A Thought for the Day

"God has to hide from us what He does until by personal character we get to the place where He can reveal it." Oswald Chambers.

A Song for the Week - "There's Room at the Cross for You"

Click here: Room at The Cross

The cross upon which Jesus died
Is a shelter in which we can hide
And its grace so free is sufficient for me
And deep is its fountain as wide as the sea.

Chorus
There's room at the cross for you
There's room at the cross for you
Though millions have come, there's still room for one
Yes there's room at the cross for you.

Though millions have found him a friend
And have turned from the sins they have sinned
The Savior still waits to open the gates
And welcome a sinner before it's too late.

Chorus
There's room at the cross for you
There's room at the cross for you
Though millions have come, there's still room for one
Yes there's room at the cross for you.

The hand of my Savior is strong
And the love of my Savior is long
Through sunshine or rain, through loss or in gain,
The blood flows from Calvary to cleanse every stain.

Chorus
There's room at the cross for you
There's room at the cross for you
Though millions have come, there's still room for one
Yes there's room at the cross for you.

Scripture Thought for the Day

"When a person's steps follow the Lord, God is pleased with his ways. If he stumbles, he will not fall, because the Lord holds his hand." Psalm 37:23-24, New Century Version

Scripture and Thought for the Day

"The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me..." (Psalm 138:8).

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to worship at my home church and preach for the anniversary of the Junior Church of Mother AME Zion Church in Harlem. It was a beautiful day, it brought back many, many treasured and fond memories that moved me deeply. My godmother, who was my mother's best friend, was in attendance, as well as several of the friends my mother grew up with in Mother Zion Church. One friend of my mother's brought to me a picture of my mother when she was about 15 years old. Another church member brought me a copy of a youth program at Mother Zion from 1967, which he thought I might be interested in because it had my name on the program as one of the youth participants.

During the worship, member of the church customarily welcomes the visitors (they used to call this "The Courtesy Guild"). Yesterday, Mr. Dabney Montgomery, who was also my Sunday school teacher as a youth (he is now 85 years old), did the honors. Just before extending the official welcome to the visitors, he told us that yesterday, March 21, was the 45th anniversary of the completion of the Civil Rights march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama; the first march, which began on March 7, 1965, ended violently and became known as "Blood Sunday." Mr. Montgomery, who grew up in Selma, was one of the marchers that day in the struggle for freedom. His comments then continued as he tied in the struggle for civil rights and the march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge 45 years ago to the struggle for universal health care, which culminated yesterday in the historic vote of the Congress to pass this measure.

His comments brought to mind a Scripture that I thought appropriate to share with you: "The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me..." (Psalm 138:8).

The convergence of events yesterday made this Scripture come alive for me in a new way. Forty-five years later ago, a milestone in the march towards freedom and equality is reached; forty-three years ago, a little boy participates in a youth program who later becomes a pastor and guest preacher in that same church. All this goes to show that God is at work in our lives even now, in ways we cannot fully appreciate or understand. But we do know and are encouraged by this: "The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me..."

Scripture Thought for the Day

Psalms 37:5-8

"Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you. He will make your innocence radiate like the dawn, and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun. Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act. Don't worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes. Stop being angry! Turn from your rage! Do not lose your temper— it only leads to harm."

A Song for the Week

Thanks to you all for the encouraging response to the song I sent last week. From now on, I am going to try to send a song each week for us to meditate on as we continue our journey with the Lord.

Click here: Are You Washed in the Blood?

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?

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?

Are you walking daily by the Savior’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?

Refrain

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?

Refrain

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

A Thought for the Day

Abandonment is not for anything at all. We have got so commercialized that we only go to God for something from Him, and not for Himself. It is like saying, "No, Lord, I don't want You, I want myself; but I want myself clean and filled with the Holy Ghost; I want to be put in Your showroom and be able to say, 'This is what God has done for me.'" If we only give up something to God because we want more back, there is nothing of the Holy Spirit in our abandonment; it is miserable commercial self-interest (Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest)

A Thought (Song) for the Day

If you'd like to sing along, I've attached the tune here as well.
Click here: Burdens are Lifted at Calvary

Days are filled with sorrow and care,
Hearts are lonely and drear;
Burdens are lifted at Calvary,
Jesus is very near.

Cast your care on Jesus today,
Leave your worry and fear;
Burdens are lifted at Calvary,
Jesus is very near.

Troubled soul, the Saviour can see,
Ev'ry heartache and tear;
Burdens are lifted at Calvary
Jesus is very near.

(Chorus) Burdens are lifted at Calvary,
Calvary, Calvary,
Burdens are lifted at Calvary,
Jesus is very near.

A Thought for the Day

"Our soul waits for the Lord; he is our help and shield. Our heart is glad in him,
because we trust in his holy name. Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us,
even as we hope in you." Psalm 33:20-22

Let us be encouraged to continue to pray. I also appeal to you all to join us at the church for our Prayer Meetings on Wednesdays at 6 p.m.

A Thought for the Day

"Blessed is the person whose disobedience is forgiven and whose sin is pardoned. Blessed is the person whom the Lord no longer accuses of sin and who has no deceitful thoughts. When I kept silent {about my sins}, my bones began to weaken because of my groaning all day long. Day and night your hand lay heavily on me. My strength shriveled in the summer heat.

Selah.

I made my sins known to you, and I did not cover up my guilt. I decided to confess them to you, O Lord. Then you forgave all my sins.

Selah.

For this reason let all godly people pray to you when you may be found."

Psalm 32:1-6a

"Confession is the act that brings sin out into the open and lets God take care of it." Eugene Peterson

A Scripture and Thought for the Day

"Blessed be the Lord, for he has wondrously shown his steadfast love to me when I was beset as a city under siege. I had said in my alarm, 'I am driven far from your sight.' But you heard my supplications when I cried out to you for help" (Psalm 31:21-22).

Eugene Peterson says of this passage, "A person in trouble is like a city under siege: the very defense system that had been constructed to keep the enemy out is now used to keep the citizens in. Our own defenses, however useful they are for a time, finally become part of our problem. What we need is not a better defense against evil, but a better deliverance from it."