Forever He’ll Reign

Our Savior was hung on a criminals cross

Dying for all, forgiving who’s lost

He was born by the Spirit, yet walked as a man

Walking in obedience, He completed God’s plan

He is the reconciliation between man and God

He is our redemption since man has been flawed

Let’s rejoice in our sorrow and rejoice in our pain

He came as our Savior, Forever He’ll reign

He is Alpha, Omega, the Beginning and End

After the ascension, His Spirit He did send

I stand in amazement, I stand in awe

He takes me as I am, with all of my flaws

I rejoice in sadness, I rejoice when in fear

I know I can call out, He draws me in near

I submit to His Lordship, I submit to my God

I’ll forever be His, He’ll forever be awed

I stand in His mercy, I’m saved by His grace

He is my strength to persevere in this race

He called me out of darkness, into the light

I answered His call, I walked away from my plight

He offered me freedom, He set me apart

It’s a new life He gives right from the start

I’m sealed by His Spirit, forever His child

All because of Jesus I have been reconciled

© Copyright By Bart Hickey, All Rights Reserved, 2011-2018

Eclipsed By Glory

Eclipsed By Glory

We must never eclipse the glory of our God

Or show He doesn’t exist or He’s fake or a fraud

He’s true, He is kind, and He’s faithful to His Word

His message is the one that I hope you have heard

God came as a man to save all that are lost

He came with a message and ended on a cross

His message is this for all who wants to hear

His message is salvation and He says it very clear

He came, He died and was raise on the third day

To save us from our sin and heal us from our evil ways

He came to save, forgive and seal us with His spirit

This is the gospel message can you come and hear it

If you confess with your mouth, believe it in your hart

Jesus is Lord and He will give a new start

He was raised to life on the third day

To give us a new chance to walk in His ways

Christ loves us for this is what I know

This is a way of life not a game or a show

This is what one would call an inside job

The change in your hart can only be done by this God

He is alive this very day not a fake nor a fraud

He’s sovereign, He’s just He’s our one true God

© Copyright By Bart Hickey, All Rights Reserved 2017

The Truth About Christmas

Let’s put Christ back in to Christmas

He was born our King

He came with a message

Salvation He brings

He came to redeem man

From his evil ways

We know He’s our Savior

To Him we sing praise

We seek Him and praise Him

From deep in our heart

To Him we give glory

How He set us apart

Our lives He did enter

We welcomed Him in

He sent us His Spirit

And freed us from sin

Let’s put Christ back into Christmas

The world has it all wrong

It’s not about presents

We praise Him with song

© Copyright By Bart Hickey, All Rights Reserved, 2011 through 2016

On The Cross Christ Took Your Place

On the Cross Christ took my place
He died for me so I could run this race
His blood was shed to set me free
From sin and death this is what I believe
It’s in His Word I believe is true
He’s calling out to you know who
So don’t delay to respond
It is you He’s calling on
It is grace He alone provides
His mercy says you don’t have to die
All alone and apart from God
Who alone knows your every flaw
Here’s the message I hope you hear
I hope it comes across loud and clear
Upon that Cross Christ took your place
He died for you to give you grace
His blood was shed to set you free
From sin and death so
forever with Him you will be

© Copyright By Bart Hickey, All Rights Reserved, 2011 through 2016

God Has Not Called Us To Fit In

God has called us out of darkness
And living our life in sin
We are called to be a chosen people
It’s His righteousness that we live in

We are called to be a royal priesthood
A people belonging to God
To abstain from sinful desires
To not live in the flesh that’s flawed

We are called to be a holy nation
Not living like the world
We are called to live separate
Than the world that’s coming unfurled

We are God’s special possession
That we might declare praises of Him
Again He called us out of darkness
That we might bring glory to Him

Once we were not a people
But now we belong to God
We have now received Gods mercy
To refrain from living like we’re flawed

1 Peter 2:10
9. But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, Gods special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10. Once you were not a people, but you are the people of God; once you had not received Gods mercy, but you now have received mercy.
© Copyright By Bart Hickey, All Rights Reserved, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015

Are We In Christ

I have a purpose with this write and it’s to get into your head. Chances are I already have. You have read the title or first sentence and are pondering what’s this guy got to say that interests me. My sole aim is to stimulate thought. If nothing else you read the title and walk away and think about what does it mean to be In Christ. But in order to know what it does mean we have to discover what it doesn’t mean.

