Just An Extraordinary Housewife

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Our Foundation Hymn for Sunday, April 1, 2012 is I Need Thee Every Hour, Written by a housewife named Annie Hawks. One day at home, Annie was filled with an overwhelming feeling of the nearness of her Lord. She began to wonder how anyone could live without Him. In times of joy or times of pain she knew the comfort of the Lord. According to Annie, the following words flashed into her mind.

I need Thee every hour,
Most gracious Lord;
No tender voice like Thine,
Can peace afford.

I need Thee, O I need Thee!
Every hour I need Thee:
O bless me now my Saviour!
I come to Thee.

She gave here poem to Dr. Robert Lowry who composed the tune we will sing this morning. It was first sung in November of 1872.

This morning I would like us to understand how much we need Jesus. We have allowed our selves to become so self-reliant that we think we only need God in times of crisis. As we sing about the King of Kings this morning, acknowledge that you need him every hour. Every hour of everyday we need His guidance, His touch, His presence. We need to hear His tender voice.

Our Music today starts with All Hail King Jesus and Celebrate Jesus! After our time of greeting each other we will sing, Here I Am To Worship and Lord I Come. Both songs have words that can become our prayer this morning. Here I am to Worship says, “Open My Eyes Let Me See”. God is at work in each of our lives. Lord, open our eyes and let us see you at work.
Lord I Come says,

Lord, I come. Take my life. I offer it to You, A living sacrifice.
By Your grace and by Your blood, I come into the Holy of Holies.

All I want to do is dwell in Your presence.
I want to drink from the well that never runs dry.
All I want to see is the light of Your glory.
If I get just one glimpse of your glory and
just one drink from your well my soul will be satisfied.

Let’s listen for Him this morning. Listen for Him in the songs we sing and in the message that is preached. Let us also listen for Him in the people that we speak with. The King of Kings would like to speak to us today, everyday, every hour!

p.s. We will end the service with a great Gaither song, The King Is Coming!

Jesus Is At Hand!

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Do you remember the 1960s and all of the fear about “The Bomb”? I remember doing Bomb drills when I was a kid. People were building bomb shelters in their back yards. Songwriters were writing songs about the total destruction of mankind and the Cold War was on the minds of just about everyone. Yet with the future so uncertain, a young couple, Bill and Gloria Gaither believed that in the midst of all the turmoil of the world the future was nothing to be afraid of. With the birth of their third son they were inspired to write a song that I am sure all of know very well, Because He Lives.

Here’s what Bill and Gloria wrote:
How sweet to hold our newborn baby
And feel the pride and joy he gives
But greater still the calm assurance
This child can face uncertain days
Because Christ lives
Because He lives I can face tomorrow
Because He lives all fear is gone
Because I know He holds the future
And life is worth the living
Just because He lives

Philippians 4:4-6 says, “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;”
I don’t rejoice because of all of the turmoil in the world. I rejoice because in the midst of all the turmoil Jesus is “At hand”. That phrase means readily accessible. He is readily accessible because He Lives! He is alive and He is with us walking us thru the turmoil of this world. That is why we can rejoice in the Lord always!

This morning our service will start with a great resurrection hymn, He Lives!
Then we will join our voices singing Hosanna which means “Salvation has come”. Days of Elijah reminds us that:

Behold He comes
Riding on the clouds
Shining like the sun
At the trumpet call
So lift your voice
It’s the year of Jubilee
And out of Zion’s hill
Salvation comes

I Will Not Be Shaken and Because He Lives will lead us into a time of prayer. We are not even a month away from Easter Sunday. Let’s begin celebrating the resurrection of our Lord today! Remember Jesus is at hand!

Who Would You Die For?

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It was Christmas Eve in 1885 when Eugene M. Bartlett was born. During his 56 year life he wrote more than 800 hymns. The last hymn written by Bartlett was penned in 1939. It is our Foundation hymn for March 4, 2012, Victory in Jesus. Bartlett is considered a founding father of Southern Gospel music and was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 1979.

This morning I’d like you to think about the words Bartlett wrote 73 years ago, “He sought me and bought me”. It is amazing to me that the Creator sought each one of us? Then knowing everything about us he bought us! Romans 5:8 “But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.”

I read a story one time that went like this. (From Hot Illustrations, Youth Specialties)
A family was involved in a serious traffic accident. Mike, the youngest of two brothers involved, was badly injured and needed a blood transfusion. Mike’s big brother Danny, who was only eight years old, had the same blood type as his younger brother. The dad sat down with Danny and carefully explained to him why this blood transfusion was needed and how wonderful it would be for his little brother. After some silence, Danny responded by saying, “Yes, Daddy, I’ll give my blood to Mike so he can get well.” At the hospital, a pint of blood was drawn from Danny’s veins. Only after the needle was removed did Danny turn to his father with tears rolling down his cheeks and ask, “Daddy, when do I die?” The father suddenly realized with a shock that Danny had misunderstood his explanation of giving blood. Danny thought he was giving all of his blood to save the life of his brother! He thought that he would die after the transfusion was over. Yet he still had agreed to help his little brother.

Romans 5:7-8 “We can understand someone dying for a person worth dying for, and we can understand how someone good and noble could inspire us to selfless sacrifice. But God put his love on the line for us by offering his Son in sacrificial death while we were of no use whatever to him.”

This morning think about the fact that Jesus Christ sought you and bought you even though He knew you. Think on this while we sing All Hail the Power of Jesus Name, Everlasting God, How Great is our God, His Name is Wonderful and Come Holy Spirit.

“He died for us so that…we may live together with him” (I Thessalonians 5:10).

Everyday Means Everyday

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Rise Up O Men of God is a hymn that was written to men.
William P. Merrill told the story about writing the great hymn, “Rise Up O Men of God”. He said, “Nolan R. Best, then editor of The Continent, happened to say to me that there was urgent need of a brotherhood hymn. I was on one of the Lake Michigan steamers going back to Chicago for a Sunday at my own church, when suddenly this hymn came up, almost without conscious thought or effort”.

As we sing this great hymn let the words challenge your heart. “Give heart and soul and mind and strength to serve the King of Kings”. This should be our desire on a daily basis. It won’t happen by accident. We have to choose to give God all our heart all our soul and all our mind each and everyday. As John Maxwell says, “Everyday means everyday”.

Our second song is Holy is the Lord. The result of giving your heart, soul and mind to the Lord everyday will be the Joy of the Lord.
“We stand and lift up our hands for the joy of the Lord is our strength.”
We need this strength everyday. Remember, everyday means everyday. We need His strength everyday.
Scott Underwood writes our third song for the morning. He wrote it while fishing and the original title was “The Fishermen’s Song”. He was fishing and the words and music came to him as easily as Rise Up O Men of God came to William Merrill. I love singing these two songs on the same morning. The Fishermen’s Song is also known as Take My Life.

Holiness, holiness Is what I long for.
Holiness is what I need.
Holiness holiness is what You want from me.

So take my heart and form it. Take my mind transform it.
Take my will conform it. To Yours to Yours oh Lord.

Faithfulness, faithfulness is what I long for
Faithfulness is what I need.
Faithfulness, faithfulness is what You want from me.

Righteousness, righteousness is what I long for.
Righteousness is what I need.
Righteousness, righteousness is what You want from me.

So take my heart and form it. Take my mind transform it.
Take my will conform it. To Yours to Yours oh Lord.
This is a great message for men and for women, everyday!

Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus

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Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus
O soul are you weary and troubled
No light in the darkness you see
There’s light for a look at the Savior
And life more abundant and free

Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in His wonderful face
And the things of earth
Will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace

When Peter got out of the boat he walked toward Jesus. No big deal right? Only the boat was not in the parking lot, it was in the middle of the lake. Peter and Jesus were both walking on the water! Peter had his eyes turned upon Jesus. But as soon as Peter took his eyes off of Jesus and looked at the storm around him he began to sink. You and I live in a world with many storms. For some folks it seems like it is one storm after another. I want to encourage you this morning to Turn your eyes upon Jesus and look full in His wonderful face. And then the storms of this life will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.

Peter cried out, “Save me, Lord”. Jesus reached out and grabbed him. Jesus did not make the storm stop right away. The Bible says, Matthew 14:32, “When they climbed back into the boat, the wind stopped”.
We want the storm to stop right away. Jesus wants to “grab us” in the midst of our storms. Let him reach out and save you this morning no matter what you are going through. It does not mean the storm will stop it just means that Jesus has a hold of you.
Our songs for this morning, Sunday February 19, 2012 start out with a celebration of our mighty God. Then we turn our eyes to reflect on Jesus.
We will start out with Bless the Lord, Mighty is Our God, Great and Mighty is He and He is the King of Glory! Then we will sing about our belief in The Savior. I Believe in Jesus and Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus.
The choir will tell the Gospel story with In Christ Alone and the Ensemble will reassure us that God is “Nothin’ But Good” English teachers, you will have to allow for poetic license with this song as the grammar is not quite correct but the message is true!
He ain’t never been nothin’ but good.
When life’s hard as it can be
When blessing after blessing doesn’t seem
To keep following me
I still rejoice in Him
And praise His holy name
‘Cause who He was He is
And what He did He does
I’m standing on His Word
Trusting Him because
The Lord has never been nothin’
Nothin’ but good
And everything that is
It is because He was
And all we really need
He’s given unto us
I know without a doubt
Things will work out like they should

Yesterday today forever
He’s still the same

I’m Going Out to See My Father’s World

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The foundation hymn Sunday, February 12, 2012 is a hymn titled by an expression used by Rev. Maltbie D. Babcock, 1858 – 1901. When Dr. Babcock lived in Lockport, New York he was in the habit of walking to the top of a hill north of town. From there he could see all of Lake Ontario. He was often heard saying before his walk, “I’m going out to see my Father’s world.” One day he wrote a poem that started: This is my Father’s world and to my listening ears all nature sings and round me rings The music of the spheres

This truly is our Father’s world. Genesis 1:1 says, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth”. Creation is the foundation for the Old Testament. If you don’t believe Genesis 1:1 then you don’t need to go any further in the Bible. John 1:1 says, “ Contemporary English Version (CEV)
1In the beginning was the one who is called the Word.The Word was with God and was truly God.
2From the very beginning the Word was with God. 3And with this Word, God created all things.
Nothing was made without the Word. Everything that was created 4received its life from him, and his life gave light to everyone.

God has always been revealing Himself to us through His creation. The Bible says there is no excuse for us not to know Him. Romans 1:19-20 (NLT)They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.

When Dr. Babcock would go for his walk it was obvious to him that he was walking in His Father’s World. “The rocks and trees of skies and seas His had the wonder wrought”.
This Sunday we will sing about the wonders of God. In fact that is the title to our first song, “The Wonders of God”, by Rick Muchow.
The earth and heaven above
Echo the wonder of His love
Join the chorus God is for us
The greatest wonder of all

Joyful Joyful We Adore Thee is our second song.
All Thy works with joy surround Thee
Earth and heaven reflect Thy rays
Stars and angels sing around Thee
Center of unbroken praise

Mighty to Save and Holy Holy Holy will lead us into a time of prayer lead by Pastor Al Johnson.
As we worship today remember Colossians 3:1-4
“Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. 2 Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. 3 For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 And when Christ, who is your[a] life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.”

With All My Heart

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When I was a young boy I remember saying goodnight to my mom and dad. I would kiss my mom and shake my dad’s hand with our own unique handshake. Then I would say, “I love you both with all my heart”. Every night, kiss mom, shake dad’s hand and say, “I love you both with all my heart”. I was reminded of that phrase as we practiced this week’s foundation Hymn, “How Deep the Father’s Love”. Most of you have probably never heard this hymn. That is because it’s a “Modern Hymn. Stuart Townend wrote it in 1995. He wanted to tell the story of what it cost the Father to redeem us. The cost for our redemption is something we should be aware of. The words to this hymn have stirred my heart this week.

Verse 1 speaks of the Father’s cost and pain. “How great the pain of searing loss. The Father turns His face away”.

