I Will Cling to Christ

I will cling to Christ  Like wet clothes to the skin

Like a moth to cloth  Like the lost to their sin

I will cling to Christ Like ivy clings to a wall

A scared child to its Mother, Lest she should fall

Like a morning glory  To its trellis clings

I will cling to Christ And will rest ‘neath His wings

I will cling to Christ Like a babe at the breast

I will shelter in Him Like a chick in its nest

I’ll not cling to wealth Nor cling to power

Or to memories That fade like the flower

I’ll not cling to sacrifice,  Nor favor nor fame

I’ll adhere to my Lord- Cling to Him without shame

I look to the day when  I’m  drawn to His side

Never to be parted- Fore’er to abide

To my Savior I’ll cling- Until that great day

As a branch of His vine- and here I will stay

Inspired by a quotation from Katharina Von Bora

Anthony Foster

February 7, 2022

 

A Precious Promise

Thus saith the Lord Almighty to you

All my attributes to you shall be

All I am will be to the good for you

Just as to my glory they are to me

My grace shall be yours to pardon you 

My power shall be yours to protect you

My goodness shall be yours to relieve you

My wisdom shall be yours to direct you

Mercy shall be yours to supply you, 

I will never leave you of forsake you

My glory shall be yours to crown you.

I your God will my people make you

After Thomas Brooks, Works, Vol. 5: 308

Jeremiah 31:38; Psalm 44:15; 2 Corinthians 6:16-18

Anthony Foster

February 6, 2022

Don’t Shrink Back

 

We are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls. Hebrews 10:39

Don’t shrink back- got to stand and be bold

Don’t shrink back into the darkness and cold

Can’t retreat into the void

Man up or be destroyed

You been dealt a hand of Grace so do not fold.

Don’t shrink back- got to take your stand

Don’t shrink back -arise and be God’s man

Renounce that sin with which you’ve toyed

Or give up and be destroyed

Don’t shrink back into that shifting sand…

Got to keep the faith and take control

That gift of faith it will preserve your soul

Persevere and run the race

And you’ll find sufficient grace

You will be preserved until you reach your goal

Don’t shrink back

Don’t shrink back

Don’t shrink back

Anthony Foster 

February 6, 2022

Ark of Peace

Ark of peace, ark of safety

The cross will carry  us to glory

This love still marks the souls of men

With compassion and a burden

Marks us with pain for a dying world

And  lives that on sin's rocks are hurled.

Ark of peace, ark of safety

The cross will carry  them to glory

Ark of safety, Ark of peace, 

Help us drink these facts and feast

Mine were the sufferings you bore

Mine the bloody stripes you wore

Mine the sorrows that you carried

Pierced for my faults, dead and buried

Crushed because of my own sin

And all the iniquities of men

Your punishment brought us peace

Secured the prisoner's release

Ark of peace, ark of safety

The cross will carry  us to glory

Anthony Foster

February 6, 2022

My Soul Shall Sing

My soul shall sing the greatness of my Lord

My soul shall sing the power of his Word

For by his Spirit he has opened up my eyes

He declares the Truth that calls me to arise

He has paid the debts that I could not afford

To stand astounded at holy love outpoured

This poor unworthy sinner he has declared just 

By His mercy everlasting, in this I place my trust

My soul shall sing the beauty of the Son

The image of the father the begotten One

Veiled in flesh He embraced humanity

To save His chosen ones and set them free

My soul shall sing of the Holy Ghost

The spirit of my Christ and the Lord of Hosts

Who tabernacles in me for endless days

He fills my heart with joy, peace and praise

Chorus

My soul shall sing, my soul shall sing

This will be my humble offering

A sacrifice of praise

On glory I will gaze

As I abide beneath his sheltering wing.

Anthony Foster

February 5, 2022

Isaiah 57:18

Restore me Oh Lord restore me

My sin it is ever before me

Comfort me in my distress

Help me know how to confess

Take my life and to your Son conform me

You have seen my ways but you will heal me.

You will open my eyes to the real me.

I have gone astray but you will lead me

I have starved myself but you will feed me

He heals, he leads, restores and intercedes

Oh we are saved, saved! saved!

We fall in trembling joy as our sin is destroyed

Oh we are saved, saved! saved!

I resist your grace but you will break me

I resist where repentance would take me

Where I am broken make me whole

Turn my heart and take control

You promised ne’re to leave me or forsake me

The grace of God triumphs when we resist 

By creating praise where it did not exist.

He brings shalom to the far and to the near

And the peaceful  fruit of lips to those who’d hear

He heals, he leads, restores and intercedes

Oh we are saved, saved! saved!

We fall in trembling joy as our sin is destroyed

Oh we are saved, saved! saved!

Anthony Foster

January 31, 2022

Come Lord Jesus

Let today be the beginning of a life

Let today be the beginning of a life

That will last, a life that will last

You are faithful in the future as in the past

Come Lord Jesus Come Lord Jesus

We wait for your appearing-Your advent is nearing

You promised your return

Would be soon and very soon

For this new advent we yearn

Be it morning night or noon

Let today be the beginning of a life

Let today be the beginning of a life

Life that has no end

Life without pain or loss or sin

Come Lord Jesus Come Lord Jesus

We wait for your appearing-For your appearing

Bridge

This is our heart cry and heart song

It is for your very presence that we long

To see your face and gaze into your eyes

To have you draw us to your precious side

We abide in you each day

You are all that we hope for

Come quickly Lord we pray

To be with you forevermore

Let today be the beginning of a life

Let today be the beginning of a life

Life abundant, with no end

Life without pain or loss or sin

Come Lord Jesus Come Lord Jesus

We wait for your appearing-Your trumpet we will be hearing

Come Lord Jesus Come Lord Jesus

We wait for your appearing-Your judgment is nearing

Anthony Foster-After an anonymous tune I heard when a teen

January 29, 2022

Music Maker

Who put this music in my soul?

Who is the rock that makes me roll

You write each melody

And bring to me sweet harmony

You put this holy music in my soul.

Who put this music in my heart

Who makes my song a work of art?

Welling up inside of me

Springing from eternity

You put this holy music in my heart

Forming deep within my soul

Renew my mind and make me whole

It starts my heart to ring

And quickens my tongue to sing

Oh, holy conductor take control

Who put this music in my mind

Who stirs up rhythms and new rhymes

You’re the author of each verse

Of every lyric I rehearse

Music maker make your music mine.

Who put this music on my tongue

Who authored every song I’ve sung?

You’re the One who can compose

A symphony of notes and prose

You put this holy music on my tongue

Forming deep within my soul

Renew my mind and make me whole

It starts my heart to ring

And quickens my tongue to sing

Oh, holy conductor take control

Anthony Foster

January 24, 2022

Lord We Believe

Lord we believe

In You we place our trust

For You are great and mighty 

And we are but dust

Lord we believe

To You we will adhere

We will follow in your way

As you draw us near

For even demons believe

And tremble as they do

Belief is more than mere assent

We cast ourselves on You.

For you are Faithful and True

Lord we believe

On You we will rely

You will be our only hope

Whether we live or die!

To trust and to adhere to

To rely on you alone

This is how we may believe

You claim us as Your own

We know as we are known

Anthony Foster

January 21, 2022

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