The voice of the Father will be heard...

The voice of the Father will be heard as He sets before us a widely opened door and receives us into blessed fellowship with Himself. When we pray for the Spirit's help, it will no longer be in the fear that prayer is too great an effort for us. Instead, we will simply fall down at the Lord's feet in our weakness. There we will find the victory and power that comes from His love. -Andrew Murray Image

Glory in His holy name!

Glory in his holy name;

    let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice!

Seek the Lord and his strength;

seek his presence continually!

-Psalm 105:3-4

O Lord our God, grant us grace to desire Thee with our whole heart; that, so desiring, we may seek, and seeking find Thee; and so finding Thee may love Thee; and loving Thee, may hate those sins from which Thou hast redeemed us.   -Anselm

With rev'rence let the saints appear...

With rev'rence let the saints appear,

And bow before the Lord;

His high commands with rev'rence hear,

And tremble at his word.

 

How terrible thy glories be!

How bright thine armies shine!

Where is the power that vies with thee,

Or truth compared to thine?

 

Thy words the raging winds control,

And rule the boist'rous deep;

Thou mak'st the sleeping billows roll,

The rolling billows sleep.

 

Justice and judgment are thy throne,

Yet wondrous is thy grace;

While truth and mercy, joined in one,

Invite us near thy face.

-Isaac Watts

"Because I go to the Father..."

“It is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.”  -John 16:7–11

"It was the whole Trinity, which at the beginning of creation said, "Let us make man". It was the whole Trinity again, which at the beginning of the Gospel seemed to say, "Let us save man"." -JC Ryle Image

Oh come, let us sing to the Lord...

Oh come, let us sing to the Lord;

    let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!

Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;

    let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!

For the Lord is a great God,

    and a great King above all gods.

In his hand are the depths of the earth;

    the heights of the mountains are his also.

The sea is his, for he made it,

    and his hands formed the dry land.

   Oh come, let us worship and bow down;

    let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!

For he is our God,

    and we are the people of his pasture,

    and the sheep of his hand.

          -Psalm 95:1-7

Jesus, Our Judge and Our Savior

Jesus, Our Judge and Our Savior 

 Sovereign Grace Music

Call now, O sinner, on your coming Judge

To be here even now as your Savior

Fall now, O sinner, on the mercy and grace

Of Jesus, our Judge and our Savior

Who is He we shall meet at the end of life’s road

The One who will judge every heart, every soul

Who is He who will one day sift the tares from the wheat?

Jesus, our Judge and our Savior

Call now, O sinner, on your coming Judge

To be here even now as your Savior

Fall now, O sinner, on the mercy and grace

Of Jesus, our Judge and our Savior

Who is He who will end all the sin and the pain?

The One who was dead yet who rose up again?

Who is He heaven praises as the Lamb who was slain?

Jesus, our Judge and our Savior

Call now, O sinner, on your coming Judge

To be here even now as your Savior

Fall now, O sinner, on the mercy and grace

Of Jesus, our Judge and our Savior

For the Lord will come down and the trumpet will sound

At the mighty command of the Lord

And the saints will arise, meet the Lord in the skies

To be joyful in Jesus forever

Call now, O sinner, on your coming Judge

To be here even now as your Savior

Fall now, O sinner, on the mercy and grace

Of Jesus, our Judge and our Savior

I will bless the Lord at all times...

I will bless the Lord at all times;

    his praise shall continually be in my mouth.

My soul makes its boast in the Lord;

    let the humble hear and be glad.

Oh, magnify the Lord with me,

    and let us exalt his name together!

I sought the Lord, and he answered me

    and delivered me from all my fears.

Those who look to him are radiant,

    and their faces shall 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 delivers them.

Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!

    Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!

       -Psalm 34:1-8 Image

Oh, the breadth of the love of Christ!

Do you think, Christian, that you can measure the love of Christ? Think of what His love has brought you-justification, adoption, sanctification, eternal life! The riches of His goodness are unsearchable! Oh, the breadth of the love of Christ! Shall such a love as this have half our hearts? Shall Jesus' marvelous loving-kindness and tender care meet with but faint response and tardy acknowledgment? O my soul, tune your heart to a glad song of thanksgiving! Go through the day rejoicing, for you are no desolate wanderer, but a beloved child, watched over, cared for, supplied, and defended by your Lord. -Charles H. Spurgeon Image

“You are the light of the world..."

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. -Matthew 5:14-16 Image

Remember, a small light will do a great deal when it is in a very dark place. You put one little tallow candle in the middle of a large hall, and it will give a good deal of light. -Dwight L. Moody

But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy...

"But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect..." -1 Peter 3:15

The task of the people of God is to proclaim the kingdom of God, which is a universal kingdom extending to every aspect of human life. In a secular society, religion cannot remain a department of life. It must be the expression of a faith that extends over the whole of life, or it will be nothing.   

-John Lawrence

The Spirit himself bears witness...

The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. -Romans 8:16-18

The Lord afflicts us at times; but it is always a thousand times less than we deserve, and much less than many of our fellow-creatures are suffering around us. Let us therefore pray for grace to be humble, thankful, and patient.  -John Newton

O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you...

O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you;

    my soul thirsts for you;

my flesh faints for you,

    as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.

So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary,

    beholding your power and glory.

Because your steadfast love is better than life,

    my lips will praise you.

So I will bless you as long as I live;

    in your name I will lift up my hands.

   -Psalm 63:1-4

Christ Our Wisdom

 

Christ Our Wisdom 

Sovereign Grace Music

Christ our wisdom, we are humbled

When You hide Your ways from us

You have purposes unnumbered

Each one good and glorious 

Help us trust when we grow weary 

Free us from our anxious thoughts 

Give us grace to see more clearly  

You are God and we are not    

Christ our wisdom, be our gladness

When we fail to understand

You ordain all joy and sadness

To fulfill Your perfect plan

Help us know You rule with power

Over every raging flood

In our most uncertain hour 

You are God and we are loved

 

Christ our wisdom, we will follow

Though the way ahead is veiled

As we journey through the shadows 

Grant us faith where sight has failed 

Help us cling to Your commandments 

Strengthened by Your faithful Word 

We will never be abandoned 

You are God and we are Yours  

Christ our wisdom we adore You

For the beauty of the cross

Once in foolishness we scorned You

But Your blood has ransomed us

Help us sing the endless mercies

Of Your humble heart to save 

Christ our wisdom, Christ our glory

You are God forever praised

Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?

Why do the nations rage

    and the peoples plot in vain?

  The kings of the earth set themselves,

      and the rulers take counsel together,

      against the Lord and against his Anointed, saying,

  “Let us burst their bonds apart

     and cast away their cords from us.”

  He who sits in the heavens laughs;

      the Lord holds them in derision.

  Then he will speak to them in his wrath,

      and terrify them in his fury, saying,

  “As for me, I have set my King

      on Zion, my holy hill.”

  I will tell of the decree:

    The Lord said to me, “You are my Son;

     today I have begotten you.

  Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage,

       and the ends of the earth your possession.

  You shall break them with a rod of iron

      and dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.”

  Now therefore, O kings, be wise;

       be warned, O rulers of the earth.

  Serve the Lord with fear,

       and rejoice with trembling.

  Kiss the Son,

       lest he be angry, and you perish in the way,

       for his wrath is quickly kindled.

Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

 -Psalm 2