WISDOM AND HUMILITY CARRY THE DAY

June 29, 2017June 22, 2017 | lindamowles

As adults, when we are asked a question, our most frequent response is to give an answer – usually with our chest puffed out just a bit and our head held a little bit higher. We have been asked to pontificate and show our intelligence as we provide the individual standing before us with the information desired.

However, the wise response is to investigate the issue and then give an answer. Whether it is in the realm of the law, medicine, or any other discipline, the ability to identify the issue and then know where to look to find the answer is supremely better than just rattling off an answer based on what you recalled from yesterday, last month, or last year. Indeed, knowledge is important, but wisdom is far better.

Scripture has much to say about the know-it-all and wisdom.

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever!

Psalm 111:10

Taylor school — A college education may indicate learning, but real knowledge comes from reverent fear of the Lord. Praise God for Christian universities such as Taylor University, Upland, Indiana, that provide a quality education while fostering Christian growth in their students as well.

A college education may indicate learning, but real knowledge comes from reverent fear of the Lord. Praise God for Christian universities such as Taylor University, Upland, Indiana, that provide a quality education while fostering Christian growth in their students as well.

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Proverbs 1:7

And he said to man, “Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom and to turn away from evil is understanding.”

Job 28:28

What is the “fear of the Lord”? The answer to that requires more space than as a footnote to this post. But, suffice it to say at this juncture, the following excerpt from “What Does it Mean to Fear God?,” an article posted October 22, 2016 by Dr. R. C. Sproul in the Ligonier Blog gives us some guidance when thinking of the fear of God as noted in the Wisdom Literature of scripture:

The focus here is on a sense of awe and respect for the majesty of God. That’s often lacking in contemporary evangelical Christianity. We get very flippant and cavalier with God, as if we had a casual relationship with the Father. We are invited to call Him Abba, Father, and to have the personal intimacy promised to us, but still we’re not to be flippant with God. We’re always to maintain a healthy respect and adoration for Him.

So, we know the source of wisdom is the fear of the Lord. Where does humility come into the picture?

Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience,…

Colossians 3:12

So, what is humility? Someone named Anonymous said “Humility is a strange thing – the moment you think you’ve got it, you lose it.”

C. S. Lewis says that “humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less.” In other words, it is the quality of “self-forgetfulness”. Rather than, “Me first,” humility allows us to say, “No, you first, my friend.”

This does not mean that we must be passive followers; humility does not require that we lose our voice or that we cannot lead. In Numbers 12:3 we read the following about Moses, the man who told Pharaoh to let God’s people go, the man who led the children of Israel through the wilderness for 40 years, the man who spoke directly with God and who received the 10 Commandments on tablets of stone:

“Now Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth.” (NIV)

Moses was humble and he didn’t seek his own welfare when attacked by his family. God stood up for him when he was attacked by his siblings. Read the rest of Numbers 12 to see the conflict between Moses and his brother and sister over Moses’ Cushite wife. What happened to them is priceless; but, if I may cut to the chase, I would simply summarize the story as – spoiler alert —

Humility Wins!

Of course this, too, is consistent with scripture. See, for example, Psalm 147:5-6 where we read:

Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit. The LORD sustains the humble but casts the wicked to the ground. (NIV)

In the Lord’s calculus, wisdom comes from Him and man’s humility trumps man’s pride every time.

Father, thank You for Your Son’s sacrifice that cleanses us from our sin and that results in life everlasting for the believer in Him. Thank You that we can come to You, acknowledging our lack of understanding, and that You will lead us and teach us in the way of righteousness. Grant me humility and enable me to see when I am acting in disregard of that quality. Then give me the grace to repent and return to Your side.

THE WORD OF THE LORD, FOR US

June 9, 2017June 7, 2017 | lindamowles

Bible - Grandfather's bible given to him in 1939 by wife and son — My Grandfather’s Bible given to him in 1939 by his wife and his son, my Dad.

The Holy Bible tells us:

“’All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord remains forever.’ And this word is the good news that was preached to you.”

