Jacob

I will not let you go unless you bless me. (Genesis 32:26)(NLT)


The following is a worship profile taken from the Praise and Worship Study Bible published by Tyndale House Publishers. I highly recommend this study Bible for anyone who wants to learn more about praise and worship.




Jacob


Jacob pursued God's blessing as an athlete pursues a prize. If Jacob had retired early the night before his meeting with his brother, Esau, or if he had whiled away the hours in sleepless anticipation, he would have had good reason. This was the same Esau he had cheated out of his father's blessing years ago. Accompanied by four wives, twelve sons, a daughter, and an abundance of material possessions, Jacob had made his way back to the land where his brother was still living. Yet Jacob spent the night before the meeting wrestling with a mysterious visitor until daybreak. "I will not let you go unless you bless me," Jacob persisted (Genesis 32:26). And so Jacob received a blessing, along with a new name, Israel, which means "one who struggles with God."


Jacob the Worshiper


Despite his character flaws, Jacob appreciated the greatness of God and the privilege of serving him. From his youngest days, Jacob heard the story of God's covenant with his grandfather Abraham and his father, Isaac. Jacob then continued this legacy of devotion to God. 


Notice that Jacob exerted much to gain his blessing. Going without sleep was tiring enough, but wrestling for hours surely exhausted him. And for what? The blessing was not material gain--Jacob was already a wealthy man. Jacob sought God's favor. That was the great treasure that God offered and Jacob eagerly accepted.


Learning from Jacob


Rarely do we think of worship as a strenuous exercise. Yet there are times when we are called to set aside our comfort--or our struggles--and seek only God.


Following the Example


Like an athlete who has just begun training, we may be surprised at how little endurance we have when it comes to seeking God. We may find that obtaining God's blessing is more difficult, more elusive than we first thought. Yet God calls us to persist, for he is anxious to bless us. The blessing he gives will change us, just as God's blessing transformed Jacob.


Singing His Praises,
Joey C.

God Wants the Honest Truth

But you desire honesty from the heart, so you can teach me to be wise in my inmost being. (Ps. 51:6)(NLT)

Are you an honest person? Come on... tell the truth now. Are you a person of integrity--one who's truthful and sincere? That's the kind of person God wants us to be--because He is the Truth (Jn. 14:6), and He is looking for those who will worship Him in truth (Jn. 4:23). God abhors dishonesty and falseness of any kind. He hates lies. Those who are godly hate lies. (Prov. 13:5)(NLT) In fact, God cannot lie. (Titus 1:2) Did you know that Satan is called the father of lies? (Jn. 8:44)He will do whatever he can to steer you away from the truth of Who God is and away from the truth of God's redemptive plan.

There's a movie which many of you may have seen, called "A Few Good Men". The movie starred Tom Cruse and Jack Nicholson among others. At the climax of the movie there's a military trial and Tom Cruse's character, the navy prosecutor, asks Jack's character, a General, some questions trying to get to the bottom of a murder. The prosecutor says to the General--"I want the truth!" The General, yelling, replies--"You can't handle the truth!" Well, you know, the devil can't handle the truth, because God is the personification of truth. But God wants the truth. He wants honesty and sincerity from us in our worship and in our service of Him. He knows when we aren't truthful--when we're being even slightly dishonest. And our lies will eventually be exposed for what they are. Truth stands the test of time; lies are soon exposed. (Prov. 12:19)(NLT)

There are consequences for our dishonesty with God. We can see how serious God is about this in Acts 5:1-11. A married couple by the name of Ananias and Sapphira sold some land and gave the money to the disciples. Sounds pretty good, huh? Well, they lied about how much the land was sold for. Peter found out and spoke to each of them separately. He told them that they had not lied to him and the disciples but to God. And then they each dropped to the ground dead! You can believe that sent the fear of God through the community.

In Ezekiel chapter 13 we find that God despised the false prophets who were proclaiming good news when a warning was in order. These prophets who told lies to comfort the people, were like those who built a weak wall and held it together with whitewash. God told them that their deception would soon end, that their flimsy wall would soon crash down. And God wants us to speak the truth today as well. Sometimes we need to speak up for unpopular things in our society if that means that we are standing for the truth. We must choose to follow the Lord rather than our culture, our peers or our government.

So let's praise God that His Word is truth. Let's praise Him because He is the Way, the Truth and the Life. Let's pray that the Lord will expose any deception or falsehood in our life, and show us how we can worship Him in spirit and in truth causing us to become more like Jesus.

Singing His Praises,

Joey C.

Clothed in Glory

Bless the Lord, O my soul! O Lord my God, You are very great: You are clothed with honor and majesty, Who cover Yourself with light as with a garment, Who stretch out the heavens like a curtain. (Psalm 104:1-2)(NKJV)

For thousands of years people have longed to see God's glory. Sometimes God gives us a glimpse of His greatness like He did for Moses. In Exodus 33:18 Moses asks--"Please, let me see Your glory" (HCSB). God then placed Moses in the crevice of a rock and covered him with His hand until His glory passed by, allowing Moses to see only His back, because as God told him--"You cannot see My face, for no one can see Me and live." (Ex. 33:20)(HCSB)

Sometimes God gives us visions of His glory like the one recorded in Isaiah chapter 6, where God calls and commissions Isaiah. --In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a high and lofty throne, and His robe filled the temple. Seraphim were standing above Him; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called to another: Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Hosts; His glory fills the whole earth. (Isa. 6:1-3)(HCSB)

Sometimes the Lord uses other things and experiences in our lives to reveal His glory and His greatness. I love the song "How Great is Our God" by Chris Tomlin, Jesse Reeves and Ed Cash and recorded by Chris Tomlin. The opening lines of the song focus our attention on the glory and awesomeness of our Lord. Look at these lyrics:

The splendor of a King
Clothed in majesty,
Let all the earth rejoice, all the earth rejoice.
He wraps Himself in light
and darkness tries to hide,
It trembles at His voice, trembles at His voice.

Can you imagine? The darkness is driven away from the brightness of God's glory. All the forces of evil tremble at His voice. And we should tremble as well. We should have a proper respect and awe for our Lord, Who is the Alpha and Omega, the Almighty God.

In Matthew 17:1-6, Jesus takes Peter, James and John up a high mountain where they soon witness a miraculous sight. It has become known as the transfiguration. They were given a glimpse of Jesus' glory that would transform their understanding of who Christ was. They saw Jesus' appearance change into a blazing white light, as if they were looking into the sun. They then saw Moses and Elijah speaking with Jesus. Then a bright cloud surrounded them and a powerful voice proclaimed: "This is my beloved Son, and I am fully pleased with Him. Listen to Him." (Matt. 17:5)(NKJV) The disciples were terrified and fell on their faces at the sound of the voice. The voice was of God Himself! But their actions were right on the mark. Their gesture of worship was appropriate. Their reverence can teach us some things.

We need to consider how we respond to revelations of God's glory. We need to--just like Peter, James and John--maintain a humble attitude of worship before God. To realize that we are nothing compared to His glory and greatness. Let's thank God for giving us little glimpses of His glory and power. Let's be careful to worship Him in wonder and reverence asking forgiveness for the times we fail to recognize His true glory. His appearance is so glorious that He can wrap Himself in light. We should strive to surround, clothe ourselves with His glory. Let's do our best to live our lives in such a manner that His glory will be evident to the world around us.

Singing His Praises,
Joey C.

Abraham

Through your descendants, all the nations of the earth will be blessed--all because you have obeyed me. (Geness 22:18)(NLT)

The following is a worship profile of Abraham from the Praise and Worship Study Bible published by Tyndale House Publishers-copyright 1997. I highly recommend this study Bible for everyone who wants to learn more about worship.

Costly. Demanding. Life-changing. We don't ordinarily associate these words with worship. Yet to Christians who are filled with the Spirit, worship becomes so vital that it transforms their entire lives. Such devotion to Christ can collide with goals, possessions, and ideals that we hold dear. But as we continually worship God, we will begin to yield them to God. Abraham may have been the first to discover the cost-- and profound reward-- of worship.

Abraham the Worshiper

Abraham marked his places of worship. He remembered the spots where God met him, and he returned there. One of the recurring phrases from his life is "Abram built an altar there to commemorate the Lord's visit" (see Gen. 12:7-8; 13:18; 22:9).

Abraham understood that the first step of worship is responding to what God has done for us. When told that he would have a son, Abraham trusted God's word. In fact, God declared Abraham righteous because of his belief (Gen. 15:6).

Abraham's defining moment of trust came in worship. God asked him to sacrifice his only son (Gen. 22). Before this, building altars had been a joy for the old man. This time, it was a labor of agony. All the while, Isaac kept wondering aloud where the animal for the sacrifice was. Only when the knife was raised and Abraham had demonstrated his willingess to give God his only son did God provide a substitute.

Learning from Abraham

Abraham understood that no one and no thing should receive higher allegiance from him than God. Even a dearly loved child must not rob our affection for God. Abraham worshiped with hands open and available to God, and God treated him with dignity. When Abraham laid Isaac on the altar, he had delivered his promised future into God's hands. As we learn about Abraham, we come to understand how much obedience costs. Worship changed Abraham. It ought to change us as well.

Through Abraham, the Lord revealed himself as the God who asks for everything. Yet in the end God gave Abraham far more than he asked from him. Until he gave everything to God, Abraham could not have imagined what God would do for him. Likewise, for us today worship can open our eyes to God's goodness and mercy to us, such as his gracious gift of redemption through the perfect sacrifice of his Son, Jesus Christ.

Following the Example

In worship we place ourselves before God. Holding back any part of ourselves from God represents a lack of trust. Worship demands that we give everything to God, trusting that our heavenly Father will provide for our needs and help us grow. Take inventory today of what you are holding back from God, and then pray for help to overcome your lack of trust.

Singing His Praises,

Joey C.

One Nation Under God

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands: one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Since I was a child I've recited the words "One nation under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance. And yet when I look at how we have turned away from God as a nation, I wonder how long we will continue to be "one nation under God" and not simply a nation gone under. When I consider court rulings which took prayer out of our schools, legalized abortion, forced courthouses to take down the posting of the ten commandments, attacked the sanctity of marriage--when I here of those who file lawsuits to take the words "In God We Trust" off our money, and "One Nation Under God" out of the Pledge of Allegiance-- I often wonder what it will take for christians to finally stand up and shout "Enough is enough! It's only because of the blessings of God that we became a nation in the first place. It's because of our biblical foundations and principles and the blood of our patriots that we became a great nation. And if we continue to push God out of our nation, He will one day completely remove His hand of blessing from us so that we decay into a nation gone under."

President Dwight D. Eisenhower approved the words "under God" to be added the the Pledge of Allegiance in 1954. These additional two words were in order to differentiate the United States from the officialy atheist Soviet Union. As the president authorized this change he stated:

"In this way we are reaffirming the transcendence of religious faith in America's heritage and future; in this way we shall constantly strengthen those spiritual weapons which forever will be our country's most powerful resource in peace and war."

In August of 1984 in Dallas, Texas, Ronald Reagan spoke at a prayer breakfast meeting and said the following:

"We establish no religion in this country, nor will we ever. We command no worship. We mandate no belief. But we poison our society when we remove its theological underpinnings. We court corruption when we leave it bereft of belief. All are free to believe or not believe; all are free to practice a faith or not. But those who believe must be free to speak of and act on their belief, to apply moral teaching to public questions.

I submit to you that the tolerant society is open to and encouraging of all religions. And this does not weaken us; it strengthens us...

Without God, there is no virtue, because there's no prompting of the conscience. Without God, we're mired in the material, that flat world that tells us only what the senses perceive. Without God, there is a coarsening of the society. And without God, democracy will not and cannot long endure. If we ever forget that we're One Nation Under God, then we will be a nation gone under."

