I’d Rather Have Jesus

The Book called, “Simply Jesus” by Joe Stowell. The part that talked about Paul has reminded me of the song, “I’d Rather Have Jesus.” Why? Because Paul counted it (himself, what he had and what he was) all worthless so He could have Christ. I pray that this devotion and the song will touch your heart to be able to sing with heartfelt song.

Phillippians 3:7-11, NLT, Emphasis Added.
“I once thought all these things were so very important, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the priceless gain of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I may have Christ and become one with him. I no longer count on my own goodness or my ability to obey God’s law, but I trust Christ to save me. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith. As a result, I can really know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I can learn what it means to suffer with him, sharing in this death, so that, somehow, I can experience the resurrection from the dead!”

Song: I’d Rather Have Jesus
1. I’d Rather Have Jesus than silver or gold,
I’d rather be His than have riches untold (plenty),
I’d Rather Have Jesus than houses or lands,
I’d rather be led by His nail pierced hand
Than to be the king (queen) of the vast domain (great ruler),
Or be held in sin’s dread (terrible) sway (stray).
I Rather Have Jesus than an – y – thing
this world affords (gives) today.

2. I’d Rather Have Jesus than men’s (people’s ) applause (praise),
I’d rather be faithful to His dear cause (calls),
I’d Rather Have Jesus than world-wide fame,
I’d rather be true to His holy name
Than to be the king (queen) of the vast (great) domain (ruler),
Or be held in sin’s dread (dark) sway (stray).
I’d Rather Have Jesus than an – y – thing
this world affords (gives) today.
[Words by Rhea F. Miller; Music by George Beverly Shea]

In Adam, In Christ

I Corinthians 15:22 NCV
“In Adam all of us die. In the same way, in Christ all of us will be made alive again.”

I Cor. 15:21 “Death has come because of what one man did…” One man? That first man, ADAM, sinned against God when he disobeyed God’s commandment, not to eat fruit from a tree of knowledge of good and evil. He ate its fruit and became the first person to sin. Since that day sin brings death to every person on earth. Because of Adam’s sin being passed on to us, we, humans, eventually will die. No hope.

I Cor. 21b “…but the rising from the death also comes because of one man.” Jesus became the FIRST man to die for three days, and then Jesus rose from the dead, and still lives, lives, lives since then. Have you ever heard of any person who dies for three days and was brought to life forever? No, Jesus is the only one who dies and lives forever! Today we believe in Jesus as our Savior and lord of our lives. We will be made alive, alive forever when Jesus comes again for us. This is our blessed hope.

This is what makes the Gospel, the Good News so powerful because Jesus rose again. No other false prophets have ever done this like Jesus did. This is what makes Jesus different from any false religious such as people who worship other gods or false prophets. If they say, “My religious is a true religious.” Ask them this: “Did your prophet ever rise from the dead and lives forever like Jesus did?” An honest answer would be: “No.” Then encourage them to accept Jesus as their Savior whom they can trust. Why? Because He lives! I Corinthians 15:23 tells us that “everyone will be raised to life in the right order. When Christ comes again, those who belong to him will be raise to life.” This is our blessed hope, believers, whom we truly believe in Him as our Savior and Lord!

We can have a blessed Easter every day of our lives because Christ AROSE! Hallelujah! May the Lord bless you real good today!

Song: Rejoice, the Lord Is King!
1. Rejoice, the Lord is King: Your Lord and King adore.
Rejoice, give thanks and sing, And triumph evermore.
Life up your heart, lift up your voice! Rejoice, again I say, rejoice.
2. Rejoice, in glorious hope! Our Lord the Judge shall come
And take His servants up To their eternal home.
Life up your heart, lift up your voice! Rejoice, again I say, rejoice.
[Lyrics: Charles Wesley and music: John Darwall]

Great Faith!

Matthew 15:28 NCV
Then Jesus answered, “Woman, you have great faith! I will do what you asked.” And at that moment the woman’s daughter was healed.

Story of the faith of a Canaanite woman from Matthew 15:21-28.
Jesus came to the area of Tyre and Sidon where it is not part of Israel’s nation. The woman was Greek and she had seen Jesus and cried out for Him to heal her daughter. She had a demon that was bothering her. Her daughter was suffering and this hurt the mother very much so she begged Jesus for mercy. But Jesus did not answer the woman. The mother kept crying out over and over until the followers had enough and came to Jesus to tell the woman to go away. Jesus gave His reason why He did not answered her. God sent Jesus to Israel first because Israel was the lost sheep. This woman won’t give up and even said to Jesus, “Yes, Lord, but even the dogs (Gentiles) eat the crumbs (left over) that fall from their masters’ table.” Jesus was saying, “Wow, woman, you have great faith!” She was not offended of being called “dogs.” After the Holy Spirit came to Cornelius, the Italian Roman Centurion, Peter learned never to call any Gentiles “unclean” or “dogs” [Acts 10].

Dorothy: Do you want to have true faith like this non-Jewish woman? We can! The word persevere is an important word to know. It means continue steadily in doing something hard. To persist means refuse to stop and continue firmly (strong). Persistence is holding on to a purpose. This woman had a purpose to hold on to Jesus until He healed her daughter. Her courage was strong and she refused to be discouraged. She knew who Jesus was and held to her belief that Jesus would heal her daughter. This story tells us to persevere in true faith is to trust God in all circumstances and stay true to Him, even when you are in great trouble and He does not seem to answer or to care. Let your faith grow deeper in Christ and let the Holy Spirit assure you that Christ does care and He does hear our cries. When you sing this song, Holy Spirit will cause your spirit to feel the love of Jesus tremendously. Hallelujah!

