July 19, 2020
Hymn of the Day
(tune: Begin My Tongue Some Heavenly Theme, #5)
Begin, my tongue, some heav'nly theme,
And speak some boundless thing;
The mighty works, or mightier name,
Of our eternal king.
Tell of His wondrous faithfulness,
And sound His power abroad;
Sing the sweet promise of His grace,
And the performing God.
Proclaim salvation from the Lord,
For wretched, dying men;
His hand has writ the sacred Word,
With an immortal pen.
Engraved as in eternal brass,
The mighty promise shines;
Nor can the powers of darkness 'rase,
Those everlasting lines.
His very word of grace is strong,
As that which built the skies;
The voice that rolls the stars along,
Speaks all the promises.
O might I hear Thine heav'nly tongue,
But whisper, Thou art Mine!
Those gentle words shall raise my song,
To notes almost divine.
How would my leaping heart rejoice,
And think my heav'n secure!
I trust the all-creating voice,
And faith desires no more.
Today's Hymns: (Bread) Even Me - #168,
(Wine) Jesus, Lover of My Soul - #352, Near the Cross - 351
Special Dates: Katelyn Sandbulte – 19 ~ Aiden Koedam - 19
Bonnie Terrell – 19 ~ Olivia Koedam – 20 ~Diane Scholten - 21
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"…we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us. -Hebrews 6.18
Charles Wesley wrote, "Other refuge have I none, Hangs my helpless soul on Thee." Do these words express your thoughts as well? Or do you have some refuge other than Him? Do you see your soul's danger as of such little seriousness that a bit of religion – say a particular church, an earthly priest, a large gift, or a powerful emotional experience is able to provide you soul with its needed help?
I am not the oldest person by any means, but my years in this world have taught me that there is nothing in this world that can form a sufficient refuge for this man's soul. God is too holy and His vengeance too powerful for me to find safety in anything I can see. But there is One whom I have never seen but have heard about who is a suitable refuge for the coming storm of Divine wrath.
The flood of Noah's day was too much for a rowboat or even the greatest ship of that day. There was no deep cave in which to hide, no tower tall enough in which to find safety. But, the Ark of God was sufficient to protect Noah and his family from the wrath of God. Noah was as safe in that ark as if there had been no wrath at all!
Not everyone believes the wrath of God to be of any great significance. But God's book tells us that His wrath is such that none can withstand it. None, that is, but One. One Man, and only One endured the fierceness of the wrath of a Holy God in reaction to sin. Just like Noah entered the ark and went through God's wrath protected from that wrath by the ark, so we who flee to Christ for refuge are safely hidden in Him and we have already passed through the wrath of God in Him when He died on the tree. We were crucified with Christ and IN Christ! Jesus is not only a refuge that will work, He is a refuge that has already worked. And He is refuge enough for you if He is the only refuge you have! -Joe
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When we look up and attempt to view Him sitting at the right hand of the Majesty on high in all His exalted dignity and power as King of kings and Lord of lords—then we feel as if dazzled and overborne with a sight and sense of His surpassing glory. In the days of His flesh, the beloved disciple could lean on the bosom of Jesus and stand by His cross; but when in Patmos' lonely isle He appeared in His majesty so that "his eyes were as a flame of fire," and "his countenance was as the sun shineth in His strength," John fell at His feet as dead! Yet if He has made us willing in the day of His power, has brought us to His feet in all humility to touch the scepter of His grace and own Him Lord of all, we may, in company with His saints, "speak of the glory of Thy kingdom, and talk of Thy power; to make known to the sons of men His mighty acts, and the glorious majesty of His kingdom." (Psalm 145:11, 12.) -J. C. Philpot
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Believers understand that the origin of all things is God. We understand that the end of all things is the salvation of God's elect and the glory of his great name. God's people understand that the nature of all things here is temporal. Everything here in this sin-cursed earth is temporal and vanishing. Every relationship in this world is just temporal. Most importantly, those who are taught of God understand all things spiritual. This is what the Apostle John tells us. "But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things" (1 John 2:20). All who are born of God and taught of God have the mind of Christ and understand all things vital and necessary to the saving of their souls. -Don Fortner
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Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven,
whose sin is covered.
Blessed is the man against whom the LORD counts no iniquity,
and in whose spirit there is no deceit.
~Psalm 32.1,2