November 25, 2024

Healing Begins

September 16, 2014 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

So you thought you had to keep this up
All the work that you do so we think that you’re good
And you can’t believe it’s not enough
All the walls you built up are just glass on the outside

So let ’em fall down
There’s freedom waiting in the sound
When you let your walls fall to the ground
We’re here now

This is where the healing begins, oh
This is where the healing starts
When you come to where you’re broken within
The light meets the dark, the light meets the dark

Afraid to let your secrets out
Everything that you hide can come crashing through the door now
But too scared to face all your fear
So you hide but you find that the shame won’t disappear

So let it fall down
There’s freedom waiting in the sound
When you let your walls fall to the ground
We’re here now, we’re here now

Sparks will fly as grace collides with the dark inside of us
So please don’t fight this coming light
Let this Blood come cover us
His Blood can cover us

Songwriters: Jason Ingram, Mike Donehey, Jeff Owen
Performed by Tenth Avenue North
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This song is about not trusting in your ‘works’ to get to Heaven and to be with Jesus.  Our faith in God and His power will get us to Him.  Believing that His Son Jesus was born of a virgin, lived 33 years on our earth without sin, became sin for us and then was crucified…all so that we might have a place in Heaven with God.  That is what we need to believe and share with others.  That is our purpose on the earth.

For those of us who are parents, we are to bring up our children with the fear of the Lord in their heart.  Although we may try to teach this, it is often best learned by example.  Just as a child learns about gravity from falling, or about what hot or cold feels like from experience.  There are some children who naturally trust and there are others who have to test it to see for themselves.  Which child are we, for we are all children of God?  I am the one who will sometimes test it to see, other times I will learn from seeing others’ mistakes to trust in what I see or what I hear.  Blessed are those who trust just from hearing and knowing.

But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in Him.
Jeremiah 17:7

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Father, help us to seek You first.  Help us to not become dependent on ourselves or in men.  Let the Holy Spirit direct us, when we ask, to those people whom You have empowered with Your wisdom.  There are those who have already walked  the path You have laid out focusing on You and only on You.  May we be those people—seeking Your will…not ours.  May we become the light in this barren, fear-filled land.  In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

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

Indescribable

September 12, 2014 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjvFrom the highest of heights to the depths of the sea
Creation’s revealing Your majesty
From the colors of fall to the fragrance of spring
Every creature unique in the song that it sings
All exclaiming

Indescribable, uncontainable
You placed the stars in the sky
And You know them by name
You are amazing, God

All powerful, untameable
Awestruck we fall to our knees
As we humbly proclaim
You are amazing, God

Who has told every lightning bolt where it should go
Or seen heavenly storehouses laden with snow
Who imagined the sun and gives source to its light
Yet, conceals it to bring us the coolness of night
None can fathom

Indescribable, uncontainable
You placed the stars in the sky
And You know them by name
You are amazing, God

Incomparable, unchangeable
You see the depths of my heart
And You love me the same
You are amazing, God
You are amazing, God

Singer / Songwriter LAURA STORY

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God named each and every star and planet in our universe.  From creation, which He spoke into existence in Genesis 1:1, “And God said…“ God has had a plan and a purpose for us.  God wants a relationship with us.  He has never wanted to be a dictator; He has believed in choices—in free will.  From the Garden of Eden to present day, God has given us many awe-inspiring wonders and blessings.

When Laura Story was writing her first album, she needed one last song.  She was driving along the road, singing and praising God, and she sang, “Indescribable, uncontainable, You are amazing God!”  Never did she imagine that God would use Chris Tomlin to record this song on his album and then for it to be used for worship in our churches.

“What brought “Indescribable” into churches all across the U.S. and the world was when Chris Tomlin recorded it for his 2004 release, Arriving, produced by Ed Cash (Caedmon’s Call, Bebo Norman, Bethany Dillon). When Cash, a longtime friend of Story’s from YoungLife circles, suggested that Tomlin use “Indescribable” as his first single, Story was shocked. “I remember saying, ‘That song will never work for corporate worship. There’s no way congregations are going to sing that!’ But it’s humbling and amazing to see what the Lord has done. When I was looking for it, I couldn’t find it. When I just started worshipping, He blew me out of the water.”  (Read more here.)

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Father, may there be other artists that will listen to Your prompting.  Give the songwriters the courage to know that You are in control.  All we need to do is write, to move out of the way, and let the Holy Spirit help us know that the words will line up with Scripture.  I thank You for the blessing we have to sing our humble praises and thanks to You.  In Jesus’ name, amen.
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God’s Great Love

September 11, 2014 by

Give praise to the Lord, O my soul; let everything in me give praise to His holy name.
Give praise to the Lord, O my soul; let not all His blessings go from your memory.
He has forgiveness for all your sins; He takes away all your diseases;
He keeps back your life from destruction, crowning you with mercy and grace.
He makes your mouth full of good things, so that your strength is made new again like the eagle’s.
Psalms 103:1-5

These verses are so full of promises.  God loves us so very much.  He is merciful and quick to forgive us.  All God requires of us is to love Him and put Him first in our lives.  Before Abraham knew who God was…God loved him. Before Moses knew who God was…God loved him.  How much more does God love us?  (I would imagine much more!)

For those who are suffering, who are hurting, when no end seems to be there—know that God sees and will give you a renewed strength.

And it shall come to pass in the day that the Lord shall give thee rest from thy sorrow,
and from thy fear, and from the hard bondage in which thou wast made to serve.
Isaiah 14:3

Who doesn’t know of someone that these words would minister to?  There will come a time of rejoicing.  A time when looking back at what was in the past will seem like a forever time ago.

Verse 5 of Psalm 103 refers to the eagle’s yearly removal of its feathers to allow new growth, therefore giving the illusion of youthful vigor.  How many times do we want to remove our troubles, our fears, our chains that bind us to earthly worries?  When we cast them onto God, we can rest assured that He will take care of them.  When we give Him our worries we should not be quick to take them back and take them on again. If our spouse or child is not doing what they should, it is for us only to live a life that is as free of sin as we can.  We will not be perfect.  In our human-ness we will fail but, with God’s grace and mercy, we will be shown how to live.

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Father, we humbly come before You and ask for direction.  We do not know how important our words or actions can be until it is sometimes too late.  We thank You for Your forgiveness.  We thank You for the ability to start again.  We pray for the courage to speak words that will build up, not tear down.  Help us to know when to be silent, and when to be so on fire for You that nothing or no one can stop us.  Help us be bold and courageous for You.  In Jesus’ name, Amen!

 

 

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Gold

September 6, 2014 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

You were walking on the moon, now you’re feeling low
What they said wasn’t true, you’re beautiful
Sticks and stones break your bones, I know what you’re feeling
 Words like those won’t steal your glow, you’re one in a million

This, this is for all the girls, boys all over the world
Whatever you’ve been told, you’re worth more than gold
 So hold your head up high, it’s your time to shine
From the inside out it shows, you’re worth more than gold
You’re worth more than gold

When everybody keeps score, afraid you’re gonna lose
Just ignore they don’t know the real you
All the rain in the sky can’t put out your fire
Of all the stars out tonight, you shine brighter

So don’t let anybody tell you that you’re not loved
And don’t let anybody tell you that you’re not enough
Yeah there are days that we all feel like we’re messed up
But the truth is that we’re all diamonds in the rough

So don’t be ashamed to wear your crown
You’re a king, you’re a queen inside and out
You glow like the moon, you shine like the stars
This is for you, wherever you are

So don’t be ashamed to wear your crown
You’re a king, you’re a queen—inside and out

Singer/ Songwriter Britt Nicole along with Jess Cates and Dan Muckala

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We may not always fit in.  We may not have ‘the look.’  We may not say the right words all the time.  God knows our hearts and that is all that matters.  As long as we put our best out there, He will love us.  We must remember we are sons and daughters of the Most High God!!!!

That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perish,
though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise
and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.
1 Peter 1:7

When we are going through trials and suffering, how we endure it is a great testimony of our love for God.  We are not to dwell on the discomfort but on the reward that awaits us in eternity!  The salvation of others may depend on how we move through and persevere.  We are to have a boldness to share the good news as David stated in Psalm 40:10.

I have not hidden Thy righteousness within my heart;
I have declared Thy faithfulness and Thy salvation.
I have not concealed Thy lovingkindness and Thy truth from the congregation.

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Father, give us the courage to stand up for You in all situations.  Let us seek You when we are made fun of for being different, or for standing out in a crowd, or for not doing what everyone else is doing.  Help us be a light for the younger generation and even for our own.  We need You in our life so we can be strong advocates for You and Your son, Jesus.  In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen!

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

Faith

September 1, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

In you, Lord, I have taken refuge;
    let me never be put to shame;
    deliver me in your righteousness.
Turn your ear to me,
    come quickly to my rescue;
be my rock of refuge,
    a strong fortress to save me.
Since you are my rock and my fortress,
    for the sake of your name lead and guide me.
Keep me free from the trap that is set for me,
    for you are my refuge.
Into your hands I commit my spirit;
    deliver me, Lord, my faithful God.

Psalms 31:1-5

David was fearful for his life. He knew the only way out was to cry out to God for his provision and protection.  David was not weak minded.  He was a great statistician and knew how to outwit his enemies in many situations.  Yet, occasionally, he was in a place where his only hope was to cry out to God.  We do the same.  We look at a situation and know how to get free.  But there are those situations where God has placed us to test our faith.

{ Faith:  confidence or trust in a person or thing }

Besides my faith in God, other ideas that pop into my mind are:

  • faith that my car will start
  • faith in my employment status
  • faith in my spouse
  • faith in  our children to do the right things
  • faith in our pastor to lead us

When do you feel that your faith is true—when you are tested or when a friend is tested?  We are all tested at one time…a time to make us stronger and more dependent on God for our everyday needs.

Think of Noah, when he was first asked to build the Ark….  Can you imagine the conflicting thoughts coursing through his mind?  Out of holy fear and obedience, Noah built the Ark.  Preaching while he built, he did his best to tell people about the end of the world if they did not turn from their wickedness and join him and his family.  The people, ridiculing him and his family, did not understand what a flood was.  They did not perceive that life was going to end.  They did not care. They just knew that they were happy with their life and did not care about serving another god.

How many of us, as we walk through life, have replaced God with idols?  How many of us pursue that name-brand purse, name-brand clothes, ‘name- brand’ whatever?   Should we dwell on those things or should be pursue our family, our children, and our friends with the same kind of enthusiasm?  We are to be about Kingdom business.  We are to have the faith that when we step out to share God’s love, He will reward us for wanting to spread the Good News.

For that is our purpose—to share God’s love with others. And to share with others the good things, as well as our trials and our future in God.

And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying,
All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them
in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you:
and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Matthew 28: 18-20

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Father, Thank you for loving us enough to share your son Jesus with us.  Forgive us when we forget to share our faith or when we become afraid to share our faith with others.  Give us the courage we need to become evangelist and disciple makers for you!  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Sing A Song

August 27, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

Psalm 81

(For the director of music.  According to gittith.  Of Asaph.)

Sing for joy to God our strength;
    shout aloud to the God of Jacob!

This verse reminds me of a song from Third Day, Sing a Song.

When there is joy—pure joy—our hearts burst with such joy and song.

I did a word search on this phrase ‘sing a song‘ on Biblegateway.com and it came up with 158 possible matches.  One match came up with Miriam and Aaron singing praises in the desert while they were traveling to the Promised Land.

And Miriam responded to them, Sing to the Lord,
for He has triumphed gloriously and is highly exalted;
the horse and his rider He has thrown into the sea.
Exodus 15:21

The Egyptians had just drowned in the Dead Sea.  They had seen a miracle—the water parting in front of the Jewish people and they had been able to cross over safe and securely.

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When Jesus Says Yes

August 26, 2014 by
psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjvWhen Jesus say, “Yes,” nobody can say, “No.”
(When Jesus say, “Yes,” nobody can say, “No.”)
When Jesus say, “Yes,” nobody can say, “No.”
(When Jesus say, “Yes,” nobody can say, “No.”)
I’m not worried ’bout a thing
‘Cause I know You are guiding me
Where You lead me, Lord, I will go
I have no fear ’cause I know who’s in control
There’s no limit to what You can do
‘Cause it all belongs to You
Yes, it all belongs to You
(The world should know)
You’re almighty and all powerful
And it all belongs to You
Yes, it all belongs to YouWhen Jesus say, “Yes,” nobody can say, “No.”
(When Jesus say, “Yes,” nobody can say, “No.”)
When Jesus say, “Yes,” nobody can say, “No.”
(When Jesus say, “Yes,” nobody can say, “No.”)

Unknown author.  Nigerian Praise Song

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This is such an upbeat and energizing song.  I pray you enjoy it.  Jesus is with us. He is the same today, tomorrow, and forever.  We are the ones who put limits on God and what He can do in our lives.  I am discovering this as I continue my walk. Praise Him with this song this week, and feel His goodness envelope you.

 

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Strength and Shield

August 20, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

1 Lord, You should receive the honor, not us.
    The honor belongs to You
    because of Your faithful love and loyalty.
2 Why should the nations wonder
    where our God is?
3 Our God is in heaven,
    and He does whatever He wants.
4 The “gods” of those nations are only statues
    that some human made from gold and silver.
5 Those statues have mouths, but cannot talk.
    They have eyes, but cannot see.
6 They have ears, but cannot hear.
    They have noses, but cannot smell.
7 They have hands, but cannot feel.
    They have feet, but cannot walk.
    No sounds come from their throats.
8 The people who make and trust in those statues
    will become like them!

9 People of Israel, trust in the Lord!
    He is your strength and shield.
10 Aaron’s family, trust in the Lord!
    He is your strength and shield.
11 Followers of the Lord, trust in the Lord!
    He is your strength and shield.

Psalms 115:1-11

What does it look  like to love God with all of your strength?  Mark gives us great advice:

To love Him with all your heart,
with all your understanding
and with all your strength,
and to love your neighbor as yourself
is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.
Mark 12:33

For me, this is easy to do. Obedience is where I would say I fail. Obedience is where I should choose to study His word and not give into distractions. Obedience says not to place my expectations on others. Obedience is forgiveness of others. Obedience is forgiving myself. When our heart becomes aligned with God’s truths then all else will fall into place.

Sometimes it is stepping out in faith when we feel that we are called to fulfill a calling on our lives. God will honor our choice to be obedient and reward us. We will be laying up our treasure in heaven by submitting to His will. I hope to see my ‘mansion’ in heaven. I do not think I would mind a small one, but then, I am not sure I would stay in that building because I would want to be in His presence all day.

In John 14 Jesus says,

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me.  My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going” (Verses 1-4).

What a comforting passage to us. We know the story and how Jesus died on the Cross and was raised in three days.  To the robber who was crucified alongside of Him, Jesus told the man he would be with Him in paradise. Jesus, always thinking of others, not of Himself.

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Father, thank You for Your Scriptures.  Thank You for teaching us and showing us Your heart. Help us become more like Jesus—obedient, loving, kind, and always thinking of others.  Not to be blind, but to have compassion, to have discernment, and wisdom. Wisdom in knowing how to help someone or when to refer them to someone else.  Thank You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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Oceans

August 19, 2014 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjvYou call me out upon the waters
The great unknown where feet may fail
And there I find You in the mystery
In oceans deep
My faith will stand

I will call upon Your name
And keep my eyes above the waves
When oceans rise my soul will rest in Your embrace
For I am Yours and You are mine

Your grace abounds in deepest waters
Your sovereign hand
Will be my guide
Where feet may fail and fear surrounds me
You’ve never failed and You won’t start now

Spirit, lead me where my trust is without borders
Let me walk upon the waters
Wherever You would call me
Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander
And my faith will be made stronger
In the presence of my Savior

Performed by Hillsong United
Songwriters: Matt Crocker, Joel Houston, Salomon Lighthelm

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In Matthew 14:25-32, Peter walked on the water with Jesus.  Just imagine seeing Jesus out on the water and crying out to Him and asking to walk as He was on the water….  Then imagine being told by Jesus to come and walk on the water with Him! I would imagine that Peter was intrigued and excited to experience walking on water. Once out of the boat and walking with Jesus, Peter, felt and tasted the salt spray, smelled more intently the water, and I would imagine the waves picking up and moving greatly would make him afraid.

…Then I think of how this account can be applied to mine or anyone’s life. As we go through life, we will have moments where we are so excited that we will jump in and not think of consequences. And, sometimes, God wants us to take those risks and to trust Him fully. I pray that this song will speak to you, encouraging you to follow God more fully.

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Father, help me become a more fully devoted follower.  Help me to seek You even when I doubt. You are there for us—just waiting for opportunities to show us how to push through and to show off Your awesome power. I pray for those who are hurting. I pray for those who are happy. I pray that they are all seeking Your Will for their life in all that they do.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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

Not In Men

August 13, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord, my soul.
I will praise the Lord all my life;
I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.
Do not put your trust in princes,
in human beings, who cannot save.
When their spirit departs, they return to the ground;
on that very day their plans come to nothing.
Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the Lord their God.
He is the Maker of heaven and earth,
the sea, and everything in them—
He remains faithful forever.
He upholds the cause of the oppressed
and gives food to the hungry.
The Lord sets prisoners free,
the Lord gives sight to the blind,
the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down,
the Lord loves the righteous.
The Lord watches over the foreigner
and sustains the fatherless and the widow,
but He frustrates the ways of the wicked.
The Lord reigns forever,
your God, O Zion, for all generations. Praise the Lord.
Psalm 146

God desires for us to seek Him first for wisdom. We need to check His word for answers. We are not to trust in man only for answers for life’s problems. If we do seek human response, we should only seek those who pursue God even more than we do.

Paul was a great example of someone who did not rely on men. God had given him a mission to carry out and Paul knew what was required of him. When plans changed he sent encouragement to those who would need it. 

Now this is our boast: Our conscience testifies
that we have conducted ourselves in the world,
and especially in our relations with you,
with integrity and godly sincerity.
We have done so, relying not on worldly wisdom
but on God’s grace.
2 Corinthians 1:12

Even when Jesus was facing His last days on earth and knew His cruel fate, Peter could not stop Jesus from following what God required.

Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan!
You are a stumbling block to Me;
you do not have in mind the concerns of God,
but merely human concerns.”
Matthew 16:23

Peter reacted as we would have. We would not have wanted our best friend to be taken away from us either. Jesus knew He needed to follow God’s plan and show us how to love unconditionally. Who else would suffered the beating, the embarrassment, and humiliation He suffered at the hands of men? Praise the Lord for His continued love. Even now!

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Father, we praise You! We praise Your unfailingly love, even when we have proved to be unlovable. Please forgive us for when we have doubted You and not sought You first. Help us develop our trust  in You so that we can take it to a new level of commitment. In Jesus’ name, Amen!

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