Beautiful, Scandalous Night

Beautiful, Scandalous Night
by Robbie Seay Band


Go on up to the mountain of mercy
To the crimson perpetual tide
Kneel down on the shore
Be thirsty no more
Go under and be purified
Follow Christ to the holy mountain
Sinner sorry and wrecked by the fall
Cleanse your heart and your soul
In the fountain that flows
For you and for me and for all

At the wonderful, tragic, mysterious tree
On that beautiful, scandalous night you and me
Were atoned by His blood and forever washed white
On that beautiful, scandalous night

On the hillside, you will be delivered
At the foot of the cross justified
And your spirit restored
By the river that pours
From our blessed Savior's side 

At the wonderful, tragic, mysterious tree
On that beautiful, scandalous night you and me
Were atoned by His blood and forever washed white
On that beautiful, scandalous night

Empty Me

I've had just enough of the spotlight when it burns bright
To see how it gets in the blood.
And I've tasted my share of the sweet life and the wild ride
And found a little is not quite enough.
I know how I can stray
And how fast my heart could change.


Empty me of the selfishness inside
Every vain ambition and the poison of my pride
And any foolish thing my heart holds to
Lord empty me of me so I can be filled with you.


I've had just enough of the quick bites of the best lies
To know how prodigals can be drawn away.
I know how I can stray
And how fast my heart could change.


Empty me of the selfishness inside
Every vain ambition and the poison of my pride
And any foolish thing my heart holds to
Lord empty me of me so I can be filled with you.


Cause everything is a lesser thing
Compared to you, compared to you.
Cause everything is a lesser thing
Compared to you. So, I surrender all!


Empty me of the selfishness inside
Every vain ambition and the poison of my pride
Empty me of the selfishness inside
Every vain ambition and the poison of my pride
And any foolish thing my heart holds to
Lord empty me of me so I can be
Lord empty me of me so I can be filled with you.
Oh, filled with you.
Empty me.

"Empty Me" by Chris Sligh (American Idol Finalist)

Present Weakness & Resurrection Life

I get tired...a lot. In my body, in my mind, in my heart and yes, even in my spirit. The tiredness sometimes has a seemingly physical pain to it.

Do you ever do something for so long, that one day you think "why am I even doing this?" The initial zeal and original meaning to what you've been doing has faded into the background and forgotten about.

"Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak." [Matt. 26:41]

And then that small spark comes into your mind, a whisper to your heart...the Holy Spirit speaking to you, quietly reminding you "remember, this is why I called you".

You have to stop and step back and reevaluate all that you've been doing for so long to really put into perspective what it is that God has set you on course to do.

Go back to the first thing you know for certain the Lord said for you to do. Then ask yourself, "Am I doing this?"

If you're not, don't panic (that's what the enemy wants you to do) - just pick yourself up (let Him help you), brush yourself off, and take that next step forward...often times, that is a step of faith.

I know, it can be scary. The unknown usually is. But I also know, that step is worth taking. I know without a doubt that where I'm going is far better than where I've been.

I can't see where I'm going. I have butterflies in my stomach just thinking about it. I'm not the best navigator, I have to have physical landmarks to be able to know where I need to go, not to mention being directionally challenged in many cases. I take detours to get around road construction only to find myself running into more road construction. But thank God, He's the one navigating this journey, not me.

Therefore, since through God's mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness,"made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.

It is written: "I believed; therefore I have spoken."With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak, because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his presence. All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. [2 Corinthians 4]

"For we walk by faith, not by sight" 2 Corinthians 5:7

Eternal Thoughts

As everyone is now aware via television, radio, and newspapers, three very famous, and very influential people passed from this world. Many people are mourning their "legacy". Many people are mourning their "talents". Many people are mourning the loss of their "friend". But it has me thinking some rather deep thoughts this morning. As they passed from this fleeting world, did they enter eternity with Jesus? Ultimately, that is the only thing that matters.

These famous peoples contributions to our world entertainment culture has molded us as a society. You hear a phrase and you think of that person. You hear a clip of music and instantly you are transported back in time to a memory of your childhood. They brought a lot of good to our lives...and I'm sure a lot of grievances as well. But what shape was their soul in?

Generations will rise up and time will pass, and these famous people will either be epitomized or forgotten. This is the trend of all people through all time. Just read the Bible. There were many many people mentioned in the Bible only by the description "a certain man" or "a certain woman". They weren't named by name because the things in their lives had little or no impact on the bigger picture. Then there were those that were mentioned by name who changed the course of history (Jael, Ruth, Joshua, Caleb) and there were those who were so impacted by God and our Lord Jesus that they were given new names (Abraham, Peter, Paul).

