One Thirst - Bethel Church

Keith Green - Make My Life A Prayer To You (live)

Kara Ferris Interview #1 | Radio | Joni and Friends

Kara Ferris Interview #1 | Radio | Joni and Friends

Amazing Perfect Peace

You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is set on you because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever for the Lord God is an everlasting Rock...Isaiah 26:3-4

Trusting in God is not only a doctrine or a way of thinking. There is a rest of heart that God alone can give us that no money can buy. There is an amazing peace of God that will cost us both everything and nothing. Nothing, because God gives it freely at the cross of Jesus Christ. Everything, because to follow the Savior will mean leaving behind trusting in our own strength. . Anything less than abandoning all for Jesus is just religion. Religion will only give us the thin veneer of peace. That kind of temporary peace melts away at the very first sign of danger. God's peace enters deep and cradles us during our sleepless nights and in the middle of pressure, confusion, or attacks. God is with us. It is His promise. He is there waiting for us to rest our mind on Him. Nothing else we have will last. Everything else we try to hold on to in life slips away - Jesus remains! He is waiting for us to rest in Him  He is our Everlasting Rock. Jesus is the Rock of Ages!

Chris Tomlin - How Great Is Our God (World Edition)

Praising God at all times!

From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the Lord is to be praised....Psalm 113:3

Years ago we had a chorus that used this Psalm. Until today, I had never stopped to think much about what this meant when we sang those words. I had always just thought that we simply needed to praise God all day long, every day. Then tonight the Holy Spirit began to open a window in my heart, and suddenly I began to see a picture of my life. You see God has given each of us an amazing chance in life, no matter how long or how short it is meant to be. From our earliest days when we just begin to speak, we can begin to praise the name of the Lord. He can be precious to us or we can choose to neglect him. Jesus continues calling us and calling again, as our sun rises and strengthens to noon-day. Some of us come in the morning, some come in the early afternoon and some not until the shadows begin to lengthen and our sun is starting to set. Yet whatever has happened before, God is still looking for the opportunity today to enter into the rest of our life. He wants to come and give us life for however many moments that are still to be written in our own stories. He is still worthy. His name is still to be praised at where ever we are. God is delighted with early morning praise formed on the lips of children. God is honored by praise that rises from tired and burdened young people who are carrying the weight of life on their shoulders. God is gentle and accepting of quieter praise from the hearts of runners with tired legs, who are nearing the end of the race. God's name is always to be praised. there is no limit to what He counts as  acceptable and pleasing praise. From the rising of the sun, to the place where it sets, the Name of the Lord is to be praised!!

Christmas Thoughts

     Christmas is already rushing by and in the quiet moments of this day it is as if we are standing on a mountain top. Behind us lie all the peaks and deep crevasses of the year that has past. They sit in the shadow of the summit of where we are resting, strangely distant and without a sound of all the struggles of the passage. Ahead, beyond the sunrise, are new and mysterious mountain ranges of what might be in the year God is to give us. Jesus told us to take no thought for the worries of tomorrow, because today there are enough troubles for us to battle. Yet there are these precious moments when with His help we can see through Heaven's windows and catch a glimpse of God's plans.

Where we are today and whatever victories and defeats we have come through till now, we must trust  next year's journey to God. He has promised to be with us so that we would never need to be afraid.

  Hebrews 13:6 The Lord is my helper so I will have no fear, what can mere people do to me? 

What lies behind the clouds is known to God. Whatever adventure, difficulty or blessing will come with the certainty that as we have trusted God, He will also always care for us! Merry Christmas to everyone. God bless you....

Restless

Mandisa - Silent Night

Winter Snow (Feat. Audrey Assad) - Chris Tomlin (Must See)

The Amazing Grace Christmas House - Holdman Christmas

Philippines buries dead, rebuilds after deadly storm

Philippines buries dead, rebuilds after deadly storm

Christmas wish List from Jesus

I found this in a short essay titled "A Letter From Jesus" I actually saw this last year and really liked it and it reminds me of what Christmas really is. Here goes:  

"If you want to give me a present in remembrance of my birth here is my wish list...

1) Instead of writing protest letters objecting to the way My birthday is celebrated, write letters of hope to soldiers far away from home. They are terribly afraid and lonely this time of year. I know, they tell me all the time.
2) Visit someone in a nursing home. You don't have to know them personally. They just need to know that some one cares about them.
3) Instead of writing the President complaining about the wording on the cards his staff sent out this year, why don't you write and tell him you'll be praying for him and his family this year...
4) Instead of giving your children a lot of gifts you can't afford and they don't need, spend time with them. Tell them the story of My birth and why I came to live down here. Hold them in your arms and remind them that I love them.
5) Pick someone who has hurt you in the past and forgive him or her.

Christy Nockels - Angels Lullaby

carry your name - Christy Nockels

Glory In Highest Chris Tomlin Video Christmas Compilation

Simplicity in Worship Part Two

2 Corinthians 11:3 I am afraid that someone may come and corrupt your minds from the simplicity that is in Christ.

The opposite of simplicity is not complexity but pride. There is no greater destroyer of worship than allowing pride to come in. That is because while simplicity and humility bring unity, pride brings division. In simplicity we can see the truth in Jesus Christ. The truth is that together we are His church and only in humble unity can we worship in a way that pleases Him. Simplicity is the doorway to true worship -not just sitting with arms folded waiting for our favorite song orworship leader. When Jesus is honored then we simply gather around him and sit at His feet. Our singing becomes a happy glimpse of our eternity together as His people. We belong together because of Him. Any thoughts or attitudes at those moments and that bring separation, confusion or distraction take the focus off of Jesus and put it on something or someone else. Guarding the simplicity of our hearts in worship is a constant battle, but it is a battle worth winning! Simple pure worship is a vital part of a living and growing church. We need to be watchful that no one steals the spotlight from Jesus.Christ is and must always remain at the center of our worship. Let's keep it simple and just worship Him!

