Sing Our Commitment

When we worship by singing (Ephesians 5:19) we are also teaching each other (Colossians 3:16). By engaging in this act of worship, we are singing our commitment. Our commitment to God, to the church, and to the work. Why do we sing? Because we love the Lord and we are committed to the thing we sing. In recent weeks we have dwelt on being happy, the perfect law of the Lord, and trusting God to make things beautiful in His time. So how can we commit further? Let’s consider a few songs that we sing.

More About Jesus

“More about Jesus would I know, More of His Grace to others show, More of His saving fullness see, More of His love who died for me.”

Singing more about Jesus is an amazing song. The words are rich with reminders of how our songs, sermons, prayers, and lives could benefit from more Jesus. Can we have too much Jesus? I know I cannot. John wrote about how great Jesus was. Many other signs, therefore, did Jesus in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book: but these are written, that ye may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye may have life in his name” (John 20:30-31). The Holy Spirit gave us enough to believe that Christ is the Son of God. We have more than enough to sing of Jesus. Let's spend each day with more Jesus, praying in His name, studying His Word, and walking in His grace. Can we commit to more Jesus?

Soldiers of Christ Arise

“Strong then in His great might with all his strength endued, but take to arm you for the fight, but take to arm you for the fight the panoply of God.”

It is important to remember that we are soldiers in a war. “For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 6:12). You cannot casually be a soldier in any army. In Christ, you are not a national guardsman that trains one weekend a month, two weeks a year. You are on active duty. Christianity is not a passive, armchair religion. We have to be ready to fight. To do so, we must be adequately equipped. We need to take on the panoply of God. What is the panoply? It is from the Greek word panoplia or whole armor of God. Paul wrote, “Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil” (Ephesians 6:11). This armor helps us to be adequately equipped as soldiers in the Lord’s army.

Christ committed the greatest act of love that this world has ever known. He committed His life, His blood to redeem mankind. He did it while we were walking contrary to Him. Can we commit each day to look for more Jesus in all we do? What is my study teaching me about Our Lord? In what ways can I emulate His grace? Can we commit each day to go into the battle fully equipped? We can if we trust him and continually seek Jesus. It starts on the first day of the week. Have you put Christ as your top priority on the Lord’s Day? Have you prepared your heart to worship? Are you more equipped with the full armor after Bible study and worshiping the Lord? I certainly hope so. I know you want to be more committed. We can do it with God’s help together.

Grace and Peace,

R.D. Beavers

Don't Raise an Ahaz

Twenty years old was Ahaz when he began to reign; and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem: and he did not that which was right in the eyes of Jehovah his God, like David his father. But he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, yea, and made his son to pass through the fire, according to the abominations of the nations, whom Jehovah cast out from before the children of Israel. And he sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree . 2 Kings 16:2-4 When was the first time you drove a car? What about the first time you jumped off a diving board or gave a speech? After that first time, it certainly became easier. What about the first lie you told? Did it become easier? King Ahaz of Judah was evil and far from the example of David. Ahaz was the first to offer child sacrifices to t...

At the Feet of Jesus

How amazing it must have been to sit at the feet of Jesus. Have you thought much about that? What would it have been like to be around the Master? It was obviously life altering for His disciples, the majority of which (by historical accounts) would go on to violent deaths. Christians would go on to be persecuted throughout the centuries. Why? Jesus is worth the shame (Acts 5:41). Jesus is worth it all, because “there is no other name, under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). It is for this very reason we think about how amazing it would have been to personally sit at the feet of Jesus. To Talk to Him Must Have Been Tender Talking to Jesus must have been so tender. We know that He would tell people what they needed to hear, and sometimes that was rather forthright (see Matt. 23), but he was loving and compassionate to those who wanted to learn from Him. Remember when parents were b...

Hanging On

Therefore let us also, seeing we are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, 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 perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising shame, and hath sat down at the right hand of the throne of God Hebrews 12:1-2 In order to hang on, you must let go. This seems counterproductive at first glance. If we let go, we might fall and get hurt. If we let go, we might hurt someone else, and we might even hurt ourselves. Yet, letting go can also allow us to hang on to what matters. We can hang onto the righteousness of God. This helps us to run with patience. When the race is long and arduous, and when life doesn’t end up as we planned, we can look forward to letting go of the doubts and sins that tell us to quit, give up, and stop running...

Ironworks

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