Sing!

Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth. 

                          Psalm 96:1

Sing!

I’m the kind of person that loves to sing.  Unfortunately, I have not been blessed with a beautiful voice like Francesca Battistelli or Carrie Underwood, but I still love to sing.  I often find myself humming and making up words to songs that might someday be popular.  I consider myself blessed to be able to carry a simple tune.  The bible says to sing a new song unto the Lord.  A new song can signify a new season of life in which the believer is rejoicing in the goodness of God, rejoicing about a passing storm or an answered prayer or promise.

A Song of Anticipation

 In Isaiah 54:1, God instructs, “Sing, O barren woman, you who never bore a child, burst into song you were never in labor.”  In this sense, God was asking for a song of praise and worship for what God was about to do.  God was about to grant this woman (signifying Israel) the children she never had.  He even tells Israel, “Enlarge the place of your tent…lengthen your cords, and strengthen your stakes…for you will break forth on the right hand and on the left…your seed will inherit the gentiles” (Isaiah 54:2-3).    God was about to take away the shame and replace it with joy.  Sometimes we too have to praise God in advance for what we know He is about to do in our lives. What is God about to do in your life?

A Song of Praise for an Answered Prayer

In Luke 1, Mary, the future mother of Jesus sang a new song.  After visiting her cousin Elizabeth and finding out that Elizabeth would too bare a child in her older years, Mary pondered over the excitement that these two babies one day change the world. In response to God’s answered promise to not only her life, but the children of Israel, Mary sang,

My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God, my Savior for He has been mindful of the humble state of his servant.  From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me---holy is His name. His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation.  He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.  He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble.  He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.  He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever, even as he said to our fathers. Luke 1:46

Mary understood that what was taking place in her life was going to change the course of history and that Israel would finally receive its Messiah in the form of her son.  Her heart could not hold in the excitement and anticipation and her heart and soul broke forth into singing.  Her song rose within her spirit. This song rose from the spirit of a woman who was blessed because she believed in what the Lord said He would do in her life (Luke 1:45). Her song came from a woman who trusted in her God. It came from  a woman that had just received an answered prayer.  What prayer has God just answered in your life?

When We Stop Singing

Some of us have stopped singing because of pain and anguish.  In Psalm 137, the people of Israel had been taken captive to Babylon. The people of God were known by the Babylonians for the songs of Zion, however, they found it very hard to sing in such a land and during such a sad time in their lives.  Psalm 137 says, 

“By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion. We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof.  For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song; and they that wasted us required of us mirth, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion. How shall we sing the Lord's song in a strange land?”  Psalm 137:1-4

 Enduring hardship, unanswered prayers, hurt, and other trials, we find it hard to sing the song of praise to God in our own lives.   How can we possibly sing a song of praise when we are in enduring a test of our faith?  My challenge to you is to find the strength to sing a song of praise anyways.  Despite everything, sing because God is with you and He will never leave you.  Your hardship will soon come to an end and that song might just be the thing to give you grace to make it to the end.  Praise will keep you going.  Praise will keep you strong. Praise will move mountains on your behalf.  Don’t lose your praise! Don’t lose your song!  

 A Song of Deliverance

In Psalm 126, the song of the Israelites changed from that of sorrow to that of joy.   God answered and their song became one of rejoicing,

When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream.  Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The Lord hath done great things for them.  The Lord hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad…  They that sow in tears shall reap in joy… He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.

God always answers!  God always brings us to a place of joy no matter what trials He allows us to experience.  What song are you singing today?   If you are experiencing blessing, sing!  If you are experiencing an answered prayer, sing!  If you believe God is for you and has everything under control, sing!   If you are experiencing heartache, still sing.  Let God complete the work in you as you sing your way to victory!

Why?

Whenever we face an unpleasant circumstance in our lives, the most common thing we ask God is Why? Why me? I chuckle at this because it is those hard times that bring out the kid in all of us.  It's the kid who questions his/her parents when the parent makes a decision that the child does not like.  I remember often asking my mom "Why do I have to do this?" or "Why are you punishing me?"  and
"Why me?  Why, why, why?"  Now that I am older, I realize that she was the adult and had every right to do what she needed to do to get through to me.  It is only now that I can look back and see that everything she did was because she loved me.
Sometimes we are the same way with God.  We don't understand his ways, his thoughts, or His plans. We don't understand why he allows us to experience pain and hurt.  We don't understand why he allows us to experience trials.  The first question we ask him is "Why, God? Why me?"  This is a very normal reaction to discomfort.  After all, on the cross, Jesus asked, "My God, my God, WHY has thou forsaken me?"  The king of Kings, the Lord of Lords, and our savior wanted to know why.  Why did he have to suffer?   Why did God not come to His rescue?  The truth is that He already knew why He was experiencing pain. He knew their was a greater purpose for Him.  However, despite having that knowledge, he was still weak because he was robed in human flesh. The human flesh can only take so much.   I find it powerful that God could have sent angels to rescue Jesus Christ at hardest moment in his trial, but He didn't. He could have taken Him off that cross with one command to his angels, but He didn't.   The truth is, if He didn't rescue His only begotten Son from pain, He won't take you out of your trial either.  He loves you too much to not see His purpose for you accomplished.  However, God will provide grace for you to make it through.  He gave Christ grace and He will do the same for you.  Jesus made it through and God was glorified.  Wait just a little while longer.  God's about to be glorified in you too. 

Where is God?

After the tragic events that unfolded in Connecticut on Friday morning, conviction began to sweep my heart.  Later, I saw a news heading that read, Americans ask, "Where is God?"  Is God is closing His eyes to all this evil?  Here is my response.

Where is God? The world is asking this question, not so much to God, but to us as believers. In reality, they are asking us Christians, Where is your God? Have we failed to show them the goodness, the compassion, and the comfort of God? I'll tell you where God is or at least where He's supposed to be- inside of you and I. It's not so much that we've taken God out of schools, but that we've pushed God to the back of our lives. The question really is, have we taken God with us wherever we go? I don't care so much that prayer is not allowed in schools, but I care more that we don't allow prayer to change our lives to the point that we actually become the salt of the earth like we were intended to be. If we truly allowed God to work inside of us, He would be not only in the schools, but at the store, at the doctor's office, at the mall, at the park- EVERYWHERE. The world is not really asking us where God is, but they're challenging us true believers to show them where God is. Believers,  is he inside you and I? Think about this when you go to work each day. Does he go with you? Is your workplace saturated with His presence simply because you, His ambassador, are there?  Does God's peace and protection fill your workplace? Do you pray with your children each morning when God wakes your family up? Where is God? God is inside of you and I, but somehow through the chaos of life, we have failed to show Him to others.  That's why our society can ask, Where is God?  When the church's focus shifts from focusing on ourselves, our positions, our titles, and our sins to being the hands and feet of Jesus Christ, people won't have to ask that question.  Sin, politics, betrayal, backbiting have been prevalent problems, especially more so in recent years.  The enemy has attacked the church even more than before because he knows his time is at hand.  There is so much healing that is needed in the church of Christ itself that we are not ready to go out there and make disciples, bring comfort to the broken-hearted, and influence society.  I know that America has begun to lose its Christian values, but the Word of God already told us that this was going to happen.  We know that the love of many will wax cold.  We know that sin will abound more and more.  This was all foretold in the book of Matthew.  However, the Word tells us that the light of Jesus Christ is also going to get brighter and brighter.  Are we getting brighter and brighter?  Are we getting saltier and saltier, or are we becoming flavorless in  a society that needs Jesus more than ever? 

Think about this verse:

“If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”  II Chronicles 7:14

Note what this verse really says, "If my people...." God is not admonishing the world, he's admonishing his believers.  WE need to humble ourselves and turn from OUR wicked ways.. When we humble ourselves and turn from our wicked ways, then he will forgive OUR sin and heal OUR land, or our country in this case.  You see, healing for our country will only come when the Church is healed and empowered to go and do what God has called us to do. Our country's healing is completely dependent upon us.  When evil continues to abound in our society, I pray that society will come to the point where they say, Let's go to the church of Jesus Christ.  They will have answers.  They will pray for us.  Their God can help us in this time of trouble. 

The Power of the Seed

“A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it.  And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture.  And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it.  And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold”  (Luke 8:5-8). 

