Cowper's Fountain of Blood and Smiling Face

Romans 1:16, 17 and Proverbs 19:21

In my previous two posts
There is a fountain filled with blood
and
God moves in mysterious ways
contain the lyrics of hymns by William Cowper.

This past Friday night at the mission we sang "There is a fountain filled with blood."
As we were singing that song of joy..

There is a fountain filled with blood drawn from Emmanuel's veins, and sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains. The dying thief rejoiced to see that fountain in his day.

I was reminded of his poem "God moves in mysterious ways" ...

His purposes will ripen fast, unfolding every hour; the bud may have a bitter taste, but sweet will be the flower. Blind unbelief is sure to err and scan his work in vain; GOD IS HIS OWN INTERPRETER (emphasis mine), and He will make it plain.

These two hymns remind me to find joy in the salvation I have in Christ and the hope I have in God no matter what the circumstances.

I have been reminded over and over again of
the joy found in Romans 1:16, 17
and the hope found in Proverbs 19:21

There Is a Fountain Filled with Blood

There Is a Fountain Filled with Blood:
Lyrics William Cowper
There is a fountain filled with blood drawn from Emmanuel’s veins;
And sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains.
Lose all their guilty stains, lose all their guilty stains;
And sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains.
The dying thief rejoiced to see that fountain in his day;
And there have I, though vile as he, washed all my sins away.
Washed all my sins away, washed all my sins away;
And there have I, though vile as he, washed all my sins away.
Dear dying Lamb, Thy precious blood shall never lose its power
Till all the ransomed church of God be saved, to sin no more.
Be saved, to sin no more, be saved, to sin no more;
Till all the ransomed church of God be saved, to sin no more.
E’er since, by faith, I saw the stream Thy flowing wounds supply,
Redeeming love has been my theme, and shall be till I die.
And shall be till I die, and shall be till I die;
Redeeming love has been my theme, and shall be till I die.
Then in a nobler, sweeter song, I’ll sing Thy power to save,
When this poor lisping, stammering tongue lies silent in the grave.
Lies silent in the grave, lies silent in the grave;
When this poor lisping, stammering tongue lies silent in the grave.
Lord, I believe Thou hast prepared, unworthy though I be,
For me a blood bought free reward, a golden harp for me!
’Tis strung and tuned for endless years, and formed by power divine,
To sound in God the Father’s ears no other name but Thine."

God Moves in a Mysterious Way > Lyrics | William Cowper

God Moves in a Mysterious Way
Lyrics William Cowper

God moves in a mysterious way
His wonders to perform;
He plants His footsteps in the sea
And rides upon the storm.
Deep in unfathomable mines
Of never failing skill
He treasures up His bright designs
And works His sov’reign will.
Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take;
The clouds ye so much dread
Are big with mercy and shall break
In blessings on your head.
Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
But trust Him for His grace;
Behind a frowning providence
He hides a smiling face.
His purposes will ripen fast,
Unfolding every hour;
The bud may have a bitter taste,
But sweet will be the flow’r.
Blind unbelief is sure to err
And scan His work in vain;
God is His own interpreter,
And He will make it plain."

Veracity no matter what the weather is

This weeks is the BBC missions conference www.bbc.edu/Missions_conference/ and the plans are/were to take students out to various cities for an off campus opportunity to live out and share their faith. With the coming storms the original plans are changing.

As I think about the time and planning that has gone into the conference up to this point. It is my prayer that the attitudes and actions those who have been involved in the planning, myself included, would demonstrate a dependence and trust in God.

I am not sure what is going to happen over the next couple of days with the mission conference but I do know this truth. God is God and I am not. That is truth that I need to passionately live out.

Please pray that
no matter what the weather,
no matter what the activities,
no matter what the circumstances,
students and staff will realize the importance of passionately glorifying God in their lives.


Through this time I have really been challenged to consider
-my reactions to things that happen around me that I cannot control.
-my reasons for why I do the things I do.

Psalm 33:11
But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purpose of his heart through all generations.

Proverbs 19:21
Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails.