500 words of grace

500 words of Grace

My friend Shae, had this idea on her blog: You Have My Word called:

500 words of Grace

I thought I would take part, this is my humble offering of 500 words of grace:

These are my words / they are you words / this is our story / this is your story / this is my story / Your grace has found me just as I am / empty handed but alive in Your hands /sometimes the word GRACE is almost over used among our Christian circles / but stop and think about it. / What does grace mean to you? / Does it ever run dry? / I think of how I mess up, how unworthy I am / yet YOU still believe in me / You still see me as YOU intended for me to be / not defined by my sin and constant screwing up / Unending Grace will make you leave the ground /I once heard someone break the word up like this: G (God’s) R (riches) A (at) C (Christ’s) E (expense) / For all have sinned / all fall short of the glory of God /we are justified freely by His Grace / through redemption in Jesus Christ /meaning that by Jesus’ death we’re forgiven. / More than that we are set free / we are welcomed into His kingdom, His family with a purpose and a new view and new heart /I look at my wary heart / I so often need a new one /oh how sweet the sound I know it saved but is it changing a wretch like me / oh my God how sweet the sound I once was blind but now I look away / how often do we make grace “cheap”? /Grace is free / yet it cost the life of Jesus / such love should move us more often, right? / Each day we should pause and soak in that grace / live with gratitude / live with conviction /bent down I saw His dust covered feet / His voice was tender it was loving / I looked up into His eyes / Go now and leave your life of sin / such love such grace /Grace forgot the past / as far as the east is from the west so far has he removed our transgressions from us / You see I am learning that grace is more than just “a forgiveness of sins” / Grace is about a new life and a new perspective / Grace makes us write songs / Grace makes us give His love away / Grace was born in a stable / Grace should dwell in our hearts / Guard your heart for it is the wellspring of life /I do not understand what I do, for what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do /Enter Grace / Nothing will be able to separate us from the LOVE of God /Thank you Jesus for your grace / Amazing Grace /One day at a time I can see You took my life this far / With gratitude /May your grace continually move me / Jesus loves you

Words taken from various sources, in no particular order:

1)       The Almost – Everyone here smells like a rat
2)       Delirious – Majesty
3)       As Cities Burn – Thus from My lips, By Yours, My sin is purged
4)       Romans 3: 23
5)       John 8
6)       New Altum – Grace forgot the Past
7)       Psalm 103: 12
8)       Proverbs 4: 23
9)       Romans 7: 15
10)   Romans 8: 39
11)   Jeremy Camp – One day at a time

Those ENGLISH worship leaders / song writers

This is my opinion
This is may not be an entirely correct point of view
I may come across ignorant
But I write anyway
Because these thoughts spill out,
in the words of EMPIRE RECORDS “Who knows where thoughts come from? They just appear” (Lucas to Joe)

I have noticed here in South Africa, we sing a lot of worship songs from “elsewhere” particularly England.
We also sing songs by Chris Tomlin (US), Dave Crowder (US) and Hillsong (AUS).
But a lot of churches worship with songs by:
Matt Redman
Delirious
Tim Hughes
Al Gordon

And that God me thinking…
Isn’t it odd, how from an apparent “Christianity is dying” country: England, that a lot of good worship songs come from that place.

Why? I thought these may be the reason:
i) The worship industry is bigger there. Music sells well that side. People push these worship leaders well in the UK and thus their songs get known and are used.

HOWEVER

ii) I believe in a place where “Christainity is not the popular thing” those who do make a decision to follow Jesus have really stood up against a large majority. They have made a real passionate decision following Jesus.
And out of those places, these guys above have written HEART FELT profound lyrics.

I mean “sometimes” in South Africa its really easy to be a Christian. Sometimes there are too many who wear the “of course I am a Christian label”
YET their lifestyles do not match.
and Christians and non Christians look the same.

Just a thought.
I really do love the lyrics of many UK song worship leaders, wow!
Just to think, what was on their heart when they “wrote” and uttered those words to God.
I am moved.

In conclusion I am sure there are quite a few SONGS FROM AFRICA.

I write an observe ONLY from a general “white westernized” church.
Will you point me to good songs of Africa?

Concluding, it is good to express our hearts to God. Because He is amazing.

Closer than my skin

I went to worship at Kloof Harvest on Friday Night with Martin Smith leading worship.
Martin Smith is from (ex) Delirious.
The lyrics to this song are so beautiful.  I really wish I could mean those words MORE and MORE to God.  I still have a long way to go…
But I want this close ness… Jesus will you take this sinner of me there in time?

What can I do with my obsession?
With the things I cannot see
Is there madness in my being?
Is it wind that blows the trees?
Sometimes you’re further than the moon
Sometimes you’re closer than my skin
And you surround me like a winter fog
You’ve come and burned me with a kiss

And my heart burns for you
And my heart burns

And I’m so filthy with my sin
I carry pride like a disease
You know I’m stubborn God and I’m longing
to be close
You burn me deeper than I know
I feel lonely without hope
I feel desperate without vision
You wrap around me like a winter coat
You come and free me like a bird

And my heart burns for you
And my heart burns for you

(I loved worship on Friday. Jesus felt so close. But this sinning heart is at war with Him. He will win.. soon)
Watch the song here: