Bulletin for Sunday, August 8, 2021

Ain’t No Grave

Oh shame is a prison as cruel as a grave
Shame is a robber
and he’s come to take my name

Oh love is my redeemer
Lifting me up from the ground
Love is the power
where my freedom song is found

Oh shame is a prison as cruel as a grave
Shame is a robber
and he’s come to take my name

Oh love is my redeemer
Lifting me up from the ground
Love is the power
where my freedom song is found

There ain’t no grave
Gonna hold my body down
There ain’t no grave
Gonna hold my body down

When I hear that trumpet sound
I’m gonna rise up outta the ground
There ain’t no grave
Gonna hold my body down

Oh fear is a liar
with a smooth and velvet tongue
Fear is a tyrant
he’s always telling me to run

Oh love is a resurrection
and love is a trumpet sound
Love is my weapon
I’m gonna take my giants down

There ain’t no grave
Gonna hold my body down
There ain’t no grave
Gonna hold my body down

When I hear that trumpet sound
I’m gonna rise up outta the ground
There ain’t no grave
Gonna hold my body down

Oh there was a battle
a war between death and life
And there on a tree
the Lamb of God was crucified

And He went on down to hell
He took back every key
He rose up as a lion
and He’s settin’ all captives free

There ain’t no grave
Could hold His body down
There ain’t no grave
Could hold His body down

When He heard the trumpet sound
He rose up outta the ground
There ain’t no grave
Could hold His body down

There ain’t no grave
Could hold His body down
(repeat)

If You walked out of the grave
I’m walking too
(repeat)

There ain’t no grave
Gonna hold my body down
There ain’t no grave
Gonna hold my body down

When I hear that trumpet sound
I’m gonna rise up outta the ground
There ain’t no grave
Gonna hold my body down

The Father’s House

Sometimes on this journey
I get lost in my mistakes
What looks to me like weakness
Is a canvas for your strength

And my story isn’t over
My story’s just begun
And failure won’t define me
‘Cause that’s what my Father does
Yeah, failure won’t define me
‘Cause that’s what my Father does

Ooh, just lay your burdens down
Ooh, here in the Father’s house
Check your shame at the door
‘Cause it ain’t welcome anymore
Ooh, you’re in the Father’s house

An arrival’s not the end game
The journey’s where you are
You never wanted perfect
You just wanted my heart

And the story isn’t over
If the story isn’t good
And failure’s never final
When the Father’s in the room
And failure’s never final
When the Father’s in the room

Ooh, lay your burdens down
Ooh, here in the Father’s house
Check your shame at the door
‘Cause it ain’t welcome anymore
Ooh, you’re in the Father’s house

Prodigals come home
The helpless find hope
Love is on the move
When the Father’s in the room

Prison doors fling wide
The dead come to life
Love is on the move
When the Father’s in the room

Miracles take place
The cynical find faith
And love is breaking through
When the Father’s in the room

The Jericho walls are quaking
Strongholds now are shaking
Love is breaking through
When the Father’s in the room
I said, love is breaking through
When the Father’s in the room

Ooh, lay your burdens down
Ooh, here in the Father’s house
Check your shame at the door
‘Cause it ain’t welcome anymore
Ooh, you’re in the Father’s house

Ooh, lay your burdens down
Ooh, here in the Father’s house
Check your shame at the door
‘Cause it ain’t welcome anymore
Ooh, you’re in the Father’s house

So Will I

God of creation
There at the start
Before the beginning of time
With no point of reference
You spoke to the dark
And fleshed out the wonder of light

And as You speak
A hundred billion galaxies are born
In the vapor of Your breath the planets form
If the stars were made to worship so will I

I can see Your heart
in everything You’ve made
Every burning star a signal fire of grace
If creation sings Your praises so will I

God of Your promise
You don’t speak in vain
No syllable empty or void
For once You have spoken
All nature and science
Follow the sound of Your voice

And as You speak
A hundred billion
creatures catch Your breath
Evolving in pursuit of what You said
If it all reveals Your nature so will I

I can see Your heart
in everything You say
Every painted sky a canvas of Your grace
If creation still obeys You so will I

If the stars were made to worship so will I
If the mountains bow in reverence so will I
If the oceans roar Your greatness so will I
For if everything exists
to lift You high so will I

If the wind goes where You send it so will I
If the rocks cry out in silence so will I
If the sum of all our praises still falls shy
Then we’ll sing again
a hundred billion times

God of salvation
You chased down my heart
Through all of my failure and pride
On a hill You created
The light of the world
Abandoned in darkness to die

And as You speak
A hundred billion failures disappear
Where You lost Your life
so I could find it here
If You left the grave behind You so will I

I can see Your heart
in everything You’ve done
Every part designed
in a work of art called love
If You gladly chose surrender so will I

I can see Your heart
Eight billion different ways
Every precious one
A child You died to save
If You gave Your life to love them so will I

Like You would again
a hundred billion times
But what measure could
amount to Your desire
You’re the One who never
leaves the one behind

