Give Me Vision To See Things Like You Do

It’s been awhile since I added to the worship collection here. This one really needs to be here. (See the sidebar for more songs here at C201.)

^{Isaiah 55:2} “For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the Lord.
⁹ “As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.

^{Psalm 121:1} I raise my eyes toward the mountains.
Where will my help come from?
² My help comes from the Lord,
the maker of heaven and earth.

^{Hebrews 12: 2-3} Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!

God I look to You
I won’t be overwhelmed
Give me vision to see things like You do
God I look to You
You’re where my help comes from
Give me wisdom, You know just what to do

Scripture texts: NIV (Is.),  CEB (Ps.), and MESSAGE (Heb.)

10,000 Years And There Forevermore

I think Matt Redman has appeared here more than any other worship songwriter.  Listen to this song, 10,000 Reasons, a couple of times through; the words are on the screen.  Feel free to leave your comments and thoughts as you listen the second time.

A Church Where Freedom Reigns, A People Full of Grace

Occasionally there are worship song videos posted here, and I can’t think of a better time to do one than today, in light of all the reading we’ve had here this week.  If the videos aren’t your thing, this is a good day to carry on with parts 2, 3 and 4 of yesterday’s readings. 

Re. Yesterday:  For the record, I believe very definitely that “the buck stops” with the Bible as the final authority for those who follow Christ.  But I’m also understanding where the writer — an Eastern Orthodox person for whom tradition is placed in high regard — is coming from in reference to solo scriptura.  I hope that studying this material provides you with some things to think about.

The music video is from Eddie Kirkland from North Point Community Church.  This may not be your musical style, but listen once anyway and note the marriage of powerful (loud!) music with powerful (dynamic) lyrics.  This is a great opening song for any church that’s doing contemporary worship.

If you see something online that C201 readers should know about, be sure to click the “submissions” tab so that we can consider sharing your ‘find’ with everyone. If you have a blog of your own and have written something of a devotional nature or a Bible study nature that you’d like to see picked up here, click the same “submissions” tab.

Christianity 201 is a melting-pot of devotional and Bible study content from across the widest range of the Christian blogosphere.  An individual article may be posted even if some or all readers might not agree with other things posted at the same blog, and two posts may follow on consecutive days by authors with very different doctrinal perspectives.  The Kingdom of God is so much bigger than the small portion of it we can see from our personal vantage point, and one of the purposes of C201 is to allow readers a ‘macro’ view of the many ministries and individual voices available for reading.

One of the First “Offerings of Worship to the King”

• Before we get started today; for our American friends, if you missed it back in October, here’s a beautiful 6-minute video of a worship song which was posted here for Canadian Thanksgiving.
  

The song Offering by Paul Baloche is sung in many of our churches, but not everyone knows the original first verse which has a definite Christmas theme to it.  Can I suggest introducing this other verse to your congregation if they are not already using it? The music on this version is by the group Casting Crowns.

Those first “offerings of worship” were from shepherds and astronomers (or if you prefer, astrologers).  This is as diverse a mix as you’ll find.  For in Christ there is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, rich nor poor, simple nor educated.

The Lord Giveth, The Lord Taketh Away, Right?

The book of Job is complicated.

Several years ago a manufacturer of Christian giftware created an entire themed line (or range as the British say) for men based on Job 1:10–

“Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land.

There were work gloves, and a measuring tape, and other items all inscribed with

You have blessed the work of his hands

And everything was going fine until my wife pointed out that the speaker in this passage wasn’t God, wasn’t Job, wasn’t Job’s friends; it was the devil.  They were selling merchandise with a quote from the devil.  I mean, it’s possible for Satan to speak the truth in a situation, but it is rather unsettling.

I mention that because on the weekend, we had a discussion about the popular worship song, Blessed Be The Name (of the Lord).  The line that came up was,

You give and take away

and the individual pointed out that God allows things to happen, but doesn’t specifically cause things to happen.

The song lyric is based on Job, but this time we can’t blame the devil.  Chapter one, verse 20 and 21 reads:

At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship and said: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised.” (NIV)

The statement reflects Job’s understanding of how things work, but it’s a limited understanding; this being chapter one and all.

