COMPLETE

The work of Christ is so complete
God sets Him forth, a mercy-seat,
Where God, in grace, and man can meet.

HEAVEN

Heaven - yes, that is
Where my Saviour lives.

No, not that only
It’s my Father’s home.

Actually, my name
Is registered there.

That is where I have
My inheritance.

Amazing? How amazing!
Love is at home there.

My life? It is hid
With the Christ, in God.

You, also? You can
Share all these blessings.

HOME

OH! bright and blessed scenes,
Where sin shall never come;
Whose sight my longing spirit weans
From earth, where yet I roam.


And can I call my home
My Father's house on high?
The rest of God, my rest to come,
My place of liberty?


Yes! In that light unstained
My stainless soul shall live;
My heart's deep longings more than gained,
When God His rest shall give.


His presence there, my soul
Its rest, its joy untold,
Shall find, when endless ages roll
And time shall ne'er grow old.


My God the centre is;
His presence fills that land;
And countless myriads, own'd as His,
Round Him adoring stand.


My God whom I have known,
Well known in Jesus' love,
Rests in the blessing of His own
Before Himself above.


Glory supreme is there,
Glory that shines through all;
More precious still that love to share
As those that love did call.


Like Jesus in that place
Of light and love supreme;
Once Man of sorrows, full of grace;
Heaven's blest and endless theme.


Like Him! O grace supreme!
Like Him before Thy face!
Like Him - to know that glory beam
Unhindered, face to face!


O love, supreme and bright,
Good to the feeblest heart,
That gives me now, as heavenly light,
What soon shall be my part!


Be not to me, my God,
As one that turned aside
To tarry for a night, and trod
His onward path. Abide


With me as light divine,
That brings into my breast
Those gladdening scenes e'en now as mine,
Soon my eternal rest.

[1867]

John Nelson Darby 1800 - 1882

WEALTH

When I was as impoverished as a beggar in a ditch

The Son of God came up to me, raised me, and made me rich;

He gave me treasures far surpassing all that I had lost

And told me in His grace that He Himself had borne the cost.

When I came to the Father, impecunious and distressed,

He welcomed me, He kissed me and He clothed me in the best;

He took away the filthy rags worn from the distant land

And gave me sandals for my feet, His ring to deck my hand.

The Holy Spirit has the wealth of heaven in His care

Available for all the saints who own Christ Lord to share;

He decorates and dignifies the features of the bride,

Then helps her grace the place that she will have at Jesus’ side.

Now unto God who made us rich, whose giving is immense,

There rises our responsive praise, our nard and frankincense;

To Him who is the source of all we gladly bow the knee

And willingly acknowledge “of Thine own we give to Thee”.

THE WAY

He came from the heart of God
And perfectly here He trod,
With God as His sole resource,
A sinless and blameless course
Which honoured the Father’s name -
Yet led to the cross of shame.

And newly there runs since then
A way from that cross for men,
Blood-sprinkled and purified,
Who live since their Saviour died;
A way that is clear and broad
That leads to the heart of God.

AVAILABLE

The breast of Jesus
And His bosom…available
    For you and for me.

HOW MUCH I'M LOVED

On me, God’s grace has beamed;
By blood, I am redeemed;
To me His kindnesses have streamed:
How much I’m loved!

For me, the Saviour died;
For me, was crucified;
And now, for me He’s glorified:
How much I’m loved!

He suffered to atone,
But now, upon the throne,
He cares for me, with all His own
How much I’m loved!

He has prepared the place
Before the Father’s face
Which we will share, through boundless grace:
How much I’m loved!

Though here the world outside
Should raise an evil tide
With me, He says, He will abide:
How much I’m loved!

And as His word may be
Abiding now in me
Increasingly He’ll make me see
How much I’m loved!

Mybe I'll sing this to you one day!   Safely home now.

HE LOVED

He loved, though I was sinful;

He loved, when I was lost;
He loved, when I was needy;
He loved, to His great cost;
He loved when left out, knocking,
He loved, when brought within;
He loved me by the wayside,
He loved me at the inn.

He loved me though I wandered;
He loved, as I returned;
He loved, when my love faded;
He loved, when my heart burned;
He loved, despite my weakness;
He loved, despite my will;
He loved, through joy and sorrow;
He loved - He loves me still!

He loves, though we are faithless;
He loves, although we fail;
He loves when times are easy;
He loves, when storms assail;
He loves us in the battle;
He loves us in God’s house;
He loves us as His brethren;
He loves us as His spouse.

 
 
GReetings from Mumbai!

NOW HE LIVETH

Once the Saviour suffered for us,
Scorned, rejected and denied;
For our peace and our redemption
Then upon the cross He died;
Now He liveth
Raised, ascended, glorified.

With His work for God accomplished
Christ is on the Father's throne
Who was once in grace and mercy
Here upon the earth unknown
Now He liveth
Giving impulse to His own.

When upon the earth He succoured
Men, the poorest and the least,
All the power of heaven's glory
Could not fully be released;
Now He liveth
Bearing us as heavenly Priest.

Once the Holy Spirit hovered
Sensitive to earth's constraints
But because Christ's cross and glory
Overwhelmed all sin's restraints
Now He liveth
In true companies of saints.

From the glory Christ delighted
To deliver to His own
An occasion of remembrance
Centred in Himself alone:
Now He liveth
Making His affections known.


Greetings from Coimbatoire!

THE HOUSE OF GOD

For the support of such a grand creation


As God's own house only one Rock is sure

To uphold all God's structure and endure

Attacks and storms ‑ and Christ is that foundation.



There is one glorious pattern which alone

Can gratify God's heart ‑ not a mere plan

From which to measure, but the glorious Man

Who pleased God well: Christ is that Corner Stone.



As patterned on that Man we can be built

As living stones each into his own place,

According to the riches of God's grace,

Freed from the stain and penalty of guilt.



The work continues. Soon God will present

His masterpiece ‑ yet we already know

Enjoyment of it ‑ and that work will show

The Headstone, Christ, its finest ornament!


I've been reminded of this by interest in building meeting rooms in Andhra Pradesh.  Greetings from Chennai now.

GLORY

Lord, Thou wast there before the worlds began
In realms of love beyond the mind of man;
The glory that subsisted before time,
Ineffable, eternal and sublime
Belongs to Thee.

Lord, Thou wast here, descended to fulfil,
In grace and patience, all the Father's will:
The glory of a well-beloved Son
By whom the Father's will was fully done
Belongs to Thee.

Lord, Thou didst die, the spotless Lamb of God,
An Offering whose savour spreads abroad:
The glory of a perfect Sacrifice
Whose precious blood God's heart will always prize
Belongs to Thee.

Lord, Thou art crowned upon the Father's throne
Imparting power and wisdom to Thine own:
The glory of the Firstborn from the dead
Who is the body's, the assembly's Head
Belongs to Thee.

Lord, Thou wilt come to reign upon the earth
Dispelling tumult, conflict, plague and dearth:
The glory of the Ruler of all things
Who is the Lord of Lords and King of Kings
Belongs to Thee.

Greetings from Secunderabad!

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! - This time tomorrow I'll be in Indian airspace again!