To Nazareth an angel was sent
to the virgin maid named Mary
Revealing how she would be with child
bearing a son named Jesus
The child will be the counselor
The child will be the mighty God
The child will be the Prince of Peace
He will be the holy one
In a field nearby shepherds watched their flock
when an angel of God appeared to them
He said do not fear, he had come with good news
that the savior is born in Bethlehem
The child will be the counselor
The child will be the mighty God
The child will be the Prince of peace
He will be (he will be)
the child will be (the child will be) the Holy one
In Bethlehem a child is born his name Emmanuel
He is the chosen one, he is God’s own son
His name Emmanuel
The child will be the counselor
The child will be the mighty god
The child will be the Prince of peace
The child will be the holy one
The child will be (the child will be) the counselor
The child will be (The child will be) the mighty God
The child will be (The child will be) the Prince of peace
(Prince of peace holy one)
(Prince of peace holy one)
He is the savior he’s Emmanuel (holy one)
He is the king of Kings
He is the savior he’s Emmanuel (holy one)
He is the king of Kings
He is the savior he’s Emmanuel (holy one)
He is the king of Kings
He is the savior he’s Emmanuel (holy one)
He is the king of Kings
He is the savior he’s Emmanuel (holy one)
Craig Smith
Psalm 25:4
Search with holy eyes
This vessel in Your hands
Sift and purify
By the standards You demand
Sculptor of my heart
Cast and forge my mind
With a quest for purity
And as the poet weaves his line
Compose You melody
Chorus
Please make of me
Your Kingdom's art
May You be pleased
Sculptor of my heart
You have fashioned perfectly
Your image in the Son
Shape and pattern within me
To be the paragon
Sculptor of my heart
Hew away those places
Which cause blemish to the whole
As the only skillful Master
Engrave Your name upon my soul
Chorus
You create from a heart of stone
A vessel of honor that You call
Your own, Your own
Chorus
The desire of the Father is that we be conformed to the image of His Son.
May we have the boldness and wisdom to come before the Lord and prayfully
request He mold uss into that which is pleasing and productive to His
Kingdom, at whatever the cost to us personally.
There are at least two qualities found in a master-craftsman in relation to
his work. One is the constant striving for perfection in his art. Patiently
exerting all his abilities to create a beautiful, expressive, and seemingly
flawless place. Secondly, being able to apply his entire imagination to
visualizing the completed art form, even prior to picking up his first
sculpting tool.
After mentally fixing what the completed form will look like, he then begins
to hammer and chisel away those unsightly chunks and pieces which would
distort the final image. He will labor diligently until that which was once
only a mental image cast upon formless material, has been transformed into
a timeless work of art.
Through the laborious and skillful process of the artist, material which
once had little worth is converted into an object of great value.
In similar manner, we come to Christ as objects of little value, and
certainly no value when considered in relation to the Kingdom of God. As we
are convicted of our sin, ask forgiveness and repent of our sin, He becomes
our Saviour and His Lordship then moves into every aspect of our life. As
we stand before Him, in His grace, as mere babes in Christ, He not only sees
our present immature state, but He also supernaturally sees the finished
products.
Because of the redemptive work of Jesus Christ, we have moved from a
position of worthlessness to God, to a secured position of great potential
and eternal value to God. He takes "...from a heart of stone," and through
the work of the Holy Spirit makes "a vessel of honor."
The gift of salvation is made available to each of us only to the extent
that we each are willing to respond in obedience to His invitation. Upon
accepting His terms to that free gift, we then become a child of the King.
This is the foundation we are established on, and can reason from God's
Word, that we should continue to build on. It is the process of tearing down
the fleshly man, and building up the spiritual man "...put on the new self
(man) who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the
One who created him." (Col. 3:10) The Lord did not intend for us to remain as
"babes," in fact we are instructed to "long for the pure milk of the Word,
that by it (we) may grow in respect to salvation." (I Peter 2:2) "...grow
(increase) in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ."
(II Peter 3:18) It should be our desire, goal, and prayer that the Father
would remove, hammer and chisel, away any material which does not conform
to the image of His Son.
He reveals those thing in our live which are unpleasing in His sight, and we
respond in obedience so they do not hinder the final result.
We submit to Him because He has loved us enough to give us life through His
Son. We were created to bring glory to God, to be pleasing in His sight.
That is our destiny. We are the clay in the potter's hand. We are material
being constructed into living objects which are pleasing and bring
satisfaction to the Father. God is not just wise, He is the source of true
"Wisdom." As vessels, then, let us not worry but have complete trust in Him
and His wisdom that He will chip away only those unnecessary and unsightly
pieces.
As we are in submission and obedience to Him, the end result will be a living
work of art, worthy of the King's chambers.--Craig Smith
We Praise Thee, O God, Our Redeemer
Craig Smith
We praise Thee, O God our Redeemer, Creator
In grateful devotion our tribute we bring
We lay it before Thee
We kneel and adore Thee
Words by Charles Wesley/Music by Craig Smith
Matthew 11:28-30
Lord I believe in a rest that remains
To all Thy people known
A rest where pure enjoyment reigns
And Thou art loved alone
A rest where all our souls desire
Is fixed on the things above
Where doubt and pain and fear expire
Cast out by perfect love
Remove this hardness from my heart
This unbelief remove
To me the rest of faith impart
The sabbath of Thy love
Safe in the way of life above
Death, earth and hell we rise
We find when perfected, perfected by love
Our long sought paradise
Come O my Saviour come away
Into my soul descend
No longer from Thy creature stay
My author and my end
Come Father, Son and Holy Ghost
And seal we Thine abode
Let all that I am in Thee be lost
Let all be lost in my God
"And by the seventh day, God completed His work which He had done and He
rested..." Genesis 2:2
"There remains therefore a Sabbath rest for the people of God. For the
one who has entered His rest has himself rested from his works as God
did from His." Hebrews 4:9,10
"Come to Me all who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest."
Matthew 11:28
"Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall
through following the same example of disobedience (unbelief)." Hebrews
4:11
God's rest after the creation had nothing to do with tiredness. It had
everything to do with completion. God had an eternity of energy and
power remaining, but He rested because His creation was complete. Have
you ever wondered what God's plan was for the eighth day? It was not
much work; the work was complete. God desired to walk and commune with
His creation in His completed world that they might continue in His rest
together.
Man interrupted that rest through disobedience and unbelief. We, in our
natural state, have chosen our way rather than God's. We somehow have
been deceived to believe that enough award of achievement, enough
satisfaction of desire, and enough accumulation of possessions will
allow us to reach a point of comfort in relaxation and rest. But, there
is always more to accomplish, more to experience, and more to possess.
That is why we can find ourselves successful, yet unsatisfied,
unfulfilled, and weary.
It is then that the Savior gently invites us to come to Him, walk with
Him, learn from Him, and share in His rest. To yoke ourselves with Jesus
Christ, we must lay down our burdens, surrender our motives, and
relinquish our methods. "Not my will, Lord, but Thine!" You must settle
that issue deep in your heart; once and for all. Then your rest will
begin. It will increase as you walk with Him, learn from Him, and apply
your faith.
To refuse to settle this is unbelief--the disobedience that rules out
rest. To lay aside the self-preferences of pride, lust, and
covetousness, and then trust in the promises of God will surely yield
rest. God's plan has never changed; He has made provision through His
Son for your completion, and with completion there is a rest that
Craig Smith
Lord, You are my hiding place
The strength on which I stand
Your truth alone do I embrace
Not the wisdom of this land
You are the only resting place
From the perils of this sphere
Prince of Peace, the God of Grace
Keep me from the enemy's spear
Chorus
You are my fortress
Haven from the storm
Shield me with your faithfulness
Refuge of my soul
Though I'm in the midst of war
The enemy all around
If I gaze with the eyes of man
It seems I'm losing ground
But in the shadow of Your wings
A refuge I have found
A place where I find strengthening
And Your serenity abounds
Chorus
Concealed within Your shelter
In the troubled day
In Your secret place You hide me
You're my refuge
Chorus
The very nature of the world in its present condition, causes
tribulation (Matt 16:33), but even in the midst of enemy confrontation,
attack, and confusion, we are assured the Lord is in control and is our
place of refuge. Psalm 91:1,4 "He who dwells in the shelter of the Most
High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. He will cover you with His
pinions and under His wings you will seek refuge, His faithfulness is a
shield and bulwark."--Craig Smith
" Thou art my hiding place; Thou doest preserve me from trouble." Psalm
32:7
"He is a shield to those who walk in integrity, guarding the paths of
justice and H preserves the way of His godly ones." Proverbs 2:7,8
"...the salvation of the righteous is from the Lord; He is their strength
in times of trouble. And the Lord helps them and delivers them; He
delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge
in Him." Psalm 27:39-40
Several years ago, one of the worst tornadoes in our nation's history
swept a quarter-mile wide path of destruction, devastation, and death
through a town in the Southwest United States. The responses of the
people in that sudden onslaught of nature's killing force are
interesting to observe. Many were caught completely unaware. Some
were warned, but ignored it. Some, seeing the approach of the
threatening cloud, panicked and scrambled about unprotected. Many
were unprepared, having no knowledge of what to do or where to hide in
the midst of catastrophe.
