That Long Embrace

Absence makes the heart grow fonder and in some ways my love has gone away
Gone to attend to my well being, gone to prepare for that great day
But He left behind his sweet promise and his presence right here in my heart
For nothing separates us til that day when we'll no longer be apart

No time, no space can take away his long embrace
Here I'll abide until he come back to take me to his side
With the arms of His Spirit around me I know there is nothing I can't face
In him to live and move to have my being held in his embrace

When he returns, he'll bring an entourage to see us wed
When he returns we'll sit down at a feast and be forever fed.
When he returns, my every hope and dream will be satisfied
When He takes us to his side as his perfect Holy bride.

His presence makes my heart grow fonder -as He holds me I'm set free
Don't have to wait for Over Yonder  he's living here in me!
I may not understand it, but I'll pursue the one who's mine
For since he has sought and found me I am lost in joy divine!

No time, no space can take away his long embrace
Here I'll abide until he come back to take me to his side
With the arms of His Spirit around me I know there is nothing I can't face
In him to live and move to have my being held in his embrace

When he returns, he'll bring an entourage to see us wed
When he returns we'll sit down at a feast and be forever fed.
When he returns, my every hope and dream will be satisfied
When He takes us to his side as his perfect Holy bride.

November 17, 1998
Anthony Foster

The Lost Songs...

I had several "lost" songs surface in the last few days... the preceding ones are from 1995-1998...

Ancient of Days

You sit upon your throne judging the nations
All the empires of the world face grace or damnation
You will discern and separate between evil and good
And between the sheep and the goats as you promised you would

Some shall  fall under his wrath and condemnation
And those for whom   the lamb drank the cup of separation.

Ancient of days, all of our praise
is directed unto you for all of your ways
All of our knees shall bow by resignation or by choice
We shall lift up your name and shout with one voice-
All blessing and honor and glory and power
Be unto the great I AM
Praise and wisdom and strength
Be unto the lamb!

You told us to do justice and so before a judge that’s just
We shall account for every thing in which we’ve placed our trust.
At the end of history at the time that you’ve appointed 
You’ll send your angel to the lamb- the one that you’ve anointed

Some shall  fall under his wrath and condemnation
And those for whom  the lamb drank the cup of separation.

5-7-97
Anthony Foster

Boldly Be

All of our help, all of our hurt
All of our hope and all of our hearts
All of our depths and all of our heights
Are found Him who is our delight

In him we live and move and breathe
From him our being we receive
And this is what he asks of me
To abide in Him and boldly be...

In him we live and move and breathe
From him our being we receive
And this is what he asks of me
To abide in Him and boldly be...

In him we live and move and breathe
From him our being we receive
And this is what he asks of me
To abide in Him and boldly be...

May 7, 1997
Anthony Foster

Go Out

Go out without answers, go out without knowing
Without expectation as to where you are going
Leave destinations in the hands Of the One who makes the way
His path, a road of attitudes where we won't be led astray.

In perpetual wonder each morning you wake
Amazed at the ways He will lead for His sake
Trusting entirely in what way He will make- for you...

A continual attitude of going out
A dependence and trust that demolishes doubt
God does not tell you what He will do
He wants to reveal to you that He is true.

In perpetual wonder each morning you wake
Amazed at the ways He will lead for His sake
Trusting entirely in what way He will make- for you...

 Anthony Foster
June 15, 1995

Ark for Our Soul

Warm our hearts in your Word

It is our beacon and landmark

Be the roof over our heads

And deliver us by the True Ark.

Like Moses hid in the bullrushes

And was carried straight into your will

As your covenant was carried to battle

You go before us even still.

As Noah obeyed and was saved

Safe within acacia wood walls

Call us from a world that rages

Shelter us from stormy squalls

Waves of wrath won't overtake us

Through endless ages we sail

On suffering’s journey to glory

The Ark for our soul will prevail

Bridge:

Save us from this world of iniquity

While quenching the world's lust for blood

You are the vessel in which we are spared

You carry us through the flood

One ark held the manna and tablets

And kept for a time Aaron's rod

The mercy seat over the ark of our soul

Still takes us to stand before God

Vouchsafe our prayers to the Father

As on this great voyage we embark

To travelers on a storm-tossed sea

For You are the ultimate ark.

Anthony Foster

April 29, 2020

At the Foot of the Cross

Bring your sorrows and sins to the foot of the cross
This is where life begins to make sense of the loss
This is where the debt is paid  and this is what it cost
At the foot of the cross lies mercy's seat
This is where the broken life is made complete

For the ground there is level and we all are the same
Sinners saved by the power of the Blood and by His name
For the great exchange now changes every rule of the game
And gain replaces our loss
We are saved at the foot of the cross.

Where the curse is reversed 
Tho you bring Him your worst
at the foot of the cross we are blessed
For the forsaken son of dust
Was made sin for each of us
So we could become His righteousness 

At the cross of Cal'v'ry  is the crossroads of all time
Where judgment was poured our for all the sins of all mankind
And it is all sufficient  to atone for yours and mine
For a substitute paid for every bit of what it cost
There's forgiveness at the foot of the cross.

Anthony Foster
April 28, 2020

Hallowed Be Your Name

Lord empower us for the mission

Help us follow your command

To go and teach and bring your vision

Of salvation to every land.

