“I will make with them a covenant of peace..."

“I will make with them a covenant of peace and banish wild beasts from the land, so that they may dwell securely in the wilderness and sleep in the woods. And I will make them and the places all around my hill a blessing, and I will send down the showers in their season; they shall be showers of blessing. And the trees of the field shall yield their fruit, and the earth shall yield its increase, and they shall be secure in their land. And they shall know that I am the Lord, when I break the bars of their yoke, and deliver them from the hand of those who enslaved them. They shall no more be a prey to the nations, nor shall the beasts of the land devour them. They shall dwell securely, and none shall make them afraid. And I will provide for them a renowned place for planting so that they shall no more be consumed with hunger in the land, and no longer suffer the reproach of the nations. -Ezekiel 34:25-29

What we have been told is how we men can be drawn into Christ—can become part of that wonderful present which the young Prince of the universe wants to offer to His Father—that present which is Himself and therefore us in Him. It is the only thing we were made for. And there are strange, exciting hints in the Bible that when we are drawn in, a great many other things in Nature will begin to come right. The bad dream will be over: it will be morning.-C.S. Lewis

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses...

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.  -Hebrews 12:1-2 Image

We get our moral bearings by looking at God. We must begin with God. We are right when, and only when, we stand in a right position relative to God, and we are wrong so far and so long as we stand in any other position.-A.W. Tozer

Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me...

Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. -Jeremiah 29:12-13

Faith is to the soul what life is to the body. Prayer is to faith what breath is to the body. How a person can live and not breathe is past my comprehension, and how a person can believe and not pray is past my comprehension too. -J.C. Ryle

When you walk through fire you shall not be burned...

When you pass through the waters, 

I will be with you;

    and through the rivers, 

they shall not overwhelm you;

when you walk through fire 

you shall not be burned,

    and the flame shall not consume you.

-Isaiah 43:2

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As sure as ever God puts his children in the furnace, 

He will be in the furnace with them.  -CH Spurgeon

Your Word Endures

 

Your Word Endures 

 Sovereign Grace Music

VERSE 1

Your Word, O God, endures, 

unbound and never-changing 

Your promises are sure, Your purposes unfailing 

You speak and earth and heaven shake, 

oceans roar, stars awake

VERSE 2 

Your Word, O God, endures, 

it binds the broken-hearted 

With riches for the poor and light for those in darkness

You speak and free the captive slave,

dead are raised from the grave

CHORUS

Your word is forever, holds all things together 

Your heart revealed with mercy unreserved 

Your Word, O God, endures

VERSE 3

Your Word, O God, endures 

revealing your salvation

It sanctifies your church through every generation

You speak and we behold Your Son, 

Word made flesh, God with us

CHORUS

Your word is forever, holds all things together 

Your heart revealed with mercy unreserved 

Your word is forever, our joy and our treasure  

Your matchless works and wisdom seen and heard 

Your Word, O God, endures

Your Word, O God, endures

The spiritual life is a stern choice...

By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth. 1 John 3:16-18

The spiritual life is a stern choice. It is not a consoling retreat from the difficulties of existence, but an invitation to enter fully into that difficult existence, and there apply the Charity of God and bear the cost.  -Evelyn Underhill

For the grace of God has appeared...

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works. -Titus 2:11-14

Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name...

Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;

    bring an offering and come before him!

Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness;

     tremble before him, all the earth;

    yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved.

Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice,

    and let them say among the nations, “The Lord reigns!”

Let the sea roar, and all that fills it;

    let the field exult, and everything in it!

Then shall the trees of the forest sing for joy

    before the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth.

Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;

    for his steadfast love endures forever!

     -1 Chronicles 16:28-34

So we do not lose heart...

So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.    -2 Corinthians 4:16-18

"For as the heavens are higher than the earth..."

"For as the heavens are higher than the earth,

so are my ways higher than your ways

and my thoughts than your thoughts.

For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven

and do not return there but water the earth,

making it bring forth and sprout,

giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,

so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;

it shall not return to me empty,

but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,

and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

For you shall go out in joy

and be led forth in peace;

the mountains and the hills before you

shall break forth into singing,

and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands."

-Isaiah 55:9-12

Trust in the Lord, and do good...

Trust in the Lord, and do good;

    dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.

Delight yourself in the Lord,

    and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Commit your way to the Lord;

    trust in him, and he will act.

He will bring forth your righteousness as the light,

    and your justice as the noonday.

Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him;

    fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way,

    over the man who carries out evil devices!

 -Psalm 37:3-7