Tag Archives: Love

A Fresh New You

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Colossians 3:5-10ย The Voice

So kill your earthly impulses: loose sex, impure actions, unbridled sensuality, wicked thoughts, and greed (which is essentially idolatry). Itโ€™s because of these that Godโ€™s wrath is coming [upon the sons and daughters of disobedience], so avoid them at all costs. These are the same things you once pursued, and together you spawned a life of evil. But now make sure you shed such things: anger, rage, spite, slander, and abusive language. And donโ€™t go on lying to each other since you have sloughed away your old skin along with its evil practices for a fresh new you, which is continually renewed in knowledge according to the image of the One who created you.

โœž Music “Set Me Free (acoustic)” by Casting Crowns

“Set Me Free”

It hasn’t always been this way
I remember brighter days
Before the dark ones came
Stole my mind
Wrapped my soul in chains

Now I live among the dead
Fighting voices in my head
Hoping someone hears me crying in the night
And carries me away

Set me free of the chains holding me
Is anybody out there hearing me?
Set me free

Morning breaks another day
Finds me crying in the rain
All alone with my demons I am
Who is this man that comes my way?
The dark ones shriek
They scream His name
Is this the One they say will set the captives free?
Jesus, rescue me

As the God man passes by
He looks straight through my eyes
And darkness cannot hide

Do you want to be free?
Lift your chains
I hold the key
All power on Heav’n and Earth belong to me

You are free
You are free
You are free

Love Is A Commitment

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โ€œLove is a commitment that will be tested in the most vulnerable areas of spirituality, a commitment that will force you to make some very difficult choices. It is a commitment that demands that you deal with your lust, your greed, your pride, your power, your desire to control, your temper, your patience, and every area of temptation that the Bible clearly talks about. It demands the quality of commitment that Jesus demonstrates in His relationship to us.โ€

Ravi Zacharias

The Gladness Of The Man Of Sorrows

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As he sees us day by day more conformed to his image, he rejoices in us. Just as you see the sculptor with his chisel fetching out the statue which lies hidden in the block of marble, taking off a corner here, and a chip there, and a piece hereโ€”see how he smiles when he brings out the features of the form divineโ€”so our Saviour, as he proceeds with his graving tool, working through the operation of the Spirit, and making us like unto himself, finds much delight in us. The painter makes rough drafts at first, and lays on the colours roughly; some do not understand what he is doing, and for three or four sittings the portrait is much unlike the man it aims at representing; but the painter can discern the features in the canvas; he sees it looming through that mist and haze of colour; he knows that beauty will yet beam forth from yonder daubs and blotches. So Jesus, though we are yet but mere outlines of his image, can discover his own perfection in us where no eye but his own, as the Mighty Artist, can perceive it. Dear friends, it is for this reason, because we are the work of his hands, that he takes delight in us. We are his brethrenโ€”and brothers should delight in brothers. We are his spouseโ€”and where should the husband find his comfort but in his bride? We are his bodyโ€”shall not the head be content with the members? We are one with him, vitally, personally, everlastingly one; and it is little marvel, therefore, if we have a mutual joy in each other, so that his garments smell of myrrh, aloes, and cassia, out of the ivory palaces of his church, wherein he has been made glad.

As yet we do not see The Lord Jesus Christ or what we will be as the finished product of his work for us and in us, but that fact should not lessen our joy ย Our Saviour is totally satisfied with the fruit of his work for sinners.

by Charles Spurgeon

โœž Music “Believe” by Forthangel

“Believe”

He’s waiting patiently on a hospital bed
he’s waiting for the doctor to come back in
by then he falls asleep wishing he was
just as strong as everybody else
he just wants to live like everybody else

[Chorus:]
what if I believed
what if I prayed
if I did what it make all this go away
where did I go wrong
what didn’t I do right
cuz I don’t wanna have to say goodbye
cuz I still believe

The doctor takes a breath and he opens the door
his face said everything they all had feared
then the boy began to cry just like he had a thousand times
he never thought that life could hurt like this
so he prayed with all the faith that he had left

