Sing and Make Melody - Is It For Me, Dear Saviour?

    As we continue with the "Sing and Make Melody in Your Heart" series, the song I have selected for this week asks us a question:

"Is It For Me, Dear Savior?"

(by Frances R. Havergal, 1871)

Is it for me, dear Savior, Thy glory and Thy rest,

For me, so weak and sinful? Oh, shall I be so blessed?

Chorus:

O Savior, my Redeemer, what can I but adore,

And magnify and praise Thee and love Thee evermore?

Is it for me, Thy welcome, Thy gracious "Enter in."

For me They "Come, ye blessed", for me so full of sin?

(Chorus)

O Savior, precious Savior, My heart is at Thy feet;

I bless Thee, and I love Thee, And Thee I long to meet.

(Chorus)

I'll be with Thee forever, and never grieve Thee more;

Dear Savior, I must praise Thee, and love Thee evermore.

(Chorus)

    This song is written from the perspective of someone who is 'poor in spirit' (Matthew 5:3). They recognize their need for a Saviour ("me, so weak and sinful") and with humble hearts they joyfully praise God for the gracious gift He freely gives ("...what can I but adore and magnify and praise Thee and love Thee evermore," consider Ephesians 2:1-13).

    God wants us to recognize our need for Him. He wants us to seek Him and find Him (Acts 17:26-27), and that takes humility on our part! God wants us to humbly submit to His will, acknowledging His love and care shown through His commands. God does not want us to see ourselves as worthless rags, constantly wondering if He hears our prayers or if we are worthy of His time and/or blessings. I have heard true humility defined as, "not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less." Humility is not berating ourselves continually, it is thinking more of God and His goodness and giving Him all the glory for the blessings you receive!

    God wants us to joy in Him! He wants us to "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 3:18). Does a plant that refuses to lift its head toward the sun grow and flourish as it should? Lift your face to God, trust in His love, trust in His forgiveness when you repent of your sins, trust in His ability to help you and "make all things work together for good" (Romans 8:28).

    I especially like that third stanza of this song: 

"O Savior, precious Savior, My heart is at They feet;

I bless Thee, and I love Thee, And Thee I long to meet"

    What does it mean to "bless" God? We often think of blessed meaning "happy or joyfully content" - and it does mean that when Jesus teaches the beatitudes in Matthew 5, but in this case, when used toward God (ex: Ephesians 1:3), 'bless' means to "eulogize" - 'to speak beautiful words (about).'

    As Christians, we are to bless God. Read Ephesians 1:3-14. Focus on the thought repeated in verses 6, 12, and 14: "to the praise and the glory of His grace" (v.6), "to the praise of His glory" (vv.12, 14). Also read and consider 1 Peter 2:9.

    We are to speak beautiful words about Him! We are to give Him praise, we are to give Him the glory! How can we do that if we consider ourselves worthless? How can we declare His greatness and the depths of His love, if we refuse to delve into them ourselves?

    So when you sing this song and you wonder, "Is it for me? Is the dear Saviour's glory and rest for me?" Let your mind and heart answer with a resounding "YES!!! It is for me!!" And let your heart pour out its praise and appreciation for God's love, mercy, and grace!! Let your mind and mouth fill with beautiful words to speak about God and declare His wonderful goodness! 

You can do it! So can I!!

Link to hymn:

Worthy of Jesus - None of Self and All of Thee

“He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.” (Matthew 10:38 NKJV)

    Over the past several weeks we have looked at what it means to:

• let go of the past (parental teaching/religion) if it isn’t according to God’s truth
• look to the future by helping your children to seek God first and foremost in their lives
• deny your own self and be fully committed to obeying God, willing to make any changes needed to be right in His sight
• take up your cross by committing yourself so wholly to following Jesus that you do not return to your former life (ideas, notions, practices, etc.)  

    If you are content to simply know what you have always known, do what you’ve always done; if you are willing to surrender your leadership to your children’s wishes, wants, and desires without regard for where their wants may lead them, if you are unwilling to deny even yourself (your own self-centered wants, wishes, and desires) nor commit yourself wholly to following Jesus for life, then Jesus says that you are not worthy of Him. If you are doing these things you aren’t following Jesus – you aren’t even on His pathway – you’re creating your own (Romans 10:2-3) and man-made pathways will never get you to heaven (Proverbs 14:12, 16:25, Matthew 7:21-23).

