LookingtoJesus

The Big Storm

Bible Reading: Philippians 1:12-18

Romans 8:28, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”

God is well able to bring good out of the bad circumstances that we face.  Though I’ve seen God do that on many occasions, I’m not sure I’ve witnessed a more dramatic example than what happened with our church as a result of the big storm…

It has ever since been referred to as the Great Coastal Gale of 2007.  I lived on the North Oregon Coast for a long time, and this was the biggest storm I ever experienced. It packed winds over 100 mph.  In fact, a gust of 127 mph was recorded not too many miles south of here in Bay City.  The storm also brought heavy rains and produced widespread record flooding.  But it was the wind that folks remember.  Not only was it strong, but it also went on and on for hours and caused a lot of destruction.  Officials estimate the storm downed some 3500 acres of timber.  Around the county, blue tarps soon covered many roofs.  Because of downed trees and flooding, the storm blocked all road access to the North Coast for a couple of days.  Both landline and cellular phone service were out.  The power was gone for days and in some places, weeks.

The winds began in earnest on a Sunday Morning when we were at church.  As the wind began to roar the metal roofing of the church rattled and the building groaned and shook.  The lights flickered and then went out.  The after-church fellowship time was canceled.  As soon as some downed wires were moved from across the road, folks hastily made their way home.  The wind steadily increased through the afternoon, but it was that night that I remember.  Power was out.  My daughter Claire could not sleep.  She and I stood a frightful watch in our candle-lit living room, listening to a ghastly choir of noises.  Branches and limbs crashing into the house accompanied the steady roar of the wind.  The loud cracks and thuds of falling trees accentuated the fearful cacophony.  Needless to say, we didn’t get much sleep that night.  By morning light, we gauged the damage.  A dozen hemlocks had crashed to the ground and crisscrossed our pond like fallen matchsticks.

On Monday, Jason, my friend and neighbor, and I carefully navigated storm debris and made our way to the church so that we could survey the damage.  The first thing we noticed was the gray metal roofing scattered across the field to the north of the church building.  It was everywhere.  We drove around the side of the church and were taken aback by what we saw.  There was debris littered across the property.  The pole barn had collapsed and spilled out some of its contents.  The storm had blown off a portion of the roof of the church building.  Pieces of lumber were hanging and swinging in the wind.  We saw enough to know that the needed repairs were beyond our abilities.  We were insured.  I’d find a roofing contractor.  We’d soon get things taken care of.  So I thought.  But I had no idea as to the severity of the damage.

There was no phone service for a couple of days, so it was impossible to contact anyone.  I supposed that as soon as I could I’d call Helligso Construction, since I was familiar with the company and knew the family.  I had that thought in my mind as Jason and I headed to City Lumber to see about buying some generators.  Without power, it would be necessary to power our refrigerators and freezers.  We parked and entered through the front of the store and as we were walking in, guess who was walking out!  None other than Larry Helligso, owner of Helligso Construction.  “Larry, did you hear what happened to our church building?” I asked.  I explained the situation and asked if they could help.  He said that he would be glad to come and check it out.  They came the next day.  They were on site for the next 10 months.

The church moved to the nearby elementary school for the next several weeks.  Then the Building Codes Department gave us the okay to meet in the smaller undamaged portion of our building.  We met in a 50 by 50 ft. room we commonly refer to as the “playroom.”  With little amenities and far away bathrooms, it made for an austere setting.  But it was cozy, and folks came to appreciate the intimacy of fellowship in that environment.  I began a study through the book of Nehemiah.  And we prayed for God to guide and direct the rebuilding efforts.

As the weeks passed, we learned more of the extent of the damage to the building.  Though there was some uncertainty as to the extent, the building had been “racked” (tilted slightly northward because of the wind).  The steeple was visibly tilted.  A gaping hole in the roof had caused water damage to the kitchen, library, and downstairs bathrooms.  The tall north sanctuary wall had buckled and would need to be rebuilt.  The storm revealed certain structural deficiencies that would need to be resolved before we could reoccupy the facility.  Some of these deficiencies could only be corrected by removing sheet rock and/or siding. 

The big question in the early days of the repair efforts was what the Building Codes Department would require us to do regarding meeting the building codes requirements that had been put in effect since the time when the building had been built.  We had plenty of insurance to cover the cost of the general repairs.  But our policy had a $100,000 limit to what is called “Building Code Upgrades.”  That amount could have been easily exceeded and multiplied depending on what we would be required to do.

We hit an impasse in the repair efforts.  There were too many entities involved in the decision making: the church; the insurance company; the insurance adjuster; two engineering firms; the general contractor, and the Building Codes Department.  There were varying opinions as to what needed to be done, and we couldn’t go forward with the repairs until someone made a decision that everyone else would be willing to abide by.  But I was preaching through the book of Nehemiah.  Nehemiah led the wall re-building project in Jerusalem.  He faced many obstacles.  But he trusted God and prayed.  We prayed too.

I was in my office when they came.  There were three of them.  Three building code officials.  Two were from Clatsop County.  The other one, from out of town, was obviously in charge.  I led them on a tour of the building.  As we walked from room to room, one of the local officials pointed out the particular issues that needed to be addressed.  And the one in charge gave instructions as to what would be required in each case.  We were on the platform in the Sanctuary when he asked me, “So I suppose, Pastor, that you are preaching through the book of Nehemiah?”  “How did he know?” I thought.  And then, wondered ‘Why would he care?”  I responded that yes, in fact, we were.  A bigger surprise was forthcoming when we came to the end of the tour.  The one in charge suggested to the others that they go outside and examine the big barn that was under construction next door.  He turned to me, put his arm around my shoulder, stepped out of his official role, and asked, “Pastor, would it be okay if I prayed for you?”  So, he prayed for us.  He prayed that God would superintend our rebuilding efforts and bless our church in the process.  I was obviously surprised and thankful for God’s intervention.  From that day forward the rebuilding proceeded according to plan.

The blessings that ensued because of the remodeling of our building are too many to recall or list.  But these are some of them.  When I came to the church in 1990, the building, though constructed in the early 1970s, had never been finished.  We had a list of projects to be done 100 items long!  But when the church celebrated its 50th anniversary in October 2008, after the rebuilding effort, it was finally finished!  God used a storm to finish our building!  The steeple had leaked for years.  On rainy days, we would set up buckets on the platform to collect the rain falling from the ceiling.  But the rebuilding resolved that matter.  No more leaks!  For years, being next to a dairy, we had had a problem with flies entering our building in the fall.  During the reconstruction, it was discovered that there was a wide gap at the top of the west wall of the sanctuary where it met the roof where the flies would enter.  That problem was resolved.  No more flies!  The rooms of the building that had suffered water damage from the rain were all completely remodeled.  We were blessed with a new kitchen, bathrooms, and library.  The Sanctuary was completely remodeled with new carpet, windows, and paint.  To strengthen the building, foundation ties, load-bearing walls, and horizontal blocking was added.  The roof itself was strengthened.  A new metal roof was installed over the entire building.  In exchanging Hardiplank siding for the original hard-to-get-and-expensive redwood cedar siding, we gained “credits” that were applied to other improvements.  We were able to pave the east end parking lot.  The pole barn collapsed in the storm.  It was old and decaying and we had planned to tear it down anyway.  But insurance paid us $5000 for it and paid to clean up the mess.  The parsonage roof needed replacement.  It had the maximum three layers of composite shingles.  It would have been a big project for us.  But it had lost some shingles in the storm, so insurance paid to do the re-roofing from the plywood up.  There were many more things that were fixed or redone or improved.  In the end, the cost of the repairs exceeded $900,000.  We paid only the $500 deductible.

When Jason and I first saw the building on the day after the storm, it was a mess.  We did not know at that time how God would use that storm to bless us.  But as I’ve said ever since, “The storm was the best thing that ever happened to our building!”  Storms happen.  Storms in life happen too.  They are an unavoidable aspect of life on this sin-cursed planet.  But we serve a God who is able to bring blessings out of them.  The end result was “far more abundantly” beyond what we would have imagined (Ephesians 3:20). 

God is even now at work to do such a thing in the lives of His children.  They come to Him by faith in Jesus and His finished work on the cross.  By grace, He saves and works to transform rebel sinners into loving worshipers who are ultimately conformed to the very image of His Son.  The trials of life have a role in the process (Romans 5:3-5, 8:28-30; James 1:2-4).  It’s sometimes difficult to ascertain God’s purpose in the trials that we face.  But we can trust the One who sent His Son to die for us (Romans 8:32).  It’s hard now for us to imagine what will be when He works to “transform our lowly body to be like His glorious body” (Philippians 3:21).  But it’s important to remember, amidst the storms of life, that He will finish the work that He’s started (Philippians 1:6).  He does such things “to the praise of His glory” (Ephesians 1:14).  Praise God for the big storm!

I WILL PRAISE YOU IN THIS STORM

I was sure by now
God, You would have reached down
And wiped our tears away
Stepped in and saved the day
And once again
I say, “A-men” and it’s still rainin’
But as the thunder rolls
I barely hear Your whisper through the rain
“I’m with you”
And as Your mercy falls
I’ll raise my hands and praise the God who gives
And takes away

And I’ll praise You in this storm
And I will lift my hands
For You are who You are
No matter where I am
And every tear I’ve cried
You hold in Your hand
You never left my side
And though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm

Written by: Mark Hall, Bernie Herms
Lyrics © ESSENTIAL MUSIC PUBLISHING, Capitol CMG Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

The First Steps Story 

Bible Reading: 2 Timothy 2:1-13 

2 Timothy 2:2, “What you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.” 

Yesterday, I got a text from my sister asking for three copies of the English version of the First Steps with Jesus book I wrote some years ago—one copy for her, one for our other sister, and one for her neighbor. I’m so glad she asked and am eager to pass on these copies. Here’s the story behind the writing of that book and the blessings which ensued… 

Pastor Henry is a little man with a big heart. I initially met him on my first visit to Uganda. My uncle, Pastor Bob Emrich, had invited me to accompany him on a trip to Uganda. He’d been working together with Paul Mwesigwa (the African Director of Hope and Mercy Mission) and some folks from US churches in ministering in a variety of ways to some churches in the villages surrounding Kabaale Village in Uganda. My daughter Carissa joined us on the first trip. We held a conference for a group of 25 or so pastors. Pastor Henry was in that group. 

Over subsequent visits, I got to know Henry better. He attended the Bible Study methods training that I taught. He served as my translator on many occasions. I’d say a phrase in English; he’d provide the translation. We’d sometimes tease our translators. “How are we to know what you are actually telling them?” we’d ask. They would smile and suggest we’d just have to trust them. From the beginning, I’ve been blessed and encouraged in my friendship with Henry. I’ve been many times to the church he pastors, People of the Way Church. He loves the Lord, the Word and the church in Uganda. He asks a lot of questions and soaks up instruction from God’s Word so he can then pass it on to others. 

The breadth of the ministry in the area has grown since that first visit. What began as a ministry to a handful of pastors has expanded to encompass 300 pastors and churches in six separate pastor alliances. These alliances have been formed to provide for the mutual encouragement and accountability of the village pastors. They have also allowed for a venue through which we can assist the churches in providing Bibles, gospel tracts, pastor training and other things like tarps for roofs, etc. Pastor Henry was chosen to be the administrator of the six alliances. He meets regularly with the leaders and oversees logistics. 

The churches in that region have a lot of needs. Many of the pastors have not attended Bible College. It is only in more recent years the churches have had a more adequate supply of Bibles in their own language. Most of these pastors do not speak or read English. Bible study tools and books in their language are scarce. They yearn to have such tools. 

It was on my fourth visit and near the time for our departure. I sat down with Henry on the steps outside the guest house. Pastor Henry speaks and reads English, so I had some tools in English to pass on to him. I explained how each could be used. Then I discussed with him other ways in which we might help the pastors. He spoke of the need for help in the discipleship of new believers. I didn’t know exactly how we might be able to help in that way, but his need planted a seed of thought in my mind. 

I returned from that trip with the desire to address the need. Most believers know there are certain spiritual disciplines which are essential to the believer’s growth in Christ (i.e., devotion to the word, prayer, and fellowship; Acts 2:42). I had gone through studies which addressed these matters and thought maybe something similar could be done for these pastors. Sometimes, the practice of these spiritual disciplines gravitates to a kind of “religious” exercise, so I wanted to clarify the “how” and “why” regarding them. How? By the Spirit. Why? To grow in Christ. I wanted to keep the book simple. Four chapters, I thought. I also wanted to include the referenced Scripture passages in the book, in case the reader didn’t have access to a Bible. I was also aware of a concern we had regarding their understanding of the true nature of the “by-grace-through-faith-in-Christ” salvation we have received. Up front in the book, I wanted to make these matters clear. 

I asked the church family to pray as I began to work on the book. It took me a couple of months, spending some time on it whenever I had the opportunity. I had already been doing some thinking about a translation of the book into Lugandan. My uncle Frank put me in touch with a Ugandan fellow named Alex who lived in the Seattle area. I called Alex and asked him if he would be willing and able to translate the book into Lugandan. He said he would love to, so I sent it to him. The church family began praying for Alex as he did the work of translation. He spent several months working on it. Sometimes, he would call or email me about language in the book which was difficult and ask if it could be written in a different way. He sometimes worked until late at night, praying all the while for God to lead him and give him the right words. Finally, it was done! Of course, since it was now in Lugandan, I couldn’t read it! I sent it to Paul Mwesigwa who reviewed it. It was almost ready to be printed.

The cover of the book was something that I thought a lot about. I’d already decided on the title, “First Steps with Jesus.” I wanted to put a picture on the cover, something with a path on it to coincide with the title. On my computer, I store thousands of pictures from Uganda. Some are mine and some are from teammates who have come along on previous trips. I started looking for a good picture with a path. I narrowed my search down to a few and finally found one that was perfect. Using a computer program, I digitalized it. It looked great, and I sent the book off to be printed. On that next trip, we took 500 copies. Then we distributed them amongst the pastors to be used in the churches. It was on that trip Pastor Bob asked if I knew where the cover picture had come from. I honestly didn’t know. It was one I had found on my computer, but I couldn’t recall the spot where it had been taken. He said it was a picture he himself had taken and he could show me the exact spot. We got up from our seats in the guest house and crossed the field to a path which leads to a valley. I recognized the path as one he would frequently transverse on walks in the morning. We went down the path a little ways until we arrived at the spot. Sure enough! It was the same tree, the same path and the same background. He went on to explain how he had come to that spot on his first visit to Africa. He had spent some time in prayer there asking God to take the gospel message beyond that valley and the hills which lay on the other side. As he spoke, I’m thinking,“Isn’t that amazing God would work so a picture of that very place would end up on the cover of the book!” 

We’ve distributed over 2000 copies in the region. It costs over a dollar each to print them and some more for the extra baggage necessary to get them there on our flights. Yet we never lacked for funds in printing and providing them. The intent in writing the book was for the more mature believers to use in the discipleship of new believers. God had a different plan! We later heard how the book was being used to train church leaders and entire congregations. The book became part of the curriculum for the pastors at Faith Bible School. I’ve kidded with folks that I’m the best-selling author in that region of Uganda. Of course, that’s not too hard when yours is the only book and you give it away for free! 

The book was not my idea; it was Pastor Henry’s. LCBC folks prayed about it. Alex translated it. Paul Mwesigwa reviewed it. Pastor Bob took the picture for it (without even knowing it). Others helped to pay for it and paid to get copies to Africa. The pastors are using it. And all along the way, God was, and is, at work. How privileged we are to serve Him and watch Him do what He does in His “exceeding-abundantly-beyond-all-that-we-ask-or-think” manner (Ephesians 3:20)! 

I HAVE DECIDED TO FOLLOW JESUS

I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
no turning back, no turning back.

Though none go with me, I still will follow;
though none go with me, I still will follow;
though none go with me, I still will follow;
no turning back, no turning back.

The world behind me, the cross before me;
the world behind me, the cross before me,
the world behind me, the cross before me;
no turning back, no turning back.

Focused 

Bible Reading: Hebrews 12:1-6 

Hebrews 12:2, “Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith.” 

Lilias Trotter (1853-1928) grew up in a wealthy London family and could have been a world-famous artist. Her mother recognized her exceptional talent and sent some of her drawings to a world-renowned art critic, John Ruskin. Together with her Mom, Lilias made a trip to Venice and spent some time with John. He told her that if she devoted herself to her art, “she would be the greatest living painter and do things that would be immortal.” But it was not to be. 

Both Lilias and her mom had responded to the gospel during the London campaign meetings of Dwight L. Moody. Though drawn to the prospect of life as an artist, Lilias decided she could not do that and continue still to “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.” She became active instead in the YWCA and began a ministry to prostitutes, fearlessly canvassing the streets of London, working to rescue them from their plight. In 1884, suffering from physical and emotional exhaustion, she underwent surgery. Her heart was permanently damaged. 

During the next few years, she sensed a call to missions and ultimately responded to a plea for workers in North Africa. She applied to the North Africa Mission, but was rejected because of her poor health. The mission ultimately decided—since she had the means to support herself—she could work with others without being an official member. 

Nine months later, Lilias and two other financially independent women made the trip. Trotter wrote of that experience, “Three of us stood there, looking at our battlefield, none of us fit to pass a doctor for any society, not knowing a soul in the place, or a sentence of Arabic or a clue for beginning work on untouched ground; we only knew we had to come. Truly, if God needed weakness, He had it!” 

Ultimately, she served as a missionary to Algeria for 38 years. The ministry was difficult. Converts were banished and sometimes beaten, some died. Undeterred by poor health and fierce opposition, her ministry in Algeria eventually grew to include thirty full-time workers and fifteen preaching stations. She did a lot of writing and once wrote a little treatise entitled “Focused:A Story and a Song” which concluded with these words: “Turn full your soul’s vision to Jesus, and look and look at Him, and a strange dimness will come over all that is apart from Him… For “He is worthy” to have all there is to be had in the heart that He has died to win.” 

Helen Lemmel (1863-1961) was also born in England, but her family migrated to America when she was 12 years old. Her singing ability soon became clear. She traveled broadly throughout the Midwest during the early 1900s, giving concerts in churches. Helen married a wealthy European and taught voice at the Moody Bible Institute and at BIOLA. She composed over 500 hymns and poems and authored a highly successful book for children. Sadly, when she became blind, her husband abandoned her. 

One day, in 1918, when Helen was aged 55, a missionary friend gave her Lilias Trotter’s tract entitled “Focused.” Her attention focused on this line: “Turn full your soul’s vision to Jesus, and look and look at Him, and a strange dimness will come over all that is apart from Him.” She wrote of what happened next: “Suddenly, as if commanded to stop and listen, I stood still, and singing in my soul and spirit was the chorus of the hymn with not one conscious moment of putting word to word to make rhyme, or note to note to make melody.” So, she wrote the hymn “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus,” (one of my favorite hymns). 

Those words, “turn your eyes upon Jesus,” speak to the great need and God-given purpose for every soul. Weary and troubled souls will find true solace and lasting hope in the One who died for sins and rose from the dead. In fixing her eyes on Jesus, Lilias Trotter forsook the dream of becoming a world-famous artist to do something of far greater and eternal consequence. Though blind, Helen Lemmel was not prevented from turning her spiritual eyes upon the One who would never forsake her. 

“Oh soul, are you weary and troubled?” Who isn’t from time to time? Is there one who can comfort us? Is there one who can capture our hearts and set them aright on a good and prosperous course? Jesus can do all that and more. There is an insightful comment in Lilias’ treatise which caught my attention. She wrote, “It is worthwhile to let God see what He can do with these lives of ours, when ‘to live is Christ.’ How do we bring things to a focus in the world of optics? Not by looking at the things to be dropped, but by looking at the one point that is to be brought out.” The key to serving Jesus with a “but one thing I do” attitude is not focusing on what we must give up. Instead, it is gazing instead at the beauty of the object of our attention (and affection). In this dark and trouble-filled world, may the Spirit work within us so that our gaze is directed to Jesus and the light of His glory and grace (John 16:14). Or, as another hymn puts it: “Thou hast bid me gaze upon Thee, And Thy beauty fills my soul, For by Thy transforming power, Thou hast made me whole” (“Jesus, I Am Resting, Resting;” Text: Jean S. Pigott; Music: James Mountain). 

TURN YOUR EYES UPON JESUS

O soul, are you weary and troubled?
No light in the darkness you see?
There’s light for a look at the Savior,
And life more abundant and free!

Refrain:
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.

Thro’ death into life everlasting,
He passed, and we follow Him there;
O’er us sin no more hath dominion–
For more than conqu’rors we are!

His Word shall not fail you–He promised;
Believe Him, and all will be well:
Then go to a world that is dying,
His perfect salvation to tell!

Forever Grateful 

Bible Reading: Psalm 100; Colossians 2:6-7; 2 Corinthians 9:10-15

2 Corinthians 9:15, “Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!” 

This is the time of year when churches across America work to fill “Operation Christmas Child,” shoeboxes—filled with toys and such—to send to needy children in faraway places. On one of my visits to Africa, I was privileged to witness the distribution of the shoeboxes. On the occasion of my visit, there were hundreds of children, all sitting in a big school yard, trying their best to be patient as they waited to be given their box, each appropriate to their gender and age. Most of these children had never received a gift of any kind before, so imagine their excitement when they opened their boxes and discovered their own precious gifts! It was one of the most joyous scenes I’ve ever witnessed! Yet as exciting as were the contents of those boxes, inside were instructions, in the child’s own language, telling them how to receive an even better gift, an indescribable one.

I remember as a child how excited I was for Christmas in anticipation of opening my Christmas presents. Those days were long ago, and those gifts are but distant memories. Since then, I’ve received many gifts from family members and friends, some quite valuable and precious. But of all the gifts I’ve ever received, only one could be deemed “indescribable.” 

Some forty years ago, I was given this gift. It came undeserved and unexpectedly. I came to realize I had need of it. But since then, I’ve come to understand, in a growing awareness of my frailty, that I needed it much more than I then realized. Most gifts wear out over time, or they are replaced with something better, or more suitable, to our changing wants and needs. Yet this gift will never wear out. In fact, the more I examine it and make use of it, the more precious it becomes to me. The value and beauty of this gift only grows in its allure over time. The gift came to me at infinite cost to the giver, such is the largeness of his heart and readiness to give good gifts to all. Since I received this gift, I’ve met countless others who have received it as well. Regardless of age, gender, or stature, they are all likewise incredibly grateful for being so immeasurably blessed. One day, I’ll meet the Gift Giver face to face. I’ve been told I’ll marvel even more as new facets of the gift will be unveiled to me (2 Thessalonians 1:10).

By now you’ve realized I’m speaking of Jesus and salvation. He came into this world to save sinners (1 Timothy 1:15)! He’s the indescribable gift spoken of in 2 Corinthians 9:15. Salvation comes to us as a gift, freely given to those who put their trust in Him (Ephesians 2:8-9). He gladly forgives, saves and transforms us, assuring us of a future home in heaven. He, in His person, is the perfect gift. Have you trusted in Him for salvation? There is much joy to be had in receiving Him (John 1:12; 1 Peter 1:8)! 

In receiving this indescribable gift, we’ve abundant reason to be forever grateful. Plenteous grace calls for plenteous praise. As a holiday, Thanksgiving has been set aside for us to give thanks to God for the blessings He has bestowed. But it’s good for us to count our blessings always, thanking God for all He does. Preeminent amongst all our blessings is the gift of salvation we’ve experienced in Jesus! I remember how one of our elders at Lewis and Clark Bible Church would always conclude his prayers by saying “And thank you for Jesus!” And so, we need to be careful to remember in Jesus, we’ve received an incredible gift that is so much so that it defies our ability to fully comprehend or describe! Give thanks to God today, and above all else, give thanks for Jesus!

I’M FOREVER GRATEFUL

You did not wait for me
To draw near to You
But You clothed Yourself
With frail humanity
You did not wait for me
To cry out to You
But You let me hear
Your voice calling me

And I’m forever grateful to You
I’m forever grateful
For the cross
I’m forever grateful to You
That You came
To seek and save the lost

Song and music by Mark Altrogge
© 1985 Sovereign Grace Praise (Admin. by Sovereign Grace Ministries)

Remembering Our Roots 

Bible Reading: Ephesians 2:1-10 

“What do you have that you did not receive?” (1 Corinthians 4:7). 

