WITH

We, in baptism,  have been buried with Him
And with Him too  we have been raised in it;
God through His work is made  free to forgive
And we with Him  experience quickening;
If we have died with Christ  how can we live
In ordinances  and other earthly things?
If we are raised with Christ  let our hearts lift
To heavenly things  suited to where Christ sits;
Since we have died with Christ  in God we’re hid -
Untouchable  by any fear or sin;
When Christ is seen  according to God’s will
We shall be with Him  in His eternal bliss.

OF

The things of Jesus Christ  impinged on Paul
To the extent  he counted all things loss
To gain the knowledge  of Christ Jesus his Lord;
That excellency meant  he rated dross
What he might be  by nature or by law
Because he knew  all ended at the cross.
Bondman of Jesus Christ  he loved that bond
That in Christ’s day  he might have his reward
But more that Christ  through him should win applause.
He had the Spirit  of Christ on which to draw
And that supply  sustained through bitter wars.
The grace of Jesus Christ  he left to all.

IN

Outside of Christ,  unfathomable dark;
In Christ the fulness  of all God could impart
To demonstrate  the grandeur of His heart:
Chosen in Him  before the worlds began
We have redemption  in Him as God has planned;
We, in Christ Jesus,  no longer are afar
Nor segregated  by law or ordinance
But in Himself  formed into one new man
And, through the cross,  no longer forced apart;
Now in the Christ  indelibly we’re marked
Having the Spirit,  pledge of inheritance
Which here in Him,  God’s favourite, we have.

PARAPHRASE

For the Lord shall stand
And He shall provide
In Jehovah's strength,
In God's majesty
And His dignity.
And they shall abide
For He is, at length
Lord throughout the land.






Bible test - what is this a paraphrase of?

February 2007, India

WILL YOU IN SIMPLE FAITH BELIEVE?

God’s grace is for you to receive;
It’s more than human words can tell -
Will you, in simple faith, believe?

Christ came in mercy to relieve
Your soul of sin and death and hell -
God’s grace is for you to receive!

What triumphs Christ came to achieve,
And all He’s done He has done well -
Will you, in simple faith, believe?

Satan is active to deceive
As he caused Adam to rebel;
God’s grace is for you to receive.

Christ promises He will not leave
His saints until, near Him, they dwell;
Will you, in simple faith, believe?

His grace will bless and will not grieve:
Come, buy of Him and do not sell!
God’s grace is for you to receive;
Will you, in simple faith, believe?

SAME

As we bow before the Man who once endured the cross of shame
The love of Christ is fresh, but reassuringly the same.

As we own the Spirit's Person, and the grace through which He came
The Spirit's love is fresh, but reassuringly the same.

As we come before the Father to give glory to His Name
The Father's love is fresh, but reassuringly the same.

JOSEPH

If
He had worn a coat
of many colours ...

the blue
witness of heaven ...

the purple
the imperial right ...

the green
freshness in drought ...

the scarlet
royalty ...

the gold
divine suitability ...

the false woman would seize
the slave's garment, for

He had been in bondman's form,
and, in it, caused prosperity ...

He would descend to prison garments
- and leave them - and

He was arrayed at the Sovereign's will
In purest whiteness,

His neck adorned with gold,
His hand decked with
The Sovereign's ring.

DISTINCTIVE

The Just stands at an unjust throne,
Accused by sinners who disown
    The Man who is their King -
The cry ”Behold the Man!” makes known
    That Jesus is distinctive.

Three men bore crucifixion’s shame -
Of One alone could men exclaim
    That He did naught amiss -
Myriads for whom Christ died proclaim
    That Jesus is distinctive.

Many had lain within the grave,
But One Man death could not enslave
    Despite its mighty power;
We know, whom Jesus died to save,
    That Jesus is distinctive.

One Man sits now at God’s right hand
By His own right and God’s command
    To be God’s great delight.
Saints witness as their hearts expand
    That Jesus is distinctive.

Now we await the moment when
Jesus our Lord will come again
    And we shall see His face;
We’ll sing as in His presence then
    That Jesus is distinctive.

PEACE

(Micah 5 v 5)

And this Man shall be peace
For this is God’s delight;
He sees Man perfectly
In Christ who shall hold sway;
When all things shall be right
And this Man shall be peace.

14/04/05

At any moment

The work of God in saints is

Perfect in itself.

13/04/05

Nothing on this earth

Is so great and amazing

As the work of God.

12/04/05

As God has found peace

In Christ as regards man, man

Can find peace with God.

11/04/05

Life's a series of

Divinely orchestrated

Coincidences.

10/04/05

"Today... Marianne...

Takes up her privileges in

The breaking of bread.”

My youngest daughter.

09/04/05

Warmed by His embrace,

God shows what a blessing

A brother's hug is.

08/04/05

From the beginning

Of history God has had

One Man before Him.

07/04/05

As we wait on Him

The Father gives to His own

Touches of His love.

MR. RITA'S BABE

May her small body
- If the Lord leaves us here -
Grow and flourish
Till she may glorify God
In her mortal body!

May her soul become
A ransomed soul - knowing
The Lord who came to give
Himself, a ransom for all,
His life, a ransom for many!

May she come to know
The Holy Spirit's witness
Witnessing with her spirit
That she has become one
Of the children of God!

See: http://erolyrics.blogspot.com/ !
and Rita among the blog-followers.

THE SONS OF GOD

In wisdom more than I can trace
And His unfathomable grace
The Father chose me for a place
Among the sons of God.

The Son was sent forth to achieve
The work through which I may receive
This place - with all who shall believe -
Among the sons of God.

He worked not only to forgive
My sins, but so that He could give
The Spirit, in whose power I live
Among the sons of God.

God is rejoicing in each one
Secured, in whom He has begun
The work to form them like His Son,
Among the sons of God.

THIS MAN

(Micah 5: 5)

If you are thirled to sin
And longing for release
Open your heart to let Christ in,
"And this man shall be Peace".

Temptations may assail,
Or doubts within increase:
Trust in the One who will not fail:
"And this man shall be Peace".

Soon He shall have His Bride
Without one taint or crease,
To reign in glory by His side
"And this man shall be Peace".


Written 09/02/2007 - in Indian airspace!

ANSWERS

What did the Father do? He
Chose me before time began.

And what did the Son do? He
Shared His dignity with me.

What of the Spirit?  He was
Spirit of sonship to me.

And me?  What did I do? I
Enjoyed it.
                  And God did too.


Sorry - bad misprint in my first attempt!

COVERED

Though the avenging angel’s power
    Drove onward as a flood
God’s faithful people did not cower
    As covered by the blood.

THE PREACHER

His face a fistful of character,
Clenched with the urgency of his message,
His folder hands a weather-scarred creel,
The preacher prayed.

His preaching begun -
   The rising sun
   Lights steeple
   Moves to chimneys
   Finally embraces the houses
   In light and warmth
 - His face lit.

His dialect love
   He says, "Come;
Come to Jesus".

BLESSING

May he be like an olive plant
          Adorning your table;
May he be like a stock,
          Which the Lord's right hand planted,
And a young plant,
          Which the Lord made strong for Himself.
Like a tree by brooks of water,
          Which gives its fruit in season
Whose leaf fadeth not
           May all that he does prosper.
May he (if the Lord has not come)
          Planted in the house of the Lord,
Flourish in the courts of our God,
          Full of sap, and green.

For the birth of Barrie, my friend's son; a prayer happily answered by now.

06/04/05

Night draws over

Its star-spangled eiderdown

To comfort our sleep.

JOHN 4

Asking for a drink
the Lord was content to be
beholden to her.

PRAYER

Lord, help me feed on heavenly food,
Thyself, whose moral worth is great,
To help me to discriminate
Against the wrong, and for the good.

Lord, foster in me the desire
To know and love the Father’s will;
May my disordered heart be still,
Learning the grace that does not tire.

Lord, let me settle at Thy feet
Determined to receive thy word,
Finding there saints who have concurred
In owning that Thy word is sweet.

Lord, let me wait for Thee alone,
Devoted to Thy holy Name
Till Thy return in power to claim
Thy saints, with whom to share thy throne.

A SONG IN THE NIGHT

O blessed God, we come to Thee
    With songs of exultation,
When we behold Thy wondrous works
    And wisdom in creation,
The deeper way and greater thought
    In Christ in incarnation,
The grace that brought Him to the cross
    To work out our salvation.
The mercy of descending ways
    To meet our situation,
And love through which the Father’s Name
    Is known in revelation;
Brought near to Thee to share    with Christ
    In glorious elevation
We join with Him before Thyself
    In holy celebration.

05/04/05

Thank God for the light

That broke through Rome's darkness in

The Reformation.

04/04/05

Thank God for the light

That there is only one Man

To whom I can pray.