Another beautiful hymn put out by Sovereign Grace Music and Bob Kauflin. In a day when the world is falling down around us, look up dear brothers and sisters to He who will one day appear and establish righteousness, justice, and His eternal kingdom.
The news today will not exalt Christ. It will not promote the kingdom of heaven. The news is only intent on reporting on the vile depravity that oozes out of the hearts of men and women around this world.
Today, I encourage you to turn off the news and focus on Jesus Christ. Do not keep your eyes on that which will not edify your soul and make you more like the Savior.
Today, June 14th is Flag Day in America. Many are celebrating with flags being waved, displayed on their cars, or being flown in front of their homes.
For millennium, flags or banners have been waved for many different reasons. But this beautiful hymn from Sovereign Grace reminds me that the banner of Jesus Christ will always wave across His kingdom. As Solomon wrote, “His banner over me is love.”
Truly, our Lord, our King, our Saviour, our Redeemer, our Messiah, our Prince of Peace is worthy of praise. He is glorious above all things.
Glorious
Lord, You are glorious
Shepherd and King, forever You’ll be glorious
Holy and here with us
Let every heart declare that You are glorious
As true believers, we kneel before God alone. He alone is worthy of our worship, our honor, and the One we seek when we need to ask forgiveness.
The world can demand all they want, but our allegiance is to the King of Kings.
In case, you have forgotten today with all that is happening, then Behold Our God!
In this day of turmoil, upheaval, and outright blatant disregard for God-appointed government, I wanted to encourage our hearts with the beautiful reminder that the true AND only hope for a sin-cursed, totally depraved world is built on nothing less than the blood of Jesus Christ.
Dear believers, no matter what happens, we stand secure on the Solid Rock which is Jesus Christ. ALL other ground is sinking sand.
This beautiful hymn is a wonderful reminder of the Creator whom we serve with joy and gladness.
Four times in Psalm 107, we are told these words by the Psalmist David.
Psalm 107:8, 15, 21, 31 – “Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men! … 15 Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men! … 21 Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men! … 31 Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men!”
A beautiful morning to remember our incomparable God who is seated forever on His throne. None can remove Him and He laughs at those who think they can do away with Christ (Psalm 2).
Enjoy this incredible hymn and look at Him again with fresh eyes.
I personally believe that Christ actually died on Thursday and not Friday. I do not see how to get three days and three nights between Friday and Sunday morning. However, the day that He died is not as important as the fact that He did die.
(Edited – If anybody is interested in a previous article I wrote back in 2013 on the crucifixion, then go to THIS LINK.)
The words in this hymn resonate in my heart and I pray they will encourage you today. Whatever day the crucifixion took place, the reality is that Sunday is coming! This coming Lord’s Day we will remember Resurrection Sunday for truly “up from the grave He arose with a mighty triumph o’er His foes!”
And I beheld God’s love displayed
You suffered in my place
You bore the wrath reserved for me
Now all I know is grace!
Today starts the remembrance of Passion Week. This week we remember when King Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, and He came for the sole purpose of dying. The people did not know this when the Triumphal Entry took place, but in just a matter of days the hearts of the people were revealed in all their depravity.
Yet, despite the fact that He did not come to defeat the Romans riding on a white horse, He still came. He defeated sin, hell, and death. Glory be to God!
The last two weeks have been extremely trying. The normal lives we thought we had, along with the comfort and ease, was cruelly crushed beyond recognition. This is particularly true to those in the Western world.
Yet, it may be at this time that the eyes of all true believers needs to be turned away from the cares of the world and refocused on Jesus Christ, who alone is the Author and Finisher of our faith. He is our glory and we, the Bride, are His.
Sovereign Grace Music has another hymn entitled “Christ Our Glory” that I have never heard until the last month or so. These words resonate in light of what we are currently experiencing.
“Our rest is in heaven, our rest is not here
Then why should we tremble when trials draw near?
Be still and remember the worst that can come
But shortens our journey and hastens us home!”“No hours should be wasted on seeking our joy
And placing our hope in what will be destroyed
We look for a city that hands have not raised
We long for a country that sin has not stained!”
The theme at Truth In Grace this last couple of weeks has been to focus our eyes away from the world and our sin. We need to set our affections on things above which ultimately is the Lord Jesus Christ. He alone is our glory and our prize.
True believers should long for the day when we will see Him, the Author and Finisher of our faith, but we will do so without tears, sin, or death to stain our eyes, hearts, or souls.
This morning as many go to worship collectively, many will worship what they do not know. They will attempt to worship with hearts of stone and not with new hearts given by God at the moment of salvation.
The Bible is clear that all are sinners, and that only those who come to Christ alone by grace through faith alone will be granted eternal life.
Today, heed the words of this beautiful hymn and “Come, O Sinner, Come!” If you have been redeemed, then rejoice that you came and your name is in the Lamb’s Book of Life.
In a day and age where music is everywhere, it should be important to those of us who are true believers to know what is and what is not worship. Sadly, many churches use music as a means to entertain their congregations before we have to get to that “sermon part” again.
In fact, I would posit that if churches were to announce that they are only going to pray and have a time of preaching/teaching that many congregations would disappear.
However, there are a few who believe that music is actually worship and that each in attendance is worshiping from the heart when they sing praises to God.
In this message from January 2016, Pastor John MacArthur addresses this topic faithfully from Ephesians 5 as his text.
I found this video on a Christian brother’s website. Paul, thank you for posting this to your site. It is truly convicting and right in line with what I have been sharing on my posts about “Spiritual Vertigo.”
Preaching and teaching about handling the trials and tribulations of life is always easier than the day you personally encounter those difficulties. When our family spoke of going to Liberia as missionaries, we were not prepared for the very real eventuality that it came close to taking the life of my daughter and myself.
However, through that painful time, we had a small handful of family and friends who supported us financially as well as in prayer. One of those is my dear friend and close brother in Christ, J.L. Pattison, and his lovely family.
J.L. has been a long-time contributor to this blog since the time that it was Defending Contending. I have had the privilege of being their pastor in the past when we lived in deserts of Nevada, and have watched them grow.
Yet, nothing could have prepared us for the news that we received this last November.
This was the beginning in his words —
On November 15, 2019, an x-ray for persistent leg pain in our five-year-old son’s left leg revealed a large tumor that originated in the bone of the upper portion of his femur. After an MRI, we were told by an oncologist in Reno, Nevada that it is likely Ewing Sarcoma. A week later a biopsy was conducted in Salt Lake City, Utah where we were told it was Osteosarcoma.
With only a 70% survival rate, our family has moved from the mourning phase of this life-shattering news, to the action phase where we are fighting for Kohen’s life.
Kohen is a precious little boy and has one of the sweetest personalities. His brothers and sisters have been very supportive through this painful process, but this is taking a toll on everybody. They are all aware that this cancer may end this little life at the worst scenario, or that during his upcoming surgery in March, may require the amputation of his entire leg.
While J.L. and his family are not perfect, they have learned to depend on the sovereign purposes of He who alone is Perfect in every way. They know that the wrong question is “Why did God…?” The Biblical question that they are praying for strength to ask every day is “God, how will you use this to conform us to the image of Jesus Christ?”
I want to encourage each of you to go to “The Kohen Chronicles” and follow the Pattison’s journey through this valley.
Pray for them. Pray for strength, for grace, for healing, for wisdom for the medical teams, and most of all that God will be glorified through this trial. Send a card or gift to them and to Kohen. Any outpouring of support would be greatly appreciated.
Our hearts ache with each new blogpost. While our tears will never match those of the Pattison family, we know that in Christ we share a bond that is anything but common.
J.L. asked us to hold off until now to share this news, but we will now be posting regular updates to Truth in Grace.
Brother, you and your family are dearly loved! There is nothing else I can say right now, except to share this short poem written many, many years ago by a British minister, and the beautiful hymn from the Gettys.
“We cannot Lord, Thy purpose see,
but all is well, that is done by Thee.”
Thank you to J.L. Pattison for sharing this poignant hymn from Sovereign Grace. The beautiful words and story that accompanies Horatio Spafford’s beloved “It is Well” still rings true today, especially for those who learn daily (and sometimes hourly) to trust in the sovereign purposes of God.
Tomorrow, we will be sharing a very special post on behalf of J.L. Pattison and his family. This dear friend and brother has been a great encouragement to our family as well as to the extended readership of “Truth in Grace” and previously on “Defending Contending.”
In the meantime, I would ask you if it is well with you? If so, realize afresh and anew that we have the privilege of coming into the throne room of grace and petitioning the Father with our cares and concerns.
Be blessed today as we look to the Author and Finisher of our faith – Jesus Christ!
A beautiful hymn from Keith and Kristyn Getty. May you be encouraged as your heart and mind dwells on the truth that the Lord alone is our salvation.
What wonder when we ponder the grace of God! True grace does not make one who was a wicked, sinful, depraved creature of clay boast in what they can bring to the holy, Triune God. No, no, a thousand times no! True grace gives great love and humility to those who know the Saviour.
My mom used to sing a song which said:
Let me see this world, dear Lord, as though I were looking through Your eyes
A world of men who don’t want You, Lord, but a world for which You died
I’ve not heard that song for years but it comes back to me from time to time. How would I treat people differently if I could see them through God’s eyes?
I find that the people who come across as the most arrogant are often the most insecure. Those who are mean are usually very lonely. It’s easy to think they’ve done that to themselves, and I’m sure some have but I expect that some use meanness in order to keep themselves from getting hurt, which has probably happened to them in the past.
As God told Samuel, “Man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7). Do you try to see into people’s hearts or do you judge them by how they appear externally?
As you go through this week, I challenge you to bear with people. You might have an opportunity to show love to someone who is hurting but would never admit it. Don’t be so focused on yourself that you miss what God desires to do in and through you. And, even if someone is being mean to you because he or she is a mean person, this may be a good time to practice heaping “burning coals on his head” (Romans 12:20).
My goal this year is to remind all of us to walk as Jesus walked and to obey His commands. There are so many things in the Bible that are easy to lose sight of in the midst of trials and conflict. I need these reminders too so, if you see a theme running through my posts this year, that is why.
You are my Glory and my Hope
Perfect in all Your ways
You are the One in Whom I rest
You are my Hope and Stay
You are my Wisdom and my Rock
The Blesser of my soul
The Hearer of my painful cries
You’re holy and faithful
You are the One in whom I trust
The Strength’ner of my heart
You are my Shield and Protection
You’ll never more depart
You uphold all your righteous ones
You are my Hiding Place
You are the One Who gives me food
My Light, my Truth, my Grace
You are Alpha and Omega
You are the First and Last
When You come back to take me home
My sin will all be past.
Words by Violet Escalera – January 2017
(Can be sung to the tune of Amazing Grace)
Christ Alone Wyoming 