Wednesday, September
19, 2012, 10:10 a.m. – the Lord woke me this morning with the song “Blessed Are You” playing through my
mind. I read Philippians 1:12-30
(NIV 1984):
Now I want you to
know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the
gospel. As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and
to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. Because of my chains, most of
the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word of God more courageously
and fearlessly.
It is true that some
preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. The latter
do so in love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The
former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that
they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. But what does it matter?
The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true,
Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.
Yes, and I will continue
to rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and the help given by the
Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my
deliverance. I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but
will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my
body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is
gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for
me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire
to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary
for you that I remain in the body. Convinced of this, I know that I will
remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the
faith, so that through my being with you again your joy in Christ Jesus will
overflow on account of me.
Whatever happens,
conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I
come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you
stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel
without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to
them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by God.
For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him,
but also to suffer for him, since you are going through the same struggle you
saw I had, and now hear that I still have.
An Opportunity
A couple of days ago a music producer approached me about
making a professional CD of some of my (the Lord’s) songs. I declined, because
I assumed making a CD would be for the purpose of profiting financially from
the CD, and that is not what I am looking to do. I said, in response to him: “Gerry,
I appreciate your kind and encouraging words. The Biblical premise behind what
I do is this: "Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual
songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to
God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ"
(Ephesians 5:19-20 NIV). I don't write for profit, but for the glory of God and
the encouragement of the saints of God. So, all the songs are in the public
domain. That is the way I believe God wants me to use this gift he has given to
me. The songs are available free of charge to anyone who wants to record them.
And, I give all the praise, honor and glory to God for how he chooses to use
them in people's lives. Again, thanks so much! Your words have ministered to my
heart.”
He replied: “From my experience the best way to get your
songs out there is to record a professionally done CD with you as the vocalist.
It's something you should pray about and let God guide you. You can always stay
in touch by email or even call me. There's never any obligation, I'm happy to
share free advice and guidance and then let the Lord use you in the way He
feels works best. May you and others be continually blessed with this gift He's
given you.”
So, I committed this opportunity as a matter for prayer. In
my thinking out loud to the Lord, I mentioned to him how it appears that the
songs are not yet reaching a broad audience, yet I know that God could be
taking them places of which I am not aware. Just then the Lord put the old A.B.
Simpson hymn, “The Regions Beyond” in my mind - http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/r/e/regionsb.htm.
I knew God put that hymn in my mind in
response to my prayer to him, but I was not sure if he was saying that he is
already taking the songs to the regions beyond, i.e. to places of which I am
unaware, or if he wants me to take them to the regions beyond in response to
this music producer’s request that I pray about making a CD of the songs.
Just as I wrote this, the Lord brought this scripture to my
mind: “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible”
(Matt. 19:26). And, as I just recorded that verse, the Lord brought another
verse to mind, “‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the LORD
Almighty” (Zech. 4:6b).
A Needed Miracle
I told my husband last night that if this were to really
happen, it would take a miracle of God to see it to completion, i.e. from the
finances necessary, to the voice to sing, to the transportation and housing in
Nashville, and to getting the CDs in hands that would get them out to people
“in the regions beyond,” etc. Yet, I still don’t know if the answer to my
prayer is that God is already doing this supernaturally in a way that man could
not possibly do it, or if God is wanting me to trust him with this venture because
he can work miracles where man cannot.
After the Lord put the song “The Regions Beyond” in my mind,
he put the song “God will Make a Way” - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQQrYrtD2Zs.
This song fits well with the scripture from Matthew 19 about all things being
possible with God. The song also appears to suggest that this is something new
that God is going to do that he is not already doing.
Clearly the Lord is telling me that he will make a way for
these songs to go to the regions beyond. Yet, I may never see how he is
accomplishing this. Still he may have a plan for me to be personally involved
in the process of taking the songs to the regions beyond, where it is
impossible with man, but fully possible with God.
Lord, I trust you to show me what you have in mind here. Am
I to keep doing what I have been doing and just trust that you are taking the
songs where you want them, or is there something additional that you have for
me to do? I know that you are the one who is orchestrating the whole process,
beginning to end, so I will wait on you to show me what you have for me to do.
Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.
Served to Advance the
Gospel
It is so fitting that this should be my passage for today,
since the Lord had spoken to me through the hymn “The Regions Beyond”
concerning taking the gospel in song to places where the message of the true
gospel has not yet been told. Paul said here that what had happened to him,
i.e. his persecutions, trials, beatings and imprisonments helped serve to advance
the gospel. Because of Paul’s chains, other followers of Christ were encouraged
to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly, which then advanced
the gospel, so it was kind of like a domino effect.
So, I considered before the Lord how this might fit with this
proposal made to me to make a professional CD of some of the songs the Lord has
given to me to write, and also how it might fit with taking the gospel in song
to the regions beyond.
Truly it is because of previous persecution and rejection in
today’s institutional church that I am where I am, doing what I am doing, i.e.
if I had been accepted in a church I would probably still be there confined to
those areas of ministry within that local congregation. But, God had other
plans for me. He allowed me to be persecuted and rejected more than once so
that I would call on him in prayer and anguish of heart and seek his face for
what he had for my life, and in that time of anguish in prayer he began to open
my heart to a new ministry of writing what he gives me each day and posting it
on the internet, so, in a way, I have been going to the regions beyond for the
past six + years. Yet, I get a sense that there is more that God has for me,
which is why the messages have been “Go,” “God will make a way,” and “With man
this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
So, I ask for your prayers for me that God will make a way
where there seems to be no way for these messages in song to reach to the
regions beyond, whether or not I am physically involved in that process in any
way other than just to do what I have already been doing.
Paul said that he believed that through the prayers of the
saints of God what had happened to him would turn out for his deliverance. I
believe God is saying the same thing to me, that the persecution that sent me
to seek God’s face and ultimately led to this present ministry will and already
is serving to advance the gospel, and that this ministry of writing and song is
already being blessed of God in so many ways, and will continue to be, whether
in my life or in my death, for to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain, for
either way I am with Christ.
Whatever Happens
Whatever happens to me or to you, or whatever God leads me
to do or not do, the important thing is that we continue (or begin) to conduct
our lives in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ Jesus, our Lord. It is
invaluable that we stand firm in one spirit in Christ, contending as one person
for the faith of the gospel without being frightened in any way by those who
oppose us, because God can make a way where there seems to be no way, because
he works in ways we cannot see, and I know he is making a way for you and me
and for his gospel to go to the regions beyond.
I would not be where I am today if I gave way to the fear of
man, yet it was the opposition of man that sent me to my knees and that led me
to hear God’s voice speaking clearly to my heart in leading me to do what I am
doing today. So, I thank the Lord for those times of persecution and rejection
and opposition for they helped serve to advance the gospel.
Blessed Are You /
An Original Work / August 29, 2012
Based off Luke 6:20-49 NIV 1984
“Blessed are you;
Blessed are you who
are poor
For God’s kingdom is
yours.
(Kingdom is yours)
Blessed are you;
Blessed are you who
are hungry,
You’ll be satisfied.
(Be satisfied)
Blessed are you;
Blessed are you who
weep now,
For you will laugh
with joy.
(Will laugh with joy)
Blessed are you;
Blessed are you when
men hate
And reject you because
of Christ.”
(Because of Christ)
“Rejoice in that;
Rejoice in that day
and
Leap for joy; great
your reward.
(Great your reward)
But I tell you;
But I tell you to love
those
Who hate you; do them
good.
(Do good to them)
Pray for those who;
Pray for those who
treat you wrong
And say kind things of
them.
(Kind things of them)
Do to others;
Do to others as you
would have
Them do; have them do
to you.”
(Them do to you)
“If you love those;
If you love those who
love you,
What praise is there
for you?
(What praise for you?)
Because Christ is;
Because Christ is
kind,
Be merciful, just like
He is.
(Just like He is)
Forgive others;
Forgive others their
offense
Against you; be ye
kind.
(Be kind to them)
Hear My words and;
Hear My words and put
them
Into practice, then
you’ll be fulfilled.”
(You’ll be fulfilled)
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