What Makes Good News Good?
If you hang out with Restoration Church much at all, you’ll hear us talk about the Good News. That phrase, Good News, almost sounds like paradox, because almost all of the things we associate with news is bad news. But, we really do have some Good News.
It’s this.
Most of us know intrinsically that there must be someone (or something) somewhere who is paying attention to what goes on in this life. We commonly refer to this being as God. We have this general sense that there is something we need to do to sort of “pass God’s test” so we’re ok.
Most of us also have the gut feeling that we’re not actually succeeding at that test. So, we respond in one of two ways:
1.We simply try to stuff the feeling that we are accountable to some invisible thing, and we do our best to live without inflicting too much damage on others. And we just hope for the best when the “test” comes.
2.Or, we engage in a systematic process of trying to “appease” this invisible taskmaster through something we call religion. We hope that we’ve done enough. And we just hope for the best when the “test” comes.
You see, either way, you’re left with the uneasy feeling that you might not be good enough. And that’s the first piece of Good News. You’re not good enough.
How is that Good News?
Because once you realize that, no matter how hard you try, you can’t succeed in making up for the times you’ve failed, you are actually very close to an incredible discovery.
This “invisible, impersonal force” we call God has actually described Himself in an amazing collection of writings we call the Bible, as a loving Father. What’s more, you will see as you begin to read the Bible, that God knew we would try to be good, but we couldn’t. And, because He loved us so much, He already made a way for us to “pass the test.” He let someone else take it for us.
We find out as we read on, that God has a Son, Jesus. Although He was completely God, He became a person just like you and me, so He could take our test. He succeeded at what you and I could never do: He lived a perfect life. However He didn’t stop there.
You see, something you may not have realized is that because we have all done wrong things (the Bible calls this sin), we surrendered our opportunity to be with God in eternity. We were destined to separation from God. Forever. Unless…someone who had NEVER sinned took our place.
That’s exactly what Jesus did.
He lived a perfect life knowing that he would willingly sacrifice his life in a Roman public execution in shame and humiliation.
He took all the sin of humanity on himself, and experienced separation from his Father, so that we could be restored to our loving Father.
How are we restored?
God explains it this way in Scripture:
“For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)
When we recognize that God reached to us by sending Jesus, instead of us reaching to God, we accept that Jesus is the hero of this story and not us.
God gives us credit for what Jesus did, and allows us eternal life based on Jesus’ sacrifice. Pretty amazing, huh?
That’s why we call it Good News. Being right with God doesn’t mean being better, or being religious. It means accepting God’s plan through Jesus.
The Good News is that God has reached out to you. And He invites you to believe that Jesus did that for you.
8/12/2011
Self-Help Won't Change You; Only God Can Change You
James MacDonald communicates what I had heard and learned so many years prior to finding Jesus. "Have you been seeking to be the person God wants you to be by thinking the key is unlocking the past? If so, I challenge you to reject that faulty methodology." You can try to change yourself all you want, but Real changes comes through the truth and power of God. I pray that God opens the hearts and gives wisdom to anyone who listens to this.
Copy and paste the link below this in your navigation bar:
http://www.oneplace.com/ministries/walk-in-the-word/listen/so-help-me-god-part-1-210171.html
"True life change comes Only through partnership with God and must begin with the rejection of All faulty, self-centered, change methods." ~James MacDonald
"God wants us to face our past, deal with it, and then put it behind us." (We of course can only do this with His great help)
Faulty Methods that we need to get Rid of:
1)Environment Change – aka – Behaviorism (the belief that we are the result of the environment in which we have grown up in)
2)Change by “digging up my past” – aka – Psychoanalysis (we repress information and we may not be aware of things messing us up that we have stuffed deep inside of us, so we need to Find it and dig it up and spill our guts. And, until we do, we will never really change. But, the *Bible* teaches that the key is not ‘remembering’ things that may, or may not, have happened. The Bible teaches that the key to Real transformation is forgiving and forgetting…Not remembering.)
3)Change through Self-Discovery – aka – Humanistic Psychology (people are controlled by their own values and choices. The goal is to help you discover and achieve your own potential. ‘The answer is Within you. Find yourself! Love yourself! Help yourself!’ You have what you need to be who you want to be.) Problems with this = 1) It Doesn’t Work! 2) It’s contrary to the biblical view of man. ~The heart is deceitful and desperately wicked. Jeremiah 17:9~
Copy and paste the link below this in your navigation bar:
http://www.oneplace.com/ministries/walk-in-the-word/listen/so-help-me-god-part-1-210171.html
"True life change comes Only through partnership with God and must begin with the rejection of All faulty, self-centered, change methods." ~James MacDonald
"God wants us to face our past, deal with it, and then put it behind us." (We of course can only do this with His great help)
Faulty Methods that we need to get Rid of:
1)Environment Change – aka – Behaviorism (the belief that we are the result of the environment in which we have grown up in)
2)Change by “digging up my past” – aka – Psychoanalysis (we repress information and we may not be aware of things messing us up that we have stuffed deep inside of us, so we need to Find it and dig it up and spill our guts. And, until we do, we will never really change. But, the *Bible* teaches that the key is not ‘remembering’ things that may, or may not, have happened. The Bible teaches that the key to Real transformation is forgiving and forgetting…Not remembering.)