[Chorus]

In the pouring rain somewhere far away
there’s someone that hurts just like I do and
In the pouring rain somewhere far away
there’s someone that hurts just like you do
but I still believe I’m still gonna pray

I’m gonna thank the Lord for every day
I’m still holding on I’m still gonna fight
cuz I don’t wanna have to say goodbye
no I don’t wanna have to say goodbye

From Death To Life

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Ephesians 2:1-10ย Easy-to-Read Version

From Death to Life

In the past you were spiritually dead because of your sins and the things you did against God. Yes, in the past your lives were full of those sins. You lived the way the world lives, following the ruler of the evil powers that are above the earth. That same spirit is now working in those who refuse to obey God. In the past all of us lived like that, trying to please our sinful selves. We did all the things our bodies and minds wanted. Like everyone else in the world, we deserved to suffer Godโ€™s anger just because of the way we were.

But God is rich in mercy, and he loved us very much. We were spiritually dead because of all we had done against him. But he gave us new life together with Christ. (You have been saved by Godโ€™s grace.) Yes, it is because we are a part of Christ Jesus that God raised us from death and seated us together with him in the heavenly places. God did this so that his kindness to us who belong to Christ Jesus would clearly show for all time to come the amazing richness of his grace.

I mean that you have been saved by grace because you believed. You did not save yourselves; it was a gift from God. You are not saved by the things you have done, so there is nothing to boast about. God has made us what we are. In Christ Jesus, God made us new people so that we would spend our lives doing the good things he had already planned for us to do.

โœž Music “Love Came Down” by Brian Johnson

“Love Came Down”

If my heart is overwhelmed and I cannot hear Your voice
Iโ€™ll hold on to what is true though I cannot see
If the storms of life they come and the road ahead gets steep
I will lift these hands in faith
I will believe

I remind myself of all that Youโ€™ve done
And the life I have because Your Son

Love came down and rescued me
Love came down and set me free
I am Yours I am forever Yours
Mountain high or valley low
I sing out remind my soul
That I am Yours I am forever Yours

When my heart is filled with hope
and every promise comes my way
When I feel Your hands of grace rest upon me

Staying desperate for You God
Staying humbled at Your feet
I will lift these hands and praise
I will believe

I remind myself of all that Youโ€™ve done
And the life I have because Your Son

Love came down and rescued me
Love came down and set me free
I am Yours I am forever Yours
Mountain high or valley low
I sing out remind my soul
That I am Yours I am forever Yours

I am Yours
I am Yours
All my days
I am Yours

I am Yours, I’m Yours forever
I am Yours, I’m Yours forever
I am Yours, I’m Yours forever Lord

Love came down and rescued me
Love came down and set me free
I am Yours I am forever Yours
Mountain high or valley low
I sing out remind my soul
That I am Yours I am forever Yours

โœž Music “Forgive Me” by John Waller

“Forgive Me”

I’ve been raised in the perfect surroundings
Go to church once a week sometimes two
Lord I wanna be what You want me to be
Often sin represents all I do

Forgive me
Once again cleanse me
Forgive me
Once again cover me
I don’t even know why Your mercy never dies
But I’m glad

Your Spirit always seems to grab me
Just before I go over the edge
What I can’t understand is why you’re even here
When I’ve trashed my oath and my pledge

Forgive me
Once again cleanse me
Forgive me
Once again cover me
I don’t even know why Your mercy never dies
But I’m glad
Jesus I’m glad

โœž Music “Here” by Kari Jobe

“Here”

Come and rest here
Come and lay your burdens down
Come and rest here
There is refuge for you now

[Pre-Chorus:]
You’ll find His peace
And know you’re not alone anymore
He is near
You’ll find His healing
You’re heart isn’t shattered anymore
He is here

[Chorus:]
Breathe in
Breathe out
You will
You will find Him here

[Bridge:]
I will rest in You

[Outro:]
You will find Him
You will find Him here
You will find Him
You will find Him here.

“Only One Life” by Charles Studd

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Two little lines I heard one day, Traveling along life’s busy way;
Bringing conviction to my heart, And from my mind would not depart;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Only one life, yes only one, Soon will its fleeting hours be done;
Then, in ‘that day’ my Lord to meet, And stand before His Judgment seat;
Only one life,’ twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Only one life, the still small voice, Gently pleads for a better choice
Bidding me selfish aims to leave, And to God’s holy will to cleave;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Only one life, a few brief years, Each with its burdens, hopes, and fears;
Each with its days I must fulfill, living for self or in His will;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.

When this bright world would tempt me sore, When Satan would a victory score;
When self would seek to have its way, Then help me Lord with joy to say;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Give me Father, a purpose deep, In joy or sorrow Thy word to keep;
Faithful and true what e’er the strife, Pleasing Thee in my daily life;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Oh let my love with fervor burn, And from the world now let me turn;
Living for Thee, and Thee alone, Bringing Thee pleasure on Thy throne;
Only one life, “twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Only one life, yes only one, Now let me say, “Thy will be done”;
And when at last I’ll hear the call, I know I’ll say ’twas worth it all”;
Only one life,’ twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.

โœž Music “Who You Are” by Unspoken

“Who You Are”

I know that look you’re giving,
Like you’ve got something to prove
‘Cause I have walked for miles and miles
In that same pair of shoes

You refuse forgiveness
Like it’s something to be earned
Sometimes pain’s the only way that we can learn

(Chorus)
You can never fall too hard,
So fast, so far
That you can’t get back
When you’re lost

Where you are is never too late,
So bad, so much
That you can’t change
Who you are, ooo-oooh
You can change who you are, ooo-oooh

You believe in freedom,
But you don’t know how to choose
You gotta step out of your feelings
That you’re so afraid to lose

And everyday
You put your feet on the floor, you gotta walk through the door
It’s never gonna be easy
But it’s all worth fighting for

(Chorus)

So let the ashes fall wherever they land
Come back from wherever you’ve been
To the foot of the cross
To the feet of Jesus,
The feet of Jesus

(Chorus)

โœž Music “Shadows” by David Crowder Band ft Lecrae

“Shadows”

When shadows fall on us
We will not fear
We will remember

When darkness falls on us
We will not fear
We will remember

When all seems lost
When we’re thrown and we’re tossed
We’ll remember the cost
We’re resting in the
Shadow of the cross

With every breath I take, every heart beat
Sunrise and the moon lights in the dark street
Every glance, every dance, every note of a song
All a gift undeserved that I shouldn’t have known
Every moment I lie, Every moment I covet
I’m deserving to die, I’m earning your judgment
I, without the cross there’s only condemnation
If Jesus wasn’t executed there’s no celebration
So in times that are good, in times that are bad
For any time I’ve had it all I will be glad
And I will boast in the cross, I boast in His name
I will boast in the sunshine, boast in His reign (rain)
What’s my life if it’s not praising You
Another dollar in my bank account of vain pursuit, I do
Not count my life as any value or precious at all

Let me finish my race, let me answer Your call

Are You Dying To Love?

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Galatians 2:20ย The Voice

I have been crucified with the Anointed Oneโ€”I am no longer aliveโ€”but the Anointed is living in me; and whatever life I have left in this failing body I live by the faithfulness of Godโ€™s Son, the One who loves me and gave His body on the cross for me.

1 Corinthians 12:31ย The Voiceย 

Pursue the greater gifts, and let me tell you of a more excellent wayโ€”love.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Itโ€™s a loving God who birthed creation and now pursues a broken people in the most spectacular way. That same love must guide believers.

Love is patient; love is kind. Love isnโ€™t envious, doesnโ€™t boast, brag, or strut about. Thereโ€™s no arrogance in love; itโ€™s never rude, crude, or indecentโ€”itโ€™s not self-absorbed. Love isnโ€™t easily upset. Love doesnโ€™t tally wrongs or celebrate injustice; but truthโ€”yes, truthโ€”is loveโ€™s delight! Love puts up with anything and everything that comes along; it trusts, hopes, and endures no matter what.

