Lead Me To the Cross June 3, 2009

In Brooke Fraser’s song she sings . . . “lead me tot he cross.” As I was preparing for musical worship this week I was thinking about what that meant.  The cross an agent of death – a method of execution.  It was the place that Jesus died the final death.  So we come to the cross with our sins so that they can die.  It is a place that we rid ourselves from our human error and accept the grace of God in his resurrection and his victory over sin and death.   When I am on my knees in of Christ I am letting go of the “prison of me” and taking on the “freedom of God”.  

Savior I come, quiet my soul, remember
Redemption’s hill, where Your blood was spilled or my ransom
Everything I once held dear I count it all as loss

Lead me to the cross where Your love poured out
Bring me to my knees Lord I lay me down
Rid me of myself, I belong to You
Oh lead me, lead me to the cross

You were as I, tempted and tried, human
The Word became flesh, bore my sin in death, Now Your risen
Everything I once held dear, I count it all as loss

To Your Heart
To Your Heart
Lead me to Your Heart
Lead me to Your Heart

Brooke Fraser

and then I remembered . . . the Good News May 10, 2009

that I have to keep writing in this little space . . . for it centers me back on my Greatest Love – my Lord . . . even in the middle of the day.

Today we were reminded at church by Caren that there is a difference between Good Advice and Good News.  Good Advice doesn’t take affect until it is put into action and therefore is only good as our intentions are . . . and well you know how good intentions can be when we really have to do them.  Good News however has been done – it is news – a report out of what has been accomplished and what God has done for us is a miracle.  He has clothed us in righteousness and made us presentable to Himself.  His Power – His Sacrifice – His Love has SET US FREE.  This is undeniably Good News.  It makes me what to shout out the Good News of Jesus – His Power and Love have set us free . . .

oh yes . . . I feel a song welling up inside of me.

Set my heart Free March 20, 2009

Psalm 119:32
I run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free.

next steps to worship June 18, 2008

Confess your sins.
Let God restore you.
Take the next steps to walk in His freedom.

This is worship.

Serenity and Surrender March 4, 2008

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; the courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference.  Living one day at a time; Enjoying one moment at a time; Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace; Taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it: Trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His Will; That I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with Him forever in the next. Amen.

I ran  across this prayer today.  It was my Grandmother’s (Ruth) favorite prayer.  I can still hear her saying it in my head even though it’s been ten years since she’s graced this earth.  I think that most of us know those first few lines.  It’s the rest of the prayer that really challenges me – the part we never seem to get to.  It forces the questions:   

Do I trust God?  yes . . . but every moment?  no, but I want to
Why wouldn’t I?  perhaps I’m scared.  maybe I like the false sense of control.  there really isn’t any reason I shouldn’t trust Him.  He’s proven Himself over and over from the beginning of time throughout the ages.

Do I enjoy this life God gave me? i am a half-glass-full kind of person but I don’t think I “seize the day” everyday.  i want to live that life of liberty in ways that my mind hasn’t even wrapped itself around yet.

Have I surrendered my will to His? yes – undeniably i accept the call that God has placed on my life – but i know that He is calling me to surrender every little iota – i want to – but what does that look like?

As Far As the East Is From the West February 24, 2008

That is the difference between a non believer and a believer. Our wrong doings are tossed as far as the east is from the west. We don’t feel guilty about past sins, at least we shouldn’t feel guilty over them. It is by our own choosing that we feel guilty, not by God’s choosing. He desires us to live a life free of guilt and shame.And I can pinpoint his grace daily in my life.

Quote from Heather on Februrary 23rd, 2008.  www.especiallyheather.com