Tag Archives: Grace

Sermon Poetry – “We’re Saved to Love and Live for Christ”

Sermon Title – “Thyatira and the Enticement to False Spirituality
Text – Revelation 2:18-29
Preacher – Jarrett Downs on 2 August 2009

I am a man ‘twas born in death
Adrift and blind in sin
But Jesus came and died for me
He changed my heart within

In Christ I can obey the Word
And Love His Chosen Bride
By Grace I’m sanctified to love
His love I cannot hide

But even still there is within
My sin I’ve still to fight
If I don’t follow Jesus’ Word
I’ll drift away from Light

False leaders in this World abound
Performing Satan’s dues
With whispered lies and bright deceits
They live to cloud the Truth

Lord God protect me from these snakes
The Devil’s agents dark
Enticing me to love the world
Lord God, protect my heart

They want me to enjoy the world
To play in Satan’s sooths
To delve into the Devil’s ways
To grow in worldly truths

A weakened man is what I am
A needy beggar poor
But in the Son, I’m saved to live
A deadened soul is cured

Lord help me to enjoy Your Word
To swim in holy sooths
To delve into my Savior’s Love
To grow in Jesus’ Truths

And please, Lord God, protect me from
Becoming Jezebel
Enlarge my heart, embrace my soul
To in Your glory dwell

Dear Father Kind and Savior Sweet
And Gracious Spirit Fair
I praise You for Your Holy Name
This is my humble prayer

HBC Live Streaming – 2 August 2009

HBC Sunday Morning Worship Live Streaming

The Champion

I dart to the left and I dart to the right
I juke up and down as I enter the fight
My foe is a large and a villainous fiend
His army is great, yet they remain unseen
His evil is black and as dark as the night
He ripples with strength and a wickedly might
He takes greatest joy in the conq’ring of souls
To win o’er the Lord is his greatest of goals
He hates all the saints and he hates all their praise
He marshals his ghouls and sets them in array
In order to fight and he hopes yet to win
He’s in the foul business of having men sin

I dart to the left and I dart to the right
I juke up and down as I grit through the fight
I don the fair Helm of Salvation so sure
My frail waist I gird with God’s Truth very Pure
My chest is protected by Righteousness True
The Gospel of Peace I now wear as my shoes
The strong Shield of Faith keepeth me from his darts
So they might not enter and pierce through my heart
The Sword of the Spirit is my sure offense
The Word of the Lord is my surest defense
The Armor of God is my great gift to use
To fight the foul Devil and all his non-truths

I dart to the left and I dart to the right
The Grace of the Lord keepeth me in the fight
The Fiend uppercuts with his leathery hand
His claws are outstretched and my death is his plan
Both fists fall down hard on my weak Shield of Faith
The blow is so strong, it is Christ that he hates
I look in his eyes, and the glow is so bright
With hatred and foulness and all of sin’s blight
The eyes then grow big, and I know what’s to come
The arms go upraised, and I grow very numb
The arms start to fall with a terrible force
And suddenly stop, no more on their hard course

I look to my left, and I look to my right
It seems as another has entered the fight
A bright golden arm holds the sharp claws at bay
A strong voice speaks out, and I hear it then say:
“Begone foulest Devil, this one is not yours
He’s one of my Father’s, God’s Grace has been poured
Out on this dear one, this child of God’s
So go now you Devil and no more here trod”
Then with quickest rage and a menacing speed
The serpent strikes Christ, thus completing the Deed
The gold arm goes limp and it falls to the ground
My Hero is dead, and despair now surrounds

My Hero has left, and it does not seem right
I am all alone in this terrible fight
Why has my Christ died and left me all alone
Does my God and King not still Rule from His Throne?
Why does He allow the foul Devil to win?
Where now is my help, I’m afraid of my sin
I then come around and fierce laughter I hear
I am all alone and the Dragon I fear
The foul eyes then slit, and he lunges at me
I can’t now hold out, for soon dead will I be
“Give up now you wretch, your fair Hero is dead
Just curse God and die, I will now have your head”

A flash to the left and a bang to the right
My Hero and God has reentered the Fight
With terrible wrath and His Holiness Pure
A bright Sword swings out, with straight aim oh so sure
Black blood gushes out from a terrible gash
The Sword swings again with a terrible flash
My Christ is alive, to His Foe now defeat
My God’s slaughtered Death, the foul Devil is beat
With strength born of God, being armed with the Word
My Christ grabs the Dragon, and his wicked hoard
He then casts them into the fiery pit
Where sin rules, and wrath is, they would not submit

My Christ is Alive and has ended the Fight
He has beaten death and the rot of sin’s blight
He turns to me with loving eyes very dear
All that has thus happened’s becoming so clear
Who gave me the armor of my God to use,
To fight the foul Devil and all His non-truths?
Tis Christ my Commander, Redeemer, and Friend
My Lord and my Savior, my God to the end
Who comforts me when the hard fight gets too tough?
Who keeps me in safety when life gets too rough?
Tis Jesus my Comfort and Truth all too sure
My I AM, and Yahweh, my True Sheep so pure

Why have I been picked to be saved from the first
A rebel, deceiver, a man who was cursed?
Who’s long held me in His strong arms oh so tight
Though I was a worm and a miserable sight?
Who’s patient with me when I sin yet again?
Who holds all the seas in the span of His hand?
Who made all the world with a word plainly spoke?
Who fills up His Temple with fire and smoke?
Who’s holy and righteous, and merciful sure?
Who’s perfect and loving and awesomely pure?
Who saved us and keeps us in Him to the End?
Our Savior and Maker, our Greatest of Friends

All honor and glory and praise to His name!
Forever and always our God is the same!
Sing loudly you saints and sing loudly you sons
Our Savior and Warrior has our Vic’try won!
Come cling in His Truth, sink down into His Word
Come don your fair armor, come grasp now the Sword
Come don now your Belt and your Helm and your Shield
Your Sandles and Breastplate, you must not now yield!
Come enter the Battle you are called to fight
Trust now in our God and partake of His Might!
Sing glory and praises, our foe is now beat
Our hope is in Jesus, our One Mercy Seat!

All Praise to Christ, I’m Free

I come before You honestly with shaking and temerity
I do not seek You faithfully, I do not love Your Word
The devil roars and roams about, so with my quaking voice I shout
“Lord Jesus come and save Your son, equip me with Your Sword!”

Your Word’s a Lamp unto my feet, a shining Light unto my path
By it I know Your Holy Will, by it I know of Christ
Protect me from my wickedness, and make me like my Savior blessed
To fear Your frightful holiness, and love Your tender Grace

Make me receptive to Your Word, to treasure Your Commands and Laws
So wisdom will be near and dear, I glorify Your Name
From You comes Truth and Knowledge sweet, and love from Christ, my Mercy Seat
I read Your Word, so You I’ll meet, and then Your fame proclaim

Incline my heart unto Your Truth, the Knowledge of my Savior God
By it I know I’m lost without the work and death of Christ
I am a sinner lost and frail, I need the Cross, the Thorns and Nails
Without Your Love I’m lost to Hell, but now in Christ I’m saved

By Jesus’ blood I’m justified, the Spirit works to sanctify
So I’ll in God be glorified and live eternally
A sinner lost who now is found, adopted urchin with a crown
Once sinner dead, now Glory bound, all praise to Christ I’m free!

Chosen With Blood

He dwelt in Himself, in Him are no flaws
The One God of All, the Trinity Pure
Three Persons in One, One God who is Sure
This God then chose some, to all be His own
This God who is Just, and dwells on His Throne
He chose them with blood, the blood of His Son
The blood of the Lord has our vict’ry Won
For sin entered in, by God’s wise Decree
And death conquered man, he had not a plea
This sin’s not of God, He authored it not
This sin that brings death, and reeketh of rot
Mysterious thing, God’s glory we see
When sin entered in, by God’s wise decree
Our God is still just, and holy, and true
Our sin must be judged, or hearts made anew
How will it be paid, how will death be beat
How can we come in, to the Mercy Seat?
What’s our sacrifice, where can it be found?
To satisfy wrath, for death now surrounds
Where now is our Hope, where can it be found?
Despair closes in, it soon will surround
Just read in the Word, the Word of our Christ
The Gift of our God, of infinite price
Read Ephesians one, verse four and verse five
He chose us in Him, He chose us in Christ
Verse seven, verse eight; forgiveness is mine
The price has been paid, I’m no longer blind

