Wide, Wide as the Ocean
Wide, wide as the ocean, high as the Heaven above;
Deep, deep as the deepest sea is my Savior’s love.
I, though so unworthy, still am a child of His care;
For His Word teaches me that His love reaches me everywhere.
Words: C. Austin Miles, 1914.
We entered the chapel here.
Keble College Chapel was opened on St Mark’s Day (25 April) 1876. The College was founded in memory of John Keble, a Victorian clergyman who, with others in what became known as the Oxford Movement, had a profound impact on the Church of England in the mid 19th century, renewing and strengthening it in the catholic tradition. The architect was William Butterfield (1814-1900), a renowned exponent of the Gothic style. His masterpiece, the College Chapel, is perhaps the grandest ecclesiastical space in Oxford and the interior is decorated with colourful tiles, mosaics, and stained glass.
The organ, built by Kenneth Tickell, was installed in 2011. The Chapel’s resonant ‘cathedral-like’ acoustic is home to a lively and active music foundation in which the Chapel Choir plays a primary role.
I will save the mosaics and the famous Light of the World Painting for another post.
We saw so many beautiful old doors during our time in Oxford and beyond in September of 2022. When we were at the Ark in Kentucky in 2021 we picked up a brochure that talked about the Doors of the Bible.
On the back of that pamphlet it talked about The Door That Leads to Life.
What will you do with Jesus Christ? Your answer to that question has eternal consequences.
We are all guilty of sinning against our holy creator. Because he is holy, God must judge sin. Take an honest look at your life. Have you ever lied, stolen anything, disrespected your parents, or failed to honor God? If so, then you have broken God’s law and are a sinner in need of a Savior.
There was one door into the ark that saved Noah and his family from the flood. Similarly, there is only one door that can save us from eternal judgement. Jesus Christ is that door. The Bible states that now is the day of salvation. If you have not already done so, will you turn from your sins and call on the risen Lord Jesus to save you?
By faith, enter the only door that leads to eternal life today.
Thursday March 2nd
On Thursdays my posts will include verses that stood out in my readings from the Bible during the week. One, two, three or maybe more. If you have a verse/verses that you read during the week and would like to share, leave it/them in the comments and I will add it/them to the post. Let’s dig deep in God’s Truth again this year!
Psalm 34:4-7
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.
From Vera:
Jude 1:24-25 ESV
“Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.”
From Karen:
Hebrews 11:6
But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Our back acres taken yesterday morning. It snowed much of the day.
Joyce From This Side of the Pond has the questions ready for Wednesday Hodgepodge. Marching forward…
1. Hello March! Is it coming in like a lion where you live?
We are having light snow showers so I’d say not so much like a lion. It’s typical for this time of year here.
How do you feel when it rains? It depends. If it hasn’t rained for a while it’s nice to hear the pitter patter on the roof. If it’s the 5th day in a row of rain I long for a dry sunny day.
Thursday February 23rd
On Thursdays my posts will include verses that stood out in my readings from the Bible during the week. One, two, three or maybe more. If you have a verse/verses that you read during the week and would like to share, leave it/them in the comments and I will add it/them to the post. Let’s dig deep in God’s Truth again this year!
Psalm 25:4-5
Make me to know your ways, O LORD; teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long.
Psalm 86:11-13
Teach me your way, O LORD, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name. I give thanks to you, O LORD my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever. For great is your steadfast love toward me; you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.
From Vera:
Joel 2:12-14 ESV
“Yet even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts and not your garments.” Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster. Who knows whether he will not turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind him, a grain offering and a drink offering for the Lord your God?”
From Nikkipolani:
Psalm 3:3-4 NKJV
But You, O Lord, are a shield [a]for me,
My glory and the One who lifts up my head.
I cried to the Lord with my voice,
And He heard me from His holy hill.
From Marilyn:
Psalm 91:1
He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in him will I trust.
Thursday February 16th
On Thursdays my posts will include verses that stood out in my readings from the Bible during the week. One, two, three or maybe more. If you have a verse/verses that you read during the week and would like to share, leave it/them in the comments and I will add it/them to the post. Let’s dig deep in God’s Truth again this year!
2 Peter 3:13-18 (ESV)
But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace. And count patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him, as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do other Scriptures. You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your stability. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.
