Faithful God!

This was one of those days I was blessed with time and rest and communion with my Savior. I was allowed to sing, say, and see great things about my Savior!

August 9, 2015

Worship:

Faithful and True are You God by me; Faithful God by Laura Story; Faithful God by Shannon Wexelburg

Faithful and True are You God

Faithful and true are You Lord
Faithful and true are You
Though friends may fail me
And the enemy assail me
Yet faithful and true are You


Faithful and true are You Lord
Faithful and true are You
Though sadness may find me
And the grip of fear bind me
Yet faithful and true are You

Faithful and true are You Lord.
Faithful and true are You
Though lean times o'er take me
And sunny days forsake me
Yet faithful and true are You

Faithful and true are You Lord
Faithful and true are You
I’ll sing of Your kindness
Your love ever timeless
'Cause faithful and true are You

Faithful God-Laura Story

May the grace that sought my heart on that first day
Be the grace that binds my heart to stay
May the truth that opened up my eyes on that first time
Be the thoughts on my mind that never go away

For You are a lamp to my feet
A light to my path
You're the hand that's holding me

Faithful God, every promise kept
Every need You've met, Faithful God
All I am and all I'll ever be
Is all because You love faithfully
Faithful God

May the love that caught my heart to set it free
Be the love that others see in me
And may this hope that's reaches to the depths of human need
Be the song that I sing in joy and suffering
For you are the love that never leaves
The friend that won't deceive
You're the one sure thing

How deep, how wide the love
That pierced His side, the love
Redemption's mine, O Love that will not let me go


[ Lyrics from: http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/l/la... ]

Video: https://youtu.be/2JMrOec7bCk



Faithful God-Shannon Wexelberg

[:: VERSE ::] 

Faithful God, ever true 
You are the One that we lean upon 
Faithful God, Lord it's you 
You are the One that we look upon 
Everyday Lord Your mercies are new 
Everyday Lord we are trusting in You 

[:: CHORUS ::] 
Faithful God, You stay the same 
You will not change 
Your promise is true 
Faithful God, we lift up one voice 
We've made a choice and we put our trust in You 
Oh faithful God; Oh faithful God 

https://youtu.be/mQqsK_R9iF8?list=PLDyBSnVD6THmf0RSXVlKb9yTGgoz6wXjY

Personal:

This day has gone by fast. My wife messaged me briefly. We discussed the money for insurance and her friend's blood sugar. I just messaged her again for an update. Texted with my oldest son. He seems to want to talk about something but won’t tell me about what. I guess I’ll find out tomorrow. My friend left two messages on the phone concerning his family’s needs. No progress there that I can see, but as I always confess, You see the progress of Your hand in this situation!

God spoke to my heart tonight as I prayed to begin my quiet time.  He reminded me that …well here is how I put it in a text to Glen:

One thing God said to me while praying was that though my words may have been lost the other day, His words will never be lost. They are forever settled in heaven (Ps. 119:89). His word will stand forever (Mt. 24:35).  As I write this, He reminded me again of His word in Isaiah 40:8 – The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.” And so He comforted me and gently chided me over the concern for my feeble words. 

Faithful God Thou art forever true

Thou art forever loving

Thy mercies forever new

Faithful God Thou art forever good

Thou art forever holy

Thy truth hath forever stood

Word:

Ps 22:12-18

12 Many bulls surround me;

strong bulls of Bashan encircle me.

13 Roaring lions tearing their prey

open their mouths wide against me.

14 I am poured out like water,

and all my bones are out of joint.

My heart has turned to wax;

it has melted away within me.

15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd,

and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth;

you lay me in the dust of death.

16 Dogs have surrounded me;

a band of evil men has encircled me,

they have pierced my hands and my feet.

17 I can count all my bones;

people stare and gloat over me.

18 They divide my garments among them

and cast lots for my clothing. NIV

This is a clear prophecy of our Lord’s sufferings. David may have experienced something in his life, which he spoke about in figurative terms. However, much of this was fulfilled literally on the cross by our Lord.

In this passage, there is an interplay between the suffering of our Lord, and the crowd that surrounded Him there. First of all, note the description of the crowd. They are called “bulls” and lions” and “dogs.” But this is not Oz, and no one is on a yellow brick road on their way to see a wizard in the Emerald City. This is Calvary, and the Savior hangs on a cross to open the way to the Celestial City, where roads are not brick but gold.

