From CRI..

Hints of Redemption
April 15, 2012

"And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel." (Genesis 3:15)

When Adam and Eve rebelled against God in the Garden of Eden, God pronounced the dreadful curse on all of His creation, from mankind to the animal and plant kingdoms and even the earth itself (Genesis 3:14-19). From that point on, everything began to die, but at the same time God predicted the coming Redeemer who would set things right.

There are several hints of the coming Redeemer in these early chapters of Genesis. Dr. A. T. Pierson, a Bible scholar of the late 1800s and early 1900s, mentioned an unnamed Hebrew scholar, a Jewish rabbi, who held that the names of the 10 pre-Flood patriarchs (Adam to Noah) formed a redemptive sentence when read together. Keep in mind that certain meanings of some of these names are lost in antiquity, but the exercise is interesting, if not definitive. According to the rabbi, Adam means mankind; Seth is appointed; Enos, mortality; Cainan, wailing for the dead; Mahalaleel, God be praised; Jared, He shall descend; Enoch, a mortal man; Methuselah, dismissing death; Lamech, the weary; Noah, rest. Stringing the translations together yields the following sentence: "Mankind is appointed |to| mortality, wailing for the dead. God be praised. He shall descend, a mortal man, dismissing death, |bringing to| the weary, rest."

Modern scholars prefer Enoch as dedicated man, Methuselah as when he dies, judgment, Lamech (uncertainly) as conqueror, and Cainan (very uncertainly) as humiliation. Our sentence now reads "Mankind is appointed |to| mortality, |bringing| humiliation. God be praised. He shall descend, a dedicated man. When He dies |as| judgment, |He will| conquer, |bringing| rest." JDM

Institute for Creation Research

Happy Easter!

What frugal plans are you making for your Easter?


Friday night we got a big treat and watched The Voyage of the Dawn Treader! It was super good.
(This will be on Netflix in another month or so...or you can use your Coke Rewards to buy a free rental ;-)




We will be doing this Bible study... from this site on Saturday....rather than our usual homework on Saturday. :-)

On Sunday we will have a small turkey dinner, an Easter Cake with homemade ice cream,  and watch:


This is a movie that we've had for years.
We also have an Easter Storybook that we read.

I have been making some homemade fabric 'baskets' and we have our old plastic eggs and a secret stash of candy. I made my baskets  like these at Brandy's.... but rather than measure them out, I made a silly 'pattern' of sorts out of the end of a pop box...yeah, crzy, I know!   But we always use the eggs and the signs of spring to remind us of "new life" and the "power of the resurrection". (Anyone heard CRI's latest commercial? They talk about a "resurrection plant" and a "resurrection fern". They dry up and will crumble if you touch them but at the first sprinklings of spring rain, they come alive again! Neat!)

******************************************

If you have Turner Classics:
"King of Kings (1961)" is playing on TCM on Sun, April 24, 2011 01:30 PM est.....
and  "The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965)" is playing on TCM on Sun, April 24, 2011 04:30 PM est.
(We don't have this but I may try to find them online or Netflix.)

Happy Easter and may the Lord help us to make holidays Holy Days, for our families!

O Love of God...Horatius Bonar

O love of God, how strong and true!
Eternal, and yet ever new;
Uncomprehended and unbought,
Beyond all knowledge and all thought.

O love of God, how deep and great!
Far deeper than man’s deepest hate;
Self fed, self kindled, like the light,
Changeless, eternal, infinite.

O heavenly love, how precious still,
In days of weariness and ill,
In nights of pain and helplessness,
To heal, to comfort, and to bless!

O wide embracing, wondrous love!
We read thee in the sky above,
We read thee in the earth below,
In seas that swell, and streams that flow.

We read thee best in Him who came
To bear for us the cross of shame;
Sent by the Father from on high,
Our life to live, our death to die.

We read thy power to bless and save,
E’en in the darkness of the grave;
Still more in resurrection light,
We read the fullness of thy might.

O love of God, our shield and stay
Through all the perils of our way!
Eternal love, in thee we rest
Forever safe, forever blest.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Brethren, We Have Met to Worship by George Atkins

1. Brethren, we have met to worship and adore the Lord our God;
Will you pray with all your power, while we try to preach the Word?
All is vain unless the Spirit of the Holy One comes down;
Brethren, pray, and holy manna will be showered all around.

2. Brethren, see poor sinners round you slumbering on the brink of woe;
Death is coming, hell is moving, can you bear to let them go?
See our fathers and our mothers, and our children sinking down;
Brethren, pray and holy manna will be showered all around.

3. Sisters, will you join and help us? Moses' sister aided him;
Will you help the trembling mourners who are struggling hard with sin?
Tell them all about the Savior, tell them that He will be found;
Sisters, pray, and holy manna will be showered all around.

4. Is there here a trembling jailer, seeking grace, and filled with tears?
Is there here a weeping Mary, pouring forth a flood of tears?
Brethren, join your cries to help them; sisters, let your prayers abound;
Pray, Oh pray that holy manna may be scattered all around.

5. Let us love our God supremely, let us love each other, too;
Let us love and pray for sinners, till our God makes all things new.
Then He'll call us home to Heaven, at His table we'll sit down;
Christ will gird Himself and serve us with sweet manna all around.

Oh bugger- beggars!- and lessons we learn from them

My dh has taught these two about the love of food. Now they harass him every waking minute of the day, especially if he is close to the kitchen.

It's amazing how different their personalities are and how different they are treated as a result. The bigger one, Penny, is a little- how should I say it- dysfunctional! Yeah, she has separation anxiety issues and she's apt to just 'flip out'.

Then, Lil Abby. Abby is our "eternal puppy" and she knows it! She looks like a puppy and acts just as playful as one. She's also called "my humble servant" too. When I call her, she will come and sit in front of me, bow her head and roll over on her back. (Everyone else thinks she's being so humble, but this is only a trick- to a belly rubbin'!)

Our family is learning some valuable lessons from these two. To have mercy and compassion on those who are more helpless and/or who may be vulnerable emotionally.

The other day I used Penny in a lesson with the children. She was really acting up as we had been in and out, going back and forth to the garden. She was crying, howling, and shaking. We are taking steps working with her, but she still has a ways to go.

Well, some of the children had been picking at some of the others. I asked them what did they think would happen to Penny if she was in a pack of dogs. They said they would destroy her. I asked them why. They said they would weed out the weak.

They were right. I then told them that often times there is a tendency in humans to act this same way towards those who are weaker. We often see bullies pick on the kids who appear to be the weakest and least likely to pick back in school.

I then reminded them that we are not animals and we cannot behave that way.

I then reminded them of the kindness and compassion that we show Penny, when she is weak, yet we try to take steps to help her be strong and overcome her weaknesses.

I reminded them that the Bible teaches that a wise man "regards" the life of his beast and how much more people are worth if they are made in His image.

They understood this lesson very well....and they've gotten much better with that behavior!

Prov. 20: 11Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right.

How Firm a Foundation...

"How Firm a Foundation, Ye Saints of the Lord"
by "Keen," 1787, alt.

1. How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in His excellent Word!
What more can He say than to you He hath said
Who unto the Savior for refuge have fled?

2. In every condition, -- in sickness, in health,
In poverty's vale, or abounding in wealth,
At home and abroad, on the land, on the sea, --
The Lord, the Almighty, they strength e'er shall be.

3. "Fear not, I am with thee, oh, be not dismayed,
For I am thy God and will still give thee aid;
I'll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,
Upheld by My righteous, omnipotent hand.

4. "When through the deep waters I call thee to go,
The rivers of sorrow shall not overflow;
For I will be with thee thy troubles to bless
And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.

5. "When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie,
My grace, all-sufficient, shall be thy supply.
The flames shall not hurt thee; I only design
Thy dross to consume and thy gold to refine.

6. "E'en down to old age all My people shall prove
My sovereign, eternal, unchangeable love;
And when hoary hairs shall their temples adorn,
Like lambs they shall still in My bosom be borne.

7. "The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose
I will not, I will not, desert to his foes;
That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I'll never, no never, no never, forsake!"

HE AROSE! -by Rober Lowry

(Verse 1)
Low in the grave He lay, Jesus my Savior,
Waiting the coming day, Jesus my Lord!


(Refrain)
Up from the grave He arose, (He arose!)
With a mighty triumph o'er His foes, (He arose!)
He arose a Victor from the dark domain,
And He lives forever, with His saints to reign.
He arose! (He arose!) He arose! (He arose!)
Hallelujah! Christ arose!


(Verse 2)
Vainly they watch His bed, Jesus my Savior;
Vainly they seal the dead, Jesus my Lord!


(Refrain)
Up from the grave He arose, (He arose!)
With a mighty triumph o'er His foes, (He arose!)
He arose a Victor from the dark domain,
And He lives forever, with His saints to reign.
He arose! (He arose!) He arose! (He arose!)
Hallelujah! Christ arose!


(Verse 3)
Death cannot keep its prey, Jesus my Savior;
He tore the bars away, Jesus my Lord!


(Refrain)
Up from the grave He arose, (He arose!)
With a mighty triumph o'er His foes, (He arose!)
He arose a Victor from the dark domain,
And He lives forever, with His saints to reign.
He arose! (He arose!) He arose! (He arose!)
Hallelujah! Christ arose!

For unto us....

