It’s the end of June! We have officially made it through the first six months of the year!
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However, this is still 2020, the year of clear vision! Those same declarations we decreed in January still can come, by God’s will, before the close of this year. Do not lose hope. God’s got you!
It is by God’s grace, His unmerited favor, that we continue to be. I thank God for every single one of you who is reading right now. Stay strong and know that by God’s grace “are ye saved through faith and not that of yourselves: it is the gift of God” (Eph. 2:8).
As you listen to the Song of the Week today, I want to remind you that there is freedom, strength, peace in Christ. John 12:46 says, “I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.”
Hey good folks! I hope all is well with everyone of you. I know during these perilous times sometimes we can feel ourselves diving into a black pit. However, what does the word say?
“Why my soul are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.” (Psalm 42:5,11; 43:5)
So, for this song of the week, I wanted to go backwards in time to one of my favorite songs as a kid (you will see how young I am now). Not only is it catchy, but the message was uplifting then and still is now.
Hold On (Change is Coming) by Sounds Of Blackness
This hit, released in 1997, brought optimism, positivity, and overall message of knowing that everything will be alright. Though very contemporary with its roots, this song always played on our local Gospel radio station.
However, I cling to this song more than ever because of this stanza:
When the troubles of life weigh you down Just lift your head up, yeah, yeah When the love you seek is hard to find Don’t give up, just keep strong, keep the faith
The first two lines remind of the scripture, Psalm 121:1 (KJV), “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help“. I firmly latch onto this verse just because it puts life into perspective. When it feels like you’re in a hole surrounded of darkness on every side, you can always look up to see the light. That light for me is Christ Jesus.
In John 8:12 it says, ” ‘When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.‘ ” The path of righteousness is illuminated because of Jesus, but when we turn from the son, we cannot see it. However, that doesn’t stop God from loving us.
We know that God’s love for us goes above and beyond what any man, woman, or child can give in this world. It is unconditional. Although Sounds of Blackness talked about the difficulty of finding the love we seek, and to persevere, we don’t have to go very far to know that God loves us. He wouldn’t have sacrificed His Son, if He didn’t (John 3:16).
As a reminder to myself, I think on these things when I feel down or unwanted in the world. Especially right now as many are fighting for change, through protests, hard conversations, and petitions of justice. I hope that as you listen to this song, that they encourage you.
Hold on and know that change is coming!
Matthew 7:7 it reads, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”
Good Morning, Afternoon, Evening, my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ! Truly this month has been full of revelation and chasing after God’s heart!
This is exactly why I wanted to share the Song of the Week with you.
Waterfall by Jonathan Ogden
With his chill vibe and mellow voice, Jonathan Ogden describes the love of God and the reaction we should have towards Him.
Everlasting One Nothing else compares To knowing You To knowing You You’re the living God And my soul it longs To be with You To be with You
In the opening verse, I couldn’t help but reflect on the last part. Our soul longs to be with God. When we develop a relationship with anyone, we feel such a connection that it’s hard not to think of them or want to be in their presence as much as we can. The same goes for when we form a relationship with God.
As our relationship with God flourishes, we long to be in His presence. For some, their spirit sings from joy or even erupts in laughter. But to know Him is to love Him. Nothing will ever compare to that which He gives to us.
Oh Lord Your love is like a waterfall Your love is like a flowing stream And whenever I’m feeling dry I come to the river, I come to the river of life
His love is everlasting (Jeremiah 31:3) and it never runs out. His love is not conditional, and it never fails. Can any man on earth say the same? The love of God is so great that the comparison to a waterfall truly explains two things: it is continuous and it is refreshing. However, it didn’t stop there. Because of His love, we were given His Son Jesus, who brought us eternal life when we believe in Him (John 3:16).
As the song comes to a close, Lucy Grimble says:
As the deer pants for the waters So my soul longs after You
In quoting Psalm 42:1, our attitude and action towards God should shift. Willingly we should bring ourselves to God with so much passion that we truly cannot get enough of Him. Like the deer who depends on the water to continue to live, we should depend on the Father to live.
Waterfall by Jonathan Ogden ft. Lucy Grimble
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Greetings righteous people! It overjoys my soul, the song I’m about to talk about!
If you didn’t read my previous Weekly Soap, go read it now! It explains how Jesus is the well of living water, full of everlasting life.
Now, I will preface that this Song of the Week is no ordinary song. It will have you jumping, shouting, and overwhelmed with the love of God! So listen at your own risk because I could not sit down after listening!
Holy Water by We The Kingdom
Holy Water is the upbeat song I needed to hear about forgiveness and the grace of God, but mostly about how much we need it.
Starting at the beginning.
God, I’m on my knees again God, I’m begging please again I need You Oh, I need You
Walking down this desert road Water for my thirsty soul I need You Oh, I need You
This verse reminded me of so many moments where I felt far away from God. It was kneeling on my floor in my living room crying out to God that became the epitome of this verse. Sometimes we come to a crossroads where we feel no peace or have fallen back into sin, yet the only one we know to call on is God. If He doesn’t step in, we would continue down a path of desolation. I need Him. You need Him. We all need Him.
