If you look up into His face an say, “Yes, Lord, whatever it costs,” at that moment He’ll flood your life with His presence and power.
From Psalm 63:3-4: “Because Your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise You. So I will bless You as long as I live; I will lift up my hands and call on Your name.
Alan Redpath (1907-1989) was a British pastor, evangelist, and Christian author.
A Christian is a person who has died with Christ, whose stiff neck has been broken, whose brazen forehead has been shattered, whose strong heart has been crushed, whose pride has been slain, and whose life is now mastered by Jesus Christ.
From Galatians 2:20: “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
John Piper (born 1946) is an American pastor, theologian, and Christian scholar. He is the founder and teacher of desiringgod.org.
From Luke 18:31-34: “Then He took the twelve aside and said to them, ‘Look, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written about the Son of Man by the prophets will be accomplished. For He will be handed over to the gentiles, and He will be mocked and insulted and spat upon. After they have flogged Him, they will kill Him, and on the third day He will rise again.’ But they understood nothing about all these things; in fact, what He said was hidden from them, and they did not grasp what was said.”
Only God above
Could design this script
Most wondrous love
Salvation’s light
Son of Man descends
Life among Gentiles
God’s love extends
Redemption’s flight
God shapes faith’s outcome
Through Christ’s crushed body
Truth’s kingdom comes
Fulfillment breathes
Tomorrow’s new hope
Inscribed on Christ’s heart
Viewed through God’s scope
Ultimate joy
God’s glorious plan
Covenant’s fresh voice
Debts paid for man
Christ sheds His blood
Most wondrous love glows
From heavenly seas
God’s peace shall flow
Purpose defined
First published in 1811, “What Wondrous Love Is This” shares a traditional American folk hymn (author unknown) which expresses the deep wonder of Jesus Christ’s sacrificial love. You are invited to listen to the Concordia Choir from Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota.
From Psalm 103:2-4: “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and do not forget all His benefits—who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the Pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy.”
Gracious Father’s mercy
Abounding depth of love
Steadfast, unconditional
Foresight received from above
Heavenly redemption
Healing each hardened heart
Grace flowing with forgiveness
Savior’s light confirms hope’s start
Father’s witness bears truth
Fulfilling righteous norms
Always love one another
Armor of light now transforms
Christ’s clearest instructions
Building love’s exercise
Works of darkness laid aside
Messiah’s trusted franchise
Called to forgive others
Shedding blindness through light
Love’s faithful fabric now sown
Relationship’s comfort bright
From Romans 13:10: “Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law.”
From Ephesians 2:4-6: “But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which He loved us even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with Him and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.”
Unconditional love
Grace descends from God’s heart
Connected to Him above
Man receives renewing start
Heavenly grace flows out
With Savior’s rising tide
Nourished with God’s love aglow
Righteous mercy always guides
By grace, man’s salvation
Hung on Calvary’s tree
Forgiveness loves each nation
Enemy’s darkness shall flee
Faith’s fabric now strengthened
Harvested grace unites
Redemption’s spirit deepens
Steadfast love remains in flight
Father’s grace positioned
Journey of peace begins
Mankind’s hope reconditioned
Christ’s love forever weighs in
From Hebrews 4:16: “Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
From Psalm 89:1-2: “I will sing of Your steadfast love, O Lord, forever; with my mouth I will proclaim Your faithfulness to all generations. I declare that Your steadfast love is established forever; Your faithfulness is as firm as the heavens.”
Transformation of peace
Gathered in God’s hands
Fulfillment of His Word
Messiah comes to stand
Hearts filling with truth
Opened in God’s light
Hope stirring from darkness
Calvary’s welcome flight
Never forsaken
Loved through God’s caring
Steadfast grace now descends
Savior’s forthwith sharing
New covenant’s breath
Charged from God’s boldness
Praises full of wonder
Christ transforms sin’s coldness
Enemy trembles
Quashed by God’s own hand
Holiness lives throughout
Redemption comes as planned
From Psalm 89:5-6: “Let the heavens praise Your wonders, O Lord, Your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones. For who in the skies can be compared to the Lord? Who among the heavenly beings is like the Lord.”
From James 1:22: “But be doers of the word and not merely hearers who deceive themselves.”
Father’s expectations
Obedience to His Word
Man’s imperfect faith
Heaven’s light remains blurred
Father addressed as Lord
Mankind’s trust remains distant
Shallow commitment
Actions inconsistent
Father’s observations
Each believer falling short
Every fool’s errand
Without Heaven’s passport
Father’s forthright guidance
Witnessed journey of His Son
Righteousness of Christ
Obedience of One
Father’s harmony breathes
Through Savior’s perfect actions
Unblemished lamb’s grace
Source of sin’s retraction
From Romans 5:19: “For just as through the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so through the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.”
From Acts 2:38: “Peter said to them, ‘Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.'”
Sitting at Father’s side Christ, our Savior lives Overcoming darkness Empty tomb proves He lives Trusting faith’s witnesses Christ lights Father’s way Calling for repentance Many baptized this day Transforming fiber’s flesh Christ welcomes each saint Sharing love’s forgiveness Holy Spirit repaints Receiving redemption Christ intervening Teaching with righteous breath Faith accepts spring-cleaning Calling upon His name Christ shares trusted grace Breaking chains of bondage Heaven’s light to embrace
From Psalm 116:12-13: “What shall I return to the Lord for all His bounty to me? I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord.”
From 2 Timothy 3:16-17: “All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that the person of God may be proficient, equipped for every good work.”
Embarking on faith’s journey
Peace nourished through God’s light
Provisions provided
Holy Spirit in flight
Marking life’s daily pathway
Hope’s goodness raised in Christ
Darkness buried by light
Through body sacrificed
Embracing Christ’s instructions
Scripture inspired by God
Righteousness fills each heart
Outlook no longer flawed
Leaving us in Spirit’s hands
Christ prepares Heaven’s home
Power received through grace
Peace restored, freedom roams
Welcoming presence of Christ
Truth rising at sunrise
Nourished through faithfulness
Redemption’s final prize
From 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24: “May the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely, and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and He will do this.”
From Nehemiah 9:6: “And Ezra said, ‘You are the Lord, You alone; You have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. To all of them You give life, and the host of heaven worships You.'”
Viewing Calvary’s cross
Harboring Savior’s blood
Marking enemy’s loss
Springing forth, mercy’s bud
Filling lungs with praises
Singing to most high God
Tasting life He raises
Witnessing grace now thawed
Making each joyful sound
Worshipping with gladness
Sending each, Heaven bound
Breathing without sadness
Traveling oceans deep
Guiding from heavens’ stars
Leading all wayward sheep
Knowing Christ never far
Entering Shepherd’s gate
Giving thanks in God’s name
Feeling sin’s empty weight
Trusting redemption’s claim
From Psalm 100:1-2: “Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth. Serve the Lord with gladness; come into His presence with singing.”
