Sunday, March 17, 2013, 4:30 a.m. – the Lord Jesus woke me with the song “Living Sacrifices” playing in my mind. A few hours later he put the song “Not Be Silent” in my mind, and then a few hours after that the song “In That Day” came into my mind.
In That Day / An Original Work / May 21, 2011
Based off of Isaiah 12
In that day you will say: “I will praise You, Lord.
I know You were angry; anger’s turned away.
God is my salvation; I’ll trust; not afraid.
The Lord, the Lord, my strength; the Lord, Lord, my song;
He is my salvation; Lord, my comforter.”
With joy you’ll draw water from salvation’s wells.
In that day you will say: “Give thanks to the Lord.
Call on His holy name; make Him known today.
Proclaim: He’s exalted. Tell what He has done.
Sing, for He is glorious; make this known to all.
Shout aloud; sing for joy, people of Zion;
Great is the Holy One, who among us dwells.”
http://originalworks.info/in-that-day/
Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening. I read Jeremiah 14-17, most of which I will summarize.
The People’s Condition
The people of God of Jeremiah’s day, not unlike many of God’s people (the church) today, were prideful, stubborn, unrepentant, not willing to listen to God, idolatrous, adulterous, arrogant, morally unclean, backsliders, loving to wander, morally unrestrained, and who trusted in man over God; trusted in the strength of man over God’s strength; and who put their faith, hope and confidence in mankind (the flesh of mankind) over confidence, faith, hope and trust in Almighty God. This is a huge problem in today’s church.
God had sent his messages and messengers time and time again to call his people to repentance, but they were unwilling. He also sent warnings of judgment if they did not repent, and yet they still refused. We serve a very loving, patient, compassionate and merciful God who is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. Yet, we also serve a just and loving God who will only be patient with his people so long and then he says “Enough!” We can try God’s patience so long, but he will eventually act in divine discipline and correction, out of love for us, in order to purify us, to get us to repent, and to get us to return to him in faithful obedience. This is taught in both the Old and the New Testaments (see 1 Co. 11:31-32; Heb. 10:29-31; Rev. 2-3; book of Isaiah; Rev. 19:6-8; Heb. 12:6).
So, God brought judgment on his people, but the result was that his people were repentant, and they did return, and they gave up their idols and their adultery, and so he restored and revived them. Yet, there are messianic overtones in this prayer of Jeremiah’s that is reminiscent of Isaiah 2:1-4. In fact, much of the book of Isaiah is given over to prophecy concerning Jesus Christ, his life and ministry, his death and resurrection, the life of the church in the messianic age, the same spiritual condition of the church at the end of time as was indicative of God’s people of Isaiah’s and Jeremiah’s days, God’s promised judgments on the church if they do not repent, but yet his promises of restoration and revival to the repentant, and that as a result, people from all nations will flock to Jesus Christ, to the gospel, to salvation, to the church (the people of God) and to God’s eternal kingdom.
Not Be Silent / An Original Work / December 3, 2012
Based off Psalm 30
O Lord my God, I’ll exalt You.
I called for help, and You healed me.
O Lord my God, You brought me from
the grave. You spared me from hell.
Sing to the Lord, you saints of His;
Praise His holy name today.
Weeping may remain for a night;
Joy at break of day. Our debt He did pay!
O Lord my God, I said, “I will
Ne’er be shaken.” Secure, I felt.
O Lord my God, You forgave me.
Confident I stand in You.
When I could not see Your face
I was dismayed. I called to You.
O Lord, You are my help. You were
merciful to me; By Your grace set free!
O Lord my God, I’m so thankful for
Salvation through my Jesus.
You turned wailing into dancing;
Clothed me with Your joy today,
That my heart may sing To You
and not be silent. Praise Your name.
O Lord my God, I will give you
thanks forevermore. My Lord, I adore!
http://originalworks.info/not-be-silent-2/
Blessings and Afflictions
Our Lord God has much to say against us putting our trust in mankind for our “salvation,” not speaking here of our eternal salvation, but trust in human flesh to rescue us from difficulties in life, as well as against us putting our trust in humans to satisfy our emotional and/or physical needs that should only be met by God alone (see Ps. 118:8-9; Ps. 20:7; 40:4; 146:3; Is. 31:1; Jer. 9:4-5; et al). We can’t trust in human wisdom and strength at the same time as we trust in the Lord. Now, we can trust the Lord to give us wisdom and strength, but if we are relying upon our own resources and strategies instead of relying upon God and his word, then we will falter in our walk of faith. Much of today’s institutional church is built upon human wisdom and intellect, manipulations and deceptions, marketing schemes, and human plans and philosophies, and thus the gospel is diluted to appeal to the flesh of man.
