This week has been tough. I’ve been really challenged in how I see and do things, I know I made mistakes, but I’m learning and seeking God through all of it. Until That Final Day by Keith Green from Songs For The Shepherd (1982) has been a great source of encouragement throughout.

My flesh is tired of seeking God,
But on my knees I’ll stay,
I want to be a pleasing child,
Until that final day.

My mind is full of many thoughts,
That clutter and confuse,
But standing firm, I will prevail,
In faith that I’ll be used.

Amen!
I’m asking once again,
Won’t you help me, my friend,
Lord Jesus.
Holy!
Lord Spirit, set us free,
From chains we cannot see,
Come release us.

I wrestle not with flesh and blood,
My fight is with the one,
Who lost the keys of hell and death,
To God’s most precious Son.

One sleepless night of anguished prayer,
I triumphed over sin,
One battle in the holy war,
God’s promised me to win.

I’ve tried to add to the lyrics, but everytime it felt useless because the lyrics speak so powerfully. 

But I should say that the song doesn’t just look back, it looks forward too. I know there will be many battles in the future where I will need Christ’s help.

Amen!
I’m asking once again,
Won’t you help me, my friend,
Lord Jesus.
Holy!
Lord spirit, set us free,
From chains we cannot see,
Come release us.

My flesh is tired of seeking God,
But on my knees I’ll stay,
I want to be a pleasing child,
Until that final day.

Lord, I pray that You will help me see my chains and then break them. I pray you keep showing me my sin and my idols, then free my from them so I can work for You.

Until That Final Day – Keith Green

This morning I was frustrated by where I was. And my mouse hovered over The Martyr by Chris Howland (feat Antonine Bradford), so I played it.

The rhythm and melody have been in my head many times, but this morning it was the words that struck me.

Follow me to the water,
Follow me to the sea,
We’re going down to meet a Martyr,
A Man whose blood can make you clean,
He bled for your forgiveness,
He bled to make you free,
So I’m standing as a witness,
To the mercy I receive,
So follow me to the water,
Drink and never thirst again,
We’re going down to see the Martyr,
He’s gonna wash away your sin.

The word martyr and bled asked me to think about the example of Christ, and the suffering He went through. He saved me and I want to live my whole life for Him. And that includes dying for Him.

I pray I would joyfully suffer because of Christ, without compromise and without shame, no matter the cost.

The Martyr – Chris Howland (feat Antonine Bradford)

I find it’s easy to forget Jesus Christ. I enjoy things like music and books, things that are meant to point to Christ. But I don’t remember Him, I think about the song or book. Remember Me by Mark Schultz from Mark Schultz (2000) gets me out of that habit.

Remember me,
In a Bible cracked and faded by the years,
Remember me,
In a sanctuary filled with silent prayer…

I find often that when I hear about a worn Bible or prayer group I praise the dedication of the people reading and praying. I think it’s fantastic and inspiring that people do that, but I shouldn’t be praising them. I should be praising God, who through the sacrifice of Christ, and the work of the Spirit gives these people the strength and endurance to do what they’re called to.

And age to age,
And heart to heart,
Bound by grace and peace,
Child of wonder,
Child of God,
I’ve remembered You,
Remember me.

Remember me,
When the colour of a sunset fills the sky,
Remember me,
When you pray and tears of joy fall from your eyes…

Remember me,
When the children leave their Sunday school with smiles,
Remember me,
When they’re old enough to teach,
Old enough to preach,
Old enough to leave…

I pray that I encourage children, teenagers and adults to grow closer to God and serve God. But Lord, help me to remember that I don’t do it to earn favour with those on earth, I do it because I love You more than anything else.

This week is something completely different. Normally I share the song that’s inspired me in the past week, but I haven’t listened to Love Song For A Saviour by Jars of Clay from Jars of Clay (1995) once this week.

I got up this morning and didn’t have a song to share. Then Love Song For A Saviour came to mind. One of my favourites for sure, but it didn’t seem to fit with how things were going. That is, until tonight.

In open fields of wild flowers,
She breathes the air and flies away,
She thanks her Jesus for the daisies,
And the roses in no simple language,
Someday she’ll understand,
The meaning of it all…

Tonight I got a glimpse of the bigger picture, the way many stories have all come together to help change a single life. I also got a glimpse of the way God orchestrates every single decision and works things together in His timing.

He’s more than the laughter,
Or the stars in the heaven,
As close as a heartbeat,
Or song on her lips,
Someday she’ll trust Him,
And learn how to see Him,
Someday He’ll call her,
And she will come running,
She fall in His arms,
The tears will fall down,
And she’ll pray…

I want to fall in love with you,
I want to fall in love with you,
I want to fall in love with you,
I want to fall in love with you.

The chorus is simple and I don’t know how many times I’ve sung those eight words, but as I fall more in love with my Saviour, I know that those eight words over and over had an effect.

