Category Archives: Borrowed_Words

>Year’s End Prayer

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O LOVE BEYOND COMPARE,

Thou art good when thou givest,
when thou takes away,
when the sun shines upon me,
when night gathers over me.
Thou hast loved me before the foundation of the world,
and in love didst redeem my soul;
Thou dost love me still,
inspite of my hard heart, ingratitude, distrust.
Thy goodness has been with me during another year,
leading me through a twisting wilderness,
in retreat helping me to asvance,
when beaten back making sure headway.
Thy goodness will be with me in the year ahead;
I hoist sail and draw up anchor,
With Thee as the blessed pilot of my future as of my past.
I bless Thee that thou hast veiled my eyes to the waters ahead.
If Thou hast appointed storms of tribulation,
Thou wilt be with me in them;
If I have to pass through tempests of persecution and temptation,
I shall not drown;
If I am to die,
I shall see thy face sooner;
If a painful end is to be my lot,
grant me grace that my faith fail not;
If I am to be cast aside from the service I love,
I can make no stipulation;
Only glorify thyself in me whether in comfort or trial,
as a chosen vessel meet always for thy use.
The Valley of Vision
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May you, my dear friend, have a most blessed
New Year!

I pray that God will grant us this year to Live in the Sacred…

To abide under His shadow,

To love Him more and 

rejoice more and more in Him.

May your days be filled with grace,

and His song be always in our mouth.

Another prayer worth praying…. A Prayer About New Year’s Eve by Scotty Smith

>Greeting New Year’s Day

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>Today is Thursday of Reformed Quotes; and the words I will share with you here are from the Sermo CXCVIII  by Augustine of Hippo. I have been reading this season Augustine’s Sermons to the People; Advent, Christmas, New Year, Epiphany.

“Now here’s my point. If you don’t believe, hope, love the way the Gentile Pagans do, then you’re no longer one of them. Yes, you do rub shoulders with them every day, but do remember that in mind and spirit you and they live in two very different worlds.

How would I describe these two extremes? Well, the Gentile Pagans believe in many false gods, also known as demons or Daemons or Daimons, while you, the Gentile Christians, believe in the One True God. They hope against hope for the half-lives of this world, while you hope for the eternal life with Christ. They love the artifacts of this world while you love the Artificer of the world as a whole”

“Just put Faith, Hope, and Charity into practice in your daily life, and you’ll see the distance between them and you’ll increase with every passing day…”

“Two observations.
First, the more time you spend with the Gentile Pagans, the less time you’ll have to spend with Him, your Lord and Redeemer.
Second, if you live and love, believe and hope the way the Gentiles do, then you’re an ingrate, ungrateful to your Redeemer, regarding as worthless the horrific price He paid for you; that’s to say, masquerading as the Perfect Lamb, the Perfect Sacrifice.

Two possible courses of action.
Continue to do what the Gentiles do. Or…
Rearrange your schedule to spend more time following your Redeemer, His blood still damp upon your soul. That’s to say, don’t continue to commingle with the Gentile Pagans when it comes to do’s and don’t’s  of the moral life.

They may binge, but you should fast. And today, if you can’t fast, then at least dine in moderation. If you do all these, or indeed any one of these, then you have chanted well those happy words, “Save us, O Lord God of Ours; save us from the fate of the Gentile Pagan Disbelievers.”

>Joseph and Mary an Advent Scene -and my gift to you-

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>Isn’t is wonderful? Just look at them! I wonder; how was that journey like? One full of expectation, full of joy, full of weariness and I am sure one full of uncertainty too; after all, Joseph and Mary were humans, bound to their flesh, just like you and I.

May our journey to the manger be full of expectation!

The Baby Jesus was being formed in Mary’s womb; nine months of waiting…  I think of my own life. I pray that daily, on my way to heaven, Jesus may be formed in me too.

The journey is the same, full of joy, expectation, promises,  and weariness too.

But He is in me. I shall not fear.