1 Peter 1:24-25 ESV

The phrase “the word of the Lord” is first referenced in Genesis and runs throughout the entire Holy Bible. Space does not allow for a complete listing, but here are some of the references to the “word of the Lord”:

The word of the Lord came to Abram – Genesis 15:1

The word of the Lord came to Samuel – 1 Samuel 15:10

The word of the Lord came to Elijah – 1 Kings 21:17

The word of the Lord created the heavens – Psalm 33:6

The word of the Lord remains forever – 1 Peter 1:25

Of course, Israel had the word of the Lord as given to them through the Torah, the prophets and the writings, in essence what we call the Old Testament. And we now have both the Old Testament as well as the record of Jesus’ life and ministry in the Gospels, along with the letters and record of the ministry of the various apostles, and the prophetic writing of the Apostle John in The Revelation. This collection of books is the New Testament.

Holy Bible parallel translation — The Parallel Bible with 4 versions side by side, the King James Version, the New International Version, the Living Bible and the Revised Standard Version.

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.”

2 Timothy 3:16

In other words, the entire Holy Bible, ALL Scripture, is God’s word and is profitable for us in numerous ways. So, what does “breathed out by God” mean? God-breathed means that the words were inspired.

Irenaeus. a 2nd century cleric from Lyons, France, said that we should be “most properly assured that the Scriptures are indeed perfect, since they were spoken by the Word of God and His Spirit.” Martin Luther said, “Scripture, although also written of men, is not of men nor from men, but from God.”

From the 2nd Century to today, we see the same thought regarding God’s involvement in the Scriptures. In an article entitled “God-Breathed Scripture” prepared by Ligonier Ministries, we read the following:

The Greek word translated as “breathed out” in 2 Timothy 3:16 is theopneustos, and Scripture is the only thing described as such by the Apostles. Thus, Scripture has a unique character as the voice and words of the Lord. It uniquely serves as God’s special revelation, as His inspired and revealed will for His people. Nothing else today is theopneustos, so we can point to nothing but Scripture as the Word of God.

When we speak of Scripture as theopneustos, we are pointing to its divine inspiration. The Word of God written is identical to God’s speech. It is exactly what He intended us to have as the revelation of His will and how to please Him. At the same time, this does not take away from the Bible’s human character. God breathed out His Word, but He did so through the instrumentality of His prophets and Apostles. So, for example, the book of Romans is Paul’s word, bearing the Apostle’s unique style and character. Nevertheless, it is also God’s Word, given by Him. That our Lord used a man to give us the book of Romans does not in any way make it less than the very speech of God. And this applies to all books of Scripture.

http://www.ligonier.org/learn/devotionals/god-breathed-scripture/

The Holy Bible is not only translated and printed into books, it is now online and is also available in e-book text for viewing on all sorts of electronic devices. This presents a new issue for modern Christianity. Are we letting the multitude of Bibles in the house and the easy accessibility of it through internet and online sources render it just another book to throw on the floor or to dust around on the coffee table.

Beware! It is NOT the Reader’s Digest or the daily newspaper.

Does it retain the holy place it deserves in our minds and hearts or has it lost, for us, the power of The Word of God?

My prayer is that the ready accessibility of The Holy Bible in our country will not cloud our minds or distort our perception of how cherished and sacred the Scriptures should be. The Holy Bible as a printed book is not some magical relic that has powers if we hold it to our breast.

It is even more profound. The words in The Holy Bible do, most surely, have power through the Holy Spirit because they are, indeed, THE Words of God.

When we contemplate the grandeur of this Book that God has, through His grace, placed in our hands, we can begin to realize how blessed we are. What a treasure it is to have the very words of our Sovereign God in our possession. The most important document that you could possibly possess is a Bible, the message of God to you, and to me. Don’t neglect its divinely inspired message to you.

Do you?

Do I?

Father, forgive me when I have neglected to read and study Your Word. I pray that I would give Your Word the proper respect and reverence that it deserves. I pray that I would read it and place its words into memory, and that I would do what The Holy Bible directs, so that I would reflect its words to those around me, through the power of Your Holy Spirit.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION FOR FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT SERIES

April 21, 2016 | lindamowles

This is a post which was placed on the blog site yesterday as a page. You will find it where the pages are listed for future reference. I wanted to be sure that those who would be reading the Fruit of the Spirit series had this background information so I decided to post it prior to tomorrow’s post on Gifts and Fruit.

**********

As I have been working on the fruit of the Spirit series for the blog, I realized that there were several clarifications and comments that I need to make that will apply across the board to the series.

