The Glory of the cross!!!

This is one of my favourite songs. It talks about the cross and its importance in our lives

The Glory of the Cross
What wisdom once devised the plan

Where all our sin and pride

Was placed upon the perfect Lamb

Who suffered, bled, and died?

The wisdom of a Sovereign God

Whose greatness will be shown

When those who crucified Your Son

Rejoice around Your throne

Chorus

And, oh, the glory of the cross

That You would send Your Son for us

I gladly count my life as loss

That I might come to know

The glory of, the glory of the cross

What righteousness was there revealed

That sets the guilty free

That justifies ungodly men

And calls the filthy clean?

A righteousness that proved to all

Your justice has been met

And holy wrath is satisfied

Through one atoning death

Chorus

What mercy now has been proclaimed

For those who would believe

A love incomprehensible

Our minds could not conceive?

A mercy that forgives my sin

Then makes me like Your Son

And now I’m loved forevermore

Because of what You’ve done

Words and music by Bob Kauflin
As recorded on Songs for the Cross Centered Life
© 2000 Sovereign Grace Praise (BMI).

Give thanks unto the Lord

There are so many things we can give thanks unto the Lord..For our salvation, His word, the church, our jobs(in this recession) fellowship with the Body of Christ and many more things...Yet so many times instead of thanking the Lord we are grumbling and complaining... something we always need to do is keep a constant check on our heart attitudes and our mind... Its always good to be meditating on Scripture so that our mind is filled with truth as it says in Col 3:16 " Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. with thankfulness in your heart". It is important to be thankful unto the Lord and that too in every situation, be it good or bad, as he is in control of our lives and he knows what is good for us.(Rom 8:28 "And we know that those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose")
Psalm 138 in the words of David portrays it well

Give Thanks to the LORD
Of David.

138:1 I give you thanks, O Lord, with my whole heart;before the gods I sing your praise;

2 I bow down toward your holy templeand give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness,for you have exalted above all thingsyour name and your word.

3 On the day I called, you answered me;my strength of soul you increased.
4 All the kings of the earth shall give you thanks, O Lord,for they have heard the words of your mouth,

5 and they shall sing of the ways of the Lord,for great is the glory of the Lord.

6 For though the Lord is high, he regards the lowly,but the haughty he knows from afar.
7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble,you preserve my life;you stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies,and your right hand delivers me.

8 The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me;your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever.Do not forsake the work of your hands.

So Give Thanks!!!

To dear Carol

This post is dedicated to my sister, Carol who has completed one whole year of working as a P.A. to the Dean of a reputed design college. She is not only my sister, but a dear sister in Christ too!!! She loves the Lord and desires to imitate Him in every way!!! And I praise God immensely for the wonderful work He is doing in her life.....Few scripture verses to encourage you in the Lord!!!

"What gain has the worker from his toil? I have seen the business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with. He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, He has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live; also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil-this is God's gift to man." Ecclesiastes 3: 9-13.

May you have wonderful days ahead of you and may God bless and establish the work of your hands.

Joy in my God

Though the fig tree should not blossom,
nor fruit be on the vines,
the produce of the olive fail
and fields yield no food,
and there be no herd in the stalls,
yet I will rejoice in the LORD;
I will take joy in the God of my salvation.
Habakkuk 3:17-18

My life is hidden in Christ!!

I was listening to this song yesterday on my comp and I realised that I have been saved through Christ alone and I am kept by Him alone...

"For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory." Colossians 3:3-4

"In Christ Alone"

Words and Music by Keith Getty & Stuart Townend

Copyright © 2001 Kingsway Thankyou Music

In Christ alone my hope is found;

He is my light, my strength, my song;

This cornerstone, this solid ground,

Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.

What heights of love, what depths of peace,

When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!

My comforter, my all in all—

Here in the love of Christ I stand.

In Christ alone, Who took on flesh,

Fullness of God in helpless babe!

This gift of love and righteousness,

Scorned by the ones He came to save.

Till on that cross as Jesus died,

The wrath of God was satisfied;

For ev'ry sin on Him was laid—

Here in the death of Christ I live.

There in the ground His body lay,

Light of the world by darkness slain;

Then bursting forth in glorious day,

Up from the grave He rose again!

And as He stands in victory,

Sin's curse has lost its grip on me;

For I am His and He is mine—

Bought with the precious blood of Christ.

