Better is One Day

Praise and Worship
May 112012

Ps. 84:1-2,10

1 How lovely is your dwelling place, LORD Almighty! 
2 My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the LORD;

10 Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; 
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God 
   than dwell in the tents of the wicked.

I was thinking about this verse as I was preparing for worship and incorporating this song into our set. Most of us are probably familiar with this verse or the song that comes from it. Yes, we sing our hearts out “Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere!” But, do we really believe it?

In my flesh, I said, “Really? Really, God? Do I prefer to be in “your house” than anywhere else?” My family recently returned from a trip to Disney. This took 9 years to plan and prepare for just the right time, so we were pretty pumped. It was a great trip – a whirlwind of 4 days through the parks as well as one extra day at Sea World (Thanks to the Military passes they offer!). It was a blast! A few weeks later, my husband and I had an opportunity to take a quick weekend trip to the Gulf shores of Florida and relax on the beach and by the pool – kid free mind you!  We ate at fun restaurants and shopped to our hearts content, fried ourselves by the pool in the FL sun. It was great! I wasn’t thinking “Boy, I’d like to be in church right now.” I was in “paradise” for the moment.

My thoughts drifted to this song during that weekend though because I knew it was coming up the following week in our set for worship. And it dawned on me what the Psalmist was truly saying. That even in my best and my worst times, I would much rather know that I have access to “My God” and His presence at any moment of the day, than to go through life not having that assurance of a God who loves me, who offers hope in any and every circumstance. Even if life was always good – there would still be that “God shaped hole inside of us” (as Tiffany Arbuckle of Plumb so eloquently puts it). So, yes, “Better is ONE DAY” in the presence of the Lord, no matter where we are at – a beach, Disney, spending holidays with family, or on our knees for our kids (or our friend’s kids!), sitting next to the bed of a sick loved one, enjoying nature, PCSing to our next duty station. The list goes on.

I would not want to spend a day without knowing the Lord’s presence in my life. The Word says in Ps. 16 that in His presence is fullness of joy and at His right hand are pleasures forevermore. He wants us to enjoy life – with Him involved! I’m thankful for the opportunity to come into His courts, His presence at any given moment because we serve a God that welcomes us and asks us to boldly approach Him. There are many days where my heart and flesh cry out. Even on good days I still need Him. Maybe you have experienced a life without Him and now that you do have a life in Christ, I am willing to bet there is a difference in perspective from BC to AD!

Search the song on Youtube this week sometime and sing with a fresh perspective. We can be in His courts/presence anytime and that, my friends, is something worth singing about!

Kayla Atkins

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Our Testimony is our Authority

regional review, Testimonies
Nov 042010

Submitted by Nicole Snider, Alaska Region, Administrative Coordinator

I recently heard the statement “Our testimony is our authority.”  It caused me to think about what exactly that meant?  First I considered what is my testimony?  For some people this is a really easy question to answer, as God has dramatically brought them out of a very dark pit (i.e. abuse, addiction, etc.).  For me, it has never been anything that dramatic; so more thought was required.  For a long time, I questioned the “validity” of my Christian walk, because I didn’t have a dramatic testimony to share, and then I was gently reminded that God made us all different and our experience(s) with him were meant to be as individual as we are.  So, although my testimony may not be as dramatic as others, I can definitely point to specific times in my life when God’s work has been more than evident and that is what I share as my testimony.

Next, I considered what is authority?  Dictionary.com gives the following as options for the definition of authority:  “a power or right delegated or given; authorization”; “a person or body of persons in whom authority is vested”; “an accepted source of information, advice”; or “an expert on a subject”.  Interestingly, there are numerous times throughout the Bible when Jesus instructs individuals to go and tell what He has done for them.  Throughout the Psalms there are exhortations encouraging one to tell of the Lord’s good works.  These sound like a delegation or vesting of authority to me; and who is more of an expert on what God has done in your life than you.  So, our authority is to share God’s good works and to shine the light into the world that the Lord has shined into our lives.  Therefore my sweet sisters, I challenge you today to consider what work in your life He wants you to share with others and then I want you to stand in the authority that He has given you and share it so that we can all “Shine in the Light of His Glory”.

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Journey of Transformation, Part 20

Life Happens, Life Happens Jesus Answers, Real life stories, Testimonies, Uncategorized
Apr 292010

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The Wait Ends

The lab results finally came and they were normal. Soon morphine infused into my IV would provide relief. But the pain got so far ahead of me that two milligrams did nothing to ease it. Four milligrams didn’t work. Six milligrams helped. I had a total of eight. I knew that amount would make me sick.

To the nurse standing next to my lovely black plastic bed I said, “I think I’ll need an anti-nausea medication.” What did he say? “Okay. Let me know if you think you’re gonna throw up.” Then he departed.

Possible responses swirled around my brain with nowhere to land. This is what I should have said: “Okay, no problem. At the moment I sense I’m going to hurl I’ll jump off this bed and go on a nurse hunt. I’m sure I’ll find you in time for you to gather the supplies, get the doctor’s permission, accompany me back to the bed, and inject the medication into my IV. By then the nausea will have subsided and all will be well. I’m sure that’s how this will go down.”

Moments later it all came up. A big splash of water and morphine erupted from my stomach. It landed on the black plastic bed. Since there was no food in my stomach it wasn’t as miserable as barfing after a big meal. Even so, a technician had to clean it up. She was lucky it was fluid, not chunks.

Forgive my sarcasm. I have a hard time with stupidity. Comedian Bill Engvall has it right when he says, “Here’s your sign.” Sometimes people say and do things that just don’t make any sense. Excuse me but vomit won’t wait. When the stomach is ready to expel its contents you don’t have a choice but to let her rip. Any nurse ought to know that.

After my episode of expulsion I understood firsthand why the beds were covered with thick black plastic and not lovely linens. Someone would end up doing a lot of laundry, and who has time for laundry when they’re busy saving lives and killing pain? And at last my pain was killed. There’s nothing like relief from prolonged severe pain.

God can do that in our hearts and souls. He has a way of easing intense heartache so we don’t slide into despair. I would experience this in years to come. For now — October 2001 — I had to tend to my thumb.

Had I been able to see the future this trip to the ER would have seemed like a trip to Disneyland. The worst phase of my transformational journey was on its way.

THE JOURNEY CONTINUES:

We live in a desperately broken world. It’s easy to lose hope and enter periods of grief at every turn if we let ourselves. Our only true hope is found in Jesus Christ who has warned us of trials and tribulations, but who also has overcome them — I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. (John 16:33)

When I feel overcome by suffering or grief, or I’m angry at God, or I don’t feel like praying, I force myself to grab my Bible and open to the Psalms. Supernaturally, as I read, I feel the tension in my body subside and God’s indescribable peace soothes me. Some of my favorites: Psalm 10, 18, 25, 27, 31, 35, 37, 40, 41, 55-57, 91, 103, 139-145. Dive in to the book of Psalms this week and let the Holy Spirit soothe your soul with His peace.

____________________________

Life Happens – Jesus Answers is a weekly column addressing the challenges we face in life, coupled with the presence and grace of Jesus, our One True Source of hope and peace. The column’s author, Laura Firtko, can be reached by email here: LifeHappens@pwoc.org

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The Beautiful Plan

President's Pen, Seasonal teaching
Dec 242009

As I reflect on this special day, I think about how the birth of Jesus Christ set into motion a beautiful and divine, majestic plan of His kingdom reign, which knows no end.

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders.  And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.  Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end.  He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever.  The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.” Isaiah 9:6-7 (NIV)

The birth was the point at which Jesus Christ, fully God in the form of man came to live on earth and be with us.

“All this took place to fulfill what the Lord has said through the prophet:  The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel—which means “God with us.” Matt 1:22-23 (NIV)

He is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end.  Knowing in the beginning that He would need to come to earth to become the redeemer for all mankind who would accept Him.

“Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant being made in human likeness.  And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross!  Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Phil 2:6-11 (NIV)

Christmas Day is the day to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ and to fully receive His free gift of salvation.  If you are unsure of whether or not you have accepted His free gift, visit our web site where you can pray through the steps of salvation at http://www.pwoc.org/Resources/Resources_Downloads/StepsToPeace.pdf

Jesus is our everything, He is our all in all.  His birth announced to the world, that His kingdom has come and that His throne will last forever and ever.

“Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever; a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom.” Ps. 45:6 (NIV)

May your Christmas day be filled with the fullness of the beauty of His plan for you, His beloved.

Brenda Marlin, PWOCI President

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