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Monday, February 19, 2007

Can You Hear It Coming?

From somewhere deep down in the bowels of Continental Airlines Arena…

I’m really just sitting here speechless. This night….crazy.

They say New York City (tonight we are all one happy New Jersey/New York family…and I’m sure people were here from all over the place) is the melting pot of the world, and maybe that’s why I love it so much. Maybe that’s why worship here always seems to take on a different tone…because the worship of Jesus Christ is, no doubt, a worldwide endeavor.

Sure, there were 8000+ voices cranking, but it was the faces that made it special, so much of the world reflected in the many races and people that filled this place. And as the night was winding down, and we were totally losing it on “Glory In The Highest,” a line we have sung every night came roaring to life like never before:

And no one else could ever compare
To You, Lord
All the earth together declares...
Glory in the highest ... to You, Lord.

Tonight was a little, tiny peak into what that’s all about. And as it unfolded, heaven got a bigger. That’s been a theme of my life for the past few years, as glimpses of gatherings on earth declare that heaven blows away anything we have ever dreamed, and the church that is headed there is doing quite well as His anthem spreads around the globe. Of course we have a massive mission before us, but at the front lines God's way is to have the singers of heaven’s song lead into the fray. That song is the down payment on a party that is going to leave us grasping for words and in utter awe. May we never become so enthralled with the puny glimmer of earth and lose sight of forever’s anthem…and heaven’s great and glorious King.

For tonight, heaven is still open, and those who grab onto the Savior with all they are can find a home.

Thank you New York/New Jersey. Thank You glorious Son. I am amazingly Yours.

posted by 268gen at 12:13 AM

33 Comments:

  • Louie, Chris and Matt -
    I was with you guys tonight at the Continental Arena and I have got to tell you I came tonight telling the Lord that I simply didn't know if I could go on. My life has been one big worst case scenario after another these past few months (I actually got into a car accident on the way to the concert tonight and while there got a call that my cat had died...this is how life has been). I left tonight renewed and ready to meet the challenges before me. Christ is so glorified through you guys and especially tonight - the anthems raised left me breathless and thirsty for more. Thank you from the deepest parts of my heart for relaying such a message of Christ's personal involvement in our lives. You will simply never know the depth of my gratitude and the passionate prayers I have prayed on your behalf. Be blessed...in His mighty name.

    By Blogger Kristen Schiffman, at 2/19/2007 12:44 AM  

  • Wow! Tonight was absolutely amazing!! Thank you for bringing the light of Christ to this hardened area...we here on Long Island don't often get to experience a gathering like that with thousands of people eager to worship God. For me personally, having been a part of Passion '07, it felt very familiar and very much like family. I think it's because I am so 100% behind the heart of Passion and of this tour. "Oh great God, be glorified! Our lives laid down, Yours magnified..." Truly there is no greater joy in life than to live out this reality.

    It was, in a word, refreshing and for the young women I was with, totally overwhelming! I took four girls from my church who have never been to a Christian concert. One of the best parts of the night for me was seeing God reach down and touch their hearts, or as Louie said, "expand their view of God". When we left, they were still visibly trying to get a handle on what they had experienced.

    Thank you Jesus for rescuing us so that we could worhip You eternally!

    By Blogger Unknown, at 2/19/2007 12:58 AM  

  • One of the reasons I really find 'Glory in the Highest' such a moving song is that I feel like it captures so much the feel of the universality of wroship that must be happening in heaven.

    It is continually amazing to hear what God is doing with y'all!

    By Blogger Morgan, at 2/19/2007 1:30 AM  

  • Amazing. As 8,000 people were glorifying God with you guys in NYC another great heavenly party was taking place a continent away in California.

    I attended a drama at my church tonight and watched as hundreds of people flooded the alter in desparation to receive Christ into their lives. In fact, so many people responded to the invitation they had to open up the stage and the stage crowded to capacity and flooded into the isles. It is a large church over 2,500 capacity. (Ask Crowder, he gave a concert here a week ago Friday).

    Your blog tonight and the salvations I witnessed has crumbled this prideful heart. I am brought back to a place of awe and reverance as I remember the God I serve is so great and merciful! God stretched out his arms tonight and hugged America, touching both the lives of concert goers in NY and a crowd in Modesto, Ca. And it makes me think, There is a whole continent between NY and CA, what else was he up to?? His Hug has stretched the continent and we are surrounded in his embrace! AMEN!!!

    I love what you are doing for this generation. In a very low time of my life God sent me to a Passion concert and HE suddenly became so much bigger and I have never stopped glorifying His name!

    Big hugs from sunny CA! Did i tell you it was 80* here today? Come back soon!

    By Blogger Sarah Lovelace, at 2/19/2007 1:34 AM  

  • Wow. That's incredible. I wish I could find words to describe how amazing our God is.

    As I sit here, I'm completely floored that the God who I'm about to go spend one-on-one time with is the very same God who is with you guys up there in New York. That's more than amazing. That's fully, and wonderfully insane. Our God is VERY great.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 2/19/2007 1:37 AM  

  • Thank you for your description that enables us, who can't worship our glorious God with you in America, to feel a small part of what God is doing in the world. I am utterly thrilled that our incomprehensible God is so glorified by a " worship night " and that He continues to draw people to himself and touch lives, changing them for ever.

    We are looking forward to being in God's presence God with both you and Chris at Hillsong in July (very sadly without Matt !!! )and after hearing so much of what God has done on this tour, we hope that we get a taste of the HGIOG tour at Hillsong !!!!

    Lifting you all up to our Father.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 2/19/2007 1:43 AM  

  • Turn up the music! Crank His anthem! Glory be to Your Name, precious, Holy King! We adore you... "Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give Him glory!" Revelation 19:7

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 2/19/2007 1:44 AM  

  • amazing!
    Stories like that bring tears to my eyes. I absolutely love that song. I actually sang it as a solo at church last week. One of my favorite memories is one that I made at Passion 07 singing that song with everybody(and many other amazing songs during the candlelight service.) Lifting up God's name under the night sky surrounded by other believers, all longing for His kingdom. I am so glad that I had the opportunity to experience that. And I know it's only a super tiny glimpse of what heaven is going to be like. I can't wait for the after party!!!!! Thank you Jesus!!
    Well, I guess I will see you and the guys in St. Louis soon!! Can't wait to worship with you all. Your tour is in my prayers! :)

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 2/19/2007 9:46 AM  

  • Last night was simply amazing! Thank you Jesus is right!

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 2/19/2007 11:26 AM  

  • Wow - Sunday Night 24 of us headed over from Long Island to the Meadowlands to catch Chris, Matt and Louie and over 8000 worshipers lifting high the name of Jesus for the "How Great is our God tour." I have to say, these guys really know how and demonstrate how to get Vertical with God. None of them were the star of the show - the only rightful star was the Lord Jesus Christ!

    Chris and the band started leading, and the sound of the people in the seats singing was amazing. Chris even commented at the end how "he's been chasing these songs around and he's totally amazed at how God has just caused the church everywhere to pick them up and make them their own to sing God's praises." (something like that!) Between songs, Matt steped up to lead with the same band, and it was seamless - they went back and forth a few times. No hoopla - just humble worship of an incredible God!

    Louie has a gift in how he can help us attempt to grasp the hugeness of God. He spoke from his heart using only his Bible, and communicated how God's signature is all over the universe, from the black hole in the center of the largest star to the molecular glues that holds us together. His signature is the cross of Jesus. He quoted from Colossians 1: 15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

    As happened to me when I was at the Facedown conference 3 years ago, it happened again - I was "resized." We are just like tiny specks on the face of a "golf-ball-sized" earth in the infinite universe created by an all-powerful God. Yet, even though we are small, God loves us and attends to our cry, in a loose way similar to how a parent attends to their children.

    God is incredible, and we spent an incredible night declaring his praises. Thanks to the Lord and to this team that He has sent across the country who are humble servants of an Awesome God! For those who missed this night, I pray you can catch a vision of God as he truly is and just "bow down and worship Him."

    By Blogger Bob, at 2/19/2007 12:15 PM  

  • i've got tears in my eyes and i wasn't even there. God is moving mightily in my life and i just know what all of you people mean... even though i was with about 30 people worshipping God last night. how great is He.

    what a Beautiful God.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 2/19/2007 12:25 PM  

  • Hey guys....thank you for last night. I am a seminary student and for the past couple of months, I have felt so exhausted and distant from God. Combined with failed relationships and grueling work requiring intense reflection, I am often wondering who this massive God is that seems so alive one moment and so far the next. However, while Chris was playing "How Great is Our God", I was starkly reminded about the beauty and splendor of God and the steadfastness He has given to my family and me. I was reminded of his stability through my parents' divorce and the love he has given to us. I was moved to tears and left feeling God's eternal arms embracing me so tightly. To GOD be the glory. Thank you all for answering the call.

    By Blogger Ryan, at 2/19/2007 2:54 PM  

  • "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not recieved mercy, but now you have recieved mercy.

    Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. Life such good lives among the pagans that though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us." 1 Peter 2: 9-12

    "Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever." Revelation 22: 1-5

    "He who testifies to these things says, 'Yes, I am coming soon.' Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
    The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God's people. Amen." Revelation 22: 20-21

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 2/19/2007 2:55 PM  

  • Praise God for His work!

    Do any of y'all from LI live near Lynbrook or there abouts? I have no clue what could be done, but I've wondered for a long time if my family would be blessed to know more believers. They do not know the Lord. We've witnessed to them, but their eyes have not been opened yet. I don't know. I just wonder if the Truth coming from more than one direction might get their attention. I know it's the Lord's work, and I look to Him, but we are His instruments. Just a thought. Email me if you like, bowtheheart-goodnew@yahoo.com.

    Anyway, so exciting what God is doing on the tour! Praying for everyone involved! I also love "Glory in the Highest." It takes me to that day when we are in the full presence of our amazing God praising Him as we were meant to and He deserves. He truly deserves ALL the glory! How sweet the sound of that truth!

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 2/19/2007 3:30 PM  

  • Have you guys seen this auction on ebay? All money goes to the worldtour, It's amazing:

    http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=007&sspagename=STRK%3AMESE%3AIT&viewitem=&item=170082550133&rd=1&rd=1

    I feel so blessed that people are actually doing this to get Passion to people like me! WOW!!

    By Blogger Jacoline, at 2/19/2007 4:09 PM  

  • "Arise Jerusalem! Let your light SHINE for all the nations to see! For the glory of the LORD is SHINING upon you. Darkness as black as night will cover all the nations of the earth, but the glory of the LORD will shine over you. ALL nations will come to your light." Isaiah 60:1-3

    I just haven't been able to get away from the word SHINE since I've been back from Atlanta. It's everywhere. And how incredible that He chooses to shine on us? We don't even create the shine. We just...reflect.

    I have loved hearing about what our God is doing through the tour. Praying that you guys continue to Arise and Shine!

    By Blogger schromiester, at 2/19/2007 7:15 PM  

  • last night was such a blessing!

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 2/19/2007 9:54 PM  

  • those lines of Glory in the Highest touch my heart so much- and singing it with "family" wow! God is sooo awesome!!!!

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 2/19/2007 10:11 PM  

  • man...i wanted to be there!!!

    By Blogger '09 Ukraine Orphan Care Trip Team, at 2/20/2007 2:40 AM  

  • Lifting you up in prayer righ now

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 2/20/2007 9:49 AM  

  • Four of us from Southern Connecticut made the trek there. We were all so very blessed by the music, the message, the camaraderie, and the humility of all of you. It must be hard to do the same songs, the same message, night after night and still have it come off as fresh and powerful to everybody in the audience. But that is what happened.

    Thanks for your ministry. I will be getting one of Louis' DVDs for my family.

    Nick Alexander
    The Catholic Weird Al

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 2/20/2007 1:47 PM  

  • We are eagerly awaiting our time of worship with you Chris, Matt and the band here in Lancaster, PA on Thursday night. From all I have read about it, it sounds like it will be amazing! I was blessed to hear you speak here last year for the National Day of Prayer event and met you after the event. I cannot tell you how much we are looking forward to hearing God speak through you again. God bless you and keep you until then!!

    By Blogger higgie08, at 2/20/2007 6:32 PM  

  • Just reading about what's going on at other venues...I'm getting excited about the tour coming to Little Rock. I am extremely excited.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 2/20/2007 11:16 PM  

  • I thank God for all of you. You guys are a blessing!

    I agree with what was said in the concert..."We do not escape pain." "That the God of the Universe cares about us, every little thing in our lives" It is a good reminder! Sometimes, easily forgotten in the busyness of "LIFE".

    One of you shared to us that it is your heart's desire that once we get out of the concert we should be a changed person. After that concert, I started to reflect more of the goodness of God in my life, the things I needed to work on and the responsibilities that God has given me in Church and at Work (and the thoughts that came into my mind was "be faithful in the little things").

    After graduating from Bible College 2 years ago, I thought I was ready to conquer the World for Christ, ready to go back to my home Church and have all the Youths be on fire for God! I thought it was going to be easy because after all, I went to Bible College. God prepared me enough to handle what may come my way. Haha! I was naive. Unfortunately, my family was tested. In short, my parents left our Home Church and I stayed. It wasn't an easy road having to teach the youth whose parents hurt my parents. It hurt a lot to see my Father hurt so deeply and yet still choose to love those who hurt your flesh and blood. On top of that, work wasn't that easy also. No matter how much you want to please your boss, I finally understood, that you can only do so much and the world doesn't revolve around my boss. At the same time my Church split.

    Those were the happenings before 2006 ended. Looking back to it now, I'm glad it happened. It happened for a reason. I told God that 2007 will be a different year and it will be a great and wonderful year!

    Going to that concert, I believe was that "Extra" push that I needed to "Draw closer to God" and in return, "He will draw closer to me". To "Keep on Keeping On"...to continue "Running the Race..."

    I have a lot to say...but I'll cut it short......THANK YOU..Praise God!...

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 2/21/2007 12:06 AM  

  • that's simply amazing.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 2/21/2007 1:48 AM  

  • Louie -

    I will be at the tour stop on Thursday Night at LCBC in Manheim, PA. There will be a group of 8 people coming. Among my friends with me is a woman who coaches volleyball. One of her players will be coming along. I do not know her name, but I ask that you lift her up in prayer before the worship begins thursday night. She has a jewish father, a catholic mother, and after a torn PCL which takes away volleyball for a while thinks God hates her. Pray that her heart is softened to Him Who Saves on Thursday Night.

    I have been at passion for 2 years now to see how God has used you guys in taking His message around the world. I pray that it once again ripples through another stop along the path He leads you on. I am touched by the stories that continue to be shared on the blog.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 2/21/2007 4:46 PM  

  • Its so awesome to be caught in the overpowering and overwhelming wave of God's glory spreading throughout the nation and the world. I'm continuing to pray for you guys as you continue to live a life pleasing in every way to our LORD and King.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 2/21/2007 4:50 PM  

  • first off Kristen.. we are two peas in a pod. God has been working in my life and one thing after the other would come up. But through it all He is so good and He loves us and is teaching us and letting us rely on Him so much more.

    Louie hey. praying and thanks for sharing from New York/ Jersey God is fantastic.

    Eliz.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 2/21/2007 9:12 PM  

  • Glory in the highest...
    Glory in the highest...

    Thanks for the song in my head It's becoming loud compared to the silence around me. Don't you just love Him? Reverently. Gratefully. With wonder. There's no one quite like Him.

    He is...One.

    Number One. Holy One. Magnificent One. Creating one. Life-breathing One. Sinned-against One. Holy One. Disciplining One. Patient One. Longsuffering One. The often forgotten One.

    Yet, still the ancient One. Yesterday's One. Today's One. Tomorrow's One.

    Came as a baby One. Teaching One. Truthful One. Loving One. Betrayed One. Silent One. Beaten One. Spat upon One. Crucified One.

    Only-for-the-moment dead One. Risen One. Glorious One. Triumphant One. All powerful and sinless One.

    Restoring One. Redeeming One. The calling One.

    He is the coming One!

    By Blogger Kendra, at 2/21/2007 10:33 PM  

  • how was lancaster? wanted to be there too! :)

    By Blogger '09 Ukraine Orphan Care Trip Team, at 2/22/2007 12:45 AM  

  • I mentioned a couple of posts ago that, in a ministry I am involved with, we had one girl accept Christ a couple of weeks ago. Last night, we have 7 girls accept Christ!! It's so GREAT to see the girls finally trust us enough to ask hard questions and want to know why we're different and all those other great things!
    Glory in the HIGHEST! Praise to God beyond what I can ever express!

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 2/22/2007 1:28 PM  

  • I can't wait till you guys come to chattavegas tuesday!!! I am so excited. There was a chance that i wasn't gonna make it bc of a talent show at school. my bro and i were getting really excited bc the top prize was $500 and they were practically begging people to try out and i figured that we would be a shoe in for the prize and then it hit me.....it was the same night as the How Great is our God tour. so it was either $500 prize or go to an amazing worship service and i'm sure i'm gonna be happy to say that i picked the right one come tuesday night! i've even gotten some smack for going from people bc they said, "well, you already saw them at passion, why do you want to see them again." to which i said, well, any chance i can get to praise my Savior w/ thousands i'm not gonna pass it up!


    i would love to get to meet all you guys when you come but i'm sure that's probably too much to ask and you'll all be really busy and probably tired. thanks again for the amazing job of leading Passion this year. again i was truly blessed and changed!


    p.s. Passion was the bombdiggity and i can't wait for the world tours!!!!

    By Blogger HALLMARC, at 2/22/2007 5:20 PM  

  • Jehovah! Rapha-El!

    (okay, so i really don't do Hebrew, but for what it's worth, i think it sounds cool to "Our God is a god who saves")

    Grosser Gott! Sei hochgelobt!
    (o, great God, be glorified)
    Wir geben Dir unser Leben hier.
    (our lives laid down for You right here)
    Grosser Gott! Sei hoechstgeehrt!
    o, great God! be utmostly honored!
    Keiner (niemand/kein Gott) ist wie Du, keiner ist wie Du!
    Not anyone (nobody/no god) is like You, not anyone is like You!

    Sorry, couldn't help it. German is just too rough to sound altogether "pretty, " and i rarely sing (or talk) in German. But the first and last lines just snuck their way into my head last night on the drive home.

    Go world!

    By Blogger Silke, at 2/22/2007 10:59 PM  

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