Posts Tagged With: faith

What Matters Most?

Posted on February 19, 2024 by Daniel

In this clip from a speech, Brad Pitt says:

“I don’t know if any of what we do matters in the end. What I do know that matters is the people we hitch ourselves to and the indelible mark they leave upon our very being. I was reading a passage recently where a character was asking, “Which is most important, the journey or the destination?” and the other replied, “It’s the company.” And I couldn’t agree more.”

I have watched many Youtube shorts and this one made such an impression upon me to such a degree that it merited a blog post – an investment of a few hours of my day writing and refining a proper reflection and response. (Buy me a coffee here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/daniellovett)

So let’s address the first thing Brad says: “I don’t know if any of what we do matters in the end.”

Ecclesiastes is a book Solomon wrote that begins by declaring everything meaningless. There is a verse in Ecclesiastes that says, “Most of what God has given for us to do is busywork”.

My response and question to this remark is this: Are there things God allows us to do that are more than meaningless and beyond the busywork? Are we capable of activity that is elevated beyond simply the maintenance of our own existence?

I shared this clip with my songwriting class yesterday and asked them these questions. As a wholistic songwriting coach who is interested in writing songs that matter, I wish to impress upon my students that songs come from who you are. Songs come from an inspired place within your soul that are in touch with the Divine Source of all inspiration. We write songs that matter with Jesus as our songwriting partner. As he said, “Apart from me, you can do nothing… and I have appointed you to bear much fruit… fruit that will remain.”

Jesus, or in his own language, Yeshua, is introduced by his best friend John as the Logos in John 1:1

Logos can be translated as “Meaning”.

Ha! Isn’t that something? Yeshua is the One who brings meaning to our existence. But the only way this is going to happen for anyone is found in a phrase that Solomon includes at the end of his treatise on the meaning of human existence: to “fear God”. I bring this up because I must. This was a hard learned lesson I have often reflected upon in my 47 cycles around the sun.

Solomon wrote: “And this is the end of the matter: Fear God and keep his commands.”

Is he hinting at his discovery of what does bring meaning to life? Is he finally declaring, as a service to humanity, what actually matters?

I have learned in my studies that to “fear God” means “reverential trust”. Reverence means to give Jesus the proper respect that is due him. He is Lord. He’s the boss. He is the Master. He is the Leader in the Divine Dance of Life. We let him lead. We submit to him as our Master. He is the only Master Jedi… the only One… and we are all the Jedi apprentice padawans. He is the Husband and we are the submissive humble wife in this scenario.

The Lord greeted me one Sunday morning with the words: “Today I am going to teach you about the fear of the Lord.”

“Okay”, I responded… and waited for him to say more.

“Later…” he replied.

I went off to church and a few minutes before going on the stage to lead the church in worship, he spoke: “Okay, it’s like this…”

“Wow… okay.. so this is happening now. Great!”

“The fear of the Lord is exampled by what John said about me”, Jesus said, “Recall when he said of me, ‘He must increase and I must decrease’? He humbled himself and became small so that I could loom large… You do the same.”

And so I did. I got out of the way that day and Jesus loomed large. We had a brilliant and powerful time of anointed worship.

May Jesus loom large in our life today. Say it with me would you?

“Jesus, loom large in my life today.”

Ask Jesus to lead your dance of life. As the Scripture says, “Set apart Jesus as Lord in your life.”

The second part of Solomon’s prescription was: “Keep his commands”. I love how John highlighted this in his first letter when he reminded us of Jesus parting words to his disciples before going to the cross: “Love one another… love one another as I have loved you.” John added that “his commands are not burdensome.” Indeed, hasn’t Jesus promised that his yoke (his teaching) is easy and his burden (what he commands) is light?

So what can we do that matters? Is it possible to focus our entire lives around what matters? Can we saturate our days with love? Repeat after me:

“Yes we can!”

Jesus said, “Take my yoke upon you.” This means we are hitched to him to work with and alongside him. He is the lead ox in this scenario. Anything we do that matters (including writing songs that matter) are only going to happen with Jesus as the one we hitch ourselves to. He is ultimately the one who brings the meaning to our life as we keep company with him.

“What if we hitched ourselves to Jesus? What if he is, first and foremost, the company we keep? What would it look like to have Jesus as you best friend?”

I am reminded of a few Scriptures. One verse talks about how God has promised never to leave us or forsake us. Jesus says, “I am with you always”. This means that Jesus is already upholding his side of this friendship. He is keeping company with us. You already possess an amazing relationship with God and it’s not your fault:

“So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends with God.” Romans 5:11 NLT

In Revelation 3:10 Jesus, when speaking to believers says, “I stand at the door and knock. Whoever hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and we’ll share a meal together as friends.”

