The Sermon

I received the following in an email and I felt I had to share it with you, it's so thought provoking...

A member of a certain church, who previously had been
attending services regularly, stopped going. After a few weeks,
the preacher decided to visit him.

It was a chilly evening. The preacher found the man at home
alone, sitting before a blazing fire. Guessing the reason for his
preachers visit, the man welcomed him, led him to a comfortable
chair near the fireplace and waited.

The preacher made himself at home but said nothing. In the
grave silence, he contemplated the dance of the flames around
the burning logs. After some minutes, the preacher took the
fire tongs, carefully picked up a brightly burning ember and
placed it to one side of the hearth all alone then he sat back
in his chair, still silent.

The host watched all this in quiet contemplation. As the one
one lone ember's flame flickered and diminished, there was a
momentary glow and then its fire was no more. Soon it was
cold and dead.

Not a word had been spoken since the initial greeting. The
preacher glanced at his watch and realized it was time to leave.
He slowly stood up, picked up the cold, dead ember and placed
it back in the middle of the fire. Immediately it began to glow,
once more with the light and warmth of the burning coals around it.

As the preacher reached the door to leave, his host said with a
tear running down his cheek, "Thank you so much for your
visit and especially for the fiery sermon. I shall be back in
church next week ."

We live in a world today, which tries to say too much with too
little. Consequently, few listen. Sometimes the best sermons are
the ones left unspoken.

The Lord is my Shepherd • that's a Relationship!
I shall not want • that's Supply!
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures • that's Rest!
He leadeth me beside the still waters • that's Refreshment!
He restoreth my soul • that's Healing!
He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness • that's Guidance!
For His name sake • that's Purpose!
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death • that's Testing!
I will fear no evil • that's Protection!
For Thou art with me • that's Faithfulness!
Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me • that's Discipline!
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies • that's Hope!

Thou annointest my head with oil • that's Consecration!
My cup runneth over • that's Abundance!
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life • that's Blessing!
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord • that's Security!
Forever • that's Eternity!

Music of the Heart

Psalm 101:1
I will sing of your love and justice; to you, O LORD, I will sing praise.

Have you ever been sitting in church or at a music concert and someone sitting beside or behind you is singing along very loudly to the music? Not only that but have been singing along very untunefully or very out of time?

I think we've all encountered a situation like that at some time or another, so what did you think? Did you laugh? Did you wih they'd stop singing?

Again I guess those are reactions we've all had in this type of circumstance.

But what do you think God is thinking about your own singing?
Are you a great singer, not the best but can hold a tune or realy can't hold a tune at all?

Well whatever kind of singer you are, good or bad, God will be listening to you! Is that scary?! But God is not bottered whether you can sing or not, what He is interested in is whether you have a song in your heart. In other words, God doesn't want us just to go through the motions of life. He doesn't want us to be hypocrites, He'd rather we couldn't sing but sang the words from our heart with true feeling and belief! God wants us to sing with conviction, to sing from experience and belief in His Name.

So sing from your heart, and sing as loud as you want!