Here is another thought sequence from Sunday worship. We were singing Phil Wickham's Always Forever. It was the first I had heard the song but was loving it. I'm not a musician, but it sounds like a waltz. We had a girl up front dancing to the song, and I just imagined Jesus coming and dancing with her. It was sweet and beautiful at the same time. The thing that really got me was the chorus. As I had this mental image of the Jesus and the girl dancing, I thought that as I sung the chorus, Jesus was singing it back to me.

Jesus is so in love with us. We are His bride. We are His helpmate. We are His companion. He loves us.

At the end of the song, the words go into a repetition of hallelujahs. My heart just wanted to sing out, "How He loves us, How He loves us, How He loves us, forever." We don't earn God's love. We receive it.

As we later came back to the hallelujahs, my heart was ready to respond with, "How I love Him, How I love Him, How I love Him, forever." Once we get a hold of how we are loved, then we freely give back to Him. And, once we get a hold of how we are loved, we come before the throne with confidence because we know that as Jesus sees us coming His heart says there's the one I love. Why would we ever hide our desires from the One who loves us so much?

Always Forever
Phil Wickham

You are the hand that catches my fall
You are the friend that answers my call
You are my day, You are my night
You are my love and all of my life

CHORUS:
You are the love I need
You are the air I breathe
You are my love my life always forever
I would lay down my life
Just to be by Your side
You are my love my life always forever

You are the grace that covers my sin
You’re everything the beginning and end
You have my soul, my heart and my mind
You have my love and all of my life

Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, forever

Always Forever video

While in college I read a booklet by Robert Boyd Munger called My Heart - Christ's Home. It had you imagine taking Jesus through different rooms of your heart. Jesus would ask about certain rooms or closets to show His interests were all of you. He never pushed His way in, but you knew His desires.

I was reminded of this in worship the other day. There was this song that had an invitation for the Holy Spirit to make His home in us. As I sang I thought about the house guest that my wife and I have staying with us. I thought about how different it would be if they not only guests but if our house was truely their home.

• They would be able to trash it if they wanted.
• they could invite people over they wanted to have.
• They could empty the fridge eating whatever and then fill it with things they liked.
• They could hang pictures up of things they were interested in.

Then I thought, does the Holy Spirit have this open invitation in my heart? Can He invite the people over He wants to be with? Sure He would invite Jesus and God the Father over some, but He would probably also invite over some who are needy and emotionally draining.

Can He spend the resources of my heart on the plans He has? Or, do I tell Him what I have time and energy for? What if He schedules something over the big game? What if I was saving something for myself?

My mental dialogue with this idea ended with me thinking of the Holy Spirit hanging up pictures in the "living room" of my heart. And, in the focal point of the room, He hung up an 8x10 picture of Jesus. I laughed and then the worship team transitioned to another song.

Tuesday night, December 29th at the Onething09 conference, Allyson Prior brought forth this beautiful song describing the desire and hunger of a Christ-follower to stay true to Jesus. It also describes the motivation and encouragement to keep coming back to Jesus. This song has had a great effect stirring up deeper devotion and love in me personally as I have listened to it repeatly and have given it to many friends. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have.

Love You Rightly

You will not despise I my weak love
You will not deny me
You will not despise my weak love
You will not despise it

Cause You love me / Just as I am
You love me / Just as I am
You created me / in my mother's womb
Just as I am

Even though my love is weak
You will not deny it
For You will not
No, You will not
Turn away a broken and a contrite heart
Cause Jesus, You died for me
And, Jesus, You shed Your blood for me

And I believe that prayer You prayed
"Father, I desire that those You gave Me
My bride will be with Me forever"

I believe it
I believe that prayer
I believe this is Your desire

So I'll keep coming back to You
Even in my weakness
I'll keep coming back to You
Even in my brokenness
Even in my weak frame
I am weak, but my spirit is willing
My spirit is willing to follow You
To follow You
So come awaken love
Within my heart tonight
Come, awaken love in my heart tonight

I need Your strength
I need Your grace
To receive Your love
Give me grace / give me strength
To receive Your love
I keep coming after You, Lord

