Trembling Joy

My name is recorded in the Lamb’s book of life.

I rejoice in the fact that I’m saved.

The suffering has purpose in spite of the strife

For I no longer fear the grave.

And I will tremble, tremble

I will tremble tremble

I will tremble tremble

Undone by the glorious sights

As with joy I live in my Christ

What I’ve been saved from is more than I know

Spared from the fate I deserve

Hell with the undying worm of the soul 

But God’s grace gives incalculable worth

And I will tremble, tremble

I will tremble tremble

I will tremble tremble

Undone by the glorious sights

As with joy I live in my Christ

Now with boldness I stand at the throne of God’s grace

And with confidence I will draw near

So with trembling joy I can transcend this place

And not longer be ruled by my fear

And I will tremble, tremble

I will tremble tremble

I will tremble tremble

Undone by the glorious sights

As with joy I live in my Christ

December 31, 2021

Anthony Foster

Homeward Bound

It’s a long long night on the road to somewhere

Destinations are not fixed in stone

Sometimes the dawn brings detours and other times a dare

But the journey wasn’t meant to be travelled alone

There are shadows up around the bend

And the twilight can obscure its end

As we traverse on a questionable quest

There are vistas beyond what we can see

Adventures on this trajectory

Where a wandering heart is startled as it’s blessed

And soon you’ll be homeward bound to take your rest

Every  tenacious  pilgrim who perseveres thru pain

And finds joy in the journey as they roam

Will come to realize that all their loss can become gain

When the winding path turns him back toward home

Though droughts within your spirit you may navigate

And storms and floods of fantasy  you contemplate

Here where trials and rejoicing interplay

There a flame and fire your path will light

As you walk by faith and not by sight

When by grace from your self-made plans you stray

You are homeward bound upon the living way.

December 31, 2021

Anthony Foster

Out of Darkness

Into the depths of darkness

Into the shadowland

With no choice but to wander

And to strain to understand

Cringing to cling to an ember

Struggling to see in the night

Caught in a void of chaos

Blind even though eyes have sight

There is One who comes to call us

Out of  darkness to marvelous light

There is One who comes to save us

By His glorious power and might.

Once lost in a fatal delusion

Nowhere to go or to turn

Feeling the deep pangs of hunger

Roiling in a heart that yearns 

This deadly darkness He invaded

True Truth to illuminate

Out of the darkness He calls us

Into a glorious state.

There is One who comes to call us

Out of  darkness to marvelous light

There is One who comes to save us

By His glorious power and might.

Bridge

Out of the darkness into the light

Into His glory where faith becomes sight

Out of the shadows stumbling in the night

Out of the graveyard to skies shining bright

There is One who comes to call us

Out of  darkness to marvelous light

There is One who comes to save us

By His glorious power and might.

December 25, 2021

Anthony Foster

He Is, He Was, and He Will Be

Who is this Son of Man?

He is the Son of God

He Is, He Was, and He Will Be

His Holy name we laud!

Now full of Grace and Truth

He descends from above

Gentle and lowly in His heart

Yet God of Light and Love

Like eternal Father, like eternal Son;

Spanning endless ages, two divinely one.

Alpha and Omega, both the first and last;

Eternally existing, present, future, past.

The resurrection and the life

The One Son of the Blessed

The triune and uncreated

In mortal form enfleshed.

He is the first and He is the Last

The source and the sum

His power and glory will be seen

When His Kingdom comes

Like eternal Father, like eternal Son;

Spanning endless ages, two divinely one.

Alpha and Omega, both the first and last;

Eternally existing, present, future, past.

Soon will appear in heav’n the sign 

Of the returning Son of Man, 

And all the tribes of earth will mourn, 

For they will understand

Then unveiled glory will be shown

As from eternity

And we will know as we are known

God’s true reality

Like eternal Father, like eternal Son;

Spanning endless ages, two divinely one.

Alpha and Omega, both the first and last;

Eternally existing, present, future, past.

December 24, 2021

After an article by Jon Bloom

Anthony Foster

Jubilation! Christ is Born!