Still My God - Avalon

Jesus is our Strong Tower

Worship is that place with God where we go and nothing that we fear can follow.

Proverbs 18:10 The name of the Lord is a strong tower. The righteous man runs into it and is safe.

Notice this person comes running in a time of Battle. Often when we think of people running to God we are thinking of running to him in delight, like children run to the sound of the ice-cream truck.  But this is not the scene here at all. This man is running because he knows that he will be destroyed unless he can get to God's place of protection. There is nothing shameful at all in running to our Father when we are in despair or fear. Despair,discouragement and fear are nothing we can defeat without God's help. That is exactly when we need Jesus. Jesus is God's strong tower. That is the name above every name. Jesus is the name that means- Jehovah  Saves- 

When we worship we are entering in to that strong name of Jesus. Don't wait for the victory days, the smiley days or the carefree moments to come and worship. Jesus is calling out on the field of battle and saying... "Quick! Run in here! You will be safe! I will cover you and defend you. Stop just running. Run to the place of complete safety"
There as we fall on our face before Him Jesus comes. and closes the door behind us. Outside we can still hear the sounds of battle but they are distant. Now in the presence of Jesus we can not only worship, but we can also begin to hear the sound of God's voice. He has been trying to talk to us. He has been speaking in the still small voice, but we could not hear him. Jesus has been in the strong tower waiting for us to run to Him...

Adore Him / Christmas Eve / Kari Jobe

Rose of Bethlehem- Selah (with lyrics)

The Lost Get Found - Britt Nicole

Christmas Memories

Let each generation tell its children of your mighty acts; let them proclaim your power. Psalm 145:4

Often when we think of mighty acts we remember things like the opening of the Red Sea, Jesus calming the storm or maybe a more recent event like the launching of a space shuttle. By God's measurement the changing of a single human heart is an act of greatest importance. As Christmases come and go and as I get older I am remembering the forces that shaped my own heart and that turned it towards Jesus during the season of Christmas. Here are just a few precious memories that remain like bright candles burning in my heart.
     Mom used to sit with a bowl of freshly popped popcorn and a dish of cranberries. She would string them together with a needle and thread ten popcorn kernels then a cranberry and she would sing the Christmas carols to me. All the Carols I know now by heart I learned there, not from a recording artist,but from Mom!!
     I remember my kindergarten teacher (In public school) bringing us around her feet like little lambs around their shepherdess. The she began to tell us the Christmas story of Jesus being in the manger in Bethlehem. I could almost imagine myself being there in the cold shivering next to the shepherds and looking under the swaddling cloths to see the baby Jesus!
     Our first Christmas together as a couple was simple to the extreme. We had no money to buy a tree or make a dinner until on Christmas Eve when I found a $50 bonus in the pay envelope. That was nearly a week's wages! After supper my wife and I took our little son and raced downtown! We picked out a tree from the few remaining stragglers(It was $5). Then we went to Woolworth's and picked through the leftover ornaments. What an excitement we had as we went home and decorated our tiny apartment. We really gave God thanks for how He had provided us those special joys for Christmas. I don't remember even a single gift either given or received that year, but the golden memories remain etched in my heart forever.
    These simple memories are precious because they point back to a simple memory of the day in Bethlehem 2000 years ago. So when Mary and Joseph came to Bethlehem that afternoon and found no room at the inn it was also a small joy to find a resting place near the cows and donkeys in the stable. Mary had no friends or family near to be with her in her hour of labor. Only Joseph was with her do what he could. So there, in the lonely stable she gave birth, wrapped her son in simple cloths and wearily laid him to rest in the feeding trough of the animals. Then God, who had watched silently all through that night, sent an angel to shepherds who were resting nearby in the fields. They brought that first good news message on that first night to tell the mystery of the birth of Jesus, the Messiah and Lord. Imagine the amazement in Joseph and Mary's minds, as the shepherds came trembling in, telling what they had seen and heard. As they left the Bible tells us that Mary treasured up these memories in her heart keeping them for the day when she could really know their full meaning.
     This Christmas as God gives you quiet fleeting moments when you sense Him working in your life, pause and treasure them in your heart. Let them rest there like on a page in a scrapbook. His amazing plan both for the world and for your life has many pages. Some are pages of busyness and hard work. Some are pages of laughter and friends. Some are pages filled with pain and rejection. On those darker pages when the world has pushed you and pulled you and you don't know where to go don't let despair close the book. With trembling hands open to the pages that remind you of how God came close. Our hope in Him is not a thing of only temporary value. It doesn't depend on our own strength or planning. In fact God has written an amazing ending to the book of our life if we will just be willing to continue reading through pages and chapters of pain. One day the page will turn and there will be the face of Jesus. Then we will understand that rather than being the end it will only be the beginning of the most astonishing chapter of all!

