Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing

Come, Thou Fount of every blessing, Tune my heart to sing Thy grace;
Streams of mercy, never ceasing, Call for songs of loudest praise.
Teach me some melodious sonnet, Sung by flaming tongues above;
Praise the mount-I’m fixed upon it-Mount of Thy redeeming love.

Here I raise my Ebenezer; Hither by Thy help I’m come;
And I hope, by Thy good pleasure, Safely to arrive at home.
Jesus sought me when a stranger, Wandering from the fold of God;
He, to rescue me from danger, Interposed His precious blood.

O to grace how great a debtor Daily I’m constrained to be;
Let Thy goodness, like a fetter, Bind my wandering heart to Thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, Prone to leave the God I love;
Here’s my heart, O take and seal it, Seal it for Thy courts above.

Robert Robinson, 1758

taken from the Blue Psalter Hymnal, #314

Today we are celebrating our 18th anniversary.  We’ve gone through a lot of things during the 18-year period- job changes, a couple of moves, the birth of Tryphena- to mention just a few.  We also grew older physically.  I, for one, am thinning on the top.

We fought
We cried
We laughed
We hugged
We played
We prayed
….. and we are still madly in love.

Thank you, Lord, for the good 18 years.  Thank you for your many blessings, and for guiding us.  We beseech you, Father, to grant us your love so that we will grow in our love to each other, and to you.

Here are some pictures of then and now.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rock of Ages, Cleft for Me

Rock of Ages, cleft for me, Let me hide myself in Thee;
Let the water and the blood, From Thy wounded side which flowed,
Be of sin the double cure: Save from guilt and make me pure.

Not the labors of my hands Can fulfill Thy law’s demands;
Could my zeal no languor know, Could my tears forever flow,
All for sin could not atone; Thou must save, and Thou alone.

Nothing in my hand I bring, Simply to Thy cross I cling;
Naked, come to Thee for dress; Helpless, look to Thee for grade;
Foul, I to the fountain fly; Wash me, Savior, or I die.

While I draw this fleeting breath, When mine eyelids close in death,
When I rise to worlds unknown, See Thee on Thy judgement throne,
Rock of Ages, cleft for me, Let me hide myself in Thee.

Augustus M. Toplady, 1776

taken from the Blue Psalter Hymnal, #388

How many times have you heard sermons on Joel?  In my 40+ years going to church I don’t recall a sermon on Joel, no, not even once.   Perhaps some verses were referenced a few times here and there, but never had I heard a complete sermon on this minor prophet.  That’s not until a few weeks ago when our pastor started preaching on this Minor Prophet book.

It has been very edifying to hear him exegete this book verse by verse, and how, out of the doomsday message that the Prophet brings to the people of Israel, the Gospel is proclaimed! Continue reading “Finding Christ in the Book of Joel”

God, Be Merciful to Me
(Based on Psalm 51)

God, be merciful to me, On Thy grace I rest my plea;
Plenteous in compassion Thou, Blot out my transgressions now;
Wash me, make me pure within, Cleanse, O cleanse me from my sin.

My transgressions I confess, Grief and guilt my soul oppress;
I have sinned against Thy grace And provoked Thee to Thy face;
I confess Thy judgement just, Speechless, I Thy mercy trust.

I am evil, born in sin; Thou desirest truth within.
Thou alone my Savior art, Teach Thy wisdom to my heart;
Make me pure, Thy grace bestow, Wash me whiter than the snow.

Broken, humbled to the dust By Thy wrath and judgement just,
Let me contrite heart rejoice And in gladness hear Thy voice;
From my sins O hide Thy face, Blot them out in boundless grace.

by Richard Redhead, 1836
Taken from the Blue Psalter Hymnal, #94