Most of you all probably know this hymn.  But, let's take a look at it, cause you can never talk too much about God's grace.  This hymn was written by John Newton.  He used to be a slave trader, and a very wicked man.  But, God drew him to Himself and saved him by His grace.  He was blind to God and lost from God, but God brought him back and gave him sight.  It is a great testimony of God's grace to the unbeliever; but not just the unbeliever, the believer too!  The second and third verses talk much about God's grace continuing in his life.  Relieving his fears, leading him in his Christian walk, protecting him through many dangers, toils, and snares.  God is so good to us, and He gives us so many things that we don't deserve.  That's what the definition of grace is: receiving what we don't deserve.  The fourth verse talks about good in our lives and God protecting us; the fifth verse talks about joy and peace.  We don't deserve these things, but God freely grants them.  I need to pray more and more that God will reveal to me all the graces that He shows me.  There are so many things that I don't deserve that God does.  What an amazing God we have...and He is worthy of our praise.  So, when we've been in His presence for ten thousand years, we will have no less days to sing His praise then we we first begun. 

1. Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found;
Was blind, but now I see.

2. ’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed!

3. Through many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come;
’Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.

4. The Lord has promised good to me,
His Word my hope secures;
He will my Shield and Portion be,
As long as life endures.

5. Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess, within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.

6. The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine;
But God, who called me here below,
Will be forever mine.

7. When we’ve been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun,
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise
Than when we’d first begun.

 

This hymn is pretty self-explanatory.  But, I hope it helps you to trust more and more in the blood of Jesus, and less and less in yourself or something else.  Only Jesus can make us whole, only Jesus can take away our sins, only by Jesus can we overcome Satan and sin, only Jesus can give us real hope and peace.  I hope you go through this hymn slowly and consider how much we need Jesus.  Without Him, all hope is lost.  Enjoy!

1. What can wash away my sin?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
What can make me whole again?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Refrain
Oh! precious is the flow
That makes me white as snow;
No other fount I know,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

2. For my pardon, this I see,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
For my cleansing this my plea,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

3. Nothing can for sin atone,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
Naught of good that I have done,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Refrain
Oh! precious is the flow
That makes me white as snow;
No other fount I know,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

4. This is all my hope and peace,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
This is all my righteousness,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

5. Now by this I’ll overcome--
Nothing but the blood of Jesus,
Now by this I’ll reach my home--
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

6. Glory! Glory! This I sing--
Nothing but the blood of Jesus,
All my praise for this I bring--
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Refrain
Oh! precious is the flow
That makes me white as snow;
No other fount I know,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Does Jesus love you?  All of us will answer yes, because we know it.  If I asked you why, you would probably be able to give several good answers...are you grateful for it?  Sure.  But do you really feel that gratitude?  Do you really feel the love?  Has that knowledge of Jesus' love really entered into your emotions?  Not most of the time for me.  It's hard for me to get emotional and grateful when dealing with Jesus' sacrifice for me...I guess it's because I've known about His life since I was born.  But, it is so important to really know that love that He has for us, and to feel that gratitude.  Hopefully this hymn will help remind you of the great love the Jesus has for us, and will help you to feel the gratitude.  Many times I don't have a deep sense of gratitude to Christ for what He has done.  But, I've been praying that God will help me...pray to Him that He will help you more and more be grateful for Jesus' love.  The second verse of this hymn talks about singing to God and to Christ in gratitude.  Sometimes it's hard not to just say the words, but to really mean them. And, you know what?  When we get to heaven, we'll get to see Him and personally thank Him and worship Him.  As it says in the final verse: And when from death I'm free, I'll sing and joyful be!  And through eternity I'll sing on!  May the Father bless you as you grow closer to our great Savior.

1. What wondrous love is this, O my soul, O my soul!
What wondrous love is this, O my soul!
What wondrous love is this that caused the Lord of bliss
To bear the dreadful curse for my soul, for my soul,
To bear the dreadful curse for my soul.

2. To God and to the Lamb, I will sing, I will sing;
To God and to the Lamb, I will sing.
To God and to the Lamb Who is the great “I Am”;
While millions join the theme, I will sing, I will sing;
While millions join the theme, I will sing.

