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Worship Wednesday – No Shadow of Turning – Great Is Thy Faithfulness – Austin Stone Worship

October 7, 2020 admindeb Leave a comment

Photo Credit: Heartlight

Because of the Lord’s faithful love we do not perish, for his mercies never end. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness! I say, “The Lord is my portion, therefore I will put my hope in him.” The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the person who seeks him. It is good to wait quietly for salvation from the Lord. Because of the loving devotion of the LORD we are not consumed, for His mercies never fail. – Lamentations 2:22-26

Thomas O. Chisholm wrote the beautiful hymn-poem Great Is Thy Faithfulness in 1923. This hymn became a worship mainstay in Protestant churches. The lyrics remind us of the steadfastness of God, something we cling to in a world dizzy with change.

In dealing with all the disruptions and differing opinions, our own thoughts and beliefs may feel under attack. What is true? Who is right? Whom do we believe?

The singular truth in our lives that guides us in navigating through varied cultural changes and political ploys…the singular truth is God doesn’t change. In His truth, in His love, in His judgments.

“There is no shadow of turning with Thee”.

No shadow of turning. Praise God for that anchor. That foundation. That light in the darkness.

Great Is Thy Faithfulness!

Verses 2 and 3 of the Austin Stone version of this glorious hymn were written in 2018 by pastor/writer John Piper. He wrote it to further flesh out the God of faithfulness Chisholm lauded in the original hymn – to accentuate Piper’s sermon on Deuteronomy 29-30 (linked below).

“A Matter of Life and Death” – John Piper sermon on Deuteronomy 29-30

Let’s remember Moses’ words to the people of God from that passage in Deuteronomy:

Moses summoned all Israel and said to them, “You have seen with your own eyes everything the Lord did in Egypt to Pharaoh, to all his officials, and to his entire land. ³You saw with your own eyes the great trials and those great signs and wonders. ⁴Yet to this day the Lord has not given you a mind to understand, eyes to see, or ears to hear...Be sure there is no man, woman, clan, or tribe among you today whose heart turns away from the Lord our God to go and worship the gods of those nations. Be sure there is no root among you bearing poisonous and bitter fruit. ¹⁹When someone hears the words of this oath, he may consider himself exempt, thinking, ‘I will have peace even though I follow my own stubborn heart.’..Future generations of your children who follow you and the foreigner who comes from a distant country will see the plagues of that land and the sicknesses the Lord has inflicted on it...²⁴All the nations will ask, ‘Why has the Lord done this to this land? Why this intense outburst of anger?’ ²⁵Then people will answer, ‘It is because they abandoned the covenant of the Lord…’ – Deuteronomy 29:2-4, 18-19a, 22, 24-25

“When all these things happen to you—the blessings and curses I have set before you—and you come to your senses while you are in all the nations where the Lord your God has driven you, ²and you and your children return to the Lord your God and obey him with all your heart and all your soul by doing everything I am commanding you today, ³then he will restore your fortunes, have compassion on you, and gather you again from all the peoples where the Lord your God has scattered you… ⁶The Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the hearts of your descendants, and you will love him with all your heart and all your soul so that you will live... ¹⁰when you obey the Lord your God by keeping his commands and statutes that are written in this book of the law and return to him with all your heart and all your soul. – Deuteronomy 30:1-3, 6, 10

Worship with me the great God of faithfulness who will take us through this season as He has taken His people through every season before this. [Lyrics in the link.]

[Verse 1]
Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father
There is no shadow of turning with Thee
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not
As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be

[Chorus]
Great is Thy faithfulness, great is Thy faithfulness
Morning by morning new mercies I see
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me

[Verse 2]
I could not love Thee, so blind and unfeeling
Covenant promises fell not to me
Then without warning, desire, or deserving
I found my Treasure, my pleasure, in Thee

[Chorus]
Great is Thy faithfulness, great is Thy faithfulness
Morning by morning new mercies I see
And all I have needed Thy hand hath provided
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me

[Verse 3]
I have no merit to woo or delight Thee
I have no wisdom or pow’rs to employ
And yet in Thy mercy, how pleasing Thou find’st me
This is Thy pleasure: that Thou art my joy

[Chorus]
Great is Thy faithfulness, great is Thy faithfulness
Morning by morning new mercies I see
And all I have needed Thy hand hath provided
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me

