It is difficult to define Hiraeth, but to me it means the consciousness of man being out of his home area and that which is dear to him. That is why it can be felt even among a host of peoples amidst nature's beauty. D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
. . like a Christian yearning for Heaven. . .
Sunday, September 30, 2007 at 09:30PM I've been busily updating the Bookmarks gallery this afternoon and evening.
I'm about half way through so, if you've got a few minutes, why don't you go see what I've been up to?
Sunday, September 30, 2007 at 07:07AM The Head that Once was Crowned
The head that once was crowned with thorns
Is crowned with glory now;
A royal diadem adorns
The mighty victor's brow.
The highest place that heaven affords
Belongs to Him by right;
The King of kings and Lord of lords,
And heaven's eternal Light.
The joy of all who dwell above,
The joy of all below,
To whom He manifests His love,
And grants His Name to know.
To them the cross with all its shame,
With all its grace, is given;
Their name an everlasting name,
Their joy the joy of heaven.
They suffer with their Lord below;
They reign with Him above;
Their profit and their joy to know
The mystery of His love.
The cross He bore is life and health,
Though shame and death to Him,
His people's hope, His people's wealth,
Their everlasting theme.
Hebrews 2:7-9
You have made him a little lower than the angels;
You have crowned him with glory and honor,
And set him over the works of Your hands.
You have put all things in subjection under his feet.”
For in that He put all in subjection under him, He left nothing that is not put under him. But now we do not yet see all things put under him. But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone.
Sunday, September 30, 2007 at 06:55AM 
September 30
Needs To Open Our Mouths
Open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it - Psalm 81:10
What an encouragement to pray! Our human notions would lead us to ask small things because our deservings are so small; but the Lord would have us request great blessings. Prayer should be as simple a matter as the opening of the mouth; it should be a natural, unconstrained utterance. When a man is earnest he opens his mouth wide, and our text urges us to be fervent in our supplications.
Yet it also means that we may make bold with God and ask many and large blessings at His hands, Read the whole verse, and see the argument: "I am Jehovah, thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt: open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it." Because the Lord has given us so much He invites us to ask for more, yea, to expect more.
See how the little birds in their nests seem to be all mouth when the mother comes to feed them. Let it be the same with us. Let us take in grace at every door. Let us drink it in as a sponge sucks up the water in which it lies. God is ready to fill us if we are only ready to be filled. Let our needs make us open our mouths; let our faintness cause us to open our mouths and pant; yea, let our alarm make us open our mouths with a child's cry. The opened mouth shall be filled by the Lord Himself. So be it unto us, O Lord, this day.
Charles Haddon Spurgeon
Sunday, September 30, 2007 at 06:54AM Do you realize that if you do not pay attention to your spiritual condition it will deteriorate on its own? Do you realize, given the corrupt nature of this world and of your heart, that you naturally become dull and then deadened spiritually, steadily believing the lies of this evil age? Without giving heed to the spiritual resources God provides, your heart will revert to greed, avarice, sensuality, and malice--all those characteristics that define our natural state in sin and lead to destruction.
Richard Phillips, Hebrews, pg. 48
Saturday, September 29, 2007 at 06:41PM . . . finally! I haven't updated the Bookworm Gallery for quite some time because I wanted to be able to watermark my work. I finally have a program that allows me to do that, so over the next week or so, I'll be bringing the gallery up to date.
Here is a commissioned piece I just finished today.
The frame is black, so it's a little hard to see.
Saturday, September 29, 2007 at 05:38AM September 29
To Glorify Christ Jesus
He shall glorify Me: for He shall receive of Mine, and shall shew it unto you - John 16:14
The Holy Ghost Himself cannot better glorify the Lord Jesus than by showing to us Christ's own things. Jesus is His own best commendation. There is no adorning Him except with his own gold.
The Comforter shows us that which He has received of our Lord Jesus. We never see anything aright till He reveals it. He has a way of opening our minds and of opening the Scriptures, and by this double process He sets forth our Lord to us. There is much art in setting forth a matter, and that art belongs in the highest degree to the Spirit of truth. He shows us the things themselves. This is a great privilege, as those know who have enjoyed the hallowed vision.
Let us seek the illumination of the Spirit; not to gratify our curiosity, nor even to bring us personal comfort, so much as to glorify the Lord Jesus. Oh, to have worthy ideas of Him! Groveling notions dishonor our precious Lord. Oh, to have such vivid impressions of His person, and work, and glory that we may with heart and soul cry out to His praise! Where there is a heart enriched by the Holy Ghost's teaching there will be a Savior glorified beyond expression. Come, Holy Spirit, heavenly light, and show us Jesus our Lord!
