Fun Night

"The Rock"

Blessed be the LORD my Strength which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight . . .
~Psalm 144~

"...For it is You who light my lamp; The Lord my God lightens my darkness.

For by You I can run against a troop, and by my God I can leap over a wall.

This God, His way is perfect; The Word of the Lord proves true;

He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him. For Who is God, but the Lord?

And who is a Rock - except our God?"
~Psalms 18:28-31~


I will love Thee, O LORD, my Strength . . .


The LORD is my Rock, and my Fortress, and my Deliverer; my God, my Strength, in whom I will trust; my Buckler, and the horn of my Salvation, and my High Tower.


I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies. . .


. . . I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: He heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before Him, even into His ears.

. . . He sent from above, He took me, He drew me out of many waters.

He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me . . .

He brought me forth also into a large place; He delivered me, because He delighted in me . . .

. . .

It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect.

He maketh my feet like hinds' feet, and setteth me upon my high places.

He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms . . .

. . .

Thou hast also given me the shield of Thy salvation: and Thy right hand hath holden me up, and Thy gentleness hath made me great.

Thou hast enlarged my steps under me, that my feet did not slip.

I have pursued mine enemies, and overtaken them: neither did I turn again till they were consumed.

. . .

For Thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle: Thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me . . .

. . .

The LORD liveth; and blessed be my Rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted . . .

. . .

He delivereth me from mine enemies: yea, Thou liftest me up above those that rise up against me: Thou hast delivered me . . .

. . .

Therefore . . .

. . . will I give thanks unto Thee, O LORD, among the heathen, and sing praises unto Thy Name.

~Psalm 18~

IF . . .

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;

If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,

Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,

Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream -- and not make dreams your master;

If you can think -- and not make thoughts your aim;

If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken

Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,

And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,

And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;

If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,

And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,

Or walk with kings -- nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;

If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run --

Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And -- which is more -- you'll be a Man, my son!

~Rudyard Kipling~

New Year's Holiday

We had a restful and wonderful time . . .

We watched Bleak House by Charles Dickens. We highly recommend it. A very extensive and interesting story.

The Creator - Crucified

"And so He was lifted up upon a tree and an inscription was attached indicating who was being killed.

Who was it?

It is a grievous thing to tell, but a most fearful thing to refrain from telling.
But listen, as you tremble before him on whose account the earth trembled!

He who hung the earth in place is hanged.

He who fixed the heavens in place is fixed in place.

He who made all things fast is made fast on a tree.

The Sovereign is insulted.

God is murdered.

The King of Israel is destroyed by an Israelite hand.

This is the One who made the heavens and the earth,
and formed mankind in the beginning,

The One proclaimed by the Law and the Prophets,

The One enfleshed in a virgin,

The One hanged on a tree,

The One buried in the earth,

The One raised from the dead and who went up into the heights of heaven,

The One sitting at the right hand of the Father,

The One having all authority to judge and save,

Through Whom the Father made the things which exist from the beginning of time.

This One is "the Alpha and the Omega,"

This One is "the beginning and the end"

The beginning indescribable and the end incomprehensible.

This One is the Christ.

This One is the King.

This One is Jesus.

This One is the Leader.

This One is the Lord.

This One is the One who rose from the dead.

This One is the One sitting on the right hand of the Father.

He bears the Father and is borne by the Father.

"To him be the glory and the power forever. Amen."

~Passover Sermon by Melito, Bishop of Sardis, ( A.D. 170)~