Song profiles

(See 2 Corinthians 4:16-18, Job 23:12, Jeremiah 4:4, Psalms 119:13, Ezekiel 1)

Chorus:
All I have is all I need
When all I need is You, Lord
What I don’t have I don’t really miss
When all I have is You

Verse 1:
All I see is Your beauty
When I put on Love’s glasses
This world grows dim
Yet Your glory brighter
When all I see is You

Verse 2:
All I hear are sounds so pleasing
When I listen closely for You, my Lord
Some voices bring out fear
Yet it all becomes clear
When all I hear is You

Verse 3:
All I taste is satisfying
When I consume Your Word
To my mouth Your words are
Sweeter than honey
When all I taste is You

Verse 4:
All I touch goes ever deeper
When I am deeply touched by You, Lord
My heart gets grooved by life
Yet goes smooth again
When all I touch is You

Lyrics and music copyright (c) 2014 Thomas J. Brough. All rights reserved.

(See Romans 8:28, Psalm 23, 1 Thessalonians 5:24)

I wrote this song the day I found out my wife wanted a divorce. We have long held differences with our beliefs regarding spirituality and Christianity.

I knew this day might come, ever since the day I professed my belief in Christianity and left Mormonism. This song was, I believe, one of the Lord’s tenderest of mercies that he bestows on us when we might least expect it.

I asked, and still ask the Lord to please bless that day, even though that day brought with it a lot of pain. I know that He can bring fortune out of misfortune, strength out of weakness, appreciation out of loss. He has a work to do in us, and will accomplish it through us if we have willing hearts.

This was written for my kids, for whom I had thought would never have to be exposed to something like this. I still have full faith, hope, and trust in God that he will bring something good out of that dark day.

Verse 1:
Bless this day
Guard my way, Lord
It’s not going the way I’d planned
But I give it up to You

Verse 2:
Give them faith
Just my faith, Lord
To face all this hurt and pain
Though I put my trust in You (and You alone)

Chorus:
Give them love
Give me love, Lord
For those who don’t understand
They (just) don’t understand

Verse 3:
Give them joy
Let me pass along His joy
Lord, you’ve given me
And peace that passes understanding

Verse 4:
Give them grace
Show Your grace, Lord
That same grace You give to me
It’s my daily bread

Lyrics and music copyright (c) 2014 Thomas J. Brough. All rights reserved.

Cleft in the rock known as High Place High Place lies below Towan Head and is the only land within square Sw8063. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

(See 1 Corinthians 10:1-4, 1 Peter 2:4-5, 7-8, Exodus 17:5-6, Exodus 33:22-23)

Moses was bold enough to come before the Lord and ask “please, show me your glory”.  And the Lord, choosing to be gracious to Moses in this case, instructed Moses to stand on the rock, and specifically in the cleft of the rock, so that Moses could only see the Lord pass by, and not be killed by having seen the Lord’s face directly.

The cleft of the rock is a place where God holds us with His hand. I believe there is no accident that it is referred to as a rock, since He sent His Son to be our mediator and our intercessor to God.  This Jesus was the Rock rejected by the builders but is now the Chief Cornerstone.  Only this Rock can hold us, only this Rock can lift us up, and only this Rock can shield and protect us in His strong tower of stone.

By continually seeking Him and His will for us, Jesus (on behalf of the Father) transforms us from rough stone shards into smooth, living stones through the outpouring of His Living Water.

Chorus:
Hold me in
In the cleft of The Rock
In that place of broken-ness
Where my soul waits in stillness
For You

Verse 1:
Set apart from the world
Guarded by this, Your fortress of stone
Hidden in this, Your strong tower
Let Living Water pour onto living stones
Let Living Water pour onto living stones

Verse 2:
Shield me from arrows
Keep me from passions and pulls
Safe with You here in the cleft of the Rock
Let Living Water wash over living stones
Let Living Water wash over living stones

Bridge:
Turn, turn over this rough stone and pour
Pour Your love all over me
Fill, fill me with Your living water
So never, ever will I thirst again

Verse 3:
A lone dry shard without You
Now You hold my life in Your hands
Let Your love, Your love flow all through me
Let Living Water smooth into living stones
Let Living Water smooth into living stones

Post-bridge:
Pour Your love
Pour Your love
Thank You for all Your love, Lord
You wash all over us

Lyrics and music copyright (c) 2013 Thomas J. Brough. All rights reserved.

English: An etching by Jan Luyken illustrating Luke 15:8-10 in the Bowyer Bible, Bolton, England. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

(See Luke 15:3-7, Luke 15:8-10, Luke 15:11-32, 1 Thessalonians 2:19-20, Ezekiel 18:31-32)

We’ve all had times in our lives when we may feel like we are in the “lost and found” pile of humanity. We might feel like we don’t measure up, or we may worry that what we’ve done may be simply beyond repair. We can’t see how we will ever get back into the good graces of God or ever make up the damage to those with whom we’ve offended. Yet, God’s hand of grace is ever-extended as He is ever-mindful and His love is ever-lasting.

Luke 15 details three parables of things that are lost and things that are found and it’s kind of interesting thing when you read them together. It’s just that they come together in a triptych as it were. I believe that may be purposeful, since by seeing them all at once we look at the issue from different perspectives (ours and God’s). These parables talk about losing things that men are looking for, but also show what God is looking for in the “lost” portion of his children.

Comparison is made between the heart of God versus the heart of man, which is always instructive. “For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies,” says the Lord God. “Therefore turn and live!” His atonement placed everything within His reach, His atonement spans and covers it all. He has already done the work of overcoming the world.

Our part is simply to believe that Christ could (and did) atone for us. That nothing we have done is too great for Him to forgive. If we truly believe that, we can once again boldly approach the throne of God in confidence that we are restored through faith in His redeeming blood.

Verse 1:
If you feel lost
You can be found
Reach out your hand
He’s ready to claim you

Verse 2:
Some things are lost
And need not be found
Reach out to Him
He is holding out open arms

Chorus:
You’ve been far from home
Don’t you believe He (still) waits?
Worried you won’t belong?
Just give His love a chance

Verse 3:
He is faithful
He is able
To bring us home
He will bring us home

Bridge:
He will find
Find the lost
He will carry
Carry us home

Lyrics and music copyright (c) 2013 Thomas J. Brough. All rights reserved.