The bones are rising in the valley
The wind of the Spirit’s drawing near
Like a flood He is raising up a standard
That sweeps away every doubt and fear
An army’s rising in the desert
A broken people devoted to His name
At their head rides the Lord of all salvation
For since they met Him they have never been the same
Their songs of battle rises to the heavens
And all the world is shaken by the noise
The gates of hell begin to crack and crumble
And the hosts of heaven marvel and rejoice
Listen closely ye soldiers of the valley
Overcomers in the name of Christ the Lord
We are marching onwards unto glory
Behind the one who ever wields the sword
So march on my brothers and my sisters
And stand now for all the world to see
In lockstep we shall ever stand together
We are marching right on to victory
For we know the outcome of the battle
And we know what surely lies ahead
For we, the army of the risen
Once lay broken, battered cold and dead
Now we are the dry bones risen
To the heights of heaven we have scaled
The breath of life came down into the valley
He breathed out life and His soldiers all inhaled.
I thank you Lord for broken chains
I thank you Lord that our God reigns
In heaven above and the earth below
You came that all the world might know
That heaven’s gates are opened wide
And flowing waters run deep inside
And I am redeemed and forever set free
And before your throne I’ll forever be
The Lamb of God rises in my heart
The Blood of the Lamb covers every part
Of who I am and forever shall be
The Lion roars and I am free
I run to you my Lord and King
Once had no voice but now I sing
Like a bird that rises on the eternal breeze
To the one who loves and forever frees
I thank you Lord for your holiness
I thank you Lord when I’m in distress
That you are there like you said you would
And in the depths of me I am understood
The Lamb of God rises in my heart
The Blood of the Lamb covers every part
Of who I am and forever shall be
The Lion roars and I am free
The Lion roars and I am free
The lion roars and I am free
When we learn to embrace death, the death of everything we have ever known, the death to this life and all its many lovers, death to self, death to others, then we become ruined for this life. Its a double edged sword, for to touch the hem of his garment is to feel His power flow through us, to come before His throne, to bask in His majesty, yet it renders the things of the world to its proper place, all secondary at best. The former things of life loses all its color and becomes a black and white ghost that can never regain its life again. We see the Lord and His handiwork though. We see the birds flying and we know that it is Him that is the wind beneath their wings. We see the night sky and know that every single star is but an ornament in a vast canvas that His hand has painted meticulously. We witness the vastness of the ocean but know in our heart it is but a single tear from the eyes of our God who is vast beyond our minds ability to grasp. Yet we also know that this vast God of ours has made Himself known to us in such an intimate way that somehow His vastness has managed to fully fill our hearts. How can something so overwhelmingly vast, come and knock at the door of my heart and whisper in my ear in such a still small voice that He loves me? How can the hand that holds everything that exists, also hold a sparrow that has fallen? How can His heart that renders the sun to a mere spark beat for me? In my head it is all beyond even my imagination yet in my spirit I “know,” and not even know what it means to be known. One day when I pierce the veil of this life I will know as I am known. One day, and it is the knowledge of this one day that allows me to embrace the death of everything, for beyond this death lies a vast eternity of a life I have only ever glimpsed. That one day will not only be as a thousand years but will stretch on into what we know as eternity. We will simply “be,” in Him and it will never end.
