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Showing posts with label Songs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Songs. Show all posts
Tuesday, 26 March 2013
Friday, 25 January 2013
The Power of Song
“On that day Deborah and Barak son of Abinoam sang this song…” — Judges 5:1
This Torah portion for this week, Beshalach, is from Exodus 13:7–17:16 and Judges 4:4–5:31.
The Haftorah for the Torah portion of Beshalach is taken from the book of Judges and tells us the memorable story about two biblical heroines — Deborah and Jael. Deborah was a prophetess and the leader of Israel. She was commanded by God to defeat the armies of Jabin and their General Sisera through her own second-in-command, Barak.
After Barak insisted that Deborah accompany him on the battlefield, the two defeated the enemy armies and only the enemy general, Sisera, escaped on foot. Sisera took refuge in the home of someone he considered an ally and friend, Jael. But instead, Jael chose to help Israel and killed Sisera in his sleep. The war was won, the enemy completely vanquished, and Deborah celebrated victory.
The Haftorah for the Torah portion of Beshalach is taken from the book of Judges and tells us the memorable story about two biblical heroines — Deborah and Jael. Deborah was a prophetess and the leader of Israel. She was commanded by God to defeat the armies of Jabin and their General Sisera through her own second-in-command, Barak.
After Barak insisted that Deborah accompany him on the battlefield, the two defeated the enemy armies and only the enemy general, Sisera, escaped on foot. Sisera took refuge in the home of someone he considered an ally and friend, Jael. But instead, Jael chose to help Israel and killed Sisera in his sleep. The war was won, the enemy completely vanquished, and Deborah celebrated victory.
Saturday, 19 January 2013
Our Daily Bread -- A Song To Remember
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| Our Daily Bread is hosted by Les Lamborn |
READ: Deuteronomy 31:16-22
Ascribe greatness to our God. He is the Rock, His work is perfect. —Deuteronomy 32:3-4
I was delighted when I received a free gift in the mail—a CD of Scripture set to music. After listening to it several times, some of the melodies took root in my mind. Before long, I could sing the words to a couple of verses in the book of Psalms without the help of the recording.
Saturday, 8 December 2012
OUR SPIRITS BLOSSOM WHEN WE SING
Paul Estabrooks
Chinese evangelist, Mrs Yang, was visited by another full time preacher who was very downcast. The preacher wanted to buy a tape player, but had no money. Mrs Yang sat down and just began to sing to him. Her voice was deep and scratchy, the tune barely discernible, the words simple: I am a wanderer, my home is in heaven/ Life is fleeting/ Our home is in heaven/ In this world we have many trials/ And sadness and sickness/ True happiness is not in this world/ But in heaven.
God sets the lonely in families, he leads out the prisoners with singing; but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land. Psalm 68:6
Our Open Doors colleague, Ron Boyd-MacMillan, shares the following insight from his teaching, “Why I Need to Encounter the Persecuted Church.”
Monday, 10 September 2012
A New Song
Written by Barbara Alpert
Rediscover the heart of worship with today’s free lesson: Celebrating God
“I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to or God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord.”(Psalm 40:1-3, emphasis mine)
God seeks to put a new song in the mouths of many; a song of victory and praise in lieu of heartache. Out of love, God seeks to touch countless lives with mercy, grace, favor, restoration, and breakthroughs beyond reckon. It’s awesome when God steps in and does the seemingly impossible. Those touched by God’s abundant love cannot help but to sing praises unto Him, the maker of new songs.
Friday, 17 August 2012
Dear Friend of Insight for Living:
It isn't pretty, but it's here to stay. It occurs in every life and in every season of life. I call it the "daily grind."
Homemakers face fourteen-hour days with ever-present children and an endless grind of responsibilities. Students endure the grind of assignments, classes, and exams. Salespeople have quotas to meet. Musicians must constantly rehearse. Therapists can't escape one depressed soul after another. Husbands have grass to mow and things to fix each weekend. Preachers forever face the grind of sermon preparation.
Fact is—let's face it—the grind isn't going away! Instead of fussing about it or dreading it, we must find a way to live beyond it. How? Songs! But not just any songs. I have in mind a songbook that's really old. In fact, it's one of the first-ever composed, inspired by our Creator-God. Its timeless songs were written specifically to help us live beyond life's daily grind. That's right, beyond it. Why else would God have inspired those age-old compositions called psalms?
Homemakers face fourteen-hour days with ever-present children and an endless grind of responsibilities. Students endure the grind of assignments, classes, and exams. Salespeople have quotas to meet. Musicians must constantly rehearse. Therapists can't escape one depressed soul after another. Husbands have grass to mow and things to fix each weekend. Preachers forever face the grind of sermon preparation.
Fact is—let's face it—the grind isn't going away! Instead of fussing about it or dreading it, we must find a way to live beyond it. How? Songs! But not just any songs. I have in mind a songbook that's really old. In fact, it's one of the first-ever composed, inspired by our Creator-God. Its timeless songs were written specifically to help us live beyond life's daily grind. That's right, beyond it. Why else would God have inspired those age-old compositions called psalms?
Saturday, 31 March 2012
Monday, 20 February 2012
Alzheimers Support – Debilitating Disease
Alzheimer’s Support – What is Alzheimer’s Disease?
