Sentence Tuesday

The Bible is alive, it speaks to me; 
It has feet, it runs after me; 

It has hands, it lays hold of me.

–Martin Luther

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Lyrical Friday - We Should Run

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Happy Friday to YOU!
I am pretty sure that you have days, or maybe just moments, when you wish Jesus would come and take you away. No? OK, I guess its just me. Ha! We all have a longing for something bigger, somewhere farther, something more. We cannot find fullness of joy or satisfaction in this life. And though our bodies were created for this world, the real us (our soul) was created for Heaven. It is only natural to for us to not feel at home here on earth. I am not saying that we are to be miserable and downcast. There is a difference.

Today's lyrical post comes from Sarah Macintosh. Heaven is the sweet word that comes to mind when I listen to these words. Moments where I find myself remembering and missing a loved one that has passed away, I think of these words. When I am fed up with the affairs of this life, I think of these words. In every low and dark moment, it is these words in 'We Should Run' that lifts my spirit to a place of joy, peace, and hopeful expectancy. This song is a reminder of what we live for: Christ and to see Him lifted up. Because of Heaven we live to draw people to Him.

Oh the joy of knowing that we will one day 

run with Jesus, 

laugh with Jesus, 

dance with Jesus 

and be alive!

Blessed are you who hunger now, for you shall be filled.
Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh.
Luke 6:25 

And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away. Revelation 21:4

There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever. Revelation 22:5

We Should Run, Sarah Macintosh


I waited till the morning
Looking for every sure sign
Listening for footsteps
For when You will take me outta here
People keep on asking
When will we regain life
With the One who’s for us 
Rescue won’t You come

Cause we should run we should be laughing
We should look and see that He is lifted high
We should shout we should be dancing
We should call and find a Savior who’s alive

Someone says Your building
You pull and stretch this old life
Re-shaping what I’ve broken
Till I can see that You’ve been here
People started smiling
Lives are being made right
With the One who’s for us
Rescue You have come!

Now we will run we will be laughing
We will look and see that You are lifted high
Yes we will shout we will be dancing
We will call and find our Savior, You’re alive

Now our feet will run
Yes our eyes they see
And our hearts rejoice
How Your people sing
Hear Your people sing

promise of the Spirit

Promise of the Spirit // by Jack Hayford (Check out this reading plan on YouVersion)

The blessing of being filled with the Holy Spirit is not for the sake of mere enjoyment. It is rejoicing, to be sure! But at the core of a life of growing discipleship with Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives is what’s most important.

It is the Spirit who keeps the Word alive.

It is the Spirit who infuses prayer and praise with passion.

It is the Spirit who teaches and instructs.

It is the Spirit who brings gifts and giftedness for power-ministry.

It is the Spirit who will bring love, graciousness, and a spirit of unity to our hearts.

God raised Jesus from the dead, and we are all witnesses of this. Now he is exalted to the place of highest honor in heaven, at God’s right hand. And the Father, as he had promised, gave him the Holy Spirit to pour out upon us, just as you see and hear today. Acts 2:32-33

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If you are interested in sound doctrine on the Holy Spirit, I recommend these: 

For an individual or home study: When The Spirit of God Moves

Reading: Spirit Rising, Fresh Power, The Holy Spirit, God's Promise of Power (a favorite of mine), Touched By His Spirit, Forgotten God, The Holy Spirit: Activating God's Power in Your Life, The Code of The Spirit. 

YouVersion reading plans: Who Me, Gifted?, Celebrate, Praise in the Presence of God

Sentence Tuesday

Prayer keeps spiritual oxygen supplied to the body

 to keep it productive and alive. 

-Lois Evans 

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Lyrical Friday - Conquering Lion

Happy Friday! 
I am posting very early today because one of my best friends is getting married later today. I am so excited. Maybe I'll have her share her "love" story on the blog. Anywho, unto lyrical business. 
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Today's post, Conquering Lion, is one that is sure to get you kneeling and praying. The Lord has gently convicted me of my approach to unbelieving family, friends and strangers. As you read last week in Tear Down The Walls, God revealed to me that in pointing out someone's sin, I was not winning them over to the Lord but rather kicking a dead horse. He has taught me that love covers a multitude of sin and that if I am surely to win anyone over to Christ it will be by the power of the Holy Spirit's love. 
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This week, through the lyrics of this song and through a short passage in 1 Kings I want to to encourage you to pray for those in your life who do not know Jesus personally and intimately. 
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Some time later the woman’s son became sick. He grew worse and worse, and finally he died. Elijah replied, “Give me your son.” And he took the child’s body from her arms, carried him up the stairs to the room where he was staying, and laid the body on his bed. And he stretched himself out over the child three times and cried out to the Lord, “O Lord my God, please let this child’s life return to him.” The Lord heard Elijah’s prayer, and the life of the child returned, and he revived! 1 Kings 17:17, 19, 21-22

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Dear Friends, may we be men and women who are prayer warriors as Elijah was. May we lay down our lives in prayer, standing in the gap for those who do not know the saving power and mighty grace of God. Through our prayers, immense strongholds and the strongest of chains can be broken. May our prayers be the fuel that revives these dead lives, may our prayers be heard by the Conquering Lion who can break any and every chain. 


Conquering Lion, Dominic Balli 



Bound up I saw him drowning today
He never look or even question
Is the burden of his free choice death
Cuz he can’t see and he can’t touch his chains
Well the Bible says to whom that you obey
To this one you become it’s slave, child
Either of sin leading to death or of
obedience leading to righteousness
Do those shackles bring freedom?

Chorus:
The Conquering Lion shall break every chain
The Conquering Lion shall break every chain
The Conquering Lion shall break every chain
Shall break every chain

Another day another time and I will break it then
My life, it’s my choice, I’ll choose how and when
But on the other side a battle cry
A fight for life and a life worth fighting for
Triumph’s loss if you never take it home
Victory is vain unless you claim your gold
One life to live you’ve got it one life to give
And when your freedom’s in the balance will you stand or fold?

Mind captive can you feel it pressing harder
Freedom born with now stolen by sin
Bound by your disbelief the fear enlarges
Conscience dead to what true love is
Liberty and justice, surety and fullness
America’s dream has not brought much contentment
Equality from within, prosperity and freedom
Is it just a figment of our imagination?
Or are we living free?