While these posts are based on thoughts I've pondered over time about these songs, for these posts, I simply put on my headphones, listen to the song and write what comes to mind.
I'm not afraid to show You my weakness. My failures and falls, Lord you've seen them all, and You still call me friend.
I just love this section of songs. The energy. The way they build my faith.
There are so many things we each believe are better to us and for us than God. And then His love and goodness and kindness break through. His peace and joy start to fill us. We get glimpses of his kingdom. And everything else doesn't just pale in comparison - it all fades away.
Let the wind blow, let the tide roll, till the Earth knows You're the God of Love.
Lift your eyes to see, He's better than you dreamed. Everything you lost, love's returning. It's just what You do, making all things new.
What if we really received all that Jesus died to give us? What if we believed God does what He says He does? Oh if we dared. Let's dare.
A few months ago I was so very frustrated with God. I was bringing him my list of things He hasn't done and telling Him how mad and frustrated I was. I told Him - prove me wrong, prove my doubts wrong. I think what He's been doing since is changing me instead. It's a crazy process, an internal process. It's been a solitary process - just Him and me. He doesn't let me lean on understanding because I have no understanding. And that's ok with me.
So this revival that's being spoken of so much, well, it can start with a personal revival. Holy Spirit can bring it to you personally, and your family and house, and it spreads from there. Revival doesn't depend on the state of the world, or circumstances, or anything. It can be our own little cloud that surrounds us.
I want to live in expectation of Your kingdom breaking through.
YES! There's a phrase in my devotional - apostles of the little things. And I love that. I can do the little things. I can be kind to strangers. I can open doors and I can chat with the postal workers or cashiers. I can buy lunch or dinner for someone. All the little things - for and with Jesus. But I also want to do the greater things Jesus did. I want to see the lost saved, the sick healed, demons cast out. I think all the time "the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead dwells in you". Again, it's not yet... but I know it's coming. I live in that expectation.
There is no weapon that has ever left a mark on You.
There is a Kingdom that's advancing to the speed of light.
This is another one that's fun to sing - on a good day. On a bad day it can be a challenge. On a bad day I'm looking at that list of things that still look impossible. One of those impossibles is my parents' health. I pray for their healing - physical, mental, all of it. Dad's alzheimer's is steadily progressing. Mom has good and bad times, but her mind isn't right either. And I have a vision of them both totally healed and me having to explain why I sold their house and now we have to find them a new one. And there's a part of me that has faith for that. And yet...
There are hundreds of beliefs about God and healing and all that. I know He's a God who heals. I know sickness is never from God. I believe with all my heart there are cures coming soon for so many things - including Alzheimer's. Will it be in time? Don't know. Can Jesus walk into their room at anytime and simply heal them. Absolutely.
And so I sing. And I trust. And I worship the God of the impossible.
I prophesy into tomorrow - we will see the goodness of our God.
It's gonna be better than I could dream.
After the year the world has been through, this might be a very hard time to believe this. Or maybe we're starting to be at the point where we think things will get better because they can't get worse.
I tend to be an optimist. And - Spring is just around the corner.
Ephesians 3:20-21 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
We're gonna see Heaven on Earth, come Holy Spirit, awaken your church.
Awaken your church. I can't seem to find what I want to say about church. Is it asleep? Is it distracted? Is the term becoming meaningless - like the institution it represents. Lately, I'm seeing ekklesia used to refer to the body of Christ more.
Jesus used the term ekklesia to refer to His followers. At the time the ekklesia of ancient Greece was the popular assembly, open to all male citizens as soon as they qualified for citizenship. It was a secular term, a political term, that had nothing to do with religion. It had to do with being a citizen and all that entailed. I'm sure there were religious terms He could have used, but didn't. It was all part of Him getting us to see the Kingdom of God and how it operates.
Now you're making me like You, clothing me in white, bringing beauty from ashes, for You will have Your bride - free of all her guilt and rid of all her shame, and known by her true name. And that's why I sing.
It's such a lovely song to listen to, easy to listen to, and then the lyrics -when you catch them - are so powerful.
Your praise will ever by on my lips. Oh if that were true. Imagine all the things I wouldn't say if that were true. There wouldn't be room for anything that wasn't of love. Almost nothing in scripture haunts me as much as how He will hold us responsible for everything we say. I've joked that if I took a vow of silence now, and then lived to over 100, I probably still wouldn't make up for all the ungodly things I've said. If God is Love - then anything not said in love is ungodly. It's a standard hard to even think of.
