JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Light Reflection is Psalm 59:16.
I will sing of your strength. In the morning, I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble.
Meeting with God in the morning is effective for setting the tone for a brighter day.
One of the ways we can have a meaningful encounter with the living God is through worship music. This will refresh our spirit with songs of joy, gratitude, and celebration. The language of music is uplifting to our faith when the lyrics draw our attention to God’s love for us.
This Light Reflection inspires us to sing of God’s love and strength as we rise to start each new day in the Year to Shine.
21st Annual Christmas Vesper Service featuring the Reading Pops Orchestra & vocal soloists. Preservice music at 3:30pm by the Conrad Weiser Brass Ensemble. Entrance is free. A free will offering will be taken.
Join us on October 28, 2022 at 7:00 pm at Enola First Church of God for our own version of the game, “Don’t Forget the Lyrics”! Pastor George Jensen will serve as game show host for the evening. Free Coffee and other beverages will be served along with food and snacks. Bring the whole family for free FUN, FOOD, & FELLOWSHIP.
JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Key Element for Thriving Relationships is Sharing our love of music with others.
We can do this in a number of ways. We can talk about favorite songs that we hear on the radio or share songs with others that we find on social media. We can sing songs together in church, or hear songs together in a concert venue.
Music has a way of bringing people together. In Matthew 26:30, Jesus sung a hymn with His disciples before going out to the Mount of Olives.
Ephesians 5:19 instructs us to speak “to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord.”
Sharing our Love of Music with others is a key element for thriving relationships that honor God.
JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Faith-Building Verses are Psalm 33:2 to 4.
“Praise the LORD with the harp; make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre. Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy. For the word of the LORD is right and true; he is faithful in all he does.”
Worship is a way of life that includes music. With a joyful heart, we can celebrate with shouts of joy for God’s grace and goodness. With a troubled heart, we can pour out our heart to God with words of lament and petition. This too can be a meaningful time of worship as we seek God in the midst of our trials. Music is given to us as a creative expression to glorify God.
Whether we sing from the hymnbook or the newest song on the radio, we have the opportunity to express our love for God in a way that honors His name and edifies our soul.
These Faith-Building Verses inspire us to use music as an instrument for worship in the Year of Relationship.
JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Endurance, today’s Daily Challenge motivates us to use music as an instrument of worship.
Music is a gift from God and is a meaningful way to express our love for Him.
Throughout history, God’s people have lifted up their voices together in praise to God. Music can be a picture of how God desires for His people to live in unity with each other. We don’t all play the same instruments, nor do we all sing the same parts, but as we harmonize with the body of Christ, we lift up a beautiful song that glorifies God.
Ephesians 5:19 encourages us to be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Take the daily challenge to use music as an instrument of worship on the journey of faith.
Praise & Worship Podcast Episode 3 features special guest, David Leonard! Singer/Songwriter, Worship Leader, Producer–he’s a Dove Award winning unstoppable generating force of creativity. We talk about filming a music video with his dad, corporate versus individual worship songs, and breaking away from the keyboard on MercyMe’s 2020 tour. Plus, miscarriage from a man’s perspective: how it feels and what helps.
On a personal note: David Leonard‘s album, “The Wait”, was huge for my husband and me. If you know our story, you know Sam was diagnosed with testicular cancer right after we were married. I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer a couple years later. Doctor’s said we had a one in a million chance at having a baby. It was 7 years before our son, Josiah, was born with some help from IVF. We say (hands down!) infertility is harder to go through than cancer. You might also know that last year: after trying and waiting for even more years, we got pregnant–but it was ectopic, which meant emergency surgery and incredible shock. Pain like that threatens to destroy you. But, surprisingly God has encouraged us deeply, reawakening our hearts and our hope! After that hardest hit yet, we feel more compelled than ever to share and encourage you. We know so many can relate. For me, songs are essential in this process. Lyrics give you voice while music does its work on your soul. If you are in this boat too, I’d love to share this conversation with you. You can find it on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and SoundCloud. I pray it helps you feel more hope (and less alone).
JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Redemption, today’s Freedom Phrase is based on Psalm 33, verse 1.
“Sing joyfully to the LORD, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise him.”
When we commit our lives to Jesus, we are moved by His love to honor Him in worship. God has given us a meaningful way to express our devotion and praise to God from the overflow of our joy. That way is music.
Verse 2 of Psalm 33 encourages us to “praise the LORD with the harp; make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre. Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy.”
Through Jesus, we are set free to celebrate His glory and grace with songs of worship.
JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Eye on Integrity is based on Ephesians 5, verses 18b to 20.
“Be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
The Lord is honored in various styles of songs. If not, He would not have invited us to use three different types of songs for worship. He works just as powerfully in the hymns as He does in worship choruses, as long as the content of the songs reflects Him accurately.
We can use music for worshipping God and for teaching others about Him. In these ways, music builds our faith in Jesus.
Celebrating Jesus in music is a virtue to embrace for our lives in the Year of Integrity.
JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Eye on Integrity is based on Psalm 40, verse 3.
David said this about the LORD, “He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD.”
When the grace of God moves the heart, praise for God becomes the theme of our songs. Jesus said, “Out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks.” That is what was happening in David’s life. His music became an instrument of praise that became a public testimony of what God had done in his life. This kind of music continues to have an impact on people’s lives today.
Using music as an instrument of praise for God is a virtue to embrace for our lives in the Year of Integrity.
JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Eye on Integrity is based on Isaiah 12:5 and 6.
“Sing to the LORD, for he has done glorious things; let this be known to all the world. Shout aloud and sing for joy, people of Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel among you.”
If there is one thing that will give the follower of Jesus real joy, it is to notice when God does glorious things in the world.
It might be the conversion and salvation of a precious soul to Christ.
It might be the mending of a troubled marriage.
It might be the opening of a new church in the neighborhood.
Or it might be seen in a person who is moved by God to help their neighbor in a meaningful way.
As we notice the glorious things that God is doing among us, we will have a reason to sing songs of praise from a joyful heart.
Walking in praise and joy are virtues to embrace for our lives in the Year of Integrity.
