Just a quick stop in to say hi – and post a song I have told my pastor is hugely relevant to a sermon he is preaching this week on the Beatitudes. Hope you also enjoy it. (It is a song by Francesca Battistelli by the way.)
I was poor I was weak
I was the definition of the spiritually
Bankrupt condition
So in need of help
I was unsatisfied
Hungry and thirsty
When You rushed to my side
So unworthy
Still You gave yourself away…
(Chorus) That’s the motion of mercy Changing the way and the why we are That’s the motion of mercy Moving my heart
Now I’m filled by a love
That calls me to action
I was empty before now I’m drawn to compassion
And to give myself away
(Chorus)
Living for the lost
Loving ’til it hurts
No matter what the cost
Like You loved me first
That’s the motion of mercy
God give me strength to give something for nothing
I wanna be a glimpse of the Kingdom that’s coming soon
I have only recently discovered an awesome Christmas song by Mark Lowry and Buddy Greene (1991), called “Mary did you know?” Why haven’t I heard of this one before? Jeremy Camp has just released it on his new Christmas album “Christmas: God with Us”. It would make a great solo/ensemble song for your carols/Christmas program. (And see my other suggestions here to ease your planning stress). Enjoy!
Mary did you know that your baby boy will one day walk on water? Mary did you know that your baby boy will save our sons and daughters? Did you know that your baby boy has come to make you new? This child that you’ve delivered, will soon deliver you.
Mary did you know that your baby boy will give sight to a blind man? Mary did you know that your baby boy will calm a storm with his hand? Did you know that your baby boy has walked where angels trod? And when you kiss your little baby, you have kissed the face of God.
The blind will see, the deaf will hear and the dead will live again. The lame will leap, the dumb will speak, the praises of the lamb.
Mary did you know that your baby boy is Lord of all creation? Mary did you know that your baby boy will one day rule the nations? Did you know that your baby boy is heaven’s perfect Lamb? This sleeping child you’re holding is the great I am.
Read more of what I’ve learned about the great I AM in my post from last month “You are I AM”
A very short post today, encouraging you to go buy a new Christmas album for your collection, or as a gift for someone else. Bought this new one from Francesca Battistelli in October just after it was released, simply called “Christmas.” It was a birthday present for daughter Emily (14). It has become a huge hit in our house. Click here for the itunes link.
If you are looking for a great song for a Christmas event at your church, I would recommend “Heaven Everywhere” (sheet music available from Musicnotes.com) or a slower one “December 25“. If you live in a snowy location, try “Marshmallow world” for a bit of fun! Can’t say we relate to that over here in sunny Brisbane, in the middle of a heatwave. (If you have the time, check out my blog on the rationale for Christmas: “Why wouldn’t we remember Christmas”. It might help to share it with some “baa humbug!” friends or relatives.)
Here are the lyrics for HEAVEN EVERYWHERE (please note the grace in chorus #2)
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
Chorus 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
Chorus 2
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
Bridge
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
Tag
Angels we have heard on high
Sweetly singing o’er the plain
I have been dusting off all my Christmas CDs in anticipation of that most wonderful time of the year. A song I’ve enjoyed for quite a while (on the Christmas album NEW IRISH HYMNS 3: INCARNATION) has just been re-released on the newest Getty album: Joy – An Irish Christmas. The song is called “Fullness of Grace.” It effectively captures how the Incarnation event, when God became Man in Christ, is all about Jesus’ willing choice to wrap himself in our frail human form – an embodiment of the grace of God. Though he was despised and rejected he was obedient to the Cross, that we might be forgiven. This is such a simple message, yet so many miss the grace of Jesus Christ. Might we be faithful in focusing on and carrying this message of grace throughout the Christmas season. (You can listen to the new or old versions of the songs, with different singers, by clicking on the title/link to that album, or watch the clip at the end.)
Fullness of grace in man’s human frailty This is the wonder of Jesus Laying aside His power and glory Humbly He entered our world
Chose the path of meanest worth Scandal of a virgin’s birth Born in stable cold and rejected Here lies the hope of the world
Fullness of grace the love of Father Shown in the face of Jesus Stooping to bear the weight of humanity Walking the Calvary road
Christ the Holy Innocent Took our sin and punishment Fullness of God, despised and rejected Crushed for the sins of the world
Fullness of hope in Christ we had longed for Promise of God in Jesus Through His obedience we are forgiven Opening the floodgates of heaven
All our hope and dreams we bring Gladly as an offering Fullness of life and joy unspeakable God’s gift in love to the world
” . . . I’d forgive you and adore you, While I was hangin’ on your cross”
These two astonishing lines come from the chorus of a song by Paul Colman Trio, called “If I Was Jesus”. Now before you shoot him down for heresy, and me for entertaining the idea, please consider the insights of this somewhat humorous song. I can’t get past those two lines of the chorus. What a mind-blowing concept: Jesus adoring us! We always think of it the other way around, with God and his Son Jesus as the recipients of our adoration, and rightly so.
How could Jesus possibly adore us, with all our sinfulness and pride, our desire to call the shots of our own existence and glorify ourselves rather than Him? But this is precisely what He did. Jesus chose us, He chose the Cross for us. We are the JOY He set His eyes on. We are His reward. Consider the following:
John 10:27-29 “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me, for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand.”
Hebrews 12:2 “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (If you want to think more on this, click to read my post: “Saved by a Violent Grace”.)
I hope you enjoy the challenge and humour of Paul Colman’s song. Check out some of his other songs too and find them on FaceBook. Well worth the listen!
If I was Jesus, I’d have some real long hair
A robe and some sandals, is exactly what I’d wear
I’d be the guy at the party, turnin’ water to wine
Yeah me and my disciples, we’d have a real good time.
Ooh and I’d lay my life down for you (woooooh) And I show you who’s the boss (woooooh) I’d forgive you and adore you While I was hangin’ on your cross If I Was Jesus.
I’d have some friends that were poor
I’d run around with the wrong crowd, man I’d never be bored
Then I’d heal me a blind man, get myself crucified
By politicians and preachers, who got somethin’ to hide.
Ooh and I’d lay my life down for you (woooooh) And I show you who’s the boss (woooooh) I’d forgive you and adore you While I was hangin’ on your cross If I Was Jesus.
If I Was Jesus, I’d come back from the dead
And I’d walk on some water, just to mess with your head
I know your dark little secrets, I’d look you right in the face
And I’d tell you I love you, with Amazing Grace.
This is how singer Francesca Battistelli describes the grace of God which illuminates the darkness of our world, and our hearts. His grace transforms our lives into something unexpectedly and incredibly beautiful, as we are transformed into the likeness of Christ.
I hope you enjoy this song (and discover a great Christian musician who has particular appeal for girls/young women . . . if you are looking for gifts).
BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL
Don’t know how it is You looked at me
And saw the person that I could be
Awakening my heart, Breaking through the dark
Suddenly Your grace
Like sunlight burning at midnight Making my life something so Beautiful, beautiful Mercy reaching to save me All that I need You are soBeautiful, beautiful
Now there’s a joy inside I can’t contain
But even perfect days can end in rain
And though it’s pouring down
I see You through the clouds
Shining on my face
(Chorus)
I have come undone
But I have just begun
Changing by Your grace
” . . . everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ”.
Philippians 3:8 (NLT)
Knowing Christ is what makes us Christians. We know Christ and have decided to follow Him. We want to know Him better. We wouldn’t be following Him if we had never met him or realised his worth. But how well do we go at explaining, in practical and understandable terms, what it means to “know Christ”, to “know God”. This is something that non-Christians really want to know. What does it mean to have a relationship with God, what does that look like? We need to get a whole lot better at explaining this.
Probably a good place to start is to talk about what it means to “know” another human being. If you know a person it means you have met him, you have knowledge of their name, appearance, you have encountered their character and spent time with them. Just a knowledge of their existence is not actually “knowing”, just as you don’t know some random Facebooker who applies to be your friend, or some far distant cousin you have heard exists, sitting far out on a branch of your family tree. Knowing is about a relationship.
So knowing God means having a relationship, which has a beginning point. This may be for some a slow and gradual growing relationship starting in childhood, or it could be a sudden meeting in a dark alley, as with a stranger. And once you know Him, how could you forget – His character, His love, His grace is irresistible. HE draws us into a relationship with him, and we grow to know Him better, as we spend time soaking in His story which is revealed to us in all the pages of the Bible. He speaks to us there. We know and understand more of His character and ways. We speak to him in prayer.
And He is not far from us; He is with us. His Spirit, the Spirit of His Son has come to live in us! And we are IN Him! We are found in Christ, wrapped up in His righteousness and made perfect in Him. How much closer could this relationship be? One song my youngest daughter sings at school asks about The Creator (which is the song title): “What if he was much closer, Closer than your toaster, closer than your tie?” An interesting way to phrase it!
To me, knowing Christ means I am in the growing process of having my selfish and sinful desires replaced with his desires. I know peace with God, forgiveness through Christ’s finished work on the Cross. So I want to follow His agenda and align the desires of my heart with his. I want to obey and please Christ. I want to know Him better – He is the Word of God to us. None of this comes from myself! I am certain of that. So I know I know God because of this.
How would you go at explaining what it means to know Christ? Casting Crowns has attempted to answer this very question in the song below – and the emphasis is on that desire to grow in knowing.
TO KNOW YOU (Casting Crowns)
To know you is to never worry for my life, and
To know you is to never to give in or compromise
To know you is to want to tell the world about you
‘Cause I can’t live without you
To know you is to hear your voice when you are calling
To know you is to catch my brother when he is falling
To know you is to feel the pain of the broken hearted
Cause they can’t live with out you.
More than my next breath, More than life or death All I’m reaching for, I live my life to know you more I leave it all behind, you’re all that satisfies To know you is to want to know you more To know you is to want to know you more
To know you is to ache for more than ordinary
To know you is to look beyond the temporary
To know you is believing that you will be enough
Cause there is no life without you
More than . . .
All this life could offer me, could not compare to you, compare to you
And I’ll count it all as lost, compared to knowing you, knowing you
Just reflecting here on the range of new songs our church family has enjoyed this year, songs of great encouragement and challenge, songs which speak God’s truth well. I’ll describe each one a little for you below (click on the title to listen), with my suggested best key for each. Hopefully you will find something refreshing to inspire your congregation, and continue to grow everyone together in the grace and knowledge of God . . . through the power of His Word in song!
My Hope (2010) – Paul Baloche, Alyssa Mellinger, Ed Kerr, Sheila Rabe (album “The Same Love”). This one has been a real blessing, particularly the line “Nothing can reach the end of all your faithfulness”. I have introduced this at two women’s conferences during the year also, where one woman told me it was an answer to prayer. Awesome. It has a fairly gentle verse, and a rousing Chorus which echos the thoughts of “My Hope is built on nothing less”. I’ve talked more about this one in another post. (Key: A Major)
Majesty of Heaven (2010) – Chris Tomlin, Jesse Reeves, Matt Redman (album And if our God is For Us). This song gives a great picture of King Jesus ruling over this creation, and each of us. The nations bow down to the Majesty of Heaven, in whom all things hold together! We also taught this one in January to a gathering of 600+, mainly mature folk at a CMS convention. They caught on quickly and sang well! (Key G Major).
Hail the Day that Christ Arose (2011) – Charles Wesley, Steve and Vikki Cook (Sovereign Grace Music, album Risen). This song is about the day of the Ascension, something not written about all that often. It is based on an old hymn, but has a really triumphant new ‘Hallelujah’ chorus, which points us to see the King of Love on His throne. We use the Coda section as a Bridge and finish with the Chorus. (Key D Major)
By Our Love (2009)- Christy Nockels (Album Life Light Up). This song is a great one for encouraging unity and acts of love in your church family. It is based around the verse which says the world will know we are Christians by our love. Each verse addresses a different group of people, men, women, and children – who will be reaching with the words of the Gospel “long after we’ve gone”. (We use G major – starts quite low, but chorus is too high if you shift up a key.)
Stronger (2007) – Ben Fielding & Reuben Morgan (Hillsong – Album This is Our God). This song has a really victorious feel, which celebrates the power of Jesus’ resurrection over our sin. He is stronger than every thing that burdens us, He is Lord of all, so let’s lift up His name. (Try this in C or Bb major.)
Oh What a Day (2011) – Mark Altrogge (Sovereign Grace Music, album Risen). This is pretty speedy and rhythmic song, which can be carried by a drummer or pianist with good rhythm! The Day this song focuses on is the Day Christ defeated death and rose from the grave. (Default key is D – we find it works better in C.)
Glorious Day (2009)- John Wilbur Chapman, Mark Hall, Michael Bleecker (Casting Crowns, album Til the Whole World Hears). You will find the whole Gospel in this song. Each verse speaks of a different glorious day: Christ coming to earth, dying, rising, and then looking forward to the day of his return! (Key A Major.)
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.” (Colossians 3:16)
Blessings to you as you encourage God’s gathered people to praise Him!
John 1:16 says: “From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another.” (NIV) “From his abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another.” (NLT)
Living in God’s grace means gaining some daily appreciation for the depth of God’s love shown to us in Christ. His mercies are new every morning, in fact, every moment. What confidence we can have in knowing the grace of God.
This song from Sovereign Grace Music has been a great blessing to many in our church. My favourite line is in verse two “Your mercies crown our lives all our days”. There is mercy, grace and forgiveness, for all the rubbish we do, and the good we don’t do. Jesus has won salvation for us, completely. Enjoy!
VERSE 1 You have ordained every breath we take
In pleasure or pain, there is no mistake
Gladness and grief, both are in Your hand
And sufferings brief carry out Your plan
And our fleeting sorrows will yield an endless prize
When some bright tomorrow
We’ll see You with our eyes, and
CHORUS Grace upon grace flows down, flows down
Grace upon grace flows down, flows down
Through the precious blood of Christ
Father of lights, Giver of all grace
VERSE 2 Father of lights, giver of all grace
Your mercies crown our lives all our days
River of Life, quench our thirsty souls
For no true delight does Your love withhold
And in every season
We are satisfied
For just one reason
Christ was crucified, and
BRIDGE All good gifts, every good thing
Comes to us freely, so freely
All good gifts, every good thing
Comes to us freely, so freely
Through the precious blood
Through the precious blood
10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, 11 trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of the Messiah and the glories that would follow. 12 It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things. (1 Peter 1:10-12)
Whenever I’m feeling a little confused by God’s mysterious ways I find it comforting to remember that even angelic beings do not fully understand the mind of God. We imagine that since angels are in God’s presence, they would know why God is doing what He is doing. But they don’t. Peter spoke of this in his letter above. He says angels long to look into ‘these things’, to fully comprehend God’s mysterious plan of redemption, in which they SERVE us! What an amazing thought! They obey God, they follow the plan, without fully understanding why.
We humans are so privileged. Not only have we have been told the story of God’s grace, shown in his Son coming to redeem us and restore us to relationship with God, we also benefit from this grace! We have eternal life. Steven Curtis Chapman’s song, ANGELS WISH, develops these thoughts in a beautiful way. He looks forward to the time when he will sit down with his angel friends and explain to them the “story of grace”. I know things angels only wish they knew!
How privileged am I?
ANGELS WISH:
Was God smiling when He spoke the words and made the world?
And did he cry about the flood?
And what does God’s voice sound like when He sings, or when He’s angry?
These are just a few things that the angels have on me
Well, I can’t fly, at least not yet I’ve got no halo on my head And I can’t even start to picture Heaven’s beauty But I’ve been shown the Savior’s love The grace of God has raised me up To show me things the angels long to look into And I know things the Angels only wish they knew
I have seen the dark and desperate place where sin will take you
I’ve felt loneliness and shame
And I have watched the blinding light of grace
Come breaking through with a sweetness
Only tasted by the forgiven and redeemed
And someday I’ll sit down with my angel friends Up in Heaven They’ll tell me about creation And I’ll tell them a story of grace
I'm Ash. I love Jesus. I'm a wife and a mum. I'm a teacher. I'm also studying my Masters of Counselling. I started studying a few years after started the very hard work of engaging my own story of harm and trauma. This is a place where you'll hear my stories, as well as the stories of others. I'll also reflect on faith, healing and walking with Jesus. I pray that these words might encourage you to do your own painful but life-bringing work of examining your own stories, and allowing Jesus to heal the parts of you still locked in shame. For He came that we might have life, and have it to the full. Welcome, fellow traveller.
Words, words, words... well said Hamlet! A little blog to go off on tangents within the worlds of history, literature, TV and film that interest me. From the Tudors to Tom Hardy's Tess, the Boleyns to Bollywood or from the Wars of the Roses to Wuthering Heights, feel free to browse through my musings to pick up extra ideas and points for discussion!
sevennotesofgrace 