Just As I Am

One of my favourite hymns, Just As I Am, is a song I turn to often when I simply need to remind myself that God loves me just the way I am.

God loves each one of us just as we are, with all our faults and failings, all our joys and all our fears. God will always love us just as we are.

I personally find verses 3 and 5 of Just As I Am, are those I turn to for reassurance:

Just as I am, though tossed about

With many a conflict, many a doubt,

Fightings within and fears without,

O Lamb of God, I come!

Just as I am, thou wilt receive,

Wilt welcome , pardon, cleanse, relieve,

Because thy promise I believe,

O Lamb of God, I come!

Come to Jesus today, He has promised to welcome you with open arms.

Not My Own

Do you love Jesus?
Do you love God?

Have you given your life to God?

When you have given you life entirely to God, your life is no longer your own, it is God's. All God requests of you, you do unquestioningly and faithfully, knowing that it is part of God's plan for your life.

Your life may no longer be your own, but with your life in God's hands, you will receive unequivocal rewards from God for all you do for Him.

God will set up free from all your earthly longing and desires and focus your life in new and rewarding directions. Give your life to God today.

Not My Own by Twila Paris

I am not my own

I am bought with a price

I am not my own, not my own

I am not my own

I cannot hold to pride

I am not my own, not my own

Take this false desire

Burn it in Your righteous fire

I am not my own, not my own

This is not my home

This is not Paradise

This is not my home, not my home

This is not my home

I have been far and wide

This is not my home, not my home

Make this longing true

Turn my wistful heart to you

This is not my home, not my home

When I turn to find Your eyes

O Lord, O Lord

I begin to realize

Once more, once more

I am not my own

I am bought with a price

I am not my own, not my own

Take this false desire

Burn it in Your righteous fire

I am not my own, not my own

I am not my own, not my own

Staying Together

Romans 8:39-40 (New Living Translation)
No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.





God's Grace is all we need - Trust God today for all that you require.

The Reason

Question: Have you ever wondered why Jesus came to earth?
Answer: For us

Question: Do you wonder why Jesus died on the cross?
Answer: For love

Question: Who has given us the best reason to live?
Answer: Jesus Christ

Question: Have you found a reason to live?
If not, remind yourself today that Jesus gave His life just for you.

We Are the Reason He Suffered and Died!

We Are The Reason by Avalon

As little children we would dream of Christmas morn

Of all the gifts and toys we knew we’d find

But we never realized a baby born one blessed night

Gave us the greatest gift of our lives

We were the reason that He gave His life

We were the reason that He suffered and died

To a world that was lost He gave all He could give

To show us the reason to live

As the years went by we learned more about gifts

The giving of ourselves and what that means

On a dark and cloudy day a man hung crying in the rain

All because of love

All because of love

We were the reason that He gave His life

We were the reason that He suffered and died

To a world that was lost He gave all He could give

To show us the reason to live

I finally found the reason for living

It’s in giving every part of my heart to Him (every part to Him)

And all that I do every word that I say (you know I’ll be saying)

I’ll be giving my all just for Him, for Him (every thing for Him)

We are the reason that He gave His life

We are the reason that He suffered and died

To a world that was lost He gave all He could give (all that he could give all)

To show us the reason to live

He is the reason to live

(don’t you know do you know the reason

that he came, oh he came to save us

when he gave his life for us) he suffered and died

To a world that was lost He gave everything (everything that He had He gave)

To show us the reason to live

Found

My world was changed
When Your love You gave for me

Do you ever find yourself thinking about how different your life would be if God hadn't sent Jesus to earth to die a painful death on the cross, just so we could be forgiven?

I've found myself thinking about that quite a lot in the last while. If I'm honest I'm not sure my life would be recognisable if I had never known God. Why? Because so many of the experiences and situations I've found myself in have been because of my faith - I've attended the Salvation Army all my life and having been part of the junior choir and band and subsequently the senior choir and band, many of my "life" experiences have been as part of these.

All that said, God did send Jesus into our world, and he did die so our sins could be forgiven. Even so, God still requires us to accept Him into our lives...we must let Him find us.

