Thy Strong Word

Thy strong word did cleave the darkness;

At thy speaking it was done.

For created light we thank thee

While thine ordered seasons run.

Alleluia! Alleluia! Praise to thee who light dost send!

Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia without end!

Lo, on those who dwelt in darkness,

Dark as night and deep as death,

Broke the light of thy salvation,

Breathed thine own life-giving breath.

Alleluia! Alleluia! Praise to thee who light dost send!

Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia without end!

Thy strong Word bespeaks us righteous;

Bright with thine own holiness,

Glorious now, we press toward glory,

And our lives our hope confess.

Alleluia! Alleluia! Praise to thee who light dost send!

Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia without end!

From the cross thy wisdom shining

Breaketh forth in conqu'ring might;

From the cross forever beameth

All thy bright redeeming light.

Alleluia! Alleluia! Praise to thee who light dost send!

Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia without end!

Give us lips to sing thy glory,

Tongues thy mercy to proclaim,

Throats to shout the hope that fills us,

Mouths to speak thy holy name.

Alleluia! Alleluia! May the light which thou dost send

Fill our songs with alleluias, Alleluias without end!

God the Father, light-creator,

To thee laud and honor be.

To thee, Light from Light begotten,

Praise be sung eternally.

Holy Spirit, light-revealer, Glory, glory be to thee.

Mortals, angels, now and ever Praise the holy Trinity!

Text: Martin H. Franzmann, 1907-1976
Tune: Thomas J. Williams, 1869-1944

Singing, the Lords Grace

In the Roman Catholic understanding (and the understanding of many other denominations in Christendom) of the divine service, what we are doing in the service is providing God our service to Him. Sort of an alms or sacrifice to God. With the thought that He requires it from us. That it's something we do in order to receive God's blessing. With a side order of "What a good boy am I" mind set. When the priests would offer the bread in the communion it was thought that we were sacrificing once again, a "re-presentation" of our Lords body to provide our forgiveness. To appease God.

What is truly meant to happen in the divine service is this, Christ serving us. We receive His Gospel. We receive His forgiveness. We receive His Holy Spirit through His Word. Like the old hymn that says "Thy strong Word bespeaks us Righteous, bright with thine own Holiness." Ultimately, the divine service is one of passivity. We receive from God. In the wise words of my good Pastor, Benjamin Meyer "it all comes back to justification, and in terms of that...we bring nothing."

Within the Hymns that teach us the very grace that we have received, we are taught once again to believe in His Mercy. To trust His Word! Also we are to rejoice in the Forgiveness of our sins, won for us, through the Blood of Christ.

I have found it fascinating, and overwhelmingly comforting to know that when I am singing in the Church Service I am singing God's Grace to myself, and to the Bride of Christ, my brothers and sisters. Also the Lord Himself hears and attends to the praise of His people. And here is the thing... the praise of His people, is this... His bride, singing God's very Grace to herself. Truly a divine service. Divine because it is simply recalling and proclaiming the Work of God in Christ, "reconciling the world to Himself"

I'm currently reading a book called "The Fire and the Staff" by the late Lutheran pastor Klemet Preus. And in this book, he talks at length about the service, and music in the Church. Preus states this...

"...the church has sung the Word of God's Grace to herself for centuries. She has become the beneficiary of God's love through the ceremonies drawn from the Bible. She is blessed with the liturgy. In liturgy we take God's Word and return it to God by giving it to His people.That is liturgy."

It also helps to understand that God does not need our worship, or our liturgy. But He loves us, and longs to give us His gifts. Lets remember that the next time we are singing a hymn in Church. The Lord God Almighty, is giving you another gift of His grace! Sing, the Lords Grace!

What a beautiful Savior!

So much falsity

"It's not about what you believe, it's about being kind to others, and loving others" ... is just one of so many ideas floating out there that are so misleading, and moving people away from the truth!

"Deeds not creeds" is the once again popular idiom. One that was popular around the time of the early American puritans. It has come around again to try and persuade us that doctrine doesn't really matter.

What are we to do with SO much error out there, and how are we to respond as believers in Christ, and confessors of the Word?

This statement above 'deeds not creeds' (which is actually a creed itself) completely leaves out two huge questions. One, of a persons final, and eternal zip code. It assumes that 'ALL that matters truly, is this life right here, and right now.' completely ignoring a persons eternal destiny. Also it makes the ancient assumption that if you're a good person, you'll be treated "fairly." and end up in some kind of a heaven.

