Consider the Ravens March 11, 2009

Elijah Fed by Ravens

Elijah Fed By Ravens

Now Elijah, who was from Tishbe in Gilead, told King Ahab, “As surely as the Lord, the God of Israel, lives—the God I serve—there will be no dew or rain during the next few years until I give the word!”

Then the Lord said to Elijah, “Go to the east and hide by Kerith Brook, near where it enters the Jordan River. Drink from the brook and eat what the ravens bring you, for I have commanded them to bring you food.”

So Elijah did as the Lord told him and camped beside Kerith Brook, east of the Jordan. The ravens brought him bread and meat each morning and evening, and he drank from the brook. But after a while the brook dried up, for there was no rainfall anywhere in the land.
Then the Lord said to Elijah, “Go and live in the village of Zarephath, near the city of Sidon. I have instructed a widow there to feed you.” So he went to Zarephath … 1 Kings 17:1-10a (NLT)

This is an amazing little story and a concept I want to apply for my life. Elijah did what GOD said. GOD told him to go and he went. Just as Abram did before he became Abraham. GOD said go to this place that I will, not right now, but I will show you. Just go. He went. Elijah was instructed by GOD to eat food that unclean animals brought and he did. So click play on the clip below and read the lyrics as you … Consider the Ravens (click play to listen and read the lyrics below)

Consider The Ravens

I’ve got bills to pay
Taxman on my tail
Just keep prayin’ that
the check’s in the mail

There are times it seems
when everything’s lost
and I’m moaning, I’m tossed
and I see..

between the river and the ravens I’m fed
between oblivion and the blazes I’m led
So father give me faith, providence and grace
Between the river and ravens I’m fed
Sweet deliver, oh you lift up my head
and lead me in your way

I’ve grown sick and tired
of trying to stand still
I’ve learned to let the wind
pull me where it will

Throw myself into
the will of the wait
I can never be great
’til we’re free

between the river and the ravens I’m fed
between oblivion and the blazes I’m led
So father give me faith, providence and grace
Between the river and ravens I’m fed
Sweet deliver, oh you lift up my head
and lead me in your way

Although I’m walking through
the valley of the shadow of death
evils all around
It’s coming from the right and the left

Trust that I will see
the glory above
Oh, your banner of love
flies over me

between the river and the ravens I’m fed
between oblivion and the blazes I’m led
So father give me faith, providence and grace
Between the river and ravens I’m fed
Sweet deliver, oh you lift up my head
and lead me in your way

lyrics by Dustin Kensrue

Don’t just consider the ravens, consider visiting Dustin Kensrue’s website and getting his music for yourself.

http://www.dustinkensrue.com/
http://www.myspace.com/dustinkensrue

Moving Mountains October 11, 2008

If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing. 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 (NLT)

So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. Matthew 17:20 (NKJV)

listen here and read the lyrics below …

Moving Mountains

by Thrice

I speak in many tongues of many men

Argue with angels and they always win

But I don’t know the first thing about love

I prophesize and know all mystery

All living things are opened up to me

But I don’t know the first thing about love

Know the first thing about love

I have the keys to open many doors

Give all my possessions to the poor

But I don’t know the first thing about love

I’m moving mountains and have faith in me

Have faith enough to caste them to the sea

But I don’t know the first thing about love

I don’t know the first thing about love

all other things shall fade away

Love stands alone and still holds sway

all other things shall fade away

Into the ground into the grave

I give my body up into the flames

And never once did I deny your name

But I don’t know the first thing about love

I don’t know the first thing about love

by Thrice (Dustin Kensrue)

Come All You Weary

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. JESUS from Matthew 11:28-29 (NKJV)

Weary

Come all you weary with your heavy loads
Lay down your burdens find rest for your souls
Cause my yoke is easy and my burden is kind
I’ll take yours upon me and you can take mine
Come all you weary move through the earth
Surrounded by rest stones and kicked out of church
A couple of loaves sit down at my feet
Lend me your ears and break bread with me

Come all you weary
Come gather round near me
Find rest for your souls
(By the rest stones)

Come all you weary, crippled you lay
I’ll help you along you can lay down your canes
We’ve got a long way to go but we’ll travel as friends
The lights growing bright further on towards the end

by Thrice (Dustin Kensrue)

Please Come Home August 4, 2008

The Lost Son

The Story of the Lost Son

^11-12Then he said, “There was once a man who had two sons. The younger said to his father, ‘Father, I want right now what’s coming to me.’

^12-16“So the father divided the property between them. It wasn’t long before the younger son packed his bags and left for a distant country. There, undisciplined and dissipated, he wasted everything he had. After he had gone through all his money, there was a bad famine all through that country and he began to hurt. He signed on with a citizen there who assigned him to his fields to slop the pigs. He was so hungry he would have eaten the corncobs in the pig slop, but no one would give him any.

^17-20“That brought him to his senses. He said, ‘All those farmhands working for my father sit down to three meals a day, and here I am starving to death. I’m going back to my father. I’ll say to him, Father, I’ve sinned against God, I’ve sinned before you; I don’t deserve to be called your son. Take me on as a hired hand.’ He got right up and went home to his father.

^20-21“When he was still a long way off, his father saw him. His heart pounding, he ran out, embraced him, and kissed him. The son started his speech: ‘Father, I’ve sinned against God, I’ve sinned before you; I don’t deserve to be called your son ever again.’

^22-24“But the father wasn’t listening. He was calling to the servants, ‘Quick. Bring a clean set of clothes and dress him. Put the family ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Then get a grain-fed heifer and roast it. We’re going to feast! We’re going to have a wonderful time! My son is here—given up for dead and now alive! Given up for lost and now found!’ And they began to have a wonderful time.

^25-27“All this time his older son was out in the field. When the day’s work was done he came in. As he approached the house, he heard the music and dancing. Calling over one of the houseboys, he asked what was going on. He told him, ‘Your brother came home. Your father has ordered a feast—barbecued beef!—because he has him home safe and sound.’

^28-30“The older brother stalked off in an angry sulk and refused to join in. His father came out and tried to talk to him, but he wouldn’t listen. The son said, ‘Look how many years I’ve stayed here serving you, never giving you one moment of grief, but have you ever thrown a party for me and my friends? Then this son of yours who has thrown away your money on whores shows up and you go all out with a feast!’

^31-32“His father said, ‘Son, you don’t understand. You’re with me all the time, and everything that is mine is yours—but this is a wonderful time, and we had to celebrate. This brother of yours was dead, and he’s alive! He was lost, and he’s found!'” Luke 15:11-32 (The Message)

At the bottom is a YouTube player so you can hear the song as you read this. Do it … it’s fun.

Please Come Home

Prodigal Son

Well I woke one morning, found you staring down at me, you said “I’ll take my share now, father please”, and you took your money, and you took your leave, you drilled my heart and turned your back on me…

And you hit the town,
and you hit the bottle hard,
you race ’round in your fancy cars and you blow all your money,
on brothels, beds, and bars,
before you know your broken times get hard…

I still stand here waiting,
with my eyes fixed on the road,
and I fight back tears and I wonder,
if you’re ever coming home,
don’t you know son that I love you,
and I don’t care where you’ve been,
so please come home.

And now you’ve hit bottom,
all those open doors have shut,
and you’re hungry stomach’s tied in knots,
but I know what you’re thinking,
that you troubled me enough,
nothing could ever separate you from my love…

I still stand here waiting,
with my eyes fixed on the road,
and I fight back tears and I wonder,
if you’re ever coming home,
don’t you know son that I love you,
and I don’t care where you’ve been,
yes and i’ll be right here waiting,
’til you come around the bend,
and I run to you and hold you close,
won’t let go again,
so please come home,
please come home…

Don’t you know son that I love you?
And I don’t care where you’ve been,
so please come home

lyrics by
Dustin Kensrue