May 19, 2024

Flawless

October 26, 2015 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

There’s got to be more
Than going back and forth
From doing right to doing wrong
‘Cause we were taught that’s who we are
Come on get in line right behind me
You along with everybody
Thinking there’s worth in what you do

Then like a hero who takes the stage when
We’re on the edge of our seats saying it’s too late
Well let me introduce you to amazing grace

No matter the bumps
No matter the bruises
No matter the scars
Still the truth is
The Cross has made
The Cross has made you flawless
No matter the hurt
Or how deep the wound is
No matter the pain
Still the truth is
The Cross has made
The Cross has made you flawless

Could it possibly be
That we simply can’t believe
That this unconditional
Kind of love would be enough
To take a filthy wretch like this
And wrap him up in righteousness
But that’s exactly what He did

Take a breath smile and say
Right here right now I’m ok
Because the Cross was enough

MercyMe
Songwriters:  Solomon Olds, Ben Glover, Nathan Cochran, Mike Scheuchzer,
Barry Graul, Robby Shaffer, Bart Millard, David Arthur Garcia

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Flawless—

  • Having no defects or faults (dictionary.com)
  • Without any blemishes or imperfections; perfect (Google)

You shall be blameless (complete, perfect) before the Lord your God
Deuteronomy 18:13 AMP

God appointed His Son with an oath,
and His Son has been made the perfect High Priest forever.
Hebrews 7:28b NLT

As I was reading Psalm 18:30, the word “flawless” jumped out at me:

As for God, His way is perfect:
The Lord’s Word is flawless;
He shields all who take refuge in Him.

And, of course, I immediately started singing this song.  We know God is flawless.  Scripture repeatedly reveals His perfection:

The law of the Lord is perfect (flawless), restoring and refreshing the soul;
Psalm 19:7 AMP

He is the Rock, His work is perfect;
Deuteronomy 32:4 NKJV

God—His way is perfect; the Word of the Lord is pure.
2 Samuel 22:31 HCSB

God is Light [He is holy, His message is truthful, He is perfect in righteousness],
and in Him there is no darkness at all [no sin, no wickedness, no imperfection].
1 John 1:5 AMP

I don’t know about y’all, but I have a really hard time thinking of myself as ‘flawless, unblemished, blameless’  (much less, perfect!).  I know my faults, my imperfections.  So does God.  But…

“Could it possibly be
That we simply can’t believe
That this unconditional
Kind of love would be enough
To take a filthy wretch like this
And wrap him up in righteousness
But that’s exactly what He did“

That is exactly what God did!  He sent His Son in our place.  The Lord is our High Priest who intercedes for us.  God views us through the righteousness of Christ.  We are blameless, complete, perfect before Him.  God’s perfection is THE source of our perfection.  We are His workmanship and His work is perfect and flawless. So, instead of beating ourselves up for our flaws and imperfections, let’s just

“Take a breath, smile and say
Right here right now I’m ok
Because the Cross was (and still is) enough“

The Cross has indeed made us flawless.

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

Even So Come

October 23, 2015 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

All of creation
All of the earth
Make straight a highway
A path for the Lord
Jesus is coming soon

Call back the sinner
Wake up the saint
Let every nation shout of Your fame
Jesus is coming soon

Like a bride waiting for her groom
We’ll be a Church ready for You
Every heart longing for our King
We sing 

Even so come, Lord Jesus, come

There will be justice
All will be new
Your name forever
Faithful and true
Jesus is coming soon

Even so come, Lord Jesus, come
So we wait, we wait for You
God, we wait
You’re coming soon  

Kristian Stanfill / Passion
written by Chris Tomlin, Jess Cates, Jason Ingram

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   * 

When I recently heard this new song I became excited.  It talked about something I’m looking forward to—Jesus is coming soon!  The Church (the fellowship of believers) is waiting like a bride for The Groom, Jesus, to come get her.  In Jesus’ day, the bride would be waiting in her parents’ home for the groom to come and take her with him to the home that he had prepared for her. [Click here to learn more about marriage in Jesus’ day.)  How excited she must have been, waiting in anticipation.  Did she keep looking out the window, or crack the door open to check to see if he was coming up the street?  How many times did she straighten her dress, and check her hair to make sure everything was perfect for her coming groom?

With that same anticipation, preparedness, and excitement, we as believers should be looking for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.  We hear stories occasionally of a bride being left at the altar, jilted by her groom.  That is very, very sad.  But we have the assurance that Jesus is faithful and true, and He loves us so much that we never need to worry about being jilted by Him.  Jesus will come again to take us to His home in Heaven.  He has prepared a place for each of us to spend eternity with Him.

Here are a few encouraging and reassuring Scriptures to get you excited about our soon-coming King:

Listen! It’s the voice of someone shouting,
“Clear the way through the wilderness for the Lord!
Make a straight highway through the wasteland for our God!
Isaiah 40:3

Listen to me, O royal daughter; take to heart what I say.
Forget your people and your family far away.
For your royal husband delights in your beauty;
honor Him, for He is your Lord…
The bride, a princess, looks glorious in her golden gown.
In her beautiful robes, she is led to the King, accompanied by her bridesmaids.
What a joyful and enthusiastic procession as they enter the King’s palace!
Psalms 45:10-15

I am overwhelmed with joy in the Lord my God!
For He has dressed me with the clothing of salvation
and draped me in a robe of righteousness.
I am like a bridegroom dressed for his wedding or a bride with her jewels.
Isaiah 61:10

…there will be heard once more the sounds of joy and laughter.
The joyful voices of bridegrooms and brides will be heard again,
along with the joyous songs of people bringing thanksgiving offerings to the Lord.
They will sing, ‘Give thanks to the Lord of Heaven’s Armies,
for the Lord is good.  His faithful love endures forever!’
Jeremiah 33:11

“Praise the Lord! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns.
Let us be glad and rejoice, and let us give honor to Him.
For the time has come for the wedding feast of the Lamb, and His bride has prepared herself.
She has been given the finest of pure white linen to wear.”
For the fine linen represents the good deeds of God’s holy people.
And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding feast of the Lamb.”
And he added, “These are true words that come from God.”
Revelation 19:6-9

“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this message for the churches.
I am both the source of David and the Heir to his throne.
I am the Bright Morning Star.”
The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.”
Let anyone who hears this say, “Come.”
Let anyone who is thirsty come.
Let anyone who desires drink freely from the water of life.
Revelation 22:16-17

He Who is the Faithful Witness to all these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon!”
Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!
May the grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s holy people.
Revelations 22:20-21

“Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in Me.
There is more than enough room in My Father’s home.
If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?
When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with Me where I am.
John 14:1-3

So with joy and anticipation, as this song says, “Wake up the saint, let every nation shout Jesus’ fame,” because it is a sure thing—Jesus is coming.  Maranatha!

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Dear God, we are so thankful to be called the bride of Christ!  What joy, what privilege, and also what responsibility.  Help us by Your Holy Spirit to be alert and waiting with great anticipation for our soon-coming King.  While in that waiting, may our joy draw others to seek You, too.  Come, Lord Jesus!  In Your Holy Name we pray.  Amen.

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

God Of Compassion

October 21, 2015 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

There is an everlasting kindness  
You lavished on us 
When the Radiance of heaven Came to rescue the lost
You called the sheep without a shepherd 
To leave their distress
 For your streams of forgiveness 
And the shade of Your rest
And with compassion for the hurting 
You reached out Your hand 
As the lame ran to meet You 
And the dead breathed again
You saw behind the eyes of sorrow 
And shared in our tears
Heard the sigh of the weary
Let the children draw near    
What boundless love
What fathomless grace 
You have shown us, O God of compassion 
Each day we live 
An offering of praise 
As we show to the world Your compassion   
We stood beneath the cross of Calvary 
And gazed on Your face 
At the thorns of oppression 
And the wounds of disgrace
 For surely You have borne our suffering 
And carried our grief 
As You pardoned the scoffer 
And showed grace to the thief    
How beautiful the feet that carry 
This gospel of peace 
To the fields of injustice 
And the valleys of need
To be a voice of hope and healing 
To answer the cries 
Of the hungry and helpless 
With the mercy of Christ

Keith and Kristyn Getty/Getty Music
*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
Slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness.
Psalm 103:8

There is one word in this passage that really sticks out to me—compassion (or merciful, as rendered in other translations).  Twice in Psalm 103, we read that the Lord ‘is compassionate / merciful’ (verse 8) and in verse 13, it says that He “has compassion” (or mercy or pity).  I often find it so very helpful, when studying the Scriptures, to read a particular verse or passage in a number of different Bible versions.  It always brings about a more complete understanding… at least to me.  (Do you find that true, too?)  I would like to let you experience this in reference to this verse.  My go-to version for studying is always the Amplified Bible version; so I’ll start there…

  • AMP
    The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, plenteous in mercy and loving-kindness.
  • NIV
    The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.
  • NLT
    The LORD is compassionate and merciful, slow to get angry, filled with unfailing love.
  • ESV
    The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
  • NASB
    The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness.
  • KJV
    The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.
  • HCSB
    The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and rich in faithful love.
  • ISV
    The LORD is compassionate and gracious, patient, abundantly rich in gracious love.
  • ASV
    Jehovah is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abundant in lovingkindness.
  • DBT
    Jehovah is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abundant in loving-kindness.
  • Webster’s
    The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abundant in mercy.
  • YLT
    Merciful and gracious is Jehovah, slow to anger, and abundant in mercy.

Each of these versions (and, of course, there are more!) communicate basically the same thing…but some add just a further bit of information or inflection.  After reading through these, I was left praising God Who is ‘compassionate and merciful and gracious’ and abundantly rich in steadfast, unfailing, in loving-kindness’!  How great is our God!!!

The Strong’s concordance uses the following words to biblically define ‘compassion/merciful’ as used in verse 8: “to love, love deeply, have mercy, be compassionate, have tender affection, have compassion”.  And listen to this tidbit of insight:  this particular word ‘compassionate’ (rachuwm, pronounced ‘rakh-oom’) is used only 13 times throughout the OT.  It is also one of the names by which Almighty God describes Himself; such as here in Deuteronomy 4:31:

For the Lord your God is a {rachuwm} merciful and compassionate God;
He will not fail you, nor destroy you,
nor forget the covenant with your fathers which He swore to them.

And here is the very first occurrence of this word {rachuwm) in the Bible.

And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming,
“The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and merciful God,
slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness…”
Exodus 34:6

Almighty God declared Himself ‘…the compassionate and merciful God…’ during His encounter with Moses on Mount Sinai.  No doubt God had already proven Himself VERY compassionate, merciful, and gracious towards the children of Israel!  Remember this is the account where He allows Moses to redo the two tablets on which had been the commandments which God had written and given to Moses.  (Here’s a link to go read this passage.)  While Moses and Joshua were up on the mountain receiving God’s commands, the people had chosen to turn back to their idolatrous ways and had made a golden calf and were worshipping this idol.   Upon his return, Moses became so disgusted and angry with them that he threw the tablets on the ground and broke them to smithereens!  (NOT good!)  Moses pleaded with the Lord and interceded on behalf of the Israelites.  And ‘the compassionate and merciful God’ relented and gave them yet another chance to repent and obey.  This shows the magnitude of the Lord’s mercy, compassion, and grace!

So what does this mean to us…some 3,000+ years later?  It means everything…because God  does not, cannot, will not  change.  He is the same “…compassionate and merciful God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness” as He was then.

For I, the LORD, do not change;
therefore you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed…
Malachi 3:6

I pray that each of us would hold fast and cling to this truth, and give much praise to our great God Who is the God of compassion!

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Here is a link  if you would like to study this verse and the usage of ‘compassionate/merciful’ in describing the Lord God Who IS oh-so-very merciful and compassionate.

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

10,000 Reasons

October 19, 2015 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

Bless the Lord, O my soul, O my soul
Worship His holy name
Sing like never before, O my soul
I worship Your holy name

The sun comes up; it’s a new day dawning
It’s time to sing Your song again
Whatever may pass and whatever lies before me
Let me be singing when the evening comes

You’re rich in love and You’re slow to anger
Your name is great and Your heart is kind
For all Your goodness, I will keep on singing
10,000 reasons for my heart to find

And on that day when my strength is failing
The end draws near and my time has come
Still my soul will sing Your praise unending
10,000 years and then forever more

Bless the Lord, O my soul, O my soul
Worship His holy name
Sing like never before, O my soul
I worship Your holy name
Jesus, I worship Your holy name
I worship Your holy name
Sing like never before, O my soul
I worship Your holy name
I worship Your holy name
I worship Your holy name

Matt Redman
written with Jonas Myrin

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

Bless and affectionately praise the Lord, O my soul,
And all that is [deep] within me, bless His holy name.
Bless and affectionately praise the Lord, O my soul,
Psalms 103:1-2a AMP

Recently I have seen several FaceBook posts about blessing the Lord.  This song immediately came to mind.  And, as I thought about blessing the Lord, two questions were at the forefront:

1) Why are we to bless the Lord?    2) How do we bless the Lord?

First, WHY  are we to bless the Lord?  The song title says there are 10,000 reasons to bless the Lord.  And in the second verse, it gives us several specific reasons taken from Scripture:

  • The Lord is rich in love

But God, being [so very] rich in mercy,
because of His great and wonderful love with which He loved us…
Ephesians 2:4 AMP

Yahweh—Yahweh is a compassionate and gracious God,
…rich in faithful love and truth,
Exodus 34:6 HCSB

  • The Lord is slow to anger

Return to the Lord your God,
For He is gracious and merciful,
Slow to anger,
Joel 2:13 NKJV

The Lord is slow to anger…forgiving wrongdoing and rebellion
Numbers 14:18 HCSB

  • His name is great

Inasmuch as there is none like You, O Lord
You are great, and Your name is great in might
Jeremiah 10:6 NKJV

I will vindicate the holiness of My great name
which has been profaned among the nations
Ezekiel 36:23 NASB

  • His heart is kind

For His merciful kindness is great toward us
Psalm 117:2 NKJV

“But with everlasting kindness I will have compassion on you,”
says the Lord your Redeemer.
Isaiah 54:8 AMP

The Lord is righteous in all His ways
And kind in all His deeds
Psalm 145:17 NASB

But, the best reason is because He loves us.  John 3:16 tells us He loved us so much that He sent His only Son to die in our place, so that we could have everlasting life.

Augustine explained it like this
“God loves each of us as if there were only one of us.”

His plan would have been put into effect even if you or I were the only person on earth. This leaves me speechless!

And, second, HOW  do we bless the Lord?  What could I possibly do that would bless Him?  Thankfully, in the words of David, we have the answer:

I will bless the Lord at all times;
His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
My soul shall make its boast in the Lord;
The humble shall hear of it and be glad.
Oh, magnify the Lord with me,
And let us exalt His name together.
Psalm 34:1-3NKJV

We are to praise the Lord continually—boast about Him, magnify Him, and exalt His Holy name.  That’s how we bless the Lord.  (That’s not asking too much, is it?)

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

Be One

October 18, 2015 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

We don’t feel ready, we don’t feel steady
Question what we really have to give

Stay where it’s safer, claim faith but waiver
Is this how we’re really meant to live

We pray but never move
We say but never do

It’s time to get our hands dirty
oh oh, oh oh
Be love – there’s a whole lot of hurting
oh oh, oh oh
Calling all hearts, calling all hands
Calling all feet to take a stand
Why sit around and wait for a miracle to come
When we can be one, when we can be one, when we can be one

A little somethin’ might feel like nothin’
But in His hands it’s all we’ll ever need

To speak life to the broken
Watch the blind eyes open
It’s who He’s calling you and me to be

We can be the change – be the hope
We can be the arms that don’t let go
We can be a light in the dark
We are, we are, where it starts

Natalie Grant

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A lukewarm Christian is not something that I want to be. Oh…I definitely have been. But I much prefer to be in the game; and when you’re in the game, you get dirty.  Jesus did.  He didn’t play it safe and protect himself and just associate with His disciples and followers.  No, He ate with the hated and He got close to the sick to heal them and He walked with prostitutes.  His main objective was to make sure that everyone knew His Father and that they would go to Heaven when they died.

This is exactly how we should be.  I am sure that around your area, there are homeless people who have needs to be met before they can even think about making a decision to know Him.  Hungry families live on streets near you.  There are women in your circle who may be fighting an addiction of some kind and need to know Jesus still loves them. There are marriages on the brink of divorce.  You are someones hope today!

