Come ... I have a song to teach you!!

The song I sing

"O' what a sorry crowd it was,
Publicans and harlots,
Weak, foolish philosophers
And men of the worst kind,
Sinners not worth mentioning,
The scum of the world.

But yet in them I saw a joy,
That I had never seen before;
A peace that I could not understand;
What their past was,
Was not what was today;
Sinners they were,
But repented and reformed,
Miraculously changed!

I wondered, how could it be?
How could this have happened?
Not one of them had a moral backbone,
Not one who wanted to,
Enticed and addicted,
There was neither strength nor will,
Nothing in them,
To have brought about this change;
Though they had the same names,
Looked the same,
They were different,
A new creation, of sorts.

And I enquired,
And it seemed they were but waiting,
To sing out their story,
One by one they retold,
How the old was gone,
And the new had come;
But one single thread,
Seemed to connect them all,
Like the branches of a single vine,
One man, who had touched them all;
One God, who had made us all;
One truth, one way, one light.

And I asked them,
Who is this man, this God?
What is His name?
And in unison,
I heard the sound of many voices,
Immanuel
God with us
Lion of Judah
Lamb of God
Prince of peace
King of kings
Lord of Lords
Son of man
Son of God
Only begotten
Never born, never created
From the beginning
One with the Father.
But the name we love the most
The name that brought us salvation
"Jesus friend of sinners
Loved me 'ere I knew Him"."

This is what you had told me
Of the day we had met
This is the song I had taught you
The day we had met
This is the song we will ever sing
From dawn till sunset
"Jesus friend of sinners
Loved me 'ere I knew Him".

1Ti 1:15 Faithful is the Word and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.

(Below is the song that has recently become even more real to me. Not sure who the author is.)
His Forever

Jesus, friend of sinners
Loved me ’ere I knew Him
Drew me with His cords of love
Tightly bound me to Him
’Round my heart still closely twined
The ties that none can sever
For I am His and He is mine
Forever and forever

Jesus, friend of sinners
A crown of thorns You wore for me
Bruised for my transgressions
Pierced for my iniquities
The wrath of God that I deserved
Was poured out on the Innocent
He took my place, my soul to save
Now I am His forever

Jesus, friend of sinners
I love to tell the story
Redeeming love has been my theme
And will be when in glory
Not death nor life nor anything
Can ever separate me
O love that will not let me go
Yes, I am His forever

(SONG) Today

Neh 1:3 And they said to me, The remnant left of the captivity there in the province is in great affliction and shame. And the wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates are burned with fire. Neh 1:4 And it happened when I heard these words, I sat down and wept. And I mourned for days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of Heaven. Neh 1:5 And I said, I pray You, O Jehovah, the God of Heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and mercy for those who love Him and keep His commandments; Neh 1:6 let Your ear now be open, and Your eyes open, so that You may hear the prayer of Your servant, which I pray before You now, day and night, for the sons of Israel Your servants, and confessing the sins of the sons of Israel which we have sinned against You. Both I and my father's house have sinned. Neh 1:7 We have acted very wickedly against You, and have not kept the commandments nor the statutes nor the judgments which You commanded Your servant Moses. Neh 1:8 I pray You, remember the Word that You commanded Your servant Moses, saying, If you sin, I will scatter you among the nations, Neh 1:9 but if you turn to Me, and keep My commandments and do them, though you were cast out to the outermost part of the heavens, yet I will gather you from there and will bring you to the place that I have chosen to set My name there. Neh 1:10 And these are Your servants and Your people whom You have redeemed by Your great power and by Your strong hand. Neh 1:11 O Jehovah, I pray You, let now Your ear be open to the prayer of Your servant, and to the prayer of Your servants who desire to fear Your name. And I pray You, bless Your servant today, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. (For I was the king's cupbearer.)

Today

Today is the day of salvation
Today says the Lord
Today is the day I'll repent
Today I'll turn to the Lord
Today the work will start
Today, says the Lord
Today no matter what
Reasons, feelings, thoughts
Today is the day of salvation
Today, says the Lord.

The walls are all fallen
The life in ruins be
But today the work has started
Today, when I turned to Thee.

Today, today, today
No matter what I think or say
Today, today, today
Today, says the Lord.

Today because You 've said it so
I know how my end will be
Today by faith I clearly see
Today You 've set me free.

Today, today, today
No matter what you think or say
Today, today, today
Today, says the Lord.

