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Saturday, March 12, 2016

Held By Your Love Lord - Now Think On This by Steve Martin

Held By Your Love Lord

Now Think On This
Steve Martin



“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor other heavenly rulers, neither what exists nor what is coming, neither powers above nor powers below, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God which comes to us through the Messiah Yeshua, our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39, Complete Jewish Bible)


There was a time, with so many great memories, when I was completely inspired by Integrity Music’s Hosanna! Music series. Every other month, beginning in 1987, they came out with a worship cassette (and then it was CDs) with music that just captured my heart, and my listening ear, every time. As many of you may have done yourself at times, like I did with these, you would wear out your favorite cassette, just by playing it over and over again. (But now with MP3, that won’t happen!)

In 2001 Integrity published a CD by Bob Fitts, a worship leader whom I had heard before, on previous albums. This one was entitled I Will Bow To You. The 11th song was “I’m Held By Your Love”, written by Karen Lim. For this song Bob is joined by his wife Kathy as they sang it live at their home church, New Creation Church, in Singapore.  What an amazing song! (The lyrics can be found below, and a link to the song itself is added, so you can listen to it on our ministry blog.)

The opening verse clearly speaks of our Lord’s love for us. If ever you have doubted this, just keep listening over and over to these words, and let them swell up in your heart.

I’m held by Your love, upheld by Your strength. On your shoulders You bore me, by Your faith I stand. Cherished by You Lord, treasured in Your sight, so close to Your heart, held firm in Your hand.”

Every now and then, more now than “then”, you need to be reminded of the simple fact that our Lord Jesus, Yeshua the Messiah, loves you more than you can comprehend. The very fact that He came, lived the life on earth to be as us, suffered a cruel torture, was crucified in death, and then rose again from the grave that could never hold Him, to prove that He alone is the Awesome God we serve. Because of that historical fact, we can know His love for us will be eternally upheld.

“By entering through faith into what God has always wanted to do for us — set us right with him, make us fit for him — we have it all together with God because of our Master Jesus. And that's not all: We throw open our doors to God and discover at the same moment that he has already thrown open his door to us. We find ourselves standing where we always hoped we might stand — out in the wide open spaces of God's grace and glory, standing tall and shouting our praise.

There's more to come: We continue to shout our praise even when we're hemmed in with troubles, because we know how troubles can develop passionate patience in us, and how that patience in turn forges the tempered steel of virtue, keeping us alert for whatever God will do next. In alert expectancy such as this, we're never left feeling shortchanged. Quite the contrary — we can't round up enough containers to hold everything God generously pours into our lives through the Holy Spirit!

Christ arrives right on time to make this happen. He didn't, and doesn't, wait for us to get ready. He presented himself for this sacrificial death when we were far too weak and rebellious to do anything to get ourselves ready. And even if we hadn't been so weak, we wouldn't have known what to do anyway. We can understand someone dying for a person worth dying for, and we can understand how someone good and noble could inspire us to selfless sacrifice. But God put his love on the line for us by offering his Son in sacrificial death while we were of no use whatever to him.

Now that we are set right with God by means of this sacrificial death, the consummate blood sacrifice, there is no longer a question of being at odds with God in any way. If, when we were at our worst, we were put on friendly terms with God by the sacrificial death of his Son, now that we're at our best, just think of how our lives will expand and deepen by means of his resurrection life! Now that we have actually received this amazing friendship with God, we are no longer content to simply say it in plodding prose. We sing and shout our praises to God through Jesus, the Messiah!” (Romans 5:1-11, THE MESSAGE)

Drawing near to Him, in quiet meditation and a time set apart to experience this love, will enable you to experience His strength, goodness, and lovingkindness daily in your walk with Him.


Read the lyrics. Listen to the song. Let the love of the Father draw you close to Him.

Now think on this,

Steve Martin
Founder
Love For His People, Inc.

  
I’m Held By Your Love
- written by Karen Kim

I’m held by Your love, upheld by Your strength
On your shoulders You bore me, by Your faith I stand
Cherished by You Lord, treasured in Your sight
So close to Your heart, held firm in Your hand [Repeat once]

So awesome is Your love
So mighty is Your hand
On eagle’s wings You carry me
Your grace shall be my strength
So perfect is Your love
You sacrificed Your Son
Amazing love reached out to me
With joy to You I come

Not by my wisdom, not by my strength
Gently You guide me, lead me by hand
Total surrender, Jesus I am Yours
Now and forever, in Christ I now stand

So awesome is Your love
So mighty is Your hand
On eagle’s wings You carry me
Your grace shall be my strength
So perfect is Your love
You sacrificed Your son
Amazing love reached out to me
With joy to You I come [repeat 2x]
I’m held by Your love, upheld by Your strength
On your shoulders You bore me, by Your faith I stand

Author: Karen Lim, © 2001 Integrity's Hosanna! Music (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing (IMI)) , Integrity's Hosanna! Music, Capitol CMG Publishing (IMI)


I'M HELD BY YOUR LOVE 
by Karen Lim and Bob Fitts
- worship video





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Todah rabah! (Hebrew – Thank you very much.)
Please share Now Think On This with your friends.

Email: loveforhispeople@gmail.com  
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Now Think On This - In the New Year of our Lord 03.12.16 - #250 –“Held By Your Love Lord” – Saturday at 8:30 am

All previous editions of Now Think On This can be found on this Blog, and on the website: Now Think On This


Again, I would be most grateful if you'd share this encouraging word with your family and friends. You can easily use the social media icons below. Thanks! Steve

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Thanks for sharing. Blessings on your head from the Lord Jesus, Yeshua HaMashiach.

Steve Martin
Founder
Love For His People
Charlotte, NC USA