So as you listen to this song, pray to God that He will reveal to you where to go and who needs to hear hope from you.  Ask Him to lead you to them and He will guide you and speak through you.  How awesome is it to actually be His hands and feet?!!!  There are so many changes that this world needs and it can start here with us….

Declare His glory among the nations, His wonders among all peoples.
Psalms 96:3 NKJV

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you;
and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.
Matthew 28:19-20 NKJV

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Dear God, thank You so much for sending Jesus to earth as a man, to walk among sinners.  He showed us what we should be like.  He was a Friend of sinners and loved  the ones who are hardest to love.  Lord, You created everyone and You love us all. Please plant in us that same love for our neighbor and give us the desire to walk through their hard with them.  Reveal to us who we are to share with and direct our steps and send us where we are to go.  You have blessed each one of us by living in us and granting us grace for each moment.  I pray that no one has to go one more day without knowing how much You love them.  Help us to get in the game and not be afraid to get our hands dirty.  We love You. In Jesus’ name, we pray.  Amen.

 

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

Speak Life

October 16, 2015 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

Some days, life feels perfect
Other days it just ain’t workin
The good, the bad, the right, the wrong
And everything in between
Though it’s crazy, amazing
We can turn a heart with the words we say
Mountains crumble with every syllable
Hope can live or die

So speak Life, speak Life
To the deadest darkest night
Speak life, speak Life
When the sun won’t shine and you don’t know why
Look into the eyes of the brokenhearted
Watch them come alive as soon as you speak hope,
You speak love, you speak
You speak Life, (oh oh oh oh oh oh)
You speak Life. (oh oh oh oh oh oh)

Some days the tongue gets twisted
Other days my thoughts just fall apart
I do, I don’t, I will, I won’t
It’s like I’m drowning in the deep
Well it’s crazy to imagine
Words from our lips as the arms of compassion
Mountains crumble with every syllable
Hope can live or die

Lift your head a little higher
Spread the love like fire
Hope will fall like rain
When you speak life with the words you say
Raise your thoughts a little higher
Use your words to inspire
Joy will fall like rain
When you speak life with the things you say

…Some days life feels perfect

 

Toby Mac
written along with Jamie Moore, Ryan Stevenson

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The tongue can bring death or life;
those who love to talk will reap the consequences.
Proverbs 18:21

It still amazes me when I think of the reality of this verse…and the power we hold in our words.  We are given a choice each day to speak life, or speak death.  We can uplift, or we can tear down.  I try to teach my kids often the importance of this lesson.  Whether in school or at home, I want them to know that their words carry a significant amount of weight.  We, as adults, need to remember this as well.

In the heat of the moment, we can choose to use our words as weapons or as blessings.  By remembering that our words will make an impact even after they are long since spoken may help us to remember to consider them more carefully.  As the words of this song remind us, despite our situation, despite how we may feel, we need to remember to choose to speak life with our words—life for ourselves and life for others.

What do your words mean to you?  What do they mean to others?

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Dear Heavenly Father, teach us to consider our words more carefully than we have been.  Remind us to speak life when we are tempted to do otherwise.  In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

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

I Choose Jesus

October 15, 2015 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

I have searched to find the meaning of this life
Something that would fill my empty soul
Some believe a lie, choose darkness over light
But I will stand and let the whole world know

I choose Jesus, I choose Jesus
The One who first chose me

I stand unashamed trusting in one Name
‘Cause I have seen the Cross and I believe
This choice comes at cost, all other things are lost
No other love could mean so much to me

I choose Jesus, I choose Jesus
The One who first chose me
I choose Jesus, I choose Jesus
For now and eternity

He chose to love me when I felt unlovable
He chose to reach me when I felt unreachable
He carried me out of my fear and doubt
How I want the world to know—I choose Jesus

Moriah Peters
along with songwriters: Tony Wood, Chuck Butler, Ed Cash

*  ~  ♥  ~  ✞  ~  ♥  ~  * 

Have you searched to find meaning and SOMEthing that would fill the emptiness of your soul?  I have….  Oh, how I have yearned to KNOW I was l-o-v-e-d!  Probably for most of the first quarter century of my  life, I attempted to fill that void. But nothing…not accomplishments, not approval, not people, not food, not inappropriate relationships…nothing was able to fill that hole in my heart.  And, assuredly, there is nothing which COULD fill that hole in my heart…only Jesus.  Perhaps you have heard this quote,

“There is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of every person,
and it can never be filled by any created thing.
It can only be filled by God, made known through Jesus Christ.”

