Tag: Chris Tomlin

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Lay Me Down

As any long time reader knows I get a lot of inspiration from music, and that has been pretty clear this week as well.   Early this month, Chris Tomlin released his new collection of songs and I have to say, I can’t get enough of it.  I highly recommend that you take a least a preview listen at your favorite music store.

For most of the week, I have cycling the prayer found in the middle of the song “Lay Me Down”, so I can’t help but write about it today.

“It will be my joy to say your will, your way – Always!”

Don’t you wish that this is really how you lived?  That it would be considered a joy to turn over your will to the Lord.  It’s a great pounding song with some thought-provoking lyrics – sort of the modern verse of ‘I Surrender All’!  And one that is full of prayers to help us turn over our will and lay our selves down and the foot of the Creator of the World.  The one who has provided us with unimaginable promises!

Take a listen and consider the joy you can get from letting the Lord lead.

I know, O Lord, that the way of man is not in himself, that it is not in man who walks to direct his steps. Jeremiah 10:23 ESV

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Truly He Taught Us

The other day at work I was listening to some Christmas music whilst I banged out a power point presentation.  After a few rounds of Veggie Tales singing “I can’t believe it’s Christmas, I think I might be getting something”, the shuffle of my iPod took me over to Chris Tomlin’s version of O Holy Night.  One verse in particular stuck out to me, and that was this:

“Truly he taught us to love one another”

and then that is followed by this

“In his name all oppression shall cease”

So here we are, one week from the celebration of the Christos, the Christ, the Messiah, the Savior’s birth.  We will be gathering around Christmas trees with our families, passing the Eggnog and opening presents.  But let’s not forget the lessons that babe taught us as he grew in wisdom and stature. For he did indeed did tell us,

34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:34-35 (New International Version, ©2010)

Lets heed James’ call and follow the law of love:

22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says – James 1:22 NIV

and then we can truly sing along:

Truly He taught us to love one another,
His law is love and His gospel is peace.
Chains he shall break, for the slave is our brother.
And in his name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
With all our hearts we praise His holy name.
Christ is the Lord! Then ever, ever praise we,
His power and glory ever more proclaim!
His power and glory ever more proclaim!

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Go Go Joe!

A few weekends ago I traveled up the road to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee with some local high schoolers and my family to take in “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat”.    It’s a great and fun show, and the tunes have been stuck in my head for weeks. There was one part of the movie that has stuck with me.  It’s after Joseph has been betrayed the second time (  the first by his brothers, the second by Potiphar).  He sits in jail with no hope.  No way out.  No chance.   It’s in this moment that Joseph sings about how he doesn’t matter and that his life is not important.  But right there in that same moment, the narrator starts to sing to him “Go Go Joe, Go Go Joe”.  In the midst of his despair she starts to encourage him and finishes her encouragement with “We’ve read the book and you come out on top!”.  Its a funny line, but a really really powerful line. 

That’s the part of Joseph we can relate to.  I don’t tell dreams, I don’t have twelve brothers and I dont have a multicolor coat ( oh, well, yes I do…)  .. but really, I can relate to feeling at rock bottom, to feeling that you are alone, or that you have no hope.  And I caught myself rejoicing in my mind when I heard her singing”  We’ve read the book and you come out on top!”  It reminded me of my of my favorite Chris Tomlin songs – I Will Rise

There’s a peace I come to know, though my heart and flesh my fail, there’s an anchor for my soul ,I can say it is well, Jesus has overcome and the grave is overwhelmed, the victory is won, he is risen from the dead, and I will rise!

Yes!

We have read the book, we come out on top.

 24See that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father. 25And this is what he promised us—even eternal life. 1 John 2:24-25 

 26You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, 27for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.  Galatians 3:26-29

And if you are not sure what happens to Joseph or if just you want to see a great show, my son and nephews will be in a rendition of “Joseph” along with the high schoolers at Boyd Buchanan this weekend.  Three shows – 7 on Friday night, 2 and 7 on Saturday.  Come out there and enjoy a great show and rejoice that we come out on top!

Enjoy the day you have been given – its a day closer to the promise.

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Happy Thanksgiving

Its Thanksgiving.  I hope you take some time today in between walks, runs, turkey, the Lions, turkey, family, turkey, movies, turkey and naps to consider the blessings you have in this wonderful world that God has given us.   And most importantly, remember the free gift of salvation you have been given!

My chains are gone
I’ve been set free
My God, my Savior has ransomed me
And like a flood His mercy reigns
Unending love, Amazing grace (Chris Tomlin Amazing Grace)

Our chains are gone!  That’s something to be thankful for.  Live free, and enjoy the day, enjoying the harvest you have been blessed with!

22-25 “Do you have any idea how powerful God is?
Have you ever heard of a teacher like him?
Has anyone ever had to tell him what to do,
or correct him, saying, ‘You did that all wrong!’?
Remember, then, to praise his workmanship,
which is so often celebrated in song.
Everybody sees it;
nobody is too far away to see it.  26 “Take a long, hard look. See how great he is—infinite,
greater than anything you could ever imagine or figure out! (Job 36:22-26, The Message)

Happy Thanksgiving!