Angels

Good morning!

Angels are the dispensers and administrators of the divine beneficence towards us. ---- John Calvin.

Of the angels He says, "He makes His angels winds, and His ministers a flame of fire."  Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?  (Hebrews 1:7, 14)

A hymn to read aloud, and/or sing aloud, and to offer to God in worship: YOU HOLY ANGELS BRIGHT.

Union with Christ

Good morning!

The more a soul is conformed to Christ, the more confident it will be of its interest in [union with] Christ. -- Thomas Brooks.

Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise Him, my salvation and my God (Psalm 42:11).

But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that He is able to guard until that Day what has been entrusted to me (II Timothy 1:12).

See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know Him. Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when He appears, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him as He is . And everyone who thus hopes in Him purifies himself as He is pure (I John 3:1-3).

A hymn to be read aloud and/or sung aloud, and offered in worship to God: IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL and/or BLESSED ASSURANCE .

Cross

Good morning!

The cross of Jesus Christ is a two-way street; we have been brought to God and God has been brought to us. Donald Grey Barnhouse.

But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in His flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments and ordinances, that He might create in Himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hositility. And He came and preached peace to those who were far off and those who were near. For through Him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. (Ephesians 2:13--18).

A hymn to be read or sung aloud in worship to God: MAN OF SORROWS! WHAT A NAME. -----

Awe

Good morning!

Awe is the primary religious emotion. Anonymous.

Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with revereance and awe, for our God is a consuming fire (Hebrews 12:28-29).

A hymn to be read aloud or sung aloud and offered in worship to God: MY GOD, HOW WONDERFUL THOU ART (Trinity hymnal 35).

Watchfulness

Good morning!

We are all constantly backsliding but for the grace of God. ---- Dick Lucas.

Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and He will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation He will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it (I Corinthians 10:12-13).

A hymn to be read aloud or sung aloud and offered in worship to God: COME HOLY SPIRIT, HEAVENLY DOVE.

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In God's good providence there is "a time to laugh" (Ecclesiastes 1:1,4b). Two wrongs don't make a right, but they make a good excuse. Thomas Szang.

Seeking

Good morning!

God did not promise days without pain, laughter without sorrow, or sun without rain, but He did promise His children strength for the day, comfort for the tears, and light for the way. --- pgs 

I sought the LORD, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. Many are the afflictions of the righteous; but the LORD  delivers him out of them all (Psalm 34:4, 19).

A hymn to be read aloud, or sung aloud, and offered in worship to God: JESUS, I AM RESTING, RESTING.

Truth and Life

Good morning!

May you live all the days of the rest of your life.  -- pgs

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life (John 3:16). 

 I am the way, the truth and the life. -- Jesus Christ (John 14:6).

A hymn to be read or sung aloud and offered to God in worship: JESUS IS ALL THE WORLD TO ME

Happiness

Good morning!

What happiness is, the Bible alone shows clearly and certainly, and points out the way that leads to the attainment of it --- "In Cicero and Plato, and other such writers," says Augustine, "I meet with many things acutely said, and things that excite a certain warmth of emotions, but in none of them do I find these words, 'Come unto me, all ye that labor, and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.'" --- Coleridge

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and "you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light" (Matthew 11:28-29).

A hymn to be read or sung aloud, and offered to God in worship: CAST YOUR BURDENS ON THE LORD.

Righteousness

Good morning!

Set happiness before you as an end, no matter in what guise of wealth, or fame, or oblivion even, and you will not attain it. -- But renounce it and seek the pleasure of God, and that instant is the birth of your own. -- A. S. Hardy.

Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you ---- Matthew 6:31-33.

A hymn to be read or sung aloud and offered to God in worship: GOD WILL TAKE CARE OF YOU.

Kindness

Good morning!

 

The milk of human kindness never curdles. -- Anonymous.

 

And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone... (II Timothy 2:24).

 

Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you(Ephesians 4:32).

 

A hymn to be read or sung aloud and offered to God in worship: THE BEATITUDES (8 stanzas).

Humility

Good morning!

True humility is not an abject, groveling, self-despising spirit; it is but a right estimate of ourselves as God sees us ---- Tryon Edwards.

Woe is me; for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts (Isaiah 6:5).