Matthew 10:38 The Voice

If you refuse to take up your cross and follow Me on the narrow road, then you are not worthy of Me.

Put On Love!

Red Love logo with reflection

Colossians 3:12-14ย The Voice

Since you are all set apart by God, made holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with a holy way of life: compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Put up with one another. Forgive. Pardon any offenses against one another, as the Lord has pardoned you, because you should act in kind. But above all these, put on love! Love is the perfect tie to bind these together.

โœž Music “Your Love Is Moving” by Christy Nockels

“Your Love Is Moving”

The hem of Your robe is where our healing lies
The wounds in Your hands are where our life resides
Your love is moving, moving among us

We’re desperate to see the beauty of Your face
We’re longing to know the wonders of Your grace
Your love is moving, moving among us

So we reach, we reach our hands to You
Our God, You are here and Your mercies are new
We fall, we fall in worship to You
Our God, You are here and in Your power You move

The faith in our hearts is how we welcome You
The joy in our lives is Your love breaking through
Your love is moving, moving among us

Thank You Lord
Thank You Lord

So we reach, we reach our hands to You
Our God, You are here and Your mercies are new
And We fall, we fall in worship to You
Our God, You are here and in Your power You move

Yes we reach, we reach our hands to You
Our God, You are here and Your mercies are new
And We fall, we fall in worship to You
Our God, You are here and in Your power You move

Your love is moving, moving among us
Inviting us in
Your love is moving, moving among us
Thank You Lord
Your love is moving, moving among us
Inviting us in

Into the glorious
Into the glorious

โ™ฅ Love โ™ฅ

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Ephesians 5:25ย Easy-to-Read Version

Husbands, love your wives the same as Christ loved the church and gave his life for it.

My Thoughtsย ๐Ÿ’ญ

This is one of my favourite Bible verses that i try desperately ย each day to live up to. As soon as i first read this verse it convicted me straight away and i knew i wanted to be a husband like that!

๐Ÿ™ Prayer

Spirit, thanks for being a constant guiding presence in my life. Give me the faith to take practical and radical action to keep in step with You, so that You can love my spouse through me in a way that will sustain a fun, loving & trusting relationship. Amen.

Your Love Is Blind

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Loving Saviour, i donโ€™t deserve the smallest of your mercies, and yet you continue to love, sustain and bless me in immeasurable ways! i thank you ย for accepting me, just the way I am. Your love is blind to all of my faults, and ugly sides. I pray that You would work through me to love others compassionately, seeing through the surface. Amen.

โœž Music “Blessings” by Laura Story

“Blessings”

We pray for blessings, we pray for peace
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
We pray for healing, for prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering
And all the while, You hear each spoken need
Yet love us way too much to give us lesser things

(chorus)
‘Cause what if your blessings come through rain drops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You’re near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

We pray for wisdom, Your voice to hear
We cry in anger when we cannot feel You near
We doubt your goodness, we doubt your love
As if every promise from Your word is not enough
And all the while, You hear each desperate plea
And long that we’d have faith to believe

(chorus)

When friends betray us
When darkness seems to win
We know that pain reminds this heart
That this is not,
This is not our home
It’s not our home

(chorus)

What if my greatest disappointments or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can’t satisfy
What if trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are your mercies in disguise

โœž Music “All You’ve Ever Wanted” by Casting Crowns

“All You’ve Ever Wanted”

I just looked up today
And realized how far away I am from where You are
You gave me life worth dying for
But between the altar and the door
I bought the lies that promised more
And here I go again

Lord, I know I let You down
But somehow, I will make You proud
I’ll turn this sinking ship around
And make it back to You

But all my deeds and my good name
Are just dirty rags that tear and strain
To cover all my guilty stains
That You already washed away

