to God be the glory...

For some reason this song keeps running through my mind today...

Truly, great things He has done...for us... and highest on the list is sending His Son... for us...because He loves us so very much. What better song to sing this Sabbath day?! As we begin to prepare ourselves for Christmas--for the very coming to earth of our Savior-- may we sing loudly and from the depths of our hearts in praise of Who He is and what He has done!

To God Be The Glory
by Fanny Crosby

To God be the glory, great things He has done;
So loved He the world that He gave us His Son,
Who yielded His life an atonement for sin,
And opened the life gate that all may go in.

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,
Let the earth hear His voice!
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,
Let the people rejoice!
O come to the Father, through Jesus the Son,
And give Him the glory, great things He has done.

O perfect redemption, the purchase of blood,
To every believer the promise of God;
The vilest offender who truly believes,
That moment from Jesus a pardon receives.

Great things He has taught us, great things He has done,
And great our rejoicing through Jesus the Son;
But purer, and higher, and greater will be
Our wonder, our transport, when Jesus we see.

celebrate the Sabbath with joy...

Joy

is the echo

of God's life

within us.

~Joseph Marmion

celebrate the Sabbath...with baptism...

What a great way to spend the Sabbath! I was honored to spend today with friends and to join with them in the celebration of baptism! My friends' two oldest boys --ages 9 and 7-- and their two cousins from back east, and one adult friend of my friends all were baptized today!


There were about 30 or so friends and family members who gathered at the beach for the baptisms.... we started it off with an explanation of what baptism is-- symbolically joining Christ in His death and resurrection and bublically proclaiming to the world (and all those near us at the beach!) of one's decision to follow Christ, prayer, and then each of those being baptized waded into the water.

Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. ~Romans 6:3-4

Each one proclaimed his or her decision for Christ and was baptised there in the ocean... buried with Christ and risen to a new life.

(no, the bird was not baptised!)

After the baptisms, we all played at the beach for an hour or so and then went to a friend's house for bbq'd ribs and chocolate cake! What joy to celebrate life in Christ on the Sabbath!

You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. ~Galatians 3:26-27

celebrate the Sabbath...with a little humor...

This may be a bit unorthodox, as we don't normally think of the Sabbath being a humorous day or concept. But, I do believe our amazing God has a good sense of humor (let's remember the platypus and the anglerfish!), so I couldn't resist sharing this little "funny" today...

Sabbath -

a weekly festival having its origin

in the fact that God made the world in six days

and was arrested on the seventh.

~Ambrose Bierce

celebrate the Sabbath... in Christ alone...

In Christ Alone
by Keith Getty and Stuart Townend

In Christ alone my hope is found;
He is my light, my strength, my song;
This cornerstone, this solid ground,
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My Comforter, my all in all--
Here in the love of Christ I stand.

In Christ alone, Who took on flesh,
Fullness of God in helpless babe!
This gift of love and righteousness,
Scorned by the ones He came to save.
Till on that cross as Jesus died,
The wrath of God was satisfied;
For ev'ry sin on Him was laid--
Here in the death of Christ I live.

Ther in the ground His body lay,
Light of the world by darkness slain;
Then bursting forth in glorious day,
Up from the grave He rose again!
And as He stands in victory,
Sin's curse has lost its grip on me;
For I am His and He is mine--
Bought with the precious blood of Christ.

No guilt in life, no fear in death--
This is the pow'r of Christ in me;
From life's first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny.
No pow'r of hell, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from His hand;
Till He returns or calls me home--
Here in the pow'r of Christ I'll stand.

celebrate the Sabbath...serving...

"But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you,

then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve,

whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River,

or the gods of the Amorites,

in whose land you are living.

But as for me and my household,

we will serve the LORD."

~Joshua 24:15

celebrate the Sabbath...singing for joy!

Give thanks to the Lord,

call on His name;

make known among the nations

what He has done,

and proclaim that His name is exalted.

Sing to the Lord,

for He has done glorious things;

let this be known to all the world.

Shout aloud and sing for joy,

people of Zion,

for great is the Holy One of Israel among you!"

~Psalm 12:4-6

celebrate the Sabbath...at the Cross...

At The Cross

~Randy & Terry Butler

I know a place, a wonderful place

Where accused and condemned

Find mercy and grace

Where the wrongs we have done

And the wrongs done to us

Were nailed there with Him

There at the cross

At the cross, at the cross

He died for our sin

At the cross,at the cross

He gave us life again

*photo taken at Georgian Orthodox Church near Tbilisi, Georgia

celebrate the Sabbath...with living water!

Whoever believes in me,

as the Scripture has said,

streams of living water

will flow from within him.

~John 7:38

For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; He will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. ~Revelations 7:17

...but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life. ~John 4:14

celebrate the Sabbath... worshipping His Majesty...

"Men are never duly touched and impressed with a conviction of their insignificance, unti they have contrasted themselves with the majesty of God."

~RC Sproul

Majesty (words & music ~Jack Hayford)

Majesty, worship his majesty;

Unto Jesus be all glory, honor, and praise.

Majesty, kingdom authority,

Flow from His throne unto His own, His anthem raise.

So exalt, lift up on high the name of Jesus.

Magnify, come glorify Christ Jesus, the King.

Majesty, worship his majesty,

Jesus who died, now glorified, King of all kings.

celebrate the Sabbath...going away to a solitary place...

