Waiting on Him

This Saturday's music video is fun, upbeat, and, most importantly, packed with a great message that we all need to hear. Enjoy.



--Coffey - Wait on the Lord

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Curious

Photo credit: krystian.sikora

We are born curious...
God has the answers.

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Sky Gallery

Photo credit: madcrow

The sky is a gallery
Offering daily viewings
Of the unrivaled talent
Of the Master Artist.

How blind the man
Who chooses to believe
That all of this beauty
Came about by chance.

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A Time To Frolic

Photo credit: tinysparrow.

Do you ever feel
So completely in love
With the Lord your God
That you want to run,
laugh, turn cartwheels,
And abandon yourself to joy?

Why hold it in?
Find a field and frolic!

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No-Brainer

Photo credit: shawnmanji13


We laugh at warnings
That seem to be no-brainers,
Yet how many times
Do we ignore the no-brainer
Warnings on sin in the Bible
And do what we want anyway?

Pretty dumb, huh?

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Reachable

If God called you to move from your comfortable home, leave your career, family, and friends behind, and move to some remote area and live for the majority of your life among people who may seem to be only a few steps away from the stone age, could you do it? Today's ministry video presents the challenges and hard-won successes of living and working among people the world sees as unreachable for Christ.



--New Tribes Mission among the tribal peoples of Venezuela

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Is Life Passing Us By?

We should live every moment for Christ, anticipating anew what opportunities await for us to live for Him at the dawn of each day. We know this...but do we really practice it? May the words of this song be true for all of us.



--Rachel Scott - Life Won't Pass Me By

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Seeing Christ

What do we really see when we pass a homeless person, a beggar, a prostitute? What do we really feel when we hear of the widows and orphans of war or of those dying of AIDS in far-away lands? Do we ever see Christ in those faces? Do we ever truly understand Jesus' words in Matthew 25:40?



--Rachel Scott - The Least of These

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The Child He Loves

Photo credit: Jesus Belzunce


Within us all
Beneath the blemishes
Under the scars
And wrinkles
And bruises
Lives the child
That Jesus loves
And always has loved...

Warts and all

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Opinions

Photo credit: Sandralette...


The Enemy of our souls
Calls us useless, out-of-place,
In a world he wishes to conform
Into his dark image.

The Lover of our souls
Calls us useful, salt and light,
Bringing His colors to a world
Grey and cold and dying.

Which of these two opinions
Do our actions and attitudes
Show we agree with?

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The Audit

Photo credit: Jean-Luc Weber


We have been called
To welcome the stranger,
To care for the orphaned,
To feed the hungry,
To look after the sick,
To provide for the widowed,
To give drink to the thirsty,
To bring hope to the hopeless,
And much, much more.

If Christ was to audit our efforts,
And ask today for a progress report
On how we show His love to others,
How do you think we would do?

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The Rejected One

Photo credit: sintasol


Remember...

The world may reject us
It also rejected Him

Yet He never rejects us
When we come

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Operation Christmas Child

With today's post we begin a new feature: Ministry Monday. Every Monday I will try to offer up a video or blurb about one of the many ministries out there that you may wish to be involved with on some level whether through prayer, finances, or personal service. For our inaugural post check out this video featuring Franklin Graham presenting Operation Christmas Child, a ministry of Samaritans Purse.

www.samaritanspurse.org/occ

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Saving Strength

Despite the scrapes we manage to get ourselves into, no matter the unforeseen problems that arise in our fallen world, regardless of the ways we have failed to live up to our high calling in Him, God is always reaching out to us in order to lift us out of the mire and restore us to full fellowship with Him. He truly is mighty to save.



--Michael W. Smith - Mighty To Save

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Consuming Passion

Is our God merely a Sunday attraction, a once-a-weekend fix to get us feeling self-righteous throughout the week? I pray not. No, our God should be much more than that to us. Being his children and walking in His ways should be our passions. Like in the words of this song, we should want such a closeness with him that we are able to plead with our whole hearts to have him "consume us" from the inside out.



--Hillsong United - From the Inside Out

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Questions and Response

Photo credit: worshiphim24_7

"We live unto the Lord."
Romans 14:8

If God had willed it, each of us might have entered heaven at the moment of conversion. It was not absolutely necessary for our preparation for immortality that we should tarry here. It is possible for a man to be taken to heaven, and to be found meet to be a partaker of the inheritance of the saints in light, though he has but just believed in Jesus.

It is true that our sanctification is a long and continued process, and we shall not be perfected till we lay aside our bodies and enter within the veil; but nevertheless, had the Lord so willed it, he might have changed us from imperfection to perfection, and have taken us to heaven at once.

Why then are we here? Would God keep his children out of paradise a single moment longer than was necessary? Why is the army of the living God still on the battle-field when one charge might give them the victory? Why are his children still wandering hither and thither through a maze, when a solitary word from his lips would bring them into the center of their hopes in heaven?

The answer is--they are here that they may "live unto the Lord," and may bring others to know his love. We remain on earth as sowers to scatter good seed; as plowmen to break up the fallow ground; as heralds publishing salvation. We are here as the "salt of the earth," to be a blessing to the world. We are here to glorify Christ in our daily life. We are here as workers for him, and as "workers together with him."

Let us see that our life answers its end. Let us live earnest, useful, holy lives, to "the praise of the glory of his grace." Meanwhile we long to be with him, and daily sing--

"My heart is with him on his throne,
And ill can brook delay;
Each moment listening for the voice,
Rise up, and come away.'"

--from Morning and Evening by Charles Haddon Spurgeon

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Big, Bad World

Photo credit: Tjflex2


Hideaway

Sometimes I just want to hide away,
Escape the dangers of the everyday,
Avoid life's stresses that come my way...

Sometimes.

Sometimes I wish I could disappear,
Post a big sign that says "Out of here,"
Live somewhere without worry or fear...

Sometimes.

But You have called me to live in light,
Swim in the rapids, fight the good fight,
Live and walk worthily in your sight.

But sometimes,

It's just...
So...
Hard.

HELP!

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Eye-Opener

Photo credit: jeffreyhollis


The Visual Feast

Rich russet and gold,
Bright scarlet and green,
Changes we behold
Or those yet unseen,

The Great God of love
Chooses to bestow
These gifts from above
For all men below.

Yet are we grateful
For the joys we view
Or blindly prideful
And think them our due?

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Conference Call

I'm off to a missions conference at a retreat center in upstate New York, so there will be no posts until I get back. Please take time, though, to browse through the older posts until I return. I'll probably be able to post again on Tuesday or Wednesday of next week.

Blessings,

John

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The Mediator

Photo credit: "†OnlyByGrace&qu ot;

The Mediator

by Hans Sachs


O Christ, true Son of God most high,

Thy name we praise for ever;

Whoe'er to Thee for help doth cry

Shall find Thee fail him never;

'Tis Thou wilt plead,

Thou intercede

With God, for us who need Thy prayers so sore:

Thy bitter strife

Hath wrought us life,

And Thine be thanks and praise for evermore!


To Thee the Father giveth now

All power in earth and heaven;

Sin, Satan, Death to Thee must bow,

All fetters Thou hast riven,

Bade fear to cease,

And made our peace,

That now to God we dare our hearts outpour:

Thy bitter strife

Hath wrought us life,

And Thine be thanks and praise for evermore!


Fulness of grace is in Thy Word;

The Life, the Truth, the Way

To life eternal art Thou, Lord;

To Thee alone we pray,

Who didst appear

A servant here

To bear the sin that crushed the world before:

Thy bitter strife

Hath wrought us life,

And Thine be thanks and praise for evermore!