"O Come All Ye Faithful" by Twinkie Clark

The Humility of Christmas

It was just a small low milking barn in North India. I was looking in at 4-5 long horned cows the Pastor was proudly showing me. The smell seemed stronger and the quarters a bit darker and smaller but suddenly I remembered the dark cold mornings long ago, when I woke at 4:30 to milk cows very much like these. It was to a dark and chilly Bethlehem very much like India, that Mary and Joseph had entered quietly one night 2000 years ago. There were no downy soft white sheep, nor spotlessly dressed shepherds as in our American Nativity scenes. The first Christmas came in humility and simplicity. No one knew that anything supernatural was about to happen until God sent angels to tell the shepherds working in a pasture not far away. They were the only ones invited because God wanted ordinary men to celebrate the birth of Jesus. He needed people who knew nothing of temples or priestly sacraments, but who were able to meet with angels. They learned that their village had been chosen for the birth of God's Messiah. They were astonished to hear about God's good will towards men.They came hurrying to the stable and found Jesus wrapped in humble cloth, lying in the manger. Our Father is so amazing in power and yet is so willing to come in the humility of Bethlehem. That is where we will find the gift He has given, the life of His Son!

Mandisa - Angels We Have Heard On High

A Strange Way To Save The World

Toby Mac - This Christmas (lyrics)

I Will Go

Steffany Frizzell ( Bethel Church ) - I Will Exalt

Be Unto Your Name

Pastora Nancy's Amish Christmas Fudge

For our family one of the special Christmas traditions has been Nancy's many Christmas candies. People send back the empty candy tins and buy big bags of chocolate for her to make it again next year!! This is one of the three most popular of her treats. The secret though is not in the recipe but in the love and amazing attention to detail she adds. It is her way of saying, "I love you!" That is what Christmas is all about...












Creamy-Sure Fudge


2/3 cup evaporated milk (small can)
16 regular or 160 miniature marshmallows
1 1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) margarine
1/4 tsp. salt
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup coarsely-chopped walnuts ( optional)




Butter a 8X8 inch pan. In a medium saucepan, over low heat, melt the margarine. Stir in the salt, milk, sugar, and lastly the marshmallows.  Try to melt the marshmallows before the mixture comes to a boil, pressing them against the sides of the pan.  Slowly bring the mixture to a boil over a low heat.  Stirring constantly, simmer mixture for 5-6 minutes, or until the sweet smell is almost gone.  The mixture will rise in the pan, then go down.  
Remove from heat, stir in the vanilla, then the chocolate chips.  Stir until chips melt. Lastly, add the nuts. With a rubber spatula, transfer to prepared pan, spread it evenly and allow to cool.  Place in the refrigerator until fully set and hard.  I use a silicone pan which makes it easy to remove the fudge onto a wax paper lined cutting board.  I then cut the fudge into 64 pieces (8 rows horizontally and 8 rows diagonally).  Yields approx. 2 Lbs.

God Amazes Us!

Though God is never surprised I do believe that He loves to amaze us. I was amazed by the beautiful sunrise outside our back door not long ago. It was only there for a moment so I rushed out with the camera to try and capture the beauty. Now, if I am amazed by a sunrise just try to imagine the amazement of the shepherds. They were just doing the work as they had done all their live that night outside of Bethlehem. They were watching their sheep and nothing seemed remarkable at all. Then in a moment when  they were just ready to drift off to sleep, they were amazed. An angel suddenly appeared telling them some very of a child born that night who would be a Savior. The Bible says the glory of the Lord was shining around their field.  Have you ever tried to imagine how it would be to have such a meeting as this. How much they must have needed the angel's first words "Don't be afraid!" What an amazing night! What an amazing life! What an amazing obedience of love at its end on the cross. What an amazing victory Christ has given us at the door of the tomb! Every day God has something that will amaze us right in the middle of the most ordinary things of our lives. He never changes. He still loves to amaze us and we like the shepherds can go on with the ordinary things of  life with hearts full of praise to Him...

"Heaven's Song", Gateway Worship, Song led by Walker Beach

We could change the world - Matt Redman (Worship with lyrics)

Are we Worshiping with Haughty Eyes?

Psalm 131:1 Lord My heart is not proud and my eyes are not haughty. I don't concern myself with matters too great or too awesome for me to grasp.

When we go to worship with haughty eyes we really are not seeing anything at all. Our problem is a plank sticking in our eyes called pride. It may take a humiliating experience to allow us to see that and to ask God for his help.One day Jesus told a story about two men who went to the temple to pray (Luke 18:10). One was a Pharisee and the other a despised Tax Collector. Sometimes like that Pharisee we think we are worshiping yet we are not seeing God at all. Like the Pharisee who lifted his eyes and prayed with himself, we are missing out completely.  He never saw God as Holy (He was convinced that he himself was). He never saw his neighbor as God saw and so considered him of no value. He never saw himself and so missed His chance to have his sins forgiven. But the tax collector saw with 20/20 God vision. Though he was standing in the temple, he knew he had a problem that only God could help him with. He never looked up at all but he cried out and God heard him. We do not know if he even noticed the Pharisee praying, though I am sure that the Pharisee hoped to be seen. What mattered to the tax collector was that God would see and hear him, and God answered. O God, deliver us from Haughty eyes today so we can have open hearts and humble eyes to see and worship you!

Donnie MCclurkin e Jota A no Brasil 27-09-2011 Por Getúlio Camargo .mp4

Casting Crowns - I Heard The Bells on Christmas Day Live

Arms Wide Open

Dove's Eyes - Misty Edwards

The Simplicity of Worship

"I am afraid", Paul says that someone may come and corrupt your minds, from the simplicity that is in Christ."  2 Corinthians 11:3. 

It seems that we are still fighting that same battle today. We have worship conferences and worship leaders' training. There are worship seminars and a growing commercialism surrounding the entire concept of Christian worship. Can you imagine Jesus offering to hold a worship summit? He was at every moment so overwhelmed with the needs of the people, that the Bible tells us that He and the disciples did not even have a chance to eat.
How was it in the press and under the weight of constant ministry that Jesus and the disciples found any time to worship?

