All who Seek

 

All who seek

 

          So if you’ve ever seen the original Mortal Kombat movie there is a line in it that we all need to remember.  Why you ask?  Because this is a blog with an emphasis on Hope.  “Never give up hope!  At least not so early in the game!”  Now maybe I can’t say the line exactly like Christopher Lambert but I can point you back to Hope found in God’s word and that’s better than anything found in a movie. 

Psalm 68:3-6

          “But let the godly rejoice.  Let them be glad in God’s presence.  Let them be filled with joy.  Sing praises to God and to His name!  Sing loud praises to Him who rides the clouds.  His name is the Lord—rejoice in his presence!  Father to the Fatherless, defender of widows—This is God, whose dwelling is holy.  God places the lonely in families, he set the prisoners free and gives them joy but he makes the rebellious live in a sun scorched land.” 

          So here’s another example of scripture turned to song.  This is from Strong God by Meredith Andrews. 

          “Father to the fatherless, defender of the weak

          Freedom for the prisoner we sing

          This is God in his holy place

          This is God clothed in love and strength

          Sing out lift your voice and cry out

          Awesome is our strong God mighty is our God.”

          I titled this all who seek and this next passage is exactly why.

Psalm 69:32-33

          “The humble will see their God at work and be glad.  Let all who seek God’s help be encouraged.  For the Lord hears the cries of the needy, he does not despise his imprisoned people. “

 

          Seek God and find hope because He is Hope!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Strong God by Meredith Andrews

Glory Be by Cheri Keaggy

Highest Hope by Real Life Worship

Counsel of the Holy

 Counsel of the Holy

The Bible has passages that are often very cause and effect.  If you do one thing this is what will happen.  There’s a passage I keep reading in  Jeremiah that is very true of this.  The heading in my New Living translation says Wisdom from the Lord.  Before I share the passage though I want to show you the lyrics from a song by Petra called Counsel of the Holy.  

“Counsel of the Holy 

The written Word of God

Wisdom cries for all to read

Counsel of the Holy 

The greatest book of all

Is the path to victory.”

See we need God’s wisdom not our own.  

Jeremiah 17:5-10

“This is what the Lord says:

‘Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans, who rely on human strength and turn their hearts away from the Lord.  They are like stunted shrubs in the desert with no hope for the future.  They will live in the barren wilderness in an uninhabited salty land.  

But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence.  They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water.  Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought.  Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit.  

The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked.  Who really knows how bad it is?  But I, the Lord search all hearts and examine secret motives.  I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve.’”  

It’s pretty clear that it is to our benefit to seek God, trust Him and follow Him.  

Psalm 1 also makes the tree comparison in relation to our lives and choices.  

Psalm 1:1-3 

“Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand with sinners, or join with mockers.  

But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night.  

They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither and they prosper in all they do."  

Following God doesn't require you to have a degree in rocket science.  

Psalm 1 by Kim Hill

Counsel of the Holy by Petra 

All in all by Charmaine 

River of Life

 River of life 

I try often with the blog to show the participants music that will somehow help them remember scripture.  There’s a little known song by Rebecca St James that she sang on an album called Heaven and Earth with other female Christian artists.  I’m going to introduce you to the lyrics and then show you the passage in Psalms that it goes with.  

“O God, You are my God

Earnestly, I seek you

Earnestly, I seek you

My soul it longs for you

In a dry and weary land

Your love is better than life

My lips will glorify you 

I will praise your name as long as I live

In your name I will lift up my hands

And my soul will be satisfied 

You are the River of Life

I will remember you

Think of you through the night 

I hide my soul in you

You are the River of Life”

Now before I get to the Psalm I want to show you a verse in the New Testament that came to mind when I gave thought to the song and the Psalm.  

John 4:13-15

“Jesus replied, ‘Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again.  But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again.  It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them giving them eternal life.’  

‘Please sir,’ the woman said, ‘give me this water!  Then I’ll never be thirsty again, and I won’t have to come here to get water.’”

Our souls have a void in them only God can fill because He is our River of Life!  

Psalm 63:1-8

“O God, you are my God;

I earnestly search for you.  

My soul thirsts for you; 

My whole body longs for you

In this parched and weary land

Where there is no water.

I have seen you in your sanctuary 

And gazed upon your power and glory.  

 Your unfailing love is better than life itself;

How I praise you!  

I will praise you as long as I live

Lifting up my hands to you in prayer.  

You satisfy me more than the richest feast.  

I will praise you with songs of joy.  

I will lie awake thinking of you, meditating on you through the night.  Because you are my helper, 

I sing for joy in the shadow of your wings.  

I cling to you; 

Your strong right hand holds me securely.”

“Where earth and wind, and sky and sea will never match your majesty 

From where I stand I’m crying out

Jesus you are life to me

And when I see your face I’ll know

All the pain and tears will go

To the bottom of the sea

You’ll forever be holy, holy”

River of life by Rebecca St James

Life to me by Zoe Girl

Step by step by Caedmon’s Call

Like incense, Step by Step by Hillsong 

Hunger and Thirst by Susan Ashton 

Turn

 Turn

There’s an old song by the Byrds that’s actually based on Ecclesiastes 3 and it says this:

“To everything turn turn turn

There is a season turn turn turn

And a time for every purpose under Heaven.”

Do you know what time it is?  Don’t look at your watch or your phone because I’m about to give you four verses in Psalm 62 that will tell you exactly what time it is.  

Psalm 62:5-8

“Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in Him.  He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will not be shaken.  My victory and honor come from God alone.  He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me.  O my people, trust in Him at all times.  Pour out your heart to Him, for God is our refuge.”  

There was a thing I saw posted on Facebook yesterday I want to conclude with because it said this.  

"When you feel overwhelmed, You're spending too much time with the world and not enough time with God.....

He is our peace!!!"   

Turn turn turn by Adie

Pour out your love Cheri Keaggy 

Hope Now by Addison Road

Not unnoticed

 

Not unnoticed

          We all have struggles and problems in our lives.  Some of you know I have been without work for a good two months now.  I’ve even learned things about that work situation that have left me more frustrated.  I’ve cried a lot.  I’ve sat on the bed praying just wishing tears would fall down my face and they didn’t.  If you’ve been in these type of situations God sees it.  You can turn to Him!  Jesus cried in the Garden before his crucifixion.  I’ve turned to God a lot during all of this.  I’m not the type of person who wants to just do nothing.  I want to provide for my wife and dog and take care of us, so it frustrates me.  God sees your pain and your tears.  I want to show you something powerful that King David said of God.  I think it’s a promise we all need to see and remember. 

Psalm 56:8

          “You keep track of all my sorrows.  You have collected all my tears in your bottle.  You have recorded each one in your book.” 

          Think about that let it sink in.  Every single tear you have ever shed God knows about them and keeps a record of them.  And yet we still find ourselves struggling to trust Him….. That’s a deep thought! 

          There is good news.  I will be starting a new job soon.  But that’s just my news.  You came to the blog for your own bit of hope.  So how about I leave you with these promises. 

 

 

Psalm 59:16

          “But as for me, I will sing about your power.  Each morning I will sing with joy about your unfailing love.  For you have been my refuge, a place of safety when I am in distress.

 

1 Peter 5:8

          “Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about you.

          A few days back I started getting stressed out and Marion and I were talking to my dad on the phone, and he asked a lot of questions about the situation.  Then he said “Aren’t you the one who always talks about there being hope?”  Then he pointed me to these next verses.

Proverbs 3:5-6

          “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.  Seek his will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take.

 

I want to conclude with some lyrics from the song Come to Me by Geoff Moore and the Distance because I think we all need them.  Some of you know I pattern the blogs a lot like a pro wrestling promo.  You have your intro, main points you’re trying to get across and then the go home line.  This is about to be your go home line. 

 

             “When you feel like an island in a raging storm 

No matter what your fear says

Jesus will never leave you alone

He sees, He hears, and He feels your pain

He will not pass you by

Hear him now as He calls you by name

Come to me 

Come to me 

When you are weary

When you are wandering 

Come to me, come to me 

Cast your cares upon The One 

Whose yoke is easy 

And whose burden is light “

 

 

 

 

He by Jars of Clay

Trust in the Lord by Girls of Grace

His Eyes by Steven Curtis Chapman

Come to me By Geoff Moore and the Distance

Sparrows by Cory Asbury

Give Back Principle

 

Give Back principle

 

          In the pro wrestling sports entertainment industry, there is a principle of giving back.  For those not familiar let me try to explain.  When a new wrestler is learning the art, they must learn from the older generation of stars.  It is an art because those men and women put their bodies on the line to put on a show for the entertainment of the fans.  Yes, there is a predetermined ending to the match but what they do tells a story in each match and with promos.  What I mean by giving back is this: the older more established wrestler sells what are called bumps and moves to make the younger star look good.  He or she may also give them advice.  It is like a parent teaching a child or a martial artist teaching a fighter who is learning.   One day I won’t be around to do this blog, but I hope that I will have passed onto someone else hope found in God’s word and encourage them to share his word.  Growing up I got to watch as my dad developed into a pastor and he had a few mentors.  I had a few as well and people who encouraged me to start doing this life group as a blog.  See I endeavor to give back to those around me and encourage them.  I have a simple goal.  If just one person draws closer to God and finds hope in him because of something I shared, then I have accomplished what I set out to do.  That is not to say that I, Zac have everything all together because that’s not true at all I’m a mess, but I can encourage people and point them back to God.

Ephesians 5:15-20

          “So be careful how you live.  Don’t live like fools but like those who are wise.  Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days.  Don’t act thoughtlessly but understand what the Lord wants you to do.  Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life.  Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, singing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts.  And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

          The believer in Christ is called to encourage others.   

 

 

 

Hebrews 10:23-25

          “Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise.  Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works.  And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of His return is drawing near.”

 

If you have a way to help and encourage others I urge you to pursue that.  You may be the one encouraging voice someone needs and God can use you. 

 

 

 

The Flame passes on by Whiteheart

Light a candle by Whiteheart

Heart to God and a Hand to man by GeoffMoore and the Distance

When all is said and Done by Geoff Mooreand the Distance

 

Hope to share

 

Hope to share

          The Batcave blog has a theme of hope found in God’s word.  I have a few passages I want to share this week. 

Psalm 55:16-19

          “But I will call on God, and the Lord will rescue me.  Morning, noon, and night I cry out in my distress, and the Lord hears my voice.  He ransoms me and keeps me safe from the battle waged against me though many still oppose me.  God, who has ruled forever, will hear me and humble them.  For my enemies refuse to change their ways; they do not fear God.”

 

Psalm 55:22

          “Give your burdens to the Lord, and he will take care of you.  He will not permit the godly to slip and fall.”

Psalm 52:8-9

          “But I am like an olive tree, thriving in the house of God.  I will always trust in God’s unfailing love.  I will praise you forever, O God, for what you have done.  I will trust in your good name in the presence of your faithful people.   

Psalm 59:16-17

          “But as for me, I will sing about your power.  Each Morning I will sing with joy about your unfailing love.  For you have been my refuge, a place of safety when I am in distress.  O my strength, to you I sing praises, for you, O God, are my refuge, the God who shows me unfailing love. 

 

Psalm 62:5-8

          “Let all that I am quietly wait before God for all my hope is in him.  He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will not be shaken.  My victory and honor come from God alone.  He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me.  O, my people, trust in Him at all times.  Pour out your heart to Him, for God is our refuge. 

 

Something happened last week I made the blog a public video on Facebook so people other than just my friends could watch it.  The blog video went from being viewed about 16 times to 98.  I often say this if you show up to read or watch this blog I’m the least important part of it.  God is the main focus.  It belongs to him.  I simply show up and share what He lays on my heart.  See sharing a blog online and making God’s word the focus doesn’t make much sense because I don’t know who reads or watches it but I want to share truth that I know because I make mistakes and I have sought hope myself and I know it can be found in God.  I know when I share his word it will go reach others because of what this next passage says.

Isaiah 55:8-11

          “’My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts.’ Says the Lord.  ‘And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.  For just as the Heavens are higher than the earth so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.  The rain and the snow come down from the heavens and stay on the ground to water the earth.  They cause the grain to grow producing seed for the farmer and bread for the hungry.  It is the same with my word I send it out and it always produces fruit.  It will accomplish all I want it to and prosper everywhere I send it.’” 

          There have been people in church that have told me to limit this only to a small group but Jesus called us to share the gospel to the uttermost part of the earth.  I made a commitment to do a blog with the focus of sharing hope found in God’s word so the watcher or reader would draw closer to God and that has been my prayer for this.  The people your life affects God has called you to share his love with.

          Matt. 28: 19-20):
And Jesus said to them, "Go
Therefore and make disciples of all nations
Baptizing them in the name of the Father
And the Son, and the Holy Spirit
Teaching them to observe
All that I have commanded you
And lo, I am with you always
Even to the end of the age
I am with you always
Even to the end of the age"

When we say what we say
We've gotta face the nation
We gotta show a dyin' world
The power of love
When we say what we say
We've gotta face the nation
How will they ever know
If they don't see it in us

 

 

Face the Nation by 4 Him

People Need the Lord bySteven Green

Until the Whole world hears by Casting Crowns

Meant to be by Steven CurtisChapman