(‘Cause) All You’ve ever wanted, all You’ve ever wanted
All You’ve ever wanted was my heart
Freedom’s arms are open, my chains have all been broken
Relentless love has called me from the start
And all You wanted was my heart

I was chasing healing when I’d been made well
I was fighting battles when You conquered hell
Living free but from a prison cell
Lord, I lay it down today

So I’ll stop living off of how I feel
And start standing on Your truth revealed
Jesus is my strength, my shield
And He will never fail me

No more chains, I’ve been set free
No more fighting battles You’ve won for me
Now in Christ, I stand complete

Judging Out Of Evil Motives

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James 2:1-7ย The Voice

My brothers and sisters, I know youโ€™ve heard this before, but stop playing favorites! Do not try to blend the genuine faith of our glorious Lord Jesus, the Anointed One, with your silly pretentiousness. If an affluent gentleman enters your gathering wearing the finest clothes and priceless jewelry, donโ€™t trip over each other trying to welcome him. And if a penniless bum crawls in with his shabby clothes and a stench fills the room, donโ€™t look away or pretend you didnโ€™t noticeโ€”offer him a seat up front, next to you. If you tell the wealthy man, โ€œCome sit by me; thereโ€™s plenty of room,โ€ but tell the vagrant, โ€œOh, these seats are saved. Go over there,โ€ then youโ€™ll be judging Godโ€™s children out of evil motives.

My dear brothers and sisters, listen: God has picked the poor of this world to become unfathomably rich in faith and ultimately to inherit the Kingdom, which He has pledged to those who love Him. By favoring the rich, you have mocked the poor. And, correct me if Iโ€™m wrong, but isnโ€™t it the rich who step on you while climbing the ladder of success? And isnโ€™t it the rich who take advantage of you and drag you into court? Arenโ€™t they the ones mocking the noble name of our God, the One calling us?

We are often mesmerized by the rich, powerful, and beautiful people of the world. We dream of associating with them; but when we focus our attention on the fashionable people of this world, it is often at the expense of those who need it the most.

Ignoring the needy and favoring the wealthy is completely contrary to the example Jesus modeled for us while walking on earth. God often chooses those who are the poorest materially to be the richest spiritually. We should welcome everyone equally into Godโ€™s kingdom, even if it means upsetting boundaries like class and race. The rule is simple: we should treat others in the same way we want to be treated. God does not play favorites, and neither should we.

โœž Music “So Far Gone” by Thousand Foot Krutch

“So Far Gone”

I know they say that the space between
Can make it stronger than weโ€™ve ever seen
They might be right but I disagree
Cause Iโ€™ve never felt stronger than when youโ€™re with me

Sometimes I wonder why you even care
Cause even when I leave youโ€™re always there with me
And like a candle makes a brighter place
This mark youโ€™ve made on me canโ€™t be erased.

I wanna be so far gone in you
So far nothing else will ever do
I wanna be so far gone in you
In you..

Iโ€™ve stood alone and Iโ€™ve fallen down
Your hands were there to pick me off the ground
Sometimes I cry cause I canโ€™t believe
Your love is big enough to cover me

Sometimes Iโ€™ve wondered if youโ€™re even there
But when I feel far away you meet me there
And like a candle makes a brighter place
This mark youโ€™ve made on me canโ€™t be erased
Yeah..

I wanna be so far gone in you
So far nothing else will ever do
I wanna be so far gone in you
In you..

I wanna be so far gone in you
So far nothing else will ever do
I wanna be so far gone in you
In you..I wanna be lost

I wanna be lost in you
Like a ship in the night
I wanna get lost in you
Underneath your sky

I wanna be lost in you
Like a ship in the night
So far gone tonight

I wanna be so far gone in you
So far nothing else will ever do
I wanna be so far gone in you
In youโ€ฆ

So far gone in you
In you
In you
So far gone in you

โœž Music “Wild Things” by Andy Mineo

My Thoughts ๐Ÿ’ญ
I love the lyrics & message in this fat tune! Turn up the subs and enjoy!! ๐Ÿ™‚

“Wild Things”

[Hook]
I wanna go where the wild things are
I’m talking lions, tigers, bears (oh my)
Christ died for the terrible heart
That’s why I wanna be where the wild things are

[Verse 1]
Welcome to the church in the wild
I live with dudes haven’t been to church in a while
I’ve chosen this lifestyle, you ever met my friends?
Porn stars, dope dealers, they like, “Why you chill with them”?
I thought you was a Christian? Yeah I’m on that team
But I’m with them cause my life’s the only bible that they’ve ever seen
Some wanna be an earshot from the church bell
I wanna win souls, make gunshots in the worst hell
Telling ’em Christ became a curse for they sin with my words and my works
They won’t come in? I’m bringing church to them
Yeah, that’s why I live where I live
They say, “You acting cray, that ain’t no place to raise your kids”
But um, if we ain’t living it who else gon’ show em
What a family supposed to look like instead of them broken homes
Gotta be living stones around where they getting stoned
Live and know Him, die to make Him known ’til He take us home, let’s go

[Hook]

[Verse 2]
If you catch me in a bar where the wild things are
With my pastor and an entourage who loves God
Please don’t think that it’s odd, we kick it ’round broken hearts
Fishing for men, surrounded by sin but ain’t taking part
I talk about Jesus, all the Christians love me
I walk like Jesus now they wanna judge me, ain’t it funny?
I’m ducking stones thrown from the Pharisees
Gospel of Peace up on my feet like a pair of cleats
Walking with the Paraclete, that’s Greek for The Spirit
They say the wild things’ll eat you up
Who shall I fear when God is walking with me
If I die that’s a win, that’s the seed of the church plus I get to be with Him
And we so undefeated like Hanes made our sneakers
I had beef with Jesus and my sin it got deleted
So I gotta go and speak it to those who really need it
Let the Gospel off the leash, go and be where the beasts at

[Hook]

Expanding The Love In My Words

A screenshot of a interview i'm working on in Logic Pro, with the Channel EQ & Expander plugin's visible

Above is a shcreenshot of an interview iโ€™m working on using Logic Pro for Sarahโ€™s audio version of her RNIB magazine. Iโ€™ve just found a plugin called โ€œExpanderโ€ which iโ€™ve never used before and it can help clean up the noise, hissing or humming behind the voice etcโ€ฆ.

Iโ€™m sat here while using this great tool thinking โ€œWouldnโ€™t it be fantastic if it was as easy as using a few dials & sliders to be able to clean up my speech and leave no bad noise behind my words!ย 

Ephesians 4:29ย The Voice

Donโ€™t let even one rotten word seep out of your mouths. Instead, offer only fresh words that build others up when they need it most. That way your good words will communicate grace to those who hear them.

Help Each Other Be Strong

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Hebrews 10:22-25ย Easy-to-Read Version

Sprinkled with the blood of Christ, our hearts have been made free from a guilty conscience, and our bodies have been washed with pure water. So come near to God with a sincere heart, full of confidence because of our faith in Christ. We must hold on to the hope we have, never hesitating to tell people about it. We can trust God to do what he promised.

Help Each Other Be Strong

We should think about each other to see how we can encourage each other to show love and do good works. We must not quit meeting together, as some are doing. No, we need to keep on encouraging each other. This becomes more and more important as you see the Day getting closer.

Crush The Pride

IPray Blue Shadow Logo

Father, your Word says that You resist the proud but give grace to the humble. Lord, I kneel before you now and submit myself to You, please crush the pride that continues to infect and destroy my life. Help me to decrease so you can fill me with love and humility. In Jesusโ€™ name I pray, amen.

