Jesus Bled So We Could Belong

It seems I hear the Lord clearly saying to me, "I chose to bleed for you so you could choose to belong to Me."

I've heard it said that the words "bleed" and "bless" come from the same root word. Surely when our Savior "bled" to death at Calvary, it was to "bless" us with Life.

One of my partners in ministry, Pastor Joseph, sent me this old hymn in a YouTube link. I believe as we listen we will remember His bleeding and it will make us more aware of His blessing.

 Click here: The Collingsworth Family - At Calvary - YouTube

Mercy There (at Calvary) was Great and Grace was Free...
Grateful

The Lord Will Make Himself Known

...He will send them a Savior and Defender, and deliver them (those who swear allegiance to the Lord of hosts). And the LORD will make Himself known...
-- From Isaiah 19:20-21 (ESV)

Holiness Unto The LORD!
Grateful

"Turn Around"

Driving across town I heard this song titled, Turn Around, playing on the radio. It immediately touched my heart.

Click here: YouTube - Matt Maher - Turn Around

Here are the words:

Young man on the side of the road
Lost and beat up with no where to go
Smells like a hangover from days ago
He does what he can to survive

Single mom with a dead end job
Ninety hour week just to keep what she's got
With the bills that add up and down she's caught
She does what she can to survive

Well, let me say
That love won't take away the pain
But don't be afraid
'Cause it will never walk away

(Chorus)
If you're scared that you don't matter
If you're lost and need to be found
If you're looking for a Savior
All you gotta do is turn around

Some turn to a bottle
Some turn to a drug
Some turn to another's arms
But it seems like it's never enough

Well I won't say, that you will ever fail again
But there is grace
To wash away your every sin

Chorus

No one listens to you anymore
And your heart has broken down
You don't need to move
Love has come to you
All you gotta do is turn around
All you gotta do is turn around
Turn around

You don't have to take the broken road
You can turn around and come back home
(X3)

Chorus

No one listens to you anymore
And your heart has broken down
You don't need to move
Love has come to you
All you gotta do is turn around
All you gotta do is turn around
-- Song by Matt Mayer, the album The Love In Between

We don't have to take the broken road!
Grateful

Wonderful, Merciful Savior

Tina, a voice from Heaven in our local church family, sings and recorded a song written and recorded by the contemporary group Selah. The words moved my heart so wonderfully recently that I listened to the song about five times in a row. May the lyrics inspire Your love for our Lord, today:

Wonderful, merciful Saviour, precious Redeemer and Friend.
Who would've thought that a Lamb could,
Rescue the souls of men.
Oh, You rescue the souls of men.

Counselor, Comforter, Keeper, Spirit we long to embrace.
You offer hope when our hearts have,
Hopelessly lost our way.
Oh, we've hopelessly lost the way.

CHORUS:
You are the One that we praise.
You are the One we adore.
You give the healing and grace,
Our hearts always hunger for.
Oh, our hearts always hunger for.

Almighty, infinite Father, faithfully loving Your own.
Here in our weakness You find us,
Falling before Your throne.
Oh, we're falling before Your throne.

IF MY PEOPLE... WILL? I WILL! God's Promise in 2 Chron. 7:14.
Grateful

Facing Fear? Pray: "Jesus Savior, Pilot Me!"

I woke up early this morning in a deep spirit of personal prayer. These six words of comfort and assurance from God's Word in Proverbs 3:25 (NIV) were on my mind as I inhaled and exhaled the presence of my Lord: Have no fear of sudden disaster!

When I went to bed last night, the words of an old hymn of the church were among my last thoughts. This hymn was sung at my Grandaddy Gray's homegoing service when I was in the seventh grade. My granddaddy, a boat captain, recognized, like every wise boat captain recognizes, Jesus is the Pilot. Hear now the words of the hymn and have no fear of sudden disaster:

Jesus, Savior, pilot me over life's tempestuous sea;
unknown waves before me roll, hiding rock and treacherous shoal.
Chart and compass come from Thee; Jesus, Savior, pilot me.

As a mother stills her child, Thou canst hush the ocean wild;
boisterous waves obey Thy will, when thou sayest to them, "Be still!"
Wondrous Sovreign of the Sea, Jesus, Savior, pilot me.

When at last I near the shore, and the fearful breakers roar
'twixt me and the peaceful rest, then, while leaning on Thy breast,
may I hear Thee say to me, "Fear not, I will pilot thee."

IF MY PEOPLE... WILL? I WILL! God's Promise in 2 Chron. 7:14.
Grateful

...To Forgive Us, Not To Forget Us!

When we hear John 3:16-17, we should know undeniably that God gave His Son to forgive us, not to forget us! God sent His Son to be the World's Savior from Heaven, not Heaven's Bully to Earth!

Hear these Christmas words of Jesus written in John's Good News Report, verses 16 & 17 (NLT): (16) For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. (17) God did not send His Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it.

Because God didn't forget us, there is a Christmas. Let us remember Him during these Holy Days of Advent and beyond. In the words of that moving contemporary love song, it seems I can hear the Lord saying: I will remember you. Will you remember Me?"

ALL... JOY TO YOUR WORLD!
Grateful