3)Change through Self-Discovery – aka – Humanistic Psychology (people are controlled by their own values and choices. The goal is to help you discover and achieve your own potential. ‘The answer is Within you. Find yourself! Love yourself! Help yourself!’ You have what you need to be who you want to be.) Problems with this = 1) It Doesn’t Work! 2) It’s contrary to the biblical view of man. ~The heart is deceitful and desperately wicked. Jeremiah 17:9~
7/20/2011
Giving Hell Headaches
Why Paul’s Name Was Known in Hell ~ By Dave Early
“Again and again Paul stood fearless before crowds thirsting for his blood. He stood before kings and governors and refused to give an inch. He did not even flinch before Nero, the Roman instrument of hell. He endured extreme suffering, pain, and persecution for the cause of the gospel. He was known in hell.
In his classic book Why Revival Tarries, Leonard Ravenhill explains why Paul was well known in hell. Building on the theme of Paul viewing himself as crucified with Christ, Ravenhill writes:
He had no ambitions – and so had nothing to be jealous about. He had no
reputation – and so had nothing to fight about. He had no possessions – and
therefore nothing to worry about. He had no “rights” – so therefore he could not
suffer wrong. He was already broken – so no one could break him. He was
“dead” – so none could kill him. He was less than the least of the least – so who
could humble him? He had suffered the loss of all things – so who could defraud
him? Does this throw any light on why the demon said, “Paul I know”? Over this
God intoxicated man, hell suffered headaches.
“If we dissect Ravenhill’s assessment of Paul, it helps us see why he was dangerous to hell. It also helps us evaluate our own lives.
He had no ambitions – and so had nothing to be jealous about. Paul’s only ambition was the name of Jesus and the will and the kingdom of God. Do you get jealous, envious, frustrated, or hurt when others are elevated over you? Chosen instead of you? Recognized in place of you? Blessed more than you?
He had no reputation – and so had nothing to fight about. He called himself the slave of Jesus Christ. As such his reputation was that he was a man submitted to the cause of Christ. His identity was lost in the majesty of his Master. He could face slander, gossip, innuendoes, and outright lies. How do you feel when you are misunderstood or misrepresented? Are you willing to be lied about? Can you be slandered without defending yourself?
He had no possessions – and therefore nothing to worry about. He had brought himself to the place in his life where he literally possessed nothing. Money, things, titles, positions, gifts, talents, and abilities had been given to God. His only possession was Christ. Are you willing to forfeit everything for the sake of Christ? Are you more concerned about losing your possessions or losing your testimony?
He had the “rights” – so therefore he could not suffer wrong. Even as an apostle and author of Scripture, he claimed no right to be obeyed, respected, revered, or appreciated. Before God he claimed no right to be spared from suffering or sorrow. He claimed no right to comfort, convenience, pleasure, or prosperity. What rights do you claim before God?
He was already broken – so no one could break him. By being broken at the foot of the cross, no amount of persecution from without or problems caused from within the family of God slowed him down. In what ways was Paul broken? How did this affect how he lived?
He was “dead” – so none could kill him. He was dead to fame and fortune, health and wealth, comfort and convenience. He was dead to his will, his words, and his ways. Jesus said that we must first lose our life if we want to save it. When you examine your life, in what ways is it evident that you have lost your life for Christ?
He was less than the least of the least – so who could humble him? He had suffered the loss of all things – so who could defraud him? Do you view yourself as the least of the least? How would you respond if the government took all of your things because of your Christianity?"
“Again and again Paul stood fearless before crowds thirsting for his blood. He stood before kings and governors and refused to give an inch. He did not even flinch before Nero, the Roman instrument of hell. He endured extreme suffering, pain, and persecution for the cause of the gospel. He was known in hell.
In his classic book Why Revival Tarries, Leonard Ravenhill explains why Paul was well known in hell. Building on the theme of Paul viewing himself as crucified with Christ, Ravenhill writes:
He had no ambitions – and so had nothing to be jealous about. He had no
reputation – and so had nothing to fight about. He had no possessions – and
therefore nothing to worry about. He had no “rights” – so therefore he could not
suffer wrong. He was already broken – so no one could break him. He was
“dead” – so none could kill him. He was less than the least of the least – so who
could humble him? He had suffered the loss of all things – so who could defraud
him? Does this throw any light on why the demon said, “Paul I know”? Over this
God intoxicated man, hell suffered headaches.
“If we dissect Ravenhill’s assessment of Paul, it helps us see why he was dangerous to hell. It also helps us evaluate our own lives.
He had no ambitions – and so had nothing to be jealous about. Paul’s only ambition was the name of Jesus and the will and the kingdom of God. Do you get jealous, envious, frustrated, or hurt when others are elevated over you? Chosen instead of you? Recognized in place of you? Blessed more than you?
He had no reputation – and so had nothing to fight about. He called himself the slave of Jesus Christ. As such his reputation was that he was a man submitted to the cause of Christ. His identity was lost in the majesty of his Master. He could face slander, gossip, innuendoes, and outright lies. How do you feel when you are misunderstood or misrepresented? Are you willing to be lied about? Can you be slandered without defending yourself?
He had no possessions – and therefore nothing to worry about. He had brought himself to the place in his life where he literally possessed nothing. Money, things, titles, positions, gifts, talents, and abilities had been given to God. His only possession was Christ. Are you willing to forfeit everything for the sake of Christ? Are you more concerned about losing your possessions or losing your testimony?
He had the “rights” – so therefore he could not suffer wrong. Even as an apostle and author of Scripture, he claimed no right to be obeyed, respected, revered, or appreciated. Before God he claimed no right to be spared from suffering or sorrow. He claimed no right to comfort, convenience, pleasure, or prosperity. What rights do you claim before God?
He was already broken – so no one could break him. By being broken at the foot of the cross, no amount of persecution from without or problems caused from within the family of God slowed him down. In what ways was Paul broken? How did this affect how he lived?
He was “dead” – so none could kill him. He was dead to fame and fortune, health and wealth, comfort and convenience. He was dead to his will, his words, and his ways. Jesus said that we must first lose our life if we want to save it. When you examine your life, in what ways is it evident that you have lost your life for Christ?
He was less than the least of the least – so who could humble him? He had suffered the loss of all things – so who could defraud him? Do you view yourself as the least of the least? How would you respond if the government took all of your things because of your Christianity?"
5/18/2011
Sally
ONE DESPERATE SEEKER
Retrieved from Competent Christian Counseling Book
"Sally was a bright, articulate, and severely depressed sixteen-year-old American high-school student brought in for counseling by her mother. It was immediately clear that she wanted nothing to do with being helped. She was angry with her divorcing parents-who were confessing Christians-and with her life situation. She was desperately searching, mostly hopeless, and borderline suicidal. During our time together in counseling, I was given a paper Sally had written for a class at her Christian high school. It was about Christ and the search for truth that we claim is found in Him. Following is a portion of Sally’s paper."
____________________________________________________________
"Sally was a bright, articulate, and severely depressed sixteen-year-old American high-school student brought in for counseling by her mother. It was immediately clear that she wanted nothing to do with being helped. She was angry with her divorcing parents-who were confessing Christians-and with her life situation. She was desperately searching, mostly hopeless, and borderline suicidal. During our time together in counseling, I was given a paper Sally had written for a class at her Christian high school. It was about Christ and the search for truth that we claim is found in Him. Following is a portion of Sally’s paper."
____________________________________________________________
"WHO DO YOU SAY THAT I AM?"
"I say Jesus Christ was a man sent from God in a last-ditch attempt to save the troubled human race. He performed miracles, preached to the masses about the promised kingdom of heaven, and died on the cross for our sins. Unfortunately, I don’t believe He succeeded.
We and our fellow human beings are even more disgusting and self-destructive now than we were back then. We spend more money on nuclear weapons to destroy people than we do to feed people to save their lives. If we spent just one half of 1% of our military funding on food for the poor, every citizen of this country would have three well-balanced meals a day.
Don’t get me wrong. I give credit to Jesus. He tried to send out a good message and did willingly go and die on a cross for us –a really amazing waste when you think how we live as if it didn’t matter. It stuck with some of the people back then, but now His message only applies to us from ten to twelve on Sunday mornings.
On Monday morning, we’ll start screaming at our kids while we dress and put on plastic faces to look good to the world. We go to the office to climb over each other for money and bad-mouth our fellow employees. Then on Fridays we party, get drunk, and get behind the wheels of our cars and kill someone. But because of Sunday morning, we think we’re all going to heaven. What nonsense!
Jesus did what He could; He put His heart and soul into our salvation. But He didn’t succeed because we didn’t listen. We’re just a bunch of hypocrites who take Jesus for granted."
_______________________________________________________
"We hope you hear the cry of the heart here, for it is the cry to see real love come alive in this hardhearted age. We know some of you will note Sally’s theological errors, her disturbing cynicism, and the tendency shown by many depressives to selectively perceive only what is dark and failing. But if that is all you see, you have missed the point. Here is a young woman who has known a life full of heartache and disappointment, a life without genuine love. Here is someone who, at the deepest levels of her heart, is crying out to see Jesus succeed.
Sally is a desperate person who is begging to see love win out because she knows that all is lost if it doesn’t. Her story is evidence of a cold-hearted and hypocritical world that has rejected God’s way, even while it mouths His platitudes. Only a sacrificial love will heal this desperate condition. Only a life-changing encounter with the loving, risen Christ can reach a heart like Sally’s-and that’s exactly what Jesus said He would give us if we asked Him. Jesus Himself is the only true cure for such a condition.”
4/18/2011
Thanks
God had put it on my worship leader’s heart to ask me to lead ‘See His Love’ this past weekend. No matter where I’m at, if I am singing with other believers to our God, it is nothing less than an amazing experience. Even singing acapella to my God in my own living room, or with Hillsong Church blasting in the background, is such an awesome time to pour out my heart to God. But, with leading a song, comes people’s compliments and encouragement. God is working in me, but I have such a difficult time saying ‘thank you’, because I know full and well that I truly have no right to say such a thing, as I would be robbing God of the credit He alone deserves. But, who wants to hear a long story of ‘why’ I don’t feel right saying ‘thank you’? Some people do…if God has allowed them the time to hear it…but so many of us who serve at church, are on a mission to go from point A to point B in a matter of minutes which doesn’t allow the time for long-winded explanations. So simply saying, ‘Praise God’ is the answer most will hear from me.
Many people don’t understand my sensitivity with this, and I don’t expect them to. Before meeting Jesus, my Lord and Savior, 4 ½ years ago, I would have been able to say ‘thank you’ and not be convicted of anything different. I have had a passion to sing since the age of 4, and at that time, God allowed me to walk around doing nothing But singing whatever came to my mind…in other words, they were songs I made up as I walked along. I didn’t care if they made sense or not, I just wanted to sing. Besides being in gymnastics growing up…, which I wasn’t good at…, singing was what my life consisted of. I was never a social person for more reasons than I desire to express right now, so I would stay in my room with the door closed just singing to a pretend audience while either looking in the mirror or out the window. I poured my heart out to songs by Amy Grant, Madonna, Faith Hill, and Martina McBride, just to name a few. God allowed me to live in some intense living situations, so songs such as ‘Independence Day’, ‘Broken Wing’, both by Martina McBride, and ‘A Man’s Home is His Castle’ by Faith Hill, really hit home for me. I had such a great passion to be able to sing songs such as those, to help others that were going through the things of those songs to know that I understood their pain, at least to an extent.
In middle school, I had tried out for Arts Council Choir, all the three years I was eligible, and never made it. That devastated me. My dad, who was a very busy man, tried showing his support for my hard work and dedication of practicing by trying to find me a private singing lesson teacher. Once he thought he had found one, the teacher either wouldn’t show up to the appointment, or they would tell him that I was too young, and my voice was still maturing…which made no sense…but regardless, that apparently was not what God had wanted for me, otherwise He would have allowed the opportunity.
When getting into high school, I was in the general choir classes my freshman and sophomore years, but when trying out for the honor choir, I did not make it. My grandma Payne worked with me from the age of 4, all the way through my school years trying to help me sing from my diaphragm…which totally contradicted what I was taught in choir. The choir teachers wanted me to sing in my falsetto, AKA “head voice”, so I had started out at age 4 singing boldly from my diaphragm, to getting into the mold of trying to sing falsetto…to learning again to sing with my “chest voice”, from the diaphragm. Oh if my grandma were still alive, she would tell you the intense hours she spent trying to re-teach me how to sing.
I moved to Moundridge the beginning of my junior year and sang in choir both my junior and senior years, then tried out for their honor choir my senior year and finally made it! It wasn’t long before that didn’t work out for me because part of being on that team consisted of singing with the group at various churches on Sunday’s and that was so miserable and not worth it to me. I hated going to stale churches. So, I got off that team but still hoped for a lead part at concerts, but it seemed like everyone But me got those parts (I’m being a little exaggerate with saying ‘everyone’ but bare with me). I was disappointed, but was able to sing a solo part at our graduation due to my fellow classmates wanting me to.
From there, I had seen a nation wide singing contest information slip in my music teacher’s school mailbox, as I was office aid at the time and put it in there. It said that in order to be apart of the contest, the contestant would have to send in a recorded cd of 2 songs, and from there, they would select 8 winners (if I remember right) to come to Nashville and be apart of a 2-day seminar that consisted of well-known publishers, producers, and song writers. After the seminar, we would have the chance to sing in front of a group of well-known panelists who would critique and grade us, and then allow us the opportunity to further our career. Well, I sent in the 2-songed cd and a few months later found out that I was one of the contestants to make it! It was an amazing experience. I had never had people want my autograph before that point and it definitely gave me a little boost of self-pride (which I wish I would have known what God has to say about pride in James 4:6!). I was so happy that someone noticed and wanted my talent!
I had no desire of moving to Nashville at that time, so after that contest, I started gaining interest in doing other contests. The Hutch Fest was always a regular contest for me, and it occurred at the end of June every year. The finalists would then go on to sing at the State Fair Grounds on the 4th of July to perform in front of a huge crowd, on a huge stage. I sang at that contest several times, and made it as a finalist one of the times. Singing on that huge stage was such a great rush. The bigger the crowd, the better, and the less nervous I seemed to be. It was also a very special moment for me, because my mom, step-dad, and I had been to see some of my favorite country artists perform on that same stage. I thrived off the attention, because honestly, I felt that my singing was all I really had to offer. I had been beaten down with critical and negative words, made up of lies, the majority of my whole life, and I allowed it to affect me greatly.
Thriving off of people’s praise so much, I started singing in Colgate Country Showdowns, all over the state of Kansas, as well as some in Oklahoma. In the majority of them, a contestant would have to send their cd of 2 songs in the mail and if a person qualified, they would receive a letter by mail and have the opportunity to go and compete against other really good singers. I qualified for all but one, if I remember right, and competed in these contests quite often. Within doing that, I also sang in some churches and performed in a few here-and-there mini-concerts, where I got paid at a couple, while also doing another contest called the ‘Kansas Idol’ where I received a bronze medallion.
