This Lord's Day Eve ... Samuel Rutherford

Rev. Samuel Rutherford
(1600-1661)
One of the most influential
Scottish Presbyterians in the Westminster Assembly.

Christian Directions
by Rev. Samuel Rutherford

1. That hours of the day, less or more time, for the Word and prayer, be given to God;
not sparing the twelfth hour, or mid-day, howbeit it should then be the shorter time.

2. In the midst of worldly employments, there should be some thoughts of sin, death,
judgment, and eternity, with at least a word or two of ejaculatory prayer to God.

3. To beware of wandering of heart in private prayer.

4. Not to grudge if ye come from prayer without sense of joy. Downcasting,
sense of guiltiness, and hunger, are often best for us.

5. That the Lord's Day, from morning to night, be spent always either in private or public worship.

6. That words be observed, wandering and idle thoughts be avoided, sudden anger and
desire of revenge, even of such as persecute the truth, be guarded against; for we often
mix our zeal with our wild-fire.

7. That known, discovered, and revealed sins, that are against the conscience,
be avoided, as most dangerous preparatives to hardness of heart.

8. That in dealing with men, faith and truth in covenants and trafficking be regarded,
that we deal with all men in sincerity; that conscience be made of idle and lying words;
and that our carriage be such, as that they who see it may speak honourably of our
sweet Master and profession.

Friends, I know that I have posted this hymn previously but it is
one that I have come to love ...

The Sands of Time Are Sinking
by Rev. Samuel Rutherford

Notation: Anne R. Cousin in 1857 took Rutherford's ideas and composed this song based on his notes on Revelation 22:4. The original arrangement was set by Chretien Urhan in 1834, and then arranged for Cousin's song in 1867 by Edward F. Rimbault.

1. The sands of time are sinking,
The dawn of heaven breaks;
The summer morn I’ve sighed for -
The fair, sweet morn awakes:
Dark, dark had been the midnight
But dayspring is at hand,
And glory, glory dwelleth
In Emmanuel’s land.

2. The king there in His beauty,
Without a veil is seen:
It were a well-spent journey,
Though seven deaths lay between:
The Lamb with His fair army,
Doth on Mount Zion stand,
And glory, glory dwelleth
In Emmanuel’s land

3. O Christ, He is the fountain,
The deep, sweet well of love!
The streams on earth I’ve tasted
More deep I’ll drink above:
There to an ocean fullness
His mercy doth expand,
And glory, glory dwelleth
In Emmanuel’s land.

4. The bride eyes not her garment,
But her dear Bridegroom’s face;
I will not gaze at glory
But on my King of grace.
Not at the crown He giveth
But on His pierced hand;
The Lamb is all the glory
Of Emmanuel’s land.

5. O I am my Beloved’s
And my Beloved is mine!
He brings a poor vile sinner
Into His house of wine
I stand upon His merit
I know no other stand,
Not e’en where glory dwelleth
In Emmanuel’s land.

Blessings to you and yours the Lord's Day eve!

Pam <><

The Old Paths ...

Greetings on this dark dreary day!

As I sit at my 'puter reading thru the blogs and sites I lurk, (I have come to realize I am considered a "lurker" - one who anonymously reads but does not comment), that there is a cry for a return to the 'Old Paths' the paths of the Reformers and Puritans. Not a path of the contemplatives that the Emergent church folks are pushing but a calling to return to the discipline of devotions, reading and pondering the Word of God, studying what the 'Men of Old', those mighty men like Spurgeon, Pink, Edwards, Watson, etc., have to teach us about our Christian walk and the God we worship.

My Pastor is asking our church family to work together thru M'Cheyne's Reading Plan for this year. The calendar is published by the Banner of Truth Trust as an aid to systematic Bible reading. I have never used this before and am looking forward to something different. For my devotions I am using Spurgeon's Cheque Book on the Bank of Faith in the morning; Susannah Spurgeon's free grace and dying love', and The Valley of Vision in the evening. I am also reading thru a book I highly recommend, "Meet the Puritan's" by Joel Beeke and Randall J. Pederson. Those of you who homeschool I would recommend this as reading material. It is excellent! I am learning so much about these "Mighty Men" who I have come to respect so much the more.

Over at Old Truth,

http://www.oldtruth.com/blog.cfm/id.2.pid.590

there is a post for today you should read. It also contains some short video and promotes a DVD series that also comes highly recommended.

Jerry Marcellino tells us this --

"For some reason 'progress' makes people, more often than not, despise the past. (As though it no longer offers anything of any value). This is especially true in our own day (amongst this present generation. . . who live in the lonely age of iPods, CD-Roms, the Internet, and cellular technology). Even among today's professing Christians there is a subtle rejection of historic Christianity at the cost of presently remaining restless, in the shallow fads of a modern 'Christianity'; a Christianity that has taken on the attributes of a shallow culture, and not knowing why." But what will return the Christendom of this present generation to a "salty Christianity" (as Matthew 5:13 calls a Christianity that is vital, and that acts as a powerful preservative against sin)? What will return modern-day Christendom to a Christianity that will act as a "preserving agent" to a decaying society? What can offer certain hope . . . to a nation of families that are in utter disarray? ANSWER: "A present return to the old paths".

Let us return to the old paths. Share with me what you do for your devotions, bible reading, bible study, prayer time -- what blesses your heart? Share what works, what doesn't and why. Reading eyes want to know! Comment if you would, and feel free to lurk! I do it alot!

pam <>< 1 Tim. 1:15-17