{"version":"https:\/\/jsonfeed.org\/version\/1","title":"Hymn Of Heaven by Phil Wickham","home_page_url":"https:\/\/www.wearethebridge.org\/blogs\/heaven\/","feed_url":"https:\/\/www.wearethebridge.org\/blogs\/heaven\/json","icon":"https:\/\/mmo.aiircdn.com\/614\/62c82406762ba.png","description":"Hymn Of Heaven, a 12 Day Devotional by Phil Wickham","items":[{"id":"o614-1282-62c85584bd729","url":"https:\/\/www.wearethebridge.org\/blogs\/heaven\/post\/day-12-heart-full-of-praise\/","title":"Day 12: Heart Full of Praise","date_published":"2022-08-12T04:00:00+00:00","summary":"The final song we look at today is \u201cHeart Full of Praise.\u201d I placed this song at the end of my record because it\u2019s where I hoped and prayed hearts would be by the time they arrived at this point.","content_html":"<h3>Day 12: Heart Full of Praise<br \/>\nPsalm 145<\/h3>\n\n<p>We&rsquo;ve come to the final day of this devotional series. Thank you so much for joining me as we&rsquo;ve unpacked some thoughts and scriptures behind these twelve songs. The final song we look at today is &ldquo;Heart Full of Praise.&rdquo; I placed this song at the end of my record because it&rsquo;s where I hoped and prayed hearts would be by the time they arrived at this point of the album&mdash;and it&rsquo;s where I hope you find your heart today as well: full of praise to the One who deserves; the One who rescues, calls, redeems, restores, and revives; the One who created all things and sits in the high and holy place, yet beside you as a friend today.<\/p>\n\n<p>So today I encourage you to read the following scripture and to be intentionally full of praise. Sing to Him a new song. Maybe even pull this song up wherever you listen to music, and let your worship overflow into your homes, cubicles, cars, and coffee shops. No matter where you find yourself today, He is worthy of it.<\/p>\n\n<p>&ldquo;I will exalt you, my God the King; I will praise your name for ever and ever. Every day I will praise you and extol your name for ever and ever. Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom. One generation commends your works to another; they tell of your mighty acts.<\/p>\n\n<p>They speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty&mdash;and I will meditate on your wonderful works. They tell of the power of your awesome works&mdash;and I will proclaim your great deeds. They celebrate your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your righteousness...My mouth will speak in praise of the Lord. Let every creature praise his holy name for ever and ever&rdquo; (Ps. 145:1-7, 21).<\/p>\n\n<p><em>The 12-day plan can be found here or on the YouVersion app.<\/em><\/p>\n\n<div style=\"left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%;\"><iframe src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Sqmf43Cdg0U?rel=0\" style=\"top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; border: 0;\" allowfullscreen scrolling=\"no\" allow=\"accelerometer *; clipboard-write *; encrypted-media *; gyroscope *; picture-in-picture *; web-share *;\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n\n<h2><img alt=\"\" height=\"54\" src=\"https:\/\/mmo.aiircdn.com\/614\/623def90255b1.png\" width=\"437\" \/><\/h2>\n\n<h3>Phil Wickham is...<\/h3>\n\n<p>Since his self-titled debut in 2006, Phil Wickham has emerged as a leader in the modern worship movement, penning countless songs sung in churches around the world. His RIAA Gold&reg;-certified single, &ldquo;This Is Amazing Grace,&rdquo; was his first career No. 1, holding the top spot for 13 consecutive weeks and named Billboard&rsquo;s No. 1 &ldquo;Christian Airplay Song of the Year&rdquo; in 2014 and BMI&rsquo;s &ldquo;Christian Song of the Year&rdquo; in 2015. His anthemic &ldquo;Living Hope,&rdquo; also RIAA Gold-certified, earned him a GMA Dove Award for &ldquo;Worship Recorded Song of the Year&rdquo; in 2019.<\/p>\n\n<p>His latest project, Hymn of Heaven (June 25, 2021, Fair Trade Services), was written during a year when the family of God couldn&rsquo;t physically gather in houses of worship around the world. &ldquo;Hymn of Heaven is full of praise and thankfulness, just lifting up the name of Jesus and speaking what we really know the reality is even though we don&rsquo;t see it,&rdquo; he says. &ldquo;All I want to do is facilitate moments where people can encounter the presence of God.&rdquo; The album&rsquo;s first single, &ldquo;Battle Belongs,&rdquo; had already topped five different radio charts for multiple weeks.<\/p>\n\n<p>Wickham&rsquo;s music has received hundreds of millions of streams across his catalog and platforms, with his discography including eight full-length projects, multiple Christmas releases, and a series of popular Singalong records that capture Wickham&rsquo;s songs doing what they were always meant to do&mdash;giving people language to sing to God. To find out more, visit <em><a href=\"https:\/\/philwickham.com\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>PhilWickham.com<\/strong><\/a><\/em><\/p>","image":"https:\/\/mmo.aiircdn.com\/614\/62c82406762ba.png","author":{"name":"Phil Wickham"},"_mobile_inapp_url":"https:\/\/www.wearethebridge.org\/_app_pages\/stations\/4335\/blogs\/posts\/62137"},{"id":"o614-1282-62c8550804b36","url":"https:\/\/www.wearethebridge.org\/blogs\/heaven\/post\/day-11-god-of-revival\/","title":"Day 11: God of Revival","date_published":"2022-08-11T04:00:00+00:00","summary":"I am so thankful that God does not give up on us. All throughout scripture, we see a God who seeks to restore, renew, redeem, rescue, resurrect.","content_html":"<h3>Day 11: God of Revival<br \/>\nPsalm 80:19 \/ Isaiah 57:15 \/ 2 Chronicles 7:14<\/h3>\n\n<p>I am so thankful that God does not give up on us. All throughout scripture, we see a God who seeks to restore, renew, redeem, rescue, resurrect&mdash;not doing away with His creation, but reviving it. In Isaiah 57, we see this heart on full display. He is a God who dwells in the &ldquo;high and holy place&rdquo; and yet also with those who are &ldquo;contrite and lowly,&rdquo; seeking to revive, heal, and strengthen them. From raising up an army of dry bones, to calling Lazarus from the grave, to the promise of a coming resurrection of the dead, Yahweh&rsquo;s heart is to revive; and He holds the power to do so.<\/p>\n\n<p>In 2 Chronicles 7, we are given instructions for our role in the process of reviving. We are to humble ourselves, pray, seek His face, and turn away from all that brings about death. In Psalm 80, we see one of these very prayers for revival. &ldquo;Restore us, O Lord God of hosts! Let your face shine, that we may be saved!&rdquo; (Ps. 80:19).<\/p>\n\n<p>What in your heart needs reviving? What in your relationships needs reviving? What in your city needs reviving? What in our world needs reviving? Know that your humble prayers to a mighty God do not go unheard and that he delights in responding to His children.<\/p>\n\n<p><strong>Here are few ways you can pray expectantly for revival:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p>1.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Take a prayer walk today around your city. Maybe call a friend or church member and spend some time interceding for the place you live.<\/p>\n\n<p>2.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Print out a list of those in local, state, and federal authority, and spend time praying for Jesus to capture their hearts.<\/p>\n\n<p>3.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Take time to repent, get off the throne of your own heart, and invite Jesus to take his rightful place. Ask that the Holy Spirit would revive your heart, your call, your passion, and your love for God and His world.<\/p>\n\n<p><em>The 12-day plan can be found here or on the YouVersion app.<\/em><\/p>\n\n<div style=\"left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%;\"><iframe src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/UEwWU36Sa_o?rel=0\" style=\"top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; border: 0;\" allowfullscreen scrolling=\"no\" allow=\"accelerometer *; clipboard-write *; encrypted-media *; gyroscope *; picture-in-picture *; web-share *;\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n\n<h2><img alt=\"\" height=\"54\" src=\"https:\/\/mmo.aiircdn.com\/614\/623def90255b1.png\" width=\"437\" \/><\/h2>\n\n<h3>Phil Wickham is...