If you haven’t discovered Matt Redman’s album, Let There Be Wonder (released early 2020), please seek it out. It has been a wonderful refuge for the soul in the midst of these turbulent days. Here is a beautiful acoustic version of “Upon Him”.
Here is a powerful song from Matt Redman’s new live album released at the start of 2020, “Let There Be Wonder”. Lyrics are in the YouTube link. Enjoy! I think this is the standout song from the album. Let me know if there are others you have on repeat!
1“Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. 2There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?3When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. 4And you know the way to where I am going.” (John 14:1-4)
This song from Mercy Me is a great encouragement in the midst of the weariness and challenges which 2020 has brought us. The film clip is also quite a unique and creative one! I trust you find these words from the bridge an especially beautiful glimpse of the joy of heaven to come.
“I know that the cross has brought heaven to us But make no mistake there’s still more to come When our flesh and our bone are no longer between Where we are right now and where we’re meant to be When all that’s been lost has been made whole again When these tears and this pain no longer exist. . .”
Are you disappointed Are you desperate for help You know what it’s like to be tired And only a shell of yourself
Well you start to believe You don’t have what it takes ‘Cause it’s all you can do Just to move much less finish the race But don’t forget what lies ahead
Almost home Brother it won’t be long Soon all your burdens will be gone With all your strength Sister run wild, run free Hold up your head Keep pressing on We are almost home
Well this road will be hard But we win in the end Simply because of Jesus in us It’s not if but when So take joy in the journey Even when it feels long Oh find strength in each step Knowing heaven is cheering you on
We are almost home Brother it won’t be long Soon all your burdens will be gone With all your strength Sister run wild, run free Hold up your head Keep pressing on We are almost home Almost home Almost home
I know that the cross has brought heaven to us But make no mistake there’s still more to come When our flesh and our bone are no longer between Where we are right now and where we’re meant to be When all that’s been lost has been made whole again When these tears and this pain no longer exist No more walking we’re running as fast as we can Consider this our second wind
Almost home Brother it won’t be long Soon all your burdens will be gone With all your strength Sister run wild, run free Hold up your head Keep pressing on We are almost home Almost home Almost home We are almost home Almost home Almost home We are almost home
Defender 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, oh ooh
You go before I know That You’ve even gone to win my war Your love becomes my greatest defense It leads me from the dry wilderness
And all I did was praise All I did was worship All I did was bow down, oh All I did was stay still
Hallelujah, You have saved me So much better Your way Hallelujah, great Defender So much better Your way
You know before I do Where my heart can seek to find Your truth Your mercy is the shade I’m living in And You restore my faith and hope again
And all I did was praise, oh, oh ooh All I did was worship All I did was bow down, oh All I did was stay still, stay still
Hallelujah, You have saved me So much better Your way Hallelujah, great Defender So much better Your way
When I thought I lost me You knew where I left me You reintroduced me to Your love You picked up all my pieces Put me back together You are the defender of my heart When I thought I lost me You knew where I left me You reintroduced me to Your love You picked up all my pieces Put me back together You are the defender of my heart
Hallelujah, You have saved me So much better this way Hallelujah, great Defender So much better Your way So much better Your way (I know it’s so much better) So much better Your way (I know it, I know it)
And all I did was praise All I need to do is worship Lord, I will just bow down I’m just gonna stay still
O Holy night, starry sky We were dead until tonight Christmas changes everything Long lay the world inside our sin He has come here to forgive Christmas changes everything [Chorus] Hallelujah, love has found us Hope in a manger our Saviour is setting us free This is rescue, Christ has come to make us new Oh Christmas changes everything Now God has met us where we are A thrill of hope for hopeless hearts His perfect love will shatter every fear We’re coming back to life again And it’s all because of Bethlehem Rejoice, oh rejoice! [Chorus] Hallelujah, love has found us Hope in a manger our Saviour is setting us free This is rescue, Christ has come to make us new Oh Christmas changes everything We will fall on our knees We will fall on our knees We will fall on our knees O Holy night, holy child We were dead till you came to life [Chorus] Hallelujah, you have found us Hope in a manger, oh Saviour we fall on our knees You are rescue, you are making all things new Oh Christmas changes everything Yeah Christmas changes everything Christmas changes everything.
I heard the bells on Christmas day Their old familiar carols play And mild and sweet their songs repeat Of peace on earth good will to men
And the bells are ringing (peace on earth) Like a choir they’re singing (peace on earth) In my heart I hear them (peace on earth) Peace on earth, good will to men
And in despair I bowed my head There is no peace on earth I said For hate is strong and mocks the song Of peace on earth, good will to men
But the bells are ringing (peace on earth) Like a choir singing (peace on earth) Does anybody hear them? (peace on earth) Peace on earth, good will to men
Then rang the bells more loud and deep God is not dead, nor does he sleep (peace on earth, peace on earth) The wrong shall fail, the right prevail With peace on earth, good will to men
Then ringing singing on its way
The world revolved from night to day A voice, a chime, a chant sublime Of peace on earth, good will to men
And the bells they’re ringing (peace on earth) Like a choir they’re singing (peace on earth) And with our hearts we’ll hear them (peace on earth) Peace on earth, good will to men
Do you hear the bells they’re ringing? (peace on earth) The life the angels singing (peace on earth) Open up your heart and hear them (peace on earth) Peace on earth, good will to men
Peace on earth, peace on earth Peace on earth, Good will to men
Songwriters: John Mark Hall / Dale Oliver / Bernie Herms
‘Joy to the World’ was not intended to be a Christmas carol. In its original form, it had nothing to do with Christmas and wasn’t even written to be a song. Rather, hymn-writer Isaac Watts published a book of poems (1719) in which each poem was based on a psalm. Instead of simply translating the original texts, he adjusted them to refer more explicitly to the work of Jesus as revealed in the New Testament.
One of those poems was an adaptation of Psalm 98. He saw this psalm as a celebration of Jesus’ role as King of both his church and the whole world. More than a century later, the second half of this poem was slightly adapted and set to music to give us what has become one of the most famous of all Christmas carols. (More info? https://www.crossway.org/articles/a-brief-history-of-joy-to-the-world/)
The song I’m sharing today is a great medley which combines ‘Joy to the World’ with ‘Shout for Joy’ by Paul Baloche. A winning combo!! Take a moment to consider how these lyrics can bring great joy at any time of the year.
Joy to the world the Lord is come
Let earth receive her King
Let every heart prepare Him room
And heaven and nature sing
And heaven and nature sing
And heaven and heaven and nature sing
Shout for joy For the son of God is the saving one He’s the Saving one Shout for joy See what love has done He has come for us He’s the saving one
Joy to the World, the Saviour reigns
Let men their songs employ
While fields and floodsRocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy
Repeat the sounding joy
Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy
Jesus, Emmanuel
O come let us adore Him
Jesus, Emmanuel
O come let us adore Him
Jesus, Emmanuel
O come let us adore Him
Here is a cheery song which reminds us that Christmas brings a sense of hope: we truly can be the selfless people we were designed to be, as we turn our eyes from ourselves and become just a little kinder and more generous towards our fellow humans. There is a little bit of ‘Heaven Everywhere’ at Christmas. The song is from Francesca Batistelli’s 2012 ‘Christmas‘ album.
I hear the bells, they’re ringing loud and clear You can’t help but love this time of year It’s Christmastime, there’s something in the air There’s a little bit of heaven everywhere
Somehow there’s a little more of love And maybe there’s a little less of us Or maybe we’re just slightly more aware There’s a little bit of heaven everywhere
It’s the smile on a man who has finally found hope It’s the tears of a mother whose child has come home It’s the joy that we feel and the love that we share There’s a little bit of heaven everywhere There’s a little bit of heaven everywhere
It’s funny how it takes a holiday To show us how the world could truly change If we all took the time to really care There’d be a little more of heaven everywhere
It’s the smile on a man who has finally found hope It’s the tears of a mother whose child has come home It’s the joy that we feel and the love that we share There’s a little bit of heaven everywhere There’s a little bit of heaven everywhere
It’s the grace that we show to a world that needs hope It’s giving our lives knowing they’re not our own It’s the joy that we feel and the love that we share There’s a little bit of heaven everywhere There’s a little bit of heaven everywhere
Angels we have heard on high Sweetly singing o’er the plain And the mountains in reply Echoing their joyous strains Hallelujah, halleljuah
It’s the joy that we feel and the love that we share There’s a little bit of heaven everywhere There’s a little bit of heaven everywhere There’s a little bit of heaven everywhere
Angels we have heard on high Sweetly singing o’er the plain