We do however see similar themes; such as I Samuel 2: 7,8

The LORD makes poor and rich;
He brings low, He also exalts. (NASB)

and Psalm 75: 6,7

For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another. (KJV)

But the causality appears slightly different in the NLT

For no one on earth—from east or west,
      or even from the wilderness—
      should raise a defiant fist.
 ⁷ It is God alone who judges;
      he decides who will rise and who will fall

and is closer to the idea of God allowing but not actually doing.  And certainly, to believe in the sovereignty of God is to believe that nothing that takes place happens without his rubber stamp on it.

So what do you think?  Can you stand and sing that line of Blessed Be The Name with confidence?  Or do you shy away from it?

I think it’s important that our overarching belief is that God working to bring all things toward the good.  As Romans 8:28 reminds us:

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who arecalled according to His purpose. (NASB)

He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God. That’s why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good.  (w/ vs. 27; The Message)

And furthermore, we can adopt an unconditional allegiance to God regardless of the circumstances or even regardless of their source.  Job reaches this point twelve chapters later, in 13:15:

Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him…(KJV)

O, Church of Christ Rejoice

Come People of the Risen King by Kristen and Keith Getty and Stuart Townend:

Performed by Stuart Townend.

Performed by Kristen and Keith Getty

Come, people of the Risen King,
Who delight to bring Him praise;
Come all and tune your hearts to sing
To the Morning Star of grace.
From the shifting shadows of the earth
We will lift our eyes to Him,
Where steady arms of mercy reach
To gather children in.

REFRAIN
Rejoice, Rejoice! Let every tongue rejoice!
One heart, one voice; O Church of Christ, rejoice!

Come, those whose joy is morning sun,
And those weeping through the night;
Come, those who tell of battles won,
And those struggling in the fight.
For His perfect love will never change,
And His mercies never cease,
But follow us through all our days
With the certain hope of peace.

Come, young and old from every land -
Men and women of the faith;
Come, those with full or empty hands -
Find the riches of His grace.
Over all the world, His people sing -
Shore to shore we hear them call
The Truth that cries through every age:
“Our God is all in all”!

Come, people of the Risen King,
Who delight to bring Him praise;
Come all and tune your hearts to sing
To the Morning Star of grace.
From the shifting shadows of the earth
We will lift our eyes to Him,
Where steady arms of mercy reach
To gather children in.

REFRAIN
Rejoice, Rejoice! Let every tongue rejoice!
One heart, one voice; O Church of Christ, rejoice!

Come, those whose joy is morning sun,
And those weeping through the night;
Come, those who tell of battles won,
And those struggling in the fight.
For His perfect love will never change,
And His mercies never cease,
But follow us through all our days
With the certain hope of peace.

Come, young and old from every land -
Men and women of the faith;
Come, those with full or empty hands -
Find the riches of His grace.
Over all the world, His people sing -
Shore to shore we hear them call
The Truth that cries through every age:
“Our God is all in all”!

The Defender of the Weak: Strength Will Rise

You, O Lord, are from everlasting to everlasting…

Here in the Love of Christ I Stand

When I looked today at the list of songs in the right hand margin, it was clear one was missing, In Christ Alone by Stuart Townend & Keith Getty.   This is the version by Adam Young aka Owl City which omits the second verse, which is included below. I wanted to include this version because of the impact it makes when a singer in the pop music industry makes a clear declaration of faith.

In Christ alone my hope is found
He is my light, my strength, my song
This Cornerstone, this solid ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm
What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease
My Comforter, my All in All
Here in the love of Christ I stand

In Christ alone, who took on flesh
Fullness of God in helpless babe
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones He came to save
‘Till on that cross as Jesus died
The wrath of God was satisfied
For every sin on Him was laid
Here in the death of Christ I live

There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave He rose again
And as He stands in victory
Sin’s curse has lost it’s grip on me
For I am His and He is mine
Bought with the precious blood of Christ

No guilt in life, no fear in death
This is the power of Christ in me
From life’s first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny
No power of hell, no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand
‘Till He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand

As I was getting ready to publish this, I discovered that this isn’t the only time Adam has covered a worship song, and this one, as far as this blog is concerned, is definitely a keeper.  How Deep The Father’s Love For Us, also by UK’s Stuart Townend.  A few of you, especially in Canada and the UK where this is a CCLI Top 25 title have heard this song done perhaps more ‘churchy,’ or with the verses divided differently but trust me, many are hearing these powerful lyrics for the first time.

How deep the Father’s love for us,
How vast beyond all measure
That He should give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure

How great the pain of searing loss,
The Father turns His face away
As wounds which mar the chosen One,
Bring many sons to glory

Behold the Man upon a cross,
My sin upon His shoulders
Ashamed I hear my mocking voice,
Call out among the scoffers

It was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life
I know that it is finished

I will not boast in anything
No gifts, no power, no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ
His death and resurrection

Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom

Graham Kendrick: Lead Me to the Cross

At the risk of sounding like a broken record (or a skipping CD?) I want to repeat my assertion that the best worship songs are those that focus on the cross of Christ.  There is no greater theme.

This is a late ’90s worship song by British worship leader and composer Graham Kendrick.  This is the only recording I could find of the song online, and the onscreen lyrics are not working and serve as a bit of a distraction.  Play it through a couple of times as an audio feed; and the lyrics are reprinted below from Graham’s website.  Flowing from above, all forgiving love, from the Father’s heart to mine.

How can I be free from sin?
Lead me to the cross of Jesus
From the guilt, the power, the pain?
Lead me to the cross of Jesus

There’s no other way
No price that I could pay
Simply to the cross I cling
This is all I need
This is all I plead
That his blood was shed for me

How can I know peace within?
Lead me to the cross of Jesus
Sing a song of joy again!
Lead me to the cross of Jesus

Flowing from above
All-forgiving love
From the Father’s heart to me!
What a gift of grace
His own righteousness
Clothing me in purity!

How can I live day by day?
Lead me to the cross of Jesus
Following his narrow way?
Lead me to the cross of Jesus

Graham Kendrick
Copyright © 1991 Make Way Music,
http://www.grahamkendrick.co.uk

Redeemer Saviour Friend

Another classic worship song suitable for use all year long, but especially for Easter or Communion.   This is the version of this from BCAD, an unusual Hosanna Integrity album from a few years back that can only be described as worship meets evangelism.  There are many versions of this song online. Listen the first time and then replay it and sing along.

I know You had me on Your mind
When You climbed up on that hill
For You saw me with eternal eyes
While I was yet in sin
Redeemer Saviour Friend

Every stripe upon Your battered back
Every thorn that pierced Your brow
Every nail drove deep through guiltless hands
Said that Your love knows no end
Redeemer Saviour Friend

Oh Redeemer redeem my heart again
Saviour come and shelter me from sin
You’re familiar with my weakness
Devoted to the end
Redeemer Saviour Friend

So the grace
You pour upon my life
Will return to You in praise
And I’ll gladly
Lay down all my crowns
For the name by which I’m saved
Redeemer Saviour Friend

by Chris Springer and Darrell Evans Integrity’s © 1999 Hosanna! Music & Integrity’s Praise! Music

Believing The Impossible!

Today’s piece is from Lori Ettel, author of the devotional blog, A Display of His Splendor, and appeared under the title, “Superhero.”

---

“David said to Saul, “Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine, your servant will go and fight him.” (1Samual 17:32)

Yesterday at soccer practice I had to laugh when I saw this little boy. He is three and is the cutest thing ever. He has blonde curly hair and is such a dude. When I saw him, I told him he’s going to be surfer…that’s what he looks like. And he replied boldly, “No I’m not. I’m going to be Spiderman!!” I love it. He was so doggone cute! That is such a boy statement.

It reminded me of David and Goliath. Here the Philistines thought their guy was bigger and tougher. They thought they had it in the bag. The Israeli army was buying it too. They were so intimidated by Goliath’s size. They were frightened and no one would step forward to fight. They just stood there. Along comes David. He’s not afraid. He’ll fight Goliath.

Now, David was the youngest among his brothers. He was sent simply to bring them food. He wasn’t planning to fight that day. But when he got there and saw what was going on, he couldn’t believe it. He knew his God was bigger than Goliath. He knew that he could do anything with God backing him up. Everyone thought David was just young and stupid. But in reality, he knew the one with the Super powers. He knew that only God could defeat Goliath. He had child-like faith. Everyone around him was older and wiser…hmmm. But David had faith.

I think it’s interesting that as we get older, we become less likely to believe the unbelievable. We become so full of wisdom and knowledge; we don’t think God can do the impossible. We start off as children thinking we can do anything. But as we age, we become more afraid. Aren’t we supposed to be more grounded in the Lord as we grow older? Aren’t we supposed to be less afraid as we grow older? Instead, we fear more. Is it because we are wiser and have seen the truth of life? I think we have started depending on what we see and not depending so much on what is unseen. We have limited the power of God and taken over. We have become so self-sufficient. We think if we cannot do a task, it simply cannot be done. We have stopped relying on God. We have stopped believing in His power. We are too willing to accept defeat.

I love that a little three year old boy reminded me that he is not afraid of anything. He truly believes he can do anything. He can’t wait to grow up and be Spiderman. Something happens to us as we grow older. We lose that ability to believe that God can do anything. The bible is full of magnificent stories of God and His power. But we don’t really believe them, do we? Oh they are nice stories but God doesn’t work like that anymore does He? We don’t believe He can. God is not any less powerful or willing to show His power. I believe we simply don’t expect it. God is so big. He is able. He is a Superhero!

He is able more than able
To accomplish what concerns me today
He is able more than able
To handle anything that comes my way

He is able more than able
To do much more than I could ever dream
He is able more than able
To make me what He wants me to be

Caedman’s Call: Who You Are

I’m so glad someone posted this song.   Caedman’s Call have a great ‘listening’ worship song here; though increasingly some Churches are adding pieces with greater complexity.

I love the line, “You opened your arms / You call me into salvation / Your infinite love / Echoes in all creation.”

When I was young
You were my breath and heartbeat
Born in the dark
You were the hand that held me
You opened your arms
You call me into salvation
Your infinite love
Echoes in all creation

For who You are
You’re the great I am
For who You are
You’re the son of man
For who You are
I am who I am

Father of grace
I am a child of mercy
Inside my heart
And all around me I see the glory

Of who You are
You’re the great I am…

You pull me out of darkness
You pulled me out of all my emptiness
You are Your instrument of praise

Who You are
You’re the great I am…

What a Faithful God

In the spirit of “Great is Thy Faithfulness,” this 1989 worship song extolling one of the many great characteristics of God is by Dawn and Robert Critchley from the UK. This version is paced a little different from how I first learned it; and the three verses start out pitched really low, but then the song explodes like fireworks into a higher register celebrating the faithfulness of God. This is the original recording by the songwriter.  This is a great worship song that still has possibilities; it may not be “new” but it’s new to you!

Lord, I come before Your throne of grace
I find rest in Your presence,
And fullness of Joy
In worship and wonder,
I behold Your face
Singing what a faithful God have I

What a faithful God have I
What a faithful God
What a faithful God have I
Faithful in every way

Lord of mercy, You have heard my cry
Through the storm You·re the beacon
My song in the night
In the shelter of Your wings
Hear my heart·s reply,
Singing what a faithful God have I

Lord, all soverign
Granting peace from heaven
Let me comfort those who suffer
With the comfort You have given
I will tell of Your great love
For as long as I live
Singing what a faithful God have I

Revelation Song

Holy, Holy, Holy isn’t just a repeated lyric.   It represents a special poetic significance that occurs in scripture when something is deserving of special emphasis.

I can’t believe that anybody reading this right now doesn’t already know this song, but if you haven’t prepare for a 7-minute worship experience.  Besides, I wanted it to be part of the worship collection on this blog.   Everyone else:  You already know what awaits you…

Worthy is the Lamb
Who was slain
Holy holy is He
Sing a new song
To Him Who sits on
Heaven’s mercy seat

Holy holy holy
Is the Lord God Almighty
Who was and is
And is to come
With all creation I sing
Praise to the King of kings
You are my everything
And I will adore You

Clothed in rainbows of living color
Flashes of lightning, rolls of thunder
Blessing and honor
Strength and glory
And power be to You
The only wise King

Filled with wonder
Awestruck wonder
At the mention of Your name
Jesus Your name is power
Breath and living water
Such a marvelous mystery yeah

by Jennie Lee Riddle
© 2004 Gateway Create Publishing (Admin. by Integrity’s Praise! Music)

At The Foot Of The Cross

Another beautiful worship song by Kathryn Scott.   Everything that happens in the Christian journey begins at the foot of the cross.   “Now I can trade these ashes in for beauty…”  Come to the cross as you enjoy listening to this song.

At the foot of the cross
Where grace and suff’ring meet
You have shown me Your love
Through the judgment You received
And You’ve won my heart
And You’ve won my heart now I can

Now I can trade these ashes for beauty
And wear forgiveness like a crown
Coming to kiss the feet of Mercy
I lay ev’ry burden down
(At the foot of the cross)

At the foot of the cross
Where I am made complete
You have given me life
Through the death You bore for me
And You’ve won my heart
And You’ve won my heart now I can

© 2003 Vertical Worship Songs (Admin. by Integrity Music, Inc.)
Kathryn Scott