You may feel very lonely saint, but you are not alone
There is one who walks with you and sits upon His throne
You may feel very tired, this old world has got you down
But the one who dwells within your heart will always be around
You may be troubled on every side but know you will survive
For remember you were dead in sin but now you alive
The light that dwells within you is the light from up above
He breathed into your very lungs and filled your heart with love
You may have battled with despair but joy comes in the morning
The darkness tries to lie to you and fill your heart with mourning
Yet deep within your very heart sits the one upon His throne
And then when all seems lost to you, you’ll find your not alone
He is our very present help in the times we are in need
For the one for whom the Son sets free is surely free indeed
Free to call upon His name in the darkness or in the light
He’s with us through deep waters and He guides us through the night
So precious saint consider this, consider His great love
Consider He came down to us from the glories of above
He loves you so He died for you He’ll never leave you alone
He forever intercedes for you before His Father’s throne
Though the fig tree shall not blossom
And no fruit hangs from the trees
Nor field’s of wheat for harvest
Nor fish found in the seas
I shall rejoice in the Lord my God
He is the God of my salvation
He makes me strong when I am weak
And is a light to every nation
He takes me up to higher ground
And sets my spirit free
To dance and sing and praise His name
And to come on bended knee
Even in the midst of judgement
He shall not forget His mercy
And His glory will cover all the world
And He is water to the thirsty
He is freedom to the ones in chains
He is food to those who hunger
And to those who are so very weak
The Lord is so much stronger
He is your strength to carry on
He is your strong high tower
He has filled you with His Holy Ghost
And so endued you with His power
So glorify the Living God
For His mercy endures forever
He is strong when you are weak
And has the power to deliver
Walk on dear saint you’re not alone
For your God He sits upon His throne
Night and day He never sleeps
He is the comforter to all who weeps
So in the midst of darkness stand in light
Walk in the day for comes the night
When the enemy roars in like a mighty flood
We shall not drown who are covered by His Blood
Dear Father Lord, be still my soul today
Please fill me with your grace, as I walk along the way
For each new day, I arise with the morning light
And renew my strength and gird my loins to aid me in the fight
Be still my soul that I may hear my beating heart
And know with every beat, of whom I am a part
I in You and You in me, this stone shall find its place
As you build your Holy Temple and we gaze upon your face
Be still my soul and know just who you serve
Your grace it grants me favor, and not what I deserve
For when you found me Lord, I was surely dead in sin
And then you cried ” come forth my son,” and there was life within
Be still my soul and rest in pastures green
Our Lord has gone before us, to a place no eye has seen
Now rest beside still waters, then rise with each new day
Trust not thy understanding, then He will lead the way
Be still my soul come lay your burden down
Be patient in thy sufferings, and you shall wear a crown
Glory in your tribulations, for they will teach you how
To humble yourself in the sight of the Lord, to bend the knee and bow
Be still my soul then you shall hear His voice
So even in the depths,your heart shall still rejoice
And when the roll is called up yonder and the days they are no more
We shall sing the glories of the Lord on that golden distant shore
I wrote a poem called ” I asked for a rose,” which a sister in the Lord later put to music. I have included it at the end of this piece. I wrote it at a time when I was very discouraged. I was in the midst of several major challenges in my life, one of those times where troubles and trials seem to come one after another. One time when I was swimming in the ocean, I was heading towards a large inflatable raft that was moored about 25 yards from the shoreline. I caught a wave right in the face, and when I came up for breath I caught another one at the exact moment I was trying to catch a breath, this happened three times and I thought for a moment that I would drown. This was what this period in my life was like, one trial after another hitting me in the face. There was no recovery period and it felt like I was being swept away and would go under.
For years now I have walked and prayed every day. As I was walking I was crying out to the Lord that I just wanted some peace. I wanted to lie down in pastures green, I wanted, no I longed to be in a place of rest and tranquility. I had shared for years that such a place could be found in the very depths of the valley and believe that with all of my heart, but this day was a very low day and I could find no peace and I longed for some encouragement from the Lord. I walked on and a story came to my mind. It was a story that I had used many times when sharing with others personally and from the platform. It was a true story about a man who went to the supermarket every week to buy his wife a single rose because he loved her. One week he went in and picked a rose and headed to the checkout to pay for it. He saw an older women standing there and the Holy Spirit spoke to him, the Lord simply said ” give the woman your rose.” That was all he heard, no explanation.
This was a man of God who loved the Lord with all of his heart but he struggled at this request. He was fearful which seemed silly but he was. He wondered what the woman would think of him. Even although she was much older, would she thing he was trying to hit on her? Most of all the man just feared that she would think he was a weirdo. Yet, the command persisted, give the lady the rose. So, he took a deep breath, walked over and said to the woman ” I know you are going to think this is strange, but the Lord has asked me to give you this rose.” He held out the rose and with a trembling hand she slowly took it but not before large tears drops began to roll down her cheek. She tried to compose herself, her lower lip trembling, she told the man. “My husband died six months ago and this morning I was overwhelmed with Loss and loneliness. I cried out to God and asked Him if He had forgotten men. And now you have handed me this rose. You see, my husband used to buy me a rose every week, the Lord has answered my prayers, now I know He has not forgotten me.” The man was stunned.
As I walked, pondering this story, feeling very discouraged, I cried out to the Lord that I would “like a rose,” meaning that I would like to be encouraged like that. About an hour later I received a call. It was from a dear old friend and saint whom I had not heard from in a few years. She was a lot older than me, been on the road for a long time and very sensitive to the Lord. She told me that the Lord had laid me upon her heart and she spent the next thirty minutes telling me how much I ministered to her over the years and so on. I was deeply encouraged by her words but more than that, I knew that this was the Lord Himself responding to me, encouraging me. I had asked for a rose and He had given me a garden, hence the name of the poem. Maybe you are deeply discouraged today. The trials of life have stacked up against you, you just long for a place of peace. You long to be found in the depths of Him. You simply need a touch from Him. Perhaps in the reading of this piece the Lord is answering your prayers, reminding you that He has not forgotten about you and that He loves you deeply and cares for you. Ask for your rose this morning and then walk in the depths of His glorious garden as you listen to this song.
Lord of sky and sea (sung to the tune of Highland Cathedral)
Heavenly Father Lord of sky and sea
Forever you shall reign throughout eternity
The skies may fall and the seas run dry
We who are yours, we shall never die
Omnipotent Father, Love that knows no end
You are our Master, Saviour Lord and friend
We bow before you and we raise our hands
Your throne in heaven it forever stands
We magnify our glorious King
Listen closely hear the angels sing
Of who you are and you’ll ever be
And now we are forever free
Chorus
Now I shout it from the mountains high
I belong to you this is my hearts cry
Let no one ever doubt your sovereignty
I am yours for all eternity
When my wife and I were 17, we had a son called Stephen. It is amazing how much effect he has had upon my life although he only lived for two days. Every life is precious. Our son was only six months in the womb and weighed only two pounds, he fought for every breath, he fought for life. Even after the machines were switched off, he still fought. Yet in some other darkened ward, a child just like ours life was being snuffed out. God sees it all and weeps for the lost generations of children.
Stephen
When I was very young
A star fell from the sky
How could something beautiful
Falter and then die
The light of life shone brightly
In the struggle and the pain
And though the light it soon was gone
I’ll see that light again
Only six months in the womb
He fought for every breath
After two days here among us
His life gave way to death
Yet that star that fell from heaven
That star that shone so bright
Left his mark on me forever
Like the stars that shine at night
So Stephen, Daddy loves you
And no matter where I roam
The day is near upon us
When I’ll be coming home
Then I’ll be with you in the night sky
Perhaps I’ll sit you on my knee
When I join you in the light of Christ
Where we shall ever be.
