Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise

To the King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. 1 Tim 1:17 (ESV)

Words by Walter Smith
1876

Immortal, invisible, God only wise,
In light inaccessible hid from our eyes,
Most blessèd, most glorious, the Ancient of Days,
Almighty, victorious, Thy great Name we praise.

Unresting, unhasting, and silent as light,
Nor wanting, nor wasting, Thou rulest in might;
Thy justice, like mountains, high soaring above
Thy clouds, which are fountains of goodness and love.

To all, life Thou givest, to both great and small;
In all life Thou livest, the true life of all;
We blossom and flourish as leaves on the tree,
And wither and perish—but naught changeth Thee.

Great Father of glory, pure Father of light,
Thine angels adore Thee, all veiling their sight;
But of all Thy rich graces this grace, Lord, impart
Take the veil from our faces, the vile from our heart.

All laud we would render; O help us to see
’Tis only the splendor of light hideth Thee,
And so let Thy glory, Almighty, impart,
Through Christ in His story, Thy Christ to the heart.

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Soli Deo Gloria
ah

Peace and War

If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.
Romans 12:18 (ESV)


The Baptist Faith & Message

XVI. Peace and War

It is the duty of Christians to seek peace with all men on principles of righteousness. In accordance with the spirit and teachings of Christ they should do all in their power to put an end to war.
The true remedy for the war spirit is the gospel of our Lord. The supreme need of the world is the acceptance of His teachings in all the affairs of men and nations, and the practical application of His law of love. Christian people throughout the world should pray for the reign of the Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 2:4; Matthew 5:9,38-48; 6:33; 26:52; Luke 22:36,38; Romans 12:18-19; 13:1-7; 14:19; Hebrews 12:14; James 4:1-2.
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Righteousness must not be sacrificed in the name of false peace.

As defined throught the centuries, the just-war theory holds that in order for a war to be justified sevearal criteria must be satisfied:
- just cause - use of force must be defensive and never offensive
- just intention - to secure a fair, lasting peace for all parties.
- last resort - all other legitimate means of settling the conflict have been tried and failed.
- limit objectives to what is necessary to establish a just peace.
- use of force approved by a legitimate authority.
- only proportionate means be used.
- noncombatants be protected whenever possible.
- must a be a reasonable chance of successs.
- must be a realistic hope that conflict will lead to a superior, lasting peace.

Chrisitans cannot wage with earthly weapons the most important war we are called to fight. As Paul reminds us, "Our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against world powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens" (Eph. 6:12) No Christian wars are fought with earthly weapons and for earthly goals.

Until Christ comes, we will have war. But Christians must work and contend for peace. We must pray for the reign of the Prince of Peace.


from The Baptist Faith & Message Study

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Soli Deo Gloria
ah

Prayer to Stand Firm in Truth

16 Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, 17 comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word.
2 Thess 2:16-17 (ESV)

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Soli Deo Gloria
ah

Need of Grace

O Lord,

Thou knowest my great unfitness for service,

         my present deadness,

         my inability to do anything for thy glory,

         my distressing coldness of heart.

I am weak, ignorant, unprofitable,

     and loathe and abhor myself.

I am at a loss to know what thou wouldest have me do,

     for I feel amazingly deserted by thee,

     and sense thy presence so little;

Thou makest me possess the sins of my youth,

    and the dreadful sin of my nature,

    so that I feel all sin,

    I cannot think or act but every motion is sin.

Return again with showers of converting grace

    to a poor gospel-abusing sinner.

Help my soul to breathe after holiness,

    after a constant devotedness to thee,

    after growth in grace more abundantly every day.

O Lord, I am lost in the pursuit of this blessedness,

And am ready to sink because I fall short of my desire;

Help me to hold out a little longer,

    until the happy hour of deliverance comes,

    for I cannot lift my soul to thee

    if thou of thy goodness bring me not nigh.

Help me to be diffident, watchful, tender,

    lest I offend my blessed Friend

    in thought and behaviour;

I confide in thee and lean upon thee,

    and need thee at all times to assist and lead me.

O that all my distresses and apprehensions

   might prove but Christ’s school

   to make me fit for greater service

   by teaching me the great lesson of humility.

from The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions, page 99

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Soli Deo Gloria

ah

The Solid Rock

The Lord lives, and blessed be my rock, and exalted be the God of my salvation—
Psalms 18:46 (ESV)


Words by Edward Mote
1834

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly trust in Jesus’ Name.

Refrain

On Christ the solid Rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand;
All other ground is sinking sand.

When darkness seems to hide His face,
I rest on His unchanging grace.
In every high and stormy gale,
My anchor holds within the veil.

His oath, His covenant, His blood,
Support me in the whelming flood.
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my Hope and Stay.

When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh may I then in Him be found.
Dressed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne.

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Soli Deo Gloria

ah

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