--from Christian Singers of Germany
by Catherine Winkworth

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No More Despair

Photo credit: Dainis Matisons

No More Despair

by Heinrich Frauenlob

Now will I nevermore despair of heaven,

Since it is Thine, my Father, who hast given

Thy glorious kingdom to the poor indeed.

Yea, mighty God, since Father is Thy name,

Christ for my brother I may dare to claim,

And He for all my sins will help me plead.

A brother's truth to us He swore

When on Himself He took humanity,

For us alone that form He wore,

For us alone hung high upon the Tree.

Look in what cruel sorrows there He pined!

Dear Lord, I bid thee call those woes to mind,

And, brother-like, entreat Thy Father, who is mine,

To give me, too, my lot in that blest heritage of Thine.


--from Christian Singers of Germany
by Catherine Winkworth

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Bonds of Compassion

Photo credit: roy_mac_an_iarla

Alas for my sorrow!

My heart is in pain;

Where is hope for the morrow

To whom now complain?

O God, take compassion

On me lying low,

And comfort, O comfort me,

Through Thine own woe.


Keenly regretful,

I call to my mind

How we are forgetful,

How He is so kind!

Who gladly, yet painfully,

Yielded His breath,

Only to ransom us

Ever from death.


Where shall I find Him,

Him dearest to me,

Who let His foes bind Him

That we might be free?


--from Christian Singers of Germany
by Catherine Winkworth

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The Appeal

Thou Heavenly Lord of Light,

Guide us with grace and might

To Thine own realm, to be

Forever like to Thee.

Lord Christ, from heaven above

Send us Thy Father's love,

That we to heaven may go,

Nor suffer the least woe.


--from Christian Singers of Germany
by Catherine Winkworth

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Caught Up in the Moment

Sit back, get comfortable, close your eyes, and allow yourself to slip into pure worship with this song.



--Kari Jobe - Revelation Song

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Constant Companion

What a comfort to know that we are never alone. Even in those times when all seems dark and hopeless, Christ is there, waiting with the light of His love to guide us through the night. What a savior! What a friend!



--Mercy Me - Here With Me

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Training for Life

Photo credit: ltfitnesstrainer

"I know him that he will do the law" (Genesis 18:19)

God wants people that He can depend upon. He could say of Abraham, "I know him, that the Lord may bring upon Abraham all that He hath spoken." God can be depended upon; He wants us to be just as decided, as reliable, as stable. This is just what faith means. God is looking for men on whom He can put the weight of all His love, and power, and faithful promises.

When God finds such a soul there is nothing He will not do for him. God's engines are strong enough to draw any weight we attach to them. Unfortunately the cable which we fasten to the engine is often too weak to hold the weight of our prayer, therefore God is drilling us, disciplining us, and training us to stability and certainty in the life of faith. Let us learn our lessons, and let us stand fast.

God has His best things for the few
Who dare to stand the test;
God has his second choice for those
Who will not have His best.

Give me, O Lord, Thy highest choice,
Let others take the rest.
Their good things have no charm for me,
For I have got Thy best.

--from Days of Heaven Upon Earth by A.B. Simpson

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Deeply Rooted

Photo credit: Ben

"Blessed is the man that walketh not" (Psalm 1:1)

Three things are notable about this man:

1. His company. "He walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful."

2. His reading and thinking. "His delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law doth he meditate day and night."

3. His fruitfulness. "And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither, and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper."

The river is the Holy Ghost; the planting, the deep, abiding life in which, not occasionally, but habitually, we absorb the Holy Spirit; and the fruit is not occasional, but continual, and appropriate to each changing season. His life is also prosperous, and his spirit fresh, like the unfading leaf. Such a life must be happy. Indeed, happiness is a matter of spiritual conditions. Put a sunbeam in a cellar and it must be bright. Put a nightingale in the darkest midnight, and it must sing.

--from Days of Heaven Upon Earth by A.B. Simpson

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