Saturday Song – Burn the Ships

The story goes that in 1519 a Spanish explorer and soldier led an expedition in search of the conquest of Mexico. As he claimed authority over one piece of land, he ordered that his ships be burned to keep his men from retreating. (Although the truer story was probably that he had his ships sunk.)

Still, the term “burn the ships” became a trope meaning “no turning back.”  And for us who are in Christ, there is no turning back to the world or to our old way of life. 

We only move forward in faith, with our LORD, the Defeater of Death, into the waters, into the fires, into the valleys, into the victories of a deeper and more abiding faith, no matter what. 

Whatever piece of the world we’re still holding onto, let’s bravely let it go, burn the ship, claim our new life in Him, and take a step into a new day with our Faithful Father, and never look back. 

”But my righteous one will live by faith.
    And I take no pleasure
    in the one who shrinks back.’

But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved.'”
Hebrews 10:38-39

 
 
 
Burn the Ships
by for KING & COUNTRY


How did we get here?All castaway on a lonely shoreI can see in your eyes, dearIt’s hard to take for a moment moreWe’ve got to
 
Burn the ships, cut the tiesSend a flare into the nightSay a prayer, turn the tideDry your tears and wave goodbye
 
Step into a new dayWe can rise up from the dust and walk awayWe can dance upon our heartache, yeahSo light a match, leave the past, burn the shipsAnd don’t you look back
 
Don’t let it arrest youThis fear is fear of fallin’ againAnd if you need a refugeI will be right here until the endOh, it’s time to
 
Burn the ships, cut the tiesSend a flare into the nightSay a prayer, turn the tideDry your tears and wave goodbye
 
Step into a new dayWe can rise up from the dust and walk awayWe can dance upon our heartache, yeahSo light a match, leave the past, burn the shipsAnd don’t you look back
 
So long to shame, walk through the sorrowOut of the fire into tomorrowSo flush the pills, face the fearFeel the wave disappearWe’re comin’ clear, we’re born againOur hopeful lungs can breathe againOh, we can breathe again
 
Step into a new dayWe can rise up from the dust and walk awayWe can dance upon our heartache, yeahSo light a match, leave the past, burn the shipsAnd step into a new dayWe can rise up from the dust and walk awayWe can dance upon our heartache, yeahSo light a match, leave the past, burn the shipsAnd don’t you look back
 
And don’t you look backAnd don’t you look back

 

Run In Such a Way

His name is Zach, and he loves to run. I mean he loves it. He ran cross country and track in high school. He studied runners like Usain Bolt and Zach Bitter, and started eyeing the pros. 

His philosophy wasn’t to look at the greats and think he could never do what they did.  Instead, he looked at them as human beings as he was, as having goals and simply training hard and going for it, and Zach saw no reason he couldn’t do that, too. 

So on his high school graduation day Zach announced to his mom he wanted to run a 100-miler before he turned 20. He had ten months to train.

Zach was laser-focused on his goals. He began training with a coach and ran his first 5K, then a 10K, then a 26-mile marathon, and then a 50-mile ultramarathon.

Throughout the process fellow runners embraced him, encouraged him, and supported him every step of the way. 

Finally, he was ready, heart, mind, and body. He signed up for the Coldwater Rumble ultramarathon. One hundred miles. 

The runners gathered at sunrise. At 19, Zach was the youngest. 

He ran throughout the day with only a few refueling pitstops along the way. He was tired, his body ached, and his feet were on fire, but he was determined to keep running. 

His coach ran alongside him, encouraging him, and whenever he circled back around after another 25-mile lap, his cheering section was there to help him keep going. He finished lap 3 – 75 miles. 

The trail was dark now. It was the middle of the night, but a secure headlamp lit his way. 

By sunrise, Zach was dealing with a hip flexor strain that caused him to slow to a walk for a bit, but he stayed in the race. He was determined, and soon he picked up his pace again. 

The sun was up, and while some runners had dropped out of the race, Zach neared the finish line with a smile on his face, his goal in sight, and his family and friends cheering him on. 

