Lord, How I Long to Live My Life

Acts 2:43- "Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles."

(to the tune of St. Columbia- "How Sweet and Awful is the Place")

Lord, how I long to live my life
That all the world may see
The awesome power of Your might,
Your Spirit's work in me!

I have not heard the rushing wind
Or seen the tongues of flame;
I have not by You raised the dead
Or healed the blind and lame.

Yet these are not the greatest deeds
Performed by those You save:
We die to self and live to You
Who rose up from the grave!

We know Your Spirit’s wondrous work
Of overcoming sin
And through our trials know the calm
Of peace You give within.

To us, You open up the Word,
And we behold Your face.
You grant us strength in time of need
Before Your throne of grace.

Above all these, the Gospel borne
By Your strong Spirit’s might
Unites the hearts of all Your own
And makes the darkness light!

Ignite the zeal to love You more
And treasure You as dear!
Lord, wean our souls from this cold world
So all may stand in fear!

- Marie Peterson, 2008.

Andrew Fuller Conference- The English Baptists of the 17th Century

Conference Description

The theme of this year’s conference is “The English Baptists of the 17th Century”. Featured speakers include: R. Albert Mohler, Jr., Barry Howson, Larry Kreitzer, Tom Nettles, Jim Renihan, Austin Walker, and Malcolm Yarnell. Other up and coming Baptist History scholars will be presenting papers as well. The conference will be held on the campus of SBTS on the dates of Monday, August 25 and Tuesday, August 26. The regular registration rate is $80.00 (which includes five meals: two breakfasts, two lunches, and one dinner). There is also a special student rate available at $40.00.

Click here for more information

Any conference with Austin Walker and Jim Renihan has to be good, not to mention all the other speakers. This is something a church history aficionado like me just can't pass up!!!

To Thy temple I repair

I was singing some songs about worship this morning from the Trinity Hymnal, and this one really gripped me:

To thy temple I repair;
Lord, I love to worship there,
When within the veil I meet
Christ before the mercy-seat.

While thy glorious praise is sung,
Touch my lips, unloose my tongue,
That my joyful soul may bless
Thee, the Lord my Righteousness.

While the prayers of saints ascend,
God of love, to mine attend;
Hear me, for thy Spirit pleads;
Hear, for Jesus intercedes.

While I hearken to thy law,
Fill my soul with humble awe,
Till thy gospel bring to me
Life and immortality.

While thy ministers proclaim
Peace and pardon in thy Name,
Through their voice, by faith, may I
Hear thee speaking from the sky.

From thy house when I return,
May my heart within me burn,
And at evening let me say,
"I have walked with God today."

Jams Montgomery, 1812

Please Pray for Tom Ascol

HT: Timmy Brister

Dr. Tom Ascol, pastor of Grace Baptist Church in Cape Coral, FL and director of Founders Ministries, is having health issues after getting hit by lightning recently. Please pray the Lord would bring the sanctification and lessons He intends in this (to take a cue from John Piper, that he wouldn't waste his lightning!), draw near to him and sustain him, and heal his body so he may continue the work of the ministry with renewed zeal and vigor. I am truly thankful for God's work in and through this brother, having had the opportunity to meet him in person on several occasions as well!!!

Seek the Lord while He may be found

Back in August of 2005, after hearing a sermon by Robert Martin of Emmanuel Reformed Baptist Church in SeaTac the Lord's Day before the AOMin apologetics cruise, I remember remarking to a fellow cruiser that I was uncomfortable hearing a Reformed pastor preaching such an "Arminian sounding" sermon.

I was trying to remember the sermon text, and I wanted to listen to it again because of my recent consideration of God's declarations of the Gospel as being freely offered and well-meant. Well, today I looked and, lo and behold, it has since been uploaded to their website! The text was Isaiah 55, one I have heard referenced quite a bit recently (this last Lord's Day was one, actually). And far from being "Arminian," it is a wonderful sermon that upholds the true Gospel and the nature of true repentance and faith! Enjoy (and share it with any unconverted friends who are around...)!

An Urgent Call to Seek the Lord

Heritage Baptist Church Missions Conference 2008 mp3s

There are already online mp3s from the HBC Missions Conference!

click here

When this passing world is done

When this passing world is done,
When has sunk yon glaring sun,
When we stand with Christ in glory,
Looking o'er life's finished story,
Then, Lord, shall I fully know,
Not till then, how much I owe.

When I hear the wicked call
On the rocks and hills to fall,
When I see them start and shrink
On the fiery deluge brink,
Then, Lord, shall I fully know,
Not till then, how much I owe.

When I stand before the throne,
Dressed in beauty not my own,
When I see thee as thou art,
Love thee with unsinning heart,
Then, Lord, shall I fully know,
Not till then, how much I owe.

When the praise of heav'n I hear,
Loud as thunders to the ear,
Loud as many waters' noise,
Sweet as harp's melodious voice,
Then, Lord, shall I fully know,
Not till then, how much I owe.

Chosen not for good in me,
Wakened up from wrath to flee,
Hidden in the Saviour's side,
By the Spirit sanctified,
Teach me, Lord, on earth to show,
By my love, how much I owe.

- Robert Murray M'Cheyne

Providentially enough, a sister and I had been thinking upon this song over the last week, and the two of us sang it together yesterday afternoon. In both of our lives, the Lord has been working on showing us our pride and sin and then showing us the sufficiency of our great Savior.

For both of us, and I am confident for all believers, the anticipation of not sinning is probably one of the things we most look forward to (second only to seeing our Lord Jesus face to face!) I can't imagine what it will be like not to sin! No more pride, no more discontentment, no more faithlessness, no more jealousy.

But today I was pondering another aspect of this truth. I will not only never sin against God Himself, but I will never sin against my brethren! No more putting my own interests above theirs. No more comparing myself with them and thinking I am more spiritual. No more getting on their nerves, or they on mine. No more doubting the Spirit's work in their lives. No more fear of hurting my brethren with unneeded words, and no more hurting them by withholding my words.

It will be a wonderful thing to converse with the Old Testament saints and with the disciples and with people like Luther and Spurgeon and Edwards and Ryle. It will be a sight to see when I stand among the millions of blood-bought children of God, having known and befriended some in my lifetime. But much more do I look forward to standing among the brothers and sisters that I meet with Lord's Day by Lord's Day and prayer meeting by prayer meeting. They are the ones I've cried with, laughed with, rejoiced with, confided with, sung with, prayed with, read Scripture with, heard preaching with, broke bread with, and fellowshipped with. They are also the ones whom I've had disagreements with, who I've sinned against, and who have sinned against me. And to stand there in Heaven, rejoicing that we've made it, that the good fight of faith was not in vain! And I have a feeling that there won't be anything a simple, hearty "I love you [fill in name here]!" won't forgive.

One sister will be telling about how the first thing she ever saw with her eyes was the face of her Savior. Another will be telling about how she no longer has back pain or medication to hinder her worship. Yet another will speak of how she no longer battles depression and how she's never experienced such joy. And there are those who no longer have to deal with the sadness and trials of unconverted spouses or unconverted children or unconverted family members (hopefully we will be rejoicing that they've been converted!). We will also have no more anxiety, no unrighteous anger, no discontentment, no more pride, no temptations to be man-pleasers.

Praise God for the family I call my local church. We are not perfect, but we have a perfect Savior and Shepherd over us! Come quickly, Lord Jesus...

The Power of the Gospel

Ok, first blog post on my new blog...

Great message on the power of the Gospel preached tonight by one of my pastors! Very, very encouraging indeed...

I was struck by the truth that, as important as it is for the whole counsel of God to be preached, the Gospel is central, and we must never lose sight of it. Whenever we speak God's truth to the unconverted, other issues may be the starting point, but we should strive to get to the Gospel as soon as possible, since that is this world's greatest need! How sweet and comforting it is to meditate upon the fact that I am saved not by doing the works of the Law but by Christ's perfect obedience to the Law on my behalf and His shed blood on the cross to cover all my sins!!!

The Power of the Gospel- John Grevious