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

the ocean swirls and the wind blows October 23, 2008

Oh Lord – the ocean swirls around me – the wind blows hard against my body – the pressures crush me – the world is in disarray – and You are the same – FOREVER.  Lord – would you lift me from the waters and shelter me from the wind and lift the weight from above?  Take it all Lord – for I am incapable.  Amen

Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

Psalm 81:6-7He says, “I removed the burden from their shoulders; their hands were set free from the basket. In your distress you called and I rescued you, I answered you out of a thundercloud; I tested you at the waters of Meribah.  Selah

on that day . . . perfection July 27, 2008

Matthew 5:48
Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Perfection – through Christ only.
Without Him – I am unable – insufficient.
He presents me before the Father as perfect.
There is none above Him – Lord of Lords – King of Kings.
May I know you – My I serve you
May I see on that day I come before the Father.

O for grace to trust Him more July 25, 2008

This old song was written in 1882 by Louisa Stead and William Kirkpatrick.  It has been said that Stead wrote the lyrics after her husband drown.  Out of grief and sorrow came lyrics that inspire.  As I prepare for this week’s service on God’s will for our lives – I have learned that God calls us to know Him and then to obey Him.  God knows that it is quintessential that we trust Him in order to do His will.  This perhaps is why he doesn’t “lay the plan out” or “put in writing” the exact steps of our lives.  If we knew all of the plans He had for us – we wouldn’t have to exercise trust.  Rather, He wants us to trust Him so that we can know Him and obey Him.  As the first verse says; it is so wonderful to rest upon His promise.

On a side note, Stead also included another key component of doing God’s will and that is to remove sin and self.  When we actively pursue this removal we have less that separates us from God.  Consequently, we are closer to Him and our relationship with Jesus grows deeper. 

So I pray this song as a hope:  O Lord – I cry out to You – Please pour down Your grace so that I can trust you more.  For I long to know You – I long to rest in Your promise and do Your will.  Amen

Verse 1
‘Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus
Just to take Him at His Word
Just to rest upon His promise
Just to know “Thus saith the Lord!”

Refrain
Jesus, Jesus How I trust Thee
How I proved Him o’er and o’er
Jesus, Jesus precious Jesus
O for grace to trust Him more

Verse 2
O how sweet to trust in Jesus
Just to trust His cleansing blood
Just in simple faith to plunge me
‘neath the healing, cleansing flood

Verse 3
Yes, ’tis sweet to trust in Jesus
Just from self and sin to cease
Just from Jesus simply taking
Life and rest, and joy and peace

Verse 4
I’m so glad I learned to trust Him
Precious Jesus, Savior, Friend
And I know that Thou art with me
Wilt be with me to the end.

brave July 21, 2008

brave . . . like others who have gone before:  corrie, daniel, nehemiah, elliot, and theresa.
they’re not afraid yet sure without certainty of where the next steps are.
unconcerned with what the world says . . .eyes fixed upon Jesus
narrow in focus . . .wide in compassion
obeying the commands to know God and follow after Him with heart, soul, and mind.

hyoo mil’ i tee July 13, 2008

Lord – help me to think less often of myself and more of others.  Place my focus on Jesus.  Do not let me boast or drown in self pity.  Take away my pride.  Develop in me only “God Confidence” and not “self confidence”.  Help me to be humble – and to do this naturally – without thinking.  Lord, make this my mindset – so that it is not contrived or false – but authentic and natural.  Amen

Speak to Me June 3, 2008

It never ceases to amaze me that God’s Word speaks directly to my heart.  This is what I heard from Him (Jesus) today.

1st John 2:27

As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him.

the three in one May 19, 2008

About a month ago I had some questions from readers about evidence for the Trinity in the Bible.  In my recent studies in 1st John there is yet more evidence of the Holy three-in-one.  I will say yet again that I am not a theologian – just a person who seeks to know God and to be known by God.

1st John 5:6-8  This is the One who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ; not with the water only, but with the water and with the blood.  It is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.  For there are three that testify:  the Spirit and the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement.

As I ask God to reveal what His words mean in this passage I have come to know that the Spirit is the Holy spirit, the Water is the Father God, and the Blood is Jesus Christ.  This is the Holy Trinity.

FAITH: the Antidote For Fear May 18, 2008

Victory over the world (and by the world I mean those who do not not know the truth – those who are false prophets and who are at the whim of any spirit and ultimately are separated from God) comes from believing that Jesus has the power to redeem our souls.  And when we have faith in this, the testimony of God - His truth and love – will live in us.

By His love there is no fear.
So Faith is the antidote for fear.

1st John 4:1-3  Beloved do not believe every spirit but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.  By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. . .

1st John 4:16-18  We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us.  God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.  By this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgement; because as He is, so also are we in this world.  There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.

1st John 5: 4-5  For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world – our faith.  Who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

Your Name May 15, 2008

I am going to sing this song at my friend’s wedding at the end of May.  It is so exciting to see her transformed into a person who moved by the name of God.

As morning dawns and evening fades
You inspire songs of praise
That rise from earth to touch Your heart and glorify Your Name

Your Name is a strong and mighty tower
Your Name is a shelter like no other
Your Name, let the nations sing it louder
‘Cause nothing has the power to save
But Your Name

Jesus, in Your Name we pray
Come and fill our hearts today
Lord, give us strength to live for You and glorify Your Name

Your Name is a strong and mighty tower
Your Name is a shelter like no other
Your Name, let the nations sing it louder
‘Cause nothing has the power to save but Your Name

Your Name is a strong and mighty tower
Your Name is a shelter like no other
Your Name, let the nations sing it louder
‘Cause nothing has the power to save but
‘Cause nothing has the power to save but Your Name

words and music are written by Paul Baloche and Glen Packlam
performed by Phillips, Craig, and Dean