SAVED!

April 3, 2010 at 7:49 am | Posted in Easter songs, encouragement | Leave a comment
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This song brings back a lot of memories to me. I think it was written the year I got saved. I was a young Christian and renting a house with four other guys who were young Christians. One day one of them comes home with this Dylan album, yes an album. (Some of my readers will have to think retro. A black shinny disc made of plastic with grooves in it. It spun at 33 and a 1/3 rpm’s). We were shocked to think Dylan was even saved. I don’t really know if Dylan is saved but this album and Slow Train Coming are two very good Christian albums.

You can find Dylan and his band performing this song on Youtube. I was surprised to find that and other songs from these two albums. Check out their perfomance from Toronto 1980 to listen to this song. Man, that brought back some good memories! I was jamming in my house. Until the other day I did not know this and other performances were available on Youtube. We truly need discernment when it comes to the internet, but sometimes it is a real blessing.

This summer I will be saved thirty years. Yes, that’s right, thirty years. I have had both good and bad times. I have both easy and hard circumstances. I have seen people get saved and persevere. I have also seen people talk the talk for awhile, then turn their back on the Lord and walk away. But this I know, salvation is real. You can know if you are saved or not. Salvation involves repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. You have to understand that you are a sinner and you need to be forgiven. Then you have to ask God to forgive you and accept what Jesus Christ has accomplished by going to the cross for you.

If this sounds too personal it is because it is personal. The wrath of God is upon the sinner. He is the enemy of God. Eternal damnation and seperation awaits him. The only escape from an eternity spent in hell under constant torment is to be saved! The sinner (the one who misses the mark of God’s perfection) needs to humble himself and repent. You can be saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. There is no other way of salvation. Call out to God in humble confession and receive from God what only He can do – save your soul.

For the one who humbles himself and goes to God in God’s way, there is mercy, grace and peace for eternity. The saved one is adopted into God’s family. He is sealed with the Holy Spirit and their eternity with God is garaunteed. Salvation is real. Easter reminds us of this and should remind the Christian of their responsiblilty to live as saved ones and to proclaim the Gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

I hope this truly is a resurrection weekend for you and your loved ones.

Much GRACE and peace to you,

Bill (a fellow-laborer) Romans 3:9-31, 5:1-11, 8:1-4, 12-17, 15:13

“Saved”

by Bob Dylan

I was blinded by the devil
Born already ruined
Stone-cold dead
As I stepped out of the womb
By His grace I have been touched
By His word I have been healed
By His hand I have been delivered
By His spirit I Have been sealed.

I’ve been saved
By the blood of the lamb
Saved
By the blood of the lamb
Saved
Saved
And I’m so glad
Yes, I’m so glad
I’m so glad
So glad
I want to thank you, Lord
I just want to thank You Lord
Thank You Lord.

By his truth I can be upright
By his strength I do endure
By His power I’ve been lifted
In His love I am secure
He bought me with a price
Freed me from the pit
Full of emptiness and wrath
And the fire that burns in it.

I’ve been saved
By the blood of the lamb
Saved
By the blood of the lamb
Saved
Saved
And I’m so glad
Yes, I’m so glad
I’m so glad
So glad
I want to thank you, Lord
I just want to thank You Lord
Thank You, Lord.
Nobody to rescue me
Nobody would dare
I was going down for the last time
But by His Mercy I’ve been spared
Not by works
But by faith in Him who called
For so long I’ve been hindered
For so long I’ve been stalled.

I’ve been saved
By the blood of the lamb
Saved
By the blood of the lamb
Saved
Saved
And I’m so glad
Yes, I’m so glad
I’m so glad
So glad
I want to thank you, Lord
I just want to thank You Lord
Thank You, Lord.

Nothing But The Blood!

April 2, 2010 at 4:37 pm | Posted in Easter songs, hymns, prayer | Leave a comment
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I love the call and response of this hymn. There have been different times that I have led congregations and men’s groups to sing this song. I’ve done it in a call and response style. I have the group be quiet while I sing the first part and then have them all sing out in unison the response. It is a very moving way to sing this song. This song is so meaningful to me that I want it sung at my funeral. Yes, my wife knows that.

