Each worry, stress or sorrow,
each need you’re thinking of…
Nail it to the Cross
and entrust it to Christ’s love.
A trial or temptation,
a challenge hard to face…
Nail it to the Cross,
and give it to His grace.
For Christ redeemed all suffering,
all struggle, loss, and death…
He “nailed” the world’s salvation
as He took His final Breath.
~ Author unknown ~
Wounded, our stripes were laid upon Him
He was bruised; a crown of thorns for our iniquity
A Man of sorrows – despised and rejected:
He was nailed to the Cross to bear the sins for you and me
In the shadow of the Cross, I stand forgiven
And by the power of His precious Blood, I’ve been set free
In the Cross I’ve found the love that only He could give –
In the shadow of the Cross on a hill called Calvary
Suffering, in shame He hung upon that tree
An offering for sins – His life’s Blood He freely gave
They laid Him in the tomb, so soon to be forgotten…
But He arose – He is the Victor over the grave!
~ Unknown author ~
Isaiah 53
1 Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed? 2 For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: He hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him. 3 He is despised and rejected of men; a Man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from Him; He was despised, and we esteemed Him not. 4 Surely He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all. 7 He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, yet He opened not his mouth: He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so He openeth not his mouth. 8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare His generation? for He was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was He stricken. 9 And He made His grave with the wicked, and with the rich in His death; because He had done no violence, neither was any deceit in His mouth. 10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise Him; He hath put Him to grief: when thou shalt make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in His hand. 11 He shall see of the travail of His soul, and shall be satisfied: by His knowledge shall My righteous Servant justify many; for He shall bear their iniquities. 12 Therefore will I divide Him a portion with the great, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong; because He hath poured out His soul unto death: and He was numbered with the transgressors; and He bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
Further reading: Matthew 26-27, Mark 14-15, Luke 22-23, John 18-19
I was with her, we were talking over dinner just the other night
When we had quite a fight, me and my lovely wife
Arguing over position, neither one of us would listen to the other side
A gross display of pride about who was wrong or right
But now it all seems silly
When we know what’s important really
It’s okay, it’s alright if I don’t get my way tonight
Just as long as I’m right with you
I was standing looking out across the canyon between You and I
A million miles too wide for me to reach the other side
In deep depression, broken over my rejection, I failed to realize
that to my great surprise, You’d paved a way with Your own life
I accept the invitation
To become Your new creation
It’s okay, it’s alright if I don’t get my way tonight
Just as long as I’m right with You
Either way we’ll be fine if we leave this pride behind
Just as long as I’m right with You
~ Performed by : Big Daddy Weave ~
I find no hope within to call my own
For I am frail of heart, my strength is gone
But deep within my soul is rising up a song
Here in the comfort of the Faithful One
I walk a narrow road through valleys deep
In search of higher ground, on mountains steep
And though with feet unsure, I still keep pressing on
For I am guided by the Faithful One.
Faithful, faithful to the end,
My true and precious Friend,
You have been faithful,
Faithful, so faithful to me
I see Your wounded hands, I touch Your side
With thorns upon Your brow You bled and died
But there’s an empty tomb, a love for all who come
And give their hearts to you, the Faithful One
Faithful, faithful to the end,
My true and precious Friend,
You have been faithful,
Faithful, so faithful to me
And when the day is dawned and when the race is run
I will bow down before God’s only Son
And I will lift my hands in praise for all You’ve done
And I will worship You, my Faithful One
~ Performed by: Selah
Written by: B.G. White & C.N. Eaton ~
The story of the Disciple, Simon Peter
Standing at the water’s edge
I dropped my dreams when I dropped my nets (Matthew 4:18-20)
No hesitation, no regrets,
I followed You, but that was then
And this is now
You washed my feet and You changed my name (John 13:5-10, John 1:40-42)
I swore I’d never be the same
But just like the tides, I guess people change
Cause that was then
And this is now
I wish I could go back, but I don’t know how
I remember when I stood my ground (Matthew 16:13-16, John 6:67-69)
I swore I’d never let You down (Matthew 26:33)
I want to be that man again
But that was then
And this is now
I watched the blind man lift his head
And look his Savior in the eyes (Mark 10:46-52)
I heard a dead man take a breath
Dropped to my knees as I watched him rise (Luke 7:11-16, Mark 5:35-43)
And I felt the sea beneath my feet
As I stepped out on the angry waves (Matthew 14:28-31)
But You saw the storm raging within
You reached out and calmed me then
But this is now
Chorus
Just when I thought my sin has closed the door
(Matthew 26:69-75, Mark 14:66-72, Luke 22:55-61)
I see my Savior standing on the shore (John 21:1-19)
With arms wide open
Just like the first time You called my name…
You said, “That was then, and this is now:
My child, I bore your cross, I wore your crown (Isaiah 53:3-8)
When you couldn’t come to Me, My love came down (Ephesians 2:13, 1 Timothy 2:5-6)
So take My hand, I’ll lead you out
Cause that was then and this is now
My child, I bore your cross, I wore your crown
You couldn’t come to Me so My love came down
Take my hand, I’ll lead you out
You’ll never be that man again
Cause that was then and this is now…”
~ Performed by: Casting Crowns (Album: Thrive)
Written by: Mark Hall, Matthew West ~
Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers… (1 Peter1:1)
Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by Whose stripes ye were healed. For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls. (1 Peter 2:24-25)
For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the Just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: (1 Peter 3:18)
Taken from the Blog, The Dove’s Eyes. Scripture references have been replaced with the King James Version Bible Scriptures.
“The Song of Solomon is a book of the Bible that… may initially read like a sensual romance novel, (but) this text reveals the endearing affection of the heart of God for the heart of man. It declares the love that Christ (our Bridegroom) has for us (His Bride). In fact, He proclaims, “Thou art all fair, my love; there is no spot in thee.” (Song of Solomon 4:7) … All fair? No spot? Have You taken a look at me lately? If so, there must be something really wrong with Your eyesight!!
But Beloved, let me share this truth with you. There is nothing wrong with God’s eyesight… there is something wrong with our perception of God’s eyesight. Yes, He hates sin, but He no longer sees us as stained with that sin. When Christ died on the cross, a miraculous and beautiful thing happened. We were cleansed by His Blood and made as white as snow. It has been God’s intention from the beginning of creation to present us to Himself as a “glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish” (Ephesians 5:27) and this is the very reality from which God relates to us now!
… The truth is that He (Jesus) calls us His Beloved. Do you see what Christ is intimately saying to us when He calls us this? If we break down this simple word, His message becomes clear. He is saying, my Beloved, Be-loved. Be loved? Be loved?! By the Creator of the universe?!! How can this be? … Why would He love me? … This is perhaps the greatest mystery ever known to man.
… It is only by understanding the intimate, ravishing love of Christ that I am able to even attempt to love Him with such intensity. Song of Solomon 5:12 reveals that the Bridegroom’s “eyes are as the eyes of doves.” … biologically, the eye of the dove has the capacity to focus on only one thing at a time. Because its vision is so limited, it is not easily diverted. Once the dove beholds something or someone it desires, its eyes grant it exclusive, undistracted attention. And it is upon us that the Lord’s dove’s eyes have fallen. “For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him.” (2 Chronicles 16:9). To even think that the Lord’s loving eyes would actively seek me without the slightest diversion is astonishing.
However, this passage reveals not only the intensity of the Lord’s focus on us, but also the necessity of our focus on Him. Unfortunately, our eyes are easily distracted by the things that falsely claim to give us fulfillment and satisfaction. But if even for a short moment, the wayward bride looks lovingly upon her Bridegroom, He declares, “Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; thou hast doves’ eyes.” (Song of Solomon 1:15). In other words, the Lord’s heart leaps when our gaze is directed toward Him! When we have dove’s eyes that lovingly long for Him as He longs for us, He cannot help but call us fair, beautiful, and spotless! … The God of the universe Who is, incidentally, also the Lover of our souls smiles upon us and fervently desires our company! It is not until we truly internalize that the Lord has dove’s eyes for us that we are able to have dove’s eyes for Him.
… When Peter stepped out of the boat and walked toward Jesus on the water, he began to sink only when his eyes left the gaze of Jesus. Oh, to have dove’s eyes that are not pulled away by the wind and the waves! The Lord has made it clear that there will always be competing affections and distractions, but by His grace and through our wholehearted seeking, our focus can be sharpened. After all, the Lord desires us, and He will do anything it takes to bring us into closer relationship with Himself. I long for dove’s eyes that are ever focused on my beautiful Lord and Savior!”
~ Alyssa Gammelgaard ~
Heaven’s Child, heaven’s Child –
Jesus lived on earth as heaven’s Child;
Born below for the grace of God to show:
He was forever from the Father, heaven’s Child
Looking like other children,
He seemed to be
a Boy full of fun;
But His eyes could always see
a person’s secret need –
from above, He was God’s Son
Chorus
Walking with ones who stumbled,
He never fell –
He was God in human skin.
Yet because He walked with man,
He alone can understand
how we need Him as our Friend!
Chorus
When He was grown,
His love was shown
on a tree beneath the darkened sun.
His love would cost
His Life on a cross,
so we can become heaven’s child!
Chorus
~ Written by: Chris Marion, Kathie Hill ~
Philippians 2:5-11
“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a Name which is above every name: That at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
Hebrews 4:14-16
“Seeing then that we have a great High Priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an High Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”
A little boy was selling newspapers on the corner. The people were in and out of the cold. The little boy was so cold that he wasn’t trying to sell many papers. He walked up to a policeman and said, “Mister, you wouldn’t happen to know where a poor boy could find a warm place to sleep tonight would you? You see, I sleep in a box up around the corner there and down the alley and its awful cold in there for tonight. Sure would be nice to have a warm place to stay.” The policeman looked down at the little boy and said, “You go down the street to that big white house and you knock on the door. When they come out the door you just say “John 3:16″ and they will let you in.”