The veil has been torn. We all have access to the holy of holies. This is what some call the secret place where we can fellowship with Jesus and our loving Father in ABSOLUTE Peace. Safe. Secure. “Wrapped in the arms of your Father’s tender hug”. (Those are lyrics I wrote today for a new song I am calling Love Psalm 2024.)

What does that mean to you?

It says to me that I you and I have been purchased at a very high price. You and I have been valued by the blood of God’s only begotten Son, our best friend Yeshua. You and I have been made holy. You and I have One who is responsible for us. Our Creator, our Good Shepherd and Overseer of our soul, has taken responsibility for us. We are safe in his care.

I encourage everyone to open the door and invite Jesus in.

Holy Spirit seems to be indicating to me that Jesus is making a reference to Song of Solomon in that revelation 3:10 verse. Is this really to be interpreted as a Divine romance between each and every one of us and God? Is Jesus not spoken of as our Groom? Are we not spoken of as the Bride? It seems he is hinting at the fact that we are more than friends. To what level of intimacy does Jesus want with each and every one of us?

I invited my songwriting class kids to ask God this question:

“Jesus, what kind of relationship do you want to have with me?”

I invited them to inquire of their own heart:

“What kind of relationship do I want with God?”

I reminded them that you can have as close of a relationship with God as you have ever witnessed anyone have with Jesus. Even in Scripture. God is no respecter of persons. Elijah was a man just like us. Jesus best friend John was a man just like us. You too can be the disciple whom Jesus loves.

I was in a nursing home this morning doing a concert and, before I started, I observed a woman lean over to another woman who could no longer talk and said, “I love you. You are my very best friend. I love you.” She said this just to make her feel loved and special that day. She meant it. I closed my eyes to take it in so this moment could leave an indelible mark in my memory. It’s moments like this that make you realize what matters in life. The love you give. The genuine love you give.

John wrote, “Those who live in love, live in God and God in them.”

If you have found any of this inspiring, connect with Jesus to receive more revelation on this.

To wrap this blog post up I’d like to share the lyrics of another song I wrote:

Who You Are

VERSE 1:
I feel safe when I’m with you
And after all that we’ve been through
You’ve proven yourself worthy of my heart

So I’m practicing your Presence
And I lay down all my resistance
To experience the joy of who you are

CHORUS:   Who you are, who you are, who you are, Jesus (2x)

VERSE 2:
Great and Merciful High Priest
You’re the One who always sees
Every need within my soul, you satisfy

In your love I’m born again
My Good shepherd, my best friend
Always when I see you, I can’t deny

CHORUS:    Who you are, who you are, who you are, Jesus (2x)

BRIDGE :   You are the only One, my destiny,  my meant to be         
You are the only One,  who I adore, who I’m meant for 

VERSE 3:
So I’m practicing your Presence
And I lay down all my defenses
To experience the joy of who you are… 

CHORUS:     Who you are, who you are, who you are, Jesus (2x)

BRIDGE :   You are the only One, my destiny,  my meant to be         
You are the only One,  who I adore, who I’m meant for 

(Buy me a coffee here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/daniellovett)

Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , | Leave a comment

Nativity Dream

Posted on December 23, 2023 by Daniel

I am sitting at Luna, one of my favorite coffee shops in Green Bay treating myself to a quiche and a coffee after a successful Christmas concert. I could not hold back the tears when I told them of how my daughter had been a part of a Nativity play called, The Very Worst Best Christmas Pageant Ever. I was moved during the the last scene when Imogene Herdman, who played Mary, held baby Jesus and cried when she finally understood the meaning of Christmas and what a gift Jesus is to us.

What would you do and how would you feel if you were suddenly transported back in time to the Nativity to witness the events of the birth of Jesus? 

The Lord gave me a dream in which I suddenly found myself standing with my daughter Emma on the right side of a stage in a theater at the closing final, “take a bow” and clap for all the actors, moment at a Nativity play. Everyone went still and were in shock at my sudden appearance. They didn’t know what to think or do. I looked out at the audience, in shock myself, and then turned to see all the actors from the Nativity play. I held an unopened bottle of wine in my hand.

My attention was drawn to baby Jesus. I had an Imogene moment as I was overwhelmed with what this meant for me personally… what Jesus meant to me personally.

Without even thinking about it, I dropped the bottle of wine, approached the manger scene, and fell facedown on the floor before my Lord, the baby Jesus.

