Thank You For The Lady

Thank You for the lady who came to share my life.
I'm grateful for my best friend, my lover and my wife.
She turned away my sadness: ask anyone who knows,
Restored the smile to my eyes; that's how my story goes.
 
They say a man who finds a wife has found a thing that's good;
A blessing she brings to his life, I've seen and understood;
If wisdom rules, He'll cherish her with love that's rarely seen;
A gift of heaven in his arms, his princess and his queen.
 
 
She cares with deepest passion for those she calls her own,
and when I look in her blue eyes I know I'm right at home.
Her laughter brightens every room, her smile lights my heart,
and when I hold her in my arms I know we'll never part.
 
They say a man who finds a wife has found a thing that's good;
a blessing she is to his life I've seen and understood.
If wisdom rules He'll cherish her with love that's rarely seen;
A gift of heaven in his arms, his princess and his queen.
 
 
Lady of mine, I love you.
I'm grateful every day,
you're in my heart to stay;
no questioning, no maybe.

my Love, my life, my Lady.
My Love, my life, my Lady.
 
For she is that true love of mine.

 

 
© 2012 MichaelScott-Branagan
(Original melody; intro and bridging usesthe traditional tune “Scarborough Fair”)

TAKE HOPE

I will seek what was lost,
And bring back what was driven away;
I will seek what was lost,
And bring back what was driven away.

I will bind up the broken and strengthen the sick;
Give healing, protection and peace;
Bring showers of blessing break what has bound you,
Restoring and making you free.

I will seek what was lost,
And bring back what was driven away;
I will seek what was lost,
And bring back what was driven away.

Take heart, take hope,
The Shepherd remembers your name;
Take heart, take hope,
Restored by the Lamb who was slain.

Take heart, take hope,
Liberty's calling to you
Take heart, take hope,
In the mercy He's given to you.

copyright 2012 M.Scott-Branagan

COME AND BREATHE

Come and breathe
Your breath on me Lord
Come and breathe
As you said in your Word
Come and breathe
On my heart and my soul
On these dry bones Lord
Breathe and make me whole.

Come and breathe
On our family Lord
Come and breathe
So they can be free
Come and breathe
On our hearts and souls
On these dry bones Lord;
Breathe and make us whole.

We're not our own
Bought with the Blood
Before your throne
Called by love
Jesus Christ our Lord of glory
This has been our lifelong story
Spirit call, restore us all,
Let walls be smashed and mercy fall,
We pray; we pray.

With wounded lives, torn apart,
Forgiveness flow, restore our hearts;
Every chain and bondage be
Broken down on bended knee;
May love and grace bring new embrace,
Let joy and peace come fill this place,
We pray; we pray.

Restore our family,
Come Holy Spirit, set us free;
Bring healing love to change our hearts,
We pray;
Lord of life we need your power
Every day and every hour;
Surrender Lord, to you in every way,
We pray.

Copyright 2012 M.Scott-Branagan

https://www.opendrive.com/files/M18xNDAyNDg0X2czSGZW/Come%20and%20Breathe%20(Band%20w.%20drums).mp3

King of Kings

King of kings,
Surrounding us with glory;
Your Spirit brings
Healing grace and mercy;
And my soul sings,
My soul sings,
Help me when I waver,
Remind me of your favour.

What does He require of me?
And what does He call me to be?
To live justly,
To love mercy,
To walk humbly
Before our God,
Before you, God.

King of kings,
Surrounding us with glory;
Your Spirit brings
Healing grace and mercy;
And my soul sings,
My soul sings,
Help me when I waver,
Remind me of your favour.

Sharing - His redeeming grace;
Reaching - His love is in our veins;
Forgiven, so we can forgive;
With His mercy and grace helping others to live.
God reflected in me,
In my heart and my soul,
Bringing healing and making the broken hearts whole;
I've been touched by grace
So my heart can sing,
Declare the love of our King.

Holy Lord,
I worship you;
Lift my voice
To give you praise;
Lord of mercy,
My soul sings;
God of glory,
King of kings.

Copyright 2012 Michael & Liz Scott-Branagan

https://www.opendrive.com/files/M18xMzg5OTgxX1Jic3dp/King%20of%20Kings%20(Band)%202.mp3

I Worship You

I worship you, holy Lord,Lifting hands in surrender,
Lift my heart: I give it all to you.
You come to me, holy Lord,
As I bow in worship,
Lay my life before your holy throne.

As I wait on you
I lay down my fears:
Nothing else seems to matter
When I feel you near.
Your glory covers me.

