Isaiah 43:25 - "At The Cross (Love Ran Red)"

Last night was a night of praying for many different people and circumstances. Every time I woke up the Lord had Chris Tomlin's "At The Cross" in my heart.

At the cross
At the cross
I surrender my life
I'm in awe of You
I'm in awe of You
Where Your love ran red
and my sin washed white
I owe all to You
I owe all to You Jesus

Once again, 'surrender' is the key to life as the Lord desires. The song continues...

Here my hope is found
Here on holy ground
Here I bow down
Here I bow down
Here arms open wide
Here You save my life
Here I bow down
Here I bow down

Yes! Surrender is where "hope is found!" When we accept the Lord, we get a glimpse of hope. Then when we surrender to Him we get a little bit more. But when we totally surrender everything to Him that is when we fully receive hope. Jesus did not die on the cross just to save our sins. He died on the cross and rose again so that we could life abundantly. The only way to do that is through surrendering all to Him. It is then that we will experience...

Where all the love I've ever found
Comes like a flood
Comes flowing down

All we have to do to have Him fully in our heart is first to believe in Him. Then we need to repent of our sins and accept Him into our heart. Once He lives in our heart we need to allow Him to have total control of our life. We need to realize everything is already His but as human beings we want to be in control. Freedom is found in allowing Him to be in control. For some, it is hard to think He could ever forgive or forget what we have done. His words in Isaiah 43:25 show differently...

Woo hoo! It is exciting to know He keeps no record of wrongs. Even more exciting is that when we repent, our transgressions are gone! They are no longer to be. The enemy tries to bring them back up in our minds but we must not allow him to cause problems. God is greater than the enemy! Another woo hoo! Matthew Henry writes that the "sure way to peace" comes in newness of life in Him.

"We have no reason to expect pardon, except we seek it by faith in Christ; and that is always attended by true repentance, and followed by newness of life, by hatred of sin, and love to God. Let us then put him in remembrance of the promises he has made to the penitent, and the satisfaction his Son has made for them. Plead these with him in wrestling for pardon; and declare these things, that thou mayest be justified freely by his grace. This is the only way, and it is a sure way to peace."

Dear Jesus,
Thank You for using me as a vessel of prayer last night. Thank You for bringing to my mind people who are struggling with coming into relationship with You. Oh how I pray for them to come to know You in a personal way. I pray for those You brought to my mind that are struggling with letting You have full control of their lives. Lord, bring freedom to these ones. Put someone before them today that will say or do something to enable them to take the next step in their relationship with You. Lord, I also pray for more of You to flow through me. I pray You will enable me to be a vessel of hope to ones I meet today. Direct my words to be Your words. Direct my path to go where You so desire. Thank You for being My Hope. Amen.