What do you think if you are asked, Are You In Christ? Or what is your thoughts when let’s say you’re at a Bible Study and your discussing what it means to be In Christ? Here is what I think, and these are just my thoughts based on how Scripture affects me as I read Scripture. My initial thoughts when you ask me if I’m In Christ are; well I go to church on Sunday, I serve in Awana, I go to prayer meeting, or maybe I even sing in the choir, maybe I help out with the youth, or I’m a deacon, or I lead a Bible Study. You get the picture. Don’t get me wrong these are great things to do and ways to serve and are helpful and even necessary to build and grow Gods Kingdom, But are they really what it means to be In Christ. Now personally I believe they are components of being In Christ and serving is in a big way a component of being In Christ.

Here is my thoughts now as I write and discover and as I take the time to dig a little deeper. New Creation or New Creature: as in 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here. Called or Calling: as in Romans 1:6 And you also are among those Gentiles who are called to belong to Jesus Christ., 1 Corinthians 1:9 God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ or Lord., 1 Corinthians 1:26-31 Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards: not many were influential: not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise: God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things-and the things that are not-to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him. 30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God-that is, our righteousness, holiness, and redemption. 31 Therefore, as it is written; “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.” Chose or chosen: John 15:16-17 Jesus speaking says “ You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit-fruit that will last-and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. 17 This is my command; Love each other.”,
1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. In Christ says I have a Purpose: Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

We could go on like Bear Fruit, Set Apart. We are to live different than anyone in the world so that if someone sees how we are, how we live and how we treat others that our actions and speech draws them to want to know what makes us separate or different from others. People want to know why we are the way we are. That opens the door for us to share the hope that we have inside us.

Ephesians 2:10 says: For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works. Which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Philippians 2:13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.

Somehow in my mind I think that In Christ is more than just serving. It has to do with how we treat and speak to others, how we react to a difficult or certain circumstance or situation. It has to do with Love, How we love our neighbor. In Christ is our identity, it’s who we are and how we identify with the world. He lives in us now let’s live In Him.

Bart
© Copyright By Bart Hickey, All Rights Reserved, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014

Judge Me Not

Judge not lest you be judged
Are the words of God who loves

Judge me not what you see
For I judge not what you be

For if you judge what I am
This judgement could be a sham

God’s Word tells us not to judge
This could cause to have a grudge

If I judge and hurt ones heart
How can I live set apart

God commands for all to love
If we do this we how can we judge

© Copyright By Bart Hickey, All Rights Reserved, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014

I Am Carrying Christ In My Heart

I Am Carrying Christ In My Heart
From salvation I get a new start
It is Christ that saves me from death
He broke the chains of addiction to meth
Now I carry the seal of the Spirit
I can not earn life by my own merit
So now I am a new creation in life
That doesn’t mean I do not have strife
Now I’ve been called, been set apart
I get to start each day with a new clean heart
I’ve also been called out of the bondage of sin
It starts with the conviction from the Spirit within
Now I start each day refreshed and a new
Because I carry Christ in my heart I get to share this with you

 

© Copyright By Bart Hickey, All Rights Reserved, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014

 

Do You Have Hope ? What’s The Reason For Your Hope ?

1 PETER 3:15
But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those that speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.

