Category Archives: Holy Spirit

Amidst Us Our Beloved Stands ~ Hymn

Amidst Us Our Beloved Stands

Amidst us our Be­lov­èd stands,
And bids us view His pierc­èd hands;
Points to the wound­ed feet and side,
Blest em­blems of the Cru­ci­fied.

What food lu­xu­ri­ous loads the board,
When at His ta­ble sits the Lord!
The wine how rich, the bread how sweet,
When Je­sus deigns the guests to meet!

If now, with eyes de­filed and dim,
We see the signs, but see not Him;
O may His love the scales dis­place,
And bid us see Him face to face!

Our for­mer trans­ports we re­count,
When with Him in the ho­ly mount,
These cause our souls to thirst anew,
His marred but love­ly face to view.

Thou glo­ri­ous Bride­groom of our hearts,
Thy pre­sent smile a heav’n im­parts!
Oh lift the veil, if veil there be,
Let ev­ery saint Thy beau­ties see!

Words: Charles H. Spurgeon, 1866.

Truth for Today #163

Thursday October 2nd

On Thursdays my posts will include verses that stood out in my readings from the Bible during 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!

The verses that you share are appreciated and so encouraging, I’m thankful for them and for each of you! 

Matthew 13:24-30

 “He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away.  So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?’  He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ So the servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’  But he said, ‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them.  Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, “Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.”

From Dianna:

“The fear of man brings a snare: but he who trusts in the Lord will be exalted.”

Proverbs 29:25 NASB

From Vera:

“The Lord is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him. The Lord is a man of war; the Lord is his name.”
‭‭Exodus‬ ‭15‬:‭2‬-‭3‬ ‭ESV‬‬

From Karen:

Isaiah 40:29

He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.

From Maristella:

Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.

John 20:29

How Sweet the Name of Jesus Sounds ~ Hymn

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How Sweet the Name of Jesus Sounds

How sweet the Name of Jesus sounds
In a believer’s ear!
It soothes his sorrows, heals his wounds,
And drives away his fear.

It makes the wounded spirit whole,
And calms the troubled breast;
’Tis manna to the hungry soul,
And to the weary, rest.

Dear Name, the Rock on which I build,
My Shield and Hiding Place,
My never failing treasury, filled
With boundless stores of grace!

By Thee my prayers acceptance gain,
Although with sin defiled;
Satan accuses me in vain,
And I am owned a child.

Jesus! my Shepherd, Husband, Friend,
O Prophet, Priest and King,
My Lord, my Life, my Way, my End,
Accept the praise I bring.

Weak is the effort of my heart,
And cold my warmest thought;
But when I see Thee as Thou art,
I’ll praise Thee as I ought.

Till then I would Thy love proclaim
With every fleeting breath,
And may the music of Thy Name
Refresh my soul in death!

Words: John Newton, Ol­ney Hymns (Lon­don: W. Ol­iv­er, 1779).

Old and New, Past and Present

On Thursday, reading along through the Bible using Paul Tripp’s, Everyday Gospel, A Daily Devotional Connecting Scripture to All of Life, we came to Malachi, the last book of the Old Testament. This year the Bible that I’m using for my daily morning reading is the Church History Study Bible, Voices from the Past ~ Wisdom for the Present.

Unlike in other study Bibles, the notes in the ESV Church History Study Bible have not been written by editors. Instead, the notes have been compiled by a team of biblical scholars and church historians. The actual contributors of the notes are a varied group, stretching back from the first and second centuries and reaching forward to the twentieth century. These are theologians, pastors, poets, laity, all offering their perspective on God’s Word. In the ESV Church History Bible we escape the tyranny of the present to see the wisdom from the past. 

In the introduction to Malachi this prayer by John Calvin (1509-1564) from his conclusion to his final lecture on Malachi was printed:

Grant, Almighty God, to help us onward in the course of faith, that we may strive to profit more from the helps that you have provided for us, so that the Law, the prophets, the voice of John the Baptist, and especially the doctrine of your only-begotten Son may more fully awaken us, that we may not hasten to him but also proceed constantly in our course and persevere in it until we shall at length obtain the victory and the crown of our calling, as you have promised us an eternal inheritance in heaven to all who faint not but wait for the coming of the great Redeemer. Amen. 

I wanted to mark this significant day of completing the Old Testament and moving forward into the New Testament with Calvin’s meaningful prayer and another quote by R.C. Sproul.

Have you read the Bible through from Genesis to Revelation? It is a good journey to take.

After posting, we heard of Voddie Baucham being called up to heaven yesterday. Another heralder of the truth is absent from our midst. Absent from earth but present with Our LORD.

Have a great Friday and last weekend of September!

Truth for Today #162

Thursday September 25th

On Thursdays my posts will include verses that stood out in my readings from the Bible during 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!

The verses that you share are appreciated and so encouraging, I’m thankful for them and for each of you! 

Habakkuk 2:18-20

“What profit is an idol
    when its maker has shaped it,
    a metal image, a teacher of lies?
For its maker trusts in his own creation
    when he makes speechless idols!
 Woe to him who says to a wooden thing, Awake;
    to a silent stone, Arise!
Can this teach?
Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver,
    and there is no breath at all in it.
 But the Lord is in his holy temple;
    let all the earth keep silence before him.”

From Vera:

“He said, “The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge, my savior; you save me from violence. I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies.”
‭‭2 Samuel‬ ‭22‬:‭2‬-‭4‬ ‭ESV‬‬

From Karen:

Colossians 3:23-24
And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;
Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance:
for ye serve the Lord Christ.

All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name ~ Hymn

All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name!

All hail the power of Jesus’ name!
Let angels prostrate fall;
Bring forth the royal diadem,
And crown Him Lord of all.
Bring forth the royal diadem,
And crown Him Lord of all.

Let highborn seraphs tune the lyre,
And as they tune it, fall
Before His face who tunes their choir,
And crown Him Lord of all.
Before His face who tunes their choir,
And crown Him Lord of all.

Crown Him, ye morning stars of light,
Who fixed this floating ball;
Now hail the strength of Israel’s might,
And crown Him Lord of all.
Now hail the strength of Israel’s might,
And crown Him Lord of all.

Crown Him, ye martyrs of your God,
Who from His altar call;
Extol the Stem of Jesse’s rod,
And crown Him Lord of all.
Extol the Stem of Jesse’s rod,
And crown Him Lord of all.

Ye seed of Israel’s chosen race,
Ye ransomed from the fall,
Hail Him who saves you by His grace,
And crown Him Lord of all.
Hail Him who saves you by His grace,
And crown Him Lord of all.

Hail Him, ye heirs of David’s line,
Whom David Lord did call,
The God incarnate, Man divine,
And crown Him Lord of all,
The God incarnate, Man divine,
And crown Him Lord of all.

Sinners, whose love can ne’er forget
The wormwood and the gall,
Go spread your trophies at His feet,
And crown Him Lord of all.
Go spread your trophies at His feet,
And crown Him Lord of all.

Let every tribe and every tongue
Before Him prostrate fall
And shout in universal song
The crownèd Lord of all.
And shout in universal song
The crownèd Lord of all.

O that, with yonder sacred throng,
We at His feet may fall,
Join in the everlasting song,
And crown Him Lord of all,
Join in the everlasting song,
And crown Him Lord of all!

Words: Edward Perronet, 1726-1792.

Truth for Today #161

Thursday September 18th

On Thursdays my posts will include verses that stood out in my readings from the Bible during 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!

The verses that you share are appreciated and so encouraging, I’m thankful for them and for each of you! 

James 3:1-5

 Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.  For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body.  If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well.  Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs.  So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things.

From Dianna:

“Let nothing be done through strife or vain glory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not everyone on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.” Philippians 2:3-4 KJV

From Vera:

“On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine, of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined. And he will swallow up on this mountain the covering that is cast over all peoples, the veil that is spread over all nations. He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the Lord has spoken. It will be said on that day, “Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us. This is the Lord; we have waited for him; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.””
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭25‬:‭6‬-‭9‬ ‭ESV‬‬

From Karen:

Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few. Matthews 9:27

From Nikkipolani:

John 6:29

Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.”

Adieu to Summer Hodgepodge

A summer sea scape dinner party to celebrate the end of summer from our deck in our former home. This is also a nod to Addy’s creative under the sea outfit at the Feis. (End of post)

It’s time for Wednesday Hodgepodge and Joyce has a fresh batch of questions to prove it.

Dinner parties were mentioned in one of our questions so here are a collection of dinner parties from the past with the Mennonite Girls Can Cook in Canada.

1.  Are you more life of the party or more party pooper? If your answer is somewhere in the middle which side of the middle do you lean towards more? 

