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Jesus, Be My Valentine
Through every high and low
You have been there by my side
Even in times I asked you to leave
Or when I’d run and hideThrough pain and bitter sorrow
You have held me in your arms
While in joyful celebrations
All of heaven joined alongJesus, be my Valentine
And I forever yours
You give me life
I give you praise
You give me peace
And I am amazed
You give me hope
You give me dreams
You give me your love
And I give you my life
Jesus, be my Valentine
And the world will know you’re mineJesus, O, my love
You make me a better man
You give me strength and power
To be more than I amIf I could just be your shadow
You are who I want to be
The brighter you shine
The more visible I will beJesus, be my Valentine
And I forever yours
You give me life
I give you praise
You give me peace
And I am amazed
You give me hope
You give me dreams
You give me your love
And I give you my life
Jesus, be my Valentine
And the world will know your mineYou laid down your life for me
Before we’d ever even met
And now you live that I may rise
And have no room for regretJesus, I’ll be your Valentine
With all my heart and all my mind
And we’ll always be together
Until the end of time -
Every Day I Walk Away
Daddy, please forgive me
I’ve gone so far away
It seems like only yesterday
You brought me home to stayIn your arms is the only place I’d really rather be
But every day I journey out without bringing you with meEvery day I find myself scared and all alone
Missing all your blessings — my heart longing for homeFor every day I walk away from the comfort of your love
Confident I can live life my own way
Every day I walk away
For Eden doesn’t always seem enough
To keep my wandering spirit at bayDaddy, please don’t leave me, though I leave you time and again
Make me change the way I’m thinking and transform the way I amThough my Spirit may be wild, it’s the one you gave to me
I would trade it for no other, for your Spirit sets me freeBut I don’t want to go without you — every day I want you near
Come live my life with me so when you speak I know I’ll hearEvery day I walked away
Thinking I was living life alone
Hoping to prove to someone
I could do it on my own
But I’m a fool for even trying
And seeing my efforts spent in vain
Instead I want to follow One
Who’s been through all these thingsNow every day I’ll turn to you — both morning and at night
And seek your loving wisdom and learn to do what’s rightBlessed are the blameless who seek an upright heart
Every day you declare me yours — every day a brand new startDaddy, you’re my one and only
Forever you’ll be the same
You are my rock and fortress
And I will never be put to shame -
The Foundation
Matthew 7:24-27 I’ve spent a lifetime learning
All the things I needed to know
Doing what I wanted to do
Going where I wanted to go
I may not be the best, but I’m the best I can be
Who else can run my life better than me?I’m better than all the others
That fall by the side of the road
They need others by their side
To help them carry the load
But I can stand on my own two feet
I may not dance, but I keep my own beatSo why should I give up all I’ve begun?
How can I forget all I have done?I’ve built my life with my own hands
With my own sweat and my own tears
Through the work of many years
It’s just that I know no other way
I can’t just get up and walk away
The world just wouldn’t understandBut now as I grasp to save my life
Which I built upon the sand
Although it was bright and beautiful
It falls now through my hand
It seemed so strong, it seemed so right
But now the sunshine turns to nightI’m not afraid, I’ll use my lamp
I’ll rebuild what I have made
I did it before, I’ll do it again
On the foundation I once laid
This must be the only way to go
I must rely on what I already knowOr could there be a better way to go?
For the first time in my life I just don’t knowI’ve built this life with my own hands
With nothing but sweat and tears
And no reward for all those years
I just never knew any other way
And now if I got up and walked away
The world just wouldn’t understandI admit to you I’d like your help
But let me guide you through
I’ve a certain way of doing things
Help me do what I want to do
Work with me, I have the lead
Work for me, I have the needWhy can’t you please just help me?
Help me or leave me beThe sea has washed away the sand
And I need something to build upon
Something that is very strong
Perhaps I’ll use this hardened ground
This rock that I have found
It’s surrounded by fertile landI understand, I need you now
I guess I always did
To guide me and teach me how it’s done
As when I was just a kid
I thought myself to be so grand
While all this time it was your great handLead me now, down the path of Life
Guide me with your own hand
Show me what I need to do
Show me where I stand
As I hear your words it all seems clear
“I’m sorry” is all you need to hearI put my life into your hands
Your will for me comes first
For I know I will never thirst
I know now there’s no other way
To have a life that will always stay
Though the world just doesn’t understandDo the hills seem lower?
Or has the sky gone up too high? -
Unfailing Love
Psalm 107:10-21,43, Matthew 15:8-9 In the morning when the sun begins to climb into the sky
I feel a sense of urgency to be right in your eyes
You tug hard at my heart
And I strive hard not to part far from your waysYou have put your trust in man, but he’s not put his trust in you
He tries to live his life as if it was his to gain or lose
You press hard on his heart
And try to let him start to learn your waysAnd though he’s heard your name on high
He looks up and often wonders why
He has no peace
He has no joy
He’s grown up from a little boy
And has great wisdom in his own eyesIn his time of trial, he turns far away from your love
In his hour of need, he asks for help from above
And you love him so much
You let him fall in such a learning wayHe claims to know just who you are, but his thoughts are far from you
His words are full of mighty things though his walk is not held true
Yet because you love him so
You must let go and hope that he’ll come homeAnd he’ll praise your name on high
He just can’t understand quite why
He has no peace
Or self-control
For he has a hardened, weary soul
Faithlessness has brought a heavy sighThen one day he acknowledges your Spirit and the truth
And the seed finds fertile soil and takes strong root
He finds wisdom in your words
With joy now all the birds can sing your songHe looks back on his foolishness, his weaknesses and pride
To see a trail hidden in shadow, where the stalking lions hide
He just couldn’t see
How many others learned to follow his leadNow I praise your name on high
Never understanding why
You showed me grace
And gave me love
By sending your Spirit from above
And giving me life while your Son went to die… -
Blood, Sweat and Tears
“And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.”