<\/h3>\n\n<p>Since his self-titled debut in 2006, Phil Wickham has emerged as a leader in the modern worship movement, penning countless songs sung in churches around the world. His RIAA Gold&reg;-certified single, &ldquo;This Is Amazing Grace,&rdquo; was his first career No. 1, holding the top spot for 13 consecutive weeks and named Billboard&rsquo;s No. 1 &ldquo;Christian Airplay Song of the Year&rdquo; in 2014 and BMI&rsquo;s &ldquo;Christian Song of the Year&rdquo; in 2015. His anthemic &ldquo;Living Hope,&rdquo; also RIAA Gold-certified, earned him a GMA Dove Award for &ldquo;Worship Recorded Song of the Year&rdquo; in 2019.<\/p>\n\n<p>His latest project, Hymn of Heaven (June 25, 2021, Fair Trade Services), was written during a year when the family of God couldn&rsquo;t physically gather in houses of worship around the world. &ldquo;Hymn of Heaven is full of praise and thankfulness, just lifting up the name of Jesus and speaking what we really know the reality is even though we don&rsquo;t see it,&rdquo; he says. &ldquo;All I want to do is facilitate moments where people can encounter the presence of God.&rdquo; The album&rsquo;s first single, &ldquo;Battle Belongs,&rdquo; had already topped five different radio charts for multiple weeks.<\/p>\n\n<p>Wickham&rsquo;s music has received hundreds of millions of streams across his catalog and platforms, with his discography including eight full-length projects, multiple Christmas releases, and a series of popular Singalong records that capture Wickham&rsquo;s songs doing what they were always meant to do&mdash;giving people language to sing to God. To find out more, visit <em><a href=\"https:\/\/philwickham.com\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>PhilWickham.com<\/strong><\/a><\/em><\/p>","image":"https:\/\/mmo.aiircdn.com\/614\/62c82406762ba.png","author":{"name":"Phil Wickham"},"_mobile_inapp_url":"https:\/\/www.wearethebridge.org\/_app_pages\/stations\/4335\/blogs\/posts\/62136"},{"id":"o614-1282-62c854ab125fb","url":"https:\/\/www.wearethebridge.org\/blogs\/heaven\/post\/day-10-look-to-jesus\/","title":"Day 10: Look to Jesus","date_published":"2022-08-10T04:00:00+00:00","summary":"There is nothing in this life that is not changed for the better when seen through the lens of Jesus.","content_html":"<h3>Day 10: Look to Jesus<br \/>\nMark 8:22-25 \/ Hebrews 12:1-2<\/h3>\n\n<p>There is nothing in this life that is not changed for the better when seen through the lens of Jesus. In our fear, we can remember His perfect love displayed upon the cross that has already overcome. In our brokenness, we can look to His healing power. In the storms of life, we can look to Him as the voice that commands the wind and waves. In the face of death, we can see Him as our resurrection. The trial becomes an opportunity for His power and faithfulness to be shown. The need will once again reveal Him as the provider. The joys and triumphs will point to Him as the giver of all good things. The beautiful sunsets and the glorious night sky seen through Him will once again awaken our hearts to His beauty and how He placed it all there to cause our hearts to wonder at His glory.<\/p>\n\n<p>If this is the case, why do we fail to see through the lens of Jesus so often? On one occasion, Jesus pulled a blind man away from a crowd and the gospel of Mark records a two-step healing of this man&rsquo;s sight. This has left many puzzled. Why two steps? One of the reasons is simply that that is how it happened, pointing toward the historical accuracy of the text. The second is that in the following section, Jesus pointed out the inability of the disciples to fully see the ministry of Jesus. Thirdly, we see that Jesus doesn&rsquo;t want us to see halfway but is relentlessly committed to our full and total wholeness. &ldquo;Again Jesus placed his hands on the man&rsquo;s eyes. The man looked intently and his sight was restored and he saw everything clearly&rdquo; (Mark 8:25). Also, notice that the &ldquo;man looked intently&rdquo; and then his sight was restored. I wonder how much would change simply by looking intently at Jesus and through the lens of Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.<\/p>\n\n<p><strong>Here are a couple ways to let Jesus be your lens:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p>1.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Rather than looking to and through your career, your relationships, your education, the economy, etc. for the ways in which you see life, look to Jesus. Let him be your lens.<\/p>\n\n<p>2.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Be intentional about what you physically look at. It has never been easier to be distracted by what we see. Try turning off your screen and go look at the beauty of creation, the face of a loved one, the blessings around you, and give thanks to the Giver.<\/p>\n\n<p><em>The 12-day plan can be found here or on the YouVersion app.<\/em><\/p>\n\n<div style=\"left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%;\"><iframe src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/ZkHVfDkd9uU?rel=0\" style=\"top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; border: 0;\" allowfullscreen scrolling=\"no\" allow=\"accelerometer *; clipboard-write *; encrypted-media *; gyroscope *; picture-in-picture *; web-share *;\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n\n<h2><img alt=\"\" height=\"54\" src=\"https:\/\/mmo.aiircdn.com\/614\/623def90255b1.png\" width=\"437\" \/><\/h2>\n\n<h3>Phil Wickham is...<\/h3>\n\n<p>Since his self-titled debut in 2006, Phil Wickham has emerged as a leader in the modern worship movement, penning countless songs sung in churches around the world. His RIAA Gold&reg;-certified single, &ldquo;This Is Amazing Grace,&rdquo; was his first career No. 1, holding the top spot for 13 consecutive weeks and named Billboard&rsquo;s No. 1 &ldquo;Christian Airplay Song of the Year&rdquo; in 2014 and BMI&rsquo;s &ldquo;Christian Song of the Year&rdquo; in 2015. His anthemic &ldquo;Living Hope,&rdquo; also RIAA Gold-certified, earned him a GMA Dove Award for &ldquo;Worship Recorded Song of the Year&rdquo; in 2019.<\/p>\n\n<p>His latest project, Hymn of Heaven (June 25, 2021, Fair Trade Services), was written during a year when the family of God couldn&rsquo;t physically gather in houses of worship around the world. &ldquo;Hymn of Heaven is full of praise and thankfulness, just lifting up the name of Jesus and speaking what we really know the reality is even though we don&rsquo;t see it,&rdquo; he says. &ldquo;All I want to do is facilitate moments where people can encounter the presence of God.&rdquo; The album&rsquo;s first single, &ldquo;Battle Belongs,&rdquo; had already topped five different radio charts for multiple weeks.<\/p>\n\n<p>Wickham&rsquo;s music has received hundreds of millions of streams across his catalog and platforms, with his discography including eight full-length projects, multiple Christmas releases, and a series of popular Singalong records that capture Wickham&rsquo;s songs doing what they were always meant to do&mdash;giving people language to sing to God. To find out more, visit <em><a href=\"https:\/\/philwickham.com\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>PhilWickham.com<\/strong><\/a><\/em><\/p>","image":"https:\/\/mmo.aiircdn.com\/614\/62c82406762ba.png","author":{"name":"Phil Wickham"},"_mobile_inapp_url":"https:\/\/www.wearethebridge.org\/_app_pages\/stations\/4335\/blogs\/posts\/62135"},{"id":"o614-1282-62c8544c74a72","url":"https:\/\/www.wearethebridge.org\/blogs\/heaven\/post\/day-9-falling-in-love\/","title":"Day 9: Falling in Love","date_published":"2022-08-09T04:00:00+00:00","summary":"Fifteen years of marriage has taught me many things, but one of the glaringly obvious lessons I have learned is that a healthy relationship with my wife takes consistent intentionality.","content_html":"<h3>Day 9: Falling in Love<br \/>\nRevelation 2:1-7 \/ Luke 10:38-42<\/h3>\n\n<p>Fifteen years of marriage has taught me many things, but one of the glaringly obvious lessons I have learned is that a healthy relationship with my wife takes consistent intentionality. Now, I&rsquo;m a blessed man who has married way up in every way. My wife, Mallory, is my dream girl&mdash;beautiful, fun, talented. She is a true joy to know. But even with all of that wonderful-ness, once the honeymoon phase was over, I realized that to have the marriage I wanted was going to take some work. Preemptive thoughtfulness. Going out of my way to let her know I care for her. Dying to my own wants to help fulfill hers. Listening when all I want to do is get my point across. Consistent intentionality in my love for her.<\/p>\n\n<p>I&rsquo;m far from perfect in all these things, but I believe I&rsquo;ve gotten better and better with practice. But you know what I&rsquo;ve found out about all this? The more I love her, the more I love her! You get that? The more I show my love through action, service, patience, humility...the more I want to serve her, the more I feel love towards her. I have found the same principle rings true with my relationship with God. The first line of this chorus says, &ldquo;The more I praise You, the more I want to.&rdquo; The scriptures say, &ldquo;Draw near to God and he will draw near to you&rdquo; (James 4:8), &ldquo;...seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened to you&rdquo; (Matt. 7:7). The scriptures welcome us into a real relationship with God with promises of reciprocation from Him.<\/p>\n\n<p><strong>Here are three ways to help cultivate our first love and an ongoing love with Jesus:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p>1.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Jesus tells the Church of Ephesus at the beginning of Revelation, &ldquo;You have forsaken the love you had at first&rdquo; (Rev. 2:4). What does returning to your first love look like?<\/p>\n\n<p>2.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Slow down. Dallas Willard famously said, &ldquo;Hurry is the great enemy of the soul.&rdquo; More often than not, it is not our desire or intention that is off, but our calendar and priorities. Carve out time to abide in Jesus each day.<\/p>\n\n<p>3.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Think of ways that you may be doing things for God where He may be inviting you just to be with Him.<\/p>\n\n<p><em>The 12-day plan can be found here or on the YouVersion app.<\/em><\/p>\n\n<div style=\"left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%;\"><iframe src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/zIBLRQhbAbA?rel=0\" style=\"top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; border: 0;\" allowfullscreen scrolling=\"no\" allow=\"accelerometer *; clipboard-write *; encrypted-media *; gyroscope *; picture-in-picture *; web-share *;\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n\n<h2><img alt=\"\" height=\"54\" src=\"https:\/\/mmo.aiircdn.com\/614\/623def90255b1.png\" width=\"437\" \/><\/h2>\n\n<h3>Phil Wickham is...<\/h3>\n\n<p>Since his self-titled debut in 2006, Phil Wickham has emerged as a leader in the modern worship movement, penning countless songs sung in churches around the world. His RIAA Gold&reg;-certified single, &ldquo;This Is Amazing Grace,&rdquo; was his first career No. 1, holding the top spot for 13 consecutive weeks and named Billboard&rsquo;s No. 1 &ldquo;Christian Airplay Song of the Year&rdquo; in 2014 and BMI&rsquo;s &ldquo;Christian Song of the Year&rdquo; in 2015. His anthemic &ldquo;Living Hope,&rdquo; also RIAA Gold-certified, earned him a GMA Dove Award for &ldquo;Worship Recorded Song of the Year&rdquo; in 2019.<\/p>\n\n<p>His latest project, Hymn of Heaven (June 25, 2021, Fair Trade Services), was written during a year when the family of God couldn&rsquo;t physically gather in houses of worship around the world. &ldquo;Hymn of Heaven is full of praise and thankfulness, just lifting up the name of Jesus and speaking what we really know the reality is even though we don&rsquo;t see it,&rdquo; he says. &ldquo;All I want to do is facilitate moments where people can encounter the presence of God.&rdquo; The album&rsquo;s first single, &ldquo;Battle Belongs,&rdquo; had already topped five different radio charts for multiple weeks.<\/p>\n\n<p>Wickham&rsquo;s music has received hundreds of millions of streams across his catalog and platforms, with his discography including eight full-length projects, multiple Christmas releases, and a series of popular Singalong records that capture Wickham&rsquo;s songs doing what they were always meant to do&mdash;giving people language to sing to God. To find out more, visit <em><a href=\"https:\/\/philwickham.com\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>PhilWickham.com<\/strong><\/a><\/em><\/p>","image":"https:\/\/mmo.aiircdn.com\/614\/62c82406762ba.png","author":{"name":"Phil Wickham"},"_mobile_inapp_url":"https:\/\/www.wearethebridge.org\/_app_pages\/stations\/4335\/blogs\/posts\/62134"},{"id":"o614-1282-62c853aa6ab52","url":"https:\/\/www.wearethebridge.org\/blogs\/heaven\/post\/day-8-1000-names\/","title":"Day 8: 1,000 Names","date_published":"2022-08-08T04:00:00+00:00","summary":"In scripture, names carry significant weight and meaning. God even goes so far as changing people\u2019s names as He calls them into His heavenly purpose.","content_html":"<h3>Day 8: 1,000 Names<br \/>\nGenesis 16 \/ Philippians 2:1-11<\/h3>\n\n<p>In scripture, names carry significant weight and meaning. God even goes so far as changing people&rsquo;s names as He calls them into His heavenly purpose. The names of God are no different. His names aren&rsquo;t just titles, they are definitions of His character. He creates, so we call Him Creator. He saves, so we call Him Savior. He protects and leads, so we call Him Shepherd. Moses wanted to know who God really was, and so the Lord told Him, &ldquo;I am Yahweh, slow to anger, abounding in Loving devotion...&rdquo; (Ex. 34:6). Over and over again, God proves Himself faithful to His names.<\/p>\n\n<p>There&rsquo;s a heart-wrenching story in the Old Testament of a dysfunctional family episode in which a woman named Hagar was used, abused, and banished to die. At the moment when all hope seemed lost, God showed up in the form of the Angel of the Lord. He not only rescued her, but He gave her a promise beyond what she could have imagined. At the conclusion of this encounter, she gave God the name, &ldquo;El Roi,&rdquo; which in Hebrew translates to the God who sees me. &ldquo;She gave this name to the Lord who spoke to her: &lsquo;You are the God who sees me,&rsquo; for she said, &lsquo;I have now seen the One who sees me&rsquo;&rdquo; (Gen. 16:13).<\/p>\n\n<p>It&rsquo;s amazing how God continues this process of revealing His nature, His attributes, and His names, all throughout the Bible. All those names culminate in the person and name of Jesus. The Apostle Paul writes, &ldquo;Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father&rdquo; (Phil. 2:9-11).<\/p>\n\n<p><strong>Here are a couple questions to ask yourself to help stir a heart of worship in you:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p>1.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;In what ways has God personally revealed Himself in your life that line up with what we see in the Bible?<\/p>\n\n<p>2.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Out of all the names God is called in the scriptures, what are one or two you could spend today meditating on?<\/p>\n\n<p><em>The 12-day plan can be found here or on the YouVersion app.<\/em><\/p>\n\n<div style=\"left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%;\"><iframe src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/MRz6yVGV3D8?rel=0\" style=\"top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; border: 0;\" allowfullscreen scrolling=\"no\" allow=\"accelerometer *; clipboard-write *; encrypted-media *; gyroscope *; picture-in-picture *; web-share *;\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n\n<h2><img alt=\"\" height=\"54\" src=\"https:\/\/mmo.aiircdn.com\/614\/623def90255b1.png\" width=\"437\" \/><\/h2>\n\n<h3>Phil Wickham is...<\/h3>\n\n<p>Since his self-titled debut in 2006, Phil Wickham has emerged as a leader in the modern worship movement, penning countless songs sung in churches around the world. His RIAA Gold&reg;-certified single, &ldquo;This Is Amazing Grace,&rdquo; was his first career No. 1, holding the top spot for 13 consecutive weeks and named Billboard&rsquo;s No. 1 &ldquo;Christian Airplay Song of the Year&rdquo; in 2014 and BMI&rsquo;s &ldquo;Christian Song of the Year&rdquo; in 2015. His anthemic &ldquo;Living Hope,&rdquo; also RIAA Gold-certified, earned him a GMA Dove Award for &ldquo;Worship Recorded Song of the Year&rdquo; in 2019.<\/p>\n\n<p>His latest project, Hymn of Heaven (June 25, 2021, Fair Trade Services), was written during a year when the family of God couldn&rsquo;t physically gather in houses of worship around the world. &ldquo;Hymn of Heaven is full of praise and thankfulness, just lifting up the name of Jesus and speaking what we really know the reality is even though we don&rsquo;t see it,&rdquo; he says. &ldquo;All I want to do is facilitate moments where people can encounter the presence of God.&rdquo; The album&rsquo;s first single, &ldquo;Battle Belongs,&rdquo; had already topped five different radio charts for multiple weeks.<\/p>\n\n<p>Wickham&rsquo;s music has received hundreds of millions of streams across his catalog and platforms, with his discography including eight full-length projects, multiple Christmas releases, and a series of popular Singalong records that capture Wickham&rsquo;s songs doing what they were always meant to do&mdash;giving people language to sing to God. To find out more, visit <em><a href=\"https:\/\/philwickham.com\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>PhilWickham.com<\/strong><\/a><\/em><\/p>","image":"https:\/\/mmo.aiircdn.com\/614\/62c82406762ba.png","author":{"name":"Phil Wickham"},"_mobile_inapp_url":"https:\/\/www.wearethebridge.org\/_app_pages\/stations\/4335\/blogs\/posts\/62131"},{"id":"o614-1282-62c8535650233","url":"https:\/\/www.wearethebridge.org\/blogs\/heaven\/post\/day-7-his-name-is-jesus\/","title":"Day 7: His Name Is Jesus","date_published":"2022-08-07T04:00:00+00:00","summary":"I think the first line of this song may be my favorite. \u201cThe King is in the room.\u201d Lately, it has become increasingly clear to me how this statement is always true. God is with us.","content_html":"<h3>Day 7: His Name Is Jesus<br \/>\nHebrews 4:14-16<\/h3>\n\n<p>I think the first line of this song may be my favorite. &ldquo;The King is in the room.&rdquo; Lately, it has become increasingly clear to me how this statement is always true. God is with us. Last Christmas, I thought a lot about the name Emmanuel, which means &ldquo;God with us.&rdquo; This is a beautiful truth to remember: how He came and met us right where we were at. He breathed air and walked our ground. But the more I processed this name Emmanuel, the bigger it became to me. Yes, God came physically near to us 2,000 years ago. But He came near in every other way as well. He is &ldquo;God with us&rdquo; in all things. Do you feel hated? He knows what that feels like. Have you been betrayed? Jesus says, &ldquo;I am right here with you.&rdquo; Are you lonely, sorrowful, persecuted, in pain? Jesus knows exactly what you&rsquo;re going through. He is the God who understands. He understands your need and knows how to meet it. He is Emmanuel.<\/p>\n\n<p>Not only does the nearness of Jesus bring us comfort because He is able to &ldquo;empathize with our weaknesses&rdquo; (Heb. 4:14), but it also brings boldness. Yes, this King sits enthroned on high, but Hebrews 4 tells us that this throne is marked by grace, and that we may approach it with boldness! &ldquo;Let us then approach God&rsquo;s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need&rdquo; (Heb. 4:15-16). This passage draws our heart into the tensions that the King of all the universe is both more powerful than we could ever imagine, and yet at the same time, more intimately sympathetic than we could ever dream. Who is this King? His name is Jesus.<\/p>\n\n<p><strong>Some things to consider today to help cultivate an awareness of the presence of King Jesus:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p>1.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;What are some areas in your life where you feel &ldquo;nobody understands this&rdquo;? Invite Jesus to come be with you in that intimate place. Remember you are not alone. You never were. You never will be.<\/p>\n\n<p>2.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Remember that Jesus is not only empathetic towards us but He is also powerful in us and through us. Don&rsquo;t let your circumstances diminish your faith in the enormous strength of our God. Pray and invite Him to move powerfully today.<\/p>\n\n<p>3.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;When you pray and when you worship, enter into God&rsquo;s presence with boldness!<\/p>\n\n<p><em>The 12-day plan can be found here or on the YouVersion app.<\/em><\/p>\n\n<div style=\"left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%;\"><iframe src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/dwU2QcuM5_U?rel=0\" style=\"top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; border: 0;\" allowfullscreen scrolling=\"no\" allow=\"accelerometer *; clipboard-write *; encrypted-media *; gyroscope *; picture-in-picture *; web-share *;\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n\n<h2><img alt=\"\" height=\"54\" src=\"https:\/\/mmo.aiircdn.com\/614\/623def90255b1.png\" width=\"437\" \/><\/h2>\n\n<h3>Phil Wickham is...<\/h3>\n\n<p>Since his self-titled debut in 2006, Phil Wickham has emerged as a leader in the modern worship movement, penning countless songs sung in churches around the world. His RIAA Gold&reg;-certified single, &ldquo;This Is Amazing Grace,&rdquo; was his first career No. 1, holding the top spot for 13 consecutive weeks and named Billboard&rsquo;s No. 1 &ldquo;Christian Airplay Song of the Year&rdquo; in 2014 and BMI&rsquo;s &ldquo;Christian Song of the Year&rdquo; in 2015. His anthemic &ldquo;Living Hope,&rdquo; also RIAA Gold-certified, earned him a GMA Dove Award for &ldquo;Worship Recorded Song of the Year&rdquo; in 2019.<\/p>\n\n<p>His latest project, Hymn of Heaven (June 25, 2021, Fair Trade Services), was written during a year when the family of God couldn&rsquo;t physically gather in houses of worship around the world. &ldquo;Hymn of Heaven is full of praise and thankfulness, just lifting up the name of Jesus and speaking what we really know the reality is even though we don&rsquo;t see it,&rdquo; he says. &ldquo;All I want to do is facilitate moments where people can encounter the presence of God.&rdquo; The album&rsquo;s first single, &ldquo;Battle Belongs,&rdquo; had already topped five different radio charts for multiple weeks.<\/p>\n\n<p>Wickham&rsquo;s music has received hundreds of millions of streams across his catalog and platforms, with his discography including eight full-length projects, multiple Christmas releases, and a series of popular Singalong records that capture Wickham&rsquo;s songs doing what they were always meant to do&mdash;giving people language to sing to God. To find out more, visit <em><a href=\"https:\/\/philwickham.com\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>PhilWickham.com<\/strong><\/a><\/em><\/p>","image":"https:\/\/mmo.aiircdn.com\/614\/62c82406762ba.png","author":{"name":"Phil Wickham"},"_mobile_inapp_url":"https:\/\/www.wearethebridge.org\/_app_pages\/stations\/4335\/blogs\/posts\/62130"},{"id":"o614-1282-62c852f653388","url":"https:\/\/www.wearethebridge.org\/blogs\/heaven\/post\/day-6-reason-i-sing\/","title":"Day 6: Reason I Sing","date_published":"2022-08-06T04:00:00+00:00","summary":"As believers, there are so many reasons to sing, and it all points back to one thing: Jesus.","content_html":"<h3>Day 6: Reason I Sing<br \/>\nColossians 1:15-20<\/h3>\n\n<p>As believers, there are so many reasons to sing, and it all points back to one thing: Jesus. Every line of this song lists another blessing of abundant life that is made possible by Him. The entire Bible is one unified, redemptive story that leads to Him. I wrote this song to be the first song of a worship set&mdash;a heart-focusing declaration that magnifies the one who it&rsquo;s all about...Jesus.<\/p>\n\n<p>Colossians is a letter in the New Testament written by the Apostle Paul, who was sitting in a prison cell in Rome. He began to hear of some serious threats that were facing this young church plant. They were feeling the pressure of a group called the Gnostics that spoke against the divinity and authority of Jesus. Paul wasn&#39;t having it. He responded with one of the richest descriptions of Jesus in the New Testament:<\/p>\n\n<p>&ldquo;The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in Him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. And He is the head of the body, the church; He is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything He might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross&rdquo; (Col. 1:15-20).<\/p>\n\n<p>A.W. Tozer says, &ldquo;What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.&rdquo;<\/p>\n\n<p>What would it look like to be so overcome with the greatness of Jesus in our lives that all we can do is sing!<\/p>\n\n<p><strong>Here are few ways we can help expand our reasons to worship Jesus:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p>1.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Take a few minutes and write down a list of personal blessings in your life that have come from God.<\/p>\n\n<p>2.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Write a list of attributes that can be found in scripture about the goodness of God.<\/p>\n\n<p>3.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Maybe try writing your own song or poem to express some of the reasons why He is worthy of our song.<\/p>\n\n<p><em>The 12-day plan can be found here or on the YouVersion app.<\/em><\/p>\n\n<div style=\"left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%;\"><iframe src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/WyPEAIGcoYs?rel=0\" style=\"top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; border: 0;\" allowfullscreen scrolling=\"no\" allow=\"accelerometer *; clipboard-write *; encrypted-media *; gyroscope *; picture-in-picture *; web-share *;\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n\n<h2><img alt=\"\" height=\"54\" src=\"https:\/\/mmo.aiircdn.com\/614\/623def90255b1.png\" width=\"437\" \/><\/h2>\n\n<h3>Phil Wickham is...<\/h3>\n\n<p>Since his self-titled debut in 2006, Phil Wickham has emerged as a leader in the modern worship movement, penning countless songs sung in churches around the world. His RIAA Gold&reg;-certified single, &ldquo;This Is Amazing Grace,&rdquo; was his first career No. 1, holding the top spot for 13 consecutive weeks and named Billboard&rsquo;s No. 1 &ldquo;Christian Airplay Song of the Year&rdquo; in 2014 and BMI&rsquo;s &ldquo;Christian Song of the Year&rdquo; in 2015. His anthemic &ldquo;Living Hope,&rdquo; also RIAA Gold-certified, earned him a GMA Dove Award for &ldquo;Worship Recorded Song of the Year&rdquo; in 2019.<\/p>\n\n<p>His latest project, Hymn of Heaven (June 25, 2021, Fair Trade Services), was written during a year when the family of God couldn&rsquo;t physically gather in houses of worship around the world. &ldquo;Hymn of Heaven is full of praise and thankfulness, just lifting up the name of Jesus and speaking what we really know the reality is even though we don&rsquo;t see it,&rdquo; he says. &ldquo;All I want to do is facilitate moments where people can encounter the presence of God.&rdquo; The album&rsquo;s first single, &ldquo;Battle Belongs,&rdquo; had already topped five different radio charts for multiple weeks.<\/p>\n\n<p>Wickham&rsquo;s music has received hundreds of millions of streams across his catalog and platforms, with his discography including eight full-length projects, multiple Christmas releases, and a series of popular Singalong records that capture Wickham&rsquo;s songs doing what they were always meant to do&mdash;giving people language to sing to God. To find out more, visit <em><a href=\"https:\/\/philwickham.com\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>PhilWickham.com<\/strong><\/a><\/em><\/p>","image":"https:\/\/mmo.aiircdn.com\/614\/62c82406762ba.png","author":{"name":"Phil Wickham"},"_mobile_inapp_url":"https:\/\/www.wearethebridge.org\/_app_pages\/stations\/4335\/blogs\/posts\/62129"},{"id":"o614-1282-62c85278cfc1c","url":"https:\/\/www.wearethebridge.org\/blogs\/heaven\/post\/day-5-where-im-standing-now\/","title":"Day 5: Where I\u2019m Standing Now","date_published":"2022-08-05T04:00:00+00:00","summary":"This is a testimony song! I always think of the Israelites standing at the other side of the Red Sea when I sing this.","content_html":"<h3>Day 5: Where I&rsquo;m Standing Now<br \/>\nExodus 15:1-21 \/ Matthew 2:13-15 \/ 2 Corinthians 5:21<\/h3>\n\n<p>This is a testimony song! I always think of the Israelites standing at the other side of the Red Sea when I sing this. They just witnessed a mind-blowing miracle, a wild display of Yahweh&rsquo;s power. Slavery and captivity now behind them. Promise and freedom before them. Thank you Jesus for rewriting our stories by your grace!<\/p>\n\n<p>What&rsquo;s radical about the story of the Exodus is that once Israel was safely on dry land on the other side of the Red Sea, the Bible tells us they did one thing: they worshiped! They sang, they danced, they even broke out the tambourines...seriously. When anyone experiences the depth of God&rsquo;s strong, rescuing power, praise is the only natural response!<\/p>\n\n<p>If you fast forward a millennia and a half later to the birth of Jesus, Matthew 2 says his family fled to Egypt for a time to escape Herod. Years later, Jesus&rsquo; family was called out of Egypt and back to the land of Israel. Any Jewish reader would have made the connection that Jesus&rsquo; life was re-telling Israel&rsquo;s story. This connection is important and here&rsquo;s why: after the Exodus, despite God&rsquo;s faithfulness, His people were unable to live faithfully to Him. Jesus, by coming in human form, was able to retell not only Israel&rsquo;s story, but all our stories. Rather than our relationship to God being determined by our righteousness or faithfulness, it is determined by His righteousness and faithfulness!<\/p>\n\n<p>This is our testimony: not only has Jesus rescued us momentarily, but he has redeemed us eternally through the cross! &ldquo;God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God&rdquo; (2 Cor. 5:21).<\/p>\n\n<p><strong>Here are a couple ways to let the power of our testimony propel us towards worship:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p>1.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Take a few minutes and write out YOUR story. How has Jesus delivered you? If you haven&#39;t yet, tell someone your story!<\/p>\n\n<p>2.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Oftentimes, when we tell our testimony we can make ourselves the main character. Think back upon your story of salvation and notice God&rsquo;s hand at work, and give Him praise for it!<\/p>\n\n<p><em>The 12-day plan can be found here or on the YouVersion app.<\/em><\/p>\n\n<div style=\"left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%;\"><iframe src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/QA5I8Z6VJ_A?rel=0\" style=\"top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; border: 0;\" allowfullscreen scrolling=\"no\" allow=\"accelerometer *; clipboard-write *; encrypted-media *; gyroscope *; picture-in-picture *; web-share *;\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n\n<h2><img alt=\"\" height=\"54\" src=\"https:\/\/mmo.aiircdn.com\/614\/623def90255b1.png\" width=\"437\" \/><\/h2>\n\n<h3>Phil Wickham is...<\/h3>\n\n<p>Since his self-titled debut in 2006, Phil Wickham has emerged as a leader in the modern worship movement, penning countless songs sung in churches around the world. His RIAA Gold&reg;-certified single, &ldquo;This Is Amazing Grace,&rdquo; was his first career No. 1, holding the top spot for 13 consecutive weeks and named Billboard&rsquo;s No. 1 &ldquo;Christian Airplay Song of the Year&rdquo; in 2014 and BMI&rsquo;s &ldquo;Christian Song of the Year&rdquo; in 2015. His anthemic &ldquo;Living Hope,&rdquo; also RIAA Gold-certified, earned him a GMA Dove Award for &ldquo;Worship Recorded Song of the Year&rdquo; in 2019.<\/p>\n\n<p>His latest project, Hymn of Heaven (June 25, 2021, Fair Trade Services), was written during a year when the family of God couldn&rsquo;t physically gather in houses of worship around the world. &ldquo;Hymn of Heaven is full of praise and thankfulness, just lifting up the name of Jesus and speaking what we really know the reality is even though we don&rsquo;t see it,&rdquo; he says. &ldquo;All I want to do is facilitate moments where people can encounter the presence of God.&rdquo; The album&rsquo;s first single, &ldquo;Battle Belongs,&rdquo; had already topped five different radio charts for multiple weeks.<\/p>\n\n<p>Wickham&rsquo;s music has received hundreds of millions of streams across his catalog and platforms, with his discography including eight full-length projects, multiple Christmas releases, and a series of popular Singalong records that capture Wickham&rsquo;s songs doing what they were always meant to do&mdash;giving people language to sing to God. To find out more, visit <em><a href=\"https:\/\/philwickham.com\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>PhilWickham.com<\/strong><\/a><\/em><\/p>","image":"https:\/\/mmo.aiircdn.com\/614\/62c82406762ba.png","author":{"name":"Phil Wickham"},"_mobile_inapp_url":"https:\/\/www.wearethebridge.org\/_app_pages\/stations\/4335\/blogs\/posts\/62128"},{"id":"o614-1282-62c852320ab2d","url":"https:\/\/www.wearethebridge.org\/blogs\/heaven\/post\/day-4-its-always-been-you\/","title":"Day 4: It\u2019s Always Been You","date_published":"2022-08-04T04:00:00+00:00","summary":"This song came out of nowhere. Most songs take hours\/days\/months for me to finish. This one seemed to drop from the heart of heaven.","content_html":"<h3>Day 4: It&rsquo;s Always Been You<br \/>\nJohn 4:1-42<\/h3>\n\n<p>This song came out of nowhere. Most songs take hours\/days\/months for me to finish. This one seemed to drop from the heart of heaven. I&rsquo;m singing to God in this song, but every time I sing it, it&rsquo;s like He&rsquo;s singing it over me. What a faithful friend He is. It&rsquo;s so important for us to remember what He has brought us through and to let it propel us to trust him.