BLESSED ASSURANCE/TO GOD BE THE GLORY
Jesus is my story and my song was Fanny Crosby’s devotional prayer in this song. She is America’s most prolific hymn writer penning over 8,000 hymns. She would say about her blindness, “Darkness may throw a shadow over my outer vision, but there is no cloud that can keep the sunlight of hope from a trustful soul”. Her hymns became well known through the American Evangelist D.L. Moody crusades. Then they were reintroduced during Billy Graham crusades. This next song, “To God Be the Glory” was written in 1872.
GOD OF JUSTICE
We have been given much as Americans for a reason, so that we can give and be in a position for God to use us.
RAISE UP THE CROWN
It is only through the power of Jesus that we can love others. It is only his work on the cross that can bring freedom and justice to all.
GOD OF OUR FATHERS
We are thankful for the freedom that we have to choose to worship God. We are blessed to be free from oppression and thankful for the courage of those who gave their all to protect this freedom.
“God of Our Fathers” is a song written by a pastor of a small church in 1876. It was written to commemorate the one-hundredth birthday of the Declaration of Independence. In this prayer we are reminded that God is an almighty God and is in charge of nations. This trust in God alone is echoed through the prophet Daniel, "The decision is announced by messengers, the holy ones declare the verdict, so that the living may know that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes and sets over them the lowliest of men” (Daniel 4:17).
Let your prayer during this time of offering be one of thankfulness to God and that we would demonstrate His love and grace to others.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Impulse of Thy Love
The key verse that drew me into the text this week was in verse 12, “Live such good lives among pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us”. How can our actions demonstrate the gospel? Would there be evidence of God’s presence in my life? This line from Take My Life, written in 1874 prays this way, “Take my hands and let them move at the impulse of Thy love”. Before we strive to simply not do bad things, we need to realize that it is God’s love in us that transforms us. It is Christ’ s love in us that leads us to love others, we are simply following his impulse.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Reflections
Songs;
Beautiful One
Blessed Be Your Name
Never Let Go
Our Great God
Father Let Me Dedicate
Do we trust God through tough times?
During Beautiful One we prayed that we would not become too familiar with God. That He would open our eyes to see how wonderful He is and that our hearts would be "captured" with the love He has for us. It is an everlasting love and He is a faithful God.
God is in the dark times and tough circumstance can bring a stronger and more real faith. Sometimes we have to experience His faithfulness in order to grow. Jesus is the "Living Hope". This week lets fix our eyes on him, "the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God" (Heb. 12:2). Our hope can be secure, lets not put our hope in anything else.
Throughout the songs I was reflecting on the familiar passage from Psalms which promises His presence in our dark times.
"The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
He makes me to lie down in green pastures,
He leads me beside quiet waters,
He restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff, they comfort me" (Psalm 23:1-4).
May His presence restore your soul this week.
Beautiful One
Blessed Be Your Name
Never Let Go
Our Great God
Father Let Me Dedicate
Do we trust God through tough times?
During Beautiful One we prayed that we would not become too familiar with God. That He would open our eyes to see how wonderful He is and that our hearts would be "captured" with the love He has for us. It is an everlasting love and He is a faithful God.
God is in the dark times and tough circumstance can bring a stronger and more real faith. Sometimes we have to experience His faithfulness in order to grow. Jesus is the "Living Hope". This week lets fix our eyes on him, "the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God" (Heb. 12:2). Our hope can be secure, lets not put our hope in anything else.
Throughout the songs I was reflecting on the familiar passage from Psalms which promises His presence in our dark times.
"The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
He makes me to lie down in green pastures,
He leads me beside quiet waters,
He restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff, they comfort me" (Psalm 23:1-4).
May His presence restore your soul this week.
Friday, January 8, 2010
Glorious One
by Steve Fee
We praise God's glory and the wonder of his greatness in this song. He is great and yet intimate with us as our Healer and Redeemer. My favorite line so far in this song is, "You hold the universe and still you run to the broken". I think this song connects well with our need as a church to see God as great, but also be more aware of his presence among us and in our lives. His love for us is demonstrated in the sacrifice of Christ, he desires a relationship with us. That is something to sing about.
Lyrics...
Our hands are lifted high, our hearts are bowing in reverence
And we're surrounded by the glory of Your presence
With ev'ry creature ev'ry tongue, we're lifting our voice to the Glorious One
Glorious One, Glorious One
Light of the world, You outshine the sun
King of all kings, eternity sings - Glorious One
Oh God of infinite worth with hands that carved out the ocean
You hold the universe and still You run to the broken
With ev'ry heart that's been redeemed we're lifting our songs to the Glorious King
There is none more beautiful...none more wonderful - Glorious One
Scripture Prayer...
Since I am receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, may I be thankful and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for my God is a consuming fire. (Hebrews 12:28-29)
We praise God's glory and the wonder of his greatness in this song. He is great and yet intimate with us as our Healer and Redeemer. My favorite line so far in this song is, "You hold the universe and still you run to the broken". I think this song connects well with our need as a church to see God as great, but also be more aware of his presence among us and in our lives. His love for us is demonstrated in the sacrifice of Christ, he desires a relationship with us. That is something to sing about.
Lyrics...
Our hands are lifted high, our hearts are bowing in reverence
And we're surrounded by the glory of Your presence
With ev'ry creature ev'ry tongue, we're lifting our voice to the Glorious One
Glorious One, Glorious One
Light of the world, You outshine the sun
King of all kings, eternity sings - Glorious One
Oh God of infinite worth with hands that carved out the ocean
You hold the universe and still You run to the broken
With ev'ry heart that's been redeemed we're lifting our songs to the Glorious King
There is none more beautiful...none more wonderful - Glorious One
Scripture Prayer...
Since I am receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, may I be thankful and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for my God is a consuming fire. (Hebrews 12:28-29)
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