Song Lists

Some days, we're just not “feeling it.” “It” could be a general apathy, or specific to our relationship with God. But Scripture tells us what to do when our emotions rebel against us or don't let us feel anything at all. Romans 12:2 says, “Don't be conformed any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of our mind.” How do we do this? By knowing the Word of God. But not to, as James says, be hearers only, but to then do it. We have to tell ourselves the truth. Every day, every hour, every minute, until our heart follows suit. This we know to be true: we have victory in Christ! When it seems there is no way, He is our way. We will see the enemy run, even if it feels like we are constantly in battle, and we will see the victory come because we already have it thanks to Jesus. No matter where life finds you today, the love of God in Christ is unfailing and you can hold on to it with all you are. Hebrews 10 says to hold unswervingly to the hope you possess, because God is faithful. He is who He says He is. Psalm 20 is a beautiful reminder of this truth. David writes: “This I know: The Lord gives victory to his anointed.” Those God has called, you and me, and all who call on the name of the Lord, have received victory today in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Let our trust reflect the truth we believe. Father, this I know: you are who you say you are—faithful and true, loving, redeeming, saving. You have given me victory in Christ, both now and forever. In the midst of brokenness on a sin-filled earth, hard circumstances, or an unknown future, let me remember that my life is secure in you and in your promises. I hold on to you today, Jesus. Amen. Based on the song This We Know by Jason Ingram, Kristian Stanfill. Original post by Passion Music available on YouVersion based on the live album - Passion: Worthy Of Your Name, featuring worship songs from Passion Band, Chris Tomlin, Crowder, Matt Redman, Jimi Cravity & more!

We experience more broken promises in life than we do kept promises. When someone breaks a promise they've made to us, we feel disappointed and hurt. With each promise that is broken, we grow more wary of the next one, skeptical of its fulfillment. We become calloused and distrusting. Fortunately, we serve a God who is the ultimate promise maker and keeper. The Old Testament is a chronicle of promises, or covenants, God makes with his people Israel. He promises to lead them into the Promised Land. (Gen. 12:12) He promises that they will be his chosen people. (Ex. 19:5-6) He promises eternal rule to the house of David. (2 Sam. 7:12-17) And he promises to make a new and lasting covenant with Israel that will unite God with his wandering people for good. (Jer. 31:31-34) Along the way, he reminds Israel of his faithful nature, assuring them that he will keep his promises. Like it says in Deuteronomy, “Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations.” (Deut. 7:9) Faithful you areFaithful forever you will beFor all your promises are yes and amen God fulfilled every promise he made to the Israelites in the Old Testament, and through Jesus Christ he fulfilled the new and lasting covenant: “For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory.” (2 Cor. 1:20) In Christ, the new covenant establishes us as the children of God, inheritors of the Kingdom, marked with a seal and given the gift of the Holy Spirit. This is the greatest promise ever made, and it's a promise that is already a done deal. Nothing can break it. The same God who was faithful to Abraham and Moses in the Old Testament is the God who remains faithful to us today through his son, Jesus. When every other promise made to us is broken on this earth, we can rest in the assurance that this one never will. Based on the song Yes And Amen by Chris Tomlin. Original post available on YouVersion based on the album Never Lose Sight.