Isa 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

Oh, for a Thousand Tongues to Sing

By: Charles Wesley


Oh, for a thousand tongues to sing
My great Redeemer’s praise,
The glories of my god and King,
The triumphs of his grace!

My gracious Master and my God,
Assist me to proclaim,
To spread through all the earth abroad
The honors of your name.

The name of Jesus charms our fears
And bids our sorrows cease,
Sings music in the sinner’s ears,
Brings life and health and peace.

He breaks the power of canceled sin;
He sets the prisoner free.
His blood can make the foulest clean;
His blood avails for me.

Look to the Lord, who did atone
For sin, O fallen race.
Look and be saved through faith alone,
Be justified by grace.

See all our sins on Jesus laid;
The Lamb has made us whole.
His soul was once an offering made
For every human soul.

To God all glory, praise, and love
Be now and ever given
By saints below and saints above
The Church in earth and heaven.

SCRIPTURE MEMORY FELLOWSHIP...

WOO HOO! Our order from Scripture Memory Fellowship came today!

Everyone was so excited! I let them see all of their prizes, and then re-collected them to put up until they earn the prizes! They get to keep the memory books and each child has a set amount of Scriptures to learn per week. At the end of 4 weeks, they get the first prize! (Unless they can go faster!) Then a second prize is awarded 4 weeks after that, upon memorization of the next set. At the end of 12 weeks, the final prize is awarded! And the program is complete!

SMF, also offers a special camp every summer for memorizers. Those who have completed the program get to come for HALF price!

*********

How many verses do they have to learn per week?

Well, for the programs that I picked:

7yr old- 2 verses per week

8yr old- 3 verses per week

10yr old- 3 to 5 per week

12yr old- 6 to 7 per week

14yr old- 9 per week

17yr old- 12 per week

As you can see, it will be work!

Visit Scripture Memory Fellowship for more details and to enroll your family!

Remember- all ages can join!

TEN THOUSAND TIMES TEN THOUSAND

Ten thousand times ten thousand in sparkling raiment bright,
The armies of the ransomed saints throng up the steeps of light;
’Tis finished, all is finished, their fight with death and sin;
Fling open wide the golden gates, and let the victors in.

What rush of alleluias fills all the earth and sky!
What ringing of a thousand harps bespeaks the triumph nigh!
O day, for which creation and all its tribes were made;
O joy, for all its former woes a thousandfold repaid!

O then what raptured greetings on Canaan’s happy shore;
What knitting severed friendships up, where partings are no more!
Then eyes with joy shall sparkle, that brimmed with tears of late;
Orphans no longer fatherless, nor widows desolate.

Bring near Thy great salvation, Thou Lamb for sinners slain;
Fill up the roll of Thine elect, then take Thy power, and reign;
Appear, Desire of nations, Thine exiles long for home;
Show in the heaven Thy promised sign; Thou Prince and Savior, come.

Chief of Sinners by William McComb

Chief of sinners though I be,
Jesus shed His blood for me;
Died that I might live on high,
Died that I might never die;
As the branch is to the vine,
I am His, and He is mine.

O the height of Jesus’ love!
Higher than the Heaven above;
Deeper than the deepest sea,
Lasting as eternity;
Love that found me—wondrous thought!
Found me when I sought Him not!

Jesus only can impart
Balm to heal the smitten heart;
Peace that flows from sin forgiven,
Joy that lifts the soul to Heaven;
Faith and hope to walk with God
In the way that Enoch trod.

Chief of sinners though I be,
Christ is all in all to me;
All my wants to Him are known,
All my sorrows are His own;
Safe with Him from earthly strife,
He sustains the hidden life.

O my Savior, help afford
By Thy Spirit and Thy Word!
When my wayward heart would stray,
Keep me in the narrow way;
Grace in time of need supply
While I live and when I die.

WATCH AND SEE!

One Scarred Hand.....

This song has continued to bless my heart for years. It was a regular 'special' in the church that I attended when I first got saved, years ago.
It is a blessing to know, that the brokenness of our lives today CAN BE MENDED!
Praise His Name!

FAITHFUL SHEPHERD, FEED ME

FAITHFUL SHEPHERD, FEED ME
by
Thomas B Pollock



Faithful Shepherd, feed me
In the pastures green;
Faithful Shepherd, lead me
Where Thy steps are seen.

Hold me fast, and guide me
In the narrow way;
So, with Thee beside me,
I shall never stray.

Daily bring me nearer
To the heav’nly shore;
Make my faith grow clearer,
May I love Thee more.

Hallow every pleasure,
Every gift and pain;
Be Thyself my treasure,
Though none else I gain.

Day by day prepare me
As Thou seest best,
Then let angels bear me
To Thy promised rest.

Which way is it?

As the Church goes, so goes the world
OR
as the world goes, so goes the Church?

