Home Away from Home

Between the glorious and mundane

The radical and the oh, so sane

The salt of the earth does not mock rotting meat

It saves and it seasons or soberly weeps.

Between the glory and the degradation

We live in a place that’s in need of salvation

The light of the world cannot be hid away

It labors to illumine and puts glory on display

Chorus

Yes, our citizenship is in heaven on high

And we won’t make it home till the day that we die

But if we’­re dying with Christ we  are never alone

He’ll abide with us here in our home- away from home

So I’ll build my home on Christ and nothing less

I’ll hold this home loosely till I take my rest

And so to this world I’ll not be conformed

I will set my mind on Jesus and be transformed

Bridge

As exiles and strangers we navigate dangers

As we seek for that city that is to come

We happily sojourn ‘til the day we return

To our home in heaven when the journey is done.

Chorus

Our citizenship is in heaven on high

And we won’t make it home till the day that we die

But if we’­re dying with Christ we  are never alone

He’ll abide with us here in our home- away from home.

After a meditation on a John Piper devotion
June 24, 2020

Anthony Foster

Guide me O my Lord and Savior

Verse 1:

Guide me O my Lord and Savior, pilgrim through this barren land;

I am weak, but You are mighty, hold me with Your powerful hand;

Bread of heaven, Bread of heaven, feed me till I want no more,

Feed me till I want no more.

Verse 2:

Open now the crystal fountain where the healing waters flow;

Let Your fiery, cloudy pillar lead me where I’m called to go

Strong Deliverer, Strong Deliverer,  be my strength and be my shield,

Be my strength and be my shield.

Verse 3:

When I tread the shores of heaven, bid my anxious fears subside;

Bear me through the swelling current,  draw me safe unto Your side;

Songs of praises, songs of praises I will ever give to You;

I will ever give to You.

(Original written by William Williams as Guide me O Thou great Jehovah)

June 13, 2020

Updated by Anthony Foster

Search Me, Cleanse Me

Search me, O God, And know my heart today;

Try me, O Savior, Know my thoughts, I pray.

See if there be Some wicked way in me;

Cleanse me from every sin and set me free.

I praise You, Lord, For cleansing me from sin;

Fulfill Your Word, and make me pure within.

Fill me with holy fire where once I burned with shame;

Grant my desire To magnify Your Great Name.

What do you require?  This is my desire

To have understood  That which is good

To do justice, to love mercy 

And with my God to walk humbly

Search me, cleanse me of all my unrighteousness 

Refine me with fire,  Purge every desire

That keeps me from blessedness

Lord, take my life, and make it wholly Yours

Fill my poor heart with a Love that’s true and pure

Take all my will, My passion, self and pride;

I now surrender, Lord In me abide.

O Holy Spirit, Revival comes from You

Send a revival, Start a work in me anew

Your Word declares You will supply our need;

For Your very presence Lord, I humbly plead.

What do you require?  This is my desire

To have understood  That which is good

To do justice, to love mercy 

And with my God to walk humbly

Search me, cleanse me Of all my unrighteousness 

Refine me with fire Purge every desire

Purify My heart  as I confess.

Purify My heart  as I confess.

Purify My heart  as I confess.

Psalm 139:23-24; Psalm 51:2; Micah 6:8

After Edwin Orr

Anthony Foster 

June 19, 2020

Oh Great Giver

I think so highly of myself-Lord devastate My pride 

Help me repent of it-Until to self I’ve died

Though of  all sinners I am chief

Lord I believe , help my unbelief

Give me a hatred of my sin,  Make my defenses fail

I am willing to trust but doubts assail

Give the gift of tears of a holy grief 

Lord I believe , help my unbelief

You write  the chapters of my story Only then can I live  anew

And live so that you get the glory  In everything I do,

Lord I believe now, help my unbelief

Lord I believe now, help my unbelief

Help me think with sober judgment,  Help me to renew my mind

According to the measure of faith  That You alone assigned.

From my doubting bring relief

Lord I believe now, help my unbelief

Sustain my faith and  Strengthen it.  With you as its author it shall not fail. 

Make it the power of my life,  Finish it so Your glory will prevail

Though my life on earth is brief

Lord I believe now, help my unbelief

You write  the chapters of my story Only then can I live  anew

And live so that you get the glory  In everything I do,

Lord I believe now, help my unbelief

Lord I believe now, help my unbelief

Make it the power of my life

Oh Great Giver give me Grace

Make it the power of my life

Oh Great Giver give me Faith

June 15, 2020

Anthony Foster

God of the Minefields

Battlefields are no friend to romance

In  this promised land we’re called to dance

When this holy cord has You as the third strand,

Then two become one flesh  together to stand

God of the minefields, Lord of the storm

We pass through a world where trouble’s the norm

As we  weather the journey you will see us through

We shall pass safely if we draw close to you

And we will trust in your promise

We will trust in your grace

We will trust in your mercy

In this ponderous place

Till we stand face to face

Lord, we will trust in your grace

Lord of the earthquake and of the inferno

Be our deliverer so our world will know

You are our one hope down here in the deep

You are our keeper and we are your keep.

You are our Maker though we are but dust 

We cling to your promise and in You we trust

Add Your living water  and shape us we pray

Till we are transformed into vessels of clay

God of the minefields, Lord of the storm

Work in us until  new heart is formed

When the trouble is over and the day is done

The trials will conform us to be like your Son

And we will trust in your promise

We will trust in your grace

We will trust in your mercy

In this ponderous place

Till we stand face to face

Lord, we will trust in your grace

June 19, 2020

Anthony Foster