We've been on stand-by for the birth of our first grandchild for what feels like forever. As her due date came and went, the waiting game began. She received her eviction notice but seemed particularly content in her womb. Anticipation of her arrival intensified every day that first week in April. Pondering and praying one morning, I heard myself whisper, "I love her already". We do love her already. We have seen more ultrasound photos of her sweet little hands, feet and pouty little lips than all her aunt and uncles' in utero pictures combined! We love her already. Finally, on the evening of April 12, with one text, we learned she arrived! Listening to our firstborn son describe the birth of his first while hearing her precious newborn cries in the background is a moment we won't soon forget. Our son and daughter-in-law planned for a home water birth with the support and expertise of midwives. They had a plan!! The thing we newly-minted grandparents know all too well is that we can't plan for everything. The baby came fast and furious, opting to forego midwifery's arrival and instead make her appearance before any help had arrived. Our granddaughter made her entrance into her Daddy's waiting embrace on the bathroom floor of their home. Two parents already in love with their daughter caught her and welcomed her into their family. So much is happening in our hearts. We are delighted that the baby arrived safely, shocked that they delivered her on their own, and in awe of these waves of love and affection moving through our hearts and minds. We loved her already. That word "already" implies a great deal, before a specified or implied past, present, or future time. "Already" happens before she masters anything; before she shows that unique achievement before she meets any goals or reaches any milestones, we loved her before any past, present, or future accomplishments. Our granddaughter doesn't know how to "do" anything to earn our affection, we love her already. Babies intuitively know how to take in our love. It is hardwired into them to reach for and cry for affection. They respond to our gaze, and they are calmed by our hummed hushes. Responsive, loving caregivers provide comfort to babies when they are in distress, and children learn to trust their parent's safety and love. Holding my granddaughter, watching her eyes move towards her daddy's voice, my heart bursts; she knows her daddy's tone and affection. She is drawn already to his expressions of love for her. As I sit, feeling the depth of this love billowing up inside me, a steadying hush settles me. I have this thought: His love is greater. We gathered, admiring our little one. She showed no discomfort with our adoration. She wriggled, startled when we shifted her from one family member to the other, but she was deeply content held in our affection. Someone whispers: "I love her already." We all smile in agreement. We do. We love her already. We loved her before, but now the love is immeasurably magnified with a "presence" we can see, touch and kiss. Again, this thought: His love is greater. Yes, greater, deeper, more profound, more enduring, His love is greater. Can you take it in? Can you linger and receive this enduring love that God has for you? Our life experiences distort our receptive capacities. Our attachment systems, hardwired in at birth, are disrupted by disappointment, unmet needs, losses, grief; all the hard stuff of relationships. Over time some of us may close off their receptive capacities staying protected and hidden. Closing our hearts from others creates a false sense of safety, but we remain distant and disconnected from others. We might find it challenging to receive human affection or love, dismiss our need for it, or shift to people-pleasing to earn love and affection. These distortions in our receptive capacity to take in love and affection show up in our human connections and will undoubtedly appear in our relationship with God. Consider your own receptive affective capacity to take in human affection: When someone says to you: "You sang beautifully this morning," or "This meal is delicious." Do you bat that compliment back so quickly, you startle the giver? We mumble things like, "It was ok," or "I don't know, it was a bit overcooked." How uncomfortable do you feel? Imagine sitting for a moment in the discomfort of someone's affection for you, when you have heard heartfelt messages of appreciation like these: I admire you.I respect you.You are gifted.You bring such joy into my life.I love spending time with you.You are funny.I love you. Shake off the false humility that wants to pass back these words and allow yourself time to take them in and notice what happens inside. Allow yourself to be touched, moved, and loved. Then, you can take it a step further. His love for you is greater. His love for you is passed, present and future -- it is already. Without you doing a thing. Nothing right, nothing wrong, nothing outstanding. His love is "already" for you. We are invited to experience His love. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen. (Ephesians 3: 19-21, NLT) His love. His love is greater than the billowing up, indescribable warmth spreading through my chest as I hold my granddaughter. His love is greater than the joy escaping through my breath mixed into the tears streaming down my face when I heard her first cries over the phone.His love is greater. Don't miss it. The totality of God's love for us, already matured. It won't grow or deepen. We don't have to be alarmed by this -- His affections won't become more evident, deepen or shift because His love for us is at the greatest depth we could ever hope or imagine. He loves us already. His love isn't dependent on "getting to know us." He isn't the grandparent waiting to hold a newborn grandchild. He knows us. He fully knows us. Our past, present, and future selves are known. And He loves with more depth, breadth, and presence than our minds can comprehend. Be held in the Father's love for you. Close your eyes and drink that in. You are fully known. God knows all the places and parts of you, the ones you share and the ones you hide, and He loves you. Go deeper into Christ's love. "This song has honestly been a reminder for me that God is everything we'll ever need. My prayer is that everyone who listens to this is reminded of the Father's heart toward us and that He loves to take care of us." (Naomi Raine, Maverick City, JFH) Tracey Dahl, M.A. is a writer and Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) in Langley, BC (Canada). She is married to Ryan Dahl (Founder of PraiseCharts) and the mother of four grown children. Promises was written by Dante Bowe, Aaron Moses, Joe L. Barnes, Keila Marin, Lemuel Marin, and Phillip Carrington Gaines, and recorded by Maverick City.

When we sat down to write the song Peace Be Still, our lives were filled with circumstances that had us feeling fearful. We were all standing face to face with some scary situations. We knew that fear was present in our personal lives, but we also knew that we could choose to declare the promises of God in the midst of our fears, and His presence would flood us with peace that silences every wave of fear, and anxiety or worry. Worship is a weapon to defeat the schemes, lies and voices of the enemy. Worship is a way to stand upon the waves and tell the storm to go to sleep. I can't begin to tell you how many times, I have personally had to sing the lyrics of Peace Be Still over my own life, mind and situations. I have battled fear and anxiety a great deal in different seasons. At times, I have failed to anchor myself in the word of God through scripture or song and the waves of anxiety and fear have overtaken me. The aftermath of those storms have sometimes left damage that took more time and energy to restore than God ever intended. However, when I chose to grab on to the lifeline of God's word, declaring His promises over my life, the storm was silenced, either in me or in the natural. As we started this new decade, all over the world, we are facing a health pandemic that hasn't been seen in over 100 years. People feel confused, scared, uncertain and worried about the future. It feels like a storm of fear and anxiety has hit us pretty hard. Right now, we can choose to get swept up in the waves of fear and worry, doubting that God is for us or we can choose to remain anchored in the presence of God and allow His peace to wash over us and calm the storm inside our hearts and minds. We don't know what the future holds. We don't know how this current world situation will play out in the following weeks and months. What we do know is that our God is our shield, our fortress, our deliverer, our provider, our healer and our strong tower. Psalm 91:1-4 (God's Word Translation)Whoever lives under the shelter of the Most High will remain in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, “You are my refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust.” He is the one who will rescue you from the hunter's traps and from deadly plagues. He will cover you with his feathers and under his wings you will find refuge. His truth (word) is your shield and armor. Worship builds a reservoir of God's truth to draw from when we face difficult moments. I know that every time I choose to worship, it builds my faith in God. It reminds me once again, that my God is greater than any storm and He speaks PEACE OVER ME! My prayer is that during these times of fear and uncertainty you will find refuge in the Almighty, declare His promises, sing His praises and know His Peace that passes all understanding! Hope Darst, has been leading worship, growing her family and serving the local church. She wears many titles…wife, mother, worship leader and songwriter. Peace Be Still was written by Hope Darst, Mia Fields, Andrew Holt, and featured on the Peace Be Still album.

It's easy to look around and see that the world is looking for love. We all deeply connect with the idea of feeling known, accepted, and ultimately, loved, and are searching for it…maybe in all the wrong places as the old adage says. But more often than not, we look for it in good things: a relationship, our career, a success or goal met, our family, the next adventure or “big” thing on the horizon. We may readily run to these things to fill us with a sense of love and acceptance, but there's a void of dissatisfaction wherever earthly love has taken residence in us where only divine love will do. There are a lot of “good” loves, but only one heavenly Great Love. Only the love of God in Christ Jesus will satisfy continually the innermost depths of our hearts, minds, and souls, to the brim and overflowing both now and forever. Scripture tells us in 1 John 3:1: How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called the children of God, and that is what we are! Romans 8 says that nothing, not death, life, nor circumstances, nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus. Through the Innocent Perfection who gave his life for us, we have been forever changed by the power of the cross and brought into this great love of God. This kind of love calls us by name and lifts us up. It gives us a mercy which is new every day. It allows us to live from a place of love and acceptance, not a place of striving or earning. We are simply free to respond to the love of God with our lives. Oh Lord, let us do that today! Father, thank you that I can call you that! Father. You have poured out in great measure continually, even now, your unmatched love on me, that I would be called your child. Thank you that through Jesus I have access to the love and power of God through the Spirit. Help me to lift my eyes to you today, and let your love transform me as I cease striving and live from acceptance not for it. Amen. Based on the song How Great Is Your Love by Brett Younker, Kristian Stanfill. Original post by Passion Music available on YouVersion based on the live album - Passion: Worthy Of Your Name, featuring worship songs from Passion Band, Chris Tomlin, Crowder, Matt Redman, Jimi Cravity & more!

