Category Archives: Music

Where you go, I will go

Insights, Personal, Ministry, Music
This entry is part 5 of 38 in the series Fiona
“Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God”. – Ruth 1:16

Today’s post, unlike most of my posts, is a ‘spontaneous’ one. Most of the time, I write my posts in advance and schedule them to appear roughly every three days or so.

But not this one. Today would have been Fiona’s and my thirty-third wedding anniversary. (And I never once forgot, by the way!)

And so, today, it is only right that on my first anniversary without her, I acknowledge the day with something very special, deeply personal, spontaneous (I have just written it right now) and which would have meant a lot to her.

When we first met, Fiona and I used to do a lot of exploration, driving around the North of England in my little old white Mini (which we called ‘Cloud Nine’). And we used to play worship tapes through a ghetto blaster which sat on the back seat – and sing along, of course. One of the tapes we had was called ‘Emmanuel – God is With Us’, volume 5 of the ‘Songs of Fellowship’ series. And on there was a song called ‘Where you go, I will go’, which had a special significance for us. Once, before we were married, Fiona was ill in bed. I sat at her bedside and read her the lovely love story of Ruth and Boaz from the Bible, and we particularly loved the verse where Ruth says to her mother-in-law, Naomi:  “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God”. (Ruth 1:16). That song from the tape immediately became ‘our song’, and it became a symbol of our love for, and commitment to, each other.

I am absolutely sure that this next part of the story is no coincidence. For years now, I have been searching for a copy of that album, ‘Emmanuel’, that we lost so long ago. The album that contained ‘our song’.

And just this week, I have managed to find one on eBay and buy it – the vinyl record version – and so I have used the same technology that I use on my other website – VintageWorshipTapes.com – to convert the album into electronic files that I can play anywhere. I am sure the timing of this is entirely God’s work. Why this week, out of all the hundreds – yes, hundreds – of weeks I have been looking for this music, does it suddenly appear on eBay? That’s the Hand of God, right there. Thank You so much, Lord, for blessing me in this way!

“Where you go, I will go”

Today, of all days, should rightly be the day that I make this song public, in honour of my darling wife. It’s cost me a lot of tears to digitise that album, and to hear once again the tracks that remind me so much of our early days together, and also to write this piece. But it’s been healthy. It’s reminded me of the solid foundations of our relationship, and reminded me once again of all the amazing adventures we had together.

We fulfilled our promise to each other for over 34 years.

Where you go, I will go. And we did exactly that.

(Click the play button on the track to hear the song)


Where you go, I will go
Where you lodge, I will lodge
Do not ask me to turn away, for I will follow you
We’ll serve the Lord together, and praise Him day to day
For He brought us together, to love Him and serve Him always

Be Exalted O God!

Others' stuff, Worship, Music

Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
let your glory be over all the earth.
 (Ps 57:11)

Any song where God is exalted – that is, He is lifted up in praise by His people – is always going to be a song expressing my heart. One of my favourite worship songs from my early years as a believer is the song ‘Be Exalted O God’, by Brent Chambers. When sung from the heart – that is, when you mean the words you are singing – then God is indeed lifted up; how much more so, then, when eight thousand people in a giant cattle shed in Harrogate are using the song to lift up the Name of the Lord in worship! I’m talking, of course, about the Dales Bible Week…so here, then, is the 1979 Dales congregation singing this gorgeous song. I know the song sounds dated, but if you simply let your heart be lifted up by the worship, and in your turn lift up Jesus in your heart, the Spirit will make the song as fresh as the day it was written.

I will give thanks to Thee, O Lord among the people
I will sing praises to Thee among the nations
For Thy steadfast love is great, is great to the heavens
And Thy faithfulness, Thy faithfulness to the clouds

Be exalted O God above the heavens
Let Thy glory be over all the earth
Be exalted O God above the heavens
Let Thy glory be over all the earth

Track features Ian Frost on piano and David Matthew on the Hammond organ with twin Leslie speakers. David tells me that playing that organ was the musical equivalent of driving a tank; great fun! And a great sound too.

The track, along with all the other tracks from the original tape from the 1979 Dales Week, Songs of Triumph, can be found on my digitisation of the tape, by clicking the image of the cassette inlay card below.

Other songs from this era of worship can also be found at my website, Vintage Worship Tapes.

Father, Hear Me Calling

Insights, Others' stuff, Ministry, Music

Sometimes there’s nothing like simply taking the time out to just go and sit in God’s Presence. Maybe in your spare bedroom; maybe just in your head while travelling to work on the bus. But however you do it, know that He delights in your being there and He delights to spend time with you.

Here’s a lovely song by Don Francisco, expressing the tenderness and love that is found in God’s Presence: Father Hear Me Calling

Deep within the silence, Father hear me calling
Open to your son and lift me to Your Throne above
Lord I need to hear You, feel Your Spirit near me
Feel Your arms around me, rest inside your Love

There’s nothing on this earth can fill this thirst and longing
No-one else can satisfy the need within my soul
Come and fill my heart again with all the love that’s in You
Let me see Your Glory; let it cleanse and make me whole

There beside the river let my spirit wander
With my Friend and Saviour, to hear the Voice I love
Drinking sweet still waters
Lying in green pastures
While Your gentle Spirit rests upon me like a dove

There’s nothing on this earth can fill this thirst and longing
No-one else can satisfy the need within my soul
Come and fill my heart again with all the love that’s in You
Let me see Your Glory; let it cleanse and make me whole

(Instrumental)

There beside the river let my spirit wander
With my Friend and Saviour, to hear the Voice I love
Drinking sweet still waters
Lying in green pastures
While Your gentle Spirit rests upon me like a dove

Deep within the silence, Father hear me calling
Open to your child and lift me to Your Throne above
Lord I need to hear You, feel Your Spirit near me
Feel Your arms around me, rest inside your Love

Let me feel Your arms around me, rest inside your Love

 

– (Music and lyrics by Don Francisco, used here with his permission)

More Precious than Silver…

Worship, Music

In 1982, not long after we’d met, Fiona and I visited the Dales Bible Week in Harrogate, for a good few nights of worship. I remember the time clearly, and we learned a good number of new songs, many of which we had at our wedding in early 1984.

One of our favourites was this one: Lord You are more precious than silver.

When indeed nothing you desire compares with Him, it’s the perfect song to sing.

Here it is, from the Dales tape ‘Praise God in His Sanctuary’, as found on my website ‘Vintage Worship Tapes‘, where you can in fact download the entire preserved tape as mp3 files. Enjoy!

Lord You are more precious than silver
Lord You are more costly than gold
Lord You are more beautiful than diamonds
And nothing I desire compares with You

Lovely Worship Medley

Worship, Personal, Ministry, Music

cloudscape over devon

This small but powerful worship medley is absolutely gorgeous. Fiona and I used to sing the first song, ‘You Alone are Holy’, as a duet. ‘We Exalt You’, however, although one of my favourite ‘uplifting’ songs, never quite caught on as well as I’d have liked – but I share it with you today in the hope that you too will find it uplifting.


You Alone are Holy

Can you hear Creation yearning
Longing to worship His Name?
Together in all adoration
I join them to proclaim

Can you hear the angels singing
In the Presence of the King
My heart cries out to be with them
As I fall on my knees and sing

For You alone are holy
You are worthy to be praised
You alone are holy
I offer up myself to You
For it’s the least that I can do for You

To live my life in Your Presence
To hide in the wings of Your grace
To drink from Your fountain of mercy
I hunger and seek Your Face

For You alone are holy
You are worthy to be praised
You alone are holy
I offer up myself to You
For it’s the least that I can do

For You alone are holy
You are worthy to be praised
You alone are holy
I offer up myself to You
I offer up myself to You
I offer up myself to You
For it’s the least that I can do for You

You Alone

You are the Peace that guards my heart
My Help in time of need
You are the Hope that leads me on
And brings me to my knees

For there I find You waiting
And there I find release
So with all my heart I’ll worship
And unto You I’ll sing

For You alone deserve all glory
For You alone deserve all praise
Father we worship and adore You
Father we long to see Your Face

For You alone deserve all glory
For You alone deserve all praise
Father, we love You
And we worship You this day

We Exalt You

We exalt You, we exalt You
We exalt You, Exalted King on high
We exalt You, we exalt You
We exalt You, Exalted King on high

We are called of You
Gathered from all nations
Called as priests to You
To demonstrate Your praise

We exalt You, we exalt You
We exalt You, Exalted King on high
We exalt You, we exalt You
We exalt You, Exalted King on high

We are living stones
Formed by Your own righteous Hand
Joined in unity
To celebrate Your Love

We exalt You, we exalt You
We exalt You, Exalted King on high
We exalt You, we exalt You
We exalt You, Exalted King on high

We exalt You, we exalt You
We exalt You, Exalted King on high

Header Image: Cloudscape over Devon; a view above the clouds at about 7,000ft on a crystal-clear day.  Seeing a view like this evokes real worship of the sheer magnificence of God as seen in His Creation.

I Hear Angels

Others' stuff, Worship, Ministry, Music, Testimony

One of my favourites of the ‘early’ Hosanna! Music songs is this one, I Hear Angels, by Gerrit Gustafson, from the album ‘Forever Grateful‘ with worship led by Marty Nystrom, whom I have featured on my blog before.

I love songs like this (especially with such superb piano tracks!), and ‘Holy are You Lord‘, because this is one of the main themes of Heavenly worship – Holy, Holy, Holy – as described in the various Heavenly visions in the Bible, for example, in Revelation 4:8 or Isaiah 6:3. If you’re singing this, you’re singing the worship of Heaven. The worship of those angels and humans described in those passages, the worship of people who can actually see Jesus in all His amazing wonder, power and glory – this is their song. And so it is only right that we join in; even here in our earthly place where there’s suffering, pain and decay, still we can celebrate ahead of time, as it were, in the ‘here and now’ where we know only in part and not in full (1Cor13:12); where we can see the outworkings of God’s plans in all His genius, and rejoice in them!

Here’s the song, then – I Hear Angels.

Enjoy!

I hear angels singing praises
I see men from every nation
Bowing down before the throne
Like the sound of many waters
Like a rushing wind around us
Multitudes join the song

And a symphony of praise arises
Tears are wiped away from eyes
As men from every tongue and tribe all sing

Holy holy, God Almighty
Who was, Who is and is to come
All the angels are crying “holy”
To the Lamb Who sits upon the throne

Holy holy, God Almighty
Who was, Who is and is to come
All creation is bringing glory
To the Lamb Who sits upon the throne

I see One Who’s full of wonder
Eyes of fire, voice of thunder
Shining bright, His Majesty
All the colours of the rainbow
Circle Him and fill His temple
So beautiful this is to me

And a symphony of praise arises
Tears are wiped away from eyes
As men from every tongue and tribe all sing

Holy holy, God Almighty
Who was, Who is and is to come
All the angels are crying “holy”
To the Lamb Who sits upon the throne

Holy holy, God Almighty
Who was, Who is and is to come
All creation is bringing glory
To the Lamb Who sits upon the throne
To the Lamb Who sits upon the throne

I believe I have personally heard angel voices singing.

It has happened to me only once, in about 1992, when I was in a prayer meeting in a hired room in Otley Civic Centre, in Otley, West Yorkshire. During a high, awe-filled lull in the open worship (which I was leading), I could hear music; voices and yet it was not voices; singing but the sound was more like trumpets of all different sizes. I couldn’t hear any words. No other party was in the building at the time; the sound was coming from somewhere below the room we were in. It wasn’t very loud, but it was real, and I shall never forget the sound.

To this day, I still believe this was angel voices worshipping along with our group’s high praise. I’d never heard anything like it before – in fact, it was like nothing I had ever heard –  and I haven’t heard anything like it since. Fascinating!

I Was Made To Praise You

Insights, Worship, Music

Here’s a lovely worship song from Hosanna! Music: I Was Made to Praise You

Such a simple song, and yet it says so much. I firmly believe that humans were made to praise and worship God; certainly there is no feeling like being in His Presence, and those who worship in Spirit and in truth (Jn 4:23) know that they feel most welcome and at home there.

Even now, as my heart is heavy with cares, I hum this song and straight away I feel my spirit lift. Worship does that kind of thing to you.

And, as I’ve written before, thankfulness is such a powerful weapon; why not express it in song too? That’s what this song does.

But what’s all that in that line of the song, “…and to obey You…”? Isn’t obeying God some sort of legalism? No, it’s not like that at all. Obedience is a delight, because it jives with what you really want. God knows what’s best for us, so obeying Him is also good. And it’s not like He tells us, like, ‘Do this; do that’. It’s more of a prompting inside by the Spirit of God, and really, listening to Him and doing what He says isn’t so much a chore as an adventure! Where’s He going to lead me today? What marvels will He share with me? Such is the Spirit led life. It’s not obedience through law or compulsion; it’s obedience through delight. The Psalmist says, ‘I delight to do your will’ (Ps 40:8 (KJV)) – and this is exactly what it’s all about. Brilliant!

Here’s the song:

I was made to praise You
I was made to glorify Your name
In every circumstance
To find a chance to thank You
I was made to love You
I was made to worship at Your feet
And to obey You, Lord
I was made for You

I will always praise You
I will always glorify Your name
In every circumstance
I’ll find a chance to thank You
I will always love You
I will always worship at Your feet
And I’ll obey You, Lord
I was made for You

– Chris Christensen, 1986

One of the Greatest Worship Songs Ever Written

Insights, Others' stuff, Worship, Music

I think you’ll like this idea – that one of the greatest worship songs ever written is not in fact a Christian worship song at all, but was written by a secular musician.

It’s ‘Annie’s Song‘, by the late John Denver

Worship is a love-relationship sort of thing, where the intimacy and closeness of the believer’s relationship with Jesus is expressed, both ways (i.e. us to God; God to us). The word has the flavour of cuddling up; to ‘approach to kiss’ has been another way I have seen it expressed.

And there are times where your love for Jesus, the strong sense of His Presence, consumes all your senses and fills your very being. There’s no place else I’d rather be than right there in His Presence. He literally fills up your senses. He fills you up with His Presence, His Love and His power. And to respond with a song like Annie’s Song seems like exactly the natural thing to do.

