A gift you can give

Everytime I see John (not his real name) he asks me to pray for him. Invariably, when we bow our heads and I pray, he cries, touched by the love of God. It’s been my privilege to pray for and with too many people to count over the years; at the front of the church during prayertime, as they lay in a hospital bed, in their living room, when we meet in the supermarket, over a meal in a restaurant, when we connect by phone. Monday I prayed for the Senators of the state of New Jersey when I was invited to bring the invocation in their session. 

Sometimes my prayer is just “Jesus, help my friend!”  Sometimes it is long, usually brief, in simple language, not eloquent. Regardless of the words or place, prayer is a holy moment, earth touching heaven!

I, too, have been given the gift of prayer, lifted before the Father by others in times of need in my own life.  I remember, with deep emotion, those moments when friends have come alongside of me to pray for me - for encouragement, for healing, for spiritual renewal. Their love is most evident when they speak to God on my behalf.

We all need the prayers of others. St. Paul, himself, wrote to his friends in Thessalonica and concluded his letter with this request - “Finally, dear brothers and sisters, I ask you to pray for us… that we will be saved from wicked and evil people.”   (2 Th 3:1) 

One of the primary ways that Christians can serve the purposes of God in this world is to pray - for others and for the world’s needs. God told the people of Israel “if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine,  you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.”  (Exodus 19:5) 

Centuries later, Peter wrote to Christians to tell them that they were called to be "a chosen people. You are a kingdom of priests, God’s holy nation, his very own possession. This is so you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light." (1 Peter 2:9, NLT)  John, in the Revelation, says “He (Jesus Christ) has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father.” (Revelation 1:6)

The work of a priest is to represent God to the world and to carry the world into the Presence of God!  That work in not reserved for some special class of person or for those who stand in front of a Christian congregation to administer the sacraments. In Christ we (*you and me!) are called to the priesthood of Believers, to share the goodness of God with others, to carry them before God in prayer. This is not a duty, it is a high and holy calling, a privilege given to everyone.

Our prayers need not be long or filled with religious cliches to be heard in Heaven. We pray from our heart, with faith that God hears. We are not concerned with ‘answers’ or ‘results.’ We are just faithful in the work.

Let me ask you - do you pray for others?
If presented with the opportunity will you pray for a friend in need, stepping into God’s Presence together?

This is a gift everyone can give.

Pray - for your spouse, for your children, for your church, for your pastor, for the nation, for the world, for the advance of the Gospel message, for peace, for the Light of Christ to break through the darkness - and in a thousand other ways! Be ready, in an instant, to bow your head to do priestly work for the world around you. In this you will find great joy and make a difference, though often unseen, when your prayers are heard at the Throne of God.

Let me pray a wonderful prayer for you today. Though they are the words of a prayer Paul first prayed, they are my heart for you. Receive the gift!

"I pray that from His glorious, unlimited resources God will give you mighty inner strength through his Holy Spirit. And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts as you trust in him. May your roots go down deep into the soil of God’s marvelous love. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love really is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is so great you will never fully understand it. Then you will be filled with the fullness of life and power that comes from God." (Ephesians 3:16-19, NLT)  Will join me in agreement?  Let’s say it together - Amen!

(Video of this blog at this link)

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Lord I Need You

Lord I come I confess

Bowing here I find my rest

And without You I fall apart

You're the one that guides my heart

 

Lord I need You oh I need You

Ev'ry hour I need You

My one defense my righteousness

Oh God how I need You

 

Where sin runs deep Your grace is more

Where grace is found is where You are

And where You are Lord I am free

Holiness is Christ in me

Where You are Lord I am free

Holiness is Christ in me

 

So teach my song to rise to You

When temptation comes my way

And when I cannot stand I'll fall on You

Jesus You're my hope and stay

And when I cannot stand I'll fall on You

Jesus You're my hope and stay

 

Lord I need You oh I need You

Ev'ry hour I need You

My one defense my righteousness

Oh God how I need You

My one defense my righteousness

Oh God how I need You

 

Christy Nockels | Daniel Carson | Jesse Reeves | Kristian Stanfill | Matt Maher

© 2011 sixsteps Music; Sweater Weather Music; Thankyou Music; Valley Of Songs Music; worshiptogether.com songs

CCLI License # 810055

 

Peace? Really?

Christians talk about peace; peace with God, the peace of God. Sometimes I wonder if it is just that - talk? Ours is not a planet of serenity. Congress debates $billions in weapons designed for death and destruction. The President of Ukraine pleads for increasingly lethal bombs to meet the Russian army. Israel and Gaza are caught up in a dance to the death with unimagineable suffering that is ongoing. Some streets in major cities of America have become dangerous because roving gangs believe that the way to settle a dispute is with a bullet in someone's head. 

Our political parties fill the news with endless jousting for power, arguing from the extremes of policty so often, the middle ground a no-man’s land. Then, too, the Church which ought to be an oasis of peace can be, and too often is, full of factions struggling for control. Closer to home, we see the family unit under seige. Stress, pressure, and missed expectations make too many homes anything but peaceful. Capping this sad list, we know that anxiety is America’s most common mental health problem as people try to cope with life.

Is this peace for which we yearn possible?
It is, but not in the way we commonly think. Peace will not be found in gaining power, getting our way, or controlling more resources.

True peace is a gift of God, found in Christ Jesus, received by faith. 

Here is His invitation. "Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke fits perfectly, and the burden I give you is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30, NLT)  Sounds good, right? Note that He does not invite us to retreat from life, to escape from responsibilities. “Take my yoke… it fits perfectly.” 

Christ Jesus invites us to become His followers, to learn the way He desires us to live, so that we can carry life’s responsibilities without the weight chafing us, in a way that has meaning, purpose, and with reward. He will not meet us with power, bossing us around, abusing us. He will work with us because the Lord of Glory is ‘humble and gentle.’   Peace is not discovered in some paradise; it grows from inside out, the result of learning God’s ways.