Sitting silent wearing Sunday best,
The sermon echoes through the walls,
A great salvation through it,
Calls to the people,
Who stare into nowhere,
And can’t feel the chains on their souls…

He’s more than the laughter,
Or the stars in the heaven,
As close as a heartbeat,
Or song on her lips,
Someday we’ll trust Him,
And learn how to see Him,
Someday He’ll call us,
And we will come running,
We’ll fall in His arms,
The tears will fall down,
And we’ll pray…

I want to fall in love with you,
I want to fall in love with you,
I want to fall in love with you,
I want to fall in love with you.

We want to pray,
It seems to easy to call You ‘Saviour’,
Not close enough to call You ‘God’,
So as I sit and think of,
The words I can mention,
To show my devotion…

After today, reading these lyrics reminds me of how amazingly God has worked in me to make me fall in love with Him. It also makes me love and trust Him more, because I’m still praying to fall in love with Jesus my Saviour.

Love Song For A Saviour – Jars of Jars

I keep coming back to Jeremy Camp. Although not because of his well known songs, more often it’s because of the gems hidden away. Surrender from Speaking Louder Than Before (2008) is one of those songs, simple, soft, easy to miss, but packed with depth.

Purify this tainted soul,
I’m tired of living life a fool,
Soften up this hardened clay,
To be Your servant, this I pray,
A reflection of You I long to be,
So Your Kingdom I will seek…

I relate to every line of this verse because I want it for my life. To mirror Christ, to serve, to be open, to be wise and to be clean.

And I surrender to Your throne,
I surrender to Your throne,
And I will make my heart Your home,
I surrender to Your throne.

As I seek God more and more, His commands become habits, and while that’s good, I know I rely on my own strength too much. I need to be broken, I need to feel my desperate need, I need to surrender all my own desires to Him who saved me.

I’ve taken things I thought my own,
Only to reap all I’ve sown,
You’ve given back the years I’ve fought,
Unending love and grace You’ve brought,
Eternal hope and peace You bring,
And forever unto You I will sing…

And I surrender to Your throne,
I surrender to Your throne,
And I will make my heart Your home,
I surrender to Your throne.

Forever unto You I will sing…

I pray that You break me, that I surrender to You and that my life fully serves You, without any pride or arrogance in me.

Soften up this hardened clay,
To be Your servant, this I pray…

Surrender – Jeremy Camp

Last week I struggled and broke down because my fears overwhelmed me. And somehow I was able to overcome my fears and start the journey to facing them. And it was then that I put Big Daddy Weave’s album When The Light Comes on, and I Know gave me the reassurance to face my fear.

You don’t answer all my questions,
But you hear me when I speak,
You don’t keep my heart from breakin’,
But when it does, you weep with me,
You’re so close that I can feel you,
When I’ve lost the words to pray,
And though my eyes have never seen you,
I’ve seen enough to say…

I know that you are good,
I know that you are kind,
I know that you are so much more,
Than what I leave behind,
I know that I am loved,
I know that I am safe,
Cause even in the fire to live is Christ, to die is gain,
I know that you are good.

Even though I know that God is good and kind. It wasn’t knowing that calmed my fears, it wasn’t a reminder that calmed my fears, it was only God. I don’t know what it was, but He changed my attitude and gave me strength and courage.

I don’t understand the sorrow,
But you’re calm within the storm,
Sometimes this weight is overwhelming,
But I don’t carry it alone,
You’re still close when I can’t feel you,
I don’t have to be afraid,
And though my eyes have never seen you,
I’ve seen enough to say…

On my darkest day,
From my deepest pain,
Through it all, my heart,
Will choose to sing your praise…

In a dark moment God came through for me, it wasn’t about what I knew, what I read or what I did, it was simply God rescuing me in that moment. And because He rescued me then I Know I can trust Him for the future.

I Know – Big Daddy Weave

From the moment I heard this song, Miracle by Tauren Wells, I wanted to get up and dance. And that was before I heard the lyrics.

The lyrics themselves remind me how thankful I am for God’s work in  my life. I can see clearly, even more clearly over the past month, how God has been working in my life and my girlfriend’s life to prepare us for serving God together. And we had no idea until a month ago.

All these conversations filled with doubt,
We dismiss what we can’t figure out,

I don’t have to see to believe in it,
I know that it’s true ’cause I’m feeling it,
I don’t need no one to agree with it,
There’s just too much proof in my life…

Lord, I know it’s you,
In every mountain that You move,
Oh, I love the way,
That You do the things You do,
No one can deny,
What I’ve seen with my own eyes,
So I thank you for,
Every miracle.

I know it’s miraculous the way God has worked throughout my life, from this morning all the way back to the way God knit me together in my mothers womb. Every trial has helped me grow closer to my Creator an trust Him with all my heart.

You keep coming through time after time, yes you do,
Showing off the wonders you designed, blows my mind,

And now I’ve discovered that God has been building, refining and igniting this awesome woman of God with me in mind. The way our love for God encourages us is one thing, but our quirks, passions and thoughts line-up so well that there is no doubt God is at work.

Miracle – Tauren Wells

All my life I’ve been a bit weird, I like deliberately doing things against the grain. And that’s not going to change. But what is changing is why I’m weird, why I stand out. And the reason is I always want to direct conversations to Christ. Which is where Jesus Freak by DC Talk from Jesus Freak (1995) comes in.

For years I’ve known the song, but I never had the passion to give up my life for Christ. I always knew He saved me, but now I know He saved me to live for Him. Now I have the boldness to suffer for my faith.

Separated, I cut myself clean,
From a past that comes back in my darkest of dreams,
Been apprehended by a spiritual force,
And a grace that replaced all the me I’ve divorced,

I saw a man with tat on his big fat belly,
It wiggled around like marmalade jelly,
It took me a while to catch what it said,
‘Cause I had to match the rhythm,
Of his belly with my head,
“Jesus Saves” is what it raved in a typical tattoo green,
He stood on a box in the middle of the city,
And claimed he had a dream…

What will people think,
When they hear that I’m a Jesus freak,
What will people do when they find that it’s true,
I don’t really care if they label me a Jesus freak,
There ain’t no disguising the truth.

A Jesus Freak may seem radical, but I see it as normal. I want it to be normal for me to be in the open, on a box in the middle of the city and read the Word of God.

Kamikaze, my death is gain,
I’ve been marked by my maker, a peculiar display,
The high and lofty, they see me as weak,
‘Cause I won’t live and die for the power they seek,

There was a man from the desert with gnats in his head,
The sand that he walked was also his bed,
The words that he spoke made the people assume,
There wasn’t too much left in the upper room,
With skins on his back and hair on his face,
They thought he was strange by the locusts he ate,
The Pharisees tripped when they heard him speak,
Until the king took the head of this Jesus freak…

Did I mention I’ve already died for Christ…

Jesus Freak – DC Talk

Over the past few weeks I’ve been reading No Compromise, by Melody Green. It’s the biography of her husband Keith, and as I read I’ve listened to Keith’s music a lot. This week, a track from Keith Green’s album Songs For The Shepherd (1982) jumped out at me, How Majestic Is Thy Name.

I love the Psalms, I read Psalm 119 every night and read many others over and over again. Psalm 8 is one of those, and as I listened to this song I wondered if this is how David sang Psalm 8 all those years ago.

Oh Lord, our Lord,
How majestic is thy name in all the Earth,
Oh Lord, our Lord,
How majestic is thy name in all the Earth.

Thou has displayed thy splendor above the heavens,
Thou has established strength from mouths of infants,
To show all thine enemies.

For when I consider the heavens the work of thy fingers,
The moon and the stars which thou hast appointed,
For what is man, that thou dost take thought of him,
And the son of man, that thou doest care for him.

Hallelujah Lord our Lord,
Oh how I love you.
Hallelujah Lord our Lord,
Oh how I love you.

You’ve made man a little lower than all of the angels,
And crowned him with glory to rule over your creation,
And under his feet, you’ve put the beasts of the field,
The birds of the heavens and what passes through the seas,
The birds of the heavens and what passes through the sea.

The majesty and wonder of God is something that I’ll never grasp, but it isn’t something I can’t glimpse. Either through reading about it, or by looking at the night sky.

How Majestic Is Thy Name – Keith Green

I don’t know why Reach by Skillet from Victorious (2019) has captured my attention this week. Maybe because it’s a while since the last Skillet album, maybe because I wonder if I’m drifting away from Christ and need to reach out, or maybe because I just really like the music.

It’s probably because I just like it. Originally, I wanted to share the song I’ve been listening to most this past week. And more often than not, I’ve played Skillet’s new album and I like Reach most.

Normally, I like to talk about the lyrics and how certain things point me to Christ, but with Reach I’m not sure what to say.

You were the only one to see,
Secrets locked inside of me,
You were the only one,
So tell me where you’ve gone,

I’ve lost a little more today,
Nothing more you can take away,
Can I believe you still?
I need something real…

No one ever wants to feel like this,
No one ever wants to feel like this,

Where are you? I can’t find you,
Broke in two, left behind you,
Reach for me, I’m falling deep,
Promise me you’re never leaving,
I’m still here, broken, bleeding,
Reach for me, I’m falling deep,
Reach for me.

No one could ever get me more,
Nothing could ever fix me more,
Did I scare you away?
Don’t say I’ll be okay…

I feel this is what it’s like before a song really hits me and I see the depth of meaning behind it as it speaks into my situation.

Reach – Skillet