I say all of this not to boast about anything I have done, but to help anyone who reads this gain some understanding of why I am the way I am now, and to make a point.
In receiving a lot of compliments, I started finding self-confidence from being praised. If I messed up when I sang or if I didn’t do my absolute best, I was devastated and felt like a major failure. (And, in saying this, I still have my moments of this but this is just another area that God continues to grow me in.) Within doing these contests, I battled severe depression and manic moods, and was on heavy doses of medication, as well as spending my time getting high on marijuana (after I had graduated high school). I was incredibly doped up and made it a goal to never eat, so I was not only unhealthy, but also badly anorexic.
In between times, I stayed in mental hospitals just in purpose of trying to get my self back on track, but those places only brought me to a worse state of mind. When friends and family would see me, they would say, “There’s my favorite singer” or “I'm your biggest fan!”, but it wasn't long before I felt like people only liked me because of my singing. I didn’t feel like anyone wanted to know the real me or anything else about me. The most common thing I heard was, "Don't forget me when you become famous!" I started to evaluate who my real friends were and when things got really bad in my life, I didn't have to evaluate very hard. No one was there, but I now know that God used that time to allow me to come to a realization that He was there the whole time and understand every detail of it all.
When God flooded my heart in 2006 in such a way that I knew He was real, He really started really drawing me to Him and understanding His truth. On February 10, 2007, He gave me peace, understanding, wisdom, and love in ways that only He alone could have done by the power of the Holy Spirit. Since that day, I have never been the same, and He opened my eyes and touched my heart in such a powerful way that my only desire is to give Him praise, as He alone deserves. Exodus 31:1-11 says,
“Then the Lord said to Moses, “Look, I have specifically chosen Bezalel son of Uri, grandson of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. I have filled him with the Spirit of God, giving him great wisdom, ability, and expertise in all kinds of crafts. He is a master craftsman, expert in working with gold, silver, and bronze. He is skilled in graving and mounting gemstones and in carving wood. He is a master at every craft! And I have personally appointed Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, to be his assistant. Moreover, I have given special skill to all the gifted craftsmen so they can make all the things I have commanded you to make: …”
As we can read, it is the Lord who gives wisdom, ability, and expertise. It is not of our own doing! For me to say thank you to someone who says, “good job!” or “I Love your voice!” would be like me accepting the credit for a voice that I did not create. He made us all in His likeness, so the voices each of us have, are of no choice of our own. God specifically made each voice for each person. For Him to give me the gift of singing has nothing to do with me. He also gave me the ears to hear what I need to hear, the eyes to see what I need to see, and the brain ability to even think of what I’m saying/singing. With this said, I understand that the Lord has not convicted such truth to the majority of people, and He is working on me in a great way to take their compliments to heart, knowing that they truly mean well. God does not want to me to walk around judging other people's words, but to live in peace and personally abide to the specific things He has opened my eyes to.
I was able to accept the praise before understanding all of this, but once He graciously gave me such precious knowledge (which was so freeing, by the way!), how could I say ‘thank you’ and feel ok with that? He is my Savior, my Redeemer, and the One who fought for my life by going through all He went through and nailing Himself to a cross...all so I could have life in Him and be called His child and friend!
Some have told me I am being overly sensitive, but if they had gone through what I had gone through and had been saved in such a powerful way, only then would they be able to fully understand. There are going to be people who do not like the voice God has given me, and He has given me complete peace and assurance with that! When competing in the past, there were some people who I thought sounded Amazing, who didn’t even place. And, there are some voices I hear that others really like, and I have to do all I can to remember that God created that voice...just being honest! God has tuned everyone’s ears to something different. I am not a fan of hearing the bag pipes, the trumpet, saxophone, or flute, but others Love the sound of such instruments. Some people can’t stand to listen to Joyce Meyer’s deep voice, but God has allowed me not mind it at all, and see it as such a great blessing. So, if anyone is blessed by the voice He has given me, I know that it is because God tuned their ears and hearts for it to be, so all praise to Him! Again, nothing to do with me :-)
God says in Proverbs 27:21,
“Fire tests the purity of silver and gold, but a person is tested by being praised.”
My whole desire is to honor the God who saved me and gave me a voice to use for His glory. ...And the more the merrier! When believers come together to worship Him through song, He unites us all to make one unified voice! So amazing :-) His love remains great for me, and I know that full and well, but I also know that there are some things that He keeps us from doing if He sees that we are not ready to handle what has already given to us.