Heb 3:7 Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, "Today if you will hear His voice, Heb 3:8 do not harden your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness, Heb 3:9 when your fathers tempted Me, proved Me, and saw My works forty years.
Heb 4:7 He again marks out a certain day, saying in David, "Today," (after so long a time). Even as it is said, "Today, if you will hear His voice, harden not your hearts."

Php 1:6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ,

From within ... rivers of living water!!

Mat 19:25 When His disciples heard, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved? Mat 19:26 But Jesus looked on them and said to them, With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.

His Promise - This my prayer and hope
"Look at me
Can any man live,
Live as I now do?
Neither can I!
But it is the Grace of God,
For it is no longer I
But Christ in me
The hope of Glory;
For the Life I live
I no longer live
But Christ in me;
Making possible
The impossible.”

Gal 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ, and I live; yet no longer I, but Christ lives in me. And that life I now live in the flesh, I live by faith toward the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself on my behalf.

Witness

O’ of what salvation do you boast
One that any man can work out!
You flee from youthful lust,
And yes you should,
You also fight those thoughts,
The ones that shame you most,
But can you dig deep within,
And though you do not sin,
Can you bring purity within?

All works of man,
Like white washed tombs,
Lively as it might seem,
Just lifeless bones within!
The way I talk, the way I walk
I can polish my outside,
But who can tear the flesh apart
And bring purity inside?

I can hide the thoughts I have
By actions that seem so righteous;
The grinding of my teeth
To be mistaken for a smile;
I can clench my fist in anger
But cross my hands behind;
I can seem so much better
Than one whose anger killed a man;
But on that great and terrible day,
When all the dead shall rise,
I will need to answer for my anger,
No more any place to hide,
With the killed and the killer,
Standing side by side.

You who sing of an empty grave
To prove your saviour lives,
I who once was an empty sepulchre
Decked up and called a wonder,
I who was a wretched sinner,
Till by grace I did surrender,
This life I live, my greatest proof
My saviour once dead, now lives.

1Ti 1:16 But for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all long-suffering, as a pattern to those being about to believe on Him to life everlasting.

Our salvation is not a life which we could have lived by ourselves, but something which was impossible for us, but is becoming a reality by God's grace working in us.
That the LIFE of JESUS may be manifested in each and every aspect of our walking, talking, thinking and doing. My life should be the proof that Jesus lives.

Him who is able to keep you from falling ...

Joh 15:5 I am the Vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing

Nothing of my own

I no longer walk sure footed,
I dare not trust my own,
My decision and my will power
My passion and love for the Lord;
And least of all,
These eloquent words that I speak;
Fooling all including me.

There was a time I boldly spoke,
Looked down on feeble hearts,
Ready to even die,
And count it all as dung.
Yes there was a time like this
A time long gone,
A time I bared my chest
And made a great boast,
"Let everyone else fall
But Lord, nay, not I."
Yes there was a time like this
Before I truly died.

I had been a failure all my life,
Till the Lord had picked me up;
He had healed the wounds
And lifted my head up;
Made a new man out of spittle,
Something out of nothing,
By the touch of His hands.
And O' what joy was mine!
Nothing could bring me down;
And l loved to tell that story,
Of what I was and what I am,
And how He had done it all.

But I spoke to foolish men
Men who couldn't see;
And though they cheered,
And thought they encouraged,
Thought they did a good thing,
When they praised me for my zeal.
A bigger fool that I was,
I took them at their word;
Thought the zeal now I had,
Where once there was none,
Thought I had a part to play;
Though He had done it all.

Reliving the past,
An experience I once had;
The story slowly lost its charm,
As dead words were spoken,
By a dead man, deprived of life;
And as the darkness enveloped,
Everything became a dream;
Till the story was forgotten,
As if it had never happened;
Memories faded,
And names forgotten,
Clinging on to something,
Not quite sure,
All muddled ....

Many cocks have crowed from then,
Many days of blind comfort,
Many days of empty words,
Foolish thoughts and evil intentions;
Many days in the pen,
Till crushed by circumstances,
Reason returned to me,
And in the blinding light I saw,
The evil life now being lived by me.

Once again the old story came back,
O' where I was and what I had become!
And where I saw no glimmer of hope,
No reason for mercy,
Like the morning dawn,
Which breaks forth,
From the darkest hour,
I saw love unexplainable,
Mercy unfathomable,
Reaching out to me!
And as I cried out for help,
As I cried out in shame,
As I cried out in pain,
All my empty boast came back to me.

Nothing left to bargain,
If You can?
If You would?
Take me as I am!
There is no promise I can make,
That I can keep;
My words are all empty,
And even if I say it so,
I can no longer believe,
No longer believe me.

And then I saw in a new light,
Of what it meant when it said,
When I hated HIM,
He came and died for me;
That He had come to save,
Those who couldn't save themselves;
That He has chosen,
The weak and the foolish;
That I could do nothing of my own,
And all I need to do is
Go to Him and rest.

I have been a failure
And I know I will always be
But Christ in me the hope of glory
By His Grace, like Him I can be,
Like Him obedient
Like Him faithful
Like Him hate sin
Like Him love all
Like Him humble and meek
Like Him glorify the Father
Like Him in all things
That when at last I will see Him
And He will say,
"Well done good and faithful steward
Here is your reward."
It will be no false humility
When I place the crown He offers
Place it at His feet
"For if at all I have been faithful
It is Your grace in me
For In my failure You came
Both to will and do in me
Both in and through me."

And if in this there is a truth
A truth for you to learn
You are free to take it
Freely I got, freely I give.

Mat 11:28 Come to Me all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Mat 11:29 Take My yoke on you and learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and you shall find rest to your souls. Mat 11:30 For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.

Php 2:13 For it is God who works in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.
Eph 2:8 For by grace you are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God,
Heb 7:25 Therefore He is able also to save to the uttermost those who come unto God by Him, since He ever lives to make intercession for them.

Jud 1:24 Now to Him being able to keep you without stumbling, and to set you before His glory without blemish, with unspeakable joy;
Jud 1:25 to the only wise God, our Savior, be glory and majesty and might and authority, even now and forever. Amen.

Cut off for me and you

Joh 15:1 I am the True Vine, and My Father is the Vinedresser.
Joh 15:2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away. And every one that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bring forth more fruit.
Joh 15:3 Now you are clean through the Word which I have spoken to you.
Joh 15:4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it remains in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me.
Joh 15:5 I am the Vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.
Joh 15:6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered. And they gather and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
Joh 15:7 If you abide in Me, and My Words abide in you, you shall ask what you will, and it shall be done to you.
Joh 15:8 In this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit, so you shall be My disciples.

Cut off

The one thing He did
The one that surpasses all
When He died for me
From the Father, He was cut off;
A fellowship from eternity past
And one that remains for eternity ever
On that single moment
Cut off for you and me.
It was of this that He spoke
When He had prayed
"Father is there any other way!?
Yet not My will but Thine."
There when He bore my sin
There before a righteous and Holy God,
There the righteousness of God met
And the wrath of God satisfied
There on that gory spot
Where sin and death was dealt with
Even love and mercy unsurpassed met
There when He was cut off
Pierced for my sin
There my salvation flowed out
There I was grafted in.

Isa 53:1 Who has believed our report? And to whom is the arm of Jehovah revealed?
Isa 53:2 For He comes up before Him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground; He has no form nor majesty that we should see Him, nor an appearance that we should desire Him.
Isa 53:3 He is despised and rejected of men; a Man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as it were a hiding of faces from Him, He being despised, and we esteemed Him not.
Isa 53:4 Surely He has borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
Isa 53:5 But He was wounded for our transgressions; He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was on Him; and with His stripes we ourselves are healed.
Isa 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, each one to his own way; and Jehovah has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.
Isa 53:7 He was oppressed, and He was afflicted; yet He opened not His mouth. He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter; and as a sheep before its shearers is dumb, so He opened not His mouth.
Isa 53:8 He was taken from prison and from judgment; and who shall declare His generation? For He was cut off out of the land of the living; for the transgression of My people He was stricken.
Isa 53:9 And He put His grave with the wicked, and with a rich one in His death; although He had done no violence, nor was any deceit in His mouth.
Isa 53:10 Yet it pleased Jehovah to crush Him; to grieve Him; that He should put forth His soul as a guilt-offering. He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, and the will of Jehovah shall prosper in His hand.
Isa 53:11 He shall see the fruit of the travail of His soul. He shall be fully satisfied. By His knowledge shall My righteous Servant justify for many; and He shall bear their iniquities.
Isa 53:12 Therefore I will divide to Him with the great, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong; because He has poured out His soul to death; and He was counted among the transgressors; and He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for transgressors.

written through Isaiah at about 760 to 713 b.c