When the entire world seems to be headed away from You,
Lord, give me the strength to flee to You.
In Your strength, I can face anything.
Even if I am forced to fight against countless enemies,
if I am pressed to the point where I despair of my very life,
just to get a glimpse of You, I will fight.
I will fight to get to You,
For where else could I go?
Who but You, Lord, holds the keys
to life, and death and eternity?
No door can stay barred against You.
Even what is done in darkest secrecy
cannot stay hidden from You.
I am in anguish inside;
I am fearful that my wicked deeds
will be found out, yet I pray that You will find them.
I pray that you will find out my wicked deeds,
for I know that my depravity will melt away
when it is exposed to Your light.
Lord, please give me Your strength
so that I may master myself and
spend my remaining days doing Your work.
Showing posts with label Praise. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Praise. Show all posts
Monday, January 27, 2014
Tuesday, January 21, 2014
The Who?
Praise the Lord,
for He is exceedingly great.
Who but He could take my sin
and cast it away like trash,
never to be remembered or considered again?
Who but He could know my inmost being,
yet still care for me?
Who but He deserves everything I have to give?
There are three things that make God great,
Four things that make Him exceedingly great.
My God knows all.
My God sees all.
My God is eternal.
My God is faithful.
Oh, join me;
come, let us go
to the House of His People.
There, we will offer ourselves to Him,
though it is He who makes us acceptable.
Oh, join me;
come, let us go
to a world that is perishing.
There we will share His love
with those who have no hope.
Praise the Lord,
for He is exceedingly great.
Who but He is worthy?
for He is exceedingly great.
Who but He could take my sin
and cast it away like trash,
never to be remembered or considered again?
Who but He could know my inmost being,
yet still care for me?
Who but He deserves everything I have to give?
There are three things that make God great,
Four things that make Him exceedingly great.
My God knows all.
My God sees all.
My God is eternal.
My God is faithful.
Oh, join me;
come, let us go
to the House of His People.
There, we will offer ourselves to Him,
though it is He who makes us acceptable.
Oh, join me;
come, let us go
to a world that is perishing.
There we will share His love
with those who have no hope.
Praise the Lord,
for He is exceedingly great.
Who but He is worthy?
Saturday, August 3, 2013
No Problem, Mon
If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 1:8-9
This is a very simple idea; so simple in fact that it is easy to forget all about it. I wonder how many people take the time to do an inventory of the past day and confess to and ask forgiveness for their sins? If God already knows everything, He surely knows what our sins are, far more clearly than we do; why does He want us to confess our sins to Him?
Confessing our sins does not benefit God; it benefits us. It does not change God, it changes us. All sin is evil; from simple lies of convenience to murder. This is the bad news. The good news is, there is no sin that God cannot and will not forgive when we sincerely seek forgiveness from Him. God is infinite; His ability to forgive is infinitely greater than our ability to sin.
“Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.”
Isaiah 1:18
No matter how badly you think you have failed; no matter how far you think you have strayed from the path that God has set for you, He is willing and ready to take you back if you will just return to Him. Think of the story of the so-called “Prodigal Son”. After he had lost all his money, this young man returned home in shame, intending to beg his father to take him back as a hired servant. As he was nearing home, his father saw him from a distance. This father, who had every right to be angry and berate the son for his foolish behavior, forgot his pain, forgot his pride, even forgot his dignity, and ran to his son. God is just like the father in the story. Just as the father in the story bore the cost of his son's failure, God has paid the cost for us.
This is what God says; “If you confess your sins, I am faithful and just and will forgive all of your sins and purify you from all unrighteousness.” This is the most incredible invitation that anyone could ever receive. Take the simple step and that this invitation today.
1 John 1:8-9
This is a very simple idea; so simple in fact that it is easy to forget all about it. I wonder how many people take the time to do an inventory of the past day and confess to and ask forgiveness for their sins? If God already knows everything, He surely knows what our sins are, far more clearly than we do; why does He want us to confess our sins to Him?
Confessing our sins does not benefit God; it benefits us. It does not change God, it changes us. All sin is evil; from simple lies of convenience to murder. This is the bad news. The good news is, there is no sin that God cannot and will not forgive when we sincerely seek forgiveness from Him. God is infinite; His ability to forgive is infinitely greater than our ability to sin.
“Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.”
Isaiah 1:18
No matter how badly you think you have failed; no matter how far you think you have strayed from the path that God has set for you, He is willing and ready to take you back if you will just return to Him. Think of the story of the so-called “Prodigal Son”. After he had lost all his money, this young man returned home in shame, intending to beg his father to take him back as a hired servant. As he was nearing home, his father saw him from a distance. This father, who had every right to be angry and berate the son for his foolish behavior, forgot his pain, forgot his pride, even forgot his dignity, and ran to his son. God is just like the father in the story. Just as the father in the story bore the cost of his son's failure, God has paid the cost for us.
This is what God says; “If you confess your sins, I am faithful and just and will forgive all of your sins and purify you from all unrighteousness.” This is the most incredible invitation that anyone could ever receive. Take the simple step and that this invitation today.
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Take on Me
I praise you Lord for your mighty strength, for your prowess in battle on my behalf. Just the thought of Your glorious presence is enough to cause my heart to tremble.