No guilt in life, no fear in death—

This is the pow'r of Christ in me;

From life's first cry to final breath,

Jesus commands my destiny.

No pow'r of hell, no scheme of man,

Can ever pluck me from His hand;

Till He returns or calls me home—

Here in the pow'r of Christ I'll stand.

Amen!!!

My first post...

Well this is my first post in this blog. It was started by my sister and i thought why not put in some of my posts too.. so here it is..

A lesson that the Lord has been teaching me for quite some time is contentment.Very naturally as human beings we grumble about everythin, the weather, our job and the list goes on.. As children of God this atttitude does not glorify Him. As it says in Phillipians 2:14 "Do all this without grumbling or questioning". And it is a command. If we proclaim ourselves to be Christians we are supposed to obey his word, and give thanks to him always in everything(1Thel 5:18).

I remember Pastor Tom preaching in Kerusso Bible church some time back on this sin issue. It was very convicting as many a times we think it aint a sin to grumble.. We may say i am just sayin how I feel. But we actually are complaining to God and tellin him that,we dont like the way he is running my life...So let us learn to be content in every situation the Lord has put us in , as it says in 1Timothy6:6 "Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment"

Blessed Be Your Name!

I love to sing this song as it reminds me again and again of the need to bless God's name no matter what situation I may be in...It is irrelevant! Just meditating on the words is soothing to my aching soul!!!! Lord Jesus, I choose to worship You and give thanks at all times, Blessed be Your NAME!!!


Blessed Be Your Name
By Matt Redman

Blessed be Your name
In the land that is plentiful
Where your streams of abundance flow
Blessed be Your name

Blessed be Your name
When I'm found in the desert place
Though I walk through the wilderness
Blessed be Your name

Every blessing You pour out
I'll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in,
LordStill I will say

Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

Blessed be Your name
When the sun's shining down on me
When the world's 'all as it should be'
Blessed be Your name

Blessed be Your name
On the road marked with suffering
Though there's pain in the offering
Blessed be Your name

Every blessing You pour out
I'll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in,
Lord Still I will say

Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

Every blessing You pour out
I'll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in,
Lord Still I will say

Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

You give and take away
You give and take away
But my heart will choose to say
Lord blessed be your name

Blessed be the name of the lord
Blessed be your name
Blessed be the name of the lord
Blessed be your glorious name

Turn your eyes upon Jesus

I just know the refrain of this beautiful song. And as I sing and truly focus my thoughts on my Saviour and Lord, I pray dear Lord that "the things of this world would grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace" Will you sing with me??

O soul, are you weary and troubled?
No light in the darkness you see?
There’s light for a look at the Savior,
And life more abundant and free!

Refrain:
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.


Through death into life everlasting
He passed, and we follow Him there;
O’er us sin no more hath dominion—
For more than conquerors we are!


His Word shall not fail you—He promised;
Believe Him, and all will be well:
Then go to a world that is dying,
His perfect salvation to tell!

By Helen .H. Lemmel

Knowing God's will

"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." 1 Thessalonians 5 :16-18

What is God's will for my life? How often has this qs. troubled my soul, I cannot recount. But God's Word is so clear and so wonderfully has His will spelled out that I fail to see sometimes. I have asked this to myself several times. Is it because I want something stupendous to undertake or am I just blind? I don't know.

Here we have Paul, who has clearly written what God requires of me in Christ Jesus:

To rejoice at all times

To pray without ceasing

To give thanks in all circumstances.

Is this really hard to follow or is my heart so stuck upon doing the things I desire? Oh!!! May it never be O Lord!!! I desire to do Your will. To be glad in You and ask of You and give thanks to You is what my heart wants to do!!! Only in Your strength can this be achieved.

Favorite verses

"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast." Ephesians 2:8-9.

"And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose. " Romans 8: 28

"For the Lord will not cast off forever, but, though he cause grief, He will have compassion according to the abundance of His steadfast love; for He does not willingly afflict or grieve the children of men." Lamentations 3:31-33

Resolved

Borrowing the words of Jonathan Edwards to write some thoughts of what I desire to accomplish or at least tune my heart in that very direction……with His grace alone….

