tunes tuesday// we must praise

hi people! i know, i know, it's a tuesday, not a monday.

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so to make up for yesterday, I'm sharing this lovely song by j moss. it encourages me to use every single gift that Father has blessed me with, not for myself but to praise Him and in the process draw humans to want to know Him and respond to His loving call on their lives with enthusiasm and joy. enjoy!

we must praise // J moss

If I were a drummer, I would use my cymbal
If I were a writer, I would use a pencil
I would use my voice, if I were a singer
No matter who or what we are, we must praise

If I was a doctor, I would use my research
A prolific dissertation, if I was a speaker
I would use my hands, if I were a potter
No matter who or what we are, we must praise

Let the people of God bless Him
Let it ring with love and truth
With our gifts we exalt Thee
Merciful, wonderful God
We must praise

If I were an eagle, I would use my wings
Since I'm a believer, I use everything
Make a joyful noise unto the Lord
All ye people
No matter who or what we are, we must praise

Praise His Holy, Holy Name [x5]
With our gifts we exalt Thee
Merciful wonderful God

Oh Hallelujah, Oh glory, Oh holy of holies
Oh Bread of life God, Oh meat of hunger Lord
Water of thirst Lord, We magnify you
We thank You for what You've done God
What You're doing God and what You're gonna do
No matter who or what we are, we must praise.

"I will sing to the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have my being."// psalm 104:33

 "Bless the LORD, O my soul, And all that is within me, bless His holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget none of His benefits; Who pardons all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases."// psalm 103:1-3

"Sing to the LORD, praise the LORD! For He has delivered the soul of the needy one From the hand of evildoers."// jeremiah 20:13

i love this song! it reminds me to be intentional about praising Father not only with my voice but with the gifts of writing, dancing choreography (errr, i used to do this when i was a kid then life happened and i kinda forgot about it but i'm sooo picking it up. it can't be a lost art. heheh). Father created me to create.

all this to say that Father would ask me what i spent my time doing on this fleeting earth. He will ask me how i spent my time, what i did with the gifts He gave me. did i bother to spend time asking Him what gifts He gave me in the first place? did i make time to discover them and develop them. did i use them? how did i use them...for the world or for Him? will He say well done My good and faithful servant when that Day comes?

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with all these questions rolling around in my mind i know it's wise to continue using my gift of writing especially in this season and polish up on the others. (i seriously need to get more serious with my guitar lessons. self teaching isn't so easy but with time i'll make some progress.)

"let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven."// matthew 5:16

so what are the spiritual gifts and talents Father has blessed you with? are you using them wisely for the greatness of His Kingdom? are you using them in love? let's remember that it's all about God and not us at all. it's all for His glory and for others who doubt and do no believe get to experience Him through us.

 please use your gifts and talents. it could be writing, playing a instrument, singing, drawing, paiting, exceptional organizational skills, communication skills, acting, speaking....

it's awesome to walk in purpose! life makes more meaning when we find our calling and walk in it. life becomes more colorful and beautiful. :)

let go of fear and shyness. 

let's be brave and do this!

xoxo, delali.

music monday// well done

i know very well that my life on earth here is a journey, a pilgrimage, a non-competitive race, yet an important marathon still. and there's a prize- eternal, unending number of days in the beautiful presence and light of God in heaven. and sometimes the troubles of this life and its fruitless worldly pursuits try to obliterate, blot out my hope and the precious knowledge of this prize. the cares of this world try to derail me of my purpose as a pilgrim, traveler in this world to show forth the praises of Jesus who called me out of darkness into His marvelous light, to love God and people, to share the Good News of the salvation of Jesus with others through the unique and specific abilities and giftings the Lord has placed in me. 

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and when encouragement to finish this journey well floats to me like a song, and weaves into my heart like a story, i smile and get a new surge of determination to keep moving forward towards my Home. my real, forever home- Heaven. that's what this song brings me- encouragement towards the upward call. and i hope you find it too.

i'm gonna share some words that stuck out to me in the story that goes with the song...(find the video of the story here.)

...and she said, "when i stopped and looked up, all i could see was the fog. but if i could have just seen the land, i think i could have made it. 

to me[moriah], that is a beautiful picture of heaven. so many things that we go through here on earth-all the struggles, all the distractions- it's like a thick fog that's between where we are here and where we're going to be. my prayer and what i'm hoping to do through studying scripture, praying, and seeking the Lord is to cause that fog to slowly lift so i can begin to get a tiny glimpse of what heaven's going to be like. i hope that this song, well done encourages you to put your hope in heaven and to continue to run this race to hear those beautiful words being spoken from afar that, "well done, My good and faithful servant."

well done~ moriah peters

i'm headed down this narrow road, chosen by a few

and all that i know is You told me to follow You.

i'm taking a risk and leaving it all, not knowing what i'll go through

but i'm not alone as long as i follow You.

so when my life's a leap of faith, i can hear You say, well done, well done.

i'm gonna chase You, Lord. i'm gonna show the world Your love, whoa.

i'll run, i'll run. i'm gonna run this race to hear You say well done.

if people walk with me, talk with me, looking for truth

they're gonna find out soon.

if they're following me, then they're gonna follow You.

so let my life speak loud and clear. Lord, i wanna hear, well done, well done.

i'm gonna chase You, Lord. i'm gonna show the world Your love, whoa.

i'll run, i'll run. i'm gonna run this race to hear You say well done.

i'm so glad that i get to serve You, Lord.

You're the only one i'm living for, whoa.

and i'm gonna run straight into Your open arms

i'm gonna follow You with my whole heart, whoa, whoa.

well done, well done.

i'm gonna chase You, Lord. i'm gonna show the world Your love, whoa.

i'll run, i'll run. i'm gonna run this race to hear You say well done.

i'm gonna run this race to hear You say well done.

i'm gonna run this race to hear You say well done.

well done.

"do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." matthew 6:19-21

"enter through the narrow gate. for wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. but small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." matthew 7:13-14

" 'His master replied, 'well done, good and faithful servant! you have been faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things. come and share your master's happiness!' " matthew 25:21

"but whatever were gains to me i now consider loss for the sake of Christ. what is more, i consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake i have lost all things. i consider them garbage, that i may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ...but one thing i do: forgetting what is behind and straining towards what is ahead, i press on towards the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenwards in Christ Jesus." philippians 3:7-9;13-14

"do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? run in such a way as to get the prize. everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. they do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last for ever. therefore, i do not run like someone running aimlessly, i do not fight like a boxer beating the air. no, i strike a blow to my body[a daily dying to self-saying no carnal pleasures/sin] and make it my slave[subjecting thoughts and actions to the obedience of Christ] so that after i have preached to others, i myself will not be disqualified for the prize." 1 corinthians 9:24-27

"therefore, since we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. for the joy that was set before Him He endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. consider Him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." hebrews 12:1-3

i pray that you, yes you, reading this will not lose sight of heaven as you walk with the Lord to accomplish your purpose on this earth. i pray you don't lose hope when life gets messy and hard. i pray you get to fully know the specific talents, abilities and spiritual gifts God has given you, and i pray you choose to use them to honor only Him by using them in a specific, unique way to share the Gospel, the Good News of Christ to a dying world. i pray you finish this journey on earth really well and relish in your heavenly reward of eternal life + you get to hang out with the hero of your story-Jesus! the super loving, caring man to ever walk the face of this earth! ahhh, the best life ever! :)

xoxo, gen delali.