Verse 1: How deep the Father’s love for us; How vast beyond all measure
That He should give His only Son; To make a wretch His treasure
How great the pain of searing loss; The Father turns His face away
As wounds which mar the Chosen One; Bring many sons to glory

Verse 2 puts us there in the crowd when Jesus was crucified. Would I have cried out, “Crucify Him!” along with the others? My sin put Him on the cross. His love for me held Him to the cross.

Verse 2: Behold the Man upon a cross; My sin upon His shoulders
Ashamed I hear my mocking voice; Call out among the scoffers
It was my sin that held Him there; Until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life; I know that it is finished

Verse 3, “This I know with all my heart” Jesus paid it all and now I am free! His wounds have paid my ransom.

Verse 3: I will not boast in anything; No gifts no power no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ; His death and resurrection
Why should I gain from His reward; I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart; His wounds have paid my ransom

We will start the morning off by singing a medley of hymns. Standing on the Promises of God, Leaning on the Everlasting Arms and Are You Washed in the Blood of the Lamb. One of my favorite hymns written in 18th Century, Come Thou Fount, will turn our hearts and minds toward the fact that we are lost and helpless without Him. I am “Prone to wander, Lord I feel it. Prone to leave the God I love. Here’s my heart O take and seal it. Seal it for Thy courts above”.
Our final song will be Jesus Paid it All. We are all stained by sin. It is a stain that we cannot remove ourselves. It is only by the blood of Jesus that we can be washed clean.

Jesus paid it all; All to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain; He washed it white as snow

What do you know “With all your heart”? I hope you know the Father loves you so much that He allowed His son to be brutally sacrificed for you. I hope you know it was because of your sin that Jesus hung on that terrible wonderful cross. I hope you know that John 3:16 is meant for you!

Let’s Worship with All Our Heart!

How Was Worship Today?

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Have you ever had anyone ask you, “How was worship today”? What do they mean when they ask that question? Sometimes they simply mean, “Did you like the songs that the worship leader chose to sing in church this morning”? What if I added one word to the question? “How was your worship today”? The responsibility for worship changes with that one word. In the first question, the worship leader is responsible.
In the second, you are responsible.
Our culture has defined Worship as: “Singing in Church”. The truth is that singing is not worship. Singing can be a result of worship. Singing can lead us into worship but just singing is not worship. Here is a theological definition of worship: “An act by a redeemed man or woman, the creature, toward God, their creator, whereby his or her mind, will and emotions gratefully respond to the revelation of God’s person expressed in the redemptive work of Jesus Christ, as the Holy Spirit illuminates the written Word to his or her heart.”

1. Worship is an “Act”.
This can be: Prayer, Scripture reading, preaching, listening, singing, etc.

2. Worship is “Toward God”.

3. Worship involves our mind, emotions and will. Emotion alone does not constitute worship. Emotion alone means we are focused only on ourselves and not our creator.

4. Worship is a grateful response. When we worship we are responding to God.

5. Worship involves revelation. God is revealing Salvation to us.

6. Worship involves the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit Illuminates all that God has done for us. The Holy Spirit makes it so we cannot get God and His redemptive work out of our minds. This thought begins in our intellect then burst into our heart and is expressed through our emotions.

7. Worship must be done in Truth. We must have knowledge of the God we worship. Only a redeemed man or woman can be truly informed about the God of their salvation. The Holy Spirit through His Word reveals God to us. His Word is Truth!

This morning, “Worship” it is totally up to you. It is not about our favorite songs, it is about God our creator.

Our foundation Hymn for this Sunday, January 29, 2012 is O Worship the King. This has been called “A model hymn for Worship” because of the truth expressed in its lines. God is described as King, Shield, Defender, Ancient of Days, Maker, Redeemer, and Friend. It also has such great vivid imagery such as, “His chariots of wrath the deep thunderclouds form.” This hymn references God’s attributes, His power, might, grace, bountiful care and love. Combined with a melody, these words will lead us to the throne, revealing the Truth about our Creator. At this point if you know Him you will worship Him!

So, how was your worship today?

The Radical Churchman

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Isaac Watts wrote, “The singing of God’s praise is the part of worship most closely related to heaven; but its performance among us is the worst on earth.” Watts was born on July 17, 1674, in Southampton, England. He learned Latin when he was five years old. By age nine Greek became his third language and by age eleven he could speak French. At age thirteen he learned his fifth language, Hebrew. (This just shows what a child can do without television) Watts was frustrated with church music. The singing in most of the English speaking churches at that time consisted of slow, ponderous Psalms. A deacon would read the first line of a Psalm then the congregation would follow with a droning like voice. After hearing young Watts complained so much, his father exclaimed, “Why don’t you give us something better, young man!” In response to his father, Watts wrote his first hymn which was sung in church that same evening. For two years he wrote one new hymn every Sunday. Because his songs were so bold and his style was not the traditional droning of Psalms, Isaac Watts was considered to be a radical churchman.

This week we will sing one of these radical hymns written by Isaac Watts. When I Survey the Wondrous Cross is our foundation Hymn for Sunday January 22, 2012. This hymn was one of the first hymns written based on personal feelings. He was expressing how he felt about what Christ did for him. This was a radical change for the church. In the fist two verses he writes how he feels about Christ. In the third verse we find what we call today, “The Take Away”. What is it that we “Take Away” from this song? Here’s what I think. If I owned the whole world and gave it to God as an offering it would be too small. What God did for me (John 3:16) is so incredibly amazing that the only option I have is to give God my soul, my life, my all. What is your offering to God? Romans 12:1 And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.

Verse 1
When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of Glory died
My richest gain I count but loss
And pour contempt on all my pride

Verse 2
See from His head His hands His feet
Sorrow and love flow mingled down
Did e’er such love and sorrow meet
Or thorns compose so rich a crown

Verse 3
Were the whole realm of nature mine
That were an offering far too small
Love so amazing so divine
Demands my soul my life my all

Our other songs for worship include:
How Great Thou Art, written by Stuart Wesley Keene Hine
He is Lord, written by Paul Smith
Because We Believe, written by Nancy Gordon and Jamie Harvill
There Is a Redeemer, written by Melody Green

Does Your Vacuum Need Cleaning?

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Proverbs 4:23 says “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life”. Your heart is like a vacuum. A vacuum is an empty space that sucks up whatever is in its path. I picture my heart like a big shop vacuum, which will suck up anything in its path. When I point the hose at something it sucks it right into the empty tank (My Heart). Here are two things to think about.
1. Whatever you point your heart at will become part of you.
2. When your shop vac (Heart) is full, is there room left for God?

If you don’t purposefully put the things of God into your heart it will get full junk from the world. Your heart is going to get full of something. That’s the nature of the heart.

What is in your heart today? Our foundation hymn is “In My Heart There Rings A Melody” written by Elton Roth. One day in 1923 Roth was experiencing the oppressive heat of a Texas summer. He was walking across small town and stepped into a church to escape that heat. The church was empty and as he walked through the aisles he began praying for the people who worshiped there. He also started to sing a song. The words and the music just began flowing out of him. He hurried to the pastor’s study to write it down. That night he taught his new song to 200 people at an evangelistic meeting. It has become one of the favorite hymns of the church.

This Sunday, January 15, 2012 we will focus on your heart. Think about these questions this week as you prepare your heart for worship. What is in your heart? Is your heart surrendered? What have you allowed into your heart that should not be there?

Our opening Hymn is, IN MY HEART THERE RINGS A MELODY with SINCE JESUS CAME INTO MY HEART. Celebrate and rejoice as we sing these great hymns. Then we will move into a time of reflection with, OPEN THE EYES OF MY HEART LORD, CREATE IN ME A CLEAN HEART and HAVE THINE OWN WAY, LORD!
Did you notice the exclamation point in the Title of Have Thine Own Way? That is exactly how it is written in the Hymnal. When we sing this song, let’s sing it with the exclamation point!

Let these words be your prayer this week:

Have Thine own way Lord! Have Thine own way!

Thou art the Potter I am the clay.

Mold me and make me after Thy will.

While I am waiting yielded and still.

God Bless
Pastor Morri