Jesus says, for example, that we set aside offense, offering forgiveness to others. Not once or twice, but always!  We give our ‘enemies’ to Him, trusting Him to bring about justice in His time. IF we will do this, we can find peace.

In another example, He tells us to abandon the quest for building great treasure, choosing instead to ‘lay up treasures in Heaven.’  When He is our Master, we learn about the meaning of real wealth and are released from the endless striving for stuff! In this, there is peace.

Peace must be pursued. It will not simply break over us like sun through the clouds. We find peace in the practices of the Spirit, in putting ‘first things, first.’  Let me say it again. Peace begins within us, a work of the Spirit of God, accomplished in us as we choose to open our minds and hearts to Christ Jesus each day in faith.

I love the story that Mark tells about an ordinary day when Jesus’ friends learned about how He creates peace. They were sailing across the little Sea of Galilee when their small boat was caught in a storm. Jesus had fallen asleep in the back of the boat. What a testimony to the power of inner peace that picture is! His friends grew frantic as the storm increased in intensity. Finally, they scream at the sleeping Jesus, "Don't you care that we're about to die?" "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." (Mark 4:39, NKJV) 

How many times have we watched the storms blowing up around us and felt the panic rising?  We feel the sting of another’s rejection. We live with criticism. Money runs short again. Health issues arise. That promising business deal flops. Some personal sin returns.  What then?

Will we screamed at God with bitterness or accusation?  "Don't you care that I'm about to be swept under? Where are You?"

Or will we turn to Him in confident faith, laying our need before Him, renewed in supernatural peace?

From a lifetime of walking with Jesus, I can assure you that He is near. Time after time I have known His presence with me and felt the ‘peace that passes human understanding’ flow over me.

If you're afraid today, or in turmoil, or at war - come to Jesus, the Peace-maker. Invite Him to speak to your storms.

Here's a word from the Word to meditate on for a few moments today.  Don’t miss the profound promise because the words are so familiar. "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:6-7, NKJV)

(Video of this blog at this link)

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Good God Almighty
(Yes, He is a good God, the Almighty.
Find joy in this happy song today)

I can't count the times

I've called Your name some broken night

And You showed up and patched me up

Like You do every time

I get amnesia I forget that You keep coming around

Yeah ain't no way You'll ever let me down

 

Good God Almighty

I hope You'll find me

Praising Your Name no matter what comes

'Cause I know where I'd be

Without Your mercy

So I keep praising Your name at the top of my lungs

 

Tell me is He good (He's good)

Tell me is He God (He's God)

He is Good God Almighty

 

You say Your love goes on forever

That Your mercy never stops

So why would I assume

You'd be somebody that You're not

Like sun in the morning

I know You're gonna be there every day

So what on earth could make me be afraid

 

Praise Him in the morning

Praise Him in the noon time

Praise Him when the sun goes down

Love Him in the morning

Love Him in the noon time

Love Him when the sun goes down

 

Jesus in the morning

Jesus in the noon time

Jesus when the sun goes down

Jesus in the morning

Jesus in the noon time

Jesus when the sun goes down

 

Ben Glover | David Crowder | Jeff Sojka

© 2021 9t One Songs (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)

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sixsteps Music (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)

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CCLI License # 810055

Be my “Prince of Peace”

My head hit the pillow last night after a Sunday filled with good. I was privileged to worship in a beautiful building dedicated to God. I connected with friends, sharing laughter and encouragement. I taught my little class of middle school students about the coming King of Glory. Yet, when the lights went off and I gave voice to prayer, the suffering of millions around this world who are caught in the crossfire of war, who exist on the edge of starvation, who are tormented by those more powerful weighed on me. 

For more than a hundred years governments spent $billions to attempt to create peace and yet the 20^th century was the bloodiest in human history.  With all of our education and advances this world still teeters on the brink of war. Yes, it made me anxious!  Perhaps for you the anxiety is much closer to home - a chronic illness, a broken heart, money troubles, or just the ordinary irritants of everyday life.

Here is the passage on which I meditated last night as I prayed for peace - personally and in this world. "Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." (1 Peter 5:6-7, NIV)   There are two directives for us there.

First is “humble yourselves under God’s mighty hand.”  
Peter knew the subtle seduction of pride that invites us to attempt self-sufficiency. When Jesus warned him that he was about to go through a time of intense temptation, that he was a target of Satan, he bragged before the other disciples: “Lord, I am ready to go to prison with you, and even to die with you.” (Luke 22:33, NLT)  Hours later, when questioned by a servant girl about his relationship to Jesus, he swore “I never knew him!”  He became the victim of his own bravado!

Like toddlers experiencing independence, we may declare -“I can do it myself.”  And just like those same toddlers who find themselves frustrated by their inability to actually do what they thought they could do, we find ourselves at the end of our patience, without peace, sometimes in a worse mess for all our flailing about to make it better. Or, am I just talking about myself?  A step on the pathway to peace is choosing to be humble, acknowledging our weakness, our fear, our inability to control our own lives, much less the world in which we live. In that choice, we then turn to the One who speaks to the storm, who quiets the waves, who holds us securely in His grasp. We say, from the heart, “Lead on, O King Eternal!” 

Second we are urged to  “Cast all your anxiety on Him.” 
In another season of life, I wrestled with anxious thoughts often in the dark hours of early morning.  You may smile at my choice, but it was effective for me. I would think of those things that were keeping me awake, that were robbing me of peace, and imagine that I held them in my hand, then I literally would turn my hand upward, open my hand and think of handing those things to Jesus. It was a kind of visualized prayer. 

Peter’s words tell us to throw our cares onto His shoulders, that He is willing to carry our load!  

The Gospel song says -
“Are you weary, are you heavy-hearted? Tell it to Jesus!
Do you fear the gath'ring clouds of sorrow? Tell it to Jesus!
Are you anxious what shall be tomorrow? Tell it to Jesus alone!
You've no other such a friend or brother. Tell it to Jesus alone.”

This second week of Advent we are invited to peace. Let’s make it more than a nice thought. Let’s live in peace.

The word from the Word speaks of the One who came to us in Bethlehem. Pray with me “be my Prince of Peace.”   "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this." (Isaiah 9:6-7, NIV)

(Video of this blog at this link)

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Tell It to Jesus

(Willie Nelson sings the song)

Are you weary are you heavyhearted

Tell it to Jesus

Are you grieving over joys departed

Tell it to Jesus alone

Tell it to Jesus

He's a friend that's well known

Tell it to Jesus alone

You've no other such a friend or brother

Tell it to Jesus alone

Do the tears flow down your cheeks unbidden

Tell it to Jesus

Have you sins that to men's eyes are hidden

Tell it to Jesus alone

 

Do you fear the gath'ring clouds of sorrow

Tell it to Jesus

Are you anxious what shall be tomorrow

Are you troubled at the thought of dying

Tell it to Jesus

For Christ's coming kingdom are you sighing

Tell it to Jesus alone

 

Public Domain

No empty words

“Talk is cheap” so goes the phrase meaning that what a person says is made worthless if not matched with actions. We all like that person who follows through on his promises, don’t we?  I recently purchased new windows for my home. My first meeting was with a salesperson who obviously was a great talker. Barry knew all the ‘right’ things to say, emphasizing the quality of their product, listening for cues for what I thought I needed. Not being born yesterday, I listened to him for an hour trying to discern between the sales hype and the facts. I made the deposit starting the process. When the project manager came to measure the openings for window production and to determine what would be needed for the installation, I found a few discrepancies between the salesman’s assurance about how it would be done and the reality. The manager made me smile when he said “The guys in sales have one job - close the deal!  I have to make it work.”  A couple of days ago the job was finished and I am pleased with the results!

Jesus asks those of us who bear His Name to watch our words! In His Sermon on the Mount He tells us “You don’t make your words true by embellishing them with religious lace. In making your speech sound more religious, it becomes less true. Just say ‘yes’ and ‘no.’ When you manipulate words to get your own way, you go wrong.” (The Message,  Matthew 5:34-37) A stinging accusation made by unbelievers about Christians is one dealing with hypocrisy. We give fuel to our critics if we say things that are not true about our faith, if we try to sound more ‘religious’ than we are, when we cover our fear or doubt with brave but insincere proclamation. Better to keep quiet than to lie by implication. When we are authentic, admitting to gaps we have yet to close between our profession of and our actions, we when admit that we have yet to understand some of the mysteries of faith, we do well.

God is offended when we come to Him with songs of worship unmatched by the state of our heart. His words are strong!  “I hate, I despise your religious feasts; I cannot stand your assemblies. Even though you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Though you bring choice fellowship offerings, I will have no regard for them. Away with the noise of your songs! I will not listen to the music of your harps. But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!" (Amos 5:20-24, NIV)  IF we what sing and say on Sunday morning is disconnected from how we live on Monday, it is more than insincere, it is a sin in the eyes of God Himself.

Oh yes, we do sometimes speak and/or sing from a place of faith, knowing the truth, but yet to fully own it for ourselves. That is not wrong, if we understand that we are work in progress and admit honestly to our humanity.  For example, I love to sing “Great is Thy Faithfulness” in worship. The lyrics are an affirmation of the amazing goodness of God. Do I always feel that kind of assurance?  Not at all. Sometimes I grow frustrated by what seems to be unfulfilled promises. As raise my voice to sing “Morning by morning new mercies I see; All I have needed Thy hand hath provided. Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me” another part of me says, “But, God, what about ….?”  My desire in those moments is not to cover my doubts but to confess them, asking that my song informs my growing faith.

The same holds true for my engagement with Scripture. There are passages that offer wonderful hope but that I have not fully owned in faith.  I read them with a prayer for inspiration, that God, the Holy Spirit, will write them into my mind and heart so that the Truth shapes my life.

Worship and contemplative prayer are indispensable parts of the life of the Christian who desires spiritual growth and authencity.  In such moments, we need not make ‘noise’ to impress God, need not spill out a torrent of words to sell Jesus, are freed from the need to create an image of spirituality.  In the Presence of God there is healing and growth; we are led to become real, going beyond cheap talk to the true value of holy living.

Here is a word from the Word. In this passage we are challenged and encouraged at the same time, reminded that God sees and knows the truth about us while assured that Jesus is our “Great High Priest” praying for us. May we be people who are authentic disciples, who match our profession of faith with our possession of faith. "For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." (Hebrews 4:11-16, NIV)   Hallelujah, what a Savior!

(Video of this blog at this link)

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Make My Life A Prayer

Make my life a prayer to You,

I want to do what you want me to,

No empty words, no white lies,

No token prayers, no compromise,

 

I want to shine the Light You gave,

through Your Son You sent to save us,

from ourselves and our despair,

it comforts me to know You're really there.

 

Well, I want to thank You now for being patient with me,

Oh, it's so hard to see, when my eyes on me!

 

I guess, I'll have trust and just believe what You say,

Lord, You're coming again, Coming to take me away.

 

Melody Green © 1978 EMI Music (Admin. by EMI Christian Music

Publishing; Admin. by BMG Music Publishing

CCLI License No. 810055

A Captive of Conceit?

Skipp was a former pastor, by most accounts a good and tender shepherd but his life had changed completely.  When I knew him he had become an active opponent of all things “Christian.” He even wrote a book about the reversal - Jesus Doesn’t Live Here Anymore. One day we were talking over our Chinese lunch about life and religion. He gently mocked my faith as something very much like a little child’s belief in Santa Claus or the tooth fairy.  How exactly he came to those ‘new’ conclusions I cannot know, but it was obvious to me that a pride rooted in his intellect had overtaken him making him a captive of conceit.

Conceit is not a new thing.  Scripture has many stories of those who were blinded by pride.
Saul lost his mind and his throne when his conceit led him to reject the will of God for his own wisdom. Samuel challenged him to remember that “to obey is better than sacrifice’ but the warning fell on deaf ears.
Solomon came to his place as king and gave himself to self-aggrandizing work which he declared was ‘vanity’ near the end of his life.  
Herod, king at the time of Jesus’ birth, heard of the new King from the Magi and reacted in pride, killing the baby boys of Bethlehem in an attempt to hold onto his throne.
Judas, the betrayer of Jesus, failed in faith, thinking only of himself.

Are you tempted by conceit, thinking that you surely know what you should do,
resistant to the will of God?

Do you read His Word with judgment,
rejecting and questioning, rather than receiving it and living it?

The Proverb goes to the heart of the matter: "Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him." (Proverbs 26:12, NIV)  

Isaiah, the eloquent preacher of Jerusalem, said: "Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter. Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight." (Isaiah 5:20-21, NIV)

Let me be clear about this. There is mystery to the will of God for us sometimes. His ways are ‘higher than our ways’ and we may find ourselves confounded by our experiences. I have no idea why God allowed my late wife to suffer through 20 months of cancer and then took her home to Heaven 8 years ago. The questions are real and I do not escape into denial or easy explanations. But, I refuse to become a captive of the conceit of my own mind, claiming that I know better and turning bitter.  I choose to trust in humility.  And know this - I make no case for silly superstition or so-called ‘proof text’ Christianity that finds a verse of the Bible for every situation, often drawn out of context, to explain life!  Living for Christ is a walk of faith, a daily discovery of grace and a choice to live with the mysteries of faith, even as we pray to understand and are students of God, His Word, and the world in which we live.  

Someone has said that we can stand on the simple declaration - “Jesus loves me!”  For me that is oh so true. I may not be able to unravel the tangled threads of evil in this present world. The future remains an unseen and known only to Him - but I am assured of His great love.  This season of Advent I renew my HOPE by going back to the story that John summarizes this way:  “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God did not send his Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it." (John 3:16-17, NLT)  In this I stand secure.  How about you?

Do not became a captive of conceit, wise in your own eyes. Choose humility. Enter times of prayer, not to argue or plead with God, but to wait on Him, to listen for His voice, to offer genuine worship. You will find life ‘to the full’ in His Presence.

The word from the Word challenges us to make the choice of humility. Will you?  "Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up." (James 4:10, NIV)   "All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time." (1 Peter 5:5-6, NIV)

(Video of this blog at this link)

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My Faith Looks Up To Thee (Olivet)

My faith looks up to Thee

Thou Lamb of Calvary

Saviour divine

Now hear me while I pray

Take all my guilt away

O let me from this day

Be wholly Thine

 

May Thy rich grace impart

Strength to my fainting heart

My zeal inspire

As Thou hast died for me

O may my love to Thee

Pure warm and changeless be

A living fire

 

While life's dark maze I tread

And grief's around me spread

Be Thou my guide

Bid darkness turn to day

Wipe sorrow's tears away

Nor let me ever stray

From Thee aside

 

When ends life's transient dream

When death's cold sullen stream

Shall o'er me roll

Blest Saviour then in love

Fear and distrust remove

O bear me safe above

A ransomed soul

 

Words: Public Domain

What keeps us moving forward?

It’s Monday!  We are starting a new week. It’s the beginning of December, the sprint to the end of the year: finishing up those projects, getting the books ready to close … and yes, we are just three weeks from Christmas!  Does all that energize you or feel like a weight on your shoulders?  Do you anticipate the start of a new year or want to curl up on the couch and let the world pass you by?  I will admit to a some of both responses. There are days when life presents me with opportunities that draw me into a new day and there are times when I feel nothing but tired; same old stuff again. 

Some of you are old enough to remember a series of Dunkin™ commercials featuring Fred, the baker, who sleepily pushed open the door as he said - "Time to make the donuts."  The phrase entered our American language as a short-hand way to acknowledge the grind that life can become.

Advent calls us to renewal and this week we focus on HOPE.  

God spoke to the world, sending His Son to restore us to His family. In Christ Jesus, we become ‘new creations,’ people who are given a ‘new name,’ with the promise of eternal life. This is our HOPE! And, we also remember that He promised to return to us to bring His kingdom, to give justice, to defeat forever the power of evil that blights this world.  IF those truths are planted deep into our minds and hearts, we will not fall prey to despair, overcome by weariness.  The Word urges us to "…continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel." (Colossians 1:23, NIV)

Hope grows strong when supported by faith and fact - faith in the love of our Father and resting on the fact of His love and care, shown to us in Jesus. Many things in our lives will conspire to obscure His love, to keep us from the spiritual disciplines that keeps our faith intact even as life’s uncertainties pound on us, sometimes unrelentingly.  

Worship is incredibly important, even when we do not ‘feel’ like it. We present ourselves to God - sometimes in His congregation in a church building, sometimes as we drive alone in our car, sometimes in the loneliest hours of the early morning - and we acknowlege His worth.  We learn to pray - often without words- waiting for the Spirit quietly- and faith is made stronger so that our hope is established and firm.

Our hope for today is shaped around a faith-filled grasp on eternity.  There is false hope that will disappoint us. If we are tricked by our culture to believe that Self must served, that real fulfillment will come from more - money, leisure, sex, acclaim, or recognition - we will start to chase a mirage - exhausting ourselves trying to find the ‘promise’ we are so certain exists just over the next hill! Peter points us of the true center of our hope: “be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed." (1 Peter 1:13, NIV)  There is more at stake that we can see in this moment. We are not yet all we will be, nor have we experienced ALL that God has prepared for us.

What a moment when Christ comes again or we enter His presence at our earthly death. Sin’s power will at last be fully broken. Struggles with temptation, suffering brought by the evil that surrounds us, the brokeness of a world that often does not seem to work as it should - will be gone forever, the ‘grace’ gift of perfection then completely ours. Oh what a hope!

Today, if you are feeling like old Fred, the baker, pushing wearily along because it is ‘time to make the donuts,’ I encourage you to carve some time for worship, to look to God, to invite the Holy Spirit to find you where you are.  Simply ask Him to clear your vision and let you see the hope of His children - the full salvation freely given us in His Son Jesus.  IF tears come, let them fall. They are language He understands. If frustration boils to the surface, tell Him with an open heart. If joy finds you, praise Him and thank Him for renewed HOPE.

The word from the Word is a short and simple phrase. Take it with you into your world today. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure."  So, "Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful." (Hebrews 6:19, 10:23, NIV)

(Video of this blog at this link)

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I Go To The Rock

Where do I go
When there's no one else to turn to
Who do I talk to
When no one wants to listen
Who do I lean on
When there's no foundation stable
I go to the Rock I know that's able
I go to the Rock

I go to the Rock of my salvation
Go to the Stone that the builder rejected
Run to the Mountain and the Mountain stands by me
The earth all around me is sinking sand
On Christ the solid Rock I stand

When I need a shelter when I need a friend
I go to the Rock

Where do I hide
'Til the storms have all passed over
Where do I run to
When the winds of sorrow threaten
Is there a refuge
In the time of tribulation
When my soul needs consolation
I go to the Rock

Dottie Rambo © 1977 New Spring (Admin. by Brentwood-Benson Music Publishing, Inc.)

CCLI License # 810055

 

Looking Forward!

Are you anticipating Christmas? It is the most anticipated holiday on our annual calendar. Kids start to dream about Christmas gifts in October. Decorations appear in many places weeks in advance. Christians observe the season of Advent, remembering the arrival of the Baby in Bethlehem and the promise of the Second Coming of the King of Glory - or do they?  For many the lovely story of a baby’s birth, angel’s songs, and worshipping shepherds largely obscures the promise of the Return of the Lord.  Yet, there is great hope to be found when we renew our hope, looking forward.

Paul was inspired to write to the little band of Believers in Thessalonica around 55 A.D. about that very thing. They were going through tough times, rejected by friend and family for their faith, persecuted by an empire that thought of them as subversives who undermined the stability of society. They were not told to minimize their troubles or even to pray for prosperity, amazingly enough to us modern Christians. Rather, the Word tells them to focus on the promise of coming justice.  

"God will use this persecution to show his justice. For he will make you worthy of his Kingdom, for which you are suffering, and in his justice he will punish those who persecute you. And God will provide rest for you who are being persecuted and also for us when the Lord Jesus appears from heaven.

He will come with his mighty angels, in flaming fire, bringing judgment on those who don’t know God and on those who refuse to obey the Good News of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction, forever separated from the Lord and from his glorious power when he comes to receive glory and praise from his holy people. And you will be among those praising him on that day, for you believed what we testified about him." (2 Thessalonians 1:5-10, NLT)

Christians anticipate the rest and reward He will bring, joyfully offering worship to Christ, the King. The Believers are assured that the Spirit will work in them to keep them secure, that He will ‘make them worthy.’  The message of the Second Coming was not and never should be a source of fear to those who are ‘in Christ.’  It is our “Blessed Hope.”  We do not save ourselves nor is the reward conditioned on our perfection. We welcome the King who is full of grace, who works in us and through us to ‘transform us into beings of light.’

But, His justice will also bring ‘destruction’ and separation for those who refuse the goodness of the Lord! What a sobering truth.

American Christians have come to believe that Jesus’ Gospel means ‘our best life now.’  We agonize about our trials and difficulties, prone to complain and wonder why. Truth is we are called to live with radical hope for a Kingdom to come, our richest and fullest reward to be found on the Day of His Return. Oh yes, Jesus does give meaning and purpose to this present life. We live in love and enjoy an ‘abundant life’ even as we deal with a world that is fallen, with evil that is real, with the ongoing complications of sin - in us and around us. But if we hope for some kind of Heaven on earth, we will grow fearful, doubtful, or disillusioned - many do and leave the faith!

Choose differently. This Advent, no matter how life is presently shaped, look forward. Let the hope of the Coming King keep you steady in faith, anticipating the good to come, even as you share the salvation of the Lord Jesus with those who have yet to know His grace.

Let’s raise our voices with Isaac Watts who wrote these words that we sing in this Season.

Joy to the world the Lord has come,
Let earth receive her King,
Let ev'ry heart, prepare Him room;
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven heaven and nature sing!

He rules the world with truth and grace
And makes the nations prove;
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders and wonders of His love!

(Video of this blog at this link)

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Joy to the World
*a link to enjoy the song!

Values?

“One man’s junk is another’s treasure!”  The saying is a simple way of recognizing our very different values.  One person values a newer car, another her clothing.
One person is driven to accumulate money, another spends lavishly.
One loves lots of stuff, another loves simplicity. 
One loves a cheeseburger, another a steak!
I dress in rather plain black, brown, and gray clothes, others dress in bold primary colored clothing.

We naturally tend to think that ‘our way’ is the ‘best way,’ seeing those who do not share our values as deficient in some way, just ‘wrong!’ 

There is a value that Jesus says is universal. Above all, Christians are called to value eternity, letting the hope of Heaven shape today’s choices. “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where they can be eaten by moths and get rusty, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where they will never become moth-eaten or rusty and where they will be safe from thieves. Wherever your treasure is, there your heart and thoughts will also be." (Matthew 6:19-21, NLT) Is Heaven real to you today?  In your actions today will you reflect the love of Jesus, actively reject worthless things, and treasure what God loves?

Let me tell you a true story about one of my heroes. 70 years ago, a bright young man from Portland, Oregon, a gifted leader who might have had a great career in business, chose a very different path from the other men in his college class. He followed the call of Jesus Christ to Ecuador where he served in a small missions outreach station. Three years later he felt the call into the Amazonian jungles. The Spirit of the Lord was leading him to tell the Life Story to a group of native people in those jungles who were extremely hostile to 'outsiders.' Jim Elliott and four other men prepared to reach out to the Waorani people for weeks, flying their little yellow Piper Cub over their villages dropping gifts and looking for a response.

When they felt it was safe, Nate Saint, their pilot, landed their little plane on a river beach where they created a camp, hoping to make contact with the Waoranis. On On January 8, 1956, 28-year-old American was martyred. After having a few friendly contacts those young fathers were killed by the spears of warriors with whom they hoped to share the love of Jesus. The following year, his wife, Elizabeth Elliott, along with her daughter, and the wife of the pilot who was killed, Rachel Saint, moved to live with the same tribal people and taught them about Jesus Christ. (a fuller account can be found at this link - https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justin-taylor/they-were-no-fools-60-years-ago-today-the-martyrdom-of-jim-elliot-and-four-other-missionaries/ )

How does a person explain the values of people who live like that? Some probably read that account and think, “What a waste, what a foolish way to end a life of promise.”  Jim Elliott knew a different value, one shaped by the call of Christ and the promise of eternity.   

Years before, the college student was challenged by Christ’s call and wrote in his journal on October 28, 1949 - "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep, to gain what he cannot lose." His words are just a restatement of Jesus’ own words - "Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." (Matthew 10:39, NIV) Was Elliot perfect? Not at all. He was a man of his time who got some things wrong. But, his love for God is beyond question.

Don’t take away the wrong conclusion that the only way to please God is to leave home and family to teach in a missions school on the other side of the world!  Don’t assume that God demands that every one of us moves to a religious community or becomes a pastor. He asks you and me to belong to Him, to put Him first - right where we are, at this time in our lives. 

We ask -

How am I spending my time?
Where am I spending my resources?
Does the way I treat others reflect that Jesus is my Savior and Lord?
Who do I love most - Self or God?

The best life grows out of our devotion and love for God. We are deceived if we believe that serving Him is a joyless life of grinding duty. It is the pathway to life to the full - here and in Heaven.

May this word from the Word take hold of our imagination and guide us today.  Jesus “said to another person, “Come, be my disciple.” The man agreed, but he said, “Lord, first let me return home and bury my father.” Jesus replied, “Let those who are spiritually dead care for their own dead. Your duty is to go and preach the coming of the Kingdom of God.”  Another said, “Yes, Lord, I will follow you, but first let me say good-bye to my family.” But Jesus told him, “Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:57-62, NLT)

(Video of this blog at this link)

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I Will Follow

Where You go I'll go

Where You stay I'll stay

When You move I'll move

I will follow

Oh oh oh

All Your ways are good

All Your ways are sure

I will trust in You alone

Higher than my sight

High above my life

I will trust in You alone

Where You go I'll go

Where You stay I'll stay

When You move I'll move

I will follow You

Whom You love I'll love

How You serve I'll serve

If this life I lose

I will follow (You)

Light into the world

Light into my life

I will live for You alone

You're the One I seek

Knowing I will find

All I need in You alone

In You alone

In You there's life everlasting

In You there's freedom for my soul

In You there's joy unending joy

And I will follow

Yeah I will follow You yeah

I will follow You yeah

I will follow You yeah

 

Chris Tomlin | Jason Ingram | Reuben Morgan

© 2010 Rising Springs Music; SHOUT! Music Publishing Australia; Vamos Publishing; worshiptogether.com songs; Spirit Nashville Three; So Essential Tunes; Spirit Nashville Three

CCLI License # 810055

The Future You Are Preparing

The process of harvest fascinates me. In recent weeks I have pulled my car to the side of the road a couple of times to watch the farmer’s amazing machine cut the corn stalks and separate the kernels from the ear. Somewhere in the field there is a truck where that bountiful crop is collected.  I am not a farmer but I understand this - no farmer goes to the field where he planted corn expecting to harvest soybeans! A Googel search informed me that a kernel of seed corn produces about 600 kernels at harvest! That’s an amazing ratio, if true. 

All of that leads me to ponder the thought of the harvest of my own life’s efforts. What kind of future am I preparing? I (*and you) most certainly are preparing tomorrow with today’s choices.  Yes, I know that there are varibles that sometimes obscure the ‘cause and effect’ of life. Just as the farmer deals with storms, floods, drought, pests, and plant disease that effects his crop, we will also have to cope with unexpected circumstances in life, BUT the laws of harvest remain. We are planting the seeds of tomorrow’s harvest today!

We harvest of the seed we plant.
We harvest only after we plant.
We harvest more than we plant.
We harvest in proportion to how much we plant.

Hosea, a preacher in ancient Israel, told the people - "Sow for yourselves righteousness, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the LORD, until he comes and showers righteousness on you." (Hosea 10:12, NIV)

A person who lives in love, will find love returned.
A person who serves, will find himself served.
A person who prioritizes the things of God, will find life beyond survival.
A person who responds in faith to the invitation of Jesus, will find eternal life!

God says that His word, His expressed will for us, is like seed. If we invite the Spirit to reveal Him, if we respond with faith and obedience, there is a rich harvest that will surely come.  Isaiah was inspired to write of the amazing result of receiving the Word (the counsel and wisdom) of God.  “As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands. Instead of the thornbush will grow the pine tree, and instead of briers the myrtle will grow. This will be for the Lord’s renown, for an everlasting sign, which will not be destroyed.” (Isaiah 55:10-13, NIV)

God does not act or speak without a discernable result in this world!  When we engage with His will rather than resisting Him, there are beautiful results:  joy, peace, and abundance!  “So you’ll go out in joy, you’ll be led into a whole and complete life. The mountains and hills will lead the parade, bursting with song. All the trees of the forest will join the procession, exuberant with applause. No more thistles, but giant sequoias, no more thornbushes, but stately pines.”(Isaiah 55:12-13, The Message)

Christ Jesus offers us a life in the Kingdom, restoration to our Father, and a harvest enjoyed only by those who are right with God! Make no mistake. I am not endorsing a prosperity Gospel; that we can create greater wealth, perpetual health, and only bliss with the right kind of faith. That is terribly twisted understanding of the promises of God.  I am, however, convinced that we surely do enjoy a harvest in this life and in eternity. The grace of God intervenes to reverse the Curse for us when we receive His offer of salvation. The Spirit of God stands ready to lead us through each day. And, as we are obedient children, we enjoy rich fellowship with our Father. His purpose is to show His grace and goodness to us and to the world around us through us. 

Are you receiving the Word?
Are you letting the Spirit lead?
When you do, you are planting the seeds that willl bring a rich and wonderful harvest.

Here is a word from the Word this Monday morning. Read it with faith and sow the seeds of abundance with obedience.

"And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. As it is written: “He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.” Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God." (2 Corinthians 9:8-11, NIV)

(Video of this blog at this link)

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Graves Into Gardens

I searched the world but it couldn't fill me

Man's empty praise and treasures that fade

Are never enough

Then You came along and put me back together

And every desire is now satisfied here in Your love

 

Oh there's nothing better than You

There's nothing better than You

Lord there's nothing

Nothing is better than You

 

I'm not afraid to show You my weakness

My failures and flaws

Lord You've seen them all

And You still call me friend

'Cause the God of the mountain

Is the God of the valley

There's not a place

Your mercy and grace won't find me again

 

You turn mourning to dancing

You give beauty for ashes

You turn shame into glory

You're the only one who can

 

You turn graves into gardens

You turn bones into armies

You turn seas into highways

You're the only one who can

 

Brandon Lake | Chris Brown | Steven Furtick | Tiffany Hudson

© 2019 Brandon Lake Music; Maverick City Publishing Worldwide; Music by Elevation Worship Publishing; Bethel Music Publishing

CCLI License # 810055

 

A Choice that Will Change Your Life

I discount much of what I hear because I am accustomed to the overblown, over-promised advertisting that fills my world … this supplement will cure all your ills, this pill will make you sleep like a baby, this car will make you the envy of your neighbors … you get it, right?  The principle I want to share with you today WILL change your life, increase your joy, deepen your faith, and help you to find peace. If you do this, others will like you more and most importantly, when you choose to do this you please the Lord, our God.  Are you ready for it?

Here it is - "Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus." (1 Thessalonians 5:18, NIV)

Gratitude does not always come naturally or easily. When someone steps on our toes or even seems to ignore our preferences, the response is often irritation and/or complaint. Sometimes we look around at others and find ourselves making comparisons - which leads too often to envy or self-pity. “Why them and not me?”  We all fall into the trap of complaining sometimes. But, we can choose differently.  We need not ignore our reality, nor must we forget our difficulties or sorrows. God cares about our tears and fears. In all of that, He asks us to remember Him with thanksgiving, to love Him and to offer worshipful praise for Who is even more than for what He has done!

Let’s take our cue from the Psalm that urges us to this choice.

"Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever." (Psalm 118:1, NIV)

"Open for me the gates of righteousness; I will enter and give thanks to the LORD." (Psalm 118:19, NIV)

Another song of the Psalms speaks of exuberant thanksgiving. "You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing. You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy, that I might sing praises to you and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever!" (Psalm 30:11-12, NLT)

The foundation of this kind of gratitude is our conviction that our God reigns, that He holds us in His hand, that nothing - not death, not disease, not disappointment, not disaster - can separate us from His loving care. We receive Christ’s grace gift and become the children of God, held securely in His hand, even when we cannot see the way ahead. From that place of grace, we are able to offer up our thanksgiving.  When we choose gratitude to God, worshipping Him in all of His mystery and splendor, that gratitude will inevitably begin to spill over into our human relationships.

On Thursday I will enjoy Thanksgiving, the uniquely American holiday inspired by the Pilgrim’s celebrations. Those hardy souls that remained alive after the first year of terrible trials, gathered with their Native American friends to give thanks to God. The facts that a third of them had perished in their first year in the New World, that they had suffered tremendously, and that their future was anything but secure did not keep them from looking upward in gratitude. Three centuries later their day of prayer has grown into our Thanksgiving. Go beyond football, family, and feasting to really ‘give thanks’ on Thanksgiving! 

Support a life of thankfulness with these habits.

Become GENEROUS, in spirit as well as wallet!

Aim to encourage, choose to forgive, offer your hands to serve.

WORSHIP often, not just on Sunday but everyday.

True worship restores proper perspective. Worship both in our individual life and with the congregation each week will help to shift our focuses our heart to things eternal, helping us to keep God first in life. In worship we learn how to live to bless. It is not wrong to pray about our needs. God wants us to ask boldly. But, I think each of us can remember more than a few prayers that were more about our wants than our needs. Spiritual worship helps us to discern the difference.

Express GRATITUDE!

“Thank you,” spoken sincerely and often, is a simple, yet transformative choice. Cultivating a habit of thankfulness helps us to avoid a 'me centered' life. We keep in sight the ways that God has blessed us. We realize how much those around contribute to our well-being. Thanksgiving should not be just a day on the calendar, it should be a way of life.

So, let’s us give thanks, today, tomorrow, and each day. "Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus." (1 Thessalonians 5:18, NIV)  Happy Thanksgiving.

