President of Harvard College

For the next few days I will be posting quotes from the books written by Peter Marshall, and David Manuel on the history of our Nation. The first is from “The Light and the Glory”, and is a quote from a sermon preached by the Reverend Samuel Langdon on May 31, 1775, following the taking of Fort Ticonderoga.

“We have rebelled against God. We have lost the true spirit of Christianity, though we retain the outward profession and form of it. We have neglected and set light by the glorious Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ and His holy commands and institutions. The worship of many is but mere compliment to the Deity, while their hearts are far from Him. By many the Gospel is corrupted into a superficial system of moral philosophy, little better than ancient Platonism.

‘Wherefore is all this evil upon us? Is it not because we have forsaken the Lord? Can we say we are innocent of crimes against God? No, surely it becomes us to humble ourselves under His mighty hand, that He may exalt us in due time… My brethren, let us repent and implore the divine mercy. Let us amend our ways and our doings, reform everything that has been provoking the Most High, and thus endeavor to obtain the gracious interpositions of providence for our deliverance…

‘If God be for us, who can be against us? The enemy has reproached us for calling on His name and professing our trust in Him. They have made a mock of our solemn fasts and every appearance of serious Christianity in the land… May our land be purged from all its sins! Then the Lord will be our refuge and our strength, a very present help in trouble, and we will have no reason to be afraid, though thousands of enemies set themselves against us round about.

‘May the Lord hear us in this day of trouble… we will rejoice in His salvation, and in the name of our God, we will set up our banners…” From THE LIGHT AND THE GLORY pp. 277 & 278.

Can we see that this is a message that is pertinent for our day?

Getting Ready for Sunday

It is Friday January 11, 2019 and Sunday is coming.

There are many who think Sunday is just another day of the week.  It is, in fact, the first day of each week, and the day the early Christians met in remembrance of our Lord’s resurrection.

I have never tried to hide the fact that I am a follower of Jesus Christ.  I do not believe in Him because I am fearful of eternity’s fire if I do not.  I believe in Him and follow Him because He loved me, and loves me so much that He proved it.

In recent years I have grown to a place in Him that I never doubt or question His love for me.  What I do question and sometimes doubt is my love for Him.

My goal throughout every week is to Get Ready for Sunday.  The day I join with a few others to lift up the name of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in our place of worship;  singing hymns of worship and praise, praying, and to preach and hear the preaching of the word of God.

I pray that anyone who is reading this is like minded, and you are preparing yourself to meet the Lord, with those of like mind in Church on Sunday.  It will surely improve your heart, mind, and attitude through the coming week.

If you are not getting ready for Sunday you may not be ready for the day the Son returns.

God richly bless you

From the banks of Flat Creek,

`tim

Thanksgiving Day 112813

I pray that all will have a blessed day of Thanking the One who alone is worthy of thanksgiving, worship and praise.  It is one thing to be thankful; it is quite another to know whom to thank.

Thank the LORD our Maker, Saviour, Redeemer and Friend.

-tim

Hymn – “O Safe to the Rock”

O SAFE TO THE ROCK

1.  O safe to the Rock that is higher than I,  My soul in its conflicts and sorrows would fly;  So sinful, so weary, Thine own would I be;  Thou blest “Rock of Ages,” I’m hiding in Thee.

refrain

Hiding in Thee, hiding in Thee,  Thou blest “Rock of Ages,” I’m hiding in Thee.

2.  In the calm of the noontide, in the sorrow’s lone hour,  In times when temptation casts o’er me its power;  In the tempests of life, on its wide, heaving sea,  Thou blest “Rock of Ages,” I’m hiding in Thee.

3.  How oft in the conflict, when press’d by the foe,  I have fled to my refuge and breath’d out my woe;  How often, when trials like sea billows roll,  Have I hidden in Thee,  O Thou Rock of my soul.

William O. Cushing, 1823-1902

Ira D. Sankey, 1840-1908

Go and join your brothers and sisters in Christ worshipping the Lord in Spirit and in Truth today.

-Tim

Hymn – “He Is Able to Deliver Thee”

He Is Able to Deliver Thee

‘Tis the grandest theme thro’ the ages rung;  ‘Tis the grandest theme for a mortal tongue;  ‘Tis the grandest theme that the world e’er sung:  Our God is able to deliver thee.

REFRAIN

He is able to deliver thee, He is able to deliver thee;  Tho’ by sin opprest,  Go to Him for rest;  Our God is able to  deliver thee.

verse 2 – ‘Tis the grandest theme in the earth or main;  ‘Tis the grandest theme for a mortal strain;  ‘Tis the grandest theme, tell the world again:  Our God is able to deliver thee.

verse 3 –  ‘Tis the grandest theme, let the tidings roll  To the guilty heart, to the sinful soul;  Look to God in faith,  He will make thee whole:  Our God is able to deliver thee.

William A. Ogden, 1841-1897

-posted by Tim

Hymn – “Blessed Assurance, Jesus is Mine”

Blessed Assurance, Jesus is Mine

Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!  Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine!  Heir of salvation, purchase of God, Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.

chorus:

This is my story, this is my song,  Praising my Saviour all the day long;  This is my story, this is my song, Praising my Saviour all the day long.

Perfect submission, perfect delight,  Visions of rapture now burst on my sight:  Angels descending bring from above Echoes of mercy, whispers of love.

Perfect submission, all is at rest,  I in my Saviour am happy and blest:  Watching and waiting, looking above,  Filled with His goodness, lost in His love.

Fanny J. Crosby,  1820-1915

Mrs Joseph F. Knapp, 1839-1908

-posted by Tim A. Blankenship

Sunday Worship: “Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross”

Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross

Jesus, keep me near the cross, There a precious fountain,  Free to all, a healing stream, Flows from Calvary’s mountain.

Near the cross, a trembling soul,  Love and mercy found me;  There the Bright and Morning Star  Shed His beams around me.

Near the cross!  O Lamb of God, Bring its scenes before me;  Help me walk from day to day  with its shadow o’er me.

Near the cross! I’ll watch and wait, Hoping, trusting ever,  Till I reach the golden strand,  Just beyond the river.

CHORUS:

In the cross, in the cross  Be my glory ever,  Till my raptur’d soul shall find  Rest beyond the river.  A-MEN.

 

by Fanny J. Crosby.  1820 – 1915   and William H. Doane,  1832 – 1915

-posted by Tim

Sunday Worship – “O Worship the King”

O WORSHIP THE KING

“O worship the King, all glorious above, And gratefully sing His wonderful love;  Our Shield and Defender, the Ancient of Days, Pavilioned in splendor, and girded with praise.

O tell of His might, O sing of His grace, Whose robe is the light, whose canopy space!  His chariots of wrath the deep thunderclouds form, And dark is His path on the wings of the storm.

Thy bountiful care what tongue can recite?  It breathes in the air, it shines in the light,  It streams from the hills, it descends to the plain, And sweetly distils in the dew and the rain.

Frail children of dust, and feeble as frail, In Thee do we trust, nor find Thee to fail:  Thy mercies how tender, how firm to the end, Our Maker, Defender, Redeemer and Friend.”

Robert Grant, 1779-1838                                    Johann M. Haydn, 1737-1806

Worship the King.  Today and everyday.

-Tim

When I Survey the Wondrous Cross

“When I survey the wondrous cross, On which the Prince of glory died, My richest gain I count but loss, And pour contempt on all my pride.

Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast, Save in the death of Christ my God; All the vain things that charm me most, I sacrifice them to His blood.

See, from His head, His hands, His feet, Sorrow and love flow mingled down; Did e’er such love and sorrow meet, Or thorns compose so rich a crown.

Were the whole realm of nature mine, That were a present far to small; Love so amazing, so divine, Demands my soul, my life, my all.”

by Isaac Watts 1674-1748

and still a wonderful hymn of praise to our God and Savior Jesus Christ.

Always praising God along the banks of Flat Creek.

-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

It’s Saturday

It is Saturday again.  They come around once a week; and most of us are glad they do.  They do for the living anyway.  It probably does not matter for those who have gone into eternity.

I just checked my online weather forecast for Cassville, MO. and there appears to be no rain in sight; and an expected high of 94.  Yesterday morning we had a low at our house of 51 degrees.  That felt good compared to some of the morning temps we had a few weeks ago.  As of this moment (6:23 a.m.) the low for today is 57 degrees.  Though I do like Summer and its heat I think I am enjoying the relief of approaching Fall, and its cooler mornings and days.

Without any rain today I plan on finishing mowing the yard.  I have an acre or so to mow in the back.  It is amazing how good a yard looks after it is mowed.  I have heard some make comments like.  “Why keep your yard mowed when you live back where no one can see it?”  Well!  My answer for that is, “I see it”.  I like a well trimmed yard; and my is a long way from well trimmed, but I am working toward that.

Today is also a day when I look forward to being in church and worship with the people of our local church.  My prayer is that the Lord give me the words for the sermon that will glorify Him; and work by the power of the Holy Spirit to draw every listener to Him.

As I write this morning the sun is starting to rise over the Eastern hills.  The banks of Flat Creek are still in a bit of darkness; but the light is beginning to appear.

From the banks of Flat Creek.

-Tim

It’s Sunday Again

I like the way the weeks roll around; especially Sunday’s.  Sunday in my family has always been a day of rest and worship.  Worshipping the Lord of all creation, the Creator, is one of the greatest parts of life and living.  That is something I endeavor to do all week long.

One of the things I have said before is, “I’ve got to go to church”; and it isn’t that “I’ve got to”, but I get to go to church today.  If it ever becomes a “got to”, then going to church and worship has become nothing more than a mere religious action and it becomes a sacrament, or a necessity for salvation.  I am not saved by any good work I do, but by the grace of God, to do good works.

I pray all who are reading this will be attending the worship services in your local church; and worshipping Jesus Christ, Lord, King, Savior, Prince of peace, Creator.  Love Him. Cherish Him. Worship Him. Serve Him.  Fear Him and Him alone, and you will need to fear nothing else.

