The fretting friction of our daily life...

The fretting friction of our daily life, 

Heart-weariness with loving patience borne, 

The meek endurance of the inward strife, 

The painful crown of thorn, 

Prepare the heart for God’s own dwelling place, 

Adorn with sacred loveliness His shrine, 

And brighten every inconspicuous grace, 

For God alone to shine. 

-Mary E. Atkinson

“Thou art the Lord who slept upon the pillow...

“Thou art the Lord who slept upon the pillow,

Thou art the Lord who soothed the furious sea,

What matters beating wind and tossing billow

If only we are in the boat with Thee?

Hold us quiet through the age-long minute

While Thou art silent and the wind is shrill :

Can the boat sink while Thou, dear Lord, are in it;

Can the heart faint that waiteth on Thy will?

-Amy Carmichael

Almighty God, by your Word you laid the foundations of the earth...more

Almighty God, by your Word you laid the foundations of the

earth, set the bounds of the sea, and still the wind and waves.

Surround us with your grace and peace, and preserve us through Hurricane Ian. By your Spirit, lift up those who have fallen, strengthen those who work to rescue or rebuild, and fill us with the hope of your new creation; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (BCP 2019)  image

Prayer frees us to be controlled by God...

Prayer frees us to be controlled by God. To pray is to change. There is no greater liberating force in the Christian life than prayer. To enter the gaze of the Holy is never to be the same. To bathe in the Light in quiet wonder and glad surrender is to be slowly, permanently transformed. There is a richer inward orientation, a deep hunger for communion. We feel as if we are being taken over by a new control Center, and so we are. -Richard J. Foster

I Heard the voice of Jesus say...

I Heard the voice of Jesus say,

Come unto me and rest;

Lay down, thou weary one, lay down

Thy head upon my breast.

I came to Jesus as I was,

Weary, and worn, and sad,

I found in Him a resting-place,

And He has made me glad.

I heard the voice of Jesus say,

Behold, I freely give

The living water,—thirsty one,

Stoop down, and drink, and live.

I came to Jesus and I drank

Of that life-giving stream,

My thirst was quenched, my soul revived,

And now I live in Him.

 

I heard the voice of Jesus say,

I am this dark world’s light,

Look unto me, thy morn shall rise

And all thy day be bright.

I looked to Jesus and I found

In Him, my Star, my Sun;

And in that light of life I’ll walk

Till travelling days are done.

-Horatius Bonar

You are leaving port under sealed orders and in a troubled period...

You are leaving port under sealed orders 

and in a troubled period. 

You cannot know whither you are going or what you are to do. 

But why not take the Pilot on board who knows the nature

 of your sealed orders from the outset, 

and who will shape your entire voyage accordingly? 

He knows the shoals and the sandbanks, 

the rocks and the reefs, 

He will steer you safely into that celestial harbor 

where your anchor will be cast for eternity. 

Let His mighty nail-pierced hands hold the wheel, 

and you will be safe. -Peter Marshall

Of all the evidences of the real work of the Spirit...

Of all the evidences of the real work of the Spirit, a habit of hearty private prayer is one of the most satisfactory that can be named. A man may preach from false motives. A man may write books and make fine speeches and seem diligent in good works, and yet be a Judas Iscariot. But a man seldom goes into his closet, and pours out his soul before God in secret, unless he is in earnest. The Lord himself has set his stamp on prayer as the best proof of true conversion. -JC Ryle

If we are really convinced of the truth of our message...

If we are really convinced of the truth of our message, then we can proclaim it before a world of enemies, then the very difficulty of our task, the very scarcity of our allies becomes an inspiration, then we can even rejoice that God did not place us in an easy age, but in a time of doubt and perplexity and battle. Then, too, we shall not be afraid to call forth other soldiers into the conflict.  -J. Gresham Machen

Fear not the storm...

Fear not the storm, it brings healing in its wings, and when Jesus is with you in the vessel, the tempest only hastens the ship to its desired haven. -CH Spurgeon image

"LORD, WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO, BUT OUR EYES ARE ON YOU....

"LORD, WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO, 

BUT OUR EYES ARE ON YOU." -2 Chronicles 20:12

This helpless cry of despair came from King Jehoshaphat, who was known to have a "heart that was courageous in the ways of the Lord."

But not this time.  

He and his people, even the little ones, had gathered to seek the Lord, after learning that a great horde of three nations was coming armed to fight against them.   

Even though Jehoshaphat was characteristically known to be courageous, he was understandably afraid as he was about to face this powerful enemy. And it is at this point, that Jehoshaphat admits his powerlessness and perplexity, but also chooses to look to God. 

Have you ever been in a situation where your world is shaken, and you no longer feel courageous in  the ways of God? Your faith in Him is thrown off balance, as the ground shifts under you? It's a scary thing to feel powerless and confused, as you face things beyond your control, and feel unable to keep your feet and faith steady underneath you. 

Just as dancers fix their eyes on just one point in order to maintain their balance while they spin and twirl; so Jehoshaphat fixed his eyes on the Lord, when he did not know what to do. 

When he set His eyes on the Lord, after acknowledging who God was and remembering what He had done for his people in the past; and confessing his own powerlessness; God revealed Himself, in such a wonderful way. 

He told Jehoshaphat, not to "be afraid or dismayed at this great horde, for the battle is not yours, but" Mine.

All that Jehoshaphat and the people had to do was to go out and meet that army. They had to position themselves to see what the Lord would do and STAND FIRM. 

God was not asking them to be passive or to avoid this battle. They still had to go out to seek and face their enemy, but it was so that they could see God fight for them.  

They were told that they didn't need to be afraid as they went out, because the Lord had promised to be with them.

Equipped with this encouraging truth, Jehoshaphat led his people to meet the enemy, all the while, singing praises of thanksgiving to God. 

And because they kept their eyes fixed on the Lord, they were able to keep their balance, while they stood firm and saw the salvation of the Lord on their behalf. 

As you face unsettling trials, and shifting circumstances that throw you off balance, remember to fix your eyes on your Savior, with this simple, honest plea for help: "Lord, I do not know what to do, but my eyes are on you."  

Fix your eyes on Jesus, who has already fought your biggest battle by reconciling you to your Father by taking the punishment you deserve. In the knowledge of what he has accomplished, sing joyfully to your God, as you go out to face the trials that have shaken you. Position yourself and stand firm in the belief that God is GOOD and in control of all things, so that you can expectantly look for what He will do on your behalf.  -Reushann Cox image

Hebrews 12:2

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus,

 the author and perfecter of our faith, 

who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, 

scorning its shame, and sat down 

at the right hand of the throne of God.

O God, who before the passion of your only-begotten Son...

O God, who before the passion of your only-begotten Son revealed his glory upon the holy mountain: Grant that we, beholding by faith the light of his countenance, may be strengthened to bear our cross, and be changed into his likeness from glory to glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen  -BCP 2019

We must not conceal from ourselves that true Christianity brings with it a daily cross...

We must not conceal from ourselves that true Christianity brings with it a daily cross in this life, while it offers us a crown of glory in the life to come. The flesh must be daily crucified. The devil must be daily resisted. The world must be daily overcome. There is a warfare to be waged, and a battle to be fought. All this is the inseparable accompaniment of true religion. Heaven is not to be won without it. Never was there a truer word than the old saying, “No cross, no crown!” If we never found this out by experience, our souls are in a poor condition. -JC Ryle image

In Praise of the Boring, Uncool Church...

The life of Christian faith should be altogether different: a long obedience, a slow burn, a quiet diligence to pursue Jesus faithfully, with others in community

Excerpt:

In a world of dizzyingly disposable trends, so much seems to collapse as quickly as it arrives: brands, celebrities, movements, institutions, ideas. When we misconstrue faith as just another thing in the consumerist stew, it too becomes a flash-in-the-pan fashion, as fragile and fickle as the latest viral trend on TikTok.

The life of Christian faith should be altogether different: a long obedience, a slow burn, a quiet diligence to pursue Jesus faithfully, with others in community, in good times and bad, for better or for worse. Will this form of plodding, old-fashioned Christianity go viral on Instagram or get featured in GQ? Probably not. But it will actually grow Christians to maturity and help them run a long, steady, and fruitful race, as it has for countless saints over two millennia. I pray that I—and you, too—will be counted among them.

Read it all...

Easter Sunday: "He is not here, for he has risen, as he said."

But the angel said to the women, 

“Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. -Matthew 28:5-6

Holy Saturday: Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord!

Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord!

     O Lord, hear my voice!

Let your ears be attentive

    to the voice of my pleas for mercy!

 If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities,

    O Lord, who could stand?

 But with you there is forgiveness,

    that you may be feared.

 I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,

    and in his word I hope;

 my soul waits for the Lord

    more than watchmen for the morning,

    more than watchmen for the morning.

 O Israel, hope in the Lord!

    For with the Lord there is steadfast love,

    and with him is plentiful redemption.

 And he will redeem Israel

    from all his iniquities.

-Psalm 130 

Good Friday: For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly...

For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.  For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.   -Romans 5:6-10

Holy Thursday: When he had washed their feet...

When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. -John 13:12-17 

(image public domain)

God's Footprints....

God's Footprints:

Science makes faith plausible, not impossible.

By Stephen C. Meyer

Here: https://americanmind.org/features/the-secret-knowledge/gods-footprints/

Hosanna, loud hosanna!

Hosanna, loud hosanna,
The little children sang,
Through pillared court and temple
The lovely anthem rang.
To Jesus, who had blessed them
Close folded to his breast,
The children sang their praises,
The simplest and the best.

From Olivet they followed
Mid an exultant crowd,
The victor palm branch waving,
And chanting clear and loud.
The Lord of earth and heaven
Rode on in lowly state,
Nor scorned that little children
Should on his bidding wait.

Hosanna in the highest!"
That ancient song we sing,
For Christ is our Redeemer,
The Lord of heaven our King.
O may we ever praise him
With heart and life and voice,
And in his blissful presence
Eternally rejoice!
...Jeanette Threlfall

The God whom earth and sea and sky adore...

The God whom earth and sea and sky
Adore and laud and magnify,
Whose might they own, Whose praise they tell,
In Mary's womb vouchsafed to dwell.

How blessed that Mother, in whose shrine
The world's Creator, Lord divine,
Whose hand contains the earth and sky,
Once deigned, as in His ark, to lie.

Blessed in the message Gabriel brought,
Blessed by the work the Spirit wrought;
From whom the great Desire of earth
Took human flesh and human birth.

O Lord, the Virgin-born, to Thee
Eternal praise and glory be,
Whom with the Father we adore
And Holy Ghost for evermore.
... For­tu­na­tus image

Prodigal Church, Prodigal Nation...

Prodigal Church, Prodigal Nation...

The Christian church in America “must come to its senses” before we can expect the nation itself to return to be the light of liberty.

 Read here-Excellent! image

We never reach a place in the Christian life...

We never reach a place in the Christian life where it is no longer necessary to watch and pray lest we fall into temptation. A constant coming back in spirit to our Center which is Christ the Lord, is our only safeguard.  -Frederick Huegel

God keep me from saying anything that would be unloving...

God keep me from saying anything that would be unloving; God shut my mouth if I am not to speak in tender love. But what I am saying is a fact. How often there is found among Christians who are banded together in work, sharp criticism, sharp judgment, hasty opinion, unloving words, secret contempt of each other, secret condemnation of each other. Oh, just as a mother’s love covers her children and delights in them and has the tenderest compassion with their foibles or failures, so there ought to be in the heart of every believer a motherly love toward every brother and sister in Christ. Have you aimed at that? Have you sought it? Have you ever pleaded for it?  -Andrew Murray

Holiness comes not of blood...

Holiness comes not of blood—parents cannot give it to their children: nor yet of the will of the flesh—man cannot produce it in himself: nor yet of the will of man—ministers cannot give it you by baptism. Holiness comes from Christ. It is the result of vital union with Him. It is the fruit of being a living branch of the True Vine.  -J.C. Ryle 

Tune Thou my harp...

 

Tune Thou my harp;

There is not, Lord, could never be,

The skill in me.

 

Tune Thou my harp,

That it may play Thy melody,

Thy harmony.

 

Tune Thou my harp;

O Spirit, breathe Thy thought through me

As pleaseth Thee.

... Amy Carmichael 

Why is today’s church so far from what God expects of it?

Not Quite Like Our Church Services Today...

Why is today’s church so far from what God expects of it?  

Excerpt: 

"We waltz into church, usually with no heart preparation, keep a close eye on our smartphones, and think about lunch and the sporting matches to be held later in the day. There is little holiness, consecration and seriousness about being in the Lord’s presence. It is a one hour ritual that we go through each week, little different than going to a movie or taking the car through a car-wash.

There is nothing different about church. There is nothing special about church. There is nothing holy about church. And I too am guilty of having such a cavalier attitude and superficial response when going to church to worship the living God."

The rest: https://billmuehlenberg.com/2022/01/29/not-quite-like-our-church-services-today/

Love came down at Christmas...

Love came down at Christmas, 

Love all lovely, Love Divine; 

Love was born at Christmas, 

Star and Angels gave the sign. 

Worship we the Godhead,

Love Incarnate, Love Divine; 

Worship we our Jesus: 

But wherewith for sacred sign? 

Love shall be our token, 

Love be yours and love be mine, 

Love to God and all men, 

Love for plea and gift and sign.

 ...Christina Rossetti

Praying for a blessed, peaceful, holy and healthy Christmas for all!

-Pat Dague

“Let God empty you out...

“Let God empty you out that He may save you from becoming spiritually stale, and lead you ever onward. He is always calling us to pass beyond the thing we know into the unknown. A throne is God’s purpose for you; a cross is God’s path for you; faith is God’s plan for you.” ...Alan Redpath 

The Lord Jesus is in the midst of His church...

The Lord Jesus is in the midst of His church. He walks among the golden candlesticks (Rev. 2:13). His promise, "Lo, I am with you always," is as effectual now as it was the morning He prepared breakfast for His disciples at the lake (John 21:9)...

If we know that Jesus is with us, every power will be developed and every grace will be strengthened. We will throw ourselves into the Lord's service with heart, soul, and strength. ...CH Spurgeon

"One of the first lessons of our Lord in His school of prayer...

"One of the first lessons of our Lord in His school of prayer was: Not to be seen of men. Enter your inner chamber; be alone with the Father. When He has thus taught us that the meaning of prayer is personal individual contact with God, He comes with a second lesson: You have need not only of secret solitary, but also of public united prayer. And He gives us a very special promise for the united prayer of two or three who agree in what they ask. As a tree has its root hidden in the ground and its stem growing up into the sunlight, so prayer needs equally for its full development the hidden secrecy in which the soul meets God alone, and the public fellowship with those who find in the name of Jesus their common meeting-place." -Andrew Murray

"If we are really convinced of the truth of our message...

"If we are really convinced of the truth of our message, then we can proclaim it before a world of enemies, then the very difficulty of our task, the very scarcity of our allies becomes an inspiration, then we can even rejoice that God did not place us in an easy age, but in a time of doubt and perplexity and battle. Then, too, we shall not be afraid to call forth other soldiers into the conflict."   -J. Gresham Machen

Once we have felt the power of God's love...

Once we have felt the power of God's love-the way he accepts us as his children, trusts us with the most precious message in the world, and heals us of the ugly effects of sin-we will never be the same. We will want to pass it on to others by responding to them in a way that will draw them closer to that love. ...Floyd McClung Jr.

Modern culture is a mighty force....

Modern culture is a mighty force. It is either subservient to the gospel or else it is the deadliest enemy of the gospel. For making it subservient, religious emotion is not enough, intellectual labor is also necessary. And that labor is being neglected. The Church has turned to easier tasks. And now she is reaping the fruits of her indolence. Now she must battle for her life. -J.Gresham Machen

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble...

‘God Is Our Refuge’: A Look Back at Billy Graham’s 9/11 Message

1 God is our refuge and strength,

    a very present help in trouble.

2 Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,

    though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,

3 though its waters roar and foam,

    though the mountains tremble at its swelling. 

4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,

    the holy habitation of the Most High.

5 God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved;

    God will help her when morning dawns.

6 The nations rage, the kingdoms totter;

    he utters his voice, the earth melts.

7 The Lord of hosts is with us;

    the God of Jacob is our fortress. 

8 Come, behold the works of the Lord,

    how he has brought desolations on the earth.

9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;

    he breaks the bow and shatters the spear;

    he burns the chariots with fire.

10 “Be still, and know that I am God.

    I will be exalted among the nations,

    I will be exalted in the earth!”

11 The Lord of hosts is with us;

    the God of Jacob is our fortress.

-Psalm 46

I prayed for faith...

"I prayed for faith, and thought that some day faith would come down and strike me like lightning. But faith did not seem to come. One day I read in the tenth chapter of Romans, ‘Now faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God’. I had up to this time closed my Bible, and prayed for faith. I now opened my Bible, and began to study, and faith has been growing ever since."  -Dwight L. Moody

A habit of hearty private prayer...

Of all the evidences of the real work of the Spirit, a habit of hearty private prayer is one of the most satisfactory that can be named. A man may preach from false motives. A man may write books and make fine speeches and seem diligent in good works, and yet be a Judas Iscariot. But a man seldom goes into his closet, and pours out his soul before God in secret, unless he is in earnest. The Lord himself has set his stamp on prayer as the best proof of true conversion.  -J.C. Ryle

Holiness...

Holiness comes not of blood—parents cannot give it to their children: nor yet of the will of the flesh—man cannot produce it in himself: nor yet of the will of man—ministers cannot give it you by baptism. Holiness comes from Christ. It is the result of vital union with Him. It is the fruit of being a living branch of the True Vine.  -J.C. Ryle

There are many of us that are willing to do great things for the Lord...

There are many of us that are willing to do great things for the Lord; but few of us willing to do little things... Look at that wonderful sermon that [Jesus] preached to that lone woman at the well of Samaria. He was tired and weary, but he had time and the heart to preach to her. This is but one of many instances in the life of the Master from which we may learn a precious lesson. If the Son of God had time to preach to one soul, cannot every one of us go and do the same?

...Dwight Lyman Moody 

Fear not because your prayer is stammering...

Fear not because your prayer is stammering, your words feeble, and your language poor. Jesus can understand you. Just as a mother understands the first lispings of her infant, so does the blessed Saviour understand sinners. He can read a sigh, and see a meaning in a groan.    -J. C. Ryle

He is with us on our journeys. He is there when we are home...

He is with us on our journeys. He is there when we are home. He sits with us at our table. He knows about funerals and weddings and commencements and hospitals and jails and unemployment and labor and laughter and rest and tears. He knows because He is with us-He comes to us again and again-until we can say "It's You! It's You!"  -Bob Benson

Faith is a work of God in us...

Faith is a work of God in us, which changes us and brings us to birth anew from God. It kills the old Adam, makes us completely different people in heart, mind, senses, and all our powers, and brings the Holy Spirit with it. -Martin Luther

The Servant Messiah...