–  Blaise Pascal

I think that describes it so well—a ‘God-shaped vacuum in the heart.’  I believe God created man (and woman) with that need.  And I know He perfectly provided for the filling of that vacuum when He made Adam and Eve and gave them the opportunity to have perfect fellowship with Him every moment of every day.  And I trust He would have always supplied their need…but they were deceived.   They chose to think that something else—being equal and alike to God Almighty—was the true answer to their needs.

But the serpent said to the woman, You shall not surely die,
for God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened,
and you will be like God, knowing the difference
between good and evil and blessing and calamity.
And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food
and that it was delightful to look at,
and a tree to be desired in order to make one wise,
she took of its fruit and ate; and she gave some also to her husband, and he ate.
Genesis 3:4-6

And, because they chose the deception of the enemy of their souls and disobeyed the One Who truly DID love them, they lost that fellowship and perfect connection and the fulfillment that a relationship with their God gave them.

And mankind has suffered under the sin of Adam since.  But God would not allow His plan, His desire to fail.  And He provided so that all of humanity could have that ‘God-shaped vacuum’ filled in the way He had originally planned.

By this the love of God was manifested in us,
that God has sent His only begotten Son
into the world so that we might live through Him.
In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us
and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
1 John 4:9 and 10

Jesus IS the perfect and complete filling of that vacuum!  We do not need to search or attempt to fill the void inside…we need to accept God’s perfect provision making Jesus our Lord and Master and live our lives in obedience to Him.

In this beautiful song, Moriah Peters sings, “He chose to love me when I felt unlovable…He chose to reach me when I felt unreachable…He carried me out of my fear and doubt.”  No longer do I (nor you, either!) have to search for something to fulfill the emptiness, the void.  We need to choose Jesus!  He has chosen me (you, too)!

Would you sing along with me…

I choose Jesus, I choose Jesus
The One who first chose me
I choose Jesus, I choose Jesus
For now and eternity

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I Can Just Be Me

October 14, 2015 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

I’ve been doing all that I can
To hold it all together, piece by piece
I’ve been feeling like a failure
Trying to be braver
Than I could ever be
…It’s just not me

So be my Healer, be my Comfort
Be my Peace
‘Cause I can be broken
I can be needy, Lord, I need You now
To be, be my God
…So I can just be me

I’ve been living like an orphan
Trying to belong here
But it’s just not my home
I’ve been holding on so tightly
To all the things that I think
That satisfy my soul
…But I’m letting go

So be my Father, my mighty Warrior
Be my King
‘Cause I can be scattered, frail and shattered
Lord, I need You now
To be, be my God
…So I can just be me

‘Cause I was lost
In this dark world
‘Til I was finally found in You
So now I’m needy, desperately pleading
Oh Lord, be all to me

So be my Savior, be my Lifeline
Won’t You be my everything?
‘Cause I’m so tired
Of trying to be someone
I was never meant to be

Be my God, please be my God
Be my God so I can just be me
So I can just be me
…I can just be me

Laura Story
written with Jason Ingram

*  ~  ♥  ~  ✞  ~  ♥  ~  *

Can’t you just imagine leafing through your Bible and coming upon words like these…they are so similar to some of David’s songs, don’t you think?  This choruses of this song sings just like one (no, like MANY) of the psalms.  Perhaps these words are very similar to a song in your own heart?  I’ll tell you…they are close to my own, at times.

Oh, ’cause at times I can whine…and complain!  Despite the great measure of grace and blessing that my God has poured into my life, at times I seem to forget.  I can become overwhelmed with situations and circumstances.  And then I attempt to wrestle with these ugly things rather than seeking God and relying on Him.

Silly me!  I try to take things into my own <incapable> hands instead of seeking the only One Who IS capable—my Lord, Jesus the Christ, the One to Whom  “all authority (all power of rule) in heaven and on earth has been given…” (Matthew 28:18).

I (and you also, my friends!)…we are not alone in struggling with matters such as this!  We’ve already recognized that David called out to God in his struggles. But we also have the examples and godly encouragement of other men throughout the pages of the Bible.  The Apostle Paul and his disciple, Timothy, are two who I thought of immediately!  Paul wrote in his letters to encourage the believers in the first century Church <and us, too!!!> to rely on all that Christ had made available.

