If you want to know what a certain people were going through at a particular time in history, look at their music. Music throughout history has told of the joy, the tragedy, the triumphs and the defeats of a tribe, a race, or a nation. The book of Exodus makes record that after God had saved Israel from Egypt by drowning Pharaoh’s army in the Red Sea, “Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the Lord: ‘I will sing to the Lord, for he is highly exalted. The horse and the rider are thrown into the sea’” (Ex. 15:1). This truly was a song that Israel had never sung before!
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Feeling Disqualified but Still Positioned
Do you think Mary was PREPARED for a conversation with an angel to end with her being pregnant with the Messiah? Her girlish daydreams of romance and home and family had never played out like this, neither could these circumstances fit in any of her spiritual aspirations! Nothing could have prepared her to feel so disqualified in her society yet be so divinely POSITIONED in the plans of God . . . in destiny . . . in purpose . . . in history! (Fifth excerpt from Kathy’s article “Positioned for Purpose”.)
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Sing a New Song
On the morning of our 10th anniversary, I proudly presented Kathy with a special card I had remembered to buy the day before. It was an expensive one that had gold-embossed raised letters. The 
message on it was very romantic and meaningful. It was the 10th year in a row that I had not forgotten to get her a card. Without reading it she sighed, put it back down on the table and said, “Just once, it would be nice to have something YOU said instead of something you paid a total stranger to say.” Ouch! There was no thank you and no passionate kiss! That evening I was in my time of devotion with the Lord. I was singing the latest song that had already sold over a million copies when Kathy’s response to my card came flooding back through my mind. It was as though the Lord was saying, “I would like to hear a song from you that was not written by someone else.” Ps.98:1 says, “Sing to the Lord a new song”. The Hebrew meaning of the term “new” is “something fresh, a new thing.” In other words, a NEW SONG which is sung to God is one that has not been sung by anyone else. A NEW SONG is one of spontaneity and delight. You are the only one who can sing that NEW SONG to God because you are the only one who truly knows what God means to you.
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To be a Hero of the Faith
Do you think Joseph was PREPARED to find his fiancé pregnant with the Messiah? The turn of events very likely made Joseph feel betrayed and a victim of injustice. He could easily imagine his name being whispered in snide comments among his peers. His boyish dreams of heroism and purpose never looked like this, yet he was POSITIONED . . . in destiny . . . in purpose . . . in history . . . to be a hero of the faith. (Fourth excerpt from Kathy’s article “Positioned for Purpose”.)
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Breadth and Length and Depth and Height
As the people of God assemble today, may they be filled with the fullness of God and challenged to a new level in what our Lord has in His purposes for each member of the Body of Christ, as we stand for our families and as we confront the present climate of culture in our nation. “May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; 19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. 20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,” (Eph.3:18-20, KJV)
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The Good Shepherd is Compassionate
Oh, sheep, know thy Shepherd. The Good Shepherd is too compassionate to be cruel and He is too wise to be irrational. His ways are not the epitome of men’s frustrations and anger with one another nor the outworking of men’s legalisms. (Excerpt from “Sheep Have Short Legs” book by Marty Gabler)
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Age and Barrenness no Obstacle
Do you think Elizabeth was PREPARED to be the mother of the forerunner of the Messiah? In all her prayers for a child, that had definitely never entered her mind! On top of that, Elizabeth was barren; and she and her husband were both well along in years. Age opposed purpose! Age defied destiny. Age contradicted the plans of God! So, no, she was not PREPARED to birth John the Baptist, but she was POSITIONED by God . . . in destiny . . . in purpose . . . in the history of mankind! With God all things are possible no matter what area you are barren in and no matter your age. (Third excerpt from Kathy’s article “Positioned for Purpose”.)
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The Secret in John 8
So many people have been talking about how dark the world is getting. Many are very worried and some don’t hesitate to express their deep fears. One Christian I was told about recently can’t sleep and it is affecting their health. BUT I think I found a SECRET in John 8!! ”Jesus said to the people, “I am the Light of the world. So if you follow me, you won’t be stumbling through the darkness, for living light will flood your path.” (Jn.8:12, LB)
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Bagels and Purpose
Do you think Zacharias eating his bagel and lox at breakfast was PREPARED to meet Gabriel at work that morning? When the gigantic angel suddenly showed up with a telegram from God, it terrified Zacharias. Obviously, he was not PREPARED, but he was POSITIONED by God . . . in destiny . . . in purpose . . . in history . . . for that meeting. Awareness of purpose can be easily lost among the stuff of everyday life. Nevertheless, our efficient God is weaving our lives with purpose daily. (Second excerpt from Kathy’s article “Positioned for Purpose”.)
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Keep Out Tendency to Obsess
May the power of the Word of God and enablement of the Holy Spirit help us keep out tendencies to obsess over difficult people. “Forget about what’s happened; don’t keep going over old history. 19 Be alert, be present. I’m about to do something brand-new…” (Isa.43:18-19a, Msg)
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