I remember a recent "Christian Movie" that I saw, about a Pastor who was both very moved in heart for his recently acquired congregation, and it's people. At the same time, up against the proverbial rock and hard place, of facing the seemingly unavoidable task of closing down the whole church because of costs. He was having a little heart to heart talk with his older son about it, and the son asked... "Dad, what are we going to do now?" to which the Pastor, and father replied "...well son, all we can do, is pray for God's help." to which his son retorted... "I thought you were God's help.?". And when the pastor heard his son say that, the look on his face was that of surprise, and a little knowing smile grew on the pastor's face, to insinuate that his son was correct, that he, the pastor was 'God's help' At first take, it does sound right, and it does have the sound of wisdom. I'll admit myself, that I was taken with the witty comeback. "ZING, he gotchya there Dad." I said to myself. The son was saying that we should be able to solve our own problems. That God has given us a mind, and arms, and legs, and a creative imagination to help us. The more I thought about it, this (like the original deception in the garden of Eden by a snake) has a speck of truth. God does give us abilities, and we are to use them. But certainly, we are not to confuse the help of the Almighty, for our feeble arms and legs, and "desperately wicked" hearts.

The young boy's comment, would lead us to the thought ...not pray to God for help. That there isn't really any need to pray. Instead we should just figure out our issues, and work to solve them. "deeds not creeds". Again ignoring eternal destiny, and focusing on this world view with only this single vantage point. Reminds me of the word 'secular' which when translated from the ancient Latin means "this world" or "this age".

The movie was based on a true story, and they did save the church, and had to work hard at it. But I come back to the message. What is it saying? 'It's up to us to save ourselves.' ...Which is not the Gospel of Christ at all.

The Holy Bible is replete with testimonies of the faithful, calling on the Lord for help. Calling on God to 'blot out my transgression' and all kinds of pleas for mercy, and grace! Jehoshaphat in the Old Testament, when the armies were surrounding him and his little army. He was outnumbered, he was sure to fail. But he waited, prayed, and said "Lord, our eyes are on you." And the Lord delivered him, by Himself. Defeating the powerful and encroaching armies. The victory was the Lords!


The bottom line is this, there is a God, and He has not remained silent. We have a God who has spoken! Thanks be to God. And that fact, is where the road splits. Splits into those who would hear the Word of God, and those who would prefer not to. We should hear and heed His Word! The powerful, and creative Word of God comes to us in paper and ink. It is His creative Word, not just information on a page. It's called His creative Word, because His Word creates faith. Also through the preaching, and speaking of His Word.

Nuclear Physicist Andrei Sakharov began his work in the Soviet Union, and became known as the "father of the hydrogen bomb" said this.

 "I've always thought that the most powerful weapon in the world was the bomb and that's why I gave it to my people, but I've come to the conclusion that the most powerful weapon in the world is not the bomb but it's the truth" - Andrei Sakharov

Winston Churchill was once quoted as saying something very similar...

"The most valuable thing in the world, is the truth. So valuable, that  it is often hidden by a bodyguard of lies." - Winston Churchill 

Loving our neighbors, and being kind is for certain something we are called to do in Scripture. However that is not all. We are called to walk in the truth. For that is often the kindest thing we can do, is to give our neighbor the truth, in a loving way of course.

If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. - 1 John 1:6

"For I rejoiced greatly when the brothers came and testified to your truth, as indeed you are walking in the truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth." - 3 John 1:3-4

 The thing we can and must do, as believers, and confessors of the Word of Christ, is to simply rest in, and stand on the Word of God! With love and compassion, in the "Spirit of truth" Stand firm on His Word of Law, and Gospel!

Thanks be to God!

"Food that endures"

When I was growing up as a teenager in my Dad's house we, like most families struggled with finances, and keeping enough food in the fridge and cupboards to feed everyone. I remember him jokingly making the statement... "boy, if we just didn't have to eat." as an expression of frustration, of not being able to get ahead financially because of the cost of food. Thinking that with everything else he had to pay for, not having to pay for food, would have helped a lot! And not only that, but food that had to constantly be replenished in a house with seven people. Below we see the point right after Jesus had miraculously fed the five thousand with only what was once just five loaves of bread and two fish. And afterward the Apostles go across the Sea of Galilee by boat to Capernaum. The crowd didn't see Jesus go with them, and not knowing where Jesus was, they followed the Apostles...

