“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”
--Philippians 4:6-8 (New International Version)
In other words, turn your thoughts away from this world, things that disappoint, and concentrate on the Kingdom of God! God does not disappoint! Praise God!
The night will never leave my memory, I am sure. It was New Year’s Eve, December 31, 1999. The New Millennium was upon us and there was fear all around. Fear that computers would not handle the change of Century. Fear that there would be food shortages. Fear that there would be riots in the streets. The media was stirring up anything that would cause the public to question the next day and fear abounded throughout the world. And there we were in that little chapel. We were seventy-three people strong that night.
It was our first church appointment and we had been there for four years. There was no fear in that sanctuary that night. We were having a Watch Night service and there was rejoicing going on. There was singing and praying and shouting and laughing. And at the heart of the service, climaxing exactly at midnight, something happened. It was so precious and so Godly, void of fear and discouragement, and it rang of excellence and praiseworthiness! At the stroke of midnight, we didn’t hug, we didn’t kiss, we didn’t make random noise, but rather, we turned our attention to God, we sang “Shout to the Lord” and we dedicated five young people to God. What an awesome night!
Mothers and fathers stood behind their children, all the children between the ages of seven and thirteen, and they consecrated their children in the name of Jesus Christ.
There was a world outside those walls that wanted to swallow up those children but inside we took a stand and found victory for five children, five families, and a wonderful congregation waging war against Satan. That night, in that little chapel, in Rochester, Pa., Discouragement took a backseat to victory!
May you find a way to displace your discouragement, your anxiety with God-filled Victory!
Victory in Jesus
I heard an old, old story,
I heard an old, old story,
How a Savior came from glory,
How He gave His life on Calvary
To save a wretch like me;
I heard about His groaning,
Of His precious blood's atoning,
Then I repented of my sins
And won the victory.
Chorus
O victory in Jesus,
My Savior, forever.
He sought me and bought me
With His redeeming blood;
He loved me ere I knew Him
And all my love is due Him,
He plunged me to victory,
Beneath the cleansing flood.
I heard about His healing,
Of His cleansing pow'r revealing.
How He made the lame to walk again
And caused the blind to see;
And then I cried, "Dear Jesus,
Come and heal my broken spirit,
And somehow Jesus came and bro't
To me the victory.
Chorus
O victory in Jesus,
My Savior, forever.
He sought me and bought me
With His redeeming blood;
He loved me ere I knew Him
And all my love is due Him,
He plunged me to victory,
Beneath the cleansing flood.
I heard about a mansion
He has built for me in glory.
And I heard about the streets of gold
Beyond the crystal sea;
About the angels singing,
And the old redemption story,
And some sweet day I'll sing up there
The song of victory.
Chorus
O victory in Jesus,
My Savior, forever.
He sought me and bought me
With His redeeming blood;
He loved me ere I knew Him
And all my love is due Him,
He plunged me to victory,
Beneath the cleansing flood.
Words and Music by E.M. Bartlett
© 1939 - Administrated by Integrated Copyright Group, Inc.
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1 comment:
I love Philippians' answer to "whatever."
I can spend the rest of my life thinking about the true, pure and noble things and not have enough time for the dregs.
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