As I wait on you
I come to my knees
Laying all on the altar,
Worshipping here.
Jesus, Lord of heaven,
In your mercy
You've seen all my tears.

I worship you, holy Lord,
Lifting hands in surrender,
Lift my heart: I give it all to you.
You come to me, holy Lord,
As I bow in worship,
Lay my life before your holy throne.

c.2003 M.Scott-Branagan

http://michaelsb.opendrive.com/files/M18xMjU1ODk2X0h5QzF1/I%20worship%20You.mp3

I Will Rejoice

I will rejoice in the God of my salvation,Worship Him in every situation.
This is my determination:
I will praise the Lord.

And if my fig tree never blossoms,
My dreams are not fulfilled,
I lose my productivity,
Prosperity escapes from me,
In good and bad I'll praise your name;
Each day I will take the same,
For you are my Deliverer:
I put my faith in you.

Rejoice in the Lord;
Rejoice in the Lord;
Rejoice in the Lord always!
Rejoice in the Lord;
Reoice in the Lord;
Rejoice in the Lord always!!

I will rejoice in the God of my salvation,
Worship Him in every situation.
This is my determination:
I will praise the Lord.

c.2003 M.Scott-Branagan

Taken from:

Habakkuk 3:17-18

New International Version (NIV)

¹⁷ Though the fig tree does not bud
and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen
and no cattle in the stalls,
¹⁸ yet I will rejoice in the LORD,
I will be joyful in God my Savior.

http://michaelsb.opendrive.com/files/M18xMjU1OTA0X3ROU2lr/I%20Will%20Rejoice.mp3

Beautiful Lady

It may be raining outside, cloudy and cold,
but with your love in my heart
I'm walking in sunshine.
There may be tears in my eyes,
but joy in my soul
'cause Darling, the loneliness left
when our hearts entwined.

How God brought us together still amazes me to see,
when two imperfect halves can join in perfect harmony;
I'm sure that I am dreaming, but I know that I'm awake;
this love is so much more than all my dreams could ever make.
As I hold you in my arms,
I know it's more than worldly charms;
A love like ours could never twice be found.

I love you; I'm grateful to the One who gave me gave me you.
Beautiful lady, Beautiful lady, know that my heart is given to you.
O how I love you; I really know it's true;
you were made for me, and I for you.


I know with you by my side, my chosen bride,
we'll live through sorrows and joys hand in hand;
and as we're growing in love, with grace from above,
we'll have a joy that will last  for ever.

How God brought us together still amazes me to see,
when two imperfect halves can join in perfect harmony;
I'm sure that I am dreaming, but I know that I'm awake;
this love is so much more than all my dreams could ever make.
As I hold you in my arms,
I know it's more than worldly charms;
A love like ours could never twice be found.

I love you; I'm grateful to the One who gave me gave me you.
Beautiful lady, Beautiful lady, know that my heart is given to you.
O how I love you; I really know it's true;
you were made for me, and I for you.

copyright 2009 M.Scott-Branagan

http://michaelsb.opendrive.com/files/M18xMjEyNDExX3VTTmJJ/Beautiful%20Lady.mp3

I know the recording is not really good enough for public airing, and professional pride as a musician should keep me from posting this link, but it's all I have and it will be a long time before I can record properly. At least you can hear the song, and maybe enjoy my cello playing in the background. I played all instruments on the recording.

Tender Rose of Summer

Like a tender rose of summer
Is my lover, my sweet Lady;
With a beauty in her eyes beyond compare.
Before I saw your face
I knew the beauty in your soul;
Now my wife, I love you more and more each day.

And I praise the God of heaven
Who has brought us to this day,
And I ask the Holy Spirit
To surround our hearts and stay;
For we need your grace and mercy, Lord,
To help us on our way;
We depend on you,
And Lord, to you we pray.

This I pray.

May the God of hope give peace and joy,
Inhabit our love, restore our souls;
Make us tender and gentle, forgiving and kind;
Strong in the Lord, united and whole.

Like a tender rose of summer
Is my lover, my sweet Lady;
With a charm that’s in her eyes and in her ways.
Before I saw your face
I found the beauty in your soul;
And now my wife, my friend, I love you more today.

© 2011 Michael Scott-Branagan

http://michaelsb.opendrive.com/files/M18xMjEyNDEwX2d1T1V0/Tender%20Rose%20of%20Summer.mp3

I know the recording is not really good enough for public airing, and professional pride as a musician should keep me from posting this link, but it's all I have and it will be a long time before I can record properly. At least you can hear the song, and maybe enjoy my cello playing in the background. I played all instruments on the recording.