I think I’m a little above middle, more toward life than pooper. 🙂 I might be one of the first ones to say goodnight these days.

Birthday party, beach party, cocktail party, dinner party, charity fundraiser, surprise party, costume party, garden party, Christmas party, reunion...what’s your favorite kind of party? 

Dinner party and Christmas Party are my favorites!

2. Cheese, wine, and balsamic vinegar all improve with age. What would you personally add to the list? 

Personally I believe human beings, relationships, marriage, and friendships should all improve with age. Most importantly, my faith and trust in Christ should improve with age and I should be more like Christ each new year. This is challenging and humbling and something I’d never attain to without the Holy Spirit, our Helper.

3. How do you feel about your birthday? How do you want to be celebrated? Or don’t you? 

I enjoy my birthday regardless of fanfare. I do enjoy having special meals with loved ones to celebrate my birthday. I’m past needing or wanting gifts other than good times with family and friends. A card or note or text is gift enough.

4. What remarkable feat, interesting piece of trivia, or historical event occurred on your birth day and month? Not necessarily your same birth year, just the same date/month. 

March 14th: It is Pi (π) day, 3.14.

In 1942 Anne Miller became the first American patient to be treated with Penicillin on this day.

5. Share two good things about your life right now. 

Right now my health is good (I do have some typical old lady aches and pains) and my life in the country is good. I’m where I’m supposed to be. It is so good to be in the same town as our grandchildren.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

On Friday I’ll share more about Addy’s first Irish Feis!

This outfit isn’t representative of an Irish Feis but it played a special role in a creative dance challenge (Water, Under the Sea) at the end of the festival (feis).

He Hideth My Soul ~ Hymn

He Hideth My Soul

A wonderful Savior is Jesus my Lord,
A wonderful Savior to me;
He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock,
Where rivers of pleasure I see.

Refrain

He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock
That shadows a dry, thirsty land;
He hideth my life with the depths of His love,
And covers me there with His hand,
And covers me there with His hand.

A wonderful Savior is Jesus my Lord,
He taketh my burden away;
He holdeth me up, and I shall not be moved,
He giveth me strength as my day.

Refrain

With numberless blessings each moment He crowns,
And filled with His fullness divine,
I sing in my rapture, oh, glory to God
For such a Redeemer as mine!

Refrain

When clothed in His brightness, transported I rise
To meet Him in clouds of the sky,
His perfect salvation, His wonderful love
I’ll shout with the millions on high.

Refrain

Words: Fanny Crosby

‘Jesus Revolution’

 

I mentioned ‘Jesus Revolution’ in a post a while back. Living in Southern California in the early 70’s there was no way to miss the buzz of what was going on and how the movement started amongst ‘hippies’ and others. I was not a hippy but I was a young believer (I wore bell-bottoms) and the noise attracted me. I wanted to see what it was all about.

Jesus was NOT a hippie. He was NOT a rebel. He obeyed His Father and did all that His Father asked Him to do, even dying on a cross.

Being born again comes with responsibility and at the point of your repentance and regeneration you are justified, yes, but you are also sanctified and continue to be sanctified. You know Jesus is Lord and you are His follower. I didn’t grow in this movement. I enjoyed some of the experience but I couldn’t stay there and I didn’t stay there. I had to find solid teaching (meat) for my journey.

I am not denying that some come to a saving faith during these movements but for continued growth and stability solid Biblical teaching is necessary. You don’t want to be in a constant ‘tossing about by every wind of doctrine’.

It’s not about just who you are it’s about what Jesus did for you and how He can change you to become more like Him.

God can and will save you but He won’t leave you as you are.

From Alistair Begg, Truth for Life (March 10, 2023):

Whatever your preferred terminology, this much is always true: the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ isn’t simply a free pass that excuses us to do as we please. No, the gospel calls us and empowers us to do what pleases the Lord. The key is that the gospel always turns us back to Jesus. As you look to Christ for your righteousness, He will enable you to “lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely” and strengthen you to run the unique race God has set out for you (Hebrews 12:1-2). So today, be sure not to trust in your righteous living to earn you salvation or blessing from the Lord. But equally, be sure not to make the mistake of allowing your salvation to tempt you to be half-hearted in your pursuit of righteous living. You have been made righteous; now go and live righteously.

(I wrote this post in 2023 and never published it so I’m publishing it now)