Stay Amazed - Gateway Worship

This is a great song written by a local church called Gateway.  I encourage you to just sit back and remember how great our Great and Holy God is.  We need to remember to Stay Amazed and to remember that He is SO much more than we can even comprehend.  I love to praise the Lord...I never tire of it.  It is simply amazing to pour my love out on Him.

I recently heard a worship leader say that "Worship is not just an expression of a passing emotion but an attitude of life."  Amen - may we continue to STAY AMAZED!

David Wilkerson is in Glory

On the evening of April 27th, 2011, I read some very sad news.  The Rev. David Wilkerson died in a head-on car accident on US 175 in Texas.   He was driving when he veered into oncoming traffic and straight into the front end of a tractor trailer truck.  His wife was in the car with him and she along with the truck driver were rushed to area hospitals.  Pastor Wilkerson died at the scene.

For those of you who may not be familiar with the name of David Wilkerson, I would think you will recognize some of his doings. He was the founding pastor of Times Square Church in New York City (in 1987), the author of the well-known book The Cross and the Switchblade,  the founder of Teen Challenge in 1960 (a Christian outreach program for troubled teens including those with drugs and alcohol addictions) and in 1971, he started World Challenge, Inc.  as an umbrella for his crusades, conferences, evangelism and other ministries.  The Times Square Church is now led by Pastor Carter Conlon and has more than 8,000 members.

His last blog post title that was posted on the morning of his death was, When All Means Fail where he encouraged those facing difficulty to "hold fast" and stand strong in faith.  He went on to write, "To those going through the valley and shadow of death, hear this word: Weeping will last through some dark, awful nights, and in that darkness you will soon hear the Father whisper, "I am with you,'" Wilkerson wrote. "Beloved, God has never failed to act but in goodness and love. When all means fail-his love prevails. Hold fast to your faith. Stand fast in his Word. There is no other hope in this world."  (Click here to read the entire Wilkerson blog entry.)  INCREDIBLE "word" he is writing... he touches on how to "stand" when things don't quite go the way "you" think they should..."Stand fast in his Word."

Prayer is still needed for his wife, as she survived the crash but is in critical condition.  Pray also for his four children and 11 grandchildren during this difficult time for their family.

Over the last several months I have been listening to some links of David's teachings and have been intending to blog them but wanted to listen to them all and let them "soak" into my spirit before I shared them.  Well, I am going to share them tonight even though the Lord called him home,  I know his message will live on.

A Call to Anguish by David Wilkerson


REVISED 6-26-13:
Remembering David Wilkerson - Charisma
500 Sermons by David Wilkerson - Sermon Index

How Great Thou Art - Carrie Underwood

This past week Carrie Underwood sang with Vince Gill the classic song, How Great Thou Art with such feeling that the crowd gave a standing ovation!  There is little to say about this video except our God is GREAT and He does deserve the greatest standing ovation ever!

The Race

At the 2008 Big 10 Championships for the 600 meter race is Heather Dorniden of Minnesota racing in front of her home crowd.  She has had years of training for this day, for this moment for this race; but this race is not about training nor is it about a fall but it is about the rise.  Watch this incredible woman who failed to quit when she fell and basically should have quit - right?  This race is what all races are about...they are about life and what we do when we fall down.  What do we do?  We get back up and finish the race!

This song is also one of my favorites...God is SO GOOD!  Enjoy Forever Reign by Hillsong!

Obama on Easter

So President Barack Obama has been our commander and Chief now for two of the Christian celebrations known as Easter. I would think that if you live in America you have heard of the holiday even if you only acknowledge it as being a day of the Easter Bunny and Easter Eggs - most people understand that it is one of the most highest celebrations of Christians throughout the World.  For generations our Presidents have addressed the nation on holidays, Christian holidays and yet this President has opted out of this speech in particular!  Even the name "holiday" comes for a religious term or the words Holy Day.  So, what about Easter, Mr. Obama - will you even have your staff tell us why you won't address this most Holy of Holy days to the those of the Christian faith?

With Donald Trump joining in the march recently for this position, more and more attention is being drawn to Mr. Obama and his "real" beliefs.  I understand that he says he is a "Christian";  even going to church on Easter morning but just because cars are parked in garages doesn't mean that my garage is full with a car inside!  Going to church doesn't make you a Christian anymore than putting an item in my garage means there is a car there.

