October 21- a blessed event

The laast of this Foster generation (as it stands right now) gave witness to salvation by the obedience of baptism on Sunday, when I had the special privilege of baptising my nephew Jordan. Notably this was 40 years shy one day of my own baptism on October 22, 1967!

I have been praying for those boys for all these years and to see the fruition is awesome. I couldn’t help but think of 40 years ago when I was baptized and of my Dad’s joy at the event. Wish he could have been there- maybe he was, even though I don’t find support Scripturally for that kind of departure from blissful enrapturement at the throne. Who indeed knows?

And now for something completely different.

After I baptized Jordan yesterday, we retreated to Mom’s for a pizza party. One of the topics of discussion was the Riverdancing Chimps commercial. I had not seen it, but here it is for your pleasure…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vg05vToa7Zk

Here in Your Presence Is My Treasure

Here in your presence is my treasure
Why would I trade it for any fleeting pleasure?
Forgive my sin, let me back in
From the darkness where I rebel
In another sort of hell
Of my own making
Where I’ve been faking it
Taking your grace for granted
I’ve raved and I’ve ranted
Protesting my innocence
Declaring my rights
Mounting my own defense
In my deceit’s depth and height.

But I need your presence to go with me
I need to be humbled so again I’ll see
The surpassing worth
Beyond all this earth
Has to offer
To a sanctimonious scoffer.
But I get so bored with the mundane
That I trade my peace for problems and pain
And I degrade the thing I need the most
Cheapen that which should be my boast.

So forgive me Lord I cannot afford To be sent away Here I would stay So change me and renew In spite of the stupid things I do And Give me more of You Here and now, this very day. Forgive me Lord, I pray

Anthony Foster
October 21, 2007

October 22, 2007 Morning meditation-

Learning is tied directly to the emancipation and reformation of the imago Dei. At the Fall, humankind was cut off from the source of Truth, and the history of redemption is one of reinstatement into the presence of the creator. This is accomplished by the agency of covenant and in the ontological reality of the kingdom of God.

Man cannot become truly human in the fullest sense without a concomitant emergence of God-conciousness generated by the Holy Spirit. This effects salvific understanding and only then can man realize the emergence from the state of darkened mind we are called from at regeneration. We are not only new creatures, we become "new creation" in the truest sense. The result is a casting off of the flesh, the old man, and a renewal of the mind in Christ Jesus and a corollary pursuit of becoming the Righteousness of God by imputation and sanctification- growing in Grace.

So Christlikeness is the goal of Spiritual Growth. God has purposed to transform His people into the likeness of His Perfect Son.(Romans 8:29, Phil 3:20-21, 1 John 3:2, and Jude 24). Paul reveals tha Christlikeness is his goal for believers (Gal 4:19, Col 1:28). The process of sanctification and the process of spiritual growth are interchangeable doctrines – see John 17:17, Eph 5:26 and 2 Tim 3:15-17, 1 Peter 2:2 as well as the foregoing references. Growth necessarily means change which is from God (Col 2:19 and 1 Cor 3:6-7). 2 Cor 3:18 tells us that we are being changed into a greater likeness of Christ’s image. Conformation is also a corporate goal for the Church (Eph 4:12-16). Christ is the source of the believer’s growth as well as the aim and goal of that growth.

Finally, God commands Christians to grow. It is not an option, according to 2 Peter 3:18 and 1 Peter 2:2; we are also called to live daily like Christ in many passages (Eph 4:1, 17-24, Phil 1:20-21, 1 Peter 2:21, 1 Cor 11:1).While our salvation and justification are all of God, the process of sanctification is participatory- it happens in relationship to the anchor of our souls. Spiritual growth demands wholehearted commitment to the person of Jesus Christ.

Perfect and Complete (a Scriptire song to aid in memorization)

Consider it all joy my brothers when you encounter various trials
Knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance
And let the endurance have its perfect result
So that you may be perfect and complete
So that you may be perfect and complete
So that you may be perfect and complete
Lacking in nothing.