Charles Haddon Spurgeon
Friday, September 28, 2007 at 05:46AM September 28
Work Is Done; Rest In Him
There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God - Hebrews 4:9
God has provided a Sabbath, and some must enter into it. Those to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief; therefore, that Sabbath remains for the people of God. David sang of it; but he had to touch the minor key, for Israel refused the rest of God. Joshua could not give it, nor Canaan yield it: it remains for believers.
Come, then, let us labor to enter into this rest. Let us quit the weary toil of sin and self. Let us cease from all confidence, even in those works of which it might be said, "They are very good." Have we any such? Still, let us cease from our own works, as God did from His. Now let us find solace in the finished work of our Lord Jesus. Everything is fully done: justice demands no more. Great peace is our portion in Christ Jesus.
As to providential matters, the work of grace in the soul and the work of the Lord in the souls of others, let us cast these burdens upon the Lord and rest in Him. When the Lord gives us a yoke to bear, He does so that by taking it up we may find rest. By faith we labor to enter into the rest of God, and we renounce all rest in self-satisfaction or indolence. Jesus Himself is perfect rest, and we are filled to the brim in Him.
Charles Haddon Spurgeon
Thursday, September 27, 2007 at 09:55PM 
Which team wants it less - the Cubs or the Brewers? By Sunday, will we be singing Go Cubs Go or the Dying Cubs Fans Last Request? After watching the Cubs lose their third straight to Florida today I was sure Milwaukee would take advantage and close the lead to one game. But as I write this they have made as many errors (5) as they've scored runs, and trail San Diego by four. Looks like they'll lose two in a row.
I expected to write something earlier in the week but have been waiting for Chicago to wrap up their division. Guess I'll have to wait a little longer. To tide Cub fans over, here is a link to an interesting article in the Chicago Tribune about Steve Goodman who wrote Go Cubs Go.
At least my favorite team the Cleveland Indians are in. Just waiting on who they'll play in the first round of the playoffs - the Red Sox or the Yankees.
More to come this weekend once things are decided.
Tom
Thursday, September 27, 2007 at 12:29PM | You Belong in Winter |
 You're happy to be at home, wrapped in a blanket, completely snowed in Whether you're lighting a fire or having a snowball fight, you always feel best in the winter. |
Thursday, September 27, 2007 at 07:59AM 
Translucent
An army of words
standing at attention.
Can you read my heart?
Photo by Laura Salas
Used by Permission
Today I am again combining Thursday's "In 15 Words or Less" with "Poetry Friday."
"In 15 Words or Less" is a Photo/Poetry Challenge. Each week, a new photo is posted at LauraSalas and the challenge is to write a poem in 15 Words or Less. I have given myself an additional challenge: do it in 15 minutes or less. So for I don't think I've spent much more than 5 minutes composing a poem.
AmoXcalli is hosting Poetry Friday tomorrow. You can find more Poetry Friday entries over there. If you want to play along, you can find the hosting schedule for Poetry Friday in the sidebar at Big A little a
Thursday, September 27, 2007 at 05:30AM September 27
The Divine Light In Darkness
For Thou wilt light my candle - Psalm 18:28
It may be that my soul sits in darkness; and if this be of a spiritual kind, no human power can bring me light. Blessed be God! He can enlighten my darkness and at once light my candle. Even though I may be surrounded by a "darkness which might be felt," yet He can break the gloom and immediately make it bright around me.
The mercy is that if He lights the candle none can blow it out, neither will it go out for lack of substance, nor burn out of itself through the lapse of hours. The lights which the LORD kindled in the beginning are shining still. The LORD's lamps may need trimming, but He does not put them out.
Let me, then, listen to the nightingale sing in the dark. Expectation shall furnish me with music, and hope shall pitch the tune. Soon I shall rejoice in a candle of God's lighting. I am dull and dreary just now. Perhaps it is the weather, or bodily weakness, or the surprise of a sudden trouble; but whatever has made the darkness, it is God alone who will bring the light. My eyes are unto Him alone. I shall soon have the candles of the LORD shining about me; and, further on in His own good time, I shall be where they need no candle, neither light of the sun. Hallelujah!
Charles Haddon Spurgeon
Wednesday, September 26, 2007 at 05:41AM
September 26
Among The Redeemed
Lo, the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be redeemed among the nations - Numbers 23:9
Who would wish to dwell among the nations and to be numbered with them? Why, even the professing church is such that to follow the Lord fully within its bounds is very difficult. There is such a mingling and mixing that one often sighs for "a lodge in some vast wilderness."
