Exceeding Expectations

Christmas creates more expectations than most any other time of the year.  We are tempted to cram all our hopes for mankind into our celebrations.  That sets us up for conflict and disappointment.  “Joy to the world” is what we long for…frustration and failure is often what we feel.  When Isaac Watts wrote Joy to the World, he intended it as a year-round hymn.  The hopes we have at Christmas-time don’t fit in a day, a week or even a season.  Let this be the Christmas that launches you on a Joy Journey that lasts into eternity.

Perhaps you would enjoy listening as you read?

Our hearts naturally thrill to Christmas.  We know that the truth of Christ’s coming is joy.  Knowing truth is never enough; it must be lived. At Christmas time, especially, we try very hard to LIVE IT.  We haul out the decorations, empty out our bank accounts and flood our schedules in a frenzy of anticipatory joy.

The frustration comes when our hearts respond with a hollow ring…or even anger at the emptiness and chaos. The trappings of Christmas point out the vast canyon between our hopes and what we can produce.  Earthly joys are a gift from God above.  Christmas tends to fix our eyes on the present moment–and God is here, but He is so much more!

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May our hearts be a haven for Him!

The celebration of birth is sweet to consider but it is only the beginning!    The infant Jesus, Emmanuel–God with us–was nurtured and instructed.  Scripture tells us He grew in grace and knowledge; He learned obedience by suffering, and ultimately gave His life for us.  The fullness of the story takes us to the Cross and the Resurrection.  One day Jesus will reign as King of Kings–that is our joy!  In the meantime, we must nurture our souls and learn as He did.  We are to grow in obedience and surrender to His Lordship in our lives.

Joy to the World is a great song to guide us to the journey of faith we really seek.  Isaac Watts wrote this looking toward the ruling and reigning of Christ. The hymn is actually based on Psalm 98, and I love the guidelines it offers for planning our celebrations of joy!

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First, we must remember to receive the King!  Christmas celebrations need to help us open our hearts for the life of Christ.  We need to choose activities that encourage us to welcome the presence of divinity.  That will mean declining some invites and relaxing our demands for perfection–from decorations, from people and activities.  The stuff is extra; His presence, the necessity.  Our gatherings do not create unity in our family…God alone creates that.   We must welcome Him and let Him do His work!

Then, the song reminds us ‘Our Savior Reigns!’  Despite the morning news, this world is unfolding under His watchful eye.  The things that happen in our lives are filtered by our loving Father.  Just as we received Jesus into our lives, we are to receive the stuff of life with faith in our Deliverer!

Just as Jesus grew in grace and knowledge, we must too.  ‘No more let sins and sorrows grow’ rings out in the third verse.  We live in a broken world, a world affected by the curse of disobedience.  Learning to walk out the joy of Jesus brings a balm to our world.  Introduce others to the King by letting them see Him in you this Christmas!

And finally…enjoy the journey.  The wonders of His love are so amazing we need eternity to enjoy them.  Relax with your Christmas plans…the journey continues!

“Following the Son”

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Glory Glimpse News

Heartsong Ministry grows in beauty as others participate and sing their unique song.  The Glory Glimpse News is a quarterly email to share the growth of the ministry.  Would you become a part of growing the Kingdom one soul at a time by joining with Heartsong?

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Hallelujah!! Captive to Jesus

Do you ever have those verses that just stump you?  They tease you with an awareness that there is more than you can grasp.  Treasure those verses.  I promise you, that in the fullness of time, God will give you beautiful revelations with them.  I want to share one of those that tugged at me for years.  Paul quotes the Psalmist:

That is why the Scriptures say, “When he ascended to the heights, he led a crowd of captives and gave gifts to his people.”  Ephesians 4:8

Psalm 68:18 When you ascended to the heights, you led a crowd of captives. You received gifts from the people, even from those who rebelled against you. Now the LORD God will live among us there.

