Life Expectancy : A Matter of Attitude

A Simple Truth: A bad attitude can ruin any opportunity for joy. This week I have had a terrible and grumbling attitude. I am weighed down by final exams and the emotional and mental fatigue they bring, preparation for speaking at church on Sunday, and all the stress this ice storm has brought upon my life. My apartment has no electricity, heat, or water. This week has been composed of showering at FarmHouse, trying to endure the freezing nights of sleeping and attempting to find food that doesn't need to be cooked or heated in my apartment, continually going to the library to print off notes for class, and in summarization a complete chaos and testing of patience. But after 4 days of a grumbling and dissatisfied heart, something happened today. I realized I am so, so, SO BLESSED!

Today as I was preparing for a final I was listening to some music and God completely grabbed my attention. Here I am grumbling about inconveniances, and I live in one of the richest countries established throughout the history of the world! I DO have a place to shower if I drive a few blocks away, find warm food, and money to buy the things I need to make it through. I have warm clothes, an mp3 player to lift my spirit with songs of worship, a dependable car, friends and family who love me, and MOST importantly a GOD who is patient and merciful toward sinners. A scripture that is on my mind in this time is that in the old testament where God leads the Israelites through the wilderness... They began to complain that God was not providing what they WANTED while all the while he was supplying their NEEDS. He dwelt among them! He led them by pillars of fire and cloud. He rained down manna from heaven to fill their stomachs and he gave them a wise and humble leader in Moses to maintain order and peace among them.

Brothers and sisters, enjoy the lessons from this foolish sinner and take them to heart. When our hearts are preoccupied with complaining there is no room for WORSHIP, and when there is no room for worship we fail to be thankful and we question the very goodness of God! Forgive us Father for such ungrateful and selfish hearts.

Life: Its what you make of it. Cultivate a heart of thankfulness expressed through worship and the smallest things you never even noticed before; will bless your soul with joy beyond words.

Forever Faithful!

"How blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, Whose hope is in the LORD his God, Who made heaven and earth, The sea and all that is in them; Who keeps faith forever; Who executes justice for the oppressed; Who gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets the prisoners free. The LORD opens the eyes of the blind; The LORD raises up those who are bowed down; The LORD loves the righteous; The LORD protects the strangers; He supports the fatherless and the widow, But He thwarts the way of the wicked. The LORD will reign forever, Your God, O Zion, to all generations. Praise the LORD!" - Psalm 146:5-10

Oh how comforting is the assurance that our God is forever faithful! Blessed are the people whose help is the Lord, whose hope in the Lord, who dwell in the protection of the POWERFUL YAHWEH!

At this point in my year there are so many decisions facing me, with so many requests I plead before the Lord. I am so thankful that the Lord hears my most inward yearnings and is attentive to my tearful prayers. How all together wonderful it is to have a God who is near, a God who delights in blessing his children if they offer up worship of thankfulness! As I consider the way of my next few weeks, I will consider the faithfulness of my Lord. Yes, I will not doubt the promises he has made to those who seek his face. For he uses the weak to show his power. He uses the foolish to display his wisdom. He equips the inadaquate to show the depths of his wonder. Bless me Father in the ways I have requested before you. Delight in providing for your child whose hope is in you. May your name Father recieve the Glory it commands! For Holy is the Lord! High and EXALTED, KEEPING FAITHFULNESS FOREVER!!!

How Deep the Father's Love For Us

How humbling it is to sit under the preaching of God's word and for God to grip your soul and bring you to a quiet place of awe to his unfathomable love. How wretched we are apart from Jesus. But, OH how GLORIOUS is our heavenly Father! Jesus accomplished the greatest act of love to EVER be shown. He died for me and for you. He absorbed the fullness of Gods wrath in our place. Oh Jesus how limitless is your love, how unfathomable your mercy toward disobedient and vile sinners. How deep the Father's love for us, How vast beyond all measure! That He should give His only Son to make a wretch His treasure!

How deep the Father's love for us,
How vast beyond all measure
That He should give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure

How great the pain of searing loss,
The Father turns His face away
As wounds which mar the chosen One,
Bring many sons to glory

Behold the Man upon a cross,
My sin upon His shoulders
Ashamed I hear my mocking voice,
Call out among the scoffers

It was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life
I know that it is finished

I will not boast in anything
No gifts, no power, no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ
His death and resurrection

Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom

Worthless Words

Something that never ceases to frustrate and perplex me is how useless our words can often be. Sometimes they can bring healing, once in a while a bit of encouragement, but the most often they bring confusion, misunderstanding, and division. Why oh WHY can our words not be used as they were meant to be? I long for the days when our human hearts will be pure and our intensions; innocent and beneficial to others.

Today I spent an hour pondering what to say to someone or if I should say anything at all... but I couldn't overcome the thought of "am I playing into the idolatry of fear of man or am I pursuing a holy obedience?" Finally I couldn't come to an answer to that question so I didn’t' talk to them at all... It was really frustrating... I wish my intentions and words always matched what pleases the Lord and they were not mistaken by others perspectives.

So, as I meditate on this endless dilemma I can only come up with a few conclusions. First of all I am most certainly a fallen creature. The things I want to do I don't, and the things I think are in good intentions can be so easily masked by sin. Secondly I know my wife someday is going to have to be a very understanding and gracious woman, because I can be so foolish sometimes. Thirdly I must ultimately rest upon the continual prayer that the Lord would relentlessly purify my heart, guard my tongue, and allow his Holy Spirit to dwell upon me. Only then will the worthlessness of my heart and tongue apart of Jesus be made into something beautiful. Create in me a pure heart Oh Lord and renew a right spirit within me!

Small Morsels of Praise

Can you believe next week is already Thanksgiving? This season of Fall is flying by! So many things have changed for me in the past few months. So many new lessons learned, blessings recieved, and friendships gained. Indeed I have been abundantly blessed. Thank you Father with words that I cannot seek to speak of your wonderous blessings! You are a GLORIOUS Father! FULL of love, grace, and wonder! I draw before you with my eyes upon your goodness and take this time to offer up some small morsel of praise from the feast of abundance you have bestowed upon me.

Thank you Father for :

- Brothers and Sisters in Christ that encourage me with their laughter, love, and joy

- My pastors who seek to magnify you in the hearts and lives of their sheep

- The necessities of life: Food, shelter, oxygen, water, and this beautiful earth

- Your continuing pursuing of my heart. For even while I was yet a sinner Jesus first loved me.

- Community so deep and so authentic that it comforts parts of my soul never before reached by the love of the body of Christ. As well as their love in meeting others where they are and sharing their joys / burdens with prayer and tears.

- Beauty so pure and precious in my sisters in Christ

- Autumn and the magnificent display of color and peacefulness

- Your nearness to me Father. You hear my prayers. You bless me beyond what I even ask for. You are a majestic and loving father. May these small morsals of imperfect words bring you a degree of glory as I seek to praise you with thanksgiving. Thank you Father.

Divine Romance

The fullness of Your grace is here with me
The richness of Your beauty’s all I see
The brightness of Your glory has arrived
In Your presence God, I’m completely satisfied

For You I sing I dance
Rejoice in this divine romance
Lift my heart and my hands
To show my love, to show my love

A deep deep flood, an Ocean flows from You
Of deep deep love, yeah it’s filling up the room
Your innocent blood, has washed my guilty life
In Your presence God I’m completely satisfied

For You I sing I dance
I Rejoice in this divine romance
Lift my heart and my hands
To show my love, to show my love

-Lyrics by Phil Wickham

Only Hope

There's a song that's inside of my soul.
It's the one that I've tried to write over and over again
I'm awake in the infinite cold.
But you sing to me over and over and over again.

