November 16, 2024

Lord, I Need You

May 28, 2014 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

Lord I come, I confess
Bowing here I find my rest
Without You I fall apart
You’re the one that guides my heart

Lord, I need You, oh I need You
Every 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
Yes 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

~ Sing this song with me as part of your prayer and worship today ~

Sung by Chris Tomlin and the Passion Band

Written by Matt Maher with Christy Nockels, Kristian Stanfill, Jesse Reeves, Daniel Carlson

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When I listen to this song of worship and praise, I fall more in love with God. I want to raise my hands to the sky and touch Him and thank Him for the grace that He so freely gives. Beginning in the first verse, we tell Him that without Him we fall apart, and our rest is found in Him. Oh so true, we can rest in Him, lay all our cares at His feet, for He is more than able and willing to take them. And then we confess: I need You, oh I need You, every hour I need You. Oh how we need Him. I cannot imagine a day without Him. Have you ever thought about how life would be? Maybe you’re a new Christian and you remember how it was. But it never has to be that way again!

Verse two talks about our freedom in Jesus. Think about this for a minute…can you name some ways this is true? I believe He sets us free from sin and darkness. We never have to be anything more than His. He sets us free from destruction and from the unhappiness that our lives were. He is our Hope and our Protector. When life gets too much, we can fall at His feet and He will carry us until we are ready to take another step.

Every minute, every hour He is there. Our need for Him never goes away. We have a “need love” for God and it’s hard sometimes to admit that we are not able to do it all, that we need Him always. So let’s worship Him today in song. Let’s express to Him how much we need Him and how He gives us such hope and rest and that we fall in love with Him over and over again.  And let’s thank Him.

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Dearest Lord, You are our hope and stay. We cannot stand without Your help. In You we find rest and in You we are whole. Lord, thank You for guiding our hearts and for being that soft place to land. You love us no matter what. Thank You for listening to our confessions and giving us grace for every moment that we are breathing. Thank You for Your forgiveness that is always there. And for the rest that You created for us, knowing we would need it. We love You and praise You. In Your Son’s name we pray, amen.

Filed Under: Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

When You Don’t Feel His Presence

May 23, 2014 by

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you,
and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.
For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.
Isaiah 43:2-3

I will be honest. I don’t feel God’s Presence every minute of every day.  But I have the faith to know that He is there because He promised.  His Word tells us not to fear but sometimes there are reasons to fear, true?  If you read the news or just step outside your door, you see a few.  Did you notice that in the verse above, it says “When you pass through the waters…” ? Not “If” because He knows that because of sin, we will encounter trouble but He is with us.  He is ever present, never leaving us, and that is our comfort.  And His Word reminds us of this over and over.

If I say, “Surely the darkness will overwhelm me,
And the light around me will be night,”
Even the darkness is not dark to You,
And the night is as bright as the day.
Darkness and light are alike to You.
Psalms 139:11 and 12

Hebrews 13:5 says “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” You cannot escape the Presence of God, but you may not feel it.

In Matthew 14:25-32, in the middle of a storm, Jesus walked on water.  His disciples, who were terrified, did not feel His presence but Jesus said, “Take courage!  It is I.  Don’t be afraid.”  The storms continued to rage until Jesus got into the boat. Yes, there was something to fear—a huge storm in a small fishing boat—but Jesus’ Presence brings peace and courage.  And notice…Jesus did not say, “Take courage! I am calming the storm. Don’t be afraid.” Instead, with the winds raging, He said,”Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

The truth is—Jesus doesn’t always calm the storms, at least not immediately. However He always calms His child with His Presence.  I imagine Him saying,”Don’t worry!  Yes there are winds that are strong and blowing and the waves are really high and frightening but I am God over everything.  And if I do not calm the waves immediately, it is because I want you to watch Me walk on water.”  I still don’t enjoy the storms that I have to go through and I don’t want to go through it all again, but what I do still cherish is the closeness I have felt with Him and how much I desired to be with Him and hear His words.  I was desperate for His strength and I couldn’t get enough of Him.

Are you ready to accept His Presence in your life? Do you want to enjoy God in your life more than ever? If you said YES!, then take the time to pray and ask Him to give you faith and to teach you how to enjoy Him abundantly! He loves you and He created you with a desire for fellowship with Him. He is your Creator so He knows you more than you will ever know yourself. So you can trust Him always and know He will never leave you.

Feelings are just feelings and not facts. So not feeling His Presence doesn’t mean He is not there. Spend time in His Word and get to know Him. Hear His promises for yourself. Your faith will grow and so will your relationship with Him. Your life will blossom and there will be a peace that passes all understanding. And know that I am praying for you today, whatever you may need today. If you don’t have a relationship with Him, you can. All you have to do is ask Him into your heart.

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Pray with me today: Dear Jesus, I know I am a sinner and I need a Savior.  I ask for forgiveness.  I believe you died for my sins on the Cross and I am forgiven.  Walk with me now and forever more.  In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Eden

May 21, 2014 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

When the first light brightened the dark
Before the breaking of the human heart
There was You and there was me
Innocence was all I knew
‘Cause all I had to know was You
We were running underneath the trees

I wanna see Your face to face
Where being in Your arms is the permanent state
I want it like it was back then
I wanna be in Eden

I remember how You’d call my name
And I would meet You at the garden gate
How the glory of Your love would shine
And I remember when the stars were young
You breathed life into my lungs
Oh I never felt so alive

I wanna see Your face to face
Where being in Your arms is the permanent state
I want it like it was back then
I wanna be in Eden

To be naked and unashamed
In a sweet down pour of innocent rain
I want it like it was back then
I wanna be in Eden

Where my eyes can see the colors of glory
My hands can reach the heaven before me
Oh, my God I wanna be there with You
Where our hearts will beat with joy together
And love will reign forever and ever
Oh my God I wanna be there with You

I wanna see Your face to face
Where being in Your arms is the permanent state
I want it like it was back then
I wanna be in Eden

To be naked and unashamed
In a sweet down pour of innocent rain
I want it like it was back then
I wanna be in Eden


~  Singer / Songwriter: Phil Wickam  ~
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As you listen to these words, do you feel like you’re in the Garden? I do, and I feel like I am waiting for my afternoon visit with the Creator. Can you even imagine? Every morning, hearing the birds chirping and the wind breeze is just right and the flowers and trees are breathtaking and you fellowship with the Lord. He is your best friend and you get morning and afternoon standing appointments with Him every day.

This song is about the first man, his wife, and their love story with God. In the beginning it was just them and they were always in His Presence. Until that day when it all changed and they saw darkness and sin and they tried to hide from God. And when they were cast out, and Adam looks back 100 years later, he is longing for that time of his life when His Maker was his everything.

Same happens today with us, when we go through something really hard and we have such a bond with Him and He is our everything because we are so weak we can’t do anything by ourselves. Then we get on our feet and life goes on and we forget to have those daily chats. Then we start to long for that time we felt closest to God. We may not long for the hard part of that time but the closeness we had with God…we miss. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

We can have that ‘Eden’ experience daily by really spending time in His Word and really talking with Him like He is there. He IS there and He longs to meet you at the Garden gate. He longs to meet you face-to-face. A quiet time set aside to just be with God is vital to this relationship. Think about it. What if you and your husband, or your best friend, never spent any time together, one on one and you just texted every now and then. How could you be close? Obviously you wouldn’t be. And I don’t have to tell you that life is just better and more joyful when God is center and first.

So today, I challenge you to set aside time to meet with Him. Every day, spend quiet time with Him in the Garden. I personally think that He deserves our first words—the beginning of our day. I think you will find that if you do this, your relationship with God will be unshakable. And there will be a joy beyond anything you can imagine. So, in the comment section, tell us how you are going to do this, where you have this time and what time works best for you…I’m so excited for you! It’s a journey, the best one.

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Let’s pray:  Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for wanting to spend time with us and for creating us with a desire to just be with You. Eden was beautiful and amazing and we can recreate it daily. You have given us trees, flowers, and sunsets. Oceans and sand and artwork everywhere we turn. Help us to never take You for granted. For You are always there, even when we move, You never leave us or forsake us. We love You and we praise You. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

Filed Under: Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Living Water

May 16, 2014 by

Jesus replied,”If you only knew the gift God has for you
and Who you are speaking to,
you would ask Me, and I would give you living water”
John 4:10

We don’t know her name and we don’t know how old she is but her conversation with Jesus is the longest one recorded in the Bible.  Jesus intentionally chose this particular well as His resting stop.  He was tired from traveling.  His disciples went into town for food so He waited for them there.  As we all know, this was planned.  He knew she would be there.  She had a clay jar to fill up with the water from Jacob’s well.

Now, Jews weren’t supposed to talk to Samaritans and men weren’t supposed to talk to women without their husband being present.  But Jesus didn’t pay attention to those rules and He spoke to her directly.  He asked her for a drink.  She replied,  “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman, how can You ask me for a drink?” Jesus responded with the verse (4:10) above—that the water He was offering was Living Water and that she would never thirst again.  Of course, she didn’t understand.  She asked Him where His rope and bucket are and she wanted to know where He would get this water from.  Jesus took the time to minister to her and share with her His love and the life that was intended for her.

Jesus replies,”Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again.
But those who drink the water that I give will never be thirsty again.
It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.”
John 4:13

Of course the woman wants this!  She asked Him for the water, so that she doesn’t have to come to the well ever again.  I imagine that she doesn’t enjoy the looks of other people and the shunning from the other women, for she lived a life of sin.  So Jesus told her to go get her husband and she replied,’I don’t have a husband.’ Jesus responded, ’You’re right, you don’t just have one husband, you have five husbands and you aren’t even married to them. You’re just living with them’.  She is floored that He knew all about her and she asks if He is a prophet and a couple of other questions about Samaritans and Jews.  Can you imagine what the people around them were thinking?  Don’t you know that Jesus didn’t care what they thought?  All He cared about was her and wanting her to know that she is loved and that she was forgiven and that He cared about her.

Jesus gravitated towards the mess of other people’s lives and loved on the ones the world considered unloveable.  And because He did this, she had a new story to tell to anyone who would listen.   She knew there was a Messiah coming but she didn’t know she was talking to Him.  Jesus told her eventually and the disciples returned and, of course, they asked why Jesus was talking to her.  (Did they even need to ask?)  Jesus loves her.  The story ends with the woman leaving her jar beside the well and running back to her village telling everyone to come and see the man that told her everything she ever did and that she believed was the Messiah.  So all sorts of people came from her village to see Jesus.  I imagine there were quite a few lives changed that day, all because Jesus showed this particular woman grace and love.

I don’t know what your story is but I do know that Jesus does and He loves you in spite of who you are and what you may have done.  And if you are a Jesus follower, I pray that you will go to those who are hurting and those who aren’t in your circle of friends.  If we simply stay in our comfort zones, then we will not have the opportunity to share the love of Jesus.  This is the most important decision that anyone will ever make.  This world is so full of hurt and hatred that we as His children really need to be the hands and feet of Jesus and move toward the mess of others lives. In the end, all that matters is what Jesus thinks of us. The world may shun us for choosing to love the sinners, the gossipers, the thieves, the adulterers and the addicts of the world but we are all sinners and we all fall short.  But His grace is free to all who want it!  And then life after life will be changed and all who hear will want to tell anyone who will listen about our Jesus.

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What about you?  Do you want His grace today?  Do you want this living water that Jesus is offering you today?  If so, then all you have to do is ask.  Start by saying:

Dear Jesus, I know that I am a sinner.  I need Your forgiveness and grace.        I believe that You are the Savior and You died to save me.  I want You to come into my heart and be my Lord and Savior.  Thank You for your love for me.  In Your name I pray, amen.

If you just prayed this prayer for the first time or, if you have rededicated your life today, we want to celebrate with you!  It’s the first day of the rest of your life!

Filed Under: encouragement Tagged With: , , , , , ,

I’m Not Who I Was

May 14, 2014 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

I wish you could see me now
I wish I could show you how
I’m not who I was
I used to be mad at you
A little on the hurt side too
But I’m not who I wasI found my way around
To forgiving you
Some time ago
But I never got to tell you soI found us in a photograph
I saw me and I had to laugh
You know, I’m not who I was
You were there, you were right above me
And I wonder if you ever loved me
Just for who I wasWhen the pain came back again
Like a bitter friend
It was all that I could do
To keep myself from blaming you

I reckon it’s a funny thing
I figured out I can sing
Now I’m not who I was
I write about love and such
Maybe ’cause I want it so much
I’m not who I was

I was thinking maybe I
I should let you know
I am not the same
But I never did forget your name
Hello

Well the thing I find most amazing
In amazing grace
Is the chance to give it out
Maybe that’s what love is all about

I wish you could see me now
I wish I could show you how
I’m not who I was

Listen while you read…

~  Singer / Songwriter: Brandon Heath  ~

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About 6 years ago, I started mending fences and rebuilding relationships with people I had really hurt during a really horrible time in my life.  I was in a slimy pit and I was stuck there for a while.  I hurt everyone that I held most dear and  loved the most.  Can you relate?  Is there anyone in your life that you want to tell them that you aren’t that same person that you were?  Now that Jesus is first in your life again, or maybe for the first time, you want to shout it from the rooftops that your life looks so different now.  Your light shines only for Him.  You aren’t that same gossip that used to tell what you heard about others.  You aren’t that same jealous friend that wasn’t happy for the good things that happened for others.  You aren’t that same person that held a grudge instead of giving grace and forgiveness.  And doesn’t it feel good?

Brandon Heath wrote this song about his stepmom.  After his father and she got a divorce, he lost touch with her.  He didn’t try to reach out to her.  Many birthdays and holidays went by without even so much as a card.  Later, when his life was radically changed and Jesus took the wheel, he wanted her to know that he had changed.  He wasn’t that same man and he wanted her to know that he actually cared about her…he even loved her.  What an amazing story of how our Jesus takes lives and redeems them and rebuilds them and makes it so good that we want to shout it from the rooftops!

The line “I figured out I can sing, I’m not who I was” tells me that when you give your life to Jesus and you allow Him to live through you, you find gifts that He has given you that you never knew you had.  What is your life like now?  Can you go back through and see where He has changed you?  Guess what!  You don’t have to speak any words for people will know Who you serve and follow by the way you live now.  You will live your amends and apologies, and people will see the grace that you so readily give instead of holding grudges.  I’m praying with you today that our lives will reflect Him and that we will live the abundant life because we have been totally transformed!

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Let us pray:  Dear Lord, You still change lives radically and change us from the inside out.  You fill us with Your Spirit and we cannot help but smile and spread the joy that we have.  Thank You for the gift of forgiveness that we can readily forgive those that wrong us.  We give up the sins of our past and start living out our amends to those we have wronged.  Oh Lord, we love You!  And we are no longer who we were!  In Jesus name, amen.

Filed Under: Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

God Will Provide the Lamb

May 9, 2014 by

And Isaac said to Abraham, My father! And he said, Here I am, my son.
[Isaac] said, See, here are the fire and the wood,
but where is the lamb for the burnt sacrifice?
Abraham said, My son, God Himself will provide a lamb for the burnt offering.
So the two went on together.
Genesis 22:7-8

We all know the story.  Abraham is asked to give the ultimate sacrifice.  He obeys and, at the last minute, as Abraham is about to kill his son…God stops him.  He hears a word from the Lord.  It was a test to see if Abraham was willing to be obedient, and he was.

It’s almost beyond our comprehension, right?  That we would take our child by the hand and lead them to a place where we knew we would take his life.  Abraham truly loved God and trusted Him above all else.  He knew that if God made a covenant with him that He would follow through.  Remember, Isaac was the promise that Abraham would be the father to many nations.  But how would that happen if God was telling Abraham to kill Isaac?  Abraham believed that God would provide.  As the two walked up the mountain, Abraham trusted His Creator.  Abraham built the altar…still no word from God.  He laid Isaac on the altar…God still had not provided.   Abraham took the knife to sacrifice his son…and still no provision.  Then a word from God came, saying the sweetest words that Abraham had ever heard, telling him not to lay a hand on Isaac.

But the Angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said,
Abraham, Abraham! He answered, Here I am.
And He said, Do not lay your hand on the lad or do anything to him;
for now I know that you fear and revere God,
since you have not held back from Me
or begrudged giving Me your son, your only son.
Verses 11 and 12

Abraham then saw a ram and offered it up to God. He even called the very place, “The Eternal One Will Provide.”

In verse 8, Abraham states, “…God will Himself provide the lamb….”  What is it that God is asking you to do today?  Is it something you are putting before God that He’s asking you to sacrifice?  Maybe it is your time. I know today He asked me to step out of myself and do flood relief cleanup.  Oh yes, it was a beautiful day on the beach, the last pretty day for a while and I would’ve loved to relax but I knew my time was better spent helping clean houses that were still saturated.

Friend, if this is you and you don’t know what God is asking or telling you He wants you to give up, I encourage you to spend some time at His feet, praying and seeking His will for your life.  Prepare your heart to hear and then be obedient.  It may be a test—like Abraham’s—or it may be for your own good. But this we know for sure…it will be for His glory!

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Let us pray:  Dear Lord, thank You for always providing a lamb.  We are in awe of Your love for us and Your sovereignty.  Thank You for guiding us and asking us to do Your will.  And that we can have faith that no matter what…You have our best interest at heart.  Your will is perfect and I hope that I would lay down my life to serve You.  Help us to listen, and prepare our hearts to be willing to serve You.  We love You so much!  In Your Son’s name we pray, amen.

Filed Under: encouragement Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Empty Me

May 7, 2014 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

I’ve had just enough of the spotlight when it burns bright
To see how it gets in the blood
And I’ve tasted my share of the sweet life and the wild ride
And found a little is not quite enough

I know how I can stray
And how fast my heart could change

Empty me of the selfishness inside
Every vain ambition and the poison of my pride
And any foolish thing my heart holds to
Lord, empty me of me so I can be filled with You

I’ve seen just enough of the quick buys of the best lies
To know how prodigals can be drawn away
I know how I can stray
And how fast my heart could change

‘Cause everything is a lesser thing
Compared to You, compared to You
‘Cause everything is a lesser thing
Compared to You so I surrender all

~  Listen while you read!  ~

Songwriters:  Chris Sligh, Tony Wood, Clint Lagerburg 
Sung by Chris Sligh
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Chris Sligh wanted to write about his American Idol experience. He saw how quickly fame and fortune can tug at you, change your priorities, and cause you to seek the things of this world.  However, he quickly decided to write about his need for only Jesus, only Christ in his life.  And for that to be possible, he needed to empty himself of those desires and fill up with what Jesus would want for his life.

In the last two years, God has really taught me through some hard experiences that He is all I need.  If He is number one in my life, and I thank Him for being Him, I will have an abundant life.  He didn’t say a rich life without problems or struggles.  He said a full life, full of Him.  He IS all I need!

What does that look like for you?  Is salvation enough and letting Him be everything to you?   If so, then you can pray this simple prayer that I pray every morning: “Empty to fill, Jesus.”

Pretty simple, right?  But so life-changing!  What if you and I really emptied ourselves of all that consumes us and let Him work through us?  What if we really did what we are called to do and died to self?  Philippians 1:21 says this,”For me to live is Christ and to die is gain.”  To truly live this out, we must have the Holy Spirit to empower us, to enhance the faith we already have, and we must commit our whole life to Jesus. We must have a love for Him and a desire for a transformed life… and let nothing else matter.

The sole purpose of this life is to serve the Lord Jesus
and to share Him with others.

So today , let’s make a new commitment!  Let’s pray this prayer every morning and ask the Holy Spirit to help us die to self and be completely filled with Him. I’m excited to see what the Lord will do with us when we are willing!

 * ~ ♥ ~ ✞ ~ ♥ ~ *

Let us pray: Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for being our everything!  Thank You that while we are on this earth, waiting to be with You, that You bless us so with rainbows and flowers and showers…for the beautiful trees and blue skies and oceans and sand.  You are so patient with us when we put other things before You.  But life is so much more amazing when You are first.  We ask that the Holy Spirit give us the strength to empty ourselves of this world and fill ourselves up with You, to let You shine through us and live through us. Help us to share You with Your people.  Empty to fill, Lord Jesus-–daily we ask this. For it is in Your son’s name we pray, amen.

Filed Under: Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Where is God in the Storms?

May 2, 2014 by

holdontohopeencouragement

This past week I have seen so much devastation and loss.  It has happened to good people, in fact, our worship pastor lost his home and all his furniture and memories as his home flooded in a matter of thirty minutes. It was scary, yet there was peace because we know Who is in control. Still, people are hurting as memories and keepsakes are now in ruins. God is still good and His heart breaks for His children. As He watched the floods and storms  that affected so many, “His heart was filled with pain” (Genesis 6:6).

So what do we hold on to in the midst of all the chaos? It is this: that God is good, all the time and that “He works all things to the good for those who love the Lord” (Romans 8:28) All things, my friend. This verse doesn’t say that God makes bad things good or that bad things are good. It says that God can take the bad and use them to bring about good in His children’s lives.  God is a loving God. He is not a punishing God that is constantly looking at ways to reprimand us.  When things happen in our lives that are not what we want, or what we think we need, please know that God is still loving you and He may be allowing this for a purpose.  If we could see the big picture, I am sure we would not write our story any differently. He loves you and He walks with you and He promises to never leave you or forsake you.

For You are my rock and my fortress;
For Your name’s sake You will lead me and guide me.
Psalm 31:3

What do you picture when you read that verse? He is a Rock, always strong, always firm and He is a Fortress, a place to dwell in hard times.  One thing we know about life is that it is hard; another is that God is our Strength and our protection. He goes before us and walks with us. He carries us when we can’t put one foot in front of the other.

So if today finds you in a hard place, hide in Him. If life is too much today, trust His heart and His promises. And if you don’t know Him, I invite you to accept Him today. This could be the first day of living free! He loved you enough to die for you so that you could live forever with Him! Jesus took your place and He took all your sins and mistakes and nailed them to the Cross.  Are you ready?  I invite you to pray this prayer with me:

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Dear Lord Jesus,

I know I am a sinner and I ask for Your forgiveness. I believe You died for my sins and rose from the dead. I want You as my Lord and Savior and I trust and follow You today. Guide my life and help me to do Your will and to come to know You more. In Your name I pray, amen.

If you took this step today, we are celebrating with you!

Holy Spirit give them courage!

Filed Under: encouragement Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Never Once

April 30, 2014 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

Standing on this mountain top
Looking just how far we’ve come
Knowing that for every step
You were with us
Kneeling on this battleground
Seeing just how much You’ve done
Knowing every victory
Was Your power in us

Scars and struggles on the way
But with joy our hearts can say
Yes, our hearts can say

Never once did we ever walk alone
Never once did You leave us on our own
You are faithful, God, You are faithful
You are faithful, God, You are faithful

Standing on this mountain top
Looking just how far we’ve come
Knowing that for every step
You were with us

Scars and struggles on the way
But with joy our hearts can say
Yes, our hearts can say

Never once did we ever walk alone
Never once did You leave us on our own
You are faithful, God, You are faithful
Every step we are breathing in Your grace
Evermore we’ll be breathing out Your praise
You are faithful, God, You are faithful
It’s true, You are faithful, God You are faithful

Scars and struggles on the way
But with joy our hearts can say
Never once did we ever walk alone
Carried by Your constant grace
Held within Your perfect peace
Never once, no, we never walk alone

We know, You are faithful, God, You are faithful

~  Sing this song with me as our prayer and worship today.  ~

Songwriters: Jonas Myrin, Jason Ingram, Matt Redman
Performed by Matt Redman

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Do you realize that you have never been alone? Yes, that is right. Oh, I know that you may feel that way sometimes, or maybe a lot. But how awesome is it that your God has never left you! We may feel so far away, and it is usually because we have moved away in some way or another. Maybe there is a sin in your life that has become so big that it is controlling you. It started out fun but now it has turned on you. Sin is only fun  for a short period of time. The awesome thing is—all you have to do is repent. Tell God what you have done and ask His forgiveness. He already knows, He just wants to hear you are sorry. You can start over!

Maybe you are on the other side of a huge struggle, maybe you are dealing with financial issues, job loss, economy issues. Maybe it hasn’t been a pretty journey and yes there are “scars and struggles” along the way, but you can look back now and see where God’s hand has been—maybe the miracles He has performed, or just the peace He gave you while you were in the valley. Never once did you ever walk alone, never once did He leave you on your own. He is and always will be faithful to you and I. What joy does that bring to you today?

