Category Archives: Worship

Oceans – Revisited

Insights, Others' stuff, Worship, Ministry, Music

A couple of months ago, I posted a link to the song ‘Oceans’. At the time, I commented that the song was profound; lately, I have increasingly come to realise just how profound, and indeed I am still hearing God’s Voice through it.

Here are the lyrics once again:

You call me out upon the waters
The great unknown where feet may fail
And there I find You in the mystery
In oceans deep
My faith will stand

And I will call upon Your name
And keep my eyes above the waves
When oceans rise
My soul will rest in Your embrace
For I am Yours and You are mine

Your grace abounds in deepest waters
Your sovereign hand
Will be my guide
Where feet may fail and fear surrounds me
You’ve never failed and You won’t start now

So I will call upon Your name
And keep my eyes above the waves
When oceans rise
My soul will rest in Your embrace
For I am Yours and You are mine

Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders
Let me walk upon the waters
Wherever You would call me
Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander
And my faith will be made stronger
In the presence of my Savior

I will call upon Your name
Keep my eyes above the waves
My soul will rest in Your embrace
I am Yours and You are mine

(Oceans by Crocker, Houston & Ligthelm)

When we are completely out of our depth in life, when everything is too much, when fear and horror surround us, God is there. Where feet may fail and fear surrounds us, He’s never failed, and He won’t start now.

‘ Walking on the water’ is not simply something that St. Peter did 2,000 years ago on the Sea of Galilee. Figuratively, it’s something we all have to learn to do if we want to weather the storms that life throws at us. Granted, in our own strength, we can try to do this, and I’m not saying that it’s not humanly possible. But why not tap into the immense, unlimited reservoirs of God’s peace and grace as we navigate life’s storms? He walks right by us, holding us up.

How to do this? Keep your eyes on Jesus. Remember, it’s all about Jesus! He’s the One Who has already been there; He’s the One Who has borne all our burdens – all our burdens! in His Body on the Cross. He’s borne our sickness, our grief, our strife, everything (as prophesied in about 800BC in Isaiah 53:4ff) – all our burdens. Keep your eyes on Him, and you will walk on the water of the storms of life without going under.

And this bears fruit in your Christian walk. Let’s look at the lyrics again:

Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders
Let me walk upon the waters
Wherever You would call me
Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander
And my faith will be made stronger
In the presence of my Savior

Read that again and again. I can’t add anything to that lyric; I will let it speak for itself. This is why that musical passage is sung over and over in this rendition of the song. This is the core of the whole thing. Holy Spirit, lead us where our trust is without borders. Unlimited trust.

You only need trust like that when you are completely out of your depth. And that’s where you learn to trust Him completely – and that trust will not be in vain.

Here is the song again. Sit down, plug in your headphones, ignore the cheesy graphics (preferably by closing your eyes) and just soak. Let the Spirit of God soak your life with His security and His peace, no matter how deep are the waters He’s having you walk on at the moment.

“When all things that surround become shadows….”

Worship, Ministry, Music
My Favourite Worship Songs

Worship is one of the greatest gifts that God gives, especially so because in the act of worship we’re actually giving it back to Him. As a worship leader, I have of course heard, learned and played hundreds of worship songs, some good, some not so good.

But, just occasionally, a real gem comes along. As I say on my website Vintage Worship Tapes.com, each tape in those days had at least one outstanding song on it. On the tapes Let Your Spirit Rise and Lift Up His Banner were published my two all-time favourite worship songs, ‘When I look into Your Holiness’ and ‘Great is the Lord’. Here they are, the original and (to me) definitive versions of these two classic songs. In my opinion, these are the two finest worship songs that have ever been written. Feel free to worship along with the music…..

When I Look into Your Holiness

When I look into Your Holiness
When I gaze into Your loveliness
When all things that surround become shadows in the light of You
When I’ve found the joy of reaching Your Heart
When my will becomes enthroned in Your Love
When all things that surround become shadows in the light of You

I worship You, I worship You
The reason I live is to worship You
I worship You, I worship You
The reason I live is to worship You

Great is the Lord

Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise
The City of our God, the Holy Place
The joy of the whole earth
Great is the Lord in whom we have the victory
He aids us against the enemy
We bow down on our knees

And Lord we want to lift Your Name up high
And Lord we want to thank You for the works You’ve done in our lives
And Lord we trust in Your unfailing Love
For You alone are God Eternal
Throughout earth and Heaven above

 

It is my sincere hope that these two glorious songs bless you and help you into God’s Presence. Where all things that surround become mere shadows. There’s no place else I’d rather be.

worship_1

 

Blessing and Honor

Others' stuff, Worship

Here’s the brilliant Terry MacAlmon with a lovely rendition of his song ‘Blessing and Honor’ (well he will spell it like that, being American). The piano on this track is simply incredible.

Play this in your quiet place at home; ignore the fixed video and just bask in the Lord’s Presence as He comes to sit with you as He promised He would.

God Will Make a Way

Insights, Others' stuff, Worship

A few times recently, I’ve heard the phrase, “God can’t”.

I disagree. God can. God can do anything! Unless it’s intrinsically impossible – say like a ‘square circle’ – then God can.

One of the people, however, qualified their “God can’t” by saying that “without faith, God can’t”. Fair enough, but again, this is incorrect, because as far as I know, nobody was around when the Universe began (however you believe it happened), to provide the faith for the ‘God Can’ of creation. Faith is not needed for God to be able.

So this is just to encourage someone out there – God can! God will make a way, where there seems to be no way! I’ll end this post by presenting to you a (very young!) Don Moen playing his iconic song, ‘God will make a way’. Enjoy:

Behold the Lamb!

Others' stuff, Worship

Behold the Lamb, by Dave Bankhead and Ray Goudie, sung by Bev Turner on the Hosanna! album ‘Rejoice Africa’, 1992.

A bold and uplifting declaration of our returning King Jesus. What a day that will be!

 
Behold the Lamb, behold the Lamb
Upon a white horse He returns
In majesty
Faithful and true
He triumphs now to rule and to reign
His eyes like fire
His head full crowned
He holds the nations in his hand
In awesome power
With victory sure
He rides in judgement and to war

Behold the Lamb, behold the Lamb
In shame and sorrow once He came
No crown of thorns
No cross of pain
He stands revealed in glory now
All heaven resounds
He takes His throne
To rule the earth
His world reclaim,
We all will hail with one accord
The King of Kings and Lord of Lords

Behold the Lamb, behold the Lamb
Upon a white horse
He returns
We all will hail with one accord
The King of kings and the Lord of lords

“My Shield….”

Others' stuff, Worship

This song was such a blessing to my family and I when we were going through hard times last year. And we still are doing. Difficulty upon difficulty, pain and suffering – but in the midst of all that, “I will say of the Lord, You are my Shield….”

With a song like this, you need to use the lyrics to make it your own. So, He’s your Shield, your Strength, your Fortress and your Deliverer. Declare it in your life. Declare it to your circumstances. Declare it in the face of your enemy and in the face of your adversity. God’s big enough to be your Deliverer at the same time as He’s mine as well. It’s not exclusive. Decide to own His promises right now; sing this song and make it your own.

He has made me glad….. and He can make you glad too.

I will bless the Lord forever
I will trust Him at all times
He has delivered me from all fear
He has set my feet upon a Rock

And I will not be moved
And I’ll say of the Lord….
You are my Shield
My Strength
My Portion
Deliverer
My Shelter
Strong Tower
My very present Help in time of need

Whom have I in Heaven but You?
There’s none I desire beside You

You have made me glad
And I’ll say of the Lord….
You are my Shield
My Strength
My Portion
Deliverer
My Shelter
Strong Tower
My very present Help in time of need

‘Made me Glad’ by Miriam Webster

Also take a look at Psalm 103:1-5:

“Bless the Lord, O my soul,
    and all that is within me,
    bless his holy name!
 Bless the Lord, O my soul,
    and forget not all his benefits,
 who forgives all your iniquity,
    who heals all your diseases,
 who redeems your life from the pit,
    who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
 who satisfies you with good things
    so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s”

Make it your own today!

Be blessed!

Oceans

Others' stuff, Worship

Probably the most profound song of worship and faith that has been made over the last few years. Pure gold.

You call me out upon the waters
The great unknown where feet may fail
And there I find You in the mystery
In oceans deep
My faith will stand

And I will call upon Your name
And keep my eyes above the waves
When oceans rise
My soul will rest in Your embrace
For I am Yours and You are mine

Your grace abounds in deepest waters
Your sovereign hand
Will be my guide
Where feet may fail and fear surrounds me
You’ve never failed and You won’t start now

So I will call upon Your name
And keep my eyes above the waves
When oceans rise
My soul will rest in Your embrace
For I am Yours and You are mine

Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders
Let me walk upon the waters
Wherever You would call me
Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander
And my faith will be made stronger
In the presence of my Savior

I will call upon Your name
Keep my eyes above the waves
My soul will rest in Your embrace
I am Yours and You are mine

Oceans by Crocker, Houston & Ligthelm

Vintage Worship Tapes

Worship

vwt_pageA couple of years ago I began a project to preserve out-of-print worship tapes, specifically from the now-defunct Harvestime movement in Bradford, West Yorkshire, UK. This was undertaken in order a) to preserve this music for posterity, and b) to bless worshippers all over the world with this wonderful worship music.

The music will bless you, I am sure. There’s loads of it, all in mp3 files suitable for mp3 players, iPods, smartphones, you name it – and it’s all free to download.

Enjoy!

Click here to go to the Vintage Worship Tapes site