Found (by Hillsong United)

Amazing love

Now what else shall I need

Your name brings life

It's more than the air I breathe

My world was changed

When Your love You gave for me

My purpose found

And all that You want for me

And I found myself in You

And I found myself in You

Amazing love

Now what else shall I need

Your name brings life

It's more than the air I breathe

Take me to a place

Where I can see You face to face

And all I want to do

All I want to do

Is worship You

Power of Love

When you're down and struggling with what life throws your way, turn to Jesus, he will surround you with His love. He will lift make you strong and help you through.

Rely on Jesus, rely on His love always.

Power of Your Love

Lord I come to You

Let my heart be changed, renewed

Flowing from the grace

That I've found in You

Lord I've come to know

The weakenesses I see in me

Will be stripped away

By the power of Your love

Hold me close

Let Your love surround me

Bring me near

Draw me to Your side

And as I wait

I'll rise up like the eagle

And I will soar with You

Your Spirit leads me on

By the power of Your love

Lord unveil my eyes

Let me see You face to face

The knowledge of Your love

As You live in me

Lord renew my mind

As Your will unfolds in my life

In living every day

By the power of Your love

Hold me close

Let Your love surround me

Bring me near

Draw me to Your side

And as I wait

I'll rise up like the eagle

And I will soar with You

Your Spirit leads me on

By the power of Your love

And I will soar with You

Your Spirit leads me on

By the power of Your love

Everywhere

God sent his son into this world to live among us.
Jesus died on the cross to save us, and forgive us of all our wrongdoings.
God is still here with us.
He is everywhere.
We can't hide from Him.
No matter what we do, or how we disappoint God, He's still there looking out for us everyday, all day.

Sydney Staff Songsters of the Salvation Army sing All the Earth:

All the Earth

Father, into Your courts will I enter

Maker of Heaven and Earth

I tremble in Your Holy presence

Glory, glory in Your sanctuary

Splendor and majesty Lord

Before You

All life adores You

All the earth will declare that Your love is everywhere

The fields will exalt, seas will resound

See the trees' joyful cry

Praising You and so would I

A new song I'll sing

Lord I will glorify and bless Your holy name...

Lord I will glorify and bless Your name

Lord I'll glorify and bless Your holy name!

Welcome To Our World

The long promised saviour of the world is here!

Once again this Christmas we have celebrated Christ coming into our world all those years ago.
Into a world that needs Jesus.
Every person in this world needs Jesus.

Please welcome Christ into the world, and into your life this Christmas.

Welcome To Our World by Michael W Smith

Tears are falling, hearts are breaking

How we need to hear from God

You've been promised, we've been waiting

Welcome Holy Child

Welcome Holy Child

Hope that you don't mind our manger

How I wish we would have known

But long awaited Holy Stranger

Make yourself at home

Please make yourself at home

Bring your peace into our violence

Bid our hungry souls be filled

Word now breaking Heaven's silence

Welcome to our world

Welcome to our world

Fragile finger sent to heal us

Tender brow prepared for thorn

Tiny heart whose blood will save us

Unto us is born

Unto us is born

So wrap our injured flesh around You

Breathe our air and walk our sod

Rob our sin and make us holy

Perfect Son of God
Perfect Son of God

Welcome to our world

Please visit Michael W Smith's website: http://www.michaelwsmith.com/

Joseph's Lullaby

Can you imagine how Joseph felt when he found out Mary was expecting a baby?

Matthew 1:18-19 (The Message)
The birth of Jesus took place like this. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. Before they came to the marriage bed, Joseph discovered she was pregnant. (It was by the Holy Spirit, but he didn't know that.) Joseph, chagrined but noble, determined to take care of things quietly so Mary would not be disgraced.

At the time of Jesus' birth Joseph would have been frowned upon for marrying a woman who was pregnant outwith marriage. But Joseph believed in God. He believed that God had a plan for Mary and him to raise this child, the Christ child.

Mary and Joseph loved Jesus just as a mother and father should love their child. The song I've used above by Mercy Me portrays some of the thoughts and feelings Joseph must have had when Jesus was born. A beautiful song and a lovely presentation.