I am reading this book, Songs of the Nativity; Selected Sermons on Luke 1 and 2 by John Calvin, and I would like to share with you few quotes from the first sermon:

“Our happiness is bound up with faith and faith itself is full acceptance of the promises of salvation contained in the gospel. On what, precisely, do these promises depend? On the fact that God forgives our trespasses and recognizes us as righteous, miserable sinners though we are”

“how is it possible for us to rejoice in God? The Virgin Mary supplies us with the answer when she says ‘in God my Saviour’. That is where our joy begins -with the assurance that God is for us a Saviour. The word “Saviour” does not mean that he comes to our aid once and once only, but that He will always take care of us and of our salvation until He has brought it to fulfillment. We may, indeed, be replete with all kinds of goods, and yet be powerless to rejoice in God. Just to feel joy is simplicity itself. That is what the children of this world do all the time. But to rejoice in God is impossible until we experience the love He has for us, and until we know that He will not desert us but will lead us on to the end… So however many troubles and trials may beset us, whatever sorrows and vexations we may feel. God’s peace is bound to prevail. Nothing should stop us; rejoicing in Him”

Dear friends, thank you for sojourning with me! I love each one of you and I am grateful for you!

Thank you for coming, for reading my words, thank you for your comments, and most of all,; thank you for your friendship.

My little Christmas gift for you, dear readers, is this; I took a series of beautiful pictures of Mary and Joseph on their frail journey to Bethlehem; and, well, you can download them and use them as you wish! You can print any of them, or use them on your blog entries, or as desktops, etc… You can find the whole series at my photography blog, My Daily Journey-through my lens–

May His grace abound as we journey daily on our way to Heaven!

>Celebrating the Incarnation of our Lord – Quotes that Nourish-

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The Nativity; Camillo Boccaccino. 16th Century

I read last week while on our vacation to the beach two little books, one is Martin Luther’s Christmas Book; the other by Augustine of Hippo, Sermons to the People: Advent, Christmas, New Year Epiphany.  I enjoyed them both, but I certainly enjoyed more Martin Luther’s book. (Augustine, talks about his belief of Mary being always virgin, something the Bible doesn’t say)

So I have chosen from these two books my quotes for today. Hope you enjoy reading them and find some nourishment for your soul.

“It was for you, my dear Brothers and Sisters, that God was made man. If He hadn’t been born in our time, you’d still be sleeping the sleep of death. If He hadn’t donned the same fatal flesh that Adam had, you’d never have been liberated from the sin of the flesh. If this Mercy hadn’t happened to you, Perpetual Misery would possess you whole and entire. If He hadn’t come to die the death for you, you wouldn’t have been born again. If He hadn’t propped you up, you’d have flopped yourselves down. Quite simply put, if He hadn’t come, you’d be dead as a doornail.” St Augustine.

“Is there no hope at all? “Not really” would seem to be the answer, except perhaps for the grace of the Incarnation.” St. Augustine
“Christian teaching is that in Christ God became flesh. Compared with that, no particular miracle matters much. If one could but believe that God lay in the manger, one could let go the star and the angel’s song and yet keep the faith.” From the Introduction to Luther’s Book.

“‘If only I had been there! How quick I would have been to help the Baby! I would have washed his linen. How happy I would have been to go with the shepherds to see the Lord lying in the manger!’ Yes, you would” You say that because you know how great Christ is, but if you had been there at that time you would have done no better than the people of Bethlehem. Childish and silly thoughts are these! Why don’t you do it now? You have Christ in your neighbor. You ought to serve him, for what you do to your neighbor in need you do to the Lord Christ himself.” Martin Luther

“Next to faith this is the highest art- to be content with the calling in which God has placed you. I have not learned it yet.” Martin Luther

“This is the way to observe this feast -that Christ may be formed in us. It is not enough that we should hear his story if the heart be closed. I must listen, not only to a history, but to a gift.” Martin Luther

“{H}e is called Jesus, meaning a Saviour who helps his people to turn and be saved. we have often explained and explain again, how to understand the Kingdom of our Lord; how to distinguish the spiritual and the temporal realms; that this Lord Christ does not build castles, towns, and villages like an emperor, king, or elector of Saxony, or even like me in my own household, but he saves his people from their sins. This is a fair, dear, and precious assurance to troubled and tormented consciences laden with sins, that to them and to us all a Child is born who will rule and vindicate, who will help and not destroy, murder, strangle, or kill” Luther


“The sum of it is  all here: ‘Unto you is born this day… a Saviour” Luther





Under His Sovereign Hand,

>I am Grateful for All the Advent Blessings -Borrowed Words-

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> I have been reading Scotty Smith’s prayers this Advent; they have been my companions when I come to the Father; they have opened my eyes to be grateful for so many Advent blessings that I did not count. Today I borrow his words and make them mine.

