Last Year Versus This Year
January 17, 2009
There have been some things that I have been thinking about lately. What makes this year so different from last year?
- Older….
- Wiser…
- Stronger…
- Better…
- Determined…
- Prayerful…
- Busier…
- Helpful…
- Stressed…
- Blessed…
I wrote the above as they came to my mind. Now…what do I need to focus on?
- Be Prayerful
- Be Walking In The Spirit
- Be Prepared both in season and out of season
- Be Proactive
- Be Gracious
- Be Prayerful
- Be who Jesus Wants Me To Be…Like Him
- Be always with Praise in My Mouth
- Be Helpful
- Be Prayerful
I can’t help but think about being prayerful. David prayed at least three times a day…morning, noon and night. Daniel prayed at least three times a day. Jesus prayed always…but you will notice in scripture that he prays often early in the morning. You see Jesus didn’t do anything during the day unless he had spoken with the Father. Jesus was given his direction, or some would say his marching orders, for the day. I believe that if Jesus had not done this every day he could not been in complete alignment with God’s plan. I know that Jesus was the Son of God and part of the triune, yet…you know that he was like us, yet without sin.
How many times have I missed an opportunity to pray with someone or for someone when I have been too busy with whatever I was doing. I know that God has been working on me to pray without ceasing. That means if it is a quick, “Guide me Father.” I am praying. So many times lately God has been placing people in my path to pray for. They often ask me to pray for them. I find myself when they say this doing it right away. I know this is what God wants me to do. Many times you hear someone say to someone else…pray for me. Well….do we? Let me always LORD to do it RIGHT AWAY!
I would ask that each of you pray for me as I continue to do God’s will for my life. That I be sensitive to what he has for me THAT day. Not for the upcoming days..but THAT day. I know he gives us glimpses into the future so that we can prepare and anticipate what is coming next. But I find myself needing strength for that particular day as my call is expanded and enlarged to something greater than what it is right now. I ask for wisdom and discernment into how to orchestrate administratively those things that are happening. I need God’s help in learning to trust people and to let go of those things that so easily beset me. I need to learn to press DELETE. I need to have God direct me and not me direct me.
Much love to all of you.
Celebrate His Mighty Acts
January 25, 2008
We praise you, LORD, for all your glorious power. With music and singing we celebrate your mighty acts.
Psalm 21:13
Gates – Thanksgiving – His Presence
November 20, 2007
Open for me the gates where the righteous enter, and I will go in and thank the LORD.
Those gates lead to the presence of the LORD, and the godly enter there.
Psalm 118:19-20
Replenish
November 2, 2007
When you send your Spirit, new life is born to replenish all the living of the earth.
Psalm 104:30
Hosanna – Hillsong United
Verse 1
I see the king of glory
Coming down the clouds with fire
The whole earth shakes, the whole earth shakes
I see his love and mercy
Washing over all our sin
The people sing, the people sing
Chorus
Hosanna, hosanna
Hosanna in the highest
Verse 2
I see a generation
Rising up to take the place
With selfless faith, with selfless faith
I see a new revival
Staring as we pray and seek
We’re on our knees, we’re on our knees
Bridge
Heal my heart and make it clean
Open up my eyes to the things unseen
Show me how to love like you have loved me
Break my heart for what is yours
Everything I am for your kingdom’s cause
As I walk from earth into eternity
Hosanna
I Will Search
October 10, 2007
I just love this song from Israel & New Breed’s latest album, “A Deeper Level“. It is just awesome!
I Will Search
How precious how lovely
Are your thoughts oh Lord toward me
How truly amazing
Is the grace that You have shown
Oh Majesty I live to see Your face
I will search for You
And I will find You
I will find You with all my heart
I will lift my hands to You in worship
And I will worship with all my heart
How gracious relentless
Is the Father’s love toward us
Breathtaking the beauty
And the radiance of You
Oh Majesty I live to see Your face
And be transformed
Into your image
You Have Made Me Glad
September 28, 2007
Probably my favorite Worship album is Hillsong’s Blessed. This particular song, “You Have Made Me Glad” has gotten me through some very tough spots in my marriage. But thank God — he has delivered me from all fear (although sometimes satan likes to think he has taken it but he hasn’t — PRAISE GOD!).
This is what the inside cover says for the album Blessed:
“This recording has been birthed out of a revelation in Psalm 84 which declares that those who set their hearts on pilgrimage, who love God’s House, will be blessed. God’s heart is to BLESS you. He wants to open the windows of heaven over your life and cause everthing you do to flourish. As you worship with these songs, allow the words of Psalm 84 to become your prayer – that you might be blessed to be a blessing.”
Psalm 84
For the choir director: A psalm of the descendants of Korah, to be accompanied by a stringed instrument.
1 How lovely is your dwelling place,
O Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
2 I long, yes, I faint with longing
to enter the courts of the Lord.
With my whole being, body and soul,
I will shout joyfully to the living God.
3 Even the sparrow finds a home,
and the swallow builds her nest and raises her young
at a place near your altar,
O Lord of Heaven’s Armies, my King and my God!
4 What joy for those who can live in your house,
always singing your praises.
Interlude
5 What joy for those whose strength comes from the Lord,
who have set their minds on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem.
6 When they walk through the Valley of Weeping,
it will become a place of refreshing springs.
The autumn rains will clothe it with blessings.
7 They will continue to grow stronger,
and each of them will appear before God in Jerusalem.8 O Lord God of Heaven’s Armies, hear my prayer.
Listen, O God of Jacob.
Interlude9 O God, look with favor upon the king, our shield!
Show favor to the one you have anointed.10 A single day in your courts
is better than a thousand anywhere else!
I would rather be a gatekeeper in the house of my God
than live the good life in the homes of the wicked.
11 For the Lord God is our sun and our shield.
He gives us grace and glory.
The Lord will withhold no good thing
from those who do what is right.
12 O Lord of Heaven’s Armies,
what joy for those who trust in you.
I personally have seen Darlene Zschech in action when she ministered in our church. She is so humble and very gracious.
Next week — I’m on vacation at … DISNEYWORLD. May you enjoy this song all week until I am back, Lord willing.
Lyrics to You Have Made Me Glad:
I will bless the Lord forever
I will trust Him at all times
He has delivered me from all fear
He has set my feet upon a rock
I will not be moved
And I’ll say of the Lord
You are my shield, my strength
My portion, deliverer
My shelter, strong tower
My very present help in time of need
Whom have I in heaven but You
There’s none I desire beside You
You have made me glad
And I’ll say of the Lord
You are my shield, my strength
My portion, deliverer
My shelter, strong tower
My very present help in time of need
It’s Saturday and I’m Boomin’
September 22, 2007
You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.
Matthew 5:14
I know this is really a departure from what I usually post on this blog, and some people may not like the music, but my heart is just BOOMIN! So…gotta post Toby Mac’s Boomin’ on this Saturday..
I’ve been around the way
I’ve been around the block
I got the keys to the city if the gates are locked
And a freak like me ain’t ‘bout to stop
I got a hand full of dreams and a heart full of God
Everywhere we go they wonder where we’re from
Well its diverse city ya’ll welcome to come
It sits high on a hill you can see it for days
And even if you can’t you can hear our praise
We go …
‘Cause we’re boomin’ out the stereo system
This goes out to anyone listening
Boomin’ out the stereo system
Here to rep the most high with this one
Boomin’ out the stereo system
This goes out to anyone listening
Boomin’ out the stereo system
‘Cause we rock for sure in stereo
If you’re looking to slide, come slide with us
And if you’re looking for a ride, it’s a big old bus
We got black folk, white folk and Middle East
Mexican, Filipino – Jesus Freaks
Got a Haitian Princess, an Aussie Mate
East Coast, Midwest to left side of the states
And when the bus rolls, it’s out the dirty south
Tennessee and we keepin’ it good and loud we go
I got portable sounds to lift me up
Portable sounds to take me higher
Portable sounds to lift me up
So don’t even try to get in my head
The Light
September 21, 2007
The Word gave life to everything that was created, and His life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.
John 1:4-5
Great Light of the World by Bebo Norman
Sometimes at night
I am afraid
I cover my eyes,
Cover my shame
So here in the dark
Broken apart
Come with your light
And fill up my heart
Oh great light of the world
Fill up my soul
I’m half a man here
So come make me whole
Oh great light of the world
Come to impart
The light of your grace
To fill up my heart
The wind of this world
Can push us around
Folding us up
Backing us down
But here in the dark
I’m not alone
So come with your strength
And carry me home
Oh great light of the world
Fill up my soul
I’m half a man here
So come make me whole
Oh great light of the world
Come to impart
The light of your grace
Oh great light of the world
Fill up my soul
I’m half a man here
So come make me whole
Oh great light of the world
Come to impart
The light of your grace
To fill up my heart
The light of your grace
To fill up my heart
A Wide River
September 20, 2007
The LORD will be our Mighty One. He will be like a wide river of protection that no enemy can cross.
Isaiah 33:21
You Must Come In At the Door
God’s got a way…That you can’t go over
God’s got a way That you can’t go under
God’s got a way That you can’t go around Him
You must come in at the door
You must come in at the door
He’s the way
the truth and the life
if you want to see Jesus you’ve got to live right
you must be saved
from all of your sin
Marvel not
you must be born again
You must come in at the door
Morsels From God 