All references to “she”, or “her”, or any other singularly female identification in the body of these posts is simply because this work was prepared and originally presented to the Women’s Circles of the Women in the Church, West Hills Presbyterian Church in 2014. I am not intentionally excluding any application of these thoughts to the men in my family or readership … it is just a function of the makeup of the original audience, in a congregation where women cannot formally instruct men.
The original lessons were presented in eleven monthly sessions, with handouts and PowerPoint presentation to accompany the oral lesson. The portions of the study that are duplicated here do not represent the entirety of each of the lessons that were presented in the live studies.

Also, unless noted specifically otherwise, any reference to or quotation from the Holy Scripture is taken from the English Standard Version, Copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Remembering this will eliminate all the [ESV] notations that detract from the flow of the material.

Finally, I have used a number of references in preparation for this study. While there were about 15 more references that I used, the primary ones relied upon deserve specific notation:
- Throughout this study we will be specifically referencing Dr. R. C. Sproul’s teaching series Keeping in Step with the Spirit, CD Teaching Series; and Developing Christian Character, CD Teaching Series, both of which are available from Ligonier Ministries at http://www.ligonier.org.
- I will also make frequent reference to Jonathan Edwards’ sermons collected in the excellent book Charity and Its Fruits, available through The Banner of Truth Trust at https://banneroftruth.org/us/.
- Another reference that I refer to is the Westminster Shorter Catechism. This is an incredible reference for understanding our Christian theology, not just the fruit of the Spirit. I would encourage you to obtain a copy of the Shorter Catechism together with proof texts at http://www.pcaac.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/ShorterCatechismwithScriptureProofs.pdf.

My prayer is God will be glorified through this series, that the Lord Jesus Christ will be honored and that the Holy Spirit will work in our hearts and minds to transform us into the likeness of our Savior.

Additionally, I pray that these studies will be enlightening, challenging and thought-provoking for you. If the Lord speaks to you through these posts, please seek His counsel and ask Him to show you how to put each of these characteristics into practice in your daily life. Remember, the ultimate goal is to be transformed into the image of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. It is only through His Spirit that this can be accomplished.

Blessings to you and I pray that you will walk with me as we learn about the fruit of the Holy Spirit, and as we mature in our transformation into Christian believers who speak and act as Jesus did and who share in the passions that Jesus had for the lost sheep and for the worship of His Father, the Almighty God.

FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT, INTRODUCTION, Series Post No. 1

April 15, 2016 | lindamowles

This is the first post in a series of thoughts about the fruit of the Spirit found in The Bible at Galatians 5:22-23. I plan to post this series each Friday, if the Lord grants it, and we will take time to think about what the Scripture says, and how it applies to my daily life.

I have used a number of references in preparation for this study, but throughout this study we will be specifically referencing Dr. R. C. Sproul’s teaching series Keeping in Step with the Spirit, CD Teaching Series; and Developing Christian Character, CD Teaching Series, both of which are available from Ligonier Ministries at http://www.ligonier.org. I will also make frequent reference to Jonathan Edwards’ sermons collected in the excellent book Charity and Its Fruits, available through The Banner of Truth Trust at https://banneroftruth.org/us/. Another reference that I have referred to in this study is the Westminster Shorter Catechism. This is an incredible reference for understanding our Christian theology, not just the fruit of the Spirit. I would encourage you to obtain a copy of the Shorter Catechism together with proof texts at http://www.pcaac.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/ShorterCatechismwithScriptureProofs.pdf.

WHAT DOES SCRIPTURE SAY?

The first question we need to ask is “Why study the fruit of the Spirit?”

We know that the Westminster Shorter Catechism teaches that the chief end of man is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever. Catechism Answer Number 1.

The Catechism also teaches that God created man, male and female, “after His own image in knowledge, righteousness and holiness” with dominion over the creatures. Catechism Answer Number 10.

However, because of Adam’s fall, sin entered the world and all mankind lost the “knowledge, righteousness and holiness” that had been given to us at creation. Catechism Answer Number 18.

Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:22 says it this way:

For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.

No longer do we have the righteousness and holiness that we had when mankind was first created. But all is not lost. The Catechism again comes to our aid by explaining that sanctification is the work of God’s free grace by which we are renewed in the image of God and are enabled more and more to die to sin and live to righteousness.

Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.

