A Call To Celebrate

That was the Sydney Staff Songsters of the Salvation Army singing a wonderful arrangement of Revelation 19.

Revelation 19 contains words of praise and worship and encourages us to celebrate God's wonderful love for us each and every day. We so often take God's love for us for granted, so why not listen to the Songsters sing Revelation 19 again, and then share a prayer of praise and thanksgiving to God for all he's done for you today and for all He will do in the future.

The Message version of the bible says the following in Revelation 19:1-10 under the heading of The Sound of Hallelujahs:

I heard a sound like massed choirs in Heaven singing, Hallelujah!
The salvation and glory and power are God's—
his judgments true, his judgments just.
He judged the great Whore who corrupted the earth with her lust.
He avenged on her the blood of his servants.
Then, more singing:
Hallelujah!
The smoke from her burning billows up to high Heaven forever and ever and ever.


The Twenty-four Elders and the Four Animals fell to their knees and worshiped God on his Throne, praising,
Amen! Yes! Hallelujah!

From the Throne came a shout, a command:
Praise our God, all you his servants,
All you who fear him, small and great!

Then I heard the sound of massed choirs, the sound of a mighty cataract, the sound of strong thunder:
Hallelujah!
The Master reigns, our God, the Sovereign-Strong!
Let us celebrate, let us rejoice, let us give him the glory!
The Marriage of the Lamb has come; his Wife has made herself ready.
She was given a bridal gown of bright and shining linen.
The linen is the righteousness of the saints.

The Angel said to me, "Write this: 'Blessed are those invited to the Wedding Supper of the Lamb.'" He added, "These are the true words of God!"


I fell at his feet to worship him, but he wouldn't let me. "Don't do that," he said. "I'm a servant just like you, and like your brothers and sisters who hold to the witness of Jesus. The witness of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy."

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!

How Great Thou Art

Who is like You among the gods, O LORD?
Who is like You, majestic in holiness,
Awesome in praises, working wonders?
Exodus 15:11

How Great Thou Art
O Lord my God, When I in awesome wonder,
Consider all the worlds Thy Hands have made;
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed.

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

When through the woods, and forest glades I wander,
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees.
When I look down, from lofty mountain grandeur
And see the brook, and feel the gentle breeze.

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

And when I think, that God, His Son not sparing;
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in;
That on the Cross, my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin.

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

When Christ shall come, with shout of acclamation,
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart.
Then I shall bow, in humble adoration,
And then proclaim: "My God, how great Thou art!"

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

Sydney Staff Songsters sing How Great Thou Art:

The story of this wonderful and inspiring hymn:

A young minister’s two-mile walk in the rain provided the inspiration for “How Great Thou Art.” The Reverend Carl Boberg of Monsteras, on the southeast coast of Sweden, was 25 years old when he wrote the lyrics of this song after trekking through a thunderstorm from a church meeting two miles away

This great hymn has a history that stretches back over a hundred years. The original song was written by a young Swedish preacher, Carl Boberg, and first published in 1886, under the title O Store Gud. Boberg wrote a poem, not meaning to write a hymn, but later heard it being sung to an old Swedish tune.

More than forty years later, an English missionary, Stuart Hine, first heard the song in Russia. He and his young wife were missionaries to the Carpathian area of Russia, then a part of Czechoslovakia. There, they heard a very meaningful hymn that was a Russian translation of Carl Boberg’s O Store Gud (O Great God).

While ministering in the Carpathian Mountains, Hine found himself in the midst of a threatening storm. The thunder, as it rolled through the mountain range, was so awesome that it reminded Hine of the beautiful Russian hymn that had already become so dear to him. English verses began to form in his mind, verses that were suggested by portions of the Russian translation.

How Great Thou Art is probably the all-time favorite hymn today. Although its origin had roots in Europe, it was not widely known until 1957, when the Billy Graham Crusade in New York City launched it on a never-ending spiral around the world. It was performed nearly a hundred times during those meetings and countless times ever since.

One cannot sing this majestic hymn of praise and adoration without realizing anew the omnipotence of the Creator who did it all.

How Can I?

It's difficult not to be happy when God is part of everything you do. I know life isn't always easy as we all go through difficult situations at time, however if we keep God at the center of all we do, there is no reason you can't continue to be happy in God's presence.

With God by our side it's difficult not to sing about it and tell others, and that's reflected by Sydney Staff Songsters as they sing How Can I Keep From Singing:

Majesty

What do you think of when you hear the word "majesty"?
Here are some dictionary definitions:

• The greatness and dignity of a sovereign.
• The sovereignty and power of God.
• Supreme authority or power

In other words, something awesome and wonderful, more powerful and mighty than man. All of which makes "majesty" a fantastic word to describe God and Jesus as they are greater than any other and certainly greater than anyone here on earth.

But despite being so awesome, God loves us unconditionally and is more than willing to forgive us of our sins, if only we'd ask Him to. Accept God's unconditional love today, it's a far greater love than you'll ever find from anyone else.

Sydney Staff Songsters sing Majesty (Here I am)

Majesty (Here I Am)

Here I am humbled by your Majesty
Covered by your grace so free
Here I am, knowing I'm a sinful man
Covered by the blood of the Lamb

Now I've found the greatest love of all is mine
Since you laid down your life
The greatest sacrifice

Majesty, Majesty
Your grace has found me just as I am
Empty handed, but alive in your hands
Majesty, Majesty
Forever I am changed by your love
In the presence of your Majesty

Here I am humbled by the love that you give
Forgiven so that I can forgive
Here I stand, knowing that I'm your desire
Sanctified by glory and fire

Now I've found the greatest love of all is mine
Since you laid down your life
The greatest sacrifice

Stillness

Life works best when you create an oasis of stillness within the day. Take time to connect with your creator.

God needs and wants us to spend quality time with Him in the same way we would with any other relationship. Make time for God everyday.

Enjoy the beautiful song "Still" performed here by Sydney Staff Songsters of the Salvation Army.

Still
Words and Music by Reuben Morgan

Hide me now
Under your wings
Cover me
within your mighty hand

When the oceans rise and thunders roar
I will soar with you above the storm
Father you are king over the flood
I will be still and know you are God

Find rest my soul
In Christ alone
Know his power
In quietness and trust

Please checkout the Sydney Staff Songsters website: http://www.sydneystaffsongsters.com/

Reassurance

Psalm 145:18 (NIV)
The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.

I find great reassurance in these words, do you?

God has promised us that He will be there for us whenever and wherever we need Him - all we have to do is ask Him!

How many people do you know who would do that!? Anytime and anywhere! Wow!
I think we'd all be struggling to find someone so amazing and so dependable. And that's exactly why I find those words so reassuring, because I know God will never let me down...I am never alone!

Sit back and enjoy Sydney Staff Songsters singing We Are Not Alone :

Checkout Sydney Staff Songsters website: http://www.sydneystaffsongsters.com/