The Power of Music

By: Jenifer Metzger

Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly
as you teach and admonish one another with all
wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from
the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.

Colossians 3:16

When I was in elementary school, there was a rumor going around the school that had me quite shaken. The more I heard kids talk about it, the more afraid I became. Soon, the fear was affecting my sleep. I remember one night I told my mom I was scared. Mom prayed with me, then she told me to listen to my “Jesus music” as I fell asleep. My Jesus music was cassette tapes of children’s worship. So we popped in a tape and the books of the Bible being sung to a rhythmic tune filled my room. Soon I was able to drift off to sleep.

Music is all over the Bible. The book of Psalm is full of King David’s praise songs to God. Psalm 105:2 even says, “Sing to Him, sing praise to Him; tell of all His wonderful acts.” When we sing worship to God, we are ushering His presence in.

Just as it is impossible for light and darkness to coexist, it is impossible to be full of worry, fear, doubt, anxiety, or depression as we are singing and lifting our hands in worship to God. When we praise God, He is there. Right beside us, lavishing in our worship to Him.

Excerpt taken from my book, 5-Minute Devotions for Worry. This 66 day devotional shares my personal story of battling depression and invites you to walk a journey to healing. To check it out, click HERE.

Discussion:
1. Today using your favorite music streaming platform, create a playlist of worship songs. Share a few of your songs in the comments for others to enjoy.
2. Think of a time you were struggling and heard a worship song. Did you feel the presence of God? 

Whose Side Are You On?

 By: Lauren Thomas 

Scripture clearly teaches us that Jesus is our victorious rescuer and redeemer, that God fights our battles, that He is for us in Christ (Romans 8:31). But sometimes, I wonder if we have something backwards about this.

Before the epic fall of Jericho in Joshua 6, a new leader had taken Moses’ place in leading the people of Israel into the Promised Land: Joshua. God had only performed one miracle through this new leader, compared to the many that God had worked through Moses. And now that the people of Israel stood on this side of the Jordan, Joshua must have felt lots of pressure and anxiety. He had to lead an untrained army against fortified cities and deliver God’s promised land to God’s people.

 

One day, likely feeling all this pressure and stress, he was surveying the city of Jericho from afar, when he looked and noticed a man with a drawn sword.

 

Joshua went to him and said to him, “Are you for us, or for our adversaries?” ¹⁴ And he said, “No; but I am the commander of the army of the Lord. Now I have come.”

Joshua 5:13b-14a ESV

 

An interesting answer. Interesting, in that it turned the question around on Joshua: whose side are you on?

 

Joshua’s response was to fall on his face in worship.

 

Then he asked,” “What does my lord say to his servant?” The commander of the Lord’s armies told Joshua to take off his sandals, a signal and symbol of recognition: that this place of confrontation was holy, because God was there.  

 

I’ve listened to people ask, “why is God doing this to me? Why is God testing me? What is God trying to teach me?” They ask these questions because their life doesn’t look the way they want it to. They feel that God is being mean to them. They shake their fist at God and ask Him, “whose side are you on anyway?”

 

But what if the real question is “whose side are we on?”? God isn’t interested in being a means to our end. He’s not interested in giving us constant personal victories. What he cares about is that we, 1) like Joshua decide whose side we are on, 2) that we give Him His due worship, 3) that we recognize His place of holiness in our lives.

 

I like to think that Joshua’s encounter in Joshua 5 was a watershed moment. For, later in his life, Joshua said, “as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15). He learned a valuable lesson in that holy confrontation, when his question was turned back on himself.

 

It is a holy confrontation which shows us God is sovereign and which changes our perspective. When we choose to be on God’s side, what we previously thought were our battles might not seem so important anymore. Instead, we choose to keep our eyes on the Lord and fight the battles He commissions us to fight. And He will give us victory.

 

Reflection:

What battles are you facing? Why do you want to win these battles? Are your eyes on the battle or on the Lord? If you’ve been asking God whose side He is on, maybe it’s time to tell God whose side YOU are on.

 

 

Noun, Adjective, or Verb?

By: Jenifer Metzger

I am horrible at grammar. Horrible. The fact that I have a blog is amazing. The fact that I've written books is, well, miraculous.

Nothing about grammar makes sense to me. Predicate nominative? Say what? Dangling modifier? Huh? What are these things? Why do I need to know them?

While grammar is beyond me, I do understand what nouns, verbs, and adjectives are. So today I want to ask you a question. Is your worship a noun, verb, or adjective?

We often use the word worship as an adjective. Just think of your church. We go to worship services with worship teams and worship bands who play worship songs. We also use worship as a noun when we say things like, "I went to worship service."

But the truth is, worship isn't a place. It doesn't describe services, teams, or bands. It isn't a noun or adjective, worship is a verb. It's what we do. It's how we live.

And so, dear brothers and sisters,

I plead with you to give your bodies

to God because of all He has done for you.

Let them be a living and holy sacrifice-

the kind He will find acceptable.

This is truly the way to worship Him.

Romans 12:1 NLT

God wants our worship to be the giving of ourselves to Him. He wants it to be an outpouring of gratitude and a response to His great love, grace, and mercy.

We worship when we give our tithe and offering, when we serve at our church, when we pray for others, when we take care of our home and family, when we give thanks for all God has done, when we sing praises to Him, when we care for others, when we read the Bible, when we cook a meal for someone, and when we help a neighbor or elderly -see how all of those are action words? Worship is more than music. Worship is when we surrender our heart and what are hands are doing and give it to the Lord.

Let's stop making worship a noun or adjective and let's start living out worship.

Discussion:
1. How are you worshiping God today?
2. How do you feel about worship as a verb?

Lunches, Leftovers, and Not Feeding 5,000

 By: Lauren Thomas 

I’ve heard other moms who talk about not eating “real” lunch. They just eat what their kids don’t finish. The leftovers.

 

While this is not my particular struggle – (I value food too much for that!) – most moms do have a problem with “leftovers.” But it’s not what you think. We moms juggle so much! The kids, the house, the spouse, the schedules. The list continues. Somewhere in our lives – (whether you’re a mom or not) – someone or something is only getting the leftovers.

 

Yeah, I’m not talking about food, am I?

 

Being a parent means living life in the slow lane, at least temporarily (or so I’m told). And by slow lane, I mean there are a lot of limits on your life when you’re a mom (especially of young children). These limits are not bad. They are not indefinite. They will shift over time.

 

But for now? You probably can’t give everything 100% because you have too many things making demands of you and only fractions to give. Let’s start by accepting that.

 

There are limits to accept, but within those limits, here’s where you have some control: who gets your best and who gets the rest.

 

We’re talking about lunches, leftovers, and not feeding the 5,000. Because, in your strength, you cannot. You cannot take care of everyone and everything. (That’s more like Jesus’ job.) But, of the people given to your care, you have a lot to give. They deserve your best.

 

You probably already know that. You probably – or at least try to – live it.

 

But let’s get curious about those leftovers. Who gets them?

 

Leftovers are okay. And for some people, leftovers will be just fine. But aside from your family, there is one for whom leftovers are not okay. And that is God.

 

But the king said to Araunah, “No, but I will buy it from you for a price. I will not offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God that cost me nothing.” So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.

2 Samuel 24:24 ESV (emphasis mine)

 

Being a mom, sometimes it feels easier than ever to justify cutting corners in a lifestyle of worship to God. But in truth, there are no excuses for giving God my leftovers. David recognized that true worship is costly. God doesn’t deserve my leftovers. He doesn’t deserve yours either.

 

Know your limits. Know your priorities. Give God what he deserves. He will handle the rest.

 

Reflection:

Who is getting your best? Who gets your leftovers?

Do you have an accurate understanding of your limits?

What is one step you could take toward re-prioritizing your efforts so that the right people and things get your best?

Antidote: Gratitude

By: Lauren Thomas 

Neuroscience heralds the benefits of gratitude on our mental health. Gratitude literally has the power to rewire our brains toward positivity. Anxiety and gratitude cannot simultaneously exist in our brains. Gratitude affects our mental health and even impacts physical health and relationships. Gratitude is a powerful thing!

 

Those of us who are familiar with Scripture aren’t surprised. 

 

⁶ do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-7 ESV

 

When these words were penned by Paul, God already knew how gratitude impacts us. Paul told us simply to not be anxious! But he also directed us – under the influence of the Holy Spirit – to an antidote for anxiety. Bring your requests to God “with thanksgiving.” The result? God’s peace comforts our hearts and minds. 

 

An antidote for anxiety is gratitude. 

 

But did you know, gratitude is also an antidote for another pervasive problem: complaining. 

 

Do all things without grumbling or disputing,

Philippians 2:14 ESV

 

Do everything without complaining and arguing,

Philippians 2:14 NLT

 

Complaining increases stress, anxiety, and can impact not only the brain, but the body and relationships. We often think that complaining will help us feel better, but the relief is only temporary. Instead, complaining causes us to feel worse, and doesn’t ultimately lead to the kind of change we hope to achieve through our grumbling. 

 

The antidote? Gratitude! 

 

Sometimes in medicine, one treatment can be used for more than one ailment. My baby has a small benign tumor that is treated with an oral medication. This treatment was discovered by accident when an individual with this type of tumor saw improvement while being treated with medication for a different condition. 

 

Gratitude is like a treatment that can be used to remedy multiple ailments. Gratitude is an antidote for anxiety, but it can also treat “chronic” complaining. 

  

In reading about the grumbling of the Israelites in the book of Exodus, I can’t help but believe that had they been quicker to thank God for deliverance, rather than complain about what they lacked, maybe things would have gone differently for them! 

 

True gratitude always finds its way to God and results in worship. For God is the giver of all good gifts. Here is another benefit of gratitude: it results in worship!

 

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

James 1:17 (ESV)

 

So, like the accidental discovery that one medication can be used in treatment of a different condition, gratitude is a Biblically prescribed antidote for more than one problem! Gratitude rewires our brains toward positivity, reduces anxiety, reverses complaining, and results in worship!

 

Reflection:

What helps you to practice gratitude? What makes practicing gratitude difficult.  

What connections do you see between gratitude and worship?

I Stand In Awe

By: Jenifer Metzger

Let the whole earth fear the Lord; let all the

inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him.

Psalm 33:8

I deeply desire to cultivate a more intentional and passionate prayer life. One way I have been working on this recently is by spending my morning prayer time walking through my home as I pray. As I walk throughout my home it sparks reminders to pray for specific needs and people. I touch things and pray over them. For example, I touch my dining table and thank God for the food He provides and ask Him to bless our meals that we would have good conversation, growing opportunities, and that He would bring people to our table.

One morning last week I was praying at my dining table and I looked up to see the sun peeking through. Now we live in the city and where we are, we (unfortunately) don't get a good view of the sunrise or sunset. We only get tiny rays of a sunrise through our neighbor's fence. This particular day, the sunrise was bright and as it was peeking through the fence, it stopped me in my tracks and brought me to my knees. Literally. I fell to my knees and just felt the presence of God in such a beautiful way.

The heavens declare the glory of God, and

the expanse proclaims the work of His hands.

Psalm 19:1

His creation is like that. Creation declares the presence and power of God. With every sunrise, every bird soaring across the sky, every fragrant flower, every blade of grass blowing in the wind, every deer walking across the field, every cloud floating by, every twinkling star, and every sunset; it all declares the work of the Lord.

When is the last time you stood in awe of the work of His hand? When is the last time you were brought to your knees in worship? We go through life busy with our day to day activities, we are becoming women of the Word as we sit with our Bible and read through powerful chapters, we may even journal. But often we fail to just be amazed by His glory.

I love to feel the presence of God as I am reading His Word. I love to feel His presence as I sing worship. I love to feel His presence when I walk through the doors of my church. But there is something so powerful, so beautiful, and so precious about being in nature and watching all of creation sing out of His glory.

Today I encourage you to purposefully take time out to go outside and just sit or take a walk. No phone; you don't need to document it for social media and the world will go on without you for a few minutes. Just step outside and pray, "God, I want to see You." Then take a walk or sit and just soak in the sun and the Son. Let a sense of wonder and awe fill your soul. And when you end your time, give thanks to God.

Discussion:
1. Think back. When is the last time you just sat in His presence and marveled at the glory of God?
2. What can you do today to intentionally sit in awe of His handiwork?

Homemaking God's Way: Your House

We are called to live a life of worship. But did you know that you can worship outside of the church? Did you know that worship doesn't mean just singing songs? Did you know that you can even worship in your homemaking?

Worshiping in your homemaking brings a beautiful joy to homemaking.

Here are a eight different ways to worship through in your homemaking:

• As you cook a meal, pray over your family. Pray that God would give them health and bless them. Pray that as your family sits down to this meal, that you each connect on a new level. That your kids open up and share with you, that there would be laughter and joy.

• As you fold the laundry, pray over each of their individual needs. While you fold their socks, pray that God would bless their comings and their goings and that they would share the Good News everywhere they go.

• As your make your bed, pray over your husband asking God to anoint him and draw him into a deep and intimate relationship. That your husband's prayer life would be passionate and that your husband would lead your family as God intends him to.

• As you wash the dishes, thank God for giving your family food to eat and for taking care of your physical needs.

• As you clean the toilet, thank God that your family has a roof over their heads.

• As you sit down to pay the bills, thank God for providing for your family and for the income your family receives.

• Play worship music in your home. We have a radio in the kitchen that is always on a Christian radio.

• Leave your Bible open to a passage you want to memorize and each time you walk by it, read it. Or write Scripture verses on post-its or index cards and post them in your home.

These are just a few ways to worship in your homemaking.

This week's action plan:

Set a radio in a common place in your home and find a Christian radio station. Let the music fill your home all day long. Put Scripture in each room in your home, Each time you walk by, read the verses. Begin to pray as you do housework, especially work you do not like. You will be amazed how the chore becomes worship.

Discussion:
1. How you ever prayed over your family as you've gone about housework or is this a new idea for you?
2. What are other ways you can think of to worship in your homemaking?

If you were touched by this series or learned something new, please share it with a friend!

Homemaking God's Way series:
Week One: Your Heart
Week Two: Your Husband
Week Three: Your Kids
Week Four: Your Time
Week Five: Your Home
Week Six: Your Worship

Praying Songs To The God Of Possible

 By: Paula Short

"Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26— NIV

Maybe you've heard of and tried praying Scripture for yourself or someone else. But have you ever tried praying a song for yourself or others?

A song, you ask? Yes, you know the ones that grip your soul, take your breath away, and sometimes make you sob. The ones that make you say to yourself, "that's me" or "that's [insert name].

I find many songs have that effect upon my soul. One such piece has recently been on my heart. In Jesus Name (God Of Possible) by Katy Nichole. 

Let's look at the first verse.

"I speak the name of Jesus over you

In your hurting, in your sorrow

I will ask my God to move

I speak the name 'cause it's all that I can do

In desperation, I'll seek Heaven

And pray this for you"

Throughout this song, Katy Nichole sings of healing and miracles that can be explained only by this— The "God of possible."

I can't begin to tell you how this song speaks to my soul, and I sobbed the first time I heard it. And when I pray through the verses for myself or others, my heart is so convicted I can feel the Holy Spirit uplifting my soul.

Now, let's look at how to pray a song for yourself or others. Again looking at the first verse as a reference.

"I speak the name of Jesus over [you, me, our, them, or name]

In [your, my, our, their, or name] hurting, in [your, my, our, their, or name] sorrow

I will ask my God to move

I speak the name 'cause it's all that I can do

In desperation, I'll seek Heaven

And pray this for [you, me, us, them, or name]."

You get the picture.

Using songs as intercessory prayer for yourself or others Can be really helpful when you can't find the words. Jesus knows your heart and what or who is on it. 

Sometimes I think that because Jesus knows what or who is on my heart, I become lazy and leave it at that. Then it presses upon my heart that I should try to get words out, even if it's just something small like calling out his name, saying "Jesus, please help," or "Jesus, I need you. "

Friend, don't forget no matter how small or insignificant you think your prayers are, they are big ones to — The God Of Possible.

Reflection

Look up The God of Possible on YouTube or app you use to listen to music. 

What do you think of it?

How is it speaking to you?

What message does it communicate?

Artist: Katy Nichole 2022

Photo by Jaida Stewart on Unsplash

The Day After

 By: Joanne Viola

 Palm Sunday was yesterday. The day of Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem, the city He loved and caused Him to weep. The people hailed Him as King, praising God for all the wonderful miracles they had now seen.

And so marked the beginning of Holy Week. Or Jesus’ final week of life on this earth.

I woke up with one thought on my mind … What did Jesus do on Monday?

Seriously, what does one do after a reception and celebration such as He had been given?

Taking my coffee and my Bible, I began to search for the answer. What did Jesus do on Monday?

Interesting to me, the next story in both Matthew (chapter 21) and Luke (chapter 19) is of Jesus entering the Temple. Perhaps it was Monday or Tuesday, we don’t know for certain. With as good with details as Dr. Luke was, he does not pinpoint the day for my inquiring mind.

What we do know for certain is Jesus was not happy with the activities being held in the Temple. He turned over the tables of the money changers and those selling doves. To them He said …

“It is written, ‘And My house shall be a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a robbers’ den.”
(Luke 19:46, NASB)

After His triumphal entry, Jesus went right back to His Father’s business. Monday was a normal day. No fanfare. No taking a day off.

He cleansed and restored the Temple to its original purpose – to be a place of worship.

“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20. NASB)

We may not know for certain which day of the week Jesus restored the Temple to a place of worship. What we do know is He still restores temples today. May we let Him clean our temples, turning every corner of it over so nothing remains hidden and uncleansed.

“But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”
(John 4:23-24, NASB)

May He prepare our temples and make us people who truly worship Him,
and Him alone.

 

Photo by Brooke Lark on Unsplash