So, I lay my head back down.
And I lift my hands and pray
To be only yours, I pray, to be only yours
I know now you're my only hope.

Sing to me the song of the stars.
Of your galaxy dancing and laughing and laughing again.
When it feels like my dreams are so far
Sing to me of the plans that you have for me over again.

So I lay my head back down.
And I lift my hands and pray
To be only yours, I pray, to be only yours
I know now, you're my only hope.

I give you my destiny.
I'm giving you all of me.
I want your symphony, singing in all that I am
At the top of my lungs, I'm giving it back.

So I lay my head back down.
And I lift my hands and pray
To be only yours, I pray, to be only yours
I pray, to be only yours
I know now you're my only hope.

- Original lyrics by Switchfoot / Modified by Mandy Moore

What will you forfeit?

"And he called to him the crowd with his disciples and said to them, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his life?" Mark 8:34-36

This week I have been learning so much about how deeply sin runs in our hearts and human natures. It continues to amaze me that the HOLY God would choose to use sinners to bring Glory to his name through the offering of Jesus Christ. I know that personally I am consumed with selfishness, pride, idolatry, unthankfulness, and discontentment. Why is it so difficult for us to just believe the simple promises of God? If we simply believed his word is true and rest in the security of his faithfulness, these sin issues would be eradicated from our lives. My selfishness would be lost in the joy of serving others. My pride would be destroyed by humility in the realization that God can use me and will use me for his glory if I pursue righteousness and his kingdom. If I feared God more than man, my idolatry would be absolutely replaced by the overwhelming- all consuming worship of Gods mercy, grace, and love. If I thanked God for what I have rather than demanding he meet my desires I would see how abundantly he has blessed those who so leastly deserve it.

I am learning that in losing our life for the sake of Christ and his Gospel we rid ourselves of the refuse that our human natures apart from God delight in, and Christ allows us to bask in the unfathomable and delighting presence of our God and King! So in order to follow Christ do we really forfeit anything worth mentioning? I dare say NO! Rather we attain the treasure of the redemptional love of Christ that fulfills every desire and joy built into the fabric of our human soul. Let it be said of us professing to be followers of Christ that our greatest and exceeding joy was to forfeit all things of this world that we might only and ultimately attain the great lover of our souls Jesus Christ!

I Surrender All

Holy Father, love me still
I have fallen from Your will
I am broken
Hear my humble cry
My cry

Take my life and make it Yours Lord
Fill me with your love
You are all I need
I surrender all of me

I have wandered for so long
Tired and weary on my own
In Your arms I know I'm home,
O God, My God

Take my life and make it Yours, Lord
Fill me with Your love
You are all I need
I surrender all of me

Take my life and make it Yours, Lord
Fill me with Your love
You are all I need
I surrender
I surrender
I surrender all of me

Do you know Him?

This morning in the service at Grace Baptist Church the guest speaker made a comment that has really been on my mind today. He said "You cannot love that which you do not know." At first it seems like a simple comment, but the more I meditated on it's truth today the more I was amazed at how relevant it is to our lives. For example, why does a husband love his wife? It's because he knows her, he values her, he appreciates her every day attributes that he alone recognizes because of the time he has invested in admiring her. He loves her, not because of factual realization of who she is but because of the fellowship he shares with her through the every day ins and outs of this life. He draws comfort from his wife because of her willingness to sharing her life with him. So this thought leads me to a greater question. How much do you love Christ?

If you could measure this amount of love for him wouldn't it directly relate to how intimately you know him? I most certainly believe it would. When we devote our lives to relentlessly pursuing the fellowship of Jesus Christ in our prayers, meditation on the word, and practice of daily righteousness; we enter into a communion with Jesus that makes our heart burn more and more with a passion to simply be close to him. Our hearts increasingly yearn for more of his presence and our lips cannot cease from worshiping him. When our eyes our focused on his unapproachable light of glory the lesser distractions of fulfillment in this world dissappear.

So I ask once again how much do you love Christ? How well do you know him? Does your heart yearn and burn for more of him? Oh that we as Christians would strive to know Christ more and more every day! The world would not know how to react when they saw men and women burning with a passion for more and more of Christ. Do you know him? And if you know him, how much do you love him? And if you love him, it is because he first loved you.

Before the Throne of God

Before the throne of God above
I have a strong and perfect plea.
A great high Priest whose Name is Love
Who ever lives and pleads for me.
My name is graven on His hands,
My name is written on His heart.
I know that while in heaven He stands
No tongue can bid me thence depart.
No tongue can bid me thence depart.

When Satan tempts me to despair
And tells me of the guilt within,
Upward I look and see Him there
Who made an end to all my sin.
Because the sinless Savior died
My sinful soul is counted free.
For God the just is satisfied
To look on Him and pardon me.
To look on Him and pardon me.

Behold Him there the risen Lamb,
My perfect spotless righteousness,
The great unchangeable I AM,
The King of glory and of grace,
One with Himself I cannot die.
My soul is purchased by His blood,
My life is hid with Christ on high,
With Christ my Savior and my God!
With Christ my Savior and my God

One with Himself I cannot die.
My soul is purchased by His blood,
My life is hid with Christ on high,
With Christ my Savior and my God!

Blessed

WOW! This afternoon I was practicing the songs we're going to be playing on GBC Worship Team this Sunday and this one just gripped me! Wow! BLESSED are those who dwell in the house of God as they continually praise him! May that be the image of our lives! Let us dwell in your house Oh LORD and bless us with the desire for more and more of your presence!!!!
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Blessed are those who dwell in Your house
They are ever praising You
Blessed are those whose strength is in You
Whose hearts are set on our God
(X3)

We will go from strength to strength
Until we see You face to face

Hear our prayer
Oh Lord, God almighty
Come bless our land
As we seek You, Worship You

Blessed are those who dwell in your House
They are ever praising you
Blessed are those whose strength is in you
Whose hearts are set on our God

We will go from strength to strength
Until we see You face to face

Hear our prayer
Oh Lord, God Almighty
Come bless our land
As we seek you, Worship you

Hear our prayer
Oh Lord, God Almighty
Come bless our land
As we seek you, Worship you

For You are holy
For You are holy
For You are holy, Lord

For You are holy
For You are holy
For You are holy, Lord
(X2)

Hear our prayer
Oh Lord, God Almighty
Come bless our land
As we seek you, Worship You!

