I love this guy...

white people are crazy...

Here's a perfect example of why white people are crazy.

But I am slightly jealous, and I wish we would have done that at my wedding. That's all. As you were.

Sunday Set Rewind -- 7/26/09 Set

First of all, let me begin by apologizing for not posting this yesterday as previously promised. I will try from now on to post the Sunday Set Rewind every Monday. However, I highly doubt any of you care.

Sunday was a great, up-beat set accompanied by transitions of prayer and thanks and reflection. VBS was last week so the kiddies sang 3 songs that they learned during the week before worship began. Kids are so dang cute when they sing... (or just when they do the motions, because the track blaring through the speakers has a bunch of kids singing the words... no need to sing... just the motions). Anyway, God showed up mightily on Sunday. Our set was as follows:

Trading My Sorrows

Although this is quite a dated song it's only like the 3rd time we've done it since I came to Turning Point in 2007. Sometimes, because of the quick tempo of this song, the words get lost. The verse of the song quotes 2Corinthians 4:8-9. Powerful stuff. "I am blessed but not crushed; persecuted, not abandoned..." Love it. We went right into..

O Praise Him

Classic David Crowder*Band. One of my all-time favorite worship songs. It's simple yet deep; quick yet reflective. "Oh how infinitely sweet, this great love that has redeemed. As one, we sing O Praise Him!"

Mighty To Save

After a prayer we went into Mighty To Save. This is one that we do often. It seems to always get a rise out of the congregation. God really moves at our church during this song. I know He moves through every song, but you just those songs sometimes... this is one of those songs. During the first chorus we drop everything except the strings and just sing out, "Savior. He can move the mountains. Our God is mighty to save, He is mighty to save! Forever. Author of salvation. He rose and conquered the grave. Jesus conquered the grave!" That's always my favorite part. Man, that song is so anointed.

God Of This City

We've been singing this song for awhile now, but it never gets old. In March, following God's calling, our pastor and his wife (our piano player) moved to Singapore. God of This City has become a song that they sing and worship to often over there, because yes, God is the God of this city, of that city and of every city. It's such a big song and it takes such deep root in those who open themselves up completely while worshiping.

Your Love, Oh Lord

We ended the set with this song as a bit of a benediction. We didn't have any drums. Just soft with strings and guitar. Singing Psalm 36 to the Lord is a very powerful thing. "Your love, Oh Lord, reaches to the heavens. Your faithfulness stretches to the sky." A great way to end a worship service.

Father, I pray that you would continue to show your faithfulness to our church and every church for that matter. I pray that we would worship You faithfully and expectantly, knowing that You are a great, mighty, and loving God, who is capable of breaking any stronghold. Thanks for a great week, God.

Peace from a Prince?

So lately I've been in Isaiah. The first eight chapters of Isaiah are pretty bleak. Tones of judgement and wrath upon a disobedient, uninterested nation. Sound familiar?

Is. 1:4 "...They have forsaken the Lord; they have spurned the Holy One of Israel and turned their backs on Him."

Is. 1:15 "When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide my eyes from you; even if you offer many prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are full of blood;"

Is. 5:13 "Therefore my people will go into exile for their lack of knowledge; those of high rank will die of hunger and the common people will be parched with thirst."

Is. 8:5-7 "The Lord spoke to me again: 'Because this people has rejected the gently flowing waters of Shiloah and rejoices over Rezin and the son of Remaliah, therefore the Lord is about to bring against them the mighty floodwaters of the Euphrates...'"

Is. 8:22 "Then they will look toward the earth and see only distress and darkness and fearful gloom..."

...Maybe "bleak" was an understatement. The tension just continues to mount and mount, and it seems as God's wrath is just growing and getting bigger until it is overwhelming and about to explode then all of the sudden...

Is. 9:1, 6-7 "But, there will be no more gloom for those who are in distress..." "... For unto us a Child is born to us a Son is given, and the government shall be upon His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."

We've heard and read this passage tons of times, but in context with the rest of the book, it sheds a whole new light on just why we are in desperate need of a Savior. Jesus, our Prince of Peace.

Is He where you find your peace?

why read?

Last night I finished the book Quiet Strength by Tony Dungy. It's been a long time coming for me to pick this book up. I mean, I don't know why it took me so long to read it. When I finished the last sentence, all I could think about was, "Man, I wish I could live out my faith like Coach."

It challenged me.

Which book has challenged you lately? And why?

7/19 Set...

I think I'm going to start breaking down Sunday's worship set every following Monday. Hope that's ok with you. Yesterday's set was a bit of a rollercoaster (as it always is). I wanted yesterday to be a bit of a journey and I felt God wanted that as well. We started out singing about His love and how it affects us. Then we turned our focus on the nature of God. Towards the end we declared how hungry we are for Him and closed with praising Him for creating life; for creating us. So here it is...

Hallelujah, Your Love Makes Me Sing

This song is all about declaring that God's love is so "God's Love" that the only possible, and obvious effect it would have on us would be to break out in song. My favorite line in this song is, "Your love is surprising, I can feel it rising, all the joy that's growing deep inside of me. Every time I see You, all Your goodness shines through, I can feel this God-song rising up in me!" We did this song in conjunction with...

I Could Sing Of Your Love Forever

"Oldie, but a goodie" if you ask me. After we declared that His love makes us sing, we told Him that we'd sing about it forever. I wonder if we really will...

Majesty

This song always hits me hard because we just cry out "Majesty! Majesty" There's no denying who Majesty is! My favorite line, "You're grace has found me just as I am. Empty handed but alive in Your hands." God finds us right where we are. Just as we are. Rom. 5:8 says, "But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." He came to us.

We Are Hungry

I love when we do this song because toward the end we park on the first line of the first verse, "Lord I want more of You. Living Water rain down on me.... Living Water rain down on me..." Over and over. So cool; just opening up and surrendering yourself to God's Living Water quenching our dried out hearts.

You Are God

One of my all-time favorite Charlie Hall songs. "You fill our hearts with love and faith. You fight for us, You make us Brave. That alone is enough for its own worship song.

Thank you God for an awesome Sunday. I'm looking forward to next week.

Validation

Sometimes we forget the importance of just making someone smile. I love this short film.

why I love the David Crowder*Band...

This video is awesome. It cracks me up. Especially the end where Dave imitates this kid. Enjoy! And oh yes.. twitter will kill you.