A hymn to read aloud or sing aloud as an offering to God: HAVE THINE OWN WAY, LORD.

Dependency

Good morning!

We should not try to hold on to this life as though our very lives depended on it --- pgs.

Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD (Job 1:21-22)

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A hymn to read aloud or to sing aloud and offer to God in worship: JESUS LIVES, AND SO SHALL I.   

Stumbling Blocks

Good morning!

Stumbling blocks are often stepping stones to glory. --- pgs

I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ. And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear (Philippians 1:12-14).

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A hymn to read or sing aloud, and to offer to God in worship: ALL THE WAY MY SAVIOR LEADS ME.

Teaching

Good morning!

God doesn't call the qualified, He qualifies the called. --- unknown

But He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me (II Corinthians 12:9).

The things you have heard me say....entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others (II Timothy 2:2).  

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A hymn to read or sing aloud, and to offer to God in worship: LORD, SPEAK TO ME THAT I MAY SPEAK.

Goodness

Good morning!

God's goodness has been great to thee.---- Let never day nor night unhallowed pass but still remember what the Lord hath done.---- William Shakespeare. 

O give thanks unto the LORD; call upon His name: make known His deeds among the people. Remember His marvelous works that He has done.... Praise ye the LORD! (Psalm 105:1, 5, 45b). 

Hymns to be read or sung aloud to the glory of God: PRAISE GOD FROM WHOM ALL BLESSINGS FLOW. PRAISE THE LORD, YE HEAVENS ADORE HIM.

Depravity

Good morning!

Man's understanding is so darkened that he can see nothing of God in God, nothing of holiness in holiness, nothing of good in good, nothing of evil in evil, nor anything of sinfulness in sin. Nay, it is so darkened that he fancies himself to see good in evil, and evil in good, happiness in sin, and misery in holiness. ---- Bishop Beveridge

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For although they knew God, they did not honor Him as God,or give thanks to Him, but they became fuitile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images...  Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.  

They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Though they know God's decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them (Romans 1:18a, 21-23a, 24-25, 29-32). 

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A hymn to be read or sung aloud and offered to God in worship: LORD I WAS BLIND, I COULD NOT SEE.  

Covenant Promises

Good morning!

It is never too soon to strive and pray for the salvation of the souls of [our] children --- never too soon to speak to them as moral beings, and tell them of God, and Christ, and right, and wrong. ---- J. C. Ryle.

Give ear, O my people, to my teaching; incline your ears to the words of my mouth! I will open my mouth in a parable, I will utter dark sayings from of old...we will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the LORD, and His might, and the wonders that He has done (Psalm 78:1a, 2-4).

The promise is for you and your children (Acts 2:39).

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A hymn to be read or sung aloud and offered to God in worship: AROUND THE THRONE OF GOD IN HEAVEN.

Mediator

Good morning!

 

A Christ supplemented is a Christ supplanted. ---- William Hendriksen

 

For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.... (I Timothy 2:5).

 

Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved (Acts 4:12).

 

Because Jesus lives forever, He has a permanent priesthood. Therefore He is able to save completely those who come to God through Him, because He always lives to intercede for them(Hebrews 7:24-25).

Work

Good Morning!

Throw your soul into the work as if your one employer were the Lord! ---- R. C. H. Lenski

Slaves, obey your earthly masters [employers?]with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ, not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man, knowing that whatever good anyone does this he will receive back from the Lord... (Ephesians 6:5-8; see also II Thessalonians 3:6-12). 

A hymn to be read or sung aloud and offered in worship to God: JESUS, MASTER WHOSE I AM. 

Godliness

Good morning!

Godliness...is devotion to God which results in a life that is pleasing to Him ---- Jerry Bridges.

What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God, as God said, "I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you, and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty" (II Corinthians 6:16-19).

Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God (II Corinthians 7:1).   

A hymn to be read or sung aloud and offered to God in worship: TAKE TIME TO BE HOLY.

Heavenmindedness

Good morning!

This world is our passage not our portion -- Matthew Henry.

If you then have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory (Colossians 3:1-4).

Do not love the world or the things in the world...for all that is in the world -- is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever (I John 2:15-16a, 17).

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A hymn to read or sing aloud and offer in worship to God: COME YE DISCONSOLATE, WHERE'ER YE LANGUISH.