My Only Consolation

As I survey my life I can see

Countless failures and sins

One hope remains for eternity

In Christ it ends and begins

There remains one hope after all these years

One means for my salvation

The blood of Jesus conquers all my fears

He is my only consolation

Bridge

There is nothing good I see

Apart from Him who works  in me

I am being transformed as He works out His will

To will and work and  to do-

Aligned, according to

His good pleasure  and His purpose to fulfill

As I survey my life I can see 

Some works I have done are good

Yet not I but because of Christ in me

This must be understood

There is only one who is worthy of praise

One means of my redemption

I will give Him the glory for all my days

He is my only consolation

He is my only consolation

Christ is my only consolation

Phil 2:3; Psalm 94:19

December 9, 2023

Anthony Foster 

Turn My Heart, Oh Lord

Turn my heart oh Lord like the river’s flowing stream

For it’s by your will it takes its course

If you turn the heart of every sage and  king

You can turn my heart back to its source

I have run through valleys that were not my own

I have followed streambeds of my lesser yearnings

But your grace still flows  o’er the places where I’ve roamed 

And I know now that it draws me to returning

If the hearts of the rulers of earth are yet in your hand

And you turn them wheresover You will

You can cut a canyon in the most barren land

Make my river roar till the valleys fill

If my sins are fully covered by your blood

Then your kindness will cause me to return

To Your living water’s  overflowing flood

Take me then to places that I’ve spurned

Whithersoever you will, Whithersoever you will

Turn me Whithersoever you will, Whithersoever you will

Lord I pray the path cut by my journey’s flow

Makes me feed the pastures that are green

But if dark ravines will cause your grace to show

Make me flow there as a reviving stream

Hold me within the embankments of your will

Bring  the tributaries of other brothers’ streams

Let us flow together until our hearts beat still

Into the crystal lake of our hopes and dreams

Turn my heart oh Lord and by your Spirit filled

Then turn my river into a raging torrent

Make me plunge into the waters of Your will

Till my spirit’s caught up in Your Spirit’s current

Then my soul shall rest within the rivers flow

And in your ark of hope I will abide

I will go without knowing but one thing I will know

Of my destination when I have died

Whithersoever you will, Whithersoever you will

Turn me Whithersoever you will, Whithersoever you will

Proverbs 21:1; Romans 2:4; Psalm 119:36; Rev 4:6; Prov 4:23

December 8, 2023

Anthony Foster

Arise, Shine, For Your Light Has Come

The people that walked in darkness 

A great light upon them has dawned

They that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, 

Are the  peoples that the light shined upon

Christ is Messiah for all of the nations

Nations will come to His light

And Kings to the brightness of His rising

For His glory shines in the night

Arise, shine, for your light has come,

Arise, shine, for your light has come,

And the glory of the Lord has risen 

The glory of the Lord has shown

The glory of the Lord has risen upon you.

Behold, darkness still covers the world

And thick darkness the peoples of earth

Lift up your eyes all around and see

As they come to know of His worth

So we go therefore and teach all the nations

Baptizing them as we go

In the name of the Father the Son and the Spirit

All that Jesus wants them to know.

Arise, shine, for your light has come,

Arise, shine, for your light has come,

And the glory of the Lord has risen 

The glory of the Lord has shown

The glory of the Lord has risen upon you.

Isaiah 60:1-4; Isaiah 9:2; Matthew 28:19-20

Marvelous Mystery

Christ appeared in the flesh,-For our sake and salvation

Was vindicated by the Spirit,-was preached among the nations,

Was seen by angels,-was believed on by men

Was taken up in glory.-To intercede and to defend

And now that greater mystery-God with us effects His plan

Christ in us the hope of glory-That perfects what he began

Now the Holy Spirit fills us-And In Him we are sealed

We are partakers of the grace-The Spirit has revealed

Oh what a marvelous mystery

What a marvelous mystery

God has revealed to you and me

Oh that He has opened our eyes to see

Oh that He has included you and me!

The mystery that was hidden -For ages and generations 

Is now revealed to his saints.-And this is the revelation

God’s surpassing power-A treasure in vessels of clay

The knowledge of God’s glory-In the face of Christ displayed

The mystery from which true godliness springs is great:

Yet there’s a greater  mystery- Glory beyond this estate

The riches of the glory -Of this marvelous mystery, 

Which is very Christ in you,-This the true hope of glory.

