NOTHING BUT THE BLOOD

Hebrews 9:22b (ESV)  ... without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.

Words and Music by Robert Lowery

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.

 

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

Refrain

 

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

 

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

Refrain

 

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.

 

Refrain

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

 

 

 

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The Bible is very clear concerning the forgiveness of man's sin. Only a perfect blood sacrifice would satisfy the Father's requirement. The gift of salvation required Jesus blood. No other sacrifuce would do.  "Oh! precious is the flow that  makes me white as snow. No other fount I know, nothing but the blood of Jesus."  Thank you Jesus for your precious blood that You shed for me on Calvary! Now when God looks at me He sees Christ's shed blood and declares me righteous for Jesus sake!

 

Soli Deo Gloria,

ah

From or Out Of: God Always Delivers His People

January 24

Morning

"Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler."Psalm 91:3

God delivers his people from the snare of the fowler in two senses. From, and out of. First, he delivers them from the snare--does not let them enter it; and secondly, if they should be caught therein, he delivers them out of it. The first promise is the most precious to some; the second is the best to others.
"He shall deliver thee from the snare." How? Trouble is often the means whereby God delivers us. God knows that our backsliding will soon end in our destruction, and he in mercy sends the rod. We say, "Lord, why is this?" not knowing that our trouble has been the means of delivering us from far greater evil. Many have been thus saved from ruin by their sorrows and their crosses; these have frightened the birds from the net. At other times, God keeps his people from the snare of the fowler by giving them great spiritual strength, so that when they are tempted to do evil they say, "How can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?" But what a blessed thing it is that if the believer shall, in an evil hour, come into the net, yet God will bring him out of it! O backslider, be cast down, but do not despair. Wanderer though thou hast been, hear what thy Redeemer saith--"Return, O backsliding children; I will have mercy upon you." But you say you cannot return, for you are a captive. Then listen to the promise--"Surely he shall deliver thee out of the snare of the fowler." Thou shalt yet be brought out of all evil into which thou hast fallen, and though thou shalt never cease to repent of thy ways, yet he that hath loved thee will not cast thee away; he will receive thee, and give thee joy and gladness, that the bones which he has broken may rejoice. No bird of paradise shall die in the fowler's net.

(taken from January 24 Morning reading in Morning and Evening by Charles Spurgeon)

The snare of the fowler metaphor represents the plots and schemes that come against the believer. We are foolish and weak like poor helpless birds that are easily lured into the fowler's snare. God is watching out for us. He is our deliverer and our protector.  Some  will be protected from the snare and some will be delivered out of the snare. As believers we have reason for confidence in God's protection. He is in complete control. He always comes through with just what we need no matter what the dangers or fears of life that we may be facing.

Soli Deo Gloria,
ah

From the Womb To the Tomb (Sanctity of Human Life)

 
Today is the 40th Anniversary  of the Roe vs. Wade Supreme Court decision. Since January 22, 1973 over 50 million unborn babies have been killed legally in the United States of America.

Over 50 million unborn babies. Let that number sink in: over 50 million.  Heartbreaking!

That is more the eight times the number people who died in the Holocaust.

Look at the number of people we have lost to war casualties in America:

AMERICAN WAR CASUALTIES (from US Army Military History Institute)
Revolutionary War               25,000
War Between the States   ~625,000
World War I                       116,516
World War II                      405,399
Korean                                  36,516
Vietnam                                58,209
Afghanistan                            2,145 (thru 11/2012)
Iraq                                         4,486
War on Unborn           52,008,717+ (10/1/2010 from Bethlehem Baptist Church)
 


"Imagining a concrete picture can bring abstract truth to life. To help us understand what this month's 40th anniversary of legalized abortion in the United States means, one Care Net website offers this picture:  
    [I]magine Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Lambeau Field in Green Bay, and Miller Park in Milwaukee filled with fans. Now consider this: to host more than 55 million people, all three of these stadiums would need to fill to capacity 290 separate times!"

The sanctity of life refers to the idea that all life is sacred. God is the creator of life and any attack on life is an attack on His authority and His worthiness to be worshiped, be it abortion, physician assisted suicide, euthanasia, embryonic stem-cell research etc. Human life is precious to God. (Genesis 9:5-6)  Life is sacred and should be valued and treasured from conception to natural death (from the womb to the tomb).

God is our creator (Genesis 1:1; 1:26-27; 2:7) so He has authority to rule and govern our lives.
We know that Jesus came to save, restore and renew life. (John 3:16-17; 10:10b)

Satan comes to steal, kill and destroy. (John 8:44; 10:10a)

The birth of Moses and Jesus saw a massive slaughter of innocent children. (See Exodus 1:15-22, Matthew 2:13-18)

Pagan worship in the Old Testament often involved child sacrifice (Jeremiah 19:4-5; Psalm 106:36-38)

Satan is still attacking God using abortion & euthanasia to destroy His image-bearers. "To murder a person is to attack one who is the image-bearer or God." R.C. Sproul

Proverbs 8:36b (ESV) ³⁶   all who hate me love death.”


3801 Lancaster is a documentary film about Dr. Kermit Gosnell - an infamous abortionist who got rich selling abortion services to poor minority women in west Philadelphia.  It is difficult to watch but we do not need to turn our eyes away from the evil of abortion.

Further reading:

We Know They Are Killing Children - All of Us Know by John Piper


Anniversary Pictures: Remembering Roe vs. Wade by Kathleen Neilson  What should we do?

1. Remember  2. Pray  3. Offer Gospel Hope  4. Add Concrete Action


Abortion and the Gospel by Russell Moore


We have a responsibility to speak out for life from the womb to the tomb! (Proverbs 31:8-9)

Soli Deo Gloria,
ah

A Prayer for the New Year

2013
 

NEW YEAR

O Lord,

Length of days does not profit me except the days are passed

in Thy presence, in Thy service, to Thy glory.

Give me a grace that precedes, follows, guides, sustains,

sanctifies, aids every hour,
that I may not be one moment apart from Thee,
but may rely on Thy Spirit
to supply every thought,
speak in every word,
direct every step,
prosper every work,
build up every mote of faith,
and give me a desire
to show forth Thy praise;
testify Thy love,
advance Thy kingdom.

I launch my bark on the unknown waters of this year,
with Thee, O Father as my harbour,
Thee, O Son, at my helm,
Thee O Holy Spirit, filling my sails.
Guide me to heaven with my loins girt,
my lamp burning,
my ear open to Thy calls,
my heart full of love,
my soul free.

Give me Thy grace to sanctify me,
Thy comforts to cheer,
Thy wisdom to teach,
Thy right hand to guide,
Thy counsel to instruct,
Thy law to judge,
Thy presence to stabilize.
May Thy fear be my awe,
Thy triumphs my joy.

From The Valley of Vision page 112.

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What a great old prayer from The Valley of Vision as we start this new year.  In 2013 may we all "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen." (2 Peter 3:18 ESV)

Soli Deo Gloria
ah

Best Books I Read in 2012*

I was able to read some good books in 2012. In reviewing the books that I read in 2012, I am listing my 10 favorites in this post.  This is the first year that I have read more books in e-format.  Of the 10 books I have listed below I only have paper editions for 3 of them.  The other 7 are nook books. I am not ranking them other than saying these are my top 10. They are listed in the chronological order that I read them.  The topics covered include theology, marriage, parenting, education, leadership,  and government.

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With Mama joining Daddy in Heaven in November of 2011, I started 2012 finding my thoughts more and more on Heaven.  I read Randy Alcorn's book on Heaven and followed it with We Shall See God to start 2012.

Heaven by Randy Alcorn




We Shall See God: Charles Spurgeon's Classic Devotional Thoughts on Heaven by Charles Spurgeon & Randy Alcorn



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As a parent I need this reminder: Give Them Grace.  My kids need grace, I need grace!  God gives grace, I must give grace.

Give Them Grace: Dazzling Your Kids With The Love of Jesus by Elyse Fitzpatrick & Jessica Thompson




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Don't assume the Gospel. We have to get away from the moralistic, therapeutic deism that is so common today. The Gospel: "Don't forget it! You were saved by it, will be sustained by it, and are currently standing in it."

The Explicit Gospel by Matt Chandler & Jared Wilson




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This past summer my church did a Biographies Summer Teaching Series on Wednesday nights.  Jim Elliott was the biography covered one week.  A few days later I was in the local library returning some books the kids had checked out and on the used book cart for less than a $1 was Through Gates of Splendor.  I took this as the of Providence of God. I bought the book and read this classic. I had been hearing the story  of Jim Elliott since high school but had never actually read the book.  "He is no fool who gives what he can not keep to gain what he cannot loose."

Through Gates of Splendor by Elisabeth Elliot


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I think this book should be required reading for all parents, church staff members and educators. This is where we have lost the culture war. To quote Voddie Baucham, "If you send your kids to Caesar for their education don't be surprised when they come back as Romans." It has taken over 150 years of secular education for our culture to get in its current condition.   "Parents must take full responsibility for the education of their children." "Christians must understand the significant influence that education has on a person's life."

Kingdom Education: God's Plan for Educating Future Generations by Glen Schultz



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Written by a real American hero who was a POW for five and  a half years in Vietnam.  Leadership is so important and is so missing in this day and age.

Leading With Honor: Leadership Lessons From the Hanoi Hilton by Lee Ellis



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We lost a giant when God called Charles Colson home on April 21, 2012.  This book was originally published as Kingdoms in Conflict, this revised edition was published in 2007.   I like his original title. As Christians we must remember this world is not our home and while we are here we will have conflict. Although we are only passing through, while we are here we must be "salt and light".

God & Government: An Insider's View on the Boundaries between Faith and Politics by Charles Colson




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Marriage is under attack in today's society. What God has said about marriage has not changed. The Kellers have written a book on marriage that is solidly grounded in Scripture.

The Meaning of Marriage: Facing the Complexities of Commitment with the Wisdom of God by Tim & Kathy Keller



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In this book Andy Stanley lays out his philosophy of ministry for North Point Church. "Churches should be theologically sound and culturally relevant."

Deep & Wide: Creating Churches Unchurched People Love to Attend by Andy Stanley



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If you are looking for books to read in 2013 I can recommend each of these books to you. Reading them will be a good investment of your time.

Soli Deo Gloria
ah


*  I am not including the Bible in this list. I strive to read through the Bible every year.  I agree with Tony Reinke (author of Lit!), there are two genres of books:  genre A - The Bible and  genre B - All other books.  The books included in this list are from genre B.