The believer in Christ has been incredibly blessed by Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:3). While we are sometimes not mindful of our blessings, and though we can’t even now imagine the full extent of all we possess in Christ (Ephesians 3:8), to lose sight of the cause and source of these blessings is a grievous thing. 

Sadly, it is possible for any of us to act like a spoiled child. Spoiled children live in a fantasy world of prideful expectancy, mistakenly assuming they deserve all that they are given. Even looking down on others who lack what they have, not realizing they have what they have because it has been given to them. 

It is possible for us, as believers, to act in this same way. We forget our roots and the reason we are so blessed. We forget we have what we have, solely because of grace. Paul wrote to the believers in Ephesus and reminded them of their roots (Ephesians 2:1-3). They had been dead in their trespasses and sins before Christ saved them. It was by God’s grace they were made alive (Ephesians 2:5). They had walked according to the course of this world. It was by only God’s grace they were led and empowered to walk in an altogether different manner (Ephesians 2:2, 10; 4:1). They had been duped and led by the prince of the power of the air, and it was by God’s grace they had been delivered from his domain (Ephesians 2:2; Colossians 1:13). They had been children of wrath and it was by God’s grace they were given the right to become children of God (Ephesians 2:3; John 1:12; 1 John 3:1). 

The sole difference between me and a lost person is only this–I have experienced the grace of God in salvation. I did nothing to earn or merit my salvation. My spiritual resume was no different, or no better (Romans 3:23, 5:12). Yet by grace I’ve been saved (Ephesians 2:5). It is important for me to keep this in mind lest I relate to others in a prideful and God-dishonoring way. Do they do stupid things? Do they walk in sin? Do they take the devil’s side? So did I. Are they lost? So was I. The only reason I am any different now in any measure is because God has intervened in my life (1 Corinthians 1:30). 

Lost people don’t need our condemnation, they need the gospel. To be sure, sharing the gospel demands we address the issue of sin because the good news cannot be understood, apart from the bad. Yet it is important we endeavor always to speak the truth in love—as Christ did (Ephesians 4:15). 

Someone has said that sharing the gospel can be compared to one beggar telling another beggar where to find bread. In the Bread of Life, we have found One—the only One—who can fully meet our needs and satisfy our deepest longings (John 6:35). He’s blessed us beyond measure, that we might prove to be a blessing to others. God “desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4). We speak from a more compassionate place in our hearts when we remember our roots. 

At 82, John Newton, the author of the hymn Amazing Grace, said, “My memory is nearly gone, but I remember two things: that I am a great sinner — and that Christ is a great Savior!” His tombstone reads: “John Newton, once an infidel and libertine, a servant of slaves in Africa, was, by the rich mercy of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, preserved, restored, pardoned, and appointed to preach the faith he had long labored to destroy!” In remembering his roots, John Newton made much of the grace of God and was mightily used in the cause of the gospel. 

LOVE LIFTED ME

I was sinking deep in sin,
Far from the peaceful shore,
Very deeply stained within,
Sinking to rise no more;
But the Master of the sea
Heard my despairing cry,
From the waters lifted me–
Now safe am I.

Refrain:
Love lifted me, Love lifted me,
When nothing else could help,
Love lifted me; Love lifted me,
Love lifted me,
When nothing else could help,
Love lifted me.

All my heart to Him I give,
Ever to Him I’ll cling,
In His blessed presence live,
Ever His praises sing.
Love so mighty and so true
Merits my soul’s best songs;
Faithful, loving service, too,
To Him belongs. [Refrain]

Souls in danger, look above,
Jesus completely saves;
He will lift you by His love
Out of the angry waves.
He’s the Master of the sea,
Billows His will obey;
He your Savior wants to be–
Be saved today. [Refrain]

Jesus Loves Me 

Bible Reading: John 3:16-21 

John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” 

She was bedridden and in much pain. I spoke to her of the comfort and peace availed to us in Jesus. Tears flowed from her eyes as I sang for her that familiar song, a song she herself had played many times on a church piano many years before. 

Jesus Loves Me is one of the most popular and endearing Christian hymns ever written. It is often the first Christian song taught by missionaries to new believers in foreign lands and has been used by God to bring comfort and hope to millions of souls. You’ve no doubt sung it many times yourself. 

It was written by Anna B. Warner. Anna and Susan Warner were highly educated Christian young women who lived along the Hudson River in the time preceding the Civil War. Their mother died when they were children. Their father, a wealthy and influential New York lawyer, died not long after losing everything but his home in an economic depression. They were left to themselves with a need to find an income to provide for their needs, which they did by writing books.

They lived near the United States Military Academy and ministered to young cadets who would soon be headed off to war. In fact, Anna’s body is buried on the grounds of the Military Academy, having thus been honored for her faithful spiritual support of the Army cadets.

The text of the hymn “Jesus Loves Me” was a part of a fictional book she wrote entitled,“Say and Seal.” In the book, a young and dying child, Johnny Fax, is comforted by a Mr. Linden. Johnny looks to Mr. Linden for comfort and hope, and Mr. Linden responds by gently patting Johnny and reciting the words of the poem: 

Jesus loves me! this I know,
For the Bible tells me so,
Little ones to Him belong,
They are weak but He is strong.

Jesus loves me! He who died
Heaven’s gate to open wide;
He will wash away my sin,
Let His little child come in.

Jesus loves me! Loves me still,
Though I’m very weak and ill
From His shining throne on high
Comes to watch me where I lie.

Jesus loves me! He will stay
Close beside me all the way;
Then His little child He’ll take
Up to heaven for His dear sake.

The chorus was added, and the music was written by William B. Bradbury sometime later. The hymn speaks to the most basic, yet important, of Christian truths—the love of Jesus revealed in His death upon the cross. The Bible speaks to us of this amazing truth—He “loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20). Amidst all the troubles and challenges and uncertainty we face, this beautiful song speaks of that One unchangeable truth which ministers hope to our souls even amidst the most difficult of circumstances—my Savior loves me!

