FREEDOM

O Holy Father, thou hast freely given thy Son

O Divine Son, thou hast freely paid my debt,

   O Eternal Spirit, thou hast freely bid me come,

   O Triune God, thou dost freely grace me with salvation.

Prayers and tears could not suffice to pardon my sins,

   nor anything less than atoning blood,

   but my believing is my receiving,

   for a thankful acceptance is no paying of the debt.

What didst thou see in me?

   that I a poor, diseased, despised sinner

     should be clothed in thy bright glory?

   that a creeping worm

     should be advanced to this high state?

   that one lately groaning, weeping, dying,

     should be as full of joy as my heart can hold?

   that a being of dust and darkness

     should be taken like Mordecai from captivity,

       and set next to the king?

     should be lifted like Daniel from a den

       and be made ruler of princes and provinces?

Who can fathom immeasurable love?

As far as the rational soul exceeds the senses,

   so does the spirit exceed the rational in its

     knowledge of thee.

Thou hast given me understanding to compass the earth,

   measure the sun, moon, stars, universe,

   but above all to know thee, the only true God.

I marvel that the finite can know the Infinite,

   here a little, afterwards in full-orbed truth;

Now I know but a small portion of what I shall know,

   here in part, there in perfection,

   here a glimpse, there a glory.

To enjoy thee is life eternal, and to enjoy is to know.

Keep me in the freedom of experiencing thy salvation continually.

from The Valley of Vision page 56

_____

Soli Deo Gloria

ah

How Great Thou Art

How Great Thou Art

Lyrics ~ Carl Boberg, 1859 - 1940

English Translation ~ Stuart K. Hine, 1899 - 1989

Stanza 1:

O Lord my God,

When I in awesome wonder

Consider all

The works Thy Hand hath made,

I see the stars,

I hear the mighty thunder,

Thy pow'r throughout

The universe displayed;

Stanza 2:

When through the woods

And forest glades I wander

I hear the birds

Sing sweetly in the trees;

When I look down

From lofty mountain grandeur

And hear the brook

And feel the gentle breeze;

And when I think that God,

His Son not sparing,
Sent Him to die -

I scarce can take it in:
That on the Cross,

my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin:

 

Stanza 4:

When Christ shall come,

With shouts of acclamation,

And take me home,

What joy shall fill my heart!

Then I shall bow

In humble adoration

And there proclaim,

"My God, how great Thou art!"

Refrain:

Then sings my soul,

My Saviour God, to Thee,

How great Thou art!

How great Thou art!

Then sings my soul,

My Saviour God, to Thee,

How great Thou art!

How great Thou art!

_____

Soli Deo Gloria

ah

Stanza 3:

FROM THE WEEK ENDING FEBRUARY 26, 2011

The Over Sexualization of Little Girls by Diane Montgomery

Some say the times are more evil and that’s why they’re this way but when I see these over-sexualized little girls I can’t help but wonder: “Where’s the mother that’s supposed to be teaching her daughter that physical beauty isn’t what’s important and her sassy attitude isn’t acceptable behavior? When little girls’ outfits show everything and they wear makeup, making them look like teenagers, where are the fathers saying no and protecting their little girls from the lustful eyes of men and boys? What can parents do to prevent the over-sexualization of their daughters?

CLICK HERE to continue reading.

Polling Evangelicals: Cut Aid To World's Poor, Unemployed

A Pew Research Center survey suggests evangelicals prefer the government spend on schools, the military, and police.

 

The moral test of any society is how it treats its poorest and most vulnerable citizens. And that is exactly what the Bible says, over and over again," said Sojourner's president, Jim Wallis

 

CLICK HERE to continue reading.

CLICK HERE to read Budget Cuts and Bad Faith by Jim Wallis

A Milestone in the Betrayal of Marriage by Albert Mohler

The President has made his decision. The Attorney General has now made his announcement. Mark your calendars for yesterday. That day now represents a tragic milestone in the betrayal of marriage.

CLICK HERE to continue reading.




Should We Baptize Small Children? by Trevin Wax

Should We Baptize Small Children? Yes by John Starke

Thoughts on the Baptism of Children by Nathan Finn

Tom Eliff nominated as Next IMB President

Thomas (Tom) D. Elliff, longtime Oklahoma pastor, Southern Baptist Convention leader and former missionary, is the unanimous recommendation of a 15-member trustee search committee to be the next president of International Mission Board.

CLICK HERE to continue reading.

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Soli Deo Gloria
ah

The Love of God

Now may the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God. 2 Thessalonians 3:5

The Love of God
Fred­er­ick M. Leh­man
1917

The love of God is greater far
Than tongue or pen can ever tell;
It goes beyond the highest star,
And reaches to the lowest hell;
The guilty pair, bowed down with care,
God gave His Son to win;
His erring child He reconciled,
And pardoned from his sin.

