Monday, March 10, 2008

HOW GREAT THOU ART!!! (And then some)*


O, Lord, my God, when I, in awesome wonder,...



...consider all the worlds Thy hands have made...


...I see the stars...


...I hear the rolling thunder...


...Thy power throughout the universe display...

...Then sings my soul, my Savior, God, to Thee...How great Thou art! How great Thou art!

...Then sings my soul, my Savior, God, to Thee...HOW GREAT THOU ART!!! HOW GREAT THOU ART!!!




Hey bloggers...I have a lot to say today (all good), but for some reason I just wanted to talk about the greatness of God right now...His presence has been very strong and real to me all day today...so I put this together to express to you what is really in my spirit...hope you enjoy. I may post something later...Peace!


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* Hey, everybody…it’s a few hours later, and I do want to post a little more. Glad you liked the pictures…

One reason that I didn’t have anything to say earlier is that the impact of yesterday’s service at CITN left me in a very quiet and contemplative state of mind for some reason. We had an early lunch with Christina and Sofia, and got them on the road back to NC, but after that I just really didn’t want to talk for the rest of the day. Finding the pictures for HOW GREAT THOU ART took a while, and gave me a reason to just be quiet, and to meditate on the greatness of God.

Then I went back and read through all of the posts on the church site again about the sermon yesterday, and I was struck by how many people talked about being left “speechless” after the word came forth. These are some of the phrases that are posted…

“I was speechless after service…”

“I do not have the words to describe how it made me feel, emotionally, spiritually intellectually.”

“It's hard to put into words to comment on your message yesterday Bishop…”

“I was literally speechless for a good while after the service as I absorbed the far-reaching affect of the Word that you brought forth.”

“Bishop, I'm so overwhelmed by today's message, I don't even know where to begin.”

“I am really too overwhelmed to even give an expository comment; but I heard God/you today loud and clear.”

(Title: No words) “WOW, Bish... WOW...I don't even know what to say!”


I don’t know what happened to those of us who were there yesterday, either ITB or through streaming, but I do know that the word “SELAH” literally means: Pause, and calmly think of that. We must all be experiencing a maximum-strength SELAH on this one!

Anyway, I’m ready to talk some now, and ready to hear what you have to say, so belly up to the table.

BTW, after reading some of your answers to 20 Questions I want to remind you (even though I said that I was only going to say it once) that basically everything that has been written on this blog from the first day is still posted online in cached form, and it’s relatively easy to find. And really, in a way, I’m glad that it’s all still available, because I put a lot of time and effort into those original articles.

Thanks, again, for your pariticipation…How great is our God?!!

18 comments:

Unknown said...

The Allelujah Chorus began immediately after my "refresh" click revealed your post.

DoubleBack Alley said...

My dearest Sahib,
That is the finest orchestral visual arrangement of the magnificence of God that I have seen in a long time. When I consider His awesome wonder, how great we are as well.

I have checked out the blog several times today and when I didn't see anything new, I thought you might be out of town. Glad you posted, my brother.

I love the nowness of God and I have some difficulty commenting on things past in previous blogs. Hope you understand. I feel like I am going back into the yesterday and trying to "now" it. I am sure there is medication for me as it probably sounds a bit quirky.

An old Jewish axiom states that we should stay in the now because wondering how the past would have been different had our actions been different is pointless. The past happened and one never knows what ramifications a changed emotion or reaction would have affected the now. Tersely stated, our Jewish brothers say that it didn't happen, so why wonder what would have happened. Now, it really is all about the "is" of "now" isn't it now?

Somehow, God makes the moment of this writing of great purchase because I am at the center of everything that this moment has led up to. The culmination of my experiences allows me to celebrate with you, in this portal of ticking time, in this now, in my heavenly blog and say, "My God, How Great You Are"

Ain't God Good?

tracy said...

Wow! That brought me to tears.

HollyC said...

Beautiful..

Teezy313 said...

Beautiful Bish!! God IS great and greatly to be praised!! Magnify the Lord WITH me, let US exalt His name TOGETHER!! The Glory of the Lord shall be revealed and ALL flesh shall see it TOGETHER!!! Let EVERYTHING that has breath Praise the Lord!!!

The pics are absolutely amazing by the way....

Nancy said...

How great is our God! Seeing those pictures...wow! Listening to The Prayer, thinking about how HIS POWER IS LIKE NO OTHER!
Thanks Bishop for this blog, I love it.

Bishop Jim Swilley said...

Thanks to all...DBA, thanks for checking. I like to keep it fresh, regardless...

Kettly said...

I don't know when you started on your ministry.One thing I do know,on november the 30th of last year,I had a dream about you.I saw you coming out of an eggshell and around the eggshell was a fire like a sunlight.If I may say so yesterday I saw the man that came out of that eggshell standing before us.Finally,I understand the dream.I can see the Bishop,I meet three years ago,is changing to a Christ-like before my eyes.When you were singing the hymms about the love and the power of GOD,I heard,"ALL WILL SEE ME IN HIM(YOU).LOOK AT HIM,HE IS SO TRANSPARENT BEFORE YOU,JUST LIKE I WAS WHEN I WAS CRUCIFIED ON THE CROSS.BELIEVE IN HIS WORDS,I AM SPEAKING THROUGH HIM TO REVEAL MYSELF TO YOU.Bishop,Yesterday,I don't know about the others but,I can see a big, big change in you,the church, and also in your Messages.You're changing bishop,the light is shinning more and more in you and through you.Thank You for sharing your REVELATION with us. Now, there is no way you can stop,you just have to bring us with you,I can't wait to get there,because I'm starving and thirsty for more.I applaude you,even if I were to go to theology school or the biggest Church in Georgia, I wouldn't get this kind of revelation from them,
the way I get it,at church in the now. I believe I am in the right place at the right time to received this " REVELATION MESSAGE".
Bishop, may you always lower yourself,to let GOD lift you up. Thank You,for this beautiful word of light you deliver to us yesterday.May you always find favors with our GOD. Yes,"HOW GREAT THOU ART!!!"
GOD BLESS.
KETTLY

Friend4Life said...

God is Gr8!! The Bar-b-Q @ CITN is the best in town. Just wanted to say keep doing what your doing!! Don't let people box you in. (I actually had a dream about people putting you in a box)(Me fighting for you to keep going...)Can't please them all. Waiting for the next feast @ the table.

peacemaker said...

It's said, " A picture is worth a thousand words". That never has been more right than in this post. I believe most of us, just by contemplating on those pics, could have sang that awesome song even if the words weren't there to lead us.
I am aware of God: in a beautiful sunset, in the seeking eyes of a child, in the vastness of the universe, in the infinite power of nature, in the chaotic death and rebirth process, in knowing how we live,and move,and have our being in the Creator, in witnessing the glory of the Lord covering the earth as the waters cover the deep.
In everything...I see the magnificant Greatness of God.
Thanks for sharing your heart.

PM

Anonymous said...

I find it an interesting analogy that the internet (or cyberspace) mimics the universe (or outerspace) in that nothing is ever really "deleted" - it's always out there somewhere and that ALL knowledge (truths and untruths) and wisdom exists within it's infinite boundaries.

Anonymous said...

* He numbers the clouds by wisdom.

* He binds the cluster of the Pleiades & can loose the belt of Orion.

* He sends out lightnings where they may go. They zip back to Him reporting, "Here we are!"

* Look! The Lord's eye is on those who fear Him. They hope in His mercy.

* How excellent! Your name in all the earth! You set Your glory above the heavens!

* When I consider the works of Your hands - the moon and the stars & how you ordained them, it makes me wonder why you pay any attention to me or even my offspring. It's obvious we're created lower than angels. But yet... You crowned us with Your radiance - enveloped us with glory and honor.

So, rather than ask You why (why wars? Why famine? Why genocide or homocide or suicide? Or mortgage payments or hospice care or proper procedure or business as usual) I want to say, "Thank You!"

Thank You for comfortable silences & noisy thunderstorms.

Thank You for Kleenex.

Thank You for orange Lifesaver mints.

Thank You for a smile when I need one & a hug when I resist it.

Thank You for books & how they smell. (thank You that nobody sees me when I'm appreciating them)

Thank You that Your thoughts towards me are innumberable. My earth family says mine wear them out.

Unknown said...

Great post. More than anything I wish I could have been a part of your service Sunday. I am really curious about the message you preached that left so many with out words. How would I be able to attain a copy of that message?

Thanks,
Ross

Unknown said...

anonymous: I was thinking the same thing this morning.

no new words available in me yet

Bishop Jim Swilley said...

Kettly, you're a true intercessor and I know you pray for me a lot, so you just naturally see me in the best possible light (which I appreciate). I don't doubt the validity of your dream, or that you hear from God, just remember that I'm only a man, and the revelation is a gift that I don't totally understand myself...but keep seeing me that way, because I don't always see it, personally, and I need all the intercession I can get...

Welcome, aboard Friend4life (I don't think you've posted before)...thanks for fighting for me...

Thanks, PM, anonymous, and Izumi...great stuff!

Ross in Nashville, you can get the CD or DVD from the service by logging on to the media section of the CITN site...

Ebony said...

If we're using the BBQ analogy, I think we were all to busy savoring and digesting the size of the meal. Even if you're used to getting good food, a porterhouse sirloin is a lot more meat than a strip steak. So, it takes more time, it has to be savored, through and through, and then you can compliment the chef. We can talk now because we've had a few days to eat and digest if you will. So, I say again, Sunday was *MUAH* C'est manifique!

Anonymous said...

Bishop,
I knew that I was suppose to hear your word Sunday. I didn't know why... I just knew it, so I came with open ears and expectation. Well I now know why...
Bishop... when you are at that level of truth, God takes over... God is the Truth, and now I know this. God spoke to me Sunday... not you. But I thank you dearly.

Everything is good. Everything is already taken care of. I need not try to be good... I am already good. I do not need to earn God's love... I am already loved. I am now more a man than ever.

I heard this on the history channel: If you took that fastest plane and flew to the nearest star, it would take you 53,000 YEARS.
Oh yeah... I almost forgot... HOW GREAT IS OUR GOD!!!

Bishop Jim Swilley said...

Thanks, Ebony...

...and thanks (and welcome aboard) Mirome...glad you heard the Word...the vastness of the universe is a trip, isn't it?