Luke 22:44 While this passage is often misquoted or represented as “his sweat became drops of blood…”, as always, we can allow the Word of God to represent himself perfectly. In every translation, it reads “like” or “as” or “as it were” drops of blood..
But while the idea of Jesus actually sweating blood may be compelling to some, it makes no physical sense (it would indicate an extreme medical condition) and detracts from the understanding of what Jesus was going through.
In reading, and studying, John Eldredge’s The Beautiful Outlaw, one can really see Jesus for who he is, the Son of God alive in a human body. While wholly God, he intentionally bound himself in the confines of a young man’s body, one that came with the whole package of humanity; a package that came with the same ingredients as the rest of us.
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Far From Home
[Luke 15:11-32]
Thank you, Father, for all you’ve done
But it’s time for me to go
I must leave this place to find success
And get out on my ownThere’s a world out there that’s waiting
While opportunity calls my name
A chance for me to make my mark
There’s promise of glory and fameWill you give to me what I deserve
I’ve worked long and hard for you
Let me have what’s mine and be on my way
I’ve got something I need to proveI’ll come home again someday
With more than I have today
I’ll make you proud of all I do
And bring something back for youThe dreams I had have fallen away
This world has bled me dry
Success has gone to someone else
All I have is mud in my eyeI had done so well for so, so long
Things had been good for me
I’d built up my fortune, glory and fame
My life was fun and freeBut my fortune paid for my glory and fame
And soon they all were gone
No friends, no foes, no one that cared
Now I’m broken, cold, aloneHow can I ever come home to you
After all the heartache I put you through
I deserted you, I lived for myself
What right do I have to ask for your help?I will beg to be least of all his men
I must go home if I can gather the nerve
I’m not worthy of his forgiveness
I will accept what I deserveAs I come home, I see you now
Have you been waiting there for me?
Father, I’m sorry, I’ve done you so wrong
I’m so sorry, can you see?Why are you smiling? Why do you cheer?
Why are you dancing so?
Do you not see what I have done
Do you understand, do you not know?“I understand, yet you do not
I’m rejoicing, can’t you see,
Because all this time you have been gone
And at last you’re home again with Me!” -
God, How Do You Know That I Love You?
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.
James 1:22-25 I love God. I tell him this regularly. I find myself often overcome with thanksgiving and praise, and talk a great deal about what I’m willing to do for him. But lately, I find myself growing concerned with how I love him.
How does he know? What evidence is there in my life of my love and commitment to his ways and his words? I’ve heard the discussionary question asked, “If you were arrested and sent to court for being a disciple of Jesus, would there be enough evidence to convict you?”
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The Mountain
Matthew 21:21 I look down upon the valley
I look out across the sea
It rises up and touches the sky
This powerful, immovable peakBut it stands proudly between where I am
And where I need to be
He’s calling me to the other side
To a place I cannot seeThis mountain stands like a monument
To all that keeps me here
It blocks my every move
Impedes my furtive steps
And binds me year after yearI stand here in this valley
I can smell the salt of the sea
I can see how far I have traveled
I’m reminded of where I used to beBut it mocks my every effort
In my path, it stands so mightily
It shows contempt at my most sincere desires
This powerful, immovable MeThis mountain stands against me
And casts its shadow on my dreams
If only I could find the strength
If only I could pick it up
And throw it into the sea!This mountain seems impossible
To move on just faith alone
But as a seed, faith grows inside of me
Like a great and mighty tree
Whose roots can move the heaviest stoneAnd He can move this mountain
If I would just climb down
Lay down my shining crown
Let my knees drop to the ground
And let His glory abound -
As the Arrow Flies
The term “sin” has often been commonly related to an archaic archery term that meant to miss the mark (or target). But this term is more effectively translated as falling short of the target.
However, when we casualize sin in this way, we blind ourselves to the truth of how God defines sin. It is certainly written in that “all have sinned and fall short of God’s glorious standard
Romans 3:23 ,” and must realize that nobody who has ever lived, or will live, apart from Jesus, did so without sin. But there’s more to the context of this passage than just a passing reference.But while “falling short” does match the archery term in the same way, this really just becomes analagous to saying “nobody’s perfect.” Admitting that you are not Jesus is certainly no revelation. But it’s more important to understand that sin is, in fact, the practice of aiming everywhere but the target.
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Lost and Found
There is a tendency for many Christians to refer to those outside the kingdom of God as “lost,” but the context of this label is lost (no pun intended) on them, and sounds much more like an insult than a reference of love.
Jesus referenced lost sheep several times throughout his ministry
Matthew 10:6, Matthew 15:24 , yet did not imply that people had “lost their way”, and were wandering, aimless. Rather, he was specifically expressing that they had been lost, and were very valuable to him and he was (is) desperate to recover them.Then Jesus told [his disciples] this parable: “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.'”
Luke 15:3-6 Now, not everyone in his audience was a parent yet, so he used the shepherds’ reference so that everyone could relate to his point. Now I don’t know about you, but as both a parent and a child, I have been in the position of both “being lost” and “having lost,” in the sense of being separated.
