WALK CAREFULLY

Do not enter the path of the wicked

And do not proceed in the way of evil men.

Avoid it, do not pass by it;

Turn away from it and pass on.

Proverbs 4:14-15

HIS MIGHT AND GLORY

The Lord on high is mightier and more glorious than the noise of many waters, yes, than  the mighty breakers and waves of the sea.

Psalm 93:4

LET FREEDOM RING

AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL

Words by Katharine Lee Bates,

Melody by Samuel Ward

O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!

O beautiful for pilgrim feet
Whose stern impassioned stress
A thoroughfare of freedom beat
Across the wilderness!
America! America!
God mend thine every flaw,
Confirm thy soul in self-control,
Thy liberty in law!

O beautiful for heroes proved
In liberating strife.
Who more than self their country loved
And mercy more than life!
America! America!
May God thy gold refine
Till all success be nobleness
And every gain divine!

O beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!

O beautiful for halcyon skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the enameled plain!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till souls wax fair as earth and air
And music-hearted sea!

O beautiful for pilgrims feet,
Whose stem impassioned stress
A thoroughfare for freedom beat
Across the wilderness!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till paths be wrought through
wilds of thought
By pilgrim foot and knee!

O beautiful for glory-tale
Of liberating strife
When once and twice,
for man's avail
Men lavished precious life!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till selfish gain no longer stain
The banner of the free!

O beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till nobler men keep once again
Thy whiter jubilee! 

(Source: scoutsongs.com)

ON EAGLE'S WINGS

So often we hear, “It’s not realistic to believe such and such...” 

Friend, isn’t that the whole point of faith - - to move past the realm of what's possible and to challenge our hearts to believe that which might seem impossible? I am certain that I can accomplish that which is possible by myself, with little or no help from faith. But why would I choose to be a caged bird if I can have eagle’s wings?

Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 

Hebrews 11:1

Don’t be afraid; just believe. 

Mark 5:36

For nothing is impossible with God.

Luke 1:37

WHISPERING HOPE

Now there was a great wind, so strong that it was splitting mountains and breaking rocks in pieces before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire the sound of sheer silence. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. Then there came a voice to him that said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

1 Kings 19:11-13

REST IN THE LORD

“Rest is not some holy feeling that comes upon us in church. It is a state of calm rising from a heart deeply and firmly establish in God.”

Henry Drummond

WAIT ON THE LORD

Wait on the Lord...

   Look for Him 

      and hope in Him.

Isaiah 8:17

THE TRUTH AND HEART OF JESUS

As Christians, it is our job to communicate the truth and the heart of Jesus. Nothing more. Nothing less.

NO GREATER LOVE

Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.

John 15:13

The person who lives sacrificially experiences "no greater love." 

Jesus made it clear in his time on this earth that he came to serve; not to serve himself, but to serve his Father. He lived his life as a servant king. He could have had the whole world for himself, whatever he wanted, but he didn’t claim it. He reached out to everyone he met, and one by one, he earned their trust by loving them and serving them. He lived, loved and served sacrificially.

Father, please give me a humble heart that I may serve You and love You like Jesus did, even to the point of death. Teach me the true meaning and blessing of sacrifice that I might know and experience “no greater love” than to serve You in name and in deed with all of my heart. In Jesus’ Name.

HOW DO YOU WORSHIP?

As Christians, it is not our job to impress God, but to trust Him.

MEDITATION ON TRUTH

“Truth is more than mere facts. It is not something we act upon. It acts upon us. We cannot change the truth, but the truth can change us.”

(from The Grace and Truth Paradox by Randy Alcorn)

Sanctify them [purify, consecrate, separate them for Yourself, make them holy] by Truth; Your Word is Truth.

John 17:17 (AMP)

Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life,” and He is all of these things all of the time. 

Christ didn’t promise to point us to the truth. He said He is the truth. He is truth personified.

Fortunately, the truth does not depend on our perspective, or our upbringing, or our individual beliefs (or lack of belief). The truth doesn’t even depend on our mood or our maturity. The truth existed before we were born and it will remain the truth after we die. In sin, we are separated from the truth and we spend our entire lives trying to reestablish it. We call it the perfect job, Mr. Right, the baby we have been trying to conceive for years, or, quite simply, peace of mind. We give our search for truth different names, depending on where we are at in our life’s journey. But the truth is, “Our hearts long for truth - - even [those] hearts that [choose to] reject it.”

