You Are Worthy

Last Sunday we sang a new song (to me, not to the church) that I woke up with it in my mind this morning. Do you ever do that? Wake up with a song or a verse of Scripture on your mind and you can’t get away from it?
I like it when it is something I can use throughout the day to praise my Lord. It is far better than waking up with something that is troubling, or that you are worrying about.
Because of Him we can just shuffle the troubles or worries off to Him because He cares for us, right? Remember 1 Peter 5:7, “Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.” So, if troubles or worries show up, remember this.
Now, back to that song. Here are the lyrics, I could only remember the chorus and that continues to occupy my mind this morning. Even if you don’t know the tune, some of you will, the words will bless you. Use them today just to praise His glorious Name, for He is worthy.
Verse 1
Worthy of worship worthy of praise
Worthy of honor and glory
Worthy of all the glad songs we can sing
Worthy of all of the off'rings we bring
Chorus
You are worthy Father Creator
You are worthy Savior Sustainer
You are worthy worthy and wonderful
Worthy of worship and praise
Verse 2
Worthy of rev'rence worthy of fear
Worthy of love and devotion
Worthy of bowing and bending of knees
Worthy of all this and added to these
Verse 3
Almighty Father Master and Lord
King of all kings and Redeemer
Wonderful Counselor Comforter Friend
Savior and Source of our life without end
--Terry W. York

Our Wonderful Savior

He's a Wonderful Savior to Me

I was reading a blog by Nathan Busenitz entitled Controversies and Christmas and was struck by this quote from both Spurgeon and Augustine. So, I want to share them here and hope they bless you as much as they did me. As I thought of them I thought of an old song we used to sing that is not in most of our hymnals today. I share the words at the conclusion of the quote. Hope you are blessed as you think upon these words these great men of the past had to say about our Savior.

"As Charles Spurgeon wrote regarding the incarnation: “Man became royal when Christ became human. Man was exalted when Christ was humiliated. Man may go up to God now that God has come down to man.”

"Commenting on that same glorious reality, the church father Augustine left us with these eloquent words:

“The Word of the Father, by whom all time was created, was made flesh and was born in time for us. He, without whose divine permission no day completes its course, selected one day for His human birth. . . .

“The Maker of man became man that He, Ruler of the stars, might be weaned as an infant; that He, the Bread, might be hungry; that He, the Fountain, might thirst; that He, the Light, might sleep; that He, the Way, might be wearied by the journey; that He, the Truth, might be accused by false witnesses; that He, the Judge of the living and the dead, might be brought to trial by a mortal judge; that He, Justice, might be condemned by the unjust; that He, Discipline, might be scourged with whips; that He, the Foundation, might be suspended upon a cross; . . . that He, the Life might die.

“To endure these and similar indignities for us, to free us, unworthy creatures, He who existed as the Son of God before all ages, without a beginning, chose to become the Son of Man in these recent years. He did this although He who was subjected to such great evils for our sake had done no evil and although we, who were the recipients of so much good at His hands, had done nothing to merit these benefits."

— Spurgeon and Augustine as quoted by Nathan Busenitz “Controversies and Christmas”

I was lost in sin, but Jesus rescued me,
He’s a wonderful Savior to me;
I was bound by fear, but Jesus set me free,
He’s a wonderful Savior to me.

He’s a friend so true, so patient and so kind,
He’s a wonderful Savior to me;
Everything I need in Him I always find,
He’s a wonderful Savior to me.

He is always near to comfort and to cheer,
He’s a wonderful Savior to me;
He forgives my sins, He dries my every tear,
He’s a wonderful Savior to me.

Dearer grows the love of Jesus day by day,
He’s a wonderful Savior to me.
Sweeter is His grace while pressing on my way,
He’s a wonderful Savior to me.

Refrain

For He’s a wonderful Savior to me,
He’s a wonderful Savior to me;
I was lost in sin, but Jesus took me in:
He’s a wonderful Savior to me.
--Virgil P. Brock

The Wonder of It All . . . .

Early this morning, long before time to wake up, I did wake up and had the words of this song on my heart. It has continued with me and I find myself singing the words I can remember and humming the rest of the tune.
It is so amazing that the Great God of the universe, who created the vastness of space and in that creating created a tiny speck we call earth. We are told there are somewhere between 6-7 Billion people on this speck of dirt, and the number is growing.
In God’s Holy Word, we call the Bible, He said in, John 3:16 (NKJV) For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. Romans 5:8 (NKJV) But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Revelation 1:5 (NKJV) and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood,”
Now I ask you, isn’t it a glorious, wonderful thing that He could love me? Not only that, but before He created this universe, He chose me in His Son that I should experience this wonderful love. Ephesians 1:4 (NKJV) just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, 5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,”
Impossible to count all the Billions that have existed since He created Adam and Eve, and yet, He made choice of those who would receive this wonderful love and have the privilege of spending eternity with Him. Truly,

There’s the wonder of sunset at evening,
The wonder as sunrise I see;
But the wonder of wonder’s that thrills my soul
Is the wonder that God loves me.

There’s the wonder of spring-time and harvest,
The sky, the stars, the sun;
But the wonder of wonder’s that thrills my soul
Is a wonder that’s only begun.

O, the wonder of it all!
The wonder of it all!
Just to think that God loves me.

O, the  wonder of it all!
The wonder of it all!
Just to think that God loves me.

---George Beverly Shea

Let me ask you, my reader, “Have you experienced this wonderful love? If not, may our heavenly Father reveal it to you even now. Look to Him, trust His Word, revel in His love.

66 years ago, today!

November 18, 1951, I united with Lakewood Baptist Church, Garland, Texas upon profession of faith and for baptism. I grew up a Methodist, but the Lord had gloriously saved me in August 1950. I spent a year discovering God's direction for my life attending Dallas Bible Institute. Billie and I had begun dating in February and I was filled with so many questions that I had become a thorn to my Sunday School teacher and to my Pastor. They suggested that I not spend so much time reading the Bible.
One Sunday I was at Billie’s house for dinner and her pastor was there, at her suggestion I shot my questions to him and he gave me chapter and verse for answers. That was what I was looking for, so when I fully determined that God was calling me to preach, that was the Sunday I joined Lakewood. I won’t go into details as to how my family received the news, I can do that later.
When Brother Alford baptized me that night, while in the baptistry he asked the church to license me to preach and on November 25, 1951, I preached my first sermon. Took as my text Isaiah 53, “The Suffering Servant.” That is all that I can remember of the sermon layout, just knew that the Lord Jesus was who Isaiah was talking about and that that same Jesus had become my savior.
Crossed a few rivers, climbed a mountain or two, spent more time in the valley than I wanted, but it has been a wonderful pilgrimage. Learned more in the valleys than I did on the mountains.
God has blessed me with SO MANY great friends along the way. The Lord blessed Billie and me with so many fathers, mothers, brothers, and sisters along the way. We were privileged to laugh and cry with them. Enjoyed wonderful fellowship, spent many hours in their homes, with them in the hospitals, rejoiced with them when they married and babies came along, stood and wept with them at gravesites. We experienced the whole gamut of life with them as dear loved ones.
So young when we went to Black Jack Baptist Church as pastor, only 19 years old, didn’t know (as we say in East Texas) beans, other than I had a message burning in my heart. Those dear people loved us and were fathers, mothers, brothers and sisters to us. God blessed even in my ignorance with souls saved and lives changed. Precious memories!!! According to them, every sermon was the best they had heard, of course, I knew that couldn’t be true, but it was sure an encouragement to this kid preacher.
I think I will leave this for now and add to it later, so, if you are reading this and you are one of those with whom I have shared ministry, I want to THANK YOU for what you have meant to my life. If you don’t really know me I want to THANK YOU for taking the time to read these ramblings.

Pleasant Memories

Please forgive me for re-posting from a couple of years ago, but this hit a note in my heart again.

As I was walking this afternoon a tune and words started coming in my memory. Probably haven't heard them or thought of them in 50 years or more. I do this sometimes and sometimes it is pure foolishness and then sometimes it has real meaning.

I'm remembering as a teenager laying on my bed, at night, on the back porch listening to the Hit Parade. Those were hot summer nights with no A/C, just a little oscillating fan. (Youngsters won't know what I'm talking about. Still have that fan.)

This song was one of my favorites. Pleasant nights with no worries at all. I had lots of girl-friends, as a teenager, until that little blonde moved to Garland and stole my heart and became "My Happiness." I sure miss that sweet girl since she went home to heaven.

My Happiness

Chris Isaak

Evening shadows make me blue

When each weary day is through

How I long to be with you

My happiness

Every day I reminisce 

Dreaming of your tender kiss

Always thinking how I miss

My happiness

A million years it seems

Have gone by since we shared our dreams

But I'll hold you again

There'll be no blue memories then

Whether skies are grey or blue

Any place on earth will do

Just as long as I'm with you

My happiness

A million years it seems

Have gone by since we shared our dreams

But I'll hold you again

There'll be no blue memories then

Whether skies are grey or blue

Any place on earth will do

Just as long as I'm with you

My happiness

Songwriters: ROBERT MAXWELL

Have You Experienced Any Storms Lately??

A pastor had been on a long flight between church conferences. The first warning of the approaching problems came when the sign on the airplane flashed on: Fasten Your Seat Belts. Then, after a while, a calm voice said, "We shall not be serving the beverages at this time as we are expecting a little turbulence. Please be sure your seat belt is fastened."

As the pastor looked around the aircraft, it became obvious that many of the passengers were becoming apprehensive.

Later, the voice on the intercom said, "We are so sorry that we are unable to serve the meal at this time. The turbulence is still ahead of us."

And then the storm broke ..

The ominous cracks of thunder could be heard even above the roar of the engines. Lightning lit up the darkening skies, and within moments that great plane was like a cork tossed around on a celestial ocean. One moment the airplane was lifted on terrific currents of air; the next, it dropped as if it were about to crash.

The pastor confessed that he shared the discomfort and fear of those around him. He said, "As I looked around the plane, I could see that nearly all the passengers were upset and alarmed. Some were praying. The future seemed ominous and many were wondering if they would make it through the storm.

"Then, I suddenly saw a little girl. Apparently the storm meant nothing to her. She had tucked her feet beneath her as she sat on her seat; she was reading a book and everything within her small world was calm and orderly.

"Sometimes she closed her eyes, then she would read again; then she would straighten her legs, but worry and fear were not in her world. When the plane was being buffeted by the terrible storm when it lurched this way and that, as it rose and fell with frightening severity, when all the adults were scared half to death, that marvelous child was completely composed and unafraid." The minister could hardly believe his eyes.

It was not surprising therefore, that when the plane finally reached its destination and all the passengers were hurrying to disembark, our pastor lingered to speak to the little girl whom he had watched for such a long time.

Having commented about the storm and the behavior of the plane, he asked why she had not been afraid.

The child replied, "Cause my Daddy's the pilot, and he's taking me home."

There are many kinds of storms that buffet us. Physical, mental, financial, domestic, and many other storms can easily and quickly darken our skies and throw our plane into apparently uncontrollable movement. We have all known such times, and let us be honest and confess, it is much easier to be at rest when our feet are on the ground than when we are being tossed about a darkened sky.

Let us remember: Our Father is the Pilot. He is in control and taking us home. Don't worry!

-- Author Unknown

Just Missing Old Friends

I published this 3 years ago today in FB. Every year, it seems, I lose more and more friends in death. I know it won't be too long before I join them, but in the mean while I'll rejoice that I knew them and thank God for the impact each one has made on my life.

------------------

When we reach our 80's we begin to notice that many of our friends have outstripped us and are now with the Lord. Spurgeon puts this in perspective in this little devotional paragraph. I hope you enjoy it as I have.  --BroJames

APPLES OF GOLD.
Proverbs 25:11
I seem to be standing increasingly alone, for many of my friends are melting away. My brothers, my comrades, and my friends are leaving me for the better land. We have enjoyed holy and happy fellowship in days of peace. We have stood shoulder to shoulder in the Lord’s battle, but they are now melting away. 

One has gone and then another, and before I look around, another will have departed. I see them for a moment, and then they vanish from my gaze. They do not rise into the air like our Divine Master (Acts 1:9), but I am persuaded that they do rise. It is only the poor body that descends, and that descent is only for a little while. They rise to be forever with the Lord, and the grief is ours who are left behind.

Why this constant thinning of our ranks when the warfare is so difficult? Why are the finest removed? I am sad. I could best express myself in a flood of tears as I survey the line of newly dug graves, but I restrain myself and look on it in a clearer light. The Master is gathering His ripest fruit, and well does He deserve them. He is putting His apples of gold in settings of silver (Prov. 25:11).

When we realize that it is the Lord who desires them to be with Him (John 17:24), it dries our tears and makes us rejoice. We are no longer bewildered because we now understand why the dearest and best are going home:

Father, I long, I faint to see
The place of Thine abode;
I’d leave Thine earthly courts and flee
Up to Thy seat, My God.

Charles H. Spurgeon, Beside Still Waters, ed. Roy H. Clarke (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 1999), 119.

In Calm Repose

“I will make them to lie down safely.”—Hosea 2:18

YES, the saints are to have peace. The passage from which this gracious word is taken speaks of peace “with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven, and with the creeping things of the ground.” This is peace with earthly enemies, with mysterious evils, and with little annoyances! Any of these might keep us from lying down, but none of them shall do so. The Lord will quite destroy those things which threaten His people: “I will break the bow and the sword, and the battle out of the earth.” Peace will be profound indeed when all the instruments of disquiet are broken to pieces.

With this peace will come rest. “So he giveth his beloved sleep.” Fully supplied and divinely quieted, believers lie down in calm repose.

This rest will be a safe one. It is one thing to lie down, but quite another “to lie down safely.” We are brought to the land of promise, the house of the Father, the chamber of love, and the bosom of Christ: surely we may now “lie down safely.” It is safer for a believer to lie down in peace than to sit up and worry.

“He maketh me to lie down in green pastures.” We never rest till the Comforter makes us lie down.

— C.H. Spurgeon

How to Handle Worry

Follow Paul's instructions given in Philippians 4:6-7, Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.(KJV)

I like the way the New Living Translation gives us help to understand what the Apostle was saying, "Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. ⁷ Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus."

A Reason for Praise

William Cowper (1731-1800) wrote many great hymns, among them was "There Is a Fountain." He wrote this hymn based on the scripture Zechariah 13:1, “In that day a fountain shall be opened for the house of David and for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for uncleanness." (NKJV)

As I read and meditate on this scripture and hymn my heart is blessed. I can see a sermon in each stanza of the hymn and they all point to what the Lord Jesus did for us on the Cross. This is a personal testimony of praise for what Christ has done for me.

As you read and think on these words may they fill your heart with praise to the one who shed His blood “…for sin and for uncleanness.” If you do not know Him, may God, the Holy Spirit, open your heart to see your sin and lead you to repent and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.

  There is a fountain filled with blood drawn from Immanuel’s veins, and sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains.

  The dying thief rejoiced to see that fountain in his day, and there may I, though vile as he, wash all my sins away.

  Dear dying Lamb, Thy precious blood shall never lose its pow’r, till all the ransomed Church of God be saved to sin no more.

  E’er since by faith I saw the stream Thy flowing wounds supply, redeeming love has been my theme and shall be till I die.

  When this poor lisping, stamm’ring tongue lies silent in the grave, then in a nobler, sweeter song, I’ll sing Thy pow’r to save.

Special Words for the Season

[Float your cursor over the Scriptures and the verse will open in a pop-up.]

Allen C. Myers, in the Eerdmans Bible Dictionary has given the traditional order of the seven recorded “words” of Christ from the Cross as:

(1) “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they do” (Luke 23:34),

(2) to one of those being crucified with him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise” (Luke 23:43),

(3) to Mary his mother and “the disciple whom he loved,” “Woman, behold, your son” and “Behold, your mother” (John 19:26–27),

(4) “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” (Matt. 27:46 par. Mark 15:34),

(5) “I thirst” (John 19:28),

(6) “It is finished” (John 19:30), and

(7) “Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit” (Luke 23:46)

All of this He suffered for sinners. He was manifesting what Paul said in Romans 5:8. What a gracious Savior is He.

At Calvary  --  by William R. Newell, 1895

Years I spent in vanity and pride, Caring not my Lord was crucified, Knowing not it was for me He died On Calvary. Refrain: Mercy there was great, and grace was free; Pardon there was multiplied to me; There my burdened soul found liberty At Calvary. By God’s Word at last my sin I learned; Then I trembled at the law I’d spurned, Till my guilty soul imploring turned To Calvary. Now I’ve giv’n to Jesus everything, Now I gladly own Him as my King, Now my raptured soul can only sing Of Calvary! Oh, the love that drew salvation’s plan! Oh, the grace that brought it down to man! Oh, the mighty gulf that God did span At Calvary!

61 Amazing and Blessed Years….

61 Amazing and Blessed Years….

April 11, 2013 — BroJames | Edit

On April 10, 1952, the prettiest little 5’2″ blue-eyed blonde, made me the happiest boy in the world. We stood at the altar of Lakewood Baptist Church and pledged our love to one another. Little did we realize how far the Lord would take us, and although we were filled with love, we had no idea just how much love could be shared by two people. What a glorious ride we shared, thanks to our Blessed Savior Who not only knit our hearts in love, but more importantly to Him. We were blessed with 62 years, 3 months and 12 days of wedded bliss.

This picture on the right was made on our Anniversary when we enjoyed our 60^th with all our children and grand-children and her brothers and sister-in-law here. Billie was able to be up in her chair and enjoy all the laughter and fun. What a difference a year makes. Easter Sunday was a blessed day that year. She had not been responding very much, but Bridget brought Gabe (then our 2 ½ year old great-grandson) in and when she saw him her face broke into the biggest smile I had seen in a long time. She loved him so much and it really showed, but then, he loves her so much too. Early on he would make a bee-line to me when he came in the house. But that changed, he then would head straight for her bed, climbed up to get in the bed with her and kiss her numerous times and let her kiss him on the cheek. They had a real love connection.

This was the year, we both completed our “three-score and ten plus ten.” That was a record for both our families. She lived longer than any known female in her family and I have lived longer than any known male in my family.

I give thanks to my gracious heavenly Father for giving this wonderful girl to me and I thank her for the most blessed 62 years one could ever hope for.

She went home to be with the Lord on July 22, 2014. I buried her in Roselawn Cemetery, Mineola, TX. I take the privilege of stopping by to visit her grave from time to time. I miss her so much, but know that it won't be long before we are reunited.