            The Word that God has given you is precious, just a like seed.  If we don’t nurture that seed, it is all too easy for the fowls of the air to swoop down and steal it from right under us.  When a “seed” or Word has been inserted into our spirits, we must cherish it like we would a precious gem. We must protect it like we would a child. We must protect it from those who would want to see it destroyed, or those who want to stop it from growing.  Mary had a seed growing inside of her—the baby Jesus. He had a wonderful destiny purposed for him since the beginning of time.  Satan did not want that seed to grow.  He did everything possible to destroy it.   He used Herod to devise a plan to wipe out every baby boy in order to destroy Jesus. It didn’t work.  The seed continued to grow, to have life, to have a purpose.  Satan thought that his plan had finally worked when he sent Jesus to the cross.  He thought his plan had worked when Jesus’s lifeless and limp body hung from the cross.  He thought his plan had worked when they buried him in the tomb never to be seen again.    But we know that the enemy's plan did not work. Three days later, Jesus rose from the dead.  Death couldn’t keep him down.  The seed had finally flourished into a life in which death had no more dominion over.   It now had the power to produce more fruit than ever before.  John penned the words, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit” (John 12:24).  When the seed grew, it produced a harvest.   When Jesus fulfilled his destiny on this earth, it meant salvation for mankind and victory over death.  I sit here over two-thousand years later as a result of that seed.
            There was so much riding on whether or not the seed planted by God lived.  In the same manner, today, there is much that is dependent on whether or not the seed inside of you lives.  Just like the enemy feared the seed inside of Mary, he fears the seed that is growing inside of you. He knows that if allowed to continue growing, it will produce a hundred-fold.  The seed inside of you have the power to usher in revival for nations, the power to see the sick healed, the power to bring salvation to not just the  to a few, but to the masses. This seed has the power to bring the kind of revival that, within a few moments, brings millions to their knees in the pouring rain as they are convicted by the Word of God and the power of the Holy Spirit.  I’m not just talking about in other countries, but I’m also talking about here in the United States as well.  This seed will be that which produces deliverance for the masses as they are freed from drug addiction, pornography, and other chains.  This kind of power will be awakened if the seed inside of YOU is allowed to grow.  The enemy’s darts will come to kill the word inside of you.  They come in the form of doubt, insecurity, stress, anxiety, financial problems, marriage problems, work problems, sickness, pain, hurt, rejection, anger, and bitterness. Don’t let the fowls of the air or the scorching sun steal or destroy what God has placed inside of you.  You are about to produce fruit that surpasses what you can imagine if you will treasure what you have inside of you.   Don’t give up now.  God can do exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask (Ephesians 3:20).  I know we hear that verse so many times and it can even become cliché at times, but the truth is that God is about to make “exceeding abundantly” a reality for you.   God is already opening doors that no man can close.   By faith, I see your harvest with you.  The Word that has been spoken into you has not returned void, but has already begun accomplishing that which it was sent out to do.   In this last hour, God will do a quick work, but he can only do it through the seed inside of you.  Will you let it live?  Will you nurture it?  Will you allow yourself to be the vessel through which God can work his glorious power?   I pray that right now, you will have the resilience to say “yes” despite what you may be facing, for you and I both know that we will reap in due season if we faint not (Galatians 6:9).

Remembering Our Military Men and Women During the Holidays

Let us never forget all of our men and the women who serve in the military who are away from their families this Christmas.  I am so grateful for each and every one of them who is fighting so that I can enjoy the freedom to celebrate the one true King this Christmas (and everyday for that matter).  I found this poem that was written in 1862 during the Civil War.  It was written by William Gordon McCabe.  It reminds me that while we're opening gifts, shopping, enjoying the festivities, there is someone out there missing their loved one.  Let us be mindful in our prayers for the families who have a loved one that is serving in the military and for those brave people out there serving our country. God bless America.

