March 24: Praise for the Fountain Opened
♫ Music:
Monday, March 24—Day 20
But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things to come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation; and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. ... And according to the Law, one may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
But if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.
And from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood.
Hebrews 9:11-12 & 22, 1 John 1:7 and Revelation 1:5
PRAISE FOR THE FOUNTAIN OPENED
ZECHARIAH 13:1
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.
When this poor lisping, stammering tongue lies silent in the grave.
Then in a nobler, sweeter song, I’ll sing Thy power to save,
I’ll sing Thy power to save,I’ll sing Thy power to save,
Then in a nobler, sweeter song, I’ll sing Thy power to save,
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.
William Cowper, English Poet and Hymnodist, (1731-1800)
Prayer
Father, we are so thankful for Your redeeming grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt. This is possible because of the blood of Jesus which was poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. Where our sin increased, Your grace increased all the more. Your refuge for our sin-filled souls took place at the cross of Calvary where Jesus shed His precious blood so that we might find forgiveness for our sins. This salvation is marvelous; it is matchless and it is infinitely greater than the animal blood sacrifice that took away sins for only a season. Christ’s redeeming blood sacrifice frees us from the penalty of sin in this life and for all eternity. We thank You, Jesus, for freely shedding Your blood on our behalf and it is in Your name that we pray. Amen.
(A Daily Prayer from Daily Encouragement Net)
Mark – Water Flames
Makoto Fujimura
Mineral Pigments on Canvas
About the Artist and Art
Makoto Fujimura (b 1960) is an artist, writer and speaker who is recognized worldwide as a cultural shaper. A presidential appointee to the National Council on the Arts from 2003-2009, Fujimura served as an international advocate for the arts, speaking with decision makers and advising governmental policies on the arts.
Fujimura’s work is exhibited at galleries around the world, including Dillon Gallery in New York, Sato Museum in Tokyo, The Contemporary Museum of Tokyo, Tokyo National University of Fine Arts Museum, Bentley Gallery in Arizona, Gallery Exit and Oxford House at Taikoo Place in Hong Kong, and Vienna’s Belvedere Museum. He is one of the first artists to paint live on stage at New York City’s legendary Carnegie Hall as part of an ongoing collaboration with composer and percussionist Susie Ibarra.
Water Flames is one of the frontispieces for Fujimura’s Four Gospels illuminated project. Commissioned by Crossway publishing for the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible, this project combines contemporary abstract painting with the tradition of illuminated manuscripts. Paired with the gospel of Mark, Water Flames depict the way in which flames not only consume, but ultimately sanctify. These works recall the visual language of the apocalyptic, moody paintings of the American artist Mark Rothko (1903-1970) - using Japanese vermillion, gold, platinum powders and cochineal (made from India's dye made from an cochineal insect). The work moves our gaze upward, even as we stand in the ever-expanding Ground Zero conditions of the world.
About the Music
O the Blood of Jesus lyrics:
O the blood
Crimson love
Price of life's demand
Shameful sin
Placed on Him
The Hope of every man
CHORUS
O the blood of Jesus washes me
O the blood of Jesus shed for me
What a sacrifice that saved my life
Yes, the blood, it is my victory
Savior Son
Holy One
Slain so I can live
See the Lamb
The great I Am
Who takes away my sin
O the blood of the Lamb
O the blood of the Lamb
O the blood of the Lamb
The precious blood of the Lamb
What a sacrifice
That saved my life
Yes, the blood, it is my victory
O what love
No greater love
Grace, how can it be
That in my sin
Yes, even then
He shed His blood for me
About the Performer
After being established as one of the industry’s premier worship leaders with her Dove Award-winning, self-titled debut, Kari Jobe continues to serve as a worship pastor at Gateway Church in Southlake, Texas, and released her highly anticipated follow-up album, Where I Find You (Sparrow), in January 2012. This album earned Kari her first GRAMMY-nomination for Best Contemporary Christian Music Album.
http://www.karijobe.com
About the Poet
William Cowper (1731 – 1800) was an English poet and hymnodist. As one of the forerunners of Romantic poetry, Cowper often wrote about the English countryside and everyday life. He was an inspiration to other romantic poets such as Coleridge and Wordsworth. At one time, Cowper even shared a house with John Newton, author of one of the most famous hymns, “Amazing Grace.” Despite his success as a poet and hymn writer, Cowper was crippled with attacks of insanity, depression, and self-doubt for much of his life. Believing that God had turned His back on him, resigned to eternal damnation, Cowper attempted suicide multiple times while simultaneously writing poems and hymns of hope. As Philip Yancey has said, “[Cowper’s] hymns are perhaps the only marks of clarity in a sadly troubled life… though he felt little of it personally, he left lasting proof of redeeming love in his treasury of hymns.”