But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you,
for My power is made perfect in weakness.”
Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses,
so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses,
insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities.
For when I am weak, then I am strong.
2 Corinthians 12:9, 10 ESV

In Paul’s letters to Timothy, as he taught him regarding leadership, Paul faithfully reminded Timothy that God is the One Who is to be trusted and relied upon.  For example, He said:

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 1:12 NIV

All throughout the Scriptures, God’s people are instructed over and over and over again of the simplicity of the commands He has for us.

He has showed you, O man, what is good.
And what does the Lord require of you
but to do justly,
and to love kindness and mercy,
and to humble yourself and walk humbly with your God?
Micah 6:8

We need to remember.  And to trust and obey.  It is SO much simpler to do things God’s way!  And then ‘I can just be me!’   Amen?

 *  ~  ♥  ~  ✞  ~  ♥  ~  *

Oh, how we praise You, dear Lord!  What joy we have in our hearts knowing that You ARE our Healer, Comfort, Peace… our Father, Mighty Warrior, King… our Savior, Lifeline… truly our EVERYthing!  How gracious, kind, and compassionate You are towards our human nature which, at times, is weak and needy and tired!  Thank You for how patient and longsuffering You are with us…never leaving us nor forsaking us even when we whine and complain.  Thank You for Your grace and mercy, Your lovingkindness, Your forgiveness, Your love!  Thank You for always being there when we turn our little hearts around and acknowledge that You have not changed…and You never will.  Thank You for forming and making us—to ‘just be me!’  We love and adore You, Faithful Father!  And pray in Jesus’ name.  Amen.

 

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How Sweet The Sound

October 12, 2015 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

Yea though I walk through the valley
I know that You are always right beside me
And I will fear no evil
You’re my Rock, and my Strength
You comfort me

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound
I hear You singing over me
I once was lost but now I’m found
And it’s beautiful
Amazing grace, how sweet the sound
It covers every part of me
My soul is silent, I am found
And it’s a beautiful sound

You carry me through the waters
Where Your peace clears away all my sorrow
And nothing can separate us from Your love
Oh, Your love it will always be

You were healing in the pain
You were shelter in the storm
Hallelujah, You restore my soul

Citizens Way
Writers: Josh Calhoun / Ben Calhoun

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

Yahweh your God is among you,
a Mighty Warrior who saves.
He will rejoice over you with gladness.
He will bring you quietness with His love.
(in His love He will be silent and make no mention of past sins, or even recall them)
He will delight in you with shouts of joy.
(He will exult over you with singing)
Zephaniah 3:17 HCSB / AMP

I have had the first part of this chorus stuck in my head for days now. I could not figure out why but I knew there had to be a reason. So I decided to look up the lyrics and suddenly I understood.

“…It covers EVERY part of me…”

Y’all, life is just plain hard sometimes.  Aging is hard.  Marriage is hard.  Exercise is hard.  Eating healthy is hard.  The big stuff, and the little stuff, is just downright hard.  I am pretty good about remembering to take the big stuff to God.  But the little stuff—the daily struggles, things that seem unimportant in the grand scheme of things—those I often try to handle on my own.  Right now, the hardest thing for me is eating healthy.  There is so much information available it is hard to know which opinion is right.  At every turn there is an ad or commercial encouraging me to reward myself with food.  This is a daily battle which I seem to have no motivation nor strength to fight.  Then boom!  Those 6 little words “It covers every part of me…” hit me like a 2×4.  God’s grace covers EVERY part of me.  (Including my struggle to eat healthy.)

In my Bible study we have been talking about battles and how to fight them.  I have been learning so much.

  • I don’t have to be strong or do it own my own. God’s grace is all I need.

In 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 NLT it says,
“My gracious favor is ALL you need. My power works BEST in your weakness…For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

  • I need to use the right weapons. God’s grace provides the weapons.

2 Corinthians 10:4-5 tells us,
“We use GOD’s mighty weapons, not mere worldly weapons, to knock down the Devil’s strongholds. With these weapons we break down every proud argument…with these weapons we conquer every rebellious thought.”  (Note to self: right thinking leads to right eating – not arguments, or rebellious thoughts excuses,)

  • I must be sure I am covering myself in the armor God’s grace provides.

Remember the armor listed in Ephesians 6,
– Belt of truth
– Breastplate of righteousness
– Shoes of peace
– Shield of faith
– Sword of the Spirit – the Bible
– Helmet of Salvation
– To pray at all times
(Look y’all, God’s armor covers every part of us – from the top of our heads to the tip of our toes!)

Your battle may not be the same as mine.  My battle is subject to change in the blink of an eye.  But these battles are real.  And they aren’t just fought here on earth.  They are fought in the heavenly realm as well.  (Remember Gabriel’s battle in Daniel 10?)

Look at this Facebook post from 9/9/15 by Ben Carson:
“An eagle does not fight a snake on the ground.  It picks it up and changes grounds, then releases it back to the ground.  A snake has no stamina, no power, no balance in the air.  It is useless, weak and vulnerable unlike on the ground where it is deadly, wise and powerful.  Take your fight to the spirit realm (pray) and when you are in the spiritual realm God takes charge.  Don’t fight in the physical realm, change grounds like an eagle.”

There is so much to unpack in that brief post!  I love the visual imagery.  But the main thing to remember is that our very first strategy should always be prayer.  Our prayers take the battle to a Higher Authority.

God covers every part of us—every battle, every sorrow, every pain—with His grace.  His grace provides us the strength and the weapons to fight our battles, whether big or small.  He cares about each of our battles, even the ones we think are insignificant or mundane.  We do not have to fight them alone.  He does not expect us to handle them on our own.  He is always right beside us, our Shelter in the storm.  His grace covers every part.

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Pray

October 11, 2015 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

I bow my head to pray
I don’t know what to say
I’m not sure how to fix
The things I’m dealing with
I’m in a desperate place
I need to share the weight
But I just don’t know how
To let it all pour out
And though I’m silent
My heart is crying
‘Cause I was made to
Come to You

So I pray
God, I need you more than words can say
Right here in this moment
You know my heart
You know my need
You know every part of me
So even if it’s just to speak Your name
I’m gonna pray

I failed to find the time
But You’ve been calling out
I let the days go by as if I could live without
But it’s gotta be here and now
I won’t be pulled away
‘Cause it’s just You and I
So let the world around us fade

Father, will You meet me here right now
Father, I surrender, lay it down
Father, and every time I close my eyes I know that I was made
To lift my hands and pray

I lift my hands and pray
You know my heart
You know my need
And every single part of me
So even if it’s just to speak Your name
I’m gonna pray
I’m gonna pray

You know my heart
You know my need
You know every part of me
and more than words
You want my life
Take it as an offering

Sanctus Real
songwriter: Mark Everett

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

If you don’t pray, you’ll fall prey to the enemy at some point in your life. Prayer is so important to my relationship with the Lord.  I begin in the morning by just talking to Him.  First thing after I open my eyes, I say,”Dear Lord…” and I don’t stop until my eyes close at night.

Sometimes life gets chaotic and other things are so loud that I can’t hear His voice.  That’s when I know that I need to be intentional about my prayers.  I make hard stops and hit my knees and cry out to my Creator. Just looking up at Him and saying His name can silence the enemy immediately.  And when He feels far away, I whisper His name and He comes close.  I start my prayer with hands open to receive and end my prayer with my hands reached up high in praise for all that He is about to do.

And remember, just because He is quiet doesn’t mean that He isn’t answering your prayers.  Just keep praising Him for the answer and show that You trust Him in this season.  He will reward your faith.  Your life will be so full of joy and it will be because of constant communication with God!

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances;
for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Pray continually…

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.
Romans 12:12

Give thanks in all circumstances….

Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.
Colossians 4:2

Rejoice always…

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!
Philippians 4:4

Because He always love you!

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

Let us pray:  Dear Lord, thank You that we can come straight to You and talk to You.  We don’t need priests or saints or temples…we just need You. You promise that when we pray, that You hear us and You will answer us. You come near when we press in!  Help us to stay in constant prayer and to believe even when it looks like all is going wrong.  You never let us down and You are always on our side.  Grant us joy and peace, oh Lord!  In Jesus’ name, amen.

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