Greetings from the Music Ministry
Hello New Life Church!
As a Christian, can you say that you have true peace? In all circumstances?
Deep Christian peace is rooted in the belief that through faith in Jesus Christ, believers can experience a profound sense of peace, regardless of their circumstances. This peace is a gift from God, granted to those who fully trust in Him and surrender their worries and anxieties to His care.
If this is true, why do so many Christians worry and have constant anxiety? If we are completely surrendered to the Lordship of Jesus Christ and His will, and if we really believe we are loved and cared for by the almighty God of the universe, and if we have His Spirit living within us to comfort and guide us, why do we worry about anything? It may be because true peace is for those who trust in Him and surrender their every care to the Lord, completely. Do you worry a lot? Ask yourself if you are fully trusting Him.
Our ultimate peace is spiritual. We can be at peace with God and confident of our salvation because of Jesus’ atoning death on the cross for our sins. And, because of His resurrection, we have the assurance of our own resurrection. In this reconciliation and hope we have peace and harmony with God, knowing that our eternal destiny is secure.
But as Christians we often seem to compartmentalize our spiritual life and beliefs. Many Christians may say they have this belief but have no evidence of peace in their daily walk with Him. We become overwhelmed with “what ifs” in our lives. What if the diagnosis is bad, what if I don’t have enough money, what if I can’t find a job, what if... fill in the blank. Our peace through Christ should not be dependent on external circumstances but should be rooted in an unshakable trust in God's sovereignty and goodness.
If worry starts to creep in, ask yourself what the worst possible outcome is. Then, remember and confess aloud that God is in control and that you trust Him no matter the outcome. Speak the Word of God and write out verses that give hope and assurance. Recite God’s promises. If we are still worrying about anything (regardless of the earthly struggle and pain) we do not fully trust God. That is a big accusation but it is true. We either fully trust Him or we don’t.
Are you worried about your health, your finances, your relationships, your lost loved-ones, your employment struggles, anything? Trust God for the solution, in HIS timing not ours. Continue to give it to the Lord. Even if the worst possible earthly outcome does happen, believe that God is still working and good, even if we cannot see the whole picture.
How can we be more trusting and eliminate worry in our lives? How can we truly have the peace that passes all understanding?
Constant Prayer - ask God to help you trust Him. Ask Him for His peace. Confess that you haven’t always completely trusted Him.
Meditate on His Word - Read, write and recite God’s word. Print or write out His promises and put them on your mirrors, inside your kitchen cabinets, in your car, on your bedside table. Read, memorize, recite and take into your heart His Word and promises. The Bible says to meditate on His Word day and night.
Worship - Worship God and proclaim His power, His loving kindness, His goodness and His sovereignty. Sing hymns and songs about assurance, comfort and peace.
Be in Christian fellowship with mature trusting believers - Don’t hang around negative Nellies. If a person professes to be a Christian but is a chronic complainer, always seeing the worst in everything and always worrying about everything, they are not walking in a trusting relationship with Jesus Christ. Don’t let them pull you down. Don’t tell your woes to non-believers who do not have the peace of Christ to begin with. Find Christians whose faith is mature who can encourage and build you up in Christ. Befriend those who fully trust in Jesus Christ and are examples of that in every aspect of their lives.
Scriptures to help you have the peace that passes understanding...
Philippians 4:4-7
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
I Thessalonians 5:16 - 24
Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not treat prophecies with contempt but test them all; hold on to what is good, reject every kind of evil.
May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. he one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.
Matthew 6:25 - 34
Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life[e]? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Psalm 121:1-8
I lift up my eyes to the hills. Where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade on your right hand The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore.
In lieu of a Choral Anthem this week, Larry and Kay Keller will be bringing special music. They will be singing the piece, “People Need the Lord.”
Invitation to the Music Ministry
Also, If you love to sing, please consider joining the Chancel Choir. We meet on Thursday evenings from 7-9 PM. We sing most Sunday mornings during the 9:15 service and are very flexible with travel plans and needing to be away at times. We have a wide variety of musicians with various backgrounds and there is a place for you! Please consider coming to a rehearsal to see if you would like to join us in this very fulfilling ministry.
Please e-mail me first if you are planning to come to a rehearsal, because the summer schedule is modified a bit.
At New Life Church, everyone in the music ministry is a worship leader. Our aim is to…
Magnify the Greatness of God in Jesus name,
Through the Power of the Holy Spirit.
Skillfully combining God’s Word with music,
Thereby motivating NEW LIFE church to…
Proclaim the Gospel
Cherish God’s presence and
Live for God’s Glory
Shawn Marren will be directing music this Sunday in my absence.
Our hymns this Sunday will be . . .
# 32 - How Great Thou Art
# 236 - The Old Rugged Cross
# 344 - When Peace Like a River (It is Well with My Soul)
Joyfully and in His Peace,
MaryBeth Khamis
Interim Director of Music
marybeth@newlifeforall.church
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