Wednesday, March 25, 2020

Great Things - Phil Wickham

See what our Savior has done
See how His love overcomes
He has done great things

The news is full of information about quarantines, shelter in place, "Stay home, stay healthy" and other names for similar things. We're living in strange times, friends. But today, what I need to be reminded of is that He is in control. Our bodies may get sick. We may live through terrible things. Directives from above us may feel like they are changing every hour on the hour. We may lose people close to us. And I'm not downplaying any of those hurts. However, God is still on the throne. His love still overcomes. He has (and WILL) done great things.

Oh, hero of Heaven, You conquer the grave
You free every captive and break every chain
Oh God, You have done great things

Where are you finding yourself feeling trapped? Where do you need to seek freedom? Where is the grave that you feel needs to be conquered? Because He can and will free every captive, break every chain.

We dance in Your freedom, awake and alive
Oh Jesus, our Savior, Your name lifted high
Oh God, You have done great things

Find your space (maybe a closet? the bathroom? It's hard to find space in my house right now, but I know it exists somewhere) away from people and dance truly dance in His freedom. Remember that you are awake and alive. Lift up His name without thought of how good or bad it will sound. Worship the King.

You've been faithful through every storm
You'll be faithful forevermore
You have done great things
And I know You will do it again
For Your promise is "Yes and amen"
You will do great things
God, You do great things

Friends, His faithfulness doesn't change on a whim. I know He will do it again. God will do great things.

So let this be your song today. No matter how much it feels like your world might be falling apart. No matter where it feels like the ground is shaking underneath your feet. Hallelujah. God is above it all.

Hallelujah God, above it all
Hallelujah God, unshakable
Hallelujah, You have done great things
Hallelujah God, above it all
Hallelujah God, unshakable
Hallelujah, You have done great things
You've done great things



Come let us worship our King
Come let us bow at His feet
He has done great things
See what our Savior has done
See how His love overcomes
He has done great things
He has done great things

Oh, hero of Heaven, You conquer the grave
You free every captive and break every chain
Oh God, You have done great things
We dance in Your freedom, awake and alive
Oh Jesus, our Savior, Your name lifted high
Oh God, You have done great things

You've been faithful through every storm
You'll be faithful forevermore
You have done great things
And I know You will do it again
For Your promise is "Yes and amen"
You will do great things
God, You do great things

Oh, hero of Heaven, You conquer the grave
You free every captive and break every chain
Oh God, You have done great things
We dance in Your freedom, awake and alive
Oh Jesus, our Savior, Your name lifted high
Oh God, You have done great things

Hallelujah God, above it all
Hallelujah God, unshakable
Hallelujah, You have done great things
Hallelujah God, above it all
Hallelujah God, unshakable
Hallelujah, You have done great things
You've done great things

Oh, hero of Heaven, You conquer the grave
You free every captive and break every chain
Oh God, You have done great things
We dance in Your freedom, awake and alive
Oh Jesus, our Savior, Your name lifted high
Oh God, You have done great things

You have done great things
Oh God, You do great things

Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: Jonas Myrin

Tuesday, March 17, 2020

Chosen - Wendy Droke

At church right now we've been studying the book of Ephesians. I've been super struck by the language that draws us into God's family, into wholeness and completeness with Him. How Jesus reunites us with Christ in perfect unity.

"So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son." Ephesians 1:6

God loved us even before He made the world, and he chose us in Christ to be holy. How cool that He has chosen us.

I have spent my life believing a lot of lies. A lot of days of feeling unworthy. Unloved. Unaccepted. Unwanted. And the truth of God's choice in selecting me as his adopted daughter is the truth that I speak daily over my broken and hurting soul. You are chosen. You are loved. You were handpicked before time began to be a part of God's family.

From everything I am, and everything I'll be
You ransomed me
From everything I've done and all that divided me
You rescued me

There is nothing that is too big that I have done, that I will do. Christ's blood has paid the ransom for my soul.

Together as one body
No matter who we've been
Adopted by our Father
And given life again

We are adopted by the Father and given life again. Claim this truth over your life today. Live knowing that you have been chosen, before first pick, to belong on His team.



Before the dawn of creation
You have chosen me
You have chosen me
You brought me into your family
You have chosen me
You have chosen me

From everything I am, and everything I'll be
You ransomed me
From everything I've done and all that divided me
You rescued me

So I praise You, God
For the glory of Your grace
Poured out on me
By the One who took my place

You will unite us together
For your perfect plan
You have chosen us
You are above all in power
You have chosen us
You have chosen us

For everything You are, will always be enough
You ransomed us
From everything we've done and all that divided us
You rescued us

So we praise You, God
For the glory of Your grace
Poured out on us
By the One who took our place

Together as one body
No matter who we've been
Adopted by our Father
And given life again

So we praise You, God
For the glory of Your grace
Poured out on us
By the One who took our place
Who took our place

Friday, March 13, 2020

I Stand Here - Hannah Kerr

Where do you run when your ground starts shaking? When you face defeat, what do you hold onto? When it feels like everyone has abandoned you? When you're afraid?

I stand here at you feet
I'm laying down the fear in me
And as your child claiming peace
Oh give this heart your victory
I stand here 

God says come stand here with me. Lay down the fear, claim His peace. And stand here with me.

Lord please help me to stand here with You, in the middle of anything. 

Raise me up on eagle's wrings
Give my soul your bigger dreams
Breathe your life into me
A battle cry is in my lungs
Singing out "Your kingdom come"
Fall in us pour out your love

Lord, breathe your life into me.



My desperate feet
Come running to you
From shaky groud

Facing defeat
I am holding onto
Your promise now

Raise me up on eagle's wrings
Give my soul your bigger dreams
Breathe your life into me
A battle cry is in my lungs
Singing out "Your kingdom come"
Fall in us pour out your love

I stand here at you feet
I'm laying down the fear in me
And as your child claiming peace
Oh give this heart your victory
I stand here 

My weary bones
They come alive with
The sound of you

Restoring hope
In my anxious spirit
Forever new

Raise me up on eagle's wrings
Give my soul your bigger dreams
Breathe your life into me
A battle cry is in my lungs
Singing out "Your kingdom come"
Fall in us pour out your love

I stand here at you feet
I'm laying down the fear in me
And as your child claiming peace
Oh give this heart your victory
I stand here 

Away from brokenness
Into your promises Lord
I'm standing, i'm standing here
Away from brokenness
Into your promises Lord
I'm standing, i'm standing here

I stand here at you feet
I'm laying down the fear in me
And as your child claiming peace
Oh give this heart your victory
I stand here I stand here, oh Lord I stand here

Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: Kipp Williams / Lindsey Sweat
I Stand Here lyrics © So Essential Tunes

Friday, March 6, 2020

The Father's House (Acoustic) - Cory Asbury

Sometimes on this journey
I get lost in my mistakes

Do you focus on the negative? Do you find yourself hearing the criticism louder than the praise? The other day I read through a stack of evaluations from my students. I walked away sad, disappointed, down on myself. You see, two or three students had said some pretty negative things. Had rated me pretty low in a couple of categories. Never mind the other 20 evaluations that were full of compliments to my teaching, to my caring, to my methods of instruction. There were three students who felt like I didn't know what they knew and didn't care when they were confused. And I got lost in those negatives. Lost in my mistakes.

What looks to me like weakness
Is a canvas for your strength

When we are weak, God works. When we feel inadequate it is an opportunity for Him to shine. For us to know that it was truly Him. So, I took a deep breath, and dug back into those negative evaluations. Where were they feeling like I was missing, what were they suggesting that we should do differently? And how do we do that? How do I let God's strength shine in my weakness?

And my story isn't over
My story's just begun
And failure won't define me
'Cause that's what my Father does

My failures don't define me. My story isn't done. I am not my accomplishments, I am His accomplishment. And with His help I will move forward, making improvements, implementing things that will help those students be reached. But really, it's not about that. It's about what He thinks of me. And it's about remembering what He says to me.

Check your shame at the door
'Cause it ain't welcome anymore
Ooh, you're in the Father's house

It's ok to hear criticism and make changes. It's good to say "Oops, I failed that, and I need to improve and with God's help I will." Where we run into trouble is when we get so fixated on the thing we failed that we live in shame. Shame renders us incapable of improving, because shame says "you did a bad thing, you're bad" and makes us believe that we can't ever be good enough. The Father says shame is not welcome in His house, and then He invites us to dwell in His house forever.

Arrival's not the end game
The journey's where you are...
Failure's never final
When the Father's in the room

Friends, here is the good news. The Father is ALWAYS in the room. Failure is not final.

Miracles take place
The cynical find faith
Love is breaking through
When the Father's in the room

Remember that you live in His room.


Sometimes on this journey
I get lost in my mistakes
What looks to me like weakness
Is a canvas for your strength
And my story isn't over
My story's just begun
And failure won't define me
'Cause that's what my Father does
Yeah, failure won't define me
'Cause that's what my Father does

Ooh, lay your burdens down
Ooh, here in the Father's house
Check your shame at the door
'Cause it ain't welcome anymore
Ooh, you're in the Father's house

Arrival's not the end game
The journey's where you are
You never wanted perfect
You just wanted my heart
And the story isn't over
If the story isn't good
Failure's never final
When the Father's in the room
Failure's never final
When the Father's in the room

Prodigals come home
The helpless find hope
Love is on the move
When the Father's in the room
Prison doors fling wide
The dead come to life
Love is on the move
When the Father's in the room
Miracles take place
The cynical find faith
Love is breaking through
When the Father's in the room

The Jericho walls are quaking
Strongholds now are shaking
Love is breaking through
When the Father's in the room
love is breaking through
When the Father's in the room


Tuesday, March 3, 2020

My Heart Is Yours - Kristian Stanfill

You are enough

Three simple words. Three words.

But do we really believe He is? What does it look like to live like He is enough? If He is enough, how should we act? How should we trust? How would we spend our time?

I don't know about you, but I am a first class control freak. And I need to be careful, because sometimes I think I even find value in that. I'm a perfectionist who wants things to work exactly right - to be able to say "I did this thing, and it went this well, and I did it all by myself, all on my own."

All to Jesus I surrender
All to You I freely give
I will ever love and trust You
In Your presence I will live
All to Jesus I surrender
All to You I freely give
I will ever love and trust You
In Your presence I will live

I think God looks at me and laughs sometimes. Like how much cooler would it be if I did it with Him. How much better would it be if He was the one who did it. Not saying He can't use me... but just that if I surrender. Really surrender. Really give everything freely to Him... how  much better will it be for all of us?

Because that value that I find in my performance?  Really? He sees so much more in me than that.

That value that I find in thinking I did that thing by myself? How much more value does He bring to my life, when He chose me, when I was stuck in sin?

You see - the God of the universe values us - not because of what we have done, not because of what we say, do, how well we sing... our good deeds are but filthy rags. He values us because He calls us His children.

So will you lay down your life for Him in return? Lay down your own pride? Lay down your inner control-freak to dwell in His presence?

This Lent pick something. Lay it down. Pick up Jesus in its place.

My heart is yours, Lord, My heart is yours. Take it all, Take it all, My life in Your hands.


I give You my life
I give You my trust
Jesus
You are my God
You are enough
Jesus

My heart is Yours
My heart is Yours
Take it all
Take it all
My life in Your hands
My heart is yours
My heart is yours
Take it all
Take it all
My life in Your hands

I lay down my life
And take up my cross
Jesus
For You are my God
Whatever the cost
Jesus
For You, Jesus

My heart is Yours
My heart is Yours
Take it all
Take it all
My life in Your hands
My heart is yours
My heart is yours
Take it all
Take it all
My life in Your hands

All to Jesus I surrender
All to You I freely give
I will ever love and trust You
In Your presence I will live
All to Jesus I surrender
All to You I freely give
I will ever love and trust You
In Your presence I will live

My heart is Yours
My heart is Yours
Take it all
Take it all
My life in Your hands
My heart is yours
My heart is yours
Take it all
Take it all
My life in Your hands

Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: Jason Ingram / Daniel Carson / Kristian Stanfill / Brett Younker
My Heart Is Yours lyrics © Worshiptogether.com Songs, So Essential Tunes, Sixsteps Music