Song: Deeper, Deeper
Deeper, deeper, in the love of Jesus
Daily let me go;
Higher, higher, in the school of wisdom,
More of grace to know
Chorus:
O deep…er , yet I pray…
And high…er every day,
And wis…er blessed Lord,
In Thy precious, holy Word.
[Charles P. Jones]

Because He Lives

God sent His Son, they called Him Jesus,
He came to love, heal, and forgive;
He lived and died to buy my pardon,
An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives.
Chorus:
Because He lives I can face tomorrow;
Because He lives all fear is gone;
Because I know He holds the future;
And life is worth the living just because He lives.
[William and Gloria Gaither]

Song: He Lives
I serve a risen Savior, He's in the world today;
I know that He is living, whatever men may say;
I see His hand of mercy, I hear His voice of cheer,
And just the time I need Him He's always near.
Chorus:
He lives, He lives, Christ Jesus lives today!
He walks with me and talks with me along life's narrow way.
He lives, He lives, salvation to impart (give)!
You ask me how I know He lives? He lives within my Heart.
[Alfred Henry Ackley}

Dorothy: I just had to type this because I was singing
this songs all day long. I plan to sing this at deaf church.
Hope you will too! He lives!

He Is Risen!

John 11:25 NIV: Jesus said,
“I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?”

Dorothy: Wow! He is asking us this question as well as He had asked Martha. Can we say like she said? “Yes, Lord,”… “I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world” [John 11:27 NIV]. Easter time has come and there are few examples of Easter’s songs you might like to use for deaf services.

Song: Christ Arose
Low in the grave He lay, Jesus my Savior!
Waiting the coming day, Jesus, my Lord.
[Chorus: excited and beat]
Up from the grave He arose,
with a mighty triumph o’er His foes;
He arose a victor from the dark domain,
And He lives forever with His saints to reign;
He arose!... He arose!... Hallelujah! Christ arose!
[Robert Lowry]

These are good songs for the deaf service.
1. Because He lives
2. He Lives
3. Rejoice, the Lord is King.
4. He is Lord!

He is risen! May God bless you!

Salt Loses Its Flavor

Matthew 5:13
KJV: “Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour (flavor); wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.” NCV: “You are salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its salty taste, it cannot be made salty again. It is good for nothing, except to be thrown out and walked on.”

You know, there is so much in this little parable that I would like to continue in this subject “Salt of the Earth.” I think it is important to know about the salt so we could understand what Jesus said to us, “You are the salt of the earth.” One little word, SALT seems to be important study. In Jesus’ time everyone knows the value of the salt. They know about the salt. Today, all we know that the salt is necessary to bring flavor for our food. The salt has many uses. It is important for us to know the meaning of the SALT and to have better understanding what Jesus was saying to us.

Salt, noun. 1. a white substance found in the earth and in sea water; sodium chloride. Salt is used to season and preserve food. 2. compound derived from an acid by replacing the hydrogen wholly or partly by a metal or an electropositive radical. BAKING SODA IS A SALT. 3. that which gives liveliness, pleasant taste and sharp taste like salted pickle. 4. salts, plural. a. medicine that causes movements of the bowels: Epsom salts for muscles, smelling salts to wake up people who faint.

Now the subject was “If the salt loses its salty taste, it cannot be made salty again. It is good for nothing, except to be thrown out and walked on.” If they used a lot of salt on the fishes to preserve them, and when it is ready to cook fish, they cleaned out the salt and I would assume that they would throw out the salt. Salt become useless. Jesus was telling the disciples that they are the salt of the earth. If the salt loses their taste, we cannot use the salt because it had no flavor. It was compare to those who have no salt in their life. They become useless and tasteless. You may have met some people whose lives have no fellowship with Christ, no fruits in their lives, and never talked about God’s Word or talk about how the Holy Spirit helps them in many ways. Their lives are full of worldly news.

If salt loses it flavor, what is going to restore its flavor? There is nothing. Once the saltiness is gone from the salt, it is gone. It can no longer salt the earth. A person who has not been salted and saved from decay is doomed to ruin. He is good for nothing but to be cast out. A person has a choice: let Christ salt him or else he is never salted.

Again, Jesus said, “You are the salt of the earth.” Let us keep in touch with Christ who give us the salt and preserve us from decaying. Spiritual salt keep us alive, sharp and fresh so we can spread out the salt to others. May God bless you!

Salt of the Earth

Matthew 5:13
KJV: “Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour; wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.” NCV: “You are salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its salty taste, it cannot be made salty again. It is good for nothing, except to be thrown out and walked on.”

SALT OF THE EARTH
We depend on salt for our food so they would taste better. We often have salted butter put on vegetables and baked potatoes. I use sea salt. Why? They taste so good. People in the old days who do not have freezer, they use salt on fishes to preserve them. They use salt to keep the fishes from getting spoiled. During the winter we have icy ground we walk on, we used salt to melt the ice so we would not slip and fall. Truck uses salt to spread on the roads so it would be safe for people who drive the cars. Salt have many uses.

Jesus spoke to us through His word that we are the salt of the earth. How do we get salt in our lives? Fellowship with Jesus Christ through prayers and singing His praise, study God’s Word, and He “pour salt” inside of us. Then we are the “salt” to others who needs the “flavor” in their spiritual growth. It is our fellowship and our sharing with God’s Word that brings flavor to others. Our lives and our friendship is like the salt that are enjoyable and a blessing to others. Fellowship with other Christians is very important part of Christian’s growth. .

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for the word of truth, Jesus Christ who encourages us to be the salt of our deaf people. Bless the deaf people who come to deaf church that we may share our “salt” to them so that they would come into Your presence with joy. Touch their hearts today and anoint them with Thy Word. Put joy in their heart to be happy in Christ that others may see and taste the joy of the Lord. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen