“You are Holy (Prince of Peace)” – Monday Musical Musings

December 2nd, 2013 dsisler

I hadn’t heard this song in a few years and it is so fun to sing! It was one of my favorites when it was popular. I heard it last week and it brought back the great memories of why I loved this song.

 

0005030206R-849x565The melody draws you in. The dual parts make it interactive. The rhythm gets you moving (clapping, dancing, swaying…doesn’t matter, you’ll move).  But the words are what pull it all together.

 

The message of this song is that Jesus is holy and mighty and worthy of praise. The song then goes on to share some of the titles of Jesus. Alpha. Omega. Lord. Lamb. Living God. Ancient of Days. Savior. Messiah. Redeemer. Friend. “I am.” Prince of Peace.

 

But this song doesn’t stop there. It goes on to help us understand what our response to Jesus must be. Worship. Praise. Follow. Listen. Love. Sing. Adore. Bow.

 

And in the end, our response must end with submission and we must call Jesus Lord.

 

So take a look at the lyrics and then listen to this wonderful praise song by clicking here. I guarantee you will enjoy it.

 

You are Holy (Prince of Peace)

 

You are holy (You are holy)
You are mighty (You are mighty)
You are worthy (You are worthy)
Worthy of praise (Worthy of praise)
I will follow (I will follow)
I will listen (I will listen)
I will love you (I will love you)
All of my days (All of my days)

 

(Guys)
I will sing to
And worship
The King who is worthy

And I will love and adore Him
And I will bow down before Him

And I will sing to and worship the King who is worthy

And I will love and adore Him
And I will bow down before Him

 

(Girls)
You are Lord of Lords
You are King of Kings
You are mighty God
Lord of everything

You’re Emmanuel
You’re the great “I AM”
You’re the Prince of Peace
Who is the Lamb

You’re the living God
You’re my saving grace
You will reign forever
You are Ancient of days

You are Alpha, Omega, Beginning and End
You’re my Saviour, Messiah, Redeemer and friend

(Both)
You’re my Prince of Peace and I will live my life for you[i]

 

Are you ready to live your life for the Prince of Peace?

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

 

Donna


[i] “You are Holy (Prince of Peace),” recorded by Michael W. Smith, music and words by Marc Imboden and Tammi Rhoton, 1994.

Share

Let it Begin

December 1st, 2013 dsisler

It’s the Sunday after Thanksgiving and since Thanksgiving was so late this year, the Christmas season begins today! If your church is like mine, it will be decorated and the message series will begin telling the Christmas story this morning.

 

This is one of my favorite sermon series of the year. Hearing the news of my Savior’s birth through a fresh, new message is exciting to me. I pray that you will hear the same today.

 

I pray that today your faith in God will be rejuvenated and refreshed as you hear the Gospel message this year. I pray that you will not take for granted the sending of God’s Son for your redemption. I pray that your joy and peace will be renewed this Christmas season.

 

This morning I’ll share Chapter 10 of Building a Doll House. This chapter is about flexibility and the importance of being flexible when we share God’s message with others. Enjoy the blog post below as well as God’s message to you this morning.

 

Building a Doll House: Be Flexible – Chapter 10

 

If there is one thing I’ve learned through my life, it is to be flexible. On a recent trip to SE Asia, that was the number one rule. Be flexible. With family get to get-togethers, a great rule to keep in mind is to be flexible.

 

doll houseThe same was true with the doll house. We had to be flexible. There were times when we didn’t have the right tool to move ahead, so we had to wait on a section. Or on occasion, we were waiting for elements of the doll house to dry, so we had to be flexible at times.

 

And then there were the occasions when one of us didn’t want to work on the doll house which meant, the other had to wait. Be flexible. It was a great rule to keep in mind while working on the doll house.

 

But why is it so important to be flexible? I have come to believe that it’s to keep frustration at bay. So that we might be able to work on a project, with someone, or be with a group of people without losing our cool.

 

Be flexible!

 

Jesus’ disciples knew how to be flexible. They would travel from location to location. They listened to Jesus’ teaching and watched the crowd’s reaction to Jesus. They never knew what was going to happen next, but they knew it would be exciting!

 

Oh, on occasion they would get a little tense. Like when the young children were brought to Jesus for a blessing (Matthew 19:13-15). Or when the crowds were so great and there was no food (Matthew 14:13-21). Or even the time when Jesus went to the tomb of His dear friend Lazarus (John 11:1-16).

 

But the disciples remained flexible through it all.

 

We see how he began his messages with Old Testament history when he spoke to a mainly Jewish audience in Acts 13:16-22. He then brings Jesus into the story as the fulfillment of the promise given by God and continued his message of salvation (Acts 13:23-41).

 

We don’t know for sure what Paul said to the crippled man at Lystra (Acts 14:8-10), but they were intent. They were exactly what the man needed to hear at that moment and we see his faith and healing.

 

In Athens (Acts 17:16-34), Paul spoke before a group of philosophers. Again, his message began differently. He noticed one altar “To An Unknown God.” (Acts 17:23 – NIV) And then he began preaching God’s message. “Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you…”

 

Wow! What a message! Paul knew exactly how to present the Gospel to this group as well as others. What a lesson we can learn from Paul.

 

You see, I don’t speak to my 22-month-old grandson the way that I speak to my 30-year-old son. In the same way, I should be flexible in how I share the Gospel with others. I must learn to take note of my audience and then proceed as needed.

 

Now please hear me. I’m not saying that we change our message. In no way is that to happen. God has given us His message in Scripture and we must teach or preach it as is. But we must learn to share God’s message in a way that it will make a difference to the person hearing the message. They must understand how the Gospel will change their life.

 

The Apostle Paul shares another thought of flexibility in 1 Corinthians 9:19-23. His point becomes clear in verse 22. “I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some.” (1 Corinthians 9:22 – NIV)

 

That is flexibility!

 

I know that it’s easier to stick to one way of sharing the Gospel, with one message. We memorize it and can share it easily. But if the person you are speaking to isn’t getting the message, what good is it? We really do need to be aware of our audience and change our approach or methodology for effective discipleship.

 

Be flexible. These are two words that I’ve learned to embrace. I pray that you are able to embrace them as well.

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

 

Donna

Share

God’s Beautiful Words

November 30th, 2013 dsisler

I’m a Pinterest junkie. You’ve heard me say it before and I will continue to admit it. The pictures I see are inspiring. The words I read are motivating. The beauty I see is awe-inspiring.

 

I must also admit that I will probably never use 99% of the things I pin. There just aren’t enough hours in my day or lifetime to do everything or create every idea or make every recipe that I’ve pinned. I will continue to pin. I still love the ideas and it does allow me to relax while pinning.

 

What I do use however from Pinterest are the verses of Scripture that people have used to create beauty. I love the way God’s Word looks in an art form. It catches my eye and it helps me to recall the passage later on.

 

So today, I’m going to share ten of my most recent Pinterest finds. I pray you will enjoy them as much as I do.

Isaiah 40:8

Isaiah 40:8

John 6:12

John 6:12

Matthew 28:18-20

Matthew 28:18-20

Philippians 4

Philippians 4

Philippians 1:6

Philippians 1:6

Proverbs 4:23

Proverbs 4:23

Psalm 37:4

Psalm 37:4

Psalm 61:2

Psalm 61:2

Psalm 103:5

Psalm 103:5

Psalm 6:2

Psalm 6:2

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

 

Donna

Share

Oh Little One

November 29th, 2013 dsisler

Yesterday was such a beautiful day. I enjoyed family. I enjoyed friends. I especially enjoyed my grand babies. There is something very special when a baby, toddler or child reaches out to you and wants to be with you. That happened several times yesterday and I am so thankful for the experience.

 

Babies bring smiles to the grumpiest of faces. Babies seem to light up a room when they enter. And I believe it’s the way God wanted it.

 

IMAG1281He chose to allow Jesus to come into the world as a baby. God could have introduced the Light of the world in any form He chose, but God knew the attention babies draw. He knew it was the perfect way for His Only Son to join the human race. As a baby.

 

On an episode of Touched by an Angel, Monica (one of the angels on the show) was with a group of people trapped in a bank vault. A pregnant woman went into labor and it became difficult. Monica prayed a special prayer over that baby and I thought the words were especially precious.

 

“Oh little one, do I have a message for you.

God wants you to be born and the world that is waiting for you was created By Him and it is nothing to fear.

Yes, there will be rivers for you to cross,

But when you walk through the water he will be with you.

And yes, there will be mountains for you to climb,

But when you can’t take another step he will carry you.

And there will be people to cherish and hearts to change.

But He will hold your hand every step of the way

If you just will come out into the light and have faith.”[i]

 

While I understand the meaning and reason for this prayer to the unborn child, these words also have great meaning for us. When we are fearful, these words apply. When we are facing a battle, these words apply. When we don’t believe we can go another step, these words apply.

 

Come into the light and have faith. Trust that God is in control. Know that He will care for you through the most difficult of circumstances. Believe that His peace is exactly what you need.

 

And how do I know this? Because God’s Word shares this message and idea over and over throughout its pages. Take a look.

 

“Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall.” (Psalm 55:22 – NIV)

 

“Great peace have they who love your law, and nothing can make them stumble.” (Psalm 119:165 – NIV)

 

“Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever.” (Psalm 125:1 – NIV)

 

“Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.” (Psalm 143:8 – NIV)

 

“You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.” (Isaiah 26:3 – NIV)

 

“The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him.” (Nahum 1:7 – NIV)

 

“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7 – NIV)

 

You see, God cares for you and me. Sometimes we forget how much, but He does care.

 

So as you go through your day today, I pray that you will hold on to these promises and maybe make the prayer above your prayer today. Personalize the prayer and these verses of Scripture. Make them your own. Believe their words. It’s what God wants you to believe.

 

I will recall these verses today as I see my grand babies again. How precious God’s Words are to me…just like these precious little ones.

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

 

Donna


[i] Touched by an Angel, “The Big Bang” Episode.

Share

Thanksgiving 2013

November 28th, 2013 dsisler

Happy Thanksgiving!

 

I wanted to share a line from an email I received this week. The email was from a former boss, colleague and friend. He is a man of God who has stretched my mind through theological discussions and has been a mentor. He is now on staff at a Bible college and I know his students are blessed to call him “professor.”

 

ThanksgivingDerek has such a way with words and concepts. This sentence was no different. Here it is.

 

“I hope your Thanksgiving Day is so good for your soul!”

 

We talk about being thankful on Thanksgiving, but we rarely turn it inward. How being thankful and having a heart of gratitude affects us spiritually.

 

I wonder if King David knew this secret. He must have because He wrote many verses of Scripture that lead us to believe that being thankful is important. Let’s look at some of them.

 

“You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing to you and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever.” (Psalm 30:11-12 – NIV)

 

“I will praise God’s name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving.” (Psalm 69:30 – NIV)

 

“It is good to praise the Lord and make music to your name, O Most High.” (Psalm 92:1 – NIV)

 

“Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.” (Psalm 100:4 – NIV)

 

“Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits—who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.” (Psalm 103:1-5 – NIV)

 

“Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name’ make known among the nations what he has done.” (Psalm 105:1 – NIV)

 

“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.” (Psalm 107:1 – NIV)

 

I believe David knew how being thankful was good for his soul. We learn so much from David’s words. How to be grateful. To whom we should be thankful. How to be thankful. And that we should share with others why we are thankful.

 

So today as you gather with family or friends, I pray that you will take the time to search your soul and see how it is doing. If something seems a little off, perhaps you might consider that your thankfulness hasn’t quite reached your heart and that it hasn’t affected your soul.

 

But I pray that you, like me will be able to say “Thanksgiving is good for my soul!” I pray that you’ll be able to say, “My heart is glad.” (Psalm 16:9a – NIV)

 

Happy Thanksgiving!

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

 

Donna

Share
« Older Entries
Newer Entries »

  • Subscribe by Email

  • About Me

    "I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and His incomparably great power for us who believe." Ephesians 1:18-19


    I am a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother. I lived in the beautiful state of Colorado for 20 years where I found great inspiration for my novels and devotional writings. Currently living in southwest Ohio.

    I am passionate about helping women find their way to Jesus through Bible study, teaching, speaking, inspirational writing and creative Bible journaling.

  • Bible Studies & Other Happenings

    Bible studies I’m currently leading:

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    In September 2012 I went to SE Asia on a service trip. For more information, check out preachitclearly.blogspot.com.

  • Categories

  • Recent Posts

Visit Us On TwitterVisit Us On FacebookVisit Us On PinterestVisit Us On Linkedin