new piano

Our church has as a new piano!! Left to right (back row) Mark Morgan, elder; John Patti, pastor; Will Swisher, elder; Al Watson, visitor.

Left to right (front row) Lorrin Watson, visitor and Chair of the WFAA, Inc.; Brenda Swisher, our church pianist. This is an electric piano which has lots of capabilities and beautiful sound. It replaces our old upright which was terminally out of tune! We were blessed to purchase the piano from some cousins of the pastor's wife who are believers and love the Lord. How precious the Lord's provision is!!!

looking to the future

Just to make you work a bit ~~ a Rod.

And ~~ Praise.

Praise to the Lord

Praise Him

Morning by morning - another "jewel"

"If you would reach to something higher than ordinary groveling experience, look to the Rock that is higher than you, and gaze with the eye of faith through the window of consistent prayer. When you open the window on your side, it will not be bolted on the other". Spurgeon

Eye of faith through the window of consistent prayer - I like that. And I certainly would reach to something higher than ordinary groveling experience.

John 10:10b - "I came that they may have life and have it abundantly."

The Rock that is Higher I

Udate 12:17PM by lynmeryl

light

Isaiah 9

1d "In Galilee of the Gentiles.

2 The people who walked in darkness

Have seen a great light;

Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death,

Upon them a light has shined."


John 8

12 Then Jesus spoke to them saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life."

Carry the Light

Send the Light

no light

Isaiah 8

19 And when they [leaders of Israel] say to you [Isaiah],

“Seek those who are mediums and wizards, who whisper and mutter,”

should not a people seek their God?

Should they seek the dead on behalf of the living?

20 To the law and to the testimony!

If they do not speak according to this word,

it is because there is no light in them."


Israel wants to consult mediums and wizards for answers to her problems.

Isaiah's response ~ "should not a people seek ther God?
Should they seek the dead on behalf of the living?"

They should seek their answers in God's Word ~~ if they do not...it means there is no light in them, they are spiritually blind to God.

Haydn in hymnal

While enjoying a new CD of the Haydn string quartets last evening, we were stopped in our tracks when the 2nd movement of the String Quartet in C Major, Op. 76 began the lovely melodies of a very familiar hymn, Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken. Upon checking it out in our Baptist Hymnal (c: 1991), we found that these words were written by John Newton, 1725-1807 and the music by Franz Joseph Haydn, 1732-1809.



And then we found that this same tune by Haydn is used in 2 other hymns, still in the BH, one entitled We Are Called to Be God's People (words by Thomas A. Jackson, 1931-) and the second Word of God, Across the Ages (words by Ferdinand Q. Blanchard, 1876-1968).



I tried to find Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken in the cyberhymnal, but it is not listed. The words are just beautiful and when I think of the man who wrote those words, I am humbled and so thankful for the Power of the Holy Spirit in sinners....saved by Grace.



more, later.

Update by lynmeryl @ 10:54AM

shekina radiance

You note that in the NKJV translation of M. 5:16, Matthew says "and glorify your Father in Heaven". Some translations say "your Father who is in Heaven". "our goods works" of course will both glorify our Father who is in Heaven and our Father in Heaven; beautiful facets of Truth.

We do our good works before men because our godly lives, Biblical truths and the work of the Holy Spirit will bring men to a saving knowledge of Christ.

We will meet those in Heaven who will have been saved because we were obedient to the command in Matthew 5:16 to...

"Let your light so shine before men that they will see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven."

Incredible to think that we insignificant beings might be used as instruments to enable others to be in heaven to glorify our Father for eternity.

Shine!

Ah - the tremendous exhortation of Matt. 5:16. And what of those good works??

The wisdom of Proverbs 24:29 tells us what not to do:

'Do not say, "I will do to him as he has done to me; I will pay the man back for what he has done." '

The wisdom of Our Lord tells us what to do:

Matt. 7:12 "So whatever you wish that men would do to you, do so to them; for this is the law and the prophets."

and

Luke 6:31 "And as you wish that men would do to you, do so to them."

As followers of the Light of the World, the true light that enlightens every man, we can be and we must be and we are different from the attitudes that are so dominant in this world, ie: payback. We can be lights that manifest, that give guidance, that warn and give cheering influence. What a great responsibility and what a great way to live each day!

Thank You God for the Light!

light

Let your light so shine before men that they will see your good works and glorify your Father in Heaven. Matthew 5:16

from C.H.S.

Each morning I enjoy a book called Morning by Morning, written by Charles H. Spurgeon, and usually find that his choice of Scripture along with his meditations stay in my mind during the day. Often, just a word will be the trigger to remind me of his thoughts. The trigger word from the devotion this morning was an especially good word for me to remember - LIGHT - from this verse :

"In the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world." Philippians 2:15.

Spurgeon reminds us of several uses of Light:

---we use lights to make manifest (display) - our lives and conversation should be such that all about us can clearly perceive the image of Jesus reflected in all our daily actions;

---lights are intended for guidance - to help those in darkness and to interpret the Scriptures (like Philip did for the Ethiopian)and to point sinners to the Savior;

---lights are used for warning - as with a lighthouse, put up the true light on every dangerous rock and point out every sin and tell what it leads to;

---And as lights we should also have a very cheering influence, as a comforter with kind words and carry sunshine wherever we go, diffusing happiness around us.

The mediation ended with these lovely words which I assume are a part of a hymn:

Gracious Spirit dwell with me; I myself would gracious be,
And with words that help and heal Would thy life in mine reveal,
And with actions bold and meek Would for Christ my Savior speak.

Which, in turn, reminds me of another special verse about light - John 8:12 where Jesus tells us that "I am the LIGHT of the world".

Lord, let me shine for You.

songs for Sunday

from a fellow Pennsylvanian, Philip Bliss, 1838 - 1876. Man of Sorrows or Hallelujah, What A Savior! And I Will Sing of My Redeemer and Jesus Loves Even Me.

thanks

Psalm 105

1 Oh, give thanks to the LORD!
Call upon His name;
Make known His deeds among the peoples!

2 Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him;
Talk of all His wondrous works!

3 Glory in His holy name;
Let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the LORD!

4 Seek the LORD and His strength;
Seek His face evermore!

5 Remember His marvelous works which He has done,
His wonders, and the judgments of His mouth,

6 O seed of Abraham His servant,
You children of Jacob, His chosen ones!"