Happy Easter! Thank You Lord!

 

Thank You, Lord,
for a costly cross...
an empty tomb...
a triumphant Savior...
and a heart set free
for all eternity!

 

 

He Lives!

Matthew 28:6 "He is not here; for he is risen"


Can you imagine the joy that filled the women's hearts when they heard that Jesus had risen from the grave?  The overwhelming emotion of happiness that choked Mary's throat when she realized it was Jesus speaking to her in the garden and not a gardener?  What about the disciples when Jesus appeared to them in the upper room?
The women ran to tell the men of Christ's resurrection.  The men traveled to Galilee and prepared for Jesus' arrival. They believed what they had been told and obeyed Jesus' instructions.  They believed and obeyed.

Are we excited that Jesus lives?  Are we telling others of our excitement?  Do we believe Jesus rose from the grave and then obey Him by going into all the world and preaching the gospel?

As I sat in church yesterday for our Easter service and sang the well known hymn "He Lives", I was convicted of the above thoughts.  Am I spreading the good news with intense excitement?  Am I believing and obeying as the women at the tomb and the disciples did?

He Lives

by 

Alfred H. Ackley

I serve a risen Savior, He's in the world today;

I know that He is living, whatever men may say;

I see His hand of mercy, I hear His voice of cheer,

And just the time I need Him, He's always near.

(Chorus)

He lives, He lives, Christ Jesus lives today!

He walks with me and talks with me along life's narrow way.

He lives, He lives, salvation to impart!

You ask me how I know He lives? He lives within my heart.

In all the world around me, I see His loving care,

And though my heart grows weary, I never will despair;

I know that He is leading thru all the stormy blast,

The day of His appearing will come at last.

He lives, He lives, Christ Jesus lives today!

He walks with me and talks with me along life's narrow way.

He lives, He lives, salvation to impart!

You ask me how I know He lives?  He lives within my heart.

Rejoice, rejoice, O Christian lift up your voice and sing

Eternal hallelujahs to Jesus Christ the King!

The hope of all who seek Him, the help of all who find,

None other is so loving so good and kind.

He lives, He lives, Christ Jesus lives today!

He walks with me and talks with me along life's narrow way.

He lives, He lives, salvation to impart!

You ask me how I know He lives? He lives within my heart.



O Sacred Head, Now Wounded

John 19:2 "The soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put it on His head."

O Sacred Head, Now Wounded

Written by Paul Gerhardt, based on a Latin poem

"O sacred Head, now wounded, with grief and shame weighed down,

now scornfully surrounded, with thorns, thine only crown;

O sacred Head, what glory, what bliss till now was Thine!

Yet, though despised and gory, I joy to call Thee mine.

What Thou, my Lord, has suffered was all for sinners gain:

Mine, mine was the transgression, but Thine the deadly pain;

Lo, here I fall, my Savior! 'Tis I deserve thy place;

Look on me with Thy favor, vouchsafe to me Thy grace.

What language shall I borrow to thank Thee, dearest Friend,

for this Thy dying sorrow, Thy pity without end?

O make me Thine forever, and should I fainting be,

Lord let me never, never outlive my love to Thee."

The Sacrifice

My sister and I will be singing this song on Sunday for the Easter service, with two of our friends.  It is a beautiful song both to the ear as well as to the heart :]   Soon after we heard it on the CD "God Meant if for Good" by the Wilds, we wanted to sing it for Easter.

Here are the lyrics to the song.  I hope you find it as much of a blessing as we did.

I also added a quote at the bottom that I found while I was reading for my "Life of Christ" class.  It meant a lot to me and I wanted to share it with you.

The Sacrifice

by

Darcy Stanley

"The sacrifice, a spotless lamb, was God's command.

This offering continually made.

Yet there would come one final lamb from God's own hand.

 All glory to the lamb that was slain.

  

Nailed to the cross He died willingly, bearing the weight of man's sin.

Full blood atonement at Calvary, Come now for cleansing withing.

The law is satisfied. Our Savior Jesus Christ became the sacrifice.

A crown of thorns, a scarlet robe placed mockingly.

A jeering crownd cried "Crucify!"

Without a word, He bore the stripes in agony,

as sinful man condemned Christ to die.

Nailed to the cross He died willingly, bearing the weight of man's sin.

Full blood atonement at Calvary, Come now for cleansing withing.

The law is satisfied. Our Saviour Jesus Christ became the sacrifice.

The final sacrifice."

"Who delivered up Jesus to die?  Not Judas, for money; not Pilate, for fear; not the Jews, for envy - but the Father for love." ~ Octavious Winslow



All Creation Tells Thy Fame....

"O LORD, our Lord, how excellent is Thy name in all the earth." - Psalm 8:1

How Majestic Is Thy Name

by

Ron Hamilton

"When I consider the work of thy hands, the sun, moon and stars above,

What is man that thou thinkest of him who is so unworthy of thy love?

