Calvary - Harvest

This is one of my favourite songs many years ago. It's from the Harvest group.

c

---

CALVARY


 



Calvary, that's the place where Jesus bled and died.
And it's there that sin has lost its power,
At Calvary.
Calvary, there my Jesus won the victory.
There He gave Himself for you and me.
On Calvary.

Brother, give no thought 

For what tomorrow, it may bring. 

Your Father, He knows your heart, 

He knows your every need. 

Just seek Him in His truth, 

and rest upon His Word. 

Share His love to everyone. 

Let's all just praise the Lord. 

Let the stars fall from the skies, 

Let the sun refuse to shine. 

In darkness I know there will be

A light for all mankind.

It doesn't matter who you are, 

Or whatever things you've done. 

 'Cause Jesus, He still loves you, 

and calls for you to come, 

To Calvary . . . 

That's the place where Jesus bled and died. 

And it's there that sin has lost it's power, 

At Calvary. 

Calvary, that's the place where Jesus bled and died. 

And it's there that sin has lost it's power, 

At Calvary. 

Calvary, there my Jesus won the victory. 

There He gave Himself for you and me. 

On Calvary. Calvary. Calvary.

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0uu__ttXRts&index=7&list=PLAA683E5FF624A60D

Midweek Meditation: "The Perfect Church" (Mavis Williams)

The Perfect Church

If you should find the perfect church
Without one fault or smear,
For goodness sake! Don't join that church;
You'd spoil the atmosphere. 

If you should find the perfect church
Where all anxieties cease
Then pass it by, lest joining it
You'd mar the masterpiece. 

If you should find the perfect church
Then don't you ever dare,
To tread upon such holy ground;
You'd be a misfit there. 

But since no perfect church exists
Made of imperfect men,
Then let's cease looking for that church
And love the church we're in. 

Of course, it's not a perfect church,
That's simple to discern
But you and I and all of us
Could cause the tide to turn. 

What fools we are to flee our post
In that unfruitful search
To find at last where problems loom
God proudly builds His church. 

So let's keep working in our church
Until the resurrection.
And then we each will join that church
Without an imperfection.

--Mavis Williams

Midweek Meditation: "Ask Me" (William Stafford)

Photo Credit: Poetry Foundation

Some time when the river is ice ask me
mistakes I have made. Ask me whether
what I have done is my life. Others
have come in their slow way into
my thought, and some have tried to help
or to hurt: ask me what difference
their strongest love or hate has made.

I will listen to what you say.
You and I can turn and look
at the silent river and wait. We know
the current is there, hidden; and there
are comings and goings from miles away
that hold the stillness exactly before us.
What the river says, that is what I say.

(William Stafford, 1914-1993, American Poet)                        

Midweek Meditation: "On the Psalms I" (Athanasius of Alexandria)

"My child, as it is written, 'all of our Scriptures,' both old and new, 'are divinely inspired and useful for instruction' (2 Tim 3:16). But to those who devote themselves to it with special care, the Book of Psalms merits very close attention. It is true that every book of the Scriptures enjoys the ministry of its own particular message. The Pentateuch speaks of the beginning of the world, of the deeds of the Patriarchs, of the exodus of Israel from Egypt, and of the giving of the Law. The Triteuch (Joshua, Judges, Ruth) describe the allotment to the tribes of Israel, the acts of the Judges and the genealogy of David, the books of Kings and Paralipomenon (Chronicles) record the deeds of the kings, and the book of Esdras (Ezra), the deliverance from the captivity, the return of the people, and the building of the temple and the city. The prophets foretell the coming of the Savior, to call to mind the commandments, rebuke sinners, and deliver prophecies to the Gentiles.

However, the Book of Psalms, like a blessed garden bearing many different fruits, contains the themes of the other books in its songs, while at the same time its own particular ministry is clearly demonstrated alongside of what it sings of the others." (St Athanasius in a letter to Marcellinus on the Interpretation of the Psalms)

"A Common Destiny" (Justin Unger)

This beautiful song speaks of our common destiny of our faith.

A COMMON DESTINY

There’s a place for us we know

Where all pain and sorrows cease

A place where tears will never flow

A home that’s filled with joy and peace

[Chorus]

Soon we’ll see Jesus, and when He sees us

We will be like Him, and our eyes will finally see

We have God’s guarantee, for all eternity

To be with Christ, Is our common destiny

No troubled heart that we must face

For he said “Believe in me.”

A home beyond all time and space

We have a common destiny

[chorus]

Soon we’ll see Jesus, and when He sees us

We will be like Him, and our eyes will finally see

We have God’s guarantee, for all eternity

To be with Christ, Is our common destiny

We have a promise sure and true

Of a life that never ends

And when our time on earth is through

That’s when our life really begins

[chorus]

Soon we’ll see Jesus, and when He sees us

We will be like Him, and our eyes will finally see

We have God’s guarantee, for all eternity

To be with Christ, Is our common destiny 

To be with Christ, Is our common destiny 

Video

c

BookPastor >> "You are What You Love" (James K.A. Smith)

This review was first published on July 4th, 2016 at Panorama of a Book Saint.

c

---

TITLE: You Are What You Love: The Spiritual Power of Habit
AUTHOR: James K.A. Smith
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Brazos, 2016, (224 pages).

We worship what we love. Out of what we love, we worship. This relationship is tight and indispensable. It has implications for what it means to be human, and reflects what exactly we do want. Author and professor James K.A. Smith observes in the gospels how Jesus is more interested in what the disciples want rather than what they believe or know. Smith believes that many people have become stuck in Descartes-style of "I Think Therefore I Am" to the detriment of the lack of holistic living. Interestingly, he does not argue for less but more knowledge and learning that pulls together holistic living and learning. We need to cultivate a lifestyle of living and loving, of learning and labouring toward a model of centering our behaviour according to the heart of loving. Out of this identity arises our true motivation for thinking; for spirituality; for calling; for discipleship; worship; and spiritual formation. Describing the heart as our center of spiritual gravity, Smith also tells us that this goes way beyond the head. The virtues of love in the heart form our "erotic compass."  He believes that it is possible to acquire such virtues through imitation and practice. This book is about the latter that uses habit as the way to cultivate and to calibrate this compass.

Beautiful Rendition of "All is Well"

This is my favourite Christmas song this year.



All is well all is well
Angels and men rejoice
For tonight darkness fell
Into the dawn of love's light
Sing A-le
Sing Alleluia
All is well all is well
Let there be peace on earth
Christ is come go and tell
That He is in the manger
Sing A-le
Sing Alleluia

All is well all is well
Lift up your voices and sing
Born is now Emmanuel
Born is our Lord and Savior
Sing Alleluia
Sing Alleluia
All is well

Words: Michael W. Smith

The Language of Nature

Amazing fungi. What we lack is the communication needed to understand the intelligence in life.



c

How Small We Are | How Great God Is

This is how the universe looks like from a satellite zooming out from earth to sky; and from sky to the depths of space. It reminds me of how great God is. Watch video here.


c

Video: The Story of You (A DNA Journey)

In a world of extremism and discriminations based on race and ethnicity, people often forget how they are more related than they think. In this video, 67 people were first asked about who they like and who they dislike. Subsequently, they were invited to take a DNA journey to discover who they are. Watch how their personal opinions of other races crumble when they see the results of their DNA journey.




c

Inspiring Video: A Brand New Ending

"It is not death people are afraid of. It is getting to the end of life only to realize that you never truly lived." These words are the beginning of this very inspiring video. (Alternative Link)



c

Thank You Project - Story of Kellie Haddock's Attempt to Give Thanks

This is a powerful short film and testimony about how gratitude can bring out the best of people. Kellie Haddock reflects back on the joys and tragedies of her life and decides to do the one thing that is within her means. She gave thanks.



One of the most touching moments is when a woman helper shared that she had never been thanked before. It tells us that giving thanks is not simply something that needs to be done, it must be done more often.

This posting from her says it all.

"There is so much heartache in our world right now; so much brokenness. Let us be people of love who share love everywhere we go. #loveneverfails #weartruth This bracelet and other styles available here http://kellies-music-store.myshopify.com/"

c

Father's Day 2016 - Scene from the Movie Courageous

Fathers' Day is here! While most people will be talking about buying stuff, getting treats, and dining out with their fathers, I thought it is also a good opportunity to remind all fathers and fathers-to-be about the responsibility of fatherhood. Here is a clip from the popular movie, "Courageous." It's one of the best productions from Sherwood Pictures and also very educational. In this moving scene, four police officers step out to make a resolution to be the father that God has called them to be.

A gentle reminder to all. Just because a father does not say out the resolution verbally does not mean he is exempt from practicing all of it. As far as believers in Christ are concerned, it is a very normal thing to be a father that does things that honour God. The resolution honours God.

Link

Midweek Meditation: "Our Deepest Fear"

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are  powerful beyond measure. It is our light not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn’t serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that people won’t feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us, it’s in everyone. As we let our light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our fear, our presence automatically liberates others." (Marianne Williamson)

"Lord Have Mercy" (Slater Armstrong)

This is a beautiful meditative song from Slater Armstrong.

LORD HAVE MERCY (G)Words by: Steve Merkel
Sung by: Slater Armstrong

Verse 1:
Jesus, I've forgotten the words that You have spoken
Promises that burned within my heart have now grown dim
With a doubting heart I follow the paths of earthly wisdom
Forgive me for my unbelief
Renew the fire again

Chorus:
Lord have mercy
Christ have mercy
Lord have mercy on me
Repeat

Verse 2:
I have built an altar where I worship things of men
I have taken journeys that have drawn me far from You
Now I am returning to Your mercies ever flowing
Pardon my transgressions
Help me love You again

Repeat Chorus

Verse 3:
I have longed to know You and Your tender mercies
Like a river of forgiveness ever flowing without end
I bow my heart before You in the goodness of Your presence
Your grace forever shining
Like a beacon in the night

Repeat Chorus 2x

c

An Insightful Look into Stress and Letting Go

This is a story currently circulating widely on the Internet.

A psychologist showed her audience a glass of water. Everyone was expecting she will ask the usual question, “Is the glass half filled or half empty?”

Instead, she asked the question, “How heavy is the glass of water?” 

Her audience started giving her numbers.

None of the numbers were correct. Instead she said, “The actual weight of the glass has no real significance. What does matter is how long I hold the glass.”

“The glass will not weigh too much if I hold it only for a few minutes.”

Misunderstandings in your relationship will not matter much if you immediately address them. Talk about them and commit to come to a win-win solution. Do not be afraid to compromise to make your relationship happy and lasting.

“If I hold it for an hour, I’ll eventually start cramping up in my arm. If I hold it for a whole day, my arm will probably numb up and feel paralyzed.”

If you don’t talk about your issues and avoid each other, you will be causing a strain in your relationship. The stress will soon hurt you and your relationship. If you don’t find a way to relieve yourself of the stress and anxiety in your relationship, admit it or not, it will be in your thoughts. It will be in your waking hours or even in your sleep. Soon the thought and the agony will paralyze you; you will not be able to do anything. It will be like your shadow following you wherever you go; always in your head bugging you.

This is when your relationship crumbles. It will then be impossible to save it.

Remember to let go of whatever stresses you. Remember to deal with your relationship issues immediately. Before going to bed, put away the stress. Talk about your problems and agree to a solution. Don’t carry your glass throughout the evening and into the night. Remember to put down your glass of water.

Here's the video.

conrade

Midweek Meditation: "By-Products of Ministry"

This excerpt is taken from Philip Yancey's book, "Church, Why Bother?"

*****

For a long time Dr Trogisch could not answer the question of meaning. He went ahead and performed his medical tasks, but he had no answer. Then he conducted an introductory course to train new helpers for the center. At the end of the one-year training period, he asked these young helpers to fill out a survey. Among the questions was this one, "What changes have taken place in your life since you became totally involved with disabled people?" Here is a selection of their answers:

• For the first time in my life I feel I am doing something really significant.
• I feel I can now do things I wouldn't have thought myself capable of before.
• During my time here I have won the affection of Sabine. Having had the opportunity to involve myself with a disabled person, I no longer think of her as disabled at all.
• I am now more responsive now to human suffering and it arouses in me the desire to help.
• It's made me question what is really important in life.
• Work has assumed a new meaning and purpose. I feel I'm needed now.
• I've learned to be patient and to appreciate even the slightest sign of progress.
• In observing the disabled, I've discovered myself.
• I've become more tolerant. My own little problems don't seem so important any longer, and I've learned to accept myself with all my inadequacies. Above all I've learned to appreciate the little pleasures in life, and especially I thank God that he has shown me that love can achieve more than hate or force.

As Dr Trogisch read their responses, he realized with a start the answer to his question. The meaning of the suffering of these children was being worked out in the lives of others, his helpers, who were learning lessons that no sophisticated educational system could teach. Where else could teenagers and college students learn such inestimable lessons as these?

Dr Trogisch has put his finger on a by-product of the church's mission that often gets overlooked. We tend to focus on the objects of ministry: the souls led to Christ, the marriages rescued, the poor fed and housed, the homebound elderly visited, the teenagers challenged. Yet as I read the New Testament, Jesus seems equally interested in what effect ministry is having on the people who are doing the work of ministry themselves.

(Philip Yancey, Church: Why Bother?, Zondervan, 1998, p79-90)

World's Toughest Job

This is a wonderful video about an online interviews conductor for a position entitled, "Director of Operations." It is also the world's toughest job.

Enjoy.



conrade

Touching Video - A Mother's Love

This is a moving video about a mother's love. It's about a runaway child and how a mother cares for her. Should be a reminder to get ready for Mother's Day next week (May 8th).




c

Powerful Testimony - Ex HK Mafia Teddy Hung Encounters Jesus!

This is a testimony of an ex-HK gang leader, Teddy Hung, who encountered Jesus and turned over a new leaf.



c