A strange thing began to happen as I started to slide across the floor toward the front of the stage. Somehow I knew I wouldn’t fall, and sure enough, as my body slid off the stage I began to float. Suddenly I flew up above the audience and then out through the roof.

Okay, I realize that the last part distracted people from the impact of the message. I get it. But how can you leave out a cool part like that?

So… facedown before the Lord. Let’s stay there for a bit.

Reminds me of a bit of Scripture from Philippians 2:5-11 NLT:

“You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.

 Though he was God,
    he did not think of equality with God
    as something to cling to.
 Instead, he gave up his divine privileges;
    he took the humble position of a slave
    and was born as a human being.
When he appeared in human form,
     he humbled himself in obedience to God
    and died a criminal’s death on a cross.

 Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor
    and gave him the name above all other names,
 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
    in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
 and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord,
    to the glory of God the Father.”

NASB puts it like so: “For this reason also God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

Every knee will bow before Jesus, Yeshua, the King of kings and Lord of lords. He forces no one. He woos every one. He draws all unto himself by tender lovingkindness and grace.

Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , | Leave a comment

Did that happen in our world?

Posted on September 22, 2015 by Daniel

I was listening to the story of Samson the other day with my daughter. Isn’t it great to see any story in Scripture through the eyes of a child? That’s why I love sharing these stories with my daughter.

“Samson was a man supernaturally gifted by God with incredible strength”, I would tell her. “He lifted a heavy gate over his head and could even lift our van over his head! He really could!”

Here is what the Scripture mentions that Samson did:

“Then he (Samson) got up, took hold of the doors of the town gate, including the two posts, and lifted them up, bar and all. He put them on his shoulders and carried them all the way to the top of the hill across from Hebron.” Judges 16:3 NLT

all possible for those who believeHow much did this gate weigh? I’m guessing it was probably more than a minivan.

“Did that happen in our world,” Ellie would ask. “Yes, in our world.”

What about today? Could that sort of thing happen to you or I?

How sad it is when the stories of Scripture become so familiar that they lose their vitality and life. Sometimes we think, ‘Oh that was in Bible times so it doesn’t relate to me.’ Or, ‘That was a prophet or an apostle so we could never do what they did.’ But that kind of thinking isn’t what Scripture teaches us. It certainly isn’t what Jesus teaches us. What has happened to us? When did we lose our childlikeness and mystery? What did we trade our faith for and was it worth it?

Jesus himself said:

“I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father.” John 14:12 NLT

Astounding words.
images-1So, could you or I be gifted with supernatural strength like Samson?

Of course we can!

I know this because it happened to my brother!

Years ago my dad was working on a car in the driveway. A 2-ton (around 4,000 pounds!) car shifted and the jack slipped out while he was under it. My brother heard my dad yell as he was trapped beneath the car. He ran over and lifted the 2-ton car off of my dad and he was able to get out.

 

I suppose the reason I share this is to reiterate this point:

And, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” ~Jesus (Mark 9:23)

Are we going to believe him?

 

Categories: Supernatural | Tags: , , | Leave a comment

You Don’t Know Nothing!

Posted on March 28, 2015 by Daniel

I just realized the title was a double negative… which means you do know something. =)

I was arguing with my four-year old Ellie over lunch today when she said she knows everything. I said, “You don’t know everything.”

“Yes I do”, she replied.

“Ok, So what does pernicious mean? How bout undeterred?” (My wife at that point gave me a look and shook her head indicating that I should not share the joke about that last word… you just have to think about it for a moment and you’ll get it.)

jesus-scrabble“You don’t even know all the two letter words!!!” At which point I googled ‘list of two letter words’ and came across a scrabble list… Come on scrabble!?! These can’t be actual words! My wife and I didn’t even know 10% of two letter words!

We, apparently know next to nothing.

But then I explained to my girl that it isn’t knowing facts that’s the thing, but knowing people. I explained to her that because I know mama then in time, hypothetically, I could come to know everything she knows… but why would I need to? She can know what she knows and I can know what I know and we can compliment each other. The same is true of Jesus.

So since Jesus knows everything I asked him about where our lost iPod was. I listened and heard, “try behind Ellie’s bed”.

I looked behind her bed and nothing. I was kind of depressed.

I can’t even hear God correctly. When is my faith ever gonna deepen to where this connection is tangible and accurate? I encouraged myself with some of the other things I knew were good in our relationship and went to play my concerts.

When I came home Catherine said, “did you try behind our bed?”

So I got down to look. (Incidentally, Ellie’s other little kid bed is right next to ours.)

I looked left, I looked right, and there, behind Ellie’s bed was the lost iPod.

How is God speaking to you recently? Have a story to share? Leave a comment.

Categories: faith adventure | Tags: , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Bricks and the Scale

Posted on March 1, 2012 by Daniel

WILL MY GOOD DEEDS OUTWEIGH THE BAD?

“Nothing at All”

“I have done nothing at all in my life, to earn your favor
I have done nothing at all in my life, to earn your love
I have been broken and bruised by my sin and my folly
But you have been broken for me redeeming me with your blood

And how is it that I am accepted?
How is it that I am made clean?
Why should you even care for a wretch like me?
And how is it that I am made righteous?
And how is it that you have saved me?
Why would you choose to die for a wretch like me?

You have been longsuffering, as I have tested your patience
You have been calling to me, as I have wandered from you
But you go to great lengths to prove that you still care
And you went to great lengths to woo my heart back to you

Your blood cries out Father forgive them
Your blood cries out Father I love them”

(Lyrics to “Nothing at All” – a song by Daniel & Catherine Lovett which appears on their latest album, “I Will Bring You Peace” – See the Support our Music link above to learn more about this project! Or visit: www.reflectworship.com)

Here is a video of this song on Youtube:

Several years ago, I had an epiphany – an insight into something that was ingrained in my thinking patterns. I know that I had learned this same lesson on several occasions before, but a dialogue I had with my wife drilled it home once again. Here is how that went down:

My wife and I were visiting with my sister-in-law Stacy. During our visit, Stacy told us that she had felt ill for the past few months and after many visits to the doctor she was just told that she has cancer. The doctor had given her about a year to live. Of course this news was a blow to my wife and I. We couldn’t imagine how they were handling the fact that she was facing imminent death.

The thing that amazed me the most was that she was more worried about her husband having to raise the kids by himself than the fact that she was going to die. During our visit I did not sympathize as I should have. Instead I said something like, “Well, we all are going to die.” I went on to philosophize about death and how we are all living on borrowed time anyway and how fragile life really is and what a miracle it is that any of us are breathing. It was very eloquent.

On the way home my wife confronted me about my lack of compassion. I became instantly defensive, and then went into a tirade of how I must be condemned because I have no love in my heart and where is the activity of God in my life anyway that I should be such a heartless jerk? I was being slightly facetious because, in fact, I really did love myself and thought very well of me. I must humbly admit in retrospect however, that I was very wrong. Anyway, most of what spewed from my mouth left me feeling terrible and alienated from God.

The next day I started once again in the new mercies of God, but I had to ask myself why did I react in this way? Then this thought hit me:

“Will my good deeds outweigh my bad?”

I realized then that I had been carrying around this idea of a “scale” that weighed and measured my good deeds against my bad deeds. My worth depended on how well I performed and how well that scale was balanced.

This mentality was so deep-seated in me that I reacted badly when anyone dared to confront me with a fault. It was as if they were adding one more brick to the ‘bad deeds’ side of the scale. For this reason, I hated taking responsibility. In fact, I hated words such as “responsible” and “accountable”. I didn’t want to face the punishment for my own sins, much less be held responsible for someone else and have their blood on my head. This was why I, in the past, I didn’t function so well as a worship leader in “church leadership”. I felt that I was responsible for people’s souls and I could not cope with that. I would even wish for sickness or a broken down car at times to escape the constant pressure. Of course this is just one of the many ungodly beliefs that over my lifetime have become embedded in the gray matter.

I began to recognize that I was not alone. Many people operate out of this mentality in which they “hope” that their good deeds will outweigh their bad in the end. Whole religious systems of thought are based on this idea. As I thought this way it led me to try to seek approval through doing good and performing well. I thought that by just adding more good bricks to the good side of the scale that things will all work out in the end, and in the meantime, I will feel better about myself and be accepted.

My good bricks were my good deeds. For instance, if I played spiritual concerts for the elderly at nursing homes, then I would finally be accepted and approved by God. Each “successful” concert left me feeling much better. In fact I only considered a concert a success if it left me feeling better about me. I had to feel good.

It was thrilling for me when I preached my first sermon, because in my mind this was a good and heavy brick. I would definitely be in God’s favor now! I called my mother and left a message for her, “The most exciting thing had happened to me! I just preached my first sermon!” A few days later she called me back and told me how proud of me she was. As she was telling me that, I had a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. As I reflected on my initial reaction to “my first sermon” and how excited I was about it, I realized that yes, I could be excited about it, but not for the reasons that I was. I now see that the Lord is just as offended by the good bricks as he is by the bad ones. Trying to earn God’s favor is an insult to his grace.

Radical New Perspective

I have come to see that God doesn’t want us burdened with any bricks (good or bad) that weigh us down and keep us from following him. Besides, the constant balancing act is no way to live. Jesus wants to liberate us and he invites us to drop all of our “bricks” at his feet and learn to walk with him and live for him as we are meant to.

At one point after about nine months of playing hymns for the old folks several times a week the Lord asked me, “So when are you going to start doing these concerts for me?” Wow. His question cut me to the heart.

I was playing these concerts for me. It is true that I became free from a long seven year stretch of chronic depression when I first began to bless the elderly with music. How could I not be changed by a constant interaction with, not only the liberating truth that is in so many classic hymns, but also the love and support of so many of my elders? How could I not be blessed when I have a hundred year old lady shake my hand and say, “God bless you”?

In spite of all the good things that came from all my good deeds, my performance mentality still stood in the way of the relationship that the Lord desired to have with me.

In his letter to the Romans, Paul comments about his Jewish brothers. He says, “I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge. Since they did not know the righteousness that comes from God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.” (Romans 10:2-4 NIV)

I could identify with this Scripture but I didn’t know how to change. Ever since I became a “Christian” I was always trying to establish my own righteousness. It’s not even that I was raised to think this way, but perhaps this is just a universal human default mentality to want to (or feel like you have to) earn God’s favor. I even once caught myself praying, “Lord, make me worthy of your grace.” I was missing the point of grace altogether.

My own grandfather was once presented with the good news of Jesus by my parents. At the time he told them, “If I can’t have a part in my own salvation, I am not interested.” He has since passed away, and it burdens me now more than ever to think where he might be.

Why is it so ingrained in human nature to want to earn our own way? Why is it so difficult for us to receive God’s saving grace – his unmerited favor and blessing? Our own pride is the enemy of our own salvation.

“God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” (James 4:6 NIV)

We must humbly admit that we cannot do a thing to save ourselves (be “poor in spirit”). We must humbly admit that we cannot even add an ounce of our own righteousness to the scales that will somehow make us acceptable to God. On our own, the scales will always be out of balance and never in our favor. Thank God that he does not leave us on our own.

Of course the Lord knows our desperate situation and has given Jesus as his answer. I believe he is telling us to abandon our scales and bricks once and for all and then simply come and follow him. Jesus will teach us how to truly live. He will teach us the “unforced rhythms of grace”. See Matthew 11:28.

THE EXAMPLE OF THE APOSTLE PAUL

The apostle Paul had a pile of good bricks. He was a pure blooded Israelite. He was able to say that he kept the law faultlessly. He was a Pharisee, the most zealous and strictest sect of the Jewish spiritual leaders. By all appearances he was a model example of spirituality. Yet he says, “Whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ – the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith” (Philippians 3:7-9 NIV emphasis mine).

Paul abandoned his bricks for a new approach to spirituality. A spirituality based on and flowing out of an affirming love of God that is entirely separate from any good deeds.

Think about it. Before Jesus had even begun his ministry, his Father spoke from heaven affirming him with his love saying, “This is my Son, chosen and marked by my love, delight of my life.” (Matthew 3:17)

As you trust in Jesus, the Father will speak those same words over you. You become the delight of his life. As you trust in Jesus, you become his beloved. As you trust in Jesus, you become a member of Christ’s body – part of Christ himself! As you trust in Jesus, the Father says that he loves you as much as he loves Jesus! Because you are one with Christ and in Him!

This is the ‘mystery’ that Paul keeps referring to throughout his letters. This is what Paul was so excited about that even imprisonment, beatings, persecutions, and all the other sufferings and hardships that Paul experienced did nothing to dampen this flame of Christ within him! This was Paul’s cause to live and to die for – Christ, the one new man – “in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:3 NIV).

———–

O God, thank you for Jesus. Thank you that we no longer need to sweat about our own efforts and our lack of “measuring up”. Thank you for Jesus, your gift to us, who did all the measuring up for us on our behalf. Thank that as we simply trust Jesus, we are included in all that you have planned – all of the wondrous and beautiful and glorious blessings that you delighted so much in planning for us to experience.

We trust you. We trust in you our kind Creator and our good shepherd. We trust your good intentions for us and in your salvation which runs far deeper than we can even or ever imagine. We thank you that our salvation is not depended on our own efforts, but that you have freely given salvation to us all who least deserve such a gift. Help us to receive your grace well and learn to, once and for all, lay down the scale and the bricks at your feet… at the cross.

Related articles
Related articles
Categories: Exposing Self-Righteous Religion, Redemption | Tags: , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Create a website or blog at WordPress.com