Hear our prayer (echo - For you are Holy, For you are Holy)
Oh Lord, God Almighty (echo-For You are Holy, Lord)
Come bless our land (echo-For you are Holy, For you are Holy)
As we seek you, Worship you (echo For you are Holy Lord)



- Hillsong "Blessed"

A Page Is Turned

Words cannot begin to describe so many things for me right now... so may this song describe what my words cannot...Ode to October...
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A page is turned by the wind to a boy in curly grin
With a world to conquer at the age of ten
But as history unfolds and the storybook is told
He finds salvation but not at the hands of man

And the God of second chance
Picked him up and He let him dance
Through a world that is not kind
And all this time, preparing him, the one
To hold him up when he comes undone
Beneath the storm, beneath the sun
And now a man, here you stand
Your day has come

A page is turned in this world to reveal a little girl
With a heart that's bigger, as it is unfurled
By the language in her soul, that's teaching her to grow
With a careful cover of love that will not fail

And the God of second chance
Picked her up and He let her dance
Through a world that isn't kind
And all this time, preparing her the one
To hold her up when she comes undone
Beneath the storm, beneath the sun
And grown up tall, here you are
Your day has come

Beneath the air of autumn, she took him by his hand
And warm within the ardor, she took his heart instead
And high upon the mountain, he asked her for her hand
Just for her hand

A page is turned in this life, he's making her his wife
And there is no secret to the source of this much life
When the grace that falls like rain is washing them again
Just a chance to somehow rise above this land

Where the God of second chance
Will pick them up and he'll let them dance
Through a world that is not kind
And all this time, they're sharing with the one
That holds them up when they come undone
Beneath the storm, beneath the sun
And once again, here you stand
And once again, here you stand
Your day has come

Rise From These Ashes

Tonight I watched the movie "We Are Marshall." As the movie unfolded my heart reflected with tears the depths of pain and tragedy that surround us. It is remarkable how men and women are able to deal with the curves that life throws at them; to move on when it seems there's no strength to carry on. They rebuild; one brick at a time, reestablishing the foundations of what once was. Seeking always to maintain hope, they press on never willing to be defeated and with hearts as steadfast as stone saying we will not give up and WE WILL overcome.

I am in awe of families that were separated through events like September 11th, Indonesian Tsunamis, and other vast tragedies as they reestablish hope and live on their lives never forgetting what was taken from them, but never allowing life's hardships to break them. We are a resilient people. But why do people start over? Why do they attempt some essence of normal life in times of absolute destruction? I think it's because that's all they can do. When we truly begin to understand the words that "The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord" then we realize that in times of loss the Lord also blesses with the strength to carry on. That is why I know people press on. It's because the Lord is always with them; helping them cope with the loss, helping them feel the love they were designed to need. He is so close in those times of tragedy that our tears do not fall outside of his hands as he carries us in his palm, so close and so protected.

Oh brothers and sisters, with streaming tears I write these words hoping that you will stand in awe of the majesty of our heavenly father in times of loss and pain and sorrow. Rest in knowing he will never abandon you, and take heart because with his help and through his strength he will establish in you an unbreakable hope that will allow you to rise from these ashes.

Oh For A Thousand Tongues to Sing

Oh, for a thousand tongues to sing
My great Redeemer’s praise,
The glories of my God and King,
The triumphs of his grace!

My gracious Master and my God,
Assist me to proclaim,
To spread through all the earth abroad
The honors of thy name.

So come on and sing out
Let our anthem grow loud
There is one great love
Jesus

Jesus the name that charms our fears
That bids our sorrows cease,
Tis music in the sinner’s ears,
Tis life and health and peace.

He breaks the power of canceled sin;
He sets the prisoner free.
His blood can make the foulest clean;
His blood availed for me.

So come on and sing out
Let our anthem grow loud
There is one great love
There is one great love
Jesus

He speaks a listening to his voice
New life the dead recieve
The mournful broken hearts rejoice
The humble born in need

Glory to God, praise, and love
Be now and ever given
By saints below and saints above
The Church in earth and heaven.

So come on and sing out
Let our anthem grow loud
There is one great love
There is one great love
Jesus
Jesus

There are so few words that never grow old
There are so few words that never grow old
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus!

So come on and sing out
Let our anthem grow loud
There is one great love
So come on, So come on

So come on and sing out
Let our anthem grow loud
There is one great love
Oh, there is one great love
Theres is ONE GREAT LOVE
JESUS!



- originally written by Charles Wesley... new version by David Crowder Band on new "Remedy" cd being released on Tuesday September 25th.

Homesick

Lord,

I am so ready to go home. Fulfill your purpose through my days and may my joy always be found in you. But when that day comes for me to see your face, I can only imagine the peace that will wash over me as I realize I am finally home.

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You're in a better place, I've heard a thousand times
And at least a thousand times I've rejoiced for you
But the reason why I'm broken, the reason why I cry
Is how long must I wait to be with you

I close my eyes and I see your face
If home's where my heart is then I'm out of place
Lord, won't you give me strength to make it through somehow
I've never been more homesick than now

Help me Lord cause I don't understand your ways
The reason why I wonder if I'll ever know
But, even if you showed me, the hurt would be the same
Cause I'm still here so far away from home

I close my eyes and I see your face
If home's where my heart is then I'm out of place
Lord, won't you give me strength to make it through somehow
I've never been more homesick than now

In Christ, there are no goodbyes
And in Christ, there is no end
So I'll hold onto Jesus with all that I have
To see you again
To see you again

And I close my eyes and I see your face
If home's where my heart is then I'm out of place
Lord, won't you give me strength to make it through somehow
Won't you give me strength to make it through somehow
Won't you give me strength to make it through somehow
I've never been more homesick than now

-Lyrics by MercyMe

Struck Down But Not Destroyed

"For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. " - 2 Corinthians 4:5-10

Why does life change so fast? Why are there joys and rich blessings in one minute and then they are gone in the next? I don't understand it. Life seems so vain and full of pain to me right now. If it were not for the joy of Christ I would wish to leave it. I try to understand why things come about like they do but its a mystery hidden in the will of God. All I can do is pray that the Lord would bring light out of this darkness and use this time to make me more like Christ. I am afflicted in every way, but may these afflictions bring about a truer worship that would bring Glory to Jesus in a way I never could have before. Thats all I can hope for in these days. Give me strength to endure Lord because this storm is drowning me, throw out your life preserver and save me from destruction. Shine your perfect light through this encompasing and dispairing darkness.

My Hope is in You

" Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love. Our soul waits for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name. Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in you." - Psalm 33:18,20-22

“And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in you." - Psalm 39:7

"For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken. On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God. " -Psalm 62:5-7

"But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. "The Lord is my portion," says my soul, "therefore I will hope in him." The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord." -Lamentations 3:21-26

Friends we do not serve a God of hopelessness. We do not serve a God who is far off. We do NOT serve a God who forsakes his children. The God we serve is a GOD OF HOPE! HE is FAITHFUL, EVERLASTING, AND NEAR! OH brothers and sisters where is our faith? Trust in the LORD for he does not disappoint!

Where did men and women of old draw their strength from? They were sustained by the HOPE of the LORD! Did not Abraham believe that God would provide a sacrifce rather than Isaac? Did not David believe that God would deliver Goliath into his hands as a demonstration of the power of the God of Israel? Did not Daniel believe that God would shut the mouths of lions? Did not Noah trust that the Lord would remember him and rescue him from the earth of waters? Did not Moses trust that the Lord would part the Red Sea and rescue them from the hands of the Egyptians? Did not the Israelites trust the Lord would tear down the walls of Jericho? Did not Ruth believe that God would provide if she remained faithful to Naomi? Did not Abigail hope in the Lord by emploring David toward righteousness with gentlenss and humility? Did not Jesus cry IT IS FINISHED and thus win victory over sin and death?! OH brothers and sisters let us HOPE in our Savior and KING!

"My King was born King. The Bible says He's a Seven Way King. He's the King of the Jews - that's an Ethnic King. He's the King of Israel - that's a National King. He's the King of righteousness. He's the King of the ages. He's the King of Heaven. He's the King of glory. He's the King of kings and He is the Lord of lords. Now that's my King.

Do you know Him? Well, my King is a King of knowledge. He's the wellspring of wisdom. He's the doorway of deliverance. He's the pathway of peace. He's the roadway of righteousness. He's the highway of holiness. He's the gateway of glory. He's the master of the mighty. He's the captain of the conquerors. He's the head of the heroes. He's the leader of the legislatures. He's the overseer of the overcomers. He's the governor of governors. He's the prince of princes. He's the King of kings and He's the Lord of lords. That's my King.

