July 15, 2013

• Good Choices for Dark Times

  This week is our church's summer camp up in Mariager. We join with other churches from all over the nation for a week with seminars, good sermons, and wonderful fellowship.I think we have over 6,000 campers this year! Hubby and I are not campers, so we are driving in. Thankfully, we are close enough to be able to do that.

  

  Yesterday, we were all sitting in the large meeting hall. Worship had just ended, and we were watching a video about how God is using a Christian television channel being broadcast into Turkey to reach many with the gospel. Suddenly, all the lights, sound, tech support DIED. No more power. Nada. Hmmm..... Now what? Do we just say, "Forget it!" and leave?

  Then, someone way up in front of the auditorium grabbed an acoustic guitar and started singing --

  How great is our God!
  Sing with me. How great is our God!
  And all will see how great, how great is our God.

  It made me think about the many ways we can choose to respond to adversity in our lives. Some complain. Some curse. Some worry. Some blame. Some just give up and walk away. We can do these things, or, we can praise our great God.

   

  So, right there on a Sunday morning in Mariager, Denmark, sitting in the dark, people began to do just that! We sat in the dark and we began to sing and rejoice because God is great and He is good --- all the time. It created such a wonderful feeling, and I found I had tears in my eyes. It was a precious time! God is great. He is always great, and so worthy to be praised -- even in the dark times.

  

  (Psalm 103:1-5 MSG)  A David psalm. O my soul, bless GOD. From head to toe, I'll bless his holy name!  O my soul, bless GOD, don't forget a single blessing! He forgives your sins--every one. He heals your diseases--every one. He redeems you from hell--saves your life! He crowns you with love and mercy--a paradise crown. He wraps you in goodness--beauty eternal. He renews your youth--you're always young in His presence.

  King David commanded his soul to praise God. David had plenty of troubles, but he knew that when we worship, we move our focus off the problem and remind ourselves that God is able to help! He is mighty! He loves us!

  So, I want to encourage you today. If you are in a dark place, begin to praise God. If you feel trapped, praise Him. If nothing is going right, praise Him! When you do that, you will feel His strength and hope coming into your heart. You will feel blessed. You will make the devil nervous, and you will find you have a different perspective about the troubles.

  How great is our God! 

  • 5:59 am
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