How Can I Keep From Singing Your Praise!?!?

There is an endless song
Echoes in my soul
I hear the music ring
And though the storms may come
I am holding on
To the rock I cling

How can I keep from singing Your praise
How can I ever say enough
How amazing is Your love
How can I keep from shouting Your name
I know I am loved by the King
And it makes my heart want to sing

I will lift my eyes
In the darkest night
For I know my Savior lives
And I will walk with You
Knowing You'll see me through
And sing the songs You give

How can I keep from singing your praise?
How can I ever say enough, how amazing is your love?
How can I keep from shouting your name?
I know I am loved by the King,
and it makes my heart want to sing

I can sing in the troubled times
Sing when I win
I can sing when I lose my step
And fall down againI can sing 'cause
You pick me up
Sing 'cause You're there
I can sing 'cause You hear me, Lord
When I call to You in prayer
I can sing with my last breath
Sing for I know
That I'll sing with the angels
And the saints around the throne

How can I keep from singing your praise?
How can I ever say enough, how amazing is your love?
How can I keep from shouting your name?
I know I am loved by the King,
and it makes my heart want to sing

The Week That Saved Our Lives

I sit and think about the week I have ahead on this beautiful Sunday afternoon. My day has consisted of church, cleaning the pool, cleaning the house, and doing laundry. When I think about my week, I start creating a list of things that have to get done: 1) complete a subsidiary audit so we can issue our opinion, work on planning for the 2010 audit, and general preparation for our Q1 Review of the client's financials. In general, not much going on within this standard week.

I start to think about what was happening near or around this day about 2,000 years ago (yes, closer to 1,980). Our Lord, Jesus Christ, would probably have been praying with this disciples. He would have been teaching them. He would have been loving them. To the disciples, this would have been just any other Sunday. However, to our Lord, the end was coming. He would soon be preparing for his arrival to Jerusalem, preparing for his betrayal by man, and preparing for his death.

This week marks the greatest week of our own lives. It is because of the passion of our Lord that we no longer fear death. We will no longer face the wrath of God, because that wrath was satisfied by the sacrifice of his son. When people ask me crazy questions that begin with phrases such as, "If God is so loving..." or "If God was so great...", I think to myself that there is no question how loving our God is all of us. I'm yet to be married or with children, but I know that the idea of giving the world my son to sacrifice isn't an option. I would go down swinging like Peter in protection of him. I can not even wrap my mind around the depth of the sacrifice that our God and Lord Jesus Christ made during this week.

My Lord, my prayer to you is that eyes are opened this week. I pray that those actions and addictions that we we should be refraining from are put into perspective this week. If your son could go through a terrible death for the sake of our salvation, how could we possibly continue to disobey you. Father, we love you and are forever greatful for your mercy and compassion.

Radical Christian Sacrifice

There are many things I have been struggling with as of lately, and I think they all could be solved if I were to do what I was supposed to be doing (obviously).

1) Salary

Last week, I got into an aweful state of mind regarding our salaries. In summary, I found out that my level in the firm was "worth" a certain amount more, and I was filled with greed an envy. God quickly reminded me that my mortgage is paid for, I am clothed, and I eat. What more could I possibly need?

2) Entertainment

For whatever reason, I find myself addicted to entertainment. I have to have a movie on to fall asleep at night. When I am home, I have been watching movies and TV. In the car, I have the radio on. What would live be like if instead I turned the television off and prayed? I am not doing myself any favors by filling my mind with the images of TV. TV and movies will tell me I need more money, I need sex and alcohol, and depending on the channel, the new Tampax (unrelated, but seriously, they tell me I need this all the time and I don't know why).

3) Stuff

I typically want to add "stuff" to my house. New countertops in the bathroom, flowers outside by the pool, clothes, sport coats, more shoes, etc. I have everything I need! Why am I still living with this desire to build up so much worldy "stuff".

I feel I am still living a double life.

Yes, I have surrendered my life to Christ.
Yes, by grace alone, I have been given everything I will ever need.
Yes, I know what I am supposed to do.
Yes, I continue to pray the prayer of repentence, but getting tired of apologizing and asking for forgiveness for the SAME STUFF OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
Yes, we have the ability to do what we are supposed to do.

While the old me is supposed to have been dead and gone away, why am I still fighting him?

I have been watching videos of John Piper quite a bit lately. I wanted to share this video regarding Radical Christian Sacrifice. I am sure many of you have seen it, but if you have not, please click the link below.

John Piper - Radical Christian Sacrifice

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZUQA-4icSk

-MOC

It Is Finished

After 59 days straight of work and 85 billable hours each week, we issued our opinion on my clients annual report. I always enjoy the last few months of an audit, because it places individuals in an improbable situation for which failure and greatness can be achieved on the spectrum of outcome. More importantly, it is when corporate missionaries have the opportunity to truly witness and exhibit the qualities that immitate Christ.

One praise outside of having an outstanding performance provided by the blessings of God alone, I had about an hour or two conversation with a colleague about Christ. In one of the Saturday night extravaganzas, we ordered our dinner and were consumming the greasy greatness that was more than likely brewing underneath a heat lamp in preparation for our arrival.

As I bit into my nurishment, my friend asks me about God. He is one that grew up to know Christ. His questions were difficult. He asked the questions for which there is not a pretty, sugar-coated answer. It is easy to tell someone that they will have power in Christ. It is easy to tell someone that there will be a day in which we will not hurt. He asked, bluntly, how can a God be so loving, and send people to hell. He also questioned the general process (i.e. deathbed confessions).

As we were discussing, I was constantly praying for answers. In the end, there is a light that in burning inside of my friend. Please pray with me that he answers the calling of God.

Change in Understanding of the Game Plan

Well, sure enough, spring failed before it started. I decided against even trying. Then it dawned on me. Now is just not the time. Will there be a time? I do not know. Isn't that one of the great benefits of being in Christ? I don't have to plan! I just have to walk.

Instead of thinking to myself, "What else could I be doing to help people instead of spending 90 hours a week here at the office?", why not think, "Since I am here and this is where it appears God wants me to be, what can I do for the people around me since I am spending 90 hours a week here at the office?"

Don't you love it when you get out of God's way? I don't see anything wrong with what I was trying to accomplish. This past summer, it was somewhat evident that I needed to step up my game and enter the battle of savings souls. What was eluding my fragile mind was that I was already neck deep in the war.

Please continue to pray for my family in Costa Rica.

We lift our hands in praise to You
We lift in our hearts in worship to You, Lord
We lift our voice to You and sing
Our greatest love will ever be You, Lord
You, Lord

Glorious
Over us
You shall reign
Glorious

There is a King that we adore
With humble hearts we bow before You, Lord
There is a place we long to be
Face to face we long to see You, Lord
You, Lord

Majesty and power
Are Yours alone forever

What all happened?

It has been awhile. I have probably had one of the most busy few months in my life. I was promoted, sent to a new client within a new industry back in August and have been running at full speed ever since. Since I am working from 7:00 am to 11:00 pm most week days and here and there on the weekends, I experienced epic failure in seminary.

I dropped both of the classes I signed up for. Not sure if it was a matter of giving up or that I actually did not have the time. However, let's try round two, shall we?

I looked at the class schedule for the spring, and they only have part two of the classes I was taking. That being said, I am going to try only ONE class this time. The course is Background to Life/Times of Jesus. A study of the geography, history, and archaeology of the biblical world intended to provide a cultural and chronological framework of the life and times of Jesus Christ. Emphasis is placed on the background data that is crucial for proper understanding of the Gospels.

Questioning

Have you ever been so certain that decisions you were making were so right, only to look back and wonder if you are doing the right thing?