Category: Forward

Hymn Therapy for an infusion of faith and renewed strength and direction

Hymn Therapy awakens the quiet spirit in the senior folk and they tap their feet and sing each word from memory when I, on occasion have to look at the lyrics to get them right.

Oh, the joy. And even more than that, what power.

Music has power. And add the doctrine and truth of the hymns and you’ve got healing, life, and energy being birthed before your eyes. Everyone in ear shot of the sounds are changed.

In need of breaking through a stressed and restless spirit, an increased tempo is played and then the story. This is actually Christian testimony, universal.

And I must admit, this medley is individually my Christian story.

You see, there comes that day when the heart is touched by the Lord and the decision is made to follow Jesus.

Choosing to give our back to the world and face to the cross gives us courage and strength against the temptations that come every day.

Pressing in closer to God and growing in His grace and knowledge of His precious Son brings relationship unlike any other we can obtain here on earth.

Jesus is a friend that sticks closer than a brother, (Proverbs 18:24).

What a Friend we have in Jesus, All our sins and griefs to bear. What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer.

Talking to Him through the day becomes a common occurrence.

But I will confess at this time, I fail often. I have let circumstance, and the reactions and responses of others to move me, especially in my home. I get discouraged, tired, and what seems, faith-less.

O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear, All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer!

How we need infusion of hymn therapy at times like this.

The very act of singing the hymn gives opportunity for the heart to confess to God our weaknesses, which He already knows,

and  our spirit is quickened again to what’s most important—faith that is pleasing to the Lord.

Are we weak and heavy-laden, cumbered with a load of care?

Yes, we are.

Precious Savior, still our refuge.

Oh, how we forget, especially drowning under the load of care.

What happens? What do we do?

Take it to the Lord in prayer, In His arms He’ll take and shield us.

He leads us to the cross.

His willingness, His surrender, His gentleness.

Can we find a friend so faithful? Who will all our sorrows share? Jesus knows our every weakness, Take it to the Lord in prayer.

Then our faith returns, we are healed in heart and God can once again use us to bear fruit.

I may fail, but my Lord is perfect. He is my help in times of trouble. Jesus knows our every weakness, we can take it to the Lord in prayer.

Will you decide now, to follow Jesus? Will you decide now, to follow Jesus? Will you decide now, to follow Jesus? No turning back, no turning back.

Whoever believes in the Son of God accepts this testimony.

 Whoever does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because they have not believed the testimony God has given about his Son. 

 And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 

 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life  1John 5:10-12.

If you decide now, to follow Jesus, simply talk with Him about washing away your sin. He’s paid the debt in full.

Ask Him to fill you with His Spirit. In His arms He’ll take and shield thee, Thou wilt find a solace there.

What a Friend we have in Jesus, all our sin and griefs to bear. What a privilege to carry, everything to God in prayer.

Joseph M. Scriven, What a Friend We Have in Jesus, 1855.

Source Unknown, Folk Melody from India, I Have Decided to Follow Jesus.

 

 

No Need to Worry. The Eye Reveals Why.

I don’t need to worry. Plain and simple. Why? 

A young college graduate on graduation day spoke to a crowd about the eye:

“I would like to say that now that we have our degree, we will not run into problems that we can’t handle, but truthfully no matter the type of degree, the number of years of experience, no matter the location, the support groups, the family, or the friendships, there will always come a time when we just don’t know the answer. It’s inevitable, so I want to encourage you with a little anatomy lesson:

Did you know that there are 47 different structures that make up the human eye that all have a unique function?

Did you know that there are 6 extra-ocular muscles, 4 cranial nerves, and 1.2 million nerve fibers in each optic nerve?

Did you know that when light waves touch my eye, without even thinking about it I blink to protect them from too much exposure? And when the amount of light changes, my pupillary -light response reacts without a thought so that only the right amount of light is let into my eye.

Did you know that there are four out of twelve cranial nerves that work specifically for the eye so that they can not only allow me to focus on a object and read it but also so that they can move in different directions.

There are 9 different structures that all play a specific role in receiving light messages before they even get to the brain! And it is not until those messages get to the occipital lobe of the brain that I can interpret what I am actually seeing.

The eyes receive millions of light waves and messages everyday, but my brain has a specific area that let’s only the important and significant messages through so that the brain doesn’t get over-stimulated.

And did you know that the God who told me to cast all my cares upon Him, and that He will never leave me nor forsake me, that I should be anxious for nothing, was the very One who designed this whole system and hundreds like it so that we can live and move and breathe every second.

And did you know that He didn’t have to lift a finger and didn’t sweat a drop to think of it, He just breathed on one man and He said that He knit us together and formed us in our mother’s womb before you were even a thought in her mind.

And now you tell me, what are you worried about? 

What will you be worried about when you come up to those hurdles that are bound to cross you path?

I want you to think of your eye and tell me, that your situation, your problem, your worry is TOO big for the GOD who created you and the world you live in to handle.” 

 ( Carolyn Rypkema at Lamplighting Ceremony at PBAU May 3,2012).

So today, I confess, I am much like a sheep that tends to forget these wonderful thoughts.

So, I take a moment, to think of my eye. What a marvelous creation of God.

My anxious heart is put to rest, and my thoughts are tested now to trust and let go.

Let go of worry, strife, pain, and fear and to think of my eye, and the Creator who knows all that I need. Oh, yes, He knows . . . much more than I.

 

 

Be Thou My Vision, Lord of My Heart

Thank you for all the encouragement in writing.

This is my new address, tonirypkema.com after writing on a WordPress site. I have so much to learn, but I hope that in my journey of starting from scratch and gleaning and growing along the way,

I actually bring encouragement to other people who desire to write.

The goal of mine is to lift all eyes to the One Who loves Everyone. The Creator of all things. The One who Rescued us from the world’s brokenness and sin. That the name that is above every name will be called on by all who read.

I pray that I keep my focus and remember the vision for each undertaking:

“Be Thou my Vision, Lord of my heart. Not be all else to me, save that Thou art. Thou my best thought by day or by night. Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light…”

I hope that by pulling out old words of wonder and glory, and God’s Word of truth, we’re able to “think on things that are good and of a good report” as we go about our days in this broken and thorn infested world. May God bless us in our journeys and walks following His steps, ever gracious and gentle, near beside us.

I hope to have many read aloud hymns of old and meditate on what is told. And bring a collage with God’s Word, poetry, hymns, psalms and testimonies to inspire and refresh.

“Be Thou my vision.” What do I see? Father, Son, Holy Spirit.  One God only, yet three. The Father sent the Son because of man’s fall, to crush the serpent’s head.  Thy word tells us all.

“Thou my best thought by day or by night.” Yes, Jesus came. Yes, Jesus died. But He didn’t stay on the cross . He rose from the dead in resurrection. Death brought life, not loss.

The vision is clear. As an ugly bulb is put into the ground, in the fall to simply die. But  it doesn’t stay there, dead forever. It springs up into life with color and favor.

“How that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures…”, says, Thou true word. “And that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.”  “According to the Scriptures,” We draw pictures in our mind as we read:

Even in Leviticus, (dreadful reading at times), You hide great treasures and portraits for Your children to find. Portraits of the resurrection, portraits of Your Son. How is a leper cleansed? It is spelled out in Leviticus 14:1.

Spelled out in Scripture, is a priest and two birds. One bird is killed over running water, then put into an earthen jar, not pretty, but true. And the second bird with cedar wood, scarlet and hyssop is dipped in the blood of that first dying bird, then released and set free, into the sky—an illustration of that brings glory to You.

“Be Thou my wisdom, Thou my true word, I ever with Thee and Thou with me Lord. thou my great Father, and I Thy true son, Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee, one.”

“Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we should walk in newness of life.” Romans 6:4.

Just as Christ was raised from the dead. And, “Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee, one.” Unified together. Victory is won.

“Be Thou my battle -shield. Sword for my fight! Be Thou my dignity, Thou my delight. Thought my souls shelter, Thou my high tower, Raise Thou me heavenward, O power, of my power!”

The sword of Your word tells me the “old man” was crucified. That my “body of sin” is done away. I no longer have to be a slave to the brokenness within. (Rom. 6:6)

“Thou my souls shelter, Thou my high tower. Raise Thou me heavenward, O power, of my power!”

“Riches I heed not. Nor man’s empty praise. Thou mine inheritance, now and always. Thou and Thou only, First in my heart. High King of Heaven, my treasure Thou art.”

“And that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory, even us whom He called…” (Romans 9:23).

“Vessels of mercy?” We were allowed to be broken, first. Then mercy was granted. Not giving us what we deserve. Loving us when we didn’t love back.

That someday, we might make known the riches of Your glory. Standing tall and proclaiming with sound on our own lips:  “Thou and Thou only, First in my heart, High King of Heaven, my treasure, Thou art.”

“High King of heaven, our victory won.  May I reach heaven’s joy, bright heaven’s Son. Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,

Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.”

So as we think on these things, great and mighty, we may trust and obey and follow Him more united. “Heart of my own heart, whatever befall, Still be my Vision, . . .  O Ruler of All.”

“Hallelujah, Amen.” Let us make these words “new” every time we sing them.

God, make our life a portrait of Your resurrection. Once dead, but now alive. Alive in You dear Jesus, for now – in good, and bad, in all that life brings, and forever, for the long haul, for all eternity.

“Heart of my own heart, whatever befall, still be my vision, O Ruler of all.”

Let us go forth empowered anew, as we walk through rough terrain and trials that prove long.

 

Before God parts the Red Sea, Just Keep Singing of God’s Victory

It was time for a new song. A new attitude. Of Faith and belief.

This happened to be the very beginnings of a New Year.

Those who came to the Sanctuary, for the first mid-week service of the New Year, of praise and pronouncing truth from God’s Word, heard the Pastor ask,

“What do you hear God speaking to you for this coming year?” Then he offered to share the mike.

Everyone was thinking, and some came forward to speak. I heard not audibly, mind you, but impressed upon my heart,

“Sing God’s victory song, before the victory.”
“Before I part the Red Sea, sing praises to My name.”

The starting is easy, it’s the persevering that’s tough. As the old saying goes, “It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish that counts.”

My thoughts often raced at an accelerated pace, filled with new courage, but then Fear came running to trip up the steps. But God is greater, each step of the way, my mind would gird up thoughts: “Guard your heart.

Guard your mind.

Guard your tongue. And then, God’s gentle Spirit would remind,  ‘The battle’s Mine:'”

“Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.” (Jeremiah 33:3).

The Word of God directs continually.

By February, only weeks after my “mountaintop moment,” I felt the crashing of waves and fear enveloped me.

The fight to praise was overcome by fretfulness.

God prepares us ahead of time, giving the remedy to stand and succeed.  Do you feel as me? Do you face a giant sea of circumstance? That always shouts out, “There is no chance!”

Then an army comes: Fatigue, Fear, Failure, and chariots of Doubt and Depression at my heart’s door. Their main goal is to defeat and destroy.

What is God’s plan for us? We must keep His plan in view and continue to walk in victory. The Battle is rough and we grow weak. Yes, the Lord watches us be as the disciple’s story in Mark 4:35:

On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side.”  Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him.  And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling.  But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?”

Can we remember to sing the victory song at such a time as this?

Oh, how sad to look as the disciples in my trials. Forgetting that God is on the boat with me. God’s Word is the remedy that I need.

“Lord Jesus, help me read, and receive, and let Your Word transform me. How I fail and become faint-hearted and forget that You care. I forget that You see. I forget that You are with me. My thoughts become circumstancial only, . . .
instead of praising Your Name, trusting fully.

Mark 4:39, Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.  But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?”
I am thankful that His voice sounds compassionate to my heart. Perhaps today, you and I can make a fresh new start.

Let us hear His voice, Be still, and know that I am God; Psalm 46:10.
Let get back on the horse again. Let us give God praise for being gentle and kind, and though we may stumble, we will not fall, “for the LORD upholds us with his hand.” Psalm 37:24.

Let us lift His Victorious name in the midst of our storm, and watch Him deliver us from all harm. Amen, He is able.
Amen. He loves.

Together we will worship and lift up His Glorious name. “Jesus, we thank You for Your love everlasting.”

Jesus died for sinners.

Jesus died for the guilty. This is a fact.

I’m guilty, is another fact.

Every living human being on this planet is guilty. Go ahead and blame Adam and Eve, but we would have done the same thing if we were them.

We’re naturally rebellious. We all struggle with temptation and curiosity. Doesn’t the wisdom of the world always sound like it makes more sense than God’s Word?

Science and scholars convince themselves (and everyone else) that the Bible is only mythology and fables.

But, what we believe doesn’t change who God is, His story, or His Word.

The Bible tells us that Jesus died for liars.

He died for haters.

He died for adulterers and murderers.

Jesus faced nails hammered into His hands, the agony, ridicule, and shame of the cross for the hopeless.

I wonder if our denying Him hurts more than all His scars put together? The spit, the tearing out of His beard. The harsh words, the cruel behavior, the flogging, the whipping.

He didn’t say, “Forget it Father, these people aren’t worth dying for.”

Instead, when it was all said and done, moments before dying, Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing . . . ” Luke 23:34.

Who can do this?

Jesus.

The human race is born spiritually blind and mute. Faith is the eye opener.

Do you know Jesus? Let an old hymn unlock Faith’s door:

I hear the Savior say,
Thy strength indeed is small,
child of weakness
Watch and Pray-
find in Me – thine all in all.

Jesus paid it all,
all to Him I owe.
Sin had left a crimson stain
He washed it white as snow!

He washed our stain of sin, white as snow. That’s why we make a big deal about Jesus. His power changes us when we ask forgiveness and believe in His name.

Lord, now indeed I find
Thy pow’r and Thine alone,
Can change the leper’s spots
And melt the heart of stone.

A heart of stone made soft? Change from the inside out?

That’s what Jesus does. And He humbles us of pride:

For nothing good have I
Where-by Thy grace to claim;
I’ll wash my garments white
In the blood of Calv’ry’s Lamb.

Nothing good on my part, save believing on all He has done.

Jesus paid it all. He suffers long and waits. And when we receive Him, life everlasting is ours for the taking:

And when, before the throne,
I stand in Him complete,
“Jesus died my soul to save,”
My lips shall still repeat. 

“Sin had left a crimson stain,

He washed it white as snow.”

Planted by Streams of Water – a forward by Jared Rypkema

“He [the blessed man] is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither.  In all that he does, he prospers.”  -psalm 1:3

If there was ever a time a son could say, “my mom is the greatest woman I know,” this is it.  It may have taken me years to get out of my teens and realize it, but I have.
I’m so glad you’re here.
My mom would never write this post herself, so this is my forward and my encouragement to the woman who has meant the world to me, my father, and every one of my 10 brothers and sisters.
This passage in Psalms is one of her favorites.  I’m pretty sure I was five the first time she had us memorize the whole thing.  And when I sat down to write this first post, it’s the only thing that came to mind.
It was a little over 25 years ago that my mom was happily expecting her first child.  Little did she know how many  lives she would be intricately a part of at that time, and the things life would throw her way.  But she did know then that Jesus could do anything, and that if she planted herself by his stream, she would be ok.  Today, after successfully  raising 5 children, marrying 2, continuing with the last 6, surviving breast cancer, and many more things we’d call accomplishments, she knows more than ever.
Of course, nothing’s really been easy.  But if you know anything about Toni Rypkema, it’s that she’s always been patiently planted by that stream. Even when at times there has been no fruit, the water has felt like a trickle, and her way hasn’t seemed prosperous.
But that’s the greatest thing about her. She still knows it’s Jesus that holds her, and so she patiently waits.
If you’re looking for what it means to sit by the river of living water, you’ve come to the right place.  Here my mom will share with you her story.  Through the days, you’ll see what has shaped her in this life, but I can promise you one thing, you’ll always find Jesus in her posts and encouragement in her thoughts.
It’s just who she is.
P.S – Follow her on facebook to read many posts from her pre-blog days and see pictures of her family.