But there were others who were prepared, though not knowing the time or
place of the storm. They were aware that where they dwelled there was
the potential of destructive tornadoes. They did not underestimate the
ability of the unleashed power of this world to kill, sweep their
possessions away, and destroy everything in its path (John 10:10). These
people recognized the threat, obtained knowledge of what to do and
where to seek protection, and remained ever alert to respond promptly
and with wisdom in the face of danger.
One group of people was at a bank when the tornado came on the horizon
with radios and sirens sounding the warnings. Choosing not to flee in
their automobiles, they entered the bank's vault and stepped out
unharmed. The bank building was demolished. Automobiles were
overturned. Everything unprotected was crushed, and those without
sufficient cover were killed.
Now, how should we view the potentiality of catastrophic happenings in
this life that we live? Should we not have an expectation that it could
happen? Should we not know that the Enemy of Gad, Satan, stalks about
seeking to kill us, steal away what God has given us, and destroy our
lives? Then we must also know that the Word of God is wisdom and
knowledge to those who will hear and receive His preparatory truth. He
has given His Holy Spirit to dwell in us to sound the alarm and give us
strength. We can know beforehand of dangers and pitfalls. We can know
how to respond in the face of threatening situations. We can know what
shields us and protects us. And, above all, we can know assuredly that
God the Father, Himself, is a stalwart Hiding Place; always close to us;
desirous to preserve us; strong enough to save us; and faithful as a
Refuge for us.
All of this is not to bring us to a tense existence always waiting for
the brink of calamity. Rather, the Word of God makes us able to rest in
the assurance of the Father's complete provision for us: "...he who
listens to Me (Wisdom) shall live securely and be at ease from the dread
of evil." (Proverbs 1:33) Will you choose to enter His security and rest?
You must walk and live in the reality of your salvation through the
blood of Jesus Christ, your spiritual sustenance through the indwelling
power of His Spirit, and your ever-present Refuge in the arms of the
loving and eternal Father, God.
A brief word to those who may have already suffered tragedy and
destruction when perhaps you were unknowing and unprepared. This same
God who is your Refuge is also a God of healing and restoration. Turn to
Him. Confess any sin of ignorance or rebellion to Him. Remove the
rubble of previous hurts by forgiving all who were involved (including
yourself). Allow God to rebuild your life. Like Paul, "...forgetting what
lies behind and reach forward to what lies ahead...press on toward the
goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."
(Philippians 3:13,14) If this is your situation, you may pray this prayer:
Heavenly Father, remove the scales from my spiritual eyes that I might
see the safety and security of Your Refuge for me. In Jesus' Name, I
cast down all fear of the future, and I stand on the promises of Your
Word. Holy Spirit, teach me and give me understanding of my inheritance
in Christ Jesus. Teach me of my Refuge. I will rest in Your Word. Amen.--
Craig Smith
Matthew 5:8
Over and over I hear it again
That the Father desires pure heart
Not to seek earthly treasure or the favor of man
But to be found with pureness of heart
Chorus
Pure heart is what the Father desires
Holy heart purified by God's holy fire
Broken heart, proven to be faithful and true
Fashion in me a heart that's thirsting for You
Search ever chamber, expose them to me
Create motives of honor and simplicity
May you find faithfulness, integrity
A heart which is worthy for Your eyes to see
Chorus
My only ambition is to stand before You
And find I was pleasing in Your sight
And obedient child of God, faithful and true
Found with pureness of heart
Chorus
The pure heart is free of mixed motives. It is one emptied of self, and
filled with total devotion to the Lord.--Craig Smith
In the natural realm, when we speak of the heart, we are referring to
the chief physical organ in the human body. Though failure of other
human organs can result in death, no other part plays a more important
life sustaining role than that of the heart.
This is also true in the spiritual realm. Throughout Biblical history,
the heart has represented the man himself. The very center of his
every emotion and appetite. It is no wonder then, that the Lord requires
we love Him with all our heart. A heart wholly devoted to the Lord is a
heart which is pure, it has no admixture. It is not divided, polluted, or
contaminated by foreign substances.
The Psalmist tells us (Ps 51:16,17) God is not pleased with sacrifices and
burnt offerings. In fact, He told the Israelites, the very ones He set
up the sacrificial system through, that He no longer took pleasure in
their burnt offerings, and that the offerings had even become
"worthless." (Is 1:11-13) The problem was not in His system, but was
instead in the hearts of His people. He knew their hearts, and their
hearts were void of the necessary total devotion and love for Him. They
were merely going through a heartless motion of meaningless religious
ceremony. The result, "When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will
hide my eyes from you, yes, even though you multiply prayers, I will not
listen." (Is 1:15) He then appeals to them to repent of their sins and by
doing so, even though their "sins are a scarlet, they will be washed
white as snow..." I cannot help but mention the close parallel in
Israel's situation then, with the present situation in our western
culture today. According to various polling systems, the majority of
people living in the United States have a belief in God. However, for a
majority, we do not seem to have a great effect on our society. Could it
be that a great many of those polled are jus going through "meaningless
religious ceremony"? We would all do well to compare our present
relationships with Christ with the early churches relationships to
Christ.
Once again, what pleases the Father is the whole heart devoted to Him.
The acceptable sacrifices to the Lord are no longer "burnt offerings"
but instead "...a broken spirit, a broken and contrite heart..." The word
"broken" in these passages refers to a crushing into the form of powder.
If you were to take a small stone and toss it into a swift stream of
water, the stone would resist the flow and quickly sink to the bottom.
However, you could recover the same small stone, pound it into a fine
powder, and then pour it from your hand into the stream and even though
it is the same mineral substance, it no longer resists the stream's flow,
but instead floats wherever the stream carries it.
In many ways we are like the small stone. With selfish, unsubmissive
hearts, we resist God's flow or direction and find ourselves sinking.
However, if we are wise, we will approach the Lord and ask Him to reveal
any and hurtful object in our hearts. Reveal anything that divides us
from a right relationship with Him and restore us to the joy of our
salvation. May our prayers be that He will crush us into submissive,
totally devoted hearts. Suddenly we will realize we are flowing with
Him and being totally fulfilled by our relationship with Him, instead of
living in the strife of resistance. We will never know total
fulfillment, until He has from us a total heart, a whole heart, a pure
Craig Smith
Blessed are You, Father, sender of the rains
Ruler of the earth and all that it contains
Maker of the seasons who's declarations stand
The heavens hear Your voice obeying each command
Chorus
You are the Lord of all the earth
The God who reigns on high
You are the Lord of all the earth
The God we glorify
Blessed are You, Jesus, Holy Son of God
Captain of salvation, glory of the Lord
Everlasting ruler, bread of lasting life
Jesus the Redeemer, Holy Prince of Life
Chorus
Blessed Holy Spirit, breath of Holy God
Spirit of Jesus, comforter of God
Spirit of wisdom, spirit of might
Revealing, understanding of He who sends the light
Worship the Lord
There are five distinctively divine attributes, which each person of the
Godhead possesses. These are eternity, omnipresence, omniscience,
omnipotence, and immutability. We worship the triune God, the Creator
and Lord of all things. May our prayers be that He keep us truly
devoted to pleasing Him. To get our eyes off of what is temporal and of
no lasting value, and keep our eyes only on those things of eternal
worth.--Craig Smith
"For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His
eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being
understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.
Romans 1:20
"The fool hath said in his heart, 'There is no God.'" Psalm 14:1
On a clear night with no city lights, we are able to see maybe 6,000
stars and planets with the naked eye. This is only a small percentage
of the 10 billion stars and planets in our galaxy alone. The deepest
spot in the ocean is over a mile deeper than the tallest mountain (Mt.
Everest) is high. Thirteen thousand, three hundred kinds of fish live in
the sea. Scientists have described and named about a million kinds of
animals. Of these, more than 800,00 are insects. They discover from
7,000 to 10,0000 new kinds of insects every year. The human heart beats
100,000 times a day and a 70 year old man has pumped 46 million gallons
of blood in his lifetime through arteries and vessels that would
stretch 60,000 miles. The grayish-pink, jelly like ball in our heads
that we call a brain, contains 10 to 100 billion neurons linked together
in amazing complexity to smoothly control our five senses. As we look
at the world around us, how can we do anything but bow to the Lord of
Craig Smith
Psalm 93:1, 90:2, 119:137
We come to Thee, O Lord, and bow
Before the King of Israel
God of strength and majesty
Sacrifices of praise we bring to Thee
Chorus
Jehovah, Jehovah
From age to age He is the same
Jehovah, Jehovah
Holy and righteous is Thy name
We praise Thy name, O Lord, with song
Honor and glory to our God belong
Lord of splendor we proclaim
All heaven and earth do You sustain
Chorus
Praise the name of Jehovah our Lord! When David wrote the Psalms, he
could look across the horizon and see the sunrise. He could marvel at
the Lord's creation and sing His praises. I can imagine David lying in the
grass looking up at the clouds by day and gazing at the hundreds of
stars on a clear night, penning Psalm 147. His psalms span the earth and
the seasons describing clouds and rain, snow and frost, lightning and
hail. The magnificent creation that surrounds us today.
Last summer some friends invited my wife and me to join them in Colorado
for a weekend on a beautiful mountain like. As the sun beamed down on us
in our fishing boat, we were forced to shed jackets and long-sleeved
shirts and enjoy a hot, summer day, while surrounded by breathtaking
snow-capped mountains. The glory of God and His divine nature are truly
broadcast by His creation! (Romans 1:20) He sustains this same heaven
and earth from David's day and before, to our day and beyond.
Thousands of years after David with our powerful telescopes, we know
much more about our world. We now know the temperature of the sun and
its distance from us. We know that our earth rotates around the sun 365
times each year. We also know that if the sun was hotter or colder we
couldn't survive. If it was closer or farther away we could not exist.
The more knowledge we have, the more reason for us to know our
existence is not by chance. Yesterday's television changed our
perspective, today it is computers, and tomorrow it may be
supercomputers. God has allowed us to develop a very complex world.
He has provided us the intelligence and the natural resources. We must
not lose our perspective; we are still living in God's creation. And He
still loves our praises! We just have more to praise Him for as we
Craig Smith
Matthew 28:6
Prophets foretold the Messiah would come
Born from the womb of a virgin
His name Emmanuel, God's chosen one
Many blind eyes would receive Him
He spoke with authority, He healed the lame
And the captive cries out to His name
Chorus
He is risen
Just as He said
He is risen
He is risen
Up from the dead
He is risen
He taught that the Kingdom of God was at hand
And that He and the Father are one
Preaching repentance throughout all the land
And redemption would be through the Son
When the Pharisees, they went into a rage
And plotted an end to His days
Chorus
Beaten and mocked, He would be crucified
The sentence of death He carried
Thorns on His head and a wound in His side
He gave up His breath and was buried
He rose from the grave the Son of the Highest
The Horn of Salvation is Jesus
The one mediator between man & God, Jesus the Lord
Chorus
He is risen
Light of the world
He is risen
The Commander, Messiah
Is risen
Son of the Highest
He is risen
The great, mighty God
Lord of all
Jesus is God's fulfillment of His promise given in the old testament. That
promise was a substitute for the sin of each man, by the shed blood of
God's only Son Jesus. Just as the prophet (Isaiah 7:14) foretold. God's
chosen One, Immanuel was born of a virgin. Even as a child of twelve He
astonished the priest (Luke 2:47) with the authority with which He spoke.