For ages hope was out of sight

Men were creatures of the night

Doing right in their own eyes

Living with  a throne of lies

And the greatest enemy of men

Was man himself  in all His sin

Promised hope for those who grieve

Messiah would their woes relieve

Time and times He was  foretold

That His coming was from of old

Heed  the prophets Ye forlorn

Blessed will be the ones that mourn

Jubilation! Christ is born

All ye nations cease to mourn

Lamentation no more reigns

Our salvation now attains

Come and worship all the Earth

Come and hail your Savior’s birth

Almighty God and man is He

Who alone can set us free!

Come and praise the servant King

His coming changes everything!

Jubilation! Christ is born

All ye nations cease to mourn

Lamentation no more reigns

Our salvation now attains

December 24, 2021

Anthony Foster

That We May Believe

Oh awaken, awaken all you children

To the awe and the astonishment and fear

Oh awaken, Awaken to the Wonder

To the Wonder that the Son of God is here

Oh the Blessed beauty of the Begotten

By God the Father from all eternity

Who reflecting all God’s radiant glory

Now the image of His person we can see

Tear the veil from our eyes, let us clearly see

This unimaginable reality

Beyond all desires, more than we can conceive

Light of Lights shine on us that we may believe.

Bridge

Now let us tremble at Christ’s incarnation

And arouse all the emotions we can bear

For Immanuel has now come to save us

So the Name above all names we shall declare! 

Oh the marvel the majesty and mystery

Now no stranger story ever has been told

He created and sustains the universe

Which by the Word of His power He upholds

Holy Spirit, pray awaken us from sleep

To the awe and admiration Christ deserves

Then our joy will be full when God is Hallowed

As the cosmic glory of Christ is observed

Tear the veil from our eyes, let us clearly see

This unimaginable reality

Beyond all desires, more than we can conceive

Light of Lights shine on us that we may believe.

John 20:30–31

December 22, 2021

Anthony Foster

 

Hallelujah Noel

This Christmas we will celebrate
Not just the baby Jesus’ birth
Our Savior who is Christ the Lord
Reconciles GOD and men of Earth

This is the truth of God in Christ

And our redemption now is bought.

The Light of the world now has come

And so we tremble at the thought

Hallelujah Noel, Hallelujah Noel

Hallelujah Noel, Noel

He comes to us Immanuel!

God hates the Sin that separates

Him from those on the darkened path

The one who makes our peace with God

Propitiates  the Father’s wrath

The second Adam comes to us

He condescends from Highest Height

This Son of God and Son of Man

Is God of God and Light of Light

Bridge

Sing Glori-a, sing Glori-a

Hallelujah Hallelujah

Sing Glori-a, sing Glori-a

Hallelujah Hallelujah

Hallelujah Noel, Hallelujah Noel

Hallelujah Noel, Noel

He comes to us Immanuel!

Hallelujah Noel, Hallelujah Noel

Hallelujah Noel, Noel

He comes to us Immanuel!

December 22, 2021

Anthony Foster

Love in the Blood of the Lamb

Behold the Lamb, the Great I AM

Come the Devils’ works to destroy 

The Righteous One- God’s begotten Son

Come to bring the Father’s joy

Infinite and incarnate love

This love divine came down

Redemption’s source sent from above

In the house of Bread He is found 

Behold the Lamb who’ll shed His blood 

Before creation it was planned

He came to die for those who find

Love in the blood of the Lamb.

Bridge

By the blood of the lamb we overcome

By the blood of the lamb we will love

By the blood of the lamb we are covered

Like a righteous robe.

Behold the Lamb once slain now stands

The Wondrous Worthy Son of Man 

Who takes away the sins of all Who find

Love in the blood of the Lamb.

Behold the Lamb who’ll shed His blood 

Before creation it was planned

He came to die for those who find

Love in the blood of the Lamb.