At 28 hours, 6 minutes, and 36 seconds, he crossed the 100-mile mark.  At 19, he was the youngest to ever finish the race.

Oh, did I mention Zach has autism?

Zach’s perceived weakness by some was in reality a strength. He’d always been very focused as a kid, and that focus helped him achieve a goal that, at his age, no one else had. 

Though I’ll never be this kind of runner, every aspect of Zach’s story inspires me to keep running in the race I’m called to in Christ. 

“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.”
1 Corinthians 9:24

Run in such a way…  

We are to take our spiritual race seriously.

We may look at the so-called spiritual greats – Paul the apostle, who wrote much of the New Testament, John the apostle, who recorded words from the LORD Himself, George Müller, Jim and Elisabeth Elliot, Billy Graham, and countless others, and think we could never do what they did. But why not? They were human beings like we are, who simply had a strong faith in Jesus Christ that caused them to run their race in obedience.

Who knows what God may want to do through any of us? Any perceived or even actual weaknesses we have don’t need to limit us. If we let Him, God can use those weaknesses to be the very things that propel us forward because when we are weak, He is strong on our behalf. 

Suffering may seem to be a weakness, but it is our training ground. As we look to Christ in and through it, He’ll teach us to persevere, to trust Him, to grow stronger in ways we never would have otherwise.

At times in our race, we’ll need to sit down and rest, or we may even fall. It’s okay. We all do at one time or another. Get back up and keep walking, keep running. 

And we need to cheer one another on to victory. There are times the most discouraging thing is not the world, it’s not the fall, it’s not the suffering. Sometimes the most discouraging thing is not being supported and encouraged (or even actively discouraged) by those who should be cheering the loudest. 

In the spiritual race, we’re not running against each other. We are each running a unique race purposed just for us, but we are running together. Let’s be brothers and sisters who pick one another up, who take a hand, who pray and encourage and love as we watch one another run our races. 

And no matter what, our Coach will always be by our side. He’ll run the race with us, giving us everything we need, and we can trust Him to never leave our side.

“Therefore…let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.”
Hebrews 12:1a-2

So, let’s put on and keep on the proper attire for our race – our spiritual armor, and our light – God’s Word, and keep running with our eyes on the prize of eternal life with Jesus Christ.

When he’d crossed the finish line, Zach said, with a smile, “I’m tired, but I’m happy. I finished the race.” 

May we, too, say, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”  2 Timothy 4:7

And if you’ve never signed up for this race, you’ve never known Jesus Christ personally, the Bible says this: “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16

If you believe that Jesus is who He said He is, that He is the Messiah, the Savior who came to die on the cross as payment for our sins, and you desire to put your faith in Him, to give your life to Him and begin following Him, just talk to God and let Him know. You can pray a prayer that goes something like this: 

Dear God, please forgive me for my sins. I believe your Son Jesus died on the cross to pay for my sins and I accept His payment. Please come live in my heart and lead me in this race called life. I pray in Jesus’s name, amen.

If you have any questions please let me know. God bless you!

For Him, 
Dorci

 

 

 

 

 

Sunday Praise and a Prayer for Faith

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” 2 Timothy 1:7

Dear Heavenly Father, we praise you, for you are holy and sovereign. You are gracious and merciful to give us all we need to live a life of godliness. 

As we come to you in prayer for the people and actions going on around the world, we ask that you would empower us to pray in your Spirit, in complete faith, not in fear.  

We know nothing comes as a surprise to you, and nothing is beyond your control. So we pray, in the name of Jesus the Messiah, that you would bind the work of the enemy. We pray you would discharge your angels to set a hedge of protection around the oppressed. We pray you would impart your wisdom and knowledge to leaders who are defending their country, and to those helping them. We pray for continued courage and victory for those who have stepped up to fight for and defend their freedom and their very lives. And we pray for believers who are who are on the front lines of this assault, that you would fill them with an unwavering confidence in you and your faithfulness. 

We pray you would overcome evil, and bring souls to repentance and belief in Christ, receiving Him as Lord and Savior. 

May your love overcome and your light shine within the darkness, and in and through us, that you may be glorified and worshipped in the Spirit and in truth. 