My Thoughts For You

For I know the thoughts that I think about you;

For I know the thoughts that I think about you;

Thoughts of peace and not of evil,

A future and a hope;

My plans for you are good,

Says the Lord.

So I’ll rejoice in the Lord always;

Again I say, rejoice;

I will live in the knowing

That He is close to me;

So my life can reflect His glory.

Anxious for nothing, Lord,

But praying with thanksgiving,

Worshipping, asking in faith.

With His peace overflowing

My heart and my mind,

Singing faith, hope and love,

These three combined.

So I’ll sing songs of praise,

Declaring the glory of God;

I am sowing to the Spirit,

Thinking on the good things,

With love and mercy

Speaking words of life.

For I know the thoughts that I think about you;

For I know the thoughts that I think about you;

Thoughts of peace and not of evil,

A future and a hope;

My plans for you are good,

Says the Lord.

©2012 M.Scott-Branagan

Jeremiah 29:11 (NKJV)

¹¹ For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.

Do you think maybe he means it? Peace is his plan for you.

What about the message of the angels to the shepherds at Jesus' birth?

"Peace on earth, goodwill towards men"

Or 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24

Now may the God of Peace himself sanctify you completely. May he prepare you and make you ready, fit for the indwelling Christ (and preserve you for His return) Spiritually, Psychologically, and Physically

How does he give us his "perfect peace" (or maybe his "perfecting peace")?

Philippians 4:6-8 (NKJV)

⁶ Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; ⁷ and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

⁸ Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.

Note the following:

Be anxious for nothing [ to be troubled with cares: for some, dealing with anxiety is as simple as choosing to think differently. For others, anxiety is a medical condition which needs treating medically before there can be a plan to change the way we think and respond.

but in everything by prayer [proseuche; prayer addressed to God; to draw close, in surrender, in worship; compare with this link: http://www.godthots.com/But-is-it-Prayer-Proseuche ]

and supplication [deesis; seeking, asking, entreating ]

with thanksgiving [eucharistia: 1. Thankfulness; 2.The giving of thanks ]

let your requests be made known to God

and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding

will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. [Guard, keep, watch over, preserve.]

So -
Come to God with a worshipful heart, aware that he is Lord, he is God, he is able transform.
Come to God asking in faith.
Come with a thankful heart. Gratitude is a sign of faith when you think about it.

Then focus on the good. Focus on God

http://michaelsb.opendrive.com/files/M18xMjA0MzA2X2VtWW1n/My%20Thoughts%20For%20You%20(Band)%20Version%202.mp3

Surely

Surely he has borne all our griefs;
Surely he has carried our sorrows;
Surely healing for yesterday;
Surely He gives hope for tomorrow.

He seemed to be beaten,
Forsaken, afflicted;
Shamed on the cross,
Condemned, rejected;
Surely healing for yesterday;
Surely He gives hope for tomorrow.

Wounded for all the things we have done;
Bruised for the lies, the webs we have spun;
Peace between us and our God has been won,
As the guilt of us all was paid by the Son.

Surely he has borne all our griefs;
Surely he has carried our sorrows;
Surely healing for yesterday;
Surely He gives hope for tomorrow.

By his Blood, our forgiveness was sealed;
By the furrows ploughed on his back, we are healed;
By his stripes we are delivered and free;
He conquered death, gives us victory.

Surely he has borne all our griefs;
Surely he has carried our sorrows;
Surely healing for yesterday;
Surely He gives hope for tomorrow.

copyright 2012 M.Scott-Branagan

*     *     *     *     *    

Isaiah 53:4-5

"Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows,
Yet we considered Him stricken, smitten by God and afflicted;
But He was wounded for our transgressions,
He was bruised for our iniquities:
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,
And His stripes you are healed."    

Of course, this is a favourite text for Easter messages, and has been the subject of some beautiful songs/hymns over the centuries. 

The message is simple, yet profound.

OUR punishment, because "All have sinned and fallen short of God's glory", was taken by Jesus Christ on our behalf.  He was the only one who could take it for us.  Only he was the sinless Man, completely man, yet completely God at the same time.  Because He took our punishment, we are NO LONGER GUILTY!  When God looks at us, He doesn't see the horribly disfigured sinful heart that He could see, but He sees us forgiven and free from guilt. 

* Wounded for OUR wrong choices and wilful behaviour.
* Beaten up by soldiers as punishment for our iniquity.
* Chastised (beaten with rods) so He could bring PEACE between us and our heavenly Father.
* Flogged 39 times with a whip made of 9 cords, so we can be saved, delivered and HEALED.

Interesting points here:

* When we do what is wrong, there must be punishment for our transgression...  Think of when your children were wilfully disobedient.  When you smacked the guilty child, it helped break his/her rebellion and made them sorry (either sorry they got caught, or sorry they did what was wrong) because the smack HURT.  The chastisement called them to account.  When my Jessica was small, she knew this very well.  When she did something wrong, she would be tormented by it until she came and confessed, ASKING me to smack her.  When I had smacked her, she would cry, apologise, and BE FORGIVEN.  Did she want the pain of the smack? NO!!! But she wanted the restoration of PEACE that she knew would come quickly afterwards.

* "By his stripes you are healed".  Two important things to know about this:

1)  In the New Testament, the Greek word "sozo" (and its various derivatives) that was used in this verse for "healed" in the Greek Septuagint translation of the Old Testament, has 3 meanings that are unable to really be separated.  They are all applicable to this text, and to most other texts that use the word.  Sozo means healing on THREE levels - Salvation (as in, saved), Delivered (set free from the power of the demonic realm), and Physical Healing.  So when God says that the whipping received by Jesus HEALS us, He means that complete healing - Spirit, Soul, and Body, is available because of that whipping.

2)  Isaiah says that "By His stripes we are healed": note the tense of the word - we ARE healed.  That is a present tense, ongoing promise.  We can keep hanging onto a promise like that.  But also then note that God takes it to an even better level.  God inspired Peter to quote (1 Peter 2:24) it slightly differently: "... and by His stripes you WERE healed".  Why the change in tense?  Because Peter was speaking AFTER the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus.  Our healing is both NOW, and established in the PAST.  It is declared by God, "who cannot lie", that your healing for whatever you need was DONE by Christ and is available NOW because it has been won for you.

Why do some people not receive healing?  I don't know - I don't profess to be God.  Why did my father, who loved God, die of cancer NOT healed?  I don't know.  But it didn't stop him loving God, and it doesn't stop me believing and proclaiming that God HEALS.  Why do I need glasses?  Why do I have other ailments?  I don't know.  But all I can proclaim is that "By His stripes you both WERE and ARE healed".  This is his promise to you.  Please don't argue with it.  Just receive it.  Maybe He is just waiting for you to stop resisting Him and receive.  I don't know.  I will keep believing, whether He heals me or not, because I know His Word does not lie. 

By His stripes you were healed.

Be blessed today, whoever reads this.

http://michaelsb.opendrive.com/files/M18xMjY0MjAzX3IzaW1y/Surely%20(Band%20arr%202)%201.mp3

Every Knee Shall Bow

Ch.

Every knee shall bow,

Every tongue confess

To the glory of our God,

That Jesus Christ is Lord.

Verse 1

I'm not my own, the price was paid

With the blood of Jesus my Saviour.

He's chosen me, and set me free,

Surrounding me with favour.

Verse 2

My Shepherd King, my soul will sing;

He covers me with mercy;

He watches me; my heart is free,

Protected by his glory.

Ch.

Every knee shall bow,

Every tongue confess

To the glory of our God,

That Jesus Christ is Lord.

Verse 3

Greater is he that is in me;

I have the Spirit of God in my heart;

You are my God, I am your child;

No power of hell can tear us apart

Bridge

I'm washed and forgiven,

Saved and delivered,

Declaring that Jesus Christ is Lord.

I'm bought with a price,

His supreme sacrifice;

Believing and trusting in his Word.

Ch.

Every knee shall bow,

Every tongue confess

To the glory of our God,

That Jesus Christ is Lord.

Coda

If the Son therefore has set me free,

I shall be free indeed!

To the glory of our God,

Jesus Christ is Lord.

 

c.2012 M.Scott-Branagan

*     *     *     *     *

The following scriptures inspired the verses in this song:

Ch.

Every knee shall bow,

Every tongue confess

To the glory of our God,

That Jesus Christ is Lord.

Therefore God has exalted him and bestowed on him a name, That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Philippians 2:9-11

*     *     *     *     *

V1

I'm not my own, the price was paid

With the blood of Jesus my Saviour;

He's chosen me, and set me free,

Surrounding me with favour.

"... You are not your own. You have been bought for a price ..."

1 Cor 6:19-20

You did not choose me, but I have chosen you,

& appointed you to be fruitful,

so I can bless you (paraphrased MSB).

John 15:16

But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You; Let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them; Let those also who love Your name Be joyful in You. [12] For You, O LORD, will bless the righteous; With favor You will surround him as with a shield.

Psalm 5:11-12 (NKJV)

*     *     *     *     *

V2

My Shepherd King, my soul will sing;

He covers me with mercy;

He watches me; my heart is free,

Protected by his glory.

The Lord is my shepherd ...

Psalm 23

Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace,

that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Heb 4:16

For I, says the Lord, shall be to (Zion) a wall of fire all around her,

& I will be the glory in the midst.

Zechariah 2:5

*     *     *     *     *

V3

Greater is he that is in me;

I have the Spirit of God in my heart;

You are my God, I am your child;

No power of hell can tear us apart.

 Little children, you have overcome them (the Antichrist spirits),

for greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.

1 John 4:4

...You have received the Spirit of adoption as sons ...

The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God

... If sons then heirs, & co-heirs with Christ.

Rom 8:15-17

... In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us ... NOTHING can separate us from His love!!!

Not Powers, not my past, not my present,

NOTHING!!

Rom 8:37-39

*     *     *     *     *

There are some pretty good assurances here.

I am not my own - I was bought with a price:
 the Blood Price of the Son of God.

He has paid the ransom,
and I have been translated out of the kingdom of darkness
into God's Kingdom.  I am God's responsibility:
I am adopted by God,
sealed with the Holy Spirit as a down-payment on my salvation. 
The devil and his cohorts have NO right of access to my life,
regardless of what is in my past:
because I now belong to God.

 So I can stand on the promises of liberty, peace, and protection. 
As I said, I am now God's responsibility. 
Remember, I am not my own. 
I was bought. 
Purchased.  Redeemed. 
Ransomed. Translated.

So I am standing on the Word, declaring that Jesus Christ is Lord.  The enemy may have known which buttons to push in my life until now, but now I know I have been given the victory.

This is a song of declaration and deliverance,
of "Sowing to the Spirit"
(compare with Galatians chapter 6 -
by consciously sowing to the Spirit,
by choosing to think and speak positively according to the Word.)

http://michaelsb.opendrive.com/files/M18xMjA0NjkzX3ZiRldu/Every%20Knee.mp3

LORD HAVE YOUR WILL

Lord have your will,
Lord have your way,
Your plan fulfill in me I pray;
Take all my heart, and re-aline,
That I may be completely thine.
Your servant, Lord, I long to be,
With heart so strong it yields to Thee.

Jesus, Jesus, keep my gaze on you;
Jesus, Jesus, so in love with you.

Lord have your will,
Lord have your way,
Your plan fulfill in me I pray;
Take all my heart and re-aline,
That I may be completely thine.
My Lord, I pray, please keep me pure,
So I'll remain in love with you.

Jesus, Jesus, keep my gaze on you;
Jesus, Jesus, so in love with you.

c.2003 M.Scott-Branagan

*     *     *     *     *

Written at a time in my life when my world was crashing down around me.  I was desperate to stay afloat, stay faithful, stay fruitful.  It's just a simple song from my heart that still speaks to me.

The secret to successful living is quite simple really.  Give everything to God.  The more I give over to God, the more I give up my own sovereignty, the more I find peace inside myself.  It's about His will, His way, His plans. 

The secret to strength is also simple: surrender, yield, keep my eyes focussed on Him.  When I am looking at God, I can see where the answers are, I can see the source of life, and I can trust again. 

Thinking of the Narnia stories by C.S.Lewis, with Aslan symbolising Jesus, when the children in those stories looked into the deep eyes of the great Lion, their fears were stilled and confidence rekindled.  So can be my relationship with our God.

Focussed, surrendered, gazing - at peace.

I Want To Give It All

I want to give it all,

I want to give it all to you.

Surrender all:

Lord I depend on you;

To lay my burdens at your feet,

Place my life in your hands;

To trust in you completely

As the Law of Faith demands.

You are the Potter, I am the clay;

Fulfill all your will in me.

Open my heart and pour in your light;

Open my eyes to see

That I can trust in the God of my salvation,

Bare all my heart in deep relation;

Jesus you're my sure foundation:

I surrender all to you,

I surrender all to you.

I want to give it all,

I want to give it all to you.

Surrender all:

Lord I depend on you;

To lay my burdens at your feet,

Place my life in your hands;

To trust in you completely

As the Law of Faith demands.

Why do we carry all in our own strength

A cross that we cannot bear?

Why do we stumble and keep holding on,

When Jesus is waiting there?

Let me trust in the God of my salvation,

Bare all my heart in deep relation;

Jesus you're my sure foundation:

I surrender all to you,

I surrender all to you.

I want to give it all.

c.2003 M.Scott-Branagan

*     *     *     *     *

This was written at a time when my life completely fell apart.  My marriage of nearly twenty years had broken up; I was looking after my five beautiful daughters, totally unequipped for the task (though I loved them dearly); and I was struggling to remain standing as a pastor with accusations and condemnation assailing me.  My emotions were all over the place - worse than the proverbial "dog's breakfast". 

The songs that came out of that period of my life reflect the utter helplessness I felt, and my desperate dependence on God.  God calls us to lay it all before him.  Often he is waiting for us to let go, waiting to step in and bring his miraculous answers.  Holding on to anger and resentment, allowing a root of bitterness to grow inside, I was blocking his blessing.  I had to learn to let it go.  I cannot change the past, undo my wrong decisions, unwind bad situations.  All I can do, all I SHOULD do, is to leave the past in the past, refuse to allow even the tiniest morsel of judgment or bitterness to remain, and actively choose to step forward. 

I cannot change my past, but with God I can change my future!  He IS the potter, and I AM the clay.  He can do with me as he chooses, for his own glory.  It is my job to surrender.  Then He has room to make the changes that he wants.  I need him to be my foundation, my Rock, my Saviour.

THE ARK OF GOD

There are plenty of great messages within the pages of the Bible. Stories of great faith, great faithfulness, stories of amazing things that happened when God stepped in to a situation.

The song I present here sprang out out of a message I heard, explaining one of the perhaps harder-to-explain stories. The song is one of my favourites, a reminder to me of what is good in the heart of a worshipper.

*     *     *     *     *

THE ARK OF GOD

How shall I bring home the Ark of God,
Become a habitation for the King?
Purify my heart for the presence of the Lord,
Surrendering my claims upon the throne.

Jesus, be the object of my passion,
Jesus, let my heart be true;
Jesus, I want to be your humble servant;
My purpose is living for You, Living for you.

c.2004 M.Scott-Branagan

*     *     *     *     *

Simple yet profound. Now for the story.

To explain before we go any further, the Ark does not refer to Noah's Ark.  It was a very special box made under God's instructions to Moses during the 40 years in the wilderness.  It was symbolic of God's presence, and indeed He had committed Himself to providing a special presence through this box.  It was a focal point in worship, and was even carried into war: God brought blessings when the people put their trust in Him through it.

*     *     *     *     *

Due to the sin of the Judge/prophet/High Priest Eli's sons, God allowed the Ark of the Covenant to be captured by the Philistines.  After caused trouble in various Philistine cities the Ark was sent back to Israel, but it remained on a farm under the watchful eye of the landowner for about twenty years (the years of Samuel's rule as Judge, then all the years of Saul's reign as king).

When David became king, after he had worked to bring unity to the nation, and tied up various issues,  he established a new capital city, Jerusalem, which he captured from the Jebusites (note that David = Beloved; his tribe is Judah = Praise; his nation Israel = prince, ruling with God ... the name Jebusite = Rejection and Trampling Down:).

He took the mountain fortress of oppression and rejection, and proclaimed in its place that THERE God would rule and be praised in freedom!  Today Jesus Christ comes to conquer the oppression and rejection in our lives, and to establish in us His throne of freedom and mercy!!!

David made Jerusalem the seat of power (the Throne was taken there) and the central place of worship.  Being a true worshipper, his desire was to see God truly worshipped.  He knew that the Ark of the Covenant was crucial in their worship.  It was "between the wings of the cherubim" on the Ark, that God had said He would "meet with" the High Priests through the years, when they went to make atonement for the sins of the nation.  But the Ark was gone, languishing in the house of Abinadab.

So David determined to bring the Ark back to its place in the tabernacle, which he had set up in Jerusalem.  Amid great rejoicing and ceremony, David and a great crowd went to collect it. 

In their enthusiasm perhaps they forgot the instructions God gave Moses for transporting the Ark.  They made a new ox-drawn cart for it.  They were all praising, singing, dancing and rejoicing.  Until the oxen stumbled and the Ark wobbled.  A priest put out his hand to steady it, and died on the spot.  David was upset, and asked, "How then can the Ark come to me?"

*     *     *     *     *

He wanted to re-establish the purity of worship in the nation. 
To do that, he would need to change some things -  not to do it his own way, but God's way.

The nation needed to purify their own hearts and make sure of their exact obedience to doing it God's way, not their own. No matter how well-intentioned. Remember Cain and Abel. Cain brought what he thought would be a good idea. Abel offered what God had already shown was acceptable.

So too, when we want to rebuild our lives, we need to purify our hearts and motives, take our best intentions and surrender them to God's authority and rule.

*     *     *     *     *

Has your life been trampled on by others? Have you learned to believe the lies that rejection whispers in your ear? You are loved by God. You are important to Him. He calls you "fearfully and wonderfully made", and "Accepted in the beloved".

Perhaps it is time to conquer the voices of the Jebusites in your past, and release praise, God's praise, to take over, that he may bring transformation and new life once again!!!

ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE

I choose an attitude of gratitude;
No empty words of platitudes;
An attitude of gratitude
Deep down in my soul.
(rpt)

My life was filled with twists and turns;
My heart's been bruised and cut and burned;
No excuses left to give:
Just love to share and life to live.
I'm looking at the good things,
The lovely, noble, beautiful;
I'm talking 'bout the good things:
Kissed negative thoughts goodbye.

I choose an attitude of gratitude;
No empty words of platitudes;
An attitude of gratitude
Deep down in my soul.
(rpt)

When they write the plaque upon my grave,
Will they see my life as full of praise?
"Couldn't say a bad word against anyone"
"Was kind and patient, full of grace"?
Time and chance come to everyone:
It's how I live under the sun;
Yes bitterness is cheap to find:
I choose to leave all that behind.

I choose an attitude of gratitude;
No empty words of platitudes;
An attitude of gratitude
Deep down in my soul.
(rpt)

c.2011 M.Scott-Branagan

I wrote this song after my wife Liz had been talking about some of her own journey.  She has been inspired by Ann Voskamp's book "One Thousand Gifts", and started her own gratitude journal.  Keeping a record of things to be grateful for, has been a great help to her as she seeks to deal with various heartaches and physical ailments.  Finding reasons for gratitude and praise (in the midst of life's storms) has been a wonderful key in dealing with our "baggage".  Avoiding negativity that sucks the life out of our hearts becomes easier and more satisfying as we make the choice to turn our hearts away from negative thoughts and dwell on the good and lovely things in our lives.

I WILL RESTORE

CHORUS
I will restore what the locust has eaten,
I will restore all your lost and lonely years;
I will restore what the locust has eaten,
I will restore all your lost and lonely years.
 
V1
For I am the God of promise,
I am the God of faith;
I am the one who died for you
And rose up from the grave.
 
CH
 
V2
Child you can put your trust in me:
My Word you can believe.
My promises you know are true;
Your faith you can release.
 
CH
 
V3
For You are the God of promise;
You are the God of faith;
You are the one who died for us
And rose up from the grave.
 
V4
Lord we put our trust in you
Your Word we do believe
Your promises we know are true
Our faith we can release.
 
CH
I will restore what the locust has eaten,
I will restore all your lost and lonely years;
I will restore what the locust has eaten,
I will restore all your lost and lonely years.
 
©2005 M.Scott-Branagan
 
Taken from Joel 2:21-27
Fear not … Be glad and rejoice, for the Lord has done marvellous things …
He has given you the former rain faithfully, and He will cause the rain to come down for you …
The threshing floors shall be full of wheat, and the vats shall overflow with new wine and oil. 
So shall I restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the crawling locust, the consuming locust and the chewing locust …
You shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God … and My people shall never be put to shame…

GOD OF PEACE

God of peace, You call me by name; You are able, More than able.
All my burdens, Hopes and fears:
You are able, God of peace.

God I praise, God I love,
I rejoice in You;
Saviour, Healer, In my darkest hours
You give hope anew.

All my spirit, Soul and body,
Lord to you I bring;
Sanctify, glorify For the presence
Of my King

God with us, Emmanuel
In your wholeness I am whole;
Life and love, Mercy, grace,
You are able, God I praise.

©Michael Scott-Branagan 2011

This song was inspired after many days of praying through the following scripture text.

1 Thessalonians 5:23-24

²³ Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. ²⁴ He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.

In our lives, in our relationships, he intends to purify and strengthen us.  In our spiritual, psychological and physical needs, God is more than able to make us "blameless" or "faultless", that we will be fit for the indwelling of Christ by the Holy Spirit. 

 I cannot make myself good enough in any way, but He who calls me by name is faithful, and intends to do it.  I will always have faults, but through the work of the Cross in my life I have been forgiven, set free and God calls me "righteous", destroying the need for me to strive to be something I can't: I can never be pure by my own efforts, but He declares me to be clean because of His own sacrifice. 