992. I am grateful for the one who prepared the way, John the Baptist, who was the voice of the desert; who proclaimed your coming and the repentance of sins.

993. Thank you for becoming flesh and taberanacling among us.

“Jesus, I praise you for becoming “flesh” and “tabernacling” among us for just the right amount of time. Though equal to, yet distinct from the Father, you didn’t consider your glory something to be tightly grasped or held onto selfishly. Rather, you emptied yourself by becoming a man—but not just any ordinary man, a servant-man, the Servant of the Lord… the second Adam, our Savior… my Savior”(1)

994.  Thank you because you accomplished everything necessary for he redemption of your people.

“In your thirty-three years of incarnate life, you accomplished everything necessary for the redemption of the people for whom you lived and died… but also for the restoration of the world you created and love. Be magnified, adored, regaled, worshiped and loved, Lord Jesus. What a wonderful merciful Savior you are! What a God who is so mighty to save!”(1)

995. Thank you because you reign with grace and truth.

  “I cannot sing Isaac Watt’s great Advent hymn, “Joy to the Word,” without thinking of John’s telling of your birth narrative. For you are presently ruling the world with your grace and truth—the grace and truth with which you are full. You’re making the nations prove the wonders of your love… as the gospel runs from heart to heart, and nation to nation.” (1)



996- 1002.

“From the fullness of your grace we keep receiving one blessing after another—one blessing on top of another. The blessings of your imputed righteousness… the blessings of perpetual favor with God… the blessings your intercession and advocacy… the blessings of your Spirit’s work in our lives… the blessings citizenship in heaven… the blessing of knowing the good work you have begun in us, and in the cosmos, will be brought to completion! Hail the incarnate deity!” (1)

1003- 1006. O, Your Word, Lord, your Word, I am grateful for it!

“Jesus, I’m thankful to know that every word of the Word, in one way or another, is ultimately about you. Every command drives me to you. Every promise is fulfilled in you. Every story whispers your name… points to your glory… and proffers your grace. This is why I love the Bible, all of the Bible, more than ever.”(2)

1007-1008

“Jesus, I praise you for being Immanuel—God with us and God for us. Your presence and your presents are all that we need… much more than we realize… and way beyond all we could have ever hoped for or imagined.”(2)

1009. I am grateful that You reign sovereignly over all circumstances.

“You’re at work in all things for your glory and for our good… in the obvious and in the not-so-obvious… in our gains and in our pains… in what we “get” and in the things which seem to contradict Who we know… when we’re “feeling the love” and when we’re feeling very lonely… when the gospel makes all the sense in the world to us and when we’re tempted to say with John the Baptist, “Are you the Messiah, or should we be looking for another?” (2)

1010. I am grateful that YOU  are the Messiah, the One Way, the One Truth , the One Life. (2)

1011. I thank you, O Lord, that you have not finished with me; that nothing can separate me from you.

“Absolutely nothing can separate us from your love, for we’re been called according to the Father’s purpose, which will never fail nor falter. He “knew” us—he set his affection upon us before the world began, and he will continue to provide everything necessary to complete the work of the gospel in our lives. We cannot not be more justified than we already are and we’ll be as glorified as any mortal man ever will be. Joy to the world indeed. Joy to us.” (2)

1012. Thank you for being the Shepherd-Savior that You are.

“Having laid down your life as the Lamb of God, you have risen and are now the standing shepherd promised by Micah—relentlessly caring… vigilantly protecting… faithfully providing for us. You never slouch, sleep nor slumber. You’re constantly cherishing and caring for us. You know us by our names and needs. Be praised and worshiped, O good and engaged Shepherd.”(3)

1013. Thank you because we lack nothing we need.

“Jesus, because of your great love for us in the gospel, we lack nothing we need. Though we don’t get everything we want, we do have everything we need for life and godliness… and a whole lot more. We praise you it’s green pastures and quiet waters to which you lead us—all for the restoring of our tired, weary, broken, rebellious souls. Your kindness is without equivalent.” (3)

1014. Thank you because you nourish us all the time.

” Jesus, you nourish us all the time, even when enemies are close by and threatening. Your generous anointing overflows us for the blessing of others. To follow you is to be followed by the fragrance of your goodness and love.” (3)

Open my eyes to see you this Advent season, open my eyes that I may not miss what does it mean in my daily life that You became Man.

(1) source
(2) source
(3) source

Related Posts:

Joining the Creation in Praise
Celebrating the Incarnation of Our Lord- Quotes that Nourish-
Gifts we Bring -a Guest Post by Elizabeth DeBarros-
Celebrating the Incarnation of our Lord -Part One-

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>Celebrating the Incarnation of our Lord – Quotes that Nourish-

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Adoration of the Shepherds; Honthorst, Gerard van, 1622.

These are excerpts from a Sermon on the Nativity of Jesus Christ preached by John Calvin.

“…in the history which St. Luke here recites, on the one hand we learn how the Son of God emptied Himself of everything for our salvation, nevertheless, on the other hand He did not fail to leave certain and infallible testimony that He was the Redeemer of the world promised from all time. Even though He took our condition, He was able to maintain His heavenly majesty. Both sides are here shown to us. For our Lord Jesus Christ is here in a manger and He is, as it were, rejected by the world. He is in extreme poverty without any honor, without any reputation, as it were, subject to servitude. Yet He is magnified by Angels from Paradise, who do Him homage.”

“Now we see the summary of this history. That is, in the first place, we know that the Son of God, even our Mediator, has united Himself to us in such a way that we must never doubt that we are sharers both of His life and of all His riches. Let us know also that He brought with Himself to us everything that was required for our salvation. For (as I have already said) He was not thus emptied without always retaining His Divine majesty. Although before men He was made of no reputation, yet He always remained not only heir of this world (since He is the Head of the Church), but also always true God. “

 “Let us bethink ourselves to profit from this history, so that we may be able to be in tune with the song of the Angels in glorifying God, and to so receive what He here gives us for the rejoicing of our souls. In the first place the Angel says (that is the one who bears the message of the shepherds), “Fear not. I announce to you a great joy.” Then there is this testimony in common from all the army that God sends, “Peace on earth to men.” This, then, is what we have to remember first of all: that we seek our joy in Jesus Christ. For, in fact, even though we had all kinds of delights and luxuries, it would only be a matter of drowning ourselves in our pleasures. Yet even if we are too sleepy, even entirely stupid, our conscience will never have rest. We shall be tormented without end and without ceasing. This worm (of which the Scripture speaks) will eat us away, we shall be condemned by our sins, and we shall feel that with perfect right God is opposed to us and is our enemy. So, there will be a curse upon all the enjoyments of the world, since they will be changed into gnashing of teeth, until men are right with God.”

“But as we cannot praise God until He has declared to us His goodness, let us also learn not to have a faith dead or idle, but may we be incited to bless the Name of God, when we see that He has so displayed the great treasures of His loving-kindness toward us. May our mouth, on the one hand, perform its function, and then may all our life correspond to it. For this is the true song, that each one dedicates himself to the service of God, knowing that, since He has bought us at such a price, it is reasonable enough that all our thoughts and our works be applied to this use, that His Name be blessed.”

“This is also why the holy table is made ready for us, so that we may know that our Lord Jesus, having descended here below and having emptied Himself of everything, was not, however, separated from us when He ascended into His glory in heaven. But rather it is on this condition that we are sharers of His body and His blood. And why so? For we know that His righteousness and His obedience is the satisfaction for our sins and that He appeased the wrath of God by the sacrifice of His body and of His blood which He offered in this humanity which He took from us. “

May His grace abound in us as we meditate on these words today.

Read the whole sermon here.