Month: April 2020

Thanks to God for My Redeemer

It is easy to thank God for roses.
It is much harder to thank Him
for the thorns. This hymn offers
a mature approach to thanksgiving,
showing appreciation for pain and
pleasure as well as joy and sorrow.
August Storm wrote this hymn in
1981 while still a young man of 29.
He worked for the Salvation Army
in Sweden and published this hymn
in organisation’s periodical War City.
Just eight years after writing this
hymn, Storm was stricken with
a back problem that left him crippled
for the rest of his life. He managed
to continue Salvation Army work,
and he managed a thankful spirit
even during this most difficult time.
If anything, his troubles gave more
credibility to his sermons & writings.

Give Thanks to the Lord and
proclaim His greatness. Let the
whole world know what He has
done. Sing to Him; yes sing His
praises. Tell everyone about His
wonderful deeds. Exult in His holy
name; rejoice, you who worship
the Lord. Search for the Lord
and for His strength; continually
Seek Him for help (Psalm 105:1-4).

Lord, I proclaim Your greatness and
Thank You for what You have done.
Thank You for the many promises
in Your Word that You will come
and strengthen me & reveal Yourself
so that I can know U more intimately.
Cause me to seek You with all
my heart, to search for You daily
and to depend on Your strength
each day. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Lord, help me live a life of gratitude
for the many blessings You have
so generously given to me. I trust
You Lord to fill the hole in my heart
with Your presence. I bow to Your
sovereign will, whether You choose
to deliver soon or continue to
withhold what I perceive to be
missing. For I know all things will
work together for good. Amen.

Thanks to God for My Redeemer,
Thanks for all Thou dost provide!
Thanks for times now but a memory,
Thanks for Jesus by my side!
Thanks for pleasant balmy springtime
Thanks for dark and dreary fall!
Thanks for tears by now forgotten,
Thanks for peace within my soul!!!
Tks for prayers Thou has answered,
Thanks for what Thou dost deny!
Thks for storms that I hv weathered
Thanks for all Thou dost supply!
Thanks for pain & thanks for pleasure
Thanks for comfort in despair!
Tks for grace that none can measure
Thanks for Love beyond compare!

There’s Wideness In God’s Mercy

Brought up as a Calvinistic Anglican,
Frederick Fabre was ordained in the
Church of England. But at age 31,
he converted to Roman Catholicism
following his friend John Newman
& was rebaptized as Father Wilfred.
In 1849 Newman asked Fabre to
open an oratory – a place of prayer.
When Faber opened his oratory,
it soon became a place of both
prayer & music. Faber was concerned
that British Roman Catholics did
not have a heritage of humnwriters
like Watts, Wesley and Newton.
He began writing hymns so that
Catholics too could be a hymn-
singing people. However, Faber’s
hymns including Wideness in God’s
mercy became more familiar to
Protestants than to Catholics.

Lord, we praise Your Love & Mercy:
Acknowledge that the Lord is God!
He made us and we are His. We are
His people, the sheep of His pasture.
Enter His gates with Thanksgiving;
go into His courts with Praise. Give
Thanks to Him and Praise His name.
For the Lord Is Good. His unfailing
love continues forever, and His
faithfulness continues to each
generation (Psa 100:3-5) Amen.

Lord, I come before You with Praise
and Thanksgiving for all You are and
everything You have done for me.
No matter what happens in my life
or in the world around me, I will
not sink to the level of the problem.
I will instead rise to the level of the
solution and Praise You Lord as
the solution to all my problems.
In Jesus’ mighty name, Amen.

Lord, transform my heart and give
me an attitude of gratefulness.
Open my eyes to see Your hand
in every area of my life. And when
I have forgotten Your Goodness,
remind me of what an awesome
God You are and the many things
I have to be really thankful for.
I thank You Lord for Your Goodness,
love, mercy and faithfulness to me.
And look forward to the fulfilment
of Your promise in due time. Amen.

There’s a Wideness in God’s mercy,
Like the wideness of the sea;
There’s a kindness in His justice,
Which is more than liberty.
There is welcome for the sinner,
And more graces for the good;
There is metcy with the Saviour;
There is healing in His blood…
For the love of God is broader
Than the measure of man’s 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 all sunshine
In the sweetness of our Lord. Amen.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=gt-OouIx8Lk

Mighty Fortress Is Our God

After posting his 95 theses on the
door of Wittenburg’s Castle Church
in October 1517, Martin Luther faced
many years of trials & persecutions.
And during the years of the ensuing
Protestant Reformation, Luther came
to know the gracious power of God’s
sheltering hand. He confidently
stepped forward to defend the truth
he found in God’s Word, despite
excommunication from the Roman
church and intense spiritual battle.
In the comforting words of Psalm 46,
Luther found the inspiration for this
hymn that would become the battle
cry of the Protestant Reformation.
Many who suffered for their faith
during that time found solid comfort
in Luther’s words of faith & praise:
A mighty fortress is our God!

