Boasting in Christ

This week, I have had the amazing opportunity of being able to lead the staff at Redcloud into the presence of God through worship. Each night has been incredible and the Spirit of God has been alive and active. To Him be all glory, honor, and praise...forever!

As amazing as this week has been, there is a certain song that has been on my heart like never before. For days I have been trying to figure out whether or not I should play it. The song is called “Our God” by Chris Tomlin. The chorus goes like this...

“Our God is greater, Our God is stronger, God you are higher than any other. Our God is healer, Awesome in power, Our God, Our God.”

That chorus is sung almost as a chant. I can picture people pumping their fists while singing it. I’ve been so scared at the thought of playing it because I don’t want to offend non-believers by saying that “OUR God is greater and stronger.” I also don’t want to make it look like Christianity is a cult... a cult that pumps their fists and boasts about their God.

But after days of praying and thinking about this song, my view on it has changed. It has changed greatly. And God did all the changing. Yesterday He brought me to Jeremiah 9:23-24 that says, “‘Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches, but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,’ declares the LORD.”

THAT is what the Lord thinks about the song. I am going to lead out “Our God” tomorrow night with confidence not in myself, not in my riches, not in my strength, but in the confidence of MY God who exercises kindness, justice, and righteousness on all the earth.

You know what? Our God IS greater and our God IS stronger! I can boast in that!

Answering Prayers

In Luke 11, it says that “If you then who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him.” He has been proving Himself over and over again and blessing me with that Spirit in abundant ways.

For those of you who don’t know, I’m serving at Camp Redcloud in Colorado as the “Family and Youth Worship Leader and Assistant Gear Manager.” I’ve been up here for a week now and the Lord has shown His faithfulness through the answering of prayers that I have been praying for months. At the end of each day, I have been laying in bed with a huge smile on my face just pondering all the ways that the Lord revealed Himself to me. Here are some of the amazing ways that the Lord has answered my prayers...

- I prayed that the Lord would provide me with experienced musicians
       Answer: I already have numerous vocalists (one of which is a voice major!), a violinist of 12 years, numerous guitar players, 2 solid djembe players, and 2 experienced people that want to run sound for me.

- I prayed that I would be able to see Camp Redcloud covered in snow
       Answer: There is 4 inches of snow on the ground outside while I look out the window and write this.  :)

- I prayed for safety over my instruments and gear
       Answer: Someone dropped my guitar and it put a pretty good dent in the neck of it which is just about the worst thing that could happen to a guitar. I picked it up and played it to check how bad the damage was. Praise the Lord who heard my prayer from months ago! It played PERFECTLY.

- I prayed that the staff at the family camp would become spiritually connected
       Answer: After worship on Monday night, they all shared their hearts with each other. There were tears, confession, brokenness, grace, and restoration. Spiritual connection? Check!

This is just the start of all the ways that God has been proving his faithfulness. I’m learning that when we pray to the Lord with a eager, humble, and expectant heart, He will answer in ways far greater than what we could have ever expected. I’m going to leave you with a thought.....Are you praying empty prayers? Or are you praying with breathless expectation that the Spirit will work in divine ways?