I could not pen better words than these.
These are the perfect words for a day like this.
Newsboys - In Christ Alone
http://music.alivefaith.com/inChristalone.wma
In Christ alone my hope is found
He is my light, my strength, my song
This Cornerstone, this solid ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm
What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease
My Comforter, my All in All
Here in the love of Christ I stand
In Christ alone, who took on flesh
Fullness of God in helpless babe
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones He came to save
'Till on that cross as Jesus died
The wrath of God was satisfied
For every sin on Him was laid
Here in the death of Christ I live
There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave He rose again
And as He stands in victory
Sin's curse has lost it's grip on me
For I am His and He is mine
Bought with the precious blood of Christ
No guilt in life, no fear in death
This is the power of Christ in me
From life's first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny
No power of hell, no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand
'Till He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I'll stand
15 comments:
thank you mike.
i have been reading blogs written by members and friends of the church this morning. the first time i have really explored in such a way. there is a lot of encouraging, helpful, and thought provoking stuff out there. i feel blessed to be a member of such an amazing church family!
Stephanie,
thank you. I agree. We are in a most amazing church. God is so good!
thank you for your comment.
Awesome words! Praying for you, Mike.
Schweers' Mom
"...No power of hell, no scheme of man" Let see...hmmmm...'bout covers everything, does it not?
Had a late, pretty rough, night last night, so I decided to take your advice and started one of these here blobs...um...bogs...er...blogs. I like taking your advice. I like getting your advice, 'cause you're transparent when it comes to where your heart is, as - it seems - are all the current and past professionals at CBC. Yet, you and I are both still human beings. Meaning...in the process of be-ing, I'm pretty sure I'm gonna fail you, and I'm pretty sure you're gonna fail me. Doesn't make anything you've educated/facilitated/or emancipated in regards to me worth one spec less, doesn't mean I'm less worthy to hear it, just means you and I don't let the beams in our eyes get in the way, you know? And Lord knows (because He is who He is), I got enough beams to build a small city. OK, a megalopolis!
So...what can I do for you? :)
Thank you for that post Mike. I'd never checked the blogs until...well...yesterday. Felt the need to hear other's hearts and connect. It was hard to sing the hymns yesterday, honestly. But as I gave in, sang along, and processed the words in them, "Be Thou My Vision" and "On Christ's Unfailing Rock I Stand", it became clear to me why we were singing them...why they were important. They were excellent reminders.
In Christ alone all of us believers stand. Thank you, Mike, again, for the reminder.
No truer words were ever spoken. None more comforting than these for any of our griefs. Thanks for blogging today, Mike. I know it must be tough. Much love from us to you and Joye.
"My Comforter, my All in All
Here in the love of Christ I stand"
Sometimes because the pain is so deep and the wound so raw I imagine that the love of Christ is in the form of believers who stand around me, sharing the pain, knowing my fears....and reminding me of the tenderness of our Savior, our God who holds us all.
Praying for you, Joye and the rest of the staff.
interesting that so many of us have been inspired to start our own blogs today.
Thank you Mike -
There is a lot of music I like, much that I find meaningful. But that one is the one I listen to when I really need to be rooted in the truth. It is just so succinct. '
Morbid though it may be, I want it played at my funeral.
Kathleen
Yes there is sadness. Yes I will miss the messenger. There is much still for me to learn on my journey. However, my foundation was built on truth and is SOLID. I feel the need to wrap my arms around this church and protect her like I would my children. If those are my inadequate/incapable thoughts, how much more will God wrap us in His love and protection? I am so thankful to be a member of this church. I am so thankful for Jesus Christ.
What an amazing demonstration of the character of our church! God's grace was truly on display. Thank you Mike and everyone else for your shining example. I heard this passage today and it really hit home.
Romans 5:1-5
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.
My hope rests in God for peace, healing and that he has great things in store!
Yesterday I was listening to my Alan Jackson CD, Precious Memories, because I needed to hear some pure hymns without the contemporary twist so common right now. But that song is incredible, too. I love it; good one for times like this. Thanks for sharing it.
Mike,
Thank you so much for your thoughts and comments. I've read your blog for a while now, but in the past couple of days have I read and re-read it over and over again and found great comfort and strength from your words.
Since Sunday I have been walking around in a cloud of unknown, not knowing what to feel and I keep reliving the words that were spoken over and over again. Only today I realized that this must be what grief truly feels like. First came the shock and disbelief, now comes the incredible sadness over it all. I will truly miss the messenger, but as I keep on reminding myself, it's the WORD that is important, not the person who brings it.
I will pray for you and our beloved church family and I hope that we will all begin the healing process and that we will all move forward, upward and outward, towards hope, a new beginning and the future of Crossroads.
Mike,
Here it is 2012 and I have yet to find what I consider as great a pastor as Tim anywhere in the metroplex. My wife and I have returned a few times in 6 years and found an apparent change in covenant took place(tithe vs give what you can).
I know Tim did wrong, but I also think CBC handled it poorly. That seems obvious by the church shrinkage. The actions of the elders had an impact that was not positive to CBC or Christ, and it impacted those of us that are only attendees. Tim Stevenson grew CBC considerably due to his uncommonly charismatic preaching abilities. Almost all of his fingerprint has been removed, including the past sermons, from CBC's web site, and I for one think it's wrong. CBC has been careful not to mention him in his past capacity as pastor. IMHO, he did more good than harm.
To us, his transgression was not as horrid as the way that it was announced in front of women and children. People with kids left immediately upon hearing the subject of the sermon. I'm sure they were shocked. The way the sermon unfolded with Deb Stevenson was in the same vein as Jerry Springer.
Distant Retrospective
Distant,
Thanks for your note. I'm saddened to read your words, but some of it I do understand.
Let me address just a few of your thoughts and then, if you wish, I would be glad to meet for coffee and a visit.
First, we have not changed our covenant. If someone used the word "tithe" instead of "giving" it was a verbal slip, not a change from our grace message.
BUT, we have changed, there is no doubt about that. It's been a difficult six years. I realized, reading your words, that I started this blog only one month before we discovered Tim's sin.
Here are a few comments- I agree with a few things you said, but many of your thoughts show you are still hurting and in pain. I'm sorry.
Tim and I are still very good friends and meet nearly every week. In fact, I have written a blog about all of this at another site. If you want to know more about those stories I would be glad to give you the address. Tim has written his own story on that site.
Yes, much has changed, I should know...I'm the only original staff member still here, so I know more of the odyssey than anyone else right now.
Mistakes? Yes, but we all knew we would make them. There simply is no way to deal with this kind of thing well. It's messy, sad, painful, and literally destroys a church no matter how well you try to work through it.
There is so much more to talk about and I would love to do so, but not here. Call if you would like to visit more.
Thank you for your heartfelt words.
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