As you can see, I like music. I like to sing. I am blessed by songs, new and old, that witness to the truths found in scripture. No, I don't think they are "inspired" like scripture is, and therefore inerrant. However, I do believe they can be "inspiring". Perhaps you don't feel the same as I do. You want to skip to the WORD (you may be the person behind me talking when I am singing ;) ). Feel free to do so, yet you may miss something along the way that may prepare you to receive the WORD. I do not, however, want you to ignore my blog just because I put a lot of songs and personal thoughts on it, before I finish my blog with a word on the WORD. I do ask your continued prayer, for reconciliation. That is, that my wife would be reconciled to God, me and our family. I also ask you to share your prayer requests with me. Thanks! May God's blessings be on you today and every day.
September 1, 2015:
Worship: Psalm 23 as sung by Keith
Green; Psalm 23 as sung by Don Moen; Drops in the Ocean by Hawk Nelson
The Lord is my Shepherd I shall not want
He makes me lie down in green pastures
He leads me beside the still waters
He restoreth my soul
And guides my path in righteousness
For His name's sake
He makes me lie down in green pastures
He leads me beside the still waters
He restoreth my soul
And guides my path in righteousness
For His name's sake
Surely goodness and loving kindness
Shall follow me all the days of my life
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord
Forever and ever and ever
Shall follow me all the days of my life
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord
Forever and ever and ever
Though I walk through the valley
Of the shadow of death
I will not fear, Thou art with me
Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me
Thou preparest a table
Before me in the presence of my enemies
Of the shadow of death
I will not fear, Thou art with me
Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me
Thou preparest a table
Before me in the presence of my enemies
Thou anointest my head with oil
My cup's overflowing
My cup's overflowing
Surely goodness and loving kindness
Shall follow me all the days of my life
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord
Forever and ever and ever
Shall follow me all the days of my life
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord
Forever and ever and ever
Jesus my shepherd and only provider
He makes me lie down in green pastures
He leads me beside the still water
He restores my soul
Surely goodness and mercy will follow me
All the days of my life
And I will dwell in His house forever
Until the end of time
Jesus, my Shepherd and only provider
You make me lie down in green pastures
You lead me beside the still water
You restore my soul
Though I walk through the valley of shadows
I will not be afraid
Your rod and staff are my only comfort
And You'll be with me always
You prepare a table before me
In the presence of my enemies
And You anoint my head with oil
And my cup overflows
My cup overflows with Your love
With Your love
Jesus my shepherd and only provider
You make me lie down in green pastures
You lead me beside the still water
You restore my soul
He makes me lie down in green pastures
He leads me beside the still water
He restores my soul
Surely goodness and mercy will follow me
All the days of my life
And I will dwell in His house forever
Until the end of time
Jesus, my Shepherd and only provider
You make me lie down in green pastures
You lead me beside the still water
You restore my soul
Though I walk through the valley of shadows
I will not be afraid
Your rod and staff are my only comfort
And You'll be with me always
You prepare a table before me
In the presence of my enemies
And You anoint my head with oil
And my cup overflows
My cup overflows with Your love
With Your love
Jesus my shepherd and only provider
You make me lie down in green pastures
You lead me beside the still water
You restore my soul
Drops in The Ocean
Lyrics:
I want you as you are, not as you ought to be
Won't you lay down your guard and come to me
The shame that grips you now is crippling
It breaks my heart to see you suffering
Cause I am for you
I'm not against you
If you wanna know
How far my love can go
Just how deep, just how wide
If you wanna see
How much you mean to me
Look at my hands, look at my side
If you could count the times I'd say you are forgiven
It's more than the drops in the ocean
Don't think you need to settle for a substitute
When I'm the only love that changes you
And I am for you
I'm not against you
I am for you
I'm not against you
If you wanna know
How far my love can go
Just how deep, just how wide
If you wanna see
How much you mean to me
Look at my hands, look at my side
If you could count the times I'd say you are forgiven
It's more than the drops in the ocean
Open your heart
It's time that we start again
Open your heart
It's time that we start again
If you wanna know
How far my love can go
Just how deep, just how wide
If you wanna see
How much you mean to me
Look at my hands, look at my side
If you could count the times I'd say you are forgiven
It's more than the drops in the ocean
The drops in the ocean
I am for you
I'm not against you
I am for you
I'm not against you
I want you as you are, not as you ought to be
Won't you lay down your guard and come to me
The shame that grips you now is crippling
It breaks my heart to see you suffering
Cause I am for you
I'm not against you
If you wanna know
How far my love can go
Just how deep, just how wide
If you wanna see
How much you mean to me
Look at my hands, look at my side
If you could count the times I'd say you are forgiven
It's more than the drops in the ocean
Don't think you need to settle for a substitute
When I'm the only love that changes you
And I am for you
I'm not against you
I am for you
I'm not against you
If you wanna know
How far my love can go
Just how deep, just how wide
If you wanna see
How much you mean to me
Look at my hands, look at my side
If you could count the times I'd say you are forgiven
It's more than the drops in the ocean
Open your heart
It's time that we start again
Open your heart
It's time that we start again
If you wanna know
How far my love can go
Just how deep, just how wide
If you wanna see
How much you mean to me
Look at my hands, look at my side
If you could count the times I'd say you are forgiven
It's more than the drops in the ocean
The drops in the ocean
I am for you
I'm not against you
I am for you
I'm not against you
Witness: Today I did not get the
sleep I needed again. Went out and bought my sleep supplement again today so I
hope it will improve again. It’s a natural sleep Supplement as opposed to the
OTC sleep & and prescription meds. Going more natural in my supplements as
I get older and moving away from drug related meds. As I look back and read my
daily personal notations I see a common theme. Frustration over time and today
is no different with a sluggish computer and struggling to find worship songs
and trying to keep it fresh. The first song that came to mind was Drops in the
Ocean by Hawk Nelson, but this a song of witness and not so much worship.
However, I decided to include it anyway. Perhaps someone reading these words
needs to hear the Good News and commit their life to Christ today! It struck me
the providential timing of this. I follow a pattern each day in my Journal:
Worship, Personal, and Word. Always looking for the alliterative (sorry all you
alliteration hatersJ) I had struggled when I came up with my simple pattern. Today for
some reason the word witness came to mind. I felt that this was appropriate
because I often witness to a work that God has done in my life or about
something He taught me. It is providential that I include a song of witness on
the day I change this section from Personal to Witness.
I will speak of two more things, then onto the word with time
fleeting away. I have a prayer list I created as a spread sheet. It’s a simple
one. The first side has the requests and the second a space for answers.
Yesterday I was praying before going to sleep, which is when I pray this list.
I have a section on it for my mom and my brothers and sister. I never had
prayed for divine protection over them before, but it came to mind that day.
The very next day one of my nieces was shot at while a passenger in a car. The
bullet struck the metal frame that holds the windshield deflecting the bullet
and protecting my niece. Thank You Lord
for this answer to my prayer or should I say Your divinely led prayer.
Secondly, as I was writing this, a song by Jason Upton was playing on YouTube.
I had put it on because he had a version of Psalm of Psalm 23. After this
rather long version, more songs came on. The words of one song, captured my
attention:
I want to know Your voice, O Father
I want to hear it coming
I want to be the first around the corner
Take Your hand and walk with You
That is what I want more
than anything as I study His Word and as I live daily for Him—to hear His voice
and run to Him and walk with Him. Here are the full lyrics to the song.
I want to know Your heart as a child knows his Father's
I want to know Your voice as a little boy knows his Father's
Hear You at a distance
When the world can't make it out
I can hear You calling in Your voice, O Father
Your voice, O Father, a still small voice
I want to hear Your voice, O Father
Even when it seems at a distance
When people think I'm crazy for thinking I can hear
I want to know Your voice, O Father
I want to hear it coming
I want to be the first around the corner
Take Your hand and walk with You
To the chair that You have
Sit down on Your lap and hold on"
WORD:
|
2He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet
waters,
3he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the
right paths
for his name’s sake.
4Even though I walk
through the darkest
valley,a
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
5You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my
enemies.
You anoint my head with
oil;
my cup overflows.
6Surely your goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the
house of the Lord
forever.
|
1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. 3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. 5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever. A Psalm of David. KJV |
As I said, time is
fleeting. Just one more thought or two before I move on to the next phrase in
verse one. Yesterday I spoke about the undershepherds; today I want to address
the sheep under their care. The problems that the shepherd or pastor faces
today may have different faces to them but the root attitudes and causes are
still the same. A pastor today may have to deal with men addicted to internet
porn, but the problem of lust itself was something the pastor of the first
century had to deal with as well. Roast pastor has been served at the dinner
meal in every century. Certainly there are pastors that need to held
accountable for a public sin, they have committed, but usually it is the nitpicky
and unimportant that causes splits and fights in churches and the dismissal and
depression of many of God’s shepherds. In the verse that follows the verses I wrote
about yesterday in 1 Peter it says this:
1 Peter 5:5-7
5 Young men, in the same
way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with
humility toward one another, because,
"God opposes the proud
but gives grace to the
humble."
6 Humble yourselves,
therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 7 Cast
all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
NIV
There is more I want to say,
but time has run out and I have to head to work. I will begin here tomorrow. Be
thinking about these verses for tomorrow!
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