Give me grace
Give me strength
To love You rightly, God

Cause my broken and contrite heart
You will not deny
And, You do not despise my weak love
You receive my love
Cause even though I'm tired, I'm loving
Jealous for my love

When I'm weak You take me as I am
I am Your delight
My love is valuable to You god
You value my heart
You value my weakness
Even when I feel so weak
Even when I feel so broken
My love is valuable to You

So I'll keep coming back
Oh, Ill keep coming back

Give me grace
Give me strength
To love You rightly, God

Though I've fallen a thousand times
Though I've messed up a billion times
My declaration tonight is
I'll keep coming back through repentance
I'll keep coming back through repentance
Cause You made a way for me
I'll keep coming back

This is my portion
This is my reward
That You love me as I am
That You love me as I am

Even tonight I'm running to You, Jesus
Even tonight I'm coming back to Your heart
And I pour out my affections on You, Jesus
My devotion on You, Jesus

Give You my heart, my soul, my mind, my strength
I give You the reward of Your suffering
I give You what You want
My heart, my soul, my mind, my strength
I'm Yours

I'll keep coming back

Running to You Jesus

Give me grace
Give me strength
To love You rightly, God

New Year’s resolutions have always been something I have avoided. Mainly because they have always been a reminder of my failure to keep them, and I don’t need that type of discouragement. Now with this disclaimer out of the way, I believe I have come up with the best New Year’s resolution possible.

• I resolve to just do it this year.

Whatever it is, I will commit to just do it. I will not wait until I am perfect. I will not wait until I have it all figured out. I will just move forward with faith.

How Does Not Doing It Hinder Your Walk With Jesus?

This can be in prayer. Many people are stuck from moving forward with consistent prayer because they feel they do not know how to do it. What about praying with your children? Praying with your spouse? Praying with a friend who is in need? They need to hear your heart of love for them and your dependence on Jesus. You can always grow in prayer, but do not let your level of growth limit your willingness to step out in faith. It is easier for God to steer a moving ship then one that is still in the harbor.

When I used to work with college students, this was an excuse for sharing their faith, leading Bible studies, investing a summer for missions, etc. I’m not ready. I have never done it before. I do not know what to say. I don’t have all the answers. If you let your inexperience limit your willingness to try, you will always be inexperienced.

What Are Some Biblical Examples of Those Who Just Did It?

We as a community of believers have bought into a lie that we have to be perfect before we do anything for the Lord. Look at Jesus. Yes, He was perfect, but the people He surrounded Himself with were not. Peter, the one He decided to head the church, was notorious with sticking His foot in His mouth. None of the other disciples had Jesus refer to their comments as being from Satan. But also none of the others had a comment attributed to God.

Peter walked on water, he made gutsy statements, he stood up to Jesus, he defended Jesus by attacking an army of soldiers,… he was a man of action. And, Jesus did not condemn him for it. Rather Peter was rewarded.

John, the disciple whom Jesus loved, and his brother James were no less brash. They asked to be Jesus’ top men in the coming kingdom. They were nicknamed the sons of thunder. John was the lone disciple at the cross being willing to be identified with the One on the cross. James was the first disciple to be martyred. Their mistakes may not be as widely known, but they were obviously willing to step out with the outcome unclear.

What Will I Plan To Just Do This Year?

For me personally, the area I feel God leading me to move forward in faith is in singing. I actually like to sing. I am one of the loudest singers you will ever meet. Unfortunately, I lack rhythm and have a hard time remembering words. This is not a good combination for someone who can be heard by everyone. A worship leader of a several hundred member congregation told my wife that she could always tell when Kevin is here. Kids frequently turn around and stare at me.

You may be saying what is the dilemma? My dilemma every week is should I sing with the potential of throwing off others by being off key or by using the wrong words, or should I just let it blare as I enter into God’s presence? Should I be silent that others minght enjoy the worship more, or should I trust God to either allow my voice to enhance the worship or allow the others to tune out my mistakes? As with the life of following God’s leading, there is no set answer besides asking God each week what He wants.

