Worship

by

His Way

I spent some time in prayer with a friend this week. We spent some of that time in worship with one of my new favorite songs, Defender by Rita Springer. It was just released with her new album Battles.

Here are some of the lyrics:

You go before I know, that You’ve even gone to win my war. You come back with the head of my enemy. You come back and You call it my victory… and all I did was praise, and all I did was worship…Hallelujah, You have saved me, so much better Your way.

As we worshiped my friend saw this picture. She saw herself on a plateau, facing an insurmountable wall of rock leading to the next plateau. On the face of the rock was a ladder. She was trying to climb it while trying to help her two little children up the ladder ahead of her and trying to pull her discouraged husband up the ladder behind her.

One side of the ladder kept breaking loose, making her task of getting her family up to the next plateau impossible. As we worshiped, she saw the plateau she was on begin to rise up with her and her family on it. The plateau rose until it was even with the one that had been above it. Now instead of climbing up, she and her family could now step over.

We may try to fight battles or climb ladders in our own strength and effort, but when we rest in Him, He can cause us to rise on His wings in victory.

We rest. We praise. We worship. He wars and He wins. He calls it our victory. His way is better.

Every valley shall be lifted up and filed up, and every mountain and hill shall be made low… And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed… Isaiah 40:4,5

 

 

by

I Sing of Your Love

And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the LORD, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the LORD; for his mercy endureth for ever.

And when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten.

And when Judah came toward the watchtower in the wilderness, they looked unto the multitude, and behold, they were dead bodies fallen to the earth, and none escaped. (2 Chronicles 20:21-22, 24; KJV)

We’ve all read and heard of this account. A mighty army is marching toward Jerusalem ready to wipe her off the map. Her enemies have joined forces. Jehoshaphat, King of Judah, seeks the LORD, because without Him they have no hope. But they are not without Him! Neither are we.

And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid or dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s. (2 Chronicles 20:15, KJV)

Now many of us remember this account because of the strategy Judah’s army used to go into battle. They put the singers out front. I’ve heard many a preacher say, “How would you like to be one of those singers marching out in front of that army into battle?” But as we know, they never had to physically battle anyone that day. Because when they started singing, God moved and the multitude was defeated. Not one escaped.

As I read this account today one little detail stood out to me. What were they singing? In the King James it says they sang, “Praise the LORD; for his mercy endureth for ever.” Here’s what it says in the New Living Translation.

Give thanks to the LORD: his faithful love endures forever! (2 Chronicles 20:21, NLT)

They were singing of His love! It is the Hebrew word hesed… God’s unfailing love.

What are you facing today? Open your heart and your mouth and begin to sing of His love!

Lyrics from the song, I Could Sing of Your Love Forever:

Over the mountains and the sea,

Your river runs with love for me,

And I will open up my heart

And let the Healer set me free.

I’m happy to be in the truth,

And I will daily lift my hands:

For I will always sing of when

Your love came down.

I could sing of Your love forever.

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. (Psalm 136, NLT)

by

I Love You

Every time I breathe You seem a little bit closer
I never want to leave
I want to stay in Your warm embrace
Oh basking in the glory shining from Your face
And every time I get another glimpse of Your heart
I realize it’s true
That You are so marvelous God
And I am so in love with You
~Lyrics from Big Daddy Weave’s song Every Time I Breathe

Most mornings I wake up with a song in my heart and most days that song has something to do with how much I love God or how much He loves me. And I’m so grateful for that. It’s hard to wake up in a bad mood when the first thing I hear is a praise to the Creator of the Universe Who loves me!

This morning as I woke to this song by Big Daddy Weave, the more I heard it, the more I sang it, the more amazing it seemed that the King of the Universe loves me and that the Creator of the Universe desires to be loved by me.

My love means something to Him. How amazing is that? How awesome is that?

It reminded me of the time that my husband and I first began dating (in high school). I waited eagerly for his phone calls. When he was coming over to my house, I didn’t wait in the house, I waited outside so I could see his car coming down the street. If it was dark or raining, I sat at the window waiting for that first glimpse of his headlights coming around the curve. I was in love and I longed to be with the one I loved.

God loves me. He wants to spend time with me. Does He watch and wait for me? Is He watching and waiting for you?

He is Love. It’s not a human love. There is no selfishness in Him at all. But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t thrill His heart to spend time with you and to hear those three little words uttered from your mouth, “I love You”.

Arise, my love , my fair one, and come away…  my beloved shepherd said to me… while you are here… let me see your face, let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely. (Song of Solomon 2:13,14; Amplified)

Do I take time to meet my Good Shepherd each day, letting Him tell me of His love, and cheering His heart with my interest in Him? (footnote to Song of Solomon 2:13 from the Amplified Bible)

Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore will I deliver him; I will set him on high… (Psalm 91:14, Amplified)

I love You Lord.

by

Invitations

In my post from two days ago I shared on making time to spend with God. I do encourage people to set a time aside for God each day, a time to read His Word and pray, a time to sit on the Potter’s wheel and be changed. Especially if you find yourself doing this less and less as the responsibilities of life begin to crowd in. However, I also shared about making time for God in every moment of your day. Today I want to show you how. It’s very simple you see. All you have to do is answer God’s invitations.

God sends invitations? Oh, yes indeed.

Just as I’m waking up each morning I’ll hear a song, a scripture, a word that starts me thinking on Him. And each morning I recognize these as “invitations” to spend time with Him. I’ll get out of bed and put on that song, read that scripture or start searching the scriptures with the word He spoke in my heart that morning. I don’t have a set time anymore, but I do spend time with Him every morning. I simply respond to His invitation.

He always wakes me before anyone else in the house, well before I have to start my day. How many times have you awakened well before the alarm and thought about spending time with Him only to roll over and go back to sleep?

When I wake up at 2:00 a.m. I watch for a moment to see if He is inviting me. If I don’t hear anything or sense His tugging in my heart, I roll over and go back to sleep. But if He is wanting to spend time with me I go and meet with Him no matter what the time.

I enjoy spending time with Him in these early morning hours and then crawling back into bed thinking about Him.

His invitations don’t just come in those early morning hours. As I go about my day, I’ll hear a song, I’ll think of a scripture, I’ll hear a word in my heart and once again, I simply respond to His invitation. The songs invite me to worship Him. The scriptures invite me to spend time in His Word. And often, the songs and the scriptures lead me into prayer. Praying about needs as He leads, but more often than not, just talking to Him.

I mentioned in one post about talking to Him about the butterflies when they fly by. I see every butterfly as an invitation to talk to Him. I see every sunset and every rainbow as a launching pad for our next conversation. I talk to Him about the flowers, the birds and the trees. I talk to Him about the pretty things I see in the stores.

After each mistake I make there’s always on open invitation to receive His mercy and to crawl in His lap with 1 John 1:9 and repent and be changed.

At the end of the day I have spent much time in prayer, much time in His word, much time in worship and not because I planned it, but simply because I recognized and responded to the invitations.

by

Something to Think About

There’s a very special evangelist that comes to our church every so often. He has many signs, wonders and miracles, especially healings that accompany his services. (I’ve been an eyewitness to many of these services, including the healings).

Throughout the service he merely speaks about the goodness of God from the scriptures and through testimonies of healings. As he speaks people begin to receive their healings.

He once said, “I don’t prepare a message. I prepare myself.” I knew when he said it what he was talking about. He doesn’t spend most of his time figuring out what he’s going to say in a service. He spends His time being changed in the Presence of the One Who always knows what to say.

In Mark 13:11 (Amp), Jesus said to His disciples, “do not be anxious beforehand about what you are to say nor [even] meditate about it; but say whatever is given you in that hour and at that moment, for it is not you who will be speaking, but the Holy Spirit.”

So here I am sitting with my King. Reading His word. Praying. Worshipping Him with my whole heart as I am changed from one degree of glory to another (2 Cor. 3:18). Preparing for my class tonight in His Presence. Letting the Potter make me and mold me into the vessel He needs me to be tonight.

As I was preparing I came across a song with only one line sung over and over again. It’s a song by Hillsong called “You Are Here (The Same Power)” on their album entitled This Is Our God.

Here’s the one line:

“The same power that conquered the grave lives in me, lives in me. Your love that rescued the earth lives in me, lives in me.”

God’s word says,

But if the same Spirit of him that raised up Jesus, from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. (Romans 8:11, KJV)

Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? (1 Corinthians 3:16, KJV)

…God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit Who has been given to us. (Romans 5:5, Amplified)

Nothing is impossible with God (Luke 1:37). And He lives in you. Just something to think about. Selah!