So let's not forget Who is in charge. Let's not turn the U.S.A. into "One Nation under Government" or "One Nation Under Socialism" or "One Nation Under Me". Because if left up to our government or socialism or self, we're in loads of trouble. I'd rather be in the hands of God than those others any day. Pray, vote and stand up for our christian values so that we can remain One Nation Under God!

Singing His Praises,

Joey Culpepper

Lord, Heal Our Land

If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

(2 Chron. 7:14)(NKJV)

Dwight D. Eisenhower and Ronald Reagan both placed their hand on this verse as they took the presidential oath of office. I believe that if these men were still alive today they would still believe in the importance of this scripture. Like never before in our history, we need to pray for our nation. Our enemy is attacking us on all sides in this spiritual battle that's tearing at the Christian foundation of our nation. We need to pray for our nation and it's leaders. We need to pray for the Lord to send us Godly men and women who will run for office and then that we will vote them in so that they can make a difference in the direction our nation is headed. But notice, that it's not enough to just pray. God wants us to humble ourselves, pray and seek His face. He's calling us to turn from our wicked ways as a nation, and then He will forgive our sin and heal our land.

Today when I got back home from church, I read an email that was sent to me by my former pastor. I would like to share it with you now:

Some of you may be wondering what Judge Roy Moore has been doing since he was removed from the bench for refusing to remove the Ten Commandments from his courtroom wall. Please read the poem he wrote. The following is a poem written by Judge Roy Moore from Alabama. Judge Moore was sued by the ACLU for displaying the Ten Commandments in his courtroom foyer. He has been stripped of his judgeship and now they are trying to strip his right to practice law in Alabama! The judge's poem sums it up quite well.

America the beautiful,

or so you used to be.

Land of the Pilgrims' pride;

I'm glad they'll never see.

Babies piled in dumpsters,

Abortion on demand,

Oh, sweet land of liberty;

your house is on the sand.

Our children wander aimlessly

poisoned by cocaine

choosing to indulge their list,

when God has said abstain.

From sea to shining sea,

our Nation turns away

From the teaching of God's love

and a need to always pray.

We've kept God in our temples,

how callous we have grown.

When earth is but His footstool,

and Heaven is His throne.

We've voted in a government

that's rotting at the core,

Appointing Godless Judges;

who throw reason out the door,

Too soft to place a killer

in a well deserved tomb,

But brave enough to kill a baby

before he leaves the womb.

You think that God's not angry,

that our land's a moral slum?

How much longer will He wait

before His judgment comes?

How are we to face our God,

from Whom we cannot hide?

What then is left for us to do,

but stem this evil tide?

If we who are His children,

will humbly turn and pray;

Seek His holy face

and mend our evil way:

Then God will hear from Heaven;

and forgive us of our sins,

He'll heal our sickly land

and those who live within.

But, America the Beautiful,

If you don't-then you will see,

A sad but Holy God

withdraw His hand from Thee.

I think Judge Roy Moore has the right idea for turning our nation around. So let's pray for our nation every day. But let's do more than that. We need to individually, and as a nation, humble ourselves, pray, seek God's face, and turn from our sins. Then God will forgive us and heal our land, that America may remain Beautiful.

Singing His Praises,

Joey Culpepper

America--A CHRISTIAN Nation

Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He has chosen as His own inheritance. (Psalm 33:12)(NKJV)





Throughout the history of our nation, God has blessed us because we are a Christian nation. Yet we now have a President who apparently doesn't consider us to be Christian any longer. It seems that many want to deny that we've ever been Christian despite the physical evidence on our greatest monuments and buildings in Washington, D.C. For instance:

The Washington Monument--The latin phrase "Laus Deo" is engraved on the aluminum capstone. It means "Praise be to God." Lining the walls of the stairwell are carved blocks with such phrases as "Holiness to the Lord", and "Search the Scriptures."

The U.S. Capitol--In the house chamber stands a marble relief of Moses surrounded by twenty-two other lawgivers. "In God We Trust" is also inscribed in the chamber.

The Supreme Court--The Supreme Court building has several places showing Moses with the Ten Commandments. The two doors leading into the courtroom display the ten commandments, and the commandments are also engraved over the chair of the Chief Justice.

The Jefferson Memorial--Inside, one of the panels reads: "God who gave us life gave us liberty. Can the liberties of a nation be secure when we have removed a conviction that these liberties are the gift of God? Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just, that His justice cannot sleep forever."

The Linclon Memorial--President Lincoln's famous speeches are inscribed into the walls. On the left side is the Gettysburg Address. He said, "We here highly resolved that these dead shall not have died in vain, that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom."
Despite all of this evidence, in recent years there has been much written in an effort to dismiss the fact that America was founded upon the biblical principles of Christianity. But no amount of liberal propaganda can change the cold, hard facts. Anyone who studies and examines the biographies, original writings, personal correspondence, and public statements of the founding fathers of our great nation will find an abundance of quotations which show that they were profoundly influenced by the Bible and Christian values. Add to that the personal writings concerning their faith in Christ, plus their leadership in establishing many Bible societies and their active service in ministries, and the evidence is too much to ignore.
Here is a sample of the convictions of some of the founding fathers of our nation:

"My only hope of salvation is in the infinite, transcendent love of God manifested to the world by the death of His Son upon the cross. Nothing but His blood will wash away my sins. I rely exclusively upon it. Come, Lord Jesus! Come quickly!"--BENJAMIN RUSH, Signer of the Declaration of Independence

"It cannot be emphasized too clearly and too often that this nation was founded, not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religion, but on the gospel of Jesus Christ."--PATRICK HENRY, Governor of Virginia
"We recognize no Sovereign but God, and no King but Jesus!"--JOHN HANCOCK & JOHN ADAMS

"Providence has given to our people the choice of their rulers, and it is the duty, as well as the privilege and interest of our Christian nation, to select and prefer Christians for their rulers."--JOHN JAY, First Chief Justice of the Supreme Court

"He who made all men hath made the truths necessary to human happiness obvious to all...Our forefathers opened the Bible to all."--SAMUEL ADAMS, Signer of the Declaration of Independence
"...to the supreme head of the universe--to that great and tremendous Jehovah--Who created the universal frame of nature, worlds, and systems in number infinite...To this awfully sublime Being do I resign my spirit with unlimited confidence of His mercy and protection."--HENRY KNOX, Revolutionary War General

"The general principles upon which the Fathers achieved independence were the general principles of Christianity...I will avow that I believed and now believe that those general principles of Christianity are as eternal and immutable as the existence and attributes of God."--JOHN ADAMS, Second President of the United States
"Principally and first of all, I give and recommend my soul into the hands of God that gave it: and my body I recommend to the earth...nothing doubting but at the general resurrection I shall receive the same again by the mercy and power of God."--JOHN HANCOCK, Signer of the Declaration of Independence

"Without morals a republic cannot subsist any length of time; they therefore who are decrying the Chrisitian religion, whose morality is so sublime and pure...are undermining the solid foundation of morals, the best security for the duration of free governments."--CHARLES CARROLL, Signer of the Declaration of Independence

There's no doubt that our country was born as a Christian nation. What's not certain is whether we will remain Christian in the future. And if we don't remain Christian, we might not remain as a nation. With a president and administration seemingly hell-bent on undermining and overturning the Christian values and beliefs that our great nation was built upon, the future doesn't look promising. It's time for all patriotic Christians to stand up for what we believe in--to stop taking our freedom and liberty for granted--time to take a stand against government control and takeover-- so that our land will continue to be a blessed nation whose God is the Lord!



Singing His Praises,
Joey Culpepper

Walk a Little Plainer

Yesterday was Father's Day, and I was blessed to be able to spend some time with my kids. I had an enjoyable lunch with all four of my children, and that's kind of a rarity these days since the oldest two don't live with us any longer. As we visited I was reminded of the rewards and responsibilities of parenting. As a Christian father I've always believed in the importance of teaching my children about God and how we should live our lives for Him. I would hope that they've seen that even though I'm not perfect, I've always tried to do more than just "talk the talk." Through my commitment to worship, Bible study and service I'd like to believe that they're seeing a dad who also "walks the walk." I need to be sure that I'm walking a clear path that each of them can follow to a closer relationship with Father God.