Secondly, note the description of our Savior’s sufferings.

         I am poured out like water,

         and all my bones are out of joint.

My heart has turned to wax;

it has melted away within me.

My strength is dried up like a potsherd,

and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth;

you lay me in the dust of death. Vs. 14-15 NIV

The Son of God suffers as the Son of Man. He entered the world in humbleness and exited it in humility. He entered the world – His body wrapped in swaddling clothes and exits the world wrapped in nothing but a loincloth (or worse!). His head wrapped in a crown of thorns. At His birth, His thirst was quenched at His mother’s breast, but now His thirst goes unquenched. He was offered a drink at the beginning of His crucifixion, but He refused it because of its narcotic effects (Mt. 27:34). In the end, in order to complete the fulfillment of Isaiah 69:21, He cried, “I thirst.” The Apostle John gives us the details:

²⁸ After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), “I thirst.” ²⁹ A jar full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to his mouth. ³⁰ When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
John 19:28-30 ESV

Many believe that the detail about the “hyssop branch’ has a significant theological meaning behind it.

Giving Him wine vinegar, a sour wine, fulfilled Ps 69:21. Putting the vinegar-soaked sponge on the end of a hyssop plant stalk seems odd. Perhaps this detail points to Jesus dying as the true Lamb at Passover, for hyssop was used in the Passover ceremonies (cf. Ex 12:22).
(from Bible Knowledge Commentary/Old Testament Copyright © 1983, 2000 Cook Communications Ministries; Bible Knowledge Commentary/New Testament Copyright © 1983, 2000 Cook Communications Ministries. All rights reserved.)

His incarnation was orchestrated by His Father, and so was His death –

                        And You lay me in the dust of death-NASU)

Verse 16 speaks of His executioners, but ultimately it was His Father’s doing.

Acts 2:23-24 says:

This man was handed over to you by God's set purpose and
foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him
to death by nailing him to the cross.  NIV

Acts 4:27-28 says:

Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles
and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy
servant Jesus, whom you anointed.  They did what your power andwill had decided beforehand should happen.  NIV

Verse 16 describes the act of crucifixion- “they have pierced my hands and my feet.” Those responsible are called dogs and evildoers. This most certainly refers to His Roman executioners, but I think it goes further. I believe it relates to all His opponents and indifferent bystanders.

 Yes, some did not oppose Him, nor were they indifferent. Some of His followers, as well as His mother, were there also. His mother, who comforted Him in her arms and cried tears of joy at His birth, whose heart swelled with happiness at His first breath; now cried tears of deep sorrow for she could not hold Him in His pain and her heart broke as He took His last breath on the cross.

Yet there was another at that scene of agony and injustice where Love was crucified. There was another who joined the crowd of mockers and indifferent bystanders. Who joined the mob that stood by staring and gloating, as the innocent died for the guilty.  There was another who took part in His execution and who nailed Him to the cross. There was another for whom He felt the weight of sin and for whom He suffered in their place. Who is it, you ask?  Fill in the blank ______.  My Lord suffered and took the full punishment for my sins, and I have received a full pardon, and I will declare with the beloved disciple:

 “To Him who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood — and He has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father — to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.” Rev. 1:5b-6 NASU

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While I was journaling tonight, I had listened to a song by Laura Story titled “Faithful God “on YouTube. It was a song I had sung to as part of my worship portion of my quiet time. Of course, when you play a song on YouTube, another follows unless you stop it. I decided to let the music play on as I began my journaling. When I came to the end of my time of journaling, and I typed my last words, a song began to play. I have included the lyrics below (and a YouTube link). I don’t believe in blind chance but purposeful providence. I think this was just that!

How deep the Father's love for us
How vast beyond all measure
That He should give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure

How great the pain of searing loss
The Father turns His face away
As wounds which mar the Chosen One
Bring many sons to glory

Behold the Man upon the cross
My sin upon His shoulders
Ashamed to hear my mocking voice
Call out among the scoffers

It was my sin that kept Him there
Until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life
I know that it is finished

I will not boast in anything
No gifts, no power, no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ
His death and resurrection

Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom [x2]


https://youtu.be/zh2nf8ydIJI