I have chewed on this verse for years…drawn pictures, diagrammed the sentence (yes, I am odd) and chased the root words in Hebrew and Greek.  But it was the sweet work of the Holy Spirit that finally showed me what that looked like in me.

It takes a confession to explain.  I have never denied being stubborn.  I wore it as a banner, in fact.  Confessing is not repenting.  I saw that the stubborn-ness had benefited me sometimes.  I saw that being stubborn helped me walk in obedience.

Now, God also showed me those terribly convicting verses that equated stubborn-ness with witchcraft and rebellion.  But they just didn’t fit–or so I thought.

A casual remark that a more mature Christian held me accountable for opened the door to the Light.

“I hate rules,” I said.

“God loves rules.  He is a God of order.  Where do you think that came from?” my mentor challenged.

In my natural mind, the answer was honest:  “I don’t know.”  But the Spirit knows and when I asked, He immediately revealed that pivotal point in time when I choose rebellion.  The details of the scene are something I’ll share with those who ask but they don’t matter to this piece.

I was a child–perhaps 12.  It was a decision that changed my future but not one that confounded God.  He knew and He mapped my life to utilize that offensive choice.  I chose captivity to rebellion.  It cost me a lot.  It injured many.  But God kept wooing me, and I surrendered to Him to the limits I understood.

I didn’t know to surrender the stubborn-ness. I suspect I didn’t trust Him Freedbyloveto guide me without it.  I had used it for so long.  I couldn’t see it for its deadly yuck.

Now, look back to those verses that had called to me.

In His loving patience, He had taken that sin captive.  I was not using it for good…God had it all along!  He accepted ‘gifts’ from this rebel simply because I believed in Him. He worked greater things than I understood…He let me take credit for His work.  He let me even give credit to sin.   That’s the heart of the loving Father, the heart of the humble Savior!

Do you see the mercy, power and glory of God in that?  

He is not daunted by our dirt, but He doesn’t leave us in it!  His transformation plan includes taking the yuck into captivity until such time as we can surrender it to Him.

Our journey through life is about allowing the Spirit increasing room in our lives.   Jesus came to destroy the work of the devil.  He came to provide abundant life.  The Spirit leads us into that life when we walk with Him in faith!  Will you let Him do what He desires?  When God created the world, he said “Let there be…”  We have the same creative option!  Will you let Him?

Glory Glimpse: Jesus, Our Victory Banner

Though we are called to walk by faith and not by sight, God understands how hard that is for us. Throughout scripture God provides focal points to encourage us, His children.

  • The picture of Jesus as our Shepherd reminds us of God’s leading and care.
  • The destination of a promised land filled with abundance calls our eyes to His provision and plan for us.
  • The title King of Kings and Lord of Lords calls the eyes of our hearts to trust in His power and control.

Today, let’s look at another image God has given. It is one which rejoices the heart, brightens the eyes and even draws others to Him. Can you guess it? It is the banner. We sing of it, we use Christian flags; but do we recall the banner in the midst of life when we need it most?

Flags and banners are a common tool of every society in every age; they are a visual reminder of common ideals. The Israelites marched under the banner of their tribe; as Christians we march in a victory parade under the Banner of Christ!  The banner of scripture is a reminder of God’s love, His truth and ultimately, His victory. All other flags and banners hang limp in its glorious presence!

The Banner of God is a gift to those who revere Him. It is raised up by God Himself to call us to a life of courage and joy. The banner is a visual reminder to the children of God that He is loving and powerful; and the banner has another objective. God’s blessings are always to be used to bless others. The banner is a gift God gives us that we can raise to call the world He loves so much to come into His purposes.

The Song of Solomon offers us a beautiful picture of the banner’s uses. Early in the Song, the beloved shares her delight in the banquet she has been brought to under the banner of love. Christ has brought us, His redeemed, to a feast of undeserved blessing by His love. As we look to Him, we are filled with over-flowing joy. Jesus Himself is our loving banner and source of blessing!

