Always With Us

A most wonderful devotional by Charles Spurgeon ~

Matthew 28:20
Lo, I am with you alway.

The Lord Jesus is in the midst of His church; He walketh among the golden candlesticks; His promise is, "Lo, I am with you alway." He is as surely with us now as He was with the disciples at the lake, when they saw coals of fire, and fish laid thereon and bread. Not carnally, but still in real truth, Jesus is with us. And a blessed truth it is, for where Jesus is, love becomes inflamed. Of all the things in the world that can set the heart burning, there is nothing like the presence of Jesus! A glimpse of Him so overcomes us, that we are ready to say, "Turn away Thine eyes from me, for they have overcome me." Even the smell of the aloes, and the myrrh, and the cassia, which drop from His perfumed garments, causes the sick and the faint to grow strong. Let there be but a moment's leaning of the head upon that gracious bosom, and a reception of His divine love into our poor cold hearts, and we are cold no longer, but glow like seraphs, equal to every labour, and capable of every suffering. If we know that Jesus is with us, every power will be developed, and every grace will be strengthened, and we shall cast ourselves into the Lord's service with heart, and soul, and strength; therefore is the presence of Christ to be desired above all things. His presence will be most realized by those who are most like Him. If you desire to see Christ, you must grow in conformity to Him. Bring yourself, by the power of the Spirit, into union with Christ's desires, and motives, and plans of action, and you are likely to be favoured with His company. Remember His presence may be had. His promise is as true as ever. He delights to be with us. If He doth not come, it is because we hinder Him by our indifference. He will reveal Himself to our earnest prayers, and graciously suffer Himself to be detained by our entreaties, and by our tears, for these are the golden chains which bind Jesus to His people.

"Go to Dark Gethsemane"

This is another hymn from the Moravian hymnal sung during Passion Week.

Thy Will be Done

Go to dark Gethsemane, ye who feel the tempt-er's power;
Your Re-deem-er's con-flict see, Watch with Him one bit-ter hour.
Turn not from His griefs a-way; Learn of Je-sus Christ to pray.


Pilate Offers Jesus to the Crowd But They Prefer Barabbas

Follow to the judg-ment-hall, View the Lord of life ar-raigned;
O the worm-wood and the gall! O the pangs His soul sus-stained!
Shun not suf-fering, shame or loss; Learn of Him to bear the Cross.


Jesus on Cross

Cal-vary's mourn-ful moun-tain climb, There, a-dor-ing at His feet,
Mark that mir-a-cle of time, God's own Sac-ri-fice com-plete.
"It is fin-ished!" hear Him cry; Learn of Je-sus Christ to die.


The Holy Women at Christ's Tomb, circa 1597-8

Ear-ly has-ten to the tomb, Where they laid His breath-less clay;
All is sol-i-tude and gloom; Who hath ta-ken Him a-way?
Christ is risen -- He meets our eyes! Sav-iour, teach us so to rise.

Lyrics: James Montgomery (1820)
Music: Christian Ignatius La Trobe (c.1790)

Listen to the tune here.

There is a different tune at Cyber Hymnal here.

Images courtesy of All Posters

Patchwork of Posts

Betty's Country Charm ~ Helpful Tips

GuppyStorm's Garden ~ a gorgeous Gladiola

LET ME WALK WITH YOU JESUS ~ I Believe in Miracles

Terri McPherson Buckley ~ flash movie ~ You Are A Miracle
Image courtesy of All Posters

Moravian Band

I found this neat video of the Moravian Band celebrating their 550th anniversary at Wake Forest University Wait Chapel. I wanted to show it to you, because I am posting some of their beautiful Easter hymns. The joyous last song is "Sing Hallelujah, Praise the Lord!"

Loving God

A lovely devotional by Charles Spurgeon ~

Psalm 45:8
Whereby they have made Thee glad.

And who are thus privileged to make the Saviour glad? His church-His people. But is it possible? He makes us glad, but how can we make Him glad? By our love. Ah! we think it so cold, so faint; and so, indeed, we must sorrowfully confess it to be, but it is very sweet to Christ. Hear His own eulogy of that love in the golden Canticle: "How fair is thy love, my sister, my spouse! how much better is thy love than wine!" See, loving heart, how He delights in you. When you lean your head on His bosom, you not only receive, but you give Him joy; when you gaze with love upon His all-glorious face, you not only obtain comfort, but impart delight. Our praise, too gives Him joy-not the song of the lips alone, but the melody of the heart's deep gratitude. Our gifts, too, are very pleasant to Him; He loves to see us lay our time, our talents, our substance upon the altar, not for the value of what we give, but for the sake of the motive from which the gift springs. To Him the lowly offerings of His saints are more acceptable than the thousands of gold and silver. Holiness is like frankincense and myrrh to Him. Forgive your enemy, and you make Christ glad; distribute of your substance to the poor, and He rejoices; be the means of saving souls, and you give Him to see of the travail of His soul; proclaim His gospel, and you are a sweet savour unto Him; go among the ignorant and lift up the cross, and you have given Him honour. It is in your power even now to break the alabaster box, and pour the precious oil of joy upon His head, as did the woman of old, whose memorial is to this day set forth wherever the gospel is preached. Will you be backward then? Will you not perfume your beloved Lord with the myrrh and aloes, and cassis, of your heart's praise? Yes, ye ivory palaces, ye shall hear the songs of the saints!