I was born under an angry sky
At the edge of the world in darkness
A place where the rain never ceased to fall
And boys grew up to be heartless
Tears were banished right from the start
And the foundations of the walls that surrounded our heart
Were laid deep in our souls and minds every day
It was a well-worn path and there was no other way
And the wind blew hard upon the window pane
There was never-ending darkness and never-ending rain
And the hearts of the boys grew dark in the night
Only in your dreams could you run and take flight
Still the morning would come and darkness remained
Look out of the window and it continually rained
Every blow to the heart another brick in the wall
The more you laid bare the more it grew tall
The land of broken hearts is full of high towers
Tis a black and white land ruled by darkened powers
Towers of lost tears and towers of pain
Tis full of dark clouds and continual rain
Yet there were some who spoke of a world of light
Where tears could fall and no continual night
This world had a King who had come to this land
They put nails in His feet and nails in His hand
The powers of darkness screamed in delight
As they pierced His side, this King of the Light
He had come to replace the hearts that were broken
With power and love in every word He had spoken
So they nailed the Word to the cross that day
Then they took Him down and in the cave He would lay
And they rolled a stone just to shut Him in
And the darkness fell and rejoiced in its sin
And the brokenhearted wept for their King
He had taught them to pray and taught them to sing
Yet the rain and the darkness seemed to prevail
By the power of the sword and the power of the nail
Then out through the darkness broke forth a great light
The rolled away stone revealed a glorious sight
The grave could not hold Him and death was defeated
Look up to the throne and see where He’s seated
Our King was victorious, the chains they were broken
Those asleep in the darkness were gloriously awoken
In victory He arose and He broke deaths spell
In the land of broken hearts the towers fell
The captives came forth their hearts were renewed
And the powers of darkness were finally subdued
No longer prisoners of the darkness and pain
Their tears were recovered and they fell like rain
Wind of the Spirit play the strings of my heart
Discover who I am, each and every part
I stand before you my heavenly King
You look at me and see everything
Nothing hidden, no secrets just you and me
With eyes ablaze that can truly see
Your Blood and your love they cover my sin
And with coals of fire I am cleansed from within
There is fire in your Blood that flows from the cross
And love from above that’s more than all loss
My thoughts of these things are so very few
When I consider that now I am found in you
The strings of my heart play a glorious song
As I am swept up in a heavenly throng
The hand of My God plays a sweet melody
My heart’s in Your hand and forever shall be.
Lay me down in a troubled land
I shall ever rest in the palm of your hand
My soul is refreshed by the waters of your Life
You are the Husband and the Body is your wife
I shall shout for joy from the depths of my soul
For I was broken and you made me whole
You lifted me up when I was down
It’s in Your love that I now abound
I have never hungered in a famined land
Even when I fall you make me stand
Your Living waters refresh my soul
You have replaced what my enemy stole
My leaf has not withered even in the drought
And from the mountain-tops you shall hear me shout
Glory hallelujah to the King of all the nations
I stand here not on sand but on your firm foundation
I have known your favor and Your grace rescues me
I an surrounded on every side like the deepest sea
The radiance of your beauty lights up my whole world
And Your banner over me is simply love unfurled
When the rainbow bursts into a thousand pieces
And showers down into my heart
And my soul lights up with the colors of heaven
And shines out boldly into the dark
When life and all its ways flood in
And the perpetual winter is here to stay
And spring is just some distant dream
We cannot rise but fall and pray
We know there’s a bright and morning star
That rises through the depths of winters loss
And the Balm of Gideon soothes our pain
Yet we know we shall never be the same again
And twilight echoes in the sky above
Cascading down in a shower of love
And the memories fade but linger yet
Like the setting of a sun that will never truly set.
It was one heart that formed the mountains
It was one heart that tamed the mighty seas
It was one heart that raised me back to life
Twas this one heart I found upon my knees
And with this one heart I am saved forever
And this one heart has opened up the door
This one heart laid the foundations of the world
And in this one heart I will dwell forever more
It was one heart that carved out the valleys
It was one heart that planted all the trees
It was one heart that formed the little babies
Twas this one heart I found upon my knees
And with this one heart I was born again forever
And this one heart will take me gently ore
This one heart created all the heavens
And in this one heart I will dwell forever more
This one heart belongs to God the Father
And the Blood flowed from Jesus Christ His Son
And by the power of the blessed Holy Spirit
We shall all stand together here as one
One heart, one soul, one mind, one Body
One purpose in everything we do
It is this one heart that holds it all together
And it is this one heart that will see us through