But, with this said, I can improve my singing. This is something that I have never pursued. I can take lessons to know how to better keep in key and follow rhythm. God has given us each gifts, but He also wants us to grow in those gifts. Practice is the best way to grow, but instruction is also great. You cannot divorce the two. My just do decision is to pursue lessons.

Image courtesy of Passion 268 Blog

As I mentioned in the last post I will be looking at three questions regarding giving thanks. 

1. In what ways do we give thanks?
2. Why is giving thanks important?
3. How do we give thanks even in difficult situations?

The first question is in what ways do we give thanks. The most common answer is to give praise to God. “Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving; make music to our God on the harp” (Psalm 147:7). “With praise and thanksgiving they sang to the LORD: ‘He is good; his love to Israel endures forever’” (Ezra 3:11).

Throughout the Old Testament we see examples of people expressing their thanks to the Lord through songs or prayers.

• Abraham gave thanks to the Lord at Shechem after God showed him the land he was to inherit,
• The Israelites sang to the Lord after He lead them through the Red Sea,
• David lead a procession of singing and dancing in bringing the ark of the covenant back to Jerusalem,
• Solomon praised God at the dedication of the temple,
• Daniel praised God for interpreting King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream,
• King Nebuchadnezzar wrote a chapter in the book of Daniel to praise God for humbling him,
• And Jonah while in the big fish praised God for saving him.

Then, of course, there is the book of Psalms, a whole book dedicated to songs to sing to the Lord.  There are songs to thank God for victories, for protection, for remembering His goodness, for His forgiveness, for anything and everything, songs of praise to God.

We do not have to be eloquent in our praise of God.

• A simple prayer of thanks for the food God has provided you to eat is pleasing unto the Lord.
• At night, a quick list of thanks for the events of your day is pleasing unto the Lord.
• In the morning, your gratitude for the night’s sleep is pleasing unto the Lord.
• And, of course, thank God for every answered prayer.

We do not have to impress God with our words. We never could impress Him that way. Our words of thanksgiving refocus our hearts and minds on the great things He has done for us.

Songs of praise and worship help remind us of things we are thankful for. As we read the book of Psalms we can say, “Yes, thank You God for making me. Thank You for loving me. Thank You for never stopping loving me. Thank You for providing for me…” And the list goes on.

Songs of praise in church can also put words to the feeling in our hearts. Many people rob themselves of the joy of singing praise to their loving Father, because they fear their voices are not pleasant enough for God. Remember God made your voices, and He enjoys everything He created when it is given to Him.

The songs you sing to the Lord, the praise you give Him, energizes your spirit and your love for Jesus. Your focus moves from your feeble attempts to make a melody or remember the words and takes you into the very presence of God.

Thank You heavenly Father for accepting me into Your presence and loving me as I am, for loving me enough not to leave me as I am but calling me to become like Christ. You are my hope. You are my life. I love You.

“Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful,
and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.” – Hebrews 12:28

Another way we express our thanksgiving to God is through our tithes and offerings. Paul told the Corinthians that their giving would result in thanksgiving to God (2 Corinthians 9:11).  Everything belongs to God and everything we own is His.  By giving 10% of what we make we are saying, “God thank You for providing for my needs.  I give You this portion as an act of gratitude for You to use as You will.”

Giving of our tithes expresses our appreciation and reminds us anew that God is the One who provides for our needs, not us.

Witnessing or talking to others about Jesus is also an expression of appreciation for what Jesus has done for us.  We have experienced the forgiveness of our sins, the release of our guilt, the newness of live, the love of God, and the joy of the abundant life, and we would know that God’s desire is for everyone to know and experience the same.

“God thank you for taking me from the darkness of my sin to the newness of your righteousness. Use me in any way that would allow someone else to experience Your love for them.”

Accepting one another (Romans 15:7), forgiving one another (Colossians 3:13), loving one another (John 15:12), and even imitating God (Ephesians 5:1) are each expressions of thanksgiving to the Lord.

Everything we do in the Christian life is an opportunity
to show our appreciation to Jesus for what He has done for us.