Jesus, Thank You

Sovereign Grace Music and Bob Kauflin have once again moved me with one of their songs. “Jesus, Thank You” was recorded live at Next 2009 conference in Baltimore, same as my other favorite, “All I Have is Christ”.

This song hits home on so many different levels. It’s an outpour of what our hearts feel every day. There are so many moments in my life when I just think about the cross and Jesus in agony for our wretched lives. How on earth could the Son of God have died for all my sins,past, present and future? It makes zero sense, but it really happened. God really did send His son and Jesus really did have those nails pierce His palms. Jesus really did hang on that cross for hours. Jesus really did forgive those who mocked Him and Jesus really did die for all sins of those who embrace His sacrifice.

This song brings our confusion of the cross together with what our response should be. The verses show how mysterious and amazing Jesus’ death was; God crushing His very own Son so that His former enemies could be transformed into His friends. Then we respond with the chorus, “Jesus, Thank You”. Such a simple way to express our feelings, but also the most efficient way, but the song isn’t over just yet. In the bridge, we come to God with more than just words expressing our thanks. We come and we say, “Because of what You did for me, I want to live for You.” We need to want to live for Him. If we just say, “Thank You” but we don’t follow up with a testimony of what He did for us in our lives, than those words are useless.

Listen to it and sing it in your heart. He died. We are confused as to why, but He did die. Jesus, thank You. I want to live for You now. Isn’t that the least I can do? Live for You who died for me? Help me to live for You.

The mystery of the cross I cannot comprehend
The agonies of Calvary
You the perfect Holy One, crushed Your Son
Who drank the bitter cup reserved for me

Your blood has washed away my sin
Jesus, thank You
The Father’s wrath completely satisfied
Jesus, thank You
Once Your enemy, now seated at Your table
Jesus, thank You

By Your perfect sacrifice I’ve been brought near
Your enemy You’ve made Your friend
Pouring out the riches of Your glorious grace
Your mercy and Your kindness know no end

Lover of my soul
I want to live for You

Lyrics by Pat Sczebel, recorded by Bob Kauflin and Reilly at Next 2009 conference.

Forgiven Mocking Forgiver

We often take this time of year to remember Jesus Christ on the cross dying for us, for our sins. We think of the pain of the whips piercing his flesh, the crown of thorns pressed on his brow and the torturous walk up to Calvary. Then we remember how nails pierced his palms and his feet and how he stayed on that cross for hours upon hours and we mourn at the cross as Jesus’ mother did.

But we often forget one important aspect.

Stuart Townend says it perfectly in the second verse of his modern hymn How Deep the Father’s Love for Us.

“Behold the Man upon a cross

My sin upon His shoulders

Ashamed, I hear my mocking voice

Call out among the scoffers.”

We are no better than the soldiers who spat on Jesus 2,000 years ago. We mocked him at the cross and we mock Him when we sin, when we take the cross for granted. We are ashamed at our mocking voice, but in His awesome grace, he says to God to forgive us while we mock Him.

That’s the beauty of the cross: we are forgiven while we mock the one who forgives us.

My Testimony by Krystian Jaskula

Our youth went on a retreat with the youth from Laval Christian Fellowship last weekend. It was a great time of fellowship and unity between the two youth groups. My dear friend and brother in Christ decided to share his testimony of the retreat and of his life. I pray that these words would encourage you as much as they encourage me.

First, I hesitated if I should have come or not to the retreat because, primarily, I am not much of a communicative person and people like me are boring to hang out with, I assume.

Since I was 9 or so, I would lock myself away in my room most of the time because my parents were yelling at each other. Early in 2002, they divorced, my education dropped and my loneliness increased. At age of 13, I struggled with suicide up until 15. And from suicidal thoughts to pornography and video games addiction. At 17, I heard something about God but I could not care less. At 18, a sinner’s prayer and no change. At 19, the cross… and the central citadel of my life disrupt radically and up until today, Christ, the cross and the gospel are most preferred.

There are nights that I can’t sleep because God is neglected and despised even in our type of contemporary Christianity that is all about comfort and to grow wild than to be like Jesus.

I make short videos on YouTube (username: whitenine) and my goal is that at least one person would see a glimpse. Only one glimpse of the glories that are found in Christ and Christ will be precious unto them- whoever they are, young or old. There is no one like the God from the Scriptures in absolutely everything.

At the retreat, I saw God pleased, Christ appreciated and unity.

—-

PS:: Needless to ask, because I would rather declare that everything was made for Christ, by Christ and through Christ. And that, it pleased God the Father that whatever divine excellence is in Him so it is also in His Son than to ask you “what do you want?” So, I ask: What do you want? And, if you answer, “I want Christ” then I must ask you if that is true?!

Remember, Only one life will soon be past; only what’s done FOR CHRIST WILL LAST.

A Test For Glory

Don’t you hate it when you’re writing a test and you know you could have done better. Whether it’s a final exam in a tough subject or a simple blood test, you always hate that feeling of disappointment in yourself when you don’t get the result you wanted. You keep telling yourself “Why didn’t I work harder?”, “Why do I let myself get these marks?”, “Why can’t I be more disciplined?”.

We often experience spiritual tests. Some last a day or two, and some weeks, months or years even. Some are minor, others shake your faith completely. Spiritual tests come and they all serve one same purpose: for God to mold His people. God gives us new and wonderful graces every morning so that we can face tests, but it’s very important how we react to these trials.

I don’t think we should react with the same pessimism and disappointment as we do for other failed tests. Instead, I believe God wants us to react to tests with optimism. We must know that by God’s unfailing grace, we can get through anything. He doesn’t want us to pity and be down in the dumps because we did not get a perfect mark once again. Aren’t we human? It is absolutely impossible for us to be perfect. We all fall short of perfection and God made it that way so that we can realize this truth and make it our goal to strive for a Christ-like perfect life. That is the sheer beauty of God’s love. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” and because of that, we know better how to strive for God’s holiness.

Pray for trials. Pray that God might show you how to walk out of tests praising His name even more than when you walked in them. Pray that God might use trials to mold you into a stronger disciple of Christ. We are in a spiritual war, and God knows that the best soldiers are developed in battle and not in times of comfort.