Your word is a lamp for my feet!

Nun

105 Your word is a lamp for my feet,
a light on my path.
106 I have taken an oath and confirmed it,
that I will follow your righteous laws.
107 I have suffered much;
preserve my life, Lord, according to your word.
108 Accept, Lord, the willing praise of my mouth,
and teach me your laws.
109 Though I constantly take my life in my hands,
I will not forget your law.
110 The wicked have set a snare for me,
but I have not strayed from your precepts.
111 Your statutes are my heritage forever;
they are the joy of my heart.
112 My heart is set on keeping your decrees
to the very end.

Psalm 119

Hallelujah!

The Gospel of John

Did you know that you can watch the whole Gospel of John on youtube!

Author: John 21:20-24 describes the author as "the disciple whom Jesus loved," and for both historical and internal reasons this is understood to be John the Apostle, one of the sons of Zebedee (Luke 5:10).

Date of Writing: Discovery of certain papyrus fragments dated around A.D. 135 require the book to have been written, copied, and circulated before then. And while some think it was written before Jerusalem was destroyed (A.D. 70), A.D. 85-90 is a more accepted time for its writing.

Purpose of Writing: John 20:31 cites the purpose as follows: "But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name." Unlike the three synoptic Gospels, John's purpose is not to present a chronological narrative of the life of Christ, but to display His deity. 

Father, I abandon myself into your hands.

Father, I abandon myself into your hands. 

Do with me whatever you will. 

Whatever you may do I thank you. 

I am ready for all, I accept all. 

Let only your will be done

 in me and all your creatures.

I wish no more than this, O Lord. 

Into your hands I commend my soul. 

I offer it to you 

with all the love of my heart. 

For I love you Lord 

and so need to give myself, 

surrender myself into your hands

 without reserve 

and with boundless confidence

for you are my Father. Amen

Charles de Foucauld (1858–1916)

Holy Spirit, living Breath of God

My beautiful sister-in-law Pauline bought me a book called Holyfire from RT Kendall and I started reading last night. It's informative, clear and edifying. I also  discovered this  beautiful and powerful song by Stuart Townend. Here are the lyrics.

Holy Spirit, living Breath of God,
Breathe new life into my willing soul.
Bring the presence of the risen Lord
To renew my heart and make me whole.
Cause Your Word to come alive in me;
Give me faith for what I cannot see;
Give me passion for Your purity.
Holy Spirit, breathe new life in me.

Holy Spirit, come abide within;
May Your joy be seen in all I do—
Love enough to cover ev'ry sin
In each thought and deed and attitude,
Kindness to the greatest and the least,
Gentleness that sows the path of peace.
Turn my striving into works of grace.
Breath of God, show Christ in all I do.

Holy Spirit, from creation's birth,
Giving life to all that God has made,
Show your power once again on earth;
Cause Your church to hunger for Your ways.
Let the fragrance of our prayers arise.
Lead us on the road of sacrifice
That in unity the face of Christ
Will be clear for all the world to see.

Have a blessed evening!

Bechol libi - With all our heart

Have a blessed evening!

St Augustine's conversion

St. Augustine, in his classic devotional work "Confessions", writes of his conversion experience and newfound love for God. Augustine had been a vile and wicked man. His life was filled with revelry, drunkenness, and sexual exploits.
But the God of heaven used a most curious providence to draw Augustine to Himself. One day, while in the gardens, he heard some children playing, and singing a song with the words "tolle lege, tolle lege" - "...take and read...take and read..." Under great spiritual compulsion and conviction, he obtained a copy of the Scriptures, and opened it randomly to the book of Romans, chapter 13, verses 13-14.
In this passage he read the inspired words of God penned by the Apostle Paul to the church at Rome some 300 years before he was even born, 
"13 Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. This was a vivid description of Augustine's life, and the remedy for such a life appeared in the next verse.14 Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature. 

Jesus Christ was his only answer. His life was transformed in an instant, in the power of regeneration. 
In his Confessions he writes of his lucid transformation, his salvation through the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. 
He said, "You stir man to take pleasure in praising you, because you have made us for yourself, and our heart is restless until it rests in you." 
After his conversion, Augustine wrote voluminously concerning the Lord Jesus Christ; the Confessions, though, are his most famous work.