Be blessed by the love of God, our heavenly Father this Christmas.

The Reason For Today...

The following song explains all...

Hallelujah (Light Has Come)

Hmmm my Baby

Heaven sent you to me

All the worlds been praying

Who will Save?

But who am I

That here tonight

I hold the one

Who’ll Bring us life

Hallelujah,

We’ve been found

A child is born

To save us now

Hallelujah light has come

A Savior who will set us free

A Promise for those who believe

Do you hear the Angels

Sing for you my baby

Men and kings have come to

Bow to you

But here in my arms

So close to me

The son of God

Now all can see

Hallelujah We’ve been found

A child is born to save us now

Jesus Halleluiah light has come

A savior set us free

So praise to God on high

He has heard our cry

Merry Christmas everyone!

God Is Here!

The family get-togethers and ornaments and presents are all very nice at this time of year, but let's not allow them to obscure the reason why we celebrate Christmas - the reason for the season.

How awesome it must have been to be alive at time Jesus was born, and be able to say, "You're the Saviour we've been praying for". Now 2000+ years later we can still proclaim those same words as they are still very relevant, "You're the Saviour we've been praying for".

God IS with us, Hallelujah!

God Is With Us
The skies don't seem to be as dark as usual
The stars seem brighter then they've been before
Deep within I feel my soul a stirring
As though my hope has been restored
The shepherds say they've heard the voice of angels
Confirming rumors spread across the land
That a child protected well from Herod's anger
Is our Father's Son, and the son of man

Love is raining down on the world tonight
There's a presence here I can tell
God is in us, God is for us, God is with us, Emmanuel
He's the Saviour we have been praying for
In our humble hearts He will dwell
God is in us, God is for us, God is with us, Emmanuel

I feel compelled to tell all who will listen
That peace on earth is not so out of reach
If we can find grace, mercy and forgiveness
He has come to save, He is all of these

You're the Saviour we have been praying for
In our humble hearts You will dwell
You are in us, You are for us, You are with us, Emmanuel

Checkout the Casting Crowns website: http://www.castingcrowns.com/

The Gift

The gift of Christmas
The gift of love
The greatest love of all time
The love of our Saviour, Jesus Christ.

Rejoice, in Jesus' love today and every day.

Social Stigma

These days there's not the same stigma associate with children being born outside of marraige than there was in Jesus' day. So imagine how Mary felt when she was told she would conveive a baby by the Holy Spirit - fear, apprehension and well as the joy of kowing she would give birth to the Son of God. She need not have feared because Joseph, by God's instruction, married Mary.

Years later when Jesus was in his thirties, he still was the recipient of hateful and stigmatic comments about his origin. At one point Jesus was talking to some people about being God's true children, when they said to him, "We were not born out of wedlock! Our true Father is God himself" (John 8:41).

Through this we realise that Jesus can identify with, and understand social stigmas as he has been the subject of such himself. If you are suffering from social stigma, whether as a single parent or for some other reason, come to Jesus today. Do not hesitate in asking Him to help you, as He alone has promised to love everyone. He has had the experience of being stagmatized, and will be there for you.

Who Is He?

Who Is He
Who is He in yonder stall,
At whose feet the shepherds fall?

Chorus
'Tis the Lord! oh wondrous story!
'Tis the Lord! the King of glory!
At His feet we humbly fall,
Crown Him! crown Him, Lord of all!

Who is He in deep distress,
Fasting in the wilderness?

Who is He the people bless
For His words of gentleness?

Who is He to whom they bring
All the sick and sorrowing?

Who is He that stands and weeps
At the grave where Lazarus sleeps?

Who is He the gathering throng
Greet with loud triumphant song?

Lo! at midnight, who is He
Prays in dark Gethsemane?

Who is He on yonder tree
Dies in grief and agony?

Who is He who from the grave
Comes to succor, help, and save?

Who is He who from His throne
Rules through all the worlds alone?

When Jesus was just twelve he knew his identity as the Son of God:
“But why did you need to search?” he asked. “Didn’t you know that I must be in my Father’s house?” - Luke 2:49 (New Living Translation)

But how did Jesus know he was the Son of God? Jesus was both fully God and fully man and as such is a tenet of our Christian faith. Only God could effect the redemption of the human race.

Jesus was a human baby with a human nature, yet perfect in God with God's nature. The mystery of Jesus' divine and human nature is impossible for us to fully understand, so we must simply accept it by faith.

Have you recognised who Jesus is? We might not be able to understand everything about Jesus but we can accept the truth of who is is, by faith. God intends us to read the bible and trust the information we find there. Jesus was not just a good man who came to an untimely end, he was was God, and he was also human.

Peter recognised Jesus was God and publicised his big moment by saying to Jesus "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God" (Matthew 16:16 NLT). When we believe Jesus is the Son of God, it will be your "big moment" because it will change your life for the good!

I thank Jesus Christ for becoming human so he could bring me to God. Make that statement yours today.

Light At The End Of The Tunnel

Isaiah 9:2 (New Living Translation)
The people who walk in darkness will see a great light.
For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine.

What is "a great light"? It is of course the Saviour, Jesus Christ. The light of Christ brought the promise of deliverance for Israel, just as it can for us.

Are you in the depth of darkness and despair and need a glimmer of light and hope at the end of the tunnel? Maybe you are living in the darkness of divorce or in the shadow of death, or perhaps you have given up seeing any light in a dark family or church situation. Even those who seem to be iving "in the light", may be living in the deepest darkness of all - they may just be able to put on a "public" persona when needed.

Don't despair, there is light at the end of the tunnel - just look up and see Jesus! Here's what Jesus said in John 8:12 (The Message):
I am the world's Light. No one who follows me stumbles around in the darkness. I provide plenty of light to live in.

When it's dark things always seem worse, just switch off your electricity for a wee while and you'll soon see how difficult it is! But the word of God penetrates the darkness of our soul - God can turn the lights back on and lift you from your darkest times. Take the opportunity today to ask God to let the light shine on you again.

The Light Has Come by The New York Staff Band of the Salvation Army contains several of my favourite songs "The Candle of the Lord" and "The Light Has Come" - to me the most powerful words in these songs is the last line of The Light Has Come which states:

No more we walk in darkness
The Light HAS come!

Enjoy the music and the video accompaniment!

Putting People and Christ First

People matter more than schedules
People matter more than programs.
Making people a priority means putting people first...That is the way Jesus lived his life, so that is why God wants us to live that way too.

Micah 6:8 (NLT)
The Lord has already told you what is good, and this is what he requires you to do: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.

All these requirements will affect everyone around us. Doing what is right means living rightly in everything we do, wherever we are and whoever we are with. In responding rightly to wrong behaviour and judging rightly when conflicts arise.

Of course Christ did all these things perfectly, he will give us his nature so we have the power to do what we would be powerless to do in our own strength.

Philippians 2:3-4 (NLT)
Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.

In other words, putting people first will make you more like Jesus who always made sure his relationships, first with God and then with people, were his top priorities.

Fear of Failure

Have you ever been really disappointed with yourself?

Personally I'm a bit of a perfectionist, as those who work with me will tell you. I expect perfection from myself in everything I do, work related and everything else. Realistically that is very difficult for me to ever achieve. After all there has only ever been one person on earth who has ever been perfect...and that was Jesus!

I know I put pressure on myself to achieve perfection and in so doing can make myself frightened of "getting it wrong", of failing. Do you fear failure? I know it can be scary but there is nothing wrong with wanting to be perfect, that after all is God's ultimate target for each of us...to be like Jesus.

That's an incredibly high standard to live up to, but don't worry God knows we are not perfect, and we fail Him, and that is why He has promised to forgive us of everything we do wrong, of all our sins.

Psalm 34:22 (NIV)
But the Lord will redeem those who serve Him.
Everyone who trusts in Him will be freely pardoned.

Are you in need of forgiveness? Relief from guilt? Freedom from the fear of failure?

Ask the Lord to forgive you and set you free. Your path to freedom and to ultimately be like Jesus, must begin on your knees, at His feet!

