Beneath the Cross...

Matt.1:21

And she will bring forth a Son, 

and you shall call His name JESUS, 

for He will save His people from their sins.”

Jesus, Joy of the Highest Heaven lyric video

O Sacred Head Now Wounded - Fernando Ortega

John 1:29

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said,

 “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!

Behold the Lamb of God

Nailed to a cross so mean

Be still, and gaze upon the blood

That washes sinners clean

Ah, can you see Him now

Raised up for all to see

His bleeding side, hands, feet and brow

Behold His agony

Pierced with thorns, nails and sword

Blood-thirsty, the mob screams

Not knowing, as they strike the Lord

Redemption’s fountain streams

Not comprehending love

Nor the power of He

Whose death would conquer death and prove

The truth of prophecy

Behold the sinless Lamb

Paying the sinner’s price

He knew no sin and yet became

Sin’s final sacrifice

Behold Him hanging there

Suff’ring salvation’s fee

Hark! Can you hear His dying prayer

'Forgive them' was His plea

Hatred meets love unflawed

Where holy horrors meld

Hell's showdown with the Son of God

No drop of blood withheld

Where death and Life compete

And death appeared to win

Come, kiss His side, his hands, his feet

And be cleansed from your sin

Come, bow beneath God’s Son

And feel His blood drops flow

Beneath the cross red rivers run

To wash us white as snow

Then repeat, humbly awed

The Name above all names

Jesus, Jesus, the Son of God

Who saves us from our sins

Janet Martin

Bill & Gloria Gaither - Nothing But the Blood [Live] ft. Buddy Greene

Like a Love Song...

This morning's Old and New Testament readings

impresses on the reader the sacred sanctity of shed blood!

Lev. 17-18& Matt. 27:27-50

There Is a Fountain Filled With Blood

Lev.17:11

 ...for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul.’ 

Matt.27:24-26

When Pilate saw that he could not prevail at all, 

but rather that a [c]tumult was rising, 

he took water and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, 

“I am innocent of the blood of this [d]just Person. You see to it.”

25 And all the people answered and said, 

“His blood be on us and on our children.”

26 Then he released Barabbas to them; 

and when he had [e]scourged Jesus, 

he delivered Him to be crucified.

***

Redemption streams 

for every sin

...repented of!!

God's promises

not slack concerning

...obedient love

***

God is not mocked

By grace we go

While ever reaping

What we sow

***

One grain of pride

Is enough to tumble

A lofty tower

ninety-nine percent humble

***

When we open the door to

What Leads to Sin

We let a host

of demons in

***

God's law does not author confusion

and chaos' increase

God's laws author order, holiness,

righteousness and peace

***

Like a love song from lips and lives

Like a tree bearing wholesome (holy) fruit

Like a fountain from which joy thrives

Through surrender’s stream-nourished root

May faithful, fervent worship spill

From hearts, ceaselessly awed by You

Because, oh God, we know Your will

Is ever trustworthy and true

Our times are in Your righteous hands

And in far higher thoughts and ways

Than human nature’s quick demands

That undermine repentant praise

You grant each day, mercy engraved

Then, bless the greatest name of all

The name whereby mankind is saved

From the curse wrought by Adam’s fall

Sinless and undefiled You bore

Sin’s pardon for all human race

Sin that is remembered no more

As we repent and receive grace

Then, as we believe in Your Word

To undergird, exhort and thrill

May, like a love song, undeterred

Obedient, true worship spill

© Janet Martin

Morning...

 This morning the sun-rise looked like a pink heart-cloud:)

Awesome God

Morning in triumph rends night’s raven bar

Mercy and grace have not withdrawn their hope

Ascending over earth’s need-stricken slope

Opaline glory flings its gates ajar

To shed upon this toil and trouble strand

Not judgment, void of love’s long-suff’ring plea

But from the backdrop of life’s mystery

Holy compassion lavishes the land

From porticoes not marred by flesh and blood

He bathes the dark with heaven’s hallowed flood

Marauders of covetousness and lust

We gaze from sepulchers of want and greed

To He who for mortal’s Primary Need

Put on a robe of humble, human dust

And Immortality with arms wide spread

Upon rough timber, cried out ‘it is done’

He satisfied The Need for everyone

Redemption once for all, His blood was shed

And all He asks of us is to believe

In Him; and everlasting Life receive

He does not leave us pining in the Dark

But lights the Way for everyone to see

For Truth and Life lead to eternity

And Hope is more than a translucent spark

His faithfulness and mercy lights the dawn

Forgiveness flows; sacred, sufficient stream

Not sealed within death’s mute, mystic requiem

But pouring from the power of the Son

As Light in triumph rends night’s heavy veil

His mercy, grace and love will never fail

© Janet Martin

 

Infinite Incomprehension

He made Himself

Of no reputation

But clothed in flesh

Supreme I AM

Nothing desirable

In his image

Lion of Judah

Became a Lamb

Who can explain

Such humble mercy?

Love unrestrained

Beneath hatred’s blow

Who can explain

Compassion so perfect

As agony wept

Forgive; they do not know

Sweet incomprehension

I cannot grasp it

A King leaves His throne

To die on a cross

So we, wretched men

Like stars in the heavens

May pierce hatred’s darkness

As He shines through us

How I abhor

My rebellious nature

As I consider

Obedient Lord

God; putting on

Man’s filthy stature

Majesty serving

The hand with a sword

Immaculate Offering

Seals our redemption

One Lamb for all

Atonement of sin

To tell of His grace

May I never grow weary

To tell of His love

Where can I begin?

For He made Himself

Of no reputation

Clothing in flesh

Supreme I AM

Nothing desirable

In His image

Love Immortal

Became a Lamb

© Janet Martin

Redeemed

Redeemed,

Not by His

evil crown

of thorns

Not in His

flesh, beaten

stripped, torn

Not in the ghastly sword, or the hammer and the nails

But in God’s amazing love eternal; that never, ever fails

Because He gave His only perfect Son, Jesus, to die, and

in His blood

Oh redeemed

am I; not by

vain deeds I

have done, no

but through

the Cross as

God’s own Son

poured out His

blood to pay

for sin; and oh

Thereby I am

Redeemed. Yes.

Only through the

blood of Jesus Christ

and His righteousness

Janet Martin