So in this I can find hope not only for myself, but for my relationships with my wife and family, and our future happiness - because Christ has already won the victory for me, the victory that was impossible for me to win.

I AM HEALED BY YOUR WOUNDS

CHORUS

I am healed by your wounds, thank you Lord;

As I’m holding to the promise of your Word;

There is healing in your name I have heard;

So I’m hanging on and hoping in your Word.

VERSE 1

I need you Lord; my love renew;

I believe your Word: my heart, be true;

My desperate cry from heart to sky:

Faith wings to fly to you.

 

VERSE 2

Fill me with your peace and joy,       

Lift my faith to see you Lord;

Times I struggle to believe:

Help me to receive.

 

BRIDGE

Help me Lord; heal me Lord;              

Help me Lord; heal me Lord;

Fill me with your peace and joy;

Heal my heart and make me whole.

 

CHORUS

I am healed by your wounds, thank you Lord;

As I’m holding to the promise of your Word;

There is healing in your name I have heard;

So I’m hanging on and hoping in your Word.

 

©2011  Michael Scott-Branagan

SING O SING

INTRO
The words of the prophet say that God is looking our way,
Rejoicing over us with singing;
Let’s so live our lives before the One whom we adore
To give Him more reasons to sing.

CHORUS
Sing O sing, Lord: Sing, yes Lord sing;
Sing a song of joy over us.
Sing O sing, Lord: Sing, yes Lord sing;
Sing a song of joy over us.

VERSE
Let your Anointing set our spirits free; Pour your oil of joy on me
Rejoice over us with singing.
Let our worship be forever new; May our lives bring joy to you;
Rejoice over us with song.

CHORUS
Sing O sing, Lord: Sing, yes Lord sing;
Sing a song of joy over us.
Sing O sing, Lord: Sing, yes Lord sing;
Sing a song of joy over us.

BRIDGE
I want to please you, O Lord, as I walk on this road;
To give you joy in what I do and say.
Without faith I know I can’t please you at all
So come release your faith deep within, I pray.

Sing O sing, Lord: Sing, yes Lord sing.
Sing a song of joy over us.
Sing O sing, Lord: Sing, yes Lord sing.
Sing a song of joy over us.

©1989 M.Scott-Branagan

Inspired by:

Zephaniah 3:17

New King James Version (NKJV)

¹⁷ The Lord your God in your midst,
The Mighty One, will save;
He will rejoice over you with gladness,
He will quiet you with His love,
He will rejoice over you with singing.”

I was deeply affected by a sermon preached from this text one Sunday in 1989.  It challenged my thoughts all day, and that evening as I set up the church for our evening service up in the beautiful Dandenong Ranges, the chorus and main verse flowed out from my heart in song.  This has been the theme song of my life ever since.  I know I have MANY times failed God, and those I love, but the cry of my heart is to live a life that is so deeply pleasing to God that He would rejoice in song over me.

http://michaelsb.opendrive.com/files/M18xMjU1ODgyXzZnZkJ5/Sing%20O%20Sing%20for%20Strings.mp3

MY STRONGHOLD

[VERSE]

Lord you are good, a stronghold in the day of trouble;

Lord you are good; Wall of fire, You cover our hearts

Like a shield or fortress around us,

Keeping us safe in your arms;

And you’re filling us with your glory, Lord;

Cleansing and healing us in your love,

In your shelter: we put our trust in You.

(repeat)

 [CHORUS]

Lord, we come to your throne of Grace,

Seeking grace and mercy to help in time of need;

Hide us in your secret place;

Renew our minds, restore our souls, heal our hearts and

Make us whole we pray.

(Repeat)

 [CODA]

Jesus, you’re my stronghold,

My hiding place,

My refuge;

Lord you are my healer,

My hope and grace,

My love, my God.

(repeat)

Pattern –V.V.CH.CH.V.CH.CO.CO.CH.CODA

©Michael & Liz Scott-Branagan 2011

Taken from the following texts:

Nahum 1:7 (NKJV)

⁷ The Lord is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble; And He knows those who trust in Him.

Zechariah 2:5 (NKJV)

⁵ For I,’ says the Lord, ‘will be a wall of fire all around her, and I will be the glory in her midst.’”

Psalm 5:12

(NKJV)

¹² For You, O Lord, will bless the righteous; With favor You will surround him as with a shield

Psalm 91:1-2 (NKJV)

91 He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High

Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
² I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress;
My God, in Him I will trust.”

Hebrews 4:16 (NKJV)

¹⁶ Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.