James 4:6–10
6 That is why Scripture says:
“God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

Matthew 5:3–5
3 Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

O Little Town of Bethlehem

O little town of Bethlehem how still we see thee lie!
Above thy deep
and dreamless sleep
the silent stars go by
Yet in thy dark streets shineth the everlasting Light;
The hopes and fears
of all the years
are met in thee tonight.

For Christ is born of Mary, and gathered all above,
While mortals sleep,
the angels keep
their watch of wondering love.
O morning stars together, proclaim the holy birth,
And praises sing
to God the King,
and peace to men on earth!

How silently, how silently, the wondrous Gift is giv’n;
So God imparts
to human hearts
the blessings of His heav’n.
No ear may hear His coming, but in this world of sin,
Where meek souls will
receive Him still,
the dear Christ enters in.

O holy Child of Bethlehem, descend to us, we pray;
Cast out our sin,
and enter in,
be born in us today.
We hear the Christmas angels the great glad tidings tell;
O come to us,
abide with us,
our Lord Emmanuel!

Just the Time

Just the time I think I’m at peace with the world that’s mine,
I feel at ease, I feel at home, and I know I’m not alone.
Then in my rest, there comes a test that shakes me ’til again I know
That what I had is not enough, and again I’ve got to grow.

Lord, I want to know You more
Deep within my heart I want to know You
Oh, I want to know You.
And I would give my final breath

To know You in Your death and resurrection,
Lord, I want to know You more,
Lord, I want to know You more.

The full supply I find as I move closer to the heart of God,
To strengthen me, to nourish me, and to fill my mind with Him.
I’ve truly grown, but even so my hunger hasn’t gone away
Still I long, still I thirst, to know Him more each day.

Surrender

I’m giving you my heart, and all that is within
I lay it all down for the sake of you my King
I’m giving you my dreams, I’m laying down my rights
I’m giving up my pride for the promise of new life

And I surrender all to you, all to you
And I surrender all to you, all to you

I’m singing You this song, I’m waiting at the cross
And all the world holds dear, I count it all as loss
For the sake of knowing You for the glory of Your name
To know the lasting joy, even sharing in Your pain

Jesus, All for Jesus

Jesus, all for Jesus,
All I am and have and ever hope to be.
Jesus, all for Jesus,
All I am and have and ever hope to be.

All of my ambitions, hopes and plans
I surrender these into Your hands.
All of my ambitions, hopes and plans
I surrender these into Your hands.

For it’s only in Your will that I am free,
For it’s only in Your will that I am free,
Jesus, all for Jesus,
All I am and have and ever hope to be.

1 Corinthians 13:12
12 Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

Silent Night

Silent night, holy night
All is calm, all is bright
Round yon Virgin Mother and Child
Holy Infant so tender and mild
Sleep in heavenly peace
Sleep in heavenly peace

Silent night, holy night!
Shepherds quake at the sight
Glories stream from heaven afar
Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia!
Christ, the Saviour is born
Christ, the Saviour is born

Silent night, holy night
Son of God, love’s pure light
Radiant beams from Thy holy face
With the dawn of redeeming grace
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth

For Those Tears I Died

You said You’d come and share all my sorrows.
You said You’d be there for all my tomorrows.
I came so close to sending You away,
But, just like You promised, You came here to stay.
I just had to pray.

And Jesus said, “Come to the water, stand by my side.
I know you are thirsty, you won’t be denied.
I felt every teardrop, when in darkness you cried.
And, I strove to remind you,
That for those tears I died.”

Your goodness so great, I can’t understand.
And, dear Lord, I know that all this was planned.
I know You’re here now and always will be.
Your love loosed my chains and in You I’m free,
But, Jesus, why me?

Jesus, I give You my heart and my soul.
I know that without You, I’d never be whole.
Savior, You opened all the right doors.
And I thank You and praise You from earth’s humble shores.
Take me I’m Yours!

And Jesus said, “Come to the water, stand by my side.
I know you are thirsty, you won’t be denied.
I felt every teardrop, when in darkness you cried;
And I strove to remind you,
That for those tears I died.”