God of overwhelming glory

God of all-sufficient grace

Give us zeal to take your story

To each tribe and tongue and race

Till you make glad every nation

Grateful for Your great salvation

Hallowed be your name in every place

Lord empower us to go now

Go and give the world the Word

Of the good news of the Gospel

Until every soul has heard

God of overwhelming glory

God of all-sufficient grace

Give us zeal to take your story

To each tribe and tongue and race

Till you make glad every nation

Grateful for Your great salvation

Hallowed be your name in every place

Lord give us the grace to hallow

Your great name in all the Earth

Until every knee shall bow down

And teach tongue confess your worth!

God of overwhelming glory

God of all-sufficient grace

Give us zeal to take your story

To each tribe and tongue and race

Till you make glad every nation

Grateful for Your great salvation

Hallowed be your name in every place

Anthony Foster

April 28, 2020

More of Christ

Help me for I am fallen and I cannot get up
The dust that I am made of is calling unto dust
Help me for I am broken and But all I see is pain
Blinded by lesser graces  the Grace of God I fain

I sang a Christian song I prayed a Christian prayer
Heard countless Christian sermons In a building burning with despair
Is any lostness worse than remaining lost while believing that you’re found?
Is there  a greater obscene cost than being hell bound

Strip away distractions
Take away dissatisfactions
I fill my life with, to my loss
I cannot discern the cost
Now let it all be sacrificed, 
if it will get me more of Christ.
Now let it all be sacrificed, 
if it will get me more of Christ.

Drinking sand in a desert While thinking it was wine
To play the saint to play the game, faining pearls just like the swine
I sat in my finest church clothes Running straight to hell
Lost in a dire delusion Sinking at perditions well

Feeding fatal dreams Of eternal safety I dreamt
Feeding my illusions Failing at a fool's attempt
Hearing is not sufficient Heeding is what's required
A faith that won't obey the Word Is useless  void and vain

Strip away distractions
Take away the  actions
I fill my life with, to my loss
I cannot discern the cost
Now let it all be sacrificed, 
if it will get me more of Christ.
Now let it all be sacrificed, 
if it will get me more of Christ.

Anthony Foster
April 28, 2020

Down Deep

Place your word down deep in my heart, in my heart,

Place your word down deep in my heart

It will change me within- In that innermost place

It will change me without As it works out your great grace

May my heart be conformed to your word, to your word,

May my heart be conformed to your Word

For your word is the power of salvation

May my obedience bear the fruit of true adoration

Place your Word down deep

Down deep in my heart

For it is down deep where my treasure I keep

May it flood my innermost part

Place your Word down deep

Down deep in my heart!

Write your word on each page of my heart, of my heart

Write your word on each page of my heart

Where there was stone, make it flesh

It will transform my life As it flows through me ever fresh

Place your Word down deep

Down deep in my heart

For it is down deep where my treasure I keep

May it flood my innermost part

Place your Word down deep

Down deep in my heart

April 27, 2020

Anthony Foster

At the End of the Day

We walk in a world that affords us doubt
And we may never figure it out
So though we may falter and our feet may stray
We belong to our Lord at the end of the day.

In the midst of the day our vision’s blurred
Our hearts don’t heed what we have heard
Our finite  thoughts can’t understand
The future and hopes that you have planned

But a day will come when we shall see
With steadfast assurance and clarity
That all you promised will come true
If at the end of the day we trust in you.

At the end of the day you are a mystery
In spite of all that you’ve revealed we can’t see
The lengths and heights
And the deepest delights
Of what it means to love eternally.

For all  our hopes and our intents
Fall short of giving evidence
Of that greater reality
At the end of this day we still can’t see

But  the grace to come is as sure as the past
It rolls like a wave  while it holds us fast
A hope and a promise of a living way
It shall come to pass at the end of the day.

April 24, 2020
Anthony Foster

My Father

I have a loving Father
Who provides for me a home
And wraps His arms around me
So I’ll never be alone

My Father  ever loves me
His child I shall remain.
What kind of love is this love
That gives to me His name?

My Father is  my Shepherd
He gives me all I need
And into paths of righteousness
I’ll follow where He leads

My Father is my Sovereign
My King who shall ordain
To give to me His Kingdom
Where with Him I shall reign

My Father is my Shepherd
My Father is my King
My Father is my God alone
So of Him I shall sing

My God and loving Father
Delights to give us grace
I will not fear the future
But will bask in His embrace.

My Father is my Shepherd
My Father is my King
My Father is my God alone
So of Him I shall sing

April 24, 2020
Anthony Foster

Jesus Unleashed!

The infinite universe is in His word
And eternal life in His breath
The grave could not and did not hold Him
He is victor o'er the power of death!
Now the power and the motive will more than suffice 
For all this is within me Since I am in Christ!
He will bring His Highest and Best
to the moments we give up and rest
I unleash Jesus on my world today
When I lay down my rights and submit to His way!
Living within me with all of His power
He walks in my body and thinks hour by hour 
Loving with my heart and speaking with my lips 
Christ can touch others with my fingertips!
The power and presence of the eternal King 
To the least of these brothers I can now bring 
When I give up that barrier that He broke apart 
Jesus overpowers my hardened heart! 
For then His power is flowing through me
I can change course and find the victory!
He will bring His Highest and Best
to the moments we give up and rest
I can unleash Jesus on my world today
When I lay down my rights and submit to His way!
Living within me with all of His power
He walks in my body and thinks hour by hour 
Loving with my heart and speaking with my lips 
Christ can touch others with my fingertips!

2-25-90 Anthony Foster
Recently discovered this long lost song...