#MusicMonday

 

I heard an old, old story, how a Savior came from glory

How He gave His life on Calvary to save a wretch like me

I heard about His groaning, of His precious blood's atoning

Then I repented of my sins and won the victory, yeah

Have you heard the old, old story? Around two thousand years ago the Son of God came down from glory to give His life on Calvary in painful death for our salvation. Do you feel like you're living without hope, without purpose, in defeat? It doesn't have to be that way. Jesus won the victory already! You can live in victory through Him. Repent of your sins and follow Him. You'll find victory in Jesus.

Victory in Jesus by Carrie Underwood

Get the album here:

#MusicMonday

I say, "I'm fine, yeah, I'm fine, oh, I'm fine, hey, I'm fine"

But I'm not, I'm broken

And when it's out of control I say it's under control

But it's not and You know it

I don't know why it's so hard to admit it

When bein' honest is the only way to fix it

There's no failure, no fall

There's no sin You don't already know

So let the truth be told

There's a sign on the door, says, "Come as you are" but I doubt it

'Cause if we lived like that was true, every Sunday mornin' pew would be crowded

But didn't You say church should look more like a hospital?

A safe place for the sick, the sinner and the scarred, and the prodigals, like me

 

The first step to solving any problem is identifying it. When we stubbornly refuse to admit that one exists, we do ourselves a disservice, choosing to suffer under it rather than fix it and be free of it. We might fool those around us and ourselves for a while, but God already knows all our slip-ups, mistakes, failures, inadequacies and sins. We can't surprise Him by being worse than He expects. So why won't we be honest with Him? What do we have to lose? In truth: nothing. Let's admit it. Let's fix it. Rather, let's let Him fix it. Lay it at the cross and be free of it. Let the truth be told.

Truth Be Told by Matthew West

#MusicMonday

Counselor, Comforter, Keeper

Spirit we long to embrace

You offer hope when our hearts have

Hopelessly lost our way

Oh, we've hopelessly lost the way

Where do you go when you've lost your way? When life feels hopeless? Who do you turn to for counsel? Maybe you turn on the TV or turn up the music to distract yourself from your problems rather than dealing with them. It can be tempting to pull out the snacks get a sugar high, but that only provides a false comfort. Often we go to friends for counsel, but they don't necessarily have much more experience than we do. The good news is that we don't have to settle for all that. We can have a Perfect Counselor, Comforter, and Keeper Who offers us limitless hope and faultless counsel. He never loses His way and we can follow Him confident of His leading. 

Wonderful, Merciful Savior by Marjorie & Genevieve Jackson

#MusicMonday

I wanna be a world changer
I wanna be a difference maker
I wanna share the love of God and what He did for me

Woah woah

Be a friend to the friendless

Wanna show His mercy that is always endless

I wanna shine the light of Christ for everyone to see

I'm a wanna be

I've met a lot of people who wanna be something. Some wanna be popular, so they attend as many social events as their calendar can fit. Some wanna be financially free, so they save hard and learn to budget. Some wanna be fit and athletic, so they workout regularly and eat accordingly. Some wanna be wise, so they learn and research. What do you wanna be? Is it worthwhile? What are you doing to become that?

 Wanna Be by Southern Raised

#MusicMonday

 

What choice will you make?

Whose heart will you break?

Whatever you choose, you will wear on your face

What choice will you make?

Someone once told me how fascinating she found it observing the faces of people with several decades of life behind them. Some with frown lines that had become creases, others with permanent smile lines. The choices they made, worn on their faces. What choices do we wear on our faces? Many times we will be free to make choices in our lives, but we won't be free from the consequences of them. What will we choose to wear on our faces? What choice will you make?

What Choice Will You Make By Vince Gill

#MusicMonday

I'm looking at a masterpiece

I'm staring at a work of art

I'm listening to a symphony

In every beat of your tiny heart

You used to be a choice to make

But now I think you've chosen me

'Cause I see ten fingers, ten toes

Two eyes and I know this is meant to be

This song was actually the one that first introduced me to Matthew West's music, which I subsequently discovered I enjoyed more of and have shared here before. I remember some of the early midwife appointments for my younger siblings: the sound of water sloshing around as we all waited on the edges of our seats until finally the doppler found its destination and the steady thump-thump, thump-thump of our newest little sibling's healthy heartbeat could be heard and we all let out our breath and broke out into smiles. Sometimes we were allowed to hold the midwife's correctly-sized, correctly-weighted fetal models and see how big, how heavy, or how formed the youngest member of the family was. Ten tiny fingers. Ten tiny toes. Incredibly small and yet so perfectly formed. A masterpiece. A miracle that didn't happen by chance. Truly, there's no such thing as unplanned!

Unplanned by Matthew West

#MusicMonday

How can You see me at my worst and still say I am loved?

What promise can I stand on when I don't feel good enough?

When the enemy's reminding me of all that I've done wrong

What freedom do I have to sing this new creation song?

Wave upon wave, of grace upon grace

Endlessly washing my sins away

I know the only reason I can stand here free of all my shame

Is wave upon wave, of grace upon grace upon grace

Have you been a believer for years but recently found yourself focused on and weighed down by memories of past sins you've already been forgiven? Are you regularly studying your Bible and trying to live as God calls you to, but feeling like you aren't good enough to be a Christian? Look to God and remember His grace. Thank Him for it. That's why we're free. That's why we don't need to be ashamed. I know I'm grateful for wave upon wave of grace upon grace.

Grace Upon Grace by Matthew West

#MusicMonday

Did I make a difference in somebody's life?

What hurts did I heal? What wrongs did I right?

Did I raise my voice in defense of the truth?

Did I lend my hand to the destitute?

When my race is run, when my song is sung, will I have to wonder

Did I make a difference?

As we reach the twilight of our lives will we find ourselves wondering if we made a difference? If we did something of value with our lives? Or will we look back with contentment over lives lived fruitfully, every opportunity to do good fully realised? Now is the time to decide what kind of life we will look back on! Who's life can we make a difference in today? What hurts can we heal today? What wrongs can we right today? What truth can we raise our voice in defense of today? Who that's destitute can we lend a hand to today? How can we make a difference today? I know I don't want regrets so I'm going to get thinking; and doing. How about you? 

Did I Make a Difference by Southern Raised

#MusicMonday

Well, nowadays it seems like we can do just as we please

And no one’s gonna stop us now or force us to our knees

It seems like we’ve forgotten that the God of Canaan’s land

Is still the Judge of Heaven holding mercy in His hand

So would you give us one more chance Father please

For I know we’ve sinned against Your just decrees

But if You save these broken men we’ll rise up to walk again

Would You save this city down below, down below

Would You save this wicked city down below

Am I the only one who feels that we've forgotten that the God of the Old Testament who brought justice in massive, almost-too-strange-to-be-true, ways is the same God whom we will someday answer to? How is it that we continue sinning, mindlessly following the culture without a thought for the future? We may be distracted and forgetful but the Judge isn't. For now mercy is offered if we will accept it and turn from our ways. Jesus, would You save this wicked city down below!

City Down Below by The Willis Clan

Releasing: Our Music Video!!

We took lessons. We practiced. We played together sometimes. We performed a few times. We bought CDs from other families playing together and watched their videos. We wondered what it would take to do something of our own. And now we are so excited to share our very own music video! So proud of my siblings who committed to the project, learning new music and new skills, and following directions carefully as we navigated this new experience. 

Abide with me; fast falls the eventide;

The darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide;

When other helpers fail and comforts flee,

Help of the helpless, oh, abide with me.

Have a lovely ANZAC Day!

#MusicMonday

Why should we tarry

When Jesus is pleading

Pleading for you and for me

Why should we linger and heed not His mercies

Mercies for you and for me

Beautiful, old gospel music performed by Carrie Underwood's incredible, trained voice? I'm always up for that. So excited she is finally releasing a gospel album and my CD rack will have another slot filled later this month! Life in our modern world seems characterised by almost constant noise. News, advertisements, (music even!), cars, machinery, and all sorts of gadgets keep our ears busy almost nonstop. But turn it all off. Now, do you hear it? Softly and tenderly, Jesus is calling. O sinner, come home. Don't wander aimlessly and lost any longer. Come home. Jesus is calling. Will you respond?

Softly and Tenderly by Carrie Underwood

 

#MusicMonday

"Holy words long preserved

For our walk in this world

They resound with God's own heart

Oh, let the ancient words impart"

Our fast-paced, digitised world draws our attention quickly from one thing to the next. Brightly coloured videos flash across our screens, there one moment and gone the next. Scroll, tap, swipe. A seemingly endless supply of content keeps us returning to our backlit devices hour after hour,, day after day, week after week. It's easy to forget that book on the shelf and let the dust settle on it. And then we go about our life, agreeing we're Christian if anyone asks, but finding we don't know a whole lot about our God. Sometimes we wonder how our faith connects to our life. All the while, the book with the answers remains forgotten on the shelf.

Preserved down through the ages, the Bible reveals our God to us. His character, will, and plan are communicated through His Holy Word. This inspired book can answer so many of our questions about how we should live, if we take the time to read it. Do you treasure your Bible as a revelation from your Saviour? Do you make time to read and study and think about it regularly? When was the last time you took it off the shelf and opened it?

Ancient Words by Michael W. Smith

#MusicMonday

 

A gift life our Holy Father gave 
Now we've stolen all these innocent babes
Why do we murder
Innocent blood is on our hands
A new generation killed
Now the burden's on this land
Can't we see the running blood of these children on our hands

This new song written and performed right here in New Zealand presents some pertinent questions for the times in which we find ourselves. Once a "live and let live" society where everyone was allowed a "fair go," New Zealand now legally allows our next generation to be killed at any stage up to and during birth. Can't we see the running blood of these children on our hands?

