Praise God - Even When You Don't Want To

Psalm 150: 1-6
"Praise the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens. Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness. Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet,
praise him with the harp and lyre, praise him with timbrel and dancing, praise him with the strings and pipe, praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals.
Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord."

The Bible (particularly the Psalms) is chock full of bits like the above passage, telling us to praise the Lord. Yay! I love praising God! Once we know why we should worship God, it becomes a joy to bless Him and extol His marvellous name.

But what about when we don't want to? What about when is life is difficult, when there is pain or suffering or we're going through difficult times? Should we stop praising God?

The Bible tells us of this awesome guy named Paul and his friend who was called Silas. Here is what happened when they praised God when I'm sure they certainly didn't feel like it.

Acts 16:23-26

"After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.
About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose."

Paul and Silas had just been 'severely flogged'. I am sure they felt like sitting in their corner of the jail and moaning to each other about how bad their situation was and how much their wounds hurt. Maybe they felt like God had abandoned them. Maybe the other prisoners told them how long they had been in jail for and in so doing discouraged Paul and Silas. I don't know. But what I do know is that they put aside how they felt and praised the Lord anyway.

It's hard to praise the Lord when you don't feel like it! But try it. If Paul and Silas had not praised the Lord but sat moaning I wonder if the earthquake would still have happened. There is something in praise that is powerful. It binds Satan and gives the authority the Jesus.

Psalm 115:1

"Not to us, Lord, not to us but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness."

Luke 19:37-40

"When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen:
 “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”
 Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”
 “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” "

Do you praise the Lord anyway? Do you praise Him not just when things are going well? Do you praise Him when the hard times come? Do you keep trusting Him and worshipping Him even when it's hard?

Blessings to you all!

(All Scripture passages in this post are from the NIV translation.)

The Move—part 3

I’m sorry this didn’t post! For some reason, it became a draft instead of being posted. (A big thank you to Jessica for pointing out it didn’t post!) So here it is now—and I’m sure it will make the rest of the story more understandable!

-  -  -

Curious to know what else happened? Read part 1, part 2, and part 4.

Surveying the loaded wagon, Mary helped two-year-old Robert climb onto the seat before she turned to say her final goodbyes to her friends gathered around. “Goodbye, Barbara.” She said gently, “I hope you’ll be as encouraging to the new pastor’s wife as you have been to me! Goodbye, Rhoda.” She paused for a final word with each woman, trying to hold the tears back as she moved on to each woman.

I will miss them, she thought as she hugged each one. Oh, how I will miss them! But I know this is the best for my family. After saying goodbye to each one, she turned to see John standing there. Squeezing his hand tightly for reassurance, she surveyed all her friends. Barbara was looking away, and a sniffle sounded on the warm spring air.

“Oh, I can’t bear it, ma’am!” Barbara cried, throwing herself on her friend. Mary held her tightly for several seconds. “I just can’t bear to think that I’ll nevu’ see you, or the little ‘uns again, ma’am. What will we do wit’out your kindly presence here? The village ‘ll be empty wit’out you ‘an yours here!”

“Aye, ‘twill be that,” Rhoda chimed in. “Isn’t there any way that we could convince you to stay here?”

“We believe this is what the Lord wants us to do.” Mary said, trying to hold her tears back. “Although I confess I will miss you all sorely.”

“Come, Barbara,” Rhoda sighed. “We know this’ll be good for the family, and if it wasn’t the Lord’s will it wouldn’t be happening.”

Barbara moved back, and Mary looked up at her husband again. “John—could we take one more walk around the flowers in the garden before we go? Just by ourselves? I’d like to see them one more time before we’re gone forever.”

“Of course.” The depressed friends stood waiting patiently by the wagon while the couple moved toward the garden for one last look together.

“John,” Mary said quietly as soon as they were out of earshot, “Oh John, I cannot stand saying goodbye! Is this really the right decision? It seemed so right at the beginning, but now…now when we have to leave everyone behind and go somewhere we don’t know anyone at all. Oh John, I’d almost rather just stay here, even if it is hard!”

“I know Mary.” John was not his usual self either. Clearly, he was distressed. “But won’t it be better for our family if we go?”

“It would—in a way.” Mary conceded, “But this is where all the children’s friends are as well. And we haven’t starved—God has always provided for everything, even the rent when that’s needed. We’ve lived well enough here.”

“I confess that I have been wishing we could stay as well.” John said after a moment’s silence. “Mary, let’s pray about this again. Perhaps—perhaps it is the Lord’s will that we stay after all.”

Together, they knelt among the dew-covered roses, and prayed for the Lord’s direction. The sunbeams fell on the two, warming the ground and making the sweet, light scent of roses float on the warm air. Being behind the house, their friends couldn’t see them but if they had they would have been very surprised. When they finished praying, Mary and John rose to their feet again. As she pulled her white shawl a little closer around her shoulders, Mary looked searchingly into her husband’s face.

“What do you think now, John?” She asked.

“I think we are to stay.” He said with finality.

Her voice caught in her throat for several seconds, and then she whispered, “John, I’m very happy that you’ve decided that. I feel the same.”

“Come,” he said, taking her hand. “We must tell the others. And get that wagon unloaded!” As they hurried around the side of the house, the quiet buzzing of the sad townsfolk ceased and everyone stared at the couple. “Friends,” John’s voice rang strong in the spring air, “We have decided—we will stay. Would any of you be willing to help us unload the wagon?”

For a second, a stunned silence filled the air. Then, a cheer rose from the crowd. Barbara hurried forward, tears of joy stealing down her cheeks. “Oh ma’am!” She cried, catching Mary’s hand, “Oh ma’am, this is the best news I’ve heard all year!”

“It is for me too!” Mary said, as she reached to help Robert down, and then gave Annie a hand. “Children, Father and I have decided that we will stay here in Wainsgate.” With joyful hearts and beaming faces, the people quickly helped the family move back into the little cottage, and the wagon clattered away—without them.

-Esther

Joyful Singing—part 4

Curious to know what happened last? Read part 1, part 2, and part 3.

“Mary, could you come practice this song with me?” John raised a leaf of paper, on which were written in neat rows a few lines of a song.

“Yes, John. Of course. Annie, sit still just a moment more, please.” Pulling the brush through the little girl’s hair one more time, she looked over her husband’s shoulder as he sang the song through once. The tune was familiar, and soon she was able to sing along as she deftly split the hair into three equal sections and braided it tightly before securing it to the girl’s head with a pin. Then, slipping the simple bonnet over the dark hair, she gave her daughter a kiss before sending her outside.

Once that job was done, she drew a stool up beside her husband. “Now that Annie is gone I can concentrate better. Will you want to sing this tomorrow?”

“Yes, I was hoping to. Should we go through it again, so you’ll get the words better?”

“Yes, of course.”

Together, their two voices raised in praise. His deeper bass notes and her higher soprano sounded sweet together. “Blest be the tie that binds / Our hearts in Christian love; / The fellowship of kindred minds / Is like to that above….”

“It’s beautiful, John!” Mary said when they had finished. “Did this…did the song come to you after what happened earlier this week?”

“Yes, Mary. Seeing the love of everyone, and feeling the sadness at leaving even in my own heart…and then their joy at finding out we were staying after all. It deeply impressed me. And I wanted to remember how that was. I know we did the right thing by staying here in Wainsgate.”

“This is home.” Mary said softly, fingering the edge of the paper. “I guess that farewell sermon last Sunday wasn’t farewell at all. And this will be a hello, in some ways.”

“It will indeed.” John laid the paper gently on the open page of the Bible, and stood up. “I have some more studying to do before tomorrow, so I should get busy on that. Would you be able to sing this with me tomorrow?”

“If the children behave, of course!” Mary rose and cheerfully set about preparing the noon meal. As she worked, she hummed. She was looking forward to tomorrow’s service—tomorrow’s homecoming service.

* * *

“And so we are here again,” John finished. “Here, to stay as long as the Lord wills it. And, for myself, I have hope that it will be for a long time.” He paused, gazed at the Bible for a moment, then glanced over the seated people. “Now, I have a special poem that came to me after the event of our almost departing to London.” In bold, clear tones he read it out. Then, he addressed everyone again. “This has a tune to it, one you all know well. Why don’t we sing it together?”

Then, reading the first verse out again, he struck up the tune and the congregation followed his lead. Together, the notes soared to the ceiling and beyond. They were words of hope, words of joy. Words expressing the elation they felt at being together again. And, above all the others, Mary’s voice rang the loudest as she sang out the jubilant words. This was home—and she knew that whatever would happen, the Lord was watching over them.

Blest be the tie that binds
Our hearts in Christian love;
The fellowship of kindred minds
Is like to that above.

Before our Father’s throne
We pour our ardent prayers:
Our fears, our hopes, our aims are one,
Our comforts and our cares.

We share our mutual woes;
Our mutual burdens bear;
And often for each other flows
The sympathizing tear.

When we asunder part,
It gives us inward pain;
But we shall still be join’d in heart,
And hope to meet again.

This glorious hope revives
Our courage by the way;
While each in expectation lives,
And longs to see the day.

From sorrow, toil, and pain
And sin, we shall be free;
And perfect love and friendship reign
Thro’ all eternity.

 

 

Note: Like I said before, this is a true story. John and Mary Fawcett actually were real people living in the 18th – early 19th centuries. John lived from January 1739 – July 1817. In 1765, he joined the Baptist Church and eventually became pastor of Wainsgate Baptist Church in Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, England. For seven years, he and his wife and growing family lived there, although his income was meager. When the opportunity arose in 1772 to pastor a larger church in London, he agreed to take it. He gave a farewell sermon at the Wainsgate church. After helping them pack the wagons with all their worldly goods, their friends bid them a tearful goodbye.

“Oh John, John!” Mary is reported to have said, “I cannot bear this!”

“Neither can I!” John responded, “And we will not go. Unload the wagons, and put everything back in its place.” His words were received with great elation, and soon they settled in again. In commemoration of the event, he penned this song—which is still widely sung today.

If you’d like to read more about this event, or more about John Fawcett, visit the following sites:

• Hymn Story: Blest Be the Tie That Binds – Lectionary.org
• John Fawcett (theologian) – Wikipedia.org
• Blest Be the Tie That Binds – CyberHymnal.org
• Reading the Hymns: Blest Be the Tie that Binds – Mere Orthodoxy.com

I hope you were blessed by this little story! Have you ever heard the story before?
-Esther

Trusting in your Heart

Have you ever heard the statement (or others like it ) "follow your heart"?

 It looks so good, doesn't it. 

But be careful. This is such a dangerous statement!

I have long wondered about the fallacy of this statement, "follow your heart". It is a popular idea... just google image search it and find a whole heap of memes like the two above encouraging us to follow our hearts and not our heads. We are told to 'trust in what we are made of' and 'be happy', the obvious implication being that following our hearts will make us happy.

You see, our hearts are fickle. We can't just trust in how we are feeling. Feelings change. I might get up one day feeling grumpy, and be happy the next minute because my little sister gave me a note which said 'I love you'. Feelings are fickle. We cannot trust our hearts because they change. 

There is also another reason why I believe that the popular idea of trusting in your heart and not your head is a dangerous place to be. It's because the Bible distinctly tells us not to.

Here is Proverbs 28:26, in three different translations because they are all slightly different.


Proverbs 28:26 
Those who trust in themselves are fools, but those who walk in wisdom are kept safe. (NIV)

He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered. (KJV) [emphasis added]

He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, But he who walks wisely will be delivered. (NASB) [emphasis added]

Ah! Whoever trusts in his own heart is a fool! Interesting, isn't it!
Here's another verse that shows why we shouldn't rely on listening to our hearts.



Jeremiah 17:9.
The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked..... (KJV)

Let me put this all into context for you. Let's say, for example, that there is a big decision coming up for you. One way looks really good. It is the easy way... the way that pulls at your heart strings. It looks good. 

The other way doesn't look so good. It is the hard way. The difficult way. Yet as the Bible says, hard work brings a profit. Sometimes we have to be willing to work for what we want. :) I know, horrible thought!

The easy way tugs at your heart. The difficult way is the best way, but you have to learn to look past what your heart says and think about what is really the appropriate decision in the circumstances, based not on how you feel, but what the Lord wants. Pray about it. Ask the Lord for help. Don't just jump straight into it without considering everything! 

Make sure your heart is governed by your head. 

A Transformed Heart

Psalm 139 is an amazing example of how God knows everything about us, and the last two verses especially are also a great example of prayers we should pray. In the following video (a short message), the Skit Guys share their thoughts on Psalm 139:23-24.

It’s long (17 minutes) but very good. Letting God into every part of our lives is hard—none of us want to be vulnerable, but that’s what God calls us to be. Different, set apart, following only Him.

“Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”

I pray you’ll be encouraged as we come to the close of another week!
-Esther

Waiting

Waiting.

None of us like to wait, especially for things that we want to happen or are looking forward to. Waiting is not an easy thing. I am reminded of this as I am waiting for something myself this week. 

I've been thinking about verses that speak of waiting. Waiting on the Lord. Patience. 

So...you know what you're waiting on...meditate on these verses and "Run with patience the race that is set before us!" :-) 

~*~*~

But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. -Isaiah 40:31-

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Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.  -Hebrews 12:1-2-

~*~*~

To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: -Romans 2:7-

~*~*~

What are some of your favorite verses on waiting? I'd like to hear them!

Press on! There a course to finish and race to win!

News from London—part 2

Curious to know what happened last? Read part 1.

“Mary! Mary, where are you?” Striding quickly from the bright warm sunlight outside into the darker room, John looked around for his wife.

Looking up from where she sat on the bed, Mary answered, “I’m here. What is it, John?” His voice held a ring of hope in it that she hadn’t heard for quite a while. “What’s happened?”

“Mary, the post just came. You wouldn’t believe what the letter says!” She waited, tense. “You remember that a few weeks ago we received word that the pastor of the Carter’s Lane Baptist Church in London was retiring, and how I sent a letter saying that after praying about the situation I’d be interested in serving there?”

Gasping, Mary leaned forward. “You mean…?”

Opening the letter again, he scanned through it as he talked. “The letter is from a Mr. Pitts in London. He says that they have decided that they are willing to have me be their pastor. Oh, Mary! Do you know what this means? I will still be able to minister to the people, but the income will be much larger, and we won’t have to worry about the rent money anymore!”

“Oh John, that’s wonderful!” Rising to her feet, she hugged her husband tightly. “This sounds like the answer to all our prayers!”

“It is, I believe.” He said, “But Mary, would you want to move to London?”

“Why ever not, John?” She pulled back, stared into his eyes. “Why wouldn’t I? If you will be able to minister even better to people, and our family would be better able to live on the higher income, then of course I’d want to!”

“I’m glad you feel that way, dear.” He said gently, “I was just afraid you might not want to—seeing how you have so many friends here.”

“I’ll go wherever you go, John.” She said simply. “When do you think we’ll move?”

“Mr. Pitts says to come as soon as possible. They’ll help us get a wagon for our belongings, and I think it will probably take a week or so to get everything arranged.”

“I’ll be able to get everything ready by then.” Glancing around the small one-room house, she chuckled. “With as few things as we have, we’ll be ready in no time! Now—I should go check on the children. Last I knew they were outside, but it’s been quiet out there for a while so….”

“You better go look after them.” John agreed, a twinkle in his eye. “Who knows what trouble Robert could be getting into?”

…to be continued next week!
-Esther