[Spontaneous]
Oh, how great You are
Oh, how great You are
Sing about this
As we sing this
He’s pardoned us
He’s given us an everlasting peace
We are thankful for that
Let’s thank Him together

[Verse 4]
Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside

[Chorus]
Great is Thy faithfulness, great is Thy faithfulness
Morning by morning new mercies I see
And all I have needed Thy hand hath provided
Great is Thy faithfulness, great is Thy faithfulness
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me*

*Lyrics to Great Is Thy Faithfulness w/ Austin Stone Worship Team

Great Is Thy Faithfulness – Story of John Piper’s extra verses for Thomas O. Chisholm’s classic hymn

Photo Credit: Heartlight

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Worship Wednesday – Belief and Unbelief – Jesus Is Better – Austin Stone

May 23, 2018 admindeb 2 Comments

Photo Credit: Slideshare

He [Jesus] marveled because of their unbelief. – Mark 6:6

“…if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” “If You can?” echoed Jesus. “All things are possible to him who believes!” Immediately the boy’s father cried out, “I do believe; help my unbelief!” – Mark 9:22b-24

My ambition has never been to make Jesus marvel at my unbelief. In fact, I’ve written about believing here and here. It is what I want in life. To know Him and to make Him known.

This past Sunday, our pastor, Cliff, taught on Mark 6. It was the account of Jesus’ return to his hometown to preach and heal. The townspeople who knew Jesus from an early age called into question his authority and ability to do the miracles which characterized his public ministry. They chose to be offended by him…they chose not to believe.

Cliff described belief as where our aim is. “[God] takes even small faith aimed at Him (in belief) and does great things with it and for those who believe.”

When we choose to be offended by Christians, or the church, or the religion of Christianity, we turn away from all things Christ.

In unbelief.

In unbelief, we lose Jesus – that beautiful representation of God Himself. Too great a loss…too great.

I’ve had seasons when the aim of my life shifted away from Jesus…and it showed…in my decisions, my relationships, my character.

Before I got too far down any of those roads away from God, He drew me back to Himself. Unbelief will not characterize my life! “I do believe. Help my unbelief.”

The song Jesus Is Better (by Austin Stone Worship) is a great testament to the excellence of knowing Christ. He is better than any other person, pleasure, or pursuit. He is perfect in love and life.

After Cliff’s message on Sunday, I asked someone close to me, “If you believe that Jesus was truly good and only did good, what keeps you from believing Him and wanting to know all you can know of Him?”

What keeps us from Jesus? Unbelief.

Jesus is worthy of our faith and our belief. We deceive ourselves if we refuse Him, reject Him…to our eternal peril. Choosing separation from Him in this life and the next.

This is both sobering and terrifying.

Believe.

Worship with me.

There is no other
So sure and steady
My hope is held in your hand
When castles crumble
And breath is fleeting
Upon this rock I will stand
Upon this rock I will stand

Glory glory we have no other king
but Jesus Lord of all
Raise the anthem
Our loudest praises ring
We crown Him Lord of all

Your kindly rule
has shattered and broken
the curse of sins’ tyranny

My life is hidden
‘neath heaven’s shadow
And your crimson flood
covers me

Glory glory
we have no other king
but Jesus Lord of all
Raise the anthem
Our loudest praises ring
We crown Him Lord of all

In all my sorrows, Jesus is better – make my heart believe
In all my victories, Jesus is better – make my heart believe
Than any comfort, Jesus is better – make my heart believe
More than all riches, Jesus is better – make my heart believe
Our souls declaring, Jesus is better – make my heart believe
Our song eternal, Jesus is better – make my heart believe
Glory, glory, we have no other king
But Jesus Lord of all

Glory, glory, we have no other king
But Jesus Lord of all
Raise the anthem, our loudest praises ring
We crown Him Lord of all

Glory, glory, we have no other king
But Jesus Lord of all
Raise the anthem, our loudest praises ring
We crown Him Lord of all*

So little in life we can control really, BUT we can control where we fix our aim…where we set our minds.

