jon mark music

this morning i was ready through the “daily bread” and the passage from galatians 6:7-9. usually when i read through that, i have to read a little more so i can get a little more out of it. so i ended up reading the first ten verses and really hitting 9 and 10 over and over again.

so let’s not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good. at the right time we will harvest a good crop if we don’t give up, or quit. right now, therefore, every time we get the chance, let us work for the benefit of all, starting with the people closest to us in the community of faith. (gal. 6:9-10, the message)

this really hit home with something that i have been feeling convicted about. it’s easy for me to get discouraged and down because i haven’t been the “ideal candidate” for any full time worship leader positions. it’s easy for me to get kind of tired of showing up each week for a few hours at church, playing my keyboard, and going home. (just being honest here)

but isn’t that pretty selfish of me?! this passage says that “every time” i have an opportunity, i should serve. and not because i want to or feel called to or i’m trained to or i think i’m good enough to…it has nothing to do with me. it says that i should “for the benefit of all”… now i am included in that all, but it’s not just for me.

i need to remain faithful to God in every opportunity to serve Him, no matter how big or small, no matter if it’s leading worship or leading prayer time or leading a service project picking up trash. every time i have an opportunity to be a servant i need to take that opportunity and give it everything i have.

i pray that you and i will not get fatigued in your acts of service or discouraged in what God has for you to do right now. but remain faithful in serving every time we have the opportunity.

recently kasey and i visited with our friends at twin oaks baptist church in ferrum, va. one of those friends was teresa spencer. teresa is a woman of God that served there in the church, leading the choir.

approximately 10 months ago teresa began a battle with cancer. she was still able to make it to church while we were there and she was able to meet molly. she had to tell us all about her new grand-baby that was only three weeks old. and the one thing that will forever be etched in my mind is the smile on her face. from the first time i met teresa she always had a smile to share, and it was a smile that you couldn’t miss. it was a smile that came from the joy of the Lord.

teresa’s battle with cancer ended yesterday morning. but her life in eternity with her Lord and Savior has begun! i am forever greatful to have met teresa and for the blessing of her joy. i ask that you would pray for her family as well as the church body there at twin oaks as they grieve their loss and celebrate a life given to God.

today we made our way down to virginia to spend the weekend, as i’ve already noted this week. but this trip has been something else, and we’re not even 12 hours into it…

molly has been nothing short of awesome. this is her first long trip, with 8 hours in the car seat. she wasn’t any more cranky than mom and dad, she just shared it a little more freely.

but the kicker was our motel. i had booked a room with a national chain (who will remain nameless) and we checked in right away when we got here. after two trips from the parking lot to the room we started to unpack. molly was the only happy one in the group, she was out of her seat and loving life. mom and dad on the other hand could not get past the smoke smell…no non-smoking rooms available! then there were the two salads in that had been left in the room’s refrigirator and the fact that the motel had run out of towels and wash clothes…

they had one good thing, high speed. i got on my powerbook and looked up another national chain that was in town Holiday Inn Express!@!@!@!@!@ i called and spoke with this young man named chris who kindly held a room for us while we checked out and made our way to the next exit. wouldn’t you know they had to give us an upgraded suite with a kitchenette and the works. first they couldn’t book us for both nights, but wouldn’t you know they ended up being able to give us the two nights…somehow. right away i got on the internet and left a COMPLIMENT with their website.

thank You Lord for a clean room, wash clothes, and chris at the front desk!!!

this week kasey and i have the privilege of traveling down to ferrum, va and worshipping with our brothers and sisters in Christ at twin oaks baptist church. each year we go down to visit with pastor covey (terry) and the church body. and each year we come home blessed much greater than we could ever bless them. this church body knows how to, and loves to, worship God!

so a few days ago i got a call from “johnathan fallwell” in lynchburg, va. but due to the southern drrrraaaawwww i knew it was terry. (plus he has this laugh that kind of gives him away when he’s up to something!) after a quick catching up he asked me to learn a song for this coming sunday, “somewhere in the middle” by casting crowns.

i’m usually a little apprehensive when asked to learn songs because everyone has their own tastes and there are some types of music that just turn my stomach…but terry knows me pretty well so i didn’t think this would be too bad. and he said that when they heard this song they thought it sounded like a song i would do.

i thought that was a good thing and then i started looking at the lyrics and got slapped in the face. this song to me talks about being mediocre, luke warm, going at it half way…and it’s speaking of our walk with Christ. which automatically brings one passage to mind…revelation 3:15-17

“I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.” (NIV)

this was being written to a church…not to some group of terorrists or some other wicked people group. they had become cofortable in their “Christian” life. and they either didn’t realize it or didn’t care. but we serve a loving and gracious God who continues this letter to the church in vs 18-22…

“I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” (NIV)

i’m not so sure that this song and this passage weren’t sent to me from God as reminders not to become comfortable and “fool” myself or make a fool of myself. i pray that God is constantly working in my life, molding and making me the husband, father, and man that He wants me to be. i pray that you too do not become comfortable, lazy, complacent, lukewarm…whatever you want to call it. allow God to work in you. don’t get caught “somewhere in the middle”!

www.twinoaksbapt.org