Not that song!

“Not that Song”

I was playing a show the other day at an assisted living place in Stevens Point and just as I had started playing "Somewhere over the Rainbow", I sensed the Lord tell me, "not this song now, play something else." "But I've already started it" I thought. “Just stop and play another.” "Ok."

So I did. I just stopped playing and made some comment about not practicing that song (as if I had to). Then I started playing a song I wrote based out of Psalm 139 and started talking about the Lord and his love for us.

I told them, “Did you know that in Psalm 139 it says that the Lord thinks about us more than there is sand on the seashore? He sure must love us a great deal to think so much of us.”

As I was singing the chorus, "And when I think of your great love, it moves me, it moves me..." In walks a group of kids. They had come to spend some time with the folks there that day. After the song I started sharing about a song that had been on my heart all week. In fact I had been singing as I woke that morning. "If there's such thing as too beautiful, if there's such thing as too wonderful, if there's such thing as too marvelous, Jesus it's you, Jesus it's you!"

This idea really excites and encourages me - that Jesus is so far more beautiful, wonderful and marvelous than we could possibly imagine, there is so much more to Jesus - he is our endless treasure. There is a journey to better and brighter things as we grow in love with him and deeper in relationship to God.

So I was sharing some of these thoughts and all the while, these kids were in the back listening. Then I realized that this was why Jesus had me stop playing "Somewhere over the Rainbow" to a song and message that would bring life. Pretty awesome!

I found out later that my wife had been praying for me earlier that day that God would lead me song by song.

thanks for listening,

Daniel Lovett

Alice in Wonderland - Looking past the looking glass

Catherine and I finally got around to seeing that new version of Alice in Wonderland and we loved it! I am so glad that the writers and directors of this film shared such a positive message. It was a wonderful reminder to us all to have courage and faith to face your life.

I loved the bit about the sword. It reminded me about the reference in the Bible regarding the “sword of the Spirit”, which is the word of God. Alice was told, “the sword knows what to do. All you need to do is hold on to it.” How true that is in the battle we all fight against our own jaberwokis (be it a sin, failure, depression, etc….)  So hang on to the word of God! It knows what to do!

In my humble opinion, Alice in Wonderland was a cinematic masterpiece and redeemed all the past renditions, animated or otherwise.

So, I’ve been working on a song called “Looking Past the Looking Glass”. My little girl Ellie loves it when I sing it to her:

Looking Past the Looking Glass

Beauty’s what you are, Deep within your heart

It’s simply not what everybody sees

More than just a pretty face,

It’s found in faith and inner grace

For beauty runs far more than surface deep

I am looking past the looking glass

To see you smiling over me

My Creator, my Redeemer,

You look to the heart of me

So Jesus take me as I am,

I’m reaching out for your hand

I’m looking past the looking glass to you

Daily you will grow, one way or another

Closer to or farther from the truth

Under the watching eyes, of a love that fills the skies

Just know your every choice is making you

Thanks for listening,

Daniel

Ps. Have you lost your muchness?

www.reflectworship.com

Gospel of John Update

Thanks to all who responded and took action to my previous post:

Important Ministry Update (<- click to read)

In that post I told of how I was in need of some help supplying large print Gospels of John for my ministry to nursing homes. 

It was amazing how over the next month or two, boxes of Gospels of John would show up at my door just when I needed them. For instance; at one concert I handed out all the remaining Gospel of Johns that I had to whoever wanted one (& I had exactly enough!). Then I came home to find a box of Gospels on my doorstep. How amazing is that?  

At each of my concerts I usually share some highlights from John. It has blessed me so much to 'hang out' in this Gospel for as long as I have now. I will continue to dwell on it and share from it as long as the Lord allows me to. It is so packed with depth and meaning and life, etc... it would take a lifetime to explore. But I always try to remember that the Bible isn't the thing, Jesus is. The Bible just introduces him. Getting to know him, love him and follow him is the point - not become an expert on all things biblical.

Today I had yet another insight from this amazing Gospel. Jesus said, "I am the bread of life."  Jesus said this during a conversation he was having with some Jews right after he had fed the 5,000. I was meditating on this while munching on some leftover bagels from church on Sunday. (Please take a moment and read for yourself what Jesus has to say in John 6.)

(thanks for taking a moment to read what God wrote, now on to my ramblings...)

As I thought about that passage I was remembering reading the story about the manna in Exodus 16.

 I kind of think of 'manna' (and this relates to Jesus too) like the lembas bread that the elves gave the hobbits. Super nutritous, packed with all you need, and best of all, it's yummy! (described as tasting like honey).

(Click if you care to read up on Lembas bread - amazing stuff that! fascinating read too as parallels are made to the Eucharist - which also happens to be a topic in John 6)

The differences I see between Lembas and Manna, however, is that Lembas bread stays fresh for months! Manna (and Jesus) is described as "daily bread". It is only good for a day (except on the Sabbath) and must be gathered and prepared for each new day (except on the Sabbath - see Exodus 16 to read all about it).

At any rate, the important thing about this whole discussion comes with this application:

Did you eat today? 

If you would like to continue to help this ministry, you can go directly to BIBLICA.COM and order a box or two of Large Print Gospels of John and have them sent to this address: 

Adullam Vineyard Church

1234 Main Street

Green Bay, WI  54302.

Thanks for listening and for the support,

Daniel Lovett

www.reflectworship.com

ps. I got some feedback from one man who reads his Gospel of John every night. He says it helps him to sleep better. =0)
Please help make a difference in someone's life by buying a box of Gospels for this ministry

Scripture quotations from the New International Version (NIV)Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica

You See Me - Song of the Week

SONG OF THE WEEK:

"You See Me"

This first, "Song of the Week", is the opening track of not only our Reflect Worship Sampler, but also it is the opening track of our soon to be released album: "I Will Bring You Peace".

The message of this song is that God sees you, God knows all about you,  and God cares. It is based on something Jesus says in Matthew:

Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. (NIV Matthew 10:29-31)

This song dares to ask the hard questions, as many of the Psalms do, that we all at one time or another think regarding this invisible God who created us: "Do you see me? Do you love me?"

Jesus has shown us that indeed God does see us, and he cares for us far more deeply than we could ever know.

YOU SEE ME

Do you hear my prayers tonight?
Can you see the pain inside?
Will you say the things I long to hear?
Wrap your arms around me, calm my fears?

Do you see me? Do you love me?
Will you say that you’re proud of me?
Can you hear me? Will you show me?
That you’ll always be there for me…

I need to know you’re here

Questions I’m afraid to ask,
Like can you wipe away my past?
And if I fail again today,
Will you love me anyway?

Though the world around me’s fallin’
I will still believe
That if you can see the sparrow
Than you can still see me
You can still see me
You see me 

Download & enjoy the Reflect Worship Sampler and please help us by sending it on to a friend. Thank you! Check the Calendar at our website to find out where Daniel & Catherine will be playing in your area. (Contact us and invite us to play at your church!)

Daniel & Catherine Lovett

www.reflectworship.com 

from I Will Bring You Peace, track released 11 September 2010 
Catherine Lovett: lead vocal, piano 
Daniel Lovett: Guitar, vocal 
Esther Shier: vocal 
Jon Sergott: drums 
John Lightbody: bass 

Catherine and Daniel Lovett © 2005 Reflect Worship Music ASCAP 

Scripture is from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® 
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.