His ministry did not actually begin until the age of thirty. But in a span of
three years his life changed the world forever. He preformed numerous
miracles, healing the lame (John 5:8), the blind (Matthew 20:34) even raising
the dead (John 11:43-44). Those trapped by sin, then and now, call on His
name to be set free.
His teaching was radical. Speaking of such things as the kingdom of heaven
is at hand (Matthew 3:2), now is the day of salvation (2 Cor. 6:2), to know Him
was to know the Father (John 14:7). The theme of His message focused on our
need of repentance, and forgiveness of our sins. He boldly stated He was
the only accepted path to forgiveness and fellowship with God. That unless
a man repent of his sins and receive Jesus as his Savior, he could not
enter heaven (Acts 4:12).
For this teaching He enraged the Pharisees, who jealously guarded the
religious control of the people. Thus keeping them in bondage to a false
legalism. This is what the Bible in Proverbs 14:12 tells us, the ways of man
are the ways of death. True to the prophesy of old, He became the Lamb
without a spot or blemish, to be sacrificed for our sin. He who had known no
sin (2 Cor. 5:21), was beaten, mocked, spit on, and crowned with a crown of
thorns. Then in His final act of obedience He suffered the cross. Giving up
His last breath He accomplished what none of us ever could. Jesus became
the perfect and acceptable substitute for our sin. Thus we now have an
avenue to eternal life through Jesus the Messiah. With the resurrection
comes the crushing of the head of Satan. Death no longer has to mean
separation from God. Now as we turn to the Risen One, the Mediator
between man and his Creator, the Horn of Salvation, the Light of the world,
Craig Smith
John 6:68,69
Messiah, the Anointed One
Emmanuel, Son of God
Ruler of Israel, blessed forever
We bring our praise to You
Lamb of God, the Righteous One
Prince of Life, Hope of Man
Glory of the risen Lord, Lion of Judah
We bring our praise to You
Glory to the Holy One of God
Rejoice, rejoice for Christ the King
Was laid in the tomb but is risen as King
Sing of His glory
Sing of His might
Jesus is risen and given us light
Jesus has given us light
Alleluia
We are the fruit of Jesus' labor (John 4:34. Jesus said to them, "My food is
to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to accomplish His work.") Jesus our
Saviour, Son of God, alone is worthy of praise, Jesus, God's only Son, given
freely became the substitute for our sin. The Lamb of God, in His sinless
sacrifice, became more than Savior. He became our Lord and Master. The
Messiah is man's only hope. We are baptized with Him in death, but not
eternal death, but death to the power of sin over us (Romans 6:22. But now
having been freed from sin and enslaved to God you derive your benefit,
resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life.) We also are
raised with Him in victory over sin, made possible by His blood. Thus Jesus
is worthy of all praise and glory. The Power of resurrection (Philippians
3:10. that I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection and the
fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death), brings us to
victory in Jesus. We are overwhelming conquerors in Christ Jesus our Lord
(Romans 8:37. But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him
who loved us.) We move from darkness and despair with no hope, to the light
of His glory in the Father.
Through His perfect sacrifice, we are bought with a price (1 Cor. 6:20. For
you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.) His
precious blood atonement. We become His servant. Jesus becomes our King
to rule over us in righteousness and love. Our command from the Lord is to
walk, by His example, in glory and power and exalt the name of Jesus in all
we do. Jesus through His sacrifice and obedience, even unto death, brought
glory to God. We through our praise and obedience even unto death bring to
Jesus, glory and honor. The Lord tells us in (1 Samuel 15:22. And Samuel
said, "Has the Lord as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as
obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,
and to heed than the fat of rams.") It is better to obey than sacrifice. We
cannot repay Him for the magnitude of His sacrifice; but we exalt our Lord
with our submission in obedience to the Holy Spirit. Our command is to walk
in Light as given and to seek His truth with an unquenchable fire.--Ron
Craig Smith
Psalm 68:5
Chorus
Father, father me, take my life
And father me
I am a child without a father's hand to hold
To lead and comfort me
A helpless offspring without a loving home
Outside on my own
Come and father me
Chorus
Let me abide within the shadow
Of Your wings
Protected by the wisdom of Your love
Knowing the assurance a father's love will bring
Come and father me
Chorus
I can't remember when I first realized I had a father. It just seems as if
Dad were always there--loving me, having answers to all my questions,
protecting me, disciplining me, comforting me when I was hurt. So often, we
take for granted the presence of an important "someone" in our lives, not
realizing how dependent we are upon that person. The first time I
understood the significance of this was when I was about seven years old.
