Theme Song Thursday -- The Sovereign LORD Reigns!

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Theme Song Thursday

While I have posted this one before, at least once, I need to marinate in this still:

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Theme Song Thursday

A repeat, but deliciously worshipful nonetheless.

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Driving a Stake in the Ground

Edited 06.27.15

I am saddened, but not surprised at the Supreme Court's ruling in favor of same sex "marriage."

Rudderless, the majority justices continue to sail the USA toward rocky shores.

Perhaps I am painting a target on myself, but I feel compelled to post a statement of my faith and beliefs here today.

I do not hate anyone.  Because I follow Jesus Christ, because He loves and forgives me, and because His love compels me, I love everyone, though I do so imperfectly as an imperfect human being.

"Love your neighbor.  Do good to those who do evil against you.  Overcome evil with good."

Those some are my foundational motivations and guiding commands.

Below is a more formal belief statement, the wording of which I borrowed and tweaked from an Alliance Defense Fund pdf.

"I believe that God wonderfully and immutably creates each person as male or female, evidenced biologically at birth. These two distinct, complementary genders together reflect the image and nature of God. (Gen 1:26-27.)  ‘Being man’ or ‘being woman’ is a reality which is good and willed by God: man and woman possess an inalienable dignity, which comes to them immediately from God their Creator. Man and woman are both with one and the same dignity ‘in the image of God.’

"I believe that the term 'marriage' has only one meaning: the uniting of one man and one woman in a single, exclusive union, as delineated in Scripture. (Gen 2:18-25.) I believe that God intends sexual intimacy to occur only between a man and a woman who are married to each other. (1 Cor 6:18; 7:2-5; Heb 13:4.) I believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of a marriage between a man and a woman.

"I believe that any form of sexual immorality (including adultery, fornication, homosexual behavior, bisexual conduct, bestiality, incest, and use of pornography) is sinful and offensive to God. (Matt 15:18-20; 1 Cor 6:9-10.)

"I believe that God freely offers redemption and restoration to all who confess and forsake their sin, seeking His mercy and forgiveness through Jesus Christ. (Acts 3:19-21; Rom 10:9-10; 1 Cor 6:9-11.)

"I believe that every person must be afforded compassion, love, kindness, respect, and dignity. (Mark 12:28-31; Luke 6:31.) Hateful and harassing behavior or attitudes directed toward any individual are to be repudiated and are not in accord with Scripture or with how Jesus treated people while He walked the earth."

I understand that our government has approved and legalized relationships and actions that are in opposition to my beliefs.

I do not believe that those who have made these decisions hate me.

I am not your judge.  (Matt. 7:1, John 5: 26-27, John 12: 47-48.)

These beliefs guide my relationship with God and with man.  A desire of my heart is to grow in loving relationship with God and with all of humanity every day.

If you disagree with my beliefs, I respect you and love you anyway.  I think all of you are amazing creations of Father God who carry unique and needed gifts into our world.

Can we focus on the things we agree upon and work together to build a promising and bountiful future for us and for the generations to come?

Have mercy on us, oh God!

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Theme Song Thursday

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Theme Song Thursday

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Theme Song Thursday

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Theme Song Thursday

 This is a new one which stirs my spirit.  Enjoy!

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 More than once of late (duh!) I have been told that this is a new creative season for me.

 It has been some time since I wrote an actual post.  Awhile ago, I gave myself the nod to plant Theme Songs on Thursdays for growing seed.  Time to tend the shoots.

 So what do my eyes see in the natural world?  Impossibility.  Where do the hours go?  And then when I have some discretionary minutes -- energy and motivation have evaporated.

 My faith eyes counsel me to believe and to walk.  Off we go. . .

 I have resisted mentioning our kiddos directly in blog posts for a number of reasons, which I will not enumerate here.  Just chalk it up to my desire for privacy for them and for me.  From now on I may or may not be more direct in my references to them.  But I won't default to never referencing them.

 That being said, they do inspire and teach me things often.  Many of them write constantly and consistently.  I want to be like them.

 Then there are my friends who inspire and teach me, also.  One such woman made a comment about all of us having "perceived obstacles."

 Recently a saw a meme that said something about when we see obstacles we have taken our focus off of Him.

 Kris Vallotton shared that God is looking for one person to stand for Him and to step out and do what He has called him/her to do.  With God on my side, what can man do to me?  He is the majority!

 My heart also sings to this tune:

"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better.

 The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again,

because there is no effort without error or shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause;

who at best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at worst, is he fails, at least fails while daring greatly. . ."  (Theodore Roosevelt, "Citizenship in a Republic") 

  After years of shying away from the arena all too often, I am daring to step in and strive valiantly.  Will you join me?

 What are you being challenged to do differently?

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Theme Song Thursday

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Theme Song Thursday - Twofer

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Theme Song Thursday

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Theme Song Thursday

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Theme Song Thursday

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Theme Song Thusday

Hebrews 13:5-6 NLT

Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.” So we can say with confidence, “The lord is my helper, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?”

It's like this:  the circumstances of life are just a video game, an interactive movie in which we have choices as to how we respond.  The truth of my life is that He is.  Everything.  Always was.  Always is.  Always will be.  Always with me.  Will never fail me.  Will never abandon me.  Is my helper.  Perfect love.  More than enough.  Good.  Truth.  Giver of perfect gifts.  Above every other name in Heaven or on earth.  King of Kings.  Lord of Lords.  Redeemer.  Friend.  Savior.  God with me.  Healer.  Comforter.  Counselor.  Teacher.  Restorer.  Transformer.

Lord,You rearrange me.  You make all things new again.  I need my mind, will and emotions to be renewed and transformed.

"You can have it all, Lord.  Every part of my world.  Take this life and breathe on, this heart that is now yours."

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Theme Song Thursday

May we never lose our wonder
May we never lose our wonder
Wide eyed and mystified
May we be just like a child
Staring at the beauty of our King
(Repeat x3)

Ooooh oh oh
Fill us with wonder
May we never lose our wonder
May we never lose our wonder
Wide eyed and mystified
May we be just like a child
Staring at the beauty of our King

Cause you are beautiful in all your ways
King of Kings
You are beautiful in all your ways
Ooooh
 

Cause you are beautiful in all your ways
Just close your eyes
Just close your eyes, you'll see him
You are beautiful in all your ways
Open the eyes of our heart to see you God

May we never lose our wonder
May we never lose our wonder
Wide eyed and mystified
May we be just like a child
Staring at the beauty of our King
 

(Repeat x2)

Cause you are beautiful in all your ways
Oh you are, yes you are
You are beautiful in all your ways
We give our lives to sing
Oooh oh oh
Cause you are beautiful in all your ways
Ooooooh
Cause you are beautiful in all your ways
Oooooooooooh
 

You fascinate me
You fascinate us
You fascinate us, with you are
You fascinate us
You fascinate us
You fascinate us with your love
You are beautiful
You are glorious
You are beautiful
Yes you are
You are beautiful
You are glorious
You are beautiful

You are beautiful in all your ways
You are beautiful in all your ways

May we never lose our wonder

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Theme Song Thursday - Throwback

"Children of the Living God"

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Theme Song Thursday

You hide, I want to find you
Go, and I will follow you
I want to be where you are
As You move, I’m right beside you, love
Oh, I’m running after you
I want to be where You are

Chorus:
I’m Chasing You, I’m so in love
Captivated, I just can’t get enough
I’ll spend my days, Running after Your heart

Your heart, Your heart, Whoa
I’m Chasing You, with all my love
Captivated, I just cant get enough
I’ll spend my days, Running after Your heart
Your heart, Your heart, Whoa

Verse 2:
Heart, You’ve won me heart and soul
And where You lead I’ll go
I want to be where You are
From the moment I rise to the moment I sleep
My affection is for you, and even as I dream
I want to know you, I’m after Your heart

Bridge:
This life, this love, was always meant to be
A wild, crazy adventure discovering
The thrill, the rush, the more of You I see
The more it leaves me wanting
You’re everything
You’re everything

Written by Jenn Johnson, Gabriel Wilson,
Ian McIntosh, Daniel MacKenzie
© 2013 Bethel Music Publishing (ASCAP)
/Jesus Culture Music (ASCAP).
All Rights Reserved, Used by Permission

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Theme Song Thursday

For the Cross
 

The life You gave

Your body was broken                 

Your love poured out     

You bled and You died for me

There on that cross 

You breathed Your last as you were crucified

You gave it all for me

Hallelujah, what a Savior

Hallelujah, what a friend

Hallelujah, King forever

We thank You for the cross

There in the ground

Sealed in the darkness

Lifeless laid

The frame of the Father’s son    

In agony

He watched His only Son be sacrificed

He gave it all for me

But on that day

What seemed as the darkest hour                    

A violent hope

Broke through and shook the ground     

And as You rose

The Light of all the world was magnified

And You rose in victory

Hallelujah, it is finished

Hallelujah, it is done

Hallelujah King forever

We thank you for the cross

And though our sins are scarlet

You have made us white as snow

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Theme Song Thursday

“So I will let You draw me out

Beyond the shore into your grace.

As Your love in wave after wave

Crashes over me, crashes over me.

You are for us,

You are not against us.

Champion of Heaven

You made a way for all to enter in!

You make me brave,

You make me brave,

You call me out beyond

The shore into the waves.

You make me brave,

You make me brave,

No fear can hinder now

The promises You’ve made.

We say no to fear

We say yes to love

We will go with You

Where You’re leading us.”

(not yet released)



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