As a believer in Jesus Christ, one never has the foreknowledge of when God places them in a situation to where this verse is going to be fulfilled in there life. I think in my mind that’s why it says to always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. I personally am a member of a program called Celebrate Recovery and have within CR given my testimony at a few different meetings and it’s always a blessing to be able to do so. But my pastor and ministry leader believe as do I that a believer should have their testimony in 3 different, lets say versions. One written out to give as a 15-20 minute testimony at a meeting or church, a 2nd one a shorter version that is a “rated G” version to give to older kids and teens, and 3rd a 3-5 minute version to give maybe to someone one on a trip or air plane. I also happen to wear my one and only CR T-Shirt quite frequently which I believe puts me in the position to be asked about CR and what it is all about quite often. I can honestly say that I’ve never had the pleasure of giving a 3-5 minute version of my testimony until yesterday when at the Emergency Room with my youngest daughter and wife. My daughter was in the back being seen for what we thought was strep throat and I was in the waiting room drinking coffee watching the news, with my CR t-shirt on. I can say it was mid morning and the ER wasn’t full, however there were a good amount of people waiting and in and out when this older gentleman came from around the corner, saying hello and greeting people. Judging from the ID Badge on his shirt I figured he worked for the hospital. It wasn’t until the end of my conversation with this man that I found out he was a chaplain. When he saw me he boasted of how he loved the program of Celebrate Recovery and how it changes peoples lives. Now mind you this man does not speak quietly at all and as we were talking I noticed people looking our direction and to be honest I wasn’t exactly whispering. It was a small waiting room and we were vocal enough you knew what we were talking about. All of a sudden the chaplain says let me hear it, give me that 3-5 minute version of your testimony. I did not have any time to rationally think about what I was going to say and if you look at me with all my tattoos (full sleeves, and on fingers and hands) you could guess what my life could have been like. So I started out that CR is a Christ Centered Recovery Program not just for people with drug or/and alcohol issues. CR is a program for people with life issues, that suffer from any of life’s hurts, habits, and hang ups such as grief, codependency, abuse of many forms, sexual integrity issues, anger, food issues the list is endless. I was honest and I told him how I lived most of my life as a drug addict slash drug dealer, that I had prospected at one time for an outlaw motorcycle club, that after the Marine Corps and medical assistant school I chose to live most of my life outside the law, and that in 2005 through my girlfriend loosing custody of her youngest son to her ex-husband God started making attempts at getting my attention. Through that experience I thought that my girlfriend needed spiritual guidance that I couldn’t provide for her then one day she told me that she was good with her relationship with Christ and that God was looking for me not her. Then in 2009 I submitted my life to Christ, rededicated my life to Christ and was baptized. I then started living the new creation that God had purposed me to live, and how God had led me to CR where I was freed by Christ from the addiction to drugs, and how my life has now been a testimony in how through the 12 steps. I have learned that there are other areas of my life that I need to work on and how God has transformed me from the inside out and that I’m a work in progress.
I said all that in around 5 minutes, but mostly I got to talk about how Jesus changed an old hardened, angry, bitter heart to a loving, kind, gentle heart for Him. My heart belongs to Jesus and He didn’t give me my life back, I don’t want to go back. Jesus gave me a new life, even in the struggles He gives me a life that I want to live, that I look forward to living. With Jesus and Celebrate Recovery I get the opportunity to serve God in my church, my community and in Celebrate Recovery. Hopefully what I got to do in sharing that 5 minute testimony was plant a seed in someone’s mind and heart that there is a place where people can find healing from life’s hurts, habits, and hang ups of all sorts. And I hope for you the reader if you need healing seek Christ and His power. Find someone you can talk to who knows Christ and can help lead you to a relationship with Christ so you can find freedom from life’s hurts, habits and hang ups.

 

 
© Copyright By Bart Hickey, All Rights Reserved, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014

 

His Grace That Saves

It’s Gods grace that gives us life and saves
All because Christ conquered the grave
He left His royalty to walk as a man
His message is repent and firmly stand
Stand firm in Gods Word and walk away from the flesh
To live in this world no longer to mesh

It’s Gods grace that saves us from a life of sin
He knocks at the door will you let Him come in
He wants to come in and change your heart
That’s been His plan right from the start
As he changes your heart give Him your fight
It’s Gods Spirit that is your guiding light

It’s Gods grace that saves us so we don’t have to die
We don’t live for this world and live out a lie
We can live out Gods Word and walk in His ways
Wearing His Armor we no longer have to stray
Stray from our Lord or stray from our God
Just walk in His ways and stand in His Awe

 

© Copyright By Bart Hickey, All Rights Reserved, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014