Christmas Night of 1862
by William Gordon McCabe (Confederate Soldier)
(1841-1920)

  The wintry blast goes wailing by,
The snow is falling overhead;
I hear the lonely sentry’s tread,
And distant watch-fires light the sky.
Dim forms go flitting through the gloom;
The soldiers cluster round the blaze
To talk of other Christmas days,
And softly speak of home and home.
My sabre swinging overhead
Gleams in the watch-fire’s fitful glow,
While fiercely drives the blinding snow,
And memory leads me to the dead.
My thoughts go wandering to and fro,
Vibrating between the Now and Then;
I see the low-browed home again,
The old hall wreathed with mistletoe.
And sweetly from the far-off years
Comes borne the laughter faint and low,
The voices of the Long Ago!
My eyes are wet with tender tears.
I feel again the mother-kiss,
I see again the glad surprise
That lightened up the tranquil eyes
And brimmed them o’er with tears of bliss,
As, rushing from the old hall-door,
She fondly clasped her wayward boy
Her face all radiant with the joy
She felt to see him home once more.
My sabre swinging on the bough
Gleams in the watch-fire’s fitful glow,
While fiercely drives the blinding snow
Aslant upon my saddened brow.
Those cherished faces all are gone!
Asleep within the quiet graves
Where lies the snow in drifting waves,
And I am sitting here alone.
There’s not a comrade here to-night
But knows that loved ones far away
On bended knee this night will pray:
“God bring our darling from the fight.”
But there are none to wish me back,
For me no yearning prayers arise.
The lips are mute and closed the eyes–
My home is in the bivouac.

From Desert to Garden

For the Lord will comfort Zion,
He will comfort all her waste places;
He will make her wilderness like Eden,
And her desert like the garden of the Lord;
Joy and gladness will be found in it,
Thanksgiving and the voice of melody

(Isaiah 51:3)

If you could live anywhere in the world, you would probably say that you’d like to live somewhere cool or mild, possibly near a beautiful river or coastal area, somewhere green and lush, with beautiful trees or maybe even tall mountains hanging over you from afar.  There are not many who would choose to live in a desert.  Deserts are dry and hot.  Did I mention hot?  Not many people live in the desert areas for that exact reason.  In Isaiah 51, the prophet  speaks a word concerning Jerusalem (Zion), the beloved of God. The word is this- The Lord will comfort Zion and all her waste places (places that have been destroyed). He promises to make her wilderness just like the beautiful garden of Eden. He promises to make her desert like a garden where joy and gladness will be found.  Thanksgiving and melody will also be found there.  What a powerful promise!

    God is not only the comforter of Zion, but He is also your comforter.  God has a way of making something that is not so beautiful such as a bad experience, a sickness, a state of depression-whatever your personal desert might be- and transforming it into something beautiful.  Only God can do this.  Has it been a while since you’ve felt joy and gladness?  How long has it been since you’ve had a fresh melody of praise and thanksgiving in your heart?  Have you allowed trials to take all your spiritual joy away from you?  If so, won’t you allow God to restore what has been lost?   Let him take that desert of pain, hurt, regret, confusion, disappointment, sickness, depression, and frustration and transform your spirit into a garden that releases the loveliest fragrance—Him!   Will you allow Him to do this in you today?  My prayer is that you will have the needed strength to reach out to Him and allow Him to transform you.  Remember, God’s not done with you yet.  

Forgiveness

We can't expect perfection from ourselves and most definitely, we can't expect it from others.  Everyone is unique with their own set of faults, weaknesses, and idiosyncrasies that make them who they are.  While I may be a hard-worker, a good friend, and love Jesus, I also have to deal with my weakness of procrastination, often saying the wrong thing when I'm upset, and my messiness.  I have them, you have them (even if you don't want to admit it).  The question then becomes why is it so hard to forgive others when we have our own faults? If we took account of our own faults more often, I think it would be easier to accept others for their own. Often when I have been hurt by someone, I try to remember how God loves me so much and from that love springs the ability to be patient with me as well as forgiving even when I don't deserve it.  This helps me to see that God is also working those people that unintentionally hurt me. God's working in their life is born out of pure love for them as well. What many times we are guilty of is labeling someone else's faults as "way out there" or  saying, "what they did is different" just because they don't look like our own weaknesses. In truth, faults are faults. Let's learn to forgive for we are all a work in progress. So this Thanksgiving, I encourage you to let go of any hurts and disappointments you are dealing with, especially with others.  Set the other person free and return, set yourself free. 

Day 21: I am thankful for the forgiveness that I have been shown by Jesus Christ which in turn, gives me the grace and strength to forgive others.  