A love with no conditions is an overwhelming idea. It doesn't matter if you ask for it, understand it, believe it, or even want it—you can't ignore it. Paul tells us in Ephesians 1:4 that "long before [God] laid down earth's foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love.” We see that God's love for us is unconditional because He chose us and loved us from before our first breath. He chose us before we had met any conditions. Before we had done anything to earn His love, or to lose it. Living with the truth of God's unconditional love on our hearts does a few pivotal things. First, it silences the lies that we are out of reach, don't belong, or can never be free. Those are lies that cannot stand in light of an unconditional love. “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:6-8 (NIV) Next, we see that God's unconditional love calls us to something greater than ourselves. His love gives us a home and a family. “Long, long ago he decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure he took in planning this!) He wanted us to enter into the celebration of his lavish gift-giving by the hand of his beloved Son.” Ephesians 1:5-6 (MSG) Finally, as we understand God's unconditional love for us, it helps us understand who we are. “It's in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone.” Ephesians 1:11-12 (MSG) The only response worthy of all that this unconditional love means for us, is surrender and allegiance. What better king could we love and serve? Yes, this is our God! His heart for us is good. His promise for us is real. And He will never turn His back on us. Based on the song Whole Heart. Original post by Passion Music available on YouVersion based on the album - Whole Heart by Passion Music.

The joy that comes with daily sacrifice only makes sense in light of the cross. It will be my joy to say, “Your will, your way.” The world sees the Christian life of sacrifice and says, “Stop giving up all of your rights and privileges. You must be miserable!” But Christians have experienced the paradoxical joy in giving up your life to someone else, in dying to self and living for Christ. As Paul said in Philippians 1:21, “For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” Of course it's not easy at first, the dying-to-self thing. Paul also said, “For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin. For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate” (Rom. 7:14-15). We are sinful beings who even when we know the freedom of Christ still long to satisfy the desires of our flesh. This is why we must daily lay down our lives. Letting go of my pride, giving up all my rights. Take this life and let it shine. How do we do this, practically speaking? By inviting Jesus into our day-to-day. There is a moment in each Christian's life when we make a decision to believe Jesus was the son of God. That is huge. That is our salvation. But in order to know God, we must make a conscious effort to choose Christ every day like we did in that one salvation moment. As we accept this discipline, we see that the sacrifice gets a bit easier with time, and the joy of the sacrifice begins to outweigh the shame of sin. We choose to submit to the leadership placed in our lives, rather than fight it. We choose to call our sibling or parent back even though they're difficult to talk to. We choose to end the relationship that is pleasing to the flesh but devastating to the spirit. Eventually the thought of not owning ourselves, but actually belonging to someone else will be the only thing that makes sense. Left to our own devices, we have made some poor decisions that placed us in bondage to something or someone. But left to Christ's guidance, we feel the freedom of our lives and are joyful that life is no longer up to us. We are relieved to no longer be living for ourselves and instead to be a part of a much larger story. Based on the song Lay Me Down by Chris Tomlin. Original post available on YouVersion based on the album Burning Lights.

