Lyrical Friday - You Bring

Hi dear friends and happy Friday!
I am so thrilled to share with you this week's lyrical post.

This past Sunday, Rebel Church sang this very song and boy was I happy! You see, this wasn't the first time I heard this song. A few years back, I was in one of my darkest moments. My heart was broken, self worth was lost, I was lost, confused, depressed, angry, weak, restless, empty and somewhat hopeless. It was then, that through His Word, His presence and through worship songs like this one that He began a restoration work that continues on today.

You Bring, by Hillsong United, prepared a way in my heart where there was none. My prayer for you is that the Lord may use these lyrics to do a new work in your heart, as He did in mine. May He refresh, renew, restore what has been taken, what has been lost or forgotten in your life. May strength rise up and overflowing joy fill your heart. May He open a door for you, and lead you in the way of everlasting. May He open your eyes to see all the honor, glory, wonder and awe that is found in Him...
Enjoy!

You Bring, Hillsong United



Oh you bring hope to the hopeless
And light to those in the darkness
And death to life, now I'm alive

Oh you give peace to the restless
And joy to homes that are broken
I see you now, in you I'm found

And you open the door for me
And you lay down your life to set me free
All that I am will serve you Lord

Oh you fill those who are empty
And rescue those in the valley
And through it all you calm my soul

Oh now you find me in my weakness
And heal the wounds of my heartache
And I worship you in spirit and truth

And you open the door for me
And you lay down your life to set me free
All that I am will serve you Lord

And you open my eyes to see
All the wonder and awe of Christ in me
Jesus you're everything I need

(Worship)

All honor
All glory
All praise to you (repeat)

Flames from James

You're cheating on God. If all you want is your own way, flirting with the world every chance you get, you end up enemies of God and his way. And do you suppose God doesn't care? The proverb has it that "he's a fiercely jealous lover." And what he gives in love is far better than anything else you'll find. It's common knowledge that "God goes against the willful proud; God gives grace to the willing humble." James 4:4-6 (The Message)

Lyrical Friday - Grace

Hi Friends! Happy Friday to You.
These past few days it seems as though the message of forgiveness and grace keeps coming up... I think God is trying to say something! This morning as I checked my Twitter account, I read a song suggestion from my friend Estela: Grace by Phil Wickham. Even though this is a song that I know, that I have known, it is still new to me. I've been walking with the Lord for 14 years, nevertheless, grace is very new to me. I pray that through these lyrics, you may be drawn into grace.

God's grace has taught me that I don't have to do life on my own strength, but in His strength.
God's grace has taught me that we all fall short, therefore we must keep our eyes only on Jesus.
God's grace has taught me that my shameful scars can be a beautiful picture of His redemption.
God's grace has taught me that despite my past mistakes I can still be used by Him.
God's grace has taught me that I will continue to make mistakes, and He'll continue to pick me up.
God's grace has taught me that nothing will ever separate me from His love.
God's grace has taught me to love God, to love people and to love myself.

Grace, Phil Wickham


The sky is grey and the light is far
The sea is a rage within my heart
I turn my sight to the crashing waves
I cry in the night just to be saved

I need eyes to be my guide
I need a voice that’s louder than mine
I need hope I need You 
Cause I can’t do this alone

Grace I call Your name
Oh won’t Your smile fall over me
I’m cracked and dry on hands and knees
Oh sweet grace rain down on me I need You grace

I pray for dawn a new day to live
I pray for mercy only Jesus gives
Though darkness falls and a million cry
I believe over all there’s a greater light shining for us

Come down and save me

But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 2 Corinthians 12:9

when the dark cloud of guilt comes around...

hi dear friends.

I wanted to share a few verses with you that are life-savers in my life, especially when the dark cloud of guilt and shame comes over me... Cling to these promises and make them at home in your heart. Wonderful memory verses if you're looking for a few. May the Lord be merciful and gracious to you. May He speak both life and light to the dry and fallow ground of your heart. God bless you!

As far as the east is from the west, so far does He remove our transgressions from us. Psalm 103:12 

Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD.” And you forgave the guilt of my sin. Psalm 32:5

For the LORD your God is gracious and compassionate. He will not turn his face from you if you return to Him. 2 Chronicles 30:9

For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. 1 John 3:20

I will cleanse them of their sins against me and forgive all their sins of rebellion. Jeremiah 33:8

For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more. Hebrews 8:12

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. Romans 8:1-2

Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sins are put out of sight. Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of sin. Romans 4:7-8

She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because He will save his people from their sins. Matthew 1:21

God exalted Jesus to His own right hand as Prince and Savior that He might bring You and Me to repentance and forgive our sins. Acts 5:21

forgiveness

"I think that if God forgives us we must forgive ourselves. Otherwise, it is almost like setting up ourselves as a higher tribunal than Him." - C.S. Lewis

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.
 Romans 8:1

Hi dear friends.
I read the C.S.Lewis quote earlier today and boy, did it remind me of how mighty God's grace is but also of how unforgiving we can be towards ourselves. There is no room for guilt and shame in the grand vastness of God's amazing love. It was easy to accept God's forgiveness but I couldn't forgive myself. I had allowed walls to build up in my heart, labeled "guilt". Only when I tore those walls down, after many years, did I forgive myself and fully accept and know God's grace for me. It's still a work in progress that the Lord has promised to complete.

As one who struggles with forgiveness, I can write to you and say: forgive yourself. It is the first step to accepting and knowing the fullness of God's grace. If you have the head knowledge of God's love, mercy, forgiveness and grace yet still struggle to love yourself, be merciful towards yourself, forgive yourself and accept God's grace; I urge you today:
tear
the
walls
down.

I don't know what your yesterday looks like. I don't know if you feel so worthless that you doubt God's grace for you. I don't even know if you believe that God can forgive your sins. But one thing I do know, God's unchanging character: [Don’t tear your clothing in your grief, but tear your hearts instead. Return to the Lord your God, for he is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He is eager to relent and not punish. Joel 3:13]

God's Grace is FOR YOU! Yes, You!
That's the greatness of God. It doesn't matter how ugly, icky, deep, wrong, dark, vicious, demonic, brutal, psychotic or small your sin may be, it is still sin and God is still God. He will forgive and make grace abound to you. Ask Him today, this very moment, to help you forgive yourself and accept His grace.

Beloved reader, if you were a victim of any wrong doing or violation to you, God's grace is FOR YOU! Yes, You! There is a promise in God's Word that I want you to hold on to, engrave it in your heart and mind: [So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten. Joel 2:25] Lord, Your Word says it, we believe it, now do it! Ask Him today, this very moment, to restore what has been taken: your worth and value, to help you forgive the other person(s), to forgive yourself and accept God's grace.

"To forgive is to set a prisoner free
and discover that the prisoner was you." -Lewis B. Smedes

Lyrical Friday - Come To Save Us

Happy Friday my beloved Readers.
I want you all to know that I have prayed for you this week. My prayer is that God would reveal Himself to you in a real, powerful and special way. At this moment, this season in my life, God is my provider (Jehovah Jireh). I would love to know who is God in your life at this very season. do share!

This week a friend introduced me to Sons and Daughters, Integrity Music's latest worship band. Let me tell you, they have rocked my world this week with today's song: Came to save Us. The simplicity of these lyrics have humbled me. Oh wretched woman that I am, unworthy and undeserving. But the King of kings and Lord of lords has come to save me. He has come to save you. Giving us both value and worth, sharing His glory with us.

Dear Friend, I encourage you to set apart the next few minutes and spend it with Jesus as Sons and Daughters leads you into an amazing time of worship. Don't shy away from the One who saves you.

Our help is in the name of the LORD. Psalm 124:8

Come To Save Us, Sons and Daughters


You have come to save us
You have come to save us
You have come to save us, Lord

You have a way here
You have made the clear
You have come to save us, Lord

Jesus, You're the one who saves us
You're the one who saves us
King of all the other kings on earth

You are the light and fire
You are our desire
You have come to save us, Lord

You're the hope among us
You're the peace that binds us
You have come to save us, Lord

King of all Kings
Lord of all Lords
Light of the World You shine


PS. Please keep my friend Lou in prayer. This past Wednesday He had two surgical procedures done, one being his knee and the other his ankle. Pray for a speedy and effective recovery. Thanks.

a chair experience with Ruth

Years back a wonderful friend shared with me something very personal... of course I'm going to share it with you! It's too good to keep to myself. My beloved friend had a submission problem. As hard as she tried to submit to her husband and respect him, she just couldn't. She would throw tantrums, argue, talk back, do the opposite of what he desired and well... you know how that goes. Both were strong willed and bumped heads all day long. But something began to change with the help of a chair. Yes, a chair.

You see, my Friend took for herself a child size chair that belonged to one of her children and kept it in her small closet. Every time she disagreed with her husband on any matter or was in a heated argument she would go to her closet, sit on the small chair and talk to God. It was in those chair moments that she would vent, she would pray, she would cry. Most important, it was in those chair moments that God revealed to her the condition of her heart, he would speak correction, redirection, comfort and hope to her. Her marriage began to be transformed by these chair experiences with God. Ever since she shared this with me, I go to God for chair moments. Not in the darkness of a closet but wherever, whenever.

Today I want to share a chair experience with you and with Ruth. I pray that the Lord would reveal the condition of our heart. May He speak correction, redirection, comfort and hope.

Ruth 1:16-17 “Don’t ask me to leave you and turn back. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. Wherever you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord punish me severely if I allow anything but death to separate us!”

Let's break this down (click one verses):
"Don’t ask me to leave you and turn back. Wherever you go, I will go"
Are you willing to cling to Jesus and follow Him wherever He may go? Are you willing to leave family, friends, career, possessions, pleasures to follow Jesus? [Luke9:23]

"wherever you live, I will live"
Have you chosen to make your home the center of God's will for your life, or is your home the center of your will for your life? Are you content where God has you? [Matthew 6:33]

"Your people will be my people"
Are God's people your people? Do you love all of God's people, or only the ones you choose to love? [John13:35 Romans 12:9-21]

"your God will be my God"
Is God, Lord over all and every area of your life? Or are your own god? Are your possessions/career/education your gods? Has someone taken the place of God in your life? Are you willing to give up these gods? [Hosea 2:14-23 Matthew 6:19-21]

"Wherever you die, I will die, and there I will be buried"
Are you willing to die to yourself as Christ died to himself for you? [Galatians 2:20]

"May the Lord punish me severely if I allow anything but death to separate us!”
Are you fully committed to God? Have you ever made a lasting commitment to God? [Psalm 56:12-13]

Thus, many have a value and affection for Christ, yet come short of salvation by him, because they will not forsake other things for him. They love him, yet leave him, because they do not love him enough, but love other things better. -Matthew Henry

Let us not love anything more than we love Jesus. Just as Ruth clung to Naomi and vowed, may we cling to our Lord and say: I will not leave you and turn back. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and You will be my God. As you have died, I will die, and there I will be buried. As You have risen, so will I rise with you. May You punish me severely if I allow anything to separate us!