Jesus We Love You

Jesus we love you
Oh how we love you
You are the one our
our hearts adore
(repeat)

Old things have passed away
Your love has stayed the same
Your constant grace remains
the cornerstone

Things that we thought were dead
Are breathing in life again
’cause You cause your Son to
shine on darkest nights

For all that you’ve done
we will pour out our love
This will be our anthem song

Jesus we love you
Oh how we love you
You are the one our
our hearts adore

The hopeless have found their hope
The orphans now have a home
All that was lost has
found its place in you

You lift our weary head
You make us strong instead
You took these rags and
made us beautiful

For all that you’ve done
we will pour out our love
This will be our anthem song

Jesus we love you
Oh how we love you
You are the one our
our hearts adore
(repeat)

Our hearts adore
Our hearts adore
Our hearts adore

Our affection, our devotion
Poured out on the feet of Jesus
Our affection, our devotion
Poured out on the feet of Jesus
(repeat)

Jesus we love you
Oh how we love you
You are the one our
our hearts adore
(repeat)

Our hearts adore
Our hearts adore
Our hearts adore

Mark 12:28-34
28 One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”

29 “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

32 “Well said, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. 33 To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

34 When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions.

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Reader: The word of the Lord.
Ekklesia: Thanks be to God.

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My cabinmates

Justin Cole and me (July 2018)

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“God worked through all of time because he wanted a son or daughter exactly like you.” — Justin Cole

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Nephesh
נֶ֫פֶשׁ‎

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“We remember the fish, the cucumbers, the melons, and the leeks we ate in Egypt, 6 But now our nephesh נֶ֫פֶשׁ is dried up.” — Numbers 11:5

“… his nephesh נֶ֫פֶשׁ was put in a collar of iron.” — Psalm 105:18

“Save me from all my pursuers, and deliver me. Lest he tear my nephesh נֶ֫פֶשׁ like a lion.” — Psalm 7:1-2

“My nephesh נֶ֫פֶשׁ is in deep anguish. How long, oh Lord, how long? Turn, Lord, and deliver me.” — Psalm 6:3-4

“The word of the Lord is perfect, refreshing my nephesh נֶ֫פֶשׁ.” — Psalm 19:7

“Let my nephesh נֶ֫פֶשׁ live, and it shall praise Thee.” — Psalm 119:175

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1 To love God with our souls means to bring His Kingdom into those spaces that only our soul occupies.

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2 To love God with our souls means we are intentional not to lose our souls.

Matthew 16:26 “What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?”

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“Consumerism is a way of life that is devoted to the promise that stuff will make you ultimately happy. Nobody becomes a consumerist because someone meets them with an argument that convinces them that consumerism is true. It happens because we are immersed in cultural rituals and liturgies that are subtly and covertly and unconsciously suckering us into acting as if it is true. You don’t think your way into [consumerism] as a conclusion. You practice your way into it.” — James K.A. Smith

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3 To love God with our souls opens us up to Psalm 42:7 moments. Where deep calls unto deep.

Goodness of God

I love You, Lord
For Your mercy never fails me
All my days, I’ve been held in Your hands
From the moment that I wake up
Until I lay my head
Oh, I will sing of the goodness of God

And all my life You have been faithful
And all my life You have been so, so good
With every breath that I am able
Oh, I will sing of the goodness of God

I love Your voice
You have led me through the fire
In the darkest night
You are close like no other
I’ve known You as a Father
I’ve known You as a Friend
And I have lived in the goodness of God

And all my life You have been faithful
And all my life You have been so, so good
With every breath that I am able
Oh, I will sing of the goodness of God

‘Cause Your goodness is running after
It’s running after me
Your goodness is running after
It’s running after me

With my life laid down I’m surrendered now
I give You everything
‘Cause Your goodness is running after
It’s running after me

‘Cause Your goodness is running after
It’s running after me
Your goodness is running after
It’s running after me

With my life laid down I’m surrendered now
I give You everything
‘Cause Your goodness is running after
It’s running after me

And all my life You have been faithful
And all my life You have been so, so good
With every breath that I am able
Oh, I’m gonna sing of the goodness of God

‘Cause all my life You have been faithful
And all my life You have been so, so good
With every breath that I am able
Oh, I’m gonna sing of the goodness of God
Oh, I’m gonna sing of the goodness of God

Multiplied

Your love is like radiant diamonds
Bursting inside us we cannot contain
Your love will surely come find us
Like blazing wild fires singing Your name

God of mercy sweet love of mine
I have surrendered to Your design
May this offering stretch across the skies
And these Halleluiahs be multiplied

Your love is like radiant diamonds
Bursting inside us we cannot contain
Your love will surely come find us
Like blazing wild fires singing Your name

God of mercy sweet love of mine
I have surrendered to Your design
May this offering stretch across the skies
And these Halleluiahs be multiplied

God of mercy sweet love of mine
I have surrendered to Your design
May this offering stretch across the skies
And these Halleluiahs be multiplied
And these Halleluiahs be multiplied