Sunday Song

This song has been on my mind for a couple weeks.




Jesus, I my cross have taken,
All to leave and follow Thee.
Destitute, despised, forsaken,
Thou from hence my all shall be.
Perish every fond ambition,
All I’ve sought or hoped or known.
Yet how rich is my condition!
God and heaven are still my own.

Let the world despise and leave me,
They have left my Savior, too.
Human hearts and looks deceive me;
Thou art not, like them, untrue.
O while Thou dost smile upon me,
God of wisdom, love, and might,
Foes may hate and friends disown me,
Show Thy face and all is bright.

Man may trouble and distress me,
’Twill but drive me to Thy breast.
Life with trials hard may press me;
Heaven will bring me sweeter rest.
Oh, ’tis not in grief to harm me
While Thy love is left to me;
Oh, ’twere not in joy to charm me,
Were that joy unmixed with Thee.

Go, then, earthly fame and treasure,
Come disaster, scorn and pain
In Thy service, pain is pleasure,
With Thy favor, loss is gain
I have called Thee Abba Father,
I have stayed my heart on Thee
Storms may howl, and clouds may gather;
All must work for good to me.

Soul, then know thy full salvation
Rise o’er sin and fear and care
Joy to find in every station,
Something still to do or bear.
Think what Spirit dwells within thee,
Think what Father’s smiles are thine,
Think that Jesus died to win thee,
Child of heaven, canst thou repine.

Haste thee on from grace to glory,
Armed by faith, and winged by prayer.
Heaven’s eternal days before thee,
God’s own hand shall guide us there.
Soon shall close thy earthly mission,
Soon shall pass thy pilgrim days,
Hope shall change to glad fruition,
Faith to sight, and prayer to praise.

Yes

Just, yes, is all i can say to this song.

Changes

pic credit

Ch, Ch, Ch, Ch, Changes....

I have to admit, i don't like change very much. It gets harder the older i get.

I DO like change when it comes to:
*the seasons
*moving furniture around
*going from dirty to clean (house, yard, room, dogs, kids, people!)
*a seed growing into a fruit, vegetable, flower

But in general, i kick at change.

Why?
Because it catapults me into the unknown.
It takes me out of my comfort zone.
It forces me to bend a little here, bend a little there.
Really,
it causes me to see my own weakness and lack of control over anything. 

And right now, i have a number of changes occurring.

and i am learning to lean in.
Lean in to CHRIST, my hiding place.
The One who NEVER changes. (Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.)
The One who isn't ashamed of me, of my flailings and my stumblings.
The One who picks me up, brushes off the dirt, and sets me back on the path.

So, i guess in a way,
i am thankful for change.
Why?
Because it causes me to draw ever nearer to my Beloved Lord.

Trusting in Jesus

One night i had been reflecting on The End, what it means to stand before Holy God... on and on. I think you get it. I can get a bit unnerved at times when thinking about it.

The next morning after my alarm went off, this song came on that had encouraged me so many other times before. How sweet and tender of my heavenly Father to orchestrate it to play that morning. I was, once again, put at complete peace, being able to completely trust in Jesus when that Day comes.

Our Good Shepherd

We sang out the truths of this song today. It was hard to sing one part, because it is where i am, yet He is ever more beautiful as He lifts my head and leads me through the difficult times.

What a wonderful, glorious, loving Shepherd we serve.

Providential Hope

I heard this song this morning after my alarm went off.
absolutely Providential.
There is so much beauty in the midst of the pain...beauty in His drawing so near and in His faithfulness to carry us through.
Hope.
There is hope.




You Are Faithful ~ Raymond Gregory
When my heart is troubled
And I can hardly breathe 
I will rest on Your promises 
You won't abandon me
In the valley of the shadow of death
If I'm with You I will not be afraid 

You are hope for the hurting heart
You are rest to the weary soul
When I am broken, You are not shaken
Through trial, pain, and fears
You keep count of all my tears
When I am broken, You are not shaken
Lord You are faithful, God You are faithful

On the path of abundance 
I look back and I see
When the road was rough, I stumbled hard,
I was beaten down
It was then that you carried me

Through tragedy, In prosperity
You are faithful, You are faithful
In every season Lord, You are with me
You are faithful God

Great is thy faithfulness, Great is thy faithfulness
Great is thy faithfulness, Lord You are Faithful

Hymnody

God Moves in a Mysterious Way by 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 sovereign 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 flower.

Blind unbelief is sure to err
And scan His work in vain;
God is His own interpreter,
And He will make it plain.

Welcome Cross

A friend sent this hymn to me. How beautiful it's message.  It is written by Cowper and Newton, as a part of The Olney Hymns.

35. Welcome Cross

'Tis my happiness below

Not to live without the cross,

But the Saviour's power to know,

Sanctifying every loss;

Trials must and will befall;

But with humble faith to see

Love inscribed upon them all,

This is happiness to me.

God in Israel sows the seeds

Of affliction, pain, and toil;

These spring up and choke the weeds

Which would else o'erspread the soil:

Trials make the promise sweet,

Trials give new life to prayer;

Trials bring me to His feet,

Lay me low, and keep me there.

Did I meet no trials here,

No chastisement by the way,

Might I not with reason fear

I should prove a castaway?

Bastards may escape the rod,

Sunk in earthly vain delight;

But the true-born child of God

Must not -- would not, if he might.

In His Steps

"Our Christianity loves its ease and comfort too well to take up anything so rough and heavy as a cross. And yet what does Jesus mean? What is it to walk in His steps?"

~Charles Sheldon, In His Steps pg. 189

This will be considered in the next few posts. 

What are your initial thoughts?

contrasts

It is striking.
really.

the contrasts of this journey.
the journey of faith.

In God's kingdom, it all seems upside-down.

beauty...from ashes.
light...from the dark places.
peace...in the midst of chaos.
poor in spirit...inheriting the Kingdom.
dying...that i might live.

learning as i go.
learning to lean in to the process.
His process.

learning to quiet my tongue more,
and pour out my heart to the One who made me.

learning to listen to His Word.
and let His Word satisfy my hungry soul.

I sought the Lord, and He answered me,

And delivered me from all my fears.

 

They looked to Him and were radiant,

And their faces will never be ashamed.

This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him

And saved him out of all his troubles.

 

The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him,

And rescues them.

O taste and see that the Lord is good;

How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him! 

Psalm 34:4-8

Mysterious Ways

This hymn is by William Cowper.
It is amazing.
Read it slowly.
It means so much right now.

God Moves In A Mysterious Way

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 sovereign 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 flower.

Blind unbelief is sure to err,
And scan his work in vain;
God is His own interpreter,
And He will make it plain. 

~William Cowper

Without Jesus

Without Jesus

Just three chords and a melody

Won't leave you a living legacy

Without Jesus

Just four songs and a parable

Might leave you something terrible

Just five bucks in an offering

Won't buy you some prosperity

Just a sixth sense of morality

Won't get you out of your depravity

Without Jesus, oh, without Jesus

You could memorize

Become a Mennonite

You could speak in tongues

And raise the dead to life

You could build a big church

Call it ministry

Teach 'em all they need to know to run a family

You could sell it all

Be burned at the stake

But what in the world have you to ever gain

Without Jesus, oh, without Jesus

If all I ever get out of laying my life down

Is thorns in the shape of a crown

On the brow of a man from Nazareth

And if all I get is what Jesus did,

And said, and put within my heart

Then I get it all

I have it all

Oh, I have it all

Everything is mine

Oh, I have it all

I have it all

Just three chords and a melody

Won't leave you a living legacy

Without Jesus

Change

How do you know when REAL change has taken place? You know what i mean... you say "okay. i am not gonna get upset about ______. I am gonna try harder." and WHALAA! you do okay for a day or two, but then your resolve fizzles and you are blowing it consistently. No amount of pulling yourself up by your boot straps will work.  I would suggest that it is because you have been trying to do it in your own strength, out of a place of pride.

i know. this was me.

There is a TON i could write about this, but i only have time for a short snippet.

Lately, the gospel has been my everything. Every.day. i need the gospel. It is the power of God! As i humbly depend on the finished work of Christ, i notice i am responding to things differently.

Do i blow it? fail? yell?

yep.

but the Holy Spirit is faithful to convict me, to help me to not blame-shift, to take responsibility. i don't wallow in the mud of my failing anymore. i can get up, praise God for the Good News, and keep pressing in.

It struck me this week, how much God has been working. We host a small group 2x's a month. i was actually giddy and joy-filled at the thought of everyone coming over! i wasn't stressed at all. And then yesterday, i spend most of the day just smiling as i did laundry ( i had one hiccup and was frustrated for a bit, but God is faithful to show me my sin, and again i can repent and keep on going). Actually filled with joy in the mundane. Today, mowing and doing yardwork has filled my heart with song. i am realizing that life, every day of it, is a gift from God, that His grace is sufficient, and resting in the finished work of Christ and the knowledge that at this very moment He is ever interceeding for me. Trials WILL come. My faith will stand as it is based in Christ alone, and no longer in my own ability to perform.

Kindred Hearts & Ties that Bind

I am so very thankful for all the kindred hearts at our church. God has abundantly blessed us there, with beautiful relationships that are centered on His Gospel. Thank you, Grace Community Bible Church, for being real and for being so focused on Christ.


 

There WILL be a day....