Special mention to my sister Monique for performing violin on this track. Well done!

Innocents by Jasmine Brett & Kirsten Strom

#MusicMonday

My life here is at your mercy, don't you see.

I am unborn, my entire life ahead of me. I am your baby. 

The world awaits my cry and breath;

I long to be held in your arms mommy. 

God's depth of love for you is everlasting. 

In the dark, or in the light, He'll never leave.

I'm finding it hard to write anything about this song. It already communicates with such depth and feeling. What is there to add to a work this beautiful? I'm not even sure how I found this, but I'm sure glad I did. Someday I'll grow up, just because of you, who cared enough to love.

Unborn by Caitlin Jane

#MusicMonday

 

Saviour, He can move the mountains

My God is mighty to save

He is mighty to save

Forever Author of Salvation

He rose and conquered the grave

Jesus conquered the grave

Although we can so easily forget how mighty our God truly is, He (thankfully!) never forgets to be mighty. The same God who spoke all creation into existence, calmed the wind and the waves, and conquered the grave offers to be our Saviour today. He is King of Heaven and Earth. He is my God. And He is mighty to save. I don't ever want to forget that.

Mighty to Save by Hillsong United

#MusicMonday

 

If you are thirsty, you'll be refreshed

If you are weary, you will find rest

If you are searching, you'll find the way

If you are restless, you will find peace

But you must come, as you are, as you are, as you are

Recently I went looking for some old favourite tracks and came across this one which I didn't remember. It sent chills down my spine; it's just so beautiful. How relatable is the first half of every line in our fallen world! I remember many days of restlessness and searching, wondering what the answer was. Times of feeling broken and empty, looking for something to fix and satisfy. I'm so grateful to have learned that the second halves of these statements are also true! In Christ, I find the way. In Christ, I have peace. In Christ, I am raised. He offers these things to each of us, but we must come as we are.

As You Are by The Josties

#MusicMonday

Just across the street in your hometown

Leaving from his nine-to-five

Gazing down the road

He wonders, is this all there is to life

Never been told the name of Jesus

He continues on his way

What a shame [oh yeah]

All around us are people living their lives: going to work, doing the grocery shopping, and organising meals. Every so often some of these people stop for a moment of reflection and wonder, "is this all there is to life?" I know; I used to be one of them. We all search for answers. Who among us will share them? Do our lives proclaim Jesus in all we do and say? Will we rise up for our King and say with Isaiah, "Here am I! send me"?

Here Am I by MercyMe

#MusicMonday

 

Our Judge and our Defender

Suffered and crucified

Forgiveness is in You

Descended into darkness

You rose in glorious life

Forever seated high

This was actually one of the songs I considered requesting for my baptism. I love the energy and the way the lyrics get down to the basic, foundational beliefs of the Christian faith. Daily life can feel crazy at times and our attention is pulled in many directions all at once. I love stepping aside from it all for a few minutes to ground myself in the basics again. Yes, our world is messed up and sinful. Yes, I am too. Yes, judgement is coming. And YES, forgiveness is available. It's wonderful to know that my Judge and Defender has already descended into darkness and paid the full penalty, and having risen is now forever seated high.

This I Believe (The Creed) by Hillsong Worship

#MusicMonday

 

I’ve seen New York City now all covered in the snow

Shining bright with colored lights everywhere I go

But I feel something missing here and I long for something more

Oh, it’s still not the city that I’m looking for

And every time that I try to rest my troubled soul

All I find is I’m not at home

And I will walk every road the world may have in store

But it’s still not the city that I’m looking for

Cities all around our world boast magnificent architectural wonders, dazzling lights, and enthralling theme parks. We can shop an almost endless array of every item imaginable (and some not). The modern world has made luxury available to most of us. Dreamy sunsets draw a smile from those who notice them. And yet, amid so much beauty and wonder, something isn't right. This isn't home. This is not the city that I'm looking for. But there's one that I am, and nothing here can make me fear the promise of that shore.

City That I'm Looking For by The Willis Clan

#MusicMonday

 

There are days when we murmur about God's design

But the past quickly reminds us God's been faithful every time

His grace leaves us speechless astonished and amazed

We're overwhelmed by gratitude at the mercy that He displays

It can be easy to get frustrated and discontent and begin complaining when life doesn't seem to be working out how we planned. "This isn't working!" We exclaim, and quickly despair of there ever being a solution to the problem at hand. But if we shift our gaze, we find that God has been faithful every time before. He's never failed us, and He will continue to do exceeding abundantly far beyond all our dreams.

Exceeding Abundantly by The Wissmann Family