So he did. He walked up the steps and knocked on the door, and a lady answered. He looked up and said, “John 3:16.” The lady said, “Come on in, Son.” She took him in and she sat him down in a split bottom rocker in front of a great big old fireplace, and she went off. The boy sat there for a while and thought to himself: ‘John 3:16… I don’t understand it, but it sure makes a cold boy warm.’
Later she came back and asked him, “Are you hungry?” He said, “Well, just a little. I haven’t eaten in a couple of days, and I guess I could stand a little bit of food.” The lady took him in the kitchen and sat him down to a table full of wonderful food. He ate and ate until he couldn’t eat any more. Then he thought to himself: ‘John 3:16… Boy, I sure don’t understand it, but it sure makes a hungry boy full.’
She took him upstairs to a bathroom to a huge bathtub filled with warm water, and he sat there and soaked for a while. As he soaked, he thought to himself: ‘John 3:16… I sure don’t understand it, but it sure makes a dirty boy clean. You know, I’ve not had a bath, a real bath, in my whole life. The only bath I ever had was when I stood in front of that big old fire hydrant as they flushed it out.’
The lady came in and got him. She took him to a room, tucked him into a big old feather bed, pulled the covers up around his neck, kissed him goodnight and turned out the lights. As he lay in the darkness and looked out the window at the snow coming down on that cold night, he thought to himself: ‘John 3:16… I don’t understand it, but it sure makes a tired boy rest.’
The next morning the lady came back up and took him down again to that same big table full of food. After he ate, she took him back to that same big old split bottom rocker in front of the fireplace and picked up a big old Bible. She sat down in front of him and looked into his young face. “Do you understand John 3:16?” she asked gently. He replied, “No, Ma’am, I don’t. The first time I ever heard it was last night when the policeman told me to use it.” She opened the Bible to John 3:16 and began to explain to him about Jesus. Right there, in front of that big old fireplace, he gave his heart and life to Jesus. He sat there and thought: ‘John 3:16… I don’t understand it, but it sure makes a lost boy feel safe.’
You know, I have to confess I don’t understand it either, how God was willing to send His Son to die for me, and how Jesus would agree to do such a thing. I don’t understand the agony of the Father and every angel in heaven as they watched Jesus suffer and die. I don’t understand the intense love for ME that kept Jesus on the cross ’till the end. I don’t understand it, but it sure does make life worth living.
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.”
~ Author: Robert Bentson ~
James 2:1-5, 14-17
“My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons. For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment; And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, “Sit thou here in a good place;” and say to the poor, “Stand thou there,” or “sit here under my footstool”: Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts? Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him? … What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, “Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled;” notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.”
Matthew 25:31-40
“When the Son of man shall come in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then shall He sit upon the throne of His glory: And before Him shall be gathered all nations: and He shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And He shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, “Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.” Then shall the righteous answer Him, saying, “Lord, when saw we Thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave Thee drink? When saw we Thee a stranger, and took Thee in? or naked, and clothed Thee? Or when saw we Thee sick, or in prison, and came unto Thee?” And the King shall answer and say unto them, “Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto Me.” “
O the deep, deep love of Jesus, vast, unmeasured, boundless, free!
Rolling as a mighty ocean in its fullness over me!
Underneath me, all around me, is the current of Thy love
Leading onward, leading homeward to Thy glorious rest above!
O the deep, deep love of Jesus, spread His praise from shore to shore!
How He loveth, ever loveth, changeth never, nevermore!
How He watches o’er His loved ones, died to call them all His own;
How for them He intercedeth, watcheth o’er them from the throne!
O the deep, deep love of Jesus, love of every love the best!
’Tis an ocean full of blessing, ’tis a haven giving rest!
O the deep, deep love of Jesus, ’tis a heaven of heavens to me;
And it lifts me up to glory, for it lifts me up to Thee!
~ Written by: S. Trevor Francis (1875) ~
Jesus I stand for You
No matter what You lead me through
They will chase me out
And close me down
But Jesus I’ll stand for You
I’ll always stand
I’ll always stand
I’ll always stand for You
In all this world
You’re all that’s True
I’ll always stand for You
Jesus I’ve stood my ground
When unbelief was all around
I have felt the sting rejection brings
But Jesus I’ll still stand for You
Chorus
The time will come when everyone
Will turn their eyes on the risen Son
Until that day this world will turn away
And so I’ll take Your hand
I’ll always stand for You
Guilty of disgrace
But You took my place
So Jesus I’ll always stand for You
Chorus
~ Written by: John Ellis
Performed by: Tree63 ~
Ephesians 6:13
“Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”
Blessed Beyond Measure 