The good news of Christ
Our Heavenly Father, God of all,
Who saves us from our prideful Fall,
We give you thanks for life and limb,
For words to praise, for heart and hymn.
In days of woe, in hours of fear,
We seek you Lord, come and be near,
Descend upon our worried mind,
With peace and joy for all mankind.
O God! Before your face we search
for proper words and lovely lines,
To bless our Lord and the only church
And all your mercy’s grand designs.
Our minds are small to well extol
Your plan before the world began,
To make from dust a living soul,
To love and bless intelligent man.
But in the Book are words possessed,
From glory to glory, to loudly praise:
In Christ we know your purpose best,
We love your grace in all its ways.
A prayer of thanks, beside your loving Word,
Beside your saving works of power, O God,
Is little enough, though from a thankful heart —
In all our need, your mercy stands apart.
What grace received, in Christ, and every gift,
What spiritual change, what holy Spirit to lift
Our souls from dark and weary bondage — Lord!
By every man and woman let Christ be heard!
Fling out the sons of faith, that all may hear
The blessed News of grace, and come to fear
Your Name. Let countless prayers of thanks abound!
Let angels sing with joy, the lost are found!
Fling out across the islands, waters, and lands,
And if themselves refuse to cross the sands
And seas to reach the unsaved — O Lord, then raise
A holy nation, a people who follow your ways!
Lord, grant to me the keen desire
to live in love and seek your face;
May I recall my good Supplier,
And share abroad your saving grace.
Make every leaf and creature sing
Of goodness from your sovereign throne;
And if your thanks we fail to bring,
Let praise arise from rock and stone.
O Lord, no matter how high or low
this roller-coaster life may go,
remind me you are solid ground,
immune to quake or flood or wind.
I know, O God, to find in you
the source of all that’s good and true;
Though in the fray, I moan and sweat,
Let me not your grace forget.
When pressure comes, we need relief —
O God, provide!
In loss and pain, we feel great grief —
Come, Lord, abide!
The heavy heart bears crushing weight —
Give Jesus’ load!
Let our steps pass the narrow gate
To your abode!
To reach another soul, as mine
Was touched by grace, and draw
From darkness’ fear, across the line
To safety — a bridge of life — what awe!
Thank you, Lord Almighty, for your daily blessings!
Praise is yours for giving wise and spiritual lessons!
For the kingdom’s progress, make us selfless servants,
Save our peaceful spirits from Satan’s sly disturbance.
The self desires to follow its will,
The greedy heart wants more and more,
The flesh’s appeal is hard to kill—
All these, O Lord, help me ignore.
God of gods, Lord of lords,
King of kings, Almighty I-AM,
God of mighty acts and words,
God who promised to Abraham,
Who sent to earth the living Lamb.
Hear us now, O Lord, we plead,
Before your throne your people bow,
Meet us at our point of need,
Come to us in the here and now,
As silent snow on the barren bough.
Cover us with your sacrifice,
Cleanse us by your perfect blood,
Let Jesus for our sin suffice,
None is there but he who’s good,
Who comes again in power and cloud.
Glory to God, to God all praise,
His the honor, his the power,
Pleasant and kind are all his ways,
Devil and demons before him cower,
For us he’s rock and shield and tower.