3. And when from death I’m free, I’ll sing on, I’ll sing on;
And when from death I’m free, I’ll sing on.
And when from death I’m free, I’ll sing and joyful be;
And through eternity, I’ll sing on, I’ll sing on;
And through eternity, I’ll sing on.

.

This is a great hymn about Jesus.  It gives a good picture of what He went through at the cross and who He is.  He is such a wonderful friend and Savior.  So humble, so loving.  There are so many good things this hymn points out about Him and what He went through at His crucifixion.  The first line, for instance.  He was stricken for our transgressions, smitten, and afflicted.  What a Savior to endure so much for our transgressions.  It talks about Him bring rejected.  Friends, through fear, disowning Him.  It says "Foes insulting His distress: many hands were raised to wound Him, none would interpose to save."  So many cause Him pain, and none to stand up for Him and help Him.  What this man went through for us, his enemies!  The third verse is so powerful.  It talks about the meaning of this and how we shouldn't take sin lightly, for what these people did, gives sin and evil its true colors.  Sin is evil and horrible and the human nature is twisted.  It talks about how Christ saved us from that and He is now our foundation, rock, salvation, refuge.  So, put your trust in Him for He saved you from sin.  I hope this hymn is as powerful to you as it was to me.    

1. Stricken, smitten, and afflicted, See Him dying on the tree! ’Tis the Christ by man rejected; Yes, my soul, ’tis He, ’tis He! ’Tis the long expected prophet, David’s Son, yet David’s Lord; Proofs I see sufficient of it: ’Tis a true and faithful Word. 2. Tell me, ye who hear Him groaning, Was there ever grief like His? Friends through fear His cause disowning, Foes insulting his distress: Many hands were raised to wound Him, None would interpose to save; But the deepest stroke that pierced Him Was the stroke that Justice gave. 3. Ye who think of sin but lightly, Nor suppose the evil great, Here may view its nature rightly, Here its guilt may estimate. Mark the Sacrifice appointed! See Who bears the awful load! ’Tis the Word, the Lord’s Anointed, Son of Man, and Son of God.     4. Here we have a firm foundation, Here the refuge of the lost. Christ the Rock of our salvation, Christ the Name of which we boast. Lamb of God for sinners wounded! Sacrifice to cancel guilt! None shall ever be confounded Who on Him their hope have built.

Today is Father's Day.  In church we had sharing time to thank our fathers or the father of our children.  Well, I think it is also a great time to thank our Heavenly Father.  Sometimes it's hard to verbalize praise to God and thank Him for who He is.  But, we can try anyway.  This hymn is a prayer to God.  Each verse is to a member of the Trinity, and the first is specifically to God the Father.  The first line says, "We bless you."  It's important that we realize why we were made.  We were made to bring God glory.  So let us bless Him by living a life that is glorifying to Him.  Easier said than done, I know.  But, let's make it our goal this week to try to bless God with our obedience and with our prayer time and with our interactions with others.  Let's try to glorify Him...let's try to love and adore Him and let's have our life sing forth His praise.  Please pray this prayer to God.  Happy Father's Day!

1. Father, Father of all things, we bless you.  Father we love and adore you.  O Father, your children praise you.  Father, Father of light, and power, Father, your greatness surrounds the earth and all of your children declare you are Lord.  2. Jesus, only Son of the living God, Jesus, you willingly suffered that through you we might know His love.  Jesus, cleanse us, your people, and fill us.  Pour down your Spirit upon us that we as your body may show forth your love. 3. Spirit, sent by the Son to dwell in us, living and working within us to make us more like Jesus; Spirit, fall down upon us as fire.  Fill and equip us with power and draw from us love and praise to the Lord.

