I Need Thee

There are so many things in this life.  Many things to do, and others to avoid.  Many things to uphold, and others, Oh Precious Lord, are so diminished.  Many wars to fight, tears to weep, and joys to relish.  Oh how these things can grow to consume.  Oh how they may convince the person that in and of themselves they are of value.  Oh, the deceitfulness of life.

I need Thee, oh I need Thee

Every hour I need Thee

Oh bless me now my Savior

I come to Thee

Oh Papa, I know I have desired so many things...  This life You've given me Lord, it consumes me, Papa.  Oh how quickly I forget Lord, that You are my desire.  I love You Lord.  Read it on my heart.  Read it on my lips. In my action, inaction, strength and weakness.  I need Thee!  Oh consume me now my Savior.  One day I will see You Lord, and what would you have of me 'til that precious day?  If you would have me die for Your glory oh Lord I would love it.  So soon I would see You.  If you have me toil and strive to build Your kingdom all the days of my life, oh Lord for You I would.  Only show me Lord, every breath, step and moment what You would desire; that will I do my precious Savior.

Consume me, oh consume me.  In this way make my heart like Yours, oh Lord so that others may love You as well.  Oh Lord, this my only heart, that they would learn to love You all the more.  That every one would come to love You more.  I love You Lord.  

Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ

I suppose this was spurred on by studying Lordship salvation; the idea that for a person to become a Christian, they must believe in Jesus, and accept Him as their Lord. I am not entirely sure what I think about this, but it certainly has caused me to think about why we fight against this concept. The Church is sorely in need of a return to Lordship Christianity. Enough of fixating on grace and all of the sinful pleasures we can satiate and still be saved, let us return to the place where we boast in the Cross.

As a response to our theology of grace, the underlying problem in our culture is not merely laziness as some would suggest, but a weakened expectation of the believer. Although I have strong suspicions about the theological fallout of his reaction to this, Francis Chan does well to remind the believer of what they should do in response to the gospel. The change our culture needs is not a fixation on what we should do however, as the American mindset can so easily pervert all works into self-gain, but rather we need to re-evaluate once again who the believer should be.

Of our men, we need to demand strength. Strength of character against sin. Strength of wisdom to discern right and wrong. Strength of will to fight all those who oppose God. Why is it that abortion thrives unopposed in a nation fifty-percent composed of Christians? Dear men, we have lost our strength. We must learn once again to speak the truth in love. Not only that, but we must expect the truth to be spoken with conviction.

The Lord is coming, soon and very soon. Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness...