November 19, 2024

Carried to the Table

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

Wounded and forsaken
I was shattered by the fall 
Broken and forgotten
Feeling lost and all alone
Summoned by the King
Into the Master’s courts
Lifted by the Savior
And cradled in His arms

I was carried to the table
Seated where I don’t belong
Carried to the table
Swept away by His love
And I don’t see my brokenness anymore
When I’m seated at the table of the Lord
I’m carried to the table
The table of the Lord

Fighting thoughts of fear
And wondering why He called my name
Am I good enough to share this cup
This world has left me lame
Even in my weakness
The Savior called my name
In His Holy Presence
I’m healed and unashamed

You carried me, my God
You carried me

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



Words & Music by Leeland Dayton Mooring, Steve Hindalong and Marc Byrd

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As you listen to the words, imagine…He is calling you by name.  There is a huge table and He has saved you a seat.  He has forgiven all you have done and you are clean. You are weak and cannot take a step in the right direction so Jesus carries you in His arms and places you right beside Him.  He loves you so very much.

Yes, you have been broken and you don’t feel worthy to sit at His feet.  But better than that—He wants you to be beside Him.  When you cannot do this life on your own, He carries you.  And we belong because He says we do.  You don’t see your brokenness anymore.  All you see if a life full of freedom and joy and blessings far beyond all you can imagine.  It’s all for you!!!

Yes, there will be fear, but in His presence it fades and joy takes over.  Peace envelopes you as you share this cup with Him.  His blood washed you and His body was broken and poured out so you could be whole.  Take this to heart today and just rest in this hope.

If you feel far away today, all you have to do is call His name and remember He has already called you.  He has a seat saved for you right beside Him.  He will carry you if you’re too weak.  He is waiting….

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Let us pray:  Dear Lord, thank You for giving us a place at the table with You. We are so undeserving yet You love us anyway and forgive us for all of it.  You share a cup with us and we are completely satisfied for it is living water.  Our brokenness is gone and we are made whole with You.  Oh Lord, we love You so very much and we are amazed at the grace You bestow on us freely.  We cannot thank You enough.  Thank You for the joy and the abundant life full of blessings. For those far away, gently nudge them back and let them know that Your arms are open ready to take them in.  In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

Live For Today

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

Sittin’ in my room staring at the wall
Wonderin’ about the meaning of it all
Why is it this thing called life
Has got me goin’ crazy
So I open up Your Word and let it speak to me
The purpose and the plan that You’ve designed
Is clear to see, and I believe

I’m gonna live for today
I’m gonna follow in Your way
I’m gonna let my little light shine
Like there’s no tomorrow
I won’t worry about the past
I know my future is intact
So I’ll choose to live my life one way
I’m gonna live it for today

You told me not to worry
About what lies ahead
So I am gonna focus on today instead
Making every moment count and counting
Every single blessing
I’m gonna set my mind on the
Here and the Now
This is what I want my life to be about
And this is how….

 Listen while you read….

Singer / Songwriter: Miss Natalie Grant
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One of my favorite sayings on how I live my life is “One day at time, sweet Jesus, is all I am asking of You….”  Taking one day at a time instead of being concerned with what lies ahead.

The Word that gives life
was from the beginning,
and this is the one
our message is about.
Our ears have heard,
our own eyes have seen,
and our hands touched
this Word.
John 1:1 Message

God tells us to ‘Seek ye first the kingdom…’ We are to live each day as God gives us EXACTLY what we need for that given day.  I love how this is stated:

“There is value in engrafting every single verse in the Bible, because ‘all scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness’ (II Timothy 3:16).  There is great benefit in focusing on the verses that contain commands, because they express the foundational message of Scripture: how to love God and others.”

for more: How Can I Engraft God’s Word into My Life from iBible.org

May we choose to live for today and not worry about what lies ahead…trusting God in each moment. We are to let our lights shine….

You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its flavor, how can it be made salty again?
It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled on by people.
You are the light of the world. A city located on a hill cannot be hidden.
People do not light a lamp and put it under a basket but on a lampstand,
and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way,
let your light shine before people, so that they can see your good deeds
and give honor to your Father in heaven.
Matthew 5: 13-16 NET

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Heavenly Father, thank You for the strength to live each day as if it was our last. May our little lights shine to honor and glorify You in all that we do… In Jesus’ name, Amen!!

The More I Seek You

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

The more I seek You
The more I find You
The more I find You, the more I love You

I wanna sit at Your feet
Drink from the cup in Your hand
Lay back against You and breath, feel Your heartbeat
This love is so deep, it’s more than I can stand
I melt in Your peace, it’s overwhelming

Written by Zach Neese / Performed by Kari Jobe, Gateway Worship

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But if from there you seek the Lord your God,
you will find Him if you seek Him
with all your heart and with all your soul.
Deuteronomy 4:29 NIV

 

What a simple, yet moving, praise and worship song!  This is a song that will move you as you sit and meditate on the words and their meanings in your quiet time.  Please enjoy!

I Still Believe

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

scattered words and empty thoughts
seem to pour from my heart
I’ve never felt so torn before
seems I don’t know where to start
but it’s now that I feel Your grace fall like rain
from every fingertip, washing away my pain

I still believe in Your faithfulness
I still believe in Your truth
I still believe in Your holy word
even when I don’t see…I still believe

though the questions still fog up my mind
with promises I still seem to bear
even when answers slowly unwind
it’s my heart I see You prepare
but its now that I feel Your grace fall like rain
from every finger tip, washing away my pain

the only place I can go is into Your arms
where I throw to You my feeble prayers
in brokenness I can see that this was Your will for me
help me to know You are near

’cause I still believe….

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

Singer / Songwriter: Jeremy Camp

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Jeremy Camp sings, “…‘cause even when I don’t see, I still believe.”  How about you?  It can be a struggle sometimes, agreed?  But our believing is not now, has never been, and not ever will be, based on what we can ‘see.’  Our believing is based on the One Whom we believe—the Great I AM—and on Him alone.

…for we walk by faith, not by sight
2 Corinthians 5:7

There is no doubt that our God wants us to believe Him with all of our heart and trust that everything He has promised will come to pass…amen?  He has given us, through His power and outlined in the Scriptures, ‘all things that pertain to life and godliness’ so that we can know Him and His promises.

His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us to His own glory and excellence, by which He has granted to us His precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.
2 Peter 1:3 and 4

Our knowledge  of the Scriptures is constantly growing as we faithfully read and study them.  Based on all that we learn about our Great God, His Will, and His desires for His people, we can take a firm stand on His promises believing Him and knowing by faith that they will come to pass.

What are some of the things that we are to believe?

  • He hears our prayers
  • He heals our bodies
  • He comforts our hearts
  • He never leaves nor forsakes us
  • He watches over us
  • He guards us
  • He prepares a path for us to walk
  • He lovingly reproves and corrects us
  • And…His faithfulness, His truth, His Holy Word

I still believe in Your faithfulness

For the word of the Lord is right and true;
He is faithful in all He does.
Psalm 33:4

I still believe in Your truth

So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him,
“If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine;
and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.
John 8:31-32

I still believe in Your Holy Word

My son, attend to my words; consent and submit to My sayings.
Let them not depart from your sight; keep them in the center of your heart.
For they are life to those who find them, healing and health to all their flesh.
Proverbs 4:20-22

“…Even when I don’t see, I still believe!”

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
Hebrews 11:1

As you (and I) make this our confession, we are trusting (as did Paul, our brother) the One who is Faithful and True.

He has saved us and called us to a holy life—
not because of anything we have done
but because of His own purpose and grace.
This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time,
but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior,
Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life
and immortality to light through the gospel.
And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher.
That is why I am suffering as I am.
Yet this is no cause for shame,
because I know Whom I have believed,
and am convinced that He is able to guard
what I have entrusted to Him until that day.
2 Timothy 1:9-12

Friend, make this your own confession….  May I suggest that you write it down, place it in your Bible…write it on your dresser mirror…write it on your palm…write it on your heart!    

I still believe in Your faithfulness
I still believe in Your truth
I still believe in Your Holy Word
Even when I don’t see, I still believe

Move

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

I’m not about to give up, because I heard you say
There’s gonna be brighter days, there’s gonna be brighter days
I won’t stop, I’ll keep my head up, no, I’m not here to stay
There’s gonna be brighter days, there’s gonna be brighter days
I just might bend but I won’t break, as long as I can see Your face

When life won’t play along, and right keeps going wrong
And I can’t seem to find my way, I know where I am found
So I won’t let it drag me down, oh, I’ll keep dancing anyway
I’m gonna move, move
I’m gonna move, move
I’m gonna move
I’m gonna move

I’ve got to hold ‘er steady, keep my head in the game
Everything is about to change, everything is about to change
This hurt is getting heavy, but I’m not about to cave
Everything is about to change, there’s gonna be brighter days
I just might bend but won’t break, as long as I can see Your face

When life won’t play along, and right keeps going wrong
And I can’t seem to find my way, I know where I am found
So I won’t let it drag me down, oh, I’ll keep dancing anyway
No matter what may come,
Gotta move to a different drum
No matter what life brings
Gotta move
Gotta move
To a different beat
No matter what may come
Gotta move to a different drum
No matter what life brings
Gotta move
Gotta move
To a different beat
I just might bend but I won’t break as long as I can see Your face

When life won’t play along and right keeps going wrong
And I can’t seem to find my way I know where I am found
So I won’t let it drag me down, oh, I’ll keep dancing anyway
When life won’t play along and right keeps going wrong
And I can’t seem to find my way, I know where I am found
So I won’t let it drag me down
Oh, I’ll keep dancing anyway

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

Written by Dan Muckala and MercyMe / Sung by MercyMe

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I love this song…because in this life we will have trouble.  But we need to keep movin’ and believing that better days are on the way!  Let’s see what promises God gives us for when we encounter days of trouble….

Come back to the place of safety, all you prisoners who still have hope!
I promise this very day that I will repay two blessings for each of your troubles.
Zechariah 9:12 NLT

What an AWESOME promise to hold on to! I have personally experienced this countless times in my life.

I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace.
In the world you have trouble and suffering, but take courage—I have conquered the world.
John 16:33 NLT

Hold on to your hope in Him, no matter the circumstances!
He is Faithful !!!!

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Heavenly Father, I thank You for Your Word and these promises to hold onto.  I thank You for Your faithfulness in each circumstance.  I pray that when trouble comes, we will choose to keep dancing and moving and not let them drag us down.  In Jesus name, AMEN!!

Lord, I Need You

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.

Come Away

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

Come away with me
Come away with Me
It’s never too late
It’s not too late for you
I have a plan for you
It’s gonna be wild it’s gonna be great it’s gonna be full of Me
Come away with Me
It’s never too late
It’s not too late for you
I have a plan for you
It’s gonna be wild it’s gonna be great it’s gonna be full of Me
Open up your hearts and let Me in

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

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Where do you run when life seems overwhelming and out of control??
God is always wanting us to run to Him. To come away with Him from the chaos of the world and step into the peace of His Presence.

Then Jesus said,
“Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens,
and I will give you rest.
Matthew 11:28 NLT

What a comforting thought that it is never too late that the peace of the Father Who is as near as our next breath…is just a prayer away.  God wants us to open up our hearts and let Him in.

I love how the following commentary, written by Joyce Meyers for ChristianPost, talks about letting God into EVERY room of your heart.

Letting God Into Every Room of Your Heart

If we’re going to really live the Christian life, we need to decide to surrender all of our heart and let God have access to every room in our “house.” And when God asks us to surrender the things in the rooms of our heart, we need to get excited, because something greater is coming.
We need to say, “God, I give You free reign because I know You are good and You love me and wouldn’t ask me to give up something if it wasn’t for my benefit.” Jesus paid a tremendous price for us to have a joyful, peaceful life and He doesn’t want to see us miserable
Here are some “rooms” we may need to give Him access to:
The Study or the Library: Your Mind. What kind of things do you think about? The more you think of something, the more it becomes a part of you. In fact, your thoughts set the course for your life. God knows what we’re thinking, so let’s focus on things that He wants us to think-things that are noble, pure, trustworthy, admirable…(see Philippians 4:8). And remember, you can choose what you think about. So when the devil tries to interject thoughts in your mind, you don’t have to just take them.
The Dining Room: Our Desires. We need to come to the point where we can say “God, I only want what You want, and if I’m asking for something You don’t want me to have, then don’t give it to me.” Our desires can cause the biggest problems in our life-especially when someone else gets something we want. But God wants us to be happy for others when they are blessed and trust that He’ll do what is best for us at the right time.
The Living or Family Room: Your Friends. Who are your friends? What do you talk about when you’re with your friends? I’m talking here about the people you spend your time with and those you open your heart to. Does your conversation put a smile on God’s face…or does it grieve Him? Get together with people who love the Word of God and be creative with how you help others. Because there’s one thing for sure: when you get your mind off yourself and focus on blessing someone else, you’ll get happier than you’ve ever been!
The Workroom: Your Legacy. Are you bearing good fruit…or are you just taking up space? I encourage you to work with excellence and integrity. When you choose not to gossip at work, waste company time or participate in things that wouldn’t please Him, then you honor God. And when you honor God, then He will honor you. Remember: We need to do what’s right because it’s right, even when no one’s looking…because God is always with us.
The Recreation Room: Your Entertainment. Do you let God decide what movies you watch, the music you listen to or the things you read? There is nothing wrong with having a good time, but our choices also need to honor Him. Likewise, we have to be careful about how much time we devote to entertainment. When it takes a stronger priority in our life than it should, there’s a problem. It’s not that you can’t have any fun; you just need to choose what is best for you and is pleasing to God.
The Hall, Closet, Attic, Garage or Basement: Hidden Things. This is where we hide all those things we don’t think we’ll use again, but we hold on to them just in case…things like self-pity or unforgiveness. God dealt strongly with me about self-pity. But even after I officially gave it up, I put it somewhere in that back closet of my life just in case I wanted to have just one more pity party.
How about getting rid of everything that’s not pleasing to God? Only with God’s Help.
What are you holding onto that needs to go?

To read more, go here:

christianpost.com/news/letting-god-into-every-room-of-your-heart

 

Thankful

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

‘Cause we’re all stillborn and dead in our transgressions
Now we’re shackled up to the sin we hold so dear
So what part can I play in the work of redemption
‘Cause I can’t refuse, I cannot add a thing
‘Cause I am just like Lazarus and I can hear Your voice
I stand and rub my eyes and walk to You because I have no choice

So I am thankful that I’m incapable
But I’m doin’ any good on my own
I say that I’m so thankful that I’m incapable
Of doin’ any good on my own

It’s by grace I have been saved
Through faith that’s not my own
It is the gift of God and not by works
Lest anyone should boast

So I am thankful that I’m incapable
And I’m doin’ any good on my own, yeah
I say that I’m so thankful that I’m incapable
And I’m doin’ any good on my own

Listen while you read! 

Written by Derek Webb, Alex Band, Aaron Kamm Kamin

Performed by Caedmon’s Call

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For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves,
it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Ephesians 2:8-9

Anytime I see or hear the above verse, I think of an old saying that my dad used to say to me as a child… “The road to heaven is not paved with good works.” Only as I grew up and grew, hopefully, wiser did I start to understand what he meant. As a teenager I learned that to be “saved” you had to accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior and confess with your mouth that you believed He died on the Cross for you. Yet, as anyone goes through life and accepts Christ, they learn that it is more than that—it is having a personal relationship with Him.

Jesus responded, “Didn’t I tell you that you would see God’s glory if you believe?” So they rolled the stone aside. Then Jesus looked up to heaven and said, “Father, thank you for hearing me. You always hear me, but I said it out loud for the sake of all these people standing here, so that they will believe you sent me.”  Then Jesus shouted,“Lazarus, come out!” And the dead man came out, his hands and feet bound in graveclothes, his face wrapped in a headcloth. Jesus told them, “Unwrap him and let him go!”
John 11:40-44

Just like Lazarus we are dead—not physically but spiritually—until we believe and confess that Jesus died on the Cross to defeat the sentence of death for our sin. Our spirits are asleep as long as we refuse to “wake up” and see the true teachings and miracles of Jesus. We are in a spiritual grave until Jesus calls to our hearts, and we answer. We come stumbling out of the tomb just as Lazarus did when Jesus gave him life.

Just like Lazarus, we are products of God’s glory and work. We are created to worship God and bring Him glory in all that we do. We are incapable of doing His work without having Him in our hearts and at our sides. When we acknowledge that God is with us and that He died for us, we grow stronger, and unbelievers can see the work of God in us. Jesus unwraps us from the tangled web of sin and sets us free. We become capable when we have Jesus with us.

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Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for untangling me from the web of sin. Thank You for making me capable of showing the glory of God in my everyday life.  Thank You for making me capable.  In Jesus name, Amen.

Sweet Jesus, You Are My Faithful Friend

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

Sweet Jesus, my Savior
You are my faithful friend
You made me, You know me
And You see my every sin

And my soul is amazed
By this gift of Your grace
And these arms that take me in
Sweet Jesus, my Savior
You are my faithful friend

Sweet Jesus, my shelter
You are my faithful friend
The refuge that I run to
When my world comes closing in

Why should I be afraid
When I know I am saved
By the arms that take me in

Sweet Jesus, my shelter
You are my faithful friend, oh yeah

Sweet Jesus, my shepherd
You are my faithful friend
You hold me, You lead me
I’ll follow till the end

And once more I will say
On that beautiful day
When Your arms take me in

Sweet Jesus, my shepherd
You are my faithful friend
Sweet Jesus, my Savior
You are my faithful friend 

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

~  written by Matthew West, Tony Wood, Todd Smith  ~
Sung by Selah and Jill Phillips
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There are times when I listen to a song and peace that truly passes beyond my understanding floods through my heart (my inner self). I am sure that I am not alone in this, yes? Truly I believe that music is a gift that God has given to His people. And I believe this not based on my own experiences…though, just like you, we each have multitudes of remembrances of times that godly, Scripturally-based music has been a comfort, a blessing, a balm to our souls. It is what the Scriptures tell us about music that is what I can count on…no matter what.

The psalmist, David, (who we KNOW had an immense love for and gifting of music) found that music could bring spiritual deliverance and peace.

  • to King Saul

So it came about whenever the evil spirit from God came to Saul,
David would take the harp and play it with his hand;
and Saul would be refreshed and be well,
and the evil spirit would depart from him.
1 Samuel 16:23

  • to his own burdened, weary heart

O my Strength, I will watch and give heed to You and sing praises;
for God is my Defense (my Protector and High Tower).
My God in His mercy and steadfast love will meet me;
God will let me look [triumphantly] on my enemies.
Psalms 59:9-10

  • in his encouragement of others

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth!
Serve the Lord with gladness!
Come into His presence with singing!
Enter His gates with thanksgiving
And His courts with praise.
Give thanks to Him, bless His name.
Psalms 100:1-2, 4

(Sometime, read through the book of 1st Chronicles, in particular chapters 13-15. This is the record of David leading the people to bring the Ark of the Lord back to Jerusalem and setting it in the Temple where it belonged. In preparation for that, King David organized and appointed singers (over 4,000 in that choir!), and musicians, and priests—all for the praise of the Lord through worship-filled music.)

And as such we, also, have been instructed to minister to one another through music, and encourage each other to worship and praise God.

Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom
teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,
singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
Colossians 3:16

…But be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another
in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,
singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord;
always giving thanks for all things
in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father;
Ephesians 5:18-20

Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon His name;
make known His deeds among the peoples!
Sing to Him, sing praises to Him;
tell of all His wondrous works!
Glory in His holy name;
let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice!
Seek the Lord and His strength;
seek His Presence continually!
Psalms 105:1-4

Oh, yes, Christian music can inspire us in any number of ways—it can revive us, it can bring joy, it can get us up on our feet to dance—but as I referred to at the beginning of this blogpost, it is this overwhelming peace that some songs bring to our hearts and minds…such as this beautiful song from Selah and Jill Phillips. This peace, which only comes through the Spirit, is precious and a thing to be desired!

And the peace of God,
which transcends all understanding,
will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:7

Here is the Amplified Bible version:

And God’s peace [shall be yours,
that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ,
and so fearing nothing from God and being content
with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace]
which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard
over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Without a doubt, the peace of God surely does guard our hearts and minds! Isn’t that an awesome picture painted for us…God’s peace mounting guard and being the garrison around our hearts…our minds!

I pray for each of you that having the comfort of this transcending peace is of such importance to you. There is no peacefulness that the world talks about, or calm centered feeling that anything else purports to bring that can take the place of God’s peace in Christ Jesus. It is already given to us…simply receive it.

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts,
to which indeed you were called in one body;
and be thankful.
Colossians 3:15

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Rooftops

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

Here I am before You, falling in love and seeking Your truth
Knowing that Your perfect grace has brought me to this place
Because of You I freely live, my life to You, oh God, I give
So I stand before You, God
I lift my voice cause You set me free

So I shout out Your name, from the rooftops I proclaim
That I am Yours, I am Yours

All the good You’ve done for me, I lift my hands for all to see
You’re the only one who brings me to my knees
To share this love across the earth, the beauty of Your holy worth
So I kneel before You, God
I lift my hands cause You set me free

So I shout out Your name, from the rooftops I proclaim
That I am Yours, I am Yours

All that I am, I place into Your loving hands
And I am Yours, I am Yours
Here I am, I stand, with arms wide open
To the One, the Son, the Everlasting God, the Everlasting God

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

Performed by Kim Walker and Jesus Culture

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What if, instead of focusing on our trials and circumstances, we put our focus on the One Who is faithful???  What if we focused on ALL that God has done in our lives??? What a difference that would make!!!

Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way,
consider it an opportunity for great joy.
James 1:2 NLT

Trials are opportunities for growth and to experience God in a powerful way!!!

I love this powerful statement about circumstances by Graham Cooke (from The Way of the Warrior – live version):

“Everything you are passing through right now is a learning opportunity. We need to stop treating life’s difficulties as though they shouldn’t be happening to us. They are training. They are a really important part of who you are. God allows in His wisdom what He could easily prevent by His power. The darker the situation, and the more problematic the circumstances, and the more difficult the things we have to go through, the reward on those things is substantially greater.”

Instead, let us choose to enter His gates with thanksgiving and praise for all that He has done and continues to do….

Understand, therefore, that the LORD your God is indeed God.
He is the faithful God who keeps His covenant for a thousand generations
and lavishes His unfailing love on those who love Him and obey His commands.
Deuteronomy 7:9 NLT

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Heavenly Father, here I stand…arms wide open…heart wide open. All that I am, I place into Your loving hands. So I shout out Your name, from the rooftops I proclaim that I am Yours, I am Yours…in Jesus’ name!! Amen!!