I always say that I sing to an audience of *1*…and that 1 being my Lord. I have no desire to please people anymore, but only the Lord, the One gave me life and sustains me for His purpose. With that said, coming from a past of receiving nothing but praise from people, I find this to still be a challenge at times. I realize that there are many people who see the worship team sing who have never encountered the hope of Christ and are looking for that something real. It is an amazing feeling to have a part in communicating to them God's great Truth through the words of a song. And, it definitely takes the *whole* worship team to fully communicate this! I am just a one person within the whole team, but it is so beautiful to see how God uses each of us to communicate in our own unique and specific ways :-) It amazes me how God has grown me in this area as well! I used to never be part of a 'team' but depended on my soloist abilities. God has turned that around to be the complete opposite now. I prefer to sing with the other leaders, rather than doing any solos, but am honored to do whatever the Lord wants me to do. Ephesians 4:16 says,
"He makes the whole body fit together and unites it through the support of every joint. As each and every part does its job, He makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love."
To be able to tell people in love that Jesus died for me, it is Finished, and He has done it, is an incredible blessing. To be able to communicate the greatness of God’s love for all of us in words such as, “Greater love, no one could ever show, mercy so undeserved, freedom I should not know~All my sins, all of my hidden shame, died with Him on the cross, eternity Won for us”, is a phenomenal way to get super pumped for our God, as it reminds us who we are (which is nothing without Him) and who He is (which is a holy and awesome God). Because of who we are and what He has done for us, we do not deserve such undeserved amazingness!
Although God continues to teach me how to exactly answer each person who does their best to encourage (and I will say again that He still has a lot of work to do in me with this area!), my true-desired response is Luke 17:10,
“We are not worthy of praise. We are servants who have simply done our duty.”
Thanks for reading :-)
“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends You, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.” ~Psalm 139:23-24
“God chose thing the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And He chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important. As a result, no one can ever boast in the presence of God.” ~1 Corinthians 1:27-29
“To see yourself as you really are, you must first see God as He really is. Only then can “the truth set you free.” (References to John 8:32) ~Rick Warren
Many people don’t understand my sensitivity with this, and I don’t expect them to. Before meeting Jesus, my Lord and Savior, 4 ½ years ago, I would have been able to say ‘thank you’ and not be convicted of anything different. I have had a passion to sing since the age of 4, and at that time, God allowed me to walk around doing nothing But singing whatever came to my mind…in other words, they were songs I made up as I walked along. I didn’t care if they made sense or not, I just wanted to sing. Besides being in gymnastics growing up…, which I wasn’t good at…, singing was what my life consisted of. I was never a social person for more reasons than I desire to express right now, so I would stay in my room with the door closed just singing to a pretend audience while either looking in the mirror or out the window. I poured my heart out to songs by Amy Grant, Madonna, Faith Hill, and Martina McBride, just to name a few. God allowed me to live in some intense living situations, so songs such as ‘Independence Day’, ‘Broken Wing’, both by Martina McBride, and ‘A Man’s Home is His Castle’ by Faith Hill, really hit home for me. I had such a great passion to be able to sing songs such as those, to help others that were going through the things of those songs to know that I understood their pain, at least to an extent.
In middle school, I had tried out for Arts Council Choir, all the three years I was eligible, and never made it. That devastated me. My dad, who was a very busy man, tried showing his support for my hard work and dedication of practicing by trying to find me a private singing lesson teacher. Once he thought he had found one, the teacher either wouldn’t show up to the appointment, or they would tell him that I was too young, and my voice was still maturing…which made no sense…but regardless, that apparently was not what God had wanted for me, otherwise He would have allowed the opportunity.
When getting into high school, I was in the general choir classes my freshman and sophomore years, but when trying out for the honor choir, I did not make it. My grandma Payne worked with me from the age of 4, all the way through my school years trying to help me sing from my diaphragm…which totally contradicted what I was taught in choir. The choir teachers wanted me to sing in my falsetto, AKA “head voice”, so I had started out at age 4 singing boldly from my diaphragm, to getting into the mold of trying to sing falsetto…to learning again to sing with my “chest voice”, from the diaphragm. Oh if my grandma were still alive, she would tell you the intense hours she spent trying to re-teach me how to sing.
I moved to Moundridge the beginning of my junior year and sang in choir both my junior and senior years, then tried out for their honor choir my senior year and finally made it! It wasn’t long before that didn’t work out for me because part of being on that team consisted of singing with the group at various churches on Sunday’s and that was so miserable and not worth it to me. I hated going to stale churches. So, I got off that team but still hoped for a lead part at concerts, but it seemed like everyone But me got those parts (I’m being a little exaggerate with saying ‘everyone’ but bare with me). I was disappointed, but was able to sing a solo part at our graduation due to my fellow classmates wanting me to.
From there, I had seen a nation wide singing contest information slip in my music teacher’s school mailbox, as I was office aid at the time and put it in there. It said that in order to be apart of the contest, the contestant would have to send in a recorded cd of 2 songs, and from there, they would select 8 winners (if I remember right) to come to Nashville and be apart of a 2-day seminar that consisted of well-known publishers, producers, and song writers. After the seminar, we would have the chance to sing in front of a group of well-known panelists who would critique and grade us, and then allow us the opportunity to further our career. Well, I sent in the 2-songed cd and a few months later found out that I was one of the contestants to make it! It was an amazing experience. I had never had people want my autograph before that point and it definitely gave me a little boost of self-pride (which I wish I would have known what God has to say about pride in James 4:6!). I was so happy that someone noticed and wanted my talent!
I had no desire of moving to Nashville at that time, so after that contest, I started gaining interest in doing other contests. The Hutch Fest was always a regular contest for me, and it occurred at the end of June every year. The finalists would then go on to sing at the State Fair Grounds on the 4th of July to perform in front of a huge crowd, on a huge stage. I sang at that contest several times, and made it as a finalist one of the times. Singing on that huge stage was such a great rush. The bigger the crowd, the better, and the less nervous I seemed to be. It was also a very special moment for me, because my mom, step-dad, and I had been to see some of my favorite country artists perform on that same stage. I thrived off the attention, because honestly, I felt that my singing was all I really had to offer. I had been beaten down with critical and negative words, made up of lies, the majority of my whole life, and I allowed it to affect me greatly.
Thriving off of people’s praise so much, I started singing in Colgate Country Showdowns, all over the state of Kansas, as well as some in Oklahoma. In the majority of them, a contestant would have to send their cd of 2 songs in the mail and if a person qualified, they would receive a letter by mail and have the opportunity to go and compete against other really good singers. I qualified for all but one, if I remember right, and competed in these contests quite often. Within doing that, I also sang in some churches and performed in a few here-and-there mini-concerts, where I got paid at a couple, while also doing another contest called the ‘Kansas Idol’ where I received a bronze medallion.
I say all of this not to boast about anything I have done, but to help anyone who reads this gain some understanding of why I am the way I am now, and to make a point.
In receiving a lot of compliments, I started finding self-confidence from being praised. If I messed up when I sang or if I didn’t do my absolute best, I was devastated and felt like a major failure. (And, in saying this, I still have my moments of this but this is just another area that God continues to grow me in.) Within doing these contests, I battled severe depression and manic moods, and was on heavy doses of medication, as well as spending my time getting high on marijuana (after I had graduated high school). I was incredibly doped up and made it a goal to never eat, so I was not only unhealthy, but also badly anorexic.
In between times, I stayed in mental hospitals just in purpose of trying to get my self back on track, but those places only brought me to a worse state of mind. When friends and family would see me, they would say, “There’s my favorite singer” or “I'm your biggest fan!”, but it wasn't long before I felt like people only liked me because of my singing. I didn’t feel like anyone wanted to know the real me or anything else about me. The most common thing I heard was, "Don't forget me when you become famous!" I started to evaluate who my real friends were and when things got really bad in my life, I didn't have to evaluate very hard. No one was there, but I now know that God used that time to allow me to come to a realization that He was there the whole time and understand every detail of it all.
When God flooded my heart in 2006 in such a way that I knew He was real, He really started really drawing me to Him and understanding His truth. On February 10, 2007, He gave me peace, understanding, wisdom, and love in ways that only He alone could have done by the power of the Holy Spirit. Since that day, I have never been the same, and He opened my eyes and touched my heart in such a powerful way that my only desire is to give Him praise, as He alone deserves. Exodus 31:1-11 says,
“Then the Lord said to Moses, “Look, I have specifically chosen Bezalel son of Uri, grandson of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. I have filled him with the Spirit of God, giving him great wisdom, ability, and expertise in all kinds of crafts. He is a master craftsman, expert in working with gold, silver, and bronze. He is skilled in graving and mounting gemstones and in carving wood. He is a master at every craft! And I have personally appointed Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, to be his assistant. Moreover, I have given special skill to all the gifted craftsmen so they can make all the things I have commanded you to make: …”
As we can read, it is the Lord who gives wisdom, ability, and expertise. It is not of our own doing! For me to say thank you to someone who says, “good job!” or “I Love your voice!” would be like me accepting the credit for a voice that I did not create. He made us all in His likeness, so the voices each of us have, are of no choice of our own. God specifically made each voice for each person. For Him to give me the gift of singing has nothing to do with me. He also gave me the ears to hear what I need to hear, the eyes to see what I need to see, and the brain ability to even think of what I’m saying/singing. With this said, I understand that the Lord has not convicted such truth to the majority of people, and He is working on me in a great way to take their compliments to heart, knowing that they truly mean well. God does not want to me to walk around judging other people's words, but to live in peace and personally abide to the specific things He has opened my eyes to.
I was able to accept the praise before understanding all of this, but once He graciously gave me such precious knowledge (which was so freeing, by the way!), how could I say ‘thank you’ and feel ok with that? He is my Savior, my Redeemer, and the One who fought for my life by going through all He went through and nailing Himself to a cross...all so I could have life in Him and be called His child and friend!
Some have told me I am being overly sensitive, but if they had gone through what I had gone through and had been saved in such a powerful way, only then would they be able to fully understand. There are going to be people who do not like the voice God has given me, and He has given me complete peace and assurance with that! When competing in the past, there were some people who I thought sounded Amazing, who didn’t even place. And, there are some voices I hear that others really like, and I have to do all I can to remember that God created that voice...just being honest! God has tuned everyone’s ears to something different. I am not a fan of hearing the bag pipes, the trumpet, saxophone, or flute, but others Love the sound of such instruments. Some people can’t stand to listen to Joyce Meyer’s deep voice, but God has allowed me not mind it at all, and see it as such a great blessing. So, if anyone is blessed by the voice He has given me, I know that it is because God tuned their ears and hearts for it to be, so all praise to Him! Again, nothing to do with me :-)
God says in Proverbs 27:21,
“Fire tests the purity of silver and gold, but a person is tested by being praised.”