    Instead, let us have a disposition like Paul, who willingly submitted to God’s truth when He heard it, and followed Jesus’ path:

“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20 NKJV)

    Paul took up his cross, died to selfish interests and pursuits, and used his time and ability to magnify Christ in all he did. He declared God’s greatness, he spoke the gospel Truth and he lived by it! When we read some of Paul’s epistles (consider Philippians) we quickly come to realize the joy he truly felt, even though in prison, even though nearing physical death; Paul was overjoyed in following Christ and being faithful to God and obedient to His commands. That is why he kept telling others about Jesus, no matter where he found himself!

    We can do what Paul did! He encouraged us all to do just that when he wrote “Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1).

    Are you ready and willing to trust God enough to let go and follow Jesus? Are you ready to let conviction win over convenience? Are you prepared to love your children enough to love Jesus more? To guide them by example to always seek first the kingdom of God (Matthew 6:33)? Are you pleased to put God ahead of yourself, take up your cross never to return to your former, sinful ways, and commit yourself wholly to following Jesus through study and practice (James 1:25)? Then you are worthy of Christ!!

You can do it!! So can I!!

From wherever you are right now – BEGIN!!  

 

Taking Up Your Cross Requires Endurance

“…he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.” (Matthew 10:38 NKJV)

    We spoke last week of what it means to take up your cross: committing yourself wholly to Christ, understanding you will never return to your former life.

    While under Roman rule people would have watched those carrying their crosses to the place of crucifixion. Some, without pity, would have mocked and ridiculed those who were bearing their burden. When Jesus instructs us to take up our cross and follow Him we understand that in following Him we will be mocked just as He was (Mark 15:16-20), ridiculed just as He was (Mark 15:29-32), and hated just as He was (John 15: 18-21), and still we will continue to follow Him.

“I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world. Just as I am not of the world.” (John 17:14 NKJV)

    The world will judge you and criticize you for following Jesus, because in following Him you are no longer living “in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God”(1 Peter 4:2). Those who happily accompanied you in your former activities will “think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation” (1 Peter 4:4, read verse 3 for definition of dissipation), and then what will they do? They will speak evil of you; they will mock you and your cross, they will ridicule you simply because you have chosen a different – and better – way.

    Jesus endured it and so can you (Matthew 10:22)! Jesus has already walked the path we are on. He knows and He understands (Hebrews 4:14-15)!

“…when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable to God. For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow in His steps: “Who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth”; who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we , having died to sins, might live for righteousness – by whose stripes you were healed.” (1 Peter 2:21-24 NKJV)

    Jesus left us a perfect example of how to endure suffering at the hands of the world (consider also Matthew 5:44-48), and not only that but He gave His very life in obedience to the Father so that we who have died to sins (Romans 6:1-14), having taken up our cross to follow Him, might live for righteousness!

    To be worthy of Christ you must be willing to die to sin and live for righteousness – Jesus provided all we need to do exactly that! He provided the means through fulfilling God’s plan (Matthew 1:21, Romans 6:22-23, John 17:4, 19:30), He left us an example to follow, and He is ready and able to help us as we walk in His steps (Hebrews 4:16, John 14:6, 1 Timothy 2:5-6)!!

    God has provided all through Jesus. Be willing to take up your cross and follow Him, be willing to do whatever is necessary to be worthy of Him – no matter what the world says – trust God and continue to follow Jesus!!

You can do it!! So can I!!

Want to Be Worthy of Jesus? Take Up Your Cross

“…he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.” (Matthew 10:38 NKJV)

    Taking up one’s cross was a significant and instantly understood concept in Jesus’ time. Under Roman rule, death by crucifixion became a terrifying reality for those convicted; when one had to take up his own cross it was known by all that he would not be coming back.

    Jesus tells us that if we are not willing to take up our cross and follow Him, we are not worthy of Him.

    Are you willing to take up your cross, turn away from your former life, never to return to it, to follow Jesus?

“No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:62 NKJV)

    Jesus wants us to commit wholly to Him. He wants us to have a willingness to die to self, to die to the world and its ways, to “put to death the old man of sin” (Colossians 3:9-10, Ephesians 4:22-24, Romans 6:3-8), and walk in newness of life (Romans 6:4) by carefully following His example in righteousness and obedience (Ephesians 5:1-21, 1 Peter 2:21-24, 1 John 2:3-6).

