Hillsong United: FIRE FALL DOWN

Whenever I feel broken this song helps to remind me of God's faithfulness in healing, saving, redeeming and restoring my life. I've been on such an amazing journey with God these past 10 years or so. Sometimes I wish I was further ahead on this journey then I am, but it's in these moments that I need to remind myself that I can't make myself grow any faster. I need to remind myself that I am completely dependent on God's grace and mercy. After all, it is His love that sustains me. Thank You Lord that You really do fix broken lives. Thank You for fixing mine. 

Leona Lewis: BRAVE

Bravery. I think it's safe to say that we all wish we could be a bit braver in certain areas of our lives. But, because of the spiritual battle that wars around us many of us have "shadows weighing us down," keeping us from reaching our full potential in life, keeping us from being brave. Listening to this song touches those places in my heart that long for bravery. To be honest, the moments that I lack the most bravery are usually when God is calling me to step out in faith to proclaim and demonstrate that His Kingdom is near to people.

The more I listen to this song, the more I long to have the faith that I read Jesus had in the Gospels. The bible says that Jesus was tempted in every way that we are, but was without sin (Hebrews 4:15). This tells me that there were moments when Jesus was tempted to not step out in faith, to not be brave. But, He didn't. Why not? Now the easy answer would be to say that well Jesus was God, so of course He didn't and leave it at that. This is maybe true, but sounds more like a cop-out than an explanation. The more I've meditated and sought clarity from the Holy Spirit on this, the more I'm convinced that it was because Jesus knew who had His back.

Our Father in heaven had Jesus' back and He also has ours. For me, it's not so much about trying to conjure up bravery inside of myself, but more about believing that our Father in heaven actually has my back, that He is before me and behind me, above me and below me and at either side of me. Bravery comes from knowing that because we are God's children, He has our backs. God is intimately concerned about every aspect of our lives from the big to the small, from the epic to the utterly mundane and boring. He is our Father in heaven who loves and delights in us. Bravery comes from knowing who He is to us and what we mean to Him.

ten shekel shirt: HEALER

I find great comfort in knowing that God is my healer. I personally have experienced healing from Jesus emotionally (the wounds of my heart) and spiritually (freed from the shame and guilt of sin and delivered from demonic torment). Jesus has also used me to bring emotional, spiritual, psychological  and physical healing to people as well. God's heart towards us is goodness, but because we are caught in a war where the enemy is constantly attacking people and trying to destroy them many people confuse this suffering as actually coming from the heart of God.

Today, as I was at the grocery store, I saw this women who was terribly thin. From my perspective it was pretty obvious that she suffered from anorexia nervosa (by the grace of God, I am extra sensitive to addictive types of conditions). I was so moved by the compassion of God that I literally began to pray out loud for Jesus to bring healing to her body and deliver her from any demonic influence over her life. It's in moments like this that God blesses me by revealing to me His heart towards people who are suffering. I fully believe that His heart is to bring healing to us. Have you asked God to become your healer?

Snow Patrol: OPEN YOUR EYES

I long for God to awaken people to the reality of the Kingdom of God, so that they can begin to see the world from an eternal perspective. This is my heart's cry. I think the reason I like this song so much is that I helps give voice to this longing. I just want to scream to the world to "open your eyes" Jesus loves you! But, in the end everyone has to choose to believe for themselves, I can't open their eyes for them. When the Kingdom of God comes near them, they have to choose to open their eyes and hearts to accept and believe that Jesus has come to save them!

Jonathan David Helser: fly

Trust, surrender and healing go hand in hand (in hand?). The more I trust, the more I surrender, the more I surrender the more I am healed by God. My heart longs to be fully free and fully alive. But, "the sad reality of our fallen condition is that we would rather live the way we are familiar and comfortable with, even if it means living in bondage, rather than embrace the new and unfamiliar way that Jesus has for us" (for more on this go here: living free). Now stepping off the edge, letting go and leaving it all behind will look differently for each of us. But, I believe at core of this cutting loose is the revelation that the plans that Father God has for us are far better than any plans we could ever have for ourselves. "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future"  (Jeremiah 29:11 NIV).

Jason Upton: sons and daughters

This is such a profound question: "Do you know that you are a Word from Heaven?" When I really sit down a think through what this question is asking, it blows me away. What this question is saying is that from Heaven, God has spoken that we are His sons and daughters and His Word has come true. Have you recieved the truth that you are a Word from Heaven?