June 27, 2009

• Who's the real thriller?

  THRILL
  (lyrics by Charlie Hall, music by Charlie Hall Band)

  You make the deserts glad
  You give the voiceless song
  You sing to barren lands,
  You make the weak ones strong

  Who can thrill a heart like Jesus,
  Your life flowing in us
  You can make the heart ablaze with life
  Glorious, You're glorious,
  Who can thrill a heart like You

  You give the dreamers dreams,
  You help the lame ones leap
  Now let the singers sing,
  Of all the life You bring

  Who can thrill a heart like Jesus,
  Your life flowing in us
  You can make the heart ablaze with life
  Glorious, You're glorious.
  Who can thrill a heart like You

  Let Your presence rise around us,
  Let Your light chase off the dark
  More of You and less of us, God,
  Let us in Your burning heart

  Let Your presence rise around us,
  Let Your light chase off the dark
  More of You and less of us, God,
  Let us in Your burning heart

  Who can thrill a heart like Jesus?
  Your life flowing in us
  You can make the heart ablaze with life
  Glorious, You're glorious
  Who can thrill a heart like You?

  Who can thrill a heart like Jesus?
  Your life flowing in us
  You can make the heart ablaze with life
  Glorious, You're glorious
  Who can thrill a heart like You?

  
  I myself was convinced that I ought to do many things in opposing the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 10 And I did so in Jerusalem. I not only locked up many of the saints in prison after receiving authority from the chief priests, but when they were put to death I cast my vote against them. 11 And I punished them often in all the synagogues and tried to make them blaspheme, and in raging fury against them I persecuted them even to foreign cities. 12 In this connection I journeyed to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. 13 At midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, that shone around me and those who journeyed with me. 14 And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads. 15 And I said, Who are you, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. 16 But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you, 17 delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles—to whom I am sending you 18 to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me. 19 Therefore, O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision.
  

  –Acts 26:10-19
  

  
  

  I am the Lord; I have called you in righteousness;
  I will take you by the hand and keep you;
  I will give you as a covenant for the people,
  a light for the nations,
  7 to open the eyes that are blind,
  to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon,
  from the prison those who sit in darkness.
  –Isaiah 42:6-7
  

  Gracious God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, we were once blind to Your glory but now we see. Holy Spirit, thank You for opening our eyes to see Jesus. When we were thrown out in the open field and loathed, You alone looked upon us and had compassion on us. You set Your love on us because You loved us, not because of anything in us. You loved us first. We only love You because You first loved us. While we were without strength Christ died for us. While we were still sinners Christ died for us.  We did not choose You but You chose us. You have chosen us and made us a special treasure to Yourself. May we always treasure You. May we never play the harlot but continue to love You and You only. Guard us, O Lover of our souls, that we might not leave You, our first Love. Our hearts are prone to wander. Protect us from lusting eyes. Protect us from exchanging the exceeding weight of Your glory for a temporary earthly thrill. Protect us from selling our glorious birthright for a pot of stew.

  May we not be disobedient to the heavenly vision. Send us to open the eyes of those who are blind to Your glory so they might come to see, so they might come to know You, Father, and Your blessed Son Jesus, the only One who can truly thrill the human heart!

  
  
  

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  Related:

  • Considering Jesus: (2) Why do we do quiet time anyhow?
    
  • Finding Pleasure in Him
  • "...it is a pleasing thing to walk with God." (George Whitefield)
  • Pressing on: praying for "One Pure and Holy Passion"
  • Blaise Pascal: This day of Grace (November 23, 1654) "Fire...Joy, joy, joy, tears of joy."
  • Moderation in pursuing God? An answer from Jonathan Edwards
  • Moderation in pursuing God? An answer from George Whitefield
  • Naphtali News: Songs about "What *I* Want," part 5: If the Curly Fry Doesn't "Satisfy," What Does?
  • John Piper's sermon "I'm sending you to open their eyes"
  • Pentecost Sunday: Are you laboring but have you forgotten to pray for rain?

  
  "Thrill," ©2008 worshiptogether.com Songs / sixsteps Music. Lyrics are subject to US Copyright Laws and are the property of their respective authors, artists and labels. Commercial use prohibited.

  Scripture quotations are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Copyright ©2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
  
  

  • 7:45 AM
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