I Heard The Bells on Christmas Day - Casting Crowns

Love the group Casting Crowns and I love the song, I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day. This season take a minute to enjoy the beauty and the Majesty of the season. Merry Christmas.

Let It Rain - Jesus Culture

Woke up tonight and found myself praying for many things; my husband, my family, my friends, and for my country.  I would move from this ones need to that ones healing and then back to the firsts issues again.  I am asking for MORE Lord.  More of your goodness.  More of mercy.  More of your grace.  MORE LORD!  I  just am waiting for the Lord to break through and touch all these needs.

Then I remembered this song and loved this version too, so I had to cue it up and listen again.  Let It Rain by Jesus Culture is such a powerful song and SO what I needed tonight.  I am wanting the Lord to open the flood gates of heaven and let it rain!  Send your Spirit, Lord Jesus to saturate our dry and thirsty souls.  Pour out your Spirit Lord to the point that we won't have room enough to contain it.  We want more, Lord!  We NEED more, Lord.  We want to KNOW you, Lord.  Show us your Glory, Lord.  Let it rain!

The Ancient War Cry - Eric Ludy

Rak Chazak

Bravehearted...incredible teaching of the Ancient War Cry by Eric Ludy here and great revelation.  Be ready to get your game-face on and listen carefully!

There has been an ancient war cry throughout all the generations of the Hebrew....Rak Chazak (pronounced rock cra-zock).

Chazak is the rock-like "oomph" of the spiritually zealous heart, the game face of a mighty man, tenacity of soul, the gritting of the teeth of the spirit inspired warrior and the bearing of those teeth to the enemy. It is possessing a resolute and growling resolve for the glory of God, a flush of spiritual fervor, a tensing of all a soldier's muscles.  Do you have this spiritually?  We should have this -- as EVERYTHING WE NEED for LIFE and GODLINESS has been awarded to us already!  This is Chazak.  But what about Rak Chazak?

It came from Chazak Amats in the bible.  The other word that goes with it is Amats.  What is Amats?

Amats is heavenly audacity, it's rushing headlong into the most hazardous and impossible battles without pausing to consider the impossibilities.  It's a confidence in victory even before the field is taken.  It's lambs moving with liquid ferocity straight into the lion's lair.  It means swift footed, all-believing, super-conquering, prevailing faith in the Lord of Battles.

Who had Amats in the bible?  David against Goliath (I Samuel 17:1-58).   How about the three who overheard him in the cave of Adullam... for a cup of cool water from the well of Bethlehem. (2 Samuel 2:23)

Chazak and Amats is what came into the disciples after Pentecost - the Spirit of God.  Moses' last gasp, his great speech before the promised land (which he did not get to enter).  He is laying out the ground rules for the kingdom that is to be established across that Jordan river.  Be strong and of good courage - Chazak Amats....for the Lord thy God, He it is that does go with thee!  He will not fail thee nor forsake thee.  And Moses called unto Joshua in the sight of all Israel, Chazak!  Amats!  Be strong and of good courage!

We obey - God Wins!

Be strong and of good courage...Rak Chazak!

Tim Tebow and His Faith...

Tim Tebow

So this past Sunday, the rookie quarterback, Tim Tebow led the Denver Broncos to their seventh win.  Big deal, right?  Well, there is a bit more to this story.  He is now 7-1 with six in a row.  Ok so, so this still hardly makes him news worthy...hmmm.  So another tid-bit to be noted is that some of these wins he has pulled out in the last minutes of the game while down by 10 or more points.  Last Sunday, for example playing the Chicago Bears, he was down by 10 points with 2 minutes to go; pulling out another win.  Final score 10-13 in which the Broncos win by a field-goal.  Second only to Eli Manning, he has more 4th quarter comebacks than any other quarterback this season.

So all of this still hardly makes him a topic for me to blog about...well, that is the part of the story I love the best.  The history on Tim goes back to his conception.  His parents share the testimony (part One) of Tim's life and the testimony (part Two).  There was even a Focus on the Family ad that ran during the 2011 Super Bowl that caused a lot of uproar because it was a pro-life message as Tim's mother Pam share their story for life.  Tim's parent were told that their "baby" was just a blob, not even a fetas and even one doctor called the"blob", affectionally known now as Tim Tebow, a tumor. MIRACULOUS story!

Be encouraged in your faith!  Our God is Big and STRONG and MIGHTY.  What a powerful testimony as they walked through their tests.  There were days of doubt and struggle I am sure, but they persevered and the world is a better place for it!

LOVE!

On a side note, according to the Global Language Monitor, “tebowing” is now a part of the English language.  The website’s definition says that “tebowing” is “to get down on a knee and start praying, even if everyone else around you is doing something completely different.” Pretty cool!  I think I will have NO problem encouraging my sons to follow the role-modeling of Tim Tebow!  What a man with an awesome love of his God!

So here is what the world has to say about this incredibly athlete and Bob Costas has a clip regarding it.  The world just don't know quite what to think of him!

To God be the Glory!

P.S. added on January 17, 2012....Well, the Broncos are out of the Super Bowl race but I had to follow up with one more incredible tribute to Tim Tebow.  Every week, Tebow picks out someone who is suffering, or who is dying, or who is injured that he is made aware of.  He flies them and their families to the Broncos game, rents them a car, puts them up in a nice hotel, buys them dinner (usually at a Dave and Buster's) get them and their families pre game passes, visits with them just before kickoff, gets them 30-yard line tickets down low, visits with them after the game (sometimes for an hour), has them walk with him to his car and sends them off with a basket full of gifts.  How can anyone not like this guy?  We need more Tim Tebows in the world!

By the way, he does this at home and on the road, win or loose, every game!

Advent - God With Us

Here is a modern look at Advent through an interesting song.  Really a fresh take on a very old practice.  This is about 5 minutes long but really kind of neat.  ENJOY!

Christmas With a Capital "C"

I heard this song, Christmas With a Capital "C" and so agree with the lyrics.  It's called Christmas...not Happy Holidays.  This song unashamedly speaks that Christmas is about the birth of Christ and we should not back down from that.  I totally agree.  Other events have "their" day and we are expected to just let them take Christmas away because it is offensive to some.  So what!  It's Christmas - the celebration of Christ's birth!  I am SO into that!

Freedom Reigns - Jesus Culture

Sometimes we just need a reminder of what God is up to.  I love Jesus Culture and this song, Freedom Reigns ALWAYS minsters life to me when I need it.  Wether we feel it or not, Jesus Reigns yesterday, today and forever and ONE day ALL of the earth will declare it.  Amazing God!  Amazing!

There is FREEDOM in Jesus. My prayer is that you will walk in that freedom - there is NOTHING like it!  Jesus Reign in my heart, in my city, in my world.  Amazing!

I Pray On Christmas - Harry Connick, Jr.

To get into the Christmas season, let's join Harry Connick, Jr. with Kim Burrell as they sing, I Pray on Christmas.  Incredible voices as they call on the Lord and join together in an incredible music duet.  I simply LOVE Kim's voice.  The women has soul and a voice too.  Enjoy and don't forget to pray - not only on Christmas, but everyday!  AWESOME!

For the Honor - Elevation Worship

A friend living in Minnesota told me about this group, Elevation and so I listened. The more I listened to this song, the more I really enjoyed it.  I say that because I want you to give it a chance when you hear it by listening a couple of times over a couple of days.  Their music is a bit different than some Christian Worship Music but it has a good feel and a great message.  For The Honor has such powerful images and is full of much truth but in our busyness of life, sometimes we miss the point found in this message; Honor!

What is honor?
Noun (a person, place or thing): High respect; esteem.
Verb (an action word): Regard with great respect.

Synonyms (words that mean the same thing):

noun.  honour - credit - respect - homage - dignity - glory

verb.  honour - respect - esteem - venerate - revere - dignify

Because this is a worship song, you need to listen to it when you have a heart of worship.  If I could suggest, at the end of a long day, curl up on a comfortable chair, grab a blanket, a cup of tea, light a candle or dim the lights and then listen.  Hear the message; completely.  HEAR what the Spirit is saying to the churches.  We need to be FULL of His Word and FULL of His Spirit...we NEED to be READY for those days when all we will do is worship!  ENJOY!

Hallelujah Chorus by the Philadelphia Opera Company

Found this last year but didn't get around to posting it so I thought I would be the first of the season for this year!  This incredibly fun event in a food court was staged by the Philadelphia Opera Company singing the Hallelujah Chorus on Saturday, October 30, 2010. There were over 650 choristers who met at Macy's Center City in Philadelphia.

There was another event like the one above that was hosted on November 13, 2010, in a food court at the Well and Seaway Mall by the Niagara Chorus.  Here is their version of the Hallelujah Chorus.

INCREDIBLE!  Do people stop to listen to the words as they sing this song?  One day ALL of mankind WILL get it!  Blessings and a Merry Christmas to you all!