Would You Choose to be Hated?…May 18th

If you had the choice of walking down the road where everyone loved and admiredchoose a road you, or walking the path of rejection and hatred…which road would you choose? Some say that’s easy, of course I’ll take the more pleasant path. Love and respect always trumps rejection, doesn’t it? Why would anyone want to be hated?

Paul tells the church in Corinth to consider their ‘calling’ (I Cor. 1:26), that they might not be wise according to the world, because God has chosen the foolish things to shame the wise. He continues reminding us that God chooses the weak to shame the strong. But notice Paul’s admonition in verse 28, “and the base (lowest) things of the world and the despised (hated) God has chosen…” So maybe we should ask ourselves, would you choose to be hated?

“…I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also.” I Corinthians 14:15

Sunday morning, May 18, 2014

The following songs are found in the hymnal, Songs of Faith & Praise.

“To Christ Be Loyal and Be True” – 736

Opening with a song of admonition we encourage each other to be faithful in our walk with Christ. To be noble in our service. Together we strive to be true to our Lord; to Christ, the Lord, be true…why? We sing the answer in the chorus; “…for He will go with you and help you through your conflicts…”

“A Hill Called Mount Calvary” – 373

How do you handle things that don’t seem to make sense in this life? Reject them and go on, search for truth and understanding, or believe? “There are things as we travel this earth’s shifting sands that transcend all the reason of man; but the things that matter the most in this world, they can never be held in our hand. I believe in a hill called old rugged crossMount Calvary…” When it comes to the cross of Christ…what do you believe?

“The Old Rugged Cross” – 313

Following the thought between this song and the one we’ll sing just before it; “…and when time has surrendered and earth is no more, I’ll still cling to the old rugged cross.” “…so I’ll cherish the old rugged cross, till my trophies at last I lay down.” Putting our mind on our Savior’s death, burial and resurrection you can’t help but think of the cross.

“Does Jesus Care” – 507

A song title with a question many have asked through the centuries. With so much pain and sorrow; with troubles and sickness and war and death…does God see our suffering? Does Jesus care? We look no further then the chorus of this spiritual song written in 1901, “O yes, He cares, I know He cares…”

“Follow Me” – 395

What will it take to follow our Savior? Jesus said to His disciples in Matthew 16, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.” We receive that same admonition and sing the same sentiment; “…Be faithful, weary pilgrim, the morning I can see, Just lift your cross and follow close to Me.”

“What Shall It Be?” – 944

We all have a choice; to accept God’s will and give our lives completely to Him, or not. It’s really pretty simple. So the answer comes clearly to you and me…”What Shall It Be?” What is your decision, not just today, but for the rest of your life; what will you do with Jesus?

“God Bless You, Go with God” – 752

No song gives me more edification, it seems, than this assurance that brothers and sisters are singing “…in spite of all the lies that some may hurl, Christ is the only hope of all the world; God bless you, go with God.’ That should be our daily prayer for each other.

A Lifetime Preparing for the First Time…

Can you remember the first time you road your bike without training wheels, or without having your dad run along beside you?  As a parent you might remember your child’s first day of grade school as he/she stood on the front porch with books in hand.  Or perhaps you’ll remember your first time to crawl in behind the wheel of the car and drive down the road…by yourself.  Our life if full of first!  We look at our lives and can remember the times when we did things for the first time.

This morning my family and I loaded up the suburban and drove to Tennessee.  Though this isn’t the first time we’ve taken this trip, it is the first time we’ll leave the house with five (5) in the car and return with only (4) four.  Our oldest son is going to Freed-Hardeman  University for his freshman year.  Having worked with college age students for years, I’ve seen anxiety in the eyes of the new college student.  And now, as his dad, I feel the tears in the eyes of the parents.  It’s never been more real to me as it is now.  For the first time, I sit here realizing my oldest, will be striking out on his own.  He won’t be getting up in the morning to make his mom and I a cup a coffee.  We won’t be riding out to the baseball field to officiate a baseball game together, and this evening, I won’t be walking into his room to tell him good night.   For the first time our oldest will be ‘riding on his own.’

Some times we have a ‘first’ that is a great experience and the beginning of a new, exciting direction for our life.  At other times, those ‘first’ are hard to face.  With every life changing ‘first’, and every new path we take, the Christian realizes he can’t go along.  When our young men and women graduate high school, that’s a big first.  When they leave home and go to college, that’s a big first.  Parents, we need to ask our children with whom do they plan to walk down the pathway.  What will they take along with them.

During the last few days my son has been busy packing his bags and last night he loaded the car.  He was determined to make sure he had what he would need in college.  But the one thing we have tried to impress upon our children is the importance of staying close to God.  Will their life bring honor to His name?  Will the friends they choose and words they use bring glory to God?  We show them a Christian example, discipline them in Christ and pray they’ll walk with God.  Parents (Grandparents), as our children take these first steps, pray for them, that they will ‘walk with God’.

Written in 1959, this spiritual song serves as an encouragement to those listening as well as those who are singing.  We know that our life will be continually filled with ‘first’.  With each first time opportunity we remember that we must take these steps with God.  The world will hurl lies at us, but you and I know that the only hope we have comes through Christ.  So Logan, this is my daily prayer that you will ‘Go with God!’

“This is my daily prayer; God Bless you, go with God.
Hold fast His mighty hand, thru out the day;
His grace your heart sustain, His pow’r relieve your pain,
Your prayer be not in vain, as you travel His way.

In spite of all the lies that some may hurl,
Christ is the only hope of all the world;
God bless you, go with God,
Thru out eternity, my prayer will always be,
May you go with God.

In spite of all the lies that some may hurl,
Christ is the only hope of all the world;
God bless you, go with God,
Thru out eternity, my prayer will always be,
May you go with God.  May you go with God!