(Video of this blog at this link)

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Thanks To God For My Redeemer

Thanks to God for my Redeemer

Thanks for all Thou dost provide

Thanks for times now but a mem'ry

Thanks for Jesus by my side

Thanks for pleasant balmy springtime

Thanks for dark and dreary fall

Thanks for tears by now forgotten

Thanks for peace within my soul

 

Thanks for prayers that Thou hast answered

Thanks for what Thou dost deny

Thanks for storms that I have weathered

Thanks for all Thou dost supply

Thanks for pain and thanks for pleasure

Thanks for comfort in despair

Thanks for grace that none can measure

Thanks for love beyond compare

 

Thanks for roses by the wayside

Thanks for thorns their stems contain

Thanks for home and thanks for fireside

Thanks for hope that sweet refrain

Thanks for joy and thanks for sorrow

Thanks for heav'nly peace with Thee

Thanks for hope in the tomorrow

Thanks thro' all eternity

And we offer up to You

The sacrifices of joy

 

Words: Public Domain

Beyond Imagination!

In 1966, a vibrant beautiful 17 year girl dove into the Chesapeake Bay and broke her neck. She survived, but without use of her body due to paralysis! Surrounded by other people in similar circumstances, she hated what she had become and wished for death. Today Joni Eareckson Tada is a well-known author and speaker, founder of national ministry of encouragement.

God spoke to her heart, changed her perspective, and from the ashes of her broken life emerged something unimagined in her teenage years. Has her vision and work made it an easy road? Not at all. Joni speaks honestly about the pain, the disappointments, and the hardships that are regular visitors. She, however, knows the voice of the Spirit leading her to God’s purposes. (https://joniandfriends.org/) Do you? 

The inspired Word reminds us "Do not put out the Spirit’s fire; do not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good." (1 Thessalonians 5:19-21, NIV)  At the core of those instructions is the truth that God is speaking, calling each one to His plan, asking us to know and live beyond mere survival.  In our highly secularized culture we are not taught to ‘see’ or ‘hear’ the Divine. 

Even Christians can become captives of reason to such an extent that they lose the ability to recognize the voice of the Spirit. But, He is speaking; through the Scripture, through our circumstances, and through inspiration.  Are we open to hear Him? Are we willing to evaluate our feelings, our sense of His leading, our dream against the truth of the Scripture and with the help of mature Christians?  If we are, we can be led into a life that reflects God’s goodness into our corner of the world.

He will not lead most of us to found national ministries or write best-selling Christian books.  He will lead everyone who desires to serve to be a light of hope and a person of love.

C. S. Lewis said that “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pain: it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” (The Problem of Pain)  Vision that sees God’s purpose is frequently born out of great need and/or deep sorrow. Neither need nor sorrow are things we willingly experience. In fact, we will go to great lengths to avoid feeling the pain in life, dulling the pain with noise, distraction, and frenetic activities. In those things the quiet voice of the Spirit goes unheard, the vision of the Spirit unseen.

Don't be one of those people who focuses his dreams on Self: who looks for a way to escape 'real life' with some quick fix, instant access to money, a new lover, or something equally selfish! That is not at all what God wants for you. Instead, take the situations of your life - good and bad, desirable and not so wonderful, 'hopeless' and promising - and lay them out before God. With faith like that of a little child simply ask Him - "Lord, what can you do with all of this?"

Are you in a situation that causes you great pain? Or is there some circumstance that you see, day after day, that breaks your heart? Consider that from that very soil God may be wanting to grow a vision for transformation in you!  Don’t quench the Spirit!   Timothy was a young pastor attempting to do God’s work in a hard place. Paul, his mentor in faith, urged him to step up! “I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you … For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline." (2 Timothy 1:6-7, NLT)  Blow on the embers in prayerful praise to God. Ask the Spirit to burst in flame in your life leading you to light!

Every Christian can know God’s voice, be led by God’s Spirit, and live in God’s purpose. How? Here a few suggestions:

1. We must use our faith if we want it to consume us.  If we live timidly, retreating from every challenge, choosing only ‘safe’ paths, avoiding every calling that might be costly; faith will cool.
   
   
2. We must continue to pursue the Truth. Subtle deception is a constant threat. We open our minds to the Scripture, we challenge our assumptions, and this adds fuel of Truth to our faith.
   
   
3. We must commit ourselves to the Body of Christ, engaging in regular, corporate worship.  If a log in my fireplace tumbles off of the pile, the flame on it goes out, and a lump of charcoal is left in the morning. We need to be together, our mutual gifts feeding a passionate faith.
   
   
4. We must deal with the sinful nature.  When the Spirit speaks, when our conscience aches, we have a choice:  silence the Voice, deaden ourselves by refusing the call; or making a turn-around, to repentance and confession. These will keep us in Spirit’s Presence, blazing with holy fire.
    
5. And, finally, we must remember that Glory that draws us on. The fires of faith are fed by keeping the promises of Heaven always in sight.

The word from the Word is one of my favorite passages.  Hear it with joy today! "I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being … Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." (Ephesians 3:16, 20-21, NIV)

(Video of this blog at this link)

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Word Of God Speak

I'm finding myself at a loss for words

And the funny thing is it's okay

The last thing I need is to be heard

But to hear what You would say

 

Word of God speak

Would You pour down like rain

Washing my eyes to see Your majesty

To be still and know

That You're in this place

Please let me stay and rest

In Your holiness

(Word of God speak)

 

I'm finding myself in the midst of You

Beyond the music beyond the noise

All that I need is to be with You

And in the quiet hear Your voice

 

I'm finding myself at a loss for words

And the funny thing is it's okay

 

Bartt Millard | Pete Kipley

© 2002 Songs From The Indigo Room; Simpleville Music; Curb Wordspring Music

CCLI License # 810055