“Above All” – Monday Musical Musings

February 10th, 2014 dsisler

This week in one of my Bible studies, we’re studying the parable of the landowner and tenants (Matthew 21:33-46). In this parable, Jesus tells the Jewish leaders that because they rejected Jesus, the Gospel would be shared with “a people who will produce its fruit.” (Matthew 21:43 – NIV)

 

0005030206R-849x565While it angered the chief priests and Pharisees, it meant that Jesus’ message of salvation would be opened to the Gentiles…and that includes me.

 

Sometimes it is difficult for me to understand how God could have such love for humanity. But it is even more difficult to understand how God could have such love for me. I know my weaknesses. I know I’m not living day-to-day as He has asked. And yet, He loves me anyway.

 

The song I share today tells of this great love for mankind and for me. Of the vastness of God and His creation. Of the power He possesses. Of His wisdom and ways. And yet, when Jesus was dying for the sins of the world, He thought of me.

 

I wonder, as He hung there bearing the weight of my sin, was it my sin He thought of or did His love for me overshadow the burden of my sin? If my sin were on Jesus’ mind, He might have called those thousands of angels to rescue Him.

 

However, Jesus said it Himself before He went to the cross. “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13 – NIV) Love. That’s what Jesus was thinking while He was on the cross.

 

Want more proof? Galatians 2:20 (NIV) says, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

 

And then 1 John 3:16 (NIV) says, “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.”

 

So as you read through the lyrics of this song and listen to the message, know that Jesus loves you. He gave Himself for you. And He thought of you above all.

 

“Above All”

 

Above all powers, above all kings
Above all nature and all created things
Above all wisdom and all the ways of man
You were here before the world began

Above all kingdoms, above all thrones
Above all wonders the world has ever known
Above all wealth and treasures of the earth
There’s no way to measure what You’re worth

Crucified, laid behind a stone
You lived to die, rejected and alone
Like a rose trampled on the ground
You took the fall and thought of me
Above all[i]

 

Michael W. Smith is one of the artists who has recorded this message. To listen to his version, click here.

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

 

Donna


[i] “Above All,” Words and Music by Paul Baloche and Lenny LaBlanc, 1999. Integrity’s Hosana Music.

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Love Does

February 9th, 2014 dsisler

This morning in our worship services at Rocky Mountain Christian Church, Bob Goff, author of Love Does, will be our guest speaker. It’s been an exciting time of anticipation for this particular Sunday. And now it’s finally here.

 

Love DoesIf you live in or around the Denver area and would love to hear Bob speak, our services are at 9:30 and 11:00 am. We’d love to see you there!

 

In the book Love Does, Bob used this line at the beginning of each chapter. “I used to think…, but now I know…” Consider this one. “I used to think I needed an invitation to get into most places, but now I know I’m already invited.”[i]

 

God has already invited you to join Him in this journey of life. Have you accepted the invitation? If you haven’t, why not make that decision today?

 

If you have accepted the invitation, are you fully engaged with God in the journey? Sure, it will take some courage on your part, but God will be with you along the way. You have nothing to lose.

 

I pray that each of us will take the time to discover how we can engage more with God along our journey. There is always something we can do to draw closer to Him. I can’t wait to see where God takes me next!

 

Today’s repeated blog post is called “Praise God!” Enjoy and happy Sunday y’all!

 

Praise God!

 

Yesterday I prepared for a dinner gathering with some friends. My guest list included the team I went to SE Asia with and the family we visited while there. It was a reunion and a blessed reunion at that.

 

As part of my preparation, I created a “to do” list. If you have been reading my blog for any length of time, you know that I am a list maker. Yesterday was no different.

 

I listed the usual things to do. Clean the bathrooms, sweep and mop the floors, and food preparation tasks. And there were some unusual ones. I cut the grass and cleaned off the patio deck (it’s actually warm enough and there is no snow now so we can use it).

 

I wrote my list while sitting in my living room, looking out toward the mountains. The aspen trees in the front yard have finally been blessed with spring green leaves. There was a pleasant breeze drifting through the screen door. And then, something else came to mind that needed to be on my list. And then another.

 

Enjoy the day!

Praise God!

 

In the busyness of my day, if I am not diligent and mindful, I will forget to do these two things. And that’s just not something I want to do.

 

So throughout my day, as I would return to my list to cross off another task, my eyes would float to the bottom and I would be reminded to enjoy the day and to praise God.

 

It worked so well, that I will never create another list without these two additions. Why? It made my day! I was happier throughout the day and I never once felt as if I were doing chores. Even though I was.

 

And I also know that remembering God throughout my day can be difficult because of the tasks at hand. But I must remember that God thinks of me, so I should be thinking of Him.

 

King David wrote of God’s mindfulness toward mankind in Psalm 8:3-5 (NIV). “When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor.”

 

With all of God’s creation, how is it that God is mindful of us and crowned us with glory and honor? Because we were created to have a relationship with God. God wants that relationship with us more than He cares for the heavens He created. Therefore, we should be more mindful of Him on a daily basis.

 

God wanted that relationship with us enough to give up something very precious to Him. His Son. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16 – NIV)

 

So, I must ask myself. What am I willing to give up for my relationship with God?

 

Jesus asked His followers to give up everything they knew to follow Him. And they did. “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” (Matthew 16:24 – NIV)

 

Paul chose to follow Christ by crucifying himself. “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20 – NIV)

 

On a practical note, Paul gave a list of things we are to “put to death” in Colossians 3:5 (NIV). “Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.”

 

What am I willing to give up for my relationship with God?

 

What are you willing to give up for your relationship with God?

 

A little note on the bottom of my “to do” list seems pretty small. But it is a start. It is a good start. To remember God throughout my day and have a little conversation with Him. To be mindful of God as my Creator and Redeemer.

 

Praise God!

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

 

Donna

 

I would love to hear from you. If you would like to leave a comment, please click here to do so. Grace!


[i] Love Does, Bob Goff, Thomas Nelson, 2012, page 76.

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Spam Folders

February 8th, 2014 dsisler

I know you know what spam is. It seems like it is everywhere. I have spam folders on all of my email accounts and the spam programs do a great job at capturing the ill-intended emails and isolates them.

 

August 2004 Trip2 018mMy website is no different. Each day, I have a group of spam that goes to my website spam folder. I glance through them and if they are truly spam, I delete them.

 

As good as everything is, I still receive a few emails with comments that are spam. These I look at a little closer and if they are gibberish, they are trashed.

 

Yesterday I was deleting some old emails and then deleting my trash folder on my Full Measure of Joy email account. I found it quite interesting which blog post had received the most spam.

 

I had 84 emails from the blog post “The Lord Almighty is His Name.”

 

When I did research for starting a blog, the one thing most people agreed with was to give each post a catchy title. I’ve tried to do so, but in doing so, I have left out the name of the One for whom I’m writing. God. Usually nowhere in the title do you see His name.

 

I was thrilled that this was the particular one the spammers chose. Because it does tell them what my writing is about. The Lord Almighty! And if they chose to look a little deeper, they would find out about His Name as well.

 

Now I realize this isn’t how spamming works, but maybe, just maybe someone on the other side of the computer screen glanced up at just the right time and saw the words, “The Lord Almighty is His Name.” It’s my prayer in any case.

 

It’s my prayer for anyone who reads my blog. That they would come to understand and believe in the Lord Almighty and His Name.

 

We find this description of God in the Book of Amos. This short verse is filled with reasons to worship the Lord. His beautiful creation is reason to praise His Name. Take a look at the verse.

 

“He who forms the mountains, creates the wind, and reveals his thoughts to man, he who turns dawn to darkness, and treads the high places of the earth—the Lord God Almighty is his name.” (Amos 4:13 – NIV)

 

How are you praising God’s Almighty Name today?

 

So bring on the spamming. If this is the blog post the spammers continue to target, I’m pleased. God’s Name is being proclaimed. His mighty actions are being declared. His Lordship is being broadcast.

 

And isn’t that exactly what Full Measure of Joy is all about?

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

 

Donna

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What Next?

February 7th, 2014 dsisler

What is the date? February 7, right? Well as usual, time has flown by and now I’m in a bit of a jam. So I’m hoping you, my readers will be able to help.

 

DSC02392mYou see, I lead two groups of ladies in Bible study. One group will be finishing up our current study in three weeks. I have no idea what we’re going to study next, but this Wednesday evening I need to have some options for them.

 

The other group of ladies will probably be in a different group next fall, but the leadership team is asking us to give them our Bible study options for the fall within the next three weeks.

 

So you see, I need some Bible study ideas! So tell me, what have you studied recently that has made an impact upon your life?

 

I am not the first person to say “what next?” There are plenty of biblical characters who asked God that question.

 

As Noah, his family and a brood of animals floated upon the waters of the flood, I’m sure they asked one another and God on several occasions, “What next?”

 

I’m sure as Elijah waited on the Lord to show up, he asked “What next?” After the great and powerful wind, the earthquake and the fire, Elijah was thrilled to hear God’s whisper.

 

King David most probably asked God the question. After Goliath, after being anointed as king, after the death of his son, after repentance. “What next?”

 

All of Israel waited patiently after the last words of the Old Testament were spoken. For 400 years they asked, “What next?”

 

John the Baptizer proclaimed what God had in mind, but still the people asked “What next?”

 

Jesus shared God’s message with Israel and some asked “What next?”

 

After Jesus’ death, His believers, His true followers asked, “What next?”

 

On the day of Pentecost, Peter was asked by the crowd, “What next?”

 

And I believe all of humanity asked “What next?” in waiting for the Gentiles to hear the Gospel.

 

The answer to all of the questions is the same. God. He is what’s next.

 

Maybe you’re asking the same question. “What’s next?”

 

If you are an unbeliever, then your next step is to accept Jesus as your Savior.

 

If you are a believer, then your next step will always take you deeper into God’s Word, deeper in your faith, deeper in your relationship with God, deeper in your desire to follow Him and do as He asks. There will always be a “What’s next.” It’s what keeps us growing.

 

And here’s the thing. I also believe God is asking us the same question. “What’s next?” “Where are you willing to go with Me?” “What are you willing to do with Me?” “Who are you willing to love with Me?” “When?”

 

Yes, we need to continue to ask ourselves “What’s next?” And when God shares His plan, be prepared to answer.

 

What’s next?

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

 

Donna

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Love, Love, Love

February 6th, 2014 dsisler

I heard of a great tool to teach my grandchildren about love recently. It’s from Family Life Today. It can be used for several purposes, but its main goal is to teach about love as we head into Valentine’s Day.

 

KIT17803I heard about it on their program, was intrigued, looked it up and purchased it. I’m so glad that I did because it’s exactly what I thought it would be.

 

Today I’m going to share something about each one of the cards. Let’s learn about love!

 

The center heart is taken from 1 John 4:19. “We love because He first loved us.” These words are to be the center of love. It is the center heart. It’s where our love comes from. This realization is cause to rejoice. “May you grow together in the wonder of being loved unconditionally by God and learn to give love generously to others.”

 

The remaining hearts use the love chapter, 1 Corinthians 13 as their scriptural source.

 

One heart says “Love is patient” and inside it says, “Love chooses self-control.” And “Love does not retaliate.” And “Love is willing to wait calmly.” Aren’t these great phrases to teach our children about being patient and how it fits into love?

 

One heart says “Love is kind.” Inside it lets us know that “Love is inviting, sympathetic, and warm to all people.” “Love sees. It feels compassion and acts.” These simple phrases helps us understand how love is kind.

 

“Love does not envy.” On the inside of this card are some interesting phrases. “Love is content, trusting God each day.” And then there’s “Jealousy blocks out love by turning your eyes on yourself and what you don’t have.” What great words to help understand this concept.

 

One heart tells us, “Love does not boast,” and inside we see “Love trusts that God sees all and believes he will reward fairly.” “Boasting thinks your way is the best way.” And then it ends with “Words matter.”

 

“Love is not arrogant” is on the next heart. “Love shows honor and respect to others” is listed inside. As well as, “Love knows everyone’s story is important.” These are good words for adults to hear.

 

And then, “Love is not rude.” “Love does not treat people roughly.” “Love does not use bad manners but is gracious.” Do your children or grandchildren need to learn this concept? I know mine could use a dose of this one.

 

“Love does not insist on its own way.” On the inside of this card we read, “Love looks for and listens to the needs of others.” And this is good. “Love is directed by the golden rule.” A great way to teach about treating others as you’d like to be treated!

 

And guess what, there are still eight more cards to go! These cards are filled with examples and biblical references and prayers and resources. I cannot wait to read every bit of writing on them.

 

I heard an interview with Barbara Rainey who wrote these cards and she said it took her a while to put them together. I now know why. These are filled with wonderful ideas and I’m sure will be a blessing to my family by learning about love through the next few weeks and months.

 

I don’t usually promote products here, but this is one that I’d suggest for any parent or grandparent who finds difficulty with how their children love others. Let’s face it; we all could use a little help every now and then.

 

If you’d like to purchase your own set of “How Do I Love Thee?” cards, you may do so by visiting the website here. http://shop.familylife.com/p-3480-how-do-i-love-thee-valentines-kit.aspx

 

We read throughout Scripture that we are to love others. That’s part of the mission of Rocky Mountain Christian Church where I attend. Jesus’ words are pretty clear in Matthew 22:37-40 (NIV).

 

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

 

Yes, Jesus knew the importance of love and how it should affect our lives. He also knew that when we loved God and others, everything would fall into place.

 

The Apostle Paul understood this idea as well. After writing about love in the love chapter of the Bible, he has this to say about love. “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” (1 Corinthians 13:13 – NIV)

 

After glimpsing through these cards, I believe there are several concepts about love that I need to learn. I look forward to opening my heart to what God has to tell me through this tool. I pray that God’s love will touch your heart as well.

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

 

Donna

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    "I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and His incomparably great power for us who believe." Ephesians 1:18-19


    I am a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother. I lived in the beautiful state of Colorado for 20 years where I found great inspiration for my novels and devotional writings. Currently living in southwest Ohio.

    I am passionate about helping women find their way to Jesus through Bible study, teaching, speaking, inspirational writing and creative Bible journaling.

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    In September 2012 I went to SE Asia on a service trip. For more information, check out preachitclearly.blogspot.com.

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