"Friend of God" We'll begin with this song by Israel Houghton. Israel serves as one of the worship pastors for Lakewood Church in Houston. Here are some links with information on this popular worship song.
Here is a devotional thought on the song
www.gospelflava.com/articles/songinword-friendofgod.html Here is an interview with Israel that gives great insight into Israel’s walk with the Lord.
www.cbn.com/700club/guests/interviews/israel_houghton_041205.aspx"Everlasting God"We'll learn this new song Sunday by Brenton Brown. This song is based on Isaiah 40:28-31. Here is a brief synopsis from Brenton, you can learn more about his music on his website.
www.brentonbrownmusic.com/This song began its life before I fell ill. It started late on a Friday after our worship teams had driven four hours to arrive at a week-end retreat centre. Exhausted after a long week, and a longer drive, we thought we'd have a quick prayer before bedtime. We decided to include percussion instruments just for fun. Well past midnight the words 'strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord' came to me as each of us played a rhythm on a hand drum and offered prayers to God. Two years later a good friend of ours Ken Riley visited us in London. We'd planned on doing some writing together. As Ken played the chords and melody for the bridge that short refrain came back to me. It was a few months and a lot of time spent thinking on Isaiah before we were satisfied with the chorus. Isaiah 40 basically says don't think that God has forgotten you, or that he is unable to save you. Flowers fade, and grass withers - and we fade and wither with them. But God does not grow faint. He won't grow weary. He is everlasting. And He is watching us, giving strength to the weary and the weak. Those who wait on this God will not be disappointed.You can listen to "Everlasting" here:
www.firsthurst.com/HURST_worship_resources.php"My Wordless Prayer" Worship choir anthem.
My words lie still and lifeless as dust upon the sand, I can no longer voice one request or demand,
My cup of tears is empty, I can no loner cry,
My lips have fallen silent, my prayer is but a sigh.
Spirit come and rest Your ear upon my heart,
O come and hear my wordless prayer,
my silent plea and take them far away from me.
Take them from this heart of mine to the Father’s heart divine,
Speak in tones unknown to man that God may hear and understand.
My voice is weak from calling to You both night and day.
How long will You be silent? Why do You turn away?
Spirit, come and rest Your ear upon my heart;
Come and hear my wordless prayer,
my silent plea and take them far away from me.
Take them from this heart of mine to the Father’s heart divine.
Speak in tones unknown to man that God may hear and under stand.
Here is an mp3 of the song the choir will share this Sunday.
www.beckenhorstpress.com/audio/1777.mp3Here is a link to some background information on Craig Courtney the composer.
www.beckenhorstpress.com/meet_us.asp"New Every Morning"This song is based on Lamentations 3:22-23
22 Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. 23 They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
click here to hear a recording of the song
www.worshipmusic.com/vmd8076.htmlClick here to learn more about the composer
www.scottunderwood.org/As we move into the celebration of communion we'll prepare our hearts with the song:
"Offering"Words and music by Paul Baloche. I came across this mpeg of Paul sharing about how the song came about.
www.theheartofworship.org/stories/Story-198-Offering-Baloche.mp3"Crucifixion"During the passing of the bread, we're going to experience an organ piece by the composer Marcel Dupre' entitled
"Crucifixion" from the Symphony Passion op.24 along with visual images of the passion of our Lord. Here is a link to information on Dupre'
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcel_Dupr%C3%A9Here is a description of the song
The sinister jagged rhythms of Crucifixion vividly depict the faltering steps of Christ’s ascent to Calvary, and mount relentlessly to a harrowing climax. Finally, in a desolate epilogue, ‘the bleak, frozen image of the sorrowing mother’ (as Messiaen memorably described it) is evoked by the fragmented, disembodied melody of the Stabat Mater Dolorosa. The two-note phrase which forms an obsessive accompaniment seems to echo the cries of the weeping women at the foot of the cross - ‘Jesu, Jesu....’During the passing of the wine, we'll experience the old hymn with a Saxophone solo by Steve Graham.
"At the cross -(Alas and did my savior bleed)"Here is a link that will take you to the story behind this great hymn by Isaac Watts -
www.gospelpiano.com/articles/hymn-stories-3.alas-and-did-my-saviour-bleed.htmHere is the story of Isaac Watts the author of the text.
www.tanbible.com/tol_sng/alasanddidmysaviorbleed.htm"Jesus Paid it All"
This is a new arrangement of the old hymn, based on the recording from the Passion album "Everything glorious". It adds a new line "O praise the One who paid my debt and raised this life up from the dead".
Check out the composer of the tag on his website
www.alexnifong.com/Here’s a story about the song:
The words were written by Elvina M. Hall and the music by John T. Grape on New Year’s night, 1886, some missionaries were holding open-air services in order to attract passers-by to a near-by mission, where meetings were to be held later. "All to Christ I owe" was sung, and after a gentleman had given a short address he hastened away to the mission. He soon heard footsteps close behind him and a young woman caught up with him and said: "I heard you addressing the open-air meeting just now; do you think, sir, that Jesus could save a sinner like me?"The gentleman replied that there was no doubt about that, if she was anxious to be saved. She told him that she was a servant girl, and had left her place that morning after a disagreement with her mistress. As she had been wandering about the streets in the dark, wondering where she was to spend the night, the sweet melodies of this hymn had attracted her, and she drew near and listened attentively. As the different verses were being sung, she felt that the words surely had something to do with her. Through the whole service she seemed to hear what met her oppressed soul’s need at that moment. God’s Spirit had showed her what a poor, sinful and wretched creature she was, and had led her to ask what she must do. On hearing her experience, the gentleman took her back to the mission and left her with the ladies in charge. The young, wayward woman was brought to Christ that night. A situation was secured for her in a minister’s family. There she became ill and had to be taken to a hospital. She rapidly failed and it became evident that she would not be long on earth. One day the gentleman whom she had met on New Year’s night was visiting her in the ward. After quoting a few suitable verses of Scripture, he repeated her favorite hymn, "All to Christ I owe"…and she seemed overwhelmed with the thought of coming to glory…Two hours afterward she passed away.
You can listen to
"Jesus Paid it All" by clicking here
www.firsthurst.com/HURST_worship_resources.phpJeff's sermon is entitled
"Escape from Addictive Behavior"
based on Ezekiel 6:8-10a; Psalm 88; and Lamentations 3:1-9
you can listen to this sermon here
www.firsthurst.com/HURST_resources_audio.php"On Eagles Wings"
During the offertory, Murrell Whelan and Gerri Adcox will minister this song.
Interestingly enough this song was sung at both the Oklahoma City bombing and the Columbine shooting memorials. We had picked this song out long before the tradgic shooting at Virginia Tech this past Monday. May this song remind us that the only safe place is in the arms of Jesus. Our prayers and thoughts go out to the victims families.
Here is an mp3 of the song.
Here is the young lady I met back in 1982 in Shawnee, Oklahoma. It was during the Oklahoma Baptist University welcome week. We were both starting our freshmen year, we both had beanies on. This Sunday April 29th she'll celebrate her birthday. I wanted to pay tribute to her on my blog. 
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What do you say? You say the only thing you can say!
