A Good Day to Die By Valorie Bender Quesenberry

It's a good day to die. Yes, somewhere, every day, I'm finding an altar awaits. An altar of sacrifice and surrender. And, at times, the trip to the top seems unbearable. Bring them here.  Bring the dreams still soft with dew. Bring the wishes quietly guarded.  Bring the desires long stowed away. Bring it here. The prize you imagine in secret daydreams. The goal you long to realize. The thing you cannot forget. Bring to this place. Your unyielding desire for what seems good. Your painful longing for an answer. Your naïve belief that you know best. Bring to the altar. A heart laid bare. A soul in surrender. A will relinquished. Bring this all to Him, And put on the yoke of waiting. Accept the blade of sacrifice. Acknowledge the mastery of His love. At the altar, death blows give way to life in the thicket. Smolders become the fragrance of faith, the bitter cup holds the liquid of redemption. There is, no joy without suffering, no triumph without battle, no glory without surrender. Bring. Submit. Rise.  Your altar will be to you a place of brilliant beauty, polished with tears, illuminated by heaven's comfort. What dies here was not what He willed. What goes forth from here will not die. The altar of surrender reveals the hidden life we cannot know until we approach the craggy summit.  And in its stony embrace, we find Him.  He is enough.

Hast Thou No Scar?

Pondering this powerful poetry by Amy Carmichael, pioneer Methodist missionary to India in the 19th and early 20th centuries.

Hast Thou No Scar?

Hast thou no scars?

No hidden scar on foot, or side, or hand?

I hear thee sung as mighty in the land,

I hear them hail thy bright ascendant star:

Hast thou no scar?

Hast thou no wound?

Yes, I was wounded by the archers, spent.

Leaned me against the tree to die, and rent

By ravening beast that compassed me, I swooned:

Hast thou no wound?

No wound? No scar?

Yes, as the master shall the servant be,

And pierced are the feet the follow Me:

But thine are whole. Can he have followed far

Who has no wound? No scar?

Amy Carmichael

Only One Life

By C.T. Studd

Two little lines I heard one day,

Traveling along life’s busy way;

Bringing conviction to my heart,

And from my mind would not depart;

Only one life, ’twill soon be past, 

Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Only one life, yes only one,

Soon will its fleeting hours be done;

Then, in ‘that day’ my Lord to meet,

And stand before His Judgement seat;

Only one life,’twill soon be past,

Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Only one life, the still small voice,

Gently pleads for a better choice

Bidding me selfish aims to leave,

And to God’s holy will to cleave;

Only one life, ’twill soon be past,

Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Only one life, a few brief years,

Each with its burdens, hopes, and fears;

Each with its clays I must fulfill,

living for self or in His will;

Only one life, ’twill soon be past,

Only what’s done for Christ will last.

When this bright world would tempt me sore,

When Satan would a victory score;

When self would seek to have its way,

Then help me Lord with joy to say;

Only one life, ’twill soon be past,

Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Give me Father, a purpose deep,

In joy or sorrow Thy word to keep;

Faithful and true what e’er the strife,

Pleasing Thee in my daily life;

Only one life, ’twill soon be past,

Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Oh let my love with fervor burn,

And from the world now let me turn;

Living for Thee, and Thee alone,

Bringing Thee pleasure on Thy throne;

Only one life, ’twill soon be past,

Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Only one life, yes only one,

Now let me say,”Thy will be done”;

And when at last I’ll hear the call,

I know I’ll say “twas worth it all”;

Only one life,’twill soon be past,

Only what’s done for Christ will last.

When God called me to preach and teach at 6 years of age, I thought it was the greatest privilege anyone could ever know. When God sanctified my heart by faith at age 16, I was surrendering with joy to the Lover of my soul, who knew best for my life. The surrender was natural, easy, and delightful. When I was 18 years old I was seeking God's direction about dating Beth, with hopes for eventual marriage. God blessed His Word to me, encouraging me to delight myself in Him and in the joyful future that He had before me. 

When God blessed our lives with Katie and Nathan, we prayed the same joyful surrender and delight in our living Lord for their lives. 

When God directed our steps to Kentucky Mountain Bible College for 23 years of service, it was with delight, joy, and purpose that we embraced His divine call and investment into Kingdom work.

When God suddenly called us to leave everything and follow Jesus to Wesley Biblical Seminary in 2013, it was with trembling joy that we obeyed. 

I want the watchword of my life to be that of living to hear Jesus say, "Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into my joys I have prepared for you."

Only one life,’twill soon be past,

Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Jesu, Thy Boundless Love to Me

Jesu, Thy Boundless Love to Me

By Paul Gerhardt (1653), translated by John Wesley (1739)

Jesus, Thy boundless love to me

No thought can reach, no tongue declare;

Unite my thankful heart with Thee

And reign without a rival there.

To Thee alone, dear Lord, I live;

Myself to Thee, dear Lord, I give.

O, grant that nothing in my soul

May dwell but Thy pure love alone!

Oh, may Thy love possess me whole,

My joy, my treasure, and my crown!

All coldness from my heart remove;

My every act, word, thought, be love.

O love, how cheering is thy ray!

All pain before thy presence flies;

Care, anguish, sorrow, melt away

Wherever thy healing beams arise.

O Jesus, nothing may I see,

Nothing desire or seek, but Thee!

This love unwearied I pursue

And dauntlessly to Thee aspire.

Oh, may Thy love my hope renew

Burn in my soul like heavenly fire!

And day and night be all my care

To guard this sacred treasure there.

My Savior, Thou Thy love to me

In shame, in want, in pain, hast showed;

For me, on the accursed tree,

Thou pourest forth Thy guiltless blood;

Thy wounds upon my heart impress,

Nor aught shall the loved stamp efface.

More hard than marble is my heart,

And foul with sins of deepest stain;

But Thou the mighty Savior art,

Nor flowed thy cleansing blood in vain;

Ah soften, melt this rock, and may

Thy blood wash all these stains away!

O that I, as a little child,

May follow Thee, and never rest

Till sweetly Thou hast breathed Thy mild

And lowly mind into my breast!

Nor ever may we parted be,

Till I become as one with Thee.

Still let Thy love point out my way;

How wondrous things Thy love hath wrought!

Still lead me, lest I go astray;

Direct my word, inspire my thought;

And if I fall, soon may I hear

Thy voice, and know that love is near.

In suffering be Thy love my peace,

In weakness be Thy love my power;

And when the storms of life shall cease,

Jesus, in that important hour,

In death as life be Thou my guide,

And save me, who for me hast died.

A Poem by Amy Carmichael

If I love to be loved more than to love, to be served more than to serve,
then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If a sudden jar can cause me to speak an impatient unloving word,
then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If souls can suffer alongside, and I hardly know it, because the spirit of
discernment is not in me, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I belittle those whom I am called to serve, talk of their weak points in
contrast perhaps with what I think of as my strong points;

If I adopt a superior attitude, forgetting, “Who made thee to differ? And what hast thou that thou has not received?” then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I can easily discuss the shortcomings of any;if I can speak in a casual way of a child’s misdoings, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I rebuke without a pang, then I know nothing of Calvary love. 

If I cast up a confessed, repented and forsaken sin against another, and allow my remembrance of that sin to colour my thinking and feed my suspicions, then I know nothing of Calvary love. 

If I can hurt another by speaking faithfully without much preparation of spirit, and without hurting myself far more than I hurt the other, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I forget that it was He who granted the ray of light to His most unworthy servant, then I know nothing of Calvary love. If I covet any place on earth but the dust at the foot of the Cross, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

That which I know not, teach Thou me, O Lord, my God.

MORE

The devil came to me disguised as more,
One more good thing I could do,
Should do,
And then another,
And another.
I was seduced and misguided.
The more sapped my energy, my joy, my delight.
There was more  harshness and impatience
In my voice and my presence.
And the devil grinned,
While God sighed patiently
Knowing that when I get worn down enough,
I'll come home to my true self,
To being my true self in God.

"More" by Clarence Heller

The Present Crisis

Once to every man and nation comes the moment to decide,
In the strife of Truth with Falsehood, for the good or evil side;
Some great cause, God's new Messiah, offering each the bloom or blight,
Parts the goats upon the left hand, and the sheep upon the right,
And the choice goes by forever 'twixt that darkness and that light.

Careless seems the great Avenger, history's pages but record

One death grapple in the darkness, 'twixt old systems and the Word;

Truth for ever on the scaffold, Wrong for ever on the throne,

Yet that scaffold sways the future, and behind the dim unknown,

Standeth God within the shadow, keeping watch above his own.

Excerpted from James Russell Lowell 1819-1891

See the entirety of this stirring poem at http://www.bartleby.com/102/128.html

Do You Bear Good Fruit?

Luke 13:6-9 NKJV
6 He also spoke this parable: “A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. 

7 Then he said to the keeper of his vineyard, ‘Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and find none. Cut it down; why does it use up the ground?’ 