The Bible (the Christian instruction manual) states that you will KNOW a tree (people) by it's fruit (actions - testimonies)!  See what matters is NOT what we say, but what we do.  I can hear you saying now, but he WENT to church.  He DID something, right?  Again, I can BE somewhere, like in my garage but does that make me a car?  No we then look deeper to what the person REALLY does, their patterns, their habits!  So with this standard, lets take a look at what Mr. Obama DOES in promoting HIS faith with his speeches.

See, to acknowledge Easter Sunday in a speech would mean you would have to "talk" about the meaning of the day.  Hmmm - I don't think ANY Christian would have a problem talking about the day their Savior ROSE from the dead as He said he would.  (Which by the way, you tell me what other religious figure has done this!)  I agree, that a Christian would embrace this most Holy day and would TALK about it so that begs the question of whether our Commander and Chief is what he says he is. Go listen to this clip and hear the President in his OWN words...I think there will be LITTLE discussion to what he believes from his OWN testimony!

the Crucifixion - A Medical Perspective

A medical perspective of the crucifixion by David Acuna a Trauma Surgeon is very moving and full of details that I think many people have never considered and quite frankly could never know unless they were an expert on the human body or medical information.

To hear this account you can't help but think how much our Savior loves you and me.  He willingly went to the cross for us.  Oh what a great love He has for us and still has for us.  He wishes that NONE would perish but have everlasting life but the kicker to the whole deal is NOT in God's hands but in our own.  We have to CHOOSE Him.  Everything we need for life and Godliness has been provided and given to us yet many CHOOSE not to believe.  Oh Lord, open the eyes of our heart so we can SEE Jesus!

You Are Good - Bethel Church

A-MAZ-ING!  Yep - I think this has become one of my ALL TIME FAVORITE songs.  Not sure WHY this song has gotten so DEEP into my spirit but I know it has.  WOW - it just touched a nerve in my soul that resonates with the TRUTH in this song!  See, we have to shout it out that You Are Good.  Bethel Church has an incredible song here as you can't help but PRAISE the LORD for ALL that He has done!  Read the lyrics as you sing along!!


Here are the Lyrics:
I want to scream it out from every mountaintop.
Your goodness knows no bounds.
Your goodness never stops.
Your mercy follows me.  Your kindness fills my life.
Your love amazes me.

And I sing because you are good.
And I 'll dance because you are good.
And I'll shout because you are good.  You are good to me!

Nothing and no one comes anywhere close to You!
The earth and oceans deep only reflect this truth.
And in my darkest night you shine as bright as day!
Your love amazes me!

And I sing because you are good.

And I 'll dance because you are good.

And I'll shout because you are good.  You are good to me!

And I sing because you are good.

And I 'll dance because you are good.

And I'll shout because you are good.  You are good to me!

With a cry of praise my heart will proclaim
You are good.  You are good.
In the sun or rain my life celebrates
You are good.  You are good.

With a cry of praise my heart will proclaim
You are good.  You are good.
In the sun or rain my life celebrates
You are good.  You are good.

And I sing because you are good.

And I 'll dance because you are good.

And I'll shout because you are good.  You are good to me!

And I sing because you are good.

And I 'll dance because you are good.

And I'll shout because you are good.  You are good to me!

Praise the Lord for the Lord is good; Sing praises to His name, for it is pleasant.  Psalm 135:3

Nothing is Impossible - PlanetShakers

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this song.  Yep - did I say I LOVE this song yet?

PlanetShakers have INCREDIBLE music and this one is NO exception.  Nothing is Impossible is a TOTAL faith-building song.  When you are down, you need to listen to this song.  When you are up, you need to listen to this song.  See - NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE with our BIG, BIG, BIG God!  NOTHING!

Don't live by what you see or by what you feel - LIVE BY THE WORD!  With God on your side NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE!  Be blessed as you allow your spirit to be renewed by the Word in this song.  I believe, I believe, I believe, I believe in YOU!

Take Me Up In The Spirit - Misty Edwards

Haven't been blogging lately and it is not because there is shortage of things to share but just not enough time to share it all.

I have some of Misty Edwards older stuff and I LOVE her musical lyrics and this song again has a theme that I love..."there is something bigger going on and we need Him to take us up in the Spirit".  This song just ministered to me because something bigger IS going on...you can feel it in the air.  These are incredible days that we live in and we need to "take our place around the throne".

Her style is not probably something that you are used to but if you just listen you can see how this was just an ad-lib session and the Holy Spirit was directing the musicians and the music.  "There's something bigger going on, there's someone whose bigger than me; something bigger going on.  Fill me with the knowledge of God, with the knowledge of you.  Holy.  Holy."

Amen