"Benedictus"

I was just listening to a song called "Benedictus" by Hayley Westenra that I will be learning soon for my voice lessons and was struck by the simplicity of the song. Not simplicity as in the difficulty of the song but as in the lyrics. They go like this,
"Benedictus qui venit nomine Domini
Hosanna in excelsis"


Translated this means,
"Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord
Hosanna in the highest"


While reading the lyrics I was struck with the fact that this beautiful song was made up of two simple yet powerful lines sung over and over again. The lyrics are taken from Matthew 21:9, describing Jesus' Palm Sunday entry into Jerusalem. This is what the crowds were shouting when Jesus entered the city. This was there worship. They didn't need long complicated lyrics to convey their love! They were worshiping freely, without song sheets or worship teams. Now don't get me wrong. As a singer on a worship team I fully understand the need for organized worship and I love it. But at the same time, we are children of a mighty God and can worship him from our hearts without anything other than our love for him. We don't always need instruments or leaders or a church to express our love for an almighty savior. We can freely worship him from our cars, bedrooms, kitchens while we do the dishes, on our runs around the neighborhood, etc. Our appreciation and passion need not be limited. Like this song our worship does not have to be complicated to be beautiful in the Lord's eyes or for that matter ears. Let us praise him without condition or limits! 

Our Inheritance!

This is a prophetic teaching that I try to listen to every day. So I have decided to share it with all of you. When I am depressed, angry, sad or just plum worn out this is a startling (although it shouldn't be startling) reminder of how much the almighty GOD loves me!


“The Lord says that there is nothing that you can do that would make Him love you more. There is also nothing you can do that would make Him love you less.

He loves you because
He loves you because
He loves you because
He loves you because
He loves you because
He loves you because
He loves you because
He loves you because
He loves you because
He loves you, because that is what He is like, it is His nature to love, and you will always be the beloved.

And His love is unchanging, and He loves you 100%, He won’t love you any better when you become better. He loves you 100% right now, and even if you have no plans to become better, He will still love you 100%; because He loves you, because that’s the way that He is, and even if you don’t want to change, He will love you 100%. Even if you have no plans to walk with Him, He will love you 100%, because that’s his nature. He loves all the way all the time. His love is unchanging. What will change says the Lord is your ability to receive my love, and this evening I want to cram some more of that ability inside you. So I challenge you says the Lord, open your heart to me, open your heart to me and you will receive more of my love than you’ve ever experience before, I dare you says the Lord, come on, open you heart to me, give me your heart, give me whatever your obstacle is, I’ll take it, I’ll remove it out of the way, because I love you as you are right now. I love you 100% as you are right this moment. I love you as you are, so be loved. You are the beloved, it is your job says the Lord, to be loved outrageously, it is why I chose you, and it is why I set my love upon you, that you would live as one who is outrageously loved. That you would receive a radical love, so radical it will blow all your paradigms of what you think love is. And know says the Lord, I will love you outrageously all the days of your life, because I don’t know how to be any different, this is who I am, and this is who I will always be, this is the I Am that I promised you, I am He that loves you outrageously. And you may love me back with the love that I give you; you may love Me back outrageously, with the outrageous love that I bestow upon you. And know this says the Lord you can only love Me as much as you love yourself. So My love comes this evening to set you free from yourself, to set you free from how you see yourself. To set you free from the smallness of your own thinking about yourself, My love comes to set you free from rejection, and from shame, and from low self-esteem, and from despair and from abuse. Because when I look at you says the Lord, I see something that I love, and I see someone that I can love outrageously. And I have so much to bestow upon you, so much to give you, so many places to take you in My heart, but you can’t go there unless you allow Me to love you. And my love for you, will break every barrier, bring every wall crashing down, and know this says the Lord, My love damages fear, My love hates fear My love will fight fear it will fight fear in you it will fight fear around you, and if you have fear this evening says the Lord, then know that you have a treat in store, because My perfect love casts out fear, there is no fear where I am present, because My love casts out fear. Beloved, you are My beloved, you are My beloved, and in My love I want you to feel good about yourself.”
-Graham Cook, “Inheritance”
If you want to listen to this on youtube then here is the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmzuPLBot5Q&NR=1.
~ Chloe