November 2012 – Page 2 – Gospel Progress

2012-11-09

Before the earthly waters cleaved

Praise to you, O God, who gives
In Christ all spiritual blessing, lives
Within our hearts, and guides our feet
To where the Savior and sainted meet.

Before the earthly waters cleaved,
Your perfect plan, in heaven conceived,
Chose men for grace, for order called,
In Eden Adam and Eve installed.

For man was made the universe,
That he your glories might rehearse,
Open to you that inner space,
Enjoy your presence face to face.

In us you set the hot desire
For heaven to which we may retire,
The Lord’s return we, breathless, wait,
While knocking on Jerusalem’s gate.

2012-11-08

God must smile at our grown-up prayers

In an article about children’s and adults’ prayers, Phillip Jenkins wrote,

… sometimes I think of how much God must smile at our “grown up” prayers. We think we “know” what to say, “know” how to pray, and “know” how not to pray, but still, sometimes God must chuckle at those things we think we “know.”

2012-11-08

The model prayer

Most prayers are not answered because they are said by unredeemed tongues.

The model prayer consists of only 65 words and can be said in 15 seconds.

If we follow Christ’s example, our public prayers will be shorter and our private prayers will be longer.

—God Said, Gospel Advocate Companion 1998-99

2012-11-03

A new start

Bury deep within me, Lord, your word,
Renew in me your New Deal, your initiative,
Let the truth be real in me from the inside out. Je 31.33

Sweep me into your presence,
For I would never dare to think of going on my own,
Without an invitation, without One to present me. Je 30.21

As the dawn breaks, let your presence light up my soul,
Again, anew, to make the darkness flee,
To start all over again, the past removed. La 3.23

Cannot every hour be like this?
A new start, a clean break, the old refreshed?
As you will, O Lord, is my desire. 2Co 5.17

2012-11-02

Day of the dead

This day, when flowers upon a grave are laid,
When honoring lights are lit, and prayers are said,
When tears are spilt, the living remember the dead,
I think of souls whose Judgment looms ahead.

No fate can change by suffering beyond the grave,
But only the Cross of Christ—the life he gave—
Redeems the lost who obey this side of death,
Who follow the Blessed Name while still there’s breath.

So while I breathe, while blood flows in the veins,
While the mind is sound, and bodily strength remains,
Let every thought and movement be given to save
The moribund dead before they enter the grave.

—JRMatheny

2012-11-02

Loose my tongue

God of the living word, I wait for your power in order to speak effectively. Loose my tongue, give me speech, let the words of my mouth gain respect among the people, for the words are yours.

Cause new growth to spring forth from among your people.

Let us work together to complete our service in the Word. Let Scripture have its powerful effect upon open hearts.

Let opposition not intimidate us nor keep us from our task. We ask, as did the first-century church, for boldness.