But Friday’s are for prayer reminders. Let’s pray for churches to experience the power and presence of God this weekend. There are a lot of church activities going on and most churches will have more visitors this weekend than any other weekend. So let’s pray for:

  1. Unsaved visitors to attend true Bible believing Christian churches this Sunday
  2. Many unsaved people of all ages to get saved this Sunday
  3. Visitors to feel welcomed by the church people and return to those churches
  4. Pastor’s to preach the Word of God in the power of the Holy Spirit
  5. People to listen attentively this Sunday
  6. Churches to grow through evangelism/disciplemaking
  7. New churches to be started
  8. God to be glorified this Sunday in many different ways
  9. God’s people to live as ambassadors of the Lord Jesus Christ

Thank you for praying. Your prayers will make a difference. I hope you have a great weekend.

Grace and peace to you,

Bill (a fellow-laborer)

Romans 15:13

(19)For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him, (20)and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through His blood, shed on the cross. (Colossians 1:19-20)

Nothing But the Blood

By Robert Lowry (1826-1899)

1.  What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus;

What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

(Refrain) Oh, precious is the flow That makes me white as snow;

No other font I know, Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

2.  For my pardon this I see – Nothing but the blood of Jesus;

For my cleansing, this my plea – Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

(Refrain)

3.  Nothing can for sin atone – Nothing but the blood of Jesus;

Naught of good that I have done – Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

(Refrain)

4. This is all my hope and peace – Nothing but the blood of Jesus;

This is all my righteousness – Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

(Refrain)

There Is Power In The Blood!

April 1, 2010 at 4:59 pm | Posted in Easter songs, hymns | Leave a comment
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Here again is the title of a favorite song of mine. Sometimes when I sing this song I can see myself as a young Christian with four of my buddies in church singing this song. Around the same time that I got saved I stopped to visit an old friend from high school that I only saw occasionally. We used to wrestle on the same high school team and we used to get high together. We did other stuff but as I get older it is harder to remember all of it. Or I just don’t want to.

Well I stop to see him and we’re talking like old friends do and he asks what I’ve been getting into lately. I tell him that I’ve been reading the Bible and trying to learn about God and he says he has been doing the same thing. A few weeks later we both ended up getting saved, real genuine Holy Spirit conversions. We got baptized and so did three other guys that we knew. Then four of us rented a house together. We all started going to church together to a small little community church.

Now I’ve left a lot out of that story. But that little church used to have singspirations every so often on Sunday evenings. We were long haired, some of us bearded, jeans, flannel shirt and work boot wearing young men. We had a lot of young Christian passion and faith. We also had to learn about sanctification and transformation. That little church really wasn’t ready for God to lead us to them. But they tried to accept us and love us. Two of us became pastors, one of us faithfully serves in his local church and two I think fell away (I hope they were really saved).

I remember singing this song as a grateful young Christian. I remember what it was like to be saved from all of my sins. I remember what it was like when the pastor explained to me that now I was a new creation in Christ Jesus and God and Jesus were not going to hold my past life against me. I was really forgiven! Before coming to Christ I knew what it was like to be a sinner and to be headed to hell. Really, I knew I deserved hell and was going there. I really did not think I was good enough to go to heaven, no way. I knew the things that I had done and still did. If you had to be good then I wasn’t getting into heaven.

Then God made me fear Him. Over time I read the Bible and God helped me understand what Jesus did for me and what was offered to me. God had mercy on me and one night alone in my apartment let me get on my knees and pray a sinner’s prayer of repentance toward God and faith in Jesus Christ. God filled me with His Spirit and put my name in the Lamb’s Book of Life. He gave me new life, changed my life and changed the direction of my life.

He can do the same for you. There really is power in the blood! The blood has not lost any power! You can call out to God and ask Him to forgive you. If you are sincere He will forgive you and cleanse you from all unrighteousness. Jesus has purchased your forgiveness and redemption by His shed blood. And they sang a new song: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because You were slain, and with Your blood You purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. (Revelation 5:9).

Even today, years later, I am grateful to God to be saved, redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. I can say with assurance, my sins have been covered by the blood of the Lamb. My name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. I am adopted into God’s family. I am sealed by the Holy Spirit guarantying my future redemption. Hallelujah! What a Savior!

I hope you have a great Easter. If you don’t know Jesus personally I hope you come to know Him. If you do know as Savior and Lord, I hope you appreciate anew what He has done for you.

GRACE and peace to you,

Bill (a fellow-laborer)

Romans 15:13; Ephesians 1:3-14      I want to give a shout out to M.W. – keep pressing on broham, your redemption is closer than when you first believed!

 

There Is Power in the Blood

By Lewis E. Jones (1865-1936)

1. Would you be free from the burden of sin? There’s power in the blood, power in the blood; Would you o’er evil a victory win? There’s wonderful power in the blood.

