Sunday Words of Encouragement January 22, 2012

Our senior Pastor is still away with his ailing father. Our associate Pastor presented another sermon continuing along the theme of last week that we are only sojourners here. He reminded us that we should leave behind our old ways, our old thoughts and our old memories when we follow Christ. We should not be repeatedly looking in the rearview mirror or looking over our shoulder but rather we should focus our eyes on what lies ahead.  If we look behind then the front of the 'board' (surfing, sailing, bicycling, even driving) will veer off track.

Remember that things of this world are on the way out and will give way to a new order. Jesus' call is radical. There will be a cost to abandon all we know and love to follow Him. We must fight against the worldly ways and strive for the greater things that are not of this world.

I was searching for the song "Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus" and found many  good videos.
This one has different verses with the well known chorus.
I liked the additional words so I am sharing this with the traditional hymn words below.


Lyrics:
O soul, are you weary and troubled
No light in the darkness you see
There's a light for a look at the Savior
And life more abundant and free

# 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

Through death into life everlasting
He passed, and we follow Him there
Over us sin no more hath dominion
For more than conquerors we are

His Word shall not fail you - He promised
Believe Him, and all will be well
Then go to a world that is dying
His perfect Salvation to tell

A different version that is called "soaking music" and is extremely soothing can be found here:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OC2dS5ZZ8e8&feature=related

Verses for Today: 

Philippians 3:13-14 (NIV)

¹³ Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, ¹⁴ I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. 

We prayed today, both at church and in our lunch connect gathering, that we might focus on the important things of heaven and make a difference this year to those whose lives we touch.