It was because their concept of worship was so blended together with the storms, the daily meeting of needs, the teachings and the constant dangers,that they merely fell down to the ground to worship when God worked. Jesus calmed the storm, and they worshiped. Jesus healed ten lepers and one ran back to worship. Jesus simply showed up for dinner at a Pharisee's house and a woman came in, poured perfume on His feet, wet them with her tears and dried them with her hair. Worship was everywhere that Jesus went. There is only one occasion that we know of that they sang a song, yet they were always worshiping. How unlike us today. We are always singing songs, but only rarely are we worshiping. We have to have the church just so and it must be at just a certain hushed moment, then it quickly slips away. Is this all that God really has planned for us? Why are our hearts so often cold and hard? The world says that hurts and difficulties make us hard. But Jesus said that sin and unbelief give us hard hearts. When we walk in Jesus steps then instead of running away from struggles let us see it as an opportunity to worship Jesus in the middle of it all. Suffering will not make our hearts hard, but will simplify and soften our hearts. Then we will see how much we need to worship Him!

Thank you - Hillsong New 2010 (lyrics) (Worship with tears 6)

Catherine Mullins-You Won't Relent - Lakeland Outpouring

Gateway Worship - We cry out - Kari Jobe

Thankful for our Freedom to Worship

With Thanksgiving 2012 approaching, I looked back and remembered so many things we can be thankful for this year. Last year our brother Pastor Youcef from Iran was granted his freedom (This year we are praying for the release of his lawyer). God's church in developing nations is continuing to grow and reach out even through difficult times of persecution. I am also thankful as I stop to remember God's blessings on America. While believers are jailed in Iran, brothers are killed in Nigeria and churches are burned in Pakistan; we here in the United States enjoy the freedom to worship as we choose. The greatest thing we have in America is not our money, our powerful military or even the amazing size and beauty of our land. Our greatest blessing is a simple idea. "...That all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." 

If we in America lost all the world counts of value, yet could hold on to this single idea, this single hope, this single dream, we would still possess our greatest treasure. Governments and leaders come and then fade away but God's truth remains. Political leaders promise to give us rights but only God can give us rights. The greatest nations simply understand and recognize those rights that God has given. How wonderfully blessed we are and what a responsibility we have to use the freedom we have to share the message of Christ with the world and to pass our that heritage on to our children and our grandchildren! So this Thanksgiving let's be thankful to God and remember all that He has done!

Complete Trust in the whispers of God

1 Kings 19: After the earthquake came a fire but the Lord was not in the fire and after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.  Then a voice said to him, "What are you doing here Elijah?" 

 Complete trust is the sudden and  astonishing understanding that God has been in control all along! Just like Elijah we struggle and battle because it seems that our prayers and longings are being denied or forgotten. Then God opens heaven's window for us to see Him. He touches us gently with His word and lets us know that He still has plans! We had decided before that only our hopes matter and that no other path will do. We have struggled and wept and prayed and yet all along God has been in control. He has come and taken the wheel and begun to steer our lives in His direction. Just because God's plan and destination are not what we have had in mind does not mean we have lost the way. How good God  is to quietly draw us closer to Him in our moment of deepest despair. He comes and whispers in our silence, "What are you doing here Elijah?"

Jake Hamilton - Hallelujah

Everyday Miracles by Sara Groves.wmv

It Might Be Hope - Sara Groves

William McDowell - My Desire

Broken For Love's Sake - Tricia Brock

Here for You by Chris Tomlin

Deluge - Worshiping You

Broken Girl by Matthew West

Worship is a Choice

In the wilderness the devil came to Jesus and gave him this offer, ...and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world, and he said to Him, " I will give you all their authority and splendor...If you worship me it will all be yours." Jesus had to make a choice.
The temptations and the dark places of our lives are the places where we  choose who we will worship. It is not when we are surrounded by friends, or the comforts of life, but rather in the hard places that God gives us our greatest opportunity to worship. Here in the desert of our soul there is a high price on our decision. Our choice here has nothing to do with our emotions or with immediate rewards. Here we choose based on what God's word has promised. Our worship comes down to who we will trust and whose word we will treasure. Will our choice be based on what we see and where we can profit or, will our worship flow out from a deep trust in God's truth and our complete dependence on Him? When we choose Jesus and walk in His steps, our reward is sure and its value will be seen in the light of eternity
.
Jesus answered, "It is written, "Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only."  Luke 4:8 

Tricia Brock (of Superchick) - The Altar (The Road Album) New Pop 2011

Choose by Christy Nockels

Who do we worship?

The word worship means to bow down, just as Satan demanded that Jesus do. (Matt 4) ."if you bow down and worship, all this will be yours..." Our bowing down is a choice, but it is a choice that is a response to something or someone. If we really are worshiping Jesus then when Jesus comes we will bow down. When Jesus speaks, we will sit at His feet. When Jesus heals we run to fall at His feet and give thanks. When Jesus reveals himself we fall with our faces to the ground until He himself comes and lifts us up.
Who we worship, and not how we worship, is what  determines the direction and destiny of our lives. When we are put in the fire and tested who we worship will be seen. (Daniel 3) Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego told the king that no matter what the consequences, they would not worship His golden image. They would not respond like everyone else. They would not obey his command. They reserved worship for only one, and that was for God. The king found out who they worshiped and he became a worshiper too!