But what follows our plea is what we shouldn’t take for granted: God’s mercy and grace; forgiveness.
Your forgiveness Is like sweet, sweet honey On my lips Like the sound of a symphony To my ears Like holy water on my skin On my skin
There is nothing like forgiveness. That it is sweeter than anything. It sounds better than anything. It feels like refreshing water! In Psalms 130:3-4NLT, it says, “Lord, if you kept a record of our sins, who, O Lord, could ever survive? But you offer forgiveness, that we might learn to fear you”. God is gracious that even for the sins we have committed, with repentance, they are washed away. We have a clean slate. Who wouldn’t revere a God like that?
Sometimes we get caught up. I’ve heard the saying, “But God knows my heart” multiple times because of forgiveness right. Well, of course, God knows our heart, but let’s look at scripture.
Romans 6:1-2NLT says, “Well then, should we keep on sinning so that GOd can show us more and more of his wonderful grace? Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it?”
We shouldn’t abuse God’s grace knowing that He forgives us! When we accepted Christ in our lives, we were no longer slaves to sin. We are freed by Him, so since we know better, we have to do better (vs 17-18)!
Just like We The Kingdom sang,
I don’t wanna abuse Your grace God, I need it every day It’s the only thing that ever really Makes me wanna change
AMEN!
Also Enjoy the rendition of this song with We The Kingdom, Tasha Cobbs Leonard, and Maverick City Music.
“Holy Water” by We The Kingdom, Tasha Cobbs Leonard, Maverick City Music
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Hey Folks! I hope y’all are having an amazing week so far!
This week I hope the Song of the Week is not just encouraging but a reminder of about who God is and what He does!
In the great collective of worship music pumped out by Maverick City Music, I was drawn especially to this song. At the opening of their videos, it always reminds of how diverse the people of God are but that we all remain on one accord.
As the music begins, automatically you can feel yourself go into a sway of joy! I knew right then that this song was about to be a bop, in my opinion. I was in for a treat once the lyrics followed.
Parallel to Mark 9:23, the opening verse is a verse to remind us that through faith we can do all things. Not only that, but God is a covenant keeper and whatever he says to us is the truth. The songwriters of Maverick City Music knew exactly what they were doing in the chorus:
If You said it, we believe it If You said it, we believe it ‘Cause You’re a man of Your word
If that doesn’t minister to your soul, I don’t know what will! To know that God keeps his word no matter what is such a comforting piece to me. At the close of the song, KJ Scriven ushers in a new phrase in the song that says:
I am what I am ‘Cause the Great I Am said He speaks over me
Two things here that I gathered just from this simple phrase:
Jeremiah 1:5 highlights that God knew me before I was even formed in my mother’s womb. Just as He spoke a word of Jeremiah’s life, He has spoke a word over me.
God is great and greatly to be praised. He told Moses right before going to the Israelite people to tell them that “I AM WHO I AM” (Exodus 3:14). Even in verse 15NLT, God said that “This is my eternal name, my name to remember for all generations“.
With that, go listen to “Man of Your Word” by Maverick City Music ft. Chandler Moore and KJ Scriven in the link below.
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Hello Good Folks! I hope your Palm Sunday was amazing in the celebration of the King!
I’m so excited about the upcoming days in celebration of both Passover and Easter. To know that Jesus took on our sin, died on the cross, then rose again with all power… it overjoys my soul!
When I think of the goodness of Jesus, and all that He’s done for me! My soul shouts…
To refocus, when I think about the love of Christ, it washes over me like a flood. To know that God sent his only Son, just for us, to die so we may live again, is a love that surpasses anything I could ever imagine. I am so grateful to the Lord for it!
And what do I do when I feel strong emotions? We match it with music! But I know that in Romans 5:5 (NIV),
“And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.“
This week, we have a song from gospel royalty, the Clark Sisters. In the hit, “His Love”, they expound upon the love of Jesus and how it’s everlasting. Partnered up with Snoop Dogg, the composition flows together mixing the old with the new. So take a listen below and remember:
HIS LOVE LASTS FOREVER!
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Morning, Afternoon, or Evening wherever you are! How are y’all feeling out there? I know with all the pandemonium around; I wanted to remind you that God is still in control!
6 Don’t be anxious about things; instead, pray. Pray about everything. He longs to hear your requests, so talk to God about your needs and be thankful for what has come.7 And know that the peace of God (a peace that is beyond any and all of our human understanding) will stand watch over your hearts and minds in Jesus, the Anointed One. (Philippians 4:6-7 The Voice (VOICE))
Moving on, we’re still focusing on living above and beyond just existing.
So how are you living? Are your actions matching up with your faith?
Well, just like in February, we had a heart check. In March, we’re checking for the fruits of the Spirit!
The Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22 KJV):
Love
Joy
Peace
Longsuffering
Gentleness
Goodness
Faith
Meekness
Temperance
The Fruit of the Spirit aren’t just listed for fun. These are to teach us how to conduct ourselves. There are nine of them and I encourage you to study more, but the Song of the Week helps with learning them.
Kevon Carter’s “Check Their Fruit” is an easy-listening, message-giving song about the Fruit of the Spirit. The song highlights that the actions we do are more telling of our character than our outward appearance. “We should identify people by the things that they do.”
I hope this song encourages you to: Check. Their. Fruit. (And yours too.)
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We’re back at it again with a new month and more purpose!
However, I want to be transparent right now. Usually around this time, I find myself either getting stuck in rut or routine or losing focus since the start of the new year. March is the within the first 90 days of the year, and sometimes the goals we’ve set aren’t met. Sometimes there is a loss of passion which leads to feeling unaccomplished, ashamed, or less than. It feels like we’re just going through the motions.
This March, I have decided a theme: Maintenance March! We’re doing tune-ups, check-ups, etc. to make sure that we aren’t just going about life existing, but we’re living beyond it!
So, Let’s. Get. Into. It!
I ran across this song early February and I was so…shocked! I had to do a double listen because I did not think it was CHH (Christian Hip Hop), but here we are!
The track starts with this eerie guitar riff reminiscent of an early 2000s emo song. However, instead of honing in on dark lyrics of sadness, despair, and angst. Hulvey’s “Motions” presents a reflective look at life at its highs and lows. In an emotional chorus repeating the phrase of “tired of being tired”, the only escape is a turn toward Jesus. We shouldn’t miss out on our purpose by getting distracted. This life is not our own and we’re not just living for ourselves, but for others.
“Where we’re at is not the whole scope of our entire life.”
So when you’re bopping along to this song, remind yourself: God provides an oasis in the desert!
Hulvey-Motions
We, Christians, are called to be fruitful/productive. So, when we’re not producing, what should we do? What do you do when you want to escape living through the motions, to live beyond just existence? In the following weeks, let’s unpack together what this means.
Starting with this Song of the Week, throughout the month special posts will be published highlighting questions that many of you may have.
So please comment below what questions you want answered.
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Before we get to the Song of the Week, I have to say thank you for the many comments last week on the Weekly Soap. It was the most comments that I have received this far and I am so grateful to you all.
Now, let’s get to the Song of the Week!
In December 2018, I ran across this album titled Hotel Sessions by Local Sound. I had no idea who this group was or what they were about, but the message was clear: they were singing about the love of Christ!
Right off the back, I was sold with the stripped down versions of their songs. Specifically, their song Wild. The song starts with a simple 808 beat followed by layered chords from an electric piano. Instantly, the Da-Da-Da’s caught my ear (I love a catchy one syllable melody), but there was more to this song than its feel-good beat. The lyrics described what makes God’s love so wild.
The overwhelming love that God gives us surpasses all that we could ever imagine or think (Ephesians 3:20). But what does this look like?
From the very beginning, He claimed us in our mother’s womb (Jeremiah 29:11).
It pulls us from darkness (1 Peter 5:7)
It never fades or fails. (Jeremiah 31:3; Psalms 136:26)
There is no fear in His Love (1 John 4:18)
He made the ultimate sacrifice out of love (John 3:16)
God is Love. (1 John 4:16)
Looking at some of these scriptures of love, I am so glad our salvation does not depend on man. Why? Because how many people can genuinely say they love unconditionally? Are we able to die for the stranger on the street the same we might die for our family members? CAN we even think about dying for our family members?
The message here is:
God’s love is extraordinary!
Reflect on it this week as you bop to this song! Think about where you’d be without His love. Think about where you are because of it.
This is the stripped down version of “Wild” by Local Sound.
This is the EDM-Pop version of “Wild” by Local Sound.
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Usually, I like to tie in the Song of the Week to the Weekly Soap, but this time I feel led to do something different. Since it is the last week of January, I wanted to reflect on what has happened just in the first month of this year.
So… take a moment right now and thank God. Think about how great God is to have brought you this far! Think about where He’s taking you from here!
Sometimes, I realize that even the smallest things that we overlook, I can thank God for. With God, I don’t have to want for anything, because he has everything (Psalms 34:9-10). Even concerning my body, God protects that too (Psalms 34:20). That’s just how great God is.
So what does this have to do with the Song of the Week? Everything.
“Great Big God” by Lisa Knowles-Smith fully encompasses what many of us think about when we think of God. As the track begins, the upbeat tempo and high energy mirror the way we should describe God, with joy in praise and worship. As the lyrics follow, the songstress goes into detail about our “Great Big God” we serve and the things He does. That He is:
” He’s a Miracle Worker.”
“God will ease the pain.”
“God will be whatever we need him to be.”
“God is peace in my problems.”
“God has already won over the enemy.”
“He is grace in decisions.”
“All-Knowing God.”
The list can run on even further than that, but God is the “I AM THAT I AM” (Exodus 3:14). He is so mighty and powerful that the Avengers ain’t got nothing on Him (Psalms 18:47). So as you begin to listen to the song, don’t forget about the mighty God we serve and what He can do not just in your life, but the lives of others.
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