I can never take part in life Black worms have bound me The chance to break down The sorrows that weigh me down
I will never see, I will never find The voice of the deep, lives here And trickles out in Conscience-laced streets Dark beats, the only joy That escapes through My cracked surroundings
Set the hatch on ajar To your innermost chamber Open for me Let me fill every crack
I open the sluice, let the water flow in Water interspersed with sprouts Grows firmly to my bottom The interpreter shadows the light When will it light?
Jesus’ invitation Can be the solution to this
Remember it was not I Who stole the peaceful shining The light inside
A complete surrender Let the holiness of the Lord Fill my insides And the power of the Holy Land renew My soul, my mind To the Lord I am raised up
–Extol, “Innbydelse”–
Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee. –Isaiah 26:3 (KJV)–
They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles. –Isaiah 40:31 (KJV)–
They should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after Him, and find Him, though He be not far from every one of us: for in Him we live, and move, and have our being. –Acts 17:27-28 (KJV)–
Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. –James 4:8 (KJV)–
I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting. –1 Timothy 2:8 (KJV)–
Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. –Jesus Christ in Matthew 28:20 (KJV)–
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Lester Liles, ed. Streams of Healing: A Book of Comfort (Revell, 1958), pp. 76-100.
Thomas à Kempis, Of the Imitation of Christ (Whitaker House, 1981).
Renovaré, Connecting with God (HarperOne, 2006).
—. Prayer and Worship (HarperOne, 2009).
Catherine Marshall, Adventures in Prayer (Ballantine Books, 1987).
—. The Helper (Chosen Books, 1978).
Craig Keener, Suffering: Its Meaning for the Spirit-Filled Life (Baker, 2025).
When they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the Word of God with boldness. –Acts 4:31 (KJV)–
God gave them greater degrees of his Spirit, which was what they prayed for. Their prayer, without doubt, was accepted, for it was answered: They were all filled with the Holy Ghost, more than ever; by which they were not only encouraged, but enabled to speak the Word of God with boldness, and not to be afraid of the proud and haughty looks of men.The Holy Ghost taught them not only what to speak, but how to speak. Those that were endued habitually with the powers of the Holy Ghost had yet occasion for fresh supplies of the Spirit, according as the various occurrences of their service were. They were filled with the Holy Ghost at the bar (Acts 4:8), and now filled with the Holy Ghost in the pulpit, which teaches us to live in an actual dependence upon the grace of God, according as the duty of every day requires; we need to be anointed with fresh oil upon every fresh occasion. As in the providence of God, so in the grace of God, we not only in general live, and have our being, but move in every particular action, Acts 17:28. We have here an instance of the performance of that promise, that God will give the Holy Spirit to those that ask him (Luke 11:13), for it was in answer to prayer that they were filled with the Holy Ghost: and we have also an example of the improvement of that gift, which is required of all on whom it is bestowed; have it and use it, use it and have more of it. When they were filled with the Holy Ghost, they spoke the word with all boldness; for the ministration of the Spirit is given to every man, to profit withal. Talents must be traded with, not buried. When they find the Lord God help them by his Spirit, they know they shall not be confounded, Isaiah 50:7.
–MATTHEW HENRY COMMENTARY ON ACTS 4:31–
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Dr. John R. Rice, Why Preach Against Sin? (SLP, 1946), p. 4. “Other preachers, who do not have the courage or the conviction or the devotion to preach hard against sin, rationalize and excuse their failure. Sometimes they pretend that love and kindness of heart prevent their preaching against sin. They do not want to ‘hurt their testimony’ by offending anybody! How much nicer such preachers are than Jesus Christ Himself who preached so plainly against sin!”
I urge you to keep up your courage, because not one of you will be lost; only the ship will be destroyed. Last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me and said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar; and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.’ So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me. –Acts 27:22-25 (NIV)–
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