Grace

Hymn – “My Faith Looks Up to Thee”

As I was praying this morning this song came to may heart and mind; so I thought I would share it.

My faith looks up to Thee, Thou Lamb of Calvary, Saviour divine!

Now hear me while I pray, Take all my guilt away, O let me from this day Be wholly Thine!

May Thy rich grace impart Strength to my fainting heart, My zeal inspire;

As Thou hast died for me, O may my love to Thee Pure, warm and changeless be A living fire!

While life’s dark maze I tread, And griefs around me spread, Be Thou my guide;

Bid darkness turn to day, Wipe sorrow’s tears away, Nor let me ever stray From Thee aside.

When ends life’s transient dream, When death’s cold sullen stream Shall o’er me roll,

Blest Saviour, then, in love, Fear and distrust remove; O bear me safe above, A ransomed soul!

Ray Palmer, 1808-1887

Lowel Mason, 1792-1872

A Few Drops of Rain…

This past Thursday, July 19, I took a short walk to the Creek out our back door. Our dogs went along as usual. I was sitting there in my chair, and in the shade of the trees over the gravel bar; throwing rocks in the water for the dogs to chase after. I think that was the day the high temp reached 112 degrees here in our valley.

As I was throwing those stones in the water, and Archer in particular would chase after them; clouds came in, and it began to rain. Do you know how refreshing a rain is falling from the sky above, giving you a soaking, when it is near 112 degrees? Of course with the clouds and rain moving in the temp dropped dramatically.

With the rain falling I continued sitting there throwing the rocks, Archer chasing them, and I was getting wet without getting in the Creek. It is refreshing, especially when we are in a full blown drought, to sit in the rain and get soaked.

When the rain stopped I went back to the house, and the temp was below 100 for a few minutes. An hour later there was no sign that it had rained. The ground was dry. The buckets were dry. Now it was back over that century mark.

The refreshment of rain for the ground and for a wretched ole soul like mine. A reminder of God’s grace. The wonders of God’s grace.

A few drops of rain along the banks of Flat Creek.

-tim

Are You Washed in the Blood?

ARE YOU WASHED IN THE BLOOD?

1. Have you been to Jesus for the cleansing power? Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb? Are you fully trusting in His grace this hour? Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

2. Are you walking daily by the Saviour’s side? Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb? Do you rest each moment in the Crucified? Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

3. When the Bridegroom cometh will your robes be white? Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb? Will your soul be ready for the mansions bright, and be washed in the blood of the Lamb?

4. Lay aside the garments that are stained with sin, And be washed in the blood of the Lamb; There’s a fountain flowing for the soul unclean, O be washed in the blood of the Lamb.

refrain

Are you washed in the blood, In the soul cleansing blood of the Lamb? Are your garments spotless? Are they white as snow? Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

Elisha A. Hoffman, 1839-1929

-posted by Tim a. Blankenship, along the banks of Flat Creek.

Being blessed with more Rain

Today is the last day of Summer. At least according to the calendar hanging on my wall. Friday the 23rd is the first day of Autumn. That seems to be a little later than usual to me. It seems to usually fall on the 21st or so; but not in 2011 I guess.

It is raining again. Thank the Lord of all grace and mercy and love. It is wonderful how He loves us all. It seems to me that rain is a reminder of His love, grace and mercy and our need.

It will not be long and we will all be longing for those warm, even hot Summer days; at least I know I will. I must admit some of these past Summer days were extremely hot; but that is Summer.

It is great to be alive. It is great to have family and friends whom I love and who loves me. It is even greater still to know that there is a God in Heaven who also lives within me, because He loves me and cares for every need. All because of the gift of His Son Jesus – His death on the cross, burial and resurrection; and knowing that one day soon He will return. O, What a day that will be…

Thanks for the rain.

-Tim

Writing a Journal

I guess this is my way of committing myself to doing it again. Several years ago I committed to writing a journal and in the past five years or so I have wondered away from it. I think it had a dramatic impact on my walk with God, and that is one of the things I wrote in the journal this morning.

As of today, August 30, 2011 I am committing once again to keeping a daily journal of my daily walk, events and challenges of life. There may be days I post some of it here; and other days I will not. I will be writing the journal after I finish my daily reading of Scripture; and will be reflecting on the previous day, and thinking of, or planning the day ahead.

One thing I cannot get away from and that is that God is marvelous, gracious, and full of mercy. I am very glad He is.

Thank the Creator for His blessings of wife, family, friends, and friends I have not met yet.

From the banks of Flat Creek. I am…

-Tim

I Know that My Redeemer Liveth

Worshipping along the banks of Flat Creek.

I know that my Redeemer liveth, And on the earth again shall stand;

I know eternal life He giveth, That grace and power are in His hand.

(refrain)

I know, I know that Jesus liveth, And on the earth again shall stand;

I know, I know that life He giveth, That grace and power are in His hand.

Because He loves us, and because He lives we can worship and love Him.

-Tim

My how wonderful is the grace of God. We have been studying grace in the book of Galations on Wednesday evenings at Carr Lane Baptist Church where I am pastor.

Without grace I would be forever condemned in sin and darkness. I would be lost. Thankfully our Creator sent His Son Jesus Christ to die on a cross in my place, become my sin, take the wrath which I deserved, died, was buried and bodily arose from the dead. Because of that wonderful gift of God; there is no more condemnation in my life; but only grace.

My future is brighter, because of God’s gift. My future is assured, because of God’s gift. My future is blessing, because of God’s gift of grace.

“Grace, Grace; God’s grace. Grace that is greater than all our sin…”

-Tim

Another Day of…

Another day of sunshine? Another day of rain? Right now it is hard to tell. I look out my office window here at 6:30 in the morning, and the sun does not seem to have made it into our valley yet. It is partially cloudy. We do need some rain. That’s hard to believe after all the rain we received in April and May, but it is getting dry, and hard to work the soil.

Every day is a day to be thankful. Being grateful, thankful and full of praise to our GOD is a part of the faithful Christian’s life. He is what makes life worthwhile. Without Him where would we be?

My conclusion for a day that is just beginning is…

Another Day of Grace.

-Tim