God is our Refuge and Strength,
always ready to Help in times
of trouble. So we will not fear
when earthquakes come and the
mountains crumble into the sea…
Be Still and know that I Am God,
I will be exalted among the nations…
The Lord of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our refuge
(Ps 46:1-2, 10-11). Amen.

Lord, when everything in my life
seems to be on the verge of falling
apart, help me to experience You
as my Refuge, my strength and
my firm foundation. You are the
mountain mover; and You also hold
creation steady in the palm of Your
hand. Guide me Lord as I entrust
my “mountains” to You my solid
and ever faithful Father. Amen.

Lord, I know You are on Your throne
but I don’t know what You are going
to do. And so my heart is restless
and I worry. Help me Lord to trust in
You and give me rest in who You are.
Lord, Your Word says You are my
strong help in times of trouble.
Forgive me for the times when I act
as though You don’t exist. For I don’t
have to fear, no matter what I face.
Teach me to pull back from troubles,
Be Still and focus on You. Amen.

A mighty fortress is our God,
a bulwark never failing;
Our helper He amid the flood
of mortal ills prevailing.
For still our ancient foe
doth seek to work us woe-
His craft and pow’r are great,
and armed with cruel hate,
On earth is not his equal…
And though this world, will devils
filled, should threaten to undo us,
We will not fear, for God hath willed
His truth to triumph through us.
Dost ask who that may be?
Christ Jesus, it is He-
Lord Sabaoth His name,
from age to age the same,
And He must win the battle. Amen

Jesus Lover of My Soul

Written a year after his conversion,
this is one of the most famous of
Charles Wesley’s 6000 hymns.
As he wrote it, he may have been
remembering his turbulent crossing
of the Atlantic three years earlier.
He wrote in his journal: The sea
streamed in at the sides… it was
as much as four men could do by
continual pumping to keep her above
water. In this dreadful moment,
I bless God, I found the comfort of
hope.” Although Wesley was ill and
frightened, he had the awareness,
as he later wrote, that he “abode
under the shadow of the Almighty.”

Lord, You are the Lover of My Soul:
I am praying to You because I know
You will answer O God. Bend down
and listen as I pray. Show me Your
unfailing love in wonderful ways.
By Your mighty power You rescue
those who seek refuge from their
enemies. Guard me as You would
guard your own eyes. Hide me in the
shadow of Your wings (Ps 17:6-9).

Lord, hear our prayers not according
to the poverty of our asking but
according to the richness of Your
grace; so that our lives may conform
to those desires according to Yr will.
Lord, teach me to seek You & reveal
Yourself to me as I look for You.
For I can’t seek You unless You
first teach me; nor find You unless
You reveal Yourself to me. Amen.

Lord, You are the God who cares
for us watchfully and attunes Your
ears to our prayers, because we
are Your children. Show me Your
unfailing love in whatever wonderful
ways U choose & I draw near to You.
When in danger I seek refuge in You
and You hide me in the shadow of
Your wings. Guard me and give me
life for I am the apple of Your eye.
And Thank U for tender care. Amen.

Jesus, Lover of my soul,
let me to Thy bosom fly,
While the nearer waters waters roll,
while the tempest still is high;
Hide me O my Saviour,
hide till the storm of life is past;
Safe into the haven guide;
O receive My Soul at last!!!
Other refuge have i none;
hang my helpless soul on Thee;
Leave ah leave me not alone,
still support and comfort me.
All my trust on Thee is stayed;
all my help from Thee I bring;
Cover me my defenseless head
with the shadow of Thy wing. Amen.

Light at the end of the Tunnel

Continuing his reprimand of Israel,
Amos warns those who have
developed a false sense of security.
The prophet visualises a locust
swarm, a devastating fire and a
plumbline. He also pictures the
nation as a basket of summer fruit,
ripened and ready for destruction.
And although divine discipline
must come, but in its wake will
follow restoration and renewal.

Lord, reading Amos through New
Testament eyes is a wake-up call.
We are reminded to sit up and see
the need around us and act on it.
And we are challenged to remain
true to the plumb line & to Jesus.
Lord, You want us to Be Caring;
Lord, You want us to Be Repentant;
Lord, You want us to Be Restored.
Lord, grant us grace to live up to
our calling & thanks for being such
a gracious and faithful God. Amen.

Lord, You want us to Be Caring:
How terrible… for you who lounge
in luxury and think you are secure…
You push away every thot of coming
disaster but your actions only
bring the day of judgment closer…
You eat the meat of tender lambs
and choice calves and drink wine
by the bowlful … caring nothing at
all that your nation is going to ruin.
So you will be the first to be led
away as captives. Suddenly all
the revelry will end (Amos 6:1-7).
Lord, comfortable life-styles may
make people think they are secure.
And You God are not pleased if
we ignore the needs of others.
For just as You care for us, You
God want us to care for others.
And Your kingdom has no place
for selfishness and indifference.
So, help us learn to consider the
needs of others besides our own.
And help us to guard against
pride and complacency. Amen.

Lord, You want us to Repent:
Then he showed me another vision.
I saw the Lord standing beside a wall
that had been built using a plumbline.
He was using a plumb line to see
if it was still straight. And the Lord
said to me: Amos, what do you see?
I answered: A plumb line. And the
Lord replied: I will test my people
with this plumb line. I will no longer
ignore all their sins (Amos 7:7-8).
Father, plumbline is an unrelenting
measure much like as is Your law.
And the reality is that we are just
hopelessly crooked. But the good
news of the gospel is that Jesus
comes to us & says: Although you
don’t measure up, but I do. Thanks
that the cross has become the
plumbline by which our life is judged.
You Lord took the condemnation for
my crookedness and give the grace
that conforms me to Your holiness.
May Your grace inspire me to extend
grace to others who fall short. Amen

Lord, You want us to Be Restored:
Surely the eyes of the Sovereign
Lord are on the sinful kingdom…
Yet I will not totally destroy the
house of Jacob… In that day I will
Restore David’s fallen tent. I will
repair its broken places, restore its
ruins, and build it as it used to be…
I will bring back my exiled people
Israel; they will rebuild the ruined
cities and live in them. They will
plant vineyards and drink their wine…
I will plant Israel in their own land,
never again to be uprooted from the
land I’ve given them (Amos 9:8-15).
Lord, in the midst of being over-
whelmed by awfulness of situation,
in Your mercy, U give signs of hope.
In barrenness, we discover the joy
of being in covenant relationship.
Even in times of discipline, You
promise restoration and blessing.
What a faithful God have I. Amen.

Guarding Against Complacency

In the midst of a period of prosperity
and peace, the northern 10 tribes
have become indifferent to God.
Their complacency, immorality and
idolatry will be tolerated no longer.
As for Israel, violence, oppression
& rebellion feature nation’s lifestyle.
First to Israel’s neighbours, then
to Israel herself, Amos forcefully
delivers God’s stern warning: I will
send a fire. And thro famine, drought,
pestilence & death, God patiently
called the nation back to Himself.

Dear Lord, You are good and holy;
and You require truth, goodness,
justice and righteousness from
all people and nations today.
Help us to Guard against tendency
to Indifference & Complacency;
Help us to Repent from our sins;
Help us to Be Open to Your Word;
Help us to Seek You & Your Truth.
In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.

Lord, we’ll Repent of our sins:
For three sins of Israel, even for
four, I will not turn back my wrath.
They sell the righteous for silver,
and the needy for a pair of sandals.
They trample..the heads of the poor
and deny justice to the oppressed…
I brought you up out of Egypt, and
I led you forty years in the desert
to give you the land of the Amorites.
I also raised up prophets among You.
But you made the Nazirites drink
wine and commanded the prophets
not to prophesy (Amos 2:6-7, 10-12)
Lord, help me to hear Your voice in
the whirlwind & challenges of life.
Help me to recognise those people
who speak Your truth and to act
on the truth they bring. Search me
O God and know my heart; test me
and know my anxious thoughts.
See if there is any offensive way
and lead me into Your way. Amen.

Lord, we’ll Be Open to Your Word:
Hear this word that the Lord has
spoken against you, O Israel which
I brought up from Egypt, saying:
You only have I known of all the
families of the earth; therefore
I’ll punish you for all your iniquities…
Surely the Lord does nothing
unless He reveals His secret
to His servants the prophets…
The Lord God has spoken! Who
can but prophesy? (Amos 3:1-8).
Lord, I pray I will always have good
friends & we’ll encourage & inspire
each other to walk closer to You.
Grant me friends who will tell me
the truth in love, give me sound
counsel and be a help in trouble.
And enable me to be that kind
of friend too to someone. Amen.

Lord, we’ll Seek You & Your Truth:
Seek the Lord and live! If you don’t,
He will roar through Israel like a fire,
devouring you…it is the Lord who
created the stars… It is He who
turns darkness into morning and
day into night. It is He who draws
up water from the oceans and
pours it down as rain in the land.
With blinding speed and power
He destroys the strong, crushing
all their defenses (Amos 5:6-9).
Lord Almighty, It is You who
created heaven and earth; and
nothing can withstand Your power.
Your Word reminds me of Who You
are and calls me back to devotion.
Cause my heart to bow to Your
truth in scripture. Keep me from
the defilement of evil and guide
me along the path of life. Amen.

Amos Prophet to Northern Kingdom

We meditate Bible chronologically to
enhance understanding of context.
We begin with the 5 books of Laws
to appreciate the Redemptive Plan
of God for mankind and Job, which
occurs during the time of Genesis.
In Phase 2, we meditated on Joshua
to 2Sam & 1 Chron up to King David
and Psalms where we learn to pray.
Then to reign of King Solomon in
1 Kings & cover wisdom poetry of
Proverbs, Song of Songs and Eccl.

In 2Kings, the next century sees
the decline of two nations indifferent
to God’s laws. In Israel, 19 wicked
kings in succession led the people
even further from God & Israel finally
went into captivity by Assyrians.
Continuing Phase 3, we focus next
on the prophets to northern kingdom
with dual themes of repentance and
judgment: “Shape Up or Ship Out.”
But each prophet spoke to unique
contemporary situation. So for
Hosea, the message is God’s love
for adulterous Israel; and for Amos,
God’s people ripe for punishment.

Externally, Israel the northern
kingdom was marked by flourishing
business; but internally the nation’s
condition was grim. Idolatry, greed,
injustice, hypocrisy, oppression
and arrogance indicated a growing
malignancy of deep-seated sin.
Amos, a farmer by trade, dons the
mantle of a prophet to make God’s
message crystal clear to those who
had grown lax in luxurious living:
Repent or Perish. For judgment are
soon to break over God’s people.
Lord, even as we undergo Covid
crisis, we consider & repent. Amen.

We Have Victory In Jesus

Eugene Bartlett was born Dec 1885
in Missouri & grew up in Arkansas.
He was educated as music teacher
at Hall-Moody Institute in Tennessee
& William Jewell College in Missouri.
In 1918, he established Hartford
Music Company & over his career,
Bartlett wrote more than 800 songs.
In 1939, Bartlett had a stroke
that left him partially paralyzed.
Although dealt with physical strains,
Bartlett looked towards the eternal
victory he knew was approaching.
During this difficult time, Bartlett
wrote the words Victory in Jesus,
which was the final song he wrote.
The hymn is an optimistic reminder
of the hope of heaven; and in the
second stanza there are references
to the healing ministry of Christ.

Lord, we present the Covid crisis
to You & we claim Victory In Jesus:
For whatever is born of God
overcomes the world. And this
is the victory that has overcome
the world – our faith. Who is
he who overcomes the world,
but he who believes that Jesus
is the Son of God (1 John 5:4-5).
Now this is the confidence that we
have In Him, that if we ask anything
according to His will, He hears us.
And if we know that He hears us,
whatever we ask, we know that
we have the petitions that we
have asked of Him (v14-15). Amen

Heavenly Father, we thank You
for Your Word of proclamation
that whoever is born of God
overcomes the world through
our faith in Christ Jesus. And so
We claim Mark 11:24: Whatever
we ask for in prayer, believe that
we’ve received it & it will be ours.
All Praise and Glory to the Lord
for the Victory in Jesus. Amen!

Lord, we recognise loving You
and abiding in You is important
in order to see answered prayer.
So, we purpose to know You God
intimately & abide in that intimacy.
Your word say In John 15:7 that:
If you remain in Me and My words
remain in you, ask whatever you
wish, and it will be given you.
And we believe it according to
John 16:23, that whatsoever we
ask You, Father, You will give it
to us and we receive it. And so
we account this done. Amen.

Friends, who need healing pray:
Lord, Your mighty word proclaims
You are the God who forgives
all my iniquities; who heals
all my diseases (Psalm 103:3).
You promised You will restore
health to me & heal me (Jer 30:17).
Above all, Jesus was bruised for
my iniquities; and by His stripes
I am healed (Isaiah 53:5).
So, I proclaim that by the blood
of Jesus, all sickness, bacteria &
virus to go in Jesus’ name! Amen.

I heard an old, old story,
How a Savior came from glory,
How He gave His life on Calvary
To save a wretch like me;
I heard about His groaning,
Then I repented of my sins;
And won the victory…
O victory in Jesus, My Savior forever.
He sought me and bought me
With His redeeming blood;
He loved me ere I knew Him,
And all my love is due Him,
He plunged me to victory,
Beneath the cleansing flood. Amen.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=QC37VXrVNjE

With God, We Shall Overcome

We Shall Overcome is synonymous
with the American Civil Rights Movt
(1955-1968). And is frequently sung
today after hate tragedies. Most
ascribe the origin to a gospel hymn
by Methodist preacher Charles
Tindley who penned 50 hymns
while ministering in Philadelphia.
Guy Carawan, a white folk musician
introduced the song to the Civil
Rights Movement by teaching it to
the Student Coordinating Comm
in North Carolina. The song was
then picked up by folk singers such
as Joan Baez in the early 1960s
and sung at protest rallies where
it became adapted for the Civil
Rights Movt with new stanzas.

Lord, even with the continuing
covid pandemic we will Overcome:
For this is the love of God, that
we keep His commandments.
And His commandments are not
burdensome. For whatever is born
of God overcomes the world. And
this is the victory that has overcome
the world – our faith. Who is
he who overcomes the world,
but he who believes that Jesus
is the Son of God (1 John 5:3-5).

Father, thank You for saving grace
and for Your Word that whoever is
born of God Overcome the world.
We know You use circumstances
to help us to mature in the faith,
to grow in grace and to become
the person that You have us to be.
Lord often the circumstances of
life do not reflect our choice; but
they are allowed by You for my life.
Thanks for teaching me through
adversities and drawing me ever
closer into Your arms of love. Amen

Lord, Help us gain understanding of
Your perfect perspective in our life.
Give me patience in adversities and
help me recognise Yr guiding hand.
Help me not be overwhelmed by
life’s difficulties, but use each one
to teach me Your love and grace.
Make me more willing to be changed
into the person You want me to be.
And thanks that with Your enabling,
we shall overcome someday! Amen.

Lord, We shall overcome (2x),
We shall overcome, some day.
O deep in my heart, I do believe
We shall overcome, some day…
We shall live in peace (2x),
We shall live in peace, some day.
O deep in my heart, I do believe
We shall overcome, some day…
We are not afraid (2x),
We are not afraid, TODAY
O deep in my heart, I do believe
We shall overcome, some day. Amen

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=0VGZQmZdDjsu

We’ll Love, Trust & Obey

This song Trust & Obey was written
after a DL Moody evangelistic and
Meeting in Brockton Massachusetts
Daniel Towner was song leader that
night in 1886 & he asked the people
to share how they had been saved.
Several spoke of how certain they
felt of their salvation. But a young
man said I’m not quite sure but
I’m going to trust & I’m going to
obey. Towner couldn’t forget that
testimony. He jotted it down & sent
it to John Sammis hoping he would
find the inspiration for a hymn.
Towner was not disappointed.

Lord, we’ll Love, Trust & Obey:
Everyone who believes that Jesus
is the Christ has become a child
of God. And everyone who loves
the Father loves His children too.
We know we love God’s children
if we love God and obey His
commandments. Loving God
means keeping His commandments;
and His commandments are
not burdensome (1 John 5:1-2).

Lord Jesus, thank You for dying on
the cross and praise You for Your
resurrection. For I am a sinner
saved by grace thro faith in You.
Give me the will to step out
in faithful obedience when You
ask me to say or do something.
Grant me courage when the task
is outside of my comfort zone.
Help me to fully trust You no
matter what I am called to do.
Grant me grace to follow Your
spirit like Queen Esther, who was
called for such a time as this. Amen.

Lord, help me to step out in faith
and not fear that which I’m called
upon to undertake. For we have
not been given the spirit of fear
but of power and of sound mind.
Keep my heart Lord open to Your
promptings, and help me grow
in faith & obedience for Your glory.
Help me Lord to Trust and Obey!
in Jesus’ precious name, Amen.

When we walk with the Lord
in the light of His Word,
What a glory He shed on our way!
While we do His good will
He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust & obey…
Trust & obey for there’s no other way
To he happy in Jesus,
but to trust and obey…
Then in fellowship sweet
we will sit at His feet,
Or we’ll walk by His side in the way;
What He says we will do,
where He sends we will go –
Never fear, only trust and obey.