When Jesus was tired and the crowds and the 'business of His Father' seemed to become a bit overwhelming...He sought time out with the Father.

He took time to pray.

And to be refreshed in body and spirit...

with a little Sabbath.

"...He withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place..."

~Matthew 14:13

celebrate the Sabbath...worshinping the Lily of the valleys...

I am a rose of Sharon,

a Lily of the valleys...
~Song of Solomon 2:1

He is the Lily of the valley...

celebrate the Sabbath...in praise!

In that day you will say :

"I will praise you, O LORD.

Although you were angry with me,

your anger has turned away

and you have comforted me.

Surely God is my salvation;

I will trust and not be afraid.

The LORD, the LORD, is my strength and my song;

He has become my salvation."

With joy you will draw water

from the wells of salvation.

In that day you will say:

"Give thanks to the LORD, call on His name;

make known among the nations what He has done,

and proclaim that His name is exalted.
Sing to the LORD, for He has done glorious things;

let this be known to all the world.
Shout aloud and sing for joy, people of Zion,

for great is the Holy One of Israel among you."

~Isaiah 12

celebrate the Sabbath...with praise!

short and simple but so very powerful...

How Majestic Is Your Name

~Sandi Patty

O, Lord, our Lord

How majestic is Your Name

in all the earth

O, Lord, our Lord

How majestic is Your Name

in all the earth

O, Lord, we praise Your Name

O Lord, we magnify Your Name

Prince of peace, mighty God

O, Lord God Almighty

Shout it out! Praise His name!

He is amazing!

And He is worthy of our praise!

celebrate the Sabbath... in Prayer..

O God,

Early in the morning do I cry unto Thee.

Help me to pray,

And to think only of Thee.

I cannot pray alone.

In me there is darkness,

but with Thee there is light.

I am lonely, but Thou leavest me not.

I am restless, but with Thee there is peace.

In me there is bitterness, but with Thee there is patience;

Thy ways are past understanding, but

Thou knowest the way for me.

O heavenly Father,

I praise and thank Thee

For the peace of the night.

I praise and thank Thee for this new day.

I praise and thank Thee for all thy goodness

and faithfulness throughout my life.

Thou hast granted me many blessings:

Now let me accept tribulation

from Thy hand...

Thou makest all things work together for good

for Thy children.

~Dietrich Bonhoeffer

celebrate the Sabbath...meditating on the beauty of the Body...

How Beautiful

~Twila Paris

How beautiful the hands that served
the wine and the bread and the sons of the earth.

How beautiful the feet that walked
the long dusty roads and the hills to the cross.

How beautiful...how beautiful...

how beautiful is the body of Christ.

How beautiful the heart that bled
that took all my sin and bore it instead.
How beautiful the tender eyes
that chose to forgive and never despise.

How beautiful...how beautiful...
how beautiful is the body of Christ.

And as He laid down His life
we offer this sacrifice that we will live just as he died:
willing to pay the price, willing to pay the price.

How beautiful the radiant Bride
who waits for her Groom with His light in her eyes.
How beautiful when humble hearts give
the fruit of pure lives so that others may live.

How beautiful...how beautiful
how beautiful is the body of Christ.

How beautiful the feet that bring
the sound of good news and the love of the King.
How beautiful the hands that serve
the wine and the bread and the sons of the earth.

How beautiful...how beautiful
how beautiful is the body of Christ.

celebrate the Sabbath...

O Gracious and Holy Father

~Benedict of Nursia

O gracious and holy Father,

give us wisdom to perceive Thee,

intelligence to understand Thee,

diligence to seek Thee,

patience to wait for Thee,

eyes to behold Thee,

a heart to meditate upon Thee,

and a life to proclaim Thee;

through the power of the Spirit

of Jesus Christ our Lord.

HE IS RISEN!!!

When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus' body. Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb and they asked each other, "Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?" But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. ~Mark 16:1-4

The stone is rolled away...

As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed. ~Mark 16:5

The tomb is EMPTY...

The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. ~Matthew 28:5-6

HE IS RISEN!!!

celebrate the Sabbath...preparing our hearts for the Cross

Golgotha.

Calvary.

This is what it SHOULD have looked like:

Crosses covering the hill.

Hundreds and thousands of crosses.

A line, a mass, of crosses-- stretching as far as the eye can see.

"For ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Romans 3:23

All are deserving of death.

And yet, there were only three crosses on the hill that day--

the center one being the focal point.

That ONE CROSS making a way...

A new way.

A way of LIFE instead of death.

"...the result of one act of righteousness was justification

that brings life for all men." Romans 5:18

And, instead of a hill covered in crosses,

we see but One.

One Cross--bearing ONE MAN--Who dies for the many.

Who takes on the sin of the world.

It is

THIS CROSS,

THIS SACRIFICE,

THIS LOVE

for which we must prepare our hearts.

stained glass windows quote about people

People are like stained glass windows:

they sparkle and shine when the sun is out,

but when the darkness sets in

their true beauty is revealed

only if there is a light within.

~Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

When times of darkness set in, I pray others would be able to see in me true beauty ... that created by the presence of the Light of the world...

and, as in the windows above, that we believers would show to the world a clear and beautiful image of the Savior....

(photos taken at Avalon Community Church, Catalina Island, CA)