Amy Grant Shows a Good Eye for Mercy in Her New Album

Our merciful God and His Son, merciful words, merciful acts, merciful moments and merciful places--all appear in Amy Grant's new album called "How Mercy Looks From Here."  Expressed throughout this album is what Jesus meant when He said, "I will have mercy, and not sacrifice[.]..." in Matthew 9:13.  Jesus will have mercy for us as He wills for us to have mercy toward Him and others instead of animal or material sacrifices of old.

Listen to the song called "Here" for a vivid description of our omnipresent God.  In the song "Faith", we find that God requires us to believe in Jesus by faith.

Shared mercy is shown to one another in "Not Giving Up":

Oh, not so long ago you pulled me through
So, I'm not giving up, not giving up on you...

Amy Grant's son showed respect in burying his deceased friend in the song "Shovel in Hand."

The title of the album, "How Mercy Looks from Here", is also shared with a song on the album.  The song has such touching lyrics of a ninety-one year old survivor.  The final chorus is the ultimate on mercy:

When you face your greatest fear
Losing all that you hold near
Open up your eyes my dear, my dear
That's when boundless grace appears
Unseen angels hover near
Saints are singing loud and clear
Oh, how mercy looks from here
Oh, how mercy looks from here

What do you thing about the following description of Paradise in "Deep As It Is Wide?":

There's a place at the edge of the sky
Where there's a love deep as it is wide
The weak are strong, the hungry are all fed
And there's a breeze from the angels
flying over head

Here is the chorus:

Every breath taking me closer
Every step leading to paradise
They say the faithful get to go there
I believe there's a love
Deep as it is wide

Finally, the last song on the album is called "Threaten Me With Heaven." Oh, to be threatened with the likes of the "Paradise" described in "Deep As It Is Wide" in your final days, huh?:

What's the worst thing that could happen
If they say my time is through
Would it take away the love
Or the years I've shared with you
What's the worst thing that could happen
What's the worst that they could do
Threaten me with heaven
If they want to...
Threaten me with heaven
That's all they can do
Threaten me with heaven
Threaten me with heaven
I'll be waiting on you

A number of people helped with the writing of the songs.  As noted on the CD sleeve, the "...songwriters have been listed in the order in which they came to the song."

Words and Songs for Spiritual Warfare!

Perhaps you are having Spiritual warfare.  "Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil" (Ephesians 6:11).  Here are several songs to fill you with the Spirit of God to help you with your battle.

God's Love and Mercy

Have you ever had one of those weeks where you turned from the Lord? If so, once you have realized your wrong, the way to correct it is to immediately turn back to the Lord and makes things right.  As the verse and refrain goes in the hymn 'Jesus Loves Even Me':

Tho' I forget Him and wander away,
Still He doth love me wherever I stray;
Back to His dear loving arms would I flee,
When I remember that Jesus loves me.

Refrain
I am so glad that Jesus loves me,
Jesus loves me, Jesus loves me:
I am so glad that Jesus loves me,
Jesus loves even me.

In Luke 18:13, the tax collector prayed the words--'God be merciful to me a sinner.'  He was justified for humbling himself to the Lord.  You can sincerely pray these words as well and God will show his mercy to you also.  Amen! 

Share Your Song about God's Mercy

Have you ever noticed in Psalms 136 that the words 'His mercy endureth forever' occurs in each verse? Through this repetition, the point of the infinitude of God's mercy is clearly made.  Everyone can make his/her own song about God's mercy to continue God's infinite mercy in song! Amen!  If any of you would like to share your song with me I'd love to hear it!  For now, I'm going to leave you to ponder your life song about God's mercy.  If the Lord wills, I shall share more about mercy next week.  God Bless. 

"And I Enjoyed Every Moment of it Too" --Peggy Townsend

"And I enjoyed every moment of it too."  I shall always remember these words recently spoken to me by my Aunt Peggy about how she felt in sharing meals with me at her kitchen table over the years. 

Oh, the countless times our family has been united at the home and table of Auburn and Peggy Townsend.  I have such good memories of the fellowship  and unity that has taken place at their home.  Unity is favored in Psalms 133:1, "Behold, how good and  how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!" Following is a song based on this Psalm verse called Blest Be the Tie that Binds with words written by John Fawcett and music by Johann G. Naegeli.  This version is printed in the expanded 4th edition Maranatha! Music Praise Hymns and Choruses.  I dedicate this to the memory of Aunt Peggy Townsend who passed away on Tuesday:

Blest be the tie that binds
Our hearts in Christian love;
The fellowship of kindred minds
Is like to that above.

Before our Father's throne
We pour our ardent prayers;
Our fears, our hopes, our aims are one,
Our comforts and our cares.

When we asunder part,
It gives us inward pain;
But we shall still be joined in heart,
And hope to meet again.

Aunt Peggy, thank you for sharing meals with me at your table and for all the fond memories.  May you rest in peace! Amen!

"Who Will Go?"

"But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd (Matthew 9:36).  Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few (v. 37); Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest (v.38).

The title for today's blog entry comes from a hymn printed in Melodies of Praise (copyright 1957)  written by Jesse A. Barney in 1913.  The first verse of the hymn makes a good parallel accompaniment to the Bible verses listed:

Hark! I hear a sound from o'er the water,
'Tis the cry of anguish and despair;.  .
'Tis the cry of precious souls in darkness,
While waiting for the light of Jesus, there;. .
Hear the idle laborers near us saying,
"Master, what wilt Thou have me to do?"
The harvest now is great, oh! haste, my brother,
The Reapers few.

Chorus (for 1st and 2nd verses).

Who will go?. . Who will go?. .
To the ends. . of the earth,
Hast thou a passion for the lost? . .
Dost thou realize what a soul is worth?. .
Who will go?. . . Who will go?. . .
Tell of Jesus's death upon the tree?
Oh! who will answer quickly, "Here am I, O Lord, send me"?    

Jesus Calls Tax Collectors and Sinners

Jesus had made known His power to forgive sins through healing a paralyzed man (Matthew 9:5,6).  When He and His disciples went to the house to eat, many publicans (tax collectors) and sinners sat with them.  This action stirred the Pharisees to ask the disciples, " Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners" (Matthew 9:11)? Jesus heard and responded, "They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick" (9:12).  Likening Himself to a physician and demonstrating mercy, Jesus said "I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance" (9:13).  Sin is a sickness in need of healing through the Great Physician, Jesus.  Healing or wholeness comes when Jesus forgives us of our sins.

Is Jesus calling you today? How about repenting and turning all your sins over to Him! Here is a helpful verse from a hymn by Fanny J. Crosby called "Healing at the Fountain":

There is healing at the fountain
Come and find it weary soul,
There your sins may all be covered;
Jesus waits to make you whole.