Come to Jesus

Weak and wounded sinner
Lost and left to die
O, raise your head, for love is passing by
Come to Jesus
Come to Jesus
Come to Jesus and live!

Now your burden’s lifted
And carried far away
And precious blood has washed away the stain, so
Sing to Jesus
Sing to Jesus
Sing to Jesus and live!

And like a newborn baby
Don’t be afraid to crawl
And remember when you walk
Sometimes we fall…so
Fall on Jesus
Fall on Jesus
Fall on Jesus and live!

Sometimes the way is lonely
And steep and filled with pain
So if your sky is dark and pours the rain, then
Cry to Jesus
Cry to Jesus
Cry to Jesus and live!

O, and when the love spills over
And music fills the night
And when you can’t contain your joy inside, then
Dance for Jesus
Dance for Jesus
Dance for Jesus and live!

And with your final heartbeat
Kiss the world goodbye
Then go in peace, and laugh on Glory’s side, and
Fly to Jesus
Fly to Jesus
Fly to Jesus and live!

People Need the Lord

Everyday they pass me by,
I can see it in their eyes.
Empty people filled with care,
Headed who knows where?

On they go through private pain,
Living fear to fear.
Laughter hides their silent cries,
Only Jesus hears.

People need the Lord, people need the Lord.
At the end of broken dreams, He’s the open door.
People need the Lord, people need the Lord.
When will we realize, people need the Lord?

We are called to take His light
To a world where wrong seems right.
What could be too great a cost
For sharing Life with one who’s lost?

Through His love our hearts can feel
All the grief they bear.
They must hear the Words of Life
Only we can share.

People need the Lord, people need the Lord
At the end of broken dreams, He’s the open door.
People need the Lord, people need the Lord.
When will we realize that we must give our lives,
For people need the Lord.
People need the Lord.

Isaiah 59:9-10
9 So justice is far from us, and righteousness does not reach us. We look for light, but all is darkness;
for brightness, but we walk in deep shadows.
10 Like the blind we grope along the wall,
feeling our way like men without eyes.

John 1:1–5
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning.
3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.

John 3:16-21
16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.

19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God.”

John 8:12
12 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.”

John 9:4
4 As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. 5 While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

1 Corinthians 1:17–30
17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.
18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written:
“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise;
the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”
20 Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. 22 Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24 but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.

O Holy Night

O Holy Night! The stars are brightly shining,
It is the night of the dear Saviour’s birth.
Long lay the world in sin and error pining.
Till He appeared and the Spirit felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees! Oh, hear the angel voices!
O night divine, the night when Christ was born;
O night, O Holy Night , O night divine!
O night, O Holy Night , O night divine!

Truly He taught us to love one another,
His law is love and His gospel is peace.
Chains he shall break, for the slave is our brother.
And in his name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
With all our hearts we praise His holy name.
Christ is the Lord! Then ever, ever praise we,
His power and glory ever more proclaim!
His power and glory ever more proclaim!

O Come Emmanuel

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 Day-spring, come and cheer
Our spirits by Thine advent here;
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
And death’s dark shadows put to flight.

O come, Thou Wisdom from on high,
And order all things far and nigh
To us the path of knowledge show,
And cause us in her ways to go.

O come, Desire of nations, bind
All nations in one heart and mind,
Bid envy, strife and quarrels cease,
Fill the whole world with heaven’s peace.

He is Lord

He is Lord, He is Lord
He has risen from the dead
And He is Lord
Every knee shall bow
Every tongue confess
That Jesus Christ is Lord

You are Lord, You are Lord
You have risen from the dead
And You are Lord
Every knee shall bow
Every tongue confess
That Jesus Christ is Lord

O Come All Ye Faithful

O Come All Ye Faithful
Joyful and triumphant,
O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem.
Come and behold Him,
Born the King of Angels;
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord.

Sing, choirs of angels,
Sing in exultation,
Sing all ye bright hosts in heaven above
Glory to God, glory in the Highest;
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord.

Yea Lord, we greet Thee,
Born this happy morning,
Jesus! for evermore in Heaven adored.
Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing;
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord.

Beautiful Lord, Wonderful Saviour
I know for sure, all of my days are held in your hands, crafted
into your perfect plan
You gently call me into your presence guiding me by Your Holy Spirit
Teach me dear Lord to live all of my life through Your eyes
I’m captured by Your holy calling
Set me apart, I know you’re drawing me to yourself
Lead me Lord I pray

Chorus:
Take me, Mold me, use me, fill me
I give my life to the Potter’s hand
Call me, guide me, lead me, walk beside me
I give my life to the Potter’s hand

You gently call me into your presence guiding me by your Holy Spirit
Teach me dear Lord to live all of my life through your eyes
I’m captured by your Holy calling
set me apart, I know your drawing me to yourself
lead me Lord I pray

I Stand Amazed

I stand amazed in the presence
Of Jesus the Nazarene,
And wonder how He could love me,
A sinner, condemned, unclean.

Chorus:
O how marvelous! O how wonderful!
And my song shall ever be:
O how marvelous! O how wonderful!
Is my Savior’s love for me!

He took my sins and my sorrows,
He made them His very own;
He bore the burden to Calvary,
And suffered and died alone.

When with the ransomed in glory
His face I at last shall see,
’Twill be my joy through the ages
To sing of His love for me.

The Old Rugged Cross

On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,
The emblem of suffering and shame;
And I love that old cross where the dearest and best
For a world of lost sinners was slain.

Chorus
So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross,
Till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
And exchange it some day for a crown.

O that old rugged cross, so despised by the world,
Has a wondrous attraction for me;
For the dear Lamb of God left His glory above
To bear it to dark Calvary.

In that old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,
A wondrous beauty I see,
For ’twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died,
To pardon and sanctify me.

To the old rugged cross I will ever be true;
Its shame and reproach gladly bear;
Then He’ll call me some day to my home far away,
Where His glory forever I’ll share.

O The Blood

O the blood
Crimson love
Price of life’s demand
Shameful sin
Placed on Him
The Hope of every man

CHORUS
O the blood of Jesus washes me
O the blood of Jesus shed for me
What a sacrifice that saved my life
Yes, the blood, it is my victory

Savior Son
Holy One
Slain so I can live
See the Lamb
The great I Am
Who takes away my sin

O the blood of the Lamb
O the blood of the Lamb
O the blood of the Lamb
The precious blood of the Lamb
What a sacrifice
That saved my life
Yes, the blood, it is my victory

O what love
No greater love
Grace, how can it be
That in my sin
Yes, even then
He shed His blood for me

31 Then Jesus told them, “This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written:
“‘I will strike the shepherd,and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’

40 Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. 41 “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
42 He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.”

Luke 22

43 An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. 44 And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.

Matthew 11

28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

Matthew 6

9 “This, then, is how you should pray:
“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
10 your kingdom come,
your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.

My Eyes Are Dry

My eyes are dry
My faith is old
My heart is hard
My prayers are cold
And I know how I ought to be
Alive to You and dead to me

But what can be done
For an old heart like mine
Soften it up
With oil and wine
The oil is You, Your Spirit of love
Please wash me anew
With the wine of Your Blood

Until That Final Day

My flesh is tired of seeking God,
But on my knees I’ll stay.
I want to be a pleasing child,
Until that final day.

My mind is full of many thoughts
That clutter and confuse.
But standing firm, I will prevail,
In faith that I’ll be used.
Amen! I’m asking once again.

Won’t you help me my friend, Lord Jesus.
Holy Lord Spirit, set us free,
From chains we cannot see,
Come release us.

I wrestle not with flesh and blood,
My fight is with the one,
Who lost the keys of hell and death,
To God’s most precious son.

One sleepless night of anguished prayer,
I triumphed over sin.
One battle in the Holy war,
God’s promised me to win.

Amen! I’m asking once again.
Won’t you help me my friend, Lord Jesus.
Holy, Lord Spirit, set us free,
From chains we cannot see,
Come release us.

My flesh is tired of seeking God,
But on my knees I’ll stay.
I want to be a pleasing child,
Until that final day.

