The author of ‘There is a Fountain’, William Cowper (pronounced Cooper), had a genuine relationship with Jesus Christ. However, he often had periods of doubt and envisioned himself hopeless and destined for hell. The final verse of this hymn may reflect that:
When this poor lisping, stamm’ring tongue Lies silent in the grave,
Then in a nobler, sweeter song I’ll sing Thy pow’r to save:
I’ll sing Thy pow’r to save, I’ll sing Thy pow’r to save;
Then in a nobler, sweeter song I’ll sing Thy pow’r to save.
When we become Christians and have our sins forgiven, we still have to deal with our sin nature that pulls us after the world. When we stumble in our walk of faith, we can sometimes condemn ourselves, which assumes a condemnation by God. Its in those times I need to come back to the cross and encourage myself in the hope that when Jesus shed His precious blood on that cross, all my sins were paid for…ALL.
So, be refreshed in the good news that Jesus has paid your debt. Live freely.
Tags: doubt, guilt, salvation
The melody behind ‘There is a Fountain’ comes from an unknown traditional American sound. Verse of 2 of that old hymn says:
The dying thief rejoiced to see That fountain in his day;
And there may I, though vile as he, Wash all my sins away:
Wash all my sins away, Wash all my sins away;
And there may I, though vile as he, Wash all my sins away.
Sometimes its good to remind ourselves that the story of the dying thief on the cross beside Jesus is a picture of us. As sinners, we all deserved to be on the cross beside Jesus. But when that thief as Jesus to remember him, Jesus immediately promised that he would be with Him in Paradise. Because Jesus was paying for the thief sin, it was washed away from him.
How about you, have you ever considered yourself spiritually like the dying thief? That’s why the story is there: its all about you and what Jesus did for you. What will you do with Jesus today?
Tags: salvation, sin, thief
If you haven’t heard, today is my birthday. I’ve had so many of them I really can’t recall how old I am. I was born on a Thursday in the wee hours of the morning at the old Souder’s Hospital in Auburn. Dr. C. B. Hathaway delivered me. I don’t remember anything about it, of course. I was the first of six children.
I was born in the second year of the ‘Baby Boom’. Hospitals, schools, highways, stores, and houses all went through huge expansions in my growing years. The ‘Baby Boom’ phenomenon has greatly changed our world, introducing such standards as Howdy Doody, Davy Crockett, Elvis Presley and the Beatles.
Of course this generation has also introduced such norms as mass protests, abortion, free sex, and a huge demand for internet pornography. How will these things affect the next generation raised with these norms? Only time will tell.
The church can either ignore that these changes have occurred, or embrace these as cultural norms for a sick society and work to heal broken lives one soul at a time. I choose to not complain about it, but work for change in individuals. How about you?
Tags: culture, dysfunction, salvation
Lillian Mitchell is a sweet sister in the Lord who is in her 90’s. Lillian had a rough life, with a couple of failed marriages, before she met the Lord in a glorious transformation. Then she got disillusioned, thought God could never accept someone like her, and continued several years in darkness, although she believed. Whenever she has an opportunity to tell her testimony, she does so. Each time she tells her story its as if its being told the very first time, bringing tears to her eyes.
There are many in our church with similar stories of finding God’s grace in small incremental steps. There are also others in our church who have spent years of their Christian experience thinking God can never forgive and bless them. This is all the devil’s lies, of course, and holds us back from growing spiritually.
But, just as Lillian keeps telling her story, and finding encouragement each time she does, I find real encouragement in listening to her story and learning anew how God works in people’s lives.
Tags: grace, salvation, testimony
In Luke 19 is the interesting story of Zacchaeus, the little tax collector who shinnied up a sycamore tree to get a better look at Jesus. Jesus spotted him and told him to come down and invited Himself over for a meal.
During dinner something happened that revolutionized the tax collector’s life. We know nothing about the conversation, but when Zaccheaus emerged from the house that afternoon he made a dramatic announcement. He promised to give away half of his wealth to poor people, and to return fourfold the amount of money he had taken dishonestly.
The mark of Zaccheaus’s transformation was his staggering generosity. That’s why Jesus declared, “Today salvation has come to this house” (Luke 19:9). Salvation can’t be purchased with money, so what do you think Jesus was saying here? Please comment with your opinion on how Jesus knew salvation had come to Zaccheaus.
Tags: conversion, generosity, money, salvation
The owner of a Denver restaurant reported, “I first tried to sell buffalo tongue as an hors d’oeuvre at $1.75 and had no takers. So I priced it at $6.75, set a limit of two to a customer, and sold out every night.”
Why are people so desirable of expensive or limited things? Why do we think that because something costs more it has a greater value? The above true example shows us that people do think that way.
But, if we make salvation a free gift, does it lose its value? Why is it people think we must somehow “earn” that salvation by doing some work or disciplining our behavior?
The truth is, salvation isn’t free at all. Jesus paid the hefty bill himself by shedding His blood on the cross. Its free to us, but it cost Him dearly. That’s why we change our lives…to live for Him who died for us.
Tags: bargain, cross, free, salvation
There is a true story about a woman trapped on the top floor of a burning building. Flames and smoke blocked every way of escape. When firefighters arrived, one of the men scrambled up a ladder to the window where the woman was screaming for help, and with outstretched arms he offered to save her. But when she looked down and saw the great distance to the ground below, she panicked and drew back into the room.
The fireman attempting the rescue begged her to trust him for her safety, but his pleas were not heeded. In senseless fear she retreated beyond the fireman’s reach. Finally, being forced to return to the ground, he said to a TV cameraman, with tears in his eyes, “I did everything I could to save her, but she wouldn’t let me!”
Would the Lord one day say to you, “I did everything I could to save them, but they wouldn’t let me!?”
Remember His promise, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).
Tags: fear, fire, refusal, salvation