PRAYER

Prayer is the very life-breath of true Christianity. ---- J. C. Ryle

On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God. Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us (Psalm 62:7-8).

Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full (John 16:23-24).

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6-7).

A hymn to read, sing, play, hum, or whistle, to the glory of God: Come, my Soul, Thy Suit Prepare.(John Newton, 1779.)

GODHEAD

Christ's humanity is the great hem of the garment, through which we can touch His Godhead. -- Richard Glover

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory,  glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth (John 1:1, 14).

A hymn to read, sing, play, hum, or whistle to the glory of God: Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence (Liturgy of St. James, 5th. century).

WAY

If the Father has the kingdom ready for us, He will take care of us on the way. -- Andrew Bonar

Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also (John 14:1-3).

I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me (John 14:8).

And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age (Matthew 28:20).

A hymn to read, sing, play, hum, or whistle to the glory of God: He Leadeth Me: O Blessed Thought! -- Joseph H. Gilmore, 1862.

WRATH

The real horror of being outside of Christ is that there is no shelter from the wrath of God. --- Eric Alexander

Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him (John 3:36).

A hymn to read, sing, play, hum, or whistle to the glory of God: Day of Judgment! Day of Wonders! (John Newton, 1774).

LEADING

Even if all men are liars and faithless, still God does not cease to be trustworthy. -- John Calvin

The sheep hear His voice. A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from Him, for they do not know the voice of strangers (John 10:4).

A hymn to read, sing, play, hum, or whistle to the glory of God: All The Way My Savior Leads Me (Fanny J. Crosby. 1875).

WORLDLINESS

That this world is a playground instead of a battlefield has now been accepted in practice by the vast majority of fundamentalist Christians. ---- A. W. Tozer.

If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own, but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you (John 15:18-20).

A hymn to read, sing, hum, or whistle to the glory of God: Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah (William Williams, 1745.

HOLINESS

There is not a brick nor a stone laid in the work of our sanctification, till we go to Christ. Holiness is His special gift to His believing people. Holiness is the work He carries on in their hearts by the Spirit whom He puts within them. He is anointed a Prince and a Savior, to give repentance as well as remissions of sins. ---- J. C. Ryle

To as many as receive Him, He gives power to become sons of God (John 1:12).

A hymn to read, sing, hum, or whistle, to the glory of God:  That Man is Blest Who, Fearing God (From Psalm 1. The Psalter, 1912).   

SACRIFICE

Consecration is resolution that is not afraid of sacrifice. -- Anonymous

 

When the days drew near for Him to be taken up, [Jesus] set His face to go to Jerusalem (Luke 9:51).  (Cf. Isaiah 50:7)

 

[Jesus said] "The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised" (Luke 9:21-22).

 

Father, the hour is come; glorify Your Son that the Son may glorify You, since you have given Him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom You have given Him" (John 17:1-2). 

 

After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said..."It is finished," and He bowed His head and gave up His spirit (John 19:28, 30).  

GOD'S LOVE

God's love for sinners is very wonderful, but God's patience with ill-natured saints is a deeper mystery [Henry Drummond].

There was none who sold himself to do what was evil in the sight of the LORD like Ahab...he acted very abominably in going after idols. And when Ahab heard those words, he tore his clothes and put sackcloth on his flesh and fasted and lay in sackcloth and went about dejectedly. And the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite saying, "Have you seen how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled himself before me, I will not bring the disaster in his days; but in his son's days I will bring the disaster upon his house." (I Kings 21:17-29).

The servant girl at the door said to Peter, "You also are not one of the this man's disciples, are you?" He said, "I am not." (John 18:17).

Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. So they said to him, "You also are not one of his disciples, are you?" He denied it and said, "I am not." One of the servants of the high priest....asked, "Did I not see you in the garden with him?" Peter again denied it, and at once a rooster crowed (John 18:25-27).

When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." He said to him, "Feed my lambs."  He said to him a second time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me? He said to him, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you."  He said to him, "Tend my sheep."  He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, "Do you love me?" and he said to Him,"Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you."  Jesus said to him, "Feed my sheep" (John 21:15-17).  

And after saying this He said to him, "Follow me." (John 21:19b).

A hymn to read, sing, hum, or whistle to the glory of God: Not Worthy Lord! (Edward Bickersteth, 1872).  

TRIALS

Trials and Tribulations. The grace of God exempts no one from trouble [J. C. Ryle].

I have said these things to you that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world (John 16:33).

A hymn to read, sing, hum, or whistle, to the glory of God: Day by Day and with Each Passing Moment (Carolina Berg, 1865).

LIGHT

God sometimes leads us through darkness to remind us that He alone is Light.  -- pgs 

 

Again, Jesus spoke unto them saying, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life" (John 8:12).  

 

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet , and a light unto my path (Psalm 119:105).

LAUGHTER

 Next to a good soul-stirring prayer is a good laugh, when it is promoted by what is pure in itself and in its grotesque application. ---- Mutchmore.

....a time to weep, and a time to laugh... (Ecclesiastes3:4).

These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be full (John 15:11).

A hymn to read, sing, hum, or whistle, to the glory of God: Rejoice, the Lord is King, Charles Wesley, 1746.

FLESH

To the human mind there is something almost illogical in the assertion that God became a man. It is like speaking about a square circle. Yet this is what Christmas says -- and we take refuge from our bewilderment not in explanation but in adoration (Ralph P. Martin).

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth (John 1:1, 14).

And we know that the Son of God has come and has given to us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life (I John 5:20).

A hymn to read, sing, hum, or whistle, to the glory of God: Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence (Liturgy of St. James. 5th. Century).

FLESH

The mystery of the humanity of Christ, that he sunk himself into our flesh, is beyond all human understanding. (Martin Luther).

Then [Jesus] stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe."  Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God." (John 20:27)  

Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory(I Timothy 3:16).

A hymn to read, sing, hum, or whistle, to the glory of God: What Child Is This? (Traditional English Carol).  

SAVIOR

There is no other way: time will fail you, Satan accuse you, the world seduce you, self betray you. Christ alone will save you. He is the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). ---- Selected

 

A hymn to read, sing, hum, or whistle to the glory of God: What a Friend We Have in Jesus (Joseph Scriven, 1855).

TRIBULATIONS

Nothing is more destined to create deep-seated anxieties in people than the false assumption that life should be free from anxieties. ---- Fulton J. Sheen

In the world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world (John 16:33).

ELECTION

 If God did not choose some men without conditions, no man would ever choose God under any condition. ---- John Blanchard.

 

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide (John 15:16).

 

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them (Ephesians 2:10).  

 

A hymn to read, sing, hum, or whistle to the glory of God: 'Tis Not That I Did Choose Thee (Josiah Cander, 1836).

REBIRTH

One thing is very clear; I cannot accomplish the new birth myself. It is not in me to make this mighty change in myself. I may change my sins, but I cannot change my heart. I may fashion a new way, but not a new nature. I may make considerable reforms and alterations. I may lay aside many outward bad habits, and begin many outward duties. But I cannot create a new principle within me. I cannot bring something out of nothing, life out of death. The Ethiopian cannot change his skin, nor the leopard his spots; no more can we put life into our own souls. I must be born again (pgs, after J. C. Ryle).

 

Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard his spots? Then also you can do good who are accustomed to do evil (Jeremiah 13:23).

 

Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God." (John 3:3).

 

A hymn to read, sing, hum, or whistle, to the glory of God: I Sought the Lord, and Afterward I Knew. Anonymous,1878.

COVENANT

As we are under the covenant of grace, we are secured against departing from the living God by the sure declaration of the covenant. ---- Charles Spurgeon

 

And I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you. I will be their God (Genesis 17:7-8).

 

For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people (Hebrews 8:10).  

 

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater that all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. I and the Father are one (John 10:27-30).

 

Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen (Hebrews 13:20-21).

FOLLOW

As the soldier follows his general, as the servant follows his master, as the scholar follows his teacher, as the sheep follows its shepherd, just so ought the professing Christian to follow Christ. ---- J. C. Ryle

 

I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me....and the sheep follow [me] for they know [my] voice (John 10:14, 4).