When years of time shall pass away,
And earthly thrones and kingdoms fall,
When men, who here refuse to pray,
On rocks and hills and mountains call,
God’s love so sure, shall still endure,
All measureless and strong;
Redeeming grace to Adam’s race—
The saints’ and angels’ song.

Could we with ink the ocean fill,
And were the skies of parchment made,
Were every stalk on earth a quill,
And every man a scribe by trade,
To write the love of God above,
Would drain the ocean dry.
Nor could the scroll contain the whole,
Though stretched from sky to sky.

O love of God, how rich and pure!
How measureless and strong!
It shall forevermore endure
The saints’ and angels’ song.

____

Soli Deo Gloria

ah

---

FROM THE WEEK ENDING FEBRUARY 19, 2011

The Myth of Teenage Rebellion by Ed Stetzer

When I spoke at the D6 Conference, I made an off-handed statement that has generated a lot of questions. In that talk, I said something to the effect that teen rebellion is not found in all cultures. Thus, it is not a universal cultural experience. In other words, it is a myth that teens consistently rebel in every culture and context.

I probably mentioned teen rebellion is more common in Western industrialized societies with formalized educational systems. Since that time, people keep asking me, "where can I find more about that?" (Which teaches me not to make an off-handed comment in front of thousands of people.)

CLICK HERE to continue reading.


Honk If You Love Anti-Christian Bumper Stickers by Russell Moore

To get to my favorite coffee shop here in Louisville, I pass a lot of bumper stickers intended to make people like me angry. One of them says “Born Okay the First Time.” Another says “If You Don’t Like Abortion, Don’t Have One.” And, of course, there are several of the Darwin fish, those metallic signs with the early Christian symbol sprouting legs.

These bumper stickers have spawned an entire industry in American evangelicalism, countering these arguments, with “right back at you” ridicule. I understand the temptation, because some of those bumper stickers used to rile me up too. I would roll my eyes and think how stupid the argument was in front of me. Why does the Wicca devotee really need to tell us, “My Other Car Is a Broom”? Why does the anti-procreation guy have to announce, “My Labradoodle Is Smarter Than Your Honors Student”?

CLICK HERE to continue reading.


Billy Ray Cyrus' Regret by Jim Daly

Even if you don’t follow pop culture, you’ve inevitably read or heard of the teen actress Miley Cyrus.  Playing the wholesome character “Hannah Montana” on her popular Disney television show of the same name several years ago, Miss Cyrus was catapulted into entertainment’s stratosphere. She quickly became a marketer’s dream and was earning millions of dollars in TV, music and feature films. In the midst of her rapid ascent, though, she also found herself wrapped up in controversy, from being caught posing for provocative photographs to smoking a bong and taking hallucinogenic drugs.

Just another child actress given too much too soon?

Miss Cyrus, now 18, is the daughter of country singer Billy Ray Cyrus, perhaps best known for his hit, “Achy Breaky Heart.”

Ironically, and sadly, that’s exactly what Billy Ray is suffering from these days.  He told GQ Magazine that he now wishes his daughter never went to Hollywood and found fame and fortune.

"The [expletive] show destroyed my family," he told the reporter. "I'd take it back in a second. For my family to be here and just everybody be okay, safe and sound and happy and normal would have been fantastic. Heck, yeah. I'd erase it all in a second if I could."

CLICK HERE to contiunue reading.

CLICK HERE to read the GQ article.



How Shall We Pray About the Upheavals in the Middle East? by John Piper

There are two goals in praying for kings and leaders—that is, for political structures that exist, or might exist, in the Middle East.

1. We pray for political leaders and structures . . . “that we [the followers of Jesus] may lead a peaceful and quiet life godly and dignified in every way.”

2. We pray for this politically sustained freedom and peace so that more and more people would be saved.

CLICK HERE to continue reading.


Pray For Egyptian Believers by Anne Graham Lotz

As a Christian, I am not only praying for the Egyptian people in general, but I am praying for the followers of Jesus Christ in particular who are living in a nation during a time of upheaval and uncertainty. I am deeply convinced that what Egyptians are looking for is ultimately found in a personal relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ. Therefore, I am praying for Christians who have the Answer to speak up and speak out.

CLICK HERE to continue reading.

Captivated, animated and motivated

This story that runs from Genesis to Revelation, centering on Christ, not only richly informs our mind; it captivates the heart and the imagination, animating and motivating our action in the world. When history seems to come to a standstill in sin, guilt, and death, the prophets direct God’s people to God’s fulfillment of his promise in the new covenant.

— Michael Horton
The Christian Faith
(Grand Rapids, Mi.: Zondervan, 2011), 19

_____
Soli Deo Gloria
ah