While visiting family a few years ago I enjoyed reading various Bible passages decorated by my grandchildren, and posted around the house (including on the toilet door). One such passage was the well-known description of love, from 1Corinthians 13.

I enjoyed the simplified wording and thought I could make something poetic out of that Bible truth given to us by Apostle Paul so many centuries ago. That led me to creating not only poetic words, but a sweet song celebrating how amazing God’s love is.

In the recent spurt of getting songs ready for everyone to enjoy, I used my computer to create a lovely version of Love is Amazing which I released for streaming via Spotify, Apple Music, etc.

I’ve added into the 1Corinthians 13 text a few key thoughts, such as “Love is an act of my will, choosing to cherish you still.” I trust that as people use this beautiful song for weddings and the like, they will be challenged to think about their will (commitment) to loving others, not just feeling like they love them, when those others make them happy.

I also built into this song the two dimension of love outworked in our lives. At one level God is Love, and that’s really precious. At a human level, we each need to choose to love. So both those ideas are embedded in the song. I pray that many are helped to see past the shallow notions of love and ‘being in love’ through the message of this song.

You can check out the song on the music streaming outlets, as Love is Amazing – Wedding Song. Enjoy.

Since creating Heaven Scent Songs, Ps Chris has been busy bringing some lovely music and themes to his audience. This song, created about two decades ago, is a sweet invitation to join in worship.
Helped by computer music creation Ps Chris presents a timely reminder that our lives are meant to be about worship.

Here’s a link to the song, showing some of the places where you can stream it. https://ditto.fm/come-worship-the-lord-with-me

This lovely song links perfectly with the new book on worship, by Ps Chris, titled ‘Call to Worship’, which is available on Amazon. Call to Worship presents a pathway for believers to step out of their comfort zone and press in to God’s throne-room, for all the wonders of an encounter with God.

Lyrics for the Heaven Scent Song, Come Worship the Lord with Me, are quoted in Ps Chris’ book Call to Worship, as the theme of both song and book are the same.

Call to Worship is not long and tiresome, but to the point, and designed to escort you through the process, with step by step prayers to prompt you along the way.

Please encourage fellow believers, and those who specifically engage with worship in your community, to check out both the book, Call to Worship, by Ps Chris, and this lovely song, Come Worship the Lord with Me.

In recent months I have decided it’s time to give greater focus to my music, which means more than half a century of song writing and singing.

I recently chose @heavenscentsongs as my tag, and plan to release songs new and old as I get time to work on them.

My main focus is to prompt people to bring the fragrance of heaven and the touch of God into their songs and worship.

This goes nicely with my recently released book ‘Call to Worship’, which is available on Amazon. I’ll share more about that soon too.

I’m regarded by some as a pianist, but my wife and others in the family are what I call real pianists. Yet I can “thump the goanna”, as the saying goes, and that helps me work up a song once the ideas come to mind. I also play clarinet, although my lips are out of practice. I once had a 12 string guitar that I loved to play as it pumped out a lot of sound, but I sold that when I moved back from New Zealand, a lifetime ago.

My main instrument now is my voice, and I really do enjoy singing and worshipping.

So keep in mind Heaven Scent Songs and see what I’ll be sharing in the weeks and months ahead.

As I reflect on the Church and Christian life, looking into some of the things Christians get distracted with, I’ve come up with a simple observation that seems to fit what I see around me.
(You might like to check my recent post “What is the Church?”)

Christianity is anchored in the sacrifice of Jesus, dying for us to save us from our sins. This Salvation, Gospel message is the starting point for Christians.

However it is not the END point.
The whole aim of Christianity is not to make sure we have a ticket to heaven. It’s not about “Pie in the Sky when you Die!”

So, where should Christianity take us?
Well it certainly takes us to heaven, so I’m not suggesting otherwise.
But it takes us into RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD!

When we are born again we are born as God’s sons (both men an women receive the same ‘sonship’ status in God’s family, even while they have different human responsibilities on earth).

God is thus our Father and we enter into relationship with him.
We get to call him “Daddy”.

“And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, Abba, Father!” Galatians 4:6

“For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, Abba, Father.” Romans 8:15

Christians are forever thankful for the sacrifice of Christ, remembering it each time they take the Lord’s Supper (Communion).

But Christians are also forever delighted with their new relationship with the God of all creation, as their loving father, actively involved in their lives.

Further, Christians are born by the Holy Spirit when they are “born again”. They come alive spiritually.

“Jesus answered, Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” John 3:5,6

Christians are spirit beings, who can engage with the physical world, but also with the spiritual reality that human eyes cannot see.

We experience such things as the love of God poured into our hearts (Romans 5:5), and the fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22,23), and the gifts of the Holy Spirit (1Corinthians 12, 14), and we have new insight into things (1Corinthians 2:15).

Our close relationship with God and the Holy Spirit, and our openness to the truth of God’s Word, and the fruit of our fellowship with fellow believers produces ongoing transformation within us.

We are transformed (Romans 12:2) to be more like Christ from one degree of glory to another (2Corinthians 3:18). We grow in grace (2Peter 3:18). We enjoy wonderful freedom (liberty) which we are to stand firm in (Galatians 5:1), and we bring forth fruit (John 15:16).

So there’s plenty for Christians to enjoy and do, as they continually grow and change, and become more effective in the tools of their new spiritual life.

BUT! If a Christian does not enter into relationship with God and into the wonderful provisions of the Holy Spirit in their life and experience, and if they are not being transformed and not bringing fruit, they will feel like something is wrong. Their faith experience will be empty.

One possible outcome of that sad situation is that the person becomes passive about their faith in Christ, because its only benefit seems far, far away, in heaven. They won’t have victory or joy, or hope in this life.

Another possibility is that a person will become obsessed with the Ticket to Heaven message, since that’s all that Christ seems to bring to people in practice (as they see it). They will hope to please God by being diligent about pushing their gospel message, but all they will have to offer is the hope of future blessing in heaven. They may become good at pointing out sin, and pressing the need for a saviour, but all those who respond will be brought into the same “gospel focused” empty Christian life.

Yet another possibility is that these empty Christians will throw themselves into one of many Christians obsessions, such as doctrines, special revelations, rules and regulations, religious rituals, campaigning against things they see wrong in the church, and so on.

It is vital that people get more than their ticket to heaven. They need to encounter God in living relationship. And encounter the Holy Spirit that gave them new life within. And engage with the reality and power of their new life, growing, being restored and built up, and producing fruit for God’s Kingdom.