A Song that I listened to.
“Angels We Have Heard on High” – Melissa McKinnies with SIWC Worship Band. From the SIWC Christmas Album “Twas a Holy Night” (click to listen)
This song written by James Chadwick is one of my favorites. It’s the words of the Gospel of Luke as Luke recorded the story of that “Holy Night”!
Heaven’s announcement to those shepherds living out in the fields and keeping watch over their flocks is a great truth that needs repeating. The most significant announcement in history was announced first to those that were the least regarded. The shepherds were also a great distance away. It wasn’t announced first at the palace; it was first announced in the pasture. It was a good tiding of great joy, and it still is. To those distant and the least regarded in our society, this announcement is undoubtedly still for you; there is a Savior who is Christ the Lord. However, it isn’t just for you; it’s to all people; hear what the Angels announced, there is a Savior born to you! Since He came to you and for you, we then pick up the song’s words that began with Angels, and we now sing, “Gloria, in Excelsis Deo.” which means “Glory to God in the Highest.” This song began by coming down from Heaven towards Earth, and now it’s from the Earth towards Heaven. Glory to God in the Highest, for we have “Heard the Angels Sing.”
A Scripture that made me think.
James 1:22-25
22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; 24 for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. 25 But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.
In verse 24 of this text, we see this line, “for he observes himself.” So the question should be asked in the season that we are in, what do you observe about yourself? Just beyond this Christmas season is where people make resolutions to improve their lives somehow. Meaning there is an area they have observed and found to be needing improvement. Therefore, they resolve to improve.
More often than not, we look at the areas of our lives that we feel insecure about and work to improve those areas to elevate our self-worth. But, unfortunately, observing ourselves and judging ourselves has become a motivator for many, motivated more often than not into more insecurity. So, let me redefine insecurity from a spiritual perspective.
Insecurity is often dissatisfaction with God’s provision. You are not satisfied with what God has provided to you or for you.
Insecurity is often nothing more than grumbling for better manna, just as the children of Israel did.
We like them get tired of adequate nourishment; we want extraordinary flavor. We don’t like what God has given—money, position, appearance, personality and then we grumble for something better.
We believe that something better will cause us to like ourselves or our life more. We believe that better things create confidence. This pursuit of confidence in the flesh ruins our view of God; it causes dissatisfaction with God and His provision in our lives. In our pursuit of “stuff”, we are displaying discontentment. Such discontentment is a snare of “many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction” 1 Timothy 6:6-10. Our dissatisfaction with ourselves and the “stuff” of our life is often nothing more than our dissatisfaction with God.
Insecurity often reveals that our confidence is found in the approval of others. We want other people to like us, love us, and judge us worthy, at the expense of what God, and how God views us. God doesn’t care, what you drive, what you wear, what you have, or what you don’t have. We all know this, and we understand that. However, we still care! We care because they still care. We care more about the things that make us worthy of a like on social media than what will make us worthy to stand before Him.
Improve your view of God, and your picture of yourself will automatically improve as well.
Psalm 139
14 I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Marvelous are Your works,
And that my soul knows very well.
15 My frame was not hidden from You,
When I was made in secret,
And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.
And in Your book they all were written,
The days fashioned for me,
When as yet there were none of them.
17 How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!
How great is the sum of them!
18 If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand;
When I awake, I am still with You.
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A Quote that I read.
“Confidence isn’t walking into a room thinking you’re better than everyone; it’s walking in not having to compare yourself to anyone at all.”
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