By Your Side

Why are you striving these days?
Why are you trying to earn grace?
Why are you crying?
Let me lift up your face
Just don't turn away.

Why are you looking for love?
Why are you still searching as if I'm not enough?
To where will you go, child?
Tell me, where will you run?
To where will you run?

And I'll be by your side
Wherever you fall
In the dead of night
Whenever you call
And please don't fight
These hands that are holding you.
My hands are holding you.

Look at these hands and my side
They swallowed the grave on that night
When I drank the world's sin
So I could carry you in
And give you life.
I want to give you life.

And I'll be by your side
Wherever you fall
In the dead of night
Whenever you call
And please don't fight these hands that are holding you.
My hands are holding you.

Cause I, I love you.
I want you to know.
That I, I love you.
I'll never let you go.


- "By Your Side" by Tenth Avenue North -

I fell in love with this song before the first stanza ended. A truly beautiful picture of the Father's deep love and care for His wandering and wayward children. I love how the third verse so clearly points to the greatest display of God's love - the cross. Come, let us worship and bow down before Him!

His love will never let me go.

Gianna Jessen: Abortion Survivor by God's Grace Alone

I was so thrilled to watch this video of a young lady interviewed on Hannity and Colmes. She survived an abortion. Now she joyously lives to tell about it and do all she can to put an end to this horrendous attack on human life. Not only that, but she loves our Lord and is not ashamed about it. May many be blessed by her example and testimony!



Human beings are fearfully and wonderfully made in the image of their Creator! Let us do all we can to defend the unborn for the glory of God!

My Cup Runs Over

When was the last time you were truly thankful? As weak and selfish human beings, we are so prone to forget to give thanks unto the Giver of all good gifts. We are so quick to grumble and complain when things do not go the way we want them to. Rather than being thankful to God for providing abundant rain to water the thirsty ground, we grumble because we are getting wet or because we wanted to get some things done outside. Rather than praising the Lord for granting us senses and the ability to work and interact with people, we complain when we are asked to stay an hour later to help out. No matter what the situation, somehow we can always find something to complain about. This attitude springs from pride and arrogance.

A recently-read quote by C. J. Mahaney helps put things in their proper perspective:

"Let each of us recognize every day that whatever grace we receive from God is so much more than we're worthy of, and indescribably better than the hell we all deserve."

Even on those days when it seems like things could not go any worse, we must remember that we are already receiving so much more than we deserve. What we deserve as sinful, proud, ungrateful beings is nothing less than God's wrath. We deserve hell.

We must remind ourselves daily that the very fact that we are breathing should be ample cause for humble rejoicing and adoration at the great mercy of our Savior! Not only does our God richly supply us with temporal blessings, but he also grants us the greatest gift of all - the answer to our greatest need - grace and peace through Jesus Christ and His saving work on the cross! What a marvelous gift!

I close with a portion of the Puritan prayer "Evening Praise" taken from The Valley of Vision.

I thank Thee for the temporal blessings of this world -
the refreshing air,
the light of the sun,
the food that renews strength,
the raiment that clothes,
the dwelling that shelters,
the sleep that gives rest,
the starry canopy of night,
the summer breeze,
the flowers' sweetness,
the music of flowing streams,
the happy endearments of family, kindred, friends,
Things animate, things inanimate, minister to my comfort.
My cup runs over.
Suffer me not to be insensible to these daily mercies.
Thy hand bestows blessings: Thy power averts evil.
I bring my tribute of thanks for spiritual graces,
the full warmth of faith,
the cheering presence of Thy Spirit,
the strength of Thy restraining will,
the spiking of hell's artillery.

Blessed be my Sovereign Lord!"

Give us humble and thankful hearts, we pray, O God!

Cool Websites

Here are two very cool websites I have recently come across through other blogs:

1. wordle.net - All you have to do is submit words (I used lyrics to a song) and it will make a really neat picture out of those words. You can change the fonts, colors, etc. The larger words are those that are appear more frequently in your submission. To view mine, click here: title="Wordle: beautiful the blood"> src="http://wordle.net/thumb/wrdl/175081/beautiful_the_blood"
style="padding:4px;border:1px solid #ddd"> My Wordle is the lyrics to "Beautiful the Blood" by Fee. A wonderful song about the cross I discovered at...

2. pandora.com - A site that allows you to listen to music. But not just any music. You enter in an artist or even a specific song that you like (or simply feel like listening to at the moment), and a playlist of songs from that artist and similar artists will be created for you to enjoy. I heard the Fee song on the Sovereign Grace Music station.

Check them out!

Pray for our Muslim Neighbors

Yesterday marked the beginning of Ramadan, a month-long Muslim fasting observance that takes place every year. Many Christians are taking the commitment to praying each day of this month for the Muslim world. (For more info. see www.30-days.net, also where I got the photo of Mecca above.) Whether or not you take this commitment to 30 days of prayer, I strongly encourage you to cry out to our God with His people on behalf of our Muslim neighbors.

PRAY:

- That the kingdom of our God would advance and the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ permeate the hearts of many who will be participating in this observance. Pray that many would turn from worshiping false gods to faith in the one and only true God.
- For Christians who were once Muslims, and for those who will come to believe in Jesus Christ. Pray that they would gladly take hold of Christ and risk death than continue following false religion and practice.
- For Christians living in largely Muslim areas, that they would have boldness and zeal for the glory of God, and lovingly proclaim the gospel to those observing Ramadan. Pray for opportunities. Pray that through the work of the Holy Spirit, God's Word will take effect and show those who are lost that their only hope for salvation rests only in Christ, not in their confession of sin to Allah or attempts to purify themselves through their own good deeds (both of which constitute large parts of the Ramadan fasting observance) .

And above all else, May God be glorified!