Singing the Blues or Singing with Joy?
Have you ever listened to a blues song? I was born and raised in Memphis, TN, the home of the blues. Blues songs are often filled with sadness, sorrow and agony that comes from trouble.
We all face trouble that attempts to rob us of joy and gladness. For many it causes discouragement, disappointment, or even depression. Trouble can steal our energy and leave us singing the blues.
Are you able to sing for joy instead of the blues in the midst of trouble? Psalm 90 helps us learn how to trade the blues for a song of joy.
Praising God for the Paradox
Let me learn by paradox
that the way down is the way up,
that to be low is to he high,
that the broken heart is the healed heart,
that the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit,
that the repenting soul is the victorious soul,
that to have nothing is to possess all,
that to bear the cross is to wear the crown,
that to give is to receive,
that the valley is the place of vision.
This excerpt from a Puritan prayer called The Valley of Vision captures the idea of the paradox of the Christian life found in Psalm 145::14.
Seeking God’s Reviving Work
Do you remember when churches had old fashioned revival services? A guest preacher would come to the church for a week or two for nightly services focused on spiritual renewal for believers.
I don’t hear of these types of revival services in churches today, but it is still important for believers in Jesus to walk in daily renewal and revival.
Psalm 85 gives us a focus on renewal, revival, and restoration for the people of God.
Shouting Praise to God
Fall is one of my favorite times of the year! I suppose it is for many people. The cool crisp air and the changing leaves are a part of what I love. But to be honest with you, one of my favorite things about fall is college football and the pennant races of Major League baseball. And I do what many of us do. I shout for my teams! Like you, I have my favorite college football team, my favorite MLB team and I do my fair share of shouting and cheering them on to victory. For some reason, I equate the fall with shouting!
Did you know that we are called to shout to God? Psalm 66 is a Psalm of mighty praise and it begins with a shout!
Help for the Journey
Are you on a journey? Are you standing in front of a mountain, knowing you have to make the journey to be renewed, knowing that for your soul to experience the renewing winds of revival you have to make the climb? And you know it will be difficult?
Psalm 121 reminds us that God is our help for the journey.
Finding Hope When You Feel Hopeless
Do you ever feel hopeless?
When troubles come into our lives, when sorrows overwhelm us and when tragedy comes our way, we can feel helpless and hopeless. When that happens, we don’t have to listen to our feelings, we can rely on facts. And the simple fact is that God is our hope. Our feelings will lead us to stumble because feelings are fickle, and they can lie to us. But our God is truth and is always sure and steady. That is why we put our hope in God, not our feelings.
Facing Fear with Faith
Fear has no limits. Normal people, famous people, lost people and, yes, even saved people deal with fear.
Fear wants to take us prisoner and that is exactly what happened to David in today’s Psalm, chapter 34. It is a low point in David’s life. He is afraid and cries out to God. And God encourages him with faith to overcome his fear.
Rejoicing in God’s Forgiveness
David, the Shepherd-King wrote in Psalm 32:1 about forgiveness when he said, “How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.” David was a tender shepherd, a skilled musician, a courageous soldier and strong king. And yes, David was a man after the heart of God, but he was also a sinner. David’s sins recorded in Scripture are numerous and include lust, adultery, lying, murder, and deception.
But while we remember the sin of David, let’s not forget the forgiveness of God. David knew God’s forgiveness and so can we.
Waiting on God as He Works
One of the greatest challenges in life is waiting. Let’s be honest; we just don’t like to wait!
Waiting is a part of everyday, ordinary life. We wait for our tea to steep, our coffee to brew and our ship to come in. And guess what? Waiting is also a challenge in our spiritual lives.
Waiting on God might be one of the most challenging spiritual disciplines, but Psalm 13 helps us with a great example of how David trusted God while waiting.
Everything Changed on December 28, 2020
Many years of ministry stress and neglect of my health took a toll on me that was much greater than I realized. Reclaiming my physical health provided a fresh focus and renewed energy for God’s calling on my life.
After 38 years of vocational ministry, I have never been more excited about ministry than I am today. In many ways, the excitement and renewed joy I have is because we have taken the time to reclaim our physical health. We are physically recharged, we are mentally alert and we are committed to staying this way for all that God has before us.
Living with God’s Presence Throughout the Day
Do you look forward to meeting with God everyday? Do you long for the presence of God? And do you live, dwell and abide in the presence of God each day? What an amazing thought! God invites us and enables us to dwell with Him each day. We can walk with God daily, talk with God instantly and dwell in His presence fully.
Reclaiming Your Personal Health - A View into My Journey
Many years of ministry stress and neglect of my health took a toll on me that was much greater than I realized. Reclaiming my physical health provided a fresh focus and renewed energy for God’s calling on my life.
Trusting God When You Are Attacked
Have you ever found yourself in a place where you were being attacked?
Attacks can be more than physical. Attacks can also come as relational, emotional or even spiritual. Perhaps someone has wrongly accused you. Or perhaps you find yourself feeling anxious and depressed.
Psalm 3 helps us to know what to do when we are attacked.
Start Out Like You Want to Finish
If you want to end your day loving Jesus, serving Jesus, following God, obeying God’s Word and cleansed from sin then you must begin your day the same way .
In Psalms, we learn that David was confident that when he went to meet God, that God was already waiting on him. What a wonderful truth! When we awake each morning, our God is already waiting for us. He watched over us while we slept and He is looking forward to a day with us. We can be confident when we meet God to begin the day, He is already waiting on us.
Breaking Cycles of Unbelief: YOUR STORY
Joshua 24:15 shares the ultimate declaration of breaking the cycle of generational unbelief: “as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
Dad experienced this in his life, I see it in my life and I suspect you can see it in your life as well. So - would you consider writing your story of breaking cycles of unbelief or continuing cycles of belief?
Here are a few key ideas to help you get started…
Beyond What We Could Ask or Think
In Dad’s journal, I found many references to dreams for me, for Mom and for other family and friends that his life touched. But I found not one reference to future generations beyond me. This doesn’t mean he didn’t have hopes and dreams for future generations, but I suspect that he had such “real time” challenges that looking toward the future probably didn’t come natural to him.
But God works “abundantly beyond all that we ask or think.”
When Dad Started Running Victory Laps
Friday, September 23, 1988 will forever be a day of victory. It was on this day that Dad started running.
In-laws, Out-laws and Left Turns
This week’s installment is from Gina Smith’s perspective.
The first time our parents met was memorable to say the least. It was at our engagement party and my dad walked introduced himself by saying “Well, we are going to be in-laws or out-laws.” Pop roared in laughter, and a bond between our families was forever set.
A few months later we experienced our first “left turn” in marriage: Pop went to be with Jesus. I watched my newlywed husband suffer with grief and sadness and had no idea how to meet him in that place. Things changed. And my faith was rattled.
Finding Purpose Through Broken Dreams
“Am I right about what you have said, that if I come four years to Memphis State and finish all the required subjects to teach secondary education, it is very doubtful I will be allowed to teach because I have hemophilia?”
His professor’s answer was devastating. “That is correct.”
A lingering question remained for Dad. “What is God’s purpose for my life?”
Through It All: Cancer, AIDS Scare, Unemployment and Marriage Stress
Through a cancer diagnosis, the AIDS scare of the 80s, innumerable unemployment trials, and the stress all this brings onto a marriage, Dad’s faith was continually challenged.
Every day, every week and every year was filled with faith opportunities to trust God more deeply. And just like you and me, sometimes he showed no faith, sometimes little faith and sometimes great faith.