“BEING SENSIBLE THAT I AM UNABLE TO DO ANYTHING WITHOUT GOD' S HELP, I DO HUMBLY ENTREAT HIM BY HIS GRACE TO ENABLE ME TO KEEP THESE RESOLUTIONS, SO FAR AS THEY ARE AGREEABLE TO HIS WILL, FOR CHRIST' S SAKE.”


Some resolutions of Jonathan Edwards that I would desire to see take root in my own feeble life…..

Resolved, never to lose one moment of time; but improve it the most profitable way I possibly can.

Resolved, to act, in all respects, both speaking and doing, as if nobody had been so vile as I, and as if I had committed the same sins, or had the same infirmities or failings as others; and that I will let the knowledge of their failings promote nothing but shame in myself, and prove only an occasion of my confessing my own sins and misery to God.

Resolved, to think much on all occasions of my own dying, and of the common circumstances which attend death.

Resolved, if I take delight in it as a gratification of pride, or vanity, or on any such account, immediately to throw it by.

Resolved, never to do any thing out of revenge.

Resolved, never to suffer the least motions of anger towards irrational beings.

Resolved, to maintain the strictest temperance, in eating and drinking.

Resolved, whenever I do any conspicuously evil action, to trace it back, till I come to the original cause; and then, both carefully endeavor to do so no more, and to fight and pray with all my might against the original of it.

Resolved, to examine carefully, and constantly, what that one thing in me is, which causes me in the least to doubt of the love of God; and to direct all my forces against it.

Resolved, to study the Scriptures so steadily, constantly and frequently, as that I may find, and plainly perceive myself to grow in the knowledge of the same.

Resolved, never to count that a prayer, nor to let that pass as a prayer, nor that as a petition of a prayer, which is so made, that I cannot hope that God will answer it; nor that as a confession, which I cannot hope God will accept.

Resolved, to ask myself, at the end of every day, week, month and year, wherein I could possibly, in any respect, have done better.

Resolved, never to allow the least measure of any fretting uneasiness at my father or mother. Resolved to suffer no effects of it, so much as in the least alteration of speech, or motion of my eye: and to be especially careful of it with respect to any of our family.

Whenever I hear anything spoken in conversation of any person, if I think it would be praiseworthy in me, Resolved to endeavor to imitate it.

Resolved, not only to refrain from an air of dislike, fretfulness, and anger in conversation, but to exhibit an air of love, cheerfulness and benignity.

Resolved, very much to exercise myself in this, all my life long, viz. with the greatest openness, of which I am capable of, to declare my ways to God, and lay open my soul to him: all my sins, temptations, difficulties, sorrows, fears, hopes, desires, and every thing, and every circumstance.

Resolved, to confess frankly to myself all that which I find in myself, either infirmity or sin; and, if it be what concerns religion, also to confess the whole case to God, and implore needed help.

Let there be something of benevolence, in all that I speak.

God's infinite wisdom displayed

I am reading ,"Trusting God, even when life hurts"by Jerry Bridges probably the third time and yet there is so much to grasp and mull over!!! It is very important to trust God and the way He runs this universe and more so how He chooses to run my life.....Nothing honors God more when we choose to trust Him completely when life makes no sense at all!!!

The question I ask myself again and again, Is God my Father worthy of my trust?? Absolutely!!! Even when circumstances are difficult and painful? Yes!!! God is good and He is my Creator. He can do as He pleases!!!
"I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the LORD, do all these things." (Isaiah 45:7)

I have always struggled with my height and especially when people pass me over as a kid or think I'm a teenager!! It's a great compliment for a lady to be thought of as very young....Trust me, it feels good...But every coin has two sides of it!!! And I won't go into the detals of it either.....

That's why I love this verse from Psalm 139.....
"I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made" (Psalm 139:14)

And this is for all those who struggle with the way you look... Think about it.....God made you that way because He wanted you precisely that way!!!

I love what Rev. James Hufstetler said......
"You are the result of the attentive, careful, thoughtful, intimate, detailed, creative work of God. Your personality, your sex, your height, your features, are what they are because God made them precisely that way. He made you that way He did because that is the way He wants you to be.....If God had wanted you to be basically and creatively different he would have made you differently. Your genes and chromosomes and creaturely distinctiveness-even the shape of your nose and ears-are what they are by God'd design." From the book -On knowing oneself"

It's settled in my heart......I am fearfully and wonderfully made......