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Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit. Psalm 51:12

When is the last time you fully embraced the joy of salvation?  Being honest, it’s something I speak of more often than I truly experience.  I equate the joy of my salvation to the peace of knowing that my salvation is secure (John 10:28) and the promise of eternity in Heaven where we’ll be in the full light of God’s glory and splendor (John 3:16, Romans 5:21).  WOW.  It sounds amazing… but far away.  And sometimes the true joy of my salvation, in the waiting, seems far away too.

While we cannot lose our salvation, we can certainly lose the joy of it in the day to day battles against sin and worldly distraction.  While sin cannot separate us from the love of Christ (Romans 8:38-39), it can certainly put a damper on the closeness and intimacy we experience with our Lord apart from confession and repentance.

This is nothing new as even King David, a man after God’s own heart, begged Him, “Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and grant me a willing spirit to sustain me” (Psalm 51:12, NIV).  David sinned (a lot), but eventually saw his iniquity with a contrite spirit and moved toward penitence and obedience, asking for God’s help in guiding him along the path of righteousness.  With this step, he clearly saw the character of God to include His steadfast justice, mercy and grace (Psalm 51:1-9).  This understanding brought immeasurable joy from which praise and worship overflowed.

Praise and worship.

Often these words are used interchangeably, but there is a distinction to be made.  Webster’s Dictionary describes praise as an expression of favorable judgement, or the act of glorifying (a god or saint) especially by the attribution of perfections.  Subsequently, Webster defines worship as the act of showing honor, reverence, respect and devotion to an object of esteem.

Praise can apply to any number of relationships and is centered on outward thanksgiving and recognition of great accomplishment.  As followers of the one true God, we know that He has done great and mighty things; He is worthy of our praise… and if we are silent, even the stones will cry out (Luke 19:40)!  All creation glorifies the Maker of the heavens and the earth (Psalm 19:1, Psalm 66:4).

Worship goes deeper.  It is an ongoing heart attitude that involves adoration and surrender to something or someone.  While our fleshly desires can tempt us to worship worldly things (idols), the Bible is very clear that we serve a jealous God who seeks those who will worship Him alone in spirit and in truth (Luke 4:8, John 4:23).  Worship is centered on knowing our posture in relation to God Most High and understanding our purpose in relation to God’s creation and plan.  We were made to worship Him; we were made to commune with Him; we were made to bring glory and honor and praise to Him above all others (Col. 1:16, 1 Cor. 8:6).

“I Thank God” is a song of praise purposed to move our hearts toward worship in both spirit and truth.  The lyrics and melody praise God’s mighty works on our behalf with joyful gladness while invoking a heart of worship in surrendering our own strivings, self-worship, and schemes in favor of humility, contrition and repentance.  It is a celebration of what God has done in our lives and a bold declaration that our worship is reserved for the Master, the Savior: the one true God who is to be feared above all gods (Psalm 96:4).

The most amazing joy is realized when our praise and worship join forces as they did with David in Psalm 51.  Can’t wait to sing this song with you all again soon!

I THANK GOD

Wandering into the night
Wanting a place to hide
This weary soul, this bag of bones
And I tried with all my mind
And I just can’t win the fight
I’m slowly drifting, a vagabond
And just when I ran out of road
I met a Man I didn’t know
And he told me that
I was not alone

He picked me up, turned me around
Placed my feet on solid fround
I thank the Master, I thank the Savior,
Because He healed my geart, changed my name
Forever free, I’m not the same
I thank the Master, I thank the Savior,

I thank God

I cannot deny what I see
Got no choice but to believe
My doubts are burning
Like ashes in the wind
So, so long to my old friends
Burden and bitterness
You can just keep on moving
No you ain’t welcome here
From now till I walk
The streets of gold
I’ll sing of how You saved my soul

Hell lost another one
I am free, I am free, I am free

Therefore God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name… Philippians 2:9

It’s only been a few weeks since we immersed ourselves in the sober reality of Good Friday, the waiting that came with Saturday, and the glorious celebration and joy realized on Easter Sunday.  While we are hard-pressed to truly put ourselves in the shoes of those close to Jesus during His physical ministry on earth, we can all relate to the sinking feelings of defeat and loss.  We can all relate to the feeling of doubt or abandonment.  And we’ve all experienced seasons of waiting and, just as Jesus’s disciples and many titans of the faith have exhibited, we may struggle to see any pathway to victory within the constructs of human understanding.

