November 5, 2024

Brave

October 29, 2014 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

The gate is wide
The road is paved in moderation
The crowd is kind and quick to pull you in
Welcome to the middle ground
You’re safe and sound and
Until now it’s where I’ve been

‘Cause it’s been fear that ties me down to everything
But it’s been love, Your love, that cuts the strings

So long, status quo
I think I just let go
You make me want to be brave
The way it always was
Is no longer good enough
You make me want to be brave
Brave, brave

I am small
And I speak when I’m spoken to
But I am willing to risk it all
I say Your Name
Just Your Name and I’m ready to jump
Even ready to fall

Why did I take this vow of compromise
Why did I try to keep it all inside

I’ve never known a fire that didn’t begin with a flame
Every storm will start with just a drop of rain
But if you believe in me
That changes everything
So long, I’m gone

Singer/Songwriter Nichole Nordeman with Jay Joyce

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I had the gift of seeing Nichole Nordeman at the Women of Faith conference this past weekend in Denver, Colorado.  This song got me to thinking “What is status quo?” So I started doing some digging to find out about status quo and Christianity.  Here is what I found….

This excerpt, from Jane Morin, says it perfectly.  And she gives us examples of biblical people who dared to move beyond the safe way of living, a.k.a status quo, into a brave way of living.

“Status quo is a Latin term meaning the present current, existing state of affairs. To maintain the status quo is to keep things the way they presently are. There is nothing wrong with the status quo when it pertains to certain areas of our lives. However, living a status quo Christian life is totally unacceptable. At least it was during the days of the bible. I can think of many biblical characters who dared to move beyond the status quo of their belief system.”

•The woman who knelt and touched the hem of Jesus garment so she could be healed. (Luke 8:43-44)

•John the Baptist preaching in the wilderness. (John 1:23)

•David as he danced before the Ark of the Covenant throughout the kingdom to welcome back God’s presence. (1 Chronicles 15:29)

•Moses, when God used him through a series of plagues to set the Israelites free. (Exodus 9:14)

I could go on and on but I think you are getting the idea of what I am saying here. We have never been called to live in the cozy, Christian, comfort zone of life.”

(JaneMorin.com)

For we live by believing and not by seeing.
2 Corinthians 5:7 NLT

Living beyond the status quo of what you see and fully trusting God in whatever it is—is a brave way of living.  This is how we were meant to live…not in our safe little boxes where we are afraid to step into the unknown.  The situations you have no control over are the ones where God can shine the most and where miracles can happen.

I also had the gift of seeing Christine Caine and Lisa Bevere at this conference.  Here are a couple of things they said that struck me about living in a Higher Place beyond the status quo….

“It is time to grow up, ladies! What are you doing under your circumstances? Go to the Rock that is higher than I…”
Christine Caine

…From the end of the earth I call to You when my heart is faint.
Lead me to the rock that is higher than I….
Psalm 61:2 ESV

“Status quo is no longer an option, you are bringing the threshold of heaven.”
Lisa Bevere

Will you be brave and trust God with the very details of your life?  The choice is ultimately ours.

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Heavenly Father, I pray for each lady reading this, and myself, that we will choose to live beyond the status quo and be brave in the unknown places and trust you. In Jesus’ Name. Amen!!!

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

Move In Me

January 4, 2014 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

The man I buried had a heart of stone
Left him there in the bright light, out on a dirty road
The day You saved me from shadow and shame
Old things gone, got a new song, got a new name
Burnin’ like the wildfire, kickin’ up flames
A brand new band in the wasteland singing about Grace
Gonna jump the fences ’til the world is free
But I won’t make a move ’til You move in me

I’m knocking on doors, You’re keeping the keys
Maybe they’ll open, maybe they’re not for me
I’m setting the sails, You ready the seas
But I won’t make a move ’til You move in me

