raymond blogs…

(Note: It’s hard to put the chords above the correct words so you need to figure out when to transfer the chords.) 

I like this song because of the simplistic melody and the content of the song. In Don Moen - Thank You Lord, where this song is included, there are songs which are more musically artistic… but still, this one became my favorite. So here it is…

Rescue by Don Moen

Abm - B/Eb - EM7
Abm - B/Eb - EM7

Abm B/EB EM7 F# Abm
You are the source of life

B/Eb EM7 F# Abm
I can’t be left behind

B/Eb EM7 F# - Abm
No one else will do

B/Eb EM7 E9
I will take hold of you

B
Cause I need you Jesus

Gbsus/Bb
To come to me rescue

C#m7 E
Where else can I go

B
There’s no other name

Gbsus/Bb
By which I am saved

C#m7 E
Capture me with grace

Abm Ebm7 - EM7
I will follow you

Abm Ebm7 - EM7
I will follow you

My heart is yours for life
I need your hand in mine
No one else will do
I put my trust in you

Cause I need you jesus
To come to me rescue
Tell me Where else can I go
There’s no other name
By which I am saved
capture me with grace

Abm Ebm7 EM7
I will follow you I will follow you

Abm Ebm7 EM7
I will follow you This world has nothing for me

Abm Ebm7 EM7
I will follow you This world has nothing for me

Abm Ebm7 EM7
I will follow you This world has nothing for me

Abm Ebm7 EM7 E6
I will follow you This world has nothing for me

C [go one fret higher]
Cause I need you Jesus
To come to me rescue
Where else can I go
There’s no other name
By which I am saved
capture me with grace

I will follow you
I will trust in you
This world has nothing for me
I will trust in you
This world has nothing for me
I will follow you

. … .

Notice: Don Moen - Rescue lyrics, artist names and images are copyrighted to their respective owners. Don Moen - Rescue song lyrics are restricted for educational and personal use only.

This is not a theological writing for I am not learned enough to do any serious theological musing. I heard over coffee conversations with friends about the debate of whether Judas was saved or not. Those who say that he was saved reasoned that Judas was instrumental in the crucifixion of Christ which fostered salvation to the world, so he should be saved! The negative side would retort that what Judas did, he did maliciously so he should be condemned!

But let us consider… Judas repented, didn’t he?

But then again some would argue that his repentance is not true repentance that leads to life (let me write on that some other time.) Others would say that he cannot be saved because he committed suicide; but then, I would ask, is there a verse in the Bible that specifically says that those who commit suicide would never be saved? Isn’t it that repentance can happen even on the last second of one’s life?

After some exchanges of this kind, a few would resign and say that the issue is not conclusive after all and that we should be content to just wait until we get to heaven to find out the truth of the matter.

Let me offer an insight that I got from my casual reading of the Word of God. Here is the fateful story:

Early in the morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people came to the decision to put Jesus to death. They bound him, led him away and handed him over to Pilate, the governor.

When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and the elders. “I have sinned,” he said, “for I have betrayed innocent blood.”

“What is that to us?” they replied. “That’s your responsibility.”

So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself. (Matthew 27:1-5, NIV)

It seems clear to me that Judas repented for he said “I have sinned for I have betrayed innocent blood.” So what then is the issue? It is clear that there is repentance so he must be saved then!

Not too fast, I think otherwise.

Let me back track for a moment to point that Judas followed Jesus at first because he believed that this man is the Messiah prophesied long ago by the prophets. After following and communing with Jesus for a considerable period of time (could be 1-2 yrs), he arrived to the conclusion that this man is not the Messiah after all. So he thought for himself and betrayed an innocent blood for some small fortune. (And we read that he repented of that afterwards.)

Allow me to bring into here the account of one of the criminals who, at first, heaped insults to Jesus together with the crowd. After a few hours of hanging on the cross, he changed his mind, looked towards the direction of Jesus and said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:42 and 43 NIV)

This unnamed criminal made it to heaven, Judas did not. This criminal believed that Jesus will come into his kingdom and reign as the King Messiah, Judas did not.

Judas failed to recognize his messiah, thus, he was filled with absolute hopelessness in front of a righteous God… and in desperation, took his own life.

Judas knows no savior.

. … .

But how about you?

I was eavesdropping on the other passengers’ conversation as we waited for more passengers to fill that small jitney at Market-Market Mall at around 10 o’clock PM giving me a glimpse of their lives. It’s no big deal, however, for these are no private but only casual conversations of salesperson’s experiences of the day; besides, there are no other things to catch my attention.

We love stories like Peter Pan, Cinderella, Snow White, and more. We love watching good movies and in every good movie is a good story.

Have you read the latest adventure of Harry Potter or the best-selling novel The DaVinci Code?

These stories entertain and even give us their own brand of reality.

(Could it be that a person’s search for meaning leads him to search even on novels? What if novels tell the truth, you know? Could it be that our search for truth leads us to search anywhere just to find it?)

I know of another story — the story of Jesus. It is the never ending story for after reading about the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ, you are now faced with the decision of either receiving a brand-new life or continuing in your unredeemed old life leading to death.

(You may not like that statement but your attitude towards the truth doesn’t change the truth at all.)

Please allow me to quote Deuteronomy 30:19 saying “I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live” (ESV)

Buddha or Confucius never said “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6 ESV) Only Jesus can say that!

Now face it, either Jesus was lying or Jesus was telling the truth. Either he is the only way (as he claimed he was) or he was only confused when he said those words.

In closing, consider these words: “Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.” (1 John 5:12 ESV)

Man, these are heavy words today.