beards are awesome...

For some unexplainable reason, I have always wanted a beard. Don't know why. Maybe it's because the men in my family have a rather difficult time growing facial hair, so that makes me want it even more, I guess. I have a friend named Perry Beaver. (Yes, that is his real name). He has the most incredible beard ever. I love it. I want it. It is pictured below.

I have seen Perry's beard longer than this too, and the longer it gets the awesome-er it gets.

Me? Facial hair...? not so much....

You may have noticed the small patch of hair under my lip. I usually refer to that as, "my beard."

I want a real one.

My current "beard-forming regimine" is as follows:

"If you shave it... it will come."

One day...

Today's Set (8/30/09)

He Is Exalted

Maker Of Heaven And Earth

Rain Down

Grace Like Rain

I Lift My Eyes Up

More Love, Morer Power

The Truth Project

This study has completely revolutionized my walk with God. I firmly believe that every person who consides themself a believer needs to go through this study. Check it out.

www.thetruthproject.org

It will stretch you... in a very, very good way.

Sunday Set Rewind -- 8/9/09

Sometimes human words seem so bland when trying to describe God. That's how I feel about yesterday. To say things like "amazing" and "awesome" just seems so empty compared to what He does inside of a worshiper. Yesterday God made some people free. Some events transpired that truly revealed that He is in control, and that His will will indeed always be done. Looking back on yesterday's set, that may have been the most "in tune with God" we've ever been. I'm so thankful that He hears and answers our prayers to use us as vessels to create an atmosphere for Him to move. Here's how it went:

Here Is Our King

Maybe the most popular Crowder song. It's a very freeing song to sing in a corporate worship setting. There's something really powerful about singing "Here is our God Who's come to bring us back to Him!" It basically opens up the door for God to move, and recognizing that He is, in fact, there being faithful to you as you worship Him in faith.

Draw Me Close

Next we went into this classic song. This song has very pointed, unmistakable lyrics. It's a life change song. "You're all I want. You're all I ever needed!" It's really a declaration. Coming before the Lord and telling Him, that it is all about Him!

Center

This Charlie Hall song's lyrics ring a bit like Draw Me Close but the difference is, in this song we're telling God we want Him to reign supreme in our lives because of who He is and not because of what He has done for us. We end the song with an anthem of sorts. So powerful... "We lift our eyes to Heaven. We wrap our lives around Your life. We lift our eyes to heaven; to You." I wonder what would happen if we truly wrapped our lives around His?

All Creatures Of Our God And King

A classic hymn, re-done by the David Crowder*Band. At the end of this song we sing "Alleluia" over and over and over. I wonder if that's what we'll say in Heaven. "Alleluia!" The alleluia-anthem continues to grow and grow until it seems it's going to burst. God truly moves when He is pleased. I could really feel His pleasure as our praise was rising.

One Thing

We ended the set with this Charlie Hall tune. In it we sing, "All of life comes down to just one thing, that's to know You, oh Jesus, and make you known."

Lord, please let these words not be idle. Please strengthen me, and help me to live a life that makes You known. Thank you God for having faith in me. I pray I am always faithful to you. Today my prayer is Hebrews 11:6:

And without faith it is impossible to please You, Lord

For I know that if I come to You I must believe that You are God

and that You are the Rewarder of those who seek You.

Sunday Set Rewind -- 8/2/09 Set

Yesterday was a big day for us at Turning Point Church. Big Day. God really was with us yesterday during the worship service. I am so thankful for his faithfulness to our team. We did a new song, a new-ish song, and then 3 others that we've done many times before. God is so good. Here's how yesterday went:

Your Grace Is Enough

A classic Chris Tomlin song. I love this song because, yes, we as believers talk about God's grace a lot. But do we talk about it being enough. It is enough. The grace of our Lord is enough to pull us out of our sorrow, pain, strife, doubtful state, or depression. Lord, Your Grace is Enough for me!

Glory To God, Forever

This was our new song. It was just released by Fee. Written by Steve Fee and Vicky Beeching, this powerful song with a simple chorus just echoed though our church and echoed in so many hearts. There was something very powerful happening when we were all united singing, "Glory to God, Glory to God, Glory to God FOREVER!!!!" Just Awesome!

How He Loves

This was the second time we'd done this song. A few weeks ago we when we did this song for the first time in our church we played the video of John Mark McMillan telling the story of where this song came from. There wasn't a dry eye in our church. I think this song truly does have wings. God moves so very mightily through it. "If His grace is an ocean.. we're all sinking." Powerful.

Glory

This is an original song. It came from a study of Hebrews one morning on my back patio. I fully believe that God gave me this song for our former pastor and his wife as they moved to Singapore. The chorus rings out, "Lead us on to Glory oh, King of magnificent salvation..." The premise of this song is a bit like the title of this blog. This song is all about greater things ahead and following God toward those greater things.

Agnus Dei

We finished up with this classic Michael W. Smith song. The Spirit was moving so rapidly through this song while April, one of our female vocalists, lead us through the first verse. Breathtaking! He was especially moving at the end when we dropped all instruments and just cried out, "Holy! Holy! Are You Lord God, Almighty! Worthy is the Lamb, Worthy is the Lamb! Amen!"

Father, You are Almighty. You're so faithful. Help us, God, to always look to You alone for our strength and our joy. May Your praise be ever-present in our mouths. Thanks God.