(Refrain) There is power, power, wonder working power In the blood of the Lamb; There is power, power, Wonder working power In the blood of the Lamb.

2. Would you be free from your passion and pride? There’s power in the blood, power in the blood; Come for a cleansing to Calvary’s tide; There’s wonderful power in the blood.

(Refrain)

3. Would you be whiter, much whiter than snow? There’s power in the blood, power in the blood; Sin stains are lost in its life giving flow; There’s wonderful power in the blood.

(Refrain)

4. Would you do service for Jesus, your King? There’s power in the blood, power in the blood; Would you live daily His praises to sing? There’s wonderful power in the blood.

(Refrain)

Washed In The Blood Of The Lamb

March 31, 2010 at 12:50 pm | Posted in Easter songs, hymns, pray | Leave a comment
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This is one of my all time favorite hymns. I like both the words and the beat. I like to sing it and clap my hands and sway a little bit too. Not too much movement, because I don’t have a lot of rhythm, but I do have enough to get into this song. I love this song! So today I am starting five days of songs about the blood of the Lamb leading up to Easter Sunday.

Let me say this as clearly as I can; if you think you can have a bloodless Christianity, you do not have a Biblical Christianity. (18)For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, (19)but with the precious blood of the Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect (1 Peter 1:18-19). I think some Christians need to get over their fear of not being accepted by unbelievers and begin to sing confidently, humbly and passionately about the blood of Lamb that was shed to purchase our redemption.

There are other Scriptures that speak about the blood of the Lamb and I will share some of them over the next few days as I share five of my favorite songs about the blood of the Lamb. I would also like to encourage you to begin to pray for your church’s Easter service and for unbelievers to come and fully understand the message and to experience the redeeming power of the blood of the Lamb. Pray for backslidden Christians to repent of sin and worldliness and to surrender their lives to the Lord. Pray for all of your church’s ministries to be done in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Washed in the Blood of the Lamb

by Elisha Hoffman (1839-1929)

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?

(Chorus) 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?

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?

(Chorus)

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

(Chorus)

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; Oh, be washed in the blood of the Lamb.

(Chorus)

 God bless you and may you experience the presence and power of God in your church service this Sunday! Stay faithful and hopeful until Jesus returns in glory.

GRACE and peace to you,

Bill (a fellow-laborer)

Romans 15:13; Revelation 22:17, 20-21

Your Church Is Too Small – book review

March 22, 2010 at 2:55 pm | Posted in Book Reviews | Leave a comment
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I’ve had some time away from blogging and am ready to get back to it. Today I’ve posted a new book review onJohn Armstrong’s book, your church is too small.

I recently attended the Southeast Regional Meeting of the Evangelical Missiological Society and presented a paper titled The Biblical Basis For Multigenerational Church Planting Teams In North America. It was the first time I have attended something like this and it was both enjoyable and educational.

God bless you,

Bill (a fellow laborer)

Romans 15:13; Psalm 16:11

Lay Aside Every Distraction

March 10, 2010 at 4:44 pm | Posted in Book Giveaway, Quotes | Leave a comment
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I like the writing of J. C. Ryle and want to encourage you to look at the book giveaway post below. They will draw a winner for the book on Saturday March 13, 2010. Even if you don’t want to enter the contest for the book, “Meet the Puritans” consider learning about Ryle and his ministry. Most of the daily quotes encourage me and cause me to think about the Lord. I hope they do the same for you too.

“We must cast away everything which hinders us upon our road towards heaven – the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye and the pride of life; the love of riches, pleasures and honors, the spirit of lukewarmness and carelessness and indifference about the things of God – all must be rooted out and forsaken if we are anxious for the prize. We must mortify the deeds of the body, we must crucify our affections for this world.”

~ J.C. Ryle

The Christian Race & Other Sermons, “The Christian Race”, [Moscow, ID: Charles Nolan Publishing, 2002], 129.

(1) Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, (2) looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (3) For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. (4) You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin. (Hebrews 12:1-4 NKJV)

GRACE and peace to you,

Bill  (a fellow-laborer)

Romans 15:13; Psalm 16:11

Book Giveaway – “Meet the Puritans”

March 8, 2010 at 4:01 pm | Posted in Book Giveaway | Leave a comment
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To enter this contest go to this site: www.jcrylequotes.com . If you like Ryle’s writing you will like this site. If you are not familiar with Ryle, I put three quotes on my Quotes Page today. I got them off of this site. The book looks pretty good too. Check the site out, you may like it. While you are there you can enter the contest. They will draw a winner for the book on Saturday March 13, 2010.

Decaf? That’s Right, Decaf!

March 7, 2010 at 8:32 pm | Posted in Coffee Reviews, Coffee Shop Reviews | Leave a comment
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While out on a date with my wife I came across some really good decaf coffee. Now, I’m neither a coffee expert nor a coffee snob, but I know what I like and what I don’t like. One weekend in the fall, my wife wanted to go to Rainbow Blossom, a local organic food store because they were having a gluten-free food tasting event. So we go up to New Albany, Indiana and we are walking around the store trying food and getting what we wanted to buy. I turn a corner and there is a lady handing out coffee. Now I’m always up for trying some coffee.

It smells really good and she asks me if I want regular or decaf. It’s in the afternoon so I take decaf. I like to try new coffees black, nothing in them at all. I take a sip and my first thought is, “man this coffee is good!” I call to my wife and tell her, “you have to try this coffee, it’s really good.” She liked it too. So we bought some.

The decaf is from Red Hot Roasters and you can find them here: www.redhotroasters.com . The owner and roaster is Sondra Powell and she is a really nice and friendly lady. Her coffee shop is located at 1402 Payne Street, Louisville, KY 40206. It is a little shop and it’s only a drive-thru. Red Hot is the smallest roaster in the city and the coffee is organic. She believes in accountability and sustainability. It comes in recyclable tins or you can bring them back to fill up with coffee again. Sondra only roasts seven pounds at a time. It’s a Peruvian coffee in a light French roast and a water process decaf.

So I went back and bought some decaf the other day and my wife and decided to brew it in the auto drip and the Chemex www.chemexcoffeemaker.com . The auto drip was first. The coffee beans have a good aroma and they are a little bit oily. It is a strong coffee but not overpowering and slightly acidic. The next day we made it in the Chemex. The taste is very clean and strong. There was the lingering taste of coffee in our mouths, but no bitterness. My wife and I thought the Chemex coffee maker could spoil us. It always makes the coffee taste better, even when you drink it black.

We are always looking for a good decaf. After lunch we don’t usually drink coffee or tea with caffeine. Both of us like the taste and smell of coffee, but sometimes not the caffeine.  We have tried a lot of different decafs. We think this Peruvian light French roast decaf from Red Hot Roasters www.redhotroasters.com  is one of the best we have tried so far. If you are looking for a good decaf you can’t go wrong here. Oh, and you can get it whole bean or ground.

I was thinking I have another reason to go out on a date with my wife; we have to try her regular coffee. I’m guessing it’s as good as the decaf. I’m looking forward to it!

Grace and peace to you,

Bill and Kim

Romans 15:13

Offering the Sacrifice of Praise

March 6, 2010 at 5:27 pm | Posted in hymns, Praise | Leave a comment
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Sometimes I like to imagine myself having a great voice. You know, one of those voices that just booms. One of those voices that just sounds good. When I sing I have to imagine I have one of the those voices because I don’t. I have one of those voices that can change key in the middle of a song and I couldn’t tell you what key we started in. But you see I like to sing and praise the Lord who saved me.

I’m not usually too shy so I will sing out when I’m in church. I know what it is like to make a joyful noise to the Lord. I also know what it is to sing while I’m alone worshipping God. Which got me thinking about songs we usually only sing around Easter. These songs could be sung any day, but usually they are reserved for special days.

One of my favorite Scriptures that helps me sing praises to God even when I don’t feel like it is Psalm 50:23. He who sacrifices thank offerings honors Me, and he prepares the way so that I may show him the salvation of God. (NIV). I don’t pretend to have a great singing voice, but I can sing praises to the One who redeemed me. I know He does not get tired of hearing me make a joyful noise to Him.

Sometimes when it is difficult for us to sing praises to Him is when we should make ourselves sing. Somehow, the sacrifice of my praise honors the Lord who redeemed me. Somehow it prepares the way for the salvation of God. I don’t pretend to have the greatest singing voice. That doesn’t matter to God. More importantly, I don’t have to pretend that I am redeemed and my name is written in the Lamb’s book of life, I am assured of that truth.

I can gladly offer the sacrifice of praise any day including Easter Sunday. There are a lot of good Easter songs, so I’ll share five with you that I am glad were written. I look forward to singing them and I hope you do too.

  1. Man of Sorrows by Philip Bliss
  2. Christ Arose by Robert Lowry
  3. The Easter Song by Keith Green
  4. He’s Alive by Don Francisco
  5. Rejoice, the Lord is King by Charles Wesley

 

Christ Arose

By Robert Lowry

1.      Low in the grave He lay – Jesus my Savior! Waiting the coming day – Jesus, my Lord!

(chorus) Up from the grave He arose, with a mighty triumph o’er His foes; He arose a victor from the dark domain, And He live forever with His saints to reign. He arose! He arose! Hallelujah! Christ arose!

2.      Vainly they watch His bed – Jesus, my Savior! Vainly they seal the dead – Jesus, my Lord!

(chorus)

3.      Death cannot keep his prey – Jesus, my Savior! He tore the bars away – Jesus, my Lord!

(chorus)

Go ahead, sing Christ Arose, offer the sacrifice of praise. You’ll be glad you did. Jesus has triumphed over death and the devil. The power that raised Jesus from the dead is at work in us who believe. Hallelujah! I’ll say it again; the power that raised Jesus from the dead is at work in us who believe! (18)I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, (19)and His incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of His mighty strength, (20)which He exerted in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly realms, (Ephesians 1:18-20 NIV).

Give praise a chance,

Bill

Romans 15:13

Pray To Be Disturbed

March 5, 2010 at 3:15 pm | Posted in pray, Quotes, revival | Leave a comment
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Before I begin to read a book in-depth, I skim through it and read parts of it. Recently I received your church is too small by John Armstrong to both read and review. On a quick glance one of the things I like about it is the quotes. I’m a lifelong collector of quotes. In about a week and a half I’ll post a review of it. But for now, here’s a good quote.

“Disturb us, Lord, when we are too well pleased with ourselves, when our dreams have come true because we have dreamed too little, when we arrive safely because we sailed too close to shore.

Disturb us, Lord, when with the abundance of things we possess we have lost our thirst for the waters of life; having fallen in love with life, we have ceased to dream of eternity; and in our efforts to build a new earth, we have allowed our vision of the new heaven to dim.

Disturb us, Lord, to dare more boldly, to venture on wider seas where storms will show your mastery; where losing sight of land, we shall find the stars. We ask you to push back the horizons of our hopes, and to push us into the future in strength, courage, hope, and love.”

–         Attributed to Sir Francis Drake, 1577 (p. 190)

Did that quote speak to you? It spoke to me. I have been trying to give Friday as a day to be reminded to pray for something in particular. Today’s prayer may be a little difficult for some. Let’s pray that the Lord Jesus Christ would disturb us in ways we need. For those of us who say we know Him through grace and faith, let’s ask ourselves the following questions and pray:

  1. Do we still love Him more than anyone or anything else? (Rev. 2:1-7)
  2. Do we live and pray with faith? (Rom. 10:17; Heb. 11:6)
  3. Do we still love attending and serving through one of His churches? (Eph. 3:10-11; Heb. 10:19-25)
  4. Do we share our knowledge of this personal relationship in both word and deed? (2 Cor. 5:14-21)
  5. Do we still come boldly, humbly, confidently and consistently to the throne of grace? (Heb. 4:16; Phil. 4:4-7)
  6. Do we honestly redeem the time He has given us with Spirit filled lives? (Eph. 5:13-18)
  7. Do we walk in step with the Holy Spirit? (Gal. 5:16-26)

I’ll try to stop here even though I could go on. Specifically, I’m thinking of Romans 12:1-2.

(1)Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship. (2)Do not comform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then yopu will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – His good, pleasing and perfect will.  (NIV)

Maybe we don’t understand “surrender.” Maybe the battle between the flesh and the spirit never stops. Maybe we have discounted the resources and power of Almighty God like we have to so many things and people around us. Maybe we need a personal revival. Maybe our family’s, our churches, and our community’s need us to have a personal revival. Maybe we are too comfortable or afraid to be disturbed. Only we and the LORD really know the answer to that! Please disturb us Lord.

Much grace and peace to you,

Bill (a fellow-laborer)

Romans 15:13; Psalm 138

“The only reason we don’t have revival is because we are willing to live without it.”

“There is a deeper life. It is as deep as a personal Gethsemane and as costly as a personal Calvary.”

“If Jesus had preached the same message that ministers preach today, He would never have been crucified.”

“Whatever else we say about revival we have to recognize this, that revival is an act of mercy in the sovereignty of God.”

–          All quotes by Leonard Ravenhill

_______________________

“You have longed for sweet peace and for faith to increase,

And have earnestly, fervently, prayed;

But you cannot have rest or be perfectly blest

Until all on the altar is laid.”

–         Hoffman

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