December 21, 2021

Anthony Foster

King of Hearts

There’s no peace for the wicked

Who regard  God with enmity

The peace we need is not from war

When God remains the enemy

Peace, peace, the prophets cry

But there can be no peace

Without the King cruel chaos reigns

And Sin’s slaves still need release

Now behold the Prince of Peace is come

And He will be our True Shalom.

The peace of God this Prince imparts

When He becomes the King of Hearts.

His chastisement brought us peace,

And by his wounds we are healed.

The peace that passes understanding  

Comes to Him whose heart is kneeled.

Behold the Prince of Peace is come

And He will be our True Shalom.

The peace of God this Prince imparts

When He becomes the King of Hearts.

Jeremiah 6:14; 8:11

Isaiah 48:22; 53:5

December 20, 2021

Anthony Foster

 

Heartrending

In the days of desolation

Our needs are evident

In the days of lamentation

The righteous will repent

The light that God is sending

Breaks up the darkness deep

Convicting and heart rending

It wakes us from our sleep

We rid our rooms of leaven

Revealed now in the light

The majesty of heaven

Breaks on our dawning sight 

True faith will make us humble

Once we see the light of day

The shadows where we stumble

All disperse to show God’s way

Religion is all the more vain

Without  true godliness

But Truth will make the lies plain

And grant us holiness

Then secret grief  becomes real

And in the soul is proved

When our Sin is revealed

Then the mind and heart are moved.

The Spirit works in our souls

And purges out our Sin

And by His grace Christ consoles

And the victory we win.

Once the dying Savior’s voice

Rent the rocks and conquered hell

So in His Word we can rejoice

For He will rend our hearts as well!

Joel 2:13

December 18, 2021

Anthony Foster

There But For the Grace of God

On my way to learn to die

I’ve found what my dreams are worth

They’re of no more value than the longings

Of every other soul on  earth

And every sinner carries

That same burden I once bore

Our greatest need is holiness

And to know what it’s all for

There but for the grace of God - Go I

He knows every step I’ve trod and why.

Not just what He’s spared me from

But what He’s led me to

And by His grace He will see me through

I see neighbors on the wayside 

Some are desolate and weak

Some are up to eyeballs deep in debt

The more they get the more they seek.

Some bask in their ease and pleasure

They escape behind their walls 

Some choke on a gluttons’ excess

Some run out when duty calls

There but for the grace of God - Go I

He knows every step I’ve trod and why.

Not just what He’s spared me from

But what He’s led me to

And by His grace He will see me through

Every one made in God’s image

A broken mirror bears

And a spirit deader than a corpse

And a fate each of us shares

We are all in this boat together

We’re all in the need of grace

We all need to get some mercy

As we run this rugged race

There but for the grace of God - Go I

He knows every step I’ve trod and why.

Not just what He’s spared me from

But what He’s led me to

And by His grace He will see me through

December 15, 2021

Anthony Foster

All in All

Pleasures poor and passions weak 
Ease and comfort this world seeks
But our desires are far too mall
When You can be our all in all

With You as our One desire  

We have all that we require

 For You are our all in all

All we hope for and all we dream

Comes like an ever-flowing stream 

For You are our all in all

Lord You are our everlasting pleasure

Lord you are our neverending treasure.

On you alone we set our sight

You are our joy and our delight

You provide your Grace beyond measure

Bridge

You alone are the pearl of Great price

Our precious jewel for you are the Christ

The deep desires  for which we cry

Lord only You can satisfy

After you our hearts will thirst

If we seek your Kingdom first

All these good things you will add

You alone make our souls glad.

With you as our One desire  

We have all that we require

For You are our all in all

All we hope for and all we dream

Comes like an ever-flowing stream 

For You are our all in all

Lord You are our everlasting pleasure

Lord you are our neverending treasure.

On you alone we set our sight

You are our joy and our delight

You provide your Grace beyond measure

December 15, 2021

Anthony Foster

Unshakable Hope and Infinite Love

The blessed hope of heaven sustains

Us through the stormy blast

When all else fails our hope remains

In the present as in the past.

Infinite love will be our stay

On this we can depend

This love will show us to God’s way

And keep us to the end.

