Musical Monday

Easter influenced my song choice this week. :-) I remember hearing this song for the first time back when I used to go to Covenant Life Church. Sovereign Grace Ministries has inspired, recorded, and publish many a great song to worship our Lord and Savior by. Bob Kauflin also has a wonderful blog dedicated to worship in the local church (I encourage those who love to sing to check it out - Worship Matters). I know music is highly subjective, and there are a wide range of preferences when it comes to worship within the body of Christ, but I really feel (and believe) that these men have a heart for God rarely encountered.

This song speaks mostly about about Black Friday, and all that Christ accomplished on the cross. I also want to acknowledge that without His resurrection on Eastern morning it is unlikely we could feel the impact of that accomplishment as deeply almost twenty centuries later.

I Come by the Blood
Words and music by Steve and Vikki Cook
As recorded on Songs for the Cross Centered Life

You are the perfect and righteous God
Whose presence bears no sin
You bid me come to Your holy place
How can I enter in
When Your presence bears no sin?
Through Him, who poured out His life for me
The atoning Lamb of God
Through Him, and His work alone
I boldly come

I come by the blood, I come by the cross
Where Your mercy flows
From hands pierced for me
For I dare not stand on my righteousness
My every hope rests on what Christ has done
And I come by the blood

You are the high and exalted King
The One the angels fear
So far above me in every way
Lord, how can I draw near
To the One the angels fear?
Through Him who laid down His life for me
And ascended to Your side
Through Him, through Jesus alone
I boldly come

© 1994 Sovereign Grace Worship (ASCAP)/Word Music

Most of who I am as a Christian I owe to that group of churches known as Sovereign Grace Ministries. They are not perfect, nor do they claim perfection or some superior insight of God. But through their humility, and the personal examples of their leaders, I have been deeply impacted and affected. Scripture shows that leaders, especially leaders within the church (aka the Body of Christ) are held responsible for those in their charge (not responsibility for their salvation, but responsibility for how they led them). For my short stay within their "sphere" - I have been greatly changed, and I am still greatly affected, so in turn - those who stumble across these meager words are also affected. But ultimately it is not the leaders of Sovereign Grace Ministries who deserve the credit. It is our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who all praise, and glory, and honor belong. Because without Him we are nothing, we could not call the Father our God. We would have no object of worship. So to Him be honor and glory, forever and ever. Amen.
Verse for today:
Revelation 5 : 11-14, ESV
Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!” And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!” And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshiped.