And just like that, another #ChristmasEve has come and gone. Welcome to our world Lord Jesus! Merry Christmas everyone! Maligayan Pasko! What songs did you sing at church this Christmas Eve?
I am so thankful that a member of the congregation captured this on their phone. I love how the congregation sang in harmony!!! #OHOLYNIGHT #Christmasmusic
I have just fallen in love with the words of this song and I sing this as a prayer and an affirmation of my faith and commitment to Jesus Christ.
I led this song in this past Sunday with my worship team and the words really got me.
Sails by Pat Barrett
“Falling is easy, but staying in love is hard
Hard to be honest and keep our heart open
To be who we truly are
Without the excuses, without the facade
There’s no pretending
Here in Your love
Oh, Lord set me free
Oh, Lord set me free
I’m finally seeing You were here all along
Your love wasn’t absent, no
It doesn’t come or go
The image I’ve had is starting to fail
You’re patient with me
You’re lifting the veil
Oh, Lord set me free
Oh, Lord set me free
Oh, Lord set me free (set me free)
Oh, Lord set me free (set me free)
I let out the sails of my heart
Here I am, here You are”
I wrote this song a few years ago for my friend who had just graduated from seminary and was ordained for her first call in the ministry of the ELCA in Seattle, Washington. Her favorite hymn is “Be Thou My Vision,” so I created a contemporary reflection on the text of this most beloved hymn. She is also of Japanese descent so I found this chord progression from Japanese pop music.
I always pray to follow God’s vision and not my own, even if/when it may not be what I am comfortable with. Pray, listen and follow the direction that God has for your life because our vision does not allow us to see what God has in store. I hope you like the song and if you do, then please share this post! To God be the glory!
“Be My Vision”
By Jason Manlapaz
© 2016 Jason Manlapaz Music Publishing
“Be my vision
Lord of my heart
My strong tower
Never failing
Be my vision
Oh ruler of all”
#Originalsong #ContemporaryChristianMusic #BeMyVision #Share
“Take the shackles off my feet so I can dance!
I just want to praise You! I just want to praise You!
You broke the chains now I can lift my hands!
I just want to praise You! I just want to praise You!”
This song by Mary Mary has been one of my all time favorite praise songs since I was in high school! As the years go by, the words have taken an even deeper meaning for me as I had to journey through life’s challenges and valleys.
“Everything that could go wrong
all went wrong at one time
so much pressure fell on me
thought I was gonna lose my mind
but Lord I know You wanna see
if I will hold on through these trials
but I need you to lift this load
cause I can’t take it no more”
We’ve all been there right? When everything thing that could possibly go wrong does. But you know what? Even then, in our darkest hour, God is is with us. Even when we feel alone and abandoned, the Lord is right there beside us.
“Been through the fire and the rain
bound in every kind of way
but God has broken every chain
so let me go right now”
Revelations 2:10 (NIV) Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown.
James 1:2-3 (NIV) Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds,3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.
In these past 6 months, I had to leave all that I have ever known because I was not safe there. And the Lord has provided for me and my family beyond what I could ever have imagined. I did not step out in faith. I leapt. I jumped because I had to and the Lord caught me and has kept me safe. This is what it means to trust in the Lord and not rely on your own understanding or knowledge.
Isaiah 55:11 (MSG) “I don’t think the way you think. The way you work isn’t the way I work.” God’s Decree. “For as the sky soars high above earth, so the way I work surpasses the way you work, and the way I think is beyond the way you think. Just as rain and snow descend from the skies and don’t go back until they’ve watered the earth, Doing their work of making things grow and blossom, producing seed for farmers and food for the hungry, So will the words that come out of my mouth not come back empty-handed. They’ll do the work I sent them to do, they’ll complete the assignment I gave them.
So, whoever you are and wherever you are in this life, all that I can say to you, from one child of God to another, is that God is there for you now and forever. Amen.
O come, O come, Emmanuel
And ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear
Rejoice, rejoice
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel
O come, Thou wisdom from on high
Who orderest all things mightily
To us the path of knowledge show
And teach us in her ways to go
Rejoice, rejoice
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel
Shall come to thee, O Israel
Rejoice, again, I say, rejoice
For unto us is born the Savior of the world
Take heart, oh weary soul, take heart
For help is on its way
And Holy is His name
(Original lyrics by Leonard Cohen)
I heard there was a secret chord
that David played and it pleased the Lord
but you don’t really care for music do ya?
It goes like this, the fourth, the fifth, the minor fall, the major lift
the baffled king composing Hallelujah!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
You say I took the name in vain
I don’t even know the name but if I did, well, really what’s it to ya?
There’s a blaze of light in every word;
it doesn’t matter what you heard
the holy, or the broken Hallelujah!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
I did my best; it wasn’t much
I couldn’t feel, so I learned to touch
I told the truth, I didn’t come to fool ya
And even though it all went wrong
I’ll stand before the Lord of song
with nothing on my lips but Hallelujah!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Oh! Yes, there is a God above
and we really need to learn from love
and not shoot at someone who outdrew ya!
We’ve seen the flag on the march arch
but love is not a victory march
It’s a cold and it’s a broken Hallelujah!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
I know you came to rescue me
this baby boy would grow to be
a man, and one day die for me and you
Our sins would drive the nails in you
that rugged cross was our cross too
Still every breath You drew was Hallelujah
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