“”But if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him.” But we are not of those who draw back to destruction, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul.” (Hebrews 10:38-39 NKJV)

    If you are still considering the cost of following Christ, if you are still trying to figure a way to keep a foot in the world while ‘exploring’ a life with Christ, I beg you to let go and simply trust that God’s way IS the best way. What He has in store for His children in this life and beyond this life is SO much better than anything the world could ever offer us! God’s way is lasting and eternal, the world can only offer momentary pleasure – don’t forfeit your soul for a moment’s pleasure – find lasting peace, contentment, and joy in following Christ! Let today be the day!! 

    If you have taken up your cross and are following Christ – keep going! Don’t look back! What is ahead of you is SO much better than anything you left behind! Do all that is necessary to stay the course, keep your hand to the plow, and walk worthy of Christ! We are not of those who look back nor draw back to the old ways that lead to destruction. Let’s keep pressing forward, growing in resolve to follow Jesus!!

You can do it! So can I!

 From wherever you are right now – BEGIN!

  

Want to be Worthy of Jesus? You Must Deny Self

“…he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.” (Matthew 10:38 NKJV)

    We have learned that to be worthy of Christ we must love Him more than those with whom we share the closest earthly bonds: our parents and our children. We have learned that we must choose conviction over convenience, choose to focus on the eternal to keep ourselves from getting lost in the temporary “want du jour”.

    Christ desires that we neither settle for nor give in to what is not according to God’s will and truth. It can be hard to let go of our past (parental upbringing) and to maintain a constant regard for our future (bringing up our children) but Christ tells us to prove to Him that we are worthy of Him by doing just that! And not only that, we must also prove ourselves in the ultimate test – likely the MOST difficult of all – to love Christ more than our own selves.

“If anyone desires to come after Me, let Him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.” (Matthew 16:24 NKJV)

    Are you willing to set aside your own notions/ideas of what you think is right and take the time and effort needed to truly know and understand what is right in God’s sight by reading and studying His word, and only His word? Are you willing to put your whole trust in God and His awesome ability rather than trusting only in your own abilities to gather wealth, health, wisdom, status, etc.? Are you willing to put aside your own wants and desires in order to be available to help others in need (Romans 12:10-13, Philippians 2:3)?

    Each moment of each day you are blessed with is an opportunity to prove that you are worthy of Jesus. Each time you can choose Him over the world (1 John 2:15-17), choose to obey His commands (John 15:9-14, 1 John 5:3), use your time wisely (Ephesians 5:15-17), see opportunities to do good and do it (Galatians 6:9-10), meditate on good and proper things instead of giving the reins over to worrisome, anxious thoughts (Philippians 4:6-8).  

    Denying self is a life-long, daily battle, but we can grow stronger and more able when we consistently choose conviction over convenience, the Word over the world, and the eternal over the temporary.

One day or Day One? – You decide!!

 Let today be the day!!

Parents, Don't Get Lost in the Temporary

    Don’t lose yourself in the temporary.

    Continuing our thoughts from last week, it is important that we, as parents, do not lose sight of our ultimate hope for our children: that they walk in the Truth (3 John 4). We want them to choose to do what is good and right in God’s sight, respecting the Bible as His Word, and honouring Him with their lives.

    We cannot lose ourselves in the temporary.

    The “want” of the hour may not matter tomorrow. The “absolute, must-have” item of the day will soon be forgotten and likely be replaced with something new. The “but everyone is going” event will pass… but the minutes, hours, days of pleading and begging may feel like an eternity and it can be easy to give in ‘just this once’ simply to bring about peace. Is that the kind of peace you want though? The short-term peace that lasts only until the next “Please, please, please, please, please!” erupts?

    Don’t lose yourself in the temporary.

    Maintain your focus on Jesus, concentrate on the eternal, and establish long-term peace for your children (and your home) by teaching them to look beyond the current and constantly changing fads of the world to what is real and worthy and never changing (1 Peter 1:23-25, Hebrews 13:8). When we provide our children with insights into God and His loving commands, showing them His manifold wisdom in providing boundaries and granting us immense freedoms to live a beneficial life we will be providing them with the means to build a faith, a focus, and a fruitful life before God, one of long-term peace and contentment.

