I was visiting in the nursing home this past week and saw a very elderly lady sitting at a table, head bowed over.

I approached her, taking her hand, giving her a kiss on the forehead as I always do with these precious ones and told her that Jesus loved her.  She began to mumble and I realized that she could not really talk very clear or hold a conversation.  I asked her if she had Jesus in her heart and was ready to go to heaven when she died.  She spoke a very clear “No!”  So I very simply began to tell her how much Jesus loved her and wanted her in heaven with Him and would she like Jesus to come into her heart, and she said “Yes!”  I knew that she could not say a complete sinner’s prayer with me, and wondered how the Lord was going to come to her.  So I began to pray.  And she looked up at me and simply said “Come!”

And at that moment He came!  I saw it in her eyes, and she began to mumble, I believe it was her thanks to Jesus for coming into her heart.  So praise the Lord, another soul born into God’s kingdom of life everlasting!  Praise the Lord!

Are you weary today?  Do you feel a weight upon your shoulders, as you feel like you are so burdened that you fall beneath that heavy load?  Yes, there is healing medicine for your soul, and He comes in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit. 

“Is there no balm in Gilead?  Is there no physician there? Why then is there no recovery for the health of the daughter of my people?”  (Jeremiah 8:22).

Jeremiah asked the question in his day for his people, and we have the answer today in promise of the Holy Spirit who comes as a soothing, refreshing  balm to revive us again, to lift the darkness and bring light and joy in our lives again.

Are you dry today?  Do you feel like your soul is “withered?”  The Lord Himself promised that He would come as Living Water to the dryness of our soul, water of the Holy Spirit that would spring up like a well within us.

On the last day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.  He who believes in Me, as the scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”  But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive: for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.  John 7:37-39

“So come, Holy Spirit, we need you today, in this hour.  And we need you now.  Some of us feel like our souls have withered and we are dry.  And some of us need You to touch us and make us whole, body, soul and spirit.  We need your strength and Your power to walk in the days ahead no matter what the trial may be that comes into our lives.  Some of us need You to come as our Gentle Savior, to come to us at whatever level we may be in our spiritual life.  We need Him to come as our Shepherd to gather us in His arms, to carry us when we cannot stand alone, as we become like His little lambs.”  And I pray this in the Name of Jesus, who calls us to “Come!”

In His Precious Name,

Pastor Sharon