Yet, if we put our confidence, faith and hope in the Lord instead of in the wisdom or strength of human flesh, then we have no need to fear our circumstances or what may come our way. We can be at peace and rest even if all hell is breaking loose around us. We will experience an abundance of God’s blessings, we will bear spiritual fruit for his kingdom, confident in the Lord and in his mighty power, and we will grow in our faith and will branch out in faith and love to others with Christ’s love, and we will share his gospel with others. We will love our Lord, desire to serve him in obedience to his will for our lives, and we will desire to please him in all that we do. This is where we all need to be.
Living Sacrifices / An Original Work / September 14, 2012
Based off Romans 12:1-2; 6:11-14 NIV
Oh, holy ones, I counsel you,
In view of God’s mercy,
To give yourselves to God in love
As living offerings,
Pleasing to God, holy in love.
This is your true worship.
Do not conform to worldly lives.
Let God transform you today.
Then you’ll be able to
Test and approve of what
God’s will is – His pleasing
And perfect will.
Oh, holy ones, I counsel you –
Offer yourselves unto God.
Oh, holy ones, I counsel you –
Do not be conceited.
Humble yourselves before your God.
Do not be self-righteous.
The strength you have to live in love
Comes from your Lord God, so
Live your new lives in pow’r of God.
Be changed in heart, mind and will.
Do this because of what
Christ did for you when
He died on the cross to save
The world from sin.
Oh, holy ones, I counsel you –
Humble yourselves before God.
Oh, holy ones, I counsel you –
Count yourselves dead to sin,
But be alive to God in Christ.
Do not let sin reign in
Your earthly lives so you
Obey its evil desires.
Offer yourselves unto your God
As those who’ve been born again.
For sin shall no longer be
Your lord and master.
Give of yourselves to God
For righteousness.
Oh, holy ones, I counsel you –
Be alive to God in Christ.
http://originalworks.info/living-sacrifices/
In That Day / An Original Work / May 21, 2011
Based off of Isaiah 12
In that day you will say: “I will praise You, Lord.
I know You were angry; anger’s turned away.
God is my salvation; I’ll trust; not afraid.
The Lord, the Lord, my strength; the Lord, Lord, my song;
He is my salvation; Lord, my comforter.”
With joy you’ll draw water from salvation’s wells.
In that day you will say: “Give thanks to the Lord.
Call on His holy name; make Him known today.
Proclaim: He’s exalted. Tell what He has done.
Sing, for He is glorious; make this known to all.
Shout aloud; sing for joy, people of Zion;
Great is the Holy One, who among us dwells.”
http://originalworks.info/in-that-day/
Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening. I read Jeremiah 14-17, most of which I will summarize.
The People’s Condition
The people of God of Jeremiah’s day, not unlike many of God’s people (the church) today, were prideful, stubborn, unrepentant, not willing to listen to God, idolatrous, adulterous, arrogant, morally unclean, backsliders, loving to wander, morally unrestrained, and who trusted in man over God; trusted in the strength of man over God’s strength; and who put their faith, hope and confidence in mankind (the flesh of mankind) over confidence, faith, hope and trust in Almighty God. This is a huge problem in today’s church.
God had sent his messages and messengers time and time again to call his people to repentance, but they were unwilling. He also sent warnings of judgment if they did not repent, and yet they still refused. We serve a very loving, patient, compassionate and merciful God who is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. Yet, we also serve a just and loving God who will only be patient with his people so long and then he says “Enough!” We can try God’s patience so long, but he will eventually act in divine discipline and correction, out of love for us, in order to purify us, to get us to repent, and to get us to return to him in faithful obedience. This is taught in both the Old and the New Testaments (see 1 Co. 11:31-32; Heb. 10:29-31; Rev. 2-3; book of Isaiah; Rev. 19:6-8; Heb. 12:6).
So, God brought judgment on his people, but the result was that his people were repentant, and they did return, and they gave up their idols and their adultery, and so he restored and revived them. Yet, there are messianic overtones in this prayer of Jeremiah’s that is reminiscent of Isaiah 2:1-4. In fact, much of the book of Isaiah is given over to prophecy concerning Jesus Christ, his life and ministry, his death and resurrection, the life of the church in the messianic age, the same spiritual condition of the church at the end of time as was indicative of God’s people of Isaiah’s and Jeremiah’s days, God’s promised judgments on the church if they do not repent, but yet his promises of restoration and revival to the repentant, and that as a result, people from all nations will flock to Jesus Christ, to the gospel, to salvation, to the church (the people of God) and to God’s eternal kingdom.
Not Be Silent / An Original Work / December 3, 2012
Based off Psalm 30
O Lord my God, I’ll exalt You.
I called for help, and You healed me.
O Lord my God, You brought me from
the grave. You spared me from hell.
Sing to the Lord, you saints of His;
Praise His holy name today.
Weeping may remain for a night;
Joy at break of day. Our debt He did pay!
O Lord my God, I said, “I will
Ne’er be shaken.” Secure, I felt.
O Lord my God, You forgave me.
Confident I stand in You.
When I could not see Your face
I was dismayed. I called to You.
O Lord, You are my help. You were
merciful to me; By Your grace set free!
O Lord my God, I’m so thankful for
Salvation through my Jesus.
You turned wailing into dancing;
Clothed me with Your joy today,
That my heart may sing To You
and not be silent. Praise Your name.
O Lord my God, I will give you
thanks forevermore. My Lord, I adore!
http://originalworks.info/not-be-silent-2/
Blessings and Afflictions
Our Lord God has much to say against us putting our trust in mankind for our “salvation,” not speaking here of our eternal salvation, but trust in human flesh to rescue us from difficulties in life, as well as against us putting our trust in humans to satisfy our emotional and/or physical needs that should only be met by God alone (see Ps. 118:8-9; Ps. 20:7; 40:4; 146:3; Is. 31:1; Jer. 9:4-5; et al). We can’t trust in human wisdom and strength at the same time as we trust in the Lord. Now, we can trust the Lord to give us wisdom and strength, but if we are relying upon our own resources and strategies instead of relying upon God and his word, then we will falter in our walk of faith. Much of today’s institutional church is built upon human wisdom and intellect, manipulations and deceptions, marketing schemes, and human plans and philosophies, and thus the gospel is diluted to appeal to the flesh of man.
Yet, if we put our confidence, faith and hope in the Lord instead of in the wisdom or strength of human flesh, then we have no need to fear our circumstances or what may come our way. We can be at peace and rest even if all hell is breaking loose around us. We will experience an abundance of God’s blessings, we will bear spiritual fruit for his kingdom, confident in the Lord and in his mighty power, and we will grow in our faith and will branch out in faith and love to others with Christ’s love, and we will share his gospel with others. We will love our Lord, desire to serve him in obedience to his will for our lives, and we will desire to please him in all that we do. This is where we all need to be.
Living Sacrifices / An Original Work / September 14, 2012
Based off Romans 12:1-2; 6:11-14 NIV
Oh, holy ones, I counsel you,
In view of God’s mercy,
To give yourselves to God in love
As living offerings,
Pleasing to God, holy in love.
This is your true worship.
Do not conform to worldly lives.
Let God transform you today.
Then you’ll be able to
Test and approve of what
God’s will is – His pleasing
And perfect will.
Oh, holy ones, I counsel you –
Offer yourselves unto God.
Oh, holy ones, I counsel you –
Do not be conceited.
Humble yourselves before your God.
Do not be self-righteous.
The strength you have to live in love
Comes from your Lord God, so
Live your new lives in pow’r of God.
Be changed in heart, mind and will.
Do this because of what
Christ did for you when
He died on the cross to save
The world from sin.
Oh, holy ones, I counsel you –
Humble yourselves before God.
Oh, holy ones, I counsel you –
Count yourselves dead to sin,
But be alive to God in Christ.
Do not let sin reign in
Your earthly lives so you
Obey its evil desires.
Offer yourselves unto your God
As those who’ve been born again.
For sin shall no longer be
Your lord and master.
Give of yourselves to God
For righteousness.
Oh, holy ones, I counsel you –
Be alive to God in Christ.
http://originalworks.info/living-sacrifices/