1 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
-Psalm 23.1–2
How much beauty is captured in this immortal poetry of the shepherd, King David! How many generations have taken refuge in these words? This psalm reveals to us like no other the most intimate aspects of the pastoral heart of our heavenly Father.
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“On Earth As It Is In Heaven.” Can you believe it is 2020? I believe that in 2020 we are on the verge of the greatest breakthrough of the kingdom of God. I believe that we are on the threshold of the greatest spiritual awakening that humanity has ever seen. I see the Spirit of God moving. I see hearts and minds being changed. I see the impossible happening.
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The month of January is about new goals, resolutions, or
plans; some are short term, medium term, or long term.
God is a God of planning, goals, objectives, and precise
purpose. We see the story about the creation in the Book of Genesis, as well as
man’s falling, the promise of redemption and victory, and the promise to
Abraham. In the Book of Exodus we find God’s plan and objectives to free his
people from slavery. In the Book of Joshua we find the conquest of the Promised
Land. In 1 Samuel the amazing story about King David. A bit forward, we see how
God’s plan continues to redeem man through prophets, one of these was Isaiah.
In the four Gospels, the amazing story of Zechariah, the amazing story of
Jesus’ birth; God’s plan in Jesus’ life to fulfill the promise from Genesis 3:15, “And I will
put enmity between you and the woman, and between the offspring and hers; he
will crush your head, and you will strike his heel”. The powerful story of
Jesus’ resurrection and His ascent into heaven. In Daniel 2:44, the
establishment of God’s kingdom, planned many years before and announced by God,
and its fulfillment in the Book of Acts, 2.
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As I write this blog the New Year is upon us. My daily reading started at Luke 8:22 where I see Jesus saying to his disciples, “Lets go over to the other side of the Lake.” How appropriate for me in my position at Singing Oaks! I was reminded of a sermon I heard on this text many years ago, one that I really liked, took notes on and stuck in my Bible. I wondered if I still had them. I pulled out a thick stack of old notes from the pocket of my Bible, and there it was right on the top (pretty amazing for me). This text applies so much to me personally, my job at Singing Oaks and what I would like 2020 to be about for us.
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I have a new neighbor. My neighbor is very different from me, and as much as I don’t want to admit it, he makes me uncomfortable…not uncomfortable in a predatory or criminal sense, yet in a sense of I don’t know how to love this neighbor. He seems to be kind and after every conversation, he “blesses my day.” I’ve been informed by a friend of his that he has been struck by lightning, which evidently has made him a little different. I’m annoyed with myself for being annoyed by his presence. He has disrupted my quiet and tidy building with the chaos of stuff and chattiness. There are other characteristics that are causing discomfort, yet if I reveal all of them, you will all see how shallow I am. I know this neighbor is accustomed to strange looks, and has probably lived on the margins most of his life.
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