<\/p>\n\n<p>There is a powerful story in John 4 where it says that Jesus &ldquo;had to go through Samaria.&rdquo; What&rsquo;s interesting about this phrase is that it doesn&rsquo;t make geographical sense. Samaria is actually out of the way. It also doesn&rsquo;t make sense socially, since Jews didn&rsquo;t associate with Samaritans. Yet Jesus would not be deterred from going to this town. It was there that He met a woman coming out to draw water in the middle of the day. When Jesus encountered her, the conversation moved from Jesus needing a drink of water to Jesus pointing to Himself as what she was truly thirsting for. &ldquo;Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life&rdquo; (John 4:13-14).<\/p>\n\n<p>The story continues, telling us that this woman had been in multiple relationships, which may be why she was drawing water in the heat of the day. In that culture, only men had the legal right to divorce, which means we can only imagine the pain, objectification, and abuse she could have gone through. But then she met Jesus. Not only did she change, but the whole town changed. I love this story because it shows how Jesus cares about &ldquo;the one.&rdquo; The outcast. The unworthy. He cares about us, and He is a King who takes detours to meet us right where we are at&mdash;and to show us He is what we have been thirsting for all along. The reality is, no matter how sincerely we could ever sing, &ldquo;It&rsquo;s always been You,&rdquo; He will always be the one singing it louder back over us.<\/p>\n\n<p><strong>Here are a few questions to wrestle with:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p>1.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;What areas in your life have you hid from God or others where Jesus wants to meet you with His living water?<\/p>\n\n<p>2.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Once you have experienced the profound nature of His love, who can you tell?<\/p>\n\n<p>3.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;How can you worship with a renewed sense of thankfulness for the redemptive action of God&rsquo;s grace in your life?<\/p>\n\n<p><em>The 12-day plan can be found here or on the YouVersion app.<\/em><\/p>\n\n<div style=\"left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%;\"><iframe src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/al8WEdklEOk?rel=0\" style=\"top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; border: 0;\" allowfullscreen scrolling=\"no\" allow=\"accelerometer *; clipboard-write *; encrypted-media *; gyroscope *; picture-in-picture *; web-share *;\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n\n<h2><img alt=\"\" height=\"54\" src=\"https:\/\/mmo.aiircdn.com\/614\/623def90255b1.png\" width=\"437\" \/><\/h2>\n\n<h3>Phil Wickham is...<\/h3>\n\n<p>Since his self-titled debut in 2006, Phil Wickham has emerged as a leader in the modern worship movement, penning countless songs sung in churches around the world. His RIAA Gold&reg;-certified single, &ldquo;This Is Amazing Grace,&rdquo; was his first career No. 1, holding the top spot for 13 consecutive weeks and named Billboard&rsquo;s No. 1 &ldquo;Christian Airplay Song of the Year&rdquo; in 2014 and BMI&rsquo;s &ldquo;Christian Song of the Year&rdquo; in 2015. His anthemic &ldquo;Living Hope,&rdquo; also RIAA Gold-certified, earned him a GMA Dove Award for &ldquo;Worship Recorded Song of the Year&rdquo; in 2019.<\/p>\n\n<p>His latest project, Hymn of Heaven (June 25, 2021, Fair Trade Services), was written during a year when the family of God couldn&rsquo;t physically gather in houses of worship around the world. &ldquo;Hymn of Heaven is full of praise and thankfulness, just lifting up the name of Jesus and speaking what we really know the reality is even though we don&rsquo;t see it,&rdquo; he says. &ldquo;All I want to do is facilitate moments where people can encounter the presence of God.&rdquo; The album&rsquo;s first single, &ldquo;Battle Belongs,&rdquo; had already topped five different radio charts for multiple weeks.<\/p>\n\n<p>Wickham&rsquo;s music has received hundreds of millions of streams across his catalog and platforms, with his discography including eight full-length projects, multiple Christmas releases, and a series of popular Singalong records that capture Wickham&rsquo;s songs doing what they were always meant to do&mdash;giving people language to sing to God. To find out more, visit <em><a href=\"https:\/\/philwickham.com\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>PhilWickham.com<\/strong><\/a><\/em><\/p>","image":"https:\/\/mmo.aiircdn.com\/614\/62c82406762ba.png","author":{"name":"Phil Wickham"},"_mobile_inapp_url":"https:\/\/www.wearethebridge.org\/_app_pages\/stations\/4335\/blogs\/posts\/62126"},{"id":"o614-1282-62c850542ad73","url":"https:\/\/www.wearethebridge.org\/blogs\/heaven\/post\/day-3-house-of-the-lord\/","title":"Day 3: House of the Lord","date_published":"2022-08-03T04:00:00+00:00","summary":"I wrote this song when I wasn\u2019t \u201cfeeling\u201d it. I had to come to God in faith believing that, though happiness comes and goes, joy is always accessible in Jesus no matter what the circumstance.","content_html":"<h3>Day 3: House of the Lord<br \/>\n1 Peter 1:8-9 \/ James 1:2-3 \/ Isaiah 35:10<\/h3>\n\n<p>I wrote this song when I wasn&rsquo;t &ldquo;feeling&rdquo; it. I had to come to God in faith believing that, though happiness comes and goes, joy is always accessible in Jesus no matter what the circumstance. I wrote it to remind my heart who God is, what He has done, and who I am in Him. By the time I was done writing it, my perspective had changed. No longer was I asking, &ldquo;Why, God?!&rdquo; with an angry fist in the air. Instead, I was asking, &ldquo;What are You up to, Father?&rdquo; with true excitement to see how He was going to work in the midst of a difficult time.<\/p>\n\n<p>One of the remarkable features of the New Testament is how often the theme of joy comes up in multiple letters by multiple authors in the midst of widespread and intense persecution. This was one of the great marks on the early church! James encourages his community to &ldquo;Consider it pure JOY, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds&hellip;&rdquo; (James 1:2). The Apostle Peter reminds the church he leads that, &ldquo;You believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious JOY, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls&rdquo; (1 Pet. 1:8-9).<\/p>\n\n<p>A friend of mine recently shared a quote with me that he heard: &ldquo;Happiness is based on happiness, but joy is based on Jesus.&rdquo; Somewhat &ldquo;Sunday school&rdquo; vibes here, I know, but still so true! Because Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever, joy is always accessible in Him. For in Jesus, there is always life, healing, resurrection, victory, grace, forgiveness, and hope. Thank you, God!<\/p>\n\n<p><strong>Here are a few ways we can live into joy today:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p>1.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;The Bible talks about joy, not just as a noun, but as a verb. This means we can &ldquo;choose&rdquo; joy. Set your eyes on Jesus, turn up some worship music, and worship with gladness.<\/p>\n\n<p>2.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Galatians 5 says that joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit. Take a minute and pray that you would be filled with the Spirit of God.<\/p>\n\n<p>3.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Make a commitment to replace some of the things that may bring you down with ways to encounter the presence of God.<\/p>\n\n<p><em>The 12-day plan can be found here or on the YouVersion app.<\/em><\/p>\n\n<div style=\"left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%;\"><iframe src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Upv2LY6Ldic?rel=0\" style=\"top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; border: 0;\" allowfullscreen scrolling=\"no\" allow=\"accelerometer *; clipboard-write *; encrypted-media *; gyroscope *; picture-in-picture *; web-share *;\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n\n<h2><img alt=\"\" height=\"54\" src=\"https:\/\/mmo.aiircdn.com\/614\/623def90255b1.png\" width=\"437\" \/><\/h2>\n\n<h3>Phil Wickham is...<\/h3>\n\n<p>Since his self-titled debut in 2006, Phil Wickham has emerged as a leader in the modern worship movement, penning countless songs sung in churches around the world. His RIAA Gold&reg;-certified single, &ldquo;This Is Amazing Grace,&rdquo; was his first career No. 1, holding the top spot for 13 consecutive weeks and named Billboard&rsquo;s No. 1 &ldquo;Christian Airplay Song of the Year&rdquo; in 2014 and BMI&rsquo;s &ldquo;Christian Song of the Year&rdquo; in 2015. His anthemic &ldquo;Living Hope,&rdquo; also RIAA Gold-certified, earned him a GMA Dove Award for &ldquo;Worship Recorded Song of the Year&rdquo; in 2019.<\/p>\n\n<p>His latest project, Hymn of Heaven (June 25, 2021, Fair Trade Services), was written during a year when the family of God couldn&rsquo;t physically gather in houses of worship around the world. &ldquo;Hymn of Heaven is full of praise and thankfulness, just lifting up the name of Jesus and speaking what we really know the reality is even though we don&rsquo;t see it,&rdquo; he says. &ldquo;All I want to do is facilitate moments where people can encounter the presence of God.&rdquo; The album&rsquo;s first single, &ldquo;Battle Belongs,&rdquo; had already topped five different radio charts for multiple weeks.<\/p>\n\n<p>Wickham&rsquo;s music has received hundreds of millions of streams across his catalog and platforms, with his discography including eight full-length projects, multiple Christmas releases, and a series of popular Singalong records that capture Wickham&rsquo;s songs doing what they were always meant to do&mdash;giving people language to sing to God. To find out more, visit <em><a href=\"https:\/\/philwickham.com\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>PhilWickham.com<\/strong><\/a><\/em><\/p>","image":"https:\/\/mmo.aiircdn.com\/614\/62c82406762ba.png","author":{"name":"Phil Wickham"},"_mobile_inapp_url":"https:\/\/www.wearethebridge.org\/_app_pages\/stations\/4335\/blogs\/posts\/62125"},{"id":"o614-1282-62c82af40629f","url":"https:\/\/www.wearethebridge.org\/blogs\/heaven\/post\/day-2-hymn-of-heaven\/","title":"Day 2: Hymn of Heaven","date_published":"2022-08-02T04:00:00+00:00","summary":"What a beautiful thing it is that we who follow Jesus have so much in common on such a deep level.","content_html":"<h3>Day 2: Hymn of Heaven<br \/>\nMatthew 6:9-13 \/ Revelation 19:1-7 \/ Philippians 3:20<\/h3>\n\n<p>What a beautiful thing it is that we who follow Jesus have so much in common on such a deep level. We cry out to the same Savior, pray to the same Father. We are citizens of the same kingdom, belonging to the same family. And we all share the same hope of a future in heaven. I have found that there is so much power in the moments when the church gathers to sing of that hope&mdash;not just power that lifts our souls and builds our faith for the future, but also encourages us to live for that future today. When the disciples asked Jesus how we ought to pray, He said to pray to the Father, &ldquo;Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven&rdquo; (Matt. 6:10).<\/p>\n\n<p>Time after time, Jesus showed us that belonging to the kingdom of heaven offers, not just a future hope, but a kingdom that we can be a part of today. We can walk in His Spirit, stand in His victory, and move in His love today. This truth is why my song &ldquo;Hymn of Heaven&rdquo; has two different choruses. One looks to the hope of our future in Jesus. The other prays to let that hope fill our spheres of influence right now.<\/p>\n\n<p>The Apostle Paul, while in prison, wrote to the Church in Philippi, amidst their own persecution, that &ldquo;...our citizenship is in heaven&rdquo; (Phil. 3:20).<\/p>\n\n<p>C.S. Lewis wrote in his book, Mere Christianity, &ldquo;If you read history you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were precisely those who thought most of the next.&rdquo;<\/p>\n\n<p><strong>Here are a few ways we can live differently today because of our future heavenly hope and our present kingdom mission:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p>1.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;While reading Revelation 20:1-7, imagine the beauty of what it will be like when we are finally home. Focus on the greatest joy of all: being united with Christ for all eternity.<\/p>\n\n<p>2.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Make a commitment to pray the Lord&rsquo;s Prayer each morning as you plan your day. Ask God how He might want to bring the heavenly reality of His kingdom through you today.<\/p>\n\n<p>3.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Be honest with God about the pain and longing in your heart in the midst of this broken world. Firmly place your hope in Jesus while experiencing the comfort of the Holy Spirit.<\/p>\n\n<p><em>The 12-day plan can be found here or on the YouVersion app.<\/em><\/p>\n\n<div style=\"left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%;\"><iframe src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/8MztVdMs3wg?rel=0\" style=\"top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; border: 0;\" allowfullscreen scrolling=\"no\" allow=\"accelerometer *; clipboard-write *; encrypted-media *; gyroscope *; picture-in-picture *; web-share *;\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n\n<h2><img alt=\"\" height=\"54\" src=\"https:\/\/mmo.aiircdn.com\/614\/623def90255b1.png\" width=\"437\" \/><\/h2>\n\n<h3>Phil Wickham is...<\/h3>\n\n<p>Since his self-titled debut in 2006, Phil Wickham has emerged as a leader in the modern worship movement, penning countless songs sung in churches around the world. His RIAA Gold&reg;-certified single, &ldquo;This Is Amazing Grace,&rdquo; was his first career No. 1, holding the top spot for 13 consecutive weeks and named Billboard&rsquo;s No. 1 &ldquo;Christian Airplay Song of the Year&rdquo; in 2014 and BMI&rsquo;s &ldquo;Christian Song of the Year&rdquo; in 2015. His anthemic &ldquo;Living Hope,&rdquo; also RIAA Gold-certified, earned him a GMA Dove Award for &ldquo;Worship Recorded Song of the Year&rdquo; in 2019.<\/p>\n\n<p>His latest project, Hymn of Heaven (June 25, 2021, Fair Trade Services), was written during a year when the family of God couldn&rsquo;t physically gather in houses of worship around the world. &ldquo;Hymn of Heaven is full of praise and thankfulness, just lifting up the name of Jesus and speaking what we really know the reality is even though we don&rsquo;t see it,&rdquo; he says. &ldquo;All I want to do is facilitate moments where people can encounter the presence of God.&rdquo; The album&rsquo;s first single, &ldquo;Battle Belongs,&rdquo; had already topped five different radio charts for multiple weeks.<\/p>\n\n<p>Wickham&rsquo;s music has received hundreds of millions of streams across his catalog and platforms, with his discography including eight full-length projects, multiple Christmas releases, and a series of popular Singalong records that capture Wickham&rsquo;s songs doing what they were always meant to do&mdash;giving people language to sing to God. To find out more, visit <em><a href=\"https:\/\/philwickham.com\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>PhilWickham.com<\/strong><\/a><\/em><\/p>","image":"https:\/\/mmo.aiircdn.com\/614\/62c82406762ba.png","author":{"name":"Phil Wickham"},"_mobile_inapp_url":"https:\/\/www.wearethebridge.org\/_app_pages\/stations\/4335\/blogs\/posts\/62121"},{"id":"o614-1282-62c82a8b1adfe","url":"https:\/\/www.wearethebridge.org\/blogs\/heaven\/post\/day-1-battle-belongs\/","title":"Day 1: Battle Belongs","date_published":"2022-08-01T04:00:00+00:00","summary":"There is a powerful story in the Old Testament of King Jehoshaphat being faced with an overwhelming and vicious army coming toward him and the people of God.","content_html":"<h3>Day 1: Battle Belongs<br \/>\n2 Chronicles 20:1-30<\/h3>\n\n<p>There is a powerful story in the Old Testament of King Jehoshaphat being faced with an overwhelming and vicious army coming toward him and the people of God. In desperation, he gathered his kingdom, called for a fast, and they cried out to the Lord. When God spoke through a prophet, what He promised was shocking. &ldquo;You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you&rdquo; (2 Chron. 20:17). In obedience, the army of Judah approached the battle line&mdash;but not with weapons and warriors. They met the enemy with worship! &ldquo;And when they began to sing and praise, the Lord set an ambush against the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah, so that they were routed&rdquo; (2 Chron. 20:22).<\/p>\n\n<p>What God did for Judah was miraculous, but it was not a solitary event. Every human being faces the radical war of sin and death. Despite our greatest efforts of morality, religion, or performance, we are helpless against so great an enemy. Yet God&rsquo;s promise to His people still stands to this day. It came to its ultimate fulfillment when Jesus&mdash;looking at our desperation and pointing to the grave&mdash;told us that we will not have to fight this battle, but to stand firm in Him and to watch as He brings deliverance and salvation through His death and resurrection! Amen!<\/p>\n\n<p>What is our role in this victory? Similar to Jehoshaphat and his people, our only response is to worship, give thanks, and give our lives over in thankful surrender to the one who holds our victory for eternity. It has been incredible to see people using &ldquo;Battle Belongs&rdquo; as their weapon of worship in the face of the battle.<\/p>\n\n<p><strong>Here are a couple ways we can live today differently because of the victory we have in Jesus:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p>1.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Recognize areas in your life that you are still trying to strive by your own strength, and take a minute in prayer to surrender those to the Lord.<\/p>\n\n<p>2.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Give thanks to God through worship, even if your circumstances still feel overwhelming. Remember the cross, remember the resurrection, and remember the victory we are invited into.<\/p>\n\n<p><em>The 12-day plan can be found here or on the YouVersion app.<\/em><\/p>\n\n<div style=\"left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%;\"><iframe src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/YiVVfjzawN4?rel=0\" style=\"top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; border: 0;\" allowfullscreen scrolling=\"no\" allow=\"accelerometer *; clipboard-write *; encrypted-media *; gyroscope *; picture-in-picture *; web-share *;\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n\n<h2><img alt=\"\" class=\"\" height=\"54\" src=\"https:\/\/mmo.aiircdn.com\/614\/623def90255b1.png\" width=\"437\" \/><\/h2>\n\n<h3>Phil Wickham is...<\/h3>\n\n<p>Since his self-titled debut in 2006, Phil Wickham has emerged as a leader in the modern worship movement, penning countless songs sung in churches around the world. His RIAA Gold&reg;-certified single, &ldquo;This Is Amazing Grace,&rdquo; was his first career No. 1, holding the top spot for 13 consecutive weeks and named Billboard&rsquo;s No. 1 &ldquo;Christian Airplay Song of the Year&rdquo; in 2014 and BMI&rsquo;s &ldquo;Christian Song of the Year&rdquo; in 2015. His anthemic &ldquo;Living Hope,&rdquo; also RIAA Gold-certified, earned him a GMA Dove Award for &ldquo;Worship Recorded Song of the Year&rdquo; in 2019.<\/p>\n\n<p>His latest project, Hymn of Heaven (June 25, 2021, Fair Trade Services), was written during a year when the family of God couldn&rsquo;t physically gather in houses of worship around the world. &ldquo;Hymn of Heaven is full of praise and thankfulness, just lifting up the name of Jesus and speaking what we really know the reality is even though we don&rsquo;t see it,&rdquo; he says. &ldquo;All I want to do is facilitate moments where people can encounter the presence of God.&rdquo; The album&rsquo;s first single, &ldquo;Battle Belongs,&rdquo; had already topped five different radio charts for multiple weeks.<\/p>\n\n<p>Wickham&rsquo;s music has received hundreds of millions of streams across his catalog and platforms, with his discography including eight full-length projects, multiple Christmas releases, and a series of popular Singalong records that capture Wickham&rsquo;s songs doing what they were always meant to do&mdash;giving people language to sing to God. To find out more, visit <em><a href=\"https:\/\/philwickham.com\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>PhilWickham.com<\/strong><\/a><\/em><\/p>","image":"https:\/\/mmo.aiircdn.com\/614\/62c82406762ba.png","author":{"name":"Phil Wickham"},"_mobile_inapp_url":"https:\/\/www.wearethebridge.org\/_app_pages\/stations\/4335\/blogs\/posts\/62120"},{"id":"o614-1282-62c826807263d","url":"https:\/\/www.wearethebridge.org\/blogs\/heaven\/post\/hymn-of-heaven-intro\/","title":"Hymn of Heaven Intro","date_published":"2022-07-31T04:00:00+00:00","summary":"Welcome to the Hymn of Heaven 12-day devotional series. Each daily reading coincides with a different song from Phil Wickham's album, Hymn of Heaven.","content_html":"<p>&ldquo;Welcome to the Hymn of Heaven 12-day devotional series. Each daily reading coincides with a different song from my album, Hymn of Heaven. These songs were written to inspire worship in listeners&#39; hearts, and I pray this series does the same as you read along.<\/p>\n\n<p>Huge thanks to my friend and pastor, Benji Horning, for helping me bring these thoughts to life. We wrote each of these devotionals as a springboard into worship. So after each reading, feel free to pull the song up and listen\/sing to it throughout the day as you carry the truth of scripture in your hearts.<\/p>\n\n<p>We pray you are blessed!&rdquo; - Phil Wickham<\/p>\n\n<p><em>The 12-day plan can be found here or on the YouVersion app.<\/em><\/p>\n\n<div style=\"left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%;\"><iframe src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/3yK0UoXqV_0?rel=0\" style=\"top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; border: 0;\" allowfullscreen scrolling=\"no\" allow=\"accelerometer *; clipboard-write *; encrypted-media *; gyroscope *; picture-in-picture *; web-share *;\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n\n<h2><img alt=\"\" height=\"54\" src=\"https:\/\/mmo.aiircdn.com\/614\/623def90255b1.png\" width=\"437\" \/><\/h2>\n\n<h2>Hymn of Heaven - 12 Day Devotional - by Phil Wickham<\/h2>\n\n<h3>Day 1: Battle Belongs<\/h3>\n\n<h3>Day 2: Hymn of Heaven<\/h3>\n\n<h3>Day 3: House of the Lord<\/h3>\n\n<h3>Day 4: It&rsquo;s Always Been You<\/h3>\n\n<h3>Day 5: Where I&rsquo;m Standing Now<\/h3>\n\n<h3>Day 6: Reason I Sing<\/h3>\n\n<h3>Day 7: His Name Is Jesus<\/h3>\n\n<h3>Day 8: 1,000 Names<\/h3>\n\n<h3>Day 9: Falling in Love<\/h3>\n\n<h3>Day 10: Look to Jesus<\/h3>\n\n<h3>Day 11: God of Revival<\/h3>\n\n<h3>Day 12: Heart Full of Praise<\/h3>\n\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n<h3>Phil Wickham is...<\/h3>\n\n<p>Since his self-titled debut in 2006, Phil Wickham has emerged as a leader in the modern worship movement, penning countless songs sung in churches around the world. His RIAA Gold&reg;-certified single, &ldquo;This Is Amazing Grace,&rdquo; was his first career No. 1, holding the top spot for 13 consecutive weeks and named Billboard&rsquo;s No. 1 &ldquo;Christian Airplay Song of the Year&rdquo; in 2014 and BMI&rsquo;s &ldquo;Christian Song of the Year&rdquo; in 2015. His anthemic &ldquo;Living Hope,&rdquo; also RIAA Gold-certified, earned him a GMA Dove Award for &ldquo;Worship Recorded Song of the Year&rdquo; in 2019.<\/p>\n\n<p>His latest project, Hymn of Heaven (June 25, 2021, Fair Trade Services), was written during a year when the family of God couldn&rsquo;t physically gather in houses of worship around the world. &ldquo;Hymn of Heaven is full of praise and thankfulness, just lifting up the name of Jesus and speaking what we really know the reality is even though we don&rsquo;t see it,&rdquo; he says. &ldquo;All I want to do is facilitate moments where people can encounter the presence of God.&rdquo; The album&rsquo;s first single, &ldquo;Battle Belongs,&rdquo; had already topped five different radio charts for multiple weeks.<\/p>\n\n<p>Wickham&rsquo;s music has received hundreds of millions of streams across his catalog and platforms, with his discography including eight full-length projects, multiple Christmas releases, and a series of popular Singalong records that capture Wickham&rsquo;s songs doing what they were always meant to do&mdash;giving people language to sing to God. To find out more, visit <em><a href=\"https:\/\/philwickham.com\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>PhilWickham.com<\/strong><\/a><\/em><\/p>","image":"https:\/\/mmo.aiircdn.com\/614\/62c82406762ba.png","author":{"name":"Phil Wickham"},"_mobile_inapp_url":"https:\/\/www.wearethebridge.org\/_app_pages\/stations\/4335\/blogs\/posts\/62118"}]}