Tag Archives: Christ

“Our God, Maker of Heaven and Earth”

agriculture bloom blossom clouds

“O God, Our Help in ages past,

Our Hope for years to come.

Our Shelter from the stormy blast,

And our Eternal Home!

Under the shadow of Thy throne

Still may we dwell secure

Sufficient is Thine arm alone,

And our defense is sure.

Before the hills in order stood

Or earth received its frame,

From everlasting Thou art God,

To endless years the same.

O God, our Help in ages past,

Our Hope for years to come,

Be Thou our Guide while life shall last,

And our Eternal Home.”

From Hymn – “O God Our Help In Ages Past” – By Isaac Watts

“Be Still My Soul”

stormy ocean with splashing waves in cloudy day

Be still, my soul — the LORD is on your side!

Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain;

Leave to you God to order and provide.

In every change God faithful will remain.

Be still, my soul–Your best, your heavenly Friend

Through thorny ways, leads to a joyful end.

Be still my soul! Your God will undertake,

To guide the future as in ages past.

Your hope, your confidence let nothing shake;

All now mysterious will be bright at last.

Be still my soul!

The waves and winds still know,

The Christ who ruled them while He dwelt below.

“Be still my soul…”

Hymn by- Katharina von Schlegel and Jean Sibelius

“Be still and know that I am God”

– Psalms 46:10 KJV, Psalms 46:11 TLV

Standing Firm Through The Storm

close up photo of coconut tree

“To learn strong faith, is to endure great trials. I have learned my faith by standing firm amid severe testings.”

– George Mueller

Relaxed Confidence

When Abraham gave first choice to Lot, and Lot took the best and greenest pastures for himself, Abraham simply let it be so. Then God promised to give him all the land, as far as his eyes could see, to the east, west, north and south. It didn’t matter that Lot had taken the best for himself. Abraham held a relaxed confidence in God and His promises.

My hope for the future, my trust in your precious promises, and everything that concerns me, is secure in You, LORD,

So I choose to relax, and place my confidence in You.

 

“Remember Me”

“And He took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.” Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.” Luke 22:19-20

There are many traditions, holidays, and ceremonies, that we observe and hold in remembrance, and many of them in the name of Christianity. We celebrate birthdays, and Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Easter, and that’s fine, they are special days, and it’s good to celebrate, but there is one thing that the Lord has asked us to observe, in remembrance of Him, and the sacrifice that He made to redeem us, saying, “Do this as oft as you will, in remembrance of me.”  II Corinthians 11:25

As we remember the last supper today, we are also reminded of Christ’s sacrificial love for all of us…We are reminded of His tremendous suffering, and the price that He paid to save us, and that by His grace, through faith, we are saved.

Thank you, Jesus.

Spring of Hope

 “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing,

so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.”

Romans 15:13

Perfect Light

“Star of wonder, Star of night,

Star with royal beauty bright,

Westward leading,  Still proceeding.

Guide us to thy

Perfect Light“

-John Hopkins Jr.

The Stone Is Sealed

“…There came a rich man of Arimathaea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus’ disciple:

 He went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered.

 And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth,

 And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed…

 Now the next day, that followed the day of the preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate,

 Saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again.

 Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse than the first.

 Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch: go your way, make it as sure as ye can.

So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch.”

Matthew 27:57-66

Just as He Said

“He was handed over for our transgressions and raised up for the sake of setting us right.”

“He is risen, just as He said!”

Romans 4:25 and Matthew 28:6

TLV

Happy New Year

Behold, I will do a new thing;

now it shall spring forth; shall you not know it?

I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.”

Isaiah 43: 18-19

 

Humble Beginnings

“And this shall be a sign unto you;

Ye shall find the babe

Wrapped in swaddling clothes,

Lying in a manger.”

Luke 12:2

Black Friday

We were “in the red“, and Jesus put us “in the black.”

On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,
The emblem of suffering and shame;
And I love that old cross where the dearest and best
For a world of lost sinners was slain.

So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross,
Till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
And exchange it some day for a crown.

O that old rugged cross, so despised by the world,
Has a wondrous attraction for me;
For the dear Lamb of God left His glory above
To bear it to dark Calvary.

In that old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,
A wondrous beauty I see,
For ’twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died,
To pardon and sanctify me.

To the old rugged cross I will ever be true;
Its shame and reproach gladly bear;
Then He’ll call me some day to my home far away,
Where His glory forever I’ll share.

George Bernard

It’s By Design

“…Being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things after the counsel of His own will…”

“…We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose…”

Ephesians 1:11 , Romans 8:28

A Sweet Fragrance

“For we are a sweet fragrance to God in Christ

 among those who have life and among those who perish. “

2 Corinthians 2:15

About My Future

It’s Bright!

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD,

“plans to prosper you and not to harm you,

plans to give you hope and a future.”

Jeremiah 29:11

Now Faith Is

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen…

By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of  the king’s commandment. By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter;

Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a time; Esteeming the reproach of the Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he looked for the recompense of the reward.

By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king:

for he endured, as seeing Him who is invisible.

Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest He that destroyed the firstborn should touch them.

By faith they passed through the Red sea as on dry land: which the Egyptians attempting to do were drowned.

By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.”

Hebrews 11:1, 23-30

Temple Cleansed

“Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God,

… For ye are bought with a price…”

Corinthians 6:19-20a

Once we commit our lives to Christ, our bodies become the temple of the Holy Spirit.

David prayed in Psalm 51 saying, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” He asked the LORD to come in, and cleanse his “temple”, and then, he asked the LORD to renew a right spirit within him.

This week is holy week, and as I remember the events leading up to the crucifixion, I reflect on how Christ “cleansed the temple”, and how, because of His sacrafice, and by His blood, I too have been made clean, and by His Holy Spirit, a right spirit is renewed within me.

Thank You, Lord Jesus.

Dress for Success

“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God…”

Ephesians 6:10-18

Forgiven

“As high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.”

 Psalm 103:11-12

Marvelous Light

“But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light…”

I Peter 2:9

Victorious

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?  Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?…Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us.”

Romans 8:35 and 37