And so this is such a great worship song, one which I have sung to Jesus both in private and publicly in worship services, and one which I have worshipped along to ‘in secret’, when everyone around me is just there for the music.

Here it is: Annie’s Song, by John Denver. Worship along with the music!

You fill up my senses like a night in the forest,
like the mountains in springtime, like a walk in the rain,
like a storm in the desert, like a sleepy blue ocean.
You fill up my senses, come fill me again

Come let me love you, let me give my life to you,
let me drown in your laughter, let me die in your arms,
let me lay down beside you, let me always be with you.
Come let me love you, come love me again.

(Instrumental)
Let me give my life to you
Come let me love you, come love me again

You fill up my senses like a night in the forest,
like the mountains in springtime, like a walk in the rain,
like a storm in the desert, like a sleepy blue ocean.
You fill up my senses, come fill me again.

All I Desire…

Insights, Worship, Personal, Ministry, Music, Testimony
Whom have I in Heaven but You?
And earth has nothing I desire besides you
– Psalm 73:25

A long time ago, I was a worship leader who played in meetings and services week after week, month after month. Until, of course I burned out! Many of my readers will know of my Dark Night of the Soul, when I left behind me all things Church for fifteen years. And on each occasion that I burned out, I came closer and closer to never going back into leading – or even into Church; each time, that Dark Night beckoned. Eventually, it turned out to be exactly what I needed, but on this particular occasion the ‘only’ real thing was that I never wanted to ever hear again any of the Songs of Heaven.

Except for this one. ‘All I Desire’, from the Hosanna! Music album ‘Almighty‘. Despite everything, this one song just played over and over again in my spirit – and I didn’t mind, despite it being a Song of Heaven:

‘Oh Lord, my God, all I desire is You’.

And, you know, that was exactly what the Spirit was speaking to my heart at that time. I needed to put aside all the works, all the leading, all the action, all the ‘being indispensible’, and just concentrate on my heart’s Desire – all I really needed was Him. So, in His usual complete genius, He gave me the one song that could save my sanity, by putting my focus back on the One to Whom I owe everything. 

As usual, it had taken a big crash for me to learn my lesson – if indeed I did. But anyway, here is the song. If you’re blown away by life’s pressures, or especially by ministry pressures, remember your first Love; remember that He is all you really desire, and that all the resulting works and deeds flow from Him and back to Him. Let it be effortless. let it flow from your life in the Spirit, and not from any compulsion.

Hold your ‘ministry’ lightly;
but hold on to Him tightly

(I can’t believe I just wrote that, and I apologise. Too trite for my normal style, and I don’t like ‘Christian catch-phrases’ – but I feel perhaps it’s there for for someone!) 😉

So here it is: ‘All I Desire’, written and led by Rich Gomez.

Sing it. Mean it.

O Lord, my God
All I desire is You
O Lord, my God
All I desire is You

More precious than silver
More costly than gold
No riches on the earth
compare with You

And what can this world offer
when all I desire is You

– Rich Gomez, 1992

The Prophetic Piano Solo

Others' stuff, Worship, Ministry, Music

I’ve written before on the subject of singing in ‘tongues’; singing in another, unknown, language as the Spirit gives the words. It’s beautiful, moving, and very, very special.

Today I want to give you a really special worship track from the tape ‘Oil of Gladness’; you can find the whole tape on my ‘Vintage Worship Tapes‘ website.

When I used to lead worship in my old church in Leeds, sometimes I would be inspired just to play spontaneously, even sometimes to sing the words prophetically (like the chap in this example). This could happen either out of the blue, or after the end of a song, but it’s always gorgeous. In some ways, prophetic piano playing is like singing in ‘tongues’ as it’s spontaneous, not pre-planned; when it’s done ‘live’ it’s always fresh, always new, and it’s not usually playing any recognised tune – although sometimes I might be playing prophetically and realise that I am actually leading into another song, in which case I will roll with it and lead into that song.

So anyway, in the track I am sharing today, they’ve just finished singing  a song (I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live) and the pianist, David Matthew, carries on spontaneously into a lovely prophetic piano piece, later backed with his band, and the congregation join in gradually as they realise what’s happening. As I say about this track on on my webpage  on Vintage Worship Tapes,

“…yes it may only be a four-or-five-chord vamp but there are almost words in that music; I have loved that piece for nigh on thirty years and still it speaks new things to me; it really is prophetic piano playing.”

This was the first prophetic piano solo I’d ever heard, and I found that it inspired me to similar things in my own worship leading.

Have a listen and see what you think. Let the Spirit soak you with the worship in this timeless piece:

The worship was recorded at Church House in Bradford, West Yorkshire, in 1978. The piano that David was playing was a Steinway grand, which is why I have used a picture of a Steinway in the header image for this post.