In Christ Alone (Townend/Getty)

In Christ alone my hope is found
He is my light my strength my song
This Cornerstone, this solid Ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm
What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled when strivings cease!
My Comforter my All in All
Here in the love of Christ I stand

In Christ alone! - who took on flesh
Fullness of God in helpless babe!
This Gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones He came to save
Till on that cross as Jesus died
The wrath of God was satisfied -
For every sin on Him was laid:
Here in the death of Christ I live

There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave He rose again!
And as He stands in victory
Sin's curse has lost its grip on me
For I am His and He is mine -
Bought with the precious blood of Christ

No guilt in life no fear in death
This is the power of Christ in me
From life's first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny
No power of hell no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand
Till he returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I'll stand!


“Firm thro’ the fiercest drought”

Jeremiah 17:7-8

But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.

“took on flesh”

Hebrews 2:14

Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;

Phillipians 2:7

But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

John 1:14

And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

"scorned by the ones He came to save"

www.dictionary.com defines scorned as to reject, refuse; to mock, jeer; to ridicule; to show disdain, contempt; to despise, detest, hate. To consider or treat as contemptible or unworthy. The opposite of what Jesus deserves. It's ironic that the antonym listed is praise.

“on that cross, as Jesus died”

Phillipians 2:8

And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

"the wrath of God was satisfied"

Propitiation. I'd always thought of it as the payment of debt. But the true meaning is that the wrath of someone (God) who has been unjustly wronged has been satisfied. It is an act that soothes hostility and satisfies the need for vengeance. (taken from The Search for Significance by McGee) The sacrifice of Jesus satisfied the wrath of God in his death as payment for our sins.

"every sin on Him was laid"

Isaiah 53:3-6

He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

“light of the world”

John 8:12

Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

John 12:46

I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.

“in victory”

1 Corinthians 15:54-57

Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled: “Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.

“precious blood of Christ”

1 Peter 1:18-19

For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.

“no fear in death”

1 Corinthians 15:54-57

Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled: “Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.

“power of Christ in me”

1 Corinthians 12:9

And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

"no power of hell, no scheme of man"

(taken from) Romans 8:31-38

If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all. Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

AMEN!

“pluck me from His hand”

John 10:27-29

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.

"Awake", where are you???

So I just wrote a great post about the word "awake". Then it went away. Yes-- lovely computer/internet sucked it into oblivion. I don't have the energy to rewrite it now-- maybe later. But it led me to change the name of my blog which I am pretty happy about. :)

And today (April 3rd) I found it!!!!!! Yay. :)

Awake

So this weekend I attended Worship Northwest 2010. It is an annual event held at a church in Keizer, Oregon. This is the second year I've attended, although they have had it for the last 10-12 years. My heart and mind are full of tools, ideas, thoughts, etc. I'll share just one for now.

One of the speakers challenged us to focus on words as a tool of worship-- not a body of words, but one at a time. He does this regularly. So my word for today is "awake". As I asked the Lord for a word He gave me this one.

We were rehearsing "Beautiful One" written by Tim Hughes. Here are a few lyrics: "The beauty of your majesty awakes my heart to sing". I am so guilty of living a complacent, laxodaysical Christian life. My soul needs to be awakened frequently and dramatically. So . . . that is my prayer for today and beyond-- that God would awaken me by whatever means necessary! With His beauty, His greatness-- it is for me!