Gonna sing a little louder, gonna rattle these chains
Locked up tight ’round midnight, won’t stay that way
Gonna bless this dirt floor, gonna kiss these walls
Singing Your praise ’til the earth shakes and watching them fall

I’m knocking on doors, You’re keeping the keys
Maybe they’ll open, maybe they’re not for me
I’m setting my sails, You ready the seas
But I won’t make a move ’til You move in me
No, I won’t make a move ’til You move in me…move in me
~ performed by: Jeremy Camp;  written by: Nichole Nordeman/Bernie Herms ~

 

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“Old thing’s gone, got a new song, got a new name. The day you saved me from shadow and shame….” It’s my story. Is it your story too? I love this song…it speaks to me in many ways.

But this morning the Lord has given me a new perspective. “I don’t want to make a move until you move in me….”  How many times I have been impatient with things and have taken control of my circumstances and tried to work them out myself. Instead of waiting for God’s leading and direction in making a move. How many times have I taken control only to exhaust myself and end up in the same place that I started. When I have made a choice to do this and ended up at the foot of the Cross weary, worn, and completely depleted.

God gave me a visual of Jesus standing there, waiting, as I run myself ragged trying to fix things instead of resting and trusting in Him. Then as I fall to His feet, exhausted and defeated, He gently extends his hand and helps me up and says, “Are you ready to trust Me and let Me handle things???”

We want a quick fix, don’t we? We want answers now. But it is all in God’s timing and not ours! Steadfastness, consistency, keeping on in the faith walk, not wavering to the left or to the right, keeping right on the love line.

Listen to this: “We are to consider it wholly joyful when we encounter trials (temptations to get off faith), because the trial OF OUR FAITH (it’s our faith being tried not us) produces patience, constant consistency, resolute steadfastness.  As we let patience have its work (we yield to constant consistency, not looking to the left or to the right), so that we may be perfect (complete) lacking nothing.” Isn’t that a wonderful viewpoint on James 1:2-4.  Love that!

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Oh, Father, forgive me for when I have made the choice to move instead of trusting You to move in me. May I make the choice today to not make a move until I know that I know You are moving in me. Father, won’t You move in me…. In Jesus’ Name, I pray. Amen.

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

When Love Sees You

December 30, 2013 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

Blessed are you as you weep on your knees with perfume and tears washing over My feet
And blessed are you, beggar, hopeless and blind calling for mercy when I’m passing by
Blessed are you, shaking your head at two tiny fish and some bread
Blessed are you as you tremble and wait for the first stone thrown at your sinful disgrace
   Tell Me your story, show Me your wounds
   And I’ll show you what Love sees when Love looks at you
   Hand Me the pieces, broken and bruised
   And I’ll show you what Love sees when Love sees you
Blessed are you, walking on waves, to find yourself sinking when you look away
Blessed are you, leper, standing alone the fear on their faces is all that you’ve known
Blessed are you, lonely widow, who gave your last shiny coin to Yahweh
Blessed are you, with your silver and lies, kissing the One who’s saving your life
I see what I made in your mother’s womb and I see the day I fell in love with you
I see your tomorrow’s, nothing left to chance, I see My Father’s fingerprints
   I see your story, I see My name written on every beautiful page
   You see the struggle, you see the shame; I see the reason I came
   I came for your story, I came for your wounds
   To show you what Love sees when I see you

~ performed by Mac Powell / written by Nichole Nordeman and Bernie Herms ~

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As we get ready to ring in the New Year,
may you be reminded what love sees when love sees you…

This song is very near and dear to my heart. I was once a very lost woman full of shame. I handed Him the broken pieces of my life and He restored and redeemed it.  Maybe you need to hear that and to know that today—Jesus came for me AND He came for you, too!  May you know and believe who you are in Him. Your identity is not in who you used to be. You are who God says you are—Blessed, Anointed, Redeemed, a daughter of the King!
Praise God that your past does not determine your future…He has great plans for you, sweet sister. You may see the struggle but He sees the reason He came.

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