April 20, 2024

I Refuse

September 15, 2015 by
Sometimes I, I just want to close my eyes
And act like everyone’s alright, when I know they’re not
This world needs God, but it’s easier to stand and watch
I could say a prayer and just move on, like nothing’s wrong
But I refuse
‘Cause I don’t want to live like I don’t care
I don’t want to say another empty prayer
Oh, I refuse to
Sit around and wait for someone else
To do what God has called me to do myself
Oh, I could choose not to move
But I refuse

I can hear the least of these, crying out so desperately
And I know we are the hands and feet of You, oh God
So if You say move, it’s time for me to follow through
And do what I was made to do, and show them who You are

To stand and watch the weary and lost
Cry out for help
I refuse to turn my back and try and act
Like all is well
I refuse to stay unchanged, to wait another day
To die to myself
I refuse to make one more excuse

Josh Wilson
Singer/Songwriter

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It is so easy to sit around and not do anything.  It is much harder to do something about our problems or the issues we see around us.  All we need to do is ask God to help us be strong and give us the courage to do what is right. There are some who do not have to pray about it. They already know what they need to do…and they embrace the challenge.

We can all find this kind of courage, especially when we read the Psalms. Who much more can we follow than David?  Through his ups and downs, David always praised God.  As David went through his struggles and victories, it is also a reminder of our future Savior and King—Jesus.

Jesus, when he was in the garden of Gethsemane, prayed for God to take away what was going to happen. But, because it was not God’s plan, Jesus accepted His fate and completed His journey for His Father.

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Heavenly Father, we love You and thank You for sending us great examples for us to follow.  We want to be a light for You in this confused world.  Forgive us for being complacent and lazy.  Light a fire under us to share your awesome truths.  In Jesus’ name, amen.

 

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

That Was Then, This Is Now

July 12, 2015 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

We used to hide from the light
We made friends with the night
We were headed the wrong way on a one way track
Going nowhere fast

We got used to the dark
We thought this is who we are
And we figured that we were just too far gone
But we were wrong

‘Cause love came running like a river
And we got washed in the water
Then He said you’re forgiven
Your sins are gone

That was then, this is now
You’re bought by the blood,
Saved by the Son the saints all sing about
That was lost, this is found
And it’s time to say goodbye to the old you now

So go ahead, put the past in the past
Box it up like an old photograph
You don’t have to go back
‘Cause that was then and this is now

We’ve been remade by grace
We’ve all got new names
And nothing we do could ever change
What He did that day

If we turn and confess every unrighteousness
He is faithful and just to forgive
Oh, so turn and confess every wrong and regret
And see what it means to live

‘Cause that was then and this is now

 Josh Wilson, singer/songwriter

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There was a time in my life that I was in the dark for so long that my eyes adjusted to it, and I could see.  Chaos was normal and I definitely made wrong choice after wrong choice.  I accepted my life the way it had become and I even labeled myself as a loser.  The crazy thing was that I had lived more of my life in His light than in the dark; yet the dark became normal.  But one day He became so much brighter than my present darkness and I decided that I wanted to be out there.  His love for me was still so big…so much bigger than my circumstances.  And I surrendered it all that day.

And (as the song says), we have to take the past and ‘box it up‘. There will be times that the memories of those wrong choices still come flooding in.  You will have to make a decision to surrender it again and remember that Jesus came to forgive you.  Everything you have ever done or will ever do was left at the Cross with Jesus.  You are now covered in His blood and you’ve been made new.

This means that anyone who belongs to Christ
has become a new person.
The old life is gone; a new life has begun!
2 Corinthians 5:17 NLT

So take heart!
Claim the grace that is so free for you!
Know that He loves you beyond measure!
You are never too far gone to turn back now!
He is there with open arms…
Today can be the day that your life will change forever!

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Let us pray: Dear God, You are so amazing!  Thank You for being so full of grace and mercy.  You know the choices we are going to make before we even make them yet You still love us so much.  Even when we sit in darkness, You are so close that all we have to do is move toward You.  Thank You for Your light that shines into our pits.  Oh Lord, we are so grateful for Your Son, Jesus, Who died for our sins so that we will live with You forever one day.  We love You!  In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Before The Morning

September 7, 2014 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

Do you wonder why you have to
Feel the things that hurt you
If there’s a God who loves you
Where is He now

Maybe there are things you can’t see
And all those things are happening
To bring a better ending
Some day, some how, you’ll see, you’ll see

Would dare you, would you dare, to believe
That you still have a reason to sing
‘Cause the pain that you’ve been feeling
Can’t compare to the joy that’s coming

So hold on, you got to wait for the light
Press on, just fight the good fight
Because the pain you’ve been feeling
It’s just the dark before the morning

My friend, you know how this all ends
And you know where you’re going
You just don’t know how you get there
So say a prayer

And hold on, ’cause there’s good for those who love God
Life is not a snapshot, it might take a little time
But you’ll see the bigger picture

Once you feel the way of glory
All your pain will fade to memory
Once you feel the way of glory
All your pain will fade to memory
Memory, memory, yeah

 Singer / Songwriter: Josh Wilson with Ben Glover

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There are times when I question God. In my sinful nature, I say, “If He is good, why is this happening and why does it feel so bad?”  (Are you with me?)  And “If He loves me so much, why would He allow me to hurt?”

The answer is that there is sin in the world.

The Lord saw how great man’s sin on the earth had become,
and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time.
Genesis 6:5

But He didn’t leave it this way, He sent a Savior so that joy could replace sorrow.

See, in our minds, we can only see the picture up close.  Our problems seem so big, and at the time they are.  It feels sometimes that the mountain that is in front of us will be there forever.  But God is still writing our stories.  He knows the ending and He sees our lives with a different view.  He is trustworthy and good. He loves you so much that He can’t get enough of you.

The hope in this song is this: You can dare to believe that you still have a reason to sing — to sing His praises!  ‘Cause the pain that you’ve been feeling can’t compare to the joy that He has for you.  You’ve got to wait for the light…press on and keep fighting the good fight because the pain you’ve been dealing with is just the hurt before the healing and the dark before the morning.

As God promises in Psalm 16:11, “You make known to me the path of life; You will fill me with joy in Your Presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.”  He will fill us with joy and He will give us flickers of light when we are in a season of darkness and He will bring us out victoriously.

Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.
Psalm 40:5

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Let us pray: Dear God, You are so good.  You wrote each one of our stories with a beautiful ending.  Thank You for Your grace and mercy and patience when we doubt Your perfect plan.  We only see what is in front of us, so we ask that You increase our faith and endurance.  Give us the strength to keep on fighting the fight and give us the willingness to stay on the right path.  And most of all, we thank You for the Joy that comes in the morning all because of Your precious Son saving us from ourselves.  We love you.  In Jesus’ name, amen.

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