Lent series ~ He Knows My Name ~ Maranatha Singers

http://amazingsalvation.blogspot.com/

Lent series ~ Where you are is where I belong ~ Laura Woodley

Lent Series ~ Where You Are Is Where I Belong

 Laura Woodley's beautiful song entitle Home is based on Psalm 139:

You traced the lines of my finger prints

Counted my days before I knew them

Precious thoughts for me more than the sands

And my name is written on my hands

You know the number of hairs on my head

All of my words before they are said

When I rise up and when I lie down

When I go in and when I go out

Father you have a place in your heart for me

Jesus your son made me family

And I am no orphan

By your Spirit I receieve (x2)

I have found my heart

Where you are is where I belong

A place I fit perfecty

There is room in you for me (x2)

There is room in you for me

There is room in you ...

for me

I have found my home.

Father God, You know more about me than I know about myself.  You know my in's and outs, the good and the bad, the happy and the sad and you still chose to have me in your family.  You are a refuge for me.  Where you are is where I belong It's there I fit so perfectly.  You have made room for me.  Thank you.

Lent Series ~ From Psalm 139 ~ Towan Greene

If I make my bed in the depths

Or settle on the far side of the sea

If I rise on the wings of the dawn

Even there your hand will follow me

If I say surely darkness will hide me

The night will shine on me like the day

Holy Lord, draw me near to your glory

I know your warmth and your light will never fade away

Search me o God and know my heart

Test my ways and know my anxious mind

Leed me home to your peace

No greater love exists for me to find

This song was written by Towan Greene who was at that time a member of our music group.  He brought the song to a practice several years ago, the words have stuck with me.  They are words are taken from Psalm 139 and when I asked Towan if he'd be happy for me to share them, he suggested reading Psalm 138 v 6 onwards as well.

Psalm 138 v6+  (from the New Living Translation)

Though I am surrounded by troubles,
      you will protect me from the anger of my enemies.
   You reach out your hand,
      and the power of your right hand saves me.
The Lord will work out his plans for my life—
      for your faithful love, O Lord, endures forever.
      Don’t abandon me, for you made me


It's a cry from the heart of David,   A statement of belief  "Though I am surrounded by troubles, you will protect me from the anger of my enemies."
A statement of occurance   "You reach out your hand,
      and the power of your right hand saves me."
A statement of  hope "The Lord will work out his plans for my life—
      for your faithful love, O Lord, endures forever."

And a statement of doubt " Don't abandon me for you made me"

Psalm 139 then goes on to affirm Gods love, Gods presence and Gods control.

I really love the Way that Towan's song verses end with such positive statements

Even there your hand will follow me

I know your warmth and your light will never fade away

No greater love exists for me to find

Great thoughts to carry with you.

Lent series ~ Meditation Psalm 139 ~ Liz Babbs

lent Series ~ Footprints

Psalm 139 speaks of the fact that
"Where can I go from your spirit, where can I flee from your presence?
It's so often that when people are going through tough times in their lives that they will feel distance from God.  At these times human emotions of anger, dispair and hurt block him out, but during these times, the Psalm reminds us:

"If I go up to the heavens, you are there (when I am happy you are with me)
If I make my bed in the depths, you are there with me (when I am sad you are with me)
Even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast

To many many people, both Christian and non christian, Footprints in the sand is a well know poem. It has graced many a poster, bookmark and card. The words it speaks are comforting as they speak about our walk though life with God. At times when we are coping there are two sets of footprints, ours and Gods, but at times where we go though struggles there is one set. That set belongs to God. That's when he picks us up in his arms and carries us through the tough times.
For many years no one knew the author, although many people tried to claim ownership. In the end the writer was proved to be Mary Stevenson (Zangare).
As a young girl, Mary had hand written copies of the poem to give to friends when they were going through tough times in their lives; It was sometime after this that friends of Mary saw it in print and wondered why she wasn't given credit for writing it. Solicitors told her that it would be very hard to prove her the author since it had been used by many publishers of religious materials and greeting cards. Mary wrote 'Footprints' in 1936 when she was very young and knew nothing of copyrighting. She didn't follow up her claims until in 1984 when clearing out her garage, she found an original copy and with carbon dating and other tests, Mary was officially recognised as the writer.

One night a man had a dream. He dreamed
he was walking along the beach with the LORD.

Across the sky flashed scenes from his life.
For each scene he noticed two sets of
footprints in the sand: one belonging
to him, and the other to the LORD.

When the last scene of his life flashed before him,
he looked back at the footprints in the sand.

He noticed that many times along the path of
his life there was only one set of footprints.

He also noticed that it happened at the very
lowest and saddest times in his life.

This really bothered him and he
questioned the LORD about it:

"LORD, you said that once I decided to follow
you, you'd walk with me all the way.
But I have noticed that during the most
troublesome times in my life,
there is only one set of footprints.
I don't understand why when
I needed you most you would leave me."

The LORD replied:

"My son, my precious child,
I love you and I would never leave you.
During your times of trial and suffering,
when you see only one set of footprints,
it was then that I carried you."

Lent Series ~ Psalm 139 ~ I cannot Hide from you ~ Clay Crosse

Lent Series ~ I cannot hide from You

This song is taken from Psalm 139 writen by David. It's a Psalm that has very familiar words. "Lord you have searched me and you know me". This will be a recurring theme for my thoughts as we go through Lent.
So often we put on a disguise to go through life.  The mask that hides our true feelings, attitudes and thoughts.  God see's straight through the mask.  He knew us before we were born, he knitted us together in our mothers womb's.  "all the days you ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." how then can we hide anything about ourselves from him .... we can't. 

You have looked into my heart

You know everything about me

You see my deepest thoughts

And every corner of my soul

Each single step I take

And all my words before I speak them

Every place that I have been

And every place that I will go

I cannot hide from You

You know me all too well

There's no story of my life

That Your memory could not tell

I can ride the morning wings

Till I'm completely out of view

But whether in dark or light

I cannot hide from You

Long before I drew first breath

You already knew my secrets

You watched as I was formed

Out of sight from human eyes

Your Spirit is with me

And I am always in Your presence

When I sit and when I stand

When I sleep and when I rise

Turn my heart from wicked ways

Search the whispers of my mind

And lead me on the road

That will take me home

To everlasting life

Take off your mask, be the beautiful person God made you to be.