...I don't know of a soul who isn't looking to the current events and thinking "what on earth is wrong with people?" "the world's gone mad" "the whole country is going liberal" "would the real conservatives please stand up" "what about what the Founding Fathers said?" "separation of church and state?!?!" "look at the Church!" "there's less Christians now".........

And yes, I wonder about all of that too.

But I tried to start the examination with myself first.
Am I more liberal than I used to be? Have I obeyed God's Word as I should have? Have I let parts of it be washed away with liberal teachings 'about it' rather than what it actually says? Have I voted? Have I made my voice count? Have I taught my children? Am I letting television, radio, or games 'train them up in the way they should go'?

Has my salt lost its savour?

Am I salty? Am I a light on a hill? (Matthew 5:13-14) Or am I just like the rest of the world? Do I dress like them? Do I talk like them? Do I watch what they watch? Do I listen to the same sort of things that they listen to? Do I go to the same places that they go? Are my priorities similar to theirs? Do I believe every word of the Bible? (2Tim. 3:16) -Even most of the world believes SOME of it!- Do I really believe EVERY word of it?

Now, it is very hard,, in flesh, to live up to all of it. And that is why we so desperately need Christ's righteousness, BUT it is quite another thing to say "I don't believe that part of it". Is that where liberalism starts? With me? With my home? With my church? With my community? With my town? With my state? With my beloved country?

It really is a big deal to add to it or take away from it, isn't it?
Does it start with the world or the church?
...........OR WITH ME?

Stuck in today?

Snow, cold, sickness, etc got you home-bound today?
Here's a great site for some old-fashioned preaching!
You can listen and watch entire sermons!
Just click on the blue links.

FAR OFF, O GOD, AND YET MOST NEAR

by Henry H Barber

Far off, O God, and yet most near,
Unseen, yet shining clear in all,
Thy presence moves, Thy ways appear,
In system’s rise and sparrow’s fall.

Thy purpose through the ages ran,
Thy Word Thy prophets bore abroad,
Thy love became a Son of Man,
To make men with Him sons of God.

Our eyes Thy loveliness discern,
Where nature weaves Thy wondrous dress,
And in sweet human lives we learn
The beauty of Thy holiness.

Our lives within Thy being stand,
Our sciences omniscience prove,
Thy law is but Thy clasping hand,
Thine order is Thy perfect love.

Think it not strange....

On a day that supposed to be filled with love, I can't help but to be reminded of a verse that speaks of a lack of love in relation to this current world: John 15:19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.

I want to encourage you, that if you have those types of issues in your life, that you are loved by God! You are chosen, out of the world, by Him!

Now the strife you are facing may not come directly as a confrontation on your Christianity, but there may yet be a 'hatred' or 'strong dislike'. Again, think it not strange! See here:
1 Pet 4:12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:1 Pet 4:13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.

Did you notice that very first word in those verses? Be-loved!?!??!!!!
You are loved!!!
Now, the rest of the verse: Rejoice! You will be made glad when his glory is revealed!
Take heart, and wait...2 Th 3:5 And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ.
If you have His love...you have all you need!
Rom. 8:39 Says that nothing can separate you from His love!
2 Cor 13:14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.

Judgment: Alone with my Conscience

(Moody read this at the close of a sermon called Hell.)
I sat alone with my conscience,

In a place where time was o'er.

And we talked of my former living,

In the land of the evermore.

And I felt I should have to answer,

The question it put to me.

And to face the answer and question,

Throughout an eternity.

The ghosts of forgotten actions,

Came floating before my sight.

And things that I thought had perished,

Were alive with a terrible might.

And the vision of life's dark record,

Was an awful thing to face.

Alone with my conscience sitting,

In that solemnly silent place.

And I thought of a far away warning,

Of a sorrow that was to be mine.

In a land that then was the future,

But now is the present time.

And I thought of my former thinking,

Of the Judgment day to be.

But sitting alone with my conscience,

Seemed Judgment enough for me.

And I wondered if there was a future,

To this land beyond the grave.

But no one gave me an answer,

And no one came to save.

Then I felt that the future was present,

And the present would never go by.

For it was but the thought of a future,

Become an eternity.

Then I woke from my timely dreaming,

And the vision passed away.

And I knew the far away warning,

Was a warning of yesterday.

And I pray that I may not forget it,

In this land before the grave.

That I may not cry in the future,

And no one come to save.

I have learned a solemn lesson,

Which I ought to have known before.

And which though I learned it dreaming,

I hope to forget no more.

So I sit alone with my conscience,

In the place where the years increase.

And I try to fathom the future,

In the land where time will cease.

And I know of the future judgment,

How dreadful soe'er it be.

That to sit alone with my conscience,

Will be Judgment enough for me.