...encouragement to my heart through His ever present ministry



March on, my soul, with strength,
March forward, void of fear;
He who hath led will lead,
While year succeedeth year;
And as thou goest on thy way,
His hand shall hold thee day by day.

March on, my soul, with strength,
In ease thou dar'st not dwell;
High duty calls thee forth;
Then up, and quit thee well!
Take up thy cross, take up thy sword,
And fight the battles of thy Lord!

March on, my soul, with strength,
With strength, but not thine own;
The conquest thou shalt gain,
Through Christ thy Lord alone;
His grace shall nerve thy feeble arm,
His love preserve thee safe from harm.

March on, my soul, with strength,
From strength to strength march on;
Warfare shall end at length,
All foes be overthrown,
Then, O my soul, if faithful now,
The crown of life awaits thy brow.



Tune: Christchurch (Steggall)
[url=http://www.oremus.org/hymnal/w/w069.html]http://www.oremus.org/hymnal/w/w069.html[/url]

[url=http://wesley.nnu.edu/charles_wesley/hymns/music/BOOK2%20MP3/021.mp3]http://wesley.nnu.edu/charles_wesley/hymns/music/BOOK2%20MP3/021.mp3[/url]

[url=http://cyberhymnal.org/htm/g/r/greatkog.htm]http://cyberhymnal.org/htm/g/r/greatkog.htm[/url]



1 Corinthians 8:9 - 13
But beware lest somehow this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to those who are weak.

For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol's temple, will not the conscience of him who is weak be emboldened to eat those things offered to idols? And because of your knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? But when you thus sin against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ.

Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never again eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.

... His many blessings during the passing year but mostly for Himself



The Lord’s my Shepherd, I’ll not want.
He makes me down to lie
In pastures green: He leadeth me
The quiet waters by.

My soul He doth restore again;
And me to walk doth make
Within the paths of righteousness,
Even for His own Name’s sake.

Yea, though I walk in death’s dark vale,
Yet will I fear none ill:
For Thou art with me; and Thy rod
And staff me comfort still.

My table Thou hast furnished
In presence of my foes;
My head Thou dost with oil anoint,
And my cup overflows.

Goodness and mercy all my life
Shall surely follow me:
And in God’s house for evermore
My dwelling-place shall be.



Tune: Crimond
[url=http://www.billysloan.co.uk/songs/the_lords_my_shepherd_ill_not_want1.html]http://www.billysloan.co.uk/songs/the_lords_my_shepherd_ill_not_want1.html[/url]

[url=http://www.hymnal.net/Hymns/Hymnal/midi/e0198_i.mid]http://www.hymnal.net/Hymns/Hymnal/midi/e0198_i.mid[/url]




1 Corinthians 9:1, 2

Am I not an apostle?

Am I not free?

Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord?

Are you not my work in the Lord?

If I am not an apostle to others, yet doubtless I am to you. For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.

[b][color=000000] Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men![/color][/b]

Today I am thankfull to God for beauty, not only in nature, but in truth.

I'm thankful to God for so many tender mercies unto my soul.

I thank and praise God for this website and for brothers and sisters with whom to share the bounties of God in Christ. I thank God for you all!

Thank you God thank you thank you thank you!

_________________
Christopher Joel Dandrow

... strength for today and many tokens of His love




Conquering now and still to conquer, rideth a King in His might;
Leading the host of all the faithful into the midst of the fight;
See them with courage advancing, clad in their brilliant array,
Shouting the Name of their Leader, hear them exultingly say:

[i]Refrain[/i]
[i]Not to the strong is the battle,
Not to the swift is the race,
Yet to the true and the faithful
Vict’ry is promised through grace.[/i]

Conquering now and still to conquer, who is this wonderful King?
Whence are the armies which He leadeth, while of His glory they sing?
He is our Lord and Redeemer, Savior and Monarch divine;
They are the stars that forever bright in His kingdom shall shine.

[i]Refrain[/i]

Conquering now and still to conquer, Jesus, Thou Ruler of all,
Thrones and their scepters all shall perish, crowns and their splendor shall fall,
Yet shall the armies Thou leadest, faithful and true to the last,
Find in Thy mansions eternal rest, when their warfare is past.

[i]Refrain[/i]



Tune: Conquering
[url=http://www.ccel.org/cceh/0010/001047a.mid]http://www.ccel.org/cceh/0010/001047a.mid[/url]

[url=http://www.hymnal.net/Hymns/Hymnal/midi/e0878_i.mid]http://www.hymnal.net/Hymns/Hymnal/midi/e0878_i.mid[/url]




1 Corinthians 9:3 - 6
My defense to those who examine me is this: Do we have no right to eat and drink?

Do we have no right to take along a believing wife, as do also the other apostles, the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas?

Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working?

... His continuing to refine my understanding, and without condemnation for what I had not understood previously...



My heart is full of Christ, and longs
Its glorious matter to declare!
Of Him I make my loftier song,
I cannot from His praise forbear;
My ready tongue makes haste to sing
The glories of my heavenly King.

Fairer than all the earth-born race,
Perfect in comeliness Thou art;
Replenished are Thy lips with grace,
And full of love Thy tender heart:
God ever blest! we bow the knee,
And own all fullness dwells in Thee.

Gird on Thy thigh the Spirit’s sword,
And take to Thee Thy power divine;
Stir up Thy strength, almighty Lord,
All power and majesty are Thine:
Assert Thy worship and renown;
O all redeeming God, come down!

Come, and maintain Thy righteous cause,
And let Thy glorious toil succeed;
Dispread the victory of Thy cross,
Ride on, and prosper in Thy deed;
Through earth triumphantly ride on,
And reign in every heart alone


[i]Charles Wesley[/i]


Tune: Carey's Surrey
[url=http://ccel.org/cceh/0010/001089a.mid]http://ccel.org/cceh/0010/001089a.mid[/url]

[url=http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/m/h/mhisfull.htm]http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/m/h/mhisfull.htm[/url]



1 Corinthians 9:7 - 9
Who ever goes to war at his own expense?

Who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its fruit?

Or who tends a flock and does not drink of the milk of the flock?

Do I say these things as a mere man?

Or does not the law say the same also? For it is written in the law of Moses, "You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain."

Is it oxen God is concerned about?

... undertaking in many ways, for my health and safety



There is a river that flows from God above.
There is a fountain, that’s filled with His great love.
Come to the water, there is a vast supply.
There is a river, that never shall run dry.


Thou, Lord, art worthy of all my heartfelt praise,
Thou, Lord, hast conquered to reign through endless days,
Thou, Lord art risen, ascended far above,
Thou, Lord, hast given the Spirit of Thy love.


There is a river that flows from God above.
There is a fountain, that’s filled with His great love.
Come to the water, there is a vast supply.
There is a river, that never shall run dry.


Thou, Lord, art worthy of all my heartfelt praise,
Thou, Lord, hast conquered to reign through endless days,
Thou, Lord art risen, ascended far above,
Thou, Lord, hast given the Spirit of Thy love.



[url=http://my.homewithgod.com/heavenlymidis2/ariver.html]http://my.homewithgod.com/heavenlymidis2/ariver.html[/url]




1 Corinthians 9:10 - 12
Or does He say it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written, that he who plows should plow in hope, and he who threshes in hope should be partaker of his hope.

If we have sown spiritual things for you, is it a great thing if we reap your material things?

If others are partakers of this right over you, are we not even more?

Nevertheless we have not used this right, but endure all things lest we hinder the gospel of Christ.

... joining me in the Spirit with geniune brothers and sisters in Christ, who cannot but draw me into deeper conformity with His life



Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me!
Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me!
Melt me.
Mold me.
Fill me.
Use me!
Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me!



[url=http://www.viadecristo.lv/midi/spiritof.mid]http://www.viadecristo.lv/midi/spiritof.mid[/url]



1 Corinthians 9:13 - 15
Do you not know that those who minister the holy things eat of the things of the temple, and those who serve at the altar partake of the offerings of the altar?

[b]Even so the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel.[/b] But I have used none of these things, nor have I written these things that it should be done so to me; for it would be better for me to die than that anyone should make my boasting void.

... a freshness and strength from on High...



Praise for Thee, Lord, in Zion waits;
Prayer shall besiege Thy temple gates;
All flesh shall to Thy throne repair,
And find through Christ salvation there.

Our spirits faint; our sins prevail;
Leave not our trembling hearts to fail:
O Thou that hearest prayer, descend,
And still be found the sinner’s friend.

How blest Thy saints! how safely led!
How surely kept! how richly fed!
Savior of all in earth and sea,
How happy they who rest in Thee.

Thy hand sets fast the mighty hills,
Thy voice the troubled ocean stills;
Evening and morning hymn Thy praise,
And earth, Thy bounty, wide displays.

The year is with Thy goodness crowned;
Thy clouds drop wealth the world around;
Through Thee the deserts laugh and sing,
And nature smiles and owns her King.

Lord, on our souls Thy Spirit pour;
The moral waste within restore;
O let Thy love our springtide be,
And make us all bear fruit to Thee.



Tune: Seasons
[url=www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/p/l/pl4thinz.htm]www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/p/l/pl4thinz.htm[/url]



1 Corinthians 9:16 - 18
For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel!

For if I do this willingly, I have a reward; but if against my will, I have been entrusted with a stewardship.

What is my reward then?

That when I preach the gospel, I may present the gospel of Christ without charge, that I may not abuse my authority in the gospel.

After being a Christian almost all my life, I want to thank the LORD for showing me what He did for me on the cross. I knew the scriptures, but I didn't know that He paid the price for my sins, I was reading a sermon called "Free Grace" in a 1885 Christian newspaper and I was totally blown away. I was brought up in "works" churches, part grace, part works. Constantly striving to be right with God, and there it was before my eyes, that Christ's blood, His atonement is all sufficient, I can add nothing more to it. I can't better myself to make Him accept me anymore than He already has.

This was a revelation to me. I thank God that He had mercy on me to tell me about it today.

I thought that if I got rid of one particular sin that I would be in better standing with the LORD. But He loves me now just the same, and I know today that He loves me just the way I am and He will deliver me in His time.

Oh, thank you Jesus for showing me this truth. Thank you thank you thank you thank you.

... a surprisingly good day. Hallelujah!



The Lord bless you and keep you
The Lord lift His countenance upon you,
And give you peace, and give you peace;
The Lord make His face to shine upon you,
And be gracious, and be gracious;
The Lord be gracious, gracious unto you.



[url=http://cyberhymnal.org/htm/l/o/r/lordbuku.htm]http://cyberhymnal.org/htm/l/o/r/lordbuku.htm[/url]




1 Corinthians 9:19 - 22
For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more; and to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law; to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law; to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak.