Forwarding Address

Faithful followers, the church has a new website which includes a new home for the Growing in Faith at FUMC blog. Here is the address for the new blog:

http://www.jacksonvillemethodist.org/blog/

You may also sign up to receive the blog posts via email. Go to the new blog site with the link above. To the right of the post title you will see "Subscribe to Blog via Email".

Enter your email address. Check your email in order to confirm your subscription. Then you should begin receiving emails again.

But for today, click the link above to read today's post on Psalm 108.

Thanks for following.

Grow Team

PS Be sure to explore the new website while you are there: http://www.jacksonvillemethodist.org/

Songs of Praise: Psalm 107:23-43

Read the second half of yesterday's song of praise: Psalm 107:23-43
[Open up your Bible or click the reference above to read online.]

...they saw the deeds of the Lord, his wondrous works in the deep.

For he commanded and raised the stormy wind,

which lifted up the waves of the sea.

Psalm 107:24-25

He stirs up storms and calms them. Turns rivers to deserts and deserts to pools of water. All for the purpose of drawing us to Himself. 

Sometimes He saves through storms and trials. For many, it's the only place we'll see our true need for Him. When we've come to the end of our own resources. When life is totally out of hand.

From these stormy trials, wilderness places, and hungry times. The wise cry out to Him for help. Surrender to Him. Love Him and serve Him.

Otherwise we would never see, and be saved.

Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things,

let them consider the steadfast love of the Lord.

Psalm 107:43

Lord, thank You for storms which turn me to You.

Note: Tomorrow the Growing in Faith at FUMC blog is moving to our newly renovated church website: www.jacksonvillemethodist.org. We encourage you to explore the site and don't miss the Blog link at the top of the page in the red bar.

Email subscribers, for now, will have to visit the new Blog page to read the posts. We're hoping to make a way to receive posts via email shortly. We'll let you know.

Songs of Praise: Psalm 107:1-22

As one of the redeemed, praise the Lord today, with Psalm 107:1-22.
[Click the link above or open up your Bible.]

Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,

for his steadfast love endures forever!

Let the redeemed of the Lord say so,

whom he has redeemed from trouble...

Psalm 107:1-2

Because He is good and His steadfast love endures forever, He redeems the lives of those who call out to Him. Even when the trouble we've gotten into is of our own making.

Some of us wander away from His Word. Seeking satisfaction in the world, but only find souls empty. Hungry. Thirsty. When we find the world has failed there is no one to cry out to but Him.

Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,

and delivered them from their distress.

...

Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,

for his wondrous works to the children of man!

For he satisfies the longing soul,

and the hungry soul he fills with good things.

Psalm 107:6, 8-9

Some of us choose to rebel against His Word. Exchanging light for darkness. We spurn the counsel of His Holy Spirit and find ourselves sitting imprisoned by the lies of the world, in the shadow of death. Heavily burdened. Entrapped by our own choices. No one to help... except Him.

Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,

and he delivered them from their distress.

...

Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,

for his wondrous works to the children of man!

For he shatters the doors of bronze and cuts in two

the bars of iron.

Psalm 107:13, 15-16

Some of us choose the way of the fool. Thinking we alone are the ones who won't get caught. Found out. Tangled in a web of sin. Drawn to the gates of death by addiction or deception or denial. There is no one to cry out to from this place, but Him. No one to hear. But Him.

Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,

and he delivered them from their distress.

He sent out his word and healed them,

and delivered them from their destruction.

Psalm 107:19-20

Jesus. His Son. The Word made flesh. The Father sent Him to heal us and deliver us from the messes we've made. Bad things happen in the world because we chose our own way rather than His. We alone are responsible for the sin and brokenness. And He alone redeems all we have broken.

There is no pit so deep that He cannot save. But we must cry out to Him!

Finding yourself in a pit these days? Cry out to the Lord. Wait. And be prepared to give Him thanks. His steadfast love is unfailing.

Let us thank the Lord for his steadfast love,

for his wondrous works to the children of man!

And let us offer sacrifices of thanksgiving,

and tell of his deeds in songs of joy!

Thank You, Lord! For redeeming the messes I make.

For loving me and working wonders for me,

none of which I deserve.

Amen.

Songs of Praise: Psalm 106:21-48

To see a greater picture of God's faithfulness, complete the reading of  Psalm 106.
Read: Psalm 106:21-48
[Click the reference to read online or open up your Bible today.]

Then they despised the pleasant land, having no faith in his promise.

Psalm 106:24

Complaints against God.

Fear of the unknown.

Turning to the ways of the world for solutions.

This is what happens when we have no faith in His promises.

Unbelief. That's what we'll call it today. That's what it is. Do you have some in your life?

I lived with large areas of unbelief for a very long time. My unbelief led me to fear, anxiety, and truly, a despising of the "pleasant land" He had placed me.

Because I didn't believe He truly was sovereign, didn't believe He loved me and all those I love, didn't believe He was always working for my good, my family's good, and His glory, I was a wreck. I made everyone around me miserable with "what if"s, nagging, and rules which made life narrower and narrower, because I didn't believe. Fear of foods, fear of driving, fear of filling up the car with gas! All because I didn't believe His promises.

Unbelief moves us to despise the blessings He's given us.

Unbelief moves us to sin, idolatry, seeking alternative means of comfort, security, and escape.

Unbelief moves us to fear, which drives wedges in relationships.

Take it from me. One who lived a life of unbelief for a really long time. Receive His promises. He cannot lie. He is always faithful to everything He says. And begin with this promise.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive our sins

and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

1John 1:9 ESV

In my journey toward belief, believing His promises, I found past sin was keeping me bound up in fear and anxiety. And it wasn't that He hadn't forgiven me. He had. But He led me through a process of confessions to loved ones from whom I'd hidden my sin. 

You see, I didn't believe they would love me if they knew. I didn't believe God could bring healing to these relationships or work grace through others. This was an unbelief I didn't even recognize I had until I walked through what He called me to do.

I found freedom and full acceptance of the truth that He makes the way before us for all He calls us to do. We can obey without fear. 

In the freedom of believing His promises I've found new joys in the land where He has planted me. And it is a pleasant place.

The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;

indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.

Psalm 16:6 ESV

Father God, reveal unbelief in my heart. Show me how lack of faith in Your promises has led me astray. Bless me with the faith and obedience to believe Your every Word.

Songs of Praise: Psalm 106:1-20

Psalm 106:1-20
[Click on the link above to read on BibleGateway.com or read it in your Bible.]

But they soon forgot his works...

they had a wanton craving...

Psalm 106:13-14

Yesterday, in Psalm 105, we read of His glorious works and faithfulness in the lives of the Israelites. Today we see the flip side of His faithfulness. The discipline of those who forget.

But they soon forgot His works...

These are some sad words after the miraculous rescue from Egypt. They forgot. So they rebelled. And in His faithfulness, He punishes those who disobey. Who treat Him as less than God of gods and Lord of lords.

They forgot who He was and what He had done. They exchanged the glory of their God, their Savior, their Creator for the image of a grass-eating bovine. They worshiped what was created as the one who created.

That's what happens when we forget God. Our thinking gets cloudy and we begin to use our own broken sense to come up with some nonsensical ways.

His Word says we have absolutely no excuse for forgetting who He is. He made it evident through all He created.

For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.

Romans 1:19-21 ESV

Though they knew Him, they did not honor Him with thanks. To forget who He is and to neglect to give thanks, darkens our hearts and we do foolish things. Like worship livestock.

Have you exchanged the glory of God for something created? Is your thinking getting a little foolish? Do you give God the glory for your life? work? gifts? Are you thankful? Do you see His eternal power and divine nature in the world around you?

Don't be foolish. Don't wait for the discipline to come. Recognize His faithfulness. His steadfast love. Make sure you're glorifying Him with your life and not something far less.

To the faithful you show yourself faithful;

to those with integrity you show integrity.

To the pure you show yourself pure,

but to the crooked you show yourself shrewd.

You rescue the humble, but you humiliate the proud.

Psalm 18:25-27 NLT

Lord, You are faithful and good, Your love endures forever.

Let me never forget who You are and who I am before You.

Open my eyes to Your eternal, divine nature in the world around me.

Fill me with thanks and praise. Reveal whatever I have set up in Your place.

Tear it down. Reveal it for what it is... nothing.