โœž Music “You’re Beautiful” by Phil Wickham (ft Shane & Shane)

“You’re Beautiful”

I see Your face in every sunrise
The colors of the morning are inside Your eyes
The world awakens in the light of the day
I look up to the sky and say
You’re beautiful

I see Your power in the moonlit night
Where planets are in motion and galaxies are bright
We are amazed in the light of the stars
It’s all proclaiming who You are
You’re beautiful

I see You there hanging on a tree
You bled and then you died and then you rose again for me
Now You are sitting on Your heavenly throne
Soon we will be coming home
You’re beautiful

When we arrive at eternity’s shore
Where death is just a memory and tears are no more
We’ll enter in as the wedding bells ring
Your bride will come together and we’ll sing
You’re beautiful

I see Your face, I see Your face
I see Your face, You’re beautiful
You’re beautiful
You’re beautiful

What Are We Waiting For?

Quote Blue Shadow Logo

There are fathers waiting until other obligations are less demanding to become acquainted with their sons.ย  There are mothers who sincerely intend to be more attentive to their daughters.ย  There are husbands and wives who are going to be more understanding.ย  But time does not draw people closer.ย  When in the world are we going to begin to live as if we understood that this is life?ย  This is our time, our dayโ€ฆand it is passing.ย  What are we waiting for?

Richard L. Evans

The Most Excellent Way

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ย 

1 Corinthians 12:31ย The Voiceย 

Pursue the greater gifts, and let me tell you of a more excellent wayโ€”love.

1 Corinthians 13 ย The Voice

Gifts of the Spirit, which are intended to strengthen the church body, often divide the body because members of the church elevate those who possess the more visible gifts over those whose gifts function in the background. In fact, this is the very problem facing the Corinthians. So while talking about the importance and function of these gifts in chapters 12 and 14, Paul shifts his focus to the central role love plays in a believerโ€™s life in chapter 13. Love is essential for the body to be unified and for members to work together. Members of the body that are very different, with little in common, are able to appreciate and even enjoy others because of the love that comes when a life is submitted to God.

What if I speak in the most elegant languages of people or in the exotic languages of the heavenly messengers, but I live without love? Well then, anything I say is like the clanging of brass or a crashing cymbal. 2 What if I have the gift of prophecy, am blessed with knowledge and insight to all the mysteries, or what if my faith is strong enough to scoop a mountain from its bedrock, yet I live without love? If so, I am nothing. 3 I could give all that I have to feed the poor, I could surrender my body to be burned as a martyr, but if I do not live in love, I gain nothing by my selfless acts.

Paul boils it all down for the believers in Corinth. Religious people often spend their time practicing rituals, projecting dogma, and going through routines that might look like Christianity on the outside but that lack the essential ingredient that brings all of it togetherโ€”love! It is a loving God who birthed creation and now pursues a broken people in the most spectacular way. That same love must guide believers, so faith doesnโ€™t appear to be meaningless noise.

4 Love is patient; love is kind. Love isnโ€™t envious, doesnโ€™t boast, brag, or strut about. Thereโ€™s no arrogance in love; 5 itโ€™s never rude, crude, or indecentโ€”itโ€™s not self-absorbed. Love isnโ€™t easily upset. Love doesnโ€™t tally wrongs 6 or celebrate injustice; but truthโ€”yes, truthโ€”is loveโ€™s delight! 7 Love puts up with anything and everything that comes along; it trusts, hopes, and endures no matter what. 8 Love will never become obsolete. Now as for the prophetic gifts, they will not last; unknown languages will become silent, and the gift of knowledge will no longer be needed. 9 Gifts of knowledge and prophecy are partial at best, at least for now, 10 but when the perfection and fullness of Godโ€™s kingdom arrive, all the parts will end. 11 When I was a child, I spoke, thought, and reasoned in childlike ways as we all do. But when I became a man, I left my childish ways behind. 12 For now, we can only see a dim and blurry picture of things, as when we stare into polished metal. I realize that everything I know is only part of the big picture. But one day, when Jesus arrives, we will see clearly, face-to-face. In that day, I will fully know just as I have been wholly known by God. 13 But now faith, hope, and love remain; these three virtues must characterize our lives. The greatest of these is love.