68.4 Praise of God's Perfect Law

(Psalm 119:1-8)

Happy are those whose lives are faultless,
who live according to the law of the Lord.
Happy are those who follow his commands,
who obey Him with all their heart.
They never do wrong;
they walk in the Lord's ways.

Lord you have given us your laws
and told us to obey them faithfully.
How I hope that I shall be faithful
in keeping your instructions!
If I pay attention to all your commands,
then I will not be put to shame.
As I learn your righteous judgments,
I will praise you with a pure heart.
I will obey your laws; never abandon me!

68.3 Perfection Through Love

(1 Corinthian 13:1-13)

I maybe able to speak the languages of men and even of angels, but if I have no love, my speech is no more than a noisy gong or a clanging bell. I may have the gift of inspired preaching; I may have all knowledge and understand all secrets; I may have all the faith needed to move mountains-- but if I have no love, I am nothing.  I may give away everything I have, and even give up my body to be burned-- but if I have no love, this does me no good.

Love is patient and kind; it is not jealous or conceited or proud; love is not ill-mannered or selfish or irritable; love does not keep the record of wrongs; love is not happy with evil, but is happy with the truth. Love never gives up; and its faith, hope, and patience never fail.

Love is eternal.  There are inspired messages, but they are temporary; there are gifts of speaking in strange tongues, but they will cease; there is knowledge, but it will pass. For our gifts of knowledge and of inspired messages are only partial; but when what is perfect comes, then what is partial will disappear.

When I was a child, my speech, feelings and thinking were all those of a child; now that I am a man, I have no more use for childish ways.  What we see now is like a dim image in a mirror; then we shall see face-to-face. What I know now is only partial; then it will be complete-- as complete as God's knowledge of me.

Meanwhile these three remain: faith, hope, and love; and the greater of these is love.

Still by Hillsong - Christian Song of Praise and Worship with Lyrics

Intro: F Am C G

Verse 1
C       G   Am       F    Dm   G
Hide me now, under your wings
C   G   Am       F            Dm      G
Cover me, within Your mighty hands

Chorus:
                              F            G            C
When the oceans rise and thunders roar
                         F        G           Am
I will soar with You above the storm
                          F      G            C
Father You are king over the flood
              F                       G           F – G (C) (intro)
I will be still (and) know You are God.

Verse 2
C       G   Am           F    Dm     G
I rest my soul, in Christ alone
C   G        Am            F              Dm      G
Know his power, in quietness and trust.

(Repeat chorus 2 x)

Adlib: F Am C G (2 x)

Repeat verse 2
Then chorus 2 x

To end:
        F           G                  Am   (Intro)
I will be still know You are God (2 x)

68.2 David's Praise

(1 Chronicles 29:10-20)

There in front of the whole assembly King David praised the Lord. He said, "Lord God of our ancestors Jacob, may you be praised forever and ever! You are great and powerful, glorious, splendid and majestic.  Everything in heaven and earth is yours, and you are king, supreme ruler over all.  All riches and wealth come from you; you rule everything by your strength and power; you are able to make anyone great and strong. Now, our God,we give you thanks, and we praise your glorious name.

"Yet my people and I cannot really give you anything, because everything is a gift from you, and we have only given back what is yours already.  You know, O Lord, that we pass through life like exiles and strangers, as our ancestors did. Our days are like a passing shadow, and we cannot escape death. O Lord, our God, we have brought together all this wealth to build a temple to honor your holy name, but it all came from you and all belongs to you. I know that you test everyone's heart and are pleased with people of integrity.  In honesty and sincerity I have willingly given all this to you, and I have seen how your people who gathered here have been happy to bring offerings to you. Lord God of our ancestors Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, keep such devotion forever strong in your people's hearts and keep them always faithful to you. Give my son Solomon a wholehearted desire to obey everything that you command and to build the Temple for which I have made these preparations."

 Then David commanded the people, "Praise the Lord your God!" And the whole assembly praised the Lord, the God of their ancestors, and they bowed low and gave honor to the Lord and also to the king.

68.1 Be Perfect For The Lord

(1 Kings 8:54-61)

After Solomon had finished praying to the Lord, he stood up in front of the altar, where he had been kneeling with uplifted hands. In a loud voice he asked God's blessings on all the people assembled there. He said, "Praise the Lord who has given his people peace, as he promised he would. He has kept all the generous promises he made through his servant Moses. May the Lord our God be with us as he was with our ancestors; may he never leave us or abandon us; may he make us obedient to him, so that we will always live as he wants us to live, keeping all the laws and commands he gave our ancestors. May the Lord our God remember at all times this prayer and these petitions I have made to him. May he always be merciful to the people of Israel and to their king, according to their daily needs.  And so all the nations of the world will know that the Lord alone is God--there is no other.  May you, his people, always be faithful to the Lord our God, obeying all his laws and commands as you do today."