This was so encouraging today :) Lifting my eyes to the One who heals and holds.

Turning My Eyes

Thought i would walk through this simple chorus  :-)

Turn Your Eyes ~ Nichole Nordeman ( <--- click to listen)

Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Take your eyes off of anything else. Completely turn your eyes. Not just a bit. Not for just a moment. But completely, steadfastly, resolutely, fix your eyes on Jesus.

Look full in His wonderful face
definitions from dictionary.com (except for His) ~ 
Look: To turn one's eyes toward something or in some direction in order to see.
Full: Exactly or directly.
In: Used to indicate inclusion within space, a place, or limits.
His: the great I AM
Wonderful: excellent; great; marvelous.
Face: The front part of the head.

And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace!
As we turn our eyes toward Jesus Christ, all of the cares and worries here are put in perspective. As we turn our eyes to His excellent Word, we are reminded that this world is truly not our home. As we read and meditate on the Bible, we realize that the hooks of materialism and self-love loosen their grip. We see that it is truly ALL.ABOUT.HIM. all we do. all we say. all we are, to His glory.
When the things of earth, those things that we have set our affections on higher than Christ, grow dim, we can walk in freedom. The freedom given to us in Christ.

We start to see things from His perspective.
We love, because we finally see how He has loved us.
We give, because we finally see how much we have been given.
We forgive, because we know the depths of our own depravity, and how very much we have been forgiven by God in Christ.

We can simply be, because we know that our very breath is given to us by Him.

Turning Our Eyes

Thought i would walk through this simple chorus, and what it has meant to me this week.  :-)

Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Take your eyes off of anything else. Completely turn your eyes. Not just a bit. Not for just a moment. But completely, steadfastly, resolutely, fix your eyes on Jesus.

Look full in His wonderful face
definitions from dictionary.com (except for His) ~ 
Look: To turn one's eyes toward something or in some direction in order to see.
Full: Exactly or directly.
In: Used to indicate inclusion within space, a place, or limits.
His: the great I AM
Wonderful: excellent; great; marvelous.
Face: The front part of the head.

And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace!
As we turn our eyes toward Jesus Christ, all of the cares and worries here are put in perspective. As we turn our eyes to His excellent Word, we are reminded that this world is truly not our home. As we read and meditate on the Bible, we realize that the hooks of materialism and self-love loosen their grip. We see that it is truly ALL.ABOUT.HIM. all we do. all we say. all we are, to His glory.
When the things of earth, those things that we have set our affections on higher than Christ, grow dim, we can walk in freedom. The freedom given to us in Christ.

We start to see things from His perspective.
We love, because we finally see how He has loved us.
We give, because we finally see how much we have been given.
We forgive, because we know the depths of our own depravity, and how very much we have been forgiven by God in Christ.

We can simply be, because we know that our very breath is given to us by Him.

Monumental

My husband and i are attending this event. I encourage you to check it out :)

"Do Thou for Me"

But do thou for me, O GOD the Lord, for thy name's sake: because thy mercy is good, deliver thou me. Psalm 109:21

I recently read a devotional from F.R. Havergal. It is from her excellent work Royal Bounty. I found myself praying it just last night, when i had reached the end of my own resources in many situations..."Do Thou for me, O GOD!" Below, the writings of Ms. Havergal, which were so challenging and inspiring...

Do Thou for Me.
'Do Thou for Me.' --Ps. cix. 21.

The Psalmist does not say what he wanted God to do for him. He leaves it open. So this most restful prayer is left open for all perplexed hearts to appropriate 'according to their several necessities.' And so we leave it open for God to fill up in His own way.

Only a trusting heart can pray this prayer at all: the very utterance of it is an act of faith. We could not ask any one whom we did not know intimately and trust implicitly to 'do' for us, without even suggesting what.

Only a self-emptied heart can pray it. It is when we have come to the end of our own resources, or rather, come to see that we never had any at all, that we are willing to accept the fact that we can 'do nothing,' and to let God do everything for us.

Only a loving heart can pray it For nobody likes another to take them and their affairs in hand, and 'do' for them, unless that other is cordially loved. We might submit to it, but we should not like it, and certainly should not seek it.

So, if we have caught at this little prayer as being just what we want, just what it seems a real rest to say, I think it shows that we do trust in Him and not in ourselves, and that we do love Him really and truly. There is sure to be a preface to this prayer. 'Neither know we what to do' (2Chron.20:12). Perhaps we have been shrinking from being brought to this. Rather let us give thanks for it. It is the step down from the drifting wreck on to the ladder still hanging at the side. Will another step be down into the dark water? Go on, a little lower still, fear not! The next is, 'We know not what we should pray for' (Rom. 8:26). Now we have reached the lowest step. What next? 'Do Thou for me.' This is the step into the Captain's boat. Now He will cut loose from the wreck of  our efforts, ladder and all will be left behind, and we have nothing to do but to 'sit still' and let Him take us to our 'desired haven,' probably steering quite a different course from anything we should have thought best. Not seldom 'immediately the ship is at the land whither' we went.  