We are living in a time that tends to promote self-reliance and self-worship above all else. We're taught that our happiness matters most of all and our success determines our value. This selfish agenda is pervasive, sneaky, and at times, aggressive. It's a story that puts you and me, and what we want, at the center by leading us to believe that we can manifest our own destiny and control the future. The bottom line is…it's all about us. This is not a new storyline, in fact, you could even say it's the oldest one in the book. This lie fueled the fracture between God and man in the Garden of Eden, and it's fueling all of humanity's sin to this day. To be clear — this is the Enemy's plan and it's in direct opposition to the kingship of Jesus and the rest He promises. Whether we acknowledge it or not, there is a greater and truer story unfolding all around us. This is the story of God's kingdom. In this kingdom, Jesus reigns as king on an eternal throne. He rules with grace, power, wisdom, and kindness. He is our Maker and He has our best in mind. He's the kind of king that gives His life for His people. He is unlike any other king. The story has always been and will always be about Him. “For by him, all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him, all things hold together.” – Colossians 1:16-17 So how do we resist the cultural current, clear the surface and get connected to what really matters? How do we fold our short time on earth into the eternal story of God? How do we find peace and a sense of being in a world that runs on striving and doing? It starts with pursuit. Every relationship is built on this. We chase after what we want and it's the same when it comes to our relationship with Jesus. James 4:7-8a says, “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you.” To align with God's heart we resist the enemy and come near to Him through humble prayer and repentance. We submit to the authority of His word. We are then transformed by His patient love and gentle presence. This pursuit adjusts our perspective and aims us back toward what matters most. Jesus also knows that life with Him at the center leads to the kind of joy, peace, and rest that life apart from Him can never provide. We get purpose and peace when we get Jesus! So, let's take a step toward Jesus today. And then let's do it again tomorrow. One day at a time. We have this promise in His word that He will meet us there and we will be changed and fulfilled. Based on the song All About You by Kristian Stanfill. Original post by Passion Music available on YouVersion based on the album - I've Witnessed It by Passion

Make Us One is not just a song but a declaration for the body of Christ to be unified as one body. This was always His intention and plan. In John 17 after He prayed for His disciples, Jesus then prayed for “those who will believe” in Him through their word.‬ I find it sobering that the prayer Jesus prayed just before He was betrayed and arrested at Gethsemane was for us to be one as He is one with the Father. For us to function properly as the body of Christ we all must work together in love and unity. In the world today we see so much division. The political, racial, and economic division is all over the news and social media. For the world to truly see the love of Christ, the church must take its place as one body in Him. We must set aside our pride and offences and be made one, “Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.” Colossians‬ ‭3:12-15‬ ‭NKJV‬‬. We are called to carriers of His glory and to demonstrate His love to the world. We do this by becoming the church that Christ intended, to be made one. John 17:23“I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.” Based on the song Make Us One by Chris Quilala, Ran Jackson, Ricky Jackson, Joshua Silverberg. Original post by Jesus Culture available on YouVersion based on the album Love Has A Name.

Do you ever glance around the world searching for a reason to feel hopeful? Do you ever end up discouraged? Such a quest can feel like a flickering flame, threatening to extinguish in the slightest breeze. While driving through my hometown today, I passed by a row of small wooden crosses stationed along the side of the road, each adorned with toddler-sized dresses. My stomach churned, considering the horror represented by the roadside tribute to 215 children whose remains were found in an unmarked burial site. The unmarked graves discovered in multiple residential school grounds across Canada represent a generation of young people abducted from their homes who faced unknown horrors. If I'm honest, I feel angry and I'm unsure how to respond. Who holds our faith when fears arise? Who stands above the stormy trial? So what happens when in the face of human suffering, the fire of hope in eternity fades? What happens when the words of our worship songs sit like stones in our chest? A quiet hallelujah is barely uttered and the fiery darts of the enemy slide in behind our breastplate. Why do we endure and keep searching for some measure of hope? Because right there in the middle of our suffering is a promise: we will feast in endless joy. And what reward will heaven bring?Everlasting life with himAnd we will rise to meet the LordThen sin and death will be destroyed Maybe you face another kind of agony that is closer to home. Alzheimer's, dementia, ALS, Parkinson's, Cancer: these are the names of afflictions so distant for many and a real-life battlefield for others. When you are on the battlefield, it is easy to feel helpless, hopeless, and numb. Where is the hope in that? This is the plight of our human condition: everyone bleeds. Human suffering is unavoidable. No one escapes hardship -- in some form, at some time. We cannot look here for our hope. Earthly hope does not endure. It fades, disappoints, and dies. "Christ has been raised from the dead" (1 Cor 15:20). That is the only statement that can transform how we live each day and how we prepare for our earthly life to end. To find comfort in life, we must know how we can face death. Hope comes only in trusting the one who died to take the curse of death and who crushed the power of death by His resurrection. See Getty Music. We all experience suffering as our earthly bodies waste away, but we hold fast to a promise that is unfading, protected by the resurrection. One day, we will feast at His banqueting table. Can you feel that truth settling into your heart? Like a healing balm of comfort, God says, "take my gift and have endless joy." And the God of all grace, who called youto his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore youand make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen. 1 Peter 5:10,11 Don't sit in silence. Tell yourself both sides of the story. We will have suffering and there is a promise. Worship through the grief and find the promised hope. Breakthroughs come when hearts break open. Tracey Dahl, M.A. is a writer and Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) in Langley, BC (Canada). She is married to Ryan Dahl (Founder of PraiseCharts) and the mother of four grown children. Christ Our Hope in Life and Death is a modern hymn written by Keith Getty, Jordan Kauflin, Matt Papa, Matt Boswell, and Matthew Merker (Getty Music). Words inspired by the Heidelberg Catechism.

