Lyrical Friday - Here In This Place

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One of my favorite things to do it to sit back on a comfy couch with a great friend. I could be in their presence for hours. Unfortunately,moments like these to happen often because of schedules and responsibilities that collide with time.

However, there is one friend that always has time for us. We don't have to schedule or make it a "date" to sit back with Him. Fortunately for us He tells us to come boldly to His throne of grace. That is unlimited access to Him. Coming to the presence of God is better than an infomercial, for with Him there truly is that, "Wait! There's more." He promises that in that place we will receive mercy and find grace.

Today's lyrical post caused me to stop and meditate on this thought: Is my spare time wasted or invested? I'll be honest with you, I do waste a lot of time in the name of relaxing. Time that 1. is running out, 2. really doesn't belong to me, and 3.will never be returned. How magnificent it would be if I spend five more minutes with Jesus than I normally would. Grace and mercy I could definitely use, so I'm off to receive and find that which I lack: more of Jesus!

Let us come boldly (with confidence) to the throne of our gracious God. 

There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most. Hebrews 4:16

Here in this Place, Elevation Worship


This is a place for the broken
This is the hope of the world
Jesus, friend of sinners
Jesus, Savior

Chorus:
Here in this place mercy is flowing
Here in this place is the glory of God
All things are new in the presence of Jesus
Father we stand amazed
Here in this placeYou are awesome in this place mighty God
You are awesome in this place Abba Father
You are worthy of our praise
To You our lives we raise
You are awesome in this place mighty God

Lyrical Friday - Rooftops

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I am obsessed with Rooftops by Kim Walker. No really, I can't stop singing, humming and bobbing my head when I can't do either. OK, maybe I'm exaggerating but all jokes aside the song is fantastic.

The chorus: 

So I shout out Your name, 

From the rooftops I proclaim

That I am Yours, I am Yours

All that I am I place into Your loving hands

And I am Yours, I am Yours

Have you ever been at a rooftop overlooking a city? I have. Once in Italy and another time in Israel. And even though I wasn't at an actual rooftop, I stood overlooking Naples and Bethlehem. It was 3 am when we took a break from searching for our hotel. You see, we didn't know that at midnight public transportation ended and to top things off, we never wrote down our hotel's name and address. Two guys from the restaurant offered to help us find our way back home. And so after 2 hours they said, " We will show you Naples." The car came to a stop at the side of a road and it was there that I saw the city of Naples. It was a dark mountain side view of the city but the stars and street lights gave us enough to see her streets, the homes, the trees and all that Naples had to offer minus the people who slept. It was beautiful. Six of us stood at a mountain top overlooking the city, practically drooling over the amazing live picture that was before us.We were silent for a good moment and then the "oohs" and "ahs" followed. It was a movie perfect scene, a film opportunity to yell off the top of our lungs but we didn't. We were caught up in the moment. We were shy before these strangers who generously helped us. We were blinded from seeing this open opportunity to shout. And the moment passed us by. 

Fast Forward to now hearing this song and paying close attention to these lyrics. Why are we not shouting His name and proclaiming His truths from the rooftop of our live. And I don't mean an actual shouting, that would just prove to people that I am really a nut case. I am talking about the silent witness, the one on one encounters, the response to every day life that should be played out as a bold shout. I suppose  we get caught up in the moment that happens day to day, somewhat like my mountain top experience. Are we are shy and lack boldness to rise and speak? Or it may just be that we are not attentive to the opportunities God has placed before us. But that can change. 

My prayer and hope in sharing today's Lyrical post is to that you and I would be stirred up, provoked in a sense, to live bold lives. I pray that when these "rooftop" opportunities arise that we would take notice of them and seize them. So go on, proclaim it today that you are God's special child. Shout out who God is in your life, for you may never know who it may minister to. Make yourself available to be used by God for His glory and fame! 

Rooftops, Jesus Culture 

say what!?

I had an incredible Sunday. There's a new church in town: Rebel Church and Dominic Balli was here. 54 lives were rocked unto salvation. Crazy enough, the fliers for the event that I bombarded my local supermarket with, made it to one of the employees who attended last night and surrendered His live to Jesus. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind (Romans 12:2). Be a part of the rebel movement wherever you live.

Anywho, yesterday I read 2 chapters of Ezekiel that have impacted me greatly. I will not dare to elaborate or share my thoughts on it. Rather, I'll let you read it and allow the Holy Spirit to speak to you. May the Lord bless you and keep and make His face to shine upon you. May you be beacons of light and the mouth piece of God as you go out in the name of Jesus.

Ezekiel 2. To read click HERE.
Ezekiel 3. To read click HERE.

Busted

Peter told them, “You know it is against our laws for a Jewish man to enter a Gentile home like this or to associate with you. But God has shown me that I should no longer think of anyone as impure or unclean. -Acts 10:28

Then Peter replied, “I see very clearly that God shows no favoritism." -Acts 10:34

Even as Peter was saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who were listening to the message. -Acts 10:44

Hello my lovely readers.
The Lord has me reading the book of Acts. It's a great book, filled with little treasures. I refer to this book as a Jewelry Shop, so many valuables are found in it. In chapter 10, I came across a very precious stone. In a summary (though I really wish you would read it for yourself), in a vision God tells Peter to not call unclean that which He has made clean (verse 15). God leads Peter, in a very cool way, to Caesarea. It is there that through Peter the Gentiles hear the good news and recieve the Holy Spirit too.

As I read this precious jewel of a story I heard a sweet voice name a specific person to my heart, we'll call her Jenna.

"Lord why do you bring her up?" I asked Him.
He answered, "I have made her clean, why do you contiue to treat her as if
she was unclean?"

BUSTED!!! I felt like curling up in a ball, in a desperate attemp to hide from the Lord. It had never hit me that I was being judgemental and bitter towards someone whom I considered to be unworthy, unclean and dirty. I had failed the Lord once again. I was confronted with my sin and asked the Lord for boldness and courage to picked up the phone and call Jenna. During that phone call I opened up, confessed and asked for her forgiveness. I was so broken. She was loving, forgiving, humble and meek. The Lord did restore our relationship.

So, who is your Jenna? Is there someone in your life whom you have labeled unclean? Or have you labeled a stranger as unworthy? Christ died for all, equally. Peter in this chapter makes mention that God shows no partiality, so why should we? That lady that really gets to your nerves needs to be shown grace, mercy and love. The individual that hurt you so deeply needs to see Christ vivdly through you. The lady in the corner, she needs to know that God does care for her. That other religion and culture is dying because we are too angry or scared to approach them, and love them courageously. Whether it be the tattoo covered person, the homeless, the lady in the grocery line, the guy who just hit your car or your friendly neighbor, they all need to know Jesus. I know that some people make it real hard to love them, trust me I know, but I also know that we can do all things through Christ who strenthens us (Philippians 1:6). And as for that stranger that you feel you can't approach, 2 Timothy 1:7 reminds us that He [God] has not given us a Spirit of fear, but of power (yeah!), love (I recieve it!) and a sound mind (I need it!).

I challenge you, to not call unclean that which God died to make clean. Be quick to love. Be quick to talk about Jesus. And if you are holding a grudge, set yourself free by forgiving that person and if led by the Lord ask that person to forgive you too. Remember the Gentiles of Caesarea, who came to salvation because Peter chose to look beyond the earthly.
Who can you love today?
Who can you share Jesus with?