Another week has gone by and the world keeps turning, babies are being born while others are dying with many of those passing into a lost eternity. As someone who loves the hymns there are many times that a hymn will come to mind for reasons unknown. This morning as I thought about our world and its condition the hymn “At the Cross” came to mind so I attempted to do a little research on it. That hymn speaks clearly to the sacrifice by our Lord and Savior on behalf of ALL “Sinners”. That hymn began as a poem written in 1707 by Isaac Watts titled “Godly sorrow arising from the Suffering of Christ” In 1885 Ralph E. Hudson created the music and added the chorus “At the Cross”.
Alas, and Did My Savior Bleed
Verse 1 Alas! and did my Savior bleed, and did my Sovereign die? Would He devote that sacred head for such a worm as I?
Chorus At the cross, at the cross Where I first saw the Light, And the burden of my heart rolled away, It was there by faith I received my sight, and now I am happy all the day
Verse 2 Was it for crimes that I had done, He groaned upon the tree? Amazing Pity! grace unknown! and love beyond degree!
Verse 3 Well might the sun in darkness hide and shut His glories in, When Christ, the mighty Make died, For man the creature’s sin.
Verse 4 Thus might I hide my blushing face while His dear cross appears. Dissolve my heart in thankfulness and melt my eyes to tears
Verse 5 But drops of grief can ne’er repay the debt of love I owe Here, Lord, I give myself away ’tis all that I can do.
2 John 1:3
Grace, Mercy and peace will be with you from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.
Because God has mercy on us He has provided a way to avoid the punishment we so deserve for our sins. We being sinful from birth due to Adam’s fall from grace, Jesus died to take away and bear our sins on His shoulders. Our thankfulness should be beyond measure and without ceasing. As the hymn says “Amazing Pity, grace unknown and love beyond degree” Ours is a wonderful salvation without equal.
1 John 5:19-20
We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.
And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is true; in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.
These two verses speak volumes but simply put “As Christians we are from God, The world labors under the weight of the wicked one but God has given us the understanding we need to worship, praise and follow our Lord and Savior. The last line of verse 20 says it all. “THIS IS THE TRUE GOD AND ETERNAL LIFE. Read it, rehearse it and remember God is our fortress, a very present help in trouble.
Services
When: Sunday July 9, 2023 09:00 am Breaking of Bread 10:15 am Fellowship Time 11:00 am Family Bible Hour Speaker: Lloyd Oppel Sermon Title & Bible Ref: “Seek first” from Matthew 6:19-34 Special Guest: Catherine Buschhaus Note: Catherine Buschhaus is the official spokesperson for Coastal Light Vessel Ministry. Formerly Coastal Missions. She will report on the new organization and its plans as well as provide some special music.
Chapel Update
Back fence is now secure on the bottom edge
Doug, Art and Jack will look into the best way to change the front lawn into less work and drought hardy.