So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things…As God’s chosen ones, holy and dearly loved, put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another if anyone has a grievance against another. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you are also to forgive. Above all, put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. And let the peace of Christ, to which you were also called in one body, rule your hearts. And be thankful. – Colossians 3:1-2, 12-15

Photo Credit: C. S. Lewis; The Time-Warn Wife

*Lyrics to Jesus Is Better – Songwriters: Aaron Ivey & Brett Land

YouTube Video – Jesus Is Better – Story Behind the Song

YouTube Video – Jesus Is Better (Live) – Jimmy McNeal

Movement Church – Podcast on Unbelief/Belief – Mark 6:1-6 – Pastor Cliff Jordan

Movement Church Facebook Live – Worship May 20 2018 – Mark 6:1-6 Sermon

Case Study: Too Late for Salvation? – Journal of Christian Nursing – Deborah Stephens Mills & Kathleen T. Flynn

Jesus Is Better – Melissa Kruger

Sermon Slide Deck – “I Believe; Help my Unbelief” – Luke 9:37-45 – SlideShare

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Worship Wednesday – You Are Worthy of Your Glory – Jon Shirley (Austin Stone Worship)

November 15, 2017 admindeb 2 Comments

“Consider how the lilies grow: They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory was adorned like one of these.” – Luke 12:27

“When I observe Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,
the moon and the stars, which You set in place,
what is man that You remember him,
the son of man that You look after him?” – Psalm 8:3-4

^“For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.” – Romans 1:19-20

On Sunday at Movement Church, we sang a song new to me that continues to move my heart to worship this week. Jon Shirley of Austin Stone Worship is the writer-composer of this song You Are Worthy. In the Story Behind the Song video, he mentions how a Victorian poet’s words inspired him to write the song.

“The world is charged with the grandeur of God” changed, in the song, to “The earth is charged with Your great grandeur.”

During the Victorian era (following the Industrial Revolution), Gerard Manley Hopkins wrote poetry that extolled the glory of God as experienced in His creation. This was a time of tremendous prosperity and invention, where people were enamored with their own accomplishments. Hopkins gently shook his culture into awakening again to the astounding creative genius of God.

God’s Grandeur

By Gerard Manley Hopkins

The world is charged with the grandeur of God.

It will flame out, like shining from shook foil;

It gathers to a greatness, like the ooze of oil

Crushed. Why do men then now not reck his rod?

Generations have trod, have trod, have trod;

And all is seared with trade; bleared, smeared with toil;

And wears man’s smudge and shares man’s smell: the soil

Is bare now, nor can foot feel, being shod.

And for all this, nature is never spent;

There lives the dearest freshness deep down things;

And though the last lights off the black West went

Oh, morning, at the brown brink eastward, springs —

Because the Holy Ghost over the bent

World broods with warm breast and with ah! bright wings. – Poetry Foundation

Today, we also find ourselves in an age of booming technology. So impressed with ourselves. Yet, when we clear our minds and re-orient to the extraordinary beauty and wonder of creation, we can do no other than worship the One who spoke it into being. Worship the One who fashioned us into His image. Worship the God who still wants a relationship with us in all our smallness, bowing down to our own inventions and missing the God of the universe. This Creator God is worthy of glory; worthy of a world of worship.

Photo Credit: Pixabay

How Has God Revealed Himself Through Nature? – Don Stewart

Photo Credit: Marc Merlin

Worship with me, through this little song that celebrates such a great God:

The earth is charged with Your great grandeur
The stars above shine for You
And the world below responds in wonder, God!
And we’re all lost in You
In all You say and do

You are worthy of Your glory
God Almighty, You are Lord – forever
You’re robed in honor, You’re armed with power
God forever, You are Lord – forever

The waves resound, they pound Your praises
The flowers bloom, and stretch to You
Let everything you’ve made now praise You, God
Let all creation sing!

Awake my soul and sing
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, You are Lord
Forever Lord!*

Hallelujah!
My soul, praise the Lord.
I will praise the Lord all my life;
I will sing to my God as long as I live.

Do not trust in nobles,
in man, who cannot save.
When his breath leaves him,
he returns to the ground;
on that day his plans die.

Happy is the one whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the Lord his God,
the Maker of heaven and earth,
the sea and everything in them.
He remains faithful forever,
executing justice for the exploited
and giving food to the hungry.
The Lord frees prisoners.
The Lord opens the eyes of the blind.
The Lord raises up those who are oppressed.
The Lord loves the righteous.
The Lord protects foreigners
and helps the fatherless and the widow,
but He frustrates the ways of the wicked.