8 But he answered and said to him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it. 9 And if it bears fruit, well. But if not, after that you can cut it down.’”

Proverbs 12:12 "The wicked covet the catch of evil men, but the root of the righteous yields fruit."

Matthew 3:10 "And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire."

Galatians 6:7 "Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap."

Dear Jesus,

Your compelling question is "Do you bear good fruit?"  That's really Your bottom line for my life.  

Thank You for the position of favor that You have granted me.  You have shared the light of Your Gospel with me!  You pricked my heart with conviction.  I felt the pangs of Your marvelous gift of guilt in my conscience which led me to confession and repentance of my sins.  Your Holy Spirit witnessed to me that I was adopted as Your brother, a son of Your Father, a child of God. Forgiveness!  New life!  Called to follow You and to become Your disciple.  Thank You.

But what about that "follow" part?  What about that "disciple" part?  What about Your call to "Christ-likeness"?  Do I bear the fruit of righteousness?

Thank You for the opportunities that You have given me.  I have far more spiritual opportunities than most people.  Just as the fig tree was a sort of national symbol for the Jews and granted appropriate favor, it was held accountable by the owner and the gardener to bear fruit.  In the same way, You require me to bear fruit.  The favor of opportunity demands productivity.  

The simple truth is that "uselessness invites disaster" (William Barclay in The Gospel of Matthew, 1953, p. 180).  Do I bear good fruit?

Productivity is a matter of multiplication.  Just as the fig tree had to multiply itself with bearing fruit, You call Your disciples to bear fruit personally and in the lives of others--multiplication.  

C. T. Studd (1860-1931) the English missionary to China, India, and Africa, wrote:

Some want to live

within the sound

of church or chapel bell;

I want to run

a rescue shop

within a yard of hell.

Studd's passion creates multiplication. His life, testimony, and writings are still bearing fruit.

"The fig-tree was drawing strength and sustenance from the soil; and in return was producing nothing. That was precisely its sin. In the last analysis, there are two kinds of people in this world--those who take out more than they put in, and those who put in more than they take out.  In one sense we are all in debt to life. We came into it at the peril of someone else's life; and we would never have survived without the care of those who loved us. We have inherited a Christian civilization and a freedom which we did not create. There is laid on us the duty of handing things on better than we found them" (Barclay, p. 180).

Lord Jesus, I follow You in the journey of discipleship today.  Help me to bear the fruit of multiplication.  

In the Name of Jesus,

Amen.

Merry Christmas: God Sent us a Savior

If our greatest need had been information, God would have sent us an educator.
If your greatest need had been technology, God would have sent us a scientist.
If our greatest need had been money, God would have sent us an economist.
If our greatest need had been pleasure, God would have sent us an entertainer.
But our greatest need was forgiveness, so God sent us a Savior.

Source Unknown.

Mary Had The Little Lamb

Mary had the little Lamb, who lived before His birth;

Self-existent Son of God, from Heaven He came to Earth. 

Micah 5:2

Mary had the little Lamb; see Him in yonder stall -- 

Virgin-born Son of God, to save man from the Fall.

Isaiah 7:14

Mary had the little Lamb, obedient Son of God;

Everywhere the Father led, His feet were sure to trod.

John 6:38

Mary had the little Lamb, crucified on the tree

The rejected Son of God, He died to set men free. 

1 Peter 1:18

Mary had the little Lamb -- men placed Him in the grave,Thinking they were done with Him; to death He was no slave!

Matthew 28:6

Mary had the little Lamb, ascended now is He;

All work on Earth is ended, our Advocate to be.

Hebrews 4:14-16

Mary had the little Lamb -- mystery to behold!

From the Lamb of Calvary, a Lion will unfold.

Revelation 5: 5,6

When the Day Star comes again, of this be very sure:

It won't be Lamb-like silence, but with the Lion's roar.

Psalm 2:12

Revelation 19:11-16

Marv & Marbeth Rosenthal - Copies of this poem may be used without written permission from the authors.

There's a Wideness in God's Mercy

There’s a wideness in God’s mercy,
Like the wideness of the sea;
There’s a kindness in His justice,
Which is more than liberty.

There is no place where earth’s sorrows
Are more felt than up in Heaven;
There is no place where earth’s failings
Have such kindly judgment given.

There is welcome for the sinner,
And more graces for the good;
There is mercy with the Savior;
There is healing in His blood.

There is grace enough for thousands
Of new worlds as great as this;
There is room for fresh creations
In that upper home of bliss.

For the love of God is broader
Than the measure of our mind;
And the heart of the Eternal
Is most wonderfully kind.

There is plentiful redemption
In the blood that has been shed;
There is joy for all the members
In the sorrows of the Head.

’Tis not all we owe to Jesus;
It is something more than all;
Greater good because of evil,
Larger mercy through the fall.

If our love were but more simple,
We should take Him at His word;
And our lives would be all sunshine
In the sweetness of our Lord.

Souls of men! why will ye scatter
Like a crowd of frightened sheep?
Foolish hearts! why will ye wander
From a love so true and deep?

It is God: His love looks mighty,
But is mightier than it seems;
’Tis our Father: and His fondness
Goes far out beyond our dreams.

But we make His love too narrow
By false limits of our own;
And we magnify His strictness
With a zeal He will not own.

Was there ever kinder shepherd
Half so gentle, half so sweet,
As the Savior who would have us
Come and gather at His feet?

(Frederick W. Faber 1854)

Jesus' is my Provider

I have a friend in heaven
Jesus is his name.
A friend who never changes,
Every day the same.

This friend I have in heaven's land
Is rich beyond degree.
He owns the greatest bank of all
And signs my checks for me.

They never say in Jesus' bank
No funds to pay on hand.
The wealth of all the universe
Is under his command.

By C. H. Jack Linn in So You Want a Mountain by Ford Philpot

Love Slave

Matthew 6:24, Exodus 21:1-6, Romans 6:15-23

My loving Lord,

My rebellious path of ruin put me Hell bent on self-destruction.  I called it pleasure.  You called it sin.  I called it freedom.  You called it bondage.  Sin’s voracious appetite demanded more–more intense pleasures to reach an earlier high.  Louder.  Longer.  Repetition.  But pleasure was elusive. I was always searching for more.  Bondage.  Slavery.

You broke through the despair.  Conviction.  Repentance.  Deliverance.  Freedom.  You have conquered my heart!  You have won my devotion.  You have persisted over my resistance until You have regenerated my life from my brokenness.  Thank You.  I enjoy freedom through You!

You continue to peel away my fingers that squeeze control over hidden demands to self-sovereignty. You demand my all.  You demand my claim to myself–my own rights.  You must be Lord of me. You insist that I be full-time in Your service.  You give no days off, no vacation time; but simply ask me to belong to You.

You dig deep into my pockets and insist that my money belongs to You.  My property, my pleasure, my family, my relationships, and my identity–all Yours.  You insist upon defining me based solely upon my relationship to You.  Earthly demographic categories are suspended between us. Categories based upon my own beliefs, attitudes, and values are suspended as You teach me Truth that transcends all of my notions.  I am no longer my own.  I am Yours.  I am more important to You than the categories culture imposes upon me.  You love me simply for the sake of me, and desire Your absolute best for my life.

I am staggered by Your love.  You have knocked me off-balance.  I don’t know what to do with this kind of unconditional valuing that You place upon me.  My only resort is to respond in kind.  I surrender to Your love.  You have won my heart.  I am abandoned to Your Lordship.

No longer a slave to sin.  I said, “Jesus, come in.”

You saved my soul and You made me whole–No longer a slave to sin.

You asked me to be Your love slave.  My all to You I then gave.

Surrender complete.  Your Presence is sweet.  I’ll be a love slave to You.  

Your breath is blowing upon me, filling, cleansing, and empowering.  Your Holy Spirit has invaded my heart.  I am Your love slave.

Thank You, Master,
Amen.

ETERNAL VALUES

Written by Dr. John Neihof, Jr.
July 2007

Just to live for eternity.  Just to invest in its worth.

Just to live for a future, longer than time on this earth.

What is it that really matters?  What is it about my life?

Leading others to Jesus,  investing in eternal life.

For years I studied science, with experiments, labs, and tests.

I grew weary of probability, and hungered for the best.

I even thought about money, and all the things it buys.

But I can’t take it with me when my time comes to die.

Live for eternal values.  Live for the worth of a soul.

Live for eternal values, giving Jesus your all.

DO NOT DELAY

Written by Dr. John E. Neihof, Jr.
based on Hebrews 3
June 4, 2006

You think there is no way that you can ever stand, 

That you can know Christ’s victory, His Precious Canaan Land.

His Canaan Land is peace, in a heart of Perfect Love.

The Holy Ghost will enter in fulness like a dove.

You first must know forgiveness, be walking in God’s Light.

Repent from all your sins and trust God’s saving might.

You then must die to self; surrender all to God.

Possess His Land of Canaan where your feet will trod.

Today,  hear His voice, harden not your hearts.

Enter Canaan’s Land, His fulness He imparts.

Accept His full salvation, His Canaan Land of grace.

Believe His Word and enter.  Don’t wander from this place.

CHORUS

Do not delay.  Enter His way.  The way of Perfect rest.

Hear His call; surrender your all.  In Him you will be blest.

Don’t harden your heart; yield every part.  Canaan is God’s best.

Do not delay.  Enter His way.  The way of Perfect rest.

UNITED IN MARRIAGE

Written by Dr. John Neihof, Jr.
April 11, 2010

When first I saw you, my interest was piqued.

I wanted to know you.  Your favor I’d seek.

When we talked together, I saw your heart.

We kept Jesus first, right from the start.

I saw you walking down the long aisle.

I was there waiting.  I gave you my smile.

That day we promised forever to be

United in marriage–God calls it holy.

Life is much living.  Life is much love.

Life gives children from God above.

Life gives us pleasure, hardship and pain.

But in His service, we’ll not complain.

You give me your feelings.  You give me your hand.

We come together, as God commands.

We are one flesh as God said we would be.

United in marriage–God calls it holy.

United in marriage.  United in love.

One in commitment to Him above. 

We’ll go where He sends us.  We’ll serve where He says.

United in marriage–That is our prayer.

CLOTHE ME

Written by Dr. John Neihof, Jr.
June 8, 2010

Clothe me in your holiness, clothe me in your power,

Clothe me in your righteousness, every day and  hour.

Clothe me with forgiving grace, all my thoughts endue.

Clothe me with your perfect love, clothe my life in You.

Fashions come and go each day, always something new.

Short or long, it will  change real soon.

But there is a timeless style hidden in God’s Word.

You can clothe yourself in Christ, now that you have heard.

You can clothe yourself in Christ, dressed in perfect love.

Joy and peace from God above.

You can give forgiveness too, just as you received,

If you’ll clothe yourself in Christ, now that you believe.

BE ANXIOUS FOR NOTHING

Written by Dr. John Neihof

This world is full of burdens.  This world is full of cares.

I cast my load on Jesus, who every burden shares.

I find in him my strength.  He is my All in All.

My Precious Lord and Savior, My Jesus, hear my call.

Faith can leave the burden.  Faith can leave the care,

In the arms of Jesus, for He answers prayer.

I cast my cares on Jesus, He every need supplies.

I know He’ll work His will.  My God never lies.

Be anxious for nothing, in every thing give thanks.

Be anxious for nothing.  That’s how to spend your days.

Be anxious for nothing, and you’ll receive God’s grace.

Be anxious for nothing.  This is the key to praise.

ALL GLORY TO GOD

by Dr. John E. Neihof, Jr.
August 20, 2009
Ephesians 3:14-21

I’m on my knees to seek your face.  

I’m on my knees to plead your grace.

I’m on my knees to give you praise.  

You are the Lord of Everything!

I pray your glory and your power 

Will flow through all Your Church this hour.

Expansive power, Unending grace.  

Christ will make our hearts His Place!

I pray your glory and your strength 

That spans from every breadth and length,

The height and depth of perfect love, 

Spirit-sent from up above!

Now the precious love of Christ, 

Rich beyond any price!

Complete and full with life from God!  

Complete and full with power from God!

All glory to God who’s able!  

All glory to God who works!

All glory to God who’s able!  

All glory in Your Church!

A SLAVE’S SONG

by John E. Neihof, Jr.
May 30, 2006

I once was a slave to sin, enchained without and within.

My bondage was great, make no mistake, I was lost in sin and shame.

My darkness turned to despair–I found no hope there.

Jesus came by and He  heard my sad cry, and He answered my prayer.

My newfound joy was such; I love Jesus so much!

I praised His dear name and I shared the same with my friends at home and church.

But then some despair, I sensed something there–

A double-mind, and inward bind, a conflict was at work.

I struggled with this divide.  I needed Christ’s new mind.

I saw in the Word hope for my need; the Spirit in fulness could come.

He called me to give my all in answer to His call.

I surrendered my part, He cleansed my heart, and the Holy Ghost did fall.

No longer a slave to sin.  I said, “Jesus, come in.”

He saved my soul and He made me whole–No longer a slave to sin.

He asked me to be His love slave.  My all to Him I then gave.

Surrender complete.  His Presence is sweet.  I’ll be a love slave to Him.  

I’ll be a love slave to Him.

I’ll be a love slave to Him.