Certain it is that the Lord would have His people follow a separated path as to the world and come out decidedly and distinctly from it. We are set apart by the divine decree, purchase, and calling, and our inward experience has made us greatly to differ from men of the world; and therefore our place is not in their Vanity Fair, nor in their City of Destruction, but in the narrow way where all true pilgrims must follow their Lord.
This may not only reconcile us to the world's cold shoulder and sneers but even cause us to accept them with pleasure as being a part of our covenant portion. Our names are not in the same book, we are not of the same seed, we are not bound for the same place, neither are we trusting to the same guide; therefore it is well that we are not of their number. Only let us be found in the number of the redeemed, and we are content to be off and solitary to the end of the chapter.
Charles Haddon Spurgeon
Tuesday, September 25, 2007 at 08:13AM The Indians have clinched the AL Central and the Cubs are in first place in the NL Central and Baseball Fever is in full swing at our house. With the enduring hope that both of our family's favorite teams will be in the playoffs this year, I've asked my former sports writer husband (former being "sports writer", not husband!) to be a guest blogger through the playoffs and (hopefully) into the World Series.
This should be fun!
Tuesday, September 25, 2007 at 07:17AM 
Yippee! Rebecca is starting another series! All of Rebecca's series are interesting and educational and this one promises to be theologically informative, too.
Theological Term of the Week
This is a new feature I’m introducing. Once a week I hope to give a very brief explanation of a theological term, include a few quotes on it, and link to some resources that may explain the term and the issues around it more fully.
The first term she is exploring is the perspicuity of Scripture. Like so many great creeds of the faith, Rebecca is starting her instruction with Scripture. A great place to start. I'd subscribe if I were you.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007 at 07:02AM September 25
The Sacrifice Has Been Accepted
If the Lord were pleased to kill us, He would not have received a burnt offering and a meat offering at our hands, neither would He have showed us all these things - Judges 13:23
This is a sort of promise deduced by logic. It is an inference fairly drawn from ascertained facts. It was not likely that the Lord had revealed to Manoah and his wife that a son would be born to them and yet had it in His heart to destroy them. The wife reasoned well, and we shall do well if we follow her line of argument.
The Father has accepted the great sacrifice of Calvary and has declared Himself well pleased therewith; how can He now be pleased to kill us! Why a substitute if the sinner must still perish? The accepted sacrifice of Jesus puts an end to fear.
The Lord has shown us our election, our adoption, our union to Christ, our marriage to the Well-beloved: how can He now destroy us? The promises are loaded with blessings, which necessitate our being preserved unto eternal life. It is not possible for the Lord to cast us away and yet fulfill His covenant. The past assures us, and the future reassures us. We shall not die but live, for we have seen Jesus, and in Him we have seen the Father by the illumination of the Holy Ghost. Because of this life-giving sight we must live forever.
Charles Haddon Spurgeon
Sunday, September 23, 2007 at 10:07PM September 24
The Life-Giving Stream
And it shall come to pass, that every thing that liveth, which moveth, whithersoever the rivers shall come, shall live - Ezekiel 47:9
The living waters, in the prophet's vision, flowed into the Dead Sea and carried life with them, even into that stagnant lake. Where grace goes, spiritual life is the immediate and the everlasting consequence. Grace proceeds sovereignly according to the will of God, even as a river in all its windings follows its own sweet will; and wherever it comes it does not wait for life to come to it, but it creates life by its own quickening flow. Oh, that it would pour along our streets and flood our slums! Oh, that it would now come into my house and rise till every chamber were made to swim with it! Lord, let the living water flow to my family and my friends, and let it not pass me by. I hope I have drunk of it already; but I desire to bathe in it, yea, to swim in it. O my Savior, I need life more abundantly. Come to me, I pray Thee, till every part of my nature is vividly energetic and intensely active. Living God, I pray Thee, fill me with Thine own life.
I am a poor, dry stick; come and make me so to live that, like Aaron's rod, I may bud and blossom and bring forth fruit unto Thy glory. Quicken me, for the sake of my Lord Jesus. Amen.
Charles Haddon Spurgeon
Sunday, September 23, 2007 at 07:01AM “ Who makes His angels spirits
And His ministers a flame of fire.”
8 But to the Son He says:
“ Your throne, O God, is forever and ever;
A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom.
9 You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness;
Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You
With the oil of gladness more than Your companions.”
What a comfort it is to know that our Lord is so busy on our behalf from His heavenly seat of divine authority. We may never know when He has sent angels to minister to us in time of need, to thwart spiritual antagonists, and to strengthen us in times of weakness. Like the chariots of fire that surrounded the prophet Elijah, how many times to we receive unseen help from those ministering spirits that Christ sends to us?
--Richard D. Phillips, Hebrews
Reformed Expository Commentary pg. 43