When my son was in the 2nd grade, he made an art project at school for me. At the time he probably thought he was just coloring and gluing something that we could hang on the refrigerator for a couple of weeks. But in actuality, it's been something that has helped to keep me grounded on what's important as a father. I still have the piece of paper that was glued to green felt 13 years ago with a poem entitled "Walk a Little Plainer" by an unnamed author. I'd like to share this poem with you now:

Walk A Little Plainer
Walk a littler plainer, Daddy, said a little boy so frail.
I'm following in your footsteps, and I don't want to fail.
Sometimes the steps are very plain. Sometimes they're hard to see.
So walk a little plainer, Daddy, for you are leading me.
Some time when I grow up you're like I want to be,
And I will have a little boy who'll want to follow me;
And I will want to lead him right and help him to be true.
So walk a little plainer, Daddy, For he must follow You.

I encourage all of you fathers and mothers to walk a little plainer. Be a good example for your children--a holy example. Let's be the example that Paul teaches of in Philippians 3:17, and again in 1 Timothy 4:12 where Paul admonishes Timothy to be an example for fellow believers. We need to do our best to be godly in all our ways and at all times because our children's eyes are watching us--looking to us for guidance by example even when we have no clue that they're watching. We should endeavor to be a true reflection of Christ because our kids are looking up to us. There's a beautiful song recorded by Phillips, Craig and Dean that does a wonderful job of capturing this idea. I recommend that you listen to it if you've never heard it before. It's called "I Want to Be Just Like You".

He climbs in my lap for a goodnight hug
He calls me Dad and I call him "Bub"
With his faded old pillow and a bear named Pooh
He snuggles up close and says, "I want to be like you"
I tuck him in bed and I kiss him goodnight
Trippin' over the toys as I turn out the light
And I whisper a prayer that someday he'll see
He's got a father in God 'cause he's seen Jesus in me

(chorus)Lord, I want to be just like You 'cause he wants to be just like me
I want to be a holy example for his innocent eyes to see
Help me be a living Bible, Lord that my little boy can read
I want to be just like You 'cause he wants to be like me

Got to admit I've got so far to go make so many mistakes and I'm sure that You know
Sometimes it seems no matter how hard I try with all the pressures in life
I just can't get it all right
But I'm trying so hard to learn from the best
Being patient and kind filled with Your tenderness
'Cause I know that he'll learn from the things that he sees
And the Jesus he finds will be the Jesus in me
(repeat chorus)

copyright 1994 Joy Becker and Dan Dean

So dads and moms, I know that none of us are perfect; but I encourage you to strive (with God's help) to be more and more like Jesus so that when your children read the pages of your life it will be as if they're reading a living Bible--so that when they look at you they will see a glimpse of their Heavenly Father. Let's all walk a little plainer for our children's sake!

Singing His Praises,
Joey Culpepper

Just A Vapor

Lord, make me to know my end, and what is the measure of my days, that I may know how frail I am. Indeed, You have made my days as handbreadths, and my age is as nothing before You; Certainly every man at his best state is but vapor. (Ps. 39:4-6)(NKJV)


Some people claim to believe in God and the final judgment, but you would never know it by their lifestyle. They live like the devil, apparently with no concerns, because they say to themselves, "I'll come to God when I'm old and gray, or when I'm on my deathbed. I've got plenty of time to worry about spiritual things later." The devil himself is probably whispering those kind of ideas into their ears so that they won't hear the call of the Holy Spirit on their hearts, so that their heart will grow cold to the conviction of the Spirit in their life.

Jesus taught on covetousness in the parable of the rich fool found in Luke 12:13-21. This parable also touches on the uncertainty of life: And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry." But God said to him, 'Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?' (Lk. 12:19-20)(NKJV)

The Bible warns us not to boast about what we're going to do in the future. Take a look at this passage from the book of James: Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit"; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. (Jms. 4:13-14)(NKJV) Compared with eternity, that's just what we're like. We're just a whiff of smoke, a ripple in the wind, a passing vapor. I wrote the song below many moons ago. It reminds us of how temporary this life is, and how important it is to be ready to stand before God.

Just A Vapor

(vs.1)Have you ever wondered why

your life seems like it's slipping by

There's something missing but you don't know what

You have your dreams but that's all that you've got

(vs.2)Some say life is tough and then you die

what ever happened to the abundant life

you have no clue but you try to forget

push it all aside but you still have regret

(chorus)'Cause your life is just a vapor

Days are just like passing shadows

Don't wait until tomorrow

to get ready to face the Lord

You're just a vapor

(vs.3)We forget until friends pass away

that our life is precious even today

You say tomorrow that you'll get it straight

but you're gonna find out tomorrow's too late

(repeat chorus)

(vs.4)Don't you boast about tomorrow

when you don't know what a day may bring forth

you can watch your plans amount to nothing

you can worship money but it's all in vain

(repeat chorus)

We forget until friends pass away

that our life is precious even today

you say tomorrow that you'll get it straight

but you're gonna find out tomorrow's too late

You're just a vapor

You're just a vapor

copyright 1990 Heart of Praise Music

So I encourage you to make sure that you're not waiting 'til sometime in the far-off future to settle spiritual things with the Almighty. Because you might not have as long as you think. None of us are guaranteed a tomorrow. So get right with the Lord today, and then you will have something to truly live for!

Singing His Praises,
Joey Culpepper

A Broken Spirit

Psalm 51:6,16-17

Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts, and in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom. For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart--these, O God, You will not despise. (NKJV)

In the 12th chapter of 2 Samuel it's recorded that Nathan the prophet is sent by the Lord to confront King David for his sin. After committing adultery with Bathsheba and upon learning she has become pregnant, David arranges for Bathsheba's husband, Uriah, to be killed by the Ammonites so that he may have Bathsheba as wife. King David believes his sin to be cleverly concealed until confronted by Nathan. But notice David's response in 2 Sam. 12:13-- David responded to Nathan, "I have sinned against the Lord." (HCSB) Because David confessed his sin, God spared his life, although the baby born to him and Bathsheba died.

Psalm 51 is David's prayer for restoration after this confrontation with Nathan. David prays for God to wash away his guilt and cleanse him from his sin. (v.2) He again confesses in (v.4) --Against You-You alone- I have sinned and done this evil in Your sight. (HCSB) We can learn a lot from David about how to respond to God when He convicts us of our wrongdoings. Yes, David sinned big time--adultery and then murder. That just goes to show us how far sin can take us. Just an innocent glance that turns into a lingering look and then to lust ultimately led David to murder. But when confronted with the fact that he couldn't hide his sin from God, David confessed. He could have denied it. He could have lied and continued to try his best to conceal it. But He didn't. He revealed the truth and admitted fault. He repented. He had a contrite heart, a humbled heart and a broken spirit within. Years ago I would sing a praise chorus during altar calls at our church that was based on Ps. 51. Maybe I should start using it again. Read the lyrics with me:

A Broken Spirit
A broken spirit and a contrite heart
You will not despise, You will not despise.
You desire truth in the inward parts,
a broken spirit and a contrite heart.
Lord my heart is prone to wander,
prone to leave the God I love.
Here's my heart, Lord take and seal it.
Seal it for Your courts above.

Don Harris & Martin J. Nystrom
copyright 1993 Integrity's Hosanna Music

So how about you? Are you concealing some sin from God? Are you trying to pretend that if you can hide it from your friends that God won't know? If you want to have and retain a close relationship with the Lord, then you need to pray for a broken spirit. We all need to do so in order that our hearts will not be hardened and numbed to the conviction of the Holy Spirit. Let's maintain a humbled and contrite heart--a repentant heart--that God will not despise but instead will find to be a pleasing sacrifice.

Singing His Praises,
Joey Culpepper