From Vera:
Amos 4:13 (ESV)
“For behold, he who forms the mountains and creates the wind, and declares to man what is his thought, who makes the morning darkness, and treads on the heights of the earth— the Lord, the God of hosts, is his name!”
From Karen:
Joshua 1:9
Have not I commanded thee?
Be strong and of a good courage;
be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed:
for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.
From Nikkipolani:
John 21:25 NKJV
And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen.
Thursday February 9th
On Thursdays my posts will include verses that stood out in my readings from the Bible during the week. One, two, three or maybe more. If you have a verse/verses that you read during the week and would like to share, leave it/them in the comments and I will add it/them to the post. Let’s dig deep in God’s Truth again this year!
Luke 2:52
And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.
2 Peter 3:18
But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity, Amen.
Ephesians 4:11-16
And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
From Vera:
Isaiah 12:4-6 ESV
“And you will say in that day: “Give thanks to the Lord, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the peoples, proclaim that his name is exalted. “Sing praises to the Lord, for he has done gloriously; let this be made known in all the earth. Shout, and sing for joy, O inhabitant of Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.”
From Karen:
Deuteronomy 4:39
Know therefore this day, and consider it in thine heart, that the LORD he is God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath: there is none else.
Thursday February 2nd
On Thursdays my posts will include verses that stood out in my readings from the Bible during the week. One, two, three or maybe more. If you have a verse/verses that you read during the week and would like to share, leave it/them in the comments and I will add it/them to the post. Let’s dig deep in God’s Truth again this year!
Resuming Truth for Today for 2023 starting today.
Job 28:28
And he said to man, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.’
Psalm 111:10
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever!
Proverbs 1:7
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Proverbs 9:10
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.
I’ve been reading The Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan and I’m going to share the following quote from the book.
“Hopeful: How will you describe right fear?
Christian: True or right fear is discovered by three things: 1. By its rise: it is caused by saving convictions for sin. 2. It driveth the soul to lay fast hold of Christ for salvation. 3. It begetteth and continueth in the soul a great reverance of God, his Word, and ways; keeping it tender, and making it afraid to turn from them, to the right or to the left, to any thing that may dishonor God, break its peace, grieve the Spirit, or cause the enemy to speak reproachfully.”
From Cathy:
Isaiah 41:10
“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
From Vera:
“But as for me, I will look to the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me.”
Micah 7:7 ESV
“Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is anything too hard for me?”
Jeremiah 32:27 ESV
From Cheryl:
“This is the day the Lord has made;
We will rejoice and be glad in it.”
Psalm 118:24
There’s a Wideness in God’s Mercy
There’s a wideness in God’s mercy
Like the wideness of the sea;
There’s a kindness in God’s justice
Which is more than liberty.
There is plentiful redemption
In the blood that has been shed;
There is joy for all the members
In the sorrows of the Head.
For the love of God is broader
Than the measures of our mind;
And the heart of the Eternal
Is most wonderfully kind.
If our love were but more simple
We should take him at his word,
And our lives would be illumined
By the presence of our Lord.
Troubled souls, why will you scatter
Like a crowd of frightened sheep?
Foolish hearts! why will you wander
From a love so true and deep?
There is welcome for the sinner
And more graces for the good;
There is mercy with the Savior,
There is healing in his blood.
Words: Frederick W. Faber
Awake My Heart; Arise, My Tongue
Awake, my heart; arise, my tongue,
Prepare a tuneful voice;
In God, the life of all my joys,
Aloud will I rejoice.
’Tis He adorned my naked soul,
And made salvation mine;
Upon a poor polluted worm
He makes His graces shine.
And lest the shadow of a spot
Should on my soul be found,
He took the robe the Savior wrought,
And cast it all around.
How far the heav’nly robe exceeds
What earthly princes wear!
These ornaments, how bright they shine!
How white the garments are!
The Spirit wrought my faith, and love,
And hope, and every grace;
But Jesus spent His life to work
The robe of righteousness.
Strangely, my soul, art thou arrayed
By the great Sacred Three!
In sweetest harmony of praise
Let all thy powers agree.
Words: Isaac Watts, 1707
The Happy Wonderer ~ ellen b. 