Before the Throne of God Above

"Let us cling to Him and never stop trusting Him. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for He faced all of the same temptations we do, yet He did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy and we will find grace to help us when we need it" - Hebrews 4:14-16

I discovered the book of Hebrews on March 19, 2010. I know its been there the whole time, but I never really stopped to actually read it. I've read the "Faith" chapter (Hebrews 11) but that was all. This book is wonderful ... it really does tell of Jesus! It tells us of his love, his sacrifice ... the whys, the hows. I'm excited to dig in some more :) As I read my heart was singing and I couldn't stop singing this wonderful song.

Before the throne of God above
I have a strong , a perfect plea
A great High Priest whose name is Love
Who ever lives and pleads for me
My name is graven on His hands
My name is written on His Heart
I know that while in heaven He stands
No tongue can bid me thence depart
No tongue can bid me thence depart

When Satan tempts me to despair
And tells me of my guilt within
Upward I look and see Him there
Who made an end to all my sin
Because the sinless Savior died
My sinful soul is counted free
For God the just is satisfied
To look on Him and pardon me
To look on Him and pardon me

Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Praise the One, Risen Son of God

Behold Him there, the Risen Lamb
My perfect Spotless Righteousness
The great unchangeable I AM
The King of glory and of grace
One with Himself, I cannot die
My soul is purchased by His blood
My life is hid with Christ on High
With Christ my Savior and my God
With Christ my Savior and my God

Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Praise the One, Risen Son of God
Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Praise the One, Risen Son of God

~the end~

Music Major ... Free Ride?

Despite popular belief, majoring in music ... is hard work. Whoever said being a music major was a free ride was never a music major! Music is as hard a major as every other major. We study math, English, the sciences and history ... not to mention we have music appreciation and music history to add to the mix ... and our instruments. People may think its easy because all we do is "play instruments". But there is so much more behind playing instruments ... practicing hours on end a day. Especially me ... I have 3+ instruments to practice. Its hard hard work as I'm discovering. But its worth it because its something I am passionate about, and I love to do it.

It should be that way with every major ... you should be passionate about something you spend 4+ years studying or its just a waste of your time, your life and your money.

I really should have majored in it sooner ... I really love it, hard work and all.

Exhausted ... But so worth it - Friday

What a weekend I had! Busy from Friday through to Sunday ... but it was so worth it.

Friday, I arrived at work prepared for an extremely low key day but then my boss started calling people into offices and talking with them. Layoffs? Well, it was my turn so I went in with her and she told me that an attorney put a request in two years for me to be his new secretary when his retired. What do you say to that? Its an odd enough feeling to know that attorneys don't want you taken away from them ... its even odder to discover that you are being requested years in advance. It definitely makes you want to cling to God ... because you know you aren't doing this of your own strength. So its one of those situations where you want to do your best so God is glorified but its also nerve-wracking because you are prone to mess up. Some days you just might not give your very best ... and you hope and pray it doesn't reflect badly on Him.

Then as the work day is nearing to a close and I'm packing up and getting ready to go home, make some brownies for Ronald McDonald House, work on some bass lines and welcome in the Sabbath, I get a text message that our Pastor will be away so we are praise team. And there ended my dreams of relaxing evening. I did make the brownies (delicious ... even though one batch I ran out of oil ... ah the beauty of a God who cares about the little things), I worked on one bass line, went to rehearsal and then collapsed into bed, exhausted but satisfied.

Something Beautiful ...

Have you ever had those moments in life when you just can't get anything to go right and then out of a mess is born something beautiful? And all you can do is sit back and say wow!

I had such a happening while working on a music set for worship @ Ephesus. The previously scheduled worship team didn't feel comfortable or ready, so they declined and I and a friend were asked to lead instead. And so I spent weeks trying to come up with the perfect "at Jesus feet" music set ... and it just wasn't happening. I became discouraged and took a break for two days and then finally Ruben called and "shed some light" with great ideas. The devotional topic was "Share Jesus."
And a set began:

Everlasting God
My Savior My God
You Are Worthy of My Praise
*Praise & Thanksgiving*
Medley:
Beautiful One
How Great is Our God
How Great Thou Art
*Time of Prayer*
Hosanna
Video - Share Jesus
Unashamed

New songs?! I'm up for the challenge and jump on it that night! Sounds like a wonderful set but for some reason I just wasn't satisfied and worried that it would be a horrible failure. I worried that I lacked the connection with God to even dream of leading people to Him. But as I sat and half worried-half prayed ... a song came to mind. Jesus, Lord of Heaven.

New set:
My Savior My God
Jesus Lord of Heaven
Hosanna
*Praise - Thanksgiving*
*Time of Prayer*
Medley:
Beautiful One
How Great is Our God
How Great Thou Art
Video - Share Jesus
Unashamed

And still I'm not satisfied ... but time is up. Thursday comes along and I'm in wawa when I get a call from Ruben asking about My Savior My God & Jesus Lord of Heaven. We talk and he brings up a cool idea ... why not from Unashamed go into a chorus of Nothing But the Blood. I head home and give everything a quick run through. I know its going to fail, I fear no one will sing ... and wow does my guitar playing stink! Oh why did I say yes ...

Friday dawns and I decide to run through the set after I finish the last slide. There is nothing else I can do ... and so I just worship God with song. And finally I'm okay with it ... if God loves it then that's all that matters.

Until 1 hour before we lead out at Ephesus ... and Ruben says, I didn't mean for any of what I said to be used today! And my confidence falls apart ...

And that's when God steps in and makes something beautiful out of a beautiful heartfelt mess. It was a beautiful set, we may have just sang songs to God but it was worship nonetheless. Through our misunderstood conversations ... God birthed an amazing worship set.

Here it is:
My Savior My God (Shust)
Jesus Lord of Heaven (Wickham)
Hosanna (Hillsong)
*Video - Share Jesus*
Unashamed (Starfield)
Nothing But The Blood (Redman) - Chorus only
*Prayer*

Even more amazing ... Share Jesus was not just share Jesus with your friends ... but share the story of His sacrifice and every last song tied into that! Definitely God leading!

Ok ... this is probably a mess in itself ... but I'm sure, without a doubt that God can make something beautiful out of this post ... :)