Let us not give in to fear, but remain steadfast as we abide in you, immersing ourselves in prayer and in your Holy Word. 

We pray in the most holy and precious name of Jesus, the Christ, amen. 

***

As always, if you have any prayer requests or questions, please don’t hesitate to email me or contact me through the Facebook or Twitter pages.  The Lord bless you and keep you. 

For Him, 
Dorci

 

Sunday Praise and a Prayer to Be Ready

“Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’

And I said, ‘Here am I. Send me!'”

Heavenly Father, we praise you for all you are and all you do. We ask for forgiveness of our sins and a renewal of our spirit. 

Lord, even though this scripture is an account of words spoken between you and Isaiah, may they be our attitude and words to you, too. Our lives are yours.  Make us useful in your hands and ready, and when you desire us to go, to do, to speak, whether it’s to a family member, a neighbor, a stranger, or a crowd, we pray you would strengthen us as we take that step of faith with humble hearts, boldness, fearlessness (or at least obedience in the fear!), and do it all in your love that we would be proper witnesses of your holy, gentle, and gracious character. 

We submit ourselves to you, Lord. We are your servants. 

In the holy and precious name of Yeshua we pray, amen. 

The Saturday Song – Strength of My Life

 
“God is our refuge and strength, an
ever-present help in trouble.”
Psalm 46:1
 
Heavenly Father, no matter what’s happened the past year, may you renew and strengthen us through your Spirit’s resurrection power, and be our light for the coming year. In Jesus’ name, amen.
 
Happy New Year!
 
 
 
 
 
Strength of My Life
 
Every day I look to you
To be the strength of my life
You’re the hope I hold onto
Be the strength of my life
 
Be the strength of my life
Be the strength of my life
Be the strength of my life today

Be the strength of my life
Be the strength of my life
Be the strength of my life today
 
Every day I look to you
To be the strength of my life
Breathe on me and make me new
Be the strength of my life
 
Be the strength of my life
Be the strength of my life
Be the strength of my life today
 
Be the strength of my life
Be the strength of my life
Be the strength of my life today
 
Be the strength of my life
Be the strength of my life
Be the strength of my life today

What God Does Not Promise

As we journey through life and all its twists and turns, it’s encouraging to be reminded of the promises of God, but it’s also good to remember what God does not promise. 

Jesus sat with His disciples as they ate together for the last time. He’d washed their feet, including Judas’s, showing them how they were treat one another.

Once Judas left them, He began to prepare them for what would come. 

Over and over He tells them He must go away, that He was going back to the Father, but they would see Him again. In the meantime, He would send the Comforter to be with them forever.

Then He began to prepare them for what would lay ahead – the world’s hatred, persecution, even their murders. But again He reminds them that the Spirit of truth will come and guide them.

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

There are some who believe, and some who even teach, that after we’re saved our lives will be perfect, that God will keep us from going through any hardships. But that’s not what Jesus taught. 

He did not promise a life with no trouble. 

The word for trouble here is thlipsis, which means afflicted, anguish, burdened, persecution, tribulation.

Now, that we live in a world with trouble might seem obvious, but when we’re in the middle of the affliction, the tribulation, the persecution, the anguish, we can be tempted to wonder where God is. 

Why is He allowing this? Is He angry with me? Does He hear me? Has He forgotten me? And there may even be times we wonder if we were ever saved at all. 

Jesus explicitly said these things because He knew where our minds could be tempted to go when we’re hurting, and He didn’t want us to believe those lies.

We live in a sinful world full of heartache and suffering. He did not promise to take it away, but to be with us in the middle of it. 

If you’ve ever sat with a child who’s in some kind of pain, whether emotional, physical, or spiritual, no matter how young or old they are, you know you hurt at least as much as they do, maybe more. 

You pray for them, you cry with them, you ache for them. 

If we do this with our own children, how much more will our Heavenly Father, who sent His only Son to die for us and sent us His Holy Spirit, who loves us with an everlasting love, do this with us? 

Yes, we will have trouble, but Jesus said

“…take heart! I have overcome the world.”