(Chorus)

O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is thy name,

Mountains, valleys, all creation tells thy fame.

Heavens declare it, all the wondrous works proclaim:

O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is Thy name.

Heavens are telling the glory of God, each tree points to God on high.

Why would God, the Creator of all, take the form of lowly flesh to die?

(Chorus)

O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is thy name.

Mountains, valleys, all creation tells thy fame.

Heavens declare it, all thy wondrous works proclaim:

O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is the name."

Jesus, Creator and Ruler of all, left heaven to die for me,

Came to earth, laid aside heaven's throne in exchange for death on Calvary.

(Chorus)

O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is thy name.

Mountains, valleys, all creation tells thy fame.

Heavens declare it, all thy wondrous works proclaim:

O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is the name."

In Remembrance

As Easter is fast approaching, I have been trying to think of something to write that brings our hearts back to the true meaning Easter and why we celebrate it.  I have come to the conclusion that nothing I write could be as meaningful as what some famous poets have written about Jesus' betrayal, trial, abuse, death on the cross, burial and ressurection.  I refer, of course, to the hymn writers.  Men and women whom God blessed with a talent for writing.  Talents that were used for His glory and have been blessings for hundreds of years to those who share in the inheritance of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Over the next few days I will post a hymn or song that has been written, in remembrance of what happened.  As we draw close to one of the most important holidays we celebrate, may we never forget how much we owe our loving and forgiving Savior.

Today I will start with an old familiar hymn that I believe most of you will know.  Please read it with a prayer that our nation will always cherish that "Old Rugged Cross."

The Old Rugged Cross

by

George Bernnard

1873 -1960

"On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross, the emblem of suffering and shame;

And I love that old cross where the dearest and best for a world of lost sinners was slain.

(Chorus)

So I'll cherish the old rugged cross, till my trophies at last I lay down;

I will cling to the old rugged cross, and exchange it some day for a crown.

O that old rugged cross, so despised by the world, has a wondrous attraction for me;

For the dear Lamb of God left His glory above to bear it to dark calvary.

So I'll cherish the old rugged cross, till my trophies at last I lay down;

I will cling to the old rugged cross, and exchange it some day for a crown.

To the old rugged cross I will ever be true, It's shame and reproach glady bear;

Then He'll call me someday to my home far away, where His glory forever I'll share.

So I'll cherish the old rugged cross, till my trophies at last I lay down;

I will cling to the old rugged cross, and exchange it some day for a crown."

Amen!



There's Room At the Cross

"Having made peace through the blood of His cross...to reconcile all things to Himself" ~ Colossians 1:20

A few Sunday's ago we sang the following hymn.  I don't remember singing it before, or if we did I wasn't paying attention as I should have been.  I thought the words were so meaningful and it reminded me that God loves us so much that He is waiting until the last possible moment to take us home, so that more will come to know Him. 

There's Room at the Cross

by Ira F. Stanphill

The cross upon which Jesus died

Is a shelter in which we can hide;

And its grace so free is sufficient for me,

And deep is the fountain - as wide as the see.

(Chorus)

There's room at the cross for you,

There's room at the cross for you;

Though millions have come,

There's still room for one -

Yes, there's room at the cross for you.

Though millions have found Him a friend

And have turned from the sins they have sinned,

The Savior still waits to open the gates

And welcome the sinner before it's too late.

(Chorus)

The hand of my Savior is strong,

And the love of my Savior is long;

Through sunshine or rain, through loss or in gain,

The blood flows from Calv'ry to cleanse ev'ry stain.

(Chorus)

There's room at the cross for you,

There's room at the cross for you;

Though millions have come,

There's still room for one -

Yes, there's room at the cross for you.  

How can you come to the cross and be saved?
1. Realize that all have sinned. You, me, everyone. We all deserve the penalty for sin. Death.
Romans 3:23 "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God;"
Romans 6:23 "For the wages (or penalty) of sin is death;.." 


2. Believe God gave His Son to take that penalty of death for us.  He paid the price for our sins.
Romans 6:23b "..but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
Romans 5:8 "But God commendeth (demonstrated) His life toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Christ died for us, not because we were good enough, but because He loved us.

3. Understand that you will never be able to measure up to God's standards and that no matter how many good things you do on earth you can not earn your way into heaven.
Ephesians 2:8-9 "For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:  Not of works lest any man should boast."


4.  Talk to God.  Tell Him that you believe He is the Creator and Savior of the world and that you realize how much you need salvation and forgiveness for your sins.
Romans 10:13 "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."
Romans 10:9 "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved."

5. You will have an incredidible peace once you give your life to God. 
Romans 5:1 "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:"

6. Once we realize what God has done for us and have accepted His free gift of salvation, we will realize how much we owe Him.  It is a debt we will never be able to repay. It is our reasonable service to give ourselves to God for Him to use.  We must work to become like Him.
Romans 12:1-2 "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of you mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."

John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."