Alzheimer’s disease is a form of dementia, a brain disorder that seriously affects a person’s ability to perform daily activities, and is most common among older people. The area of the brain that controls thought, memory, and language is affected by this condition. Alzheimer’s disease is named after the German doctor Alois Alzheimer. In the year 1906, Dr. Alzheimer noticed changes in the brain tissue of a woman who had died of an unusual mental illness. He found abnormal clumps, which are now called amyloid plaques, and tangled bundles of fibers, which are now called neurofibrillary tangles. Today, these are the signs of what is called AD (Alzheimer’s Disease).
Along with these plaques and tangled fibers, scientists have also discovered other areas of the brain that are affected. There is a loss of nerve cells within in the brain vital to memory and other mental abilities. The levels of chemicals that carry complex messages back and forth between the nerve cells are lower than those in a person who does not have AD. Therefore, AD may disrupt normal thinking and memory by blocking these messages between nerve cells.
Alzheimer’s Support – What are the Symptoms and Stages?
Normal aging can play tricks on diagnosing Alzheimer’s symptoms. Many people look healthy, but they are having trouble making sense of the world around them. Some of the Alzheimer’s symptoms are memory loss and changes in speech; confusion about the location of familiar places; taking longer to finish routine, daily tasks; difficulty with simple math problems and related issues like handling money, paying bills, or balancing a checkbook; poor judgment that leads to bad decisions; mood and personality changes; and increased anxiety.
As time goes on, the damaging process occurring in the brain worsens and spreads to other areas that control language, reasoning, sensory processing, and thought. The Alzheimer’s disease stages become more pronounced and behavioral problems can start to occur. In the last stage, damage to the brain’s nerve cells is widespread. Many times, the patient dies of other illnesses, such as pneumonia.
Normal aging can play tricks on diagnosing Alzheimer’s symptoms. Many people look healthy, but they are having trouble making sense of the world around them. Some of the Alzheimer’s symptoms are memory loss and changes in speech; confusion about the location of familiar places; taking longer to finish routine, daily tasks; difficulty with simple math problems and related issues like handling money, paying bills, or balancing a checkbook; poor judgment that leads to bad decisions; mood and personality changes; and increased anxiety.
As time goes on, the damaging process occurring in the brain worsens and spreads to other areas that control language, reasoning, sensory processing, and thought. The Alzheimer’s disease stages become more pronounced and behavioral problems can start to occur. In the last stage, damage to the brain’s nerve cells is widespread. Many times, the patient dies of other illnesses, such as pneumonia.
Alzheimer’s Support – How to Give Alzheimer’s Care?
If the patient is not cared for by a facility, the family member or caregiver assures that the patient is receiving the needed support. A person suffering from this disease needs plenty of time to organize his thoughts and put them together in order to communicate with his caretaker. Therefore, the caretaker must be patient, and not interrupt while waiting for a response or statement.
Sufferers also need familiarity and repetition in their daily lives. Because of the illness, they become confused and disoriented, so their belongings should always he placed in an easy-to-remember place. Along with that, there should be a daily schedule for the patient to follow.
In the final stages of Alzheimer’s, caretakers should make sure the patient is exposed to music. Studies have shown that music plays a very important part in the quality of their life. Music accesses various parts of the brain, and the combination of language and music, as in song, offers a greater chance of activating neurological pathways that are still in tact. Patients are able to retain musical perception, and they are likely to remember all the words to a song, although they cannot put a coherent sentence together.
Music is also a way to remind or introduce your loved-one to Jesus Christ. Playing loved hymns or singing favorite Christian songs with your Alzheimer’s victim can serve three purposes: helping them to trigger brain activity, comforting them by enjoying with them things they can still remember, and reminding them of their safety and security in Jesus. “There is a time for everything, a season for every activity under heaven” (Ecclesiastes 3:1). “Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will direct your paths” (Proverbs 3:5-6). Jesus’ promises might seem distant during times of suffering, but He assures us that He is always here with us, through everything (Matthew 28:20).
allaboutlifechallenges.org
If the patient is not cared for by a facility, the family member or caregiver assures that the patient is receiving the needed support. A person suffering from this disease needs plenty of time to organize his thoughts and put them together in order to communicate with his caretaker. Therefore, the caretaker must be patient, and not interrupt while waiting for a response or statement.
Sufferers also need familiarity and repetition in their daily lives. Because of the illness, they become confused and disoriented, so their belongings should always he placed in an easy-to-remember place. Along with that, there should be a daily schedule for the patient to follow.
In the final stages of Alzheimer’s, caretakers should make sure the patient is exposed to music. Studies have shown that music plays a very important part in the quality of their life. Music accesses various parts of the brain, and the combination of language and music, as in song, offers a greater chance of activating neurological pathways that are still in tact. Patients are able to retain musical perception, and they are likely to remember all the words to a song, although they cannot put a coherent sentence together.
Music is also a way to remind or introduce your loved-one to Jesus Christ. Playing loved hymns or singing favorite Christian songs with your Alzheimer’s victim can serve three purposes: helping them to trigger brain activity, comforting them by enjoying with them things they can still remember, and reminding them of their safety and security in Jesus. “There is a time for everything, a season for every activity under heaven” (Ecclesiastes 3:1). “Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will direct your paths” (Proverbs 3:5-6). Jesus’ promises might seem distant during times of suffering, but He assures us that He is always here with us, through everything (Matthew 28:20).
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