Word today

esprit de corps. noun: a spirit of solidarity; a sense of pride, devotion, and honor among the members of a group. [From French esprit (spirit), de (of), corps (body, group)]

The church is the garden of God

PSALM 92 PART 2 v.12ff L. M.
The church is the garden of God.

Lord, 'tis a pleasant thing to stand
In gardens planted by thine hand;
Let me within thy courts be seen,
Like a young cedar, fresh and green.

There grow thy saints in faith and love,
Blest with thine influence from above;
Not Lebanon with all its trees
Yields such a comely sight as these.

The plants of grace shall ever live;
(Nature decays, but grace must thrive;)
Time, that doth all things else impair,
Still makes them flourish strong and fair.

Laden with fruits of age, they show
The Lord is holy, just, and true;
None that attend his gates shall find
A God unfaithful or unkind.

Isaac Watts (1674-1748)
The Psalms of David, 1719

Singing this weekend

Something to do, Saturday October 30 and Sunday October 31

The Fall Session of the Southwest Texas Sacred Harp Convention meets this weekend (d.v.) at the Austin Waldorf School on 8700 S. View Rd. in Austin, Texas. For more details, click HERE.

Running red lights

The city of Houston -- the largest city in Texas -- will vote on Nov. 2nd whether to keep the red light cameras they installed four years ago. A red light camera captures an image of a vehicle that illegally goes through an intersection when the light is red. Based on license & registration, tickets are mailed to owners of the violating vehicles.

For arguments
Increases safety
Saves lives
Reduces instances of red light violations

Against arguments
A money-making scheme (for the city & the company that runs the camera business)
Violates privacy
Punishes owners rather than drivers

If I hear one more "it doesn't matter if you're not doing anything wrong" argument, I think I'll scream! Otherwise, I'd like to hear your opinions.

Regenerator

Savior and Regenerator!
Thee alone, God we own,
Father and Creator.

Word Incarnate, we adore Thee!
Hosts above, God of Love,
Cast their crowns before Thee.

Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
One in Thee, Lord, we see,
Who Thy grace inherit.

May Thy Word be our Instructor,
Night and day, on our way,
Our divine conductor!

Visit us with Thy salvation;
Let Thy care still be near,
Round our habitation.

Jesus, our divine Protector,
Guide us still, let Thy will
Be our sole director!

John Cennick, (1718-1755)

True Grit(s)

Say it with love. Say it from the heart. Say it with grits.

Paula Deen's Grits Pie

Taste of the South's Salsa Pepper-Jack Grits Dip

mm...mmm good

Seen on a billboard

Profanity -- strong words said by weak minds

Tune, Zinzendorf

Point and click on pictures to enlarge

Words for this tune

Christ is all, by Mike McInnis

Ever possessed of eternal being
Robed in light which knew no dawn
Long ere time had its beginning
Stood our God with glory crowned
There amidst ten-thousand glories
Lacking nought and needing none
He conceived salvation's story
In covenant with His blessed Son.

Come ye ruined of the fall
Sing the song: 'Christ is All'

In that pact of free salvation
Christ became our Paschal Lamb
Slain before the world's foundation
How glorious that eternal plan
In the fullness of the appointed hour
Came to earth made like a man
Bore sin's curse, which was all ours
Satisfied the Law's demand.

Come ye ruined of the fall
Sing the song: 'Christ is All'

Hanging there in shame and suffering
Not for crimes of His own hand
But for the sins of His own people
Given Him ere the world began
Tho tasted of death's awful ruin
When He stooped to salve our fall
Yet the grave could not contain Him
Who is Lord of life and all.

Come ye ruined of the fall
Sing the song: 'Christ is All'

Now with the Father, interceding
By the merits of His blood
He cries not with useless pleading
To bring His ransomed home to God
In glories high above the world
Our King of kings is dressed
Before whom every knee shall bow
And every tongue confess.

Come ye ruined of the fall
Sing the song: 'Christ is All'
Christ is All, Christ is All
Yes, sing the song: 'Christ is All.'

