Gone astray....coming home

Jesus Hold Me Now lyrics
Songwriters: Hall, Mark; Herms, Bernie;

Living on my own, thinking of myself
Castles in the sand, temporary wealth
Now the walls are falling down
Now the storms are closing in
And here I am again

Jesus, hold me now
I need to feel You in this place
To know You're by my side
And hear Your voice tonight

Jesus, hold me now
I long for Your embrace
I'm beat and broken down
I can't find my way out
Jesus, hold me now
Jesus, hold me now

Curse this morning sun
Drags me into one more day
Of reaping what I've sown
Living with my shame

So welcome to my world
And the life that I have made
Well, one day you're a prince
And the next day you a slave

Jesus, hold me now
I need to feel You in this place
To know You're by my side
And hear Your voice tonight

Jesus, hold me now
I long for Your embrace
I'm beat and broken down
I can't find my way out
Jesus, hold me now

Lord, I just looked up today
And realized how far away I am from where You are
And I don't know what else to pray
Broken at Your feet I lay
The life I've torn apart

Jesus, hold me now
I need to feel You in this place
To know You're by my side
And hear Your voice tonight

Jesus, hold me now
I long for Your embrace
I'm beat and broken down
I can't find my way out

Jesus, hold me now
I feel You in this place
I know You're by my side
I hear Your voice tonight

Jesus, hold me now
I long for Your embrace
I'm beat and broken down
You are my way out
Jesus, hold me now

Jesus, hold me now
Jesus, hold me now
Jesus, hold me now
Jesus, hold me now

these lyrics are submitted by Starr
these lyrics are last corrected by Vanessa Montgomery

Jesus is stronger!

There is love that came for us
Humbled to a sinner's cross you broke my shame and sinfuless you rose again victorious

Faithfulness none can deny through the strom and through the fire there is truth that sets me free Jesus Christ who lives in me

Chorus
You are stronger you are stronger
Sin is broken you have saved me it is written Christ is risen Jesus you are Lord of all

No beginning and no end You're my hope and my defence you came to seek and save the lost you paid it all upon the cross

So let your name be lifted higher
Be lifted higher be lifted higher

(Thanks to Minami for these lyrics)

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God never loses

Have you ever lost a game, race or competition? I have I'm rubbish at sports, Maths and general knowledge. There is always someone faster, better, more knowledgeable than me (which isn't that hard!)

Have you ever sat and planned all the things you want? Like how the kitchen will look, or what your dream job will be or what you would do if you had lots of money? Quite often those dreams don't become reality and those plans never come to fruition.

Have you ever done just as you pleased? Very often doing what we please ends up in sadness and badness.

God is not like us. What He wants is always best. He never loses. There is no one better than Him. His plans always happen. No one can stop God. He does what ever He pleases and it is always good. No one is like Him. He is the King.

So why do we always think we know best? Why do we try to "fix" ourselves?

We are quite deceitful people really, like a magician can trick you into thinking he has made something disappear, we think we can trick people or more stupidly, God, into thinking that we are ok. That, that sin is ok living in my heart, I'll deal with it one day maybe or its ok to be angry about that situation or with that person, after all it affects me. I'm important didn't you know?

The problem is we try to make sin disappear and hide it from others so they think we are ok people. Our status with man is important to us than what God thinks. God KNOWS your sin is there, and because He is holy and just He always punishes sin and the punishment is death. Only Jesus can make sin disappear! Only by trusting in His death and repenting of your sin can you really and truly cancel the sin on your account and have it paid for by Jesus. That is the gospel not only at conversion but EVERY day!

Sin wrecks lives and ruins our relationship with God and so often we just don't care. Our sin is more important to us than our relationship with God. I mean we can't live without coveting or thinking the world owes us, I deserve that thing cause I'm a good person. What happened to sacrificing all to follow Jesus not just the bits we are happy to give up but real costly sacrificial giving of our lives, time, money and giving up of our sin. Why do we think that giving up that sin or not having the latest thing will make our lives worse? How can anything that brings you closer to God be getting a worse deal? God is the best thing you could ever have, He is the only thing that brings real lasting contentment, peace and love.

He has a plan and whether you are part of that plan or not it will happen HE IS GOD! He is from everlasting to everlasting. He has always been and will always be. We need to remember Jesus is coming back one day and then everyone will know He is in charge. Sort out your sin today! There may not be a tomorrow! Stop hiding it, confess it and strive with Jesus help to crush it and get rid of it from your life. God is not sitting up there in heaven thinking its ok I'll let them off this once. No! Sin is so serious He sent Jesus to die! Stop playing with sin and do a Joseph, flee from it, get rid of it, its toxic and infects the whole being! A little leaven, leavens the whole lump! Guard your heart. Put on God's armour, fight your sin, be at war with it!!

God has promised

Hebrews 13 v 5 " I will never leave you nor forsake you"

Matthew 28 v 20 "I am with you always, to the end of the age."

Luke 11 v 13 "if you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"

Ephesians 3 v 12 "because of Christ and our faith in Him, we can now come boldly and confidently into God's presence."

1 John 1 v 9 "if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

James 1 v 5 "if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him."

James 4 v 7 "submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you."

God has given us the tools for the job, in His word. He is the promise keeper. When He promises to keep and change and love all who follow Jesus-He will do it! God always keeps His word. He never forgets, never fails, never lies. God never breaks His promise and He never say "Oops! That wasn't meant to happen!"

God is faithful, trust Him and you will be a winner!

My Jesus

Nothing compares to the promise I have in you.

What a friend! My best friend!

What a friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer!
Oh, what peace we often forfeit,
Oh, what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer!

Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged—
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful,
Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness;
Take it to the Lord in prayer.

Are we weak and heavy-laden,
Cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge—
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In His arms He’ll take and shield thee,
Thou wilt find a solace there.

Blessed Savior, Thou hast promised
Thou wilt all our burdens bear;
May we ever, Lord, be bringing
All to Thee in earnest prayer.
Soon in glory bright, unclouded,
There will be no need for prayer—
Rapture, praise, and endless worship
Will be our sweet portion there.

I don't have the words but I do have the will

VERSE 1:

Jesus, this life is for You
Everything Lord that I do
Deeds that are pleasing
and ways that are pure
Lord make my life bear this fruit

CHORUS:
This means I love You
Singing this song
Lord I don't have the words
But I do have the will
This means I love You
That I take up my cross
I will sing as I walk out this love

VERSE 2:

For these are the plans of my heart
Yet often I'm missing the mark
See my desire to live in Your truth
This surely means I love You

Matt Redman

Who can cheer my soul like Jesus?

Who can cheer the heart like Jesus
By His presence all divine
True and tender, pure and precious
O, how blest to call Him mine

Chorus
All that thrills my soul is Jesus
He is more than life to me
And the fairest of ten thousand
In my blessed Lord I see

Love of Christ so freely given
Grace of God beyond degree
Mercy higher than the heavens
Deeper than the deepest sea

What a wonderful redemption
Never can a mortal know
Ho my sin, though red like crimson
Can be whiter than the snow

Every need His hand supplying
Every good in Him I see
On His strength divine relying
He is all in all to me

By the crystal flowing river
With the ransomed I will sing
And forever and forever
Praise and glorify the King

Encouragement from a friend

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;

and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;

when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,

and the flame shall not consume you. (Isaiah 43:2 ESV)

Guide me

Guide Me O Thou Great Redeemer Hymn

Guide me, O thou great redeemer,
Pilgrim through this barren land;
I am weak, but thou art mighty,
Hold me with thy powerful hand;
Bread of heaven, bread of heaven
Feed me till I want no more;
Feed me till I want no more.

Open now the crystal fountain
Whence the healing stream doth flow;
Let the fire and cloudy pillar
Lead me all my journey through:
Strong deliverer, strong deliverer;
Be thou still my strength and shield;
Be thou still my strength and shield.

When I tread the verge of Jordan,
Bid my anxious fears subside;
Death of death, and hell's destruction
Land me safe on Canaan's side:
Songs of praises, songs of praises,
I will ever give to thee;
I will ever give to thee.

Patience

Tune your anxious heart to patience,
Walk by faith where sight is dim;
Loving God, be calm and trustful
And leave everything to Him. (Chambers)

Patience means awaiting God's time without doubting God's love.

[God] Himself has said "I will never leave you nor forsake you."

Trust

Isaiah 26:4 NLT

Trust in the Lord always, for the Lord God is the eternal Rock.