For us to worship Jesus as He wants, we also need to reserve ourselves for Him. No one and nothing else in heaven or earth should have our worship. Worship is for Jesus alone. No matter the cost, no matter the loss, no matter the demands, our bowing down in worship is for him alone. When we are only for Him then He will come and walk with us in our fiery furnaces. He will be seen through our worship. When Jesus is really seen, then someone else will have the chance to worship Him too!

Jesus Culture - One Thing Remains

forever JONES - Time To Believe

"Eyes On The Prize" Story Behind The Song

Sara Groves performs "Eyes On The Prize"

Jaqueline Adorando - YouTube.mp4

Lavish Praise

Revelation 7:12 ...Amen! Praise and Glory and Wisdom and Thanks and Honor and Power and Strength be to our God for ever and ever Amen!

The closer we draw to God's throne in our worship, the more we will begin to see that everything belongs to Jesus. There are days when we see only a little of Jesus because we are giving him only a measured portion in our worship. We think of the time in His presence as being a large slice of our day, while the rest is reserved for us.  But when we give Jesus all, we will step into His almighty presence and begin to see more of who He really is and what He has done. Jesus is so amazing!
Mary may have never thought about the cost of the perfume in her alabaster jar as she poured it out, but Judas knew the price exactly, and thought it was too much. All our praise, all our life, all our strength, all our plans, all our rewards,and all our hopes are not enough to lavish on Him. When we come to Jesus we can decide to give him his portion or we can decide to give him all. We can measure out a bit of the alabaster jar's perfume, or we can lavish all our praise on Him. Let's pass from earth into heaven with nothing left in our alabaster jars. He is so worthy of it all!!

♫ "Surrender" - Vineyard Music ♫

He Wants It All by Forever Jones

Beyond the veil...Worship without masks

John 4:23  The time is coming and already is when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth...

There were many times in Jesus' ministry when he called out religious leaders as hypocrites. That word in the original language described someone who was like an actor. The actors of Jesus' day would use a large mask to cover their face during the play. Not only would the mask make it impossible for people to know who they were, but it also meant they were pretending to be someone they were not! When we go into God's presence in worship with a mask, we are pretending to be someone we know that we are not. This is not the truth...it is a lie! How can we worship the God of truth by pretending? Pretense is really a lie.  All the resources of heaven, the blood of Jesus, the light of His Word, the promises of God and the gift of the Holy Spirit become unusable to us when we are living in a make believe world. God is seeking worshipers who worship in truth. To enter in we must not only take off our masks, we must leave them behind forever. In the moment of truth when God's light shines on our true face He will take away our fear and receive us into His arms. What a wonderful Father we worship. What a gift Jesus has given us through the the cross. It is the gift of being accepted as who we really are.

Lincoln Brewster - Power Of Your Name (with Darlene Zschech)

Jesus Culture - Freedom Reigns

Shoeshine Pastor Story - Compassion Korea

Kleber Lucas - Tempo De Crescer ( DVD Comunhão - Para Aqueles Que Te Amam )

The unveiled face of worship

2 Corinthians 3:18  But we all with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

When Moses came out of God's presence his face shone so much that the people around him asked him to put a veil over His face. They were afraid to even look at the reflection on his face of what He had seen in the Holy place with God. But when Moses went back into God's presence to worship and spend time with God, he took the veil off, so he could see God clearly and so God could see him. When we go into our secret place of worship with Jesus, whether we are alone or whether we are in the middle of a crowd, we also need to do what Moses did. Because we are afraid of what he will see sometimes what we put the veil on in God's presence (but He sees it all anyway!) Or, maybe we are afraid of what we will see when we look directly into the heart of Jesus. But we do not need to be afraid. We do not need to let our heart trick us into missing the deepest blessings which God has kept for us. In His secret place, where He is waiting is an intimacy of fellowship with Him without fear or pretense. It is in the throne room of our Father, where all our veils are to be put aside. There we can look into His face and he will change our hearts, our thoughts, and our souls to be more and more like His.

Sara Groves - Hello Lord

The Word - Sara Groves

He Is-William McDowell

A Day of Eternal Value

Hebrews 12:28 Since we are receiving a kingdom that is unshakable let us be thankful and please God by worshiping Him with Holy fear and awe. 


Have you ever felt that your days are just spinning by, filled with motion and color, but somehow strangely out of focus? Worshiping God without a thankful spirit is like that. It is like an out of focus camera. We may still be singing all the words, but the pure abandon of His joy is absent. Maybe we have come to Him today with such a busy heart, or with bitterness and frustration nipping at our heels. Whatever the reason, we have forgotten His love is a gift that is far beyond anything we could ever deserve. Jesus' focus has not changed, but ours has.



We have forgotten Him, but He has not forgotten us. Unthankful hearts are hearts that have stopped seeing Jesus. Our needs, our hurts and our goals are all we can see. Jesus has remained somewhere outside our own little struggling universe. How we need for His spirit to awaken us and to draw us to Him again with overflowing praise. We need to become like the leper, who stopped running to obey and began falling at Jesus feet to worship with a grateful heart. As we realize all Jesus has done for us and how he cared for us even when we were at our worst and most selfish  moments; then He comes into focus again. He is the one who we will still be thanking in all the eternity of heaven. To have a day of eternal value today, we have to enter into His eternal presence with thankful hearts and Holy fear for His amazing love, and for all He is!!

Kari Jobe - O The Blood - HQ -GATEWAY WORSHIP.m4v

It's Your Season - Norman Hutchins

Zacchaeus Worship

Luke 19:3 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree beside the road for Jesus was going to pass by. When Jesus passed by he looked up at Zacchaeus and called him by name...