Oh what a marvelous mystery

What a marvelous mystery

God has revealed to you and me

Oh that He has opened our eyes to see

Oh that He has included you and me!

Oh what a marvelous mystery

What a marvelous mystery

God has revealed to you and me

Oh that He has opened our eyes to see

Oh that He has included you and me!

Col 1:27; 2 Corinthians 4:5-9;1 Timothy 3:16

December 7, 2023

Anthony Foster

Ascension Song (He is Able)

You are Lord of Lords and you are King of Kings

In your incarnation You chose to condescend

You bled and died to become the final offering

And rose again  to Heaven to ascend

Lord You were taken up Before our very eyes

And in the clouds were hidden from our sight 

Exalted to God’s right hand Now lifted up so high

To reign and rule in power and with might

Therefore He is able also to forever  save

Those who through Him to God draw near

He always lives,  for this promise He gave 

To ever intercede so have no fear

You have  gone up through the clouds into the heavenlies 

And are present there at God’s mighty right hand

Over every power, angels, and authorities, 

They are forever subject to Your command

You were our creator -You are our mediator 

Our advocate for ever faithful ever true

You have taken your seat, a footstool at your feet

Where all things in heaven and on earth bow to You

Therefore You is able also to forever  save

Those who through You to God draw near

You always live,  for this promise He gave 

To ever intercede so we’ll have no fear

Through You,  Jesus, to Father we draw near

Through You,  Jesus, to Father we draw near

Mark 16:19; 1 Peter 3:22; Acts 2:33 ; Luke 24:50-51; Acts 1:10-11;1 John 2:1;1 Tim 2:5; Hebrews 7:25

December 7, 2023

Anthony Foster

 

Grace Shines Through

Where our treasure is our heart will be

So may we treasure your glory

We would make any  sacrifice

To gain the pearl of greatest price

Oh Lord your all sufficient grace

Overflows  in all we face

All we need your grace supplies

Your grace can make us strong and wise

So Grace shines through

Yes Grace shines through

In all we do

God’s Grace shines through

By grace alone through faith alone

Abundant life is now made known

Though underserved your gifts you give

Without them we’d not dare to live

We walk by faith and not by sight

And by your grace  we fight the fight

Upon God’s palm our name’s engraved

For it is by grace we have been saved

So Grace shines through

Yes Grace shines through

In all we do

God’s Grace shines through

So Grace shines through

Yes Grace shines through

In all we do

God’s Grace shines through

So Grace shines through

Yes Grace shines through

In all we do

God’s Grace shines through

John 1:16-17; 2 Cor 12: 9-10;Eph 2:8-9

December 7, 2023

Anthony Foster

Walk the Pilgrim Way

In the light of the unseen there are glories to be found

If I cast my eyes to heaven yes to heaven where I’m bound

Put my back into to the plough and never turn around

Here I will covet nothing but to till the hallowed ground

Lord I am a pilgrim walking on a pilgrim way

Lord the path is narrow and I must walk it every day

Got no time for detours, got no passage to pay

Lord please help this pilgrim as I walk this pilgrim way

An alien and stranger as I sojourn on this road

Can’t take possessions with me so lay down that heavy load

Seeking for that city that’s to come for my abode

I will follow onward, I’ll not kick against the goad

Lord I am a pilgrim walking on a pilgrim way

Lord the path is narrow and I must walk it every day

Got no time for detours, got no passage to pay

Lord please help this pilgrim as I walk this pilgrim way

I’m a pilgrim and a stranger travelin’ in this weary land

And I’m a-searching for that city that is not made by hand

That city’s built upon the rock and not on shifting sand

There is glory when I get there where I can boldly stand

Lord I am a pilgrim walking on a pilgrim way

Lord the path is narrow and I must walk it every day

Got no time for detours, got no passage to pay

Lord please help this pilgrim as I walk this pilgrim way

Lord I am a pilgrim walking on a pilgrim way

Lord I am a pilgrim walking on a pilgrim way

For here we have no lasting city,  but we seek the city that is to come. 

Hebrews 13:14

December 6, 2023

Anthony Foster