One Saturday each month I attend a small men’s prayer meeting at church.  This month we’re going to be talking about five elements to growing in prayer.  I’ll have the notes broken up into different posts over the coming days.  In the meantime, I want to share the lyrics to a song called, Take Time to be Holy that will be shared with the men this Saturday.

I was trying to avoid a third consecutive post of other peoples’ words, but as I’m sitting awake at 4am (after my flesh was frankly *not* wanting to take time to be holy) they seem rather appropriate.  As Christians, our desires all died with Christ when we were converted–at least doctrinally.  In practice however, it is a constant wrestling match between our ugly, lazy flesh and renewed, Christ-loving spirit.  The simple fact is that our money is God’s money, our time–day or night–is God’s time, etc.  This fact trumps any and all inner turmoil.  Every single fiber of our being is to be lovingly, devotedly cast at our Savior’s feet–feet, remember, that were pierced for us, instead of us.   (1 Cor 6:20; Col 3:2)  That said…

Take Time to Be Holy
W.D. Longstaff & G.C. Stebbins

Thank you for visiting this little blog.  God bless you today.

Posted: June 17th, 2009 under Devotions, Learning & Growing, Life in the Third Verse, Prayer.
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Set my soul a-fire, Lord, for Thy holy Word, Burn it deep within me, let Thy voice be heard; Millions grope in darkness in this day and hour, I will be a witness, fill me with Thy pow’r. 

Set my soul a-fire, Lord, for the lost in sin, Give to me a passion as I seek to win; Help me not to falter, never let me fail, Fill me with Thy Spirit, let Thy will prevail.

Set my soul a-fire, Lord, in my daily life, Far too long I’ve wandered in this day of strife; Nothing else will matter but to live for Thee, I will be a witness, for Christ lives in me. 

(Chorus) Set my soul a-fire, Lord, set my soul a-fire, Make my life a witness of Thy saving pow’r.  Millions grope in darkness, waiting for Thy Word, Set my soul a-fire, Lord Set my soul a-fire.

 -Hymn by Gene Bartlett  

Posted: August 21st, 2008 under Life in the Third Verse, Quotations.
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So many hymns have endearing melodies and powerful, bedrock truths of our like precious faith (2 Peter 1:1). For me, I have found that there are some hymns which, while I love the whole song, I look forward to a verse that may not be the first (and often most famous) one. Oftentimes its the third. I have a few examples lined up to share with you, but since I’ve already quoted the first two stanzas of “It is Well with My Soul” this week, let me commend my favorite, the third, to you also:

My sin, Oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

Can you sing that today? Does your heart share in the bliss of that glorious thought? Doesn’t this verse just uplift your soul by its blessed powerful truths?  I hope it gives you a lift today.  I hope it encourages you to take time think of how your life has been changed by Jesus so that you too exclaim, “Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!”

Posted: June 25th, 2008 under Hope, Life in the Third Verse.
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