Father, today - - right now - - I ask you to reveal your truth to me. Remove the veil of sin that separates me from you. Cleanse me of all unrighteousness, so that I may know your truth in my heart and live your truth in my life. In Jesus Name. Amen.

SING FOR JOY TO THE LORD

Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD;

Let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.

Let us come before him with thanksgiving

and extol him with music and song.

Psalm 95:1-2

SING TO THE LORD A NEW SONG

O sing to the Lord a new song; 

sing to the Lord, all the earth!

Psalm 96:1

GOD IS SOVEREIGN

Our perspective on suffering is directly related to our perspective on God’s Sovereignty.

THE COMPASSION OF CHRIST

But you know him, because he lives

with you now and 

later will be in you. 

John 14:17 (NLT)

Throughout his time on this earth, Christ repeatedly demonstrated his compassion for others.

In Matthew 9:36, Jesus had compassion on the crowds because they were “confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.”

In Matthew 14:14, Jesus had compassion on the huge crowd gathered around him and he “healed their sick.”

In Luke 7:13, Jesus’ heart “overflowed with compassion” for the widow whose only son had died. By his mighty touch, he raised the young man back to life.

In John 11:35, when Jesus learned of Lazarus’ death, he wept with sympathetic compassion.

In Mark 1:41, Jesus was “moved with compassion” to heal the leper who begged to be made clean.

Jesus embodied the infinite compassion of God in the finite construction of the human heart. Christians can have that same limitless compassion if we ask God for it. As the Holy Spirit works in us we are able to love the unlovable, forgive the unforgivable and accept the unacceptable.

Pray: Father, I ask that you infuse my life with Your blessed and sacred Holy Spirit. I ask that Your love reign in my heart so that I may know and share your infinite compassion for others. In Jesus Name, Amen. 

Christ in us: “Every act of compassion done by anyone for his fellow Christian is done by Christ working in him.” Julian of Norwich

PORTRAIT OF A SAVIOR

Who has believed our message?

To whom has the LORD revealed his powerful arm?

My servant grew up in the LORD’S presence

 like a tender green shoot,

 like a root in dry ground.

There was nothing beautiful or 

 majestic about his presence,

 nothing to attract us to him.

He was despised and rejected - - 

 a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief.

We turned our backs on him and 

 looked the other way.

He was despised and we did not care.

Yet it was our weakness he carried;

 it was our sorrows that weighed him down.

And we thought his troubles were a 

 punishment from God,

 a punishment for his own sins!

But he was pierced for our rebellion, 

 crushed for our sins.

He was beaten so we could be whole,

He was whipped so we could be healed.

All of us, like sheep, have strayed away.

We have left God’s path to follow our own.

Yet the LORD laid on him the sins of us all.

He was oppressed and treated harshly,

 yet he never said a word.

He was led like a lamb to the slaughter.

And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, 

 he did not open his mouth.

Unjustly condemned he was led away.

No one cared that he died without descendants,

 that his life was cut short in midstream.

But he was struck down

 for the rebellion of my people.

He had done no wrong

 and had never deceived anyone. 

But he was buried like a criminal;

 he was put in a rich man’s grave.

But it was the LORD’S good plan to 

 crush him and cause him grief.

Yet when his life is made an offering for sin,

 he will have many descendants.

He will enjoy a long life,

 and the LORD’S good plan will 

 prosper in his hands.

When he sees all that is accomplished 

 by his anguish,

 he will be satisfied.

And because of his experience,

 my righteous servant will make it possible 

 for many to be counted as righteous,

 for he will bear all their sins.

I will give him the honors of a victorious soldier,

 because he exposed himself to death.

He was counted among the rebels.

He bore the sins of many and

 interceded for rebels.

Isaiah 53 (NLT)

WHAT ARE YOU TRUSTING GOD FOR TODAY?

Your road led through the sea,

your pathway through the mighty waters - - 

a pathway no one knew was there!

Psalm 77:19

WHAT DO I KNOW OF HOLY?

What do I know of You

 Who spoke me into motion?

Where have I even stood

 but the shore along Your ocean?

 Are You fire? Are You fury?

 Are You sacred? Are You beautiful?

What do I know? What do I know of Holy?

Addison Road

HE WILL REJOICE OVER YOU!

For the LORD your God is living among you. 

He is a mighty savior.

He will take delight in you with gladness.

With his love, he will calm all your fears.

He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.

Zephaniah 3:17