His office is manifold. His promise is sure. His light is matchless. His goodness is limitless. His mercy is everlasting. His love never changes. His Word is enough. His grace is sufficient. His reign is righteous. His yoke is easy and His burden is light. I wish I could describe Him to you . . . but He's indescribable. That's my King. He's incomprehensible, He's invincible, and He is irresistible.

I'm coming to tell you this, that the heavens of heavens can't contain Him, let alone some man explain Him. You can't get Him out of your mind. You can't get Him off of your hands. You can't outlive Him and you can't live without Him. The Pharisees couldn't stand Him, but they found out they couldn't stop Him. Pilate couldn't find any fault in Him. The witnesses couldn't get their testimonies to agree about Him. Herod couldn't kill Him. Death couldn't handle Him and the grave couldn't hold Him. That's my King. " -Dr. Shadrach Meshach (S.M.) Lockridge

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope." - Romans 15:13

Call On The Lord

When we are ready to listen, God speaks. The Lord has really been working on my heart tonight. He is revealing so many things that are not of him. I ache as new memories continually come to mind of how I've mistreated others, sinned against the Lord, and allowed my selfish nature to squander the many blessings the Lord has given me. So many opportunities, so many blessings, so many things that the Lord gave me and I never even stopped to say thank you to him. I never took the time to praise him for all he's done for me. Instead I wasted them, and once they are gone all I have now are the lessons I'm left with and the guilt I bear for my foolishness. I am a fool; a sinner to the foremost.

Tonight in my devotional it was talking of how prayer changes us. The chapter it followed was Matthew 6 and specificly verse 8. It reminded me that a big reason we pray is not to inform God of our needs because he already knows them. Rather its for our own benefit in revealing that we cannot create anything on our own. God provides for us in every detail of our lives. We pray so we can learn to say Thank You with a humbled heart to a God who so richly blesses those who so leastly deserve it.

Two verses the Lord brought to my attention for meditation tonight.
"But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. " - Matthew 6:33

"Out of my distress I called on the Lord;the Lord answered me and set me free." Psalm 118:5

These verses were of the richest truth tonight because I have realized all night how foolish I am, and how greatly my words and actions have hurt others. But these verses bring me hope. If I whole-heartedly seek the kingdom of God and his RIGHTEOUSNESS then he will most certainly CHANGE ME! Not only that but in my distress of knowing my sin and it being ever before me I cry to him and he sets me free from that knowledge of my sin against him. He doesn't want me to suffer alone. He carries my burdens for me. All I can say in summary is that God is humbling this foolish sinner and helping me to see that God will take my prodigal ways and use them to show me what a loving Father he is. Show me your Glory Lord, and may my life forevermore reflect the evidence of dwelling within your presence.

Song of Hope

All things bright and beautiful you are
All things wise and wonderful you are
In my darkest night you brighten up the skies
A song will rise

I will sing a song of hope sing along
God of Heaven come down, Heaven come down
Just to know that you are near is enough
God of Heaven come down, Heaven come down

All things new, I can start again
Creator God, calling me your friend
Sing praise my soul to the maker of the skies
A song will rise

I will sing a song of hope sing along
God of Heaven come down, Heaven come down
Just to know that you are near is enough
God of Heaven come down, Heaven come down

Oh sing a song of hope, sing along
God of Heaven come down, Heaven come down
Just to know you and be loved is enough
God of Heaven come down, Heaven come down

Hallelujah sing (x3)

By Robbie Seay Band (2007)

Breaking Free

I want to break free from the troubles of these days. I want to soar with the past to my back and my face to the SON. I want to strive to attain the seemingly impossible; to reach for the unreachable; to ask for the unfathomable.

My heart is restless. I am a Dreamer. I plead before the Lord for great blessings flowing from his delight in providing for his children. Things that our faith can seldomly allow us to believe. I believe we were created for more than what our narrow perspectives allow us to see, for more than merely making it through these days of our dissappearing lives.

I am but dust. My time on this earth is but a whisp of smoke. Here one minute and finished in the next. Will my life be worth more than the foolish pursuit of selfish gain? More than temporal and carnal enjoyment? Oh LORD I want to break free from the entanglements of this life. How greatly I yearn to praise you! How desperately I cling to your promises pleading that you would use your chosen people to bring some praise to your name.

In this season my heart is downcast oh Lord. I am lonely, battered, yearning for the restoration of joys I once knew. Alas, in such a time as this your love is ever before me. Exceedingly more, I hide in the protection of your provisional care. You are my God, and I am but a thread in the woven fabric of your eternal story of your immeseaurable goodness.

Let me break free Lord. Let my past and sins of betrayal to your name be forgotten and removed as far as the East is from the West. Oh Father, grant your church the ability to forgive, the grace to love sinners who are seemingly unloveable, the hope that you can and will do all things for your Glory. Grant us Oh Lord the measure of faith we need to make it through these days as we seek to please you alone. Let your redeemed children break forth in songs of praise to your faithfulness as we wait for the day when at last our souls will find their resting place in the presence of our Almighty God. Until then Lord, I pray ... help us to rejoice in our daily tasks; basking in the freedom that Christ purchased for us on the cross.

God With Us

When once I mourned a load of sin;
When conscience felt a wound within;
When all my works were thrown away;
When on my knees I knelt to pray,
Then, blissful hour, remembered well,
I learned Thy love, Immanuel.

When storms of sorrow toss my soul;
When waves of care around me roll;
When comforts sink, when joys shall flee;
When hopeless griefs shall gape for me,
One word the tempest's rage shall quell--
That word, Thy name, Immanuel.

When for the truth I suffer shame;
When foes pour scandal on my name;
When cruel taunts and jeers abound;
When "Bulls of Bashan" gird me round,
Secure within Thy tower I'll dwell--
That tower, Thy grace, Immanuel.

When hell enraged lifts up her roar;
When Satan stops my path before;
When fiends rejoice and wait my end;
When legioned hosts their arrows send,
Fear not, my soul, but hurl at hell
Thy battle-cry, Immanuel.

When down the hill of life I go;
When o'er my feet death's waters flow;
When in the deep'ning flood I sink;
When friends stand weeping on the brink,
I'll mingle with my last farewell
Thy lovely name, Immanuel.

When tears are banished from mine eye;
When fairer worlds than these are nigh;
When heaven shall fill my ravished sight;
When I shall bathe in sweet delight,
One joy all joys shall far excel,
To see Thy face, Immanuel.

Written by Charles Spurgeon in 1852

A New Season Awaits

"There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven."
-Ecclesiastes 3:1

There is a time for everything. A time for sorrow, a time for joy. A time for loss, a time for gain. A time for quiet reflection, and a time for laughter. Yet God makes all things beautiful in his own time.

Oh what joy springs from my heart at the thought of a new season approaching! I am so thankful for new seasons that dawn upon the horizens of our lives. I LOVE Autumn. I love the cool crisp air, the beautiful leaves, the fresh and peaceful way this earth changes from the heat of summer to the calm serenity of Fall. I love watching families playing catch in the park and children playing in the leaves. I love sitting beneath the towering presence of trees as I look across their grandeous display of gentle beauty. OH the artistry with which our Lord made this earth. With such unfathomable imagination did he craft the intricacies of life. My heart is captivated in wonder as I think of his unfathomable riches and depths of power and majesty.

This week as I met with my pastor he said something to me that gave me such great assurace of hope and peace. He said "this too shall pass." As I pondered his words, my heart filled with a quiet, peaceful reassurance that the Lord leads us through seasons in our lives for a distinct reason and each season bears its own pleasures and hardships. YET the Lord will continue to be with us. He is our shepard who protects his sheep from every danger and storm. Oh the joy at knowing seasons change! My heart is welcoming this new season of hope, adversity, and beauty because I know my Redeemer lives. My Savior and my God is with me! Thank you Jesus for giving us hopes and dreams in knowing that in the course of our lives each season gives birth to another, and each season helps us become more like you. For in you Jesus we are continually being made new. With gladness I welcome this change as I ponder the blessed assurance that.... a new season awaits.

Come Thou Fount

Come, Thou Fount of every blessing, tune my heart to sing Thy grace;
Streams of mercy, never ceasing, call for songs of loudest praise.
Jesus saught me when a stranger, wandering from the fold of God;
He to save my soul from danger, interposed His precious blood.

O to Grace how great a debtor, daily I'm constrained to be!
Let that grace, Lord, like a fetter, bind my wondering heart to Thee.
Teach me, Lord, some rapturous measure, meet for blood-bought hosts above;
While I sing the countless treasure of my God's unchanging love.

Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it; prone to leave the God I love:
Yet Thou Lord has deigned to seal it, with Thy Spirit from above.
Rescued thus from sin and danger, purchased by the Savior's blood,
May I walk on earth a stranger, as a son and heir of God.

Beautiful

Today my heart is pondering the beauty that the Lord has created on this earth and the beauty of his holiness. Our God is HOLY with radiating splendor! He is more beautiful in his glory than our earthly eyes can look upon, more dazzling in unapproachable light than our minds can imagine! God is HOLY and the heavens and earth tremble before his majesty! He is all powerful, for he speaks and his creation came to be. When I think of his holiness and our contrasting abhorent and evil souls I am lost in the uncomprehendable thoughts that he makes us beautiful and holy through the blood of Jesus. He makes us beautiful... through the depths of his love and the sacrifrice of Jesus upon the cross. Friends we can't even begin to comprehend the love the Father has for us! God became man in flesh and died for his own creation! What love, what sacrifice, what an amazing, wonderous, and BEAUTIFUL God we serve! Let us never cease to sing praises to the Lord by the lives we live. Let us lead lives that are worthy of the sacrifice Jesus paid for our souls to dwell with the Father forever! DON"T WASTE YOUR LIFE! Let us be beautiful in your eyes Jesus; for you made us beautiful through your love.

Reflections of Beauty
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- The morning sun breaking forth from the horizon and the setting sun
- The words of truth in the bible
- Mountains in all their earthly splendor
- The radience of a bride on her wedding day
- A heart that seeks after God
- The beloved of your life and her captivating presence
- Selfless love
- The heavens above, the stars and moon, and celestial wonders
- Clouds of deepest blue, laced with lightning, and thundrous song
- Flowers of sweetest fragrence, and colors of great array
- Mercy and grace from the Lord for his redeemed children
- The continual changing of christians becoming more like Jesus
- The Holiness of God

In Christ Alone

In Christ alone my hope is found
He is my light, my strength, my song
This Cornerstone, this solid ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm
What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease
My Comforter, my All in All
Here in the love of Christ I stand

In Christ alone, who took on flesh
Fullness of God in helpless babe
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones He came to save
‘Til on that cross as Jesus died
The wrath of God was satisfied
For every sin on Him was laid
Here in the death of Christ I live

There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave He rose again
And as He stands in victory
Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me
For I am His and He is mine
Bought with the precious blood of Christ

No guilt in life, no fear in death
This is the power of Christ in me
From life’s first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny
No power of hell, no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand
‘til He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand(x2)

Who Am I ?

"When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him? Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. You have given him dominion over the works of your hands;you have put all things under his feet, all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field, the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea, whatever passes along the paths of the seas.
O Lord, our Lord,how majestic is your name in all the earth!" - Psalms 8:3-9

Oh Father, who am I that you are mindful of me? Who am I that you hear me? I am dust. I am less than dust. Yet you choose to look upon me and hear me. You are with me and you have redeemed my soul and secured my salvation through your son Jesus! How blessed is your name and the redeeming love you have poured forth unto me! Who am I in comparison to your great Glory! I am your beloved, your chosen, set apart for you! Therefore your worship will forever be upon my lips! All glory and praise and majesty are ascribed to you Lord! You are an amazing Father and my heart will sing of your praise forever.

Hold On

I’ve been there a thousand times
Felt the rain like a thousand knives and it hurts
I know it hurts
I’ve been there like a fighter plane
Trying to fly my way through a hurricane and it’s hard
I know it’s hard

Don’t be afraid
You’ll make it through
Just call out to me
And I’ll come running to you

Hold on
Hold on
When the current pulls you under
And your heart beats like thunder
Just give me your hand
And hold on
Hold on
until the storm is over
And I’ll be fighting for you
Just give me your hand
And hold on

I’ll give you hope I’ll give you faith
And if it’s dark I’ll light the way for you
For YOU
By your side until the end
Until you’re standing tall again
I’m here
I’ll always be here
Always be here
and if the tide sweeps you out to sea
When your strength is gone and it’s hard to believe

Hold on
Hold on
When the current pulls you under
And you heart beats like thunder
Just give me your hand
And hold on
Hold on
Until the storm is over
And I'll be fighting for you
Just give me your hand
And hold on

Hold on
Hold on
When the current pulls you under
And your heart beats like thunder
Just give me your hand
And hold on
Hold on
Until the storm is over
And I'll be fighting for you
Just give me your hand.
And hold on

- the beautiful and encouraging song "Hold On" by 33 miles

Be Still

"Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!" - Psalm 46:10

This song is resonating to the depths of my soul and bringing me great comfort. When my face is upon the floor as I cry out to the Lord a rushing wave of assurance washes over me. My God is near, he is always right here beside me. I am not alone, for my God is with me!

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Be Still

I remember all the times
The good times and the bad
I’m still holding onto you
Some days I wanna run
Sometimes I come undone
But I still belong to you

That’s how I know that
When I feel like caving in
My heart my soul is wearing thin
I just want to give up
And nothing seems at all to add up
Can you hear me Lord
My face is down upon the floor
Its then you whisper in my ear
Be still and know I’m here

I see a side of you my friend
The same struggles that I have
And my heart goes out to you
I know it’s hard to feel alone
In this world so unforgiving
I’ve been feeling that way too
But I can tell you

When I feel like caving in
My heart my soul is wearing thin
I just want to give up
And nothing seems at all to add up
Can you hear me Lord
My face is down upon the floor
Its then you whisper in my ear
Be still and know I’m here

Is that you, is this me, it’s sometimes hard to believe that
I am not alone
Its not just you, and not just me, we all need to believe that
We are not alone

When I feel like caving in
My heart and soul are wearing thin
I just want to give up
And nothing seems at all to add up
I know you’ll hear me Lord
When my face is down upon the floor
Its then you whisper in my ear
Be still and know I’M HERE

Be still and know I’m here, We are not alone
Be still and know I’m here, We are not alone
Be still and know I’m here, We are not alone

- by Storyside B (2007)

God: My Exceeding Joy

Oh the joy brought forth at the alter of God! Oh the humbling reality of our position before him when we are before the mercy seat of his throne where blood was spilled on our behalf. Oh Jesus what sacrifice you paid for this soul! God you are my exceeding joy and I will praise you with song! Send your light and your truth in my life Father and lead me to your dwelling place!