Romans 6:12-14

Paul continues to consider the Christian transformation in Colossians 3:10 where he says that we “have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator” and Ephesians 4:24 says that our new self was “created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.”

So, how important is righteousness? God calls each of his children to righteousness. Remember the first catechism answer – our primary purpose is to glorify God … we do that through the practice of righteousness.

At this point, some are asking “what in the world does all this righteousness talk have to do with the fruit of the Spirit?” Listen to the words of Jesus.

Jesus prioritized the disciples’ concerns in Matthew 6:33: they were not to worry about what they would eat or wear — they were to “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness” and all the other needful things would be added to them. Jesus explicitly stated that our goal is righteousness.

In his book The Holiness of God, Dr. R. C. Sproul says “the goal of all spiritual exercise must be the goal of righteousness.” [i]

So, how do we know if we are growing in righteousness? Dr. R. C. Sproul continues to provide this answer:

The fruit of righteousness is that fruit that is exercised in us by the Holy Spirit. If we want to be holy, if we have a real hunger for righteousness, then we must focus our attention on the fruit of the Holy Spirit. [ii]

* * *

[The virtues listed in Galatians 5:22-23] are the marks of a person who is growing in holiness. These are the virtues we are to cultivate. … In this list of the fruit of the Spirit, the apostle gives us a recipe for our sanctification. … The fruit of the Spirit – that is where our focus must be. [iii]

HOW DOES THIS APPLY TO MY DAILY LIFE?

Martin Luther explained righteousness in practical terms by saying that “Every Christian is called to be Christ to his neighbor.” We understand this to mean that we should live our lives to conform to God’s will so that when people see us, they see the reflected holiness of Christ in our lives – people will see us reflecting Jesus’ love to others and, in so doing, they can see Him living through us.

We all sin every day, or more likely every moment of every day. But for the believer in Jesus Christ, that sin is covered by His righteousness and we are made children of God through His work on the cross. Therefore, we can follow our chief end, which is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever, by growing in righteousness. This is done by allowing the Holy Spirit to work in our minds and hearts so the fruit of the Spirit becomes recognizable in our life.

Our search for righteousness leads us directly to the Holy Spirit and the fruit that He promises to provide and grow in our hearts.

So, for now, I would challenge you to read Galatians Chapter 5 and focus on the comparison between the acts of the natural man and the acts of the believer in Christ Jesus who has the Holy Spirit working in her heart, specifically verses 19-23.

Blessings to you and I pray that you will continue to walk with me as we learn about the fruit of the Holy Spirit and as we mature in our transformation into Christian believers who speak and act as Jesus did and who share in the passions that Jesus had for the lost sheep and for the worship of His Father, the Almighty God.

——————–

[ii] Ibid., page 167.

[iii] Ibid, pages 169-70.

CONTENTMENT – A BIBLICAL POSTURE!

March 29, 2016March 30, 2016 | lindamowles

We see something on television about a new product that makes us consider whether our older version of the same thing is still a viable alternative for use. Or, we see something that our neighbor has purchased and it appears to be better than what we have so we want to “upgrade”, shall we say!

You know the feeling … that discontent with what we have or with what we are doing?

We compare ourselves with others and, somehow, we way too often come up lacking.

If only I had that job instead of this one…
If only my hair would …
If only I had received that promotion …
If only I had that house, or car, or dress, instead of this one …
If only I was as slender as that lady …
If only my children were like theirs …
If only …

Our canine daughters, Cuddles and Snickers, illustrate this discontent quite often when they both vie for the same toy even though the toy box is filled with other playthings, sometimes even a duplicate of that which they are fighting over.

Cuddles and Snickers tug of war — This is mine! Get your own!

Don’t misunderstand me, there are times when people are mistreated and abused and there is a legitimate reason for the hurt that is felt. We must work to resolve those issues and/or injustices.

I am referring to discontent that is also known as covetousness. I can hear the voices now. “I know that the tenth commandment is ‘Thou Shall Not Covet’! I don’t do that!”

Really?

That was my first response when I was reading an article entitled “Thou Shall Not Covet” by Jason Helopoulos in the June 2015 Tabletalk magazine from Ligonier Ministries. His words were convicting in the first order. In speaking of the reason that coveting is so harmful, he states:

Coveting pulls the heart down into the pit of self-seeking and the muck and mire of envy, slander, adultery, pride, dishonor, murder, thievery, and idolatry. It has rightly been said that when we break any of the first nine commandments, we also break the tenth commandment.