Sin is serious.  Sin is vile.  Sin is pervasive in our culture and in the lives of the sinner.  Sin is what we were born into.  Sin is our tendency.  Sin is addictive.  Sin is hard to break, and hard to get away from.  And, if you know these things as truth, this hymn will be such a relief!  Because, though sin is all these things, Jesus  and His grace is greater than all our sin.  We were slaves to sin, but Jesus' grace sets us free.  It can reach any expanse and forgive any sinner.  We were children of Satan, but Jesus' grace makes us children of God!  I hope you can read this hymn and feel the joy and peace that comes with the grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

1. Wonderful grace of Jesus, Greater than all my sin; How shall my tongue describe it, Where shall its praise begin? Taking away my burden, Setting my spirit free; For the wonderful grace of Jesus reaches me. Refrain: Wonderful the matchless grace of Jesus, Deeper than the mighty rolling sea; Wonderful grace, all sufficient for me, for even me. Broader than the scope of my transgressions, Greater far than all my sin and shame, O magnify the precious Name of Jesus. Praise His Name! 2. Wonderful grace of Jesus, Reaching to all the lost, By it I have been pardoned, Saved to the uttermost, Chains have been torn asunder, Giving me liberty; For the wonderful grace of Jesus reaches me.3. Wonderful grace of Jesus, Reaching the most defiled, By its transforming power, Making him God’s dear child, Purchasing peace and heaven, For all eternity; And the wonderful grace of Jesus reaches me.

We, as Christians sometimes struggle with guilt, sin, and doubt.  And, sometimes it is hard to believe that Jesus really loves us, or forgives us, or is near us.  Sometimes it is hard to feel like He is near or watching out for us.  We doubt His love in the moment, though we may affirm it with our mouths.  This hymn speaks of Jesus' deep, deep love for us, and what He does to show that love.  I hope you come to realize more and more how very much Jesus loves you specifically.  And I hope this hymn will help.

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!

This is a song by Michael Card and it sort of ties in with my blog post.  For those of you who are struggling right now, this song is such a heart lifter.  It reminds us that there is a joy in the journey of life.  This life God has given us is a gift and it is meant to be enjoyed.  There will come hard times, and we will struggle with sin, but forget not the road before you.  God is a loving God and He has given us this life as an enjoyment.  We are on a journey, following hard after God, and though there are toils and snares along the way, there is a joy that comes with it.  I hope you can look this song up and listen to it, but here are the words!
There is a joy in the journey There's a light we can love on the way There is a wonder and wildness to life And freedom for those who obey And all those who seek it shall find it A pardon for all who believe Hope for the hopeless and sight for the blind To all who've been born in the Spirit And who share incarnation with Him Who belong to eternity stranded in time And weary of struggling with sin Forget not the hope that's before you And never stop counting the cost Remember the hopelessness when you were lost There is a joy in the journey There's a light we can love on the way There is a wonder and wildness to life And freedom for those who obey And freedom for those who obey...

This hymn is such a good look at Christ's incarnation and salvation.  It asks a humble question to start off.  Can it be that I should gain anything in Christ's blood?  How can it be that my God would die for me?  We will never be able to fully understand God's love for us, but we can pray that God will show us more and more how much love He showed by dying for us.  This hymn explores different aspects of Jesus' leaving of heaven and emptying Himself.  It explores the nature of salvation.  Our chains fall off, our heart becomes free, we rise and we follow Christ.  It also talks about forgiveness and how there is no condemnation for we who are in Christ.  I hope you enjoy this hymn and ponder Christ's great love. 

1. And can it be that I should gain An interest in the Savior’s blood? Died He for me, who caused His pain-- For me, who Him to death pursued? Amazing love! How can it be, That Thou, my God, should die for me? 2. ’Tis mystery all: the Immortal dies: Who can explore His strange design? In vain the firstborn seraph tries To sound the depths of love divine. ’Tis mercy all! Let earth adore, Let angel minds inquire no more. 3. He left His Father’s throne above So free, so infinite His grace-- Emptied Himself of all but love, And bled for Adam’s helpless race: ’Tis mercy all, immense and free, For O my God, it found out me! 4. Long my imprisoned spirit lay, Fast bound in sin and nature’s night; Thine eye diffused a quickening ray-- I woke, the dungeon flamed with light; My chains fell off, my heart was free, I rose, went forth, and followed Thee. 5. Still the small inward voice I hear, That whispers all my sins forgiven; Still the atoning blood is near, That quenched the wrath of hostile Heaven. I feel the life His wounds impart; I feel the Savior in my heart. 6. No condemnation now I dread; Jesus, and all in Him, is mine; Alive in Him, my living Head, And clothed in righteousness divine, Bold I approach the eternal throne, And claim the crown, through Christ my own.