November 19, 2024

Lead Me To Calvary

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

King of my life, I crown Thou now
Thine shall the glory be
Lest I forget Thy thorn crowned brow
Lead me to Calvary

Lest I forget Gethsemane
Lest I forget Thine agony
Lest I forget Thy love for me
Lead me to Calvary

Show me the tomb where Thou was laid
Tenderly mourned and wept
Angels in robes of light arrayed
Guarded Thee whilst Thou slept

Let me like Mary, through the gloom
Come with a gift to Thee
Show to me now the empty tomb
Lead me to Calvary

May I be willing, Lord, to bear
Daily my cross for Thee
Even Thy cup of grief to share
Thou hast borne all for me

Fill me with Thy desire
For all who know not Thee
Then touch my lips with holy fire
to speak of Calvary

~  Sing this song with me as our prayer and worship today.  ~

Jennie E. Hussey/WJ Kirkpatrick/ Performed by Andrew&Saskia Smith

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And as they led Him away, they laid hold upon one Simon, a Cyrenian,
coming out of the country, and on him they laid the Cross, that he might bear it after Jesus.
Luke 23:26

As we near this time in the year that we celebrate Easter, it is easy to focus on other things as we get nearer to the Easter weekend. Many of us are busy with family traditions and other things, and it is so easy to forget what Easter is really all about—just like we do at Christmas. Yet, Easter and Christmas are both about something different from the Easter Bunny and Santa.

During Easter, we celebrate the death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. We celebrate Christ’s defeat over sin and death. We celebrate His sacrifice so that we may live in eternity with God. Yet there is more to those three days than we often realize. In other people’s actions, we can see hints of what is expected of us as Christians.

When Christ was led to the Cross, the Roman soldiers pulled a man, Simon of Cyrene, from the crowd. The soldiers forced Simon to help Christ carry the Cross to Calvary. When you look at the verse above, notice the last phrase: “…that he might bear it after Jesus.” Now symbolism can take root here. As it is told to us and sung to us, when we accept Jesus, we are supposed to take up the Cross with Jesus.

In a way, this is saying that as Christians we take up the Cross with Jesus upon our acceptance of Him into our hearts. Just as Jesus took up the Cross to bear the weight of our sin, we should bear the Cross as a reminder of why Jesus died for us. Our Cross will be the sufferings and sorrow we endure here on Earth. Our Cross will be the persecution we receive from those who do not follow Christ. We will bear the Cross with Jesus.

By bearing the Cross with Jesus, we will be blessed with eternal life in Heaven. We will be able to beat death just as Jesus has. One day Christ will return and resurrect His faithful followers to return with Him to Heaven where we will spend eternity. We worship our God every day, and there will be no suffering or pain. There will be great joy and happiness abound.

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Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your sacrifice on the Cross. Without that sacrifice, we would not be able to look forward to eternal life. We would not be able to defeat death. Thank You for Your love and Your presence in our lives. In Jesus name, Amen.

Call On Jesus

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

I’m so very ordinary
Nothing special on my own
I have never walked on water
I have never calmed a storm
Sometimes I’m hiding away
From the madness around me
Like a child who’s afraid of the dark

But when I call on Jesus
All things are possible
I can mount on wings like eagles and soar
When I call on Jesus
Mountains are gonna fall
‘Cause He’ll move heaven
And earth to come rescue me when I call

Weary brother
Broken daughter
Widowed, widowed lover
You’re not alone
If you’re tired and
Scared of the madness around you
If you can’t find the strength to carry on

Call Him in the mornin’
In the afternoon time
Late in the evenin’
He’ll be there
When your heart is broken
And you feel discouraged
You can just remember that He said
He’ll be there

~  Sing this song with me as our prayer and worship today.  ~

~  Singer/Songwriter: Nicole Mullen ~

As evening came, Jesus said to His disciples, “Let’s cross to the other side of the lake.” So they took Jesus in the boat and started out, leaving the crowds behind (although other boats followed). But soon a fierce storm came up. High waves were breaking into the boat, and it began to fill with water. Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion. The disciples woke him up, shouting, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to drown?” When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Silence! Be still!” Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm. Then He asked them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” The disciples were absolutely terrified. “Who is this man?” they asked each other. “Even the wind and waves obey Him!”

Mark 4:35-41 NLT

One of the things that I love about this passage in Scripture is that Jesus was sleeping in the midst of the storm…He was at peace in it.

He is our peace in the midst of the storms in our lives when we focus on Him instead of our circumstances.

For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation,
having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is,
the law of commandments contained in ordinances,
so as to create in Himself one new man from the two,
thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God
in one Body through the Cross, thereby putting to death the enmity.
Ephesians 2:14–16

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Heavenly Father, thank You for Jesus and that He is our peace in the storms of life and that we are never alone in this journey of life. Father, I thank You for the peace that surpasses all understanding when we focus on the gift given to us through Your Son. In Jesus’ name, Amen!

For The Cross

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

The life You gave
Your body was broken
Your love poured out
You bled and You died for me
There on the Cross
You breathed Your last as You were crucified
You gave it all for me

Hallelujah, what a Savior
Hallelujah, what a Friend
Hallelujah, King forever
We thank You for the Cross

There in the ground
Sealed in the darkness
Lifeless laid
The frame of the Father’s son
In agony
He watched His only Son be sacrificed
He gave it all for me

But on that day
What seemed as the darkest hour
A violent hope
Broke through and shook the ground
And as You rose
The Light of all the world was magnified
And You rose in victory

Hallelujah, it is finished
Hallelujah, it is done
Hallelujah, King forever
We thank you for the cross

Though our sins are scarlet
You have made us white as snow. x2

And You rose in victory

Hallelujah, it is finished
Hallelujah, it is done
Hallelujah, King forever
We thank You for the cross

Though our sins are scarlet
You have made us white as snow.

 

Songwriters: Jenn Johnson, Ian McIntosh, Gabriel Wilson/Sung by  Bethel Live

I wonder what Jesus was doing on this day…so close to His crucifixion, and I wonder if He knew.  His last supper was fast approaching and His disciples are walking close, maybe closer than usual.  And what about Judas…had he already decided in his heart that he would betray Him?  If only he had asked for forgiveness, Jesus would’ve given it to him.

Just like Judas, we all betray Him in our own way.  And we are immediately forgiven when we ask.  Jesus was broken and poured out for us.  Do you really understand what that means?  He bore our cross—our jealousy, our gossip, our addictions and our rebelliousness.  He was crucified with any sin that we would or have committed.  And so we are free!  How amazing is that?  And His love for us is unending and He looks forward to us being with Him forever.

So today, we thank Him for the Cross.  We thank Him for His blood that washed away our sins.  We thank Him for His body, broken so that we will walk in freedom.  And we rejoice together for the empty tomb, for because of that, we are forever full of joy unending, and a life that is full!  So as you listen to the words of this song, let it sink in that the Sacrifice was given for you—yes, you.  Even if you were the only one, He would have died for you.

Let us pray:  Dear God, thank You for today.  Thank You for knowing us so well that You know our every move and You know our heart and You love us in spite of ourselves.  You are our Joy, Father, and we praise You and we love You!  And for Your ultimate sacrifice by sending Your only Son, so that we may have life. So as we walk into this week, help us to remember the real reason.  That it’s not the colored eggs, but that we will live forever with You.  In Your Kingdom, we will reside.  In Jesus’ precious Name, amen!

Give Me Jesus

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv
In the morning, when I rise
In the morning, when I rise
In the morning, when I rise
Give me Jesus

Give me Jesus
Give me Jesus
Give me Jesus
You can have all this world
Just give me Jesus

When I am alone
When I am alone
When I am alone
Give me Jesus

When I come to die
When I come to die
When I come to die
Give me Jesus

Give me Jesus
Give me Jesus
Give me Jesus
You can have all this world
You can have all this world
You can have all this world
Just give me Jesus

~  Sing this song with me as our prayer and worship today.  ~

~ Traditional African Spiritual  ~ Arranged and Sung by Jeremy Camp ~

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Jesus is the only One that can fill in all of those empty places.  If you have Jesus…that is all you need.  Jesus is the Living Water.  Let’s go to one of my favorite places in the Scriptures—where Jesus talks to the Samaritan woman….

Soon a Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, “Please give me a drink.”  He was alone at the time because His disciples had gone into the village to buy some food.  The woman was surprised, for Jews refused to have anything to do with Samaritans.  She said to Jesus, “You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman. Why are you asking me for a drink?”  Jesus replied, “If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask Me, and I would give you living water.”  “But sir, you don’t have a rope or a bucket,” she said, “and this well is very deep.  Where would you get this living water?  And besides, do you think you’re greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us this well?  How can you offer better water than he and his sons and his animals enjoyed?”  Jesus replied, “Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again.  But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again.  It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.” “Please, sir,” the woman said, “give me this water!  Then I’ll never be thirsty again, and I won’t have to come here to get water.”  “Go and get your husband,” Jesus told her.  “I don’t have a husband,” the woman replied.  Jesus said, “You’re right!  You don’t have a husband—for you have had five husbands, and you aren’t even married to the man you’re living with now.  You certainly spoke the truth!”  “Sir,” the woman said, “you must be a prophet.  So tell me, why is it that you Jews insist that Jerusalem is the only place of worship, while we Samaritans claim it is here at Mount Gerizim, where our ancestors worshiped?”  Jesus replied, “Believe me, dear woman, the time is coming when it will no longer matter whether you worship the Father on this mountain or in Jerusalem.  You Samaritans know very little about the One you worship, while we Jews know all about Him, for salvation comes through the Jews.  But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth.  The Father is looking for those who will worship Him that way.  For God is Spirit, so those who worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth.”  The woman said, “I know the Messiah is coming—the one who is called Christ.  When He comes, He will explain everything to us.”  Then Jesus told her, “I AM the Messiah!”

John 4:7-26 ESV

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God is the only One who can fill every empty space; every desire and dream that make up who I am can only be filled by my Savior.

I want to be that woman who is completely satisfied in Christ even if my biggest dreams fall to the wayside. I want to let Jesus fill every inch of my soul and heal the broken pieces that reside there.  I want Him to be enough because I know He is.  So I come to Him with hands lifted up asking for help.  Here I am, Lord, please fill the empty places and heal the broken pieces. In Jesus name…AMEN!!!  – Brooke Smith  (shared from the Dayspring  (In)courage blog )

Just Be Held

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

Hold it all together Everybody needs you strong
But  life hits you out of nowhere
And barely leaves you holding on
 
And when you’re tired of fighting
Chained by your  control
There’s freedom in surrender
Lay it down and let it go
 
So when you’re on your knees and answers seem so far away
You’re not alone, stop holding on and just be held
Your world’s not falling  apart, its falling into place
I’m on the throne, stop holding on and just  be held
Just be held,  just be held
 
If your eyes are on the storm
You’ll wonder if I love you  still
But if your eyes are on the Cross
You’ll know I always have and I  always will
 
And not a tear is wasted
In time, you’ll understand
I’m  painting beauty with the ashes
Your life is in My hands
 
Lift your hands, lift your eyes
In the storm is where  you’ll find Me
And where you are, I’ll hold your heart
I’ll hold your  heart
Come to Me, find your rest
In the arms of the God who won’t let  go
 

~  Sing this song with me as our prayer and worship today.  ~

 ~ Songwriters: Bernie Herms, John Mark Hall, Matthew JosephWest ~

~ Performed by Casting Crowns ~

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As we travel through life, we often come to a crossroad.  Most of us choose our paths without thinking beyond today or tomorrow.  We make our choices on what feels good, not thinking about the eternal  consequences.  Then once we are on the chosen path we become confused and sometimes angry with the outcome. Sound familiar?  I know…I have been there.  My choices twenty-five years ago affect me now, today.  These are through regrets, unrecognized dreams and heartbreak. If I chose to stay there, I can drown and succumb to the guilt and shame.  But I chose not to!  I chose to let it go and let God HOLD ME!

Feeling His loving, forgiving, comforting arms around me is my only true Father I have ever known.  There are no strings attached,;He does not want anything from me other than for me to serve Him with my whole heart and let others know of how He loved me.  As stained and ugly as I was, He loves me.  He wants to tear away the scars, and replace them all with His love, grace and mercy.  I do not deserve any of it.  Only through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus am I able to enter the holy Presence of God, our Creator.  And for that I will be forever grateful.

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Father, thank You for loving me enough then, to send Your Son Jesus to atone for me.  Forgive me for the choices I have made that have not honored You. Forgive me for the words I have spoken out of fear, anger and disappointment.  Let me learn from Your examples in Scripture to be a better, mom, sister, daughter, wife and friend.  In Jesus’ name I ask these things, Amen.

Beautiful, Terrible Cross

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

There is a beautiful terrible Cross
Where though You committed no sin
Savior, You suffered the most wicked fate
On the cruelest creation of men

Yet on that beautiful terrible Cross
You did what only You could
Turning that dark-inspired evil of hell
Into our soul’s greatest good

We see the love that You showed us
We see the life that You lost
We bow in wonder and praise You
For the beautiful terrible Cross

There on that beautiful terrible Cross
Though darkness was strong on that hill
You remained sovereign, Lord, still in control
As Your perfect plan was fulfilled

We see the love that You showed us
We see the life that You lost
We bow in wonder and praise You
For the beautiful terrible Cross

Oh, we gained the riches of Heaven
Jesus, You paid the horrible cost
We stand forgiven and praise You
For the beautiful terrible Cross

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In the Cross, in the Cross
Be my glory ever
Till my raptured soul shall find
Rest beyond the river

 ~  Songwriters: Todd Smith, Chad Cates, Tony Wood  ~

Performed by Selah

Additional lyrics to ‘Near The Cross‘ by Fanny Crosby and William Doane

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Despite the utter depravity, the evil, the darkness and destruction which was intended by the enemy of our soul’s on that dark, dark day…there truly never was nor ever will be any thing MORE perfectly and purely beautiful than the Cross on which the Christ accomplished God’s perfect plan. When the time came, Jesus willfully, intentionally, purposefully gave up His life. All because of love.

And Jesus cried again with a loud voice and gave up His spirit.
And at once the curtain of the sanctuary of the temple was torn
in two from top to bottom; the earth shook and the rocks were split.
The tombs were opened and many bodies of the saints
who had fallen asleep in death were raised [to life];
Matthew 26:50-52

It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three,
because the sun’s light failed. The curtain of the sanctuary was split down the middle.
And Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into Your hands I entrust My spirit.”
Luke 23:44-46

When it was noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon.
And at three Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lemá sabachtháni?”
which is translated, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”
When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “Look, He’s calling for Elijah!”
Someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, fixed it on a reed, offered Him a drink,
and said, “Let’s see if Elijah comes to take Him down!”
But Jesus let out a loud cry and breathed His last.
Then the curtain of the sanctuary was split in two from top to bottom.
Mark 15:33-38

Magnificent, incredible, beautiful acts of nature happened at the very moment of Jesus’ laying down His life and offering Himself as the perfect, spotless Lamb—

  • the sky became as dark as night for three hours
  • the massive (60 foot high and four inches thick) curtain in front of the Holy of Holies in the temple at Jerusalem tore in half from TOP to bottom
  • the tombs opened and many of the believers were raised to life
  • there was an earthquake

There was nothing…at all…beautiful about the Cross itself.  But there is no denying the beautiful awesomeness, the absolute perfection in the events surrounding Jesus’ death on the Cross.

To me, the love that Jesus proved by His sacrifice of Himself…is beautiful.  The redemption of all mankind and Jesus’ presenting us all back to God the Father…is beautiful.  And the mercy and grace that was poured out on each of us…is beautiful.  What can be more beautiful than having the Hope of spending eternity in the Presence of Almighty God and our Lord, Jesus the Christ?

In the words of another songwriter, I sing,

“Oh Lord You’re beautiful…
Your face is all I seek
For when Your eyes are on this child
Your grace abounds to me!

In The Name Of The Lord

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

Crowds have lined the narrow street
To see this Man from Galilee
Just a carpenter some say leading fools astray
Yet many kneel to give Him praise

And in His eyes they glimpse the power
That sees the heart of all men
And He knows His Father’s mind
And He speaks His Father’s words
For He comes in the Name of the Lord

There Is Strength In The Name Of The Lord
There Is Power In The Name Of The Lord
There Is Hope In The Name Of The Lord
Blessed Is He Who Comes In The Name Of The Lord
In The Name Of The Lord

And when my plans have fallen through
And when my strength is nearly gone
When there’s nothing left to do but just depend on You
And the power of Your Name

And when we call upon Your Name
Your Strength through weakness to show
We can know the Master’s plan, extend the Master’s Hand
When we come in the Name Of The Lord

His Name will be worshipped forever
Creator, Redeemer, and King

Lyrics written by Gloria Gaither and Phill McHugh
Music written by Sandi Patty
Performed by Sandi Patty

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It was the Passover, and the Jewish people were gathered in Jerusalem to celebrate.  Then Jesus entered the city riding on a donkey, fulfilling the prophecy of their coming king (Zechariah 9:9).  No wonder they shouted “Hosanna!”  We find this important event recorded in all four of the Gospels: Matthew 21:4-9, Mark 11:7-10, Luke 19:35-38, and John 12:12-15.

The next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him, crying out, “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!”
John 12:12-13

We, the Church, celebrate this event as Palm Sunday.  During this Easter season we are reminded over and over that Christ came, died, and was resurrected for our salvation and eternal life.

Most of us reading this today have chosen to welcome Christ’s coming into our hearts and lives.

Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and even though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
1 Peter 1:8-9

Rejoice greatly…Behold, your King is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is He…
Zechariah 9:9

If you haven’t welcomed Jesus Christ into your life yet, if your “plans have fallen through, and your strength is nearly gone,” today is the day to reach out and take “the Master’s Hand” and allow Christ to fulfill His “Master’s Plan” in your life. Then you, too, will sing, “There is hope in the Name of the Lord.  Blessed is He Who comes in the Name of the Lord!”

Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord!
We bless You from the house of the Lord. The Lord is God,
and He has made His light to shine upon us.
Bind the festal sacrifice with cords,
up to the horns of the altar!
You are my God, and I will give thanks to You;
You are my God; I will extol You. Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good;
for His steadfast love endures forever!
Psalms 118:26-29

AMEN!

Beauty Will Rise

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

It was the day the world went wrong
I screamed ’til my voice was gone
And watched through the tears as everything
Came crashing down
Slowly panic turns to pain
As we awake to what remains
And sift through the ashes that are left behind

But buried deep beneath
All our broken dreams
We have this hope:

Out of these ashes…beauty will rise
And we will dance among the ruins
We will see Him with our own eyes
Out of these ashes…beauty will rise
For we know, joy is coming in the morning
in the morning, beauty will rise

So take another breath for now,
And let the tears come washing down
And if you can’t believe I will believe for you

Cause I have seen
the signs of spring!
Just watch and see:

Out of these ashes…beauty will rise
And we will dance among the ruins
We will see Him with our own eyes
Out of these ashes…beauty will rise
For we know, joy is coming in the morning
In the morning

I can hear it in the distance
And it’s not too far away
It’s the music and the laughter
Of a wedding and a feast
I can almost feel the hand of God
Reaching for my face
To wipe the tears away, and say
“It’s time to make everything new”

“Make it all new”

This is our hope
This is the promise
This is our hope
This is the promise
That it would take our breath away
To see the beauty that’s been made
Out of the ashes
Out of the ashes
That it would take our breath away
To see the beauty that He’s made
Out of the ashes…
Out of the ashes…

Out of these ashes… beauty will rise
And we will dance among the ruins
We will see Him with our own eyes
Out of this darkness…new life will shine
And we’ll know the joy is coming in the morning
In the morning…beauty will rise

Oh, Beauty will rise
Oh, Beauty will rise
Oh, oh, oh, Beauty will rise
Oh, oh, oh, Beauty will rise
Oh, oh, oh, Beauty will rise

~  Steven Curtis Chapman, songwriter and singer  ~

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Steven Curtis Chapman is no stranger to tragedy.  Of all people, he knows ashes and he knows the beauty that God can make out of the ashes of tragedy and loss and suffering.  On May 21, 2008, Steven’s youngest daughter, Maria, was killed in their front yard, by a vehicle driven by their son. She was the youngest of the three girls the Chapmans had adopted from China; she was a vital part of the family, loved and adored by all.

In the days and week to come, Steven thought about leaving the music industry altogether.  Then God came to him, and inspired him to make music out of his pain.  That just maybe his mess that became his ministry would help others see that there is hope and healing in His name. And it became his mission to SEE God in the details of this.

Since Maria was from China, they traveled there and opened a home for special needs orphans called “Maria’s Big House of Hope” where children can live and be ministered to and loved.  Because of the tragedy of losing her, tens of thousands of children will be saved from life-threatening illnesses and have a place to call home, with loving nannies and nurses and doctors to care for them. Beauty from ashes, right?  And, while they were there, the whole family went to visit the site of that terrible earthquake of 2008, where over 70,000 people lost their lives. and left 5,000,000 homeless.  The Chapman family knew loss and they were able to relate to these people who had lost their sons and daughters, their mothers and fathers.  And the only comfort that they knew to share was God’s comfort through Scripture.  So they shared with the people of  China God’s unconditional love—that even in earthquakes, He never left them.

Through the ashes, like those left behind in the earthquake, beauty will rise.  New buildings are built; new homes, beautiful new streets and sidewalks.  And also new life with God.  After every tragedy, our relationship with God gets stronger because He is our Comforter and He never leaves us.  He can make beautiful out of ugly.  I know this and believe this…He is able!

Isn’t this like the Cross?  It was painful, hurtful, unfair and i’m sure the crown of thorns hurt and the day was dark.  But then Hope was raised from the dead, and new life…eternal life was birthed! And now we will live in eternity with Him forever!  Because Jesus died, we will live.  Because of the darkness, we see light and God will alway make something beautiful out of our ashes.

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Let us pray: Dear Lord Jesus, thank You so much for taking our tragedies and turning them into triumphs!  Out of the ugly messes we get ourselves in, Lord, You can use them to reach others for the Kingdom.  Sometimes our messes become our ministries ;and we are better equipped to help our fellow-travelers who may also be struggling. Beauty from Ashes…only You have the ability and only You know what we need.  In loss, You never leave us, and as we put one foot in front of the other, You fill us with Your strength and courage.  Thank You for not leaving us the way we are. And thank You for the ultimate beautiful Redeemer and Savior You sent to die in our place so that we can live a full life and live forever with You.  In Jesus’ name, amen.

Jesus, Messiah

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

He became sin, who knew no sin
That we might become His righteousness
He humbled Himself and carried the Cross
Love so amazing, love so amazing

Jesus Messiah, name above all names
Blessed Redeemer, Emmanuel
The Rescue for sinners, the Ransom from Heaven
Jesus Messiah, Lord of all

His Body the bread, His Blood the wine
Broken and poured out all for love
The whole earth trembled, and the veil was torn
Love so amazing, love so amazing, yeah

All I hope is in You, all I hope is in You
All the glory to You, God, the Light of the world

Music and Lyrics by Ed Cash, Jesse Reeves, Daniel Carlson, Chris Tomlin
Performed by Chris Tomlin
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There is power in the name of Jesus! Let’s take a look at what the Bible says about the name of Jesus.

And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
John 14:13 NKJV

For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.
Matthew 18:20 NKJV

If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.
John 14:14 NKJV

And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you,
whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you.
John 16:23 NKJV

When Jesus walked the earth, His name had great power. The following Scriptures show the use of His name and the power to heal the most terrible afflictions. These people called out to Jesus in faith.

And when he had called unto Him His twelve disciples, He gave them power
against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness
and all manner of disease.
Matthew 10:1 KJV

And the LORD will take away from thee all sickness,
and will put none of the evil diseases of Egypt,
which thou knowest, upon thee;
but will lay them upon all them that hate thee.
Deuteronomy 7:15

Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name
that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Philippians 2:9 NIV

That means that everyone ever born will someday bow when the name, “Jesus,”  is mentioned.  They will not only bow but will acknowledge Jesus as Lord.

Right now, those who believe in Jesus and acknowledge Him in this lifetime as Lord and Savior, already have the power to use His name.

But these signs are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah,
the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in His name.
John 20:31

The phrase “in the name” of Jesus denotes His authority and power.  To “believe in the name of Jesus” is to be persuaded in Jesus’ authority (Matthew 28:18) and thus place our trust, acts in His authority.   Acts 4:12 says,  “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under Heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.”  Saved, healed, delivered included.  For those who really do believe in the name of Jesus, there is no pit that Jesus cannot deliver you from.

Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved: for Thou art my praise.
Jeremiah 17:14 KJV

~ quoted from the 1st Wittness blog ~

We can live in Victory all throughout our lives because we have Jesus living inside of us!! We are not Victims—we are Victorious through Him!

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Heavenly Father, thank You for the power in the name of Jesus that is available to us because of the sacrifice made on our behalf. Because the same power that raised Jesus from the dead now lives in us who believe. May we be women who choose to live in Victory and not live as Victims of our circumstances. To You be the glory, Father! In Jesus’ name. Amen.

 

Take Me Back

It’s your heart that keeps you running
And it’s your mind that I can’t change
Will you ever be returning
And coming back again, coming back again
Take me back to the place where it started
Take me back to the warmth of the sun
To the place where the rivers meet the ocean
Take me back home
Yeah, that’s where I belong
And have you ever really wondered
As we walk beneath the stars
Will we find the truth, will we discover
It isn’t very far, it’s not so very far

I wonder if I’ve gone too far

Lord, please help me get back home
Where I belong

It’s your heart that keeps you running

~  Sing this song with me as our prayer and worship today.  ~

~  Songwriter: Mac Powell / Performed by Third Day  ~
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Do you remember the day that your life changed forever?  The day that you gave your whole life to Jesus?  You lay your burdens at His feet that very first day. But what happens from there?  I know…we start slowly picking those burdens back up again, and then some.  We try so hard to be good mothers, good wives, good daughters.  But, ultimately, we must go back to the beginning…lay it all down…and allow Him to take over and help us be like Him.
This song paints such a beautiful scene.  Warm sunshine and rivers meeting oceans and just real peace…makes you really want to go there, right?  I believe this is what Heaven looks like, plus a little gold, maybe.  But here on earth, things get messy and life gets hard and we have to make a conscious effort to look to the Cross and lay all our burdens down.  Every morning we must do that in order to have the life that Jesus died for us to have.  John 10:10 says, “The thief comes only to steal kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”  That’s the life Jesus wants for us. And we can’t have that full life when we are burdened with past sins and shame and regret.  Jesus will only love you through it; He will not condemn you.  He will wrap His arms around you and say that you’re forgiven and that you’re loved.  Our biggest mistake sometimes is letting sins build up on top of each other.  Instead of repenting immediately because of fear, we keep repeating the same sins over and over.  Jesus already knows, and He loves you just the same.
As we enter the Easter season, let’s remember that it is because of the Cross that we are free to ask forgiveness for our sins.  It is because of His death that we will live forever in Heaven with Him.  So today, let this song take you back to the day that you were forever His, and He was forever yours.  Enjoy the song!
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Dear Heavenly Father,  You are an awesome, amazing, unconditionally loving and perfect God.  Thank You for Your patience, Your longsuffering and for caring so much about the details of our lives.  Thank You for that day, that we came to know Your Son and started a whole new life, a full life with you.  Thank You for letting us lay it down every day.  We love You and we praise You.  For it’s in Your Son’s precious name we pray, amen.