Lord

Thoughts on Thanksgiving Week Continued

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It is traditional to make a list of things you are thankful for at Thanksgiving. Most of the time we focus on material things we have been blessed with. Some go deeper, thanking God for spiritual blessings bestowed during the year. Thanks for friends, family, health and employment top many lists. One category that gets left off many lists is arguably the most important. We should thank God for the things He has taken away from us.

In order to love the Lord our God with all of our heart, soul, strength and mind as commanded means we have to give up any and everything that obscures Him in our lives. Praise be to Him that He works in our lives to conform us to the image of His Son. To do this, He many times has to prune away those things that hinder us from reaching that goal. It may be that He has helped you to kick a destructive habit, end an unhealthy relationship, stop a hurtful lifestyle. It may be that He has forced you to accept the death of a loved one in order to lean only on Him. He may have taken away your job in order to prove to you that He is sufficient to meet all your needs.

As you make your list this year, how about including thanks for the things taken away that has made your faith stronger? I guarantee that it will surprise you what the Lord has done.

Hymn Devotions Day 35 – Praise To The Lord, The Almighty

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DAY 35 – PRAISE TO THE LORD, THE ALMIGHTY

             This hymn is packed with doctrinal truth. One could use it to teach a class on the doctrine of God to new believers, taking a stanza at a time. God is King. He is the Creator. It is in Him that we find salvation and abundant life. He is worthy to be praised and adored.

I love the second verse. Can you not see, the writer asks, how God works in our life, gently changing our hearts and minds to desire, to want what is His desire for us? He doesn’t force us to His will, He changes our will to His own. We look and see and wonder, when did I change? When did I stop wanting that? When did I start desiring this? O how smoothly the Spirit of God works His transforming power!

God’s grace and mercy are given to us daily. He doesn’t leave us on our own to stumble about, He doesn’t leave us at the mercy of the storms of life, He shields and defends us, calming the storms and providing victory over them.

When it seems as if evil is winning. When it looks like the ungodly are prospering, God reminds us that He is in charge. Good will triumph, evil will be judged. We are assured of everlasting rewards, evil of everlasting punishment. The light always overcomes the darkness. It chases away shadows and reveals what is hidden. Nothing can withstand the light of His presence. What fantastic reasons to sing praise to the Lord, the Almighty, our Rock and Captain of our Salvation.

Praise be to You, O Lord. You are almighty. You are all-powerful. You and You alone are worthy to be praised. Thank You, for surrounding me with Your presence each day.

PRAISE TO THE LORD, THE ALMIGHTY by Joachim Neander

Praise to the Lord, the Almighty the King of Creation

O my soul praise Him for He is thy health and salvation

All ye who hear, now to His temple draw near

Join me in glad adoration

 

Praise to the Lord, who o’er all things so wondrously reigneth

Shelters thee under His wings, yea so gently sustaineth

Hast thou not seen, how thy desires e’er have been

Granted in what He ordaineth?

 

Praise to the Lord who hath fearfully wondrously made thee

Health hath vouchsafed and, when heedlessly falling, hath stayed thee.
What need or grief ever hath failed of relief?
Wings of His mercy did shade thee.

Praise to the Lord who doth prosper thy work and defend thee;
Surely His goodness and mercy here daily attend thee.
Ponder anew what the Almighty can do,
If with His love He befriend thee.

Praise to the Lord, who, when tempests their warfare are waging,
Who, when the elements madly around thee are raging,
Biddeth them cease, turneth their fury to peace,
Whirlwinds and waters assuaging.

Praise to the Lord, who, when darkness of sin is abounding,
Who, when the godless do triumph, all virtue confounding,
Sheddeth His light, chaseth the horrors of night,
Saints with His mercy surrounding.

Praise to the Lord, O let all that is in me adore Him!
All that hath life and breath, come now with praises before Him.
Let the Amen sound from His people again,
Gladly for aye we adore Him.

Hymn Devotions Day 33 – All Hail The Power of Jesus Name

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DAY 33 – ALL HAIL THE POWER OF JESUS’ NAME

                What a magnificent tribute to our great King Jesus! Everything should praise His incomparable majesty, from angelic beings to repentant sinners. I love how we are swept away to the throne of God to see Jesus receive the honor and glory due Him.

Edward Perronet leaves out no one in this great hymn. From the seraphim to human martyrs, to the chosen nation of Israel and the redeemed of every nationality, all have reason to praise and glorify Jesus Christ.

As I reflect on this song, I must ask myself – do I praise Him as He deserves to be praised? Do I truly follow Him as a servant should his Master, his Lord? Do I truly magnify His name with my life, my witness?

Oh, that we would always lift up high the name of Jesus. Our wonderful Savior, Redeemer and Friend. The Lord of all lords. The King of all kings. The One who left His throne in heaven to save a wretch like me. What a wonderful day it will be to stand before Him, and watch as He sits enthroned, ruling over the universe. May we never forget the suffering our Lord endured for us, the wormwood and the gall, as the hymn reads. Let us spread out before Him our lives, the good works we have done in His name so that others could see His saving and transforming power. Let us shout to all with ears that Jesus is Lord of all.

What a scene in heaven, as those from Earth join those in Heaven and together we lift up the name of Jesus in praise and adulation. Let us start now and keep the song rolling through eternity.

 

All glory and praise to the Lamb that was slain. Thank You, Lord Jesus – may all who draw breath seek to praise Your name. Draw us to Yourself so that we may praise You forever.