My whole desire is to honor the God who saved me and gave me a voice to use for His glory. ...And the more the merrier! When believers come together to worship Him through song, He unites us all to make one unified voice! So amazing :-) His love remains great for me, and I know that full and well, but I also know that there are some things that He keeps us from doing if He sees that we are not ready to handle what has already given to us.
I always say that I sing to an audience of *1*…and that 1 being my Lord. I have no desire to please people anymore, but only the Lord, the One gave me life and sustains me for His purpose. With that said, coming from a past of receiving nothing but praise from people, I find this to still be a challenge at times. I realize that there are many people who see the worship team sing who have never encountered the hope of Christ and are looking for that something real. It is an amazing feeling to have a part in communicating to them God's great Truth through the words of a song. And, it definitely takes the *whole* worship team to fully communicate this! I am just a one person within the whole team, but it is so beautiful to see how God uses each of us to communicate in our own unique and specific ways :-) It amazes me how God has grown me in this area as well! I used to never be part of a 'team' but depended on my soloist abilities. God has turned that around to be the complete opposite now. I prefer to sing with the other leaders, rather than doing any solos, but am honored to do whatever the Lord wants me to do. Ephesians 4:16 says,
"He makes the whole body fit together and unites it through the support of every joint. As each and every part does its job, He makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love."
To be able to tell people in love that Jesus died for me, it is Finished, and He has done it, is an incredible blessing. To be able to communicate the greatness of God’s love for all of us in words such as, “Greater love, no one could ever show, mercy so undeserved, freedom I should not know~All my sins, all of my hidden shame, died with Him on the cross, eternity Won for us”, is a phenomenal way to get super pumped for our God, as it reminds us who we are (which is nothing without Him) and who He is (which is a holy and awesome God). Because of who we are and what He has done for us, we do not deserve such undeserved amazingness!
Although God continues to teach me how to exactly answer each person who does their best to encourage (and I will say again that He still has a lot of work to do in me with this area!), my true-desired response is Luke 17:10,
“We are not worthy of praise. We are servants who have simply done our duty.”
Thanks for reading :-)
“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends You, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.” ~Psalm 139:23-24
“God chose thing the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And He chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important. As a result, no one can ever boast in the presence of God.” ~1 Corinthians 1:27-29
“To see yourself as you really are, you must first see God as He really is. Only then can “the truth set you free.” (References to John 8:32) ~Rick Warren
4/01/2011
Korn to Praise
I have shared these on Facebook a few times, but have never put it on my blog for the couple of people who read this who don't have Facebook :-) These videos are just a couple out of a gazillion stories of how great a work God can do in a person's life. Be blessed!
Brian Welch: From Korn to Jesus (Based on his 'I Am Second' Testimony)
Brian Welch: I Am Second
Brian Welch: From Korn to Jesus (Based on his 'I Am Second' Testimony)
Brian Welch: I Am Second
3/30/2011
No One Is Good; Not Even One
"The question that separates Christians from non-Christians is, "Would you consider yourself to be a good person?" Non-Christians would say "yes", and because they are 'basically good', they will get into heaven. Evolution teaches that mankind is 'basically good' and as we evolve, we continue to improve and become better people. Liberal "Christianity" teaches the social gospel, that through our own good efforts we can make this into a good world.
...But here is what scripture says...
"God looks down from heaven
on the entire human race;
he looks to see if there is even one with
real understanding,
one who seeks for God.
But no, all have turned away from God;
all have become corrupt.
No one does good, not even one."
Psalm 53:2,3
"For I was born a sinner--
yes, from the moment my mother conceived me."
Psalm 51:5
"There is not one good person on earth. No one is good but God." (Luke 18:19)
"We think we are good because we compare ourselves with human standards. Our problem is that the standard is not a human standard, but God's standard. Instead of looking to each other, our focus must be on God... and we have fallen far short of God's standards. We have broken all of the Ten Commandments. We were created in the image of God, but are miserable representatives of who God is. We are sinners and we have nothing in us that can save us from God's just punishment." ~BrickBalloon
...But here is what scripture says...
"God looks down from heaven
on the entire human race;
he looks to see if there is even one with
real understanding,
one who seeks for God.
But no, all have turned away from God;
all have become corrupt.
No one does good, not even one."
Psalm 53:2,3
"For I was born a sinner--
yes, from the moment my mother conceived me."
Psalm 51:5
"There is not one good person on earth. No one is good but God." (Luke 18:19)
"We think we are good because we compare ourselves with human standards. Our problem is that the standard is not a human standard, but God's standard. Instead of looking to each other, our focus must be on God... and we have fallen far short of God's standards. We have broken all of the Ten Commandments. We were created in the image of God, but are miserable representatives of who God is. We are sinners and we have nothing in us that can save us from God's just punishment." ~BrickBalloon
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