This Week in Housekeeping

I updated these Theological Term posts:

decree(s) of God

• Fixed formatting.
• Added compatibilism, decretive will, infralapsarianism, order of God’s decrees, and supralapsarianism as related terms.

decretive will

• Added decree(s) of God and preceptive will as related terms.

deity of Christ

• Fixed formatting.
• Added Adoptionism, Arianism, eternal generation of the Son, humanity of Christ, hypostatic union, and Trinity as related terms.

docetism

• Added a link to the docetism entry at Theopedia.
• Added a link to Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry’s Docetism.
• Added a link to Basic Theology’s Docetism entry.
• Added a link to Justin Holcomb’s Know Your Heretics: Docetism.
• Added related terms humanity of Christ and hypostatic union.

Sunday's Hymn: Arise, My Soul, Arise!

Arise, my soul, arise; shake off thy guilty fears;
The bleeding sacrifice in my behalf appears:
Before the throne my surety stands,
Before the throne my surety stands,
My name is written on His hands.

He ever lives above, for me to intercede;
His all redeeming love, His precious blood, to plead:
His blood atoned for all our race,
His blood atoned for all our race,
And sprinkles now the throne of grace.

Five bleeding wounds He bears; received on Calvary;
They pour effectual prayers; they strongly plead for me:
Forgive him, O forgive, they cry,
Forgive him, O forgive, they cry,
Nor let that ransomed sinner die!

The Father hears Him pray, His dear anointed One;
He cannot turn away, the presence of His Son;
His Spirit answers to the blood,
His Spirit answers to the blood,
And tells me I am born of God.

My God is reconciled; His pardoning voice I hear;
He owns me for His child; I can no longer fear:
With confidence I now draw nigh,
With confidence I now draw nigh,
And Father, Abba, Father, cry.

—Charles Wesley

1. Traditional tune.
   
2. Kevin Twit/Indelible Grace tune

Other hymns, worship songs, sermons etc. posted today:

• Jesus, Lover of My Soul at Fieldstone Cottage
• I Need Thee Every Hour at Rosemary at Home
• Come Thou Fount at Gospel Grace
• God, My King, Thy Might Confessing at Conjubilant With Song
• All Creature of My God and King at The Happy Wonderer
• Lord’s Day 31 at Tried With Fire 
• A Sunday Psalm: The Treasury of David - Psalm 8:1-2 at Theology for Girls
• Lord’s Day 31, 2012 at The Thirsty Theologian
• Faith Alone - July 29, 2012 at The Upward Call

Have you posted a hymn (or sermon, sermon notes, prayer, etc.) today and I missed it? Let me know by leaving a link in the comments or by contacting me using the contact form linked above, and I’ll add your post to the list.

Thankful Thursday

Amelia

Today I’m thankful for the truthfulness of God.

Here’s what I’ve been thinking: If truthfulness weren’t one of God’s attributes, I couldn’t really know him—at least I couldn’t be certain that I knew him. I can only know God as he reveals himself, and because he is true, everything he reveals about himself corresponds to what he really is. I’m thankful that because God is true, I can know him—not completely, but truly. 

What’s more, God’s promises and warnings are completely reliable because he is truthful. What he says will be always comes to be. God is true, so he can be trusted; God is faithful because he is true. There is secure hope in the truthfulness of God and I’m thankful for that, too. 

I’m thankful for prayers answered in ways better than I could ask or even think.

I’m thankful for the place I live—my home, my yard, the surrounding woods and overlooking mountains. 

I’m thankful for busy days, days too busy for much blogging. I’m especially thankful for two of the reasons I’m busy: my two grandbabies, Natalie and Amelia. They are good gifts from my good God.