Sunday, August 30, 2020

Sunday Collect For the Breathtaking Second Coming of Christ

Collect for the Day
Ten thousand times ten thousand,
In sparkling raiment bright,
The armies of the ransomed saints
Throng up the steeps of light.
'Tis finished, all is finished,
Their fight with death and sin;
Fling open wide the golden gates
And let the victors in.

What rush of alleluias
Fills all the earth and sky!
What ringing of a thousand harps
Proclaims the triumph nigh!
O day, for which creation
And all its tribes were made;
O joy, for all its former woes
A thousandfold repaid!

O then what raptured greetings
On Canaan's happy shore;
What knitting severed friendships up
Where partings are no more!
Then eyes with joy shall sparkle
That brimmed with tears of late;
Orphans no longer fatherless
Nor widows desolate.

Bring near Thy great salvation,
Thou Lamb for sinners slain;
Fill up the roll of Thine elect,
Then take Thy pow'r and reign.
Appear, Desire of Nations;
Thine exiles long for home.
Show in the heav'ns Thy promised sign;
Thou Prince and Savior, come!
(This hymn-prayer was written by the Very Revd. Henry Alford who was for twenty years Dean of Canterbury Cathedral)
 
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2 Corinthians 5:1-10

For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked. For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened-not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.
So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.
 
Thought for the Day
Having compared our present circumstances to being like earthen vessels which contain our 'treasure,' Paul now talks about what is beyond the days of those earthen vessels which is "our heavenly dwelling." He doesn't talk about it as dying, but about that which is mortal being "swallowed up by life." What we consider to be living now is nothing when compared to that which awaits us. Then he tells us that the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives is our guarantee. This Greek word is hard to translate but it can be considered as a 'down payment,' or the 'appetizer' or 'hors d'oevre' of what is to come. We are given a glimpse into the lobby of eternity, as it were. Paul then assets that while we are here on earth we are away, the heavenly delight of eternity is that we will be "at home with the Lord." This is strong stuff but it gives the life we live now an eternal horizon, breathtaking and beyond words.
 
Thanksgiving for the Day
We praise and thank God for this picture Paul gives to us of our eternal, heavenly destiny.
 
From Richard Kew's Daily Devotional this week.

Wednesday, August 26, 2020

RNC Convention A Complete Homerun

THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THE TRUMP/PENCE ADMINISTRATION over the past three and a half years are undeniably stunning.  All this in the face of incredible resistance and hate.  The convention has highlighted how the average, and often forgotten, middle class men and women  and  everyday heros have benefitted from tax and regulation cuts, school choice, parental rights and pro-life stance,  religious freedom and immigration and prison  reforms. There's so much more, but for now I'm going back to Fox News and Mike Pence's
acceptance speech. 

God bless America and watch over the many people in the path of Hurricane Laura making landfall later tonight.

Sunday, August 23, 2020

The Chosen Episode 3, Jesus Teaches the Children In a Field

 

THIS IS A TEACHING FOR ALL OF US IN A NATURAL SETTING THAT'S PERFECT AND PRECIOUS FOR CONNECTING WITH CHILDREN. 

Matthew 18:1-5: He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Sunday, August 16, 2020

The Chosen, Episode Two of Eight In Season One

 

THIS IS AN AMAZING MULTI-YEAR SERIES based on the Gospels of Jesus Christ as seen and experienced by the Messiah's disciples, converts and followers.  Conceived, written and directed by Dallas Jenkins, it is wonderful to watch as he leads his writers, cast and crew under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.  These men and women need our prayers and whatever donations we are led to make.  More about that in the videos.

May these films be transported to the far corners of the earth via social media and the Internet in every language in order to reach every person God intends it to reach.

Glory to God!

Thursday, August 13, 2020

The Chosen, First Episode of Eight In Season One

STUNNING DEPICTION OF THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST JESUS. May this series go out to the ends of this fallen, hurting, frightened world and bring new life, new conversions, real hope in His glorious, everlasting kingdom.