Preparing for Sunday | September 11
SONGS WE’LL BE SINGING TOGETHER
Great Things (Worth It All) | [listen]
Mack Brock, Chris Brown, Wade Joye.
Psalm 126:3
Be Glad | [listen + lyrics]
Cody Carnes, Chris Davenport, Jason Ingram, Steven Furtick
Psalm 118:1
For Me And My House (We Belong To The Lord) | [listen]
Dustin Smith, Jordan Calle, and Krissy Nordhoff
Joshua 24:15
It Is Well with My Soul [listen + lyrics]
Horatio Spafford, Philip Bliss
Psalm 46:1
Whole Heart (Hold Me Now) [listen + lyrics]
Joel Houston, Aodhan King
Romans 5:1-2
I Will Look Up | [listen]
Mack Brock, Chris Brown, Wade Joye, Matt Redman
Psalm 121:1
SERMON TEXT
Jonah 2
MEMORIZE SCRIPTURE
“The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.” (Psalm 103:8)
Preparing for Sunday | September 4
SONGS WE’LL BE SINGING TOGETHER
Be Glad | [listen + lyrics]
Cody Carnes, Chris Davenport, Jason Ingram, Steven Furtick
Psalm 118:1
10,000 Reasons | [listen]
Jonas Myrin, Matt Redman
Psalm 103:1
Be Lifted High | [listen]
Mack Brock, Chris Brown, Jess Cates, Wade Joye, Jane Williams
John 3:30
God So Loved | [listen]
Ed Cash, Scott Cash, Franni Cash, Martin Cash, Andrew Bergthold
John 3:16
Goodness of God [listen + lyrics]
Jenn Johnson, Jason Ingram, Ben Fielding, Ed Cash, Brian Johnson
1 Chronicles 16:34
Come As You Are [listen]
Matt Maher, David Crowder, Ben Glover
Luke 15:24
SERMON TEXT
Jonah 1
MEMORIZE SCRIPTURE
“The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.” (Psalm 103:8)
Preparing for Sunday | August 28
SONGS WE’LL BE SINGING TOGETHER
Be Lifted High | [listen]
Mack Brock, Chris Brown, Jess Cates, Wade Joye, Jane Williams
John 3:30
I Thank God | [listen]
Aaron Moses, Chuck Butler, Dante Bowe, Jesse Cline, Maryanne J. George
Psalm 40:2-3
Battle Belongs | [listen]
Brian Johnson and Phil Wickham
Romans 8:31-32
What A Beautiful Name | [listen]
Ben Fielding, Brooke Ligertwood
Hebrews 1:3
Agnus Dei | [listen + lyrics]
Michael W. Smith
Revelation 5:12
Christ Is Enough | [listen + lyrics]
Reuben Morgan, Jonas Myrin
2 Corinthians 12:9
SERMON TEXT
Philippians 1
MEMORIZE SCRIPTURE
“And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.” (Philippians 1:9-11)
Doxologies: I Thank God
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
Preparing for Sunday | August 21
SONGS WE’LL BE SINGING TOGETHER
God So Loved | [listen]
Ed Cash, Scott Cash, Franni Cash, Martin Cash, Andrew Bergthold
John 3:16
I Thank God | [listen]
Aaron Moses, Chuck Butler, Dante Bowe, Jesse Cline, Maryanne J. George
Psalm 40:2-3
This Is Amazing Grace | [listen + lyrics]
Josh Farro, Phil Wickham, Jeremy Riddle
Revelation 5:12
Be Still My Soul (In You I Rest) | [listen + lyrics]
Katharina von Schlegel, Jason Ingram, Kari Jobe
Psalm 46:10
Who You Say I Am [listen]
Ben Fielding, Reuben Morgan
John 8:36
Come Behold the Wondrous Mystery | [listen + lyrics]
Matt Boswell, Matt Papa, Michael Bleecker
Colossians 1:26-27
SERMON TEXT
Colossians 3
Preparing for Sunday | August 14
SONGS WE’LL BE SINGING TOGETHER
I Thank God | [listen]
Aaron Moses, Chuck Butler, Dante Bowe, Jesse Cline, Maryanne J. George
Psalm 40:2-3
King of Glory | [listen + lyrics]
Brett Younker, Hank Bentley, Jason Ingram, Kristian Stanfill, and Matt Maher
Psalm 24:7
The Lion and the Lamb | [listen + lyrics]
Leeland Mooring, Benton Brown, Brian Johnson
Deuteronomy 33:26
Praise the Name of Jesus | [listen]
Roy Hicks, Roy Hicks Jr.
