The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; (Psalm 19:7 ESV)
You who have made me see many troubles and calamities will revive me again; from the depths of the earth you will bring me up again. (Psalm 71:20 ESV)
Then we shall not turn back from You; Revive us, and we will call upon Your name. (Psalm 80:18 NASB-update)
Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you? (Psalm 85:6 ESV)
"Revival"
Revival, revival
Comes only from the Lord.
Restore our hearts,
Renew our strength,
Give power from above.
Revival, revival
Comes only from the Lord.
Pour out Your grace,
Show us Your love,
Revive our hearts, O Lord!
Copyright © 2007 by Richard Dickson
{Revival chorus written for revival services of Hill Street Baptist Church, Toccoa, Georgia March 11-14, 2007 with Rev. Wayne Hamrick as the evangelist.}
Friday, March 09, 2007
Not As They Should Be
The worship leader had assembled one of the largest groups from near and far for one of the grandest worship services ever to be held. Oh, the music was beyond grand and everyone was celebrating and rejoicing in the goodness of God. It seemed that there had never been a worship service like this one.
However, things were not as they should be. Something was where it should not have been and someone did something he should not have done.
The ark was on a cart!
Suddenly, the great celebration - the marvelous worship experience - came crashing to an end. Uzzah reached out, helpfully, with good intentions, and he was struck dead by an angry God.
Now, I wonder, was God pleased by the worship? If the ox hadn't stumbled, would the journey have been completed with no one the wiser and God pleased, or at least OK, with the worship (even though the ark was on a cart)?
I wonder also, if Uzzah had just let it go and the ark had come crashing to the ground, bursting open for all to see the contents, what would have been the consequence.
Scripture clearly indicates that God's anger was directed at Uzzah for reaching out to steady the ark (the event is told in 1 Chronicles 13). In the passage, there is no indication that God's anger was because of the ark being on a cart, although Uzzah would never have been in the position he found himself in, if the ark had been where it should have been in the first place.
How is our worship?
Is God pleased with our worship? We get excited when there is a big crowd ... when there is a lot of excitement ... when the joy and celebration are running high - wow, we think, THAT is worship.
But what if the ark is on a cart? What if something is not where it should be? What if someone does something they should not? Has worship occured? Is God pleased with our worship?
I fear that our arks are frequently on carts. We are concerned with so many things that sometimes we do that which violates the good pleasure of God. I can only be grateful, so very grateful, in my own experience, that God has been gracious, shown mercy, extended His love, and at least been tolerant of my failures, that my place of worship has not been called "Perez-Richard" - that God has not broken out against me in His righteous anger.
OK, let's have a big crowd - or small. Let's celebrate the awesome greatness and goodness of our God. Let's have a grand worship experience. But ...
put the ark in the hands of Levites, not on a cart!!
[By the way, David, the worship leader, got it right the second time around - chapter 15 - and it was an even greater worship experience.]
However, things were not as they should be. Something was where it should not have been and someone did something he should not have done.
The ark was on a cart!
Suddenly, the great celebration - the marvelous worship experience - came crashing to an end. Uzzah reached out, helpfully, with good intentions, and he was struck dead by an angry God.
Now, I wonder, was God pleased by the worship? If the ox hadn't stumbled, would the journey have been completed with no one the wiser and God pleased, or at least OK, with the worship (even though the ark was on a cart)?
I wonder also, if Uzzah had just let it go and the ark had come crashing to the ground, bursting open for all to see the contents, what would have been the consequence.
Scripture clearly indicates that God's anger was directed at Uzzah for reaching out to steady the ark (the event is told in 1 Chronicles 13). In the passage, there is no indication that God's anger was because of the ark being on a cart, although Uzzah would never have been in the position he found himself in, if the ark had been where it should have been in the first place.
How is our worship?
Is God pleased with our worship? We get excited when there is a big crowd ... when there is a lot of excitement ... when the joy and celebration are running high - wow, we think, THAT is worship.
But what if the ark is on a cart? What if something is not where it should be? What if someone does something they should not? Has worship occured? Is God pleased with our worship?
I fear that our arks are frequently on carts. We are concerned with so many things that sometimes we do that which violates the good pleasure of God. I can only be grateful, so very grateful, in my own experience, that God has been gracious, shown mercy, extended His love, and at least been tolerant of my failures, that my place of worship has not been called "Perez-Richard" - that God has not broken out against me in His righteous anger.
OK, let's have a big crowd - or small. Let's celebrate the awesome greatness and goodness of our God. Let's have a grand worship experience. But ...
put the ark in the hands of Levites, not on a cart!!
[By the way, David, the worship leader, got it right the second time around - chapter 15 - and it was an even greater worship experience.]
Monday, March 05, 2007
To Know Him
"That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death" (Philippians 3:10)
Do you ever get the feeling that others know Christ more than you? That to them, He is more real, more personal?
Then there are others, who profess Christ, but yet seem more careless (or to care less) with their relationship.
Hopefully, to know Him better is to only want to know Him better. And to know Him is to feel that you haven't even begun to know Him.
May God give us all the desire, the longing, the starvation even, to know Him more!
Richard
Do you ever get the feeling that others know Christ more than you? That to them, He is more real, more personal?
Then there are others, who profess Christ, but yet seem more careless (or to care less) with their relationship.
Hopefully, to know Him better is to only want to know Him better. And to know Him is to feel that you haven't even begun to know Him.
May God give us all the desire, the longing, the starvation even, to know Him more!
Richard
Friday, March 02, 2007
Mechanics and Miracles
I have the privilege of singing in the Sons of Jubal - the Georgia Baptist Convention men's singing group (actually the oldest group of its kind in the country). Last night, Thursday, March 1, 2007, we joined with our sister group, the Jubalheirs (forming the Jubal Chorus) in a concert at the First Baptist Church, Snellville, GA.
My wife (she is a member of the Jubalheirs) and I drove approximately 75 miles from our home to Snellville for the rehearsal time and concert through an awful rain. As we approached the last traffic light before the church, I put on the brakes to stop for the light. The car rocked and had difficulty stopping. Obviously not a good thing. Now, we were not only late for the rehearsal, but I was concerned about getting home after the concert.
Since we were already at the church, I pulled into the parking lot, stopped, got out and looked at the tire/wheel to check it, and drove around the lot a little to see if the problem persisted. After I sent my wife on in for her rehearsal, I called our extended warranty service to check on my next move. After consulting with them, it was determined that the next step was to get the car to a mechanic (does seem a no-brainer doesn't it). However, we were in a town far from home. So, I went into the church, carrying my stuff for the evening - remember I didn't know where my car would end up. After depositing my stuff, I starting looking for help in locating a good garage/mechanic.
The helpful staff directed me to the Minister of Missions, Terry Hopkins. I found him to be a very pleasant and helpful gentleman. Of course, in his experience he had run across a similar problem and was willing to bet MY life on his solution - read on to see that he was actually pretty accurate in his assessment. In a few moments, he directed me to a garage just across the street from the church, Holdens Automotive, and the owner, Mike Holden, who he stated was a good Christian man.
Mike and his staff were very friendly, inviting, and easy to talk with. Mike took the time to drive my car to see if he could sense a problem. Of course, the car did not misbehave (I know you've had that experience). But, he dropped me off at the church, and promised to look into the problem further and get back with me later that day.
As promised, he called about an hour before his closing time with the news that his staff had removed all the brakes and examined them. They could find nothing wrong with the brakes to cause the problem and surmised that with all the rain, some water had gotten into the brakes and the ABS (automatic braking system) and made that one stop difficult. After all that time and effort I asked for the cost and I can only say that Mike was very good to me.
At the end of the rehearsal, just before supper (actually only minutes after Mike's call), a fellow Jubal drove me across the street (remember rain, 5 lanes of traffic, near Atlanta, after 5 p.m.) so that I could get the car.
After the concert, we drove the car home with no further incident.
Now I will spec out my praise to God:
1. Safe journey from home to Snellville.
2. Trouble occured right at our destination.
3. We did get stopped for the red light.
4. The helpful staff of FBC, Snellville, especially Minister of Missions Terry Hopkins.
5. Mike Holden and Holdens Automotive (wish I had a link, but if you are in Snellville, GA, I would encourage you to check them out).
6. Holdens was just across the road.
7. Mike was a Christian.
8. The time and effort Mike and his staff put into making sure my car was safe to drive.
9. The price was right (at least for me).
10. The meal and other hosting of FBC, Snellville was great.
11. The concert was great.
12. I understand that at least 2 people came into relationship with Christ because of the concert.
13. Safe journey home after the concert.
"Praise God from Whom all blessings flow."
"To God be the glory, great things He has done."
For Mechanics and Miracles: I'm praising God!
My wife (she is a member of the Jubalheirs) and I drove approximately 75 miles from our home to Snellville for the rehearsal time and concert through an awful rain. As we approached the last traffic light before the church, I put on the brakes to stop for the light. The car rocked and had difficulty stopping. Obviously not a good thing. Now, we were not only late for the rehearsal, but I was concerned about getting home after the concert.
Since we were already at the church, I pulled into the parking lot, stopped, got out and looked at the tire/wheel to check it, and drove around the lot a little to see if the problem persisted. After I sent my wife on in for her rehearsal, I called our extended warranty service to check on my next move. After consulting with them, it was determined that the next step was to get the car to a mechanic (does seem a no-brainer doesn't it). However, we were in a town far from home. So, I went into the church, carrying my stuff for the evening - remember I didn't know where my car would end up. After depositing my stuff, I starting looking for help in locating a good garage/mechanic.
The helpful staff directed me to the Minister of Missions, Terry Hopkins. I found him to be a very pleasant and helpful gentleman. Of course, in his experience he had run across a similar problem and was willing to bet MY life on his solution - read on to see that he was actually pretty accurate in his assessment. In a few moments, he directed me to a garage just across the street from the church, Holdens Automotive, and the owner, Mike Holden, who he stated was a good Christian man.
Mike and his staff were very friendly, inviting, and easy to talk with. Mike took the time to drive my car to see if he could sense a problem. Of course, the car did not misbehave (I know you've had that experience). But, he dropped me off at the church, and promised to look into the problem further and get back with me later that day.
As promised, he called about an hour before his closing time with the news that his staff had removed all the brakes and examined them. They could find nothing wrong with the brakes to cause the problem and surmised that with all the rain, some water had gotten into the brakes and the ABS (automatic braking system) and made that one stop difficult. After all that time and effort I asked for the cost and I can only say that Mike was very good to me.
At the end of the rehearsal, just before supper (actually only minutes after Mike's call), a fellow Jubal drove me across the street (remember rain, 5 lanes of traffic, near Atlanta, after 5 p.m.) so that I could get the car.
After the concert, we drove the car home with no further incident.
Now I will spec out my praise to God:
1. Safe journey from home to Snellville.
2. Trouble occured right at our destination.
3. We did get stopped for the red light.
4. The helpful staff of FBC, Snellville, especially Minister of Missions Terry Hopkins.
5. Mike Holden and Holdens Automotive (wish I had a link, but if you are in Snellville, GA, I would encourage you to check them out).
6. Holdens was just across the road.
7. Mike was a Christian.
8. The time and effort Mike and his staff put into making sure my car was safe to drive.
9. The price was right (at least for me).
10. The meal and other hosting of FBC, Snellville was great.
11. The concert was great.
12. I understand that at least 2 people came into relationship with Christ because of the concert.
13. Safe journey home after the concert.
"Praise God from Whom all blessings flow."
"To God be the glory, great things He has done."
For Mechanics and Miracles: I'm praising God!
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