Checkout the David Crowder Band website: http://www.davidcrowderband.com/

Mighty Name

Question: Who is the mighty?
Answer: Jesus
Why: Jesus came to earth and lived among us as one of us. Jesus paid the ultimate price for you and me, He gave his life for us, just so we could be free - free from sin. It is through believing in Him that Christians have the power and strength to life for Him.

Jesus IS a mighty name and a mighty person.

He is my inspiration and can be yours too.

This post is linked with my post entitled What's In A Name?

He's Been Here

God sent His son to earth so that He could experience all that we experience. He went one step further than we will ever have to go though, because He sent His son here to earth to die on a cross, just so we would be forgiven of all our sins.

Don't think because you're finding life difficult or your struggling to carry on, that Jesus doesn't understand how you feel, He does. Jesus understands, He's been here and He's had those same feelings you are experiencing now.

So trust Jesus, trust God, because He's with you all the time.

I Have Been There by Mark Schultz
In a room without a view, a new mother smiles and holds
her tiny fingers on her brand new baby girl.
Her husband takes her by the hand, so unsure about the future
and no money can they make it in this world?

And they pray, Lord all we have to give is love
and they heard a gentle voice like an echo from above,
I have been there. I know what fear is all about.
Yes, I have been there and I'm standing with you now.
I have been there
And I came to build the bridge oh so this road could lead you home.
Oh I have been there.

He's been a pastor twenty years
but tonight he sits alone and broken hearted in the corner of the church
He tried to change a fallen world
with his words and with his wisdom but it seems like it is only getting worse
And he cries, Oh Lord I just don't understand
Then he felt the hand of grace, and he heard a voice that said

I have been there, I know what pain is all about
yes I have been there, and I'm standing with you now
I have been there, and I came to build a bridge
oh so this road could lead you home
oh i have been there.

An older man up on a hill
holding flowers but he can't hold back the tears.
oh he has come to say goodbye.
he thinks about the life she lived,
thinks about how hard it's been to live without her
sixty years right by his side
and he cries, oh Lord i loved her till the end
and he heard a gentle voice say you'll see her once again

I have been there
I know what sorrow's all about
yes i have been there and I'm standing with you now
i have been there, and i came to build a bridge
oh so this road could lead her home, the road could lead her home
oh i have been there, You know I overcame the cross, yes i have been there
so her life would not be lost
oh i have been there, and i came to build
a bridge so this road could lead you home
the road could lead you home

Oh I have been there
Yes I have been there

Checkout Mark Schultz website: http://markschultzmusic.com/home/

My Mission

God requires us to tell others about His love. He requires us to be His witnesses, His disciples.

I personally find that very daunting as I feel so inadequate, as I am not very confident of speaking publicly about my faith. However, I do know God will give me what I need to get through every situation - He's given me the medium of this blog to try to spread His message.

I hope and pray you find my blog interesting and challenging. I pray your relationship with God may grow because of something you've read here, but most of all I simply pray that God will continue to use me as a witness through all I do.

Acts 1:8 (New International Version)
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth

The Mission by Newsboys


When the runners came from Bethlehem
All breathless with good news
They were passing a baton forward through time
The commission, from God's lips to our ears
Carried by His saints two thousand years
Connects us all to the same lifeline
As I fix my eyes ahead
I can feel the Spirit's breath...

(And) I can hear the mission bell ringing out loud and clear
It's the revolution Jesus started, and it's here
Echoing across the world from the shores of Galilee
I can hear the mission bell call for you and me
I wanna run with fire
It's my heart's desire
Lifting your love higher

In the history of our faith's arrivals
Great awakenings, Welsh revivals
Saints and martyrs, summoned by a new birth
Patrick's save of the Irish nation
William Carey's expectation
Lambs and Lions
Called to the ends of the earth
Gotta put my hand to the plow
Not looking back, not now...

(And) I can hear the mission bell ringing out loud and clear
It's the revolution Jesus started, and it's here
Echoing across the world from the shores of Galilee
I can hear the mission bell call for you and me
I wanna run with fire
It's my heart's desire
Lifting your love higher

Checkout the Newsboys website: http://newsboys.com/