By Mike McInnis 1975

In memory 1922-2010

Funeral services for Brother Herbert D. George, 87, of Huntington, Texas were held today (Friday, October 15, 2010) at 10 a.m. in the Highway Missionary Baptist Church in Huntington. His body was laid to rest to await the resurrection in the Pleasant Grove Cemetery in Maydelle. Brother George was born October 27, 1922 and died October 12, 2010.

Brother George was a veteran of World War II (Navy), a Missionary Baptist pastor in East Texas for 61 years, including 25 years at Highway Missionary Baptist Church, and father & father-in-law of our friends Becky and Charles Whisenant. May God comfort his family.

humiliation and exaltation

HYMN 63 L. M.
Christ's humiliation and exaltation. Rev. 5:12.

What greater honors shall we bring
To thee, O Lord our God, the Lamb,
When e'en the notes that angels sing
Are far inferior to Thy name?

Worthy is He that once was slain,
The Prince of Peace that groaned and died;
Worthy to rise, and live, and reign
At His Almighty Father's side.

Power and dominion are His due
Who stood condemned at Pilate's bar;
Wisdom belongs to Jesus too,
Though He was charged with madness here.

All riches are His native right,
Yet He sustained amazing loss;
To Him ascribe eternal might,
Who left His weakness on the cross.

Honor immortal must be paid,
Instead of scandal and of scorn;
While glory shines around His head,
And a bright crown without a thorn.

Blessings for ever on the Lamb
Who bore the curse for wretched men;
Let angels sound His sacred name,
And every creature say, Amen.

Isaac Watts (1674-1748)
Hymns and Spiritual Songs, 1707

Examples of Christ and the saints

HYMN 140 C. M.
The examples of Christ and the saints.

Give me the wings of faith to rise
Within the veil, and see
The saints above, how great their joys,
How bright their glories be.

Once they were mourning here below,
And wet their couch with tears;
They wrestled hard, as we do now,
With sins, and doubts, and fears.

I ask them whence their victory came,
They, with united breath,
Ascribe their conquest to the Lamb,
Their triumph to his death.

They marked the footsteps that he trod
His zeal inspired their breast;
And, following their incarnate God,
Possess the promised rest.

Our glorious Leader claims our praise
For his own pattern giv'n,
While the long cloud of witnesses
Show the same path to heav'n.

Isaac Watts (1674-1748)
Hymns and Spiritual Songs, Book II, 1707

Some things in the news

Yoga: Not Christianity
Southern Seminary President Albert Mohler says "he objects to 'the idea that the body is a vehicle for reaching consciousness with the divine'."

"'That's just not Christianity,' Mohler told The Associated Press."

Soldier Dad sues Fred Phelps
"It is an emotional battle at the Supreme Court of the United States, pitting free speech, no matter how vile and hate-filled against the right to privacy.

"Al Snyder is suing Pastor Fred Phelps for protesting at his son’s funeral, Lance Cpl. Mathew Snyder."

Wide-spread healing streams

CLICK HERE for a tune with these words.

Eternal depth of love divine,
In Jesus, God with us, displayed;
How bright Thy beaming glories shine!
How wide Thy healing streams are spread!

With whom dost Thou delight to dwell?
Sinners, a vile and thankless race:
O God, what tongue aright can tell
How vast Thy love, how great Thy grace!

The dictates of Thy sovereign will
With joy our grateful hearts receive:
All Thy delight in us fulfill;
Lo! all we are to Thee we give.

To Thy sure love, Thy tender care,
Our flesh, soul, spirit, we resign:
O fix Thy sacred presence there,
And seal the abode for ever Thine.

O King of glory, Thy rich grace
Our feeble thought surpasses far;
Yea, even our crimes, though numberless,
Less numerous than Thy mercies are.

Still, Lord, Thy saving health display,
And arm our souls with heav'nly zeal;
So fearless shall we urge our way
Through all the powers of earth and hell.

original by Nikolaus L. von Zinzendorf, 1726.
translated by John Wesley (1703-1791)
Hymns and Sacred Poems, 1739