Psalm 18:2
Jesus Over Everything | [listen]
Andrew Holt, Ben Cantelon, Charles Starling
Philippians 2:9-10
Your Great Name | [listen + lyrics]
Michael Neale, Krissy Nordhoff
Philippians 2:10-11
SERMON TEXT
Genesis 12
Galatians 3
Preparing for Sunday | August 7
SONGS WE’LL BE SINGING TOGETHER
House of the Lord | [listen]
Jonathan Smith, Phil Wickham
Revelation 19:16
King of Glory | [listen + lyrics]
Brett Younker, Hank Bentley, Jason Ingram, Kristian Stanfill, and Matt Maher
Psalm 24:7
Yes I Will | [listen + lyrics]
Eddie Hoagland, Jonathan Smith, and Mia Fieldes
Psalm 63:3-4
Your Promises | [listen]
Chris Brown, Mack Brock, Steven Furtick, Wade Joye
2 Peter 1:3-4a
Jesus Paid It All | [listen + lyrics]
Elvina M. Hall
Colossians 2:13-14
SERMON TEXT
John 1
Matthew 16
MEMORIZE SCRIPTURE
“He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Simon Peter replied, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.'” (Matthew 16:15-16)
Preparing for Sunday | July 31
SONGS WE’LL BE SINGING TOGETHER
God So Loved | [listen]
Ed Cash, Scott Cash, Franni Cash, Martin Cash, Andrew Bergthold
John 3:16
Christ Is Enough | [listen + lyrics]
Reuben Morgan, Jonas Myrin
2 Corinthians 12:9
Before the Throne of God Above [listen]
Charitie Lees Bancroft, Vikki Cook
Romans 8:35
Yet Not I But Through Christ In Me | [listen + lyrics]
Jonny Robinson, Michael Farren, Rich Thompson
Galatians 2:20
SERMON TEXT
Matthew 10
Acts 10
MEMORIZE SCRIPTURE
“And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” (Matthew 10:28)
Preparing for Sunday | July 24
SONGS WE’LL BE SINGING TOGETHER
Battle Belongs | [listen]
Brian Johnson and Phil Wickham
Romans 8:31-32
Christ Be Magnified | [listen]
Cody Carnes, Cory Asbury, Ethan Hulse
Revelation 5:13
The Solid Rock | [listen + lyrics]
William Batchelder Bradbury, Edward Mote
Psalm 18:2
Cornerstone | [listen]
William Batchelder Bradbury, Eric Liljero, Reuben Morgan, Edward Mote, and Jonas Myrin
Psalm 18:2
Living Hope | [listen]
Phil Wickham, Brian Johnson
1 Peter 1:3
SERMON TEXT
Colossians 3
MEMORIZE SCRIPTURE
“If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.” (Colossians 3:1)
Preparing for Sunday | July 17
SONGS WE’LL BE SINGING TOGETHER
Open Up The Heavens | [listen | lyrics]
Meredith Andrews, Stuart Garrard. James McDonald, Andi Rozier
Isaiah 64:1
‘Tis So Sweet | [listen]
Louisa M. R. Stead
Psalm 34:8
For Me And My House (We Belong To The Lord) | [listen]
Dustin Smith, Jordan Calle, and Krissy Nordhoff
Joshua 24:15
Jesus Strong And Kind | [listen]
Colin Buchanan, Jonny Robinson, Michael Farren, and Rich Thompson
Matthew 11:28-29
SERMON TEXT
Matthew 11
MEMORIZE SCRIPTURE
“Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matthew 11:29)