The LORD Will Provide!

The LORD Will Provide.
Though troubles assail And dangers affright,
Though friends should all fail And foes all unite;
Yet one thing secures us, Whatever betide,
The scripture assures us... The Lord will provide.

The birds without barn Or storehouse are fed,
From them let us learn To trust for our bread:
His saints, what is fitting, Shall ne'er he denied,
So long as 'tis written... The Lord will provide.

We may, like the ships, By tempest be tossed
On perilous deeps, But cannot be lost.
Though Satan enrages The wind and the tide,
The promise engages... The Lord will provide.

His call we obey Like Abram of old,
Not knowing our way, But faith makes us bold;
For though we are strangers We have a good Guide,
And trust in all dangers... The Lord will provide.

When Satan appears To stop up our path,
And fill us with fears, We triumph by faith;
He cannot take from us, Though oft he has tried,
This heart-cheering promise... The Lord will provide.

He tells us we're weak, Our hope is in vain,
The good that we seek We ne'er shall obtain,
But when such suggestions Our spirits have plied,
This answers all questions... The Lord will provide.

No strength of our own, Or goodness we claim,
Yet since we have known The Savior's great name;
In this our strong tower For safety we hide,
The Lord is our power... The Lord will provide.

When life sinks apace And death is in view,
This word of his grace Shall comfort us through:
No fearing or doubting With Christ on our side,
We hope to die shouting... The Lord will provide!

John Newton, Hymn #7, Olney Hymns (London: W. Oliver, 1779). Music by Paul W. Martin, © 2005. 10,10,11,11

Comparing Ankles

Christian Thought: Comparing Ankles

The Fighter Jet mocks my pain...

(As if a rampant skin infection is any worse than damaged internal thingys in my ankle!)

Mohler on Arterburn

More on Marriage, Ministry, and Credibility

Al Mohler notes in passing that Stephen Arterburn, co-author of Every Man's Battle and Every Young Man's Battle, has been divorced twice and recently began his third marriage - to a young woman he met at one of his purity seminars!

Sigh.

What a Little Loving Fellowship Will Get You

On the first Wednesday night of each month we cancel our normal GraceNight (kids ministries, prayer meeting, worship) and hold separate Men's and Ladies' Meetings.
It has become a bit of a tradition to play a little floor hockey after our meeting and last night was no exception. These are great times of fellowship... or at least they used to be.
I won't say who did it... but here is what my ankle looks like today.

WARNING: Some viewers may find this picture offensive.

The small white foot in the upper right corner is that of my son... who one half-second after this flash stepped on my foot.

Ouch.

kerux noemata - your source for edifying and uplifting fodder for your soul! (although, the blog is called "thoughts of the preacher" and to be quite honest I can hardly think of anything else except this bulbuous mass on the end of my leg!)

Dying Words (III)

Running Well - » Dying Words (III)

My friend Darrin Brooker has another great post in his series of dying words. This one begins with many startling and sobering quotes of those who died in their sins and without hope of Christ in the life to come. He offsets this with another batch of sayings from dear saints who now make up part of that great cloud of witnesss.

In an earlier comment string on my blog I was kidding Darrin that he was quite a Renaissance man. I was not joking about that. If you don't have Running Well on your blog watch list, you should.

On Being a Man

Grace Fellowship Church: Walter on Being a Man:

My old friend Walter wrote us a while back some of his thoughts on being a man. I think he would agree with Lig Duncan that there are undeniable differences between the sexes... to the glory of God!

"Water is a liquid and so is gasoline - but only one will make your car go! The sad truth is that men just don't work when they try to act like women. The most obvious clue to this is the confused fellows you sometimes see in downtown Toronto. But the less obvious ones are the throngs of men who think being a passive receiver is a virtue. These flim flams are like a castrated bull: they take up room, eat your feed and aren't even good for hamburger in the end."

Together for the Gospel

Together for the Gospel:

Ligon Duncan follows up on Mark Dever's complementarian post at the T4G blog with a much more lengthy defense of why this issue is so important.

"The gymnastics required to get from 'I do not allow a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man,' in the Bible, to 'I do allow a woman to teach and to exercise authority over a man' in the actual practice of the local church, are devastating to the functional authority of the Scripture in the life of the people of God."

More of the Dead Speaking (and nothing to do with 06-06-06!)

Running Well - » Dying Words (II):

"Donald Cargill, prior to the axe falling upon his neck: “Farewell reading and preaching, praying and believing, wanderings, reproaches, and sufferings. Welcome joy unspeakable and full of glory.”"

"Who's Afraid of the 6-6-6?"

06-06-06 -- Is This a Day to Fear?

Our pal Al on today's date.

Christians to battle Feds on 'million-dollar' tracts

WorldNetDaily: Christians to battle Feds on 'million-dollar' tracts

An update on the seizure of the Ray Comfort $1 million dollar bill gospel tracts...

HT: Challies and the Twin Towers

Dying Words (I)

Running Well - » Dying Words (I)

The surprising Mr. Brooker has assembled his first batch of "last words" of saints leaving this world. An excellent read.

The Lord's Day - by John Newton

How welcome to the saints, when pressed
With six days noise, and care, and toil,
Is the returning day of rest,
Which hides them from the world awhile?

Now, from the throng withdrawn away,
They seem to breathe a different air;
Composed and softened by the day,
All things another aspect wear.

How happy if their lot is cast,
Where statedly the gospel sounds
The word is honey to their taste,
Renews their strength, and heals their wounds!

Though pinched with poverty at home,
With sharp afflictions daily fed;
It makes amends, if they can come
To GOD’S own house for heav’nly bread!

With joy they hasten to the place,
Where they their Savior oft have met;
And while they feast upon his grace,
Their burdens and their griefs forget.

This favored lot, my friends, is ours,
May we the privilege improve;
And find these consecrated hours,
Sweet earnests of the joys above!

We thank thee for thy day, O Lord,
Here we thy promised presence seek;
Open thine hand, with blessings stored,
And give us Manna for the week.

From Olney Hymns, #46.