Before the Throne

 

 

Just start the song and listen to to lyrics while you continue your browsing.

Two (Actually Four) Fantastic Songs

I just bought two albums online, one by Gungor and one by Shane & Shane. Here are the two songs that led me to buy the albums:

 

 

And here are two more songs I’ve loved since listening to the rest of the albums:

 

Deliver Me

So right now my favorite author to read is Donald Miller, and my favorite artist to listen to is David Crowder. A couple nights ago before I fell asleep I had parts from a song running through my head…. “all of my life, I’ve been in hiding… wishing there was someone just like you…”

I couldn’t remember what song it was from or who had sung it, but I wrote it down to look up in the morning. Turned out it was by… guess who? Yep, David Crowder. Just thought I’d post the lyrics on here… the link to the Youtube video is in the title.

Deliver Me\\ David Crowder

Deliver me out of the sadness
Deliver me from all the madness
Deliver me courage to guide me
Deliver me Your strength inside me

All of my life
I’ve been in hiding
Wishing there was someone just like You
Now that You’re here
Now that I’ve found You
I know that You’re the One to pull me through

Deliver me loving and caring
Deliver me giving and sharing
Deliver me this cross that I’m bearing

Oh, deliver me

Jesus, Jesus how I trust You
How I’ve proved You o’er and o’er
Jesus, Jesus precious Jesus
Deliver me

Come and pull me through
Come pull me through

Only You – David Crowder

The Giver and the Gift

Went to a Christmas performance last night and one of the songs was called “The Giver and the Gift” by Point of Grace. I thought it was such a cool message, as the last line to the chorus said “I am both the Giver and the Gift” (God speaking). God loves to lavish gifts on us, even more so than earthly parents love to give gifts to their children!

When looking up “giving” in my bible, one thing I was struck by from the passage in Matthew 7 (:9-11) was how we have to ask God for His gifts to receive them. The son asks for bread, asks for a fish.

“…how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!”

And before that section, in verses 7 on,

“Ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.”

I’ll always remember a short story I read online – sadly I haven’t been able to find it since, but it’s always stuck with me. A woman is in heaven, watching a man pour these huge jars of blessings on people below. One person receives jars upon jars, while another person gets only a drop. Confused, the woman asks why some people didn’t get as much. “Because they didn’t ask for as many blessings,” the man answers, and points to the back of the room, where jars upon jars are waiting, full of glistening, golden blessings that have not been given as they had not been asked for.

What has God promised to give us?

• A new heart (Ezekiel 36:26)
• Good gifts (Matthew 7:11)
• The keys of the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 16:19)
• The Holy Spirit (Luke 11:13)
• Eternal life (John 10:28)
• Peace. His peace. (John 14:27)
• His Son (Romans 8:32)
• The earth (Psalms 115:16)
• The things we need (Matthew 6:33)
• Glorious grace (Ephesians 1:6)
• Strength to the weary (Isaiah 40:29
• The victory through Christ (1 Corinthians 15:57)
• Satisfaction in our work (Ecclesiastes 3:13)
• Songs in the night (Job 35:10)

And so much more!! Are any of these not good gifts? Hallelujah that our God is a great Giver! Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

But sorry, I got sidetracked from the point I was going to make. God is a great Giver. From 2 Timothy 2:13 – “If we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself.” To be a Savior is God’s unchangeable nature. He epitomizes good, and through His very being teaches us what true giving is. God will never stop giving – and even better than a great parent, He knows the gift we need the most. Himself.

We cannot live without Him. Without Him our lives are broken, meaningless, empty, depressing cycles… shall I go on? We have all felt the darkness away from God – but in His presence is purest light and joy.

Back to asking for gifts. (I know, I should really edit this post when I’m done, as I’m simply rambling around on rabbit trails you will be forced to traverse , but did I mention I’m a terrible editor?) In a beautiful song by Kathryn Scott, it starts out “The more I seek you… the more I find you… the more I find you… the more I love you.” These words are pure truth. And the more we find and love God, the more we are happy and content, because we return home. The more we love God, the more we seek Him. But the cycle must begin with seeking. Now I could pull out my bible concordance again and shoot off a whole bunch of verses on “seeking”, but I’ll let you do that. Journey through God’s alive Word, there’s a lot of treasures to be found, that are new and can never grow old.

One thing I heard from a speaker, that will always stay with me, is always be honest with God. No masks. If you don’t desire God – maybe right now you’re in a dry spot and other appealing things in life are drawing your attention, or maybe you don’t understand Who God is and exactly why He’s so great – tell Him that. Do you want a desire for Him, that will start a cycle of seeking and fulfillment that will fill your life to heaping? “God, I don’t want you. But I want to want you.” This is a prayer that is often true for me, and that I pray if I am honest enough with myself to strip away all the false shows of devotion, when my mind is really somewhere else.

God is the Giver. And He is the Gift. He gives of Himself freely, only ask.

Bring us love, You who are love

Bring us peace, You who are peace

We need love, O divine love

We need Your peace, Your merciful peace

-David Crowder Band

“Your sins are forgiven,” Jesus told us, because He was the one we offend with our sins. He was the One we needed to forgive us, and before we even realized we needed His forgiveness, He had given it. Now, even before we have realized He’s the remedy to our brokenness – as C.S. Lewis put it, if we were cars, we have filled ourselves with everything but gasoline – God. We will not run smoothly ’til He is what fills us.

One pastor called God a “gentleman”. He will not intrude – He has given us free will, and desires for us to turn and at least begin seeking Him. Ask Him for strength – as Him for a desire for Him. Ask Him to fill you today. He has promised to do so.

Vapid

I was browsing through the teen section at the library just yesterday and was disgusted at how many useless, dull, meaningless books there are. (we call them twaddle in my family ) It feels like settling for the cheaper product when you know it won’t be as good as a name brand.

One song I’ve only heard in worship a handful of times, but that has stuck in my head for years, talks about “staying empty”.

And I will stay empty,

I will keep waiting;

I will stay empty

Until You fill me up and I

I will stay empty,

I will keep waiting,

Until You fill me up with You.

So many times in this life I feel like I shovel in my mouth the enticing trash the world offers. God longs to fill me up with Him, but He comes along and I’m chewing on twaddle. I’ve filled my stomach with vapors that will not satisfy, that are here today and gone tomorrow. I’ve settled for less than God. He pours down His love, His truth, and it will not fit inside me. There is no room for anything but the meaningless trash.

Where our heart is, there our treasure will be also. How we spend our time reveals what we hold dear. Set aside whatever is keeping your mind busy – it may not be a bad thing in and of itself! But really, when you’re standing before God – what will matter more, that you beat that really hard computer game or that you choose to hang out with your Best Friend?

Spend time with Your Maker and Redeemer.

Guess what?

He wants to spend time with You.

Home

This is home, now I’m finally where I belong.
This is home, I’ve been searching for a place of my own
Now I found it

Maybe this is home.

And now, after all my searching
After all my questions
I’m going to call it home.
I got a brand new mind set
I can finally see the sunset,
I’m gonna call it home.

Home.

Ofttimes life seems so crazy! Events slowly fill my family’s calendar until there’s scarcely a day to just stop and take a breath!

Today as we were driving to yet another event, my mind was dwelling on the building we had just left – that wonderful house that has become a home full of memories. Whenever I feel overwhelmed or stressed out, I feel like something that has been twisted and twisted, and I just want to come home and unwind in solitude.

I guess my official title would be “introvert”. =) I long for home! Events and parties and friends are all well and good – but there’s times when my mind refuses to think of anything but home and the return journey, being able to spend time there. My family and I experienced the ultimate of this longing for home, during our 11 months away as we traveled the U.S. An amazing experience, but we got pretty homesick!

So today I sat in the car, looking up at the sky. The beautiful sky. ‘What if the sky was my home?’ I thought. Then I would always be happy, because I would always be home. When I felt lonely I could simply crane my head back and smile. Yep, it’s still there.

Verses came back to me, from Hebrews chapter 11.

…All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth.

People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return.

Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

My family longed for our home, because we knew the one we were dwelling in was temporary. We wanted to cast it aside and return to our yellow house on the forested hill, with a bedroom for everyone and three bathrooms. Three! But we would have been depriving ourselves if we were unable to enjoy the present because we were pining away for the to-be future. As Christians we also waste our lives if we simply pine away for the day our flesh will be permanently thrown off.

After all, this is the only earthly life I get! May I spend it for the glory of my King. May I not be ashamed to stand before God in heaven, because He will know my name…

Beautiful to Me

I know, it’s been forEVER since I’ve posted! =) No flowing inspiration from my own brain, just a song by Don Francisco. I love how he makes Bible stories come alive – this one reads like a poem.

The crowds were in the streets that day when Jesus came to town
All the synagogue was there and more from miles around
So I asked him home to dinner just to see what I could see
Of this famous local prophet from here in Galilee

And I don’t know just how that woman got into the room
But you couldn’t miss her gaudy clothes and her strong and sweet perfume.
She went straight to Jesus’ feet and stopped and stood right there
Then cried and wet His feet with tears and dried them with her hair.

Now of all the women in my town none was more well known
For the fragrant sin she’d lived in and the wickedness she’d sown.
But He didn’t move to stop her — seemed this phophet couldn’t tell
That the woman who was touching Him was the kind they buy and sell.

And I had no idea just what this Jesus planned to do
When he said “Simon, there’s something I need to say to you.”
So I said “Teacher, if it’s on your mind then tell me what you will.”
But as He began to speak to me the room grew quickly still

He said “Take a good look at this woman now, in spite of all her fears
She’s kissed me and anointed me and washed my feet with tears.
She’s honored me and you’ve been only rude to me instead.
You gave no kiss of greeting, no anointing for my head.”

And her sins were red as scarlet and now they’re washed away.
The love and faith she’s shown is all the price she has to pay
For the depth of God’s forgiveness, it’s more than you can see
And in spite of what you think of her, she’s beautiful to me

Now my anger flamed to hatred, I wanted nothing more
Than to take this prophet by the throat and throw Him out the door
To act like God, forgiving sins, and then speak so to me.
This itinerant from Nazareth in backwards Galilee.

But instead I sat and trembled, shaken to the core
The woman still was weeping as she knelt there on the floor
Jesus turned to her and said, “Your chains have been released
Your faith has saved you from your sins, rise — walk in peace.”

Your sins were red as scarlet but now they’re washed away.
The love and faith you’ve shown is all the price you have to pay
For the depth of God’s forgiveness, it’s deeper than the sea
And no matter what the world may think, you’re beautiful to me.

What great words!! “The love and faith you’ve shown is all the price you have to pay”. That’s what God desires – He’s done the rest! How often I forget that, and feel that because I am fallen, struggling with my flesh and broken, God has turned away from me or looks on my with disgust. What a lie! If God’s love were to flucuate, He wouldn’t be God!

God loves YOU no matter what and desires only your love and faith. The rest is finished – Christ took your sins to the grave and through His resurrection, we have victory over sin and death!

You are beautiful to Him.

Forever Following

I have been talking to you since I was a little girl
So many sweet memories of giving you my world

You are wonderful – a friend to the weary
You have been so faithful – your goodness follows me
You are beautiful your love is neverending

I was just wondering today how over all these years
You’ve carried so many cares
Calmed so many fears

You are wonderful – a friend to the weary
You have been so faithful – your goodness follows me
You are beautiful your love is neverending

-You Are Wonderful by Sara Groves -

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all  the days of my life.”

As I was listening to the song above by Sara Groves, I was struck by that word follow. I looked it up in the Hebrew and although it was what I was expecting, it still excited me. The Hebrew word is râdaph and means “to run or follow after, to pursue, to hunt or chase.” God is pursuing us! He will not stop or slow – and although we do not realize it. But what is His intent?

There’s a story that goes like this: A rabbi once stopped a member of the congregation and said, “Whenever I see you, you’re always in a hurry.  You’re always rushing somewhere.  Tell me, what are you running after all the time?”  The man answers, “I’m running after success.  I’m running after prosperity, I’m running to make a good living.”

The rabbi responds, “That’s a good answer, if you assume that all those rewards are out ahead of you.  But what if the rewards are behind you?   What if they are looking for you, pursuing you, following you.  But they can never find you because you’re running away from them. What if God has all sorts of wonderful gifts to give you, but you’re never home when God comes looking for you. So God can’t deliver the gifts to you – you’re not available.”

Goodness and mercy shall follow me. The word used here is hesed. (which oddly enough I used in my Nano novel! =) It means love, but more specifically a covenant love. Sometimes it’s interpreted as “loving kindness” or “steadfast love” or, as here, “mercy”. It’s the word used in Hosea, as well as the love  God promises to His people. It’s a love within the context of a relationship.

God is your Husband, your Father, your Good Shepherd. He is pursuing you with His kind, steadfast, merciful love. Turn around and receive.

1 The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.

² He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,

³ he restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness
for his name’s sake.

⁴ Even though I walk
through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.

⁵ You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.

⁶ Surely goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD
forever.

- Psalms 23 –

Open up the Sky

I don’t usually, but I took my mp3 while feeding the animals. The dusky sky was sprinkling cold raindrops that turned the ground into muddy puddles. My mp3 switched to this song as I was heading back from the dark barn to the lights of the house, and I slowed down and enjoyed singing it to the sky.

Here are the lyrics, for your enjoyment! For a temporary time the song is available (legally) for download here.

Open Up the Sky//Deluge

Our beloved Father
Please come down and meet us
We are waiting on Your touch
Open up the heavens, shower down Your Presence
We respond to Your great love
We won’t be satisfied with anything ordinary
We won’t be satisfied at all

Open up the sky, fall down like rain
We don’t want blessings, we want You
Open up the sky, fall down like fire
We don’t want anything but You

Our beloved Jesus
We just want to see You in the glory of Your light
Earthly things don’t matter
They just fade and shatter
When we’re touched by love divine
We won’t be satisfied with anything ordinary
We won’t be satisfied at all

Here we go, let’s go to the throne
The place that we belong, right into His arms
We won’t be satisfied with anything ordinary
We won’t be satisfied at all

Deep to Deep

This is an older post from Facebook.

One night as I was trying to get to sleep a fragment from the song ‘All Who Are Thirsty’ kept playing over and over in my head.

It’s hard to find a meaning for ‘deep cries out to deep’ in McGee’s books or bible studies, but some meanings people have come up with are ‘the deepness of God calling to our souls’ or God rescuing us when we are overwhelmed with troubles.

But that night I was thinking about it as the ocean of God’s love, deeper than anything we could ever fathom. One thing about me – I am scared of deep water. I loathe to swim or be in water where I cannot touch bottom – I just don’t like it. The deep ocean especially sounds creepy to me – stretching down and down, all of those bug-eyed fish and creatures at the bottom. So for a moment I thought ‘An ocean of God’s love – that’s as wide and deep as eternity? Sounds kind of creepy!’

But no, the fathomless ocean of God’s is not something scary – if God’s love were an actual ocean, it would sparkle with sunlight as far down as you could see. Can you picture it? His love is something wondrous, something we should swim in every moment of our life. It’s something that never goes away – that ocean is always there – we simply have to choose daily to immerse ourselves in.

In the ocean of God’s love all doubts are stripped away – we remember that we are His children. All of our fears and worries are taken – we realize that because of His love we should leave everything in our lives up to Him. It makes us want to worship Him – for He is worthy. And it makes us want to go tell everyone about this ocean, this miraculous, endless ocean.