If God is not our joy, we develop an insatiable desire for the "good things," frantically and foolishly searching for them in this world. -- pgs.
Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world -- the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does -- comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever (I John 2:15-17).
A hymn to read, sing, play, hum, or whistle to the glory of God: More Love To Thee, O Christ (Elizabeth Payson Prentiss, 1869)
We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. For Christ did not please Himself, but as it is written, "The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me." Therefore, welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God (Romans 15:6-7).
Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends(I Corinthians 13:4-8a).
Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you(Ephesians s4:32).
A hymn to read, sing, hum, or whistle, to the glory of God: O God of Mercy, God of Might (Robert Murray, 1898)
A colloquialism: "There's a first time for everything." -- pgs
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1).
And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light (Genesis 1:3).
And God said, "Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the water from the waters." And it was so. And God called the expanse Heaven (Genesis 1:6-8).
And God said, "Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear." And it was so. God called the dry land Earth, and the waters...He called seas (Genesis 1:9-10b).
And God said, "Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind..." And it was so (Genesis 1:11).
And God said, "Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years, and let them be lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth." And it was so (Genesis 1:14-15).
And God said, "Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth. So God created...every living thing that moves (Genesis 1:20-21).
And God said, "Let the earth bring forth living creatures according to their kinds..." And it was so(Genesis 1:24,25).
Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. And God blessed them. And God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it.... And it was so. (Genesis 1:26-28, 30b).
And God saw everything that He had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day (Genesis 1:31).
Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God finished His work that He had done, and He rested on the seventh day. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy... (Genesis 2:2-4).
A hymn to read, sing, hum, or whistle, to the glory of God: I sing the Almighty Power of God (Isaac Watts, 1715).
There are many circumstances in life when to be strong is to sit still (---pgs).
"Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!"(Psalm 46:10)
"Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD, which He will work for you today. The LORD will fight for you, and you have only to be silent" (Exodus 14:13,14).
A hymn to read, sing, hum, or whistle, to the glory of God: If Thou But Suffer God to Guide Thee(Georg Neumark, 1641).
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).
From eternity to eternity there is never a time when God does not know and love His elect children. ---- pgs
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us for adoption through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of His will, to the praise of His glorious grace, with which He has blessed us in the Beloved (Ephesians 1:3-6).
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy (Matthew 5:7).
Which, being interpreted, means blessed is the believer who loves the miserable, forgives the sinner, and feels and acts kindly toward all men, for he will receive loving kindness in return. -- pgs
A hymn to read, sing, hum, or whistle, to the glory of God: O God of Mercy, God of Might (Godfrey Thring, 1877).
Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down; his disciples came to him, and began to teach them, saying:
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled (Matthew 5:6).
Meaning: those who earnestly and humbly seek to know and adore God in Christ more and more every day, may fully expect to receive what they desire. --- pgs
A hymn to read, sing, hum, or whistle, to the glory of God: Christ, of All My Hopes the Ground(Ralph Wardlaw, 1817).
No person is good enough to deserve any of God's blessings; salvation is the free gift of God's unmerited grace to sinners. --- pgs
Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which He shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior (Titus 3:5-6).
For by grace you are saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God ---- not by works, so that no one can boast (Ephesians 2:8-9).
A hymn to read, sing, hum, or whistle to the glory of God:
Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing (Robert Robinson, 1758).
Even in the desert God pities, protects, and preserves His people. ---- pgs
Then the word of the LORD came to Elijah: "Leave here, turn eastward and hide in the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan. You will drink from the brook and I have ordered the ravens to feed you there" (I Kings 17:1-4).
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil, my cup overflows (Psalm 23:5).
A hymn to read, sing, hum, or whistle, to the glory of God:
This is love: knowing and loving the triune God above all others and sharing that love and life in God with those you love the most. ---- pgs
So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God (I Corinthians 10:31).
For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory forever. Amen. (Romans11:36).
My heart and my strength may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever(Psalm 73:25).
Jesus replied: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind." This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: "Love your neighbor as yourself." (Matthew 22:37-39).
That which we have seen and heard we proclaim also unto you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. And these things we write unto you that our joy may be full (I John 1:3-4).
A hymn to read, sing, hum, or whistle to the glory of God: Blest Be the Tie That Binds (John Fawcett, 1782).
A current TV ad declares that "Life is knowing what you live for." I would add that this is true if you know that what you live for is to know God and make Him known. --- pgs
For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever and ever(Romans 11:36).
A hymn to read, sing, hum, or whistle to the glory of God: Praise to the Lord, the Almighty (From Psalm 103. Joachim Neander, 1680.
A TV commercial for life insurance encourages viewers to "Prepare Them for All That Lies Ahead," with the pronoun, them ,referring to the viewers' family. It immediately occurred to me that the phrase could, however, express a significantly different life-view, such as, "Parents, pastors and professors should remember that "all that lies ahead" consists ultimately of only two things, heaven, or hell." ---- pgs
When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, He will sit on His throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on His right and the goats on His left. Then the King will say to those on His right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. Then He will say to those on His left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life (Matthew 25:31-34, 41, 46.)
A hymn to read, sing, hum, or whistle, to the glory of God:
O Quickly Come, Dread Judge of All (Lawrence Tuttiet, 1854).
When God saves us He lights a candle in our hearts that shall never be put out ---- pgs.
My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast! (Psalm 57:7).
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God (Matthew 5:8)
Arise, shine, for your light has come and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you...and His glory will be seen upon you...Then you shall see and be radiant; you heart shall thrill and exult...and you shall know that I, the LORD, am your Savior and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob (Isaiah 60:1, 2, 16b).
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.
The fire of God's wrath must fall on the sinner or on the substitute. ---- pgs.
Surely He took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered Him stricken by God, smitten by Him, and afflicted (Isaiah 53:4).
....but God shows His love for us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by His blood, much more we shall be saved by Him from the wrath of God. For if, while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son; much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by His life. (Romans 5:8-10).
A hymn to read, sing, hum, or whistle, to the glory of God: Ah, Holy Jesus, How Hast Thou Offended, Johann Heermann (1630).
Joy and peace are produced not so much by large chunks of God's mercies that seldom happen, as by little pieces of His benevolent providence that occur every day. ---- pgs
If you will seek God and plead with the Almighty for mercy...and though your beginning was small, your latter days will be very great...He will yet fill your mouth with laughter, and your lips with shouting (Job 8:5, 7, 21).
A hymn to read, sing, hum, or whistle, to the glory of God: GOD SEES THE LITTLE SPARROW FALL. God sees the little sparrow fall, it meets his tender view; if God so loves the little birds, I know he loves me too (Maria Straub, 1838-1898).