“Vindicate me, O God, and defend my cause against an ungodly people, from the deceitful and unjust man deliver me! For you are the God in whom I take refuge; why have you rejected me? Why do I go about mourning because of the oppression of the enemy? Send out your light and your truth; let them lead me; let them bring me to your holy hill and to your dwelling! Then I will go to the altar of God, to God my exceeding joy, and I will praise you with the lyre, O God, my God. Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.” - Psalm 43


Friends let us preach the gospel to our own souls daily. Let us speak the words of truth to our own hearts that we might find God to always be our exceeding joy! For nothing of this world should exceed the joy we find in God. We were created to enjoy Him! Therefore when we walk these paths of darkness or feel the oppression of hopelessness let our prayers not only be for deliverance on our behalf, but that the Lord would lead us to his dwelling place. For only there, will we find the ultimate fulfillment of our soul’s yearning. God may you always be our absolute and exceeding joy!!!

When Hope is Lost

Have you ever felt as though life has knocked the wind out of you? As though it has blindsided you and all you can do is stand there gasping for breath; paralyzed until your lungs can once more attain air? That’s exactly how I feel right now. I’ve been knocked down, torn apart, hopes crushed, dreams shattered, peace destroyed, joyfulness replaced with unending mourning, and plagued by the constant aching of loneliness. My heart is pleading before the Lord that the hope I seek will be restored… Yet I will continue to wait on the Lord. I will take courage and know that God is with me. Indeed, if I seek first his kingdom then all these things will be added to me as well… When hope is lost and all we can do is gasp for air, let us look to the Lord, for he is the author of every detail of our lives. I will trust in the Lord.

Worthy of the Call

"To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ." 2 Thessalonians 1: 11-12

Dear friends, I would like to deviate from the norm of my posts today to fill you in on some of the recent events in my life. This past week the pastor I meet with weekly(Bob Flack of Grace Baptist) invited me to join a fraternal group of men seeking seminary. It's a very small select group of men that Pastor Flack personally invites to join the fraternal and they spend large amounts of time with him and the other members of the fraternal at conferences, seminars, and when guest speakers come into Manhattan or nearby towns discussing the word and practical application in our lives. This group of men are men that pastor would like to get to know in a deeper way in order that he can reference their character and integrity to an admissions counsel at seminaries across the country. With my commitment to this group I am opening my life to the possibility of attending seminary after I graduate from Kansas State University.

The other opportunity I have been presented with this week is the opportunity to be a youth leader for middle school- high school men at Grace Baptist Church. If my application is accepted by Pastor Vaughn of GBC, I will be in charge of about 8-12 young men and mentoring them in faith and their daily lives. I will have opportunities to meet with each one weekly and pray, encourage, and inspire them to live their lives for the Glory of the Lord alone. It is a big role to take on, but with the Lord as my strength, my wisdom, and my joy I know he will be able to accomplish great things through my meager attempts at obedience to his calling.

Friends, I write these things that you might be in prayer for me if you desire to. I am facing great opportunities to be used of the Lord in these two paths. Please pray that the Spirit of the Lord would rest upon me in the same way it did to David in 1 Samuel 16:13. May his Spirit accomplish its work in my own heart, that I might lead others to offer up their lives in worship to the Lord and to the proclamation of his name to the nations. Please pray that my life might become worthy of the great calling I have recieved as a child of God. To God be the Glory. Amen

Take My World Apart

Gracious Father,

Today I am seeing that sometimes you must take our world apart in order to build it back around you. How foolish are our attempts to find joy on our own. How pointless and vain are our efforts to create our own comforts. This pride, this selfishness, this heart of the cursed human nature is what drove the nails deep into your son's hands. OH Father, may the inhabitants of this earth cry out for your mercy and your grace continually as we realize the depths of our attrocities against you. Tear down these idols of self and our continual disobedience to your commands. Take our world apart oh Holy Father. And once you have rid us of all that is our own, fill us to the brim with the Holy Spirit and the power of your presence. To you be the Glory, to you be the praise, to you be the worship of all those you have created. Let us sing of your steadfast love for us and stand in awe of your HOLY splendor for now and forever more. Amen.

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I am the only one to blame for this
Somehow it all ends up the same
Soaring on the wings of selfish pride
I flew too high and like Icarus I collide
With a world I try so hard to leave behind
To rid myself of all but love
To give and die

To turn away and not become
Another nail to pierce the skin of one who loved
More deeply than the oceans,
More abundant than the tears
Of a world embracing every heartache

Can I be the one to sacrifice?
Or, grip the spear and watch the blood and the water flow

(To love You)
Take my world apart
(To need You)
I am on my knees
(To love You)
Take my world apart
(To need You)
Broken on my knees

All said and done I stand alone
Amongst remains of a life I should not own
It takes all I am to believe
In the mercy that covers me

Did you really have to die for me?
All I am for all you are
'Cause what I need and what I believe are worlds apart

And I pray
(To love You)
Take my world apart
(To need You)
I am on my knees
(To love You)
Take my world apart
(To need You)
Broken on my knees
On my knees(Bridge)

I look beyond the empty cross
Forgetting what my life has cost
And wipe away the crimson stains
And dull the nail that still remains
More and more I need you now,
I owe you more each passing hour
Battle between grace and pride
I gave up not so long ago
So steal my heart and take the pain,
And wash my feet and cleanse my pride
Take the selfish, take the weak,And all the things I cannot hide
Take the beauty, take my tears
My sin-soaked heart - make it yours
Take my world all apart,Take it now, take it now
And serve the ones that I despise
Speak the words I can't deny
Watch the world I used to love
Fall to dust and blow away
I look beyond the empty cross
Forgetting what my life has cost
And wipe away the crimson stains
And dull the nail that still remains
Steal my heart and take the pain
Take the selfish, take the weak
And all the things I cannot hide
Take the beauty, take my tears
Take my world apart
Take my world apart
And I pray, and I pray, and I pray
Take my world apart
Worlds apart

-by Jars of Clay "Worlds Apart"

It Is Well With My Soul

I have never experianced a wedding so worshipful in spirit or so centered on the beauty of Christ as I had the opportunity to tonight. I went to Nathan Hendricks and Lindsay Walters wedding in Norton, Ks and it was one of the most beautiful and powerful weddings a person could experiance. Half way through the ceremony those in attendance sang in worship the songs of Come Thou Fount, In Christ Alone, and It is Well With my Soul (acapella). The worship leader explained that when Lindsey was choosing songs she wanted to end with It is well with my Soul because she knew that in their marriage there would be times of joy, times of struggle, and times of suffering but they always want their marriage to have the attitude of praising the Lord in all circumstances and saying IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL. As I sang the words my heart broke. God has blessed us with all we need. It took a wedding to help me see that sorrow and joy alike were all meant to inspire deep worship of gratitude to our powerful God! Let us sing forth the power of these words that whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to Say IT IS WELL, IT IS WELL, WITH MY SOUL!



When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot,
Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Simply Nothing

So hard to fathom the pain in Your eyes
As You're watching Your children, doing what You despise
In pursuit of our own
We just go round and round
Another nail to our cause
We continue to pound

What are you, man, if you do not learn love
What are you, man, if you do not learn love

So hard to fathom, oh, the feelings inside
As You're watching Your people choosing to die
You called out a warning
To all that would hear
Saying come to Me, come to Me
And I will draw near

What are you, man, if you do not learn love
What are you, man, if you do not learn love

Learn love
I must
Learn love
Learn love
Learn love
Learn love
Learn love

What are you, man, if you do not learn love
What are you, man, if you do not... learn love

by Shawn Mcdonald

Beauty of the Unknown

Hello friends! I hope you're having a wonderful Sunday praising the Lord! This afternoon I was sitting at my desk playing guitar and suddenly my heart was filled with hope at the knowledge that the Lord will lead me through the unknown. Although I haven't written a song for quite some time, I felt that I needed to write down these words and sing them back to the Lord. I just thought I would share this song with you in hopes that it might be an encouragement to you as well. There is something absolutely beautiful about the unknown of our lives. God knows where our lives will lead and it is an overwhelming joy to know he will always be working for our good and His Glory! May we run with courage as we see his Glory being revealed day by day throughout the earth!

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Beauty of the Unknown


I see mountains in the distance, skies of greatest brilliance, fields of deepest green
Yet what’s before me is unseen
And I see hope beyond all measure, God become my dearest treasure, captivating this empty heart, Christ broke my chains and set me free.

Chorus:
I am entering the unknown, walking with the Lord, through a place that’s not my home.
I am running for his Glory, letting my life reveal HIS story, seeking to give him all my praise, for from the depths this heart he raised. I am seeing the beauty of… my life’s unknown.

He has planned an everlasting story, into my life his love he’s pouring, as I seek to find my way, through these trials and these days, yet I will sing upon his goodness, letting his holiness consume us, for he has died to set me free and his little child I’ll always be.

Chorus

For in my weakness I am strong, Jesus said the journey may be long, still he will be here right beside me always there to help and guide me, so I’ll never stop this race as I seek to see his face, Father let me run the narrow path and never once let me look back.

Chorus:
I am entering the unknown, walking with the Lord, through a place that’s not my home.
I am running for his Glory, letting my life reveal HIS story, seeking to give him all my praise, for from the depths this heart he raised. I am seeing the beauty of… my life’s unknown.

- by Jason Handke (July 2007)

Love

What is this emotion that grips our hearts and seizes our souls? What is this melody that replays over and over in the core of who we are? It is an endless, wild, untamed mystery that captivates the heart and mystifies the mind. Where is it found? Or where is it won? Is it a choice or a divine intervention of destined communion? Can love ever fail? Can it be denied when it burns so powerfully within? If we were able, we would move mountains to find it, swim oceans to reach it, and fight valiantly to attain it. Love. It is a divine mystery hidden from our eyes yet revealed to our souls. It is a force so powerful that armies can not conquer it, kings can not destroy it, and poets cannot describe it. It is unfathomable, undeniable, unmovable, immeasurable, unending. It maintains hope when hope is lost. Love never fails.

Love is a choice. It cannot be bought, or persuaded, it must be freely given. Love is not earned or deserved, love is not merited; love is a gift of grace passed to those who seldom understand why. Love is a beautiful, priceless treasure that can only be found when one chooses to reveal its location. Love is patient, love is kind, it does not envy, it does not boast, it is not arrogant or rude, it does not insist on its own way. It is not irritable or resentful, it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things. Love never ends. Love covers over a multitude of sins; it forgives all, hopes all, and supercedes all.

This is the love I seek; this is the love I wait for. This is the love that I will treasure until the day of my death when that one beautiful, radiant flower chooses to give it to me freely with grace just as the Lord in Heaven has chosen to give his love to me through the sacrifice of my Lord Jesus. For this I wait, for this I hope, for this I pray. Love; may it find its way to my doorstep as I keep a light on waiting for its arrival.

The Name of Jesus

At the name of Jesus every knee will bow
And every tongue confess Him the King of Glory now
It’s the Father’s pleasure that we should call Him Lord
Who from the beginning was the mighty Word

We Sing Glory to the Lord on high
Glory to the Son who came to earth to die
Glory to the Spirit who lifts the name on high:
The Name of Jesus, The Name of Jesus

At His voice creation sprang at once to sight
All the angel faces and all the host of light
Thrones and dominations, stars upon their way
All the heavenly order, in their great array

They sing Glory to the Lord on high
Glory to the Son who came to earth to die
Glory to the Spirit who lifts the name on high:
The Name of Jesus, The Name of Jesus

In Your hearts enthrone Him; there let Him subdue
All that is not holy, all that is not true
Crown Him as Your Captain, in temptation’s hour
Let His will enthrall You, in its light and power.

We sing Glory to the Lord on high
Glory to the Son who came to earth to die
Glory to the Spirit who lifts the name on high:
The Name of Jesus, The Name of Jesus


"The Name of Jesus" by Aaron Shust 2007

Future Glory

"And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him. " Colossians 2:13- 15 (He/ Him referring to Jesus Christ)

"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. - Romans 8:18-25

"And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.” Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!” And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!” And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshiped. - Revelation 5:9-14

The Display of the Glory of the Grace of God in the Achievements of Christ by His Suffering

1. Christ absorbed the wrath of God on our behalf—and he did it by suffering.
- Galatians 3:13
2. Christ bore our sins and purchased our forgiveness—and he did it by suffering.
- 1 Peter 2:24, Isaiah 53:5,
3. Christ provided a perfect righteousness for us that becomes ours in him—and he did it by suffering. - Philippians 2:7-8,
4. Christ defeated death—and he did it by suffering death.
- Hebrews 2:14-15
5. He disarmed Satan—and he did it by suffering.
- Colossians 2:14-15
6. Christ purchased perfect final healing for all his people—and he did it by suffering.
- Isaiah 53:4
7. Christ will bring us finally to God—and he will do it by his suffering.
- 1 Peter 3:18

"Therefore we can conclude that the centerpiece of worship in heaven for all eternity will be the display of the glory of the grace of God in the slaughtered Lamb. Angels and all the redeemed will sing of the suffering of the Lamb forever and ever. The suffering of the Son of God will never be forgotten. The greatest suffering that ever was will be at the center of our worship and our wonder forever and ever." - John Piper

We Give You Glory!

We Have Raised A Thousand Voices
Just To Lift Your Holy Name
And We Will Raise Thousands More
To Sing Of Your Beauty In This Place
Well None Can Even Fathom
No Not One Define Your Worth
As We Marvel In Your Presence
To The Ends Of The Earth.

We Give You Glory,
Lifting Up Our Hands And Singing Holy,
You Alone Are Worthy
We Just Want To Touch Your Heart, Lord, Touch Your Heart
Glory, Lifting Up Our Voice And Singing Holy,
You Alone Are Worthy
We Just Want To Touch Your Heart, Lord, Touch Your Heart

As We Fall Down Before You
With Our Willing Hearts We Seek
In The Greatness Of Your Glory
It's So Hard To Even Speak
There Is Nothing We Can Offer
No Nothing Can Repay
So We Give You All Our Praises
And Lift Our Voice To Sing

We Give You Glory,
Lifting Up Our Hands And Singing Holy,
You Alone Are Worthy
We Just Want To Touch Your Heart, Lord, Touch Your Heart
Glory, Lifting Up Our Voice And Singing Holy,
You Alone Are Worthy
We Just Want To Touch Your Heart, Lord, Touch Your Heart

Our Hope Is Drenched In You
Our Faith Has Been Renewed
We Trust In Your Every Word
Nothing Else Can Even Measure Up To You.

We Give You Glory,
Lifting Up Our Hands And Singing Holy,
You Alone Are Worthy
We Just Want To Touch Your Heart, Lord, Touch Your Heart
Glory, Lifting Up Our Voice And Singing Holy,
You Alone Are Worthy
We Just Want To Touch Your Heart, Lord, Touch Your Heart


- by Jeremy Camp "We Give You Glory"

Pray

Dear friends, if you are reading this would you please pray for me? My heart is aching right now. I wish I could describe to you how, but those of you that know me well enough already know why. This time in my life is the hardest thing the Lord has ever allowed me to endure. I am overwhelmed by the trials and hardships it contains. Sustain me Lord, for this shattered heart is asking, seeking, and waiting for your blessing and your revealed will for my life. I am but dust before you Father. Yet this dust will ascribe the greatness of your name! Hear my weeping Abba, for I am nothing without you.

Broken

I love it when a song can take all your emotions and put them into words. I listened to this song by Lifehouse off their new cd "Who We Are" today and it described my heart right now perfectly. I also really am enjoying the song " Whatever it takes" off the same cd.
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The broken clock is a comfort, it helps me sleep tonight
Maybe it can stop tomorrow from stealing all my time
I am here still waiting though I still have my doubts
I am damaged at best, like you've already figured out

I'm falling apart, I'm barely breathing
With a broken heart that's still beating
In the pain there is healing
In your name I find meaning
So I'm holdin' on, I'm holdin' on, I'm holdin' on
I'm barely holdin' on to you

The broken locks were a warning you got inside my head
I tried my best to be guarded, I'm an open book instead
I still see your reflection inside of my eyes
That are looking for a purpose, they're still looking for life

I'm falling apart, I'm barely breathing
with a broken heart that's still beating
In the pain is there healing
In your name I find meaning
So I'm holdin' on, I'm holdin' on, I'm holdin' on
I'm barely holdin' on to you

I'm hangin' on another day
Just to see what you will throw my way
And I'm hangin' on to the words you say
You said that I will be ok

The broken lights on the freeway left me here alone
I may have lost my way now, haven't forgotten my way home

I'm falling apart, I'm barely breathing
with a broken heart that's still beating
In the pain there is healing
In your name I find meaning
So I'm holdin' on, I'm holdin' on, I'm holdin' on
I'm barely holdin' on to you

-"Broken" by Lifehouse 2007

Sustained By The Faithfulness of God

Before reading below please read 1 Corinthians 1:1-9

Tonight I had the joy of listening to a sermon by pastor John Piper titled "Sustained by the Faithfulness of God." The purpose of his message was to give those listening a crystal clear understanding of our identity as Christians. Our identity as Christians is not in what this world establishes identity in such as what materials we possess, what people we love, or what we achieve. Our identity as Christians is soley based on who we are in relation to our calling into the fellowship of Jesus Christ.

In his sermon pastor Piper declared two questions that should sum up our entire identity and our entire purpose in our lives. They are "What happened in the past to make you a Christian?" and "What will happen in the future to keep you a Christian?" His answers to these questions are as follows : What happened in the past to make you a Christian? - The Call of God. What will happen in the future to keep you a Christian? – The Faithfulness of God. But what does this mean you ask? What this means is that we are all Christians because God CALLED us unto himself. He sought as out when we knew him not. He pursued our hearts in order that we might answer his call with faith in Christ. He invited us to share in the Glory of himself by an eternal fellowship with him in Heaven. Secondly God will keep us following him until the end of our lives because of his faithfulness! God will not abandon those whom he has called! He is faithful to the end! Verses 7-9 states that we are not lacking in any spiritual gift in Christ who will sustain us until the end, guiltless in the day of the Lord Jesus because GOD IS FAITHFUL. Praise GOD for pursuing us throughout our lives, continually bringing us back to himself that our hearts might love him, yearn to be with him, desire to sing praises of his faithfulness, and seek to follow him all the days of our lives. Thank you Lord for continually pursuing me and calling me to share in the fellowship you have given us through your son Jesus Christ. When I have strayed you have sought out this foolish sheep and carried me back into the company of your love.You are faithful oh my ROCK and my SALVATION, you will forever remain faithful oh Father of Glory!

Thank you Lord for Worship

In the midst of pain the Lord's Glory shines the brightest. In the depths of sorrow the Lord appears most powerful. At the end of hope the Lord shows us his son Jesus.

Every word of this song is resonating with my heart today. May the meditations of these words encourage you today as well my dear friends.

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 falls like rain
from every fingertip, washing away my pain

[Chorus:]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

[Chorus]

The only place I can go is into your arms
where I throw to you my feeble prayers
in brokeness I can see that this was your will for me
Help me to know You are near

[Chorus:]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

- " I Still Believe" by Jeremy Camp

Perseverance

Life can be so difficult sometimes. I'm in a season where my heart is aching for restoration. I am yearning for something more, something lasting. Whether that is in my relationships or my time in the Word. I yearn for something deeper. It is so hard to understand why the Lord puts us through these trials that test every ounce of endurance and faith we have. Sometimes I feel like I can't go on and make it to the end. But I see the Lord drawing me so close to him that I hold on to him with white knuckles, clinging to the only fortress in my life that will protect and sustain me. OH LORD won't you bless this prodigal son who seeks after you? Won't you restore me as you restored Job when he had passed his season of adversity? For Job was more richly blessed after his trials than he ever was before them. Let it be so with me oh Lord. And like Jacob.. if it means laboring for 14 years to attain that which I love with all my heart Lord as Jacob loved Rachel grant me the patience and perseverance to make it to the end. Sustain me on this journey and carry me in your hand, for there is no other place I would rather be Lord than to be in your presence. May you recieve Glory as a result of our worship after this season has produced the change in our hearts that you seek.

The righteous humility of Abigail

Before you read this entry please read 1 Samuel 25.

Today there are a ton of things going through my mind. One of them is the issue of love. I greatly desire to love someone and marry them and spend my life with them. But ultimately I have to trust that God will provide that someone in his timing and ultimately for his Glory. Today I was reading 1 Samuel 25. I was sooo impressed with the character of Abigail that I think I want to name my first daughter after her! Seriously! She was soo humble and in one with God that she approached King David in a manner of protecting him from making a grave mistake that would plaque his name and character for the rest of his life. She pleaded with him to reconsider his actions. When David heard all that she had spoken he said " Blessed be your discretion, and blessed be you who have kept me this day from bloodguilt and from avenging myself with my own hand!" WOW. Abigail's character and steadfast spirit in keeping with the commandments of God saved the lifes of many many people that day. Later on David decided to marry Abigail! Can you imagine the love that David must have possessed for this woman who served him in leading him back to righteousness? As I think about how this applies to my own life, I know that I have had many many people caution me on the way of my actions and desire for me to change. Rather than listening or being humble I have been foolish and disregarded their wisdom. But now, I beg of the Lord to bring those Abigail type people back into my life that we may rejoice in the Lord for their commitment to righteousness. I also pray Lord that you would bless me with an Abigail to marry so that we might grow in holiness and follow after you together until you call us home. Thank you Lord for the lesson of David's blessing through the righteous and humble heart of Abigail.

Stand In AWE And WORSHIP by Jeremy Riddle

"Verse 1: Gracious and astounding
God's love so confounding appears to us
In a cleansing flow of blood!
The Son left throne and glory,
Bore the Father's wrath and fury in our stead;
And for the sins of all He bled!

Chorus: Stand in awe and worship!
Raise a voice and worship;
Come adore
The King of kings and Lord of lords!

Verse 2: Behold the Lamb in Heaven
He was dead but God raised Him from the grave;
For His arm is mighty to save!
Now glorified and reigning
The keys of death and Hades in His hand;
And all hail the Lord of every man!

(Chorus 3x)The King of kings and Lord of lords."