ALL HAIL THE POWER OF JESUS’ NAME – Edward Perronet

 

All hail the power of Jesus’ name! Let angels prostrate fall

Bring forth the royal diadem, and crown Him Lord of all

Bring forth the royal diadem, and crown Him Lord of all

 

Let highborn seraphs tune the lyre and as they tune it, fall

Before His face who tunes their choir, and crown Him Lord of all

Before His face who tunes their choir, and crown Him Lord of all

 

Crown Him, ye morning stars of light who fixed this floating ball

Now hail the strength of Israel’s might, and crown Him Lord of all

Now hail the strength of Israel’s might, and crown Him Lord of all

 

Crown Him, ye martyrs of your God, who from His altar call

Extol the Stem of Jesse’s Rod, and crown Him Lord of all

Extol the Stem of Jesse’s Rod, and crown Him Lord of all

 

Ye seed of Israel’s chosen race, Ye ransomed from the fall

Hail Him who saves you by His grace and crown Him Lord of all

Hail Him who saves you by His grace and crown Him Lord of all

 

Hail Him, ye heirs of David’s line, whom David Lord did call

The God incarnate, Man divine, and crown Him Lord of all

The God incarnate, Man divine, and crown Him Lord of all

 

Sinners, whose love can ne’er forget the wormwood and the gall

Go spread your trophies at His feet, and crown Him Lord of all

Go spread your trophies at His feet, and crown Him Lord of all

 

Let every tribe and every tongue before Him prostrate fall

And shout in universal song the crowned Lord of all

And shout in universal song the crowned Lord of all

 

Oh, that with yonder sacred throng, We at His feet may fall

We’ll join the everlasting song, and crown Him Lord of all

We’ll join the everlasting song, and crown Him Lord of all

 

(John Rippon added final verse in 1787)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hymn Devotions Day 17 – Take My Life and Let It Be Consecrated

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DAY 17  – TAKE MY LIFE AND LET IT BE

                This hymn is a great daily prayer. What a way to start off each morning – asking God to help us consecrate our life to Him. Let us praise Him each day for He is worthy.

               It is a great privilege, a noble request for us, to ask Him to use all of our being in His service. From my hands and feet, my speech, my financial resources, my mind, love and will; all that I am and have. Nothing less will do for my King of Glory than my all.

I need the Holy Spirit’s power to constantly, consistently yield myself to God. I need His power to submit my unruly will to His. I need His might to break my stubborn, selfish heart. With all that is within me, I desire to praise His holy name. I long for Him to fully transform me into His image.

One of the phrases I appreciate from this song is found in verse one. The prayer is for God to take both our moments and our days and have them  become a seamless flow of praise. Another phrase really jumps out too, probably because I am a minister – Take my lips and let them be, filled with messages from Thee. Oh, yes, let us all bring to a lost and dying world a message from God. To use our mouth in this method is a great way of praising and honoring our God.  Right now seems a good moment to start.

 

            Lord, take all that I am and let me praise You. Take every part of my life because You alone are worthy to be praised. You gave me life and breath – let me use that breath and life to glorify Your name. Accept my offer of praise for Your greatness, majesty and power.

 

TAKE MY LIFE AND LET IT BE – Francis Ridley Havergal

 

Take my life and let it be

Consecrated, Lord to Thee

Take my moments and my days

Let them flow in ceaseless praise

Let them flow in ceaseless praise

 

Take my hands and let them move

At the impulse of Thy love

Take my feet and let them be

Swift and beautiful for Thee

Swift and beautiful for Thee

 

Take my voice and let me sing

Always, only for my King

Take my lips and let them be

Filled with messages from Thee

Filled with messages from Thee

 

Take my silver and my gold

Not a mite would I withhold

Take my intellect and use

Every power as Thou shalt choose

Every power as Thou shalt choose

 

Take my love, my Lord, I pour

At Thy feet its treasure store

Take myself and I will be

Ever, only, all for Thee

Ever, only, all for Thee

 

Take my will and make it Thine

It shall be no longer mine

Take my heart, it is Thy own

It shall be Thy royal throne

It shall be Thy royal throne

What Does It Mean To Wait On The Lord?

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So many times I hear people telling me that they are waiting on the Lord, and what they mean by that is, they are sitting still, waiting for some move on God’s part to give them a clear direction. I would argue that the better understanding of waiting on the Lord is that of a waitress or waiter at a fancy restaurant. A good waitress or waiter is very attentive to the customer. They are there, asking is everything is okay, seeking to be there when the customer is ready to order and seeking to be there when they are ready to leave, seeking to be there when the customer has a need.

I would say that we are to wait on the Lord this way. Hovering, anticipating, ready at a moments notice to spring to His side when summoned. Willing to serve, knowing that there are things we are to do that is common to all His children: serving the poor, ministering to others, edifying the body, witnessing to the lost, discipling the brethren. Just as a waiter has jobs that he does for each customer – filling drinks, taking orders, etc. There is never a time when they are not busy working, even if a particular customer hasn’t summoned them yet.

Instead of sitting and doing nothing until we hear a specific call or direction, maybe we should be actively waiting – doing those things already commanded for us to do by our boss, the Lord Jesus.

You see, the two definitions of the word wait that show two completely different ideas. The first is to be in a state of  repose or to remain inactive until something expected happens. That is how most Christians define waiting on the Lord. The second is considered archaic,  to attend upon or escort, especially as a sign of respect. I would argue that it is this archaic definition that is the more biblical one.

How are you waiting on the Lord?