Anthony Foster
October 14, 2007
James 1:2-3


Do Not Pass Me By

Do not pass me by oh gentle Savior
Do not pass me by tonight
To the posts of my heart your blood apply
Give me vision and new sight
As the world spins around me
Keep my vision clear and true
I was lost but then you found me
Jesus I will follow You

Do not pass me by
If I live Lord, or if I die
I will never cease to wonder why
Your Goodness visited me
In your favor Lord, I would stand
In the blessings of your right hand
I will follow
I will follow you alone

We once sang a grave song Now we sing a grace song For from grave to grace you lead And we will follow in our need Bread was meant to be broken Words are meant to be spoken And all this Jesus, you have done You broke the bread that is You alone And you spoke the final Word So the Truth could finally be heard.

Do not pass me by oh gentle Savior
Do not pass me by today
Call us from the darkness where we waver
You’re the Light to light the way
As the world comes against us
Give us overcoming power
In our weakness you defend us
I will follow in this hour.

Do not pass me by
If I live Lord, or if I die
I will never cease to wonder why
Your Goodness visited me
In your favor Lord, I would stand
By the blessings of your right hand
I will follow
I will follow you alone

Anthony Foster
October 22, 2007

From Cruciform Power, Chapter 11- The Paradox of Weakness

in Michael J. Gorman’s Cruciformity-Paul’s Narrative Spirituality of the Cross.

I’ve been reading this evening in this book of Paul’s experience of God’s power in weakness, a substantial theme that’s on my mind of late. Weakness was a fundamental characteristic of Paul’s ministry, indeed, it was his modus operandi.

There are five principle ways in which Paul understood his apostolic ministry as weakness: his own personal presence and rhetorical skill; the mysterious "thorn in the flesh"; his refusal of financial support and his manual labors; his catalog of sufferings; and his attitude of humility and meekness. These correspond to the humility and weakness of the cross, which were as antithetical to the Greco Roman world as they are today. In this weakness is paradoxical power for those who reside within the wisdom of the foolishness of the cross. This weakness is a necessary corollary of the Gospel and of being crucified with Christ.

October 24, 2007 Songs and Meditations from the Road

I don't know haw many songs I have received on that rugged road from indy to Louisville, - dozens, likely scores have accompanied me as i have praued for fellow travellers and praised the Lord as I headed down the road. Here is the latest set of lyrics from this week's trip...

Light for the Crossroads

Give me light for the crossroads
Wisdom to discern
What your perfect will is
Which way should I turn

Give me light for the crossroads
Eyes to see your will
Make the choices obvious
Lord, make my vision clearer still

So many voices Vie to catch my ear So many voices Which one will I hear? You give us freedom More than hidden clues You give us choices Which way will I choose?

Your holy presence
Lord I'll ever seek
You are strength
When we are weak
Lord on this altar
My very life is laid
God of Elijah
Consume my heart today!

Anthony Foster
October 23, 2007

Apply the Blood

Lord apply the blood of Jesus
To the doors of my heart
Lord apply the blood of Jesus
Come and set me apart
For there is no other ransom
I have no other plea
Let the blood of Jesus cover over me!

Lord apply the blood of Jesus
To my tongue and my talk
Lord apply the blood of Jesus
To my wayfaring walk
For there is no other covering
To cover my sin
In the blood of Jesus new life begins!

Oh precious blood My savior's own Oh the precious blood For sin will atone Oh this precious blood poured out On the cross where you bled. For redemption's sake The blood has been shed!

Oh the precious blood
Oh the blood of the Lamb
In that crimson flood
The overcomer shall stand
Flowing down on me from
Your head, hands, feet, and side
In the blood of Jeus
I would ever hide
In the blood of Jesus I would abide!

What can wash away my sin?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
What can wash away my sin?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus!

Anthony Foster
October 23, 2007
Last verse Robrt Lowry
Hebrews 9:22

Maranatha!

Rain falls down on these latter days
Come to wash all our sins away
So put on the armor
And turn from the night
The clouds will part with the morning light

He comes in storm, this very hour
And Christ is formed
When we are are weak in perfect power
So sound the trumpet
Throw open the gate
And prepare the way before it is too late!

Come and reign in us In your power we will trust Come and rule and reign And your Kingdom ordain Lord your sovereign throne Is lifted up by your very own Come reign in us Oh Lord Jesus Your Kingdom, priests await our day So maranatha, come quickly we pray Maranatha come quickly we pray.

The kingdoms of this of this world have become
The kingdom of God's only and son
Forever he will rule and rein
He'll split the eastern skies and make it plain.
He'll show the world our faith was not in vain.

Come quickly Lord our strength and tower
Not like before, but in Kingdom power
Your Kingdome come
Your will shall be done
Here on earth as in heaven
Your Kingdom overcomes.
As in heaven so on earth
All creation sings your Worth!

Anthony Foster
October 23, 2007

Second Adam

Focus your aim
Rise up in song
Bear Jesus name
To the world ere long
For in Jesus name
We are transformed
For the sake of His name we are conformed
To the likeness of, the image of the very son of God
For he took the very flesh of man
And so this earth has trod
So the second Adam shows us all that we should be
For in Adam we have made our history.

In the first Adam the world was groaning
In the first Adam All men had died
Then at the cross in grace atoning
The second Adam fulfilled the law and was crucified.

Lord you will fulfill your covenant promise
You've done your will through the work of your son
As he cried out Oh lord it is finished
It is completed, it is accomplished, Father, it's done.

He is our ransom He bore the wrath Through the demands of the Law He cut a path A stairway to heaven We now can ascend He second Adam rose from the Grave And so it begins! So take off the old man And put on the new This is Gods Holy plan For me and for you. For when its all said And when its all done We'll be conformd into the Likeness Of God's Perfect Son!

So here is the purpose
Here is God's plan
Though sin would thwart us
And makes its demands
Our Lord is the victor
He's declared us Just
Our Lord set us free
To become more than dust

Here in the shadow
Of the crucified
Identified with Him
For in Him we've died
Yet not us but Jesus
For in the beloved son
Christ is in us
And we are in Christ
The victory's won!

So soon he is coming
For us holy fools
Raised up to the heavenly places
To reign and to rule
Come quickly Lord Jesus
Come quickly we pray
And so we shall sing
Come quickly and bring
New Jerusalem's day!

Anthony Foster
October 23, 2007

Courts of Grace

Lord give us a future and a hope in you
We find a future and a hope in you
All your timeless everlasting love
Awaits us in your Home
Draw us to your side
In you we will hide
Lord we would abide in this holy place
Our future and our hope are bound by Grace.

Bound by grace from grace to grace multiplied
Found Grace when your blood was applied
Lord all of our dreams
All our purpose, what life means
Are found within the courts of your great grace

In this life I am now living
Will be marked by my thanksgiving
A heart of gratitutude will be displayed
All the kingdoms of this world will give sway
To your courts of Grace
When your Kingdom comes
Then we'll fill this place and your will will be done

And we shall rejoice
With one heart, one holy voice
When in final victory
The cloud of witnesses see
By the glory of your grace the shekinah of your face
And Christ will be our boast eternally.

Anthony Foster
October 23, 2007

True Lover

The souls true lover sings sweetly his song
There is no other to whom we would belong
For Jesus is sweeter than earth's little dreams
And I will delight this kinsman who redeems

Jesus lover of my soul Be our passion Be our goal Your loving kindness ever new Love us with the Father's love Love that was sent from above Love us tender and true (Jesus' Love is tender and true)

The love that knows no limit
That bestows every delight
We shall revel in it
As our souls take flight
And the fire in our bosom
Reaches down into our bones
No deeper love mankind has ever known.

Such a love can change a heart
Such a Love can tear pride apart
Such a love is worthy of
Our total allegience
Our perfect obedience
Such a love can set us free!

Lord I want to sing
Lord I want to glorify you all my days
Lord I want to show the world yur love
Sent from above

Lord I don't know that anyone
Can love me like You do
But I know that Your love still amazes me
I know it's true
Lord I want to dance
Lord I want to sing
Lord I'll praise your Name
Give you everything
For all my praises Lord are due
Reserved for You

Anthony foster
October 24, 2007

Mighty to Save

Mighty to save You are mighty to save Your strong right arm Will keep us from harm From Sin and the Grave Conquerer hero, Oe'r all that we crave Our breaker King Of thee we shall sing You are mighty to save. Come Holy Spirit Come Reigning Son Come Glorious Father The Three and the One Come reveal your glory It's your promise you gave Your presence reveal And so we are healed You are mighty to save!

Anthony Foster
October 24, 2007

Thor's Hammer / Christian Crucifix Mold.

This tenth-century soapstone mold, found at Trendgården, Jylland, Denmark, could be used to cast either heathen or Christian amulets. Numerous sagas and historical accounts refer to the conflict between heathenism and Christianity, The hammer and the cross were very important symbols in this conflict, and the silversmith or goldsmith who used this mold could satisfy customers of either faith .Sounds familiar.