We’re chosen with blood, the blood of the Lamb
The blood of our Lord, the blood of I AM
He obeyed His God, the Father Above
With Fellowship Sweet, and infinite Love
He died for His own, the chosen elect
He died for their sins, for every speck
He died for His Church, the Saints of the Lamb
The Body of Christ, the Bride of I AM

A virgin conceived, gave birth to a boy
The angels sang out, with marvelous Joy
The Savior had come, born like any man
A small helpless babe, ‘twas God’s Sov’reign Plan
The wise men then came, they knew who He was
The knew Him as King, the Lord of the Stars
The boy had no sin, perfection was His
The Great Sacrifice, the I AM who is
His life Jesus led, our Savior made man
Obeying God’s Will, His Life Jesus ran
And then it was time for Jesus to show
His power to all, so people might know
The Savior had come, sent by God above
The One Sovereign King, the Lord of all Love
He went up to John, the prophet foretold
And was promptly dunked, in water so cold
He started His work, His great Ministry
With wonders and signs, the blind He let see
The sick Jesus healed, the dead Jesus raised
His pupils He taught, His God Jesus Praised
And then it was time for Jesus to die
This Healer of Men, Hosanna they’d cried
But now all their screams were for Jesus’ blood
The once happy crowd was in a foul mood
They nailed hands and feet, they whipped and they scourged
It was Yahweh’s Will, set down in His Word
The blood trickled down, on down to the ground
And as it fell down, He made not a sound
Then after a shout, Christ’s head bowed down low
His body was dead, He gave up His Soul

We’re chosen with blood, the blood of the Lamb
The blood of our Lord, the blood of I AM
He obeyed His God, the Father Above
With Fellowship Sweet, and infinite Love
He died for His own, the chosen elect
He died for their sins, for every speck
He died for His Church, the Saints of the Lamb
The Body of Christ, the Bride of I AM

Derek Webb, The Gospel, and Doing Good Works

In light of the interesting discussions going on with regards to Derek Webb‘s latest album, Stockolm Snydrome, this is rather enlightening.  I took this video last night (10 July 2009) at the Blood Water Benefit Concert in Red Oak, Texas at The Oaks Fellowship.  You can judge for yourself where Webb’s mind and heart is.

Ascol on the Difficulty of Church Discipline

There is no easy way to lead a church to understand, embrace and practice church discipline. It is hard work and pastors must not allow themselves to become paralyzed by the myth that “there’s got to be an easier way.” There isn’t. If we are going to be faithful shepherds then we must roll up our sleeves, dig in our heels and do the hard work of lovingly, prayerfully and persistently leading our churches to obey Christ at this point. It is not easy, but it is worth it because God will be glorified, the church will be strengthened in holiness and mission and individual believers will be helped. … Many of the good things in ministry occur over long periods of time. Though God may well lead a pastor not to spend the better part of his life in one church, there are wonderful blessings that come from doing so.

- Tom Ascol (http://www.founders.org/blog/2009/07/long-journey-in-church-discipline-pt-3.html)

Sermon Poetry – “Losing My First Love”

Pastor Jarrett preached yesterday out of Revelation regarding the letter from Jesus to the Church in Ephesus. In this letter Jesus commends the Ephesians for their doctrinal purity, patient persistence in the midst of trial and for their steadfast service to Him. Yet He (rightly) accuses them of leaving their first Love. Jarrett reminded us of Paul’s words that if we are living and breathing and serving without love, then all of our effort is of no intrinsic value and is unprofitable, worthless and generally rather annoying. These words hit me where it hurts! I love Truth and Persistence and Doctrine and Ideas (even if I suck at all of them!), but what good is that to anyone if I’m not loving (as Jesus first loved me)? Is it even Truth that I believe in if I’m not loving? Do I love the same people that Jesus loves? Do I love them the way that Jesus loves me? Or am I the guy who has been forgiven a massive 10 million dollar debt, but can’t forgive a measly five dollar IOU?

Do I love Jesus’ Church, His Bride and Body? Do I love the sick and the poor and the widow and the orphan? Do I love the unclean, the unrighteous, the homosexual, the adulterer, the murderer, the thief and the child abuser? Do I love those on the edges and margins of society? Do I love those who would commit heinous crimes against me? Do I have “faith” without the corresponding works of love (and it IS work!)?

Yet, a more profound and searching question must be asked. Do I love Jesus? Or do I love my understanding of Jesus? Do I love the teachings of Jesus more than Jesus Himself? Am I too much like the serving Martha in her bad moments (as important and godly dutiful service can be …) and not enough like the enraptured-with-Jesus Mary? Am I stuck-up, haughty, arrogant and prideful about my understanding and faith, or am I abased and humbled and broken and contrite before the One who saved a wretch like me?

Lord, break me and abase me before Your Son and be my strength to love you more and more each day! I’ve not the strength in my frame and I’ve not the will to obey, apart from Your Grace …

I love my Savior God
I long to do His Will
But oh my soul I’ve lost my way
Woe unto me, I’ve left my love

I’m steeped in doctrine pure
I know when error comes
With patience I endure so well
Woe unto me, I’ve left my love

I toil and bear for Christ
I’ve not grown tired yet
Like Martha, service is my Call
Woe unto me, I’ve left my love

Jesus with the flaming eyes
Jesus with the two-edged sword
Your eyes see all, your mouth speaks Truth
Woe unto me, I’ve left my love

You control the skies above
You calm the raging seas
And oh my God, come calm my heart
Jesus please show me Your Love

I do no love the one’s you love
A hypocrite is what I am
I show my knowledge is not complete
All of my brothers I don’t love

I know it was for me you died
Your love was pain and suffering
With patience you endure Your own
Jesus I know it’s me you love

Jesus bring me to the day
When pain will melt away
I’ll dwell with you for all the days
It’s you, my God, I love

Please protect me from myself
The sin that dwells therein
Until I die keep me from my sin
Jesus keep me in Your Love

Sermon Poetry – “Lord Give Us Strength to Persevere”

One of pastors, Pastor Jarrett Downs, has been preaching through Revelation of late, and yesterday he spoke on , about how John was on Patmos (a lonely, rocky prison island) because of the proclamation of the Gospel while worshiping.  The point?  Persevere, with persistent, grinding patience, even when times are hard.  These are my thoughts on the Word preached.

Lord give us strength to persevere
When times have gotten tough
When friends and family truth ignore
When people treat us rough
We try to speak Your Word to friends
And kin who don’t believe
When ears are stopped and hearts are hard
Help us your mercy see

Lord give us strength to persevere
When persectution comes
When we are beat and raped and slain
Help us to see our Home
This earth is not our final stay
We know we’re killed for you
But Lord it’s hard, we’re very weak
God, ground us in Your Truth

Lord give us strength to persevere
When it seems we are beat
By all the sin within our frame
We need the Cross to see
That in the Son our sin is washed
We’re cleansed with Jesus’ blood
Your mercies overwhelm our souls
A washing, cleansing flood

Lord give us strength to persevere
As we wait for our Home
We’re aliens where ‘er we are
We’re strangers here we know
So as we wait (it’s by Your Grace)
We’ll strive to stay the course
Obedience is what we seek
To glorify our Lord

God’s Strange Mercies

The mercy of Jesus, mysterious thing
The love of our Savior makes us want to sing
His praises loud, He is God

He brings to His children the trials of life
He teaches us patience, our Lord loves His Bride
And cares for her, He is God

Chorus:
Our God loves us, and cares for us
And though we might suffer through much
He’s faithful in His grace
He loves us, He teaches us patience
His mercy flows over anew
Come comfort yourself dearest brethren
Our Jesus reigns ever in Heaven
And He shows us His strange mercies
Our Savior came down to live here as a man
He humbled Himself as a part of God’s plan
He lived for us, He is God

Why did Jesus die to give us all new lives
The Groom chose to suffer in love for His Bride
He died for us, He is God

Chorus

His people for ages have suffered and died
They’re martyred for Jesus, they’ve bled and they’ve cried
They die for Christ, He is God

We have tribulations as we’re sanctified
We suffer for Jesus, we who are His Bride
We live for Him, He is God

And though we have trials, our God holds us still
We worship our Father, submit to His Will
Our Sovereign King is our God

Chorus

Amazing Grace

This is just too good.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MS93Q4jQAO0]

Fotography Friday – My Dear Wife

Ain’t she purty?

DSC_4346