He Knows My Name

I have a Maker
He formed my heart
Before even time began
My life was in his hands

I have a Father
He calls me His own
He’ll never leave me
No matter where I go

He knows my name
He knows my every thought
He sees each tear that falls
And He hears me when I call

Faithful Father

Father I can’t explain
This kind of love, this kind of grace
I know I still break Your heart
And yet You run to welcome me

This is my song of praise to You
For who You are and all that You do
From the moment my life began
You have been faithful
You will be faithful
Forever faithful

Father I love the way
You hold me close and say my name
I know when my life is through
My heart will find its home in You

This is my song of praise to You
For who You are and all that You do
From the moment my life began
You have been faithful

This is our song of praise to You
For who You are and all that You do
From before the world began
You have been faithful
You will be faithful
Forever faithful
Father

Certain as the rivers reach the sea
Certain as the sunrise in the east
I can rest in Your faithfulness
Surer than a mother’s tender love
Surer than the stars still shine above
I can rest in Your faithfulness

He Will Carry You

There is no problem too big
God cannot solve it
There is no mountain too tall
He cannot move it
There is not storm too dark
God cannot calm it
There is no sorrow too deep
He cannot soothe it

If He carried the weight of the world upon His shoulders
I know, my brother that He will carry you
If He carried the weight of the world upon His shoulders
I know, my sister that He will carry you

Come Home Running

Oh heart of mine, why must you stray?
From one so fair you run away
And one more time you have to pay
The heaviness of needless shame

Oh heart of mine, come back home
You’ve been too long out on your own
And He’s been there all along
Watching for you down the road

So come home running
His arms are open wide
His name is Jesus
He understands
He is the answer
You are looking for
So come home running
Just as you are

Oh child of God so dearly loved
And ransomed by the Savior’s blood
And called by name, “daughter” and “son”
Wrapped in the robe of righteousness

1 I waited patiently for the LORD;
he turned to me and heard my cry.
2 He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock
and gave me a firm place to stand.
3 He put a new song in my mouth,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear
and put their trust in the LORD.

4 Blessed is the man
who makes the LORD his trust,
who does not look to the proud,
to those who turn aside to false gods.[a]
5 Many, O LORD my God,
are the wonders you have done.
The things you planned for us
no one can recount to you;
were I to speak and tell of them,
they would be too many to declare.

6 Sacrifice and offering you did not desire,
but my ears you have pierced[b][c];
burnt offerings and sin offerings
you did not require.
7 Then I said, “Here I am, I have come—
it is written about me in the scroll.[d]
8 I desire to do your will, O my God;
your law is within my heart.”

9 I proclaim righteousness in the great assembly;
I do not seal my lips,
as you know, O LORD.
10 I do not hide your righteousness in my heart;
I speak of your faithfulness and salvation.
I do not conceal your love and your truth
from the great assembly.

11 Do not withhold your mercy from me, O LORD;
may your love and your truth always protect me.
12 For troubles without number surround me;
my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see.
They are more than the hairs of my head,
and my heart fails within me.

13 Be pleased, O LORD, to save me;
O LORD, come quickly to help me.
14 May all who seek to take my life
be put to shame and confusion;
may all who desire my ruin
be turned back in disgrace.
15 May those who say to me, “Aha! Aha!”
be appalled at their own shame.
16 But may all who seek you
rejoice and be glad in you;
may those who love your salvation always say,
“The LORD be exalted!”

17 Yet I am poor and needy;
may the Lord think of me.
You are my help and my deliverer;
O my God, do not delay.

You Alone Can Rescue

Who, oh Lord, could save themselves,
Their own soul could heal?
Our shame was deeper than the sea
Your grace is deeper still

You alone can rescue, You alone can save
You alone can lift us from the grave
You came down to find us, led us out of death
To You alone belongs the highest praise

You, oh Lord, have made a way
The great divide You heal
For when our hearts were far away
Your love went further still
Yes, your love goes further still

We lift up our eyes, lift up our eyes
You’re the Giver of Life

Lord, I Need You

Lord, I come, I confess
Bowing here I find my rest
Without You I fall apart
You’re the One that guides my heart

Lord, I need You, oh I need You
Every hour I need You
My one defense, my righteousness
Oh God, how I need You

Where sin runs deep, Your grace is more
Where grace is found is where You are
And where You are, Lord, I am free
Holiness is Christ in me

Yes, where You are, Lord, I am free
Holiness is Christ in me

BRIDGE:
So teach my song to rise to You
When temptation comes my way
And when I cannot stand I’ll fall on You
Jesus, You’re my hope and stay
And when I cannot stand I’ll fall on You
Jesus, You’re my hope and stay

Sweet Mercies

It’s our confession Lord that we are weak
So very weak but You are strong
And though we’ve nothing Lord
To lay at Your feet
We come to Your feet and say help us along

A broken heart and a contrite spirit
You have yet to deny
Your heart of mercy
Beats with love’s strong current
Let the river flow by Your Spirit now
Lord we cry

Let Your mercies fall from heaven
Sweet mercies flow from heaven
New mercies for today
Shower them down Lord as we pray

1 “Come, all you who are thirsty,
come to the waters;
and you who have no money,
come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
without money and without cost.
2 Why spend money on what is not bread,
and your labor on what does not satisfy?
Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good,
and your soul will delight in the richest of fare.
3 Give ear and come to me;
hear me, that your soul may live.
I will make an everlasting covenant with you,
my faithful love promised to David.

Isaiah 59:9-16

So justice is far from us,
and righteousness does not reach us.
We look for light, but all is darkness;
for brightness, but we walk in deep shadows.
10 Like the blind we grope along the wall,
feeling our way like men without eyes.
At midday we stumble as if it were twilight;
among the strong, we are like the dead.
….
12 For our offenses are many in your sight,
and our sins testify against us.
Our offenses are ever with us,
and we acknowledge our iniquities:
13 rebellion and treachery against the LORD,
turning our backs on our God,
…
The LORD looked and was displeased
that there was no justice.
16 He saw that there was no one,
he was appalled that there was no one to intervene;
so his own arm worked salvation for him,
and his own righteousness sustained him.

Ezekiel 22:30

I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found none.

John 3:36

Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him.

Our Heart

Our heart our desire
Is to see the nations worship
Our cry our prayer
Is to sing Your praise to the ends of the earth
That with one mighty voice
Evey tribe and tongue rejoices
Our heart our desire
Is to see the nations worship You

Heavenly Father
Your mercy showers down upon all people
Every race upon this earth
May Your Spirit pierce the darkness
Break the chains of death upon us
Let us rise in honest worship
To declare Your matchless worth

There is no power that for one hour
Can withstand the greatness
Of Your Word on tongues of faith
So we’re bold in intercession
Praying now that every heart will bow
Before You Lord in praise in praise

Our heart our desire
Is to see the nations worship You

Faithful Men

Come and join the reapers
All the kingdom seekers
Laying down your lives
To find it in the end

Come and share the harvest
Help to light the darkness
For the Lord is calling faithful men

Knocking on the Door of Heaven

We will give ourselves no rest
‘Till Your Kingdom comes on earth
We’ve positioned watchmen on the walls
Now our prayers will flow like tears
For You’ve shared Your heart with us
God of Heaven, on our knees we fall

Come down in power, reveal Your heart again
Come hear our cries, the tears that plead for rain

We’re knocking, knocking on the door of heaven
We’re crying, crying for this generation
We’re praying for Your Name to be known in all of the earth
We’re watching, watching on the walls to see You
We’re looking, looking for a time of breakthrough
We’re praying for Your Word to bear fruit in all of the earth
All of the earth

1 All the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and said, “We are your own flesh and blood. 2 In the past, while Saul was king over us, you were the one who led Israel on their military campaigns. And the LORD said to you, `You will shepherd my people Israel, and you will become their ruler.’ “
3 When all the elders of Israel had come to King David at Hebron, the king made a compact with them at Hebron before the LORD, and they anointed David king over Israel.
4 David was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned forty years. 5 In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah thirty-three years.

Imagine how David must have felt after becoming king after all these years since the day when Samuel first found him as a shepherd boy and anointed him as a king.  Reflect on God’s faithfulness over David throughout that entire time.  