Unshakable hope and Infinite Love

This is our reality

Much more than we take notice of

More than our eyes can see

Bridge

For hope is not just far away

As in some distant land

Our Hope in Christ lifts us each day

As we’re held in His hand

This Love most infinite and kind

Transforms all we desire

And if we seek it we will find

God gives what  He requires

Unshakeable Hope and infinite Love

Armed with these perfect gifts of grace

Supplied to us from heaven above

We overcome all that we face.

Unshakable hope and Infinite Love

This is our reality

Much more than we take notice of

More than our eyes can see.

December 14, 2021

Anthony Foster

 

I Reckon

Into Christ’s death baptized-So just as he was raised

We too can walk in a new life-So we should stand amazed.

United in His death-With Him we too arise

Newness of life will be our truth-The old self crucified.

I reckon this is true

In Christ I am made new.

I reckon this is true

In Christ I am made new.

So the old man now is dead-No more a slave of sin

The one who’s died has been set free-To never die again.

Now if we die with Christ-In Him we’ll surely live

For sin’s dominion has been crushed-He’s faithful to forgive

I reckon this is true

In Christ I am made new.

I reckon this is true

In Christ I am made new.

And so we must reckon this-To sin we’ve truly died

Alive to God is now reality-For Sin is crucified.

No longer slaves to sin-But to righteousness a slave

For eternal life is God’s free gift-Sin’s wage is death’s dark grave

I reckon this is true

In Christ I am made new.

I reckon this is true

In Christ I am made new.

Romans 6

December 14, 2021

Anthony Foster

God of All Consolation

Amidst the darkened silent night

To stir up pain and quench the light

There roared a storm out of the curse

Its ancient deceits to rehearse

Yet in the darkness dense and deep

There is the God who never sleeps

Who watches over  all our trials

And takes us through them mile by mile

God of all consolation

When our anxieties attain

God of our salvation

You calm our hearts  and ease our pain

You reveal yourself to be

Good and true to me

There amidst our suffering souls

You have comforted and consoled

God of all consolation, hear my plea.

The day of trouble is each day

And troubled times call us to pray

We have an intercessor who will heed

Our cries for the comfort that we need

God of all consolation

When our anxieties attain

God of our salvation

You calm our hearts  and ease our pain

You reveal yourself to be

Good and true to me

There amidst our suffering souls

You have comforted and consoled

God of all consolation, hear my plea.

December 14, 2021

Anthony Foster

Follow Hard

Follow hard after Jesus

You humble man of God

Stand without blame

Clean with no shame

Take up your own staff and rod.

Follow hard after Jesus

And don garments of praise

God has a plan 

He calls you God’s man

Your job is heaven to raise.

No turning back, no turning back

For Jesus provides all you lack

Overcome if you dare

By the blood  you can bear

More than anything  this world can hack.

Follow hard after Jesus

And His righteous image pursue

Be done with sin

The victory win

For His power’s invested in you.

Stop drop and roll

When the fire takes your soul

And give Christ control  as you live

For in living there’s dying

Self and flesh crucifying

Your all on the altar to give

So go without knowing 

That is my advice

Let this be your boast

You love your God most

And find God gives  grace beyond price.

Anthony Foster

December 14, 2021

 

New Creatures of our God and King

Put off the old man with His  sin

In Christ  a new man will begin

Found as a new creation

Transformed by His salvation

Then step by step the victory You’ll win.

Let this be your anthem strong

Conformed to His likeness e’re long

New creatures of our God and King

Your need becomes your offering

Put on the new man now reborn

Your filthy rags no longer worn

To Glory raised

May God be praised

In righteous robes  now be adorned

Let this be your living sacrifice

Reckon yourself dead to sin, Alive to Christ

New creatures of our God and King

Lift up your voice rejoice and sing

Our sin and shame our Lord did bear

Nailed to His cross he left it there

Then when He arose from His grave

We rose with Him and so are saved

Let this be the truth that we declare

Romans 6

December 13, 2021

Anthony Foster