When we come to church longing to see Jesus more than anything else, we will be like Zacchaeus. There were so many things going on that day and such a lot of confusion, yet he put his focus 100 percent on Jesus. He was focused on Jesus even before he could see him! Did you know that when you make Jesus your focus it will help others to focus on Him also. How often I am easily distracted when I really should be worshiping God. I hear someone talking, my mind begins to wander, and suddenly my focus is off of Jesus. But then there are those worshiping like Zacchaeus. They are not at all concerned with what anyone thinks about them. They only came to see Jesus. As they are looking down the road I am also drawn to look to see Him. Jesus was so excited when he saw Zacchaeus. He stopped everything else and looked up and called Him by name. Wow what an awesome opportunity Zacchaeus had. All he had hoped for was just to see Jesus, but now Jesus was also seeing him. If our thoughts and our hearts become completely focused on Jesus, He will stop, look up at us, and call our name. How precious is that moment! What a treasure it is to be face to face with Jesus!! It is a moment worth more than any other for all time...

Lakewood Sunday - "Falling In Love With Jesus"

I am Willing Lord - Joni Eareckson Tada

Unity and God's Blessing in Praise

Psalm 133:3  Harmony is as refreshing as the dew from Mount Hermon that falls on the mountains of Zion. And there the Lord has pronounced the blessing, even life everlasting.

Unity is not just about singing together in church, but about living together as brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ. How we live through the week is exactly what we bring into the family celebration of praise on Sunday. God knows and sees everything in us. When God sees stressed out people, and the battling of our egos, how can he pour out his blessing? When our hearts are the occupied territory of the things of this world, how can the Holy Spirit come and fill us? But when the Lord Jesus has been our focus and His Spirit has been our guide, we will draw close not only to Him, but also to each other. When we are really living in harmony, that is when God's presence simply falls silently like the dew. We may be struggling through a dark night but God is waiting to give us His blessing. When we begin to really love one another and wait quietly together for Him, the Dew of His blessing will fall just as morning comes. His dew is His blessing... Life Everlasting with Him. That will be worth it all!

Sara Groves - I Saw What I Saw

"Faithful God", Gateway Worship, Song led by Zach Neese

Desperation Band - "God Be Praised" Song Story

God Be Praised Our God Reigns New Life worship

Comments on New Format?

Thanks for stopping in. It has been such a blessing to share with friends around the world on our worship blog. Today I have tried experimenting with the format to make it quicker to load and easier to see posts from the previous months. Anyone like, dislike or have anything to say on this let us know. I did like the look of the old page, but quick and uncomplicated works for me.We will continue to share worship songs and insights and it is our prayer these will be a blessing and encouragement as we all press in to know Jesus more and more!

Pure Hearts See God

Matthew 5:8  Blessed are the pure in heart for they will see God


      Worship is what happens when we see God. We are struck down in amazement when He comes just like the shepherds in the fields, Peter in a boat filled with fish  or Moses at the burning bush. None of these were doing anything remotely religious, yet God came and showed himself to them. But then we need to ask, 'what is a pure heart?'
Since the word pure means unmixed I want to tell a story of when I was a teenager, going out early in the morning to milk our cow. By the light of a candle I slowly worked to fill the pail with fresh milk. It would look clean and foamy but it was not really pure. There were always small things in the milk from the cow or from the dust in the barn. When I returned to the house we would always pour the milk through a piece of cloth first before it was put away in the refrigerator. That cloth would take out all the tiny things that had gotten mixed into the milk so that what we had was 'pure milk'.  
God also wants our hearts to pass through His cloth. That is His working daily in our lives. Others may look and think , 'oh what a pure heart they have', but God knows all of the tiny details. He loves us too much to let us stay mixed with things that dirty our hearts. Every day we must allow His strong hands to pour us through the cloth. He never does this to harm us but so that each day we can look up again and see Him.
Doing the religious thing is often just us running away from the hands of God. Sometimes we do not want to be separated from the things that have been mixed into our hearts. Becoming clean means to stop running from our Father.  Let Him to pick us up and pour us through the cloth today. Then we will see Him. Then our worship will be pure and fresh and like a child again!

Create in me a pure heart and renew a steadfast spirit within me.. Psalm 51:10

New Covenant Worship

Did Christ come to die for us only to give us another chance to obey the law? The answer to that question is the central issue of worship and of the church of Christ. Here are the words of Jesus:


John 14:6 Jesus answered, "I am the way, and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me"


Both our daily life and our worship is coming to the Father. 


We are only able to live because His life is in us. Obeying on the outside without life on the inside is not at all what God has planned for us.When the Holy Spirit comes and rests in our lives, the light of Jesus comes into all the dark places of our heart. He enters into the inner rooms, throws up the shades and opens the windows to the life of God. When we worship with the Spirit it is because He is stirring in our souls. It is more than just doing on the outside the religious thing. In our spirit Jesus comes and washes and fills us so we can serve Him. He really is the way, the truth and the life both today in our fellowship and worship and also in eternity. No one comes to the Father except through Him.

John 14:15-16  If you love me keep my commands, and I will ask the Father and He will give you another advocate, to help you - and be with you forever...

christ for the nations - when i speak your name

Your Grace Is Enough - Matt Maher

"Healer" - Kari Jobe Live Performance

The More I Seek You - Kari Jobe

Perfect Peace by Laura Story

Kari Jobe - We Cry Out

Oil in our lamps...

Matthew 25:1 At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom...