David must’ve felt so amazed by God’s faithfulness.  All along the journey, there must have been times of doubt.  Was God going to really come through for him?  Is he really going to be king?  Never mind being a king, is he going to survive?  So much must’ve gone through his mind, questioning and wondering and doubting and then clinging unto God and choosing to trust him.  He must’ve also seen how God matured him through it all.  When Samuel first anointed him as king, he was just a shepherd boy.  What did he really know back then? He really didn’t know the first thing about being a king.  But ironically, it was through times of suffering, being on the run from Saul that he grew.

It’s hard to believe that David went through so much before the age of 30.  Although at times he must’ve despaired, it’s so clear that God was using that period to forge him as a king.  What did he know when he was just a young boy slaying Goliath?  What did he know when he was first brought into Saul’s palace?  I don’t think David would’ve been the King that he became without suffering with the people as he did, constantly being pursued by Saul.  I don’t think David would’ve learned to rely on God as much as he did if he didn’t go through all of that.  I see the role of suffering in a person’s life to forge their character.  We are sinners and therefore without pain, there is no growth.

How has the LORD been faithful to me over the years despite all the ups and downs of my life?

God knew what he was doing when he allowed David to be pursued by Saul in that kind of way.  God knew what it would take to turn David to a king.  In the same way, God knows what’s in my heart.  God knows that I am proud sinner and it’s going to be only through helpless situations in ministry and in my life that I am going to humble myself and cry out to God.  God is faithful and he will use the ups and downs in my life to forge me into the kind of person that he wants me to be.  There is a lot more to sanctification that needs to happen in my life.  And he is going to faithfully guide me through those times, using the difficult times of my life.

21 “But if a wicked man turns away from all the sins he has committed and keeps all my decrees and does what is just and right, he will surely live; he will not die. 22 None of the offenses he has committed will be remembered against him. Because of the righteous things he has done, he will live. 23 Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign LORD. Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?
24 “But if a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits sin and does the same detestable things the wicked man does, will he live? None of the righteous things he has done will be remembered. Because of the unfaithfulness he is guilty of and because of the sins he has committed, he will die.
25 “Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ Hear, O house of Israel: Is my way unjust? Is it not your ways that are unjust? 26 If a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits sin, he will die for it; because of the sin he has committed he will die. 27 But if a wicked man turns away from the wickedness he has committed and does what is just and right, he will save his life. 28 Because he CONSIDERS all the offenses he has committed and turns away from them, he will surely live; he will not die. 29 Yet the house of Israel says, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ Are my ways unjust, O house of Israel? Is it not your ways that are unjust?
30 “Therefore, O house of Israel, I will judge you, each one according to his ways, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall. 31 Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, O house of Israel? 32 For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent and live!

Psalm 32:3-5

When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. Then I ACKNOWLEDGED my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, “I will CONFESS my transgressions to the LORD”— and you forgave the guilt of my sin.

Psalm 51

1 Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash away all my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin.
3 For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is always before me.
4 Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you are proved right when you speak
and justified when you judge.
5 Surely I was sinful at birth,
sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

Ezekiel 37

The hand of the LORD was upon me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the LORD and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. 2 He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. 3 He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?”
I said, “O Sovereign LORD, you alone know.”
4 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD! 5 This is what the Sovereign LORD says to these bones: I will make breathe enter you, and you will come to life. 6 I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the LORD.’ ”

O The Blood

VERSE 1
O the blood
Crimson love
Price of life’s demand
Shameful sin
Placed on Him
The Hope of every man

CHORUS
O the blood of Jesus washes me
O the blood of Jesus shed for me
What a sacrifice that saved my life
Yes, the blood, it is my victory

VERSE 2
Savior Son
Holy One
Slain so I can live
See the Lamb
The great I Am
Who takes away my sin

BRIDGE
O the blood of the Lamb
O the blood of the Lamb
O the blood of the Lamb
The precious blood of the Lamb
What a sacrifice
That saved my life
Yes, the blood, it is my victory

VERSE 3
O what love
No greater love
Grace, how can it be
That in my sin
Yes, even then
He shed His blood for me

Create In Me a Clean Heart

Create in me a clean heart, O God
And renew a right spirit within me
Cast me not away from they presence O Lord
And take not thy Holy Spirit from me
Restore unto me the joy of they salvation
And renew a right spirit within me

Dry Bones

Prophesy, come to life
Oh my soul sing
Through the night, lift your eyes
Oh my soul cry out
Cry out

Living King live in me
Let my heart know
Rushing wind move within
Speak to these dry bones
Dry bones

Oh Lord, speak into the silence
Breathe upon the lifeless
Wake us up from slumber
Oh Lord, move in by Your Spirit
Your life living in us
Take us back to wonder

By Your hand I will stand
Filled with glory
Hold Your word on the earth
All to show Your life
Revealed

Dry bones dance, dry bones sing
Dry bones stand up, get up and live
Dry bones run, dry bones rise
Dry bones stand up and come back to life

Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for a feast of the Jews. 2 Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. 3 Here a great number of disabled people used to lie—the blind, the lame, the paralyzed 5 One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?” 7 “Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.”

Though it may seem like a strange story at first, there is something about this man in John 5 that is familiar to all of us. Even though healing was standing in front of him in the person of Jesus, he was so full of self-pity and a convoluted form of pride that he answers Jesus’ straight-forward question “Do you want to get well?” with “I have no one to help me.”

The answer that this man gave would have been appropriate if Jesus had asked “Why aren’t you home?” or “Why are you stuck in a place like this? Explain yourself!” But this is not what Jesus was asking. The man was brewing his own answers to his own questions. The landscape of his thought life was so consumed by his own narrative that when Jesus asked him the most pivotal, hopeful question, his answer was completely off. It’s easy to dismiss a man like this as someone who is inordinately preoccupied with his own story but is his condition really so far off from what is in our own hearts? Many of us have our own story, and sometimes those stories involve blame, resentment, and a sense that we’ve been out-competed and out-shined by someone else.

“I have no one to help me…” he says, focusing on the lack of care people in his life gave him as a way of explaining is current misery. Likewise, it’s easy for us to blame circumstances or others: first, it was that awful roommate. And then the problem was not being married. Then, it’s because of being married. Then it’s the finances. It’s unemployment. Those ill-mannered children…it’s endless. In the midst of recounting the different trials in our circumstance, sometimes we forget that our biggest problem is sin, our own sin.

If we changed the circumstances, will it get better? Jesus’ offer to this man suggests otherwise. In this story, Jesus’ question addresses our need for healing. The Bible’s diagnosis, which is the most profound and truest diagnosis, is that we are deathly ill, that our hearts are corrupt, that we are sinners in need of healing.

Even if the paralytic made it to the pool, he would essentially be the same person. In the same way, even if we were to get rid of all of our difficulties and problems, we can’t get rid of the biggest problem: pride and sin. We remain the same person with the same insecurities, same selfishness, same greed and lust, violence, deceit that isolates us from one another and generates so much confusion, so much chaos.

Although we are all sinners in this kind of deep trouble, it’s so instinctive to turn to everything and everyone for help but God himself, the only one that can give us true healing. We will turn to many forms of distraction and even deception so that we can avoid the question “Do you want to get well?” We tragically leave this precious question unanswered. What keeps us from running to God for help? Do we really believe that Jesus is our healer?

It says in Isaiah 53:

Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.

The Lord has been good to us. He came to this planet full of brokenness to bring healing. One day we will be fully restored but until then, he wants to work on us, to reclaim and restore all the areas that are broken by sin. There’s a song called “Sweet Mercies” and one of the stanzas has these words:

A broken heart and a contrite spirit You have yet to deny Your heart of mercy Beats with love’s strong current Let the river flow by Your Spirit now

I’m just so thankful for these words. Some of our strongholds may never disappear. But as I confess and struggle, it will lead to a broken heart and contrite spirit, and a certain humility will settle on our lives–the kind of humility that does not get angry and fight against things beyond our control. In this way, the power of sin that is fueled by pride is broken. Often changes we are seeking do not come in the form that we are expecting. We may be struggling with lust, addictions, and temper, but through it all Christ-like character of humility and compassion can be forged. Perhaps this is what God is offering us today in same way that Jesus offered healing to the man in John 5 all those years ago.