For us to combat covetousness, first we need to follow Jesus’ commands in Matthew 6:33:

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

As a youth, I sang a song that said something like this: “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace.” When our eyes are on the Lord and His gracious gifts to us, the things of earth will begin to dim in our eyes.

Second, we need to follow the example of Paul:

I have learned in whatever situation to be content.

Philippians 4:11b.

Contentment is not something we can buy, fight for or grab – it is something in which we should rest. God is sovereign and He, therefore, knows exactly what we need and His grace is sufficient for every trial. Quoting Rev. Helopoulos again:

If God thought it was good for us to have more, he would give us more. Every Christian rightly seeks to maintain this mind-set. And when this is the case, what joy contentment brings to the Christian life.

Third, we should be thankful. Thankfulness forms a hedge around us enabling us to focus on God rather than on the transient things that form our world. It is hard to be thankful when you are coveting that which others have. Likewise, it is hard to be discontented when you are thankful for the blessings provided by our Sovereign God.

As a result of polio, I was diagnosed with severe scoliosis (twisting of the spine) when I was 6 years old. When I was 9 years of age, I was put into a body cast and then had surgery to try to stop the twisting that would otherwise have taken my life by age 25. Although I was in the body cast for over a year, I didn’t miss any school because I had a home-bound teacher from the Chicago school system.

Linda on hospital cart revised — This was me in the body cast. It began behind my head and then it encompassed my body all the way down to my hips and then to my left knee. I could not raise my head, even to read a book or see television. That is why I wore prism glasses so I could look through them and see what was in the room, rather than just the ceiling.

Rather than being thankful for the healing that was going on in my body, I was crying one day when she came into my room . Rather than giving me a shoulder to cry on, she demanded “What’s wrong with you!” My response was a feeble, “Because I’m in a body cast!” She then taught me a lesson that I have not forgotten over the 55 years since she spoke these words:

“You are crying over a temporary thing. A child down the street has brittle bones and there is no cure … she breaks a bone when she turns in bed and she is constantly in excruciating pain. Now, what is wrong with spending some time in bed … you have a determined end to your procedure, she does not! So I ask you again, ‘Why are you crying?’”

Although I could not articulate it then, through the decades since she said those words, I have found them to be true … when you are hurting, when there are problems and difficulties that are overwhelming, just open your eyes and look around and you will find others who have problems far more difficult than your own. This will put your burdens in perspective.

While it is tempting to keep your eyes on your own pain and problems, engaging in self-pity is never productive. Step back from the situation. Don’t become discontented. Rather, look to the Lord, rest in God’s unfailing grace and give Him thanks for His loving hand that encompasses you even when you are not aware of it and problems abound. Psalm 139 states that God knows our every move, word and action. And, nowhere in scripture are these verses revoked.

When things are difficult, when pain has set in and when your world is in a cataclysmic nose-dive, you can trust that your Lord has you in His hands and that God knows exactly what is going on. I don’t mean that he will immediately fix whatever the situation is, but you can rest assured that His grace and comfort will be poured out to help you through the trial.

Discontentment – while it often is a reality, it is always sin. I must acknowledge that it is a sin and then repent, look to my Lord and give Him thanks for the salvation that He provides to me. Indeed, even the breath that I breathe is a gift from Him. No matter how difficult our life is on this earth, it is for a short time – eternal life granted by our Lord is for, well, eternity!

Now, what about you?

Discontented? Confess, repent and allow His comfort to encompass you. Praise His Name and be thankful. Discontentment will vanish, and you will be able to live life to the fullest in His grace and love.

Father, forgive me for whining and crying about my circumstances when You have them in your control and your grace and mercy has lifted me above my circumstances. Forgive me when I sink in the muck and mire of discontentment rather than realizing that You have already lifted me into your Courts through Christ my Lord and Savior. May I praise your Name today.

OUR CREATOR GOD — THE HOLY ONE.

November 5, 2015November 5, 2015 | lindamowles

Scripture tells us at the very beginning of Genesis that “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” Genesis 1:1. The six days of creation are all itemized in Chapter 1 of Genesis.

Light — and the light was good.

Dry land and the seas– and God saw that it was good.

Colorado mountains, where earth and sky collide.