It saddens me to hear of the things that one of these famous people were accused of (even caught in the act of doing perhaps). He was apparently a confused and tortured soul. He seemed to be conforming to a way that seemed strange to us. He seemed to be searching for something or Someone...but did he ever find what or Who he was looking for? In those last moments, did he confess of his sins, of his wayward life, and give his heart to the only One who could give him everything? I don't know. No one may ever know. These things were between only two people, this famous person and the Almighty God.

So I contemplate today...Do I want to be remembered for the good things I did (works) or the bad decisions I made and was forgiven of? Or do I want to be impacted by the All Powerful, Ever-Encompassing, Almighty Jehovah Jireh God? Will I be a person that will take that change and let others see this Light that shines from within? I don't know if I'll be remembered once I am gone from this world. I don't know if I'll have a legacy to to leave. But when I'm walking those streets of gold beside the crystal sea, with my Saviour by my side, nothing that I say or do or am on this earth will matter other than did I do what He asked of me.

...do you hear the calling -- Lord SEND ME!

"TWO WEEKS IN AFRICA"
By Caedmon's Call

Johannesburg to Capetown,
the plane had barely touched down.
She was taking photos for the friends back home.
This was always where she felt her heart belonged.
She was finally here,
the sky was bright and clear.

(Two weeks....)
And we all can feel the calling,
(Two weeks....)
to make the world a little smaller.
And so a girl got on a plane,
for two weeks in Africa.

Johannesburg to Houston,
she came home on a mountain.
But school was starting, things kept moving on.
Before you knew it, seven years had gone.
She found a picture of her, standing, smiling,
arms around the starving kids.
She swore not to forget,
she swore not to forget...

(Two weeks....)
And we all can feel the calling,
(Two weeks....)
to make the world a little smaller.
And so a girl got on a plane,
for two weeks in Africa.

And if we follow our dear sun
to where the stars are not familiar.
Faces turn to numbers,
numbers fall like manna from the sky.
Why, oh why? Oh Father, why?
One village in Malawi now has water running pure and clean.
One church alive in Kenya's full of truth and love and medicine.

We put the walls up, but Jesus keeps them standing.
He doesn't need us, but He lets us put our hands in.
So we can see, His love is bigger than you and me.

(Two weeks....)
And we all can feel the calling,
(Two weeks....)
to make the world a little smaller.
And so a girl got on a plane,
for two weeks in Africa.

Come On Back To Me...

You’ve been hiding now for so long
Never understanding why
Running far away from the truth
And all along chasing after lies

I have loved you from the beginning
Long before you knew My name
Even though you’ve broken My heart
I’ll love you just the same
I’ll love you anyway

Never mind your worries
Never mind your fears
They can only take you far from Me
When you feel there’s nowhere
Left for you to turn
Well, I got all you want
And everything you need
Come on back to Me

Come on back to Me

Come on back to Me

Do you believe in second chances
Or in a love that never fades
Put your faith in what you can’t see
Just put your hand in Mine
And I’ll show you the way

Come On Back To Me lyrics by Third Day

Our Great Commission

"I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth."
Acts 13:47

How He Loves Us

I had to share this with you. A very precious person led me to this today, and I had to share with you how much it truly touched my heart, i hope it does yours the same.
The song is How He Loves Us...but the implications go so much deeper than I can relate via email. My heart constricts with...with a supernatural love that can only be the kind of our Father.
So often we (I) let the "troubles" of this effervescent world bog us down. The things in the here and now, that require our attention, but have no relevence to eternity, yet that we let get the best of us, when there are so many more important things that require our focus. The precious precious people of the unreached world for one. How often do they cross our mind during the day...and how often do we tuck that thought aside for later. It breaks my heart to think how much I've done that. It breaks my heart to think how often I've placed my miniscule "needs" above those people's. Have we not been commissioned for that...the time is our now.
I struggle to express this thing that the Lord has pressed so heavily into my heart. I feel my human vocabulary cannot even begin to describe the magnitude of it.
Simply saying...He loves us. Even when we can't see it or hear it or sometimes feel it. But He's there in the stillness... supporting and holding us up nonetheless. We are His physical extension...His arms to the hurting and lost...for His love to shine thru us.
I don't know if I've managed to explain what He has shown me tonight... But my prayer is that whatever any of you, my friends, are going thru, dealing with, or believing for...He loves us...oh how He loves us. Show that love to someone, everyone you meet - it very well could not only make their day, but change their life forever.

So check out this worship video. It is long, but listen to the heartfelt words and let them work in your own heart.