The beauty of worship lies in its ability to realign our hearts with the truths of God's word. Matt Maher's song, The Lord's Prayer (It's Yours), paints a picture of the heart's yearning for God's Kingdom to manifest on earth and in our lives, mirroring the essence of The Lord's Prayer as taught by Jesus. The lyrics "Father let Your kingdom come, Father let Your will be done" reiterate a profound request. While these words are often recited in churches worldwide, have we deeply pondered their significance? The prayer for God's kingdom to come is more than just a yearning for heaven. It's an active invitation for God's rule and reign to be evident in our daily lives. This isn't about a physical territory but rather the spiritual realm where God's values, justice, and righteousness prevail. When we sing, "On Earth as in Heaven, right here in my heart," we're expressing our desire for our hearts to be transformed and aligned with God's purpose, mirroring the purity and holiness of heaven. The chorus, with its plea for daily bread and forgiveness, underscores our dependence on God for sustenance and mercy. It is a beautiful reminder that just as we rely on Him for our physical needs, we also lean on His grace for our spiritual nourishment. Moreover, in seeking forgiveness, we're also reminded of the grace required to forgive others, ensuring that our hearts remain untainted by bitterness. The bridge, "It's Yours, all Yours, the kingdom, the power, the glory are Yours," is an anthem of surrender and recognition. The world may pull us in various directions, offering transient power and glory. But true power, the kind that overcomes the world, belongs to God. It's a call for us to relinquish our pursuit of worldly accolades and embrace the unshakeable kingdom of God. As you reflect on these lyrics, challenge yourself: 1. Kingdom Come: How are you actively inviting God's kingdom into your daily life? Are you seeking His will in your decisions and actions? 2. Daily Bread: What are you feeding your soul? Are you leaning into God's word for daily sustenance? 3. Forgiveness: Are there areas in your life where unforgiveness lurks? Seek God's grace to heal and to extend forgiveness. 4. Surrender: In what areas are you holding onto worldly power or glory? Surrender them to the One whose kingdom reigns supreme. As worship leaders and believers, let's not just sing these words but live them. Let every chord, every lyric be a testament to our desire for God's kingdom to reign supreme in our hearts and lives. Every day, may our lives echo the heart of The Lord's Prayer, where His will is done on earth, as it is in heaven. Matthew 6:10 (NIV) "Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven."

I woke up angry. Hurt, disappointed and angry. I also have a deadline. I am supposed to be writing about the love of God in Christ alone. So ironic. How do I connect to the love of God with the emotion of anger coursing through my veins? Today is a very human kind of day where no one filled the dishwasher or offered to help with the groceries. Someone borrowed the car and brought it home empty. The garbage cans are still sitting at the end of the driveway, and it was garbage day four days ago. Someone took the last bit of coffee cream, leaving me with skim milk. I could share this with someone. I could weave this tale with a friend or post something in an eerily passive way on social media. I would see those likes and comments of validation, knowing that others share or at least understand my emotions. Here's the thing. None of that would transform my hurt, soften my disappointment or soothe my anger. For a few moments, I would feel great. I'm sure one of my besties would come alongside me and say, "heck ya, that wasn't very respectful to you!" Or, "how dare they do that!! You sure do have a right to be mad! I would be mad too!" My chin would jut out, my shoulders would drop down, and I would stand taller, feeling vindicated and understood. ... for about ten minutes. And then, suppose there is no resolution to the initial hurt? Suppose I have to continue interacting with all of the "someones" who are a part of my irritation? I could so easily pick up my hurt and disappointment the moment I am in their presence. Sharing this pain for the world to hear will not clear the fog away to connect with the love of God, and it will not heal my heart. When I am wrestling internally, I know I need the perspective of someone who both loves me and loves me enough to tell me the truth. My end goal is to have authentic, meaningful, loving connections with my people. To see and be seen and to be accepted and supported. I have learned not to sit in emotional dark places alone. The darkness is where unresolved hurt festers. Instead, I go to my quiet place where Jesus waits with me. This is a loose transcript of a typical conversation: Me: I am pretty mad Jesus: I see thatMe: Ok, more than mad ... I am angry Jesus: I knowMe: I want them to know how hurt I am Jesus: Tell me ... I know them well ... they might not be able to hold your hurt, but I can.Me: I think it would feel better if they knew how they hurt me.Jesus: Because you want them to hurt too?Me: (busted) Maybe ... I am just so frustrated that my bones ache. I always have to be the first to make amends ... so, not this time. I am going to hold out.Jesus: OK, I will wait with you. (Pausing in His presence) How does a conversation like this continue for you? Does the voice of Jesus in your head condemn you for feeling this way? Does He quote some Bible verse about "not letting the sun go down on your anger" or forgiving your brother and "turning the other cheek?" Does Jesus sit and stare at you with judgment in His eyes? This is the real, rusty and relevant, rubber hitting the road of relationships. Relationships are messy and often reactive. Maybe you and your spouse always get along. Maybe your children are always respectable, obedient, and lovely -- both privately and publicly. Maybe you don't ever say something out loud you later regret? Maybe your family is free of awkward moments of discomfort and conflict? Maybe it is just us? Maybe my ordinary, messy life is not typical? I know that isn't true. I know I am not alone because I work with people whose lives are messy. Every day people are constantly falling into pits that they dug for themselves, and then they experience heartache and disappointment. I sit across from them while they tell me their stories of pain. I witness them telling of trauma histories that have turned my stomach in knots. Then, through empathy, I start to feel anger and deep sadness for the victims. I feel their pain. I know the ache of a human heart that lives with hurt, disappointment, and loss. I also know it is not enough to undo our aloneness or to feel understood -- we need to experience transformation. Healing and wholeness can so often feel just out of reach. We need to know the power of Christ in us. I can help others feel through the waves of their emotion and allow them to linger longer in the peace that comes when the waves cease. But Jesus is our Peace. He is the calm in our storms. He is so passionate about pursuing us to bring heaven to earth, so we experience the transformation of our hearts and minds. When I allow the power of His resurrection to course through my veins, something shifts inside me. His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. (2 Peter 1:3) His power in us is the life-giving grace that floods our burdened hearts with peace, grace, and long-suffering. His power living in us allows our hurting hearts to lay down the pain and take up hope in restoration and repair. We have everything we need in Him. He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters. He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me. They confronted me on the day of my disaster, but the LORD was my support. He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me. (Psalm 18:16-19) Lean into this truth. Jesus offers us the gift of His presence for eternity. What is the end goal of Jesus? The restoration of all things and to have us near Him forever. He saves. He rescues us from our messy selves and places us in a safe space away from the darkness of our sin and pain. Our hope is in Christ Alone. Tracey Dahl, M.A. is a writer and Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) in Langley, BC (Canada). She is married to Ryan Dahl (Founder of PraiseCharts) and the mother of four grown children. In Christ Alone was written by Keith Getty and Stuart Townend.

“But he knows the way that I take; when he has tried me, I shall come out as gold.” - Job 23:10 The fire can serve multiple purposes. The same fire that hardens clay will soften and purify gold. My prayer in seasons of trial is to lean into the Lord and discover the purpose for the season. Lord are you strengthening or softening me? Are you cleansing impurity's from my life or affirming and giving your yes to something in me, like a clay vase being hardened and made strong? What needs to be purified, what needs to be reinforced for the responsibility of the new weight of glory I am stepping into? In 2 Corinthians 3:18 the apostle Paul speaks of the transformation process as going from glory to glory. Sounds pretty great when you put it that way, right? Funny thing is, if you look at Paul's life and ministry, it starts to seem more like trial to trial. I find if I have God's perspective, it can turn the most painful experience into the sweetest, deepest chance to run to God's presence as I start looking more like my Father. It replaces the word trial with glory! I love the line in 'No Doubt About It' that says, “I'm not yet where I'm going but I'm a long ways from where I was.” What a wonderful promise we have in our friend, Jesus, who is not only committed to transform us but is also willing to walk with us every moment of the process. This song is about the journey of life, the trials that lead us back to our loving Father and the joy that comes through our friendship and walk with Him. Let's keep our eyes on the prize and run our race with patience, trusting Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith! Based on the song No Doubt About It by Ed Cash, Scott Cash, Franni Cash, Andrew Bergthold, Martin Cash, Kyle Briskin. Original post by We The Kingdom is available on YouVersion based on the album Holy Water.

The Christmas story is a beautiful invitation. It's an invitation for all to come and see the love of God for people. When Jesus came from heaven to earth, a miracle happened that day. The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. God became like one of us! The Creator stepped into creation. He stepped into the darkness and brokenness of the world so we could experience the light and life of God for ourselves. The night Jesus was born, the heavenly hosts went to the outskirts of town to let a group of shepherds know “a Savior has been born.” The angels marveled that Christ had come to rescue and redeem, and they lit up the skies with the thunderous praise of God. That night an invitation went out: go into Bethlehem to see the One who will bring peace to the whole earth. That same invitation has gone out to you. There is One who can bring peace to your soul. He came so you would not have to wander around blinded by sin and shame. He came to give you life and life to the full. In response to this invitation, we can bring our hearts and our lives as an offering to the newborn King. We can join the song of heaven. We can bring our highest hallelujah, our most sincere praise. Because Jesus brought heaven to us, we can bring our worship to Him. Based on the song Highest Hallelujah by Matt Maher, Jacob Sooter, Brett Younker, Stefan Cashwell. Original post by Passion Music available on YouVersion based on the album - Hope Has A Name by Passion.

With news of scandal, tragedy, devastation, heartache and war incessantly at our finger tips it is easy to let confusion, fear and anxiety blur our perspective. Slowly we begin to give authority to these feelings. We wonder where God is in the midst of it all. What is He doing? Where has He gone? Isaiah 6 says, “In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple... 'Woe to me!' I cried. 'I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.” The nation of Judah prospered under King Uzziah's reign. His death would have been a time of sadness and sorrow for the people. But in that same year, in the middle of grief and pain, Isaiah saw the Lord on His throne. The throne of heaven is not empty. The throne of heaven is occupied. And like Isaiah, when we see God on His throne our perspective changes. It does not mean things are always good, that we won't face opposition or conflict, or that our hearts won't break. But we can trust that God has not abandoned us or forgotten his promise to save. In Psalm 73 Asaph cries out to God — afflicted, punished, betrayed, and confused, then he enters the sanctuary of God. In the presence of God, Scripture says Asaph “understood their final destiny.” When we see God we can accurately weigh what we are walking through. We can see that God is greater than our problems and our circumstances. Based on the song Ever Almighty. Original post by Passion Music available on YouVersion based on the album - Whole Heart by Passion Music.