They all wanted to meet the bridegroom. They all had the same lamps , but when the bridegroom came only  half of them could go with Him. In the same way we all come to church and sing  the same songs, but on the inside how many of us have the oil to keep our lamps burning? Have we desired to be with Him more than anything else? Have we gone with His blood to the Father's throne and asked to be filled with all of the spirit of Christ? We have no money that can buy the Spirit. Only Jesus can pay the price; but we must go to our Father and ask for the pearl of greatest price.

What could be of more value in all eternity than the Holy Spirit of God? He is the promise of the Father, our comforter, our light and our friend. Before we prepare to go to another "worship meeting" let's stop and ask if we have really prepared ourselves to meet Him. If Jesus would come suddenly at midnight, would we have our lamps burning and ready to shine a light on the path to Him?

WONDERFUL,MERCIFUL SAVIOR-SELAH

Better Than A Hallelujah Amy Grant

Jesus Culture- Your Love Never Fails

ASL-Let the Waters Rise

Revival is like our own personal urban renewal project. We need to sign the contract and invite God to come and tear down what is falling apart and to build what He has designed.  For a revival in our worship life, both individually and as a church, we must be willing to do the same. We need to open our hearts for God to tear down what we can no longer hold together, and build in us only what  He has designed. Then He will tear down all the works of men and rebuild our relationship with Him just as He has planned. As His church He can do the same. Jesus wants to get rid of anything that separates us from Him and He wants to draw us into a deeper intimacy with Him. We are to be His bride! Today it is not enough just to talk about Jesus or think about Him. We need long intimate moments in His presence so can we know in our heart of hearts that He is ours and we are His forever!

Hillsong: "One Thing" Worship and Praise Song featuring Darlene Zschech ...

Jesus Culture Consumed - Oh Lord You´re Beautiful

Vineyard Music - Quebrantado

ME RENDO A TI SENHOR

Sarah Reeves - Come Save

INDIAN Hindu Brahmin found Lord Jesus Christ..Testimony of Salvation

Our worship a Roadblock or a Gate?

     Jesus once made the startling claim that He was the door and that all people could come in through Him! In our worship of Jesus then let's just stop for a moment and ask: Are we a Roadblock or a Gate? Paul made it his goal to become all things to all people that by any means he could bring some to Christ.  Can we stop just for a moment and begin to ask, "Are our styles of worship and our emotional expectations becoming a door that people will want to walk through, or are they being a roadblock that keeps people away. Roadblocks are there for a reason. They are meant to protect us from an enemy and keep us separate from others. But Jesus never chose safety over salvation! When everyone ran away, Jesus stayed behind and went through an unfair trial and a humiliating death so that we could come to him. What are we doing in our worship and in our church that will be an open door in spite of danger or rejection? Is someone trying to come through our door today?

John 10:9 Yes I am the Gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. They will come and go freely and will find good pastures.

 

                                                                                     

                                                                                   

Natalie Grant - Your great name w/ lyrics

Every Nation Worship

Revelation 5:9 b ... and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.

Our church is very small yet we have the unique blessing of worship in more than one language in every service. This has given us both moments of frustration and difficulty as well as moments of amazing grace and the mighty presence of  the Holy Spirit. I always look at these times as a preparation. One day we will be together; every tribe, tongue and nation, falling down and giving Jesus praise! God is continually at work in our hearts in this matter. We have moments when we feel the great joy and presence of the Holy Spirit because one of His greatest works is in tearing down walls and making us one. When the walls come down Jesus shows himself again as the King of Nations in our midst! If you have been a part of a multilingual church, we would love to know how God has led you in this area. Be blessed...

Awesome Is The Lord Most High (Great Are You Lord) - Kingsgate Community...

Bless The Lord - Carl Cartee

Come before His presence with singing

Psalm 100:2 Serve the Lord with gladness, come before His presence with singing!

Part of being a worshiper is singing. We have focused so much on how worship is not only music and singing, that we need to remind ourselves that worship does include singing to the Lord. Most of us rarely think of breaking into a song when we are having our quiet time at home, but God wants us to do exactly that. We are quick to run to God in our moments of sorrow and pain. Let us also take the opportunity to run to Him with songs and gladness! Start by remembering the chorus of a new song that has really blessed you, or a hymn of the church that has become meaningful to you. Psalm 98 tells us to sing a new song. Take the worship of your heart and just begin to sing your own words and your own melody. You may never release a CD here on earth, but if you sing with an honest heart to Jesus, the angels will be trading copies of your praise which has been recorded in heaven! So decide today to begin or end your prayer time with your song. No day is begun or ended better than a day spent entering into His presence with singing!

Tricia Brock - You Are My Shepherd

Story Behind Mighty Wave

Mighty Wave by Sarah Reeves with Lyrics

You Are God Alone-Phillips, Craig, & Dean

Donations for India & Nepal

I have made a commitment to myself and the Lord to never put advertising on this blog nor to raise funds for our own work. Today I am appealing to those who come however to enter into the ministry site of Supplying Seeds Ministry, and give towards their upcoming trip to India and Nepal. If you could see the faces and sit on the ground next to the many little ones that are being fed, or to see the faces of the adults who have walked for miles to meet in the village churches you would realize what an eternal investment you would be making. Come and help us to reach the lost while the doors are open and the hearts are prepared.

Luke 10:2 The Harvest is huge, but the workers are few. So ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest field. Luke 10:2

Asleep In The Light

Hillsong - Awakening - with subtitles/lyrics

I Lift My Hands by Chris Tomlin

Arise God!