Vegetation, plants and trees – and God saw that it was good.

Lights in the heavens – and God saw that it was good.

All creatures that move, in the sea and in the air – and God saw that it was good.

Hummingbird getting a drink for nourishment.

Florida Spiny Lobster seen in aquarium along Florida's coastline. — Florida Spiny Lobster seen in aquarium along Florida’s coastline.

All beasts of the earth and all that creep on the ground – and God saw that it was good.

Caribou with large rack in Denali National Park, Alaska.

Then, in Genesis 1:26-27, and 31, God said:

“Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.’ So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. … And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.”

Everything that He had made was very good. Simply put, God’s creation is good and it gives glory to its Creator.

Looking at the creation of God, it is clear that beauty is an attribute of the Creator God. David speaks of it like this:

One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to inquire in his temple.

Psalm 27:4 [ESV]

God’s desire for beauty is also expressed in Exodus 28:2 where God is telling Moses what garments the priests were to wear when conducting worship before Him even in the wilderness tabernacle.

And you shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother, for glory and for beauty. [ESV] (The emphasis is mine)

A review of the construction of the tabernacle is way beyond the scope of this post, but it was clearly a pinnacle of beauty, shining with gold, bronze, silver, precious jewels for the objects to be used in worship, and even for the thread used to create the curtains. The directions were explicit and detailed, and they were dictated by God. Beauty is an attribute of our Creator. Read Exodus Chapters 25 through 40 and see the incredible detail God directed for the construction of His tabernacle. Then remember where it was built — in the wilderness. Clearly, this was not the most beautiful of places, but His tabernacle was to be beautiful because it was to reflect our God and one of His attributes, beauty.

Beautiful music and singing are also part of God’s creation and an expression of His beauty. Way back when David was king, we read that he appointed the priests to sing a song of thanksgiving to God. Read 1 Chronicles 16 aloud, to yourself or anyone else who would listen, and your spirit will be lifted as you, through David’s words so long ago, praise the Lord for His wondrous works. Verse 10 of this chapter directs that we are to “Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice.”

This past Monday evening, we were blessed to attend a concert sponsored by Ligonier Ministries for the performance of sacred music entitled “Glory to the Holy One.” The concert was held in Nashville, Tennessee.

The venue was the Schermerhorn Symphony Center, a beautiful building that is dedicated to the symphony.

The Schermerhorn Symphony Center, Nashville, Tennessee

The building was beautiful with marvelous craftsmanship evident throughout.

Inside the Schermerhorn Symphony Center, Nashville, Tennessee

Of course, the acoustics were incredible. The choir was extraordinary and the symphony was wonderful. But the music touched your soul, heart and mind.

The choir and symphony ready for the music to begin. — The choir and symphony getting ready for the music to begin.

Our seats were much closer to the musicians than I anticipated … we were IN the music, not just listening to it! This picture was taken while we were sitting in our chairs.

Superlatives are inadequate to describe the event. The words to the hymns were written by Dr. R.C. Sproul and the music was composed and conducted by Jeff Lippencott. Tears streamed more than once as God’s glory was extolled in music and singing. The words to the hymns were beautiful and poignant, detailing the journey of faith and culminating when we see Jesus face to face. Here is one of the hymns entitled The Secret Place, the words are below the link for your reference.

Excerpt from music on soundtrack of GLORY TO THE HOLY ONE

Who dwells within His most secret place

Is never far from His blessed grace

‘Neath His great shadow all will be well

No better place now for us to dwell

Refrain

The secret place of God Most High

The shadow of our mighty King

The dwelling place where angels cry

Is where our praise will forever ring

Fear not the terror that comes at night

Nor flaming arrows by morning light

His truth is always our sword and shield

Against His power, all foes must yield

Refrain

A thousand fall now at ev’ry side

Ten thousand more may have yet to die

Yet plague and sword can

Ne’er kill the soul

His angels guard us now safe and whole

Refrain

Refuge and fortress for all who trust

No safer pasture for men of dust

‘Neath wings and feathers of Holy Lord

No great comfort can He afford

Refrain

I pray that these words and the music will be a blessing to you this day.

Father, thank you for the gift of music and for the talents of those who can create, compose, sing and perform such magnificent works to your glory and honor. I thank you too for the truth of the words of this hymn. No safer place can find us than when we are in your care, now and forevermore.