  What may we, from His own word, expect in answer to this wide petition?

 1. 'What His soul desireth, even that He doeth' (Job 23:13). Contrast this with our constantly felt inability to do a hundredth part of what we desire to do for those we love. Think of what God's desires must be for us, whom He so loves, that He spared not His own Son.  'That He doeth!'

2. 'He performeth the thing that is appointed for me' (Job 23:14). This is wonderfully inclusive; one should read over all the epistles to get a view of the things present and future, seen and unseen, the grace and the glory that He has appointed for us. It includes also all the 'good works which God hath before ordained, that we should walk in them.' It will not be our performance of them, but His; for He 'worketh in you to will and to do,' (Phil.2:13). and 'Thou also hast wrought all our works in us.' (Isa. 26:12).  

3. The beautiful old translations says, He 'shall perform the cause which I have in hand.' (Psalm 57:2<possibly the Geneva Bible>). Does not that make it very real to us to-day? Just the very thing that 'I have in hand,' my own particular bit of work to-day--this cause that I cannot manage, this thing that I undertook in miscalculation of my own power, this is what I may ask Him to do 'for me,' and rest assured that He will perform it.  'The wise and their works are in the hand of God!'

4. He 'performeth all things for me.' (Psalm 57:2). Does He mean as much as this? Well, He has caused it to be written for us 'that we might have hope;' (Romans 15:4) and what more do we want? Then let Him do it. Let Him perform all things for us.

Not some things, but all things; or the very things which we think there is no particular need fro Him to perform will be all failures--wood, hay, and stubble to be burnt up. One by one let us claim this wonderful word; 'the thing of a day in his day,' 'as the matter shall require,' being always brought to Him with the God-given petition, "Do Thou for me.'

Do not wait to feel very much 'oppressed' before you say, 'O Lord, undertake for me.' (Isaiah 38:14).  Far better say that at first than at last, as we have too often done! Bring the prayer in one hand, and the promises in the other, joining them in the faith-clasp of 'Do as Thou hast said!' (2 Samuel 8:2). And put both the hands into the hand of Him whom the Father heareth always, saying, 'Do Thou for me, O Lord God, for Thy name's sake,' for the sake of Jehovah-Jesus, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, yet the Saviour of sinners.  

It was long...but wasn't it worth the read? i now find myself crying out..."Do Thou for me, O Lord, my God!!"

Trust Him to Keep

i am simply posting the devotion from the 28th from my book Opened Treasures by Francis Ridley Havergal. i am continuing to chew on the profound truths of this excellent entry. (bolds and italics in the entry are mine...also, remember that she was English, so some words may be spelled differently).

June 28

Our Lips For Him

The lips of the righteous feed many...The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable.

   Proverbs 10:21, 32

The days are past forever when we said, "Our lips are our own." Now we know that they are not our own. And yet how many of my readers often have the miserable consciousness that they have "spoken unadvisedly with their lips!" How many pray, "Keep the door of my lips," when the very last thing they think of expecting is that they will be kept! They deliberately make up their minds that hasty word, or foolish words, or exaggerated words, according to their respective temptations, must and will slip out of that door, and that it can't be helped. The extent of the real meaning of their prayer was merely that not quite so many might slip out. As their faith went no farther, the answer went no farther, and so the door was not kept. Do let us look the matter straight in the face. Either we have committed our lips to our Lord, or we have not. This question must be settled first. If not, oh, do not let another hour pass! Take them to Jesus, and ask Him to take them. But when you have committed them to Him, it comes to this--is He able or is He not able to keep that which you have committed to Him? If He is not able, of course you may as well give up at once, for your own experience has abundantly proved that you are not able, so there is no help for you. But if He is able--nay, thank God there is no if on this side!--say, rather, as He is able, where was this inevitable necessity of perpetual failure? You have been fancying yourself virtually doomed and fated to it, and therefore you have gone on in it, while all the time His arm was not shortened that it could not save, but you have been limiting the Holy One of Israel. Honestly, now, have you trusted Him to keep your lips this day? Trust necessarily implies expectation that what we have intrusted will be kept. If you have not expected Him to keep, you have not trusted. You may have tried and tried very hard, but you have not trusted, and therefore you have not been kept and your lips have been the snare of your soul (Proverbs 18:7).

I have been very challenged by this, and not just with my lips. What other things have i prayed for Him to 'keep', but not really believing He DOES keep them completely. 

What are your thoughts on this?