Overcomer
Please do not misinterpret what I am saying, but hear me clearly. (There is so much here -I pray that the call to search out this matter draws you to further study on your own) What I am speaking of is how we judge others by looking on the outside and not at the fruit in their lives. Is this not the reason that we come together in corporate worship to celebrate God’s saving deeds in our lives? Will not those who come to the Lord be won by the word of our testimony? Whenever I see someone make a decision to accept Christ, I am reminded of how my life was and how it is now. Tears of joy for the newborn in Christ overwhelm me for I know that they have chosen life and not death! I know that true love, joy, and peace await them in their new lives. We cannot judge a book by its cover, but we need to open it up and try to understand its message. If the pages do not line up right, we need to speak to the Editor-in-Charge. We ought to be praying that the eyes of that person would come to see Him in His fullness, and that they would allow God to continue the washing process until the residue no long remains. For some, that will be a life-long process as the pull of sin and the consequences of bad life choices will haunt them as they see the fruit of seeds they planted long ago mature. Our prayer should always be that God will clean each of us with the water of His Word. When we judge, we forget we once lived and were apart of Egypt. Self-righteousness has no place in the heart and life of a redeemed Christian, but we should feel humbled by the grace of God that is boundless in the scope of its forgiveness.
We need to be reminded that Egypt (the world) is forever around us and that we were so involved in its ways that we must now constantly renew our minds to keep from slipping back into the disguises of sin. We should also keep this in mind as we lead worship. We are handing people the keys to continue on in their worship odyssey. We introduce songs that take them through the battles of life. We are all overcomers because Jesus overcame the world and our life is now hidden in Him as the glory of who He is replaces what we were. Utmost in our minds is the thought that we all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.
The testimony of those who have called on the name of Jesus Christ for salvation has been; He has called me out of darkness to a better way of life. The Message Bible states I Peter 2:9 this way, “But you are the ones chosen by God, chosen for the high calling of priestly work, chosen to be a holy people, God’s instruments to do his work and speak out for him, to tell others of the night and day difference he made for you - from nothing to something, from rejected to accepted.” Overcomers have overcome the world and they walk in the newness of life.
Him who began a good work in you will complete it…
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This is the debut album by EXW friend Paul Langford. Paul is a Chicago based singer, arranger, keyboardist, producer and conductor. Paul has a career that spans 14 years. Paul's work includes arranging for groups like GLAD, Voices of Liberty, VoiceTrek, The Chicago based "Caroling Party" and Day of Discovery Singers. His arranging has appeared on recordings side by side with greats like Gene Puerling and David Maddux, and he has sung with Don Shelton, Bonnie Herman and Bob Bowker, among others.