Now arise Lord God and come to your resting place... 2 Chronicles 6:41

When Solomon finished his prayer to dedicate the temple he called out for God to come. We are called to be God's temple in life today. Don't we also need a prayer of dedication? Can God come and find a place to rest in our lives? It will be worth everything to have him answer in the same way he answered Solomon's prayer. First the fire came down and consumed the sacrifice that was prepared. That means God's acceptance of the sacrifice of Jesus for us! Next, God's amazing presence entered into the temple with so much power that the priests had to stop everything and just worship God. Let's be honest. When was the last time any of us had to stop everything we were doing and stand back in astonishment and Holy awe because God's presence was so real? The greatest goal of our Christian life is suddenly reached when we find ourselves sitting at the feet of Jesus. True worship is when Jesus comes and we don't ever want Him to leave. Chains are broken, lives are transformed and commitments are made that will change the future of nations. Arise God and enter into your rest in me!

MikesChair - Someone Worth Dying For (Official Music Video)

One Thirst Bethel Live

THE LORD BE MAGNIFIED - RON KENOLY - AFRICAN CHILDREN'S CHOIR - LIVE REC...

Hillsong: "Lord Of Lords" Worship and Praise Song featuring Brooke Frase...

Aaron Shust - My Hope is in You

God's Greatest Miracle

The church of Jesus has come through persecution, criticism, divisions as well as the sins and failures of both leaders and followers. She has continued through twenty centuries in the face of doubts, anxieties, opposition and temptation.
There is no army that can conquer her, no dictator who can crush her, no law that can banish her and no power that can separate her from the love of Christ. She is His bride, His greatest passion and His companion forever. Jesus waits holding open the door of eternity, watching her with expectation, for the moment when she will come to be with Him.
The greatest miracle was not bread multiplied or water walked on. It was neither the healing of the sick, nor turning water to wine. The death and resurrection of our Lord was only the beginning of His plan. Through the cross and up from the grave He came, giving His life for us to be His church. That is God's greatest miracle of all!!

Revelation Song - Jesus Culture (full version)

Quietness in the Soul

How loudly the world calls out and how fast our lives move along with a current that we cannot seem to fight. Yet in the moment of quietness in our souls our great Savior Jesus Christ pushes all these away. He rolls back the heavens and stands at the side of the Father's throne calling our names. There is still a time of refreshing. There is still a flow of new hope. There is still the unending love of our Father. At the end of every day He waits again to wrap us in His arms and carry us on His shoulders to the place He is preparing for us. How blessed we are and how awesome is our God!

"Your Grace Still Amazes Me" Phillips, Craig & Dean

Jesus Culture - One Thing Remains

Aline Barros - Diante da Cruz

I've found A love (Jenn Johnson) - Bethel Church

QUEM SOU EU?

While I'm Waiting - John Waller

Matt Redman - King of Wonders

Pure Hearts

2 Cor 6:6 in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love...

No one drove their new car to the church; or in fact any car at all. There were no air conditioners humming quietly in the background or colored lighting to focus on the platform. A single wire brought electricity to this mountain top church so that a microphone could function. And God came near.

 God loves to come and fill hearts that are open and longing only for him. How often do we substitute His Holy moment of  worship for sweet feelings in a pretty place with pretty music? We sing about God's love, power and majesty, but because our hearts have mixed motives our words fall to the ground. God's Spirit is calling us, but we are too busy with our own desires to hear Him. How He is longing to draw us into His Holy place, while we sit outside of His presence, so perfectly content with our positions, possessions and power. God's heart is drawn to us only when we come like children and look to Him with pure hearts. Then He comes in purity, true sweetness and power. What a wonderful God we serve!!

Jesus Culture - HAPPY DAY - Jesus is Alive

HERE IS LOVE with Lyrics by Brian Johnson

It is the cry of my heart.

Agatha Moses - Nigerian Praise 1

Complete in Christ

May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Ephesians 3:19

True worship that flows from the heart of the Father begins only at the moment when we are completely at rest in Jesus Christ. We sometimes feel like we came to God but are  locked outside the door of His presence. We stand just outside of the blessing of His love because of some fear, our own self righteousness or sin. But Jesus with His amazing love is waiting for us to enter. He has paid for it all. Now, we must let go of everything that keeps us from Him. In Him all our sin becomes white as snow, all our emptiness is filled, all our fears flee and all our focus is on Jesus. 

Hillsong LIVE - Stronger (Chapel)

Kirk Franklin - My Life Is In Your Hands

Strong Tower (Kutless)

Bethel LIVE "I need You more" Kim Walker (Official Music Video)

Love Came Down

Flying up into the presence of God

Why the eagle can'y fly

Romans 12:2 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.




One day we went to a small zoo, and as we entered we passed three large bald eagles perched on rocks in an open area. I wondered to myself how such large powerful birds could be kept from simply flying away. Then one of them spread his wings as I approached with the camera and I saw the reason. For all his power and his original design for flight in the high winds and clouds of God's heavens, he now was a prisoner of earth because his wings were clipped. 
Today as I was reading the book of Romans, I saw how we are so often kept grounded with our wings clipped in our worship. We enter church to lift up the name of Jesus, longing for his presence. We spread our wings to fly into the heavens, but we do not fly, because our wings have been clipped. Our worship is hindered because there is something in our lives that is not on the altar and we have kept back a part of ourselves from God. 
Our spirit longs for the winds of God's presence. Then, that is the time to joyfully place on God's altar our all, with nothing held back and nothing in reserve. That is a sacrifice that God will accept, because it is a reflection of Jesus' sacrifice on the cross. That is the place where the Father will give us new wings. Then we can rise up with eagle's wings and fly up into His presence. That is the place He has prepared for us!!