25 When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?” 26 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. 27 Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.” - Gospel of John 6:25-27

Here, in this section of Scripture we see (as in other sections of Holy Scripture) that Jesus answers the question that they didn't ask. He answered the question that they should have asked of themselves. 'Why are we seeking this Jesus?' Jesus was fully aware that there was a lot of excitement around him, and they were only seeking after the physical food, and not the more important spiritual signs, or the more important reality of who He is, and the blessing that comes with that understanding. By telling them that they were really only seeking a physical blessing, He exposed their hearts. But then swooping down to lovingly tell them the truth. "Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life". Later in the chapter He tells them, I  am the bread that came down from heaven. 

In Holy communion, while it is still just bread and wine, we do receive the Body, and the Blood of Jesus Christ our Lord. This is the food that endures to eternal life. Christ Himself. "Every good and perfect gift is from above." We believe that Christ fed (to the full) 5,000 men, and we likewise, by faith, receive his flesh and blood. He came down from heaven, to give us his body, and his blood, in the flesh, to be the one, all encompassing sacrifice for the atonement of the sin of the world. As we read in the Gospel of John 6:47-51 when Jesus himself, says... 47 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life. 48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. 50 This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”

Jesus fed the five thousand, from what was only five loaves of bread and two fish. He miraculously gave them the food that fills now, and the food that "endures to eternal life", His own flesh and blood, by speaking to them the Word of His Gospel! Even though at the time (before Christ's Crucifixion, death, and resurrection) they might not have fully understood it. They would eventually come to understand His words, and what His miracles meant to them, and to the world.


One of the Hymns that I have recently heard is called "What is this bread?" The first verse says this...

"What is this bread? Christ's body risen from the dead: This bread we break, this life we take, was crushed to pay for our release. Oh, taste and see -- the Lord is Peace."

What can be said, about the Love of our Savior who would lay aside his majesty, and power, and go to the Cross, to pay for our release with his own body, and blood? It will take an eternity I'm sure! The Apostle Paul with inspiration of the Holy Spirit does exceedingly well...

"Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!" Romans 11:33

(Ezra in Prayer)

One word

When Jesus was asked by the Pharisees, "which is the greatest Commandment in the Law?" The Lord Jesus said, "You shall love the Lord your God, with all your heart, with all your strength, and with all your mind. This is the first, and greatest Commandment. And a second, is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets." -Matthew 22: 36-40

The Lord gave an answer with a hinge on it. There is a vertical aspect, and a horizontal aspect in His answer. In our understanding of our relationship with our Heavenly Father, and our relationship to our neighbors. You will find it very hard to truly love the Lord, and at the same time hate your neighbor. You might also discover, or ask yourself, 'if I feel the way I do about my neighbor, ...then, do I truly love God? And do I love Him because of who He is, and not simply for what he offers me?' And you would be right in asking that. 

In the words of John the Apostle, "Light has come into the world, and the darkness has not overcome it." Darkness cannot reside with the light. When we see, and know that God, who is Perfect Love, and Perfect Righteousness and the Perfect Judge, and Perfect Joy, and that He gives us all good things, because of who He is... running ahead of us, to prepare all of these wonderful gifts for us. And that He has given us a Perfect salvation, by the Perfect sacrifice. That is when we realize that to receive His Love, and gifts, is to love Him in return. Here is the important part that we MUST know, and remember. That our gain with Christ, is not because of who we are, or what we have done. But because of who He is. That we are His! And that it's His perfect Will. "His Good, Pleasing, and Perfect Will." And we know that our love for Him, does not come from ourselves, but is itself, a gift from the Holy Spirit! Knowing all of this, and having it transform us, is when we can truly love our neighbor. When we and our "self love" as Martin Luther has written about, is no longer part of the equation, we are free to love, both God, and our neighbor!

Ravi Zacharias has stated that "...Christ had reduced the Commandments down to the two most important, and the two that "on them depend all of the Law, and the Prophets.". Ravi has asked, if we had to reduce those two down to one word "...do you know what that word would be?" the answer, he says is "Sacred, because your life is sacred, your time is sacred, your worship is sacred, your giving is sacred, your property is sacred ...and so is your neighbors!"

Where does the idea of Sacred come from you might ask? From non-other, than the Author of Life, and the one who made everything. The very reason there is something rather than nothing. The Gospel of John, Chapter one, again beautifully tells us in four simple words. "In Him was life." If we pause and consider that statement for just a bit, we come to the knowledge of Who's we are!

"In Him was life, and that life was the light of men."  John 1:4

Powerful Statement

I have posted this before a couple of years ago. But I though it worthy of another viewing.

A powerful statement about science made by a scientist. A prize winning scientist.

“It was my science that drove me to the conclusion that the world is much more complicated than can be explained by science. It’s only through the supernatural that I can understand the mystery of existence.” - Allan Sandidge.   

Allan Rex Sandage was an American astronomer. He was Staff Member Emeritus with the Carnegie Observatories in Pasadena, California. He determined the first reasonably accurate values for the Hubble constant and the age of the universe.

Science is wonderful, we can learn and test, and do so many amazing things with our science. But I agree with the professor here. It is limited! 

Thank you for reading! 

Still waters

"Be still and know that I am God" 

-Psalm 46:10 

inhale... exhale...

In the children's movie "Cars" the older, seasoned, and more experienced character known as Doc Hudson tells the young rookie race car that "sometimes, in order to go left, you have to turn right." I think there is a deeper truth within that statement.

One of the English authors I enjoy reading is G.K. Chesterton. He is notorious for being the "Prince of Paradox". He has written quite a bit about paradoxes in our world. I think this example helps us understand the truth that our world is full of paradoxes. One of them is this: Sometimes in order to go faster, you have to slow down.

In our culture, we often pride ourselves on being busy. We feel that when we are busy; we're being useful, or that people need us, and that makes us feel good. And this is very true in a lot of cases. But I will venture to say that my worth or usefulness has got little to do with how busy I am. In fact, I'm sure with enough pause, and reflection, a number of us could recall a time when we were too busy to make a valuable impact in a given situation, or in someone else's life. A time when we failed to stop, and with love in our hearts ...paused to 'do the right thing', for the right reason, and failed because we were too busy.

This paradox I have witnessed, and have to apply when I'm reading. Particularly when I'm reading Holy Scripture. In order for me to really have a chance at grasping what it is that I am reading, I do well to read slowly. Not because I am unable to read quickly, that is indeed my problem, I often read too quickly, and miss a many splendored thing. Not only that, but even before I start, I must stop. And I think many of us would say there is much to gain from stopping ...before you start a thing. There are many examples that could be brought to bare that reveal this natural rhythm. The Lord says in scripture that the land needs to lay fallow for one whole year, every seventh year. And we see the scientific evidence of the benefit of that period of rest for the soil. I know with painful awareness that when I attempt to write fine calligraphy, I must attempt to do so very slowly, and almost pause for every word, every letter if it is going to end up legible, let alone beautiful.

I believe it is apparent in life, that we often need to slow down, in order to be faster. Then we may realize that 'faster' is not the goal we ought to have. For it is better to be' set wright' or more efficacious than simply 'faster'. If we are rushing off to do this, or that, we often find ourselves having finished something that we could have done better, or gleaned a deeper truth from, or have helped another more fully. I could say I've read a hundred books, and not gotten as much as out of it as my older, and wiser neighbor, who read one paragraph, and was changed because of it.

The Lord beckons us by saying "come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden,  and I will give you rest, ...lay down beside the still water, ...be still and know..." And that He has "seated us with Him, in the heavenly places" Scripture says of those who are in Christ, that they are "seated with Him".

My encouragement to you, dear reader, is to stop, to pause everyday as often as you can get away with it. Take the time to sit with Him, in the heavenly places, as you open His Word.

Sometimes in the most unexpected places, a beautiful truth can be found. Sometimes a children's story will reveal a profound truth that is easily overlooked in an adult's daily monotony. Much in the same way, Christ himself, left his majesty, and heavenly home, and came to earth with a simple humble mission to "seek and save that which was lost." The one who was fully divine, in humility, made Himself fully human. Encoding Himself into this world through a quite, and small beginning to do the most powerful thing in the universe. The thing, that only God Himself could do.