My Father's Abundance

Matthew 7:11-The Message
"Don't bargain with God. Be direct. Ask for what you need. This isn't a cat-and-mouse, hide-and-seek game we're in. If your child asks for bread, do you trick him with sawdust? If he asks for fish, do you scare him with a live snake on his plate? As bad as you are, you wouldn't think of such a thing. You're at least decent to your own children. So don't you think the God who conceived you in love will be even better?

I learned a lesson the other day, on April 22 to be exact, a lesson that completely humbled and awed me. I learned it through the extreme generosity of others to me. I learned that people are willing to give far more than I would have ever asked for. I learned that pride so many times holds me back from even asking and admitting I need help. I learned again about a Father's love for his children.

Through this experience, I was struck at how many times I have gone before my heavenly Father in the same way, too held back by pride to ask for what I really want or need. I am so often to proud to ask him for it all, instead I try to figure most of it out myself and then ask Him to just fill in the parts that I can't figure out. Then, when I do come to him for help He doesn't fill in the missing parts, He does it all. He covers it all, more than I could have ever imagined and He does it freely, willingly and eagerly.

All the time that I spend in what I think to be waiting is more often, Him waiting on me to understand, to remember how He operates, to remember how He does things, to remember His usual way of dealing with men.

Oh Lord, is this how you do things?

Thanks be to God for who He is. It is not about what he has done, although He has done marvelous things. It is just about Who He is and He is Amazing! Thank You, Lord!

2 Samuel 7:18-19

Then King David went in and sat before the LORD, and he said:
"Who am I, O Sovereign LORD, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? And as if this were not enough in your sight, O Sovereign LORD, you have also spoken about the future of the house of your servant. Is this your usual way of dealing with man, O Sovereign LORD ?

Worship In Spirit and Truth

Back from Easter worship and I return home, filled, amazed, touched, and reassured of God's love for me and just how far He will go to save a wretch like me. Today Jesus called me by name and again said, "Mia, I forgive you".

The Easter service at Family of Christ, CO would, I guess, technically be described as a blended service. There was liturgy, hymns (old and a new original), and contemporary praise music. But I did not come out of this service able to tell where the division was. It was pure worship from beginning to end. Whether it was a hymn being sung or liturgy being chanted it was all done with the passion that Christ calls us to worship Him in. When the congregation sang, they sang with all their hearts. When the pastor preached , he preached in confidence and truth. When the choir sang, they lifted up beautiful harmonies and when the praise team lead they raised His banner of Victory high.
It was amazing worship, It was an amazing day.

Saviour, He can move the mountains.
My God is Mighty to save, He is Mighty to save.
Forever, (He's the) Author of salvation
He rose and conquered the grave, Jesus conquered the grave.

Zephaniah 3:17

Worship Session

So here I am a day after our recording session and I am still aglow. What a rich feeling it is to come out of a session. The adrenaline, the excitement, the hard work all adds to the rush. It was an amazing night of recording-It was an amazing night of worship.

At times, I found myself lost in worship and forgetting where I was, but knowing that the people I was working with would simply follow where I was going and worship right along with me. Then there was the time when I began to think too much, it was at that time when my husband came in to the recording area and put his hand on my arm and gently whispered, "Honey, your thinking to much." That was all he had to say to instantly steer me back to the place where I wanted to be, in the presence of my Father worshiping Him.

Am I a perfectionist? I don't think so. Did I want the recording to be the best? Yes, but more than that I wanted it to be pure raw worship with all it's joy and with all it's blessed imperfections. What you see is what you get from me. I am not the best singer, I am not the best piano player, but, I love the Lord and I love to worship Him and lead others to do the same.

You may not be the best, but when you offer it up to in the Name of Jesus, He will use it and by His spirit it will not return empty. What do you have in your life to offer up to Him? If you answered nothing, go back and re-think. Ask a friend, who may see you differently, what quality or gift you have that can be offered up in the name of Jesus. He will use you. Offer it up!

Children

As a children's choir director, I have the opportunity to hear the best and worst of children's voices. The kids that I direct tend to give me the best. Today was no exception, as I stood in front of the choir, I paused from directing to simply basking; basking in the words that they were singing and the message that they were preparing for the ears of those who would come to worship. Do they know how they move me? Do they know the power that is in the words that they sing? Do they know that it is more than a song?

When they had finished singing, I let the last note echo, resonate and just fill the room. Then I shared with them (although they may have thought it preaching by the random outburst of applause and "Amens" that followed my inspirational talk) how they never know who is listening to this song and the fact that someone might come to church that night wondering about God and how to hear Him, how to know that he is real. And then along come my little Ministers of the Gospel to sing these word, the words that ministered to my heart this day, in this little school, by these amazing young instruments of peace.

Are you listening to the voice of Jesus, Can you hear Him calling,

Calling to you, Calling today.

Are you listening to the voice of Jesus, Can you hear Him calling,

Calling to You today.

He speaks through the wind that blows from day to day.

He speaks through the sun that shines so bright.

He made all these things to let you know that he is the Truth and the Light.

He's Calling for You today.

by William E. Green

Who Am I?

Reflection from today's bible study,

"Walking By Faith-Lessons Learned in the Dark"

by, Jennifer Rothschild

A Worship chorus:

Who am I , Who am I, Who am I

That You love me, That You love me

That You love me?

Psalm 8:3-5 David asks the question, "What is man that you are even mindful of him?" I echo this thought so many times, sometimes more emotionally than other times, but today I am again stuck that He loves me that He came back to find me and save me.

Who am I, that You love me?

In Him, I am the offspring of Christ

In Him, I am the righteousness of Christ

In Him, I am the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit

In Him, I have my being

In Him, I have freedom and confidence

In him, I am everything; Without, I am nothing.

Who am I . . . . . . .

I am His child.

Who are you? Have you asked yourself lately? In whom, in what or where do you find your identity?

Who are you that God is mindful of you?