It is great honor and privilege to be able to look out our patio door and see the things He has created around us; or to step out the door and hear the sounds of His creation; and know He is watching over us all.

Part of what we hear when we step out the back door is the rolling waters of Flat Creek as it makes its way toward Table Rock Lake a few miles down stream.  Bless the LORD O, my soul.

-Tim

Worshipping the Creator

Today is the day most Christians will arise early, for the weekend, and prepare themselves and attend the church of their choice.  Will they worship the Lord of all, or will they be distracted by children, cell phones, employment, unemployment, or something else?  Only God knows our hearts.

We are told by our Creator; “They that worship Him, must worship Him in Spirit and in truth”.  The only true worship of God is found through faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross; dying in our stead, for our sins, being buried, carrying our sin and its death, condemnation and guilt away; and Him rising victoriously for our justification; making us, in God’s sight and by God’s decree RIGHTEOUS and Just.

Now the Creator who would do that is worthy of our worship and praise.  Go to worship Him with the brethren today.  Worship Him on Monday – Saturday too; with all your heart.

Worshipping the Creator, not creation, along the banks of Flat Creek.

-Tim

Here It Is…

…Another wonderful morning; and to make it even greater; it’s Sunday morning.  Getting up way before the sunrise has become a habit with me.  It seems I function best at this time, but the rest of the day not so well, at times.

I hear cattle bawling across the Creek, our neighbor across Flat Creek is a physician, I hear, and has a pretty nice place over there.  I don’t know what all the bawling is about, but they are doing it.

There is a beginning of sun light starting to show itself.  I can see the trees along the banks in silhouette form, where an hour ago it just looked black and dark outside.  Looking forward to going to church today to worship the God of all creation, the Son of God, God incarnate, Jesus Christ.

I pray you have already made that your plan for the day.  Honor God every day, worship Him every day, and get with others in worship and fellowship as oft as you can.  We are having a fellowship dinner at Carr Lane Baptist today.  We all always look forward to our dinners, fellowship times.

The light is getting brighter for the new day ahead along the banks of Flat Creek of Southwest Missouri.

-Tim

Going to Church

Some would think, “Well, You’re the pastor.  Of course you would go to church.”  I was going to church long before I ever became a pastor.  It is really not “Going to Church”; it is going to worship.  It is going to worship with others our Lord Jesus Christ; Savior of the world, and Lord and Master of the Universe and all that He has made.

My wife and I attend and are members of Carr Lane Baptist Church, down near the Arkansas and Missouri border in Southwest Missouri.  A country church with warm, loving people.

I am thankful today to be returning, because we were gone this past Sunday for our annual family get together.  I did get to hear a good sermon last Sunday by my brother in law; my sister’s husband.  It was good to be there with all our kids and grandkids; with the exception of one family.

It won’t be long and the wife and I will be getting in the car and heading for Carr Lane to worship.  Prayerfully, we worship Him everyday.  It is wonderful, however, to join other brothers and sisters in Christ to worship as oft as we can.

Writing from the banks of Flat Creek.  God bless you today and everyday.

-Tim

Joyful, Joyful

A hymn of praise to our God and King…

Joyful, joyful, we adore Thee, God of glory, Lord of love;  Hearts unfold like flowers before Thee, Opening to the sun above.  Melt the clouds of sin and sadness; Drive the dark of doubt away;  Giver of immortal gladness, Fill us with the light of day!

Have a great day and worship the King at your local church.

-Tim

Sunday Morning 061211

We had a wonderful time of worshipping our Lord this morning at Carr Lane Baptist.  We missed seeing you there.  Hope to see you next time.

To those who don’t know I do attend church every Sunday; morning and evening most of the time.  All the time except for certain occasions when we take off a Sunday evening for family events and such.  It is always good to be in God’s house and to have His house with us always.

I preached this morning on the text of 2 Chronicles 7:12-16.  The title was “When Heaven is Closed”.  It is time for God’s people to humble themselves, pray, seek God’s face and turn from their wicked ways.  Then we will have God hear our prayers, forgive our sins and heal our land.

The people of God; those who have been purchased by the sacrifice of His Son Jesus; must repent and get right with GOD.

-Tim A. Blankenship

First Day of Summer ’09

The first day of Summer 2009 is starting out acting like Summer. Hot, muggy, summerish to say the least, and I guess I am one of a few or many (not sure of stats) who enjoy the hot, muggy days of Summer.

This day also is Father’s Day. Father’s are a blessing from God. I know mine is to me. I pray that I have been to my three sons, and two daughters too. Our daughters Charity and Monica both have children with their husbands and are both happy and to to be Moms. Two of our sons are Dads and happy and blessed to be so. I am now blessed as a grandfather of nine living, two with Jesus in heaven, and one on the way.

On this Sunday we will be attending church at Carr Lane Baptist, preaching the morning message, worshipping in the preaching and singing of hymns, songs, and spiritual songs; singing and making melody in our hearts to the Lord. On this beautiful first day of Summer. What a wonderful day our Lord has wrought.

Thank YOU Lord.

-Tim A. Blankenship