Later in the Song, we hear from the lover who proclaims that His beloved is as awe-inspiring as a conquering army with its banners flying. Our joy in Jesus, our banner, produces a life of victory that draws the eyes of others to the awesomeness of God. Jesus is the banner our world needs. When we see Him as our banner, our lives will be a beacon for others to gaze upon Him too.

May our eyes be fixed on Jesus, our banner, and may others see His glory in you and me today!

“And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw all to Myself.” John 12:32

Shine HIS Light today!

May God shine so brightly from us that we blend into the background…and only HE is visible!

Clouds of Glory
Clouds of Glory, Tom Raven

Dig into the truth of a life hidden in Christ with Oswald Chambers.  Here are some excerpts to make you thirsty!

I am called to live in perfect relation to God so that my life produces a longing after God in other lives, not admiration for myself.

Christian perfection is not, and never can be, human perfection.

In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.  Matthew 5:16

What Power Source Do You Rely On?

The electric went out this morning…and all of us were immediately aware of its absence.  The computer screen went blank; the fish filter went silent.  We took notice.  Can you imagine if our spiritual walk was that tuned in?

As believers, the Holy Spirit is our power source.  We can do nothing without Him:

Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.  John 15:5

Yet, the honest truth is that we don’t always notice when He has withdrawn.  How can that be?

Without the computer, my writing, research and communication options were greatly curtailed, so I opted for a walk with my dog.  He doesn’t rely on electricity–he relies on me.  But more on that later.  The impact of the electric outage was evident everywhere.  Business people stood in groups chatting, obviously waiting for power to return.  The post office customers headed for their cars.  Traffic moved cautiously at the intersection.   Life went on…with slightly altered priorities and a bit more effort.

Even though everyone likely took the presence of electricity for granted in the moments before it shut off, its absence was immediately noticed.  What we rely on isn’t always recognized in the day-to-day…but when we rely on something, its lack pulls us up short.  In the spiritual realm, this is truly a matter of life and death.  We don’t want to wait until the Spirit is absent–because the Spirit IS life.  We are to take that Life into this broken world; we can’t do that if we aren’t connected!

‘Get ‘er done’ is a way of life that disguises truth…and it can be deadly.  Humanly speaking, we can accomplish some pretty impressive things.  Human beings are amazing creatures…God’s favorite creation according to His account.  The problem is that we tend to rely on ourselves and don’t even notice what we are doing.

It isn’t until we are feeling under the weather, that we recognize how much we rely on our health.  Not until we need to move a heavy object, do we notice our muscles (or the lack thereof).  Our minds have incredible power and potential as well:  electricity is one magnificent result of intellectual ability.  Medical science is another.  Truly great things come out of pure human ability.

But in the matter of life and death, we come face-to-face with our limitations–and the reality that all we have comes from God, the Giver of Life:

“…He (God) Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things…” Acts 17:25b

We have plans, programs and projects that we use to measure our success.  That is not God’s plan.

He designed us to be God-directed, Spirit-controlled.  Failing to live that way creates dis-unity, ill-health and ultimately death.  His Spirit desires to speak into our spirit.

I am to rely on that communication channel like my dog relies on me! 

Deliberately trusting in the Holy Spirit is a necessity that requires the investment of our time:  attentiveness dies on the altar of busy-ness.  The beauty of disruptions to daily life is that they cause us to notice where our trust really lies.   I rejoice that this disruption today refocused my eyes on trusting the Spirit for direction!  My prayer is that it does the same for you!

Our body, mind and emotions are simply antennae that help us hear the world.  Our decisions are not to come from those things.  Sapphire Dream PhotographyIt is our spirit tuned into His Spirit that provides direction!  In the midst of the noise of life is the quiet voice of the Lord…the Prince of Peace.

He does direct those who listen to Him…He shows which way He desires us to go.  Our challenge is to receive His wisdom with quiet confidence in His goodness.

But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere.  James 3:17

That really shouldn’t be that big of a challenge except for this truth: we are more accustomed to trusting in ourselves than in the King of Kings.  Stated openly, the foolishness is obvious. With the truth unveiled, let’s decide to choose the Living Truth, Life Himself!

 

Restoring life!

Vines invaded my fig tree this year.  They choked the life out of some branches and devastated the crop of fruit.  I’ve battled these vines for three years…this year they were mad.  It seems that every year they have come back stronger.  Truth be told, I was afraid of them.  Someone told they were poison oak, and I believed it.  Fearing for the life of my fig tree, I sought the help of more experienced gardeners.

A battle plans was laid out.  Wait till fall or early winter and attack!  Trace the vines to their root, cut it off and douse it with poison.  What a job!  Pulling the vines down broke out dead wood–and damaged a few good branches as well.  Finding the roots was a daunting challenge–and the size of some of those nasty, hairy roots was surprising.  My tree looks great now; spring will tell the story.

But this isn’t about fig trees or vines, of course. I like to garden but I love care-taking souls.  Those vines made me think of the parasitic nastiness that invades lives.  Our lives are full of little ‘sins’ that pop up…sins powered by evil that produce trial and sorrow.  When they begin to bother us, we attack them–only to find they get stronger and stronger.  Sometimes we freeze from fear.  Sometimes we need the help of others.  Always we have a way to win:

“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” Jesus,  John 16:33

Like the vines in my fig tree, evil kills life and robs us of fruit.  Breaking off the vines above the root just allows the root to thicken and produce with greater energy.  Focusing on the external as a solution–changing a behavior, quoting a Scripture–without attacking the root improves the ‘look’ of our lives for a time.  The Pharisees were great at it–white-washed tombs with death inside is the description Jesus gave.  Discouragement, despair and death are the long-term results of that approach.

God did not leave us alone to fight the lusts of the flesh or the principalities and powers of the air.  We are created with a spirit designed to meet with His Spirit!  Abundant life is the plan of God for the child of God.

The LORD’s light penetrates the human spirit, exposing every hidden motive. Proverbs 20:27

Sin and evil cannot withstand the Light of Christ.  Like the roots of the vines on my tree, the roots of sin must be destroyed.  The love and light of Christ restores life–and produces fruit.  Our lives should taste like the Spirit:

…love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness,

goodness, faith, meekness, temperance…

If there are vines choking your fruit, find a friend who can help you with a battle plan.  Victory is yours in Jesus Christ…claim it today!

Fixing Our Eyes on God

Studying the Scriptures is my joy!  Fixing my eyes on Christ as the Word reveals Him has been the cleansing and nourishment of my life for over two decades.

You are invited to dig more deeply into the Names of God with this 26-week devotional.  Fixing Our Eyes on God is designed to help you do just that kind of digging.

Taking that to the next level, use the study to witness to God’s greatness by speaking at nursing homes or local events.  Heartsong loves to help people grow through serving.  We are called to be witnesses.  This is a great tool to use to witness who God is to you personally…by Name!  Heartsong is glad to help people grow by giving their testimony.

This compilation of Devotional pieces on some of the less-used names of God will transform your life because it fixes your eyes on HIM!  This is a great resource to lead a group study as well.  If you are an experienced leader, all you need are copies of the book.  Others may wish to have coaching support to lead the group and others may prefer to schedule an author-led group study.  Contact Heartsong below to discuss which option will work best for you!

Fixing Our Eyes on God – PDF

An A-Z devotional study using lesser-known Names of God.

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If you cannot afford the suggested donation or would like to schedule an author-led study, please fill out the contact form below and indicate the specific resource you would like to have.

 

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Glory Glimpse: Misjudging Jesus, the Nazarene

James Emery
James Emery

Jesus of Nazareth, the Nazarene, is our focal point today.  Though the Old Testament does not mention the village of Nazareth, Matthew declares that Jesus dwelt in Nazareth “that the words of the prophets might be fulfilled.”  Jesus referred to Himself as ‘of Nazareth, demons used the title and the cross of our Lord bore the reference.  That Jesus was of Nazareth—was a Nazarene—has tremendous significance for us.

Nazareth was a small village in Galilee near the border of Samaria.  Passing by the village was a well-traveled trade route that would have brought the ‘world’ into view for residents.  In the eyes of those passer-bys, Nazareth was a community of backward, uncultured people.  Devout Jewish people looked down upon this village almost as much as they despised Samaritans.  In the eyes of the religious, Nazareth was a community of pagans.  Very few saw the truth of Nazareth from God’s view.  Even the people of Nazareth failed to recognize Truth—for they would reject the One who came from them.  The disciple Nathanel conveyed the sentiments of the day toward Nazareth with his question, “Can anything good come from Nazareth?”

Indeed, we know great good came from this despised village!  As the Crusaders of the 12th century inscribed on a church erected in Nazareth, “Here the Word was made flesh.”  For centuries, the prophets proclaimed the coming Messiah.  Some prophesies revealed His Kingly nature—some His Suffering Servant role.  Our human tendency is to hear and see that which promises pleasure:  preferring power to persecution is human self-preservation.  It is comfortable for us to be blind to Truth when it does not fit our plans and pre-conceived ideas.  Our Jesus, the Nazarene, calls us to seek the Father’s perspective and His acceptance above all else.  Jesus of Nazareth reminds us that God’s ways our not our ways.

Just as man erroneously judged the village of Nazareth, so, too, man mis-judges Jesus.  As Isaiah prophesied of the coming Messiah, Jesus was ‘despised and rejected of men’.  The plans of man have no room for suffering.  Yet, God chose Nazareth as the hometown of the Savior because rejection of the world is the path to acceptance of God.  Embracing the Nazarene, the One the world rejects, is the only way of acceptance for each one of us.  Only in Him–the Beloved–can God accept us.  This world, though created, loved and redeemed by Him, received Him not.  The world prefers the darkness of its own plans above the Truth and Light of the Father’s plans.    Love of the world cuts us off from the love of the Father.  May our hearts rejoice that Jesus, our Savior, accepted the path of rejection that acceptance would be ours.

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Why do I need to “study” the Bible?

Do I need to eat well to live?  Technically, no.  We all eat poorly at least some of the time–and we don’t drop dead because of it.  But should we care about nutrition?  I sure think so.  What we eat matters to our physical life–and to our spiritual life.  Studying the Bible is not a legalistic discipline.  It does take discipline.  And it is worth it!

The idea that we do not need discipline in a our spiritual life is totally disproved by our natural lives.  A natural life without discipline is sad.  The damage can be extensive.  The motivation for discipline cannot be to ‘save ourselves’ or ‘make ourselves holy.’  The motivation must be Jesus gave everything for me–I want to know how to live well for Him!

John Piper is one of my favorite teacher authors.  He compiled this list of Scriptures that admonish discipline in a recent article that is well worth your time!

My motivation for writing and even sharing about my book comes from my belief in studying the Word.  It is the only source of Truth.  Without investing time in Scripture, you are subject to other people’s opinions and errors.  Go to God yourself.  Dig into His Word.  He promises to help you understand it.

Here’s the opening piece of Soul Training in the Barn to give you a flavor for the book…and a glimpse of me.

“It is in our weaknesses that the strength of Christ is made complete in us.  Sometimes what appears as a strength is simply a completed weakness.  My passion for the Word springs from a desperate desire to know Truth…to know and share how to live the abundant life.  The deep need grew out of painful mistakes and mis-steps.  God used the Word to cleanse me and make me whole as the song says.  I thank God for all my many weaknesses for they drive me to Him–the One to whom I owe it all.”