"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."
Romans 5:8

Speak on My Behalf Lord

I don't write much about being a single woman. I'm 28, going on 29 in three months and am content in the season that God has me in. I know that someday, when the time is right, that season may change, but as for now, I am grateful to be where I'm at right now in my life. That's not to say that I don't have my "moments".  Married AND single, we all have our "moments". One of those moments for me occurred last year.  I don't remember the exact situation, but I remember that the husband of a woman that I know confronted me about a problem that his wife had with me and how somehow, I had offended her.  I was truly sorry and made a mends right away, but I remember going home that night very upset. Not because of the situation itself, but because I had to deal with her husband and not with the woman herself. Why couldn't she have spoken to me and confronted me-woman to woman?  Instead, she had her husband speak on her behalf when I was the only one that could speak on my own behalf.  I too wanted the luxury of having someone speak for me, to defend me, to justify me. I felt alone in the sense that I didn't have a husband or a father to speak for me in this situation or in any situation for that matter. It was then that I felt God softly whisper to me, April, I speak on your behalf. I am your defender.  I uphold you and if you are ever wronged, I will take care of it. You are my daughter and I will work on your behalf.  Those words have been tucked away for quite a while, but God reminded me that those words still hold true today.  When we are wronged or have been treated unfairly, our natural feeling is to do something, say something, speak our mind, but sometimes, God wants us to sit back and watch Him work, watch him speak for us and move mountains that only he can move. So today, I sit.  I may be wiggling in my seat, but still I'm going to sit and be quiet and watch God work. Is there a situation that is taking place in your life and you need someone to speak on your behalf?  Are you tempted to take matters into your own hands? Can you trust God to take care of it for you? He will and he'll exceed your expectations.  Watch and see him move on your behalf.

"He is near who justifies Me; Who will contend with Me? Let us stand together. Who is My adversary? Let him come near Me^.  Surely the Lord God will help Me" (Isaiah 50:8-9)

Blessings,
 April

Away from It All

"So it was, as the multitude pressed about Him to hear the word of God, that He stood by the Lake of Gennesaret, and saw two boats standing by the lake; but the fishermen had gone from them and were washing their nets.  Then He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat... So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed." (Luke 5: 1-3, 16)

In the midst of it all- the job, the bills, the friends, social gatherings, church, keeping up the home, driving here, driving there, needing this, needing that, there comes a time when you just need to get away from it all and separate yourself unto Jesus to that quiet place where all the distractions and all the demands disappear.  Even if its for a short while, it makes a big difference in our lives.  I'm not talking simply about prayer, but I'm talking about reserving a chunk of time where there are no time limits and you're not accessible to anyone else except Jesus Christ. I'm talking about going to a place where your human spirit can be quieted and your heart can be more in tune with God's voice.  For some, this might mean that you take a half day retreat at a local Starbucks to study the Word or taking a whole day where you lock yourself in your room and just take in His presence.   Jesus did exactly this.  One particular day, he was busy ministering to the masses when he had an idea.  He was near the shoreline of a lake when he got a on a boat and had the boat moved a little ways from the shore.  From the boat, he spoke to the people.  In my mind, I imagine he just needed a little "space."  Imagine people always pressed up against him and needing something from Him.  Although I'm sure that He didn't mind it, most likely, He became tired and drained at times.  Sometimes, we just need a little space or a little time to call our own.  It doesn't mean that we don't love people or that we don't need anyone or even that we are neglectful of our duties, but it just means that we need some alone time- just us and Jesus. A couple of verses later, we read that Jesus healed a man from leprosy and when everyone heard about it, many came to him to be healed.  It's right after that when we read that Jesus went alone into into the wilderness to pray. Again, we see Jesus separating himself from the "stuff" of life to refresh himself spiritually and be alone with God. If Jesus needed time alone, then we need it too.  I know that for some, like myself, it's a bit easier to find this alone time, but it's something that we all need.  If at all possible, arrange your schedule in advance (kind of like a date) to block time than usual to be with the King of Kings.  Doing so will make you that much more ready to minister to people and truly impact this world the way Christ calls us to do. Let this song encourage you as you make time away from it all to be with the King of Kings.