The Servant Messiah carries out his ministry in the lives of his ministers. His life is reproduced in their lives, so they also are servants. But this ministry is exercised in and towards the Church, so as to enable the Church itself to carry out the ministry of the Servant. The Messiah came as a Servant; his ministers are servants; and the Church he created is a Servant-Church.  ...Anthony T. Hanson

"Is faith growing or declining as the years go by?

"Is faith growing or declining as the years go by? Does faith stand strong and four square, these days, as iniquity abounds and the love of many grows cold? Does faith maintain its hold, as religion tends to become a mere formality and worldliness increasingly prevails? The enquiry of our Lord, may, with great appropriateness, be ours. 'When the Son of Man cometh,' He asks, 'shall He find faith on the earth?' We believe that He will, and it is ours, in this our day, to see to it that the lamp of faith is trimmed and burning, lest He come who shall come, and that right early." -E.M. Bounds

Teach me to watch over all my ways...

Teach me to watch over all my ways, that I may never be surprised by sudden temptations or a careless spirit, nor ever return to folly and vanity. Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth, and keep the door of my lips, that I offend not in my tongue, neither against piety nor charity. Teach me to think of nothing but Thee, and what is in order to Thy glory and service; to speak nothing but Thee and Thy glories; and to do nothing but what becomes Thy servant, whom Thy infinite mercy by the graces of Thy Holy Spirit hath sealed up to the day of redemption. -Jeremy Taylor

There is satisfaction in serving the Lord Jesus...

There is satisfaction in serving the Lord Jesus; sweetness in suffering for His Name; blessing in bearing His reproach; pleasure in becoming a pilgrim; delight in doing His bidding…like Moses of old, with lowly heart and veiled face, we shall walk where He leads, shall be thankful for daily manna, shall endure as seeing Him who is invisible, shall believe Him when every other friend fails. -Victor Raymond Edman

Well therefore may the cross of Christ be the glory of Christians...

Wonder not then, that all the true followers of Christ, the saints of every age, have so gloried in the cross of Christ, have imputed such great things to it, have desired nothing so much as to be partakers of it, to live in constant union with it. It is because His sufferings, His death and cross, were the fulness of His victory over all the works of the devil. Not an evil in flesh and blood, not a misery of life, not a chain of death, not a power of hell and darkness, but were all baffled, broken, and overcome by the process of a suffering and dying Christ. Well therefore may the cross of Christ be the glory of Christians. ...William Law

In waiting upon God...

In praying, we are often occupied with ourselves, with our own needs, and our own efforts in the presentation of them. In waiting upon God, the first thought is of the God upon whom we wait. God longs to reveal Himself, to fill us with Himself. Waiting on God gives Him time in His own way and divine power to come to us… Be still before Him, and allow His Holy Spirit to waken and stir up in your soul the child-like disposition of absolute dependence and confident expectation. Wait on God till you know you have met Him; prayer will then become so different. And when you are praying, let there be intervals of silence, reverent stillness of soul, in which you yield yourself to God, in case He may have aught He wishes to teach you or to work in you. -Andrew Murray

No man is greater than his prayer life...

No man is greater than his prayer life. The pastor who is not praying is playing; the people who are not praying are straying. We have many organizers, but few agonizers; many players and payers, few pray-ers; many singers, few clingers; lots of pastors, few wrestlers; many fears, few tears; much fashion, little passion; many interferers, few intercessors; many writers, but few fighters. Failing here, we fail everywhere. -Leonard Ravenhill

A prayerless church member is a hindrance...

A prayerless church member is a hindrance. He is in the body like a rotting bone or a decayed tooth. Before long, since he does not contribute to the benefit of his brethren, he will become a danger and a sorrow to them. Neglect of private prayer is the locust which devours the strength of the church.  

-Charles H. Spurgeon