29 August 2012

Christ is Risen- Matt Maher

Let no one caught in sin remain
Inside the lie of inward shame
We fix our eyes upon the cross
And run to him who showed great love
And bled for us
Freely you bled, for us

Christ is risen from the dead
Trampling over death by death
Come awake, come awake!
Come and rise up from the grave!

Christ is risen from the dead
We are one with him again
Come awake, come awake!
Come and rise up from the grave!

Beneath the weight of all our sin
You bow to none but heavens will
No scheme of hell, no scoffer's crown
No burden great can hold you down
In strength you reign
Forever let your church proclaim

Christ is risen from the dead
Trampling over death by death
Come awake, come awake!
Come and rise up from the grave

Christ is risen from the dead
We are one with him again
Come awake, come awake!
Come and rise up from the grave

Oh death! Where is your sting?
Oh hell! Where is your victory?
Oh Church! Come stand in the light!
The glory of God has defeated the night!

Oh death! Where is your sting?
Oh hell! Where is your victory?
Oh Church! Come stand in the light!
Our God is not dead, he's alive! he's alive!

Christ is risen from the dead
Trampling over death by death
Come awake, come awake!
Come and rise up from the grave
Christ is risen from the dead
We are one with him again
Come awake, come awake!
Come and rise up from the grave


Rise up from the grave...

This song has held me today.
Might I suggest you hit play,
sit quietly,
and,
worship.
Play it until the words sink into you.
Our God is Not dead. He's Alive! He's Alive!

Love:)

R

all for love

 
Ezikiel By Gungor
 
Then God ordered me, "Start all over: Love your wife again, your wife who's in bed with her latest boyfriend, your cheating wife.
Love her the way I, God, love the Israelite people,
even as they flirt and party with every god that takes their fancy."
 I did it. I paid good money to get her back.
It cost me the price of a slave.
Then I told her, "From now on you're living with me.
No more whoring, no more sleeping around.
You're living with me and I'm living with you."  The people of Israel are going to live a long time
stripped of security and protection,
without religion and comfort,
godless and prayerless.
But in time they'll come back, these Israelites,
come back looking for their God and their David-King.
They'll come back chastened to reverence
before God and his good gifts, ready for the End of the story of his love.
(Hosea 3, The Message)

26 August 2012

martin luther on grace


Faith is a living, daring confidence in God's grace, so sure and certain that a man could stake his life on it a thousand times.
-Martin Luther

22 August 2012

Psalm 33:18-22

But the Lord watches over those who fear him,
those who rely on his unfailing love.
 He rescues them from death
and keeps them alive in times of famine.
We put our hope in the Lord.
He is our help and our shield. 
In him our hearts rejoice,
for we trust in his holy name.
 Let your unfailing love surround us, Lord,
for our hope is in you alone.
 

19 August 2012

watching for Rescue

I sit here in the quiet.
Hear the sounds from the kitchen of dinner being made.
Hear the sounds of the birds outside the window,
the wind in the hundreds of trees out behind the house.

It is still.
Peaceful.
A little misty,
a little gray,
the Northwest August day.

My heart is still heavy inside me.

All has been good,
and suddenly everything has fallen.
So many lives that I love are hurting right now.
These brokenness's are scars of the Fall,
and I am aching for the Redemption.

Surely there is to be rescue?
They love Him.

What if I simply don't see it?
The Rescuer has come.
He walks among us still.

His plans,
so much greater than mine,
are at work.

He is here,
now.
Bringing His desire for our lives into being.
Working through everything.

Pruning,
trimming,
sometimes even breaking,
so that we will bear good fruit.

the Master won't ever
walk out and fail to return.
If he works severely, he also works tenderly.

His stockpiles of loyal love are immense.
He takes no pleasure in making life hard,
in throwing roadblocks in the way

(Lamentations 3:31b-33 MSG)

I hold fast to this promise.
God is not a cosmic grandfather,
throwing blessings and curses to us with equal care.
He doesn't "have it in for us."

No, He has plans for our good. To give us hope, a future.
He is mysterious,
I don't know His ways.
He's God.
To quote Mr. Beaver in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe,
" 'course He isn't safe! But He's good. He's the King, I tell you."
Yes.
He's good.

It is not safe, not easy to walk with Him.

Still, I wouldn't want it any other way.
To do so would be to minimize Him.
I cannot flip to the end of the hard parts of this story, and make sure that everything is all right.
But I do know how the story ends.

.....Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son.

Revelation 21:1-7 ESV

And that, that is enough.

Love:)

R

10 August 2012

I will trust You-Steven Curtis Chapman

I don't even wanna breathe right now
All I wanna do is close my eyes
But I don't wanna open them again
Until I'm standing on the other side

I don't even wanna be right now
I don't wanna think another thought
And I don't wanna feel this pain I feel
And right now, pain is all I've got

It feels like it's all I've got, but I know it's not
No, I know You're all I've got

And I will trust You, I'll trust You
Trust You, God, I will
Even when I don't understand, even then I will say again
You are my God, and I will trust You

God, I'm longing for the day to come
When this cloudy glass I'm looking through
Is shattered in a million pieces
And finally I can just see You

God, You know I believe it's true
I know I will see You
But until the day I do

I will trust You, trust You
Trust You, God, I will
Even when I don't understand
Even then I will say again

You are my God, and I'll trust You
And with every breath I take
And for every day that breaks
I will trust You
I will trust You
And when nothing is making sense
Even then I will say again

God, I trust You
I will trust You
I know Your heart is good
I know Your love is strong
And I know Your plans for me
Are much better than my own

So I will trust You, trust You
I trust You, God, I do
Even when I can't see the end
And I will trust You
I will trust You, I will
Even when I don't understand
Even then I will say again

I will trust You, I will trust You, I will
I know Your heart is good,
Your love is strong,
Your plans for me are better than my own
Yeah, Your heart is good
Your love is strong
Your plans for me are better than my own
And I trust You
You are my God
And I will trust You


Just.This. YES!


Love:)

R

falling deeper

What about  the Christ makes you think
that makes me fall even deeper in love with You?

What of the gifts takes your breath away?

How often do I forget that my God is not only my God,
but also the most ardent lover of my soul?

Why does it not take my breath away to think that He knows everything about me
And loves me the same.

Wants me.

Pursues me.

Grants me the sunset and the sound of rain on the roof,
the seal behind my kayak,
his laugh,
mist on the sea,
the feel of the water in my hands,
the early-morning birdsong,
the rich red of the dahlia,
her kind words,
all these gifts-
sheer love.

Only love grants these rich and lavish gifts.
Only love.
Only King-love.

Reading of Him gathering the children about Him,
imagining him laughing with them,
kissing the little girls, wrestling with the little boys.

It makes me fall even deeper into this crazy ocean of love.

Watch for His gifts for you-
seek them out.
They are there.

Because of love.

Love:)

R

10,000 Reasons- Matt Redman

Bless the Lord, O my soul
O my soul
Worship His holy name
Sing like never before
O my soul
I'll worship Your holy name
The sun comes up, it's a new day dawning
It's time to sing Your song again
Whatever may pass, and whatever lies before me
Let me be singing when the evening comes
Bless the Lord, O my soul
O my soul
Worship His holy name
Sing like never before
O my soul
I'll worship Your holy name
You're rich in love, and You're slow to anger
Your name is great, and Your heart is kind
For all Your goodness I will keep on singing
Ten thousand reasons for my heart to find
Bless the Lord, O my soul
O my soul
Worship His holy name
Sing like never before
O my soul
I'll worship Your holy name
And on that day when my strength is failing
The end draws near and my time has come
Still my soul will sing Your praise unending
Ten thousand years and then forevermore
Bless the Lord, O my soul
O my soul
Worship His holy name
Sing like never before
O my soul
I'll worship Your holy name
Jesus, I'll worship Your holy name
Lord, I'll worship Your holy name
Sing like never before
O my soul
I'll worship Your holy name
Jesus, I'll worship Your holy name
I'll worship Your holy name