Praise God in Song - Dream For You

My life seems to be a fight between dreams and my hope and then it falls to reality. I see just how far off those dreams and hopes are from a reality and that it would take a miracle for me to see them come true. So I have a bad tendency of failing to dream. When I catch myself hoping for things that don't seem to fit, I remind myself that high hopes in my life lead to greater disappointments. 

I didn't make it to church yesterday morning. I hadn't been feeling well and was completely exhausted. I have Stage Hop on the Roku. Since I didn't go to church I was able to replay an old Night of Joy, and I choose to watch the Casting Crown concert. It was from their Thrive CD and I heard a new song. 

As the first Monday Song - I would like to remind you that God has dreams for your life, one that will give you hope. So as we begin living fearlessly, let's dare to say yes to the dreams God has for you. 

Do you have a song or Bible Verse that reminds you to allow God to dream for you?

Taste and hear; 7 ideas for Personal Multisensory Worship

As we entered the sanctuary we took our fingerprints, placed them on a cross and signed our name. This was an opportunity to remind us that Jesus died for each of us; and as Jesus died for each of us personally it drew us together to be one with Him and each other. Then the youth carried in a cross and laid it at the altar. At the end of the meeting, they ended by painting Jesus’ face, hands, and feet to different songs. All of the things that Jesus used to serve and show love. This is multisensory worship in a corporate setting. Multisensory worship using touch, sight, and sound.

I believe that using multiple senses during worship helps us to better connect to God, but that doesn’t mean it has to be done in a corporate setting. Why not try using your senses in your quiet time? How would you even do that? Here are 7 Multisensory worship ideas that you can use during your quiet time.

Well check out my post at  http://arabahjoy.com/7-ideas-for-multisensory-worship/ as I walk through 7 ideas for using multi-sensory worship in your quiet time. 

I have disabled the comments here but join us in the conversation over at Arabah Joy's blog. 

He is strong when we are weak

Confession time.

 I haven't sung in front of the church for over a year. I hate it, my heart just hasn't been in it and then there are times were I am doing it for the wrong reasons; so I just stopped.

Thursday one of my biggest cheerleader pointed out that we don't sing anymore and he misses it. So

fast forward a little

During my Lent Scripture journal time I was reading the story of the talents. I realized I didn't want to be the one to not invest, or use my talents.

“Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. ¹⁵ To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. ¹⁶ The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. ¹⁷ So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. ¹⁸ But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.¹⁹ “After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. ²⁰ The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’
²¹ “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
²² “The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’
²³ “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
²⁴ “Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. ²⁵ So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’
²⁶ “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? ²⁷ Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.
²⁸ “‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. ²⁹ For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. ³⁰ And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ 

The "Balmorals" composing songs

 Fast forward to Sunday.

My sister and I had not made time to practice, and I was in the office, which is at the front of the sanctuary, with no way out. Out of the blue I get a text messages.

Sister: Do you want to sing 'You are Holy'.

Ona: I guess, but not sure I have enough breath in me. Can we not split at the end?

Sister: That is fine.

So I start praying.

Dear Lord this is for your glory not my own. Please use this song

They ask if there is anything else and my sister says yes and starts walking up. Everyone gets excited and they haven't even realized I'm already on the stage. My sister explained that we didn't think we had enough air to split at the end ( our weakness). God sure did show up, and his strength carried us through. All the way through, it was beautiful, not because of anything we did but purely because God inhabits the praises of his people. We weren't doing it for the wrong reasons and God used us to bless the congregation.

Now I just have to remember not to hide my talent, but to use it for his glory.

Dear Lord, I give all of my talents to you. Please use then for your glory not my own. In Jesus glorious name, Amen

I would love to hear about a time you were weak and relied on God?

The Early Church & today

In the church adult bible study we are working through the book of Acts. This is very interesting because we are learning about the early church. I have found a band or experiment that embodies the ideas of the early church. Remember everything I tell is from an out outside / hearsay position, but everything I have heard about this band just screams early church.

Why, because they aren’t just friends. They have decided to live their faith together. Together they rely on God, write songs, and just live life. One of their songs in particular has really struck me, because of our study through Acts. The song "Build Your Kingdom Here" is almost a prayer. A prayer asking God to inspire and light the church on fire, much like what happened in Acts.

Miracles were happening, people were sharing their faith, and people were following God in droves. This is something that we want. I know I want to see people saved, I want to see revival in me, my church, and this nation I live in. Wow, could you imagine if we came back to God. Loving each other so much that no one had a need. The widows and orphans would be taken care of not forgotten, and we would see lives changed.

Add to that the idea of learning with new ears, and actively searching God while working with our fellow Christians. Sadly, this is not what we see today. We see parents and children being pulled apart and worshiping in different areas of the church. Disagreements in churches over color of the carpet, or music being played. We see children coming to church without their parents and then when they are older not coming at all. God please strengthen us. Revive our land, our churches, and our families. Bring us together for your glory with a vision of what the church should be. We praise you.

Come set Your rule and reign In our hearts again Increase in us we pray Unveil why we're made Come set our hearts ablaze with hope Like wildfire in our very souls Holy Spirit come invade us now We are Your Church We need Your power In us

 

We seek Your kingdom first We hunger and we thirst Refuse to waste our lives For You're our joy and prize To see the captive hearts released The hurt, the sick, the poor at peace We lay down our lives for heaven's cause We are Your church We pray revive This earth

 

Build Your kingdom here Let the darkness fear Show Your mighty hand Heal our streets and land Set Your church on fire Win this nation back Change the atmosphere Build Your kingdom here We pray

 

Unleash Your kingdoms power Reaching the near and far No force of hell can stop Your beauty changing hearts You made us for much more than this Awake the kingdom seed in us Fill us with the strength and love of Christ We are Your church We are the hope On earth - Build Your Kingdom Here by Rend Collective Experiment

 My favorite part is "We seek your kingdom first, we hunger and we thirst, refuse to waste our lives ...
Why is this my favorite part. Because if we seek God he promises he will be found, and if we hunger and thirst he promises we will be filled. I'm not talking about earthly hunger, I am talking spiritual hunger and thirst. So search for God, and his will in our life. Refuse to waste your live, your breath and give God your all.

Dear Lord, please help me and others to seek you. Bring Revival to our spirit, our churches, families, and most of all to our nations. Fill us up. Draw them closer to you. In Jesus Name, Amen

Worship & Relationships

If you have ever set in church, I'm sure you have heard that Jesus sets the captives free. How you might ask? Well yesterday was not a good day for me. I definitely was moving backwards. I had no faith yesterday, I was captive to my fears, my past and present sins. I was chained up, and couldn't seem to get free. 

For the past month or so I have been hearing different things from Jeremiah, these things were so encouraging. So I figured this was God's way of telling me to read Jeremiah. I started it, but throughout reading all I can see is my sin. I'm chained up and can't seem to get free of my past, and I seem to be making the same mistake as the Israelites. God told them over and over again, repent and you will be restored, but because the prophets and priests only gave them good news they didn't believe Jeremiah's warnings. They believed they would be protected and no harm would come to them.

I believe the Israelite people kept going back to their idol because they lacked faith. See the Israelite nation was committing idolatry against God by worshiping with their neighbors, but their neighbors didn't worship the same God. Their neighbors worshiped what their own hands had made; they adorned these idols with gold and silver.  The Israelite people worshiped with their neighbors because they feared their neighbors and didn't trust that God would protect them.

This was me; I was going to church to please others. I was singing praises, but it was a hollow attempt to feel something. This made me feel empty. Why? I felt empty because everything I am was created to praise my maker. To have a relationship with him. This can be seen in Jeremiah 29:10-14. It says that God has plans for you. He has plans to do what is good for you, even when it appears to be the worst thing. He wants you to search for Him and you will find Him. Through truly finding him he will free you from captivity.

 I asked God to forgive me and to put the desire I once had back in me. He has blessed me, blessed me by continuing to draw closer to me as I draw closer to him. I have found that relationship I once had, and I don't feel empty. I know that God loves me and sees me as a treasure.

 So my prayer is that you will search for and find a relationship with God. I pray that He will remind you that He loves you, because it is in His love that you become free. The chains fall off. 

While you listen to it may it put that desire to draw closer to God and He will draw closer to you. 

Remind me Who I Am - By Jason Gray

(Chorus)
Tell me, once again who I am to You, who I am to You
Tell me, lest I forget Who I am to You, that I belong to You, to You

Palm Sunday

Palm Sunday has passed, I personally don't feel like I gave it the reverence it deserves or looked hard at the lessons we can learn from it. So here is my attempt to give Palm Sunday some respect.

Luke 19:28-44

²⁸ After Jesus had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. ²⁹ As he approached Bethphage and Bethany at the hill called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, ³⁰ “Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. ³¹ If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it.’”
³² Those who were sent ahead went and found it just as he had told them. ³³ As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?”
³⁴ They replied, “The Lord needs it.”
³⁵ They brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it. ³⁶ As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road.
³⁷ When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen:

³⁸ “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”^[b]

“Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

³⁹ Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”

⁴⁰ “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”
⁴¹ As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it ⁴² and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. ⁴³ The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. ⁴⁴ They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.”

Lesson 1: Who can worship and how?

I love this reading because it appears that everyone knows who Jesus is. I mean they are worshiping him. I also really enjoy that Jesus rebukes the Pharisees for wanting to put a stop to this time of worship. This brings me to wonder how many times we as Christians have tried to put a stop to someone else praising God in a way we don't understand. We sometimes will judge other people because they are praising God in a way we don't like or understand. Instead of saying they should stop praising God maybe we should ask ourselves "what are we doing to praise God?" Jesus said if we don't praise him the rocks will. I guess the way I see it is if I am that concerned about how someone else is praising God I'm not really giving God the attention he deserves.

Also the whole rock's praising him led me to a video. (Okay maybe this video found me.) It is about the stars, and sea creatures praising God as well. Check it out.

Now let us look at John's version of events.
John 12:12-19

¹² The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. ¹³ They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting,

“Hosanna!^[a]”

“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”^[b]

“Blessed is the king of Israel!”

¹⁴ Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, as it is written:

¹⁵ “Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion;
    see, your king is coming,
    seated on a donkey’s colt.”^[c]

¹⁶ At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that these things had been done to him.

¹⁷ Now the crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word. ¹⁸ Many people, because they had heard that he had performed this sign, went out to meet him. ¹⁹ So the Pharisees said to one another, “See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!”

Footnotes:

1. John 12:13 A Hebrew expression meaning “Save!” which became an exclamation of praise
2. John 12:13 Psalm 118:25,26
3. John 12:15 Zech. 9:9

Lesson 2: Hosanna!

For some reason John's version of events doesn't show Jesus rebuking the Pharisees. Similarly Hosanna is not found in Luke's version. This, plus a few other events gave me interest in the word Hosanna!

How many times have we looked at the word Hosanna and not given it a second thought. Yeah the people were praising Jesus. But my Bible makes a note that Hosanna means save! So in reality they were saying that Jesus was going to save them. They were seeking blessings for someone who was coming in the name of God. They were also seeking blessings for a king. They knew who Jesus was and they knew he was here to save them.

They were putting expectations on Jesus, much like we do ourselves. Only, Jesus one ups us. Everyone expected Jesus to save them from the Romans and other political leaders. How fitting that in a week Jesus would die (at the hands of the Pharisee's and the political leaders) on a cross to save them, and us. In reality he completed Hosanna in a much better way then those shouting and praising him could have ever imagined. He saved us from ourselves, from our flesh and became our friend instead of a dictator. 

God does all things well!

I've been sitting here all morning thinking up blog post ideas then getting distracted and forgetting what they were. So I look at my phone and my daily devotion reminder was up. I've been doing a Tenth Avenue North Devotion from their CD "The Struggle". Today the topic was "You do all things well", those words in themselves when truly believed take you from sorrow to a place of amazing worship. Don't believe me? Try it.

My sister is amazed at my ability to label each week or day with a title. When basically I'm just vocalizing the lessons I'm learning. This week has been the week of fighting demons. Oh, how I have been down this road before. I like many people fight demons quite frequently.

The demons I fight are different each time but usually boil down to my inability to trust God and where he is moving me from to where he is taking me. This week has been slightly different. First I was fighting where God is trying to take me. He is definitely pushing me outside my comfort zone, but just the slight movement and I'm running backwards. So I'm trying to figure out why I am running. Is it my past? While I'm fighting these demons God decides to introduce me to demons another person is fighting.

This seems to be happening more and more through preparation of Lent and during Lent. This year, I am praying for Lent. Not that I don't pray, but I'm spending each day praying for an individual or family. Instead of praying for strength for myself I am praying for others. I am attempting to see people as God see's them. All I see around me is despair that I never saw before.

Well one day this week, while fighting my own fight. Trying to name the reason I keep running from where God is leading, I see someone else. I see their pain and how their past has truly messed them up. I know God wants to see this person move away from their past. He isn't labeling them broken, but blessed. 
Now of all things that is what I see, but their past is hanging there like a stop sign they can't get past. So I spent the day praying for this person. Praying strength and blessing on this person.

Dear Lord, thank you for your grace. Thank you that with you we can move away from our past. Please bless this person. Please take the fears of their past and fears of repeating the same mistakes away. Give this person mercy and grace as they move forward with their life. In Jesus Name, Amen

Now realize this prayer was not only for the person God laid on my heart, but is also for you, and me. May God bless you.