    Not everything that our kids want is good or needful. Let’s ask for wisdom (James 1:5) to stay focused on Christ and remember our ultimate hope for our kids. Let’s love our children enough to love Christ more (Matthew 10:37) and together, follow His example in obedience to God, and serving others with love and good works.

“Be strong and of good courage…”

You can do it! So can I!!

Let today be the day!!

A Worthy Walk Requires Faith, Hope, and Love

    As we continue our study of New Testament passages that mention the vital trio of faith, hope, and love we find ourselves this week in Ephesians 4:1-6.

"I, therefore, as a prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” (NKJV)  

    Paul urgently begs Christians to “walk worthy of the calling in which they were called” (4:1). What does that mean?  First, we are called by God through the gospel (2 Thessalonians2:13-14). When we hear the gospel we are hearing God’s words for us. In God’s word, the Bible, is all that we need to know to become His child (for example: Acts 2, 8:26-40, 9:10-19, 16:11-34; 22:1-16) and all we need to know to keep growing and developing properly as a Christian all the days of our lives (2 Timothy 3:16-17, 2 Peter 3:14-18).

    Why does God call us? He calls us because He created us to seek AND find Him (Acts 17:26-27), to proclaim His praises (1 Peter 2:9) and to do good works (Ephesians 2:10). He calls us because He desires all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:1-4), so much so, that He is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). God loves us, so He calls us, through His word. In that Word He tells us what we must do to walk worthy of His calling! So we have a real responsibility to read/study and faithfully obey His instructions (James 1:25).

    God is calling us to eternal life – obeying His commands/instructions will keep us on the narrow pathway that leads to life (Matthew 7:13-14), eternal life with Him, so you can see why ‘walking worthy of the calling’ is of paramount importance!

Love:

    Ephesians 4:2-3 makes mention of several ways in which we should walk/behave that befits a child of God: “with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” (NKJV) Consider also the description of a Christian given in Colossians 3:12-17.

    Love (agape) seeks the best for another. When we ‘bear with one another’ it means we hold them up when they are weak, we endure the exertion of helping them while they are strengthening their faith and gaining understanding (young/new Christians, Christians during trials, etc.).

    Love will take the time needed to help others gain clear understanding on what we all as Christians must agree – this is the unity of the Spirit – that there is: one body (Christ’s, which is the church, Ephesians 1:22-23), one Spirit, one hope of your calling (eternal life with God), one Lord (Jesus Christ, the Son of God), one faith (God’s way is the only way), one baptism (for remission of sins), one God and Father of all (Ephesians 4:4-6).      

 Hope:

    We see mention of “one hope of your calling” in Ephesians 4:4 – we can have confident expectation of eternal salvation when we walk worthy of the calling! Paul wanted the Ephesians brethren, and us, to know the hope of God’s calling (Ephesians 1:15-23), to know of God’s promise of eternity and to anchor our soul’s to it (Hebrews 6:19), believe in it (1 Timothy 4:6-8), and strive toward it (Philippians 3:12-16)! That is why God told us of it in His Word! He wants us to be in eternity with Him!! He wants us to live in hope!! This hope keeps our mind focused on God (Colossians 3:1-3) and keeping our minds focused on Him will develop our hope as we in love and increase our faith through humble obedience to His Word!

 Faith:   

    There is one faith. The conviction that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God and through Him we gain eternal salvation. We cannot be saved through any other name (Acts 4:10-12), Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Him (John 14:1-6).

    We must be careful that we are obeying God’s Word and not men’s words (books, doctrines, creeds, ideas/notions, philosophies, etc.). Read and consider Matthew 7:22-23; Acts 17:11-12, 1 Thessalonians 2:13, Mark 7:6-9, Colossians 2:6-10, and Hebrews 11:6 – we must seek HIM – GOD – no one else! He has provided all that is needed in His word. It can be understood, it can be obeyed! We do need a degree from a seminary school to understand it, we simply need God’s word, the Bible, and a heart ready and willing to receive the instructions found within it (Luke 8:11,15)!

    To walk worthy of our calling – to show God our absolute appreciation for His love and provision – we must bear with one another in love (help others to grow and strengthen), agree that there is one hope of our calling (eternal life with God), and one faith (Jesus Christ is the Son of God and only through Him can we have our hope of eternity)!

    Are you ready to walk in a worthy way? God’s calling is worth every effort and every sacrifice to do just that!!

You can do it! So can I!!