Monday, July 14, 2008

FREE Power Point Backgrounds for Worship


"Beautiful God"

"God that Cares"

"My Joy"

"My Saviour"

"My Protector"

These slides, designed by Ken for worship backgounds, are FREE to download and use. Just click on the image, which will open up in a new window. Right click on the enlarged image, and choose "Save as" to save the image.
If you use any of them, drop me a note to let me know how effective they are. It helps me to know if the designs are useful or if I should be focussing on something else. Have fun!!!

Poetry for Encouragement

Here are a few great Christian poems I found, that will be an inspiration to anyone going through a difficult time. I have always discovered God's grace in good poetry.



God Can

When you feel unlovable, unworthy and unclean
When you think that no one can heal you,
Remember, Friend, God Can.

When you think that you are unforgivable
For your guilt and your shameRemember,
Friend, God Can.

When you think that all is hidden
And no one can see within
Remember, Friend, God Can.

And when you have reached the bottom
And you think that no one can hear
Remember my dear Friend, God Can.

And when you think that no one can love
The real person deep inside of you
Remember my dear Friend, God Does.

Author Unknown


He Is Faithful

He is faithful, Faithful to help
Help see beyond the problems of life
Looking into the perfection of peace and joy
He is faithful
Faithful to help carry them in his mighty hands
The same hands that measured the waters
Even that which makes up the oceans
If he carried that, surely, all my problems he could
Never mind the mocker
Who finds talking to God ridiculous
He is a sucker for the known, a rocker to ungodliness
A reprobate mind he has got
To know the living God he cannot
Till the veil over his soul is lifted
By the One he mocks in ignorance
The true living GodI know God is faithful
To pardon the years of ignorance
To wipe away tears that flowed night and day
To strengthen faith in love
Which had caused death by its flight
He is faithful I am sure
For all things are subject to him
So He controls all my plights
It is real
The passion sealed
I in Him and He in me
Love me ever
Leave me never
A heartfelt cry of mine
Always answered with the gentle tug of His Spirit
I just know that He is faithful

Anita Vincent


I Refuse to Be Discouraged

I refuse to be discouraged,
To be sad, or to cry;
I refuse to be downhearted,
And here's the reason why . . .
I have a God who's mighty,
Who's sovereign and supreme;
I have a God who love me,
And I am on His team.
He is all wise and powerful,
Jesus is His name;
Though everything is changeable,
My God remains the same.
My God knows all that's happening,
Beginning to end.
His presence is my comfort,
He is my dearest friend.
When sickness comes to weaken me,
To bring my head down low,
I call upon my mighty God;
Into His arms I go.
When circumstances threaten
To rob me from my peace,
He draws me close unto His breast,
Where all my strivings cease.
And when my heart melts within me,
And weakness takes control,
He gathers me into His arms,
He soothes my heart and soul.
The great "I AM" is with me,
My life is in His hands,
The "Son of the Lord" is my hope,
It's in His strength I stand.
I refuse to be defeated,
My eyes are on my God;
He has promised to be with me,
As through this life I trod.
I'm looking past all my circumstances,
To Heaven's throne above;
My prayers have reached the heart of God,
I'm resting in His love.
I give God thanks in everything,
My eyes are on his face;
The battle's His, the victory is mine;
He'll help me win the race.

Author Unknown


Dreams

I've dreamed many dreams that never came true,
I've seen them vanish at dawn,
But I've realized enough of my dreams thank the Lord,
To make me want to dream on.
I've prayed many prayers when no answer came,
Though I've waited patient and long,
But answers have come to enough of my prayers,
To make me keep praying on.
I've trusted many a friend that failed,
And left me to weep alone,
But I've found enough of my friends that are really true,
That will make me keep trusting on.
I've sown many seeds that have fallen by the way,
For the birds to feed upon,
But I've held enough golden sheaves in my hand,
To make me keep sowing on.
I've drunk from the cup of disappointment and pain,
I've gone many days without song,
But I've sipped enough nectar from the Roses of Life,
To make me keep living on!

Author, Ron DeMarco & Friend

Creative Worship Using Confessions

I am dead set against “churchianity” and dead religious rituals. However, when we visited a Roman Catholic Church for the christening of some friends’ daughter, I discovered something quite awesome. The priest led the congregation in making some confessions of the faith. Most of the people seemed to know the words without having to read them, and so, to be quite honest, it seemed mechanical and lifeless to many of them. But because I didn’t know the words, and had to concentrate hard, I found the words inspiring and deeply meaningful.

So I later went to check out different confessions, mainly by Roman Catholic and Anglican Churches. And I think many of them are stunning, and those of us who do not use them are poorer for it.

I’m definitely not advocating that all churches adopt a Roman Catholic or Anglican style of worship. In our church, Real Life Jeffreys Bay, we are constantly searching for creative ways of making worship more meaningful and relevant. I’ve discovered that even lively charismatic style worship can easily become a ritual. So doing one or two of these confessions from time to time has added a completely new dimension, and the feedback from the congregation has been overwhelmingly positive.

So I’m going to share some of these with you, complete with the power point slides. The worship leader reads the bits in white, and the congregation respond reading the bits in yellow. Have fun!!!
By the way, if you use it, drop me an e-mail to let me know how it went…I’d love to know, and it will also inspire me to develop some more.









A Smile (or 2) for Your Day





Thursday, July 10, 2008

Free Christian/Grace Wallpapers








These wallpapers, designed by Ken, are high quality, and YOU ARE WELCOME TO DOWNLOAD them and use them. If you have any that you've designed, and don't mind sharing them with the world, send them to me and we'll post them on the site. It's the whole thing of "Freely you have received, so freely give..." Be blessed! Ken
P.S. Don't forget to visit http://www.chroniclesofaragamuffin.blogspot.com/ for some inspirational and thought provoking grace posts!!!
Also, We'd love to hear your thoughts on the new blog...so pleeeez...send a comment!