Maybe you are in the middle of a storm and you are wondering where God is at the moment. Walls are crumbling around you and you feel you just can’t do this anymore. There is hope! He is right there with you and He is strongest in our weakness. Just cry out His name, tell Him what you need.  Yes, He already knows but He wants to know that you know what you need and want, and He will carry you through this. When I hear these words, I think back to a time not too long ago when we had pennies to our name and no job offer in sight, and butter and crackers were a meal. I didn’t think I could do it one more day…But God! He was my Strength and my Comfort, He was my Rock and my only Hope. I prayed and thanked Him for what He would do for us—that job I knew He had picked out but we had not gotten yet. I thanked Him for His timing and how perfect it was. And then, one day, we were walking uphill and we saw the light at the end of the tunnel! He made good on His promise that He would never leave us in one place too long and He would never leave us or forsake us.

This past Sunday, my precious 21 year old daughter sang this song. I stood there in complete awe of my God. Now that we are on the mountaintop, I can see that every victory was Him, every answer was Him, and looking back on how far we have come, I can honestly say,”Never once did we ever walk alone” and watching my sweet husband with hands up in worship was my miracle that I prayed for so earnestly. He still performs miracles!

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Let us pray: Oh God, how thankful we are that You have never once left us. From the day we are born and all throughout our lives, You desire a relationship with us. And though trials and struggles come and this world is getting harder, You remain the same. Yesterday, today, and forever, You are God, and You are on the throne! Thank You for the scars for they are reminders of when we fell and You picked us up. Some of us are still waiting on that miracle, or some are in the valley today…may this be hope to them that never once did You leave us on our own and You never will. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

Filed Under: Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

All This Time

April 25, 2014 by
psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv
I remember the moment, I remember the pain
I was only a girl, but I grew up that day
Tears were falling
I know You saw meHiding there in my bedroom, so alone
I was doing my best, trying to be strong
No one to turn to
That’s when I met You

All this time, from the first tear cried
‘Til today’s sunrise
And every single moment between
You were there, You were always there
It was You and I
You’ve been walking with me all this time
Ooh, oh, oohh
Ooh, oh, oohh
You’ve been walking with me all this time

Ever since that day, it’s been clear to me
That no matter what comes, You will never leave
I know You’re for me
And You’re restoring

Every heartache and failure, every broken dream
You’re the God who sees, the God who rescued me
This is my story
This is my story

I hear these people asking me
How do I know what I believe
Well, I’m not the same me, and that’s all the proof I need
I felt love, I felt Your grace
You stole my heart that day

(Ooh, oh, oohh)
Oh,woah
(Ooh, oh, oohh)
You’ve been walking with me all this time

Ever since the first tear cried
It was You, You and I
You’ve been walking with me all this time

~  Sing this song with me as our prayer and worship today.  ~

Songwriters: Britt Nicole, Benjamin Glover, David Garcia
Performed by Britt Nicole
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Britt Nicole wrote this song about the day she found Jesus. She was seven years old and her parents were going through a divorce and she felt hopeless.  At her darkest hour, she ran up to her room, tears streaming down and she sat on her bed and cried out to Jesus. Her grandfather, a pastor, had preached about Him, since she was a little girl and she knew He could save her. From that moment on, she felt His Presence with her and ever since that day, her life has been a testimony of the hope of Jesus. He had been with her since she was born…and He was with her during her parent’s divorce…and He is with her now.
This song brings such hope and comfort—knowing that Jesus has been with you through it all. From the first day you took your first breath until right where you are right now…He is walking with you, guiding you, loving you. Any tears you have cried, He has bottled them up. Whether you are up on that mountain top, loving life and full of gratitude, or you are down in the valley just trying to survive, He knows and He cares and He is there. I love the lyrics “…from the first tear cried to today’s sunrise and every single moment between…”. God is sovereign.  He has no beginning and no end.  And He loves you so very much.
If this is you today, and you are in the middle of a hurtful situation, listen to these words and claim them. Tell your Heavenly Father that you need Him. He meets you where you are and He never leaves. Joy comes in the morning!
Let us pray: Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for loving us. You are sovereign, You are precious and we love You. Thank You for always being with us, and for never leaving us. For the hope we have in You, and that nothing we go through is wasted. We get to do this life together with You, and we are forever grateful. And for anyone who is struggling today, please reveal Yourself to them and give them hope. And may You be glorified in all we do! In Jesus’ name, amen.
Filed Under: Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,
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