My father took my older brother and me to a Cardinal baseball game in St.
Louis. After the game, Dad stopped along the street outside the stadium to
buy a souvenir for my younger brother who was not with us. Since in my
seven-year-old wisdom I thought I know just exactly where we had parked. I
did not wait on Dad and my brother, but took off through the crowd for the
car. What I did not know was that we had come out another exit on a
different side of the stadium and there were parking lots on all four sides
of the stadium. When I arrived at the exact spot I remembered the car being
parked, it was nowhere to be seen. A chill ran through me--then panic! I
ran back to where Dad had stopped--he was gone. For the first time in my
life, I was lost. There I was in a big, strange city with thousands of people
going in every direction, but I was the loneliest person in the world. I
wanted and needed my father. I turned around and headed back to the
parking lot again to make sure the car wasn't there, and I came upon a
policeman directing traffic. After listening to my problem, he made me stay
with him, because he know my father would come back looking for me. Sure
enough, in a few minutes my Dad came running toward me, picked me up in his
arms, and gave me a big hug. I had been lost--but he found me.
Just as my father has been with me since long before my conscious memory,
our Heavenly Father has been ever present with us since before the
beginning of time. He promises in 2 Corinthians 6:18, "I will be a father to
you, and you will be my sons and daughters." He is there when we are lost in
the crowd and lonely, ever waiting for us to be still and seek Him. He is
there waiting to pick us up in His arms and give us a big hug. He will cover
us and give us refuge under His wings (Psalms 91:4), much like a mother hen
gathers her little chicks under her wings to protect them from danger. He
is there and concerned about even one lost little boy in the crowd, for
Jesus taught that the Shepherd will go look for one lost sheep even while
the other ninety-nine are safe, and that our "Father is not willing that any
of these little ones should be lost." (Matthew 18:12--14) Yes, our Heavenly
Father desires for us to come to Him as a little child (Matthew 18:4, Mark
10:15) and allow Him to "father us." What loving, comforting arms He has!--
Craig Smith
Chosen to serve as the sacrifice lamb
The binder of all the earths wounds
Called the Deliverer, Chief Cornerstone
Slain and then buried, but He rose from the tomb
Chorus
He is the Ancient of days
Giver of freedom with the price that He paid
He is the Ancient of days
Exposing the enemy's great masquerade
Giver of life, His is the Ancient of days
Courageous Redeemer, who's life giving blood
Is the ransom for wayward man's soul
Covenant Messenger, Heir of all things
The Shepherd and Guardian, Guardian of souls
Chorus
Warrior of holiness, Messiah and King
Ruler of Israel, Salvation's great Captain
Hope for all man
One day every tongue will say the Lord is He
Chorus
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word
was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being by
Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.
In Him was life and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the
darkness and the darkness did not overpower it." John 1:1-5
"...conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay upon the
earth knowing that you were not ransomed with perishable things like
silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your
forefathers, but with the precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and
spotless, the blood of Christ." I Peter 1:17-19
It's an awesome thought to realize that Jesus, the man born of a virgin
and laid in a hay stable, created the universe with God the Father. They
spoke a word and the stars and planets were flung into existence. They
spoke another word and living creatures were formed, and yet another
word and man's flesh was formed. They used their very breath and
breathed life into the nostrils of this man they had created. They gave
this man the ability to decide, a choice to obey his Creator or to
disobey Him. He disobeyed. God, the Ancient of Days, loved this man so
much, He gave His only Son, His co-creator, to be born in a manger, then
be put to death by this man. God's Son, His Lamb, was the ransom for this