Why Go to Church? 

Bible Reading: Hebrews 10:19-25 

Hebrews 10:24-25, “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” 

Why go to church? It’s a good question. In these days of declining church attendance, too many have decided it’s simply not that important. Others go, yet only out of a sense of obligation. Parents, friends, or relatives exercise some influence and a person is led to dutifully attend. That was my situation when I was an adolescent and my mom took me and my siblings to the Catholic Church. I had no desire to be there—I would have rather been fishing with my dad—but I went because she made me. 

Some go to church because they believe their attendance will somehow contribute to their salvation. Mistakenly, they have been led to believe salvation is the result of being a good person, or doing good works. “Good people go to heaven,” they assume, and going to church is a part of what makes a person a “good person.” Religious cults operate according to this way of thinking. Sadly, there are also many professing Christians who think this way about church attendance as well. Yet—as has been said—going to church doesn’t make a person a Christian any more than going into a garage would make them a car. 

The classic text on the matter of fellowshiping together is Hebrews 10:25, which reminds us to not be “forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some.” A part of the answer to the question, “Why go to church?” is answered by the context of this verse. The “assembling together” is for those who have made a “confession of hope” (Hebrews 10:23). Of what confession is the verse speaking? The obvious answer is the confession of hope, which accompanies one’s faith in Christ as Lord and Savior. The text is addressed to those who have already trusted in Christ for salvation. 

It has long been said the church gathers for edification, then scatters for evangelism. This statement represents a biblical perspective on the ministry of the local church. The gathering of the believers on Sundays (or any other occasion) is primarily for the edification (building up) of the church. Though the church is commissioned to share the gospel, the primary purpose of assembling together is not evangelistic. That’s not to say it can’t, or won’t, happen. It is a good thing when an unsaved person finds his way to the assembly of believers. It is a wonderful thing if he is saved! But the focus of the evangelistic outreach of the church is to be outside its walls. Born-again believers who make up a local church make up a team of missionaries, ambassadors for Christ, sent out to reach their community with the gospel. Every believer in Christ lives amidst a unique group of family members, friends, neighbors, co-workers and/or classmates. To the extent that the believer is growing and walking with Christ—and his understanding of and ability to share the gospel—he is sovereignly and strategically enabled and equipped to reach people who church pastors, or leaders, could never reach. 

All that being said—the question remains,“Why go to church?” The question is not difficult to answer. The worshiping church appeals to those who are born-again through faith in Christ—for those who have been loved by Jesus and who love Him in return (1 John 4:19)! It is His church (Matthew 16:18). He paid a high price for it and deems it beautiful (Acts 20:28; Ephesians 5:25-29). Jesus loves His church—the Spirit-led believer is led to do the same. The new believer is instinctively driven in love to fellowship with other like-minded believers (1 Thessalonians 4:9). Though it is true, the church is not perfect (many professing believers excuse their non-attendance by finding fault with the church and/or its members) —the discerning believer sees things from God’s perspective. He understands God is at work, by His grace, to work a miraculous transformation in His people (Ephesians 5:25-27; Philippians 1:6)—which is to the praise of the glory of His grace (Ephesians 1:6). The faults and idiosyncrasies of others, represent God-given opportunities to learn to love others as Christ loves. “Speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ” (Ephesians 4:15). The believer is Spirit-led to serve and use his gifts towards this end (Galatians 5:13; Romans 12:4-8). 

Jesus, in His person and work, is the attraction in His church! He was what drew you, when you first trusted in Him for salvation (2 Corinthians 4:6) and He is to be so today (1 Peter 1:8). He will be the attraction when you depart one day to the heavenlies, where you will marvel at Him and praise Him, with all the redeemed, forever and ever (2 Thessalonians 1:10; Revelation 5:9-10). Why go to church?  Because you love Jesus and you want to worship HIM (Philippians 3:3), hear HIS Word (Colossians 3:16), love HIS people (1 Peter 1:22), and be better equipped to share HIS gospel (Philippians 1:27, 2:16). 

The gospel has power to save church-avoiding, rebel-sinners and transform them into Christ-adoring, worship-loving saints (Romans 1:16; Colossians 1:13). If you, as a believer, are not now driven to maintain regular fellowship with His saints by love for HIM, He has offered a remedy for that too: “But I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Therefore, remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first” (Revelation 2:5). Going to church should not be a “have-to,” but a “want-to,” a “get-to” (John 14:15; 1 John 5:3). It is not good enough to go to church simply because it is expected of you. God-pleasing worship of Christ demands more. 

Why go to church? Because you love Jesus! There are other good reasons, but no other single reason is sufficient to stand on its own. Spirit-led devotion to Christ will endure, where other motivations falter and fail (2 Corinthians 11:3; Ephesians 6:24). Love for Jesus is the same reason why you should do all that you do (John 14:15). It is the right reason to WANT TO GO to church. 

THE CHURCH’S ONE FOUNDATION

The church’s one foundation
Is Jesus Christ her Lord;
She is his new creation
By water and the Word.
From heaven he came and sought her
To be his holy bride;
With his own blood he bought her,
And for her life he died.

Elect from every nation,
Yet one o’er all the earth;
Her charter of salvation,
One Lord, one faith, one birth;
One holy name she blesses,
Partakes one holy food,
And to one hope she presses,
With every grace endued.

Mid toil and tribulation,
And tumult of her war,
She waits the consummation
Of peace forevermore;
Till, with the vision glorious,
Her longing eyes are blest,
And the great church victorious
Shall be the church at rest.

Yet she on earth hath union
With God the Three in One,
And mystic sweet communion
With those whose rest is won.
O happy ones and holy!
Lord, give us grace that we
Like them, the meek and lowly,
On high may dwell with thee.

Ordinary Men – Extraordinary Message

Bible Reading: 1 Corinthians 2:1-5

1 Corinthians 2:1-5, “And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom.  For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.  And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.”

Some believers in Corinth were enamored with gifted speakers in their oratorical abilities to impart human wisdom.  They were prone to elevate such men and depreciate the power of the gospel.  But Paul reminded them of how he had come, not “with lofty speech or wisdom” (1 Corinthians 2:1), but “in weakness and in fear and much trembling” (1 Corinthians 2:3).  He spoke to them not in “plausible words of wisdom,” but “in demonstration of the Spirit and of power” (1 Corinthians 2:4-5).  He did so deliberately—that their faith might rest in God, not man.

We live in a day when people are prone to that same sort of Corinthian error.  The biggest church in America is a church full of charisma but devoid of the word of the cross.  The church growth movement has focused less on what Christ has done and more on man-engineered schemes for reaching the lost.  But God doesn’t need man’s cleverly devised schemes or antics to save souls.  He is well-pleased to use ordinary men (possessing “treasure in their jars of clay”) in the sharing of His extraordinary message. He has arranged it that way, thus demonstrating that “the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us” (2 Corinthians 4:7).

A 15-year-old teenager headed off to church, as he normally did on Sunday mornings.  But there was a blizzard that day and the heavy snow kept him from going to his usual place of worship.  Instead, he found himself in a Primitive Methodist Church. As a young man, from a long line of pastors, he knew all about Christianity, but he didn’t know Christ.  Later, he would write of those days, “It was my sad lot to feel the greatness of my sin without a discovery of the greatness of God’s mercy.”

The Primitive Methodist Church almost didn’t open that morning, but the caretaker, thinking that a few people might show up, opened the doors and lit the stove.  By 11:00 some 12-15 people had come inside, but not the Pastor. He apparently could not get there because of the snow.  Finally, one of the laymen of the congregation reluctantly took the pulpit. As he looked down, he could see the small congregation, hundreds of empty seats, and the young 15-year-old boy seated under the gallery. The text for his sermon was, “Look unto me, and be ye saved” (Isaiah 45:22), and after about ten minutes of repeating himself, the man was about to step down from the pulpit. But before he did, he addressed the teenager. “Young man,” he said, “you look very miserable, and you will always be miserable if you don’t obey my text. But if you obey now, at this moment, you will be saved.”  He paused again, then shouted at the young man with more animation, “Young man, look to Jesus!  Look! Look! Look!”

That young man was Charles Spurgeon.  Years later, Spurgeon wrote of his experience, “There and then the cloud was gone, the darkness was rolled away.”  God used the preaching of an unprepared and ordinary layman to save Charles Spurgeon.  Charles Spurgeon would go on to preach the gospel to thousands over the course of his ministry.  He was an ordinary man—just like the man who had first shared that extraordinary message with him.  God is honored to use such folks—people like you and me—in making the gospel known.

I LOVE TO TELL THE STORY

I love to tell the story
of unseen things above,
of Jesus and his glory,
of Jesus and his love.
I love to tell the story
because I know it’s true;
it satisfies my longings
as nothing else can do.

Refrain:
I love to tell the story;
‘twill be my theme in glory
to tell the old, old story
of Jesus and his love.

I love to tell the story,
for those who know it best
seem hungering and thirsting
to hear it like the rest.
And when in scenes of glory
I sing the new, new song,
‘twill be the old, old story
that I have loved so long. [Refrain]

Katakiuchi

Bible Reading: 1 Peter 3:8-12

Katakiuchi (Japanese) = vengeance, revenge.

1 Peter 3:9, “Not returning evil for evil, or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead.”

Mitsuo Fuchida was the lead Japanese pilot in the attack on Pearl Harbor.  He returned to Japan and received a hero’s welcome.  During the Japanese campaign, he advanced in the military. He narrowly escaped death on several occasions but survived to the end of the war.  Later, when called upon to testify at the War Crime trials, he was troubled by testimonies he heard regarding American prisoner abuse in Japanese prison camps.  He assumed that such treatment was typical in the American camps as well.  He went so far as to travel to Uraga, Japan, to meet with returning Japanese prisoners to find evidence of such abuse.

He met a man there, Sub-lieutenant Kazuo Kanegaski, who had previously served with him.  He had survived the sinking of the carrier Hiryu only to be rescued by the Americans.  He was ultimately taken to a prisoner camp/hospital near the Utah-Colorado border.  Kanegaski told Fuchida that he never “saw atrocities in the American camps.”  He shared an experience that he had there: “Something happened at my camp which made it possible for all of us interned there to stop nursing our resentment and to return to Japan with lightened hearts… Shortly after the end of the war, an American girl about 18 years old came to the camp as a volunteer social worker.  She ministered to the Japanese with tireless energy and kindness.  Her name was Margaret Covell.  The men called her Peggy, as did her American friends.  She spoke no Japanese, but the prisoners had picked up enough English to communicate with her.  ‘If you’re uncomfortable or need anything, let me know,’ she would say.  ‘I’ll do anything I can to help.’ With her conscientious care, she touched the prisoners.  She also puzzled them.  Some three weeks after her first visit, one of the men asked her curiously, ‘Why are you so kind to us?’ ‘Because Japanese soldiers killed my parents,’ she answered.”

As the prisoners stared at her in astonishment, she explained that her parents were missionaries who had fled Japan to Manila, where they thought they would be safe.  When the Japanese captured the city, they fled to the mountains.  Japanese soldiers ultimately found that Peggy’s parents had in their possession a small portable radio the soldiers mistook for a secret communications apparatus.  They tried the couple as spies and convicted them.  With their eyes blindfolded and their hands bound behind their backs, they were forced to their knees.  Then, as the husband and wife prayed—asking God to forgive their executioners—the Japanese soldiers beheaded them.

“Peggy, who had been living in the United States, didn’t learn of her parents’ fate until the end of the war.  At first, she choked with hatred for the Japanese.  Then she began to meditate on her parents’ selfless service to them.  Slowly, she became convinced that her parents had indeed forgiven their executioners before death.  Could she do less?  So, she volunteered to work with Japanese prisoners of war.  Her example of charity and gentleness greatly impressed the men, and they loved her with a pure tenderness.”

Fuchida was puzzled by what he heard.  “The Japanese considered revenge a beautiful moral.  A man captured and awaiting death never forgave his captors.  He prayed to be born again seven times, and to exact revenge in each life.  And his sons and daughter to avenge him.  The Japanese word for revenge, katakiuchi, means literally ‘attack enemy.’  Steeped in Japanese history and culture, Fuchida fervently believed in the principle of katakiuchi.  Now he heard a story of unjust suffering and death, and a daughter left to continue the bloodline.  But the tale featured no vow of vengeance from either the dying or the survivor.”

“Fuchida was thunderstruck.  ‘This beautiful story overwhelmed me and made me ashamed,’ he reflected.  He had come to Uraga with hate in his heart.  What he found was goodness he could scarcely comprehend.”  Ultimately, Peggy’s example was used by God to help lead Fuchida to Christ.  He was saved and became an evangelist.  He once shared the gospel from a platform standing next to Jacob DeShazer (the former Japanese prisoner who later returned to Japan as a missionary).  Fuchida even visited Jacob’s church in Salem, Oregon.  Fuchida committed his life to the sharing of the gospel—in both Japan and America and far away Germany and Finland.  He even visited Hawaii.  Instead of delivering bombs, he brought to them the good news of eternal life through Christ.

Katakiuchi.  That’s the way the world typically thinks and behaves.  But to get even is not to get ahead.  Peggy could have chosen a different route.  It would have been both natural and acceptable by folks for her to seethe in bitterness and nurture thoughts of revenge.  Instead, looking to Christ’s example, by the Spirit’s direction and power, she took the higher route.  Her parents would have been pleased.  Her forgiveness and loving sacrifice reflected the greater love she herself had received in Christ.  It gave tangible evidence to the truth of the gospel.  May the love that has been shed abroad in our hearts overflow from our lives and boldly testify to the greater love of Christ from which it flows!

Quotations from “God’s Samurai: Lead Pilot at Pearl Harbor,” by Donald M. Goldstein and Gordon W. Prange; Copyright 1990 by Prange Enterprises, Inc.

FREELY, FREELY

God forgave my sin in Jesus’ name
I’ve been born again in Jesus’ name
And in Jesus’ name I come to you
To share His love as He told me to

Chorus: He said freely freely
You have received
Freely freely give
Go in My name
And because you believe
Others will know that I live

All pow’r is giv’n in Jesus’ name
In earth and heav’n in Jesus’ name
And in Jesus’ name I come to you
To share His pow’r as He told me to [Chorus]

The Church, God’s Masterpiece

Bible Reading: Ephesians 2:1-10

Ephesians 2:10, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”

Last month, in London’s National Gallery, two young women opened cans of tomato soup and threw their contents onto Vincent van Gogh’s famous painting Sunflowers. The soup-throwers donned shirts displaying the logo of Just Stop Oil, an activist group that has been staging nonviolent demonstrations across the United Kingdom to protest the production of fossil fuels. The Smithsonian Magazine reported on the incident: “As the soup hit the painting, someone shrieked, and another person exclaimed, “Oh my gosh!” The two women then sat down on the floor and glued their hands to the wall below the painting as a bystander called for security.” How could they, one might ask? Surely something so valuable and beautiful deserves better treatment. Indeed! But as valuable and beautiful as that masterpiece is, there’s another that is of infinite greater worth.

The term translated “workmanship” in our verse could be translated “masterpiece.”  It translates the Greek, poiema, from which our English term “poem” is derived.  The term is used only once more in the NT, in Romans 1:20 where it says, “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made.”  Creation is the poiema of God and so is the Church.  God created the universe “out of nothing.”  God created the church in Christ Jesus.

Jonathan Edwards, “God’s most stupendous creation is spiritually dead man made alive! Created in God’s image, born in sin, and destined to be re-created in the image of God’s Son, Christ Jesus! Dear saint, don’t ever forget that you are the subject of Christ’s two creations, and as the result of His second Creation we are His ultimate workmanship, His masterwork!”

I wonder if we grasp the magnitude of this.  I wonder if we think this way about the church—the church of which Jesus said, “I will build My Church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.”  The church which “He purchased… with His own blood.”  This work of art, this masterpiece of God—created in Christ Jesus—has been forever hung in the gallery of God’s universe to display the glory of who He is and what He’s done (Ephesians 2:7, 3:10).

Brethren, the church of the living God is the most important entity on this planet.  It is of eternal consequence.  Through the church, God will work to display the glory of His attributes.  This should affect the way we think of the church.  Even now, the church transcends the globe and is made up of countless souls from every tongue and tribe.  The day will come when it will be revealed in all its God-given glory!  Do we give it the priority that it deserves?  Do we love it?  Do we understand the necessity of it?  Do we think of it in the same way that Jesus thinks of it?

In the late 1660s, Sir Christopher Wren was commissioned to re-design St. Paul’s Cathedral in London. According to legend, one day he visited the construction site of this great edifice and was unrecognized by the workers. Wren walked about the site, asking several of the men what they were doing. One worker replied, “I am cutting a piece of stone.” A second worker responded, “I’m earning five shillings two pence a day.” A third, however, had a different perspective: “I am helping Christopher Wren build a magnificent cathedral to the glory of God.”  How do we view the church?  Are we giving our all in service to the Master?

HOW BEAUTIFUL

How beautiful the hands that served
The wine and the bread and the sons of the earth
How beautiful the feet that walked
The long dusty roads and the hill to the cross
How beautiful, how beautiful, how beautiful
Is the body of Christ

How beautiful the heart that bled
That took all my sin and bore it instead
How beautiful the tender eyes
That choose to forgive and never despise
How beautiful, how beautiful, how beautiful
Is the body of Christ

And as he lay down his life
We offer this sacrifice
That we will live just as he died
Willing to pay the price
Willing to pay the price

How beautiful the radiant bride
Who waits for her groom with his light in her eyes
How beautiful when humble hearts give
The fruit of pure lives so that others may live
How beautiful, how beautiful, how beautiful
Is the body of Christ

How beautiful the feet that bring
The sound of good news and the love of the King
How beautiful the hands that serve
The wine and the bread and the sons of the Earth
How beautiful, how beautiful, how beautiful
Is the body of Christ

Songwriters: Nancy Lamoureaux Wilson / Ann Dustin Wilson
How Beautiful lyrics © Universal Music Corp., Strange Euphoria Music, Know Music, Sheer Music, Inzeepin Music