My enemies are arrayed against me; I am powerless to defend myself. I am forced to watch, helpless as the enemy of all that is good sets out his heinous siege works against my home and my family. Certainly we will be consumed if You do not come quickly to our aid. As swift as lightning crosses the sky, You are upon Your enemy. Your sword flashes again and again as Your enemies are stricken down. The carnage is too terrible for me to behold; I do my best to shield my son and my wife from the scene. Suddenly, as quickly as it began, combat is ended. Your mighty strength in battle is instantaneously matched by your tender mercy, as you take me and my family into Your arms. I celebrate your victory with joy.
It is only then that I see Your son. I cry out in horror as as Your enemies gather around Him. The demons approach, cautiously, fearfully; Your son is silent before them. Then, they attack. They strike Him again and again. The way is cleared for a large, reptilian creature, armed with a cruel whip, strewn with jagged bits of metal. I cry out again, begging You to rescue Your son. You just hold us tighter. Your son is mocked, beaten and whipped horribly. Increasing the cruelty still further, the torture is stopped before the point of death. Now they are leading Him; they are forcing Him to walk, carrying the instrument of his impending execution. The demons celebrate with glee as Your son is lashed and then nailed to a cross. As He dies, I see a tear in Your eye.
“Why didn't You save Him?” I scream, unable to comprehend what I've just seen; “how could You let Him die?”
You respond with a single word, “Behold.”
In the midst of their celebration, the demons pause; what was that sound? Shuddering, they turn to look at Jesus. He was dead, of that there was no doubt. Equally certain and beyond belief, He is now alive. With a voice like thunder, He shouts. As He brandishes a sword, the demons shriek and flee for their lives. For a time, they are allowed to escape.
“Someday,” You say, “my Son will finish this fight”.
I praise you Lord for your mighty strength, for your prowess in battle on my behalf.
My enemies are arrayed against me; I am powerless to defend myself. I am forced to watch, helpless as the enemy of all that is good sets out his heinous siege works against my home and my family. Certainly we will be consumed if You do not come quickly to our aid. As swift as lightning crosses the sky, You are upon Your enemy. Your sword flashes again and again as Your enemies are stricken down. The carnage is too terrible for me to behold; I do my best to shield my son and my wife from the scene. Suddenly, as quickly as it began, combat is ended. Your mighty strength in battle is instantaneously matched by your tender mercy, as you take me and my family into Your arms. I celebrate your victory with joy.
It is only then that I see Your son. I cry out in horror as as Your enemies gather around Him. The demons approach, cautiously, fearfully; Your son is silent before them. Then, they attack. They strike Him again and again. The way is cleared for a large, reptilian creature, armed with a cruel whip, strewn with jagged bits of metal. I cry out again, begging You to rescue Your son. You just hold us tighter. Your son is mocked, beaten and whipped horribly. Increasing the cruelty still further, the torture is stopped before the point of death. Now they are leading Him; they are forcing Him to walk, carrying the instrument of his impending execution. The demons celebrate with glee as Your son is lashed and then nailed to a cross. As He dies, I see a tear in Your eye.
“Why didn't You save Him?” I scream, unable to comprehend what I've just seen; “how could You let Him die?”
You respond with a single word, “Behold.”
In the midst of their celebration, the demons pause; what was that sound? Shuddering, they turn to look at Jesus. He was dead, of that there was no doubt. Equally certain and beyond belief, He is now alive. With a voice like thunder, He shouts. As He brandishes a sword, the demons shriek and flee for their lives. For a time, they are allowed to escape.
“Someday,” You say, “my Son will finish this fight”.
I praise you Lord for your mighty strength, for your prowess in battle on my behalf.
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Jump!
When I started my journal for this year, I quoted the Scripture “If you utter worthy, not worthless, words, you will be my spokesman.” - From Jeremiah 15:19. After a very long time praying and seeking the Lord, I truly feel that He has called me to communicate His message to those around me, specifically through the written word. I am not claiming to have any sort of special revelation, or exclusive access to God, far from it. It is my prayer that through the gifts He has given me, someone may be encouraged, uplifted, blessed or come to a saving knowledge of the Lord. Please pray for me as I attempt to follow this path; pray that I will not become discouraged and that I will be faithful to God, my family and to you, my potential readers. Thank you for your kind attention and support;
Sincerely,
Kenny Brown
Monday, March 12, 2012
Who's Crying Now?
On Saturday, I attended the funeral for a member of our church. He died suddenly of a heart attack at age 44. This man had a disability, and had lost both his parents and two of his siblings. At a previous church he had attended, he had been first charged for a ride to church, and later asked not to attend at all. If anyone had reason to be angry with God, it was this man. And yet, he was not angry with God. At every service, this man would sit in the front row, fully participating in every aspect of the church service. During worship, he would raise his hands, sing and clap as loudly as he could. During the sermon, no one was more attentive. Away from church, he would spend hours studying the Bible. When he would listen to praise music, he would sing along so loudly that it was impossible to watch TV in his house. Many people would say that this man did not have much to offer God. He was not a talented speaker; Though he would sing exuberantly, he did not have any musical talent to speak of. In spite of his limitations, he had a profound impact on our church. Nearly 300 people filled our church for his memorial service. I can't remember ever being in a memorial service where God was so truly worshiped as he was on Saturday. I thank the Lord for the life of this man and the example that he was to those around him.
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