Psalm 96:1 Sing to the Lord a new song, sing to the Lord, all the earth.
In the Sixties my mom decided one morning to bleach her dark hair blonde because she had always heard that blondes have more fun. My dad gave his approval so mom went to her beautician and all was well until the drive home. When she arrived my dad asked her how it went and she told him that the only man who paid any attention to her was old and toothless and ran his car into the ditch as he looked at her. Dad then asked mom what she was going to do and she emphatically told him that she was going to dye her hair back to its original color! She did!
Well, I have to hand it to my mom for trying something new! The truth is, we often get into a rut when it comes to practicing the spiritual disciplines like prayer and worship which God has given to help us mature in our walk with Christ. One study has shown that most folks forget the meaning of the lyrics of a song after we have sung the song thirty times.
Psalm 36 calls the earth, its inhabitants, and nature itself sing a new song. In Matthew Six Jesus told the church folks who were just in it for the ritual rather than the relationship with God, that He is not impressed with empty words. Jesus said, And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition, as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words. Therefore, do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need, before you ask Him. Pray, then, in this way, Our Father who art in heaven. Here are some ideas. Instead of kneeling, take a prayer walk, or sing a hymn or praise song back to God as a prayer in your private worship, or stand still outside and listen to the birds sing and be thankful to God that as He knows about that very bird, He cares for you, and so much more!
Oh by the way, are you a worrier? Then you are ideal material for praying without ceasing. Invite the Holy Spirit to turn your worries into prayers and watch them evaporate into thin air!
A New Day, A New Prayer!
Pastor Louie
Lord Teach Us to Pray
Luke 11:1 And it came about that while He was praying in a certain place, after He had finished, one
Before I became a preacher, I received my undergraduate degree in Secondary Education from Jacksonville State University in Jacksonville, Alabama. One of my professors, Dr. Parnell, instilled in me the importance of teaching my future Junior High and Senior High students the matters of the heart as well as the head. In this text, Luke tells us that one of the disciples of Jesus asked Him, to teach them to pray.
As Christians, we have no better example for mind and heart than Jesus to teach us how to pray. As a matter of fact, this is one of the most important questions Jesus could have ever received from His disciples. And the wonderful thing is, whether you are a brand new Christian or have been a Christian for many years, you can always ask Jesus to teach you how to pray, or pray afresh! Do not let your fear of not knowing what words to stay or the frequency of your past prayers hinder you. Just step up to the plate and swing for the fence. You have been given the Holy Spirit who lives in you and will lead you Himself as you pray to the Father in the power of Christ! And the most wonderful way to get started is to use what Jesus used, the Word of God. Read Luke 11:1-4 to see what Jesus taught them, and let that prayer replace you fears and insecurities about prayer with a boldness and an excitement towards your future time with God.
In the Name of Christ Who is Praying for Us Right Now, Hebrews 7:25
Pastor Louie
Let Down Your Hands
Psalm 46:1-2, 10 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore, we wil
It is very hard not to be afraid of something these days. Fear of terrorist attack. Fear of losing a job. Fear for the safety of your children or great grandchildren as they attend school. Fear of what a medical test result may reveal. Fear of change!
Historically, Psalm 46 was written at time in which the cities of Judah, including Jerusalem, were undergoing a second invasion by the evil warmonger, Sennacherib, King of Assyria, in 699 BC. The first invasion had only been one year earlier in 700 BC. This psalm addresses the deliverance of God in the midst of a military crisis. It is a psalm of trust and thanksgiving, focusing on the God of Israel, their shelter, the city of God, their security, and the deliverance of God, their peace.
In verse ten, the psalmist writes, Cease striving, or Be still, and know that I am God. Literally, in the Hebrew language, this means to let down the hands. Whatever Sennacherib type fear you may be facing today, the place to start, is by letting down your hands in an act of surrender to the God that is bigger than the fear of whatever it is you are afraid of. Allow Christ to be your refuge, security, and peace this Lenten and Easter Season. Try raising your hands, and then, literally laying them down as you pray these Scriptures!
In the strong Name of Christ,
Pastor Louie
Has Been in a Has Not World
I Corinthians 15:16-20 Paul writes, For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised,
There are folks all around you and me, every day, who view the Resurrection of Jesus Christ in a has not fashion. If the dead are not raised. If Christ has not been raised. Many are Christians who say, there is no hope for me concerning this set of circumstances. I cannot work my way through this dilemma, this illness. Paul writes to the Corinthian church that if the Son of God our faith would be worthless and we would still be hopelessly lost in our sins.
But notice the Easter Sunday crescendo on earth and in heaven Paul proclaims when he writes, But now Christ has been raised from the dead! Dear Christian believer, you are indwelt by the Spirit of the living God! The Bible says you can do all things through Christ who has empowered you with the same power that raised Jesus from the dead. The historical fact is, the resurrection of Jesus was the Amen approval of God to the cross event! Invite God today to transform your has not into has been!
Hallelujah! He is Risen, as He said He would!
Pastor Louie