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A Season to Everything

Ecclesiastes 3:1

Hi, I’m Howie Campbell, and this is a Wisdom and Truth Minute.

“To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven” (Ecclesiastes 3:1). These words were penned almost 3,000 years ago by King Solomon. More recently, they were put to music by the late Pete Seeger, and made popular in a cover by The Birds. Timeless words from the Bible, inspired by the Holy Spirit, and true for people of all time.

Following verses speak of a time to be born, a time to die, a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted. What time is it in your life, my friend? Remember, in all of it, every season, God is there.

Rest

Psalm 116:7

Hi, I’m Howie Campbell, and this is a Wisdom and Truth Minute.

Today, I’m writing from a resting place. My father in heaven inspired some dear friends to offer Debbie and me a place to recuperate after the Freedom Jubilee tour. It’s much needed, and a great blessing! As I was praising God for this, a hymn came into my head. “There is a place of quiet rest, near to the heart of God / a place where sin cannot molest, near to the heart of God.” Jesus, our blessed redeemer, has given us rest, and that place of rest is the very presence of God himself. Think about it: Jesus has come to allow us into his rest. Therefore with Psalm 116:7 we can sing, “Return unto your rest, O my soul, for Jehovah has dealt bountifully with you.”

Amazing Things

1 Corinthians 2:9

Hi, I’m Howie Campbell, and this is a Wisdom and Truth Minute.

“O God, our help in ages past, our hope for years to come; our shelter from the stormy blast, and our eternal home.” Isaac Watts penned these great lyrics in the 1700’s, and they are just as powerful today as they were then. They contain eternal truth.

So does this verse from Isaiah 64 that Paul quotes in 1 Corinthians 2:9: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for them that love Him.” Do you love God, my friend? Is living for Jesus your desire and goal? Let me assure you, God has amazing things prepared for you – you can’t even imagine.

Scars and Blemishes

Hebrews 11:36

Hi, I’m Howie Campbell, and this is a Wisdom and Truth Minute.

All of my musical instruments are put to good use. None are for display only. There are people that collect instruments and keep them in perfect condition, but that’s not me. They all have a scratch or a ding of some kind. Hey, life happens.

Recently, a mic-stand fell over and marked my Gretsch guitar. I thought, “Man, why can’t I have nice stuff?” The Lord showed me that’s how we are. Scars happen when you live a life of faith. Read Hebrews 11, around verse 36. It speaks of folks who  were scourged, stoned, beaten, tormented for the sake of Christ. Scars and blemishes are actually badges of honor. Better to be useful than sitting on some shelf, eh?

A Quiet Place

Matthew 6:6

Hi, I’m Howie Campbell, and this is a Wisdom and Truth Minute.

In the 1960’s, the Beach Boys had a song that goes: “There’s a place, where I can go, and tell my secrets to, in my room, in my room.” It expresses the need we all have for a quiet place, and someone to tell our deepest troubles to.

For me, that place of quiet and refuge is the Lord himself. Jesus, as recorded in Matthew 6:6, said “When you pray, enter into your closet, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father, which is in secret.” The closet is a secret chamber – a quiet, set-apart place. It’s good to get alone with our heavenly father.

God is My Refuge

Psalm 61:3-4

Hi, I’m Howie Campbell, and this is a Wisdom and Truth Minute.

Crescendo and decrescendo are musical terms. They mean “to increase or decrease the loudness of the music being played.” Life is like that. Sometimes the volume of life’s activity gets pretty loud; and at other times, it quits down and mellows own. What do you do when life crescendos to a deafening level of craziness? I look for a quiet place apart, where I can let my brain drain. Often, I seek refuge in my Lord, who is my resting place. “For you have been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy. I will abide in your tabernacle forever. I will trust in the culvert of your wings.” Psalm 61:3-4.

God Makes the Sun Shine

Romans 8:28, 8:31

Hi, I’m Howie Campbell, and this is a Wisdom and Truth Minute.

In the poetic world of music lyrics, there are many metaphors to present the idea of “things going well for me.” ‘Got my mojo working,’ ‘on the sunny side of the street,’ ‘sunshine on my shoulders,’ are just a few examples. You can probably think of your favorites.

I like the way the Bible puts it in Romans 8:28: “All things work together for good to them that love God, to them that are the called according to His purpose.” Do you love Jesus? Are you living for Him and experiencing his blessing? Then you’re on the sunny side of the street. Romans 8:31 asks the rhetorical question “If God before us, who can be against us?” The answer, my friend, is no one!

Songs to God

Psalm 95:1

Hi, I’m Howie Campbell, and this is a Wisdom and Truth Minute.

