Wed Devo (sort of)

Boldly Speaking the Truth This morning’s devotion is a little more of a confession than examination of scripture. Never the less, hopefully you will be encouraged and challenged. Having just come out of the recording studio, I am finding myself reexamining the songs that I have written. Many of the songs that I have written are songs of challenge. Songs like “Not So Easily Pleased” and “Depths of Your Mercy”, although they may be considered fast songs, are really songs that I must sing to myself everyday. If the truth be known, I am very easily pleased most of the time. I am wearing a shirt that bears the title of that song along with Philippians 3:7-9 to remind me that I have someone who is infinitely more satisfying than anything I have ever seen, touched, or tasted. If the truth be know, I often view God’s mercy as very shallow because my pride would have me believe that I really don’t need too much mercy to start with. I have a tendency to believe that I am basically good when in reality I am just good at hiding my sin. Martin Luther was pastoring a church a few years after the reformation and his congregation would come to him and ask “why do you continue to preach us the gospel week after week?” They were implying that they were ready to move on to something else. He responded by saying, “Because week after week you forget it. Until you come in here looking like a people who are truly liberated by the gospel, I will continue to preach it to you.” Is that not a picture of us? Has the truth of the gospel set you free? Have you been set free from comparing your ministry to others? Have you been set free from living in fear of your sin being found out? The gospel liberates because the gospel will expose a crucified Christ and expose your sin. How beautiful and offensive is the cross! The cross exposes my pride. The cross exposes my lack of love for my enemies. The cross exposes my wandering mind and lustful heart. STOP HIDING!!! Your sin HAS been exposed! It is my prayer for myself and for you as the church that we would truly repent and stop hiding as if God were against us. I have always had a desire to speak truth through music and that is why I must go back and examine what I sing and say night after night. This conviction has come at what seems to be full force just in the past few months. I have written songs that many people have commented about how much they love the song. After having examined the song a little closer, I find that the song glorifies man and not God. In case you have ever wondered why we sing and play, it is to glorify God by lifting him up and portraying him as he is which is something that our minds can’t fathom. I am interested to see what songs filter through my brain and heart for future concerts. If any songs on our new recording should be dwelt on, I would recommend “Wrap me in Your Cross” and “Redemption Hymn”. Until then, here is a song to read and re-read and re-read again and again. Read this aloud if you can. You need to hear this as much read it. The Church’s One Foundation by Samuel S. Wesley The Church’s one foundation is Jesus Christ her Lord She is His new creation by water and the word From heav’n He came and sought her to be His holy bride With His own blood he bought her, and for her life he died Elect from every nation yet one o’er all the earth Her charter of salvation, One Lord, one faith, one birth One holy name she blesses, Partakes on holy food And to one hope she presses, with every grace endued Mid toil and tribulation and tumult of her war She waits the consummation of peace forevermore Till with the vision glorious her longing eyes are blest And the great church victorious shall be the church at rest Yet she on earth hath union with God the three in one And mystic sweet communion with those whose rest is won O happy ones and holy! Lord give us grace that we Like them, the meek and lowly, on high may dwell with thee. A-Men. josh