It’s a done deal. He’s conquered this sin-filled world and all the pain that comes along with it. He already has the victory, and in Him we have it, too. 

He will be with us through all things. And even more, He will strengthen us with courage and hope and even joy as we go through it. He will grow our faith, give us wisdom and a testimony of His grace and mercy, and prepare us for the life to come when we see our Savior face to face. 

“Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.” Psalm 30:5b

***

Heavenly Father, help us keep our eyes on you, especially when we’re going through the storms of life. We ask for your strength, courage and hope through the power of your Holy Spirit as we walk through our trials with you. Don’t let us believe in the lies of the enemy, but instead walk in faith, believing in your constant love and presence with us and your promise to prepare a home for us and take us to be with you forever. We pray in the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ, amen. 

 

Photo credit: 21326550 / Storm © Pictureguy66 | Dreamstime.com

Sunday Praise and a Prayer to Live Unafraid

Dear Heavenly Father, we praise your most holy name. We praise you for your faithfulness and goodness. We praise you for your love and for the plans you have that are so great, so glorious, so miraculous, that we cannot even begin to conceive of them. 

Father, when your servants, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were faithful to you and trusted you even in the furnace, you protected them, and because they chose to live unafraid, even King Nebuchadnezzar praised your name.  

Lord, we ask that you would give all of us who believe in Christ the kind of courage and strength and conviction to live unafraid and that the world will see your faithfulness in and through us and have no choice but to praise your name. 

No matter what we’re going through, whether it’s physical, emotional, financial, or even persecution for our faith in you, may we live unafraid, filled with the sure hope we have because of what Christ did for us on the cross and because the Holy Spirit indwells us, knowing that you are an ever-present help in time of need and that you promise to be with us and love us to the end.  

Thank you for giving us all we need to walk victoriously. May we daily avail ourselves of all the riches of your glory in Christ Jesus. It’s in His blessed name we pray, amen. 

Remember Your Position

Some wise words from Anne Graham Lotz.


“For you are all sons (those who inherit) of God through faith in Christ Jesus. And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, ‘Abba, Father!’  Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.”
Galatians 3:26, 4:6-7

God Promises Our Labor is Not in Vain

“Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”
1 Corinthians 15:58


There are times when the Lord allows us to see the fruits of our labor in Him, but there will also be periods of time when we see no immediate outcome from our service to the Lord, and we might be temped to fall into despair.

Paul reminds us, as he reminded the church in Corinth, that our labor – our toil, our pains, our trouble, our weariness – in the Lord is not in vain.

We know because when we work in the Lord, abiding in Christ through prayer, obedience, walking in the Spirit, adhering to the truth, we have faith that God is working in and through us. 

And the work the Lord does, no one can tear down. 

Though we don’t always see its fruit, the Lord does. He is doing things in the hearts and minds of others we will never see until we’re before the King, our work withstands the fire, and we receive a reward.

So if something, or someone, is trying to move you, to discourage you, to lie and make you believe your work in the Lord is in vain, stand fast. Stand on the immoveable Rock that is Christ and in His promises, and let Him lead you on to victory.  

 

Effective Prayer Life

“The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous one avails much.” 
James 5:16b

If there’s anything we need right now, it’s active and powerful prayer by God’s people that produces results.

But a lot can get in the way of that, and that can be confusing and discouraging. 

There’s an easy-to-read booklet, though, that addresses many of the concerns we all have. It’s called Effective Prayer Life, written by Pastor Chuck Smith, founder of Calvary Chapel. 

It’s simple and to the point, and very encouraging. 

The chapters start with the basics: What is Prayer?, and continues with The Purpose of Prayer, The Privilege of Prayer, Effective Prayer, Strength in Prayer, Pray, and I will Answer, and Sin of Prayerlessness. 

The book’s been around for decades so a paperback can be found for as little as 3 or 4 dollars, $0 for kindle. 

I hope (and pray!) that whether it’s through this booklet or something else, the Lord will fan the flames of our faith, and we would each grow in our desire to pray, in the Spirit, prayers that would move mountains. 

For Him,