I don’t know about you, but I love to sing Christmas songs year-round. Some of the most beautiful songs ever penned were hymns of praise celebrating the birth of Jesus. “O Come, Let Us Adore Him” was going through my mind this morning and I thought – we could sing this anytime, just like the Psalmist did. It’s amazing how many Psalms are devoted to the praise and adoration of Jesus, known in the Old Testament as Jehovah.

Listen to this exhortation in Psalm 95:1: “O come, let us sing unto the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.” Join me, friend, in worshipping the Lord God.

1960’s Jesus Movement

John 6:35

Hi, I’m Howie Campbell, and this is a Wisdom and Truth Minute.

My wife Debbie and I travel all over America, singing songs of family, faith, relationships, life experiences. It’s folk-style, sort of reminiscent of the ’60s and ’70s. Do you know about the powerful moving of the holy spirit among the young folks, the hippies, the drug culture back in the 1960’s?

It seemed like there was a hunger for truth, and God met that hunger with his son, Jesus Christ. That time was known as “The Jesus Movement.” I believe there is a similar movement taking place today. Jesus said “I am the bread of life; he that comes to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst” (John 6:35). Seek Jesus, the bread of life.

Our Family Tradition

Since our first Christmas as Christians in 1985, we have celebrated the Advent with our family. It was the most important part of our Christmas celebration. It shines the spotlight on God’s working through the Old Testament and fulfillments in the New Testament. I can not imagine what Christmas would be like as a Christian without a careful look at these promises.

Beginning December 1st. and continuing to the climatic evening of December 24th. We would light the beeswax candles on the advent log, which Howie fashioned of New York State white birch, and read the Scriptures. Passages were selected to build our confidence in God’s faithfulness in keeping His promise of a Saviour.

“The Good News of Christmas” presentation was birthed from our family tradition of celebrating Advent. Below are a list of scriptures that you may want to look at over the next 24 days.

The Good News of Christmas CD

First Week
Our God Reigns –
Gen. 3:14-15 ?(fall of Satan and promise of his defeat esp. vs. 14-15) Deut. 18:15, 18-19?
Numbers 24:17 (…..there shall come a star out of Jacob…..) Star/Septor symbol of a King.

Second Week
Is. 11:1-2 (the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him)
Is. 10 ?(Root of Jessie an ensign)
Jeremiah 33:14-16 (branch of righteousness, out of David)
Zech. 6:12-13 ?(the branch)
Ps. 89:1-4 (Establish David’s throne esp. 3-4)
Ps. 110:4 (Priestly order of Melchizedek)
Is. 52:7-10 ?(how beautiful are the feet)
Is. 40:9-11 ?(tidings of a shepherd)
Mic. 5:2 ?(Bethlehem, comes forth ruler)
Is. 9:6-7? (onto us a child is born)
Is. 7:14 (virgin shall conceive) Light shine in gross darkness Is Is. 40:3-5 (John’s birth foretold)
Is. 9:2 (light shines in darkness)
John 1:1-8 ?(in the beginning, John bear witness)
John 1:9-18 ?(He came to his own)
Mark 1:1-3 (beginning of Gospel. John)

Third Week
Luke 1:5-13? (Elizabeth and Zechariah)
Luke 1:14-25 or Luke 1:5-35 (Angel to Mary)
Luke 1:39-45? (Elizabeth’s salutation)
Luke 1:46-56? (Mary’s salutation)
Luke 1:57-80 (John’s birth)

Fourth Week
Mt. 1:18-25 (birth of Jesus….Angel appears to Joseph and he took Mary to wife?)
Luke 2:1-20? (decree, inn, shepherds)
Luke 2:21 (circumsicion)
Mt. 2:1-2? (Wise men )
Matt 2: 3-12 (Herod gifts )
Luke 2:40 (Jesus grows)

Being Bold

If there is one holiday that is ready made for witnessing, it is Christmas. People know there must be much more than buying and giving, eating and drinking, partying and stressing. Perhaps you have family, friends, coworkers or neighbors that have closed off or simply haven’t responded to your message in the past. Here is another opportunity to bless them using the language of music and the spoken word.

Christmas is the time of year that we can be like Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch. “Then Philip began, and using this Scripture as a starting point, he told the eunuch the good news about Jesus…” Acts 8: 30-38

Some of the people that God places in our paths are spiritually similar to the eunuch. Christmas is here, the story of Jesus’ birth may be familiar. and they may be looking. Praying, we can look for opportnities to point out the fulfilment of prophesies regarding Jesus’ birth. By doing so, we speak of the validity of the Scriptures. Since these prophecies came true prescisely as foretold, so will the others.

If we simply trust God’s word, believe His promise of redemption and commit the keeping of our souls into His hands, then pray for opportunities to share the Good News with someone this Christmas season, it may be God will answer our prayer and grant someone new life in Jesus.

May the sweetness of Jesus be ever so strong this Christmas season!

Debbie and Howie