But Jesus changes everything.  He turns every worldly intuition and value upside down.  In Jesus, new life emerges from death (2 Corinthians 5:17) and beauty from ashes (Isaiah 61:3).  When we follow Jesus, we are called to deny rather than indulge ourselves (Luke 9:23-24).  We are called to love rather than hate our enemy (Matthew 5:44).  We are called to humble ourselves, and the Lord will exalt us (James 4:10).  And perhaps one of the more challenging realities: we are instructed that our victories in Jesus come through surrender and recognition of our weaknesses (2 Cor:9-11).

For many of us, “surrender” is not a welcomed concept.  We hold too tightly to our perception of success. We try to do it ourselves. We look for a bypass from battler to escape hardship. And when we become drained and deflated, we wonder why it’s all so difficult as we grapple with God’s goodness, faithfulness and sovereignty. Where is He in all of the mess?  The answer: ABOVE IT.  Our Jesus is seated in Heaven on the throne, reigning over everything.

While it is human nature to crown ourselves rulers over our own lives, we are commanded to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness (Matthew 6:33). In other words—instead of putting ourselves first, we are to put Jesus over everything.  If this came naturally, God would not have commanded His children, “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on the earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Put to death therefore what is earthly in you…” (Colossians 3:2-5) That Heavenly or eternal perspective only comes by the power of the Holy Spirit within us: the same power that raised Jesus from the dead and serves as an unbreakable seal and blessed assurance in the hearts of Christians (2 Corinthians 1:22, 5:5, Ephesians 1:13-14, 4:30).

It is with this heart that we introduce Jesus Over Everything as an anthem of praise and confidence that Jesus is King above all kings and Lord over all of the brokenness we encounter as we sojourn through this life. As we raise our voices together in this great declaration, may our countenance be lifted as we cling to the peace, power, and promise we find from Jesus in John 16:33: “I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

JESUS OVER EVERYTHING

He came from glory
Took on flesh to save the lost
Grace and mercy displayed upon the cross
Our redemption, He’s the hope for all mankind
One name over everything
One name over everything

Jesus over everything
He reigns forevermore
Our song for all eternity
Jesus Christ is Lord

Who can rival our resurrected King
In one moment, He brought dеath to its knees
All the power and all authority
To one namе over everything
Yes to one name everything

Over fear, over shame
Over all anxiety
Over troubles and all pain
Over sickness and disease
For He reigns on the throne
All praise to Him alone
One name over everything

Over death and all sin
Over hell, over the grave
Darkness bows, demons flee
At the mention of His name
For He reigns on the throne
All praise to Him alone
One name over everything

Oh! Jesus over everything
He reigns forevermore
Our song for all eternity

Jesus Christ is Lord

In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1:4-5

Christmastime is here.  (Are you singing the Charlie Brown theme in your head right now?)  The decorations, the lights, the music – and that feeling of anticipation for something long-awaited.  We run from place to place in preparation and take part in things that bring incredible joy in the moment… but that often result in the great “December 26^th Let-Down.”  Do you know what I’m talking about? On December 26, it’s time to go back to normal: as we take down the lights and the tree, put away the music and the decorations, and start looking ahead, we begin feeling the weight and the pressures of the approaching new year.

How can we anticipate December 25^th with great excitement without dreading December 26^th?  It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the shift… and that’s where Jesus comes in and sits with us in the pile of crinkled-up wrapping paper, tree flocking and storage boxes.  While the worldly evidence of the season may disappear, the Reason for the season remains and will reign forever and ever.  The goodness of God and light of His glory will never fade. It remains tangibly evident in every element of His creation (Isaiah 55:12, Psalm 96:11-12).

“Light Has Come” was written as a testament of this truth and as a joyful declaration of God’s lovingkindness.  Its lyrics contain some of my favorite names of God, those which I frequently call upon in times of joy and sorrow.

• “King of Heaven” (Daniel 4:37)
• “Son of Man” (Matthew 18:11, Matthew 25:31-32, Mark 14:62)
• “Blameless One” (2 Corinthians 5:21)
• “Perfect Sacrifice” (John 1:29, Hebrews 10:12)
• “King of Kings” (1 Timothy 6:15, Revelation 19:16, Revelation 17;14)
• “Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6, John 14:27, John 16:33, Ephesians 2:14)
• “God’s Own Son” (Romans 8:32, John 3:16)
• “Messiah” (John 4:25-26, John 1:41)
• “Light of the World” (John 8:12, John 1:5, Psalm 27:1, 2 Corinthians 4:6) who has overcome darkness, sin and death (2 Timothy 1:10, Revelation 1:18, Isaiah 25:8, John 11:25-26)

Perhaps most frequently heard at Christmastime, Jesus is Emmanuel: “God with Us” (Matthew 1:23, Isaiah 7:14). We have a real and personal Savior, mighty enough to take away the sin of the world and merciful enough to love and help us every step from now through eternity.

He sees every high and low, standing with us on the mountaintops and equipping us with His sufficient grace (2 Corinthians 12:9) to navigate the valleys and wilderness without fear (Psalm 23:4, Psalm 118:6, Psalm 27:1, Romans 8:31, Philippians 4:13).  He shows His infinite lovingkindness and mercy (Psalm 145:9, Deuteronomy 7:9, Nehemiah 1:5, Psalm 100:5) to the least of these and calls us to do the same (Matthew 25:40, Proverbs 19:17, Matthew 10:42). He is kind to bring people and circumstances across our paths that provide opportunities to share the light of Christmas and the joy of the world throughout the year (Ephesians 5:8, Ephesians 5:30, Matthew 5:13-16.)

With Jesus, God’s Christmas gift of hope, light and joy becomes a permanent fixture rooted deep within us and held fast by the Holy Spirit (Jude 24, John 10:29-30).  This unspeakable joy overflows and permeates every facet of life, compelling us to live it out loud and declare it boldly in words and deeds (Acts 1:8, Matthew 28:16-20).

This sums up the message of “Light Has Come,” and my prayer is that this song and its lyrics will encourage your heart this season as we turn our eyes upon the Light and the Hope that came down to dwell among us more than 2,000 years ago in the frailty of human flesh (John 1:14).  In Jesus, that frailty was put to death (Hebrews 4:15) so that we could be raised to abundant life for all of eternity when we place our hope solely in Him (1 John 2:2).  May we keep Christ in Christmas and may we share the steadfast love of Jesus with the world during this season and beyond – during the silent nights and during the busy days.

LIGHT HAS COME

In a stable, history began

King of Heaven, born the Son of Man

A star shone bright, the angels sang

Wise men, shepherds, all they came

Knelt before the newborn Savior King

Innocence wrapped in Love’s pure light

Blameless One, Perfect Sacrifice

King of Kings, Prince of Peace

Lover of the least of these

God’s own Son, come to give us life

So light the candles, ring the bells

Climb the mountains, go and tell

Of Messiah’s love for us

It’s Christmas!

Emmanuel, God with Us

Hallelujah, Christ has come!

Sin defeated, death undone

It’s Christmas, it’s Christmas!

Sing joy to the world!

Joy to the world!

Sing joy to the world!

Light has come!

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16

John 3:16 is one of the most familiar verses in all of Scripture and cuts directly to the good news of the gospel message. What an amazing and beautiful reality. What a blessed assurance of life everlasting (Hebrews 10:22) for those who trust Christ Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior. How great our joy (John 15:11)!

As we worship through song together each week, we journey through various postures of praise and thanksgiving, lamentation, intercession. prayer, and exuberant exaltation. With this song, we celebrate the good news of God’s redemption of sinners saved by grace – and we call all to come to the altar and share in the richness of His goodness and blessing. It is both an exaltation and an invitation.

Churches are not temples built to glorify the saints within them, but rather houses of worship (Psalm 150:6), hospitals for the sinful and broken (Mark 2:17), and respite for the weary and downtrodden (Matthew 11:28). And here’s the reality: we are all broken and sinful (Romans 3:23). We all grow weary. And we all experience suffering at some point in our journey through this life (John 16:33). And with that reality comes a desperate need for a Savior – one whose Kingdom will not pass away (Daniel 7:14, Matthew 28:18, 1 Corinthians 15:24-25).

It is my desire for each of us to share in a deep personal reflection of our role as representatives of Christ and His Church – specifically His local church body – to draw in and make welcome a community in need. Are we engaged with those around us while we’re in these four walls? Are we personally going out of our way to welcome the new faces? Are we truly willing to share the Lord’s table and feast with our neighbors in observable and tangible ways?

My prayer this week as we introduce God So Loved:

Heavenly Father,

May we, the Church, come boldly and humbly before Your throne this week as we rejoice in Your daily mercy and grace. May we feel the conviction of the Holy Spirit to root out the sins we continue to harbor in our lives; may we rely on You, Lord, for the strength and steadfastness to repent. May You be the center of our lives in a way that is evident to those around us who are weary and broken, hungry and thirsty, struggling with addiction and sin, and otherwise far from You. May we draw them near with Your glorious light and make them welcome at Your table (and ours). Thank You for loving and redeeming us while we were still sinners – and thank You for giving us a hope and a future that will endure forever. May the joy that comes from this blessed assurance overflow and permeate every aspect of our lives as we live for You.

Amen.

————–

God So Loved

Come all you weary
Come all you thirsty
Come to the well
That never runs dry
Drink of the water
Come and thirst no more

Well, come all you sinners
Come find His mercy
Come to the table
He will satisfy
Taste of His goodness
Find what you're looking for

For God so loved
The world that He gave us
His one and only
Son to save us
Whoever believes in Him
Will live forever

Bring all your failures
Bring your addictions
Come lay them down
At the foot of the cross
Jesus is waiting there
With open arms
see His open arms

For God so loved
The world that He gave us
His one and only
Son to save us
Whoever believes in Him
Will live forever

The power of hell
Forever defeated
Now it is well
I'm walking in freedom
For God so loved
God so loved the world

Praise God
Praise God
From whom all blessings flow
Praise Him
Praise Him
For the wonders of His love (praise God)

Praise God
Praise God
From whom all blessings flow
Praise Him
Praise Him
For the wonders of His love
His amazing love

For God so loved
The world that He gave us
His one and only
Son to save

For God so loved
The world that He gave us
His one and only
Son to save us
Whoever believes in Him
Will live forever

The power of hell
Forever defeated
Now it is well
I'm walking in freedom
For God so loved
God so loved the world

Bring all your failures
Bring your addictions
Come lay them down
At the foot of the cross
Jesus is waiting
God so loved the world

But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. Ephesians 2:13

Blood.  We know that for every creature, “its blood is its life” (Leviticus 17:14), yet the very connotation of the word can also bring thoughts of brutality, pain and death.  While the flow of blood sustains life, the shedding of blood ends it—at least in human terms.  As we introduce this new song, Thank You Jesus for the Blood, we as a church body have the opportunity to reflect on how Christ’s blood shed for us (Isaiah 53:5) and His subsequent resurrection (Matthew 28:5-6) secures and sustains abundant, eternal life. Jesus’ blood is for us life through death—just another example of how human understanding is often turned upside down in the context of God’s Kingdom (Philippians 1:21).

As I read through each day’s headlines, my heart breaks at the injustice, the malice and the lack of mercy exhibited between human beings. One needs to look no further than current events in Afghanistan or on the streets of our cities here at home. The bloodshed of innocents is a brutal reality of the fallen and broken condition of this world. It’s more than my frail flesh can handle, and I cry out, “Jesus, have mercy. Come quickly.”

But then I’m reminded of the ultimate Innocent One, whose blood was shed: God’s Son who dwelt among us (Matthew 1:23, John 1:14), lived a sinless life (1 Peter 2:22, Hebrews 4:15) and formed human bonds as a son, a brother, a cousin, and a friend over the course of thirty-some years.  He came to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10), and to reconcile us to the Father while we were still sinners and enemies of God (Romans 5:8-10).  In the greatest act of mercy and love ever witnessed, Jesus took on the depravity of the entire world and every generation (2 Corinthians 5:21) as He willingly submitted to the brutality of Roman crucifixion.  His innocent blood was shed and applied as payment for our sin, satisfying the wrath of a just and Holy God, and securing our salvation once and for all, forever and ever (1 Peter 2:24). Jesus stands in stark contrast to the fallen world we navigate—and rarely is this contrast more visible than when we gaze upon the brutality and the beauty of the cross.

So as we sing the words of this song together and reflect on the cost of our atonement, may we remember who we were (and are) apart from the grace of Christ. May we recall that the old has passed away, crucified and buried with Christ in the likeness of His death. May we rejoice that the new has come, raised anew in the likeness of His life.  May we remember the price that was paid in our Savior’s blood to purchase us from sin and death. And may we sing out in humble gratitude for the Savior who applied His blood to our debt and paved the way back to Him.

Thank you, Jesus.

————–

Thank You Jesus for the Blood

I was a wretch, I remember who I was.
I was lost, I was blind
I was running out of time
 
Sin separated, the breach was far too wide
But from the far side of the chasm
You held me in Your sight

So You made a way across the great divide
Left behind Heaven's throne
To build it here inside

And there at the cross, You paid the debt I owed
Broke my chains, freed my soul
For the first time I had hope
 
CHORUS
Thank you, Jesus, for the blood applied
Thank you, Jesus, it has washed me white
Thank you, Jesus, You have saved my life
Brought me from the darkness into glorious light
 
You took my place
Laid inside my tomb of sin
You were buried for three days
And then You walked right out again
 
And now death has no sting
And life has no end
For I have been transformed
By the blood of the Lamb
 
BRIDGE
There is nothing stronger
Than the wonder-working power of the blood, the blood
That calls us sons and daughters
We are ransomed by our Father
Through the blood, the blood
 

“I have given them Your Word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not ask that You take them out of the world, but that You keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; Your Word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.” John 17:14-19

Are you discouraged or frustrated by the barrage of identity politics, labels and divisions that run deep even within families and lifelong friendships?  Consider even a few of the labels thrown around today. Mask or no mask.  Vaccine or anti-vax.  Red or blue, left or right, black or white.  The world tells us we have worth based on the labels we have or the ones we avoid. But make no mistake – we are missing the big picture when we adopt these labels and entrench ourselves (and others) in these identities above that which we have in Jesus.  When we categorize people (particularly those we disagree with) by lesser identities we forget the foundational truth that all people are precious in God’s sight, not just the ones who happen to agree with our position on a particular matter. In a city that glorifies and promotes division perhaps more than any other, we are called to be in the world, but not of it. It’s easy to identify ourselves and others according to the world’s lesser labels, but who does Jesus say we are? As followers of Christ Jesus, God’s Word bestows the following “labels” upon us, each a priceless blessing:

• WE ARE NEW CREATIONS.  2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.  The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”
• WE ARE FREE.  Romans 6:6 says, “We know that old old self was crucified with Him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.”
• WE ARE RECONCILED TO GOD.  Romans 5:10 says, “For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by His life.”
• WE ARE CHILDREN OF GOD.  Romans 8:15-16 says, “…but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God…”
• WE ARE CO-HEIRS WITH CHRIST.  Galatians 3:29 says, “And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.”
• WE ARE FRIENDS OF CHRIST.  John 15:15 says, “No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.”
• WE ARE SECURE IN OUR SALVATION.  Romans 8:38-39 says, “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, not anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
• WE ARE EQUIPPED.  Romans 12:6-8 says, “Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.”
• WE ARE FULL & COMPLETE.  Ephesians 3:14-19 says, “For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of His glory He may grant you to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
• WE ARE WASHED, SANCTIFIED & JUSTIFIED.  1 Corinthians 6:11 says, “But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”

What palpable worth do the fading labels of this world have to offer in light of these eternal, invaluable promises?

As we seek to honor Jesus by knowing Him and making Him known, the RBC staff meets, worships and prays together each week. A couple months ago, Tony Cho led us in the song we’re introducing in Doxologies, My Worth Is Not In What I Own. Several worship team members have also expressed a deep resonance with its lyrics, particularly as we wrestle with the labels of the world versus the identity we are given in Christ. As we sing this song congregationally, our prayer is that it will aid each of us in reassessing where we find our worth: in the world, or in the Kingdom? In man’s words, or God’s Word? In the treasures we hold in our hands, or in the Savior who holds us in His?

May this song serve as a reminder of the solid truth that our identity if formed and founded in Jesus: that our worth is not found in human riches, worldly metrics, or cultural labels du jour, but in the name of Christ Jesus – our Redeemer, Treasure, Wellspring of our souls. 

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”  (Matthew 6:19-21)

————–

My Worth Is Not In What I Own (At the Cross)

My worth is not in what I own
Not in the strength of flesh and bone
But in the costly wounds of love
At the cross
 
My worth is not in skill or name
In win or lose, in pride or shame
But in the blood of Christ that flowed
At the cross
 
CHORUS
I rejoice in my Redeemer
Greatest Treasure
Wellspring of my soul
I will trust in Him, no other
My soul is satisfied in Him alone
 
As summer flowers we fade and die
Fame, youth and beauty hurry by
But life eternal calls to us
At the cross
 
I will not boast in wealth or might
Or human wisdom's fleeting light
But I will boast in knowing Christ
At the cross
 
Two wonders here that I confess
My worth and my unworthiness
My value fixed, my ransom paid
At the cross

“Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.” Ephesians 6:12

We celebrated Resurrection Sunday only a few short weeks ago. We combed through the Easter story and the good news of the gospel in intricate detail, from the dark moments that led to Jesus’ walk to Calvary to the glorious moments surrounding the revelation of His resurrection.  The truths that permeate Easter are magnificent and astounding. Yet how many of us returned to “normal life” the following Monday morning and allowed the spectacular truths of these events to become clouded by the mundane?  (Raising my hand with you here.)

What is it about the minutia of daily life that so cunningly robs us of the joy of our salvation?  Ephesians 6:12 says, “Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.”

Wow.  That’s a lot to go up against.

Ever heard the saying, “The devil is in the details”?  The seeming insignificance of each word we utter, each step we tread and each decision we make can ultimately culminate in something much more substantial (1 Peter 5:8).  In the midst of the daily routine, we can easily be overwhelmed and enticed into embracing the ways of the world (Isaiah 53:6) rather than abiding in Christ Jesus (John 15:5) as we are called to do.

Colossians 2:6-15 says,

^“6 Therefore, as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, ⁷ having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude. ⁸ See to it that there is no one who takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception in accordance with human tradition, in accordance with the elementary principles of the world, rather than in accordance with Christ. ⁹ For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, ¹⁰ and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over every ruler and authority; ¹¹ and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision performed without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ,¹² having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. ¹³ And when you were dead in your wrongdoings and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our wrongdoings, ¹⁴ having canceled the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. ¹⁵ When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.”

In Christ crucified, the world no longer defines us (Galatians 6:14); we no longer walk in darkness (John 8:12); fear is cast out (1 John 4:18); and the grave has no power over us (John 11:25) as we have been set free from the law of sin and death (Romans 8:1-4).  Praise Jesus.

The song Ain’t No Grave is a celebration of these truths and the power of the perfect love of God to assure (Philippians 1:6) and quiet our souls (Zephaniah 3:17) in the midst of a world often marked with doubt and chaos (John 14:27).  As we sing this triumphant anthem together, may we rejoice in the victory we have over the grave (Revelation 1:18) and the gift of eternal and abundant life (John 3:16, Romans 6:23, 1 Corinthians 15:52) through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

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Ain’t No Grave

Shame is a prison as cruel as a grave
Shame is a robber and he's come to take my name
Love is my redeemer, lifting me up from the ground
Love is the power where my freedom song is found
 
There ain't no grave
Gonna hold my body down
There ain't no grave
Gonna hold my body down
When I hear that trumpet sound
I'm gonna rise up outta the ground
There ain't no grave
Gonna hold my body down
 
Fear is a liar with a smooth and velvet tongue
Fear is a tyrant, he's always telling me to run
Love is a resurrection and love is a trumpet sound
Love is my weapon, I'm gonna take my giants down
 
There was a battle, a war between death and life
And there on a tree, the Lamb of God was crucified
And He went on down to hell, He took back every key
He rose up as a lion and He set all captives free

This is what the Lord says—
    he who made a way through the sea,
    a path through the mighty waters,
who drew out the chariots and horses,
    the army and reinforcements together,
and they lay there, never to rise again,
    extinguished, snuffed out like a wick:
“Forget the former things;
    do not dwell on the past.
See, I am doing a new thing!
    Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness
    and streams in the wasteland.” Isaiah 43:16-19

I often wonder how the Israelites must have felt as they approached the Red Sea with Pharaoh’s mighty army in hot pursuit. The story, found in the 14th chapter of Exodus, is a dramatic illustration of God’s omnipotent providence and His promise to weave all things together for the good of those who love him.  On the surface, one might think that God merely plucked the Israelites from a crushing defeat at the last excruciating moment.  The truth is that God held every heart-pounding instant in His almighty hand for the purpose of His glory. From commanding the Israelites’ flight from Egypt to the hardening of Pharaoh’s heart which led to his overwhelming pursuit of them; and from the Israelites’ incredible deliverance and safe passage through the Red Sea to the great victory over Pharaoh’s army with “all of the horses and chariots” resulting in an indisputable recognition of God’s unmatched might, God always finishes what He begins. Always.

God is faithful.  And when He is for us, no one can stand against us. (Romans 8:31).

It is my desire that as we sing this song together as a church body, we will enter into a bold and confident moment of declaration and thanksgiving for who God is: asking Him for nothing, but praising Him for the great things He has done (Psalm 126:3) and is yet to do.

He is with us. (Joshua 1:9)

He is for us. (Psalm 56:9)

He is faithful. (2 Thes 3:3)

He is our healer. (1 Peter 2:24)

He is our savior and redeemer. (John 3:16)

He is the way, the truth and the life. (John 14:6)

He is the light. (John 8:12)

He is the miracle worker.  (Luke 1:37)

He is the way maker. (Isaiah 43: 19)

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Way Maker

You are here
Moving in our midst
I worship You
I worship You
You are here
Working in this place
I worship You
I worship You

You are
Way maker, miracle worker
Promise keeper, light in the darkness
My God, that is who You are

You are here
Turning lives around
I worship You
I worship You
You are here
You're healing every heart
I worship You
I worship You

You are
Way maker, miracle worker
Promise keeper, light in the darkness
My God, that is who You are

Even when I don't see it, You're working
Even when I don't feel it, You're working
You never stop, You never stop working
You never stop, You never stop working

Way maker, miracle worker
Promise keeper, light in the darkness
My God, that is who You are

But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells. 2 Peter 3:13

During a time in which we are so keenly aware of the frail human condition, we are especially prone to spend our prayer and worship time in lamentation (Psalm 6:6) or simply wander off in despair (Proverbs 20:6).  Promises, a bold declaration of God’s faithfulness through the ages, puts the truth of God’s character at the forefront and brings me back to a place of worship through praise, joy, confidence and peace that passes understanding with its reminder of God’s unwavering covenant from generation to generation (Genesis 17:7).  It comes as a blessing and sweet reminder of God’s inherent goodness (Psalm 25:8) and His promise to complete the work that He begins (Philippians 1:6).  

Our God is faithful (Hebrews 13:8, Psalm 89:8) even when we struggle (2 Timothy 2:13).  It’s simply who He is, part of His very nature and character (Psalm 92:15).  His mercies are new each morning, His love never fails or ceases (Lamentations 3:22-23) and His promises are true (1 Kings 8:56): yesterday, today and tomorrow (Hebrews 13:8).  It is my prayer that, as we sing these words together, we will fix our eyes upon Christ Jesus in a posture of adoration, praise and thanksgiving – authentically and humbly exalting Him and resting on the firm foundation of His word (Luke 6:47-49, 1 Corinthians 3:11).  May we, this body of believers, truly put our trust in Jesus in every sense: remaining steadfast as the trials of this world come and go (James 1:12, Romans 12:12) – and impacting those around us with the deep, steadfast and abiding love of Christ Jesus in our daily lives and interactions (Matthew 28:16-20).

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Promises

God of Abraham
You're the God of covenant
And of faithful promises
Time and time again
You have proven
You'll do just what You said

Though the storms may come
And the winds may blow
I'll remain steadfast
And let my heart learn
When You speak a word
It will come to pass

Great is Your faithfulness to me
Great is Your faithfulness to me
From the rising sun to the setting same, 
I will praise Your name
Great is Your faithfulness to me

God from age to age
Though the earth may pass away
Your word remains the same, yeah
Your history can prove
There's nothing You can't do
You're faithful and true

Though the storms may come
And the winds may blow
I'll remain steadfast
And let my heart learn
When You speak a word
It will come to pass, yeah

Great is Your faithfulness to me
Great is Your faithfulness to me
From the rising sun to the setting same, 
I will praise Your name
Great is Your faithfulness to me

So I put my faith in Jesus
My anchor to the ground
My hope and firm foundation
He'll never let me down

Great is Your faithfulness to me
Great is Your faithfulness to me
From the rising sun to the setting same, 
I will praise Your name
From the rising sun to the setting same, 
I will praise Your name
From the rising sun to the setting same, 
I will praise Your name
In every season, great is Your faithfulness to me
Great is Your faithfulness to me
Great is Your faithfulness to me