Special Guest James Bough

Well, here's last weeks song!  I'm very pleased to be featuring a song by a special guest artist: James Bough, who apart from being a talented musician and songwriter, also happens to be my Lion & I band mate!  (Did i mention that we are releasing our new album "Send Your Glory" in a little over a week? Check it out here).

He Who Reigns

I love this song - it's very heart felt and hymn-like, and simply declares dependence on God and a longing to be fully His.  James says of the song "it's pretty much me talking to Holy Spirit and wanting Him to possess me ... like it says in the bible of Gideon, where God put on Gideon like a glove"

I hope you enjoy it as much as I do

Lion & I - Send Your Glory Album Release!

Hiya Spontaneous Session-ers!

Just a quick update to let you know the Lion & I are going to be releasing their new album "Send Your Glory" on November 1st!  All the songs on this new album are actually spontaneous songs that were originally recorded and featured on this blog!!!

Send Your Glory will be available both as a physical CD and as an electronic download from our bandcamp site.  Be sure to 'like' and check our facebook site regularly for more info, updates and discounts!!

Thanks for your support of "the spontaneous sessions" - without it, this new album wouldn't exist!

Sally

His Gaze

This weeks spontaneous song is "a cappella" just for a change.  "A cappella" literally translated means "in the style of the church/chapel".  How very apt!  But in reality, it just means I didn't use any accompanying instruments (well, sorta.  Except for a drum beat!).  This was super fun to do and i hope you like the outcome as much as i do.  Don't forget that this tune is free to download - so if you like it, share it around!

About "His Gaze"

Based around some verses from Song of Solomon, this song is a meditation on understanding that Jesus is truly moved by His love for us.  It's not just a duty to Him.  He truly loves.

I belong to my beloved, and his desire is for me.  Song 7:10

The word translated as "desire" here is actually a word meaning "to move or impel".  As the "pulpit commentary" puts it: "The thought seems to be this - As my beloved is full of worshipping affection, and I am wholly his, let his love have free course..."  Amen.

When this becomes our reality, suddenly everything else just falls by the wayside.  And then we can say nothing else matters...  Everything is gonna be fine!

Awaken Love

Well, here we are!  Last week's song is finally ready! (apologies for the lateness, I was super busy with an event for the awesome Vinnie MacDonald.)  Did I mention that Lion & I are also about to release a new album???  Very excited!!

What Does God require of Us?

If only we could work out what God wants from us, and then give it to Him, life would be so much simpler, right???  Well, it is simple! In the Gospels, Jesus tells us that Love is what God requires of us.  He sums up all of the law in love: 'love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength, and with all your mind.  And love your neighbour as yourself" Luke 10:27. Simple, but still a pretty tough call all the same!

It takes God to love God

A Wise Man once told me "it takes God to love God".  This reminds me that I desperately need the love of God inside me before I can even begin to really understand what it means to love God or others.  It's like His love opens us up to be able to love.  1 John 4:19 puts it nicely:

we love because He first loved us

Awaken Love

The cool thing is that when we start to really meditate on what God's love is  - how high and how wide and how deep it is - it starts to change the way we love.  And did you know we can literally ask God to come and Stir Up and Awkane Love in us???  It's one of His favourite things to do! And it also means we are then equipped to give Him exactly what he wants!  Ask Him today, and see what he does!

This Is What My Heart Is For

This weeks song comes from a free worship time a few years ago.

I think as humans living in this world, our hearts get so mis-used and mis-understood. We know we were made for love, but we confuse love as just romance, or as something we earn, or something we might be lucky enough to experience one day. But in fact, our hearts were made for Him! For real love. For love that is eternal and is busting down the doors of sin just to gain access. This is what my heart is for...
 

Rise (Ps 139)

This weeks song is coming to you courtesy of the new Lion & I album "Send Your Glory". It's due out sooooooon!!!

I recorded a spontaneous song based on Psalm 139 back in July this year (check it out here), and it has since been remixed as part of the new Lion & I album!

See what you think!

In the presence of my enemies

"the lord is my shepherd, I shall not want...."

Most people would probably be able to quote at least some lines from Psalm 23.  Type 'Psalm' in google and the first suggestion is 'Psalm 23'.  It's one of those Psalms that has been meaningful to thousands throughout the ages.  It's a classic!

Peace in the midst of a Battlefield

I've read the lines countless times and taken comfort from their poetic truth (well, mostly. Let's just skip over the period where, as a child, I was convinced the writer was anti-God because he was proclaiming that he didn't want the Lord as his shepherd... oh the subtleties of 17th Century English!).  But lets read verse 5 again:

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies

It sounds like a lovely idea.  That in the middle of troubled times, the Lord invites you into His presence to spend time with Him.  But think again.   What He's also saying is that your enemy is going to be there watching you.  How many of you like to go on a romanctic date while knowing that someone who is trying to kill you is going to be there watching you???  It's a very odd, and yet strangely powerful picture. 

He says "come and dine with me"

But when you think about it, it's actually the ultimate insult to the enemy!  That you would rather sit down and eat with Jesus than engage in battles and distractions.  It's sheer brilliance, and I get the feeling that God delights in this!  But it does put us in a tricky position.  One where we have to be willing to capture our fears and crazy thought and make them subject to our choice to go to Him.  Not just when the battle is over, but right in the middle of it! It's where victory lies!

So remember - right in the middle of your fight today, the Lord is making a place where He wants to invite you to come and focus on only Him. Will you enter in....