In my high school rock band, probably 9 out of 10 songs we played were Lynyrd Skynyrd songs I still occasionally play Freebird or Sweet Home Alabama on my acoustic.

Shortly after my high school days, I came to understand that I was a sinner and, more importantly, that Jesus Christ had paid the penalty for my sin by his sacrifice on the cross – good news indeed!

Not long after that I was attending a Christian concert and while the warm-up band was playing I noticed that the pianist was very good and sounded familiar. Sure enough, it was Billy Powell and he talked for a bit after the song about becoming a Christian.

Comments from Gary Rossington’s wife Dale in the news article above indicate that Billy continued in his faith until his death. It’s quite sad for Billy’s family that he’s gone, but the fact that he had been reconciled with his Maker before his death makes all the difference in the world.

I encourage you to consider the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Here is a good presentation of it:

Two Ways To Live

“It Is Well with My Soul” is a very influential hymn penned by hymnist Horatio Spafford and composed by Philip Bliss. This hymn was writ­ten af­ter two ma­jor traua­mas in Spaf­ford’s life. The first was the death of his only son, shortly followed by the great Chi­ca­go Fire of Oc­to­ber 1871, which ru­ined him fi­nan­cial­ly (he had been a weal­thy bus­i­ness­man). In 1873, while cross­ing the At­lan­tic, all four of Spaf­ford’s daugh­ters died in a col­li­sion with an­o­ther ship. Spaf­ford’s wife Anna sur­vived and sent him the now fa­mous tel­e­gram, “Saved alone.” Sev­er­al weeks lat­er, as Spaf­ford’s own ship passed near the spot where his daugh­ters died, he was inspired to write these words.

When peace like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.

It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

I hope you can say, “It is well with my soul.” If not, I appeal to you to consider the gospel of Jesus Christ. The following material may be helpful in that regard:

Two Ways To Live

Brian

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