The Christ Who died for us,
This is a little ditty I wrote more than twenty years ago. I still sing it. It is God speaking to me and now I'm sharing it with you.
Be anxious for nothing:
I will provide for you.
You are My bride, my church, my wife.
Needs have I met for you,
My table is set for you;
Tested and tried
You've come forth as gold.
It is taken from studying The Scriptures, some of which are these two passages, and asking God (praying) to reveal Himself to me and what He wants me to know:
Matthew 6:25-35
Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air: They do not sow or reap or gather into barns—and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
And why do you worry about clothes? Consider how the lilies of the field grow: They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his glory was adorned like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles strive after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you.
Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Today has enough trouble of its own.
Psalm 23:5
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
God tells us repeatedly in His Word to "worry not, fret not, fear not". But to fully trust in Him for everything. In every situation and circumstance in which we find ourselves we are "stand and withstand" Ephesians 6:13, "be steadfast and immoveable" Colossians 1:23.
He also tell us to seek Him out first. "Seek first the kingdom of God." Matthew 6:33 "In all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your path." Proverbs 3:6 "O God, You are my God, Early will I seek You." Psalm 63:1. Great is the blessing which comes from putting God first in our lives.
Ephesians 5:21-30 speaks of Christ's great love for His church.
Being tested and tried is to be expected, for God sits as a Refiner of His people: Malachi 3:3. The Lord is Tester of Hearts: Proverbs 17:3. We are called to suffer and to suffer for righteousness' sake: 1 Peter 3:14. Only by going through the fire of His love can we expect to come forth as a vessel fit for use, whether we are gold or silver or wood or clay. However God wants to use us to advance His kingdom, we need to be willing partners with Him. Our hearts must align with His heart. And that will only happen if His only begotten Son Jesus Christ is living in our hearts.
Are you ready to be tested and tried? Are you prayed up? Are you filling your hearts and your minds with The Living Word of God? No player goes onto the field without first meeting the requirements of basic game preparedness. No practice, no play. No studying of the game and how it's played, no play. No abiding by team rules and no listening to the coach, no play. If we refuse to obey The Holy Spirt, we will not be able to survive the tests and trials in which God places us for His purposes.
Be anxious for nothing
I will provide for you
You are My bride, my church, my wife
Needs have I met for you
My table is set for you
Tested and tried
You've come forth as gold.
By Terri Schlater - April 7, 2023
At the cross I see His face
On the cross I see His grace
Near the cross I see His blood
But through the cross I see Him rise.
At the cross I hear His groans
On the cross I hear Him speak,
“Father, forgive them for they do not know.”
But through the cross I see Him rise.
Through the cross I must go
To reach the other side
Where Christ has gone before
I now must go through His open door.
At the cross I smell death
On the cross I smell blood
Near the cross it covers me
Bu through the cross I see Him rise.
At the cross I taste victory
On the cross I taste honey in the Rock
Near the cross I taste that the Lord is Good
But through the cross I see Him rise.
Through the cross I must go
To reach the other side
Where Christ has gone before
I now must go through His open door.
At the cross I confess my sins
To God Almighty who forgives
On the cross my sins are nailed
To the Savior God sent to die for me
Near the cross grace is mine
For God has forgiven me.
There’s no other way to conquer death
Than to meet Him on the cross
And go with Him to the grave
To rise in life triumphant
When I have gone through the cross.
Through the cross I am bid
To enter in and be with Him
Through the cross I boldly walk
To find the peace my soul has sought.
Through the cross I can see
My Savior Jesus who waits for me
To take that step Of faith and go
Through the cross and onward home.
"Build Me a tabernacle.
Make Me a sanctuary.
Freely give to Me:
I want your offering.
I want your offering.
IAM the Lord thy God,
You will worship Me.
IAM the Lord thy God
You will worship Me."
I'll build You a tabernacle,
Furnished with precious jewels of Faith
I'll make you a sanctuary:
A garden of delights in a secret place.
You are the Lord my God:
I bring an offering.
You are the Lord my God:
I love Thee, Adore Thee
With all of my heart,
With all of my soul.
I praise Thee, Exalt Thee
I do ............ love You.
You are the Lord my God:
I will worship You.
"Build Me a tabernacle.
Make Me a sanctuary.
Freely give to Me:
I want your offering.
IAM the Lord thy God.
You will worship Me."
You are the LORD my GOD,
I will worship THEE. ............
EVEN NOW
By TerriLynn Schlater
Ain’t no baby in the manger
Ain’t no Jesus on the cross
Ain’t no body in the graveyard
Even now, He isn’t there!
There’s only peace in the manger
There’s only faith on the cross
There’s only joy in the graveyard
Even now, There’s only Jesus.
Even now, There’s only Jesus.
There’s only faith hope and glory
There’s only peace joy and love
There’s only Jesus in this place now
Only Jesus, even now,
There’s only Jesus,
Even now, only Jesus.
There’s only love in the manger
There’s only hope on the cross
There’s only glory in the graveyard
Even now, There’s only Jesus
Even now, There’s only Jesus
There’s only faith hope and glory
There’s only peace joy and love
There’s only Jesus in my heart now
Only Jesus, even now,
There’s only Jesus,
Even now, only Jesus.
IT IS TIME FOR US TO RISE
Son, go and bring My children home;
It is time for them to rise.
It is time to fetch Your bride,
Go bring her now to be at Your side.
(drums here)
It is time! It is time for us to rise!
Here He comes To take His bride!
It is time! It is time for us to rise,
Here Jesus comes to take His bride.
(piano here)
O, Holy Spirit, walk with us
Bring us to our Bridegroom’s love.
O, Holy Spirit, speak through us,
As we gather at God’s throne above.
(drums here)
It is time! It is time for us to rise!
Here He comes To take His bride!
It is time! It is time for us to rise,
Here Jesus comes to take His bride.
But it was only a dream
A dream I keep dreaming
O how my heart longs for that day!
Jesus, I’m calling from a well deep within
The love that is crying out for You
Is more than I can bear
But it was only a dream…..
Before that day
Before that hour
The Spirit of God
And the bride of Christ
Call to the lost who wander in darkness
“Come to the cross”.
Before it is time to rise,
"Come to the cross."
O come to the cross,
And be satisfied.